Discussions of Truth

View as Continuous StreamSubject ThreadsReply ThreadsTop of Thread Only   Sort by date, old to newby date, new to oldby authorby subject   Excerpts noneshow short excerptshow full message  [Post a Message] -deleted- - Matthew Webb . 15 Oct 2002 15:23 . #1 Part 1 "An Experience in High Ecstasy" (female practitioners' indoctrination by her male teacher) . Part 2 KM Section 1 Individual Practice . Part 3 KM Section 1 Individual Practice . Part 4 KM Section 1 Individual Practice . Part 5 "A Second Experience in High Ecstasy" (male practitioners' indoctrination by female teacher of Part 1) . Part 6 KM Section 2 Practice of the Couple . Part 7 KM Section 2 Practice of the Couple . Part 8 "A Third Experience in High Ecstasy" (advanced practitioners cast their states) . Part 9 KM Section 3 Advanced Practice . Part 10 KM Section 3 Advanced Practice . /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// . . The Kama Mahasutra . An Experience in High Ecstasy; . June 12, 1991 . Part 1 of 10 . . On a warm summer day of June, at a remote cabin in old growth woods, something profound happened. The pink of rhododendrons in the peak of bloom, dotted a small, lush clearing harboring a garden by the creek. A shadow of wispy clouds crawled over the forest on their way to the sea. The sounds of various birds and the swaying of douglas firs in the afternoon breeze, made song with the rushing water. But from the cabin came another sound, much like the cry of a bird, yet with a human voice. . . A minute later, and through an open window, the voice sounded again, half moan, half shrill cry. The voice was heard again and again in increasing tempo, until it arose every two seconds or so, becoming louder each time. What was partly a moan became more and more like shrieks of pleasure. It was a woman’s voice, with that tinge of animal lust that can only arise before an intense orgasm. . . She lay on a futon just a few feet from fireplace embers, hips arching slightly and head thrown back in spasms of pleasure. Upon each small peak her dark-tipped breasts bobbed forward and backward, with ever-moving, erect nipples contrasting against the orange of the remaining fire. A well-built man of evident fitness, licked enthusiastically at her engorged clitoris, focusing intently, single-mindedly, upon serving her pleasure. Her sex felt as if it might lift her off the ground. An incredible energy flowed into her from his tongue that was nothing less than animal lust combined with soul. Pleasure in her rose up in a such a sweetness, that it threatened to become a tsunami of bliss beyond all conscious control. Even so, she had the self control to hold off orgasm for a few seconds more, so that it might explode just as the Kama Mahasutra had described. . . With a mouth that mirrored her writhing body, his licks continued unbroken while following the thrusting motions of her hips, making sure that her clit-pleasure stayed at an ultra-peak. All the while his extra-hard cock, intensely stimulated by the woman’s pleasure, cried out for its' own release. His hips thrusted forward and backward of their own accord, longing to enter deeply into her to spurt hot seed. But regardless of this, he stayed in pinpoint focus on her trembling femaleness, using, "the intent to serve totally". And that intention was definitely having good effect. Seconds later, she arched her whole body, crying out in ecstasy through each and every female cell, from head to toe. With eyes rolling back into her head, and a mouth forming an oval scream, the animal within took over completely. . . The start of this orgasm shook her in waves, constantly jiggling her breasts as might a strong current of electricity. Much of that current flowed directly from his cock via the tip of his ardent tongue. As he licked he drove pleasure and benefit into her through INTENT, just as a devotee at a temple to the most Holy, worships the Divine. She was too stunned by pleasure waves to do anything but be a female animal of exalted soul. Thoughts were momentarily impossible...only the spasms of her pulsing clitoris remained. . . But after about 30 seconds of this, the pleasure of it was not subsiding. "Oh my God" she somehow thought to herself, "Am I going to cum for an hour?" Then she remembered to do what he had taught her...to use intent to elevate and sustain her orgasm. "But do I dare!?" she mused, not certain of what might happen next, as sweat began to drip down her forehead. . . Feeling that she was at a peak, he licked even more worshipfully, and then, "cast" another intent into her femaleness...strength combined with pleasure. He visualized several lightning bolts of energy entering her clitoris every second, and at the same time, INTENDED a sense or feeling of sheer strength and well being, directly into the hub of her pleasure, while flipping his tongue across it again and again. A cry of, Uhh...ahhh! escaped her lips unexpectedly, coming from the depths of her femaleness, heart, belly, the soles of the feet, and her very soul in a unison of bliss. She could feel an incredible strength enter her pussy, her womb, and her whole body like a great flood of exquisite well being. This doubled and then tripled her orgasmic pleasure from an already high peak. It was simply too much energy to hold within! Her arms spontaneously extended out to each side, with what felt like gigawatts of energy pouring out of each outstretched finger. In her mind she saw this energy form a bubble that surrounded them both, then it grew bigger and bigger until the entire clearing around the cabin became filled with it. It seemed to her that the meadow outside had suddenly become quiet, the birds did not sing, and even the breeze ceased. She could also feel the presence of the animals and trees within her body, as thought hey were a part of her, but only for a few seconds. She put her hands over her breasts, squeezing each nipple as if to remind herself of what being in a physical body felt like. Then the bubble of sex energy contracted back into the room, where clitoris and licking tongue were once again her only awareness. . . She not only HAD an orgasm, she WAS an orgasm...a supernova of excellent vibration and energy which felt as thought it could change the whole world for the better. . . After four full minutes her climax was finally starting to subside, but a body-wide bliss did not. She was clearly not in any condition to speak or even move. He stopped licking and carefully laid next to her, resting his hands lightly on her belly and chest, listening to the contentment in her breathing. She floated in waves of glowing warmth; an exquisite inner strength that felt more like being a soul than it did being a body. . . An hour later she whispered in his ear, "That was truly incredible, and I've never felt anything like it...how did you do that to me?" . "I did it through intention, just as the Kama Mahasutra describes". . "What part is that?" she asked, while reaching for the book, which was on the floor a few feet away. . "That part is in Section 2, which talks about, 'serving your counterpart'. . "Oh yes, I remember now...SERVING huh? God, did I ever get 'served' with style". . "Thank you honey. I want you to know though, that it was my pleasure as well. I could FEEL you, you know, every subtlety of your orgasm, and it was SO sweet. You have a very hot femaleness. You cum very well." . She blushed at the compliment, and said, "Well I've never cum like that before, it shook me to my soul...and let me guess, that was your intent too." . "Actually, I didn't intend to uplift your soul in this case...that happened on its' own. I only intended pleasure and strength into your clit...and also for your whole body, through your clit." . "I DID feel an incredible strength inside suddenly!...Section 2...yes, here it is, "serving your counterpart". I had read this, but didn't see clearly what it was talking about until now. But knowing something and being good at it are two different things". . "That's true, sex-energy work and sensitivity is just like any other skill, it gets more refined through practice." . "I want to be able to intend greater energy, pleasure and strength into your cock, but am not sure how". . "Remember how in Section 1 it talked about using the four steps of intent to increase your own orgasm?" . "Yes, and I've been practicing that". . "So it would seem!" he said with a smile. "And it's the same, really, with sending pleasure into someone else...the same four steps. I visualized lightning bolts going into your clit, giving it super pleasure and strength, for instance, along with the intent to give you a boost." . "You certainly gave me a boost. This practice makes 'regular sex' look pretty pale in comparison. But it's also a discipline, a spiritual focus that requires a lot more of the practitioner than regular sex, isn't that what you've been saying" . "That's right. To reach the full benefits of the Kama Mahasutra takes a lot of inner work, and then a lot of mutual inner work, for it to really show what it's capable of". . "Just like any other spiritual practice". . "Yes, you have keen insight, which is why I've been wanting to teach you this for some time." . "Well I'm glad you did" she said while reaching for his cock, and finding it erect, rubbed it lovingly. "I'm ready for my next lesson if you are". . "More than ready, especially after that hot orgasm of yours! If you get on top of me, we can try something else". . "Yeah, like turn about is fair play" she replied, leaning over him to lick the distended ridge all around a reddish cockhead. She licked in fast little flicks, and then took his cock deep into her mouth, to suck it with a relish like that of ravenous hunger. . "Don't make it cum just yet, because there's something else we just have to do" he said, moaning and raising his hips slightly off the floor. . "But I want it to cum hot, wet spurts for ten minutes straight! Then she paused...."What do we have to do?" . "Get on top of me and find out". . . Releasing his cock reluctantly she straddled his hips, pushing her wet pussy against his heat, urgently humping it. "Is this what you had in mind?" . "Yes and no. Try that with the intent to increase your pleasure." . "I already am", she said, with dilated eyes and her head thrown back. . "Good. In that case, intend something else now. Intend some of that clit pleasure into my cock". . Her questioning look caused him to explain further. "As you feel your pleasure, you can also feel mine too, right?" . "Oh yeah, there's definitely a lot of energy going back and forth". . "Visualize your pleasure as a stream of bright light, and see it flow from your clit right into my cock. After that, just intend your high feelings into me at the same time" . "Like this?" she asked, as she ground her hips against him in little semi-circles, with a look of sheer lust and strong focus in her eyes. . . Just then he felt the pleasure of her clit and focused intention seep into his maleness, then up his spine like a warm shower after a cold winter day. "Ah, yes! That's it...just keep that focus and you've got it! That's 'doing' my cock so good. Give that female pleasure, let it pour into my cock and balls. Yes...give it!" An exquisite sensation of his male polarity being amplified, coursed through his very veins. "I can FEEL the high in your clit". . . She felt his energy rising too, and this use of intent was a new dimension to sex that was strongly exciting. Not able to resist the urge any more, she raised up her hips slightly after grabbing his cock, and guided it deep into a hungry wetness. . "Yesss!" he half hissed through clenched teeth. "Now intend some more femaleness to my cock. Give it good! Fuck it!" . "Oh!" she cooed, breasts bouncing up and down with each fucking motion. She visualized lightning bolts arcing into his cock and balls, and streams of energy like the creek outside, flowing from her clit-pleasure into his whole body. . "You've got it honey, that feels absolutely perfect!" then he said, "And now let my cock give back to your pussy in the same way". He pictured a rising column of energy, coming up from deep within the earth like a whirlwind, intending that it funnel earth prana into both their hips and pleasure organs. He used the pleasure of his cock to fill her with male intensity, and soon she was bucking like an animal in heat. . Pleasure energy passed between them with a building force, as male polarity built up femaleness, and female polarity built up maleness. They became a circuit of mating energy, the lust of the animal in rut, but with the power of intention to guide the animal ever upwards towards the sublime. . "Fucking! Fucking! Fucking!" she chanted, her mouth an oval of expectation. "I'm going to cum so good!" . "Me too, let's merge our fucking together." . "Yes!....Now! Fuck our cumming together! Fuck me good!" she moaned, and then it happened....Her hips opened wide to feel every inch of his cock deep within, and pausing for moment expectantly, they began to pump up and down quickly, like animals when they breed. This milked the seed from his balls in great jets of super intensity, spurting from cock to cervix in a dance as old as the ancient seas. Her pussy seemed to feed upon these juices, hungrily contracting in spasms over and over again, as if to coax out every last drop. Just then they felt as if their very souls were merging together...a unity of no less than spiritual significance made the DNA in every cell ring like a struck tuning fork. They felt like a ball of very dynamic energy, and this ball expanded quickly with orgasmic power, expanding over the meadow and trees beyond. Again the meadow fell silent, as though every creature and blade of grass were changed by the passing field of ecstatic energy. . . This was no quick mating, as echoes of orgasm pulsated through their bodies for several minutes, male energy feeding female, and female energy feeding male. After some time she spoke. . "So that's tantra". . "Yes, that is most certainly tantra, Kama Mahasutra style, and it's FAR better than regular sex, wouldn't you agree"? . "Needless to say! And that was just the intent to give each other higher and higher pleasure, right? What if we had intended strength or love on each other while fucking?" . "Then that high pleasure energy we shared would have also been super strengthening and loving at the same time". . "My God, I don't know if I can take any more than what we did, or what you did to me earlier!" . "You get used to it...tantric energy work I mean. Plus, when you remember it's more than just great sex, it puts the whole thing in better perspective". . "What perspective?" . "That tantra, or Kama Yoga, is a spiritual practice." . "Wait till the Church gets hold of this...sex as a way to reach God?...they'll have a fit first, and burn you at the stake second", she said playfully. . "Well then I'll just have to make a deal with them...they don't burn me at the stake, and I'll lay off the, "Second Cumming" jokes on Sundays". . This made her giggle uncontrollably into her pillow, and then with raised eyebrows she asked, "So seriously, explain what we did today as a 'spiritual practice'. " . "Read more of the Kama Mahasutra...it explains this. But think about it. The way we amplified each others' pleasure is really an unwavering act of GIVING, and how many things in this world are there better to give, than a whole afternoon of ecstasy? This is also a discipline of gaining self knowledge, of the greater mastery of intent, and it encourages the practice of meditation. It demonstrates advanced energy work, the reality of the chakras, and how such natural laws as polarity can actually be personally experienced. It encourages better health, and returns the practitioner to a place inside that is closer to nature, by embracing the body, purifying it of pain and fear. Also, the practice lends itself to real happiness, both as a thing learned and a thing to teach others, while uplifting the mind. . "Well you've shown me this great knowledge which I appreciate, but exactly what do you mean, 'teaching others'?" . "I mean what the last part of Section 3 says, 'Karma and the Necessity of Spiritual Ministry'. It says that truth in all it's forms should be conveyed to others, and that this generates good karma for ones' self. In particular it says that, given the power of this sexual knowledge, the practitioner should take it upon themselves to teach at least two members of the opposite sex such wisdom, as a form of spiritual ministry. After a while it would spread quickly all over the world like a wave. What uplifts any person can also uplift whole regions of the world.” . "I'll bet that if enough people learn such things, that this COULD really save the world". . "My thoughts exactly". . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Kama Mahasutra, Section 1 . (primary version in modern language) . Part 2 of 10 . . The Kama Sutra, compiled in India in the 2nd century B.C., is still highly regarded by many as the classic masterpiece of sex. Like all the sutras of the ancient Vedic writings however, it's primary purpose goes far beyond the enhancement of sexual pleasure. It's true purpose, known fully to only a few around the world today, is actually the greater perfection and enoblement of the human being. In truth, this sutra is not only dedicated to the amplification of sexual ecstasy, but in the use of such ecstasy to expand the practitioners' consciousness into spiritual bliss, wisdom and personal power. . . The Kama Sutra is the work of a variety of authors spanning several centuries of time. The scholar Vatsayana is usually credited in compiling this Sutra in a comprehensive way. However, some historians also charge him with degrading the overall value of the work, since it is said he eliminated key passages which held the core of the Sutra. Some say Vatsayana omitted the most important and meaningful sections because, "they elicited uprisings against the caste system" and because he thought them, "too powerful to be given to the common citizen". The omitted sections are included below in large part, and have been dubbed, "The Kama Mahasutra" to distinguish them as being of utmost importance, to the true understanding of tantric sexuality. The commonly known Kama Sutra expresses what may be called, "the outer understanding" of sexual relations, whereas the Kama Mahasutra expresses, "the inner understanding" of conscious sex, and as such, deals with CAUSES rather than just EFFECTS. . . There are a great number of sutras in Vedic literature. The word "sutra", (from which modern english derives the word 'suture'...."to unite, close or secure with sutures") meant "thread", such as the various threads which make up a cloth. Thus, the Kama Sutra was intended as a single thread, interwoven with many others to form the great vestment of Yoga itself, worn by the wise. Sex in this context is yet another vehicle for progressive enlightenment, just like meditation, social responsibility, cognition, mental acuity, right diet/physical strengthening, contemplation and karmic liberation. The sexual Kama in other words, is most properly understood as a Yoga, (meaning union) whose ultimate aim is personal and mutual excellence in all ways. It is a very serious spiritual practice. In ancient times, there were some who even viewed the spiritually-focused sexual union between man and woman, to have a value as great as meditation itself. In fact, given that Yoga means, "union" (with God and truth) Kama Yoga means also a union of male and female, whose cosmic energies have transcendent potency when they are properly combined. In this way, the Kama Sutra is a path to actually communing with soul, nature and God, via ecstasy with the opposite sex. . . The universally valuable information contained in these writings, is outlined as follows; . . Section 1 The Individual; Sparking and Stoking the Fire . . a) Introduction; the great importance of sex, sexual potency and its' cultivation . b) Consciously masturbating the sexual organs as a meditation; . drawing prana, various visualizations, vibrational raising, the use of intent . c) Cultivating intensity and energy, with and without orgasm . the storing of prana, balancing the energy . d) The differences in male and female preparations . male dynamism and imbalance, female cultural barriers and sexual superiority . e) Individual preparations of diet, exercise, mental purification/cultural de-conditioning, body-wide focus, . e) The use of the Ganja as super-enhancing aphrodisiac via intention/Herbal Chakra Meditation . . Section 2 The Couple; Using the Heat to Gain Power and Mutual Pleasure . . a) Introduction; The Mutual Heat/ The Tao of the sexes-polarity/sex as a psychic-energetic event . b) Conscious sex...the use of intent (four steps) to both send, (as balancing) and receive pleasure and love/the chakras, drawing chi and raising vibration together, strength, balancing, spiritual love. the storing of energy . c) Serving another’s pleasure and being served/the use of intent to empower another/worshipping the opposite sex as noble and as a temple/mutual body-wide purification . d) Consciously masturbating in tandem/a mutual encouragement for openness and intensity/contemplation of super-orgasms/simulating orgasms . e) Body-wide Sexual Chakra Meditation during sex to heal, consulting with body-wisdom, the "breeding/mating intent", taking the example of nature . f) The use of the Ganja as super-enhancing aphrodisiac via mutual intention . . Section 3 Advanced Practice; Transforming the Heat to Expand Consciousness . . a) Shiva-Shakti power-group mind/the Progression . b) The chakras and the Chakra Meditation . c) The casting of pleasure and other benefits to areas of effect during sex . d) Using pleasure as a means for expanding consciousness . e) Soulic/intent-element retrieval . f) The "eating" of pain and fear/psychic self protection . g) The use of the Ganja as super-enhancing aphrodisiac via mutual intention . h) Karma and the necessity of spiritual ministry/teaching the KM to at least 2 students . . ////////////////////////////////////////////// . . 1a) Introduction; the great importance of sex, sexual potency and its' cultivation . . Of all the motivations in the human world, sexual attraction and pleasure is the most intense and the most captivating. Of all the energies of nature, sexual energy is at the root of all creatures great and small, from plant to animal. Sexual force is the basic energy of life. It sustains and causes growth. It is the flower of all that has breath, of all that moves, of all that eats, and all that has consciousness. It is upon sexual energy, lodged at the base of the spine, that all accomplishments of human culture and civilization owe a major portion of their existence. Sexual potency is a foundation for the essence of artistic expression, and creativity of all kinds. It is a foundation for that energy we call "will" in the solar plexus, for "love" in the heart, for "right speech" in the throat, for "right thinking" within the brow, and for the greater manifestation of soul at the crown of the head. If a human body were a great pyramid, sexual energy would be its' broad and wide base, and upon which even the highest peak of mind and soul rest. When this foundation is made more refined, elevated in its' energy and vibration, so too is all the rest of the pyramid of life. It is the wise who look within and know their sexual power, and the wiser still who cultivate its' strength, vibration and energy, for the sake of ecstatic excellence in life. When a wise man and a wise woman combine their strengthened sexuality, they can empower and transform each other without limit, with a bliss even beyond that of the Saints and the Masters. . . The wise person views their sexual experience with great respect, seeing it as a basis for personal power. "Power" is the ability to take action. "Sexual power" is the ability to take sexual action. Sexual power is of two basic things; energy and vibration. The energy of sex in any form is immediately obvious to all persons who look within and observe carefully. What is not generally realized is that this energy, or "prana" is the basis for our physical life force. To increase this energy by increments is to likewise improve ones' health and even mental function by increments. In such a fashion diseases of mind and body can be made less severe and even cured. Sexual appetite increases, as does the level of pleasure experienced. The primary means for the increase of one's prana is self knowledge and the INTENT to do so. . . The "vibration" or pleasure of sex, is best understood as life energy resonating at a very high rate, or high frequency, which is experienced as pleasure-feelings. All feelings when taken as a sum total are likewise of this same life energy...sadness, pain, love, fear and orgasm. When compared, they form a spectrum, with pain and fear forming the lower end, and being of a lower vibration. Love and orgasm form the higher end of the feeling spectrum, and are of a much higher vibration. It is well known that all aspects of the self are empowered when taking action through high feelings. The body is improved and refined, even at the cellular level, when acting through love or pleasure. The mind is likewise made faster, more expansive, more greatly intuitive, more intelligent and wiser, in the presence of such high vibration. Even the presence of the atman or soul is made more evident during orgasm, and in fact, a part of that which is called "orgasm" is actually an aspect of the soul coming through into the body. Feeling is the language of the body, and of the very cells which compose it. To raise the height of body-wide feelings is to raise the morale of the cells and organs, causing them to become stronger in all ways. In such a fashion diseases of mind and body can be made less severe and even cured. Sexual appetite increases, as does the level of pleasure experienced. The primary means for the increase of one's vibration is self knowledge and the INTENT to do so. . . Through the intentional cultivation of ones' basic energy and vibrational levels then, the practitioner increases their sexual power. By gaining such power they are enabled to take a variety of actions which bestow extraordinary advantages in all areas of life. Among these are; the greater enjoyment of self and life at will, very progressive and ecstatic relations with the opposite sex, the expansion of consciousness and the achievement of greater Mastery, greater health and genius at will, the refined ability to discern and apply truth, and increasing personal strength of all kinds. Such abilities demonstrate a process of realization and embodiment. They represent a learning process, one that is both a creative art, and an exacting science. This science and art, of which tantric love-making is only a part, is known as THE EXPANSION OF CONSCIOUSNESS. . . It is not uncommon to imagine that a sexual focus and a spiritual focus in life are inherently at odds with one another. The religious mindset is particularly prone to this thinking. But the actual fact is that an increase in sexual focus and pleasure, can be greatly enhancing to one's spiritual advancement. Even more surprising to many is the fact that holistic spiritual advancement can add greatly to sexual pleasure and power. Conscious sexuality and spirituality share many common qualities. Among the most notable of these is that they both are advanced and enhanced through a gain of energy and vibrational level. Spiritual love, or love of any kind for that matter, can be greatly enhanced through the cultivation of greater pleasure. Increasing spiritual love in turn creates increasing pleasure and orgasms of an extremely intense and satisfying nature, when INTENT is directed toward that end. A more energetic sexuality, (first chakra) lends itself once again to an increase in spiritual love and clarity. The body/mind is first and foremost a system, meaning that changes made in any of its' parts, reflects in like fashion upon all of it's other components. When a persons' intention is turned toward the conscious increase in sexual pleasure, the rest of the body becomes increasingly purified of lower vibrations such as pain and fear. The wise understand this as a spiritual purification as well. . . Those who advocate spirituality at the cost or suppression of sexual power, have little understanding of life. Those who advocate sexuality without spiritual focus, have little understanding of the PURPOSE of life. A sexually grounded spirituality has a large number of advantages and benefits. Among these is that pleasure greatly motivates personal progress, as soon as it is realized that conscious sex affords much greater pleasure/orgasms, better health, a heightened state of awareness, a better mind and even at-one-ment with soul, nature and God. The high vibration of pleasure keenly focuses the mind and body of the practitioner toward even higher levels of pleasure. In so doing the practice of tantra is a vehicle proper, to excellence of body, mind and soul. . . b) Consciously masturbating the sexual organs as a meditation; drawing prana, various visualizations, vibrational raising, the use of intent . . Individual preparation must always come first in order to achieve anything in life. The carpenter first becomes acquainted with their tools before they may build a house. The fisherman becomes familiar with the sea before ever making a catch, and the physician studies the ways of the body before treating patients. So it is with the tantrist, the practitioner of Kama Yoga. Such a practitioner is not satisfied to merely FEEL a brief pleasure, they aim to delve deep inside it, to know it as an aspect of knowing themselves. With this knowledge the tantrist can extend their pleasure from minutes to hours. They can increase the ecstasy in their pleasure organs to over double and triple it's usual intensity. Orgasm becomes prolonged and intensified, as a whole-body set of waves like the raging sea. The practitioner can become so intimate with their sexuality that they can learn to project it into the pleasure organs of their counterpart, greatly intensifying the satisfaction of the opposite sex. The advanced practitioner can even employ their sexual power to gain strength, high love and psychic abilities, and all of these can in turn be used to enhance one's lover. Such practices are FAR beyond the experience of "every-day" sexuality, and their bliss knows no comparison. . . To enjoy an exquisite meal, one must first prepare the ingredients and build a fire. To enjoy exquisite sex, one must first prepare one's health, and build the sexual fire. The heat of a fire transforms the ingredients of a meal into a savory banquet. So too does the cultivation of sheer health and conscious pleasure transform the ordinary person, into a lover whose value is priceless in the eyes of kings and slaves alike. . . So it is that the tantrist prepares their body, and especially the sexual organs, to experience far greater pleasure, (high vibration) and energy. They do this not only for the sake of enjoyment, but as a type of training that will inevitably lead to a higher self, and ecstatic relations with the opposite sex. . . Whether the beginning practitioner is a man or a woman, the first phase of the practice is the basically the same. Both sexes engage in a practice of conscious self-pleasuring, typically upon retiring to bed, and before arising in the morning. The man will typically excite the penis to a certain hardness first, then apply an oil to it, so that his rubbing motions are made smooth and of the greatest enjoyment. The woman may likewise apply oil to her clitoris and vagina, or rely on her natural lubrication. She may masturbate by hand or alternate with a dildo. In either case, both sexes should focus with all their awareness on their pleasure. They should observe it closely and in fine detail. This constitutes the first phase of the practice...the gaining of sexual self knowledge. By noting every subtlety of their own feelings, the practitioner soon learns what gives them the MOST pleasure on a conscious level. Some will possess this knowledge already to a great degree, others only in part, and many others still will be learning something almost entirely new. But regardless of how self aware the practitioner may be, it will be discovered that there is always something more to learn about the body and about pleasure...subtleties will become apparent, and greater levels of realization will arise regarding the very same knowledge. An example of such knowledge which many will not realize without conscious practice, is just how to manage pleasure and keep it at a very high level for long periods of time. Another example is how pleasure can upgrade the body and improve health, especially when it is sustained for longer periods of time than usual. . . It is recommended that the practitioner not reach orgasm too quickly, but instead, reach a point of near-orgasm over and over again, while remaining aware of every subtlety of feeling. This is an ability that requires practice, both at the mental and physical levels. The mind will typically say, "but I want orgasm...I want to feel it now!". The body also, conditioned by the mind which always says this, will be used to making orgasms quickly, and usually without a maturing of the pleasure involved. It may be said then, that the mind and body have an inertia toward immediate or at least quick orgasm, and this inertia can be corrected by setting a new precedent. Every time the practitioner gets near to orgasm, their sex organs will clearly indicate this to them. And every time a person eases away from orgasm intentionally, they are setting up a new inertia, bit by bit. The mind must be sensitive to the very first indications of orgasm, and be prepared to exercise a restraint, or discipline, in order to reach much higher levels of enjoyment over time. As is typical of any discipline in life, the immediate benefits are somewhat sacrificed, so that the long term goals of much higher benefits can be fully realized. So it is with sexual practice. . . In the beginning, the practitioner will typically elect to consciously masturbate for perhaps 20-30 minutes at a time, before actually having an orgasm. They will wish to extend this time after a week or less to 30-60 minutes. During each session they will be reaching a point of near orgasm more and more times, and the sustained pleasure will likewise increase, as the body gets used to these higher levels of energy and vibration. But regardless of the amount of time spent in each session, the quality of one's focus upon pleasure is the main factor in determining just how much benefit is gained. Such quality of focus can be had most effectively through meditation. After self knowledge, meditation is the second phase of this practice. While pleasuring the sexual organs, focus the mind in this way; . . The Sexual Chakra Meditation . . Fixate and center your awareness upon your pleasure, and let it rest there. Relax any tension you may notice in the body, even while the sex organs are excited. Then when thoughts of any kind enter into the mind, return again and again to your feelings of pleasure. Soon the practitioner will notice that while pleasure is increased by centered awareness upon it, the amount of thoughts that pass through the mind will continue to decline. In this way, the mind is repeatedly cleared and the body is purified of tension, fear and pain by cumulative degrees. Over days and weeks of this practice, it's focus will become more and more automatic, as body and mind become conditioned to such superior focus. . . The relationship between mind and body is profound. In fact, the distinction between the two is blurred at best...what occurs in one inevitably occurs in the other, to some degree. Human beings have a habit of making a symbol, (a word or image) for everything that exists in life, even sex. Thus, the habit of running thoughts through the mind is typically chronic. This endless stream of mental words adds stress to the body, and stress in the body in turn adds tension to the mind, promoting even more thoughts. By engaging the above practice of meditation, this cycle is significantly interrupted and even reversed. At the same time, without the burden of mental stress, the entire body enjoys higher feelings and health, and sexual pleasure is greatly increased. . . The third and final phase in this solo practice, after self knowledge and meditation, is the greater mastery of intent. The initial experience of what rightly-focused intent can do, should be experienced through orgasm itself. After a self pleasuring session of greater length, and after easing toward, and backing away from orgasm several times, prepare for a more conscious, and therefore far more intense orgasm. As usual, the sex organs will indicate that delicious sensation of approaching climax. Relax into this sensation, without rushing it...keep relaxing the entire body in fact, without diminishing your sexual energy level. Bring your pleasure center slowly closer to orgasm by rubbing it much more slowly and lightly, until it reaches a point of near orgasm, one that is more intense than usual. Then at the last second before climax, stimulate the sex organs in a way that gives them maximum pleasure and pushes the body into the highest possible peak. . . Although this technique alone will provide greater sexual pleasure, the real foundation of the matter is intention, (as with all things in life). For most people, intent will appear to be a subtle matter, of elusive quality. But the fact of the matter is, that each of us uses intent constantly in daily life. Intention is behind every one of our words, and the way in which they are spoken. It is behind our every action, even the reading of this page, and is the basis for all motivations and life decisions. Without intent we cannot act, and without the greater mastery of intent, we cannot take action in life with great wisdom and Mastery. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Kama Mahasutra, Section 1 . (primary version in modern language) . Part 3 of 10 . . . When crossing that threshold known as, "orgasm", (as described in Part 2) make an attempt to use intent to expand your pleasure. The employment of intent is of four basic steps, and those listed below are designed for ANY application in life. Read the following and understand them in general terms; . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT (for rendering personal change) . 1) Be aware of your current state of body/mind, (this is accomplished through meditation). . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to be Intended, (such as a higher love, pleasure or clarity) and the Intent to be acted upon is crystallized. . 3) The desired state is held steady in the mind, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize and feel this state as if it already exists, until the body/mind shifts into it. . 4) The desired state is "held in place" throughout the body, (or a given chakra). This new state is maintained by treating it as the new reality of the self on a permanent basis. . Subsequent applications of the above four-step process render cumulative results, so be persistent! . For a sexual application, the above steps translate as follows; . 1) Be aware of the current pleasure-state of the sex organs, (this is accomplished through meditative focus upon orgasm). . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to be Intended, such as higher and more intense levels of orgasm, and the Intent to be acted upon is crystallized. . 3) The desired state of higher orgasm is held steady in the mind, Visualize and feel this state as if it already exists, until the body/mind shifts into it. . 4) The desired level of higher orgasm is "held in place" throughout the body, and the sexual organs. This new state is maintained for a much longer period than usual, extending orgasm out from seconds to as long as minutes, (and in some cases, and to some degree, hours). It is also held with much greater intensity, multiplying the pleasure experienced many times over, especially though practice. . In essence, the four step use of intent to increase orgasm, may be summarized in this way....1) Awareness is focused upon pleasure and orgasm to the exclusion of distracting thoughts, and, 2) the desired outcome of more and more orgasmic pleasure is held steady in the mind, especially in terms of feeling, while, 3) the practitioner "moves" themselves from lower levels of orgasmic pleasure into higher and higher levels, and finally, 4) the higher levels of orgasm are sustained for as long as the practitioner can so focus themselves. Such a practice will act to purify some of the pain and fear that are stored in anywhere in the body. It will also excite, raise and purify the sexual organs, so that subsequent pleasuring, (both orgasmic and non-orgasmic) will be cumulatively enhanced. . Let us then discuss these four steps in practical terms, so that they may be clarified. The first step, 1) "Awareness is focused upon pleasure and orgasm to the exclusion of distracting thoughts" is self explanatory, and whose value will be made more and more evident through the practice of meditation/the Sexual Chakra Meditation. The second step, 2) "the desired outcome of more and more orgasmic pleasure is held steady in the mind, especially in terms of feeling" is a more subtle matter, and deserves further explanation. Some may rightfully ask, "How should I necessarily know what 'more and more orgasmic pleasure' is"? The first answer to this question is "self knowledge". Most people have had a great many orgasms in their lives. Some of these were great, most average, and some very mediocre. One method of gaining "more and more orgasmic pleasure" is to simply recall that instance or instances in your life when you had the highest orgasm(s). Recall this event in the greatest possible detail and subtlety, especially in terms of feeling. After recalling that event in detail, INTEND to re-experience it in the sex organs, by focusing meditatively on their pleasure, while simultaneously recalling the event in question. Use intent to increase your orgasm/pleasure in accord with those remembered. Keep in mind also that the body has memory, both short and long term. Any state it has ever experienced is stored there to some degree, (unless those memories are intentionally purged). So to recall any experience of a high nature, keep in mind that this is ideally more than just a mental act). A second method in achieving higher orgasm at will, or in other words, "via intention" is to compare your lifelong experience of pleasure from the worst and weakest orgasms to those of the highest and most glorious quality. Picture these as if seen on a graph, from the lowest to the highest. Through imagination, follow that line on the graph onward and upward into levels of orgasm beyond the highest you've ever experienced. Contemplate and rest the mind on this concept, especially during masturbation, in addition to the regular focus of the Sex Chakra Meditation. . In order to once again answer the question, "How should I necessarily know what 'more and more orgasmic pleasure' is"? A third superior method, (though more difficult to master) is the use of intuition as well as "consultation with the body". "Intuition" is the use of the mind to perceive that which logic and existing knowledge do not yet firmly understand. To intuit what greater orgasm is, first employ the Sexual Chakra Meditation. After 10-20 minutes of this, visualize and recall via feeling,, your best orgasm. Then attempt to INTUIT what just one higher step of pleasure and orgasm would be, beyond this point. Ask yourself, "What would this feel like"? "How would the body react to this level of orgasm"? Rest the mind upon these questions repeatedly, and intuition will indeed provide the answer. "Consulting with the body" means tapping that vast storehouse of wisdom and intelligence stored in the cells. The body not only has knowledge of past experiences in this life. It also has knowledge of the natural history which led up to modern human beings. In a very real way, all of the forms of life that have evolved and led up to the human form, are still held in the genetic memory of each of our cells. This means that our bodies have knowledge of what it was like for our distant ancestors to have sex, and indeed, all the animal forms which led up to the human being. While self pleasuring, ask the sexual organs to convey to the mind what animal orgasm is like. Ask them to convey what sex for human beings was like in the times of pre-history, when modern taboos and social restrictions were not in place, and where only the animal intensity and purity of mating were the norm. This too is technically the use of intuition, with the difference being that the source of information is the body, rather than the mind. In doing this, many will immediately experience clear indications of what can be expected from higher levels of orgasm. . The third step of intent in the increase of orgasm, 3) "the practitioner 'moves' themselves from lower levels of orgasmic pleasure into higher and higher levels" also requires more explanation to the uninitiated. Step three is a process of "traveling". It entails moving from one place to another, or to be more exact, from one state of consciousness to another. In order to travel, such as walking from ones' own house to that of a friend, one must first do two things. The first is to start where you are, and the second is to know where you're going. In step 1 we focused on pleasure itself meditatively, and this constitutes, "knowing where you are". In step 2 we discussed discovering what higher and higher orgasm is. This constitutes, "knowing where you're going". In step three of this analogy, in order to get to our friends' house we must first start walking, and in the right direction. We must at least have an idea where they live. So it is with "moving", via intention, from a state of average orgasm to extraordinary orgasm. This is typically done by steps or degrees, although it is quite possible to take great leaps. In order to "move" from an average orgasm to one that is extraordinary, focus on both simultaneously. Start with the orgasm you're currently experiencing, but at the same time, let intuition (and body wisdom) constantly lead your pleasure into more and more intense orgasmic waves. In other words, INTEND higher and higher orgasm by degrees. . Finally, the fourth step of intent, 4) "The desired level of higher orgasm is "held in place" throughout the body, and the sexual organs" is carried out, and intent has become a consciously applied force. This means simply that the higher intensity of pleasure and orgasm experienced are maintained, or in other words, held in focus to the exclusion of thought, so that they are much longer lasting, more satisfying and of far greater benefit. . To the beginner, these four steps may seem intensive. But over time the ability to apply them quickly and easily is gained, until the practitioner reaches a point where all four steps are completed in a single, relatively effortless movement. The ability to INTEND any given quality in the self, or to improve any existing quality, is gained. This is also what is known as "the gaining of greater mastery of intent". Since intent is of key issue in any endeavor in life, it's greater mastery also implies a greater mastery of life itself. In this way, the tantric practice of Kama Yoga becomes an ideal focus by which a person familiarizes themselves with spiritual practice in general, and in becoming a Master in their own right. . c) Cultivating intensity and energy, with and without orgasm, the storing of prana, balancing the energy . By applying the four steps of intent, (above) to increase and prolong orgasm, the same may of course be done to sessions of pleasure that do not lead to a climax. By using these steps, pleasure can not only be increased at will, it can be amplified in such a way so that it remains "stable" and "balanced". Orgasm is a release of stored and built-up energy (prana). If this sexual build-up were compared to a spinning top, orgasm would be the point at which the top becomes so unstable in it's revolutions that it, "grounds out" on the surface it was spinning on, and then stops altogether. Thus, "stable and balanced" in this context means that the high vibration and prana that are built and intensified in the sexual organs, does not 'ground out' in orgasm, but instead, remain at various high peaks between rest periods. . There are several advantages to the combination of frequent sexual activity, and yet, the lack of frequent orgasm. One has already been mentioned....the prolongation of pleasure, or high vibration, benefits the body in all ways. Cellular morale is progressively raised, and the organs of the body are made to work with greater strength and efficiency. Even diseases of body and mind can be reduced or cured through such a focus. It also means that sexual activity with another practitioner can be greatly increased...even as much as several times a day. The second is the gain of stored sexual energy. This is particularly true of men for reasons mentioned hereafter. When sexual energy is raised through pleasuring, and yet is not released, most of it remains within the body. After several sessions of self-pleasuring in this manner, that built up energy becomes more and more intense. [This of course increases the urge to orgasm over time as well, unless INTENT and certain practices intervene.] The carefully observant will immediately notice that their general energy level continues to be elevated by degrees. Physical strength increases and the tissues detoxify, mental agility and depth amplify, spiritual perception and level of consciousness can increase, and even the practitioners' charisma/sexual attractiveness improves. It is the wise, therefore, who manage their sexual energy carefully for the sake of the best overall benefit. It must be realized then, that orgasm is not the end-all of sexual activity, it is merely the fruit upon the tree, but not the tree itself. As soon as the practitioner realizes the many benefits of cultivating their sexual energy without frequent orgasm, they will then be fully motivated to take tantric practice very seriously. It is not an easy task for most people. To master pleasure, amplify it at will or stop orgasm as it approaches, and to increase one's prana, (energy/sex energy) is a disciplined act of spiritual merit. Toward this end of gaining even more energy, they will engage an additional meditation, usually in the third to fourth week of the practice. This practice is known as, . "The Sexual Prana Gaining Meditation" . Begin by first engaging the Sexual Chakra Meditation and self pleasuring as described above. After 10-20 minutes of this, visualize roots growing down into the earth from your feet, legs, hips and sexual organs. Focus on your pleasure at the same time. Then picture bright light entering your "roots" much like water being drawn up into a plant after a rain, and traveling up into your body, especially in the area of the lower spine, the sex organs, and finally, the entire body as a whole. Know that this bright light is earth energy, or prana. INTEND that this energy is stored in the body to a greater and greater cumulative degree. Use your pleasure to give that energy a dynamic movement, (and in fact, the drawing of environmental prana is likely to increase the practitioner’s pleasure level). The experimental minded will also visualize the prana drawn this way, as being stored in the very cells and atoms of the body. Conduct the Sexual Prana Gaining Meditation for at least another 10-20 minutes, once at night, and once in the morning. You will find that through practice, this ability to "draw prana" from the environment increases greatly through experience. It will be at that time that the great value of this practice begins to be revealed. Not only will you accumulate extraordinary energy through daily tantric practice without orgasm, this prana gaining exercise with accelerate and amplify your efforts to have more energy for everything in life, many times over. . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . The Kama Mahasutra, Section 1 . (primary version in modern language) . Part 4 of 10 . d) The differences in male and female preparations, male dynamism and imbalance, female cultural barriers and sexual superiority . . The main problem involved with sexual activity, that approaches and yet excludes orgasm, is obviously the ability to keep that energy balanced. This is a practiced ability, wherein the practitioner will experience many failures of intention. The intent to gain personal power in all ways then falls into conflict with the mind and body, in the desire to orgasm. Do not dwell upon such a lack of right intention in this regard, merely persist in the practice and make gains by degrees. There will be periods where your practice fails utterly, and there will also be increasing periods of time wherein your practice makes great and disciplined gains. . . Keep in mind that the solo version of tantric practice described thus far, is in large part practice for it's application as a couple. Those individuals who excel at the solo practice, will have an excellent foundation for being superior lovers who please their counterparts greatly. . . With men, the challenge of not having an orgasm is especially intense, and also, especially important. When men orgasm, they expend a great deal more energy than a woman does. Each of the sperm carries all the knowledge of being male and reproducing a new life, and billions of these are spurted out with each ejaculation. The woman need only release one egg every month, and so, she is not drained by reaching orgasm as much as the male is. It is the wise man who practices the retention of semen. Those who exercise such restraint in not having orgasms frequently, gain a great deal of vitality and extra energy over time. Muscle mass tends to increase more rapidly, as does mental alertness and even attractiveness to the opposite sex. Also, the man who comes less often, will tend to have harder erections and much more lust-energy during sex, which women will tend to feel and respond positively to. . . Sexual activity without orgasm acts to increases the polarity, or polar attraction of the sexes. Couples who hold off orgasm intentionally for periods of time, will be strongly motivated to have sex far more often, and with greater intensity. Like opposite ends of a magnet which get stronger and stronger in their energy, the sexes become increasingly lustful for, and attracted to each other, after not having orgasms for some time. Polarity is a natural law, and the wise couple will take advantage of it to gain incredible bliss and strength together. Also of note is the fact that the egg and sperm are polarized in their energy. They are attracted to each other, just like the opposite ends of a magnet, and it is this force which draws the sperm to the egg inside the woman. Every sperm has attractive power in this way. The more sperm a male has, unspent and stored within his body, the more magnetic attraction he will tend to have to females, at the sexual level. . . All this being said, the man also has the problem of accumulating too much semen, without balancing knowledge and intention. As a general rule, the greater the accumulation of semen within his body, the greater his felt need will be, to orgasm it out. Women often do not understand this, and how it affects the male nature. The feeling of the male need for sex is partly physiological, and not merely a quirk or over-indulgence on the part of male psychology. Of course, women feel this need too, but the difference is that the female physiology does not tend to force the female to focus on sex as much as it does in the male. The over-accumulation of sperm can actually become a painful ache, and a driving force that provokes an extreme feeling for the need of release. This is simply how the male is built, and it makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Such a driving force has long compelled men of adjacent tribes to make long journeys away from their village or cave in order to find a mate, and in so doing, has provided a fresh mixing of genetics over the widest possible area of terrain. Evolution also explains why the man is prompted to orgasm very quickly during sex, a fact that women often protest. If you consider that over the period of a mere ten thousand years and 10 million matings, the men who ejaculated quickly, (before sex was interrupted for whatever reason, such as an attack by neighbors, local in-fighting or jealousy, etc) were the ones to make more babies. Gradually, this trait was passed on increasingly over the generations, until it became a common occurrence. . . The man must learn to overcome these genetic and physiological predispositions, in order to achieve his full sexual potential. This is done through intention and practice. The practice, as described above, is simply a matter of masturbating the penis to a near-orgasm state, and then backing away from that point, especially while using the Sexual Chakra Meditation. In so doing, not only does the male gain increased self knowledge about the subtleties of pleasure and how these can be directed at will, the penis itself is conditioned through practice to not climax quickly, if at all. The very cells of the body can be taught any repetition or change, so long as that change is in accord with natural laws. The sex organs are no exception to this, as they have memory, consciousness and intention just like all the parts of the body. Given this, the man can also INTEND that his sex organs remain of a balanced energy, which is to say, they have great control over orgasm and pleasure in general. Apart from easing away from orgasm again and again during masturbation, the man may reach his awareness into the feelings contained in the testicles and penis, and INTEND that they have further control of orgasm and pleasure. Visualize the cells in this area of the body. "Speak to them" mentally, by saying such things as "Don't come unless I decide to". Those in contact with body wisdom will understand that the cells of the body WILL in fact listen to such instructions, if the mind is genuinely committed to a given outcome. Never underestimate the intimate relationship of mind to body and body to mind...they are in fact ONE, and it is the knowledgeable who realize this and capitalize on it. Experiment with this fact, and realize its' truth. . . The woman also benefits a great deal from conscious masturbation, especially through such focuses as the Sexual Chakra Meditation. In order to throw off the yoke of arbitrary society which has suppressed her sexual power, she must intentionally amplify her pleasure and orgasmic intensity. The woman may do this without a great loss of energy, and so, is freed of the need for frequent abstinence from orgasm that is recommended for men. In her case, the challenge is to find and build up great pleasure in the clitoris and vagina, to a very high degree. The woman should, during certain periods, seek to condition her sexual organs to orgasm quickly, intensely and often, as a strengthening of her first chakra power. Upon accomplishing this, she can then focus on periods of abstinence from orgasm, for the sake of accumulating high energy and vibration, as well as the other possible benefits already mentioned. . . Females tends to Hello all - Ame . 16 Oct 2002 13:37 . #2 I am going to begin this post with just a . small divergence from pure consciousness and . ask what people think about keeping the . balance between spiritual and material. We . are currently living in physical bodies ( or . it appears so) or is the soul indeed multi- . dimensional and experiencing up to twelve . dimensions at once and the dimension in . which we are experiencing here now is where . our consicousness is centred the most. I . wonder if any of you have some thoughts on . this as I find when I concentrate too much . on the physical my energy drops, whereas my . natural inclination is to be in the . spiritual mystical. However at this time I . am aware that I am living in this physical . body. I notice sometimes when I am lying in . bed relaxed and thinking, that I almost feel . my physical body moving in response to my . thoughts. For instance, when I am thinking . of the past I feel a definite movement. So . what I am beginning to realise is that if . their are multiple earths and dimensions, . possibly up to 144, that by our thoughts and . intentions that is what we are experiencing . in the moment. So if we want a world of . peace, love and light. That is what we must . intend and experience at all times. I have . read that people in the advertising . industry, discovered that it takes 7% of any . population, once they have inwardly and . consciously agreed on something to make that . something happen in the phsycial world (or . in advertising's case..accept a product). So . I wondered if any of you have had experience . or knowledge about what I am talking in . relationship to our thoughts and intentions . and what we are experiencing in this NOW . moment. Because if people had the truth . about this and the knowledge then their are . enough caring people on the world to change . our experience. . I just wondered if I am somehow on the right . track here and somehow I feel I may be.It . seems to me that shamans and mystics who can . dematerialize and bilocate their bodies at . will, have such a firm conviction and . intention as to their reality, that they are . able to experience it naturally...so what . they intend and believe and know,they . experience and in their intending, knowing . and belief..there is not a glimmer of doubt. . What does everyone else think about this? . I write this as a starting point to create a . conscious change in people. . Love, light ,peace and freedom, . Stardream Re: Hello all - Istvan H . 17 Oct 2002 04:32 . #3 and . or . where . feel . and . any . that . So . experience . right . can . are . a . ------------------------------------------- . Thanks for your startup discussion. I . personally belive and to some extent . experienced that there are many facets of . realities we move among and intermingle. The . closest i have come to an explanation of . these experiences is presented in the . writings of Castsneda. We all, i belive . assemble our realities moment by moment by . what he calls the assamblage point.There is . a huge amount of information on all this . from the past and present. An intense and . sincere study of what reality is in urgent . order,so humanity may proceed on our way of . evolving toward multidimensionality. This . will enable us to exist in different . realities and at the same time being able to . respond to all the appropriate natural laws . of these realms.That would imly to be . responsible on this phisical reality we call . earth life, since all of our other . experiences seem to depend on the right . balsncing of the foundations, the physical. . A tree can not fly, no matter how much it . desires, because it is tethered to the erth . by its roots, and that is its reality. A . bird can fly, yet it is still tethered to . the eartd by it's food supply. . There is a lot of confusion about the nature . of reality(realities) in the past (as an . Anthropologist you know that),and present. I . would like to see an honest and through . study of all this in the future. . Meditation is the right tool to begin with, . as many masters point out. I hope the . intention of this workgroup will focus on . the importnce as Rishi point out in the . introduction. Individual and group . meditations. Reply to Istvan - Ame . 18 Oct 2002 22:22 . #4 Istvan, . I am familiar with Casteneds's works and . the assemblage point. I agree that it would . be beneficial for an indepth study of what . determines, creates reality. One of the . confusions for people on earth is that there . are many belief systems and many people at . varying levels of consciousness or should I . say expression of consciousness and soul . evolution. I have yet to see anything . written giving a universal explanation of . the construction of the reality and all the . laws etc in which we live. Certainly for me . this is where my major interest is focused. . It seems that as human beings, we don't . learn uless we have experienced something, . thus many experiences and diverse . expressions.My understandng is that when the . mass consciousness reaches a certain . momentum, we then experience what ever that . is, on physical reality.But the famous . schrodinger's cat debate presents that we . are experiencing several dimensions at one, . thus multi-dimensional, past, present, . future all NOW. And where our consciousess . is centred/focus there we are. . The . to . call . nature . I Material and Spiritual - Matthew Webb . 19 Oct 2002 14:47 . #5 Dear Amethyst and Istvan, . . Thank you for your excellent comments thus . far...it's . good to see people beginning to discuss . these important matters. I think what I'll . do is re-name this area and make it a . second discussion forum for the work group. . . What you asked Amethyst, about balancing . the material world concerns with those of . consciousness and spirit is very relevant. . Many people believe that these two are . exclusive, or that one has to come at the . cost of the other. Actually they are the . same... the physical is governed by the . same essence and laws as is spirit and . consciousness . The material world is just . a little slower to react, but it uses the . same natural principles. . . Spiritual practice/material world affairs . should both be seen in terms of practical . action. True spiritual practice is always . practical, and so is the natural, effective . life on the material plane. . . You mentioned . Castaneda/intent. In that language INTENT . is an . essential concept needless to say, just as . it is in the WMS . materials. We can be more effective in the . material and the spiritual, by raising our . intent in the moment to moment. . . This is a very practical thing to do. . . It is very clear that mass consciousness is . swayed by a certain critical mass of . changing atttitudes/intents within a . population. This critical mass phenomena . is a natural law, and may also be described . as a "threshold". All systems experience . thresholds of change when a needed . percentage of their constituents shift . accordingly. Even our own bodies change . this way, as a threshold of cells make a . given shift. The body is a group mind, . after all. It is therefore possible to . shift the consciousness of humanity on a . planetary basis, (the World Mind) just as . it can shift during a meeting of ten people . in a given room. We've all felt such . shifts at a micro (room) level. Using the . right intent, particularly on a combined, . (cooperative) basis, we can shift the . intent/consciousness of those within a . room, just as those of the World Mind can . be shifted. It is the same principle of . critical mass/threshold on each level. . . Also, it's important to note that . a "shifting of the assemblage point" is . primarily a matter of shifitng our intent. . Not only does this shift change our . perception, (even in terms of planes) it . also creates a psychic effect of like-kind . (resonance) into the surrounding fields. . . . Thank you Matthew! - Maria van Bruggen . 21 Oct 2002 08:18 . #6 Thank you Matthew for inviting me! :) . . I am glad for this wonderful growing . community of light and I also want to thank . you for finding time and visiting my growing . spiritual forum! . . I hope to visit here more. Congradulations! . . With light and harmony, . Maria The Message to be Delivered worldwide - Matthew Webb . 21 Oct 2002 20:56 . #7 When you get a chance take a look in our . other discussion room. There you'll find . the WMS invitation . that's going out to over 2000 people soon. . This is a sneak . preview and if anyone wants to use it as a . means to invite others, please do.... . . Comments are most welcome. . . In your service, . Matthew Becoming a Master - Sandi Hunter . 24 Oct 2002 11:37 . #10 Hi to all...I have been reading the . Perpetual Raising Series and would like to . ask Matt (and others) a few questions. . . My first question has to do with becoming a . Master and about Self Realization. Could . you explain exactly what you mean by Self . Realization?...What is the true nature of . self? How does one become more aware and of . this, and therefore, more self realized? . . Thanks for your replies.....Spells On Becoming a Master - Matthew Webb . 24 Oct 2002 12:53 . #11 Dear Sandi, . . Needless to say, you've asked some very . pertinent questions. I will address them . briefly here, as space permits. . . First, a Master is a person who has . traveled the spiritual path in life . extensively, and has reached a . certain "Cosmic Minimum" you could say, of . self awareness/realization. Anyone can . become a Master, so long as they are . diligent enough in their spiritual . practice. Although some practices are more . effective than others, all paths will lead . to Mastery if the right INTENT is used. A . Master is someone able to both perform and . accurately convey their spiritual . teachings. They are a living example of . truth and spiritual realization. Christ . and Buddha are examples of High Masters of . great self realization. Like a Master, they . are representative of a given level of self . realization and refinement. . . The question of "What is a Master?" leads . directly into "What is self and self . realization?" Let us first speak of what . self is not, to clear away some confusion, . (or perhaps create more, for some, for the . time being). Self is NOT one's thoughts or . memories. This is true because these are . something we do and learn, not something . that we actually ARE. The artist is not . their paintings, any more than the . carpenter the houses they build. The . creator is much more than any one created . thing, in other words. So it is with our . thoughts, memories and the egos based upon . them. . . We are in fact the CONSCIOUSNESS behind the . words and memories in the mind. In . meditation we see that this is true. In . the WMS material, it is clearly shown that . we are consciousness, and that . consciousness is composed of three . things...Intent, Awareness and Energy. . . We may have certain thoughts about . ourselves, but these are at best, only . descriptions of self, just as is a poem . written about a tree or a coastline. But . they are not self, any more than words can . accurately convey "tree". . . But if we look behind our thoughts to the . thought maker, (intent and awareness)then . we see the true self. This is a large part . of self realization, and therefore it is . also a large part of what it is to become a . Master. All of this is explained in . further detail in the Perpetual Raising . series in the WMS Library . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . When we realize we are more than the . limitations of thoughts or memories, our . true personal power has a chance to grow . and shine.... . Becoming a Master - Sandi Hunter . 25 Oct 2002 12:02 . #12 Hi Matt, . . I thank you so much for your most . informative reply. Your response sparked a . whole new set of questions, therefore I am . going to go through your post and either . continue the discussion and/or ask more . questions .. . . I had planned to ask you about so . called “limitations” in the physical that . may inhibit one’s potential to be a Master, . but as I was contemplating such questions I . began realizing that all our limitations . are put into our belief systems through the . society we live in, and as you mentioned . our thoughts and memories. If our true . selves are Awareness, Intent and Energy, . then our potential is truly unlimited. If . we were taught this from early on and . encouraged through education, parenting, . the media, peers, etc this would truly be a . different world. If there was in fact no . admiration for material objects, no . pills/medications to relieve pain, no . schedules to follow (starting from day one . with a “feeding schedule”), no need for . outside education, because of our own . yearning for knowledge and self study,, . (this list goes on and on), the world would . truly be a different place. . . I guess what I am saying is if we truly . stayed close to our natural and true . selves, . if we had stayed the “creator” . and not believed we are the “created, . (thoughts, memories), I wouldn’t have . thought of any questions to ask in the . first place. I do see the relevance and . merit of your words. . . Ok Matt, my question now is “how does this . relate to my daily life”? How do I live . this in my day to day activities in a . practical way? . . Again I thank you for your reply . . . Sandi . . . . Re: Material and Spiritual - Ame . 25 Oct 2002 17:41 . #13 Dear Matthew, . Thank you for the knowledge and wisdom shown . in your reply to me. I'm still busy . packing/moving so a little spasmodic in my . visits here.It is great to see the momentum . increasing in the group.Be back shortly:) . Amethyst-Stardream . Becoming a Master - Matthew Webb . 25 Oct 2002 18:31 . #14 Dear Sandi, . . Again, fine questions. How the WMS . information relates in a practical way to . daily life is very relevant. In my view, . when a spiritual practice or philosophy or . any kind is not practical, then it is not a . valid system. This is so because truth is . a real and substantial thing. To apply . something real requires equally real . action. Action can of course be internal, . external or both, but whatever form that . action takes, it is a practical one that . renders genuine effects. . . In the case of self realization, which we . talked about previously, this too must be . seen as a practical endeavor. To really . see yourself as you are, rather than how . society has trained us all to be, (as in . being a “job description or other social . label) one must have some form of self . reflection. Ideally, this means taking up . meditation. But even if you don’t . meditate, you can be aware of yourself . through careful observation, during all . your daily activities. By observing . ourselves closely we learn what our motives . are, as well as our patterns of thought and . emotion. A principle is; “That which is . known is much easier to change, that which . is unknown is difficult to change”. A . known self can be changed at will, . especially when personal motives are . clearly seen. Motive, by the way, is what . intent is . . So in making an honest study of ourselves, . we learn what our inner workings are, even . at the physical level. In meditation it is . fairly easy to see that behind our thoughts . there is something there which “watches” . those thoughts go by. It also watches the . feelings in our body and other people. . This “Watcher” is known as “awareness”. . When the watcher learns to watch itself, we . gain clarity. The more awareness is aware . of itself, or in other words, the watcher . watching itself, the more we gain clarity, . cumulatively. This is an ideal path for . self knowledge. . . With greater clarity we can also clearly . see the energy and intent that we are. . These three elements, Intent, awareness and . energy form the true self behind words, . egos and images. Watching the watcher . within is a good place to start, both in . meditation, and during daily activities. . It is then that the “creator” within is . seen, as an alternative to just focusing on . what we want to do or create. True self . refinement is then made readily accessible . . I recommend the WMS “Chakra Meditation” as . a starting practice of meditation. See the . WMS Library, (Perpetual Raising) at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . I’ll also post it soon. . . Matthew The Chakra Meditation - Matthew Webb . 25 Oct 2002 18:34 . #15 The Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately . begin focusing on the feelings throughout . the body. Those new to this practice may . begin by focusing upon a very small area of . the body, such as the tip of the right . index finger. Be carefully aware of every . subtle detail of feeling in this area. . . Allow awareness to spread to the entire . finger, then the hand, arm, both arms, . chest, torso, head, legs and feet, (not . necessarily in that order). Do not avoid . any pain, fear or other unpleasantness . found anywhere in the body. [Such feelings . are usually the result of Intentions which . inhibit personal growth, and these can . be "reprogrammed". Fear can be replaced by . love, confusion by clarity, and pain by . vibrant energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . simply relax, and return again and again to . a feeling-awareness focus, even if this . means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts . to intrude upon this process will gradually . diminish. . . Be patient and don’t let the simplicity of . this method of meditation deceive you. Let . your awareness travel freely from one area . of the body to the next, as it will be . inclined to do. Feel every subtle inner . detail. Areas of particular stress or . activity will attract your awareness, and . hold it for longer periods than the rest of . the body. Allow this to happen, as it is a . function of natural self-healing processes . and energy body activity. Don’t be . concerned or irritated by intruding . thoughts, just continue to return to a . feeling/awareness-oriented focus within the . body, in a relaxed manner. . . One particularly notable value of the above . meditational practice, is that is can be . done any time during the day, at work, at . home or in conjunction with any other . activity. It can be done for as little as 5- . 30 seconds at a time, (as daily inner . awareness) and it will still render . cumulative benefits, though these are . usually more pronounced when the eyes are . closed, and the body still. It is . recommended that the Chakra Meditation, (or . others like it) be performed daily just . before going to sleep at night, and before . arising in the morning, for 20-30 minutes . at a time. . . Daily inner awareness and meditation . compliment each others’ effectiveness, . acting to improve health, reduce stress, . increase psychic sensitivity, clarity and . the capacity for love, manifest . intelligence and wisdom. . . As the meditator becomes increasingly aware . of their own inner state of being through . meditation, they are also enabled to take . greater notice of their psychic . environment. The "mood" or "atmosphere" of . the workplace is made clearly perceptable . to them. The underlying motives and . feelings of persons as well as groups, . become more and more obvious. Even more . importantly, the meditator gains greater . awareness of their own patterns of feeling . and thought, as well as the Intentions . which underlie them. . . That which is known can be easily . addressed, whereas that which is unknown is . difficult to change. Self knowledge implies . the capacity for self change. The self- . aware individual discovers that the task of . building a more evolved self, is often . easier than expected. They are thus enabled . to build a more evolved world with others . in the process. . . By applying the Chakra Meditation daily, . (or others like it) we become increasingly . aware of the subtle feelings/Intents in the . body, as they exist in each cubic inch of . our physiology. This practice then allows . the meditator to begin to transform the . Intentions held in the body as a residue of . past experiences, to ones that are . progressively more evolved. Long held fear . anywhere in the body, such as in the . stomach, (third chakra) or the heart, . (fourth chakra) can be transformed to love. . Confusion and a scattered focus in the . region of the forehead, (sixth chakra) can . be turned into greater and greater clarity. . A lack of energy in the hips/lower spine, . (first chakra) can be made into a state of . high vitality. All of these changes of . cellular memory and Intent can be . transformed in such a manner. Becoming One with Divine Love - Ame . 27 Oct 2002 01:22 . #17 Dear Friends, . I would like to share with you a group . meditation/prayer of intent from a web site . I linked to yesterday. I found this . meditation particularly beautiful and . powerful and I am sharing it with you all. . . Meditation . We come together to form a living link . between the Heart of God and the hearts of . all beings. . We come together to be ONE with Divine Love . . . As the Sun rises in the East and brings . its beneficial rays to all the creatures of . Earth, . so, too, the Son of Love and Life rises in . our hearts and minds bringing forth the gift . of Love and Life Divine. . . . . Just as one drop of water in a clear pool . radiates in concentric rings, . so, too, Love now radiates from the center of . our hearts to the hearts of all God's . creatures. . . . . Love thus radiates to the hearts of all . beings in our community. . to the hearts of all beings in our area, . to the hearts of all beings in our country.. . and to the hearts of all beings in our world. . . . Our Love thus expands in continous flow, . until it encompasses the whole Earth and all . its kingdoms, . culminating in an all-enveloping flame of . Love and Light. . . This enveloping flame of Love and Light of . our Earth turns now into a drop of Love in . the vastness of the Infinite Ocean of Life. . We all thus join the great tide of Love of . the Universe where we become whole again. . . Lets now blend our feelings with the One . Infinite Presence of Love flowing throughout . the Earth and the Universe. . Let Love flow to All. . . OM . . From: . http;//www.disciplelight.com/Learning/Meditat . ion/334_love_meditaiton.htm A note to members - Matthew Webb . 28 Oct 2002 12:10 . #18 For those of you who are interested and new . to this site, there are additional postings . of other subjects in my News Log on this . site, under the name of "rishi". . . When you come to NCN you are at "Member . Start". At the bottom of that page is a . list of various items, and one says "News . Logs". Look for the one entitled, "Truth: . Revelation and Revolution... . . Your comments are always welcome, here and . there. . . Matthew World peace meditations - Ed Pabaue . 28 Oct 2002 16:11 . #19 An insightful discussion: . . on the following site; . question that i have. . the world who start to work >on peace. but . living in duality normaly brings us more . war, isn't >it? so what if mankind reached . out for, let us say, 80% of all >mankind . who will work toward peace. will it bring a . lot of more war?>or can we break the . duality?? . . Duality is illusion, a dreamspell, a fallen . nature in which billions of people believe . and invest all their energy and attention. . Duality is but a holographic movie, though . it still seems true enough for all those . who wish to play out all their ego-games in . this movie. . . "The world is but a stage", like . Shakespeare said. The mass of humanity are . keeping themselves busy on this stage as . actors and actresses and so forget . completely to look within for their True . SELF. This stage has been created and set . apart from Real Life, it is under . quarantine. This world can never become . perfect, since all is illusion, a dream, . transient and temporary. It is a world of . forms with a beginning and ending, a world . of mortal life, a world of death and . therefore not True Reality. . . Humanity cannot transcend duality by . investing more energy in it through sending . peace, love and light, which are but a few . of the positive polarities. Humanity can . never send any love and light, because . there is divine Love and Light all around . us. Only God can wield Love and Light . wisely. But first He will clean the Earth . and humanity from all those strange and . false beliefs which distract humanity from . looking in the right direction. . . bring peace on this >planet, who will start . any war then? . . If mankind keeps looking horizontally while . thinking that this life is "what it is", . believing that this dream can be perfected, . then it will always look in the wrong . direction. . . For whatever mankind may do in this world, . this nature will remain dualistic, even if . billions of "good deeds" are done. In fact, . it will make it even worse. As long the ego . and separation reigns here in this world, . there can never be peace. Impossible. . . Mankind can only overcome duality by . looking vertically to "the mountain where . Salvation will be found". Mankind can only . overcome duality by letting it all go - . evil AND good - and leaving it completely. . . . . In any war, two opposing sides are needed. . . James Twyman and so many others who are . inciting millions to pray for peace on . Earth, are actually recruiting for one . side, for one of the armies of the great . battle of Armageddon, and therefore these . leaders of the 'good' are operating under . the same dualistic plan of the antichrist . (anti-Truth) just as are the evil leaders. . . It is as it has been prophesied, and "At . the time of the end even the wise . [the 'good'] will be led astray." - New . Testament. . . The Beast of duality has two heads: one . good, the other evil. Yet since the Beast . is of one nature, it's ugly face will also . be seen in all those rallying under the . banner of 'good' in these times of . Apocalypse. . . Watch, and you will see how all the 'good' . people turn evil or go mad as the pendulum . swings from noble hope to frustrated . desperation. . . Twyman's battle cry is: "We CAN change the . world!" . . Yet this sentiment is exactly how all the . black magic temples, torture chambers, . prisons, corrupt courts and all human . oppression came into being, both on Earth . and in the subtle words from where mankind . is today tyrannised and manipulated . occultly in order to 'change the world'. . . It all started out with the one noble . determination: "Something must be done!" . . Yet one something good is done in duality, . its opposite polarity: evil must also be . done in order to balance it. . . Those who serve the Christine Cause do not . engage in either polarity of Armageddon, . and that is how they enter the Ark and . leave this fated world order before the . Tribulations begin. . . Therefore, understand this well if you . would be spared from the great conclusive . battle that is now intensifying on Earth. The Light-Spirits - Ed Pabaue . 28 Oct 2002 16:15 . #20 There are invisible, unholy forces . surrounding the Earth and the human mind, . which impose a constant pressure upon man. . Perpetually and without respite these . forces seek to pull his consciousness into . one or the other poles of duality's . illusion: good or bad, to lock him into a . position of some kind: left or right. And . it is through the constant activity of . these forces and the pressure that they . impose upon the whole world and mankind . that the vast majority of souls on Earth . are being manipulated and deceived. These . forces are as intelligent as they are . pervasive throughout this world, and they . work to deter man from seeing the truth of . our planetary situation or from accessing . any higher reality or consciousness; they . are also long-practised at leeching psychic . food from humanity and in engineering world . and local events to secure the perpetuation . of the food-manufacturing process. . . This food is energy in the form of ethers . that range from the grossest qualities of . psychic energy, which are produced by . emotions such as fear, greed and hatred, to . the more refined ether-bleedings that are . precipitated by way of the higher human . sentiments, personality affectations and . more noble worldly endeavours. . . For ages on Earth these forces have been . ceaselessly at work, and today in this time . of the end of a major world cycle (and the . end of their tyrannical reign over mankind) . they are particularly voracious in their . efforts to mislead humanity and to bring . about the production of ever-increasing . amounts of psychic food. Such efforts . certainly extend into the spiritual arena, . and often it is the case that people give . away their energy and a part of their . consciousness to certain spiritual beings . and distorted teachings that appeal, . however subtly, to the ego-self. Therefore . it is clear why the serious spiritual . aspirant must become aware of such forces . if he is to successfully find and tread the . path that leads to liberation from all . delusion and invisible vampirism. . . Many people today are aware of those forces . that have been termed dark, negative or . evil, those forces that influence humanity . from the more subtle spheres surrounding . the planet and which seek to impede . mankind's spiritual progress, on both a . personal and collective level. These forces . operate in many different ways, and there . is relatively little information available . regarding their various forms of . manipulation and deception, and how it is . that they surreptitiously victimise souls . by inciting fear, doubt, anger and . delusion, and even how they openly . encourage these qualities to grow within . humanity under the guise of spirituality . and religiosity. The intellectuals and . spiritually well-read are often the most . targeted and misled. Those who refuse to . acknowledge and so deal with these forces . actually promote the problem on Earth of . evil, for denial is precisely the attitude . that they seek to perpetuate; denial gives . these cunning forces licence to work hidden . in the darkness of subconscious fear and . ignorance. . . * * * . . However, there is in effect all throughout . the world another kind of vampirism, one . that remains entirely unknown to the . majority of even spiritually disposed . individuals and groups that, unconsciously . and often with the best of intentions, . provide its psychic food. This kind of . hardly-known vampirism is perpetrated by . light-forces or light-spirits, and unlike . the more sinister forces, which most people . possessing some occult understanding and . sagacity may easily apprehend, these light- . spirits manipulate humanity in a much more . subtle and less apparent manner. They work . from the positive side of duality's . spectrum, the lighter side, where they move . through and manipulate many individuals' . cherished ideas about positive thinking, . world healing, personal happiness . and 'good' works. And while for many people . such ideas may seem noble and worthy, they . most often encourage a personal agenda, and . so lead the soul deeper into the delusion . of the separate self. . . Those who have arrived at an understanding . of the nature of duality and so also the . implications and risks involved at either . end of duality's spectrum - both the . negative and the positive poles - can . clearly see just how it is that man has . been and continues to be held back . spiritually, continues to be oppressed by . unseen intelligences, waylaid by . consciously willful forces that are opposed . to his healthy development, spiritual . awakening and ultimate liberation from the . polarities of good and evil that have for . ages held humanity in psychic slavery. . . Not only through the more obvious and . negative forces and impressions as . mentioned previously, then, but also . through the more seemingly good and . positive forces which the light-spirits . serve, mankind's consciousness and whole . life is influenced to produce ethers. When . a man entertains thoughts and ideas about . his own spiritual progress and awakening, . or hopes for making a better world for . everyone to live in, or in his humanitarian . and philanthropic activities, these forces . will be present and functioning, yet mostly . entirely misunderstood as they encourage . such concepts as 'social reform', 'personal . ascension', 'self-empowerment', 'love and . light', 'world healing', etc. These forces . also inspire within a large and growing . number of people today a great desire to . change the outcome of future events, . galvanising them to meditate for peace on . Earth (where true Peace can never be known) . or perhaps to 'create your own reality', . thus distracting the seeker from the . liberating Truth itself with some form of . personal or group idea or sentiment of how . the world should be. . . While on the surface there may seem to be . nothing adverse with one's seeking to 'do . good' or indeed approaching one's whole . life in such a way, yet if it is for the . wrong reasons, i.e., those born from . subconscious fear or a desire for some form . of personal security or result, then no . matter how seemingly worthy or admirable . are these intentions they can and will be . used as a channel from the subtle worlds . for the manipulation of a man's . consciousness, to imprison his mind further . and to confuse and distract him from the . true nature of this world and the . requirements on the path that leads to . Freedom. It is through many a seeker's . personal desires and grasping ideals and . notions that these forces along with their . unenlightened agendas spread into the New . Age and traditional religious arenas, . distorting and diluting the Truth until it . is hardly recognisable for all its ego- . balm. Many of these light-spirits are not . even aware of what they themselves are . serving, and they often earnestly consider . themselves to be in a position of high . spiritual awareness, and so have taken on . the role of teacher of the ignorant and . gullible masses. A great deal of semi- . inspiring written material comes through in . channeling sessions courtesy of the light- . spirits, and is often a distortion of the . clear light of Truth, a compromise on the . whole Truth and almost always appeals to . the personal self, the ego in some way. . . * * * . . The light-spirits reside in the more . comfortable regions of the afterlife. They . perpetuate their existence and delay their . lawful vehicular dissolution (which is an . inevitability before the soul can . reincarnate), by robbing ethers, by drawing . on the ethers of men, women and children . who are physically incarnated here on . Earth. However, this is done not by . provoking and exploiting their base . passions, such as anger, jealousy, hatred, . greed, etc.; no, for were the 'good' . spirits not kindly, humane, intelligent . Earth dwellers? Not for nothing did they . rise to the state of light-spirits in the . summerland. Perhaps they are even worthy . members of one of the many lofty yet . nonetheless deluded brotherhoods active in . the hereafter. . . No, these 'good' spirits vampirise mankind . in another way; they incite people to . goodness, charity, humanistic activities, . personal healing, assiduous cultivation of . arts and sciences, docile church . membership, New Age-style meditations and . visualisations, and so on. For these . activities also produces ether bleedings, . bleedings of the higher ethers, exactly of . the kind needed to maintain existence in . the summerland, to prolong it, were it . possible, forever. This is a form of . psychic vampirism, much more common and all- . embracing than the darker form that is . generally acknowledged by thinking mankind. . . Light-spirits operate behind much of the . material that is being given out in . spiritual, religious and New Age circles . today, and are most disposed - adept - at . distorting the Truth in order to appeal to . ignorant humanity's imagined ideas of . ascension and what it means to 'be . spiritual'. And unbeknown to many, it is . often these light-spirits themselves who . create these ideas and teachings that so . many people in the world today are now . devoted to through their ignorance of . Reality and their personal desires for a . happier life. . . A great deal of the New Age movement, its . teachers and its information is blighted by . such subtly spurious influences, which bear . down upon the human race with their own . agendas rather than for the spiritual . emancipation of those who are interested. . The reason they are difficult to recognise . for most people is simply because they . operate through the misguided desires, . hopes and dreams of many people. These . light-spirits will appear to have all the . right answers and use all the right words, . gleaned from the multifarious data . available to them in the subtle worlds, and . so they possess many insights and even good . advice to share with the gullible and . easily enamoured, but to the discerning eye . they are ultimately offering only more . layers of duality (illusion) in which . humanity can and does become ever more . deeply entrenched than it already is in . this end time period. . . The light-spirits behind much channeled . material will often disguise themselves as . some well-known saint, master or archangel, . so as to first inspire trust in the . channels/mediums and subsequently their . audience. Much of the time it is also the . case that the channel themselves will not . be aware of what is taking place. The . medium will be unable to discern how he is . being manipulated for unenlightened reasons . that serve duality but not the soul that . thirsts for Liberation. Such is the extent . of the problem in this world due to . mankind's spiritual pride and ignorance, . and the degree of that spiritual pride and . blindness will determine the extent to . which channels will attract the attention . of these undivine light-spirits. . . Channelling, as it is still widely . practised in its lowest and most material . form, is a low grade psychic expression. It . is, for the masses, definitely one of the . least demanding 'spiritual paths'; it is . easy and therefore of negligible positive . influence upon real spiritual progress. In . stark contrast, divine-contact has ever . been the most important and prime goal of . the serious spiritual aspirant, and this . rule has not changed merely due to the . increased psychic sensitivity in the world. . Being the most direct communication with . the Spirit for humanity, divine-contact . facilitates the receipt of pure insight, . flawless intuition and dependable wisdom, . obviating the need to contact other beings . for information. It will also allow for the . beneficent radiation (via the personality) . of the light of the Spirit, the nature of . which is Love. Conversely, channelling can . be very detrimental to the individual upon . the spiritual path for numerous reasons, . and, once divine-contact has been attained, . becomes completely superfluous. . . There are, of course, many humble channels . in the world and also some very useful . information is being shared with mankind . from higher levels of life, but while the . seeker is looking for understanding and . wisdom from a source outside his own direct . connection with divine Reality, he is . laying himself open to distortions of Truth . and its sundry associated manipulations, . the actual extent and dynamics of which can . be quite shocking when studied in detail. . Likewise if one's seeking is made for . selfish ends, then again one is setting . oneself up for manipulation and greater . delusion. . . We will find in this world whatever we are . looking for. If we prefer a certain truth . or type of expression over another, chances . are we will find a group of light-spirits, . perhaps with their physcal-plane outpost on . Earth, who are of the same inclination. But . none of these variations on the divine . Reality are the real True itself; they are . at best distortions or creations of man and . his light-spirits, and they are designed to . feed him with whatever it is he wants to . hear in order to, in turn, feed the light- . spirits with psychic energy. And so the . mutually beneficial relationship proceeds: . the groups in the physical world feeding . the groups of light-spirits in the . summerland who make available their second- . hand wisdom to all. Yet this kind of . interaction eventually leads to an . inextricably complex karmic condition and . even occult possession. . . * * * . . Like physically-incarnate humanity, all . those affable and radiant spirits in the . summerland who are doing the best they can . in accordance with their state of being, . are today experiencing progressive tension . as the planetary Quickening unfolds, and . this is galvanising them to effect . greater 'good' activities here in the . physical world. Just as people, in the . course of the years, have attempted to . improve the world in numerous humanistic . ways, so in 'heaven' and on Earth they are . again trying, on account of the wild . turbulence of ideas and desires, to assault . the world and mankind anew with a flood of . experiments. Spiritual movements, . communities, groups, schools, institutes . and so forth are presently springing up . everywhere like mushrooms. One or more are . started practically every week in every . country, only to disappear again, usually . after a very short existence. . . Throughout history, thousands of different . groups in the hereafter have made attempts . to work via true spiritual groups in the . physical world in order to influence a . consciously active spiritual public. But . all these proposals have been knowingly . rejected in plain, unequivocal terms by the . more discerning aspirants on the Path. . However, today amongst the unavoidable . hubbub of a world in upheaval, many - . most! - so-called spiritual groups are not . rejecting such 'help' that is offered them . from the subtle spheres, and it may now . become clear that the forces of ignorance . can reach their greatest effectiveness . through all the bungling 'good' intentions . of the light-spirits of heaven! . . The seeker of Truth, then, must not only . reckon with possible disastrous influences . from the spheres of hell but is also . affected by countless suggestions from . various individual heavens in the . summerland where innumerable, unconnected . larger or smaller groups are hard at work, . each in accordance with its state of being. . . A motley group of various religious . persuasions exists there, all kinds of . humanistic communities, countless occult . groups that readily proclaim themselves . as 'schools' and which work with such a . multiplicity of ideas and symbols that they . make one's head spin! Some of them bear the . designation Christian, some Buddhist, . others New Age, etc., etc. In short, in the . heavenly world of the hereafter we find a . colourful array of activity reflecting . every religious and esoteric movement in . the history of mankind. . . There is, for example, a group in the . hereafter that seeks to save the world via . church-Christianity. A distinguished . Egyptian group is waiting for the . resurrection of all the great historical . figures who were mummified in the course of . the centuries, in order that they may take . over the leadership of mankind! . Multifarious groups devoted to a personal . guru or spiritual leader who once possessed . a physical body on Earth also strive to . swell their ranks for the betterment of . mankind, even though their favoured . teacher, if he was genuine, would have . dissolved into Spirit long ago, yet there . is never a shortage of good-natured . imposters in the summerland! There are, of . course, also a great number of ET- . enthusiasts who are planning, with great . attention to detail, for the evacuation . of 'the chosen ones' from the Earth at the . time of cataclysm by way of spaceships. . Many groups in the hereafter claim to be in . direct contact with Christ (most often in . the form of Jesus) and are involved in such . divergent and irreconcilable activities . that, facing it soberly, one cannot help . having one's doubts about many things, with . the exception of their really good and . humanistic intentions. And we should not . forget that all such organised groups in . the hereafter are represented by and . influence their counterparts in the . material world. . . There are numerous intellectual societies . that have specialised themselves, such as . healing groups, groups aiming at social, . political and economic influence, and even . groups that practise various forms of . dualistic science, their aim being the . advancement of man and society in their . mortal, Earthly relationships. This . situation, with its many and varied . consequences, is so misleading and creates . so much misunderstanding, disappointment, . suffering and sorrow, that it is possibly . more detrimental to the true divine Work on . behalf of mankind than the combined efforts . of all the orders of hell! We are warned . against an evil person and can be fully on . our guard; we can therefore act promptly . and positively. But this is not so easy . when we are confronted with a really 'good' . person who is so very gentle and has such . kind intentions. Safeguarding ourselves . against such influences can bring with it, . at the least, some quite peculiar . difficulties. . . A seeker of Truth is very much on his guard . against both the powers of evil and of . dualistic 'good'. The former can harm him, . the latter can and will thoroughly confuse . him, delay him on the Path, and fill him . with indecision on account of the wildly . whirling multiplicity of dualistic ideas. . . It is important to understand clearly the . dangers inherent in all this. When a human . being enters the hereafter, he remains . inwardly the same. Dying does not make him . wise, even though - on the basis of a . certain cultivated goodness, social . integrity and spiritual striving - he may . enter the so-called heavenly region and, on . account of his way of life on this side of . the veil, display a bright and shining . auric-field. . . In his second letter to the Corinthians, . Paul says that the devil can appear as an . angel of light. Try to understand this in a . new sense, because these words do not mean . what you probably think they do. An Earth- . bound spirit sometimes tries to appear . better and more radiant than it actually . is, but such an attempt is so poor, so . foolish and primitive that it is . immediately recognisable, and no one who is . knowledgeable in such matters will be taken . in by it. There are, however, innumerable . very well-meaning inhabitants of the . dualistic regions of heaven who really . radiate affability but who wish to maintain . and animate the most unwise and . reprehensible things, thereby unconsciously . serving the world of illusion. The same . danger exists, of course, in this material . world, and a person is most dangerous and . most devilish when he is convinced that . inwardly he is really good and is therefore . serving the Christ-Hierarchy and the Divine . Plan. Then one cannot reason with him, for . is he not good? Is he not serving God, . possibly at the sacrifice of his life? . . Beware of these 'ministers of light'. Be . particularly careful when they speak . frequently about divine personalities and . holy spirits, about all sorts of Jesus or . Mary figures, spiritual masters and angels, . and when they sign their names in 'Love and . Light' or 'Peace on Earth', for these . divine qualities - Love, Light and Peace - . find no need to announce themselves in . words. . . Many people set out with grand ideas to . change or recreate reality as they deem . fit, to heal the world and inform people of . a truth that they themselves do not yet . understand, simply because they have not . made contact with the Truth itself. Such . foolishness causes more problems that it . solves, and there are legions of light- . spirits encouraging such hopefuls to engage . in these limited and illusionary pseudo- . solutions today. In all of this we must . therefore be mindful of what we allow to . influence us, and enter into our . consciousness. A seeker of the Way will . question everything, and leave no stone . unturned; he will seek to know exactly from . where it is the medium or group derives . their ideas, and the nature of that which . overshadows mediums as they channel; the . intelligent seeker will test everything . with his heart. Yet if the seeker's heart . is impure, if his motives are not selfless, . then he is bound to be deceived. And this . is why the spiritual path is not for the . compromised or selfish. . . "At the time of the end, even the wise will . be led astray." - Biblical prophecy. Re: Hello all - Louis Mignacca . 28 Oct 2002 17:01 . #21 . . Start thinking in terms of Atoms & Molecules, & Vibrations...Lux E Tenebris...Louis Re: World peace meditations - Matthew Webb . 28 Oct 2002 19:30 . #22 Dear Ed, . . Your posts contain a great deal of . information, especially upon the themes of . duality and spiritual progress, (or lack . thereof) due to various influences and . schools of thought. I agree with much of . what you've said. I also want to speak of . specifics and truth, rather than resorting . to speculation about what teachings are . accurate and which are misleading. . . In this context, (the World Mind Society) . there is also a great deal of information . available. You'll find this in our website . Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . What I would like to ask you to do is to go . there, and read from the information given . in detail. If you are implying by your . above posts that the WMS materials should . fall under scrutiny for their real . spiritual worth, then I most definitely . welcome any and all such evaluation. But . definitely read for yourself from this . resource, and then we can talk about those . specifics... . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew . . a . fallen . in . sending . to . start . good? . while . perfected, . fact, . ego On Becoming a Master - Sandi Hunter . 29 Oct 2002 18:36 . #23 Hi Matt . . The insights and the questions go on and on . . We are awareness, energy and intent. I . have been observing the world and myself . through this for the last few days. Basing . my experiences on this I see that all . bodily feelings can be clearly "Seen" as to . their source and reason. I notice subtle . changes throughout my body as I go about my . day and do different things. I feel . differently when I am alone and when I am . in (for example) a grocery store or . library. I can actually “feel” the “vibes” . that I pick up everywhere. This is giving . me a completely new and different aspect . about the body itself. You have said in . your writings that the body is an antenna . and I am seeing the truth of this in my . daily activities. . . I am also “Seeing” that it is important to . see what is of my own doing, so to speak, . and what is coming from outside sources. I . also notice an “undercurrent” almost . constantly. This is a subtle or small . feeling of fear or tension, and sometimes I . feel it outside my aura and sometimes it is . throughout my body. Could this be from the . World Mind that you speak of? I have many . more questions but I will save them for a . later time..again thanks for any response. . . Sandi On Becoming a Master - Matthew Webb . 29 Oct 2002 21:47 . #24 Dear Sandi, . . Yes, the feelings in the body are an . excellent indicator of many things, from . our state of consciousness to psychic . influences in the environment. That’s why . the Chakra Meditation I mentioned before is . so relevant. It puts us into direct . awareness of the subtle feeling shifts . within, and therefore to a whole new world . of information that is not accessed by the . average person. . . You mentioned that you feel differently in . a library or store as opposed to being . alone, and for psychic reasons. Yes, the . states of consciousness of those around us . constantly impact our feelings, even when . they are at a great physical distance. . This is especially true of those we know . best, because our psychic connections with . them are the strongest. This is also why . group meditations can be so powerful. . . A psychic connection is really a stream of . subatomic energy which travels from one . body/mind to the next. That stream is . given character by the emotional state . which produced it Such character can be . defined in terms of vibration, (type of . feeling) and also intent, which gives the . stream its purpose and parameter. . Knowledge of intent as a matter of fact, is . the key to both sending and receiving . psychic emanations. People do this all the . time, and it is impossible not to emanate . some kind of psychic impulse given that . this level of matter/energy is a very . permeable medium, (subatomic particles). . . We are surrounded by an ocean of waves and . particles. Every thought, emotion and . intent is sent forth from each of us to . mingle with those being produced by others . on this psychic ocean, constantly. The . constant psychic emanation of people from . around the world is precisely what causes . the global consciousness phenomena we know . of as The World Mind. Thus the name of . this organization. . . Yes you are correct also that we ARE . constantly influenced by the feelings, . thoughts and intent of others. Anyone who . doubts this need only remember the . sensations involved with public speaking to . know it is true. It is very important to . realize what feelings, thoughts and . intentions are of our own creation, and . which are not. The Chakra Meditation and . others like it are an excellent aid to self . knowledge, for these reasons and others.. . . Matthew It's as Subtle as a Thought - Ame . 30 Oct 2002 23:57 . #25 I have been reading with interest the posts . by Ed and I would just say, that from my . understanding our world is all a matter of . consciousness and belief, compressed atoms, . electrons, etc manifesting materially in a . third dimension. We see them as being solid, . because we are enmeshed in this dimension.We . create with our minds . this experience for our souls. . My understanding is that the matter . universes are the negative polarisation of . the God Force or All that Is and the . Spiritual universes the positive polarity. . By polaraity I am not referring to duality . of good and evil or what we experience here . in this third dimension. I see the universes . being created by a great caduceus of . negative and positive energies a push/pull . (not good/evil) effect in a spiralling . manifestation, manifesting worlds without . end . in which we all play. The play in this . dimension and the fourth dimension may not . be necessarily enjoyable and there is vested . interest in this dimension and in fourth . dimension. . The essence which is God that holds the . universes together is LOVE. I think . scientists call it gluon..an apt term. . The most important aspect of all this . discussion is what resonates with the . individual soul, as there are many beliefs. . Also the discernment of vibration.If one is . in touch with their intuition, their inner . awareness they will discern what is right . for them and what is real for them. If one . cannot discern the vibration of something, . whether it be someone elses writing, or . speech or personality, chanelling etc,then . they may be deceived.But is it deception or . just another expression of the game? Also . whether a person works from good or self . vested or harmful intent, the universal law . (Will of God in Christian terms)is no . respecter of persons and what we express in . thought, word and deed returns to us in kind. . The bible has been tampered with, edited and . the King James version is not the original . version that people used years ago. Did you . know that much of revelation is a direct . copy from the original Book of Enoch, almost . word for word, prior to the flood of Noah. . I have seen it for myself. Whether it is . authentic, I do not know. Our thoughts and . feelings create our experience.For me love . and purity and intention are the keys to a . harmonious life..So that is my natural . environment. However for others this is not . so they appear to be negatively polarised . and are drawn to the opposite of what I . enjoy. However they too require love to . survive...so that is the major key. . It was Shakespeares who said something to . the effect of "All the worlds a stage, we . walk onto it, we play our part and we . leave"(I can't remember the exact words) We . are involved in a game, a play act and we . believe it is real.Its a bit like the . matrix, isn't it, and past ,present and . future all exist NOW, so which matrix or . point of awareness are we outplaying? Also . what we concentrate upon, we energise and . draw to ourselves and it is all so so . subtle,... as "subtle as a thought" and . outplayed through the law of . attraction/resonance. Things have changed - Louis Mignacca . 31 Oct 2002 04:33 . #26 Standing in the gallows with my head in the noose, any minute I'm expecting all hell to break loose, people are crazy, and times are strange, I'm locked in tight and out of range, I used to care, but things have changed......Bob Dylan . . Lux E Tenebris Re: It's as Subtle as a Thought - Sandi Hunter . 31 Oct 2002 14:51 . #27 Hi Amethyst, . . I do thank you for this message. I must . admit I felt compelled to answer. . . I have read many books on such subjects . that you speak of my whole life. At times . some things that were written actually . did "feel" true and I could feel my soul . resonate with the information. What I . found most of this information lacked, is a . practical use and application in my daily . life. . . For the first time I have found writings . that actually tell one how to access soul, . apply this to daily life and actually BE a . spiritual practitioner. Of course, I am . talking about the WMS writings. Not only . do we have access to read all the material . in the Library, but we can actally discuss . such important matters with the author. As . you can see by my other posts, I am engaged . in such a disucssion with Matthew. . . We are truly awareness, energy and intent. . Without the clarity to see/feel this and . know it through the actual doing ...I ask . is love truly the only focus we need? As I . see it, love is a vibration (yes, a . wonderful and high vibration), but without . clarity and actually living in the . awareness of what we truly are, then love . decays or actually changes nothing. This is . the lesson that was learned in the 60's. As . I recall Jesus and other Masters taught of . love, but look where the world is now. . Without clarity and truly living out a . spiritual life of truth, the world is still . heading for mass distruction. . . Although it may be interesting and perhaps . even bring forth some scientific and . practical use, does the knowledge of . polarization help us live a better "higher" . life? I say We/life are the essence of . God, not just love. We are the fragments . here to do "Our" work in the physical. . Life is not a play, it is our manifestation . for growth, learning and evolution. It is . as real as the spiritual and equally as . important for it is part of the Universe . and what it is learning about itself. The . more we evolve, the more we learn, the more . we expand, then the more we are . particpating in the expansion and evolution . of the whole universe...(no matter how . small a part that may be). . . We also have to be careful what resonates . with our soul, for we have to be honest and . have clarity. Does a certain knowledge . resonate because most of the population . believes this to be? Does it resonate . because the group we belong to believes . this to be? Or does it resonate because it . truly is truth and our soul knows it, no . matter what that means on a personal or . social basis? . . I look forward to other's thoughts on these . matters.....Sandi . . . . . On Becoming a Master - Matthew Webb . 2 Nov 2002 11:24 . #28 From The Perpetual Raising, Part 1, . . A Master is a spiritual seeker who has . reached a very notable degree of self . realization. By virtue of this, they have . also reached a notable degree of God . realization. A Master has plumbed the . depths of consciousness, and found that . humanity is One at the most fundamental . level of existence. Each of us is a part of . that which is called God. All of the . Masters throughout the ages, (such as . Christ, Buddha, Lao Tse) have taught that . it is within the power of every individual, . to become as self realized as they, and to . SEE as they SEE. We too may know God just . as we can know our own selves. It is within . our power to understand the purpose of . life, and the greater potentials of the . human spirit. To do this, we need only . apply ourselves to the same universal . principles which underlie all Teachings, . Religions and Philosophies. We too may . perform "miracles", upon realizing that all . the resources for happiness, personal . power, strength, love and clarity, lie . within. . The only true obstacle to our . spiritual/evolutionary progress has always . been human-made ideas, which usually fall . far short of the values and precepts of . Cosmic/Natural Law. When we go beyond . specific cultures, nationalities, . ideologies, political and social systems, . it is then that our true purpose and . essence as conscious beings is revealed. We . are not of nations but of God. Our true . self is not composed of thought or social . imagery, it is made of consciousness. In . consciousness we know our fellow human . beings as a part of ourselves. We are all . One because we are all composed of the same . universal consciousness, (God/unified . field). . Having identified ourselves with . consciousness, we understand that humanity . does not merely reflect Divine influence. . We are in fact, each a fragment of God. Our . true place and right focus is therefore . within God and Nature, so as to live and . prosper through Spiritual/Natural Laws. Our . true purpose is to carry out the designs of . Nature and Divine Order, so as to build a . truly progressive world society, and a . truly profound inner self. We are conduits . for Divine expression, or in other words, . Universal Consciousness. That which . organizes the universe also organizes our . cellular structures, inter-galactic events, . and our very existence as human beings. To . understand consciousness is to understand . that organizing influence. To attain . greater and greater mastery of . consciousness, (to expand it) is our very . purpose, as cells within the body of God. . These are some of the major tenets, . teachings and purposes of the Masters . throughout the ages. Hi Amethyst :) - Tony Caldaro . 2 Nov 2002 17:48 . #29 I am new to the group, hello. . . After several periods of attachment to, and . detachment from, the spiritual world, I . believe I have found such balance. It is . almost like being in the world, knowing that . you are not of the world. . . To realize that one is much greater than . society would lead you to believe is quite . uplifting. And, at times, can feed the ego . like an avalanche of power. But, once one . understands that the purpose of the created- . self (ego) but but a role you decided to . experience no this plane. It's power . diminishes greatly. . . You bring up a good point about the 7%. If . we can enlighten, by planting the seeds of . enlightenment, in only 7% of the worlds . population. Then, heaven will assuredly be . found on earth, as it was intended to be. . . My question to you, and all the group is; . . " How do we pull enough people together, . from all walks of life, to initiate the . inevitable: the shift in consciousness?" . . Peace Tony Re: The Light-Spirits - Tony Caldaro . 2 Nov 2002 18:08 . #30 Hi Ed, . . I read your post with interest. . And, I have but one comment. . . All negative forces are created forces, and . not a natural phenomena. . . . All of us in our pure essence, were granted . free-will by the Creator, the One Source. . Thus, we are capable of creating anything we . wish, both destructive and constructive . energies. . . For millions of years, this species has felt . a separation from the Source, a duality as . it is commonally called today. This duality . has been the lodestone of these negative . energies that you describe. However, these . energies are self-disolving, because they . are not real. And, nothing unreal can stand . on its own for very long. . . When the consciousness of this species . shifts from self-absorbing to all-absorbing, . those energies will be eradicated. In fact, . one only needs to shift themselves to . totally eliminate their affect. . . Negative thoughts create unwanted negative . energies. This is the world we see today. . Positive thoughts.............the world of . the future. . . peace Tony :) Re: The Chakra Meditation - Tony Caldaro . 2 Nov 2002 18:12 . #31 Hi Matthew, . . Thank you for your post. . All Meditation practices are always welcome. . . I have been given a "Light" meditation that . coincides very nicely with your chakra . technique. If would like, I will post it for . the group. . . Peace . Tony :) a welcome introduction + meditation - Jenese James . 2 Nov 2002 19:15 . #32 Hi everyone, . I have just joined this group, and thought . it would be good to introduce my self to . you. Ive just been reading a few of the . most current posts and find them all very . interesting... I would like to one of my . fav meditattions to the post for all to . share if they like.... I call it the . present moment for in doing it it helps us . feel what its like being in the present . moment, its very simple.... . . take a moment, preferably outside find a . place to be, then take a few breaths to . align your self..then ...become aware of . your body as you are sitting there... feel . how it feels....then when you have finished . that..stretch your senses...hear the . birds..how many different bird song..how . many different sounds... . . this is a meditation that includes every . sound, senstation...if you hear a car a . noise or whatever in the distance...follow . it...see how far you can follow that sound, . that car...become aware of how the . sun/wind/light...whatever feels on your . body, bring everything you possibly can . into your awarness....this meditation can . be done anywhere at any time . . It allows us to feel what it feels like to . be in the here and now...to become part of . our surroundings as in everday life we tend . to block certain things out and we are in a . sense unconscious of where we are how we . feel and well... you get the picture . . I look forward to interacting with you all . in this free space . . peace love and unity to you all . jenese Louis 19's recipe for Edible Cannabis - Louis Mignacca . 3 Nov 2002 09:26 . #33 Voodoo Paste / Buddha Paste . . Needed: coffee bean grinder,3 tablespoonful olive oil, a thick porcelain . espresso style cup,micro-wave oven,14 grams regular to mid-grade any variety herb . . grind herb along with the small sticks and seeds (add red pepper flakes for the Voodoo version) into the finest powder that you can about 5 minutes seems to be enough,(the finer the better) into the cup add the powder and oil, 3 tbls. makes a nice consistent paste (too oily works better than too dry) stir well, into micro-wave for 1 1/2 minutes, remove,stir, and put back in for another 1 1/2 minutes, the temp. should be 180-200 deg.F let cool at rm. temp. Dosage varies depending on quality of herb, but that should make 12-16 doses, Take on an empty stomach, and wait at least an hour. Also if you refrain from smoking herb for a day or so before the results are even better. After a while you will be able to time it for sacred or recreational use, as well as incorporate it into you favorite recipes such as hummus or salsa. When cannabis has been liberated this product will have many medicinal, recreational, and culinary uses, imagine it being available in a squeezable tube. cannabis, cannabis Liberta' !!!!!! . If you enjoy cannabis, but hate the side effects of smoking, this is for you, and since I am unable to make a living off of selling this paste like any other highly marketable commodity,my livlyhood squashed by a dishonest Gov't. I will gladly receive a "love offering" for giving out the recipe. Free for all, like it was meant to be!!                                                         http://community.webtv.net/Louis19/ShamanBodhisattva . Lux E Tenebris........Louis19 . Truly a Sacred Herb - Sandi Hunter . 3 Nov 2002 11:55 . #34 Hi Everyone... . . Louis I wanted to thank you for your edible . cannabis recipe. I would just like to add . something here.... . . This is truly a sacred herb. It's . expanding and deep qualities can be used as . a tool for true consciousness expansion and . reaching "heights" we have never reached . before. In this way, the "high" takes on a . whole new meaning. Not just one of . getting "stoned" and chilling or vegging . out or to focus on one task. With the . right intention it can help one achieve the . high vibration of reaching truly to . one's "God Self" and having realizations . never reached before. (The Rastafarians . have done this for centuries.) . . May I again suggest the World Mind Society . Library....look for "The Resurrection of . the Higher Self" for a wonderful detailed . way to truly achieve this high. Please . don't use this sacred herb . for "recreational purposes", use it as the . earth intended..for your (our) evolution . and ascension. Believe me....I know this . from experience, not just theory. . . I welcome any discussion on this topic. . . Sandi sacred herb - Jenese James . 3 Nov 2002 19:44 . #35 Hi Sandi, . Yes i agree, although I am often reminded . to us it not abuse and to remember my/its . shamnic roots :) Anywya I would like to . give you another recepie, one that was . given to me many years ago...from..um... . the plant itself ? well from somewhere . anyway... ok here goes... take one fresh . female bud, wrap it in a fresh rose petal, . (like a ball) coat it in honey, for a . truley spiritual high. I did try it and it . was different. You can either injest it . fresh as in fresh herb/rose coated in honey . rolled in a ball, or waith for the ball to . dry, personal preference i think. . enjoy . jenese Re: Hi Amethyst :) - Ame . 3 Nov 2002 19:47 . #36 Hello Tony, . I am in the midst of moving so I have only . just accessed the internet.I feel that when . enough people make an effort, spirit meets . us with equal momentum. Also I believe that . there are cosmic cycles and we are at the . change over point and at some stage people . will awaken and the forces of negativity can . only last for a certain period now as what . they are doing is not within higher . dimensional law or vibrations. . Blessings, . Amethyst-Stardream. . I am new to the group, hello. . that Re: Hi Amethyst :) - Tony Caldaro . 4 Nov 2002 03:42 . #37 Hi Stardream! . . Good luck with the move :) . . To some degree, I agree. Most will only . change when they are ready to. However, the . seed must be planted for their opportunity . to arise. It is this point that is . troublesome. . . I understand that we have a window of . opporunity between now and the end of the . decade. Thus, the threshold of 7% needs to . obtained before this window closes. That's . 21 million people in this country. We can no . longer afford to take a passive path. We . need to start letting these millions know . that there is something far greater out . there, than they realize themselves to be. . . Any ideas group? . Peace . Tony Re: Truly a Sacred Herb - Louis Mignacca . 4 Nov 2002 04:11 . #38 . . I couldn't have said it better myself . Louis Re: On Becoming a Master - Sandi Hunter . 4 Nov 2002 14:44 . #39 Dear Matthew, . . Again thank you for your reply...it is most . helpful and most thought/awareness . provoking. . . To put this into perspective of daily . living, it is a good and necessary practice . to stay in the “watcher” so to speak. To . observe life and activities in this way . gives one more clarity. This take focus . and a true realization of what we truly . are, and not what we are believed to be. . My observations of being in the watcher is . that in this state one can be most . objective. Without the false labels and . beliefs of the mind, one can discern truly . what is going on around them. One’s . clarity truly becomes clearer and clearer. . It is soon easier to know where and/or from . whom emanations of “vibes” are coming . from. When I do this I notice all these . things greater clarity, more objectivity . and realization of truth. I have to admit, . it takes, at this point in my progression, . supreme focus to stay in this “watcher” and . not let thoughts or feelings sway me. I am . constantly “calling” myself back to this . state of awareness. I see the importance . of this over all else. I just wonder how . many others will take or have the time to . see the importance of this and therefore, . apply it in their daily lives. At this . point, my clarity tells me not many and not . nearly enough to make a difference. . . Most appreciatively, . Sandi . . . is . is . the . to . self On Becoming a Master - Matthew Webb . 4 Nov 2002 15:13 . #40 . Dear Sandi, . . Like the Buddhist practice . of “mindfulness”, staying in the Watcher as . we have been referring to should indeed be . a moment to moment practice. To stay in . our Watcher, or awareness itself, is part . of what self realization is all about. . This sounds too simple to some to be very . important, but it is quite often that the . most simple of life’s details are the most . meaningful. The Chakra Meditation I . mentioned allows access to such self . realization by ; . . 1) getting interfering thoughts out of the . way, long enough to see what the difference . is between what we are doing and what we . are, . . and, . . 2) getting the practitioner in touch with . their true nature, part of which is . awareness itself. This allows a person to . re-identify themselves, away from cultural . norms which are clearly destructive, and . toward that with which they were born, . (consciousness) and which can be used for . great accomplishments. . . Much of the modern world’s problems are . only becoming worse because people . mistakenly think that “self” is just the . thoughts they have. But “self” is not our . thoughts these are something we DO, not . something we ARE. The potter is more than . the clay pots they spin. The artist is far . more than any one painting. Likewise, we . are far more than any one thought. We are . in fact the potential creator of any . thought. Just because we can think a given . thing does not mean we are that thing such . as we are not a job description just . because we often think in terms of our . daily occupation. If we change jobs, does . this change our essential self identity? . No. It only means the real self has had a a . change of actions. The same is true of any . change of thoughts. . . Neither are we our memories for the same . reason, just as a computer is more than any . one software program. I explain this in . detail in the Software for the Mind series . in the WMS Library. In meditation we come . to fully realize that we are the maker of . thoughts and feelings, as well as the . keeper of memories. But the librarian . never makes the mistake of thinking that . they are the books, (memories) they file . away. Neither should we imagine that our . real self can possibly be described in the . small terms of personal experience, or . nationality, occupation, religion, . philosophy or culture. . . As a matter of fact, the more self realized . a person becomes, the more they understand . that the beliefs of our upbringing are . almost always limitations to be overcome, . rather than legitimate guides for living. . Until the people of the world realize this . fact fully, there will be no peace, true . prosperity or domestic tranquility, since . everyone imagines that all these . memorized “differences” of race culture, . nationality and religion are reasons for . warfare. They are not reasons for warfare, . because all such distinctions are false, . shallow and entirely learned behavior. . What is NOT learned behavior is the . Consciousness that the self really is, as . composed of Intent, Awareness and Energy. . By identifying with awareness itself, as . you mentioned Sandi, we are each enabled to . go well beyond the programmed limitations . of culture to find what is universal in us . all. Upon this universality of . consciousness will humanity find its true . roots and true peace, but not before. This . is the truth of existence, and of our lives . its implications are immense. . . Naturally, to merely read these words on a . page is not the same as fully seeing their . truth first hand. Never the less, it is . useful to speak of consciousness in . detail. . . Enlightenment is not a mysterious or far . away thing which the average person should . see as beyond their reach. On the . contrary, it is well within everyone’s . reach, if only they will take the time and . intent to see the self for what it is, (and . what it is not). Self knowledge is key to . this undertaking, and there is nothing in . life which has more importance. Re: Louis 19's recipe for Edible Cannabis - Matthew Webb . 4 Nov 2002 16:45 . #41 Thank you Louis for your recipe in baking . in a "higher" way. I'd like to share an . excerpt from the Higher Self, an article in . the WMS Library; . . MB (Magical Blend reporter) "Let me see if . I understood what you said correctly. You . mentioned the use of meditation in both a . personal and group context for the purpose . of self-empowerment. But could you explain . more clearly how this relates to using . marijuana as a sacrament?" . . WMS (being interviewed) "What I meant was, . that marijuana can be a powerful tool for . self improvement if used with the proper . focus." . . MB "What do you mean it can be a powerful . tool?" . . WMS "This plant has the potential for use . as a psychoactive booster of . consciousness. It is a kind of "psychic . vitamin" that can expand ones' abilities . mentally, psychically and spiritually." . . MB "In certain Native cultures substances . such as peyote and psychoactive mushrooms . are used for self exploration. Is this . what you mean?" . . WMS "Self exploration is actually only a . part of this. In native cultures, . psychoactive substances are also used to . gain what are considered spiritual powers, . psychic enhancements, altered and deepened . perceptions of truth, greater inner . strength, energy, mental alertness and . flexibility. Perhaps even more . importantly, these substances are used to . gain spiritual realization and refinement. . They are even used as an aid to unify ones . self with Nature and God." . . MB "And you include marijuana as one of . the substances which can accomplish these . things?" . . WMS "Yes we do." . . Read the rest on . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Forum Insights - Sandi Hunter . 5 Nov 2002 13:12 . #42 Hi Everyone, I would like to share with . you a few insights I have about speaking on . a forum. Perhaps some of you will share . their insights into this as well. . . Whenever I have been engaged in any . discussion on a forum, very few (if any . that is), people would actually join in a . discussion that was not about theory, . speculation. or personal issues. Is there . some unwritten law or principle that the . only discussions that flourish in any way . are those that do not hold any action or . practical method for spiritual gain or . change? Have we become so complacent that . the very thought of taking action is just . not even discussed? (or considered taboo?) . . There is so much talk these days about . bringing about world peace, changing the . course of wars etc, but if no one will take . the time to make the inner changes then how . can anyone dare expect the world to change? . . I notice that there is "token" disucussion . about meditation, and the use of . sacramental herbs, but nothing beyond this. . What about experiences, techniques, steps . and guidelines? What about comparing notes . and talking about taking joint (no pun) . action?. Where does this lead us? What do . we learn? How do we raise our consciusness . and expand with these methods and tools? . . Meditations for raising world consciousness . have become nothing more than mere words on . a page, mere emails sent out to hundreds of . so-called practitioners, that rarely take . the time to make these changes or . advancements within themselves. If they do . take the time,(to meditate etc) I never . once, have seen these spoken of or . crystallyzed on any forum? What have been . the results of these world peace . meditations? NOTHING ...there is nothing . to report because no one is taking any of . this seriously...why? you tell me... But I . can name many reasons . . 1) our priorities as a society are all wrong . 2) we are too busy with these wrong . priorities . 3) we are too self absorbed . . So don't tell me you are spiritual . practitioners when nothing is actually said . and nothing is actually done. . . Let's start a new trend, a new unwritten . law...that whatever is spoken of here is . taken literally and practically. That when . we talk of "sacramental herb" we are not . just talking about different ways of . ingesting (although these are appreciated), . but what the herb is actually for and what . this gift of the earth has done for our . spiritual unfoldment. . . Let's talk of meditation, inner change and . actual consciousness expansion...what these . experiences are like, how they can be . achieved by anyone. We have the perfect . forum here, with information and a true . willingess for communication and growth. . . I ask that you not answer this with . questions of why am I upset or negative.... . I am neither, I just want to get on with . what is important. This is one person who . is ready to be serious, ready to take . responsibility, because my dear . friends...like it or not, time is running . out. Shamanism/Entheobotany - Louis Mignacca . 5 Nov 2002 19:36 . #43 Thanks for that info Matt, and I would like to share some of my own. . I have been studying with the Entheogns (Edible Cannabis, Psilocybin,LSD) for a long while now and am experiencing the complete unravelling of my consciousness,DNA,- multidimensional-holographic-dragonfly like vision, Light,Molecular,Divinity, on an Artistically,& Shamanistic level accessing both malevolent-benevolent domains, resulting in complete manipulation of events to the benefit of the Plant kingdom, the Cannabis plant in specific, geared towards its liberation I have tried to relay this to a few, but they really do not , or can not relate, they are either uninformed, uninterested, intimidated, or like at Deoxy.org, are just entering into apprentice like experiences, and are still doing a lot of reading. If anyone at this site would like to discuss this with me perhaps progress could be made at a faster pace,to beneit a common goal, and maybe through some simple networking I can find a source to help further this great project on a full time basis, as at this point, only spititual purity can further the process. . . Lux E Tenebris.... . Louis F. Mignacca . Re: Shamanism/Entheobotany - Sandi Hunter . 6 Nov 2002 10:24 . #44 Dear Louis, . . Thanks so much for posting. Please go into . detail and tell us what it is like to "am . experiencing the complete unravelling of my . consciousness,DNA,- multidimensional- . holographic-dragonfly like vision, . Light,Molecular,Divinity, on an . Artistically,& Shamanistic level accessing . both malevolent-benevolent domains, . resulting in complete manipulation of . events to the benefit of the Plant kingdom, . the Cannabis plant in specific, geared . towards its liberation". I realize that it . is hard to convey these things to people, . but I am truly interested and would love to . hear about such experiences. . . If these experiences truly bring out Truth . and Cosmic relevance then and only then can . they benefit all and bring people beyond . their mediocre beliefs and lifestyles. . . Sandi . . like to share some of my own. . (Edible Cannabis, Psilocybin,LSD) for a . long while now and am experiencing the . complete unravelling of my . consciousness,DNA,- multidimensional- . holographic-dragonfly like vision, . Light,Molecular,Divinity, on an . Artistically,& Shamanistic level accessing . both malevolent-benevolent domains, . resulting in complete manipulation of . events to the benefit of the Plant kingdom, . the Cannabis plant in specific, geared . towards its liberation I have tried to . relay this to a few, but they really do . not , or can not relate, they are either . uninformed, uninterested, intimidated, or . like at Deoxy.org, are just entering into . apprentice like experiences, and are still . doing a lot of reading. If anyone at this . site would like to discuss this with me . perhaps progress could be made at a faster . pace,to beneit a common goal, and maybe . through some simple networking I can find a . source to help further this great project . on a full time basis, as at this point, . only spititual purity can further the . process. Higher Self passage - Matthew Webb . 6 Nov 2002 10:30 . #45 This is a section taken from the Higher . Self article in the WMS Library, which may . provide some thoughts for discussion... . . WMS "All right, as I said earlier, the . type of results gained by smoking marijuana . are primarily dependent upon the intention . or focus one uses. This should always be . kept in mind. Spiritual intentions produce . spiritual results, whereas unfocused or . chaotic intentions produce comparatively . little. So before we even raise a pipe to . smoke, the clear intention is kept in mind . as to exactly what effects are desired, . beyond the usual 'getting stoned' mode. . What I am about to describe is a simple . procedure and example, of what one can . repeatedly experience in the use of . marijuana. Try this initial experiment; . . Step 1 Hold the intention of 'exploring . the high' in the mind before a smoke . session. By 'exploring' we mean observing . it in detail, while at the same time . focusing on getting higher and higher. . . Step 2 Take a puff of smoke and hold it in . the lungs in a calm, relaxed manner. . . Step 3 While holding this breath, notice . the onset of 'the high' as it enters the . lungs and spreads throughout the body. Be . particularly observant of the high feelings . in the area of the heart. . . Step 4 Exhale while remaining focused on . your observation of the high state now . present in the body/mind. Let thoughts . continue to slip away to the point that . only awareness of the high remains. Know . that you can be a state of mind rather than . a string of thoughts. . . Step 5 Know that the high is a sacred . thing. It is an opportunity for unlimited . personal gain, and to view it as such opens . the door to this potential. Remain focused . on the high itself and when thoughts . intrude, return to that focus. As the mind . remains focused on only the high, the high . is then amplified even more. . . Step 6 The high is at this point, even . higher than it was originally. In other . words, the pitch of feeling and level of . energy associated with it are increasing to . greater and greater levels. This occurs . because anything the mind focuses upon it . increases. Don't get overwhelmed by this. . Stay relaxed, and see just how far you . can 'explore the high'. As the high . increases stay focused upon it, and this . will increase it even more, especially with . a second and third puff. It will be felt . bodywide, but take particular notice of the . feelings in the heart, the head and base of . the spine. Stay with this focus for at . least 20 minutes . . This is an initial exercise we . recommend." . . MB "What exactly does this procedure . accomplish?" . . WMS "It provides an entrance point into a . whole new world, as a conscious experience . of 'working with the high', or in other . words, altered states of consciousness. It . gives a taste of what can be accomplished . with the right focus and encourages the . practice of meditation. Such exercises . also motivate people to experiment further, . by trying out different intentions in the . use of the smoke. This is just one way of . doing what we call 'traveling the high'." . . MB "What are some results people can . expect in using this technique?" . . WMS "Actually there are a great many. If . I were to give a brief list I would . include: . . 1) Getting much higher than usual on less . herb. . . 2) The high tends to be much longer . lasting. . . 3) Inner awareness is increased, and so is . a sense of accomplishment and personal . discipline. . . 4) Spiritual revelations often occur. . Such states as ‘Christ consciousness’, or . simply an increase in love and good will . can be felt within. . . 5) An introduction to the practice of . meditation, using the smoke as a center of . focus is gained. . . There are other benefits of course, such as . an increase in psychic capabilities, but . this is a topic for more advanced . discussion." When is one a Master - Matthew Webb . 6 Nov 2002 14:37 . #47 Dear Marie, . . Excellent questions. . . You asked; . . My question is...when do you start calling . yourself a Master? or do you wait until . others think of you as a Master? . . **** . . Traditionally, that depends a great deal on . the standards of the culture in which a . person lived. In many places a master was . and still is, someone who has devoted their . lives to a given spiritual practice for a . given length of time, and thereby has . received the notoriety of their peers. But . this is not the definition of a Master . which the WMS uses. By the WMS definition, . a Master is someone who has gained very . specific abilities according to what one . might call "a cosmic standard" rather than . a cultural, (human) one. . . Specifically, I would say that one can call . themselves a Master when they have achieved . the following criteria; . . 1) They have transcended all the . limitations of culture, nationality, . religion and social norms of their day, in . favor of that which is universal, and for . the common good of all people. The Master . uses cosmic standards, such as those found . in nature, (rather than society) which are . both timeless and eternally pertinent. . . 2) As spiritual practitioners, (someone who . lives their practice daily, and not only in . theory) the Master is someone imminently . qualified to advise others along their . spiritual path, due to their extensive . personal experience. They are able to . explain in depth the essence of truth, and . how that applies to all aspects of . spiritual development. . . 3) The Master is one who can, (and does) . demonstrate that which they teach, and then . explain the demonstration. . . 4) The Master stands for all humanity and . in fact all life, without the biases of a . given belief system, which is by nature . implicitly narrowing and limiting. . . 5) The Master advocates spiritual . attainment and values, regardless of the . prevailing cultural conditions or beliefs. . They do not seek followers, but spiritual . partners, (as equals) who will one day gain . an even higher level of spiritual practice . and realization which they themselves have . gained. Never does a true Master say, "I . am the only way", but instead speaks of . truth, whereby, through a number of . approaches, practitioners may find their . own self-sufficient and evolving . enlightenment. The Master is not . interested in heirarchical structres of . social or spiritual interaction of any . kind. Again, they seek the self . realization of all persons, as cosmic . equals, (and as souls/centers of . consciousness). . . 6) The Master advocates the greater . refinement of all areas of one's being, . from mind and body to soul. They also . advocate the greater refinement of society . as a collective human endeavor, and for the . sake of planetary enlightenment. . . . Marie, these are insightful questions . you've asked. There were others you . mentioned, but I trust they've been . initially answered. I'd be most glad to . field further questions on this... . . Matthew Re: Shamanism/Entheobotany - Louis Mignacca . 6 Nov 2002 19:10 . #49 Are you familiar with the artwork of Alex Grey.(Alex Grey.com) His art is the closest 3-d visual expression other than the words I mentioned, in that state of self realization, Consciousness become the essence of Art, Science & Philosophy itself,creative & guiding force,of Gaia, Nature,Cosmos.....,the entheogens become a catalyst,allie,comrade, guide, the trier of faith,and tester of the heart, much work on the self is mandatory for success.but manipulation of the 3-D world on their behalf seems to be evident. Imagine, ingesting and an intelligence that only needs a spore to cling on to while in this realm, the rest is unseen, and doesn't need to obey the occular speed limit, and that has been here for millenia....Lux E Tenebris......Louis . . "I'm creeping back to life,my nervous system gone awry, I'm wearing the inside out".....Pink Floyd Re: Forum Insights - Jenese James . 8 Nov 2002 00:42 . #52 that when a topic is put on the table for . enlightened, (one hopes) dialogue, debate, . what seems to happen is somehow, the topic . gets shifted to the side and the person who . raised the topic, then becomes the topic ! . I myself have found this to be the case on . several occasions. We could both hazzard a . guess as to why but i bet we both no why. . . My understanding of canabis, the sacred . herb, came from my very first experience. . It told me it was a sacred plant put here . for our use, that to use it wisely would . enable the higher centers of the mind. . This both thrilled me and freaked me out, . as it was the begining to . my 'spiritual'awakening. However as I . developed an ...ah hem...liking of this . herb, it constantly kept reminding me USE . IT DON'T ABUSE IT remember your/its shamnic . roots. when used daily this herb becomes . an unhealthy and a detrent to enlightenment . such is the nature of abuse. . . Allow me to relate an experience I had . after witnessing the horror of 9/11. the . whole thing made me very angry, angry at . who did it angry at America, (I am not an . american) angry at this world and what it . had become...anger is not good for me, it . eats away at me, so i sat down a few nights . later and asked for guidance, what I got . back was something like this....to let the . events unfold within their own timing, for . we would be witness to many more things to . come and in that witnessing, we as a world . would discover what needed to be changed . and that we were witnessing a very valuable . discovery that if we let it would transform . this world ...the one that we know...into . something we all say we want...peace, . harmony and a true respect for human . spirit...for me then 9/11 become not an act . of terrorism, but on a much deeper level an . act of freedom, for in the horror...we as a . humanity would begin to see en mass what . needed changing....and many of us are...the . motives of the powers that be for instance . and their runaway accontability (none) and . the rise of many people who may never ever . have thought to protest ever before...now . join with other ordinary people and walk in . protest about a war that has not.....i . hope...happened yet...its unprecedented...i . think....there are many things that have . changed us since 9/11 and many more to . come. Humanity does not have to change . through violent acts, it can change through . other means, yet it seems destined to come . together only through ordeals...I ask you . all (and knowing you will undersand what i . mean)...if 9/11 didn't stop us in our . tracks and make us ask ourselves why, then . what in the world would...? . There are things going on under the . surface, things are changing, yet I also . wonder if we have the time....what next, . what will be our defining moment...will it . be a childs voice, another act of mindless . violence...the earth herslef, changing . poles, runing out of oil....what ? . . for the most part, we as a humainty are . deluded, we still no very little about . ourselves, we continue to look outside of . ourselves for some resolution ...even the . new age, which seems to be a master at . looking outside of itself, in the illusion . that it may see its reflection within...has . no real answeres, cept meditate....yet we . can not underestimate the true power of . prayer which i suspect not many actually . realise....I don't know the answeres, but . feel my heart stirring for this planet... . humanity i weep for you...yet i welcome . your return . . peace love and unity . jenese . . . Re: Forum Insights - Sandi Hunter . 8 Nov 2002 14:44 . #54 Hi Jenese, . . I answered within your message below: . . ***************** . . ">>It is an interesting phenomena, Sandi, . who raised the topic, then becomes the . topic! I myself have found this to be the . case on several occasions. We could both . hazzard a guess as to why but i bet we both . no why." . . ********** . . Yeah I do agree with you on the subject of . shifting or ignoring a topic up for . discussion. I'm sure there are many . reasons why, I just would like to see this . group get beyond it and onto some good in- . depth serious discussion. . ******************** . . shamnic . enlightenment . . ************** . . I agree that one should not abuse the . herb. In my experience, when one uses the . herb for consciousness expansion, a "rest", . (so to speak) is needed and one doesn't . desire to use it everyday. The . vibrational "raising" involved and the . knowledge that is gained from each session, . lends itself to a period of incorporation . and applying the knowledge gained to one's . daily activities. . . Also in my experience, when one "raises" . their vibration, and then intends to "cast" . this out to the immediate area, or to the . world, manifesting a higher consciousness . to the world, a rest is needed for the . energy body. Focusing on such "highs" . lends itself to expending a lot of energy, . and time is needed in between sessions. . . **************** . ************* . . Let me first say that there are many ways . to look at this. I say that the people who . were killed or hurt in this event were not . as innocent as one may want to believe. . Let me quote from an article... . . "In light of the above facts, we note that . there has been a huge hue and cry about how . so many “innocent victims” were lost in the . Sept. 11th explosions. But were the . majority who died truly innocent? Were . they merely the hapless victims of evil, or . could it be that many were the very . perpetrators of world misery and terror? . Did they not “live by the sword” so to . speak, and die by it as well? Of the dead . corporate executives and military . commanders retrieved from the rubble, we . might note a curious fact. On their . persons we find; . . -the $45 tie made in Singapore . -the $350 sport jacket and $200 slacks made . in Korea . -the $50 shirt made in Mexico . -the $175 dress shoes made in Hong Kong . -the $350 solid gold wrist watch made in . Thailand . -the $1500 laptop computer assembled in . China, whose leather case was made in the . Philippines . . It would seem that these so . called “victims” were well dressed, as most . Americans are, in the sweatshop labors of . the world. To clothe them at a profitable . cost, the men, women and children of the . third world, whose 35 cents an hour wages . and 12+ hour days without overtime, . struggle to cater to our sense of fashion, . (egotism). For the sake of ego we continue . to strip the world of its very dignity, and . then have the nerve to tout the American . way of life. We take far more than we . need, and push the rest of the world . mercilessly in corporate wage-slave . factories to produce unneeded luxuries. . Many of those who died in the Pentagon or . WTC were the very ring leaders of criminal . levels of greed and corruption. They were, . (and their mindset still is) the high . priesthood of Dollar-God worship. For . these reasons they were not victims at all, . they were big players in a very . bloodthirsty world game. When you sit down . to play for blood, it seems only fair to be . prepared to have your own spilled as well." . . This may seem "cruel" to some but my . question is this: Is it the truth or isn't . it? . . ************************* . . anger is not good for me, it . nights later and asked for guidance, what I . got back was something like this....to let . the events unfold within their own timing, . for we would be witness to many more things . to come and in that witnessing, we as a . world would discover what needed to be . changed and that we were witnessing a very . valuable discovery that if we let it would . transform this world ...the one that we . know...into something we all say we . want...peace, harmony and a true respect . for human spirit... . . ************** . . Yes let the events unfold, but until we . take responsiblity and action for those . events nothing will change their course and . we will learn nothing from them. We still . live wasteful lives, we still pay the . government to do what they will, we look at . facts about the people running the world . and do nothing more than a "token" protest, . etc....the list goes on. How can the world . change when individuals don't? How can the . world change when most are glued to the TV . sets and believe what it tells them, even . if their destruction is just around the . corner? How can the world change when many . would rather take a pill and forget or . ignore the fear they feel within themselves . and the world? . . May I ask you this? Who says anger is not . good for you...it is an emotion, a . vibration just as love is. It is sitting . back and not doing anything about or with . the anger that is not good. Anger can . propell us into action, but society says no . to anger, we must only project light and . love... well look how far that light and . love have taken us. . . ******************** . . for me then 9/11 become not an act of . terrorism, but on a much deeper level an . act of freedom, for in the horror...we as a . humanity would begin to see en mass what . needed changing....and many of us are...the . motives of the powers that be for instance . and their runaway accontability (none) and . the rise of many people who may never ever . have thought to protest ever before...now . join with other ordinary people and walk in . protest about a war that has not.....i . hope...happened yet...its unprecedented...i . through other means, yet it seems destined . to come together only through ordeals...I . ask you all (and knowing you will . undersand what i . . ************ . I may have agreed with you if I had seen . real change, if I had seen people waking . from their stupor, but here in the US, I . see things as just going more strongly in . the direction it has been going. The only . thing that changed is that people are more . complacent to let the government (or . corporations) lie and do what they will to . keep things in their favor of power and . greed. . . You asked: "if 9/11 didn't stop us in our . . The way things look now, the only thing . that will stop us in our tracks is total . destruction of all that we hold . dear....then people will be forced to take . a hard look at what they value and what is . truly important. Until then, most will do . whatever they can to keep the status quo, . for they have too much invested in this to . be really honest and to change. . . ******************** . There are things going on under the . . ************* . . I agree that we don't have much time... . . *********** . within...has no real answeres, cept . meditate....yet we can not underestimate . the true power of prayer which i suspect . not many actually realise....I don't know . the answeres, but feel my heart stirring . for this planet... humanity i weep for . you...yet i welcome your return . . ************ . . Well said, nothing will change until we . stop just talking and actually do! I also . believe that people underestimate the power . of prayer and meditation. Get rid of the . thoughts, beliefs and issues that crowd our . minds, get in touch with our real essence, . then and only then can we get a glimpse of . what is needed for real change. A total . shift in values and beliefs from false . constructs of what is truly important. Re: Forum Insights - Louis Mignacca . 8 Nov 2002 14:52 . #55 . This is why I recommend the use of Entheogens while meditating on "special Days", they do all the hard part for you, as long as you have no major "self issues", they "make" you meditate, open it all up, wide open,like an open sarcaughagus, they are your allie's in getting on with the buisness of the planet, and they mean buisness. Its their loving pleasure,they love to love the place to death, you might even giggle a bit. . Best thing for those who want to get on with it. Your surrounded by them anyway. . . I was feeling like part of the scenery, so I walked right out of the machinery, my heart going boom,boom, boom, he said' you can keep my things, they've come to take me home......P. Gabriel . . Lux E Tenebris.......Louis . Re: When is one a Master - Sandi Hunter . 8 Nov 2002 21:03 . #57 Hi Matthew, . . I would like to continue our discussion on . Becoming a Master by using the “criteria” . you pointed out in your last post to . Marie. I would like to start with #3. .. . . 3) “The Master is one who demonstrates that . which they teach, and who can then explain . the demonstration. [Examples of . such “demonstrations” might include the . psychic projection of love and clarity to . others, the daily expression of high . intent, alignment with God and Nature, the . ability to speak clearly about the essence . of reality, the practical presentation of . steps humanity could take to become . enlightened, and avert its own self . destruction, etc.]” . . Let us discuss how you would psychically . project love and clarity to others. Are . there actually principles, guidelines or . rules you would follow? Thanks once again Re: When is one a Master - Matthew Webb . 8 Nov 2002 21:40 . #58 Dear Sandi, . . Asking this question opens up a great many . doors for the exploration of consciousness, . and what it is to be a Master. Thank you . for asking it. . . First of all, let’s be clear about the fact . that the rendering of this kind of psychic . influence on others is not at all . uncommon. When people are in love with . each other, there is a strong and clear . psychic connection between them, in the . form of streaming subatomic particles. . Naturally, these particles are directed . through the INTENT of love, and it’s . vibration, (feeling). The intent of love . toward another is ideally one of extending . the best possible benefit and deep . appreciation. Such love can be strong or . weak, of a very high vibration, or more . casual. It can exist between friends, . lovers, co-workers, in spiritual fellowship . and between a pet animal and its human . ally. In all of these cases, (which . everyone has experienced in one way or . another, and at some time in their lives) . a psychic bond is formed, based on a given . mutual intent. But in most of these cases, . the exchange of loving intent is usually . unconscious, and is assumed to . be, “something that just happens” more than . something we can INTEND INTO PLACE. . . Here is where the intent of the Master who . projects love consciously, differs from the . intent of the “every-day world”. People . love, but they usually are unaware that . love can be consciously projected at will. . Imagine what kind of a world this could be, . if modern humanity were to realize that . love can be far more than . merely, “something that happens”! Imagine . what would happen if it became common . practice to project love to others, as a . matter of spiritual cause, and actually . create it in the world for the sake of the . betterment of all? What follows are steps . that can be taken to accomplish this; . . 1) Principle "to project a given state, . (of consciousness) one must first be in . that state". If we wish to project love, . or high feelings of any kind, then we must . first cultivate them in ourselves so that . we have something of great value to give. . . 2) Principle; "self knowledge is essential . for self change". The better we know . ourselves, the better equipped we are to . acquire any state of consciousness we . wish. This will be explained further, but . for now, know that it involves intent. . When we meditate, we are gaining self . knowledge. In the Chakra Meditation, we . focus on the feelings running throughout . the body in detail, and these give us deep . insights into our usual state of . consciousness. It even shows us our . intent, which gets stored in the body in . the form of feelings and desires. As we . focus on our feelings, we learn about them . this is self knowledge. In knowing our . feelings, we learn how to change them as . desired. We can change our feelings to one . of love, if we intent this to be so. . . 3) Once we are in a “love state” or have . high, positive feelings of any kind, we can . then project them to others. . . 4) There are specific steps that can be . taken to project feelings/intent to others, . beyond just letting this happen naturally. . To intentionally project something to . another is a far more powerful act than . doing it subconsciously, but this takes . practice, self knowledge and greater self . mastery. . . This is what I would initially recommend to . others, in order to learn this fine art and . subtle science of consciousness. Re: Shamanism/Entheobotany - Jenese James . 9 Nov 2002 15:33 . #59 . For my self, I utilize the mushroom for my . inner shaman journey's, I came across this . intitated by my very first mushroom . experience, which I had no idea what it . would be, It/they however propelled me into . a realm where my nature found its peace. . and although others on the same trip did . not have the same 'spiritual'awakening as . me the mushroom became my tool and . companion. . . Canabis has done the same thing in a . different way. yet for me mushrooms are my . choice for that inner shamanic expereince I . only ever do a journey when the inner need . arises, because I find the expereince so . awesome and in my case life changing, let . me expalin....one day 5 years ago a group . of us went out to the west coast of New . Zealand, where I live for 6 days. We found . some gold top mushrooms and made a tea, . after laughing hysterically for about an . hour, and beleiving myself to be a tree, I . suddenly planeted myself before the fire . and began a journey that was not . immediatly knowable, I know I went . somewhere but not where...if that makes . sense. It wasn't until we where on the . road home coming over the hill and looking . at the lights of Nelson town in the . distance that the ramification of that . journey suddenly sprang into full effect. . . Suddenly and with a deep sadness, I . realised, that we as a race had created an . un natural society and in order to live in . it we/I had to become unconsciouss. Wow in . that moment in that fleeting moment I had a . glimpse of my own unconsciousness and . everyone elses ! . As We drove closer and closer to town, a . feeling overcame me, I felt intuively that . in order to return i would have to become . unconscious....after having the initial . conscious raising glimpse, I could not turn . that off...something had oppened something . that could never be turned off...the . awarness of my/our unconsciousness in . living within a world that was un natural. . I was changed...instanlty i wanted to dig a . longdrop toilet outside so none of our . waste would go into the ocean and pollutte . it, to did a huge garden we could all eat . from and make sauces...well, you get my . drift..? instead I felt compelled to . create a magazine a conscious expanding . environmental, political , spiritual one, . as a response to the GE debate which was . just arising at that time. . . However I share all this with you because i . find it so life changing, these journies, . even though that was over 5 years ago now, . I have never met anyone in my day to day . reality who knew that much about them. I . seem to go very much on some kind of inner . knowing and I know that glimpse of . consciousness has stayed with me to this . day, and rightly or wrongly has altered the . way i look at the world, indeed i see much . unconscious behaviour, and yes I am still . living in the world, unconsciously, despite . myself. . . be interesting to hear your or anyones . experiences or comments on this . únconscious'expereince....as i feel today . despite our intelligence we are still very . much unconscious...and there is a niggling . little something in the back of my mind . that wéve got it all wrong, even this new . stuff...I can't explain it yet can't . articulate it I just feel it...perhaps i . need another journey :) Its not something . I like to play around with though, and . thats just me, simply because this last one . shifted my reality so profoundly that I can . never be fully unconscious again and find . it a challenge living within such a large . field of unconsciousness...if that makes . sense.?? . . cheers . . into . my . accessing . kingdom, . it . to . Truth . can . accessing . kingdom, . still . faster . a . Grey.(Alex Grey.com) His art is the closest . 3-d visual expression other than the words . I mentioned, in that state of self . realization, Consciousness become the . essence of Art, Science & Philosophy . itself,creative & guiding force,of Gaia, . Nature,Cosmos.....,the entheogens become a . catalyst,allie,comrade, guide, the trier of . faith,and tester of the heart, much work on . the self is mandatory for success.but . manipulation of the 3-D world on their . behalf seems to be evident. Imagine, . ingesting and an intelligence that only . needs a spore to cling on to while in this . realm, the rest is unseen, and doesn't need . to obey the occular speed limit, and that . has been here for millenia....Lux E . Tenebris......Louis . system gone awry, I'm wearing the inside . out".....Pink Floyd Becoming a Master - Sandi Hunter . 9 Nov 2002 15:43 . #60 . Dear Matthew, . . First of all thanks so much for taking the . time to answer all my questions .. Look . out, because here come a few more .. I am . going to include parts of your last post to . keep things clear and progressive. . . ***** . . You said: . . “When people are in love with each other, . there is a strong and clear psychic . connection between them, in the form of . streaming subatomic particles. Naturally, . these particles are directed through the . INTENT of love, and it’s vibration, . (feeling). The intent of love toward . another is ideally one of extending the . best possible benefit and deep . appreciation. Such love can be strong or . weak, of a very high vibration, or more . casual. It can exist between friends, . lovers, co-workers, in spiritual fellowship . and between a pet animal and its human . ally .” . . *** . . So in other words this is a (although . small) group mind. The love actually is . sent back and forth and in essence can grow . or weaken because of the intent behind the . two people’s feelings. The purity of . intent is what will determine how strong or . weak the love is and how long it retains . any qualities. The more aware one is of . this and not just taking it by chance that . they are in love or that it is a magical . quality outside of themselves, can empower . people to take responsibility and build on . the power of intentions, be it between two . people or between nations. . . It is also important to see what is yours . and what is the other person’s intentions . or “vibes”. By being aware of this not . only empowers the relationship with self . knowledge, but also can enhance and build . it because one can see the subtleties that . occur between the two people. . . ********************* . You also wrote: . . Here is where the intent of the Master who . projects love consciously, differs from the . intent of the “every-day world”. Imagine . what would happen if it became common . practice to project love to others, as a . matter of spiritual cause, and actually . create it in the world for the sake of the . betterment of all? . . *** . . Yes, now I “See” that if you are aware of . your intentions and direct them, purify . them, raise them to the highest benefit for . all, then and only then can the path of . Mastery be taken. People today are so busy . making money to survive, (far more money . than they actually need for things that do . nothing to enhance their soulic missions or . journeys). People do not even bother to . look at the intentions behind what they do . with their lives, and the meaning or lack . of meaning behind it, never mind . intentionally projecting love to enlighten . or raise the world’s consciousness. I see . why this is not common dialogue, (which is . clearly evident here as well), it is just . too far removed from what is the status . quo. . . It truly is an upside down world ..the work . or career that people revolve their lives . around should be like a hobby, but most . look at their spiritual practice, something . that has the potential to change the world . and save the species, as nothing more than . a hobby or pastime. . . ********************** . . I want to talk about the steps that you . wrote about in your lasts post, but first I . ask that we digress a bit. Let’s first . talk of the chakra meditation, and the . employment of intent. I have been doing . the meditation and found it both useful, . progressive and insightful. What I also . have found is that if I have a given . feeling or state in a chakra and I change . it by employing the 4 steps of intent, this . may not last very long. I find that the . next time I do the meditation, I am still . working on the same chakra with just about . the same state that I began with. Is this . usual? How long can it take to actually . change a given state within a chakra? I . feel it necessary to address this before . talking about the steps to for projecting . high feeling out into the world. Because . your very first step says: “ to project a . given state, (of consciousness) one must . first be in that state” If I am not . holding that state very long, then how can . I project it? so I do apologize, but I feel . that addressing such things is important. . . I do look forward to your response this is . so exciting, actual and practical ways to . enhance my spirit and spiritual cause .most . unique to say the least. . . Love to all, . Sandi Re: Shamanism/Entheobotany - Louis Mignacca . 9 Nov 2002 23:49 . #61 . . It is diffacult to express what is experienced in that realm in words, Art is the best way to say what happens. Aside from music, visual art is being made, Alex Grey being the most accurate, Artisticly, Scientificly, and Philosophicly. I have had many, many experiences, all life changing,all revealing, a lttle more each time, wearing a hole in the veil of death, the ultimate church of the Sacred Mirror. the ultimate in death to self. Prevelent in Florida, Psilocybin mushrooms are best prepared sun dried after picking, grind into a powder, and take a 2gram,(wash down with water, tea, juice, after fasting) threashold dose. working up to 4grams for an unforgettable, "initiation like" experience. I went for a time doing them pretty regular, than a few years without, now I am doing them and other entheogens again. Like flying a train. Check out Dali's Geopoliticus Man. As John Lennon said, "The hallucinogenic realm is my only reality any more. There is a lot of info on this subject at Deoxy.org. . . Lux E Tenebris. Group mind/psychic effects - Matthew Webb . 10 Nov 2002 10:41 . #62 Hello again Sandi, . . Yes, two people in love is really a small . group mind. A group mind after all, is . just two or more members of like focus and . vibration, (intent). In the case of love, . common intent causes what is called, in . radio technology, a “resonance” of feeling . between two “emitters”. Our bodies are . effectively broadcasting and receiving . antennas, (transceivers) which constantly . send out various feelings. One way of . describing a feeling is to call it . a “vibration” or in other words . a “frequency”. Everyone knows that when . two radios are tuned to the same frequency, . communication is possible. Exactly the . same natural law, (of resonance) is true of . human beings, and in fact, all life forms. . Each of our feelings is a frequency upon . which we radiate information to others . constantly, and from which we receive . information from the environment. Such . natural laws account for psychic influences . of all kinds, making them possible. The . comparison of radio technology to this . natural phenomena we all experience, helps . us understand consciousness and how we may . gain greater mastery of it. . . You’re right in that a “purity” of intent . is what makes love weak or strong in most . cases. When we compare feelings to . frequencies, it may also be said that . Intent forms the purpose and reason for . our “broadcast”. While feelings color our . psychic effects upon others, it is our . intent which determines what the purpose of . those effects are going to be. For . instance, a selfish intention of “love” . might be projecting good feelings at . another just for the sake of controlling . them. A pure intention would be to extend . love to them out of sheer appreciation and . the desire to benefit them in the highest . way. The first example is more common, . while the latter is spiritual ministry. . Then there are mixtures of the two, as a . whole range of “purity of intent” is . possible. This is a crude example, but it . conveys the point. This is why the . spiritual practitioner aims to know and . purify their intentions, away from ego . concerns and objectives, toward those cause . objectives such as universal benefit for . all, which is more akin to that of a . Master. Such knowledge as you pointed out, . can be employed with others in groups for . incredible mutual benefit. This is a large . part of the concept behind our Global Group . Mind Meditations .the projection of pure . and beneficial intent to each other and the . world. . . Of all the proposed solutions for the . modern world’s ills, I would say that a . shift of intent worldwide is the surest . path for human transformation. Not only is . the Intent of the Master the Mastery of . intent, but also, the intent of any person . is the key consideration in their lives in . the accomplishment of anything. If only . people would understand this, they could . then embark on that inner journey of . consciousness expansion, with emphasis upon . their intent, and with the greatest . enthusiasm. Of course, they must first . extricate themselves from a world society . that values only the superficial . accumulation of money and material objects, . in order to fully engage the spiritual . process of self and planetary evolution. . Simple living is important for this reason. . . You asked “How long can it take to actually . change a given state within a chakra? “ . First let me briefly clarify what a chakra . is for some of our readers. It is an . energy center of the body, as originally . referred to in the ancient Vedic texts of . India. The “Chakra Meditation” is so named . because as we meditate on the feelings in . the body, we begin to notice concentrations . of feeling and energy as they run along the . spine, and centered in such areas as the . heart. These are the chakras. They are . important for many reasons, but one is that . the chakras are major input-output portals . for psychic energy. They are the . main “radiation points” for our body- . antenna. There is much we can learn by . observing how our charkas feel when . interacting with others, or the environment . in general. . . In answer to your question then, the change . of intent, (and the feelings which . correspond with it) in a chakra, or . anywhere in the body, can take some time. . This is due to the natural law of inertia, . which says, “that which is moving tends to . stay moving, and that which is still tends . to stay still”. Just like an object . rolling downhill and which therefore has . inertia, the body displays inertia in the . form of feeling. In other words, it feels . a given way simply because it has done so . consistently in the past. Yes, our . feelings and intentions have inertia, which . is by the way, what karma is all about. In . any case, to offset this inertia, we need . to apply equal or greater force, (intent) . to offset old intentions and feelings from . the past. Simply persist. The new inertia . you are setting up as you meditate, in the . creation of elevated consciousness . throughout your being, will take hold. . Just give it a chance to offset old . patterns Intent and the Importance of Truth... - Sandi Hunter . 12 Nov 2002 11:26 . #64 Dear Matthew, . . There are actually two points you made that . I would like to discuss before going on to . the discussion of the steps to becoming a . Master. . . The first thing you wrote was: . “Of all the proposed solutions for the . modern world’s ills, I would say that a . shift of intent worldwide is the surest . path for human transformation. Not only is . the Intent of the Master the Mastery of . intent, but also, the intent of any person . is the key consideration in their lives in . the accomplishment of anything.” . . I do see the importance and the truth of . this statement. What I have observed . within myself is that my intention is not . always the foremost thing on my mind. In . fact, I have to admit that my intentions . are sometimes not of very high quality, and . therefore I would rather not look at them. . Occasionally, the intentions I have seen . actually do nothing more than keep my ego . in place and cover up the true feelings I . have inside of myself. I clearly see why . this is a planet of beings that are very . far from being actual Masters. They can . come up with any excuses they like such . as: “We are only human”. “It is heresy to . say that you can be a Master”. “Being a . Master is for a very few special high . Beings.” The truth of the matter is that . we are a species of selfish, self important . people, that don’t really care about . anything except our own safety and . comforts. This is difficult to admit, but . it is the truth. Until one can put their . egos and feelings aside and make truth the . only priority, then Mastery truly is not . within anyone’s reach. For if only a . person‘s feelings, or how one keeps . their ego in tact is most important, then . true intentions will never be looked at, . never mind, purified or uplifted. This is . why people won’t listen or strive for such . things, because to look honestly at their . intentions would be killing their egos and . admitting to the lies they live. . . . The second point I want to discuss . is: “Yes, our feelings and intentions have . inertia, which is by the way, what karma is . all about.” . . Therefore, in order to truly break through . the karma we have incurred, be it personal . or planetary, one first must recognize the . inertia behind it and the force that is . keeping it going in the direction it is. . Until one has clarity this is not seen. . People are just blindly going in the . direction of their demise. Again it is . the dishonesty of the intentions behind . keeping things “as they are“, that keeps . this inertia going in the direction it is. . At this point, the only remedy I see is . honesty and what I also see is that this is . highly unlikely to occur. . . With that said, let’s talk specifically . about the steps you pointed out .Let’s go . in order starting with #1. . . “1) Principle to project a given state, . (of consciousness) one must first be in . that state. If we wish to project love, or . high feelings of any kind, then we must . first cultivate them in ourselves so that . we have something of great value to give.” . . The wall I hit with this is that no one . that I have met (so far in my life) can . truly project such feelings, because they . are just not honest about what they feel or . what they do or say. There are “selfish” . intentions or motives behind their actions . and words. I know many will say I am being . cynical or negative, but I am just being . honest. I know there are some people who . truly want to stop war or change the world, . but when push comes to shove, just how much . are these people really doing to make any . real changes. I never hear people . asking “why” in most situations. To ask . why would be getting to the cause of an . issue or situation, and that requires . honesty, clarity and a true desire to make . a real change and not just lip service. . . Therefore, if one wants to project high . feelings or love into the world, first one . must be that which is projected. But if no . one (at least none that I know of) are . truly looking within themselves with . crystal clarity, or honestly purifying . their intent, asks the truth in all . situations etc, then how can one expect to . project these feeling into the world at . large with a lasting effect? If one day . you are meditating and manifest these high . feelings of love out to the world, but the . next day you are at work putting your focus . into money making, keeping the boss . happy, “fitting in” with co workers, and . enhancing your career, then how can anyone . expect to make a real change in the world? . One must stay focused on what is important, . not what a society tells them is . important. I just do not see anything . changing, because this focus, this . intention and these motives are just not . valued in this world. What is being . projected out is not love, but a worship of . keeping egos in place and to the one thing . that will give a person status and . respect .money. . . How many out there are willing to be . totally honest and live for the highest . ideals of truth, no matter what the rest of . the world says? . . I don’t think many, but it is refreshing . and highly appreciated to talk of what is . truly important and not just idle chit chat . that gets you nowhere. I see with more . clarity the importance of the Chakra . Meditation, because one must work through . the fear-inertia in each part of their . body, before any true changes can occur. . To do this one must also look at the . intentions behind all the feelings in the . body. This is a full time job so to speak, . one that must take top priority, for all . others pale in comparison. The Arrival - John Kitchens . 12 Nov 2002 16:42 . #65 Noting the benefits of truth and self- . realization would appear to be pointless. . The fact that you are here would indicate a . light fondling of truth, in the very least. . After reading over some of the posted . messages, I believe there is something . missing in my thoughts on the matters of . truth...Discipline. whats it all about ??? - Jenese James . 13 Nov 2002 00:20 . #66 I just don't know what its all about . anymore. Millions and millions of people . pouring out their hearts in peace . meditations, walking hand in hand in . protest against a war that they say has not . happened yet. But did it ever stop, and . when does a war begin, when the media tells . us.... I just found this site . www.ccmep.org/us_bombing_watch.html . or if you can't find it goto . www.disinformation.com click on the red x . on the top right . so what's it all about....all this energy . towards peace....does it stand for . nothing ...? have we got it all horribly . wrong somehow? i just don't know anymore Intent and the Importance of Truth - Matthew Webb . 13 Nov 2002 10:40 . #67 Dear Sandi, . . Your honesty about important issues helps . this discussion get right to the heart of . the modern condition. Ego-driven intent is . truly the prime source for modern ills of . all kinds. Through it nations do battle . for the sake of self interest alone. So . too do people find discord of all kinds, . dissatisfaction and inner strife, through . intent that is not based on more . progressive ends. In the modern world we . find that humanity has traded the reality . of natural laws and the natural world, for . images which serve only vanity and aligning . with the status quo. If we are to achieve . peace and real satisfaction from life as . individuals and as a species, then it is . our deepest need to remain aware of what . intentions we are using moment to moment. . Yet this is only a first step. The next . step is to actually improve our intentions . in the direction of universal causes rather . than the selfish concerns of consumerism. . . As I mentioned before, intent relates to . motive in fact, it is the very source of . motive. When we speak of finding love, . gaining clarity or realizing world peace, . we must first seriously ask what motivates . humanity at present to lack love, clarity . and peace. We lack these things because we . lack the right intent, or motive, to . embrace such qualities in our daily lives. . Wrong intent may be defined as selfish . motives which seek only the benefit of self . at the cost of all else. Right intent is . that which works for the cause of universal . human benefit, in love, clarity and wise . understanding, as well as the further . evolution of this living planet. . . Through an internal study of intent we . learn more about ourselves, than with any . psychological analysis or philosophical . focus. Intent is our very basis as centers . of consciousness, so when we are not . focused upon our intent we are truly . not “centered in ourselves“. Our motives . then become obscured to the conscious mind, . yet intent continues on every moment in us, . regardless of whether it is acknowledged. . In meditation it is not difficult to first . focus on the feelings in the body or . observe thoughts in the mind. Through . these we can see what our intent is doing, . just like wind can be observed when it . moves grass and leaves. Later in our . practice of self realization, we need only . look within at any time to directly see our . intent in action. Likewise we come to see . others in terms of their intent, rather . than just what is socially projected, . giving deep insights into our . relationships. The more we become aware of . intent from which all thoughts and feelings . constantly arise, the more we can then . change our intentions for the sake of very . significant self improvement. . . . You mentioned that intent is not something . you keep foremost in mind on a daily . basis. This is a result of modern cultural . influences, which have trained us to stay . in our thoughts, rather than the maker of . thoughts. Running our lives through our . created thought patterns rather than . through the creator of thought, could be . likened to driving a car from the back . seat. . . Consciousness is an alive and active force . within all of nature. But we have forgotten . this by focusing elsewhere. Through social . training in a materialistic society, . humanity’s focus has been primarily . centered on two major things how we look . and what we’re doing in the physical world. . Both of these focuses relate to creating . the kind of life mandated by social . expectations, but do not and cannot . reflect, how we really are as spiritual . beings. The fact is, we have a REAL SELF . that exists independently of what we do, . and which cannot be defined by daily . activities. It can only be defined in . terms of our intent, (source of motives) . awareness, (that which focuses, as . distinguished from that which is focused . upon) and energy, (our vitality level, . chi). . . Our difficulty as a culture is that we’ve . been confused by the images and thoughts of . our own making. We imagine that this is . how things inherently are, rather than . realizing this is only one way to make . them. Life does not have to be led as . we’ve been taught to believe. We can . create an entirely new course for ourselves . by changing our intent in life. To do this . however, it is best to focus upon intent . itself, and to a lesser extent, awareness . itself, rather than just thoughts. See . the shifts of the intent within. Realize . that behind every decision and action we . take, intent is fully responsible. See . that every single thought and feeling . springs from an intent. To see ourselves . as awareness and intent, rather than . memorized thoughts or those thoughts . provided by the mass media, is to gain . great self realization. From self . realization comes greater mastery, and even . Mastery itself. . . What you mentioned about karma is exactly . correct. Karma is really just inertia set . in motion, and compounded over time through . our daily focus. Karma is the natural law . of cause and effect. Our intent is the . daily cause we set up in life, whose effect . is then reflected back to us on a . compounding basis. This compounding or . cumulative effect of the intentions we use . in life, in other words, creates inertia. . Once set in motion, the natural law of . inertia will tend to maintain our lives . according to how we’ve lived in the past. . Addictions are a perfect example of . inertia. When addictions of any kind are . established they are hard to break, and . even more so if the thing addicted to has . been a long term dependency. The longer . the dependency the greater the inertia, and . the harder it tends to be to break. But . knowledge of intent can offset any inertia, . or karma in our lives. Once we realize to . deeper and deeper levels that intent is the . true foundation of our quality of life and . every decision made, then we can change our . intent for the sake of self evolution. The . same can be done on a planetary scale, when . enough people uplift the intentions being . used. Society is actually just a consensus . of intent, and so the world functions as it . does largely because this is how we have . intended it to be. By the same token we . can raise our intentions to a spiritual . focus in life, and create an entirely . different consensus. This is in fact what . we MUST do. . . You’re right about people going blindly . through the prescribed motions of daily . living, according to what is expected. . This again is a lack of focus upon their . awareness and intent, one that literally . cures blindness of all kinds. This is . largely due to the fact that society itself . has much collective inertia, (karma) in . destructive directions, due to our misuse . of collective intent. That is why it is . important for each of us to dis-associate . with society, because there is no good . reason for us to take on its destructive . karma. . . We must question everything about the idea . of “success” in the modern world, and . discard what is not useful. True success . is not based upon financial status, for . instance, it is based upon our level of . self realization as centers of . consciousness. It is also based upon the . quality of intent that we use, especially . in the case of leading a spiritual, rather . than a material life focus. Honesty, as you . mentioned, is critical in such . transformation. Honesty is merely the . willingness to accept the truth about . ourselves and the world. This literally . makes progressive change possible. . . With progressive intent, there is very . little that humanity cannot accomplish. . Through it we will find world peace and . personal fulfillment alike. On this common . root will grow all good and useful things, . so let us each cultivate a rapport with . intent every moment, to truly grow and . flourish. . . This is the key to self evolution. Re: whats it all about ??? - Matthew Webb . 13 Nov 2002 11:02 . #68 Dear Jenese, . . Yes, millions of people around the world . are clearly feeling the need for an . international change. They want a change . in leadership, of government policy and . social norms. This is, needless to say, . for good reason. The world is increasingly . becoming clouded by the storms of war and . fear. . . People march, pray and meditate for peace, . yet war continues on. What I notice about . the peace movement is that rarely are the . underlying reasons for war addressed, and . even more rarely, what we can do to fully . transform those reasons. The answer is . that, more important than what we say, . meditate, pray or march for, it is how we . live our lives day to day which has the . most impact on world events. The values . which our lifestyle reflects are the issue . here. If one refers to themsevles as . a "consumer" then needless to say, the life . they live contributes directly to a . consumer culture and the greed that drives . wars between nations. A consumer can only . lack and never be fulfilled. Their self . definition is one of always needing . products and images to fill a felt inner . need, which can NEVER be filled by material . things. Right here is where we find the . real cause of war...the mistaken ideas of . thing-fulfillment, in a corporate world of . profit above all else. . . If we identify ourselves with what we . really are on the other hand, as spiritual . beings here for a spiritual purpose, our . lives will be lived in a fashion that will . promote a peaceful, fulfilling world. When . I say "spiritual" by the way, I don't mean . religious ideas. In fact, one no longer . desires any religion when they see the . truth of self and universe. They become ALL . religions, and yet none of them. This . definition of spiritual is based on truth . alone, not arm waving or fancy speeches. . . If we are to really gain peace and world . enlightenment, then deep change is going to . have to come about in our social values. . In other words, we're going to have to . change our intent, (motivations) away from . destructive and selfish ends, toward . evolutionary and unified goals, in the real . improvement of the human condition. This . is a matter of spiritual realization, not a . change in governments, political parties or . social policies. That is why there can be . no political solutions when the real . essence of our modern crisis is a matter of . spiritual deficit. The peace groups of the . world need to realize this, in order to . fully implement their cause. . . Peace must start with each individual, as . they do the inner spiritual work that makes . it possible. As this is reflected in their . daily lives, then and only then can peace . flourish. . . ******* . . not . tells Re: whats it all about ??? - Louis Mignacca . 13 Nov 2002 16:14 . #69 . I gave up on peace and war long ago, it seems you can't have one without the other, instaed I desire, Justice, Truth,& Harmony a higher want, and more pure desire, it allowed me to step back and see war & peace for what it is, just more of the illusion. Justice is the precursor for Harmony, the peace you are looking for, you will find within yourself, by separating yourself from any argument, by baseing your deepest desires on the truth.........."May there be peace, love, and perfection, throughout all creation, Oh God".....John Coltrane Re: whats it all about ??? - Louis Mignacca . 13 Nov 2002 16:15 . #70 . I gave up on peace and war long ago, it seems you can't have one without the other, instaed I desire, Justice, Truth,& Harmony a higher want, and more pure desire, it allowed me to step back and see war & peace for what it is, just more of the illusion. Justice is the precursor for Harmony, the peace you are looking for, you will find within yourself, by separating yourself from any argument, by baseing your deepest desires on the truth.........."May there be peace, love, and perfection, throughout all creation, Oh God".....John Coltrane . . Lux E Tenebris.....Louis Re: whats it all about ??? - Jenese James . 13 Nov 2002 23:24 . #71 heart and to tell you the truth I have been . in inner conflict over this for many . years. Now that you mention it Louis, it . is really turth and Justice I want, truth . not lies and justice for all the world . leaders who continue to get away with . crimes against humanity....the peace thing, . well mathew I think your right so now I . need to re look at where I fit in to all of . this in terms of what energy I am feeding . into the situation. I once had a . realisation that I need to turn my back on . it with full consciousness of its existence . but by turning my back to it i no longer . feed it any energy....what a challenge . though. And consumerism....I have placed . myself right in the middle of it with . returning to the workforce in a blasted . retail shop...what an eye opener . though...midnless unconscious consumering . to fill an emptyness that is true illusion . and can never be filled...I am feeling very . weary, tired from it all and wonder just . what kind of job I can get in this wee . village of mine that will satisfy my needs . and be ethical at the same time...don't . wanna go on welfare, but the choices are . slim. I know its time for a change in every . direction maybe is start some kinda . business that links ethical ideas with . people wanting to invest in ethical . ideas...wonder how that works ? and ideas . would be most welcome . increasingly . life . material . When . ALL . to . real . a . or . of . the . makes . their Re: Intent and the Importance of Truth... - Jenese James . 13 Nov 2002 23:44 . #72 . I havn't been following enough to comment . on the steps to becoming a master but will . go back and read the posts. . . Its interesting though, how people are nice . rather than honest and often times that . state is more deceptive than actually . telling a lie, but often times if you look . within its a challenge to discern just how . you are feeling to in fact be honest. so . then knowing ourselves becomes priotity no# . 1 and thats like you say a lifelong work in . progress :) . . yet we are all masters in potential ... . arn't we ? or maybe you an i are becoming . mistress's :) how weird :) . . yet I have a question, if any of us where . masters would we be living the lives we do, . like going to work, or does being a master . mean one is in the world but not of . it...and would I ever meet a master ? in . the sense that if one was a master then one . would surley to my mind move in other . circles that wouldn't cross mine... if you . know what I mean or if I did meet one they . would just be projecting love from every . cell, cos they would have understood that . there is nothing to change for everything . is in context even though it dosn't have to . be the way it is (world at present) it is . in context given the way people are ? . . whew..its a bit to overwhelming at the . moment, im still reeling by discovering . that the war in Iraq never stopped and . this 'new'war has'nt started yet in name . only... jolted me somewhat and sent me into . a deep place of enquiry which is all good . really. . . I guess though, that its time to get real . and be, whew thats a challenge also . specially since my whole life is caught up . in living in the socialy constructed web. . You know as an aside.... edgar cayce who . was known as the sleeping prophet . channelled the prophet john who said the . book of revelations was a book of the . body ! and that the number of the beast was . the system trying to impose its will on the . unspiritualised human and that the . spiritulised human ... i guess a master... . would not be caught in it....guess the . beast wants to devour everything in order . to stay strong....just a thought....i'm . having a moment :( projecting love - Jenese James . 14 Nov 2002 00:10 . #73 Has anyone heard of the Heartmath . Institute ? . . they have been doing research on the heart . and have a very interesting heart exercise . that is so simple to do. All you do is . find a quiet place. Remember a feeling . that made you feel happy or in love ...you . can put your hand on your heart to focus . energy there if you like...then when you . have that feeling bask in it...just feel it . allow yourself to really sink into it.... . they also so that when you have connected . in that way you can talk to your heart for . they beleive it to be the seat of your . intuition...true intuition they call it . . They have wierd people up to eec machines . and mesaured the effect on the body ie.. . hormonal, chemical electrical responses to . this 1min technique and found that as soon . as you start feeling fellings of joy, . appreciation etc then the body reacts in . specific ways, releasing regenerating . hormones and chemicals....once in that . state ...once you learn to bask in it its . not hard to project it outwards. . . I found all this interesting because once . you are in that state...everything else . drops away and i have found that the more . you do it the longer you can be in it and . then you can project outwards.. . . they have a book called Heartmath soultions . that tells you the various methods and also . the scientifc results of doing the methods . with case studies and so forth...very . interesting . . What got me was how it cut through . everything...in the sense that it truley . was that simple....no need to prepare so to . speak...many who had been meditating for . years felt that doing it allowed them to go . deeper than all their regualr practises . that they had been doing for years and . years. Its work a try :) The Simple and the Practical - Matthew Webb . 14 Nov 2002 09:29 . #76 Dear Jenese, . . Your concern for spiritual right action in . daily life is very commendable. Most . people don't realize that there is a strong . connection betwen how they live and the . effect they're having on the world. . . On the United Communities of Spirit forum . for instance, there is a great deal of talk . about spirituality, but that is mostly . theory. Theory is fine, but only so long . as it eventually becomes practical action. . The spiritual theorizing on UCS I've found, . is representative of society in general. . Most there don't want to talk about how . their theories should be applied to the . physical world. War to them is not a . spiritual concern, as speaking of . preventing it is only an unwanted . distraction from more theorizing. Practical . action or suggestion is shunned altogether. . . This reminds me of Christians going to . church for two hours once a week, . to "praise God", and the other six days . they're wholly devoted to a life, (of . material accumulation and dollar worship) . that Christ denounced. . . In any case, what you said about "being in . the world but not of it" is certainly a . very practical view. Obviously we have to . have the means to feed and clothe . ourselves, have adequate shelter and be . healthy. But "having shelter" for instance . does not mean we have to have an 8000 . square foot, 10 bedroom mansion to be warm . and keep the rain out. So there's a few . guiding principles here which come to mind, . and these are...practicality and . efficiency. Both of these are natural . laws, because this is how nature . functions. So can we in our daily lives. . . The more practical and efficient we are, . the less energy we waste, and the more time . we have for the truly important things in . life, (such as a spiritual focus, self . development, finding wisdom and uplifting . the planet). My Survivalists' Guide for . the New Millennium on WMS, (just look . up "World Mind Society" on a search engine) . speaks in depth as to how one can live . their life in this fashion. . . If I may, I suggest making the needed . changes in your situation by steps. Do . what you have to do for the time being, . while thinking about how you can "survive" . and still find live ethically and . spiritually. Consider simple living, so . that while you need less, you are also far . less dependant on "the system" to make ends . meet. . . I hope this reply will be of some use... . . . . been . thing, . of . existence . very . every Re: Intent and the Importance of Truth... - Matthew Webb . 14 Nov 2002 09:42 . #77 Dear Jenese, . . You mentioned; . . "Its interesting though, how people are . nice . no# . in . . **** . . Self knowledge is definitely essential, not . only so that we can change, but also to . know truth and understand other people, . (reality). . . Yes, people sometimes confuse being cordial . with being useful. There is nothing wrong . with politeness, but when it gets . substituted for honesty and truth telling, . then it is no longer being of the greatest . service to others. . . *** . . Jenese; . "yet we are all masters in potential ... . becoming . . **** . . Yes, we all have the potential to be . Masters. . . **** . . Jenese; . do, . . **** . . You might meet one, though they are . admittedly in short supplt these days. It . may be also that upon meeting them they . don't appear to be anything unusual at . first glance. . . *** . . Jenese; . . if I did meet one they . to . . *** . . Nature is itself always evolving and . improving. But humanity is at present, not . doing so for the most part. Here is what . needs to be changed, because the context of . society is unnatural and therefore . unnecessarily destructive. . . ***** . . Jenese; . ... i guess a master... . . **** . . I agree Re: projecting love - Matthew Webb . 14 Nov 2002 09:47 . #78 Dear Marie and Jenese, . . I had previously heard of them , but would . have been unable to say what they're . about. Thank you for reminding us of their . message. The value of this technique of . remembering in the heart times past of . great love/joy/positivity, is immediately . appealing. It's simplicity as you . mentioned is perfect. I recommend . something similar in the Perpetual Raising . series, but that simplicity is perhaps lost . by the sheer amount of information . presented. . . I'll do some research on HeartMath shortly. . . ******** . . it . soultions . also . to . go Re: whats it all about ??? - Istvan H . 15 Nov 2002 05:26 . #80 . Dear Jenese, . Thank you for your honesty about . being "bummed out". I think reaching this . state of mind is necessary for further . growth of awareness of what it is all about. . Some seek mastership of that subject without . willing to become disciples. Life is the . only true master and we have to heed its . messages by allowing the truth we are . seeking, to manifest itself through the . sometimes small packets of information we . are constantly bombarded by as a process of . life, as a state of being alive. The idea of . God is at present, and for some time . humanity’s conceptualization of "what it/s . all about .As science and spiritualism and . social expressions are slowly becoming more . sophisticated due to the evolution of our . senses and mental capacities, we are slowly . beginning to have glimpses into the . mysteries of life. IT IS OK TO BE bummed . out, it is ok to be confused, it is ok to . feel pain. What is not ok, is to be attached . to these and be diminished by their affects. . The way to do this is learn to celebrate all . messages and manifestations that come our . way, to allow the universe to present it's . secrets through expanded awareness without . judgments which are the creators ofignorance. . All that exists is a master and a deceiver, . all at the same time and space.This is where . intent is the "crux" and individual "trend" . setter of our participation in this "Divine . comedy" we experience as Earthly life. . There are many dimensions of intent. For me . the most important is the choice of . our "free will" of which dimension we . support and participate in. There are two . main facets of life as i perceive them, one . being creation (building),the other is . destruction (annihilation). To some degrees . we all participate in these processes . determined by our evolutionary development . of where we are as individual particles and . participators in the Divine Churning of the . Cosmos. . There are many levels and laws of which we . are just beginning to be aware of and . through expanded wisdom the awareness . creates we are able to make our personal . choices of which facet of creation we may . participate in. . The choices of those wo prefer judgement . based limitations, are their way of . learning "what it's all about" and the . consequences of their actions are ways to . manifest lessons for themselves and all, to . make it clear some day(through personal . judgement days) that they may eventually . proceed on to creativity instead of . destruction. . Unfortunately the "masters" of destruction . affect all our psyche's and at times i too . feel almost completely paralyzed by their . actions. souch as war and total . insensitivity toward the life and right to . life for others. . Those of us who are inclined toward . creativity eventually must unite in creating . environments, starting with the basics. . Instead of philosophizing to support each . other in meaningful ways so we do not have . to feel alone and exist in states of stupor . about what is going on Meditation is, a . great MEDICINE that may lead many people . toward clarity of "what's it all about". . I do not profess to be some kind of master, . but i would like to allow myself to be both, . Master and Disciple of the many facets of . reality as they present themselves inthe . here and now.We are all masters of the . facets of wich first we allowed ourselves to . be desciples. Shall I beat the bigot? - John Kitchens . 15 Nov 2002 15:55 . #81 Has anyone ever had to bow to ignorance? I . feel tarnished by a situation in which I had . to get physical with another guy. If . someone is perpetuating ignorance and . hurting people in the process I feel it is . my duty (based on my acceptance of Truth) to . end it if it is within my power. Well, my . profession doesn't allow me the opportunity . to be in contact with many cultivated minds . so showing the benefits of Truth is somewhat . difficult. Arguements among the ignorant . are decided by who can be the most . aggressive in their stance. So, I beat the . hell out of the guy just so he'd shut up. I . didn't accomplish anything other than . conceding defeat to a lesser . opponent...ignorance. Eventhough the racist . comments ended there is still a noticeable . tension on the jobsite. Anyone, have any . suggestions? Re: Shall I beat the bigot? - Matthew Webb . 15 Nov 2002 16:36 . #82 Dear John, . . I must admit, I relate to your post. Yes, . I've had to bow to ignorance countless . times, and my 5 years in the navy rank . foremost in my mind, speaking of same. . . Now, I realize I don't speak for the . majority of the spiritual community in what . I'm about to say, but say it I will. I . personally believe that the pattern shown . us by nature is one that also applies to . human "civilization". In nature the . survival of the fittest rests firmly on . those individuals of any species, who have . the greater strength and spirit to . survive. As a matter of fact, this greater . spirit of the survivor is what actually . improves a species over time. . . My point is that I think there is a time . and place for passivity, and also for a . more confrontational stance. The . aggressive dog for instance, who barks and . wants to bite, will usually only do so from . behind, while the "prey" is running away. . If a person doesn't want to be "a prey" . then a show of strength, (that is clearly . authentuically meant) is something that . brutes respect. What they don't respect is . kindness which is taken as weakness and . naivete'. This is a sad but true fact of . the modern world as well. . . Having said this however, it is important . to stand for truth if one is to be . confrontational. If truth and right action . are not the issue behind conflict, then one . can become the wrongful aggressor. . . To me, this represents a balanced life . view...show kindness and mean it. Show . strength and mean it. Each one is called . for in its own time and place, sometimes . one after the other. Literally every . creature and species in nature understands . this, and lives by it. . . I honestly believe that many if not most of . the truly beautiful and valuable peoples . and ideals in the world, have died out . simply because they did not employ the . strength to resist those who would destroy . them. . . "How many wondrous things have died out of . the world for the want of the strength to . survive?" . . a quote from Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon . . ***** . The Spiritual Warrior - Matthew Webb . 16 Nov 2002 21:15 . #84 Dear Marie, . . You said regarding conflict; . . see . that . . . **** . . Yes, you could do that and perhaps be right. . . On the other hand; . . It is an interesting fact of life, going . from my own experience, that some people . actually respect a show of force. This is . the classic "defeat the bully, and he'll . become your friend" syndrome, for lack of a . better name. I've experienced this myself . many times over the years, and after some . show of force, usually verbal of even just . psychic, the person then actually gained a . better working relationship with me that . had not happened previously, despite my . best efforts at friendliness or cordial . manner. What this reminds me of is what is . seen in nature...ever watched a nature . program on TV which showed "pecking order" . type of behaviour and its results? . . Also, although what you said can be quite . true, it is not always a case of "seeing . something of yourself in another" which . causes conflict. Quite the contrary, one . can clearly see that there is no similarity . at all between themselves and the attitude . of another, and still have conflict. Even . in the case of a dog wanting to bite, we . needn't have a secret desire to bite others . to want to avoid being bitten and act . accordingly. The point here is one does . not extend their hand to a brute in . friendship without realistically expecting . it to be bitten...so another tact is often . the most practical avenue. A show of force . is one of them, and having this ability . might well be put under the catagory . of "being a spiritual warrior". . . What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Matthew Webb . 18 Nov 2002 11:15 . #86 What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns . Insane . . When one man goes insane, is bent on . fantasy rather than facts, becomes . chronically drugged and mentally deranged, . the community responds in an effort to . limit the damage they would otherwise do. . When any individual would prefer war over . peace, would rather harm than do good, . turns utterly irrational, and whose acts . contribute to the destruction of all, it is . then that the culture in which they live . must do something about this cancer from . within. But what happens when an entire . culture goes insane, is bent on fantasy . rather than facts, becomes chronically . drugged and mentally deranged? What . happens when an entire society would prefer . war over peace, would rather harm than do . good, turns utterly irrational and whose . acts contribute to the destruction of all . life on Earth? This is what happens .the . sane are the ones viewed as “dangers” to . the established social order. It is the . revolutionaries who, on a sane world would . be viewed as true heroes and leaders, but . on an insane world are seen only as fringe . elements to be crucified on the cross of . ignorant fears. It is the geniuses and . caretakers among us who then become the . enemy to be purged, to be monitored and . reported to the “authorities”. It is then . that the most insane are placed in . positions of authority and power, while the . still lucid and progressive among us are . first watched with suspicion, and . ultimately either killed, imprisoned or at . the very least, generally ostracized and . ignored. . . THIS is exactly where we are at as a . society .insanity has become the norm. . Questioning anything is viewed with utmost . suspicion and contempt. The people think . in terms of canned laugh tracks dubbed into . the absurd dialog of sit-com actors, whose . comments any sane six year old would find . repulsive, if for no other reason than they . mean absolutely nothing. Game shows and . soap operas are the common mainstay for . mental health and activity, in this prozac . gulping comedy of errors. Alcohol, . cigarettes and a host of other addictions . mark the commonly accepted mental illness . and emotional imbalance of daily life. Yet . another war killing millions horribly is . barely pause for daily conversation, unlike . far more important subjects like the . weather and what one had for breakfast. . People struggle and compete for who can . earn more dollars per annum, just so that . they can have a newer car or a bigger . house, while destroying their minds, bodies . and each other in the process. Few even . consider WHY these are the established . goals in life. . . Millions die of starvation the world over, . or of completely unnecessary conflicts over . ideals which serve no one, or because an . oil field is present, and all for the sake . of corporate profit margins. Foods are . genetically engineered in bizarre and . unnatural ways, not for nutrition but for . the sake of a longer shelf life. Poisons . are introduced into our food, water, air . and vaccines simply to promote a better . quarterly report on a Wall Street analysts’ . desk, and to boost “investor confidence”. . People suffer the world over as minimum . wage slaves producing sweat shop goods for . egotists, (while their children starve) so . that the products of certain . companies “remain competitive” and keep . their costs of manufacture at a minimum. . This has become the accepted norm of . modern “civilization”, where the concept . of “human rights” is a barely concealed lie . and very few really care about what happens . to the human race, so long as they are . comfortable for another month, week, day or . hour. . . Insanity has become the norm of . governments, groups and individuals alike, . while those few who are warning that our . species is on the brink of its own self . destruction are largely ignored. People . would like to assume that their . wastefulness, their utter destructiveness . and egotism can and should go on forever. . They would like to assume that the whole . universe exists for them to exploit, and . that only greed rules the day. It is the . majority who assumes that those who seek . peace and enlightened solutions for the . world’s ills are weak and naïve, since they . obviously have not understood the “dog eat . dog” nature of reality. In fact, greed is . the value of the modern world which is the . most valued, second only to egotism, which . is its twin. These values literally define . the stated social goals of “success” . and “fame”, and without which our consumer . culture could literally not function. . Those in the vast majority who simply . refuse to see that consumerism and . materialism will be the death of this world . and the dollar they worship, will die a . hard death indeed. And that outcome is not . very distant in the future. More than just . millions will die. BILLIONS will become . the food for worms, and all because we . stupidly imagined that the universe was . something for us to use up, rather than . something to learn from. . . An example of the absurd, insane lengths to . which ego and greed can go, let’s look at . the “most successful” among us; . . For example . . New charges of fraud against the ex-CEO of . Tyco International, Dennis Kozlowski, have . revealed a level of decadence amongst . today’s ruling circles that would put the . court of France’s King Louis XIV to shame. . According to a report commissioned by . current Tyco management and released last . month, personal items that Kozlowski billed . to the company included a $2,200 . wastebasket, $5,960 for two sets of sheets, . a $6,000 gold and burgundy shower curtain, . a $6,300 sewing basket, a $15,000 poodle- . shaped umbrella stand, a $17,100 traveling . toilet box, all the way down to a $445 . pincushion. . . These incidentals were part of the $11 . million worth of furnishings for his Fifth . Avenue apartment in New York City, which he . bought for $16.8 million (plus $3 million . in renovations) with money borrowed from . Tyco, most of which he never paid back. . Earlier loans, also forgiven, paid for his . $29.8 million Boca Raton, Florida mansion . and for a $7 million New York City co-op . apartment for his ex-wife as part of a . divorce settlement. The report alleges . that, in total, Kozlowski improperly . authorized the company to lend him $61.7 . million for real estate and other purchases. . . Divorce papers filed in court earlier this . month against retired General . Electric Corporation Chairman and CEO John . F. Welch Jr. provided a glimpse . into the lifestyle of America's corporate . elite. In her suit to dissolve . their 13-year marriage, Jane Beasley Welch . complains that the $35,000 per . month offered by her husband is nowhere . near enough to maintain the . "extraordinary" standard of living that . they enjoyed together. . . Her papers quantify $126,820 in monthly . expenses incurred by the couple, . not counting sizable additional amounts . paid by General Electric as perks . to its former chief executive. Among the . most significant items, GE . provides a company-owned luxury apartment . at the Trump International Hotel . and Towers on Central Park West in New York . City. Besides allowing Welch to . live there rent-free, GE picks up the tab . for such additional necessities . as fresh flowers, wine, laundry and dry . cleaning services, a cook and wait . staff, a housekeeper, and every other . detail down to toiletries, newspaper . and magazine subscriptions, even postage. . GE also pays a portion of Welch's . dining bills at the exclusive restaurant . Jean Georges, which is located in . the building. . . Additionally, Welch receives a free grand . tier box at the Metropolitan . Opera, memberships at four country clubs, . including Georgia's prestigious . Augusta National, court-side tickets to New . York Knicks basketball games, . box seats behind the dugout at Yankee . Stadium plus a skybox for the Boston . Red Sox, prime tickets to the French Open, . Wimbledon and US Open tennis . tournaments, VIP tickets to all Olympic . events, and unlimited use of a . corporate Boeing 737 jet. The cost of this . last item alone is estimated at . $291,869 a month. . . The list goes on. GE pays for Welch's . limousine and driver in New York, . bodyguards when he travels abroad, . satellite TV installations in his New . York apartment and his three other homes in . Massachusetts, Connecticut and . Florida. And, Mrs. Welch reports, GE . contributed $7.5 million over the . course of their marriage to help furnish . the four homes with appliances, . security systems and sophisticated computer . and telecommunications . equipment, with GE employees assisting with . the installation. . . Welch's lavish lifestyle-at company expense . even in retirement-is typical . of the elite group who dominate the world's . economic life. The bursting of . the stock market bubble has brought into . the open numerous other instances . of top executives looting corporate assets . for personal use. . . THESE are the values to which the average . person is expected to gladly adhere. This . they are expected to do without the . slightest regard for the real world . consequences which are their implicit . result. Government policy is no . different. Among the consequences are . environmental destruction, the conversion . of the worlds’ people into sweat shop . slaves, the motives for greedy wars and the . general decay of goodwill among men. All . of this is for the sake of worshipping the . dollar as God, and to which all other Gods . are but false idols in comparison. . . ****** . . If there is any doubt in the reader’s mind . regarding these conclusions, then let us . review further the implications of our . consumerist, materialistic and militaristic . world view . . . Global Military Expenditures 2002 Global . military expenditures currently exceed $800 . BILLION! . . The top military spenders are: . . United States $343.2 Billion . . Russia* $60 . . China $42 . . Japan $40.4 . . United Kingdom $34 . . Saudi Arabia $27.2 . . France $25.3 . . Germany $21 . . Brazil $17.9 . . India $15.6 . . Italy $15.5 . . South Korea $11.8 . . *Based on 2000 funding (most recent year . available) Global Priorities For . approximately 30% of Annual World Military . Expenditures (~$810 billion), . . all of the following could be accomplished . . ***: To Eliminate Starvation and . Malnutrition ($19 billion) . . To Provide Shelter ($21 billion) . . To Remove Landmines ($4 billion) . . To Build Democracy ($3 billion) . . To Eliminate Nuclear Weapons ($7 billion) . . To Refugee Relief ($5 billion) . . To Eliminate Illiteracy ($5 billion) . . To Provide Clean, Safe Water ($10 billion) . . To Provide Health Care and AIDS Control . ($21 billion) . . To Stop Deforestation ($7 billion) . . To Prevent Global Warming ($8 billion) . . To Stabilize Population ($10.5 billion) . . To Prevent Acid Rain ($8 billion) . . To Provide Clean, Safe Energy: Energy . Efficiency ($33 billion), Renewable Energy . ($17 billion) . . To Stop Ozone Depletion ($5 billion) . . To Prevent Soil Erosion ($24 billion) . . To Retire Developing Nations Debt ($30 . billion) . . ********* . . If such values as those mentioned above do . not change very soon and on a widespread . basis, humankind will very simply become . extinct. Since it seems unlikely that most . people can be convinced of this obvious . fact, it would seem that we are merely a . species waiting for its imminent death. . While we commit suicide at a faster and . faster rate, the best hope of the average . person is simply to die without undue pain. . . For those of us who would prefer to keep . our sanity and the honesty that goes along . with it, our path will take us in a very . different direction. For the sane there is . only one best course of action available . today. That is the total and unconditional . rejection of EVERYTHING which society now . stands for, because there is ABSOLUTELY . NOTHING of value left in it. . . There is no political solution to these . ills. No new government, law, constitution . or bill of rights will act as remedy for . widespread social insanity. EVERY form of . government and law enforcement can only . smooth over deep seated social problems . without ever addressing their cause. . People still believe that by voting or . writing letters to congressmen that this is . going to change society for the better. . But they are mistaken. So long as the . values of our age are in place, there is no . hope for the future of the human race. We . are already dead, it’s just that most of us . would like to pretend otherwise. . Congressmen, senators and presidents are no . more capable of lucid, sane action than is . the average citizen. It is time we thought . and lived for ourselves, instead of waiting . for idiots in high places to somehow come . to their senses, (let alone admit their . corruption and dishonesty). . . WE MUST REJECT SOCIETY . . To identify with modern society is to . identify with a strong urge for mass . suicide and self mutilation. To share any . values of this death culture is to invite . death and suffering of like kind. In . rejecting society and everything it stands . for, we are enabled to think for . ourselves. As we think for ourselves, we . develop far higher and more productive . values than those which currently exist. . With those higher values we learn that . spiritual purposes are the highest to which . we may aspire, and also the most . beneficial. As spiritual practitioners, we . are the only hope humanity has left, to . ever correct the insanity which now infects . every aspect of modern culture like a . plague. . . For further reading and specific, sane . actions we can take, read The Survivalists’ . Guide for the New Millennium at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest in our . World Mind Society Library. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . . . Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Sandi Hunter . 18 Nov 2002 14:13 . #87 . “What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns . Insane” This question brings out far more . issues, beliefs, standards and truths than . most will be willing to absorb and . address. The scenario that popped into my . head as soon as I read the title was of a . learned wise man walking down a corridor of . a great building. He was on his way to a . common room to give a talk about life and . truth. He had much to share and much to . impart to the good people of this . institution. He continues to walk with . books in hand, going over in his head what . he will say. He walks into the crowded . common room ready to talk clearly and in a . straightforward, honest manner. He starts . his talk and no one’s attention is . attracted by his words and their meaning. . As the words are floating in the air with a . clarity and harmony of their own, a . curious fact is observed regarding the . other occupants of the room. At once it . is obvious that this is a hospital for the . incurably insane, for the words are truly . falling on deaf ears. Although the truth . is spoken with a crystal clarity that . leaves little or no room for . misunderstanding, not one person in this . room is getting the message. They are lost . in their worlds of head banging, rocking, . crying, tearing their hair out, watching TV . or just drooling and staring into space. . IT matters NOT what the message is, it only . matters that they remain comfortable and in . their deluded worlds. This is what a sane . revolutionary has to deal with in our world . today. Am I exaggerating? I think not. I . do agree that there are levels of insanity, . not everyone is drooling and staring into . space, but most are watching TV and . believing what they are seeing as if it was . the Truth. Even those that understand and . see the truth of such a message as this, do . not understand the great lengths that have . to be taken for any change, even the . smallest, to occur. . . There is propaganda and false values thrown . into every single aspect of mass media that . one encounters. The news is not reported . as it is or as it is happening. The news . only tells us what is profitable or . beneficial for the government or . corporations. There is no value, (within . this society) of reporting the truth or . what is truly happening. A perfect example . is the talk of war against Iraq. Not one . word is mentioned as to how the so . called “Gulf War” really never ended. Iraq . is and has always been bombed or restricted . by sanctions, in one way or another for the . last 10 years. The people there are dying . every day because of our actions, but this . whole FIASCO of UN inspectors going in to . make sure they have no weapons of Mass . Destruction, is all that is reported. You . hear little or nothing on the news about . the daily bombings, or the thousands of . children that die each day because of no . food, uranium depleted munitions or good . medical facilities. No one dares expose the . truth because then they would lose the one . and only thing they truly worship, the . money they make and social acceptance they . crave.. . . The movies is another example. Every movie . has become a collection of scenes that . don’t have to relate to each other . logically or build on a believable story . line. They are just “rotes” and propaganda . thrown at us to keep us totally absorbed in . the way things are, (confusion) and keep us . in our place, (obedience) of never asking . questions and remaining in the status quo. . All one has to do is look at the new movies . coming out about young people becoming CIA . agents, police officers and military . assassins, and how that is admired and . respected, (and even awe inspiring) by . parents, peers and the general public. I . was horrified to see how it is admired . that our young people defend and live by . the same corruption, lies and propaganda . that our government does. I was astonished . that the people in the movie theatre . actually watched such movie previews with a . certain glee and laughed at all the “right . times“. Then I watched “Harry Potter, part . 2” and was not at all surprised to see that . the movie advocated that magic would only . be used to hurt or defend, there was no . power within a person other than through . magic wands and potions. The movie further . emphasized that no collaboration or . discussion for a common end is needed or . advisable, women and young girls . would “swoon” over a fake, lying man just . because he had a certain charisma and best . selling books, the school itself would . hire this man to teach classes although he . obviously was fake and had no good . intentions except to make money and feed . his ego. New characters were introduced . with no rhyme or reason as to why they are . even in the plot, except to bring about a . crises to keep the audiences’ attention. . There were blind rules to follow no matter . what the consequences, etc. The movie also . advocated that those of pure blood and . monetary means could afford the “better” . magic items, and that those who weren’t of . the right families or economic status . didn’t deserve knowledge, and should . actually be killed. Those that did not . have the financial means were ostracized as . lesser beings. Gee I wonder where these . ideas came from .Need I go on? The movie . industry, (which I am sure is run and owned . by the government or larger corporations . that run the government) has become . nothing more than a funnel through which . the public can be brainwashed and . manipulated for their selfish ends. Again, . am I exaggerating? I know I am not. . . We are taught very early on to ignore all . that is natural. To follow schedules and . rules that make no sense. Life is only for . making money. We are sent to school for . training in this corporate led world and . taught never to truly question authority no . matter how corrupt the leaders, or how . ludicrous the rules are. This is what our . education process is. It is nothing more . than a conditioning ground for children to . adapt to the world of high finance, greed, . power and total disregard for all that is . natural. This is what this society agrees . is the norm and the way to be. Now these . already brain washed children are getting . bombarded in the movies more and more. . Unless the so called adults of this . civilization see the truth of this and pull . their kids out of school and out of the . lies of the media, then nothing will change . for we are training the next generation to . be worse than the one that exists now. . That is if the next generation is to . survive at all. . . People assume that they are not influenced . by the media and yet live their lives . precisely in the ways prescribed by it. . Do you work at a 9 - 5 job? Do you smile . when you know the person you are talking to . is lying just to save face and keep the . status quo? Do you pay taxes to the very . government that is provoking war and . environmental destruction for their own . selfish ends? Do you focus your life on . making money just because you have to pay . credit card bills and live selfishly, . putting the true spiritual values and way . of life aside simply because that is what . is accepted? These are just a few . questions to ask to see the level of the . insanity that exists in everyday life, . and I do mean in your life also .. Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Matthew Webb . 19 Nov 2002 00:21 . #89 Dear Kim, . . I wish to reply within your text: . . ***** . . *** . . Sanity is only statistical if there is . someone sane left who can both take and . accurately analyze the statistics. . . **** . I agree that an entire culture has mostly . . *** . . They have done more than give away their . power. They have merged their self . identity with it and cast their lot with . that of the collective. This is a total . investment of mind and body in a paradigm . that does not recognize the welfare of the . collective or the individuals who compose . it. It recognizes only greed and . selfishness to the point of the destruction . of all, based on the assumptions that . existence is something for human beings to . exploit. In order for them to return to . sane living the people of the world must . divest themselves of the mental viruses, . such as the values of materialism, which . are the erroneous beliefs of society that . permeates their minds. If they will not do . this, then they have no more chance of sane . function or progressive spiritual growth . than does a computer infected with the . worst of viruses have in the performing of . even the simplest tasks. So long as the . body is subjected to such artificial and . unnecessarily stressful pressures, it will . decay. So long as the mind is infected . with ideas which are wholly untrue and . therefore destructive, it must travel into . madness proportionate to the degree to . which a person is invested in society. . . ******* . . Turn up the TV to drown out the . . ********* . . Yes, or take a prozac or drink a glass of . wine, make "light conversation", get busy . with hobbies, read a magazine, talk on the . telephone watch a movie, pretend . fascination over sports statistics, make . world wars, cut down forests, pollute . oceans, and otherwise wreak havoc. . . *************** . for". . . **************** . . Society is only a set of ideas. When we . say "reject society" we mean reject that . set of ideas which now governs the way . people live. . . **** . . ***** . . Society is wholly ill-equipped to even . acknowledge the problems that face it and . to be honest in their evaluations, let . alone gain the self responsiblity to . promote logical and workable solutions . through which our imminent extinction may . be averted. Our species currently lacks . the intellectual and emotional maturity, . and even more importantly, the will to . competantly change the error of it's ways. . Thus it is accurate to say that the . problems which face society are, in it's . own terms and because of it's own . limitations, insurmountable. The only way . they can be addressed and solved, is by . identifying and counteracting the errors in . judgement, the falshood and lies, the . illogic and irreverance for truth which . permeate literally every facet of modern . living from mowing the lawn, going to . college, getting a career, to ending in a . rest home. . . ****** . . and follow me totally . ************ . . Your comment of "and follow me totally for . salvation" is something which you have . entered into what I have said, because of a . certain resentment that I would dare . challenge the status quo in such a . fundamental way. I say this because of . countless experiences of this nature, while . discussing this matter with others over the . last 15 years. . . ********* . Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Matthew Webb . 19 Nov 2002 11:43 . #91 Dear Kim, . . I understand what you've said. What comes . to mind foremeost, is that the message is . by far more important than the messenger. . The message of rejecting society is itself . what is important for the modern world. . Beyond that, does it really matter what my . motives are for conveying such facts and . conclusions? I am after all, not asking . anything from anyone to be here, nor to . belong to the World Mind Society, other . than having an open mind. . . Further thoughts on this; . . First, my advocacy of rejecting society is . not something that is motivated by personal . reasons. In fact, this is not a personal . issue. To suggest the rejection of society . is an advocacy based on the facts of the . modern world, which as earlier posts . explain, is clearly headed for self . destruction. The facts which support this . conclusion speak loudly and clearly to . anyone who cares to listen. . . I'm fully preapred to debate anything I say . to the finest detail, and have never, nor . would I ever, ask anyone to simply believe . what I say simply because I said it. . . Second, if anyone here does not agree with . the conclusion that society and its norms . should be completely rejected, then by all . means feel free to explain why this is so. . I'd like anyone to offer EVEN ONE reason . why society is a good thing as it currently . exists, and should therefore not be . summarily discarded. Naturally, I reserve . the right to debate any point brought . forward, should this appear desirable. . . Kim, can you offer even one reason, based . on solid evidence, as to why society is not . wholly flawed and out of control? . . . . agreement . essence . mutual . on . that . to . them . for . a . during . about . not . while . the . spot . to . thing Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Istvan H . 20 Nov 2002 05:51 . #92 Musing on CULT. . I think cults are static snapshots of . cultures. (cult-ures)(maybe Waxen can . provide us with the meaning of -ures-). . As far as it appears cults are static, fixed . images of dynamic processes. a picture of a . river is not the river,nor the ocean, nor . the water. People often get attached to the . beauty of a picture and forget all abut the . river. So that maybe what cults are. . Mattheww, as so clearly stated above is not . trying to create a static idea of what truth . and intent is, but merely sharing his . cognitive experience on the subject by . sharing insights maybe hidden to many . people. In simpler words he is taking a huge . byte from the "apple", a byte most of us . would immedietaly choke on. So help him chew . the byte, and the apple which is big enough . for all of us to chew on. His invitation to . debate any ideas is proof enough for me that . he is not trying to create some static . movement. . Besides many of the grater movements have . started as so called cults. Could not . Christianity be not be seen as a cult? And . souch there are both constructive cults and . destructive (nacism) cults in history. . So Shamir do not reject something without . musing of the meanings.LOL . Perhaps worth to read these: . "The implication, which is eminently . verifiable, is this: when we accept or are . given a single term as a placeholder, or . key - to particular communication/knowledge . domains, and/or as a credential of . understanding - the price is often the . actual experience anything actually useful . or representative of that implied . understanding. And that means that this . event is costing us our cognitive liberty, . in a variety of domains seemingly unrelated . to those we here explore, as well as those . made obvious by our path thus far. . . if one can step outside the established . categories and metaphors we've been poisoned . with and grasp the power of creating and . managing them oneself. . . The tools of the adult - cognitive, symbolic . and linguistic - are of incredible utility . and importance. The problem with them is . devastating, and unexpected: the systems we . just classified or named, in humans, act in . a semi-intelligent way. If they aren't . guided by a person who clearly understands . both sides of the domains of generalism and . specificity, as they apply to symbolic . understanding and literacy - something . really unexpected tends to happen: the . systems 'take over' their hosts, and drive . them around like machines used to replicate . their drivers. . The result is systems of self-perpetuating . mimicry occupying the domains that cognitive . liberty would otherwise occupy in our lives." . [ http://www.organelle.org/cog2.html ] . . Rejecting current cultures is not the sole . idea of Matthew. . Read Invictus in his newslog:Disillusionment . for the Disillusioned, 101 24 comments . . 17 Feb 2002 @ 19:16, by Andy Lehman . ------------------------------------------ . Or understand this: . A New Unfragmented Man by Osho . . "My message is simple. My message is a new . man, homo novus. The old concept of man was . of either/or, materialist or spiritualist, . moral or immoral, sinner or saint. It was . based on division, split. It created a . schizophrenic humanity. The whole past of . humanity has been sick, unhealthy, insane. . In three thousand years, five thousand wars . have been fought. This is just utterly mad; . it is unbelievable. It is stupid, . unintelligent, inhuman. . . Once you divide man in two, you create . misery and hell for him. He can never be . healthy and can never be whole; the other . half that has been denied will go on taking . revenge. It will go on finding ways and . means to overcome the part that you have . imposed upon yourself. You will become a . battleground, a civil war. That's what has . been the case in the past. . . In the past we were not able to create real . human beings, but only humanoids. A humanoid . is one who looks like a human being but is . utterly crippled, paralyzed. He has not been . allowed to bloom in his totality. He is . half, and because he is half he is always in . anguish and tension; he cannot celebrate. . Only a whole man can celebrate. Celebration . is the fragrance of being whole. . . Only a tree that has lived wholly will . flower. Man has not flowered yet. . . The past has been very dark and dismal. It . has been a dark night of the soul. And . because it was repressive, it was bound to . become aggressive. If something is . repressed, man becomes aggressive, he loses . all soft qualities. It was always so up to . now. We have come to a point where the old . has to be dropped and the new has to be . heralded. . . The new man will not be either/or — he will . be both/and. The new man will be earthy and . divine, worldly and otherworldly. The new . man will accept his totality and he will . live it without any inner division, he will . not be split. His god will not be opposed to . the devil, his morality will not be opposed . to immorality; he will know no opposition. . He will transcend duality, he will not be . schizophrenic. With the new man there will . come a new world, because the new man will . perceive in a qualitatively different way. . He will live a totally different life, which . has not been lived yet. He will be a mystic, . a poet, a scientist, all together. He will . not choose: he will be choicelessly himself. . . That's what I teach: homo novus, a new man, . not a humanoid. The humanoid is not a . natural phenomenon. The humanoid is created . by the society — by the priest, the . politician, the pedagogue. The humanoid is . created, it is manufactured. Each child . comes as a human being — total, whole, . alive, without any split. Immediately the . society starts suffocating him, stifling . him, cutting him into fragments. Telling him . what to do and what not to do, what to be . and what not to be. His wholeness is soon . lost. He becomes guilty about his whole . being. He denies much that is natural, and . in that very denial he becomes uncreative. . Now he will be only a fragment, and a . fragment cannot dance, a fragment cannot . sing. And a fragment is always suicidal . because the fragment cannot know what life . is. The humanoid cannot decide on his own. . Others have been deciding for him — his . parents, the teachers, the leaders, the . priests; they have taken all his . decisiveness. They decide, they order; he . simply follows. The humanoid is a slave. . The lucidity of clear seeing - Matthew Webb . 20 Nov 2002 10:07 . #93 Dear Istvan, . . Your post is most illuminating. I've . always been fond of Rajneesh, (Osho) as you . know, and when he's lucid he's very . enlightening. The Whole Human being as he . pointed out, is a rare sight in the modern . age, and precisely because of all these . artificial divisions which society has . created. Everything and everyone is . divided unnecessarily, men with women, . parents with children, political agendas . with social need, country with country, . religion with religion, culture against . revolution...etc. . . To regain this wholeness is in part to drop . the artifical divisions, which is one . excellent reason for rejecting society. It . is the ultimate divider, for it is in the . interest of corrupt governments and . corporations to "divide and conquer" the . peoples of the world, who would otherwise . be united for a better world. In so doing . the divided and confused make . perfect "consumers", since a consumer is by . definition an entity who, in their felt . powerlessness, equates the buying of . external things to personal empowerment, . inner fulfillment and choice making. . Consumerism is of course nothing of the . sort, but those currently in control of the . media don't want anyone to realize that. . . What you mentioned about the systems of . ideas which are used in this culture rings . very true. The systems have taken over the . drivers, (people) and now people live to . serve ideals which do not in turn serve . them at all. In fact, most modern ideals . are thoroughly self and world destructive, . and yet the majority feels somehow obliged . to defend them without tealizing exactly . what it is they are defending. . . In all of this, self realization is a sure . key for self and world change. To realize . the self as consciousness automatically . dissolves the artificial barriers and . destructive ideals to which we are socially . expected to adhere. In self realization we . see that we are not the thoughts, images or . ideals that have been created. We are . instead the creator of any thought or . ideal. It is better therefore to identify . with the creator, rather than the created. . Spiritual intent of all kinds is also key. . In both of these cases, the love and . clarity which arises from the realization . of truth, is essential for human progress. . . To be self guiding, guide we must. This . takes the courage of thorough questioning, . and an equally thorough implementation of . the truthful answers found in daily life. Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Jenese James . 23 Nov 2002 01:54 . #95 stirred up this full . moon....congratulations Mathew and . everyone.... . . Mathew I totaly agree with you...before . change can occur on any level one must . first see the need for it......and well you . have articulated what I have been saying to . people for over the past 4 years...Seeing . it as it is worts and all, without excuses, . naked in all its ugly glory. . . Once I was told that the more . spiritual/aware I became the more . negativity I would see, I'm glad you see it . to for we have created a truely un natural . world, an un sustainable world and in order . for us to remain livinng and participating . in it we have to be unconscious....however . we are waking up.... . . Kim is correct society is made up of . individuals....although Kim I do feel you . have missed the point of Mathews . thread..and mathew...you make a major . assumption....in that the whole is insane... . (forgive me if i made a blue here for I . can't fully remember all the posts in this . thread)...I am not insane...you are not . insane...sandi Istavn is not insane we SEE . there are many people who SEE and many more . who are starting to see....this is the . first step in a transitional world...that . is a world in transition.... . . I enjoy osho as well..and I like his 'new . man/woman' idea and agree with it.... I do . beleive in my heart that we are at the . begining stages ....I never used to think . like this...I used to think hell if i was . an captain or somethin of an ET expidetion . i would say to hell with it nuke it they . don't deserve to have it...but that was . ages ago and for some really profound . reason, ive managed to come through it. . . One of the realisations of the extent of my . ánger'for thats what it was ...was the . realisation of my love for . humanity.....humanity i weep for you...yet . i welcome your return. . . Remember before any change on any level can . occur must one first see the need for it. . 9/11 was it...there may need to be more and . more and more untill enough people see . through the bull shit. . . As i was often reminded when i was awash . with sadness and anger at what i began to . see around me in my awakening from a . trance.....taken globally there are . BILLIONs of people against GE . foods....BILLIONS against bush and his . war... BILLIONS of people working to bring . awarness of unethical business practises . AND BILLIONS of people teaching different . values then this perverted and insane . society....we need to remember that. . . America does not exist in the world by . itself, although many americans think that . they are the world...there are BILLIONS of . people seeing the need for change.....and . millions actually actively doing something . constructive about it. . . Once again Kim is correct..society is made . of people and it has been perverted . sublimely through the maintanece of . relgious ideas which are based not on . partnership but on domination and control . and from here everything else hinges...god . given rights and all that...and hell i . don't beleive in god so give me sport, tv, . anything ..... . . there are ways of changing alll this .... . but first a vision...osho's new man/woman . is a good place to start...a human being . who sees no duality...Raine Eisler's . partnership way is another Heartmath . Institute's research is another ....there . must be more out there if we look . . I am no good at math nor doing graphs . etc... but heres an idea for someone who is . I did this once just off the top of my head . . get a pen and paper some coloured pens and . find the global income of agriculture . products for the year....then do the same . for organic global agriculture (you can do . this as a nation as well...but i think . globally may give a bigger overall picture . . The do the same for medicine the . pharmaceutical companies...then contrast . that with the alternative health industry . including vitimins.... . . add other things in as . well...education...but im unsure how you . would measure them.....or track alternative . ones...or you could use homeschool stats or . something ???? just keep it simple to . begin to get an idea....and i bet...that we . would see that following close behing the . unsustainable unhealthy totaly insane agri- . culture and orthodox medicine we would . discover that organice and alternative . health is not that far . behind...meaning...that as one system . collapses another arises to take its place . the next question is whether these are more . of the same in yet another disquise or is . it different ? . . There is much more to this...that if i . continue will take up heaps of space...but . suffice to say.......a vision is needed . before any undertaking of brining . change...turn your back on society....yes . thats one way...and maybe the sanest way . given the level of insainty....and the . events to come which will awaken still more . people at the expense of others... my heart . feels for humanity...i am here because I . love it so much...but I alone ????...:) Re: What to Do When an Entire Culture Turns Insane - Matthew Webb . 23 Nov 2002 10:14 . #96 Dear Jenese and Kim, . . I agree with both your posts for the most . part, and am glad that all of us are . bringing these issues out into the light of . day so that they can be crystallized. We . all know the television and the newspapers . aren't going to do it, so people like us . have to. . . It is extremely unfortunate that the . majority of the public today doesn't take . the time or even the honesty to reach these . conclusions themselves. By "take the time" . I mean really change their lives in a way . that reflects the new, improved world which . is most needed today. . . Recognition that something is gravely wrong . with society, and identifying exactly what . that is, makes a logical first step. We . can all see that society, (which to me is . little more than a collection of ideas . about how life should be lived)has failed . the real purposes of life and its actual . improvement for most human beings. When I . advocate the rejection of society, I don't . necessarily mean rejecting the useful . technology it has produced or the tools of . its infrastructure which have been built. . What I'm advocating is that the people of . the world need to completely re-think what . it's all for, to reconsider the meaning of . life and "success". . . Is a person "successful" just because they . have 10 million dollars in their bank . account, (for instance) and because they . wear fancy clothes and live in a mansion? . No. It may well mean that they are simply . greedy and unevolved, and haven't yet . figured out the real priorities of life, . such as spirituality and real love-joy- . clarity. In other words they haven't . realized they are souls, (centers of . consciousness) with a purpose far greater . than the filling of bank accounts with 7 . digit figures. . . It's interesting to realize that this . society functions on the idea of material . success as the goal of personal or . corporate achievement. But it never ever . asks what all that "achievement" is for. . Doesn't that strike you as completely . bizarre? This attitude is like the buying . or making of the finest set of tools in the . world, without the slightest idea or care . as to what they're supposed to be used for. . . In any case, our discussions are very . progressive and I thank you all. Let's . continue. coping with an insane world - Jenese James . 23 Nov 2002 17:10 . #98 mathew and everyone else who responded to . mathew's thread. . . allow me to share an experience with you. . I am not a religious person, yet mathew, . what you have articulated I can relate to . as I began to have my world buble seriously . popped when the GE issue came to new . zealand. It was because of that issue and . the apathy that appeared around it that . prompted me to create a magazine on . political environmental and spiritual . issues for I beleived one could not . seperate ones self from any on them. and I . beleive that people where basicly . intelligent and would certainly make . intelligent descions if only they had the . full facts and not just what the corporate . media wanted them to know.....Wow was I in . for a shock the things I discovered were . the very things you articulated and it sent . me into a deep depression or what I was . once told a deep inner meditation which is . what depression often is... . . anyway...I could not reconcile my seeing . with what I have come to term the great . unconsciousness....one afternoon I was at a . friends place and we were listening to all . the bird song, we decided to see if we . could distinguish how many different types . of birdsong there was....after a while I . had to go home and walking back I was . thinking about all the people driving their . cars unaware at how much each car was . contributing to polluting the . atmosphere,not to mention all the people .. . I was still very aware of the birdsong . around me...and I was very angry at what I . considered to be the sheer aragant, . ignorant general population that let the . very world that supported then seemingly go . to hell for their own self desires....so . all this was going on in my head on my way . home....when suddenly I was overcome with . an incredibel sense of love so strong I . burst into tears....the words I heard I . understood immediatley..."forgive them they . no not what they do " and instantly I . realised that that was my salvation.. in . that momement I fully comprehended the . deeper meaning of that statement... I was . elated, crying but elated I wasn't even . embrassed walking down the street . crying...lukily there were hardly anyone . around being sunday and all and everyone . were in cars anyway... . . That wee sentence helped turn my life . around in the sense of giving me a tool to . cope with the dawining awarness of our . global insainty and I feel for those of us . who have or are coming to this awarness it . is essential that we take that step back . and see it in context...we are of no help . to anything idea or person if we can't do . that for it is from that place of non . attachment that our vision came be born. . . When we begin to see all this global . insanity we must step back from it...I mean . just seeing it like youve expressed it . mathew is a step back..now comes compassion . for what is....that energy in and of itself . can create incredible things...these things . I am learning.... . . Love at its highest for want of a better . term...to me...is alowing...and what you . are seeing must be allowed for it is in . context of the way the world has been set . up in other words it is a natural . unfoldment given the level of consciousness . of the world population as a whole..its . neither right nor wrong in that sense it is . in context...thats step number 2 step . number 3 is realising and comprehending . that it dosn't have to be that way that . there are other ways...but step 2 shows us . that it is in context...step 1 which may be . the most challenging...is to allow it to be . and step 3 initiates us into comprehending . another way to be...in other words lays the . foundation for what we can do to bring . change and awarness. . . Joining our energy with others and there . are MILLIONS of others out there to join . who have also seen and who are intiating . change from within is the next step. We . are a network are we not ? so lets start . networking..lets understand that yes the . world and its many citizens are experincing . a global insainity....and many will begin . to come to this realistation en mass sooner . rather than later...lets take that as a . given and then we can stop reacting and . start creating... . . so what shall we create ? what are the ways . we here can liberate consciousness in our . fellow humans ? or even ourselves ? . . For myself, I don't beleive we can do this . with out each other and we can't wait . untill we have found our spiritual self . either but then we must be ready to . understand that for the most part this . world may have to experience many 9/11's or . wars in order to complete the change...but . that we are here and we have had this . glimpse into humanity that has realeased us . from its insainty...remember every single . one of us is responsible to whatever degree . for the state of this world and we all have . a responsiblity to whatever degree within . it to help change it. . . I beleive though that we do contribute with . our thoughts and feeling as well for as you . have expressed mathew so did you think and . feel and that energy went out unseen yet . felt into the world for another to pick up . so to speak and for that other to share . your awarness..and likewise...to share the . energy of our visons Re: coping with an insane world - Sandi Hunter . 24 Nov 2002 12:17 . #100 Dear Jenese, . . I thank you for this important post....I do . agree with most of what you said. . . I know what it is like to convey . information to others only to have it . ignored, denied, told that I am negative, . etc. The excuses go on and on. It is . still amazing to me how many will defend . the corruption, lies, greed, wastefulness, . destructiveness and unnaturalness that the . human species has become. They have so much . invested in this, that to admit to the . error of their ways is just too much for . their minds to handle. How do they have so . much invested in this? Well, they spend . their lives working most of the time for . their God, Money, and they haven't done . anything to stand up or defend Truth. They . hide behind media lies just as much as . governments and corporate heads, because to . admit otherwise would be saying their whole . lives have been a waste and a lie. So they . make up anything to keep going on the path . of destructiveness. No matter what their . stance in life is, they still measure . themselves through labels such as job . titles, college degrees and bank account . numbers. Never questioning this or looking . at the truth of the consciousness they . truly are. . . "Forgive them for the know not what they . do"? Ok, I hold no grudge, so to speak, . but let's be honest, people are on the path . of self anhilation, and the inertia of this . suicidal rock rolling down the mountain has . only about 1/4 of the mountain left to go. . In other words, I don't think there is any . stopping it or enough time to do so. Am I . being negative? No, just honest, and if it . takes full destruction to wake up the souls . of this planet, then so be it. For we are . more than "human", we are cosmic beings, . and if we can only learn through our own . demise, then this is the way it will have . to be. . . Let me ask you this....if you had only 2 . years left before the total demise of our . species would you still want to "network"? . I don't believe there is enough time left . to "start" anything. All this should have . been started and in the works years ago. . We are on the verge of attacking Iraq, with . countless other countries next in line, and . if that isn't enough, our own economic . structure is held together by a thread of . greed and lies. What will the masses do . when their God (Money) is worth nothing? . They will kill, pillage and destroy . anything, just to stay alive another day. . . What I do see is that Matthew through the . World Mind Society, has had this in mind . for years. Not many (if any) have taken . him seriously. He has gotten all the . information out to countless people, lead . many through meditations to raise the world . consciousness and written thousands of . emails and forum posts to educate and . network. If people truly wanted to get . serious, network, and actually DO . something, the means for this has been out . there for some time. . . Now what do you say to all this. We have . the forum, we have almost 100 articles . filled with the information we need, (in . the WMS Library), we have people who want . to do something and care....so lets get off . our bottoms and do it. Is anyone serious . enough to take me up on my challenge? . . Love and mostly clarity to all, . Sandi . Re: coping with an insane world - Jenese James . 24 Nov 2002 16:42 . #101 Hi sandy, . . yes I agree with you, that is where . compassion and deep inner knowing comes . into play....our biggest challenge is not . what will befall our world and all that is . going on....no...our biggest challenge as I . see it is to COME FROM OUR HEARTS...now . having said this I don not mean in some . nammy pammy way...there is a scientific . reason for this....it is the vibration of . love and all her derivitives joy, . happyness, compassion, etc that actually . turns on our higher brain centers...not to . mention our DNA.. see www.hearthmath.org . for further details. . . the...."mother/father forgive them they . know not what they do" comment is to . release you from the emotional charge that . occurs given the state of the insainity in . the world...the comment judge not least ye . be judged....whew this is a biggie...it . means that as soon as one is in judgment a . whole array of chemicals/hormones and . electrical activiey is released in YOUR . body that has a degenerative effect on YOUR . body not on the thing or person you are . judging...and I don't mean you specifically . sandi..but all of us.... . it >takes full destruction to wake up the . souls of this planet, then so be it. For . we are more than "human", we are cosmic . beings, and if we can only learn through . our own demise, then this is the way it . will have to be. . . I agree with you also...but go . further...there is a planatery Karma for . want of a better word...the countries that . are causing the trouble today..look at . them...america, middle east, israel....all . have a lot to answer for....and need . changing...those people living in them will . experience the effects of that to what ever . degree they are responsible...thats only . one way to look at it.. . . to "network"? . . yes ....yes in the sense that I would like . to join with like minded people and network . a community where we could grow and swap . food and accommodation to take myself away . from the madness....turn my back on it and . let it be...Ive often thought about . this...to turn my back on it with full . understanding that it exists....to live my . life simply...without giving the insanity . any energy....that if something major were . to occur there would still be some people . left and if I was one of them..then yes I . would network to create a different kind of . world...in fact I would demand that I did.. . so that what just happened could never . happen again... . . . Sandi, it has...lots of things are going on . out there in the world....that have their . roots 20 30 years ago...ok so we havn't got . a NOG type of government ready to take the . place of the present corput one... . but ...hey..who knows...we are in the world . of illusion and that illusion is begining . to be seen...before change can occur it . first has to be seen and this is what we . are witnessing...an end of a cycle a . masively long one....and the end of it will . probably come about via violence since that . is a pattern of . humanity...unfortuanetly...this is where . our compassion and challenge comes in...in . other words we need to begin to draw upon . our vast store of inner spirituality knowing . . . What I do see is that Matthew through the . world >consciousness and written thousands . of >emails and forum posts to educate and . . The seeds have been planeted sandi...like I . said before there are MILLIONS of people . doing similar stuff..we just have to link . up together add our energy together rather . than be isolated groups of individuals . doing their own thing...we have to . LINK...link up and we have to forget about . those who hunger for war and take care of . our own needs... I am angry also...Mathew . didn't mention a lot of other ugly stuff . that goes on in our world right under our . noses...like whats in our food...chemicals, . minuet amounts that taken over time will . kill us and whats in our water....whats in . the air we breath and whose doinig . experiments on us and the weather..and why . are they implanting devices in prisioners . to test...test for what...and why are . ancient forrests still being logged so . honda can make more car cases, or matches . or some expensive coffee table...... . . yes its insane...thats what waking up will . reveal a totaly insane un natural . world...but its gonna change...and change . by violent means by the looks of it . . we are living in a fear based . would...understand that..fear based..fear . wil create all it needs to to keep its self . safe a part of insainity is paranoia...our . world is both insane, paranoid and . neurotic....let it be...but don't you be... . . What do i say to all this ????? . . my answer is realise what is going on..take . a deep breath...then turn your back on it . in full and total consciousness that it is . going on and let it go...begin to walk in . the other direction and don't feed the . thing you dislike with energy.... . . I had to do this for my own sanity and now . have found a sense of peace...i still have . moments when i get angry...but then i calm . down and see it in perspective....each of . us will do what we have to do in order to . survie...for we live in bodies that are . addicted to survivial... . . Ok then....what can we do....I am over here . you are all over there...and the thing that . links us is this computer ....the wwweb. . The information is out there...how about . adding a page that links up all the others . of like mind..and add our link to theirs ? . that could be a start..we could all send in . our links and someone or all of us can add . it to a new page then we could put that . page in the search engine and add a counter . on it so we can see how many people are . acessing it..if its working...thats one . idea.... . . but since we are on opposite ends of the . earth starting a physical community which . would be my next suggestion is well...for . me...not viable just yet...besided i . wouldn't wanna live in the states...i like . my little paradise...so I suggest you all . imigrate to New Zealand where your dollar . will almost tripple come and by some . land...inland and begin a community away . from the insainity...and continue building . on what has alread been started...hows . that :) . Ps there are a lot of floursihing . communites here that one never hears about . because they just live a different way than . the rest of us...likewise over there I'm . sure . . respect . jenese . . ps I am serious about coming over and . starting a community in new Zealand its . paradise compared to there....our karms is . different than the rest of the world and I . feel we are quite safe in that . regards..even though as the economical . system goes bust we may feel it..there are . other ways to be in life...come check it . out at least Resonance- Coping with an Insane World - Ame . 24 Nov 2002 22:37 . #102 HI all, . I was just cruising through here after . checking my messages as still relocating and . thought to add what I feel about this topic, . my perspective as I see it. . We all know we are at the end of several . major cycles, at least four to count and . according to indigenous, orthodox and other . prophecy this is a time of transition, . when "one will be taken and one will be . left" to quote the bible. My understanding . is that one cannot "fill an old bottle with . new wine" without the new wine being . contaminated..another quote from memory from . the "good book" If we are indeed undergoing . transition and moving to a higher . dimensional frequency..fifth world etc ( . indigenous..Mayan prophecy) then as the law . of resonance states, we would need to be of . like vibration to be in that fifth . dimensional experience. My understanding is . that our solar system is now moving through . a higher frequency belt of light photons, . known as the photon belt. The photon belt . was discovered by scientists in 1961 and . they called it the "Golden Nebula" At some . point when we transverse this belt midpoint . around 2012 Mayan prophecy, the high . frequncy energy of the photon light . particles . will "enlighten" out third and fourth . dimensional world and it will be transformed. . Energy is changed into a different form . through the alchemical process of heat, so . all that is not of that vibration will be . transmuted and the earth reborn. That is my . understanding as to what is going to occur. . Anything or consciousness or world structure . that does not resonte with that vibration . will not exist in that vibrational . dimension. Thus "one will be taken and one . will be left", a "new heaven and a new earth . as the former has passed away." So the most . important thing for us as light workers and . light bearers is to be at peace, to work in . love and to not try and prop up old . paradigms as unless they change into the . blueprint of the seventh age, they will not . be existing in that age. My understanding is . that the seventh age is the age of Aquarius . and the color is violet and it is the age of . the Holy Spirit in other words our spirit . and consciousness are one with the vibration . of the Holy Spirit and as a collective we . move and live as "ONE" consciousness in . harmony with the light. If we look at past . ages, . that have passed and gone before such at . Atlantis and Lemuria etc there really isn't . anything left from those eras. Maybe some . teachings from Vedas etc, but not anything . institutionalised or belief systems or even . art works or music etc. So we are . told this time we are entering "a New Age" . an . "Age of light", so this age will be in a . different form and the only real way we are . going to enter that age is through the light . and our enlightened consciousness, which of . course includes LOVE. . Om shanti, . Stardream Consecration - Ed Pabaue . 25 Nov 2002 09:11 . #103 Without selfless consecration to God, all . efforts, however noble, however . collectively impressive, are but a part of . the self-replicating dream-illusion in . which suffering, frustration, futility and . reincarnation on the wheel are inherent. . . The Solution to world misery is really very . simple, and 10 million people meditating to . raise the planetary vibration is as . karmically-laden as any other desire. . . Ed group mind - Craig Stivers . 25 Nov 2002 11:11 . #105 i am new to thsi group so please excuse . the "nievity" of this question. but in GMM . (group mind meditation) have their been . effects, or events, that have happened group . wide while in meditation that have been . noted of? the event that sparked this query . of mine is. yesterday during the . meditation ..a picture "popped" into my . minds eye. it was me meditating and . a "lighting bolt" seemed to come out of no . where and "break me out of a mold" i geuss . to say....this did not seem to be a product . of my being. and i was thinking that maybe . it was a reoccuring event? Re: Consecration - Matthew Webb . 25 Nov 2002 11:27 . #106 Dear Ed, . . What would you say Ed, to the concept that . God is in fact Consciousness, and that . consciousness is in all things including . everyone here? . . . . very . to Re: group mind - Matthew Webb . 25 Nov 2002 11:33 . #107 Dear Craig, . . Such phenomena as you described is . certainly in line with other group mind . effects, though I wouldn't say it is . necessarily universally experienced. What . I've found to be universal is that basic . feeling, (in particular) is what is most . readily observable as the medium which . travels from person to person in a group . mind. . . In meditation, especially one that is . focused with group mind knowledge, . amplifies such effects. Even thoughts . travel more readily from mind to mind in . such a group, and this even happens . naturally worldwide, via what we call "the . world mind". Those who have attended . sporting events at stadiums, or motivated . music concerts can attest to a group . feeling and intention, that spreads . throughout the crowd. In the GGM . Meditations, we're taking advantage of this . natural law and phenomena to enhance our . spiritual ascension, (via progressive . intent) . . . . group . query . product Networking for a new world - Matthew Webb . 25 Nov 2002 11:50 . #108 Dear Jenese, Marie, Sandi and others, . . There are a great many progressive points . that have been made here lately, and I . thought I would add a few more thoughts to . the existing conversations. . . The first that comes to mind is regarding . networking, and there has always been a . clear need for this. The first thing I . think of when I hear of "networking" is the . formation of a planetary nervous system of . which we are the neurons, which link to . create a more evolved body. In so doing we . also form a more advanced planetary . intelligence, at least if the purpose of . our merger is progressive and mutually . aware. In the case of the World Mind . Society focus, that is certainly the case, . especially when particpants realize that . they are consciousness rather than the . mutually exclusive labels of nationality or . culture, which artifically divide the . modern world. . . Certainly greater lovingness has a large . role to play in forming this new global . advancement. If we can stay tuned to such . frequencies with each other, not just in . meditation but in daily life, that would . certainly be a large leap forward for the . evolution of our species. In reading . Sandi's posts, I note that the theme there . is one of coming to honest terms with those . difficulties in the modern world which act . to destroy or limit such a worldwide . merger. Another theme of her posts besides . honesty is clarity of purpose, one that . does not get sidetracked by the faulty . assumptions of social entropy. . . It is clear to me as well, that society is . very far off course for the creation of a . more evolved world, and correcting this . compounded karma is not an easy task to say . the least. Much inertia is behind . destructive trends such as what we see . manifesting with the looming war with . Iraq. That inertia is not going to just . dissipate by being personally loving, . though that obviously helps. To really . transform these trends we also need . unflinching clarity and total honesty about . what it reveals, in order to dismantle old . norms. In other words, we need both love . and clarity to make fundamental world . changes. Another point to make about this . is that the general public is apathetic . about such goals, and are very caught up in . the worldly/personal affairs to even notice . that something is amiss. . . I'd like to offer the concept . of "unconditional clarity". Who's consciousness? - Ed Pabaue . 26 Nov 2002 01:18 . #109 . I might say that there is Holy . Consciousness (which mankind is nowhere . near) and unholy consciousness (called . luciferic consciousness in the Mysteries). . . And anything that luciferic consciousness . creates is always less than perfect, . impermanent, without Substance and leads to . suffering, however nobly intended. . . Here is a nice story to illustrate this: . . God had made His Creation, and He had a . whole host of angels - all of them with . their own duty to maintain it. . One day Lucifer, God's favourite angel, . said: "Well, Dad, that nice little . Unityverse You made isn't so bad, but I'm . sure I can do better!" And so Lucifer . tried, thus creating not only a whole . universe founded on power (the reflected . image of Heaven), but he also created . separation, for he turned his back to his . Father and he denied that he had been . created by his Dad in the first place. He . even denied he had gotten his creative . powers from his Dad and attempted to usrp . them for his own kingdom, a fallen kingdom. . . God just let him play, for He could only . love him as he wished to be. . . Then there was one of the other angels, . Ideel,who saw it all happen and said: "Hey . Luce, this is really wrong what you're . doing! Oh man, you're messing it all up! . Stop it!" And he even sent a load of very . high angelic positive good healing energies . to his brother, trying to prevent the mess . from getting too big. But he didn't realise . that this way he separated himself from his . Dad as well, for it wasn't his appointed . task to interfere with Lucifer's dream. And . after all God had allowed Lucifer, out of . Love, do as he wanted. . . And God let Ideel do as he wanted as well... . . Today, both types of angels haven't . returned Home yet, and they are still . warring with one another, and this battle . at the end of an age becoems Armageddon: . the final conflict between good and evil. . . However, God has nothing to do with it! . . Lucifer and Ideel can be regarded as a . metaphor for the dualistic ego: the mind of . self that thinks it knows what is good and . bad, wrong and right, but is unaware of the . Source. . . It is only our stubborn dualistic mind that . tries to convince us that something now is . not okay the way it is, and it is the . dualistic mind that makes efforts to change . the world, thus creating more karma as it . becomes entangled in Lucifer's drama. . . Yet only surrender can bring us Home: . surrender and consecration to God's Will. . . Surrender/consecration is to come into . alignment again with the one and only real . Source-of-All, and thus with Its intentions . and Plan. It is the only real sane choice . when one understands the ramifications of . self-will, both personally and collectively . for a race a beings. . . It is none of our business to judge God's . Creation, but it is our business to open up . for His inspiration, and to be available so . we can act upon it, help to radiate it in . this fallen world. . . If those 10 million meditating people are . inspired by true surrender to the Source, . I'll shut up rightaway. But if they think . to know better than God, I'll speak up, . loud and clear! Because the road to hell is . paved with good intentions. . . There are the ones that are led astray by . their love of power - sometimes called the . dark brotherhood - and there are those who . are led astray by becoming enamoured . with 'goodness' and love and in trying to . right the perceived wrongs of the dark . brotherhood, and these could be called the . white brotherhood. . . And , thirdly, there is the one-and-only . SOURCE, together with those who understand . and surrender to It. . . Neither love nor power or anything else in . creation can be owned, because this . ownership will allways separate one from . the Source. But if we wish to believe that . we can own love or power and wield them as . a part of our personal and noble agenda, . God will allow us our illusion as long as . we like. The separation with all the . subsequent suffering that is the immediate . result will be a high price to pay, . though... . . This is the story of humanity, and this is . how the white brotherhood feeds the dark . brotherhood on earth by way of opposition. . . Ed Re: Who's consciousness? - Louis Mignacca . 26 Nov 2002 17:11 . #111 . . If it wasn't for the night, you would have never seen the stars. Energy is derived from both the + and the -, just like your car battery......Lux E Tenebris.....Louis Re: Who's consciousness? - Louis Mignacca . 26 Nov 2002 17:14 . #112 . . ...and evan though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song, with nothing on my lips but Alla-LU-Jah...Lux E Tenebris....L Re: Who's consciousness? - Sandi Hunter . 26 Nov 2002 20:07 . #113 Dear Ed, . . Please define "God".... Re: Who's consciousness? - Ed Pabaue . 26 Nov 2002 20:31 . #114 . Define God? Impossible. . . The very idea is a kind of psychosis. . . Ed The Light-Spirits - Ed Pabaue . 26 Nov 2002 20:33 . #115 There are invisible, unholy forces . surrounding the Earth and the human mind, . which impose a constant pressure upon man. . Perpetually and without respite these . forces seek to pull his consciousness into . one or the other poles of duality's . illusion: good or bad, to lock him into a . position of some kind: left or right. And . it is through the constant activity of . these forces and the pressure that they . impose upon the whole world and mankind . that the vast majority of souls on Earth . are being manipulated and deceived. These . forces are as intelligent as they are . pervasive throughout this world, and they . work to deter man from seeing the truth of . our planetary situation or from accessing . any higher reality or consciousness; they . are also long-practised at leeching psychic . food from humanity and in engineering world . and local events to secure the perpetuation . of the food-manufacturing process. . . This food is energy in the form of ethers . that range from the grossest qualities of . psychic energy, which are produced by . emotions such as fear, greed and hatred, to . the more refined ether-bleedings that are . precipitated by way of the higher human . sentiments, personality affectations and . more noble worldly endeavours. . . For ages on Earth these forces have been . ceaselessly at work, and today in this time . of the end of a major world cycle (and the . end of their tyrannical reign over mankind) . they are particularly voracious in their . efforts to mislead humanity and to bring . about the production of ever-increasing . amounts of psychic food. Such efforts . certainly extend into the spiritual arena, . and often it is the case that people give . away their energy and a part of their . consciousness to certain spiritual beings . and distorted teachings that appeal, . however subtly, to the ego-self. Therefore . it is clear why the serious spiritual . aspirant must become aware of such forces . if he is to successfully find and tread the . path that leads to liberation from all . delusion and invisible vampirism. . . Many people today are aware of those forces . that have been termed dark, negative or . evil, those forces that influence humanity . from the more subtle spheres surrounding . the planet and which seek to impede . mankind's spiritual progress, on both a . personal and collective level. These forces . operate in many different ways, and there . is relatively little information available . regarding their various forms of . manipulation and deception, and how it is . that they surreptitiously victimise souls . by inciting fear, doubt, anger and . delusion, and even how they openly . encourage these qualities to grow within . humanity under the guise of spirituality . and religiosity. The intellectuals and . spiritually well-read are often the most . targeted and misled. Those who refuse to . acknowledge and so deal with these forces . actually promote the problem on Earth of . evil, for denial is precisely the attitude . that they seek to perpetuate; denial gives . these cunning forces licence to work hidden . in the darkness of subconscious fear and . ignorance. . . * * * . . However, there is in effect all throughout . the world another kind of vampirism, one . that remains entirely unknown to the . majority of even spiritually disposed . individuals and groups that, unconsciously . and often with the best of intentions, . provide its psychic food. This kind of . hardly-known vampirism is perpetrated by . light-forces or light-spirits, and unlike . the more sinister forces, which most people . possessing some occult understanding and . sagacity may easily apprehend, these light- . spirits manipulate humanity in a much more . subtle and less apparent manner. They work . from the positive side of duality's . spectrum, the lighter side, where they move . through and manipulate many individuals' . cherished ideas about positive thinking, . world healing, personal happiness . and 'good' works. And while for many people . such ideas may seem noble and worthy, they . most often encourage a personal agenda, and . so lead the soul deeper into the delusion . of the separate self. . . Those who have arrived at an understanding . of the nature of duality and so also the . implications and risks involved at either . end of duality's spectrum - both the . negative and the positive poles - can . clearly see just how it is that man has . been and continues to be held back . spiritually, continues to be oppressed by . unseen intelligences, waylaid by . consciously willful forces that are opposed . to his healthy development, spiritual . awakening and ultimate liberation from the . polarities of good and evil that have for . ages held humanity in psychic slavery. . . Not only through the more obvious and . negative forces and impressions as . mentioned previously, then, but also . through the more seemingly good and . positive forces which the light-spirits . serve, mankind's consciousness and whole . life is influenced to produce ethers. When . a man entertains thoughts and ideas about . his own spiritual progress and awakening, . or hopes for making a better world for . everyone to live in, or in his humanitarian . and philanthropic activities, these forces . will be present and functioning, yet mostly . entirely misunderstood as they encourage . such concepts as 'social reform', 'personal . ascension', 'self-empowerment', 'love and . light', 'world healing', etc. These forces . also inspire within a large and growing . number of people today a great desire to . change the outcome of future events, . galvanising them to meditate for peace on . Earth (where true Peace can never be known) . or perhaps to 'create your own reality', . thus distracting the seeker from the . liberating Truth itself with some form of . personal or group idea or sentiment of how . the world should be. . . While on the surface there may seem to be . nothing adverse with one's seeking to 'do . good' or indeed approaching one's whole . life in such a way, yet if it is for the . wrong reasons, i.e., those born from . subconscious fear or a desire for some form . of personal security or result, then no . matter how seemingly worthy or admirable . are these intentions they can and will be . used as a channel from the subtle worlds . for the manipulation of a man's . consciousness, to imprison his mind further . and to confuse and distract him from the . true nature of this world and the . requirements on the path that leads to . Freedom. It is through many a seeker's . personal desires and grasping ideals and . notions that these forces along with their . unenlightened agendas spread into the New . Age and traditional religious arenas, . distorting and diluting the Truth until it . is hardly recognisable for all its ego- . balm. Many of these light-spirits are not . even aware of what they themselves are . serving, and they often earnestly consider . themselves to be in a position of high . spiritual awareness, and so have taken on . the role of teacher of the ignorant and . gullible masses. A great deal of semi- . inspiring written material comes through in . channeling sessions courtesy of the light- . spirits, and is often a distortion of the . clear light of Truth, a compromise on the . whole Truth and almost always appeals to . the personal self, the ego in some way. . . * * * . . The light-spirits reside in the more . comfortable regions of the afterlife. They . perpetuate their existence and delay their . lawful vehicular dissolution (which is an . inevitability before the soul can . reincarnate), by robbing ethers, by drawing . on the ethers of men, women and children . who are physically incarnated here on . Earth. However, this is done not by . provoking and exploiting their base . passions, such as anger, jealousy, hatred, . greed, etc.; no, for were the 'good' . spirits not kindly, humane, intelligent . Earth dwellers? Not for nothing did they . rise to the state of light-spirits in the . summerland. Perhaps they are even worthy . members of one of the many lofty yet . nonetheless deluded brotherhoods active in . the hereafter. . . No, these 'good' spirits vampirise mankind . in another way; they incite people to . goodness, charity, humanistic activities, . personal healing, assiduous cultivation of . arts and sciences, docile church . membership, New Age-style meditations and . visualisations, and so on. For these . activities also produces ether bleedings, . bleedings of the higher ethers, exactly of . the kind needed to maintain existence in . the summerland, to prolong it, were it . possible, forever. This is a form of . psychic vampirism, much more common and all- . embracing than the darker form that is . generally acknowledged by thinking mankind. . . Light-spirits operate behind much of the . material that is being given out in . spiritual, religious and New Age circles . today, and are most disposed - adept - at . distorting the Truth in order to appeal to . ignorant humanity's imagined ideas of . ascension and what it means to 'be . spiritual'. And unbeknown to many, it is . often these light-spirits themselves who . create these ideas and teachings that so . many people in the world today are now . devoted to through their ignorance of . Reality and their personal desires for a . happier life. . . A great deal of the New Age movement, its . teachers and its information is blighted by . such subtly spurious influences, which bear . down upon the human race with their own . agendas rather than for the spiritual . emancipation of those who are interested. . The reason they are difficult to recognise . for most people is simply because they . operate through the misguided desires, . hopes and dreams of many people. These . light-spirits will appear to have all the . right answers and use all the right words, . gleaned from the multifarious data . available to them in the subtle worlds, and . so they possess many insights and even good . advice to share with the gullible and . easily enamoured, but to the discerning eye . they are ultimately offering only more . layers of duality (illusion) in which . humanity can and does become ever more . deeply entrenched than it already is in . this end time period. . . The light-spirits behind much channeled . material will often disguise themselves as . some well-known saint, master or archangel, . so as to first inspire trust in the . channels/mediums and subsequently their . audience. Much of the time it is also the . case that the channel themselves will not . be aware of what is taking place. The . medium will be unable to discern how he is . being manipulated for unenlightened reasons . that serve duality but not the soul that . thirsts for Liberation. Such is the extent . of the problem in this world due to . mankind's spiritual pride and ignorance, . and the degree of that spiritual pride and . blindness will determine the extent to . which channels will attract the attention . of these undivine light-spirits. . . Channelling, as it is still widely . practised in its lowest and most material . form, is a low grade psychic expression. It . is, for the masses, definitely one of the . least demanding 'spiritual paths'; it is . easy and therefore of negligible positive . influence upon real spiritual progress. In . stark contrast, divine-contact has ever . been the most important and prime goal of . the serious spiritual aspirant, and this . rule has not changed merely due to the . increased psychic sensitivity in the world. . Being the most direct communication with . the Spirit for humanity, divine-contact . facilitates the receipt of pure insight, . flawless intuition and dependable wisdom, . obviating the need to contact other beings . for information. It will also allow for the . beneficent radiation (via the personality) . of the light of the Spirit, the nature of . which is Love. Conversely, channelling can . be very detrimental to the individual upon . the spiritual path for numerous reasons, . and, once divine-contact has been attained, . becomes completely superfluous. . . There are, of course, many humble channels . in the world and also some very useful . information is being shared with mankind . from higher levels of life, but while the . seeker is looking for understanding and . wisdom from a source outside his own direct . connection with divine Reality, he is . laying himself open to distortions of Truth . and its sundry associated manipulations, . the actual extent and dynamics of which can . be quite shocking when studied in detail. . Likewise if one's seeking is made for . selfish ends, then again one is setting . oneself up for manipulation and greater . delusion. . . We will find in this world whatever we are . looking for. If we prefer a certain truth . or type of expression over another, chances . are we will find a group of light-spirits, . perhaps with their physcal-plane outpost on . Earth, who are of the same inclination. But . none of these variations on the divine . Reality are the real True itself; they are . at best distortions or creations of man and . his light-spirits, and they are designed to . feed him with whatever it is he wants to . hear in order to, in turn, feed the light- . spirits with psychic energy. And so the . mutually beneficial relationship proceeds: . the groups in the physical world feeding . the groups of light-spirits in the . summerland who make available their second- . hand wisdom to all. Yet this kind of . interaction eventually leads to an . inextricably complex karmic condition and . even occult possession. . . * * * . . Like physically-incarnate humanity, all . those affable and radiant spirits in the . summerland who are doing the best they can . in accordance with their state of being, . are today experiencing progressive tension . as the planetary Quickening unfolds, and . this is galvanising them to effect . greater 'good' activities here in the . physical world. Just as people, in the . course of the years, have attempted to . improve the world in numerous humanistic . ways, so in 'heaven' and on Earth they are . again trying, on account of the wild . turbulence of ideas and desires, to assault . the world and mankind anew with a flood of . experiments. Spiritual movements, . communities, groups, schools, institutes . and so forth are presently springing up . everywhere like mushrooms. One or more are . started practically every week in every . country, only to disappear again, usually . after a very short existence. . . Throughout history, thousands of different . groups in the hereafter have made attempts . to work via true spiritual groups in the . physical world in order to influence a . consciously active spiritual public. But . all these proposals have been knowingly . rejected in plain, unequivocal terms by the . more discerning aspirants on the Path. . However, today amongst the unavoidable . hubbub of a world in upheaval, many - . most! - so-called spiritual groups are not . rejecting such 'help' that is offered them . from the subtle spheres, and it may now . become clear that the forces of ignorance . can reach their greatest effectiveness . through all the bungling 'good' intentions . of the light-spirits of heaven! . . The seeker of Truth, then, must not only . reckon with possible disastrous influences . from the spheres of hell but is also . affected by countless suggestions from . various individual heavens in the . summerland where innumerable, unconnected . larger or smaller groups are hard at work, . each in accordance with its state of being. . . A motley group of various religious . persuasions exists there, all kinds of . humanistic communities, countless occult . groups that readily proclaim themselves . as 'schools' and which work with such a . multiplicity of ideas and symbols that they . make one's head spin! Some of them bear the . designation Christian, some Buddhist, . others New Age, etc., etc. In short, in the . heavenly world of the hereafter we find a . colourful array of activity reflecting . every religious and esoteric movement in . the history of mankind. . . There is, for example, a group in the . hereafter that seeks to save the world via . church-Christianity. A distinguished . Egyptian group is waiting for the . resurrection of all the great historical . figures who were mummified in the course of . the centuries, in order that they may take . over the leadership of mankind! . Multifarious groups devoted to a personal . guru or spiritual leader who once possessed . a physical body on Earth also strive to . swell their ranks for the betterment of . mankind, even though their favoured . teacher, if he was genuine, would have . dissolved into Spirit long ago, yet there . is never a shortage of good-natured . imposters in the summerland! There are, of . course, also a great number of ET- . enthusiasts who are planning, with great . attention to detail, for the evacuation . of 'the chosen ones' from the Earth at the . time of cataclysm by way of spaceships. . Many groups in the hereafter claim to be in . direct contact with Christ (most often in . the form of Jesus) and are involved in such . divergent and irreconcilable activities . that, facing it soberly, one cannot help . having one's doubts about many things, with . the exception of their really good and . humanistic intentions. And we should not . forget that all such organised groups in . the hereafter are represented by and . influence their counterparts in the . material world. . . There are numerous intellectual societies . that have specialised themselves, such as . healing groups, groups aiming at social, . political and economic influence, and even . groups that practise various forms of . dualistic science, their aim being the . advancement of man and society in their . mortal, Earthly relationships. This . situation, with its many and varied . consequences, is so misleading and creates . so much misunderstanding, disappointment, . suffering and sorrow, that it is possibly . more detrimental to the true divine Work on . behalf of mankind than the combined efforts . of all the orders of hell! We are warned . against an evil person and can be fully on . our guard; we can therefore act promptly . and positively. But this is not so easy . when we are confronted with a really 'good' . person who is so very gentle and has such . kind intentions. Safeguarding ourselves . against such influences can bring with it, . at the least, some quite peculiar . difficulties. . . A seeker of Truth is very much on his guard . against both the powers of evil and of . dualistic 'good'. The former can harm him, . the latter can and will thoroughly confuse . him, delay him on the Path, and fill him . with indecision on account of the wildly . whirling multiplicity of dualistic ideas. . . It is important to understand clearly the . dangers inherent in all this. When a human . being enters the hereafter, he remains . inwardly the same. Dying does not make him . wise, even though - on the basis of a . certain cultivated goodness, social . integrity and spiritual striving - he may . enter the so-called heavenly region and, on . account of his way of life on this side of . the veil, display a bright and shining . auric-field. . . In his second letter to the Corinthians, . Paul says that the devil can appear as an . angel of light. Try to understand this in a . new sense, because these words do not mean . what you probably think they do. An Earth- . bound spirit sometimes tries to appear . better and more radiant than it actually . is, but such an attempt is so poor, so . foolish and primitive that it is . immediately recognisable, and no one who is . knowledgeable in such matters will be taken . in by it. There are, however, innumerable . very well-meaning inhabitants of the . dualistic regions of heaven who really . radiate affability but who wish to maintain . and animate the most unwise and . reprehensible things, thereby unconsciously . serving the world of illusion. The same . danger exists, of course, in this material . world, and a person is most dangerous and . most devilish when he is convinced that . inwardly he is really good and is therefore . serving the Christ-Hierarchy and the Divine . Plan. Then one cannot reason with him, for . is he not good? Is he not serving God, . possibly at the sacrifice of his life? . . Beware of these 'ministers of light'. Be . particularly careful when they speak . frequently about divine personalities and . holy spirits, about all sorts of Jesus or . Mary figures, spiritual masters and angels, . and when they sign their names in 'Love and . Light' or 'Peace on Earth', for these . divine qualities - Love, Light and Peace - . find no need to announce themselves in . words. . . Many people set out with grand ideas to . change or recreate reality as they deem . fit, to heal the world and inform people of . a truth that they themselves do not yet . understand, simply because they have not . made contact with the Truth itself. Such . foolishness causes more problems that it . solves, and there are legions of light- . spirits encouraging such hopefuls to engage . in these limited and illusionary pseudo- . solutions today. In all of this we must . therefore be mindful of what we allow to . influence us, and enter into our . consciousness. A seeker of the Way will . question everything, and leave no stone . unturned; he will seek to know exactly from . where it is the medium or group derives . their ideas, and the nature of that which . overshadows mediums as they channel; the . intelligent seeker will test everything . with his heart. Yet if the seeker's heart . is impure, if his motives are not selfless, . then he is bound to be deceived. And this . is why the spiritual path is not for the . compromised or selfish. . . Inciting unenlightened human beings to . collectively pray or meditate for peace in . this world (a world that is about to be . recycled) is little more than recruiting . for one side in the great battle of . Armageddon. . . Humanity, with all your getting, get . understanding. . . "At the time of the end, even the wise will . be led astray." - Biblical prophecy. . . Ed Gnosis: Awaken, humanity! - Ed Pabaue . 27 Nov 2002 04:00 . #116 "For the whole creation that came from the . dead earth will be under the authority of . death. But those who reflect upon the . knowledge of the eternal God in their . hearts will not perish." . - Apocalypse of Adam . . "He who hears, let him get up from the deep . sleep. Arise and remember that it is you . who hearkened, and follow your root, which . is I, the merciful one. . - Apocryphon of John . . Do you want to he part of a world of . sleeping people? . . From the moment of birth every human being . on Earth is asleep. . . It is an undeniable fact that in the modern . world the life of the average person lacks . real direction and deep meaning. Despite . all of contemporary society’s platitudes, . human beings are persuaded, by various . subtle methods, to do what they are told. . Men and women are perpetually conditioned, . cajoled, and blackmailed into a life of . compromise and acceptance of the narrowest . perceptions. The very nature of modern . society demands that we voluntarily . relinquish responsibility for our lives and . actions. The world veils the mystery of . existence. . . Mankind does not know its purpose for being . and now exists solely for material . improvement and sense gratification. His . whole educational system and ephemeral way . of life is directed at economic . advancement, social acceptance, vanity and . false prestige. . . Such is the state of Man’s ignorance in the . current Dark Age. . . Mere physical existence, mundane ‘day-to- . day’ life, is meaningless! One’s highest . ambition consists in participating in and . obtaining final liberation from the bondage . represented by the world and the sleeping . human condition. . . The purpose of life is spiritual . enlightenment. . . The proper beginning of Man is direct . Knowledge (Gnosis) of the Divine, and the . ultimate goal of Man is the ascent of the . divine spark through the higher worlds of . spiritual states, until his expanding . consciousness and the grace of the Almighty . God enables the inner True Being to attain . the highest spiritual perfection: ONENESS . with the ABSOLUTE. . . Knowledge (Gnosis) is the salvation of the . True Being. . . What is Gnosis? Gnosis is an inner . Awakening and a radical reorientation of . life. Gnosis is a home coming, a . restoration of an original state now lost. . Gnosis is the marvellous realisation of . knowing God as He is, and imparts freedom, . joy and happiness as well as an expansion . of awareness beyond any human words to . express. Gnosis is the science of life that . you live, rather than preach. Re: Gnosis: Awaken, humanity! - Matthew Webb . 27 Nov 2002 11:12 . #117 Dear Ed, . . Interesting post, thank you. See my . replies within your text; . . . ********* . . Although I appreciate the intent of this . passage, I wish to comment that the Earth . is not dead. Although nature is composed . of materially living creatures, it is as . much a manifestation of Universal . Intelligence as is any mystical union with . the Divine. The irony here is that . the "knowledge of the eternal God" is . encoded in all things, and one of the best . examples of this is the intricacy of . natural laws and their products. . . **** . "He who hears, let him get up from the deep . . **** . . The "root" is the consciousness which . underlies all things, and most immediately, . the self. . . **** . . **** . . I would rather they awaken to what they . truly are, beyond what society has taught . them. From my observations, it is at the . moment of birth wherein we are (usually) . the most awake, since we have not yet been . indoctrinated by the false beliefs of a . materialistic world. . . **** . modern . and . . **** . . I agree entirely, word for word. . . **** . being . the . . **** . . Yes, entirely so. . . **** . bondage . . *** . . Let us take care that we do not confuse the . ignorance of this materially oriented . society, with the material world itself. . Eastern thought has a tendency to do this . also. Life is no more of an illusion than . people have made it, regardless of having . bodies on this physical plane. Admittedly, . the physical realm is only a small part of . the universal whole, but that is not the . point here. The point is that the material . and the day-to-day existence as we know of . it, (in society) is what is illusory, not . material life itself. . . **** . . **** . . Bravo. People take such admonitions all . too un-seriously. . . **** . Almighty . . **** . . Yes, this is largely our true path as . souls. I'd further add that we are . extensions of the presence and intent of . God, here to learn about Itself and not . just ourselves. . . What I find all too lacking in scriptural . and other religious references, is an . accurate description of this journey, as . well as the specific tools one can use, . (such as meditation, entheogens, clarity, . alignment with nature) to get there. . . **** . . **** . . Again, I appreciate the intent of this . statement. A phrase comes to mind . regarding this by a noted author J. . Krishnamurti; "Knowledge is not the . thing". This means that even when a person . knows, this does not necessarily mean they . have become enlightened. In fact, the . spiritual Masters of all ages have given . humanity the same basic message throughout . history, such as what we are discussing. . But this has not resulted in an enlightened . world, as we can all attest. It is the . IMPLEMENTATION of truth, (knowledge of . facts) which defines wisdom. We've proved . our intelligence as a species, now we have . to demonstrate our wisdom to survive. . . ***** . that . . **** . Yes, excellent. I can recommend an . excellent focus to gain greater gnosis, and . that is the meditational focus known . as "awareness of awareness" This is the . essence of clarity, and clarity is the . essence of "seeingness", (what you call . gnosis). My gnosis has shown me that God . is not a male, (He) any more than a natural . law or force such as gravoty can be given a . gender. God is both male and female, and . also neither....for consciousness is causal . of all these forms. God is consciousness, . composed of three elements...Intent . (formost) Awareness and Energy. We also . possess these aspects, which compose the . soul. This is why we are like cells in the . greater body of God, being of the body but . (of course) not defining its greater . potential. . . By the way Ed, I don't mean to be . argumentative here. It's just easier to be . straightforward. Re: Who's consciousness? - Matthew Webb . 27 Nov 2002 11:15 . #118 The idea of defining the word "God" is a . kind of psychosis? What happened . to "gnosis"? . Life and death - Ed Pabaue . 27 Nov 2002 12:37 . #119 . No, of course there is life in Nature and . the world, but the Gnostics used such . language to emphasise something vital. . . Compared to the beginning of Divinity . Itself - Christ Consciousness - the world . is indeed 'dead', deathly, a tomb for the . Spirit. . . For those who are not aspiring to the . Highest: Final Redemption from the wheel, . Gnostic scripture will not be understood. . . Ed From Lessons of the Soul, Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 28 Nov 2002 11:14 . #120 See http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest in our . Library for the full article.... . . To navigate the river of life, we need the . direct and natural perception that is the . property of the soul within. This . perceptiveness is also known simply as . clarity. Clarity is the premium . navigational guide for right living. . Through the clarity of soul do we begin at . the headwaters of birth, and return to the . ocean of consciousness at death. Yet our . essence, (consciousness) is preserved . throughout each life. . . The universe is an intelligent structure, . and it preserves those things of most value . to it. It stores information at all . levels, and applies that knowledge with . greater and greater wisdom through new . forms. The knowledge stored and applied by . each soul, simply reflects this universal . principle. Regardless of occupation or . social position, it is to this source of . inner wisdom we inevitably return, when a . given physical life is ended. All that . remains of the worldly upon death are the . spiritual gains made in personal . consciousness, of which the soul is . composed. Thus, in Spirit all of humanity . is ultimately equal, and of the same . ultimate cause. Our joint purpose and . heritage is evolutionary, spiritual . progression. . . The true self is literally made of . consciousness. All else including the mind . and body, are but the tools that this . consciousness uses to carry out its . evolutionary purposes. This means the body . and personality-mind, are but temporary . abodes of less than ultimate . importance. “Of what is this true self or . consciousness composed?”, you may ask. . What are we really, at the most basic level . of Self? How may this essence be . described? All of these questions may be . answered through deep meditation. Only . through your own direct perception will you . realize the full truth of what is about to . be said. Never the less it is useful to . speak of such things, even when they are . not immediately validated; . . The true self as consciousness, or . by another name “soul”, is composed of . three primary elements. These three may be . referred to as Intent, Awareness and . Energy. The realization of the self as . consciousness, becomes an implicit . realization of soul. Self-realization . then, is an experiential understanding of . the components of consciousness of which we . are made. These are the real basis for . everything we do. The soul is composed of . none other than universal Energy, held in . place and patterned by Awareness, which is . then given direction and purpose by Intent. . . Through deep self-reflection we come to . realize that; the . terms “soul”, “consciousness” and “true . self” are synonymous. . . A simple exercise in self-realization is as . follows. Place a pen or other object in . front of you on a table. Before reading any . further past this line, look at the pen for . a moment, and then follow this . instruction; “Intend to pick up the pen”. . Those of you who simply reached out and . picked it up, followed this seemingly . simple demonstration flawlessly. This was . an exercise in Intent, and therefore . consciousness. What in fact, did you learn . about intent? The answer should be; Intent . involves action. Also, all action is . preceded by intent. . . To truly intend something is to act upon . it, as demonstrated by changes made. In . this case the changes made included a . movement of the arm, and a lifting of the . pen. To explain the significance of this, . is to say that your consciousness took . action. Your inner Intent directed your . awareness to first focus on the pen, and . then the hand that lifted it. Energy was . employed to make this happen. . . Interestingly, this is also the process of . CREATION and CHANGE in all parts of the . universe. Intent directs awareness, which . then coordinates energy, in all things and . at all times. Just contemplate the . simplicity and deeper implications of this . for a moment. Everything we do in life is . based first upon intent, which is then . focused by awareness, and made manifest . through energy. Everything. This includes . the drive to work, the blink of an eye, . observing a sunset, talking with the . neighbors and reading these words. . . The quality of our lives is proportional to . the quality of the intent we hold within. . . In expanding our consciousness, (intent, . awareness and energy) through meditation, . the mind and body are refined. They are . made more efficient and capable. Yet, this . is not the only advantage gained through . such practice. Greater rapport of the . body/mind with the soul is also gained, . which is itself pure consciousness, in . essence. . . Note that the following are five ways of . saying exactly the same thing; . . “Let that which looks rest within itself” . . “Have awareness of awareness” . . “May the soul contemplate its own nature” . . “A/A=C, whereas, “A” is awareness and “C” . is clarity” . . “Meditate” . . Please contemplate these five for a moment. . . We find that the purpose of the true self, . or soul, holds the same purpose of . consciousness everywhere in the universe. . The evolution of inner qualities, . paralleled by outer forms, is the . expression of that universal purpose. . Through greater realization of the self as . soul, we find that there is purpose, wisdom . and intelligence, underlying daily . existence. By the same token, these . qualities underlie our very being. Upon . realizing these things, it is then that the . real potentials of life begin to be . revealed to the conscious mind. . . The revelation of spirit as the guiding . factor in living, is itself both a surprise . and a familiar relief, to the troubled . ego. Even more belief-shattering is the . fact that not only are we guided by spirit, . we are spirit in the truest, most . fundamental sense. Thus we are not . emotion, memory, thought, self-image, job . title or nationality. This material body is . worn for a lifetime only, and is likewise . not of the true self. It is a garment . convenient for material existence. . . The ego which inhabits the mind is also . only a temporary resident, in the trinity . of body, mind and soul. We need not lament . the loss of the physical garment or ego, . (mental software). But we may opt to . cultivate and strengthen both mind and body . for the sake of spiritual progress. This . better enables our soul to fully manifest . its purposes while in physical existence. . Mind and body are but the vehicles or tools . of the soul in the ultimate sense. This . fact is made a practical reality for the . self realized person, becoming a major . intellectual and spiritual advantage. It . is an advantage because we are no longer . limited to time, place, culture or personal . history, as we realize ourselves to be . souls of cosmic purpose. . . The focus and Intent of soul is to evolve, . to learn, and become ever more capable. As . we evolve and become more adept in our . understanding of purposeful living, our . consciousness expands. We learn to use . higher and higher levels of spiritual . intent. Our awareness is refined and . carefully focused upon truth itself, as the . energy within grows and multiplies. The . expansion of consciousness is the primary . foundation for unlimited self- . transformation. . . As souls we take these Earthly . forms to carry out evolutionary goals. As . meditators we realize that the evolution of . consciousness is the purpose behind life, . and even matter and Energy themselves, in . all places and times. Just as . consciousness, [or that which is called the . Will, (Intent) of God] moves through these . physical bodies we wear, so too does it . move throughout all of the cosmos, ever . defining and shaping existence. This is . done for the sake of creating ever more . capable and self-realizing forms. . . This “Divine Intent” if you will, is the . very motive or cause, for biological . evolution. The Intent found in the universe . is the basis for intelligence in nature, . and the advancement of all universal . forms. Consciousness thus defines the . ultimate organization of matter. In the . same way, the true self ultimately defines . the life of the ego. This it does even . when the ego mistakenly takes over the role . of decision-making in life. To spiritually . advance, it is useful to remember that life . decisions are better left to the spiritual . intent of the soul, which is itself a . larger part of a Cosmic Whole. . . "We are One" is more than just a . platitude; it is a fact within the . communality of all souls made of a common . essence consciousness. . . Intent, Awareness and Energy are . common to all consciousness, everywhere in . the universe. They manifest themselves . according to Cosmic design. This design is . commonly called "natural law" by science, . and similarly "The Hand, (or Will) of God" . by Christianity. By another name it is . the "manifestation of consciousness in . nature", which serves as both the . foundation for human action, and all other . living things. . . Our birthright is indeed That Which Moves . and perceives, (Intent and Awareness). . This essence catalyzes and patterns the . prevailing Energies of the cosmos, into . both the recognizable, and as yet . unrecognizable. It also patterns our own . lives, each second of the day. . . The named and unnamed mechanisms of cosmic . order, brought into existence by "blind" . natural forces, (according to traditional . scientific views) may be better referred to . as, “the actions of the Intent At Large”. . The meditator eventually confirms the fact . of the intelligent guidance of the . personality, by the soul. They also . confirm by the same token, that there is an . underlying intelligence in nature, that . accounts for its own self-modification and . adaptation. Through soulic influence the . meditator eventually perceives the . sentience of the universe in general, which . is of the same essence as that which is . within. This realization accounts for the . traditional Vedic exclamation; “I am That”. . Purely random cosmic order, made possible . only by mathematical probability, is a . fiction created by minds which prefer . conveniently linear models of existence. . . The universal macrocosm is governed by the . same essence of Energy, Awareness and . Intent, as is the human microcosm. This . primary natural fact of human existence, . can be validated by the spiritual seeker . regardless of the prevailing culture or . time. The consciousness within, or . the "Inherent Buddha Nature", or "Christ . Consciousness" underlying the superficial . layer of personality, is none other than . the soul. Just as the terms "God" . and "Consciousness" are synonymous at the . level of the macrocosm, so too are "soul" . and "consciousness" at the level of the . human being. . . Our attunement to the true self is of . primary importance in the practices of . meditation and contemplation, as well as . physical and mental purification. This . Self is the one which possesses wisdom and . connection to Wisdom. When we transcend . all cultures, all times and inhibiting . conceptual barriers, it is then that the . seeker of Truth is rewarded with none other . than a complete return to soul, or "That . which Moves and Creates” in all things. We . are then returned to a clear picture as to . our purpose in life, and in fact, all life . itself. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Reincarnation - Ed Pabaue . 28 Nov 2002 19:17 . #121 Hey Matthew, . . You are one of the many adherents of false . doctrine. And there is plenty of it about . these days! . . There are some serious errors below in your . thesis, the likes of which lead most souls . astray and back into physical embodiment to . try again to get it right. . . Many, many people believe that the soul, or . divine principle in man, improves, gains . wisdom and evolves (until eventually . liberation/perfect enlightenment is . attained) in this life. . . False! . . Now listen carefully and understand: . . Humanity is on the wheel of samasara . (Buddha's illusion). That wheel rotates on . one plane. It is a wheel not a spiral. . . There is absolutely no true Wisdom to be . gained from experience of and in a temporal . illusion, for Wisdom is not of this world. . Wisdom is divine. . . NOTHING REAL - EG. WISDOM - CAN BE GLEANED . FROM THAT WHICH IS UNREAL, EG. TEMPORAL . EXPERIENCE. . . True Wisdom is of God; it already exists in . perfection and is waiting for fallen . mankind to re-enter it. Like sunshine, . Wisdom can be entered into but it cannot be . attained, cultivated nor possessed, no . matter how many lifetimes one struggles in . samsara. . . The only purpose of incarnation in the . fallen universe (apart from avatars who . come to open up the Way back into Life, . into the divine Universe where Wisdom . lives) is to balance karma and ultimately . to free oneself from the matrix, from . duality, from the wheel of samsara. . . There is no true Evolution in the fallen . universe. The arc or Evolution is rejoined . once a soul has completed the process of . holy transfiguration. . . The purpose of existence in samsara is to . liberate oneself from the need for . reincarnation and to re-enter Eternity. . . Below are your erroneous points born of . misunderstanding, and I will explain . further the truth of mankind's fallen . predicament and the need for reincarnation . afterwards: . . value . by . . Anatomically, man's material body is, as . you know, composed of a skeleton, muscles, . blood, nerves and various organs. For us, . however, it is also useful to know that all . these constituents, apart from their . material function, have a very important . spiritual task. In the case of the human . brain, this task is, as we know, to provide . an organ for the thinking faculty; as to . the heart, we know it is the organ of . feeling. The skeleton also has a spiritual . role; the Latin name for the breast-bone, . for example, is 'sternum', and a sternum is . a radiator. . . The hormones, which are secreted by the . endocrine glands (e.g., the thymus gland . behind the breast-bone and the pituitary . gland in the head), exert a great influence . upon our spiritual activities. An even more . remarkable influence, however, is exerted . by the blood. This is indicated by numerous . expressions, such as: "the cry of the . blood"; "it runs in his blood"; "blood is . thicker than water". Moreover, in the Holy . Language we read, for example: "The blood, . which is the soul, thou shalt not eat." - . Genesis 9:4. . . In esoteric language, the words 'blood' . and 'soul' are used interchangeably. . However, the word 'blood' is given a wider . meaning than it has in everyday life, and . should be understood in a threefold way: . . 1. The blood proper, consisting of the . blood-liquid (the material aspect) and the . blood-fluid (the spiritual aspect); . 2. The nerve-fluid flowing along the nerve- . fibres; . 3. The serpent-fire or spiritual aspect of . the cerebro-spinal nervous system, the seat . of the soul/consciousness-fire. . . The nature of the blood, and therefore the . blood-consciousness, can be explained from: . . 1. One's past (including previous . incarnations). . 2. One's heredity from parents and from a . whole series of ancestors both on the . paternal and maternal sides; hence, another . cause rooted in the past. . 3. The Quality or Evolutionary level of the . divine spark. . . A positive influence derived from these . three causes is described in esoteric . language as the spiritual urge of . remembrance, and the person likely to be . affected by it is called a 'man of . remembrance'. The spiritual urge of . remembrance prompts the spiritual aspirant . to study esoteric sciences; it makes him a . seeker of Truth, perhaps on the horizontal . level at first, in duality, but purified . and driven on by disappointment and . dissatisfaction, he is eventually brought . into contact with an earthly outpost of the . Christ-Hierarchy, and always at exactly the . right moment, in accordance with the law: . when the student is ready, the teacher will . appear. . . One should not think that remembrance . applies to becoming aware of facts from . previous existences. Remembrance expresses . itself as a desire for Knowledge, for . Gnosis, finding out what is Real, what is . True. Most often this desire can be . explained from the past, from the . experiences gained by the microcosm in . previous existences. . . Here we touch upon the notion of . reincarnation. However, it is important to . avoid forming an incorrect idea about this, . for when a human being dies the material . body is left behind, while the etheric, . astral and mental vehicles also decay and . subsequently vanish within a certain period . of time. What, then, is left? A shell, the . auric being, the completely emptied . microcosm; emptied, that is, of everything . save its memory, its karma. And karma is . not divine. There is no karma in divinity, . in God's Wisdom. . . Now, what happens at the time of a new . incarnation? It is not you, Mr Smith or Mrs . Jones, who are coming back, for there is no . reincarnation of the lower self, of a . personality that has already lived. Hence, . we ourselves do not return to material . life. When the body dies, the remainder of . the personality stays for some time in . the 'reflection sphere' of the Earth and . later evaporates entirely. What remains is . a spherical shell, a vacant microcosm. When . the field of manifestation within this . sphere has become empty of the last . remnants of the personality, the microcosm . has to adopt another newborn personality. . So one can hardly say that there is a . personal survival in the hereafter. . . So, an emptied microcosm in the reflection . sphere is an incomplete and damaged . (because still fallen) system. It no longer . possesses physical, etheric, astral or . mental vehicles; its personality has . disappeared, but it does retain seeds of . unresolved karma. This is quite sufficient . to explain the necessity of a return to the . earthly realm. The microcosm must repair . its damaged vehicular system; it must . regain possession of personality vehicles . in order to work out and balance its karma . on the same planes where that karma was . incurred. . . KARMA IS THE REASON FOR BEING ON THE WHEEL . OF REINCARNATION, NOT THE ATTAINMENT OF . WISDOM FROM LEARNING FROM AN ILLUSION, . WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE! . . 'But', we may ask, 'is it not possible . after corporeal death for the microcosm, . the higher self, to live very happily and . in contented self-sufficiency in the . reflection sphere, in the summerland as it . has been named by various mediums and . spiritualists?' This is quite possible, but . do not forget that the reflection sphere . also belongs to the fallen world, the . nature of which is degeneration and death. . The whole dualistic universe (the material . and reflection spheres combined) was . permitted to come into being under the Law . of Free Will but it was simultaneously and . necessarily quarantined by divine fiat. The . divine mercy of the Cosmic Christ-Hierarchy . has since been lovingly administering to . the fallen universe in order to save . wayward lives from crystallising and . sinking too far and, therefore, from . complete ruin and destruction. The . dualistic kingdom was, therefore, . established as a separate sphere in order . to leave the opportunity open for a return . to the "Father's House", so that fallen . mankind might restore completely the entire . human vehicular system back into its . original divine condition, and this is the . immediate goal for dualistic man today, as . indeed it ever has been since the Fall. . . HUMANITY'S SOLE GOAL, THEREFORE, IS TO . ESCAPE FROM THE WHEEL OF REINCARNATION AND . TO RE-ENTER THE DIVINE UNIVERSE, WHICH IS . THE ONLY PLACE THAT WISDOM EXISTS. THIS . DOES NOT OCCUR THROUGH GAINING EXPERIENCE . IN THE FALLEN, UNDIVINE UNIVERSE, BUT FROM . EMPTYING ONE'S MICROCOSM OF KARMA AND SO . FROM DISSOLVING THE EGO-SELF COMPLETELY IN . GOD. . . The restoration of the fallen human . microcosm can only be achieved by means of . the process of transfiguration. It . therefore follows that transfiguration has . to begin in the material or Earthly sphere, . for only in the physical world is the . dualistic microcosm in possession of its . complete vehicular system, fallen and . degenerated though it may be. . . Let us suppose that the moment has come for . the reincarnation of an emptied microcosm. . It descends from the reflection sphere . towards the earthly regions of the . macrocosm, a vacant house looking for a new . inhabitant. This it does according to . certain rules, in a particular environment, . with a specific pair of parents. The baby . growing within its mother's womb thus . becomes the new inhabitant of the vacant . house, the emptied microcosm. . . These esoteric facts have been entirely . misconstrued by the majority of thinking . people - past and present - in this world . of illusions, for the intellect struggles . to fathom a Reality that is necessarily . beyond it. The intellectual faculty . vibrates in the undivine world; it is a . fallen - not divine - faculty, and so it is . not difficult to understand how so many . false doctrines come into existence via the . extremely limited mind of man. The Truth, . then, has been so repeatedly distorted that . in most minds today the Doctrine of . Reincarnation has been reduced to the false . notion of an individual divine soul, with . unique affairs all its own, that repeatedly . incarnates in matter as it grows, as it . evolves. . . However, there can be no true Evolution in . the fallen universe, only development of . the illusion pending microcosmic . transfiguration. True Evolution occurs only . in the divine Universe, and this is what . God loves to do best! . . There is also no such thing as an . individual divine soul, separate from other . souls; no more than the animating and . informing consciousness of a field of . daisies is the personal possession of just . one flower. Just as the dualistic 'I' is an . illusion, so also is the idea of a personal . soul or divine 'me'. . . So who or what is it that reincarnates into . the fallen world? The microcosmic karma! . And who or what is the driving intelligence . behind reincarnation? Christ - the lowest . vibratory 'division' of the One Spirit - . God or Divinity - as It is set aside on . behalf of the struggling lives existing in . the fallen world in order to help redeem . them. This ages-long compassionate service . rendered by the Christ-Hierarchy operates . under the Divine Plan of Salvation, in . contrast to the Divine Plan of Evolution . which is an entirely different matter! . . The Intelligence of Christ ever watches us . through (and as) every divine spark, . awaiting the opportunity for Its Light to . be received into the fallen microcosm by . the consenting personality and so to begin . the process of transfiguration. . . Since every divine spark is made of the . same original substance as that of the . divine Kingdom, there is only One Being Who . is truly present in all the multifarious . lives appearing in duality. This is the . vital Truth that all enlightened Teachers . have attempted to bring to the attention of . fallen humanity. Yet as long as free will . is used to think, desire and act in terms . of 'I', 'me', 'mine', 'you' and 'yours', . then this world of illusions and . separation, together with all its inherent . misery and suffering, will be perpetuated. . . . Now let us return to the question: Who is . man? Who is dualistic man? . . Dualistic man is the nth in a series of . personalities succeeding one another in the . microcosm. His whole being is the reflected . image of the microcosm that envelops him. . He benefits by, or suffers under, the . results of all the activities of the . predecessors in his microcosm and, in his . present existence, he prepares the . favourable or unfavourable conditions under . which his successor in the microcosm will . live. In this way, the microcosm is . continually being changed. . . Our present microcosm bears the marks of . all the personalities that have existed in . it before us and, by the same token, we are . now in the process of altering its . character, in the measure to which we react . upon the impulses that reach us from the . lights of our auric being, our higher - yet . still fallen - self. . . Our positive or negative reactions will . strengthen or weaken the spherical . firmament that transmits impulses within . our auric field to our personality. Every . day, therefore, modifications are being . made to our microcosm, so that at the end . of our life it will show a different . colour, quality and character from those . that existed at the time we were born. . . Then we die, and our microcosm, with the . results of all our efforts, begins another . journey through the reflection sphere, . until the time comes for another . incarnation. Our successor, the nth . personality, takes his place in the . microcosm as another inhabitant. . . THERE IS NO RETURN TO DIVINE WISDOM- . CONSCIOUSNESS FOR THE UNTRANSFIGURED . MICROCOSM AFTER CORPOREAL DEATH. IT STAYS . ON THE WHEEL. . . How long does this go on? For ages, without . interruption, the microcosm remains tied by . karmic law to the wheel of birth and death, . tied to the dualistic universe, until we, . the seeker, finally begin to react upon the . impulses of the original divine Kingdom, . ignoring the impulses of the dualistic . magnetic field entirely; until we apply the . process of negation, neutralisation, or . fundamental reversal, and so go the True . Path of Transfiguration. . . Ed The Eternal Om - Ame . 28 Nov 2002 22:35 . #123 There is only the eternal Om and as . individualised spirit sparks of that Om, we . already are One and it is only our . consciousness that creates this or that . reality, when as one we experience past, . future, probable lives all in the eternal . NOW and the emphasis on this life in the . 21st century is an illusion. Like reading a . book, our conciousness is situated at this . stage on page 21st century in the book. But . the book is complete in itself.We are just . outplaying a journey and all the journeys . are being experienced on some level at once . and therefore is really no separation from . the Om, just illusory experience that we are . separated from that Om. . So at this time the Om is changing gears to . a higher experience and all the links in the . chain also change gears. So having . intellectual understanding is not as . important as centering in the light of the . Om and in peace in our own hearts and minds. . All the rest, the intellectualising etc is . spiritual semantics and often silence is the . golden key to growth. Well this is what I . believe and I'm happy with that. . Om shanti, . Amethyst Re: Reincarnation - Matthew Webb . 29 Nov 2002 13:06 . #124 Dear Ed, . . Before I answer your post, I'd like to . clarify something with you first. It . appears that a central theme of your . message is that the physical world is . an "illusion". Based on this conclusion, . your comments to the effect of "there can . be no wisdom gained" from material . experience follows. Would you say then . that there is nothing that can be learned . from physical existence, since the physical . isn't real anyway? I'd appreciate it if . you would address this question before I . answer further. . . . . your . to . or . temporal . in . be . the . at . the . humanity . all . provide . is . influence . more . numerous . seat . the . another . the . the . the . will . this, . period . Mrs . no . When . longer . the . but . The . Hierarchy . entire . sphere, . for . new . environment, . is . the . that . false . repeatedly . only . other . an . personal . into . intelligence . Who . of . the . reflected . under . are . react . yet . without . by . death, . the . the The purpose of life - Ed Pabaue . 29 Nov 2002 20:06 . #125 There is no need to answer my post, Matt, . for there were no questions posed. . . Each and every illumined individual has . seen through the counterfeit virtual . reality of this physical world (as well as . the more subtle spheres of the fallen . universe through which unredeemed souls . transit after corporeal death) as they have . re-attained their Sense of Humor! . . The phenomenal universe has no Substance. . It is in a perpetual state of change and . entropy, and consequently all existence in . the phenomenal universe begets suffering. . It is a universe of death, not immortality. . Yet God is immortal, and the immortal can . learn nothing from the mortal just as the . Truth learns nothing from falsehood. . . There is nothing to learn from transient . phenomena other than that it is . Substanceless, creates suffering by way of . attachment to or identification with it and . that it is unreal when compared to the . Divine. . . In the Eternal, in the Realm of Truth to . which mankind must return, the Nature is . regenerative, expansive, alive. There is no . death or suffering there. . . Conversely, in the phenomenal universe . there is an ongoing process of . degeneration; everything ages, changes and . dies. . . Souls incarnate into this appearance- . reality not in order to learn from it but . in order to balance karma and to ultimately . realize that they have miscreated; created . something that is not lasting and so has no . real Value. If such a realization is not . made with regard to humanity's mind-born . delusion, then we end up having all the . problems and misery that we see today on . earth before the cyclic Divine Correction . ensues, which destroys and recycles the . unintegrated energy of a whole planetary . sphere to start again in an Eden, where . unredeemed souls have a better chance in . incarnation of progressing towards the goal . of Liberation. . . Learning from the phenomenal world is the . same as trying to educate oneself from . smoke and mirrors. . . Eventually, the soul tires of it all, sees . the futility of it all and cries out loudly . for liberation from its self-created . incarceration in a Substanceless illusion. . . At such a time of gaining Right Attitude . (meaning 'way of facing') divine Grace may . be received, the process of transfiguration . begins and the soul begins to leave the . phenomenal universe to return to the divine . World where "there shall be no more going . out". . . Anything less than walking this path of . Return is vexation of Spirit, a getting . caught up in a lie, and this is in direct . opposition to the purpose of this world, . which is to act as a platform for the . soul's emancipation from the lie and its . return to God. Delusion is the result of . clinging to and trying to learn anything . real or useful from the phenomenal, . transient universe. . . Over countless incarnations in the . reflected image of the true divine World, . eg, earth; over countless incarnations of . suffering and futility, of birth, struggle . and death on the wheel, souls eventually . give up trying to achieve anything in the . phenomenal universe and surrender to God's . Will, not their own. . . And it is at this time that they begin to . free themselves from the Matrix of death as . Wisdom begins to guide. . . To make any effort in the Matrix simply . feeds it and so perpetuates the phenomenal . universe and creates binding karma. . . We must be completely done with this world . if we are to leave it and enter Eternity. . . All self-efforts to improve the phenomenal . world, or indeed beings in it, must . necessarily end in disappointment, delusion . and death because the Perfect World already . exists, and has done beyond time and space . for eternity; the Perfect World of the Holy . Spirit is of an entirely other nature to . that of the ignorance-born reflected world . of the phenomenal universe, and the two can . never unite: the phenomenal universe has to . die for the Real Universe to appear; death . and Life are wholly incompatible. The Real . Universe is eternally waiting for the . return of the prodigal son once he has let . go of all self-willed delusion and is done . with the phenomenal world. . . "God says: 'For so long have you played . with the toys in my playground. Come home, . my children! Come home!'" - Paramahansa . Yogananda. . . . Ed . . . truth - Louis Mignacca . 30 Nov 2002 04:38 . #126 There's a crack in everything yall, thats how the light gets in.....Lux E Tenebris....Lou Re: The purpose of life - Jenese James . 30 Nov 2002 15:57 . #128 someone will create/invent one and millions . will follow them. . . Ed what is your background to the words you . write here ? . . Personally I find them quite intreging, a . little off putting, and some have stirred . my imigination, and since I am having my . present beleif systems shattered once . again, I am interested to know where you . got yours from Re: The purpose of life - Ed Pabaue . 30 Nov 2002 22:57 . #129 millions . you . . If you think about it you will see that all . belief systems are obstacles on the path to . Liberation, and so must be shattered, given . up before one approaches Deliverance. . . There are many belief systems in this . world, and there are many peoople who are . stuck on the wheel. . . My awareness of the things of which I speak . comes from divine Remembrance. . . Ed Re: The purpose of life - Jenese James . 30 Nov 2002 23:30 . #130 hi ed, ... . but if my awarness, indeed everyones . awarness is coming form divine rememberence . and its all different, with slight . garnishings of simialarity, then is that . coming from divine remberece? or does there . have to be one truth which comes from . divine awareness ? . . I agree with you about beleifs, by the way . . Divine Remembrance - Ed Pabaue . 1 Dec 2002 02:02 . #131 rememberence . there . . Well, it appears, doesn't it, that all . illumined individuals have experienced the . same Light of Truth, but have explained the . path leading to its attainment in different . ways and languages, even though the . fundamentals of the true spiritual path are . always the same. And then, throughout . history, the words and concepts of such . enlightened beings have been misinterpreted . and distorted by the unillumined minds of . men. . . Yet the same truths may be discerned by . penetrating the veiled language of . scriptural doctrine and divinely inspired . writings. . . If we look at the world today, and indeed . also the spiritual supermarket, we may . rightly observe that there is actually very . little true divine Remembrance amongst the . human race. But there is a lot of . philosphical/intellectual musing and bold . conviction in beliefs. . . Divine Remembrance is not something that . arises through studying books, of adopting . a conceptual understanding and of spending . time in rumination and thought. . . Divine Rememberance is precipitated by a . kind of explosion of Light within that . bestows holy Revelation and completely . transfoms a person. Its nature radiates . into one's being from beyond the mind. . . Perhaps we might explore this in a little . more detail. . . What happens if the mind knows all about . high spiritual philosophy (and many minds . do indeed know, since such sound advice has . been given my all spiritual masters on . Earth) but the emotions are still caught up . in the delusion of self: fear, desire, . pride, denial, attachment, etc.? . . Can one then walk the spiritual path that . one may understand intellectually? . . It is written in John's Revelation that in . these 'end times': "I saw three unclean . spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of . the dragon, and out of the mouth of the . beast, and out of the mouth of the false . prophet. For they are the spirits of . devils, working miracles, which go forth . unto the kings of the earth and of the . whole world, to gather them to the battle . of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. . 16:13-14 . . So according to the Book of Revelation, . three foul spirits appear upon the stage of . the end-times drama, and they issue forth . from the mouth of the dragon, from the . mouth of the beast and from the mouth of . the false prophet, and they are like frogs. . They perform signs that go out to the kings . of the Earth, to the whole world, to . assemble them for the great battle of . Armageddon. . . A foul spirit is one who has not yet been . purified, an entity who has not understood . and LIVED FOR the purpose of the divine . plan of Salvation, the purpose of . incarnation into this world, who has not . given himself - mind, body and soul - to . the service of God's plan. A foul spirit . is, therefore, an entity who does not open . his heart to God, even though he may know . all ABOUT the Truth. So, naturally the foul . spirits issue forth from the mouth of the . dragon and the beast on the one hand, and . from the mouth of the false prophet on the . other. Translated into simple language this . means on the one hand they are completely . bent on matter, on duality, being entirely . of the earth-earthy, and at the same time . they confess a false religiosity, the . religiosity or spirituality of a deluded . nature, the religiosity that adapts itself . unreservedly to the self, also . called 'luciferic' . or 'intellectual/theoretical spirituality'. . . "At the time of the end there will appear . many false prophets and false Christs that . will lead astray the many." - Biblical . prophecy. . . And why are the foul spirits of the world . like frogs? Well, they have plenty of jaw! . They make a lot of noise in the dark night . and they croak incessantly! So the frogs of . the State, the spiritual supermarket and . the world in general, together with all the . pseudo-spiritual efforts of the world, all . the religious croaking, are presently - as . the imminent catastrophes break out in . their full magnitude on Earth - drive . people to their churches or New Age . gatherings; and so the production of . psychic food for the vampiric entities that . have tyrannised humanity for ages will be . greatly stimulated. This is already . happening, of course, especially amidst the . New Age movement, and it demonstrates the . beginning manifestation of Armageddon. . . So even though the highest spiritual . principles may be understood by the frogs . croaking in the dark night before the New . Dawn, can these frogs attain the . Deliverance that all their knowledge . appears to point towards? . . No. Because intellectual understanding . alone does not lead to Liberation. Yet it . may - and often does - perpetrate . hypocrisy, which is really the last thing . we will want to do in these last days of a . world cycle pending the 'judgement of God'! . . It is only Grace that Liberates the soul, . and preparing the human temple for the . receipt of Grace includes the restoration . of Purity and Virtue. And Purity and Virtue . begin with Honesty and Humility, not . knowledge of things spiritual. . . No soul can attain divine Remembrance and . ultimately return to Holiness unless it has . become purified, and purification has . little to do with . intellectual/philosophical understanding, . even though the mind must be held steady in . the light, especially in these dark times. . . No soul can re-enter the divine Stream of . true Evolution until it has given up all . self-will and beliefs and becomes innocent . like a child. . . When innocence is restored in the heart, . and the intellect of man is relegated to . its rightful place, then the personal-self . attains a vital divine contact - a . remembrance of the Divine - and so is . qualified to Preach in the true sense of . the word, which means to transmit the . Energy of spiritual Realisation for the . benefit of others, not merely to croak! . Later, when that soul's labour of service . is done, by way of its selfless . consecration to God's plan it begins to . dissolve back into the One. And this . prophesied event has been termed 'The . Rapture' in John's Revelation. . . This, then, is Liberation. This is . Ascension. This is Deliverance. And those . who love the Truth and who surrender to it . will see the Truth together, as their . hearts become united, as all croaking is . silenced and as the group grail is emptied . of self, to be filled again with Grace. . . Conversely, the separate self, filled with . ideas born not of living Wisdom but of . belief, of philosophical understanding, can . never Ascend. . Re: Divine Remembrance - Louis Mignacca . 1 Dec 2002 14:36 . #132 So, Ed, is "Divive Re-memberance" the same as what is called "an-amnesia" or the opposite of amnesia, instead of forgetting everything, a person remembers everything ? There seems to be a lot of memory trapped in our DNA. In order to have the purity you mention, you must do so within both worlds of + light & - darkness, pure energy (chi) is derived from both sources, at least for me it is. From the lofty minerets, to the temples of doom, hedging my bets at both ends, ermano, Lux E Tenebris, remember...L The Intent of Collaboration - Matthew Webb . 3 Dec 2002 10:12 . #133 Dear Forum Members, . . If anyone here has anything they would . genuinely like to discuss regarding the . World Mind Society Material, I would be . most happy to respond. From; Lessons of the Soul, Part 2 - Matthew Webb . 3 Dec 2002 13:02 . #134 Lessons of the Soul . (Part 2) . . . From the perspective of . consciousness-as-self, there really is no . contradiction between “creationism” . and “evolution”. The evolutionary process . is creative. The intelligent creation of . the natural world in which we live, . accounts for our evolution as mammals. When . we realize that self and universe are based . on consciousness, both creationist and . evolutionary models of existence become . complimentary, rather than antagonistic. . Neither creation nor evolution have . stopped. In order for something to evolve, . higher forms must be created. Every new . phase of life that is created accelerates . the evolutionary process even further. . Humanity is no exception to this rule. Even . now there are natural, intelligent forces . acting upon us, propelling us forward to . new levels of being, regardless of social . trends to the contrary. . It is the wise who actively participate in . the process of their own evolution. They . purposefully harness their ultimate . creative force intent. When we INTEND to . expand our consciousness to greater and . greater degrees, we are in essence . engaging, “the intentional evolution of the . human being”. . Always does evolution imply change. That . which does not change through growth begins . to stagnate and die. It is important to . understand this natural law on a social . level. Society behaves in a manner which . implies a belief in an unchanging status . quo. Our lives however, will not remain . eternally consistent with current norms. . Within the span of a decade, we will no . doubt see unprecedented change at all . levels of human life. The fact is, the . current norms cannot last. Change is upon . us, and if we are to evolve we must embrace . it. . . Human evolution involves social . revolution. . . A grass roots revolution of modern . lifestyle will be coupled with a shift of . inner focus. We will be compelled by . necessity, to turn away from materialistic . goals that exist for the sake of social . ego. From this essential shift of values . there will arise a general realization; . that the material world is best seen only . as a tool for greater things. . . Material achievement is essentially . useless, when it is not also accompanied by . spiritual purpose. . . Thus the building of cities and factories . is trivial compared to the building of . greater levels of being within. Edwin . Markham said, “In vain we build the city, . if we do not first build the man”. . Ultimately then, material achievement is . not the goal of human existence. Material . improvements are useful only to the degree . they are applied to the unification of . humankind, in spiritual purpose. Our . purpose on this planet is to further . advancement our own evolution, and that of . nature in general. This is the purpose of . all life in fact. As the spiritual . stewards of the Earth it is our . responsibility and privilege, to wisely . apply natural laws for the sake of . enhancing Nature itself. . . See the Remainder of this article at the . World MInd Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: Who's consciousness? - Louis Mignacca . 3 Dec 2002 17:24 . #135 Theosophy would say, God is the God of all energy. Re: Who's consciousness? - Matthew Webb . 3 Dec 2002 18:21 . #136 God is Consciousness. . . Consciousness is composed of three . elements.... . . Intent . . Awareness . . and Energy . . What say you? . . ***** . . . all energy. Re: Energy - Sandi Hunter . 4 Dec 2002 12:59 . #138 Dear Marie, . . I agree that God is energy, but if this is . all that God is then what accounts for Its . direction and creative ability? How does . pure enrgy know what it's doing? . . ^^^^ . Re: Who's consciousness? - Louis Mignacca . 4 Dec 2002 16:10 . #140 ......and consciousness is the universe. Re: Energy - Louis Mignacca . 4 Dec 2002 16:13 . #141 Its directed by desire, on a personal, dual, small group, or mass collective level, just like the World Meditations. Re: Energy - Sandi Hunter . 4 Dec 2002 18:47 . #142 Hi Marie, . . I do thank you for your reply but it seems . to me that you have avoided my question... . . I had asked: "I agree that God is energy, . but if this is all that God is then what . accounts for Its direction and creative . ability? How does pure enrgy know what . it's doing?" .. Even if what you say is . true that "God and all of us connected are . creating from this energy", how are we . doing that if it is not for intent? . Therefore, my question still stands... . . The next topic I would like to bring up is . this....I see that whenever I ask questions . on this forum either the question is . ignored, the subject is changed, an answer . is given with no explanation to back it up, . or I am told that the question suggests I . have some kind of psychosis. To me this is . all very dishonest. I don't mean to insult . anyone, I only want to keep the disucussion . going with truth, facts and straightforward . honesty. If one does not know the answer, . this is fine, what an opportunity for . discussion and actual learning...or this . expecting too much? . . Let me end this post by thanking Matthew . for actually answering all the questions I . do ask...I see from the past posts that he . actually comes up with facts, techniques . and amswers to the actual questions I ask. . Now my next question to others here is . this....why can't we look at these . straightforward answers and build a . MEANINGFUL discussion that actually may . lead us somewhere and bring us Higher on . our spiritual path? Or is it that we . believe there is no such thing as Truth and . therefore, there is nothing to learn? Re: The Intent of Collaboration - Ed Pabaue . 5 Dec 2002 13:00 . #144 . What does this mean, Matt: I'm only . interested in what I have thought through . and feel safe with being a teacher of, . rather than the Truth Itself? . . Ed . Re: Who's consciousness? - Ed Pabaue . 5 Dec 2002 13:06 . #145 . God is conscious of no-thing. . . Consciousness is a manifest of Spirit, but . it is not Eternal. . . Ed Re: The Intent of Collaboration - Matthew Webb . 5 Dec 2002 14:30 . #146 . ****** . . It means that I started this forum with the . idea of honestly discussing various . subjects truthfully. I've presented my . materials and evidence supporting what I . say in exhaustive detail. Such details go . routinely ignored, and no action or follow- . up discussion is ever taken. I don't mind . debate at all. Disagreement, when honest, . is healthy. But debate means bringing out . into the open WHY certain views are held or . disagreements had. It is not about simply . contradicting various posts, without . offering a shred of evidence or logic to . substantiate what one says. . . What's this about "feeling safe"? If you . stand for truth this should not be a . consideration for you. Re: Who's consciousness? - Matthew Webb . 5 Dec 2002 14:33 . #147 Ed, you wrote; . ****** . . You make statements like these as though . they are fact. "God is conscious of no- . thing"? How do you know? Does that make . logical sense? . . You say, "Consciousness is a manifest of . Spirit, but it is not Eternal". . You are simply wrong. Shall we debate? so much drama - Louis Mignacca . 5 Dec 2002 18:18 . #148 I say come on down to sunny Clearwater Bch Florida, meet me here next full moon, or the one after, or any one yall want, we'll all go mushroom pickin' and take us a bunch at moonrise, no more argueing,or debating, you'll know anything you want to know, you'll learn more in six hours than you have learned all your life, the funghi will shatter all your words into the wordless, your realities you know now, will fade like shadows into the night. Let me know when your ready. L Re: so much drama - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2002 00:11 . #149 Louis, that is a rather flippant reply. . The statements I made recently about the . need of real debate are relevant, and . should not be dismissed lightly. . . I hear many comments here that are made of . ego and not anything real. This forum . exists for the purpose of discussing the . truth and that is what it will continue to . do. Those who don't want to discuss . subjects honestly, rather than just . posturing their egos for everyone to see, . can as far as I'm concerned, go elsewhere. . Anyone who is serious about discussing and . acting upon something real is welcome to . stay. . . I suggest to everyone here that the act of . exercising a little respect for the . moderator's purpose would suit you very . well. What I've said about consciousness . for instance, is not theory, it is fact and . is spoken of through personal experience. . I can only humor such ignorance for so . long, and then I must step in to demand due . respect, not just for the World Mind . Society message but for honest discussion. . . . . Florida, meet me here next full moon, or . the one after, or any one yall want, we'll . all go mushroom pickin' and take us a bunch . at moonrise, no more argueing,or debating, . you'll know anything you want to know, . you'll learn more in six hours than you . have learned all your life, the funghi will . shatter all your words into the wordless, . your realities you know now, will fade like . shadows into the night. Let me know when . your ready. L Right seeking - Ed Pabaue . 6 Dec 2002 00:57 . #150 . the . or . . Fair enough, Matt. . . Just some insights that came to me: . . While many people in this world of crowned . ignorance choose to learn the extremely . slow and painful way from the opinions of . others - which is actually trying to learn . from what is NOT True - the intelligent . people of the world wisely choose to learn . from the Truth itself, and that is why they . seek its Counsel and not the mere opinions . of others. . . Such seekers may be called wise seekers. . . Remember that we live in the time of The . Quickening, which is also called The . Sifting Time. . . Do you know what that means? . . It means that those who remain attached to . old habits and the old consciousness of . self; those who choose to take the easy . road, the lazy road of lukewarm . spirituality and so stay asleep to the need . and grand opportunity of this critical hour . on earth, are about to die in their beds! . To wake up at some distant time in the . future on another planet of suffering to . try again to live Intelligently and to thus . seek the Truth and so receive Grace when it . is offered. . . Ed The Void - Ed Pabaue . 6 Dec 2002 01:02 . #151 . . Well we could do but still would remain the . problem of our liberation. . . I mentioned that about no-thing because . there really is no consciousness of any . thing in pure Spirit. . . The Buddhists call it the Void for that . very reason. . . Consciousness is a result of contact made . by sense-perception with objects, feelings, . and thoughts. . . Still, perhaps it might be inexpedient to . consider such things at our level of . awareness. . . The consciousness of Joy, of Love, or Bliss . is not a very bad thing, eh? . . Ed Re: The Void - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2002 09:44 . #152 Ed, why don't you answer my questions . honestly? . . the . feelings, . Bliss Re: so much drama - Louis Mignacca . 6 Dec 2002 09:59 . #153 Please, no disrespect was intended amico,its just that my view of these topics, comes from the Artist's perspective,while this forum is more of a Philosophical perspective, and I am used to using more concise, concentrated essences to convey ideas across, these long drawn out debates are evidently a good thing for many people, but for me, the entheogens, (The Scientific Perspective) have a very easy to understand language based on symbolism all their own. When it all comes down to dust, they have no need for books,words discussions,chat rooms,the electricity that makes it all work or any other fleshy 3 dimensional devices. They are pure spirit, and truth, waiting to be consumed, and that truth is waitng to permeate the essence of your,mine, and everyones intelligence. I do hope though, that through this device (the internet) all 3 perspectives can be shared with tolerance for all concerned, ART- SCIENCE-PHILOSOPHY, the harmonioustrilogy-pythagorianlookingglass-Devilstriangle...Lux E Tenebris...Lu x Re: The Void - Ed Pabaue . 6 Dec 2002 11:31 . #154 . I have done that, Matt. . . Maybe you are listening conditionally and . so not hearing me clearly? . . Ed Re: The Void - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2002 14:22 . #155 Dear Ed, . . Making one assertion without evidence or . logic, is not made somehow explained . through another assertion without evidence . or logic. You state things as though they . are givens, and as though everyone should . merely accept your words because you spoke . them. . . I asked you if you wanted to debate for . instance, and this is not debate. It . occurs to me that you do not, like others, . have any intent of collaboration or mutual . accomplishment. What you want seems to be . a matter of putting forward your comments . at the expense of others, even if that . means finding a way of disagreeing which is . made up on the spot. . . I also suspect that upon examination, your . assertions will often hold no water since . they are based on what you'd like to . believe rather than any experience or . careful thought. . . I'd like to ask you....what do you think . this forum is for anyway? . . . Re: so much drama - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2002 14:24 . #156 Dear Louis, . . I understand, but entheogens are not . available to many, nor do many understand . their right use. So it's difficult to gain . mutual action this way. It also very . useful to develop a mental understanding of . what is true and what is not, so as to make . best use of such vehicles as you are . mentioning. . . ***** . . of . to . elsewhere. . and . of . and . experience. . due . Bch . we'll . bunch . debating, . will . like . amico,its just that my view of these . topics, comes from the Artist's . perspective,while this forum is more of a . Philosophical perspective, and I am used to . using more concise, concentrated essences . to convey ideas across, these long drawn . out debates are evidently a good thing for . many people, but for me, the entheogens, . (The Scientific Perspective) have a very . easy to understand language based on . symbolism all their own. When it all . comes down to dust, they have no need for . books,words discussions,chat rooms,the . electricity that makes it all work or any . other fleshy 3 dimensional devices. They . are pure spirit, and truth, waiting to be . consumed, and that truth is waitng to . permeate the essence of your,mine, and . everyones intelligence. I do hope though, . that through this device (the internet) all . 3 perspectives can be shared with tolerance . for all concerned, ART- SCIENCE-PHILOSOPHY, . the harmonioustrilogy- . pythagorianlookingglass- . Devilstriangle...Lux E Tenebris...Lu x Seekers - Ed Pabaue . 6 Dec 2002 16:12 . #157 . The intellect is very limited indeed in how . much it can see. . . In fact the intellect may only see what is . NOT true. . . In my assertions, I have invited you to use . a faculty higher than the limited mind and . its logic to penetrate into the meaning . behind my words. . . There can be no evidence for the living . Truth other than one's own experience of it. . . Also, Truth defies all intellectual logic. . . The purpose of this list? Perhaps to reach . the ceiling of YOUR own personal . understanding and go no further? . . What happens when we have discussed all . there is to discuss, when we have gone . around on the wheel of intellectual . exchange so many times that we have a . headache and yet still we are stuck in the . world mind, which is unholy, unenlightened . mind? . . Philosophers who think that they know . soemthung die confused, don't they, but . what of seekers of Truth? . . Ed Seekers - Ed Pabaue . 6 Dec 2002 17:04 . #158 . The intellect is very limited indeed in how . much it can see. . . In fact the intellect may only see what is . NOT true. . . In my assertions, I have invited you to use . a faculty higher than the limited mind and . its logic to penetrate into the meaning . behind my words. . . There can be no evidence for the living . Truth other than one's own experience of it. . . Also, Truth defies all intellectual logic. . . The purpose of this list? Perhaps to reach . the ceiling of YOUR own personal . understanding and go no further? . . What happens when we have discussed all . there is to discuss, when we have gone . around on the wheel of intellectual . exchange so many times that we have a . headache and yet still we are stuck in the . world mind, which is unholy, unenlightened . mind? . . Philosophers who think that they know . soemthung die confused, don't they, but . what of seekers of Truth? . . Ed How about something Different? - Matthew Webb . 7 Dec 2002 10:43 . #160 I'm writing this to each of the Raising the . World Mind work group members (on NCN) to . get your feedback, (if any). I'd like to . make some changes to this forum, but before . I do anything, I wish to honor those . involved to hear what they have to say . about it. . . I'm considering making the forum open to my . invitation only. The reason I say that is . because I created it for one purpose...the . discussion of the World Mind Society . material. It's become clear that a . completely open forum is not personally . desirable to me, simply because I have . specific aims for this discussion room. I . want this to be a place of intense and . sincere discussion of truth, not a . competition about who can post the most . spiritual-sounding statement or who just . wants to chat idly for no particular . reason. . . I've got an enormous amount of regular e- . mail correspondence for the World Mind . Society as it is, which takes much of my . time. This is not to mention the creation . of weekly newsletters and other mailings, . or the writing of articles. . . My suggestion is this; . . That membership here should be open only to . those who I invite, and who express an . earnest desire to work with me in real . accomplishment, joint authorship and mutual . focus. I would like to see people here who . take an active interest in the forum, who . value where it's going and who don't just . wish to argue for no particular reason. . . Toward this end, I want prospective members . to answer in essay form the following . questions; . . 1) What World Mind Society articles have . you read (http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest) . and how has their information changed your . daily life? . . 2) What do you intend to accomplish by . becoming a member of Raising the World . Mind? . . 3) What are your spiritual goals, and are . these your first priority in life? . . . These three questions are sufficient for a . statement of intent. I don't intend to . accept every application, but will state . why I might not wish to grant membership, . or I may ask further questions. . . I doubt this suggested change would be very . difficult for most, since many do not visit . more than once a week, or have not done so . at all for weeks. But for others who are . new members or who post regularly, I would . want to apologize now for any inconvenience . this may cause. I'll talk to Ming about . the possiblities of "re-starting" the forum. . . What do you say? The darkened box - Ed Pabaue . 8 Dec 2002 08:02 . #161 Here is my response to Matt's new idea: . . "To give up yourself without regret is the . greatest charity" - Bodhidharma. . . And the reason it is the greatest charity, . is because it is the greatest service to . the struggling heart of mankind. Anyone who . sees the suffering of mankind, and is moved . by a deep love and compassion within, will . wish only to walk the True path in self . forgetfulness, for and on behalf of their . human family. . . We cannot walk the path when we are fussing . about with our sense of a separate self or . of a group of selves. . . The self on earth is very noisy, and takes . up almost all of one's focus and energy if . one allows it to. But being stuck in self . is like sitting in a darkened box, very . little of anything helpful can be seen in . the darkness of this box (self). . . What few do not realise is that this sense . of a separate self is an illusion, it is a . collection of energy and focus, and karma . and delusion. All gathered into one place, . that's all. It is not ultimately real. Not . really who we are. The True Self is beyond . the personal level of awareness and remains . impersonal to its own separate nature. . . There are no lasting solutions in the . darkened unilluminated box of self, only . more questions. It is only when we open the . lid to our little box, and look up and out . of it in true faith and devotion, that a . higher light may fill the inside of it up. . And as it does so it shows us all the . things we could never see before, when we . was so wrapped up in self. . . Being wrapped up in self includes having . personal plans and ideas to serve other . selves. . . But if we can allow the light of Truth to . shine into our little self-imposed prison . on earth, we can gain a far greater . perspective and vision on life, and realise . almost at once that this little self on . earth is not true, and does not for us, . hold the answers we truly seek. We also see . that nothing the self can do, alone or with . others, can help us to enter Life. . . And with that opening up and the . llumination that comes with such an . upward focus, problems are solved for us . much faster, and without having to go . around and around in mental turmoil. . . This is what is meant by: "The Truth shall . set you free". The Truth itself sets us . free. . . Truth is not something one learns, not . something one progresses towards by way of . self-effort; Truth is a Reality, a Real . level of Divine consciousness, not a . process. The mind can only have an . intellectual model of this truth, but never . the real thing, not unless it starts to See . through a real yearning and love to let go . of its personal/separate nature, in favour . of a greater, more purposeful vision of . life. . . When there is such a letting go, the lid of . the box starts to open, and light and magic . starts to fill it up from the inside . outwards. And things we never knew before . start to enter into our awareness, things . we could perhaps never even explain to . another in a way that was good enough, or . complete enough. For it must be . felt/transmitted to be fully passed on from . one heart to another in a meaningful way. . . This is the birth of a transcendent and . living form of Wisdom, and it solves more . problems in one second of Light and . illumination than the human brain can in a . million years. . . But when the lid of our box remains closed, . so, too, do we remain closed, and lost in . the darkness of self where no True light may . enter in, no matter what noble ideas we . have to help raise humanity's consciousness . and no matter how hard and long we have . ruminated about what should be done on . earth. . . So the correct way to work on the self is . through a Divinely-aligned focus, through a . focus which simply asks: "Lord, what would . you have me do?" . . Without such a pure, invocative attitude, . all the consciousness-raising efforts in . the world will end in frustration. . . When one's focus is directed in such a way, . we are helped out of our suffering because . the goal is a selfless and purposeful one . and is aligned with Divinity. . . Ed Meditation - Matthew Webb . 10 Dec 2002 11:54 . #163 Meditation . is as sunlight . upon the Unified Field . . We live in an interconnected world, . or a “psychic ecosystem” of many minds and . bodies. Like the citizens of nature, we . interact through a unified field of . energy. This field conveys every inner . impulse, just like radio signals, with . lightning speed to the world at large. In . return, the conditions of the world are . transmitted back to us in a constant . feedback-loop. Our Brothers’ and Sisters’ . misery is also our own, and so too is their . love and good will. Every mind renders . instantaneous effect upon every other mind, . continuously. This is the natural law of . cause and effect, also known as karma. . States of mind resemble the various . nation-states of the world. Each has its . own policy on human relations, be it kind, . ruthless, compassionate or indifferent. . Every mind state has its own scope of . influence, with far reaching environmental . effects upon our entire planetary society. . Every feeling, thought and intention we . have, contributes to the unfolding of . external events, which mirror our internal . focus. Inner states become like entities, . traveling from person to person through the . agency of resonant human minds. The State . of Love gathers around itself those persons . with feelings of good will, causing them to . act as a collective union that seeks the . establishment of freedom and . enlightenment. The State of Fear likewise . gathers around itself the adherents of . chaos and entropy, seeking to sustain . themselves through discord at the cost of . their neighbors. The State of Clarity . gathers around itself the thinkers, seers . and revolutionaries of all time, who map . out Truth as a guide for those who do not . yet See, after scouting ahead into the . depths of Reality. We live in a unified . ocean of consciousness, where every single . state of mind has relevance. There is no . inner impulse that does not eventually give . rise to profound outcomes. For this . reason, our inner state of being must be . considered of equal importance to the outer . state of social affairs. The inner and the . outer are inextricably bound together, and . can never be separated. Thus, war torn . fields of battles waged, or peaceful . splendors of harvest, are ultimately only . an intention, feeling or thought away . In order for us to change the outer . condition of community, environment and . international policy, we must first change . the inner condition known to be their . primary cause. Peace can be reflected in . the outer world only when it is firmly . established within. The same may be said . about love, clarity, compassion and good . will to all nations and neighbors. For . this reason, it is our need as a species to . master our inner state of being, so that . outer chaos may be transformed to peace and . spiritual prosperity. Meditation is a . primary key in this work. As we meditate, . we create a coherence and elevation of the . consciousness, (mind state) within. Like . all other states of mind, the meditative . state creates profound changes in our . personal sphere, and ultimately, within the . collective sphere of our global . civilization. The inner coherence, love . and clarity that meditation acts to . cultivate within, can then be combined with . other people who also meditate. Through . this practice, individuals and groups may . reorient their state of mind at will. As a . body of persons dedicated to the greater . enlightenment of our species, we may direct . our new-found inner force together. We may . mutually create at-will changes in our . environment, in the same fashion as we . created them within. . World and Earth changes are upon . us. Many of these reflect the inner . imbalances of our human collective . consciousness, in the form of war, extremes . in weather and climate, environmental . degradation and general confusion. Through . meditation we can and we are, transforming . these world conditions by intentionally . bringing love and clarity to bear upon the . shadowy corners of the world. In this way, . meditation is as sunlight, upon the Unified . Fields of the planet Earth. About Our Work Group - Matthew Webb . 11 Dec 2002 11:05 . #164 Greetings All, . . My gratitude goes out to everyone who . recently responded, giving their input . regarding my proposed changes to this . forum. In the post "How About Something . Different?" I suggested making the forum . membership subject to invitation only, and . upon the condition of answering three . questions which relate to spiritual . practice and the reading/applying of World . Mind Society material. There have been . many different types of responses from many . people here. Overall I'd say that 40% were . in favor of the suggested changes, 30% were . opposed and 10% were neutral. . . After giving this a great deal of thought, . and with the desire to do what is best for . everyone involved, (while honoring your . particpation) I've decided this; . . 1) That all current memberships here will . remian unchanged. For those of you who . have already submitted a response to the . questionaire, my thanks. . . 2) That all new members from now on will . be by invitation only, and through the . questions mentioned. The only difference . to the existing questions will be..."Have . you read the Perpetual Raising series and . how has that information changed your daily . life?" Since this series is fundamental to . the WMS understanding, I thought this might . be more appropriate. . . My main concern is that people know that . this forum is dedicated to serious . consideration and application of universal . truth. It seems that entrance by . invitation and questionaire only, causes . applicants to take the material more . seriously than the average internet chat . area. This is what is deeply needly in the . modern world...a seriousness and . application of (practical not just . theoretical) spiritual focus in daily . life. Each of us must do the necessary . spiritual work to significantly change our . lives for the better, and to change the . world in general. . . To all of you I offer warm regards, while . looking forward to our future conversations. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb Practical Question for Matthew or anyone else - Ame . 11 Dec 2002 18:42 . #165 One of the problems I find as I grow in our . awareness is that it becomes more difficult . to be in certain vibrations without being . drained or knocked about energetically.I . know the spiritual tools of white light, . violet flame, electronic presence or . Archangel Michael or other Ascended Light . Masters, whirling rainbow etc. I find it . harder and harder to be in the everyday . world and for years have lived amongst the . trees opposite a national forest and now . currently living near the ocean. . I have found from experience, the intent of . not taking on or being affected by others . vibes helps. However, sometimes I still get . thrown about, so I am trying to learn the . balance of not being too reclusive and still . functioning in the everyday world. . I suspect that when one reaches a certain . momentum of energy everything is reflected . back, like a aeroplane propeller. . Does anyone else have any other suggestions. With regard to your site - Matthew Webb . 13 Dec 2002 10:15 . #168 . Would you please post the link to your site . here so that others might read your . material? Thanks. . the World Mind Society . HodgepodgeBlog site I see . have a very accessible . also, one that is steeped . (what's a "blog"?) . your words. For one . anthropomorphic granddaddy . through all the universe, . unmistakable perception . limited human views . because anything universal . you know). . other thoughts on this . I will post this Re: Practical Question for Matthew or anyone else - Matthew Webb . 13 Dec 2002 10:32 . #169 Dear Amethyst, . . You said; . . our . difficult . . ****** . . The act of holding one's vibration in a . high way in the modern world, is surely a . subject of deep focus for anyone on the . spiritual path. Many factors play into . this, and to name a few would be to speak . of; . . 1) One's own intent and the personal karma . which arises from it. . . 2) The intent of others known to us, whose . karma impacts our being due to our psychic . connection with them. . . 3) The intent of society as a global . organism, and the world (mind) karma which . results from it. . . In all of these cases, we are psychically . effected by what we do and what others do. . In other words, the intent we use each . moment, as well as the intent used by . others in the world, profoundly effects our . state of consciousnes in all ways. One of . the most obvious is that of feeling or . vibration. . . We can offset such vibration-lowering . effects foremost by raising, (purifying) . our intent. . . Another method is to project high(er) . vibration/intent to others and to the world . in general, which improves our karma. . . Another is the gaining of the sheer energy . and health which tends to automatically . deflect unwanted psychic effects to some . extent. . . One can use thoughtforms...etc. . . ******* . . Amethyst; . . of . get . still . . ***** . . Yes, this is extremely important. By not . taking on the worlds' intent/focus, we stay . DISSONANT with it. This means the psychic . antenna which the body is is not tuned to . the same frequency or "intent of broadcast" . as others who do not keep a spiritual . focus. One excellent result of "rejecting . society" as I call it, (rejecting the ideas . which currently compose it) is tuning out . of the worldly chaos, (fear/pain) so that . it is much easier to hold a high . vibration/intent. . . ****** . . Amethyst; . . suggestions. . . ***** . . Energy level is definitely a major factor. . Another is the holding of greater and . greater clarity. . . We've introduced many subjects for deep . discussion at once here, I realize. Re: Practical Question for Matthew or anyone else - Sandi Hunter . 13 Dec 2002 19:38 . #170 Dear Amethyst and Matthew, . . I would like to add to your discussion on . these important topics. Just fyi, Matthew . and I have discussed many of these issues . before and I would like to share some of . what I have learned and experienced from . these discussions. . . ******************* . . The act of holding one's vibration in a . high way in the modern world, is surely a . subject of deep focus for anyone on the . spiritual path. Many factors play into . this, and to name a few would be to speak . of; . . 1) One's own intent and the personal karma . which arises from it. . . 2) The intent of others known to us, whose . karma impacts our being due to our psychic . connection with them. . . 3) The intent of society as a global . organism, and the world (mind) karma which . results from it. . . In all of these cases, we are psychically . effected by what we do and what others do. . In other words, the intent we use each . moment, as well as the intent used by . others in the world, profoundly effects our . state of consciousnes in all ways. One of . the most obvious is that of feeling or . vibration. . . **** . . I would just like to add that unless we . seriously look at and focus on this . influence we do not have a clue to it's . impact. I am talking about "the intent we . use each moment, as well as the intent used . by others in the world, profoundly effects . our state of consciousnes in all ways." . . Each person we have contact with has . connections with countless other people and . this not only widens our direct . unity/involvement with the "Mind of the . world" but it psychically involves us in a . large network of intent that we are, most . of the time not aware of. We do NOT fully . or (in some instances) partly know or . understand how this impacts us each . minute. We are all so much a part of the . stream of intentions that make up the World . Mind/Karma that we don't even recognize it . for how it intensely influences our lives. . If one were to meditate on disconnecting . totally from this world influence, even for . just a few moments, they would be relieved . and surprised to see just how . much "low", "negative" and/or unpleasant . vibes and "atmosphere" we live in every . minute of our existence here on earth. We . take this for granted, it is just always a . background feeling in our lives. If you . don't believe this, meditate on truly . disconnecting from the consciousness of . society and see how you feel. Matthew has . written countless articles on this world . mind effect, and this is a matter that . needs to be taken seriously before any true . action can take place. A total rejection . of society and all it stands for is truly . the only way to set yourself free. The . subtleties of this world mind effect is one . that is always there, and can easily grab a . person into it, falling for all it's false . pretenses, only because the majority of . this world intent is to keep the status quo . no matter what. There is just so much to . admit to, so much to change and so much . time and lives that are and have been . wasted minute by minute for centuries. . . Talk about having trouble staying in a high . vibration! In the Perpetual Raising . Series, the 4 steps of changing intent are . discussed. The first one is to look at and . truly see where you are starting from. . Well this influence is strong and . penetrating each moment, how can you know . where you are starting from if you do not . acknowledge this? Even if you bypass . psychic effects from others, raise . vibration, and gain energy above . this "world mind" effect, it cannot be long . lasting without a conscious awareness and . focus to counteract the World Mind. "We . are all one" ...takes on a whole new . meaning here and it is truth and fact, not . just theory to be looked at lightly. It is . not necessarily a good and wonderful thing . in itself, as it currently is. This, to . me, is a most important topic and one that . I invite anyone to participate in. It is . NOT theory, it is fact and always ever . present. . . ************ . Matthew writes: . . We can offset such vibration-lowering . effects foremost by raising, (purifying) . our intent. . world . others . Matthew writes: . . stay . broadcast" . ideas . Sandi writes: . . I wonder how many understand the importance . and the depth of the words here: "By not . taking on the worlds' intent/focus, we stay . DISSONANT with it. This means the psychic . antenna which the body is is not tuned to . the same frequency or "intent of broadcast" . as others who do not keep a spiritual . focus." This is a constant focus, really . rejecting all that society says and asking . the question of Why? for everything that is . fed to you from day one of this life. . Nothing is done with the intent of the . highest benefit for all, most is done for . the highest financial benefit for ME! One . example of this is that we are trained from . early on to ignore our bodies and only . follow schedules that are unnatural and . make us slave robots with short attention . spans. This is not education, this is . training to be slave labor for . corporations. There is no thought for the . genius and creativity that is inherently . ours, only how we can be trained to be . hypnotyzed idiots that think we are smart . because we have this programmed phd or bs . degree, but this is an intellegence that is . defined by the current world mind and not . by reality. . . ******* . reflected . . ***** . May I also say the law of inertia, but as . you said: " We've introduced many subjects . for deep . only mention it for further discussion . later........ Thanks Sandi - Ame . 13 Dec 2002 22:53 . #172 Thanks Sandi for your insight. I will have . to . re-read the Perpetual Raising series again.:) THE TRUE NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE - Matthew Webb . 16 Dec 2002 19:54 . #173 THE TRUE NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE . . . The first step taken by the true . intellectual toward personal enlightenment, . is to understand that there exists . something worthwhile to learn. For them . the learning process begins in the study of . the opinions of others, an activity they . ultimately reject for the sake of first . hand perception. Direct perception lends . itself first to the study of facts, as they . are self-perceived. The opinions of . others, no matter how historically . noteworthy they may be considered, then . pales in comparison to the depth of . personal experience. Through the faculties . of direct experience we possess, the . ability to gain knowledge directly from . observation begins to overshadow the . academic process. Then as we learn from . our own experiences about what is important . in life, the lesson of relevance is . learned. Relevant fact is determined . as, "that which relates to reality and the . real needs of existence". It is a study . which readily replaces a fascination with . trivia. The study of relevant fact through . direct perception, then leads one to . embrace the subject of subjects, the . epitome of the relevant and therefore . useful; Truth Itself. As Truth Itself is . ascertained it becomes inspiration, as the . most expedient fuel for the fire of . spiritual advancement. When spiritual . advancement occurs, it does so at the . behest of a 3 step, universal process. . . The first of these is REALIZATION, wherein . Truth Itself is perceived unmistakably as . fact(s) most profound. . . The second stage occurs when the realized . Truth is noted for its invariable relation . to the self within the grand scope and . design of universal purposes. This stage . is known as INSPIRATION, which lends itself . the most noble of causes, to a life . dedicated to spiritual ideals. . . The third stage of spiritual advancement is . the EMBODIEMENT of that which is first . directly perceived, or REALIZED. . . It is the intentional act of the . self realized explorer of TRUTH, to seek . out facts of the highest relevance. By the . time the EMBODIMENT of Truth becomes the . daily practice of the seeker, it is exactly . then that the intellectual is graduated to . the higher phase of being that is the . mystic, or spiritual practitioner. A . fixation upon the products and process of . mind, no matter how subtle or finely tuned . these may be, becomes a constant . receptivity to TRUTH ITSELF, as a superior . source of understanding. The intellect is . like the sharpest blade, best used to cut . away that which is not desired. . Intellects' utility for discernment does . not adequately extend itself however to the . process of building a higher self, just as . the sword does not make an effective . shovel, hammer or brick layer. There comes . a time when the keenest mind must spend . more focus in the attentiveness of . absorption, than to the products of thought . and the modes of intellectualism. The keen . mind which fails to recognize this, is . doomed to a self-indulgent arrogance over . the products of a trained focus. Training . and method are only tools which facilitate . specific modes of action, and as such, are . by definition limited. Formal education . which cannot reach beyond itself thereby, . becomes self-deception and delusion. . It is to Truth itself we must . constantly aspire, because it alone is the . repository for all potential action. Only . from this unlimited reservoir can we draw . sustenance without fear of shortage or . imbalance. The mind we must develop, yet . part of that development rests in the . realization that intellect alone does not . suffice. To apprehend Truth, direct . perception must also be added, which is a . faculty also known as intuition. The root . of the word "intuition" is "tuition" or in . other words a state of learning, with the . prefix "in" referring to that which is . inward or within. Intuition therefore . means to learn from within, or to put this . more exactly, it refers to the ability of . the consciousness we possess, to gain . knowledge directly from the Universe rather . than from books. . For intuition to function fully it . must first be unobstructed by thought, or . the products of intellect. The mind must . get out of the way of the higher faculties . of the self. These higher attributes are . those possessed by that which transcends . thought, mind and ideas, with which we were . born. In the East this is referred to as . CONSCIOUSNESS, in the West as SOUL. The . student of Truth, taking a comprehensive . view of both of these, must conclude that . they are synonymous terms. Soul is . consciousness and consciousness is soul. . Regardless of the name applied, Soul is . this essential foundation that is the truth . of the self. Meditation reveals that this . is so, for when thought ceases so too does . any identification of self that is defined . by thought. The true intellectual then . realizes that they are neither thought nor . any other product of mind, but instead the . maker of thought, feelings, images and . societies. This "maker" is soul, or the . eternal watcher behind a screen of self- . made thoughts. . When the truth of consciousness as . self is realized, the spiritual . practitioner rises up from the ashes of . intellectualism. Self as . soul/consciousness becomes a conscious, . intentional focus for the practitioner. . Identification of self as soul also gives . way to the understanding that all other . people are souls, one which ultimately . necessitates a personal stance for the . universal good of all humanity. We come to . regard each other in this way as brothers . and sisters of like kind, and of the same . essential need. That need is one of self- . realization. Self as soul is implicitly . infinite, especially as contrasted to self . as thought/intellect. The properties of . the soul are vast just as nature is vast, . and equally deserving of detailed . exploration and adventure. The universal . recognition of this fact among the peoples . of the Earth would cause the construction . of a new era. Such a realization inspires . the practitioner to embody the practice of . spiritual ministry. This is in essence, . nothing other than the dissemination of . Truth to the world, so as to improve its . condition. . The realization of all people as . souls, (not unlike the self) lends itself . also to the recognition that nature is . similarly founded upon consciousness. The . essences or composition of the . soul/consciousness is of three parts; . namely; INTENT, AWARENESS and ENERGY, in . that order of causality. These three . elements of consciousness are also found in . the manifestations of nature. They are . found in all life, making all living forms . the kindred blood of a Creative Universe. . All life possesses Intent, Awareness and . Energy, just as do all souls. Meditation . allows direct perception of this fact, once . it is realized by the practitioner that . these components are integral to their own . being. . That which is called God is also . composed of Intent, Awareness and Energy. . Thus, as souls we are not merely the . product of God, or the extensions of God. . We are in fact the members of God, as . component elements within a greater whole. . Just as neurons compose a brain, we as . individual souls make up a greater . intelligence, a collective consciousness . whose acts are far greater than the mere . sum of its parts. We are therefore not . merely embedded in the greater presence of . God, nor outgrowths of an externally . guiding force only. Instead we are the . functioning elements of a collective that . stretches into the infinities of space and . time. We are all of similar substance, . belonging to a body without end and which . can never end. The meditator may also . ascertain the above facts for themselves, . just as surely as they can isolate the true . meaning of self between the manifestations . of one thought to the next. . It must be concluded that since the . true self is consciousness, and that a true . understanding of nature includes viewing it . as a collective consciousness, (God) that . no other daily life focus is truly worthy . of our attention. To understand Truth . fully we must live it out, since anything . else is mere speculation, and speculation . the comparatively primitive product of . mind. The living of such a life is the . only concrete demonstration of true . intelligence. Truth is not altered by . speculation, for if it were our own musings . would have annihilated us long ago. It . alone stands untarnished in this primitive . age of humanity. To Truth alone we must . apply in order to shed the light of self . that is both SOUL and GOD. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com Re: The Light-Spirits - John Sdonas . 17 Dec 2002 20:54 . #174 Re: The Light-Spirits - John Sdonas . 17 Dec 2002 21:08 . #175 cosmic secret. You are talking about demons, . and angels. The energy/consciousness beings . that are between the Universial Cosmic . Consciousness [the mind of GOD],and physical . organisms.From single-cell to cognitive . ones.If you know what to do, the demon . energies will have little or no effect on . you, while you will be able to get the most . help out of the angel energies. I achieved . total consciousness 6 years ago. Inspite of . all the caos around the world, and in life, . I have peace and contentment, 24 hours a . day, 7 days a week. The Global Group Mind Meditations - Matthew Webb . 20 Dec 2002 11:45 . #176 Greetings WMS subscribers, . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are now . in progress, for the benefit of all beings . on Earth. Our meditation will start at 3PM . Pacific Standard Time, (Portland/Seattle) . this Sunday afternoon, and end whenever you . wish. . . The GGM Meditations represent a growing . effort by people around the world, to focus . their prayers and meditations together, for . the mutual expansion of consciousness. . Through this simultaneous focus, we are . aligning our awareness on a psychic basis. . Through this alignment our ever-expanding . world group is using INTENT, to elevate the . spiritual intensity of all involved. At the . same time our Intent is to uplift the World . Mind, or collective consciousness of . humanity, and to heal the Earth, (Gaia) of . stresses and imbalances. This spiritual . effort is founded upon the Group Mind . Principle, and other principles of Natural . Law. . . The Group Mind Principle states that, . "the resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts". . . Through the Group Mind Principle we are . resonantly combining our love, clarity and . a passion for spiritual progress in all . ways, to manifest itself amongst the . peoples of the world. We are in effect, . intending into place ever higher states of . consciousness for each other, and all of . humanity. In an intentionally formed group . mind such as this, the psychic and . spiritual effects created can be quite . potent. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are being . coordinated by the World Mind Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . They are held every second and fourth . Sunday of each month. Please mark your . calendar. . Inquiries regarding this Transmission of . group Intent may be directed to Matthew . Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Although it is not necessary, participants . can choose from seven specific focuses, for . the sake of group and world benefit. These . seven focuses are ideal components for the . expansion of consciousness, (including . greater love, clarity, higher energy, . connection to God, etc.) and are all . described in detail, by a five-part article . known as The Perpetual Raising. The . Perpetual Raising series is available upon . request, (contact Matthew Webb) and it can . also be found in the Library of the World . Mind Society web site. . . Let us bring forth a new world. Let us . manifest together the higher qualities of . natural and spiritual living. . . You are all invited to participate! . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Pitvalls? - Frans weyer . 21 Dec 2002 11:12 . #177 I like to ask the following question: how . more you know how more you become . responsible for what you know,now,is anyone . familiar(I think yes)with that desponded . feeling that it is a long way, at least, to . live up to that gained standard of . knowledge, which notion at the same time . causes a mist of confusion about the road . your walking. . Confusion about the fact that you maybe . reach to high for your own good sake, that . frustration and disappointment are lying . just around the corner, with other words the . feeling that you more or less always are . shortcoming to your standards. . Is this feeling a pitfall, or is it wise to . pay sometimes some attention to that feeling? . . You know, there are many who practice . different kinds of spiritual paths and I . cannot ignore the feeling that many of them . repress their negative impulses of their . character and project them in the outside . world, they can not live up to their . standards of knowledge, it set them free of . there own shortcoming impulses. . It’s a way of the psyche to protect itself, . but this can of course not be right. . We have had enoughs wars. . Re: Pitvalls? - Matthew Webb . 21 Dec 2002 16:08 . #178 Dear Frans, . . Such feelings as these are, I would say, . very common amongst all people of the . modern age, with spiritual practitioners . being no exception. There are many . potential reasons for this, including; . . 1) One's personal psychology, memories and . behavior patterns which are ingrained, . (have inertia) due to repeated use. The . gaining of greater and greater clarity is a . remedy for this. . . 2) The psychic influences from one's . relations...such "downcast" states can . travel from them to you unless you filter . such inputs out consciously. . . 3) The psychic influence of the world . mind, which is literally permeated with . such states at present. There is much fear, . confusion and degrading thoughtforms which . circulate through the collective . consciousness of this planet, at this time. . . 4) Faulty cultural beliefs and norms, most . of which are constantly reinforced through . television. . . All of these causes of downcast states of . consciousness can be intended/transformed . into more progressive states. What you said . about most practitioners being in a form of . denial about them is true, just as it is . true of entire belief systems, religions . and other social forms. I highly recommend . intentional detachment from society in . general, and an identification with the . consciousnes that is the true self. . . The Advanced Chakra Meditation is excellent . for this. . . Matthew . . anyone . to . the . to . feeling? . them . of . itself, Re: Pitvalls? - Ed Pabaue . 22 Dec 2002 15:46 . #179 them . of . itself, . . These are my observations, too. . . There is a great deal of distortion, . delusion and distraction from the Way in . these times. Today it seems that everyone . can 'go spiritual' just by reading a few . books and entertaining attractive spiritual . ideas about personal ascension. . . Yet if the Spiritual Path was so easy we . surely would have observed many, many more . people attaining sainthood historically? . . The reason so many people are interested in . spiritual things in these end times is due . to the psychic agitation of the subtle . spheres of the fallen dualistic world being . caused by the approaching Light (and often . subconscious fear and so its corresponding . self-maintaining activities of mind and . emotion). That is all: people going astral, . just as primitive tribes are also psychic. . There is not much more genuine Virtue . (Candidature) on Earth today than in . centuries past, but there is a lot more . occult knowledge and the corresponding . delusion and pride that head-facts engender . amongst egos. . . There are three types of human being: i) . Hyletics - Those with only a consciousness . in the five senses, ii) Psychics - Those . who use the mind and may have experiences . of the subtle spheres (lower psychism) (eg. . New Age people, iii) Gnostics - Those whose . divine spark is awakening: men of . remembrance. . . It is only these last types (which are . relatively very few in number on Earth) who . can both hear the Call of Divinity and . respond correctly to it. . . The Call is going out to all today, but the . response from hyletics and psychics will . invariably be fear/attack in some form. . . It is my experience that the vast majority . of the New Age messages and teachings . (truth and water teachings) encourages egos . to 'go spiritual' and so deepen them in a . confused condition of false security, . delusion and even pride. And when a genuine . emissary of the Light approaches and uses . similar words, he or she is not heard . because the spiritual ego already knows it . all. . . Here is a particularly incisive post from . another list about the state of the sham- . glam spiritual supermarket in these times: . . I wonder if there are those on this forum . who are able to discern vibrationally, the . energetic quality the glut of 'luv&lite' . kinds of messages that saturate the new age . scene these days. . . There's a sappiness about them. They feel . sticky and gluey. Their overall tone is . often mawkish, cloying, and soppy. The . energy behind them is designed to make . those who lap them up feel good about . them-selves, to make one feel fluffy, . fuzzy, comfy and OK about and within the . self. Although there may be seeds of truth . scattered within these messages, those . seeds are most often disguised by gross . sentimentalities that are targeted at our . pride and meant to appeal to our sense of . identity, that selfish perspective we hold . from the point of view of our separate . little ego-selves. . . So many are sucked in by the subtle and not . so subtle sort of ego strokings conveyed . through these messages. And few are aware . that these messages serve to dupe their . readers into following a way of being that . leads to a very compromised and distorted . version of the True Spiritual Path. Those . who are taken in by them are being scammed. . They are being lured into a sort sham . spirituality, and being led down a path . that is strewn with glamour and insidious . deception-a path that is skewed by a myopic . focus on, by and for the personal ego self. . Unfortunately, for those who continue to be . deluded by these sorts of gloppy, gooey . missives that are tailor made to appeal to . the selfish graspings of those millions in . the new age scene who are continuing to . seek for the self, the path they are . treading will not lead them to Liberation . at the end of this cycle. . . In this day and age, in these unprecedented . times, the time is very short indeed until . the cogs of the cosmic time wheel clock . over. And those who pass through this life . with their gaze firmly fixed upon their own . feet, those who continue to be guided by . the wants, needs and desires of an ego that . seeks personal gratification for its own . sake-its own self-will find that they are . headed down the garden path and have lost . their way to the True Path of Return, and . in so doing have foregone the opportunity . of an age. . . Take a look folks. Read your most cherished . new age luv&lite message. Feel how it feels . when you read it. And if it makes you feel . complacent, if it leaves you feeling like . it's all downhill from here, maybe you . should think again about just what sort of . message it is sending you. Because the True . Path is not for the complacent, nor is it . for those who think they can coast . effortlessly down the mount of Life all the . way Home. On the contrary. The real . Spiritual Path is an upward climb and is . steep, narrow, arduous and fraught with . unimaginable challenges. . . There are those who have come to Earth to . point to the Way to Deliverance from this . fallen realm of human existence, and if you . seek the truth of what they have come to . show by way of their own paths, you will . come to see that path pointed to by the . feel good, sham glam new age scam being . perpetrated upon the majority of so . spiritual seekers today, is a far cry from . the only real and True Path to the Divine. . . . Ed wishing everyone a peaceful soltice,xmas and new years - Jenese James . 22 Dec 2002 19:57 . #180 As I have been unable to participate of . late, and possibly wont have time in the . early new year....I send my wishes for . peace to all of you now....happy new years Intent/consciousness - Matthew Webb . 23 Dec 2002 15:45 . #181 . It is time we fully realized the impact our . thoughts have upon each other, and upon the . collective condition of our species. . Behind every thought there is an Intent, . and every Intent moves the creative . energies of the world. Contained is this . realization are the keys to REAL self and . mutual progress. We must never lose sight . of our ability to change the world into a . paradise of peace and prosperity. Over the . centuries, it is we who have generated this . global condition, or current World Mind. . The materialistic and fearful world society . we see today, is the mutual creation of . destructive intentions. It is we who may . now change that condition for the better. . The responsibility for what grows in the . garden is the gardener’s alone. This . planet can either grow the weeds of our . carelessness, or the sweet fruits of right . action, depending upon what seeds each mind . sows for itself and others. Every thought . is a seed planted in the surrounding . ethers. If we give up on or neglect our . garden, then we will neither prosper nor . survive, in this self-made collective . consciousness. This is just a cosmic fact . of life. . . It is important to understand which . Intentions are most useful in life and . spiritual progress. The Intent of Christ . Love and Buddha Clarity are keys to the . enlightenment of the world. Such . Intentions must rise up in us all! We must . allow and even request this to happen . within, as we come to know the blatant . errors of past wrong Intent. Ask yourself . the following questions: Is not the seeking . of material wealth and that of becoming a . Buddha or a Christ, both simply a matter of . holding a corresponding Intention? And is . not the task laid out before this life, not . simply a matter of choosing between the . two? Let us each choose what is clearly . the greater seed to be planted, as a . measure of our innate human wisdom Re: Intent/consciousness - Ed Pabaue . 25 Dec 2002 13:09 . #182 . Hi Matt, . . Did you ever consider that this world may . not ever have been intended to be a . paradisiacal one of peace and prosperity? . . The Fall from Paradise happened so long ago . for most souls on Earth today, that, like . yourself, the vast majority of them have . entirely lost the plot, forgotten the . purpose of this world, which is not to be a . paradise at all (and which is an actual . impossibilty in any phenomenal world of . duality) but rather to be a platform from . which to go the Path of Return (to the true . Paradise, in Eternity). . . Perhaps you have yet to discover the real . nature of this world and the futility of . attempting to improve it? . . And have you considered also the karma . created when one tries to change the nature . of a world that is fundamentally . unchangeable, even with the noblest of . intentions? . . My intention is my will, my desire, and my . karma. . . But there is another Will, and unless and . until souls align themselves with that . Will, which is the divine Will, they are . doomed to stay on the wheel of birth, . suffering and death in the phenomenal . universe. . . And the phenomenal universe can never . become paradise due to its intrinsic . nature, which is birth, entropy and death. . . Food for thought? . . Ed . . Re: Intent/consciousness - Matthew Webb . 25 Dec 2002 17:29 . #183 "We must never lose sight of our ability to . change the world into a paradise of peace . and prosperity." . . Dear Ed, . . Before I reply to your post, I'd like to . ask one favor. That is, let this be a . truly honest conversation that seeks the . truth and only the truth. This is after . all, the real purpose of debate and . discussion between spiritual practitioners. . Toward this end then, I ask that you please . not avoid answering any question put to . you, and to respond to each point made in . turn. I also will do the same. . . Please note my comments in your text below; . . ******* . . M; . . Let's put it this way..it never occurred to . me that this world should be otherwise. I . can see no logical, spiritual, or social . reason why this should not be the case, and . that people can create such a world if they . employ the wisdom to sustain it. . . ********* . . E; . ago for most souls on Earth today, that, . like yourself, the vast majority of them . have entirely lost the plot, forgotten the . purpose of this world, . . ****** . . M; . . That statement sounds rather Biblical to . me. Is that where you're coming from in . this? To be quite honest with you and . everyone else here, I don't take the Bible . seriously for the most part. I've written . far better myself, for one thing. . . But to address your point, the "fall from . paradise" as you call it was our own doing, . and it came about by imagining that the . natural, spiritual order is inferior to . what human beings can make up. . . ****** . . E; . . which is not to be a . . ****** . . M; . . I'm not sure what you mean by "paradise". . Do you mean happiness, bliss, clarity, . wisdom, intelligence, satisfaction, social . cooperation and glad unity? And if so, how . can such things be impossible when they . have been accomplished many times in human . history? We need only work for such a . world to create it, just as we can create . such conditions in our personal lives for . ourselves. . . ******* . . E; . . but rather to be a platform from . true Paradise, in Eternity). . . ******* . . The implication of your words seems to be . that physical existence is itself somehow . apart from that which you are calling true . paradise. I see no such division or . distinction. In fact, if anything the . spiritual realm is everywhere represented . in the material world, especially in . nature. We can choose to use this . opportunity for being in a physical body as . a training ground for higher states of . being. To "return" to the spiritual, . to "God", yes. But to say that the . physical is God-less and merely a stepping . stone to God is to shortchange the Divine . and our Divine potentials. (by "God" . and "Divine" I mean consciousness) . . ******* . . E: . . ***** . . M; . . Perhaps, but tell me, if changing the world . is so futile, then why do YOU bother . writing or posting anything? . . ****** . . E; . nature of a world that is fundamentally . . ******** . . M; . . First the world is not unchangable. If it . were that would mean that it never changes, . and has never changed. Second, yes, . employing high intent for the betterment of . self and world is good karma, as in, "like . cause begets like effects". . . ******** . . E; . . ******** . . M; . . Yes, intent is the source of those things . for both of us, the world and everone else . here. . . ***** . . ******* . . M; . . True, I never said otherwise. However, I . do not ascribe to any human named god who . supposedly posseses human features and . characteristics, such as "jehovah". When I . speak of God, I'm talking about a universal . force and intelligence that is basically . impartial to human beings, just as we tend . to be impartial to a given cell in our . bodies. To go beyond worldly karma, one . needs to reject what creates that karma to . start with...the faulty beliefs of society, . in favor of the natural and the true. . . ******* . . E; . . ******* . . Let's see..."birth, entropy and death" . implies that there can be no physcial . paradise? Why is that may I ask? . . By the way, your previous post on new age . beliefs was excellent. Spells and I posted . it on the United Communites of Spirit . forum, under your name. We had . many "debates" there along the very same . line, with at least two dozen different . people. Re: Intent/consciousness - Louis Mignacca . 25 Dec 2002 17:53 . #184 The nature of this world - Ed Pabaue . 26 Dec 2002 02:42 . #185 to . practitioners. . please . . Okay. . . to . and . they . . Yet this phenomenal world is intrinsically . a nature where everything dies. . . In Eternity it is not like that. . . Thus our temporal reality is not meant to . be sustained forever, and neither can it . be. . . No one lives forever here; no one is . immortal in the physical world because the . nature of . that world is mortal. . . If we try to improve this world, it can . only be a temorary result that we achieve, . since everything of this world is temporary. . . "If a person tries to perfect the kingdom . by means of action, I perceive that he does . not succeed. . . "The kingdom is a sacrificial vessel, on . which one may not work. . . "If one works on it, it will be spoiled. If . one tries to grasp it, it will be lost. . . "Therefore, the sage rejects superfluity, . immoderation and glorification." . . Tao Te Ching, chapter 29. . . The key to a true understanding of the . nature of the temporal universe may be . acquired from Lao Tzu's . appellation: "sacrificial vessel", for that . is indeed what this world is, at least in . its temporal form. It was not 'built to . last'. Indeed, it was not formed in order . for human beings to become infatuated with . or attached to, and when a temporal world . is regarded as permanent or real, the . problems begin, and so does the suffering. . . . The same truth may be found in the Bible . and all other genuine scriptures. . . . No. The New Testament is quite distorted. . However, the universal doctrine is still to . be found in that book if one knows how to . look for it. . . It is also in Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, . and all true religions. . . It is the Truth. . . . In order to understand the veiled mystical . language of certain parts of the Bible you . must read it from inner revelation. . . Take things too literally and you will get . lost. . . There is a vast difference between . churchianity and true Gnostic Christianity, . for example. . . . It came about due to ages of unwise use of . free will and misidentification with the . temporal-created universe as being real. . . Once the unreal, the temporal, was regarded . as having any lasting value, cultures and . civilizations began to try to improve it, . to make a paradise of it, to cling to it as . if it were a treasure. They ate again and . again from the tree of knowledge of good . and evil until a great prison of . consciousness formed around such collective . misidentification with duality, and today . that prison is like the matrix in the . movie: dark and vampiric. This is self- . evident in the fact of disease and . enervation in all ways of existence here on . Earth. . . The divine Sun is regenerative, self- . refulgent, while life on Earth clearly . shows a degenerative development, however . nobly we live our little lives here. . . Try to improve such a world and you become . more deeply bound to it by way of your . thinking and desiring (hence the need for . reincarnation on the wheel). Here we touch . upon the fundamental law of cause and . effect. . . . Paradise = Perfection, which, by its very . nature, cannot exist in any fading temporal . reality which is destined to die under the . law. . . . There has been no perfection, no divine . Paradise attained on this Earth, ever. And . there never will be. For this Earth was . born under the law of birth and death, and . so it must also die. Therefore Eternity is . not intrinsic within the fabric of this . world; Eternity waits for the return of . fallen man to Paradise, for . Paradise/Perfection only exists in Eternity. . . . Without divine Grace nothing of real Value . may be achieved. And divine Grace will . always transmute the human being, urging . the soul to transfiguration, the end result . of which is an existential disappearance . from the world of rising and fading and a . return to Eternity. This is the sole . purpose of all unenlightened, unperfected . life. Yet by getting in the way of Grace, . by desiring to improve a temporal world . which must ultimately disintegrate and . dissolve, we are creating karmic tethers . for ourselves as we attempt to build our . house on the sand. And then our return to . this world via the necessity of . reincarnation and in our repeated . forgetlfulness of the purpose of this . world, we blindly fortify it again and . again in our ignorance of the Truth. . . . Yes, the nature of all phenomenal . existence - subject to the law of . dissolution and death as it is - is . suffering and pain, including the physical . plane. . . . It is REFLECTED in nature and the world, . but it is not manifest in the realm of time . and space. . . No Perfection may be found in time and . space. . . If you could but remember Paradise, you . would see that the loveliest regions of the . dense natural worlds of this planet are a . gross parody of the Eternal, pristine . divine Universe; a shade, a shadow of the . enduring unborn Glory of the Realm of Light. . . as . . The only reason for being here in this . density in a physical body is to find God. . Once God is found, once all karma is . resolved, the body disappears, is . transmuted as 'we' disappear forever from . the temporal world of form and imperfection. . . All great luminaries have disappeared from . this world back to Perfection in order to . show us the Way. Even the Buddha was . imperfect as long as he still had a . physical body, for he, too, as a person . suffered and was subject to the laws of . death. . . world . . To remind intelligent and earnest souls of . the Truth that will set them free from . bondage to the wheel of this imperfect and . fated world. . . . Its nature is fundamentally the same; it . cannot be made divine. . . When unholiness is transmuted in the Sacred . Fire, the unintegrated matter and karma . disappears. . . Therefore unholiness can never become Holy. . There is no working on unholiness to make . it Holy. . . Receive Grace, however, and the illusion of . this world and everything in it begins to . disappear and we see that we have been . dreaming. . . If you want to improve your dream, then . that's okay in a free will system, but you . will not liberate yourself from suffering . and birth and death. You will still, one . day, have to align your free will with . God's Will anyway, and through lifetimes of . suffering, of temporary gain and bitter . loss, of happiness and sorrow, you may well . be ready to do so! . . changes, . . Its fundamental nature has never changed . and neither can it be changed by the . efforts of man. . . of . . Yes, but good karma is still karma and must . be worked out on the planes from which it . was created. Hence reincarnation into the . realm of time, space and death. . . my . . That's why it seems sensible to me to have . NO personal desires/intentions for anything . in this world, and simply give one's free . will back to God, as in: "Thy Will be done, . not mine". . . This truly prayerful attitude has been . exemplified by all wise masters and saints, . and it is quintessential before Grace may . be received and Eternity approached. . . To put one's personal will, desire and . intent BEFORE that of the Divine is how the . fall of man happened and how countless . souls have become trapped for innumerable . lifetimes of suffering on the wheel of . birth and death: by trying to improve an . illusion by way of noble yet unenlightened . intentions. IT cannot be done and always . leads to failure and reincarnation. . . I . universal . . Good analogy. God is impersonal, as is Love . and all God's attributes. . . society, . . And what about the faulty spiritual beliefs . and false doctrines? . . We can all see how terribly out of whack . society is, but what of the millions . of 'spiritual' seekers and teachers who are . following false teachings and who are . confusing the thinking public by their own . delusions, however well intended? . . . I can tell you very simply that this dense . physical plane is a result of the gross . thoughts of fallen souls made and . compounded over ages and ages of ignorance . and misidentification (forgetfulness of . God's Truth). . . Unwise free will created this dense . physical plane. The physical Earth is not a . divine creation. If it were it would not be . subject to the law of entropy and death. . . The densest plane of the divine Universe is . divine Etheric. . . All is bright and glowing there, and there . is no pain or suffering. 'Death' there is a . voluntary ascension from the Etheric level . of consciousness to any other plane within . the soul's evolutionary sphere. And the . same soul may again take on Etheric matter . if it so chooses, but it is not a birth. . Rather it is a projection of consciousness . into another vibratory sphere of the divine . Universe. . . There is no birth or death in the divine . Universe. . . posted . . :) . . Ed Re: The nature of this world - Matthew Webb . 26 Dec 2002 15:35 . #186 Dear Ed, . . I always have in mind the benefit of all . readers on this forum, and try to . crystallize all points made into digestable . form. So I'm going to paraphrase much of . what has been said so far. Please let me . know if there is any specific point you'd . like me to further comment on or answer. . . ******* . . E; . . In Eternity it is not like that. . Thus our temporal reality is not meant to . temporary. . . ******* . . M; . . I'd like to discuss more along these lines . in particular, as it is a recurrent theme . in your post. I agree that all physical . things find their end at some time, and . that the material world may then be . called "temporal". Yet the laws which . govern the material world are permanent and . everywhere present. Though the forms do . not last, that which moulds them does. I'm . curious why you say that physical action, . (or changing the world) is futile in your . view, merely because physical forms don't . last. When a child digs in the sand at the . beach at low tide, is his play "wasted" . simply because sand castles wash away? Is . the point to change the beach or to allow . something inside, (consciousness) to grow? . I think it is the latter. Although I agree . that assigning too much importance to the . physical, (materialism) is inappropriate in . life, I do not dismiss physcial change as . meaningless or worthless merely because it . is temporary, any more than I would say . that the use of tools to accomplish any . task is pointless. The physical is the . tool of the Spirit, and the goal it aims to . accomplish is the expansion of . consciousness, (self). . . ****** . . E: . does not succeed. . . . ******* . . M; . . Does not succeed in what...? Just by . crystallizing these ideas on a page for . others we are making an impact on the . world. This is true even if no one here . listens or not...the thoughtforms created . go out and render impact never the less. . If you mean the materialist does . not "succeed" by the common definition of . the word, I would agree entirely. Because . the accumulation of material goods for . their own end is folly. . . ******* . . E; . . Christianity, . . ****** . . M; . . Yes, and the difference is one of hollow . ritual which supposedly represents . spiritual things, (but does not) and the . actual living out of spiritual ways and . means as a living practice. . . ******** . . M; . that . . ******** . . E; . . ****** . . As for the unwise use of free will, I . agree. But to say that the material world . is not real is not true. It is as real as . any other realm...what we've made of it, . and how we regard it as a society is . unreal. For instance, if your body isn't . real, then what is typing the words into . this page? If biology isn't real then life . isn't either, and this is not my . perception. It is just that the same . spiritual laws which apply on any other . realm apply here as well. They simply . aren't recognized as doing so by humanity. . In this way they split the spiritual which . is in everything, apart from the material, . into dual and compartmentalized frameworks . that appear mutually exclusive, when in . fact they aren't. . . ****** . . E; . . ******* . . M; . . Life itself does not show such degenration, . the society of humanity does. If life . really was degenerative and entropic as you . say, then evolution would be impossible. . Even the ameoba wouldn't have arisen, let . alone Homo Sapiens. . . ***** . . E; . . ****** . . M; . . I don't see that trying to improve the . human condition necessarily provokes . degenartive karma. I don't think Christ, . Buddha or Lao Tse would have said so . either. It's how you attempt this that is . relevant, (without attachment and . superficiality) that matters, (purity of . intent). . . ******* . . by "paradise". . social . . ******** . . E; . temporal . . ******* . . M; . . Perfection? I say there is no such thing, . as any system or being can continue to be . improved, even that which is called God. . In fact, we are instruments toward that end. . . ********** . . M; . . E; . result . . ******* . . M; . . Yes, but let us be very certain . what "Divine Grace" is. Clarity is highly . useful toward this end. Also, in the . working for a better world, who is to say . we are not following through with the will . of the Divine, as our very purpose as . centers of consciousness in bodies? . . ******** . . M; . true paradise. . . ******** . . E; . . ******* . . M; . . I simply don't agree. Life is not . suffering and pain any more than it is Luv . and Lite. It is what we make of it by . virtue of our level of realization of . reality, and our lived spirituality which . matters. To say otherwise would be like . saying self improvement is both futile and . impossible, (and by extension the . improvement of the human condition). I . know that is not so. . . ******* . . M; . spiritual]. In fact, if anything the . . ******* . . E; . time and space. . . ******* . . M; . . I see it manifest in Nature in all living . things, including you and I. If this is . not the case, then how could such . sophisticated forms come into being to even . have such a conversation...via entropy and . dissolution? I think not. Any forest is . the highest church/temple on Earth. . . ******** . . E; . . ****** . . M; . . Who says so? . . ******** . . E; . the . Light. . . ******** . . M; . . Perhaps so, or perhaps our perception of . them is now tainted and we no longer see . the glory of nature as it is. Perhaps we . should ask the tribal shaman inn the jungle . what he sees. . . ******** . . M; . stepping . . E; . imperfection. . . ****** . . M; . . I disagree. The only reason for being here . is becase that which is called God, . (consciousness) Caused life to arise in the . first place so that It might find higher . Self expression and knowledge through the . medium of Earthly life, as well as the life . on countless other worlds. By finding God, . we find this purpose of Self expansion and . expression, of which we are a part. . . ******** . . E;> . . . ****** . . M; . . It already is Divine, since God is in all . places. But on the human level Intent has . gone astray and confusion has set in. Let . us not confuse the folly of humanity with . any folly of the physical itself, for it is . not to blame for our lack of perception. . . ******* . . E; . Sacred . Holy. . . ****** . . M; . . I don't know how you define Holy or Unholy, . but these terms seem a bit vague to me. In . any case, it sounds like you're saying that . the unrealized or un-spiritual can never . become otherwise, and I disagree. Anyone . and anything can be transmuted to a higher . and higher form, through right intent and . right action. . . ******** . . E; . . anything . done, . . ****** . . M; . . You must have some personal desires with . relation to this world or you wouldn't . correspond, and you wouldn't still be in a . physical body. . . What if it is the will of God that you get . more involved, and manifest things . psiritual while in physcial form? . . ******* . . M; . . . ****** . . E; . a . be . is . . ********* . . M; . . I must confess to having considerable . skepticism regarding these conclusions. As . a scientist as well as a mystic, I do not . consider the physical plane to be the . result of the low thoughts/intentions of . entities. Where is the evidence of such . things? Do you think science is therefore . utterly futile, since the physcial has no . existence of its own? What of gravity or . photosynthesis or inerita? . The truth of death and of Life - Ed Pabaue . 26 Dec 2002 21:38 . #187 . E: The same is true for the fallen etheric, . astral, mental and causal planes. . . and . . E: They are present only in the . impermanent/imperfect universe, which was . created by ignorance. . . . E: And what is it that moulds them? Is it . God, or is it ignorance? . . . E: With regard to the Truth and to . returning to Perfection, all efforts to . change or improve the impermanent world are . futile. . . When we manipulate an illusion (that must . pass away due its illusory nature) all we . are doing is modelling an illusion in which . nothing lasts, in which nothing has . Substance, in which nothing is True. . . . E: What is that biblical quote about being . young and playing with toys, but as a man I . put away childish things? . . Is the height of your teaching, Matt, to . play in the illusion and be happy? . . What has that to do with Truth and . Liberation in Truth? What has that to do . with entering Eternity? . . It is okay to play in the illusion while . retaining AWARENESS, and indeed that is how . the temporal universe began: as a co- . creative play. However, when souls started . to get attached to their creations as being . Real, thus forgetting the Truth, then the . suffering and evil began. . . The present discussion is about the . prudence in trying to change or improve . this world, yet tell me, why would anyone . with AWARENESS of Truth be interested in . changing an illusion with any attachment to . positive results, as you appear to do? . . There may be fun to be had by playing in an . illusion (as well as pain when we become . attached to it), but only in Spirit, in . Truth Itself, is there Bliss and Freedom. . . . E: Well, do notice how the child becomes . naturally bored with playing with the . sandcastles after a while. The child's . innate spiritual intelligence tires of it, . just as adult humanity eventually tires of . this world of rising, glimmering, fading . and dying. See how old people are generally . tired and bent over? Why? Because . throughout their life they sought . Fulfillment where it could never be found: . in an illusion, and so they die, having to . reincarnate to try again to See aright and . to seek God. . . This is the hamster wheel of ignorant . humanity's predicament. . . So is this 'growth' of consciousness, as . you say, or is it just a realization that . what the child is really seeking in its . spiritual heart has nothing to do with sand . or sandcastles or any other illusion? . . There is no boredom in Spirit, in Truth. . . And there is no true 'growth' of Spirit in . an illusion. . . in . to . . ****** . . E: You have been taken in by false . doctrine, Matthew. . . The Spirit places no importance whatsoever . on the development of an illusion, because . it is not Real. That which is Real does not . even regard that which is false. The two . are completely irreconcilable and . incompatible, like oil and water. . . The only purpose that Spirit has in matter . is to resolve karma, to transmute matter . and return it to a healthy holy vibration . where all suffering and imperfection are . absent. . . The Spirit is already Perfect. It does not . need to enter dense physical matter and to . therefore suffer in order to expand itself. . . To do so would be to aver that Divinity is . masochistic! . . Your thinking is flawed, Matt. Probably due . to much reading and cogitating over . distorted and disfigured spiritual . writings, of which there are plenty in this . world. . . You are in good company amongst the human . race, for there are very few who have even . remembered the Truth . intellectually/philosophically, and even . fewer who possess the Virtue to follow the . Path of the Great Sages and so return to . Paradise, to actually achieve the goal of . all mankind. . . Yet here we are at the end of a great cycle . and the opportunity of an age. . . But without alignment in both head and . heart with the Truth and divine Purpose, . that opportunity will be missed. . . Ask yourself, what is going to happen in . these times on Earth if the Call of . Divinity were to go left unheard while we . are busy trying to improve the temporal . world? . . Can we see Grace as it Calls us if we are . focused in thought and desire upon an . illusion? . . Or in our attachment to it will we fall . with that illusion when the necessary . recycling of it occurs, as it did in . Atlantis and many times before that? . . . ******* . . . E: Does not succeed in attaining . Perfection. Is it not yet clear? . . Did you know that until we attain . Perfection we will never be perfectly happy . or free, and that it is this innate . spiritual discontent that drives us to seek . and to find Perfection in each moment? . . Therefore why delay the attainment of . Perfection by focusing unwisely on things . that pass away and in which no fulfillment . or lasting value may ever be found? . . . E: Yes, that is why we are indeed our . bothers keeper, and so in Love and in . Wisdom we will wish to circulate only the . highest, truest, cleanest and most pure . thoughts that we can. . . Another very good reason to align our . thinking with Truth, and not with illusion. . For is there not already plentiful . confusion in this world and all the . consequent suffering? . . . E: Spiritual materialism does not succeed . either. . . ******* . . M; . that . . ******** . . E; . . ****** . . M: As for the unwise use of free will, I . agree. But to say that the material world . is not real is not true. It is as real as . any other realm...what we've made of it, . and how we regard it as a society is . unreal. For instance, if your body isn't . real, then what is typing the words into . this page? If biology isn't real then life . isn't either, and this is not my . perception. It is just that the same . spiritual laws which apply on any other . realm apply here as well. They simply . aren't recognized as doing so by humanity. . In this way they split the spiritual which . is in everything, apart from the material, . into dual and compartmentalized frameworks . that appear mutually exclusive, when in . fact they aren't. . . ****** . . E: It may appear to be real to the point of . consciousness that is experiencing the . illusion, but even science has concluded . that matter is not as it appears to be, not . solid at all, but is actually energy waves . rising and passing away many times each . second. . . The nature of the temporal, phenomenal . universe is impermanence, therefore. Hence . it is certainly not Real in the spiritual . sense. . . E; . . ******* . . M; . . degenration, . . E: Matt, think further about this. Even . suns and planets die eventually. Our . society is just a manifestation of human . ignorance. . . THE NATURE OF ALL PHENOMENAL EXISTENCE IS . ONE OF BIRTH AND DEATH, neither of which . occur in the divine Universe of Eternity. . . you . . ***** . . E: Life on Earth is but a shade, a . reflection of true Life, and its . evolutionary manifestations are all doomed . to die, for they are not a part of the True . Evolution, which only proceeds in the . divine Universe. . . I think you have been away from Home for . many lifetimes, Matt? You have entirely . forgotten, haven't you? And yet you claim . to be able to lead mankind into a better . world!? . . E; . . ****** . . M; . . I don't see that trying to improve the . human condition necessarily provokes . degenartive karma. I don't think Christ, . Buddha or Lao Tse would have said so . either. . . E: Ahh, but they did indeed. Have a deeper . look if you have have a care. . . And if you truly love the soul of mankind, . which would qualify you to help, then you . will want to be quite certain that the path . you follow is a wholesome and true path. . . . ******* . . E: How old are you, Matt? Late twenties, . early thirties? . . At the end of this little lifetime of . yours, in the realms of soul-review, I . guarantee you will see all your noble . intentions, ideas and plans come to naught. . . Why? Because YOU are behind them and not . God. . . "Thy Will be done". . . E; . temporal . . ******* . . M; . . Perfection? I say there is no such thing, . as any system or being can continue to be . improved, even that which is called God. . In fact, we are instruments toward that . end. . . ********** . . E: And this is where you very clearly . demonstrate that you do not understand the . Truth of Life. . . If imperfection exists, then Perfection . must also exist, for one is meaningless . without the other. This is simple logic. . . Since you have been away from Paradise for . so long on the wheel, it is not surprising . that you would possess such a faithless . disposition and that you would have . completely forgotten the Realm of . Perfection from which you fell long ago. . . And since you are evidently not finished . with this world of birth and death, it is . quite certain that you will be going Home . in this cycle. . . It is also probable that you and I shall be . at odds in our focus and understanding, and . so no real spiritual co-operation can . ensue, which is the purpose of all true . philosophy and religion used wisely. . . Until the flame in the heart is aroused and . so the soul remembers the divine Kingdom of . Perfection, a man continues to stumble in . the darkness of his own delusions. . . But at this time on the planet certain . emissaries, fresh from the divine Kingdom, . are here to help those who possess the . Virtue to Return. . . Such a wonderful Return necessitates a . complete detachment from anything and . everything of the phenomenal, transient . universe. . . All sages have emphasized this fact. . . And yet St. Matt is here today to tell us . that they were all wrong? . . E; . result . . ******* . . M; . . Yes, but let us be very certain . what "Divine Grace" is. Clarity is highly . useful toward this end. Also, in the . working for a better world, who is to say . we are not following through with the will . of the Divine, as our very purpose as . centers of consciousness in bodies? . . ******** . . E: You will know when you are touched by . divine Grace, Matt, and you will laugh and . laugh at yourself and all your notions of . improving this world. . . There comes a time, Matt, where one just . Sees, and so recognizes the futility of all . self-effort with regard to humanity and the . temporal world. Then there is no more need . for words and concepts, plans and ideas. . For Enlightenment IS. . . E; . . ******* . . M; . . I simply don't agree. Life is not . suffering and pain any more than it is Luv . and Lite. It is what we make of it by . virtue of our level of realization of . reality, and our lived spirituality which . matters. To say otherwise would be like . saying self improvement is both futile and . impossible, (and by extension the . improvement of the human condition). I . know that is not so. . . ******* . . E: Yet still you are bereft of Bliss, still . you suffer, as do all imprisoned souls on . this Earth, tossed between the multifarious . opposites in a world of duality. . . Until one has drunk to the dregs the cup of . karma and is done with the endless . vacillations of duality, he is not ready to . meet God. . . M; . spiritual]. In fact, if anything the . . ******* . . E; . time and space. . . ******* . . M; . . I see it manifest in Nature in all living . things, including you and I. If this is . not the case, then how could such . sophisticated forms come into being to even . have such a conversation...via entropy and . dissolution? I think not. Any forest is . the highest church/temple on Earth. . . ******** . . E: There can be no spiritual satisfaction . or proof in intellection, Matt. . . If you are simply honest with yourself and . look to your own heart, you will see that . something is missing from your life, for . you know there is More. And yet you have . yet to find it. . . Alternatively, you could choose - as most . forgetful human beings do - to continue . trying to seek Perfection and lasting . Happiness where it cannot ever be found: in . the illusion of this world, and through . repeated birth and death, gain and loss, . pleasure and pain, and suffering, you will . eventually, one day, come to be weary of it . all and you will seek from your thirsting . heart the Truth of Life. Then my words will . make sense to you, but not before, it seems. . . E; . . ****** . . M; . . Who says so? . . ******** . . E: It is self-evident, even by the logic . that I have recently presented. . . Also, all illumined masters have repeated . this fact to humankind historically. . . "All of life in samsara [the phenomenal . universe of time and space] is suffering." - . Buddha. . . In Perfection there is no suffering. Hence . there is no Perfection to be found in time . and space, both of which have been created . and are maintained by ignorance. . . Ignorance creates suffering. Ignorance . created this world of unholiness and death. . And ignorance tries to improve its creation . without ever knowing success. . . How can it be otherwise when ignorance . attempts to improve upon an ignorance-born . creation? . . This is so simple that even a child can . understand it. . . However, try reminding human beings of . these fundamental facts and they won't . believe you! . . Strange world is this! . . Ha ha! . . E; . the . Light. . . ******** . . M; . . Perhaps so, or perhaps our perception of . them is now tainted and we no longer see . the glory of nature as it is. Perhaps we . should ask the tribal shaman inn the jungle . what he sees. . . ******** . . E: I would choose to ask a Christ or a . Buddha over a tribal shaman! . . E; . imperfection. . . ****** . . M; . . I disagree. The only reason for being here . is becase that which is called God, . (consciousness) Caused life to arise in the . first place so that It might find higher . Self expression and knowledge through the . medium of Earthly life, as well as the life . on countless other worlds. By finding God, . we find this purpose of Self expansion and . expression, of which we are a part. . . ******** . . E: False doctrine. . . E;> . . . ****** . . M; . . It already is Divine, since God is in all . places. But on the human level Intent has . gone astray and confusion has set in. Let . us not confuse the folly of humanity with . any folly of the physical itself, for it is . not to blame for our lack of perception. . . ******* . . E: God is no illusion. . . That which passes away is not God, but a . projected perception of ignorance, fallen . mind, unillumined intellect. . . E; . Sacred . Holy. . . ****** . . M; . . I don't know how you define Holy or Unholy, . but these terms seem a bit vague to me. In . any case, it sounds like you're saying that . the unrealized or un-spiritual can never . become otherwise, and I disagree. Anyone . and anything can be transmuted to a higher . and higher form, through right intent and . right action. . . ******** . . E: No, only through divine Grace can it be . done. Else it is just the ego using its . undivine faculties to manipulate an . illusion. And so round and round we go. . . Black magicians work on themselves for many . lifetimes, attain great power (but only in . the illusion) and yet move away from God as . a result. . . E; . . anything . done, . . ****** . . M; . . You must have some personal desires with . relation to this world or you wouldn't . correspond, and you wouldn't still be in a . physical body. . . What if it is the will of God that you get . more involved, and manifest things . psiritual while in physcial form? . . ******* . . E: "Desire is the root of all suffering." - . Buddha. . . E; . a . be . is . . ********* . . M; . . I must confess to having considerable . skepticism regarding these conclusions. As . a scientist as well as a mystic, I do not . consider the physical plane to be the . result of the low thoughts/intentions of . entities. Where is the evidence of such . things? . . E: Faithless intellection will always be . skeptical of these things, for it Sees not. . So, then, ask the intellect: if true Life . existed here in the physical, where and why . did all the wise men go, such as Buddha, . Jesus and Lao Tzu? . . M: Do you think science is therefore . utterly futile, since the physcial has no . existence of its own? What of gravity or . photosynthesis or inerita? . . E: These are all laws of the undivine . universe. . . Come Home and you will see, Matt. . . But in order to begin to even see the Right . Road that leads from darkness to the Realm . of Light, the Realm of Everlasting Truth, . you will have to develop faculties of Sight . beyond your fallen ones, and this may only . be done by the invocation of Grace, which . means, in turn, that all ideas and desires . with regard to this world and your self . must be given up, your cup must be emptied . and you must become like an innocent child . again; innocent to the ways and delusions . of this world that always lead to death and . reincarnation on the wheel. . . . . "Blessed are the pure in heart for they . shall see the Lord." . . This statement is true because the Divine . sees its own pure reflection only within . the purified heart of man. Anything else . is invisible to that which is Perfect; it . is illusory and karmically bound to the . wheel of birth and death in the universe of . freewill, cause and effect. On other words, . anything other than a pure heart is a self- . created dream/illusion rather than a divine . Creation. . . When the heart is pure, God/Reality becomes . visible. And so he who Sees and so comes to . know God is also seen and known by God. . . Every moment passes away, dies, but in . Eternity all is ever present, alive and . beautifully Perfect. . . Everything in the reality of this world . dies, is impermanent. Such is the nature of . time and space. The manifest temporal . universe was created, it began, and so will . be uncreated, and come to an end. . . If we understand this, then we also see . that each moment of this creation must come . and then pass away. Just as lives come and . go, we are on a countdown from the . beginning to end. . . The divine universe, however was never made . manifest, never created, and so does not . pass away, but instead endures forever. . . There are no moments that come and go in . Eternity; no gain and no loss, no duality. . There is only the eternal Now, where the . Bliss of God's Perfection is forever . present. . . This Eternity is mankind's destination and . hos sole purpose for existence, which he . justifies ONLY IN SEEKING IT OUT. Yet we . must be looking where we are going if we . are to arrive there. A focus on the . temporal will certainly not serve to clear . the Path for us. To the contrary ALL SELF- . EFFORT AND WRONG FOCUS CREATES KARMA AND SO . ALSO FURTHER SUFFERING AND DEATH. . . Pay heed to this: . . BEFORE THE END OF EACH CYCLE OF FALLEN . CREATION IN TIME AND SPACE, ALL SOULS MUST . HAVE UNDERGONE TRANSFIGURATION AND SO . RETURNED TO THE DIVINE REALITY. OTHERWISE . THEY WILL REMAIN ON THE WHEEL OF BIRTH AND . DEATH FOR ANOTHER AGE AND WILL HAVE TO . FOREGO THEIR FREEDOM FOR FURTHER COUNTLESS . LIFETIMES OF STRUGGLE IN THE TEMPORAL . UNIVERSE. . . . And the end of this present cycle is for . the Earth-lifewave is now very close. . . That is why you are now being Called... . . . Ed Re: The truth of death and of Life - Jenese James . 27 Dec 2002 01:33 . #188 discussion :) . . Ed you intrige me, your words have a ring . of something in them, and yet.....for . myself I have a different understanding . which I feel to share here. . . First of all, perfection...the word to me . implies a finished state, yet we are . unfolding, our life is not over yet, so . perfection can not be attained untill the . end of life, if the word perfection means . completion. However having said that, . there is a notion that whatever I do is . perfect even if I do something entirely . stupidly..ive done it perfectly stupid but . still perfect in that moment. . . Illiusion . . The illusion to my mind is that people . think life is suffering...desire want etc . create the suffering..so yes I agree with . that. step outside of desire of want and . allow that which is to be....without trying . to change it ....that is something to be . achieved... I was once taught to see things . in context and when I did, I realised that . our world is the way it is this insanity . because yes it is constantly being created . in ignorance. However it dosn't have to be . and thats the reality. its also the . begining of compassion . . I also do not put much stock in the . bible...being female for a start it makes . no sense to me. these are the things that I . have learnt...being female and creating new . life and growing it within my body gives to . me and all woman of consciousness a . different understanding of perfection. . The divine then for me becomes a akin to a . mother's love. However having said that, I . do know that life has no meaning cepting . that which I place on it. for that is . love ..which to me is allowing. . . What we term love here is a watered down . version of what love is. Out of phsycial . reality, which by the way is a valid form . of divinity....love becomes something . different, a higher manifestation if you . like. So we here in physical bodies, have . opportunities to experience love, yet we . have placed certain conditions upon what we . call love. hence we then have conditonal . love..dependent on something...love in its . pure form is dependent on nothing outside . of itself for there is nothing . . however if we look at the physcial . universal symbol of love what do we see ? . . we see a heart, a human heart ! and it is . here that we find one of the most crusial . keys. . . yes in duality, one will always find . opposites, will always be at odds with what . is. However a closer look at opposites . reveal that nothing is truly opposite, each . is part of a whole that without the other . would not work or be useless. . . In the male understanding of life, life is . at odds with itself, humans are at odds . with themselves and the whole thing is open . to exploitation, seperate conquer and . divide. and there is nothing but a father . diety who had one son and through him only . can salvation come. This idea is the . motavating idea that humanity finds itself . in. . . The illusion is that we have created an . unnatural world, that world has come about . through various religious beleifs, taking . us further away from our source. Yes I . agree nature reflects, rather than . represents, life reflects and represents . that which is holy that which is divine. . again I ask you to remeber the symbol of . universal love on this planet. . . I do not beleive in past lives, the wheel . of life death and rebirth, I do not beleive . in gods will as you have conveyed it. I . beleive however that the term gods will has . been distored as has everything ever . written about so called god....the drive . for life that the body has can be said to . be gods will, for the force that motavates . it is god or what some would call the . universal life force energy or whatever . name you chose to place there. . . howeve when you say that trying to change . the world is futile, there is a part of me . that agrees with you, and another that . agrees with matt. . . All I can say for my self is that in . understanding the context in which . everything is happening, then for me that . is the first step, if that context reveals . to me ingorance in understanding then yes, . it would be futile to try and change that . for ignorance will never understand me. so . I then have a choice to stand back and . realise it dosn't have to be this way. that . is compassaion . . I ask you both, what is that you take with . you when you die ? . . for myself the only thing that I can take . with me when i die will be my wisdom, the . accumlated experiences of my life here in . earth. This should be a another key to . both of you. we are not here out of any . malicious attempt to know god, presuming . that god in this converstaion is a divine . energy ...akin to all that is... for we are . already part of god/divinity we have never . been seperated cept in our thinking..our . bleifs. . . I don't beleif we are stuck on the wheel of . life although it appreantly looks like we . are stuck in something, I prefer to think . of it as being stuck in a beleif system, a . religious one that has as one of its many . core tennants, that we are sinful. that . beleif in and of its self is enough to . inspire a beleif in killing. its a deeply . ingrained and often hidden beleif . nonetheless it has been around for eons . overriding the idea that we are . divine...imagine....if the idea that we . were divine was as deep seated in us as the . idea that we are sinful..would we still . turn around and kill one another....life . has very little value when one thinks one . is sinful. hence the way we treat each . other the earth and our children . . this life is sacred, althoug that idea is . not common. . . I beleive every night when we go to sleep . we go to that place where we have come from . and that place where we go to when we die. . therefore, we are very familar with what . will await us at death. again it is . dependent on our beleifs for that is free . will at work to a degree. we have the free . will to choose which idea, which beleif . . Now to address the idea that one cannot . change this world. Its a challenge, buddah . couldn't do it all that happened after . buddah left was a religious order sprang . up, Jesus could not change it ..all that . happened after he was murdered and stuck on . a cross, apperantly...was a religlion . sprang up. Sooooooo why try ? . . all I can do is change my sphere of . influence. The wise sages amongst us, . those who lived before us and those who are . here now no this. They are here, and came . here knowing this very thing. However . their energy remains, and we can tap into . it. Inner peace outer peace. Inner anger . outer anger. . . the world as it is today does not have to . be this way, never had to be this way and . can be changed, however given the patterns . historically that change will not come . about through peacefull means, it will only . come about through attempted anihilation. . Meaning humanity will have to hit the wall . before any type of real change can occur . that is what is happening now. 9/11 was a . wake up call, yet many do not understand . this very thing. however one does have to . step back from it and see it as a work in . progress....for me that means not giving my . energy to anger, to frustration or fear or . any other of those types of emotions. My . only way of 'helping'is to turn my back on . it in full conscious awarness of it seeing . it in context and being peace within, the . vibration of me goes out into the world, . where others can choose to pick up on it or . not ...that is their choice....just as it . has always been, my choice is to choose an . energy that is life affirming, I cannot . spend my time bemoaning life, for then yes, . i will be caught in the illusion and that . is a challenge. . . Once long ago, Ed the female version of . life was celebrated and there was no idle . killing conquering, there was no need, . there were no fortififcations, no need of . weapons. but this part of our history has . been kept from us, replaced by a primitive . evolutionary model that like religion has . served to keep us ignorant. Many sages and . mystics have traversed this plane and all . have left their energy imprint, for us to . choose to tap into. the key is our hearts. . . for we where created in the image of god so . the saying goes, and that image is not the . image of man, it is the image of love the . vibration of love for that is what we are . at our core...the core harmonic of this . physical body was weaved cell by cell by . the vibration of that which we are...love. . incidently did you both know that the first . organ grown in the fetus is the heart ! its . not the brain. the brain will lock you . both into its illusion without the heart . all will be stuck in duality, divide . seperate and conquer. with the heart in . balance with the brain, hormonaly . chemically and electrically a circut is . created and thus we are able to turn on the . higher centres of the mind and enable unity . consciousness which does not see the . seperation that exists in the mind today. . The key then is our hearts, and every . teacher that has ever been has told us that. . . yet our hearts cry out at what we see . unfolding in our world today....and we . feel, sad, angry and all those other . emotions, that is compassion. . . when you see some elderly people bent and . hunched when you see someone dying a slow . lingering death, this is a sympton of a . race who forgot how to dream, who forgot . who they where, and why did they forget, . because the bought into all the religous . doctrines of seperation. they bought into . all the various beleifs systems, and . stopped thinking for themselves....they . also bought into fear, the vibration of . fear, anger grief, guilt will degrade this . body. . . Given that the core harmonic of our bodies . is love then anything outside of that . degrades and degenerates ...hence we grow . old and die the way we do is an abuse of . the body an abuse through ignorance. harsh . words perhaps, but true none the less. . . This body was not designed to grow old and . die the way we do this body was designed . and grown to the vibration of love it was . designed to acend to other frequencies of . experience. . . This whole god thing has got you trapped . and the new age is re hashed religious . dogma as well. each one of us is known by . the energy we give off, meaning the . vibration of that which we are and whatever . vibration we are will determine what we . experience in this coming end times of . change. . . gods will is the wind, the light, the sun . the moon and everything we cannot fathom . for ignorance and it cannot be defined nor . contained in a little fat black book for . those are words of a another time of . ignorance written by one race and imposed . on others through force of might and fear . of death...this is our leagacy and this is . what we are seeing playing out in our world . and this is what every teacher, buddah, . jesus has tried to tell us and for eons . pple have disregarded there words....so now . we watch as yet another war is upon us. . . it will change matt yet you personally can . not change it...together we can effect . change yet as ed says there must be no need . to effect an outcome. for then yes we are . trapped in the illusion of ignorance. . instead we must try and see it in context . and allow it to be....for that is the . ultimate expression of physical . love...allowing...we don't have to agree . with it, just understand it...in that . understanding compassion arises and our . energy goes out for others to choose to . experience or not. . . meanwhile we live the our lives to the best . of our ability and do what we can where we . can for the world is changing always has . changed its just people who have not. . . perhaps next time I will write within the . posts of others, but for now, I just felt . to say my peace. . . I will however ask you both this question . what is the beauty and mystery of life ? . for the answer is THE answer to everything . that you have been debating here, or at . least a big portion of it . . respect . . . . . . Re: Intent/consciousness - Frans weyer . 27 Dec 2002 12:06 . #190 TO ED,MARTIN AND LOUISE and others ofcourse. . . Yes the world can be a perfect place for a . teststation in connecting darkness and . light,sun and moon,yin and yang. . Sure, they were once together,and then split . up in a dualistic world,but to say that we . must only find that former state with . exclusion of the natural laws is to amputate . your own spiritual life. . Otherwise you must believe that there are . two gods,one who made the earth,and one who . made heaven,so to say. . This is the old gnostic belief,a result of . dogmatic dualism. . I think that one must see deeper,beyond that . dualism,see beyond the "earthly God"and . the "heavenly God". . Lets play.. . Frans . . to . practitioners. . please . to . and . they . doing, . how . as . world . changes, . of . my . I . universal . society, . posted . penitentiary, insane asylum, university, . concrete jungle,amazonian jungle,ancient & . modern world,a proving ground for heroes & . warrior's and a garden for the peacfull, all . at the same time, for whatever reason you . find yourself here for, the universe is . perfect, it takes care of itself. Re: The truth of death and of Life - Matthew Webb . 27 Dec 2002 12:57 . #191 Thank you Jenese and Ed for your posts. As . I read them the thought that most occurs is . that finally such things are being . discussed, with passion and depth. The . inner workings and purpose of life is not . something generally spoken of, nor is it . something usually examined. Instead of the . linear, dry and regurgitated studies we . find in public schools/universities, such . exploration is not only more fundamental, . but more relevant to reality. . . I'd very much like to answer each point . that everyone makes, but find that my . correspondence and other writings take up . much time and energy. So forgive me if I'm . somewhat brief on occasion. . . A bit of review; . . M; . . Yet the laws which govern the material . world are permanent and everywhere present. . . ******* . . ******* . . M; . . This goes back once again to viewing the . physical world as unreal, which implies . also that we see everything that happens in . the world as unimportant and without any . bearing on reality. . . My observation of natural laws is that they . apply to all levels of existence from the . physical to the spiritual. This is why . they are called "laws", not in the human . judicial sense of the word, but in the . natural sense that these are the governing . principles of reality. I could quote many . examples, but to name a few; . . 1) INERTIA the act of an object to stay . moving when in motion, or to stay still . when resting. The same may be said of the . soul, whose intentions create inertia, that . have lasting effect, (they tend to stay in . motion. . . 2) KARMA; Like inertia, this natural law . is also a spiritual law. Physical karma may . be seen everywhere in the world today, such . as in the pollution caused by consumerism, . which may well be described as the cause . and effect of greed. Souls, (centers of . consciousness) also experience karma due to . the intent they employ, whether or not they . are in a physical body. . . 3) CONSCIOUNESS IS INTENT, AWARENESS AND . ENERGY The physical body is literally . founded upon intent...not just the intent . of life or of cells, but intent itself. . Intent and the other elements of . consciousness can also be found in the . atom, the molecule, the cell and the a . forest. The physical body is made . of "intent elements" which can be felt and . altered through meditation and other . means. The same is true of the soulic . body, and the same basic processes of self . change in Intent, Awareness and Energy is . true of this body as well. . . 4) GROUP MIND The cells of the physical . body work in tandem with one another . through joint intent, awareness and . energy. In so doing they act as a group . mind, whose potentials are far greater than . the mere sum of its parts. The same may be . accurately said of groups of souls who . align in their purpose and act as a . cohesive body of consciousness, (which by . the way, is what we're "supposed" to do as . human beings on a planet-wide basis, . through love and clarity). . . 5) Other natural laws which are just . as relevant on the physical as in the . spiritual realms are; resonance, . dissonance, telepathic unity, spectrums, . bands, frequencies, radiated psychic . effects, (wave and field propagation) etc, . etc. . . Given these natural laws and the very . pertinent lessons we learn from them . whether or not we are in a physical body. . The physical world has distinct purposes . and . an existence of its own, one that is no . different than what is called "spiritual". . . The indigenous people of the world have . always regarded nature as a place . of "worship" if one could use that word . without bias, where God or Spirit shows . itself in various manifestations. This is . exactly what my experience has taught me, . and also what direct perception reveals. . Having spent the better part of 30 years in . or around the woods, living very close to . nature as I do on a daily basis, I see that . which is called "God" in the creatures and . others forms of the natural world. . . It is very clear to those who would simply . observe, or observe simply, that while in a . forest there is a changing presence of high . vibration, awareness and intent. This . presence is distinctly different in quality . from the downtown of a major city. This . difference is important to notice. It . shows us that although consciousness is . common to both humankind and the natural . world, how it is focused, (intent) is . extremely important. It is exactly intent . which causes the difference in the "vibes" . and concrete outcomes of forest and city. . It is our task to return ourselves to the . spiritual place of regeneration and . manifestation that is the forest, and . ideally, pattern our cities after the . lessons it embodies. . . In the case of human beings at present, we . have forgotten that the natural world is . not only a representation of the Divine and . the spiritual, but that the Divine and the . spiritual runs through its veins as an . inseparable part of the collective natural . being being, (Earth Mind). Ask a tree or a . whale if they have "fallen from grace" and . see what response you will get. They know . nothing of such arbitrary and unnatural . human concepts. Tell a bird or a flower . that they are not real and do not matter . because they die, (or "made from . ignorance") and see if they do not go right . ahead with their lives, without concern for . the self contradictory notions of the . modern world and its religions. . . Along these lines, I'd like to share an . excerpt from one of the WMS articles...The . Earthmind Material, Part 1; . . "Depending on the meditator's state of . consciousness, Earthmind information will . often be gained in extremely compressed . packets, as intuitive flashes. These can . contain enough information in a 60 second . period of contact to comprise an entire . book, so long as one has the ability to . unravel them completely. The difficulty in . effectively receiving information of this . kind, is in its subsequent translation into . words and practical action. Fortunately the . same information may be accessed . repeatedly, and in the slow process of many . years and many Earthmind contacts, I . eventually decoded fundamental portions of . its content. It is made evident through . these excursions into the Planetary Mind, . that information thus given is by no means . random. It is purposeful and directed . Intentionally for specific reasons. . . Those specific reasons are based upon one . primary motive, which in one phrase defines . the very purpose for the existence of . humanity. The evolution of consciousness . is that universal purpose. We as conscious . beings, must embrace this Cosmic Intention, . or else find destruction through our own . misguided works. . . Our true purpose is revealed to be same one . prevalent in all the galaxy. In all places . and times, universal transformation of . form, (evolution) is carried out via the . expansion of consciousness. Our kind is . uniquely poised at this moment in human . history, to act successfully on that true . purpose of life." . . *************** . . M; . . . ****** . I put away childish things? . to positive results, as you appear to do? . . ******** . . M; . . First, I do not consider the physical world . as an illusion, or as a pointless or . deluded manifestation, as I explained. The . analogy of the child playing in the sand . shows that the creative impulses of all . life are important. They create ideal . opportunities for learning and personal . growth, (ideally the expansion of . consciousness) not to mention the fact that . life is the repository of billions of years . of lessons learned. It is from this . natural wisdom that we may draw, and which . actually enhances the soul. . . Life is not a game or plaything, as most . people seem to believe in the modern . world. It is not something to be dismissed . lightly, nor treated with contempt as the . Bible would have us do, (such as the . Biblical teaching that the natural world . exists for us to use as we see fit, as a . gift from God. This is backwards. We are . extensions of the natural world in large . part, and it is our task as spiritual . beings to understand the purposes of life . which is the expansion of consciousness. . THIS is the carrying out of that which is . called the will of God/Consciousness in Its . greater self manifestation). . . Who can realistically say that life does . not exist as an unfolding expression of an . intelligent and purposeful universe? The . experienced meditator will not, to be . certain. Re: Intent/consciousness - Matthew Webb . 27 Dec 2002 15:45 . #192 Dear Frans, . . You've made a very good point here which . the world in general should take notice . of. The God which people speak of is . usually referred to as somehow apart from . themselves, the world and their daily . experience. In fact, the reason they are . so separated from that which is Universal . and true is largely because of such . beliefs, in that God and soul . are "somewhere else" to be sought after but . never found. . . This reminds me of a recent conversation . about God I had with a Jehovah Witness. I . told him that although I admired his . fervent spiritual ministry to get the word . out, there were several points of his . message that I felt were counterproductive . to real spiritual understanding. He had . said that God was not in the world, but was . in fact "in Heaven". I asked him where . this "heaven" was, and he said that could . not be known, but that we could only . have "faith" in such things. I asked him if . he had "faith" in the table we were sitting . at. He thought for a moment and . said "no". I asked "Why not"? He . replied; because it is there in front of . me. I said, "Yes, in other words it is . obvious...no faith is needed only the . clarity of direct perception. This is why . I have no faith in God...I know God is all . around, (I spoke of consciousness and . meditation). I told him that my perception . of God is similar to the saying "split a . piece of wood and I am there, lift a stone . and you shall find me". . . That implies the Divine in the physical . world too, of course. . . ******** . . ofcourse. . split . amputate . who . that . peace . in . below; . may . prosperity? . I . the . Bible . written . from . by "paradise". . social . human . create . for . be . somehow . true . represented . stepping . Divine . real . of . it . in, "like . things . else . and . are . I . who . When . tend . to . death. . age . all Re: The truth of death and of Life - Matthew Webb . 27 Dec 2002 16:19 . #193 Dear Jenese, . . Your post is a very thoughtful and . discerning discourse, and I want to give it . the attention it is due. But many of the . thoughts you provide are complete in . themselves, and seem to need no more . comment. Never the less... . . ************** . . J; . . . ******* . . M; . . I agree with your tome here. I say even God . is evolving, and will never be "perfect" . since there is no such thing. Is a perfect . God interested in imperfect affairs? My . essential question regarding so- . called "perfetion" is; What single thing . or system, idea or structure (even God) is . it that cannot be improved? In fact, is . not this endless improvement the whole . purpose behind the evolutionary process, . here and on countless other planets? One . could say that the single celled organism . is "perfect" for what it is, yet it is also . true that more sophisticated and advanced . forms of action/expression are possible . with more advanced forms of life. To me, . life represents an intellignet universe . expressing itself in more and more . sophisticated ways. Beyond this, it is the . Consciousness of the universe experiencing . Itself through the agency of matter, in . increasing sophisticated and advanced ways, . thereby beoming more than it was. This is . what I call, in short, "the evolution of . God" (through matter). If God . were "perfect" (whatever that might mean) . then what is the point of creating . a "imperfect" world, or for souls to . incarnate in bodies to start with? . . ******** . . J; . trying . things . . ******* . . M; . . Yes, I agree. To say otherwise is to deny . our responsibility for our actions in life, . placing all emphasis upon our future . doings. In my experience, spiritual and . social gains are always made in the . present, and they always will be. . . ******* . . J; . . open . . ******** . . M; . . That is a compelling argument and no doubt . very true. But I'm not sure I would place . the burden of human folly squarely on the . male shoulders, but rather, on the socially . assigned roles which are created for males . and females in human affairs. Strip away . social conditioning and you'll find a . universality of male and female regardless . of biological functions. . . ************ . . J; . . . ********* . . M; . . I say that in life or physical death what . is preserved is the wisdom as you . mentioned, gained from living experience. . Also maintained is the intent, awareness . and energy which compose the soul, and . which even now allows the reading of these . words. Consciousness is intrinsic to . existence and allows "thinking/knowing", . (and not just the physical brain that is . but a tool of consciousness on this . physical plane). . . ****** . . J; . . ...imagine....if the idea that we . the . . this life is sacred, although that idea is . . ****** . . M; . . Well said. The story of history speaks . volumes in favor of what you've just said. . . ******* . . J; . . buddah . on . are . . *********** . . M; . . Yes, the first and foremost step for world . change is personal change. . . Buddha and Christ did not fail..humanity . has failed. This only shows that although . you can present Cosmic wisdom and even . miraculous demonstrations of that . knowledge, that this is no guarantee such . information will be applied by the . listener. This fact goes to motive, and in . the case of the modern world, people are . not motivated toward right spiritual action . because they are too distracted and deluded . by consumeristic values. I also think . you're exactly right in what you said about . this world needing crisis of great . magnitude, because that is one of the few . things which will wake people up and get . their attention focused upon what really . matters in life, (as opposed to "achieving . your financial goals" and "$1000 cash . back"). . . ********** . . J; . . ************ . . M; . . The beauty of life is its depth of pasion, . of feeling in love and in its ability to . express natural joy and creative . transcendance. The "mystery" is . consciousness and how that consciousness is . the basis for ourselves, our kind and the . natural world as One. . . Animal consciousness - Ed Pabaue . 27 Dec 2002 22:43 . #194 Thanks for the learned appraisals, Matt. . . By the way, whales and birds are not able . to become enlightened. They are not . thinking creatures in the same way as man . is, they cannot attain Christ Consciousness. . . Therefore to ask them about the reason for . the suffering of all beings on Earth and . about the destination and goal of all . impermanent life-forms would be akin to . interrogating a worm about the life of a . lion! . . Whales and birds suffer, as does all fallen . life, but they do not know why, and neither . are they able to do anything about it. . Whereas man has a consciousness that may . come to understand the nature of the fallen . universe and so consciously choose to . transcend it together with all suffering, . and so return to Perfection. . . Mankind is the way out of suffering for all . the subhuman kingdoms. Mankind is supposed . to be the bridge between the lower kingdoms . of nature and the Supreme. . . But man has got lost and forgotten his . primary function and purpose. Hence the . state of society today. . . This highest purpose of man is what all . Avatars have demonstrated in their lives, . and they could not have done this in an . animal body. . . It seems to me to be of the order of . devolution or retrogression for man to . consider applying the ways of the animal or . nature kingdoms in his own field of . consciousness. . . The kingdoms are quite disimilar by nature . and function. . . Ed What is ignorance? - Ed Pabaue . 27 Dec 2002 23:00 . #195 Here the Tibetan Master succinctly sums up . what I have been attempting to convey in my . own clumsy way: the nature of the . impermanent, fallen, unholy universe vs the . Perfect divine Universe, a return to which . is the Goal of all suffering life. . . To RETURN to true Life, not to try to find . Life by improving on the fallen world. . . Ed . . . The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 2 - The . Steps to Union . . by Djwhal Khul . . . 5. Avidya is the condition of confusing the . permanent, pure, blissful and the . Self, with that which is impermanent, . impure, painful and the not-self. . This condition of ignorance, or the "state . of avidya" is characteristic of all . those who as yet do not discriminate . between the real and unreal, between death . and immortality, and between light and . darkness. It governs, therefore, life in . the three worlds, for the correspondence . between [132] avidya on the physical . plane as experienced by man in incarnation . is to be found on all planes. It is . a limitation of Spirit itself and a . necessary corollary of form-taking. The . spiritual unit is born blind and senseless. . It comes into form at the beginning . of the ages and cycles of rebirth in a . state of total unawareness. It has to . become aware of that which is around it; to . do this it has first to develop the . senses whereby contact and awareness become . possible. The method and process . through which the human being has evolved . five senses or avenues of approach to . the not-self are well known and any . standard physiological text book can supply . the needed information. Three factors must . be borne in mind in connection with . the spiritual unit: . . 1.. The senses have to be evolved, . 2.. Their recognition and use must follow, . 3.. A period succeeds wherein the spiritual . man utilizes the senses in the . fulfilment of his desire, and in so doing . identifies himself with his apparatus . of manifestation. . . He is doubly blind, for he is not only born . blind and senseless but he is . mentally blinded also, and does not see . himself or things as they are but makes . the mistake of regarding himself as the . material form, and this he does for . many cycles. He has no sense of values or . of proportion but looks upon the . transient, suffering, unclean, material, . lower man (his three sheaths in their . totality) as himself, the reality, He . cannot dissociate himself from his forms. . The senses are part of the forms; they are . not the spiritual man, the [133] . dweller in the form. They are part of the . not-self and the medium of its . contact with the planetary not-self. . . Through discrimination and dispassion the . self, who is permanent, pure, and . blissful, can eventually dissociate itself . from the not- self which is . impermanent, impure, and full of pain. When . this is not realized, the man is in . a condition of avidya. When it is in . process of accomplishment, the man is a . follower of vidya or knowledge, a fourfold . path. When the soul is known as it . is and the not-self is relegated to its . rightful place as a sheath, vehicle or . implement, then knowledge itself is . transcended and the knower stands alone. . . This is liberation and the goal. Exegesis - Ed Pabaue . 28 Dec 2002 07:49 . #196 Here is a little esoteric fact that you may . not have considered; indeed, which the . majority of human beings in incarnation on . Earth have actually not yet considered. . However, the absence of such knowledge . contributes in no small way to the . imprisonment of consciousness at this level. . . Read, enjoy, tremble and REMEMBER! . . Ed . . . Exegesis . by Philip K. Dick . c.1978 . . The belief that we are pluriforms of God . voluntarily descended to this prison world, . voluntarily losing our memory, identity and . supernatural powers (faculties), all of . which can be regained through anamnesis . (or, sometimes, the mystical conjunction), . is one of the most radical religious views . known in the West. But it is known. It is . regarded as the Great Blasphemy: . replication of the original sin mentioned . in the First Book of Adam and Eve and in . Genesis. For this pride and aspiration (we . are told by orthodoxy) our original fall . and exile and punishment, our being taken . from our home the gardenland and put into . the prison, was inflicted on us. "They wish . to be equal to - like - us," the Elohim . say, and toss us down. Yet I have reason to . believe that this, "the Great Satanic . Blasphemy," is true. . . First, we are here voluntarily. We did not . sin and we were not punished; we elected to . descend. Why? To infuse the divine into the . lowest strata of creation in order to halt . its decomposing - the sinking of its lower . realm. This points to a primordial crisis . in creation in the total macrocosm. The yin . part was splitting away from the yang. In . conventional terms, heaven (upper realm) . and earth (lower realm) were separating, . carrying the lives within the lower away . from their upper counterparts (this can be . viewed as the Godhead itself falling apart, . into its yang and yin two halves, with the . lower form universe as God expressed . physically in time and space). The solution . was for the divine (yang, light) to follow . the lower realm down, permeating it and . thus reuniting the cosmos into one . totality. To do this, elements (in ancient . terms, sparks) of light advanced . (descended) into the dark kingdom, the . immutable prison world; upon doing so they . shed (and knew they would shed) their . bright nature, memory, identity, faculties, . and powers, and fell under the dominion of . the delusion that the dark kingdom is real . (which when severed from the upper realm it . is not; i.e. the world we presently live in . doesn't exist). There they have lived as . prisoners of the master magician, lord of . the dark realm who poses as the creator . (and who may not know of the light god, the . true creator, his other half). But the . light god and his pluriforms, the . descending (invading) sparks, have . cunningly distributed clues in the dark . realm to recall to the drugged and . intoxicated sparks of light their true . nature and mission (and true source of . home). Upon encountering these cryptic . clues the forgetful sparks of the upper . realm, now prisoners in and of the lower . realm, remember, regain their powers and . faculties, and link back up with the upper . realm and the light god; they are the light . god in pluriform, his way of invading the . lower realm in disguise. The light god (the . divine) has now crucially occupied critical . stations in the sinking lower realm, and . begins the reannexing of it back into the . totality composed of both realms. The . sinking ceases; the master magician is . stripped of his autonomy and assimilated to . the yang part of the Godhead as its passive . counterpart, and once more there is one . macrocosm ruled by the yang or active . (creative) light god assisted by the now . receptive yin (dark) side. The divine has . triumphed at all levels; the prison is . burst, and the vast, light-filled garden . kingdom restored as the home of all . creatures. These now whole creatures, . composed equally of yin and yang, are what . I term homoplasmates: The yin part is home . (as we know ourselves to be now, only), and . the light or yang part is the plasmate or . energy part (vs. the physical). Thus . renewed and complete microcosms mirroring . the renewed and complete macrocosm are . achieved. Reality is imparted to the . otherwise irreal lower realm, and the upper . realm now extends physically into the realm . of matter. The integrity of the Godhead is . restored; its two halves function in . harmony; and the primordial split (or . crisis) is resolved - healed. Suggestions for eternal joy - Ed Pabaue . 28 Dec 2002 09:41 . #197 I'm a bit conscious of 'taking over' this . board lately, but I just had to post this . from another forum: . . Ed . . . From one of the many 'new teachers' in the . world today: . . 1. Seek joy--first and foremost. . 2. Seek reasons to laugh. . 3. Seek reasons to offer words of praise-- . to self and others. . 4. Seek beauty in nature, beasts and other . humans. . 5. Seek reasons to love. In other words--in . every segment of every . day--look for something that brings forth . within you a feeling . of love. . 6. Seek that which uplifts you. . 7. Seek opportunity to offer that which . uplifts another. . 8. Seek a feeling of well-being. . 9. Know that your value can only be . measured in terms of joy. . 10. Acknowledge your absolute freedom to do . any of these things or . not to do any of these things--for it is, . without exception, your . choice in every moment of every day. . . That is the recipe for eternal joy. . . Judith. . . . Response from one of the Sane people in the . world today: . . Sounds as if Abe is all about encouraging . seeking for the self. Seeking joy, . pleasure, upliftment, well being and praise . for the self. . . And according to you, Judith, this is a . recipe for experiencing something eternal . in this life. But how may temporal beings . experience anything eternal within a realm . of impermanence? . . What folly is this? . . Lifetime after lifetime, man incarnates and . grasps for lasting happiness for himself in . a world where nothing lasts. . . Eon after eon he foolishly seeks to find . everlasting satisfaction by grasping for . and becoming attached to that which is . transient within this ever shifting . dualistic realm of polarities. . . An expectation of experiencing ‘eternal . joy’ in this dimension is like an . expectation that the high tide of the ocean . will remain high forever and never recede . back out to low tide. Such ebbing and . flowing is inherent here-everything in this . world is ephemeral. As the self grasps to . hold onto one aspect of duality for . itself, energetic tethers are formed that . create a binding. Such attachments are the . stuff of karma and they generate a charge . that polarizes us to the swinging pendulum . of duality. And just like the shifting . tides, we shall ever eventually be drawn . back to the other pole as long as we remain . attached through our clinging for self. . Through our selfish desires and attachments . we are continually drawn back and forth . through life, swinging between joy and . sorrow, happiness and sadness, pleasure and . pain, feeling uplifted and feeling . downtrodden. Such is the nature of . suffering, for as the Buddha said, "All . attachment leads to suffering". . . This seeking for self is no recipe for . eternal joy, Judith, but rather a formula . for remaining bound to this realm of . suffering on the karmic wheel of birth and . death. . . As long as we seek anything for the self, . we will continue to generate cords that . bind us, and so remain caught up within the . illusion of duality, blinded to and veiled . from That which is transcendent of the . illusion. Only in ceasing to seek for self . may our desirous attachments to this world . begin to be relinquished, and the . polarizing charge created by our selfish . graspings neutralized. Such selfless . surrender facilitates an energetic . disengagement from duality. . . When we have had our fill of lifetime after . lifetime of suffering, when we are truly . done with the ever shifting tides of . duality and realize there is no everlasting . joy to be known within it, only then shall . we be prepared to surrender our self . seeking ways and begin instead to seek the . Divine Kingdom-the Eternal Kingdom not of . this world. . . The only suggestion on this list that has . any real merit whatsoever is #7 (and even . it could be misconstrued through selfish . focus). Indeed, such a selfless attitude is . the key to Liberation itself. For in . selflessly offering one’s life, one’s being . and one’s vessel up to God to serve as a . clear instrument through which Divine Truth . may be transmitted to another, the self may . be forgotten and one’s selfish focus . dissolved. This is the essence of the Path . of Deliverance, which has ever been . demonstrated by those who have come to show . the Way. . . The rest of the suggestions on this list . are for the selfish. They serve only the . ego and following them shall truly offer no . everlasting joy to anyone. If you wish to . remain bound to duality for yet further . incarnations upon the wheel of suffering, . then continue to do as Abe and Judith . suggest here; continue to seek lasting . satisfaction for the self that can never be . found upon that wheel. Keep on seeking in . this self-serving fashion until the utter . futility of it all becomes absolutely . unbearable. . . And when the fruitlessness of such self . seeking becomes readily apparent, perhaps . it will be time to: . . Seek the Divine Truth . . Seek the Eternal Kingdom . . Seek to surrender one's self and sublimate . personal will to Divine Will . . Seek to offer one-self in service to . Divinity and the soul of mankind . . sophie . . Re: Suggestions for eternal joy - Matthew Webb . 28 Dec 2002 13:05 . #198 Dear Ed, . . Please don't be concerned about any . thoughts of "taking over" the forum or . anything like that. After all, look how . many excellent points have thus far been . brought forward through our discussion . here, and into which many are drawn to . participate. . . The central agreement which we have, and . which is one of the most important points . to which the individual may realize in . life, is that spiritual focus is by far the . most relevant in our daily existence. Of . this we all seem to agree, and for this . reason we all have an enormous opportunity . for mutual action and understanding. . . Along the lines we have been discussing, . this excerpt from the Perpetual Raising . series Part 3 is clarifying. I'll let it . speak for itself for now, and if anyone . would like to discuss its content, I'd be . glad to. Also, if there is any specific . point or points you'd like to further . debate/examine in greater detail, (such as . what is in your last posts) please let me . know. . . Matthew . . ******* . . The Perpetual Raising . (Part 3 of 5) . . . The body is an instrument through which we . interact with the physical plane, as souls . or conscious beings. As we refine this . instrument through meditation, and ideally . with pure foods and sufficient exercise, . the body becomes, "a spiritual temple" for . Divine expression as well. Our physical . form is a repository of our life . experiences, and it is these experiences . which bring about the needed lessons for . soulic growth. An excellent approach to . spiritual growth is to Intentionally treat . the body and this current life, as an . opportunity for adventure into higher . consciousness. By cultivating greater inner . awareness, we actively participate in our . own evolutionary process, as well as the . true progress of our species. A spiritually . progressive focus upon the body is an ideal . route for achieving these Cosmic ends. The . feelings within the cells indicate an . enormous amount of important information to . us. These can be acted upon and changed at . will. Thus, we can change our state of . consciousness at will, and rise toward . higher and higher levels of enlightenment, . through this apparently simple medium of . the physical form. Through the feelings in . the body we can become aware of the Intents . which underlie them, and the universe in . general. It is this Intent Itself which is . primarily responsible for everything which . transpires in the self and the world.. . . The meditator eventually succeeds in . converting the Intent elements in the body . to progressively higher degrees of clarity, . love and energy. In so doing their overall . level of consciousness continues to expand. . By using the Intent of Perpetual Raising . throughout the body, (through a body-wide . awareness focus) we may accelerate this . process greatly. As the meditator uses this . body-wide Intent of perpetual raising, . towards higher and higher levels of . consciousness, they eventually come to a . major spiritual threshold. This is a level . where, both the body and the world are . directly perceived, (Seen) in a state of . Unity. In this state the universality of . consciousness is REALIZED. Another way of . saying this is that the body and the planet . as a whole, are perceived as group minds. . From this realization of "unity . consciousness", another fact becomes . apparent. We See that there exists an . interface between the self and the World. . This interface is psychic in nature, and . functions as a two way, mutual feedback- . loop from the environment to the . individual, and from the individual to the . environment. To observe and to objectively . know this interface is to REALIZE the . natural principle of Karma, and its . continuous functioning. Thus we come to . know the deep meaning of cause and effect. . We learn that the human being is both . causing world and personal events, and is . in turn effected by these in profound ways. . When we employ the Intent of perpetual . raising, (of consciousness) both within the . body/soul and externally in the World Mind, . we are then involved in CREATING SPIRITUAL . CAUSE, for the welfare of all beings. This . is also known as "improving ones’ karma". . When we Intentionally radiate progressive . states of consciousness to the world, we . become analogous to "spiritual . transmitters" of love and clarity. The . following table makes this more clear, . through an analogy of the human nervous . system to radio propagation; . . [note that this table did not transfer . properly] . . RADIO TECHNOLOGY HUMAN . BODY/CONSCIOUSNESS EQUIVALENT . . Antenna The spine/nervous system/chakras . . Frequency of broadcast Feeling/type of . emotion . . Frequency tuner (to various stations) The . specific focus of Awareness . . Electricity powering the broadcast . Energy/chi . . Content of broadcast (music, information, . entertainment, etc.) . Thought/emotion/mood/imagery . Governing purpose of broadcast Type of . Intent . . Various broadcasting bands (AM/FM/VHF/UHF . etc.) Mindstates, different levels of . Consciousness . . Many stations broadcasting on a variety of . frequencies and bands Individuals and . groups of individuals of different . Intentions, radiating their internal states . to the surrounding community/world . . The employment of the Intent of perpetual . raising, also eventually results in a . second major threshold. Upon reaching this . threshold, the practitioner realizes that, . the purpose of all life is the raising of . consciousness. This is the purpose for . which we have been cultivated, by the Earth . Mind, (Gaia/local presence of God). The . long biological process of eons has been . called evolution by science, but unlike . traditional views, it is clearly NOT a . purely mechanical or chance process. . Evolution is a purposeful process that is . still unfolding. Evolution is guided even . now, as it always has been, by the presence . of Universal Consciousness. Physical . systems are merely the reflections of . spiritual/natural Law. It is the spiritual . which causes the material, NOT the material . which causes the spiritual. The processes . of nature demonstrate intelligent design, . of which we are a part. When we become . attuned to this design, (to natural laws) . we may then participate actively in the . process of our own evolution, so long as we . hold a spiritual focus. . The purpose of life is the raising of . consciousness, of which we are composed. . This Universal Aim is not of our own . making, but is a reflection of the Intent . of that which is known as God. It is the . Intent of God to Manifest Itself in the . highest possible forms, into the matrix of . atoms, everywhere upon the physical plane. . God does this so as to express Itself . there, and improve Its own nature even . further. Thus, we are manifestations of the . Intent of God, to evolve Itself through the . agency of matter. Our own motivation to . grow, expand and evolve, is a reflection of . the Divine Intent to do the very same . thing. We are an outgrowth of the Evolution . of God. To employ the Intent of perpetual . raising, is therefore to act in accordance . with the purposes of natural law. To put . this another way, it is to act in accord . with the will of God to evolve. When we . recognize this Truth, we then become the . agents of Divine Intention, and also . catalysts for the furtherance of human . evolution. The acceleration of human . consciousness, results also in the . furtherance of the evolution of the Earth . Mind/Noosphere, or planetary consciousness . in general. . . . . in . do . the . praise . and . in . ocean . this . remain . attachments . and . the . after . everlasting . is . being . Truth . may . show . no . be Re: Animal consciousness - Louis Mignacca . 28 Dec 2002 17:21 . #199 Hey Ed, From a Shamanistic point of view, it seems that there are animals that are much more spiritualy evolved than most humans, and the plant kingdom is even more highly evolved, Christ consciousness?, I once heard Christ was a mushroom. Astrology - Ed Pabaue . 28 Dec 2002 20:23 . #200 Here is an exchange between and awakened . individual and a person who is attached to . helping people and the world by way of . astrology. . . There are many parallels in the discussion . to improving the world by way of . meditations on world-peace and the like. . . Those who seek the Truth will find it most . edifying. . . Ed the edifier . . . A DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE ROSICRUCIAN . FELLOWSHIP (RF), USA AND A SANE INDIVIDUAL . (TG) . . . TG: I wonder if you have considered the . following: . . "The astrological sciences as 'understood*' . and practised by unenlightened mankind . influence only the planes and sub-planes of . the corresponding undivine spheres . (including the lower vehicles of man). . Therefore, we may rightly aver that . commonplace astrology is a fallen science . and so of no moment whatsoever to the soul. . There are many black magicians who are . masters of astrology and full of impressive . insight for the personal self, but never . for the soul. However, as above, so below: . there is another Astrology just as there is . another divine Kingdom. Yet perhaps we . should wait until after transfiguration . before we venture to discuss that!" - From . our archives. . . * Note the word 'understanding' . or 'standing under' as opposed . to 'overstanding'. . . RF: Through experience and practice we know . that spiritual astrology works. And as with . any tool, it can be used to heal or to . harm. The choice is up to the individual . practitioner. . . TG: I am keen to take up this thread with . you. It may be we have something for one . another in this jigsaw of life. . . What is it that 'works'? . . RF: Character analysis using one's natal . chart. . . TG: Thanks. . . So astrology 'works' as far as interpreting . a person's temporary character in space and . time? . . Is that correct, and is that all? . . If so, then am I correct in stating that . astrology does not assist in one's . Liberation, which is the sole purpose of . human incarnation according to the Avatars, . masters, saints and Classical Rosicrucians? . . And if the above statement is also correct, . then might not astrology be another one of . the multifarious distractions from the . straight and narrow Path? . . . THE LORD BUDDHA WAS ONCE STAYING IN A . FOREST IN Kosambi, India where he took a . few leaves into his hand, and asked of his . disciples “What do you think, O bhikkus? . Which is more - these few leaves in my hand . or the leaves in the forest over there?” . . “Sir, very few are the leaves in the hand . of the Blessed One,” a disciple . replied, “but indeed the leaves in the . forest over there are very much more . abundant.” . . The Buddha continued, “Even so, bhikkus, of . what is known to me I have told you only a . little; what I have not told you is very . much more. And why have I not told you . these things? Because they are not useful, . they are not fundamentally connected with . the spiritual holy life, and will not lead . you to Nirvana. That is why I have not told . you these things.” . . . I look forward to your comments. . . RF: Temporary? It is permanent (the . tendencies are, from life to life) until . the person decides to use his will to . change his character. . . TG: I appreciate your responsiveness and . this purposeful enquiry/intercourse. . . May I posit that there is nothing . whatsoever permanent about the . personality/character which, in being born, . must ever die. All Gnosis* (which was also . the Path of the Classical Rosicrucians) . avers that the personality is but temporal, . that is to say it is: i) of, relating to, . or limited by time; ii) of or relating to . the material world, worldly; iii) lasting . only for a time, not eternal, passing. The . personality is a fleeting and so . impermanent vehicle of the soul, utilised . only for the soul's attempt at the . resolution of karma in the lower worlds of . illusion (Maya - Sanskrit; Samsara - Pali). . . * Gnosis, also called the Ancient Wisdom, . is the foundation of all true Religion. . . Perhaps you are not aware but both space . and time are 'illusions' when compared to . divine Reality, to which every . unenlightened human being must eventually . return in order to become Free. The Buddha, . for example, warned his monks not to get . attached to anything of the illusion. The . Buddha did not teach astrology, neither did . Jesus or the Classical Rosicrucians. . . 'What is focussed upon grows/energy follows . thought' is a universal law. Therefore, if . we would intelligently expedite our . inevitable journey Homeward surely we will . want to be looking in the right Direction, . and ONLY in the right Direction - Godward, . and not at the illusory personality or at . anything to do with it. To focus on . ANYTHING of the undivine or 'fallen' . kingdom as it has been called (that is, the . world that Jesus' Kingdom was not of) . including the temporal, separative . personality, which ever rises and passes . away, is to delay that necessary journey . and so remain longer in the undivine . kingdom where everything is constantly . dying and so producing pain and suffering. . Therefore any undivine science - including . astrology - does not lead one towards the . sole Purpose of incarnation, although, of . course, it may be a useful tool to ease . one's personal passage while in the . illusion. . . . RF: It can be much more - vocational . analysis, relationship compatibility . determination, counseling, child-raising, . health, virtually any and all things. . . TG: Again, all these things are of no real . interest to the Homeward-bound soul, and . therefore constitute a distraction from . divine Purpose with which all souls using . the temporary personality are pre-eminently . concerned. . . astrology does not assist in one's . Liberation, which is the sole purpose of . human incarnation according to the Avatars, . masters, saints and Classical Rosicrucians? . . RF: It does assist if people would use . astrology as a roadmap to help them use . their strengths (sometimes hidden) to . overcome their weaknesses (hidden or . known), the things that hold them back. . . TG: This may be good and helpful. However, . self-will can never Liberate. Self-will is . precisely that which originally got . humanity and its planet into the confused, . unholy turmoil and chaos that it is in . today. Self-will - not Divine Will - was . the cause of the 'Fall of Man'. Therefore, . self-will must be reversed and transmuted . into Divine Will in order to go the Path of . Return. "Thy Will, not mine, be done." - . Jesus the Christ. . . Do you see, then, how so many people, . becoming enamoured with lesser erudition . such as astrology and also with the self . which astrology addresses, may entangle . themselves with methodologies which will . NEVER lead to Liberation? Why not instead . rest on the innate Wisdom and Insight of . the immanent divine Soul itself? For the . Soul within knows more than astrology can . ever convey about the Truth, which is . divine and so is permanent. . . The Buddha said "This do I teach - that all . of life [in Samsara/illusion] is suffering; . that there is a way out of suffering, and . the Way out of suffering. This do I teach." . . Again may I restate that the Buddha never . taught astrology, neither has any genuine . Gnostic Order (e.g., the Essenes, the . Cathars, the Classical Rosicrucians, etc.) . or bona fide Mystery School. Have you ever . considered why? . . Astrology is one of the infinite material- . world diversions from the True Path of . Return. By calling yourselves 'The . Rosicrucian Fellowship' one might assume . that you deem to be Rosicrucians in the . authentic sense and that you will, . therefore, be treading the same Path as the . original Rosicrucians; the same Path . traversed by all the other true Gnostic . groups and individuals throughout history. . These aware candidates for Glory all walked . the One True Path which was marked out for . them by every true saint, master and Avatar . before them. Astrology was never used by . these advanced aspirants, for they . understood the difference between illusion . and Reality, and such discrimination is . essential before one may embark upon the . Lighted Way. . . . Should you wish to continue this worthy . exchange with an open, enquiring attitude . of true seeking and fellowship for the . purpose of illumination and world service, . we would be most happy to walk with you. . . We remain at your service. . . . whatsoever permanent about the . personality/character which, in being born, . must ever die. . . RF: Yes, but the Spirit takes all the . different personalities/character it has . taken and carries that with it forever, . with the changes that are made along the . way. . . TG: Not so. Nothing that is undivine can . ever become one with that which is Divine; . the two are mutually incompatible, like oil . and water. However, in our present analogy . the oil will ever sink to the bottom while . the 'Living Waters' remain in divine . spheres above. Personality/character must . die before Divinity can appear, for . Divinity is IMPERSONAL, as, of course, is . divine Love. This is why the Hindu yogis . etc. who strive after Liberation in God . speak of the necessity of ego-DEATH. "God . is no respecter of personalities." . Therefore, neither does God respect . astrology. . . Can you imagine how corrupted Spirit would . eventually become if it continually . accepted into itself anything of the . fallen, imperfect personality? The nature . of Divinity is PERFECTION. That which is . imperfect can never be taken on by that . which is Perfect and vice versa, else the . Perfect would become tainted by the . imperfect and perhaps even God would . ultimately become evil, which, of course, . is quite impossible. For God is Wise, nay, . God is Wisdom Itself! . . As you surely recognise, evil readily . spreads like a cancer under the right . ('wrong') conditions, and this has been . adequately demonstrated on this planet (as . well as many others) throughout history. In . order to contain evil, in order to prevent . it from spreading into the Omniverse, . Divinity sets apart a kingdom . or 'quarantined' sphere, if you will, for . its karmic resolution. Nothing in that . undivine kingdom is ever permitted to merge . with the Divine. Atlantis, for example, was . destroyed (recycled) by the Will of God . (the Solar Logos) because its cancerous . condition became too advanced and therefore . threatened the fundamental stability of . planet Earth, which is, for your . information, the correspondence of the . throat chakra of the Solar Deity "in Whom . we live and move and have our being". It is . at such times* that . unrepentant/untransfigured lives are . necessarily subjected to the astral Fire of . purgation in order that all excess impurity . may be burned up. The Christians have named . this occult reality: Hell or Purgatory; the . Greeks called it Hades; the Buddhists name . it Avicchi. What is burned up by the astral . Fire cannot further contaminate, but if it . were not ultimately purified through divine . Fire, then the planet would eventually . implode and be destroyed, since evil always . turns in on itself. This happened long ago . with a planet called Maldek in this solar . system. However, methinks that the Solar . Deity would not like His throat chakra . destroyed! The Earth is obviously more . important - even vital - to the Solar . Logos than Maldek was. Thus Earth must and . will be saved despite humanity's ignorant, . parasitic activities, hence the long- . prophecied global cleansing or Apocalypse . which will ensue in these, our times. . . * And we have again arrived at such a time . of advanced contamination - near-saturation . of evil/ignorance - on Earth today, the end . of a major world cycle. . . The Greek word Apocalpyse generally . translates as 'the final conflict between . the forces of good and evil'. The word . Armageddon means 'the final VICTORY of . Light over darkness. Therefore, these words . proclaim but a necessary fulfilment of the . Will of God, and only the ferf:ul and . ignorant "I" fears their reality, for, just . like before, all unintegrated "I's" will be . recycled at the 'Time of Judgement'. . Astrology has no say in any of this, and . neither does it mark out the Path that . leads to safety (Liberation). Better then . to become I-less NOW and allow the 'I' to . die than wait for the cataclysm, wouldn't . you say? . . Your above comment "the Spirit takes all . the different personalities/character it . has taken and carries that with it . forever..." demonstrates your non- . understanding of the Gnosis and, therefore, . also of the teachings of the original . Rosicrucians, which your group implies by . its name that it comprehends and lives by. . Such misunderstanding is most common upon . Earth, for as we say in the introduction to . our Gnostic commentaries: "We wonder if, . like ourselves, and even after extensive . study of writings proclaiming to be a . presentation of the Ancient Wisdom; after . much due reflection and contemplation, you . may retain a sense that there is more; that . there is something missing, something . elusive which is not given in the vast . majority of spiritual, occult, esoteric, . religious and New Age books that are . readily available today? We wonder if you . may have yet realised that something vital . has been lost or become very obscured in . the majority of the written presentations . of those religions that still exist and are . practised today; something essential which . is also markedly absent from the vast . majority of so-called spiritual teachings . that are presently being given out in the . world (a very large number indeed!)." . . the Classical Rosicrucians) avers that the . personality and everything of it is but . temporal. . . RF: Yes, but the essence of it is distilled . into our Spirits. . . TG: Not so, but it is evident how you, too, . like so many earnest seekers have been . fooled by today's compromised and oft . deliberately-distorted spiritual/religious . teachings, and that is why you are not yet . enlightened, for what we believe becomes . a 'reality' for us in the illusion, thus . preventing our Liberation into the Real. . This phenomena (not noumena which is . Eternal, Divine and so Real) unfolds under . the Law of Free Will which basically . rules: 'If you believe in and identify with . a separate self, then evil, pain and . suffering will be the result, whether you . use astrology or not, for the self is an . illusion, not True. However, if, having . fallen from Grace, you choose to realign . yourself once again with Divine Will, you . may return to God's Perfection'. . . WHERE THERE IS AN 'I' THERE IS A LIE. Thus . so, astrologers fool themselves and others . when they deem that they can truly help . souls Return by way of their methods. . Astrologers fumble in the dark with regard . to the soul's purpose because they can only . address the multifarious illusions that . exist for the mirage, the chimera that is . the personality-self. . . The 'essence' to which you refer is not . required by Divinity, for Divinity is . already Essentially Perfect. How could it . be otherwise? What is actually happening . with regard to the 'fields of darkness' . (which are OUTSIDE "My Father's Kingdom", . the Divine World) is that the EXPERIMENT IN . FREE WILL is being patiently observed by . the Divine Spirit, as it were, like the . dream-movie of undivine creation that it is . (created by ignorance). God is simply . waiting for his Prodigal Son to CHOOSE to . look in the right Direction (away from . every single ignorance-born illusion, . including and especially the self) and so . to return to the Divine Kingdom from which . he fell so very long ago. "God says 'So . long have you been distracted with the toys . in my playground. Come Home, my children, . come Home!'" - Paramahansa Yogananda. . . The only reason that Avatars etc. take up a . temporary personality and so incarnate into . the fields of darkness is to remind the . fallen lives there of what they have . forgotten and so assist them in leaving the . undivine planes in order to return Home. . . Have you studied the Fama Fraternitatis . R.C., the 'Message from the Brotherhood of . the Most Laudable Order of the Rosy Cross, . addressed to all men and rulers of Europe' - . 1615 AD by Johann Valentin Andrae? If so, . I think that you have not yet comprehended . the spiritual foundation stone of the true . Rosicrucians. I wonder if Max Heindel, the . originator of your Fellowship, did? . . THERE IS NO TRUE LEARNING OR EVOLUTION IN . THE FIELDS OF DARKNESS, THERE IS . ONLY 'DEVELOPMENT' OF THE ILLUSION WHICH . EVENTUALLY MUST BE EITHER INDIVIDUALLY . TRANSMUTED BY RIGHT ALIGNMENT OF FREE WILL . OR DESTROYED BY DIVINE WILL. . . If you reflect adequately on all the above, . you may court Revelation (which is actually . Remembrance). . . neither did Jesus or the Classical . Rosicrucians. . . RF:Yet astrology has been practiced by the . greatest thinkers of all time. Why? Because . it works and it is one of the tools given . by God for people to use to help each other. . . TG: Are you very sure about that? There are . many great 'thinkers' in the world today, . but none of them are Enlightened, for . thinking, being an activity of the fallen, . undivine and so very limited intellect, . does not lead to Liberation. We must access . something higher than the intellect if we . would court the Light of Truth, starting . with the Intuition, and the Intuition is . DIRECT PERCEPTION of the Truth, and so does . not require to think about or work with any . science, including astrology. So why would . God present any system to unenlightened . humanity that did not lead to Liberation? . . I assure you that should you choose to . research your history, you will find that . no Avatar ever practised or taught . astrology. I can also assure you that . astrology will never Liberate you, although . it will perplex your mind with complex, . convoluted ideas, while the Truth is ever . just as simple as it is liberating. . Astrology does not constitute Truth, and . that is why it is a distraction from the . True Path of Return. Astrology is a . concoction of 'Lucifer', the . personification of evil/ignorance. It is . not a divine Science. Thus so, you may wish . to ask yourself 'Who, then, does astrology . actually serve? God - the soul, or Lucifer - . the self?' When a man seeks the Truth and . finds it he realises that he has in the . past only been serving Lucifer - self - in . his ignorance. This must be so, for . immediately we begin to truly serve God, . then the Joy and Bliss of Divinity begins . to be experienced within. This is a Law, . and one which the Angels know well! . . Since you have evidently become quite . attached to astrology as being truly . useful, you will no doubt find all this . rather difficult to accept. . . But remember: ATTACHMENT BLINDS AS IT . BINDS, and if you are ready to drop that . which does not lead to Enlightenment, then . by reason alone you will see how you have . been clinging to something which addresses . that which is 'dead' but not Life Itself. I . wonder if you have the courage to look at . all this in a new and liberating way? For . it takes courage for the 'I' to renounce . what it once believed was helpful and good. . . “What man is capable of leaving an edifice . on whose construction he has spent all his . life, even though that edifice is his own . prison?” - Kahlil Gibran. . . right Direction, and ONLY in the right . Direction Godward, and not at the illusory . personality or anything to do with it. . . RF: Yet while we are down on this plane . learning its lessons, we do have to deal . with it and we should deal with it . intelligently and as efficiently as . possible. . . TG: Yes indeed. Yet the only lesson . to 'learn' (remember) and the only 'lesson' . that will lead to Liberation is 'HOW TO . LOVE GOD', never the temporal personality . which has no real existence. Even the . material scientists have proven that matter . has no substance or reality; it is just . energy moving incessantly and containing . more 'holes' or space than it does atoms . (and even the atoms are not solid). . . ASTROLOGY, HOWEVER SKILLFULLY PRACTISED, . DOES NOT TEACH US HOW TO LOVE GOD, DOES IT? . So what real use is it? Only one's own . Heart or Soul can remind us of God's Love. . . Again, where there is an 'I' there is a . lie, and astrology, being concerned only . with the 'I' and its relationships to . planets in the undivine, material universe . is a dead-end road. . . Why do you think so many black magicians . practice astrology? Perhaps to gain . PERSONAL CONTROL over things? Hmmm? And . those who are not yet consciously black . magicians may well end up so should they . continue to place their faith in the . intellect and in undivine sciences instead . of in God. . . Gnostics, that is true candidates for . Liberation, always opt to allow God to . control their destiny. "Thy will, not mine, . be done." True Buddhists (who are also . Gnostics) who aver that there is no God in . the theistic sense, starve the illusions . from their minds through mindfulness and . meditation until they, too, "re-enter the . stream" and ultimately, through the receipt . of Grace having duly prepared themselves to . receive it, find "the other Shore" which is . the divine Kingdom, called Sunyata, the . Void, in Buddhism. It is the same process . of Return - killing the 'I' by starving it . of attention in order that Divinity may . appear - but clothed in different concepts. . . including astrology - does not lead one . towards the sole Purpose of incarnation, . although, of course, it may be a useful . tool to ease one's personal passage while . in the illusion. . . RF: Yet we believe that astrology is . divine. It was given by God just as all the . great religions. . . TG: Then your belief is as full of holes as . your illusory personality and intellect. . God does not speak or write in words or . symbols. The Word of God is a DIVINE FORCE . which is far beyond all concepts, symbols . and systems that can be understood by the . intellect; it is a DIVINE FREQUENCY which . vibrates at a higher pitch than anything . within the lower, fallen personality- . vehicles of mankind. . . All religious dispensations, whether true . or false, have been born through the mind . of man. Astrological influences upon the . fallen worlds were discovered by the fallen . minds of men. However, these unenlightened . minds did not realise that they were . studying an illusion! . . interest to the Homeward-bound soul. . . RF: While down here on earth they ARE of . interest. . . TG: Only to the unenlightened intellect . which does not Know, nor can ever Know, God. . . "May you live in interesting times." - An . old Chinese CURSE. Think about that one. . . RF: What would you do with your life all . day, every day without immersing yourself . in the things of this world? . . TG: I WOULD BE FREE OF THIS ILLUSORY WORLD . AND ALL ITS UNHAPPINESS, PAIN AND SORROW. I . WOULD BE LIVING IN AND AS DIVINITY. . . RF: You are here to learn lessons that can . only be learned on this plane. . . TG: Not to learn, but to balance karmic . debt. There is a vital difference here . which, if religious people understood, . would surely have Liberated many more . personalities by now. For if we believe . that there are lessons to be learned in the . undivine kingdom, then we shall become . interested in the undivine kingdom, and . what is focussed upon grows. . . As you know, Lucifer - the ignorant mind of . man - either willfully or unconsciously . disfigures and corrupts true religion and . authentic spiritual teachings for his own . ends. Lucifer also corrupted conceptual . presentations of Divine or Esoteric . Astrology and so fallen astrology was born, . and this latter is the pseudo-astrology . which you know about. Before you . can 'study' Divine Astrology, you will need . to enter the divine Kingdom. . . So do we really learn anything new down . here? No. Did you ever consider the nature . of deja vu? These are revisitations in . consciousness of the same place on the . wheel of samasara that we have been at . before. There is no new learning down here. . We have merely forgotten what we once knew . well, become blinded by the illusion and we . are trying to remember. And the illusion . will grow inside us for as long as we . continue to attach ourselves to ideas and . systems which do not lead to Liberation, . for energy follows thought. . . If you find any of this unsettling it is . because the false beliefs of your ego-self . are being challenged by Truth, and the ego . does not want to die. You know how many . people fear even just physical death, yes? . Not to mention astral and mental demise . which comes later in time and space. And . that is precisely why the ego clings to . false beliefs in order to perpetuate itself . indefinitely, even though separation and . suffering is inherent in its life. Isn't . the 'I' silly? Why, then, not give it up; . surrender it to God? Is it because the . Light of Truth, in threatening to . annihilate it, terrifies the ego-self? Yet . if fear of Truth and attachment to illusion . is our choice, then how can we ever be . Free? The reality is that the ego-self . fears itself, the illusion of self, and if . illusion is our only enemy, then we are . afraid of shadows. This is why the ego . strives, in its ignorance, to control its . destiny by way of self-will. IT FEARS . LOSING ITS ILLUSORY LIFE. Yet that 'life' . must be lost in order to gain True Life, in . order to Return to God. The ego-self can . never Help itself, it cannot Liberate . itself; only the Divine Grace of Christ may . do that, and this is why we must forget the . self and all systems that seek to improve . that self, and instead look to Christ . (Divine Love) if we would rediscover and so . enter into Life. . . RF: You won't learn much if you do not get . your hands dirty and dig in to all . the "illusions" here. . . TG: If we dig into the illusions then we . will only find more illusions. Illusions . show and teach nothing but that which is . NOT. If one chooses to walk the left-hand . path of illusion, then one necessarily must . eventually come to remember what they have . forgotten via the karmic recompense of pain . and suffering. Suffering is a result of . ignorance; a reminder, courtesy of the Law . of Cause and Effect, that we are doing . something unwise. . . RF: We are learning how to create, as God . our Father is the Creator. So we must . create down here if we are to learn. . . TG: This is false doctrine. All that . unenlightened beings can create is more . illusion, for they do not have access to . the Energy of Divine Creation. How can an . illusion - the 'I' - create anything Real? . If you believe that you can truly create . something that is lasting and eternal in . the way that Divinity is lasting and . eternal, then I challenge you to please . tell me how to create something as . fundamental as a body-hair or a toenail. . And even if you could produce the blueprint . for these things, it would still be . unimpressive because everything of the . physical body, being temporal, is also an . illusion. . . Do you really believe that you can create . anything that will not eventually be . destroyed? Why will what you create die? . Because it is an illusion, built by an . illusion (your personality) in an illusion . (this dream world). Such activity binds one . to the illusion, and this process . constitutes the ever turning wheel of birth . and death. This wheel turns in the . undivine, fallen kingdom. In the divine . Kingdom, all cycles spiral upwards, they . truly Evolve. This is what God loves to do . best, and you may be relieved to know that . the sum total of all evil in God's Body - . the Omniverse - is far, far less than the . microbe on the end of the hair of His . little toe! There is no need for . reincarnation in the divine Kingdom, for . nothing there dies. Therefore, "..the . Spirit does not take all the different . reincarnating personalities/character it . has taken and carries that with it . forever". "There is nothing in the fallen, . reincarnating character that can be . distilled and taken on by the Spirit." . . RF: Every situation here gives us . opportunity, illusion or not. . . TG: This is true only because the Love of . Divinity - the Real - is ever seeking to . open the door to the Path that leads Home. . Yet in a free will system each pilgrim must . CHOOSE to look for that door. They will . never find it in astrology or through any . other intellectual process. . . RF: In the process we develop our minds, . our souls, and our spiritual strength. . . TG: Do you think so? Or do we just become . more and more entangled in the illusion, so . much that Divine Will requires to . intervene, often producing great cataclysms . like in Atlantis and the one soon to come . on Earth in order to cleanse a planet and . to start all over again? . . You see, humanity has been practising the . kind of thing that you preach for eons, and . did you know that there have been many . cataclysms on planet Earth due to the . perpetuation of the cancer of ignorance and . so also evil? . . It has happened many times - during the . Hyperborean era, the Lemurian era, the . Atlantean era and also thirty-two times . during the present Aryan era - that a kind . of separation has taken place between . the ‘righteous’ and the ‘unrighteous’, . between those who worship the spirit of . Earthly things (like astrology) and those . seeking the gateway to the divine Kingdom, . in order to enter through it into the . blessedness of the original Freedom. . . Today, once again, mankind stands before . such a separation. Will it allow itself to . be dragged along in the circular course of . fallen nature, chained to the treadmill of . birth, suffering and death? Or will it . follow the Path of Liberation and receive . the Divine Spirit by applying and . actualising the Holy Science of . Transfiguration? . . What do you know about the Divine Science . of Transfiguration? And how much do you . love the Truth to investigate it? . . "He who seeks the Truth with diligence and . detachment will find it and it will . enlighten him." - Buddha. . . If we do not SEEK the LIVING TRUTH ITSELF . (and not poor reflections of it like . astrology) with all our being, then we will . not find it, and as long as we do not find . it, we can never be Free. . . . RF: True, but we are "liberated" when we . can achieve perfection, in our characters . and in our actions. . . TG: As already discussed, there is no such . thing as perfection in the characters of . personalities. Can you see any perfection . in this world among people, animals, . things? How can pain and death - which . affect EVERYONE AND EVERY THING ON EARTH - . be perfect? The fact that personalities die . proves that they are not perfect or divine. . ALL PERSONALITIES DIE. Even the . most 'perfected' ones. Perfection may only . be found in Divinity which already exists . in all its Magnificence. To re-link . ourselves with It (and thus to dissolve) we . must look to It, and never be distracted by . anything less. If we are distracted, then . the Law will see to it that we suffer pain . in order to encourage us to return to the . straight and narrow Path. . . I have known advanced astrologers who have . most evidently lived a life of pain created . by their own ignorance, exactly like non- . astrologers. So what's new? . . RF: ...That is why we are here. (..we . are "liberated" when we can achieve . perfection, in our characters and in our . actions.) . . TG: Is it (why we are here)? Are you sure . that you Know why we are here? Your divine . Soul knows why you are here, and if you had . made contact with that Soul by looking in . the right direction and so became Aware in . the truest sense of the word, then you . would not require astrology or any other . crutch as a tool; you would simply rest . back on your own innate Divinity - your . Soul - which is the only 'tool' that can . Liberate you. Such is Faith, and is vitally . required in order to Return to the Kingdom . of God. Those who invest themselves in . intellectually-comprehensible systems for . their 'spiritual progress' demonstrate that . they do not possess simple Faith - which, . as well as moving mountains, Liberates. . . RF: And if astrology gives us better . understanding along the way, then maybe we . will be better people while we are trying . to accomplish whatever we are here for. . . TG: Perhaps it might be expedient for us to . find out exactly what we are here for . before forging ahead with any intellectual . conviction, for in an unenlightened state, . conviction is a far worse enemy of Truth . than are lies! because when we lie, we know . that we are lying. . . originally got humanity and its planet into . the confused, unholy turmoil and chaos that . it is in today. . . RF: Yet that was apparently part of the . Divine plan. . . TG: "Apparently" you say, but you do not . Know for sure, do you? Find out. SEEK the . Truth if you would become Free and so able . to help others become Free. Every man must . find the 'Living Waters' by himself, . resting only upon Faith in God and thus . Divine Providence - nothing more and . certainly nothing less. . . RF: We have to reach self-consciousness, . else we would remain robots. That was not . God's intention. . . TG: Do you, then, know precisely what God's . intention is? Do you realise that even a . fully enlightened Buddha would be fried to . a crisp if he approached the Heart of the . Solar Logos (which is but one tiny atom in . God's Body)? And you presume to know what . God's intention is? . . and transmuted into Divine Will in order to . go the Path of Return. . . RF: Yes, but you have to crawl before you . can run. It's a necessary step along the . Way. . . TG: Who told you that lie? Your . indoctrinated parents? Your ignorant school . teachers? Your unenlightened peers . or 'superiors', or books written by . unenlightened individuals? . . Since Divinity exists beyond space and . time, Enlightenment is here and now. . . . unless, of course, you BELIEVE that it is . not, which evidently you do. Your belief . then becomes a reality for you and to a . lesser degree for those around you whom you . may influence, as you, too, contribute . toward the great illusion in time and . space. Do you recognise that you are . creating karma for yourself and for others . when you encourage them to focus on their . personal-selves by way of astrology!? . . the Christ. . . RF: Yes, and we are trying to learn that . lesson, but it is not easy. Crawl before . running. . . TG: It IS easy. It is the most Natural . thing in the Universe. However, your false . BELIEFS (including that living in obeisance . to God's Will is not easy) will prevent you . from rising above the illusion and so . prevent 'that lesson' from being recalled. . This is your choice, of course, for we live . in a free will system. For some, however, . Home is just a different choice away; a . very different choice, involving a 180 . degree turn around from any self-focus. . . becoming enamoured with lesser erudition . such as astrology, may entangle themselves . with methodologies which will NEVER lead to . Liberation? . . RF: Yes, and they will learn. . . TG: Yes, they will 'learn' of what is NOT . REAL. A painful road that one; observe . humanity! . . Wisdom and Insight of the immanent divine . soul itself? . . RF: Because not everyone can do that right . off the bat. . . TG: And neither will they ever be able to . if they are not looking in the right . Direction. ESTABLISHING SOUL-CONTACT IS BUT . A CHOICE AWAY. THERE IS AN UNPRECEDENTED . AMOUNT OF GRACE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF . WORLD CYCLES AND AT TIMES OF THE COMING . AGAIN OF CHRIST-CONSCIOUSNESS. Did you know . that? . . RF: We are just not that good. . . TG: We are just not that humble and so . empty of illusions. Your above statement is . false humility, for true humility does not . think lowly of itself; true hunility does . not think of itself at all, for it is too . busy looking Godward, toward the IMPERSONAL . TRUTH. . . RF: We have to learn the smaller lessons . before we can handle the huge lessons. We . wouldn't put a first grader in college . before he was ready. And mainly, we are all . a bunch of first-graders still. . . TG: How you program/condition your own mind . with such negative affirmations. Again it . all comes down to what we BELIEVE. If . astrology was Real, then your great faith . in it would have surely liberated you by . now, no? No matter how many previous . lifetimes you may have studied astrology . (which you probably have done if you were . naturally attracted to it in this lifetime) . and even if you became the world's master . of astrology, you would still not be Free. . However, you would have plenty of karma to . work out with all those clients with whom . you practised your 'art'. . . We may, of course, learn much about the . fallen universe and fallen mankind via . astrology, but eventually we will have to . give it all up in order to traverse the . Portal leading to God. "You must become . like a child to enter the Kingdom of . Heaven." - Jesus. How many children do you . know who are masters of astrology? . . Perhaps you may be getting my point by now? . All 'learning' regarding anything of the . fallen universe must be given up before we . return Home. Worse, all 'learning' . regarding anything of the fallen universe . delays our spiritual progress as, by Law, . it denies us of our divine Heritage. What . is focussed upon grows. . . astrology can ever convey about the Truth . which is divine and so is permanent. . . RF: Yes, but how do we tap that with the . veil of illusion all around? . . TG: NOW you are moving towards the light of . Day, that is if that was a real question . asked from your heart. . . Ask me again if you are sincere. . . RF: Astrology is the best key to that . ['tapping' the Truth]! That is why it was . given to us - to convey Universal truths. . . TG: If it is the best, then why has it not . enlightened you or anyone else throughout . history? . . Has astrology yet delivered you into the . Bliss of Freedom? If not, then how do you . KNOW that it is the best? Or even that it . is helpful towards attaining Freedom? . . The mind that thinks that it knows is an . infertile mind where the Living Truth . cannot take root. . . And perhaps I may hasten to add before you . ask: I, my personality, knows absolutely . nothing. If you find this all too . paradoxical, then you may wish to ponder on . the 'wise craziness' of the Zen Buddhists . who seek to demonstrate how the intellect . is utterly useless when it comes to . attaining Satori (Nirvana), the sole . purpose of all human incarnation. . . never taught astrology, neither has any . genuine Gnostic Order (e.g., the Essenes, . the Cathars, the Classical Rosicrucians, . etc.) or bona fide Mystery School. Have you . ever considered why? . . RF: Untrue. . . TG: I cannot prove it to you. You might . wish to take a closer look yourself. . . advanced aspirants. . . RF: Untrue. . . TG: Astrology was not required, since they . made contact with Divinity via their own . Soul, which is a spark of Divinity. . . . May I ask how long have you been in . training with the Rosicrucian Fellowship? . How long has the RF been in existence? Who . are its originators? . . Is there a person or group of persons who . are more senior to yourself within your . fellowship? . . If so, would you be kind enough to share . these discussions with them, or tell me . whom I might contact? I would like to speak . with a Rosicrucian, you see, for I am one . myself. . . Thank you. . . RF: Yes, if you have further questions, . please write to the Esoteric Department at . esoteric@rosicrucian.com . It would appear that for any of us no one . can just give us the answers we seek, we . must do the study ourselves as we see fit. . Good luck in your journeys. . . TG: There is no such thing as 'luck' in an . intelligent Universe. And the 'journey' in . space and time is also an illusion, . although there is a Journey. Re: Astrology - Matthew Webb . 29 Dec 2002 00:36 . #201 Dear Ed, . . An interesting piece regarding astrology, . right spiritual focus, and the supposed . nature of self will/physical world. There . are mnay quotes from Buddha, and you have . mentioned before the teachings of Christ . and other Masters. . . Common to your theme here is of course that . anything of the physical, including the . self while incarnated in physical form, . must necessarily be of a "fallen", . imperfect and flawed form. Your last post . also made the theme of personality being . the guiding and flawed force for physcial . incarnation. . . But there is a relevant question here which . seems to inherently contradict what is . being said about the physical, and being in . a physical body. When we speak of any of . the known Masters, Christ, Buddha, Lao Tse, . etc, we are talking about awakened beings . in a physical body. How can this be so? . If the physical is inherently flawed . and "fallen" then how can a Master have . ever existed in a body? Is it not ironic . that a physical Master would speak of the . physical as being irreconcilably flawed? . . Secondly, although I agree that astrology . and other such teachings are at best a . distraction from the real spiritual issues . of life, this does not have any reflection . upon the physical world itself. Again, the . flaws of human thinking and life focus are . what we're really talking about, when we . speak of an illusory material world. The . only thing that is illusory about the . material world is the layer of false . imagery which we have imposed over it. . . Even the concepts of time and space are . admittedly illusory to some extent, due to . the misconcptions of human kind regarding . the nature of reality. That fact however, . does not imply that the makeup of the . physical universe is by the same token . illusory, simply because humans have many . mistaken ideas about it. . . Let us not confuse the folly of materialism . with the make-up of nature and say that the . two are the same. This mistake has been . made throughout many ages of time by many . so-called learned teachers, and due to this . those same teachers missed the point of . physical existence...which is that it . serves a concrete and useful purpose, with . an existence all its own. . . Much of the suffering of the world is . directly derived from the idea that the . physical wqorld both doesn't matter and . that spirituality is "somewhere else" apart . from the physcial existence. On the . contrary the spiritual is in all place . including the physical, but not including . the flawed nature of materialism which . claims that materials are all that matter. . . I don't believe that Buddha said the . material world was illusory, nor do I think . Christ intended to say such things either. . I think they are both grossly misquoted. . And even if they did say those things I . would personally tell them both that they . are wrong, and that they need to get some . clarity about themselves, before embarking . upon teaching misleading and downright . incorrect teachings to the world. Such . ideas that the material world is an . illusion are used as an excuse not to . exercise one's spiritual responsibility . while in a physical body. This is why . suchn ideas have become so . popular...they're a perfect back door of . escape from the harsh realities we have . created for ourselves on this physical . world. . . Life is not meaningless, it is a precious . manifestation of Consciousness everywhere . in the universe. Let's treat it as such . and take our physical lives seriously, . especially in a spritual context. . . . . . The waves and the ocean - Ed Pabaue . 29 Dec 2002 09:44 . #202 . Firstly, no enlightened sage calls himself . a master. This is an appellation given by . unillumined man. An enlightened being does . not see him self as any thing at all. . . The Spirit-Consciousness in the temporal . bodies of a Buddha or Christ, for example, . is very aware of the imperfection or . unreality of the illusion, including their . own vehicles in which they suffer . voluntarily in order to open up the Way for . humanity. . . This necessary agony of the Holy Spirit as . it makes contact with unholiness (matter) . is symbolically represented by the . crucifixion of Jesus. . . the . . As long as one is limited in consciousness . to using the 5 mundane senses and mind, one . cannot see Reality. . . When Reality is again apprehended by way of . the restored spiritual Faculties of . Perception (which are atrophied and so . dormant in fallen man), then unreality, . including the physical dimension, . disappears, ceases to exist, which it never . truly did anyway. . . I speak here from experience, but you will . find these kinds of reports from many . different sages recorded historically. . . . Energy is energy and it cannot be created . of destroyed. . . Yet behind the unreal is the Real, and true . Seeing penetrates the waves on the Ocean to . behold the Ocean itself. . . Another analogy for the Ocean of Spirit is . a divine Sun (as opposed to its temporary . rays), which emanates a transcendental . Radiance of a very different nature to . the 'dark light' of the physical world, the . light that does not last. . . materialism . the . this . . Whether we agree or disagree on these . things, still remains the problem of our . liberation from mortality, vulnerability, . suffering and death. . . apart . think . . All beliefs, Matt, are obstacles on the . road to Enlightenment. . . If you wish to live intelligently and not . waste this incarnation in useless . speculation, then find out for sure what . the sages were saying. . . Jesus said, "My Kingdom is not of this . world". . . That's pretty clear. . . Buddha said, "The attainment of Truth is . possible only when samsara is recognised as . an illusion." . . That's pretty clear, too. And you may find . countless references to this same wisdom . throughout the Buddha's teachings and so . many other religions that were inspired by . awakened beings. . . The physical plane (and other samsaric . planes), having no real Substance, are not . lasting and so are unreal, dream-stuff. . This is proven in your own experience, . Matt, every time you fall asleep. For when . you are asleep or dreaming, where has gone . the physical plane in which you invest so . much value and focus as being real and . permanent? If it can disappear from your . consciousness, how can it be Real? . . As the Buddha taught, as long as we . identify with the unreal as Real, we cannot . see the Truth, and yet "the Truth will set . you free." - Jesus. . . . Only intuition and in-sight can know for . sure the meaning of the words of the Great . Ones. . . Intellect and beliefs can only embrace the . theoretical. One comes to Know through . inner Revelation alone. . . Yet if we think that we already know, if we . are certain in our intellectual convictions . about the way things are, the living Spirit . cannot illumine our consciousness with the . Truth. . . Free will. . . This is why the wise man seeks the Truth . like an innocent child and with an empty . cup, and the Truth fills and enlightens him. . . . Hee hee. Funny! . . . More to see, Matt, if you can let go of . these beliefs and simply seek the Truth, . which liberates. . . You will know when you see Reality! . . Meanwhile, dependency on intellectual means . of seeking alone will maintain your soul in . the prison of samsara where nothing lasts. . . . Life in samsara is an effect of a cause . created by ignorance of Reality. So it is . not meaningless, but it is an illusion that . will pass away. . . . Samsara was never intended to be taken . seriously, especially not the most dense . plane of it! . . Samsara came about in order for beings to . PLAY and have FUN with. . . As I have said before, taking samsara . seriously, believing that it is real, leads . to suffering, pain, death and evil. . . Ed . . From a friend: . . I would like to share a letter that I . received from my teacher with . all of you. She had been asked by students . to respond to these . particular thoughts expressed by Ramesh . Balsekar in his book . "Duet of One". . . Here Ramesh begins: ...."Literature over . the last several . centuries has as one of its main themes, . the cause of . unhappiness. Unhappiness has been traced to . an astonishing . variety of sources from heredity to . upbringing to Satan. But it . really needs only a little quiet thinking-- . and this is what the sage . points to--to make it clear that there is . indeed a Single cause of . human unhappiness. It is the "me"-concept, . the notion of a . separate individual as the subject with the . rest of the world as its . object. Desire, greed, envy, pride, . ambition, etc., which are . variously described as the causes of man's . unhappiness, all take . root from this basic misconception of the . individual self. . Happiness is truly represented only by the . universal presence . which knows no "me" as an individual, the . impersonality of . Consciousness which arrives only with the . annihilation of the . "me" as a separate doer. . . The search, the seeking for pure happiness-- . -the spiritual . seeking --begins with the individual. . First, an outside compelling . urge turns the mind inward. Then the . process of disidentification . begins with the identified individual . either going to a guru, and/or . starting to read up on the subject. With . the urge driving the . seeker relentlessly, he does an enormous . amount of reading and . acquires what he considers a great deal of . knowledge (and along . with it considerable pride as a seeker). . What actually has been . happening, however, is that during all this . time, during all this . reading, only those statements of "truth" . are accepted which fit in . with the seeker's conditioned notions. He . has conveniently . rejected (consciously or unconsciously) all . those which he did not . like or understand. The result is a . patchwork of personal . philosophy, armed with which, the seeker . gets more and more . anxious to reform the world. It is . this "knowledge" which the sage . says must be "forgotten," which must drop . off before anything . worthwhile can happen. Unless this . ignorance in the garb of . knowledge gets thrown out, says the sage, . you cannot be . established in the Self, 'even if Shiva, . Vishnu or Brahma be your . preceptor." . . In the course of Spiritual evolution, the . seeker, at the appropriate . time, realizes that that which he had been . regarding as . knowledge is really nothing but ignorance. . He then strips off . these clothes of conceptual knowledge, goes . naked to a . Self-realized guru (more accurately, . happens to be led by . circumstances to the appropriate guru) who . clothes him in . garments of true understanding. It is only . then that the urge . fulfills itself and the process - the . impersonal process of the . disidentification of the identified . Consciousness - is . completed."..... . . Here ends Ramesh. . . Here my Teacher begins: .... "In a . nutshell, what this is saying . is even God, Consciousness itself, the . preceptor, the teacher . cannot break through the great spiritual . (so-called) knowledge . with which one loads one's self. . . This intellectual garb is just another . cloak to avoid basic . nakedness. And basic nakedness is what we . are. . . Head knowledge is fine going OUT, but is . indeed a barrier going . IN. Intellectual knowledge is useful and . helpful in the outer world, . but it must be set aside on the inner . plane. That is why Jesus . cautioned to go into thy closet and shut . the door. Shut the door to . conscious thinking. ``Leave ALL and follow . me.`` Leave ALL . conscious thinking. Up to a point, . intellect is helpful in matters of . Spirit, but there comes a time when it must . be laid aside. . Otherwise, it is like trying to take a bath . without disrobing. . . "When you are ready, 'I' will do the . works." When one is . completely naked, one may thoroughly bathe . in the waters of . Spirit, in Spirit, by Spirit, as Spirit. A . very young child will take . off his/her clothes and stomp on them. Have . you noticed? A child . may agree to wear them in order to go and . visit so and so, but he . will as soon as possible remove the clothes . and not only remove . them, but trample upon them. Why? Even . physical clothes are a . nuisance to him--an add-on. Thus, Jesus' . injunction that ye must . become as a little child. . . At first, it may seem to you, hence to . others that you are in La La . Land. Just stick with it. The former . thinking is melting. This . appears as senility. It isn't. As Rumi . says, "Sell your cleverness . (conscious thinking) and buy bewilderment." . Your conscious . thinking is being sold. Bewilderment ensues- . ---comes out of this . being sold. Intellectual "fasting" will, by . and by, result in the . most practical of practical ""knowing" and . announces itself in and . as our daily affairs. For you discover that . you do not have . intelligence--rather, you ARE intelligence . itself. . . A human being has the capacity to act . independently of acquired . knowledge. It somehow knows this, but . perhaps is, misled by . reaction--thinking the word "water" is . water. I assure you it is . not. . . Buzzing idealists running around spinning . fantasies about "the . path"--how gross the "materialists" are to . them! One is no better . off than the other. Ego-feeding is ego- . feeding. Ignorance is . ignorance whether parading as "material" . or "mental" or . "spiritual." . . One lady was recently complaining to me . that she felt lonely . because her husband was not interested in . the spiritual life to the . extent she was. I asked if it had ever . occurred to her that he . might be lonely, too? And, had it never . occurred to her that he . provided (or so she thinks) the necessary . wherewithal while she . sat on her fat carcass reading spiritual . books all the while . considering herself superior to this . gross "materialist"! (The . name anciently given to such is spiritual . pride.) That if she could . see that her supply was coming through this . man, not from this . man, that he would appear to her as the . very Christ incarnate . which he in fact is! The Christ comes . through "others" not "from" . them. And further, that any resistance he . showed about her . attending classes, etc., was in fact her . resistance appearing as . "husband." And even further than that, did . she not see that many . times "another's" resistance is the very . thing that keeps one "on . the path.;'" That a strong determination is . set up in her, providing . the tension necessary at the moment--again . the pull of . opposites. Our attempts to reform "others" . is bred by lack of . recognition of our OWN Beingness, our . Christ nature. All in all . "they" are even now a blessing. . . When the Christ REALLY begins to dissolve . the fictitious "me" it . appears as a very real though unconscious, . threat to our loved . ones. They would rather we be prostitutes, . pimps, or drug . addicts. These things can be handled. There . are treatment . centers, a crisis to be seen to. . . Once the Christ begins truly to work in . you, the death of what . they have known you to be (a concept) is . occurring. This is the . threat of threats! At least they were . comfortable with their . concept of you--you were at least . predictable! You have long . maybe "talked the talk" but now you "walk . the walk" or rather at . times you are being walked, you are being . talked. . . Much patience on your part is very . necessary during this critical . time. If you allow yourself to be swayed, . you will be torn to pieces . and be miserable. However, if you allow and . are allowing, the . Christ will take over, for at this time, it . is working no longer at a . latent pace, but very rapidly. . . Sometimes friends and family will fall . away, but new ones will . come in their place. Or, your recognition . of them--"henceforth . know ye no man after the flesh, but after . the Spirit" can appear as . recognition within themselves, thus, . strengthening and . transforming what was once a human tie into . a spiritual bond. . Should this not occur, just "suffer it to . be so now" with . inharmonious family relations. This does . not mean you are to . remain suffering forever, tied and bound to . one with whom you . have no spiritual bond, hence, no "de- . light." It means that like my . friend Bill Samuel said, "Like a bird knows . when to fly South, you . will simply know." Yes, you will know when . to fold your tent and . steal away. You will know when to pack up. . . You may have to bear being called a "kook" . or a "weirdo" for a . while. Don't take delivery of the goods. . Such cannot harm you if . you do not take it in and allow it to . become woven into the fabric . of your soul. What is that to thee? Do you . live for the opinion of . others? Here you either fall or stand. . There is no middle ground. . "Foxes have dens and birds nests, but the . Son hath no place to . lay his bead." Many, many, many "others" . await your awakening . and will rejoice and be exceedingly glad to . see you coming . through the clouds of unconscious human . thinking. . . Your very Beingness, your aliveness and . presence is what you . love, for without that nothing else could . be nor could it be known . or enjoyed. Since it is the very same . Beingness that is the core of . all "others," it is responded to by those . open enough to see it. . You will naturally gravitate toward those . and they toward you. . ''They" may belong to your biological . family or they may not. . Either way, the Christ is not preoccupied . with such considera- . tions. Its mission is to know Itself . wherever and whomever AS . whenever and whomever. . . In a retreat or class meeting, it is . Consciousness to . Consciousness. Questions and answers, too, . must be . Consciousness to Consciousness, not . Consciousness to . intellect. I limit questions and answers . for this reason. However, I . find that when I, consciousness, answers . the questioner, not . necessarily the question, but the . questioner, Oneness or . Consciousness to Consciousness occurs. . . Mostly, just speaking takes place and you . are forced to remain . quiet. After several successive sessions . your quietness is not . forced, the intrusion of the intellect is . absent, the inner ear is . open. Understanding, NOT intellectual . comprehension, may take . place. You are lifted up. The goose is out. . The "you" that gave . power to another or a condition is caught . up into the herenow. . For, if we withdraw personal power, the . only Power left is . God-Power. You do not have to interpret nor . help this Power . work. It is automatic and spontaneous. The . function of the Christ . is to function you, to prosper you, to . speak you, to move you, to . do you and to actually change the fashion . of your countenance. In . this, solutions to problems are not worked . out--the one who had . the problem has disappeared and along with . it the problem. . . The "me" and the "problem" are one, not . two. What Was true on . the former state appears not on the new . state. . . No patching up and working out--but a new . creature. Spring . comes and the grass grows all by itself. . . With Love From Myself" ..... Here ends my . Teacher. Re: The waves and the ocean - Matthew Webb . 29 Dec 2002 13:24 . #203 Dear Ed, . . See my response below; . . E; . . . ******* . . M; . . That does not address my point, nor do I . agree with the statement. The Master calls . things as they are, including themselves. . My point is that a Master in a physical . body, regardless of what he calls himself . or herself, is still in a physical form, . implicitly proving that the material realm . is not "unimprovable" or "irreconcilably . flawed". If one being in a body can become . enlightened then so can others. So can the . whole planet, for that matter. . . E; . for humanity. . . ******* . . M; . . Tell me, what is so "flawed" about the . physical anyway? Just because one form . fades away it is replaced yet again by . another... You've said that many times, . and the only reason you've given is that . forms are impermanent. So what? . . You've said that by contrast spiritual . things are permanent and that the Divine . is "perfect". First, you don't say how you . know this, nor do you present any evidence . to support your claim. Second, the . spiritual realm DOES change, for instance, . our soul changes and grows just like the . body does. I also know that God changes . and is not "perfect". . . Change is the nature of reality, at any . level. When something can change then it . can be improved. When you call . something "perfect" it can no longer be . improved, and since anything can be . improved, there is no such thing as . perfection. . . ******* . . E; . . ******** . . M; . . Jesus died on the cross not as a spiritual . symbol of spiritual agony, but as a . political opponent of old Rome. Like tens . of thousands of others, he served as an . example to others not to oppose the . Empire. Saying anything else about this . would be getting carried away with a lot of . intellectual nonsense. . . ****** . . E; . . true . to . . ******* . . M; . . The waves are not apart from the ocean, any . more than the physical is apart from the . Spirit. . . ******** . . E; . is . the . . ******** . . M; . . Nothing lasts except for consciousness and . the natural laws that govern reality. Your . words are very hypothetical, non-concrete . and lack practicality, as is common of new . age writings. You "define" one nebulous . word with an equallt obscure string of . other nebulous words and apparently expect . others to know what you're taling about. . . ***** . . M; . with . . ********* . . E; . . ****** . . M; . . The soul, (consciousness) does not die, so . there is nothing to be liberated from. . Suffering is something we create for . ourselves, not something that is doled out . to physical things by Divine Decree. . . ****** . . M; . . *******\ . . E; . . That's pretty clear. . . ******* . . M; . . What I said isn't speculation, it is fact. . I do not speak speculatively, I speak from . Seeing what Is. This quote from Jesus . proves nothing..... . . Besides this, I don't need to quote anyone . to prove a point...I know what I'm taling . about. . . ****** . . E; . as an illusion." . . *********** . . M; . . Where has the physical plane gone when we . sleep? No where. It's right where it was . before. If you disappear from my . consciousness when we're not talking does . that make you unreal? When most people are . awake and they see nothing of the spiritual . realm, does this mean God doesn't exist? . No. . . ******** . . M; . . [Buddha and Christ] I . embarking . . ******* . . M; . . No joke. . . ******* . . M; . . ******** . . M; . . Bull. You say much but mean little, and do . not honestly address points made. . . ******** . . M; . . ******** . . E; . that . . ******* . . M; . . Perhaps it would be more accurate to say . that you perceive your life as "samsara", . but do not assume that personally folly is . the universal experience. . . ********* . . M; . . ******** . . E; . leads . . ******* . . M; . . No, this is wrong. You apparently imagine . that there is no need to take spiritual . responsibility while in the physical, but . you're going to find that it doesn't amtter . what plane you're on when it comes to . truth...the needs and responsibilities of . the spiritual path are still there. . . If what you say is true of the physcial . world and all is futile and illusion, then . why not advocate that everyone buy a gun . and just shoot themselves in the head, so . as to end the "illusion" all the sooner? I . say that seriously to you, and I want you . to think about the question. . . . . . Re: The waves and the ocean - Sandi Hunter . 29 Dec 2002 17:05 . #204 Dear Ed and Matthew, . . I have thought of contributing to this most . important discussion, but I must admit, the . topics I would introduce or elaborate on . are being very well represented. I did . want to address two things though: . . Ed said, "Whether we agree or disagree on . these things, still remains the problem of . our liberation from mortality, . vulnerability, suffering and death." . . Agreement and disagreement matter not! . Only the Truth matters, what is the truth . and what isn't? I don't care if you . disagree until WW3 ends.....I only care for . the Truth that is presented and how that . pertains to life and our evolution and . focus. I am not reading these discussions . to see who "wins", I read them to learn the . Truth in any matter. . . I also have seen through reading the WMS . material and actually using the principles . and practices in my daily life that they . are Truth and they do bring progressive . results. One can achieve "Seeingness" and . Clarity through the chakra and advanced . chakra meditations. Therefore, I can only . conclude from this discussion that Ed, you . do not meditate. This in NOT a judgement . only a Seeing, for if you truly meditated, . you would have more clarity and "knowledge" . (or should I say Wisdom) from which to . derive your conclusions. You would not . need faith. An example of this is your . statements to the effect of: that the self . cannot be known and that there is no point . in doing so anyway. I know your soul knows . otherwise. . . There is a difference between Prayer and . Meditation.... . "Prayer is talking, Meditation is . listening." . Changing the World - Ed Pabaue . 29 Dec 2002 19:59 . #205 True and lasting peace does not come into . the world through trying to change the . world; only through the unconditional . acceptance of what can never be . fundamentally changed does peace arise. The . desire for change is a reaction of the . dualistic thinking processes of the mind. . It is the mind taking a preference in . duality, which is an illusion. . . When one is unhappy with what is judged as . harmful and bad and so desires to change . it, to make it better, to improve it and to . fix the error, then the dualistic mind is . engaged. The dualistic mind sees evil and . wishes for good, it sees wrong and wishes . for right, it sees injustice and wishes for . fairness, it feels fear and speaks of love. . . But this battle can never be won, and no . true Change can arise from such a conflict, . because the error cannot be uprooted in . what one would change, the error is . inherent in the very fact that one would . attempt to change it, rather than see it . for what it really is. . . Trying to change the world or the self into . something better is a form of escape and a . delusion of the grasping mind. Rather than . just seeing honestly what there is to see, . and looking towards the immovable, . unchanging, divine Reality in acceptance . and surrender, the habit-worn ignorant mind . tries to make its own life on Earth more . comfortable by trying to change what can . never be fundamentally transformed. . . It is clearly evident that if a man wishes . to change an illusion, if he desires to . change one side of duality, then he must . engage with that illusion. And if he wishes . to change one side of a dualistic equation, . then the other side must also be indulged, . for one side is meaningless without the . contrast of its opposite. To engage with . and try to change the illusions of duality . leads eventually to the kind of insanity . that we see in society today: wars, . disease, starvation, murder, rape and all . the other horrors that are symptomatic of . our planetary asylum today. . . But who said that you had to change . anything? . . Who said you had to make anything better? . . Who told you that you need to pray for . peace on Earth? . . Who was it that said unconditional love . meant that you had to love an illusion and . so try in vain to improve it? . . Who told you that you and this world had to . be perfect when Perfection is already alive . and well, if you know where and how to look . for it? . . Who said that you would find perfection . through trying to make this world a better . place? . . And who was it that tricked you into . believing you had to be the one to make . that change? . . You can decorate the walls of a prison cell . but it still remains the same prison. . Knowing that, does the change make you . happy? Have you found greater peace or . freedom within its walls? Or did you just . fool yourself for a while by covering the . walls with a new colour, the colour of . change? . . Love, Peace and Happiness are not to be had . through trying to change an illusion; only . through the unconditional acceptance of the . nature of an illusion does Freedom from it . arise naturally. If you wish to bring the . light of change to this world, then you . must also make darkness in it, for change . only exists and is made possible through . opposites. If there is no opposite, how can . you change anything? How could you make a . positive change if there was no negative to . change, to engage in? Why engage in . opposites, when they must always re-balance . themselves? . . Why would you spend your time winding up a . clock, only to watch it unwind again? . . Why try to change what cannot ultimately . change? . . Man lives with goodness and happiness well . enough, yet does not tolerate his evils or . his sorrow, but he must love through them . both if he would find freedom from them. . . Man lives with pleasure and satisfaction, . but he must be accepting of pain and . disappointment also if he is to be free of . struggle. . . In order to change the world or the self . into something good a man must become . engaged in its opposite: evil, for there . cannot be one without the other. And yet a . man can no more take the evil out of good . than he can take the clouds from the sky. . He cannot take one part of duality and . throw it away, it is impossible. . . Some proclaim: “I let my light shine”. . . But how can a man let the light shine if he . is afraid of the dark? . . He may say: “I let my light illuminate the . dark”. . . But why? Only fear wishes to change the . nature of duality, only fear wishes to . overcome its own darkness. You cannot win . such a battle with yourself, or with . duality, you can only be done with it and . so prepare yourself to receive Grace. . . The seeker of Truth must therefore come to . understand the nature of duality, and allow . both poles of it to be exactly what they . are, and have nothing to do with either. He . must want no part of either side of . duality, including wanting to change them, . for they are locked in an age-old battle . with themselves, born of the same delusion. . And if a man becomes involved in this . battle, then he will become lost in . delusion also. . . Who told you that you had to pick which . side of duality you liked best? . . Who told you that by being on one of these . sides would preclude you from becoming tied . to the other? . . And who convinced you that it was wise to . try to change one or the other? . . Where there is joy in this world there is . also pain, where there is light there is . also darkness. But where there is Truth, . duality is not known. . . Who told you to fight evil with good? Who . tricked you into thinking and believing . that you could ever separate them and bring . peace to the world, that you could ever use . one to overcome the other? . . The path through this world is both light . and dark, for such is the nature of . duality. If you walk only on the light . side, on the side you like the most, then . how will you continue along the path when . it moves into the shade? . . Who told you that you needed to own, . change, avoid, or do anything with life . other than let it be exactly what it is? . . By leaving it be, by having no interest in . it you would transcend duality’s illusion. . But who told you that by engaging with the . pairs of opposites you or anyone else would . become free from them? . . This world is already perfect, all of . mankind is already perfect, that is, . perfectly dualistic, living perfectly . within the opposites of good and evil, . light and dark. Do you want there to be . more light than dark? Do you want to get . rid of one part of the world’s nature, or . your own? Would you like to destroy one . part of duality, even though it is . impossible to do so? The world is perfectly . dualistic, what do you want to change it . for? . . The self is already perfect, all its ideas . are already perfect: perfectly dualistic, . living perfectly between the opposites of . good and evil, light and dark. Do you want . to be more light-filled than dark-filled? . Do you want to get rid of a part of . yourself? Or a part of yourself you see and . do not like in another? The self on Earth . is perfectly dualistic, that is its nature, . what do you want to change it for? . . Who told you that all in this world was not . already being perfectly what it is, . perfectly true to its dualistic, undivine . nature? . . Who told you that you had to do the . impossible, to try to make duality one- . sided? . . Who made you believe you could change the . perfect balance of duality’s nature in this . illusion? . . And who said to you that you can change the . perfect dualistic balance in the world with . notions of peace and goodness? . . All your life you have tried to change . something that was only ever being what it . perfectly is. All of your life you have . been running around in circles trying to . change what can never be changed, how can . you remove the night from the day, the . inbreath from the outbreath? Is it not . insane to try? . . Why have you been trying to bring light . into darkness when the two will just . intermingle to produce a dull, lifeless . shade of grey? . . You have spent your whole life swinging . between black and white, clinging to the . one you liked best while trying to avoid . the one you did not like, and all the while . trying to convince the world and everyone . else you were right. Why? . . * * * . . There are two realities: in one the nature . is polarity, and that is where the Earth . vibrates for now. The other Reality, . however, has no opposites, it is Divine and . perfect, just as the reality of polarities . is perfectly undivine. Why try to change . either? And how can you? . . Can you bring Heaven to Earth? Can you . bring the Divine into the undivine? And can . you change the nature of either? . . The answer is no, you can only play by the . rules, by duality’s rules, or by divine . rules. Anything else is your mind . pretending, playing tricks on you. . . If you do not like duality, then leave it . alone and seek the Divine. . . How can you go home to Perfection when you . are still trying to change imperfection? . . Surrender is the only way, you can’t change . the law of duality, no more than you can . change the colour of the sky. If you are . busy with desire and aversion, creating and . destroying, how can you be free of the . realm of polarity? If you want to bring . peace to the world you have not understood . the law, or the nature of duality. . . All life in duality suffers the . restlessness of the pairs of opposites, . until it is done with them, until it is . ready to put them down, end the game, stop . fighting, stop wanting, until it is . finished with the dream and ready to give . up all delusions. . . If you are busy trying to bring light and . peace into this world you will never be . able to understand the Truth, or leave . beguilement’s shores. And if you are . protecting your own views, you will always . hide who you really are behind them. . . Trying to change duality’s nature is a . deluded and futile plight; the more light . you bring into the world, the more darkness . will rise up in response, until you learn, . until you see. The more you battle for . peace on Earth, the more war must . inevitably ensue, until you learn and see . that duality must balance itself, balance . its darkness with its light. Such is its . perfectly dualistic nature. . . When you try to bring light into this world . in order to change what you deem or judge . as wrong, know that under the law of . duality and in response to your actions, . darkness has been accentuated and brought . to the world in order to maintain the . balance. So at whose expense are your good . deeds executed? Who suffers the evil of . your ignorant good? . . The only true light of change comes in . giving up delusion and surrendering to . Truth. Not for the want of any change does . Truth arrive on Earth, and not to make an . evil into something good, but it comes to . the world to call souls Home from the . illusion. There is no purpose for divine . Love and Truth to be in the world of . polarity other than to redeem souls from . the endlessly swinging pairs of opposites, . from the imperfect state of life and death, . pleasure and pain, light and darkness. . Divinity does not come to improve duality, . so why do you seek to? . . Have you yet understood the nature of the . world? . . Who said you had to change anything? . . You cannot change the law, or the nature of . things. This level of consciousness on . Earth is one of discipleship, it is a . platform from which to reach up towards . liberation. You did not come here to . remodel or repaint the platform, you came . here to learn what it takes to be done with . this illusion and return Home; not to try . to make it perfect, but instead to see its . nature and so wisely give it up. . . Do you think you came here to transform the . world into an Eden, when Eden already . exists, and where reside many luminous . souls waiting for you to return? . . Change does not happen in the world, it . happens within; realisation does not happen . in the world it happens within. The world . is only an outer reflection of the human . mind, and you must be done with the . reflection before you can begin to see . Reality. And when you do begin to see, then . the old world outside will start to vanish . and you will recognise that it never had . any real existence. . . You must be done with trying to change the . nature of things, with trying to manipulate . universal laws, with trying to change an . illusion, before you can begin to see the . Truth that waits beyond the mind’s glamour. . . All things are as they are, and perfectly . as they are. It is not for you to change . anything, but rather to realise the nature . of this world and so be finished with it. . And when you are done with this level of . nature, another Nature will appear and . restore your vision, and show you who you . are. . . Perfection is already a reality, it has . always been a reality, and when you are . finished with the illusion, and so no . longer wish to change it, correct it or . improve it, but instead start to let it be, . you become a seeker of Truth, rather than a . participant in duality’s endless illusions. . . * * * . . When you went to school as a child, did you . try to change the school into a perfect . school in order to begin learning its . lessons? No, you just learned your lessons . and then left. It is the same for the . school of this world: learn your lessons . and then leave. Interfere with the . curriculum before learning the lessons and . the school would be rendered into disarray, . just as this world is in disarray. . . Perfect students make a perfect school, . nothing more than that, and you become a . perfect student not by trying to change . anything, but by just sitting down and . listening to the teacher in the classroom. . . And if you skip certain lessons because you . do not like them, then you will only learn . part of the curriculum and so you will have . to return again to learn the rest. . . When the lessons of the law of cause and . effect in duality are understood you will . no longer seek to meddle with it. You will . choose to let it be what it is, and you . will stop trying to skip lessons, or change . the curriculum into something you would . prefer. You will again begin to trust life, . and to trust duality to show you the middle . way between its illusions. You will cease . to grasp at good because you are afraid or . evil, you will cease to cling to hope . because you are afraid of doubt, you will . cease to speak so much about love because . you dislike your own fear, and in coming . into balance you will learn all your . lessons before leaving the Earthly school . forever. . . Soon now your school teacher is going to . return, and he is going to want to see your . coursework. What will you show him? Will . you show him a book only half filled with . the things you liked best? How will you . pass the final test, with half your work . and understanding missing? . . He will send you back to school, until you . fully understand your desire and aversion, . until you realise why you are really at . school, until you come to understand the . nature of your ignorance, and until you . cease to decorate the world to your . personal liking. . . There is no escape for you, no matter how . good you think you have been; if you have . avoided seeing all that you must in order . to leave the illusion of duality, you will . find yourself back there next term. . . Who taught you to hide from life in dreams . and hopes of peace and love? . . Who made you so afraid that you thought you . dare not look at the whole picture, both . good and bad? . . And who told you that by skipping life’s . lessons, trying to change the world into a . better place, and attempting the impossible . task of adjusting the laws of duality into . something more pleasing for yourself, would . ever lead you to the Truth? Re: The waves and the ocean - Jenese James . 29 Dec 2002 20:39 . #206 . Actually I am shocked that here we sit in . the 21st century still debating the meaning . of life, relgion..as a race I mean, . revealing to me that despite all the so . called 'masters'teachers, we have like . little children bowed to the messagner and . thrown out the message, hence the debate . still rages.... . . I have a few points to make . . Ed, it is the height of aragance from . anyone to assume what animals are or are . not, since we are not them and we have . never tried to communicate with them. The . first form of language in which all species . are well versed..possible exception the . aragant human....is telempathay or . telempathatic telepathy....humans in . general disreagard this as nonesence of . course,hence their aragant statement and . assumptions about nature and consequently . their seperation from it.... . . all life from the tinest cell, atom of . matter everything communicates in some . form ...that WE don't know that does not . stop it form occuring. . This attitude towards nature and animals . has allowed the wholesale slaughter of . them, the farming of them for flesh and . fluid...this is one of the biggest . illusions of the material world. animals . never need to question their divinity, its . inherent as a knowing within them...unlike . the rest of us who are always questioning. . . also it has been said that life its self . has no meaning....life is . meaningless...cepting that which we put . upon it...meaining life its self is . neutral, it is us by virtue of our . consciousness that makes meaning....and . from here judgements....and differing . beleifs take sway....and wholla groups of . people trying to define their own beleifs . as THE ultimate way and creating rules and . codes to make everyone else fall into their . way of believing. . . . even englightenment is illusion for . engligtenment implies another form of . seeing or knowing....the greatest of all . sages realise this...non attachment...I . asked once before...what is the beauty and . mystery of life....the answer...you . exist....no more no less...how one lives . their lives is their experience their . manifestation of their life. the . judgements are ours. . . once long long ago as a story goes...there . arrived on this earth a race of beings from . another place, they came here seeking . minerals that would help their atmosphere, . for many eons of time did they live here . toiling in the earth to gather their . minerals, they coexisted with a speices . that were themselves part of this planet . yet not as evolved as the visitors...after . many hundreds of years, the visitors toil . became to much, and they rebeled, they . downed their tools and confronted their . leader, one of two brothers, they asked him . and his sister, the chief scientist amongst . them to create workers to take their place . for they were tired of the long days of . toil. It was agreed and so their leader . and his sister set about creating a . worker...such was their technology and . abilities....after many trials, 2 were born . via artifical insemination, something we . humans have only recently developed....they . were called the Adama meaning . earthlings...and from here the 1st . testemant of the hebrew translations of . sumerian text where given in what has now . become the bible. this from zeacharia . sichten book the 12th planet...where much . can be gained about the origins of . humanity...although it can be a disturbing . read it allowed me to understand the . origion of religious beleif and how this . beleif underlies all cultures in one way or . another and how it is an erronous concept. . . Then there are all the tribal creation . stories, which funnily enough all touch on . something similar....akin to a mass dream... . . the futility of trying to understand the . beginings of time or projecting what can . only be limited understandings based on . eronous concepts can be an enjoyable past . time, even though entire universities . devote their time to it...what it really . does is maintain an even bigger illusion . within the illusion of blatant materialsim . and creates for itself many more . limitations to ones own knowing. . . Our world is filled with the thoughts and . ideas of every singe individual being that . has ever existed here, including animal, . vegetable and mineral...all of us living at . this time have the ability to tap into that . as we often do ...we can lay no claim to . the thoughts that occur to us nor the ideas . that come to us for they are free flowing, . meaning they come from all of us at one . time or another... . . if we were mature enough as a race to . understand that we are part of a wider . community of beings, then our notion of god . the way religion packaged it and the way . the new age has dogmatized it and the . philospohers have made a maze of it then we . would all just sit down and laugh at . ourselves. God exists only in the minds of . his beleivers, everyone else has been . forced through fear to beleive in HIM . rather than maintain their own . knowing....any deviation to gods word is . not looked at kindly ...although in these . days its safer to not beleive than it ever . was... . . the rigidity of the human race is its own . downfall.....life is to be lived and . experienced...not debated and judged . . if I died tomorrow, my energy would still . be here for others to tap into to choose . allbeit unconsciously to play out or . change, to adapt or redefine....it means . nothing to me except what I want it to . mean....yet if I died tomorrow i would be . more than who i am right now, I would be . enriched and metophoricaly speaking I would . be able to see the forest...for the trees . would not be blinding me to it . . my spontaneous rambling contribution to . these posting of the last days of another . passing year....oh I heard god was a . mushroom too.......but the goddess is life . . matt and sandi,...i just found this quote . from star hawk....reality is a collective . event and can be changed only by a . collective.... Re: Changing the World - Jenese James . 29 Dec 2002 21:01 . #207 who wrote this Ed ? or where did you get . this from ? . . This is true and correct, in a dualistic . world. as part of a dualistic nature. . . when things are seen in context there . begins a blance. the world is unfolding . perfectly in its imblance. its insanity is . perfectly insane. however only one who . comes from unity consciousness or has had . glimpses of it can speak these words . revealing that there is an ability to . transfigure duality to unity does it not ? . . when one has got to this state of which . these words speak then one has taken a step . out of duality in order to see the duality . of the situation and in that sense the . illusion of trying to 'fix'it or change it . or perhaps they are in the void between . duality enough to see it and unity enough . to sense it ? :0 . . acceptance of what is, is a challenge, but . one that is understood, it is like i said . in an early post...understanding in context . seeing the whole thing as one thing in . context....one can not change the events . unfolding however one can change their . attitude to it...nothing outside moves or . changes, yet something within has shifted . and things no longer affect one the same . degree..this leaves room for change to . occur...for it has been said that change is . the only constant...ie...things are . constantly changing.... . . The . to . for . love. . conflict, . into . mind . wishes . equation, . to . alive . look . cell . had . the . can . to . balance . he . allow . He . delusion. . tied . bring . use . would . perfectly . and . nature, . not . this . the . with . while . and . can . change . and . darkness . world . death, . of . with . the . happen . then . manipulate . be, . a . illusions. . you . disarray, . you . have . change . life, . middle . your . you . impossible . would Reality - Matthew Webb . 29 Dec 2002 22:34 . #208 REALITY . as opposed to . The Excuse-making of Modern Society . . In the world today we find numerous . examples of beliefs which exist and are . made popular for one simple reason to . remove all apparent need for the individual . to take responsibility for life. In . essence they are excuses for not taking . rational and progressive action. They . provide false security and irrational . escapes from the need to create a better . world, a sane society and a healthy self. . Worst of all they act to provide excuses . for those who would practice pseudo- . spirituality in the name of the “holy“. . . The following common beliefs allow the . illusion-filled mind excuses so as to not . take . responsibility. For this reason they are . widely popular and often quoted; . . 1) That world events are just “political” . concerns and not spiritual ones. . The Reality; . [realizing that all events have spiritual . relevance and must be so addressed] . . 2) That we must apply ourselves to the . existing social system to make the needed . corrections to the world, (voting, writing . letters, signing petitions). . The Reality; . [living life according to our own self . guided and direct perception of reality, . (and as communities) without need for . government “guidance” or corruption. . . 3) That the material world is just an . illusion. . The Reality; . [there is nothing illusory about the . material world, it is our view and . treatment of it which is illusory.] . . 4) That all we need is love. . The Reality; . [making sane, clear headed and informed . decisions that reflect intelligence rather . than just feeling. If there was ever a . singular quality we need in the modern age . it is clarity, since clarity Sees what . needs to be done. Clarity can see the need . for love, but love can‘t necessarily see . the need for clarity] . . 5) That all we need is faith in God, hope . or religion. . The Reality; . [developing clarity and Seeing reality for . ourselves, negating the need for “belief in . the unseen“, since nothing is un-seeable. . There is no need for faith in that which is . clearly Seen] . . 6) That we mustn’t “judge” anyone or . anything. . The Reality; . [having good judgment which is not an . emotional or irrational presumption, but a . rational examination of the facts, deriving . logical conclusions. Our lack of good . judgment is exactly what has placed our . species in the precarious position it is in . today] . . 7) That everything is perfect as it is, no . matter what happens. . The Reality; . [realizing that existence, like life . evolves, and that anything can be . improved. There is nothing that is perfect . because there is nothing which cannot be . improved]. . . 8) That all is by Divine Plan, no matter . what happens. . The Reality; . [realizing that any Plan is laid out for a . given purpose. There is no such thing as a . purposeless plan. A purposeful plan cannot . come to ANY conclusion and still be . fulfilled] . . 9) That other people aren’t “like us” due . to different skins or cultures, which is . why we don’t need to treat them as equals. . The Reality; . [realizing that all people are based on a . common heritage, (life) and exist . fundamentally through a common medium, . (consciousness). . . 10) That nature exists for us to use up . rather than understand, because “God gave . it to us”, (so says the Bible and . other “sacred” writings). . The Reality; . [taking responsibility for our physical . lives and this physical world, by . addressing them with respect, and with the . humility of the student, there to learn . important lessons, and to apply them in . honest, unselfish ways]. . . 11) That if it isn’t in the human . awareness at a given moment, it doesn’t . exist or matter, (including the universe . and anything in it). . The Reality; . [realizing that human perception and . knowledge are NOT the defining parameter . through which reality and the universe at . large function. On the contrary, we . function through universal parameters, as . witnessed by the laws of nature in action]. . . 12) That people are “absolved of their . sins” (wrong action, negative karma) . through confession or because somebody got . crucified by the Romans. . The Reality; . [nothing and no one can “absolve” us of . wrong actions or intent only we can do that . through earnest spiritual work and self . realization.] . . 13) That everything is “hopeless so why . bother trying“. . The Reality; . [realizing that if everyone said that, . social change would indeed be nearly . hopeless]. . . 14) That we can’t know the truth because . being human means being flawed, weak and . basically unintelligent. . The Reality; . [realizing we’re only as flawed weak and . unintelligent as we make ourselves, and . that this is a matter of inner knowledge . and self cultivation]. . . 15) That there is no truth there is . only “my truth” and “your truth“. . The Reality; . [truth exists whether we like it not, and . whether or not anyone may disagree with . it. Humanity has tried to make up truth, . but this is still make-believe, not that . Which Is and which existed eons before . humanity arose on this planet]. . . . When the desire to escape the truth, (and . the harsh reality we have generated on this . planet as a result of utter disregard for . it) diminishes, so too will the . attractiveness of such ideas as those . listed above. They will then fade away in . the public mind to be seen as absurd . notions. But this will not happen until it . is firmly realized by the average person . that truth is all that matters and ever . will matter, since only IT governs how our . daily reality functions. By denying truth . or trying to escape responsibility for it, . we only invite total disaster on a . personal, national and worldwide scale. In . other words, if social norms continue on as . they are, there will be no more humanity . left to avoid such responsibility. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Left and right hand path - Ed Pabaue . 30 Dec 2002 00:48 . #209 . Ahh, here is the nub, you see: you seek . results for self (and you will get them). . This is called the left-hand path of self- . or ego-cultivation, which leads to the . attainment of certain powers etc. in time . and space but also to a firmer nailing to . the wheel of samsara, to reincarnation for . the soul, and ultimately - if this path is . followed to its end - to sorcery and black . magic. . . The left-hand path is opposed to the right- . hand path - the holy Path - of ego- . dissolution, which leads to Deliverance or . Liberation from the wheel in time and . space. This is the Royal Road of . Transfiguration or Ascension, as it is more . usually called these days (though few are . they who tread that road), and every soul . must eventually go that road anyway, for . transfiguration is the goal of human beings. . . This is why you resonate with Matt, Sandi, . because he, too, is on the left-hand path, . and why Matt thinks I am nebulous and . cannot understand me, because I speak a . very different language as that which left- . hand path thinking can comprehend, as does . the Bible and other genuine scripture. . . I think I should leave you alone now. . . Bon voyage! . . Ed Monkey consciousness - Ed Pabaue . 30 Dec 2002 02:05 . #210 meaning . . Yeh, silly isn't it? Boring, too! . . . It's not arrogance, Jenesse, it's just . basic insight. . . The Goal of Enlightenment cannot be reached . in an animal body. It is well understood by . the initiates of the divine mysteries that . the animal kingdom is below the human . kingdom (though sometimes, I agree, you . might not think so when observing humanity . generally on Earth!) . . Animals to not have a crown chakra. . . Can you imagine a sage whale or a Buddha . dolphin? . . Come on, think like a human being! . . A Hindu saying: "In the mineral and . vegetable kingdoms God sleeps; in the . animal kingdom God stirs; in the human . kingdom God awakens!" Or is supposed to. . . That is the Plan. . . From the excellent book 'The Gospel of . Buddha': . . There is truth in the stone, for the stone . is here; . and no power in the world, no god, no man, . no demon, can destroy its existence. . But the stone has no consciousness. . . There is truth in the plant and its life . can expand; . the plant grows and blossoms and bears . fruit. . Its beauty is marvellous, but it has no . consciousness. . . There is truth in the amimal; it moves . about and perceives its surroundings; . it distinguishes and learns to choose. . There is consciousness, but it is not yet . the consciousness of Truth. . It is a consciousness of self only. . . . But there is no divine Intelligence in the . animal kingdom. . . No animal ever attained the Crown of Life: . Christ Consciousness. . . And neither will it - ever, for the animal . kingdom is not designed to do so. . . . If I wanted to enjoy amoeba-consciousness I . would not have incarnated into human form! . . . Hmm, so predator animals such as sharks and . lions and alligators are divine, eh? . . Strange god they worship, then! . . . What about the matrix of life-force-sucking . evil that surrounds and interpenetrates . this world and makes of it a prison for . consciousness, thwarting the very purpose . of this world, which is supposed to be an . avenue to Liberation from birth and death? . . Should we just pretend that evil does not . exist by pontificating philosophically? . . Are you one of those people who chooses to . deny the existence of the dark forces that . rule this world and contaminate every being . in it from the cradle to the grave? . . Since the nature of the human heart is . Bliss, have you ever wondered why you are . not experiencing Bliss in every moment? . . If you understood the nature and pervasive . treachery of evil on this planet and its . agenda, you would also understand why you . are looking to the animal kingdom to find . Truth! . . The Earth prison has done a number on you, . Jen, so much so that you are now looking . backwards to the animal kingdom because you . sense that there is some sanity still left . there (despite the fact that many animals . are also corrupted by evil and so hunt and . eat one another). . . The animal kingdom is natural, true to . itself, because it is being what it is. And . this is why you like it, of course. But the . animal kingdom is not spiritually conscious. . . Sure, a dolphin produces good and happy . vibrations, just like the purring of a . kitten, but you will not find Holiness or . cosmic consciousness there. . . And why should you be even interested in . finding cosmic consciousness? Because that . is your purpose in human form! . . The nature kingdoms are still being true to . their nature, but don't mistake that for . something higher, something Divine. . . That would be of the order of . retrogression, since you are a human being. . . The nature kingdoms are just being what . they are. Mankind on Earth no longer knows . how to be Real, natural, true to itself, . and maybe that is why you look to the . natural sub-human kingdoms for some respite . from falsehood. . . However the wise man looks to Divinity . itself. . . from . him . amongst . born . developed....they . . Oh dear, what a gross misinterpretation! . . This happens when one does not have . esoteric insight, and it happens a lot on . this planet! . . The story of Adam and Eve has a much more . cosmic meaning than mere . historical/phenomenal. That is what . scriptures are about: cosmic principles, . not mere historical events. . . Duh! . . When the ignorant mind of man attempts to . understand that which comes from beyond it, . mistakes are inevitable. . . You and Matt should have a lobotomy! . . If you want to understand something of the . mystically veiled language of Genesis, see: . . www.westnet.com.au./thecall/yinyang.htm . . or . . You will never truly comprehend as long as . you rely on books and commentaries for your . wisdom! . . dream... . . Right, so what are doing reading Sitchin, . then? . . at . that . . Yes, it's called 'channelling' these days, . and even horses and cats can do it! (But . they don't charge money). . . ideas . . No wonder the human race on Earth is lost! . . god . we . . Haaaa! . . . Yes, it's true. . . . Life in darkness is to be experienced? Is . that the purpose of life, to experience . pain? . . Now YOUR god is odd, too! . . Is there no place for discernment and . discriminative intelligence in our life, . then? . . Why would we choose to experience an . existence of death and suffering? . . Is there not something more to understand . here? . . would . . So you can remember dying before, then? Or . is this just a philosophical supposition? . . . Holy, Holy, Holy Father: have mercy, for . they know not what they do! . . Ed Re: Monkey consciousness - Louis Mignacca . 30 Dec 2002 04:34 . #211 Salvia, Psilocybin,Tabernanthe Iboga,Phalaris,Datura, Bella Donna, Ipomea Violacea,Nymphaea Cerulla,Cannabis, Papaver Somniferum,& others. There is no denying the Divinity that lies fully awake and conscious within these plant Entheogens. they all pack quite a punch when it comes to destroying anything and everything you ever"thought" was reality, including what you thought about divinity. No need for long winded diatribes.....Lux E Tenebris........Lu BIBLES do not equal WISDOM - Matthew Webb . 30 Dec 2002 16:44 . #212 BIBLES do not equal WISDOM . . Bibles do not equal wisdom. In other words, . all forms of spiritual text no matter how . eloquently stated, cannot actually grant . wisdom to the reader, merely through the . act of reading. Words are only the . representations of things, but not the . things themselves. All of the most widely . followed religious texts from the Vedas, . the Koran, the Bible, the sayings of Buddha . and the practices of Lao Tse, are but . written attempts to convey various authors’ . conceptions. Each attempts to convey the . same essence, speaking of the underlying . Truth through differing means. Each is a . path, and all paths lead ultimately to . God/Truth. Yet regardless of how well each . system or person may or may not describe . Truth, their essential value to the reader . is only as great as ones’ personal . investment in Spiritual Fact. It is our . personal experience, application and . intention toward greater wisdom, that . allows us to progress, regardless of what . we have read. Therefore it is not the . reading about God nor even the most . advanced theological studies, which provide . insight into the Divine. . . As history demonstrates, religion and . scriptural study are more often used as . places of refuge from responsibility, than . the actual embodiment of spiritual wisdom. . Dogmas and the artificial divisions they . contain, are the very source of wars, . ethnic conflicts, misery and destruction . throughout history. The blind insistence . upon religious intolerance, has resulted in . most of the horrors of human civilization, . [such as the warfare in the Middle East, . the Dark Ages, and the “conversion”, . (destruction) of the Native peoples of the . world throughout history]. Religious . orthodoxy continues to be, as it is . said, “the opiate of the masses” as a . convenient distraction from the Truth. Such . distraction is convenient because it always . places the ultimate responsibility for . ones’ actions outside of the self. Such . doctrines are the very center for darkness . and dis-empowerment in our world, and they . have no place for an enlightened humanity. . . It is commonly assumed that regular church . participation means that one is a good . person, when in fact all this implies is . that we can keep a schedule. It is thought . that the performing of certain rituals . carries the implication that one is a . spiritual person, yet the realist must . conclude that this is not so. Many imagine . that those who can quote scripture must . surely be devote and holy servants of God, . but this is by no means necessarily so. God . is not found in books, church dogmas, nor . even in Bibles. Nor is God found . exclusively within stained glass walls, . around altars or within the stitching of . the vestments of priests or elders. God is . not contained in rituals or well-crafted . sermons. The true benefit of humanity is . not found in inflicting “authority” and . ideological control over others, in the . name of the spiritual Masters, Church . organizations or of God. To do so is to . disgrace the Intent behind what Christ, . Buddha and others, sought to accomplish in . the world. God is found in all things, not . the least of which is the human being, . (consciousness) at all places and times. We . need not seek God out in any supposedly . Holy land or paper sheets. God can be . reached in innumerable ways, because God is . found in all philosophies and religions. . Those who claim God can only be found . through their particular prophet, messiah . or set of practices, are suffering from a . form of spiritual egotism which does not . befit the true benefit of humanity. We . need only turn within, and realize that the . Divine is already present there. . . That which is called God is not only in . touch with us at all times, It is a part of . us and we are a part of It. We are as cells . in the body of God. How then can we not, . in all honesty know God, just as we may . know ourselves? Must each person have a . priest, Saint or intermediary of some kind, . to find the God within? No, this cannot be . so for God is in all places, including our . own selves. . . Love, the universal organizer of greater . things, is not gained through the quoting . of scriptural phrases with the Intention of . berating or intimidating others. It is not . the glad result of 8 years in college, nor . 80 years of church attendance. Love is a . felt experience. It is a state of being and . presence, which automatically promotes . wisdom on a cumulative basis. Love is a . cosmic essence that is not only universally . felt, but which is one of the few things . which is worthy of religious focus and . devotion. But rarely do we hear of love in . the words of the dogmatists or the . fundamentalists. Rarely do we hear of the . uniting of the peoples of the world in good . will and mutual enlightenment, by those who . promote their special interests alone. What . we most often hear is that anyone who does . not practice or believe in a certain way is . a sinner, and unworthy of an equal measure . of the graces of God. This is so because of . the egotistically rigid doctrines held by . spiritual theorists and manipulators, and . not for the true spiritual gain of all . persons as the Children of the Divine. . . As we spiritually mature, we realize that . it is not the unthinking adherence to . special key phrases or figureheads which . makes us Holy. True spirituality is the . flexible, universal embrace, (and practice) . of Truth. Truth is common to all people, . in all places and times. Clarity, or the . clear perception of Truth, cannot rise up . in a person through the following of rules . or blind faith. Clarity is primarily had . through self awareness and experiential . knowledge. . . Having faith in clarity, (or the clear . perception of God) is absurd, because . belief, (like scriptural study) does not . imply spiritual perception. Perception into . God and Truth are a result of our state of . consciousness. Having clarity about faith . on the other hand, is a revealing process. . It causes one to reject ritual, religion . and destructive belief systems, in favor of . direct experience. Direct experience . provides direct perception. No one need . tell us the value of direct experience. We . are told by the Bible and many Christian . sects, (as with many other religions) that . we must have faith in God. For what purpose . must we have faith in That which is . obvious? This would be like saying we must . have faith in gravity, and yet gravity is . an unmistakable, moment to moment reality. . Having faith in gravity is not necessary. . We need only observe the fact of it at any . moment. Such observation is, (ideally) part . of the objectivity which we must all apply, . to become wise beings. Objectivity, . observation and experimentation are those . attributes of the active mind, which bring . about experiential knowledge. Herein lies . the essence of wisdom, and therefore, . genuine spiritual practice. Such knowledge . does not require belief. This is what is . known as having clarity, (about a subject, . and as a quality of mind). Thus when we . have clarity, the need for, (or . desirability of) faith is made obsolete. . . The same may be said of the direct . perception of God and Love. No one need . tell the man or woman who is in Love, that . love is good or empowering. No one need . tell the man or woman in God, that . God/consciousness exists. No one need . insist upon the following of the same tired . fundamentalist rhetoric of control and . domination, (which haunts scriptural study . halls) when Divine Presence has already . been made obvious within. Connection with . God and Love is a direct and tangible FACT. . It exists inside or outside of a church, . and inside or outside the context of any . Bible. This FACT makes the concept of faith . in rule-following dogma, (and any . organization or written document which . advocates it) unworthy of humanity’s . genuine spiritual focus. . . It may also be concluded that as . individuals we possess the inherent . capacity to experience God, to feel love . and to have clarity. We need not concern . ourselves with the trivial details of . scriptural history or doctrine. At best, . doctrine and history are only reference . points, for more enlightened action in the . present. They are not substitutes for . direct experience. They are therefore not a . suitable subject matter for in-depth . study. What is more important than past . events or dogmatic rules, are the events of . the present moment. What we now create is . what determines the fate of ourselves and . our species. We need not concern ourselves . with all the trivial particulars of who . beget whom, and what nation slaughtered . other nations, because they were not “Gods’ . chosen people”. All beings are in and of . God, and the Divine is not an ethnically . exclusive Patron of wars and other social . mischief. The only thing we need learn from . such scriptural references, is what NOT TO . DO, now, in this present day. What is . important is that we deepen our connection . with That which is called God, . Consciousness and Truth, each and every . day. What is relevant are the decisions we . now make, the lifestyle we choose, and the . manner in which we now apply Universal . Truth. It is important that we cultivate . love and clarity within, so that we may . manifest these qualities amongst each . other, and the world in general. This is . why a very large portion of the Bible, . which is dedicated to blind doctrines and . bloody historical references, is not . particularly important to the truly . spiritual person. Such material has no . direct bearing on God, Love or Clarity, nor . their direct experience. All of these . aspects must be lived not because someone . says so, (or said so thousands of years . ago) and not because we would be “sinners’ . to do otherwise. . . We must live Love and Truth, because they . are real qualities of existence. They have . genuine value regardless of the insistence . upon rule-following by organized religions. . The mindless and heartless following of . rules, is not a means to gain Enlightenment . or Holiness, since enlightenment is a verb, . not a noun. Instead of wasting time in . redundant scriptural quotation year after . year, our energy would be better spent in a . focus upon becoming as a Christ and/or as a . Buddha. Each and every one of us would do . well to consider much more than the study . of religious tenets, but the embodiment of . Holiness beyond all dependency upon blind . adherence. We need no in-depth theoretical . discussion of “good and evil”, “right and . wrong”, “God and Satan” as these concepts . are dualistic, overly simplistic and of . little wisdom. We need no trite ritual or . spoken phrase as though this might grant . absolution for our artificial imbalances, . in a materialistic culture. Humanity must . embody more than this. The spiritual . practitioner must live out in daily life . the nature of Truth and God. The . intelligent do not let out-of-context . scriptural references or religions, limit . this most important process of human . evolution. . . There is a principle of the mind which . states; That which is focused upon is that . which is done. When we focus upon the . religious concepts of sin, (of the . supposedly flawed nature of humanity, which . is in itself a flawed doctrine) without . consideration of practical remedy, then the . results we obtain will simply be, THE . PROMOTION OF MORE SIN. That which is called . sin propagates itself, simply through the . sheer intensity of focus we pour upon . assumed flaw, if nothing else. This is . similar to a ‘former” alcoholic counting . the hours or days since his last drink. So . long as the drunk counts the days since . their last mistake, they are constantly . reaffirming the fact that another mistake . is just around the corner. Such an attitude . does not reflect learning behavior. It . mirrors only the endlessly repeating cycle . of guilt, perverse fascination with wrong . action, and then more guilt. On and on this . cycle goes until we break the chains of . faulty belief, and an equally faulty lack . of personal responsibility for it. The . doctrine of sin renders real damage to . those who believe in it. Fundamentalism . stands in the way of human progress, by . promoting the idea that no matter what we . do we are sinners, wrong-doers, weak and . fallible beings, who have no chance . whatsoever to take responsibility for . ourselves and our state of being. It may . then be said that the greatest sin of all . is the fundamentalist concept of sin and . satan themselves. . . If human beings spent even half the energy . and focus upon embodying love and clarity, . as they do promoting special interest . doctrines, (such as religious fallacies) . our lives would be transformed forever. . Were we to focus instead upon what it . actually means to live in accord with . Universal and Divine Laws, then the . knowledge and ability to do so would be . ours. Each individual in this way, has the . potential to become their own priest, . healer, teacher, councilor and savior. Each . individual may empower themselves to find . their own absolution and salvation, through . TRUTH and a life well lived. This is in . fact what the individual MUST do to be . genuinely spiritual. Even the Apostles of . Christ could not successfully absorb his . direct teachings while he was still alive, . without learning their own lessons based . upon their own experiences. This is the . unavoidable nature of the spiritual path. . Wisdom, like respect, is not merely . granted. Both of these must be earned. This . means we have no choice but to take . responsibility for ourselves in personal . self-realization, before God-realization . can be maintained. We cannot become wise so . long as we are bound by the limitations of . belief systems, or dogmatic practices. . . To become truly enlightened beings, and to . convert a confused humanity to a more noble . focus, a transformation of consciousness . must take place. This must happen beyond . the confines of human history, culture, . nationality, and the religions it has . built. As we meditate upon and cultivate . love, it rises up in us in body, mind and . soul, just as a flower naturally grows in . fertile soil. As we meditate upon and . cultivate clarity, the light of direct . perception is shed upon all subjects, . including the purpose of life, the soul of . self, and the Intent of God. In this way . the vast expanses of Truth become ours to . explore at will. Our spiritual will is only . as limited as the age of human history with . which we identify. . . Experience and self responsibility are . primary paths to wisdom. Such qualities . are central to actually BECOMING a Christ . or a Buddha. It is not enough to merely . follow printed words, through memorized . procedures. The words of morality are not . the reality of living, just as rules are . not the essence of motivation and wisdom. . It is not enough to simply accept the ideas . of a belief system, as an unquestioned . guideline for daily living. In other words, . it is not enough to simply “have faith”. . Through simple acceptance we learn nothing, . because we have developed nothing, worked . for nothing, and truly experienced nothing. . We must discard such obstacles to true . progress, which are encountered in all of . the worlds’ religions and philosophies. . . Humanity still lives in a very primitive . age, where dogma and political power rule . the land, in the name of spirituality. The . doctrines of domination, damnation and . suppression, must be transcended. We must . go beyond the concepts of original sin, . Divine favoritism, blind faith, and God as . a human-like person with human-like, petty . emotions. We must go beyond Satan, (and . crafty evil awaiting its chance to cause . mayhem) and all other forms of personified, . human confusion and fear, to find that . which is common to all belief systems, . philosophies, governments and cultures. . This is a process of consciousness . expansion, and self realization. Those who . truly seek the depths of REALITY have need . of CONSTANTLY returning themselves to Truth . without bias. They cannot rely upon others . to provide Realization, when in fact others . cannot supply illumination. It is our . responsibility to transcend all systems, . religions, Bibles, exclusive ethnicity and . culture, to find the universal in all . people, in all places, and at all times. . . In reality, God and Nature become our own . lived experience. Only then can we know the . real value of the word “spirituality”. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: BIBLES do not equal WISDOM - Ed Pabaue . 30 Dec 2002 21:08 . #213 words, . . This is partially true, Matt, but there is . something you may be missing here. . . Reading divinely-inspired words of truth in . a receptive state of mind produces a magic . vibration within us. When we admit into the . head sanctuary and adopt with the heart . sanctuary spiritual truths projected in . print, the divine spark in our heart is . brought into binding with the universal . forces to which such truths bear witness. . . This is how living Wisdom can indeed be . bestowed on the earnest seeker by way of . scripture or any truly divinely-inspired . writing. . . It is also the way the sagacious seeker may . discern the degree of illumination or . quality of truth contained in a person's . words, and even the author's level of . consciousness. . . The same applies to music and works of art. . . Some souls have become permanently . spiritually transformed by reading just one . passage from a genuine scripture, for such . writings contain within them the vibration . from the living Spirit that inspired them . originally. . . Even though the Bible has been distorted . over millennia, it still contains certain . mystical keys that can awaken the . consciousness of the spiritually mature . aspirant. But the same keys remain . undetectable to those who do not possess an . open inner eye. . . Those who renounce the value of scripture . have not at all understood the esoteric . value of scripture. . . Ed Re: Reality - Jenese James . 31 Dec 2002 01:34 . #214 . I enjoyed reading that . . one comment though . . There is another word that goes with . judgment....oppps i said that . incorrectly....there is another word that . is often confused with judgement, and it is . observation....often one observes something . comments on it and wholla is accused of or . assumed to be judging...so there is . observation and judgment. for example . excitement and anxiety...I was once told . that anxiety is excietment judged...it . makes sense to me meaning that when i get . excited about and idea or anything...the . moment that i begin to worry that I can't . do that idea or whatever I begin to get . anxious...because I have allowed myself to . fall into judgement about my abilities for . instance.....make sense ? . . anyway I just thought I would share that . with you....another thing that I came upon . today...that ive felt before...in my job as . a retail manager..and after this massive . insane consumer feast.....and exactly 1 . week to the day its repeated (new years . eve) I felt that i had lost all respect for . humanity....why because if people put the . equal amount of energy into helping each . other, speaking out or even understanding . GE pollution for example as they do in . spending their money on meaningless shite . simply to fill some void/gap inside of . them....this world woudld be a much . different place than it is now....the . levels of unconsiousness really get to me . sometimes...yes this is my challenge... . Re: Monkey consciousness - Jenese James . 31 Dec 2002 03:09 . #215 ED You have made some quite aragant . assumptions in your reply to me and they . smack of self righteousness, the type that . comes from someone who feels the need to . stoke their ego, by writng words that are . in many instances quite judgemental of . others, and show quite a fundementalist . attitude . . just . reached . by . . J> DUH ! why don't you STOP thinking like . one . How insulting . yes i CAN imagine a buddah dolphin and . whale actually, in fact I don't even have . to imagine ....they are.... I don't think . buddha was all that enlightened actually, . infact I know he wasn't if what we know of . him is true.. of who he was then no he had . a lot to learn. Why, because he didn't . beleive and buddasht to this day do not . beleive one can attain enlightenment if one . is in a woman's body . MAN creates for himself the heirachy in . order to understand HIMSELF, HE places . within this system himself above all that . he exists within as a creature HIMSELF. . Who told you you have a crown . chakra....what is YOUR CROWN CHAKRA...I . suppose you think your consciousness is in . your body as well ! ? . buddah could not see nor understand that . which is within the rock . . . ED >But there is no divine Intelligence in . the . animal . athourity to say that if you are not . following someone elses beleif . . . ED >If I wanted to enjoy amoeba- . consciousness I . consciousness ? Why did you incarnate here . then ? . ED >Hmm, so predator animals such as sharks . and . . J >Did I say that ? . And one thing about animals is they don't . have to worship . Giving your energy to something outside of . yourself in the form of worship will always . keep you blind to your self,and therefore . understandings that could liberate your . self from the illsuionary world you live in . . sucking . . always implying that you are somehow above . all that life force suckinig stuff..beyond . it by knowing something we all don't ? . . ED> >Should we just pretend that evil does . not . once and never got a reply from . . ED >Are you one of those people who chooses . to . being . . J> that dark force is man himself THAT is . one of the deeper illusions not often . seen...rather HE is often looking outside . himself to find a victim for his own . circumstances . there is a way bigger picture here ED than . your mind can even fathom . . ED>Since the nature of the human heart is . J> Yes Ed I have wondered and now I know . why and in that knowing ....how to change it . Bliss is part of the illusion as well ed . . ED >If you understood the nature and . pervasive . J> DID I say I was looking to the animal . Kingdom ? you know not who I look to for . truth. . perhaps truth can be found only in what is . not true . . ED >The Earth prison has done a number on . you, . you . looking back . the most insideiously evil thing that I . have come to see on this planet is . Religion. Religion by its own definition . of evil is itself its own definition....it . is evil . You and all others have been . fooled...religion is the very tool that . holds you to subsrvience, to seperation of . physical life from its constantly flowing . and living life force . it has been a very effective tools and it . has been used to keep you limited of your . own self knowing. . . ED >Sure, a dolphin produces good and happy . J > again what is becoming aragant . assumptions....who are you to say that. . proves my last point though . . ED >And why should you be even interested . in . J> I tire of this....I would never have . come here if it was to find cosmic . consciousness ... I didn't loose it . although i understand how it appears as . though we have . why would I wantn to find cosmic . consciousness . . ED >The nature kingdoms are still being . true to . . J > Don't underestimate it ED or negate it . either . . ED >That would be of the order of . respite . J> Once again...assumption....you have . fallen out of your self . . . ED >However the wise man looks to Divinity . more . J> well actually the old testament was . based on what i posted in a very very brief . condensed pharaphrased version . . Ed >When the ignorant mind of man attempts . to . it, . J > That is why HE could never understand . the feminine and hence the state of the . world....an agreement point . . ED >You and Matt should have a lobotomy! . J > DUH ! . . Ed >You will never truly comprehend as long . as . your . patronisingn comments that is often thrown . into dialouges such as this . Sitchin, . . ED>Life in darkness is to be experienced? . Is . . J> did I say that, did i even imply it ? I . think not....another assumption . . ED >So you can remember dying before, then? . Or . J> what the....! . for . who have the point to make...tis you who . has the judgements and you always have ever . since you started posting here.... . . mother bless him so that he may understand . . ps....actually funnily enought i am a . monkey....in chinese astrology Re: Monkey consciousness - Louis Mignacca . 31 Dec 2002 05:10 . #216 . I have a 12 y/o Shih-Tzu (Lion-Dog) bitch, that has been pampered all her life, and spends the day sleeping on a pillow on the couch, listening to music, while I go out and obtain the money to keep her in that position. This particular breed of dog has a long history of Royalty, and I could Damn sure see how this "life" for her is one of beautiful, restful, pampered, divine, sleep, while the rest of us work to catch up. My dog-God is a sponge of love, love is God, God is love. There are many other animal forms that are clearly "Divine", I live in the tropics, surrounded by great large winged birds, and have been one with their consciousness, and that of the plant kingdom, and to most of them, humanity IS the lower life form, AND, they do a lot of laughing. Just like humanity, there is rank, order, & different levels of obtainment. To understand this in simple terms, reserch the Oriental Zodiac.....Lu x The latest WMS Newsletter - Matthew Webb . 31 Dec 2002 11:55 . #217 The World Mind Society . Newsletter 02-1230 . . A Roadmap to Enlightenment . Part 1 . . Considerable fascination is felt by the . explorer of consciousness, when they . realize that they are both the subject of . study, as well as that which is doing the . studying. It is consciousness which is . reading these words, not just the physical . eyes and brain, and it is consciousness . which can also See itself and know its own . inner workings This is true self . knowledge. Of the three components of . consciousness, (intent, awareness and . energy) which we are at our most basic . level of being, intent is the most . relevant. The author of these words . intends that the reader be motivated to . read this article with deep interest, and a . desire to accelerate their own evolution. . If that is your intent as well while in . reading these words, upon which your . awareness and energy is focused, then we . have the basis for exploring together the . greatest wonder of all time. If ever there . was a secret of life this is it, but it . need be secret no longer. . . For this monumental exploration to . continue, we have no need of millions in . grant money, libraries of books or 10,000 . square foot research centers, to gain deep, . fundamental insights into Reality. We need . only meditation and an honest mind, one . that can reach beyond the small shoe box of . modern ideas, into the vast ocean of truth . with which we are always connected in order . to achieve true greatness. To conduct . advanced research into self, soul and God, . which are ALL consciousness at Their most . fundamental level of being, we need no . particle accelerators or electron . microscopes. All we need is the extreme . sensitivity of the human nervous system, . self knowledge and mastery. From this . ultimate study we can collectively achieve . such scientific and mystical revelations, . that they will shake the modern world down . to its very root assumptions, generate . lasting world peace, create intimate . understanding between all peoples . regardless of previous beliefs, cultures, . wars or history with one another, so as to . change our world forever. These . revelations awaiting to arise within each . of us, would erode all governments, all . political parties, all religions, all . philosophies, all cultures and almost all . modern ideas, in favor of the fundamental . truth of life which composes each and every . human being. Allow me to be your guide on . this occasion, so that we might See . together the purpose and mastery of life . and self. . . The Science of Consciousness . . The study of consciousness is a science . that is completely explainable in logical . and understandable terms. It is a study of . self at the most fundamental level of . being, which also means it is the most . pertinent and relevant study we can . undertake for self knowledge and mastery. . Since consciousness also underlies all . other forms of life, (even all matter, . including the atom) and all things . spiritual, (such as that which is referred . to as “God” and “soul”) it is similarly the . most pertinent and relevant study we can . undertake for understanding the universe. . This is so because of one simple and . readily observable fact ..everything we do . is based on the type of intent we are using . each moment, how our awareness is focused . and what our energy is doing during any ten . second period. Even now, and during every . micro-second hereafter, your consciousness . is functioning through these three . mediums. So too is nature and all its . creatures,. So too are the very atoms and . cells which compose our bodies. So too is . that which is called God. Because we are . literally composed of these three elements, . (intent, awareness and energy) self . understanding of them implies also an . intimate understanding of the natural and . spiritual world. So it is that the science . of consciousness is the foundation upon . which all other sciences may properly . understood. Naturally I don’t expect the . reader to simply believe this. I don’t . ever advocate the use of faith, for all . this and more can be directly Seen. When I . say this I speak not from theory, but from . repeated personal experience over the . course of many years. It is my utmost wish . to share these meditational revelations, . which you too can experience and know . directly. Basic scientific method applies . here, in the simple repetition of . experiments which continue to verify what . is hereby proposed. I ask only that you . have patience in this exploration, allowing . realization of its reality to take hold in . your mind. . . Analogy of the treasure map in relation to . these instructions . . What is offered next may be likened to a . rather crude but effective “map“, so that . the seeker of these valuable goods may . obtain what they desire. This is . an “inner” journey which also . reveals “outer” truth. The inner and the . outer are interwoven together to such an . extent, that a deep exploration of one . becomes knowledge of the other. This is . the basis of the saying “All is One”, and . can be explained in terms of what science . calls “the unified field” of particle . physics. Truly, the unified field of life . is consciousness itself. The . interconnectedness that is our constant . experience, (whether we realize it or not) . is like a network of psychic roadways, . (consciousness) which extend from person to . person, from people to the universe in . general, and vice versa. This “Roadmap to . Enlightenment” is but one among many others . which can lead the seeker of treasures to . their ultimate goal, though I will admit, . none I’ve ever found in my extensive . reading on the subject of consciousness, . has ever come close to the fine detail . described by the World Mind Society . writings. . . Like any treasure map you will find . explicit instructions and landmarks by . which to navigate your inner search. These . are listed below as “steps”. The starting . point is the Chakra Meditation reviewed . next, (or other such inner focuses). . Imagine if you will, holding these . instructions in your hand while proceeding . with great expectation, to an incredible . storehouse of priceless goods. There you . will find gems of knowledge and pearls of . wisdom whose value are so far beyond any . worldly equivalent, that they cannot be . realistically compared. Each instruction . below is likened to specific directions . given to find this buried . treasure .”fifteen paces south past the . prominent tree you will find two large, . pointed stones through which the bay below . may be seen, take a left, walk 22 paces . west and follow the small creek down to the . overlook” .etc. Just like following the . physical instructions of a physical map, . remember that each maneuver must be fully . accomplished before the next instruction . may be effectively and fully taken. If the . instruction says “take 22 paces” then this . does not mean 5 or 15. So in order to . accomplish this you will need patience and . serious focus, for it may take days, weeks, . months or even years to follow it through . to the end. This is simply the nature of . spiritual practice, because there is . absolutely no true shortcut to truthful . realization and personal mastery. . . Given this materialistic and confused . world, meditation may be likened to an . alien vehicle of travel for many people, . due to their unfamiliarity with . consciousness, (true self). With it we . will traverse the ocean of truth to arrive . at various destinations. These will, one . after the other, provide the means to . proceed to the next step mentioned on . our “map“. . . Step 1 . . The Chakra Meditation (review). . . What the Chakra Meditation accomplishes is . body-wide awareness of the feelings . throughout our being. Our feelings are an . excellent starting point for self and . universal understanding. They tell us . countless important facts if only we will . listen carefully. Meditation is the . perfect medium for listening quietly to . what life and reality have to say. As we . replace the mode of constant streams of . thought passing through the mind with a . feeling focus, the mind is quieted by . degrees until direct perception begins to . arise. The World Mind Society Chakra . Meditation is therefore the basis of our . spiritual practice. From this root focus . we may then proceed to more sophisticated . uses of consciousness, such as what is . found in the Advanced Chakra Meditation. . . The Chakra Meditation is conducted thus; . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately . begin focusing on the feelings throughout . the body. Those new to this practice may . begin by focusing upon a very small area of . the body, such as the tip of the right . index finger. Be carefully aware of every . subtle detail of feeling in this area. . Allow awareness to spread to the entire . finger, then the hand, arm, both arms, . chest, torso, head, legs and feet, (not . necessarily in that order). Do not avoid . any pain, fear or other unpleasantness . found anywhere in the body. [Such feelings . are usually the result of Intentions which . inhibit personal growth, and these can . be "reprogrammed". Fear can be replaced by . love, confusion by clarity, and pain by . vibrant energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . simply relax, and return again and again to . a feeling-awareness focus, even if this . means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts . to intrude upon this process will gradually . diminish. Be patient and don’t let the . simplicity of this method of meditation . deceive you. Let your awareness travel . freely from one area of the body to the . next, as it will be inclined to do. Feel . every subtle inner detail. Areas of . particular stress or activity will attract . your awareness, and hold it for longer . periods than the rest of the body. Allow . this to happen, as it is a function of . natural self-healing processes and energy . body activity. Don’t be concerned or . irritated by intruding thoughts, just . continue to return to a feeling/awareness- . oriented focus within the body, in a . relaxed manner. Relax into your feelings . and explore them, but don’t analyze . psychologically. Those who wish to gain . even greater benefit from this practice . should attempt to feel the entire body at . once, and meditate upon this. . . ****** . . Beware of the tendency of thinking this . method of meditation is too simplistic to . accomplish anything important. On the . contrary, the act of changing one’s . awareness from thoughts to feelings is . supremely useful for many reasons. Most of . the widespread, chronic nervous disorders . seen today, including mental and emotional . distress for which medical “science” can . only prescribe a pill, is exactly what we . can address effectively through such . meditation. Unbeknownst to . modern “medicine” that only addresses . symptoms, this is what is known as . a “cure”. . . By centering our awareness on the feelings . within, we quiet the mind and allow the . body to deal with any imbalances on its own . level of awareness, rather than being . constantly distracted by the clutter of . irrelevant thoughts which stress the . cells. This engages a natural healing . process when allowed to continue, . especially when we meditate at least 20-30 . minutes every day. . . Awareness of feelings also places us in far . closer contact with our environment and how . it is impacting our own lives. Subtle . feelings tell us the intent of others, . their moods, their feelings and even their . thoughts, if we “listen” quietly and . attentively. It shows us many of . the “secrets” of nature, especially when . meditating in natural settings. The . consciousness of plants and animals as well . as the lessons they have to teach, are . available through such meditation. . . Furthermore, subtle feeling-awareness . creates a stronger and stronger connection . to what has been called “the conscience” or . in other words, the voice and influence of . the soul, which is our true self. Thus . when we meditate we learn not only to tune . into our “higher self”, we eventually learn . that this truly is our only real self, and . the other “lower self” or personality, is . only a mistaken and learned behavior. Thus . when we speak of gaining self knowledge in . meditation, much of what this means is . realizing that self is truly “SOUL” and not . given memories, thoughts or self images . based on occupation, nationality, religion . or culture. Soul is consciousness, and . consciousness is common to us all. If ever . there was a chance for world peace it will . come through such understanding of our . commonality. From these truthful . realizations we understand and directly . experience the universality of human kind, . and all of life and existence. . . Being in touch with our feelings also . improves the health of body and mind, while . allowing us the opportunity for conscious . self change, one that is hindered by an . ignorance of such things. We can feel what . we truly need to eat and drink, not to . mention what exercise is needed. Knowledge . of feelings is self knowledge, and that . which is better known is more readily . changed for the better. . . Step 2 . . The Intent of Permanency . . After practicing the Chakra Meditation . daily, ideally before sleep and before . arising in the morning, we become . accustomed to what meditation feels like, . as well as its implicit benefits. . Familiarity with this level of self then . leads to a more advanced practice, which is . what the WMS refers to as, “the intent of . permanency”. In the Chakra Meditation we . find that our state of consciousness is . changed during that focus .we go from a . thought oriented focus to one of feeling . and awareness. It may be hard for some to . believe but this state of consciousness, . learned in meditation, can be made . permanent. To accomplish this, we need . only intend it to be so, and then apply . that intent in everyday life. Try . employing this intent of permanency while . in meditation. After reaching a . restful, “no-thought” state of feeling, . INTEND that you will arise from meditation . and maintain that state for the next hour . in whatever you are doing. Beginners are . advised not to do this before driving or . performing any work related action, until . they gain proficiency in such “permanent . meditation modes”. . . You can also reinforce this meditational . practice by simply remembering to do so any . time during the day. In whatever you are . doing, simply feel the whole body and stay . centered on this feeling awareness. When . the mind is distracted by events or . thoughts, simply return to this feeling . awareness mode once again. You can begin . by feeling both hands simultaneously, then . add in forearms and elbows, then shoulders, . etc. Eventually you can learn to feel the . whole body all at once. Practice feeling . more and more of the body simultaneously, . until you can hold in your awareness the . entire body at one time. Doing so is . called, “feeling your state” (of . consciousness). Perform this inner act . over and over again during the course of . your day. The more you perform this . maneuver of consciousness, the more it will . gain momentum in your being. At this stage . you are becoming what we refer to as . a “practitioner”, who actually applies . their spiritual, meditational practice to . their daily lives, and on a constant . basis. In so doing we realize the . considerable personal benefits of not . mentally dividing our work, family and . spiritual modes, into special compartments . which tend to be mutually exclusive. The . spiritual needs to be a focus that . permeates every facet of daily life, . without exception. Without such daily . application, spirituality is merely a shell . that remains mostly empty of real benefit, . which is the main problem with most . religions and philosophies today. Real . spirituality is always practical. . . In this sense we can view our Global Group . Mind Meditations as “practice runs” for a . more continuous daily focus as well. Only . in such ways can the world be truly changed . for the better, not just on a weekly or bi- . weekly basis. . . To be continued . . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . Re: Changing the World - Frans weyer . 4 Jan 2003 04:49 . #218 Dear Ed, . . When I was reading your article I thought . often “Yes”, sure, you can try to change . things but from out the ideal your acting . the people or things you try to influence . will maybe not act. . So, in the best case they take over your . ideas in one or an other way, but not your . inspiration(s), and in the worst case . see . history!!! . But still ..i don’t know, if one is arguing . a little bid farther on this line, you could . throw away things as: the right to vote, the . attempt to chance the caste system, social . well care etc. . I know that vote par example nothing really . changes, ego stays the same, left or right, . no matter. . But what are you saying; don’t vote, because . this is not the issue? Don’t support the . party that comes up for civil rights, the . right to protest and make statements, to . help trough politics people who must steal . to live, apartheid, the Iraq madness and . more and more. . . In the school that I visit once we couldn’t . change the curriculum but we could and may . talk about how to make the school a better . place, themes as participation etc. . In overall it did work, some maybe got . inspirations witch they still memorize. I . mean . . I think you are right in those things about . duality and so on, but in the field there . are others whom living conditions make them . not able to even think about those things, . ever heard of Maslow? . It make me think about the middle-ages, when . the church said what was good regardless the . peoples live circumstances, don’t think , . god will knows who loves him and will . rewarded them. . No, we have to do with People, sometimes you . can by changing the scenery, help them a . little bit on the way, anyway take away some . obstacles. . But ,your right true and lasting peace, is . that something we must and can really strive . for, many idealists became dictators. . The whole problem is that someone who has . reached enlightenment, the whole universe . and all that it inhabits shall see it as you . described it and spontaneous shall act in . worldly problems and the fact that the very . most of us human beings not has reached that . state and act not always spontaneously in . those problems, but in fact many times . (outer) solutions propose that would come . spontaneously by the few. . I don’t think that we are real different in . our thoughts about this but I think it would . not harm to emphasize this. . . It helps may by to realize that peace is . never a static thing, but ever changing . always uncertain, till ego laughs himself to . dead. . . . Re: Changing the World - Matthew Webb . 7 Jan 2003 12:28 . #219 Dear Frans and everyone, . . I've been off line for many days for a few . reasons beyond my immediate control, so . forgive my absence here. I'd like to . comment on some points you made Frans, and . get our discussion rolling again. . . ********** . . Frans (F) wrote; . . see . . ******** . . M; . . This is true in many ways. People don't . often act for the better in this modern . world because they are frozen in place by . fear. This sensation currently permeates . the globe. They also don't act on obviously . needed proposals for social change because . it's not "politically correct" to question . how things run. . . It's not hard to feel this world mind fear . as it rises and ebbs on a weekly basis. . Naturally the impending war with iraq and . possibly North Korea, (and others) lend . themsaelves to much unnecessary global . stress. This stress has momentum, . (inertia) and to offeset this effect, even . upon one's self, can be a trial for each . spiritual practitioner. Of course it must . be done anyway. . . ******* . . F; . . arguing . could . the . really . right, . because . . ********* . . M; . . I know you addressed these questions to Ed, . but I'm called to answer as well. I would . have to say "yse, don't bother to vote, or . write letters or participate in the social . system as it currently exists". Of course . I don't say that because I think voting or . other social expression is wrong. But under . these world circumstances I perceive that . people would be far more benefitted if they . would think "outisde of the social box" and . act accordingly. People cast their vote so . to speak every day in how they live, and . this is far more important than slipping a . piece of papaer into a box once ever 4 . years. . . The old social orders with which we are all . very familiar are a dysmal failure. They . have failed to keep their integrity in the . midst of widespread government corruption, . media manipulation and destructive social . values. As long as we the people continue . to think in terms of fixing the system with . its own devices, (such as "getting out the . vote") then we are basically bound to be . disappointed by the results. . . What we need is to develop a social . structure based upon radically different . values and ways of interaction. This needs . to be a spiritually oriented . transformation, one that is based on love, . clarity, natural laws, intelligence and . wisdom, in order to function as a workable . and coherent global organism. The entire . WMS website is devoted to this . transofrmation at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . ********* . . F; . about . them . . ******* . . M; . . Yes, the hierarchy of needs. But I believe . Maslow didn't quite have those priorities . of life laid out in their proper order. It . is quite arguable that spiritual . understanding and deep inspiration may be . rightly said to be the most basic of the . hierarchy of needs, since everything done . in life is best accomplished through this . medium, including finding food and shelter. . . Regarding the question of whether or not we . should change the world, this is my reply; . . The world is always changing anyway, just . as change is a facet of our daily lives. . If we get a splinter in our finger, do we . leave it there by saying that the body . doesn't last anyway so why bother? No . ofcourse not, that wouldn't be logical or . practical. The same may be said of the . world in general...our species has a . splinter all right, and its called "false . ideals", (consumerism for instance). As . spiritual practitioners who are AWARE, we . can no sooner invite pain for the world by . not addressing its obvious problems, any . sooner than we can leave a splinter in our . finger and pretend its not there. The . logical and practical thing to do is to . take the necessary steps to improve the . world according to obvious need. What else . do we have to do while we're in this . physical body that is more important? Make . even more money? There are higher purposes . for life than that..... The Chopra Proposal - Matthew Webb . 9 Jan 2003 17:36 . #220 Greetings Deepak Chopra and the Global . Strategic Alliance for Peace and Human . Progress; . . The World Mind Society is fully in accord . with every aspect of your message below. . Like you, we seek the upliftment of global . consciousness through very straightforward . means...the truth itself. This of course . means that all of us must act to help the . public transcend the social, religious and . political fictions of our day, so as to . usher in a far more enlightened world. . . I'm well aware of Deepak's message, and . have been so for six years. I heard of his . endeavors due to my 3 year association with . the Maharishi University of Management in . Fairfield Iowa.. During this period I came . to understand why Deepak could no longer . continue with the directions in which the . TM organization as a whole was . moving....materialism and rigid doctrine at . the expense of free thought. . . Like you, I/we seek to dismantle the . falsehoods which various beliefs systems, . (such as nationality/patriotism and . fundamentalist/ religion) engender, and to . relieve the mind of humanity of their . burden. We do this for the sake of clarity. . Clearly these systems of thought have not . worked as you mentioned, and as we also . point out to our readership. These errors . in cultural thinking, (viruses in our . global mind) must surely be replaced by the . anti-virus bouyancy of truth itself, . (natural laws and their manifestations) . devoid of all doctrine or personal/cultural . bias. Only upon this basis can we hope to . achieve our further evolution as a species. . . Natural and spiritual laws, (one and the . same) are the only ones worth following, . rather than trying to create others which . are beside the point, of life and . existence. . Right now, a critical mass of consciousness- . change is exactly what is needed, and on a . global basis. We speak of collective change . also, in terms of what the WMS calls "group . mind" and "world mind", (read, group . consciousness and world consciousness). . Just as a single mind can change for the . betterment of itself, so too can groups, . communities and entire worlds, so long as . they can employ sufficient will and wisdom . to collectively focus on this most glorious . goal. . . So yes, we would certainly like to align . ourselves in common purpose. Please place . me on your mailing list. I'm sending this . out to the WMS list, in case anyone else . would like to directly participate..... . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ************* . . ----- Original Message ----- . From: "Marty Greenhut" . To: . Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 8:28 AM . Subject: [lightenlife] Peace and Human . Progress . . From: ZooidODell@aol.com . Mailing-List: list . lightenlife@yahoogroups.com . . Global Strategic Alliance for Peace and . Human Progress . . By Deepak Chopra . . Dear Friends, . . I would like to update you on several . matters in which both the Chopra Center . and Chopra Foundation are engaged. I . recently attended a conference on Peace . and Human progress, hosted by Nobel Peace . Laureate Oscar Arias, and the . Senate of Puerto Rico. The conference was . attended by several other Nobel . Laureates and also representatives from . various . governments. I had the privilege of giving . a keynote speech at this . conference and in the final meeting agreed . to play the pivotal role in the . creation of a global strategic alliance for . peace and human progress. . . I think it is very important and urgent . that we address the moral issues of . our time. The moral issues of our time are . not the extramarital sexual . adventures of our politicians nor the . eating disorders and eccentricities of . Hollywood celebrities. The important moral . issues of our time are war, . weapons, violence in all its forms, . economic disparities, extreme and abject . poverty, ecological devastation, prejudice, . racism, and sexism. . . Every second somewhere in the world a child . dies from hunger or other . preventable diseases. Less than 4% of the . world's annual military . expenditures would cure this situation. . . Since the end of World War II, more than 32 . million civilians, mostly women, . old men and children have perished as a . result of hatred and ignorance and he . sale of weapons sold by merchants of death . and destruction. . . By the year 2000, the military expenditures . of the world were equivalent to . 35% of total yearly income of nearly two . billion people. Our hearts seem to . be immune to the procession of televised . imagery that continuously portrays a . strange mixture of fiction, news and . advertisement that constantly feed our . addictions to adrenaline. . . Organized religion has failed to achieve . its highest purpose because it has . so often fostered divisiveness and . xenophobia, at times manipulating people . through fear and violence. Unfortunately, . our religions are the legacies of . our tribal ancestors whose ideologies and . conceptual frameworks have . . generally failed to progress with our . understanding of modern cosmology or . evolution. Similarly, our current state of . evolution demands that we . re-examine our notions of nationalism. . . Tribalism has taken on the garb of . nationalism so that mass murder during . wartime is rewarded with medals of honor. . Einstein called "nationalism an . infantile disease, the measles of . humanity." Erich Fromm said, "Nationalism . is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is . our insanity. Patriotism is its . cult." These are harsh words but unless we . are prepared to honestly look at . our outmoded beliefs, our unquestioned . ideologies and ourselves, there may be . no hope for us. . . In regards to the Chopra Foundation, the . new strategic plan is rapidly taking . place. A number of notable goals and . objectives are being considered. For . example, the Chopra Foundation is going to . take a leading role in the . creation of the Global Strategic Alliance . for Peace and Human Progress so . that we can influence public opinion and . ultimately public policy. . . We need a critical mass of people that will . no longer participate or tolerate . a culture of violence that is based on . profound indifference to the pain of . our fellow beings and lack of respect for . life. It took a critical mass of . awareness to ban cigarette smoking in . public places. . . Today the relatives of people who have died . from cigarettes are suing tobacco . companies. It is quite conceivable that the . day may come when the . manufacturers of weapons will be held . accountable when an innocent child dies . at the hands of a gun. Today governments . label the deaths of thousands . . of innocent people as "collateral damage" . so that we can numb ourselves to . the anguish and images of horror through . the use of words. . . The only way to create the critical mass of . awareness is to create a . strategic global alliance of people and . organizations that are contributing . to growth as well as the betterment of . humanity and the environment. . . Many Nobel Laureates, representatives of . international humanitarian agencies, . and influential people from governments . around the world have greeted this . idea with great enthusiasm. The critical . mass would be created . . through a very concrete engagement of . educational institutions, the . entertainment industry, news media, and . information networks, including the . Internet. Some of the best-known . representatives in the entertainment . industry and international news media have . already agreed to participate. . . To restate our goal --- we want to create a . critical mass of awareness that . influences public opinion and policy so . that we can take remedial measures . and create a new culture where violence, . weapons, poverty, ecological and . environmental degradation and devastation . can be addressed as the major . epidemics of our time that need to be . addressed with great urgency. In this . process it will be important not to think . in terms of an "Us versus Them" . psychology. There is only one of Us - we . are one body in one world. In the . tangled hierarchy sinner and saint, divine . and diabolical, sacred and profane . are different faces of our collective . Being. Therefore angry activism driven . by rage, however justified it seems, is . really not going to work. I believe . that the tangled hierarchy wants us to move . to the next state of evolution . and very strongly desires us to take that . quantum leap of creativity. . . There are many other exciting things on the . horizon. I hope you will . participate in some way by becoming a voice . in our Foundation. If you wish to . participate in any way in this endeavor, . please send an email to: . . "foundation@chopra.com with your ideas and . how you would like to participate. . The world's consciousness is demanding an . authentic spirituality that is . based on a scientific understanding of the . domain of awareness where we . experience our universality. . . This is none other than our inner self. It . has been waiting patiently, . Inviting us to enter the luminous mystery . in which all things are created, . nurtured, and renewed. When we enter this . luminous mystery of existence, we . experience great wonder, humility and love. . . Where there is wonder humility and love, . there is the opportunity for healing. . . Namaste, . . Deepak . . . . [Non-text portions of this message have . been removed] . . . To subscribe, send an email to lightenlife- . subscribe@egroups.com. . . . To unsubscribe, send an email to . lightenlife-unsubscribe@egroups.com . . . . . . The Culture of Selfishness - Ed Pabaue . 10 Jan 2003 08:27 . #221 . . None of these noble efforts will save this . planet from the impending inevitablility of . catalcysm and destruction, which is a very . necessary act of divine mercy. . . Anyone who has fundamental esoteric . knowledge understands how all mankind's . efforts to do good automatically feed the . opposite polarity of evil, for this is the . nature of ALL efforts made along the . horizontal line in duality: good and evil . keep one another alive. And a lack of this . knowledge is the fundamental delusion under . which the mass of human beings on Earth . strive. . . There is a rapidly growing proliferation of . individuals and groups today who are . seeking to help our ailing planet and the . human race, and respect is due. However, . while the vast majority of these . conscientious people have their eyes on the . ground, so to speak, something divine is . unfolding and beckoning upon levels that . are just beyond the ordinary sphere of . vision. It is from this level that the real . Solution to global misery, separation and . disease is entering our world, and no . amount of physical-plane striving can . provide such a resolution or even true . solace from the now escalating global . suffering. . . The 'good' of noble attempts to improve . this fated stratum of existence is but one . polarity of the final battle of Armageddon. . While the noble but ignorant proceed to . feed the fire of Armageddon with their . personal ideas and desires for justice in . this world, the wise man seeks only the . Justice of the True World, and as he . detaches from all and everything of this . sham existence that humanity clings to in . its somnambulism, he finds the Real and the . True, and he is Liberated from the duality . of good and evil. . . The outer door of opportunity is about to . close for humanity at the end of this major . world cycle and, to date, precious few have . chosen to look up in the right direction, . although a very great number have become . entangled amidst the multifarious imitation . versions of the real Solution. . . In a world that has become near-saturated . with ignorance, fear and evil, there really . is precious little good that can be done by . the spoken or written word, . social/political agendas, environmental . activity, religious reforms, etc., etc. . . Nothing less than a torrential influx of . divine Force will shake the long- . controlling forces of selfishness and greed . from their thrones of power. . . Chopras plans to bring peace to Earth will . fail. As will every other human effort made . in this direction. . . Band-aids may be offered to the suffering . and wounded, and this is well and good, but . there will be no peace on Earth before the . end times prophecies of complete world- . purgation have come to pass. . . Many people who are these days galvanized . to work for world-peace are motivated by at . least subconscious FEAR. And looking at the . state of the world today, should we wonder . at it? . . Fear, of course, adds fuel to the fire, . even if good deeds come about as a result . of that fear. . . There is no Solution to be found on the . plane of dualistic human effort. There . never has been and there never will be. . . Those who believe that they can help to . establish peace on Earth in these days of . quickening karmic unfoldment, demonstrate . that they have absolutely no real . comprehension of the evil forces that rule . this world. . . Every sane person has ever known that the . Solution to each and all human problems . must necessarily be a divine Solution. . . The divine Solution approaches this world . today, but it will not be well received by . the mass of human beings who are attached . in any way to this level of existence. . . . For those who are able to bear to look . squarely and soberly at the real situation . in these times on this planet, here is the . explanation for why no amount of human good . deeds will redeem this world now, for . humanity has stepped well over the point of . no return. . . . THE CULTURE OF SELFISHNESS . . "Standing on tiptoe, one cannot remain . upright. Taking strides which are too . large, one cannot walk. . . "He who wishes to radiate light is not . enlightened. He who wishes to be the true . human being will not surpass others. . Boasting, he gains no merit. Reaching for . the top, he is not superior. . . "Compared to Tao, this behaviour is like . left-over food or other decaying remnants, . which are always abhorred. . . "That is why those who live in Tao do not . concern themselves with it." . . Tao Te Ching, chapter 24 . . . THE MEANING OF CHAPTER 24 OF THE TAO TE . CHING is very clear. In a few simple lines, . Lao Tzu sketches the habits of the . ordinary, dualistic human being. He does it . in a way that is so striking, so relevant . to us now, today, that we are left . wondering what should astonish us the most: . the fact that Lao Tzu was able, thousands . of years ago, to depict so accurately the . 21st-century human being, or the fact that . throughout all those thousands of years . nothing about the psychology of the human . being seems to have changed! . . But our astonishment will rapidly fade if . we are willing to realise that, in fact, . the psychological disposition of mankind is . not susceptible to fundamental change. . External conditions may alter, but undivine . human beings remain inescapably true to . their nature, which is essentially selfish. . Selfishness, in its various gradations, is . the primal urge of all fallen nature. It is . not possible for human beings to free . themselves from it unless they give up the . self completely. . . The deepest and most crystallised form of . selfishness is that of the rock-hard, I- . central human being who, from the cradle to . the grave, is totally absorbed in his own . personal interests. Such an individual does . not maintain a single emotional tie; no . family ties - such as a bond with his . mother, marriage partner or child - affect . him. This form of selfishness, which shuts . out everyone and everything, is below even . the animal level, for even in the animal . kingdom ties of instinctual love are . formed, albeit temporarily, between the . mother animal and her young, and the mother . may often perform acts of self-sacrifice in . order to protect her offspring. That is . why, nowadays, people who show this form of . selfishness - giving themselves up . completely to their sub-animal lusts and . desires - are regarded as being mentally . disturbed. . . Yet, nonetheless, in all countries in the . world there is today a rapid increase of . this type of selfishness. This is proof . that humanity is fast descending below the . level of what can still be called human, . and it is a clear indication of the . approaching and necessary end-phase of the . present world cycle. . . A higher form of selfishness is the kind . that includes the family, although the self . remains the central factor. In this group, . for a shorter or longer period of time, . blood-ties speak a clear language. This . language is easy to explain because caring . for members of one's family and doing . things for them is obviously self- . actualising and self-reinforcing, and . therefore has the effect of considerably . expanding the ego. It is a kind of . selfishness in which all the highly prized . virtues of fatherhood and motherhood are . expressed. . . Familial selfishness has been subjected to . various forms of cultural conditioning and . is regulated and supported by many man-made . laws. The fact that it is a form of . selfishness is evident from the joys and . exertions, the eulogies and pride people . show when their family members achieve . success in life, even if this success is . not always gained on a proper ethical basis. . . When two families squabble because they . both want the same thing, the fact that . selfishness is at the root of family ties . becomes even more clearly evident. The two . families may be quite good, individually, . but nevertheless a fierce conflict develops . between them, and such conflict has the . same emotional foundations, is fed by the . same astral forces that once roused the . primitive cave-dweller to action. The forms . of the conflict may differ, but the essence . and the results always remain the same . combat, defeat, futility. . . Selfishness can also expand to include a . whole group, nation or race. We know the . results of this kind of selfishness only . too well, and war never solves anything. If . an individual is infected by the . selfishness-psychosis of a group or nation, . it is certain that the other forms of . selfishness will not be far away. On the . contrary, they can be aroused by it, for . the interests of the individual human being . can very easily be threatened by those of . the group. The forces of selfishness in the . individual are then put under much greater . pressure, and the result is inevitable an . outbreak of conflict! . . However, if we are to understand properly . what Lao Tzu means in chapter 24, we should . not forget that when selfishness is . cultivated in the upward sense, this is . always accompanied by a moral development. . Countless are the examples of human beings . who sacrifice their own personal interests . for those of their family, group, country, . nation, or even their race. World- . literature is full of such heroic tales. . Perhaps it would be prudent to take many of . them with a pinch of salt, however, because . the readiness to make sacrifices is so . often interwoven with some form of . selfishness. But nevertheless the fact . remains that the higher forms of . selfishness can go hand in hand with moral . development, stimulated by religion and . humanism and supported by legislation. . . So now humanity is at last approaching the . highest rung on the ladder of selfishness- . culture, which is naturally camouflaged by . various forms of morality. After having . reached that highest rung, naturally whilst . retaining all the lower rungs - because . that is how ladders work - human beings . will discover that there is no higher rung . to which to climb. This will signal the end . of the whole Aryan era, just as we have now . come to the end of a phase in that Aryan . era. This highest rung of the ladder has to . do with the merging, the integration, the . unification of the whole human race. First . it is the individual, then the family, then . the tribe or nation, then the race, and . finally the whole of humanity. In every . era, and in every phase within an era, this . entire course of development is followed to . the end. The final phase is when all . distinctions between nations, communities . of nations and races are removed. . . Signs of this approaching world-revolution . are already clearly evident today. People . are clamouring more and more loudly for . total integration. All over the world . church members are campaigning for the . removal of religious differences. Political . power blocs have already been formed and we . may clearly distinguish numerous different . interest groups into which humanity is . split. All groups know that, if they keep . on maintaining their own selfish . standpoints, the whole human race will be . annihilated. Meanwhile, it is becoming . clear that gone for good are the times when . there could be a front line where the dead . and wounded fell, with the staff quarters . for the war directors safely behind it, and . an even more heavily protected nest for the . various governments and leading economic . groups still further away, for today the . real enemy is rising up from within . everyone in accordance with cosmic . radiation laws and the cyclic redemption; . evil always turns in on itself, and there . can never be any peace at the turbulent end . of world cycles. Furthermore, modern . technological equipment has eliminated the . possibility of one side being able to . annihilate the other by surprise. . Therefore, since the fundamental principle . of selfishness is self-protection, both . sides will be obliged to unite. Hence the . mostly surreptitious organisation today . worldwide of the 'New World Order'. . . A large group of authorities is deeply . convinced of the need for a new order of . things to be established in our times. . Also, there is actually a daily, unbroken . contact between the top groups from the two . camps, both political and religious, even . though most of these exchanges are not . publicised by the world media. Their . question is not 'Shall we do it?', but 'How . shall we do it? How shall we get the . people - the masses - on our side and . justify this enormous about-face of all the . values we formerly taught them to regard as . sacrosanct?' . . But essentially, there is no choice, . because the whole human race is standing . with its back to the wall. At first people . imagined that the effects of exploding a . nuclear bomb could be confined to the . enemy, but now they realise the full extent . of the risk, and that is why the whole . choir will soon have to sing 'All men will . become brothers'. Many churches, religious . movements and New Age groups, too, are . seeking enforced unification. . . Why is all this happening? Because the . culture of selfishness, the struggle for . existence, the fear of death and . destruction, are driving humanity toward . this final step. Forced unification or . mutual destruction: humanity will have to . choose between these two extremes! . . Driven by need and fear, humanity is . choosing the former alternative. When it is . attained, the limit of human selfishness- . culture will have been reached. But bear in . mind that the other, lower aspects of . selfishness will still go on existing, for . in duality they are ineradicable. . . So the great unity of nations and races . will only be able to be maintained through . the use of force, with the co-operation and . guidance of all the authorities. The world- . government of the end-phase will therefore . be fascist, and all people will be forced . to become 'brothers' the final clause in . the law of self-maintenance. . . Meanwhile, everyone is standing on tiptoe, . stretching and straining as much as they . can, so as to grab as much plunder as . possible. They are trying to take huge . strides, so as to reach their goals as . quickly as possible. In the beginning the . churches will, in their delusion, speak . about nothing else than the light that will . now be able to shine throughout the world, . the light that is the Will of God. But the . fierce battle will rage on. In their . monster corporations the practitioners of . selfishness will now exploit humanity . wholesale. This is, of course, already . happening today, despite the extensive . worldly research offered to the general . public by dedicated investigators such as . David Icke. . . Anyone who observes this race to the abyss . with any measure of soul-quality, and hence . objectively, will feel nauseous at the . sight of such great deception. Compared to . Tao, this behaviour is like left-over food . or other decaying remnants, which are . always abhorred. . . So we can clearly see where human . selfishness must ultimately lead. One may . complain about it, particularly if one has . to taste defeat in the struggle for . existence or in a conflict of interests, . but the fact remains that selfishness, I- . centrality and hence FEAR are essential . characteristics of the human being born . into the universe of death. Wherever life . awakens in duality, it is always surrounded . by danger, and in this way selfishness, the . survival instinct, automatically emerges. . As creatures of the fallen kingdom, all . human beings, without exception, are . inherently selfish, for fear is an in-built . instinct of survival in all dualistic . existence. . . Now, as you read this you are probably . being stirred by a range of feelings and . thoughts, because you do not find it . pleasant to be called selfish. Perhaps you . feel rather insulted. Unless you belong to . that large group of people who are so . deeply absorbed in their fallen state that . they find the essential characteristics of . human nature completely acceptable, you are . bound to feel somewhat stung when you hear . these sober facts about selfishness. . . That, in itself, is remarkable, for a . reaction like that is not characteristic of . ordinary fallen human instincts. We are not . talking about the resentment some people . feel as the result of some past defeat in . the business of selfishness, but the . feeling of disappointment, the feeling of . being unmasked, of being thrown off a . pedestal. One of the causes of that pain is . our knowledge of the Universal Doctrine, . which clearly shows selfishness as the . source of all unholiness and suffering. . Another cause is the voice of the divine . spark in us, the voice of our conscience, . which constantly appeals to us on account . of our behaviour, a behaviour which no . amount of self-focus can ever avert. . . The result is that a constant flow of . thoughts surges through our minds: 'I . really should do this differently. I should . do this better. That must disappear, as . soon as possible and this should replace . it.' In this way, an inner conflict . develops between our moral aspirations and . our selfish behaviour. We will certainly . have come across a whole range of moralists . who, from mystical, humane and other . angles, encourage us to continue with this . inner struggle. . . However, the struggle is hopeless, for . undivine human nature cannot be changed in . any fundamental way. It is impossible. . Whenever, as is so often the case, we . experience the conflict between morality . and selfishness, we try to settle it in . favour of morality. But we shall find that . we always suffer defeat, and we remain the . same as before. . . We may well possess a relatively high . morality. This is something that can be . learned; driven by necessity and suffering, . one can train oneself to act in a moral . way, just as one can learn the habits of . civilisation. One can learn to act as if . one is radiating light; one can learn to be . pleasant, and to appear spiritually . illumined. This is not a question of . hypocrisy, but we are capable of imagining . how an enlightened, reborn soul-being, . might behave. . . In this way we learn how to seem personable . and kind, even popular, and we learn to put . on spiritual airs. But selfishness cannot . be destroyed. It is an integral part of . fallen human nature. It was Lao Tzu's aim . in chapter 24 to make this clear to his . pupils. So many wandering in the spiritual . supermarket today are also trying to use . their moral aspirations not only to keep . themselves under control but also to walk . the Path of Redemption. Impossible! . . Mankind does not understand that its . efforts to impose moral behaviour upon . itself are serving no other purpose than . the defence of a certain aspect of . selfishness. This is humanity's line of . reasoning: 'It would really be wonderful if . I could be a good pupil of the ascension . path; if I were to possess the new soul- . state; if I were to comply with the . requirements for candidature for harvest; . if I were to attain this or that in order . to become more spiritual', and so on. . Mostly, mankind replaces the word 'I' . with 'we', because it sounds better and . more spiritual. But 'we' - or in other . words 'I' - do not have any success, . because everything I want and desire is . nothing else than an effort to lodge the I . safely in a particular aspect of . selfishness. . . This urge for self-preservation fills . humanity's whole being. It makes man exert . himself to the utmost. We stand on tiptoe . and stretch upwards as far we can, in order . to grasp what we desire. But we cannot keep . it up. We cannot remain upright. We try to . bring some speed into our lives and we . endeavour, as far as possible and as far as . our legs can stretch, to drive ourselves in . the desired direction. But to no avail. . . After numerous failures, we begin to take . it easier on ourselves, for we soon realise . that all the others have not succeeded with . their moral rearmament either. Then the I . starts to put on an act. It talks about . light, and 'radiates' so-called light, and . what then emerges is an astral state that . has nothing to do with true Light at all. . It is just another of our range of moral . armaments, and we placate ourselves with . it. We become very busy; we undertake all . kinds of activities for seemingly genuine . spiritual groups and organisations and . their work, and we reaffirm our . personality, our I, in everything we do. . . We try to personify the true, divine Human . Being, but without success. We talk a great . deal about our dedication, about how we . intend to serve or are serving the cause of . peace on Earth, but it does not have the . desired results. Straining ourselves, we . leap as high as we can, but we land, time . and time again, on the hard ground of our . fallen state of being. Whatever we do, the . end is negative. This kind of psychology is . exemplified perfectly and glaringly in the . New Age movement, but it is nothing new, . and has also been repeatedly demonstrated . throughout history by humanity in so many . fields of endeavour, and yet still mankind . continues to play the game of moral . rearmament. But the armaments turn out to . consist of nothing but gilded cardboard and . delusion. So we are obliged to draw the . conclusion: Compared to Tao, this behaviour . is like left-over food or other decaying . remnants, which are always abhorred. . . Anyone who attempts self-realisation in . this way will end up following the course . of primitive individualism, which . terminates in a state of enforced . unification. . . But there is an entirely different state of . Life. There is another Morality, which one . neither may nor can call 'morality' any . longer, for it has nothing to do with . morality as mankind interprets that word; . it is the Mysterious Virtue, and can be . attained only in self-surrender. That means . subordinating our entire life, all our . personal interests, everything that . typifies selfishness, in the most . individual as well as in the broadest . sense, in personal as well as in impersonal . things, to the life in Tao, to the essence . of Tao. It means subordinating our whole . being to the Truth. It means being, like . the young Jesus, immersed completely in the . things of the Father. It means saying, if . necessary, to our natural, selfish urges . what Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, what . have you to do with me? Must I not be about . my Father's business?" That is the life in . Tao. That is how one gains participation in . the divine Kingdom not of this world. That . is how to liberate the soul, and that is . the only sane choice left to man once he . has gained self-knowledge. Re: The Culture of Selfishness - Matthew Webb . 10 Jan 2003 10:40 . #222 . Dear Ed; . . You said- . . "None of these noble efforts will save this . of . . ******** . . This post is of course not unlike the theme . of all your previous posts. Which is, that . all action in the physical is by necessity . selfishly oriented, pointless and hopeless. . It is interesting to note that all the . while your comments/quotes are designed to . say these things, you are at the same time . advocating a message for no other . conceivable reason than an effort to change . the reader. I do hope you are aware of . this inherent contradiction between your . message and your actions. . . If such spiritual action is so hopeless and . pointless, then why did Christ or Buddha . not only teach, but taught others to . teach? The world is only so hopeless or . pointless as those who populate it. . . Could it be Ed, that you say such things, . (regardless of logic and example to the . contrary) because your conscience is . telling you to act, but you mostly ignore . the spiritual calling anyway? All the . while you are spending you energy saying . its all futile, you could be helping others . to create a better world. . . Although the physical world of society may . indeed be too far gone to remedy, the souls . of those who listen are never the less . raised up by the revelation and example of . truth. . . This is the nature of the spiritual . path....action. Perhaps it's time that . your lack of affirmative action was made . into something more satisfying, for . yourself and your world community. . . In service, . . Matthew . . ********* . under . of . the . real . Armageddon. . the Human love vs Divine Love - Ed Pabaue . 10 Jan 2003 19:28 . #223 The Solution to the world's problems cannot . be derived from human activity, however . well-intended. But that Solution now . approaches the Earth from beyond all . mankind's notions of how to make the world . a better place. . . Only the Truth can set us free, never peace . demonstrations etc. or any efforts made in . duality, for like begets like. In order to . permit the Truth to liberate us it is . necessary to recognise what is NOT True, . and this means to penetrate the illusion of . duality by looking upon the faces of both . good and evil and see through them both. . . The answers to your rhetorical judgments . and projections are contained in the . following article. But this is not really . for you, Matt, since due to your personal . investment in the illusion of this world . you will not be able to understand it. . . . HUMAN LOVE/DIVINE LOVE . . "Tao does not love as humans do; it sees . all things as straw dogs. . . The sage does not love as humans do; he . sees people as straw dogs." . . Tao Te Ching . . . We live in a world where everything appears . to be separate. We perceive with our five . mundane senses and mind, and we see what . is 'out there', thus viewing life from a . perspective that reinforces our idea that . we are separate from everything and that . everything is separate from us. But in . truth, the separate nature of our existence . is delusional because everything in the . universe is interconnected and . interdependent. . . The illusion of separation has firmly . established itself as a paradigm on Earth, . and today dominates the consciousness of . nearly 6 billion human beings. From our . segregated perspective as individuals we . behold separation reflected back to us in . the form of multifarious pairs of opposites . that also appear to be separate from one . another, e.g., good and evil, right and . wrong, violence and peace, etc. . . As we continue to invest ourselves and to . believe in this illusory state of duality, . we serve to fortify and so perpetuate the . matrix of separation into which we have . been born. And as long as we continue to . feed the dualistic matrix we can never . transcend it, which is actually the . spiritual goal of life. . . No amount of activity applied by the . separate personality can help to liberate . mankind or this planet from the dualistic . illusion. Humanity, as a collective of . unenlightened personalities, may only . affect change within the constraints of the . unholy (meaning unwhole, dualistic) world- . order into which we have incarnated. The . undivine world in which we exist is a . dualistic illusion that is ruled by . polarity, and the only thing we may ever . change or affect by way of personal effort . is the swing of the pendulum between one . pole of duality and the other. Let us . explore this in greater detail. . . When we use our personal will - our free . will - to embrace one aspect or side of an . issue, we expend energy through the . generation of our dualistic thoughts and . emotions. The ego, by virtue of its . inherently separative nature, constantly . grasps at or repels that which is outside . itself, and as it does so it generates . energetic fetters of mental and emotional . matter. It is thus that ignorance . reinforces the illusory nature of the ego's . existence by binding itself to duality. . Energy follows thought, hence a certain . aspect of duality will be strengthened by . one's attraction to it while another may . also be strengthened by one's resistance to . it. Therefore, such an energetic . investment - which to unenlightened . perception may seem only to empower the one . pole or side of an issue - in fact serves . to strengthen both poles, thereby . empowering either end of the spectrum and . effectively exacerbating one's entanglement . in, as well as strengthening the very . fabric of, the illusion of duality. . . To the deluded eyes of those who are wholly . invested in and so co-creating within the . undivine, dualistic world, things may . appear to be changing, and sometimes even . improving, but such people are actually . only riding a predicamental merry-go-round; . they are merely experiencing the inevitable . and fruitless vacillations of their bondage . to the Buddha's wheel of samsara, the world . of illusions. . . Billions of human beings spend their whole . life like this, creating more and more . karma by attaching themselves to one pole . or the other in a dualistic illusion, thus . ensuring their continued existence, over . lifetimes, in an unholy world of . restlessness, suffering, pain and . inevitable death. . . * * * . . Despite humanity's long-prevailing . ignorance of these facts, all true . scriptures have repeatedly testified to the . futility of seeking true Fulfilment, Love . and Life where they can never be found: in . duality, in an illusion. Yet still today . the restless search for love and happiness . continues throughout the world. . . "But," says Lao Tzu, "Tao does not love as . humans do; it sees all things as straw . dogs. The sage does not love as humans do; . he sees people as straw dogs." . . These words spoken by the enlightened sage, . Lao Tzu, may come as rather a shock to many . people. If these words are true, they are . likely to overturn one's whole way of . viewing life and the world, and that is . indeed the aim of that ancient Chinese . revelation we know as the Tao Te Ching. . When we understand what Lao Tzu really . meant to convey, many of our preconceptions . will be shot to pieces, for it tears apart . the whole paradigm with which humankind has . surrounded itself and which has been handed . down from generation to generation since . time immemorial. . . In the Tao Te Ching it is said that beauty . always brings forth ugliness. The presence . of the polarity of ugliness is the proof . that beauty in this undivine world is also . an illusion, and that true Beauty - which . is imperishable and incorruptible and which . has no opposite - is not to be found here. . In the world of opposites, beauty brings . ugliness to the surface, good brings forth . evil, and love brings forth hatred. Hatred . is the proof that love is an unknown . quantity whose reality is not to be found . in this world. Our conceptions of it are an . illusion. Worldly expressions of love are . actually attempts of the ego to glorify its . own undivine state of being. That is why . they arouse antitheses. . . As long as human love is evoked in a world . of opposites, hatred will be its twin . brother. There is no avoiding it! Anyone . who cultivates personal love is also . cultivating hatred; that is a law of any . dualistic world. Hatred is a means of self- . protection in this fearful world, as . essential and as ego-centred as human love. . . The scales of love and hatred are . constantly in motion and can never be . brought to a standstill in duality. One . moment we are amiability itself, the next . the scales tip the other way. Observe . mankind, and you will see this oscillation . happening all the time; it is an amazing . but inescapable aspect of human nature. . What poor fools we are, consumed by love . and hatred, swinging like a pendulum . between the pairs of opposites in duality. . Alternating one with the other, our love . and our hatred in their many forms . constantly add fuel to the flames of our . dualistic delusion. Is it not quite clear, . then, why Tao does not partake in any of . this? . . We cannot imagine a hatred-propagating Tao . but, by the same token, neither should we . imagine a love-propagating Tao either. Tao . Loves us, but not in keeping with our . secular interpretation of the word. Tao . does not love as humans do, and it sees all . such perceptions as 'straw dogs', which in . ancient China were used for sacrifices. In . the same way, neither does the sage who . participates in Tao love as humans do; he, . too, sees the people as straw dogs, as . humanimals, part of the great illusion. . . * * * . . So what does the Bible really mean when it . says that "God is Love"? Well, if we wish . to understand anything at all about Love, . we will need to free ourselves entirely of . all our preconceptions about it. We must . shatter them, just as we must shatter all . the other preconceptions that populate our . pantheon of ignorant beliefs and opinions. . . Let us, then, firstly take a modern-day . example of how divine Love is so terribly . misunderstood. There are many well-meaning . New Age groups and centres in existence . today where people sit and attempt to send . out loving thoughts and energies in order . to elevate humankind, to protect it from . harm, to put an end to wars, to ring in an . era of peace on Earth, and even to . circumvent the forthcoming and necessary . geological upheavals. But in reality, human . love has never liberated the world, and nor . can it ever. These centres and groups do . not bring about peace on Earth, they do not . quench the fires of ignorance, they can . never heal the wounds of humanity. To the . contrary, and when understood esoterically, . they are actually among the breeding . grounds of war, indirectly arousing and . propagating hatred by feeding and so . fortifying the antitheses of good and evil. . Therefore, they actually strengthen the . powers of darkness by their unenlightened . motivations, which are actualised by . personal will, not divine Will. Such . activities are akin to black magic, as . unenlightened personalities seek, often . with noble intentions, to interfere with . the affairs of others and the world. Such . desires create karma and further confusion, . for unenlightened human beings are unable . to create and send Love into the world; . only Divinity, only Tao can do that! And . remember that "Tao does not love as humans . do". . . Therefore, if we truly wish to be an agent . of Love in this world, we must first bring . ourselves into a binding with Tao, which . has nothing to do with this world of . temporality and illusion. This is the one, . solitary and overriding Goal of every . single unenlightened human being on Earth, . and this is why no enlightened Teacher ever . prescribed to ordinary humanity the kind of . practices that are being performed all over . the world today within the New Age culture. . . The vast majority of New Age teachings, . channellings and meditations encourage . people to use their personal will to create . change within and for themselves, and . sometimes in order to help manifest . positive change in the world also. Their . focus is on personal transformation, as . in: "create your own reality". But by . encouraging people to focus upon themselves . and the dualistic world, and to use their . personal will to implement their high . ideals, they only serve to feed the . illusion of duality, along with the rest of . the spiritually-unawakened masses. . . In fact, these so called New Age teachers, . channelers, channelled entities and groups . are actually participating in something . even more detrimental than those who are . occultly unaware. By inciting people to . polarize themselves en masse . towards 'peace, goodness, light and love', . these well-intentioned but misguided groups . are actually synergetically strengthening . and empowering the opposite end of the . spectrum, i.e., violence, evil, darkness, . hatred, etc. on a global level, thereby . unwittingly exacerbating the already . chaotic and desperate condition of this . planet. . . Such groups are causing the pendulum of the . polarized illusion to swing further and . more dramatically from one side to the . other, effectively producing more and more . dualistic power, momentum and tension in . the world, all of which is actually helping . to hasten our planet toward cataclysmic . developments. . . * * * . . Now that we have clearly seen how personal . love has nothing whatsoever in common with . divine Love, let us further explore the . scriptural axiom that 'God is Love' by . again reviewing Lao Tzu's words: . . "Tao is like a bellows. It is empty and . never exhausted. The more it moves, the . more is brought into manifestation." - Tao . Te Ching. . . The divine Manifestation is governed by a . certain rhythm, which is present even in . the minutest atom. This state of being . knows no antitheses, it casts no shadows, . and always brings forth itself. Good is not . set against evil there, nor beauty against . ugliness, nor love against hatred, nor . reality against delusion. Tao does not have . love, it does not give love to others - Tao . is Love! In other words, divine Love and . Light is not something that can be targeted . at a goal in a dualistic illusion, as the . New Age people attempt to do in order to . dignify or save themselves and to preserve . this world of separation and pain. Love . does not make any effort, it does not seek . to counteract the effects of evil in . duality, and so it does not know conflict. . Divine Love is not the opposite of hatred . or fear, either. If divine Love had an . opposite, then it would not be divine, . eternal; it would be dualistic. Divine Love . is a neutral Force; its power is boundless, . and can be compared with a bellows. If a . bellows is pumped rhythmically it generates . a great deal of power. In the same way, the . rhythm of Tao generates an enormous Power . and nothing that conflicts with that . rhythm, nothing of duality, can ever become . one with it. . . Knowing all this, we will understand better . than ever before why this undivine, . dualistic world will remain fundamentally . imperfect and essentially irreparable, . however much personal love - via group . meditations, peace demonstrations and the . like - is sent out into it! Knowing all . this we will resolve to waste as little . energy as possible on such futile and often . detrimental activities as so many people . are involved with today within the New Age . movement. We will leave the fallen world of . duality for what it is. In complete self- . surrender and genuine, selfless service to . the Divine Plan, we shall focus only on . that which is capable of assimilating the . divine rhythm of Tao and which is of the . same nature, the Divine Nature. . . It is only through the complete surrender . of our personal will, only through the . relinquishing of all our attachments that . bind us karmically to the wheel of samsara, . that we may become clear, unimpeded . vehicles for the divine Intelligence of . Tao, which alone has the Power to affect . really positive change in this world. Only . when we give up our self-grasping, . egotistic ideals and forget our small . selves may we become empty enough to allow . Divinity to enter into our hearts and to . awaken the spark that lives within us so . that we may become instruments of Tao. . . It is our selfishness, our ignorant use of . free will that brought us collectively into . our present state of existence. Therefore . it is only by a 180° reversal, through . selflessness, through the complete and . utter surrender of ourselves and our . personal will to the divine Will of Tao, . that we may allow the forces of true . Change, the forces of Redemption, to work . through us and liberate us completely from . the unholy illusion of this world, which . necessarily knows so much dualistic . restlessness and, therefore, suffering. Re: Human love vs Divine Love - Jenese James . 10 Jan 2003 21:55 . #224 resonate for me. I consider love to be . beyond dualism and therefore agree with you . to a point in that what we consider here as . love cannot be infinte love within a . dualistic system. . . Further I beleif that dualism is the . illusion that we live within and in a world . of seemiingly opposites it is the beleif in . dualism that creates the seemingly . opposites, becasue...and i think I may have . mentioned this before....there is nothing . truly opposite...everything we see as . opposite is part of a whole, one without . the other is incomplete...the evidence is . all around us....whole not . opposites...opposites come about from . dualistic mind sets.... . . However....this notion of love....we have . no other word for it....I beleive it to be . neutral...meaning....it has no meaning . cepting that which we give it...we cannot . hope to conceive of its totality and what . we call love is a watered down conditonal . version....however :) . . the power of what some call prayer has been . proven to have an affect on violence and . crime...in the sense that controlled . expirements revealed that upon sending . collective energies of peace by a mere 200 . over several days....crime rates and . violence decreased.....now...pooh pooh this . if you like ...but prayer...although I have . never been keen on relilgious terms for my . own reasons, prayer has succeded ....or the . intentional sending of group energy with . intent and focus...has succeeded in brining . about change . . However...I also wonder about the world i . live in, the beleifs that are held that . perhaps there is a bigger picture here than . my mere mind can fathom....so I go into my . feelings, my heart...what i discovered . became a piece of art work....humanity I . weep for you.......yet i welcome your . return. . . Ed biologically our hearts where the first . organ developed in the fetus...before the . brain...that we live in a world based on . fear has enabled us to be born not into a . world of joy, but fear, consequently we age . and die in hideous ways simply because the . core harmonic of our body is that of the . vibration that we term love ..physically . expressed as joy, . happiness...contentment...compassion and . the like...and we saturate it with . fear..when the human race propogates such . energy as fear as it does daily the . vibration of fear has a measurable affect . hormonally, chemically, electrically on our . bodies, it degenerates it....on the other . hand when we are in feeling states of joy, . happiness...our bodies respond by sending . chemicals, hormones and electriacl currents . that rejuvinate it....so tell me ed...does . it matter that we know not of what love is . in the sense you speak of it....all that . matters is that we tune into these happy . vibrations to rejuventate our . selves...because as mathew pointed . out ..whats the point of going around your . whole life with a splinter in your finger . causing pain...when you could always take . it out and not be in pain. . . And I don't mean in a selfess self obsorbed . way, although I totaly know what you mean . there, as I have just had 2 months of . watching people staitate their . emptyness ...their self obsorbed ness . consuming shite like straving vultures to a . carcass...so I have experiences this . selfishness..this insane self obsorbedness . first hand and have been totaly repelled by . it... . . However what befalls the humanrace will . befall it...and each of us will be affected . to what ever degree....that people are . praying meditating for world peace so that . innocent people will not die in any . war...does not appear selfish to me, . however what does appear selfish are those . who do nothing, yet slag off the efforts of . anyone who feels the urge to do . something....not to save themselves....but . in compassion...there is a distinction . between a selfish act of self persavation, . based in fear, and one of compassion . . Lets face it...you are a physical being and . even though you live in Australia, you will . be affected to whatever degree by what . befalls the middle east situation...that is . a fact...and what determines yours or mine . or anyones degree of being affected....is . in my opionion....your heart vibration . . so Ed distinguish between selfishness and . acts of compassion for there is a . distinction and it is a very marked one. . . Oh ...almost forgot...dualistic . consciousness is a product of conscious . seperation, of head over heart, of head . over intution of authoritive figures over . self ....however there is unity . consciousness...and there are some..not . many i grant you on this planet, alive . today who do indeed live in unity . consciousness....and it is possible that . many more will join them...also a little . analogy....based both of dualistic . awareness and brain function....if we where . 8 cylinder cars...given what we think we . know about ourselves our world ....we would . only be running on 2 ...most people would . not know that there are 6 more some people . would not have the awarness to lift the . hood, hell some would not even know there . was a hood...that is the prediciment of the . mass of humanity....why....because the . heart turns on the brain....if one has to . talk in dualisms....the two work together . as a team of course as does the rest of the . body...but since we are so stuck in our . heads that will do for now Compassion - Ed Pabaue . 11 Jan 2003 03:06 . #225 Yes to compassion, Jenese. There is nothing . wrong with compassion and in this world . there is a great need for it, unfortunately. . . However, compassion does not Liberate the . soul, and compassion is so widely promoted . now on Earth due to the evil that men have . practised for eons and the consequent state . of suffering that has been brought about as . a result, and which is about to be brought . to an end here by Cosmic Compassion (The . Sword). . . Many people in the world today have some . desire to help toward charitable ends. . However, most are uncertain as to the real . and lasting value of their gifts, and many . are unsure of whom to give to and why. Love . and Truth bring about the total blessing of . mankind, not momentary alleviation of some . perpetual cycle of ignorance and torment . which will only repeat itself again and . again. When we strike at the root cause of . suffering, when we enlighten mankind's . thinking, then, and only then, will we have . done a greater service than simply by . commiserating with the suffering of the . world. . . There is the service of compassion and . there are Comforters, like the Dalai Lama, . for example. Then there is the service of . Liberation, and an Awakener (eg. . Buddha/Christ) upsets everyone in his . uncompromising and cosmically-compassionate . focus. . . So humanly-compassionate service and . redeeming service are quite distinct, you . see. Whereas one includes the other, the . service of human compassion alone is NOT . LIBERATING. . . Please consider that humanity's world-ego . (together with all its delusions, fears and . karma) is of far less importance to the . Logos than the planetary Life and the solar . system. Some Awakener servants are here on . Earth today for reasons and purposes that . are way beyond the ken of the average man. . The man of the masses believes that the . level of a spiritual teacher may be gauged . by how good he makes them feel and that . this is a sign of compassion and therefore . love. This is wrong understanding. A true . Master/Avatar will make the insincere ego- . self feel very uncomfortable from the . start! And there were many people in the . days of the Buddha and of Jesus who did NOT . think that these great souls were very . compassionate at all, and that is why they . persecuted and eventually murdered them. . . When the scripture says that at the time of . the 'Second' Coming, the Christ will come . in Power, it is talking about Shiva (divine . Will Force) accompanying the Lamb of God . (Love/Compassion), on a worldwide scale. . . Even in Jesus' time, although the Piscean . Avatar taught the multitudes (mostly in . parables, for the man of the masses cannot . understand and so realise the naked Truth), . he was honest with those who were not . sincere, and he told them, often with a . scolding, to begone! . . Jesus was a lamb of God but he was also a . divine militant; a bit of a Shiva, if you . like! . . And there are some Shivas in the world at . this time who practise the cosmic . compassion of telling humanity the truth . and so giving the race the final Call. . . Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. . . Ed Re: Changing the World - Frans weyer . 11 Jan 2003 06:55 . #226 Matthew from the 7 January . When you talk of world mind fear it is also . a fact that you can see this in the positive . way. . The development of mankind has his effects . More fear, more stress, because mankind . begins to feel the four walls of his social . shoebox. . But nevertheless believing this, I can not . helping asking myself in how far this is . true for the whole world and not just for . our Western civilization. . Because, well, I think that here in our . surroundings where we have time and . information to involve us in humanity as a . whole, it stays a fact that on other parts . (and not only there) of the world the time . is not there and therefore by different . reasons minds has been paralyzed. . “The hierarchy of needs”, I think you cannot . put it aside easily. . I just can’t let that idea go although what . you said about Maslow who did not laid out . the priorities of life in proper order, as . you suggested, and that spiritual life may . be on the basic of the hierarchy, intrigued . me, not just only in a rational way. . But is it not so that we must grow, nature- . law is progressive, and is returning to the . basic of the pyramid not a regression, . according to the pre/trans fallacy of Ken . Wilber? . I am not saying that you wrong about this . but I don’t know, I find it confusing., . It is not my attention to say this just for . arguing sake, but I think this theme is more . important then it seems, if you are right it . has its consequence on different parts of . life. . . Farther you said the following: . . Accomplishment - Matthew Webb . 11 Jan 2003 11:24 . #227 Thank you Ed, Jenese and Frans for your . insightful thoughts, regarding these . important points. . . One aspect I'd like to address which was . brought up by Jenese is compassion, or put . in other terms, spiritual ministry/right . action. The point made is that while we . type and read these words, we are in a . physical body, and therefore we cannot deny . the physicality of our existence. . . At the same time we are . spiritual beings with energy bodies, which . exist simultaneously alongside the . physical. If we are to take right action . and be healthy in either the physical or . the spiritual, then an attitude of . responsibility needs to be taken up at all . levels . of our being. . . For instance, to eat healthy foods is the . logical thing to do, according to various . natural laws. This is physical right . action. To act compassionately with . spiritual intent, there is a need to feel . the love or kindness that is to be given to . others, (again according to natural laws). . This is spiritual right action. . . In both cases we are rightly observing the . natural and spiritual laws of the universe. . Although the two may seem to have different . considerations and therefore exist . separately, they intertwine to such an . extent, that you cannot address one without . also addressing the other. Not only are we . both bodies and spirits, so too is the . entire world both life and Spirit. Pain in . the body is not . wholly unlike pain in the spirit. The same . may be said of joy, clarity, realization, . unity . and any other state of consciousness.. . Spirit . and matter interact intimately with one . another, . and can no sooner be called separate than . can . mind and body. . . In essence, there is no essential, . underlying . difference between the physical and the . spiritual. One of the greatest dualities . of our age is to think that they are . separate, different and apart. This . thinking provides a convenient excuse, . whereby . people imagine they need not exercise their . spiritual responsibilities while in a . physical body, since the physical world . is "all just an illusion" or, “what really . counts is . the ‘hereafter‘”. . Thus they don't . get socially motivated or stirred . spiritually by wars, the starvation of . millions, or the pain and suffering of . unnatural living. To them spirituality is . a 1% focus which involves going to church . once a week, reading a little scripture for . an . hour, and then spending the other 99% . investing themselves wholly and completely . in the corruptive ways of the world. For . these . actions they are supposedly “forgiven”, but . what this implies is that nothing is . learned. . History repeats itself. Mistakes are made . yet again, without realization of the . irresponsibly . destructive pattern of modern life. . . Only when we accept the idea that the . physical world is separate . from the Holy, compartmentalized from God . and soul, or . that nature is a "resource" rather than a . temple of God, can . modern indifference be maintained. This is . one of the main premises of materialism, . and the entire motive force for . consumerism. . . In reality there is no division or . difference, . (essentially) between the physical and . the "soulic". The same basic need for . right . action is present upon any plane of . existence. . . When we say that the physical does not . matter, we walk on very dangerous and . illusory ground. Pain, sorrow and fear are . relevant causes of suffering, in body or in . soul. . They have spiritual relevance regardless of . where . they occur. . . We FEEL and EXPERIENCE the . pain of others in war, even though that war . may be half way around the world. . Consciousness . resonantly connects us together, soul to . soul . and body to body. . . All is shared intimately through streams . of energy, awareness and intent. This is . felt . in the body according to the state of the . world. The same . is true of the soul without significant . difference. . Likewise, joy, love and deep mutual . communion are just as . relevant here on this physical world, as . they are in soulic realms. God also, . is not "off somewhere" in this SEPARATE . place called "heaven", nor is beauty or . wisdom. . . Many think that “politics” (the . interactions of . nations or groups) is a different and . separate thing . from spirituality. Yet, all of existence . is based . on spiritual concerns, (natural and . spiritual laws) . and that which is regarded as separate from . its . spiritual essence, will remain . forever ineffectual and unsatisfying. This . too is . why people’s lives today are exactly that . ineffectual . and unsatisfying, as lives lived without . higher . cause in mind, are lives wasted on the . trivial. . . When our fellow beings are in pain, or they . fall to ignorance and unnecessary . suffering, shall we turn a blind eye to . them and simply say, "Well it's all an . illusion anyway, so it doesn't matter"? . No, of course not. It DOES and it MUST . matter, to the person who would let . themselves . feel and know. . . For these reasons our need for spiritual . action, which is the . highest form of social responsibility, . carries on every day. Let's make the best . of it and INTEND a higher humanity, . .(regardless of world conditions) . . Matthew . . PS I'd like to take a moment and ask you . Ed, (and others here) what would you like . to accomplish on this forum? . . The peace of death - Ed Pabaue . 11 Jan 2003 20:42 . #228 . Tp speak the Truth is the greatest . compassion, for only the Truth can set us . free. . . To accomplish a realisation of the Truth . would be a mighty attainment indeed. But to . have any attachment to such an . accomplishment is foolishness. . . Here is an uncommonly lucid discussion from . another list. . . Ed . . . . cannot see imperfection. Here, those who . believe and live the illusion reside in a . misplaced world of effect. Not of God's . making but our own. What is truth exists, . that which is not truth does not. All that . we see here does not exist in reality. This . is a world of madness; our only purpose is . to let it fall away. This is the only true . healing.<< . . Bravo! . . This is a truth that does not please the . ego at all, for the natural tendency of the . ego is one of self-maintenance. It believes . in a temporal illusion, it believes that it . (self) has substance and it strives to keep . its self-made illusion - and therefore . itself - alive indefinitely. . . Eventually the ego becomes so cultivated, . so sophisticated in its development, so . clever and so noble that it attempts to . become a god: to imitate the Divine, and . then the culture of imitation spirituality . spreads throughout the land, confusing most . everyone and leading the majority astray. . And today New Age spirituality is greatly . compromised with regard to the Path of . Sanctification and so the process of ego- . death. And humanity is greatly compromised . upon the One Thing Needful that leads from . darkness to Light. . . This is why there is so little true Light . and Grace amidst this Earthly existence, . but instead so much suffering. For when . free will habitually, perpetually chooses . to identify with illusion and so darkness . over Truth and Light, mankind creates and . fortifies a prison-world for consciousness, . and up to a point where the planetary . sphere itself is threatened - as it is . today - divine Helpers can do very little . to change humanity's wayward course. . . There are very few egos who are prepared to . die to self and so return to the divine . Universe, the Real Universe, but this is . exactly what the process of Sanctification . leading to Holy Ascension entails. And yet . here we are on the eve of world-purgation . and grand Opportunity, here we are at the . zenith of the culture of imitation where . never before have so many people been . interested in Ascension, yet simultaneously . so few are willing to give up the ego in . order to actually tread the path that leads . to the death of self and the rebirth of the . divine Soul via transfiguration. . . You will find in these times that rather . than actually go the Path of Death that . leads to Life, most people are far more . inclined to pray and meditate for world . peace, demonstrating their desire to bring . peace to an illusion and so continue to . exist in a familiar dream-prison-world that . leads nowhere but round and round on the . wheel of reincarnation. . . Yet an illusion is born and so must always . come to an end. Why, then, pray to maintain . it, especially at the end of a world cycle . when the writing is on the wall regarding . the inevitable recycling of that which has . become so dense, so fallen from Grace and . so imprisoning to the human mind and . consciousness that very few souls indeed . are able to attain the Goal of Liberation . and so realise the very purpose of this . world order: to find God and return to the . Divine? . . The answer is self-evident: ignorance and . fear. . . When peace is sought where it can never be . found - in a dualistic illusion; when . substance and fulfillment are sought where . they can never be found - in a world of . entropy and death; and so when the primary . purpose of a world-order is entirely . forgotten by the mass-population, then the . fate of that world is certain, as its . sphere of life is cleared to make way for a . new Day of Manifestation in a new cycle and . so a new opportunity for mankind is given . to pursue the true purpose of life: not . peace on the dualistic Earth but . Deliverance. . . Amidst such a planetary crisis at the end . of a world-cycle no peace may be known, no . rest may be found, and below, given 2,000 . years ago, is Jesus' clear explanation why. . . From the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the . Christ: . . 2 And then Lamaas said, Pray, tell us Lord, . is this the dawn of peace? . 3 Have we come forth unto the time when men . will war no more? . 4 Are you, indeed, the Prince of Peace that . holy men have said would come? . 5 And Jesus said, Peace reigns to-day; it . is the peace of death. . 6 A stagnant pool abides in peace. When . waters cease to move they soon are ladened . with the seeds of death; corruption dwells . in every drop. . 7 The living waters always leap and skip . about like lambs in spring. . 8 The nations are corrupt; they sleep . within the arms of death and they must be . aroused before it is too late. . 9 In life we find antagonists at work. God . sent me here to stir unto its depths the . waters of the sea of life. . 10 Peace follows strife; I come to slay . this peace of death. The prince of peace . must first be prince of strife. . 11 This leaven of truth which I have . brought to men will stir the demons up, and . nations, cities, families will be at war . within themselves. . 12 The five that have been dwelling in a . home of peace will be divided now, and two . shall war with three; . 13 The son will stand against his sire; the . mother and the daughter will contend; yea, . strife will reign in every home. . 14 The self and greed and doubt will rage . into a fever heat, and then, because of me, . the earth will be baptised in human blood. . 15 But right is king; and when the smoke is . cleared away the nations will learn war no . more; the Prince of Peace will come to . reign. Progressive Discussions..... - Sandi Hunter . 11 Jan 2003 21:20 . #229 This post is mostly to Ed....I want to ask . why you do not answer most of the questions . put to you. You will answer a post, but . when a TRUTHFUL statement is made in a reply . asking you specific questions, you simply . ignore it. I agree that discussing Truth . should be our foremost priority. But I only . see posts made, replies posted and then . (most of the time) nothing is completed. If . we are to be progressive in our quest for . Truth then do we not need to address points . made and clearly evaluate them? . . In a recent post from Ed, he quoted: . . "We live in a world where everything appears . to be separate. We perceive with our five . mundane senses and mind, and we see what . is 'out there', thus viewing life from a . perspective that reinforces our idea that . we are separate from everything and that . everything is separate from us. But in . truth, the separate nature of our existence . is delusional because everything in the . universe is interconnected and . interdependent. " . . May I ask how you can quote this and take . the stand that all we do on earth is . separate? Everything in the Universe is . interconnected, but what we do on earth . means nothing? HMMM.. sounds like a . contradiction to me? How about anyone else? . . I ask that you see my intention of engaging . in meaningful, progressive discussion of . Truth....and I thank you for responding. . . Sandi Soul Food - Matthew Webb . 12 Jan 2003 12:13 . #230 From; . Lessons of the Soul, Part 3 at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Library . . Traditionally, soulic contact has been . referred to by such phrases as "the inner . voice", "the conscience" and influence . from "the higher self". By any name it is . the soul which is the true mastermind . behind the life of any personality. This . is so even though, (as is often the case) . the ego overshadows soulic directives in . daily affairs. Through the sheer . repetition of personal and social images, . and a desperate attachment to those ideas, . the ego clings to the past. It does this . because it is terrified by change, as . change would mean dropping the arbitrary . images it identifies with. The ego runs . from change just as it runs from its own . shadow. It seeks security from the world, . but from its own inherent self- . destructiveness it cannot hide. Self- . destructiveness is a consequence of the . spiritual poverty brought about through . disconnection with soulic purpose. Ego is . learned behavior and exists as a memorized . pattern. Without memory there can be no . ego. And contrary to what is popularly . believed, mental clarity-health is not . about learning new, memorized patterns. It . is about dropping all memorized . conditioning in favor of what composes the . soul Intent, Awareness and Energy. These . three are all we need to live well, not the . cultural patterns repeated through the . generations and the mass media. . . It would seem that the modern age is . plagued by ego. Proving something personal . to the world is even glorified in fact, . regardless of the destructive consequences. . The modern world invests a huge portion of . its time and energy trying to “impress” . rather than through a genuine cultivation . of excellence. Personal choice must be . played out through experience however, as . this is how spiritual lessons are best . remembered. There is no better nor graphic . teacher, than the trials reaped through . one's own decisions. Thus karma is the . perfect, cosmic learning device. . Ultimately through the course of many . lives, the pattern of forming arbitrary . attachments and emotional dependencies is . finally dropped. Social values are purified . to become those of universal purpose, while . the long process of greater soulic self- . mastery continues on. . . It is often asked by many people . why past life memories are not available to . us, if in fact past lives are a reality. . The answer to this question is quite . simple. They are not available primarily . because they usually serve no evolutionary . purpose. In fact, the availability of . detailed past life knowledge from the . viewpoint of the soul, is seen as . irrelevant. It would likely only result in . an even further enlargement of the ego, . (not only the one of the current life, but . also those of past lives). Obsession with . past events, material possessions and . relationships would in most cases arise, . serving only to confuse and distract the . personality from its appropriate spiritual . development. Ego persists predominately . because of fearful attachment to things, . ideas, images, places and memories. This . is what makes it inflexible, defensive, . unprogressive and even destructive. Again, . ego is learned behavior that is formed to . provide a defensive shield, rather than . wisdom. It is built upon fear. . . It is the nature of spirit to . progressively transform, and ego, (as well . as past life ego) resists this change. . Thus from the wise viewpoint of the true . self, there is no ultimate or even . practical value for detailed, past life . knowledge. More important than past . events, whether these occurred 5 days ago . or 5000 years hence, is of no true import. . The actions taken today are those which . determine further evolutionary growth, for . each mind and soul. The past and its . associated karma, can only be offset and . uplifted through right action in the . present moment. This makes the "eternal . now" the prime staging place for all real . spiritual change and mastery. Everything . else we do is merely preparation for this . opportunity. . . It is very important then, to return . ourselves to the natural human state, which . is a purity of body and mind that has . constant access to the soul. A few . suggestions are next given, for the . intentional strengthening of body-mind-soul . rapport. In light of establishing this . greater alignment, it should be remembered . that the personality and the soul are not . on equal terms, with the latter being . accurately called "the higher self". One . will find it useful to approach the soul . with the humility of a child, seeking out . an elder’s council. This attitude will . bring about the most rapid spiritual gains, . in alignment with that Self in Truth. . Saying this however, is not to suggest that . we drop our responsibility for keeping a . clear, strong mind and body. It simply . means that we are remaining pliant for . soulic feedback. . . Secondly, the seeker should recognize and . be prepared for transformations of all . kinds, in any requests for soulic aid- . alignment. These can range from the . painfully cathartic, (including physical . symptoms that accompany the release of . stress and toxic emotion-beliefs) to the . rapturous experience of greater connection . to the Divine. In most cases however, felt . soulic influences will be subtle and . cumulative. In the latter case the . meditator is advised to employ patience. . The brain and nervous system require some . time to reconfigure themselves, (in all but . rare persons and small children) so as to . accommodate increasing soulic vibrations . and Intent. These are of a markedly higher . frequency and quality, than are most . everyday thought processes. Although the . mind may be willing to transform, the body . still needs preparation to serve as an . adequate conduit for spiritual change. The . physical and psychic energy centers, . (chakras) need a chance to reconfigure . themselves. This reconfiguration of the . body/mind by the soul, may require days, . weeks, months or years in its firm . establishment. In part, this depends upon . how much purification of body and mind is . necessary. Those who keep physically fit . and who meditate, will find the process . much easier. . Impressions during Group Mind Meditation - Craig Lang . 12 Jan 2003 21:27 . #231 An interesting thing occurred during the . group mind meditation. I noted a number of . visual impressions, which I am wondering if . some of them might be from others doing the . meditation at the same time. . . In the PSI experiment group, we have an on- . going Remote Viewing experiment, so I had . planned to record any visual impressions I . recieved at that time. What I noted was . that I got alot of them, from many people. . My sense was that there were alot of people . tuned in at that time. That's my hypothesis. Re: Compassion - Jenese James . 12 Jan 2003 21:48 . #232 here...I have often said jesus was the . antichrist simply because if he were to . return he would not pander to the whims of . those who worship him...he would be against . such things...indeed all the things you . speak of....in fact i am an anti christ in . the sense that I am both a comforter on . occasion and a bubble burster on . others...and am anti feel good little . bubbles although i know they serve for the . immediate moment...they won't redeem . humanities soul . . but then who said humanities soul needed . redeeming anyway....maybe it dosn't...I . mean look around this world is full to the . brim 6 billion of us and increasing...its . such a diverse little planet..so full of . hate, and love soooooooo diverse...perhaps . there is no soul to redeem...perhaps what . we consider a soul is so nebulous that we . really don't have a concept for . it....perhaps we come here simply because . we can....? there is nothing to redeem and . in that sense nothing to save...just . another wild though of mine... . . so ed tell me....what do you . believe...obviously you feel that . humanities soul needs to be . redeemed...obviously you read the bible and . are well versed in other doctrines...have . studied them to a high degree and have . coleansed them into some understanding.... . . for myself..humanity i weep for you yet i . welcome your return.....is a deep seated . feeling that is beyond words...yet your . words have closest to articulating what is . meant by this...although sometimes your . manner or way of writing can be somewhat . aragant....tell me though....what is it you . see happening complete anihilation of our . world....partial...due to mankinds . ignorance ..which i see as bought about by . following religious dogma ...or do you see . a continuation of the same...or do you see . humanity becoming aware of itself and . growing generation by generation into more . awarness of themselves as cosmic beings and . hence creating a world in line with that . idea...what...do share . . Oh and another thing that has always . annoyed me..why the hell transmit a nobel . truth so to speak in a bloddy parable that . hardly any could understand....those that . did ....what did they do with it ...and . those that didn't....it seems like some . kind of iq test where if you get a high . score you get to join your ego with mensas . or something....myself i can't relate to . parables...my mind just goes blank...like . maths...yet i know a lot of stuff . and 'get'other things most people . don't....so why talk in bloddy prabels like . trick questions....maybe thats religions . problem no one really understood them cos . they could be taken so many ways....oh and . by the way that term....let those with eyes . to see ears to listen.....i heard was a . code to alert the reader or listener that . something important was hidden...because of . the evil times...more than for high iq types . . thats just me rambling out loud really Re: Accomplishment - Jenese James . 12 Jan 2003 22:43 . #233 connecting to the world mind . meditation...but i was there in spirit if . not directly.... . . what would i like to accomplice on this . forum ? . great intelligent concepts that stretch my . mind that which enables higher mind. along . with that its also a good place to share . ones knowing....perhaps planting seeds . sharing ideas for solutions to . things....open and honest communication is . always the precursor to change and . growth.... . . Having said that however I would like to . share with all of you something that I . wrote last night....that articulates an . idea that I have been feeling for 3 yrs now . and which you mathew touched on in your . last post its a sort of a poem... called . world mind . . Within the pain of my mind . I feel emotions stiring . I fall into them . Although I try to stay calm . My mind river flows to fast and catches me . in her current . I am awash with liquid emotion. . . But is it mine . . I can relate my life to my story . My minds emotions reflect them . Yet what if it where not me . What if it was the world mind that I was . responding to . . This deep inner sadness . this mental madness . this emotional anguish . . What if it was not mine . but everyone's . The collective consciousness of our dark . time . impending war . constant starvations . another child dies in another mothers arms . . Our humanity it sems is restricted to our . selves . goes no further than our own individual life . we fool ourselves into thinking we are . loving beings . yet we no nothing of that which is not . within our immediate sight . . Yet do we feel it still . . Is that a challenge of our praradise (my . reference to living in NZ) . to benefit our lives we close our minds, . our hearts to others whose lives are not . ours . . Do I feel the deep sadness of that other . mother . Are my fears for my own childrens lives . mine or she who awaits yet another childs . death . is my pain hers as she holds her own dying . child . . When most human right abuses arise from . governmental systems is it ok for me to . turn my back on anothers suffering . . you create your own reality they say . here is a justification for everything . it fits . it makes sense . . Yet something within me stirs uneasily . unanswered . yet to be articulated . its that wall i continually seem to come to . . what if there is only one of us here after . all . . what befalls one befalls all is the saying . is that because we did nothing and so . eventually what happend to them will happen . to us . is that what it means . . This world is such a vast concept and makes . no sense at all . yet here I am trying to make some sense of . me in context with it all . . Is my anger world anger . is my rage world rage . is my sadness world sadness . is my joy world joy . is my pain world pain . . How would i know since I claim it as my own . its my life . so it must be just me . . but could it be something more . . . . I pray - Ed Pabaue . 13 Jan 2003 03:10 . #234 Father I am weak, a liar and a thief. Blood . is on my hands. I seek Truth yet know not . what I seek. I have lied by thinking I that . I knew something, yet I am completely . ignorant. . . I wanted to help humanity, yet in all my . ministrations I have helped only to sustain . a lie. I was bargaining my own salvation. . . Truth is Truth always. It needs not my . assistance for I know nothing. I am nothing. . . Good or evil, old or young, right or wrong: . all are naught, for Truth is always and . forever. . . I wrote books in the lie that I could raise . the dead. I thought I could enlighten and . raise the consciousness of those around me . so that Truth could become more accessible. . But consciousness is a lie. Truth has no . levels, it cannot be raised. We can only . recieve it all or not. . . My deception is that I have thought I have . held light at all. So quick have I been to . judge others, I have heeded not my own . reflection. That which has come through my . unillumined consciousness has sought only . to feed the illusion of myself and my ideas. . . Empty must I be, but I am full. Full of . self. . . Take my clothes, Father, all of them, I beg . of you, for with blood I have earned them. . And forgive me for I am blind. Death is . around me and so quick has been his . approach I did not even notice his . handiwork until now. . . Father, do what you will... . . Ed Re: The peace of death - Frans weyer . 13 Jan 2003 12:36 . #235 . I must agree with Sandi when she asked you . the question how it is possible that on one . hand you say that the whole universe is . interconnected and on the other hand that on . this earth we are living in a total illusion . and striving for peace is just an act that . holds the illusion. . I think such an attitude won’t do the whole . much good, just because everything is . connected. . So, you say, don’t bother peace, only your . own peace of course, that is something . different, I don’t know but it seems to me . that that opinion is the paragon of . selfishness. . And truth, speaking the truth, well, one of . the difficulties of truth is that it exist, . no doubt, but when you try to speak it out, . that same truth changes in a opinion that . can be argued, it is like a butterfly, try . to hold it in a box and it will damaged . his/her wings and die, that is what I have . against words that say, this and that is . true, the rest is a illusion. . To stay by this comparison, instead of . catching the butterflies you can better see . and enjoy their flight, see them rumbling . and tumbling and where they are going to, I . think there is much to learn of there . flights. . In a certain way you are of course right . that the world is an illusion, but I think . it is a matter of perception, not of . objective truth. . Or with other words, it is one facet of the . precious stone. . And regarding to the Aquarius gospel it is . better to try to read this text symbolical . than literal, as one must do with every . gospel, or for that matter with almost every . written text, I think those scriptures have . beside the text you can read a second text . hidden behind the words. . . Concerning the question of Martin of what we . can accomplish on this forum I think (Oh . boy, I’m thinking a lot, isn’t’) that it is . a good way to gain some clarity about what . it is all about,and what is happening. . I am speaking for myself of course. . Peace on Earth - Ed Pabaue . 13 Jan 2003 20:58 . #236 one . on . illusion . . If God wanted peace on Earth, do you not . think that it would be here today? . . Why is peace not here yet? . . Because HUMANITY as a whole does not want . it and universal law is insuperable, as is . the law of free will on this planet. . . Humanity wants the 'peace' of self- . aggrandizement, safety, comfort for self . and its familiar spiritual somnambulism, . which is no Peace at all and not the divine . design for this world, and so such desires . go against the divine Will and must . necessarily bring correction under the Law. . That correction is the forthcoming and . inevitable purging and recycling of this . world and its life-forms, especially human . ingorance. . . Jesus' words that I quoted earlier are . quite clear and are not symbolical. The . approaching Light will cause a great . shattering and breaking up of the old . consciousness-matrix, a part of which seeks . after peace in order to be safe. . . There absolutely will not be any peace on . Earth until after the cataclysms have done . their work. This is what humanity is . choosing in its ignorant struggle to save . its familiar world, like ants scurrying . around a nest on the sand as the tide comes . in. . . Watch. You will see more and more world- . agitation leading to chaos during the next . decade, no matter how many peace . demonstrations and meditations are . performed by human beings. Can you not feel . the escalating tensions even now in the . ethers? The world is on fire, and while the . ignorant try to douse the flames, they feed . the fire in their reaction in duality. . . Mostly, humanity is praying for peace out . of fear. It was the same in World War 1 and . 2. But what were these same people doing . when their selfish comforts were NOT being . threatened before war? . . Do you see the duality of it all? The . reactivity to it all? The Armageddon of it . all? . . All humanism proceeds from the idea and the . inner urge to allay the effects and causes . of all calamities. All humanism springs . from the consolatory motives that arise . within us when we see the suffering of . world and mankind. Humanism is that . organized goodness which attempts to run . evil down, without ever being able to catch . it. It is the endeavor of humanism to . neutralize evil, but throughout all ages it . has never succeeded. The ancient and lofty . Chinese philosophy of thousands of years . ago - the Tao Te Ching - was already deeply . convinced of this fact. Lao Tzu states . clearly that all organized goodness results . from the fact that man has left the True . Path: Tao. "Yes," says this great . philosopher literally: "people then came . stumbling and squirming to administer their . charity, elbowing their way and standing on . tiptoe to see justice done. The great Tao . disappeared and philanthropy and justice . appeared. Sagacity and ingenuity came into . existence and great hypocrisy". . . With incomparable depth and directness Lao . Tzu puts the axe here to the root of human . righteousness, knowledge, love and peace. . He unmasks the entire human order of . existence as a counter-Natural monstrosity . as compared to Tao. His words find their . echo in the Bible which says: "The wisdom . of this world is foolishness with God". It . is quite natural for a person with some . degree of cultivated goodness and who . recognizes the great sorrow of mankind to . do his utmost spontaneously, out of an . inner urge, to alleviate this sorrow and to . remove the cause if he can. It is the . reaction of dualistic goodness in this . forlorn world. Who would object if you . choose to join the ranks of the humanists . who, for centuries past, have made it their . business to uplift their fellowmen on their . Earthly pilgrimage? Moreover, objecting to . this would be of little use because the man . of goodness, in so acting, is spurred on . from an inner urge. He cannot very well do . otherwise because it is second nature to . him. In fact, it is considered a proof of . his own quality of goodness. . . However, this is not my main objection to . humanism; I am even glad and ready to lend . my support to every noble and necessary . humanitarian endeavor. I am quite willing . to accept the far-reaching consequences, . and the spiritual Community to which I . belong has given ample evidence of such . deeds throughout all ages. But this . Community has also made it plain throughout . all ages that the most advanced and applied . humanism, with all its idealistically . spiritual aspects included, is of a . dualistic nature and applicable to the . norms of this fallen world that vibrates in . unholiness and, therefore, unavoidably it . is the companion of evil. . . Humanism can bring no absolute blessedness, . no absolute consolation and no absolute . peace on Earth; it does not put an end to . death, nor even can it remove a cancer from . our bodies. Yet, it still does have a task . to fulfill in our civilization because it . may ultimately ameliorate the social, . political and economic tyranny in the . world. But after that, what will happen? . Eventually it will become apparent that . absolute blessedness and peace cannot be . procured by humanism, and that the dismal . sorrows of this world will persist in a . multitude of new forms. Mankind has already . known many humanized civilizations in . prehistoric times but they perished because . the law of this world is dualistic, . undivine. If we do not yet fully understand . this, if we are unable to think so deeply, . then we will discover its veracity in the . school of experience in this world, and . many human beings are about to learn such . lessons from the utter failure of all their . efforts towards peace. . . Let us always be spontaneously humane by . virtue of our nature; let us not shirk . humanistic work whenever it comes our way, . in so far as it provides an opportunity . directly and truly to heal wounds that have . resulted from the disorder of the times. . However, all this should be looked upon as . a natural line of conduct springing from . our state of being, and we should fully . realize that the distant Kingdom of which . both Jesus and Lao Tzu taught: Tao - is not . of this world, is not of this nature; that . along with the natural humanism that can . never liberate us from this world of . duality and therefore restlessness and non- . peaceful existence, we must also possess an . entirely different state of consciousness, . another state of soul and body which is not . of this world. We must focus our entire . reasoning on this fact, because all other . reasoning is only reflex activity in . duality. A person who has risen above this . world is humane in duality simply because . suffering confronts him, but he does not . consider such action as liberating or . essential. Neither does he believe that any . human efforts will ever be successful in . attaining peace on Earth. . . People crying out for peace on Earth today . are looking for it where it can never be . found: in duality, in this fallen world . order. The sage does not call for peace on . Earth to be established by human efforts, . ever noticed that? Maybe he is onto . something? Hmm? . . What these peace-seeking people are . actually doing is training themselves by . way of the school of hard knocks: polarity. . . Maybe next time the Call is sounded in some . other age on some other world, those human . beings who floundered after peace on Earth . today will remember the futility and . disappointment of their plight in this time . and so will finally look not to this world . but to God in order to find true and . lasting Peace and Fulfillment . . Ed simple heartfelt meditation - Mike Van Wagoner . 14 Jan 2003 10:53 . #237 Hello to all, I feel I need to introduce . myself, because I haven't as of yet, and . I've been a member for about a month. So . I'll start by sharing a simple meditation . technique which brings your center to your . heart.This especially helps if your mind . seems to be the center of control. All you . need to do is pretend/feel like you don't . have a head! This will help you feel more . instead of over-analyzing. namaste` everyone Re: Impressions during Group Mind Meditation - Matthew Webb . 14 Jan 2003 13:00 . #238 Dear Craig, . . From my own experience of such things, I'd . say you are absolutely right about your . conclusions. What you've directly . experienced is group mind effect, or to put . that another way, "an aspect of collective . consciousness". The importance of such . realization is that it is based not just . upon knowledge of written words, but upon . direct perception. What most people don't . realize is that the study of consciousness . is not just another new age theoretical . proposition. It is in fact a concrete and . scientific study. It is one which we can . all partake of, independantly verify, and . Master to greater and greater degrees, for . unlimited personal and mutual benefits. . . The fact is, ALL of us constantly share . feelings, visual images, thoughts and . intentions with others around the world, . every day of our lives. The main difference . between a meditator and a non-meditator, is . that the person with the inner focus . NOTICES that such things are going on, both . internally and externally. . . This is just the . nature of unified field physics, and other . natural laws such as resonance, . synchronicity, and vibrational rates, . (frequencies). It makes the study of . group mind phenomena not unlike the study . of radio propagation principles. In both . cases we find transmitters, receivers, . transceivers, frequencies, resonance, . dissonance, etc. Such knowledge places the . meaning of feelings, for instance, in a . whole new light. . . It's really quite . fascinating to realize that we can directly . experience such things, study them through . observation and gain extremely valuable . insights into life and our own personal . Mastery, if it is our intent to do so. . . I also agree that there were "alot of . people tuned in at that time" during this . last Sunday's GGM Meditation, (Jan 11th). . I felt this as well, among other things. . . Your input about this is both appreciated . and very pertinent. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew . . of . if . the . people. . people . hypothesis. Re: Accomplishment - Matthew Webb . 14 Jan 2003 13:08 . #239 Dear Jenese, . . Your expressions here show much truth and . insight, which is a welcome contribution to . the forum and to the world. . . First, the fact that you desire an ever . greater expansion of mind and (implicitly) . clear perception, is commendable. I say . this because of the hypnotizing effects of . the mass media today, has the vast majority . of human beings in a kind of trance. It . also moulds their beliefs about what life . is about and what their lives should be, . which is tragic, since consumerism can't . ever be truly satisfying. So to hear . anyone say they seek deeper insight into . truth is refreshing. Open and honest . communication, as you said, is the mark of . the truthful mind, as well as spiritual . intent. It is certainly well needed in . today's world. . . Your World Mind poem explains much to the . attentive reader. I've always thought that . poetry is best expressed as a spiritual . depth, as you have done so well. . . Sincerely, . Matthew . . . . now . life . happen . makes Re: Peace on Earth - Matthew Webb . 14 Jan 2003 13:09 . #240 . With regard to your reply to Frans and . others, I'd like to point out a simple . fact. That is; just like our daily lives, . life for humanity in general is what people . make of it. The key to this is INTENT, . since intent determines action. . . When I post here, I focus on, (intend) what . will cause mutual understanding and greater . mutual accomplishment. . . After reading many interactions here, there . comes to mind two basic intentions which . are often played out. . One is that of debate and disagreement for . the sake of clarification. The other is . that of collaboration and mutual insight. . One might easily conclude that you prefer . the first and neglect the latter, such as . in your reply to Frans. Clearly you make . some good points, but you miss . opportunities for collaboration and an . actual, progressive building of . understanding, through equally progressive . discussion. . . When one is too ready to disagree, they may . actually end up debating points that are . already agreed upon. . . In collaboration, . . Matthew . . . you . that . divine . Law. Re: simple heartfelt meditation - Matthew Webb . 14 Jan 2003 13:22 . #241 Thank you Michael, this is an interesting . technique! Welcome to the discussion. . . Matthew . . you . everyone Re: Peace on Earth - Frans weyer . 15 Jan 2003 13:07 . #242 . . Dear Ed, . . Thank you for your reply. . It’s funny to see how different words that . are saying different things not are being . recognized as saying the same thing. . You know, you are right when you say that . any act in this apparent dualistic world . leads to more duality. (Confusion-Act- . Counteract-New act, ad fin.)with the only . result that the materialistic conditions of . humankind change, and that for a short time . if man do not evolve . simultaneous. . I was pointing at the same mechanistic when . I said that one of the difficulties of truth . in fact was that when you try to speak that . truth out, trying to bring it into the open, . that same truth changes into an opinion . which can be argued, conflicts occur, not by . religion but by words that we give to much . attention, . Like butterflies, if you hold them to tight . they die. . See what I mean? . It is beyond those toys that we must seek . and accept whatever we may find, even when . it scares Ego or means his death-sentence. . And we all know that wall by bumping into it . one or another way, don’t we? . The power source behind all action is man; . there it begins, the journey to the outside . as well into the inside . The angel or god in-between,( this just hits . my mind.) . I must say honestly that I was reading your . words on this theme with interest and found . them inspiring. . You know I really think that the rest of the . words about the outer world and how to . change things, or not, are things for the . periphery of this discussion, and maybe a . good example of the dualistic world, where . people argue and kill about things that in . truth are not important. . What we find in the inner is what counts, . and the ways how we manifest those insights . in words or acts is colored personal, let us . not spent to much time on that. . . . The World Mind Society Newsletter 01-0316 - Matthew Webb . 17 Jan 2003 18:37 . #243 The World Mind Society . Newsletter 01-0316 . . A Roadmap to Enlightenment . Part 2 . . The exploration of our true selves . continues, as we examine what meditation . reveals. In the last Newsletter we were . discussing just a few of the remarkable . things an inner focus can accomplish. By . meditating upon the feelings and awareness . in the body, many doors of perception are . opened up for those who dare to See. What . we See are countless, deeply pertinent . facts of life. Unfortunately, the . mainstream attitude toward spiritual . practice still makes this current society . too frightened or apathetic to address . meditational insights consciously. But . that condition can soon change, depending . on spiritual efforts such as ours. . . For instance, inner revelations show the . nature of our true selves and the purpose . of life itself. Hopefully, you have been . applying the suggested WMS Chakra . Meditation on a daily basis, (see our WMS . home page under “Chakra Meditations for a . review) while keeping in mind our last . discussion of body-wide awareness of . feeling. I recommend that you review the . last Newsletter (12-0230) to refresh the . points it made, since this is a . continuation of that “Roadmap to . Enlightenment”, (which is available on . request, in case you missed it). . . As we stay aware of the feelings in our . entire bodies, there arises many benefits . which the practitioner will begin to . notice. Among these are increased psychic . sensitivity, self healing and diagnosis . abilities, greater health, clarity, . endurance and spiritual advancement. . Staying in touch with our feelings is part . of what self knowledge is all about. . Modern psychology would have us believe . that self knowledge means we understand and . know our thoughts. But the point they miss . is that our thoughts are just like a . computer’s software program. Everyone . knows that computer’s software is . changeable and does not represent what a . computer IS, only what it is DOING at a . given moment. So it is with our own . thoughts, in that they change from minute . to minute. They are something we DO, not . something we actually ARE. So needless to . say identifying ourselves with an activity, . even if it is an inner one such as . thinking, is a mistake. It is far wiser to . identify with the “doer” rather than the . thing done, or to put that another way, . with the creator rather than the thing . created. In other words, it is far better . to identify with consciousness. We are the . creators or our inner world, and our . thoughts are but creations along the way. . In a meditational focus upon feelings, we . get in touch with a deeper level of self, . and therefore with the creative soul within. . . ** . Attached Insert . . [If you wish, see the attached insert at . this point, for commentary on how self . knowledge protects us from the destructive . influences of the modern world. Then . return to the main text.] . . ** . . Most importantly of all, in meditation we . learn many profound facts, not only about . ourselves as centers of consciousness, . (souls) but about the consciousness which . permeates the entire universe as well. A . soul is best defined as a center of . consciousness. Consciousness is composed of . three basic parts, which are Intent, . Awareness and Energy. All three components . can be specifically identified within. . They can each be mastered to greater and . greater degrees, through such knowledge and . techniques provided by the World Mind . Society. This wisdom reveals that the true . purpose of life is the expansion of . consciousness. By “expansion of . consciousness” I mean becoming more and . more like Christ, Buddha, Lao Tse and many . others spiritual Masters. . . As one soul to another, I say to you that . this knowledge and practice is essential . for a life fully lived, in spiritual self- . realization. The holder of this knowledge . is spiritually compelled to teach others . its marvelous benefits, which are many- . fold. It is also the intent of that which . is called “God”, in accord with the process . of evolution, that everyone on this planet . realize their true selves and take on this . fundamental purpose of life. The expansion . of consciousness is the same evolutionary . process and purpose which also animates . intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos. . As on Earth, the expansion of consciousness . is a universal intention, one which compels . countless other beings to similarly . accelerate their own advancement as . conscious souls. Meditation is best seen . therefore, as a cosmic activity, not an . ideological or religious one. . . One of the daunting tasks which the teacher . of consciousness must undertake, is the . convincing of others, (in this modern world . of shallow consumerism) that there are much . higher purposes to life than what is . commonly assumed. They must also . demonstrate, that to become more Christ- . like or Buddha-like is not a far away fairy . tale adventure, or yet another new age . theory with no substance. On the contrary, . to become more like these examples of . expanded consciousness, (Masters) is the . very practical and essential purpose of . life, for which there is no higher . calling. When one endeavors to be a real . success in life, THIS and ONLY THIS is the . goal which they set for themselves. Such . a supreme goal in life may be properly . called, “The Intent of Mastery”, or “the . Intent to become a Master“. So when we . speak of self knowledge and the expansion . of consciousness, remember it is within . that Christ/Buddha context. Realize then, . both the importance and the potentials of . this ultimate journey. . . Let us also remember that to become like a . Christ or a Buddha is not . a “mystical”, “mysterious” or “Divinely . unique” journey. As long as we think in . this fashion, such figures are placed upon . such an impossibly high pedestal, that they . cannot be realistically approached by the . average person. Let us instead realize . that there is such a thing as levels of . consciousness, as well as corresponding . levels of Intent. With this self knowledge . of the intent within, we too can become . spiritual Masters of great Realization. . This has been the teaching of all the . Masters throughout history, as in; “You too . can do as I”. The Intent of Mastery and . others like it, are as those employed by . Buddha and Christ. In fact, it can be . easily argued that such intent was largely . responsible for their ascension. . . As we study the science of consciousness, . it reveals the very specific and concrete . means by which we may elevate ourselves and . each other, to become that level of . consciousness known as the Master. Even . more ideally, this planet can eventually . become populated by an entire race of . Masters, which would reflect the primary . goal of all intelligent worlds anywhere in . the universe. This is what is meant by the . term “planetary ascension”, and each of us . can do nothing but benefit by this greatest . of life focuses. . . The “steps” we discussed in the last . Newsletter have led us a small portion of . the way to employing the Intent of the . Master. Let us continue now onto the next . steps or landmarks along the way, in . this “roadmap to enlightenment”. . . To review; . . Step 1 described the use of the WMS Chakra . meditation, [action]. . Step 2 was the employment of the “Intent of . Permanency” [action]. . . Step 3 Realization of the awareness and . intent elements in the body, [observation]; . . In this next step we gain a deeper insight . into consciousness . By using techniques . such as the Chakra Meditation, we learn to . focus our awareness on the feelings in the . body, rather than thoughts in the mind. As . the mind is cleared of stresses and random . thoughts, our clarity naturally improves. . So too does our ability to meditate at . deeper, more satisfying levels. Upon . deeper self reflection, we directly observe . how the feelings in our bodies are not . homogenous, or in other words, the same . throughout. Our “emotions” are in fact a . collection of smaller feelings which . comprise larger ones. What we may observe . in the region of the heart, (4th chakra) . for instance, is a collection of smaller . areas of feeling which comprise a larger . whole. The same is true of the stomach . area, (3rd chakra), the feelings in the . head, (6th and 7th charkas) and in fact . anywhere in the body you might focus upon. . This may seem like a mundane fact, but it . has considerable importance. Each of . these “micro-feelings” or “feeling . elements” mean something specific. In this . step, just realize that they exist. Take a . moment to scan the feelings throughout your . body, and notice how they vary from one . place to another. . . The body is a “group mind”. Each of our . cells has its own individual consciousness, . which is then merged with their fellows. . Doing so cooperatively allows them to act . as a cohesive unit. Most immediately, . cells align their consciousness with their . neighbors first, with whom they are in . direct contact. In that way they form a . local “tissue-level, group mind” which is . both cooperative and far more powerful, . than a collection of separate individuals . could ever be. This shared consciousness, . (shared intent, awareness and energy) . allows them to perform the wonderful feats . of cooperation which we take for granted . every day, such as mutual healing . processes, digestion, neural action, . chemical transfers, movement and a host of . other accomplishments. ALL of this is made . possible through group mind coordination, . and without which we would be physically . dead within seconds. . . Each tissue of the body is rightly seen . then, as a cooperative, group mind of . cells. Interestingly, the group mind . principle [see the GM series in our . Library] applies to higher and higher . levels of organization, from the subatomic, . molecular, cellular and tissue levels, to . that of organs, systems, bodies, groups of . bodies, communities, and entire planets. . Collections of tissue-level group minds . align their consciousness together to form . organs. The consciousness of organs unify . to create the systemic functions of . immunity, digestion, skin, blood . circulation, etc. Systems combine to form . a streamlined body of great ability. . . It is important to remember then, that the . body is decidedly NOT a mere mechanism or . machine, which takes action through blind . processes. It is fully aware of what it is . doing on an intelligent basis. Were this . not so, we would not be the intelligent and . capable creatures that we are, as human . beings. [Perhaps even more interestingly, . the energetic body that is our soul is also . composed of smaller elements of feeling. . These too, are created by energy, awareness . and intent. The soul is therefore a “body” . as well, given that it is composed of . smaller units of consciousness, much like . the physical body is composed of tissues. . Thus, while we are in a physical body many . of our experiences in life are not notably . different from that of the soul itself. . The natural laws, (such as group mind, . resonance, dissonance, vibration, inertia, . etc.) are basically the same in a physical . body, as they are in a purely soulic one. . Each “body” possesses energy, awareness and . intent elements, which can be consciously . coordinated for tremendous results. The . soul and the body can be aligned in their . focus, because they are both based on . consciousness. More on this later . . . Because cell groups have consciousness and . therefore intent, awareness and energy, . they also have the capacity for MIND and . MEMORY. It has been clearly proven by . various studies that the body REMEMBERS, . and in its own way, THINKS. Mind and body . share no concrete boundary they are in . fact one streamlined phenomena. The . body/mind stores memories in its tissues . and organs. It does this in part so that . it can learn from past experiences, and . then operate more efficiently based on that . knowledge. . . Memory of this kind is experienced . primarily through feelings. Pain, fear, . clarity, joy, level of morale and other . aspects of experience are preserved by our . cells. In the case of joy, clarity and . other progressive states, this is a . positive ability. In the case of fear, . pain and low morale, this aspect of . body/mind consciousness can be . debilitating, effecting every aspect of our . lives in ways we probably do not wish to . maintain. Realize that each area of . feeling in the body is telling a story of . its own life experience. Every cell and . tissue’s experience of “self” contributes . to our overall experience of “self“, . thereby affecting our moods, thoughts and . actions. Fortunately we can consciously . make changes to areas afflicted with pain . and fear, so as to improve health, clarity . and energy levels, raise our vibration and . many other aspects of self improvement. . . In meditation we feel stored states of . consciousness, (memories) throughout the . body in the form of “feeling/awareness . elements“ or in other words, small areas . which have their own individual state of . consciousness. Typically, we can notice . these as tennis ball-sized areas of the . body which each have their own associated . feelings. When scanning our inner state . with meditative awareness, we can perceive . different, subtle feelings by the hundreds, . all over the body. Notice how they feel, . and also, that they have awareness and . intent all their own. By performing this . exercise, you are actually perceiving the . smaller group minds which compose your . overall body/mind consciousness. . . By examining these subtle feelings in the . body closely, it can be observed that they . are founded upon awareness and intent. . Awareness is that quality of perception . which is inherent to our being. It . is “that which looks” (perceives) within. . So too is intent, which is the motive force . behind how our awareness is focused. . Intent directs how our energy/feelings are . moved around for various purposes, such as . the reading of this page, or walking from . one room to the next. . . So in a spiritual context, closely . examining our feelings is a way to get in . touch with these deeper aspects of self. . It is a doorway through which our awareness . can step, to find deep meaning and personal . Mastery. By meditating on our feelings . there arises a knowledge of their source. . This source has three components, which are . energy, awareness and intent, . (consciousness). Energy or “Chi”, as it . is commonly known in the Eastern world, . makes feelings possible. Feelings are . actually the rate at which our chi or . energy is vibrating. In the case of . apparently different emotions such as fear, . love, hate and joy, it is the very same . energy which is being used to generate each . of these distinct states of consciousness. . Our energy or chi is like electricity which . can be used for a variety of purposes. Chi . is the basic clay out of which different . states of consciousness are molded and re- . molded, moment to moment. . . Even more fundamental to Self is awareness, . which directs our energy. Contrary to . popular occult views, energy does not . follow thought. In fact, it follows . awareness, which is itself directed by . intent. Where awareness is focused, energy . follows. In meditation, see this for . yourself by focusing your awareness on any . part of the body. Do this for 5 minutes, . and see how the energy level there is . increased, and how sensations are soon . intensified or changed.. Try focusing on . your right hand for instance, and watch the . result. . . Finally, intent then causes awareness to be . directed as it does. This makes intent the . ultimate study. Master intent, and you . will likewise master both awareness and . energy, who are its servants. This is . exactly why, “The Intent of the Master is . the Mastery of Intent”. . . To use an analogy, if consciousness were a . flashlight at night, then energy would be . the light, (power) awareness would be where . the flashlight is pointed, and intent would . be the hand doing the pointing. You need . all three to See, and to act competently . without stumbling. Thus; illumination, . manifestation and transformation are ours . to engage. . . Step 4 The Intent of Raising, (action); . . Just as we can lift an arm or write words . on a page, so too can we transform and . uplift the intent/awareness elements in our . own bodies. All this requires is a change . of intent. In so doing we help to expand . our overall state of consciousness. While . meditating, scan the feelings throughout . the body. Notice how there are areas of . more positive feeling, and also areas of . pain and fear. Direct your awareness to . those areas which need some improvement. . Focus quietly on them without thought, and . just impartially FEEL for a moment like a . scientist would view a specimen. Observe . the subtle qualities of feeling in this . area of your body, (the lower back for . instance). Suppose for a moment there is . pain there, or perhaps some fear elements . in your heart area. At this point I want . you to INTEND a shift in the feelings of . this troubled area, from pain or fear to . restfulness, higher feeling and even love. . Use the four steps in the employment of . intent as follows; . . From the Perpetual Raising series, Part 2, . at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Library; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT . . (for rendering internal change) . . 1) Be aware of your current state of . body/mind, (or the specific area you want . to improve). . . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to . be Intended, (such as better, higher . feeling) and the Intent to be acted upon is . crystallized. [Hold the feeling you want . in your mind, while simultaneously feeling . the area you want changed. Remembering a . time when you were extremely happy or felt . intense love is helpful. Remember this . state in detail and send it to the troubled . area.] . . 3) The desired state is held steady in the . mind, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize . and feel this state as if it already . exists, until the body/mind, (or specific . area) shifts into it. Give this phase a . chance, and work with it. FEEL the new, . desired state infiltrate and transform the . old one. You’ll get better at this with . practice. . . 4) The desired state is “held in place” . throughout the body, (or a given area). . This new state is maintained by treating it . as the new reality of the self, on a . permanent basis. Any time the new state . slips back to the old one, just re- . implement the four steps above. This is . using what we described in the last . Newsletter as, “the intent of permanency”. . . Subsequent application of the above four- . step process, renders cumulative results. . Be persistent! . . In order to expand our consciousness, it is . very useful to transform the stored . Intentions/memories in the body, to ones . that are spiritually progressive. Of . particular importance is the seeking out of . all fear, (and pain) housed in the cells, . through meditation. So instead of avoiding . fear and its unpleasantness, seek it out as . a hunter stalks their prey. Once it is . found anywhere in the body, fear can be . transformed into love, clarity or other . high feelings, by using the “four steps in . the manifestation of Intent” above. . . If fear is found in the fourth chakra, . (heart) for instance, step one of “Being . aware of your current state of body/mind” . in this area is accomplished. Step two . of, “Gain familiarity with that which is to . be Intended” is accomplished when we focus . on the love we want to experience there. . Step three, “The desired state is held . steady in the mind” is achieved when we . stay focused on the love that is replacing . the fear within. Feel fear be dissolved by . love by gradual degrees, until it is . completely replaced on a permanent basis. . Then treat this inner change as your new . permanent reality. In doing this you have . accomplished step four above, or, “The . desired state is “held in place” throughout . the body, (or a given chakra). This is a . brief example of employing Intent for . internal change. . . [Note; the longer and more consistently . you hold your new, desired state in any . area of the body, the more it will become . permanent. Meditate often to accomplish . faster results, as each intent you employ . is cumulative. The area of the body/mind . focused upon will reach a point where you . no longer have to focus on it to raise the . feelings there. It will simply . be “reprogrammed”. In this way old . inertia will be reversed and a new trend in . your life will be established. I recommend . doing this with one area of the body at a . time, to start with. Then go to other . areas, or even the whole body at once, . (ideally) to employ the, “Intent of . Raising”. This is what is also known . as, “raising your state”. . . Any area of the body may in this way be . transformed, and its underlying Intent . changed. This will aid in the improvement . of health, mental clarity and the raising . of overall consciousness. The more areas . of the body we convert from fear to love, . and from pain to enjoyment, the more our . consciousness will soar. . . The same is true of the World Mind in which . we live, (on a planetary level). Given . that the group mind principle applies to . all levels of existence, we are analogous . to cells within the body of humanity. Given . this knowledge, humanity would be . tremendously benefited if it focused as a . unified body, to accomplish on this world . what has only been dreamed of. . . The spiritual practitioner may rightly . consider these inner transformations a . preparation for greater things to come, in . the world at large.. They give us a model . and the necessary experience, so that we . may manifest the needed outer . transformation of our planetary World . Mind. . . To be continued .. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Council of Sages - Matthew Webb . 22 Jan 2003 12:46 . #244 . An old, secretive man . entered one day upon the business of a . young man, . selling books. . A staff of red hardwood he bore, . shaped into a serpent, with an owls’ head. . He said; . PROGRESSIVELY VISUALIZE MORE AND MORE . BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTFORMS! . To this the man replied; . You know of course, . that when other people hear this, . they will want to have the . term “thoughtform” . defined. . In answer, the Ancient One spake thusly; . THOUGHTS GIVEN POWER . is the meaning. . “That is what they will need to hear” . whispered the man. . “Then this is what I will tell them” . said the sagely voice, melodic. . And I will also say; . YOUR TRUE IDENTITY AS SOULS, . IS THAT YOU ARE THE VESSELS, . AND THE AGENTS, . OF THE INTENT OF GOD . M (the man) As such, what is my purpose? . S (the sage) TO ACT AS CELLS IN THE BODY OF . GOD. . TO BRING FORTH A MORE EVOLVED STATE OF . BEING. . M Toward what end? . S For the establishment of greater . potential. . M The potential for what? . S Greater action in all ways. . M What action? . S Manifestation! . M What manifestation? . S The manifestation of more than there was . M More what? . S Clarity, love and self realization! . M Why these three? . S Because they are the most efficient . means. . M The most efficient means for what? . S To achieve greater OMNISCIENCE and . OMNIPOTENCY. . M You mean all seeingness and all . powerfulness? . S Yes, but to GREATER AND GREATER DEGREES . WITHOUT LIMIT . M What would you say the best use of . omniscience and omnipotency are? . S TO KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW, . AND TO DO ALL THAT THERE IS TO DO, . INFINITELY. . M I see. . S Cognition is wonderful. . M For seeing, or for the seeing that you . see? . S Both, and much more, as you know. . M To SEE ALL like God? . S If you have the personal power . to embody and maintain such a state. . M You said once; . CLARITY IS THE ESSENCE OF RAISING. . Why is this so? . S A focus- . of gaining greater clarity . is one of the two, . most expedient methods . for the raising of ones’ state. . M It occurs to me then, . that, . WE MUST DO AS GOD DOES. . S This is why I say; . PROGRESSIVELY VISUALIZE . MORE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTFORMS, . WHILE ALSO INTENDING GREATER CLARITY, . to those who have practiced sufficiently . the practice of PROGRESSIVELY VISUALIZING . MORE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTFORMS. . M These two intentions go together then? . S They are like the halves of the same . walnut. . M They produce enlightenment, is this not . so? . S They are the universal process of God, . properly reflected back . by the human level of existence . or in other words, . YES. . And at this . the sage left the presence of Lao Tse, . satisfied with his progress. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Intentional Evolution - Matthew Webb . 24 Jan 2003 11:15 . #245 The Intentional Evolution . of the Human Being . . . Human evolution is a natural . process with infinite potentials. We are . not yet a finished product! In fact, there . is no limit to the levels of evolution we . can achieve, both as individuals and as a . world society. We have within our capacity . the ability to guide our own development as . consciousness beings, and many of us are . doing exactly that. Humanity as a sum . total however, seems to be limited by its . own concepts of life and right living. The . only real limitations upon our continued . growth as a species, are those concepts we . continue to impose upon each succeeding . generation. . . It would seem that our ideas about . progress, prosperity, and successful living . are getting in the way of our own true . development. In fact, our lives are . largely molded by how we define the . words “progress” and “prosperity”. In the . modern world we find that “progress” is . often defined in terms of building bigger . supermarkets, shopping malls, and schools, . as well as the inventing of “higher” . technologies, trade agreements, industries . and social institutions. “Greater . prosperity” is viewed as the making of more . dollars per fiscal year, or the raising of . the so called “standard of living” of . communities and nations. But are these . things really an authentic measure of . progress and prosperity? Do they really . contribute to a more successful standard of . living? To answer these questions we must . look beyond current social views, and . consult with the spiritual center, (soul) . of our being. By silently observing our . innermost selves, we find the vast and . largely untapped potentials of the noble . human spirit. When we meditate and pray, . there arises a completely different . perception of life, which has nothing to do . with stock portfolios, resumes, club . memberships, formal education or the . adherence to “consumer spending” trends. . Upon deep reflection we find that the . meaning of life and of truth is far deeper . than the corporate status quo would have us . believe. . . The inherent condition of the human . mind is genius. Our natural intuitiveness, . insight and flexibility are easily observed . in any child, who has been allowed to . freely use their minds without cultural . inhibitions. Our natural wisdom is found . reflected in the Native peoples of the . world, one that comes with a knowledge of . plants, animals, herbal medicines, . practical spirituality and a deep . perception into the purpose of life. It is . the natural reaction of the child to . express love and friendship to the . stranger, as an automatic form of spiritual . expression. But in all of the above . examples, the word “natural” is the key to . understanding true human progress. Through . natural laws, (which are also spiritual . laws) we learn the reality of the Cosmos of . which we are a part. True human progress . is not defined by the physical structures . or institutions we can build, it is found . in the natural, spiritual advancement of . every human being. It is not our creations . which need to be fundamentally improved, it . is the creator within which must be . elevated according to Cosmic Designs. True . prosperity is not found through money or . the material things it can buy, it is found . through the exquisite joy, profound clarity . and deep wisdom of self realization. Self . realization also becomes the realization of . the brotherhood and sisterhood of all . people in unity, and within the context of . That which is called God. Self realization . also demonstrates that Nature, like . humanity, is governed by universal . constants to which the human species must . apply itself, or suffer the penalty of . every failed experiment of . evolution .extinction.. . . Our task in this modern age is to . return to nature and natural ways, as a . very authentic form of spiritual practice. . In so doing we apply ourselves to the . Cosmic principles of living, which . recognize no international boundaries, . ethnic differences, religious dogmas or . political parties. By following the laws . already established by nature, we supersede . the petty distinctions of courts, popes, . emperors, kings and presidents, in favor of . the sweet fruits of universal Truth. But . how can we accomplish this glorious task, . this real purpose of life and . enlightenment, while materialism is still . the foremost world religion? How can we . find God, our own souls and real . prosperity, so long as the Almighty Dollar . is worshipped as Divine? We cannot. We . cannot simultaneously worship money, the . official corporate religion of Western . society, and still devote our lives to . universal Truth. For what use is money and . material possessions, when we are . destroying each other and the Earth to gain . them? For what use is an empire of material . wealth, when our minds are in an . artificially induced confusion, our bodies . stressed to the limit by unnatural goals, . and our lives lived in a social environment . dominated by fear and lackingness? . Clearly, we must culturally redefine what . prosperity and progress really mean, not in . the context of a profit oriented media, but . in the context of a vast, intelligent and . creative universe of which we are a . reflection. . . A global revolution of social . values is now poised to emerge, like a . butterfly from its cocoon. The . transformation of Old World material . ideals, to the New World of spiritual . lifestyle has the greatest chance for . success, now in this present age. At no . other time in history has the human race . been more ready for a change. The people . of the world are realizing that must find . the real meaning of life and right living . beyond cultural norms and expectations. . They are realizing for instance, that they . are not humans having spiritual . experiences, but spirits having human . experiences. Nature, like the human body, . is being remembered as a sacred temple for . spiritual growth, rather than as . a “resource” for material exploitation. . People are being viewed not in terms of . their “credentials” or resumes, but as . centers of consciousness who are capable of . performing what has been considered . miraculous. Society is finally being . recognized not as a collection of warring . states, but as parts of a global organism . which is inseparably united. In this . realization the meditator finds that the . sufferings and loves of their fellow human . beings, are theirs to experience every . moment of every day. . . Above all else, the highest . priority in life must remain Truth itself. . The spiritually responsible person does not . ask, “What is it that I want to hear?”, . or “What is it that makes me feel . comfortable?” Instead, the truly spiritual . person asks, “What is true and what is . not?” The truth of our world society is . that it is in serious trouble, and it . simply does not matter who likes this fact . or not. What matters now is what we as . individuals and groups do about this world . crisis. The immediate remedy to crisis is . a change of lifestyle. In the modern world . we find that the stress of unnatural living . is our greatest foe. Why is it unnatural? . Because it is based upon the worship of . money and material things, far and above . real need. We suffer because we seek . material goals instead of spiritual ones. . One of our first tasks as spiritually . minded persons, is therefore to reject this . materialistic world society in which we . live, in favor of the precepts of natural . law. We must reject materialism as the . state religion, in order to dedicate our . lives to the greater evolution of self, and . the human species as a whole. Materialism . is an ideological disease, and until we are . cured of it there can be no realistic hope . of genuine progress or prosperity. We may . invent higher and higher technologies and . new political methods, but these will never . actually improve the quality of living so . long as their implementation remains . unenlightened. Any system of management . remains only as effective as the persons . who participate in it. Our best . opportunity for personal and social . improvement is therefore one of inner . transformation. Outer revolution rests . squarely upon the advance of inner . evolution. . . Inner evolution involves the . expansion of consciousness. Every single . thing we do and the manner in which we do . it, is dependent upon our state of . consciousness at that moment. This is why . meditation is so important, because it is . the premium tool for self change. In . meditation we realize that we are not the . thoughts, images or feelings which run . through our being. Our true identity is . that which creates those thoughts, feelings . and images to start with. That creator . within is none other than consciousness . itself. Not surprisingly, all of nature is . also composed of consciousness, and in . meditation the realization I AM THAT . spontaneously arises at a critical point in . spiritual practice. When this happens we . realize that the consciousness within, is . the same in essence as the consciousness in . all persons, all life, and in fact, all . existence. Our reality is that we are not . only in contact with God, but that WE ARE A . PART OF GOD, just as cells are a part of . our body. We also begin to realize that . consciousness is a shared “substance”, one . that makes it possible for people to “tune . in” to each other all the time. We feel . the emotions of others, and very often . experience their thoughts as well.. The . ocean of electromagnetic impulses in which . we live carries thoughts, feelings and . intentions just as readily as radio and . television waves. In recognizing this . truth, we are given a hint as to how we may . transform the World Mind of humanity in . which we live. . . Through meditation we are afforded an . opportunity to SELF EVOLVE or in other . words, expand our consciousness. In the . group setting this potential is made even . more pronounced via the group mind . principle. In short, the group mind . principle of Nature states that; the . resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts. In . other words, minds which are focused . together upon a common theme, create a . mutual force which is not merely additive, . but vastly more powerful than any one . individual. Through this force of . combined, spiritually oriented . consciousness, we may reshape the landscape . of social events. As we combine out . mutual, inner force with a change of . lifestyle, (from materialism to spiritual . growth) there is literally nothing that the . human species cannot accomplish. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . . The Crystallization - Matthew Webb . 27 Jan 2003 19:30 . #246 ..........of Truth . . There exists One Indivisible Truth, around . which all other concepts and systems . revolve. Around this central Sun of . Reality, every philosophy, religion and . social ideal orbits without fail. The . search for this essential essence has been . a primary focus for countless seekers, . since before the beginning of . civilization. Without finding It, we . wander in life like an amnesiac who has . taken a severe blow to the head. Such a . blow is usually dealt by the social . misconceptions of the present age. . Spiritual amnesia results in a . certain, “tuning out” of the soul by the . confused mind, upon entering society and . its beliefs. [Notable among these . misconceptions are the false ideals of . materialism and social economic status.] We . must remember who we really are, by valuing . Truth above all other considerations. . . To pursue truth is to seek the "bottom . line" of existence. It is to search for . those fundamental nuggets of underlying . knowledge, which are themselves . irreducible. The universality of . these, "nuggets of basic knowledge", is the . very quality that defines what a principle . is and does. A principle is a Law of . Nature, one that is ever constant and . unchanging, regardless of viewpoint. As . the basis of all systems of living ever . devised, the principles of Truth underlie . the most revered texts of philosophy and . religion worldwide. A strong source of . confusion for the student of Truth, has . always been the apparent contradictions . found, when comparing the doctrines of one . religion to another. The best way to obtain . a realistic view of divergent spiritual . writings, is to realize that all of these . texts have been derived/inspired by the . same fundamental laws of nature. Thus the . practitioner is advantaged by a study of . all world religions and philosophies, when . keeping in mind that they are each only . approaches to Truth and God, and that there . are innumerable approaches to the same . underlying Reality of existence. With . diverse perspectives on the same universal . principles, the progressive seeker will . draw from a large variety of practices, to . fully benefit their own. Better still, the . student of truth may apply, to those . principles themselves, without the need of . any specific system, thereby transcending . all practices and rituals, for the sake of . an “uncolored” understanding. In this they . may obtain an undistracted application of . Natural and Spiritual Law, that is free of . the burdens of dogma. . . The embodiment of Truth, it has . been said, "Is its own reward". In fact, . the more Truth is personally realized and . embodied, the greater are its benefits . regardless of apparent sacrifice. For is . it truly a sacrifice to spend quiet time . each day to discover Reality, in order to . find inner peace, clarity and meaning in . life? Is it truly a sacrifice to apply the . lessons learned in introspection, to create . love, wisdom and benefit, even if this . implies a change of lifestyle? These are . the questions we must each ask of . ourselves, and as a race. In so doing we . may take that course of living which . genuinely suits our true nature as souls. . For in reality we all desire the states of . love and bliss, clarity and personal . empowerment, which only a focus on the . spiritual, (God/Consciousness) will . provide. The inherent nobility of the . human spirit, is a reflection of the . nobility of Cosmic Order, as a matter of . natural fact. Also a fact however, is the . impoverished state of modern society. The . choice between these, between the world we . wish to bring about and the "norm" which . currently exists, is one of lifestyle, . personal focus and of course, what Intent . we employ. The option of materialism is . that of immediate gratification, though . ultimate destruction. The path of self . realization is perhaps of slower immediate . result, but also of accumulated strength, . wisdom, and the survival of our race as a . whole. These choices will be the measure . of our fitness as an intelligent species to . represent Natural Law. Let us each . consider them well. . . It has often been thought that with . knowledge of spiritual practice comes . enlightenment. This is not necessarily, . nor even usually the case. Knowledge is . only a tool which can be used to fulfill . any goal, be it constructive, destructive, . or trivial. Many of the modern uses of . technology which are quite arguably . disastrous, are a testimony to this fact. . Our ever increasing knowledge of the . sciences is no guarantee of their wise . application. We are learning that to . possess a tool, no matter how sophisticated . it is, does not necessarily mean that one . also possesses the enlightenment to use it . beneficially. The same is often true of . spiritual knowledge as well. Although any . religious institution, (for instance) may . teach one thing to its adherents, its . actions worldwide may be quite the . opposite. It has often happened that the . teachings of the Masters of all ages, have . been quoted for purposes unworthy of their . original Intention. Such teachings have . been used as a justification for war, for . the creation of institutional dogma and . political gain. They have often not been . used for the enlightenment of the people, . but to sustain a social power base for . those few who seek political control. . . It is not knowledge itself then, of . Truth, soul or God, which necessarily . results in right living. It is the . motivation to apply universal fact, on its . own basis and merit, which is primarily . responsible for spiritual gain. In this . sense it is perhaps better to have less . knowledge of spiritual principles, while . possessing a pure Intent that seeks with an . earnest, unbiased focus. This state of . living causes far less damage than having . deep knowledge, and using it for material . ends only. Such a use of Truth however, can . only be temporary. God and Nature . ultimately support only those uses of Truth . which are in accord with natural and . spiritual laws. All other focuses must . eventually find their demise in self . destruction. Truth is indeed its own . reward, but is best applied on its own . universal terms, and never in accord with . the limitations of ego, personality, dogma . or material gain. Truth may be recognized . for its universality, and so too may . sincere spiritual practitioners in their . universal application of it. Those who . advocate the reservation of Truth for a . select few, or for purposes not beneficial . to all equally, are those who slander the . words of the Masters for their personal . gain. The selfish ideals advocated by such . persons will ultimately fail. . . The word "spiritual" refers to . that which is of, or pertaining to, . spirit. “Spirit” is another word for soul . in the personal sense. In general it is a . word which denotes the presence or essence . of God, That Intelligence which pervades . Nature, or the Consciousness at large in . the universe. To live in Truth we must . apply to that which is of Spirit, of soul . and God, for the best benefit of all . humanity. To do this it is essential that . the right personal and collective focus be . used. This needs to be done with all . progressiveness and Naturalness of Intent . in daily affairs. With the use of Natural . Intentions, (according to the highest . welfare for all) in place, a Great New Era . for the world will be ushered in. . . With the right Intent in motion, Awareness . is then focused properly upon the true self . and Natural Law. In so doing a basic . principle of Consciousness is put to best . use, which is; that which is focused upon . is that which is done, (manifest). What we . focus on is what we create and enhance . moment to moment. Awareness, directed by . Intent, forms the patterns for personal and . world events. Therefore, what we do with . our focus, (Awareness) and its underlying . motives, (Intent) is truly all important. . We can and do have significant impact, not . only within our own personal lives as . conscious beings but also upon world . events, without ever stepping foot outside . the front door. With this knowledge of . Consciousness, (Truth) we begin to gain . greater insight into the ancient . saying; "The Master does nothing, and yet . leaves nothing undone". We are as the . embodied concentration of the same essence . which flows throughout the universe. This . means we create just as the universe does, . (and not just within physical, material . existence) with every thought and emotion. . . The seeking out of Truth, is a . process which finds real solutions for both . personal and planetary questions. . Recognize it by its universality. When . asking, "What is Truth, and what is not of . Truth?", regarding any given question, see . if the conclusion gained is a universal . one. If the answer applies as a principle . to all times, places, people and . circumstance, then it is indeed the ever- . prevailing Truth. If the conclusion had is . specific to time and place, or exclusive of . certain people, then know this conclusion . to not be of the Truth. . . Spiritual inquiry is of the deepest . kind. It involves successive personal . realizations whose effectiveness spring not . so much from answers gained, but from the . right questions asked. When we find that . the answers to the questions of life seem . lacking, it is not because Truth is itself . inadequate. It is because the questions . posed are insufficient. We must then seek . out the right questions, (those which are . truly pertinent to obtaining wisdom) before . the process of finding real answers to life . may begin. To do this, always seek out . the "bottom line" of any inquiry. Ask for . the solutions to the most fundamental of . life's questions. From the answers gained . to these inquiries, we find all those of . lesser scope answered implicitly. To . ask “bottom-line questions” is to determine . the entire range of their possible . application. For instance, rather than . asking what the cause of a given fear is, . inquire as to the root of all fear itself. . Rather than asking what will solve a given . social problem ask, what causes all social . conflict to start with. Rather than asking . why a given thought or feeling has crossed . the mind, inquire as to the source of all . thoughts and emotions. Ascertain the cause . of physical disease or mental imbalance, . rather than how to address given symptoms . of disorder. Because Truth is fundamental, . inquiry into its nature should also be . fundamental. With this in mind, the bottom . line of any question may be found by a . focus on causes, rather than effects. Seek . out that which is of source, and not just . of symptom. . . Much of the inability of modern . science and government today, to find real . solutions to social ills, is that the . institutions of our time are asking . questions about the symptoms of social . imbalance, rather than the causes. From . such inquiry there can only be devised . pseudo-solutions which are short term in . nature. Ultimately, to only address . symptoms of imbalance is to reap results . which end in major crisis. This fact is . evidenced in modern approaches to . mainstream medicine, social reform, . politics, psychology, environmental . purification, agriculture, international . relations and countless other areas of . inquiry. Only through the bottom line . answers to our modern questions will we . find Truth, and therefore lasting . solutions. Because of the currently . misguided attempts of government and other . institutions to provide only temporary . solutions to modern ills, it is the people . themselves who, based on their own judgment . and careful inquiry, must redirect the . course of society. It is up to the people . to empower themselves through their own . realization of the Truth, so that humanity . may once again find its balance in natural . wisdom. In seeking out the bottom line of . the modern condition, we will bring new . light upon the issues of our time, . illuminating all doubt with newfound . clarity. . . The study of consciousness is . the "ultimate bottom line" of all inquiry, . into the Truth of both self and existence. . From the Cause that is the consciousness we . inherently possess, all the effects . witnessed in our lives are made reality. It . is therefore up to us to create the kind of . society that is worth living in, through a . greater mastery of consciousness. . . Consciousness is the primary and first . cause of all action, and for this reason we . may learn the most from its study. As a . subject it becomes even more important when . we consider the fact that we are . Consciousness at the basis of our being. . This is why effective social reform as well . as wise personal practice, always starts . with self realization. No other . consideration is thus more relevant, than . the "keeping of one’s own house in order", . through a mastery of Consciousness. . Without doing so, the capability for right . action is lost. It matters not if we live . under the direct guidance of the most . evolved teachers, governments or . institutions; it is our own inner state of . being which is the most relevant . consideration in all aspects of living. . Our inner state must remain one of love and . clarity for us to See clearly into the . nature of reality. In this way we are . enabled to shine the inner light on the . outer world, thereby transforming it as . well. . . The above implies that the making . of right decisions, can only be based on a . perspective which encompasses all . religious and philosophical points of . view. Only Truth itself provides that . opportunity. In applying Truth with . respect to its principles, or in other . words with respect to Natural Laws, we may . actually take responsibility for ourselves . and the world in general, (in the context . of their real importance). Even when we . gain inspiration from scriptural studies, . meditation, spiritual events or an . enlightened speaker, that inspiration . cannot last indefinitely without the inner . Intent of personal Mastery, found through . an embrace of Truth. A study of . Consciousness enables this, for in the . right use of Energy, the appropriate focus . of Awareness, and the right employment of . Intent, the very ability to render benefit . to self and others is enhanced. In the . expansion of personal Consciousness, the . practitioner realizes even more fully the . need for spiritual practices, for . themselves and the world. It is then that . the practitioner also begins to understand . the need for spiritual ministry. In the . lending of aid to others, using an Intent . of best benefit to all people worldwide, we . gain a reinforcement of our own process of . Consciousness expansion. To teach the Truth . of the soul, is in turn to be taught by the . student, the process of teaching, and . Natural Law. This is the Truth our souls . know; Our purpose is to expand . consciousness, individually and worldwide. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Theb World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Re: Council of Sages - Jenese James . 28 Jan 2003 23:50 . #247 another ....it came to me one winter night . way back in 1996 and has traveled around . the world...i don't know where it came from . just popped into my head one dark snowy . night as i once again pondered life...mine . in partcular and everyone elses in general. . . Once long ago A man stood before a wall of . stone . he could not pass it, he looked, it seemed . to high to climb, . He may fall an injure himself . he looked . it stretched for miles . He could not walk round it . what could he do ? . He did not want to go back . His journey now seemed over . . The man sat staring at this wall, pondering . for years he sat . then one day a flower appeared between the . stones . first one and then another . the man sat transfixed . how could this be he thought . very soon the entire wall was ablaze with . colour, colour of all the different flowers . the man thought to himself . for years I have sat in front of this wall, . pondering how i could overcome this . obstacle and continue my journey . and now a flower acts as if this wall . dosn't even exist . this wall is no barrier to them . it does not stop their journey . then the man realised . and simply walked thru the wall Re: Hello Everyone! - Matthew Webb . 29 Jan 2003 13:12 . #250 Welcome to the group Tricia, your presence . here is appreciated. . . *** . . the . here. A symbolic interpretaion of current world event ....anyone ? - Jenese James . 30 Jan 2003 18:42 . #252 hi everyone, and yes welcome Trica. . . I would like to make a suggestion if I may . . I would like to suggest a conversation . based on they smbology of what is happening . in our world today re USA intentions and . Iraq but more than that the middle east as . a whole and west. . . As many of us know...taking things . literally or on face value...not sure of . the wording there....but anyway...there are . often more meanings when things are looked . at symboloically....often times a more . expansive world view opens up that tends to . add greater understanding to event . unfolding than just taking things in on a . physical level . . For instance and I may be wrong here but . right off the bat...symbolically speaking I . see the east representing the old testament . and west the new...this can be seen in a . number of ways...the treatment of women and . female children while in the west the women . and children fair a wee bit better.... . . However the west has an addiction to . mindless consumerism....while the east . appears to value its old ways.... . . In spiritual terms we are all one...yet . seperation has divided us off into races . and class...symbolically speaking what . would be the greater understanding here.... . . I beleive we are living in THE time of . reckoning...we need to see things more . expansively to gain comprehension to what . energies are actually being played out . here.... would anyone like to join me in . this conversation...? . . I heard once that personalities like . Hitler, on another level, arose as a . consequnce or response to the energitic . outpouring of certain beleifs....he became . then, under these terms...the manifested . character that embodied these energies of . the collective who held these beleifs. . . Beleifs being the key to what we are lving . through in our world today....for instance . George Bush under these terms would be the . manifestation of the collective beleifs of . the energy of the consensus or something . like that.... . . In this sense these people these . personalities have chosen to take on these . roles as a way to serve us...although its . hard to think that this may be so....this . is looking on another level of . reality....the symbolic one... . . these people Hitler, Bush, Saddam, Osma, . for example have.. on another level of . reality ....taken on the persona's taken . their current stand to serve us in some way. . . If so I beleive that way would be for us to . see the need for change...these individuals . however would be just as unaware of their . individual choices as we are....seeing . instead only one layer of reality and . reacting to that...hope all this makes . sense..anyway i will leave it at that and . hope that someone else will join in. . . I do beleive however that its possible that . there is much more to what meets the eye . here and that by looking symbolically we . may just catch a glimps...if not deeper . understanding... . . in respect . jenese Re: A symbolic interpretaion of current world event ....anyone ? - Matthew Webb . 31 Jan 2003 13:48 . #257 Dear Jenese and Tricia, . . I understand the urge to crystallize the . twisting maze of world events, in the form . of symbol or metaphor. Modern times are . not easily comprehended even by government . leaders, who seem awash in their own . legislation and beaurocrasy to the point of . exhaustion. The decision of these so- . called leaders of nations reflects only a . helpless apathy to political trends and . monied interests, rather than to truth or . right action for the benfit of humanity. . Few organizations or persons can claim to . really understand the underlying motives of . modern goveenments, and fewer still can . offer any real solution for humanity's ills. . . The analogy that comes to mind for me, in . the explaining of WHY world events are . proceeding as they are, is that of a global . mind or brain, if you will. If one were to . compare this global brain to the East and . West, West would be the left or analytical, . linear-thinking hemisphere, and the East . would be the wholistic, intuitive and . perception mode, or right hemisphere. . . To understand how world events unfold, and . how trends of thought seem to sweep across . the globe in one form or another, differing . from week to week, or even day to day, it . is very useful to understand group mind . principles. Using the global brain . analogy, individual people can easily be . compared to single neurons in this brain, . with countries being cell groups, and . entire cultural world views being the lobes. . . As individual people feel and think a given . way, they send out impulses to their . neighbors, who then often pass on these . impulses to their neighbors, not unlike how . a decision is made in a brain. When enough . neurons reach a concensus about any . question, a decision is then made as a . critical mass threshold. The same is true . of the world mind, which functions by . virtue of both individual intent and the . intent of nations. . . What you mentioned about dictators and . other violent tendencies in the general . population(s) is true...they are a . reflection of the mass attitudes of society . as a whole. They are the "stress release . points" of world mind unease, and as such, . they are the means through which the . frustration of the world is given voice. . The same is of course true of the benvolent . tendencies of love and mutual cooperation . seen amongst many in the world today, . regardless of these trends. These people . and their statements are the voice of . reason and spiritual progress for the world . mind. It is they who must now lead the . world mind to sane ground, or else humanity . will surely falter. . . Given this understanding, the same . conclusion is once again inevitable...that . world change can only be truly implemented . when individual change is in full swing. . As the neurons of the world mind, it is up . to us to create a new consensus, or . critical mass-majority which will then . compel world leaders, both politically and . psychically, to change their policies for . the better. Re: A symbolic interpretaion of current world event ....anyone ? - Jenese James . 31 Jan 2003 17:23 . #258 heavy investments these world leaders have . made which obviously we are realising just . how little they have the peoples actual . needs, social etc in mind ...i wonder then . just what type of 'fight'they will put up . to hold on to their power base ? . . Despite millions of people seeing through . the smoke screen of illusion, deciet and . down right lies... . . Symbolically of course....it does reflect . to me each and everyone of us as . individuals...our greed, our willingness to . lie, to conceal those aspects of ourselves . we hide in our private minds from everyone . around us...so in that sense you are . correct in that we must first look to . ourselves.... . . I have to say in that sense I am no longer . ashamed of my past or concerned in hiding . it... not that it was that bad really...but . our peers are so judging that we all do . hide stuff or we used to.... . . Another symbolical way to expansive . understanding is to see this as a clash of . values, . . I have to admitt I do understand your . analogy of the two hempispheres but in my . understanding as a healer i don't see a . seperation in the hemispheres... so now I . relate your analogy to the waring of inner . space...of head vs heart...in a way... . . Actaully having just realised what I . said, :) it is the head vs heart.... to be . in the military ones basic training is to . over ride ones common compassion ...ones . uncomfortableness in killing that exists in . all of us as human beings...further this . cutting off of part of ones essential . nature which is meant to lead to emotional . growth..is everywhere in the system of . beleifs we now call orginazed . society...policemen have to do . it ...Farmers have to justify the killing . of innocent animals and so do the men in . the miltary....generals, and even . presidents....its all in keeping with the . system of beleifs we have bought into in . the society we have co created...and . continues the seperation from mind/heart . connections.... . . In the old world there was a beleif in that . Children need governing....yet there exsits . a notion that we are gods children....to me . this means that we see ourselves on such a . fundemental core level as children...who . need to be governed/ruled rather than loved . which to me is the missing equation...and . for myself i know that that missing piece . has been missing ever since they started . demeanding a de valuing women. . . Now i am going off topic here a wee . bit...well a lot maybe...we talk about . racisim as somthing to educate and foster . tolarance but no one ever mentions the . segregation of women experienced in such . subtle ways...no one mentions sexism which . is much more impactive than racism which is . an obvious one...sexism is not so obvious . for women have been devalued for eons so . much so that its become 'normal'for her to . exist in such a state or she sees herself . as living a normal life within the bounds . of inherent sexism... . . I mention this because to the way the two . players currently view and treat women . Middle eastern women, apart from the vocal . feminist abide by their mens voices since . it has been tradtion or custom to do . so...it is women herself who preforms the . hideious vaginal circumsicon on her own . daughters....while in the west in . comparsome woman consider herself free yet . she also lives within a restriction that . enables her to feel freer... . . I don't want to turn this into a gender . debate or anything like that but it keeps . coming up for me that war is for boys...its . insane and since we have no mother to go . spank their assess....rather we have a . father who eggs them on ....to show their . manhood... . . roll on www.gatherthewomen.org . . to me this is the major imbalance in our . world, the yin/yang is way out of balance . reflecting the male/female . feminine/masculine imbalance and . dysfunction that now sits at the core of . who we are because leaders of our world . have been in the main men...who devised the . system we currently live within . . when one sits down and writes down all the . attributes one has been taught to ascribe . to the feminine...one soons discovers that . they are the same attributes that we . ascribe to the condition we know of us LOVE . . this....love....has been degraded..and not . fully present in the world of men...its the . exception rather than the rule....and women . are given power as an exception to the . rule...a clear sybmolic expansion of . understanding and comprehension to me . . in respect . jenese Re: A symbolic interpretaion of current world event ....anyone ? - Frans weyer . 2 Feb 2003 07:06 . #259 Dear everyone, . . Following the going discussion I can fully . agree with Matthew who sees the world . divided in two hemispheres, west and east, . logical and intuitive, male female, I see a . big brain who surrounds the world and whose . logical hemisphere is trying to do his best . to regain damage control, not primarily out . of fear but out of the notion that it is the . only right way to do so. . It’s the Western way, and the only way so . most of the people think. . As I see it the origin of the Western world . lies in the “older” Eastern world, . simultaneously as the dawning of the ratio . arise from the therefore existence of the . emotions. . . Its our task to unify these two hemispheres, . we can learn from the east in recognizing . the intuitive forces for problem solving, ( . Its been told that the reason that the East . is still more intuitive comes from the fact . that there are still wise man who travel . from village to village radiating the . atmosphere with their enlighted energies) as . same as the East can learn from the west in . resolving all kinds of inertia that occurred . there on as well social as religious matters. . Don’t mistake, I don’t mean to say that . therefore the western way is the right way . (play me the blues.) or something like that, . just as we as individual only can grow to . integrate this two aspects of our inner, to . become truly full growing, we must on world . scale also integrate the two polar sides. . . Analog with our body if one cell only has no . connection with other cells it will grow and . cause cancer, if we separate ourselves with . one of this two sides of the world mind . (east/west, ratio/feelings, other said, . male/female) it will cause the same disease . on the worldly events, with the ultimate . outcome of death.(Still there is no real . death but it would be a shame if your go . when it is not really necessary,would’nt it) . I think your right,Jenesse, when you talked . about the imbalance, and maybe wiser man or . woman only know to what means the nowadays . leaders will grasp to behold there domain. . . Well maybe we see a begin with our honorable . Bush. . Yes the feeling of love, I know what you . mean, and maybe your right that its not . fully present in the world of man, if I see . myself I sometimes discover that in fact I’m . not really a friend of mankind, although I . mean everything what I said before . fullharted. . Oh, the paradox. . Greetings to all, . frans . . . . MANIFESTING - Matthew Webb . 3 Feb 2003 14:22 . #260 WORLD ENLIGHTENMENT . . (companion series to the Perpetual Raising) . . Part 3 of 5 . . . One of the very best ways to raise . personal or group consciousness, is to . MANIFEST spiritual Intentions into the . environment at large. The projection of . love into one’s surroundings for instance, . results in love being reflected back to the . sender, like a returning echo. In the . group setting this principle holds equally . true, except that it is far more . amplified. The psychic feedback which . results from the projection of any state . can realistically be called, “the instant . karma of psychic action”. Waves of feeling . and Intent sent forth, (into the unified . field of consciousness which surrounds us) . return in like kind. . . The intentional, psychic projection of love . on a personal level is potent in its . effects. This is especially true when the . mind holds that focus in a one-pointed . manner, as a meditation. The . intentional “broadcast” of love however, is . usually far more powerful than the . unconscious projection of Intent found in . most persons. Intentional psychic action . on a group level is geometrically greater . still, as is the level of psychic feedback . created through Group Mind Intent. . . Our world, like all others, is . composed of fields of Energy, which are . coordinated into cohesive patterns by . Awareness on a global basis. Energy and . awareness are coordinated in accord with . the Intent of all beings on this planet, as . a conglomerate force. The conglomerate . Intent of humanity forms what is known in . the WMS materials, as the World Mind, . whereas the Earth Mind is the sum total of . all plant and animal consciousness on a . planet-wide basis. The Intent at large . (planet-wide) that exists as a result of . both the Earth Mind and the World Mind, is . the primary determining factor for all . world events. Personal Intent shapes . individual life, regional Intent shapes . national policy, and world Intent . determines international relations. It is . through Intent that both energy and . awareness combine to form the patterns of . consciousness, and from consciousness all . material things are either manifest or . changed. We are literally surrounded and . permeated by fields of (subatomic) Energy, . Awareness and Intent. These subatomic . energy fields are highly reactive, . responding in like kind to any impulse . which is projected into them. . . Communities of people also display this . natural principle of field reaction. As a . system of minds, any community is capable . of unconsciously reciprocating in entity- . like fashion, to whatever state of . consciousness is projected at it/them. In . this way, groups of people of like mind, . react as does an individual person . to “vibes” (intent) sent toward them. The . fields at large in nature, (generated by . the Earth’s forests, rivers, lakes, . mountains and all creatures) and the fields . at large generated by all human minds . worldwide, (cities, towns, groups) [the . Earth and the World Minds respectively] are . both dynamic systems of consciousness. They . both respond to psychic inputs, on a . collective, global basis. Re: MANIFESTING - Jenese James . 3 Feb 2003 23:55 . #261 some ground breaking research on the heart . says they can measure the energy field of . our hearts and its 8 ft from the . body...they also say it goes further but . they have not the equipment to measure . it...meaning that we are all walking around . in each others heart field just to mention . one field...they say that our hearts energy . field is the strongest field in our body . from their measurments . . its quite exciting to realise that these . things that were once deemed ramblings of a . fringe minority have in many cases been . validated by our own orthodox science or . alt researchers...and many more are being . proved...telling us what we alreday knew . from a deep inner place of connection . within. . . The healer within me is very quietly . excited by this progess in consciousness . albeit not commonly reported in main stream . media. As an aside one of the funniest . things i read recently was I think in . the 'new'scientist....they . have 'discovered 'that if you plant flowers . with your veges well....you get good . insects to eat the naughtly insects...well . hello havn't the fringe minority been . telling people that for the past ...oh i . dunno 100 yrs or so ? . . lucky this old fringe minority is growing . into the conscious vocal majority Re: MANIFESTING - Matthew Webb . 4 Feb 2003 12:46 . #262 Dear Jenese, . . Good points.... . . What is considered "fringe" today is . actually knowledge and abilities as old as . human civilization. Only in the last 200 . years or so, has the "scientific . establishment" as well as society in . general, thought of such things as bizarre . or unproven. . . This brings to mind a conversation I had . with one of these multi-million dollar . grant-machine scientists, whose ongoing . effort is an "attempt" to prove that states . of group consciousness make physical . changes in the environment. I told him . that he didn't need particle accelerators . or electronic probability indicators for . that....all we need do is listen carefully . to the body in meditation. . . If even a small fraction of the modern . focus was to "discover" our inner realm as . much as the outer one, then science as we . know it would advance beyond measure. So . too would the human species. . . ********* . . done . around . energy . a . stream . flowers World Meditations and Group Mind Effectiveness - Matthew Webb . 4 Feb 2003 12:47 . #263 World Mind Society practitioners, greetings, . . I’m sending you a three part mailing, which . relates to how group consciousness can be . directed for making changes in the world . and in ourselves. The first is courtesy . of "Phyllis von Miller" . violetvisions@surf1.ws regarding the . upcoming “World Sound Healing Day” on Feb . 14th. The World Mind Society supports such . events, and often networks on their . behalf. I’d like to designate it as a . special meditation event on this occasion . for our membership, as an addition to our . regular Global Group Mind Meditations, . every second and fourth Sunday. The . intonation of the sound “ah” is resonant . with the fourth or heart chakra. When . employed with the INTENT to send out love . and even enhance world peace from the . heart, it can be most potent. . . The second part of this mailing is from the . WMS Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . entitled “Group Mind Effectiveness” which . describes exactly how groups of people . function as “group minds”. I’ve had . several requests recently for this . information, in addition to the Perpetual . Raising series. . . The third is courtesy of Maggie Erotokritou . at surya@spidernet.com.cy with regard to . the ongoing Vision Keepers Meditations. . . Enjoy. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . !) February 14th Meditation . . Kitaro is a co-sponsor of this, one of my . favorites: . . Feb. 14, 12 noon your time, WORLD SOUND . HEALING DAY, "The Sound Heard . Around the World". For five minutes, you . are asked to sound "AH" for . planetary peace in order to join your . energies with sound healers, . meditators, peace activists and lovers of . all humanity to send a Sonic . Valentine to Mother Earth with the heart . sound "AH" filled with the . intention of Peace and Love. You can . download an "AH" sound from . http://www.healingsounds.com . . You can also join others on internet radio . at 12 noon New York Time in . the US with http://www.worldpuja.org . covering the Western Hemisphere, . and 12 noon in Tokyo (10 pm New York Time) . with http://www.kirael.com . covering the Eastern Hemisphere. Tune in . beforehand for sounds and . thoughts from Sound Healers living . throughout the planet. . . From Jonathan Goldman, soundheals@aol.com: . "The intention is to celebrate the joyous . day of Valentine's Day by . projecting Peace to Mother Earth and by . generating peaceful energy . throughout the planet with sound! Sound . coupled with intention has the . ability to heal and transform. We will . sound an "AH" sending a "Wave" . of Sound that will resonate throughout the . planet. Now is the time for . you to be part of the Celestial Choir and . resonate together for World . Sound Healing Day. We can create major . positive shifts on our beloved . planet. Through sounding together we will . make a difference. You are . asked to tell your friends and loved ones . to join our Celestial Choir. . . For more information, visit . http://www.healingsounds.com and . http://www.soundhealersassociation.org . where there will be a message . board and chat room dedicated to this . event, articles on sound, intent . and visualizations to use and much more. . . The event is co-created by Jonathan . Goldman, the Sound Healers . Association, Chris James, Tom Kenyon, . Steven Halpern, Don Campbell, . James Twyman, Kitaro, Sarah Benson, Iasos, . Joy Gardner, John Beaulieu, . Tim Wheater, Laura Lee, Joshua Leeds, Ven. . Lama Tashi, Jayson . Stilwell, Barbara Wolf, World Puja, Kirael . & thousands more!" . . ********** . . 2) Group Mind Effectiveness . . Group Mind Effectiveness . . “Friendship” is really just the . psychic alignment of two people, on the . basis of good Intent. We know the exact . moment a friendship is solidified. There . is a distinct feeling-impression within the . body at a given moment of the interaction, . when we perceive that accord has been . mutually reached. If asked to convey this . inner knowingness of accord or friendliness . with another, how would you explain it? . Many would perhaps simply say, “I just . know” what friendship or agreement feels . like. The more sensitive might be prompted . to comment that the psychic impression of . friendliness is like the, “sudden flipping . of an inner switch from no to yes”. It is . common knowledge that the stronger this . feeling is with another, the stronger the . friendship is assumed to be, at least on an . emotional level. No one need explain to us . the validity of such impressions. Everyone . knows what friendship feels like, just as . they know what a heated argument with . another does to their body-wide feelings. . Despite such common knowledge, what Western . materialistic culture does not seem to . generally acknowledge, are the implications . and scope of these feelings we receive from . others. They have profound spiritual . meaning. . . During ALL conversations there is some . exchange of feelings, awareness, energy and . Intent taking place, and this is readily . perceived by all persons. In other words, . person to person psychic phenomena is so . common-place, that we take it for granted . to the point of ignoring it altogether. We . seem to react to it like a background noise . which everyone hears, but which no one is . willing to talk about in daily . conversation. The concept that we directly . influence each others’ emotions and . thoughts on a constant basis, is thus . considered a “taboo” subject for . conversation. Our culture denies psychic . phenomena while simultaneously experiencing . and employing it. One might conjecture . that the reason Western society clings to . such an attitude, regardless of daily . evidence to the contrary, is to maintain . the culturally hysterical belief that life . is ONLY about paychecks and fancy cars. To . acknowledge the real meaning behind what is . called “friendship” or “love” , (or for . that matter, the shaping of entire world . events) would be to admit that there is . more to life than the acquisition of . material things. Since the modern age has . dedicated itself to materialistic ideals, . while also teaching children to do the same . in the name of “success”, it comes as a . severe blow to the ego to admit that the . material, money-world is not worthy of our . total focus after all. There are much . higher purposes for our lives than material . acquisition. When we take a deep look at . psychic effects, and the group mind . phenomena which arise from them, existence . takes on a transformed meaning. . . The new person “on the job” in an office, . classroom or construction site, knows all . about group mind influences. The first . thing the new person does, is to “feel out” . the prevalent attitude of the existing . crowd, so as to “fit in”. Any existing . workplace is a group mind dedicated to a . given ideal, one that is usually . established by the boss or owner. Upon . coming to work at a new job, a person . establishes themselves within that group . mind, and tries to demonstrate that they . can accommodate the group Intention. In . other words, they immediately set about the . task of joining the existing group . consciousness. Acceptance or rejection of . the newcomer by the group is readily felt, . and this is as true of first grade . schoolchildren, as it is corporate board . rooms and university faculty lounges. . . Why is this "acceptance" so important to . people, apart from earning a paycheck? The . main reason we seek to “fit in” to any . group, is to reduce the psychic friction . created upon entering the new environment. . Everyone wonders “about the new guy”. This . questioning or testing attitude creates . stress on the new person, in the form of . uncomfortable psychic pressure, felt body- . wide. This causes the workplace initiate to . make every effort to appear aligned to the . group purpose, so that they can finally . relax from all the focus directed upon . them. Once they are generally accepted by . the group, there will be a definite . indication of this on the feeling level, . for the person concerned and the group as a . whole.. Acceptance is felt as a . commonality of focus, an ease of . association, and mental/emotional rapport. . The ability to communicate in-depth . increases, emotional/psychic alignments are . formed and friendships/antagonisms arise. . We have all experienced these feelings in . subtle detail, and are therefore ALL fully . aware of the subtleties of group mind . influence. Anyone who questions the . existence of psychic phenomena, is either . extremely naïve or in a state of culturally- . induced denial. . . In the case of both the company and team . sport settings, group mind action is by far . the most critical factor for effective . cooperation. Any team member knows when . the group is psychically in tune with each . other, because they can easily feel this . during a game. All team players know when . their comrades are emotionally charged, and . the best teams know how to focus this group . mind energy for championship performance. . Teams which can’t synchronize in this way . due to poor management or personal issues, . can never play effectively. In the company . setting this is equally true, but perhaps . not as immediately apparent. The more . tensions, (psychic discord) which arise in . a workplace, the more the company goals are . compromised, as reflected in lowered . productivity levels. Such discord is also . immediately felt by customers upon entering . an public establishment such as a . restaurant, bar, market or community . meeting hall. If this “atmosphere” . or “vibe” is lacking, people will tend to . go elsewhere for their needs. . . A high level of positive, group mind unity . on the other hand, promotes the smooth flow . of ideas and feelings from one body-mind to . another. It facilitates the transmission . of thoughts and purposefulness from one . employee to the next, so that mutual tasks . are accomplished easily. Customers . immediately recognize the . harmonious ‘vibes” of such an . establishment, and are attracted to return . again and again. Students feel the . classroom “mood” or “atmosphere” throughout . the day, and are acutely aware of . disruptive intentions among their . classmates, when trying to study. . Musicians speak of “being in the groove” . when their mutual consciousness is strongly . aligned. When a bands' enthusiasm is . transferred to a crowd at a concert, this . fact is readily felt by all present. It . represents the expansion of the musicians’ . group mind, via the Intent to raise the . emotions of the crowd. We are all telepaths . and this fact is proven daily in all . circumstances. . . Group mind is the most prominent feature in . our social landscape, and is equally . important throughout nature. Established . animal groups will challenge newcomers, who . must learn to find a niche within that . group mind. Anyone who has ever raised or . carefully observed animals knows this to be . true. The so called “pecking order” of . dominance or cooperation in any animal . group, is an expression of its members . forming a cohesive and smooth group mind . unit. Animal groups generally will not . rest until that cohesion is established. . The world society to which we belong . exhibits group mind phenomena to an even . greater degree, and we FEEL this fact . continuously. This is true not only of . individuals interacting with one another, . it is also true of community, state, . national and regional levels of . interaction. Were this fact properly . understood today, such wisdom could be . employed to completely change our world for . the better. . . . The factors which contribute to effective . group mind formation are as follows . . 1) Commonality of purpose. . . 2) Unity of Intent. . . 3) Similarity of emotional state, . (vibrational resonance) . . 4) The current prevailing psychic . conditions in the environment. . . 5) Occult/spiritual knowledge of the . principles involved with group mind . formation. . . 6) Self knowledge, (the ability to . distinguish between ones’ own state of . consciousness, from that of the group mind.) . . 7) An experiential knowledge of psychic . impressions and projections. . . Naturally, group minds form . automatically all the time, without the . need of our conscious participation in this . fact. But when we actually understand and . consciously apply the natural laws involved . with group mind action, it is then that we . can empower each other to create a new . world. In the ongoing Global Group Mind . Meditations, it is advisable for each of us . to keep in mind those factors which . contribute to effective group mind action. . Toward this end we can recognize that; . . 1) Our commonality of purpose is the . expansion of our own consciousness, that of . the group and ultimately, the world in . general. . . 2) Our unity of Intent is found in mutual . and spiritual progressiveness. . . 3) Our similarity of emotional state, . (vibrational rate/resonance) can be found . in mutual love, clarity and high feelings . of all kinds. . . 4) The current prevailing psychic . conditions in the environment, (the current . World Mind) is one that is literally filled . with chaos, discord, fear, tension and . pain. We must counteract these conditions . successfully, on an individual level first, . then a group level. . . 5) Occult/spiritual knowledge of the . principles involved with group mind . formation, can be found in such documents . as the Perpetual Raising series, ( . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Library . where they are described in detail) and our . own direct perception. . . 6) Self knowledge, which is partly . defined as the ability to distinguish . between ones’ own state of consciousness, . and that of any group mind, is found in . meditation/self awareness. (see “Chakra . Meditation, among others in the Perpetual . Raising material). . . 7) Our experiential knowledge of psychic . impressions and projections increases over . time, as we learn to focus and learn from . the feelings had in the presence of others. . . Thus, when we employ group mind power, . we're engaging several fundamental, natural . laws which organize everything in nature. . Among these are resonance, dissonance, . frequency, spectrums, broadcast intensity . and receptivity, unified field physics and . particle dynamics, the transmission of . information, (thought and emotion) among . many others. All of these subjects may be . classified under the study of the science . of consciousness. You may have already . noticed that such principles of group mind . activity, are not unlike those of governing . radio wave propagation. . . You are involved in one of the most . profound and important spiritual endeavors, . ever to be attempted in the history of . humanity. It cannot possibly be . underestimated. Group mind action has . every potential to shift the World Mind . state of consciousness to a state of far . greater enlightenment, love, clarity and . Divine/Natural accord. It is up to us to . put these natural principles into effect, . for the creation of a New Era in personal . and global evolution. You are invited to . re-read “The Vision” at the end of the . Perpetual Raising series, to keep this . Intent fresh in our collective . consciousness. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ********* . . 3) Vision Keepers Meditations . . @@@luxweb . iberamerican web of light . 25,000 subscribers . . From: Maggie Erotokritou . surya@spidernet.com.cy Date: Tue, 04 Feb . 2003 09:04:58 +0200 . To: RedLUZ/LUXWeb luxweb- . owner@yahoogroups.com . Subject: RE: Vision Keepers . . VISION KEEPERS . . For some time now I have been a part of a . special focus meditation group . called the Vision Keepers, which was set up . when PAN first started, with . people situated in different parts of the . world, holding together a specific . focus. Because of the crucial circumstances . regarding Iraq we would like to . open it up and to invite those who feel so . inclined to join us in the daily . meditations of the Vision Keepers. Please . can you pass this message onto . your networks. . . Below I have included the current . meditation. If you would like to join this . group please email Lynne at . lmurguia7@yahoo.com so she can put you on . the . mailing list for the weekly focus. Love and . light, . . Maggie Erotokritou . The Global Spiritual Network . . To subscribe and receive our daily postings . or to unsubscribe go to . http://www.enabling.org/cgi- . bin/mailman/listinfo/gsn . . If you would like to send a posting to the . network send it to the list . co-ordinator Maggie Erotokritou at . surya@spidernet.com.cy . . Subject: Vision Keepers -- Crucial Update . (February) . . Due to the crucial upcoming meetings . (Baghdad - 10 Feb. and Security Council . - 14 Feb.), an adjustment to the current . meditation seems in order. Please . note the change in the intense focus . section (below). . . Given the urgency of the global situation -- . in addition to the regular . daily practice, we might also consider . doing a rapid form of the intense . focus whenever it comes to mind. . . M E D I T A T I O N . . We come together in group intent, raising . our attention as high in the head . as possible, allowing energy -- in the form . of light -- to flow through the . body - and through this group working . together. . . We visualize that light flowing toward and . permeating our planet as it hangs . in space, giving rise to a translucent, . luminescent globe. . . We hold this focus for three minutes -- . then envisioning a beam connecting . the globe to the U.S.- sponsored coalition . and to the Security Council -- . thus creating a triangle of vibrating . light. . . We visualize this triangle surrounding the . nation of Iraq. . . We hold this intensified focus for three . minutes, then intoning aloud . . OM OM OM . . . * * * * * * * * * * . . @@@luxweb . iberamerican web of light . 25,000 subscribers . . Free New Info Selection Services . If you want to directly receive documents . like this one, please . write to luxweb-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Thanks for passing this to others! . . * * * * * * * * * * . . . . . . Re: MANIFESTING - Frans weyer . 5 Feb 2003 12:15 . #264 . Dear Jenesse and Matthew, . . It's true,mayby you can feel those . groupvibes during meditation,i am not . so "deepen"that i can notice this right now, . but if you look to the outerworld you can . also see the symbolical truth of this fact. . Animals who can smell a prey from miles . away,we human with our human senses wouldt . say that there are no particles of scent in . the air,because we can not smell it,but . animals prove otherwise. . And so on,and so on. . The same with light or sounds. . I mean,fields that are bigger than we with . our human senses can feel/see exist also in . the physical world. . As it is in "heaven"it is on earth, . Greeting/sympathy, . . Frans. . . . Dear Jenese, Re: MANIFESTING - Matthew Webb . 5 Feb 2003 15:04 . #265 Hi Frans, . . A fellow once challenged me to prove that . there is such a thing as "vibes" or psychic . effects from person to person. He claimed . there was no such thing, so I asked him a . simple question.... . . "Haven't you ever felt the love or anger . from another person?" . . He never wrote back again, which is . typical... . . . . . now, . in . in What to do? (people ask me) - Matthew Webb . 5 Feb 2003 15:05 . #266 What to do about the Modern Condition . . Countless people are frequently asking . me; “So, now that you’ve identified all . these problems with society, what is it . that you recommend doing”? Before . answering that, I’d like to first point out . that not one out of 50 people who inquire . about this, ever follow up with a response . of any kind. Once they hear what can be . done they immediately lose all interest in . the question, since the answer entails that . they will have to experience some . discomfort along the way. The answer also . implies taking personal responsibility in a . way that is unheard of in this consumer . culture. It implies acting on behalf of . CAUSE rather than selfishness. It means . treating humanity in general, and in fact, . the whole of planet Earth, as if you are a . planetary citizen rather than . a “consumer”, “follower” (religious and . political) or of a given nation only. If . you’re not willing to give up narrow . definitions of self and “success” then . there’s no point in reading further, . because you won’t accept what is about to . be said. This is where most people are . at. Although they’d like to be concerned . about the current direction of society, . they would rather not be bothered by . actually DOING anything differently, . especially those actions to which they are . unaccustomed, or which are not accepted by . the current status quo. Such an attitude . is at the very heart of the modern . condition, and is why very little has . changed throughout the course of history. . . In terms of what has gone wrong with this . world, those problems can be boiled down to . a basic bottom line which is simply; “wrong . values”. It doesn’t really matter what . political party or religion you belong to, . what organization, social activism . government, or spiritual practice you might . engage, so long as daily actions are based . on wrong values. By “wrong values” I mean . those which do not observe natural laws, . (unnatural) and which promote death rather . than life. Wrong values include accepting . short term solutions for modern ills, all . the while knowing that in the long run, . society must literally unravel at the seams . due to a variety of problems. These . include; environmental destruction, . needless war and military expenditure, the . brainwashing and social indoctrination of . the public schools, governmental . corruption, (corporate ownership of . politicians and government agencies) as . well as the buying or trivial and basically . useless goods, (consumerism) and the . treating of life as though it were a . machine devoid of higher purposes, . (materialism, and its’ negation of . spirituality).. . . What to do . . Since you’ve asked me “what can I do” here . is my reply, like it or not; . . 1) Stop paying federal income taxes, and . all other forms of national taxation. . . 2) Take your children out of the public . schools. . . 3) Avoid so-called “higher education” and . think for yourself. . . 4) Live simply, such as in an RV or van. . In so doing you will spend far less, . thereby releasing yourself from the 30-year . wage slavery that destroys both mind and . body for no good reason. . . 5) Take every measure to be your own . doctor, and stay healthy. . . 6) Meditate, and take up spiritual . practice as a first priority in life. . . 7) Reject the ideas and methods of the . mass media (television, magazines and . newspapers) and its effort to induce . hypnosis and lack of higher thinking . faculties in the public. Think through . daily world and domestic events for . yourself, (in logical terms) doing your own . independent research into the issues of our . day. . . 8) Reject the spiritually inhibiting and . mind-numbing message of organized . religion. See the nature of God and God in . nature for yourself. Develop clarity, . (direct perception) so as to have no more . need of “faith”, (blind belief). . . 9) Work so that you can live, rather than . just living to work. . . 10) Embrace the natural and spiritual . values found within. . . 11) Reject militarism and imperialism in . all their forms. Encourage young people to . stay completely away from the armed forces, . and preferably, all government positions. . . 13) Read the World Mind Society Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Which contains nearly everything you need . to know about all of the above. Start with . the Survivalists’ Guide for the New . Millennium for a change in daily routine. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Re: What to do? (people ask me) - Doug Brooks . 7 Feb 2003 00:00 . #267 Our task must be to free ourselves.... - Doug Brooks . 7 Feb 2003 00:06 . #268 Mathew, greetings to you and all here at the . n.c.n. We have begun the changes you . say ,they challenge us but we thankyou for . the wisdom and truth to guide us ... we have . left the system! Douglas Re: Our task must be to free ourselves.... - Matthew Webb . 7 Feb 2003 15:23 . #269 Dear Douglas, . . Welcome friend. It's very refreshing to . hear from those who are action-oriented, . going beyond just theory and practicing . truth in their daily lives. . . Leaving the system that is society today, . is amongst the most important steps anyone . can take for physical heath, mental sanity . and spiritual progressiveness. At first it . may seem difficult, but a more efficient . and natural life will soon reveal itself to . be something you could never again do . without. The old ways are simply too self . and world destructive, serving no good . purpose. Natural, spiritual ways of living . are extremely freeing. . . Congratulations on making such decisions! . . ******* . . the . have Re: MANIFESTING - Frans weyer . 8 Feb 2003 07:18 . #270 . . . Dear Martin, . Yes,this is typical,the evidence on this . facts(vibes to others and visa versa) are . most time to obvious,people think that when . you talk about this items you most regarding . to all kinds of occult mysteries,but that . what lies right before your eyes is often . not recognised. . I think you right of that. . . greetings and freedom, . Frans. . In response to "vibes" - Matthew Webb . 8 Feb 2003 18:13 . #272 Bernard, . . Since when has your main concern here been . to share anything, in the context of the . forum? Sorry, but I don't buy your . argument below. If you had been posting . things regularly or contributing to . existing conversations, then you'd have a . leg to stand on here. As it is, you're . just talking a lot of hot air. . . I notice that if you can't have your . personal, separate say on the side, that . you want to bow out. No one said you . couldn't communicate by posting, but as I . said, it is unfair to members here for you . to be taking advantage of the sideline . group mailings for your own personal ends. . That's not what I set the work group up to . do, and its not respectful. . . Matthew This Sunday's GGM Meditation - Matthew Webb . 9 Feb 2003 06:34 . #274 Greetings World Mind Society Readers, . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are now . in progress for the benefit of all beings . on Earth. Our meditation will start at 3PM . Pacific Standard Time, (Portland/Seattle) . this Sunday afternoon, (February 9th) and . end whenever you wish. . . The following times are given for your . convenience and correspond to . Sunday 3PM Pacific Standard Time, . (Portland/Seattle). . . Your local times; . Sunday 4PM Boise, Idaho/ Sunday 5PM Mexico . City, . Guatemala;/ Sunday 6PM Lima, Quito/ . Sunday 7PM Caracus, Santo Domingo/ . Sunday 8PM Buenos Aires/ Sunday 9PM . Brasilia/ Sunday 10PM Praia/ Sunday 11PM . Reykjavik, Dublin/ Sunday 12 Midnight . Madrid, Rome, Brussels/ Monday 1AM Athens, . Damaskus/ Monday 2AM Baghdad, Tehran, . Moscow/ Monday 3AM Yerevan, Baku, Kabul/ . Monday 4AM Islamabad/ Monday 4:30AM New . Delhi/ Monday 5AM Dhaka, Colombo/ Monday . 6AM Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh/ Monday 7AM . Singapore, Beijing, Taipei/ Monday 8AM . Seoul, Tokyo/ Monday 9AM Port Moresby/ . Monday 10 AM Canberra/ Monday 11AM Suva, . Funafuti/ Monday 12 noon Wellington/ . Monday 1PM Nukualofa. . . The GGM Meditations represent a growing . effort by people around the world, to focus . their prayers and meditations together, for . the mutual expansion of consciousness. . Through this simultaneous focus, we are . aligning our awareness on a psychic basis. . Through this alignment our ever-expanding . world group is using INTENT, to elevate the . spiritual intensity of all involved. At the . same time our Intent is to uplift the World . Mind, or collective consciousness of . humanity, and to heal the Earth, (Gaia) of . stresses and imbalances. This spiritual . effort is founded upon the Group Mind . Principle, and other principles of Natural . Law. . . The Group Mind Principle states that, . "the resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts". . . Through the Group Mind Principle we are . resonantly combining our love, clarity and . a passion for spiritual progress in all . ways, to manifest itself amongst the . peoples of the world. We are in effect, . intending into place ever higher states of . consciousness for each other, and all of . humanity. In an intentionally formed group . mind such as this, the psychic and . spiritual effects created can be quite . potent. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are being . coordinated by the World Mind Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . They are held every second and fourth . Sunday of each month. Please mark your . calendar. . Inquiries regarding this Transmission of . group Intent may be directed to Matthew . Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Although it is not necessary, participants . can choose from seven specific focuses, for . the sake of group and world benefit. These . seven focuses are ideal components for the . expansion of consciousness, (including . greater love, clarity, higher energy, . connection to God, etc.) and are all . described in detail, by a five-part article . known as The Perpetual Raising. The . Perpetual Raising series is available upon . request, (contact Matthew Webb) and it can . also be found in the Library of the World . Mind Society web site. . . Let us bring forth a new world. Let us . manifest together the higher qualities of . natural and spiritual living. . . You are all invited to participate! . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Re: In response to - Frans weyer . 9 Feb 2003 14:34 . #275 Dear Bernard, if your here, and Matthew, . . Reading the message from Bernard I think I . understood where he was talking about. . I don’t mind, but you can say things in an . assertive way,"that’s it" . and so on. . Is this a cause for difficulties, not so far . as I concern, for me it works to have a (in . my way of seeing) merciless clear mirror . before me, clear enough to let my own . insights be a part in the game. . Pay no taxes, live in a van, the part of . education, there you gave advise witch with . you can agree or disagree. . However reading in the survivalist guide it . stroke me that when you talked about “ to . drop out” you actually spoke of” rise up” . instead of dropping out the society. . Well, “rise up “involves, as I see it , the . situations from witch we are rising, so . instead of dropping out physically we try to . see an overview witch includes that what is . being overviewed and the learning-process . that follows , and knowledge leads to . responsibility. . Maybe this can be criticized but that is the . image I get from the mirror. . But I can understand that another can have . some difficulties with the tone, there is . over-hear a healthy distrust about guru-isme . or sects, and things saying in a sometimes . assertiving way leads to mistrust, but . whatever . . I think your words refreshing regarding to . other literature out of the States on this . subjects that reach the book market over-here . (How to get more success by true living if, . such a title exist} . . I think not that you’re a guru in the sense . that guru means something what has to be . worshipped in one or another way. . . With a smile, . Frans. . . . ends. . loving, . were . meant . thought . the "back Re: In response to - Matthew Webb . 9 Feb 2003 17:09 . #276 Frans, . . A meaningful reply here. On a sane world, . one would not have to be "so assertive" but . when you're competing with Enquirer . magazine, Joe Millionaire and The Days of . Our Lives Soap opera culture for the very . soul of humanity, then that requires . extraordinary measures. . . With regard to "rising out" of society from . the Survivalists' Guide, you'll recall that . a closer quote is actually; "we can't . really drop out of society, since it has . sunk so low, the only way out is up". This . is a large part of my point. Yes, we need . to carefully learn the lessons of a . different kind of living, thinking and . spiritual practice. But that shouldn't be . too difficult or traumatic, considering . that the current modern norm is a truly . miserable, unnatural and destructive . place. What could ultimately be easier . than simply NOT particpating in the self . destruction of society? . . You said; . "I think not that you’re a guru in the . sense that guru means something what has to . be worshipped in one or another way." . . I like that...thank you. . . ****** . . far . (in . with . it . the . to . is . the . isme . here . if, . sense . been . a . I . you . to . made . me . a . it . that . easy . ball . keep . on. . and . SOURCE, . that . poor . and . so . have . self . of . to Rise and Fall of the New Age - Matthew Webb . 10 Feb 2003 17:33 . #277 . In the late seventies and early eighties, . there began a movement in the United States . which came to call itself “The New Age”. . This was originally a social and spiritual . movement, whose intention was to go well . beyond the limitations of traditional . religious ritual, and the false values of . consumerism and materialism, thereby . creating what was literally supposed to . be, “a New Age for Mankind“. Under the . influence of writers/visionaries like Ram . Dass, Carlos Castaneda, Lynne Andrews, . Baghwan Shree Rajneesh, Robert Monroe, . Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Jane Roberts, Deepak . Chopra, Mary Summer Rain, Dan Millman, . Pramahansa Yogananda, Richard Bach and a . host of others, this movement started as a . far-flung collection of social engineers . whose collective intent was the fundamental . change of where the human race was headed. . In its beginning stages during these two . decades, much progressive work was done for . the greater enlightenment of many thousands . of people, as the public was finally . exposed to areas as diverse as ancient . Vedic knowledge, unified field physics, . meditation, yoga, holistic medicine, the . needed questioning of social norms, as well . as the psychedelic and spiritual expansion . of consciousness. . . But then something happened to the new age . such as any student of religious history . knows all too well. What was originally a . vision for the betterment of humanity has . increasingly become a rigid and mindless . doctrine. It is now far less a lived . philosophy of life, and far more like the . religious shenanigans of fundamentalist . Christianity. By the time the mid nineties . arrived, the new age was anything but “new” . it had acquired all the earmarks of shallow . thinking, false values, hypocrisy and . unfounded assumptions, that any religion . has today. . . It should be carefully noted that many . people have come to adopt and follow New . Age ideas, without necessarily calling . themselves, “New Age” [Look within to see . if you haven’t been infected by these to . some extent.] This article is addressed to . such people and the religious community in . general therefore, under the broad category . of, “delusional belief systems”. . . What had started out as a legitimate . attempt to accomplish hearty social and . spiritual revolution, is now watered down . to a paper-thin broth, by unscrupulous . authors, lecturers, the mentally distressed . and emotionally needy, to the point of the . ridiculous. New Age has lost credibility . even amongst many of its’ own followers. . Instead of expanding consciousness and . rejecting society, now we have 12-strand . DNA activation, Atlantean “power” . crystals, “chakra activation” trinkets, . ionized water bracelets, playing hide and . go-seek with your “inner child”, and a . galactic federation of friendly ET’s whose . whole mission in the life is to save . humanity from itself, through a fleet of . waiting, invisible ships near the moon. . Then there is the “channeling” of entities . by thousands of people claiming to gain . great insights from them, . whose “enlightened” message goes no further . in scope than the average fourth grader’s . rendition of how a long bearded, white . robed, late middle aged caucasion daddy, on . a pearly throne in the heavens, loves us . dearly. If this is all these entities have . to offer, then they should just keep their . energy-vortex mouths shut. . . We’ve got people being “attuned” to various . cosmic frequencies, but for a limited time . only, and at $500 a pop. “Astrologers” . will “pull up your chart” through cleverly . ambiguous computer software programs, in . order to give “advice” as to what tomorrow . will bring, for 60 dollars an . hour. “Numerologists” can tell you for $45 . an hour what the alphabetical numbers . represented by the letters of your name . imply, and just how you can live your life . through such, “sacred sciences”. If that . doesn’t appeal then they’ll add up the . same “numbers” another way to obtain a . completely different “truth”, so that “the . customer” walks away happy. Lectures and . book sales abound through a variety of . people who set themselves up as spiritual . teachers, but who aren’t about to give away . the “good news” of enlightenment for free. . Very,. very rarely will you see . such “spiritual visionaries” giving away . information, as everything they write or . say of supposed cosmic import, is “owned” . exclusively by them through trademark and . copyright. Truth is their personal . property after all, and trespassers aren’t . allowed. . . The New Age has become yet another way to . make money and gouge an unwary public, . rather than as a social or spiritual . revolution. This is not to say that ALL . such self-proclaimed gurus don’t have . something worthwhile to say, and who . deserve to be paid for their worthy advice . or writings. But the vast majority out . there who call themselves “New Age”, are . just flim-flam artists selling ethereal . snake oil, to a public hungry for something . beyond the boredom of television. Many . don’t even admit to themselves that they . are charlatans, and actually believe their . own misguided words. . . To make such considerable sums without . really giving anything in return, (except . irresponsible messages that confuse and . cloud the truth) these “teachers” cater in . every way possible to existing social . norms, including selfishness and greed to . accomplish their financial aspirations, all . the while misleading millions. Never mind . the awful state and dire need of the world, . (because the physical, “is all just an . illusion anyway”) these “leaders” have bank . accounts to fill and media stunts to pull . after all. Weekend seminars and retreats . abound for the modest sum of several . thousand dollars, from which the hypnotized . participants return to their usual lives, . swearing up and down how “profound” their . experiences were, without ever making . meaningful daily change It is then that . the spiritual knowledge gained, if any, is . used to simply be more effective in making . money or fitting in with a corporate, . militarized world. But this isn’t the end . of the nonsense. . . Now everybody “channels” Archangel Michael . or some other renown fictionary Christian . or Star Trek leftover, whose messages . always start out with an . obligatory, “Dearly Beloveds” or some such . ritual greeting. Messages from . the “Ascended Masters” and “Spiritual . Hierarchy” are usually filled with a lot of . sappy, impressive-sounding adjectives but . which mean very little. Like any . politician‘s speech, these “messages to . humanity” seem sweepingly profound on first . reading, but upon later consideration are . shown to lack concrete meaning, and whose . content is anything but truthful or . useful. We hear reassuring talk about . the “great transition” or “critical mass” . to come, but never mind exactly how we’re . going pull that off, or achieve lasting . planetary changes. Never mind that REAL . spiritual transition requires serious, . dedicated life focus. Never mind the very . real obstacles along the way, or the . address of real world problems that clearly . are only getting worse, not better. Such . messages rarely contain the stated need for . practical, comprehensive responsibility on . the part of each individual, as the . truthful prerequisite for world change. . . Rarely do we hear through New Age sources . comprehensive knowledge of consciousness, . or about practical, universal applications . of truth, or of the need to reject current . social norms in favor of sanity. Fancy . terms are thrown around as though everyone . knows what they mean, but in the end . absolutely nothing is concretely defined or . understood. Now we have angels giving . advice about, “how to achieve your . financial goals” through, “prosperity . consciousness” and that, “everybody has . their own truth” which makes . everything, “OK” Furthermore, we hear that . wars and the suffering of millions is, “all . by Divine plan“ and, “everybody is entitled . to their own reality”, (including, I might . add, people like George Bush . whose “reality” is to bomb people to . bits). No need to be concerned about where . the world is heading now, no need to do . anything differently, just indulge . yourselves selfishly under the thin veneer . of false spirituality, and call that, “the . prosperity you deserve”, and, “creating . your own reality”. No need to find out what . reality really IS ALREADY, just make up . whatever you like as you go along. Through . modern New Age you can “feel good” about . whatever you feel like doing, even if it is . helping to destroy the planet. Thus the . popularity of these ideas .they require . nothing from their adherents, least of all . a change of lifestyle. . . Taking a moment to quote Ed Pablaus . regarding the modern New Age message: . . “There's a sappiness about them. They feel . sticky and gluey. Their overall tone is . often mawkish, cloying, and soppy. The . energy behind them is designed to make . those who lap them up feel good about them- . selves, to make one feel fluffy, fuzzy, . comfy and OK about, and within the self. . Although there may be seeds of truth . scattered within these messages, those . seeds are most often disguised by gross . sentimentalities that are targeted at our . pride and meant to appeal to our sense of . identity, that selfish perspective we hold . from the point of view of our separate . little ego-selves.” . . Well said. Such messages are also clearly . meant to divert attention away from any . personal or social responsibility which . humanity has, for it’s own destructive . modern condition. They have been coined by . various unscrupulous authors of New Age, . Enquirer Magazine-quality tabloid, in order . to sell books and change bank accounts, not . change the world. . . To quote Ed Pablaus once again; . . “So many are sucked in by the subtle and . not so subtle sort of ego strokings . conveyed . through these messages. And few are aware . that these messages serve to dupe their . readers into following a way of being that . leads to a very compromised and distorted . version of the True Spiritual Path. Those . who are taken in by them are being scammed. . They are being lured into a sort of sham . spirituality, and being led down a path . that is strewn with glamour and insidious . deception ..a path that is skewed by a . myopic . focus on, by and for the personal ego self. . Unfortunately, for those who continue to be . deluded by these sorts of gloppy, gooey . missives that are tailor made to appeal to . the selfish graspings of those millions in . the New Age scene, and who are continuing . to . seek for the self, the path they are . treading will not lead them to Liberation . at the end of this cycle.” . . If anything, the New Age is leading itself . to the same dead end that Fundamentalist . Christianity has, by denying that there is . such a thing as Universal Truth other than . what certain books claim, or a mind and . body that owes its healthy function to that . Truth. I say this because of the . fanatical, religious beliefs with which the . New Age has become synonymous. These have . every resemblance to a mixture of Al-Anon . or Narc-Anon twelve step precepts, and that . of fundamentalist, blind belief through . faith. Among these absurd beliefs, the . most prominent I’ll attempt to encapsulate . as follows; . . Religious New Age Precepts . . 1) That there is no universal Truth, . only “my truth and your truth”. Such . nonsense is the fundamental and most . hysterical basis for this belief system. . If there is no truth then there can be no . such thing as knowledge or science, since . reality is whatever any one person prefers . or imagines. Therefore there is no need . for books or the study of any subject, . since there are no subjects the universe is . utter chaos and there are no constants . known as “natural and spiritual laws”. . Such thinking is the taking of . the “creating your own reality” line to an . extreme so absurd, that it is completely . ridiculous. Thus, there is no such thing . as a lie, nor does nature function . according to any given pattern or norm. . Accordingly, there’s no need for mental . clarity or understanding either, since . there is basically nothing in existence . that needs to be understood. Given these . ideas, people are utterly lost in . delusional concepts about reality, feeling . completely justified to believe whatever . they want, any time they want, according to . emotional need. The statement, “my truth . and your truth” directly contradicts what . truth is non-personal, universal and . constant. It reflects severe intellectual . and spiritual poverty. The Christian . Fundamentalist equivalent of this saying . is “the God of my understanding” . and “having a personal relationship with . God”, regardless of how one may live, . believe or act. . . 2) That spiritual people don’t “judge” . other people or ideas. Of course, item 2 . fits in nicely with item one above. The . parallel here with Christianity, is the . admonition of “just have faith”. Never . mind thinking for yourself, or logically, . factually observing the world and drawing . truthful conclusions from those . observations. “Just believe” and that will . make it so, and we needn’t judge what . others “believe” since, “they are entitled . to their own beliefs”. So what happens . when two people in the same room “believe” . that the other is not there, or who hold . diametrically opposing views of the world? . Nothing happens except perhaps a little . animosity .there is no matter-antimatter . explosion, or the bending of space time . that sucks the entire planet into a black . hole. On the contrary, regardless of what . each person believes, there is only the . Truth, not individual truths. The idea . that we shouldn’t judge others is an excuse . not to exercise a clarity of mind and an . intelligent life focus. It is a . concealment designed to protect the . believers’ irrational beliefs from the . onslaughts of Reality at large. . . The New Age does not take into account that . there is such a thing as “good judgment” . and “bad judgment”. Good judgment means . clearly, objectively evaluating the facts . at hand, and arriving at a logical, . practical conclusion. Bad judgment means . misunderstanding reality as it is, thereby . coming to false conclusions that only . destroy or injure the believer in the end. . The person who has clarity and who stands . for truth, MUST exercise good judgment of . other people, situations and world events, . in fact, on the basis of clear evidence and . objectivity. This is part of what being a . social revolutionary and spiritual minister . is all about. Those “teachers” who . practice otherwise by advising others in a . fashion that caters to their egos rather . than reality, are not doing any service to . their clients. Through realism and logic, . individual problems and the mass-errors of . society can both be competently addressed. . Nature and the process of evolution most . certainly will “judge” us and our . inadequate modes of thinking, through the . sentence of extinction, unless we start by . judging ourselves in a rational, logical . way first. Only through such honesty can . we hope to survive the next millennium. . . 3) That any criticism of the world, . society or individual people, which comes . to the conclusion that something is gravely . wrong with how things are, is . being “negative”. Item 3 fits in nicely . with item 2 above, as an extension of . the “no judgment” anti-philosophy. And . this is exactly where the New Age mindset . has squandered its most precious resource, . which originally was truth above all else, . even if it makes you feel uncomfortable or . if it goes against established social . assumptions. New Agers have become . notorious for their lack of critical . reasoning and logical thinking. They’ll . believe literally anything no matter how . absurd, if a noted author is the one . speaking, or if such lies are crafted in . sentimental, everyday terms which resemble . soap opera novels. In fact, the more . fantastic and absurd the notion, the more . popular it immediately becomes, with the . case in point being such fantasies as the . ET “Galactic Federation” waiting to save us . in our hour of need In short, the New Age . lacks sound judgment, and this is why it . lacks credibility and is just as misleading . to millions of people as is established . religions. Like the “no judgment” precept, . the “you’re being negative” concept, (no . matter how obviously deserved the . criticisms of the world, persons or ideas . may be) is another way to escape the . responsibility of one’s own life, as a . shelter for the ego. The Christian . equivalent here is “judge not, lest ye be . judged”. . . This concept also dovetails neatly into . item one above, which is, “there is no . truth other than my truth and your truth”. . Conveniently then, if one were to point . out, (as I have frequently done) that the . norms of consumerism and militarism are . about to destroy the human species and most . life on Earth, the New Age view is that . this is being “negative” or “fear based“. . Actually, such statements are “clarity . based”. To these people there is . predictably no such thing as probability or . realism, only fantasy, and the idea that . whatever you imagine is what will come . about. Although as centers of . consciousness we clearly effect the events . which occur around us, the point that is . missed here, is that other people are . effecting those events too, often through . very destructive intentions. Also missed . is that our effects are governed by natural . laws according to very specific parameters, . not to mention the lifestyles of the rich . and famously wasteful. The War with Iraq . is case in point to criticize war plans is . supposedly “just adding negativity to the . war” and so on. There are such things as . the natural laws of karma, inertia and . dissonance, which are not to be lightly . brushed away simply because we don’t like . to think about them. . . This “being negative” sentiment is a form . of mass denial which lacks good judgment. . Therefore, it is every bit as guilty of . perpetuating war and planetary hardship, as . are government rationalizations about the . need for unprovoked battle. The New Age . community desperately needs to pull it’s . ostrich-head out of the warm-fuzzy, . sentimental sands and realize that it is . not “negative” to call a spade a spade. . Doing this is properly known as “honesty”. . But since there is nothing honest about the . mainstream New Age community, this fact . bothers no one. It is no sooner “negative” . to criticize war or other social injustices . than it is for a gardener to pull weeds . from vegetables, protestors to walk down a . street or a firefighter to spray water on a . blaze. Just because we may focus on . something does not mean that thing is . enhanced the very opposite may indeed be . true, depending upon the intent being used . to do so. Try ignoring that burning fire, . and see where it gets you. . . 4) That the physical world is just an . illusion, and is therefore not worthy of . our spiritual focus. This very callous and . anti-spiritual sentiment is yet another . excuse for not taking personal and social . responsibility. Like the Christian . mindset, the New Age community would have . us believe that the universe is divided up . into conveniently separate categories whose . labels are known as “political” “social” . and “spiritual”, and which have completely . distinct, separate meanings. Thus when we . speak of the atrocities of war, government . corruption or social inequality, the New . Age would have us hide these under . the “political” and “social” labels with . the claim that they have nothing to do with . spiritual practice. Since war and other . social ills are “political”, that . supposedly means that “good and wholesome . people” needn’t waste their valuable . energies speaking or acting on such . things. Focusing on social ills, “only . adds to these problems and makes them . worse” according to orthodox New Agers. . According to them, “all we need is love and . light”, and of course, a huge dose of . shallowness, since these terms are never . clearly defined or acted upon. It is no . loving act to make a habit of telling lies, . or turning a blind eye to worldly suffering. . . Of course, even a very small child can . clearly see that you have to focus on what . is wrong, before you can effect any remedy . to make it right. For instance, if you’re . hungry and needing nutrition that means you . need to eat, not meditate the feeling . away. If you have a splinter in your foot, . you don’t say, “well, that’s just not my . reality, so I choose to focus on higher . things” thereby letting infection set in. . The same is even more true of the world . situation, and the New Age paradigm is . wholly unprepared to adequately address . it. There is nothing illusory about the . pain or love felt while in physical form, . nor is life an empty dream devoid of any . purpose other than what we assign it. . There is also nothing illusory about the . destructive nature of government . corruption, environmental pollution or a . stress-filled, unnatural lifestyle. What . IS illusory is modern humanity’s idea of . what life is all about. Society imagines . that life is about greed, ego and the . making of as much money as possible. The . REALITY is that life is about evolution and . spiritual progress. The New Age has . confused the fact that society’s ideas are . an illusion, with the nature of reality . itself. Through this bad judgement they’ve . concluded that there is no reality, and . that the world of atoms and molecules is . just a shadow play for their personal . amusement. . . When a tree falls in the forest it doesn’t . matter who is around to hear it it still . makes a sound. That sound we hear in the . distance is our own looming extinction, and . such admonitions as, “life is an illusion” . is the very height of the absurd, the . arrogant and the destructively naïve. . There is in truth NO division between . social and political concerns and that of . spiritual practice. The REAL spiritual . practitioner knows this and takes . responsibility for the truth in ALL areas . of life. In essence, EVERYTHING which . happens in this world and in our lives has . spiritual bearing, and must be treated as . such through practical, every-day measures. . . 5) That “Everything is by Divine Plan“, is . a New Age saying that can be used no matter . what the daily outcome for humanity, a . nation or a person may be. How easy it is . to simply imagine that God is pulling all . the strings of every shoe lace tied and . every bomb dropped. Again, what we have . here is a convenient excuse not to take . responsibility, or to learn/apply anything . truly profound, since no matter what . happens, “God planned it that way”. It’s . not a very creative God who makes robots of . flesh, who are incapable of independent . thought or action, other than through . Divine scripting. On the contrary, our . purpose here is to learn, grow and evolve. . THIS is the Divine Plan, not the dropping . of bombs, consumer spending indicators or . martial law. Humanity needs to learn this . lesson thoroughly; that you can’t make . things up as you go along, or outdo . natural/spiritual laws through unnatural . means, all for the sake of profit, and . expect to live happily. In fact, we’ll be . lucky if we continue to live at all, under . these auspices. . . If the New Age movement is to spiritually . redeem itself, then it must get honest . about truth and life in short order. It . must quit making up excuses for not taking . needed responsibility, and for the . destructive actions it embraces by catering . to the norms of greed and shallowness in . modern society. For there to really be . a “New Age” for humanity, there’s going to . have to be a profound shift of . consciousness in the world’s population, . but not just as a mind game. It’s going to . have to be acted out on this very real . physical world, in order for the highest . potentials of humanity to flower and bloom.. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society Library . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Further suggested reading in the WMS . Library; . . “The Crystallization of Truth” . “What the Fundamentalist Fears” . “What to do about the Modern Condition” . “The Survivalists’ Guide for the New . Millennium” Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Jojo Joseph . 10 Feb 2003 23:07 . #278 Greetings to all ! . . As a new member, I am happy to state that I . am highly impressed by the goals of the . World Mind Society (WMS). I wish to . introduce myself and my perceptions to the . existing members. . . I am a practicing Catholic layman, who . enjoys proclaiming the message of Christ. . Until four years ago I was very orthodox and . I held exclusive attitudes regarding other . faiths like any average Christian. At . present I do not hold on to the generally . accepted dogmatic interpretation of the . Bible. Presently I hold certain progressive . or advanced perceptions that are likely to . be dubbed as pluralistic or syncretic and . rejected by the orthodox Christians, but I . am confident that my perceptions do not . contradict the message of Christ. . . In 1998, driven by an evangelistic urge, I . undertook a spiritual pilgrimage to study . and understand the principles and inner . essence of scriptures of other faiths in . comparison to that of the Gospel. I focused . my attention on the mystical or spiritual . messages rather than on the superficial . tenets contained in the scriptures of . Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The . spiritual experiences of followers of these . faiths prompted me to seek God through . Christian spirituality during my pilgrimage . into these scriptures. Rather than trying . to understand them literally or . dogmatically, I tried to live out their . inner message and to experience the outcome. . I did not let go of my faith in the Bible at . any time. Fortuitously this pilgrimage . transformed me thoroughly and I am now . confident that my present understanding of . the Bible and other scriptures is more . balanced and wholesome than before. My . pilgrimage is far from complete, and it is . an ongoing process. I wish to gain more . insights from the members of WMS, whom I . consider as my co-pilgrims in the search for . truth. . . Now I realize that God (Consciousness) has . manifested Himself through this universe. . The unseen Spirit or the field of . Consciousness sustains everything in the . universe. Humans have evolved to such a high . level of biological information encoding . through symbiosis that they are capable of . accessing a high degree of consciousness. . . God is immanent in the universe and even an . atom is conscious. He is closely related to . all creation through their inner . consciousness. He induces all human beings . through religious or secular means to . undergo spiritual transformation so as to be . led by the promptings of the inner . consciousness or the indwelling Spirit. The . transformation involves a process of . liberating oneself from the promptings of . the body by re-structuring one’s way of life . and re-aligning one’s attitudes towards . fellow humans and to the environment. In my . opinion, this is a long drawn process and . not a spontaneous occurance. . . I have realized that the inner message of . the Gospel is an exhortation to attain “Abba . Experience” or oneness with the Spirit. It . is achieved by dovetailing our intentions or . will with that of the Spirit, or the inner . voice, who is the same as the cosmic . Consciousness. This is a universal message, . applicable to all religious traditions. I . can proclaim it loudly without contradicting . the inner message of any religion. Truth is . universal. It is accessible to all seekers. . It lies hidden behind the literal exposition . of scriptures of all religions. The working . of the nature or universe also expresses the . same truths or divine laws underlying it. . . I presume that all those who are members of . WMS have arrived at perceptions of truth . close to that of mine, through their own . spiritual paths. I do not expect perfect . synchronization in views among all members. . I believe that we are all pilgrims . approaching the truth from different . directions or angles. However compared to . the ordinary people who hold on to dogmas . and doctrines blindly and are not yet . awakened into the search for truth, we are . better placed to arrive at a unified . perception of truth due to our purity and . unity of intent and sharp focus on nothing . but truth. . . We can share our independent versions about . truth with each other and try to fine-tune . them through group discussions. I am sure . that each one of us is open to the views of . others and is ready to be influenced by . others, without having to let go of one’s . own convictions. Through discussions we can . gradually fuse ourselves into a single mind. . When we do this, we will be ready to raise . the world mind. Let everyone voice his or . her assent or dissent about the vision . statement of the World Mind Society. I . concur with the essence of this statement. . . I do not have any website, nor have I . published any book. A catholic . organization “SEDOS”, has published my . article, “Mission in the Pluralistic . Context: Spreading the Message of Abba . Experience” in its website . (http://www.sedos.org). Modern Christian . clergy is gradually opening up to the new . perceptions that are evolving among . progressive theologians and even laymen like . me. “Pax Christi”, a catholic Internet . discussion forum has reposted my article in . their site for discussions. I have also . posted another two articles titled “Quran . Reconciled with Gospel” and “Search for . Ultimate Reality” in the same forum and some . discussions have taken place especially with . some Bahai guests who were invited to the . forum. Those who are interested can glimpse . through them in the following threads in . the “Pax Christi” discussion forum. If . required you may have to enter the forum as . a guest member. . . Mission in the Pluralistic Context (under . the folder “Faiths in Dialogue”) . http://forums.delphiforums.com/paxchristi/mes . sages/?msg=163.1 . . Quran Reconciled with Gospel (under the . folder “Faiths in Dialogue”) . http://forums.delphiforums.com/paxchristi/mes . sages/?msg=357.1 . . Search for Ultimate Reality (under the . folder “Science & Religion”) . http://forums.delphiforums.com/paxchristi/mes . sages/?msg=589.1 . . During the discussions on the above thread, . (post no. 589.38), we had discussed the . concept of collective consciousness or group . mind. I do not know whether it was . coincidence or intentional, but surprisingly . after posting this message, I was invited to . the WMS through an e-mail message from . Matthew Webb. . . I have already started participating . silently in the group mind formation as . exhorted by the WMS. Now I am constantly in . tune with the intentions of the WMS. I am . sure that our group endeavor will gain . strength and help in the evolution of a . peaceful and progressive world, which I . think will amount to the reign of God on . earth, or the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. . . The WMS transcends religious boundaries, but . the goals remain the same. All true seekers . naturally get aligned synchronously, similar . to the way the magnetic domains in a . magnetized material aligns themselves under . the influence of a magnetic field. Let us . learn from the scriptures and from the . nature, both of which are expressions of . Word of God. . . Jojo Rise and Fall follow up - Matthew Webb . 11 Feb 2003 20:30 . #279 Greeting WMS, . . Although I don’t usually send out such . items to this list, it seems very important . in this case to offer a follow up on my . article, “Rise and Fall of the New Age”. . Normally I try to send out only that which . is of universal interest to everyone, with . the intent of providing quality material . which does not waste anyone’s time and . energy. So even though I don’t assume . everyone will want to hear about “the New . Age”, the points brought up in that piece . are applicable to all religions and life . philosophies, especially in terms of . clarifying daily right action, clear, . logical discernment and truth. . . The following is a brief compilation of the . tremendous number of responses I received . to that article. If you don’t see your . response here then it’s because I’m . observing brevity. Names and website . addresses have been omitted to preserve . privacy. I alternated those responses . which are critical of that work with those . which praise it’s message. At the end I . offer a short commentary on these replies, . and a further clarification of my intent in . having crafted, “Rise and Fall of the New . Age”. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ************ . . Dear Matthew, . I first became aware of you through your . website, World Mind Society. I embrace your . preamble: "dedicated to the progressive . enlightenment of our species, through the . medium of education, meditation and the . employment of group mind force. The . expansion of the consciousness of all human . beings is of primary importance to this . purpose, so that humanity may continue to . evolve." . . This statement of purpose is well thought . out, simple and direct. I applaud the . thoughtfulness that went into it. But now I . have received two recent emails from you . that I consider a departure from this . thoughtfulness. Your Rise and Fall of the . New Age and Shameful and Disgusting War . Plans are diatribes that do not invite . dialogue. The critical parental voice that . is the thrust of these pieces violates the . spirit of what it means to educate. Is your . intent to educate when you write: "Those . who support this 'war', (read slaughter) . are accessories to mass murder, and on a . sane world you would be held accountable . for your heinous lack of right action and . social courage."? If your intent is to . shame, ridicule, and judge others as less . spiritual than yourself, then Matthew, this . is self-righteousness. . . **************** . . Hi Matthew, . I found this an excellent read and feel the . same way. 'I have often felt that the new . age and its doctrine was simply . regurgitated dogma....another way of seeing . the body as sinful and paying more . attention to spirits and chakras than the . physical body and world we . inhabit...another way of looking outside of . ones self in order to exonerate it or . something.....Most people I know, know all . about their chakras for instance colour . name, tone and place but know nothing of . their own endocrine system. . As I am always being told how negative I . am ....I enjoyed your views on that...for . it is very true and I’ve had enough of the . blasted ascended masters who funnily enough . are 99% male...suspect to begin with..more . dogma..anyone with any sense would see that . ET's wont save us from our mistakes....that . would rob us of our own . responsibility.....but on it goes....I have . no respect for the new age for what it has . become.. Initially it was an opportunity . for us all to grasp some key facts and . expand ourselves...to give us an . alternative to fundamentalism....but that’s . not how it turned out...its repackaged as . you say. . . *********** . . “No need to be concerned about where the . world is heading now, no need to do . anything differently, just indulge . yourselves selfishly under the thin veneer . of false spirituality,” . . Give me a break 250000 people are marching . here in SF..have you taken to the streets . have you signed the various petitions have . you contacted your elected officials Just . curious?? . . “The New Age has become yet another way to . make money and gouge an unwary public, . rather than as a social or spiritual . revolution.” . . Hey matthew remember people are still . trying to survive!!1 I am aware of many . highly enlightened astrologers..why are you . degrading astrolgy? . . . ********** . . I wrote a very similar article years ago . nothing new about the "new age". . Interesting. . Thanks, . . ********** . . Thank you so much for writing this. I'll . forward it to a few friends who are in dire . need of detox. . Best wishes, . . ************ . . From; “New Age Capitalism” . Hi there YOUR LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME . AGAIN . . . (money does seem to change . things around a little!) We have prepared a . special web site that will give you ALL the . information you may need... a life changing . page (yes, it is only one page) Please . click on: . www.cyberwincity.com/KISS/member/kiss.asp? . Not easy to explain this in an email: 1 . day to $7 28 days to $5000 . www.cyberwincity.com/KISS/member/kiss.asp? . id=20373 180 days to $5 . Million ............ . MONTHLY!!!! ................... . AUTOMATICALLY!!!!! . . ********** . . Matthew---the list of people you mention . were and are many of the great pioneers of . the New World. The Old World of Theosophy, . and holiier than thou teachers had to . crumble--and make way for the truly self- . enlightened. The Master D.K. was my . personal teacher and I value and knew the . Alice A. Bailey books and "the Mysteries" . inside and out, as I was the predicted . student that he prophesied in the 40's that . would be teaching the "Mysteries" for the . first time to the masses in 1975 on the . East Cost and West Coast, at my Church . . . ********* . . Religious New Age Precepts 1) That there is . no universal Truth, only "my truth and your . truth". Such nonsense is the fundamental . and most hysterical basis for this belief . system.” . . There is no UNIVERSAL TRUTH which anyone . can say with any certainty. . . We may know more and understand more than a . few years ago, but we still have no idea . about what animates a life-form? why did . the Big Bang happen? What's going to happen . to the universe in the end? Is there anyone . else out there? What do they know? If you . add quantum physics to the mix, we can't . say for sure if the material world really . does exist !!! When a culture thinks it has . the universal TRUTH, it becomes stagnant. . Ask the Catholic Church. If there is no . truth then there can be no such thing as . knowledge or science, since reality is . whatever any one person prefers or imagines . Science will be the first to tell you that . their "truths" are just statements of . probability based on the evidence. IT IS . SUBJECT TO CHANGE IF THE EVIDENCE SHOULD . CHANGE. Scientific truths change, . constantly. Only recently do we know how . the Moon was formed. We thought it was . something else .. . . “Such thinking is the taking of . the "creating your own reality" line to an . extreme so absurd, that it is completely . ridiculous” . . I agree, it is madness. But it is a . postmodern cultural reality. understood. . This is the absurdity of living in the . postmodern era. If the New Age movement . understands this and feeds it, it will . survive, because it is the way of the . future. I think they are a bunch of . charlatans, but they fill a niche. . Postmodernism only seems to want to . deconstruct truths, it is time to . reconstruct them. Only we can't fool . ourselves about their Truth anymore. We . have matured passed that stage as a . species. Given these ideas, people are . utterly lost in delusional concepts about . reality, feeling completely justified to . believe whatever they want, any time they . want, according to emotional need. I agree. . . The statement, "my truth and your truth" . directly contradicts what truth is.non- . personal, universal and constant” . . . You had a vision didn't you? ...and I'm . supposed to accept that as Truth? It . reflects severe intellectual and spiritual . poverty. Considering you have repeatedly . demonstrated that you don't really . understand the problem, I find it funny . that you ridicule those who don't agree . with you. I don't agree with you, am I . intellectually empoverished? Spiritually . maybe? The Christian Fundamentalist . equivalent of this saying is "the God of . my understanding" and "having a personal . relationship with God", regardless of how . one may live, believe or act I have already . placed you and your organization as part of . the New Age movement. Right now I am not . sure if you are a charlatan or do-gooder . who has had a "vision." What is the Truth? . . ********* . . Dear Mathew, . Great. I love what you have written. . . ********* . . I Liked it. . It is painful to really look at truth when . it means . seeing how much money one wastes, how much . pollution . one contributes to, how one manipulates for . money...yet making no changes to curb the . faults, and . all this comes about from not fully knowing . the truth. . There is a saying by Amma which . goes "everyone is . innocent, and even if they know they are . performing . wrong and still they do it, they are . innocent, for if . one TRULY KNEW one WOULD NOT DO IT. . Speaking in . respect to the law of nature and the law of . karma, if . we had full complete knowledge of the real . damage and . real horror of ego actions, then we would be . enlightened, so to speak and we would not . perform such . actions. . . I am pro. physical action, for while one is . ignorant . to ones own ignorance, at least . participation in . service and selfless tasks leaves less time . for . participation in its opposite. And I guess . for those . like me that truly find it difficult to . meditate, then . far better positive selfless action helping . others . than frustrating mind wandering under the . guise of . meditation and prayer, though I think it is . important . to still try and do the latter. . . ******** . . Excellent article Matt; I have sent it far . and wide. The American Indians will love . it; it has been their lament from the get . go! . . ********* . . BRAVO!!! . Truth is awesome stuff, is it not, . Matthew??? I find your thinking very . balanced. I appreciate these messages. . These are the ways I've always been and . have been literally attacked over my points . of view. So, for a time, I stopped giving . them, stopped defending them and you know . what happened? I got sick. I got so sick I . almost died last year of a "mystery . illness" that lasted for nearly a year. . (Long story and I'm better now and getting . better still) No wonder our planet is sick. . . ********* . . My Dear Mattew . Everything that you write indicates your . thinking is separatist, somehow believing . that you are separate from everything and . everyone else, including your own self. New . Age does not indicate that they are . spiritual only and nothing else. It is a . belief in oneness with self and everyone . else on this planet "and elswhere." Can you . really be so supremest as to believe . that "we" are the only living beings in all . the cosmos! That there could be no other . intelligent life anywhere else but on this . planet? Do you really think that a . spiritual person thinks that they are . separate from war or hatred just by . choosing not to think of it! It seems that . you were taken in somewhere by someone . representing them- . selves as the spiritual way to . enlightenment and were greatly disilusioned . by it. . There is good and bad everywhere and you of . all people should be able to recognize . that, but to lump all "New Age" thinkers . into a catagory of quacks, sounds more like . the witch hunts of old. As individuals we . are all given the power to think for . ourselves and to go within for the answers . and "know," all the other stuff is merely . lessons to give each individual the . opportunity to learn that for themselves. I . am in no way condoning any such actitvity . as using spirituality for financial gain . either with those of the "New Age" or . the "Church" for that matter, but it is . real that there are always people looking . to capitolize on other peoples needs and . yearnings. Is it your purpose to anger . others? Adding yet more negativity (haha) . to this angry world. Just what we need. . . ********* . . Good work, man. I put it up in Abidemir . chai . . ********** . . Your remarks on the mass of channeled . material is noted . and approved. Thank you for that, it needed . saying. . . ************ . . Good Morning Matthew and friends, . I met your post this morning as I was . waking up over morning coffee, reading e- . mail, and was chugging along when I found . myself with my dander up. I am "pre new . age" and for the longest time I disdained . them for their "cotton candy" reality . instead of enjoying the meat and potatoes . of real life challenges. But I got over it . when I realized that people have to develop . their own spirituality, just as we who are . forging a brave new world have to develop . our own. I realize that your article "got . my attention" but I think it is a "lesser" . way of getting our attention and . support. "New age-bashing" is no way to win . friends and influence people. Humankind has . always had its pleasure-seeking element. . This age .. whatever it is called .. is no . exception. At least these people are not . taking delight in killing people for . natural resources. They are the scaffolding . that gives us the springboard for future . works. . . *********** . . A brilliant piece, Matthew! . Timely! (let's hope it won't make them bury . their heads deeper on the "crystal sands" . of self-ish Prosperity! . . ******* . . namaste, . . I have been reading your newsletters for a . while now Matthew and I always learn . something from each one. Thank you for the . many insights you have nuts enough to share . with all of us. . This article on "New Age" is interesting . and you bring up a point that I have wanted . to write to you about a few times. I agree . with you that stating how things are is not . negative but honest. . However, even though I do not perceive your . honesty as negative, I do perceive what you . choose to speak about many times to be . inefficient and ineffective in bringing . about the change I can see your intentions . leading towards. . There is an alternative perception that . lies outside of the two opposing viewpoints . of we are right, you are wrong. There is a . perception that focuses solely on providing . solutions that are effective and efficient . to problems without any thought as to who . is right or who is wrong. . Now, focusing on what current society is . leading towards or simply showing people . where they are being led is great for . letting the truth be known so that we can . change it, but where are the solutions? So . now that we know that evil people are . destroying the world through a military . machine and consumerism, what do we do in . our everyday lives to change the cause of . these things? . . Protesting seems to have little effect, . heck, talking in general seems to have . little effect. . . ********* . . This article is interesting. Do you not . understand that movements catch on because . the climate is right for it to do so. . People are looking for answers and . solutions, peace of mind and a reprieve . from the clamor of modern society. The New . Age Movement does lots of good things as . well as having it's fair share of . charletons, but what I find hard to . understand is, if it is satifing for them . why should it upset so many people like . you? Have you been bullied recently by some . and felt the need to let it out now in the . safety and seculsion of the computer? This . is not the time for being critical of where . each other is at or how one chooses to live . ones philosophies .It is a time for . encouraging each person to live, share . their peace and feel empowered to speak . without fear of ridicule for all is O.K.... . . ********* . . BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT! You put . beautifully everything I think and feel on . this subject. Matthew, if you haven´t read . Marvin Harris on this topic you´ll enjoy . what he has to say to no end: Cows, Pigs, . Wars and Witches ... marvellous! Ricardo, . this is a most important reasoning-out of . what is wrong with much of what we get to . read in our Network of Light, to my mind... . Matthew has put his finger on the sore, . where it really hurts and where we most . need to heal! I´d like to see it . translated, and would be happy to do the . final proofreading and style corrections. . I´m off to Mexico City tomorrow to meet . with the group that went to Porto Alegre . and then, on Thursday, off to Mérida for . the first Mexican Congress on ´´drug´´ . legalization. The syndrome Matthew . describes is what is known as ´´bad . faith´´...Sartre made a lot of it. I guess . it´s ´´false consciousness´´ in more . Marxist terminology. A necessary, most . pertinent analysis of how we avoid . responsibility! With the consequences we . are seeing...(Brrrr!) ... Saludos . . ********* . . First let me thank you for describing and . articulating with such clarity some of the . elements of the day-to-day behavior I have . long perceived .. . . I wonder, Matthew Webb, if you have thought . about and can explain why some folks reach . out beyond themselves and their front door . to link their love and light while others . keep themselves hidden under a bushel . basket of fear and greed? I would . appreciate any insights you may have to . offer about this truth. . . ***** . . Dear Matthew: . Absolutely superb article. My wife and I . agree with every word. . Every "New Ager" should read, and re-read . your article again, and again, until it . sinks in and they awaken from their noetic . night, and take full responsibility for . their thoughts and actions. The problem, as . we see it, is that the great majority . of "New Agers" are in the childhood of . their beginning psychic development and are . seeking phenomena and to develop psychic . abilities without having first developed . their character and their mental faculties, . hence they are incapable of discerning . reality from illusion. . Those in the so-called "new Age" movement . need to come to the realization that their . childish airy-fairy notions are inherently . deeply flawed; that they are being duped . and mind controlled and that if they truly . desire to grow spiritually, and develop . their highest and grandest potential, they . need to stop thinking with their body-minds . and do real thinking using rightness and . reason. . Those who desire to grow spiritually must . become de-hypnotized of the myth and false . programming that psychic development and . psychic powers is proof that they . are "spiritual" and learn that "being . spiritual" and spiritual development has . nothing to do with psychic or other kinds . of phenomena; that it is predicated upon . the intelligent development of the . faculties of the mind and building sterling . character and moral excellence, which are . stronger than adamant and finer than gold. . Instead of striving to develop psychic . powers they need to work at attaining self- . mastery. . "New Agers" must come to the realization . that natural, universal laws govern all . creation, and that those laws are . immutable, inexorable and inviolate and . cannot be altered by men or gods. They must . discover that TRUTH, if indeed it is TRUTH, . is also eternal and unchanging; that it is . the rightful heritage of all who seek true . knowledge and enlightenment; that if one . truly has achieved spiritual enlightenment . he or she would gladly share his or her . spiritual insights and realizations with . others and wouldn't dream of exacting . compensation for doing so. . In any event, Matthew, we solute you for . your brilliant analysis and expose of . the "New Age" movement. It is truly . masterful . . . and right on. . . //////////////////////////////////////////// . / . . My commentary regarding these replies; . . First, let me thank everyone for taking an . interest in these important subjects, and . for getting involved. I didn’t list . everyone’s complete posts, but tried to . give as diverse a cross-section of replies . as possible, for the sake of comprehensive . feedback. . . When I wrote the “Rise and Fall of the New . Age” I actually didn’t count on many . replies that would be in agreement . certainly not this many. Unlike many . wildly popular mailing lists, run by . authors or coordinators who seem to . consider the approval of their readership . as a first priority, I aim to speak the . truth no matter how unpopular it may or may . not be. I’m not by any means running a . popularity contest, nor am I here to sell . books, seminars or socially acceptable . reputations. I’d rather get truthful . points across that will genuinely change . the world and alienate a hundred . subscribers, than to make a thousands . subscribers happy and accomplish little to . nothing. I’ve often been accused of . being “unkind” or mean-spirited, and . something I recently wrote in an online . forum in response to this, sums up my . attitude nicely; . . “As for kindness, I'll take honesty any . day, over politeness, congeniality or . canned sentimentality. One could argue that . telling a child that, "it isn't going to . hurt" is good, thereby alleviating their . anxiety up until the moment of crisis. But . then it DOES hurt. At that point you've . lost credibility, and not given them a . chance to develop their personal power, . replacing that instead with sham emotional . security. It's far better to come out and . tell the truth like it is. THAT is what is . most kind in the long run, because it does . the most benefit. “ . . The same is true of movements and the whole . of the modern condition. Furthermore, there . is nothing more useful and therefore more . loving, than to tell the truth exactly as . it is. . . Objections to this article are of a kind . that are completely familiar to me, and . which I’ve encountered innumerable times . before. I’ve been deeply involved with . many forums, discussion groups, . organizations and in-person dialog, . regarding a wide variety of related issues . over the last 15 years. Regardless of the . subject being discussed, whether that is . government corruption, social inequality, . political parties, life philosophies, war . and peace, enlightenment, truth, right . living, logic, honesty, reality or . religion, the usual reaction of . disagreement in this modern age is very . much like those found above. Commonly, . people assume that my statements are the . result of some personal tragedy, rather . than simply being straightforward. It’s . often amazing to me in fact, how . such “disagreements” most closely resemble . the defensiveness of religious . fundamentalists . What characterizes this . trend is a disregard for points made as . though they were not spoken, (denial) and . taking issue with the speaker of a position . personally, with little logical regard for . whether or not the thing spoken of was true . or not. As I’m fond of pointing out, the . important question is not whether a person . likes or dislikes what is said, the . question is whether or not what is said is . true. I’d much rather be disliked than . misunderstood, since subjects are far more . important to life and right living, than . who is speaking them, or even how they are . spoken. . . As for the truth of the “Rise and Fall of . the New Age”, my view is that more than . enough concrete examples and logic were . given to substantiate everything that was . said. Many responses were of a type that . would seem to imply that the entire article . was not read, or at the very least, not . read carefully. I’d very much like to . clarify that the article does not dismiss . the ideals of the New Age, nor its . potentials as a spiritual and social . movement. What it does criticize is what . New Age has, in the majority of cases, . become .just another religion that requires . faith, rather than clarity and self . responsibility. . . For those of you who still insist that . there is no such thing as truth, that truth . is something we can’t know for certain, or . that truth is something each person is . entitled to invent as they go along, I have . a few suggestions. Try planting a tree . upside down, with its’ branches in the soil . and roots in the air, and notice how well . it grows. Put sugar water in your internal . combustion engine instead of gasoline, and . notice how the car runs, or arsenic . crystals on your raisin bran to give the . body “energy”. Take a jog in the middle of . a highway during rush hour and see if the . inertia of oncoming objects does not impact . your body just as they would any other . object, Incubate unfertilized chicken eggs . and see if they hatch. Breathe water . instead of air. Start a fire without . fuel. Have faith rather than clarity and . notice how well guided your life course . becomes. The inescapable fact is that the . universe is governed by certain immutable . natural/spiritual laws which we can each . observe for ourselves every moment of ever . day. These are the laws or rules of . existence. To ignore or deny them is . madness, and this is the very madness which . is causing humanity as a whole to teeter on . the brink of extinction at this very . moment. . . To say there is no truth or that it is . entirely subjective, is a contradiction to . each and every persons’ daily experience, . without exception. We are literally forced . to observe truth in each second that . passes, like it or not. Furthermore, . without recognizing that there is such a . thing as truth, or that it can be known and . applied, a person can never attain real . genius or spiritual advancement. If you . have not realized this yet, then you’ve . missed the entire basic premise upon which . the World Mind Society is built. For those . who have realized it, we can move forward . and progress together at great speed, if it . is our continued will to do so. . . Further commentary on this, apart from what . was already said in the article, seems a . little redundant. . . Best regards, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Suggested Reading; “The Crystallization of . Truth” . . . . . . Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Matthew Webb . 11 Feb 2003 20:44 . #280 Brother Jojo, . . Your very progressive comments are most . progressive and clearly "team oriented". . This is particularly good considering that . any discussion or mutual action of group . mind, must be a group awareness-based . activity. . . If more people were to think of themselves . as an integral part of a larger whole, then . this world would be a different place, and . the selfish goals of consumerism would . dissolve. I'm sure you realize, as a . matter of fact, that our spiritual reality . is that of a cell belonging to the greater . body of humanity, nature and God. The . blood of this body is consciousness and . it's goal, as with any life form, is to . further evolve, know, progress and self- . improve. As we study consciousness we . learn to do exactly those things, and when . we realize our connection as a body of . consciousness-centers, it is then that we . can function as the cells and tissues of . God to carry out the great work of the . Cosmos...further evolution. . . It's good to see that you understand . clearly the common ground of all religions . and philosophies, and that this basis is . the truth upon which we all are commonly . based. Not many who profess any given . philosophy or religion see this so clearly. . . You said; . "Now I realize that God (Consciousness) has . high level of biological information . encoding through symbiosis that they are . capable of accessing a high degree of . consciousness." . . That's very insightful and exactly so. We . are truly the INTENT of God having risen up . into the matrix of atoms and molecules, to . the point where consciousness, (God) can . actively witness itself and modify itself . on an individualized basis. For this . species to further grow and survive its own . folly, this must also be done on the . collective, planetary level, as an act of . mutual realization and intentional . unification. . . Your post merits a great deal more . exploration, but I confess to being quite . overloaded with WMS projects right now, . (especially given the current world . crisis). I will make every effort to . comment more as time and energy permits, . and look forward to further conversation. . . Warm regards, . . Matthew . . ********* . . I . and . progressive . focused . these . pilgrimage . outcome. . at . for . high . an . to . be . The . life . my . attain “Abba . or . message, . contradicting . is . seekers. . exposition . working . the . of . members. . and . about . of . can . mind. . like . in . some . with . glimpse . as . es . es . es . thread, . group . surprisingly . to . in . but . seekers . similar . under Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - John Kitchens . 11 Feb 2003 20:55 . #281 That was an excellent description of . transending through the walls man has built . to divide us. It seems you and I may have . seen some of the same landmarks on our . journey towards truth. We certainly had the . same starting point. . . I was just wondering if you, or anyone, has . done any research on the Cathars? If more . Christians were aware of the Cathars and . learned their ways, it would open a door . towards the light. Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Matthew Webb . 12 Feb 2003 17:20 . #282 I'm not aware of the Cathar's philosophy, . John, tell us some more. . . Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Jojo Joseph . 12 Feb 2003 18:53 . #283 I am not aware of Cathars. Please enlighten . us . . the Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Jojo Joseph . 13 Feb 2003 00:54 . #284 Thank you Brother Matthew, for your kind . reply. . Today I wandered into the "Special Projects" . section in the WMS website. It seems that . you recommend the use of marijuana for . spiritual gains. I wish to state that I do . not agree with such perceptions. I think . that use of magnetism, chemicals or such . physical means may give some sort of . temporary sensation of well being or a false . feeling of bliss, but they are not lasting, . rather they may harm us mentally and . physically. It is like trying to . artificially ripen a fruit. I do not . advocate use of drugs for spiritual . purposes. . Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Matthew Webb . 13 Feb 2003 12:01 . #285 Dear Jojo, . . This is my reply to your post.... . . RESURRECTION OF THE HIGHER SELF . . . In July of 1989, a controversial . article crossed the managing editor's desk . of an equally controversial magazine. This . article was never actually published in the . quarterly publication, then known as The . Magical Blend, even though it was well . documented by one of the senior reporters . of the magazine. The material therein was . rejected, due to conflicts of its content . with "modern cultural limits", and the idea . that the public is not yet ready . to, "entertain such ideas” even though its . creation was originally sanctioned by the . managing staff of The Magical Blend. . Entitled, The Higher Self, the article . never the less appeared in a lesser known . newsletter almost one year later named, The . Free Thinker, known for its challenging, . intellectual evaluation of topics which for . the most part, go unaddressed in our . society. . In a memo directed to the author of . The Higher Self, Magical Blends' managing . editor commented as follows: . . "Although The Higher Self reflects . a professionally conducted interview on the . subject of marijuana use and the expansion . of consciousness, other factors need to be . considered in the question of its . publication. It is essential to keep in . mind the modern cultural limits, that . restrain the full address of certain . subject matters. For one, our firms' legal . position on this matter must be maintained . on stable ground, especially in view . of 'the drug war' as mentioned in your . article. Secondly, although our readership . is known for a certain flexibility of mind, . the senior staff agrees with me in that the . public is not yet ready to entertain such . ideas in this context. I therefore must . ask you to go beyond the usual revision . protocol, and abandon this project . altogether, regardless of your good work in . its creation." . . The document you see before you is . the retrieved, unedited version of The . Higher Self, which has been preserved upon . the request of many interested persons. . The identity of its author and the person . interviewed will not be mentioned, in order . to protect their wish for privacy in this . matter. . . . THE HIGHER SELF . . . During the summer of 1989, I was . invited to attend a public gathering in . Berkeley California, “of persons dedicated . to free thought and the uninhibited . expansion of consciousness.” According to . the elaborate written invitation, the . purpose of this meeting was to “brainstorm . the ways and means to sustain a fundamental . shift of social consciousness, away from . cultural materialism, and toward spiritual . unfoldment.” Upon arrival I was informed . that although everyone was very pleased to . see a representative from Magical Blend . attending the meeting, it had since been . decided that the group discussion should be . closed to the public. It seemed for a . moment that the trip to Berkeley had been . wasted effort, but to my surprise a well- . dressed gentleman in a sport jacket, of . broad features and a bushy black mustache, . approached me to apologize for my . inconvenience. I assured him that such . disappointments were common in my line of . work, and that all fault was mine for not . confirming the meeting by phone. "I . appreciate the show of support and interest . of your magazine that your presence . implies", he said, "and I don't want to see . you end up empty-handed after your . journey.” “Although I regret we cannot . include you in our conference due to the . wish for anonymity of many of its speakers, . I can offer you a personal interview along . similar lines." Though a one on one . meeting is not what I had in mind, I . thought it pointless to refuse such an . offer. . Mr. Blake, (a pseudonym) introduced . himself as an organizing member of a little . known meditation group known as The World . Mind Society, which was but one of the . participating members of the . conference. "We at WMS", he said, "believe . in the higher potentials of human . consciousness, and its power to transform . the self and the world. Our approach is to . make the best use of the tools that are . already available to the human being for . the purpose of self-empowerment. Among . these are the human body and mind, . individual meditation, the sacramental use . of marijuana and the use of group . meditation, or in other words, group mind . force." . . MB (Magical Blend reporter) "Let me see if . I understood what you said correctly. You . mentioned the use of meditation in both a . personal and group context for the purpose . of self-empowerment. But could you explain . more clearly how this relates to using . marijuana as a sacrament?" . . WMS (being interviewed) "What I meant was, . that marijuana can be a powerful tool for . self improvement if used with the proper . focus." . . MB "What do you mean it can be a powerful . tool?" . . WMS "This plant has the potential for use . as a psychoactive booster of . consciousness. It is a kind of "psychic . vitamin" that can expand ones' abilities . mentally, psychically and spiritually." . . MB "In certain Native cultures substances . such as peyote and psychoactive mushrooms . are used for self exploration. Is this . what you mean?" . . WMS "Self exploration is actually only a . part of this. In native cultures, . psychoactive substances are also used to . gain what are considered spiritual powers, . psychic enhancements, altered and deepened . perceptions of truth, greater inner . strength, energy, mental alertness and . flexibility. Perhaps even more . importantly, these substances are used to . gain spiritual realization and refinement. . They are even used as an aid to unify ones . self with Nature and God." . . MB "And you include marijuana as one of . the substances which can accomplish these . things?" . . WMS "Yes we do." . . MB "Don't you think that if marijuana had . such potentials that people would have . discovered them long ago? I mean, . everyone 'gets high' at one time or . another, but no one I know of gains any . psychic powers or finds God through weed." . . WMS "In reference to the first part of . your question, people did actually discover . the spiritual potentials of marijuana long . ago. References to this herb in the . ancient Vedic texts of India, indicate that . it was being used by Rishis and Yogis at . that time to gain deepened perceptions. As . for the fact that 'everyone gets high' as . you said, yet few find God or greater . personal power, this is just a result of . cultural influences. Lets look at it this . way. Compare marijuana to driving a car. . As soon as you take a puff you're behind . the drivers' seat. The engine's running . and you can go anywhere you want. But just . because you own a car though, does not . guarantee that you will take it to useful, . productive or enlightening places. You may . just drive in circles, get in a wreck or . simply drive it off a cliff. It all . depends upon your intention when you're . driving as to where you end up, and what . you'll do when you get there. Marijuana is . the same way. Although it contains great . potentials for self-transformation and can . take you to places you never dreamed of, . its effect is still primarily limited to . the mind that is driving it, so to speak.” . . MB "So you're saying that the usual effect . of just 'getting stoned' and oblivious to . the world, is due more to user error than . to the substance itself." . . WMS "That is exactly what I mean, and what . a pity! Most people just get high within . the usual party mode of stimulating . amusements, simply because this is the only . intention they hold when smoking it." . . MB "So what intention or focus should be . used to get more out of pot?" . . WMS "Well first of all, the whole image of . marijuana must be changed. It is usually . viewed as a 'recreational drug' but this is . a serious underestimation of its . potential. Believing that marijuana is . just a toy is like treating the space . shuttle as just another Forth of July . bottle rocket. By approaching marijuana . with more respect, we are then in a . position to gain more from it. This herb . can teach us much more than most people . imagine. In many shamanic traditions it is . believed that peyote, psiloscybe mushrooms, . ayahuasca and others, contain wisdom- . increasing properties. It is believed . that they hold sacred lessons, and an Earth . intelligence that can be learned from. This . is the whole meaning behind the . word ‘entheogens’”. . . MB “Do you also hold such a view, and . would you place marijuana in this class of . so called 'teacher plants'?" . . WMS "I don't want to stray too far into . related subjects, by commenting in depth . upon that. I will say that the World Mind . Society, like a number of other persons and . groups, agree that all living things . including the Earth itself, has something . to teach us. We humans though, are not . known for our great listening skills. . We're too busy gossiping and theorizing to . listen attentively. Yes, all of these . substances contain profound lesson- . generating potentials, and marijuana is no . exception. We can 'listen' to the high . that it generates within the body, as well . as its effects upon the mind. When taken . seriously, what we 'hear' from the teacher . plants can be quite profound, as well as . practical on an everyday basis. But again, . we must employ the right focus and . intention to make full use of our . experiences with the herb." . . MB "I've heard that the peyote ceremonies . of the Native American Church include a . great deal of preparation and spiritual . focus, before, during and after ingestion. . They say that such preparation allows a . person to properly receive Peyote's . lessons. It is also a Native teaching that . peyote acts as a conduit to God and to the . spirit of the Earth, allowing deep . revelations to crystallize in the mind. Do . you also recommend that such procedures be . used for the intake of marijuana?" . . WMS "I would have to say that in most . cases, no. The rush and scheduling of the . Western lifestyle tend to rule out days of . prayer, meditation, fasting, elaborate . ceremonies or seclusion in the wilds. . That's not to say though that simple . rituals, which focus the mind firmly onto . desired goals, could not provide great . benefit. But regardless of any format used . prior to smoking the miracle herb, one . should definitely be clear about the . effects they desire from its intake. These . effects, which can also be personal goals, . include an enhanced state of clarity, . greater psychic perception and higher . personal vibration for instance, and these . aspects should be consistently focused upon . with the mind, during a smoke session. The . stronger the focus held while smoking . marijuana, the more one will see results in . the body and mind of the desired type. We . also recommend the use of meditation in . conjunction with the use of marijuana, as . these two complement each others’ . effectiveness greatly.” . . MB "I believe I understood what you said . about using pot for achieving greater . clarity. It is not an uncommon practice . for many people to use it for inspiration, . in the creation of music and other . artforms, and I've even known a few who . claimed it helped them get insights into . problems, or to create innovative . products. When you mentioned reaching a . higher personal vibration from pot, I'm not . clear on what you meant." . . WMS "Basically, when we say ‘getting . high’, we mean getting into high feelings, . and this is the same as saying 'getting . into a higher personal vibration'. Science . has shown through EKG readings and a number . of other electromagnetic measurement . devices, that the body emits energy at . varying frequencies. These frequencies, . especially in the case of brain waves, . change as our state of consciousness . changes. Studies have shown that positive . feelings create a characteristically . different set of emitted brain wave . frequencies than those of a depressed . nature. The high frequencies or feelings . created through the intake of marijuana are . likewise very different from most peoples' . everyday state of consciousness. When used . properly, marijuana can thus raise our . vibrational rate of being, or in other . words our state of consciousness. It can . even do this on a semi-permanent or . permanent basis.” . . MB "Ok, and what about 'greater psychic . perception?’" . . WMS "Unknown to most people who smoke . marijuana, is the fact that it expands . psychic abilities as it expands the users' . consciousness. In fact, the increase of . personal clarity and, [higher] vibration . are also the potential results of the . expansion of consciousness, brought about . by the miracle herb. The same is also . potentially true of peyote, ayahusca, LSD . and mushrooms.” . . MB "What you said reminds me a lot of a . line from the movie Dune something . about ‘the spice expands consciousness’. . It sounds like that.” . . WMS "Well yes, I think Dune offered many . good ideas with a factual basis. I would . say that the potential effects of marijuana . are on par with those of the Spice Melange . presented in Dune. A great movie.” . . MB "And people don't usually recognize . this fact, because they're using the wrong . intention?” . . WMS "That's right. When they smoke their . intention is usually focused just on . feeling a little better, or upon using the . smoke as an avenue for interaction with . others. So instead of realizing they have . just undergone an important and powerful . shift of consciousness, they waste a . glorious opportunity. They fritter away a . wonderful means to gain greater inner . strength by focusing upon trivial things.” . . MB "I'm not sure most people would agree . that a focus on sensations or interaction . with others is trivial." . . WMS "Compared to what could be . accomplished with marijuana, these focuses . are indeed trivial. I think a good analogy . for using this herb as a joy ride, is the . burning of stacks of $100 bills for . amusement. It is such an incredible waste . of potential. The full knowledge of that . potential would truly amaze the average . person.” . . MB "And the organization of which you are . a part, advocates specific techniques to . take advantage of that potential?" . . WMS "Yes, the World Mind Society teaches . people, among other things, to view the . herb as a sacred advisor of sorts and to . listen to what it has to teach. When we . combine its use with meditation this . practice produces even greater results." . . MB "Greater results meaning a greater . expansion of consciousness?" . . WMS "Yes, more so than the average person . would experience by far, through the . holding of a progressive inner focus." . . MB "That's interesting. So lets discuss . what kinds of focus are used in your . meditations that produce such results." . . WMS "All right, as I said earlier, the . type of results gained by smoking marijuana . are primarily dependent upon the intention . or focus one uses. This should always be . kept in mind. Spiritual intentions produce . spiritual results, whereas unfocused or . chaotic intentions produce comparatively . little. So before we even raise a pipe to . smoke, the clear intention is kept in mind . as to exactly what effects are desired, . beyond the usual 'getting stoned' mode. . What I am about to describe is a simple . procedure and example, of what one can . repeatedly experience in the use of . marijuana. Try this initial experiment; . Step 1 Hold the intention of 'exploring . the high' in the mind before a smoke . session. By 'exploring' we mean observing . it in detail, while at the same time . focusing on getting higher and higher. . Step 2 Take a puff of smoke and hold it in . the lungs in a calm, relaxed manner. . Step 3 While holding this breath, notice . the onset of 'the high' as it enters the . lungs and spreads throughout the body. Be . particularly observant of the high feelings . in the area of the heart. . Step 4 Exhale while remaining focused on . your observation of the high state now . present in the body/mind. Let thoughts . continue to slip away to the point that . only awareness of the high remains. Know . that you can be a state of mind rather than . a string of thoughts. . Step 5 Know that the high is a sacred . thing. It is an opportunity for unlimited . personal gain, and to view it as such opens . the door to this potential. Remain focused . on the high itself and when thoughts . intrude, return to that focus. As the mind . remains focused on only the high, the high . is then amplified even more. . Step 6 The high is at this point, even . higher than it was originally. In other . words, the pitch of feeling and level of . energy associated with it are increasing to . greater and greater levels. This occurs . because anything the mind focuses upon it . increases. Don't get overwhelmed by this. . Stay relaxed, and see just how far you . can 'explore the high'. As the high . increases stay focused upon it, and this . will increase it even more, especially with . a second and third puff. It will be felt . bodywide, but take particular notice of the . feelings in the heart, the head and base of . the spine. Stay with this focus for at . least 20 minutes . This is an initial exercise we . recommend." . . MB "What exactly does this procedure . accomplish?" . . WMS "It provides an entrance point into a . whole new world, as a conscious experience . of 'working with the high', or in other . words, altered states of consciousness. It . gives a taste of what can be accomplished . with the right focus and encourages the . practice of meditation. Such exercises . also motivate people to experiment further, . by trying out different intentions in the . use of the smoke. This is just one way of . doing what we call 'traveling the high'." . . MB "What are some results people can . expect in using this technique?" . . WMS "Actually there are a great many. If . I were to give a brief list I would . include: . 1) Getting much higher than usual on less . herb. . 2) The high tends to be much longer . lasting. . 3) Inner awareness is increased, and so is . a sense of accomplishment and personal . discipline. . 4) Spiritual revelations often occur. . Such states as ‘Christ consciousness’, or . simply an increase in love and good will . can be felt within. . 5) An introduction to the practice of . meditation, using the smoke as a center of . focus is gained. . There are other benefits of course, such as . an increase in psychic capabilities, but . this is a topic for more advanced . discussion." . . MB "So by saying 'traveling the high' you . mean working with it as a tool for greater . things?" . . WMS "Yes, and in this case to 'work with . the high" means to focus upon the . consciousness expanding effects of the . smoke. In this way we gain familiarity . with its properties. This is an initiation . into the practice of using the smoke to go . where we want it to go, rather than just . seeking idle amusement. Not unlike driving . a car to a given destination, we can focus . upon the high itself, and direct it to take . us to places we never dreamed of. Just as . effective driving requires a certain inner . discipline and consistent focus, the . journey of marijuana is greatly enhanced by . careful inner direction also." . . MB "As you pointed out, most people . consider pot as just 'recreational drug', . so how do you motivate them to take a . different view and practice? Or to put it . another way, what will get people beyond . the ‘party mode’?” . . WMS "Actually marijuana does most of that . work for us. It is such an excellent tool . that even with a minimum of knowledge, the . novice smoker can begin an exciting . spiritual journey." . . MB "But aren't the effects of weed only . temporary, as in once the high has worn off . the journey is over?" . . WMS "Absolutely not. It is a fact that . when we enter any new state of mind, that . state makes a lasting impression upon the . cells of the body, and upon our state of . consciousness. When we enter that state . repeatedly the impression made becomes . cumulative, especially when we intend this . to be so. Even more profoundly, when we . consciously intend to increase a certain . state of consciousness, we experience even . greater long term effects." . . MB "Are you saying then, that you hold the . intention of not only increasing the high, . but to maintain it indefinitely?" . . WMS "That's very perceptive of you, yes. . We have learned that permanent personal . gains can be acquired in the use of . marijuana, simply by holding the proper . intention." . . MB "And what intention is that?" . . WMS "The intention of spiritual growth." . . MB “How would you define the . term, ‘spiritual growth’?” . . WMS "Spiritual growth can be defined as . the process of gaining greater personal . clarity, vibration or love, and of becoming . more like the Christ or the Buddha. It is . our view that becoming a Christ or Buddha . is a process of gaining higher and higher . levels of consciousness. Marijuana can . give us a boost into greater realms, and . once we're there, we can call these . levels 'home' if we wish." . . MB "Wow, that's really an intense set of . goals. But I wonder how the average person . in a material world will react to such . views. How can they understand the . importance of such goals?" . . WMS "To understand that, it helps to . understand the value of love. Everyone . knows that love has implicit value, and . this is self-explanatory. We have all at . one time or another experienced its . benefits. Love clears away obstacles, . heals, inspires and purifies the mind body . and spirit. It sets the stage for greater . personal understanding, and even cosmic . insights into God and the universe. I also . think it safe to say, everyone knows that . the stronger the love is, the more . beneficial are its effects. Well, the same . is true of the high. The high of marijuana . also heals, removes barriers, provides . insights and purifies the body, mind and . spirit. Both love and the high are states . of consciousness, ones which share many . common features." . . MB "I'm entertaining what you're saying . for the sake of conversation, and because . there is a certain logic in it. But I . really can't understand that if what you . say is true, then why haven't more people . realized these things in their own . experiences? Why don't they use marijuana . to gain these 'unlimited benefits'?" . . WMS "This is an important question and I'm . glad you keep returning to it. Actually . many people do have important spiritual and . psychic experiences when smoking marijuana, . but they generally keep these events to . themselves for fear of being ostracized by . others. But for the most part, people . don't use marijuana to great benefit, . primarily because there is no place for . such activity in the culture in which we . live, at least not at an open, public . level. Western culture is a materialistic . paradigm, which means it values only those . aspects of existence that can be bought and . sold. Our society has a fascination with . the worship of things, of material . objects. These it has come to value more . than the environment, more than health and . happiness, more then nature, intelligence, . wisdom or even each other. So it is not . terribly surprising that as a culture, we . also do not value states of consciousness . or their importance. It's crucial to . remember that there was a time in human . history, when we realized that our state of . consciousness is responsible for every . single thing we do, and also the manner in . which we do it." . . MB "The so called 'primitive' cultures of . the world still retain this type of . knowledge." . . WMS "Yes, and their spirituality is based . upon nature and natural forces rather than . material ideals." . . MB "I think it is the largely unspoken . consensus today, that the world took a . wrong turn somewhere long ago." . . WMS "Several wrong turns, I think. It is . reasonable to say that the current abuse of . marijuana and other substances, is a . symptom of the problems of modern society. . Basically, people don't use marijuana for . progressive purposes, because there is . simply no precedent for such uses in . Western culture. But I think those of us . who understand this herb as a gift of the . Earth that it is, must recreate that . precedent. We must all use it once again . as the tool for the expansion of . consciousness that it is intended to be." . . MB "We do after all, live in an age where . any use of marijuana is assumed to be . abuse. I'm sure the so-called 'drug war' . has a lot to do with the public phobia . about pot. I've always thought it was . ridiculous to lump marijuana with other . substances such as crack cocaine under the . same 'drug' heading." . . WMS "You're right, it is ridiculous. . Marijuana is not a drug in the usual sense, . because it is not a laboratory-refined . substance. It is an herb, meaning it’s a . plant with medicinal or food related . properties. Books such as The Emperor . Wears No Clothes are an excellent resource . for understanding the real motives behind . the drug war." . . MB "Yes, and once you've read such books, . you understand that the illegalization of . marijuana has been motivated by the desires . of special interest corporations to make . money." . . WMS "Or to be more exact, not to lose . money if marijuana were made legal." . . MB "Pot would easily become a significant . competitor for profits in a number of . industries, from prescription drugs, to . paper and clothing fibers, to alternative . fuels and foods. Plus, anyone can grow . marijuana on their own, and therefore it . can never be controlled by the . pharmaceuticals like pills can." . . WMS "Yes, but most of all I think it safe . to say that the government and corporate . world, has a vested interest in maintaining . the public consciousness within predictable . limits. They fear the possible impact of . marijuana's use on the mind. When it is . properly used it expands consciousness. In . other words it accelerates personal . enlightenment." . . MB "And enlightened people aren't . interested in $500 suits or five million . dollar houses. They know that there is . more to life than this, yes?" . . WMS "Absolutely! That's very well said. . Can you imagine what would happen to the . whole song and dance we call 'consumerism' . if people actually started to value their . state of mind, more than their appearance . or reputation? Our whole culture might . suddenly find itself asking 'why', and of . course we all know the question 'why' is . bad for business." . . MB "Ok, so like many people today, we know . there is something seriously wrong with the . system as it currently stands. But is . marijuana capable of changing all that?" I . mean, is it really able to sustain a social . shift even if it is, as you say, 'used . correctly?" . . WMS "There is no question in my mind that . marijuana has that potential, especially . when its use is combined with the practice . of meditation. Marijuana is a sacrament or . spiritual tool that can transform any . individual. Anything that can help an . individual can also strengthen groups and . even whole societies. World Mind Society . practices have proven this, and we've . obtained some particularly excellent . results in group smoke sessions and . meditations. The trick is in the 'used . correctly' part of this equation." . . MB "You said this was a matter . of 'focusing on the high'." . . WMS "Right, but this is only the . beginning. In more advanced practices, we . focus on the amplification of love and . clarity through the use of the smoke. We . encourage a very disciplined, . knowledgeable, inner focus that is . essentially no different than any other . practice of meditation. The individual is . taught to use marijuana with a keen, alert . mind, with love and spiritual intention, . while working for greater and greater . personal enlightenment. Marijuana is a . multi-purpose tool and a great one at . that. But it should be remembered that in . order to transform ourselves with it, it is . we who must do the work.” . . MB "As in ‘a tool is only as good as its . user’." . . WMS "This is true. And we can look to the . native peoples of the world, to shamanic . practices and the like, in their use of . such substances for a better orientation in . their successful employment.” . . MB "You mean through ritual and ceremony?” . . WMS "No. I mean through the appropriate . respect of their potentials, and a . disciplined inner focus. In fact, I think . that any so called 'recreational' use of a . sacred substance such as marijuana, is a . waste of its higher potentials. Our need . is to approach marijuana as a sacrament or . sacred vehicle.” . . MB "Few people realize that there is even . anything to learn, let alone something to . be learned from." . . WMS "Unfortunately that is true. Even so, . the best use of marijuana can be had with . an attitude resembling a humble student . seeking out a wise teacher. Then the stage . for personal growth is set.” . . Inquiries regarding this article may be . directed to; Matthew Webb . visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . . . . Projects" . false . lasting, . that . themselves . then . and . reality . greater . when . religions . clearly. . has . universe. . We . up . to . own . that . the . Christ. . other . generally . to . and . I . I . study . spiritual . trying . Bible . of . is . has . universe. . of . beings . to . of . and . of . It . intentions . inner . I . to . dogmas . are . nothing . tune . sure . views . one’s . raise . or . statement. . Christian . new . titled “Quran . the . (under . /m . /m . /m . invited . am . us welcome jojo - Jenese James . 14 Feb 2003 02:07 . #286 welcome to you jojo. I enjoyed reading your . most eloqent introduction I also enjoyed . reading the last post from you mathew about . canabis as a sacred sacrement and I would . like to make a comment on that ...however I . would like to make a suggestion if I may . and I feel it be a a long over due . suggestion one that is i feel, given little . relevence and seen and dissmised in the . main as a 'women's issue. . . There is something very vital missing from . the christian ...indeed many cultures . religious story and understanding...what is . this you ask. . . It is the mother ! . . As a woman I have been taught that the word . mankind is supposed to include women wo . (men) but in reality it does no such . thing. . . In reality the word mankind means exactly . what it implies men the world of man. . Reading in the text I find HIM HE and His . this does not say She or Her. . . Further ....the term god is denoted as HE . . while the present population of earth is . now 6 billion over 1/2 of these are women. . . Read any history book and you will discover . the history of MEN the story of GOD the . FATHER where I ask you is the mother . . Now please do not tell me that god embraces . both male and female and is indeed . genederless. For clearly that is not the . case when the term Father and HE is spoken . in reference of this genedrless omnipresent . being. . . Long ago before all the world religions . there was a great cosmic mother....there . was the goddess and there was a . spirituality that evolved not just around . the goddess or women but one that embraced . the unity of life...for the goddess as do . women today gave birth to BOTH male and . female she did not disguish between her . children she did not make one inferior and . one superior as has been the case with many . clutures religion . . There is an incredible search for truth in . our world by people who claim to be . intelligent yet to my mind their . consciousness is closed to the vital fact . that there is something vital missing in . our religioius story ....so closed are . these minds to the obvious that it appears . ridiculous... . . Mother Father forgive them for they know . not what they do . . My reason in mentioning this is manyfold . . In our world today we are in danger of . becoming a brotherhood of man . . do you no what that means ? . . where is the sister hood we are brothers . AND sisters are we not ? . . For me it means that we have overlooked the . feminine and all that she brings to what is . essentially a partnership a complementary . partnership and untill SHE is embraced by . the father their will never be a unified . knowledge of self. . . SHE is even unacknowledged by women who in . this very much male defined world has not . been aware that indeed their is much . missing form our world history books..SHE . is missing in great volume....yes I know . this is changing as it must . . The story of man and his god over looks . another element also ....that of love . . Now here it gets a bit tricky...but if you . were to get a paper and pen and write down . all the attributes one ascribes to the . feminine and then all the attributes one . ascribes to the notion of love you will . discover that the attributes of love will . be similar to the attributes of woman ! . . Woman and love go hand in hand but in this . unconscious culture these things are not . seen nor appreciated and this is not the . message of the bible either although jesus . did attempt to bring out the feminine . qualities or attributes . . Try saying SHE when mentioning god and see . how that feels for you....I am betting it . feels foreign ...uncomfortable for I have . asked many men to do this ...some have . flatley refused some have addmitted it . feels odd and uncomfortable others have . realised yes it feels odd but it adds . another dimension to their knowledge of god . as all that is or the divine source . . In our spiritual seeking the feminine is . overlooked by both men and women ... it is . very few women who see it but this is . changing and many women globally are . begining to realise there is an entire . womens history and spirituality that has . been kept from her through the means of . denial and rendering her invisibale in the . pages of history . . I would like to remind all of us that the . words we choose to speak reflect the . beleifs and the physcological framework in . which we view life. To see god as the . father and accept that without realising . that there is something missing is to my . mind a major degree of unconsciousness . . This is seen most clearly in the way we . have treated our mother earth timat/gaia . reflected once again in the way we have . come to view women and the way we have . banished the mother in favour of the father. . . It offends me greatly to hear god refered . to as a HE and reveals or indicates to me a . unconcious mind....we may be intelligent . but we are hardly conscious ..in this sense . . I do not mean to offend but someone has to . say it and some have to listen really . listen the rise of the feminine essence is . sorley needed the reign of the father has . got us to this point in totality....look . around its not very healthy something is . vitaly missing and it is the mother the . feminine essence of life that we have . betrayed denied and ignored at our peril . all of us women and men. . . The feminine way of being in the world is . different than that of the male...and this . being a very male defined world with male . defined values has seen us come to an . incredible transition point... the values . embodied in peace are the values imbodied . in the feminine...may I remind you all of . the 3 goddess TRUTH WISDOM AND JUSTICE . . there is of course much more that I could . say here however that is what I wanted to . convey for now....welcome again jojo may I . suggest you avial yourself of many the many . informations now available about the . goddess to expand your experience even . further My I recommend an author Raine . Eilser, who has two books, Chalice and the . Blade a history of womens spirituality and . its demise at the hands of a patriarcy . which we have been living under and the . most essential Sacred Pleasure a history of . our banshing and demonising the feminine in . everyday life . . Now to the idea of using an organic plant . as a means of sacred sacrement I can . testify from first hand experience. being . a very christian type of person (yet not . religious as such) I was against 'drugs' . however someone gave me a joint and for 2 . years it sat in a plastic bag in my draw . for I was afraid of taking it because of . all the stuff I had heard about it...I . don't know why I kept it even, but . something made me put it away.... I had . forgotton about it untill I moved and . rediscovered it. I decided to try it when . the kids where in bed. . . Not really knowing what to expect I had my . very first 'spiritual'awakening ...a voice, . that was the plants told me that it was . here (earth) for a reason to bring us to . our higher minds so that we could acess . that which was ours to access. It told me . that it was a sacred plant and therefore . should not be abused but used It was here . for that purpose and that purpose only. . . Now that was mind blowing and totally not . what I had thought about this wee plant at . all. From that day onwards I was a . different person and began my spiritual . search ...I use the plant very occasionaly . yet i know of people who are abusing it . using it daily to get high in order to cope . with life...I see no spiritual developments . in these people at all, rather the . oppostite actually . . I also have to confess many years ago I was . smoking daily in order to cope with MY life . I decided to stop when I got a very clear . message from the plant . . USE IT DON'T ABUSE IT REMEMBER ITS/YOUR . SHAMANIC ROOTS . . I took that to heart and have learnt many . things from it since. one could be tempted . to say that the things I have learnt are . mere illusion but they are not... . . in sincerity . jenese Entheogens - Matthew Webb . 14 Feb 2003 11:47 . #287 Dear Jenese, . . Good post...The two subjects you mentioned . are difficult to address simultaneously, . but suffice it to say I agree with you on . all counts. What I want to continue with . here is the use of cannabis in the . expansion of consciousness. . . As you pointed out, this herb has many . useful properties, not the least of which . is the accelerating of spiritual insight . when used with care. This too has been my . consistent experience, but then again, I've . never used it for any other purpose than . spiritual gain, through meditation. . Meditating upon the high can be like . meditating upon love...with the right . intent it can be most profound. . . In this modern age of profound stress at . all levels, I've decided to be more forward . about the use of such substances, . (entheogens) regardless of the prevailing . attitude about them in the public. I . remind myself that the bias against . marijuana is one that is entirely . fabricated by government lies, propaganda . and deception, and that people should . simply trust their own experiences before . taking such nonsense like the "Ad Council" . rhetoric as truthful. Government agencies . like this are sponsored by pharmeceuticals . in an attempt to eliminate the . competition. Since anyone can grow a . plant, they see this herb as a threat to . their economic empire. Furthermore, they . see it's effects as of a type that does NOT . induce the robotic, accepting docility seen . in prozac or alcohol takers, and which has . the potential to help liberate a person . from the entire, consumeristic world view. . . . . your . about . I . little . is . word Re: Entheogens - Jenese James . 15 Feb 2003 20:44 . #288 . Hi matthew... . although I would prefer to talk about the . first subject the feminine I will say . this...but I hope that the message of the . femmine inclusion is not as is often the . case droped to the side put in the margin . and rendered invisible as it usually is . . Perosnally I no longer get disturbed by . what the main stream press echo about . the 'danger's of this substance. However I . do have to say from my own observations and . more importantly my own experience that . cannabis is not a harmless little plant..it . does cause health and mental/spiritual . problems when abused. which it is by almost . most people I know of...very few Matthew . have the presence of mind to see it as . something sacred and use it accordingly... . . I also have to say that this type of abuse . is common when the masses happen upon what . was initally a tribal practise as in . shaminsim or anything on the fringe . . Re: Entheogens - Matthew Webb . 16 Feb 2003 12:07 . #289 Dear Jenese, . . Although you are absolutely right about . marijuana being abused and causing damage, . this is not the fault of the plant. One . could say the same thing about food....that . food is harmful because people eat too much . of it and get fat. The symptoms of . marijuana abuse are just that...the . symptoms of a much deeper cause which is . the holding of wrong values and lifestyles . in this consumer culture. . . Might I also congenially point out, that . the original post here on this line was . about entheogens, to which I have been . replying. This had little to do with . feminism, and your divergence onto this . topic, regradles of its factuality, is what . is currently beside the point. . . Just keeping the record straight. . . I . and . plant..it . almost . accordingly... Cathars- - John Kitchens . 16 Feb 2003 23:29 . #290 The Cathars were a group of self labeled . Christians who influenced several regions in . southwest Europe and threatened the Roman . Catholic Church from the 11th - 13th . centuries. Their advanced views were highly . regarded by both intellects and laymen . alike. The impact of their movement led to . their abolishment. Pope Innocent III . declared an Inquisition on their heretical . beliefs and basically wiped them from the . history books, other than notations of the . war itself by the conqueror. . . There are many aspects to take in while . digging through variants of history from . over 700 years ago. Explanations and . descriptions could be given all the way back . to Jesus himself, but I'll try to stick to . the topic. Their basic beliefs are as . follows: . . -"Central to the Cathar creed is the concept . of Duality, the opposition of the material . world to that of the spirit." . . -"Man, according to the Cathar creed, has . three natures: the body, which is the abode . of the soul; the soul, which is the abode of . the spirit; and the spirit, the divine . spark. Through a life dedicated to ever . increasing purity, the composite nature of . man can undergo a double death and . transfiguration, so that the formed spirit, . born of the spark and nourished in the soul, . will eventually separate, returning to the . Light." . . -"Renouncing worldly riches, they wore plain . dark blue gowns, ate vegetarian foods, and . kept strict vows of chastity in keeping with . their belief that it was sacrilegious to . procreate. They held to the tenet that . Christ was cosmic, (and so could not be . crucified), that suicide was sacred, and . that the role of woman was equal to that of . man with the only stipulation being that a . woman could not preach. Marriage, baptism, . and communion were not recognized as valid . rituals." . . -"[Cathars] would then make a vow to be . celibate, not to own property, not to go to . war and not to eat any food that that . resulted from coition." . . -"Those who died without receiving the . consolamentum (an 'energy transfer' upon . death) would be reincarnated, only attaining . salvation when their soul was purified of . all material elements." . . The Cathars blatantly opposed and refuted . the Catholic Church in sacraments such as . Baptism, Communion, and Confession. All of . these things were believed to dilute one's . closeness and understanding of God. . . There's plenty more to the story but that . would require me to lose sleep. . . Clarity to all... Re: Women/Mother- - John Kitchens . 17 Feb 2003 00:43 . #291 I partially understand your desire for . acknowledgement of the female in divine . form. But how would one perpetuate such . ideas? Rewrite history? Start a religion? . And in the end what would be gained in our . desire for 'expansion of consciousness, and . the general welfare of humanity'? . . If people are led to the divinity . (consciousness) we all possess and embrace . God as everything then womankind/mankind . would have no need for a distinction of sex . as the point will be moot. . . As far as society's patriarchal arrangement, . again our best hopes to alter that concept . would be to introduce people to their true . existence. The need to facilitate one's . sense of 'belonging' will no longer be . judged on sexuality, race or any physical . characteristics. Understanding one another . as a whole will be the key to society rather . than acknowledging random attributes from . different types of people. . . Love to all. Re: Entheogens - Jenese James . 17 Feb 2003 01:29 . #292 . I am aware that it is the human being who . does the abusing of the substance any . substance . food....that . much . what . abuse . what Re: Women/Mother- - Jenese James . 17 Feb 2003 02:12 . #293 . I will reply within your post as . articuality as I can, . . JOHN I partially understand your desire for . religion? >And in the end what would be . gained in our >desire for 'expansion of . consciousness, and >the general welfare of . humanity'? . Now understand this is my personal opinion . its the way I have come to understand the . meaning of the divine feminine and women's . spirituality that for myself I never knew I . had untill I was way into my 30's and I was . shocked to discover it because i was never . aware of it ....and I had to be at a point . in my life that I was open to it , my life . came to that point when I was exploring . other avenues of reiligion or spirituality . if you like for I became aware that there . where not that many nice things about women . in the bible and that history was always . about men, the boys had more fun type of . thing.... . . History does not have to be re written . women's story just has to be acknowledged . often it is seen as mere myth and negated . or another way of conealing women's history . has been to trivialise it I say this simply . to convey that women's spirituality or . goddess culture predated what we currently . know and it is in the anthoropoligacl . record so it just has...to my mind be . acknowldged rather than re written...also . by now there have been many re writings of . history by women writers who have . discovered what I discovered...so there is . much information now available if one is . ready for it . . What would be gained in consciousness or . expanded....in my experience the . acknowledging of the feminine prinicpal as . embodied primarly by women would be to . understand what woman is...women are over . half the population now....this is for both . men and women...I beleive that what we . define as masculine and femminine . attributes are in fact HUMAN attributes and . that it is beyond gender HOWEVER... . . I do feel that we presently...speaking . generally....are not at the consciousness . level to do that big of a jump...from the . world view we hold now...meaning the views . and attitudes about the feminine and women . in general don't appear as a woman, to be . very sacred....that to do a jump form this . current state of consciousness about the . feminine , nature, children and women, to . jump from this to an idea where the divine . is genderless....robs us of knowing the . true nature of the feminine...which i am . coming to see as a missing link . . I thank you for calling me on this for it . has enable me to articulate a feeling that . I have been having for such a long time... . . You see I beleive that the feminine . principal essence has been sorley missing . for the human story....that to jump from . where we are now as a race and the way . women are still treated in the world to an . idea of genderless divinity robs us of . learning somthing very vital about . ourselves and each other...in fact I do . beleive sincerley that this is the missing . key the missing element in our entire . religious world view and by consequence we . have created another seperation, not just . between ourselves and nature , but . ourselves and love, ourselves and men, . ourselves and woman and in a big sense the . divine. . . This is why many millions of women are . recaliming a part of herself that she . always knew on some deep level that was . missing ....in the goddess...the feminine . aspect of the divine. . . It is not simply a feminist matter and the . word itself..feminist has many conotations . that one gets caught up in the debate about . the pro's and con's of feminisim...which i . would rather not.... . . It is for me as I have said above. . . Yes the divine is genderless....but in that . generlessness contains the all and if we . don't embrace the all which is women then . we don't fully embrace the . divine....instead it becomes another way of . negating women and the feminine principal . which she embodies . . There are steps in any process...and i . beleive with all my heart these stpes . embrace the feminine as embodied primarily . by women but which can always be expressed . through the masculine as in nuture, . intuition, all the things one attributes to . the feminine,... these things are simply . HUMAN....but in rushing up the lader to a . genderless divinity one misses an . opportunity to become enriched and . expansive by rediscovering the mother, the . she, the her the feminine within the . world...which is embodied by women... . . I think i may have...in that wee ramble . answered your questions....if not let me . know...or you may not be interested in . continuing...that is ok . . It is my personal beleif however that the . notion of god as a father continues to keep . us seperated from a great deal of our . selves, this as i said is my personal . opionion...I know each to their own, . . however there is somthing that niggles me . about it all...and it is in part due to . what I have said above in my wee ramble... . . We are coming to a point...and especaillly . since yesterday when millions stood up to . say no and be counted....where we are . becoming more tolarant of each other and . celebrating our differences rather than . fear them or hate others that are . different.. this i think is a good thing . and it makes people feel good about . themselves and their communitis...in this . same way i see people coming to realise the . qualities of the feminine and embracing the . women and the women embracing the men in a . true sister/brotherhood...that in our . prayers we begin with . mother/father ..apparently the essense did . that. . . There is a gentle ness about women in the . main, her voice is soft, often being spoken . over she is assumed passive....her touch is . tender again soft...the feminine essense . . In the old days she was considered wisdom . to jehova's strength...strength and wisdom, . when balanced togther what an awesome . energy what a power...I think we need to . become aware of her before we race off into . a genderless divinity so that we can . embrace and be enriched by her . . sex >as the point will be moot. . arrangement, >again our best hopes to alter . that concept >would be to introduce people . to their true >existence. The need to . facilitate one's >sense of 'belonging' will . no longer be >judged on sexuality, race or . any physical >characteristics. . Understanding one another >as a whole will . be the key to society rather >than . acknowledging random attributes from . JENESE And what is true existence if what . we are now is not ture as well ? . we are not womankind/mankind/ we are . humanity ...humanity embraces both.. all, . which i believe we are being asked to do . that is why millions of women have begun to . discover HER spirituality...and it is . different then mens...we have different . ways of being in the world together, . orginally i beleive it was a complementary . partnership...but over time the femmine was . negated made inferior this is not something . that has changed all that much I'm . afraid... the feminine principal in men was . negated and the feminine principal in women . was deemed inferior....my opionion only you . understand and this is not a reflection on . men or in any way anti men...it is my . observation of what is in general in our . world... a split devloped, a seperation . occured which i feel deep in my being is . begining to be seen by the rise in women . reclaiming her spirituality and her . story.....and i feel we need . to see this seperation no matter how it . disturbs our stories in order to fully . embrace the divine in a whole way. . Jense Peace sorry to disturb the . converstation by repeating myself...but I . am articulating something for pretty much . the first time here...its been sitting . there for such a long time to :) many thanks Re: Women/Mother- - Sandi Hunter . 17 Feb 2003 18:55 . #294 Hi Jenese, . . The shift in consciousness has to start . somewhere, and until some or one of us has . the foresight to See the truth that we are . all Consciousness in a Body, and that . Consciousness is our true essence and has . no gender, then how can this shift ever . take place? . . ******************** . . for . I . was . women . history . simply . both . and . about . that . of . to . keep . the . the . spoken . is . wisdom, . into . embrace . alter . will . to . was . something . was . women . you . thanks Re: Do religions help in perceiving truth ? - Jojo Joseph . 18 Feb 2003 00:21 . #295 Dear Matthew, . . Short-cuts to expand consciousness . . If we go on resolving our physical body (or . even the universe) into atoms and molecules . and further down into elementary particles . or quanta of energy, we finally arrive at . the non-physical strata of Consciousness. . The entire universe is embedded in it in the . form of a wave function or potentialities . that evolves the universe. We realize that . Consciousness is the non-physical Ultimate . Being or Awareness that has manifested . Himself / Herself partly through this . universe. . . Some scientists who have deliberated deeply . upon the mysteries of Quantum Mechanics to . arrive at the root of the physical world . have become aware of the fact that the chain . of all the micro events in the universe ends . up in consciousness. Scientific enquiry into . the root of all phenomena through all . branches of science ultimately ends up in . quantum processes and in consciousness. . Consciousness Field is the cause and . observer of all micro-events in the . universe. It functions by imparting . consciousness to even the minutest . elementary particles that maintains the . universe in quantum state. This Ultimate . Reality forms the inner consciousness of all . objects, both sentient and insentient. All . our perceptions, experiences, thoughts, . emotions, memory etc. are reflected from the . basic strata of our inner consciousness and . are embedded genetically within our physical . bodies. . . In short, Consciousness that permeates the . universe is not only the raw material from . which we are all made, but it is also our . inner Self that gives us awareness and . perceptive ability. But the awareness or . consciousness that ordinary human beings . normally experience is conditioned by our . biological software and hence is different . from the inner consciousness or Self that we . are speaking of here. Even an educated . person who chooses to remain at the lowest . rung of spiritual awakening is conscious of . only his physical body and its urges. At a . higher stage, he identifies himself with his . mind or mental activities. At the next . stage, he identifies himself with his . intellect or the intellectual activities. At . a superior stage of purification and . contemplation a person identifies himself . with the inner Self or Spirit, whom he . concedes as a superior force that drives not . only his intellect, mind and body, but also . the entire universe. At the highest level of . clarity and perfection, all his thoughts and . actions are dovetailed with that of the . Self. Such persons consciously participate . in the progressive evolution of the . universe, in tandem with the Ultimate . Reality or Consciousness forgetting all . individual interests. . . Compared to that of an atom or an animal, . the degree of consciousness experienced or . assessed by us from the universal field of . Consciousness is very high due to our . advanced biological software. This software . varies from individual to individual or . species to species depending on the . ancestral history or the path of evolution. . A question may arise as to whether it is . possible for all humans to arrive at . identical or similar consciousness or . perceptions. I believe that it is possible . theoretically through a process of . purification or formatting of mind. I . believe that the saints and mystics of all . religions who have purified their minds and . attained identity of mind with that of the . Ultimate Reality or pure Consciousness . through a conscious formatting of their . genetic software have arrived at identical . or similar expanded states of . consciousness. Even some scientists, who . relentlessly pursue the truths about nature, . sometimes naturally arrive at the same . expanded state of consciousness as the . mystics. The Ultimate Being or Awareness . that drives our universe can be considered . as purity personified and all those who have . purified themselves arrive at similar . perceptions or consciousness about reality . since all are indwelt and driven by the same . Reality. . . If we carefully analyze the words and deeds . of people who had identified themselves with . the reality of truth, we can realize that . despite having lived in different cultural . and historical settings, the basic . principles on which their lives gets . organized are the same. They are (a) a . feeling of oneness with the universe, a . feeling that everything in the universe is . interconnected and interdependent forming . part of the undivided whole, (b) . unconditional love towards all creation or . the environment in general, and (3) an . altruistic mentality or readiness to . sacrifice themselves for the benefit of . others. I consider all such people as . spiritual masters who have arrived at the . ultimate or fundamental truths about the . universe by aligning their thoughts and . deeds with that of the Cosmic Reality. . Their minds are synchronized with the Cosmic . Consciousness or the divine will. They have . very high psychic capabilities but they use . them only for the benefit of others and not . for themselves. All such people get aligned . like the magnetic domains in a material that . have got aligned or magnetized under the . influence of an all-encompassing magnetic . field. Materialists will find their actions . to be foolish since they do not hanker after . wealth, fame or power. . . The paths followed by various people to . attain mystical awareness or expanded state . of consciousness might be quite different at . the preliminary stage. Their motivation . might be a desire for salvation, a quest for . truth or a yearning to lead life in harmony . with the rhythm of the universe. They may . adopt various techniques or physical means . some of which are choosing or avoiding of . certain types of foods, practicing or . avoiding certain postures or exercises, . reciting prayers or hymns, participating in . rituals etc. All such physical practices, . when done sincerely with proper intentions . may aid spiritual progress. But it is the . search for truth, contemplation, and sincere . practice of a way of life in tune with the . perceived truth that ultimately leads one to . achieve oneness with the Spirit or expanded . state of consciousness. At progressive . stages of spiritual growth, they all may . undergo similar stages of purification of . mind and re-orientation of thoughts and . actions in tandem with the divine will or . cosmic Consciousness. All physical means . become irrelevant at this stage in which . clarity of perception is attained. . . The purpose of all spiritual practices is to . purify the mind and to unite it with the . Spirit or the Ultimate Reality. The outcome . of achieving such a state is an experience . of perfect harmony with the entire creation . or universe, a feeling that everything in . the universe is interconnected and that each . one is part of a unified whole, an . altruistic attitude towards the whole of . creation, a sense of forgetting oneself and . serving the others, perfect mental equipoise . even in the midst of apparent adversities . due to clarity of seeing, and an experience . of actively participating in the evolution . of the universe along with the Ultimate . Reality. A holistic feeling of extreme well- . being or bliss is a common experience of all . spiritual masters and mystics. . . The holistic feeling of well-being and bliss . are not the objectives, but only the . byproducts of real inner transformation and . mystical experience. All those who . experience a state of well-being and bliss . at times may not have necessarily attained . spiritual mastery. Several artificial . methods or short cuts are available to . attain such altered mental states for short . duration. Magnetotherapy of the brain, some . physical exercises, sex, use of drugs or a . variety similar techniques can generate or . simulate the symptoms of spiritual ecstasy . even in criminals. Many people come to . India, the land of spirituality, with lots . of money and hardly a fortnight to spend, to . experience spiritual bliss. Many of them . return satisfied after spending a fortune, . thinking that the ecstasy experienced by . them is spiritual bliss. Little do they . realize that their experience is short lived . and that it has hardly made any difference . in their way of life or in the way they . perceive the truths of the universe. . . I do not deny the fact that spiritual . masters may be capable of using even harmful . substances with a positive intent for the . benefit of others. But I am unable to go . along with spiritual masters who publicly . advocate the use of such substances . for “expanding the level of consciousness”. . I admit that I am very orthodox in this . matter and I may be excused if my . perceptions do not match those in this . forum. I shall gladly leave this forum . voluntarily if I am unable to evoke a . consensus here. . . . . Jojo . . Re: welcome jojo - Jojo Joseph . 18 Feb 2003 00:24 . #296 Dear Jenese, . . Regarding the issue whether God is masculine . or feminine, I am sorry to have used terms . that seemed to project God as masculine. God . is pure Consciousness or Awareness, residing . in male, female, asexual, living and non- . living entities etc. (forgive me if I have . left out anyone) without any discrimination, . and transcends all human made barriers and . conceptualizations. Manifestations of God . may assume masculine or feminine form, but . the Ultimate Reality is genderless. . . . Jojo . Re: Women/Mother- - Jenese James . 18 Feb 2003 00:56 . #297 Yes I agree to a point...however we are not . consciousness in a body we are a body in . consciousness and consciousness is not our . true essence it is a tool of our being . . I beleive that another negation of the . feminine is taking place....that is my . belief and yes we have to start somewhere, . honoring the feminine within each of us and . outside of us as in nature women, children . would be a great place to start and is . usually the place that one really does . start which leads them into the idea that . we are more than this but this only happens . truly...in my mind when we have embraced . that which we are in the here and now. and . in my hear and now I live in a physical . world full with nature, men and women . of . opinion . women's . never . point . life . spirituality . currently . of . is . as . views . women . be . this . divine . that . an . missing . we . the . the . conotations . i . primarily . expressed . the . especaillly . a . did . people . or . will . complementary . on Master & Disciple Part 3 - Matthew Webb . 20 Feb 2003 09:53 . #298 The following is an excerpt from the Master . and Disciple series, Part 3. It addresses . many of the issues which confront the world . at present. The entire text may be seen in . the World MInd Society Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . ********* . . After a moment of reflection the seeker . responded by asking, "Is it a fact then, . that all distinctions of class, race, . caste, nationality, belief, political . affiliation, and other ideas of society . which divide people into groups, are not of . the Truth?" . . "This is so", the Adept replied. "All of . these distinctions are created by man at . the hazard of the welfare of man. It is in . forgetfulness that we are all of . Consciousness alike, that is the source for . every ill in the divided house of humanity, . one which must surely fall again and again, . until we return to our common roots. Such . divisions do not exist in Truth, nor are . they of any real importance, other than the . fact that they should be noted for their . destructiveness". . . "How then can we return to our common . roots, and find unity in this divided . world?", asked the seeker. . . . The Adept turned to face the many fires . whose light flickered on thick, angled . branches. His eyes, also lit by an inner . fire, a spiritual determination, were . quiet. Speaking softly the Adept finally . made reply, saying, "The many great Saints . and Teachers of all ages have been asked . forms of such questions, since before . written history. Always has their answer . been the same, though words and techniques . have differed according to the needs of the . time. It can be said that the suffering of . human beings, brought about by their own . devices and not through a lack of . capability, is like that of a moth circling . a flame. The moth is attracted to the . candle not out of need, but out of . fascination with its light and heat. As it . circles closer and closer its wings start . to burn, and yet it continues on as though . the courting of death was merely a trivial . detail, in the pursuit of sensation and . self indulgence. Only when the moth burns . severely enough does it then decide to save . itself, if at all. By then it may be too . injured to fly again, but still it may . survive. Humanity circles around the flames . of the senses, of sensation and . stimulation. There is nothing inherently . wrong with these, but because it is easy to . make the mistake of assuming that sensation . equates to happiness, there is danger in a . sensual focus. If this focus is not checked . by wisdom, the mind begins to think that . stimulation is happiness, or at least a . release from the miseries of an imbalanced . lifestyle. Thus the pursuit of sensual . stimulation goes on endlessly. . . . Only upon looking within do we realize that . fulfillment is not to be found in . sensation, for sensation is transitory, and . is not the essence of happiness. The . essence of happiness, of realization, of . fulfillment and lasting success, is in the . self knowledge of the Consciousness we . already possess. This same message has been . the one provided by all the spiritual . figures of history. Regardless of these . messages however, the majority of humanity, . like the moth, still circle the flames of . material sensation in fascination. Like the . moth, man still destroys himself by . directing his Divine Energies in futile . circles that do not do justice to his . actual capability. To make a fundamental . change of this condition, humanity must . break the cycle of stimulation at any cost. . This inner imbalance begins through the . wrong focus of seeking sensation rather . than understanding. Imbalance creates . craving for further stimulation, to ease . the discomfort of unnatural living, which . itself creates more imbalance, and . eventually death. This state of human . affairs must first be recognized for what . it is, by looking within. Through such . practices as meditation, prayer, and moment . to moment Awareness, humanity must see its . true identity. This is Consciousness, not . the products of thought, emotion and . sensation. Through the identification with . the true self, realize that all that is . needed for fulfillment is already within. . In the clarity that comes from the self . identification with Consciousness, Truth is . easily perceived, for it is no longer . obscured by artificial desires. In doing . this humanity will again be a united house . within the realm of God and Nature". . . . After a brief moment of meditation, the . seeker again spoke inquiring, "How then . shall we best understand Consciousness?" To . this the Adept said, "Know Consciousness as . that ever-present Watcher within; that . presence contained in the body, mind and . soul which is ever aware. It is the . immediacy of presence within, the focuser, . [not that which is focused upon in the . world] which has true relevance for self . understanding. Make not the mistake that . this watcher, which is an aspect of the . true self, has any identity in thought, . image, or emotion, for it is none of these. . Thoughts, images and emotions are the . product of Consciousness, thus they are . only what it does, not what it is, just as . the carpenter is not the house built. . Meditate upon the Watcher within, that . immediacy of presence that sees through all . the senses, and yet is none of them. Nor is . it any of the objects of perception. The . perceiver is not the perceived, and so it . is that the wise remain detached from . worldly affairs, even while participating . in them. In meditating upon Consciousness . thus, notice every aspect of the watcher . within, not only in what it does, but also . for what it is. In this you will come to . know the true self, and obtain all the keys . to the kingdom of God. In knowing the true . self, you will also come to know the Truth . of existence as well". . . . "Great one, how is it that although there . are many who meditate thus, there are but . few who attain the realization of which you . speak?", asked the seeker. "This is so", . the Adept replied, "not because there are . but few who perceive the true self, but . because after having seen it, do not retain . the knowledge gained by its sight. In . meditation or prayer the true self is often . seen, as pure Consciousness itself is not . difficult to see once the habit of . continuous thoughts that cloud perception . is stopped, by whatever means. Seeing the . true self within is not difficult because . it is the actual faculty in us that is . Seeingness itself. In other words, it . is 'that which looks' or 'that which is . aware'. This true self never goes away, nor . can it be destroyed, but it can be covered . over by layers of thought through years of . inappropriate focus. The lifelong habit of . the continuous creation of words in the . mind, and their associated images have like . a river, a great deal of force behind them. . The river of thought is compelling because . it is extremely well known to the mind, . having been ingrained there by the words of . other people since the first day of life. . Thus it becomes the cohesive force behind . the personality, in fact, it composes the . personality which would not exist without . it. Stopping this river of thought can be . difficult because we make it so, through a . repetition of mental words and images. . Thus, although many See this pure Awareness . within, which is the creator of thought, . they do not make the decision to identify . with it, to adopt it as the prevailing mode . of the self, day to day, moment to moment. . It is not through a lack of Seeingness of . the Truth, that most seekers fail to . achieve the level of realization they seek. . It is simply that they have not taken . responsibility for what it is that they . have seen". . . . "What can be done to remedy this problem of . lack of responsibility for what is seen?", . the seeker asked quietly, as he too stared . into the fires in the distance. "Your . questions are very relevant ones", . commented the Adept, "reflecting much . correct inner focus. There is truly very . little that can be done directly to remedy . this problem, other than what has always . been done by Masters and philosophies . throughout the ages. Self responsibility in . embracing and living the Truth is something . each person must decide to undertake. The . Master may only point the way, because they . cannot truly take responsibility for . another. To attempt to do so is folly, and . only creates dependency in others, who rely . on the Master as one leans on a crutch when . crippled. In doing so, they become less . able to take the necessary spiritual steps . into the landscape that is Consciousness. . This is why those who attempt to teach such . as I, give discourse and demonstration, not . to provide enlightenment for others for . this is futile, but to educate and inspire. . In this, those who engage in spiritual . practice may realize from their own . experiences of life, through right inner . focus, the deepest possible lessons to be . learned. They may then likewise embody . those lessons with zeal. . . It is not so much the knowledge imparted by . a teacher that is important, as knowledge . is directly available to all through . Consciousness. It is the teacher’s personal . example, their ability to inspire students . as to the importance of right inner focus, . that is the mark of an excellent Guru. The . true teacher is one who aims at all . students becoming themselves teachers, and . examples of Truth. Thus, right emphasis . enables learning even more than does right . knowledge". . Re: Women/Mother- - Frans weyer . 22 Feb 2003 08:52 . #299 Hi jenese, . . I think your right when you say that we are . a body in consciouness. . We don't have a soul the soul has us. . How deeper we go how wider our consciouness . is,thus it holds all the stages that came . before and at the same time put something . new, something that is never been seen . beforeThe soul is not man or woman its . energy that only can exist by the two poles. . Together we live and bring new life, . Greetings, . Frans . Re: Women/Mother- - Sandi Hunter . 22 Feb 2003 12:11 . #300 Hi Frans, . . Yes I agree with you 100%. If only we ALL . would think in this way, it would certainly . be a different world. But it does have to . start somewhere....with a few who can truly . See that we are Consciousness (Awareness, . Energy and Intent), and not a gender. Then . true balance can be achieved. If the few . don't start living and Seeing in this way, . then the so called "battle of the sexes" . will go on and on. . . ******************* . . Hi jenese, . are . consciouness . poles. Re: Women/Mother- - Jenese James . 23 Feb 2003 00:13 . #301 realise that a genderless divinity is a . process of understanding that incorporates . the feminine and in THAT understanding see . the true divine patnership of women and men . in physical life on planet earth . . I reiterate ... I beleive that seeing the . genderless divinity at this point in our . consciousness development or spiritual . development and at this point in our . collective consciousness...is another way . of negating the feminine which on planet . earth is embodied primarily by women. . . surley you of all people looking at the . state of the world today cannot sit there . and tell me that we live in a world where . we have as a general rule...a complementary . partnership between men and women...can . you ? . . surley you of all people can see the mess . we are in and in that mess see the players . are 99% male ! and the values are not those . of the feminine/wommen... whose values are . those that are always at the bottom of the . agenda...its playing out right before our . very eyes...all money now going to . what .....WAR . not going into social needs, like . healthcare, medical assistence, social . justice, children..etc......all things that . women worldwide have on their agenda's... . . Yes by all means see your gods as a . genderless divinity but please don't call . this genderless divinity HE HIM HIS & MAN . OR FATHER...for that would reveal that you . are not seeing nor comprehending a . genderless divinity at all, but rather . embracing a concept that is yet to come . without taking the necessary steps in . realsing that within that genderless . divinity is an aspect that the human race . arragantly refueses to accept and . constantly denies... . . . the feminine aspect of the divine which is . staring us right in the face on this earth . as WOMAN SHE HER , the SISTERHOOD which . is slowley being embraced...yes...but which . in this conversation is again negated . infavour of a genderless divinity expressed . as a FATHER He HIm and HIs . . there is a process...necessary steps in our . evolution and in our expansion of . awareness..consciousnes....that is why . there are male and female...if this were . not so then there would only be female... . (females can re produce without the male.. . yet males cannot reproduce at all) . . the genderless divinity is more than male . and female, yet embraces both...somthing . that this world seems to be to blind to . see, and/or unable to do...yet in order to . prove its spiritual knowldege and its . working consciousness we negate one aspect . of this divinity in order to seemingly . embrace the whole...typical of earth . humans.. . . what i talk about here is not a . continuation of the battle of . the sexes...it is a completion a merging . the masculine/feminine...the battle of the . sexes is continued by those who choose to . argue over one being right and one being . wrong..one being superior and one being . inferior...that is the bases of the battle . between the sexes...what I am suggesting is . to take a look a deep look and realsie the . complementary partnership that the . feminine /masculine bring to the . whole...that this partnership exists within . the divine . . rushing off into a genderless divinity at . our present state of world affairs and our . present state of consciouness...without . acknowledging the partnership aspects of . the living women and men in our world is a . denial on a fundemental level of divine . partnership itself..another seperation . fostered in the minds of the ignorant... . . Also concsiousness is but a tool of our . being it is not who we are...or even what . we are...it is a tool...like our eyes that . can be turned any which way to see, to hear . to understand...and to grow and expand... . . at our current state of consciousness we . are seeing with one eye only...hence the . state of the world and hence the further . negation of the feminie as embodied by . women. . . It is a vital step in our expansion of . consciousness vital...for without the . understanding/comprehension we are . incomplete...two halves make a whole not . one half... . . The battle of the sexes..sandi...will . continue untill we realise the very point I . am making... . . long ago the feminine essense what assumed . into one entity.. to the jewish she was . known as the SHEKINA to the . Greeks..SOPHIA ...they knew her as wisdom . long ago...SHE was the feminine aspect of . jehova...Yawah ...the lord...but over time . the religious ideologies of MEN negated her . and assigned her to the margins of the . religious story...so of course not many . know this..however . . in India they had Shiva and Shakti, in . egypt they had Isis and Osiris..all . complementary partnerships...but for us in . the west we are given ..what...? a sole . father ? I don't think so and it is here . that the battle of the sexes originated as . women started to realise her place was . missing... and today we look out upon our . world and see what ? a bunch of men ready . willing and able to kill for their own . greedy self interests..in the name of this . God... . Our entire history if you ever bother to . read it has been one of MEN the wars they . fought the god they prayed to ...where is . the feminie in this... . . Here is a truth..not only are we seeing . this insidious desire to kill innocents in . the name of war and God...which is waking . us up all over the place...but that our . religious story also has helped place us in . this positon....there are many things that . need to be changed in this world and . exonerating the feminine to her rightful . complementary partnerhisp with the . masculine is one of them....you know . what..the feminine enhances the masculine . as the masculine enhances the . feminine....we know this deep in our hearts . if they are not to scarred....this is the . sacred divinity as expressed but yet to . materialise/manifest on earth . . Yes sandi I agree TOGETHER we will join and . bring forth new life The riddle of the modern condition - Matthew Webb . 24 Feb 2003 10:58 . #302 Greetings everyone, . . I'd like to share with you a post I . recently made on Sharie's News Log, (The . Ramsey Report) commenting on her recent . series of articles. I'm doing this because . I see that understanding these subjects is . very relevant to any spiritual practice. . . In particular, understanding the deep . impact of the culture in which we live, . both upon ourselves and upon governments, . is very revealing. It reveals how and why . we should each carefully consider the . meaning of "right action", in this modern . world. . . Warm regards, . . Rishi . . **** . . Sharie, your thoughts in this multi-part . series of, "Creating the Best of All . Possible Worlds" are very coherent. I want . you to know that I've been keeping track of . these posts for some time, and appreciate . their content. . . What I perceive of your efforts thus far, . is that you've deeply considered the modern . condition, as well as the psychology of the . public today. The intent of this is . clear...to help people crystallize the most . pertinent areas of self and life, so that . awareness can be focused on their . refinement. . . You then make valiant progress in . clarifying how those areas of self, (such . as the sexual, emotional, intellectual and . spiritual) are seen today, and give hints . as to where these can be taken in terms of . self improvement, and the improvement of . civilization itself. Equally clear is your . wish to not exclude anyone from the broad . mass of readers, which might be benefited . through such understanding and self . refinement. Noteworthy is the fact that . you've explained that any realistic . elevation of society or civilization, must . start with the elevation of the self, . through self knowledge. . . Your posts assume that the motivation for . change exists, on the part of the reader . and for the liberation of the self, in all . of the areas mentioned. I used to assume . this as well...that people want to learn . and progress, and so long as they are . presented with logical, factual and even . inspirational material, that they will . indeed progress. But I have learned over . and over again that the presentation of . knowledge no matter how expert or obviously . true, is not the essential issue in the . change of people or society. This is . because the motive is lacking. When Jiddhu . Krishnamurti said "knowledge is not the . thing" this is exactly what he . meant....that knowledge itself, no matter . how profound or masterfully presented, is . not the essence of modern humanity's . change. Allow me to explain. . . In the modern age, the very concept of . truth is considered a fiction...a personal . fantasy whose script is written impromptu, . and strictly according to taste. Herein . lies the rub. Modern culture displays all . the symptoms of what may be referred to . as "mass denial", in that facts are . considered irrelevant unless they happen to . coincide with existing notions. In . essence, that which does not coincide with . existing notions is considered false, no . matter what the evidence to the contrary . may be. Even when daily demonstrations of . the facts in question become apparent and . unavoidable, and even when they are deeply . impacting the lives of the people you are . trying to reach, they will still be . prompted to firmly deny what is being said, . if the message is different than what they . PREFER to believe. So the nature of this . cultural mass denial may also be . called..."a view of reality based solely on . personal preference". In this case, . personal preference is primarily defined by . the cultural norms of our age, such as what . consumerism describes as being desirable . and true in life. . . What your posts reflect, just like the . majority of mine on the WMS website, is the . mistaken idea that the presentation of . truth is going to be taken at face value . and as self evident. Mind you, to any sane . mind these conclusions ARE self evident, . but we do not live on a sane world at . present. Therefore, the presentation of . fact may influence a few who are already . prepared for change, but as for the vast . majority of humans today, there will be no . change so long as they hold dear the . cultural, (mass denial) values of . consumerism. The primary premise of this . mass denial is that, "the whole universe . exists to cater to humanity and what . humanity wants, and by extension, what the . individual ‘consumer’ wants“. . . Let us remember just what a consumer is...a . person who believes that the purpose of . life is to make money and be a "success", . regardless of the logic of such goals. The . cult of consumerism states that it is a . person’s function to indulge themselves . egotistically, emotionally and sensually to . the maximum extent possible. It also . states that it is a person’s duty to serve . the corporate world in a way that allows . the business world to indulge itself . egotistically, emotionally and sensually. . Finally, the only thing important to . consumers, according to this hysterical . belief system, is that material possessions . define who you are, and are the standard by . which self worth is judged by the world. . There is nothing of any importance in life, . as demonstrated by the public’s daily . routines, except material things and the . ego-status which those things supposedly . grant, (through money). This is the anti- . philosophy of materialism, taken to its . absolute extreme. . . In the consumer-culture world view . therefore, nothing matters except what is . defined by advertising and the television . in general. Consumerism makes every effort . to make worthless or even hazardous . products seem as though they are useful and . desirable. Thus, advertisers have a direct . interest in keeping the public within the . mindset that there is no such thing as . truth, other than whatever is invented by a . showy song and dance, and which is . therefore to be accepted as real. The same . may be said of the way government . functions, not to mention international . affairs, religious organizations and . political ambitions. All of these world . forces have a vested interest in training . people to lack all discretion, and the . ability to judge that which is valuable and . genuinely true, over that which is false . and destructive. Any politician or . corporate CEO knows that if people were . become capable of logical and truthful . analysis then they would not BUY, CONSUME, . and then pre-maturely DIE. Trillions of . corporate dollars would then be lost, as . there would be no more dupes to exploit. . The only profitable consumer is an ignorant . one, who is incapable of rational and . truthful thinking processes. . . With these kinds of mass-denial mechanisms . in place on a cultural level, you have to . realize that people don't know how to . respond straightforwardly, to a . straightforward presentation of useful . facts and suggestions. There is simply no . precedent for that in modern advertising, . or the majority of daily interactions. . Instead, we find that the telling of pretty . lies is considered far more relevant that . the telling of the truth, since image is by . far, a priority over real substance. So . when you aim to speak truthfully as you . have done in this article series, remember . that communicating real, life-improving . propositions such as the gaining of self . knowledge, is not a matter of just . revealing facts. People don't know what . a "fact" is. Most people believe in . television, and one of television’s . underlying messages is that any position . can be argued convincingly no matter how . ludicrous or ill-supported by the facts it . may be. Debate is dead, and in its place . has arisen “the appearance of conviction”. . This is why to most people, who lack all . clarity, there is only "my truth and your . truth" and "everybody has their own way of . trying to change the world". In the . consumer world view, all thoughts, ideas . and methods are equal with but one . exception...how to make money. On this . single point, people will agree that there . are specific methods and principles which . are most useful for investment . or "prosperity". But in all other cases, . and upon all other life considerations, . they will deny up and down, right and left, . that there is such a thing as truth, or . that it can be known and applied, because . that would entail leaving the consumer . club. It would also entail a radical . change of beliefs and lifestyle, since . almost ALL of the modern world is based . upon lies and misconceptions. . . Realize too, that although your series is . of high quality, it has generated little . interest here in terms of written . responses. That's because the egos of the . readers are not being engaged. In . advertising we find that all products are . sold according to how the item is packaged, . or in other words, how it caters to the ego- . based self image of the buyer, and how the . buyer will be perceived with that product . in their possession, by other ego-based . self images. Advertising today is more a . matter of selling the images of self . importance, therefore, than it is the . selling of actual, physical products. . Given this trend, people are conditioned to . think of everything in these terms...how . does this post make me look, how can I . defend my self image here, how will I . appear if I say this or that, and how can I . save face if my assertions are shown to be . wrong. But rarely does such thinking . include, "how can we work together?", "how . can we collaborate?", “what is the truth?“ . and least of all, "how can we actually . change or take action". . . It's a catch 22. You want to raise people . out of morbid self-ego concerns and . psychological illnesses, to get everyone . focused on what could actually save our . species, but at the same time, there's no . way to engage them without appealing to the . very egos that are squarely in the way of . such progress. Address the egos and the . topics are lost in the ensuing battle. . Address subjects straightforwardly and you . lose all real interest thus no action is . taken. . . This is the riddle of the modern condition. Re: Women/Mother/The riddle of the modern condition - Sandi Hunter . 24 Feb 2003 12:18 . #303 Hi Jenese, . . I appreciate your passion for this subject . matter, but I have to be honest....we don't . have time to slowly change the . consciousness of the planet from male . dominant to female, as this is only a minor . issue in the world scheme. We either live . in the realization of a Genderless . Divinity, to expand and grow ourselves or . stay stuck in an issue that will only keep . us in tunnel vision and open to the true . fundamental changes that are needed. . . Rishi's most recent post, addresses a most . fundamental issue that everyone must look . at and change....the issue that very few . even acknowledge that there is Truth. How . can we get to the bottom line and change . anything if most on this planet won't even . acknowledge that there is a bottom line to . get to? If we aren't talking individually . and protecting personal concerns, many . don't even care, and won't even . participate. If Truth is Not acknowledged, . lived by and honored, how can anything . progress, evolve and grow? Truth is . neither male nor female, it just is..... . . **************** . . Love and clarity, . Sandi . ************** . . men . complementary . those . that . which . expressed . our . is . within . hear . I . her . this . in . hearts . and Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Jenese James . 25 Feb 2003 01:49 . #304 . Matthew I agree wholeheartedly in what you . have said here, yet I feel I must ask you a . question ? do you feel that we can . change ? or are we as a race 'doomed'to our . own ego's ingnorance ? for I feel that this . has always been the case, only now it is . much more seeable given the current world . crisis which in a sense has always been.. . only like an ugly festering pimple...is now . coming to a head ! . . Ummm... i might rephraze that by saying . they ? rather than include me/us as in we :) . . Greetings everyone, . because . of . modern . the . most . your . obviously . Jiddhu . to . said, . on . by . what . the . sane . is...a . The . to . possessions . by . life, . effort . and . direct . a . same . and . ignorant . pretty . by . conviction”. . left, . packaged, . ego- . to . I . the Re: Women/Mother/The riddle of the modern condition - Jenese James . 25 Feb 2003 02:26 . #305 Well you know my reply to that would be to . disagree, firstly I don't think it a minor . thing...compared to what ? only one who . has no real concept of the divine could say . that...trivilising a valid point... and . secondly I realise what I have mentioned is . not a feminist argument but is being seen . as such so therefore the point I have . raised is overlooked....and the usual . response given...may i ask what are . the 'true fundemental changes'then ? and if . you reply as rishi/matthew has given in . that last post then I ask you what is your . answer/soultion ? for there dosn't appear . to be one, however correct me gently if i . am wrong here . . Let me say this, there is always time, life . will continue on here as it has always, . even if diminished life will continue... . change is generational..we keep breeding . ignornace for example, the continuation of . the same beleifs over and over like clones . of one another . . the point of my post, was to articulate . that yes divinity is genderless but in . calling this genderless divinity HE . Father...does really not imply a genderless . divinity....well it dosn't does it ? . . After all the attributes ascribed to the . masculine/feminine are simiply after all . Human attributes...meaning they can be . exhibited in either/either but as a human . race we have a dismal record of nurting the . feminine within the masculine and embracing . the mascuine within the feminine...how then . if one cannot do that within themselves . could they fully embrace a genderless . divinity unless of course they are deluding . themselves which is hightly likely given . the illusion/dellusions most of the beings . on this planet live their lives in . anyway... it is just a continuation of the . dellusion....self dellusion as matthew has . so elqoently expressend in the last . post..may I also add the word pathological . delsuion to that as well.... . . Oh and also we will not change the planet . from male domination to female, rather we . will continue to move into a partnership . which it began with...this has been . occuring for a long time now...the process . has begun..you see in a dualistic mind . set/system which is what we have co created . here on earth, it is easy to assume that if . this is a patriarchy then there must have . been a matriarchy...common . assumption...however it was neither, it was . a partnerhsip that eventually became male . dominated, male system of values, and male . model of life. These things have been . overlooked in our rush to try and answer . our common crisis today. However, in . rishi's news log there is an excellent . article that begins to explain this, it . puts in question our entire western . religious story....which underpins and . undermines our entire self knowing and by . consequence our entire self evolvment . towrads a genderless divinity...a religious . story that clearly illustrates and outlines . a male perspective of being....that of the . vengeful HE father god . . I think i have said it before in this room, . that the summerian word for rib was ti . pronounced tee yet there was another . meaning of the word ti...it was pronounced . tye...referring to eve as the lady of the . rib is inccorect its true meaning was ti = . tye meaning life..there fore eve was known . as the lady of life and yet this has never . been corrected let alone owned... I mention . this not to continue this debate, but just . as an add on to enhance what has already . been said about the relevance of incuding . the feminine in the equation here on earth. . and also to point out just one of the many . deciets in our religous story that has . rendered the feminine irrelevant/inferior . . The aggressors and perpetrators of the war . on Iraq are a good way to see this male . energy run amok without the balancing of . the feminine within. . . and the many women now begining to rise . into their power and rebel from her silent . support for his actions...is another way to . see the validity of including the feminine . in the physical/earth equation . balance is the . key...masculine/feminine/mother/father/siste . r/brother/woman/man..only then I feel, can . we fully embrace a genderless divinity in . truth as whole individuals . . we must therefor aggree to disagree . . . don't . minor . incorporates . see . players . are . the . you . is . earth . male.. . to . aspect . the . battle . the . our . a . that . assumed . time . in . as . ready . in . that Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Matthew Webb . 25 Feb 2003 16:30 . #306 Jenese said; . . Matthew I agree wholeheartedly in what you . have said here, yet I feel I must ask you a . question ? do you feel that we can . . ************* . . M; . . Personally, I don't see people . significantly changing in ways that are . needed, nor are there large enough numbers . to accomplish what must be done to save . most of our species. What is required at . this time is a sweeping change in values . and lifestyles, such as what I've posted . below. I don't speak of this on the . regular WMS list, mostly because I think . most people do not take anything seriously, . (not even the death of our species). . . ************ . . J; . . or are we as a race 'doomed'to our . own ego's ingnorance ? for I feel that this . has always been the case, only now it is . much more seeable given the current world . crisis which in a sense has always been.. . only like an ugly festering pimple...is now . coming to a head ! . . ********* . . M; . . Yes, the writing has been on the wall for . some time. As a general group, humans are . not displaying what might be . called, "learning behavior" which is . required by any living thing to adapt and . grow. Instead, the same old mistakes are . played out again and again, while the . natural world becomes more and more . destroyed, (and all for the sake of ego . satisfaction, through new cars, wars, . another dead forest, etc.).. . . What I forsee at this point is that the . majority of the human race will die off in . the very near future, both by its own hand, . and through the wrath of the Earth, . (karma). It is due to this conclusion that . I secretly work to save those few who will . listen, by giving them the knowledge of . consciousness and right living, so that a . new civilization might then rise up out of . the ashes of the old. This is assuming . ofcourse, that there is anyone left to . carry forward the New Way. I fully intend . to do so, and invite others to do the same. . . Here is a post made in my log recently, . which further addresses these issues... . . Forget the experts . I say forget them, they know not what they . do, (or say). Let us instead make ample use . of simple logic, through uncomplicated, . straightforward thinking. . . When I was speaking of supply and demand, I . was making the point that what we "demand" . in life is exactly what stimulates others . to supply it to us, whatever that may be. . This is the basis of the so-called "free . maket", and "free trade". . . To make this even more straightforward, . let's look at WHY people demand what they . do, which stimulates corporate supply. We . demand what we do because of what we value. . Changing the world then, is about VALUES, . not the paying of CEOs less or trying to . dismantle big business. These are the . symptoms of our social disease, not the . cause. Bis business is big precisely . because the demand for what they produe is . BIG. Why? Because of the values currently . held by the public for these industries and . products. Why do people value such . industries and products, as are seen every . hour of every day on any television? . Because they've been media conditioned to . value them. This is the principle of modern . advertising...to create a supply and then . stimulate a demand, for whatever product . they want to sell. Selling products these . days is therefore not a matter of the . actual practicality of the product, be it a . new car, a plastic toy, a fancy suit or a . piece of jewelry. Selling them is a matter . of conditioning the viewer to want what . they really don't need. It's mind conrol, . developed to a fine art. This is where the . bottom line of where our society has gone . wrong today...people value and desire . things they don't need to live well, and . they are sacrificng their very lives, their . children's lives, the environemnt and world . peace to get them. All told, this is what . is known as "maintaining our way of life", . (lifestyle). . . Surrounded by "things" such as we are, . we're a "consumer" culture which means that . everything, including the entire world and . other people, are eaten up in this machine . of mass consumption, via waste, fraud and . self indulgence. Again, this is a matter of . values...if people didn't value these . things and this lifestyle, then they would . place no demand for them upon the open . market. Without demand (buyers) there is no . profit. Where there is no profit, there are . no destructive industries left stabnding to . destroy the world and everyone in it. . . So this is where society will either be . changed to further evolve, or where . humanity will self destruct. The values we . hold are what will determine this outcome. . Let us remind the world that a xhange in . values is not a head game where one only . thinks about how different things could be. . A real change in values is a change of . lifestyle, in every aspect of daily life. . This is why I advocate simple, natural . living, and a thorough, uncompromising . rejection of both modern values, . (consumerism) and modern ways of living, . (the consumption of all, war for profit, . sweat shops, and mass starvation). . . What do we need experts for to understand . these simple issues, and how to change our . lives in a sane manner, such as what I've . mentioned? Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Jenese James . 27 Feb 2003 01:40 . #307 . today I banged into an old friend, he was . active in Native forrest Action and was . really into educating people about the . value of our ancient forrests and lived a . really organic life...he's just become a . father and realised that the old ways where . a man goes out to work in the system was . not for him so today he told me they are . moving out to the country on a friends farm . (ranch) and they are going to cut off from . the oil industry by learning about horses . and get a cart . . I have a number of friends doing this at . the moment...I walk everywhere...they . reckon our peterol will rise about 9c more . making it around ummmm ...i think $1.575 . kiwi . and guess what else ....today there was a . survey stopping motorists to ask them if . they wanted a multi story carpark...hell we . only have 3 multi story building in our . town !! when about 1/2 mile walk away is a . big carpark thats always empty...seems no . one is willing to walk...walking it seems . has become a leisure activity..if that . . So sadly I do see that you are right ...not . enough people to change...at the big peace . march a young american boy i met from . washington state...said hypocrisy...sheer . hypocrisy as we both stood there listening . to speeches....I asked him what he . meant...he meant of course how many people . here where wiling to walk more and drive . less...no war for oil ! its a catch phraze . trendy ! although I looked into the crowd . and I saw the same old faces I always see . at things like this....and yet I sit on the . street as part of my job and watch people.. . mainly women i might add...buy . shite ...cheap jewellery....mass . consumerism gone mad... . . I have noticed over the past year the . amount of women I know who have got . pregnant ....its a lot and I don't recall . actually seeing so many pregnant women... . nature has a way of repopulating itself . perhaps and on friday i was told by my own . 23 yr old daughter that i am going to be a . grannie...who in their right mind . . Well no ones in their right mind are . they.... they arn't even in their minds . they are in their conditioned responses . like pavlovs dog...thats what many people . think life is....a conditioned response... . we breed ignorance generation after . generation...even though we have been left . the map of how to live with ourselves, each . other and nature...but no one wants to . listen.... . . you are right...what will happen first . total war, total anarchy or a complete . transformation to the good or a pole shift ? . the choices don't look good . . however i was born a optermist, a cynical . optermist :) but even I sense something . that will shake us all up...and it has to . really cos what's it gonna take..bush has . galvinised many and many more will be when . we see the horror that he brings upon the . earth....but we cann't go back now...when . you get conscious you can't ever really . become unconscious again one can pretend . but that becomes conscious denial...hmmm ok . many are consciously in denial... . . I guess then we live our lives as if . tommorrow we die and start to enjoy . ourselves or we can move away as my friends . are doing.... . Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Sandi Hunter . 27 Feb 2003 10:05 . #308 Hi Jenese, . . Thanks for this excellent post, may I . suggest that you post this on your . newslog? The message is most important and . relevant...there is not much I can add to . it. . . Sandi . . where . farm . we . a . right ...not . the . people.. . each . shift ? . ok . friends Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Jenese James . 28 Feb 2003 01:18 . #309 . I am considering posting this and more . soon, around this topic and tyring to . intergrate and articulate something that is . going round in my mind just on the outter . edges mind you...not yet fully . grasped....however I have just posted . something called the coaltion of the . coereced...which is another example that . when one wakes up what they will realaise . is that what we call democracy is a myth of . gigantic porportions... . . ever since 9/11 I have been asking deep . questions and getting back even more deep . answeres, this I will attemp to articulate . when it becomes easier to grasp Coalition of the Coerced - sharie . 28 Feb 2003 10:50 . #310 Great idea Jenese. I love the title. . . I doubt I'll have time to read everybody's . posts. Forgive me for not replying. . . Sharie Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Matthew Webb . 28 Feb 2003 11:14 . #311 Dear Jenese, . . Going back to nature and natural living, is . as you implied, a huge part of what is . needed for humanity today. I would say . that at least 90% of our problems as a . species, can be traced back to a lack of . listening to and understanding natural . processes, including relating effectively . to our own bodies. People don't listen to . their feelings any more...they take a pill . instead, to avoid what feelings are telling . them. . . It is also common place to not observe . natural laws with regard to physical and . mental health, as everything in this . culture focuses on symptoms, rather than . causes, (solutions). This is exactly why I . wrote the Survivalists' Guide. . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest In fact, . this is why I've been able to See and write . about such things, because of the free time . granted by a simple and natural lifestyle. . . Imagine if society functioned as . efficiently and effectly as a plant, or . nature in general. No huge waste products, . no unnecessary stress, no artificial . desires that need constant feeding, which . then only lead to more pronounced . artificial desires. . . If you took out the products available in . most variety stores and supermarkets that . were not healthy or even truly practical, . what you'd have left would be about 1 isle . of goods and the rest as empty space. The . other 99/100 of the products we see, (and . the polluting industries that create them) . would not exist, and neither would most of . the world's problems. . . The same is true at a personal level...the . public quests after things it doesn't . really need in the name of "consumerism", . (selfishness and shallowness) and . accomplishes nothing from this but stress, . hardship and disease. We need to seriously . re-think this culture. . . I'm including some recent comments in my . News Log on this; . . Interesting... . . Simpleman, you said..."If we all succeed in . changing the mindset of enough people, the . systems will begin to correct themselves . for their own survival." Actually I do . agree with this, but only in part. When . enough individuals change the system will . indeed begin correcting itself, through the . sheer demand that healthy living will . generate. But to depend primarily upon the . system automatically adjusting it's course . to a more sane world, is where I perceive . faulty thinking. It won't just correct . itself...it needs leaders and guides from . among the public, who can carefully take . the necessary steps toward a truly . progressive civlization. Specific steps are . required. To accomplish this requires a . radical shift of the current social trends . toward war and environmental catastrophe. . . The fact is, we simply don't have the time . left for easy, gradual changes in the . world, because although it may SEEM that . chaos is only starting, this is an . illusion. It is the calm before the . imminent storm. We don't feel the storm so . much in the states because we're still . insulated from it by left-over economic . inertia. But very soon the entire world . economy is going to destabilize . dramatically, and so too will the . environmental trends that have been set in . motion for over a century. Such chaos is . encroaching upon us, while the majority of . people take the whole situation very . lightly. This is a fundamental mistake, and . it will cost our species dearly. I predict . that there will be few who survive, (if . any). . . Furthermore, after a careful look at modern . society, the objective person can only . conclude that there's almost nothing good . about the way things are currently running. . Yes, it could be said that companies and . government are providing needed serivces . here and there. But these are few and far . between and are not based on the right . intent of the best benefit for all. They . amount to a tiny fraction of where most . taxpayer dollars are spent. To not pay . taxes to this monster, for instance, won't . cause a greater collapse in the system to . any greater degree than where it is already . headed. The inevitable collapse will only . come a little sooner. How long do you think . an increasing 6.4 trillion dollar national . debt, and an ever widening trade deficit . can last, without widespread collapse? . Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Jenese James . 28 Feb 2003 21:45 . #312 yes I agree with the nature thing, and You . may not agree with me but the shift occured . because we negated the attributes of the . feminine which nature has always been . aligned...thats a simple way of stating it . but thats the root of it...nature is our . grace, our nature...and if youve ever read . or heard of Terrence Mckenna, he wrote an . awesome piece about using nature rather . than the animal kingdom for our example . he also said go green or die which is . becoming more and more self evident . . I have to disagree with what you said to . simpleman...I don't beleive change can come . about in the present system that entire . system has to fall and will...anything that . has been a threat to that system be it . politics or health has always been . consigned to the margins, as alternative as . fringe and there it has grown slowley . quietly gaining ground...it is a complete . alternative system that has arisin BECASUE . of the old system but it has not arisn from . the old system the old system po pohed it . so it has arisin without the old system and . now stands growing to take its place . . this is alternative health that sees the . body as holistic natural medicine such as . herbs, a mind set that sees the way we . think and feel contributing to our illness . this is in stark contrast to the orthodox . medical view that sees us as some kind of . mechanical thing with isolated parts that . bear no real connection to the whole and . that insults not to mention assults the . body with even more toxic chemicasl whos . side affects ensures the medical profession . stays rich . . this alterntive system includes organic . gardneing..realsing that nature knows best . and not to drench it with chemical toxic . fertilisers....this alternative system . includes educataors that don't place so . much importance IQ but how one feels . Emotional qotient.. . . so as the old system which many refuse to . live within begins to crumble, and I do . beleive it will ...further I beleive we are . witnessing this now as we watch bush et el . have no clue that the world has had a guts . ful of them and is no longer their adoring . slaves...we are witness the old hold on to . their old ways even at the extent of . destroying all of us....but change it will . and I beleive and will always give my . energy to the belief that we will change . for the good because I witness the rise of . an alternative system populated by NGO that . are populated by people who have had enough . these have been slowly growing as I said . above . . Yes my friend and others are leaving the . oil driven system the old way of being, Re: The riddle of the modern condition - Frans weyer . 1 Mar 2003 12:43 . #313 . Hi jenese everyone, . I fully agree with your vision,i see it . happen,people are changing let,s hope not to . slow the prognosis at this moment is not . good. . The femine must surely go her way,as to . stabilize the strenght that was outgrown . There is a saying that in the beginning . there was nothing that could be named,and . even that is not true. . Then there was( or already was) suddenly the . one. . The one split in two(mother and father) . The two split in three . Consciosnes(difficult word for a foreigner) . came to life.And out of the three the then- . thousend things apeared.We are surrounded . bij them. . As everywher in nature we also reflect this . and here lies a fundamental thruth. . Indeed honour they father and mother,the God . and Goddes . We live trough them everyday as we human are . going our own new way. . They reflect in us. . As the anima and animus,or what myth ever . that can expressed it. . If the way of tao is not taken," out of the . closet" coming imbalance will begin a new . balance . What ever direction it goes we must face . it,and no one can say. . Greetings, . Frans. . . The Modern Condition - Matthew Webb . 3 Mar 2003 17:15 . #314 My thought regarding this post, is that it . should be shared with this group for a . variety of reasons. . . The first part includes a letter recently . written to me by a WMS subscriber. Next, . my reply letter follows... . . *************** . . Greetings Matthew, . . My thanks for your news letters once again, . as always I am in accord with what is . sent...I have been a searcher of truth for . much of my life and find that the simple . spiritual life is the only sane way forward . to freedom and to realize our human . potential....Why do we find this so . difficult? Why do we find it so hard to be . kind , and unselfishly loving? . . Because we still do not get it, we are all . one, all part of this glorious cosmos ... I . have at last come to know this and more as . well including how deluded I have been for . much of my life and how much I have to . learn. My aim is to be a good person, harm . no one and to seek enlightenment...My ego . is such a challenge, my lack of wisdom, my . negative conditioning. I require much . guidance and seek a master to teach and . guide me. I wish to attain enlightenment . but do not know how....Would you consider, . teaching me? I believe that for me to do . this I need a mentor or master to show me . the pathway to follow, to aid with my . meditations , study and progress. .. I am . home until Wednesday and hope to here from . you...I understand if I do not...and shall . wait until I do. Seeking clarity and light, . D . . . Brother D, . . I am honored by your request, and find it . difficult to answer simply. My reply has . much to do with your other questions . below...such as "Why do people find the . spiritual life so difficult?" They find it . difficult because of the modern . condition...people have forgotten their . roots as natural beings. They no longer . listen to their feelings, nor to the logic . of efficiency, simplicity and a natural . lifestyle. You could say that the human . race has become "over-domesticated" and due . to the lack of wisdom in the following of . natural laws, (which are themselves the . blueprint for reality, as demonstrated in . nature) they suffer tremendously. . . I have diligently sought to emphasize such . points to the general public for many . years, and have written hundreds upon . hundreds of pages of material toward that . end. All of this has been given freely and . without concern for copyright. In previous . years I labored under the illusion that if . the truth was presently intelligently and . concisely enough, that this would be the . lever by which society could be moved. But . I was wrong about that. Most people today . do not seek after the truth, they seek only . to see a reflection of what they already . believe and live by, in the material world. . . The accurate and even entertaining . presentation of truth is not in their . interest so long as that presentation . contradicts the values they hold dear. . Unfortunately the values of materialism and . consumerism rule the day around the globe, . and this is the unnaturalness I referred to . earlier. . . It is this endless making of money and the . acquiring of unneeded material goods, which . feeds the "economy" and destroys the Earth . and every living thing upon it. For that . reason I wrote the Survivalists' Guide and . many other articles like it...to make this . point. Society and the average person will . not find a spiritual life, nor even a . remotely satisfying one, until they realize . the unnatural and destructive nature of . their daily routines. In other words, they . must reconfigure their priorities . COMPLETELY. Without doing this, spiritual . practice and goals will never flourish in . this world, nor will the average person . even find the time or energy to engage . them. . . I've realized that the vast majority does . not seek real progress, since they are . firmly attached to the lifestyle that is . familiar. This is the attachment of . emotional insecurity. It is also the result . of not developing the intellect for any . purpose other than the making of money. It . is also a matter of not valuing the truth . itself above all else. . . Given all of this, it is clear to me that . the human race is in for some very harsh . lessons. Hundreds of millions will soon . die, and then, perhaps, billions. The signs . of this approaching international, economic . and environmental collapse are all around . us, but most prefer to see otherwise. . Preferring to look the other way will not . save anyone, and it will only compound the . inevitable mass death that is soon to . follow. Society as a whole has degraded . into the decadence of a new Roman empire, . and its citizens seek only their own self . indulgence at the cost of all else. They do . this without serious thought given to a . life well lived, or even the lives of their . children, or children's children. . . The World Mind Society and its various . projects and writings, have in my . estimation been a failure. Of course, . hundreds if not thousands of people have . benefited from its articles and . meditations, but the degree of that benefit . has been minimal. There will be no social . revolution nor spiritual renaissance, with . the current values, (as seen on television) . holding sway over public lifestyle. There . will only be mass destruction and even . world war, while what remains of nature . will be literally "consumed" by an angry, . insane hoard of human-locusts. . . After reviewing all of this, and finding so . few allies in this work that I could count . them on less than one hand, I've very . reluctantly concluded that human beings . have, for the most part, already made their . decision. They've decided to indulge . themselves for one final moment in history . before they die en-masse. This is their own . decision and I have been unable to talk . them out of it. I've shown better ways and . means that could change the entire globe . forever, yet almost no one takes the WMS . mission seriously. They are too caught up . in the world karma to even bother with the . details of their own demise. . . This is why I'm not likely to write much . else, and will let the WMS Library stand on . its own. What really needed to be said has . been said already anyway...more elaboration . feels like inventing clever ways to repeat . myself to an un-enthusiastic audience. I . will soon seek haven in the woods, probably . at the end of this month. . . Your request, brother D, is the first of . its kind. You said you seek a Guide and . have asked if I would teach you. I take . this request very seriously, and am glad to . finally see someone who ardently seeks to . both learn and progress, as would any . intelligent and progressive being. This is . wise and appropriate. But I must say that . the times of crisis are nearly upon us, and . there is little opportunity left to deeply . engage a mutual undertaking of spiritual . exploration. I say "mutual" because to . teach spirituality is to also learn, and to . refresh that which is both useful and . important in life. . . All of this is why answering your request . is difficult. I would like very much to . offer what I know in greater depth than . what is already presented on the WMS . website http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Perhaps we may yet have that opportunity. . For now I ask that you read everything . that's in the Library and ponder it in . depth, in terms of practical, daily . application. Do this and then see if you . still want to be my student. Along the way, . if you have any questions let me . know...just please remember that I'm likely . to leave for the woods around the 25th of . this month. . . Utmost seriousness regarding this material . is necessary, because what the WMS Library . contains is NOT theoretical, it is entirely . practical and based upon truth alone. What . it refers to and speaks of is a literal . fact and cosmic constant. If you can . realize this through your own meditation . and life, then that would be very good. . . Yours in service, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Silence - Frans weyer . 8 Mar 2003 10:54 . #315 It seems that Matthews message hits this . bulletin board like a lightning REALIZE - Matthew Webb . 19 Mar 2003 14:02 . #316 . That it is useful to employ the following . Intent. . . Invite the soul into the body, on a . permanent basis. . . The procedure; . . Feel every part of the body . simultaneously. Do this for at least 10 . minutes without any break in focus. . . While focused on all the feelings in the . body, INVITE IN YOUR SOUL to inhabit it. . The seventh chakra, (crown of head) is . ideal for this focus. Feel the presence of . the soul entering the seventh chakra and . filling the rest of the body. Feel this . happening in every muscle and joint. . . Be a passive Watcher and know that you are . more than the content of your thoughts. . Let your soul take over your mental . functions, and also manifest itself through . all of the feelings in the body, . (particularly those inside the head.) . . Radiate high clarity and love as a soul in . a body. Be a soul, not a set of memories. . . . This procedure may be called; “A METHOD FOR . ESTABLISHING RIGHT ALIGNMENT”. Re: REALIZE - Judih Haggai . 21 Mar 2003 04:14 . #317 ">This procedure may be called; “A METHOD . FOR ESTABLISHING RIGHT ALIGNMENT”. . . Right alignment is the perfect term. Surely . this is the time to collect excuses and . exhale them into the void. Exhale the . procrastination, the old habits, the . inertia, and inhale the right intention and . guide it through meridians. Round goes the . chi with conscious attention. . . Together the effort becomes even more . sacred - if such a thing can be measured. . . Thank you Matt . for calling me to awareness with this . message, . . judih . " Inside the Mind of War - Matthew Webb . 22 Mar 2003 00:52 . #318 Are the Thoughts of a Society . Gone Mad . . By Matthew Webb . . What endless unrest churns these human . creatures to wreak havoc upon their . fellows? An off-world visitor would surely . ask themselves this question with intense . interest. What they do to themselves is . completely astonishing! Upon these humans . aliens would likely look with some sense of . uneasy fascination, wondering how a . normally intelligent, progressive species . with great evolutionary promise, residing . on a pristine and bountiful planet, could . ever make such an unnecessary mess of their . world. What prompts them to make wars, to . destroy in the name of petty and arbitrary . nations, base material ambitions, and on . behalf of petty and arbitrary gods? How . bizarre it is to see them dash to and fro . in their polluting machines with no . particular purpose in mind, seeking . happiness and finding none, when in fact . there is none to be found within the goals . they have set for themselves! They have . forgotten the purpose of life . . These could well be the musings of an alien . race, upon encountering the dilemma of . modern Homo Sapiens. . . Indeed, what does cause us to move into the . next millennium with bombs falling, police . batons clacking and people living in fear . of each other? What are the motives behind . such madness? Of course many will give the . standard, often quoted political reasons, . or speak of religious, ideological and . national extremism, or talk about social . and economic inequality. But as always, . these answers don’t really satisfy the . question, because “Why?” can again be . asked. In realizing that humanity’s . difficulties are WORLDWIDE, finding . expression on every continent, every . country, every cultural setting, every city . and almost universally in EVERY SINGLE . MIND, such political, social and economic . explanations ring very hollow. The fact . is, religious leaders. governments, . professors, think tanks and the greatest . authors and thinkers of our day, are for . the most part at a loss to explain WHY the . human race is in such trouble. . Every “expert” has their own personal slant . and offered short-term remedy, and they ALL . fall far short of really addressing the . human condition as it globally exists. . Seemingly, no one is able to articulate why . war after war occurs around the globe every . decade, bringing our species ever closer to . the brink of disaster. . . Similarly, no one seems able to clearly . explain WHY we wantonly destroy the . environment for the sake of money, only to . be forced to spend billions years later to . deal with the effects of pollution, when . prevention would have been much simpler. . Instantaneous gratification of governments . and citizens alike, each one accumulating . as much debt as possible in the shortest . period of time, is now the social norm. . The attitude of our time is to live for . today alone, for tomorrow is irrelevant. . Realistic planning for a better future . through logical, measured practices in the . present, is viewed as politically dangerous . and socially boring. . . Neither does anyone seem able to explain . why people are in such a stressed state of . mind and body, What was rare 20 years ago, . is now the common practice of taking mood . altering drugs just to make it through . another day. Oddly enough, we work more . and enjoy far less, calling that, “success” . and a “higher standard of living”. . It’s “more convenient” to take a pill to . reduce fat or gain sexual appetite, rather . than working out or eating sensibly. It’s . argued that “there’s just no time” for life . on the 9 to 5. In the case of disease, why . engage a change of lifestyle, when the . family surgeon can just cut out the cancer . or remove another organ? This is what many . evidently think, as they go about . sacrificing their lives for the sake of . fulfilling the, “financial goals” of . consumerism. . . Shockingly, all of these questions have a . common and final answer, a bottom line . which underlies EVERY problem in the modern . world. Whether we’re talking about the . motives for war, disease and famine, . neighborhood crime, social inequality, the . corruption in government, or any other . problem around the globe, this . final “bottom line” explains it all. . . Beware of thinking that what comes next is . too simple to be useful . . The fundamental problem confronting human . beings is; . . THE HOLDING OF WRONG VALUES . . By “values” I mean those guiding beliefs . and cherished goals which shape our daily . lives. By “wrong” I mean not in accord . with reality, as in untruthful or false, . and therefore personally and mutually . destructive. “Wrong values” means holding . life goals and a lifestyle based upon them, . which are not evolutionary or life . affirmative. As such, these values are . incompatible with nature and the natural . laws which govern everything in the . universe, (including our own bodies and the . principles which make technology possible). . . As a species we are living in a fashion . that is fully contrary to the designs of . the Cosmos. To put that in more . theological terms, we’re living in a way . that is opposed to the intent of that which . is called God. The primary wrong value . which permeates society today, is the . selfishness seen in the worship of the . Dollar above all else. For the sake of . monetary profit, human beings willingly and . even contemptuously destroy nature, thereby . undermining the very life blood of the . planet upon which they depend for . survival. Humans behave as though they . think of themselves as machines, which are . superior to nature and natural beings. . Because they think of themselves and their . society as indestructible machines, (whose . worn out parts simply get replaced . indefinitely) it is a common notion that . we’re not vulnerable like other living . creatures. It’s become easy to imagine . that we’re somehow immune to our own . pollution, environmental destruction, the . contaminants of war, unnatural chemicals in . food, agriculture and industry. We imagine . that our technology and social structures . will protect us from the natural reality, . but this is simply not so. This is why . it’s also easy for many to ignore the . effects of war, so long as the bombs aren’t . dropping in their own neighborhood. . . Let us explore the “holding of wrong . values” in relation to the current war on . Iraq, and its‘ impact on the world. We’ve . all heard the endless commentaries on why . war is or is not desirable, as well as who . is for or against it. Everyone agrees, at . least in principle, that war is both tragic . and wrong. Yet, here we have another war . which threatens the very fabric of . international relations and treaties, for . all time. It’s not unlikely that the U.S. . invasion and occupation of Iraq, will cause . such widespread social unrest and . international enmity, that World War III is . right around the corner in human history. . No one can argue convincingly that this is . not a strong possibility. Nor is it hard . to predict that in a short time, the . collapse of economies will continue to . accelerate. Personal and national debts . are at an all time high, and are only . spiraling further out of control with each . day that passes. Currencies will implode . and become worthless, as entire banking . institutions declare insolvency from all . the failed loans they’ve accumulated. . Unemployment is soaring and will continue . to increase. And it is very likely that . the U.S.-Iraq war will only speed these . processes along, toward worldwide economic . and political instability, to the point of . mass panic. Why is all this happening? . . Because of the holding of wrong values, on . the part of governments, social . institutions and the individual people . which compose them. . . Many millions of people around the world . are rightfully upset about developments in . the Middle East, and are showing their . resolve to oppose wars of international . barbarity and aggression. They are taking . to the streets with their signs, . practicing “civil disobedience” in many . forms, and writing urgent letters of appeal . to government leaders. Some advocate a . working class uprising through self . governance. Spiritual pundits abound with . channeled messages or scriptural advice. . Some propose the adopting of a peaceful . state of mind, employing meditation in . groups to ease social tensions. Some pray . to God asking for a peaceful resolution to . a war-torn world. Others work as . volunteers, seeking to educate the public . or by providing hands-on assistance to . those in need. These are all noble . sentiments and social attempts at world . change, there can be no doubt. But equally . doubtless is that absolutely NONE of these . are going to really change anything in the . long term. They all address the symptoms . of an imbalanced world, but not the cause. . None of these measures are going to save . humanity, or fundamentally transform our . human civilization. Why? Because society . will still, in that long run, be based on . wrong values. These will always seep back . into noble endeavors, governments or . philosophies, no matter how lofty such . enterprises may initially set out to be. . They will induce a rot, just as bad fruit . will soon spoil by contact what was fresh . and healthy. A fine example of this fact, . is the current corruption and wholesale . disregard for the intent of such documents . as the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights . and Declaration of Independence. Those who . became noble by learning the lessons of . oppression and ill-guided government, are . now the oppressors themselves. The power . of kings is once again in the hands of . despots and tyrants, who kill in the name . of preventing murder, legislate oppression . in the name of freedom, and wage war in the . name of peace. . . Another example of the corrupting influence . of wrong values, is how the message of . Christ, (in living life lovingly and . simply) has been largely ignored in the . modern day. Rather than being used as a . guideline for living, it has been . transformed instead into a self serving, . ritualized, church hierarchy, that is more . concerned with acquiring tithe-paying . devotees, than with carrying out the intent . of Christ. Those who call . themselves “Christians” today, are just as . likely to advocate war as they are peace, . while fully mindful that this is something . Christ would have never done. . . This is the story of history repeating . itself yet again. . . It is very curious if not ironic to . understand that the vast majority of those . who rightfully protest war today, are not . advocating an alternative world, other than . to say they want “peace”. But what is . peace other than the opposite of war, and . from whence does it come? The word “peace” . has come to mean, “a state of being without . war” rather than as a state of . consciousness, or as a living, daily . lifestyle. And this is where we come down . to the bottom line once again, in that; . . War is the result of holding wrong values. . . Peace is the result of holding right values. . . Both war and peace are the effects of a . deeper cause, not an ultimate cause in . themselves. . . There will always be war so long as the . people themselves, (collectively known . as “society”) hold wrong values in their . daily lives. So long as money, ego-driven . fashion and notoriety, are the guiding . forces of social interaction, our species . is truly doomed to extinction. So long as . we value things over people by disregarding . the spiritual qualities of honesty, love . and unity, there will be no peace, not now . and not ever. So long as the cult of . consumerism, credit card impulsiveness and . thing-fetish mentality drives the world, . humanity will never live to see the next . century, let alone the next millennium. . . After reading the above, most will . protest, “although much of what you say is . arguable, I’m different than all that. I . do my part in my own way, and that’s all a . person can do”. But I must beg to differ, . so allow me to explain. To be very . realistic, it’s necessary to point out that . there is no real or fundamental difference . between the values of government corruption . through World War mongering, and those of . the average person. Comparing these values . will show this beyond a reasonable doubt, . as follows; . . Materialism and Greed . . 1) Wars happen largely because governments . value things over people through greed they . seek to exploit other countries, while . asking, “How can our ‘national interests‘ . be served?“. This is also why, “economic . interests” and commodities take precedence . over all other considerations in foreign . policy. . . 1) Social conflict happens largely because . the average person values things over . people .through greed they seek to exploit . other individuals, while asking, “What can . I ‘get’ from this person, and how will they . serve my interests?”. This is also . why, “financial goals” and careers take . precedence over all other considerations in . personal life. . . ***** . . Security . . 2) Money interests are what usually drive . government relations with other countries, . (especially when it comes to acquiring . natural resources of value). The main . purpose of diplomacy is to make such . resources available on a dependable basis. . . 2) Money interests are what usually drive . personal relations with other people. The . main purpose of marriage is that of a . financial contract, to make such resources . available on a dependable basis. . . ***** . . Sacrificing the Truth . . 3) Government media tells lies or . distorted facts, in an effort to influence . public opinion. Truth is considered either . irrelevant and inconvenient so long as it . is inconsistent with current policies. . Facts are rarely debated honestly with the . intent of gaining greater collective . wisdom, beyond the limits of political . norms. . . 3) People tell lies or distorted facts, in . an effort to influence the opinion of . others. Truth is considered either . irrelevant and inconvenient so long as it . is inconsistent with current personal . preferences. Facts are rarely debated . honestly with the intent of gaining mutual . understanding, beyond the limits of social . norms. . . ***** . . A Battle of Wills and Domination . . 4) Government policy is generally not for . the benefit of all. It is instead the . implementation of the will of a few, over . the will of the majority. . . 4) Social interaction is generally not for . the benefit of all people equally. It is . instead the implementation of the will of . one person or group, over the will of . another, (or others). . . ***** . . Projecting an Image . . 5) Government/corporate statements and . appearances are designed to impress the . world in a way that boosts their collective . ego, in comparison to the rest of the . world. The truth of such statements is not . considered the main issue. The main issue . is that image is considered more important . than reality. This is the whole approach . behind modern advertising sell an image, . (logo and emotional association) rather . than a physical product. . . 5) Personal statements and appearances . are designed to impress the neighbors and . co-workers in a way that boosts one’s ego, . in comparison to them. The truth of such a . projected self image is not considered the . main issue. The main issue is that image . is considered more important than reality. . This is the whole approach behind modern . relations sell a self image, (fancy clothes . and rehearsed replies) rather than reveal . what the real person underneath is all . about. . . ***** . . Self Indulgence at the Cost of All Else . . 6) The national debt grows larger and . larger as spending increases and social . benefits diminish. . . 6) The average consumer debt grows larger . and larger as spending increases and . personal benefits diminish. . . ***** . . If YOU held public office . . Who among you cannot be bribed at any price . by the corporate world, such as are the . presidents and senators of our time, . because you hold so steadfastly to a higher . spiritual calling? Who among your ranks . can always resist the endless pressure or . intimidation of powerful global interests, . urging you to use the power of your office . for ends which are not in the common good? . Only those who hold radically different . values than the current norm, could honesty . say they could and would do so. . . To conclude about these comparisons of . personal to national values, one must . realize that there is no essential . difference between the two. Thus, when we . speak of government corruption, we must . also speak of the corruption of the people . who compose it, and the social values which . serve as their daily guide. Many complain . that the mass media is not honest, yet . where can consistent honesty be found in . personal relations? Many shout, “no blood . for oil!” and yet drive SUV’s or luxury . cars to their 2000 to 6000 square foot . house or apartment, whose daily utility . costs alone, are greater than the monthly . wages of half the world’s population. . . We may rightfully criticize government . greed, corruption and bad policy-making, . but at the same time, it is necessary to . take a step back to clearly see how our own . life values and accompanying lifestyles, . are alarmingly similar. The fact is that . the current U.S. government policy is but a . reflection of the same values which . permeate our society at every level. They . can be summed up by calling them the “me . first” type of selfish disregard, for . anything which does not immediately cater . to personal or national interests. In . selfishness we destroy the Earth and all of . its creatures, for the sake of money and . material possessions. We heap these things . in great piles like monuments to our name, . hoping perhaps to rival the heirlooms of . ancient kings. We acquire these . possessions as a demonstration of our . supposed worth in the eyes of others, such . as the fancy new car, expensive outfit or . larger house. In both the national and . personal sense, what we now do is not truly . necessary for our survival or even our . happiness. What we do rests instead with a . socially approved and encouraged egotism, . that has absolutely NO practical or . spiritual reason for continuing on as it . is. Yet magazine stands and commercials . abound, in praise of such lavish waste. . The Earth cannot sustain such a demand, nor . are our lives truly benefited by the goals . of consumerism, such as those seen hourly . on television. . . In speaking of war or any other social . disease, let us look to its’ underlying . cause, rather than just futilely addressing . its various effects. The effects of wide- . spread planetary calamity are upon us all, . whether or not we yet feel them. The . cause of all such effects is the holding of . wrong social values. Until such values are . willingly changed in each of us, there will . be no peace, nor world for future . generations to enjoy. As a species we will . have failed to evolve and pass the test of . fitness to survive, which in this case is . being honest about the facts of modern . life, and making the appropriate daily . changes which embrace life, rather than . self indulgent death. . . Although it may be readily argued that . protests and letter writing have their . place for social change, it is a better . strategy to advocate a change of basic . values and lifestyles, to our fellow human . beings. It is better that we actually LIVE . OUT a better way, rather than begging, . pleading or demanding change from . unresponsive government “leaders”. The . time for begging and demanding are over. . It’s time that the people changed their own . ways and learned to govern their own lives, . outside the small, paltry box of . consumerism and mass media hype. To do . this we absolutely MUST reject the current . values of society, and in fact, society in . general. By “reject” I mean thoroughly . question and then discard those social . beliefs and norms, as can be seen on any . street corner and magazine stand, in any . town or city anywhere in the world. We . must reject the false idea, (beyond simple . practicality) that things equal . fulfillment, and that money equals . happiness. They do not. . . There will be no end to wars in this world . through protest. You can attempt to change . presidents, legislation or governmental . forms, and in the off chance that such . efforts are fully successful, there will . only in time come yet another tyrant to . take the place of the impeached, so long as . the same social values remain in place. . War will be replaced by peace ONLY at such . a time when those wrong values, or motives . for its’ very existence, are replaced in . the public mind by spiritual and natural . ways. Any debate regarding this simple . fact of war, beyond the primary cause of . VALUES, will remain both superficial and . entirely beside the point, for the sake of . world peace and human evolution. . . Many reading this will want to know far . more specifics than what has been offered . here, with regard to real life changes. . Know that this work has already been . accomplished and carefully explained in . my “Survivalists’ Guide for the New . Millennium” book, posted on the World Mind . Society website at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest In this . free book, the detailed reasoning behind . the need to reject modern society can be . found, along with recommended, practical . measures for creating a far more sane way . of life. . . In love and clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Note; . I may not have the opportunity to answer . replies at this time. Please read The . Guide on-line before making serious . inquiries. You have my permission, (and . gratitude) to reprint this article. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This Sunday's GGM Meditation - Matthew Webb . 22 Mar 2003 15:16 . #319 Greetings World Mind Society Practitioners, . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are now . in progress for the benefit of all beings . on Earth. Our meditation will start at 3PM . Pacific Standard Time, (Portland/Seattle) . this Sunday afternoon, (March 23rd) and end . whenever you wish. See the “Chakra . Meditation” on our website, as a beginning . focus. . . . The following times are given for your . convenience and correspond to . Sunday 3PM Pacific Standard Time, . (Portland/Seattle). . . Your local times; . Sunday 4PM Boise, Idaho/ Sunday 5PM Mexico . City, . Guatemala;/ Sunday 6PM Lima, Quito/ . Sunday 7PM Caracus, Santo Domingo/ . Sunday 8PM Buenos Aires/ Sunday 9PM . Brasilia/ Sunday 10PM Praia/ Sunday 11PM . Reykjavik, Dublin/ Sunday 12 Midnight . Madrid, Rome, Brussels/ Monday 1AM Athens, . Damaskus/ Monday 2AM Baghdad, Tehran, . Moscow/ Monday 3AM Yerevan, Baku, Kabul/ . Monday 4AM Islamabad/ Monday 4:30AM New . Delhi/ Monday 5AM Dhaka, Colombo/ Monday . 6AM Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh/ Monday 7AM . Singapore, Beijing, Taipei/ Monday 8AM . Seoul, Tokyo/ Monday 9AM Port Moresby/ . Monday 10 AM Canberra/ Monday 11AM Suva, . Funafuti/ Monday 12 noon Wellington/ . Monday 1PM Nukualofa. . . The GGM Meditations represent a growing . effort by people around the world, to focus . their prayers and meditations together, for . the mutual expansion of consciousness. . Through this simultaneous focus, we are . aligning our awareness on a psychic basis. . Through this alignment our ever-expanding . world group is using INTENT, to elevate the . spiritual intensity of all involved. At the . same time our Intent is to uplift the World . Mind, or collective consciousness of . humanity, and to heal the Earth, (Gaia) of . stresses and imbalances. This spiritual . effort is founded upon the Group Mind . Principle, and other principles of Natural . Law. . . The Group Mind Principle states that, . "the resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts". . . Through the Group Mind Principle we are . resonantly combining our love, clarity and . a passion for spiritual progress in all . ways, to manifest itself amongst the . peoples of the world. We are in effect, . intending into place ever higher states of . consciousness for each other, and all of . humanity. In an intentionally formed group . mind such as this, the psychic and . spiritual effects created can be quite . potent. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are being . coordinated by the World Mind Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . They are held every second and fourth . Sunday of each month. Please mark your . calendar. . Inquiries regarding this Transmission of . group Intent may be directed to Matthew . Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Although it is not necessary, participants . can choose from seven specific focuses, for . the sake of group and world benefit. . [Beginners can use the basic Chakra . Meditation.] These seven focuses are ideal . components for the expansion of . consciousness, (including greater love, . clarity, higher energy, connection to God, . etc.) and are all described in detail, by a . five-part article known as The Perpetual . Raising. The Perpetual Raising series is . available upon request, (contact Matthew . Webb) and it can also be found in the . Library of the World Mind Society web site. . . Let us bring forth a new world. Let us . manifest together the higher qualities of . natural and spiritual living. . . You are all invited to participate! . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Meditation - Amy Churchward . 27 Mar 2003 01:00 . #320 I was wondering if anyone is able to help me . with meditation? Re: Meditation - Matthew Webb . 27 Mar 2003 21:30 . #321 What would you like to know Amy? . . ******** . . me Re:Meditation - Amy Churchward . 27 Mar 2003 21:56 . #322 I've never done it before and i really am . keen to know how.....i know there are . different ways...i want to join in on the . meditations on Sundays* Re:Meditation - Matthew Webb . 28 Mar 2003 08:38 . #323 Dear Amy, . . It's very commendable that you openly ask . about meditation. . . The World Mind Society's basic practice is . known as the "Chakra Meditation", which is . described below. From this practice we . also engage in the "Global Group Mind . Meditations" the second and fourth Sunday . of each month. . . This is only an introduction. Please do . feel most free to inquire further, . regarding any questions you may have. . . Matthew Webb . . ********* . . The following is the main meditation used . by practitioners of the World Mind . Society. It is the foundation of our daily . practice, providing both enhanced . awareness, intelligence, wisdom and greater . clarity for those who are diligent in its' . use. . . There are also various meditations designed . for more specific uses, which can be found . in the Perpetual Raising Part 5, (as well . as other articles in our Library . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest). . . The Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately . begin focusing on the feelings throughout . the body. Those new to this practice may . begin by focusing upon a very small area of . the body, such as the tip of the right . index finger. Be carefully aware of every . subtle detail of feeling in this area. . Allow awareness to spread to the entire . finger, then the hand, arm, both arms, . chest, torso, head, legs and feet, (not . necessarily in that order). Do not avoid . any pain, fear or other unpleasantness . found anywhere in the body. [Such feelings . are usually the result of Intentions which . inhibit personal growth, and these can . be "reprogrammed". Fear can be replaced by . love, confusion by clarity, and pain by . vibrant energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . simply relax, and return again and again to . a feeling-awareness focus, even if this . means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts . to intrude upon this process will gradually . diminish. Be patient and don’t let the . simplicity of this method of meditation . deceive you. Let your awareness travel . freely from one area of the body to the . next, as it will be inclined to do. Feel . every subtle inner detail. Areas of . particular stress or activity will attract . your awareness, and hold it for longer . periods than the rest of the body. Allow . this to happen, as it is a function of . natural self-healing processes and energy . body activity. Don’t be concerned or . irritated by intruding thoughts, just . continue to return to a feeling/awareness- . oriented focus within the body, in a . relaxed manner. . . One particularly notable value of the above . meditational practice, is that is can be . done any time during the day, at work, at . home or in conjunction with any other . activity. It can be done for as little as 5- . 30 seconds at a time, (as daily inner . awareness) and it will still render . cumulative benefits, though these are . usually more pronounced when the eyes are . closed, and the body still. It is . recommended that the Chakra Meditation, (or . others like it) be performed daily just . before going to sleep at night, and before . arising in the morning, for 20-30 minutes . at a time. Daily inner awareness and . meditation compliment each others’ . effectiveness, acting to improve health, . reduce stress, increase psychic . sensitivity, clarity and the capacity for . love, manifest intelligence and wisdom. . . As the meditator becomes increasingly aware . of their own inner state of being through . meditation, they are also enabled to take . greater notice of their psychic . environment. The "mood" or "atmosphere" of . the workplace is made clearly perceptable . to them. The underlying motives and . feelings of persons as well as groups, . become more and more obvious. Even more . importantly, the meditator gains greater . awareness of their own patterns of feeling . and thought, as well as the Intentions . which underlie them. That which is known . can be easily addressed, whereas that which . is unknown is difficult to change. Self . knowledge implies the capacity for self . change. The self-aware individual discovers . that the task of building a more evolved . self, is often easier than expected. They . are thus enabled to build a more evolved . world with others in the process. . . Note; . . By applying the Chakra Meditation daily, . (or others like it) we become increasingly . aware of the subtle feelings/Intents in the . body, as they exist in each cubic inch of . our physiology. This practice then allows . the meditator to begin to transform the . Intentions held in the body as a residue of . past experiences, to ones that are . progressively more evolved. Long held fear . anywhere in the body, such as in the . stomach, (third chakra) or the heart, . (fourth chakra) can be transformed to love. . Confusion and a scattered focus in the . region of the forehead, (sixth chakra) can . be turned into greater and greater clarity. . A lack of energy in the hips/lower spine, . (first chakra) can be made into a state of . high vitality. All of these changes of . cellular memory and Intent can be . transformed in such a manner . . ******* . Little angel - Amy Churchward . 30 Mar 2003 00:44 . #324 Hi! I have a 7 month old son and i am . wanting to know how to make sure his natural . (psychic) abilities shine through. My . partner isn't spiritual at all. When i look . in my son's eyes the is a knowingness there. Today's GGM Meditation - Matthew Webb . 30 Mar 2003 09:48 . #325 Greetings World Mind Society Practitioners, . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are now . in progress for the benefit of all beings . on Earth. Our meditation will start at 3PM . Pacific Standard Time, (Portland/Seattle) . this Sunday afternoon, (today) and end . whenever you wish. See the “Chakra . Meditation” on our website, as a beginning . focus. . . . The following times are given for your . convenience and correspond to . Sunday 3PM Pacific Standard Time, . (Portland/Seattle). . . Your local times; . Sunday 4PM Boise, Idaho/ Sunday 5PM Mexico . City, . Guatemala;/ Sunday 6PM Lima, Quito/ . Sunday 7PM Caracus, Santo Domingo/ . Sunday 8PM Buenos Aires/ Sunday 9PM . Brasilia/ Sunday 10PM Praia/ Sunday 11PM . Reykjavik, Dublin/ Sunday 12 Midnight . Madrid, Rome, Brussels/ Monday 1AM Athens, . Damaskus/ Monday 2AM Baghdad, Tehran, . Moscow/ Monday 3AM Yerevan, Baku, Kabul/ . Monday 4AM Islamabad/ Monday 4:30AM New . Delhi/ Monday 5AM Dhaka, Colombo/ Monday . 6AM Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh/ Monday 7AM . Singapore, Beijing, Taipei/ Monday 8AM . Seoul, Tokyo/ Monday 9AM Port Moresby/ . Monday 10 AM Canberra/ Monday 11AM Suva, . Funafuti/ Monday 12 noon Wellington/ . Monday 1PM Nukualofa. . . The GGM Meditations represent a growing . effort by people around the world, to focus . their prayers and meditations together, for . the mutual expansion of consciousness. . Through this simultaneous focus, we are . aligning our awareness on a psychic basis. . Through this alignment our ever-expanding . world group is using INTENT, to elevate the . spiritual intensity of all involved. At the . same time our Intent is to uplift the World . Mind, or collective consciousness of . humanity, and to heal the Earth, (Gaia) of . stresses and imbalances. This spiritual . effort is founded upon the Group Mind . Principle, and other principles of Natural . Law. . . The Group Mind Principle states that, . "the resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts". . . Through the Group Mind Principle we are . resonantly combining our love, clarity and . a passion for spiritual progress in all . ways, to manifest itself amongst the . peoples of the world. We are in effect, . intending into place ever higher states of . consciousness for each other, and all of . humanity. In an intentionally formed group . mind such as this, the psychic and . spiritual effects created can be quite . potent. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are being . coordinated by the World Mind Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . They are held every second and fourth . Sunday of each month. Please mark your . calendar. . Inquiries regarding this Transmission of . group Intent may be directed to Matthew . Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Although it is not necessary, participants . can choose from seven specific focuses, for . the sake of group and world benefit. . [Beginners can use the basic Chakra . Meditation.] These seven focuses are ideal . components for the expansion of . consciousness, (including greater love, . clarity, higher energy, connection to God, . etc.) and are all described in detail, by a . five-part article known as The Perpetual . Raising. The Perpetual Raising series is . available upon request, (contact Matthew . Webb) and it can also be found in the . Library of the World Mind Society web site. . . Let us bring forth a new world. Let us . manifest together the higher qualities of . natural and spiritual living. . . You are all invited to participate! . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Re: Little angel - Matthew Webb . 30 Mar 2003 09:49 . #326 Check out the Perpetual Raising series in . the WMS Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ******* . . natural . look . there. Re: Little angel - Sandi Hunter . 30 Mar 2003 15:34 . #327 Hi Amy, . . It is good to hear that you honor and See . the knowingness in your son's eyes. Infants . show us so clearly the pure consciousness we . are. . . Please do take Matt's suggestion and read . the Perpetual Raising Series. I also . recommend the Group Mind Series, The True . Nature Of Intellegence, Lessons of the Soul . and Manifesting World Enlightenment. Of . course I recommend the entire library, but I . would start with these articles. . . You know your child, always acknowledge his . feelings. Before he can speak go with your . intuition as to what is going on so that he . will know this a natural way to be, no . matter what society may say. When he can . speak, always be aware of what he is . experiencing. Children know exactly what is . going on in the world and around them, . (group mind and world mind effects) but are . usually taught to hide these feelings and . not acknowledge them, leading to an . unnatural and unhealthy life. . . If I had to do it over again I would not . send my kids to school. All that does is . condition children for the work world and . how to be a slave to it, ignoring one's body . and soul. . . If your partner doesn't acknowledge . inner/soulic knowingness or the importance . of such things, I say too bad! That is only . the result of the brainwashing and . programming of this world. . . In the World Mind Society Library you have . the most valuable resource for knowledge . anyone can ask for. I urge you to use this . knowledge in teaching your child. . . Sandi . . **************** . This Sunday's GGM Meditation - Matthew Webb . 10 Apr 2003 09:06 . #328 Greetings World Mind Society Practitioners, . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are now . in progress for the benefit of all beings . on Earth. Our meditation will start at 3PM . Pacific Standard Time, (Portland/Seattle) . this Sunday afternoon, (April 13th) and end . whenever you wish. See the “Chakra . Meditation” on our website, as a beginning . focus. . . . The following times are given for your . convenience and correspond to . Sunday 3PM Pacific Standard Time, . (Portland/Seattle). . . Your local times; . Sunday 4PM Boise, Idaho/ Sunday 5PM Mexico . City, . Guatemala;/ Sunday 6PM Lima, Quito/ . Sunday 7PM Caracus, Santo Domingo/ . Sunday 8PM Buenos Aires/ Sunday 9PM . Brasilia/ Sunday 10PM Praia/ Sunday 11PM . Reykjavik, Dublin/ Sunday 12 Midnight . Madrid, Rome, Brussels/ Monday 1AM Athens, . Damaskus/ Monday 2AM Baghdad, Tehran, . Moscow/ Monday 3AM Yerevan, Baku, Kabul/ . Monday 4AM Islamabad/ Monday 4:30AM New . Delhi/ Monday 5AM Dhaka, Colombo/ Monday . 6AM Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh/ Monday 7AM . Singapore, Beijing, Taipei/ Monday 8AM . Seoul, Tokyo/ Monday 9AM Port Moresby/ . Monday 10 AM Canberra/ Monday 11AM Suva, . Funafuti/ Monday 12 noon Wellington/ . Monday 1PM Nukualofa. . . The GGM Meditations represent a growing . effort by people around the world, to focus . their prayers and meditations together, for . the mutual expansion of consciousness. . Through this simultaneous focus, we are . aligning our awareness on a psychic basis. . Through this alignment our ever-expanding . world group is using INTENT, to elevate the . spiritual intensity of all involved. At the . same time our Intent is to uplift the World . Mind, or collective consciousness of . humanity, and to heal the Earth, (Gaia) of . stresses and imbalances. This spiritual . effort is founded upon the Group Mind . Principle, and other principles of Natural . Law. . . The Group Mind Principle states that, . "the resulting force generated from the . combining of like minds, is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts". . . Through the Group Mind Principle we are . resonantly combining our love, clarity and . a passion for spiritual progress in all . ways, to manifest itself amongst the . peoples of the world. We are in effect, . intending into place ever higher states of . consciousness for each other, and all of . humanity. In an intentionally formed group . mind such as this, the psychic and . spiritual effects created can be quite . potent. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations are being . coordinated by the World Mind Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . They are held every second and fourth . Sunday of each month. Please mark your . calendar. . Inquiries regarding this Transmission of . group Intent may be directed to Matthew . Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Although it is not necessary, participants . can choose from seven specific focuses, for . the sake of group and world benefit. . [Beginners can use the basic Chakra . Meditation.] These seven focuses are ideal . components for the expansion of . consciousness, (including greater love, . clarity, higher energy, connection to God, . etc.) and are all described in detail, by a . five-part article known as The Perpetual . Raising. The Perpetual Raising series is . available upon request, (contact Matthew . Webb) and it can also be found in the . Library of the World Mind Society web site. . . Let us bring forth a new world. Let us . manifest together the higher qualities of . natural and spiritual living. . . You are all invited to participate! . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Greetings and Farewell - Matthew Webb . 10 Apr 2003 09:14 . #329 Dear Members, . . I write this notice to let you know that I . won't be posting anything here for some . time. I leave for the woods shortly where . there will be no e-mail, and don't intend . to return for an extended period. . . The Global Group Mind Meditations will . continue on indefinitely, every second and . fourth Sunday of each month, at 3PM Pacific . Standard Time. . . If within the next 10 days or so you want . to discuss something here which requires my . response, then write me at . visionquest@eoni.com I'll be glad to . engage any relevant subject. . . I wish everyone well in the times to come, . and trust that you will continue with your . earnest spiritual practice, regardless of . circumstance or trial. . . Please do make ample use of the extensive . World Mind Society Library, . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest as well as . this forum, to advance your Path. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com Re: Greetings and Farewell - Judih Haggai . 10 Apr 2003 20:51 . #330 Take care, Matthew. . thanks for offering this site. . May you expand and reduce as your flow . intends, . . judih Re: Greetings and Farewell - Louis Mignacca . 11 Apr 2003 04:52 . #331 . . Take care amigo, if you walk through the . woods, and come out on the otherside, and . you find yourself close to Florida, make . sure you stop in for a bowl,..... see you, . be . you, be me, on the astral plane. Hasta . luago, . L Re: Greetings and Farewell - Frans weyer . 12 Apr 2003 11:01 . #332 . . Dear Matthew, . May i thank you for the opportunity that you . did give me to discover these NCN pages and . of course the world mind society. . They are very inspirational for me as are . your writings. . Take care overthere... . Re:Greetings and Farewell - Amy Churchward . 13 Apr 2003 21:48 . #333 Dear Matthew, . Thank you for the help you have given me. . I will be joining in on the sunday . meditations* May you find what you are . looking for! . Light and Love* Re:Greetings and Farewell - Amy Churchward . 13 Apr 2003 21:54 . #334 Dear Matthew, . Thank you for the help you have given me. . I will be joining in on the sunday . meditations* May you find what you are . looking for! . Light and Love* A discussion of truth....... om - sean king . 23 Apr 2003 20:44 . #335 Truth seems to be the discusser as well as . the discusion. It is only when a mind's . foundation is constructed of ultimate truth . itself, can truth actualy be understood when . discussed. It is like the river flowing . into the ocean mingling amongst itself, . disappear into thin air, reappering in the . sky, drizzling down atop the mountain . trickling off the leaf, soaking through the . soil, absorbing in the roots, sucked to the . tree tops, dispersed in the atmosphere, . breathed in the air, always in the . everything, the complete composition of the . all. There is no untruth, even a mind that . does not speak the truth, speaks, thinks and . acts only because of truth. Dillusion is . alive because of the thought of an opposite . of truth, like the sky to the earth, it is . easy to believe that it must have a . polarity, but could it be possible that it . is its own opposite? DO the earth and sky . not both live in the same and only universe, . with the galaxy, wihtin our mind? . A true discussion of truth is not in the . words used, but in the sound and silence . that compose our contemplation of the . changing and free yet fossilized moment. I . hear ommmmmmmm I reflect ommmmmmmmmm I live . ommmmmmmmm I am discussing ommmmmmmmm. Re: A discussion of truth....... om - Frans weyer . 27 Apr 2003 07:21 . #336 Truth is always around,truth is within our . selfs,outside our selfs,we are made of . truth,in spite of what our reason tells us,a . reason that is also made of truth,there is . no real difference between the tree who is . standing in the sun outside in my garden and . me who is observing this very same tree. . We as human live in a eternel delivery . room,every moment we can take our . inspirations out of that great resevoir what . is life. . As a palette it bears all of the colours we . have ever seen,the colour of a beautiful . sundown,a glorious sunset,a peaceful . forest,a colourful crowd in a wide now,the . space wich we all inhabit,and realy space . has no end. . Your right,we hear,we reflect,we live and . discussing always the same truth,maybe that . is why ,as the say,the gods envy us,we got . the freedom to choose out of different . colours,to grow our own grow,to play our own . play in the knowledge that there is no . untruth only more or less truth,in the . circle of live there is no lie. . . Truth seems to be the discusser as well as . when . and . universe, The rulers of this world - Ed Pabaue . 8 May 2003 07:24 . #337 While the world matrix is certainly . fortified and perpetuated by human . ignorance, it is ultimately ruled by evil . entities known as archons. David Icke's . reptilians etc. act as lower dimensional . vassals to the archons to keep mankind on . earth (and elsewhere) in slavery . indefinitely. And they have already . succeeded in their plan for many ages. . . Originally the whole of the temporal . universe was created by a false god, called . the demiurgos by Plato. Time and space are . false creations not designed by Divinity. . . This is logical if you think about because . a perfect Divinity could not possibly . create something that is imperfect, as is . this world. . . Once the unholy universe was created, . agents of the demiurgos tempted souls . endowed with free choice to fall into it, . to eat of the tree of good and evil . (duality) and to thenceforth get stuck in . an consciousness-imprisoning system used by . the archons as an energy source in which . reincarnation, disease and death were . inevitable. . . Over ages and ages this system, created by . and used for the benefit of evil beings, . became darker and denser, leading us to the . gross situation that we experience today on . earth where injustice and corruption may be . observed everywhere in society, even in the . diseases of newborn babies, and death and . decay can be readily seen in everything, . even in nature (which is, nonetheless, not . divine nature). These are obviously . symptoms of an evil world, ruled by unholy . powers. . . So, why did you incarnate here into this . lightless world ruled by archons? That is . what you have to find out, and find out you . must before you can become free. But in the . absence of true knowledge of the nature of . this world, its matrix and the evil ruling . forces behind it, you will remain blind and . so helpless with regard to attaining . spiritual victory. And so you will remain . trapped within the cycles of reincarnation, . alongside the trillions of other souls who . have also fallen for the great lie of the . archons over eons of time. . . Therefore, with all your getting, get . understanding before it is too late for you . in this cycle. . . Ed Re: The rulers of this world - Mike Van Wagoner . 14 May 2003 09:54 . #338 . BULLSHIT.....Why make something so . complicated . . . . . . called . by . the . on . be . the . you . the . and . reincarnation, . you Re: The rulers of this world - Frans weyer . 17 May 2003 08:38 . #339 A very interesting article,but i have some . questions about it,why Archons,are the terms . lucifer or beelzebub or ahriman and their . associates in your opinion different names . for the same thing,and second could it be . that they use the divine patterns that lies . under our material world for their own goods . so that the real problem is not the . natural/material world but the actions that . is taken by the "archons"to infect that what . is in the deepest way divine and eternal. . Its easy to believe that what we can see is . a illusion,but is it,or is it just what . takes mastery of this all that makes . it "holy'or "unholy" . And then if the world as we know it is a . illusion how to free ourselves from it . because we live everyday in it. . The only solution is than to live seperate . from this world,i don't know,is that a . solution? . . Frans. . . While the world matrix is certainly pardon my rudeness - Mike Van Wagoner . 27 May 2003 09:51 . #340 For the previous message I apologize, I . didn't intend to offend anyone, especially . Ed. . I know that some people look online for . someone that they can call their guru or . teacher, someone they believe they can . trust. . For A time I was someone looking for . answers on the internet. And being in a . confused state of mind like I was, your . article would have confused me more. to me . your article is just another of the . infinite theories/ what ifs that I train . myself to ignore. . . That is the reason for my rudeness. I only . want to stop fatuous ideas from floating . around. . . Namaste . Mike Re: pardon my rudeness - Frans weyer . 2 Jun 2003 04:35 . #341 Dear Mike, . . Don't look for gurus or answers on the . internet,the most you can get is contact . with mind-like people,or the notion that . your not alone with certain questions. . The guru or answer is lying in yourself,to . discover this, contact with other people . will help but can never replace this fact. . . Greetings, . Frans. . harmony - Nathan Stevens . 20 Jun 2003 11:09 . #342 we are all here to LOVE create NOW BE BE BE Humanity's problem and its potential - Ed Pabaue . 8 Jul 2003 04:03 . #343 Humanity's problem and its potential . . . By Diane Harvey . . . Part I: The Problem . . The relatively immediate future for any . individual is easy enough to predict. We . are here for a while, and then we are not. . Yet the realms beyond the death of the . physical body are capacious, life goes on . abundantly, and what we think of as our . personal death is the least of our worries. . Our real problem is the future of our . species in incarnation on this planet. . . This dense physical existence where we . find ourselves now contains vast hidden . properties and purposes which are as yet . unknown by the large majority of . incarnating souls. Nothing is, in reality, . merely as it appears. The surprises in . store for the human race are far more . profound than any which have come before. . And it is a matter of utmost urgency that . mankind become as conscious as possible of . the extensive still-hidden prospects of . reality on this level. Because in essence, . what is elsewhere is also here. What we . call levels, planes, or dimensions are . frequencies corresponding to states and . entire realms of consciousness. The only . real barriers between areas of vibratory . activity or dimensions are those of . habituated livingness, or "stage of . evolution." . . Human beings are currently living, on the . whole, on the bare outskirts of the . inherent potentials of their own awareness. . Those who are sufficiently awake are . acutely and painfully aware of this. There . are always a percentage of souls in . incarnations who have arrived at a more . conscious state than the societal norm, and . who therefore live out those lives within . the confines of certain painful spiritual . predicaments. But what once often amounted . to merely a personal problem to resolve, . and a matter of individual adjustment, has . now become a planetary emergency. . . It is old news by now, that what we call . life is a unified field, and that no . particle of reality is separated either . from life, or from any other particle. But . although this information is available in . many forms, the human race has not chosen . to alter its emotions, thinking, or . behavior accordingly in any significant . manner. Knowing vaguely about there being . something called "One Life" has changed . nothing on any broad scale. But the cost of . ignoring reality and refusing to creatively . rethink and reorganize the way the human . race behaves on this planet is increasing . exponentially. . . Those who press on ahead, exploring new . subjective worlds, do so in the overall . context of human spiritual and material . progress as a whole. Individuals can only . consciously undertake their own . evolutionary development here more or less . in concert with the slow general trend . upward of the entire species. No matter how . preciously important our individuality is . to us, we can never lose sight of the fact . that we remain parts of a whole, whose . general condition, health and sanity, will . determine the overall possibilities for . each individual incarnation. . . The majority of human beings on Earth are . now undergoing a drastic forced devolution. . Throughout human evolution, the personal . opportunity to be selfish, cruel, and . ignorant has always been available in any . given incarnation. In the past, this was a . matter of conscious and/or subconscious . choice, and of making decisions based on . the natural level of one's own awareness. . We then experienced the laws of cause and . effect through living with the results. . This is the process of genuine learning, . which eventually instills a deep sense of . personal responsibility for one's own life. . And out of the realizations of personal . responsibility come the opportunities to . enter into the higher and more actively . creative powers latent within us. Whoever . is now on the path of light has previously . tasted the bitter fruits of dark choices, . and for that very reason turned willingly . back toward the light. But this crucial . element of free will in living and learning . is now being subverted at the very root. . . The only purpose of evil, or ultimate . unreality, is to provide necessary contrast . to reality. The free will of a human being . must exercise itself through making . innumerable choices, living with the . effects, and thereby growing in hard-won . wisdom. This element of free will is . embryonic in much of mankind as yet, and . can easily be blunted, distorted, diverted . and paralyzed. This happens in some degree . to everyone, for that matter, over and over . again. An important part of the . evolutionary process so far has been for . the individual to learn to withstand and . circumvent the pressures of other human . beings opposing his or her own evolutionary . best interests. But until now, the . intervals between incarnations have . sufficed to assimilate such lessons, and we . have reincarnated refreshed, eager to . resume the struggle to manifest our . spiritual selves in this difficult . dimension. . . Critical and relatively recent changes . have dangerously altered the fundamental . state of normal evolutionary affairs on . this planet. The underlying meaning of this . is so dark in intent, content, and extent . that most people have not yet even begun to . suspect how deeply their world is being . transformed out from under them. The . subversion of the evolutionary path of . mankind is being delicately and . incrementally, yet very rapidly, . accomplished. A close study of the last . fifty years will slowly reveal how this is . being done, and how a fatally degraded . world-view has been made superficially . exciting and attractive as a preliminary to . making it compulsive. . . No deliberate and effective distortion of . evolution, however powerful, can appear . entirely out of nowhere. The latent . potential for the forces of unreality, . embodied in one form or another, . continually arises on Earth, grasps the . reins, and drives a significant portion of . mankind into the ground. The kingdom of . humanity has always provided the staging . ground for a continuous battle between good . and evil. These are the terms of our . progress, individually and as a species, . whether we know it or not and whether we . like it or not. So far however, the many . momentary triumphs of evil have always . required the conscious or at least . partially conscious cooperation of a number . of participating human beings. Thus . individuals have always lived through the . natural consequences of their own natural . choices. What we must understand, above all . else, is that advances in direct . technological manipulation of the human . mechanism are now able to short- circuit . even the more rudimentary processes of . choice. Individual free will to decide . between good and evil, darkness and light, . is being cut out of the evolutionary loop . altogether. Mankind is in grave danger of . being re-engineered into a literal . automaton with no meaningful individual . choice whatsoever. . . An individual has always been able to . ignore the voice of his or her conscience: . this is the greatest gift of the Creator to . the human species. In the long process of . evolution through the human kingdom, we . have all, of our own free will, experienced . trading the inner voice of truth for . outward safety, comfort, and temporal . power. By reaping the inevitably painful . results of our self-serving choices, we are . driven eventually to seek the reality of . the spiritual life of our own free will. No . coercion, shaming, forcing, browbeating, or . imposition of any worldly authority of any . kind can cause the human soul to genuinely . seek the source of beauty, goodness and . truth. Only joyfully returning the gift to . the giver, out of one's own mature free . will, is of any value either to the Creator . or the creation. Creative cooperation with . the natural and spiritual laws of the . universe, through ripened and grateful . understanding, is the ultimate destiny of . humanity as a kingdom in nature. Such a . destiny embodies the promise of . multidimensional creativity, for freedom in . the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and . for a joy that far surpasses the human . capacity for description. . . Yet this destiny, the divine birthright of . the human race, is being turned into its . polar opposite of complete enslavement by . the most powerfully equipped and united . forces of pure evil which have ever existed . on the face of the Earth. All beings evolve . in one fundamental direction or the other, . whether on the path of light or the path of . darkness. Consciously evil entities also . live and learn, and refine their . techniques. Through its embodiments, evil . discovers new ways of circumventing the . inevitable dissolution of its temporary . forms in time and space. And what the . forces of darkness have socially engineered . lately is a vast network of human beings . willing to go down the black path toward . the wholesale manipulation of mankind . through coercive chemical, biological, and . electromagnetic technology. . . It is not only the conscience of . individual persons at stake now, but the . very underlying field of evolution itself: . the actual normal daily-life consciousness . of mankind. The distinct "still small . voice" of conscience, the voice of the soul . reaching through the mind, must traverse . normal awareness in order to be heard at . all. It is only "still and small" because . the typical human mind is not as yet . listening to it closely. When human . awareness is fastened day and night to the . drive for ego satisfactions, then nothing . will be heard beyond this din. But as long . as basic awareness is not seriously . tampered with in primary physiological, . emotional or mental levels, then individual . free will remains undisturbed. In this . condition, people are still perfectly free . to choose their actions, feelings and . thoughts, and experience the consequences. . . Once the chemical, genetically engineered, . and electromagnetic alteration of humanity . becomes ubiquitous and compulsory, the . basic normal consciousness of mankind will . be lost. If this happens, there will be no . avenue left for the conscience or soul to . reach down and touch the human heart and . mind at all. At that point, the spiritual . evolution of mankind in incarnation on this . planet will cease altogether. This point . cannot be overstated: we live on the brink . of an abyss into which our entire species . may be precipitated if we do not awaken in . sufficient numbers to prevent it. And those . who console themselves with the thought . that another planet must surely be waiting . in the wings for our immediate . reincarnational needs, might do well to . consider the consequences if, in fact, this . is not the case. . . . Part II: The Potential . . "Human potential" is a simple enough phrase . to utter, yet it is one of the most . difficult of all truths to transmit. . Spiritually transformed human beings . throughout history have had to struggle . with the limitations of earthly language in . trying to communicate where they have been . and what they have seen. Supra-normal . experiences are not reducible to earthly . speech, or transferable to others with . earthbound minds. What is conveyed can only . be an unsatisfactory description of higher . worlds, and never the actual experience of . being there. When it comes to the . ultimately convincing proof of the secrets . of human potential, each one of us must . sooner or later personally undertake the . journey. . . All that comes down to us in the forms of . the symbolic language of sacred scriptures, . parables, and spiritual poetry is the . result of sheer necessity. Those who have . been fundamentally altered by radical . spiritual experience are always driven by a . powerful impulse to share the momentous . fact: we are not what we seem to be. All . who have undergone this voyage into the . upper reaches of spiritual realization, and . have tried to speak of it, have delivered . the same message: Humanity, you must awaken . from your sleep - you do not even know who . you are. . . The true potential of human beings is . directly related to our spiritual origin . and to who we already essentially are. The . great mystics throughout the ages have all . understood this and tried to tell us. . Worldly authorities throughout human . history, on the other hand, have carefully . engineered life on this planet to prevent . the majority from ever taking any such . ideas seriously. As it is now, the truth of . who we really are, is so far above and . beyond our present awareness down here, . that we do not as yet, in this heavy . material dimension, even much resemble . ourselves. . . For the most part the human race is still . living here in a dark dank basement, . huddling around the guttering candle of . suffocating egotism. Above the ceiling of . deliberately lowered and misled human . consciousness, a brilliantly illuminated . and gracious spiritual architecture awaits . our arrival. The potential destiny of the . human race is far more glorious than we . think. It is far more wonderful than most . of us can even begin to imagine, because we . have been carefully taught not to imagine . it. . . The eventual future of humanity is hinted . at in the idea that mankind was created in . the image of God. We have been created as . faithful replicas of the originating . spiritual power and wisdom that created the . universe, the One behind all appearances of . multiplicity. Another way to conceive of us . is as fully equipped autonomous versions of . this One. Each of us has been created as a . discrete individual who is also . mysteriously and intimately capable of . actively participating in the material and . spiritual reality of the entire Creation. . . As such, we each contain the seed of . infinite progression and expansion of . consciousness. As such, we already are . equipped with the higher bodies, faculties, . and powers that correspond to the higher . dimensions of the universe. We already . contain all we will ever need to unfold . into infinite realms of spiritual beauty, . goodness, and truth. It is merely a matter . of time and effort. Because it is the . nature of human consciousness incarnated . here in physical form, in the physical . dimension, to awaken slowly through time . and experience to what it already is in a . higher state. . . The entire physical plane universe itself, . these billions and billions of galaxies, is . merely the first rung of Jacob Ladder. . Above us in frequency, and less dense in . material, is the astral plane, which is a . much larger and more populated dimension . than the physical. The majority of people . we erroneously suppose to be dead are . living here, and vastly preferring it to . life in the unpleasantly slow and heavy . physical world. Above that, separated by a . still higher frequency, a finer vibratory . wavelength, and composed of even lighter . materials, is the mental plane, which is . the largest of all in extent. And beyond . this are still other worlds, each more . truly spiritual and more ineffably . beautiful than the one before it. The . universe is extravagantly and marvelously . constructed, and we are looking up, when we . look up at all, from very near the bottom, . or densest levels of vibration. This is a . two-edged sword of a fact. We can choose . either to be made miserable by our present . situation in relative spiritual obscurity, . or we can rejoice in understanding that . what is yet to come is infinitely better . than what has been manifested here so far. . . A spiritually conscious human being does . not look out upon this particular world and . see reality adequately reflected in the . surroundings, but quite the opposite. This . poor planet at present is basically run by . a fairly small number of secretive . sociopaths, inflicting stupefying cruelties . on very large numbers of indifferent, . indignant, harried, or unaware human souls. . Nevertheless, despite this, a significant . portion of mankind is sufficiently awake . now to see the various types of imposed . insanity masquerading as "normal" life. . This creates a situation more hopeful than . it is depressing. It is hopeful because . that seed of divinity in us, once awakened, . will not rest content until the spiritual . truths we realize inwardly become . externalized as the foundation of earthly . life. Many of us have by now caught . glimpses of our own past history, have . ventured forth into higher dimensions, and . have also seen forward into what is . destined to come into being. We know . something of how long we have been coming . here, and why, and we know we will continue . to return until humanity is spiritually and . materially free. We understand that a . single human lifetime is only a day in the . long life of the human soul, and we make . our plans accordingly. . . Much that is taken for granted now, . as "natural" human behavior, will be looked . back on with sad astonishment and even . outright disbelief at some point in the . future. The seemingly eccentric idealists . here and now who point out the sheer lunacy . of current human civilization are merely . registering the facts, commensurate with . what we are capable of becoming. In the . unimaginably long slow cycles of creation, . we are nearing the end of a period of deep . darkness on this planet. In terms of . heaviness of vibration, there are worse . densities, worse places, than Earth. . Nevertheless, we on Earth are in a . relatively very slow and dimly lit . vibratory zone. In incarnation here, we are . a spiritual species deeply immersed in . matter. Most of us are still dreaming the . nebulous dreams of an embryo, unaware of . the coming birth, or of our inevitable . future experiences on the path to maturity. . Such is the depth of the hypnotic trance . exerted over the souls of mankind by those . whose only aim is to prevent human . awakening at all costs. And such also is . the very nature of the hypnotic spell of . being in these bodies at all: the . compellingly intricate and pleasurable . miseries of flesh, bones, and nerves. . . For what purpose then, these age-long . entrancements of essentially pure spirits . inside the carbon- based biodegradable . suits of flesh? The answer is simple, . however complex the ramifications in time . and space. When dedicated spiritual beings . willingly enter denser matter, the eventual . result is the refinement and spiritualizing . of the heavier material world they inhabit. . We came down into this world originally, . not as a punishment, but as a great . sacrifice. We are, in essence, willing . servants of the spiritualization process of . the universe itself. The basic fact of . human life is: "Ye are gods." We . deliberately and consciously entered the . darkness of this dimension, knowing that we . would forget who we are and why we are . here, and knowing that long ages would pass . before we even dimly began to remember. . . Consider then the fundamental nature of . spiritual beings possessed of such courage . and endurance as to undergo long eons of . suffering and utter forgetfulness for the . sake of laboriously refining the various . substances of this as yet non-sacred realm. . Every action of every physical, emotional . and mental body of every human being since . the creation of this species has been a . part of this process. All that any human . being has ever done or felt or thought has . been subject to the Refiner's Fire, that . sieve for life experience on Earth referred . to as the Law of Cause and Effect. We can . only live and learn here, and we gain the . spiritual experience we need in order to . remember who we are just as much, if not . more, through the bitter experiences of so- . called failures as by enjoying the fruits . of so-called successes. Behind both these . worldly and incomplete concepts, the spirit . is living in a different perspective . altogether, interested only in awakening . and in serving the process of awakening in . others. . . All those whose message to us is that we . are in reality powerful spiritual beings, . regardless of all appearances to the . contrary, are relaying the simple truth. . Many beings have come and gone throughout . human history bearing various forms of this . message. Consider for example, as if for . the first time, the momentous demonstration . of innate human capacity we refer to as the . Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. . These spiritual events were not enacted for . the sake of creating the idea of an . impassable distance between His life and . ours. The meaning to be conveyed directly . to humanity was the exact opposite of . unattainable difference. The point was and . is and will be: THIS is our individual and . collective destiny. This is what we already . contain, what we can become, and who we . really are, each in a unique way. We are an . entire species of potential Christs. . . But can we even face such a reality? Those . who do not want humanity to understand . itself have deeply hypnotized us into . thinking of ourselves as powerless worms . and a race of ineffectual slaves. We have . been carefully programmed to shrink in . dismay from understanding ourselves as . potentially exalted beings here. We have . been taught instead to focus on what we are . not, and to think of these wayward bodies . we inhabit as being who we really are. . . This case of mistaken identity is summed . up succinctly by St.Paul when he said: "I . do that which I do not wish to do." Meaning . these unruly bodies we are in have a life . of their own. The point here is that the . bodies we dwell in actually do have lives . of their own: literally. The have sentiency . and desire and they want what they want . when they want it. And it is certainly true . that as long as they run us around, we will . never achieve much in the way of our own . possibilities. The powerful spiritual . nature of a human being can only come to . the fore in this dimension when we inwardly . become aware of the difference between our . deeper Self and the lives of our bodies. . There is no easy path here: it is a long . drawn-out struggle of spirit, life after . life, against the pull of the lives of the . lower bodies. . . Self-realization is not an object to be . acquired, but a condition to be realized by . means of methodically detaching from lesser . states of identification. Very easy to say . this, of course, but the moment we try to . detach ourselves from the various clamors, . we find out just how much power our bodies . and egos are actually exerting. The path to . freedom has been amply demonstrated and . described: "Love one another as I have . loved you." Deny yourselves, pick up your . cross, and follow Me. But so far, on the . whole, the human race has shown that it . would really rather not do any such thing. . Because the deeper meaning here is that . human potential will only be realized . through heroic acts of impersonal spiritual . love and will, and through no other means . whatsoever. Therefore even if we are . willing to consider our spiritual potential . abstractly, to be willing to manifest this . is, for most of us, quite another story. . . It is an interesting fact that Christ did . not worship Himself, or His own level of . consciousness. His own religion was not . what we think of as Christianity. Instead, . He invariably pointed beyond Himself, and . asked us to follow Him back to the Father's . House. He also enigmatically . declared: "Greater things than I did, ye . shall do." Yet has humanity ever actually . believed this? Or do we think He must have . been mistaken in such a prophecy? This was . no mistake, no error in judgment, but a . promise of the future attainments of . mankind. The life of Christ then was an . actualization of the sublime potential . spiritual powers inherent in all human . beings. To know the Creator directly, to . control the entire world of nature as an . agent of divine will, to know and act on . the contents of human minds and hearts as . an agent of divine love, and to be . resurrected into a higher body of . manifestation as an agent of divine power: . this is the literal potential of . multidimensional mankind. . . But these innate wonders, our high future . possibilities, will never be forced on us . against our will. The Law of Cause and . Effect supports the unfolding of our divine . powers of beauty, goodness and truth, but . we were not designed to be puppets, not . even of the God within us. We will always . be free here to choose relative darkness of . heart and mind, and to deny our best . selves. Potential does not mean absolute . certainty of achievement. To become a . species embodying a high spiritual destiny, . the vast majority of human beings will . first have to see this goal and then . ardently desire to fulfill the . requirements. So far, most of the human . race has not awakened sufficiently to . understand this even superficially, let . alone develop the spiritual will to act on . it. . . Spiritual reality rests on the unalterable . foundation of self-sacrifice and wise . impersonal love. Yet relatively few of us . have ever wished to become acquainted with . any such version of ourselves. Most of us . are afraid of sacrifice, and of renouncing . our self-centeredness. Most of us wish to . retain our crude attachments to material . things, and to our negative emotions and . our negative thinking. We are perhaps most . of all attached to our own false self-image . of smallness, powerlessness, and . worthlessness. Yet sacrificing what we are . now, including our delusions of . powerlessness, for the sake of what we may . become, is the exact price of our . potential. Our potential is not a problem: . our lack of desire to leave our stupefying . existence in the basement of life is our . problem. The conclusion then is that, as a . species, astonishing as it seems, we have . not yet suffered enough to turn inward to . spiritual reality. . . Therefore, up and down the scales of . desire, fulfillment and satiation we run, . chasing sensation, material well being, and . the fulfillment of appetites. The . inevitable result of fulfillment of an . appetite is a feeling of emptiness and . meaninglessness, and all such chases are . doomed to end in disappointment. Attachment . to ego-gratification amounts to ensuring . repeated cycles of suffering, punctuated by . just enough pleasure to keep the donkey . chasing after the next carrot. This is the . dramatic spectacle of human history: . millions and millions of souls lost in . dense matter, struggling against one . another and competing for the temporary . supremacy of their own lower natures. . . We are entranced by the unwieldy . stickiness of the very burdens we came here . to willingly bear. These bodies, emotions, . and thoughts: none of these are who we are. . These powerfully hypnotizing and . intoxicating substances, these bodies and . their expressions, are only the raw . materials we are here to work with. A time . comes when the real person behind the . scenes of materialization stands forth, and . nothing is ever the same again. This . realization of inexorable ongoing . metamorphosis, when it comes, releases a . joy so profound that nothing can ever . entirely extinguish it again. From the . beginning we have harbored within ourselves . the seeds of a destiny so wondrous that our . greatest difficulty is in believing even . the least of it. . . Yet nothing whatsoever of this glorious . potential is hidden from any human being, . and never has been. It simply takes time . and evolution, down here in dense material . levels, for the eyes of the soul to open, . and for the spirit to recall its origin. . There are no deliberate spiritual secrets . kept from any of us. Nevertheless, long . experience is required before we even begin . to remember who we really are, why we came . here, what we are doing, and where we are . going. At every moment each of us knows as . much as we have earned the right to know, . as much as we can bear to know, and as much . as we wish to know. So when it comes to the . potential of multidimensional mankind, . created in the image of God, each one of us . must ask ourselves: . . Who do we think we are, and what are we . going to do about it? Humanity's potential, regardless of the Problem - Matthew Webb . 14 Jul 2003 12:18 . #344 Greetings all; . . I had the opportunity to visit here again, . and came across this interesting article: . . "Humanity's problem and its potential . By Diane Harvey" . . It makes many good points, but a central . flaw is found in the following statement; . . "Individuals can only . consciously undertake their own . evolutionary development here more or less . in concert with the slow general trend . upward of the entire species. No matter how . preciously important our individuality is . to us, we can never lose sight of the fact . that we remain parts of a whole, whose . general condition, health and sanity, will . determine the overall possibilities for . each individual incarnation." . . **** . . Yes, we remain "parts of the whole", but . which "whole"....that of humanity alone, . (society) or all of nature and the Cosmos at . large? . . The fact is, our personal evolution need not . be forever hindered by the general . consciousness of modern humanity. While it . is true that the currently low vibrations . and levels of intent,(such as those seen in . the cult of consumerism) now dominate human . society, the person who recongizes this can . take appropriate measures to rise above the . modern condition. . . The first step in doing so is to recognize . the very corrupted nature of modern society . and world politics, and to see them for what . they are...de-evolution. The next step is . to carefully and objectively examine the . nature of this corruption, and its effects . upon each mind and consciousness now . inhabiting this world. By "effects" I mean . largely those psychological and psychic . pitfalls which compose the focus of . materialism/consumerism. . . I describe such psychic effects in the WMS . Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . in the GM series and others. This material . goes into depth the nature of group mind and . world mind influences, ones which impact us . every day. Recognizing the subtleties of . this, we can firmly implement our own state . of consciousness according to our spiritual . will and level of realization. In so doing, . our state of consciousness and degree of . spiritual progress can go basically . unhindered, through the use of this wisdom . and right intent. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Re: Humanity's potential, regardless of the Problem - Frans weyer . 16 Jul 2003 10:43 . #345 In my opinion we are part of a whole,a whole . of the Cosmos at large (spoken in a very . wide sense) . The human society is a part of this . whole,this whole includes it as a little . Island that is surrounded by the sea whose . water, changed in rainclouds, give grow to . nature. . I don't know if there are certain (psychic) . powers whome life purpoise exist in damaging . the evolution of man,it sounds me to much . biblical,satan against god etc, sometimes . earlier there was a discussion about this . topic on this board,well maybe there are... . But,Ed,i found it a very inspiring . article,thank you. . (sorry if my english is not grammatical . correct,its been a long time since i left . school) . Frans. . at . not . what . and . doing, Group Mind Effectiveness - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2003 13:25 . #346 “Friendship” is really just the psychic . alignment of two people, on the basis of . good Intent. We know the exact moment a . friendship is solidified. There is a . distinct impression within the body at a . given moment in the interaction, when we . perceive a certain accord has been mutually . reached. If asked to convey this inner . knowingness of accord or friendliness with . another, how would you explain it? Many . would perhaps simply say, “I just know” what . friendship or agreement feels like. The . more sensitive might be prompted to comment, . that the psychic impression of friendliness . is like the, “sudden flipping of an inner . switch from no to yes”. It is common . knowledge that the stronger this feeling is . with another, the stronger the friendship is . said to be, at least on an emotional level. . No one need explain to us the validity of . such impressions. Everyone knows what . friendship feels like, just as they know . what an argument or enmity with another does . to body-wide feelings. Despite such common . knowledge, what Western materialistic . culture does not seem to generally . acknowledge, are the implications and scope . of the feelings we receive from others. . They have profound spiritual meaning. . . During ALL conversations there is some . exchange of feelings, awareness, energy and . Intent taking place, and this is readily . perceived by all persons. In other words, . person to person psychic phenomena is so . common-place, that we take it for granted to . the point of ignoring it altogether. We seem . to react to it like a background noise which . everyone hears, but which no one is willing . to talk about in daily conversation. The . concept that we directly influence each . others’ emotions and thoughts on a constant . basis, is considered a “taboo” subject for . conversation. Our culture denies psychic . phenomena while simultaneously experiencing . and employing it. One might conjecture that . the reason we cling to such an attitude, . regardless of personal daily evidence to the . contrary, is to maintain the culturally . hysterical belief that life is about . paychecks and fancy cars. To acknowledge . the real meaning behind what is . called “friendship” or “love” would be to . admit that there is more to life than the . acquisition of material things. Since most . people have not only dedicated their lives . to materialistic ideals, but have taught . their children to do the same in the name . of “success”, it comes as a severe blow to . the ego to admit that the material, money- . world is not worthy of our worship after . all. There are much higher purposes for our . lives than material acquisition. When we . take a deep look at psychic effects and the . group mind phenomena which arise from them, . existence takes on a transformed meaning. . . The new person “on the job” in an office, . classroom or construction site, knows all . about group mind influences. The first . thing the new person does, is to “feel out” . the prevalent attitude of the existing . crowd, so as to “fit in”. Any existing . workplace is a group mind dedicated to a . given ideal, one that is usually established . by the boss or owner. Upon coming to work . at a new job, a person establishes . themselves within the group mind and tries . to demonstrate that they can accommodate the . group Intention. In other words, they . immediately set about the task of joining . the existing group mind. Why is this so . important to them, apart from earning a . paycheck? The main reason we seek to “fit . in” to any group, is to reduce the psychic . friction created upon entering the new . environment. Everyone wonders “about the . new guy” and this questioning or testing . attitude creates stress on the new person in . the form of psychic pressure. This causes . the workplace initiate to make every effort . to appear aligned to the group purpose so . that they can finally relax from all the . psychic pressure upon them. Once they are . generally accepted by the group, there will . be a definite indication of this . psychically. Acceptance is felt as a . commonality of focus, an ease of association . and mental/emotional rapport. The ability . to communicate in-depth increases, . emotional/psychic alignments are formed, and . friendships/antagonisms arise. We have all . experienced these feelings in subtle detail, . and are therefore ALL fully aware of the . subtleties of group mind influence. Anyone . who questions the existence of psychic . phenomena is either extremely naïve or in a . state of culturally-induced denial. . . In the case of both the company and team . sport settings, group mind action is by far . the most critical factor for effective . cooperation. Any team member knows when the . group is psychically in tune with each . other, because they can easily feel this . during a game. All team players know when . their comrades are emotionally charged, and . the best teams know how to focus this group . mind energy for championship performance. . Teams which can’t synchronize in this way . due to poor management or personal issues . can never play effectively. In the company . setting this is equally true, but perhaps . not as immediately apparent. The more . tensions, (psychic discord) which arise in a . workplace, the more the company goals are . compromised, as reflected in productivity . levels. Such discord is also immediately . felt by customers upon entering an . establishment. A high level of group mind . unity on the other hand, promotes the smooth . flow of ideas, and facilitates the . transmission of thoughts from one employee . to the next so that mutual tasks are . accomplished easily. Customers immediately . recognize the harmonious ‘vibes” of an . establishment and are attracted to return . again and again. Students feel the . classroom “mood” or “atmosphere” throughout . the day, and are acutely aware of disruptive . intentions among their classmates when . trying to study. Musicians speak of “being . in the groove” when their mutual . consciousness is strongly aligned. When a . groups’ enthusiasm is transferred to a crowd . at a concert, this fact is readily felt by . all present. It represents the expansion of . the musicians’ group mind via the Intent to . raise the emotions of the crowd. We are all . telepaths and this fact is proven daily in . all circumstances. . . Group mind is the most prominent feature in . our social landscape, and is equally . important throughout nature. Established . animal groups will challenge newcomers, who . must learn to find a niche within that group . mind. Anyone who has ever raised or . carefully observed animals knows this to be . true. The so called “pecking order” of . dominance or cooperation in any animal . group, is an expression of its members . forming a cohesive and smooth group mind . unit. The world society to which we belong . exhibits group mind phenomena to an even . greater degree, and we FEEL this fact . continuously. . . The factors which contribute to effective . group mind formation are as follows; . . 1) Commonality of purpose. . . 2) Unity of Intent. . . 3) Similarity of emotional state, . (vibrational rate/resonance). . . 4) The current prevailing psychic . conditions in the environment. . . 5) Occult/spiritual knowledge of the . principles involved with group mind . formation. . . 6) Self knowledge, (the ability to . distinguish between ones’ own state of . consciousness, and that of the group mind.) . . 7) An experiential knowledge of psychic . impressions and projections. . . Naturally, group minds form . automatically all the time, without the need . of our conscious participation in this . fact. But when we actually understand and . consciously apply the natural laws involved . with group mind action, it is then that we . can empower each other to create a new . world. In the ongoing Global Group Mind . Meditations, it is advisable for each of us . to keep in mind those factors which . contribute to effective group mind action. . Toward this end we can recognize that; . . 1) Our commonality of purpose is the . expansion of our own consciousness, that of . the group, and ultimately, the world in . general. . . 2) Our unity of Intent is found in mutual . and spiritual progressiveness. . . 3) Our similarity of emotional state, . (vibrational rate/resonance) can be found in . mutual love, clarity, and high feelings of . all kinds. . . 4) The current prevailing psychic . conditions in the environment, (or the . current World Mind) is one that is literally . filled with chaos, discord, fear, tension . and pain. We must counteract these . conditions successfully. . . 5) Occult/spiritual knowledge of the . principles involved with group mind . formation, can be found in such documents as . the Perpetual Raising, our own direct . perception, and in the spiritual materials . of the world. . . 6) Self knowledge, (the ability to . distinguish between ones’ own state of . consciousness, and that of the group mind, . is found in meditation/introspection. . (see “Chakra Meditation, among others in the . Perpetual Raising material). . . 7) Our experiential knowledge of psychic . impressions and projections increases over . time, and subsequent to each Global Group . Mind Meditation. . . You are involved in one of the . most profound and important spiritual . endeavors, ever to be attempted in the . history of humanity. It cannot possibly be . underestimated. Group mind action has every . potential to shift the World Mind state of . consciousness to a state of far greater . enlightenment, love, clarity and . Divine/Natural accord. It is up to us to . put these natural principles into effect, . for the creation of a New Era in personal . and global evolution. You are invited to re- . read “The Vision” at the end of the . Perpetual Raising to keep this Intent fresh . in our collective consciousness. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest From my News Log, Truth; Revelation and Revolution - Matthew Webb . 21 Jul 2003 10:55 . #347 19 Jul 2003 @ 13:57 by sharie : Bush, . Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Powell . They've committed Treason against their own . country, against the people of this country, . they've subverted and overthrown our . government of the people, BY the people, and . FOR the people. They've replaced with a . government of the people BY the military and . media, FOR the wealthy few. . . Now what do we do? [Edit] . . . . . --------------------------------------------- . ----------------------------------- . 21 Jul 2003 @ 10:53 by rishi : Right Action . That's always a good question Sharie, and . thanks for bringing it up. . . It occurs to me that the first step in . solving any problem, be it social or . personal, is to first acknowledge that there . is one. Most people never get over this . first step, especially with regard to seeing . society as it is. So to go one step further . is to advocate honesty as a necessary social . and spiritual practice, while recognizing . the fact that the truth is all that matters . or ever will matter, regardless of how any . of us may initially feel about it. . . Once the problem is acknowledged, (which in . this case is that the US government has . become corrupted and bought out by corporate . interests, who seek war and human . exploitation for the sake of profit) then we . can move on to what to do about it. Toward . that end, it is quite necessary to take a . look at the values which underlie this . society. People run their daily lives . through what they value, (think is . important). In this culture what is valued . is "getting ahead" and sinking the other guy . if necesary in order to do so. This means . grabbing as much money and goods as you can . in the shortest period of time, regardless . of what the social or world consequences . are, calling this "success". The . government/corporate acquistion of Iraq runs . along exactly the same vein...(grabbing as . much money and goods as you can in the . shortest period of time) and is therefore . the larger version of individual greed. This . is the essential problem....wrong values. . . The solution is found in questioning those . values and definitions of life which aim to . exploit and take far more than is necessary . for good living. The honest person will in . the end find these lacking, destructive and . unacceptable, and change their life . accordingly. In so doing they provide the . momentum for others to do the same, . especially if this is what they advocate. . (see Survivalists' Guide in the WMS Library . at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . I would be interested in discussing this in . depth with everyone. Discussion between Matthew and A - Ed Pabaue . 26 Jul 2003 15:24 . #348 I just discovered this interesting . discussion between Matthew Web and someone . who seems very clear. . . Ed . . . Matthew. I do not agree with your way of . seeing things. The world is in dire . straights and is therefore in need of help. . That help may be derived from group . meditations; the more participants the . better! You are cordially invited to join . our Global Group Meditations, held every . second and fourth Sunday each month. . . A. You see, M, to raise one's consciousness . is only to refine one's mind in duality. . And this is where the vast majority of . spiritual people today are getting . confused, as well as sealing their own . fate. In order to partake in The Rapture we . require to enter a fundamentally different . electromagnetic Field of life. There is no . use in raising our consciousness in . duality, we must instead let Christ in, and . we do not require to practise . visualisations and the like in order to do . that, for Christ is here right now, . knocking on the door of our hearts. Christ . is already our very own Being. Therefore, . there is nothing at all to achieve, but . everything to give up, to surrender, to . lose. "He who would lose his life for My . sake will enter into Life" - Jesus. . . I would share with you, M, further well- . researched evidence as to why and how . visualisations/meditations practised by . unenlightened minds lead not to Liberation . from the illusion that is duality, but . rather feed the matrix masters with various . etheric radiations that are a natural . result of misapplied spiritual principles . by the 'I'. This is why the scriptures . implore us to "Let Christ do the work in . you", or simply, "Let it be". . . Did you know that while the impressive mind . of man may know all about the Truth, it can . never actually experience it? The higher . expressions of the mind of this world may . enjoy the loftiest of conceptual . understanding, yet still remain firmly . outside the divine Sphere; it necessarily . remains barred from entering the divine . Universe. This is the difference between . that which we 'know' in our mind and the . actual experience of Divinity. . . There is a fundamental difference between . doing from self-will and letting the Divine . work, and it is ever our thinking, our . identification that creates our reality, . moulds our destiny and dictates our path; . long or short, painful or graceful. Without . true spiritual realisation, however, our . mental convolutions will avail us of little . more than a headache. . . SPIRITUAL MASTERS . . Matthew. I would like to offer you the . following facts: A Master is a spiritual . seeker who has reached a very notable . degree of self realization. By virtue of . this, they have also reached a notable . degree of God realization. . . A. Well said. A master has indeed attained . more spiritually than ailing, ignorant . humanity, of course, but he has not yet . attained the Goal itself: Christ- . Consciousness, eternal Liberation. . Therefore, a so-called master is a 'sinner' . at a higher level than most. In other . words, powerful and radiant though he may . be to the perception of slumbering mankind, . he still has karma to balance and so must . reincarnate in duality, the fallen . universe, in order to find and go the Path . of Transfiguration. . . Today, due to the Grace being offered, such . masters may achieve the Final Liberation. . There are many advanced souls here today on . Earth from all over the galaxy. They are . here in order to attempt to succeed at the . Final Initiation. They are very evolved in . comparison to most human beings, and so . they may be revered even as 'Enlightened' . by the myopia of some. However, they are . not yet Home; they still have a way to go, . and today they will be looking towards the . Capstone of the world Pyramid, "to the . hills from whence comes there Salvation". . . . MIRACLES . . M. We too may perform "miracles", upon . realising that all the resources for . happiness, personal power, strength, love . and clarity, lie within... . . A. But it is not 'we' who do those . miracles, is it? It is God. Magic just . happens around saints. Often the saint does . not even consciously know about some of the . miracle's effects. The Mysterious Virtue! . By telling infant human beings that it is . possible for them to achieve such powers is . to tempt them to seek for self, as so many . people do today on Earth. We must look to . God if we would court divine Grace and so . behold true Miracles. . . . CONSCIOUSNESS . . M. ...Our true Self is not composed of . thought or social imagery, it is made of . consciousness... . . A. Actually, there is no consciousness in . Nirvana, in God. Consciousness is a . manifest of the unmanifest Spirit. However, . such a truth is too lofty to be of much use . to us now, and speculation about such . things does not lead to Liberation. . . M. ...In consciousness we know our fellow . human beings as a part of ourselves. We are . all One because we are all composed of the . same universal Consciousness, (God/unified . field)... . . A. However, there is a fallen, dualistic . field, which is dying perpetually, not . immortal, undivine; and then there is the . divine Sphere, which is Unborn, Eternal, . Perfect. These two diametrically opposing . electromagnetic fields can never become . one. This is Gnosis; this is the truth. . . As long as free will chooses to create . using its lower mind, duality (the . illusion) will continue to exist, along . with all the suffering and misery it . engenders. . . M. ...Having identified ourselves with . consciousness, we understand that we are, . in fact, each a fragment of God... . . A. The divine spark in the heart is a . fragment of God, but the surface vehicles, . the personality surrounding it, containing . karma and created by ignorant free will are . all illusions. God, being Real, can never . be one with the illusion, for Reality and . unreality are two different things. . . If what you say were correct, if we are . indeed a fragment of God, the Perfect One, . then why is there so little divine harmony . in this world? It is a paradox to the . limited mind, to the very mind that creates . the illusion in every new moment. By . visualising world redemption, for example, . with the mind - with the mind, mind you - . we are only creating more illusions. For . the matter of human thought is of the same . dualistic, undivine nature as the mind-born . illusion itself and, indeed, the luciferic . mind itself, too. . . M. ...We are conduits for Divine . expression, or in other words, Universal . Consciousness. That which organizes the . universe also organizes our cellular . structures, inter-galactic events, and our . very existence as human beings... . . A. Not in duality it doesn't; that is . Lucifer's job. The dualistic world-mind . does that, which is but Lucifer (the . dualistic 'I') trying to imitate God. . . M. ...To understand consciousness is to . understand that organizing influence. To . attain greater and greater mastery of . consciousness, (to expand it) is our very . purpose, as cells within the body of God. . These are some of the major tenets, . teachings and purposes of the Masters . throughout the ages... . . A. No. They are the misinterpreted, . disfigured teachings of the masters, often . wilfully changed or adulterated in order to . fool people like yourself. . . We must not expand our consciousness; we . must not make it larger, but smaller. So . small until it disappears, until 'we', . the 'I', disappears in Divinity. We must . lose our consciousness in Nirvana to be . Free. Nirvana = 'snuffing out' of . consciousness. Check your pure Buddhism . (which is pure Gnosis). . . . THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE . . M. ...Our true purpose is to carry out the . designs of Nature and Divine Order, so as . to build a truly progressive world society, . and a truly profound inner self... . . A. Only God can Build aright. Mankind . builds in the illusion, an illusion that is . necessarily destroyed, recycled and . replaced at the end of every world cycle. . . This world is a temporal emergency order of . existence. It was established by the Elohim . in order to prevent fallen mankind from . destroying itself completely through . ignorance; hence the institution of death . and rebirth, which prevents mankind from . crystallising too far (as an example of the . need for death, how many old-age pensioners . do you know who are not crystallised?). . . The only purpose of the emergency order, . the illusory universe, is to provide a . place for fallen mankind to resolve its . karma and return to God, to leave this . world completely. If we choose to build in . it, we are actually only attempting to make . a paradise of an illusion, which is, of . course, impossible. Building "progressive . societies" etc. in the emergency order . creates pain and suffering. This is so . because universal law is trying to tell us . that we are missing the whole point of . being here in duality in the first place: . to resolve our karma, to leave this world . and return Home to God, at the earliest . possible opportunity. Any dualistic . activity, any dualistic thinking or . aspiring (e.g., to raise our consciousness . here) will only delay us and prevent us . from leaving this world, as it fortifies . the illusion in our own minds. . . Seek and you will find. You are closer than . most in some of your ideas, but not yet . perfectly clear in your understanding. This . is why you are attempting to serve fallen . human personalities and the fallen world . instead of surendering to God's Will and . the divine plan of Salvation. . . . SELF WILL . . M. ...Let us seek the very highest . aspirations, and the most noble of human . potentials. It is the mark of the genius . and the revolutionary, to not settle for . anything less than profound self- . realisation. Let us all seek to be Masters . and to embrace Cosmic Purpose. To do this, . we must intend greater Mastery, and by the . same token, gain greater Mastery of . Intent... . . A. Wrong again. If I intend to become a . master then I will only be extending my . stay in the world of self-will. The wise . man aspires only to not aspire to gain . anything in duality. If I have any . intention, then my mind will only proceed . to create more illusions and my . consciousness will only expand in duality. . When this happens we are nailed ever more . firmly to the wheel of samsara. Black . magicians are made in this way. . . M. ..."Perpetual raising" is the Intent . that a Master uses, in order to retain the . basic status/state of Mastery. It is the . Intent of total, ongoing, spiritual . progressiveness moment to moment, of every . day. Perpetual raising is therefore the . unceasing focus upon the expansion of . consciousness, both within the self, and . throughout the world... . . A. The 'masters' of whom you speak are of . the unholy kind; masters of illusion, . masters of the fallen, undivine world, . sorcerers, black magicians. The wise man . simply says: "Thy Will be done, my Lord". . And is admitted again into the Divine . Mysteries. . . It is the left-hand path of which you speak. . . M. ...Every thought, emotion, image and . belief we maintain, is founded upon an . underlying Intent... . . A. And that is exactly how the illusion of . duality is born and perpetuated. . . M. ...With this Intent in place as our . first priority, we make best use of every . single circumstance and opportunity in . life, for the progressive expansion of . consciousness. Perpetual raising is the . Intent through which the consciousness of . the spiritual practitioner is maintained as . a dynamic psychic engine, WHICH CONSTANTLY . GENERATES HIGHER LOVE, CLARITY AND DIVINE . CONNECTION ON A DAILY BASIS. . . A. How can personal consciousness . possibly "generate Love"? Love already . exists as it has ever existed. We cannot . generate it. We may let it in, however, . by "giving up all your trying and striving . and let the Tao bring everything to you." - . Lao Tzu. Re: Discussion between Matthew and A - Matthew Webb . 28 Jul 2003 11:00 . #349 ********* . . I find it interesting Ed, that you've . concocted this "conversation" between myself . and "A", complete with question and answer . dialog. But I've had no such . conversation...I hope you enjoyed both . speaking for me, and then proceeding . to "debunk" "my comments" with your own dubs. . . Given our past history on this forum, (which . by the way, I did not create for your . personal amusement) I must conclude that you . haven't the integrity to have a real or . honest discussion of anything here. It . occurs to me that your main purpose on this . forum is to create as much distraction and . discord as possible, in an atempt to detract . from the offered message. . . I don't mind honest debate or real . discussion that's going somewhere, . regardless of whether it agrees with the WMS . stance or not. But this sort of thing is . ridiculous, so if you'd like to be a member . here, then please consider using a more . progressive and honest approach. Otherwise, . I will not hesitate to delete your posts and . your membership, if for no other reason than . to keep such unnecessary and irrelevant . distractions at a minimum. . . Matthew Re: Discussion between Matthew and A - Ed Pabaue . 1 Aug 2003 04:36 . #350 . Oh yes you did have that conversation, . Matthew, about 2 or so years ago. . . Has your attitude changed so much in that . time that you do not recognise your own words? . . In earnest, . . Ed Re: Discussion between Matthew and A - Frans weyer . 3 Aug 2003 07:19 . #351 Come on boys, what are we really talking . about . I see it this way: here are two systems . based on two different and important . principles. . Monotheism and dualism, one God or more . Gods, and each system has his own important . message. . Dualism sees that”salvation”is not been . reached trough the material world, that . shining diamond with his many false facets. . The material world created by a God who is . the opposite of the “real” God; and the only . way that you can come and stay in contact . with that God is at least trough that focus . point Christ.( I don’t know in how far you . can speak here of a ego wish, and I really . mean that) . Agree, very simple said. . Monotheism sees it all as a whole, . everything connected with the heartbeat of . God. . Again a diamond but now with clear facets. ( . with the same remark of ego wishing) . These are mind games. . The fact is we are here, we live here, and . when we are courageous enough to look in our . selves, really look in our selves and not . only at our selves, then there is a . possibility that beyond our shields of . rationality or spirituality lies something . that makes these theories above ridiculous. . Not ridiculous in the sense of “what the . heck,we all going to die anyway” but in the . sense of clearness and quietness that goes . beyond the willing of “feeling good” and . lives simplifications. . Let the sunshine in... . . Frans.(not a freaked out hippie) . . . someone . myself . dubs. . words? Re: Discussion between Matthew and A - Sandi Hunter . 5 Aug 2003 13:27 . #354 I am very confused here.....Heidi and Frans . are replying to the messages posted by . Matthew and Ed addressing points made within . the posts, but COMPLETELY IGNORING the fact . that Ed fabricated and lied about the whole . discussion. Where is the respect,courtesy . and honoring of the Truth? Doesn't it . matter to anyone that the post by Ed was a . lie and completely made up? My last . question is....How can anyone take the . replies you are making seriously when you . obviously don't value truth? . . . Our Survival - Sandi Hunter . 5 Aug 2003 13:28 . #355 A Prelude to World Honesty . (our survival) . . Part 1 . . Why does our survival as a species . depend upon honesty? Because without . honesty we can never come to grips with the . truth, or in other words, they way things . REALLY ARE. Without the truth, we are . hopelessly lost in our collective fashion . magazine illusions about what life is all . about. An honest look at our world reveals . that modern society is literally FULL of . false and misleading ideas, which contribute . absolutely NOTHING to the real quality of . life. Yet for some reason, it’s still a . common misconception that, “there is a . higher standard of living” inherent with . owning “more things”. If so, why do . statistics show that more and more people . are unhappy with their lives? . . In this age of fast talk and sales . slogans, where does one begin to talk about . the importance of Truth and Honesty? I . have often wondered what the word “honesty” . really means to most people today. . Apparently it doesn’t mean very much. It . seems that most don’t even consider it . important enough to clearly define. . Television programming and social norms . suggest that honesty, (truth) certainly . isn’t considered an important part of daily . life. If fact, almost every show on . television portrays characters who . habitually lie about almost everything, . nearly all the time! The media is no better . since it rarely gives a clear view of the . real causes behind world events or domestic . policies. Equally rare is honesty on the . personal level, where we find that, “looking . good”, “being politcally correct” . and “saving face” are all placed well ahead . of truth as social values. . . If the true intentions behind . corporate and government endeavors were . commonly known, the average person would be . truly shocked to realize that these . institutions are not at all what they seem. . They are in fact routinely behind everyday . events such as wars, plagues, medical . malpractice, criminal economics, the . swindling of public funds and environmental . disasters of all kinds, where companies like . Enron are just the tip of a MUCH larger . iceberg. Any honest analysis of modern . values reveals that real morality, (good . will amongst the global human community, for . the benefit of all life) is in a free-fall . decline, spiraling more out of control with . each week that passes. An honest look at . world events reveals the insincerity of . selfish corporate interests, transparent . government propaganda and a shallow, . basically uncaring complacency on the part . of the public the world over. After . observing all this in our human society, . it‘s easy to see where the world is rapidly . heading. There are famines, man-made . diseases and wars without end. There are . genetically engineered foods, birth defects . caused by depleted uranium and industrial . chemicals and a total lack of respect for . life in industry and the sciences. There is . corruption in world leaders and governments, . monumental national deficits, and last but . certainly not least, a bottomless greed . which causes the most grave social problems . all over the world, (to name just a few). . When are these critical issues of our day . ever seriously and deeply discussed by . concerned citizens? Very rarely. It . doesn’t take a genius or a person with . vastly keen observational powers to realize . the truth of these conclusions. One might . be prompted to ask; “Could it be that only a . small minority of us see these things, . knowing that the world does NOT need to . function this way?” The answer that is . forthcoming can only be, that although . people can’t help but notice these world . problems, they CHOOSE to “look the other . way” because dealing with such issues, “just . isn’t convenient right now”. Perhaps a . better question would be, “Among those in . the world who see the human race clearly . going in the direction of mass death and . misery, who among you is willing to change . your everyday life? Who will DEMONSTRATE . THROUGH LIFESTYLE that they value truth over . sales slogans, and the FACTS over brand name . egotism and political promises? . . Many reading this article will . contend that there ARE people of good intent . everywhere, who dedicate much time and . energy to right some of the wrongs around . the globe. These highly altruistic doers of . good-deeds have some merit, and render some . short term benefits to people everywhere. . But it’s fairly easy to target any specific . region of the world, for example, in order . to feed the hungry, clothe the homeless and . send medical help to those in need. Growing . the food isn’t a problem, nor is the . manufacture of clothing and medical . supplies. But where in all this apparent . altruism is there any legitmate concern for . addressing the actual source of these world . problems? Where are those advocates for . real human progress, who are courageously . pointing out that the focus of society . itself is all wrong, rather than just . smoothing over the symptoms of our social . disease? Although relief measures may give . immediate benefits to those who are . suffering in certain areas of the world, . they clearly are not sufficient to actually . change the course of modern humanity. For . every fire we put out using such short term . measures, three more pop up elsewhere. Why . is it then that social programs and . government “aid” alike, address only the . SYMPTOMS of worldly ills, when it is clearly . known that in the long run they are no . solution at all? For if such band-aid . measures were truly all that was required to . solve world problems, then distressed . regions of the globe would have been . transformed from places of misery and mass- . death long ago. If you doubt this, then . reflect for just a moment on the fact that . if less than one tenth of current military . expenditures were spent on peace and human . benefit, that misery and death would be . transformed into joy and real human progress . for decades to come. Insteads of fighter . jets and cruise missiles whose annual budget . is in the billions of dollars, we could as a . society improve the human condition forever, . through better environmental practices, . cooperative organic agriculture, enlightened . education and the conscientious use of . technology. But this is not to be for one . simple reason. The values of those who run . the world are not oriented toward the . benefit of life or the improvement of the . human condition in any way, they are based . upon sheer selfishness, madness and . monumental egotism. Because of false value . systems such as consumerism and materialism, . even becoming a billionaire isn’t enough any . more, when you play the game . called “success”. As if in tribute to the . twin gods of egotism and ignorance, the . billionaire must then work to possess TENS . OF BILLIONS, and then HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS. . Bank accounts have come to mean more to . human beings than life itself. Those who . belong to the “hundreds of billions club” . must then in their madness, jockey and . compete on the world stage, using . governments and whole populations as their . pawns, to see who can be TOP BILLIONAIRE. . Whole continents suffer in sweat shops, . deforestation and disease while needless . wars wage, just so that Joe Milionaire can . become Joe Billionaire, at the cost of all . life on this planet, if necessary. . Unfortunately the average person employs . these very same value systems of consumerism . and materialism, with the mistaken idea that . having more money and things makes you a . better person. Thus we have the extreme . shallowness and wasteful egotism that . dominates our entire Western culture, which . in the end benfits no one. In the final . analysis consumerism is nothing more than . mass insanity glorified as “success” by . every television commercial and magazine . stand. In the modern age it is mistakenly . thought that “might makes right” and “it is . the victors who right history” even if they . gained “victory” through ripping off . investors and taxpayers. Needless wars are . waged in the name of “justice” just so that . certain corporate conglomerates are kept in . business through their Defense Department . contracts. If this is “success” then what . is failure? . . So let’s take an honest look at the . what the words, “REAL HUMAN PROGRESS” . really mean. They certainly don’t mean . employing band-aid measures, which . accomplish about as much as giving morphine . for the pain of cancer. Throwing food, . equipment or money at world problems are . temporary and cosmetic measures at best. We . can feed and clothe the poor, but the fact . is that millions will continue to suffer so . long as greed and egotism rule the day. Why . is this? Because, while the average Joe . Millionaire , (or wanna-be Joe Millionaire) . is out there competing with his or her . greedy peers for the same finite world in . which we must all live. It’s a fool’s game . that the rich and poor alike play, in order . to conform to some bizarre idea . about “success”, but which by another name . is the paraniod, egotistical acquisition of . everything within sight, while hoping . the “other guy” doesn’t get there first. . THIS is exactly the philosophy ruling the . Earth today, and it is the very definition . of primitiveness, stupidity, ignorance, and . mutually assured self destrcution. Sweat . shop labor and minimum wage-slaves are . exactly what keeps the ultra rich in their . positions of power. With this power of . destruction and misery the “successful” work . to create ever more slaves the world over, . so as to indulge their deranged fantasies . about being at the top of the heap. . . Morphine, like “foreign aid”, will alleviate . pain and suffering for a while, but until . the cause of the pain, (the values of . materialism and consumerism) has been . addressed there will be no cure. Until these . causes of hunger, plague, birth defects and . all other wordly injustices are honestly . looked at, nothing will change in the long . run. This is where truth and honesty shine . the brightest, for within these spiritual . modes of being is found our only true hope . as a species. Without them our extinction . is not long in the making, and it doesn’t . matter in the least, who does or doesn’t . like to hear it. The honest fact is that . the cause of these worldly ills is a . widespread public apathy toward, and wilfull . participation in, what is going on in the . global human community. No one is willing . to take responsiblity for it, not even in . identifying society for what it . is...completely insane. This apathy is . based on selfishness and a basic dishonesty . about the truth, as reflected in the whole . philosophy of “me first” consumerism. It is . commonly believed by many that the whole . world and everything in it, (including our . fellow human beings) exists only for us to . exploit, and that what really matters in the . end, is not the destruction of the . environment, (our own children included) or . the suffering of millions, but OUR IMMEDIATE . GRATIFICATION. This insanity is the . hysterical belief system the cult of . consumerism commands its Dollar worshippers . to follow. To BUY WITHOUT THOUGHT, to . blindly consume and produce, and to live . for the sake of making money alone, is the . mode of our day. It is even considered by . some to be their social and “patriotic” duty . toward society, in order to, “stimulate the . economy”, “create more jobs” and to destroy . everything within sight for the sake . of “fame and fortune”. . . Where do we start to take . responsibility for such a bizarre mess? . Someone has to, or else we are all just . standing around with a confounded stare, . waiting for somebody else to take the . initiative. The answer lies within each and . every one of us....it must start with every . individual taking responsiblity for their . daily lifestyle. It has to start by . QUESTIONING the nonsense we see on . television, and realizing that this is NOT . reality, but a very twisted maze of false . propositions. It must start with each and . every one of us genuinely valuing and . honoring truth, not according to what the . newspapers or magazines say, but according . to the laws which run the universe, (natural . laws). . . How can truth be finally recognized . world-wide, if it doesn’t start within . ourselves? Just as the health of the body . is based upon healthy cells, so too is the . sanity of the world based upon sane . individuals, who are NOT in denial about the . world condition. It is they and ONLY they, . who have the sanity and courage of . conviction to say what is true, regardless . of an apathetic majority who really couldn’t . care less where the world is headed, so long . as they, “get their piece of the pie”. Well . guess what people, there isn’t going to be . any pie left, when everybody wants to take . much more than their share. In the United . States alone, (which is commonly known as . the consumerism capital of the world) we . contain only 5% of the world’s population, . yet “consume” over 30% of its’ resources. . That’s at least 6 times “our share” which we . refer to as a “higher standard of living”, . but which is in fact just unmasked greed . given a fancy name. While the rich add . another 1000 square feet to their mansions, . the poor die of starvation or untreated . disease by the tens of thousands on every . continent. Those who think there is no . relationship between their lifestyle and the . lives led by others around the world, are . just kidding themselves with a brand of . grossly insensitive, criminal cynicism. . . It is only the honest who have the . clarity and courage to speak what must be . spoken. This they do regardless of what the . television says is “politically incorrect”, . fully aware that it takes far more courage . to state the way things really are, than to . just parrot what is accepted as “normal”. . This is the stuff of true heroes, for . without honesty or acting for the sake of . CAUSE, (justice through truth) then our . society increasingly looks like an episode . out of a poorly written comic book strip or . soap opera, filled from top to bottom with . villians and poor victims, and never dealing . with anything but mindless, self indulgent . drama. DRAMA without meaning is the norm . for much of our television “programming”, . (an appropriate word for it) as well as the . daily scene of urban America. It’s as . though the two worlds of televised soap . operas and “real life” are constantly . striving to imitate one another, to the . point where you can’t tell one from the . other. . . It is said that the average American . watches at least 4 hours of TV a day, 28 . hours a week, 112 hours a month and 1344 . hours a year. In a 65 year lifespan, . that’s about 130 months, or over 10 years! . So for 56 days a year people wilfully . subject themselves to the most absurd . nonsense, (with rare exception) if only for . the sake of indulging their real-world . apathy by, “not having to think about it”. . The television is truly the most horrific . propaganda device ever created, and through . it the corporate values of materialism and . consumerism pour ceaselessly. They pour . into the average mind without being . challenged in the slightest, creating a kind . of sustained hype-nosis which literally . programs children and adults alike to do one . thing...OBEY. Television is certainly not . the benign “entertainment” medium that most . assume it to be...that’s an extremely naive . . . notion. What it is actually designed to do . is to condition the mind to NOT THINK . anymore, literally disabling the frontal . lobe of the brain, and directly depositing . images and ideas into the mind that are akin . to viruses entering a computer’s operating . system. People so conditioned are then . referred to as “consumers” who will do . anything they are programmed to do when the . right stimulus is introduced, not unlike . herd animals coming to a feeding trough on . cue when a signal is given. When you . combine the effects of television . programming with the brain-dead scheduling . of modern education, the result that is . gained is exactly in line with corporate . agenda. The result is that people . become “flesh-bots” (flesh robots) who never . question anything, and in fact, aren’t even . MOTIVATED to question anything, so deep is . their conditioning. Television, like the . other forms of mass media today, exist for . one primary purpose...to CONTROL people. . Controlled people are profitable, they run . off to war to die when they’re told to, and . best of all, they obey orders when commanded . to do so at the workplace. This is slavery . by another name, but of an ingenious . type....it is presented in such a way so as . to make the slave actually believe they . ENJOY their servitude, and that it is of . benefit to them to be like a mindless cog in . a great machine. This is the corporate . agenda for you and me, with apathy and knee- . jerk consumption being only two of its’ . truly horrible effects. It is absolutely . necessary to shake off this hype-nosis and . think for ourselves, but to begin this . process requires deep honesty! . . The way to complete honesty starts . through an in depth look within ourselves. . It comes from meditation, looking within and . noticing our feelings. Inner knowledge . reveals the real source and merit of our . beliefs, values, issues and traditions. . This means taking an adult, objective look . at our lives. It means having a sincere . concern for what is far more important than . impressing the neighbors with a new outfit . or luxury sedan, just because the TV . ad “said so”. It means dealing with reality . AS IT IS, rather than how we imagine or want . it to be. Contrary to popular belief, . honesty and spirituality do not have to take . several years or months to embody. When we . gain the wisdom to realize that the truth is . all that is REAL, and therefore all that . ever has or ever will matter in life, then . adopting truth as our personal standard is . made easy. This requires only an objective . and honest look at the origin of our . personal beliefs, and their reality in the . light of REAL FACTS. Most of the beliefs of . the modern person are not of their own . making...they originate in corporate ad- . campain board rooms and politcal think . tanks. . . Facts after all, are the building . blocks of truth, not fictions. We must . trade our insulating fictions for the facts . of reality, in order to really prosper. The . scientist knows that to make a piece of . technology work requires the right . application of natural laws. You can’t . short out an electrical circuit for . instance, and expect that piece of equipment . to work properly. The same may be said of . daily life...until we start recognizing the . supreme importance of truth, (natural laws) . every day, we’re just shorting out our life . energies on such nonsense as “re- . establishing our good credit” and, “0 down, . and 2.9% APR”. . . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com . . Matthew Webb Visionquest@eoni.com . . For further reading on an alternative . lifestyle to consumerism and self . destruction, See the Survivalist’s Guide . For the New Millennium in the WMS Library . at: http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: Discussion between Matthew and A - Matthew Webb . 6 Aug 2003 13:30 . #357 I said that I never had the conversation in . question, and I meant just that. . . And now I have a suggestion...how about . actually discussing a subject pertinent to . this work group? . . Matthew . Re: Discussions of Truth? - Matthew Webb . 7 Aug 2003 15:19 . #359 Ok, Heidi, using your terminology and . reasoning that, "everybody has their own . truth", here's mine... . . There is only one truth. In fact the . word "truth" is by definition a singular . thing, not whatever anybody wants to make up . at any time, and for whatever reasons happen . to appeal to them. . . The truth is composed of what are known . as "facts", with those being collectively . called, "reality". . . I give many examples of these throughout the . World Mind Society writings. I'm not really . interested in who likes or doesn't like any . point made in those writings. I'm . interested only in the objective facts, . logic and a desire for progressive . discussion. If there's something you . disagree with herein, then by all means say . so from the beginning, but don't expect your . words to be accepted just because you or . anyone else said so. Have the courtesy to . give sound reasons why you disagree with . something, and for that matter, explain . exactly what it is that you take exception . with, using EXAMPLES. . . That is the nature of honest debate... . . Thank you, and welcome to the group. . . ******** . Re: Our Survival - Frans weyer . 10 Aug 2003 06:31 . #360 I found this a very good analysis of the . current state of the world. . It is true that, if not we at least the most . of us, are under the spell of the mass . hypnosis caused by television, newspapers, . all kind of advertising, from very young age . to the grave. . As our culture is soak through with the . Jewish Christian culture (as this expresses . itself not only in the belief system but . also in Quotations, ways of thinking, and . other social behavior) we are in this day . and age also soak through on all kind of . levels with profit thinking, if you don’t . response on this way of thinking you’re a . sad case who must be led back to the cattle . where he or she came from, if your lucky, or . you are totally ignored as the mad man (or . woman) that society sees in you. . In fact you can say that this way of . thinking is taking over the Jewish Christian . culture, slowly but steady, I don’t say that . this is a shame in fact I am thinking that . it makes no difference, one cause of mass . hypnosis replaced by another cause, but . momentary these two paradigms are mixing up . together, it is obvious which one is coming . dominant. . You all said it wisely but I found something . missing in your analysis although you . mentioned it briefly, to briefly, when you . said that the way to complete honesty starts . trough an in depth look within ourselves. . I have read earlier the Survival guide and . the solution that was stated in that . article: live in a van, be self supported, . or “tune in, turn on, drop out”, I don’t see . this as a solution, in contrary, live in a . van is a very American way of thinking, the . vans (mostly older) are air pollutions . vehicles, here in Europe we are missing . enough space to get on the road and live our . own live, I don’t even have a driving . license because all the mess of air . pollution and I think the car industry will . be happy with the advise that is given in . the Survival guide. . . Tune in, turn on, is oke , but where is each . of us standing, which solution is for each . of us the right solution, not by analyzing . what is wrong in the world today, that is . obvious but will give no solutions, it is . part of the Truth but nothing more, the . solution given in the survival guide is . disputable as all solutions are. . This is something that is occupying me : . when we are talking of Truth are we saying . the Truth or do we just give opinions, is it . so that the Truth exist but talking of it is . only possible in opinions, and is that a bad . thing, because every opinion enters a . counter opinion, is the only thing you can . do say,” shut up, there is nothing more to . say.” . I mean when discussing the Truth as we are . trying to do here . . WHAT IS TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH , NOT A PART . OF. . . I am noticing that I make one statement . after another, that is not my intention, the . Truth can best be demonstrated by lifestyle . as Sandi said and this group is a part of . . Maybe there is a finger point in the place . we are standing, on that spot where we are, . where are we annoyed by, what is it saying . about us, why am I annoying myself about . that person while someone else does not, in . contrary; what is it that annoys me at our . so-called leaders and what is that annoying . side of me telling me. . I don’t know, or is this only to much ego? . . Frans. . . . . . contribute . word “honesty” . that, “looking . seem. . like . for . is . governments, . a . issues, “just . over . name . intent . of . and . Growing . clearly . to . progress . budget . a . forever, . enlightened . value . materialism, . any . BILLIONS. . consumerism . that . We . Why . work . alleviate . these . wilfull . is . the . or . IMMEDIATE . duty . and . (natural . the . they, . couldn’t . long . Well . we . the . the . dealing . kind . one . akin . never . commanded . in . and . reality . want . take . is . of . The . equipment Re: Our Survival - Matthew Webb . 11 Aug 2003 10:28 . #361 Dear Frans, . . Thanks for posting this response on the work . group itself. . . Yes, it is more than just a little ironic . how the United States calls itself . a "Christian nation" and yet, apparently . knows nothing about the kind of lifestyle . Jesus inculcated. It is my understanding . that Jesus taught the simple life, one that . was full of spiritual focus, not full of . material focus. This is yet another example . in this culture, of deep-seated . contradictions. . . On the one hand we say we say that war is . just, but on the other hand, we don't want . our children to see the images of war, (dead . bodies and the like) on television. . It's "OK" if any number of television plots . show peoples' brains being splattered on . white walls by bullets, by it's completely . unthinkable to show people having sex. What . is this saying about society? It's saying . that war is good so long as we don't have to . look at the results. It's also saying that . pleasure (and that which is natural) is . considered far . more horrible, (something to hide away)than . is killing and pain. It's a very sick . society in which we live! . . As for living an alternative lifestyle to . this sickness, we are both in agreement as . to the need of that. In terms of living in . a van or similar vehicle, the WMS . Survivalists' Guide explains that this is an . exercise in efficiency, in that mobility and . living space are made one. Yes, I . understand that vans can be polluting, and . their gas mileage is not good. However, . with the kind of lifestyle I'm suggesting, . there is no need of driving very much, (I . don't) because your home is parked most of . the time in either the woods or a place like . an RV park. . . Thanks for your thoughtful comments on these . matters... . . most . age . or . Christian . that . something . starts . see . our . each . it . is . bad . the Re: Our Survival - Frans weyer . 11 Aug 2003 13:13 . #362 Martin, . . I can only agree when you said: . . It is my understanding . example . . Yes,a lot of places in the Bible are showing . this: "The son of man has no place to lay . his head",and more phrases like this,the . bible is full of it but theologians are . specialized to make simple things difficult . so they have all kinds of way outs when they . are confrontaded(do i spell this right)with . their lifestyle or lifestyle of the . institute church. . . You said: . It's "OK" if any number of television plots . . Yes, one should think that making love is . dirtier than making war,i realy don't get it. . Maybe people are afraid of natural . pleasures,because they must for a moment put . away their ratio and beliefs and instead of . those things live and be their selves;are we . talking here of a worldwide inferiority . complex? . . Further you said: . In terms of living in . an . and . I see that,i like that idea,but still here . it is Europe,and when you park a vehicle in . the woods(which woods,i mean realy woods)or . a parking place and your planning to stay . there for a while,autorities won't like that . overhere(as far as i know),they gone take . your car away. . You know,it is to crowded here,but well,on . the other hand we have no traditions here of . a "Jack kerouac"or "Neil cassidy" and other . people like that. . Maybe that is why philosophy and psychology . are booming bussiness overhere,we must do . other things to get some freedom from . everydays life,we try to create a . psycholichical van,so to say,will it help,i . think these are plasters,the wound stays the . same,mostly. . . Greetings, . Frans. . . Dear Frans, . work . example . (dead . What . to . an . and . like . these . expresses . cattle . up . coming . the . will . PART . lifestyle . are, . in . annoying Our Survival, Part 2 - Sandi Hunter . 12 Aug 2003 10:14 . #363 A Prelude to World Honesty . . (our survival) . . Part 2 . . . . Honesty has the power to . show us the real meaning of life. It has . the power therefore to cleanse this world, . and cause a great shift in public and . private policy, one that is focused not on . the artificial values of egotism and war, . but upon the universal values of evolution . and spiritual gain. Honesty shows us the . truth, and it is ONLY the truth that can . save us now. Yet it’s not nearly enough to . just know truth, for even in gaining full . knowledge a person can still consciously . reject, ignore or deny the facts. The . learned people of this world are NOT those . who are best poised to rescue the human . condition from itself. Only those who are . honest can do that, even if their knowledge . is limited, for in that honesty is the key . to real action. People think that . technology will save us, but they are . mistaken. All the knowledge of the universe . contained in the highest of technologies, . cannot preserve a humanity that is both . corrupted and dishonest, as technology is . only as useful as the level of wisdom with . which it is employed. College degrees . represent only the potential for right . action, just as a heap of bricks has the . potential to become a useful building. But . in each case the presence of a tool, be it . knowledge or a building material, in no way . guarantees successful architecture...only . the honest observance of the natural laws . which govern the cosmos can accomplish . that. Without honesty then, we are not . capable of dealing with truth at face value, . and for that reason alone, it doesn’t really . matter how much we know. . . . It may come as a surprise to . most people, that we’ve been lied to about . almost everything. Most of the social . teachings to which we are expected to . unquestioningly adhere, turn out to be . misconceptions at best, and outright frauds . at worst. Only by shining a truthful light . on the issues of our day, are the full . potentials of human achievement ever . realized. Truth is our only real teacher. . Everything else we learn in life is illusory . and impermanent by comparison. But the . modern mind is ever bogged down in the . illusions of the marketplace, of religious . misconceptions, and in all, self imposed . limitations. To transcend this quagmire of . the bogus, it is extremely useful to . identify and clearly recognize what is . false. To obtain truth we must not only . know where to look, but also where NOT to . look. This takes the courage to question . everything most people take for granted, . only to find out that most of our social . norms are based on the lies of scoundrels . clothed in suit and tie. Humanity has . invested itself in the insanity of believing . that what is convenient or profitable is . more important than what is real. . . . By re-evaluating our trusted . social teachers, (parents, school teachers, . employers, friends, clergy, co-workers) and . comparing their message to the objective . truth, we may well be shocked to find that . the two rarely coincide. The essential . question to ask is then revealed....were . these teachers truly noble and worthy of our . respect, or were they merely the puppets of . media insanity, faulty social norms or . unquestioned traditions, who have allowed . misconception to be handed down from one . generation to the next? Real teachers speak . of questioning everything, not of blindly . accepting things as they are. Real students . ask more than what is handed to them on the . established curriculum. . . . Real change will likely be . too difficult for the vast majority, who . imagine they can still put off the truth in . favor of social misconceptions, (such as pre- . emptive war is good, only we are . God’s “chosen” people, death and taxes are . the only certainties in life, Jesus died on . the cross for our sins, we have all the time . in the world to change, buy now-pay later at . 0% interest, and other such nonsense). It . takes brutal honesty to expose the faulty . intentions, and even lack of sanity of close . loved ones, religious leaders, worshipped . experts and authority figures. The . discomfort of realization that one’s life is . based on arbitrary beliefs, with no deep . meaning or value, (consumerism, patriotism, . religion, materialism) may be just too . overwhelming for most modern humans. But . the fact remains that we were not born . incompetent, unwise or unintelligent...these . traits are socially learned behaviors, which . were passed down to us from the above- . mentioned sources.. They are the direct . result of unquestioned beliefs, faulty . thinking, illogic, insincerity, . misconception and self serving politics. It . is only the fool who questions nothing, . calling that “being a good citizen”, when in . fact the continued willingness to . participate in the consumer, fast food, . weekend-spirituality world, whose primary . motive is greed and insane indulgence, will . be the destruction of us all. Those who . refuse to question this participation are . doomed to keep making the same mistakes over . and over again, until that is, the Earth can . no longer sustain the lunacy of TV-ad human . kind. But wishful thinking doesn’t change . the absolute necessity of thorough self . inquiry. The wise know this to be true, . just as they know the ostrich isn’t safe . simply because it sticks it’s head in the . sand. The Truth doesn’t care how anyone . feels about Reality. It just doesn’t matter . what our reaction to reality is, what . matters are the actions we now take to avert . what will surely be a global calamity of . unheard-of proportions. Nature couldn’t . care less if in the end analysis, humanity . is unfit for further evolutionary growth, if . for no other reason than the refusal to . change. Let me further state that until one . becomes an objective observer of life and . self with total detachment, (and a yearning . for the Truth) there is no chance for a . competent assessment of Reality. Yet . Reality exists beyond modern conceptions, . like it or not. Truth is NOT something we . make up, regardless of popular belief. The . popular phrase, “Creating our own reality” . does not mean we wave the magic wand of our . imagination and everything is “made OK”. It . means that as responsible, knowledgeable and . most of all, HONEST spiritual practitioners, . it is within our power to change our world . according to the natural laws which created . it to start with, not according to . convenience and whim.. . . . It is common knowledge that . to create we must first destroy, and this is . but one example of a natural law. To create . a truly progressive and new world out of the . lies of past eras, it is necessary to debunk . those lies. In their place we can build the . lasting structures of a natural society. . This implies that not only must we challenge . EVERYTHING which has been supplied to us as . the motives for living, . (financial “success”, egotism, cut-throat . competition, valuing materialistic “things . over people, etc.) we must also challenge . the teachers of those lies. Now many may . say, “Oh I know my mother, father, . government, grandparent, church, uncle, etc. . were quite “eccentric” or “nutty”, or “too . strict or wrong” in a number of ways, “but . they were good people anyway”. Perhaps, but . being “good people” is beside the . point...the point here is to not give any . lie more credence than it is due, simply . because it was told by a respected . figure. . . . Knowing and realizing the . truth in order to incorporate real change, . are two entirely different things. . Knowledge and wisdom are as distinctly . different, as is reading all about riding a . bicycle and actually getting on one. It is . a fact that people do not acquire wisdom . until they apply knowledge. Application . implies a change in daily lifestyle, not . just lip service or recycling a few aluminum . cans, (token action). Wisdom is therefore . the act of truly experiencing knowledge and . applying it every day. Applying something . every day is what defines the . word, “lifestyle”, and our actual lifestyle . is what will save us, not a one-day-a-week . spirituality, or the occasional volunteer . work. Mere knowledge of facts are not true . realizations until you apply what you know . as a daily practice, and as a matter of . conscious decision. Anything less is just . insincerity. . . . It is not difficult to . recognize that the modern goals and . practices of consumerism, for instance, are . about as askew from the natural reality, as . is eating the plastic wrappers of packaged . food while throwing away the contents. In . other words, wisdom and real spirituality . for that matter, are the practical . applications of FACTS, which bring about . needed change. There is nothing theoretical . about wisdom or real spirituality. They are . both a life lived not empty promises made, . or over-educated theories endlessly . debated. “Right action” as it has been . called, is focused on the growth and . progressiveness of rightly applied natural . laws. That means following the patterns . already set up by nature with a respect for . all living things, as well as the natural . order which sustains us all. Right action . is composed of truth and a responsibility . for reality, in the context of the Cosmic . Order. Without that Order we would not . exist, nor would the evolution of life of . any kind. So too would the technologies of . science not function without natural laws. . Very simply, recognizing seriously and . consciously that the universe has laws of . operation, with purposes FAR beyond that of . human self-indulgence, is what will ensure . our survival. Not taking these seriously . will result in our collective death, and in . the meantime, our personal, inevitable . misery. It is essential then, for each of . us to personally understand the workings of . life beyond a mere analysis of its’ chemical . components or economic value, to a level of . wise understanding that includes the . spiritual advancement of all. . . . To give you some idea of . what we are referring to by the . words “natural laws”, here are some . highlights; . . . 1) EVOLUTION . . Evolution is that process of natural law . which constantly seeks to improve old forms, . making them both increasingly capable and . richly diverse. It is the guiding force of . all life as the sentience of Nature, (some . call this “God”) which acts through the . medium of atoms and molecules in higher and . higher forms of _expression. Accelerating . further evolution is our spiritual purpose . on Earth, but we have in essence, “neglected . our office” and are paying a heavy price for . it. . . 2) EFFICIENCY . . Everything in nature is efficient, or in . other words, the opposite of wasteful. . Needless to say, modern society is anything . but efficient. That which is efficient . accomplishes the most while using the least . amount of energy. . . 3) PRACTICALITY . . Practicality is a natural law which implies . logical thinking and right action. It means . making the best use of the resources at . hand. It’s a word that used to be nearly . synonymous with the phrase “common sense”, . (but there is no such thing as “common . sense” any more). These three are but a few . examples. . . . Truth allows old ways to be . changed for the betterment of self and all . life. Needless to say, it does this for the . sake of a higher cause than mere egotism and . the greed of television ads. But we have . become a society that doesn’t really want to . resolve anything. As a culture we would . like to believe that nothing is wrong with . our lifestyle or our view of reality. This . is evident in the “self first” attitude of . almost everyone’s daily lives, as well as . most government policies. People don’t want . to hear that they’re living a lie. In fact, . they would rather live a lie simply because . the neighbors are doing it, rather than . realizing that no one benefits from unreal . values, regardless of how many others are . lying to themselves in the same way. Six . billion people CAN be wrong! For if . humankind were really out to resolve social . problems there would be little to no world . hunger, corrupt governments, bloated . military spending or child abuse, to just . name a few, (we certainly have been around . long enough to learn from past experiences, . while living more cooperatively.) Yet true . resolution is just not a top priority for . today’s citizens and governments... only the . facade of public approval is considered, . while behind the scenes an entirely . different scenario is played out, one that . is concealed from the public view. This . scene is known as “business as usual”, and . by another name, “corruption”. . . . Materialism and consumerism . are both fancy names for the paranoia . brought about by a sense of profound lack. . In essence, who else but the extremely . insecure feel they need to hoard surplus . physical energy in a variety of material . things? They are both spiritually bankrupt, . and those who believe in them are driven . insane. . . . A corrupted view of reality . is also evident through modern . psychotherapy. Rather than really . addressing the cause of chronic stress and . mental disorder, it is fashionable now to . just throw a handful of pills at the . problem, (Claritin, Celebrex, Prozac, . Vallium, Zoloft, Aricept, Zelnorm and a . legion of others) while having the audacity . to call that, “stress management”. In the . same superficial vein we have psychotherapy, . which can take 5 - 20 years of doctor-client . relations, (or more) to “work things out”. . while offering no real change. The same may . be said of groups like “AA” and other . support structures, whose main emphasis is . the prolongation of self-pitying mental . illness, so as to keep the organization . itself looking useful. But very rarely do . these institutions actually CURE anything, . and this is not hard to understand...they . don‘t aim to “cure” anything, they only . avoid causes and cover up symptoms. The . question is not, “Why are so many people so . mentally ill or stressed out?” the question . to ask is whether or not the premises of . psychotherapy and society as a whole are . THEMSELVES in error. Realize this... It is . society itself which is mentally ill, far . more so than any one person. Ritalin is now . dispensed to schoolchildren like candies, . (“DARE” to say no to drugs, but only those . that are deemed UNPROFITABLE by the . pharmaceuticals) under the idea that they . have some kind of “attention deficit”. . Extending this absurdity to extremes, we now . hear about “A.D.D. “ or “Attention Deficit . Disorder” for adults, which sounds very . much like calling deadly pollution, “C. I. . B. S.” or “Chronic Industrial Byproduct . Syndrome”. Why not just call these things . for what they really are...deadly pollution . and too much television? In the case of . Ritalin for children, did it ever occur to . most people that no one in their right mind . would find modern “educational” curriculum . interesting? Is it designed to be? For the . most part, NO. Is it designed for the . benefit of individual enlightenment, or . spirit-killing conformity and corporate . conditioning? I think you know the . answer. Did it ever occur to anyone that . children are having trouble because they are . being psychologically manipulated by . unscrupulous TV content, corporate-oriented . schooling and wrong social teachings? . There’s nothing wrong with these . children...it is society that is dead wrong, . and which needs to be corrected. Did anyone . ever stop to consider why it is that anti- . depressant drugs are now so common? These . represent an annual, multi-billion dollar . industry, one which has no intention of EVER . making people well, (this would imply a loss . of profits). It is instead assumed that . mental illness is the norm, and the best we . can hope for as individuals is to . be “normalized”, (forced to fit in, by . believing the lies of society like everybody . else). Perhaps a very small percentage of . patients can better “deal” with their issues . and problems, (most with the “help” of . medication). But how many truly clear away . the core issues of distress, (the modern . work week and artificial values) and live in . a more progressive way? How many can be . called “truly enlightened” rather than . merely, “useful citizens”, (read organic . robots)? How truly useful is a citizen who . never questions corruption, stupid social . values and artificiality, anyway? . . . I would like to ask the . reader to ponder this: What would an alien . from another world say about the planet . Earth at the hands of the human species? . Just think about that for a moment....all . the beliefs and concepts we take for granted . without question...how useful are they . really? Do they really improve life, or is . everyone on the verge of a nervous breakdown . or medical emergency? Honestly, an alien . would see our social norms as bizarre, . insane, stupid and absolutely self . destructive. In fact, they are. . Materialism, consumerism and egotism are all . the byproducts of wrong social values, . peddled by corporate advertising, government . speech writers and other lunatics of every . description. Consumerism is a belief . system, a cult, one that requires it’s . followers like those of any religion, to . have faith in the ridiculous idea that . happiness or fulfillment of ANY kind, can be . canned and bottled in factories, and made . available to you, “for a limited time . only”. Like the average television . commercial, such faith would be laughable if . it wasn’t so tragic. It’s results are . deforestation, species extinctions by the . hundreds of thousands, mass starvation, . disease and global warming, and all for the . sake of trying to be as “glamorous” as the . ads and magazine articles tell us to be! . Given this, let us live for something much . higher than the fast buck and a smug . corporate handshake...how about spiritual . growth through honesty, love and clarity for . a change? Is the destruction of ourselves . through ulcers, heart attacks and strokes, . worth a huge bank account? Is the . destruction of our species and most, if not . all life on Earth, worth greater corporate . profit margins and “boosted investor . confidence”? We each know what the sane . answer is, but the sane answer is not the . one we can expect from the corporate world, . is it? The answer here is, “DON’T . participate in that world!”. . . . By “don’t participate” I . mean finding every way possible to live in a . more efficient, logical and healthy manner. . That implies a PRACTICAL lifestyle of few . unnecessary luxuries, yet retaining all the . necessities...in essence, our need is to . return to a far simpler way of life, one . that puts the welfare of the planet that . supports us first. I’m talking about an . Earth-based spirituality, where life and . love are placed well ahead of fancy clothes, . egotism and titles. Eating natural foods, . focusing on health rather than the symptoms . of disease, living cheaply in a vehicle, . using herbal remedies and vitamins rather . than prescriptions, using logic rather than . sales slogans to think with, meditating . rather than wondering what’s going on, are a . few places to start. [See the “Chakra . Meditation” at the World Mind Society . website at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest] . . . What we need to do as . individuals is to finally conclude, after . all this intense and honest questioning, . that not only is society on a losing streak, . so is everyone who willingly participates in . it. It’s not for winners, it is the very . definition of “loser”. A truly successful . person is one who knows fulfillment is made . possible only through self realization, who . works with nature and understands the . purpose of life. That purpose has nothing . to do with corporate greed, a fancy new car, . a nice tie, glowing lip stick, or a 6-8 . digit bank account. It has to do with . spiritual understanding, the expansion of . consciousness and happiness, as well as the . wisdom to know what is truly good for all . life, and what is not. THESE are the . conclusions of the questioning, intelligent . mind with regard to modern society. What . that means in terms of actually making a . change in lifestyle and the values which . underlie it, is that we MUST reject modern . society and it’s faulty, insane notions. . That means rejecting consumerism, . materialism, nationalism, fundamentalism and . every other form of social insanity invented . by imbalanced human minds, over the last . several millennia. . . . An example of what to . reject; A recent television ad by a company . called “Lending Tree” speaks . of “consolidating your debts”. It portrays . this smiley imbecile with a blank look on . his face, riding around on his lawn mower, . saying sarcastically over and over . again, “somebody save me” from his wonderful . 4 bedroom house, new car and fine furniture, . for which he gleefully reports, “I’m up to . my eyeballs in debt”. This “happy”, (and . probably drugged) slave doesn’t understand . that he’s going to spend the rest of his . adult life paying off these indulgences for . the sake of showing off to the neighbors, . with little to show for it except high blood . pressure, high cholesterol and high denial, . inevitably leading to a case of alzheimers . and chronic fatigue syndrome, “enjoyed” in . the nearest rest home. And that’s assuming . the world even lasts that long, with such . idiots as these running the planet. Then . we’re faced with government scandals...like . the lies told for the sake of creating . unnecessary wars, just so that defense . contractors can get richer making bombs, . while justifying waste and fraud of all . kinds in the HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS. Movie . actors, (Arnold Swarzenegger) and talk show . hosts, (Jerry Springer) run for important . government positions, with a good chance of . success simply because people know their . faces, while the issues of HOW we should run . the government go completely unaddressed. . We get the entire world news in a single . minute on the average news broadcast, while . yet another ten minutes are used up talking . about Tobe Bryant and his sex scandal and . the “immorality” of gay marriages, another 6 . minutes about the weather, 8 minutes on . sports and of course, 5 minutes of . commercials. Meanwhile nobody talks about . the immorality of pre-emptive war, or . breaking in peoples’ doors in the middle of . the night in Baghdad. What does this tell . you about the values of this society? . . . Who cares? You tell me. . . Disconnect from all that madness as soon as . possible... . . . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com . . . Matthew Webb Visionquest@eoni.com . . For further reading on an alternative . lifestyle to consumerism and self . destruction, See the Survivalist’s Guide . For the New Millennium in the WMS Library . at: http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . A conversation about society - Matthew Webb . 14 Aug 2003 11:06 . #365 From Spells news log; . . 14 Aug 2003 @ 02:28 by vaxen : "They"... . have been doing these things for a long . time. "No man is an island." We know what is . wrong but it is a juggernaut, a goliath, and . if we do not kill it it most definitely . will/is killing us! The fingers have been . pointing for a long time too...yet one after . another the champions of truth have either . been murdered or sealed away in prisons. . . How is one to fight this all out war on the . mind? Especially when those 6 billion are . giving carte blanche to the 'elite' to do . whatever they want? They have the armies, . they make the money, they have stolen All . the land! COncerted unity of force is . necessary in any fundamental undertaking. . . Leary once said "Turn on, tune in, drop . out." Leary was one of them! Destroying good . minds with 'Acid' did no one any good at . all. The situation is now far worse then it . was in those, my early days, at . Berkeley...when so many were turning on, . tuning in and dropping out...only to be . clubbed over the head, whilst stoned, by . some fascist pig cops' baton! IT was the . same story, too, in those days, as you are . stating here. Nothing has changed at . all///even the same faces are still in . the 'power loop.' . . Black magick? Yes, of the worst kind. But . how can the people who know what is going on . possibly have a voice when their very . livelihoods have been stolen and they are . huinted down like animals everywhere they . go? Gorilla warfare? Individual anarchy? . Linking together in a real Network? How? . . I am ready to really hit the road again and . see what is happening 'out there.' But I . find that I am scared to do that here in . Amerikkka. Not only because of the . Ascroftian Nazi's and Bushian thought police . but because Americans, per-se, are a really . cruel race...a polyglot race, it's true, but . a race, nevertheless, weaned on violence and . corruption from day one. . . Through the jungles of South East Asia and . the deserts of the Middle East I had no . problem. Had no fear...not of the peoples . and not of the animals but here in America? . Well, I'll condition my mind to the task . ahead (Trauma Based Conditioning} is good . for some things and psyche out the way . relying on psi tools for lack of anything . more real. It's a kind of suicide, though, . but the people must have some of the . answers. And those people cannot be met face . to face here on the internet. . . I so agree with everything that you have . written spellcaster and, believe me, I've . been harping for a very long time to the . same tune but the PTB's must somehow be . engaged...the fight has to be real and not . just the same old rhetoric one finds . scattered here and there. We must somehow . build new communities of powerful people! . Alliances of rust and concern that are off . the grid, so to speak...imagine the enormous . power out there in the streets of the . coldest cities on earth...American ones. The . homeless living from one moment to the next. . Having no place to go and no unity of . purpose. . . A guerrila force waiting to be lead onwards . into victory? Or os it just too late for . anything like that? Should we, each in our . own seperate way, just meander off into the . forests of this land to disappear forever? . Do you have groups of aware citizens who . meet, hold hands, touch one another in a . loving and caring manner? Do you have real . live human beings with which to work? Or are . you isolated nodes in the infinite depths of . chaos beeping out your tunes hoping that . someone will hear and call you home? . . The internet was formed for one purpose. To . act as a means of communication after . nuclear annihilation. PErhpas the nukes . already nuked and we are the few left alive . who are communicating, searching, calling . out in the midst of a dead humanity? . . . --------------------------------------------- . ----------------------------------- . 14 Aug 2003 @ 11:04 by rishi : "They" . are "Devo" . Brother Vaxen, . . "They", meaning mainstream society, are the . very definition of de-evolutionary. When you . really get down to analyzing the motives and . methods of this de-evolutionary trend in . Euro-centric society, it's difficult to . crystallize a clear direction for what They . do in their consumer world. That's because . there isn't any direction! They have no . clear or rational purpose other than the . total indulgence of self until the end, and . to the limits of this planet, as the . foundation for consumer ideology. In other . words, They all know they're going to die . off by the billions in the not too distant . future, and as a result of society's own . mass insanity. There is simply no logical or . rational reason why, as a culture, we . pollute unnecessarily with petroleum by- . products and nuclear waste, when the . technology and money exists to convert the . entire power grid to solar energy. I quote . from a recent natural living book; . . "All of America's power needs could be met . with solar plants on 59,000 kilometers, [of . land] of less than 1/3 the land area that is . now occupied by U.S. military facilities." . . "According to Congress' Office of Technology . Assessment, at present consumption rates, . (as of 1996) the world's known oil reserves . will be exhausted in 41 years." . . But will they do this, spending a meager one . tenth of the current military budget to . improve the human condition forever? No, . because They're insane, and this is but one . example of what we're talking about. . . I'm very in tune with the spirit of guerrila . resistance, because it is an efficient means . of accomplishing social change when all else . has failed. However, there are very few . persons with enough intellignece and spirit . left who could even conceive of a social . revolution of any kind, let alone who will . carry it out as leaders. The general public . is completely brainwashed, so much so that . they will defend to the death their . mediocrity, stupidity and willing slavery, . calling that "patriotism". They don't even . know what or why they send their sons and . daughters off to do battle for. They have no . concept of self reliance or independant . thought, and are COMPLETELY controlled by . the advanced mind control, conditioning and . propaganda techniques seen on television . every hour of every day, ones that were . first well refined by Hitler in World War 2. . . What I'm saying is that a widespread social . revolution in this country at this time is . utterly hopeless, because the intelligence . of the general population is being held in . far too low a state. Good consumers are dumb . consumers. . . Rather than a revolution per se, I suggest . simply living a different way, apart from . and in a manner inherently contradictory to, . consumerism, nationalism, patirotism, . materialism and all other forms of fascism. . This means relative self sufficiency in . conjuction with others doing the same, re- . forming our own society using universal . natural laws and spiritual principles. The . ONLY people who can re-make society are . those willing to actually live it out, even . if NO ONE ELSE is. And in answer to your . question about being in contact with others . who are doing this, "yes and no". Many are . borderline, and there are communities out . there who have their act together in one way . or another, but finding them can prove . somewhat difficult. I/we are continuing to . research this.... Re: A conversation about society - Frans weyer . 14 Aug 2003 13:06 . #366 Who with a realy right mind does not have . these moments as vaxen,cry of the hearth. . When we look at society one can only . conclude that it is going down,down,down. . Only one thing i can say to vaxen (and to . myself) is that despair is a bad adviser. . Real change happens inside,in each of us,it . is often said,so often that it seems . ridicule,but whatever. . Society begins with people,they must . change,than society is changing. . Networking is working,people cluster . together in one ore another way,is it going . to slow,maybe,but be creative,creative in . living,raising your children if you have . them and let the fire that is apparently . destroying society burn,be the the young . sprout that is to juicy to burn,God(which . one)knows it aint easy,but hold hands. . Influence the world mind by radiation of . your own powersource that is within you. . What can one do otherwise exept also to . change his or her lifestyle to his or her . own insight. . No television,pay attention to positive . thinking,i mean not dr Phil,don't be . agitated to much about stupidity,evolution . no revolution,revolution always buries his . own followers. . Somewher behind the grocerystores and . supermarkets there lives the real america,i . know that, even when i never was in your . country. . And remember,David did win against Goliath. . And if not,well evolution won't stop,we are . just beginning,on the scale of time humans . are just here for about three or four . minutes,with or without great . destructions,there still lies a long future . before us. . . This is what i am thinking about this . all,wishfull thinking?? . . . is . and . after . good . on . police . but . and . face . enormous . The . next. . are . of . - . you . and . or . is . Technology . one . guerrila . means . else . no . 2. . dumb . to, . way Re: A conversation about society - Matthew Webb . 15 Aug 2003 10:47 . #367 Dear Frans, . . I wouldn't say that your thoughts here are . wishful thinking, as they are valid and . relevant in many ways. A positive focus is . certainly a productive one, and that is just . a basic natural/occult law. . . What I would say about this is that I don't . perceive Vaxen's post as being despairing; . actually he's asking all the right . questions, such as "What do we do next, . given things, (society) as they are?" It's . not negative to clearly identify things . realistically or in terms of probability. . That helps us be prepared for the degree and . type of work that is ahead, on . social/spiritual levels in particular. What . the world is showing us is that such work . will not be simple, easy or remedied in a . carefree manner, such as what the New Age . community would have us believe. Nor . is "everything going exactly as it should" . as they say, as though it is impossible that . evolution could take a wrong turn anywhere . in the universe. That would be like . saying, "making mistakes has no value" when . in fact we all know that mistakes made are . often where we learn the most. . . I'm not sure however, that humanity as a . whole is learning must from it's mistakes, . and herein lies the rub. . . It is one thing to evaluate carefully one's . own state of consciousness, values and . lifestyle so that they may be changed. It . is entirely another do evaluate these things . at the level of humanity in general, for . there are innumerable institutions that are . highly resistent to such analysis, let alone . significant change. Among these are . religious organizations, governments, . corporations, cultural norms, and the . influence of the mass media. That's why I . say that the institutions of society as they . currently exist, will and are acting to . prevent real human prgoress, generally . speaking, because they are inflexible, . corrupted, (self serving) and narrow . minded. When you add this fact in with the . imminent collapse of our world civilization, . due to the severe depletion of natural . resources, war and pollution, you have a . situation where social revolution in the . normal sense is made extremely improbable. . . As you said Frans, individual people and . groups can make a positive, progressive . movement for human advancement. But this . can only happen in one context as I see . it...outside the ordinary frame of existing . society..it's faulty beliefs, lifestyles and . center-of-the-universe thinking that . earmarks the modern age. In other words, it . is our imminent need to return to nature and . its universal/spiritual laws, the very ones . which govern the entire universe, and which . are responsible for modern homo sapiens to . start with. . . A naturally-based spirituality and daily . lifestyle is called for now more than ever. . It is up to each individual to find the . personal power within themselves to intiate . that change, and in so doing we can create . an alternative society that has truly . learned from the mistakes of history. . . . ***************** . Re: A conversation about society - Frans weyer . 17 Aug 2003 13:08 . #368 Dear Matthew, . . I did not mean it as a negative thing when I . spoke of cries of the hearth in the post of . vaxen. . A cry of the hearth is not per se a negative . kind of mood. . It is not, instead it is often the beginning . of a new development so how can it be . negative. . . Mistakes are there to make and yes when they . exist than that means that there is . something as a wrong way (or so it seems). . So everything is not going automatically (a . strange word in this context) the way as it . has to be, I very agree with that. . But on the other end if development is a . case of fall and standup again then . everything in this world is going as . planned, so in that respect the “new Age” . thinking is not far of the truth, I think, . it is a thin line between those two, so to . say. . . Your very right that each of us must find a . spirituality based vision, that is the only . way to do something in the world but at the . other hand each of us is carrying a backpack . on his shoulders with past experiences, we . are subjects who feel, if it is right, a . responsibility for the world we live in and . we experience a world within. . Could it be that this is the real meaning of . the cross; often there is a friction between . those two. . . What is the right way, important is that one . not has to be afraid to make mistakes, . insanity often is accompanied by wisdom, but . I agree that development in the world we . live in is maybe going to slow, I think that . it is much water under the bridge till all . the institutions are human serving . identities, in the way of a phrase in the I . Ching that the true ruler is a servant, . nothing more, of the people. . . But what do people want .. . . The center of the cyclone that connect outer . and inner world is a way but drifting away . is very easy. . . The back pack we are carrying is or red . colored or silvergrey or any other color of . mood , that is to say, each is different in . the way he or she takes. . I by myself have a little trouble to . use biblical terms but could there something . be as the center of the cross, in a way that . it shows the perfect harmony between . the “outer” and “inner”, so the right way is . that what holds account with both worlds, a . law that unite these two and therefore shows . that it is all in fact one. . Again that thin line. . . I by myself think that the most important . law is live as action, always creative and . progressive as you said in one of your . writings, if everything falls apart live . always find a way to continue, it lives in . our and out ourselves, I think it is . important to catch that wave. . . Greetings, . Frans. . . . . . just . and . What . that . things . alone . they . civilization, . and . it . and . ever. . us,it . going . america,i . are . future Human evolution - Matthew Webb . 23 Aug 2003 13:39 . #369 Human evolution is a natural process with . infinite potentials. We are not yet a . finished product! In fact, there is no limit . to the levels of evolution we can achieve, . both as individuals and as a world society. . We have within our capacity the ability to . guide our own development as consciousness . beings, and many of us are doing exactly . that. . Humanity as a sum total however, seems to be . limited by its own concepts of life and . right living. The only real limitations upon . our continued growth as a species, are those . concepts we continue to impose upon each . succeeding generation. . . True Progress and Prosperity . . It would seem that our ideas about progress, . prosperity, and successful living are . getting in the way of our own true . development. In fact, our lives are largely . molded by how we define the words "progress" . and "prosperity". . . In the modern world we find that "progress" . is often defined in terms of building bigger . supermarkets, shopping malls, and schools, . as well as the inventing of "higher" . technologies, trade agreements, industries . and social institutions. "Greater . prosperity" is viewed as the making of more . dollars per fiscal year, or the raising of . the so called "standard of living" of . communities and nations. . But are these things really an authentic . measure of progress and prosperity? Do they . really contribute to a more successful . standard of living? . . To answer these questions we must look . beyond current social views, and consult . with the spiritual center, (soul) of our . being. . . By silently observing our innermost selves, . we find the vast and largely untapped . potentials of the noble human spirit. When . we meditate and pray, there arises a . completely different perception of life, . which has nothing to do with stock . portfolios, resumes, club memberships, . formal education or the adherence . to "consumer spending" trends. Upon deep . reflection we find that the meaning of life . and of truth is far deeper than the . corporate status quo would have us believe. . . Rediscovering Our Natural Wisdom . . The inherent condition of the human mind is . genius. Our natural intuitiveness, insight . and flexibility are easily observed in any . child, who has been allowed to freely use . their minds without cultural inhibitions. . . Our natural wisdom is found reflected in the . Native peoples of the world, one that comes . with a knowledge of plants, animals, herbal . medicines, practical spirituality and a deep . perception into the purpose of life. It is . the natural reaction of the child to express . love and friendship to the stranger, as an . automatic form of spiritual expression. . But in all of the above examples, the . word "natural" is the key to understanding . true human progress. Through natural laws, . (which are also spiritual laws) we learn the . reality of the Cosmos of which we are a . part. . . True human progress is not defined by the . physical . . structures or institutions we can build, it . is found in the natural, spiritual . advancement of every human being. It is not . our creations which need to be fundamentally . improved, it is the creator within which . must be elevated according to Cosmic . Designs. . . True prosperity is not found through money . or the material things it can buy, it is . found through the exquisite joy, profound . clarity and deep wisdom of self realization. . Self realization also becomes the . realization of the brotherhood and . sisterhood of all people in unity, and . within the context of That which is called . God. Self realization also demonstrates that . Nature, like humanity, is governed by . universal constants to which the human . species must apply itself, or suffer the . penalty of every failed experiment of . evolution:extinction. . . Overcoming Materialism . . Our task in this modern age is to return to . nature and natural ways, as a very authentic . form of spiritual practice. In so doing we . apply ourselves to the Cosmic principles of . living, which recognize no international . boundaries, ethnic differences, religious . dogmas or political parties. . . By following the laws already established by . nature, we supersede the petty distinctions . of courts, popes, emperors, kings and . presidents, in favor of the sweet fruits of . universal Truth. . . But how can we accomplish this glorious . task, this real purpose of life and . enlightenment, while materialism is still . the foremost world religion? How can we find . God, our own souls and real prosperity, so . long as the Almighty Dollar is worshipped as . Divine? . . We cannot. We cannot simultaneously worship . money, the official corporate religion of . Western society, and still devote our lives . to universal Truth. . . For what use is money and material . possessions, when we are destroying each . other and the Earth to gain them? For what . use is an empire of material wealth, when . our minds are in an artificially induced . confusion, our bodies stressed to the limit . by unnatural goals, and our lives lived in a . social environment dominated by fear and . lackingness? . . Time for a Change . . Clearly, we must culturally redefine what . prosperity and progress really mean, not in . the context of a profit oriented media, but . in the context of a vast, intelligent and . creative universe of which we are a . reflection. . A global revolution of social values is now . poised to emerge, like a butterfly from its . cocoon. The transformation of Old World . material ideals, to the New World of . spiritual lifestyle has the greatest chance . for success, now in this present age. . . At no other time in history has the human . race been more ready for a change. The . people of the world are realizing that must . find the real meaning of life and right . living beyond cultural norms and . expectations. They are realizing for . instance, that they are not humans having . spiritual experiences, but spirits having . human experiences. . Nature, like the human body, is being . remembered as a sacred temple for spiritual . growth, rather than as a "resource" for . material exploitation. People are being . viewed not in terms of their "credentials" . or resumes, but as centers of consciousness . who are capable of performing what has been . considered miraculous. Society is finally . being recognized not as a collection of . warring states, but as parts of a global . organism which is inseparably united. . . In this realization the meditator finds that . the sufferings and loves of their fellow . human beings are theirs to experience every . moment of every day. . . Searching for Truth . . Above all else, the highest priority in life . must remain Truth itself. The spiritually . responsible person does not ask, "What is it . that I want to hear?", or "What is it that . makes me feel comfortable?" Instead, the . truly spiritual person asks, "What is true . and what is not?" . . The truth of our world society is that it is . in serious trouble, and it simply does not . matter who likes this fact or not. What . matters now is what we as individuals and . groups do about this world crisis. . . The immediate remedy to crisis is a change . of lifestyle. In the modern world we find . that the stress of unnatural living is our . greatest foe. Why is it unnatural? Because . it is based upon the worship of money and . material things, far and above real need. We . suffer because we seek material goals . instead of spiritual ones. . . One of our first tasks as spiritually minded . persons, is therefore to reject this . materialistic world society in which we . live, in favor of the precepts of natural . law. We must reject materialism as the state . religion, in order to dedicate our lives to . the greater evolution of self, and the human . species as a whole. . . Materialism is an ideological disease, and . until we are cured of it there can be no . realistic hope of genuine progress or . prosperity. . . We may invent higher and higher technologies . and new political methods, but these will . never actually improve the quality of living . so long as their implementation remains . unenlightened. . . Any system of management remains only as . effective as the persons who participate in . it. Our best opportunity for personal and . social improvement is therefore one of inner . transformation. Outer revolution rests . squarely upon the advance of inner . evolution. . . Meditation and the Group Mind Principle . . Inner evolution involves the expansion of . consciousness. Every single thing we do and . the manner in which we do it, is dependent . upon our state of consciousness at that . moment. . This is why meditation is so important, . because it is the premium tool for self . change. In meditation we realize that we are . not the thoughts, images or feelings which . run through our being. Our true identity is . that which creates those thoughts, feelings . and images to start with. That creator . within is none other than consciousness . itself. . Not surprisingly, all of nature is also . composed of consciousness, and in meditation . the realization I AM THAT spontaneously . arises at a critical point in spiritual . practice. When this happens we realize that . the consciousness within, is the same in . essence as the consciousness in all persons, . all life, and in fact, all existence. . . Our reality is that we are not only in . contact with God, but that WE ARE A PART OF . GOD, just as cells are a part of our body. . We also begin to realize that consciousness . is a shared "substance", one that makes it . possible for people to "tune in" to each . other all the time. We feel the emotions of . others, and very often experience their . thoughts as well. . . The ocean of electromagnetic impulses in . which we live carries thoughts, feelings and . intentions just as readily as radio and . television waves. In recognizing this truth, . we are given a hint as to how we may . transform the World Mind of humanity in . which we live. . . Through meditation we are afforded an . opportunity to SELF EVOLVE or in other . words, expand our consciousness. . In the group setting this potential is made . even more pronounced via the group mind . principle. In short, the group mind . principle of Nature states that the . resulting force generated from the combining . of like minds is geometrically greater than . the sum of its parts. In other words, minds . which are focused together upon a common . theme, create a mutual force which is not . merely additive, but vastly more powerful . than any one individual. . . Through this force of combined, spiritually- . oriented consciousness, we may reshape the . landscape of social events. As we combine . our mutual, inner force with a change of . lifestyle, (from materialism to spiritual . growth) there is literally nothing that the . human species cannot accomplish. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest some thoughts of leaving. - Frans weyer . 24 Aug 2003 06:25 . #370 For some time and earlier now I’ve been . reading some publications of Matthew; . lessons of the soul, survival guide among . some other writings, and I had the idea that . I understood where Matthew was talking about. . I many occasions I had a “aha . erlebnis”reading those writings. . But there was something . . I read “our survival” from Sandi with a . great interest, but still . It is what I think I wrote in a earlier . posting, the theme of leaving society. . If that was possible than it maybe would be . nice for those who must travel that road, . but it isn’t. . Many invisible threads are connected with . us, the computer who makes this group . visible comes from somewhere, big business . where we really have no control of, the same . with music ( cd’s and so on), not talking of . vans or the roads they are riding, and so on . and on. . . But imagine it is possible, what then? . Alone, yes, but one have to be strong, but a . few are, in fact as I experienced there are . more than a few that act from out of a . borderline situation. . With more people seems practical, in times . of crises you can support each other, but . after a period there always seems to be . appearing a struggle for power in these . communities and very often a “big bang” . blows up such a group witch was started with . good intentions. . Talking of many communities trough the . decennia till the highlight of the commune . of Osho in Oregon. . . By myself I think that society as it is . gives us the change to grow, because we see . our darkest fears in many occasions become . visible and we are forced to make a point of . it. . I mean you are annoying yourself at the Bush . administration, why, yes the results are . there, but why annoying, why not simply see . how it is and than acting accordingly? . Is that annoying thing maybe a finger point . to the Bush in you, and if it is than I . agree it is not always funny. . What is greed telling to you when you make . yourself angry of the businessman, or power, . when your observing human behavior in . overall.. . I don’t think much of psycho-therapy as it . is often digging in the mud without a lamp, . but it can do no harm to learn of the plays . around us. . I don’t know, it seems to me that leaving . society (if possible) leads to or a basic . struggle to survive or a new society with . new struggle for power. . . As Krishnamurti said: “you are the society . and the society is in you”, there is no way . to deny that fact and to tempt to do . otherwise seems dangerous to me, and leads . astray. . Re: some thoughts of leaving. - Matthew Webb . 25 Aug 2003 11:25 . #371 Frans, . . Thanks for the thoughtful post. . . The creation of a new social order does not . imply more re-hashing of the same old . corrupted norms we witness today. The whole . reason that the world is in such a mess . right now is becasue of wrong values held by . people at the grass-roots level. There can . be little doubt that the politicians and . government leaders are largely corrupt, but . what is not generally realized is that most . people ARE PARTICIPATING in all . that...consumerism, materialism and . egotism. It is THEY who create the markets . for products and political systems, if . through no other means than sheer . uncaringness, (apathy). . . If there were not such a general demand for . basically worthless and even destructive . products, then the corporate industries . which create then would either collapse or . change. The same may easily be said of the . current political system of "representative" . government, which is in fact not . representative of the good of the people, . nor is it a democracy in any real sense of . the word. . . As for criticizing Bush for being corrupt, . one need not "have a little Bush inside" to . see what needs to be changed. We have a new . Hitler in our midst who would steal the soul . of his grandmother if it gave him a . political boost, or a little extra pocket . change. That kind of thinking is very New . Age Frans...that in order to criticize . or "judge" something, you have to be that . thing. New Age thinking is weak-minded, and . it assumes the human condition can never . have real clarity or good judgement in the . discernment of reality. . . Leaving society and its' insanity is not . really a huge leap of courage, it just makes . good sense. The only reason it seems to be . a big leap is because a change of lifestyle . is unfamiliar to most people. It's also . because the television constantly reinforces . the idea that THIS is the ONLY way to live, . and that those who live any other way are . somehow inferior, not to be trusted . or "underpriviledged". . . What matters in life is spiritual insight . and embodiment...that's our whole purpose as . incarnated souls, and as evolving biological . beings on this planet. Spiritual focus . implies an evolutionary life...the two work . for the same goals. Anything less than that . is not a life truly well lived, and so it is . our greatest task and priviledge to gain . self realization and expanded consciousness. . . . ********** . . that . about. . same . of . on . a . with . of . Bush . power, . plays Re: some thoughts of leaving. - Frans weyer . 26 Aug 2003 03:37 . #372 . DearMatthew, . . Thank you for your posting,a little note to . that(don't have much time now) . Sure you can react on all kind of things . that one sees as corrupting ,and sure you . don't always has to have that corrupting . thing in your self,but where i was talking . about were the occasions by witch people get . emotional,so that the clarity of the mind . get . troubled,you see that everywhere,those . feelings are saying something,you get . touched on a weak or dark spot in yourself . and mostly one is reacting on that in a way . that makes me sometimes wonder. But of . course you don't always have to has . the thing you are criticizing inside you. . . . Frans . . whole . by . of "representative" . new . soul . and . makes . reinforces . as . biological . that . is . be . are . see . see . point . lamp, . society . way Message by Carl Sagan - Matthew Webb . 2 Sep 2003 10:48 . #373 "The earth was entrusted to man by God so . that he would cultivate and safeguard it. . When this principle is forgotten, [and men] . become tyrants instead of custodians of . nature, sooner or later the latter will . rebel." - Pope John Paul II, Vatican City, . celebrating the farmers' Jubilee, November . 12, 2000. . Over a decade ago, the late Dr. Carl Sagan . spearheaded a joint appeal to the religious . and scientific communities for environmental . action on behalf of mankind. It was signed . by thirty-two Nobel laureate and other . scientists. The open letter/appeal was . presented on January 1990 to the Global . Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders . Conference in Moscow, Russia. . . Two hundred and seventy-one well-known . spiritual leaders from eighty-three . countries - patriarchs, lamas, chief rabbis, . cardinals, mullahs, archbishops, professors . of theology - signed the appeal. See Also: . Forum on Religious and Ecology Statements, . Religious Witness for the Earth, Target . Earth, Web of Creation & The National . Religious Partnership for the Environment. . . Yet despite the appeal's widespread support, . little if any progress has been made on the . issues it raises- over a decade since its' . signature. . . . "The Earth is the birthplace of our species . and, as far as we know, our only home. When . our numbers were small and our technology . feeble, we were powerless to influence the . environment of our world. But today, . suddenly, almost without anyone's noticing, . our numbers have become immense and our . technology has achieved vast, even awesome, . powers. Intentionally or inadvertently, we . are now able to make devastating changes in . the global environment an environment to . which we and all other beings with which we . share the Earth are meticulously and . exquisitely adapted. See also: First Step. . . We are now threatened by self-inflicted, . swiftly moving environmental alterations . about whose long-term biological and . ecological consequences we are still . painfully ignorant: depletion of the . protective ozone layer; a global warming . unprecedented in the last 150 millennia; the . obliteration of an acre of forest every . second; the rapid-fire extinction of . species; and the prospect of a global . nuclear war which would put at risk most of . the population of the Earth. There may well . be other such dangers of which we are still . unaware. Individually and cumulatively, they . represent a trap being set for the human . species, a trap we are setting for . ourselves. However principled and lofty (or . naive and shortsighted) the justifications . may have been for the activities that . brought forth these dangers, separately and . taken together they now imperil our species . and many others. We are close to committing- . many would argue we are already committing- . what in religious language is sometimes . called Crimes against Creation. See also: . Environment. . . By their very nature these assaults on the . environment were not caused by any one . political group or any one generation. . Intrinsically, they are transnational, . transgenerational and transideological. So . are all conceivable solutions. To escape . these traps requires a perspective that . embraces the peoples of the planet and all . the generations yet to come. . . Problems of such magnitude, and solutions . demanding so broad a perspective, must be . recognized from the outset as having a . religious as well as a scientific dimension. . Mindful of our common responsibility, we . scientists, many of us long engaged in . combating the environmental crisis, urgently . appeal to the world religious community to . commit, in word and deed, and as boldly as . is required, to preserve the environment of . the Earth. . . Some of the short-term mitigations of these . dangers such as greater energy efficiency, . rapid banning of chlorofluorocarbons or . modest reductions in nuclear arsenals are . comparatively easy and at some level are . already underway. But other, more far- . reaching, long-term, and effective . approaches will encounter widespread . inertia, denial and resistance. In this . category are conversion from fossil fuels to . a nonpolluting energy economy, a continuing . swift reversal of the nuclear arms race, and . a voluntary halt to world population growth . without which many other approaches to . preserve the environment will be nullified. . . As with issues of peace, human rights and . social justice, religious institutions can . be a strong force here, too, in encouraging . national and international initiatives in . both the private and public sectors, and in . the diverse worlds of commerce, education, . culture and mass communications. . . The environmental crisis requires radical . changes not only in public policy, but also . in individual behavior. The historical . record makes clear that religious teaching, . example and leadership are able to influence . personal conduct and commitment powerfully. . . As scientists, many of us have had profound . experiences of awe and reverence before the . universe. We understand that what is . regarded as sacred is more likely to be . treated with care and respect. Our planetary . home should be so regarded. Efforts to . safeguard and cherish the environment need . to be infused with a vision of the sacred. . At the same time, a much wider and deeper . understanding of science and technology is . needed. If we do not understand the problem, . it is unlikely we will be able to fix it. . Thus, there is a vital role for both . religion and science. . . We know that the well-being of our planetary . environment is already a source of profound . concern in your councils and congregations. . We hope this appeal will encourage a spirit . of common cause and joint action to help . preserve the Earth." . . . . . Scientific Community Signatories . . Hans A. Bethe . Cornell University Ithaca, New York . . M. I. Budyko . State Hydrological Institute, Leningrad, . Russia . . Paul J. Crutzen . Max Planck Institute for Chemistry Mainz, . West Germany . . Freeman J. Dyson . Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, New . Jersey . . Gyorgi S. Golitsyn . Academy of Sciences of the Russia, Moscow, . Russia . . James E. Hansen . NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, . New York, New York . . Henry W. Kendall . Union of Concerned Scientists, Cambridge, . Massachusetts . . Lynn Margulis . University of Massachusetts, Amherst, . Massachusetts . . Roger Revelle . University of California, La Jolla, . California . . Carl Sagan . Cornell University, Ithaca, New York . . Abdus Salam . International Centre for Theoretical . Physics, Trieste, Italy . . Nans Suess . University of California, La Jolla, . California . . Richard P. Turco . University of California, Los Angeles, . California . . Victor F. Weisskopf . Massachusetts Institute of Technology, . Cambridge, Massachusetts . . Edward O. Wilson . Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts . . Jerome B. Wiesner . Massachusetts Institute of Technology, . Cambridge, Massachusetts . . Robert R. Wilson . Cornell University, Ithaca, New York . . Alexey V. Yablokov . Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia . . Elise Boulding . University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado . . S. Chandrasekhar . University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois . . Margaret B. Davis . University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, . Minnesota . . Richard L. Garwin . IBM Corporation, Yorktown Heights, New York . . Stephen Jay Gould . Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts . . Mohammed Kassas . University of Cairo, Cairo, Egypt . . Motoo Kimura . National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, . Japan . . Thomas Malone . St. Joseph College, West Hartford, . Connecticut . . Peter Raven . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, . Missouri . . Walter Orr Roberts . Yorktown Heights, New York . National Center for Atmospheric Research . Boulder, Colorado . . Stephen H. Schneider . National Center for Atmospheric Research . Boulder, Colorado . . O. B. Toon . NASA Ames Research Center Noffett Field, . California . . Yevgeniy P. Velikhov . Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia . . Sir Frederick Warmer . Essex University, Colchester, United Kingdom . . Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker . Max Planck Institute, Starnberg, West Germany . Re: Message by Carl Sagan - Frans weyer . 7 Sep 2003 07:02 . #374 It was in 1972 that the club of Rome . published its publication “limits to grow” . wherein amongst many other things was stated . that we could not go on acting as we did in . reverence to the grow of the world . population, it would lead to exhaustion of . starting material and great milieu problems. . This was something, for the first time a . think tank pointed at the fact that the raw . material that was to be found on earth was . not endless, that the growth witch was . advertised by the economic gurus would lead . to disasters in not so a long term . Other publications did follow, also by . other auteurs like M. Mesarovic en E. Pestel . with their publ. Menscheit am wendepunt . (humanity on the crossroad), Prof. Tinbergen . with his book “reshaping the international . order” and of course other publ of scientist . and not-scientist in writings in the so . called World literature. . Time after time we were warned and what . fascinates me in this is the fact that we . stay blind for the outcomes of all these . publications and go on living like these . events never did occurred. . Your post of the warnings of Carl Sagan e.o. . Is also an example of warnings and finger . points at a more sane direction that . humanity most go to survive. . . As I said what fascinates me is why in spite . of all these publications the world is . taking the insane direction as it does. . Does someone have an answer on that? . . I know the people are often misleaded by the . media in a way that is already often pointed . out in the discussions over here and maybe . that is a reason, but in my own experience I . see more and more people who get uneasy with . the way things are developing, are we as . humanity on a threshold of a global . initiation? . As we maybe know initiations does bear the . possibilities of failure but also of a total . new insight. . . My own answer (for what it is worth) is that . the reason why we globally are holding . captive between economics and freedom of . soul is the fact that the global humanity . sees till now no other road than the . materialistic one, they simply can not . believe that there is a other way to live, . they deny the possibility of inner grow and . the joy that it gives, the only joy that is . globally seen is the joy of collecting . things, than you know what you have. . . The churches have failed to show this way, . not to say our so-called leaders. . . Maybe there is a similarity between our own . development and the direction the world is . heading. . To really change something we most mastering . our own soul powers under the light of our . spiritual being. . . That will create a force that in his shining . radiation has its effects in the “outer . world” . . What now is happening in the world is the . fact that our soul powers are floating . without a real guidance of mankind; mankind . is a slave of these powers and there will be . no solution till man gets them under control . and that implies a recognition of the . possibilities that lies in man him-or . herself. . . So again the answers ( as I see them)on the . difficulties as shown above are lying in our . selves. . Talking for myself I see that the . difficulties that are heading on us in this . world are like a mirror. . In them I see my own failures and sometimes . my own little success. . . Does anyone have another answer? . . . environmental . Leaders . rabbis, . support, . the . they . . dimension. . urgently . to . and . influence . planetary . problem, . planetary . Germany Finding our way in Community - Matthew Webb . 12 Sep 2003 11:24 . #375 On the Need for a Clear Direction . Finding Our Way in Community . . . We live in the age of materialism . and great physical wealth, matched only by . a great lack of clarity. One of the most . unasked questions of the modern age . is, “What’s all this material focus for?” . There is no concrete answer provided by . most of the institutions of our time. In . fact there is no logical answer to the . question, period. For what do we work . endlessly for 40+ hours a week, 22+ days a . month, 300+ days a year for 30-40 years, . only to remain in debt and . dissatisfaction? Having asked these . questions and not found a satisfactory . answer, many people today are turning to . alternative ways of living, ones that allow . for LIFE rather than just WORK and material . THINGS. They are turning to a simpler . lifestyle of fewer material needs. Such a . life they are realizing, is far richer in . mental and spiritual rewards than what . their friends and family are usually aware . of, providing greater health, clarity, free . time and enjoyment of living. Some go one . step further to seek out intentional . communities that can provide a framework of . greater meaning to life and relationships. . Others lead alternative lifestyles out of a . concern for the sustainability of human . existence, knowing full well that . consumerism must end itself with a crash at . some time in the near future. This is as . it should be, in the regaining of our . sanity as a species. . . Unfortunately, it is nearly as . common for collective efforts such as . communities and cooperatives to have ill- . defined goals, as it is for the average . person today. In response to this . statement many will say, “But that’s not . true, I have my financial future well . planned out into retirement!” Yet this . response once again misses the point made . above ”What’s it all for?” For what use is . a million dollars or even ten million, if . you aren’t happy, live in confusion, are . stressed out to the point of cancer, and . have no time to do anything but work? . Sure, people take great pains to be very . clear about how they’re going to make a lot . of money and provide for their material . future. But why? Beyond the simple need . of food, shelter and family, why bother . accumulating far more than you really need . at the cost of health and sanity? The . aspirations of many if not most people . today is to become a millionaire, but . toward what greater end? Money is just a . form of material energy it is a tool, . nothing else. But constantly collecting . tools without a clear idea of what to use . them for, (for some higher purpose other . than the collection of even more tools) is . ridiculous. Is having a fancy house and a . lot of land the epitome of a life well . lived, or is there more to life than the . price tag of your car and house? Of course . there is. The whole reason behind forming . an intentional community is to generate a . meaningful environment, where a better . place to live is created than what we find . in the mainstream world. If this were not . the case then why bother? Yet surprisingly . few alternative and intentional communities . have clearly defined “statements of . purpose”, or “mission statements” as they . are called. Just as it is important for a . person to be clear about where they’re . going in life, so too is it vital for a . community to have well-defined goals and . purposes. . . Why is a Spiritual focus Necessary? . . The real meaning of life has far . deeper purposes than buying a new car every . third year, as described by all the great . visionaries and spiritual leaders . throughout the ages. Jesus, Buddha, the . ancient Vedic Seers, Mohammed, Lao Tse, . Mahavir and a host of others, have . repeatedly pointed the way to a more . meaningful life, by embracing Cosmic Truth, . rather than just shallow materialism and . social convention. It is from this same . kind of realization no matter how ill- . formed, that people are increasingly . turning to an alternative life, especially . through a spiritual focus. They’re doing . this because they know at a gut level that . the lives of the so-called “rich and . famous” are just as filled with tragedy, . illness and confusion as the average person . on the street, if not more so. The lives . of the wealthy soon realize that social . status and large bank accounts are no more . of an insulation from the realities of . life, or from pain and regret, than is a . cancelled insurance policy. Only a . spiritual focus in life can provide the . clarity needed to really understand “What . it’s all for”, and to live according to . wisdom, fulfillment and purpose, rather . than the arbitrary whims we see in . television commercials. The following . quote sums this fact up nicely; . . (From the book Cities of Light by Swami . Kriyananda) . http://www.anandacommunity.org/spiritual/alt . ernative.htm . . “In the 1960's, hundreds of communities . were started in a great "back-to-the-land" . movement. Why did almost all of them fail? . They failed for lack of clarity. First, . their intentions were unclear. They didn't . put spiritual principles first in their . lives, but concentrated on outward, . material goals: solar energy, new economic . systems, revolutionary architectural . concepts. Their idea of heaven on earth was . of a system where everything would function . perfectly on the material plane. . . Given this approach to the ideal of finding . happiness through matter, they were bound . to fail. . . One of the most persistent human delusions . is the belief that good systems will . produce good people. It is people, not . systems, that need perfecting. Good systems . will function well if the people running . them have the good will to make them work. . But if people have good will, even bad . systems can be made to limp along somewhat . successfully. . A body cannot survive without the head. The . body of society, similarly cannot survive . without the guiding principles that flow . downward from man's higher nature. Man must . be guided by inspiration from above, or . else find himself lost and struggling . through a dark swamp of confusion.” . . *** . . Why a Statement of Purpose? . . Intentional community is about . making a better world to live in, one that . has profound and lasting meaning. Of all . the movements and social revolutions . throughout history, those that had lasting . impact upon human thought were based upon . such solid bedrock as truth, clarity, . honesty and spiritual focus. Those that . failed did so regardless of their material . possessions, through unnecessary inner . divisions, corruption, unprogressive values . and ill-spent resources. It is also clear . that it is the same central vein of truth . that runs through all of the world’s . religions and philosophies, that provides . real fuel to power any collective effort. . Just like the making of a million dollars, . of what use are the best facilities and 100 . acres, if there is no higher purpose in . utilizing them then growing apples and . potatoes? To apply truth requires a wisdom . that is tempered by the experience of daily . application. Theoretically there’s no . better place to do that than within an . intentional community, where others are . doing the same. Such mutual efforts . compound and exponentially increase one . another, when real cooperation occurs. Yet . it is a common complaint among those who . envision meaningful community, that it’s . hard to find quality people who have the . responsible maturity of mind, emotion and . spirit to make such a cooperative effort . take place. That’s because there was or is . no clear, comprehensive or spiritual . purpose was ever crystallized to make the . cooperative effort possible. Another is . because we still live in a social context . where selfish concern rules the day. In . fact, consumerism is by definition the . glorification of selfish concern, one that . promotes the value that there is nothing . more important than self indulgence. Of . course, in a sane era of human history, . such an attitude would be called by it’s . true name “the self indulgence of the . spoiled child, at the cost of all else.”. . Given these prevailing social attitudes and . the other points made above, there is all . the more reason for a crystal clear . statement of purpose on the part of any . cooperative venture. Any successful . corporation or company takes a clear . statement of purpose as an implicit . necessity, and if this were not so, the . likelihood of their financial failure is . very great. If humanity could only apply . such clear thinking and careful strategy to . its’ planning of spiritual and sustainable . community, the course of history would be . changed forever. . . Spirituality does not imply . religion or religious ritual. It refers . instead to the concerns of the spirit, of . that which goes beyond the material world . of atoms and molecules, and into the very . laws of the universe. It refers also to . the purpose of life in the further . evolution into higher forms, where humanity . can and must direct it’s energies toward . self improvement through inner knowledge, . as well as a knowingness of that which is . called “God” and “Consciousness”. A . spiritual life concerns itself with the . working for higher causes than just . selfishness. It focuses upon such . qualities as love, clarity, truth, . progressiveness, naturalness and living in . accord with the designs of Nature and . natural laws. Spiritual people are . concerned with gaining greater wisdom in . the knowing of reality, and then making . effort to manifest that knowingness here in . the physical world. When we do this . together the fruits of our efforts are . multiplied many-fold. . . Clear purpose provides a more . cohesive basis for community action. . That’s just simple logic. But even more . useful is a clear community purpose based . upon the spiritual principles of all time, . one that is intelligently envisioned and . written down. Once that purpose is . documented in words, it represents a form . of stored energy that can be accessed by . millions of other people, even in future . generations, especially if such technology . as the internet is employed to make it . available. Toward this end let us . crystallize the highest ideal for human . cooperation and cooperative living that we . can, as real pioneers of social progress. . Such efforts MUST provide a template for . right living that cannot be supplied by the . corrupt and selfish interests seen . dominating government and other . institutions of our time. Let us then live . out these higher paths together, according . to spiritual purpose. In so doing we lead . the world into a better future for all life . on this planet . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com. . . Entheo Genius Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 14 Sep 2003 11:26 . #376 We have in our midst agents of such . healing and transformative potency, that . they could change the face of the world . forever. They’ve been among us long before . the beginning of recorded history. They’ve . helped to guide our evolution as a species . by improving our intelligence, wisdom, . inner strength, self realization and best . of all, our level of spiritual . connectedness with God and Nature. This is . why they are called “entheogens”, which . tranlates literally as, “en” (in), “theo”, . (God) and “gens”, (active agent). An . entheogen is therefore a substance, usually . a plant or a fungus, whose psychoactive . properties are capable of boosting the . user “into God”, and higher states of . consciousness. One need not be religious . in any way for this to occur. All that is . required when we partake of the “plant . guides” given to us by Nature, is that we . focus ourselves respectfully upon inner . growth and spiritual progress. . . There are numerous substances with . entheogenic properties, and among these are . marijuana, psilocybe mushrooms, peyote . cactus, (LSD included), the ayahuasca vine . and many others. Needless to say these . gifts of the Earth, or “Teacher Plants” as . they are properly known by indigenous . people the world over, have been wrongly . maligned by myth, politically motivated . propaganda, undue hysteria and such . movements as, “the war on drugs”. When . used properly with the right attitude and . intent, entheogens are a ready pathway to . greater self realization, fulfillment and . spiritual progress. . . In reality, the war on drugs is not . actually a war on ALL drugs, but only a . tiny handful of substances out of a . backdrop of tens of thousands of FDA . approved “medications”. Many of these . contraband substances actually have the . potential to cure and further evolve those . who ingest them, and THIS is exactly why . they have been made illegal. It is not the . potential of entheogens to do harm, . therefore, which has primarily caused their . condemnation by governments the world . over. It is precisely because these . substances have a great potential for doing . good, that they are widely despised and . feared by institutional forces such as the . pharmaceutical companies, consumerism- . promoting ad agencies, religious . hierarchies and mind-controlling government . departments, (“psy-ops“ programs and the . like). . . We live in a society that routinely . takes drugs of all kinds for every . conceivable purpose, from . sexual “performance” and memory . enhancement, to allergy formulas and pain . relievers. While it is common knowledge . that thousands of . prescription “medications” have very . hazardous side effects, this does not stop . the pharmaceutical industry from peddling . them to every neighborhood doctor. Nor . does the fact that thousands of people die . or suffer every year from the taking of . these often poisonous and unneeded . prescriptions, (with hundreds more being . developed every year as a multi-billion . dollar industry) stop the FDA from . approving of their manufacture. Likewise, . drugs like alcohol and cigarettes laced . with various chemicals are used by billions . of people every year with proven harmful . side effects, but these remain . hypocritically legal and generally approved . of. So when this culture speaks of . any “war on drugs” it does not necessarily . refer to the proven harmfulness of a . substance, or of any negative social . consequence that may arise through its’ . use. It refers instead to the real . underlying motive for this battle, which is . a war on alternative and higher states of . consciousness. The war on drugs is largely . targeted toward so-called “hallucinogenics” . because of what they do to the user. They . expand consciousness and change the . perspective of those who take them. When . used in conjunction with meditation or . other spiritual focuses, entheogens can . actually help to evolve the user. . . It is commonly known that . consumerism depends heavily upon the . predictability of the general public’s . beliefs and buying trends. Without that . predictability, corporate profit margins . cannot be easily stimulated or maintained. . Thus it is in the interest of the . international corporate agenda to keep the . public’s mindstate well within strictly . defined boundaries. International . corporations believe their advertising and . products must continue to literally . define what is desirable in life and what . is not for the people of the world. In . their view, to not accomplish this may be . likened to a form of financial suicide. . They know very well that a dumb consumer is . a good consumer. It is unacceptable to . them that dumb consumers can be transformed . into spiritual leaders and visionaries, by . ingesting the right plants. . . In the modern age the corporate . game is not so much the mere manufacture of . needed goods for the marketplace, but the . stimulation of the desire for unneeded . goods in prospective buyers. Would-be . buyers who have been “turned on” and “tuned . in” by entheogenic substances, may well be . shaken out of their consumeristic stupor . that is promoted by the mass media. In . other words, with the help of such . substances as marijuana and peyote, people . have a greatly enhanced opportunity to take . back from the media their self guidance and . independent thought. Teacher plants allow . an opportunity for the mind to go beyond . the shallow trends of thinking we see in . the modern day, summed up perfectly by most . television commercials. Through entheogens . people can become much more self and . socially aware. “Tuned in” people can be . made to realize that we all live in a much . bigger universe than that small shoebox . described by fashion magazines and media . hype. From the corporate point of view, . people who are waking up from TV-ad hype- . nosis are not dependable buyers or “good . citizens”. Alert and intelligent people . must therefore be quickly, “brought back . into the fold” of unthinking buying and . selling. THIS is the actual bottom line of . the so-called “war on drugs”, not the . supposed troubling moral issue which . parents must face, when their teenagers . want to smoke marijuana flowers. . . Entheogens have a startling . potential to transform our inner worlds for . the better. Rather than relying on the dark . motives and lack of credibility of the mass . media, it is very advisable for the . intelligent person to investigate this . potential for themselves on a first-hand . basis. There are those in this world who . have already done exactly that, and these . pioneers of the inner landscape, . (consciousness) are every bit the intrepid . explorers as veteran astronauts and deep . sea divers. What they have found is echoed . back to us in the scriptural, sacred . writings of all cultures...that are the . answers to life can be found within. This . is especially true of those which advocate . meditation and the attainment of greater . enlightenment, through various spiritual . disciplines. Indigenous cultures have long . known that entheogens CAN aid us greatly in . our voyage of inner discovery, and are not . to be taken lightly for that reason. Many . have been traditionally used as rites of . initiation into adulthood, as healing . agents and particularly, as a learning . vehicle through which various “vision . quests” are carried out. . . Those who assume that the effects . of so-called “hallucinogenic” substances is . pure fantasy and “mind tripping” have . entirely missed the point. Even the . Western label of “hallucinogenic” is a . misleading term that enters bias into the . use of psychedelic substances, before they . are ever given a fair hearing. When used . for the sake of gaining greater clarity, . energy, wisdom and intuitive knowledge, . entheogens have a profoundly meaningful . impact on the user. What is Seen therein . is NOT a hallucination, but aspects of the . truth. It is when they are used as a joy . ride, or with no particular focus in mind, . that their great power and potential most . often goes astray. Thus the common, “bad . trip” is not the fault of any given power . plant, it is the fault of the user whose . imbalanced mental focus brings chaotic . results to the experience. The point is . that not all of these “hallucinogenic” . effects are imaginary or meaningless. On . the contrary, and depending upon the . seriousness and intent of the user, the . experiences shown to us by entheogens can . be rightfully called both “visionary” . and “transformative”. By that I mean they . can reveal to us deeper levels of our own . soul, the Spirit which animates Nature and . the universe in general. They can reveal . TRUTH. Entheogens have the capacity to . expand our degree of clarity, and with the . right inner focus, can do so on a permanent . basis. They can also help us to . permanently raise our vibrational level, . our psychic and intuitive powers, and . supply fundamental information regarding . Cosmic Reality. I do not say this . speculatively or lightly, I speak from . repeated personal experience. . . In this article series I’ll attempt . to share with the reader some small part of . what I’ve personally learned from the use . of entheogens. It is my hope that you’ll . want to repeat and validate such . experiences for yourself, for the sake of . greater spiritual fulfillment and personal . power, and perhaps even the gaining of . spiritual power on a group basis. . . I began using marijuana in 1987 at . the age of 21, subsequent to a five year . enlistment in the U.S. Navy. At that time . I found that the effects of this herb upon . my consciousness were quite profound, and . with no real effort on my part. I noticed . however that this was not so much the case . with those I knew, and I attributed this . difference to my existing practice of . meditation. It soon became apparent that . the combination of meditation and marijuana . is a potent one, offering incredible . opportunities not only for self knowledge, . but what I came to call, “the gaining of . personal power”. And power is a well . chosen word for its’ right use! The very . first boon I gained from pot, was a greatly . increased level of energy, or “chi” as it . is called in China. After one puff my . energy level would double, triple of . quadruple depending on the conditions at . hand, and those with whom I was smoking. . After a time, I learned that by focusing . upon my energy level before and after a . puff, that I could raise even more energy . from the Earth at will. Later I also . learned to gain chi from the sun, . immediately after a puff. Such energy can . then be stored in the body, or put to . immediate use in various spiritual tasks . which I’ll describe hereafter. I don’t . expect the average reader, by the way, to . even believe there is such a thing as “chi” . initially. Nor is it likely that there are . many who will read this who are expert in . its’ handling. What I would like from the . reader is that you keep an open mind, and . wait to test the validity of what being . said here on a personal level, through . personal experience. . . It is also important to understand . that what I describe herein, is in no . way “mystical”, “occult” or “superhuman”. . On the contrary the principles and . potentials described are very practical . measures, that can and should be taken by . anyone. Entheogens are a high road to . spiritual progress, both on a personal and . group level. Their influence could change . our world society to such a degree, that . the near future would be almost . unrecognizable to the average human being. . But to achieve higher evolutionary levels . of being through the use of these . substances, requires a very serious and . intelligent spiritual focus. Herein lies . the catch when it comes to most . users...they simply do not, and probably . will not, employ the necessary internal . discipline, particularly in the sense of . right mental focus, in order to truly gain . significant increases in personal power. I . can show ANYONE how this can be done, . particularly in a person to person . setting. But since most people are . thoroughly trained and conditioned by their . televisions to have only those views which . the corporate world wants them to have, it . is extremely difficult to convey the . concrete reality of entheogenic benefits. . But describe them I must. To be realistic . though, this article is admittedly written . to those few who can still think for . themselves, and who have some measure of . their natural spirit left. . . Many people have asked me to . explain, that if entheogens are indeed such . powerful spiritual agents, then why is it . that most people seem to gain nothing from . them? The reason for this is . simple....people gain little from them most . of the time, simply because their focus is . upon playing around in a casual manner, as . a type of “joy ride”. I compare this to . casually lighting sticks of dynamite for . a “fun bang”, and then wondering why things . have gone wrong. When you’re dealing with . a powerful and potent substance such as an . entheogen, the first thing to remember is . that you MUST approach it with respect, . just as you would a great spiritual figure . like a Christ or a Buddha. With such a . respectful, serious and learning posture . taken, many benefits will then be received . from the ingestion of the Power Plants. . However, having received gifts of wisdom . and power from these agents is only half . the equation for self evolution. The other . half entails employing the necessary force . of will, and intelligent acceptance of what . is revealed, so as to be PERMANENTLY . advantaged. The consciousness-raising . effects of entheogens CAN make lasting . impressions on mind, body and spirit, but . this is more a matter of personal will, . (intent) than anything else. The practice . of meditation is essential in this regard. . It allows a sustained and transformed . mental focus upon the desired effects of . marijuana’s high, for instance, thereby . enhancing those effects in a stable and . conscious fashion. Other effects from . psychedelics that can be repeatedly . experienced, as well as made PERMANENT, . are higher energy levels, higher vibration . body-wide, greater clarity, enhanced . intuitive and psychic powers, (particularly . in relation to the various chakras of the . body) more alignment between the body/mind . and soul, communion with that which is . called God and Nature, greater health, . speed and stamina, higher mental function, . (genius) and a host of other effects too . numerous to mention at this time. In . essence, all of these effects can also be . gained by rigorous and austere spiritual . disciplines, usually over years of time, . such as those described in Vedic writings. . But when we use the mighty, transformative . power of the Teacher Plants in a . progressive way, there is no end to what we . can achieve in a comparably shorter period . of time. In Part 2 of this series, we’ll . begin to explore the specific nature of . entheogenic effects, and how the serious . user can take best advantage of them. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . greetings - Dave da Shaman . 15 Sep 2003 08:32 . #377 just a short note to say "hello" and to say . that I look forward to interacting Re: Entheo Genius Part 1 - Frans weyer . 15 Sep 2003 12:43 . #378 Dear Matthew, . . Thank you for your enlighting article,by . experience i know some of the results your . are talking about,one question i have . however. . I remember a discussion i have had about . this topic and a reply was that what you . archieve within your own strenght is more . valuable than that what you archieve with so- . called artificial tools. . In . own strenght you are building a security by . force to effects wich can overwelme you in a . not so positive way,something like the . warning not to rise the Kundalini power to . soon,what can happen with entheogens,don't . think this is all rubbish. . What is your opinion about that, i am not . sure. . . Greetings, . Frans. . . . . . . We have in our midst agents of such Re: Entheo Genius Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 15 Sep 2003 17:47 . #379 Dear Frans, . . Yes, as you said, personal strength is the . major key to gaining personal power and . expanding consciousness. That is always . the case in meditation, daily life and the . use of entheogens. . . The point made about the power plants . however, is that they are a tool which can . be rightly used, just as a screw driver is . very useful for putting in screws. It . could easily and truthfully be argued that . because a screwdriver is a pointed object . it is dangerous. But to say that it . shouldn't be used because of its . dangerousness would be ludicrous, as . everyone knows a tool is only so useful or . harzardous as the user makes it. . . Which again comes to the point of personal . strength, or in other words, right intent. . When we use the potent, consciousness . expanding tools such as meditation or . entheogens, there is much that can be . accomplished when right intent is . employed. When these two tools are used . together, they form an extremely potent . combination of forces. As the article . points out, such potentials should not be . taken lightly. . . The best results in meditation are gained . by an unwavering and well focused intent. . The same is true of the power plants. ALL . of this depends on the integrity of the . user, as to how much spiritual progress and . personal power they gain from the ingestion . of these substances. . . In the case of marijuana, an excellent . focus is one that is centered on the high . itself. That focus should view the high as . a sacred opportunity to both perceive and . to become more than we previously were. In . so doing we can actually "travel the high" . to higher and higher levels. We can in . essence, guide it's development and . nature. This is nothing less than the . navigation of states of consciousness at . will. When we learn to so navigate, we can . then INTEND such aspects of greater . personal power such as higher clarity, . vibration and energy levels upon . ourselves. After some experience with . this, we can also replicate these . entheogenic experiences while not taking . the substance, (travel the high in ways . similar to actually being under the . influence of the substance, thus the . term, "teacher plants"). . . This can only be done through a strongly . spiritual focus, unless of course, sheer . luck or some other factor intercedes. . . **********8 . . so- . by . a Re: greetings - Matthew Webb . 15 Sep 2003 17:48 . #380 Welcome friend, jump right in any time... . . Matthew . . ******* . . say An Open Letter to the world's communities - Matthew Webb . 18 Sep 2003 13:39 . #381 As a point of possible interest to members . of this forum, the following letter was . sent out to over 150 communities this . morning. The main text is an article which . appeared here earlier, but which has been . significantly revised.... . . Dear Community enthusiast/organizer, . . We send you an enthusiastic “hello”. We’re . a couple looking to participate in, or co- . create, a truly revolutionary community. We . wrote the following article about this . subject, explaining our position on the . need for humanity to regain it’s spiritual . and natural focus together. Perhaps it will . spark some conversation between us, or even . some collaboration. . . Let us take the course of human evolution . into our own hands, together. . . Sincerely, . Matthew catalyst@carrolsweb.com . Sandi joy4life00@yahoo.com . . *********** . On the Need for a Clear Direction . Finding Our Way in Community . . We live in the age of great . physical wealth and materialism, matched . only by an even greater lack of clarity. . One of the most unasked questions of the . modern age is, “What’s all this material . focus for?” For what possible purpose is . the gaining of money when all the world is . being destroyed in the process? There is no . concrete answer provided to this question . by the institutions of our time. In fact . there is no logical answer to the question, . period. For what do we work endlessly for . 40+ hours a week, 22+ days a month, 300+ . days a year for 30-40 years, only to remain . in debt and dissatisfaction? Having asked . these questions and not found a . satisfactory answer, many people today are . turning to alternative ways of living. . These allow for LIFE rather than just WORK . and hollow material THINGS. People are . turning to a simpler lifestyle of fewer . material needs. Such a life they are . realizing, is far richer in mental and . spiritual rewards, than what their friends . and family are usually aware of, providing . greater health, clarity, spiritual . reflection, free time and enjoyment of . living. Some go even one step further, to . seek out intentional communities that can . provide a framework for a greater meaning . to life and relationships. Others lead . alternative lifestyles out of a concern for . the sustainability of human existence, . knowing full well that consumerism must end . itself with a great crash at some time in . the near future. This is as it should be, . in the regaining of our sanity as a species. . . What’s it all for? . . Unfortunately, it is nearly as . common for collective efforts such as . communities and cooperatives to have ill- . defined goals, as it is for the average . person today. In response to this statement . many will say, “But that’s not true, I/we . have a financial future well planned out . into retirement!” Yet this response once . again misses the point made above ”What’s . it all for?” For what use is a million . dollars or even ten million, if you aren’t . happy, live in confusion, are stressed out . to the point of cancer and have no time . left to do anything but work and watch . television? Sure, people take great pains . to be very clear about how they’re going to . make a lot of money, and provide for their . material future. But why? Beyond the simple . needs of food, shelter and family, why . bother accumulating far more than you . really need at the cost of health and . sanity? The aspirations of most people . today is to become a millionaire, but . toward what greater end? . Money is just a form of material energy it . is a tool, nothing else. But constantly . collecting tools without a clear idea of . what to use them for, (for some higher . purpose other than the collection of even . more tools) is ridiculous. One of the . biggest lies of our age is that having more . money makes you a better person. Is having . a fancy house and a lot of land the epitome . of a life well lived, or is there more to . life than the price tag of your car and . house? Of course there is. The whole reason . behind forming an intentional community is . to generate a meaningful environment, where . a better place to live is created than what . we find in the mainstream world. If this . were not the case then why bother? Yet . surprisingly few alternative and . intentional communities have clearly . defined “statements of purpose”, . or “mission statements” as they are called. . Most have a few paragraphs saying something . about “celebrating diversity” and growing . some veggies. But are THESE really the . highest purposes to which human beings can . co-aspire? No, they aren’t. We have much . higher potentials and purposes than that. . . Just as it is important for a . person to be clear about where they’re . going in life, so too is it vital for a . community to have well-defined goals and . purposes. . . Why is a Spiritual focus Necessary? . . Consumerism is a dead end for our . kind, and so are all the beliefs attached . to it. The real meaning of life has far . deeper purposes than buying a new car every . third year, or 5-8 digit bank accounts. . This meaning of REALITY that has been . described by all the great visionaries and . spiritual leaders throughout the ages, is . our most essential need. Reality and the . satisfaction that comes from it, cannot be . given to us, “for a limited time only” by . the corporate world. Jesus, Buddha, the . ancient Vedic Seers, Mohammed, Lao Tse, . Mahavir, and a host of others, have . repeatedly pointed the way to a more . meaningful life, by embracing Cosmic Truth . rather than just shallow materialism and . social convention. It is from this same . kind of realization no matter how ill- . formed, that people are increasingly . turning to an alternative life, especially . through a spiritual focus. They’re doing . this because they know at a gut level that . the lives of the so-called, “rich and . famous” are just as filled with tragedy, . illness and confusion as the average person . on the street, if not more so. They FEEL . that something is terribly wrong with how . life has been portrayed by society. The . minds of the wealthy soon realize, that . social status and large bank accounts are . no more of an insulation from the realities . of life, or from pain and regret, than is a . lie told very convincingly. Only a . spiritual focus in life can provide the . clarity needed to really understand, “What . it’s all for”, and to live according to . wisdom, fulfillment and purpose, rather . than the arbitrary whims we see in . television commercials and fashion . magazines.. . . The following quote sums this fact up . nicely; . . (From the book Cities of Light by Swami . Kriyananda) . http://www.anandacommunity.org/spiritual/alt . ernative.htm . . “In the 1960's, hundreds of communities . were started in a great "back-to-the-land" . movement. Why did almost all of them fail? . They failed for lack of clarity. First, . their intentions were unclear. They didn't . put spiritual principles first in their . lives, but concentrated on outward, . material goals: solar energy, new economic . systems, revolutionary architectural . concepts. Their idea of heaven on earth was . of a system where everything would function . perfectly on the material plane. . . Given this approach to the ideal of finding . happiness through matter, they were bound . to fail. . . One of the most persistent human delusions . is the belief that good systems will . produce good people. It is people, not . systems, that need perfecting. Good systems . will function well if the people running . them have the good will to make them work. . But if people have good will, even bad . systems can be made to limp along somewhat . successfully. . . A body cannot survive without the head. The . body of society, similarly cannot survive . without the guiding principles that flow . downward from man's higher nature. Man must . be guided by inspiration from above, or . else find himself lost and struggling . through a dark swamp of confusion.” . . *** . . Why a Statement of Purpose? . . Intentional community is about . making a better world to live in, one that . has profound and lasting meaning. Of all . the movements and social revolutions . throughout history, those that had lasting . impact upon human thought were based upon . such solid bedrock as truth, clarity, . honesty and spiritual focus. Those that . failed did so regardless of their material . possessions, through unnecessary inner . divisions, corruption, unprogressive values . and ill-spent resources. They failed to . become transformers of this world because . they were essentially still founded on the . same premise of modern society selfish . interests. Whether those interests were or . are financially, emotionally, . intellectually or eco-sustainably based, if . a cooperative effort is premised on only . personal interests realized in a collective . sense, then they cannot succeed. That’s as . true of governments, religious programs and . profit margins as it is of intentional . community. It’s clear that the same . central vein of truth which runs through . all of the world’s religions and . philosophies, is what provides real fuel to . power any collective effort. Just like the . making of a million dollars, of what use . are the best facilities and 100 acres, if . there is no higher purpose in utilizing . them then growing apples and potatoes? To . apply truth requires a wisdom that is . tempered by experience. That requires . daily application. Theoretically there’s no . better place to get such experience than . within an intentional community, where . others are doing the same. Such mutual . efforts compound and exponentially increase . one another, when real cooperation occurs. . . It is a common complaint among . those who envision meaningful community, . that it’s hard to find quality people who . have the responsible maturity of mind, . emotion and spirit, to make a cooperative . effort take place. That’s because there was . or is no clear, comprehensive or spiritual . purpose jointly crystallized, to make that . effort possible. Another is because we . still live in a social context where . selfish concerns rule value system of the . average person. It is commonly believed . that there is no such thing as truth, or . that everyone makes up “their own truth” as . they go along. Given the belief that there . is no truth, we have a wide-spread lack of . accountability or responsibility. This . results in “passing the buck” on each of . the levels of society, in government, . religion, corporate planning and in the . average persons‘ life.. In fact, . consumerism is by definition the . glorification of selfish concern, one that . promotes the value that there is nothing . more important, (or real) than immediate, . emotional gratification.. Of course, in any . sane era of human history, consumerism and . its’ values would be called by their true . name ”destructive self indulgence” . . Given these prevailing social . attitudes there is all the more need for a . crystal clear and spiritually-oriented . statement of purpose, on the part of any . cooperative venture. Any successful . corporation or company takes a clear . statement of purpose as an implicit . necessity, and if this were not so, the . likelihood of their financial failure is . very great. If humanity could only apply . such clear thinking and careful strategy to . its’ planning of spiritual/sustainable . community, the course of history would be . changed forever. . . Spirituality Defined . . Spirituality is what runs the . universe. It does not imply religion or . hollow religious ritual. It refers instead . to the concerns of the spirit, of that . which goes beyond the material world of . atoms and molecules, and into the very laws . of the cosmos. The word also refers to the . very purpose of life, in our further . evolution into higher forms, (such as in . the expansion of consciousness). . Spirituality implies that humanity can and . must, according to cosmically established . laws, direct it’s energies toward self . improvement through inner knowledge, as . well as a knowingness of that which is . called “God” or “Consciousness”. The laws . of spiritual progress are much the same as . the laws of nature, as partially described . by physics. These are collectively known . as “truth”. A spiritual life concerns . itself with truthfully working for higher . causes than just selfishness. This is what . is known as being, “cause oriented”. . Spirituality focuses upon cultivating, . (through clear understanding) such causes . as love, clarity, truth, progressiveness, . right action, and living in accord with the . designs of Nature and natural laws. . Spiritual people are concerned with gaining . greater wisdom in the knowing of reality. . They then make every effort to manifest . that knowingness here in the physical . world. When we do this together the fruits . of our efforts are multiplied many-fold. . THIS is the highest purpose for which a . community can function. This clear purpose . MUST serve as the central focus for being . together, or else we’re just missing the . point about what community, and in fact all . life, is about. . . Clear and wise purpose provides a . more cohesive basis for community action. . That’s just simple logic. But even more . useful is a clear community purpose based . upon the spiritual principles of all time, . one that is intelligently envisioned and . written down. Once that purpose is . documented in words, it represents a form . of stored energy that can be accessed by . millions of other people, especially if . such technology as the internet is employed . to make it available. Toward this end let . us crystallize the highest ideal for human . cooperation and cooperative living that we . can, as real pioneers of social progress. . Such efforts can provide a template for . right living that cannot be supplied by the . corrupt and selfish interests seen . dominating government, marketing, media and . other institutions of our time. Let us then . live out these higher paths together, . according to spiritual purpose. In so doing . we lead the world into a better future for . all life on this planet . . . Similar materials can be found in the World . Mind Society Library . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . response to the open letter - Dave da Shaman . 18 Sep 2003 23:56 . #382 clear and focussed, Matthew . It is the alchemical process of turning . base metal into gold, . the heroes' path, . the magnum opus . the evolution/transmutation of self is the . key . for if we do that - all else will follow! An Open Letter follow-up - Matthew Webb . 19 Sep 2003 11:00 . #383 The following is a reply received today . from the “Finding our way in community" . mailing . . . Dear Matt & Sandi, . . I empathize with your frustration in trying . to inspire others to join you in a . spiritually based intentional community. . What you are undertaking has got to be the . most difficult path one could ever . undertake. In regard to the spiritual path, . people need to know that those who lead . them are worthy of their trust, and this . trust will not manifest until after many . years of effort and having proven . yourselves worthy of this leadership role. . The only way we know of where one could . accomplish this is via the support of other . respected and established spiritual leaders . who will give testimony of your worthiness. . This usually works via the guru/student . relationship. One studies under a respected . guru for many years within a discipleship . where there are other students. If this . guru acknowledges you to the rest as being . special and having achieved the heights of . their particular path then those in this . congregation will follow you. Too, your . life must be exemplary. People must know . you as a loving, kind and patient example . they admire before they will follow you. . Combine your vision of spiritual community . with trying to inspire others to join you . in an intentional community and you are . opening up a dynamic that very few people . have the ability to successfully realize. . We know from personal experience of our . years of trying. Not from trying with the . combination of the spiritual community, . which would have added yet another . difficulty to our undertaking, just from . social/political statement as we have . outlined in our web page. We are not . especially dynamic in our ability to . inspire people and have resigned ourselves . to waiting until we are needed. Needed in . that the cultural machinery that support . our American way of life collapses and . people need to find and live the . alternative life statements we have . mastered. Nothing has more power then an . idea whose time has come. . As Dapala Farm, A Sustainable Technologies . Educational Center, at least we have a . chance of leading others when the timing is . right, but nothing short of the end of the . world, will people give you the time of the . day regarding following you into a . spiritually based community. These are . Americans remember, and these don't follow. . They may get involved for reason other then . where you are trying to lead them, not . because of some lofty vision you have or . they have, but because either it serves . their self-interest to do so or . circumstances force them in your direction. . Then you have the problem of dealing with . people who have no vision. Their vision is . based upon whatever serves their self- . interest and self-interest is not the same . as being inspired by a vision of community. . Whatever type of community you eventually . manifest will comprise those who have . decided that your efforts serve their self- . interest. Once they believe it is no longer . in their self-interest to be a part of your . organization then you will know beyond a . doubt you have nothing in your relationship . with them you could build and maintain a . spiritually based community. Finding people . who are guided by vision is very rare in . our culture. . Where we are coming from as Dapala Farm and . what we have to offer to others in an . intentional community setting is upfront . and clear. We know better then to try to . expand upon that to include the task of . trying to unite people under a spiritual . vision. When you post your vision on the . web people may read it and acknowledge it . validity, but beyond this they are not . going to try to help you create a . spiritually based community. . I wish there was more I could tell you . which could help you accomplish your goal. . It is my belief you will continue . experiencing more of the same frustration . in your efforts to generate interest in . your ideals. I am sorry to learn this is . the way things are working out for you, . but, as I described above, this is the way . things are. . Best Wishes, Daniel & Patti . . ************ . . Our reply was; . . Dear Daniel and Patti, . . There is much wisdom in your letter, and . I'd say every bit of it is essentially . true. You're absolutely right about people . not changing until the existing status quo . collapses utterly, (which won't be so long . now, by our estimation). What you said . about actualizing spiritual community with . others is very right on as well, and yes, . it is a difficult task. . . Yet I would point out, that regardless of . the readiness of humanity or the . primitiveness of these times, the cosmic . task set before us is made no less real or . necessary. One might argue that this is . beside the point, but I don't think so. . The fact remains that we are still souls in . bodies, and that this essential essence is . composed of consciousness. This true . identity of the human being can and must be . recognized for what it is...the true self. . The true self has abilities that go far . beyond what is commonly known. That type . of realization can only come about through . self knowledge, and of course, herein lies . the "problem". However, all that is needed . is a small core group of people who can . fully realize this reality of self in . tandem. The whole world need not be . converted to this realization, or the . abilities that arise from it, for very . significant accomplishments to occur. I . realize that sounds vague, (and I could be . far more specific) but it is true . nonetheless. . . I'd very much like to keep in dialog with . you when you have the spare time and . energy. You've got a lot of vision and the . world needs you. If you don't mind, I'd . like to forward on any results obtained . from these efforts on the internet. . . Warm regards, . Matt and Sandi Re: response to the open letter - Matthew Webb . 19 Sep 2003 11:07 . #384 Yes Brother Dave, I agree. This . transmutation of consciousness is surely . the most essential and fundamental need of . our kind. I can think of few better places . to accomplish that than in the community . setting, and will keep everyone updated . about the on-going results of that open . letter. . . This is just one reason why I'm also very . enthusiastic about the potentials of . entheogens. They have the power to give . meditators a serious boost, both of energy, . vibration and consciousness-flexibility. . . Due to that, they can be used individually . and in tandem, to really shift a community . into a much higher level of being. That . shift can also be made permanently, usually . by learned degrees. This is particularly . important because of the INERTIA both . psychically and psychologically, of modern . society. People may want to go beyond its' . smallness, but they have to get through all . that inertia out there to do it. . . Entheogens can counter that force, and so . can well focused, spiritual community. . . Best wishes. . . ********* . All Is As It Should Be At This Time.... - Salama Shaquana . 19 Sep 2003 23:11 . #385 I am new to this group. I am inspired by . what I have read so far. In particular this . discussion. . . It takes a long time to break free of the . years of conditioning and manipulation that . most have been subjected too regardless of . how good a spiritual leader you are. We . have been brought up in an age where . material possessions, money and hence power . are the gods that we worship. We amass . goods and chattels in the misguided believe . that this is what life is all about. . Remember this conditioning has been going on . for hundreds of years and we have lived . through many incarnations where the same . principles applied. I suspect that you are . sowing many seeds and when the time is right . the seeds will germinate and those who you . have touched will follow. . . I too lament the lack of spiritual vision. . I too am saddened that most do not have the . consciousness to awaken to the true meaning . of life, to who they really are and why they . are here. I can understand however just . what a monumental task it is to change. . There are powerful forces at play with . personal stakes in keeping the status quo. . In reality only we can change ourselves no . one else can do that for us. I do believe . however that there is a change happening and . for that reason, we must keep to our path. . That is why you are here for when the time . is right others will follow you. First, . they have to start to awaken and to break . free of their chains and you can assist them . by how you act, how you live your life and . the external symbols that you display. They . have to conquer their fear, their fear of . losing what they have - their goods and . their chattels. Their current gods, false . gods, but real gods to them all the same. . They have to develop trust in something that . they cannot touch or feel and that takes . faith. They have to overcome their ego . because until they do others will still hold . the power. This is an internal battle that . we face, managing and overcoming our ego. . . Your lesson is one of patience. You are . sowing seeds. Other's will follow at the . right time for them and for you. . . Blessings. . . . . . Another community responds - Matthew Webb . 20 Sep 2003 12:44 . #386 This one is in Hawaii. I'm posting these . on-going communications here, perhap . needless to say, because the points they're . bringing up are very relevant to this . forum. Currently I'm talking to others in . Northern California, another in Hawaii and . Washington state, and will keep you udated . on these developments. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew . . ******** . . Dear Forest, . See my replies below; . . F; . i don't have a copy handy to review, but . went and looked at your . website....my main focus is natural living . and sustainability thru consensus . cooperative efforts....mostly i notice . people talking ideals a lot, but . seldom do i meet those who want to take . action toward sustainable living . that will reduce our karma.... . . M; . . People do talk a great deal, and not much . ever gets concluded. I’ve found that to be . true on several different forums, and in . person. The main reason that . meaningfulness and action are lacking in . modern conversation is due to three major . sources as I see it; . . 1) People believe that the truth of any . subject can be made up as one goes along, . and that it changes according to how they . change. Therefore, facts, examples, logic, . science, statistics and careful reasoning . are irrelevant to them, since they think . that all viewpoints are equal. Yet all . viewpoints are not equal, because they do . not render the same results. . . 2) People often speak not out of experience . but from theory alone. This was either . learned by books, quoted from somebody else . or simply made up according to taste. . . 3) That which is spoken is not done so with . the INTENT of doing anything, but rather, . to demonstrate how witty, worldly or . socially worthwhile they are in the eyes of . others. . . ************* . . M; . most important in my mind, such as . refinement of intuition and to . many of the basic foundations of the . anyone who has the presence of mind . say the same things about your . particularly in the sense of group . meditation, . wisdom. . . ******* . F; . glad we agree, do you live in natural . environment???....are you a . gardener/builder/homesteader type????.... . . ******** . . M; Sandi and I have been living in an RV . converted high top van for the better part . of three years. During that time we’ve . camped in a tent and the van for months at . a time in the woods, both in the Mount Hood . area and in Southern Oregon. We very much . love living in nature, and have no qualms . about “roughing it” without all the . amenities. I did the same when I went to . Peru about 4 years ago, and stayed with a . shaman there in the Amazon rainforest for 4 . months. Currently we live in a small, . wooded RV park but would prefer to be in . the deep woods. I don’t know . about “homesteading” per se, since the best . reason I can think of to stay in one place . for years if not decades at a time, is to . be in progressive community with others. . Having not found that up to this point, I’m . not sure, and have to admit a bit of . skepticism about ever finding a community . that has a truly progressive, mutual . focus. I always am looking however, and am . fully willing and able to become a very . enthusiastic part of the group endeavor. . . I’ve been living simply myself for far . longer than 3 years, and have traveled much . of the country in this mode. My book, “The . Survivalists’ Guide for the New Millennium” . available for free in the WMS Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest speaks of . exactly how and why the average person can . live similarly. It talks about the . spiritual and logical need to return to a . natural, simple lifestyle. It says that . humanity must do this ultimately, for the . logical, practical and spiritual reasons . which make life on this planet livable. . . In terms of being part of actually “doing . something” in community, I’ve been a member . of various organizations and communities . throughout the years, and found all of them . wanting to some degree. Among these have . been the Rosicrucians, the “Our Land” . community in El Nido California, on staff . at the Maharishi University of Management . in Fairfield Iowa, a member of an Ashram in . Palm Bay Florida, as a member of a Japanese . Buddhist group once called “NSA” in San . Diego, the “American Atheists“ of Portland . Oregon, DeMolay, the “Dreamchild” Egyptian . ritual magic group in San Francisco, and a . smattering of other small groups, . (meditational, wiccan, philosophical) . without names. I’ve also hosted my own . meditational groups on behalf of the World . Mind Society, both locally in Portland and . worldwide via the internet.. . . *********** . M; . . ask, “Why is there not much more there on . subjects more fully, such as complete . . ********** . F; . . did you see the archives sections???....or . did you see the ongoing email . discussion group i have formed for ongoing . discussions that you mention???? . ********** . M; . I did read some of your archives, but not . anywhere close to them all. I’ll read more . in depth . Can you recommend an easy link . to join? . . ******* . M; . you have there already, is . other hand there is great value in . for the average person, but for the . spiritual path. . . ********* . F; . . tho i have strong opinions and or bs . (belief system), i am not sure that . truth is absolute in many cases.... . . ********** . . M; . . In a recent conversation on a forum . called “The simple Living Network” at . http://www.simpleliving.net/forums/simple_li . ving/ I made a post entitled “What the . Fundamentalist Fears” The post was . designed to point out the flaws of rigid . systems of belief, such as religion, . consumerism and nationalism, and that there . exists a literal thing called “truth” which . cannot be replaced by them . . The last paragraph summarized by saying; . . “Facts are the basis of reality, not sales . imagery such as what we see on television . ads. It is the truly evolved human who . recognizes this, and who disciplines their . mind to accept only truth, regardless of . how initially painful this may prove to be. . This is the prerogative of the Master, the . Seer and the Revolutionary. Only They are . qualified to lead humanity out of its . current darkness of embracing the false, . into the light of careful reasoning and . honest evaluation. . . Upon truth alone can we survive and excel . as a species, on this evolving planet.“ . . //////////// . . To this post “Bae” commented as follows; . . “Can we perceive reality directly? . . Are our perceptions only a subjective . shadow of the underlying objective reality? . . *Is* there an objective reality? . . What role does the observer play in . creating reality? . . All these questions and more, brought to . you in Philosophical Problems of Quantum . Physics, Werner Heisenberg. . . ////////// . . My reply was; . . “Bae, let's start with the questions; . . "*Is* there an objective reality?" . and "What role does the observer play in . creating reality?" To the first question, . Yes. To the second question, None. Let's . put it this way. Before there were any . human beings on this planet and dinosaurs . walked the Earth, how did photosynthesis . happen in plants? It happened through the . same basic, chemical processes, those which . are governed by the same laws of physics. . Cells replicated, (mitosis) the sun was . still a furnace of burning helium, the wind . still blew the leaves, and animals still . ate each other. Sounds occurred, stars . shone at night, waves still crashed on . beaches. ALL this happened entirely without . the knowledge or permission of human . beings, and it STILL DOES. . . What I'm saying is that REALITY (truth) . exists and has existed without the need for . human perception and desires. It is what . guides natural selection and the evolution . of species, including our own. And yes, all . of these things can be increasingly . studied, known and adhered to in an . intelligent lifestyle, (living according to . nature and natural laws). . . We can perceive reality directly by gaining . self knowledge and clarity, while clearing . the mind of that which is false. . . Truth is That which is composed of FACTS, . collectively known as "reality". . . ************* . . M; . at length on the particulars of . (self induced) evolution of humanity, . relationship to the group setting, (group . tandem. If anything is missing in your . explorations. I’d very much like to . . ******** . F; . . ok, i am open to these discussions as time . permits....feel free to initiate . any discussion you are passionate about and . i will join with you.... . . ********** . . M; . . Great, let‘s continue with “truth“. . . ************. . . M; . conditioning under which the average . influence in their lives. Most people . with all that, but to regain their . that is of course what they MUST do. . here, is a reflection of the . history. People simply haven’t done the . necessary to go beyond their conditioned . this, but it is good to crystallize . . *********** . . F; . ya, i agree....most would agree in theory, . but walk away when action is . proposed.... . . ********* . . M; . I’m sure you’ll agree that this is because . action implies responsibility, and the need . for responsibility implies being . accountable for how you are, and what you . do. In consumer culture, such things are . largely unknown outside of the context of . making money at “the job”. Strange isn’t . it, how this society defines “being . responsible” as this strong work ethic, but . without ever questioning if the work being . done is worthwhile, or if the effort in . doing so is worth investing our entire . lives in it? . . ********* . M; . Ok, this is long enough already. It’s good . to speak to you about these things, and I’m . looking forward to more . . Catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Joy4life00@yahoo.com . . . Re: All Is As It Should Be At This Time.... - Matthew Webb . 20 Sep 2003 12:54 . #387 Dear Salama, . . You made several very excellent points in . your post. The explanation you gave for . the slow-changing state of this society for . instance, is really right on. People . certainly need to realize the DEGREE to . which they've been conditioned to think and . feel in certain ways, espcially by . television, and without even realizing it. . . "Their current gods, false gods, but real . gods to them all the same." . . Yes, absolutely. One of the major points . of spiritual practice in this modern age . that needs to be established, is that there . is such a thing as truth. Truth is . reality, not what people want it to be. It . is this distinction that must become part . of the realization of society, or else the . laws of nature will simply catch up to us, . demanding past due payment in full. . . . . this . that . power . believe . on . are . right . vision. . the . meaning . they . quo. . believe . and . path. . them . They . false . that . hold . that sufi wisdom - Dave da Shaman . 21 Sep 2003 12:52 . #388 Good day Matthew,thanks for your reply. I . have been re-reading history and . philosophies of the sufis'. It seems that . quite a lot, if not all, of the western . tradition in both magic and literature . could have stemmed from the dervishes.What . do you think? Re: sufi wisdom - Matthew Webb . 21 Sep 2003 13:44 . #389 Hi Dave, . . I've been under the impression that Western . literature, art, perhaps magick, . architecture and even social norms were . inheritances to us from the Greeks and . Romans. I'm sure there has been many . influences, not the least of which is the . influx of Eastern philosophy in the 1960's . forward. . . But beyond that, I think the very . definitions of "magick", "success" and the . purpose of life itself need to be clearly . redefined. Few if any of the currently . available social traditions truly serve the . full needs of human kind. All traditions . originated from visionary people. WE need . to be those visionaries, and thereby SEE . for ourselves what right living, magick and . existence are all about. . . . ************** . . Re: sufi wisdom - Salama Shaquana . 21 Sep 2003 14:47 . #390 There is also the view that it all stemmed . from Kabbalah. yes matthew - Dave da Shaman . 22 Sep 2003 06:03 . #391 agree with points made - challenge is for . us to do it here and now! Re: sufi wisdom - Dave da Shaman . 22 Sep 2003 06:05 . #392 yes, I don't think that I realised . previously that jews and arabs one race, . all descendants of abraham ? so there's a . shared tradition Re: sufi wisdom - Frans weyer . 23 Sep 2003 12:00 . #393 Sufi teacher Inyat Khan compared it with a . river that is by his source colourless than . runs through one field where a farmer puts . yellow substance in the water,the water . becomes yellow,some distance farther another . field,another farmer puts a red substance in . the water,the water becomes red,and so on . and on. . Most people forget however that the basic . material of all those nice colours is water. . . Different traditions are like the different . colours. . There is only one true carrier of those . colours. . . . . sufi wisdom - Dave da Shaman . 24 Sep 2003 08:45 . #394 there is also the story of the three men . who come across an elephant in fog, one . feels the leg and thinks it a tree, another . feels the trunk and is sure its a snake and . the last one touches the tail and is . convinced it is a rope etc . moral is we need full awareness in life Re: sufi wisdom - Matthew Webb . 24 Sep 2003 10:39 . #395 . This is a particularly good point to bring . up, Frans. . . The statement, "There is only one true . carrier of these colors", although it is . self evident, is a fact still not . recognized by almost all of the spiritual . followers of the world. Each religion . emphatically claims it has the best and . even the only answer, and yet without being . able to explain why this is so on a . logical, factual basis. Instead, they just . say "have faith". So do used car salesmen, . for that matter. . . That common "carrier" is truth. Just as . with the sciences, it is truth that is as . common to anthropology as it is . astrophysics, and from chemistry to . metallurgy. In all of these cases, it is . truth that makes every interdisciplinary . study and activity possible. . . It is truth that makes technology . consistently function, just as it governs . the functions of our own bodies. . . The essential truth about human unity and . oneness, is that we all are composed of . consciousness at the inner-most level. It . is this central "carrier" that can propel . us beyond all religions, all philosophies, . governments and artificial boundaries, of . every shape and size. . . *********** . . than . another . in . water. . different Open letter follow-up #3 - Matthew Webb . 24 Sep 2003 10:41 . #396 To all Raising the World Mind members, . . I'm sharing this private conversation with . you, on a private basis. Thanks.... . . . ///////// . . Dear Das, acting manager of VOL, . . We send appreciation for answering our . original letter, regarding community . purpose and spiritual focus. Forgive the . delay in response, but there’s been much . research, writing and correspondence to do, . including getting familiar with the VOL . website materials. We went through the . site carefully and took notes, which are . commented on below. See our other . responses in the text of your letter; . . ********* . . Actually many communities failed for more . reasons than you wrote about. . People starting the communities were very . idealistic....too idealistic ! . . ********** . . I would guess you mean “too idealistic” in . the sense that these organizers didn’t . apply enough practical, efficient and . common sense methods to physically . accomplish what was needed for community. . In other words, what they wanted to . do, “didn’t fit in with the real world”. I . have another explanation for this. What is . called, “the real world” (society) is not . real at all, because it is composed of the . false ideas and assumptions of . materialistic, “progress”. Any student of . history, and anyone honest about the modern . condition, knows that the human race ITSELF . has not actually progressed, only the outer . forms it creates. Sure, we have impressive . technologies and a good scientific . understanding of how the universe . functions, but at the same time we lack . self knowledge and the wisdom to apply it . properly. Rather than being “too . idealistic” these communities were in fact . simply embracing the wrong ideals, or at . least not enough of the right ideals, to . become truly progressive and functioning. . By “right ideals” I mean those goals based . upon truth and the wisdom that arises out . of self knowledge, rather than the usually . pointless values seen in human society . today. Although many people PHYSICALLY . leave society with the idea of creating a . better mutual way, they still never the . less, still THINK along similar lines, and . this is the source of their false idealism. . . Important questions to consider; . . What need of land, machinery or buildings . did Jesus have to start spiritual . community? . . What need did Buddha have of technology, . tractors and solar panels, in order to . accomplish great things with others? . . *************** . . Your letter continues . . [the following are in not in order of . importance:] . . IMHO: . . They were ignorant of of: . . 1. How much work [time and hard labor !] . was required to start a . community, get it running and keep it . running. . . 3. How much money was needed to for number . 2. . . 4. How much money and time/hard labor was . required to create a . working infrastructure of buildings and . utilities. . . 5. They did not know/understand the land . MUST be already paid for . and taxes low. [in places where land cost . is low, wages for outside jobs . are very very low and outside jobs are . few.] . . 8. Many people who started "communities and . or joined them had ZERO . resources. . . 2. How many and what kind of tools were . need to do everything. . . ********** . . Yes, I understand fully the practical . meaning of what you’re saying. The first . question that comes to mind however, is in . relation to your point #2 above. “To do . everything” what? Or to ask that in a more . clear way, “to do everything” for the sake . of what ultimate aim? I understand the . merit of being self sufficient, to live . sustainably and independently off the land . as much as possible, don’t get me wrong. . But simply living off the land, although it . is an achievement, is no more of an . accomplishment than what native peoples did . around the world over 100,000 years ago. I . realize there are qualitative and . quantitative differences there, but the . point remains .toward what end will we, in . this community, set up all these physical . structures? What about the REAL source of . human progress, which is mental genius and . spiritual wisdom, combined together in . community for the sake of the further . evolution of our species? What of that . combination of love and clarity that can . cause people to WANT to volunteer to create . community no matter what the physical . circumstance? Personally, we would rather . sleep on the ground in a tent, and in . abject poverty, with a group of good . willed, intelligent and spiritually minded . people, than we would to live in a mansion . surrounded by shallow minded materialists . who seem to have no SOUL. . . *********** . . 6. They did not understand human emotions, . minds and or human cultures . and what is required to have a stable . culture. And had poor discernment . skills which meant they accepted just about . anyone as members. . . ******* . . Yes, that is understandable. Where on your . website, by the way, do you explain human . minds, emotions and cultures, so that such . an understanding can be had mutually? I . missed that. . . ********** . . 7. They thought, "we are all children of . god and good people, so we need . no rules or laws." . [We were caught in that one for a fair . amount on time -SIGH-] . [It turns out the universe creates many . lessons, some of them heavy, for . people in that head space.] . . *********** . . That too is understandable, and there’s no . doubt the modern condition represents one . of the most primitive and backwards periods . in human history. If fact, it is very . likely the last chapter in human history, . given this backwardness and the conditions . that now exist on this planet. I agree . that we need laws, and some rules on a . temporary basis until real Understanding is . reached. The best and most relevant laws . that already exist have been . called “natural laws”. It is THEY, not . human laws, which govern the universe, the . function of our own bodies, nature, and all . the sciences. A community based upon these . would find it’s ultimate guide and . inspiration from the examples set by . nature, calling that “truth”. Ultimately . though, it is a fact that we are all . the “children of God” ,(minus the religious . connotations) and that “goodness” is a . direct and cosmic result of self . realization. These things remain true even . if modern society has lost it’s way. A . returning to that way is surely the first . order of business. At THAT point, then . let’s talk more about the specific . infrastructures that are necessary, (or . perhaps not necessary to various degrees) . in order to form progressive community . living. . . ************* . . 9. Many people who started and or joined . them were people unable or . unwilling to "make it" in straight society, . and of course most of those . could not do so in "community" either. . . *********** . . I know what you’re saying, and it’s valid. . I’d also say that if someone can’t make it . in “straight society” then at least they . are due some credit. “Straight society” as . it is called, is anything but straight. . It’s all twisted up in bizarre notions and . destructive ideals as epitomized by most . television commercials. If someone tells . me they can’t deal with all that, the first . thing I say is, “good for you”. . . *********** . . 10. Some of the people were just "crazy", . i.e. non-functional . personalities. . . ********** . . Yes, and these types of minds are certainly . not the ones to start with. With . sufficient strength of focus and wisdom, a . community would eventually be capable of at . least making a serious attempt to improve . those minds and lives. . . ******** . . We reopened once again full time in . 1998.....and are permanently open . even though our number of members is very, . very small.....we are STILL are . learning "community....we have a difficult . time finding people who . can actually "do the trip and do it well, . have . stable personalities and also have at least . some resources. . . love and peace, . das, acting manager /advisor VOL . community.. . . *********** . . I know it’s difficult to find other people . who have done the inner work necessary, to . make such ventures happen in community. . This is why I think the first priority of . community should be to establish that kind . of mutual understanding, by focusing first . and FOREMOST on spiritual progress for all . concerned. . . ************ . . Your website talks about; . . VOL is a small, spiritually oriented . community, whose emphasis is on self- . realization and self-sufficiency. However . there is no specific faith, doctrine, . teacher or practices followed at our . community. Each of us has their own . personal set of beliefs and respect the . beliefs of the others. . . We are here, for we know our purpose in . life is to grow in God's Light (Self- . Realization). Living in a natural . environment assists this purpose. We are . here because we believe this is a better . way of life than the way of life that is . now considered the norm in America. We are . here also because of conditions in the . world today. We believe the economy and the . way of life in America may undergo some . drastic changes. We choose to be minimally . affected by these forecast changes if they . do happen, and move through them with . little disruption in our everyday lives, as . we will be living on the land growing our . own food. . . Self-realization is essentially an inward . goal. Cooperative implies a spirit of . voluntary rather than forced cooperation of . members. Both ideas, individual development . and voluntary cooperation, imply a respect . for one another's rights which leaves no . room for egotistic individualism (the kind . which is careless about imposing on the . freedom of others). Remember, too, that in . an intentional community, individual . development and voluntary cooperation are . interactive principles. . . ********* . . We think this is excellent material, and a . great basis for real community. The only . problem we perceive with this is that the . terms “spiritual” and “self realization” . are not the least bit defined or elaborated . on. . . The statement; . . “The member who develops himself inwardly . is thereby helping uplift the others as . well. The member, on the other hand, who . makes no effort to improve himself cannot . claim that his indolence is no one's . business but his own. His lack of effort is . a serious detriment to the sincere efforts . of others. It is our belief that for any . person to have "complete freedom", it is . necessary for that person to be "completely . responsible" for his actions and thoughts . and live in a "non-selfish time/space" . . is especially meaningful. But don’t you . think that an exhaustive explanation of . these spiritual purposes is necessary? You . mention these in passing, but your site is . devoted almost entirely to the economics . and physical aspects of your project. . . ******** . . 1. To create a time/space wherein the self- . realization of each member is fully . nurtured and supported. . 2. To live in harmony with each other with . love, trust, openness, honesty, and . sharing. . 3. To share spiritual life with each other. . 4. To learn to live in harmony with nature, . having respect for all living forms. . 5. To learn to flow with universal energy . so all actions are appropriate. . 6. To become self-sufficient to the extent . that conditions outside have a minimum . effect on the community. . 7. To provide spiritual, emotional, mental . and vocational education for Members. . . ************ . . How do we achieve this “love, trust, . openness, honesty, and sharing”? What . constitutes a “spiritual life”? How does . one learn to flow with universal energy and . live in harmony with nature? What are the . specific, “spiritual, emotional, mental and . vocational education for Members” that your . community provides? Your site makes little . mention of these, and these are surely the . most important part of what you’re trying . to accomplish. It would be most useful if . you would elaborate on these at length, and . place those materials on the VOL website. . . ************** . . Third, we are not trying to "save people" . or save "the world". Fourth, we are not . trying to create a "revolution" in the . physical world. . . ************** . . Why not? If a self is worth saving and can . be saved, then why not a community? If a . community can be saved, then why can it not . function as a template for social . revolution? . . ********** . . [We believe that the only successful . revolution is one that takes place INSIDE a . person.] . . *********** . . Yes, but how is this done? . . *********** . . . The plans for this community include: . 1) To eventually be able to produce all our . own food and clothing. . 2) Creating our own energy sources. . 3) Setting up cottage industries as a means . of support. . 4) Construction of community facilities and . private sleeping quarters. . . . ******* . . Membership . . A. To have one vote in all voting . situations. . B. To have an equal say in the direction . and the operation of the Community. . C. To share equally in all Community . benefits and resources. . D. To have a private space, that space . being either a sleeping room in a Community . building or private sleeping cabin located . in the residential area. . E. To have the VOL Community as one's . permanent "home" as long as one lives and . is a permanent member. . F. To be able to terminate one's membership . by written notarized statement. . . . Have paid the current permanent . membership fee. [The fee is currently set . at 2000 $ per adult-the first 6 membership . fees will be given to the member who bought . and paid for the land to partially . compensate him for his large financial . investment in the land, buildings and tools . for the community and so he has funds to . build his personal cabin-futher incoming . membership fees shall be used for community . improvements and maintenance.] Currently . there is no fee for a provisional . membership. . . t. Agree share in the operational costs and . debts of the Community. . . The lease will authorize the community to . issue 20 one acre sub-leases to permanent . members. This provision was included to . satisfy those few people who "feel" it . necessary to have a stronger legal status . on the land they construct their private . building on. . . . ********* . . Misc classes/retreats held at the VOL . Community land . Repair of computers and other electronic . devices . Desk top publishing . Camping facility . Astrology and numerology readings via mail . . 2. Raising/growing various items for sale: . Sorghum-growing/processing . Golden seal growing . Mushroom growing . Herbs growing . Luffas growing . Melon growing . Truck garden-vege sales . Honey production . Gerbils raising . . 3. Manufacture/creation of various items . for sale: . . ********* . . These are ambitious and certainly . meritorious projects. We’d feel more . comfortable with the idea of joining your . community if this much time and effort was . spent on the inner work, rather than the . outer structure. To do otherwise . is “putting the cart before the horse”, as . real community is not possible without it. . Our idea of setting up an infrastructure . for community includes only so much of a . focus as to provide the basics. Rather . than building elaborate structures for . instance, why not just buy old RV trailers, . (the old $400-$800 variety) and remodel . them? How about buying old railroad/truck . freight containers, hauling them on-site, . and them reconfiguring them to meet . community needs? As for cottage industries . to support a community, we believe the . first priority here is to first spend very . little, making the need for further income . far less as well. This simplicity of . living is far more efficient than trying . to “have everything” in terms of community . resources and projects, and will allow a . maximum of free time for members so that . they CAN do the real work of self, (and . mutual) transformation. We’d like to hear . why ALL THESE projects, (many of which we . didn’t even list) are even necessary? Ah, . but then one is reminded of all those taxes . to pay, and “compensating” the owner so . that they can build more for themselves. . Perhaps such an elaborate set-up is not in . itself “realistic” and is too “idealistic” . to function easily? . . ******** . . 3. While visitors have no vote in voting . situations, they may freely express their . opinions at meetings. . . Visitors may stay at the town site house . for 3 days without cost. . After 3 days, visitors at the town house . are requested to pay $4.00 dollars a day . toward utilities and lodging if they are . providing their own food. If VOL is also . providing food, the requested amount is . $8.00 per day. . . ******** . . That’s very reasonable. . . We don’t mean to presume upon your time and . energy by bringing up all these points, by . any means. But such discussion is very . important, and certainly relevant. Thanks . very much for the time you’ve already taken . in corresponding, and we hope to hear more . from you. . . Love and Clarity, . Matt catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Sandi spellscaster9@yahoo.com . . ************ Re: Please remove - Matthew Webb . 24 Sep 2003 14:10 . #398 So I've noticed from the beginning, Sister . Heidi. No sooner said than done...take . care. Come back as space permits. . . Matthew . . remove Re: Open letter follow-up #3 - Dave da Shaman . 25 Sep 2003 02:57 . #399 very interesting matthew The Feet of Gods - Matthew Webb . 25 Sep 2003 09:14 . #400 The inner, hard work of spiritual progress . is not unlike creating a great masterpiece . in art. It is a process of vision, . sculpting, error, re-sculpting and higher . vision, until the image that arises out of . clay is now more than just the feet of . Gods. . . The depth of self realization is both the . clay and the hand that sculpts it. . . Matthew Webb . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: sufi wisdom - Frans weyer . 25 Sep 2003 11:51 . #401 . This is what i mean. Re: The Feet of Gods - Frans weyer . 25 Sep 2003 12:35 . #402 This means of-course totallity,the thinker . becomes the tought,the maker becomes that . what he has made,the lover becomes love . itself. . It sounds as a very dynamic process,that . never stops,even if we want to. . I think that task will be easen if the . notion was alive that there ,in the end,is . no dead,not a end to it all,that the . saying: "what is the use"on the subject of . live and how to act is no longer . commonplace. . . This issue is something that is drum into . our minds,from the moment on we made a . distinction between our inner and outer . world and the reactions these reactions . generate. . If not by words that evocate a momento mori . than by all kinds of events that occur in . our young life. . . What will happen if we see truly that there . is no end? . . What would we have? - Salama Shaquana . 25 Sep 2003 16:03 . #403 We would have enlightened people who . understand the impact they have when their . behaviour in this realm not only damages . others but also damages their souls. A . race who can see clearly that how they act, . what impact they have, the lessons they . haven’t learnt will be carried forward into . the next realm. As a result we have a race . that strives to learn and understand how we . reach total bliss and freedom. As they . grow and share their bounty increases. A . race that understands and accepts that they . can have everything they have dreamed of but . they have to invest. They have to earn the . right. . . This is enlightenment. . . . Parallel Universes - Salama Shaquana . 25 Sep 2003 16:05 . #404 I would be interested to know if any of you . have an interest in or belief in the concept . of parallel universes? . On community and spiritual focus - Matthew Webb . 28 Sep 2003 09:27 . #405 Greetings all, . . This was a correspondence had this morning . along the same theme as before. It is . another follow-up in response to that . letter to communities spells and I sent . out. In this case it is an individual . responding who wants to be in intentioanl . community. I've removed the names involved . because it was a private conversation, but . never the less useful for discussion here. . . ******** . . Spells and I wrote; . . Thanks very much for answering our letter . to you about intentional community and . spiritual purpose. You’ll have to forgive . the considerable delay in answering your . letter in return, as there’s just been a . huge amount of correspondence, article . writing and posting on forums going on . . Yes, we did find your posting in the . Reachbook on the FIC site, and thought you . might be interested in the intent/content . of our community letter. We sent that out . to over 350 communities and individuals . worldwide. There was about a five percent . response with communities and maybe 10% . with individuals. Interestingly, it is . individuals not communities which have . responded most favorably, and with the . intent to really discuss. . . Jamaica would certainly be interesting, let . us know how that goes. . . ****** . . D; . . “You have touched on two points that we . have been working on fairly . extensively. The idea that monetary wealth . is really a rather false ideal, . and the idea of spiritual basis in . community. “ . . ********* . . Monetary wealth is definitely a “false . ideal” as you said, in that people make it . a life goal without really thinking about . what it’s for. Monetary gain is only a form . of physical energy, and of course, most . people invest their entire life energies in . gaining far more physical energy than they . really need. Ironically, they destroy . their bodies in the process, which only . reaffirms in their mind the need for more . money so as to pay doctors and hospitals. . If they had just stayed healthy and lived . simply, they wouldn’t need so much of . a “safety net” upon which to, (weakly) . stand. Spiritual purpose is key here, as . you know. It is from this guiding intent . and life practice, that physical concerns . are carried out in the best possible . manner, (ideally). . . ******** . . D, . . “I believe that the reason that people . hoard money and material wealth out of . a fear that there won't be enough some . day, “ . . ********* . . Yes, and this implies we live in a very . insecure society. The Lakota tribe you . mentioned and it’s’ practice of giving . everything away is but one example of an . Earth-based form of spirituality that has . not lost its’ roots. We have as a culture, . lost our roots with nature, and this is a . major reason why humanity feels so insecure. . . ********** . . You said; . . “ I personally have made the leap of faith . (for the most part) to believe in the . unlimited abundance that spirit provides, . and that all of my needs can and . will be met. “ . . *********** . . We don’t see this so much in terms . of “unlimited abundance” but as a matter of . realizing what you really need. When you . get right down to it, so long as you live a . healthy, spiritual life there’s not much . that you DO need! Enough food, shelter and . clothing are the basics, and there is no . shortage of these given even a minimal . expenditure or effort. Strategies such as . living in one’s own vehicle are very . efficient, requiring minimal upkeep to . maintain as a lifestyle, and allowing a . maximum of free time for enjoyment and self . development. . . ********* . . Your questions, “But i'm wondering, how do . you bring this spiritual basis to ground . level? What will this look like in . everyday life?” are quite valid, and . they’re not easy to immediately answer in . 500 words or less. We see this spiritual . basis at the ground level as happening . first through a sustained shift of . consciousness in the participants, as a . unified whole. By “shift” we mean going . from the materialistic consumerism and lack . of self knowledge/wisdom that marks the . modern age, and entering mutual focuses . that are centered upon INTENT, AWARENESS . and TRUTH. As for the physical environment . that would be built as a result, we see . this consideration as somewhat irrelevant . in comparison. Simplicity of community . infrastructure is advisable, such as a . community that has a small piece of land . with water available, where people live in . their vehicles, (vans, campers, rvs’ and . the like) that are parked in a circle, and . meetings take place in the middle around a . campfire, (for instance). From such a . humble beginning one could later bring in . old RV trailers and remodel them, and such . things as shipping, (freight) containers . like railroads use, as remodel-able common . areas. One could of course, also buy land, . (foreclosed/distressed properties) that . have run down structures that could be . remodeled. In all cases however, what . really matters is the degree to which . spiritual intent is employed. Lack of . commitment in this regard is due primarily . to the lack of self realization on the part . of participants, and particularly, the . organizer(s). It is t people and the human . condition that needs refinement, not . community infrastructure, and this point is . missed by most IC organizers. . . Those are our basic thoughts on these . matters for now. Please let us know how . you might want to continue our discussion, . and we will make every effort to be more . prompt, especially now that correspondence . is diminishing. If you like, you’d . certainly be welcome to join our “Raising . the World Mind” work group/discussion forum . on a website called “New Civilization . Network”. Look up those key words, and . you’ll find it. Perhaps you’d like to join . that forum anyway, as it can be a good . resource for many things. After doing . that, contact “rishi” or “spells” to join . our work group and we could discuss all . this there. Your thoughtfulness and . progressive focus are obvious, and we‘re . looking forward to more discussion. . . Love and Clarity, . Matt/Sandi . Catalyst@carrollsweb.com . . . ******* . . Hi. . . I'm assuming that you must have found our . address on the Reachbook posting . we did last march or april. Since then, we . have been moving around quite a . bit. We have been invited to go and start a . community with a family that . lives in rural Jamaica. . . You have touched on two points that we have . been working on fairly . extensively. The idea that monetary wealth . is really a rather false ideal, . and the idea of spiritual basis in . community. . . But i'm wondering, how do you bring this . spiritual basis to ground level? . What will this look like in everyday life? . I believe that one of the things that is . lacking in a lot of the failed . community stories I have heard is the lack . of total commitment to the common . good, and to making the community work, . even though it may involve personal . sacrifices. . . And I believe the two ideas are linked, . here's how: . I believe that the reason that people hoard . money and material wealth out of . a fear that there won't be enough some day, . or that their needs won't be met . by their fellow humans when they grow old. . And it is hard to blame them. I . personally have made the leap of faith (for . the most part) to believe in the . unlimited abundance that spirit provides, . and that all of my needs can and . will be met. . . In quite a few ancient tribal societies, . for instance the plains tribes of . this country like the Lakota, this is a . given. In Lakota society, whenever a . person or family went through a major life . change, they commonly gave away . everything that they owned. And what . allowed them to do that was the . knowladge that everything they needed to . survive would be given to them in . return over the next few days or weeks. . . Somewhere, sandwiched between these ideas, . is an inherent grain of truth . that we are seeking to nurture and bring . forth into this world. It has . something to do with the diametrically . opposed ideas of universal abundance . as opposed to capitalist-economy-lack. . . let me know what you think. . . d . . More from Earth Re-leaf community - Matthew Webb . 29 Sep 2003 11:02 . #406 Dear Forest, . . My delay in answering yesterday was due to . getting bogged down in yet another small . minded forum... It has become a place . where no matter what you say or how you say . it you're going to get shot down by people . who don't care about evidence, logic or . example of any kind. All they know is what . they want to believe, and how dare anyone . else suggest that there is such a thing . as "truth" or "reality". In any case, I've . recovered from dealing with that scene and . can proceed here unfettered. . . Forest, with regard to forming a non profit; . . ya, we gotta start somewhere, exploring . common ground and trust levels in . communication imho is best place to . start....i am open to various forms of non . profit, whatever we all agree on..... . ******** . . Matthew; . . Yes, I agree. It is a symptom of modern . society in that apathy rules the day, and . the common mode is to wait or depend upon . others for taking initiative/responsibility . to change things. The only misgiving I . have about the term "non profit" is that it . implies government involvement and . sanctioning, and only after long and often . arbitrary processing. It is after all a . legal term,(5013c?) which is the context in . which I assume you're using it. I would . personally rather avoid such involvements, . but am willing to entertain such an idea. . I'm not convinced that we need government . sanctioning to create a spiritual and . progressive scenario. . . ******* . Forest; . . well i see things more in a whole, . each equally important....i do see . quests, so it may appear in many . to speaking to the issue most . . ********** . . Matthew; . . I realize this is your position, and I wish . to respectfully respond with this thought. . Let's say you want to cook something on the . stove. The items involved in this process . are the stove itself, the electricity and . heat to cook it, and last but certainly not . least, the food you put into the pot. Is . it not a reasonable question to ask, "For . what use are the stove, the heat and the . pot, without something to cook? In fact, . they are of little to no use. So the basis . of this equation is the food itself, not . its' processing. All else hinges upon this . element. . . To apply this analogy to body, mind, . spirit, the same may be said. Let's say . you want to form an enlightened and . progressive community. The items involved . in this process are the land itself, the . tools for living, (infrastructure) the . people with the enthusiasm to make it work . together, and last but not least, the . meaningfulness and most fundamental motive . for doing all of it, SPIRITUALITY. Is it . not a reasonable question to ask, "For what . use is the land, the membership/enthusiasm . and infrastructure, without a higher, more . meaningful purpose involved, (then growing . veggies and living sustainably together for . instance)? . . So the basis of this equation, is the . validity of the REASON FOR BEING TOGETHER, . not community setting. . . You see, the main problem that occurs with . most communities as I understand it, is not . the lack of resources so much as a lack of . enlightenment to make it work. Simple . rules and guidelines for psychological . interaction are not even close to being . enough. Nor are solar panels and composting . piles. Effective frameworks do not make . good and progressive people. Good and . progressive people make effective . frameworks. Herein lies the crux of the . whole matter. Without the spiritual focus . that embraces wisdom, truth, Earth- . alignment and self knowledge, to name a few . properties of "spirituality", there can . ultimately be no human progress in . community or in society at large. . . ******** . . Matthew previously; . . It is the human condition we must refine . whatever comes about after that is bound to . be of a higher quality. Without doing this, . ANY project no matter how well organized or . supplied is bound to eventually fail for . the want of good participants. . . Forest; . ya, i agree, i am all for attracting those . into the continuum concept of evolution . toward the higher good..... . . ******* . . Matthew, . . Right, and if there is a lack of such . participants, or if the participants are . not yet fully ready to live a natural life . based on spiritual principles, then it is . necessary to be prepared to train them so . that the ARE ready. . . ******** . . Forest previously; . a food coop in kona that kinda . back....by having small farms . thru a consensus farm coopertive we . off and on and carry goods and . would be interested in work/playing on . such adventures..... . . ******* . . Matthew; . . One of the things I admire about you . Forest, is that you always make gestures of . good will and open mindedness regarding all . these issues, even though you've already . been down this path with others countless . times. It's really a very enlightened . attitude, and I congratulate you for being . that way. It's a very rare trait. . . ******* . . Forest; . talk to you about this....i pretty much . agree with you about mason's from me own . limited perspective....did your parents or . relatives belong to this . society????....what part did you feel was . shallow about the masonic framework???.... . . ********* . . Matthew; . . My parents were not involved in anything . like this. They didn't have the . predilection for it, and do not relate to . my views today, (they are survivors of the . so-called "old school"). In the case of . DeMolay, I assume it is much like the . Masons in gaining membership. You have to . be "invited" by an existing member, just as . I was with DeMolay. They don't solicit . members as such. . . And I forgot to mention the Rosicrucians . which you asked about. Like the Masons . they are a “fraternal”-like organization, . and organized into "Lodges" or local . chapters. They also have some of that . ol', "occult"/metaphysical/spiritual focus, . but in a more obvious way than the Masons. . The Masons cloak these things in their . rituals, where the Rosicrucians are more . out front about various occult/spiritual . teachings. They regularly mail . out "monographs" to members that are . written in a continuous progression. You . have to be a member for many years to get . anywhere significant, (in terms . of "advanced" knowledge). Like the Masons . they claim to have historical roots . branching back into the times of ancient . Egypt. In both of these cases I see such . teachings as rather slow paced, very . expensive, (Rosicrucians) and somewhat . lacking. I say that because from what I've . seen in monographs , rituals and . conversations with members, that I'd do . just as well studying or meditating on my . own, rather than waiting for their . handouts. In conversation I found that . members were no more "enlightened" than the . average person, with a little bit more . friendliness than the usual thrown in. . . ******** . . Matthew previously; . . but as for me, finding . a matter of being in a . group like Masonry for years and years to . get them. To me, deep . knowledge of self and reality is best . gained through meditation, . highly selective reading and right living. . . ******** . . Forest; . own without the need for group energy, but . at some point imho we all gravitate to some . kind of consensus group mind . experience/experiment because it simply . represents another step toward expanded . group spirit, and it may take a group . support effort to reach the higher levels . of body, mind, spirit wellness/oneness.... . ********* . . Matthew; . . Insightful. Expanded group spirit is . certainly an ideal in community, and one of . the more satisfying aspects of being in . relation with others, bar none. Group mind . unity is exceedingly empowering, (such . as “tribe” and enthusiastic “cause . oriented” meetings) as you pointed out, and . this subject deserves a great deal of . attention for that reason. . . "it may take a group support effort to . reach the higher levels of body, mind, . spirit wellness/oneness...." . . Absolutely. This is why I do work . with "group mind" studies and group . meditation. Maybe I'll post Group Mind . Part 1 here, as it is very relevant to all . this... . . ******** . . Forest; . exactly what we are talking about . email you if ever you wanna check it . . ******** . . Matthew; . . Certainly. Please e-mail it to me at my . yahoo e-mail, wmsociety @yahoo.com Thanks . very much. . . ********* . . Matthew previously; . . Back to what we were saying about truth, I . see that one of the . primary flaws in human society today is the . lack of understanding . that there is one. I know you agree with . this to a large degree, . but also said something about truth being . subject to personal . interpretation, "in the moment". Allow me . to point out that truth, . although it may be experienced differently . by different people, or . differently by the same person one moment . to the next, does not have . any bearing on the truth itself. The . truth remains unchanged. This . quality is what literally defines what . truth is and does, . . Forest; . . imho truth may be nothing more than what we . already know (THE KNOWN) and agree on . mostly as a mass society of how body, mind, . and spirit function..... . . ******** . . Matthew; . . I can see how you are saying that, but only . in the context of social understanding, not . truth as it already exists. For instance, . when people used to think that the Earth . was flat (as you mentioned), and that you . could, "fall of the edge" into an abyss if . you went too far, didn't mean it actually . was so, or that anybody ever did. It just . meant that human conception hadn't . proceeded very far. The same is true of . the statement, "if a tree falls in the . forest, (no pun) and no one is around to . hear it, does it really make a sound?" The . current social answer is "no" or "maybe", . but the truthful answer is that it makes . just as much of a sound regardless of who . or what hears it, and according to the laws . of physics. . . ********* . . imho there is an INFINITE amount of UNKOWN . as well as what is . we learn more about the unkown and . example, we used to think the earth was . time, thru more mass awareness and/or . introspection we came to see the earth . dimensional), . . ******** . . An infinite amount of unknown, certainly. . Never the less, it is possible to . accurately predict the probability of . events and outcomes, through a knowledge of . PRINCIPLES and NATURAL LAWS. For instance, . if you know a great deal about how plants . grow in general then it’s not difficult to . estimate how an unknown variety will . succeed, especially if you use . experimentation and accurate observation. . Certainly our concept of truth has changed, . yet the truth itself has been there . unchanged all along. This would seem a . very important distinction to maintain. . . ******** . Forest; . . now some are starting to see/feel the earth . as alive (fourth dimensional???).....who . knows the "true" nature of earth from . a "fifth dimension" perspective????..... . . Matthew; . . As always, the true nature of things must . come through repeated observation, . experimentation, intuition and logical . evaluation. Such is the merit of Western . scientific method, (discerning analysis) . and Eastern mysticism, (cognition) . combined. . . ********* . . Matthew previously; . . ........though our human understanding of . it may change over time. For instance, you . know from your work with growing things . that plants have specific needs nutrients, . sunlight, space to grow, etc. Now if . Mr. "X" comes along and doesn't believe . that plants need sunlight, . that doesn't change the process of . photosynthesis. Admittedly we . have psychic effects upon our environment . because we're centers of . consciousness. But even these effects . function by virtue of natural . laws, such as resonance and dissonance, . which in many ways resemble . the principles of radio wave propagation. . . ********* . . Forest; . yes, i agree with the scientific approach . method, but only if blended and balanced . with the intuitive grasping at the unknown . for more clues to add to the known . clues..... . . ********* . . Right, I completely agree with this. . If we keep going like this, there may come . about such quality material that it will . create a jointly authored article, serving . the very purposes we're talking about.. . . warm regards, . Matthew wmsociety@yahoo.com Re: Parallel Universes - Frans weyer . 30 Sep 2003 13:16 . #407 concept . Salama, . . What do you mean with parallel universe. . The more than three dimensions that seems to . exist. . Or dimensions where everything is the same . as here,just with little changes. . There is also one idea wich i like that says . that each decision you make creates an . opposite decision in one other level and . leads their his own life together with the . already made decisions . . Warm greetings. Right Action (a conversation) - Sandi Hunter . 1 Oct 2003 19:11 . #408 Dear "C", . . Thanks for your reply. I do understand how . you feel about finding people who relate . and understand what you are experiencing . and seeing. I hope you are continuing to . read articles from the library and if you . would like to discuss anything there, . please always feel free to do so. I'll . answer within your text so that I answer . all of your questions and all the points . you made...... . . "C" wrote: . . I just wish I knew the first step that I . needed to take. I totally agree . with what you said about me possibly . joining the Peace Corp. or something . similar. I just feel as if I need to do . something. If you don't mind me . asking, what did you do to change your . life? Are you happier now? . . *** . My reply: . . It seems that you have taken the first step . already. You are acknowledging and getting . ready to act on what you see in this . world/society as wrong focus and wrong . action. . . You asked what did I do? That is hard to . answer...(as far as what did I do first). I . was always "different"... looking for . answers and focusing on topics and things . that mainstream society thinks of as . only "hobbies" or "pastimes". I was always . on the spiritual path, not religious, . looking inward and knowing that the answers . to all questions would come from my spirit, . not school, peers, tv or books. (although, . I did always read a lot, but I knew . intuitively, that what was "truth" would . always be felt within.) I learned Reiki and . became a Reiki "Master" (which means . teacher). This put me on a path of . exploration for which there was no turning . back. I knew that it was ALL wrong...the . materialistic focus of life and downgrading . a human to a "consumer". . . I gave it all up. I quit my job, sold most . of my belongings (except the things I . needed for survival) and moved into a van. . It has been a different type of life all . together. The values of society are not . what I/we live by, in fact I/we reject it . all. Once you remove yourself from it, you . can see with crystal clear clarity just how . far off course humanity has gone. The human . species should be highly evolved Spiritual . Masters, working with the planet for the . benefit of all living creatures, but as you . can see, they are de-evolving and killing . off everything that is natural and . beautiful....and why? for their own selfish . greedy motives....power and money. It . matters not how many forests are destroyed, . how many people have to die, how many lies . are spoken or who suffers, as long as those . with power stay where they are. . . What can you do? I highly recommend taking . up meditation, educating people and being a . living example. You can get the step by . step instructions for living a simple life . and the most comprehensive explanation for . doing so in "the Survivalists’ Guide for . the New Millennium" in the WMS library. . (you can also get great instructions for . meditating on the World Mind Society Web- . page, just click the “Chakra Meditations“) . By being a living example and teaching . others the truth about the world situation . as it is today, is by far the best thing to . do. Only when people acknowledge that the . truth is all that matters, no matter what . the consequences may be, will there be a . motive for real change that will actually . change the world. As long as the intentions . of money, egotism, materialism etc stay as . the main focus there will always be hunger, . poverty, sickness, war, greed, corruption . etc...etc. It is time to truly take . responsibility and become serious. . . I wish I could tell you of a community . worth investigating, and that is actually . living by higher/purer intentions, but Matt . just did an exhaustive search and came up . with nothing.. Although some of these . communities seemed to have started out with . good intentions, it appears they lost their . motive for truly starting anew. They are . only smaller versions of society's . structures/value/belief systems with no . truly different values or goals, therefore . they either aren't succeeding or they are . more of a business than a true community. . . ******************************* . . C: . . “My mother (who is really upset with me and . the way I feel toward our . government) wants me to go into politics, . to try to change things from the . inside. I couldn't put up with all the B.S. . and play all the "games" you . have to play to get things done.” . . ** . Sandi: . . I agree with you here. Please know that you . cannot change a corrupt system within that . system. The corruption has gone too far and . too many lies are allowed to flourish. The . typical citizen really doesn't care, . because if they did they would do more than . lip service against what is going on within . our government. You only have to look over . the last 3 years to see how far voting, . petitions, protests etc have brought about . any real change. The election for president . was totally rigged, and all the petitions . and protests did NOTHING to stop the war . with Iraq. . What can you do? STOP PAYING TAXES! As long . as a person pays taxes they are complicit . in all the lies and bombings. There is just . no getting around it. The government is . spending most of the tax money on the war, . and for their own agendas, while social . programs and the like are falling away. . State budgets are going bankrupt and yet no . one takes notice of the reasons.....they . just keep paying the government as if they . are doing a good job, one that is for the . highest good of all and one that cares . about it's citizens, and let’s not forget . that the citizens really are their . employers. Again this takes a serious . mature person, one who takes responsibility . and does more than the usual lip service. . . ******************* . C: . . I look forward to hearing from you soon. . . *** . . Sandi: . . I do hope this answers your questions. I do . hope to hear from you soon. Any questions, . concerns or comments are always welcome. . . Peace and love, . . C . . Love and clarity, . Sandi . Re: Parallel Universes - Salama Shaquana . 2 Oct 2003 15:21 . #409 I will try an explain this, at least my . understanding of the process. We have . lived many lives and as we move from one . incarnation to another our spirit and our . energy not only moves into the new dimension . that we have shifted too, but also remains . in the dimension from where we have been. . . To me this is like a light. When light . leaves a star or sun what we see here left . the star or sun hundreds of thousands of . light years ago. However at each point . along the path in traveling from the star or . sun to here someone other entity sees the . light in their reality, in their time. So . our if you apply the same principle to this . our spirit (soul) and energy lives in . perhaps hundreds of dimensions. When we . astral travel we can move between . our ‘lives’ and what we do in one can impact . on another. . . . . Re: Parallel Universes - Frans weyer . 3 Oct 2003 11:01 . #410 This sounds interesting to me. . I by myself however have no experience (at . least not in conscious)in astral traveling. . I have read something in the books of Seth . by Jane Roberts,and there cropped up the . idea of multi-dimensional . personalities,fascinating... . . I did experienced the fact that in this . present life you can change in a certain way . your past(of this life)and so the outcome in . the her- and -now by focussing on . a "negative"impuls or action you had and . turn it into a "positive"impuls or . action,that is to say, that you must imagine . as if that "negative"thing never happened . but the opposite did. . You can put a more positive impact to the . present by doing so. . It is not what you can call astral traveling . but as i say what you said sounds good. . I like the analog of that beam of light you . mentioned. . . dimension . or . impact How to live - Frans weyer . 3 Oct 2003 11:09 . #411 Martin or sandi, . . Do you have any suggestions how to live when . living in a van for example is through . circumstances not possible. . . Greeting, . Frans . The Intent of the Master - Matthew Webb . 5 Oct 2003 09:11 . #412 The Intent of the Master is the mastery of . intent. . . Anyone can adopt this intent. It can be . implemented by observing and knowing what . intent is, on a very practical level of . being. . . Intent is; . . 1) ceaselessly active within, as the source . of all decisions, assumptions, feelings and . thoughts. It can be consciously aligned . with. . . 2) a body-wide consideration, which can be . felt. Every part of the body has an . associated feeling. Behind that feeling is . an "intent element" or in other words, a . small part of what makes up our true self. . This true self is our foundation...a . collection of intent elements, commonly . known as "soul", or "consciousness". . Consciousness can be expanded. . . 3) Using body-wide feelings as a feedback- . guide, one can raise their level of . intent. As intent is raised, so too are . the quality and pitch of the feelings in . the body. . . 4) By progressively focusing on the . intent/feeling elements in the body and . raising these to higher levels of function, . we move closer and closer to that level of . being known as "Mastery". We can do this . by a proficiency and knowledge of intent, . which is why the intent of the Master is . the mastery of intent. Those . feeling/intent elements within can be more . closely aligned with one another, and once . again this can be felt. Once they are in . greater alignment, (homogenous) this . results in the gaining of personal power. . A house divided is weak. A self that is . united has the combined power of a large . wave moving as one, as opposed to a set of . smaller, weaker waves that travel in . contrary directions.. . . Other attributes of the Master are; . . 1) They have transcended all the . limitations of culture, nationality, . religion and social norms of their day, in . favor of that which is universal. They . then work for the common good of all . people. The Master uses cosmic standards . such as those found in nature, (rather than . society) which are both timeless and . eternally pertinent. . . 2) As spiritual practitioners, (those who . live their practice daily, and not in . theory) the Master is someone imminently . qualified to advise others along the . spiritual path, due to their extensive . personal experience. They are able to . explain in depth the essence of truth, and . how that applies to all aspects of . spiritual development. [Such an ability . has very little to do with book learning, . and everything to do with ACTION] . . 3) The Master is one who demonstrates that . which they teach, and who can then explain . the demonstration. [Examples of . such “demonstrations” might include the . psychic projection of love and clarity to . others, the daily expression of high . intent, alignment with God and Nature, the . ability to speak clearly about the essence . of reality, the practical presentation of . steps humanity could take to become . enlightened, and avert its own self . destruction, etc.] . . 4) The Master stands for all humanity and . in fact all life, without the interfering . biases of a given belief system, which is . implicitly narrowing and limiting. [this . means the Master is beyond ALL religions, . rituals, specific philosophies, . governments, ethnic backgrounds, and . traditions of all kinds, in favor of the . direct perception of truth, and subsequent . right action based upon it.] . . 5) The Master advocates spiritual . attainment and values based upon the . universal. They do not seek followers, but . spiritual partners, (as equals) who will . one day gain an even higher level of . spiritual practice and realization, than . they themselves have gained. Never does a . true Master say, "I am the ONLY way", but . instead speaks of the undying truth . whereby, through a number of approaches, . practitioners may find their own self . evolving enlightenment. The Master is not . interested in hierarchical structures for . social or spiritual organization. Again, . they seek the self realization of all . persons, as cosmic equals, (souls/centers . of consciousness). . . 6) The Master advocates the greater . refinement of all areas of one's being, . from mind and body to soul. They also . advocate the greater refinement of society . as a collective human endeavor, and for the . sake of planetary enlightenment. . . 7) The Master values truth above all else, . and advocates it as the foremost guide to . living. . . . . Further talks with Earth Re-leaf - Matthew Webb . 6 Oct 2003 10:38 . #413 Greetings Brother Forest, . . Your last letter was, as always, thoughtful . and progressive. As a point of probable . interest to you, of the over 350 . communities and organizers Sandi and I . contacted with that original letter, you . are the “last man standing” who is still in . communication with us. The group of . communities I’m referring to is the . extensive international listings of the . Federation of Intentional Communities, . which is considered the most complete in . the world. Most didn’t bother to reply to . our advocacy for a very clear and . spiritually oriented statement of purpose. . Of the 15 or so that did reply, most did . not address what the letter said. Three of . these turned out not to be communities at . all, but rather, their personal businesses . for which they are shrewdly getting free . advertising through the FIC listings. I . thought you might find that noteworthy. . . One that answered only briefly was . the “Gaia Yoga” community in Hawaii have . you had interaction with them? . . ************* . . We were speaking of truth . . Matthew previously; . . unknown, certainly. Never the less, it is . probability of events and . PRINCIPLES and NATURAL LAWS. . . ************ . Forest; . . imho we cannot 100% accurately predict thru . a knowledge of KNOWN principles . and natural laws what the UNKOWN principles . and natural laws are or will . be....we have to be constantly searching . for clues and adding them on to the . known knowledge....imho that will over time . alter our perception and . knowledge of the "truth"....it will not be . the same as it was earlier . because of our new found clues or knowledge . of the unknown....certainly i . believe in the known principles an natural . laws as being an important . foundation for our continual evolving . awareness, but at some time further . down the road to achieving higher . awareness, some of our natural laws may be . turned upside down or radically transcended . or morphed into some radical new . outlook or approach, as in fifth dimension . perspective.... . . ********** . . Matthew; . Yes, I see the merit of what you’re . saying. When I say “probability” I don’t . mean certainty, just reasonable confidence . until proven wrong. . . You also mentioned the possibility of . gaining certain powers of expanded . consciousness, such as levitation, as an . example of, “our continually evolving . awareness”. I’d be the last to disagree . with you there. Might I suggest that the . act of levitation would not actually be the . breaking of known natural laws, (such as . gravity) but the significant mastery of . OTHER laws which can supercede them. One . such law that comes to mind is that of . INTENT. It is a verifiable fact that . intent, which is our very basis as centers . of consciousness, directs both awareness . and energy. Awareness “focuses” energy, . giving it pattern and form. Energy is of . course the basic building block(s) of . manifestation. With sufficient mastery of . intent, such powers could indeed be . implemented. . . ************ . . Matthew; . . As an interesting side note on truth, we . received the following message from . an “Earth First” community in Australia . . “G'day. Thanks for the email. I reckon you . are on the right path, but there is an . underlying assumption in what you write . that there is a universal "right" . and "wrong". We disagree with this. The . universe is ours to make what we want.” . . What I want to say about this, is that it’s . very representative of modern thought, and . I might add, human delusion. I say this . fully mindful of what is already mentioned . above. The statement, “The universe is . ours to make what we want.” is rather . presumptuous to say the least, since it . implies that existence has no other purpose . than what human beings designate. This . type of thinking is a major foundation for . all the problems we see in the world . today. Examples include genetic . engineering which assumes we can “make” . species according to profit rather than . according to natural designs. Another . would be the use of pharmaceuticals which . address only the symptoms of illness rather . than curing their cause. Another is that . corporate profits and national interests . supercede those of the world environment in . which we all live, and which must . inevitably lead to our mass extinction if . they continue to go unchecked. . . It is these same people in Australia by the . way, which also said that spiritual focus . was basically unimportant, compared to . their activities in eco-sustainability. . The irony here is that the very lack of . spiritual focus (knowing for instance that . there is a higher purpose for life than . favorable corporate earnings statements) is . exactly what has brought about the . approaching calamities of the modern age. . . ************* . . Forest; . . well, i see your point here, but did not . imply that spirituality would be . last in importance but rather equal in . importance....it could be forming at . the same time and rate as the physical, . mental aspects....in me own case i . got tired of waiting for serious land trust . partners and started providing . for me own security while at same time . acting on community infrastructure . while at the same time learning and . applying the spiritual factors to the . whole thru website and discussion . groups..... . . *********** . . Matthew; . . Yes, I did not mean to imply that the . physical or mental should be neglected. . What I meant is that they are not equal . considerations with that of spiritual . focus. Take modern society as an example . of this. We live in a decidedly . materialistic culture which imagines that . products and things are the best motive to . live life for. Consumerism claims that . material goals are basically all that are . worth working for, and that everything else . revolves around this premise, including . education, family, community and global . well-being. As we can all see, this focus . on the physical materiality of existence is . severely misguided. We can also see that . the concept of “education” is geared not . toward the enlightenment of the individual . or the freedom of mind and expression, but . is instead geared toward conformity, . corporate proficiency and the self . justification of the educational . institution. What is most missing in this . scenario is true spiritual focus, and as a . first priority in the development of both . the physical and mental realms. It is the . spiritual which is responsible for the . functioning of both mind and body for the . most part, not the other way around. Of . course there must be enough to eat and . shelter/clothing for warmth, not to mention . mental stimulation so that intellect . grows. But in all of these considerations, . it is spirituality which determines how and . why they are implemented, and the direction . in which they grow or die. . . ******* . . Matthew on community previously, . participants, or if the . live a natural life based on . necessary to be prepared to train . . ********** . Forest; . . ya, i would like to have some sort of . educational program for all of us as . we evolve and grow at different rates and . times....and to cover all three . elements of it: body, mind, spirit..... . . Matthew; . Yes, agreed. That requires extensive . writings, a great library of sorts, which . contains all the essential materials of . study for the greater grasp of reality at . all levels. . . ********** . . Forest regarding DeMolay; . . so you were invited by a friend in school . then, are you still in . touch???....what became of him/her???? . . ************ . Matthew; . Interestingly, I never knew who it was . that “recommended” me. . . ************** . . Forest on Masons and other organizations; . . in me own limited understanding of the way . they operate is that one would . seldom, if ever, encounter more highly . evolved individuals until getting . quite close to the top of the pile....as . with any spiritual quest, it may . take years of effort and dedication to . achieve some of the more deeper . meanings....this could be true within or . outside a group like the . masons....but ultimately without alligning . with some group effort it will . eventually come to some limits due to the . lack of consensus group support . and wisdom factor....i definitely agree . with you that money should never be . an issue in gaining spiritual knowledge and . wisdom, but for those who still . live unsustainably outside of the natural . environment most of the time there . is always going to be some degree of money . element to consider and/or . accept.... . . ************* . Matthew; . Yes, I agree with you on all of this. . . ************* . Matthew previously; . . with "group mind" studies and . Mind Part 1 here, as it is . . *********** . Forest;.. . . so, how many others are you currently . involved with in your group mind . efforts????....what do you do together to . further this group mind effort???? . i liked your group mind part one and shared . it with some other friends . outside this one.. . . *********.. . Matthew; . . Thank you. . . As founder of the World Mind Society, I’ve . written many articles on the subject of . person to person psychic effects, and the . group mind that often results from this. . One thing that we are doing is the . promotion of the, “Global Group Mind . Meditations” based on a series of articles . in our Library known as “The Perpetual . Raising”. In this series it describes how . group mind functions in detail, and that . through the “specialization of intent” an . intentional group mind can be formed and . energized with a collective (meditative) . power to influence vast areas of the globe, . (and elsewhere). The group mind series . also explains this, as you know. I’ll post . part 2 soon, since it is of interest. At . one time we had over 850 people on the WMS . mailing list who were involved around the . world. . . *********** . . Forest on forming community; . . imho with a well formed non profit along . with well kept records and abiding . by fair rules or agreements limits the . government involvement....it gives a . group more credibility to recieve donations . and/or grants of money, land, or . whatever....it allows one to not have to . pay land taxes and other type . taxes....it provides a legal foundation . that is easier to monitor and . prevent corruption within the group....and . it creates an example that can be . taught to others for the same . benefits.....imho the non profit org system . was started by wise ones who wanted those . who became dissillusioned with . capitalism and private land ownership to . have an alternative choice and . example to promote....non-profits around . the world are doing good things in . organized ways....i would like to be part . of that.... . . ******** . Matthew; . . I see what you mean about this, and it . sounds like a worthwhile collective goal. . . Mastery and Intent - Matthew Webb . 7 Oct 2003 09:42 . #414 From a Castaneda forum... . . Clarity wrote; . . "Intent is something that is rarely talked . about, and yet underlies everything we do. . You spoke of the coordinating of the intent . elements throughout the body, using . feelings as an indicator of success. . . Would you call this the unbending intent of . the Master? What are its' results?" . . ********* . . Matthew; . . A key in coordinating ones' intent elements . is of course to first be aware they are . there. Modern society assumes that "self" . is defined by thought and emotional . patterns, (memory) but these are learned . behavior, not inherent to the human being. . . In meditation we can more easily discern . what is due to memory, and what is the . ESSENTIAL SELF with which we were born. . Going beyond the repetition of words or . feeling patterns in the mind then, we find . three basic things. These are; . . 1) energy . 2) awareness and, . 3) intent . . All three of these are in constant motion . within us, even when we sleep. Since these . three literally compose what we ARE, rather . than what we do, (memory/thoughts/feelings) . they are extremely useful to address for . the sake of greater Mastery, needless to . say. Of the three, intent is the most . CAUSAL, and IT guides our every moment. . Realizing this is exceedingly important. . There is NEVER a moment in our lives where . intent is not functioning. . . It can be witnessed without great . difficulty, the fact that the modern person . is not just a single intent, but many. We . weren't born this way, (with split intent) . it is a result of the splintering of the . mind into often conflicting . considerations. These various . considerations are stored in the body over . time. Meditatively monitor the body for a . moment. You'll notice that the various . parts of the body have slightly different . feelings from area to area. Some have more . fear, others have higher feelings and . clarity, others hold pain. Each of . these "feeling elements" is orignated and . held in place by a corresponding intent. . We can easily notice the condition of our . intent elements through feelings, much like . the observation of wind stirring leaves. . . An excellent way to "gain power" is to . raise these intent/feeling elements into . higher feelings, energy and clarity levels. . . So in answer to your question, "Would you . call this the unbending intent of the . Master?" . . This is one method a person could use to . gain Mastery, especially through unbending . intent. . . As for, "What are its' results?" one is . the expansion of consciousness and even . spiritual self realization. Psychic . powers, (intuition and the projection of . intent) are increased, vitality/health is . enhanced, and so on. Re: Mastery and Intent - Frans weyer . 7 Oct 2003 12:17 . #415 I think that i have some notion about what . you mean and in meditation i can see what . you say when you say: . . "An excellent way to "gain power" is to . . But living our daily life with all that . other intents that are surrounding us lies . there not the danger to suppres feelings and . ideas,what can be somehowe dangerous. . For instance someone is insulting me over . and over and i feel irritated,trying to . control myself i try to be calm or just walk . away,but that irritating feeling still is . there,i don't want to supress it... . Same thing with with other feelings as greed . or sadness . . Supressed feelings lead there own life,we . all know that by psychology. . And the one thing i want is to be true to . myself. . I talking here of the daily life... not when . you are alone with yourself where it . is "easier" to oversee your reactions. . I try to be clear about this, i take this . item very seriously . . Warm greetings, . Frans . . . Castaneda forum... Re: Mastery and Intent - Matthew Webb . 7 Oct 2003 15:13 . #416 Dear Frans, . . These are extremely important points you've . brought forward. I address them in your . post below; . . Frans; . . levels" . . ********** . . Matthew; . . I find it quite interesting that you can . see what I mean here. Ordinarily, I think . what happens when many people consider . inner/spiritual knowledge, (which has very . little precedent in a materialistic . culture) is that they don't take it quite . seriously. They may embrace the ideas, . mentally agree with them and so forth, but . they aren't fully aware that what is being . talked about is an actual, concrete and . real thing. An example is the . feeling/intent elements within the body, . such as we are discussing. These are quite . real, and they are also quite unrealized in . mainstream society. . . ************** . . Frans; . and ideas,what can be somehowe dangerous. . . ********** . . Matthew; . . Yes, I agree with you on two levels here, . both in terms of the psychological and the . psychic. Other intents DO surround us and . are a part of our daily, FELT experience. . Many of these are influences from what is . known as the "world mind" or the collective . consciouness of humanity. Others are felt . more keenly from those we know well, since . they are psychically aligned with us to a . greater degree than most. . . Psychologically, we should not, as you . said, suppress feelings or thoughts of any . kind, but rather, SEE them clearly for what . they are. Rather than the usual . psychotheraputic approach to "helping a . person achieve normalcy" or in other words, . to conform to mainstream society, the real . task set before every human being is self . realization, regardless of whether or not . that conforms to society. In most cases it . does not, and this speaks volumes about the . state of modern society in itself. Also, . it is very important to realize that we are . not thoughts. These are something we DO . not something we ARE. . . ********** . . Frans; . . walk away,but that irritating feeling still . is there,i don't want to supress it... . greed or sadness .Supressed feelings lead . there own life,we all know that by . psychology. And the one thing i want is to . be true to myself. . when . . *********** . . Matthew; . . It's good to hear someone say they are . taking such things seriously, as the mode . of the day is denial. What you're saying . makes sense, and I have a suggestion . regarding it. When I spoke of self . realization, I meant seeing oneself as they . truly are, without the conceptual . limitations supplied to us by society, . television and our own memories. This true . self is intent at its' base. My suggestion . is to apply such self realization to . others, by seeing them as intent(s) as . well. . . With regard to being irritated by others, . remember that we live in a still-primitive . age of human history, and that there are . good reasons to not like what we see. At . the same time it is useful to remember that . our own personal power/well being is . directly dependant upon our focus on truth . and the real self. I say keep re-focusing . on self as intent, and see where that leads. . . Also, one can "take psychic action" when . necessary when dealing with the world, and . I'll discuss this if desired. Conversation on Spiritual Community - Sandi Hunter . 10 Oct 2003 12:52 . #417 Forest regarding spiritual/social progress; . . i agree, but seems we need some kind . of "base camp" and/or "core group" or both . in order to ground out our intentions and . energies together to begin to manifest some . of these more spiritual evolutions.... . . ************ . . Matthew; . . Yes, that is certainly a necessary start, . and Sandi and I are always looking for . those who could form such a group. At . present, we know of only two others, which . are yourself and a fellow named Theodore. . Finding such people who have visionary, . revolutionary, natural and spiritual . focuses is quite a rare event at this . time. This is a sad but true commentary on . the modern condition, not to mention TV . conditioning. Never the less, even the . combined wisdom/group mind of three or four . can have considerable impact on others, not . to mention what they can accomplish . mentally and physically. I say we look for . others with this intent in mind, and first . form a "cyber community" of sorts to . crystallize a real time gathering. . . *********** . . Forest previously; . a slightly different take on right . a certain level of awareness that . nature is good, even killing and . environment....but let me . and when we tire of some level or . freedom to move on to higher good . . *********** . . Matthew; . . Right and wrong as I see it, is defined by . the standards set by evolution, nature and . spiritual progress. That which is "right" . is evolutionary/progressive, while that . which is "wrong" is de-evolutionary and . unprogressive. It's pretty clear to me . that modern society is both de-evolutionary . and unprogressive, and that if it continues . on it's current course, it will inevitably . self destruct. I'd be curious to know how . you would explain the . statement, "everything in nature is . good....even destroying the environment". . Without the environment there is no nature, . nor will there be human beings. To call . this "good" would seem contrary to the . whole purpose of evolution for which life . has arisen, over the last 3 billion years . on this planet. All of this has occurred . only to die off in the end in probable . confusion and disarray? . . We may or may not be free to exercise . choices for higher good, after/within the . next decade. Nature is about to determine . for us, "when we'll be ready" like it or . not. By then it could well be that the . majority if not all of the human race has . killed itself off, and largely due to a . neglect of the truth and the spiritual . principles which compose it. . . **************** . . Forest; . here is that of consensus decision . be involved with nature and prevent . of communication and decision . higher spiritual awareness....we will . in danger of collapse until we . our lives as individuals and as . . ************ . . Matthew; . . Yes, and this lends itself to the question . of motive. What will motivate people to do . these very things, so as to not only evolve . further, but to prevent worldwide . ecological disaster? Crisis is surely a . good teacher, and perhaps hard headed . humans will only learn as a cast majority, . only when their deaths are imminent. The . other major motivator that comes to mind is . that of spiritual focus, which demonstrates . that there are higher purposes for all . life, including our own, than what is . advocated by consumerism/society. When . these are realized, motivation occurs . naturally. Of course, to accomplish this . one needs persistence and honesty. . . *********** . . Forest previously; . sustainability is actually at the . spirituality, since it is naturally . spiritual . words they are on course, but just . same or similar goals of spirit.... . . ********** . . Matthew; . . Although I agree that "it is naturally . spiritual to wanna live sustainably", but . this is a trait we inherited from nature. . That is not to say however that, “by . putting emphasis on eco-sustainability is . actually at the same time putting emphasis . on spirituality", since anyone can take . these ecological steps for whatever reason . they may want to. That reason may be to . make money, or ego concerns, or in counter- . reaction to materialistic society. . Spirituality is not defined by a given set . of acts. It is defined by the quality of . intention through which one acts. . . *************** . . Matthew previously; . Take modern society as an example of this. . We live in a decidedly materialistic . culture which imagines that products and . things are the best motive to live life . for. Consumerism claims that material goals . are basically all that are worth working . for, and that everything else revolves . around this premise, including education, . family, community and global well-being. . As we can all see, this focus on the . physical materiality of existence is . severely misguided. . . ************ . . Forest; . yes, but if we add consensus spirit to this . mix of consumerism we can refine and . harmonize our consumer items with nature . over time....each of us is transitioning . toward spirit at slightly different rates . or times and thus we will all be involved . in the physical/mental consuming to one . degree or another as we incorporate more . spirit into the mix.... . *********** . . Matthew; . . Many people are transitioning to little . else but an untimely death, due largely to . the fact that they refuse to come to grips . with reality, (as defined by natural . laws). Consumerism is a life philosophy, . or perhaps a better to say that would . be..."A system of belief based on faith", . (like any religion). This belief system . advocates the idea that there is no such . thing as spirit or natural laws which need . to be observed. On the contrary, it . focuses upon the unlimited enlargement of . personal ego and immediate gratification, . reducing souls in bodies to "consumers", . whose basic function in society is little . more than those of worms in a manure pile. . Worms "consume" and so do unthinking . consumers. There's very little difference . there in terms of life focus. What I'm . saying is, that consumerism is very far . from spiritual practice and the real needs . of reality, as is unnecessary war. It is . the quintessence of the anti-spiritual in . fact. . . It's important to realize also that there . is a distinction between consumerism and . the products of technology. Technological . advancement and it's resulting products can . indeed be used in harmony with nature, as . you pointed out. But no technology, no . matter how high or advanced, can save us . from the misuse of those products through . the currently widespread spiritual poverty . seen infecting the public at large. It . cannot protect us from our own insanity as . a species. When I advocate rejecting . consumerism, I do not mean neglecting the . fruits of technology. I mean that we . simply MUST adopt a higher way of living, . (spiritual/natural) than a mindless, . destructive belief system such as this. . . ************** . . Forest on group mind; . sounds pretty agreeable to me, do you still . have any focused agendas related to this . group on wms mailing list????....are some . of them actively involved in some way. . . ********* . . Matthew; . . The participation in the GGM meditations ss . well as other activities advocated by the . World Mind Society is abysmally low at this . time. That's because there are very few . people with the seriousness of mind and the . naturalness of spirit to take those . advocated steps. They’re too busy . improving their credit rating and shopping . for a more expressive wardrobe to be . bothered with universal concerns right . now. Such spiritual practice takes work . and change. Neither of these are on the . agenda for modern humanity, and such an . attitude will probably be their undoing.... Follow up letter to 400 communities around the world - Matthew Webb . 12 Oct 2003 12:25 . #418 Dear Community organizers and members, . . You may recall that we, (Sandi and Matthew) . recently sent you an article on the need . for spiritual, intentional community focus, . and a clear statement of purpose. The . article ended witha proposition. It said . that all of us, as visionary persons who . commonly seek the improvement of the human . condition, should create an ideal statement . for social change. As a follow up on that . proposal, here is such a statement. . . This is the last time we'll contact you . unless we get into dialog. You are . certainly most welcome to contact us any . time. . . Love and Clarity to you all, . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Sandi Hunter joy4life00@yahoo.com . . ******** . Creating the Universal Ideal; . . Intentional Community with Cosmic Standards . . The founding of a community is in part like . the founding of a society, or even an . entire world. It is no small matter. As . with all great inventions, the form is . always followed by inspired conception. If . an idea has great merit and real quality, . then so too will the device or community. . Like a seed, good ideas must be planted . upon fertile ground where they can grow and . bloom. Lacking this, all objectives will . either fail or simply never grow beyond a . certain point. Everyone knows that to grow . a plant requires knowledge of soil, . climate, moisture and sunlight. To grow a . strong community from the seed of even the . greatest planning, requires knowledge of . resources, social circumstance, wisdom and . spiritual focus. . . . Our first and foremost resource as human . beings is not lumber, coal, stone, solar . energy, liquid fuels, seeds or even land. . Our foremost resource is ourselves. Any . tool is only as useful as the hand or . spirit that wields it. The first priority . in life must therefore always be the . refinement of the tool user, not the tools . themselves. From our own inner capability . do these materials find utility and . fashioning for the sake of building . community. This means that in order to . successfully build an infrastructure, we . must first refine ourselves. The capability . of our minds is genius, the strength of our . bodies is enduring and the potential wisdom . of our souls, born of cosmic purpose, is . limitless. It is from this soil well . prepared, that the most progressive . communities must sprout. These are the . basic nutrients of community excellence, . (not to mention the source of our survival . as a species) whose fruits shall be the . sweetest and most nutritious of all, for . everyone concerned. These fruits spring . from the rich soil of truth. . . . The social circumstances in which we live . are very challenging, and we must be . realistic about this. To build the new we . must simultaneously dismantle the old. We . live in an age of social disempowerment, . where it is commonplace to imagine that . humans must depend heavily on outside . sources for their own health, sanity, . spiritual guidance and even their own . thoughts, emotions and beliefs. We live in . an era wherein nations routinely proclaim . that their own deeds of oppression and . injustice as liberating and just. We live . in a mindset that follows where the . majority leads, simply because the . television says so, (regardless of any . facts to the contrary) and where rational . and logical debate are the rare exception . not the rule. We also live in an era of . information, possibility and choice for . those who seek wisdom and inner strength . will find it without looking far. It is . within this world climate that our . community vision of human excellence and . greatness of spirit, must grow and . flourish. It is our task to choose . carefully which aspects of this climate are . useful, and which need to be utterly . discarded. Arguably, the list of what needs . to be discarded in modern society is BY FAR . the longest of all. . . . While there have been countless attempts . made to produce a utopian mode of community . living, the successes remain fewer than . few. Many high conceptions have come from . great minds down through the centuries, for . the sake of generating a new social order. . But a new social order we have not yet . achieved. This is not for the lack of . trying, but because we have accepted the . answers to the wrong questions, rather than . asking the right questions to start with. . The question of, “What would make an ideal . community?” is one that cannot be asked . within the limited framework of modern . ideas and institutions. We have to think . outside the this small box long enough to . crystallize the answer. .To do that it is . necessary to first realize just how limited . modern notions are. We’ve been conditioned . by these our whole lives through peer . pressure, religion, government and the . media. Let us assume for a moment that ALL . of these sources of public belief are . basically mistaken. Let’s take a fresh look . at what life is all about. . . . The ideal intentional community cannot be . one which is primarily based upon our human . past. We have not truly progressed as a . species far enough, either mentally or . spiritually, to use our own past as a . foundation for the future. This is . especially true since the very . word “progress”, is still assumed to denote . the ravaging of natural areas of the Earth . with asphalt and concrete, while developing . higher and higher technologies. Technology . is only a tool with which to do our . spiritual work here, not an end unto . itself. Nor is it a means to make even more . monetary profit at the cost of sanity, . health and livability. We need to re-define . such words as “progress” so that they . reflect their true meaning in the context . of Cosmos, not country, city or special . interest ideology. Cosmic progress means . applying ourselves to those ideals such as . expanding consciousness into greater love . and clarity, which are the very source of . our evolution as biological beings to start . with. It also means living life as souls in . bodies, whose true identity can never be . anything so petty as job descriptions or . socio-economic status. Our true identity as . souls is that we, like the rest of nature, . are conscious beings in a conscious . universe. It is the purpose of that . universe to expand consciousness, refine . self awareness and accelerate the process . of evolution. That must be our purpose as . well, if we are to create the ideal . community arrangement, let alone survive . the next century as a species. . . . Some imagine that setting up the perfect . physical circumstances for community is all . that is needed, and that the rest will fall . into place. To this end, there are those . who invest heavily in solar power, . alternative building methods, organic . horticulture and the like. These . technologies are very good, there can be no . doubt. But there is also no doubt that . without a higher reason for employing them . other than being “energy efficient“ for . instance, is a relative waste of our . spiritual potential. Such community leaders . imagine that by taking careful stock of . finances, each members’ weekly labor quota, . and using all the technologies of modern . agriculture or urban living, that this is . what is called “independence”. Yet this is . not an independence of mind or spirit, nor . does it in itself accomplish man’s further . evolution. That kind of thinking to the . exclusion of Cosmic relevance, is just more . of the same mainstream materialism seen . infecting every aspect of modern life. It . is no different than the average persons’ . obsession with making enough money to . retire wealthy and “financially secure”. It . misses the essential point of life that . living is not about making money or having . elaborate material goods, it’s about having . enough tools, be they dollars, meditation . techniques, computers or ploughshares, so . as to accomplish our spiritual task here on . Earth. . . . Others imagine that by structuring a . community after the rigid rules established . by a church or other source of ethical . codes, that people will be given . the “framework” they need for mutual . living. But this is not the case, since the . rules and codes of behavior established by . human kind are inherently inferior, to . those which are already well established by . the Cosmos at large. These Cosmic “rules” . are the laws of nature, which have also . been partly described by modern physics. . They involve how the universe is . structured, and why life functions as it . does. It is not the small laws of . enforcement that we need, which aim to . corral the mind of the participant as . though it were a wild animal to be subdued . by force. Such community concepts don’t . take into account that the nature of . spiritual progress is self and mutual . realization, not conditioning. What we need . in community and in society as a whole, is . to return ourselves to recognizing those . Natural Laws which make our heart beat, the . plants grow, our minds soar and our souls . commune with one another. Right action and . spiritual motivation come from the . realization of these, not the blind . following of rules or their authoritarian . enforcement. This is a large part of what . is meant by “refining the tool user, rather . than the tools”. . . . The source of natural wisdom from which we . may draw, is from the same deep ocean that . has carried the great Seers, visionaries, . inventors and spiritual Masters of all time . to their Earthly fruition. That source is . none other than the consciousness itself . which we already ARE, as well as the . consciousness which the universe already . IS. That wisdom tells those who would . listen, that we are NOT separate from . nature, we are a self-aware extension of . it. It also tells us that there are no such . thing as “separate issues” such as . politics, social inequality, war or . environmental issues that require “separate . treatment” On the contrary, ALL ISSUES ARE . SPIRITUAL CONCERNS, and it is upon this . Cosmic Foundation that all other . consideration are inherently built. We must . address this foundation with competence, in . order to address the human condition with . any hope of success. We are consciousness . raised up past a certain evolutionary . degree, which can now KNOW ITSELF. In . essence, we are matter that is animated by . spirit, and not just a random collection of . atoms. It is this human, evolutionary . arrangement of matter, awareness, energy . and intent, which accounts for our . extraordinary abilities as Homo Sapiens. . Having gone further than the animal not so . much in form, but in the capacity for self . awareness and self change, the human . evolutionary course is ours to guide. Yet . we cannot access our extraordinary and . inherent abilities of genius and great . wisdom, unless we realize that there is . such a thing as Truth, and a purpose for . life far beyond consumerism, militarism, . nationalism and materialism. . . . Our true purpose as human beings can . accurately be called, “the aim of . evolution”, which is self knowledge and . species advancement, or in other words, the . expansion of consciousness. Existence has . it’s own cosmic purpose in the evolution of . life, of which we are an inextricable part. . Our purpose is to further advance this . Cosmic Cause, through wise decision making . and spiritual inspiration. Higher and . higher love combined with progressive . clarity, can and must become the new, . standard human interaction toward that end. . We CAN intentionally cultivate these . qualities together.. It is this . evolutionary purpose that is based upon the . development of the consciousness we ARE, . and which all life IS, that will save our . species from the brink upon which it is now . poised. Without sufficient realization of . truth and Cosmic Purpose, our species will . remain lost in it’s own delusions about . what life is all about. Until realizing . this, we will remain fixated upon brand . names, television sit-coms, fashion trends . and gossip magazines, until the day of our . collective extinction. Until we realize the . inherent purpose of life, as opposed to the . artificial, human-made purposes of . corporate greed, we will always be moving . toward entropy, war and insanity of all . kinds. The purposes and laws of Nature will . not be denied forever. If ever there was a . test of our fitness to survive and evolve, . this recognition is IT. . . . It is necessary that we, as centers of . consciousness, (otherwise known as “souls”) . do realize this bottom-line self. “Realize” . means, “to perceive with such accuracy that . we enthusiastically act daily upon that . which is understood”. To realize ourselves . as souls whose composition is . consciousness, is to implicitly understand . a great many other important issues at . once. Among these are the understanding . that “we are all one”, that psychic streams . of feeling, intent and thought flow between . us constantly, making society a collective . creation, and that our communion with both . God and Nature is made possible because . they too are literally MADE OF . CONSCIOUSNESS. Thus we are both the created . and the creator of forms, and with this . ability comes specific responsibilities. It . is through us and all other life that . Cosmic Consciousness manifests itself here . and elsewhere through the universe. We . CANNOT access these facts and their . implications fully, until we achieve . sufficient self realization. That means . going beyond idea of self composed by job . title, race and nationality, and into that . with which we were born. Upon achieving . this, and to varying degrees, we may then . carry forth such realization into our daily . lives. This is what is known as “spiritual . focus”. . . . Our salvation then, if there is to be one, . ultimately rests upon our degree of self . and mutual realization, coupled with . sufficient spiritual will to address the . cosmos on it’s own terms. It’s terms are . those comprising natural laws and . processes, as well as the spiritual laws . and processes that reflect them. . Consciousness, or that which is . called “God”, as well as that which we . refer to as “soul”, have the same three . constituents. These three are INTENT, . AWARENESS and ENERGY, and in that order of . causation/importance. To know self is to . know consciousness. To know consciousness . is then to know others as being of the same . essence as we. If we are to master the . purpose of life, generating on this planet . a progressively superior place to live in . peace and enlightenment, then it will also . be necessary to progressively enhance our . mastery of Intent, Awareness and Energy. . When we purify our intent towards one . another for instance, it is then that truly . progressive relations are made possible. . When we expand our awareness beyond the . personal, it is then that we are made . empathically aware of the feelings and . intentions of others. Upon raising our . level of energy, we are made more capable . of accomplishing great things together. . . . It is Intent that guides our lives. This is . true not only through personal intent, but . group, planetary and cosmic intent. The . intent of modern human beings is the . primary basis for all the world’s problems, . as well as it’s ultimate solutions. To . achieve world peace, enlightenment and high . intelligence, our most fundamental need is . to purify our intent. toward nature and one . another. The reason we see so much misery . and chaos played out on the world stage, is . because our Intent is wrongly focused in . all areas of this global human community. . The faulty intentions behind materialism . and consumerism are largely responsible for . this. The very term, “intentional . community” derives it’s meaning from the . implication that we’re aware of our . progressive intent in forming such a group, . and for the sake of improving our lives. . But we must do more than merely improve the . circumstances of a few human lives. Our . intent must be focused at levels much . higher than self or community interest . alone. Only a progressive, PLANETARY intent . for the good of all, can provide us with . the needed fuel to generate a truly . profound social shift. Only the Cosmic . Intent of evolution, recognizing the . commonality of souls in bodies which we all . are, is ultimately worthy of our mutual . community focus. Community no longer means . just growing a few veggies or making solar . power for a select few. It must also mean . that we ultimately recognize the whole . world as our community, for the . interconnectedness of life intimately . effects each and every person from around . the globe. The social norms and . expectations of this current world society . are far too low. They do not serve us well, . nor do they serve the Cosmic Purpose of . which we are a part. It is extremely . important to realize this when forming any . community. . . . Our world-based community movement, can be . founded upon such basics as the following; . . . 1) Recognizing that the same basic . principles of plant and animal growth, . nutrition, consciousness, biochemistry, . life cycles, reproduction, and the like, . are the very same principles which govern . our human existence. Science describes . these in detail, but usually without . realizing their spiritual application or . significance. Modern humanity does not seem . to realize that it cannot live indefinitely . without recognizing the universal constants . of all life. Among these are efficiency, . progressiveness, logical action, . practicality, evolutionary improvement, the . need for natural and clean sources of water . and food , etc. By observing how nature . works, we can re-learn the great values of . natural living, and living in accord with . the evolutionary processes of nature. . . . 2) Recognizing that the laws of nature, . (aka Spiritual Laws) are what have molded . and shaped all life on this planet, (and . others). Humanity is no exception to this . rule, which is why we need to return to . nature in every practical way, so as to . regain our true strength, wisdom and inner . vitality. Human beings have tried . to “outdo” nature for centuries under the . premise that It exists to serve us. The . truth is that we are as much a product of . nature as any other plant or animal, and . that the true reason for our existence is . as an extension of Natural Intelligence, . for the sake of furthering the evolutionary . process. The rightful place of humans is . therefore to serve the designs of nature, . not for nature to be sacrificed for the . sake of human whims. As all Native cultures . know, we can learn better how to serve . nature by constantly working with it. In so . doing it’s influence purifies our lives, . and teaches us how to live better with the . Cosmos and each other. . . . 3) The gaining of wisdom, as defined by the . greater application of truth in daily life. . Wisdom is the embodiment of truth the . greater the embodiment of truth, the . greater the wisdom. . . . 4) The increase of intelligence and . intuitive cognition, through the right use . of the mind. . . . 5) The expansion of consciousness and the . recognition of the true self, (beyond just . the physical body or mind) as soul. . . . 6) The recognition of that which the . Western world calls “God”, and which the . Eastern world calls, “Consciousness” as the . prevailing force and intelligence that is . seen running through all natural forms. . . . 7) The practice of personal and group . meditation, for the sake of self knowledge. . . . 8) Placing spiritual growth as the . foremost .priority in daily activities, . while recognizing the distinct differences . between spirituality and religious dogma. . . . 9) Holding truth to be the highest and . guiding principle in life, and the best . course for personal relations. There is one . truth by definition, not many. There is no . such thing as “your own truth” since the . truth never bends for the sake of personal . preference. Our purpose as intelligent and . wise beings, therefore, is to determine . what the Cosmic Truth already IS, (as . composed of facts, collectively known . as “reality“) rather than trying to re- . invent it from scratch, or by using the . standard misconceptions of modern society. . This requires objective observation, . intuitive crystallization and logical . evaluation of all subjects. . . . 10) Rejecting faulty and destructive models . of society, such as consumerism, egotism, . materialism, nationalism and militarism, . which act only to artificially divide the . world into warring factions, from which . there can arise no true victor. We do this . in favor of the already provided template . for right living, found in nature and . spiritual laws. . . . 11) That logic and intuition must work . together, and check each other’s . conclusions. The same is equally true of . science and religion, both of which can be . mutually complimentary when the truth is . seen clearly. . . . 14) The cultivation of clarity and the . valuing of clear, honest communication. . . . 15) Upholding the vision of collective . wisdom, one that is greater than the wisdom . of one person or even many uncooperative . persons. . . . 16) Making decisions through the process of . educated and logical consensus. . . . 17) Collaborating with other communities . and individuals, for the sake of greater . collective wisdom. . . . 18) Emphasizing excellent health in all . ways through right eating, exercise, . herbal/natural remedies and meditative self . healing. . . . 19) Offering educational materials to the . world for the improvement of the human . condition. . . . 20) Living in an independent, simple and . free fashion, unfettered by the unnecessary . limitations of the modern world. We must . continually emphasize self empowerment in . all ways. . . . By engaging the Cosmic Evolutionary Purpose . together, (so as to improve ourselves and . each other at will) the course of history . will be transformed for the better. In . doing this we become active participants in . Creation, not just creative persons. In . such an undertaking, individual persons . could be likened to atoms and communities . to molecules, whereby the first cells, . (cities) of a new human culture would find . their highest expression. When our . community is dedicated to the Cosmic . Purpose, it then takes on much the same . role as DNA does in the creation of new, . fresh life for our kind, one which could . replicate itself worldwide in a relatively . short period of time. This truly . revolutionary basis for living together . could sweep real vision and wisdom into the . stagnant pools of modern society. But to . crystallize this ideal basis for community . requires a great deal of intelligence, . based upon knowledge of how the universe . really is, not necessarily how we imagine . or want it to be. To begin, we can use the . principles of nature as a basic template. . Then, through self realization of the . consciousness we are, truly See how we can . interact with each other as SOULS in a . higher, superior way. This will be a way of . interaction and understanding, that is far . beyond what has ever before been known in . the history of mankind. Let us keep ever in . mind that there exists cosmic purposes far . higher than those currently employed by . mainstream society. It is to these we must . strive, so as to create something truly . great together. Through such a basic vision . of ideal community as a starting point, . this crystallization can then evolve . further into a highly profound social . movement the world over. . . . Why strive for less than this, especially . when this is exactly what our species most . needs? This work will greatly aid the . evolution of humanity, as the seed of a New . Way. . . . Matthew Webb catalyst@Carrollsweb.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest [See our . extensive, free on-line Library of related . materials] . . . . 400 communities...more responses - Matthew Webb . 14 Oct 2003 14:50 . #419 Dear community organizer, and all others . involved in making this a better world, . . We write you once again, out of a felt need . to help shift the current course of our . world society. Who else will do this, . other than those who clearly see the need . of it? No doubt you have seen the warning . signs regarding the modern world, just as . we have. Also doubtless, is that you’ve . envisioned and intuited that there’s a much . better way to live, wherein the true genius . of the human spirit can flourish. It is . perhaps easy to assume that the . degenerative modern age reflects how humans . really are, but the fact is we are as much . a product of the beauty, intelligence and . wisdom seen throughout nature, as is any . other natural form. This is why beauty, . intelligence and wisdom are our natural . birthright, and although these can be . covered over by faulty belief systems, they . can never be taken away. Allow us to speak . to one another now, soul to soul, realizing . our unity at the levels of body and . spirit. May we also recognize that mental . accord is not impossible or even . improbable, when the truth is involved.. . . We truly appreciate your response to . our “Intentional and Spiritual Community” . article. There have been a great many . replies thus far, ranging from enthusiastic . to highly skeptical. This isn’t surprising . since we e-mailed that letter out to over . 400 intentional communities around the . world, to countless individuals who work . for the improvement of the human condition, . as well as almost two dozen internet . forums. Our original intent was basically . to find an extremely progressive, spiritual . community to live in, but quickly realized . that the issues which confront the human . race at this late hour in history, go far . beyond our simple needs. These issues beg . to be addressed and addressed fully, and . so, this became a project of outreach, . collaboration and spiritual focus as well. . . Because there’s been so much feedback with . more arriving every day, we want to address . each point that has been brought forward . about spiritual living, progressive . community and changing this world for the . better. You may find a quote from your . comments to us below, to which we’ve made . every effort to reply to, and still keep . this fairly brief. . . An unknown person writes; . “How'd we get on your mailing list?” . . ***** . . Over months of time in all, we went through . hundreds of websites to research what is . being done these days with regard to . intentional community and spiritual . living. If you’re on the internet and are . involved in this essential work for the . benefit of all life on this planet, then . that’s where we saw you. . . ******* . “Flowers“ wrote; . “We really don't understand what you want . from us exactly.” . ******** . . What we want is to collaborate with other . thinking minds and progressive souls, for . the sake of collective action. Needless to . say, an intentional community is a valuable . place to live for precisely this reason an . intensive group focus upon high goals and . purposes. We’d like to witness the greater . self realization of humanity, for truth to . become the norms of daily interaction and . for spiritual progress to generate a new . era of enlightenment for our kind. That . doesn’t sound very personal, and it isn’t. . This letter has not been written to you out . of personal interest, but for the sake of . these CAUSES. . . We also want all of you to know, that our . on-line World Mind Society website Library . is available for free for everyone to use. . It’s contents speak in far more detail . regarding such subjects as social . inequality and justice, the expansion of . consciousness, meditation, spiritual . progress, truth and natural living. You . are all invited to . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ******** . Hany comments; . . “People are skeptical. I am skeptical. . Precisely due to the forces . that Matt has pointed out, we are largely . unable to grasp life on a . higher plain. Sadly, we have lost hope. . There are two basic emotions which any . feelings that every human . being has ever had since the beginning of . time can be simplified to. . These two are LOVE and FEAR. Which one of . these is prevailing in . today's world and which one should we be . seeking to cultivate to . change our course ? Think about it. . I know how it is to have a void in your . life and to try to fill it with anything . you can, however unhealthy it may be. . Ultimately, I think we are all seeking . spiritual fulfillment, regardless of . whether we are conscious of it or not. . Unfortunately, when one mentions . spirituality, people often conjure up . pictures of church folk and other images . which might have jaded them in the past. In . this way, they are chased away. “ . ********* . . These are excellent points. Yes, many . people are skeptical that such, “high . ideals” as a spiritually based community, . society and world, could exist. But this . is because of our industrial training in . the modern world, not because we lack the . potential, or even the desire for a better . life. Just as we can elevate ourselves . and our own state of body, mind and spirit, . so too can a community or a world. That . just takes specific steps, guided by the . right realizations and INTENT. Even . something as simple, (yet profound) as . choosing between a state of consciousness . that is filled with fear and one that is . filled with love, is extremely relevant to . this social shift we all seek. That’s as . true of community as it is nations and . international diplomacy. We also perceive . that all people are seeking spiritual . fulfillment, (regardless of being conscious . of this fact) and would go so far as to say . that spiritual fulfillment is the ONLY one . that can truly satisfy. It is also . critical to our further evolution as a . species. Furthermore, it is as important . to carefully discern between what is not . useful or progressive, as it is to discern . what IS. The distinction between . spirituality and religion is an excellent . example. . . ********* . Peter asks; . . Hi Matthew, . . “I read your article with interest. It . sounds like you have set out a good mental . framework. One thing that comes up for me . as I read is to wonder whether you value . physical action in your own life - do you . like gardening, cooking, splitting wood, . repairing faucets? Do you think this kind . of basic stuff is part of your dream or is . it an impediment to it? I don´t mean these . as rhetorical questions. I want to hear . your thoughts on this. . ******** . . Yes certainly we enjoy, and have done, much . gardening, faucet repairing and the like. . What we’re suggesting here certainly . doesn’t exclude appropriate physical action . in the physical world. There’s no doubt of . the need for people to grow their own . healthy food, to value exercise, live in a . healthy environment and to take the . practical steps necessary to accomplish . these. But the primary point being made . here is that without spiritual focus, which . is to say, a focus that motivates our group . work for the sake of something far higher . than personal gratification, there can be . no social or spiritual revolution of any . kind. Even at the small community level, . what will motivate people to cooperate . selflessly for the collective good, if it . is not for the spiritual realization of . self and life? What will motivate . progressive action and cause us all to go . beyond the usual competition of egos so . prominent in the modern world, if it is not . for the Seeing of higher Ways and . Potentials? Herein lies our greatest . need. Spirituality is our compass to . properly navigate life, and to find . together that paradise of mutual . understanding, which all souls, minds and . bodies secretly yearn for. . . ********* . Howard comments; . . “Yes, most people . seem to be looking for excellent physical . circumstances . for their IC, whatever that ideal is to the . individual, . and everyone wants good people around, too. . These . are worthy goals. But, we don't even . recognize "good . people" if we ourselves are not striving . inwardly. And . utopic locations and such will not prove . superior to less . than ideal locations if there is their is . no moral fiber and . spiritual cause to back them up, to indeed . form the . basis of an initiative in community . building.” . ******** . . Point well taken. . . ******** . Hans and Bryn write; . . You have a long way to go. Your document is . rife with contradictions, the most glaring . of which is the use of the word "cosmic" in . the title, giving the whole thing an air of . unreality. Unless you can ground your . thesis on planet earth in terms that . ordinary people can relate to, there is no . hope whatsoever of success. . ********** . . “Cosmic” means that which pertains to . universal purposes, and the ultimate . benefit of all persons. It implies that . there IS such a thing as “truth” and that . this truth can not only be known and . explained, but also lived by wisely. We . can create such a life together that is . mutually enriching, so long as we employ . what is universal and common to us all the . cosmic truth. “Cosmic” goes beyond family, . tribe, religion, culture and nation to get . to the root of what it is to be human no . matter where you live. Also known . as “reality”, the cosmos is the universe at . large of which we are an integral part, and . given this, we are subject to the same . natural laws as are all places and times. . It is our choice, responsibility and . privilege to recognize reality on its’ own . terms, thereby creating with intelligent . care, a new world whereby all can be . advantaged. To do this requires careful . observation, logic, spiritual focus, . scientific understanding and most of all, . HONESTY. . . ********* . Jaquie; . . “We certainly appreciate all that you have . to say...it's very true, however we find . that there is already a great deal of talk . and very little action. So we are willing . to have dialogue IF anyone is acting. . What are you doing about community? . ********** . . When a mutual understanding of our . spiritual purpose here on Earth is reached, . one that is above and beyond the norms of . consumerism, nationalism and materialism, . it is THEN that we can proceed to . effectively create community, not before. . It is our experience that many communities . begin with an effective ideal, but then . proceed to regiment their organization with . the very same norms and types of thinking, . which they aimed to go beyond to start . with. Examples of this are the 40-hour . work week, and a constant emphasis upon the . building of more and more elaborate . facilities and money-making projects. We . do not negate real community need by saying . this, but rather, the overly exaggerated . physical focus which they sometimes take So . basically, one can find the same kind of . materialism and even consumerism in many . communities as you can in any local town or . city. One is prompted to ask, “What is . this all for”? which we did do in our . initial letter to you. It is better to . act with care and careful consideration of . truth, than to act with haste toward ill . defined goals. The concerns of the mind . and spirit, (both of which guide the . physical realm) must supercede those of the . material world when it comes to building a . BETTER WAY. To do otherwise would be like . attempting to construct an elaborate house . but with only half the blueprint drawn out. . . ********** . Amanda writes; . . I disagree that your "Universal Ideal" . applies to everyone. I know for . a fact that there are many members of our . community that would . disagree with your basic principles such . as "recognition of a . prevailing force and intelligence that is . seen running through all . natural forms" and "practice of personal . and group meditation for . the sake of self knowledge." . ********* . . Whether or not any person agrees or . disagrees that there is such a thing as a . coordinating intelligence on this planet, . is beside the point. It may be too, that a . person may disagree with the idea that . photosynthesis occurs in plants, or that . rain falls from the sky, but this belief . will not prevent plant growth or rain. . Another person may disagree that such a . thing as an unseen, “radio wave” is . possible, yet it can be proven that the . invisible can translate into concrete . effect in the material world. The more one . learns of natural laws, and most . importantly, of self, the more they realize . that there is such a force, (and forces) . which act upon everything in this world . every day. Self realization is key here, . which is exactly why meditation is so . important. Many imagine that they don’t . need to meditate, or that meditation is . only a religious trapping. The fact is . though, meditation is a neutral tool with . which one can competently explore self and . truth. . . *********** . Suzanne comments; . . “Your comment is certainly of merit. I was . thinking, how this seems so . idealistic.....where is the practical, . realistic "thinker", I want to go forward . with..... . To dream is wonderful.................but . to attain, takes practical and realistic . thought.” . ******** . . Like any science, spiritual understanding . and knowledge of self as consciousness, . takes careful action as you implied. It . also requires a good deal of information to . be carefully understood, which is why we . offer our WMS Library of over 100 articles . to anyone who wishes to make use of it. We . recommend that you start with our on-line . book entitled, “The Survivalists’ Guide for . the New Millennium” for some exacting, . specific and practical recommendations, . along the lines of natural and simple . living. . . ******** . Sam writes; . . “Matthew, you make some beautiful points, . but I have a . major problem with what appears to be your . basic . assumption that evolution is a force that . moves toward . improvement and harmony.” . ******** . . Life itself, or to be more specific, our . own bodies are a testimony to this fact. . Were it not for the increasing . sophistication of cellular structures and . minds that have arisen on this planet, we . would likely not be having this . conversation. Evolution is by . definition, “a force that moves toward . improvement and harmony” since both . improvement and harmony allow greater . cooperation and achievement. If our own . cells were not strongly dedicated to these . purposes, we would simply die. Just as the . health of the body depends upon collective . good will, harmony and cooperation, so too . does the lasting success of any community, . and even the whole of human-kind. . Observing our own bodies is but one example . of using nature and natural, evolutionary . laws, as a template for right action on the . social level. . . ****** . Robert; . . “There will always be imperialists . in the world. If their plan no longer holds . the interest of the masses they . will fail from lack of support. One can . only be enslaved if one fears the . captor and needs what he has. Self . sufficiency promotes freedom like no . other concept. I have experimented with . this concept many times and have . been startled at the response of the power . brokers. The word NO seems to . really shake them up.” . ******** . . Yes, there is certainly a great need for . people today to QUESTION everything that . society takes for granted. That need could . not be better exemplified than to . understand the intense intellectual and . spiritual poverty of modern television . programming. The modern television ad is . the perfect encapsulation of the absurdity . of the whole consumer mindset. If we are . to truly excel as individuals, communities . and as a species, then it will be necessary . to shake off the stupefying effects of the . media and other social conventions, in . favor of truth and quiet, self . knowledge/mastery. . . What can one conclude from all this? . First, that there is a strong need for . change of modern norms, and that . intentional community is an excellent . avenue to do so. Lifestyle is far more of . a reflection of genuine intent and real . human progress, than is the mere written . and spoken word. Given this, we fully . recognize that such a letter to you is but . a representation of things to come. If . such potentials are to come about, it will . have to be by virtue of such courageous and . visionary leaders as yourselves, working . together to uplift the human condition. . Some people today have evidently lost hope . in the potential for human-kind to interact . and cooperate, based on truth and . spirituality. But hope is really not the . issue here. Truth, (reality) is the . issue. The truth is that we can still re- . direct humanity’s course for the better, . just as self and community improvement can . be attained. The need for this is self . evident, and it is our hope that the . solution, (spiritual focus) is equally so . to all concerned. Through love combined . with clarity, and knowledge of the . consciousness that we are, any human being . can surpass even the highest expectation of . the modern age. Doing this together has . even greater potential. . . We are evolutionary agents. Let us work . together as such, soul to soul, for the . sake of what is truly important in life. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Sandi Hunter joy4life00@yahoo.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Re: Mastery and Intent - Frans weyer . 15 Oct 2003 05:53 . #420 . Dear Matthew, . . Thank you for your answers on my last . posting (What a terrible word,posting, but . it is a technical world, isn’t), I have read . them with great interest. . Your rights when you say that we live in a . still primitive society, how long are we, as . we know, here, 45000-50.000 years? That is . of course regarding how long this planet . exist nothing, but I think we are standing . on a threshold of a kind of shift, something . that even one can see who is not in that . spiritual “thing”. . Even the changing of climates is applauded . by the most meteorologists, nothing mystic . about that. . The pollution is increasing while the whole . world is connected with each other as a . gigantic mumbling head if you really look at . it. . I think everyone can give more examples . about the real changes that are occurring. . . Yes the real change must come within and God . can only be reached trough man him/her self. . The feeling/intent elements are a source by . witch we can learn, par example, I never . really noticed how fast I did go in my inner . till I tried to just sit I think that is . common. . Another example is what you said about . thoughts; in meditation you can see that we . are not thoughts, but that we are doing . thoughts as you said, and that it is . difficult to be, instead of doing thoughts. . Here is also the source of a new problem . that is occurring, by living our live by the . insight I get that normally I see myself as . society (incl.television and as you say . memories) has brought me up to see myself, . and seeing that problem, requires a new . vision at myself, without any inner standard . how to be, and a real inner standard....., . well difficult..., is this the so-called . desert experience?(not my intention to use . great words) . Trust in myself and trust in Truth is the . only thing that can guide me in this, I . suppose. . . Yes, I like to discuss psychic action when . dealing with the world. . . Love and wisdom, . Frank. . . Re: Mastery and Intent - Matthew Webb . 16 Oct 2003 07:35 . #421 Dear Frans, . . Please note my replies within your text . below, . . ***** . . Dear Matthew, . . Thank you for your answers on my last . posting (What a terrible word,posting, but . it is a technical world, isn’t), I have . read . them with great interest. . Your rights when you say that we live in a . still primitive society, how long are we, . as . we know, here, 45000-50.000 years? That is . of course regarding how long this planet . exist nothing, but I think we are standing . on a threshold of a kind of shift, . something . that even one can see who is not in that . spiritual “thing”. . . ******** . . Well, we certainly are of the verge of a . collective shift, but of what type is the . question of the century. That depends . largely upon what intent we now use, and in . terms of the international scene, there’s . little doubt that the WRONG intent is being . used. The only thing that can rescue the . human condition from this extremely . precarious position is to adopt spiritual . intent, starting with as many individuals . as can be reached and made to understood . that life has far greater meaning than what . is portrayed on television, and then move . upward from there. . . ******** . . Even the changing of climates is applauded . by the most meteorologists, nothing mystic . about that. . . ******** . . Yes, and even now, there are so- . called “scientists” who dispute that there . even is such a thing as global warming or . climate shifts going on. . . ******** . . The pollution is increasing while the whole . world is connected with each other as a . gigantic mumbling head if you really look . at . it. . I think everyone can give more examples . about the real changes that are occurring. . . ******** . . Absolutely. And the “mumbling head” of the . world seems to largely be in denial about . what’s going on. The majority seems to . feel that they can easily afford to ignore . these issues for as long as they are . comfortable in doing so, (indefinitely). . They also seem to feel that their own . spiritual progress can be put off until . next week, next year or the next decade, . because they “too busy right now” with more . important things like keeping the lawn . mowed and paying off that credit card. . Never mind the world condition, and never . mind the fact that spiritual self . realization is the only real remedy to . modern ills. People just watch their . television, believe everything it says no . matter how ludicrous, and then proclaim . ignorance, (no responsibility). . . *********** . . Yes the real change must come within and . God . can only be reached trough man him/her . self. . The feeling/intent elements are a source by . witch we can learn, par example, I never . really noticed how fast I did go in my . inner . till I tried to just sit I think that is . common. . . ******** . . Yes, it is quite common, and I’m glad you . see the truth of upgrading the . feeling/intent elements of the body. The . purification and raising of intent is . essential for our further evolution. . . ******** . . Another example is what you said about . thoughts; in meditation you can see that we . are not thoughts, but that we are doing . thoughts as you said, and that it is . difficult to be, instead of doing thoughts. . Here is also the source of a new problem . that is occurring, by living our live by . the . insight I get that normally I see myself as . society (incl.television and as you say . memories) has brought me up to see myself, . and seeing that problem, requires a new . vision at myself, without any inner . standard . how to be, and a real inner standard....., . well difficult..., is this the so-called . desert experience? (not my intention to use . great words) . . ******** . . Yes, this is a very important point about . not being our thoughts, and the often . difficult transition from thought/memory to . awareness/intent. But that transition must . be carried through, it is a necessary . progression. In fact, until more people do . this there can be no world peace or peace . of any kind. In other words, the entire . future of humanity, any community, or any . one person is highly dependant upon their . level of self realization in this way. If . I may be of any service to you brother, in . this effort, such as discussing the fine . points of an attaining awareness/intent . focus the majority of the time, I’d be glad . to. . . ******** . . Trust in myself and trust in Truth is the . only thing that can guide me in this, I . suppose. . . ******** . . Trust can only suffice for short periods, . as a leftover from the direct realization . that truth is what runs the universe, and . consequently, our own lives. But for the . long term, I very much recommend . cultivating clarity. Toward that end, I . recommend using the following meditation . technique, which encourages, a state I . call, “awareness of awareness”. . . Advanced Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and . immediately begin focusing on the feelings . centered in the area of the forehead. Those . new to this practice may begin by tapping . the tip of their right index finger upon . what is known as the “third eye”, or exact . center of the forehead. Be aware of every . subtle detail of feeling in this area. . Allow awareness to spread to the entire . region of the frontal lobe of the brain, . (the front third of the head, directly . behind the forehead). Do not avoid any . pain, fear or other unpleasantness found . anywhere in this area, but instead relax . it, and continue the meditation. . . As thoughts inevitably run though . the mind, simply relax, and return again . and again to a feeling focus, even if this . means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts . to intrude upon the process of meditation . will gradually diminish. Be patient and . don’t let the simplicity of this method of . meditation deceive you. Maintain your . awareness on the area of the front of the . head, with particular emphasis paid to the . third eye, and the temples at the side of . each physical eye. Areas of particular . stress or activity in this region, will . attract your awareness and hold it for . longer periods. Allow this to happen, as it . is a function of natural self-healing . processes and energy body activity. Don’t . be concerned or irritated by intruding . thoughts, just continue to return to a . feeling-oriented focus. . . After maintaining this feeling . focus in the third eye region for about 5 . minutes, shift your focus to one of . awareness only. In other words, don’t just . be aware of feelings in this area, be aware . of that in you which is being aware. This . statement may at first sound a little . cryptic, but it is actually quite simple. . In the basic Chakra Meditation we use . awareness to focus on feelings in the body, . as a replacement for continuous thoughts in . the mind. In the Advanced Chakra Meditation . we start with a feeling focus, and then . soon shift to a “focus upon the focuser”, . or to one of having, “awareness of . awareness”. So while focused upon the third . eye region, the meditator engages . an “awareness of awareness” in the frontal . lobe of the brain. This act “recycles” . awareness back upon itself, thereby . increasing its intensity. This is a primary . means to gain greater clarity. Contemplate . this concept to comprehend its profound . simplicity, (see SFM issue #3) as well as . meditating upon it. It is recommended that . you perform this meditation twice daily as . a replacement for the basic Chakra . Meditation, before arising from bed and . just before going to sleep at night. Each . session should last at least 20-30 minutes. . . Employing the Advanced Chakra . Meditation to gain greater clarity is a . process of self education. Clarity is not a . concept Western culture is thoroughly . familiar with, and rarely is it a term that . is concretely defined. In the WMS system, . clarity is defined in terms of the degree . of awareness of awareness one possesses. . Represented mathematically, this principle . of natural law may be shown as A/A=C, . whereas, “A” is awareness, (divided by . itself) and “C” is the clarity that . results. As greater experiential . familiarity with clarity is had, it then . becomes a known quality of mind that can be . summoned up or enhanced at will, even . without the precursor of meditation. Thus . it can then be intended into place at a . moments’ notice, for the purpose of . improved mental and even physical function. . . ********* . . Yes, I like to discuss psychic action when . dealing with the world. . . ********** . . That’s definitely a relevant focus. To . project consciousness raising effects to . others, (such as love and clarity for . instance) is to improve one’s own state as . well. This is because of the natural law . of cause and effect, commonly known . as “karma”.. We’ll definitely talk more on . this. . . ********* . . Love and wisdom, . Frank. 400 communities...We Are Not Yet Awakened - Salama Shaquana . 19 Oct 2003 13:50 . #422 Some very interesting responses. Perhaps . our individual pain level is not yet high . enough to prompt different thinking. We are . still seduced by material things rather than . non-tangible things. . . Often when we are under the greatest threat . we turn to the spiritual path. You see this . behaviour regularly when people face . death. Death of our planet – earth is . still not real to many. This death of us . is not real. . . Blessings . For All Who Wish For A Different World... - Salama Shaquana . 19 Oct 2003 21:32 . #423 Thought For The Day . . "It is a blessed thing that in every age . some one has had the individuality enough . and courage enough to stand by his own . convictions." . . . - . Robert G. Ingersoll . Re: 400 communities...We Are Not Yet Awakened - Matthew Webb . 21 Oct 2003 11:10 . #424 Nemue, you're exactly right. People today . don't feel that the Earth or even life is . real, or that it has real purposes . beyond "natural resources". In fact, many . say that material existence itself is just . an illusion, but the only illusion is the . way the material world is seen by people, . not how it inherently is. . . Yes, people are certainly still seduced by . material things, and of course, their . constant conditioning by society to be that . way, ever since kindergarten. . . It is a human trend, to be sure, to only . genuinely turn to the spiritual in times of . crisis. I'm reminded of that saying along . the lines of, "the most fervent prayers are . uttered in disaster, not in churchly . devotion". . . Clearly, such a social trend does not bode . well for the fate of our species, . especially during this late hour in . history. One reason for this is that . people have lost touch with their true . feelings, and instead, just take a pill to . cover up symptoms. In other words, they're . in denial, with no plans to ever be . otherwise. . . Thanks for your excellent post. . . ******* . . are . than . threat . this Forest 7 - Matthew Webb . 21 Oct 2003 11:11 . #425 Continuing discussions with a community in . Hawaii.... . . Dear Forest, . . Please note my replies within your text, . . ********** . . Matthew previously; . . To give one example that I can recall from . an earlier post, you said something along . the lines of, "It is potentially good that . the environment be destroyed" and the like, . which reflects to me a human-biased idea of . existence when in truth there is no such . bias. . . ********* . . forest: . methinks/feels you are taking this too . literally and/or out of context....what i . said is that whatever happens in nature is . good to one degree or another (because i . feel natural intelligence is inherently . good and we are part of that) . . ************ . . Matthew; . . I would agree that whatever happens in . nature is good. However, when we’re . talking about the destruction of the . world’s environment due to human influence, . this is not a natural occurrence. This is . not “good”, it is the degradation of all . life on this planet, and contrary to the . purposes of evolution. To even suggest . that it is good, is irresponsible for that . reason. Humans left the sphere of acting . on behalf of nature long ago. They now act . upon such unnatural aims as, “achieving . their financial goals” and supporting wars . for the sake of profit and false morality. . You are mixing the human and natural worlds . inappropriately here. . . ********** . . Forest; . . and if/whenever we tire of the degree of . goodness in nature we are experiencing, we . can move on to more good....one way of . showing the goodness in environmental . destruction is that it is reminding some of . us that we need to do something about it.... . . ********** . . Matthew; . . What good humanity tires of, is entirely . beside the point. Anyone with eyes can see . that the modern lifestyle is wrong, and . that the intent of nations and persons is . destructive to all that now lives on this . planet. Why do humans need to . be “reminded” of what is entirely obvious . that there’s a better way to live other . than consumerism, and materialism? Gee, no . kidding. Seems to me that if humans are as . intelligent as we claim, then we shouldn’t . need graphic reminders of what would . ordinarily be self evident to any sane, . intelligent species. The issue here is not . what we need to be reminded of, the issue . is that we’re in denial as a species about . what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it. . This is a conscious decision, reflecting a . type of collective dishonesty about the . modern world. That means this isn’t a . matter of “getting educated” by the facts . or by anything else. It’s an issue of . GETTING REAL and BEING HONEST, not to . mention aligning once again with nature and . natural laws. What you’re suggesting here . is that if the facts become realized that . this would change the majority of people. I . used to believe that, until I realized it’s . not their INTENT to learn anything or to . change anything. The modern, main-stream . intent is to keep things EXACTLY the way . they are now, and to reject anyone who says . things could be otherwise. Within this . intent is a strong selfishness as well as . cowardice. . . What you’re saying here sounds like such . reasoning as a person cutting themselves . with a knife so as to appreciate the . moments when they’re not bleeding. Don’t . you think there’s a better way to learn . than continuing to make the same mistakes . over and over again, (the history of . humanity) and say “Yup, that wasn’t good!” . and proceeding to do it again anyway? Most . people today not only aren’t aware of . what’s really going on in the world, . socially or environmentally, they couldn’t . care less so long as their personal comfort . is assured for the time being. You need to . be mindful of this fact, and take an honest . look at what is really happening in this . world even as we speak. . . ********* . . Forest; . . this has inspired many but not all to act . accordingly and begin to offer solutions in . order to feel more good....the destruction . of ecology has inspired me to form earth . releaf and talk and act on discovering more . goodness....we can either see the cup half . full or half empty.... . . ********** . . Matthew; . . I don’t think the purposes of existence are . at all defined by human beings “feeling . good”. Reality has it’s own purposes such . as evolutionary progress, and it is our . task to recognize this and apply ourselves . to it, regardless of how that may feel at . any given time. This isn’t a luxury we can . afford to put off, it’s a necessity. I . predict that within 1-5 years there will be . mass famines, species extinctions, perhaps . large scale world war , with disease and . mental illness being the norm rather than . the exception. The modern human being is . an exercise in self inflicted pain and . fear. The presidents and prime ministers . of nations are lunatics, acting as puppets . for corporate profit making at the cost of . ALL ELSE, including the future of mankind, . while at the same time people willingly . follow and support this corporate agenda. . The first and foremost SOLUTION to these . world ills is to recognize that they are . there, and to deal with them not on the . basis of convenient preference, but on the . basis of REALITY, (truth). This isn’t a . matter of any half empty or half full cup, . these are the real and pressing issues of . our day, regardless of who calls them . pessimistic or optimistic, liberal or . conservative. . . ********* . . Matthew previously . . Humans have become the cancer of this . planet, and their insane collective actions . will soon be their undoing. Hundreds of . millions will very soon die off, and by . their own hands, simply because nobody has . the honesty or the courage to face our . reality head on. . . ******** . . forest: . and do you include the self in this to one . degree or another???? . . ******** . . Matthew; . . Yes, of course. An unlivable planet is . just that unlivable for everyone. Your . question seems to miss the most important . point being made here. This isn’t a . personal issue...it goes FAR beyond that in . scope. . . ********** . . Matthew previously: . You also maintain that either there is no . truth, or that it can't be known. . . ********* . . forest: . . you are misquoting me here, i maintain that . there is limited known truth of the moment . and that truth can be added onto as we gain . more knowledge of the unknown and that this . may refine our or change known truths over . time or turn them completely upside down . sometimes....absolute truth implys we know . it all right now, and that to me is a . dangerous or limiting position to ever take . knowing that the unknown is infinite and we . have only just begun to explore . it....essentially what i am trying to do . with me bold claims regarding truth, . spirit, etc....is to get us to think . outside the polarity (right/wrong) . box....it seems to me by your comments that . you are insisting that the mind cannot go . beyond or transcend polarity and this to me . is too limiting a point of view and causes . separation and inhibits further spiritual . evolution.... . . ********* . . Matthew; . . I’ve heard this theme from you over and . over again, and it strikes me as an effort . to avoid taking responsibility for the real . subject matter (truth). Just because . humans don’t know EVERYTHING (and never . will) doesn’t imply that we know NOTHING . and are therefore wandering around . aimlessly without a single clue about what . we can do to improve this world. Ok, so . you’re advocating open-mindedness. So . what? . . Many people say that there is no truth. . Others say it can’t be known or explained, . or that truth varies from one moment or . person to the next. The whole crux behind . the modern condition and ALL of the world’s . problems is this very thinking. It is the . very bottom line of all the injustices and . flagrant lack of disregard for reality . which plagues our kind. To say, “there is . no truth” or that it varies from person to . person is extremely popular for one simple . reason believing this means we don’t need . to take responsibility for anything. . Everything is just fine because we say so, . and those few who say otherwise, are . just “being negative”. Sorry, but that’s . just not the way life is. It IS based upon . consistent natural laws, the very ones . which make our bodies work the way they do, . and by which all technology/science . consistently function. It sounds to me . like what you’re saying is just another . creative way to avoid responsibility for . what IS KNOWN, and which any observant, . sensitive person can readily see for . themselves. . . This isn’t about any good/bad polarity, . it’s about how things really are. . . . . . Re: 400 communities...We Are On The Cusp.. - Salama Shaquana . 21 Oct 2003 13:44 . #426 We have allowed ourselves to be controlled . by those who have a vested interest in . keeping the status quo. Big business, . banks, arms companies all have an interest . in creating fear; fear in losing our . security, fear in losing our lives. How do . they control us? Dole our drugs, take away . our arms (we can’t defend ourselves), . threaten us with losing our jobs, our homes . and means to survive – this how we are . controlled. Matthew, perhaps I live . in ‘nod-land’ but I do sense more people are . awaking up but you are right – will it be in . time. . . I can’t speak for anyone else but I know why . I am here and that is to help people to wake . up as you are. That said there are powers . and forces that play against us, powerful . forces who seduce mankind with promises. . Who control mankind by fear the dark forces . are very strong. We on the other hand are . asking mankind to take a big leap of faith, . to trust in forces that they can’t see or . touch – this is the limitation of living in . a 3D world. I feel that someone very soon . will play a very powerful card – this will . be the turning point for all us. . . Stay in your integrity – others will . follow. . . Blessings . . society and we - Frans weyer . 26 Oct 2003 06:36 . #427 How you see things is depended on how your . psyche is working, it’s our instrument for . creating what ever the results are. . I think it is important, for this is for the . time being our playground here, no matter . what you think of psyche, no matter if it is . build by how your raised or by influence of . the rest of society, or influences within. . In this respect I just read an article that . I think will fit well in the discussion we . have her. . It’s an interview that Frank Visser (a Dutch . writer) had with Ken Wilber. . I tried to find this article on the English . section of his site . (www.worldofkenwilber.com) but I couldn’t . find it, so in my recklessness I will try to . translate some parts that stroke me. . . In answer of a respond one often get when . one talks of evolution of mankind: . . “We can not define development in terms of . repress .., because there would be no reason . to go any further. . Without doubt, during our development it is . possible that certain capacities and . faculties can be repressed . But this is not the mechanism of development . but of things that can go wrong. . With other words, the first and most . important principle is grow, self-knowledge, . development or evolution ”. . . And than: “Psychology leads inevitable to . sociology, witch leads again to philosophy . (and than strangely enough to politics)” . I would say look outside and you see the . state of mind we are in as mankind . His argument is when you look to the psyche . than you can not deny the society you live . in, and to judge the society one can gain . benefit to investigate how things were . working during our whole evolution , what . can lead to the investigation of older . societies (anthropology) and than to make a . stand one becomes a philosopher, what is . true what isn’t, what did I discover and how . to handle, you must choose in one or another . way, and that turns you again to your psyche . and to society, and on and on? As he . said: “bodhisattvas must turn to politics.” . (politics? Well I am no bodhisattva,,,,,) . (joking) . . Further he stated in that interview that . what we must do now is working and not in a . different eclectics way, not a bunch of . different observations, there must be some . connection, a kind of integration.(I would . say who is the one who is integrating, . integrating towards the seer?) . Maybe is this truth that real development . always carries the stages before in itself, . on a higher or wider level’. . Live is organic, always exploring and . integrating as you see in evolution . But we must work, it is not be thinking or . radiating alone that things happen, we all . must be teachers in our own environment, I . think it was Matthew who said this very well. . In this respect Ken Wilber said true words . when stated:”Realy, we got to practice, few . people understand that the idea of paradigm . not points at a new conceptual idea but that . it means a new practice. . . Warm greetings, . Frans. . Re: Mastery and Intent - Frans weyer . 26 Oct 2003 06:55 . #428 Dear Matthew, . Thank you for your comment. . Inspiring..... . However it seems to me better to stick by . the basic chacra meditation. . I follow the discussions with the . communities with great interest. . It shows me again that the first change must . come within. . If outer change is not guided by inner . change it is like building on quicksand. . . Peace and greetings, . Frans. Conscious Decisions..... - Sandi Hunter . 1 Nov 2003 14:23 . #429 Everything is a conscious decision. The . only difference between being a consumer . and being a Master, is a decision. We have . no more time for excuses or self . indulgence. What does your soul say? . . Have you read and do you practice the . Chakra Meditation or any of the other . meditations listed on WMS? If so, let's . discuss your experiences. WMS Letter - Matthew Webb . 4 Nov 2003 11:05 . #430 As a matter of possible interest, I . recently sent this letter out... . . To all World Mind Society inquirers and . members, . . Please make a note of the fact that writing . to me at my current . catalyst@carrollsweb.com address is a much . quicker way of reaching the WMS than is the . old visionquest@eoni.com address. . . I write to you out of concern for honoring . your interest in the WMS. Your thoughts on . all things progressive, social and . revolutionary cannot be taken lightly, for . it is a felt need of those with spiritual . intent that the essential issues of all . time be mutually understood. In fact, they . must be acted upon with intense focus. The . human race now stands at a time in history . where EVERY social norm is being . fundamentally challenged. This is not only . as it should be, but as it MUST BE.. Given . the inherent spiritual need, combined with . increasingly dire planetary conditions, it . is even more necessary that all those with . progressive aims be carefully answered. . . I’ve therefore always considered every . inquiry and comment from readers important, . and always will. But let me share with you . a simple and inescapable observation. . People like to inquire, yet they don’t like . to do the necessary inner work. What I . hear quite often is that pieces are “too . long”, and my question is, “too long for . what?“ Yes, the WMS material is too long . for those who have the attention span of . three TV commercials in a row. But as for . conveying what needs to be said, they are . exactly the right length for the serious . student of reality. Almost invariably I . find that questions asked are fully . answered by existing documents in the WMS . Library. If after all this time there is . one piece of advice I can give, it would be . simply, CAREFULLY READ THE WMS LIBRARY . ARTICLES! . . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . It is a symptom of the modern, (consumer) . condition to want easy answers and equally . easy solutions. Given the complexity of . the modern condition though, there just . aren’t any. That is so unless you’re . willing to completely question and reject . totally, the modern norms of thinking and . lifestyle. Short of this, the seekers’ . path will be very long indeed. . . Over these last three years I’ve personally . answered literally hundreds of letters from . people all over the world. Every type of . inquiry and feedback has been made to the . World Mind Society regarding its’ vast . library of information, from social . commentary, and spiritual progress, to the . nature of truth, natural laws, simple . living and the expansion of . consciousness. In each case, I’ve made . every effort to collaborate with readers . and other organizations to see what could . be accomplished together. I and others . have replied with high intent and for the . sake of promoting truth. I/we have . coordinated the Global Group Mind . Meditations every other Sunday for years. . Yet even with all this information being . presented and freely available, even . without copyright to anyone who wants to . use it, there STILL has not been much . progress, in my estimation, toward . fulfilling the goals of planetary and . personal evolution. The expansion of global . consciousness has not yet come to any real . fruition, not for the lack of information . or techniques such as the Chakra Meditation . or group mind wisdom, but because of the . lack of will to carry it out on the part of . the average individual. I can give . knowledge, but I cannot give the needed . motivation it takes to simply READ what has . been carefully presented, and apply this to . your daily lives. In other words I cannot . grant wisdom or applied realization. YOU . must do this. . . Everything in the WMS Library is based upon . the concrete and real science of . consciousness. It is founded on truth, and . states the cosmic case in a matter-of-fact . way. The Library is organized into distinct . sections such as social commentary and . natural living, inspiration, the purpose of . the WMS, about our meditations, etc, in . the hope of making what you need easier to . find. Only you can do the necessary . research there however, in order to . carefully apply in practical and concrete . terms, the wisdom contained in those . articles on a daily basis. Nowhere will . you find a more complete or in depth . compilation of materials for the sake of . self knowledge, the expansion of . consciousness, right living or social . progress. Those looking for an easy few . pages or paragraphs to read, summing up all . the meaning of life in moments will be . disappointed. Life cannot be so summed, . nor can truth. It can however be spoken of . intelligently in the space of a few books . which is what the WMS does. All of it has . value only if you’re willing to take the . time and energy to study this material. . . If after intense study, consideration and . application you find you still have . questions or comments, feel free to write . me. I’m more than happy to assist the . sincere person, especially when they QUOTE . specific lines from an article and/or have . well-considered questions or comments on . such subjects. But beyond this, I do not . wish to continue repeating what the Library . ALREADY SAYS in ever new and catchy ways, . hoping someone will understand its’ . message. This is a futile effort I . realized, as well as a considerable waste . of energy, without sincere focus on the . part of others. I also do not wish to . speak of personal matters with others such . as “where do you live”, “how do you make a . living” etc, etc, as these types of topics . are off the point. The point is spiritual . and social progress, and I don’t have the . desire to meander any more. For those who . want serious and intelligent conversation . about important matters, I will reply to e- . mails, and also postings on our public . discussion forum on the New Civilization . Network at http://www.newciv.org/wms/ . . Given all this, I do not intend to send . much more out in the way of regular . mailings as in times past. If in the . future there is some mutually obvious . purpose for doing so, then we can resume . the WMS Newsletters and the like. I thank . you for your time and consideration in all . this . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Or visionquest@eoni.com . . Eternal Solutions for a Temporary Society Part 2 - Matthew Webb . 8 Nov 2003 21:40 . #431 Eternal Solutions for a Temporary Society . (Part 2) . The Mental . . When we look around our world today, what . do we see? Objectively, we see much . suffering in the world, many wars, much . inequality and hardship of all kinds. Most . of this inequality and difficulty comes . from the wrong use of our mental energy. . . Yet at the same time when we look deeply . within, we witness the great potential to . excel in brilliant genius. We see that . these human minds are capable of expressing . such greatness, that it could outshine all . that has ever been known in history, or . ever imagined by the most optimistic . science fiction writers. . . Through our intelligence we’ve created . genetic engineering and concentrated . pharmaceuticals. Yet, through a lack of . wisdom we don’t yet realize it is better to . work with the natural design of life, . rather than re-designing it according to . short-term profit margins. Through our . intelligence we have created advanced . computers and electronics, and yet, through . our lack of wisdom we apply these more to . war, than we do to growing healthy food or . building better libraries. . We can realistically see that humanity is . faced with a number of crucial choices. . These will determine which global fate our . species will ultimately live out extinction . in self-confusion, or enlightenment in . honest wisdom. Our choices range between . cultural egotism and the shallowness of . today’s profiteering, to living for the . higher purposes of the Cosmos, in the . gaining of spiritual Mastery. One might be . inclined to say that this choice is . obvious, making the whole discussion . absurd. It is indeed self-evident that one . of these alternatives offers so much more . than the other. Yet, even though we know . what to do and how to do it, we . feel “caught up” in the cultural delusion . of “things equal fulfillment” . and “governments (authority figures) equal . security”. . . There is no better way to address the . choices of life than to realize the exact . nature of Truth, and how that truth may be . applied day to day. Clarity in truth allows . us to choose our ultimate destiny, by . remaining informed of our spiritual . purposes here on this planet. Only by . embracing the cosmic truth that is . everywhere and always present, may we . reverse the present course of historical . self-destruction. Through truth we will . again find true fulfillment of spiritual . purpose, cooperation and unity in love. We . need only focus our minds toward the cosmic . goal of further evolution. This means . focusing daily upon spiritual progression, . and applying this focus to everything we do . our daily lives, without exception. . . Let us recall then the exact nature of . truth, as we discussed in Part 1 of this . series, and its manifestation in nature. . . Firstly, truth is eternal. It is not . subject to personal viewpoint, whim or . social norm. The beliefs of the many are . not what determines truth IT remains . constant regardless of humanity, just as IT . always has throughout the history of this . planet. If truth were subject to human . whim, then how did this planet function 2 . billion years ago, when there were no . humans around to have opinions about it? . How were the trees able to grow and animals . able to flourish and reproduce? How did . fire burn or water flow? How did the laws . affecting the molecular bonds in organic . chemistry, sustain the pulsing of blood . through veins, before human beings were . able to classify medicine? How did crystals . form and mountains build, before geology? . The answer is simple. Truth is what . structures reality, not society.. IT is . that composite of natural laws, which . functioned long before IT ever generated . human beings. IT will be in existence long . after we have either gone extinct, or . evolved into a higher form. Truth does not . need us to function. But we most certainly . DO NEED IT to survive as a species, and . exercise our full potential as spiritual . beings. . . Opinion is irrelevant to natural law. The . imbalances in the environment and in the . human body around the globe today, are the . direct result of ignoring truth in favor of . artificial ideals. One such artificial . concept which ignores the purpose of life, . is that human beings are here to be served . by nature, according to whatever whim we . happen to fancy on any given day. We . imagine that nature is nothing more . than “natural resources” to be made into . playthings. Such thinking is a grave error. . That error of mind which we commit, is . primarily responsible for all the selfish . motives of wars and domestic discord. It is . based upon the assumption that all good . things in life come at a monetary cost, and . that life itself is merely a commodity to . be bought and sold. This is the . materialistic point of view, which sees no . higher value for existence than that found . in commodities, (material . objects). “Consumerism” draws its values . from the concept that the universe is just . a mechanism devoid of intelligence or . Spirit, and given this reasoning, why . bother to live spiritually? This is why . materialism is destroying our world, like . no other false belief. It assumes that . natural beings are exploitable stockpiles . of organic flesh, and that even we are . merely mechanisms, (physical bodies) which . are to be treated like machines a . collection of “parts” that are replaceable . and expendable. The purposes of life go far . beyond “parts and profit margins”. . . When we realize that truth is not a . personal thing, which is not bent or . consumed according to our fickle whims, it . is then that we may mature into spiritual . adulthood. . . For the sake of necessary emphasis, the . following passage from Part 1 is included: . “It is popular to refer to “my truth and . your truth” as though truth is relative to . the individual. Many use the analogy of the . three blind men, who one day touch an . elephant. The one touching the leg . declares, “An elephant is sturdy, strong, . supple and pillar-like”. The second upon . hearing this while holding a tusk . declares, “No you are mostly wrong. An . elephant is strong alright, but very rigid, . hard and long”. The third fool, holding . only the elephant’s tail, emphatically . denounces both points of view, saying, “the . elephant is a spindly, but very agile . creature”. Amazingly, many use the elephant . and three blind men analogy, to defend . their view that truth is relative to the . observer. For obvious reasons, this . thinking is faulty. It first assumes that . human beings are blind, and that they have . only one method of determining the whole . truth at their disposal. Second, it assumes . that human perception is the epitome of . reality, as its very basis of existence. . This is also reflected by the popular . question, “If a tree falls in the forest . and no one is around to hear it, does it . really make a sound?” Of course it does. . Third and most importantly, it denies the . essential reality of an elephant from an . elephant’s experience. Very few bother to . consult with the elephant as to what an . elephant is, just as very few bother to . find out what reality is, devoid of any . social preconception.” . . There is only one truth as reflected by . nature, not many. It is the primary task of . the spiritual practitioner to clearly see . that One Truth, and then wisely apply IT in . daily living. To do this it is necessary to . utterly and unconditionally reject the . social norms we have been taught are . unquestionable. Modern beliefs are the . cause of almost all mental illness, and . most physical illness. They are simply too . small to hold any significant measure of . reality. To reject them is comparable to . finding the cure for cancer on the mental . level. Only when we are cured of the . disease of modern social beliefs, can we . excel in true mental, spiritual or physical . health. . Truth is composed of interactive natural . laws, such as polarity, (male/female- . electron/proton) group mind synchronicity . and spectrums. Also included are the . potentials of energy, the effect of focused . awareness, the manifesting properties of . intent, the geometry of galactic . spirals/DNA/crystalline molecular . structures), photosynthesis, cell division, . how memory is stored and how creatures . evolve. . . The truth speaks to us, saying; “we are not . the citizens of nations, but the citizens . of galactic cause”. We are . not “Americans”, “Japanese”, “Afghanis”, “Eu . ropeans”, “Indonesians” “Asians” or any . other such artificial distinction. By the . same token we are . not “Muslims”, “Christians”, “Jews”, “Buddhi . sts”, “Hindus”, “Wiccans”, “Atheists” . or “Agnostics”. These distinctions exist . only in the illusion prone mind. They are . nothing more than artificial constructs . that have to be learned, since they are not . genetic. All such distinctions were . invented by human minds, ones that ignored . the central cause and purpose of life. In . essence they ignored the fragment of God . within, and created instead a special . distinction for themselves amongst all the . people of the world, where none truly . exists. If they did not create such a . special distinction, then their followers . would have no need to refer to themselves . by special titles. . . We are all CONSCIOUNESS, as is all of . nature. The reader of this page is . consciousness, as a center of Intent that . directs awareness to read, which in turn . causes energy to flow in the mind, aura and . world. This is our true identity. We seem . to forget that by becoming hypnotized by . man-made ideas. Nationalism, religion and . culturalism are not, and never were, real. . TRUTH; . . The purpose of life is evolution, . especially through the expansion of . consciousness. . To get a better perspective of Truth, it is . always useful to look to the larger scope . of REALITY, of which we are a part. The . trouble modern human beings experience in . accepting the truth, stems from . being “caught up” in the assumptions of the . world culture in which we were born. This . culture tells us that materialism, . nationalism and/or culturalism is all there . is. By materialism we are told to “get what . you can while you can, because life is . short”. By nationalism we are told that “ . we are the superior race with the superior . ideology, to which all other peoples in the . world are held to be inferior"” By . culturalism we are told, “our culture must . survive because its memories are precious, . and we do things this way because this is . how they have always been done” (implying . that right action is a thing you memorize, . rather than a thing you live out, . regardless of past norms). Needless to say, . these are very destructive attitudes, which . care only for immediate gratification at . any cost, or for very rigid modes of . behavior which are not progressive. They . ignore the fact that Nature/God has its own . purposes which humans have yet to outdo. . Nor are they ever likely to outdo that . Cosmic Purpose of evolution any time soon. . . One need only be in the appropriate state . of consciousness (while valuing truth) to . receive, know and manifest wisdom. For this . reason, we need only cultivate higher . states of consciousness as our life focus, . rather than trying to apply our lives to . human systems that are inherently flawed. . The advanced spiritual practitioner is one . who belongs to no one nation, religion, . philosophy or culture. They belong . simultaneously to all and yet none of them, . recognizing that the larger truth is held . only partially in each system of living. . Partial truth is just not enough to live in . accord with the Cosmos. . . It is often far easier for any person to . see themselves through another’s eyes. . Through familiarity and routine we become . blinded to the reality that is right before . us. From a fresh perspective that is . unbiased, we see ourselves more accurately . and from a larger perspective. We will not . get beyond all bias until we identify . ourselves with the true self or soul, that . is consciousness. There is no bias in such . a state of being, only clear, direct . perception. Meditate on the Intent and . Awareness within, AS SELF, (rather than . thought, culture or memories), and find the . answers to all of life’s “mysteries”. . . The same may be said of humanity as a . whole. When we see ourselves from a Cosmic . perspective, the world’s problems are . immediately “transformed” from being . apparently “unsolvable”, to being both . obvious and simply addressed. When we see . the modern condition from a galactic . viewpoint or from a would-be alien’s . perspective for instance, all of our human . biases tend to easily fall away. We can . then witness the truth of our world . civilization, as well as the details and . motives of our daily lives in much clearer . detail. Doing this is what I call using the . proper “perspective”. . . To get a feel for the broadened perspective . of Truth, let us look at excerpts from Carl . Sagan’s writings, (astrophysicist, . philosopher, NASA coordinator, now . deceased). The following is taken from his . 13 part, televised science series; Cosmos; . . ******* . . “The number of stars in our Milky Way . galaxy alone, are estimated to be in the . range of 300-400 billion”. If each system . were to have about ten planets as ours . does, the total number of worlds in this . Galaxy would be more than a trillion, a . vast arena for the cosmic drama.” . . “Experiments show that under the most . common cosmic conditions, the molecular . basis of life is readily made. The building . blocks of molecules are [therein] able to . make copies of themselves. We choose f~1/3, . implying a total number of planets in the . Milky Way on which life has arisen at least . once as N*FpNeFl~1x10(11th power) [giving] . a hundred billion inhabited worlds. “Given . certain estimates and mathematical . probabilities”, Sagan estimates, ”only 1 . percent of planets upon which life arises, . eventually produce a technical . civilization”. [Even if ] “only one percent . of those civilizations can survive . technological adolescence then the number . of extant [intelligent and progressive] . civilizations in our galaxy alone, is in . the millions.” . . “The dimensions of the Cosmos are so large . that using familiar units of distance such . as meters or miles, (chosen for their . utility in earth) would make little sense. . Instead, we [astronomers] measure distance . with the speed of light. In one second a . beam of light travels 186,000 miles, seven . times around the Earth. We can say then, . that the Sun is eight light minutes away. . In a year, light crosses nearly ten . trillion kilometers, about six trillion . miles, of intervening space. [Distant . galaxies are not just light years away, but . thousands, tens of thousands, millions, and . even billions of light YEARS away. Such is . the scope of REALITY of which we are a . part.] . . ****** . . And the probabilities given for life above, . is only for our small and humble galaxy . alone. There are innumerable other galaxies . in the Cosmos. As our telescopes get more . and more powerful, they simply see further . and further into the infinite distances of . the universe. Therein lies tens of . thousands of other galaxies that we can . see, and no doubt unlimited trillions we . cannot yet observe. I submit to you the . concept that the universe, regardless . of “Big Bang” theories, is itself without . end, and that it stretches without limit to . vistas of galaxies, supernovas and . intelligently inhabited worlds. I also . propose the idea, that there is no limit . to “history” or “time”, and that the . universe is of unlimited age. If you doubt . this then consider such logic If in fact . the universe is finite in size, limited . only to a given “area” then that must imply . some kind of border, past which there is . simply “nothing”. What is this “nothing”? . Also, if “nothing” existed before the . period prior to the “Big Bang” then what . did exist? I personally find it far more . logical to assume that there is no limit to . the size or time frame of this incredible . universe in which we live. Likewise, I see . no limit in the potentials for greater and . greater levels of consciousness which we . can achieve, simply through right living . and by intending them into place. [see the . Perpetual Raising series in the WMS Library . at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest] Such . an unlimited scope of universe and . consciousness surely makes the distinctions . of religion, culture and nationality all . too petty. . With the above broadened perspective in . mind, we can clearly realize that the . modern human condition is neither the . center of the universe, nor is it a cosmic . given, whose course cannot be changed . except through long and arduous process. On . the contrary, our problems are entirely . self created at their base, and have . relatively simple solutions. . . The modern problem is; we are using the . wrong, (unnatural) intentions. The modern . solution is; we must employ . natural/spiritual intentions. It’s that . simple. . . Modern society is a product of human . thought, combined with the often wrong use . of natural laws. Our need is to change the . false thoughts which underlie modern . society. All thoughts, feelings and images . are created by intention. When we master . intention, we will simultaneously master . thought, emotion, the body and all the . underlying problems of our world society, . in one single motion. . . In meditation we once again REALIZE the . full glory of the human potential, as souls . in bodies. We do this by realizing that we . are not our thoughts. These are something . we create not something we are. Likewise, . our species is not defined by our . collective thoughts. Society is held . together as it is, only through our . continued belief in its artificial images. . The truth of both self and society is found . in the consciousness within. Consciousness, . (Intent. Awareness and Energy) is the . creator of ALL forms, both personal and . social. Rather than mistakenly investing . our lives in social thoughts and images, . let us invest ourselves instead in the . creator within, which is responsible for . them to start with. As we identify with the . creator within, we then become creators of . society in our own right, rather than just . being the tools of corporate intentions. By . introspectively accomplishing this true . identification of self, we are again . empowered to create whatever world we may . so desire, within the bounds of natural . law. . . ///// . . If you were a traveler from a distant star, . here to visit this decidedly primitive . species of “intelligent” life on Earth, how . would you perceive it? Would you see . yourself as an “American” for instance, and . get caught up in patriotic issues?? Would . you feel suddenly compelled to wave flags . and cheer on invading armies in the name . of “Democracy”? No, of course not, you . would consider that the height of primitive . folly. So should we! We are galactic . citizens, not the members of small . cultures, nations, religions, traditions or . philosophies. None of these are fully . equipped to encompass REALITY. All of these . are only techniques and approaches to the . Truth, but they are not truth in and of . themselves, to the extent that they limit, . divide and make small, what should be of . unlimited scope. Such divisions do . injustice to our unlimited human potential, . as do we when we believe that they are . reality. If you were the intrepid, space . traveling explorer of a thousand worlds, . could you ever again cram your mind into . the shoebox of “job . title”, “nationality”, “political party”, . or “cultural beliefs” and call this “self” . again? That would be impossible for you, . and this perspective is exactly what we . need to cultivate within each of us today. . . Again I quote from Sagan’s Cosmos, in . offering what an alien’s report of this . planet might look like; . . Civilization type:1.0 J. . Society Code: 4g4, “Humanity”. . Star: G2V, r=9.844 kpc . Planet: third, a=1.5x10 (to the 13th power) . cm, M=6x10 (27th power) g, R=6.4x10 (8th . power) cm . Extraplanetary colonies: none . Planet age: 1.45x10 (17th power) s. . First locally initiated contact: 1.21x10 . (9th power) s ago. . Receipt first galactic nested code: . application pending . Biology: C,N,O,S,H2O, PO4 . Deoxyribonucleic acid . Mobile heterotrophs, symbionts with . photosynthetic autotrophs. Surface . dwellers, monospecific, polychromatic O2 . breathers. Fe-chelated tetraoyroles in . circulatory fluid. Sexual mammals. . M~7x10 (4TH power) g, t~2x10 (9th power) s. . Genomes: 4x10 (9th power). . Technology: exponentiating- fossil . fuels/nuclear weapons/organized . warfare/environmental pollution. . Culture: ~200 nation states~6(-) global . powers: cultural and technological . homogeneity underway. . Prepartum/postpartum: 0.21 [18] . Individual/communal: 0.31 [17] . Artistic/technological: 0.14 [11] . Probability of survival (per 100 years): . 40% . . ****** . . To this report I would personally add; . “Subject creatures appear to be in a state . of mass hypnosis, which their video- . transmission technology constantly . reinforces. This hypnosis has rendered them . functionally unintelligent for the most . part, as compared with their true mental . potentials. Although born geniuses, these . beings do not yet, as a majority, value the . expansion of consciousness or even of mind, . and are preoccupied instead with the . insecure acquisition of material objects. . They use a fixation upon material objects . as an emotional escape, from approaching . self-destruction. Humans have come to value . appearance over substance, and . arbitrary “fashion”, (ego) rather than true . excellence. They do this rather than . adopting those evolutionary objectives . which have always existed in nature. . Humanity has thus forgotten the true . purpose of life, causing a collective . insanity that pushes them to the brink of . planetary suicide”. . . I give fewer odds than those above, for the . survival of the majority of humanity in . this century, or even in the coming few . decades, if current social trends continue. . Only a wholesale embrace of truth by the . human species will actually reverse these . trends. This means that we shall have to . drop being “patriots”, or the members of . nations, cultures and belief systems, in . favor of living the larger REALITY. . . The person identified with his or her own . consciousness neither needs nor desires to . be told how to live well. They KNOW . already. Spiritual, mental and physical . self-sufficiency, combined with a natural . and simple lifestyle, becomes the daily . norm for the self realized. . . The holding of galactic wisdom AS . CONSCIOUSNESS, must be the highest . attribute to which the average adult is . expected to aspire. In this they may truly . be called, “a productive member of . society”. . . Recommended further reading; “Software for . the Mind” series in the The World Mind . Society Library . (http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest) . . Matthew Webb . catalyst@carrollsweb.com . visionquest@eoni.com . Raising the World Mind (GM10) - Matthew Webb . 15 Nov 2003 08:39 . #432 Raising the World Mind . GM series Part 10 . . The wise live in accord with . natural laws. It is they who understand . that the laws of nature are much higher . than the laws of man, because breaking them . implies penalties far greater than a fine . or prison sentence. When a person breaks . natural laws their body is progressively . destroyed, and their mind suffers delusions . brought on by a variety of misconceptions. . Worse still, the spiritual purposes of an . individuals’ life are not served, which . means they will never find true or lasting . fulfillment, so long as they do not observe . the underlying “rules” of the universe. It . is useful to remember that life has been . built by virtue of these laws. In order to . survive and to evolve, living systems have . had no choice but to follow natural . principles. The atom for instance, must be . composed of an electron and a proton to . exist, just as a single cell must possess . DNA to replicate, or a cell wall to keep . its shape. Such facts imply that life is . conditional. Human beings must therefore . not assume that they can perform any act, . individually or collectively, which happens . to be considered amusing by the current . status quo, without suffering supreme . penalties. The problems we observe in . society today are a reflection of wrong . intent, or in other words, of a life focus . that does not observe the natural order in . the Cosmos. . . Sooner or later the individual . concerning themselves with living in accord . with natural laws, must eventually consider . the concept of karma. Most people think of . karma as a reflection back from the . environment of their past deeds, but the . term has a more broad connotation than . this. The true definition of karma is . universal cause and effect. Karma is a . primary natural law, and it is one which we . would do well to observe every day. Not . only do our physical actions cause effects, . so do our thoughts, feelings, . visualizations and particularly intentions . at all moments, via the unified field of . nature. An individuals’ continuous self- . experience is thus shaped in large part by . their preceding states of mind. To a great . extent we effect our own ongoing . experiences, through the cause of previous . intentions held. The moment to moment karma . in a persons’ life then, exists due to the . momentum of their lifestyle and focus of . consciousness, as a continuous feedback- . loop of self-cause and self-effect. This . fact remains constant regardless of our . awareness of the process. . . Like all natural laws karma is . universally applicable, which means that it . is true of all people, places, times and . scopes of influence. Not only is every . individual subject to the unavoidable law . of cause and effect, so too is humanity in . general. At the level of the World Mind, . karmic influence play an equally large part . in human affairs. The collective deeds and . states of consciousness of bygone . centuries, still render effects on the . present day, in the form of conditions that . are reflective of those past times. Thus . there exists what may be called “world . karma” as well as personal karma. The world . or collective karma of our species, is a . factor which the practitioner must take . into consideration. In many of the previous . issues of the GM series, there has been . much discussion of the fear and pain which . linger on in the current World Mind of . humanity. These states of consciousness . have a considerable degree of inertia . behind them, or in other words, momentum . which needs to be offset by those of us who . understand consciousness and how this may . be done. It is up to those who expand . consciousness and who work for the purposes . of natural law, to alleviate this lingering . world karma. It is we who must facilitate . the further evolution of humanity by . recognizing this world psychic condition, . and its continuing effects on global . events. It is also up to those who . understand consciousness to take psychic . action for the good of personal, group and . global karma, through the intentional . projection of love and clarity world-wide. . . Keeping the above in mind, it is . interesting to note that one of the very . best ways to raise personal or group . consciousness, is to manifest consciousness- . raising intentions for the environment at . large. The projection of love into one’s . surroundings for instance, will noticeably . result in love being reflected back to the . practitioner. In this way the meditator . takes advantage of the law of karma, by . knowingly projecting those qualities into . the psychic fields at large, which they . themselves seek to cultivate within. In the . group setting this principle holds equally . true. The psychic feedback which results . from the projection of any state, will . noticeably return to those who are sending . it forth. It is quite common in fact, for . the projection of love, (for instance) to . return to the “caster” in a form that is . many times its original intensity. This . phenomena can realistically be called . the, “instant (good) karma of psychic . action”. Intentional psychic action is . potent in its effects, usually far more so . than the unconscious projection of intent . found in most persons. Intentional psychic . action on a group level is geometrically . greater still, as is the level of psychic . feedback created through mutual intent. . . Our world is composed of fields of . energy, which are coordinated into cohesive . patterns by awareness on a global basis. . The manner in which this is done is in . accord with the intent similarly lodged . there. This Intent At Large is the product . of both the Earthmind of nature and the . Worldmind of humanity. We are literally . surrounded and permeated by fields of . energy, awareness and intent, . (consciousness). These fields are highly . reactive, responding in like kind to any . impulse which is projected into them. . Similarly, communities of people form . systems of minds which reciprocate in like . kind, whatever state of mind is projected . at them. The same is of course true of a . forest, beach or desert. Through the group . mind strength of all the plants and animals . in a forested region for instance, the . collective consciousness that results is of . a wise, self balancing and intelligent . kind. Such collectives are fully capable of . psychic response to psychic stimulus. The . fields at large in nature, and the fields . at large generated by all human minds . worldwide, (the Earthmind and the Worldmind . respectively) are both reactive systems of . consciousness which respond to psychic . inputs as a collective phenomena. . . When practitioners manifest changes . in the surrounding fields of consciousness, . those fields respond as a collective force, . much as a living organism does. Stimulus in . the form of energy, patterned by awareness . and propelled by the intent of focused . minds, creates a psychic reaction that . reflects the original impulse. This in turn . causes interesting effects as a result. If . humanity were to take the example of the . harmonious group minds of nature as a . pattern for society, our species would . quickly evolve to a much higher form. Group . fields created by most human communities . today, are based upon the intent of . material gain, competitiveness and fear. . Such intentions literally create . corresponding conditions in our collective . environment. If society was patterned after . the natural state of balance seen in . nature, in love and unity, our world would . look very different than the current norm, . and so would the citizens within it. The . very simplest and most direct way to change . the crisis evident in modern society, is to . change its prevalent negative intentions or . group karma, thereby transforming the . material world as a result. . . Practitioners knowledgeable in the . employment of consciousness and . particularly intent, may themselves reach . out into the collective fields of the . Worldmind. They may make significant . changes therein of a lasting and beneficial . kind. Through use of the group mind . principle, many practitioners may Intend . into place the progressive states of love . and clarity into the world environment, on . a large scale basis. When many groups of . practitioners do this, the gradual . conversion of the intent in society, (as a . collective organism) will come about. . . Groups of meditators may project . their intent into the world just as can the . individual, making considerable impact . therein. As individuals and groups project . higher intentions into the Worldmind, they . convert the human intent at large into . higher states of consciousness. Thus the . intent currently dominating the Worldmind, . (as the result of many centuries of wrong . focus) can in this way be intentionally . shifted into more progressive states. The . accumulated force of intent of the last . 5000 years of civilization, (world karma) . maintains the stress, fear and aggressive . competitiveness, that to a large degree . still orients the human species for . destructiveness. Through a knowledge of . consciousness we may quickly reverse these . trends of past centuries, and create a new . standing reality within which to prosper . and grow. . . Conversion of the current world . intent is one of the highest forms of . spiritual ministry which we can undertake. . The eventual aim of this activity is to . create a certain threshold of world . consciousness, or a critical mass of . appropriate intent which when crossed, will . then transform humanity into a more evolved . form. Eventually that transformation will . result in the widespread re-alignment of . humanity with nature and the Earthmind. . Natural ways and wisdom will replace . materialism as the world focus. In so doing . we will regain the paradise of our ancient . ancestors, who knew right living to be the . joy and connectedness of natural ways. We . will remember that technology and so . called “progress” are not valid goals in . themselves. Technology, like material . wealth, is best used as a tool for far . greater things, for spiritual endeavors . which nurture the purposes of the soul, not . hollow images. . . Groups gathering together for the . purpose of MPA, may thus proceed one step . further into a higher level of spiritual . work. They may project expanded states of . consciousness attained through mutual . meditation, into the world at large. Group . Intent may be projected locally, . regionally, continentally or world wide, . depending upon the preference of . meditators. The larger the scale of focus, . and the higher the level of intent . employed, the greater will be the psychic . and spiritual results, (as a general rule). . The raising of world consciousness as a . meditative focus has very powerful . potentials. A group may “raise the world” . as follows; . . RAISING THE WORLD . . Meet together at a pre-arranged time and . place which will be conducive to . meditational practice, then; . . 1) Meditate together using a pre-agreed . meditational form, such as the Chakra . Meditation. . 2) Enter into MPA with one another, (See GM . series #8). MPA will enhance the group’s . projection of higher consciousness into the . environment, simply because it elevates the . level of consciousness of the meditators. . The higher the level of consciousness of an . individual or group, the higher will their . psychic/spiritual effects be, as a . principle. A group may opt not to use MPA . and proceed directly into raising the . world, but the above principle should be . kept in mind. . 3) Step 3 consists of the employment of a . group visualization of the entire Earth. . Visualize our planet as if seen from space. . 4) While maintaining the image of the . entire Earth in the mind, see the influence . of the group in the form of a bright light, . extending out from the local region in . which it exists, and spreading rapidly over . the entire planet. . 5) Expand the group mind state at the same . time, be it one of love, clarity, and/or . any other useful quality, while visualizing . the expanding light in step four. It is . important to feel love and/or clarity . expanding outward from the group, . (throughout your body) while maintaining . this visualization. Send love and/or . clarity to the world and all of its . peoples, just as you would a dear friend. . 6) Intend that all people wherever they are . upon the globe, be affected by this . projected state, gaining the best possible . benefit from it. Know that this allows them . the greater access to their own . enlightenment. Intend that the effects so . projected render permanent benefits for the . Worldmind in general. . . The above group focus is a fairly . sophisticated combination of practices and . intentions. For this reason it is useful . and often necessary, to appoint a . facilitator to direct the group meditation, . (sometimes according to a written . procedure) as pre-agreed by the . participants. The facilitator acts to keep . track of time, keeping on the schedule . needed if any, for the meditational format. . They coordinate each step of the above . process, keeping the joint focus unified . and therefore at maximum effectiveness. . When the group space is at a certain peak . it is then that the facilitator will often . shift the group focus from one of MPA to . the world in general, or they may do so . according to a given time frame as desired. . Repeated “world raising” sessions will . yield greater and greater results through . practice, regardless of previous . meditational experience alone, or in MPA. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Re: Eternal Solutions for a Temporary Society Part 2 - Frans weyer . 20 Nov 2003 12:45 . #433 . Very good. . Particularly the idea of the open never- . ending cosmos. . I always found the idea of "the big bang" a . modern mythe. . The result of a thinking that that looks . very familiar with the snake byting his own . tail . One must hold to his/her addiction and find . a well discovered solution for it all based . on the beginning and the end and finding the . paradox that bring about the Big Bang in . your head,that's for sure. . But looking to that paradox is discovering . again that Nature put everywhere . signposts,it can be very healthy to look now . and then and meditating such a paradox,i . think. . . Raising the World GM 11 - Matthew Webb . 21 Nov 2003 09:37 . #434 Raising the World . GM series Part 11 . . In essence society exists as it . does, because this is how we have Intended . the current human reality into place. . Through this most causal element of . consciousness, we have used our Intentions . on a collective basis to build the known . world. Layer upon layer of creative force . has been applied to our surroundings . through this medium, as carried out by our . bodies, minds and souls. The important fact . to realize is that the modern condition has . not been created brick by brick, so much as . it has been fashioned by thoughtforms and . their corresponding ideologies. It has long . been said that to change the mind of . humanity is to change the social . conventions it creates. But as . practitioners of natural law we must do . more than this, so as to generate lasting . social revolution. We must change the . consciousness which underlies all . psychological functions, which will then . cause a mental shift, and therefore a . corresponding physical change of social . focus. When love and clarity fill our . individual and collective consciousness, it . is then we will be provided with the wisdom . to create a truly fulfilling society. It is . then that our level of manifest . intelligence will increase by such great . proportions, that we will have to change . our definition of intelligence itself.. . Under this new definition, “genius” will be . considered the average and expected norm. . The primary means to bring such an . enlightened era about is already in our . hands. We need only to earnestly study the . principles of consciousness, and embody the . gains and realizations made within it . during meditation, in our everyday lives. . . In the GM series we have already . briefly discussed how greater degrees of . love may be cultivated within, and the . means by which it may be projected to . others. Much mention of clarity has also . been made, though the means for its greater . cultivation has not. To gain greater . clarity within, and thereby also being . enabled to project it to others, a . variation of the basic Chakra Meditation, . (see GM series # 3) is given herein. This . variation is known as the “Advanced Chakra . Meditation” because of its more . sophisticated, subtle nature. The meditator . is encouraged to add the following advanced . form to their regular practice, or even use . it to replace the basic Chakra Meditation . as desired. . . Advanced Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and . immediately begin focusing on the feelings . centered in the area of the forehead. Those . new to this practice may begin by tapping . the tip of their right index finger upon . what is known as the “third eye”, or exact . center of the forehead. Be aware of every . subtle detail of feeling in this area. . Allow awareness to spread to the entire . region of the frontal lobe of the brain, . (the front third of the head, directly . behind the forehead). Do not avoid any . pain, fear or other unpleasantness found . anywhere in this area, but instead relax . it, and continue the meditation. . . As thoughts inevitably run though . the mind, simply relax, and return again . and again to a feeling focus, even if this . means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts . to intrude upon the process of meditation . will gradually diminish. Be patient and . don’t let the simplicity of this method of . meditation deceive you. Maintain your . awareness on the area of the front of the . head, with particular emphasis paid to the . third eye, and the temples at the side of . each physical eye. Areas of particular . stress or activity in this region, will . attract your awareness and hold it for . longer periods. Allow this to happen, as it . is a function of natural self-healing . processes and energy body activity. Don’t . be concerned or irritated by intruding . thoughts, just continue to return to a . feeling-oriented focus. . . After maintaining this feeling . focus in the third eye region for about 5 . minutes, shift your focus to one of . awareness only. In other words, don’t just . be aware of feelings in this area, be aware . of that in you which is being aware. This . statement may at first sound a little . cryptic, but it is actually quite simple. . In the basic Chakra Meditation we use . awareness to focus on feelings in the body, . as a replacement for continuous thoughts in . the mind. In the Advanced Chakra Meditation . we start with a feeling focus, and then . soon shift to a “focus upon the focuser”, . or to one of having, “awareness of . awareness”. So while focused upon the third . eye region, the meditator engages . an “awareness of awareness” in the frontal . lobe of the brain. This act “recycles” . awareness back upon itself, thereby . increasing its intensity. This is a primary . means to gain greater clarity. Contemplate . this concept to comprehend its profound . simplicity, (see SFM issue #3) as well as . meditating upon it. It is recommended that . you perform this meditation twice daily as . a replacement for the basic Chakra . Meditation, before arising from bed and . just before going to sleep at night. Each . session should last at least 20-30 minutes. . . Employing the Advanced Chakra . Meditation to gain greater clarity is a . process of self education. Clarity is not a . concept Western culture is thoroughly . familiar with, and rarely is it a term that . is concretely defined. In the WMS system, . clarity is defined in terms of the degree . of awareness of awareness one possesses. . Represented mathematically, this principle . of natural law may be shown as A/A=C, . whereas, “A” is awareness, (divided by . itself) and “C” is the clarity that . results. As greater experiential . familiarity with clarity is had, it then . becomes a known quality of mind that can be . summoned up or enhanced at will, even . without the precursor of meditation. Thus . it can then be intended into place at a . moments’ notice, for the purpose of . improved mental and even physical function. . In the group meditational setting, it may . also be intended into place for oneself as . well as others, simultaneously. In other . words, awareness of awareness may be . psychically projected to others, which aids . in their higher establishment of clarity as . well. We should not consider this a . particularly esoteric act, when remembering . that any state of consciousness can be . projected. All states of consciousness in . fact, automatically radiate from the . body/mind as soon as they are gained . within, to some degree. By intending their . projection outward however, we are . increasing the potency of rendered psychic . effects many times over. In this way too, . we are acting on behalf of natural laws, . and are thereby gaining the cumulative . support of nature in our spiritual . practices. . . In the practice of group meditation . then, clarity may be projected back and . forth between any number of practitioners, . (from two to ten thousand). This creates a . mutually reciprocating psychic field. . Awareness of awareness becomes a group mind . phenomena experienced by each participant, . as a geometrically enhancing level of self . and mutual seeingness. This occurs in . exactly the same way, and by virtue of the . same natural laws, as does the mutual . projection of love as previously described. . Its immediate and lasting result is the . enhancement of each participants’ level of . perception into the depths of Truth, soul . and God. All subjects in fact, become . clearer and more accessible to the mind so . engaged. This is why it is said that . awareness of awareness is a mode of mind . that increases ones’ level of manifest . intelligence, and subsequently, their level . of manifest wisdom as well. The manifested . level of group intelligence and wisdom is . also raised, yet to an even higher degree . than in the individual. In a group mind . where meditators have aligned their . consciousness together for the purpose of . mutual benefit, the clarity of each person . combines with the clarity of all others . involved. This creates a geometrically . greater degree of awareness of awareness as . a group field. In fact it forms the basis . for mutual clarity, thereby setting a . precedent for very spiritually advanced . human relations, to a degree rarely known . in the last 5000 years of recorded history. . . The projection of clarity back and . forth between practitioners, is as much a . clear example of mutual psychic . augmentation as is the mutual projection of . love, (described in GM issue #8). Groups of . meditators may employ their enhanced . clarity for use in the “Raising the World” . format as described in the last GM issue. A . review of this important spiritual activity . is a follows; . . RAISING THE WORLD . . Meet together at a pre-arranged time and . place which will be conducive to . meditational practice, then; . . 1) Meditate together using a pre-agreed . meditational form, such as the Chakra . Meditation. . 2) Enter into MPA with one another, (See GM . series #8). MPA will enhance the group’s . projection of higher consciousness into the . environment, simply because it elevates the . level of consciousness of the meditators. . The higher the level of consciousness of an . individual or group, the higher will their . psychic/spiritual effects be, as a . principle. A group may opt not to use MPA . and proceed directly into raising the . world, but the above principle should be . kept in mind. . 3) Step 3 consists of the employment of a . group visualization of the entire Earth. . Visualize our planet as if seen from space. . 4) While maintaining the image of the . entire Earth in the mind, see the influence . of the group in the form of a bright light, . extending out from the local region in . which it exists, and spreading rapidly over . the entire planet. . 5) Expand the group mind state at the same . time, be it one of love, clarity, and/or . any other useful quality, while visualizing . the expanding light in step four. It is . important to feel love and/or clarity . expanding outward from the group, . (throughout your body) while maintaining . this visualization. Send love and/or . clarity to the world and all of its . peoples, just as you would to a dear . friend. . 6) Intend that all people wherever they are . upon the globe, be affected by this . projected state, gaining the best possible . benefit from it. Know that this allows them . the greater access to their own . enlightenment. Intend that the effects so . projected render permanent benefits for the . Worldmind in general. . . The above group focus is a fairly . sophisticated combination of practices and . intentions. For this reason it is useful . and often necessary, to appoint a . facilitator to direct the group meditation, . (sometimes according to a written . procedure) as pre-agreed by the . participants. The facilitator acts to keep . track of time, keeping on the schedule . needed if any, for the meditational format. . They coordinate each step of the above . process, keeping the joint focus unified . and therefore at maximum effectiveness. . When the group space is at a certain peak . it is then that the facilitator will often . shift the group focus from one of MPA to . the world in general, or they may do so . according to a given time frame as desired. . Repeated “world raising” sessions will . yield greater and greater results through . practice, regardless of previous . meditational experience alone, or in MPA. . . The practitioner should note that . when a combination of progressive intents . are employed simultaneously, or one after . another, the spiritual and psychic results . are far more powerful. An example of such . focuses that can be employed together, are . the intents of love and clarity. When . greater degrees of love are intended into . place, an upward vibrational shift of the . body/mind occurs. If after this shift or . shifts occurs, the meditator then also . intends into place an enhanced degree of . awareness of awareness, (clarity) the . results become quite fascinating. Love . empowers clarity, and clarity refines love, . with the overall effect being one of . profound expansion(s) in the individuals’ . consciousness. Naturally, this kind of . inner alchemy is best performed by the . veteran mediator through long experience. . . When a group of experienced . meditators meet to perform MPA and/or World . Raising, they may choose to first cultivate . mutual clarity, and then add the elevation . of love to it, and vice versa. In a group . setting a combination of love and clarity- . increasing intentions, creates a psychic . engine of such magnitude that it knows no . potential limits. Through such means, waves . of high intensity love and clarity may be . sent out over our planet, to create . considerable World Mind impact. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . On Entheogens - Matthew Webb . 23 Nov 2003 11:09 . #435 The following is part of a discussion on . the meritorious Yahoo discussion group . known as “Visionary_Shamanism”. I . recommend membership in it! [See the . previous posts here "Entheo Genius Part 1 . or 2 for in depth explanation...] . . Matthew previously; . . Entheogens ARE an excellent path for . spiritual progression. The . about them, is that the . power can only be fully . By "serious intent" I mean a . meditation, where the . truth, but the becoming of . that power plants are . delusions and the like is to lay . driver. If you drive a car . own fault, and if that . car for going the wrong . They are a vehicle to . have the INTENT to embody . casual with such substcnes . you pay for...very little. . . “Shroomlito” replies . . . I would like to add a note or two... . It is all too common for book-store shamans . to say that the use of plants . is somehow not pure, not spiritual. If you . use a plant, you are not using . your pure self. Notice how this is . dualistic. It continues the split between . spirit and matter that we have inhereted . from the unhealthy . Judeao-Christian-muslim religions. It is . advantageous to overcome dualism, . not foster it. . I would like to reinforce a point you made. . It is too common for ascetic . spiritual seekers to think of the use of . hallucinogens as an instant path, . one that is too easy, and therefore somehow . invalid. . Well, as you pointed out, you really have . to have yourself prepared. You . need to be well intended, focused, ready, . etc. It is NOT easy. I think it is . much harder and much more challenging to . work with hallucinogens than to not . work with them. Terence McKenna made the . point that no one goes to practice . Yoga or works with crystals or meditates . with their knees knocking in fear . from the awesome power about to become . unleashed. When you pratice non-drug . spirituality it is all light and easy . going. You do not hold on like a . shipwreck survivor holding on to a raft in . an ocean storm. . I think a lot of people look down on . hallucinogen shamanism because they . know it is the REAL DEAL and that if they . got into hallucinogens, they could . not continue their empty snail . paced "search". Some"seekers" do not want to . find what they seek any more that the . cancer industry wants a cure for . cancer. . Make no mistake, things like meditation . have good use. Yoga, tantra, tai . chi, chanting, mantra, etc area all mildly . effective. Better to practice . them than to not practice them, but they . are sort of like sitting in a . parked car and pretending to drive. To then . combine them with hallucinogens . is to turn the car on and go. Ofcourse, the . use of halllucinogens dies not . garuntee you will get to where you're . going, you could get lost or crash, . but if you have your wits, your maps, your . skills, your courage, and good . fuel you'll get there. . One more point. If you think plant . shamanism is somehow impure shamanism, . you're historically and anthropologically . Naive. . meditation, entheogens, and the expansion of consciousness - Matthew Webb . 26 Nov 2003 11:24 . #436 Once again, this is a transcript from the . Yahoo group known as "Visionary_Shamanism" . on the subject of meditation, entheogens, . and the expansion of consciousness... . . Dear Numbi, . . Your reply to the Entheo Genius material is . appreciated. . . You said; . . "There are shamans who work with a lot . of "substance help", and there are those . who don't, and they all seem to be able to . reach a certain consciousness. . consciousness with these substances so . often, that maybe it's conditioned enough . for you to built down the use of substances . and still be able to find this state of . consciousness." . . ****** . . Certainly it is important to be able to . enter altered and higher states of . consciousness without the use of any . substances whatsoever. In fact, an . entheogen is a way-shower or guide, to the . high and excellent states of being we all . desire. But it is not the Way itself. The . Way is a matter of spiritual gain and soul . evolution. The expansion of consciousness . is the purpose of life. Although this can . be gained by degrees through the use of . entheogens, higher states of being and . perception must be "claimed as power" or in . other words embraced as the new and . improved state of self, in order for them . to be of the greatest benefit. I speak of . specific ways to do this in Part 2, which . I'll post soon. . . So you've brought up an excellent point, . which is, when using such substances as . marijuana, peyote, ayahuasca, etc. it's . very important to learn from what is . revealed, so that it may be embodied. When . the shaman or other practitioner engages . these states of being, the real act of . personal power is not necessarily GETTING . THERE, but what you do with them UPON . ARRIVAL. In my use of the Ganja, I've . found that I can not only retain elements . of the high permanently, such as a raised . vibration, energy and clarity, but that I . can get much higher for longer periods of . time on less smoke. With two puffs it's . off to Buddha level for the rest of the . day, when my intent is well focused. The . key to this is combining . the entheogenic effects with meditation, . and that doesn't imply conditioning of any . sort. It implies understanding the high so . thoroughly that it can be replicated at . will, any time, body-wide. . . Both entheogens and meditation are . excellent tools for the expansion of . consciousness. I've learned about an equal . amount of spiritual lessons from each. . Some say that they don't need an entheogen . to raise their consciousness, which is . fine. But it should be realized that such . substances are gifts from the Earth, of . Earth Consciousness, which is the same . consciousness that evolved hominids to Homo . Sapiens. Within them there is great . potential and power when harnessed with . care, and by "care" I mean using a . spiritually progressive intent and great . respect. In this regard an entheogen may . be likened to a spiritual vitamin, one that . makes you more healthy and vibrant. . . Spiritual gain, like entheogenic highs, can . be used for great things through the right . intent. In fact, the issue here is really . the refinement and mastery of intent, not . the ingestion of any given substance. . Never the less, these are tools available . to all of us, and everyone knows that to . accomplish any task, it is best to have the . right tools at hand.... . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Re: meditation, entheogens, and the expansion of consciousness - Lasse Larsson . 1 Dec 2003 16:33 . #437 Hi Matthew. . . I have read what You say re. 'visionary . shamanism' with great interest. . . Based only on my own experiences, this is . what I do... . . I use meditation (relaxation) to LOAD . batteries. . . I also from time to time use CONCENTRATION. . Via concentrating on a point in the head . (the pineal gland), You can in fact reach . 'a higher state of vision'. In this state, . depending on how 'high' You go (this done . without any substances at all), You can . either go so 'high' that You are in fact . leaving Your own body. . . This feeling of not being 'contained' . within Your own skin, this feeling of not . being alone, this feeling of 'floating' in . a see of total love and 'belonging' (You . have a feeling of being home...this is . where I belong), it is a wonderful . experience. . . You can also 'stay' halfway. In this state, . You can formulate 'questions' into . Yourself/ into the spirit within/ to God . (whichever You prefer calling it). You will . sometimes get answers and 'hints'. . . Contrary to meditation, concentration as . described above, will exhaust You/use Your . energy. You CAN use this kind of . concentration also to GAIN energy BUT, when . used as 'a tool of exploration' it is at . least my experience that it consumes energy. . . For people interested in 'concentration . meditation' please see e.g. . . http://www.inclusivescience.org/pinealprojec . t.htm . . ...a scientific project currently initiated . in the Netherlands by Phd. Saskia Bosman, . with a good reference listing. . . ...a clear and brief description of the . pineal gland, and its role in 'meditating' . can be found at... . . http://www.crystalinks.com/thirdeyepineal.ht . ml . . ... . . There is a lot more to be found on the web . re. the role of the '3rd eye'/pineal gland. . See also e.g. 'kundalini'. . . For a brief on different glands, and their . role with reference to different chakras, . see e.g. . . http://www.reiki.nu/treatment/chakra/chakra. . html . . Love . . /LaL . Re: meditation, entheogens, and the expansion of consciousness - Matthew Webb . 4 Dec 2003 17:51 . #438 Dear Lasse, . . Your feedback on this post is appreciated, . and ways of inner focus and meditation are, . needless to say, always relevant. . . What you spoke of in terms of the . pineal/third eye focus is quite . interesting, and reminds me of the . WMS 'Advanced Chakara Meditation". It . sounds like you're talking about the . gaining of greater clarity, and I don't . just mean through focused concentration. . In our Advanced Chakra Meditation we speak . of a state of consciousness known . as "awareness of awareness". In this . state, the meditator first isolates . awareness itself within, and then proceed . to cause it to become AWARE OF ITSELF . rather than thoughts, emotions or material . objects. In this way, awareness continues . to "recycle" back upon itself over and over . again, progressivly increasing clarity. If . you'd like to see this meditation in full, . check out the WMS home page "about our . meditations" at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Also, thanks for the various links you . posted that will be of interest to many, . I;'m sure. . . Do you do your energy gaining meditation(s) . via entheogens as well as through normal . means? . . . The Essence of Enlightenment - Matthew Webb . 4 Dec 2003 17:52 . #439 The Essence of Enlightenment . . Any action first arises from the decision . to act. . . Every decision is based upon a SHIFT OF . INTENT within, before it is carried out. . . This is as true of shifting into higher . states of consciousness, as it is the . lifting of a pen, or walking from one room . to the next. Therefore, the essence of . enlightenment is found through the Mastery . of Intent. Gaining greater degrees of . enlightenment, (or spiritual realization . and embodiment) is first undertaken merely . through the decision to do so. Intent then . carries this decision out by applying it to . daily life. . . To master intent to greater and greater . degrees, it is first necessary to realize . that it already exists within. We need not . FIND intent through a psychological . process. It is something with which we were . born, and which we will carry with us after . the death of the physical body, as souls. . We are consciousness at our foundation. . Everything we do is made possible by this . consciousness which we are, and which the . universe likewise is. Of the three . components of consciousness which compose . God, soul and body alike, Intent is the . guiding element of Creation. In meditation . we can isolate the Intent within, as the . very source of creator and created. By . observing intent within, we learn how it . transforms and causes action. Watch . carefully the moment before any decision is . made. Therein you will see intent in action. . . Intent can refine itself just as awareness . can. In the WMS Chakra meditation, (see . below) we learn to focus awareness back . upon itself. Awareness of awareness then . generates progressively greater clarity. . But when we meditate upon intent, the . agency, which directs awareness, is then . Seen. Intent can then intend itself into . higher levels of being. Intent then becomes . both a tool and a means for its own self- . building. This fact is the personal . equivalent to what God does in the act of . generating life and refined matter. By . Intending higher, (spiritual) levels of . intent, we raise our level of consciousness . in the most direct fashion. Therefore, the . greater mastery of Intent produces . enlightenment to unlimited degrees. It is a . self-transformation of the most fundamental . kind. . . As above, so below. By transforming the . intent we have within, (which determines . our state of consciousness and daily . actions) we directly access our unlimited . potential as conscious beings. The same is . true at a global level. ALL world problems . can be resolved through a transformation of . World Mind Intent. . World Mind Intent is the source for the . collective desire, focus and will, of every . human being who now lives. Like personal . intent, world intent carries with it some . inertia. Just like a stone, which rolls . down a hill, World Mind inertia CAN be . deflected to new courses of travel. War and . division can be transformed into mutual aid . and unity, by adopting the appropriate . Intentions. Through a shift of global . intent our species can move into new vistas . of evolution, unlike any ever previously . known.. Knowledge of the consciousness . within, as well as Natural Laws, . facilitates this. . . Intent is the primary force of universal . action. For this reason we are a part of . the Comic Intent, ("God"). The World Mind . as a sum total of human consciousness, is . but a minor tissue in the larger multi- . galactic organ of God. . . This tissue of global consciousness goes . through transformations and self-induced . trials. God, (Cosmic Intent, Awareness and . Energy) learns Its own lessons from Its . lesser parts. Our trials and errors thus . function as a learning vehicle for That . which resides throughout the Cosmos. Our . experiences serve as a refinement of the . Self knowledge of God, (Intent at Large). . The same is of course true of an unlimited . number of other inhabited worlds. Much of . what is being learned by God from the Earth . at present, may be placed accurately in the . category of, "How planet-wide group minds . function under conditions of self induced . stress, and misapplication of Natural Law". . Such knowledge informs the Intent at Large, . how better to generate and guide life, in . the evolutionary process of self- . development. . . The crisis of the modern condition may thus . be understood, as the inappropriate use of . intent. "Inappropriate" is defined as that . which is not in accord with Natural Law. . The ONLY REAL solution to the dilemma . humanity now finds itself in, is therefore . a spiritually oriented transformation, of . both personal and collective intention. It . is necessary that this transformation be . made of our constant life focus as a . species. The refinement of Intent must . become our first priority, as the central . objective of society and daily social . relations. Toward this end, the current . intentions of greed and chaos which . underlie materialism must likewise be . dismantled. . . To reach within and transform the self in . ANY WAY that is natural, is a matter of . reconfiguring ones’ moment-to-moment . intention. Intent flows in an unbroken . stream within, and is always functioning. . Our "intent stream" is therefore much like . a stream of thoughts or feelings. One . intent flows into the next, just like the . changing of thoughts, creating new . conditions for the mind, body and . environment. . Just like thought and . feeling streams, our constant stream of . intent can be re-directed at will. In the . modern world we make the mistake of . addressing personal change by manipulating . thought or emotion, but these are just the . symptoms of underlying intentions. To . address them as causal to personal behavior . is to not address cause. Thoughts and . emotions are something our intent DOES, not . something which we actually ARE. Intent . alone is the wellspring of thought, . emotion, psychic effects and societies. All . forms of existence both personal and . collective, owe their existence to it every . moment. Therefore the study and mastery of . Intent is the ultimate study. . . We need not change governments, we need . only change intentions. . . From Intent all actions flow, far and near. . So too are they sustained and destroyed by . it in turn, once their evolutionary . usefulness is exhausted. This is how we, . (and all life) are the Clay of God. Our . species will be preserved only so long as . we maintain our usefulness for the . evolution of the Cosmos. . . Creation is a matter of intention at all . levels of existence. It resides within the . atom and the galactic group, and from soul . to unified field. God, (consciousness) is . what all beings have in common at their . foundation. Through consciousness, (intent, . awareness and energy) we mutually create . every moment in tandem, along with the rest . of the world. This fact is confirmed . through meditation, and any meeting of two . or more persons. Every time we interact . with others, intent is at work. The quality . of any interaction is then determined . directly by the type of intent used by each . person, in each moment that passes. . . Intent is the essence of the soul just as . it is the essence of God, in any part of . the multi-verse. . . To gain Self Mastery, the study of Intent . through direct observation is essential. . Whether or not one calls this "meditation" . or "prayer" is irrelevant. The individual . who sees the essential self as Intent in . each moment, also realizes their membership . in the body of God, or in other words, The . Intent at Large. . . Consciousness is a fluid substance, in that . it easily melds and co-manifests, much like . waves which form via particles of water. . Our World Mind functions much like a great . psychic ocean, to which every human being . is a particle, as well as the generator of . waves. Humanity’s connection with this . ocean is continuous and unbreakable. The . Unified Field described by Einstein which . is composed of consciousness, is always . unifying the result of our intentions. It . is consciously accessible through . meditation. . . One aspect of being a Master, is to be able . to reach out with ones’ intent into the . fields at large, and cause an expansion of . consciousness therein, just as such . transformations can be Intended into place . in the chakras, mind and body. Groups of . meditators may accomplish this with even . greater ease and competence, because of the . natural law known as the group mind . principle. Both of the consciousness . expanding qualities of love and clarity for . instance, can be intended into place around . the globe. Without an intimate . understanding of intent, such a task is . made far less effective. But with such . knowledge, global and group meditations can . be made far more potent than is commonly . imagined. . . The survival of our species, as well as our . Planetary Enlightenment, rests primarily in . the study of group mind Intent, (and how it . manifests, according to the collective . interactions of individual consciousness). . That knowledge is best gained through . direct observation and experimentation. Our . on-going Global Group Mind Meditations, . (described at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest) are one . such experiment, and are in accord with the . intent of the cosmos, in the expansion of . personal, group and planetary . consciousness. From knowledge of intent . comes the potential for planetary . transformation, and therefore true wisdom. . Group meditations are thus very useful, . because they are mutually strengthening. . High intent begets high intent, . reciprocatingly. . . ****** . . Consciousness is That which runs through . grassy fields and galaxies . alike. It is THAT which is responsible for . the act of ongoing . evolution in all parts of existence, just . as is THAT which reads . these very words. Our purpose, (like all . life) is ultimately to . facilitate the ongoing creation/evolution . of the Cosmos. To . facilitate evolution is to expand . consciousness. Consciousness . recycles upon itself . . The motions of INTENT/GOD/SOUL are a . circulating phenomena of Causal . Force. Creation refines creator, which then . creates more perfect . creations . This is Cosmic Self . Development. We are but one player . on that infinite stage. . . Humanity is a product of the Intent at . Large, as is all life in the . multi-verse.. Know God by knowing the . consciousness within. Observe . God/Consciousness via the study of Intent. . Intent is behind each and . every action, each and every moment. . . The greater Mastery of Intent is the . refinement of the soul, . especially when the purposes of God are . clearly perceived and . adopted. To know this is to remember the . essential purpose of . incarnation. Likewise, to refine inner . intent is to progress along . the Path of spiritual Mastery as an . incarnated soul. . . The cosmic ways and means are known as . Natural Laws. Natural Laws . sustain God just as they sustain each soul. . They may not be broken . profitably, but can be used in creative . ways, yielding an unlimited . array of potential thought-forms, life- . forms and physical creations. . This is how evolution proceeds. It is the . privilege of human beings . to proceed along this evolutionary path at . will. . . The human race may return themselves to . Right Intent and Right . Living, by recognizing self as . consciousness, (soul-intent). We must . also recognize our species as a part of . God, (the Intent at large). . In so doing a person may fulfil the soulic . purpose of spiritual . Mastery, as well as the Cosmic Purpose of . planetary evolution. . Through such focus, may people regain that . sense of Divinity and . Genius, that is their natural birthright. . We are decidedly NOT the . small thoughts and images which currently . circulate through modern . society. Going beyond the norms of society . to the consciousness . within, is to gain a cosmic perspective and . unlimited potential. . . Through group meditation/prayer, the World . Mind Intent may be . elevated. Even a mere group of two, can . generate enough High Intent, . to alter world events. We may even Intend . ourselves into such levels . of consciousness as that of a Buddha or a . Christ, (and beyond) if . our spiritual intention is sufficiently . unbending. Such attainment . is squarely gained through the mastery of . Intent, which is the . essence of enlightenment. . . Recommended meditation; . . The Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately . begin focusing on the . feelings throughout the body. Those new to . this practice may begin . by focusing upon a very small area of the . body, such as the tip of . the right index finger. Be carefully aware . of every subtle detail of . feeling in this area. Allow awareness to . spread to the entire . finger, then the hand, arm, both arms, . chest, torso, head, legs and . feet, (not necessarily in that order). Do . not avoid any pain, fear . or other unpleasantness found anywhere in . the body. [Such feelings . are usually the result of Intentions which . inhibit personal growth, . and these can be "reprogrammed". Fear can . be replaced by love, . confusion by clarity, and pain by vibrant . energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . simply relax, and return . again and again to a feeling-awareness . focus, even if this means . doing so a hundred times every minute. . Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a . symptom of stored stress in . ones' being. As the practice of meditation . proceeds, stress is . released, and the tendency of thoughts to . intrude upon this process . will gradually diminish. Be patient and . don't let the simplicity of . this method of meditation deceive you. Let . your awareness travel . freely from one area of the body to the . next, as it will be inclined . to do. Feel every subtle inner detail. . Areas of particular stress or . activity will attract your awareness, and . hold it for longer periods . than the rest of the body. Allow this to . happen, as it is a function . of natural self-healing processes and . energy body activity. Don't be . concerned or irritated by intruding . thoughts, just continue to . return to a feeling/awareness-oriented . focus within the body, in a . relaxed manner. . . One particularly notable value of the above . meditational practice, . is that is can be done any time during the . day, at work, at home or . in conjunction with any other activity. It . can be done for as little . as 5-30 seconds at a time, (as daily inner . awareness) and it will . still render cumulative benefits, though . these are usually more . pronounced when the eyes are closed, and . the body still. It is . recommended that the Chakra Meditation, (or . others like it) be . performed daily just before going to sleep . at night, and before . arising in the morning, for 20-30 minutes . at a time. Daily inner . awareness and meditation compliment each . others' effectiveness, . acting to improve health, reduce stress, . increase psychic . sensitivity, clarity and the capacity for . love, manifest . intelligence and wisdom. . . As the meditator becomes increasingly aware . of their own inner state . of being through meditation, they are also . enabled to take greater . notice of their psychic environment. . The "mood" or "atmosphere" of . the workplace is made clearly perceptable . to them. The underlying . motives and feelings of persons as well as . groups, become more and . more obvious. Even more importantly, the . meditator gains greater . awareness of their own patterns of feeling . and thought, as well as . the Intentions which underlie them. That . which is known can be . easily addressed, whereas that which is . unknown is difficult to . change. Self knowledge implies the capacity . for self change. The . self-aware individual discovers that the . task of building a more . evolved self, is often easier than . expected. They are thus enabled . to build a more evolved world with others . in the process. . . By applying the Chakra Meditation daily, . (or others like it) we . become increasingly aware of the subtle . feelings/Intents in the . body, as they exist in each cubic inch of . our physiology. This . practice then allows the meditator to begin . to transform the . Intentions held in the body as a residue of . past experiences, to . ones that are progressively more evolved. . Long held fear anywhere in . the body, such as in the stomach, (third . chakra) or the heart, . (fourth chakra) can be transformed to love. . Confusion and a . scattered focus in the region of the . forehead, (sixth chakra) can be . turned into greater and greater clarity. A . lack of energy in the . hips/lower spine, (first chakra) can be . made into a state of high . vitality. All of these changes of cellular . memory and Intent can be . transformed in such a manner. The meditator . may do this by Intending . changes to come about, by employing the . following four steps; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT . (4 STEPS) . . 1) Be aware of your current state of . body/mind, (this is . accomplished through meditation). . . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to . be Intended, (such as a . higher love and clarity) and the Intent to . be acted upon is . crystallized. . . 3) The desired state is held steady in the . mind, (for at least 5 . minutes). Visualize and feel this state as . if it already exists, . until the body/mind shifts into it. . . 4) The desired state is "held in place" . throughout the body, (or a . given chakra). This new state is maintained . by treating it as the . new reality of the self on a permanent . basis. . . Subsequent applications of the above four- . step process for the . Mastery of Intent, render cumulative . results. Be persistent. This is . the essence of manifestation! . Matthew Webb catalyst@c... . . Recommended Further reading; . The Perpetual Raising series, found in the . Library of the World Mind . Society at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Re: meditation, entheogens, and the expansion of consciousness - Lasse Larsson . 5 Dec 2003 14:31 . #440 Hi again Matt. . . Thank You for giving so much thought and . time to answering my post. . . Re. 'meditation via concentration'; it seem . as such that, when using the pineal gland . as a means of meditation, it is in essence . not too different a thing from . using 'enthogens'. The pineal gland itself . produces substances very similar to some of . the 'agents' found in 'enthogens'. . . Meditating using/via the pineal gland, is . thus, as I understand it, almost 'the same . thing' as meditating with the use of . enthogens. . . As regards energy gaining AND energy . consuming meditation, meditating with/via . 'using' e.g. the pineal gland, I am not . sure wether or not it is the same thing as . the meditation You refer to as 'advanced . chakra meditation'. . . When I meditate via concentrating on the . pineal gland, this is what happens... . . (1) I concentrate all thoughts and . awareness on/to a point in my head, the . point where the 'crown chakra' gland (the . pineal) is located. . . ...As I experience it, this type of . meditation can use both/either of the 6th . chakra/or the 7th chakra (different glands . though). For me, it is(so far) not possible . to achieve the same kind of contact . with 'our spirit/our home/GOD' via . concentrating on ('going via') e.g. the . 4th, or other chakras. . . Concentrating on other chakras will also . give 'a meditative state', but most clearly . in a different way, a way where at least I . will not be in same contact with what I . call 'GOD'. . . How then does one continue with this . meditation via concentration/focusing on . the 6th/7th chakra??? . . (2) As for me, when either relaxing, or . concentrating (on these chakras), I will . after a few minutes 'open up', become aware . of an 'inner map'. When in this state it . (once again) becomes absolutely clear where . within myself the 'power centers', e.g. . 6th/7th chakra are located... . . ...this knowledge not derived from what I . know from 'studying, reading and previous . experience' but rather via experiencing . ONCE AGAIN... . . In this state, One VERY CLEARLY FEELS . different chakras as 'centers of power' . or 'holes of gravity' (always difficult to . translate feelings into words). . . (3) Step three is to place 'Yourself' (all . of Your awareness) in/within the chakra. . . (4) After some minutes (a few), There will . come an intense sensation. Something takes . hold of me/my inner being/the part of me . which I have placed within the chakra. . . (5) I will then be DRAGGED 'upwards' out of . the chakra, or deeper into the chakra . (difficult to say which it is.) The 'power' . that drags/takes hold of me, is not from . within myself, but something exogenous . (this is how I experience it). I CONNECT. . . The nearest illustration I can come to . think of right now, is this...experiencing . a mental 'mirror image' of the feeling You . may have, if You swim/float within a sea, . and someone very suddenly/abrubtly lifts . You up, through and (finally) out of . the water. . . (6) It is at this stage, the stage where You . get lifted/are dragged further up into this . 'gravity hole'...like a spiral...You . travel upwards through a spiral, with . Yourself placed in the center of it, almost . like a 'tunnel' within the spiral. . . ...it is in this state/phase I (You) need . the most concentration. It takes great (by . my means) concentration/strength/focus, to . follow this 'power' all the way through the . whole spiral, and out on the other side. I . have only 'had the strength' to do this all . the way (as I beleive)...once. . . When You are on the other side of the . spiral...the most intense and wonderful . state/feeling I have experienced. . . You are 'at home', You are 'not alone', You . are no longer 'contained within Your own . skin'. You float at an etheral plane, where . You have this total and intense AWARENESS. . . ...it fills You up so much, it is . impossible to be aware of anything but this . TOTAL LOVE...not particularly directed to . You, but to everything...You are loved, and . love, as being a part of this 'everything'. . . ...this feeling of BELONGING, BEING A PART . OF A TOTAL LOVE, is so much MORE. A TOTALLY . DIFFERENT THING. . . When You quenche thirst/satisfy other . needs etc. You experience a 'calm down' . after 'fulfillment'. What I experienced on . this 'other place' was instead like a . CONSTANT, NEVER ENDING STATE OF TOTAL . FULFILLMENT, in each and every fragment of . time (even though time did not exist to me, . then) more fulfilling then anything I have . ever experienced. . . So much more! COMPLETENESS. . . (7) What I normally experience when . meditating like this, is not going through . ('following the power') all the way through . the whole spiraltunnel, but maybe . only 'halfway', to something I refer to . as 'being placed within my own spirit' (the . fragment of the great spirit/GOD, that is . within myself). . . (8) In this 'halfway' state, one will . experience things quite differently from . what one 'normally does'. The spirit, . also the fragment that is within You or me, . seem to be free some of our human emotions, . but instead has a far more . valid/strong/genuine . 'empathy for all' (this is how I experience . it). . . When in this 'state', I 'ask' . questions, 'reason'...getting a totally . different perspective...sometimes . being 'filled' with new ideas, sometimes . getting 'hints' of things forgotten, things . I should do...I also get 'feelings' . of 'things to come'. . . . ... . . Is this the same thing, as the thing You . refer to as 'advanced chakra meditation'. I . don't know. I would guess it is more like . the state some people can reach via using . different kinds of enthogens. (???) . . And this is also where I can give You an . answer to Your question. No, I don't use . any kind on enthogens. I do 'this' instead. . I do think using enthogens may be 'a . different path' for reaching a 'similar . state'. (but I don't know???) . . ...I don't know. I also don't know how 'far' . one can go, using the type of meditation I . have tried to describe above. . . ...(the above) is a good way FOR ME, to try . to gain 'wisdom' or 'knowledge'. And, it is . (to me) a DIFFERENT thing from other ways . and means of meditation, the ones I know . of. Maybe someone (maybe lots of people) at . this community recognize/share . the same or similar experiences??? . . It would be wonderful to find other people . who share... . . ...English is not my language. I apologize . for being vague and clumsy in choice of . words etc. . . Love/ . . LaL . . ... . . are, . over . If . (s) . CONCENTRATION. . state, The Raising - Matthew Webb . 9 Dec 2003 21:37 . #441 The Raising . . The following is a God-channeled message. . It is sent to you for the sake of . transforming personal and planetary . disaster, into a most excellent, ecstatic . clarity of cosmic purpose . . . That purpose is our further evolution. . . The following is a method of ascension. It . can be applied in groups of two to . planetary; . . Contemplate; . Absolute dynamism of high feeling, via . loving goodness, inside clarity. . (please read this line again, twice more; . . This intent has potent, self- . transformational properties into . exponentially higher states of being. . . Meditate upon this intent via the . intent/feeling elements of the body. Raise . these elements. Meditatively cause each in . turn to initiate; Absolute dynamism of . high feeling, via loving goodness, inside . clarity. FEEL this intent encroaching body . wide. . . This is an action in which the intent that . we are, raises itself by progressive . degrees.. . . Use this focus as a compass, to raise into . higher states of consciousness. . . ************ . . For intermediate meditational . practitioners, (beginners need not read . past this point, because the practice of . meditation is all but required to employ it . effectively); . . For those who know the value of entheogens . in meditation, an herbal, psychic booster . may be employed. That spiritually powerful . substance is known as “marijuana”. . . Prepare yourself meditatively, before . smoking. . . Just before the first puff, INTEND yourself . to be highly benefited by the Herb. Know . that it will, when we allow it, expand our . consciousness to great heights, allowing . intense spiritual insights. . Prepare yourself to “identify with the . high”, recognizing this to be a very real . level of consciousness which is closer to . the soul, than that of our habitual . mindstate. . . Principle; The “High” is a spiritually . valuable state of being, and it can be . accessed in many ways through sheer intent, . sex, marijuana, music and dance, other . entheogens, meditation, and by communing . with any of God/nature/soul. The High can . be mastered to increasing degrees, and it . can even be raised higher at will without . end. To accomplish this is to understand . the right use of intent, wherein a constant . focus of ever increasingly high pitched . feelings, are held in place, (body-wide) by . the mind, and by the body at the mind’s . direction. In other words, the high is . held in place by the practitioner as an act . of self knowledge, stabilizing and . strengthening that state throughout their . being, thereby gaining immense spiritual . benefit from it.. The high is a sacred . state and thus, marijuana is a sacred gift . of Earth Consciousness. We are MEANT to use . it to accelerate the process of evolution, . both in ourselves and the planet as a whole. . . Thus, smoke a puff of the Herb and read . once again from the top of this page, until . you reach, “Use this focus as a compass to . raise into higher states of . consciousness.” Stop here, return to the . top, and keep rereading to that point until . the power of your meditation, with the help . of the Herb, takes hold. You will feel the . high taking hold by degrees. As more and . more of your feeling/intent elements body- . wide are converted into the high, you will . experience a gaining of spiritual power. . To claim this power however, you must . enter the high with your awareness and . clarity, and take such mastery of it so . that it it can be maintained permanently. . In effect, IDENTIFY WITH THE HIGH. Call . this state, “self” just the high vibration . of the soul is, “home” The realization . that we are souls in bodies greatly . facilitates this action. Once again, you . CAN make the high your permanent state of . being, through the intent to do so. . . For the advanced practitioner, or “Master; . (all others need not read further) . . Through high-expanded charkas, the Master . of the high can readily draw chi, (energy) . from the sun, wind, running stream or rain, . in tremendous quantities. From such . significant power sources, the Master can . then take large scale psychic action as . in, “coordinating intent elements at large” . by converting them into high feelings, . clarity and spiritual motivation. Such . elements can as readily be purified by such . intentions as; Absolute dynamism of high . feeling, via loving goodness inside . clarity. as can those of your own body. . This is also known in World Mind Society . terminology as “creating an area of effect” . or “major creation“. . . In such a way many Masters could, through . linked group mind intent, employ their . collective force for the sake of raising . the planetary consciousness. Not only . would the vibrations of the high compose . this casting, but also clarity, elevated . energy and a communion of all souls on this . planet in goodness, (good, progressive . intent). The best benefit of THE HIGH . could thus be “cast” over every continent. . Were this “casting of the high” to be even . slightly successful, every single person on . this world would suddenly feel, and to . varying degrees, as if they had suddenly . been covered by an encroaching blanket of . good will, saturating ever atom of their . being. An improvement of “mood” would take . place, which some would initially . understand, while many others would not.. . The quality of colors and sounds will also . at that moment, seem unusual. The Raising . of the World Mind will, in this way, feel . much like the raising of a single person’s . consciousness, except that it will be of a . much greater energy and sophistication. . . Note; Planetary evolution on a biological . basis, inevitably leads up to the above . potential, if it can support intelligent . life. When such a world obtains what may . be described as “sufficient self . realization and high vibration”, it then . transforms sum total, crossing over major . thresholds of feeling/intent, . and “ascending” just as an individual such . as Christ or Buddha did. The result of . this is that a completely different and . superior evolutionary route is taken by . that race. It then becomes “one of the . enlightened” races in an existing . collection of like races throughout this . galaxy. Whether or not we achieve this . threshold, critical mass, and evolutionary . test, will literally determine both our . survival as a species, and our relevance in . the galactic scope of things. . . Via the group mind intent of Masters, an . increasing sense of well being can then be . manifest into this world or any other, . bringing it to a certain critical mass of . consciousness change. Realize this to . simply be the projection of intent for . spiritual purposes, with or without an . herbal boost. . . I invite you to discuss this matter with . me, and I can supply more information on . the mastery of intent, the expansion of . consciousness and the conversion of the . World Mind Intent. We MUST do this . together, and with the combined force of . our supreme and progressive positivity, we . can raise each other up in vibration, . clarity and energy. Best of all, we can . raise this entire planet, especially if we . convert the intent of others to do the same . with us, in an alignment of ally-souls. . . For related reading, request the Entheo . Genius series, . . See also; . The Perpetual Raising series, . Raising the World Mind series, . and the “Resurrection of the Higher Self” . article, in the Library at . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . Founder Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 13 Dec 2003 14:40 . #442 . There is only one thing which the modern . person fears more than death, and that is . the idea there is such a thing as truth. . Death to most people may be a great and . terrible unknown, but it is nothing . compared to the awesome and totally . threatening implications of TRUTH ITSELF. . . All of the world’s problems, every . injustice, war, misery, disease, lingering . fear and pain, have but one single cause, . and that is the widespread denial of . Truth. . . Every single solution for the world’s ills, . for war, corruption, social inequality, . religious intolerance and the nature of . true progress in general, stems from one . single source the implementation of Truth. . . It is not from fear or pain that human . beings run away, it is from their cause . that they flee. They run as cowards and . fools from the truth alone, for there is no . greater enemy to society, tradition, . consumerism, insanity or self destruction, . than the Reality it encompasses. It is from . this most dreaded and despised foe, the . reality of truth, that people seek to . escape. There is no greater source of . panic, anxiety and anguish for the modern . mind, than what is TRULY SO. . . It is for the reasons listed above that the . average person will literally DO ANYTHING . and SAY ANYTHING, in an attempt to avoid . the Truth. They will deny the existence of . the most obvious, even if this contradicts . not only their daily experience, but the . experience of that very moment. People . well claim total ignorance while in full . and complete knowledge, not necessarily . because they enjoy lying, but because they . are horrified to admit something that they . wished were not so. For the most part they . do this not for the sake of avoiding any . single aspect of truth or fact, but to . utterly avoid TRUTH ITSELF, as the guiding . principle of the Universe. To even suggest . that it is such a thing as TRUTH which . guides reality rather than human whim or . desire, is to evoke considerable anger, . fear and indignation from a human being. . Given this, the human mind has even . fashioned God in it’s own image, imagining . that only THEIR personal nation, religion, . and culture have any real meaning, implying . that their wars are righteous, and that all . the stars in the night sky exist only for . their personal amusement. The human being . will even go so far as to say that nothing . can, or ever has existed without our say . so, and that if a tree falls in a forest . unheard, then that must surely mean it did . not make a sound. Furthermore, to suggest . that reality exists quite apart from the . notion of humanity as the center of the . universe or universal attentions, (such as . the eternal fight between cosmic good and . evil, God/Satan played out on an Earthly . stage) is to invite condemnation by senator . and janitor alike. . . The Truth is; That which exists regardless . of opinion or viewpoint, Natural Law(s), . fact. The truth is composed of facts, and . these are collectively known as “reality”. . . Even after being given this definition of . Truth, the average person will either . insist that truth is personal, relative or . subjective, or they will claim that . although it exists, it can never really be . known. The test of our wisdom is not in . our ability to acquire knowledge, but what . to do with that knowledge after it is . acquired. It is here that humanity fails, . not because we cannot conceive of the best . course of action, but because we are . unwilling to accept new conclusions and . standards then those which history has . already given us. In simple psychological . terms, this is known as mass denial. The . purpose of the denial of Truth is simple, . THE AVOIDANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. To . acknowledge there is such a thing as Truth . is to also be forced to acknowledge that . the universe, like life, is not random. A . non-random universe has direction, and even . what may be called “goals” or “purposes”, . not the least of which is known . as, “evolution”. To acknowledge Truth is . to realize that life itself, (and even our . own individual lives, now and hereafter) . have meaning and purpose of a specific . nature. . . Since a Universe based on Truth is . conditional and specific, that means we as . human beings are NOT at liberty to make up . whatever we want to about life. With Truth . in place, imagination, desire and whim are . no longer the center of the Universe, . implying that everything society now stands . for is utterly false. Society tells us . that human beings and their desires, are . far more important than the content of a . hundred billion galaxies and everything in . between. It falsely claims that our own . emotional gratification reigns supreme in . the cosmic scope of things, while all that . matters is whatever we wish to believe. . That’s why there is such popularity in the . belief that, “there is no Truth”, or that . there is only, “my truth” and “your truth” . which is basically saying the same thing . as “there is no truth“. If truth is . relative to each individual person, then . how can two people with diametrically . opposed view sit in the very same room . together, without annihilating one another . with their minds? Obviously there . something more to truth than whatever we . wish to believe upon waking up in the . morning. Modern social structures can’t . EVER afford to acknowledge that life has . inherent meaning, one that does not need . human approval or restructuring, without . simultaneously admitting that long . cherished norms are based upon nothing but . arbitrariness. For if it did acknowledge . truth then consumerism would become . practicality, religious faith would become . clarity, tradition would be replaced by . innovation, national boundaries would . dissolve, patriotism would be seen as . misguided loyalty, logic would replace . randomness, clear reasoning would transcend . gossip and blind following, peace would . replace war, and wisdom would arise where . there had once been only ignorance. . . To the question of, “If a tree falls in the . forest and no one is around to hear it, . does it still make a sound”? the answer is . simple yes, of course it still makes a . sound. The natural laws of physics do not . hang on the thread of human whim in order . to find their fruition. The very question . reeks of a center-of-the-universe . sentimentality, presupposing that nothing . at all can occur without our perception or . permission. For the vast majority of . people who believe this folly, there is a . simple way of regaining basic sanity, and . that is through HONESTLY answering the . following question. Many will probably . find they lack the personal power to do so, . and yet it MUST be done . . The question is this; . . “How did the universe function before there . were ever human beings around to have . opinions about it?” . . Using modern thinking, if a tree needs a . humans‘ perception to make a sound when it . falls, then surely there were no sounds at . all prior to the time when Homo Sapiens . walked the Earth. Similarly, there must . surely have been no light either, because . if there was no one around to see the sun . shine, did it still make a light? Of . course it did. Furthermore, plants and . animals grew, river sediments accumulated, . cells divided, rocks were ground to sand on . beaches, birds flew, storms dumped snow on . mountain peaks and plains alike and water . still flowed downhill. In other words all . the natural laws which ran the universe did . so regardless of being observed, and . irrespective of being the subject of human . opinion. The very concept of a, “NATURAL . LAW“ implies a force or forces which . operate at all places and times, without . concern for anyone’s approval. . . If you want to understand TRUTH and natural . law, just contemplate the fact of life and . evolution on this world, prior to human . perception. Species of plants and animals . have come and gone for millions of years . prior to humanity. Obviously, reality does . not need our observation or permission to . run rather effectively. . . Then there are those who seek to escape . their responsibility for truth, by quoting . such sayings as, “the three blind men and . the elephant“. The story begins by claiming . that truth is relative to perception, . as “demonstrated“ by the three holding on . to different parts of the same animal. The . one touching a tusk says, “elephants are . smooth, strong, hard and sometimes . brittle“. The second holding a leg . replies, “you‘re right about the elephant . being strong, but it is not brittle, smooth . or hard“. The third fool holding the tail . gets irate, saying, “You are both idiots, . an elephant is obviously a tall but spindly . creature, not brittle but always twisting . and agile“. People quote this saying . as “evidence“ that there either is no such . thing as truth, or that the truth is . subject to perception. Yet the example is . so completely flawed, so utterly . irrational, as to be ludicrous. First of . all, the analogy only works if you assume . that all people are not only blind, but . also incredibly stupid. . Even a blind . person should be able to tell that there is . more to an elephant than trunk, leg or . tail, just by using their ears. . Furthermore, we DO have eyes that see, . ESPECIALLY when they’re open. . . Secondly, the analogy assumes that the . elephant is somehow changed just because it . was misperceived in three separate ways. . But the fact remains that the elephant, in . its’ entirety and sophistication, remained . the same creature regardless of human views . about it. The most logical conclusion here . is NOT that each blind man, “had his own . truth” or that truth is somehow, “subject . to perception”, but that the truth was and . is unchanged, regardless of what anyone . likes to imagine. It is not that each . blind man was, “right in his own way”, but . that ALL THREE WERE WRONG. You can no . sooner do justice to the reality of an . elephant by calling it, “trunk, tusk or . leg”, than you can an ocean by calling it . a, “drop, wave or wet”. Some will . perhaps read this and say, that the three . blind men are likened to what we still . don’t know about the universe, and that our . sciences are still in their infancy. Yes, . of course our sciences are. But given this . they will further seek to evade . responsibility for the truth by concluding . that, “truth is still evolving as our . understanding of it evolves”, or that, “we . will never fully understand truth, . therefore we don’t need to take reality . seriously, since that concept will change . radically with each passing decade”. Truth . does not evolve as our understanding of it . improves. The truth remains the same . regardless of our understanding. Secondly, . just because we don’t yet know EVERYTHING . about reality, does not mean that we KNOW . NOTHING. It is for those known basics THAT . WE DO KNOW, for which humanity MUST hold . itself accountable. We ALL know certain . facts about the truth, such as people need . to breathe and sleep, that love is more . healthful for the body than fear, we know . that the heart beats and the lungs take in . oxygen, that apples are better to eat than . driveway gravel or arsenic, and that . gradations of feeling and intelligence . exist. These basics and countless others, . are part and parcel of our daily . existence. We know that water runs . downhill, that the natural laws of . resonance, vibration, spectrum, harmonics, . dissonance, gravity/attraction, the proofs . of geometry, polarity, the principles of . circuit and energy flow, and a huge host of . other basics, form the basis of repeated . experiment and consistent technology. We . know that pollution is damaging to life, . that the Earth is not flat and that we . orbit a stellar body known as a SUN. We . ARE accountable for these and many other . obvious facts, which compose reality. . There are none so blind as those who will . not see this. . . We see such thinking as the three blind men . analogy, applied in every single aspect of . the modern world. In international . relations, what is assumed to count most is . not the truth, (facts) but who can put the . most convincing “spin” or “interpretation” . on any given incident. In everyday . conversation we find that it is not facts . that are most often quoted in honest . debate, nor logic given to support . conclusion made, but rather, who can tell . the most convincing lies and project their . self image most forcefully. On the . religious scene we see that every faith . says, “our God is the only God“, and/or . that, “our scriptures are the highest among . all” while at the same time taking great . pains to avoid factual discussion, or . logical analysis of their own beliefs. It . is not that every nation, person and . religion has, “their own truth” (as if all . these different and often . contradictory “truths” could possibly exist . simultaneously). What little truth there . is contained in the modern world is only . had in small part by each person, nation . and belief, and it is this, “thread of . truth” as it is called, which forms the . only REAL common ground between all . beliefs, nations and persons. It is not . that each largely erroneous belief system . is in turn, “right in it’s own way” but . like the three blind men, they are ALL in . the vast majority, mostly WRONG. If the . human race is to survive all the largely . false and arbitrary notions of the modern . world, then it MUST begin using truth as . the foundation for all debate and wise . action. The same may be said of every . individual, so that they might actually . mature into wise, intelligent and . progressive beings. . . The truth is the very essence of further . human evolution, and spiritual progress of . all kinds. Without it we can only flounder . in wishful thinking or sheer delusion. . With truth as our foremost guide in life . however, we then can address reality on . its’ own terms. In truth we can create . relationships and a society where . enlightenment is the rule, rather than the . exception. . . Further reading; Lessons of the Soul series . The Perpetual Raising . In the Library of . . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . response to Nathan - Sandi Hunter . 18 Dec 2003 13:52 . #444 I'm posting this letter I recently sent to . Nathan via message center here at NCN.... . . Hi Nathan, . . I'm writing for Matt (Rishi) because he is . no longer online. He has made this decision . because, at this time, he finds it best to . disconnect from the World Mind/Society in . order to raise himself higher for ascension . and expansion. . . I told him about your post on the Raising . the World Mind Workgroup and about your . website. He wanted me to write you and tell . you that he agrees with what you say and . was impressed with your insights. He has a . post in his newslog about community . entitled: "Intentional Community with . Cosmic Standards". (This is also listed in . the workgroup (Raising the World Mind) if . you would be interested in reading it.) He . sent that letter out to countless . communities and received very little, if . any response. This was not very encouraging . to say the least, and it was interesting . that people do not want to look at . different ways to establish community. Most . of the communities that did respond were . either not established yet or had not been . very successful. Even with these factors in . place they did not want to consider that a . spiritual focus first would promote more . chances for success. . . If you would like to discuss such important . topics with him and/or any of the articles . found on the website: The World Mind . Society at: . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquesthe would be . very happy to respond. You can reach him . at: catalyst@carrollsweb.com. He will check . his email there ocassionally, especially if . you are interested in talking about . community and such. . . I hope you don't mind that I took the . liberty of writing you for Matt. Thanks for . posting on Raising the World Mind, and I . also look forward to hearing your insights . concerning these topics. . . Love and clarity to you, . Sandi (Spells) . The Journey of Self Discovery - Sandi Hunter . 21 Dec 2003 15:37 . #445 The Journey of Self Discovery . . Part 1 . . A Path Rarely Traveled . . There is no path of self-discovery existing . at this time, that can be effectively . traveled within the bounds of society. You . will only find yourself running around in a . circle of false beliefs. Modern society is . based on its own artificially . specialized “rules”, “laws”, “beliefs”, “nor . ms”, “modes” and “goals”. The only way to . find your true self is to forego, . completely and totally, the constructs of . contemporary lifestyles. Begin looking at . yourself as the pure consciousness that you . truly are, (not through thoughts, the mind . or emotions, nor via any outward . projection). Look inward through your pure . essence, pure energy and pure . consciousness. That is truly the core of . your Being. If you are a student of . spirituality and practice meditation, you . may have an “inkling” of what this really . means. But to be perfectly honest I have . yet to meet such a spiritual person, who is . still living within the limitations of . modern society. . On this path you will have to forego all . you know, (or all you believe you know). . The time is now to simply say ”Everyone” . and “Everything” in modern life is WRONG, . in its beliefs and way of living! Most . people are all guiding their lives through . pre-conditioned, skewed intentions, and . therefore they are living lives based on . false values and misplaced directions. . . Pack your things, (only those possessions . you truly need to survive) and get out. Get . back to Nature. Get back to pure awareness! . Get back to pure freedom! This article is . based on one such journey, but it is not a . personal diary of that sojourn. It is . presented to you the reader in a universal . way, making it accessible and . comprehensible to those that truly want to . explore natural and spiritual living. As I . am writing this, I truly wonder just how . many will have the courage and foresight to . read the entire article. It is based on . experience and years of study, into the . true essence of the soul. The soul is the . true self. We are here only for a short . time, experiencing life on earth in a . physical body. The time has come to bring . this fact back into our awareness, and live . this most Basic Truth of all. . . The Point of No Return . . Looking at Society today, there are few who . can truly say they know anyone coming from . pure awareness, pure intention and purity . of spirit. Does anyone in your life have . the goals of consciousness expansion and . evolution, and is this reflected in . anyone’s daily life? Do you know anyone . that even thinks of or strives for, . ascension to higher planes of . consciousness? This is the main goal, the . main mission, for everyone here on this . planet. This is our true mission knowing . that we are pure spirit here in physical . form. When did we allow the physical realm . to become more important than spiritual . progress? Working to survive, having food . to eat, shelter to live in, etc must become . our secondary goals. The time is here now, . for our primary goal to be ascension, . expansion and evolution. . . Going through life day to day, we get stuck . in daily routines. How does one justify . working 40+ hours each week, 50 weeks each . year, until they “retire”. We are then too . old or sickly to see life for what it truly . is. As we go through these daily routines . in this great country of ours, how do we . justify working endlessly for a lifetime, . just to buy things? Why do things such as: . what type of car we drive, how big our . house is, what clothes we wear or what type . of job we have, matter to us? How do we . justify giving more than a third of our . hard-earned money to a government(s) that . only strives to dominate every living thing . on this planet? What we find today are . governments which care nothing for a human . being. Furthermore, modern science does not . even acknowledge the human soul. A . government or science that do all these . things with absolutely no thought or . consideration to the countless lives they . are harming, should be completely . redirected. The destruction of our beloved . planet is accelerating! Corruption and . falsehood are the norm, while a government . puts a man in office that the people did . not even elect. Yet millions of people . everyday, live only for their jobs, . corporate goals and personal dramas. They . never give any of these destructive facts a . second thought. Questions such as these are . never asked, at least not openly. Day by . day living through the false intentions of . obtaining money, power and ego, is the norm . in society today. . . People are taught to always look outside of . themselves for self-validation. Lets look . at this realistically in the light of . truth. If everyone is living the same type . of materialistic life, striving for the . same goals no matter how skewed or filled . with denial and betrayal, it follows that . people will praise such actions to justify . their own behavior. Everyone is doing all . they can to keep this false way of living . going on for as long as possible. No one . really wants to see the lies they are . living. As a race we go deeper and deeper . into a hole of denial, betrayal and false . ideology. Everyone supports and validates . everyone else for their misguided goals. . The saddest fact in all this, is that the . more money one makes, the more backs that . are stabbed, the more masks one wears and . the more possessions one has, the more . honor and respect they will receive. It is . really easy to see how far we have strayed . from our true purpose in this physical . life. Only those with courage will truly . look at how far from Spirit and Nature we . have gone. . Take a moment and look at the millions of . people each year who have their bodies . invaded through cosmetic surgery. We live . in a world of all show and no substance. . They do this just to be more “beautiful” in . the eyes of others. It is a perfect example . of how far a human being will go just to be . accepted, approved of, and outwardly . validated via today’s . materialistic/physical values. Is all this . what we want to teach our children? Why do . we continue to worship all that is false . and of no real significance? When will we, . (if ever) return to “seeing” a person’s . soul and the beauty thereof? This beauty is . so magnificent, that words lack the power . and subtlety to define or describe it. Yet . who focuses on such beauty? . . Unfortunately, on this present course, the . destruction just keeps building with . increasing momentum. The more off course we . are the more we will look outside ourselves . to validate and justify any way of living . that is convenient. For if we truly . searched inward and validated the . vibrations of the soul, we would know . immediately how "wrong" we are in the way . we are living this precious gift of life. . Staying on this present course we will . continue to yearn and work for the bigger . house, newer car, job promotion, raise in . salary, more elite job title, etc. For all . of these troubles we get cancer, . alzheimers, ulcers, diabetes, strokes and . heart attacks. Yet at the same time all of . this is smiled upon and approved of by . others around us. We search for the . adulation of others, for we have lost all . connection to our true essence. We have . forgotten the spirit of who we really are. . Society has traded natural wisdom for . plastic coated dreams. The majority of . people today cannot even fathom getting . validation from within, because they think . the only place to find this verification is . outside of ourselves. . . Paradoxically, most or all of the people . that are smiling at us are really not happy . for us at all! They are too busy striving . for outward approval and/or adulation . themselves. Enviously, they really don’t . want anyone having more than they do. This . is why their approval will never be given . 100% or from the heart, but only for the . sake of social obligation. Our whole . society is built around this paradox. Back- . slapping and back stabbing are closely . related. All this really accomplishes, is . the ingraining of cut throat competition in . each of us. . . Children are expected to grow up . as “consumers”. As robotic “consumers” we . are fulfilling the false goals and . false “Gods” of the business world.. Who . are these false “Gods’? Authority figures . of any kind, including Government . Officials, Teachers, The Dollar, Parents, . Police, Politicians or any other lost soul . who strives for these artificial goals. . These are the sources of mis-information . which keep us lost and stuck throughout our . life here on earth. . . Social training starts at a very early age, . when we were forced to stay in school or . day care, for many hours each day. We are . trained to stay indoors all day following . rigid schedules and mindless rules. Our . imagination became stifled and replaced . with conditioned responses, to appease . the “adult” world of materialism. The clock . tells us when to eat, to sleep, to work, to . have sex and to think for ourselves, (since . this isn’t allowed on company time). We . became good little “consumers” doing what . we are told, and learning how to live in . this world of dominance, possessions and . paychecks. Conditioning starts very early . in life. We compete for higher grades in . school, and this is progressively carried . over to high(er) earnings in the business . world. Where do all of these silly games . lead? They result in a life of never asking . why. No one perceives clearly the false . goals we strive for. . . How can we accomplish “success”? We only . work longer hours each day, more days each . week, purchasing more things in order to . fill the void within us. We never . acknowledge or seek to fulfill our true . mission here on earth. Nothing from the . very start in our life, acknowledges or . seeks to expand and evolve the true essence . of our souls. . . Now let’s take a moment to look at human . beings as they “scurry” through their daily . lives. Most live as unhappy, (though . sedated) robots. Some actually believe they . have found a “balance” for living within . society. Some even imagine they are . spiritually motivated while still carrying . out the self-destructive goals of society. . Most believe they are justified in never . changing anything about their lives. We . find scholars, priests and CEO’s hiding . behind their dogma or skewed spiritual or . humanitarian beliefs, while still . contributing to “business as usual”. It is . interesting to examine how they justify . their way of living. Their total denial of . what is really going on here on earth is . considered the only way to live. Ah yes, it . is so easy to fall into this mode of . living. We are so influenced by . conditioning and the psychic impact of the . world mind and world karma. It is just . easier to follow this, then to be “judged” . by all those around us. . . When asked to face the harsh realities of . the world we have created, the general . public will respond with many statements. . Examples of these are, “I don’t read or . follow the news, it is too negative”, . or “It is all divinely ordained, I will . send out light and love”. Better yet, they . say, “Well, that is just the way things . are”. Never are these responses to the . point of truth, or facing the reality of . our world today. No one wants to take . responsibility for themselves or the events . around them. No one wants to give up . the “comfort zone”, “luxuries” or false . beliefs that their whole life is based . upon. I ask you why? Why would anyone want . to stay on such a destructive course of . denial? It is not enough to live only for . today, while throwing away all chance of a . healthy life, for future generations. . “We are all One”! This universal law is . shown very clearly, by the way whole . nations simultaneously fall into new belief . systems, or “fads”. Beliefs turn . into “reality” overnight, because of the . overwhelming influence of the majority’s . mind-set. We are literally surrounded by . various mass illusions. Every modern . culture has them, and rarely are they seen . for what they are. For instance, no one . ever questions “the American Dream”. They . merely strive for something that is never . clearly or logically defined. Will we “wake . up” from this dream? People never question . the nightmare they are living, because of . the mass influence of our social and . psychic paradigm. “Peer pressure” is only . half of the equation there is also psychic . pressure from group belief. This belief in . the “American Dream” and its way of living . is so strong and prevalent, that we have . even designed prayers and invocations for . an “abundance” of material possessions. My . question here is: What does the evolution . of the soul have to do with material . wealth? Does a soul care how many . educational degrees one possesses? Does a . soul care how many square feet a house . contains, or the number of cars which fit . into its’ garage? Does a soul care what . brand of car you own, or what position is . held on the corporate ladder? Does nature . care about such things? I think not! . . Yet as individuals in the USA, this is what . is most aimed for. We have been trained . very well. We are all good students, . followers and consumers. It is the very . basis of our daily living. . . I now ask and challenge you to take a . moment and look at some examples of how far . society has taken us. Are you not amazed to . hear how much of the population is on mood . stabilizing medication? IF we are on a path . of truth, love and clarity, why is this . medication needed at all? This is yet . another integral part of the American . Dream, and taken for granted without . question. If you have an ailment, there is . a pill for it. So many suffer from high . cholesterol, high blood pressure, mental . illness, chronic backaches, chronic . headaches etc, etc. Not only are there . pills for each and every one of these . ailments, but there are also prescriptions . to ease the symptoms of the first pills. . This way of living is seen as the human . reality. We look at such things as “normal” . and expected. How ludicrous! Why do we . accept this? Is it because there is always . a convenient pill or belief to hide behind, . and that independent thought or personal . power would require a little extra effort? . Have we become so lazy, so complacent and . apathetic, that we can see no other . alternative? Are we so entranced by the . television, or so medicated that we live as . walking Zombies without even realizing life . is more than this? No one ever questions . why so many pills or therapists are needed. . In this day and age of advanced technology . we have lost all sight of going within to . find the cause of any illness. The cure for . everything is within each and every one of . us! We have the innate ability to cure . ourselves of any illness, or better yet to . prevent any illness. There is even an added . bonus to going within and curing the cause . of illness; you’ll experience no side . effects from gaining personal power! The . unquestioning need for “medication” is sad . but true. It is becoming more and more . prevalent in our artificial culture. I know . of no other creature on earth that even has . to consider a pill for everything under the . sun. Natural living through spirit will . keep any creature healthy and vibrant. . . Many assume that as human beings we have . the well-developed intellect for so . much “progress”, and therefore, we are the . only creatures capable of artificially . creating a better life. I say not only do . we have the brains to acquire advanced . knowledge, but we also have the brains to . invent clever lies and cover up the truth. . We are a very “clever” species indeed, but . not a very intelligent one. We have the . technology to cover up just about any . ailment, but we don’t have the foresight to . get to its’ cause and cure it naturally. . Our birthright is health, awareness and . expansion. We won’t get that in a bottle, . or a world of schedules and forced . standards. These go against every part of . our natural essence. . . How many will actually have the courage to . let go of false attachments? When will we . have the insight to see that our individual . concerns are unimportant in the overall . scheme of planetary life? When this life is . over, will any part of one’s personal . history truly matter? Will the size of a . paycheck or house do anything for the . ascension of humankind? If we are all one, . how are we helping each other to accomplish . spiritual states of consciousness? What . will it take to awaken everyone to what . truly matters in the Grand Scheme of . things? Nature is so grand, so vast, we . cannot even imagine it with our tiny little . brains. We all innately know this to be . true. We all intuitively know we are ONE! . Yet we have driven ourselves so far away . from the true aspect of soul and unity, . that now we must strive harder and harder . to keep the momentum of destruction going. . It does not matter to us that society is . heading for world collapse. It does not . matter that it is moving in the wrong . direction, (away from natural laws) until . our own extinction becomes inevitable. As . the world dies, we keep ourselves busy, . take more medication and strive for more . and more possessions we really don’t need, . in order to stay in this backward, de- . evolutionary path. For a short while . longer, this keeps us in denial of the . truth. We choose not to see how fast our . own self-destruction is approaching. . Humanity is on a path of suicide, . individually and globally. What will it . take for us to remove the blinders before . it is too late? Is it so painful to look . within ourselves, and give up our luxuries? . It might even be necessary to admit that . we’ve made mistakes! . . Is it really so painful to give up the . false patriotism in a government we know is . killing people and destroying the Earth? We . do this only to stay under the security . blanket of greed and power. . . How many medications that only cover up . symptoms and never get to the cause of any . illness will each of us continue to take? . The majority of these chemicals have side . effects that are far worse than the . symptoms they are covering up. When will . we, as a species, choose to see the reality . of the “world” we have created? What and . how long will this take? Will it be 10 . years, 10 months, 10 weeks, 10 days or 10 . hours before we reach self-destruction, and . the point of no return? . . When will humans ask just one simple . question ..Why? Does anyone have the . courage to start asking why in all and . every aspect of his or her life? It is time . to stop making excuses. The time is now to . stop accepting everything as “normal” . or “just the way things are”. Modern . society is anything but normal. It is time . to stop being a programmed robot. Become . the free and pure spirit you truly are! . This potential is within each and every one . of us. It may be the path rarely traveled, . but it is the only path worth traveling. . . Part 2 The Death of Ego . . Leaving the path you are so accustomed to . and comfortable with is not easy. Most or . all of us have been on society’s fast track . for so long, that this detour may feel like . a leap off a cliff. The desire to go back . to the old ways of living with it’s . ludicrous though familiar belief systems . may seem over-whelming at times. This can . happen no matter how miserable or unhappy a . person was in society’s way of life. . Sometimes losing the familiar seems more . terrifying than terror itself. The feeling . of being in the “comfort” zone is a very . strong one. The mode of acceptance and . approval from others in life can be a very . strong motivation to pull one back to old . ways. Yet with any honesty it becomes . obvious that where we thought we were . strong, we often find true weakness. The . strong “corporate player” is in fact a very . weak spiritualist. Fears, beliefs, . weaknesses and hidden agendas, are all . brought to the forefront through . introspection, honesty and connection to . one’s true essence. These weaknesses, . beliefs, fears and hidden agendas often . appear so magnified and so powerful, that . they may have the potential to hold you . back. But this is true only if you let them . do so. This is always your choice. . . The knowledge that one had for living in . society, will soon become utterly useless . when humanity finally “uses up” the Earth. . All the things one strove for and found . important in life will be of absolutely no . value. All the things once falsely believed . in, will be brought out into full spiritual . awareness. All the dark corners of the . modern age will be revealed by the light of . truth and clarity. Corruption will be seen . for all its’ deception and betrayal and the . people will regain their power. . . There is no doubt that coming times will . become quite harsh and uncomfortable. This . is a process of awakening in the human . spirit. It will demonstrate to all the . betrayal by society by the institutions of . our day for the sake of greed. It will also . show that Spirit is all that truly matters . in life. One will awaken from this . deceptive way of life, and slowly begin to . release society’s delusions. This is a . process that comes about through a peeling . away of the layers of belief and ego. . This “ego-death” may be quite painful and . uncomfortable. One will have to let go of . the fear of judgement by others. One will . have to stand alone, and see clearly the . false values and beliefs of all the people . in their lives. These people will include . everyone from business associates, . acquaintances, and friends to loved ones . and family members. Be prepared to . Understand and be misunderstood, at the . very same time. . . Good (natural) judgement and clear seeing, . is what will keep the success of the . spiritual path in sight. These two factors . are sorely missing in the daily life of our . society as it currently stands. . . A re-defining of ones’ motivations, . beliefs, yearnings and idea of “success” . will be accomplished only through . perseverance, and an inward journey toward . the Truth. For there exists only one Truth, . and no special “truths” which are only . yours or mine. Truth is not based on what . is convenient for any time or circumstance. . To clearly see the Truth in all matters of . living, and to live it out is the path of . the Soul. To come from one’s true essence . no matter what the social consequence, is . the beginning of a path of progressiveness, . evolution and ascension. . On this path of self-discovery, it is soon . found that the only relevant substance left . in life, is the one within the true self. . Getting to this true essence, (the core of . our inner being) may be the hardest part of . the journey, not because it is really . obscure, but because it has been covered . over by layers of social conditioning. One . will have to look at the way their life has . been lived using the standard of universal . truth, (and not false constructs, rules, . laws or beliefs). A person will see how . they deceived others and themselves, just . to survive in our upside down world. The . meaningless smiles on everyone’s faces are . part of the song and dance. Most mean . nothing. They will be seen by those who . gain inner insight as false evidences . appearing real, (fear). Through honesty we . see that everything that is said and done . by the majority is lived only because it is . expected and conditioned within them. But . never are the values of society a . reflection of the heart and soul. . Without “others” to compliment or validate . them, people will have to dig deep inside . themselves to find self-love, which in . reality, is the only love required. This . love may appear to be the hardest love to . achieve, for it will be based only on the . inner guidance of the soul and not the . outward approval of others. . By living this life of truth, there will be . virtually no one outside yourself to . validate your life anymore. Anyone on this . path will have to “feel” and “hear” all the . reasons why they are wrong in living their . lives in this “new” way. They will have to . continue to spiritually progress in spite . of all this “feedback”, with . the “KNOWLEDGE” that all of society is . wrong. They will have to get to the essence . of their Being and stay there, to boldly . speak the words, “I am right!” “This is the . only path worth striving for!” . With all this change, and expansion, comes . the re-opening of one’s strong . intuitiveness. The Psychic Ability . intrinsic within all of us becomes active . once again. As we become aware of the way . we are connected, (ONE) we feel . the “vibrations” of those near by. When . this happens, the world as a whole takes on . an entirely new meaning. The spiritual . person will have to move forward in . this “psychic, social space” without . medications or outward distractions. These . only serve to distract and delude us. . Artificial chemicals and distractions numb . the true feelings and thoughtforms that . surround us daily. As one becomes more . aware and sensitive to the vibrations . around them, it may again seem easier to . fall back into old ways and habits, and to . follow the world mind. At times this “world . space”, (the psychic vibrations and . thoughtforms of the masses) may feel . overpowering. Psychic pressure from others . will make it seem difficult to move . forward. Hope may be lost for inner . evolution or expansion. A feeling of giving . in and giving up may overtake the seeker. . It may seem far easier to go with the . crowd, to be a part of the “World Mind” . energy, than it is to follow a separate, . natural path. One must realize that the . World Energy wants everyone to stay in the . status quo. Sometimes “the herd” goes . terribly astray, as is the case today. . . All and any type of manipulation will be . used by others to bring one back into . the “fold”. Accusations and statements to . elicit emotional reactions will be . utilized. Guilt, anger, frustrations, . weeping, blame, abandonment and fear will . be among the social and psychic weapons . with which you must deal effectively. Sadly . enough, these are only a few examples of . the trials the spiritually minded must . endure. . . Additionally, as you are experiencing the . vibrations, feelings, and words of this . mass influence, you will also be facing . your own doubts, fears and weaknesses. Each . day, minute and second becomes a challenge. . Many people you knew before your awakening . may not want to speak to you or see you . anymore. The way you live and the truth you . speak will keep them away. They fear the . loss of their “safety nets”, and will not . want to look you in the eye. The old saying . that the “truth will set you free” has far . more depth and meaning than most ever . imagine. And most do not want to face this . in any real way, because freedom bears also . the weight of self responsibility. . . Is all this inner turmoil worth the effort? . Is this a challenge and struggle one can . overcome? Absolutely! But one needs to . break away from mass beliefs and influence . to persevere! Is this easier said than . done? Oh yes it is, and this knowledge must . stay with you throughout the journey. One . must persist and hold on, until all the . world and the self is seen with the eyes of . clarity. One must stay focused on the goal . of spirit at all times. . . The spiritual road is a long one. The road . may be hard, but after all this turmoil . comes the reward of true connection to . nature and one’s essence. With spiritual . advancement there arises the realization . that: . . 1) It does not matter what anyone else . thinks. . 2) Everyone is wrong and living in the . wrong way, while attached to modern . society. . 3) The true intentions of those around you . become transparent. They are seen no matter . what mask is being worn or what appearances . are portrayed. The smiles people wear and . the words they speak very often have no . merit, when seen with clarity, intuition . and truth. . 4) As awareness expands, it shows how this . lifetime is but a speck in cosmic time. . 5) Personality is of no importance. Only . the soul has relevance. . 6) In truth, you are following your soul’s . intention for this life. The control that . the world mind, (society) has on you is . relinquished. . 7) Things in your life start to happen for . the highest good and overall benefit of . all, as this becomes one of your true . intentions. The path of your soul will . naturally take you in this direction. . 8) Ego and self-gratification fall away. A . sense of peace replaces the fear and doubt . experienced before. . 9) It is important to meditatively live . through the core of your essence, (as it . begins to evolve and expand). Increasingly, . you send out raised consciousness to the . planet as a whole. . .Just to name a few. . . Yes, this is freedom freedom in truth, . clarity and love. Freedom from the chains . of false beliefs and destructive living . that is so prevalent in society today. . How many will actually take this path? I . venture to guess that less than .01% of our . planets’ population will finally take these . true purposes of life seriously. Most are . going too fast and in the wrong direction. . They deny themselves the choice to stop and . look back upon what it is they are truly . accomplishing. . . The road back to one’s true essence may be . twisty and bumpy. It can seem very long. . The spiritual road contains many walls to . transcend, bridges to cross and rocks to . jump over. There are detours and potholes . so large, (falsehoods) that one can fall in . them for days. It is easy to feel there is . no way to climb out of social illusions. . Getting over these hurdles and removing the . false beliefs of who one really is, may . send the faint-hearted running home . to “mother”. But for those that do persist . and overcome these obstacles, the spiritual . path is filled with the light of truth. . . We then gain the crystal vision of clarity . and a state of Cosmic love, rarely . experienced on this planet. . . Sandi Hunter, . Email: Spellscaster9@yahoo.com newslog discussion.... - Sandi Hunter . 29 Dec 2003 08:50 . #446 A discussion was recently started on my . news-log. I am posting it here in hopes of . starting true discussion along these . topics. Of course, an in depth explanation . and description of what I have written can . be found in the "Survivalists Guide for the . New Millennium" on The World Mind Society . Web Site at: . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . I welcome some serious spiritual . practitioners to discuss here also.... . . *************** . The questions asked: . . What action do you take? I am interested to . know. I also believe action is as powerful . as words - action is just another form of . voice..... . . My answer: . . Actions that I take are an on-going focus . and ones that must be refined and upgraded . every moment. I only know of one person on . this planet that actually does this in ALL . ways. I must admit I am not that far but I . am well aware of the subtleties that must . be taken care of. . . Actions that I take are: . . -not living by ANY of the standards set . forth by society, eg. materialism, health . care, allowing lies to go on unspoken of, . seeing myself as a race, a nationality, a . gender, a title etc. . . -not paying taxes to a government that does . nothing but support it's own power trip and . financial situation, caring nothing for . human life or higher priorities. People who . support the government in any way are only . adding to their karma. World karma is . really only personal karma on a mass basis. . If you pay into it or agree with any lies, . corruption, killing etc, then this is your . karma also. In this capacity, I take no . sides because they are ALL wrong. I only . speak the truth as I see it. . . -living as a consciousness being in a body, . therefore we are all connected . energetically and psychically. If I have an . insight, feel fear or have guidance from a . higher source, I make sure I know where . that source is coming from and not accept . that all messages and feelings are equal. . . - live simply without frills. I don't live . to work, I work to live. . . -No casual conversation for the . sake of ego boosting or placating. I am . honest and straight forward, therefore very . few people actually talk to me. . . -striving for ultra positivity and watch my . intentions so that what I put out will . ripple out and also be reciprocated. We can . become so used to the psychic vibe of the . world that we don't realize where it is . coming from or what impact it has on us. . This is probably one of the most important . aspects of becoming real and living for . Truth. I don't believe anyone can take this . seriously enough and yet it is hardly ever . spoken of. We would rather hear "niceties" . from some spirit guide, but those messages . may only be the mass consciousness keeping . one under control, or an entity (or higher . self) that is stuck in karma and therefore . the messages are skewed. Karma is another . natural law that the majority ignore for . the most part. Cause and effect, it is very . real and also very powerful. . . -Being judgmental, because without good . judgment how can one live? A compliment is . really a judgment, but a criticism or a . truth that goes against the status quo is . considered "judgmental and/or negative". I . know it is neither, it is only the truth, . therefore judgment is necessary. . . I hope this answers your question. If I . think of more ways I will edit this . comment. Thanks for asking! Continued . discussion on these topics would be . appreciated... . . . More discussion - Sandi Hunter . 6 Jan 2004 12:11 . #447 This is the continuing discussion on my . newslog.... . . Nemue: I try to live my life free of . controls and boundaries but I have a long . way to go. I am inspired by your story. . . **************** . . Spells: Thanks I actually have far to go . also. I feel pulled many times to be . a “part of the norm” but every time I fall . into it, I find I feel awful, or sick or . very unclear and negative. I constantly . remind myself to NOT use societies . standards in any way shape or form. This . has many subtleties to overcome and it is a . constant focus. The basis for this and any . action, of course, is the intention set. . Constantly watching and refining one’s . intentions is very valuable and important . when one is freeing oneself from all that . has been taught and conditioned by . society. Adapting Cosmic standards are . good .becoming a true master we are so much . more than bodies, personalities, etc. Most . of what we believe ourselves to be are . constructs taught to us from early on so no . boundaries, no controls can take on so much . more than is even imagined by the typical . human. . . ********************* . N: I have moved from being a person who . always said that I would not allow anyone . to place boundaries around me to being a . person who was totally absorbed by . materialism, ego etc – it has taken me five . years to start to win back my power and to . break the controls that I had placed around . myself. No one did this too me – I did this . too myself because I allowed my ego to . drive who I was – now I care not how people . judge me I care only for how I judge . myself. . . ************** . . S: It is excellent that you don‘t care how . others judge/see you. You are seeing the . truth of what is important and I salute . you! . . ******************* . . N: Whilst I need to work to survive and to . take care of my family I will not be . categoried so like you I share a vision of . no gender, no controls by age, or race etc. . I believe totally in natural health care . and I fear for mankind as a result of drug . companies and the millions of people who . die every year as a result of what they . push in the name of health care. The focus . we have on putting everyone neatly into a . box is so damaging to us as individuals and . spiritual beings. I rebel against this at . every opportunity. . . ************ . . S: It’s too bad that more people don’t see . the truth of this. Everything is a . business and the way people treat their . bodies is not much different then how one . would take care of their car. The . educational system is also so very . lacking. Children are taught to memorize . and just repeat other works, creativity is . not encouraged and not one lesson on the . true essence of what we are spirit. We are . taught to find everything outside of . ourselves from health care to happiness. . Therefore not many people know of the . healing power within them or the genius . that is inherently theirs. We are taught . that possessions matter more than anything . to fill a hollow shell or boost an ego. . All the time ignoring the truth our spirit . wants to manifest. WE have all the . knowledge within us and the capacity for so . much more than memorization and robotic . like action. If this was truly encouraged . in our young, it would be a different . world. . . As it stands now, even if one has the . wisdom of spirit, one has to pull out of . world mind effects, karma, inertia and . psychic vibe constantly. This is really a . full time focus and one that is so very . important for evolution, progression and . ascension. This is not coveted in a . materialistic society. If anything, it is . frowned upon. I am not saying this to be . negative, just to put it into perspective. . When one is aware of everything that . effects such growth, then one can truly . proceed. . . ********************* . . N: I would like to know how you opt out of . paying taxes? Are you self-sufficient? . . ************* . . S: Right now I am self sufficient, but . only because I live very simply. Right now . I am renting a room, although I usually . live in an RV converted van, but I buy only . thrift shop clothes, I have no car, I only . own essentials. No frills so to speak. . Yes, I do have a computer, but to be . honest, I am thinking of selling it. It is . really not a necessity. I can still go to . the library and use their computers.. If I . need funds, I do work, but then I take a . lot of time off again to do the spiritual . work that is most important. I live very . cheaply, therefore I don’t require a big . income. . . ******************* . . N: I struggle with the need to survive and . earn a living and the conflict that that . creates supporting those who seek to . manipulate and control such as governments. . I also had the same struggle in my business . life until I realised that I can help to . change the balance in a small way in being . who I am in my business life and stand in . my own truth rather than just accepting . the ‘status quo’ and supporting others to . do the same we can make change – hopefully . over time we truly do succeed in helping to . change business to be more humanistic and . caring of the environment, the earth and . people. Many see view me a strange but that . is OK at least they are starting to listen. . . ************* . . S: I understand what you are saying and I . know it takes wisdom and courage to be . different. But may I add something . here .changing the business world is only . changing a symptom. The cause is total . wrong focus of materialism, consumerism, . egotism, patriotism ..need I go on? Until . the human race lives as Spirit in body and . knows it’s own power for true manifestation . of the highest good, respecting earth, . realizing our true purpose on earth (as in . the whole cosmos),(which is evolution) . seeing possessions etc as shallow and . unimportant, things won’t really change. A . whole new focus, higher perspective and . total rejection of standards and goals of . society as they are now, is the only way . things will change for the good and . permanently. . . ****************** . . N: I also share your commitment to ‘cause . and effect’. I speak of this often but few . do truly understand what this means. No . action without a reaction – very few think . about the reaction instead they seek to . blame others rather than look within. It is . far too easy now to make everything someone . else’s problem or to just say all is as it . should be. We still have choice but I sense . that many have forgotten that. . . **************** . . S: I agree with you here 100%, but until . we get to the true/bottom line cause of the . worlds ills nothing will really change. . All our values have to be reconsidered and . looked at objectively. IT IS ALL LIES!! . Pure and simple We are all one, so even the . arguments of who has the right to land, who . has the right to kill, who has the right to . pursue financial happiness is all a bunch . of lies to keep the status quo going in . the direction of death, destruction and de- . evolution. People talk of spirit and . higher knowledge and yet without the blink . of an eye they shout from the roof tops . about separation via nationalities, . religions, financial status etc. They are . so caught up in their own head games that . they don’t see (or want to see) the . deception, lies and double messages they . spout. Most don’t even go so far as to . look at spirit therefore the people that . do, I hold even more accountable. At the . rate things are going, they will be more . responsible for the destruction of the . human species because they “appear” to . strive for higher consciousness but all . they are doing is getting stuck in issues . that do nothing but bring the consciousness . down. This only adds to the low vibration . of the world consciousness and does NOTHING . to help uplift and enlighten. We can feed . the hungry, clothe the poor, send medical . aid to those in need, but until we get to . the bottom line of our ills and downward . direction, there will always be more and . more to feed, clothe and heal. Doesn’t . anyone see this? Doesn’t anyone care? We . are fragments of God, We are the hands of . God on earth .WHEN are we going to take . responsibility and truly make changes that . count? It appears already too late. . . I say work on yourself. Raise your . consciousness, strive for higher knowledge, . wisdom and positivity. This is what may . help the world consciousness. Telling . people the truth now, while they are in . this lower consciousness, does nothing. . They are holding on to what they know and . what feeds their self . importance/ego/power/pocketbooks, not what . is important. A whole change of values and . focus is the only thing that will change . the world. Feeding into the status quo of . de-evolution will only bring about more de- . evolution. . . **************************** . . N: Like Sharie thank you for your . considered insight on the topic of . judgement. Accusing people of being . judgemental is just a ploy to stifle truth . and discussion. We are often far too hung . up on the ‘word’ rather than the . circumstance. . . *********************** . . S: I agree. As I have said before a . compliment is also a judgment, but that . is “acceptable”. We use judgment every . day, if we didn’t we would be dead. Truth . is not judgmental, it just is. Turning it . into a personal battle only feeds into the . lower consciousness of the world. Thanks . for mentioning this. . . *************** . . N: This is a great discussion thank you.. . . ******** . . S: And I thank you . . ***************** . . “The moment we begin to fear the opinions . of others and hesitate to tell the truth . that is in us, and from motives of policy . are silent when we should speak, the divine . floods of light and life no longer flow . into our souls. “ . Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815 - 1902), 1890 . . ************ . . "A realized Master has no religion, they . are the embodiment of truth around which . other people mistakenly make . religions"....Matthew Webb . . Re: response to Nathan - Sandi Hunter . 10 Jan 2004 11:50 . #449 Hi Nathan, . . Thanks for posting and answering. I hope . you did get to read (in addition to the . World Mind Society Website) "Intentional . Community with Cosmic Standards", on . Rishi's (Matt's) newslog or in the posts . here. I wrote Matt with your comments and . in answer to your post he writes: . . "In order to start such a community which . we all would benefit from, . (and seek at some level) let us first take . a look at the basics. . . The first prerequisite for real human . progress of any kind, and . particularly community, is self knowledge . through spiritual focus. Without . individuals knowing themselves they cannot . know how to competantly live . with one another, in a way that does not . repeat all the mistakes of . history. Without a spiritual focus, any . person or group usually acts only . with regard to selfish or otherwise small . interests. For that reason . they do not progress in the sense of . evolutionary or soulic growth. . . The very word "community" comes from the . root "commune", ("ity" being . "state of") which is to empathically . connect and be at one. So . "community" literally means "a state of . empathic unity". Anyone who endeavors . to form community must, through self . knowledge and spiritual focus, . determine clearly what INTENT this empathic . connection is to be based . upon. Ideally, such intent would hold . Truth as its' foremost guide, or in . other words, REALITY, which is best . reflected by nature and . natural-spiritual laws. . . If people can agree on these basics of true . community, with full . knowledge and sincerity, then I too am . aligned with such a project." . . ************ . . I hope you will let us know how you . progress... . . Thanks again, . Love and clarity . Sandi . . *********************** . . . . actually . your . you . similar . I . and . shouldn’t . PHYSICALLY . always . would . currently . to . physical . 22 . Vision. . is . self- . either: . never . that . together. . prepare . Wholistic . to . to . to . NCN.... . is . decision . to . ascension . tell . a . in . He . encouraging . Most . been . in . a . important . articles . be . check . if . for . insights Amerika - Frans weyer . 14 Feb 2004 13:18 . #451 I wonder,what to do when you are not alone . in the world,several children and so on. . A very common situation. . I could set my self outside the society- . structures,but when it is simply not . possible,what then. . Don't misunderstand me ,i fully support the . ideas i am reading here and find them . inspiring but i can't help the feeling that . sometimes tickle my nerves and that hums of . elitist. . On the other side,everything over there by . you is bigger than overhere in europe,even . the ideals or solutions,in the inner of . outer world,whatever. . And that is good,not all is bad. . I recently saw a piece of the . film "Woodstock" where a Swami said that all . that garthering of piece in that crowd was a . example of how Amerika could be a light for . the rest of the world,a guide on the . spiritual area,it is still a long way..... . but somewhere there lies a truth in that . statement. . I don't know,is this a relevant topic or are . this thougts of a narrow-minded,well.... . mind. . . Frans. The Intent of the Master - Matthew Webb . 8 Mar 2004 13:55 . #452 . The Intent of the Master is the mastery of . intent. . . Anyone can adopt this intent. It can be . implemented by observing and knowing what . intent is, on a very practical level of . being. . . Intent is; . . 1) ceaselessly active within, as the source . of all decisions, assumptions, feelings and . thoughts. It can be consciously aligned . with. . . 2) a body-wide consideration, which can be . felt. Every part of the body has an . associated feeling. Behind that feeling is . an "intent element" or in other words, a . small part of what makes up our true self. . This true self is our foundation...a . collection of intent elements, commonly . known as "soul", or "consciousness". . Consciousness can be expanded. . . 3) Using body-wide feelings as a feedback- . guide, one can raise their level of . intent. As intent is raised, so too are . the quality and pitch of the feelings in . the body. . . 4) By progressively focusing on the . intent/feeling elements in the body and . raising these to higher levels of function, . we move closer and closer to that level of . being known as "Mastery". We can do this . by a proficiency and knowledge of intent, . which is why the intent of the Master is . the mastery of intent. Those . feeling/intent elements within can be more . closely aligned with one another, and once . again this can be felt. Once they are in . greater alignment, (homogenous) this . results in the gaining of personal power. . A house divided is weak. A self that is . united has the combined power of a large . wave moving as one, as opposed to a set of . smaller, weaker waves that travel in . contrary directions.. . . Other attributes of the Master are; . . 1) They have transcended all the . limitations of culture, nationality, . religion and social norms of their day, in . favor of that which is universal. They . then work for the common good of all . people. The Master uses cosmic standards . such as those found in nature, (rather than . society) which are both timeless and . eternally pertinent. . . 2) As spiritual practitioners, (those who . live their practice daily, and not in . theory) the Master is someone imminently . qualified to advise others along the . spiritual path, due to their extensive . personal experience. They are able to . explain in depth the essence of truth, and . how that applies to all aspects of . spiritual development. [Such an ability . has very little to do with book learning, . and everything to do with ACTION] . . 3) The Master is one who demonstrates that . which they teach, and who can then explain . the demonstration. [Examples of . such “demonstrations” might include the . psychic projection of love and clarity to . others, the daily expression of high . intent, alignment with God and Nature, the . ability to speak clearly about the essence . of reality, the practical presentation of . steps humanity could take to become . enlightened, and avert its own self . destruction, etc.] . . 4) The Master stands for all humanity and . in fact all life, without the interfering . biases of a given belief system, which is . implicitly narrowing and limiting. [this . means the Master is beyond ALL religions, . rituals, specific philosophies, . governments, ethnic backgrounds, and . traditions of all kinds, in favor of the . direct perception of truth, and subsequent . right action based upon it.] . . 5) The Master advocates spiritual . attainment and values based upon the . universal. They do not seek followers, but . spiritual partners, (as equals) who will . one day gain an even higher level of . spiritual practice and realization, than . they themselves have gained. Never does a . true Master say, "I am the ONLY way", but . instead speaks of the undying truth . whereby, through a number of approaches, . practitioners may find their own self . evolving enlightenment. The Master is not . interested in hierarchical structures for . social or spiritual organization. Again, . they seek the self realization of all . persons, as cosmic equals, (souls/centers . of consciousness). . . 6) The Master advocates the greater . refinement of all areas of one's being, . from mind and body to soul. They also . advocate the greater refinement of society . as a collective human endeavor, and for the . sake of planetary enlightenment. . . 7) The Master values truth above all else, . and advocates it as the foremost guide to . living. . . Matthew Webb catalyst@carrollsweb.com . . The World Mind Society . . . Have the Courage to Stand Alone - Matthew Webb . 13 Mar 2004 15:58 . #453 Speakers of Truth Stand Alone . . My love of ancient Old, . fashion me in solitude . of warm Druidic Twilight, . for a sometimes worldly voice tonight. . Let the telling fly on wings to hold, . In bold, Knowing life . of leaves aloft, well-met. . No dogma, no mirth, no petty strife, . passion strength . yet feather soft. . I-made-We are Spirits of Earth, . summer’s staff of windswept eve. . . It’s subtle in the Grove, . when feeling streams . in psychic rain make growth, . flow to deepest rivers’ silence gain. . There, with ease, perception roves. . Few will know to find me there, . spirit kneeling, ever-aware. . Owlsong notes, moss-lined branches cast, . embrace a moon aglow. . We whisper together upon the breeze, . of things that grow, which secrets know, . and glories Ages past. . Marvel at forgetful Man, . rootless, who glories not, . without real plan and to the last, . society without sobriety. . Unlike us He gazes not, . in mirror-pools where ferns are massed, . along old and winding velvet creeks, . of souls’ reflection... . beyond fashion-furor and money-rot. . . Young lives broken, . a heap... . They pitch themselves like wood ablaze, . fashion crazed . upon the rocks of false ideals, . like mindless wheels, in maze of ego gears. . Let us leap amazed, for, . “opportunity knocks”... . with pills to feel, to sleep, smiles are . token. . Does old age miss the amorous chances, . in the love of life, traded thus, . for fashionable power? . Or is it cut short, like the square bushes . they keep? . How do they fare, or do they dare, half . knowing, . of unnamed loss do secretly weep... . leaving unread wisdom written, . on each wing and flower? . True love in simple life, . frayed, forsaken, God-forgotten, . from troubled mind of Man re-made. . What of shine on leaves, green cathedrals, . brought fog-swept . for a thousand, thousand moons? . Deep as ancient roots, old stone, living . runes, . joy prances, while nature rules. . There Truth dances, and love . weaves wondrous, never alone, . hidden from the eyes of fools. . . The dog is taught to heel . but not to roam the land. . Two thousand acres a day, for concrete, . blacktop and steel. . “Progress” is a back-room money deal, . success a steal, at bargain de-basement . rates. . Paid professionals do not feel. . University, curiously, doth digress . they say, “earn a degree”, nature betray, . gain expertise . turning green to grey. . For moneys’ sake, make sure each day, . the natural, the true, the stone and tree, . do not get out of hand . before the neighbors see. . Our captains of industry, blind, . not that they mind, you see, . like Doctors of Philosophy, . of Theology, Economy and Hypocrasy. . Nature dies for the sake of pay, . this remorse, this strife, honesty strays, . where furrowed faces it shows. . The telling of standard and pretty lies, . while living the opposite way. . Politically correct they be, not . understanding, . what even the sparrow knows, . of love, of truth, of remaining free. . . “Life is rough” they say, over porcelin tea, . taking all, discussing fluff. . ever moaning, obvlivious. . Hearts grow cold in gossip and trivia. . False atonement, daily grind is cruel. . Buy and bye, corporate jesters! . Be the Master’s fool, . it is not yours to question why. . “It’s never enough!” good citizens cry, . perform oblations to commericals sly. . Consumers’ Calling...part of the coming . fall. . This they defend, sanity fleeing, . the same lie... . profit is the rule. . Work harder for no particular end. . Making you, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, . their tool. . “Seeing is believing”, . seeing only what they want to see, . simply agreeing . for the sake of looking cool. . Yet why the pointless show...how can this be? . Amazing though it seems, . comedy of errors, this hilarity, . for the love of money they trip, they crawl, . they swoon, . missing the ancient and inner Call, . to beauty, love and clarity. . Never mind the REAL progress . of human beings. . In this modern mess, truth a rarity. . To know this dance of God in action, . life in measure fullest . ALL . instead of a tiny fraction, . as your ally, my Dear! . . The Teachers’ most trying task . is decidedly not, . in leading Man to natural water. . For even though it be terribly hot, . over every hill and mountain, . not plastic and cement fountains, mind you, . but to every leaugue of every sea, . past and presently. . The greatest sum, I think, . of this Heros’ labor, . ultimately comes, . in getting him to drink. . Divest of fictions, drink of truth he Must, . with care, . in the forests, upon the glade, under the . oceans, . though He distrusts them there, . “Too quiet” are they, . they show too much, are too reflective. . Calmly flowing mirror pools. . Yet in the end, only these will do, . cooling feverous ego duels, . foolish industry, . and right perspective mend. . . Natural Plans are corrective then, . in remembering . who is created equal. . For neither presidents, popes or average men, . does the truth bend, or slope. . Denounce today your duly elected, . jury-rigged speeches slogan infected, . the ones whose god is money-dope, . worshipping all that is defective. . . Natural silence clears the mind. . Natural abode, your love is sweet. . . Yet though the waters satisfy, . few will try, defeated, . your limpid pools of reality, . timeless echoes, rippling mirrors Ages fly, . banishing, . the deepest thirst of human kind. . That spiritual urge do men defy, . fearing facts therein they meet, . and the face to be reflected. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Neogenesis - Matthew Webb . 31 Mar 2004 14:39 . #454 Greetings all WMS members and allies, . . The following is an upcoming project on . behalf of the World Mind Society. It is . the . initial PR documnt for the sake of . generating needed funds, filming and . publishing contacts and public awareness. . . If any of you hav ideas, know sources of . funding or publishing, then please let . Spells, (spellscaster9@yahoo.com) know. . . I'll be in the local woods finishing this . work for the next several months... . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . P.S. Please note also that there are many . new articles in the WMS Library which may . be . of interest at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest !!! . . ***** . . Neogenesis . The Mastery of Intent . . This visionary epic proposes a new, . spiritual renaissance for humanity, in both . book and movie form. The semi-fictional . story captivates the viewer through rich . imagery and a deep reflection into the . meaning of life. Its’ cosmic message of . new . hope through inner strength, can sweep the . globe like a great wave, changing all the . things we take for granted in the modern . world. The film will prompt the viewer to . reach deep within soul and DNA alike, to . rekindle the spiritedness found there. The . time for a return to nature and natural . laws . is at hand. We each have the power to . expand our own consciousness, but first, we . must go beyond a failing consumer society, . one that is literally permeated by . unnecessary war and strife of all kinds. . . Neogenesis is fantasy with a mission. . Scenes . range from graphic, action-oriented martial . arts and psychic battle, to tantric love- . making, lucid dreaming, group meditation . and . alignment with the spiritual forces of . nature. Images often switch back and forth . between realms of existence, to show what . is . going on in the physical, as well as the . astral, ethereal and spiritual planes. From . these alternate perspectives the viewer can . actually witness the person to person . effects of love, sex, hate, scenes of . battle, music, mobs and crowds, unified . field physics, meditation and even . attunement with God, at the level of . psychic . energy/intent. From this intimate . knowledge, the viewer will be readied to . take a higher level of Mastery into their . own lives, demonstrating that we are not . nearly as limited as modern society would . have us believe. A heavy emphasis is . placed . upon demonstrating what we can do . cooperatively, especially through what is . known as group mind force. This is true . not . only of group meditation and prayer, but . also coordinated action in the physical . world. Such knowledge can bring about a . new . era of REAL progress for our global . civilization, and every person in it. . . Neogenesis is based on truth and true . experiences, conveying a fascinating depth . to its scenes. It demonstrates many of the . latent powers of expanded consciousness we . all are quite capable of. Although highly . entertaining, this story is designed to . provide real, practical and spiritual . instruction, prompting a transformation of . modern social structures. Were these . lessons widely implemented, they would . bring . about a revolution in human genius and . excellence never before seen in the history . of our species. . . Using state-of-the-art, supercomputer- . generated animation, the film takes us . behind the psychic-spiritual scenes of the . material world. It is a backstage look at . what really goes on in life, that only the . freedom of animation can provide. Forces of . emotion and intent, projected by the . powerful characters it portrays, are shown . as tangible waves of mental and spiritual . energy. Thought-forms with spell-like . effects are seen to both clash and . cooperate. Heated battles between the . forces of dark and light intent, are waged . at all levels of the physical, mental and . spiritual world. The viewer is drawn to . conclude certain concrete messages from . various scenes, through discourse and . implication, leading them to greater inner . knowledge and global self awareness. . . The Neogenesis material is based largely . upon existing World Mind Society teachings, . by Matthew Webb, ( visionquest@eoni.com ) . . . For supplemental reading these can be found . at the http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Library. . . Let the revolution begin! . . . . . . . . Re: Have the Courage to Stand Alone - Mike Van Wagoner . 10 Apr 2004 14:19 . #455 You have an awesome poetic talent!! A poem . based on truth is overflowing with meaning . and touches me deep. I am enlightened and . inspired to write my poems with more . meaning...Thank you . . be? . crawl, . men, Re: Amerika - Mike Van Wagoner . 10 Apr 2004 14:44 . #456 Most people have definately reached that . situation; temporal and full of material . responsibility. But a larger relation base . of family and obligation doesn't have to . diminish a united flame and the tendency to . change and grow as an individual... . As a musician I am often experiencing . amazing effects on people due to positive . vibrations. It is so uplifting to create a . connection with someone by the intent of . honest and confident sound waves. I beleive . that was the main experience during . performances at Woodstock. The same synergy . happens in any amount of people anywhere who . get together for the creation of positive . vibrations. That is what will change the . nations... . . united may we "ALL" stand... . . . all . a . are Re: Amerika - Frans weyer . 15 Apr 2004 12:35 . #457 Sure,i agree. . I didn't mean that so called material . responsibility must stand in the way of grow . and positive vibrations to the rest of . mankind. . I meant more the solutions like step out of . society,not paying taxes and so on. . But your right the most important thing is . to be a positive vibe in mankind. . O Yeah,united we may all stand. . If there is a difference between let say . america and again let say europe than that . is of second importance,or third.... . . . beleive . who . the . that . of . for reflection - Frans weyer . 9 Jun 2004 13:19 . #458 The sun is setting in a golden haze and I’m . remembering a day gone by. . In a lazy mood I am thinking over . the . European elections that are beginning . tomorrow and how easy it could be. . Where are we voting for over here, for . mostly people to play there irresponsible . games, and which one shall be in favor, . which game to play when you is ask for your . vote? . Not to play is denying the oneness, all is . one is not just a phrase for them who have . heard and felt the strong and easy . heartbeat, heaven and earth . So a vote can give the light a very material . home . . What to say more while the sun is sinking . over the hazy meadows. . Mastery of intent, what intent can that be, . the intent to live a spiritual life or the . intent to be a whole being or a intent that . must ripe and flourish during your lifetime. . “The one not without the other” sings a . blackbird somewhere in a tree. . . . . Re: Have the Courage to Stand Alone - Matthew Webb . 8 Jul 2004 22:21 . #459 Thanks very much Mike, I'm honored. . . poem . gears. . bushes . tea, . you, . Must, . fly, To Raise and Unify - Matthew Webb . 8 Jul 2004 22:24 . #460 . Chapter 1 Neogenesis (draft) . To Raise and Unify . . A few of my personal notes from the 2004 . vision-quest in the forest, read as . follows. They are a completely non- . fictional account of what transpired on . those days . . . . Hill of Power Experience . Tuesday April 20th, 2004 . . Today as the weather cleared for the first . time in over ten days, I resolved early to . go to a nearby hilltop lookout, there to . gain power as I have before. The view from . this spot is truly breathtaking. It . reveals other forested hills like this one . rising some 1500 feet above sea level. To . the south there is a valley clearing . bordered by thick bushes, split into two . divisions by a hill somewhat smaller than . the one I visit, topped by grey, weathered . stone. To the west is the barely visible . Pacific Ocean with tiny offshore islands . and foggy mist. To the north are other . hills of even greater elevation than these, . though they have been logged within the . last decade. To the east is an expanse of . endless hills, through which the white . water of a rushing river can be seen but . not heard. The weather was mild and a . slight breeze blew through last Autumns’ . leaves. . . I chose on this occasion a spot to the left . of the summit. It was a rocky slope of . small trees with bushes interspersed with . grey stone and veins of quartz. Pink . rhododendron blossoms accentuated the dark . green of small cedar trees. There I began a . meditation very successfully for about 2 . hours. The resulting state was so . satisfying that I hardly noticed the . passage of time, were it not for the . movement of the sun overhead. I drew chi . from intermittent sunlight, and then there . was a sharp increase of feeling in my 3rd . and 4th chakras, which I recognized as . a “threshold” of consciousness suddenly . crossed. My vibration had risen . tremendously, and I attributed this partly . to the Suns’ influence, and partly to the . local Earth consciousness, which could be . clearly felt in all directions. I was . immediately compelled to reach out with my . awareness first to the Sun, then to the . Earth, and then a combination of the two. . My souls’ inner voice summarized the needed . intent by saying simply, “Sun raises . Earth”, Earth raises Sun”. This meant . extending my then expanded state of . consciousness to that radiant center of . consciousness we call, “Sol” and then to . the planetary group mind known as . the, “Earth Mind”, simultaneously. The . thoughtform that spontaneously arose from . that intention was the forming of an . energetic corridor between those two . bodies via myself, on the basis of my high . state. Once the three-way psychic . connection was made, I simply . INTENDED, “best spiritual benefit” be . manifest to and from, “all parties” using . that state. This energetic corridor was . tube-like, and formed an enormous, . perfectly straight pathway from Earth to . Sun, with a diameter roughly that of . Australia. I did not create this . visualization beforehand through mental . decision or process. It simply popped into . my mind intuitively and fully formed as . described, and it was clearly my state at . that moment which triggered the process. . . The “tube” first connected with the Sun, . and I thereby gained a super-burst of solar . chi that infused every particle of my being . with a feeling of vitality and strength. . The chi also came with an extraordinarily . high vibration attached to it. It was as . though, as on countless occasions . previously, my intent first makes contact . with the Sun and the Sun “reciprocates” . with a state of like kind. [The reader may . draw what conclusion they will from this, . but in my repeated experience, the Sun . possesses a form of consciousness that is, . under the right conditions, . (intention) “responsive”. I do not wish . to “personify” unduly, but this fact can be . validated by any meditator]. Be it noted . that all matter/energy has some degree of . consciousness associated with it, including . moons, planets, stars and even larger . bodies. There is even consciousness, (God . Force) to be found in atoms and sub-atomic . particles. It is therefore perfectly . possible as well as demonstrable, that such . celestial bodies can be “aligned with” . psychically, which is to say, “spiritually . tuned in on”. This is best done by dynamic . feelings throughout the body. . . As I focused my dynamic, high state upon . the solar mind, its’ reciprocating intent . entered me almost immediately. At this . point I felt intuitively compelled to align . the mutual high, (the Sun and I) with the . consciousness of the Earth Mind. This . attempt was almost immediately successful . within seconds. The “God Force” or . consciousness of my soul/body, the Earth . and the Sun, then formed a three-way intent . of raising and “being high” together. . [Years ago such events would have still . surprised me, for they seem an illogical . event from the standpoint of the Western . Mind. However, elements of this account . are not at all unknown in shamanism, . Gnostic Christianity, Mystical Sufism, or . ancient Vedic practices, as well as certain . martial arts.] Such abilities in the wise . coordination of consciousness, I realized . finally, is one of the very purposes for . which we human beings were evolved by this . planetary Mind, (God Force) which we now . inhabit. . . Thus, as I projected or “cast” . consciousness raising intention to both the . Earth and Sun, (for about 30-60 seconds) I . was struck by a very notable concentration . of Earth Mind presence in the local area. . For a moment I had the tendency to be . skeptical about such perceptions, “just to . make sure” they were accurate. [I am of . course aware of the possibility to intuit . an event incorrectly, and always check . intuition with repeated experiment and . logic so as to avoid self-delusion. . However I did not at all feel these . perceptions to be in any way delusional, . even after repeated observations, nor did . logic suggest otherwise according to the . knowledge I’ve gained over the years.] The . feelings were rather unmistakable, and yet . I still felt some degree of doubt. One . reason for this is that when psychic . connections of such intensity arise, they . can be quite immense and rather . disorienting. In other words, such matters . are still almost too large for my usual . mind to assimilate. I became reminded of . this inadequacy as in times of the recent . past, and intended more clarity in my sixth . chakra, [forehead region]. This was . intermittently successful and I DID raise . my consciousness greatly once again, . finding no flaws in my earlier conclusions. . . After some minutes I found these . psychic/spiritual exertions to be . momentarily tiresome, so I sat down on a . nearby rock at my feet. Almost as soon as . this occurred, I looked out over the lush . valleys and folded hills some ten miles in . all southerly directions. A most . notable “apparition” if you will then . arose, and I assume it took the form it did . so that my small human mind could relate to . it. I beheld what might be called, “a . thought-form of the Earth Mind” that was . created for my reception. There first . appeared lines of sparkling force running . in various directions, whose ephemeral . image was superimposed over the physical . trees as a criss-crossed landscape. After . about 30 seconds of this, there appeared . about two thirds of the way up the hillside . to my immediate right, directly facing my . line of sight, a large, roughly human . face. It was perhaps 50 yards square. The . face was vaguely female with an intensity . of stare and subtle expression which . responded, or changed I realized, in small . degrees to every subtle shift of my own . consciousness, body-wide. With each subtle . shift there was a subtle change of . expression, and in moments of higher states . it’s form looked more receptive. I could . clearly feel the presence of the Earth Mind . under my feet more intensely, and to a . lesser extent, everywhere in all . directions. This presence or set of . feelings was also very strongly . concentrated or focalized around the face . itself, which then had the most . intense “gaze” toward me. To be honest I . was frankly thrilled from a spiritual . viewpoint, and a little terrified in the . psychological perspective. [My mind and . soul are not yet always in accord] . . I realized all this while staring fixedly . at the face as a whole. Then I decided it . would be a good idea to raise my intent . once more, re-initiating the, “all benefit . at all levels” type of focus. This intent . was immediately successful, for I gained a . great feeling-clarity wave of reciprocating . intent from the Earth Mind. At that . moment I knew with absolute certainty that . the Earth consciousness and I stood . together for exactly the same cause, which . is the attainment of greater evolution, and . the raising of consciousness to gain that . evolution. It is hard to overemphasize . from these and many other experiences, that . INTENT is the primary focus in the raising . of personal or environmental . consciousness. I am constantly reminded of . this almost every day. Feeling the weight . of some un-named responsibility, I made my . best efforts over the period of the . following hour to progressively raise, . [intended to elevate] all the feeling- . intent elements throughout my body. I also . raised those in the environment to the best . of my ability. Perhaps needless to say, . such events prompt me to elevate the . standing assumptions from which I operate . my daily life. . . During this hour the “face” and its’ . presence became even more intense and . prominent, especially when I employed . specific intentions. My Earth Mind . alignments increased in every portion of my . being. I reveled in an ecstatic flow of . fulfillment, strength and clarity of . astonishing proportions. I SAW at the same . time many things about society and its . associated World Mind, [collective . consciousness of humanity]. Yet even these . revelations did not surpass the sweetness . or scope of feeling I felt in every cell, . tissue, organ and even atom of my entire . body. Waves of bliss occasionally swept . through me from head to toe. Feelings of . incredible strength and even great . Attainment caused me to swoon with the . intensity of the moment. At one point I . felt on the verge of great powers and . revelations, and these clearly had their . source in the intimate connection to the . Earth Mind presence before me. There arose . the distinct impression, as a feeling of . absolute certainty, that the Earth Mind . wanted and wants me to progress . spiritually, and to fulfill my purpose in . expanding consciousness on this planet and . in this body. In fact, this is the reason . Earth Intelligence evolved human beings to . start with. I also realized that such . expansion of consciousness is in part at . least, the mission of every soul. Just as I . had raised the Solar and Earth . consciousness with the intent of their best . benefit, so too was the Earth Mind now . raising me with an intention of like kind. . . At about that moment, three vultures were . drifting about in unison, in the rising air . currents through the small valley below. . As they flew, they formed a nearly perfect . triangle in the air. I psychically felt . that these birds were also filled at that . moment with Earth Mind force and power, and . that their presence had auspicious . meaning. The message that came into my . mind upon realizing this, was that this . triangle represented spiritual initiation. . . From such revelations my mind veered this . way and that through sheer amazement, much . like an over-domesticated animal might do . after being suddenly set free in some open . meadow. Great clarity possessed my mind. I . peered with absolute fixity and dread . fascination upon comprehending various . depths of the modern condition. I SAW that . most if not all of this condition, (the . sufferings of man) is totally self- . induced. The root of all our problems, or . evils if you will, are based primarily on . being disconnected with nature and its . attendant well-being. We long for our lost . and naked vitality, feeling with gusto the . force of air and sun upon our bodies. We . seek to live yet again the contentment of . wholeness that is the natural birthright of . every natural being, to feel the earth . under bare feet, absorb the singing of . birds in our very bones and commune with . the depths of silent roots. If modern . science wants to REALLY know the cure for . cancer and a host of other ills, then they . must recognize that THIS is a large part of . it. I was told in no uncertain terms, that . it would be of extra-ordinary medical . benefit for most people to expose their . unclothed bodies to earth, clean, flowing . water and particularly, direct sunlight. . . These realizations and others about . humanity had me inevitably evaluating my . own life. I immediately took off my . sandals and then all clothes, to feel . firsthand such advice as it had been sagely . given. I DID feel tremendously better in . seconds and saw the truth of this advice in . terms of feelings body wide. However, my . Seeings of the modern condition started to . pull me in and absorb my awareness, or . rather, I was beginning to let them do so. . In fact, I started to psychically re- . connect with that pain and fear which are . so prevalent in modern society. I also . sometimes get rather “overcome” with these . gaining-of-power sessions, and do sometimes . battle fear, thinking that such matters are . simply too big for me. But I came ready . for this, having learned from previous . experiences, and countered with an . unbending intent of raising and well . focused clarity. By that time however, I . had lost about 80 percent of the power of . my original state of consciousness. . The “face” on the hillside was nowhere to . be seen, and no matter how I looked at that . configuration of trees and bushes where it . had once been, I saw no natural resemblance . to anything “face-like”. The tube-like . thoughtform from Earth to Sun had all but . shaken out of phase and dissolved, since I . had not been dedicated enough to . maintaining its’ existence. This is . typical of thoughtforms. They need regular . re-enforcement or they will simply . dissipate like clouds on a hot day. . . My body started to feel rather unstable. . Exhausted, I felt the uncomfortable edges . of rocks under my feet, waiting for my . consciousness to fall back to a more normal . state. It did fall, but not all the way, . as I gazed across the miles of treetops and . distant hills. I sat upon my rock and . regrouped, taking a moment for, “a warriors . pause” so as to absorb the implications of . these events. White clouds drifted . silently through the sky, while distant . birds called out over the open valley. . . At first I thought the experience had run . its’ course, but after only a few moments . of silent repose, my energy was re- . gathering. Somewhat surprised, I took this . as a good sign and meditated further to see . what might happen next. My intuition . indicated that I should again cast high . intent, so I visualized a three mile . diameter sphere wherein, “the best . spiritual benefit” could be projected. This . again caused immediate psychic . reciprocation to be returned to me from the . Earth. Then, almost as abruptly, my state . faltered again. “Psychic fatigue” as I . call it was definitely setting in. . . However, I still had strong psychic . connections with the local Earth . consciousness even at a mental, (6th . chakra) level, which is rather unheard-of . in my personal experience. Then something . else occurred that was quite unexpected and . rather unique. Specific words appeared in . my mind, coupled with a “meaningful . presence” that conveyed what I would have . to call, “good wishes and the intent for . spiritual advancement”. The words appeared . clearly as though spoken aloud, yet very . rapidly in short bursts. Oddly enough, each . burst of words coincided with certain small . sounds in some nearby bushes, within five . feet of my legs. I thought this too . strange to be related and dismissed it as . simple coincidence. The first message . accompanied by subtle rustling of leaves, . comprised this meaning; “I AM HERE”. My . average mind resisted this, calling it . probable folly or imagination. But then . more rustling occurred and the following . message appeared to my mind to the effect . of; “I AM EARTH CONSCIOUSNESS IN THIS . MESSENGER. THE LIZARD IS OMEN AND . EMISSARY”. My mind said, “this surely . cannot be here and now” and I had yet to . see any lizard. Then more rustling . occurred, and sure enough a lizard head . appeared between the low branches of a . bush, not more than two feet from my left . foot.. As I looked between its branches, . there was the lizard watching me fixedly. . Another message appeared in my mind and . said, “YES IT CAN BE, I AM HERE”. My mind . was astounded by the lizard but was still . wondering if this was just more . coincidence. Another rustle of movement . and the lizard was no longer visible, but . the psychic message was; “I WILL SHOW YOU . THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN COINCIDENCE”. . . Rustling noises on leaves and small twigs . appeared then to my left, about two feet . away. I slowly turned my head to look, not . wanting to scare whatever it was away. I . couldn’t see anything though my feelings . told me it WAS the lizard, and that its’ . intent was to circle me. I dismissed that . thought as improbable. Even so, I waited . expectantly to see what would happen, . assuming the sounds would soon turn away . and diminish. But the rustling of leaves . did not turn away, nor did they diminish. . Every 30 seconds or so the noises would . occur and then stop, coinciding with those . jerky motions that lizards are known for. . I kept feeling more and more surprised by . this, regardless of the earlier events of . the day. Sounds of rustling leaves now . appeared directly behind me, and could not . have been more than six or 12 inches away. . I sat with expectation, feeling strong . Earth Mind presence in all directions, but . still having some doubt. A moment of fear . moved through my body, but I sent it away . with an intent to stay receptive even at a . psychic level. I’m usually not approached . THIS closely by skittish and wild animals I . thought to myself. Then I got another . message; “I AM HERE IN THIS CONDUIT. . CONTINUE SENDING RAISING INTENT AND I WILL . RECIPROCATE. My mind whispered, “surely . not”, and the answer was; “WHEN I MOVE ONTO . YOUR LEG, IT WILL SIGNIFY THE REALITY OF . THIS”. . . I raised again, intoned different notes and . drew in chi. Then something lightly . touched the outside of my right thigh, and . I almost jumped. These were lizard feet! . The lizard crawled in jerky motion across . my lap and then rested upon my left knee. . There, as if to prove the point, it stared . me in the eye and the vibe-message that . came through our meeting gaze was this; “I . AM HERE. PERSEVERE IN SUCH INTENTIONS WITH . ME, (and be my ally). . . I was feeling quite honored, while the same . time suffering somewhat under the . tremendous wake of responsibility and . accountability, that such an alignment must . consist of. Nevertheless, I sent raising . intent to the lizard messenger and its . Earth Mind puppeteer. The high state that . resulted was profound, though once again . psychic fatigue was setting in. I . reprimanded myself for this, and for . indulging in old feeling patterns and fears . as a fallback position of “safety”. At . least twenty minutes later the lizard was . still perched atop my knee, always staring . me in the eye, exuding an immense presence . about 1000 times greater in intensity than . should a creature of such diminutive . stature. It was extremely obvious that . there was something flowing through the . lizard that was far greater than its’ own . normal degree of awareness. Through all of . this I attempted to raise again and again, . but was losing some ground spiritually and . psychically. I could feel a lowering of . energy body wide. I was reminded due to . this, of the continuing need to gain more . personal power and naturalness. Meanwhile, . the lizard-messenger had crawled down my . shin and now sat on my left foot, with its . front feet placed on the base of my big and . first toe. There it stayed for another 15 . minutes or so, while I made adjustments and . purifications to my chakras. It was then I . noticed the feelings of intensity and even . calm healing “heat”, where the lizards . right foot rested upon a spot on my big . toe. The intuitive message that then . appeared in my mind, (source unknown, but . probably my soul) said; “You are being . aided, and that placement, (of the foot) . facilitates this”. . . Then some moments later the lizard suddenly . jumped off my foot and moved rapidly into . the bushes from which it came. I did not . see or hear it again. I pondered this for a . moment and wondered if I’d been abandoned . for having some indiscreet intention. At . that precise moment however, I heard . another rustle of leaves about four feet to . my right. I turned and saw that it was . another lizard! At that moment it looked . at me in the eye from its perch atop a . small rock, sending this psychic . message; “I AM HERE, YOU ARE NOT . ABANDONED”. It then proceeded to crawl . rapidly over my discarded pants, coming . closer and closer. It climbed the rock . upon which I sat and touched me on the leg, . at almost the same spot as the earlier one . had, and then returned rapidly to the rocks . toward the west. . . The whole experience has shown me the . depths of Earth consciousness, which . Western thought completely underestimates. . There IS without doubt a deep intelligence . flowing through nature. This intelligence . can actually be interacted with on a . progressive basis! . . I now more fully understand the source and . nature of what are called, “omens”. Omens . are merely the use of “vehicles” . or “messengers” by the consciousness at . large, (God Force). Usually these . messengers are animals, (to a lesser extent . objects and unusual events) since they are . the most responsive and adaptable vehicles . to be “used” by this force, for whatever . purpose is deemed suitable, (usually . spiritual revelation). Sometimes people are . used this way but they are generally . unaware of the fact, or to put that another . way, their social training does not allow . them to be. . . Since that time earlier today, I’ve taken . the advice of the Earth and not worn . anything on my feet. Upon returning the 3 . miles to camp, I slowly walked for a long . while with notebook in hand. Despite my . fatigue, I enthusiastically wrote these 14 . consecutive [handwritten] pages within the . space of two hours. . . . * * * . . Agent of God Experience . Sunday May 9th, 2004 . . I must report my extraordinary experience . of yesterday. It swept through my being . like a great tide. I would have . immediately recorded it, but a feeling of . being overwhelmed made me unwilling to . write, or in fact, do anything else but . meditate or sleep. . . In meditating as I often do upon the depth . of the worlds’ ills, an inner turmoil is . sometimes the result.. All of the worlds’ . problems DO have their concrete and . relatively simple solutions, to be . certain. Knowing this however is not as . easy is implementing what must be done to . enlighten this world from the currently . Dark Age of consumerism and materialism. . The burden of finding such a remedy for the . human condition, fraught as it is with pain . and fear, quite often weighs heavily upon . my soul. As a soul I know I have the . capacity to create significant, spiritual . revolution in the world. Even as a mind do . I see the opportunity for saving human . beings from a measure of the negative karma . of past millennia. But regardless of this . I sometimes feel deep lament and pain for . the world as it is, not just for a confused . humanity, but for the suffering that . travels through nature that is caused by . them. Much of the pain of realization . resides in the very clear knowledge that . international and interpersonal relations . alike, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT NEED TO BE THIS . WAY. What we see today as the “norm” is . both unnatural and contrary to universal . designs. . . Lamenting these facts, I felt suddenly . compelled to lay upon the short loop of . dirt road, of about 80 yards in diameter, . which circles near my camp. I’d been . feeling truly at a loss as to how to write . in ways that would convey the truth of life . to most people, for weeks on end. I cried . for humanity at that moment under a cloudy . sky, in a strangely somber and peaceful . way. Unexpectedly, an intuitive message . simply presented itself fully formed in my . mind. The message was composed of but a . few words, and these I quote as . follows, “Align with God” it said, “and . draw strength from this”. There was such . certainly of purpose and deep feeling . behind those words, so I did . enthusiastically call upon the presence of . God with all of my being. The result was at . first only a distant feeling of what might . be called “presence”, which became more and . more distinct with each passing moment, . combined with a felt, high feeling. But . after about fifteen minutes of staring . upward through the branches of tall trees, . and into the rolling clouds above, there . rose up within me a sense of profound . love. This love was most unusual. It was . not typical of my usual, daily state of . consciousness, and yet was strongly . familiar at the same time. I had mostly . forgotten it in this life, but the . remarkable qualities of that feeling struck . a chord with my soul, which seemed more . like “home” than any place or state I had . ever known. It was a deep, wide and . expensive love felt all over the body and . soul alike, but saying this does not do . justice to the moment. To say that it was . of such excellence that the finest orgasm . combined with the most passionate romantic . love, could only pale in on comparison, . would be only a starting point. . . This love could only be Divine without any . doubt whatsoever and it filled me as a dry . sponge is filled to capacity, and then kept . on streaming in. The issue of “worthiness” . kept creeping into my mind, and whether or . not that was appropriate I do not know. . Never the less, I endeavored to be worthy . of this Love-gift with great inner focus, . and sought with some success to purify my . intent, so as to accommodate and be . transformed by, this Love. Its’ intensity . was such that I wept out of release, relief . and joy. Yet this did offer any real . release from that great in-pouring of . feeling, any more than a tiny pier could . stand against a tsunami. Rather, I was . compelled, (to say the least) to channel . that enormous excess of feeling and energy, . first to the local woods, then to the . entire region here in southern Oregon, (and . its’ attendant Earth Consciousness) and . then to all people worldwide. This helped . to alleviate the feeling of spiritual . pressure, for lack of a better term, like . floodwaters behind a great dam is helped by . opening flood gates. At certain moments . though, even these measures were not enough . to channel away the excess of love. During . certain moments I was intuitively prompted . to visualize in my minds’ eye the entire . Earth as if viewed from space, and to . create great sparkling columns of love . cascading down from the upper atmosphere. . Such a visualization was not a creation of . my mind, so much as a spontaneous . thoughtform inserted into my being from . elsewhere. The base of these columns must . have been several hundred miles in . diameter, branching, replicating and . dividing like the limbs of great trees in . geometric precision, until they entered . every living being upon this world. I FELT . this to be so. The rendered effects were . intuitively unmistakable. I felt the Love . of God being manifest throughout the world . in this way, and was told that such INTENT . could be used to even greater success by . groups of people similarly focused . together. Although I am not prone to . emotionalism, I wept again, just due to the . sheer intensity of the event. . . At that moment, the certainty of God- . connection and the carrying out of Divine . will on Earth were mine. I knew this Will, . along with the Seeing of the purpose of . life, and how it can best be fulfilled as a . human being. Clear to me was the fact that . God is consciousness, and consciousness is . God. As souls we also are composed of . consciousness, making us “God Force . fragments” and part of the unified field of . consciousness planet-wide. As centers of . consciousness we have lasting identity even . beyond these physical bodies. . Unfortunately, the knowing of this . firsthand through direct and repeated . experience, is far different than knowing . such matters only from a theoretical . basis. It occurred to me that such direct . experiences are the true basis of theology, . not the study of scriptures, commentaries . on scriptures, or the dry repetition of . rituals or phrases. Nor is theology even . the study of opinions of very noteworthy . persons such as Saints or Mystics who had . such direct experiences. There is no better . way to see a color or hear a sound than to . behold it personally, and no amount of . explanation by even the most . inspired “Holy” books can convey the direct . experience of Consciousness, (God) by the . same token. As self directing fragments of . that which is called, “God” it is our most . profound need to both recognize self as . soul, and understand the belonging of soul . to God, (Consciousness) in the same manner . as the individual cell belongs to the . body. This is not theory, it is a . demonstrable fact to those who would only . take the time and energy to See it. One . ideal method for such revelation is of . course, meditation. . . About 45 minutes into the meditation, two . phrases popped into my mind at the behest . of this profound Love. They were, “God . Force” and, “God Agent”, (or “Agent of . God”). Along with these words came a . remembrance of their practical meaning. . God Force or Consciousness itself, is what . can be felt flowing through all the forms . of nature, such as a group of trees or . grassy field. It is what composes what I . refer to as the “Earth Mind”, though that . collective is a much larger fragment of God . than we are as individuals. . Consciousness/God Force is also that same . essence which is felt flowing from person . to person in any group. It is especially . evident in an emotionally charged . atmosphere, such as a sporting event, . fervent prayer meeting or meditation group, . and it is even that energy which can be . felt during sex. This fact can be . consciously experienced firsthand by anyone . who remains attentive to internal and . environmental feelings. It is this essence . which is of such “sameness” as that which . composes others and nature alike, that it . could in very realistic way be called SELF, . a realization which originates the ancient . phrase, “I AM THAT”. . . Recognizing self as soul/consciousness, is . just one major step along the pathway of . self-realization. The next and greater step . is for the individual to realize that they . are in fact a fragment of God, just as the . various colors shed by a prism or refracted . in a rainbow are fragments of white light. . Further still on this Path is to realize . that ALL people, ALL souls, and ALL forms . of life are to some degree fragments of . this greater whole, whose collective . presence we call, “God”. One step further . yet in one’s spiritual development comes . upon realizing that as a fragment of God . which is self knowing, we have within our . power to consciously take on those goals . and even methods, (to a very minor degree, . obviously) which God Itself acts through. . Primary among the goals of God is the . expansion of consciousness. In terms . of “method”, foremost in the expansion of . consciousness is the raising of . INTENT. “Motive force” is also another term . for what intent really is and does. The . raising of intent means achieving or . acquiring higher and higher levels of . motive force in one’s life and in . everything they do. It refers to the . purification of ones’ moment to moment . motives every day, with the ultimate goal . of uplifting all souls and all life, in the . ever greater expression and manifestation . of excellence. The raising of intent is in . fact the central engine behind the . evolution of life. To consciously take on . these Divine goals and methods then, is to . become an Agent of God, whereby Divine Will . actually flows through a person’s life, to . animate their accomplishments for the sake . of good with an unmistakably spectacular . hue. It is a very high act of spiritual . ministry to inform others of this great . Cosmic Cause of which we are all . participants. It is an even greater act to . INSPIRE others to become the living Agents . of God while they are still in a physical . body, and while still incarnated within a . primitive age. . . After about an hour I finally a rose from . lying on the ground, and returned to my . camp. I managed to do this while . maintaining a very elated euphoria, but . with great effort. My body felt as if it . was experiencing a variable state of . shock. I rested there in my van for about . 30 minutes, and then an unexpected . resurgence of energy infused my being. This . energy was of such a dynamic type that my . lethargy and shock totally reversed. I got . out a small stereo with some drumming . music, and stood next to a natural fire pit . by my tent. There I felt compelled to . dance in a way I could only describe . as, “shaman-like” with rhythmic movements. . My level of consciousness shifted up and . down tremendously with each passing five . minute period, with the lowest level being . that of what might be called, “the . archetypal shaman” and the highest being . somewhere around what might be referred to . as a, High Master” or perhaps “Avatar”. . [Most of my meditations of late have in . fact been of an extremely high nature, and . they continue to build and compound in . effect upon one another.] . . As I danced there occurred the compulsion . to intone various notes at the same time, . (briefly, intonation is the holding of . sustained sounds with the voice, usually . through an entire exhalation) ranging from . a high “E” and moving all the way down the . scale to a low “M”. I also picked up two . staff-like pieces of wood, each about 4 . feet long, which I found around the loop . here. Each had been burned to a point at . one end, with one being curved and the . other straight. [From previous experiences . over the years, I’m very familiar with the . use of a staff in the “casting” . (projection) of energy. They are an . excellent tool for spiritual work of all . kinds. The staff can be used for the . casting of high intent and raising, as well . as the manifestation of the high much like . a radio transmission antenna.] I held one . in each hand, and with them could very . readily intend the outflow or influx of . energy at will. I was intuitively compelled . to cast or radiate through the curved . staff, with the effect of reaching with the . love of God out into the human world. I . felt enormously powerful waves of force . radiating outward for what felt like . hundreds of miles in all directions. . Around the around I danced while intoning . notes, in ways that reminded me first of . shamanic rituals and then of lives on other . worlds. I felt the ancientness of my . soul.. In each life I’ve always had a . spiritual focus first and foremost, at . least as far back as my soulic memory . readily permits. . . There were even a few moments where I cast . high intent worldwide, sometimes using the . consciousness of the local forest as a . psychic ally and broadcasting medium. . There is no mistaking the psychic effects . so created. On Saturday May 8th, 2004, I . did create tremendous waves of . consciousness-raising intent worldwide at . the prompting of God. I doubt that there . was a single person anywhere in this planet . at that moment, who did not feel some shift . of surrounding feeling, especially around 5- . 8 PM Pacific Standard Time. . . My level of consciousness continued to rise . and fall for some time after 8 PM, but my . psychic/spiritual power diminished . steadily. Although my casting/raising . sessions become increasingly more potent, . the drain of manifesting high intentions on . my being can be considerable. Not only is . the casting and raising of high intent hard . work, it is made all the more difficult by . the state of the modern world. As a word . to the wise, any projection of love, . clarity or other high states of . consciousness into society as a whole, . implicitly takes on, (dissipates) . millenniums of human karma to some degree. . It is a tremendous undertaking needless to . say. There are various occasions where I . wish that I had dependable allies or by . another name, “spiritual co-workers” on . hand, who possessed such ability, with whom . I might cast and raise in tandem. But that . time if is yet to come upon this world, is . not yet manifest. I MUST convert others to . these techniques and this CAUSE of CAUSES, . in order to carry through both the . fulfillment of my soul’s desire, and the . Intent of God. . . . * * * * * * . . . “Split a piece of wood and I am there. . Lift a stone and you will find me.” . So it has been spoken of God, and by . another name, “Consciousness”. . . When Einstein formulated his Unified Field . Theory (using a 1905 published paper on . relativity as a basis) he was perhaps not . fully aware of its’ parallels with Eastern . Philosophy and Western Gnosticism. The . Unified Field Theory of physics provides a . model of the four known interactions, or . natural laws; the strong, electromagnetic, . weak and gravitational forces. This it . does through a simple set of general . principles. These four distinct forces are . known to account for the observed reactions . and interactions in matter: gravitation, . electromagnetism, the strong force, (the . short-range binding of atomic nuclei), and . the weak force, (responsible for slow . nuclear processes, such as beta particle . decay). Many further attempts to develop a . unified field theory, especially through . mathematical proofs, are grounded in the . belief that every physical phenomena should . ultimately be explainable by an underlying . and connecting unity. Through the unified . field model, matter and subatomic particles . alike, are seen as a matrix or SYSTEM of . mutually interactive elements. No . particle, atom, human being or stellar body . is an island unto itself, for there are . none which do not belong to that SYSTEM . known as “the universe” and to a lesser . extent, their local, neighboring bodies, . (systems). Together these particles, . atoms, humans and stellar bodies form . SYSTEMIC relationships together, . characterized by the mutual streaming of . energy, feeling and even knowledge. The . meditator can readily verify these facts . for themselves. . . In fact, our own nervous systems attest to . unending, (psychic) connectivity. Whenever . we feel love, fear, joy, hatred, pleasure, . excitement and a host of other emotions . from the presence of others, it is . testimony to the Oneness of reality. The . quality of our psychic effects upon others . is determined by the intent held toward . them in each moment that passes. Likewise, . other peoples’ feelings continuously impact . us, through the quality of their intent. . . Interestingly, Einstein’s postulations of . unity at all levels of existence, are . proven correct through thousands of years . of direct experience. Indigenous peoples . worldwide and throughout history, have . called this medium by many names, such . as “the Great Spirit”. The Vedic writings . of ancient India, (especially the . Upanishads) refer to “Consciousness” . through various meditational practices and . observations, which mirror the conclusions . of the Unified Field Theory. Through . prayer, Christian and Islamic Mysticism, . (Gnosticism and Sufism) also indicate . that “God” is everywhere present for those . with a quiet inner focus. In both East and . West these paralleling mystical practices . lay utmost emphasis upon direct experience, . without ultimate need of any intermediary . priesthood or Church authority. Given the . identical nature of “God” in the West, . and “Consciousness” in the East, it is very . clear that both traditions of perception . into reality, are speaking of the same . essence. Were modern scientists to adopt . well-focused meditation and/or prayer into . their theoretical formulations, they would . similarly find, as any person can, that the . Unified Field is indeed a reality. . [Western thought processes are centered too . heavily in the frontal lobe of the brain, . especially the left frontal lobe. It is . the occipital lobe in the back of the head, . which is most capable of intuitive . cognition and direct perception into truth . and God. Only a holistic combination of . these two areas of the brain, is capable of . the mutual verification of mysticism and . empirical logic.] . . “Consciousness and “God” are . interchangeable terms. Both refer to the . omni-presence of a force or wise . intelligence which permeates all that . exists. Perhaps even more fascinating, is . the fact that WE ARE CONSCIOUNESS at our . most fundamental level of being, (soul). . . Knowledge of the consciousness that we are, . and which the surrounding universe is, has . the power to re-shape everything in the . human world. . . Consciousness is of three elements, which . are, intent, awareness and energy. Intent . is what guides the other two in their . actions. Awareness is that agent in us . which focuses or organizes our perception . and psychic effects. Energy, (chi, . A.K.A. “prana”, “ki”, “orgone”) is what we . set in motion to make changes in our selves . and our environment. . . 1st Principle of Raising . . In the greater mastery of intent is the . greater mastery of life. . The intent of the Master is the mastery of . intent. . . In the gaining of real wisdom as to what . intentions are most spiritually worthy, we . are enabled to take the first steps in . becoming, “an Agent of God”. . . “Unity and Raising” are powerful and worthy . intentions. They form a sophisticated . spiritual focus and are prominent among the . intentions of God. . . They are also the very crystallization of . the ascension process. . To progressively “ascend” is to become more . and more like a Christ or a Buddha. . Employing such INTENT is necessary to save . the human world. . . Unity is not just a thing gained between . nations, religions, traditions, cultures . and individuals through diplomatic effort. . It is a thing to be REALIZED as the basis . of human reality, for we are in truth . UNIFIED. The problem with the modern . version of unity is that it is all too . often based upon fear, pain and lack of . inner knowledge. Were we to recognize our . unity on the basis of the INTENT OF GOD, . which is to say on the basis of love, . clarity and RAISING, then a monumental . shift would occur in world consciousness . such as has never before been witnessed in . the history of mankind. To RAISE is to . elevate the body, mind and spirit to ever . new heights. The true progress of human- . kind is found through the intentions of . greater love, pleasure, clarity and mutual . benefit. To unify the peoples of the world . in raising is therefore the primary means . for the further evolution of our species. . It is central to the expansion of . consciousness. . . Our own bodies and souls alike, are . composed of aligned particles of energy, . (as SYSTEMS). These are held together . or “made cohesive” by awareness. Energy, . awareness and every single act of life, is . coordinated at the direction of intent. . . Both body and soul are composed of . subunits, (elements) of intent, and these . intent elements can be FELT. . In great self-realization, the Adept . practitioner sees and acts directly upon . the knowledge that we are SYSTEMS of intent- . feeling elements. A system or matrix of . intent elements is in fact the very . definition of the word, “soul”. Any . physical body is also a SYSTEM of cells . forming tissues, and tissues forming . organs. At each level of organization, . from cell to organ, it is INTENT which . forms the cohesion that is called “body”. . This is why intent is central to the . concerns of health and spiritual . advancement alike. . . Our true selves, (while we are incarnated) . is twofold. We are in fact; . 1) a soul, and, . 2) a body. . . The mind, which is composed of thought, . words, memories and synthesized concepts, . (imagination) is NOT THE TRUE SELF. To use . a computer analogy would be to say that the . mind is largely the software we have . invented, in order to cope with the events . of our lives. It is also the acquired . thoughts and knowledge of those with whom . we’ve interacted. The brain, and by . extension the entire body, is the . hardware. Like any software program, the . mind changes and can be self-changed . according to any parameter desired. It . therefore cannot be the true self. Thought . and memory are not “self” any more than a . single painting is the painter. The . painting only represents the painter, just . as a creation is not creativity itself. . Thoughts and mental self images are . therefore only something we DO, not . something we ARE. The mind is merely the . program and not the programmer, until such . a time that is, as it gains sufficient self- . realization. It can then cooperate with . the soul as a spiritual partner. . . Upon incarnating as souls in bodies, . (amidst a fairly hostile and wholly . unnatural world society) we created our . minds piece by piece over time, calling . this, “our personality”. We can similarly . re-arrange this “personality” completely, . or dissolve it altogether. This fact is one . of the major cornerstones of understanding, . in the basic self-realization process. The . serious practitioner soon realizes that we . are not our memories or any specific . thought pattern. They realize instead that . we are consciousness which is governed by . intent, (that which moves/acts) awareness, . (that which looks/focuses) and energy, . (that which is moved and shaped). It is . this consciousness which creates all . thoughts, sustains all thought patterns, . (such as any personality) and performs all . actions. Even the reading of this page and . the movement of the eyes is accomplished at . the behest of intent alone. . . Intent Matrix . . The actual and deepest definition of . a “person” is therefore, “a matrix of . intent-feeling elements”. These elements . are held together by a common, over-arching . intent which is their synthesis. In the . unrealized person, this over-arching intent . is usually thought of as the personality. . In the realized practitioner, the over- . arching intent is that of the soul, and . beyond this, of Nature and God. Any . cellular system, group mind, planetary . consciousness and even that which is . called “God” is in part a matrix of . intent. The principle of the intent . matrix, or system, represents a natural law . for all levels of existence, and all beings . therein. The same is true for the human . being at all levels, from cells working in . tandem, (tissues, organs), minds thinking . and believing in synchronicity, (fads, . nations, religions, mobs, crowds, . simultaneous inventions) to aligned souls, . (soul mates, soul groups and the essence of . spiritual unity). . . In almost every case of illness at the . spiritual, mental or physical levels, the . usual cause is either a disunity of intent- . feeling elements, or the holding those . intentions which cause low vibrational . feelings, (hate, fear, pain, jealousy). The . main task in this modern age, which . involves the fundamental healing of self . and planet alike, is the employment of such . intentions as unity and raising. With . regard to the common phrase, ”a house . divided must surely fall” there is nothing . which could be more applicable to our . bodies, minds and souls than the need for . internal unity. To heal or cause growth in . any of these areas, it is extremely useful . to both unify the various intent-feeling . elements throughout ourselves, and to raise . the quality of those intentions into higher . and higher levels. Once again, this is a . primary basis for what is meant by the . phrase ”the ascension process” and, “the . expansion of consciousness”. . . So when the self realized practitioner . employs the duel intent, “unity and . raising” they do so while keeping aware of . the fact that they are themselves a . collection of intent elements which have . evolved to the point of self-awareness, . (beyond the animal). Each of these intent . elements in both body and soul have . corresponding feelings attached to them. . When we raise our intentions regarding . self, life and others, there occurs a . corresponding elevation of feelings . throughout the body. All of the, (intent) . feeling elements which compose the body and . soul alike are collectively known by . society as, “emotions”, but this is of . course a vague term. Hate, fear and pain . are all the results of wrong intent, which . run contrary to the designs of Nature and . God. Love, joy and bliss are all the . results of right intent, which are in . accord with the evolutionary designs of . Nature and God. Applying these facts to . daily life is the gaining of wisdom. . . The dual intent, unity and raising may be . personally employed by first focusing on . the feelings throughout the body. The . feelings we hold reveal a great deal about . the intentions which underlie them. . Observe how there are concentrations of . feeling in certain areas of the body, . (especially the chakras) and then there are . less intense subcomponents of more subtle . feeling which compose them. The careful . observer/meditator will even notice tiny . subcomponent feelings of those subtle . feelings. At each of these levels of . feeling and being, intent is the source of . them all. The way to improve these . feelings is to focus on them with careful . observation, (awareness). In this study, . see directly how each feeling and . subcomponent Re: To Raise and Unify - Mike Van Wagoner . 15 Jul 2004 20:13 . #461 Matthew, . Many of the experiences you have . explained I have felt myself and many of the . thoughts I have thought of in the past. I . wish I could keep everthing I have learned . spiritually with me at all time. But as you . said, without any constant feeding of the . intended thought it dissipates like a . cloud. Intuition is always unpredicted and . must be understood instinctually while at . the same time being logical. It is . amazingly simple to loose your mind in . moments of vision and truth. I have often . felt "unworthy" because of my tendency to . let my mind destroy the image. . We are very much like a prism with an . intellect. Yet we throw our light . selectivly. I appreciate how you have . worded and explained the raising of intent . as a raising of motive force, your meaning . makes sense. I long to one day play my . drums with like-minded beings for the . intended expansion of our conciousness. But . in one way or another there always seems to . be an excuse to resist the precious . raising. Re: To Raise and Unify - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2004 20:48 . #464 Dear Mike, . . Your thoughts on "Raise and Unify" I found . to be well considered. I'd like to see . much more such comments posted here that . really show some serious reflection on . topics like intent, which are so very . critical to life and of course, spiritual . practice. It's good to read how someone . gained benefit from an explanation of how . intent can also be called "motive force". . I feel from your post that you understand . the practical and everyday essence of . intent that I have so often wanted to . convey in the WMS writings, but somehow . fell short. . . You mentioned wanting to keep everything . you've learned spiritually with you at all . times. This is certainly a major issue . with all practitioners...the maintenance of . realizations gained in the everyday sense. . The key to this, which is by no means an . easy task in this modern world of chaos, is . to keep your state as high as possible, . especially in the way of vibration. Memory . is encoded in terms of state of . consciousness. To regain previous insights . requires either great clarity or the . regaining of the state had at the time of . the realization(s). Lifestyle also . reinforces realizations gained, needless to . say. . . Your desire to riase consciousness with . others, such as through drumming with those . who understand such things, struck a chord . with me. I relate to this desire very . strongly, and often wish there were others . who wanted to "raise" through various . means, especially, (in my case) through the . Herb/meditation. But whatever the vehicle . used, I'm very appreciative of such intent . as you've expressed it. Please be . encouraged and continue the fine work... . . . . . . the . you . and . meaning . But . to Re: What if... - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2004 21:06 . #465 Hi Brian, . . Interesting questions. I/we have addressed . such things even within this forum below. . Previous posts have reflected this, but for . a very comprehensive reply to your . questions, I'd recommend reading the entire . Survivalists' Guide on the WMS website . Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Beyond this however, I'll breifly summarize . as follows... . . ************* . . . . ********* . . In my country, let's call it "WMS", I would . first establish the laws of the land as . merely those patterned after . natural/spiritual laws. In such a country, . people would understand that the . arbitrariness of human politics are . completely inferior to those already . provided by existence itself, in the form . of how reality runs on its own accord . regardless of human perception or petty . desire. The "following" of laws would then . be an exercise of wisdom rather than the . fear of punishment. In WMS, I would . advocate the study of consciousness above . all else, so that learning, especially . about the self, would form the basis . of "government" policy. In such a country . in fact, centralized government would . eventually become unnecessary, as . individuals would become self governing, or . in other words, self realized. . . *********** . . this 'fake' . . ************ . . The first thing a student should do is to . be entirely honest about what's going on in . the world today. Obviously, the world . situation reflects deep-seated errors in . thinking and policy at all levels of . society. This in itself speaks of "why" . such inquiry and change of lifestyle should . be undertaken. This society is "fake" . because it is wholly unnatural, anti- . spiritual and self destructive. Evidence . of this abounds in all places at once. . . So,rather than taking the usual course . of "study" in the so-called centers of . higher education, (which by the way is . little more than the regurgitation of the . regurgitated opinions of theorists who . themselves "studied" the works of other . theorists)go to nature and the inner self . to perceive directly the truth of the . universe. In some traditions this is known . as "mysticism" and in WMS it is known . as "Seeing" or simply, "direct perception" . of truth. This CAN be done by anyone, but . only if they are willing to think and know . for themselves without relying on the words . of people with high profile credentials. . To be honest with you, most of them have . very little of merit to say. They've spent . their whole lives "studying" books and have . learned very little about reality from . lived experience. . . I'd be interested in discussing these . matters with you in much greater detail, . thanks for posting. Traveling the Progression - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2004 21:37 . #466 Traveling the Progression . or . Raising the Intent at Large . Experiences of Saturday July 10th, and . Monday July 12th . . . With each smoke of late, I’m increasingly . reminded of a recurring spiritual theme. . This theme is of three major parts each . time, as follows; personal raising, . environmental raising, and rehearsal (for . the making of a short film, which depicts . such progressions as they occur). I call . these experiences “progressions” because . they are of a definite sequence of states, . or stages of consciousness. These states . are cosmic in nature, which is to say they . are known by spiritual practitioners . throughout all times and places. . To “travel this progression” or in other . words, to move one’s state ever higher via . the intent to raise the body, mind and . soul, is to evolve. Generally speaking, . each lower state of consciousness smoothly . flows into the next higher state. This is . done through ever increasing love and high . vibration of all kinds, higher clarity, . more intense levels of chi and the greater . purification of intent, body-wide. In each . case I take two moderate puffs of the . Sacramental Herb, primarily as a . vibrational booster. From this herbal . launching point, I can then easily navigate . higher and higher states at will, so long . as sufficient purity of intent is . maintained. . . Rehearsal in making a short film about . this, consists of visualizing being filmed . while in such states, and making effort to . demonstrate graphically, and sometimes . verbally, the exact nature of the raising . progression. The motivation for such . filming, originates in the strong soulic . desire to convey the miraculous benefits to . self and world, that such practices . potentially hold. . . The personal raising always comes first, . following the spiritual principle of, “to . teach, one must first know” or, “to . illuminate, one must first shine”. In this . case, to raise the state of consciousness . of the environment, (intent at large) the . practitioners’ state must first be raised. . This means generating such intensity of . energy, high feeling, (vibration) clarity . and purity of intention, that when these . are cast or manifest into the surrounding . fields, they do extraordinary benefit to . everything and everyone within them. This . is what I’ve done in exactly the same way, . with these last two smoke sessions, and . many others previously which were not . recorded. In each case the initial puff of . Herb is taken, and I find that a focus upon . extra-high vibration is especially useful. . This greatly augments the natural qualities . of the Herb to convey its’ high vibration, . especially when motivated, dynamic intent . is used. On the occasion of July 12th I . used a very dynamic intent to raise the . herbs’ high. This act manifested itself . immediately in the fifth chakra, (throat) . as intuition and feelings there indicated . that such a focus would be most useful, . while holding in the lungs the initial . puff. It was indeed extraordinarily . useful. My fifth chakra and whole body to . a lesser extent, were immediately . catapulted to a super high vibrational . level of consciousness. Practitioners . should take note of a principle of raising . in this regard. It is; . . The higher the vibration of a state, the . more attractive it is to environmental chi. . . In other words, the higher your pitch of . feeling is, the more energy is going to . literally stream into your body and soul . from outside. Upon achieving an ultra high . vibration, this principle activated fully. . I was immediately filled up with very . explosive, powerful amounts of chi-force. . The chakras were a primary input point for . the influx. Various thresholds of . consciousness were passed through by my . body and soul, with each shift providing . startling insights into the nature of God, . God in nature, how consciousness . transforms, the purpose of life and how . intent acts on a field-wide basis. To . further augment the process of raising, I . first played certain meditational and dance . music from my computers’ speakers until . sunset approached. For about an hour I . continued to raise my vibration and energy . levels, while also throwing in some small . gains in clarity every few minutes or so. . . But the major boost in consciousness was . acquired through the purification of . intent. The same can be said of the July . 10th experience, and on about a dozen . occasions previously in the last month. In . the case of the intending a greater purity . of intent, this was not entirely of my own . volition, even as a soul. There has most . certainly been a force or forces acting . upon me in each instance, COMPELLING my . travels in consciousness to acquire a . more “purified” direction. Foremost among . these forces is the presence of God. IT . draws me forward along the cosmic . progression of raising, like a powerful . magnet attracting an iron filing. In fact, . the closer I get to this “spiritual . magnet”, the greater the velocity of . forward motion becomes. The progression of . late can also be likened to traveling . through a great tunnel. With experience, . the bright light at the other end becomes . more and more prominent, as one passes . through that threshold of relative darkness . that is the lingering karma of the world. . That’s exactly what has been happening with . these smokes lately. I’m being prepared for . a major metamorphosis. The other word that . occurred to me last night to represent this . is, “Transfiguration”. The word was . associated with a Christ-like rote and . image. But this wasn’t Christ. It was a . cosmic rote representing ANY BEING, of any . species, anywhere in the universe, which . gains such intents and states of . consciousness. . . The more I purified my intent, the more . intense the feelings of immense . powerfulness, extreme high, great energy . and extraordinary clarity swept through my . being. But this was not necessarily an . easy task, as I will explain in more detail . further on. Remaining of truly pure intent . is not a matter of merely mentally . affirming “spiritual benefit for all” or to . have unwavering love, for instance. The . practitioner must learn through direct . experience and perception what high, pure . intent is, far beyond linear, mental . conception, and beyond even a highly . inspired moment of love. This cosmic . purity of intent is profoundly difficult to . explain in great detail, but I will attempt . it. As a preliminary example for the . reader, it is an intent which raises the . unified-field consciousness of the world as . a sum total. In other words, it raises the . World Mind and the Earth Mind . simultaneously, without drawing distinction . between the two. The world is thus seen . and raised as a unified whole, and as a . seamless system. Primary to this raising . is the realization that the entire world, . (with everything and everyone in it) as a . collection or system of intent elements. . The highest and most profound act of the . practitioner, who acts at the planetary . level with their intent, is to raise these . elements, causing them to rise up according . to the Will of God in greater self . realization and spiritual glory. . . Almost without fail, each of these . experiences starts where the last session . left off. This is another reason I call . these sessions, “a progression” because . their power is cumulative and progressively . transcendental. On every occasion my body . feels healthier, my state gets higher, my . soul increasingly manifests it’s presence, . clarity expands and chi levels dramatically . strengthen. In each session there is also . an increasing and unmistakable perception . that THIS is exactly what I need to do . personally, (raise higher and higher). . Similarly, it is what the world thirsts . for, by virtue of the very same spiritual . reasons. On both the personal and world . levels, such a progression of consciousness . is the very definition of further . evolution. It is the reason we were . evolved from animals, and it’s our purpose . as Agents of God to manifest increasingly . higher states of consciousness on behalf of . God. . . INTONATION . . In each session I also note the compulsion . to use intonation as a vehicle for . raising. The sustained holding of . singular, reverberating notes and . combinations of notes, aids the . manifestation of the high greatly. Notes . of pure quality act to purify feeling in a . paralleling fashion. That is, the more . pure and pleasing to the ear the tones are, . the more purified ones’ feelings are . similarly made. The use of sound, it was . revealed to me, is likewise a cosmically . common method of augmenting the ascension . process used throughout the universe. To a . lesser extent this is true of the . manipulation of light, light patterns and . colors, for those species who have this . capacity. In each case, in the creation of . lights, sounds, or both in combination, the . natural law being employed to raise is that . of resonance. To explain this more . graphically, we can examine the . implications in music of what is . called, “The Diatonic Scale”, as follows; . . In Western music, the names of intervals . reflect the number of tones of the diatonic . scale (the seven-note scale using the tones . A through G) that are encompassed by the . interval. An interval is the distance . between two musical pitches Thus, the . interval C-G is termed a fifth, for it . encompasses five diatonic-scale tones. A . unison (Italian unisono, “one sound”) . consists of two identical pitches (as, two . voices singing middle C). An octave (Latin . octavus, “eighth”) consists of two tones . that are eight diatonic-scale tones apart . (as, middle C and the next higher C) .etc. . . Interestingly, the human body has . resonances with each of the seven pitches, . or pure notes, on the diatonic scale. The . body is built upon vibrational rates, as is . everything else in the universe. The . lowest vibrations are found in the legs and . base of the spine, corresponding with . the “G” note of the diatonic scale, or the . low “MMM” sound as it is intoned. The next . higher area of vibrational resonance in the . body can be found in the lower abdomen, . corresponding to the intoned, “OOH” (as . in “OH) sound. The further correspondences . of body areas to sound are as follows; . Stomach region -- “EEW”, (as in “crew”) . Heart region – “AHH”, (as in “saw”) . Throat region – “AYY”, (as in “ray”) . Forehead region --“EEE”, (as in “see”) . Crown of head –high “EEE”, (also as . in “see”) . . Each of these areas of the body house . a “chakra” or energy center that is . centered on a dense concentration of nerve . ganglia running the length of the spine. . Upon intonation of each pitch of note, the . corresponding chakra of that region of the . body is “activated” or stimulated. For . instance, if one wants to raise their . fourth chakra, (heart region) it is . extremely useful to hold the sustained note . of “AHHH” with the voice. To greatly . amplify love in that area, try taking a . puff of herb. After exhalation of the . smoke, use the next exhalation to . intone “AHHH” for the entire duration of . the out-breath. At the same time, intend . feelings of greater love to be manifest in . the heart. Experienced practitioners will . want to also purify the intoned “AHHH” . sound so as to similarly purify, (raise) . the state of love felt there. All these . techniques greatly amplify any attempts in . upgrading, (raising) a chakra, as well as . the body as a whole. The basic principle in . doing this is to simply listen attentively . to your own quality of voice. See and feel . how this quality can be improved, so that . the tone made is more and more pleasing to . the ear. We have an innate ability to do . this. Just as it is immediately easy to . hear a note out of key when a musician . plays a song, it is also immediately easy . to purify the tonal quality of the voice. . [Practice intoning pure notes each day, and . soon the voice will develop that capacity.] . . As stated earlier, the practitioner will . find that the quality of sound intoned, is . equivalent to the quality of feelings held . in that area of the body with which it is . resonant. It is quite difficult to create . a pure “AYY” sound with the voice, for . instance, when the throat area has too much . pain or fear stored in it. Raising the . feeling pitch of the throat will almost . universally create a raised quality of . sound emanating from that chakra, . especially in the case of intoning “AYY”. . Likewise, if one intends a progressive . raising of the quality of an intoned “AYY” . this will have great, transformative effect . on the throat chakra. So sound and . chakra/organ function have a strong, . resonant relationship. For this reason, . sound could, and historically has, been . used as a medicinal tonic with curing . properties. Sound also has the potential, . for similar reasons, to raise consciousness. . . On these last two occasions then, I . combined both the effects of sound through . intonation, and the high of the herb, to . achieve certain spiritual goals. I ran . through the entire scale of low “MMM” to . high “EEE” for many periods spanning at . least two hours. This I did according to . felt need and intuitive realization. When . any one or more of my chakras seemed weak, . of low energy or vibration as compared with . the rest of the body, then I would intone . the note appropriate for the raising of . that area of the body. I did considerable . work with “AHHH” (the heart chakra) “AYYY”, . (the throat chakra) and high “EEE”, (the . crown chakra) on July 12th. . . The third vehicle I use consistently of . late is movement of the body, as the need . is intuitively felt, through dance and the . holding of postures reminiscent of certain . yoga practices. I wont describe these in . great detail, as they will be captured on . film at some time in the near future. . . The raising of my personal state went . extremely well, especially when I combined . all of these vehicles with the purity of . intent. Once I reach a certain minimum of . high, I am ALWAYS strongly compelled to . convey these gains of expanded . consciousness to the intent at large. . By “intent at large” I sometimes mean those . local feeling-intent elements that can be . found in one’s surroundings, such as in a . 500 yard diameter sphere. In this case, my . 500 yard diameter sphere is composed . entirely of forest, low shrubs and . perennial plants such as grass, wildflowers . and thistle. At certain moments however, . the compulsion to cast to an even greater . area of effect takes hold of my intent. . This trend is at the behest of God, the . Earth Mind and even the World Mind of . humanity on rare occasion. On both July . 10th and 12th I was particularly compelled . to cast to the entire world at one time, . especially when my high reached certain . profound peaks. I continued to use . intonation, took a second puff of Smoke, . and dance/movement while holding one or two . staffs, upon casting high states and intent . to the world. I say, “casting of high . states and intent” to the world because it . is effective to include both in any . manifestation. The high is itself a potent . spiritual medium which renders raising . effects upon any environment. But when the . intent to raise is also cast along with the . high, the two act in concert to manifest . considerable psychic and even karmic . changes in the world. Even more powerful . is the doing of such acts in concert, or in . other words, when two or more practitioners . manifest high intent simultaneously. This . is due to the group mind principle, and is . a major reason why I seek to convert others . to this practice, so that they too can . realize the mutual benefits of their . manifestation. . . When I cast to the world my powerful high, . as well as a purified intent of raising, . the psychic effects were simply amazing. I . received all manner of psychic . reciprocation, which filled every portion . of my mind and soul. My mind, although a . little stunned, held up rather well as I’ve . been working on its’ capacity to accept and . work with, such levels of consciousness. . To put it briefly, raising the world is not . a hugely esoteric act, but a practical . intention which anyone can employ with the . right personal preparation. Raising the . world is similar to raising the self, just . as I described in detail in the Manifesting . World Enlightenment series in the WMS . Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest The same . principles apply at each level, personal . and world, just at a much greater order of . magnitude. Like one’s own body, the world . consciousness is also composed of a . spectrum of vibratory rates, or feelings. . Just as the combination of many nerve . fibers in an area of the body creates a . chakra, so too do millions of resonant . human beings, (those of like mind and . feeling) create what might be called “world . chakras” of collective feeling and . intention. These world intentions are the . averaged intent of each person who now . lives, and to some extent, of those who . have lived, (karma). In this way, the . composite intent and state of consciousness . of several persons who form a community may . be likened to the composite intent and . state, of individual cells that form a . tissue in the body. Many communities form . cities and regions of cities, likened in . this analogy to the organs of the body. . Groups of nations then collectively form . the body of humanity as a whole, in terms . of the averaged consciousness of their . citizens, as a combined whole that is . called “the World Mind”. . . Interestingly, the feelings and intentions . of our collective consciousness as human . beings, are organized in a “spectrum and . chakra” fashion. The averaged feelings and . intentions of all people as they are held . in the stomach, (third chakra) area today, . for instance, is one of a strong will . to “get ahead” but at the same time is . permeated with intense anxiety and feelings . of inadequacy. This “World Mind, third . chakra state” then, can be felt by the . practitioner very clearly once they learn . to “tune” their awareness to sensing world . consciousness as a whole. It is a learned . skill acquired through much practice. In . like fashion, the meditator can clearly . perceive if they so look, the tense, . constricted nature of the World Mind fifth . chakra, (throat) that is the result of so . much social bickering and ideological . conflict today. Similar psychic . impressions of the 6th chakra, (World Mind . forehead region) reveal anxiety, confusion . and a diffusion of focused energy, largely . as a result of malevolent mass media . influence on public consciousness, and the . lack of clarity world wide. A sensing of . the world 1st chakra, (legs, sexual organs) . reveals a very intense focus on pleasure . around the world, usually as an escape from . the psychic unpleasantness of higher chakra . areas. . . So as I intoned the entire scale of notes . from, “EEE” to “MMM” I also raised not only . my own chakras, but also what might be . called, “the chakras of the world” to a . widely varying degree of success. Of . course, such an undertaking is not as easy . as it may sound in written form. In order . to cast or manifest high states into the . modern world, one also has to deal with the . de-energizing effects, low vibrations of . pain and fear, and lack of clarity found . there. Most of all, the practitioner must . deal with the impurity of intent found in . the world today, as exemplified by the . glorification of unnecessary war, material . greed at the cost of all else, with . egotism, cut throat competitiveness and . instant self gratification being the . accepted norms for social interaction. . These anti-spiritual trends of human . thought, based on impure intent, are a . major obstacle to shifting world . consciousness for obvious reasons. Never . the less, the power to shift humanity’s . consciousness exists, in the form of the . wisdom of nature, and alignment of one’s . intent with the Will of God. In both cases . of natural wisdom and the Will of God, the . very same INTENT is prevalent in each. . That intent is the expansion of . consciousness, allowing further evolution. . Further evolution of the human form . absolutely cannot continue without an . equivalent expansion of consciousness, in . fact. All of these things I am consistently . told by both nature and God, and of the . urgency in correcting the most perilous . state of modern humanity through the . raising of world intent. . . In essence, the highest act of the . practitioner or Agent of God, is the . raising of world intent. The raising of . world intent is the ultimate foundation for . the elevation of the human condition. It . is the very essence of the expansion of . consciousness. . . I raised the vibration and energy level of . each of my chakras, and in turn, raised . those corresponding vibrations, . (frequencies of feeling) in the intent at . large, planet-wide. One can accomplish . this by “reaching out” with their feelings . to the world as a whole. This is similar . in nature to extending good feelings and . intentions to someone you love, except on a . much broader scale. Broad, area-of-effect . type extensions of feeling like these are . known as “casting”. Extend good feelings . and intentions to the world as a whole, . while visualizing the Earth as if seen from . the moon. . . The raising presence of God and the Earth . Mind were clearly an aid to my raising . process. I frequently relied on their . support in order to maintain a power level . that allowed dynamic casting. To . accomplish this in any sustained way, I . found the purity of intent used to cast to . be extremely critical. Purity of intent . could be described as “that intent which . transcends all nationality, ethnicity, . political party, culture, religion, . ideology, philosophy and even language.” . It would also be accurate to call it, “the . very essence of love for its’ own sake, . without object or personal desire attached . to it”. Similarly, it is clarity for the . sake of clarity, rather than for the social . advantages gained through higher . intelligence. Purity of intent might also . be described as, “the Intent of God” in the . high raising of all intent elements . wherever they may be, and whoever they are . associated with”. In other words, it is an . intent level which raises all people and in . fact all life equally, without . consideration of their beliefs, political . affiliations or even actions. I believe . both Christ and Buddha had purity of . intent, and that this is a major factor . that allowed their extraordinary abilities . to perform so-called “miracles”. These . acts were of course not miracles, but an . employment of natural and spiritual laws at . a higher level then what is now commonly . known. Furthermore, the inner cultivation . of purity of intent is a major Path toward . greater enlightenment. It also is a . primary means for becoming such a level of . Mastery/consciousness as a Christ or a . Buddha. Both the performing of spiritual . feats and the gaining of Mastery are goals, . (intentions) toward which the practitioner . should progressively strive above all else. . . I could FEEL certain intent/feeling . elements in the world being raised as a . result of my casting. I could feel these . effects flow through each staff that I . held, through my arms and legs like an . electric current of exquisite quality, and . particularly, through each of my chakras as . sensations of great strength and spiritual . power. This elevated my level of . consciousness even further. Naturally, the . tones I produced as a result were sweeter . in quality. The movements of dance and . yoga-like postures were also made more . satisfying. The practitioner should note, . as a principle of successful environmental . raising, that, “psychic reciprocation” of . this kind is typical. It occurs more . readily in casting to nature, (to the Earth . Mind) than to the World Mind of humanity. . To send out love is to receive love in like . kind, and the same is true of clarity and . purity of intention. To send it out on a . world-wide basis however, is to likely . receive very powerful psychic feedback. . This follows another principle of raising . which states, . . “the greater the area of effect of casting, . the more pronounced the psychic/spiritual . results will be”. . . So as I raised the world, so too was I . raised. It was at exactly this point, . about 2 hours into the July 12th . experience, that I began once again . rehearsing for making a film. With that . intent in place, I visualized being filmed . and observed. I then “demonstrated” . various states of consciousness, moving . from one to the next in succession through . the use of intonation, movement and Herb. . I also considered what could be best said . on camera to convey a greater scope of this . knowledge. I’m increasingly confident now . that I CAN convey such a session in its’ . entirety on demand, for at least two out of . three attempts. I wish to obtain a . camcorder or other such device compatible . with the computer I write upon, and make . several filmed attempts to demonstrate the . ascension process, the right use of intent, . and the right employment of casting. . . It seems only fair to note in addition to . the above, that there were moments of . considerable difficulty in these raising . experiences. During certain minutes I was . particularly sensitive to two factors that . acted to lower instead of raise my state of . consciousness. These were personal, ego . concerns, such as a small conception of . self and simple fear. The major obstacle . however, was that of world karma, because . in the casting of the high, I took on some . of the worlds’ pain and fear. For certain . moments these were extremely heavy upon me, . so much so that I felt as though I could be . crushed down into a prone position on the . ground. But in acts of personal power, I . did not react to this downcast psychic . pressure with anxiety. I instead relaxed . and persisted in the raising intention, and . after a few minutes more in each case, that . phenomena of great weight and burden lifted . away. I mention this because it is one of . the great obstacles to casting that the . practitioner will ever encounter. I thus . advise the beginning practitioner to . exercise caution in the employment of any . large area-of-effect castings, particularly . those of world-wide scope, before they . learn how to handle the sometimes extreme . psychic pressure of world karma. What if...follow up - Matthew Webb . 21 Jul 2004 22:25 . #468 Dear Brian and others, . . Regarding a "WMS country" and how it might . be run, I came across this excerpt from the . 1910 Encyclopedia Brittanica, . defining "anarchy". It's rather . interesting, and fits in well with what I . was saying in an earlier post of this title.. . . ******** . . "Anarchism", . from The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1910. . from the website archives at . http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives . /kropotkin/britanniaanarchy.html . . ANARCHISM (from the Greek, contrary to . authority), the name given to a principle or . theory of life and conduct under which . society is conceived without government - . harmony in such a society being obtained, . not by submission to law, or by obedience to . any authority, but by free agreements . concluded between the various groups, . territorial and professional, freely . constituted for the sake of production and . consumption, as also for the satisfaction of . the infinite variety of needs and . aspirations of a civilized being. In a . society developed on these lines, the . voluntary associations which already now . begin to cover all the fields of human . activity would take a still greater . extension so as to substitute themselves for . the state in all its functions. They would . represent an interwoven network, composed of . an infinite variety of groups and . federations of all sizes and degrees, local, . regional, national and international . temporary or more or less permanent - for . all possible purposes: production, . consumption and exchange, communications, . sanitary arrangements, education, mutual . protection, defence of the territory, and so . on; and, on the other side, for the . satisfaction of an ever-increasing number of . scientific, artistic, literary and sociable . needs. Moreover, such a society would . represent nothing immutable. On the . contrary - as is seen in organic life at . large - harmony would (it is contended) . result from an ever-changing adjustment and . readjustment of equilibrium between the . multitudes of forces and influences, and . this adjustment would be the easier to . obtain as none of the forces would enjoy a . special protection from the state. . If, it is contended, society were organized . on these principles, man would not be . limited in the free exercise of his powers . in productive work by a capitalist monopoly, . maintained by the state; nor would he be . limited in the exercise of his will by a . fear of punishment, or by obedience towards . individuals or metaphysical entities, which . both lead to depression of initiative and . servility of mind. He would be guided in his . actions by his own understanding, which . necessarily would bear the impression of a . free action and reaction between his own . self and the ethical conceptions of his . surroundings. Man would thus be enabled to . obtain the full development of all his . faculties, intellectual, artistic and moral, . without being hampered by overwork for the . monopolists, or by the servility and inertia . of mind of the great number. He would thus . be able to reach full individualization, . which is not possible either under the . present system of individualism, or under . any system of state socialism in the so- . called Volkstaat (popular state). . The anarchist writers consider, moreover, . that their conception is not a utopia, . constructed on the a priori method, after a . few desiderata have been taken as . postulates. It is derived, they maintain, . from an analysis of tendencies that are at . work already, even though state socialism . may find a temporary favour with the . reformers. The progress of modern technics, . which wonderfully simplifies the production . of all the necessaries of life; the growing . spirit of independence, and the rapid spread . of free initiative and free understanding in . all branches of activity - including those . which formerly were considered as the proper . attribution of church and state - are . steadily reinforcing the no-government . tendency. . As to their economical conceptions, the . anarchists, in common with all socialists, . of whom they constitute the left wing, . maintain that the now prevailing system of . private ownership in land, and our . capitalist production for the sake of . profits, represent a monopoly which runs . against both the principles of justice and . the dictates of utility. They are the main . obstacle which prevents the successes of . modern technics from being brought into the . service of all, so as to produce general . well-being. The anarchists consider the wage- . system and capitalist production altogether . as an obstacle to progress. But they point . out also that the state was, and continues . to be, the chief instrument for permitting . the few to monopolize the land, and the . capitalists to appropriate for themselves a . quite disproportionate share of the yearly . accumulated surplus of production. . Consequently, while combating the present . monopolization of land, and capitalism . altogether, the anarchists combat with the . same energy the state, as the main support . of that system. Not this or that special . form, but the state altogether, whether it . be a monarchy or even a republic governed by . means of the referendum. . The state organization, having always been, . both in ancient and modern history . (Macedonian Empire, Roman Empire, modern . European states grown up on the ruins of the . autonomous cities), the instrument for . establishing monopolies in favour of the . ruling minorities, cannot be made to work . for the destruction of these monopolies. The . anarchists consider, therefore, that to hand . over to the state all the main sources of . economical life - the land, the mines, the . railways, banking, insurance, and so on - as . also the management of all the main branches . of industry, in addition to all the . functions already accumulated in its hands . (education, state-supported religions, . defence of the territory, etc.), would mean . to create a new instrument of tyranny. State . capitalism would only increase the powers of . bureaucracy and capitalism. True progress . lies in the direction of decentralization, . both territorial and functional, in the . development of the spirit of local and . personal initiative, and of free federation . from the simple to the compound, in lieu of . the present hierarchy from the centre to the . periphery. . In common with most socialists, the . anarchists recognize that, like all . evolution in nature, the slow evolution of . society is followed from time to time by . periods of accelerated evolution which are . called revolutions; and they think that the . era of revolutions is not yet closed. . Periods of rapid changes will follow the . periods of slow evolution, and these periods . must be taken advantage of - not for . increasing and widening the powers of the . state, but for reducing them, through the . organization in every township or commune of . the local groups of producers and consumers, . as also the regional, and eventually the . international, federations of these groups. . In virtue of the above principles the . anarchists refuse to be party to the present . state organization and to support it by . infusing fresh blood into it. They do not . seek to constitute, and invite the working . men not to constitute, political parties in . the parliaments. Accordingly, since the . foundation of the International Working . Men's Association in 1864-1866, they have . endeavoured to promote their ideas directly . amongst the labour organizations and to . induce those unions to a direct struggle . against capital, without placing their faith . in parliamentary legislation. . The historical development of anarchism . The conception of society just sketched, and . the tendency which is its dynamic . expression, have always existed in mankind, . in opposition to the governing hierarchic . conception and tendency - now the one and . now the other taking the upper hand at . different periods of history. To the former . tendency we owe the evolution, by the masses . themselves, of those institutions - the . clan, the village community, the guild, the . free medieval city - by means of which the . masses resisted the encroachments of the . conquerors and the power-seeking minorities. . The same tendency asserted itself with great . energy in the great religious movements of . medieval times, especially in the early . movements of the reform and its forerunners. . At the same time it evidently found its . expression in the writings of some thinkers, . since the times of Lao-tsze, although, owing . to its non-scholastic and popular origin, it . obviously found less sympathy among the . scholars than the opposed tendency. . As has been pointed out by Prof. Adler in . his Geschichte des Sozialismus und . Kommunismus, Aristippus (b. c. 430 BC), one . of the founders of the Cyrenaic school, . already taught that the wise must not give . up their liberty to the state, and in reply . to a question by Socrates he said that he . did not desire to belong either to the . governing or the governed class. Such an . attitude, however, seems to have been . dictated merely by an Epicurean attitude . towards the life of the masses. . The best exponent of anarchist philosophy in . ancient Greece was Zeno (342-267 or 270 BC), . from Crete, the founder of the Stoic . philosophy, who distinctly opposed his . conception of a free community without . government to the state-utopia of Plato. He . repudiated the omnipotence of the state, its . intervention and regimentation, and . proclaimed the sovereignty of the moral law . of the individual - remarking already that, . while the necessary instinct of self- . preservation leads man to egotism, nature . has supplied a corrective to it by providing . man with another instinct - that of . sociability. When men are reasonable enough . to follow their natural instincts, they will . unite across the frontiers and constitute . the cosmos. They will have no need of law- . courts or police, will have no temples and . no public worship, and use no money - free . gifts taking the place of the exchanges. . Unfortunately, the writings of Zeno have not . reached us and are only known through . fragmentary quotations. However, the fact . that his very wording is similar to the . wording now in use, shows how deeply is laid . the tendency of human nature of which he was . the mouthpiece. . In medieval times we find the same views on . the state expressed by the illustrious . bishop of Alba, Marco Girolamo Vida, in his . first dialogue De dignitate reipublicae . (Ferd. Cavalli, in Mem. dell'Istituto . Veneto, xiii.; Dr E. Nys, Researches in the . History of Economics). But it is especially . in several early Christian movements, . beginning with the ninth century in Armenia, . and in the preachings of the early Hussites, . particularly Chojecki, and the early . Anabaptists, especially Hans Denk (cf. . Keller, Ein Apostel der Wiedertaufer), that . one finds the same ideas forcibly expressed - . special stress being laid of course on . their moral aspects. . Rabelais and Fenelon, in their utopias, have . also expressed similar ideas, and they were . also current in the eighteenth century . amongst the French Encyclopaedists, as may . be concluded from separate expressions . occasionally met with in the writings of . Rousseau, from Diderot's Preface to the . Voyage of Bougainville, and so on. However, . in all probability such ideas could not be . developed then, owing to the rigorous . censorship of the Roman Catholic Church. . These ideas found their expression later . during the great French Revolution. While . the Jacobins did all in their power to . centralize everything in the hands of the . government, it appears now, from recently . published documents, that the masses of the . people, in their municipalities . and 'sections', accomplished a considerable . constructive work. They appropriated for . themselves the election of the judges, the . organization of supplies and equipment for . the army, as also for the large cities, work . for the unemployed, the management of . charities, and so on. They even tried to . establish a direct correspondence between . the 36,000 communes of France through the . intermediary of a special board, outside the . National Assembly (cf. Sigismund Lacroix, . Actes de la commune de Paris). . It was Godwin, in his Enquiry concerning . Political Justice (2 vols., 1793), who was . the first to formulate the political and . economical conceptions of anarchism, even . though he did not give that name to the . ideas developed in his remarkable work. . Laws, he wrote, are not a product of the . wisdom of our ancestors: they are the . product of their passions, their timidity, . their jealousies and their ambition. The . remedy they offer is worse than the evils . they pretend to cure. If and only if all . laws and courts were abolished, and the . decisions in the arising contests were left . to reasonable men chosen for that purpose, . real justice would gradually be evolved. As . to the state, Godwin frankly claimed its . abolition. A society, he wrote, can . perfectly well exist without any government: . only the communities should be small and . perfectly autonomous. Speaking of property, . he stated that the rights of every one 'to . every substance capable of contributing to . the benefit of a human being' must be . regulated by justice alone: the substance . must go 'to him who most wants it'. His . conclusion was communism. Godwin, however, . had not the courage to maintain his . opinions. He entirely rewrote later on his . chapter on property and mitigated his . communist views in the second edition of . Political Justice (8vo, 1796). . Proudhon was the first to use, in 1840 . (Qu'est-ce que la propriete? first memoir), . the name of anarchy with application to the . no government state of society. The name . of 'anarchists' had been freely applied . during the French Revolution by the . Girondists to those revolutionaries who did . not consider that the task of the Revolution . was accomplished with the overthrow of Louis . XVI, and insisted upon a series of . economical measures being taken (the . abolition of feudal rights without . redemption, the return to the village . communities of the communal lands enclosed . since 1669, the limitation of landed . property to 120 acres, progressive income- . tax, the national organization of exchanges . on a just value basis, which already . received a beginning of practical . realization, and so on). . Now Proudhon advocated a society without . government, and used the word anarchy to . describe it. Proudhon repudiated, as is . known, all schemes of communism, according . to which mankind would be driven into . communistic monasteries or barracks, as also . all the schemes of state or state-aided . socialism which were advocated by Louis . Blanc and the collectivists. When he . proclaimed in his first memoir on property . that 'Property is theft', he meant only . property in its present, Roman-law, sense . of 'right of use and abuse'; in property- . rights, on the other hand, understood in the . limited sense of possession, he saw the best . protection against the encroachments of the . state. At the same time he did not want . violently to dispossess the present owners . of land, dwelling-houses, mines, factories . and so on. He preferred to attain the same . end by rendering capital incapable of . earning interest; and this he proposed to . obtain by means of a national bank, based on . the mutual confidence of all those who are . engaged in production, who would agree to . exchange among themselves their produces at . cost-value, by means of labour cheques . representing the hours of labour required to . produce every given commodity. Under such a . system, which Proudhon described . as 'Mutuellisme', all the exchanges of . services would be strictly equivalent. . Besides, such a bank would be enabled to . lend money without interest, levying only . something like I per cent, or even less, for . covering the cost of administration. . Everyone being thus enabled to borrow the . money that would be required to buy a house, . nobody would agree to pay any more a yearly . rent for the use of it. A general 'social . liquidation' would thus be rendered easy, . without violent expropriation. The same . applied to mines, railways, factories and so . on. . In a society of this type the state would be . useless. The chief relations between . citizens would be based on free agreement . and regulated by mere account keeping. The . contests might be settled by arbitration. A . penetrating criticism of the state and all . possible forms of government, and a deep . insight into all economic problems, were . well-known characteristics of Proudhon's . work. . It is worth noticing that French mutualism . had its precursor in England, in William . Thompson, who began by mutualism before he . became a communist, and in his followers . John Gray (A Lecture on Human Happiness, . 1825; The Social System, 1831) and J. F. . Bray (Labour's Wrongs and Labour's Remedy, . 1839). It had also its precursor in America. . Josiah Warren, who was born in 1798 (cf. W. . Bailie, Josiah Warren, the First American . Anarchist, Boston, 1900), and belonged to . Owen's 'New Harmony', considered that the . failure of this enterprise was chiefly due . to the suppression of individuality and the . lack of initiative and responsibility. These . defects, he taught, were inherent to every . scheme based upon authority and the . community of goods. He advocated, therefore, . complete individual liberty. In 1827 he . opened in Cincinnati a little country store . which was the first 'equity store', and . which the people called 'time store', . because it was based on labour being . exchanged hour for hour in all sorts of . produce. 'Cost - the limit of price', and . consequently 'no interest', was the motto of . his store, and later on of his 'equity . village', near New York, which was still in . existence in 1865. Mr Keith's 'House of . Equity' at Boston, founded in 1855, is also . worthy of notice. . While the economical, and especially the . mutual-banking, ideas of Proudhon found . supporters and even a practical application . in the United States, his political . conception of anarchy found but little echo . in France, where the Christian socialism of . Lamennais and the Fourierists, and the state . socialism of Louis Blanc and the followers . of Saint-Simon, were dominating. These ideas . found, however, some temporary support among . the left-wing Hegelians in Germany, Moses . Hess in 1843, and Karl Grün in 1845, who . advocated anarchism. Besides, the . authoritarian communism of Wilhelm Weitling . having given origin to opposition amongst . the Swiss working men, Wilhelm Marr gave . expression to it in the forties. . On the other side, individualist anarchism . found, also in Germany, its fullest . expression in Max Stirner (Kaspar Schmidt), . whose remarkable works (Der Einzige und sein . Eigenthum and articles contributed to the . Rheinische Zeitung) remained quite . overlooked until they were brought into . prominence by John Henry Mackay. . Prof. V. Basch, in a very able introduction . to his interesting book, L'lndividualisme . anarchiste: Max Stirner (1904), has shown . how the development of the German philosophy . from Kant to Hegel, and 'the absolute' of . Schelling and the Geist of Hegel, . necessarily provoked, when the anti-Hegelian . revolt began, the preaching of the . same 'absolute' in the camp of the rebels. . This was done by Stirner, who advocated, not . only a complete revolt against the state and . against the servitude which authoritarian . communism would impose upon men, but also . the full liberation of the individual from . all social and moral bonds - the . rehabilitation of the 'I', the supremacy of . the individual, complete 'amoralism', and . the 'association of the egotists'. The final . conclusion of that sort of individual . anarchism has been indicated by Prof. Basch. . It maintains that the aim of all superior . civilization is, not to permit all members . of the community to develop in a normal way, . but to permit certain better endowed . individuals 'fully to develop', even at the . cost of the happiness and the very existence . of the mass of mankind. It is thus a return . towards the most common individual ism, . advocated by all the would-be superior . minorities, to which indeed man owes in his . history precisely the state and the rest, . which these individualists combat. Their . individualism goes so far as to end in a . negation of their own starting-point - to . say nothing of the impossibility for the . individual to attain a really full . development in the conditions of oppression . of the masses by the 'beautiful . aristocracies'. His development would remain . unilateral. This is why this direction of . thought, notwithstanding its undoubtedly . correct and useful advocacy of the full . development of each individuality, finds a . hearing only in limited artistic and . literary circles. . Anarchism in the International Working Men's . Association . A general depression in the propaganda of . all fractions of socialism followed, as is . known, after the defeat of the uprising of . the Paris working men in June 1848 and the . fall of the Republic. All the socialist . press was gagged during the reaction period, . which lasted fully twenty years. . Nevertheless, even anarchist thought began . to make some progress, namely in the . writings of Bellegarrique (Caeurderoy), and . especially Joseph Déjacque (Les . Lazareacute'ennes, L 'Humanisphère, an . anarchist-communist utopia, lately . discovered and reprinted). The socialist . movement revived only after 1864, when some . French working men, all 'mutualists', . meeting in London during the Universal . Exhibition with English followers of Robert . Owen, founded the International Working . Men's Association. This association . developed very rapidly and adopted a policy . of direct economical struggle against . capitalism, without interfering in the . political parliamentary agitation, and this . policy was followed until 1871. However, . after the Franco-German War, when the . International Association was prohibited in . France after the uprising of the Commune, . the German working men, who had received . manhood suffrage for elections to the newly . constituted imperial parliament, insisted . upon modifying the tactics of the . International, and began to build up a . Social Democratic political party. This soon . led to a division in the Working Men's . Association, and the Latin federations, . Spanish, Italian, Belgian and Jurassic . (France could not be represented), . constituted among themselves a Federal union . which broke entirely with the Marxist . general council of the International. Within . these federations developed now what may be . described as modern anarchism. After the . names of 'Federalists' and 'Anti- . authoritarians' had been used for some time . by these federations the name . of 'anarchists', which their adversaries . insisted upon applying to them, prevailed, . and finally it was revindicated. . Bakunin (q.v.) soon became the leading . spirit among these Latin federations for the . development of the principles of anarchism, . which he did in a number of writings, . pamphlets and letters. He demanded the . complete abolition of the state, which -- he . wrote -- is a product of religion, belongs . to a lower state of civilization, represents . the negation of liberty, and spoils even . that which it undertakes to do for the sake . of general well-being. The state was an . historically necessary evil, but its . complete extinction will be, sooner or . later, equally necessary. Repudiating all . legislation, even when issuing from . universal suffrage, Bakunin claimed for each . nation, each region and each commune, full . autonomy, so long as it is not a menace to . its neighbours, and full independence for . the individual, adding that one becomes . really free only when, and in proportion as, . all others are free. Free federations of the . communes would constitute free nations. . As to his economical conceptions, Bakunin . described himself, in common with his . Federalist comrades of the International . (César De Paepe, James Guillaume, . Schwitzguébel), a 'collectivist anarchist' - . not in the sense of Vidal and Pecqueur in . the 1840s, or of their modern Social . Democratic followers, but to express a state . of things in which all necessaries for . production are owned in common by the labour . groups and the free communes, while the ways . of retribution of labour, communist or . otherwise, would be settled by each group . for itself. Social revolution, the near . approach of which was foretold at that time . by all socialists, would be the means of . bringing into life the new conditions. . The Jurassic, the Spanish and the Italian . federations and sections of the . International Working Men's Association, as . also the French, the German and the American . anarchist groups, were for the next years . the chief centres of anarchist thought and . propaganda. They refrained from any . participation in parliamentary politics, and . always kept in close contact with the labour . organizations. However, in the second half . of the 'eighties and the early 'nineties of . the nineteenth century, when the influence . of the anarchists began to be felt in . strikes, in the 1st of May demonstrations, . where they promoted the idea of a general . strike for an eight hours' day, and in the . anti-militarist propaganda in the army, . violent prosecutions were directed against . them, especially in the Latin countries . (including physical torture in the Barcelona . Castle) and the United States (the execution . of five Chicago anarchists in 1887). Against . these prosecutions the anarchists retaliated . by acts of violence which in their turn were . followed by more executions from above, and . new acts of revenge from below. This created . in the general public the impression that . violence is the substance of anarchism, a . view repudiated by its supporters, who hold . that in reality violence is resorted to by . all parties in proportion as their open . action is obstructed by repression, and . exceptional laws render them outlaws. (Cf. . Anarchism and Outrage, by C. M. Wilson, and . Report of the Spanish Atrocities Committee, . in 'Freedom Pamphlets'; A Concise History of . the Great Trial of the Chicago Anarchists, . by Dyer Lum (New York, 1886); The Chicago . Martyrs: Speeches, etc.). . Anarchism continued to develop, partly in . the direction of Proudhonian 'mutuellisme', . but chiefly as communist-anarchism, to which . a third direction, Christian-anarchism, was . added by Leo Tolstoy, and a fourth, which . might be ascribed as literary-anarchism, . began amongst some prominent modern writers. . The ideas of Proudhon, especially as regards . mutual banking, corresponding with those of . Josiah Warren, found a considerable . following in the United States, creating . quite a school, of which the main writers . are Stephen Pearl Andrews, William Grene, . Lysander Spooner (who began to write in . 1850, and whose unfinished work, Natural . Law, was full of promise), and several . others, whose names will be found in Dr . Nettlau's Bibliographie de l'anarchie. . A prominent position among the individualist . anarchists in America has been occupied by . Benjamin R. Tucker, whose journal Liberty . was started in 1881 and whose conceptions . are a combination of those of Proudhon with . those of Herbert Spencer. Starting from the . statement that anarchists are egotists, . strictly speaking, and that every group of . individuals, be it a secret league of a few . persons, or the Congress of the United . States, has the right to oppress all . mankind, provided it has the power to do so, . that equal liberty for all and absolute . equality ought to be the law, and 'mind . every one your own business' is the unique . moral law of anarchism, Tucker goes on to . prove that a general and thorough . application of these principles would be . beneficial and would offer no danger, . because the powers of every individual would . be limited by the exercise of the equal . rights of all others. He further indicated . (following H. Spencer) the difference which . exists between the encroachment on . somebody's rights and resistance to such an . encroachment; between domination and . defence: the former being equally . condemnable, whether it be encroachment of a . criminal upon an individual, or the . encroachment of one upon all others, or of . all others upon one; while resistance to . encroachment is defensible and necessary. . For their self-defence, both the citizen and . the group have the right to any violence, . including capital punishment. Violence is . also justified for enforcing the duty of . keeping an agreement. Tucker thus follows . Spencer, and, like him, opens (in the . present writer's opinion) the way for . reconstituting under the heading . of 'defence' all the functions of the state. . His criticism of the present state is very . searching, and his defence of the rights of . the individual very powerful. As regards his . economical views B. R. Tucker follows . Proudhon. . The individualist anarchism of the American . Proudhonians finds, however, but little . sympathy amongst the working masses. Those . who profess it - they are . chiefly 'intellectuals' - soon realize that . the individualization they so highly praise . is not attainable by individual efforts, and . either abandon the ranks of the anarchists, . and are driven into the liberal . individualism of the classical economist or . they retire into a sort of Epicurean . amoralism, or superman theory, similar to . that of Stirner and Nietzsche. The great . bulk of the anarchist working men prefer the . anarchist-communist ideas which have . gradually evolved out of the anarchist . collectivism of the International Working . Men's Association. To this direction belong - . to name only the better known exponents of . anarchism Elisée Reclus, Jean Grave, . Sebastien Faure, Emile Pouget in France; . Errico Malatesta and Covelli in Italy; R. . Mella, A. Lorenzo, and the mostly unknown . authors of many excellent manifestos in . Spain; John Most amongst the Germans; Spies, . Parsons and their followers in the United . States, and so on; while Domela Nieuwenhuis . occupies an intermediate position in . Holland. The chief anarchist papers which . have been published since 1880 also belong . to that direction; while a number of . anarchists of this direction have joined the . so-called syndicalist movement- the French . name for the non-political labour movement, . devoted to direct struggle with capitalism, . which has lately become so prominent in . Europe. . As one of the anarchist-communist direction, . the present writer for many years . endeavoured to develop the following ideas: . to show the intimate, logical connection . which exists between the modern philosophy . of natural sciences and anarchism; to put . anarchism on a scientific basis by the study . of the tendencies that are apparent now in . society and may indicate its further . evolution; and to work out the basis of . anarchist ethics. As regards the substance . of anarchism itself, it was Kropotkin's aim . to prove that communism at least partial - . has more chances of being established than . collectivism, especially in communes taking . the lead, and that free, or anarchist- . communism is the only form of communism that . has any chance of being accepted in . civilized societies; communism and anarchy . are therefore two terms of evolution which . complete each other, the one rendering the . other possible and acceptable. He has tried, . moreover, to indicate how, during a . revolutionary period, a large city - if its . inhabitants have accepted the idea could . organize itself on the lines of free . communism; the city guaranteeing to every . inhabitant dwelling, food and clothing to an . extent corresponding to the comfort now . available to the middle classes only, in . exchange for a half-day's, or five-hours' . work; and how all those things which would . be considered as luxuries might be obtained . by everyone if he joins for the other half . of the day all sorts of free associations . pursuing all possible aims - educational, . literary, scientific, artistic, sports and . so on. In order to prove the first of these . assertions he has analysed the possibilities . of agriculture and industrial work, both . being combined with brain work. And in order . to elucidate the main factors of human . evolution, he has analysed the part played . in history by the popular constructive . agencies of mutual aid and the historical . role of the state. . Without naming himself an anarchist, Leo . Tolstoy, like his predecessors in the . popular religious movements of the fifteenth . and sixteenth centuries, Chojecki, Denk and . many others, took the anarchist position as . regards the state and property rights, . deducing his conclusions from the general . spirit of the teachings of the Christ and . from the necessary dictates of reason. With . all the might of his talent he made . (especially in The Kingdom of God in . Yourselves) a powerful criticism of the . church, the state and law altogether, and . especially of the present property laws. He . describes the state as the domination of the . wicked ones, supported by brutal force. . Robbers, he says, are far less dangerous . than a well-organized government. He makes a . searching criticism of the prejudices which . are current now concerning the benefits . conferred upon men by the church, the state . and the existing distribution of property, . and from the teachings of the Christ he . deduces the rule of non-resistance and the . absolute condemnation of all wars. His . religious arguments are, however, so well . combined with arguments borrowed from a . dispassionate observation of the present . evils, that the anarchist portions of his . works appeal to the religious and the non- . religious reader alike. . It would be impossible to represent here, in . a short sketch, the penetration, on the one . hand, of anarchist ideas into modern . literature, and the influence, on the other . hand, which the libertarian ideas of the . best contemporary writers have exercised . upon the development of anarchism. One ought . to consult the ten big volumes of the . Supplément Littéraire to the paper La . Révolte and later the Temps Nouveaux, which . contain reproductions from the works of . hundreds of modern authors expressing . anarchist ideas, in order to realize how . closely anarchism is connected with all the . intellectual movement of our own times. J. . S. Mill's Liberty, Spencer's Individual . versus the State, Marc Guyau's Morality . without Obligation or Sanction, and . Fouillée's La Morale, I'art et la religion, . the works of Multatuli (E. Douwes Dekker), . Richard Wagner's Art and Revolution, the . works of Nietzsche, Emerson, W. Lloyd . Garrison, Thoreau, Alexander Herzen, Edward . Carpenter and so on; and in the domain of . fiction, the dramas of Ibsen, the poetry of . Walt Whitman, Tolstoy's War and Peace, . Zola's Paris and Le Travail, the latest . works of Merezhkovsky, and an infinity of . works of less known authors, are full of . ideas which show how closely anarchism is . interwoven with the work that is going on in . modern thought in the same direction of . enfranchisement of man from the bonds of the . state as well as from those of capitalism. Buddhism post on another forum - Matthew Webb . 28 Jul 2004 11:06 . #469 Of the "Four Noble Truths" upon which . Buddhism is largely based, the first is . surely a mis-quote or misinterpretation of . what Buddha actually said. . . It is said that; . . "At the core of the Buddha’s enlightenment . was the realization of the Four Noble . Truths: (1) Life is suffering. This is more . than a mere recognition of the presence of . suffering in existence. It is a statement . that, in its very nature, human existence is . essentially painful from the moment of birth . to the moment of death. Even death brings no . relief, for the Buddha accepted the Hindu . idea of life as cyclical, with death leading . to further rebirth. (2) All suffering is . caused by ignorance of the nature of reality . and the craving, attachment, and grasping . that result from such ignorance. (3) . Suffering can be ended by overcoming . ignorance and attachment. (4) The path to . the suppression of suffering is the Noble . Eightfold Path, which consists of right . views, right intention, right speech, right . action, right livelihood, right effort, . right-mindedness, and right contemplation. " . . ******* . . Life is NOT suffering. Life is what you . make of it, according to right intent and . right action. If you closely observe the . creatures of the forest, or small children . naturally at play, or those who lead simple, . spiritual lives, you will note that they do . not inherently suffer. If anything, life is . joy, or at least en-joy-ment. . . I strongly suspect that what Buddha actually . said was something to the effect of; . . "Life in human society is suffering, due to . wrong intention and wrong life focus". . . If one were to make this clarification from . the start, then Buddhism makes a great deal . of sense. The Four Noble Truths are then . based on coherent truth, and the eightfold . path a sure way to embody truth itself. . . Otherwise, modern Buddhism is self . defeating, since it is based on ignorance of . reality and wrong intent, which will most . often result in wrong action, by assuming . something about life that life is not. Buddhism post follow-up - Matthew Webb . 28 Jul 2004 11:08 . #470 From an ongiong discussion on modern . Buddhism, at the "Traditional Yoga Studies" . forum.... . . http://www.yrec.info/sutra-forums.html . . Greetings all, . . This conversation on Buddhas' "Four Noble . Truths" is genuinely interesting to me and . quite relevant. Thank you all for your . continuing lucidity. . . As a point of clarification, the quote on . the Four Noble Truths that I included in my . original post; . . "At the core of the Buddha’s enlightenment . was the realization of the Four Noble . Truths: (1) Life is suffering. This is more . than a mere recognition of the presence of . suffering in existence. It is a statement . that, in its very nature, human existence is . essentially painful from the moment of birth . to the moment of death. Even death brings no . relief, for the Buddha accepted the Hindu . idea of life as cyclical, with death leading . to further rebirth"....etc . . was from the 2004 Encarta Encyclopedia. . . Anyone here who might take exception with . this definition of Buddhism should take . issue with the Microsoft staff and their . researchers. . . ********* . . DanCowan writes; . . As far as I know, "Life is suffering", for . most buddhist teachers who teach in English, . is considered an unsatisfactory translation. . I have been taught that it is better . translated as "Dukkha is real". . . Again, as far as I understand it (I'm no . expert!), the Buddha was stating that . suffering is not an illusion - dukkha, or . unwholesome states, are real states. This . was part of the teachings he gave to his 4 . ascetic friends on their reunion - the . import to them was that dukkha was not . something that can be ignored, or starved, . or beaten out of the body through ascetic . practice: it must be understood (and he goes . on to explain it as the result of tanha or . clinging.) . . I've read interpretations with another . emphasis - in the books of Thich Nhat Hahn . and Ajahn Sumedho is that the First Noble . Truth is not only an idea but it is a . method, a practice, to get you to examine . our unwholesome states for ourselves, to . really inspect dukkha. Hahn, I believe, also . interprets the 3rd Noble Truth (There is . cessation of dukkha) in a similar way, that . we should take a meditative look at our non- . dukkha states, our sukka. . . I fully agree with bopsa that the Buddha did . not feel that everything was suffering - . only that dukkha is the central problem for . human beings. . . ********* . . Thanks Dan, your take on this makes a great . deal more sense out of the topic, revealing . a more logical reasoning behind the First . Noble Truth. . . ******** . . Mukesh wrote; . . If there is an expansion and dynamism, then . what is our true nature. Our true nature is . integral consciousness but I would like to . also add that this consciounsess is so . paradoxical that it assumes the role of . prana, at times the role of manas, buddhi or . senses or sensations, body, subject and the . object and at times it appears as dual, dual . and non-dual both and finally as non-dual. . This is the beauty of this consciousness. Is . life a suffering as claimed to be the . statements of Buddha. I think that it is not . so. Buddha said that the sufferings are due . to the trishna. What is this trishna? It is . nothing but our conditioning right from . childhood and considering that which is . dynamism of consciousness and its . concretisation to be the only reality. . Through them their arose desire and anger, . which ultimately leads to sense of . possession and when that sense of possession . remains unfulfilled it leads to suffering or . sorrow of any kind. This what Buddha means . by Trishna. . . Basically, the nature of one's nature is . ananda. This universe came out of ananda, it . is sustained in ananda and finally merges in . ananda. Each individual is in search for . ananda but what they cognise due to the ebbs . and tides that occur in the dynamism to be . the real ananda. Thus finally, this kind of . dynamism does give a temporary ananda but . also leads to emotions of sorrow, hatred. . . ************* . . Mukesh your explanation is, as far as I'm . concerned, rather brilliant. I find your . analysis accurate all around, especially in . that most of our suffering as human beings . is due to childhood and life-long . conditioning, not to mention, of course, the . wrong focus and intent of modern society. . These conditionings and focuses run contrary . to the purposes of existence, (spiritual . progression) and natural laws in general. . The "ananda" or natural bliss you spoke of . is surely what humanity departed en-masse . long ago. It probably accounts for such . mythological semi-truth as the . Biblical "Garden of Eden", as an expression . of our longing to return to natural bliss. . I agree that this is our natural state of . consciousness and birthright, thus the . phrase, "remembering ones' inherent Buddha . nature". . . In other words, it is better to gain self . realization of one's true nature, than to . assume that our true nature is suffering, . misery, confusion and social untruth. What . Dan said is noteworthy in this regard, in . that "suffering is not an illusion". This . is certainly true, but the point is that the . cause of human suffering, the wrong beliefs, . modes and intent of society are human-made . illusions, that absolutely should not be . taken for granted. These are certainly NOT . a template representative of how life . inherently is. To assume they are is to . forget our natural birthright, and . ignorantly play right into modern, world . karma, via the daily assumption of lack and . loss, much like the flawed doctrine of . Christian "sin". Like all world religions, . and no matter how noble their beginnings, I . really do believe that mainstream Buddhism . has fallen prey to this mis-representation . of what Buddha said and MEANT. It's a wrong . emphasis and inaccurate to say "life is . suffering" regardless of the need of . emphasis, or as a teaching device for . seekers, because it's grossly misleading to . the majority. . . All this brings me to a key point, which I . never fail to emphasize whenever possible. . That is the absolute need to dis-identify . with modern society and its' unnatural, anti- . spiritual character. It is the dire modern . need for every person to clearly see the . flawed nature of consumerism for instance, . as the glorification of greed, waste and . resulting war that it is, so as to get . beyond the mainstream karma and illusions. . To see the modern condition clearly is to be . more enabled to transcend it's limitations . in daily life. Re: Equanimity and Truth - Matthew Webb . 30 Jul 2004 11:44 . #472 Justice, like the definitive perception of . what is real versus what is illusionary, is . a matter of clarity. . . Clarity is a thing that can be progressively . achieved. Meditation is a major key in . achieving it. . . The essence of clarity can be found in the . following; . . AWARENESS OF AWARENESS. . . Meditate upon this focus for extended . periods of time, (20-30 minutes per . session), and you will find an increasing . degree of clarity within whereby literally . ALL THINGS will eventually be revealed to . you. . . The long form of this meditation is as . follows; . . The Advanced Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately . begin focusing on the feelings centered in . the area of the forehead, or sixth chakra. . Those new to this practice may begin by . tapping the tip of their right index finger . upon what is known as the "third eye", or . exact center of the forehead, with the eyes . closed. Tapping increases awareness in that . region, which is useful for the beginner. Be . aware of every subtle detail of feeling in . this area. Allow awareness to spread to the . entire region of the frontal lobe of the . brain, (the front third of the head, . directly behind the forehead), through the . middle of the brain, and inclusive of the . occipital region, (back of head). FEEL all . the subtleties. Do not avoid any pain, fear . or other unpleasantness found anywhere in . these areas, but instead relax them, and . continue the meditation. . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . simply relax, and return again and again to . a feeling focus, even if this means doing so . a hundred times every minute. Chronic, . rampant, seemingly unstoppable thoughts in . the mind, are a symptom of stored stress in . onesâ being. As the practice of meditation . proceeds, stress is released, and the . tendency of thoughts to intrude upon the . process of meditation will gradually . diminish. Be patient and donât let the . simplicity of this method of meditation . deceive you. Maintain your awareness on the . area of the front of the head, with . particular emphasis paid to the third eye, . and the temples at the side of each physical . eye. Areas of particular stress or activity . in this region, will attract your awareness . and hold it for longer periods. Allow this . to happen, as it is a function of natural . self-healing processes and energy body . activity. Donât be concerned or irritated by . intruding thoughts, just continue to return . to a feeling-oriented focus. . . After maintaining this feeling focus in the . third eye region for about 5 minutes, shift . your focus to one of awareness only. In . other words, donât just be aware of feelings . in this area, be aware of that in you, which . is being aware. This statement may at first . sound a little cryptic, but it is actually . quite simple. In the basic Chakra Meditation . we use awareness to focus on feelings in the . body, as a replacement for continuous . thoughts in the mind. In the Advanced Chakra . Meditation we start with a feeling focus, . and then soon shift to a "focus upon the . focuser", or to one of having, "awareness of . awareness". So while focused upon the third . eye region, the meditator engages . in "awareness of awareness", particularly in . the frontal lobe of the brain. This . act "recycles" awareness back upon itself, . thereby increasing its intensity. This is a . primary means to gain greater clarity. . Contemplate this concept to comprehend its . profound simplicity and value. It is . recommended that you perform this meditation . twice daily as a temporary replacement for . the basic Chakra Meditation, before arising . from bed and just before going to sleep at . night. Each session should last at least 20- . 30 minutes. . . Employing the Advanced Chakra Meditation to . gain greater clarity is a process of self . education. Clarity is not a concept Western . culture is thoroughly familiar with, and . rarely is it a term that is concretely . defined. In this system, clarity is defined . in terms of the degree of awareness of . awareness one possesses. Represented . mathematically, this principle of natural . law may be shown as A/A=C, whereas, "A" is . awareness, (divided by itself) and "C" is . the clarity that results. As greater . experiential familiarity with clarity is . had, it then becomes a known quality of mind . that can be summoned up or enhanced at will, . even without the precursor of meditation. . Thus it can then be Intended into place at a . momentsâ notice, for the purpose of improved . mental and even physical function. In the . group meditational setting, it may also be . Intended into place for oneself as well as . others, simultaneously. In other words, . awareness of awareness may be psychically . projected to others, which aids in their . higher establishment of clarity as well. We . should not consider this a particularly . esoteric act, when remembering that any . state of consciousness can be projected. All . states of consciousness in fact, . automatically radiate from the body/mind as . soon as they are gained within, to some . degree. By Intending their projection . outward however, we are increasing the . potency of rendered psychic effects many . times over. In this way too, we are acting . on behalf of natural laws, and are thereby . gaining the cumulative support of nature in . our spiritual practices. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest The Intent of God - Matthew Webb . 30 Jul 2004 11:46 . #473 From an ongoing conversation on . the "Spiritual Discussion Forum" elsewhere . on the net; . . Poco, you said that, "The INTENT of God is . the Raising/expansion of consciousness" is . in fact the intent of man. I wish this were . at least generally true, but it does not . reflect the modern world. . . The expansion of consciousness certainly . SHOULD be the intent of man, so that our . intent might reflect that of God. . . The fact that, "The INTENT of God is the . Raising/expansion of consciousness" is . verifiable by any person, anywhere, . especially through meditation. . . Let me share with you some insight on this . subject as to why it should be so. . . The whole motivation, if you will, for the . evolution of living things is the expansion . of consciousness, here and elsewhere . throughout existence. The Consciousness . that is God permeates matter, encouraging . more sophisticated molecular arrangements, . cells, organs and species. Creation is . therefore an ongoing process, not a 6-day . affair. . . As evolution proceeds, the Consciousness . that is God is also present as the . consciousness we call 'self" and which . similarly resides in all life forms, both . plant and animal. God does not reside in . some place far away, but in fact, in all . places at once even within the human . neocortex and soul. Our true definition of . self is therefore "a fragment of God" which . is the same as saying, "soul" or "center of . consciousness". While this consciousness of . self, plant and animal is made more . sophisticated over eons, the Consciousness . that is God is enriched and enhanced. God . gains benefits from the evolution of life, . and so too do souls, (centers of . consciousness) when they incarnate into . physical bodies. Atomic structures are a . place for the Intent of God to express . Itself in ever more exquisite ways. . . The implication here is of course that God . is not "perfect" and is similarly evolving . through the instrumentality of matter and . biological systems. In fact, there is no . such thing as "perfection" even at the level . of God, because there are always higher . levels of consciousness to achieve, and . differing ways to achieve it. Sacrament as Spiritual Vehicle - Matthew Webb . 1 Aug 2004 11:29 . #474 . The following is an ongoing conversation on . the spiritual merits of marijuana, held on . the "THC MINISTRIES FORUM at http://www.thc- . ministry.net/forum/index.php . . Greetings All, . . Your comments are most appreciated. . . Roger said; . . "Aloha. You make a good point, Rishi. . Intention and direction of the high is a key . component of the use of cannabis. How do we . differ ourselves from recreational users of . cannabis? From medical users of cannabis? . It's the intention and the prayer we direct . and the thanks we give." . . I believe at the 'last supper' Jesus . said, 'take this in remembrance of me.' . That's one way to give thanks and praise. . Hindus have a short prayer they use EVERY . TIME before they puff. How about you? What's . your prayer, or don't you believe in prayer? . . ********* . . Rishi; . . It's good to hear a strong recongition of . intent at THC, in the use of the Herb. I . don't generally use prayer when I smoke, or . at least I don't call it that. I DO commune . with God though through meditation, which is . probably almost the same process you're . using. I certainly recognize the merits of . prayer as spiritually potent, but like . meditation, its' effectiveness is based on . the level and quality of intent used during . each moment of the High. . . ************ . . Roger; . . "A very well known Hawaiian herbal healer, . Papa Henry, told people for many years that, . in his opinion and in his practice, the herb . he used was 10% of the effectiveness of his . treatment - and the prayer he made was 90% . of the effectiveness of his treatment. What . say you?" . . ************ . . Rishi; . . That's a good question, and of course, the . answer partly depends on the strength of a . given piece of Bud. Never the less, I agree . with what this fellow is saying. The herb . is a spiritual tool. Like any tool, no . matter how advanced or sophisticated, its' . effectiveness is only as good as the . hand/user which weilds it. . . ********* . . Roger; . . "The prayer is NOT 100% of any treatment, as . far as I know on this Earth. Prayer is a . wonderful, magical, mysterous thing. It is . energy. It can be directed energy. It can be . measured and used for healing and for good. . I have read that prayer has been . scientifically proven to work for healing. . Have you heard of this? Mahalo and aloha." . . ************* . . Rishi; . . Yes, I have heard this about prayer many . times, and the very same thing about . meditation as well. I know this to be . true. I have a particular interest, (and . knowledge) regarding group prayer/meditation . and its' COMPOUNDED spiritual power. I call . this compounding effect, "group mind". The . focus of two or more people in meditation . oir prayer, and who have similar intentions, . creates a "reciprocating field" of energy . and feeling which can be readily felt by . anyone. This "group space" or "atmosphere" . that is generated has far greater potential . than the same two individuals meditating or . praying separately. Then when you add the . compounded psychic and spiritual effect of a . third person, the group mind power is . geometrically greater still, and so forth. . The group mind principle of compounded . effect is what makes world meditations and . prayers extremely potent. I've written . about this effect in detail in my "Group . Mind Series" and other articles I offer on . WMS. Better still is the group mind HIGH, . which (more than just a "contact high") is . something that can be intentionally focused . together for truly excellent mutual and even . psychic effects. . . My perception of the right use of the Herb, . combined with meditation and/or prayer, is . to further accelerate the evolution of . humanity into higher levels of . consciousness. One way of expressing the . objective of this global and personal . process, is to say that these tools are . moving each of us closer and closer to what . it is to be a Christ or a Buddha. Imagine a . whole world of Christs/Buddhas and you are . picturing a potential future for our . species. To achieve this, the key is the . use of right intent, as demonstrated by . right action. . . ************ . . Slide wrote; . . "I would like to hear more of your thoughts. . I have learned a great deal from your post . and have found them to be of great interest . and benefit. . I approach the use of cannabis with prayer, . meditation and intent. . Your post has led me deeper into things I . have done and things I practice. . Your last post in "The Etho Genius" about . navigating the high - the 4 step process - . is an excellent guide to combining cannabis . with meditation to aid in the evolution of . higher consciousness." . . *********** . . Rishi; . . Excellent, I'm quite glad to hear it. The . Entheo Genius Series and others are intended . to be a step by step instruction guide for . the expansion of consciousness through the . Herb. Since marijuana has such great . potential for catalyzing spiritual . advancement, it's really very excititing to . realize what can be done with it to . transform this world. That is as true of . RAISING the practitioners' consciousness, as . it is the RAISING of world consciousness. I . see the Herb and other entheogens as a . Sacramental substance. They are a gift of . Earth Consciousness, or in other words, the . local presnece of God manifest through . matter and evolved on this planet. As such, . I advocate they be taken with utmost . reverence and careful focus, so that their . full spiritual potential can be unleashed. . To accomplish this, one must be able to . EMBRACE THE HIGH in their life, replacing . the pain and fear that are so often . prevalent in the modern world with that . elevated vibration. The same is true of . love and clarity, and interestingly, both of . these can also be elevated through the use . of the Herb combined with meditational focus. . . ************ . . Slide; . . "Depending on the strain I sometimes feel a . slight paranoia or tightening of the chest . in the first minutes. I approach this . feeling as I do physical pain. . I watch it without judgment other than to . label the feeling briefly . I define the size, shape and scope of it . within my body . I watch it change. . The change comes quickly. One thing it . changes to is peace. From there it changes . to an energized peaceful feeling in which I . feel the web of the world around me. . I would very much like to hear more of what . you have to say. " . . ********** . . Rishi; . . Slide, you speak as a practitioner, one who . has gone beyond theory into such deep . spiritual focus that these specifics become . important to seriously address. As you . know, fear is certainly a major concern for . every person on this Earth, if not in their . own selves, then certainly in the world at . large. What you've brought up here is . critical, as we must all deal with the often . debilitating effects of fear at various . times during any given month of time, . (usually). . . The fact that you observe fear in yourself . objectively and without being further . troubled by its' presence within is a great . accomplishment. What you're saying sounds . like what I advocate in terms of "being in . one's clarity" and then "observing fear for . what it is...only a given vibration of . energy that one need not identify with". . I/we have noticed the same thing as you, . that when clarity is focused quietly on fear . it begins to dissolve and turn into . peacefulness, or even love, joy or more . clarity. This "inner alchemy" or . transformation of fear to a higher state of . consciousness is probably the greatest test . and lesson a person can learn in their . journey to greater self evolution. There's . no doubt that it's a subtle art where . there's always room for improvement. The . same may of course be said for the . cultivation, (intending into place) of . greater love, clarity and peace. . As a point of clarification for whoever . reads this, I'd say that fear has many . sources in this world as follows; . . 1) continuing personal fear due to . psychological or even spiritual issues. . . 2) lingering personal fear that has been . stored in the body and/or mind, and which . now has become a habit. . . 3) psychically generated fear from those we . know, and which impacts us through the . chakras, (especially). . . 4) psychically generated fear from around . the world, as a form of "collective . pressure" exerted on us from this very tense . state of international and domestic affairs . we find ourselves in as a species. This . collective I call "the World Mind". . . Usually, all of these exert some influence . on every person to some degree at all . times. It is the very rare individual in . the extreme who never feels fear at some . time from some source, even if it is only . arriving from outside themselves. . . Surely it is one of our greatest tasks as . spiritual practitioners to alleviate this . collective fear that permeates the modern . world. The key to this undertaking is once . again, INTENT. . . I thank you for your dedication.... . . ************* . . Sibannac wrote; . . My signature covers my use of cannabis as i . dont pray as part of my beliefs i allow the . sacrament to take me to the place i am . supposed to be at that moment in time. If i . am supposed to learn or glean any insight . then i will be allowed to it is upto the . living universe to decide for i am only a . man. . I use Canabbis to relax my consciousness and . allow my sub conscious to reach a state of . meditation thus allowing me to improve as a . human being and enhance my understanding of . the essence of the living universe. . I use Canabbis to relax my consciousness and . allow my sub conscious to reach a state of . meditation thus allowing me to improve as a . human being and enhance my understanding of . the essence of the living universe. . http://www.northants-thcministry.tk/ . . ************ . . Rishi; . . Yes, this is certainly one method of using . the Herb. I sometimes do this as well. You . might call this, "allowing intuition and . high guidance to direct the High, as it . manifests in the self". I find that . alternating this method with the use of . dynamic intention to personally guide the . Highs' direction is very effective. . . ********* . . Romadon quotes; . . Thus saith His Divine Grace A.C. . Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: . "A screw that is connected with a machine is . valuable because it is working with the . whole machine. And if the screw is taken . away from the machine, or if it is faulty, . it is worthless. My finger is worth millions . of dollars as long it is attached to this . body and is serving the body. And if it is . cut off from this body, then what is it's . worth ? Nothing. Similarly, our relationship . is that we are very small particles of God; . therefore our duty is to dovetail our . energies with Him and cooperate with Him. . That is our relationship. Otherwise we are . worthless. We are cut off. When the finger . becomes useless the doctor says, "Oh, . amputate this finger. Otherwise the body . will be poisoned." Similarly, when we become . godless we are cut off from our relationship . with God and suffer in this material world. . If we try to join again with the Supreme . Lord, then our relationship is revived." . . ********** . . Rishi; . . That's an interesting and enlightened quote, . which certainly has merit. Thank you. . . ********** . . Rishi; . . I find this conversation most relevant and . am looking forward to more discussion... . Love and Clarity to each of you. Greater Mastery of Chi and Vibration using the Herb - Matthew Webb . 6 Aug 2004 11:54 . #475 Continuing discussions on the "THC . Ministries" web site.... . . Slide, you said; . . "But one thing I would like to see an . expanded discussion on is how the herb and . the high can be used to become more aware of . the energy vibrations of the world around . us. I feel the energy at times but lose . contact or awareness of it at other times. . . Also I am very interested in delving deeper . into your comments regarding the herb as a . tool to increase our own energy or chi. " . . ********* . . Again, thank you for your interest and . commentary. These topics are very . important, and need to be explored. . . In my last reply here, I addressed how the . Herb is a vibrational tuner for the . body/mind/soul. The important thing to . remember about vibrational level, or in . other words, the pitch of feelings in the . body, is that every vibration has energy, . (chi) as its' base. In fact, vibration is . the oscillation of energy. I speak of this . extensively in the Perpetual Raising series . in the Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . In those . articles, I compare the body to a radio . tower, where chi is the energy of the . broadcast, and vibration is the frequency of . the station as one might find it on the . radio dial. All radio stations run off the . same energy, (electricity) and yet their . frequencies differ. The same is true for . human beings, in that all people run off the . same chi, and yet use it for different . purposes, (intentions) of different . vibrations, (feeling types ranging from love . and hate to joy and sadness). . . There are many Eastern practices which . address the subject of chi in their . teachings. Perhaps the most commonly known . among these are the various martial arts. . Aikido for instance, has the Japanese . word "ki" in its' name, which is their word . for this same energy. "Chi" is actually the . Chinese name for it, as discussed in such . disciplines as Kung Fu. One can tell the . origin of a given practice in fact, by . noting the name for this life energy used in . that system. "Tai Chi" is of Chinese . origin. "Pranayama" is of Indian origin, . as "prana" is their word for chi. In all . such systems, the advanced practitioner is . taught that it is life energy, (chi) which . flows through the body, and how to use that . energy for various purposes. In the martial . arts, one learns to direct their chi in both . meditation and fighting skill. The typical . black belt knows how to not only deliver an . effective punch, but to instill that blow . with chi so that it's effects are doubled, . tripled or more. The breaking of . bricks/boards and such, is an exercise in . the right use of chi so as to deliver a . deadly blow, yet not injure the hand or foot . that does the striking. . . The point here is that the awareness of, and . employment of chi, is well known is the . Eastern world, and is spoken of extensively . is such sacred writing as the Hindu Vedas, . especially in the context of "kundalini" and . the "chakras" of the body. In the WMS . system chi is viewed in exactly the same . fashion, except that it is used primarily . for the expansion of consciousness, greater . health, and the rendering of . psychic/spiritual effects upon others. . . The following is a recommended meditation . taken from Perpetual Raising Part 4, which . eneables the practitioner to draw chi at . will with a little practice... . . CHI GAINING MEDITATION . . This exercise may be conducted indoors and . under any conditions. Some circumstances . however, are more favorable than others . however, due to a greater availability of . environmental chi, (Energy). Wooded areas . are particularly preferable. After arriving . in a natural area and finding a secluded . place to meditate, (such as a woods, beach, . lakefront, park etc.) remove all footwear . from the feet. This is done to establish . direct Earth contact, which will facilitate . the drawing in of chi. . To begin this practice it is recommended . that a three step process be used, . (initially). These steps are known as; 1) . preparation, 2) breathing focus and 3) the . Meditation itself. To accomplish step one, . simply find for yourself a quiet place that . will not be disturbed. Sit or stand . comfortably with both feet on the ground, a . straight though relaxed spine, and eyes . closed. . Step two consists of a breathing exercise, . in which deep relaxed breaths are taken in . for a given duration, as follows; . A) Breathe in deeply and slowly, for a . period of about five seconds, until the . lungs are completely filled. . B) Hold this breath for approximately five . seconds more. . C) Exhale slowly taking five seconds to do . so, until the lungs are completely emptied, . D) After exhalation, wait another five . second period before inhaling once again. . E) Repeat steps A, B and C ten times, or . until you feel calmed and refreshed. . After the breathing exercise of step two, . let the body breathe as it wants to normally . for about a minute. Relax. . Next, focus your Awareness on the first . chakra region, (the feet, legs, groin, hips, . and tailbone). Know that our primary . connection to Earth Consciousness and Energy . is through the medium of the first chakra. . Note every detail of the feelings and . Awareness in this area of the body, and . enter into a meditative state such as in the . basic Chakra Meditation, (above). After you . reach a restful state with minimal thoughts . in the mind, visualize that your legs are . the trunk of a tree. Picture strong and . supple roots sprouting from the feet. See in . the mind’s eye, these roots growing into the . ground at least 100 feet down, and 100 feet . in diameter in all directions. After a few . minutes of, "visualizing your roots", extend . the feelings in your first chakra into them, . just as you would extend positive feelings . to someone you love and respect. FEEL the . hips, legs and feet with special attention, . and INTEND that these feelings, “flow down . into the visualized roots”. Keep sending . love and other positive feelings into the . area of visualized roots below your feet, . for at least five minutes or more. Then upon . each inhalation, visualize and feel Energy . from the Earth being pulled into "your . roots" and stored throughout the “trunk” of . your body. FEEL the feet, legs and hips . being charged with vitality. The . visualization of light or even lightening . bolts being drawn into the body through the . soles of the feet, (to represent incoming . chi) can be most useful in this exercise. . With each breath inhale deeply and in a . relaxed fashion. With each in-breath, . visualize Energy being drawn into, stored in . the body via your “roots” Picture the body . as a ball of light which grows brighter and . brighter with each inhalation of Earth . Energy, (chi). Perform this meditation for a . total of 15-30 minutes, or whenever the body . or mind lacks vitality. . The practice of drawing chi from the . environment is definitely a cultivated art, . and must be accomplished with patience and . much practice. . Remember that outdoor settings offer a . greater availability of chi than indoor . locations. Wilderness areas have more . available chi than do cities. Stormy and wet . conditions are also more ideal for this . practice standing in water, particularly a . running stream or ocean surf, is ideal for . acquiring greater chi. The experienced . practitioner is able to draw chi without . meditational preliminaries, and can use a . variety of Energy sources to do this such as . fire, sunlight, wind, storm, rain, running . streams, and even artificial light sources. . After successfully gaining a significant . amount of chi, the practitioner may . occasionally feel dizzy, of expanded or of . altered perceptions, shaky, and of greater . clarity. They may feel "high", see geometric . forms, flashes of light, hear unusual . sounds, depending upon many factors. These . occurrences are not to be considered out of . the ordinary. The practitioner should merely . ignore these for the most part, and stop the . meditation temporarily if uncomfortableness . continues, at least in the beginning phases . of the practice. Maintain your Intent to . gain Energy throughout the meditation, . regardless of distracting phenomena. Keep in . mind that energy may be stored in the body . on a semi-permanent to permanent basis for . later use. Visualizations of Energy being . stored in the bones, cells or even atoms of . the body, are excellent focuses to take for . this purpose, (as a hint to the . practitioner). . When the Chi Gaining Meditation is done in . conjunction with aerobic exercise, it can . greatly prolong the body's stamina and . increase the benefits of the work-out. The . adept practitioner will be able to draw chi . easily without distraction even while . running, biking or swimming, by employing . visualizations such as the above during . these activities. Eating foods which are . live, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, . will invariably boost personal levels of . chi. . It should be noted too, that Energy may be . drawn into any of the seven chakras simply . by Intending/visualizing this to be so, . especially during inhalation. This is best . accomplished outdoors. Note that the Energy . of the sun is most easily drawn through the . sixth and seventh chakras, whose rate of . vibration is most closely resonant to that . Energy source. . ************************** . . All of this is important in the context of . smoking marijuana as well. Marijuana opens . the chakras, raises ones' vibrational level, . and causes an in-rush of chi into the body. . Learning to draw chi while on the smoke is . very instructional and graphic, but the . beginner must be aware of not being prepared . to deal with this greater energy level once . it has entered the body. The important . thing to remember is that it is the nature . of energy to move, like the circuit . principle of household wiring. Once you've . drawn chi, you need to give it something to . do such as physical motion, the increase of . ones' vibration or clarity, or some other . outlet, until such a time as one learns to . store it without "overload" Try the above . method at least five times without shoes, . while standing on grass and/or in a wooded . area. Take a puff beforehand on some . occasions, and on others, try it without the . Herbs' boosting properties. First Message - Robert Oveson . 8 Aug 2004 00:31 . #476 This is a hi how are you message just to . make a footprint inside the conference area. . I've read most of the material on the World . Mind Society website and find that I am very . much in agreement with what has been posted . there. I've really identified with the anti- . materialism aspect, and have for over thirty . years now. Will check back on regular basis. . I spend most of my NCN time out in the blogs . where I have the "Vancouver OverView" blog. Re: First Message - Matthew Webb . 13 Aug 2004 10:43 . #477 Welcome Robert and feel free to . comment/question anything here or on WMS. . . ********8 . . area. . very . thirty . basis. . blogs Intent...the Essence of ALL THINGS IN LIFE - Matthew Webb . 13 Aug 2004 10:44 . #478 Description of Intent . . There are many ways in which intent can be . observed in action, and therefore many . examples with which to describe it in . accurate detail. Such description is, . needless to say, quite useful when . endeavoring the mastery of intent. . . As the article which started this thread . pointed out, one such way to know intent is . through the various feelings in the body, . (and aura, of course). Change your intent, . and so too do feelings shift accordingly. . . Another is the close and subtle observation . of one's thoughts. Behind every thought is . an intent. Intent directs the course of your . thought line at all moments, a fact that . supercedes the "science" of psychology’s . concept that mind is a pattern of thought. . Mind, (tonal) is only a memorized pattern . for as long as we have not yet realized the . TRUE source of thoughts, which is intent. . Change your intent and thoughts shift . accordingly. . . Intent can be observed in person to person . relations every day on a psychic/feeling . level. Change your intent and you will . effect others differently. . . Intent is also a collective force, such as . can be observed in a mob or other crowd. . When the combined intent of a mob is focused . upon a person or persons, they KNOW it as an . unmistakable psychic pressure exerted upon . them, especially if that mab is hostile. The . reverse example would be the psychic effects . of being in the midst of a supportive group . which has the intent of love. Compare these . two examples and it becomes quite clear that . the type of intent employed has very . distinct effects. . . These are some examples of what can be said . about intent; . . 1) It is ceaselessly functioning within us, . and is behind every thought, emotion, . decision and action. . . 2) Intent directs awareness as to how and . upon what it will focus. . . 3) Because intent directs awareness and . awareness patterns energy as a result, . energy follows intent. The act of creation, . (manifestation) is the implementation of . intent. . . 4) Intent is a body-wide consideration. When . we coordinate the feeling/intent elements . throughout the body as a harmonious whole, . our personal power is greatly increased. . Using these feelings as a guide or feedback . device, intent can be shifted in any part of . the body, both temporarily and permanently. . For instance if there is chronic fear in the . area of the heart of a person, this . knowledge of intent allows them an . opportunity to change this condition at . will. To do this they would need to focus on . the fear in the heart, and INTEND that . feeling to be elevated, ultimately to one of . love, for instance. Such a transformation is . well within the power of any person to . implement, and is a step along the way to . the Mastery of Intent. . . Intent can be shifted as a "field effect", . not just within the body. When one learns to . shift internal intent elements, this process . is not unlike the shifting of the intent . elements at large. . . Many other examples and specifics can be . given.... . . . The term "Mastery" does indeed imply a level . of consciousness, just as a 60 watt bulb . emits a level of photon release that is . superior to that which is emitted by a 20 . watt bulb. The term "level" here is used . much as it would be in the science of . physics. Another physics metaphor for . Mastery would be the term "Escape velocity" . whereby a minimum threshold of thrust is . applied in order to get beyond the . gravitational force of the earth. Either you . have this amount of energy or you don't, and . that limitation is not imposed by human made . ideas of hierarchical relationship. It is . imposed by the reality at large. The same . may be said of Mastery. . . "Mastery" in the spiritual sense has nothing . to do with hierarchy, only degree of . attainment. The Master is not interested in . comparisons of one person to the next except . perhaps to illustrate what is needed along . the spiritual path. . . Much like describing the wind, to speak of . intent is as you said a matter of describing . it's effects. However, the wind can also be . measured in terms of velocity, direction, . the interaction of hot/cold air fronts, . particulate content etc. The same is true of . intent. Intent can also be described, . experienced, and implemented in terms of . degree, type, length of focus, . manifestation, group action, and daily . activities. . . The study of intent is therefore a science . just as much as it is a mystical . consideration. There are just as many ways . both valid and concrete, to study and master . intent as there are to study and accurately . predict the particulars of meteorology. . . The electric bulb analogy was meant to . convey a matter of energy level. 20 Watts . may indeed do well in seeing one's face in . the mirror, but when it comes to spiritual . practitioners, it CAN help to have the . benefit of the brightest Guide one can find. . The concept of having a "benefactor" is not . unknown in many places in the globe, and at . various times throughout history. . . Such as; . . There are various traditions of spiritual . thought and practice which employ the . term "Master". The ancient Vedic lineage for . instance, of which Buddha and Mahavir were a . part, and which countless others have been . revered for their insights, are an example. . The same may be said of Taoism and various . martial art schools in China/Japan, and . probably the ancient Seers of Toltec, Mayan . and other cultures. Interestingly, in India . the act of "receiving the Darshan" of a . Master, traditionally at an ashram or some . other place of intensive spiritual focus, is . a matter of absorbing the influence of the . intent of the one so awakened. The practice . entails meditating or simply sitting with . the Master and being permeated by their . aura/intent for the sake of accelerated . personal evolution. . . Discussion as follows . You said; . . "We can, indeed, describe the effects of . intent! However, this is not a discussion of . intent. Words are only a way to describe an . item or an event. They are not the event, . itself. Intent can only be experienced." . . ******* . . Yes, words are only a description, not the . thing in itself. If intent were unique to a . given person and no others, then surely it . would be something that could only be . experienced and not described. . However, intent is not unique to any one . person...it is common to all of us. . . ********* . . "Take another example: suppose I have never . eaten a peach. Could you tell me what it . tastes and feels like? Not very accurately! . One more problem: words are issued by . humans. All humans are inherently dishonest. . Words will always be biased and at least a . little accuracy is lost in this way. Thus, I . can claim that intent and its manipulation . can only be experienced." . . *********** . . If only one of us had ever eaten a peach . then this would be true. But what happens . when we have both eaten one? It is then that . we can say that ripe peaches are sweet, . juicy and even of varying degrees of . freshness, acidity, how juicy they are, etc. . Saying this has real experiential meaning, . and notes can be compared. . . Since we all have intent as an inherent . aspect of the true self, this is something . of a common experience for everyone here. . Even in the writing of these replies we are . employing intent, and the same is true of . reading them. In making specific . observations about this fact, such as . realizing intent in action even at this very . moment, and every moment thereafter, . definite and specific details can be . accurately obtained. . . An example of such observation is to say; . . Intent is continuously functioning within, . and is behind every thought, feeling and . action we take. . . Intent is what focuses awareness first upon . the computer screen and then upon the . keyboard, and from seeing a scene to simply . hearing it. . . Like the power of a muscle, intent is no . given action, but the potential for all . actions. . . Whenever we focus our intent/awareness on . any part of the body, it is there that . energy begins to accumulate, and in the . manner of the intent that is so focused. . . The reaction of others to our words, even . though those words are repeated syllable for . syllable on different occasions, differs . precisely according to the intent with which . they were spoken...etc. . . Both the soulic and physical bodies are made . of intent elements. The second is to raise . these intent elements so that one's . consciousness is progressively expanded. . . The intent elements to be raised are those . in ourselves, and those around the world at . large. The intent elements within are not . difficult to know and access, since each one . produces a specific feeling somewhere in the . body. The intent elements at5 large are . similarly not difficult to know and access, . when a practitioner learns to feel with . their body in that way. Just as we can . selectively listen to given conversation in . a croded room, and then switch our attention . to the room in general, so to can we learn . to switch our feeling registry from . ourselves to the fields at large. In other . words, we can directly feel the intent at . large, and on wider and wider scales. . . The method of raising these intent elements . is also similar in each case. We can raise . the intent elements within to higher . feelings. We can also raise the . feeling/intent elements in others, or even . whole "areas of effect" given the right . employment of intent. . . There are four specific steps which can be . followed that form the basis for the . shifting of intent at both the personal and . field levels. They are as follows; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT . (for rendering internal change) . . 1) Be aware of your current state of . body/mind, (this is accomplished through . meditation). . . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to be . Intended, (such as a higher love and . clarity) and the Intent to be acted upon is . crystallized. . . 3) The desired state is held steady in the . mind, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize . and feel this state as if it already exists, . until the body/mind shifts into it. . . 4) The desired state is “held in place” . throughout the body, (or a given chakra). . This new state is maintained by treating it . as the new reality of the self on a . permanent basis. . Subsequent applications of the above four- . step process render cumulative results. Be . persistent! . . When raising intent elements at large, . similar steps can be employed; . . THE MANIFESTATION OF INTENT . (FOR WORLD CHANGE) . . 1) Be aware of the current state of World . Mind, (this is accomplished through . meditation, and a body-wide sensitivity to . the feelings/Intent currently traveling . around the globe. Just visualize the world . and FEEL. . . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to be . Intended around the world, (such as a higher . love and clarity) and the Intent to be acted . upon is crystallized. . . 3) The desired result and state is held . steady in the body/mind, as though it . already exists. The meditator superimposes . the visualized result of higher world . consciousness, upon the existing World Mind. . Our focused Awareness acts to Create . external psychic changes, by providing . environmental energies with a pattern to . crystallize around. [In this way our . awareness may be compared to the lines of . force exerted by a magnet upon iron filings] . A re-patterning of global consciousness, in . accord with personal, (or group) Intent, . then begins to take effect. This initiates . psychic changes in the nations of the world, . first at the unified field, (subatomic) . level of existence, and then subsequently at . the material level of social policy. . Awareness extends outward from the self, (or . selves) into the environment, and according . to ones’ visualized Intent. It causes the . Energy there to conform to the desired . changes. To accomplish this step in raising . the world consciousness, the entire Earth is . visualized. Also pictured is “the light of . change”, which manifests positive Intent, . (described hereafter). . . 4) The desired result and state is "Intended . into place", (and held there). The new . pattern of consciousness, generated through . focused Awareness at the direction of . Intent, is now made manifest. This new level . of love, clarity or other desired Intention . is then stabilized, by treating it as the . new reality of the World Mind. Psychic . changes created in these four steps, are . Intended into place as a lasting benefit for . all of humanity, and/or for the Earth . itself. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: Traveling the Progression - Mike Van Wagoner . 13 Aug 2004 17:48 . #479 Matthew, . I have found the use of intonation in . meditation to be very helpful. I can even . sound a certain tone in my mind and . resonate to it. It gives a kind of . reference of the vibration that is intended . in each energy center. . . I have heard that taste, touch, sound, . smell, and sight are less than 1 millionth . of the full electromagnetic spectrum. It . is all here, it seems that it is only up to . the individual to tune into the right waves. . The smallest element scientists have been . able to see with a microscope is the . quark. But what fills the rest of the . empty space in an atom? It must be . something that can pass through and fill . all material in this 3d world. . . . each . navigate . to . this . raised. . of . upon . useful. . qualities . high . fully. . dance . In . fact, . of . darkness . with . for . that . this . detail . intent . to . to . attempt . as . the . distinction . according . progressively . dramatically . consciousness . of . are, . a . of . the . that . diatonic . tones . is . and . next . the . correspondences . note . in . feel . and . much . effect . consciousness. . with . chakra) “AYYY”, . those . my . wildflowers . two . intent . the . the . in . practitioners . others . I . I’ve . and . not . Manifesting . called “world . consciousness . may . and . feelings . organs) . from . chakra . only . the . cases . evolution. . consistently . for . a . from . social . the . an . in . at . goals, . as . the . Earth . like . casting, . this . of . intent, . of . me, . be . and . that . lifted . particularly Re: Traveling the Progression - Matthew Webb . 15 Aug 2004 09:54 . #480 Hi Mike, . . That's good to hear because it's SUCH a . useful vehicle for raising, (intonation). . As you alluded to, every pitch of tone does . indeed correspond to a given chakra, (for . instance the tone "AHH" is fourth chakra . effective). If one combines intoning "Ahh" . for an entire outbreath while at the same . time INTENDING a raising of the hearts' . vibration, the result is usually multiplied . many times. Combine these once again with a . puff of herb and you've got a powerhouse . technique for serious raising. It's that . type of meditative combination which really . propels the practitioner upwards to higher . levels of consciousness. . . You're right also about the potentials of . being able to "tune into" alternate . frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum, . through the senses and extra-sensory means. . The psychic/feeling level of life or . instance, is a perfect example. It's . interesting how everyone feels intent from . others all the time, and yet at the same . time deny such phenomena exist due to their . training in this very materialistic society. . . The quark level of matter/energy is . definitely where consciousness is most . reactive with matter. When you really get . down to it, matter and energy become a . singular and indistinguishable substance at . this level of existence. Even finer than . quark level matter/energy is intent. It is . this essence which passes through matter . just as a wave passes through the ocean. . This is also why the intentions of others, . and the World Mind state of consciousness as . a sum total, render psychic-feeling effects . upon us all every day. All this is . evocative of Einsteins' Unified Field and . quantum mechanics. TM (Transcendental . Mediation) says that the unified field is . synonymous with consciousness, and I agree . completely with that, from personal . experience. . . ******** . Re: The Intent of God - Frans weyer . 17 Aug 2004 19:28 . #481 This is so very true. . Everything streams,and when we see in . that "streaming"some brilliance we try to . catch it whereby almost always stagnation . follows. . By catching some water many don't see that . there is a real danger to spoil the whole . thing. . We become our own enemy when we create . separation,which is something else than true . learning. . Wich is funny because in spite of it all . life streams on. . God is still creating,as you said ,it was . not a six day job. . Maybe is in some ways the "modern . society"with his iron colours also an . experience that has a deeper impact than we . think in our somewhat narrow sight. . It helps when i think of Shiva whome dance . is making the universe roll,the dance of the . atoms,of nature and human relations,and no . doubt,of daily life. . . . were . of . level THC Ministry discussion of Herb and Mastery - Matthew Webb . 17 Aug 2004 21:03 . #482 The following is from an ongoing discussion . at the "THC Ministries" forum at . http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/viewforum . That site is dedicated to the use oif . marijuana as a spiritual sacrament and for . its' legalization. I recommend it as one . useful stop on the entheogen/shamanic . scene. We are speaking below of the use of . the herb for expanding consciousness, . especially through the right employment of . intent. Included are references to the . gaining of various spiritual powers and . levels of Mastery which ANYONE can achieve! . . ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ . . Slide, I can see from your earlier post that . you are employing the four steps in the . mastery of personal intent with success. . That is truly excellent. I can tell this by . what you said, and by the fact that you're . getting higher on less smoke. . . You said, . . "As far as an Inner transformation goes, . from my reading I sense that the beginner . should start with a focus on energy but . might also have a multiple focus on other . areas as well. Such as transforming fear to . love. " . What would would your recommendation be with . regard to continuing this journey? Should . one focus on one aspect or multiple? . . . ********* . . Yes, absolutely. Every practitioner should . progress spiritually according to their . maximum ability/intent, just like a . weightlifter presses their maximum so as to . achieve an even higher level of fitness. . The psychic and spiritual growth of the . practitioner follows this principle very . well, as the "energy body/chakras" become . stronger. As a person learns to do greater . and greater things with their INTENT, such . as transforming fear as you mentioned, they . get stronger and stronger spiritually and . psychically. As they gain strength, or in . other words personal power, the practitioner . can then move from singular intentions of a . simple nature, to sophisticated intentions . and even multiple, interlocking intentions . for powerful effect(s). Transforming fear . to love should definitely be classified as a . more sophisticated maneuver of intention, as . opposed to the simple drawing of chi. On . the other hand, the Herbal augmentation . makes such a transformation much easier. . The real catch here, is of course that the . meditator must learn to make this . transformation without exclusively leaning . on the Herb. . . As a general rule of thumb, the more . intentions that are employed in tandem . during a given period of time, the more . potent is their psychic/spiritual effects. . In saying this, I mean of course not just . any intention, but those which contribute to . the expansion of consciousness. In my . Perpetual Raising series . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest@eoni.com . (Library) which you mentioned, I speak of . the "6 elements of consciousness expansion" . or in other words, the six major . intentions. These are; . . 1) the gaining of chi . 2) the raising of vibration . 3) right alignment . 4) right intent/right action . 5) expansion . and . 6) clarity . . The employment of all 6 of these intentions . simultaneously is what a Master does. . . Interestingly, the Herb inherently promotes . 4 of these 6 automatically to some extent, . (chi, vibration, right alignment, expansion) . and augments the other two, (clarity, right . intent-action) when the practitioner reaches . the level of personal power required to . wield them. Employing these six while on . the Herb has truly profound potentials. . Every time I smoke I focus on all of these, . and they have expanded my consciousness . considerably, especially through the aid of . the Smoke. One should use any or all of . them according to felt, intuitve need, . during any given moment. . . ************* . Slide; . . And what changes did you first notice when . you recognized the herb as a . transformational tool? . . ********** . . Rishi; . . I noticed great shifts of vibration in my . body, altered and expanded perception with . greater clarity, and very boosted psychic . powers. While on the smoke for instance, I . saw then and now into a greater depth of the . minds around me. I feel and know the . thoughts of others, their intentions, and . their feelings, as well as what chakras they . are projecting their . thoughts/feelings/intentions from. Of . course, this is a natural ability that . everybody possesses to some degree, but I've . always had it strongly. When I smoked the . Herb, it brought out these abilities very . strongly. . . ********************************************* . ***** . . Slide inquires; . . "With regard to the high...my focus on . intent has thus far been the internal . feelings that I wish to maintain - peace, . love and even joy. . . These are some of the gifts that I view the . herb to give. . . When you say you can take the high higher, . or increase the high are you refering to . these gifts from the herb? Or additional . attributes or gifts?" . . ********* . . These are truly great and profound questions . you've asked. Thank you for the opportunity . to address them publicly and in discussion, . my friend. Peace, love and joy are certainly . worthy states of consciousness that the herb . can augment, needless to say. But as you . intuited, there are even . greater "destinations" and rewards in the . HIGH. The problem here is to describe these . in any adequate way, so that readers keep in . mind that I'm referring to very specific, . concrete states of being that can be . achieved PERMANENTLY. . . What immediately comes to mind is the Christ . or Buddha archetype. In answering your . question through only one of innumerable . avenues, I'd have to say that what makes . itself available in "higher highs" are . levels of being like those of great . spiritual Masters. It is quite possible for . instance, to reach such a level of high . through intention, (high consciousness) that . one passes into what it is to perceive, feel . and even be empowered, such as a Christ or a . Buddha. I know this because I've done it . many times within the last few months. I . can even do it upon demand given that I . smoke (and those who are viewing do the same . while using progressive intention/right . intent). I/we plan to make a short film . capturing this "ascension process". This is . a fancy term that simply means one passes . over that threshold of consciousness to a . certain minimum, that could only be . called "Mastery". This is done, like . everything else we've been talking about, . through rightly focused intent. ANYONE can . become as a Christ or a Buddha if that is . their sincere and worked-for intention, and . the Herb can aid this process immensly . especially when it is combined with . meditation. . . I ask myself if this addresses the intent of . your question completely, and I intuit the . answer is "only partly". I realize that as . a practitioner you'd like to discuss more . specifics, yet that is a tall order within . this small space-forum. Still, one could . say that these high levels of consciousness, . boosted in part by the herbal High itself, . transform and enable the meditator. It is . clearly an initiation process which moves . one to higher and higher levels of being, . with a mere intermediate destination being . that of a Master. There are even higher . levels than this that can be achieved, and . without end! . . In any case, one becomes familiar with a . phenomena perhaps best described as . crossing "thresholds" of consciousness. One . gets a distinct sensation and impression . of "traveling", whereas gaining higher . states of consciousness becomes more and . more like crossing a three dimensional . terrain. This terrain can be navigated at . will, but there are various pitfalls and . mostly self-imposed limitations along the . way. One of these is the threshold. . Crossing one is like a miniature intiation . or spiritual test. You can feel a threshold . approaching as you get higher, through . feelings of increasing instability, fear, or . just simple excitement. The principle of . natural law involved is as follows; . . "The crossing of a theshold of any kind . involves systemic re-organization, implying . some degree of instability." . . Once you "cross over" or "pass the . intitiatory test" your state of . consciousness once again can stabilize, and . that new level of being will feel both . normal, natural and easy. Doing this . progressively is what can be . called, "gaining personal power" . and "engaging the ascension process" by . degrees. Upon the next smoke and/or . meditation, one can then use their . previously elevated state of consciousness . as a springboard, to go ever further into . higher states, powers and perceptions. . . Thresholds are naturally . occurring "divisions" of existence. The . analogy that comes to mind to explain this . more graphically is the spinning of a cocoon . by a butterfly larvae. That larvae-to-pupae . act is but one threshold. The next is the . emergence into an adult form, which . obviously involves a transfiguration of . considerable scope. This example is extreme . and not representative of most thresholds of . consciousness, at least in terms of type. . But in terms of transformation it conveys . what happens to the practitioner to a small . degree, as they go from one major level of . consciousness to another. . . Many thresholds can be crossed during one . Smoke/meditational session. It is also . common place to fall back down through an . achieved threshold only to cross it again . and again. The real test here is for the . practitioner to stabilize the new state of . achieved consciousness. This is best done . through clarity and realization, especially . on a body-wide basis. . . Meditation upon body-wide clarity, . (awareness of awareness) is particularly . useful for state stabilization. THC Ministry #4 - Matthew Webb . 18 Aug 2004 16:26 . #483 Slide asked; . . "With regard to thresholds...would that be . likened to reaching milestomes on the path . to enlightenment? Milestones on the path to . realizing our Buddah or Christ nature? " . . *********** . . Rishi; . . Yes, very true. Thresholds exist and have . to be crossed, previous to the level of a . Buddha or Christ, and they also exist after . these levels of consciousness. There are . minor thresholds of consciousness expansion, . (easier to cross) interspersed with major . and less common thresholds, (not so easy to . cross). . . I'm compelled to further add that the . term "enlightenment" is somewhat . misleading. It tends to imply an "endpoint" . of spiritual attainment, at least as it is . commonly used. The fact is, there is no . endpoint or highest attainment/state of . consciousness. There is always a higher . state that can be achieved and embodied. So . a more complete way to view the . term "enlightenment" is to realize that it . refers only to a given position on the . endless ladder of consciousness expansion. . This position might be better . called, "Cosmic Par" or "Minimum Cosmic . Mastery" such as it is found in various . forms throughout the universe. . . Interestingly, there are many avenues or . ways to achieve "enlightenment" or "minimum . cosmic Mastery". In my perception, Christ . achieved such a level via the fourth chakra, . using "right alignment" (with God) and such . an intent as, "super dynamic, ultra love". . Buddha on the other hand, achieved minimum . cosmic Mastery via the sixth chakra, using . mental realization, (logic, yogic technique) . and "ultra clarity". . . Any of the chakras can in fact serve as . avenues for enlightenment. An extremely . potent intention to employ, especially on . the Smoke, is that of a Buddha/Christ . combination, or in other words, super . dynamic ultra love and ultra clarity, in . synthesis. . . ************ . . Slide; . . "The question also comes to mind about how . are the thresholds recognized? I realize . this is a poorly worded question. Give me a . few days and maybe I will be better able to . phrase it as well as phrase the questions . that will arise as I study your response. " . . ************ . . Rishi; . . I believe I understand your question. You . will know an approaching threshold by an . increasing sensation of internal unrest, . particularly in a given chakra or chakras, . (typically). This unrest feels like a . certain peculiar turbulence or chaos that . can be most unsettling. It is useful to . keep in mind something about this. There are . various ways to cross a threshold, and even . ways to cross wherein one does not feel that . chaos and unrest. A purity of intention . and/or high love is an example, but these . are perhaps more difficult to employ than . more "ordinary" threshold transition, via . willpower or similar focuses. . . ******** . . Rishi, replying to a different post along . the same line... . . Lilli, it occurs to me that the difference . in your annointing experiences with the . oils, is a matter of the intention with . which they were prepared. Many will no . doubt disagree, but the act of prayer or . meditation itself is not sufficient. In . other words, technique or ritual alone has . little or nothing to do with the . effectiveness of spiritual tools, such as a . staff or anointing oil. . . There is no replacement whatsoever for the . PURITY or HEIGHT of intention. This is of . course also true of the effectiveness of . meditation and prayer as well. With . purity/height of intent, one in fact needs . no such tools at all, nor does one need . temples, churches, religions, vestments, . rituals or other artificial structures of . any kind, for the same reason. THC Ministry #5 - Matthew Webb . 22 Aug 2004 19:33 . #484 Another continued conversation from the THC . Ministries forum, (Netherlands . Branch)................. . Brother Slide; . It seems that I might be delayed a bit due . to weather conditions here in Oregon, so . it's a pleasure to talk further.... . . *********** . Slide mentioned; . "You have given a methodology for the . evolution of the soul in your writing that . is clear and thought provoking. . Even though I have some knowledge of . meditation what you have taught me here and . on your web page has opened new doors and . avenues of exploration for me. . Thank you. " . . ************* . Rishi; . I'm really very glad to know this, as it . isn't often that I have the honor of . speaking to someone who is a genuine . practitioner. I speak to many theorists, . (who compose the majority of the public) but . not many who would actually put such . principles of spiritual growth into . progressive action. In fact, it seems clear . that although many are attracted to such . practices as the Chakra Meditation, they . simply don't take the time/effort to DO THE . INTERNAL WORK that is necessary. And as you . know, such matters do take work, not so much . in the physical sense where many assume all . work takes place, but as changes made within . our being. That type of work takes a . different kind of focus and determination . than does simple, physical motion, although . both ARE based on INTENT. It's a real . pleasure collaborating with someone of your . intent, and no doubt the disciplined focus . of your martial arts background, (which we . share by the way) has much to do with your . successes spiritually. . . ************ . Slide; . . "I was first introduced to meditation at 16 . years of age by a Southern Baptist Pastor in . the form of self-hypnosis. My life was a . wreck and he was truly trying to help me. . Unfortunately my focus was not on spiritual . evolution and instead of using what I . learned from him for the good, I used it to . be able to compartmentalize pain so as to . increase my skills as a fighter. I was . successful in my endeavor of being able to . overcome physical pain. My father would be . the first to say that when it came to the . fight or flight response all I ever had was . fight. Years later, in my 30’s, he . said, “God did not give you a reverse.” I . have since learned at least where the brakes . are. Fortunately for me I had one person . come into my life that taught me a very . important lesson. . This gentleman was, at that time, the United . States Open Weight Karate Champion and had . some world ranking as well. I challenged him . just because I wanted to see what would . happen. What happened was that I took a . beating for 45 minutes. He eventually tired . of using me as a punching bag and walked . off. I tried to follow but my legs wouldn’t . cooperate. I was 17 years old. That was the . only fight I ever started and that was more . of a “let’s do this thing". . . ******** . Rishi; . Your history here reminds me of a principle . of spiritual growth that I often ponder. . Generally speaking it goes like this; . "There is rarely a better force for the . gaining of personal strength than crisis". . Much like the tempering of steel, (heat . stressing) the blade or tool becomes far . stronger because of it's "trial by fire" . than it would if it was left untested. Such . crisis and drive, to me, is the refining of . the spirit. It's the warriors' initation, . the test of one's mettle, and that is a . point few "New Age" theorists like to . grapple with. In that paradigm, one sees a . concept of spirituality that never offers a . harsh word, and where all the world is . exactly as it should be no matter what . happens. In that mistaken view, God or . whoever takes care of everything, and we . needn't take any responsiblity whatsoever . for life, let alone spiritual progress. . Well, that to me is not a realistic world . view, and I'd go further to say that it's . not even a genuine spiritual focus. What . that looks like to me is denial given a . fancy packaging, (new age spirituality) . which is (usually) completely unaware of . what it means to be a warrior, to adopt . personal discipline, or to gain personal . power. There is no TRIAL in such views, . and thus, there is no solid spiritual gains . made either, (for the most part). This is . why I consider the concept of a "spiritual . warrior" to be both completely valid and a . very strong Path. I realize that there . are "different paths for diffeent seekers", . yet improvement through crisis is still a . very valid principle. It is surely the . warrior archetype which is among the most . capable of dealing with any life challenge, . and turning it into personal power, instead . of just denial or slow defeat. I for one . have gained similar realizations through . martial arts as well, and studied Shotokan . karate for some time. After that I turned . away from karate to more "soft styles" . resmbling kung fu, especially Jeet Kun Do. . I enjoy sparring very much, especially with . someone who is progressive and who . understands it's purpose...the refining of . the spirit by trial. Have you by chance . seen the movie "Circle of Iron" directed by . Bruce Lee? . . ************* . Slide; . . I was an angry young man but had no desire . really to hurt people. My fighting was done . in the ring with a few exceptions. . . We eventually became very good friends and I . actually became his student. I am eternally . grateful to him for he taught me my capacity . for suffering was greater than most people’s . willingness to inflict pain. (To paraphrase . Martin Luther King Jr.) Eventually I came to . realize that my ability to withstand injury . could enable me to win the fight by not . fighting. I think it is quite possible that . I could project my chi to those who would do . me harm. I had no fear of pain and I had no . love of life at that time of my life. . . So, my first lessons in meditation involved . visualizations but without the awareness . component described in the “Employment of . Intent.” . Later in life I learned of the awareness . portion but did not employ intent. . . *********** . Rishi; . All this to me sounds like a very good . background for becoming an advanced . practitioner, or "Master". Even anger can . be a potent force for personal gain. It can . be an aspect of "spiritedness", though of . course, it is rarely the type of feeling . which is sufficently refined to be a truly . effective fighter, thinker or diplomat. . Never the less, I for one do not discourage . anger in anyone who would learn higher . ways. I teach them instead to view it as a . source of personal power when it is directed . toward higher achievement. I spent many . years feeling quite angry at the state of . society, and for the "unfairness" and . hypocrisy seen there in every aspect of the . world. Although that anger was probably not . the most efficient motivator for change and . the overcoming of obstacles, it DID never . the less help me to completely challenge the . faulty assumptions of the world, and to . develop that kind of inner spirit which . absolutely will not relent under any . circumstances, once my mind is made up. . Under those auspices, if that means taking . on the whole world and everybody in it for . the sake of just cause, then so be it. This . also helped me to write articles and . commentaries in a very straightforward . manner, because I did not care who liked . what I had/have to say and who doesn't, . (especially in my various social . commentaries and government criticisms). So . to me, anger is a form of energy, and any . energy can be turned to the purposes of . good, given the right intention. . ************* . . Slide quotes from WMS; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT . (for rendering internal change) . 1) Be aware of your current state of . body/mind, (this is accomplished through . meditation). . 2) Gain familiarity with that which is to be . Intended, (such as a higher love and . clarity) and the Intent to be acted upon is . crystallized. . 3) The desired state is held steady in the . mind, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize . and feel this state as if it already exists, . until the body/mind shifts into it. . 4) The desired state is "held in place" . throughout the body, (or a given chakra). . This new state is maintained by treating it . as the new reality of the self on a . permanent basis. . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . ^^^^^ . . The power of the mind is an awesome thing. . The combination of awareness with intent and . visualization has to be a very powerful tool . for manifesting change. . . Step 1 is familiar ground for me now. I try . to be aware of my emotional state and body . sensations at all times. I continually . monitor the self talk of the ego and watch . the feeling and thoughts in my body. . . ******* . Rishi; . Yes, this kind of constant self monitoring . is extremely useful, and the surest and . quickest route to the gaining of higher . states of consciousness. This relates . directly to what I mentioned later in this . reply, along the lines of "exercising" the . gains made through frequent use-focus. . . ********* . Slide; . . Step 2 is a little more difficult for me in . some regards with certain states. But this . is a work in progress. My trouble area is . Love. I do love and I love deeply but at the . same time I think my earlier desire to . overcome physical pain had some relationship . to a perception that with love comes pain. . And possibly the fear component interferes . as it relates to relationships. . . Your instructions or suggestions on your web . page regarding using past experiences of . intense love, recalling those feelings and . bringing them forth should help me raise my . level of whatever state is intended. . . ********* . Rishi; . Yes, remembering past states of . consciousness that are desirable, such as . love, is one useful technique for summoning . them up throughout the body. That method is . only what I initially recommend however, and . isn't the path I personally use. I prefer . to engage steps two and three in the mastery . of intent by simply "intending into place" . whatever state of consciousness I wish to . increase at any given moment. In . the "intending into place" of greater love, . for instance, the practitioner need only . perform step one, focus on love as a state . of consciousness, and realize that it can be . increased by cumulative increments. In . other words, one starts with a given level . of felt love in the heart or whole body, and . through the constant application of intent . during a meditation, increases that level by . small increments until great love is . accumulated within. This is just a matter . of "moving one's state" which is of course a . learned skill, and yet it is truly a simple . thing. That's what we're really doing by . recalling past, felt love. The only . difference is that in this method, the . changes of state are made through a more . direct means than memory recall. They are . made through intent itself, and brought . forward by meditatively focusing on the . desired state, (love, clarity, greater chi, . etc). It can help those new to this . practice to picture their current state as a . single point on the sloping line of a . graph. One can either move upward or . downwards on that graph by raising or . lowering their state. There are for . instance, always higher levels of love or . clarity to achieve. It can help to . visualize one's progress of "intending these . into place" via this graph visualization, . which serves the purpose of reminding us . that we CAN move by increments up a . progression that is propelled solely by . intent alone. . . A bottom line to consciousness expansion is . this; . . There are in essence two types of . intentions... those which raise . consciousness, (evolve) and those which . lower it, (de-volve). If one were to . fundamentally define the concepts of "good" . and "evil" therefore, it could be accurately . said that "good" is that which evolves, . (becomes more and greater) and "evil" is . that which devolves, (becomes less . sophisticated and increasingly entropic). . . ********** . Slide; . . Step 3 talks about meditating on the desired . state. In this step I see awareness of . awareness being key to maintaining the focus . on the state. One must visualize the state, . feel it and hold it, watch the state and . watch the feelings as well as any chatter . that may arise. The watcher has to bring . awareness back to the intended state and not . allow the stream of thoughts take control of . the meditation. . . Would that be an accurate statement? . . ********** . Rishi, . that is EXACTLY correct and is very . perceptive. "Awareness of awareness" refines . clarity, of course, and clarity is extremely . useful for the holding in place of any newly . acquired, or existing state. It is not the . only means to do so, though. Other methods . include sheer enthusiasm for spiritual gain, . (if for no other reason than these states . generally feel quite good and empowering), . realization itself and its' associated . crystallization of what was realized, the . momentum associated with strong love, which . for obvious reasons provides it's own . motivation, etc. . . ********** . Slide; . . Step 4 – holding the state in place – What a . challenge! I am not even sure how to address . my questions here. With emotions I can . always return from anger to peace by not . attaching myself to the anger. Is the work . of holding the state a matter of recalling . the state whenever you are out of it and . intending it into place? . . Could you expand on this as it relates to . the high and or any of the intentions such . as clarity, right intent/action, vibration, . expansion, right alignment and energy? . . ********** . Rishi; . Yes, step four is perhaps the greatest . challenge, if for no other reason than our . usual habits of mind. These habits possess a . form of inertia, and that inertia must be . overcome through equal or greater force. If . one compares mental or even social inertia . to a stone rolling down a hill, it can then . be seen in the proper perspective, as . habitual trends DO gain momentum over time . and repeated application. Fortunately, we . can also develop "positive inerita" of . spiritual life focus. What does one do to . offset a rapidly rolling boulder? Well the . most efficient method can be described in . terms of Judo, wherein the momentum of the . opponent is used against them [To . paraphrase, "push when pulled, and pull when . pushed"] Since it would be much harder to . simply stop the boulder in it's tracks, it . is better to simply deflect it onto a . different course that is more advantageous. . Typically this is best done by cumulative . degrees, just as it is true of personal or . collective change. On a more advanced note . however, REALIZATION, (such as what Buddha . spoke of) DOES have the power to offset ANY . inertia, but once again, that realization . must be both embodied and held in place on a . permanent basis. . . To do this, one needs to employ the intent . of permanency, as well as the intent of . raising, as we have been discussing above. . Employment of that intent is a learned . skill, and it's application does tend to . differ slightly upon "intending permanency . into place" of different consciousness . expanding focuses. For instance, intending . permanency of greater love is different in . nature than intending a greater permenency . of clarity, although not in basic . principle. Since clarity differs so greatly . in essential character from that of love, . the needs of holding each one in place also . differ. The same may be said of achieving . and holding in a semi-permanent or permanent . manner, such aspects as "right . alignment", "right intent/action", . and "expansion". These aspects require more . explanation than I can offer on this . occasion of course, but they all can be . solidified, (embodied) by the practitioner. . The right alignment in the case of communing . with Nature or God for instance, offers . distinct sets of feelings and states of . consciousness which can be made lasting . within our body/mind/souls. . . To answer your last question, the work of . holding any given raised state is more a . matter of continually EXERCISING that gain . than it is recalling it memory-wise. Memory . recall is best used to REINITIATE lost gains . (as you alluded to) of state-raising, not . for sustaining them. As in martial arts, . when one gains a new skill it is best . solidified/crystallized/refined/embodied by . USING IT in everyday life. When the raised . state of consciousness becomes the . practitioners' new norm, or even their . new "habit of mind and body" it is then that . they have truly acquired it, or to put that . another way, it is then that they have truly . gained personal power from it. THC #6 - Matthew Webb . 28 Aug 2004 20:38 . #485 From an ongoing conversation at the . Netherlands "THC Ministry" at http://www.thc- . ministry.net in the "FAQ" section.... . . Hello Slide, Roney, Lilli, . . I keep getting sidetracked, ultimately, in . my return to the woods. At present I'm . coordinating certain world-wide mailings, . relating to a recent article Sandi and I . wrote on the brainwashing effects . television, (posted here on THC as well). . We've sent out about 3000 of those articles . around the world so far, inviting people to . do the same. Also, someone may end up . coming here to study in person, and that is . being decided.... . Anyway, I very much enjoy answering the . intelligent comments/questions of those on . the THC forum. It is a very welcome change . of pace from other areas of the internet, . and I'm always grateful for your lucidity. . Roney asked; . "do you know this prayer that Hindus use . before they puff? . if so could you post it here please? . thanks and love to all " . . ******** . Rishi; . . No, I'm sorry but I'm unaware of such modern . Hindu methods. All I'm familiar with is the . fact that it is historically shown . that "ganja", or the Herb, has been used as . a spiritual booster since before the time of . the Vedas, (3-5000 years ago). Some if not . all of the ancient "rishis", as they were . called, used marijuana for meditational . purposes (and for "Seeing") and many . speculate that much of the Hindu Vedic . literature has been inspired by that Herbal . influence. Of course, others say that there . is similar evidence indicating Biblical . referrences to the great uses of this Herb, . as has been mentioned on this forum many . times. Speaking of such speculations and . documentation, I recommend the book, "The . Emporer Wears No Clothes" by Jack . Herer...it's a real eye opener not only . regarding the uses of the most important . plant on Earth, (marijuana/hemp) but also to . show the real motivations behind history and . political decisions in general, (corporate . profits). . . ********** . . Slide mentions; . . As I work with meditation and intent, with . and without the herb, I notice many . interesting things happening. . First with the herb, by simply recognizing . that the herb causes increased vibrations in . the heart and chest area it changes the . whole experience for me immediately. . Combine that recognition with the employment . of intent, as you describe in your writings, . and one begins to glimpse another level of . transformation the herb provides. It is much . easier to use that feeling to leverage . (intend) more energy or to use the . vibrations to intend more openness or love. . ********* . Rishi; . As always, your observations and . meditational focus are spot-on. What has . consistently surprised me about this subject . is that very few other people seem to have . noticed such effects in these modern times. . Perhaps this is because as a culture, the . Western world is too "outwardly focused" . (materialistic) to take their own feelings . seriously, and as meaningful. Indeed, the . raising of vibration and energy after a . puff, are among the first things that I . noticed with it too. But then I attribute . that to having been into meditation for many . years, prior to the time I discovered the . Herb. In the case of that book I . mentioned, "The Emporer Wears No Clothes", . although it is by far the best documentary . of marijuanas' many excellent physical . properties, it is oddly silent about it's . meditational and spiritual ones. I've . written Jack Herer about this many times, . (including my article "The Higher Self" in . the letters) in the hopes that he would . recognize these merits and include them in . some future edition. I even went to his . head shop, (Portland Oregon) in person and . dropped off the article to his son who was . working the desk. He never answered my . letters or this in-person visit, so I can . only conclude that the concept is . intimidating to him in some way. That's too . bad, because the expansion of consciousness . is the Herb's greatest benefit by far, and . it could change this world at a very . fundamental level if allowed to, (and used . with spiritual intention). . Combining the effects of the high with . meditation is EXACTLY what is called for, . especially amidst this world crisis we are . observing. Interestingly, the Herbal HIGH . makes the implementation of various . intentions all the more potent. To . meditatively INTEND a greater state of love . in the heart, in combination with the high, . can result in extremely dynamic shifts of . consciousness, especially if the . practitioner can get beyond certain . thresholds of fear. Usually there is some . fear stored in the body, and this will . likely be released in part, by just being . high/in love states. The two together are . very powerful spiritually. Once a person . has learned how to change their intent, and . therefore their state of consciousness at . will, shifting into higher states of love is . within their grasp. It's good to see this . being practiced Slide, and I'm quite . enthusiastic about that. . ************ . Slide; . . With and without the herb, it has become . easier to direct reactions to changing . directions. . Such as with your judo analogy. . ********* . Rishi; . Right, and "changing directions" with one's . state is a major part of spiritual . understanding. The conversion of fear or . anger to love and/or high is of such . critical importance that I could only call . it, "essential wisdom". When you apply the . Judo analogy to this, you can actually use . the momentum of a moment of anger or fear, . and turn that into a high state at will. Of . course, all this once again falls back to a . greater mastery of intent. Contrary to . popular opinion, the changing of one's self . is not primarily a psychological process . involving the manipulation of thoughts or . self concepts. It has little to do with . changing the content one's stream of . thoughts, because it is quite possible to . think one thing and intend another. Rather, . it has to do with what carries the thoughts . along to start with, every moment, which is . intention. Change intent and so too will . thoughts and feelings change. . *********** . Slide; . . What may have been a beginning of irritation . or anger can be changed to an opportunity to . teach compassion to my children. Or possibly . demonstrate it to an adult. . What I was feeling in my chest that I . labeled as paranoia when we began this . conversation I now recognize as vibrations. . Possibly because I have the intent to do so. . Awareness of body sensations and the . recognition with intent those sensations, . regardless of the energy center, can be used . to bring attention and intent into internal . change is an exquisite experience. . *********** . Rishi; . Yes, all feelings are a matter of chi, . (energy) vibrating at a given rate inside . the body. The trick here is to not identify . with fear or pain, regardless of how . prevalent they may be in the modern world. . This is a matter of self realization....to . do this, awareness of body-wide feelings is . a prerequisite, as you mentioned. . *********** . Slide; . . I have two little girls. A 3 and a 5 year . old. As with most kids they fuss and fight. . And they want to throw fits. I have found I . can end these fits in record time. . In life you have huggers and you have non- . huggers. I am a hugger. So my kids are . always being held and hugged. . I have used a variety of techniques in . dealing with the situation when my kids . throw crying fits. . . With my oldest daughter I have been trying . to teach to breathe through it for the past . couple of months. (She is 5) I try to get . her to describe the feeling and tell me how . big it is, how deep and what it looks like. . I try to teach her to breathe into the . feeling. Some people have asked me, “What . are you doing?” I tell them I am teaching . her to not be owned by the feeling. I want . her to recognize her feelings but not be . owned by them. . ********** . Rishi; . I see what you're teaching them to be an . incredibly valuable life lesson, and . appreciate what you said about "not being . owned by [any] feeling" . Right on. It's . just that type of honest and accurate self . reflection that is most lacking in the . general public. And that is exactly the . reason why, to a large extent, why modern . American society runs the way it does. . Because people are out of touch with their . honest feelings, they predictably feel very . hollow and unfulfilled inside. This state . of being of course contributes very nicely . to what consumerism is all about, which is . the buying of "things" as a substitute for . honesty, self knowledge and greater self . mastery. It occurs to me that you are in . the process of raising little "Masters", . whose spiritual and mental abilities will be . far greater than their main-stream society . counterparts! . ********** . Slide; . . In the past two weeks I have done the . following with both my kids but with my . youngest (3 years old) in particular. . I simply hold her. I visualize my love for . her and I intend it to wrap around her. In . no time at all she stops the crying and hugs . me back. Within seconds, it seems, she is . back to laughing and playing. . ************ . Rishi; . Visualized images, especially when combined . with an intention, are known in "occult" . circles as a "thoughtform". In the everyday . sense, people visualize things all the time, . and even these casually created mental . pictures, carry some effectual thoughtform- . power. In other words, they exert a psychic . effect upon other people and the . surroundings in general. But when a person . knowledgable of things spiritual uses a . visualized image to render an INTENTional . effect, it's power is made many times more . potent. What a visualized picture or . thoughtform does, is provide intent with a . more defined framework within which to . manifest itself. We constantly emit energy, . (feelings and intentions) into our . environment all the time. With a . thoughtform in mind, and while intending . something into place, our energy is given a . conduit/framework through which it can . operate more efficently, just as a copper . wire is more efficient for transmitting . electricity than is the arcing of those . electrons across "empty" space. . Particularly interesting is the use of a . thoughtform UPON ONES' SELF. If after . taking a puff, a person uses the intent to . raise their state of consciousness by . meditating upon the high, and moving their . state ever higher, such a process can be . accelerated by visualizing an empowering . image, super-imposed over the body, (for . instance). Simple ones can include . visualizing a surrounding sphere of white . light, (or various other colors). More . advanced ones of correspondingly more . powerful effect, can be such thoughtforms as . visualizing a Christ or Buddha image super- . imposed over the body, combined with the . intent to manifest within, such a state of . consciousness as they possess(ed). There . are innumerable other examples of . thoughtforms that could be used for the sake . of expanding one's consciousness, and even . the consciousness of others, of course. The . chief ingredient here, regardless of the . thoughtform used, is the quality of . intention used. . ************ . Slide; . . Another thing I have done is continue to . work on awareness and at a deeper level . clarity as you have described it. . I try to cultivate awareness in all that I . do. Driving provides a particularly fertile . ground to work on awareness. . What I have done is first intend a greater . level or degree of awareness. I still the . inner chatter and see myself watching my . thinking self. As I am doing this I intend . that my external awareness increase in all . directions around me. . ************ . Rishi, . With awareness being the second-most . important element of the consciousness that . we are, this is wise. Awareness functions . as both the eyes and hands of intent. You . mentioned "stilling the inner chatter" , . (stopping or slowing down thoughts, AKA . typical meditation) and that's surely what . is most needed in the world today. . *********** . Slide; . . What has happened is I know what cars are . around me without looking. I may very well . be seeing them in my rear view mirror and . the side mirrors. But I am not looking at . them. What I feel is that my vision and . processing of what the eye picks up has . increased greatly. I see so much more. . An example of this was when I was driving . early last Saturday morning I pulled up to a . traffic light. I asked myself what the . gender make up was of the cars to the side . of me and behind me were. There were 4 cars. . My feeling was 3 were driven by female . drivers and 1 by a male. I had two cars . behind me and two to my right side. (Three . lanes of traffic) I had every car pegged . The next intersection I came to I decided I . would just count the gender make-up of the . drivers. Seven cars passed as I sat at the . traffic light. All seven had male drivers. . The time was 6 AM. I mention the time . because the odds would be, in my area, that . the majority of drivers out that early would . be male. The people that would be working or . going to work that early on a Saturday . morning would be in predominately male . dominated trades. Regardless of how I did . it. I did see the drivers. It was a . interesting experience. . Peace to you, . Slide . ^^^^^^^^ . Lilli also comments; . Wow. that reminds me of the time on the way . to work with my husband cops going to pull . up beside you" . I kept it down an turned my head to the . right and sure enough up pulls a cop and he . is staying neck an neck with us for a . minute. . . Thats a great technique with your children . to Slide. . love Lilli . ********* . Rishi; . You are both employing your psychic power at . a conscious level. Marijuana and meditation . both amplify psychic sensitivity. The Herb . enlarges the chakras and increases the . energy body of which they are a part. . Typical meditation makes the feelings which . give us psychic indications of the world, . more obvious, by revealing their moment-to- . moment subtleties. . RETHINKING & TRANSFORMING MONEY! - S Barua . 8 Oct 2004 00:44 . #486 Thanks Matthew for the invitation and your . vision! This is my first post here! Like . everyone to send energy and have onemind . intent that all falsehoods and untruths in . all human endeavors get exposed, so people . can embrace new thoughts and holistic ideas . that serve all life in the planet. . . Wanted to share my ideas on sustainable . money of trust (debt-free and tax free) with . universal basic income for all. Our planet . have reached the productive, technological . capacity to support the basic survival needs . of all; but the monetary system is still . colonnial/monopolized and dysfunctional; . fractional reserve and compound interest is . mathematically impossible to sustain and . this is corrupting society, . politics,increasing inequality and . undermining real democracy everywhere! . . Please read and add your energy to it and . share the page with others. Peace & joy to . all. http://www.seek2know/net/money.html Group Mind and our collective influence on The World Good - Matthew Webb . 15 Nov 2004 19:06 . #488 15 Nov 2004 @ 19:00 by rishi : Group Mind . Note: I'm putting this comment here, but . invite everyone to continue on to the new . post on this log to discuss further.... . . I'd like to ask eveyone here, what their . impression is of the power of group . intention. I think we all agree as to at . least some of the power of individual . intention, and it's influence on daily, . moment to moment events. But as for an . aligned group mind focus, there are much . higher potentials involved, particularly if . that combined intention is of a spiritual . nature. . . In terms of the changing of this world, I've . found through personal experience that a . local group of people meditating together . can have profound field-reaching effects . that are perceived at some level by those . within that field, such as a neighborhood or . town. The same is even more obvious in a . natural setting where the vibe/intention . lingers on. I want to point out that this . group intention focus, especially one that . is of a high vibration, is exactly what WMS . is about. With our "group high" and high . intent we CAN make those changes to the . world and its' mass consciousness. Such . changes into higher feelings on a field . basis can be made by degrees. It is held in . place by practitioners who are the very . embodiment of high states. . . Primarily this is done through intention, so . a study of the subtleties of intent is . called for by the Path itself, (the Path of . mass ascension/evolution). . . I'd like to discuss this with you in detail, . because there are many revelations which beg . to be brought forth. . . *********** . . Transforming World Mind Inertia . . (GM series #7) . . Our entire world society is ultimately . governed by the components of consciousness, . not governments, corporations or . institutions. Regardless of the apparent . creativity of the architectural sciences, . engineering or the ideologies we create, the . true creator is consciousness itself. All of . the forms of social convention are merely . its bi-products. . . A given human mind possesses energy and . awareness, whose qualities are determined in . large part by the intent it employs. The . nature of each human intent constantly . contributes, via the unified field, to the . quality and nature of the intent employed by . our collective. In order for the nations of . the world to create improved social . conditions, the individual members who . comprise them must change the above three . components of consciousness. This . necessitates meditation, which is a process . of inner realization. It also necessitates . the re-alignment of personal intent in . accord with the Intent found in Nature, . (the “will of God”). Natural, Divine Intent . is based upon such qualities as love, . clarity, positivity and spiritual . progressiveness. It is these qualities, . (primarily) which facilitate evolution. . . A more complete definition of that phenomena . of nature known as group mind, is at this . point very useful. A group mind is that . merger of Energy, Awareness and Intent of . component individuals into an expanded . whole, through a mutual resonance of focus, . whose combined strength is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts. The group . mind that comprises the collective . intelligence of Earth, creates a sum that . far exceeds any one species or individual. . With this knowingness the Earthmind, (Gaia) . has coordinated the planetary condition, . according to the designs of evolutionary . progress for eons, rendering balance in all . places. The human group mind is currently . generating an opposite effect. Fear and pain . afflict the Worldmind, as a presence that is . felt by all life and sentience planet-wide. . . Destruction of plant and animal species is a . partial destruction of Earthmind . intelligence, of which these life forms are . a part. Each species represents a niche in . the spectrum of feelings states, . (vibrational rates and intents) that . naturally radiate from living things. In . destroying a given species, also destroyed . are the subtle emanations which it produced. . Each life form acts as a psychic balancing . agent for the planetary collective as a . whole. The great forests do more than purify . air, water and soil, they also purify the . mindstate of the planetary consciousness. . They absorb and transform negative . thoughtforms, as well as destructive . emotions, into those of a higher vibration. . The positivity found in natural areas gives . love a chance to flourish, even in an . environment predominated by fear. Anyone who . has ever spent an extended period in . forested areas knows this to be true. . . The cellular group minds of the human body, . have enormous potential as a singular unit. . Each cell contributes to the group mind of . tissues. The cellular consciousness of . tissues, generates the advanced intelligence . seen in organs. The organs of the body then . compose the incredible capacities of our . physiology. In like fashion, individual . human beings generate communities, nations, . and the body of the Worldmind as a whole. It . does not matter that each person of the . world is not physically connected, our . collective still functions as an individual . organism, rendering effects which go far . beyond that of any one individual. Humanity . does not yet realize the nature or extent of . these effects. If our collective was to . focus itself on progressive, positive . intentions, the benefits for each of us . would be monumental. The same principle has . been demonstrated by patients, who use . positivity to heal their cellular . collective, (body) of supposedly terminal . illnesses. The opportunity exists for . society to do the same on a global level. . The human group mind as a whole however, . continues to compound the negative effects . of wrong intent. The intents found within . materialism are not of natural origins or of . spiritual value. . . The power of human consciousness has . considerable impact on both the physical and . non-physical levels of existence. It is the . non-physical or psychic levels of existence, . which cause the physical to act and change . as it does. Thus the inner states of mind . which we hold, are just as relevant to world . events as are physical actions themselves. . . Recognizing the influence of consciousness . on both personal and collective levels, is . the first step in changing world conditions. . By intentionally combining together the . power and influence of our consciousness as . individuals, we will discover how to change . the world according to love and clarity. Our . collective state of consciousness can be . completely transformed, if a sufficient . level of intent, (and number of minds) . employ simple positivity. By combining . together our feelings of love, clarity and . progressive intention, humanity will assume . its rightful place as stewards of planetary . consciousness. Humanity will in fact become . the very instrument through which Divine . Will is manifest, bringing in an age of true . fulfillment for all life on Earth. These . goals are the genuine purposes of God, and . of those fragments of God which are the true . and noble human identity, known as souls. . . The Worldmind has its cycles and . fluctuations, just as does the Earthmind. . These regular and recurring shifts of . consciousness are marked by higher and lower . vibrational rates, as well as changes in . world awareness and intent. All life on this . planet experiences these as greater and . lesser levels of world positivity, clarity, . manifest intelligence, physical and mental . well being, etc. Periods of war and peace, . political and social changes, movements of . various kinds, the spontaneous . crystallization of the same ideas and . inventions worldwide, are primarily founded . upon shifts occurring in the collective . planetary fields. World psychic conditions . and their many varied effects, also commonly . shift, (usually in lesser ways) during the . course of a given day, week, month and year. . These render influences upon the nervous . systems of all cellular bodies, of both . plants and animals. The additional variables . of the lunar cycle, solar cycle, of . planetary and stellar influences, also . render impact on all life through exactly . the same principles. The natural laws of . resonance, dissonance, harmonics and unified . field influence, all have their part to play . in these universal phenomena. . . A group mind is a two-way circuit of causes . and effects. The members which compose it, . such as the organs of the human body, or . individual trees comprising a forest, are . linked together by both physical and . energetic mediums. A group mind thus forms a . composite of the mindstates of each . comprising member, be it a cell, a life form . within a forest, or a forest within the . Earthmind. The same is true of individual . persons, groups, communities, regions and . nations within the World Mind. Each member . affects the group consciousness of which it . is a part, with its qualities of mind and/or . feeling, and is in turn effected by the . mutual state of that group mind, endlessly. . In many ways a group mind is the averaged . condition of the component intents, . awareness and energies of its members, much . like the mixture of varying colors creates a . composite shade. Given this fact, we have no . real choice but to work for the upliftment . of all of humanity, because we are an . inseparable part of the World Mind. . . In part, the Worldmind exists as it does as . a result of the influence of past wars and . strife. Current unrest compounds past . effects. Stored fear and anger continue in . the body of our collective, just as the . trauma of past events of an individual life, . may be stored in one’s physiology. Traumas . from war and social strife have been passed . down through the generations of our kind, . and become cumulative. At present our . collective is heavily burdened by the . stresses of fear, anger and confusion, . poisoning the environment just as do the . chemicals of wrong living, which are also . their symptom. All creatures of this world, . both plant and animal, experience this human . generated fear, anger and confusion wherever . they may be on the globe to some degree. No . single place on the planet is completely . immune to these chaotic psychic influences; . not the deep forests, ocean rifts, high . mountains or polar ice caps. As the human . collective suffers, so too do the non-human . collectives, for all are connected. . . The cumulative force of many centuries of . fear and pain, created through unnatural . intent, has gained a considerable degree of . inertia behind it. To break this inertia, . those who employ knowledge of consciousness . must find within themselves, the . perseverance of positivity and spiritual . intent that is the benefit of All in Love. . Humanity must individually and collectively . maintain this focus, and the vibrationally . high feeling-states associated with it, to . reverse the psychic damage that has been . done. The thoughtforms of the past, and the . low vibrations of past ages may be thus . transformed. The more this is done, the . easier it will become for those who do not . yet have a knowledge of consciousness, to . generate their own positivity and spiritual . motivation. Just as the current Worldmind . state makes it a very simple thing to feel . pain and fear, so too can a spiritually . motivated Worldmind, create a global . condition wherein love, clarity and . inspiration are the everyday norm. . . The intent we possess on a personal level, . is the creative source from which we may . manifest any specific thing. We can . literally intend any desired quality into . place within ourselves according to this . principle. In the same way, we may intend . external change at any given moment. As a . result of a shift in personal intent, a . corresponding shift is made in the fields . that surround and penetrate us, (which will . be noticed by the inwardly observant). . Regardless of the specific intent employed, . this principle is essentially the same. . There is however one major condition to this . fact, which is that the universe in general, . already has established intentions, that set . the tone for the employment of any . individual intent. These Universal . Intentions might also be referred to . as, "the Will of God" or the . prevailing "Intent At Large". Science is . beginning to describe these "Prevailing . Intents" in terms of “Natural Laws”, for . indeed this is one approach to their . comprehension in specific detail. The . consciousness we possess is governed by . Natural Laws, such as those described by . unified field physics. Thus we must . consciously observe these Laws, so as to act . with the greatest effectiveness. To intend . only that which is of benefit to our planet . as a whole, is therefore our wisest course . of action. In the next GM issue, we will . further explore the details of how intent . can be used to raise the consciousness of . others, and how they in turn can raise us. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society [link] Re: Group Mind and our collective influence on The World Good - Matthew Webb . 16 Nov 2004 22:25 . #489 I'm transferring this commentary from my . news log over to our work group, because I . think it's pertinent to group mind/vibes . discussion.... . . ********** . . It's interesting to note that in daily . affairs, and in fact every moment of every . day, psychic effects are the norm rather . than the exception. This may sound unlikely . to some, but that is because what they've . felt their whole lives was never . named "psychic" or "spiritual". Never the . less, such effects exist and they render . profound influence upon us all, even as I . write this, and as you read this page. It's . just that we're so used to "feeling the . presence of other people" that we can take . it for granted and let it go largely . unnoticed. The person who lives next to a . highway or railroad track eventually does . not notice them, even though the decibels . may be roaring. So it is with person to . person feeling...we're SO familiar with it . that it seems to not exist. . . Anyone who has ever been in love knows of . the reality of person to person effects, . even they may not call this, "psychic". So . too does the person who has even been in a . heated argument, or even been in proximity . to one. The concert scene as well as the . sporting event are all examples of mass . psychic effects renedered by many people . upon each other simultaneously. What that . word "psychic" really means is the movement . of energy from one nervous system to the . next in the form of subatomic waves, much . like information is transmitted via radio or . television technology. In the case of . psychic effects, the information transmitted . between us is in the form of feelings, . thoughts, and the intentions which propel . them. The "antenna" used to transmit our . intention is the human body, particularly . the spine and the so-called "chakras". . . By being observant on a subtle level of . awareness, (meditative during daily events) . the truth of these things makes itself very . clear. The mistake usually made is that we . assume ALL feelings experienced during a day . are of our own creation, when in fact they . are not, and this is especially true of . seemingly casual, social interaction. The . entire world runs by virtue of these mutual . effects, and unfortunately, this power of . consciousness we all possess is more often . used for aggressive purposes that serve only . the ego. Examples of this type of intention . abound in the business world. . . The key here is to first recognize that such . person to person effects exist, and toward . that end I can give countless other . examples. The next is to realize that we . effect other peoples' state of . consciousness, including their feelings and . thoughts, each and every time we interact or . even think of them, THROUGH OUR INTENTION. . It is intention therefore which deserves our . utmost focus as progressive and spiritual . people, who seek to create a much higher and . better world than the modern condition. It . is through high and spiritual intention in . fact, whereby one can learn to project truly . helpful and empowering "vibes" to others, . and they to us in turn, as a significant . alternative to the current "dog eat dog" . world where people rarely trust each other, . and fear rules the day. This social trend . CAN be reversed, but it is we and others of . like mind who are going to have to make it . happen. Intent is that medium of self and . others which will allow that process. . . And this is exactly what I mean by my . statements regarding group mind and its' . value. We have this power of . consciousness. To recognize this and take . it into consideration consciously, rather . than subconsciously as is most often the . case, literally opens up an incredible new . world of spirituality and meaningful . community which can transform this world for . the better. It is this transformation to . which I and others of like intention are . dedicated. It is through an intent of love . and clarity that I invite each of you to . continue this dialog, and to collaborate . together for the good of all. Mutual Psychic Augmentation - Matthew Webb . 24 Nov 2004 19:28 . #490 MUTUAL PSYCHIC AUGMENTATION . . (GM Series #8) . . The science of physics is delving ever . nearer to Cause in nature, and away from a . fascination with the mechanics of effect. . In a technical way, wisdom is thus being . approached by the Western mind. Scientific . statements are becoming more like those of . the mystics and writers of ancient . scriptural texts, than those of dry, . mechanical process. This fact is one hint . that our race is readying itself for greater . things, to go beyond linear conceptual . models of self and universe. It is ready to . break free of the boundaries of artificial . concepts and the unnatural mind, into the . essential fact of unity. This same . knowledge is made evident through . introspection, and the instrumentality of . the sophisticated human nervous system. . Every experienced meditator experiences . unity at some point in their practice. . . Through experimentation and analysis, . Western physics is now learning what was, . (and is) considered commonplace knowledge . within the ancient practices of the East. . It may be said that the left or "rational . brain" of the Western World Mind, is now . becoming more capable of merging with the . right or "holistic brain" of the Eastern . World Mind. As these two "hemispheres of . the collective brain" of humanity merge, a . new wisdom arises from the old world order. . Western technique clarifies Eastern . concepts, making them more accessible in a . diversity of ways. Eastern introspection . unifies Western concepts, making them . coherent. It provides the needed framework . of overall Cause, to the Western collection . of rigorously studied effects. The . successful merger of the best of these two . elements in human thought, will inevitably . result in higher self realization . worldwide. This is where a greater balance . in all world paradigms can be achieved. . . The underlying Cause that is consciousness . in all of nature, also underlies the human . being. The universal macrocosm is governed . by the same essence of Energy, Awareness and . Intent, as is the human microcosm. This . primary, natural fact of human existence is . discovered by the spiritual seeker, . regardless of the prevailing culture or . time. The consciousness within, . the "Inherent Buddha Nature", or the "Christ . Consciousness" underlying the superficial . layer of personality, is none other than the . soul. Just as the terms "God" . and "Consciousness" are synonymous at the . level of the macrocosm, so too are "soul" . and "consciousness" at the level of the . human microcosm. Gaining an attunement to . this true self is a primary focus in the . practices of meditation, contemplation, . physical and mental purification. This Self . is the one which possesses wisdom and . connection to Wisdom. When we transcend all . cultures, all times and inhibiting . conceptual barriers, it is then that the . seeker of Truth is rewarded with none other . than a complete return to soul. The soul, . (consciousness) is "That which Watches and . Moves" behind all thoughts, feelings and . actions in the life of a human being. . . This Watcher and Mover within, survives . physical death with calm self assurance, . just as the physical body shrugs off a . change of clothes. This traveler of . lifetimes calls no one life its own. Each . is seen as yet another passing phase in a . long process of discovery. Without . particular attachment, it views each . physical existence as simply a single set of . experiences, just as the personality/ego . may view the passing of a given calendar . week as having only limited importance. . Only the highlights of memory are retained . by our minds with regard to the events of a . given week, month or year. The vast . majority of perceptions in our daily lives . therefore do not last, for they are not . useful memories. Most are subsequently . dismissed. So it is for the soul, while it . oversees the events of a given life. Each . incarnation taken by the soul, (and there . have been a great many) is but a single link . of physical experience in a very long chain . of experiences. Only the soul possesses the . oversight, (in most cases) to recall the . highlights of the entire chain. This is the . expanded perspective of an immortal, who . picks and chooses the best of each life like . a collector of sacred objects. . . All the best commonly noted qualities of . humanity come either directly from the soul, . or are channeled through it as a spiritual . conduit from the Universal Intelligence, . that is the Soul, (consciousness) of the . Cosmos. These may express themselves in the . form of the arts, in music, dance, painting, . sculpture, writing, film and other . potentially enlightening mediums. Also of . soulic origin are those tendencies of . benevolent intention seen occurring . spontaneously, (for the most part) among our . race. Basic human benevolence and its . associated good will, stems from the . recognition had by the true self of the . brotherhood and sisterhood of all people as . equals. From the soul springs the . compassion to aid those in pain, to . alleviate the cause of suffering, to replace . ignorance with realization and to love one . another in peace, as the keepers of the . common welfare. It is within acts of good . will that render aid to all or any, without . the expectation of material or social . compensation, that qualify themselves to be . called spiritual ministry. The origin of . these is usually the true self. . . Spiritual practice lends itself to more . strongly manifested, "qualities of the soul" . which our current social structure so deeply . thirsts for. For such qualities society is . said to strive, but they are all too often . overshadowed by unnatural values. Of . kindness, love, compassion, good will and . charity we may collectively speak, but words . only do these remain, until more among our . kind achieve an at-onement with the true . self. The prerequisite in the . accomplishment of a steady soul-mind . connection is strong desire, based upon a . love for Truth and its use day to day. Our . aim in this practice must be firm, with . resolve as spiritual practitioners . ultimately unshakable, regardless of current . world conditions. Much psychic and cultural . inertia exists behind the destructive trends . of millennia past. Today these trends are . witnessed in wrong social focus, in egotism . and materialism. These three are destroying . our world faster than any other cause. They . can be offset through the right use of . intent, and the natural focus of awareness . upon the themes of natural law. One such . law is that we are inescapably connected at . all times via the psychic realm, not just . locally, but as a world-wide organism. We . are a body of minds and souls within God, . whose purpose like the rest of nature, is to . facilitate the expansion of consciousness. . To accomplish this purpose of natural law, . our need as individuals is to expand our own . consciousness. Our need as groups and . communities is to likewise help to expand . each others’ consciousness. Ultimately our . need as a World Mind, is to transform the . current intention and focus of the human . collective. . . The intent to gain self realization and . greater enlightenment often finds its . expression in meditation. After a variable . period of time, the practitioner will find . their meditations are causing a desire to . find others with an intent similar to their . own. Or they will seek to encourage that . intent in others, who do not yet understand . its value. In each case this is a very . natural desire, one that has as much to do . with natural law as it does the soul. When . we seek others out who have genuine . spiritual intention, it is to find what may . be called, “a communion of souls”. There is . a knowledge deep within each of us which . indicates in very clear terms, that . belonging to a group of like minds and souls . represents a very real source of . fulfillment. It also indicates an intuitive . certainty, (even a soulic memory) of the . need to “be as one” with others in love and . knowingness. The reason for this strong . impulse is simple. It exists in each of us . because the unity of consciousness is a . Prime Law of nature and all things within . it. Unity is the Divine constant whereby . the universe functions as a single, . inseparable unit. Living, biological forms . represent a body of beings separated only by . space, but not by time, Intent, Awareness or . Energy. Ultimately we must obey this Cosmic . law of the unified field, and either make . the best use of it through love and clarity, . or find destruction through a mutuality of . fear. We must embrace love and clarity on a . social basis, no matter what the . circumstances or prevailing consensus of . society. . . When two or more meditators meet to expand . consciousness together, much higher . potentials are immediately experienced. This . is especially true when we use the . unshakable intent to spiritually benefit . others. To hold a “pure” intention toward . another especially while in joint . meditation, means to seek the highest . welfare for them just as you would for . yourself. This can initially be . accomplished simply by, “intending to see . them as a soul” rather than as a . personality. See them as a spirit who has . ultimately spiritual objectives, even when . they themselves may not yet recognize this . on the level of the personality. . . When two or more meditators simultaneously . project progressive intent upon each other, . the mutual effects created can be very . powerful. Such effects are a reflection of . many factors, not the least of which is the . purity of intent each one is using in mutual . meditation. When meditators meet for the . purpose of creating the greatest psychic . benefits together, remember that it is very . useful to see them as souls in bodies, and . to use the greatest purity of intention that . one is capable of. Two or more . practitioners are said to be engaged . in "Mutual Psychic Augmentation", (MPA) when . using intent in this way. To accomplish MPA . with another, the following procedure is . recommended; . . Meditate with the person or persons . involved, before establishing the psychic . rapport of MPA with them. The Chakra . meditation, (see GM series #3) is a useful . format, as this prepares the body/mind of . each practitioner for psychic action. After . meditation, follow the four steps for the . manifestation of intent, (see GM series #6) . to psychically aid the other persons present. . . The first of these steps is taken by “tuning . in” to the current state of mind of the . group or person. Simply feel the mutual . space with the same attitude as you would . have toward meditation. Use a receptive, . feeling-mode of awareness, and when thoughts . of any kind intrude, just go back to a . feeling focus. This first step in the . manifestation of intent is known as, being . aware of the current state of the mutual . space. . . Step two involves being familiar with that . which is to be intended toward others, which . in this case is love. This is step two or, . having familiarity with that which is to be . intended. The nature of the joint, . meditational intent to be used, should . always be pre-established by mutual . agreement. . . Each participant maintains their awareness . upon the feeling of the group, or in other . words, the “group space”. While maintaining . this awareness, feel love for everyone . present just as you would for a dear friend . or family member. Hold as much love as you . can for the group, and keep raising the . intensity of this feeling as the meditation . proceeds, to the limits of your current . ability. Doing this constitutes step three . for the manifestation of intent, known as, . the desired state, (love) is held steady in . the body/mind. In this occult action, the . state of love or greater positivity is . summoned up, not only for the self but for . all those involved. The meditator should . not only feel the desired state in . themselves, they should picture this state . as being already existent in the others . present. Use such visualized thoughtforms as . light streaming between and connecting the . fourth chakras, (hearts) of all present if . so desired. Visualize also, how the other . practitioners would look in a state of . greater love/positivity. Imagine how it . would feel to be around them in such a . state. As the desired state of greater . love/positivity is held in the mind of each . practitioner, this intent begins to be . increasingly felt. It begins to expand . dynamically, and compound mutually. . . Finally, the desired result of greater love, . (higher vibration) is “held in place” or in . other words, intended into place, (step 4) . in all those present. Greater states of . love progressively take the place of . previous states of mind in each . practitioner, being viewed as the “new . standing reality” of each individual. . Meditators should remain in the resulting . MPA enhanced state for at least 10-15 . minutes, to let the effects of this . meditation "soak in" fully, in the body and . mind. . . The recommended time taken for the above . version of MPA is approximately 30 minutes . total. This may be slightly reduced, or . greatly lengthened according to preference. . A greater duration of MPA will tend to have . more progressive psychic effects, . experienced mutually. Mutual focuses such . as this, will sometimes approach "peak . experiences" that have lasting impact upon . the body/mind. Be prepared for this and do . not let it distract you from your focus of . creating mutual benefit! . . When consciousness is employed in the above . fashion, certain specific effects are . created. As two or more practitioners . engage in MPA, streams of consciousness flow . between them, creating a geometrically . greater field of mutual energy and feeling . as the meditation proceeds. This field . envelopes each practitioner as well as the . space around them, and it manifests . according to the intent and experience level . of the participants. Its presence and . effects will be readily noticeable even to . inexperienced meditators, often becoming . what might be called "a high, bodywide . sensation of oneness", as though there were . no separation between self and others, (when . in fact there is not, in the unified . field). Sensations of oneness, familiarity, . and feelings of mutual appreciation are all . indicators of successful MPA. . . Such experiences prove that states of love, . (and clarity) can be transmitted to others, . as can any state imaginable. As group . meditation proceeds, an “area of effect”, . (which renders potentially powerful, psychic . influences on anyone and anything within it) . of charged particles arises, which increases . in intensity in successive stages, or . thresholds. Both love and clarity can in . this way be exchanged, mutually expanded and . exchanged again, on higher and higher . plateaus of consciousness. [Practitioners . will note that lesser degrees of this . phenomena occur while in meditation with . others, even though the joint focus is not . MPA.] Experienced practitioners may generate . extremely powerful areas of effect together, . rendering positive psychic results on a . widespread environmental basis. In this . way groups of meditators raise not only each . others’ consciousness, but also the . consciousness of the entire planet to some . degree. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Re: Group Mind and our collective influence on The World Good - Frans weyer . 12 Dec 2004 15:42 . #491 Thank you for this inspiring article. . What specially stroke me are your remarks . about Gaia or the earth mind:. . . Destruction of plant and animal species is a . partial destruction of Earthmind . intelligence, of which these life forms are . a part. Each species represents a niche in . the spectrum of feelings states, . (vibrational rates and intents) that . naturally radiate from living things. In . destroying a given species, also destroyed . are the subtle emanations which it produced . . And: . . Each life form acts as a psychic balancing . agent for the planetary collective as a . whole. The great forests do more than purify . air, water and soil, they also purify the . mindstate of the planetary consciousness. . . It makes me think of a period in my life . that I was in training for gardener (a . profession I have left behind me) . Being round about a year of fifteen then I . had some difficulties with destroying all . kind of plants and other life forms that . were not allowed to grow or live on that . piece of land that was assigned to . the “culture plants” that must make the . money. . . The same thing happened with an oak-tree . that stood before our parental home . . To much dead leaves that made to much mess . in the gutter and so on. . I remember that I felt very sad when this . tree was cut down, something living that (as . I felt it) had also a consciousness which I . couldn’t understand but which I felt with . all my hearth. was ended, because some . people thought : what a mess (It is . striking that not a few have these feelings . when they are young, this sensibility for . the living disappears sad enough when people . grow older and become under the spell of . Usefulness- thinking) . . Things as you put them above were something . as a eye-opener for me, although I have . thought about this (life forms as the . psychic balancing agent)earlier with an . unsure mind. . . Other thoughts that came to rise are that . we as man came as last part of the evolution . (till now). . Our body contains all the life forms that . were there before we came. . To put it poetical: our bones are made of . the inorganic world, our bloodstream is . similar to the sap stream of the plants, our . emotions and feelings are shown in the life . of all sort of animals, and then there is . man with his or her psychic life. . Man is given power to all nature as the . bible said, I am afraid that the . phrase “power” is very misunderstood. . What gives Man his manhood (or sisterhood)? . Intend, to look further than what is . happening at this moment? . I know that you have strong opinions about . what Man is, I have read a number of your . publications with great pleasure and I will . continue to do so but to say that I know ,I . can not say. . But that is the struggle that each of us . have I think, the struggle between our . inspirations and our being in the world.. . . Frans . . I've . or . so . detail, . beg . consciousness, . the . of . in . by . phenomena . group . pain . is . a . produced. . purify . who . intelligence . It . of . of . and . existence, . world . conditions. . Our . true . true . lower . this . commonly . year. . variables . unified . play . a . form . and/or . a . no . life, . human . wherever . this . general, . set . act There are no answers. There are only Choices. - Charles C. Keiser . 30 Dec 2004 03:39 . #492 for your consideration. . www.poly-solipsism.com Re: There are no answers. There are only Choices. - Matthew Webb . 30 Dec 2004 21:44 . #493 The immediate question that comes to mind is . this; . . If there are no answers, then upon what is . one to base their choices? . Re: Group Mind and our collective influence on The World Good - Matthew Webb . 30 Dec 2004 21:55 . #494 Brother Frans, . . I concur with your thoughts on these . matters, especially with regard to the . statement that we are literally composed of . previous evolutionary organisms and . materials. It is the nature of evolution . after all, to build directly upon what has . come before. This principle of nature is . also reflected in the "triune brain" model . of the human neocortex, limbic system and "r- . complex". The "r-complex" it is said is the . area of the brain stem and those structures . just above it. "R" stands for reptilian, . and governs those territorial and basic . functions of body coordination. The limbic . system is typical of mammilian creatures, . governing deep emotion and basic thinking . process. The neocortex or new cortex, is . that which we use to be authentically . human. Each of these brain layers has been . built over millions of years of time, one . after the other, as stepping stones to each . higher level of function. . . The psychic interconnectivity of nature, and . of humans with each other and nature, is . likewise an evolved and evolving ability. . We can accelerate this evolution at will, . through meditation and other practices, . expecially through INTENT itself. The same . may be said of our level of intelligence, . wisdom, and most importantly, level of . consciousness. The WMS Library speaks of . how to do this, through a better . understanding/mastery of intent, awareness . and energy. . . Thank you Frans, for your very insightful . thoughts on these important issues. . . ***************** . . a . purify . (as . people . evolution . our . if . WMS . in . of . of . process . Intent . focus, . (Gaia) . all . wide. . are . vibration. . gives . body, . unit. . then . nations, . individual . Humanity . has . the . as . change . assume . planetary . become . clarity, . founded . causes . it . endlessly. . much . as . passed . world, . No . influences; . human . of . consciousness . collectively . the . spiritual . will . employed, . planet Truth-based Choices - Sandi Hunter . 30 Dec 2004 22:00 . #495 How Do I Explain the Path I Have Chosen? . . I am writing this to explain, via a . question, what my life has become,how it has . evolved, the meaning of this to me and . ultimately to everyone on this planet. The . question in it's full length would read: How . do I explain the path I have chosen in this . life, on a planet that does not acknowledge . the importance of the soul, consciousness, . and the true meaning of why we are here? . . Where do I even begin to explain such a . phenomena? I'll start with the decison I . made 4 years ago that would change the . course of my life and,in all honesty, I did . not realize it's implications at the time. . It was on December 18, 2000 that I left all . I knew and loved dearly..... my family, . friends and home. In my ignorance and . participation in the world consciousness I . thought I was leaving merely for the . possibility of a new relationship with a . man, who had the same focus and interests in . life, and that I only knew through the . internet and phone conversations. I had the . presence of mind at the time to know he was . truly on the spiritual path I so longed for, . but I didn't see or know just how life . changing that would be. I also couldn't . fathom just how much I would learn in the . next 4 years, making it impossible to ever . go back. . . Through most of this incarnation on earth, I . was always on a search for more than what . life/society seemingly had to offer. If one . looked at my life they would have thought it . was complete in all it's aspects. I had a . kind, good and loving husband, two wonderful . children that I love more than life itself, . and a career that I felt a passion for. Then . what could possibly be missing and worth . searching for? At the time I didn't know . exactly what it was, I only knew that deep . down within my soul, something was amiss, . something just wasn't quite right. . . There was really nothing offered by the . world that could fill this empty void within . me. I couldn't explain it myself. Now I see . that we play so many "roles" in life. We are . taught so many misguided beliefs and values, . the results of which are our heads being . filled with programming, beliefs and . standards. The truth of the matter is that . we are being led down a dark and ugly alley . with no way out except from within. Almost . everything that the societies of the world . covet are leading us into a place of . despair, a place that has no value on our . true essence, the soul, and a place that . leaves us in a cycle of karma with no end. . . Most words have lost their true meanings and . impact... and karma is one such word. It has . come to mean something you must experience, . correct or change from past lives or past . deeds in this life. There is rarely talk of . truly changing your karma and how to do . that. For example, if you killed someone in . another life, you may be killed in this life . or must improve the karma with love in some . way in order to improve or change it. How . can one change their karma if they are . living life after life and day after day in . the same way with the same values? . . The true meaning of the word, comes from the . Natural Law of Karma, which is cause and . effect, pure and simple. To every action . there is a reaction. Every deed, focus, . thought, act and intention has an effect on . the world via the unified field at large. . What you focus on, you become. These are not . trivial words, these are Truth***. Focus on . building your ego/image and that is what . will be done. Believe all that is spoon fed . to you from the day you are born, without . question, and you will probably lose your . naturally logical mind and all/most sanity. . Does that sound extreme or judgemental? Then . I suggest you take a moment to contemplate . what I just wrote objectively for a moment. . As you do this be aware of the feelings in . your body, for in this way you will see how . apparently and fundamentally true the . statements are and that the focus of most . cultures is just wrong! (You may actually . feel tension and/or fear upon reading the . words, but this your body's way of telling . you that there is something to fear, not . something to ignore.) These worldly goals . and focuses do very little for the soul, . which is our true essence and most of the . world operates according to false beliefs, . assumption, focuses and faith. It therefore . appears that the whole world is sane and I . am insane. This could not be further from . the truth, although in a world gone crazy, . the sane person will be the one believed . quite mad. . . Let me reiterate some things I have written . in the past. A few quick examples of the . many "programs" we are taught.... . We are taught to live a life led . by "schedules". We get up at a certain hour, . we eat meals at designated times, we attend . school, we go to work. . We strive to make a "better life" through . prestige, image, possessions. . We are taught that we can't "make" it . without an education (which is mostly only . memorization of other peoples ideas, and not . a true expansion of consciousness, . creativity, learning or progression). . We watch images on television that tell us . how to think, dress, act, when to laugh, . when to cry, and that in the long run . shorten our attention spans. . We are told by the media what is going on in . the world (in about 60 seconds) or to put it . more bluntly, we told by the media what they . want us to know and believe about what is . going on in the world. . We are told that our bodies are . just "machines" that can be changed and/or . cured via surgery and medicines, that . usually kill more than heal. . We follow religious beliefs, rituals and . traditions as if they are the Truth without . question. We celebrate "holidays" through . obligation because the culture we live in . tells us to do so. (I have always wondered . how Christmas has anything do with Christ . really). Where is it written that Christ . told us to have Christmas trees and spend . more money than most of us can afford to . celebrate His Coming. What has Santa Claus . got to do with the teachings of Christ? . Where in the frenzy of "holiday shopping and . joy" do we acknowledge and live by the . principles He tried to impart to the world? . And my final question...how many truly live . the life that Christ lived and emulated in . any remote way? . . To put it bluntly our spirits have been . dying a long slow death, and it is done so . meticualously, that we don't even realize . it, or quite honestly, we don't want to . realize it. That is just too much for most . minds to look at and admit. We have strayed . so far from our true essence that to see the . changes that need to ocurr and/or admit how . far we have strayed, is just too scary and . too life (style) threatening. . . Let me go on to say that to most who know . me, I look quite insane or "evil" because I . broke many of societies rules and . guidelines. I left my children and I cheated . on my husband. Although my children were not . babies anymore, I abandoned them none the . less. . . I was so confused and frightened that I went . outside of myself to search for another soul . that would understand, and . therefore "betrayed" my husband. In reality, . my only betrayal was in not telling the . truth as it happened. If I had been of sane . mind, pure intent and best benefit for all, . I would have been upfront with my husband at . the time instead of sneaking around with . another man. If I had the presence of mind . and crystal clear clarity, I would have . explained to my children that I had to leave . to save my soul, even it meant pain and . anguish for all involved. But I didn't have . the clarity, honesty and straightforwardness . that was needed. Therefore, I kept up my . image for as long as I could and then I ran. . . Let's pause here for a moment and ask this . important question.... are any of these . things ( clarity, honesty and . straightforwardness) valued in our society? . Isn't it true that image is all that matters . and therefore why search for the Truth or . the true meaning of life? Many even believe . that there is no truth to find. The ultimate . excuse for not living by truth is the . cliche': There is "your" truth and there . is "my truth". This has baffled me to a . point of frustration and anger, because if . there is no such thing as Truth then there . is no such thing as a lie. What a ludicrous . idea and concept! Sorry folks, but I cannot . imagine a universe operating as it does on . such misguided precepts. I have been through . many discussions in the past concerning this . topic and the conclusion I always come to is . that just because humans don't see or know . the truth, in no way means or implies that . it doesn't exist. Humans are not the . beginning and end of knowledge and wisdom. . The Universe would operate quite well (and . possibly better) without them. . . So now how do I convey to you what I have . learned? How many will take any of this . seriously based on my past and because of . miguided beliefs. How do I pour into these . words the passion, yearning, and ultimate . need to stay on this path? . . These past 4 years have been more difficult . than I can explain. I have felt the agony, . yes agony, of being separated from my . children. In a society that cares mostly for . image, how would it have been possible to . explain to anyone, the despair and anguish I . felt before leaving my young adult children, . (and all that was familiar) even though I . loved them dearly? How do I explain to them . or anyone the importance of soulic growth . and awareness in a world that cares my very . little or nothing for such things. Even the . most spiritual people I have met are not . truly practitioners because the focus of . consciousness expansion, soulic evolution, . Truth, higher states of love and clairy are . not their first priority in life. If it were . the most important aspect of their lives, . they would NOT spend MOST of their time in . pursuit of career, education, notoriety, . money, posessions etc. The bottom line is . that if one is absolutely honest about the . population's focus, it can be stated that . most people care predominantly about how . much money one makes, what kind of career . one has, how one looks, and how many degrees . one has etc. Then there is the facade of how . one does seemingly acts of kindness and . goodness when the intent and feeling behind . these acts betray them, because if they . really were out to do the highest benefit, . one would only feel love and positivity. . Another question begs t9 be asked..how can . one "act" happy and/or nice, no matter what . is going on inside themselves? It always . seemed to me that everyone had the answer . except me. They could laugh, work, do . countless activities regardless of what . turmoil was churning inside. They . always "acted" in a positive way, but the . feeling space around them felt downcast, . nervous, angry, and/or a bit chaotic. . . This all important focus for "image" is . apparently true for if it wasn't, there . would NOT be the need for so many . medications to keep up the "facade". There . is a treasure trove of meds for every . ailment from high blood pressure to . depression and "mood stabilization". This . charade goes on to say that acting happy or . nice is considered having a positive . attitude, when in truth it is just . dishonest. It is all really a negative . attitude because the truth is being ignored, . therefore avoided, and that is really a . definition for a negative attitude. . . The intent/feeling emanating from a person . is another thing never or rarely discussed, . the true feeling and the psychic vibe that . is continuously and constantly felt. If one . takes the time to notice, it is very obvious . when a person is putting on an act to look . good or appear aggreeable and forthcoming. . Just listening to the tone of a voice . reveals volumes. Again, it is image...as . long as you look good, act in a correct . manner and say the correct things, then you . are a "good person". It matters not how the . space or the energy coming from a . person/people feels. This is rarely, if . ever, talked about and never discussed to . any true resolution. Being real means being . part of the crowd, accepted on the basis of . false images and dishonesty. I know this . will bring up protests from many, but say . what you will, the truth won't change . because you don't like it. Some will say . that "psychic vibe" doesn't really exist, . and to them I say then it is obvious that . you have never felt love from or for another . person, never felt the "tension" in the air . during an argument and/or never had the . courage to face and acknowledge all that you . truly feel. . . I have also felt guilt and despair at . destroying a marriage and hurting a man I . loved for many years. This coupled with the . yearning to be near my kids, has also slowed . me considerably on this path, but the path . of the spirit only follows Truth. The path . (Truth) really doesn't care how one feels, . if one is uncomfortable or if one's life is . totally disrupted. It is still the truth . regardless of what it implies or how it . disrupts one "comfort zone". In other words, . following a path of spiritual progress and . evolution and not materialism, ego, . consumerism etc. is what is desparately . needed for your soul, no matter how . uncomfortable, scary, painful, disruptive, . confusing, etc it is. . . I still have a tendency to fluctuate between . soul and ego. I still fall into the ways of . the world and don't see with clarity and . respect for what is true. This ocurrs less . than before and I come out of it more . quickly then in the past, but it is part of . the inertia that still exists within my . karma here on earth. Inertia is also a . natural law that states (somewhat) that a . moving object will continue to move in a . certain direction unless a force of greater . or equal intensity will change it. Old . ways/habits/beliefs/modes/thoughts etc have . inertia. Unless you are deliberate and focus . on change, the inertia will stop you from . making any true and lasting change. Action . does speak louder than words. Affirm all you . like, state what you intend to do all you . like, think about what you want to do all . you like, but unless you DO it, take action . every minute making the necessary changes, . and continue to do it until the inertia is . overcome, nothing will change permanently. . . I have fluctuated and teeter tottered . between the ways of the world and the . spiritual path for four years now. I have . felt as one living in between two worlds. I . had all the excuses for going off the path, . such as.... . . I must right the wrongs I have done in . hurting my family, . I am a mother first and therefore must . return to my children, my remorse and . sadness is so strong, I cannot go on in this . way, . No one will understand or want to talk to me . therefore I have to stay the way I am/was, . If I don't live in the way the world says I . should, how will I survive? . I can't take the way people look at me or . think of me because of what I have done and . the way I live, . The spiritual path is not as much fun as . activities that most people enjoy (this is . the lamest excuse, I tried going back to . watching tv, having trivial conversations, . going out to comedy/dance clubs and/or other . such activities and I always felt empty and . regretful after. . . The bottom line of the truth is that my soul . has been awakened and brought into awareness . and no matter how hard I try, I can't go . back, because I see the futility of it and . want to experience higher levels/states of . love, clarity, expansion and wisdom. . Whenever I try to return, I feel intense . fear, pain and discomfort. I then ask these . fundamental questions....If I don't do this, . who will? If I don't do as I say, then I am . a hypocryte and dishonest, therefore how can . I convey these important truths to anyone . else? How can I help anyone if I am not . whole within myself? I just read in a book . by Lynn Andrews that one cannot change or . enlighten anyone if they are at the same . level of consciousness as the people they . are helping. If one is at the same level of . consciousness, then they will only mirror . them. If I only speak of the soul and the . true purpose of life and don't practice it . in every action, thought and deed to the . best of my ability, (focusing on this over . all else) then how can I be an example and . transmit this knowledge to anyone else. This . isn't a part time job, or hobby or . pasttime...this is what life is all about. . . I am reminded of the movie, "What Dreams May . Come", if you haven't seen it, I highly . recommend it. Briefly, it is about the love . of a couple and how their souls and love . continues after death. The husband (Robin . Williams) dies in a car accident and . subsequently his wife ends her life through . suicide. Robin Williams is in "heaven", or . higher state of consciousness, when he . receives the news of Annie's death. She is . stuck in a lower plane of consciousness and . doesn't even realize she is dead. She is . miserable in a dark, damp place that . resembles her home on earth and cannot see a . way out. Robin goes to her, traveling . through many planes of consciousness . to "rescue" her. She doesn't recognize him . because he is in a higher plane of awareness . and she can't see "UP". Therefore he decides . to stay with her, lowering his state of . consciousness so that she will recognize . him, throughout eternity. This decision . brings him down into this lower plane of . awareness bringing with it fear and pain, . and ultimately erases all the knowledge on . the higher planes from where he just came. . Therefore, he falls into the despair that . she lives in, forgetting all else and seeing . no way out. My point is this: The state of . consciousness one is in, will determine how . much one knows, Sees and learns. If you are . in a lower state, you will not have the . clarity or height to truly See. One can . intend into place the quest for higher/more . expansive knowledge, but in a lower state of . consciousness there is a good chance they . won't see the potential at all. This is the . state of planet earth today in relation to . human consciousness. It is at a level where . it does not even see the potential of the . spirit/essence and therefore doesn't strive . to change. Humans (most) believe that this . is the way it is and there is no other way. . This couldn't be farther from the truth, it . is only the level of awareness that we find . ourselves in, here on this planet at this . time. It is NOT true throughout the cosmos . and it is not the intent of God***** or what . we are here to do. . . But again I feel lacking in my explanation . of this. I cannot convey to the reader the . importance and truth of this, I can only . intend to express it to you and hope that . someone will take this seriously enough to . make changes and look deeper into it. Your . soul knows the truth of all this, your mind, . which is stuck in false beliefs, false . values, false knowledge, false . standards****, is key to what is holding you . back at this moment. You are also stuck in . the consciousness/awarenss level of the . world mind*, a lower vibration that holds . one back from Seeing and knowing higher . states. As long as one lives and follows . what the rest of their peers, family, . countryman, religious sects etc believes, . then they are aligned with that group mind** . and it's level of consciousness and will . have a difficult time seeing any other way. . Those are the two things holding you . back....NOTHING ELSE! . . Now you may want to ask me...what have you . accomplished? What have you learned? To . write all I have learned would take numerous . pages filling volumes of books, (perhaps in . future articles) but I will tell you this. I . have Seen why we are here and I have Seen . what my true essence is. I have experienced . raising the consciousness within myself and . the immediate area and Seeing/feeling the . difference without a doubt. I have seen my . true essence and know the potentials . therein. I have felt love that was higher . and more intense than ever felt before. This . was a pure soulic love that cannot be felt . within the lower consciousness of the human . consciousness. (to just name a few) . . I have often felt unworthy of such feelings . and Seeings, but this is what our soul . knows, it is only our minds that keeps us . from this knowing. This was NOT my . imagination, it was real and it is true. If . more people focused on such things, we could . change the world. This is NOT my ego . talking. I don't feel more important, . superior or falsely elated. I am only . expressing to you my experiences and . thoughts in the hopes that it will awaken . some spark within you to take action and . change the course of your life resulting in . the evolution of your soul. . . The person who has changed my life and lead . me onto this path is Matthew Webb, the . founder and author of The World Mind . Society. I have had the priviledge of living . with him and experiencing all/most of what . he has seen and written about. I have run . from him and the path more than I care to . admit. Many would say that I am putting him . on a pedestal and/or I am brainwashed, . and/or I belong to a cult. Believe what you . like, I know what I have Seen, experienced . and what my soul yearns to do. I have . contemplated, meditated, journaled, gone on . visionquests, walked in the woods and on the . beach. I have silenced the chatter in my . mind. I have had debates with myself on . which way to live, and I tried over and over . again to go back to the way I used to live. . I have listened to the feelings in my body . and the messages from within and it all . comes to the same conclusion. Live the life . you are meant to live, get out of the karma . you have incurred and let your spirit soar . to heights no human has possibly ever . experienced here on earth. . . Other arguments that people will bring up in . relation to staying on the path with Mat is . that I am just afraid to be alone, or your . ego is hurt because you are not with him. I . have delved into all those feelings and yes . they have been true in the past and yes . there is still some inertia and truth to . those statements. But I am exerting equal or . greater force to change that inertia. . Because what is love? Is it the ownership of . another person? Does it mean that just . because you feel love for someone that you . have control and ownership of that person? . If you truly love another, you want the best . benefit for that person, under any . circumstance. I want to be with Matthew when . he ascends to higher consciousness and . breaks through the low vibration of this . planet, which he has done and has shown me . on many ocassions. I want to be an integral . part of assisting him and he assisting me to . reach such heights, because I know this is . of highest and best benefit for him, me, the . planet and the cosmos. This conclusion did . not come quickly or easily. This is the . conclusion of my soul and I had to tell my . mind to take a chill pill and shut up in . order to come to it.....it took four . years...and it is still evolving and . progressing, but I am finally freeing myself . more and more from the level of human . consciousness (world mind) and experiencing . the heights that our souls are here to . accomplish. This cannot be expressed fully . in words, these must be experienced! . . Contrary to popular belief, NOT everything . is as it should be. It is that way because . of our intentions, focus, inertia, karma and . actions. We truly do have the power to heal . ourselves, live cooperatively throughout the . world, have a high vibration that naturally . enlightens us with love, clarity and . knowledge. It does NOT have to feel the way . it does now in our everyday lives. . Positivity can be a natural way of being, . not a forced way of thinking. Good/pure . intention can prevail and not be of a . selfish or competitive nature. A popular . notion on this planet is that we must . stay "busy" to keep our minds active and . stay young. Well, there would be nothing . to "busy" ourselves with because we would . always be busy with new knowledge, higher . states of love and clarity and the potential . to always go higher and to know more. What . could be more exciting and more important to . do? . . As I said, I have had the priviledge and . honor to live with Matt and gain from his . focus, knowledge, clarity and intention. Why . I have been the one to do this, I don't . know, but I do know that I See his soul and . know what it is he is striving to do. I . strongly suggest that you read the articles . in his World Mind Society Library at: [link] . seriously. Read one article at a time, . meditate on it, contemplate it and DO IT! . This is all the knowledge you or anyone will . ever need. As a suggestion, start with The . Perpetual Raising Series, then Lessons of . the Soul, then go wherever your soul leads . you. I implore you to take the information . seriously and not as you would any "new age" . articles found on the web. This is . not "channeled" by some obscure Archangel, . alien or Being. All the writings are based . on experience and are NOT theory. We are . blessed that there is a Soul here on earth . that lived his life doing, Seeing, . experiencing and writing about what is the . only important and relevant focus there is. . Read about group mind, world mind and what . consciousness is.....have you ever thought . of these things before? After reading bring . your awareness onto these important aspects . of life. They are indisputable. The only . reason it is never mentioned is because it . is not focused on. The knowledge is there . for all of us, if only we would stop our . foolish whims and ways and take the time to . look. What could be more important? Your . job? School? Watching TV? I say quit your . job, quit school and learn what is most . important, in fact the only important . things. You say you can't? You have a . mortagage to pay, have to eat, the price of . living is too high? My answer to that is . that there are many places to live that are . less expensive, there are different more . practical lifestyles, sell your house and . get on with what your soul wants you to do. . If you need more information on doing this . then read "The Survivalists Guide for the . New Millenium" a book in the WMS library. . . It takes courage and clarity to change one's . life in such a manner, and I know all too . well from experience, the pitfalls, the . fears, the guilt, the pain of doing it. But . I also know the rewards and these are . universal throughout the cosmos. These are . the potential of every soul on this planet, . if one has the clarity and courage to pursue . them. These are what the purpose of life is . all about, it is not mysterious and there is . NOTHING more important to do. By living and . doing such things, you help others to lift . out of their doldrums and have the potential . to do it also. . . All paths have their bumps and detours. The . bumps of the spiritual path is inertia. The . detours are the ways and the level of the . world mind/consciousness. At times it may . seem hard and hopeless, but once you get . through each pitfall, you see the Light at . the end of the tunnel and your soul knows . joy, peace and a love that cannot be . described in words...it must be experienced. . The choice is yours....tell your mind to . chill, listen and just observe the beatings . of your heart and the voice of your soul. . and.....if nothing else, have the courage to . read the articles in The World Mind Society. . . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com . . **Quoted definitions from the glossary on . The World Mind Society: [link] . . **Group Mind: A phenomena and principle of . nature that is the joining of constituent . elements of consciousness into cohesive . systems, whose whole is geometrically . greater than the sum of its parts. The . synthesis of member minds in a psychic . alignment, which acts in entity-like fashion . above and beyond those members. See . earthmind and world mind... . . Group Mind Principle: A group mind is that . synthesis of Energies, Awarenesses and . Intents of component individuals into an . expanded whole, that is geometrically . greater thatn the sum of its parts, as . factored by the number and level of . consciousness of its comprising individuals. . . also can be found in The Group Mind Series . in The World Mind Society Library . . *World Mind: The planet wide group mind of . humanity as a species. The currently ego- . based collective consciousness of humanity, . whose focus is primarily upon unnatural . aims. (also explained in The Perpetual . Raising Series, Part 3.) . . Earthmind: The group mind conglomerate . entity of the Earth, as a sum total. The . residing consciousness of the Earth whose . composition is synthesis of all natural . plants, animals, minerals and atmospheric . elements, not including the majority of . humanity. That intelligent and guiding . consciousness of our planetary body, which . has coordinated the evolution of biological . forms and natural phenomena. . . Consciousness: The primary causal force in . all universal action and manifestation. That . ultimate cause in nature, composed of . Energy, Awareness and Intent, which is . responsible for the ways and means by which . all forms are generated...See God. . . *****God That all pervading universal force . in and of all things which coordinates . evolution. The universal Will behind all . manifestation, natural laws and phenomena, . composed of Energy, Awareness and Intent. . The collective group mind intelligence of . the manifest and unmanifest cosmos, composed . of consciousness. . . ***Truth: That which is universally and at . all times the determining basis for the . reality of existence. Factuality, that which . exists regardless of view point or relative . opinion. The essence of natural law and its . principles. . . ****See The Software of the Mind Series . . Now let me ask you this: Where else on this . planet can you find such fundamental, . practical and clear definitions of such . terms? What could be more important to learn . or know about? I implore you to save your . soul and start reading, applying, focusing . and feel free to ask questions via email.... Re: There are no answers. There are only Choices. - Charles C. Keiser . 31 Dec 2004 01:11 . #497 is . . On what we wish to be. . . We Exist. All else is Philosophy. . It is through our philosophies we choose . that which we wish to be. Every Philosophy . is but one persons wish, and a view from . within their own universe. . It is when our philosophies entangle that . our reality is created. . Knowing that we have a choice demands that . we choose our philosophy well. If we wish it . to be Universal, it must embrace all, and . leave none behind. . To save every soul, every soul must know . they have a Choice! Truth is what you believe it to be. - Charles C. Keiser . 31 Dec 2004 17:32 . #498 . Every soul searches for its own Truth. . The Singularity is pure infinite and unbound . Consciousness. Once we attempt to define or . describe anything beyond The Singularity, we . do so through the lens of our own personal . universe. We can only describe the truth . that exists in our personal universe. We . cannot describe the truth that may exist in . any other universe. . Every Philosophy is just one persons . description of their own personal universe. . They are describing what they see through . the hazy lens of their own creation. . What any of us can see as the purpose of our . own existence was formulated from the . choices we made in creating our own . universe. We use our storehouse of . accumulated knowledge to fashion the lens we . are now looking through. What we see as true . is only what we have created from that . information. We each fashion our own. . And once our lens is fashioned, we all . believe the truth we perceive, but we only . perceive the truth we believe. . The lens we create filters out any truth . that does not reinforce its own truth. We . become blind to any truth that does not fit . through our own lens. Re: Truth is what you believe it to be. - Matthew Webb . 31 Dec 2004 20:40 . #499 Brother Charles, . . One problem with this philosophy of "no . truth" or "all truth is personal", is that . this is in itself a statement that is made . about what you feel is true. . . By saying "there is no truth", are you . saying that this is the truth? Do you see . the problem with this thinking...it is self . defeating because it even invalidates itself. . . Truth is not dependant upon human ideas and . I'll prove it to you with simple logic. . . If as you say truth is subjective, and . whatever we want to believe, then how did . the world function prior to the existence of . man on this planet? How did cells divide, . snow fall, water flow, plants . photosynthesize, and planets orbit the sun . without some human around to "make their own . truth" out of all that? . . The answer is that truth, (existence and the . laws of nature which govern it) needs no . human permission to operate. . . . unbound . we . our . we . true Re: Truth is what you believe it to be. - Charles C. Keiser . 31 Dec 2004 22:38 . #500 Setting arguments over semantics aside, I . think it is relatively simple to understand . the essence of the statement. . What separates the human mind from . artificial intelligence is we are used to, . and able to deal with such apparent . inconsistencies and contradictions. . You're a smart man, I know you understand . its meaning. . . . M.Webb: . "Truth is not dependant upon human ideas and . I'll prove it to you with simple logic. . . If as you say truth is subjective, and . whatever we want to believe, then how did . the world function prior to the existence of . man on this planet? How did cells divide, . snow fall, water flow, plants . photosynthesize, and planets orbit the sun . without some human around to "make their own . truth" out of all that? " . . cck: . I never said "Human," I said "We." . We; our Minds, are not our brains or our . bodies. We are eternal spirits that . transcend the physical. . Mind existed before Universe. . Buddhism: "There is emptiness at the heart . of all matter." . Eastern Philosophy: The Universe is in the . Mind. . . But you already know all this. . I have been reading your thoughts and find . much to admire, and much I agree with. We . are climbing the same mountain, if perhaps . by a different path, but our goal is the . same. . So what is your real question? . What truth did you find within my words that . troubled you? Truth - Gerald Vest . 13 Jan 2005 18:00 . #502 What is the truth? is a question for debate . and open to many interpretations. I could . say that Truth is Law and this is still . taking a position. . . For me, the truth is being one with our . Creation. We are One. Jehovah is Nonsense - Matthew Webb . 18 Jan 2005 18:54 . #503 I received the following letter from a WMS . reader yesterday, and found it and my reply . relevant to this Group.... . . ----- Original Message ----- . Sent: 1/15/2005 8:53:58 PM . To: visionquest@eoni.com . Subject: I found God on the internet . . . Dear Matthew, . . . I read your article at: . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest/library/godc . onsc.html . Thank you. . I once had a Christian belief in God, which . I held for over 20 years. . However, during the remaining years I became . increasingly frustrated with church doctrine . and beliefs. . Eventually I could make no sense it, so much . of it was contradictive and down right . stupid. . In the end I became greatly disillusioned . with Christianity and concluded that there . was no God. . . . But during my time as a Christian I spent a . lot of time in prayer, as it were, reaching . out to God. . I would pray for more than an hour at a time . early each morning. . As a result I would feel at peace within . and "super charged" for the day ahead. . Now I believe that my pray life was a sort . of mediation, which I did benefit from. . . . It has been seven years since I had lost all . faith in Christianity and God, . (a Christian would say I had fallen from the . faith). . A great part of me had become lost. Not to . mention all my friends. . A lot of my church experience had like . a "cult" effect on me. . In a strange way, I found myself reaching . out to my memories of my childhood and to . the person I was as a child. . I was reaching within to regain my identity . and I found this in how I remembered myself . to be as a young boy. . Over time I rebuilt my character using self- . help tapes and books etc. . . . Now days I love to meditate, only now I . reach into my true inner self for guidance, . rather than reaching out externally to God . in prayer, (because for me now there is no . God). . This perception has left me isolated form . external support and all my resources must . come from within. . I am alone in the world with only myself for . support, not to mention having to support my . family as well. . I am not a fool that would follow the next . religious group that comes along, I have . been atheist seven years. . . . I have a strong sense in wanting to believe . in God, yet I can not embrace a belief in . God as presented by the church. . But now having read your article I believe I . can have a new faith in God again. . I can relate to this better understand of . God the world and everyone in it. . I have always puzzled on the concept of our . human consciousness, but never thought of . God as universal consciousness. . The common factor (consciousness), between . world religions, the unified field theory . and my own sense of need to make external . connection to a higher Intelligence, have . caused me to willingly (with relief) except . that there is a God. . I believe I have found the basis for a new . faith in God and will pursue it a little bit . at a time, until I can establish it. . . . Thank you for sharing this knowledge, it has . meant a lot to me. . . . Best wishes . JT . Northern Ireland . . ********* . . My reply was... . . . Dear J, . . It is through the extremely rare letter such . as you've written, that I get a sense of . real gladness, (and good karma) from . offering all those WMS writings. Thanks . very much for taking the time and projecting . the good intention in offering your in-depth . thoughts, especially upon such an important . subject. . . Like you, I was for many years an atheist . and an official memeber of the now- . defunct, "American Atheists" whose . headquarters was in Austin Texas. I assumed . during that time that there was no God due . to the utter failure and nonsense of the . Church. What I didn't realize is that there . is no "jehovah" but instead, a far less . personal force known as Consciousness. I . realized that any real God would have far . better things to do than to cater to the . silly and material whims of those who beg . for Divine favors, (pray). Meditation as . you mentioned allowed such realization, and . progressively over time. This revelation . took some mental adjustment on my part, yet . it was undeniable. Upon studying the . writings of the Eastern world, I also saw . that God and Consciousness were one in the . same thing, and that the East had a far . greater, more intelligent understanding of . it than does Western materialism. . . The West went wrong as far back in history . as the supremacy of the Roman Empire in . Europe. Their presence, which was anything . but glorious, deeply traumatized the psyche . of Western thought and culture even up to . the present day. All those peoples who were . conquered and ruled as slaves would later in . history seek to rule others in the same . fashion, (France, Spain, Great Britain, . Holland, Germany, etc.). When the Empire . finally fell, it did so only in name but not . in terms of mental attitudes, such as the . self indulgence (above all else) seen in . materialism and consumerism, the denial of . all that is truly spiritual in favor of the . material world, militarism, domination, self . destructive exploitation of the environment, . hostility to peoples and ideas unlike one's . own, etc., etc. Where the Romans collapsed, . the Roman Catholic Church then took it's . institutional place, with all of it's . suppressive doctrinces, crusades, the . conquistadores, inquisitions, hatred of all . that is natural and self empowering, the . love of Empire, extreme wealth, gluttony and . the mental control of others. The history . of the Church is FAR more gruesome than that . of Nazi Germany, but we are expected to turn . a blind eye to all that and merely, "have . faith". What we're really having faith in . is the integrity and honesty of the Church . in it's report of what happened in the times . of Christ, and their "versions" of the Bible . which is obviously slanted to favor their . own interests. When you consider that the . Church actually made it illegal to own or . read your own Bible for centuries, it . becomes clear that their intentions were . anything but spiritual...they were in fact . just the inheritors of Roman thinking. . . In any case, not only do I agree with you . that modern Christianity is complete . nonsense, I think it anti-spiritual and . utterly destructive of human best- . interests. It is mind-killing dribble . cooked up by unscrupulous monks and popes . alike. Jesus did not die on any cross for . our sins, he died, BECAUSE of them. He died . because humanity rejected him then just as . they can and would do today. . . The fact is, spirituality is about the . taking of self responsiblity, not in the . leaning on Jesus or God to do one's needed . inner work. That's where meditation comes . in as you have seen. Self knowledge is . really the only opportunity for one to . become whole and progressive. Prayer has . become the opposite of this, as a form of . spiritual begging and pleading for Daddy to . clean up our mess for us. Anyone who has . ever been sincere in their spiritual . practice knows that the child learns nothing . from being totally shielded forever from the . responsibilities inherent in truth and . reality. This is exactly why modern . Christians remain spiritually childish and . ignorant, as they never take responsiblity . for reality on its' own terms. They prefer . the "god of their understanding" which is of . course, not God at all. . . I truly appreciate your correspondence on . this subject, and certainly welcome you to . read/write further as time permits. It's a . delight to hear from a sane and lucid person. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . WMS Founder http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Re: Truth - Frans weyer . 18 Jan 2005 19:04 . #504 Truth exist,but when you weave words around . it it becomes an opinion,and opinions can be . put aside through argumentation or not. . Truth can not be put aside for the simple . reason that truth is. . It's like the sun,it shines for everyone,for . the oppressor and the oppressed ,for . terrorists and for people of good will. . The sun is providing sunny weather but also . through his influence clouds that makes rain . and blizzand and hurricanes. . When we acting(even just being is acting) . against of that what truth is we cause on . the long run differend kinds of winds or . rain, maybe a destructive hurricane, in our . selves and as result in our environment. . . It's a little bit windy these days. . . . . . . What is the truth? is a question for debate Noble Truths - Gerald Vest . 25 Jan 2005 18:02 . #505 Is there anything more 'noble' than Truth? . I think that with the Noble Truths, we . begin to understand human suffering and . with the Eight Fold Path, a way to be the . truth. Seems that there is a "Right View" . or understanding of taking life's journey . toward freedom. Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 26 Jan 2005 19:27 . #506 . . There is only one thing which the modern . person fears more than death, and that is . the idea there is such a thing as truth. . Death to most people may be a great and . terrible unknown, but it is nothing . compared to the awesome and totally . threatening implications of TRUTH ITSELF. . . All of the world’s problems, every . injustice, war, misery, disease, lingering . fear and pain, have but one single cause, . and that is the widespread denial of . Truth. . . Every single solution for the world’s ills, . for war, corruption, social inequality, . religious intolerance and the nature of . true progress in general, stems from one . single source the implementation of Truth. . . It is not from fear or pain that human . beings run away, it is from their cause . that they flee. They run as cowards and . fools from the truth alone, for there is no . greater enemy to society, tradition, . consumerism, insanity or self destruction, . than the Reality it encompasses. It is from . this most dreaded and despised foe, the . reality of truth, that people seek to . escape. There is no greater source of . panic, anxiety and anguish for the modern . mind, than what is TRULY SO. . . It is for the reasons listed above that the . average person will literally DO ANYTHING . and SAY ANYTHING, in an attempt to avoid . the Truth. They will deny the existence of . the most obvious, even if this contradicts . not only their daily experience, but the . experience of that very moment. People . well claim total ignorance while in full . and complete knowledge, not necessarily . because they enjoy lying, but because they . are horrified to admit something that they . wished were not so. For the most part they . do this not for the sake of avoiding any . single aspect of truth or fact, but to . utterly avoid TRUTH ITSELF, as the guiding . principle of the Universe. To even suggest . that it is such a thing as TRUTH which . guides reality rather than human whim or . desire, is to evoke considerable anger, . fear and indignation from a human being. . Given this, the human mind has even . fashioned God in it’s own image, imagining . that only THEIR personal nation, religion, . and culture have any real meaning, implying . that their wars are righteous, and that all . the stars in the night sky exist only for . their personal amusement. The human being . will even go so far as to say that nothing . can, or ever has existed without our say . so, and that if a tree falls in a forest . unheard, then that must surely mean it did . not make a sound. Furthermore, to suggest . that reality exists quite apart from the . notion of humanity as the center of the . universe or universal attentions, (such as . the eternal fight between cosmic good and . evil, God/Satan played out on an Earthly . stage) is to invite condemnation by senator . and janitor alike. . . The Truth is; That which exists regardless . of opinion or viewpoint, Natural Law(s), . fact. The truth is composed of facts, and . these are collectively known as “reality”. . . Even after being given this definition of . Truth, the average person will either . insist that truth is personal, relative or . subjective, or they will claim that . although it exists, it can never really be . known. The test of our wisdom is not in . our ability to acquire knowledge, but what . to do with that knowledge after it is . acquired. It is here that humanity fails, . not because we cannot conceive of the best . course of action, but because we are . unwilling to accept new conclusions and . standards then those which history has . already given us. In simple psychological . terms, this is known as mass denial. The . purpose of the denial of Truth is simple, . THE AVOIDANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. To . acknowledge there is such a thing as Truth . is to also be forced to acknowledge that . the universe, like life, is not random. A . non-random universe has direction, and even . what may be called “goals” or “purposes”, . not the least of which is known . as, “evolution”. To acknowledge Truth is . to realize that life itself, (and even our . own individual lives, now and hereafter) . have meaning and purpose of a specific . nature. . . Since a Universe based on Truth is . conditional and specific, that means we as . human beings are NOT at liberty to make up . whatever we want to about life. With Truth . in place, imagination, desire and whim are . no longer the center of the Universe, . implying that everything society now stands . for is utterly false. Society tells us . that human beings and their desires, are . far more important than the content of a . hundred billion galaxies and everything in . between. It falsely claims that our own . emotional gratification reigns supreme in . the cosmic scope of things, while all that . matters is whatever we wish to believe. . That’s why there is such popularity in the . belief that, “there is no Truth”, or that . there is only, “my truth” and “your truth” . which is basically saying the same thing . as “there is no truth“. If truth is . relative to each individual person, then . how can two people with diametrically . opposed view sit in the very same room . together, without annihilating one another . with their minds? Obviously there . something more to truth than whatever we . wish to believe upon waking up in the . morning. Modern social structures can’t . EVER afford to acknowledge that life has . inherent meaning, one that does not need . human approval or restructuring, without . simultaneously admitting that long . cherished norms are based upon nothing but . arbitrariness. For if it did acknowledge . truth then consumerism would become . practicality, religious faith would become . clarity, tradition would be replaced by . innovation, national boundaries would . dissolve, patriotism would be seen as . misguided loyalty, logic would replace . randomness, clear reasoning would transcend . gossip and blind following, peace would . replace war, and wisdom would arise where . there had once been only ignorance. . . To the question of, “If a tree falls in the . forest and no one is around to hear it, . does it still make a sound”? the answer is . simple yes, of course it still makes a . sound. The natural laws of physics do not . hang on the thread of human whim in order . to find their fruition. The very question . reeks of a center-of-the-universe . sentimentality, presupposing that nothing . at all can occur without our perception or . permission. For the vast majority of . people who believe this folly, there is a . simple way of regaining basic sanity, and . that is through HONESTLY answering the . following question. Many will probably . find they lack the personal power to do so, . and yet it MUST be done . . The question is this; . . “How did the universe function before there . were ever human beings around to have . opinions about it?” . . Using modern thinking, if a tree needs a . humans‘ perception to make a sound when it . falls, then surely there were no sounds at . all prior to the time when Homo Sapiens . walked the Earth. Similarly, there must . surely have been no light either, because . if there was no one around to see the sun . shine, did it still make a light? Of . course it did. Furthermore, plants and . animals grew, river sediments accumulated, . cells divided, rocks were ground to sand on . beaches, birds flew, storms dumped snow on . mountain peaks and plains alike and water . still flowed downhill. In other words all . the natural laws which ran the universe did . so regardless of being observed, and . irrespective of being the subject of human . opinion. The very concept of a, “NATURAL . LAW“ implies a force or forces which . operate at all places and times, without . concern for anyone’s approval. . . If you want to understand TRUTH and natural . law, just contemplate the fact of life and . evolution on this world, prior to human . perception. Species of plants and animals . have come and gone for millions of years . prior to humanity. Obviously, reality does . not need our observation or permission to . run rather effectively. . . Then there are those who seek to escape . their responsibility for truth, by quoting . such sayings as, “the three blind men and . the elephant“. The story begins by claiming . that truth is relative to perception, . as “demonstrated“ by the three holding on . to different parts of the same animal. The . one touching a tusk says, “elephants are . smooth, strong, hard and sometimes . brittle“. The second holding a leg . replies, “you‘re right about the elephant . being strong, but it is not brittle, smooth . or hard“. The third fool holding the tail . gets irate, saying, “You are both idiots, . an elephant is obviously a tall but spindly . creature, not brittle but always twisting . and agile“. People quote this saying . as “evidence“ that there either is no such . thing as truth, or that the truth is . subject to perception. Yet the example is . so completely flawed, so utterly . irrational, as to be ludicrous. First of . all, the analogy only works if you assume . that all people are not only blind, but . also incredibly stupid. . Even a blind . person should be able to tell that there is . more to an elephant than trunk, leg or . tail, just by using their ears. . Furthermore, we DO have eyes that see, . ESPECIALLY when they’re open. . . Secondly, the analogy assumes that the . elephant is somehow changed just because it . was misperceived in three separate ways. . But the fact remains that the elephant, in . its’ entirety and sophistication, remained . the same creature regardless of human views . about it. The most logical conclusion here . is NOT that each blind man, “had his own . truth” or that truth is somehow, “subject . to perception”, but that the truth was and . is unchanged, regardless of what anyone . likes to imagine. It is not that each . blind man was, “right in his own way”, but . that ALL THREE WERE WRONG. You can no . sooner do justice to the reality of an . elephant by calling it, “trunk, tusk or . leg”, than you can an ocean by calling it . a, “drop, wave or wet”. Some will . perhaps read this and say, that the three . blind men are likened to what we still . don’t know about the universe, and that our . sciences are still in their infancy. Yes, . of course our sciences are. But given this . they will further seek to evade . responsibility for the truth by concluding . that, “truth is still evolving as our . understanding of it evolves”, or that, “we . will never fully understand truth, . therefore we don’t need to take reality . seriously, since that concept will change . radically with each passing decade”. Truth . does not evolve as our understanding of it . improves. The truth remains the same . regardless of our understanding. Secondly, . just because we don’t yet know EVERYTHING . about reality, does not mean that we KNOW . NOTHING. It is for those known basics THAT . WE DO KNOW, for which humanity MUST hold . itself accountable. We ALL know certain . facts about the truth, such as people need . to breathe and sleep, that love is more . healthful for the body than fear, we know . that the heart beats and the lungs take in . oxygen, that apples are better to eat than . driveway gravel or arsenic, and that . gradations of feeling and intelligence . exist. These basics and countless others, . are part and parcel of our daily . existence. We know that water runs . downhill, that the natural laws of . resonance, vibration, spectrum, harmonics, . dissonance, gravity/attraction, the proofs . of geometry, polarity, the principles of . circuit and energy flow, and a huge host of . other basics, form the basis of repeated . experiment and consistent technology. We . know that pollution is damaging to life, . that the Earth is not flat and that we . orbit a stellar body known as a SUN. We . ARE accountable for these and many other . obvious facts, which compose reality. . There are none so blind as those who will . not see this. . . We see such thinking as the three blind men . analogy, applied in every single aspect of . the modern world. In international . relations, what is assumed to count most is . not the truth, (facts) but who can put the . most convincing “spin” or “interpretation” . on any given incident. In everyday . conversation we find that it is not facts . that are most often quoted in honest . debate, nor logic given to support . conclusion made, but rather, who can tell . the most convincing lies and project their . self image most forcefully. On the . religious scene we see that every faith . says, “our God is the only God“, and/or . that, “our scriptures are the highest among . all” while at the same time taking great . pains to avoid factual discussion, or . logical analysis of their own beliefs. It . is not that every nation, person and . religion has, “their own truth” (as if all . these different and often . contradictory “truths” could possibly exist . simultaneously). What little truth there . is contained in the modern world is only . had in small part by each person, nation . and belief, and it is this, “thread of . truth” as it is called, which forms the . only REAL common ground between all . beliefs, nations and persons. It is not . that each largely erroneous belief system . is in turn, “right in it’s own way” but . like the three blind men, they are ALL in . the vast majority, mostly WRONG. If the . human race is to survive all the largely . false and arbitrary notions of the modern . world, then it MUST begin using truth as . the foundation for all debate and wise . action. The same may be said of every . individual, so that they might actually . mature into wise, intelligent and . progressive beings. . . The truth is the very essence of further . human evolution, and spiritual progress of . all kinds. Without it we can only flounder . in wishful thinking or sheer delusion. . With truth as our foremost guide in life . however, we then can address reality on . its’ own terms. In truth we can create . relationships and a society where . enlightenment is the rule, rather than the . exception. . . Further reading; Lessons of the Soul series . The Perpetual Raising . In the Library of . . Matthew Webb . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest On the Gaining of Chi - Matthew Webb . 27 Jan 2005 19:19 . #507 This from another forum, (Sustained . Reaction)... . . Kai asks... . . rishi, . . excellent points. you have investigated this . in great depth. . . i have a simple question: how does one gain . enough energy to be able to use intent . (is "intending" enough?) . . kai... . . rishi1 . Registered User . Posts: 6 . (1/27/05 11:14 am) . Reply | Edit Re: The gaining of personal . power . --------------------------------------------- . ----------------------------------- . Kaio, . . The gaining of energy is of course much as . Castaneda says in its' conservation, . (particularly sexual, although the Taoists . have much more to add to this subject in . terms of balance). What I find oddly little- . mentioned is the gaining of energy, ("chi" . as the Chinese would call it) through intent . and specific focuses. Chi is actually . subatomic energy which surrounds us as a . field in constant motion. We connect to the . environment and everyone in it via this . medium, and so, it's not really an esoteric . act to draw from such a surrounding . resource. I describe the "Chi Gaining" . meditation in the Perpetual Raising series, . (Part 2 or 3) or the Entheo-Genius series . (Part 2) in the Library at . www.eoni.com/~visionquest , but basically, . chi can be gained readily through three . basic focuses. One is a meditative, body- . wide awareness of feeling, and this is most . important. The second is the intending of . chi-gaining during any in-breath, which is . when the body naturally draws upon this . resource. The third is the employment of a . thoughtform, or visualized mental image, . such as incoming lightning bolts for . instance, of simply a river-like stream of . energy entering the body. Combining these . three is very useful, and so is standing on . bare ground, (particularly wet ground) . without shoes. Creeks and ocean surflines . are excellent. Take a deep breath while . intending greater chi to enter the body, . while focusing on your feelings. Feelings . are always the best medium whereby . psychic/spiritual action is taken, in my . experience. Visualizing lightning bolts will . then provide a crystallized channel whereby . the energy is gained, though this is not . absolutely necessary. . . That's the basis of it....it takes a bit of . practice/seriousness/patience. The next step . is the storing or using the chi that is . gained, but that's another subject. The Purification of Intent - Matthew Webb . 5 Feb 2005 21:27 . #508 . The spiritual practitioner must at some . point involve themselves in the . consideration of the purification of . intent. Like the raising of intent it is a . multifaceted process which results in a . progressively higher, more evolved level of . being, or in other words, the progressive . expansion of consciousness. To purify an . intention is to refine it. This refinement . may be likened to the honing of more and . more useful tools from the raw ore of animal . instinct and impulsive mind. It is a return . to the prerogatives of natural laws and . goals which may be summed up as the . achievement of successive steps of . evolutionary progress. For exactly the same . reasons the spiritual practitioner refines . their intention through a greater alignment . with natural purposes so as to achieve a . more evolved level of self. The greater the . purification of intent the more refined the . self becomes. Therefore, the purification . of intent is closely intertwined with the . raising of intent they aid each others . progression. . . The expansion of consciousness means the . expansion of self as soul. Self realization . reveals the essential fact that we are not . specific thoughts but the creator of thought . itself. We are not specific emotions, but . the creator of all emotion. We are not . memories or memorized things but the keeper . of all memory. We are not the things done . in life, but the doer who oversees them . all. It is this “Doer” that is the . consciousness to which I refer. Close . inspection of this “Doer” reveals that it is . composed primarily of intention as the . motive and causal force of our lives, . awareness as our secondary ingredient of . soul as focusing agent, and energy as our . third essential foundation which makes . action possible. Only in meditation can we . witness the indisputable fact that we are . intent, awareness and energy, and that these . are the basis for the consciousness that we . are. Because intent rules these three it’s . purification and raising is fundamental for . not only all success in life, but the very . attainment of Mastery and higher levels of . being. The expansion of consciousness is . had, first and foremost, in the raising and . purification of the intent that we . essentially are. . . To successfully grasp the concept of . purification there is an implicit need to . understand also that there exists something . of greater purity to attain. This is a fact . of Truth and it is universally so. There . exists in fact, higher and higher levels of . consciousness and resulting forms, which are . increasingly in alignment with Cosmic . Purpose. That Purpose is of course, the . evolution that results from expanding . consciousness. In order to purify our . intentions it is necessary to intuitively . and logically realize exactly what greater . levels of evolutionary human progress mean. . They mean among other things, greater . manifest intelligence, sharper clarity, . increased levels of wisdom and intuitive . understanding, physical health, mental . balance and logic, truthfulness, honesty, . social excellence and unification, as well . as attunement with that which is called God . and the intelligent purpose of nature. . These various aspects of the purification of . intent are not divergent and seemingly . diverse focuses, they are all the various . fruit born by the same roots of self . realization. In meditation we See and . refine the consciousness that we are, . resulting in the enhancement of all these . things. . . The purification of intent implies not just . the raising of ones state into higher levels . of love, it implies greater dedication to . the cause of love itself. It is not just . the raising of one’s state into higher . levels of clarity, it is the greater . dedication to the cause of clear Seeingness . and accurate acquisition of Truth. It is . not the idle praising of God, but the . embodiment of the intent and will of God in . the expansion of what we centrally are as . souls. Purification means dedication to . spiritual purpose as a first and foremost . life priority. Through such a purpose are . all other things accomplished with greater . ease and progressive result. Purification . of mind implies a logical thought process . dedicated to the cause of truth, (synonymous . with spiritual purpose) as a first priority . in life. Through such a cause we see all . people not as members of nations, or races, . or political systems, or religious . ideologies, but as centers of consciousness . who are the product of an intelligent, . natural world that is driven by the purposes . of universal consciousness. . . All that is required for this process . already exists within the internal . mechanisms of human body, mind and soul. . This is exactly why self realization is key . to the purification of intent, and thus, the . further evolution of our species. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Suggested Reading: “The Intent of Intent” Re: The Purification of Intent - Frans weyer . 17 Feb 2005 19:27 . #509 What if purification leads to retread,seeing . the egoistic motives behind all kind of . social actions,incl.so-called good deeds. . . . a . animal . return . same . the . realization . thought . is . these . fact . are . mean. . of . levels . (synonymous . purposes . the Working with Nature and Natural Laws - Matthew Webb . 8 Mar 2005 20:26 . #510 The following letter was sent to the WMS . regarding an environmental project in . Africa. Your support is encouraged and . appreciated.... . . ----- Original Message ----- . From: Abdul Rahman [mailto:footwear@africa- . online.net] . Sent: 3/7/2005 7:57:45 AM . To: visionquest@eoni.com . Subject: OrchardVillages . . Greetings Dear Mathew. . . You might remember me, we communicated some . few months ago after I found your Website. . That was a great awakening and introduction . to a whole new world for me..and I still . have the contents of your library saved on . my hard disk. . Anyway, I wanted to send you the rough . outline of a project that kind of formed . itself in my mind over the last week, mainly . because, had it not been for finding WMS, . this would likely not have come to me like . that... . . So, I would love to hear what you think!! . . ********** . . My Reply; . . Dear Abdul, . . Yes, I remember our conversations . previously, brother, and have read your . mission statement. Thanks very much for . sending it to me...it is a brilliant idea . which is not only needed but in my opinion, . has every chance of success and widespread . support. . . Please keep me updated as to the progress of . the Orchard Villages concept. I will post . this item on my newslog at New Civilization . Network and advocate its' merits there. . Please note also that the WMS website at . [link] is currently being updated with new . articles, as well as a new meditational . music album, (Sophia Benedictus) and a . sampling of various desktop artwork. A flyer . will soon be sent out... . . Take care friend, and best fortune with . these and other plans... . . Sincerely, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . WMS Founder . . *********** . . Mission Statement: . . . Orchardvillages Project. . . . A Brainchild from Ray. 1st March 2005. . . Mission Statement. . . . . The aims of this project are targeted . towards establishing a range of effects . through tackling a major environmental . problem in a sustainable and productive way. . We are trying to reduce the effects of . environmental degradation due to . deforestation and widespread tree cutting . for purposes from building materials to . fuel. . Our region has seen increasing reduction in . trees during recent decades and this . practice has continued and increased up to . the present day, leaving large sectors of . the population vulnerable to many problems, . some of the worst of which include soil . erosion, draught, famine, increasing . problems finding fuel for cooking etc, . . This region is among the poorest in the . world and possesses little in the way of . mineral resources; Malawi itself is largely . dependant on agriculture and on donor aid to . survive. The staple food is maize meal, and . with very little emphasis on alternative . sources of food, a serious drought or famine . would lead to an unimaginable disaster. . . . Excerpt from our local newspaper "The daily . Times" 2/3/05 . "One would not want to go to Mount Soche, . because, as one British mountain climber . puts it "Mount Soche is balding fast as . locals have climbed uphill and started . cutting down trees from the top. Maize . fields surrounding the mountain are . expanding upwards. The story is the same for . Chiradzulu Mountain, Bungulu Mountain, . Ndirande Mountain, as well as many other . endangered areas in Malawi." . . . This problem is occurring throughout every . region of the country, including cultivated . areas and farmlands. Towns, cities and Rural . Areas are all seeing a rapid reduction in . tree numbers with no signs of any real . awareness of the problems this could cause . in the near future. In addition to this . there does not seem to be any focused effort . by any individual, group, organization or . government agency to actively take measures . to alleviate these problems and try to . reverse this alarming trend. . . Solutions . . . This project proposes the use of simple low . cost methods to implement a program that . will attempt to rectify this large and . growing problem, by approaching poor . villages in stricken areas and working in . partnership with the villagers (the old, . disabled and otherwise destitute of them, in . particular) to provide and monitor the . planting and maintenance of fruit trees in a . special area allocated by the village . headman as a common ground for the village. . . Even an initial start of 50 trees per . village per year with around 10 villages as . participants could have a major impact on . the environment and within a few short years . on the life and economies of the villagers . as well. . . The reasons for using various types of fruit . trees in this project are that fruit trees . provide multifaceted benefits to both the . environment and the local communities. . . 1. Firstly, people are less inclined to cut . down fruit trees for firewood because of the . benefits brought to them in terms of food . and resources from the trees. . . 2. Fruit trees provide both shade and a . source of food and income to the local . people involved in the project. Also, the . community work provided by the orchards will . provide people with some work , e.g. light . weeding for very old or disabled people can . make them feel purposeful. . . 3. As the trees grow they provide mini . ecosystems for thriving communities of . insects, birds and small animals, including . bees which can eventually be developed to . apiaries, if desired. . . 4. The trees will provide benefits to the . land through anchoring the topsoil layer . that is severely threatened and through . natural processes of enriching the . surrounding soils. . . 5. Water management – Riverbanks and other . catchment areas will be especially targeted . as possibilities for orchard sites, as trees . greatly assist in the improvement of local . water conditions, through retaining moisture . during the rainy periods and slowly . releasing it during dry spells . . The project can be utilized as an . educational tool to help the local people . realize the importance of trees to their . lives, environment and economy and . encouraging the planting and nurture of . trees throughout the region. . . . The project will try to improve awareness of . the symbiotic relationships between trees . and people and through doing so, encourage . the respect and care of nature in all its . forms. . . . . Implementation . . . As a first step, I will try to put together . US$250.00 from my limited personal finances . and open a local bank account for the . equivalent, in the name “The OrchardVillage . Project.” This will provide the project with . a small capital base from which to begin . actual activities. . I am trying to get to this point by June . 2005. . . . I will try to approach individuals, . companies & organizations, who may be . interested, both locally and through other . channels, invite donations, sponsorships, . grants and any other type of assistance or . support that anyone including local . government, may wish to offer. . . . I will endeavor to carry out any form of . fundraising activities to try to increase . our yearly totals of trees planted and back . up services to ensure that those trees are . given enough care to ensure that the . majority can establish themselves firmly . beyond the requirement of constant human . supervision. . . . According to my initial estimates, the cost . of each tree planted will come to . approximately US$2.00. This includes the . purchase of the seedling, transportation to . planting site, actual planting and 3 months . of monitoring and backup support to give the . highest chances of life. . . . If the project takes off, we will try to put . together a website with regular news, . progress reports, financial statements, . photos and will try to encourage the project . to be used as a model for other countries. . . . I am also trying to gain the support of the . Wildlife & Environmental Society of Malawi, . who would be able to provide vital . information relating to especially hard hit . areas and also tree seedlings from their . local nursery, in addition to possible . further assistance in the form of . fundraising, volunteers etc. . . . Once we are able to produce some results and . get some exposure, we would also wish to . approach the relevant governmental agencies . to try and bring the project recognition and . also work out the legalities of the . management of the actual orchards. Re: Working with Nature and Natural Laws - Matthew Webb . 9 Mar 2005 20:43 . #511 A follow-up on this conversation, now on- . going.... . . ----- Original Message ----- . From: Abdul Rahman [mailto:footwear@africa- . online.net] . Sent: 3/8/2005 6:49:46 AM . To: visionquest@eoni.com . Subject: Re: OrchardVillages . . . Dear Mathew, . . . Thank you so much for your reply to my . recent message. I will try to keep you . updated on how we are going with this . project and send photo's of the . Villages/People, Trees etc. . I am looking forward to seeing the new stuff . on the WMS website and congratulate you on . this work that you have undertaken. . I am still very much working on meditation . and the intent purification techniques from . the WMS site and feel that progress is being . made albeit slow & difficult. I find that . the environment ( in terms of the people) is . a major obstruction in elevating the . vibrations..Although the time of shifting is . upon us, our fellow people are so wrapped up . in their everyday lives, that they remain . oblivious. Up to now. Anyway it brings the . old analogy about "how difficult it is for a . crab to climb out of the basket, while more . than one crab are in the basket" to mind. . Still crabs can't co-ordinate and . communicate as well as we can, so it seems . we may have a good chance after all. Also, I . read somewhere that if only 1 person in . every 10,000 people can become enlightened . than it would be the flashpoint required for . the rest of them... I'm really Looking . forward to some of your Meditational Music. . . . All the Best to You my Good Friend, . . . Ray . . Dear Ray, . . I'll look forward to any update you may send . regarding Orchard Villages, (but it may take . me some time to respond, since I may not be . around a computer during any given period). . It sounds like such an excellent project, . and I particularly enjoy the fact that it . could benefit both nature and people at the . same time. . . The purification of intent, (which I wrote . about recently as one of the new article . additions in the Library) is always a key . issue in personal advancement to be sure. . Equally relevant is how other people effect . us, both socially and psychically, making . this consideration more difficult as you . said. The psychic conditions of the modern . world are increasingly chaotic. There's SO . MUCH fear and pain in the world at present. . Any awareness of recent world events makes . understanding this pretty easy...one need . not even cultivate refined psychic awareness . to see how true that is. This point in . itself is yet another good reason why your . project should succeed as widely as . possible...the purifying psychic effect that . trees have on enviornmental vibe(s) is value . enough in itself to plant them. People . don't understand this consciousness . expanding aspect of nature unless they tune . themselves to it... They think that nature . is just a stockpile of chemicals to sell, . which is a really sad commentary on the . state of the world. Needless to say this . type of attitude toward life, which is . really rampant here in the United States, is . also another reason why "staying high" is . often made difficult by a downcast and . delusioning public. The vibe of the public . everywhere on this planet desperately needs . upliftment. Those of us who know of these . things can and do help at the psychic . level. But in terms of reaching the public . mind, especially in competition with the . mass media, is a major undertaking which is . nearly impossible. The analogy of . detoxifying the body comes to mind. When . there's poison in the body it can be . cleansed out through herbs and exercise for . instance. But if that poison is continually . re-introduced to the tissues, the body . decays regardless of such efforts. The . poison of consumeristic beliefs and the me- . first, possessions/ego-first attitudes which . are everywhere in the modern day to be seen, . are continually re-introduced to those minds . we would save by the television and other . media. Consumerism is egotism renamed, and . is the very eptiome of "impure intention". . Until people learn to reject those very . attitudes and lifestyles which generate . needless destruction and consumption, all . other measures aimed at Real and Lasting . world change will ultimately fail. That is . an unfortunate but undeniably logical . conclusion. Given these things, I've . endeavored to offer music and artwork on the . WMS website which can make the teachings . more appealing, but until such mental . changes are made, I have little confidence . they will be enough to bring about wide- . spread social change for the better. . . But as you pointed out, intelligent . cooperation is always an option available to . our species. There's some of that going on . of course, but it has to counter the . prevailing inertia of modern social trends, . (which are considerable). Those of us who . know of these things continue on anyway, . because that's what life is really about. . The Cause of consciousness expansion for . REAL social advancement is evermost . relevant, no matter what happens in the . world of man. . . If I may ever be of assistance regarding . specific points in the purification of . intent or similar subject, do let me know. . My experience in such matters may prove to . be of service. . . Warm regards brother, . Matt . . ************ WMS Announcement - Matthew Webb . 12 Mar 2005 21:49 . #512 . Let it be known that the World Mind . Society’s Library of articles has been . updated. It has new additions explaining . the very purpose of life, and how you can . concretely gain true personal and spiritual . advancement. Also, our new meditational . music album, “Sophia Benedictus” can now be . sampled there, . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest. Meditate . to our music while reading in the Library . you are hereby invited! . . World Mind Society teachings are among the . highest pinnacles of human achievement. . They represent the promise of true progress . for all humanity, based upon reality itself. . Were our teachings to be widely understood . and applied, they would change the course of . history forever. They would catapult human- . kind into the next major phase of evolution . on this planet, and make spiritual Masters, . (Christs and Buddhas) out of consumers. . . The World Mind Society, (WMS) stands for the . opposite of what religions and mainstream . thought aim to do. Religions and nations . aim to condition the mind of the follower, . in the maintaining of the status quo at all . costs. Mainstream methods of “education” . force adherence to certain "beliefs" . and "faiths" according to man-made dogmas. . The WMS on the other hand, does not . condition the mind, or expect any “belief in . the unseen” (faith). When clarity is had, . faith is made obsolete. Our teachings show . the TRUTH through direct, mystical . experience, logic, self knowledge and . careful experimentation. What we create are . spiritual leaders and revolutionaries, not . followers. . . Clarity, gnostic mysticism and logic do not . require faith. All that is required is . honesty regarding what is inevitably . revealed... . . · WMS is Christianity minus the . churches, as Christ meant spirituality to be. . · WMS is Buddhism, without labrinthine . terminology and misquotes of Buddha. . · WMS is Rastafarianism, minus . cultural biases. . · WMS is Bahai' in spirit, but without . religious underpinnings. . · WMS is Animism, minus superstitious . story-telling. . · WMS is Science, without mental . rigidity and official doctrine. . · WMS is Occultism, without . arbitrariness and fanciful speculation. . · WMS is New Age, but only in the . sense of what can be confirmed through logic . and experimentation. . · WMS is Hinduism, without devotional . deviations. . · WMS is Humanism, without the . limitations of traditional philosophy or . psychology. . · WMS is Gnostic-Christian and Sufi- . Muslim mysticism, yet based upon Nature . alone. . · WMS is Tao, without the concept . of "unknowingness". . · WMS is Wicca, without formal rituals . and procedures. . · WMS is Shamanism, without tribal or . cultural boundaries. . . Therefore, WMS is Spirituality in the most . practical sense, for all people in all . places and times forever, regardless of . nationality, culture, religion, philosophy, . ethnicity or race. . . In short, the World Mind Society is the . TRUTH, revealed more clearly and more . completely, than in any previous time . throughout history. . . Our Library of articles, . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . is the most far reaching and comprehensive . source of wisdom ever to be compiled. . Located there are over 150 articles whose . subjects range from social commentary, the . practical application of truth, logic, . simple-natural living and mental lucidity, . to spiritual progress, meditation, . entheogens and the expansion of . consciousness. All of this material is a . gift to humanity, and is offered without . charge. . . Avail yourself of this supreme wisdom today, . sample our new album, and begin your . spiritual journey into the greater mastery . of life. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . From a Place to Chat... - Matthew Webb . 15 Mar 2005 19:22 . #513 here on this forum. I thought this issue . important enough to post generally. It is . my reply to certain concerns about WMS... . . Hi Pink and Jerry, . . Your comments, like all others, are . appreciated, especially in the sense of some . forum self-reflection. . . I don't generally join into the chats here, . mostly because computer time at present is . at a premium. But Pinkluvins brought up . something which is an important issue, one . which has been brought forward at other . times, and on other forums, regarding some . of the WMS material. . . Basically it is almost always the same . objection...that strong social critique of . modern times is not in keeping with the . consciousness raising aspect of such . articles as "The Perpetual . Raising", "Lessons of the Soul" etc. It may . seem ironic to some, but such articles as . these were actually written on a basis of . strong social critique, which is to say, . before I was able to crystallize what it is . that the human being is capable of in the . spiritual sense, I had to first crystallize . what it is that the modern human being is . doing to destroy that potential. This . follows the basic principle of . creation...that very often in order to . create something must first be destroyed. . Any artist knows this...the sculpter or . painter very often must destroy/modify what . has already been done in order to create . something truly refined and beautiful. In . other words, to create a beautiful world out . of the decided messy modern age, it is not . enough to merely create something different . and hope that will withstand the forces and . karma of the modern condition. That would . be like trying to plant a garden without . first weeding the patch. The good has to . have room to grow, and it can't do this . without also "weeding" what is not good and . which, as history shows, will most often . shade out what must be done. . . The social commentary of WMS is full of . strong social critiques, especially the . Survivalists' Guide which it seems likely . that Pinkluvins is referring to. This is . because the modern age really IS as this . section describes...self and world degrading . to the point of imperiling ALL LIFE above . the cockroach if it continues on its' . current corse. THIS is the nature of . consumerism, which is another name for . unbridled greed and egotism at the cost of . all else. So to put all this in context . would be to say that until the average . person gets a firm grasp on what does not . work in life, which is contrary and . poisonous to life and right living, they . will inevitably be hindered in their . progress toward inner refinement and . consciousness expansion. The same is true . of society as a collective...how can we save . the forests for instance, or achieve world . peace, before we acknowledge and consciously . grapple with those social beliefs and norms . which cause them, (extinctions and war) to . start with? . . WMS is written as it is with an intended . balance that observes these two spritual . needs. One is the need to progress and . expand, (create) the other is the need . to "detoxify" or shake off, (destroy) . through clear identification and honesty, . that which is poisonous. The truth is the . truth regardless of whether or not it . happens to be pleasant. But unpleasantness . need not be a hindrance to spiritual . progress. It can in fact be an inspiration, . providing the tempering of self just as . steel is tempered by fire to become truly . strong... Re: From a Place to Chat... - god . 16 Mar 2005 19:55 . #514 some . out . degrading . save . consciously . inspiration, . . i am in total agreement with this position. . there are too many that cry 'foul' when . their comfort zone is threatened. we need to . face our demons, so to speak, and i support . and applaud the WMS' balanced approach. . thank you for being and speaking truth! . LL Re: From a Place to Chat... - Matthew Webb . 18 Mar 2005 18:16 . #515 It's great to hear from those who are as . ready and willing to grapple with the . poisons of the modern day, as they are in . the promotion of spiritual and social . progress. That's the kind of "inner iron" . that compliments love and cause-dedicated . kindness very nicely. . . There's an interesting quote which always . comes to mind from a Bruce Lee movie . entitled "Enter The Dragon". When you think . about it, the quote is a statement upon the . history of humanity, just as much as it is a . comment on nature: . . "What delicate wonders have died out from . the world for the want of the strength to . survive"? . . Indeed, what goodness and heighth of noble . character has not survived the test of . history, for the want of the strength to . address what is wrong in the world, in . addition to knowing what is right with . existence, truth and nature? . ******** . to practice vs. theory - Sandi Hunter . 20 Mar 2005 00:22 . #516 I felt compelled to write on Rishi’s log . commenting about an entheo-genius session . (see Entheo-genius Series parts 1 -3 in the . WMS Library at: . http://www.eoni.com/visionquest), I was . privileged to be a part of recently. There . were 4 people present and the “High State” . that was attained is truly one worth writing . about. . . It’s too bad that the Herb is so . underestimated and maligned today. It is . wrongly assumed that the effect of smoking . is just a chemically induced diversion from . the “REALITY” OF THE EVERY-DAY WORLD OF . PAIN, FEAR AND BOREDOM. The high is not . taken seriously then, and is seen only as a . temporary “trip” that has no real value of . its’ own. But the fact of the matter is . that the Herb is a spiritual gift of this . aware Earth upon which we live. It’s a . spiritual manifestation of the high intent . of nature. Smoking it gives you this . naturally high vibration, which can be felt . in part at least, while meditating in any . undisturbed forest or other natural area. . To smoke this herb while meditating gives an . enormous boost of consciousness expansion, . and this is exactly what it’s supposed to . do. This herb and other such natural . substances or “entheogens” exist not just as . accidents of nature or as pesticides . produced by plants to protect themselves. . They are actually the intended result of . nature to gift humanity with naturally . sacred doorways of spiritual opportunity, . natural pathways for the expansion of . consciousness which is the High Itself. The . high is spiritual and of great and sweeping . importance to the full development of deep . intelligence, natural wisdom, health and . most of all, spiritual attainment. You must . of course WORK for such attainment, . (expansion of consciousness) but never the . less, the conscious, spiritual partnership . of meditator and herb is an unbeatable . combination for gaining higher and higher . mastery of self as a center of . consciousness, (soul). . . The high of the herb is like joy itself, or . successful meditation itself. The . experienced similarities between the state . of the high and joy, or love, or even . clarity is profoundly extraordinary. But . these qualities of the herb cannot be . accessed without meditational focus. They . must be taken very seriously and never as . merely a joy ride with no particular . purpose. The Herb is there for the purpose . of consciousness expansion the high is . sacred. Meditate upon the high and acquire . its’ properties on a conscious, permanent . level. Try the Chakra Meditation body-wide . with a focus on the high as well, and you’ll . notice that with enough experience it can be . directed at will. This means of course that . you can get as high as you want, (or dare to . go). One then becomes a traveler of the . high, of high consciousness. Please . understand that high states such as the Herb . demonstrates exist independently of us they . ARE, they EXIST. So not only are they . valuable, they are something REAL to ATTAIN. . . Having said all that, I want to make it . absolutely clear, with no doubt, that the . event described below was EXPERIENCED; it is . NOT theoretical, imagined, or made up. The . Raising is a THING that can be experienced . and maintained by all, but first and . foremost one must set the intention and . acknowledge that such a Doing, Seeing and . Accomplishing does exist. I, and others, . have done this repeatedly and at will. It . is a spiritual discipline that can be . acquired. There are two precedents in the . world which come to mind which give us some . framework for this practice. One is the . traditional use of Marijuana in the ancient . Vedic context. It is well known that the . ancient Seers of the Vedas, as well as . spiritual masters of the modern day, have . often used this herb for the sake of . meditational consciousness expansion. The . other example is that of Rastafarianism . which similarly views the herb as a sacred . and spiritual substance much like the . Catholic Church used the Eucharist, except . for the fact that the herb is not merely . representative of spiritual qualities, it is . their literal embodiment. . . Rishi has been the only person I have shared . a “smoke” session with in years. Having been . privileged to these sessions and actually . experiencing the “Raising” through his . intent of doing so, I was not used to . the “old familiar” feelings that can be so . prevalent with most people. These “old . familiar” feelings did include the “high” . from the sacred herb which naturally raises . one’s vibrations immediately. However, this . was overshadowed by other feelings/vibes . which were not as welcomed. Included in . these were personal, group and world fear. . (These feelings are often misinterpreted as . being “brought on” by the herb. The high is . a tool for consciousness expansion and . spiritual progression. If the world, group . or personal consciousness hinders this, then . it is not the fault of the herb, but of the . human species.) I must admit that the first . inclination I felt was to align with . these “unsavory” feelings, which naturally . resulted in not really enjoying the . experience. I then felt drawn to sit next to . Rishi because I noticed that he was not . caught up in these vibes. I observed that . Rishi was engaged in “Raising” his . vibration, (body-wide intent elements) and . casting them out for all four of us to . feel. Within minutes the feelings of the . lower state (fear, anxiety etc.) were gone, . and I was engaged in a feeling of high . positivity, clarity and love. As I am . writing this, it occurs to me that this type . of “high” has been experienced on earth in . the not too distant past. I remember . experiencing such in the 60 -70’s when the . consciousness of the human species was . naturally higher. We have grown accustomed . to the low/painful vibration so prevalent . today, and this is not necessary, if only we . would wake up, look at our true motives, . work to progressively raise our intentions . and evolve. . . . We stayed together as a group (mind) for a . little over an hour and cast these intent . elements/feelings out to the planet. The . effects can still be felt locally and . planetary and, needless to say, the . intention is to keep them in place . indefinitely. . . It is so often said that we create our own . reality. What kind of reality are we . creating when we only believe what we want . to believe or are told to believe? How can . we truly learn or gain wisdom without . reaching beyond societal “norms” and truly . experiencing the knowledge and wisdom put . here for us to experience and know? There . is really no separation between spiritual . and physical, and if one truly intends to . find wisdom they only need to look within . and incorporate the help of nature here and . cosmically. “We create our own reality is . not a cliché’ to be merely believed, it is . an intent to be realized and then lived and . manifested. . . I feel at a loss to convey this to you with . any real progressive outcome. It will be . read, and possibly acknowledged to some . effect, but not enough to actually read the . material on the World Mind Society Website . and do it on your own. I don’t want you to . just take my word for it. My desire is for . all to experience such high intent elements, . positive feelings, crystal clear clarity and . pure love. Everyone can experience this and . realize it, on their own, by just setting . the intent and actually doing it. . . But don’t take my word for it start reading, . doing the meditations and experiencing .then . let’s have a soul to soul discussion. . . Suggested Reading and Doing: . . Chakra Meditation and the Advanced Chakra . Meditation . Perpetual Raising Parts 1 – 5 . Entheo-Genius Series Parts 1- 3 . . And of course all the other articles. . experience v experience - Martyn Martin . 23 Mar 2005 07:36 . #517 Well you should know what your doing at . your age. Ever read any of P D Ouspenskys . books. Re: Mysterious Methods - Gerald Vest . 27 Mar 2005 16:25 . #518 . I was once very inspired by Ouspensky, . Nichol, and Gurdgieff. In fact, what most . attracted me was the Eneagram. I remember . Claudio Naranjo drawing this 9 pointed . diagram on the black board during a . workshop in upper NY state. That's all I . needed to move me to a greater awakening. . . For me, the Enneagram, Tarot, Iching, . Chakras,and Cabala are powerful instruments . for our illumination. All of these methods . are so mysterious that we curious Seekers . had to learn more about them. Re: experience v experience - Matthew Webb . 28 Mar 2005 19:00 . #519 Dear Dun, . . I guess you're commenting on Spells post . here, about the use of the Herb in expanding . consciousness. . . It is evident that you read the title of the . post, but as for it's content you say . nothing at all. I'm wondering if you gained . any meaning from what she said. . . ******* . Re: Mysterious Methods - Judih Haggai . 29 Mar 2005 16:35 . #520 well, here we are again, Jerry. . i was first attracted to Gurdjieff and . Ouspensky via Nicholl's Living Time - a . radiantly powerful entheogen of a book. . . But for me, the sacred gymnastics was the . crux of the matter - listening to music . with various parts of the body, each to . their own rhythm was like tuning into the . Galaxy. . . The enneagram symbolized the relationship . between outer and inner nodes of experience. . . i'm laughing because you and i seem to have . revolved around similar forms of earth . experience! . (not to mix metaphors but it's almost as if . the stars are in unique alignment) . . judih . . instruments . methods are so mysterious that we curious . Seekers had to learn more about them. From my News Log - Matthew Webb . 29 Mar 2005 18:52 . #521 I'm posting this excerpt from my news log in . our work group because it's so pertinent to . our spiritual focus here.... . . ...and concern for higher things that's . inspiring to hear. Thanks to all of you. . . I found this article today, and copied the . first few paragraphs... . . "Schiavo Case Unexpectedly Unites Americans" . . WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Terri Schiavo . case has had the unexpected effect of . uniting most Americans, whether Republicans . or Democrats, around a consensus that the . government should stay out of families' life . and death decisions. . . "You don't see many 80 percents in polls . nowadays," said pollster Andrew Kohut of the . Pew Research Center." . . ******** . . The first thing the article says is a lie, . as some of you pointed out to start with. as . in; "The Terri Schiavo case has had the . unexpected effect of uniting most Americans" . . There's nothing "unexpected about it". Such . intense focus on these micro-scenarios by . the mass media is indeed nothing more than a . distraction and is INTENTIONALLY calculated . to be so. It's a sad testimony to the state . of the public consciousness. (the analogy . that comes to mind is not seeing the beach . for a grain of sand. This case is like . focusing intently uponm a single grain on . the beach with a microscope, measuring its' . weight, length, width, specific gravity and . mass, and at the end of the week . declaring, "this is the beach!" while never . once looking around to see what the bigger . picture is doing...ie reality) The nightly . TV news has become an exercise in trivial . pursuit, a gossip session with no coherence, . no progressive purpose, no intelligence, . very few relevant facts and almost no . honesty. This of course, is also an . accurate description of the public mindset, . which is more than just a coincidence. The . media is designed with the unspoken but . consistent purpose of creating confusion, . artificial division amongst the people, . clouding the truly important issues . confronting our species and replacing these . with sheer nonsense dressed up to look as . though it's important. . . Television, radio and magazines want to . convince the average person that the truth . is just a matter of opinion or perspective, . as though opposing false and brutal wars for . the sake of profit (for instance) such as . what we see in Iraq, were not a . humanitarian/spiritual issue, but merely a . difference between "liberal" . and "conservative" or "democrat and . republican" viewpoints. It claims that this . is a matter of "support our troops" rather . than evaluate the fact of whether or not we . should be there to start with. In other . words, the media wants to say that the war . is not a matter of true or false, but one of . political ideology. It wants to re-frame . everything in life in terms of "ruthless . exploitation and consumption is the norm", . and "everything else is fringe and . irrelevant" all in the name of "freedom and . democracy" when in fact American society has . nothing to do with freedom and democracy. . Neither does its' foreign policies, and the . world learns this lesson more and more . clearly every day. . . All in all, the media and the "politically . correct" position of the modern day is about . the sacrifice of truth at all costs, . including mass death, (wars of all kinds, . foreign and domestic) mass suffering, (the . dissatisfaction from the hollowness of this . idea of "success" and mass denial, (alcohol, . prozac, trivia-gossip and religious . fundamentalism). . . The fact is, as many pointed out, this . society is falling apart. Consumerism, . fascist patriotism without ethical . substance, materialism, (the denial of all . that is spiritual) fundamentalism, . (arbitrary adherence to false ritual and . dogma) and militarism, (the Nazi-like desire . for world domination in the name of freedom . and the good of the people) are literally . tearing this human world apart. . . All of these reasons and more is why I . continue to advocate the rejection of . everything this society stands for. It's . all lies, and it's result can only lead to . mass suffering, destruction and death. . . Check out my "Survivalists' Guide for the . New Millennium" on the WMS website at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Stars in Unique Allignment - Gerald Vest . 30 Mar 2005 02:31 . #522 That is really beautiful, Judih. Seems that . our Work, our Lives, and our Relationships . have brought us to this point. I feel very . fortunate and blessed to be part of a . movement that is transmitting love and . restoring Allignment on this planet. Now is . the Time. . . I took my wife to the hospital in El Paso, . Tx today so that she could be signed in for . her radiation (gammaknife)treatment that . will take place on Friday. We arrived about . 10:00am. The parking lots are enormous and . cover many city blocks with few vacancies. . Anyway, every seat in the emergency and . outpatient rooms were filled as well. I . inquired at Admissions if the city was . experiencing an Epidemic with so many . people everywhere. "No, replied the clerk, . it's like this everyday." . . Our hospitals and prisons are filled with . suffering human beings, even overflowing-- . Our Society is in Deep S***. And, it's like . this everywhere. The evidence is there, we . as a society are very sick--physically, . mentally, emotionally and spirituall. God . Help Us. . . It is so true what Matthew says about our . society and what it has become. Thank you . for providing opportunities to change the . direction we are headed. Feels like a . snowball getting larger and larger going . down a very steep mountain with great . momentum. . . I hope Spring will bring a new season of . love and fulfillment for all. . . Shalom, Jerry Re: Stars in Unique Allignment - Judih Haggai . 31 Mar 2005 04:09 . #523 you saw the hospital overcrowding - i see . the looks in the faces of kids when the . pressure reaches a limit and they can't . take anymore - . in my case it means going out to sit on the . campus lawn, or just hanging out. . . perhaps the hospital serves the same . purpose - finding a small community for . however short a time with similar needs. . . we seem to crave companionship, now more . than ever. . . To be alone, to know how to re-charge, . nurture oneself is an art that needs to be . encouraged. . . This could be the way to slow down that . rolling snowball. . . Spring is the perfect time for another . uplift, a shock to the process, to re- . energize. . . How i wish i could find the magic words to . inspire. . . i do believe however that it starts with . me. If i take myself seriously enough to . strengthen my own being, then and only then . can i speak of 'helping' others. . . . The Expansion of Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 31 Mar 2005 19:37 . #524 There was a post made on a forum I frequent . regularly which is popularly known . as “Deoxy” (search for deoxy.org) that is . very relevant to our work group. The . origninal post starts this thread, and . afterwards are my two replies so far, . excluding the lengthy posts made by others . . . Pursuing full-time consciousness expansion . . Are there any opportunities for those who . wish to expand their consciousness, grow . spiritually, full-time? . . I am 18 years old, at the time in my life . where I am considering careers. As I . understand, the best way in which one can . help the world is to first concentrate . efforts on helping themselves, i.e. . expanding consciousness. Dodging work . completely is not what I wish, however the . idea of dedicating the most part of my time . to careers/study/jobs depresses me, what I . desire is an opportunity to focus the energy . otherwise spent on these things towards . spiritual growth, something which I really . can see reason to pursue. . . So far my spiritual learning has been done . alone, so I am not going to pretend that I . am spiritually advanced. My interests in . consciousness expansion are primarily (at . this stage) in meditation, concentration and . psychedelic experiences. I am sure that a . teacher in any (or all) of these areas would . be of inestimable value to me. . . Are there any communes, communities, or . anywhere where one can go/live with access . to teachers and guides? As said above, I do . not wish to dodge working, but I do wish to . focus maximum energy on spiritual growth, . personal evolution. . . Any information, ideas, pointing in the . right direction would be greatly appreciated. . . Also, if anyone shares my aspirations, let . me know, for we may be able to help and . guide each other in some ways. . . P.S. I am currently living in Australia (SE . QLD). . . puroliver@yahoo.com.au . . *********** . . My first reply; . . Regardless of the pessimism evidenced in . some of the replies here to your fine post, . there ARE opportunities to live a life that . is based upon consciousness expansion. . . I am living proof of this for the last ten . years. . . The first key to a spiritual life IS INDEED . to "drop out" of an insane society and to . take up simple living. I recommend thinking . about living in a van, small RV or even . boat, and spending a great deal of time . through this mode in natural areas. People . assume that the main issue in life is how . much money you make, but this is untrue. The . issue is how much you SPEND not how much you . make. Buy bulk foods, stock up on the basic . essentials of tools, clothes, meditational . materials, and maybe even a laptop . computer/solar panel, (yes I know that . sounds contradictory, but these ARE valuable . tools and they no longer cost that much in . this modern age). I describe exactly how to . do all this in my book, "Survivalists' Guide . for the New Millennium" on my World Mind . Society website at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . My site also speaks of very specific . meditations and focuses one can use to . expand consciousness, including the use of . entheogens and the mastery of intent, (which . is the key to this practice). . . Don't believe the nay-sayers. They rarely . have anything valuable to say, because they . rarely have any real experience with which . they speak. . . Although I have failed to find a spiritually . focused community based upon the goal(s) you . speak of, that is not to say that one which . had SOME good focus couldn't be directed . more in that direction over time and patient . effort. I've written about community . formation on this subject and you're welcome . to use those articles in the WMS Library. . The other option there is to form your own . community. (Look up "Intentional . Communities" on any search engine, and write . a number of them with a form letter . expressing your desire). . . A further area of potential is to apprentice . with a sincere shaman, either indigenous or . non-indigenous. Such persons, who are . usually well-known healers, often have quite . a large number of people with whom they . associate. These people could be considered . a kind of "community" and might be . interested in community association on a . shamanic basis. Use a search engine for . local shamans and drop them an e-mail if . possible. When I studied for 4 months with a . shaman in Peru, I found all this to be true . to some degree. . . Feel free to write me at visionquest@eoni.com . Matthew Webb . ************* . . My second reply; . . Yes, this is a very relevant and interesting . thread. It's really the bottom line of . life, since at our foundation we ARE . consciousness. . . As for knowing what to do with this quest . for the on-going expansion of consciousness, . (and where/with whom to carry it out) I . realize that the option can seem a bit . overwhelming. . . What comes to mind is this...the important . thing is to continue to EXPAND CONSCIOUSNESS . no matter what any of us does with the day- . to-day. Meditation and entheogens (so . called "hallucinogens") can be primary tools . for this, especially when they are . combined. This is the heart of the matter. . The expansion of consciousness is the . raising up of the innermost self. This . raising of inner quality renders effects . upon ALL aspects of life. It increases . intelligence, wisdom and inner energy, . (chi). It raises one's vibration, (body- . wide pitch of feeling) increases clarity, . emotional intensity and even physical . strength. Such expansion also makes . intuitively available all manner of . knowledge...such insights might be . called "revelations", but whatever the name, . this information is made increasingly . available at higher and higher levels of . sophistication, (paralleling higher and . higher states of consciousness). The higher . the state of consciousness, the more . profound and sweeping the intuitive . knowledge received becomes, as a general . rule. . . I just want to say one more thing about . this, unless someone asks specific . questions. Consciousness is not only a . thing that can be known, but one that can be . clearly defined. . . I'd like to extend this definition, gained . through just such a raising of self... . . Consciousness is a thing with flows . throughout all living things. It is a word . that in many ways is synonymous with what is . called "soul" and "God". It is composed of . three elements and these are; . 1) Intent . 2) Awareness, and . 3) Energy . . and in that order of importance. . . The mastery of intent is therefore key to . the expansion of consciousness, and by . extension, all aspects of life. The greater . the mastery of intent, the greater one's . ability is to expand/raise. . . I describe all this in my Perpetual Raising . series on the World Mind Society website . Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Group Mind and Psychic Effects - Matthew Webb . 7 Apr 2005 18:05 . #525 Let's talk about what is sometimes . called "synergy" or "group mind". This . subject relates to how people affect each . other all the time through "psychic . effects", and yet, despite the common-place . nature of the phenomena, it is widely . ignored. This is a subject people . underestimate all the time, and when you . think about it, that’s very strange and . bizarre. . . It’s strange because group mind/psychic . effects are such every-day things. There is . no day which passes, no moment in fact, in . which every person in the world does not . FEEL the influence of other people in their . lives at a very deep level of their being. . But in Western culture, there is a very . strong denial of nature and natural laws, . especially with regard to the felt reality . of life. Feelings are denied just as . psychic effects are given no credence, . (other than through such superficial . nonsense as modern astrology, that is). . . To give you an idea of what I mean, I once . had a fellow write me saying that he thought . the WMS Group Mind Meditations were bunk. . He said it was all nonsense because the . entire practice was based upon the false . notion that there even is such a thing as . psychic effects between people. This struck . me as very odd because it’s like denying the . act of breathing, by claiming the body . doesn’t need oxygen. . . So I wrote back saying, “Group mind, or . person to person psychic influence is a part . of daily life. Haven’t you ever been in . love and felt the good intent of another? . Haven’t you felt the anger of another person . when having an argument, or the fear of . someone in your presence? Everyone knows . that when you walk into a room of strangers, . (or friends, even more so) that it’s common . practice to “feel the vibes” of that place . and know right away what the intent/mood of . the crowd is. Anyone who has ever been to a . protest or debate knows about the “heated . tensions in the air” as differences of . opinion are exchanged. Everyone has felt . the “atmosphere” of a party or music concert . shift up and down as the intent/mood of the . crowd shifted. Any woman, (or man) can feel . the sexual interest of the opposite sex, . even from across a crowded room. Anyone who . has ever been in a relationship, even with a . pet, knows that an exchange of feeling- . energy occurs between themselves and . others. Anybody with even an ounce of . awareness knows that there is a distinct . difference in feeling between the vibes of . the downtown area of a large city, and that . of a remote, old growth forest.” . . Of course, the guy didn’t write back the . skeptics never do. There’s something . extremely odd about the denial-mode of . Western materialism when it comes to such . things, and this needs to be addressed to . put things in perspective. This denial is . ironic, since the West is heavily Christian, . and most Christians have little difficulty . accepting such nonsense as “the . world/universe was created in seven days, . and the Earth is only about 8-10,000 years . old” according to “Bible scholars”. They . believe in “resurrections”, “miracles”, and . an all-creating, middle-aged caucasion-male . God, residing in the clouds and dressed in . Greek fashion, but they can’t handle the . simple idea of person-to-person psychic . effects. This 10,000 year old Earth idea . they believe despite all the evidences of . science, especially geology, archeology and . biology. So evidently, the fantastic is not . at issue there’s something more going on . here which deserves analysis. . . I believe that the wide-spread denial of . psychic effect between people, (especially . group mind, or collective consciousness . types of effects) is due to the fact that . the West is based upon rather “evil” . intentions, (non-evolutionary, digressive, . unnatural, entropic and selfish) such as . unlimited greed and cutthroat . competitiveness. It’s based upon a deep . suspicion and even hatred of nature, (which . includes the body) and that is why forests . and streams are viewed as mere stockpiles of . resources, why health is seen as something . that results from a surgeons’ scalpel and . the pharmacists’ pill. It’s why all plants . are cut down so casually in yards and other . places, and others are made into unnatural . cubes, and lawns are manicured to the point . of looking like artificial astro-dome turf. . It’s why the use of herbs, right diet, . meditation and natural exercise are viewed . with contempt by the majority, why sex is . seen as “bad”, or sexual energy is used in . unnatural ways. It’s also why choking . perfumes/colognes are seen as preferable to . the normal smells of the body. My point on . this is that in the West, psychic, person-to- . person influences are as much in denial as . are the common attitudes about the body and . about nature. They are NATURAL, and like . all other things natural in this culture, . they are viewed as something to be denied, . suppressed, surgically removed and . denounced. But perhaps more . importantly, “vibes” are not acknowledged in . Western culture because few people want to . admit what goes on in society at the . feeling/psychic level. Apart from the fact . that they want to deny their own feelings, . (by taking alcohol, Prozac, not wanting to . look within, and so-forth) it’s definitely . not “polite” to point out the all-too- . obvious fact that most people are constantly . in psychic battle with one another every . day. It is considered better to smile . politely, than to “get real” about what’s . really going on. Competitiveness is not . just at the physical or psychological level, . it is even more prominent at the feeling, . nervous system-to-nervous system level of . daily interaction. Nobody wants to admit . that society has basically turned evil, and . so, they are very reluctant to accept what . is most obvious about this, at the “gut- . level” of being. . . Group mind is a felt thing. It exists at . ALL levels of human society from the . relationship of two people, to groups, . neighborhoods, cities, regions, countries . and even the entire world. What I call “the . World Mind” is really just a global . extension of the group mind principle, which . is that ”any group of two or more people of . similar intention or feeling-states are . resonant with one another, creating an . energetic link between them that is mutually . co-creating”. Here’s where we come to yet . another reason for denial of psychic effects . in society. The World Mind, or collective . consciousness of humanity, is so filled with . fear and pain in the modern world that it is . admittedly hard for the sensitive person to . sometimes bear. So if one is not armed with . some knowledge of meditation, (and . preferably a keen self-awareness of what . feelings and even thoughts are not of their . own making) then life can seem a bit harsh . indeed, at the feeling level of life. . People grossly underestimate this World . Mind, (global) and local group mind, . (personal family, friends, acquaintances and . co-workers) psychic effect, on every moment . of their lives. This is predictable, since . without meditation and a desire to “know . thyself”, strong feelings and repeating . thoughts come and go seemingly at random. . Yet they are NOT random, and it is quite . possible to clearly know what thoughts and . feelings are ones’ own making and which are . not, even as a moment-to-moment proportion. . . A study of the chakras is also useful in . this regard. It is in these energy centers . where psychic streams of sub-atomic energy . are primarily sent from person to person. . If you focus your awareness on the feelings . in these, even upon passing a person in the . street, you can immediately tell the type of . intention they have and where in their . bodies it is primarily sent from. My Group . Mind and Perpetual Raising series of . articles both speak of these things in . detail. (see Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest ) . . The sad fact of the modern world is that it . doesn’t have to be this way. The world need . not be drowning in its’ own pain and fear. . Just as a given person can INTEND INTO PLACE . the state of consciousness of their own . choosing at any moment, so too could entire . groups, cities, nations and humanity as a . whole. We could readily create a world that . is always high in feeling, deep in . perception and clarity, wise in relations . and ecstatic in every moment. But to . accomplish this, the wide-spread denial of . all things natural, spiritual and psychic, . are going to have to be addressed head-on, . and addressed honestly. The values of self . knowledge and spiritual unfoldment will have . to replace those currently dominating . society, which are greed without end, . competition without purpose and acquisition . without limit. THEN and ONLY THEN will . humanity be able to pull out of the current . downward spiral into mass death upon which . it currently travels. With these values in . place, we can then begin to educate others . as to the subtleties of this inner . knowledge, which could accurately be . called, “the science of consciousness”. . Group mind and psychic effects are based . upon the natural laws that make . consciousness do what it does. We ARE . consciousness, (intent, awareness and . energy) at the most basic level of our . being, but to know this, the modern mind has . to get out of the way. It has to be . reconditioned and made naturally sane once . more. . . Through the science of consciousness, . or “the principles of group mind, rightly . applied”, people could in groups as small . as two, take an entirely different approach . to life together. They could cooperate . psychically, instead of being antagonistic, . competitive or dishonest. Of course, . there’s no precedent for this in modern . culture. If things are going to . fundamentally change, WE have to set a new . precedent, (“If not us then who, and if not . now then when?”). Good feelings like love, . joy and all manner of high states will have . to replace the current norm. These can be . exchanged mutually and built up together . without limitation, if only each of us will . cultivate them within, (through the intent . to do so). With group mind knowledge, (such . as what is described in the World Mind . Society Library . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest) , this can . be done. But without knowledge of the . science of consciousness, without self . knowledge and psychic knowledge rightly . applied, humanity doesn’t have a snowballs’ . chance in hell of ever righting the current . course of self destruction it is on. This . is exactly why I want the WMS writings to be . carefully considered by any person who can . read. I want these principles and . subtleties of consciousness applied. They . NEED to be acknowledged seriously, for the . good of every human being, so I implore you . and others to take these matters seriously. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Re: Group Mind and Psychic Effects - Matthew Webb . 8 Apr 2005 18:24 . #527 Sister and kindred soul, . . The accuracy of your perception is likewise . refreshing, especially with regard to this . world society in which we live, and the . spiritual remedies which are so sorely . needed. I wrote this item taking a . different approach, thinking it might reach . more people, (on a variety of levels in a . short space). It is also posted on an . interesting forum call "Deoxy.org, . (deoxyhyperdimension) on the "forum" . area, "vox populi" section. The reactions . there should prove interesting. . . It's quite interesting about what you say is . happening there in Africa. I predict such . things to myself, but to hear it confirmed, . (the beer guzzling and soccer watching at . the exclusion of all else) is uncanny. It . seems that materialism and the shallowness . of consumer-values have taken over the . entire world. I think anywhere there is TV . we'll find a similar situation going on. . It's well known that one of the major . exports of the United States is . propaganda/Hollywood hype. Most of the . countries of the world watch such nonsense . with their own languages dubbed in. . Needless to say, such mental garbage is . offerred for free and with the explicit . purpose of creating new markets of easy . dupes, who are willing to throw their lives . and money away to satisfy the images shown . to them on their televisions. . . What you said about the potentials of group . mind is also very insightful. You're . right... when a person or persons . participate in a group focus, particularly . one which is spiritual and progressive, they . are each uplifted as a "node" or "cell" in . that greater body of collective intention. . It is my deepest wish that more people would . See and fully realize the truth of these . principles, so that we could apply them . together with a seriousness of intention, . one which befits such a spiritual cause. . The whole world could benefit enormously . from this knowledge, and an entirely new era . in human evolution would be engaged. . . I'm grateful for the quality of your post(s) . and replies. . . ********* . The Power of Our Group Intention - Matthew Webb . 12 Apr 2005 19:21 . #528 Let US Manifest Together . . In the air there seemed to stir, a rare . wind of other-worldly fragrance. It was a . sweet essence, like orchid blossoms on a . summer day, yet felt all over the body as a . flowing current, not as a thing smelled by . the nose. To the uninitiated, the mind . said, “I’ve never felt anything like this . before” but even so, there was a presence . in the back of the mind saying at the same . time, “At last I feel this again”. Since . she and I were not uninitiated, we looked . at each other with a knowing glance, and . just then caught the eyes of the couple . sitting next to us. As a felt thing, when . we looked at them and they gazed at us, . there was an immediate, mutual knowingness . that ALL of us were experiencing something . extraordinary, yet familiar. It was as . though Knowledge of some deeper kind than . that which is had in the “ordinary world” . were traveling unseen streams winding their . way from eye to eye. She and I both knew . at the same time, that they too, were both . amazed, yet Knowing. . . In the distance, the 40 or so people that . were now meditating together in this remote . forest meadow, had suddenly become even . more silent than before. In fact, no one . spoke or made any sound at all, not even . the various children near the thick bushes . at the feet of tall Douglas Firs. Birds . seemed to sing with an added joy during . such moments as the hour-long meditation . progressed. To those practiced in inner . awareness, it was clear that . the “atmosphere” of our group was not just . a shared intimacy between human beings, but . ALL the beings of the forest clearing. . Even the plants glowed with an unusual . vitality, and children’s faces looked . somehow far more ancient and reposed than . their scant years would normally reveal. . . Looking out over the clearing of grass and . people with an unfocused gaze, it was . possible to notice something else . extraordinary. It was not difficult to see . how the small motions of bodies being . adjusted in the heat of the day on soft . grass was oddly uniform, as if all of us . were to some variable degree part of the . larger BODY of US, rather than as a mere . collection of separate individuals. In . fact, each and every time there swept among . us these ecstatic feelings of HIGH and WELL . BEING like some current of electricity as . yet to be named by Western science, such . uniformity of small motions in the group . were made far more obvious. Clearly there . were during certain moments, a connectivity . of nervous systems being set up a “synergy” . or “group mind” of feeling-based unity, . that was the common experience of . absolutely everyone there. For this many . children to be absolutely silent and . focused for so long was a minor miracle in . itself. But perhaps even more . extraordinary, I mused to myself, is that . adults in this modern world do not take . every opportunity they can to frequently . immerse themselves in what could accurately . be called, “the excellence of progressive, . group intention” especially while in . meditative states of consciousness. . . These moments of mutual bliss came and went . like the waves of a tide. Every five to . ten minutes there would come another wave . of very high feeling, especially a felt . love in the heart and to a lesser extent, . the entire body as well, one that could . only be described as “spiritual”. It was . during such moments that it was not hard . for anyone to clearly see that WE . ARE “spirits” in bodies, and that whatever . we do in this world, (or others) is . therefore a matter of spiritual concern. . Such felt and mutual love is far too sweet . and of much greater depth than to be . classified with mere “sentimentality” . or “affection” as might be seen in the . everyday world. Upon feeling it there’s an . unmistakable quality of transcendent beauty . which at once puts the concerns of our . modern world into the category of “petty” . and “basically irrelevant”. We sit upon . the shores of this ocean of energy, whose . waves register upon our inner being as . crescendos of feeling, and yet it is common- . place to deny there is such a thing as . an “ocean”, or that people really DO affect . one another deeply at ALL TIMES, even . during casual meetings on the street. . . Toward the end of our meditation, there . arose a moment where our high, mutually . felt states of consciousness reached a . peak. A kind of “threshold” passed over . the group, or perhaps it would be better to . say that it passed between us and through . us, once again as if we were but one body . that had absolutely no divisions. Nor were . any divisions desired in any way. This . threshold or doorway to something even . higher than what we’d been experiencing, . was about to reveal itself. Very clear to . practiced meditators was the unmistakable . fact that a new level of group . consciousness was about to manifest in that . clearing. This felt something like a . combination of ones’ ears popping when . gaining altitude driving up a mountain, . with the sense that a type of “spiritual . rapture” was taking hold of profound . meaning. It was as if the birth of a Christ . or a Buddha were at hand, and WE were the . new sentience about to be born. A “bubble” . of feeling, for lack of a better word, . suddenly appeared around us. It felt . somehow like a greater air pressure, . especially around the head, but in the . heart too as a depth of loving feeling. . Our group mind was “raising” or by other . words, “mutually ascending”. The thought . that came to mind, and which came to every . other mind there in the forest clearing at . the same time was; “If only we could cross . this threshold, we would find ourselves on . the other side of great Knowingness and . High together”. . . The spiritual tension of the moment . continued to build, but then from outside . our rough circle of meditators came a cold . feeling on the wind, a “psychic chill” or . fear that was pushing upon our sphere of . HIGH, and threatened to bring it down. My . counterpart and I took some measures . psychically to protect the group from this . influence. We held it off for a few . minutes, but it was clear that this felt . distraction had been enough to derail the . groups’ focus upon getting ever higher . together. We had taught them about the use . of intention in the raising of one’s . personal state of consciousness, and also, . how intent can be projected to others to . help them raise their state of . consciousness. But as for such widespread . effects of fear as this, we had not spoken . at length. This FEAR from the outside was . from the world of human beings at large. . It was from that global group mind we . call “The World Mind”, and it swept over . our clearing with such force that our . meditation was basically ended. . . Afterwards, we talked about our experiences . during this hour, and many spoke of the . sheer amazement they had for the spiritual . power of group focus. I explained that . such power, when wielded through the right . intention, could indeed transform not only . each other but the entire world as . well. “Just as we ‘raised’ our state of . consciousness here today for ourselves and . each other”, I said, “so too can the much . larger body of humanity be raised. If . knowledge of the science of consciousness . such as we have been speaking of, were to . be widely applied to the groups, . communities and nations of this world, the . evolutionary course of humanity would once . again be set upon its’ intended track of . real progress and mutual enlightenment.” . . Someone asked, “How do we maintain these . high feelings together for longer periods . of time?” I replied that, “This is solely . a matter of intention, combined with . the ‘prevailing psychic conditions’ that . occur at any given moment, much like . changing weather conditions. We can do the . most about our own intention. It is intent . and intent alone which determines our state . of consciousness at any given moment, even . if the intent of others does influence us . from a distance. We can’t help but affect . each other all the time it is the nature of . the consciousness that we are. In . recognizing this then, we should take every . opportunity to meditate together, and raise . up our consciousness in our own lives . through various other means as well through . entheogens, spiritually-focused sex, play, . intonation, music, dance, uplifting movies . and theater, the reading of spiritually . powerful writings and many other avenues. . We can maintain high feelings together, . both in meditation and as a new, daily . norm, by persevering with equally high . intentions in each moment that passes, no . matter what the current physical activity. . This is a cultivated ability, refined . through practice and patience. For this to . be made possible, we must first within our . individual selves, dedicate our lives to a . spiritual focus, as a foremost priority in . life. We must ourselves be HIGH in order . to convey the HIGH to others.” . . We spoke then of the threshold that the . group almost crossed that day. Many . acknowledged it as a feeling of “something . imminent” as though we might have really . accomplished something significant on the . level of energetic existence. “There is . indeed something that we and others can do . that is most significant” I . explained, “that even groups of two can . achieve together. This thing might by one . name be called, ‘mutual ascension’ or by . another, ‘the group-mind expansion of . consciousness’, or ‘the fundamental science . of all worlds’ or perhaps, ‘the raising of . states together through progressive . intent”. By whatever name we call this, it . represents a knowledge and practice that is . known on every intelligent world in the . universe. It is the Knowledge of . knowledge, this ‘science of consciousness’, . and the real test of our further evolution . as a species, will be whether or not we can . come to terms with this knowledge on a . serious and practical basis, in our . everyday lives. The question as to whether . or not humanity will do this will either . make or break the entire 3 billion year . course of life on this planet, that lead to . human beings. We really have no choice in . the matter we MUST employ this knowledge of . intention and the expansion of . consciousness to raise our own states, and . those of the world at large. We MUST re- . direct the current trends of world mind . fear and pain, into progressively higher . feelings and states of being. Even the . current tragedy of world events can be . clearly understood in terms of this world . pain and fear that now sweeps the Earth. . If we can change this trend of feeling and . intention, first in ourselves, then as . groups around the world, so too will we . change the very motives for war, racial . hatred, social fear and collective decay of . all kinds. The modern crisis is NOT social . or political in nature. What we witness . today is a spiritual crisis, pure and . simple, and the science of spiritual right- . action is this very knowledge of intention . and consciousness we’ve been discussing ” . . These and other meetings of spiritually . focused people, can be held for the high . benefit of all involved. Such meditations . can and do have impact on global . consciousness, especially if those involved . have such intention as that of a “spiritual . Master”. Let us ALL embody such intention . . . Suggested further reading on this subject . can be had in the World Mind Society . Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . See the article series, “Group Mind” (GM, . 12 parts) . “Of Master and Disciple” (5 parts) . “The Perpetual Raising” (5 Parts) . “Manifesting World Enlightenment” (5 Parts) . . Love and Clarity to you in your efforts, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . THC Ministries (Amsterdam) post; - Matthew Webb . 20 Apr 2005 17:46 . #529 V-man, . . The greater mastery of intention, (and of . the states of consciousness which arise from . it) is an in-depth study. Where to start is . always a good question. . . I don't know how much meditation you do, but . this practice can be likened to the . defragmentation of a computers' C-drive. It . can also be viewed as both the ulitmate anti- . virus, and as a self-reprogramming tachnique . for the sake of any internal change. . . Through rightly-focused meditation we gain . self knowledge. If one looks deeply enough, . self knowledge becomes a detailed knowledge . of INTENT and how it functions. Through . intent we form every thought, every feeling . and take every action in life. This implies . of course, that intention not only underlies . everything we do, it is in fact WHAT WE ARE . at the inner-most level. THIS is the meaning . of self realization to a very large degree. . Having realized this then, it also becomes . clear that our state of consciousness at any . moment is similarly due to the intent we're . holding at that moment. As our underlying . intent shifts, so too does our state of . consciousness. . . With these things in mind, I recommend . meditating upon the high itself, and upon . intent itself. With self knowledge, one can . learn to shift their intent, and thereby . shift their state of consciousness at will. . To be more specific, they can learn to shift . their consciousness to a state of HIGH that . is progresively higher and higher. Doing . this is part of what is known as, "the . expansion of consciousness". . . Expand your consciousness enough, and you . become a Master with spiritual powers, (and . responsiblities), one who is capable of . making great and lasting changes in the . world. . . Ask me more specifically about any such . points... . _________________ . The intent of the Master is the mastery of . intent World Mind Society Update - Matthew Webb . 25 Apr 2005 17:36 . #530 WMS.... . . Now Offers the most advanced knowledge of . life and right living ever known to the . modern age. . . Expand your consciousness . . Free your mind and gain extraordinary . clarity . . Improve your health . . Achieve spiritual and psychic abilities . through self realization . . Gain personal power . . Align yourself with nature and natural laws . . Know the truth and let it set you free . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . For the sake of spiritual Cause and the . greater good of humanity, we offer the . following on the WMS website free of charge; . . 1) Over two hours of revolutionary, . meditational music for the expansion of . consciousness. . . 2) dozens of new, psychedelic artworks for . your desktop. . . 3) over 150 articles in our on-line . library, ranging from social commentary, . group mind and spiritual inspiration, to . the application of natural laws in daily . life, advanced community formation, . meditation and mental lucidity. . . Find out the very purpose of human . existence and the “secrets” of the Cosmos. . Learn about the exacting science of . consciousness, and how it can aid you in . every area of life. . . See our website on-line via . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest or simply . type in the words, “World Mind Society” in . any search engine on the Web. . Re: THC Ministries (Amsterdam) post; - Frans weyer . 27 Apr 2005 16:49 . #531 Dear Martin, . I am wondering about one thing you said. . You said that intention not only underlies . everything we do but that makes us what we . are. . We can learn to shift our intentions to a . higher level but means this that it is a . question of culture instead of nature? . And if culture, based on what,culture must . be based on something,a building needs . ground to stand on. . Intention is what one is, does this mean . that man is a chameleon? . . Frans. . er of culture> . from . but . anti- . tachnique . underlies . meaning . any . shift Re: THC Ministries (Amsterdam) post; - Matthew Webb . 27 Apr 2005 19:23 . #532 Dear Frans, . . This is a fundamentally important question. . . Culture, actually, has nothing to do with . intent itself. It is the RESULT of intent, . not the cause of it. . . Look at it this way. You can have an intent . about any given thing...even moving from one . room to the next, driving a car, having any . given thought, writing on this forum, . eating, etc, are all specific intentions. . But rather than focusing upon specific . intentions, (or changing these) lets' talk . about what it means to change INTENT ITSELF. . . To change intent itself means that you . change all these spcific intentions I just . mentioned all at once. It's like addressing . the root of a tree rather than all the . little buds and leaves individually. . This "root" of the self, which is nothing . other than intent itself, can be likened . also to the "operating system" of a . computer. You probably have XP running on . yours now, which coordinates all the other . programs on your drive. If you were to . change how XP runs, then you would also . change all the programs which runs because . of it. The same is true of changing our . intent itself. Do this and you change the . quality of life in every way, (since every . single thing we do every momebnt is a . function of intent, as well as the fact that . every specific act we do has a specific . intent behind it, which propels it into . action). . . So what I'm talking about in this post you . mentioned, and in various articles, is the . RAISING of the intent we are. Let's call . this raising, "the intent to expand our . consciousness". The intent to expand . consciousness, which is another way of . saying "the intent to raise one's level of . spiritual intention" is what will "upgrade . your personal operating system" most . effectively. This will cause all your other . intentions/mental software to run far more . effectively. . . Seek out/meditate upon the very root of . intent that you are. Notice it in action . behind everything you do, and every decision . you make. Through such self knowledge . you'll realize directly how intent can be . RAISED. . . *********** . . is . It . enough, . knowledge . feeling . implies . ARE . degree. . we're . can . will. . that . (and Re: THC Ministries (Amsterdam) post; - Frans weyer . 28 Apr 2005 18:43 . #533 See what you mean. . Well...maybe it is time yo see how my xp . works. . . . intent . one . addressing . that . other . decision . gain . becomes . of Re: Hello all - Roan Carratu . 30 Apr 2005 23:19 . #534 Hi, . . This is the common thing I hear around . nowadays as people shie away from the world . and live deeper and deeper in their thoughts . and feelings. . . My sister would likely say the same thing . you did almost exactly. . . But there is actually no seperation between . the mind and the body, the physical and the . spiritual. We are as much the physical . experiencing the spiritual as the other way . around. The seperation is in our thoughts, . which are the tinest of shadows of what we . really are, the true being that experiences . life. . . We are far more than anything our egos could . define in thoughts. . . We are Universe being aware of itself, and . only the tiny mechinism called the ego could . so minimise the 'physical' as to value it . less than itself. But of course, the ego . values itself above all else. It then . decides it is God, the Center of the . Universe, and everything else is just part . of a dream, or another dimension, or . something devalued. . . The ultimate conceit of the ego is the idea . that it 'creates' Universe. . . Being able to alter something is not the . same as 'creating' it. . . But to the ego, everything is just a . variable, and it thinks it cannot KNOW . anything. . . To put value into the ego's judgement is to . take your hands off the steering wheel. . . Our Real Self is so much more, there is no . real comparison, like comparing the size of . an atom to the size of the world. We are . Universe being aware of, and changing, . itself. . . Don't believe anything you hear. Even this. . Throw out everything you have ever read or . saw or listened to or believed and start . over. Go only by experience, by what you . perceive through your own senses, and ignore . your ego and it's flickering silly thoughts. . . If you do this, you will truely find out . what is REAL, which is far more than . anything you have ever heard, seen, listened . to, or believed in your whole life. . . Universe, (including yourself,) and . everything you will experience will be more . beautiful than anything you ever thought or . believed before. . . You won't need to ask 'spiritual' questions . anymore, because you will KNOW. . . And it is SO worth it. . . Love, . Roan . . and . or Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Roan Carratu . 30 Apr 2005 23:36 . #535 I agree. . . The question is... how fast can someone . reboot their mind so they can know the Truth? . . It is obvious once the mind is free again. . Universe is so much more than people think, . so much more than words can describe, it is . a great shame to try to confine Universe to . a set of words or thoughts. 99% of what . everyone believes is crap, ...pure, smelly, . brown, crap. (And, frankly, it insults crap, . which is really a nobel substance.) . . All Truth is defined by Universe, not by . egos. If something occurs in Universe, then . it is truth that it occurred. If someone . denies that it occured, then they are lying. . . That simple! . . The fear of Truth is stupid, because . Universe first taps you on the shoulder, . then kicks you in the butt. Those who think . they create their universe in their egos are . the saddest, most deluded, people on the . planet, and they are directly responsible . for most of the horror and torture occuring . on this planet. They are not 'spiritual', no . matter how beautifully they state their . beliefs... beautiful words do not contain . Truth. No words contain Truth. Truth is far . vaster than any words can contain, period. . . Well, rant over. . . Love and peace, . -Roan . Re: Buddhism post on another forum - Roan Carratu . 30 Apr 2005 23:52 . #536 Consider the Buddhist statement "Dharma . Dharma no Dharma Dharma" . . This means, in the language of Buddha's . time, "The Dharma to teach is that there is . no Dharma needed to be taught, which is the . Dharma you teach." The language of Buddha's . time simply didn't have the words needed to . express what he was trying to teach. Also, . he was the product of his culture, which . included the assumption of reincarnation. . The same considerations apply to Jesus and . all the other heavy teachers of the past. . . What Buddha meant with the Four Noble Truths . is that Suffering in life can be avoided if . one does not accept and indulge in . egnorance. He was saying that egnorance can . be avoided and overcome by simply paying . attention. Despite his deification by the . generations that followed him, his teaching . was clear and easy to apply. The Middle Way . is simply learning the extremes and not . going those directions in your life. The 8 . fold path are just clarifications for those . who could not understand what he was . teaching. Living them keeps one on a non- . extreme path of life. . . But the key is to pay attention, all the . time, everything one goes, and do not . indulge in the extreme of ego thought, for . ego thought needs extremes to generate . contrast so it can figure out what is what . in it's incredably dim and nearly mindless . way. It was never designed for the modern . world, and rebooting it, as Jesus taught, is . the best way to actually follow Buddha's . teachings. (ignore all 'religious' . and 'spiritual' teachings, for they are . idiotcy.' Also, ignore my spelling. grin.) . . BTW, the stats of the world state quite . clearly that there are as many heavy . teachers in the world right now as in all . past ages. Consider that, and then throw it . all out, cause everyone knows in their . hearts the Truth, if they but clean the ego . splinter out of their eyes. . . Peace, . -Roan . Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 2 May 2005 03:22 . #537 Roan; . . "All Truth is defined by Universe, not by . egos. If something occurs in Universe, then . it is truth that it occurred. If someone . denies that it occured, then they are lying. . . That simple!" . . ********* . . The truth of this is readily there for anyone . who is honest enough to see. The brilliance . of that simple statement is not to be . underestimated, though I can well imagine it . will be underestimated by most. To . understand it, is to understand the basis of . reality as existent unto itself. It means . that reality, as defined by nature and . natural laws, exists as it does without . regard to what any human being thinks of it, . or even what the entire human race may think. . . Such a knowledge of truth and reality holds . great power. It implies that since the . natural reality exists, (and existed prior to . Homo Sapiens/will exist long after Homo . Sapiens) there is something each of us needs . to learn to embody REAL knowledge. If ever . there was an epitomy of wisdom, it is found . in the understanding that . Nature/Consciousness/Truth are the basis of . all forms including ourselves. Greater . mastery of this knowledge is greater master . of Self, Life and true Spirituality, . (spirituality based upon truth). . . Roan; . . "The fear of Truth is stupid, because . Universe first taps you on the shoulder, . then kicks you in the butt. Those who think . they create their universe in their egos are . the saddest, most deluded, people on the . planet, and they are directly responsible . for most of the horror and torture occuring . on this planet. They are not 'spiritual', no . matter how beautifully they state their . beliefs... beautiful words do not contain . Truth. No words contain Truth. Truth is far . vaster than any words can contain, period. " . . ******** . . I commend your straightforward, honest style, . here Brother. This "tapping on the shoulder" . is our daily opportunity to observe honestly . the truth of life. The signs and indications . regarding how THINGS REALLY ARE, are . innumerable, constant and truly obvious. . . But regardless, the ego either can say, "yes, . that's how things are but I've got better . things to do right now" or, "no that isn't . so" even though this means denying the very . essence of Self, Nature and fulfilled living. . . It is at this point that the karma resulting . from "not listening" to the natural truth in . daily life, comes home to roost in the form . of, "one's butt being kicked". Thus we have . cancer, wars for profit, widespread . dissatisfaction, (prozac/alcohol/TV soap . opera-junky culture) and environmental . destruction without end. These things are . the collective symptoms of individual denial. . They are the cumulative, global effect, from . that awful cause of self indulgence above all . else, (AKA "consumerism"). . . Ego is a pathological and artificial . condition, induced by deep trauma. It is the . result of deep fear creating barriers of . thoughts and images. It creates these at an . early age in an attempt to preserve one's . self image, in the face of a basically . hostile world. Ego is a shell made of fear . and arbitary "as if" propositions, that are . the basis for "personality", (psychologys' . definition). From this we have a culture . based upon not goodness itself, but the image . of looking good. We have not genius, but the . image of cleverness. Instead of cooperation . we have the competitiveness of the . money-marketplace, and the insincere . posturing of person to person relations . alike. We live in an egotistical world . society. This too is why the rejection of . truth in a cynical manner has become . institutionalized and politically correct in . all areas of society. "Who needs to bother . with the truth?" they say, "we make up our . own truth as we go along". It is at . precisely this point in history, where the . mainstream has waded deeply into utter madness. . . Yes....the need to "reboot" a given mind so . that it can accept the truth, is a matter of . identifying what is ego, (destruction) and . what is truth, (our only salvation). . . When enough individuals take this step toward . spiritual maturity and Mastery, there can be . a more general Awakening of society in general. Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Roan Carratu . 2 May 2005 04:52 . #538 I consider it this way... when we were . simply herd animals, like groups of Bonobos . or Apes, eating what we could find with our . hands and generally being eaten by any . predator which could get us, we needed a . mechinism to seperate what was food, what . was danger, and what was to be mated with. . . It needed to be able to seperate what was . perceived, the bushes from the grass from . the stones from the tiny moving things from . the air, etc. Then it needed to remember . what was what, so we could avoid danger and . find food. Then it needed to build a model . of the Universe so we could find our way . back to the food and avoid the predators, . etc. . . This simple mechinism, a necessary component . of the brain, does this well, but it now . contains the results of the technology we . discovered called 'communication'. It could . access others opinions and experiences and . retain them in the world model in our heads . for our use in surviving. . . But since all this 'data' came into our . empty models from others, unexperienced . ourselves, it also had GIGO, (garbage . in/garbage out) and as time went on, we . gained more from what we heard from others . than what we experienced directly. . . This means the model of Universe we hold in . our egos is probably about 90% GIGO, some of . it coming from thousands of generations ago, . passed down from past generations. Much of . the bad data is deeply rooted in our . language, and because language is one of our . larger most important group agreements, it . is hardly questioned at all. . . So after awhile, the mechinism of ego stops . putting much importance on experience and . puts all importance on the conceptual data . in our worldview, absorbed from others. . . Since it is easily understood that the data . is pretty relative, and much of it is . irrelevant, and some is even observably . wrong from our own experience, the ego . becomes the EGO. It starts thinking of . itself as the center of Universe, the . creator of Universe, and simply filtering . out anything which does not support that . conclusion. . . And it gets lost in illusion. . . Rebooting the mind is a way of saying that . when your mind is completely empty, when the . ego is dead as a mechinism, even for a . second, what is left is Truth. That Truth, . when the mind is empty, without thought or . feeling, is so intense, unfiltered, it . simply puts the EGO back into it's natural . state of ego, rebooting it as a small . mechinism designed to prevent us from trying . to eat the plate rather than the food on it. . . If the bad data is like a virus, ruining our . consciousness, then rebooting the ego is . like booting your computer to it's natural . operating system, and leaving the virii in . oblivion. . . Then what is Truth becomes obvious. It is . all that is left. . . . anyone . think. . to . style, . shoulder" . indications . say, "yes, . living. . denial. . from . all . the . image . the . madness. . toward . general. Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 3 May 2005 02:10 . #539 Roan; . . "This means the model of Universe we hold in . . Rishi; . . Right...ego is learned behavior, based . primarily upon mistaken ideas and their . social constructs. Because ego is . pathological, it is an abherration of the . natural state of being human. It's a . condition of "dis-ease" in mind, body and . even spirit. . . What is natural to the human state? . . These three things of consciousness; . Intention, awareness and energy. From these . arises thought, emotion and systems of . governance. I'm compelled to say that . knowledge itself, having knowledge or using . knowledge does not necessarily imply the . presence of ego. Ego after all, is a bias as . to how one will use information, not the . information itself. A cure for this mistaken . bias, is what might be called, "matter of . factness". . . When one is matter of fact about the facts of . iife, then the facts of life can be dealt . with on their own terms, rather than those of . arbitrary ego. . . Just as thought is a product of intention, so . too is personality/ego. It is perhaps . reassuring to some to realize that we are, at . our essence, not any one given thought-stream . or set of arbitrary values, (ego), We are . underneath each of these, as THAT WHICH . INTENDS given thoughts, emotions and self . images. We are any personality, all . personalities and no personality, by potential. . . Which brings me to another cure for . ego....self realization. Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Gerald Vest . 3 May 2005 17:32 . #540 Bonobos . our . from . and . component . could . heads . in . of . ago, . our . stops . data . the . trying . it. . our . then . lying. . brilliance . it . of . it, . holds . prior . needs . ever . found . of . master . think . are . occuring . no . far . period. " . honestly . very . resulting . in . form . have . an . fear . are . cooperation . in . bother . so . of . be . ******************** . I appreciate and learn from all of the . posts in this forum. As the ego is . discussed, it has been my understanding . that our Ego(s)- Oscar Ichazo identifies 3 . instincts connected to egos (self- . preservation, relations & adaptation)- that . are a result of unfulfilled needs of our . essence. Or, in other words, the "living . questions of the instincts, "How am I?"; . Who am I with? (or am I safe with who I am . with); and, "What am I doing?" (learning to . adapt and change). . . From this theory it would seem to me that . we must have egos as they are the . precursors for living in a society that is . based on rules and not Laws as discussed by . Rishi and others. . . I also have learned that it is important to . treat our egos with respect so that they do . not become hardened and everlasting, if you . will. As we mature and recognize this . disease of egos then we can transform and . transcend these negative mechanisms--fear, . insecurity, doubt, hatred, etc. . . Does this make any sense? It is not my . theory but does make some sense to me. . . Mucho appreciation, . . Jerry Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 3 May 2005 18:04 . #541 Brother Jerry, . . My question to Oscar Ichazo is this; . . He said; "self-preservation, relations & . adaptation)- that are a result of unfulfilled . needs of our essence". . . Why is it assumed that these needs are . "unfulfilled"? Do we fear for our self . preservation, doubt the validity of our . relations, and feel unsure about having . enough intelligence to adapt? . . It would appear that each of these are fears. . Otherwise, why not just employ sufficient . clarity and self knowledge so that these are . not even issues? Which relates to the point . I'm making; ego is a pathological condition . based upon fear. Without fear there is no . "need" of ego. In it's place we have . clarity, gnosticism, logic, . matter-of-factness, love and truth. It can . only be from a lack of self knowledge and . clarity that we do not simply See the answers . to the following questions; . . ""How am I?"; . . Jerry, you said; . . "From this theory it would seem to me that . . I'm compelled to point out that the opposite . conclusion must be drawn. It seems to me . that not only is the individual ego tied to . the collective ego of society as a whole, but . that the individual form exists largely . because we live in an egotistical society . that is out of conrol. Granted, the . formation of ego individually is largely in . reaction to social conditions such as we see . them today. But as you pointed out, society . is run by (implicity arbitrary) rules rather . than (natural) laws. It is precisely because . of the egotism, (mental pathology) of mankind . that we have such a mess today. Were it not . for the arbitrariness of ego, [which is based . upon nothing more than (superstitious) fears . founded on a lack of self knowledge] then the . human condition would not look as it does in . the modern world. Instead, we would see far . more cooperation and cause-based focuses, . from government legislation to individual . living, as opposed to the "me-first" . considerations of fashion and primitive . consumerism. . . The ego focuses upon personal considerations . of lack, both true and imagined. While it's . spending all of its' time morbidly fixated . upon these considerations, the truth passes . by unnoticed. It is this natural truth, not . society, which is the essence of life. Only . the truth can rescue the human condition, not . ego. . . To me, treating an ego with respect is . likened to treating a shadow as though it . were a solid body. It isn't real, so why . treat it as if it were? . . The real crux here is self realization. When . one comes to a point of Seeing the self as it . really is, not as thoughts, feelings or . arbitrary notions, but as a center of . consciousness run by intent itself, THEN . you've got the means for self change in any . fashion. The guess-work and fears of ego is . made obsolete. . . Jerry, when you said; . . "As we mature and recognize this . . transforming and transcending these is . exactly what I'm talking about. Agreed on . this point. Let's talk about how to do this... . . An excellent and relevant conversation we have... Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Roan Carratu . 4 May 2005 01:20 . #542 Unity = Two... that is, the One is always . Two, for contrast is the essense of . experience. . . The Mind has a immense powerful genius Self . and a little rather stupid reactive . mechinism which we call the ego. But the ego . is only really needed for moving around and . doing stuff in the material world. The Real . Self sees everything as One, (for the world . is the other side, the second, of . perception) and the ego is just to divide . things up so we don't eat the plate and . break our teeth. When fear is irradicated . from the ego, rebooting it, the Real Self is . perceived as the essense of our Being, the . reality of our perceptions, the energy which . observes, and it has a set of responses . built in; consciousness, intuition, . compassion, comprehension, empathy, . telepathy, and many other less obvious . attributes we don't have words for. It is . the Love which most identifies the Real . Self, for Love is a real response to the . world if the ego's fear is not obscuring it. . For each of the stupid filterings of the . ego, like lust, attachment, envy, pity, self- . depreciation, etc, there is a cooresponding . attribute of the Real Self, like the light . of a candle compared to the great Star of . our Sun. This is the basis of higher . consciousness, to gain so much merely by . rebooting the ego and putting it in it's . place. . . Peace, . -Roan . . unfulfilled . fears. Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Gerald Vest . 4 May 2005 03:35 . #543 Self . ego . and . Real . world . is . which . it. . self- . cooresponding . ***************** . I can't do justice to Oscar's "theory of . the instincts", but it is accessible in his . book "Between Metaphysics and . Protoanalysis". He does say that our egos . could be completed and fulfilled by 18 . years of age in a society that supports our . basic human needs. Our instincts (living . questions that precede us at birth)--are . not successfully answered. "How am I?" (I'm . hungry and don't know where my next meal is . coming from--Or mommy, give me your breast, . I'm hungry--can't you hear me crying, . screaming?) Our "relations" at home and . around the world are very hazardess to our . health and wellbeing as we all must know. . We are not safe and secure with our . government, at work, in school and in many . homes. The 3rd instinct of adaptation . requires that we learn to live and work . successfully. However, schools are . unattractive with boring lectures and . torturous rules--"just another brick in the . wall"-- and kids drop out before they learn . to live in our world and adapt to the high . technology. . . That is my example of the delicacy of our . instincts that must be answered . successfully every moment of our lives. . When these instincts go out of balance a . compensatory behaviour or action takes . place. We experience stress, anxiety and . depression. We go out the doors of crime, . drugs, cruelty, over & under eating, sex, . psychic panic, psychoses, over working, and . psychosomatic illness, according to this . theory. I've recently seen how full to . capacity our hospitals, prisons, detention . centers, drug treatment services, mental . health centers, court rooms are as the . workers attempt to administer services. . . I talk too much. I would much rather . meditate, do some social activism, and work . to maintain some balance in our world where . humanity as one body is out of balance. . . We are One. . . Jerry Conciousness and systems of governance - Matthew Webb . 4 May 2005 16:45 . #544 I thought I might transfer a converation from . the "Communicate" news log area to our work . group, because of the relevance it has to our . focus.... . . Roan said; . . "rishi, I think the world has a group . intelligence. I've seen it work on a mass . scale in the most impossible way in my own . experience. I saw it change soldier's minds . and hearts enough to refuse direct orders, . not just a few, but over 50,000 men, all at . once. I think that Gaia group mind, however, . only moves when the planet is in direct dire . threat of overwhelming extinction." . . Rishi; . . The Gaian group mind, (I usually call it the . "Earth Mind") is always active, just as is . the human World Mind. It's just that it . operates on more subtle levels and . feeling-states and goes unnoticed by most, . except for those who stay in nature . long-term, and who intentioanlly align with . it's intent. . . What humans forget is that the intent of . nature is evolution. The basis for evolution . is not just physical . structure-sophistication, it is the expansion . of cosnciousness. We also tend to forget . that we're still a part of nature, a product . of nature and operate by virtue of natural laws. . . In essence, humans have forgotten the very . purpose of life for which we were "evolved". . That purpose is to mindfully take up the . expansion of consciousness, thereby carrying . on the progression of nature, (evolution) on . its' own terms. We are, in essence, a level . of consciousness capable of being aware of . itself, and furthermore, of actually raising . our level of consciousness, (and that of the . environment) at will. This is the whole . purpose of intelligent life anywhere in the . universe....to act as the agents of further . self knowledge, which is really that . Intelligence in Nature (Gaian or otherwise) . that becomes aware that it is aware, and . "intending it's own higher intent". We are . evolutionary accelerators by natural . profession, and forgetting this is the most . hazardous amnesia ever to confront the . survival of an intelligent speices. . . Roan; . . "I think having an organizational . endoskeliton like a geodemocracy is far more . likely than a spontaneous mass change in . consciousness. " . . Rishi; . . Yes, agreed. But I'm not referring to a . spontaneous mass/personal change in . consciousness. I'm talking about taking on . such a change at a very informed, conscious . level, and using what might be called "the . science of consciousness" to propel our REAL . progress forward at a rate unheard of . throughout history. . . ********* . . Roan; . . I think the group mind, on all scales, needs . a nervous system like geodemocracy. AND . remember, a lynch mob is also a group mind. . Where two or more people get together, there . is a group mind, and if they hang out awhile, . they generate a sub-culture with it's own . jargon, . . Rishi; . . A very good point. The lynch mob is a great . example of group mind gone astray, just as is . modern Western society in general. However, . the wrong use of a principle/natural law is . not the fault of that law. It's our fault. . Our responsiblity as a thinking species, as . consciousness that is aware it is conscious . (and all that this implies) is to harness . what we ARE, and what humanity IS, in a way . that is naturally progressive. It is not . necessarily our task to OUT-DO nature in ways . that seem fitting to us, but rather, let us . learn first what nature and our own selves . are really about, and THEN act to improve the . human condition. To me this means gaining . self knowledge and acting in accord with . natural laws, rather than in-spite of them. . . Also, it's the lesson of history which shows . that ANY system of governance, be it . communism, monarchy, republic, socialism, . democracy, tribe or any other form, is only . as good in action, as those who run it. The . U.S. is a good example. It is in principle . and founding document(s) a sound system of . governance that tries very hard to be both . fair and balanced. But what do we see today? . Anything but fair and balanced. Why is . this? Becasue the consciousness of those who . both compose this country, and by reflection, . those who run it, has hit an all-time low. . Corrupted states of consciousness create . corrupted systems of government. The lesson . of history, to summarize, shows us that we . CANNOT *RELY* upon external systems to . organize us, no matter how brilliant or well . thought out they may be. There will ALWAYS . be those who will seek to corrupt, subvert . and otherwise change the intention of the . founders toward their own ends, until such a . time that is, when the consciousness of the . participants of ANY system, no matter how . faulty, gain such an understanding that they . then create what is truly progressive for . humanity, REGARDLESS of the structure that . rules them. . . This is a matter of causation. Which causes . which most fundamentally, system of . organization, or consciousness? It is . consciousness from which all societies and . their forms arise, and it is consciosuness to . which we must return if we want the root of . this human tree to be healthy enough to . support any structure. Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Matthew Webb . 4 May 2005 17:03 . #545 Jerry said; . . "That is my example of the delicacy of our . . Rishi; . . Yes, it's very clear that there's something . amiss with modern society, as you and I have . discussed many times. Interestingly, there's . this trend in modern sicence I've noticed . which is rather troubling. They seem to have . this tendency of late, to measure the . symptoms of a social disorder and declare . those to be, "the cause of the problem". . Widespread modern anxiety, for instance, is . most often spoken of as being caused by a . "chemical imbalance" for which Prozac and . other like substances are prescribed. The . thing is, the readily measurable "chemical . imbalance" in the brain and body of the . modern, anxious human, is a SYMPTOM of what . is wrong, not the cause of their depression. . The cause of their depression/chemical . imbalance is wrong intent and wrong living, . (unnatural and untruthful). This is bad . science, and it's not hard to entertain the . idea that science has become a lapdog of . corporate grants, not the purveyor of truth. . The lapdog gets the results expected from . it, and for which it is paid, not those which . will reveal unprofitable remedies of far . greater value, such as right diet, . meditation, exercise, and perhaps most of . all, HONESTY. . . Psychology has concluded that ego needs to be . catered to, so that it, as you mentioned, can . "mature" and grow beyond itself. What if we . were to look at ego not as something to cater . to as if it were innate, but rather, as . something which arises pathologically under . conditions of extreme stress? What if we . were to view ego, therefore, not as the CAUSE . of our needs yet to be met, but rather, the . SYMPTOM of wrong intent, wrong social focus, . and lack of self knowledge? . . All of these social disorders you mentioned . previously, can easily be traced not to any . inherent flaw of human design, but to the . wrong use of that design...ego. It is not . that ego needs to be fulfilled so that it can . "mature", it's that real maturity and . fulfillment have nothing whatsoever to do . with ego. . . I'm not talking about natural instincts like . hunger, sex or the desire for . socializing...these ARE innate, natural and . productive. An instinct is not an ego...it's . a natural trend of life which even a gerbil . possesses, and yet no one will argue that . gerbils need egos to live. Some will argue . though, that humans DO need them. But this . thinking is backwards...it is ego that's got . us in such a mess to start with, and the . remedy for this is not more ego, or catering . to ego, but the wisdom which arises from self . knowledge...one which reveals that . intelligence and wisdom do not need ego to . operate effectively... . Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Matthew Webb . 13 May 2005 22:55 . #546 . It has been known for many millennia, and . perhaps even before the advent of languages, . that there exist in nature certain substances . which greatly aid personal unfoldment. Known . today as “entheogens” and also, “teacher . plants”, such substances are becoming more . widely understood as accelerators of human . consciousness. Among these is the Cannabis . Herb, also known as “marijuana”, whose . flowers induce THE HIGH. . . The high of cannabis is considered a mild . hallucinogenic, but when it is properly used, . it is neither mild, nor hallucinogenic. . Instead, this Herb can be an extremely potent . conveyor of high states of consciousness, one . that can be used by the meditator for the . sake of gaining greater clarity, vibration, . (level of high) energy, (chi) psychic powers, . greater health, intelligence and wisdom. By . “properly used” I mean the Herb should be . smoked with a reverent and spiritual . INTENTION, and whose full potential . absolutely CANNOT be realized without the . practice of meditation. Most smokers assume . that the high is a finite thing depending . solely upon the chemistry of a given piece of . bud. But the truth is that the high can be . greatly amplified through meditational focus . upon it, and through the conscious employment . of INTENT. . . As a personal testimonial to the truth of . these statements, I can honestly say that in . my experience of the Herb, I’ve not only . expanded my consciousness, I’ve also gained . various psychic and spiritual powers which . exceed the scope of this article. Suffice it . to say that through the high, I’ve discovered . the truth of ancient Vedic texts with regard . to the actuality of the chakras, the “chi” or . “ki’ referred to in various martial arts, . improved my health, increased my clarity, IQ . level and manifest wisdom. I’ve gained a . greater alignment and knowledge of God, of . Earth Consciousness, of the collective . consciousness of humanity and of the purpose . of all life. I’ve even learned to project my . high to other smokers so that they can gain . benefit therefrom, and can readily teach . anyone to do the same. Cannabis has become . my “spiritual ally” and “plant totem” from . whom I’ve learned an incalculable number of . lessons regarding evolution and life itself. . I’ve listened well to this Teacher, gained . advanced knowledge of the expansion of . consciousness, and continue to be instructed . by the HIGH each and every time I smoke. . . Cannabis is, in my estimation, the most . advanced and evolved form of plant life on . this planet. If you want to partake of such . benefits from this Herb of herbs, then by all . means apply yourself earnestly to the methods . of spiritual advancement I’m about to . introduce. Cannabis itself is largely . responsible for these teachings, and of the . World Mind Society writings in general. If . the deep and profound benefits of cannabis . were to be understood by even a small . percentage of the human world, the course of . history would not only be changed forever, . our species would then be poised to take the . next great leap in our continuing evolution. . Cannabis is a gift of Earth consciousness. . When we smoke it with due reverence it . becomes a vehicle for personal and collective . transformation. . My intent for this article is to simply . introduce the basic tools for the reader to . use, in the right employment of the Herb. It . is not meant as an advanced treatise on the . expansion of consciousness by any means, as . that is an in-depth subject. For you to . begin to gain the benefits of the HIGH I’ve . described thus far, you absolutely need to . take up the practice of meditation and the . earnest intention of spiritual advancement. . Without these two pre-requisites in smoking . Herb, there simply is very little opportunity . for you to take full advantage of it’s . spiritual gifts. It is necessary that you . make the decision to meditate daily, and to . dedicate your life to greater spiritual . progress and understanding, now, on this day. . Do these things with earnest feeling in your . heart and determined focus in your mind, and . the truly royal road of spiritual advancement . through the cannabis HIGH will be yours. . . To begin this practice, start by conducting a . number of meditations without smoking the . Herb. Proficient meditational practice is a . great advantage for the smoker, since it will . allow them the strength of internal focus to . NAVIGATE THE HIGH successfully. I recommend . that you conduct the following meditation at . least 5-10 times over a period of days before . continuing on to it’s Herbal counterpart. As . a practitioner of the high, you must refine . your basic abilities and tools first, just as . a would-be athlete must prepare their bodies . for high performance. Conduct the following . meditation as recommended, for 20-30 minutes . at a time; . . The Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately begin . focusing on the feelings throughout the body. . Those new to this practice may begin by . focusing upon a very small area of the body, . such as the tip of the right index finger. . Be carefully aware of every subtle detail of . feeling in this area. Allow your awareness to . spread to the entire finger, then the hand, . arm, both arms, chest, torso, head, legs and . feet, (not necessarily in that order). Do not . avoid any pain, fear or other unpleasantness . found anywhere in the body. [Such feelings . are usually the result of Intentions which . inhibit personal growth, and these can be . “reprogrammed”. Fear can be replaced by love, . confusion by clarity, and pain by vibrant . energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . (in the case of most persons) simply relax, . and return again and again to a . feeling-awareness focus, even if this means . doing so a hundred times every minute. . Chronic, rampant, seemingly unstoppable . thoughts in the mind, are a symptom of stored . stress in ones’ being. As the practice of . meditation proceeds, stress is released, and . the tendency of thoughts to intrude upon this . process will gradually diminish. Succeeding . meditations will tend to get easier and . easier. Be patient and don’t let the . simplicity of this method of meditation . deceive you. . . Let your awareness travel freely from one . area of the body to the next, as it will be . inclined to do. Feel every subtle inner . detail. Areas of particular stress or . activity will attract your awareness, and . hold it for longer periods than the rest of . the body. Allow this to happen, as it is a . function of natural self-healing processes, . and energy body activity. Don’t be concerned . or irritated by intruding thoughts, just . continue to return to a . feeling/awareness-oriented focus within the . body, in a relaxed manner. . . ************ . . In addition to the above meditation, it is . quite useful for you to take up a healthy . regimen of right diet, exercise and limited . daily stress. Aerobic exercise is extremely . useful for gaining the full benefits of the . HIGH, as is a predominantly vegetarian diet . which includes all the necessary vitamins and . minerals for the body. Junk foods, . unnecessary pharmaceuticals, alcohol and . cigarettes should definitely be abstained . from. These pollute your system and make the . usefulness and potency of the high . significantly reduced. Occasional short-term . fasting will help to rid your body of such . accumulated toxins as these, preparing the . way for the THC molecules of cannabis to do . their best inner work on your physiology. . Drink plenty of water and eat well prior to . taking your cannabis sacrament. Remember . that the body is your physical temple in this . world, and ingested cannabis is comparable to . an offering to the Great Spirit of Nature. . Keep your temple clean and take your . sacrament with due reverence, and find . yourself the increasing repository of . personal power of all kinds. . . After 5-10 good and sincere sessions of . meditation without herb, it will then be time . for you to begin a journey into the CONSCIOUS . HIGH. This journey has the capacity to . literally propel you into a state of greater . and greater spiritual proficiency, even to . that degree of excellence historically known . as a “Master”. We all have heard of such . Masters as Christ and Buddha. These are but . two examples of the levels of consciousness . one can attain through meditation, and . especially, meditation that is augmented by . the Herb. The HIGH is literally an excellent . Path or spiritual roadway whereby one can . gain such Mastery as that of a Christ or . Buddha. To accomplish such a feat however, . one must apply themselves, their lifestyle, . their minds and their every-day focus to . attaining higher and higher states of . consciousness. Cannabis can greatly assist . in this gradual process. Not only can the . high be made progressively higher through . meditation and the intent to do so, every . time we smoke we can actually build upon our . previous highs, thereby using them as a . springboard to ever higher levels of . consciousness. . With these potentials in mind, try the . following Chakra Meditation while making use . of your Herbal sacrament; . . The Herbal Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably. Take one puff of . sacrament and immediately begin focusing on . the feelings throughout the body. Those new . to this practice may begin by focusing upon . the high in a very small area of the body, . such as the tip of the right index finger. . Be carefully aware of every subtle detail of . feeling in this area. Allow your awareness of . the high to spread to the entire finger, then . the hand, arm, both arms, chest, torso, head, . legs and feet, (not necessarily in that . order). Do not avoid any pain, fear or other . unpleasantness found anywhere in the body. . [Such feelings are usually the result of . Intentions which inhibit personal growth, and . these can be “reprogrammed”. Fear can be . replaced by love, confusion by clarity, and . pain by vibrant energy/positivity.] . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, . (in the case of most persons) simply relax, . and return again and again to a . feeling-awareness focus on the high, even if . this means doing so a hundred times every . minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly . unstoppable thoughts in the mind are a . symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As . the practice of meditation proceeds, stress . is released, and the tendency of thoughts to . intrude upon this process will gradually . diminish. Succeeding meditations will tend . to get easier and easier, just as you will . learn to get higher and higher. Be patient . and don’t let the simplicity of this method . of meditation deceive you. . . Let your awareness travel freely from one . area of the body to the next, as it will be . inclined to do. Feel every subtle detail of . the high, body-wide. Areas of particular . stress or activity will attract your . awareness, and hold it for longer periods . than the rest of the body. Allow this to . happen, as it is a function of natural . self-healing processes, energy body activity . and the expansion of consciousness. Don’t be . concerned or irritated by intruding thoughts, . just continue to return to a . feeling/awareness-oriented focus on the high . within the body, in a relaxed manner. . . After about 5-10 sessions of the above Herbal . meditation, you can begin to successfully . employ an increasing mastery of INTENT in . conjunction with this practice. Simply by . focusing meditatively upon the high, it’s . vibrational level will tend to be raised. . But through a knowledge of intent and a . through living a clean lifestyle, you’ll soon . discover that the high can be “navigated at . will”, or in other words, made progressively . higher at will, and in whatever ways you deem . desirable. The high is NOT finite it can be . increased indefinitely (to levels akin to LSD . and ayahuasca-like effects) by any . practitioner who has the internal discipline . of mind and soul to accommodate such levels. . The only limit to how high you can get is . within your own concepts of high, the mental . taboos of society, and the health of your . body-mind. . . Without the luxury of advanced explanations . of consciousness in this article, I recommend . that you consider the fact that literally . EVERYTHING you do in life is based upon . intention. The reading of these words, . typing on your keyboard, walking from one . room to the next and expanding your . consciousness to the level of a Master, are . ALL exercises of intent. The Mastery of . intent is the ultimate Mastery, for it is . intent that is at the very center of the . consciousness which you ARE. . . The greater mastery and employment of intent . can be crystallized down to a four-part . procedure. In the case of the practitioner . of the high, these four steps can catapult . you again and again into higher levels of . consciousness. Through these four steps, you . can in effect “travel the high” like a . roadway into the infinite distance, and to . new vistas of self rarely dreamed of through . the history of mankind. . . You can raise your level of HIGH indefinitely . through the following simple knowledge; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT . (for rendering internal change) . . 1) BE AWARE OF YOUR CURRENT STATE OF . BODY/MIND, (this is accomplished through . meditation). . . 2) GAIN FAMILIARITY WITH THAT WHICH IS TO BE . INTENDED, (such as a higher HIGH) and the . Intent to be acted upon is crystallized. . . 3) THE DESIRED STATE IS HELD STEADY IN THE . MIND, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize and . feel this state as if it already exists, . until the body/mind shifts into it. . . 4) THE NEW STATE IS “HELD IN PLACE” . throughout the body, (or a given chakra). . This new state is maintained by treating it . as the new reality of the self on a permanent . basis. . . Subsequent applications of the above . four-step process render cumulative results. . Be persistent! . . After conducting your “Herbal Chakra . meditation” for 20-30 minutes, employ these . four steps above in the gaining of greater HIGH. . . Step 1 above is already completely through . meditation upon the high. A focused . awareness upon whatever level of high you’re . currently in is extremely useful, in allowing . you to go consciously higher. Much like . climbing a mountain, getting higher at will . is a matter of placing one foot in front of . the last by degrees, (typically), stopping to . survey where you’re at in any given moment, . and looking ahead to see where you’d like to . go next. . . The “looking ahead” to greater highs is very . similar to this mountain analogy. No matter . what level of high you’re in already, you can . go even higher. To employ Step 2 in the . “Gaining familiarity with that which is to be . intended”, you need to simply “look ahead” . within your inner landscape of the high in . order to see where that Path can lead. In . other words, you simply need to . imagine/intuit what “a little higher” would . feel like and move in that direction. This . may sound mysterious to the beginner, but it . is a very simple matter. Even a vague . conception of what “a little higher” is like . will act to propel you forward to achieve it. . With experience, the meditator will find . that they become increasingly proficient in . crystallizing states higher than they . currently are in, and their results in . “traveling the high” will become greater, . through less internal “effort”. Listening to . meditational music, or some other favorite . type that is not jarring to the ear, will . also aid the practitioner in getting higher . and higher. Dance, drumming, being in nature . and even conscious sex can also aid in . getting higher but remember, it is INTENT . which is key to this process. Keep this in . mind, and regardless of the method used to . get higher, gain a greater mastery of intent . in this raising of the high. . . Step 3 is begun as soon as you reach your . desired destination within the high. When . your level of high has moved into or beyond . the one you pictured/intuited in Step 2, a . new challenge must then be addressed. It is . actually easier to gain a higher state than . it is to hold one in place for a useful . length of time. Disciplined, patient focus . is required to hold your new level of high in . place. But through experience, this step . becomes easier and easier to perform. Doing . your Herbal meditations in an undisturbed . location, preferably in nature, will aid you . in holding your new level of high. So will . good company who have a similar spiritual . intention. In any case, the holding of a . greater high will depend upon your . unwavering, body-wide focus upon that new . level. Stay focused on that new, higher . high! The longer and more often you do this, . the more that new state will be made yours . for longer periods of time. . . Finally, Step 4 involves yet another . intention, and that is, the embodiment of the . new level you’ve stabilized in Step 3. . Assume/intend that this new level of high is . now your permanent base-consciousness. As . you’ve hiked up this mountain of the high, . Step 4 is likened to establishing a new “base . camp” further up it’s face in lieu of . attaining the summit. . . Repeat this 4-step process again and again as . desired, to achieve higher and higher levels . of the high. I call this process, “the . raising” or simply “raising”. . . Try not to rely on more and more herb as a . booster for this progression during any one . meditation I recommend only taking a maximum . of three-four puffs per session. The body, . mind and soul can tire from this peculiar . form of exertion, and they need rest after . some raising and intending. Take three days . of rest between sessions. . . That’s it. It sounds simple enough, but the . DOING of this practice requires many things . from you, not the least of which is spiritual . dedication and internal discipline. If you . meditate as I’ve recommended, and also employ . the four steps in the manifestation of intent . during each smoke, your smokes will get . progressively higher and higher. You may . even be shocked by this progression, and not . know what to do with the results. Persevere . never the less, and remember that you’re . engaging a process of conscious . self-evolution in the expansion of . consciousness. Remember also that the . expansion of consciousness is a SCIENCE as . much as it is a mystical endeavor, one that . requires expertise like any other field, in . order for one to truly excel. . . Bon Voyage! . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Further suggested reading; The “Entheo . Genius” series, Perpetual Raising series, and . other misc. articles in the “Special Tools” . section of our free, online Library. Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Lisa Lambert . 15 May 2005 15:18 . #547 Hello, I am one of those people that visits . and doesn't say much, but I wanted to talk . with you about your articles concerning using . herb in a meditational way. I have always . felt this is true of this plant of the earth . and not what the government wants you to . believe. Things that kill you and are . harmful are perfectly legal, but a plant of . the earth with many wonderful attributes is . illegal, that is just BS! . . I tried to use the meditation from your . website when first taking in a puff and . although I have some success I find that it . is a little difficult for me to stay focused . on all the feelings that I am experiencing. . I feel different things in my body and from . the outside and also from other people. With . all these feelings coming in can you tell me . how to stay truly focused on being high and . getting higher and not distracted? Thanks a . lot for any answer. Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Frans weyer . 17 May 2005 19:14 . #548 Maybe i may say something about this. . What works with me is to try to be the seeer . that looks to all those vibrations that are . taking place. . Not in captive,but again and again,everytime . when a vibration gets you,turn back and try . to look and see again,all kind of . vibrations,independent,each vibration has a . scale,dark vibrations feel heavy,more . joyfull vibrations feel lighter. . This is as far as i know. . . . . using . With Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Matthew Webb . 18 May 2005 01:14 . #549 Dear Lisa, . . The art of keeping the mind focused on any . one thing is generally regarded as . meditation. In the article, it talks about . the Chakra Meditation, and also the Herbal . Chakra Meditation. which can be used to . stay focused on the high. . . Try the Chakra meditation first, and once . you find comfort with that practice, go on . to the Herbal version. . . The mind and how it operates, follows the . natural law of inertia. Like a ball . rolling down a hill, the longer the . mind "rolls" in a given direction the more . speed it picks up. This is true of both . thoughts and feelings. In this modern age, . we are constantly bombarded with stimuli . designed to keep the mind jumping from one . subject matter to the next, (such as with . advertising and TV shows) and these jumps . may or may not lead anywhere logical or . progressive. Part of the purpose of . meditation today, then, is to offset this . chaotic mental trend of the mind with calm . inner focus and progressive intention. . . All you need to do is to re-direct your . mental inertia from this trend, toward the . calm and consistent focus you desire. . After a while, you'll develop enough . progressive inertia to automatically be . reposed, collected and focused. Meditate . as recommended at least twice per day for a . week, and judge the results for yourself... Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Matthew Webb . 18 May 2005 01:22 . #550 Dear Frans, . . Yes, it sounds to me as though you're . focused in your awareness, and from this . position you can See every . feeling/vibration as it occurs in the . body. This is a good place to be...from . here you can direct your vibration, . (feeling state) at will, using the four . steps of intent the article recommends. . . Try the meditational focus it talks about, . and see what results you gain, brother. . . ********** . . seeer . are . again,everytime . try . a Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Lisa Lambert . 18 May 2005 19:51 . #551 Thank you Rishi. I will do just as you say . and let you know what happens in a week. . . I thought about the same thing with tv and . how school proograms you to be stressed out . with schedules, by forcing you to go from . one subject to another within a certain . time slot, forces you to learn things you . will never use or need, and never telling . you the truth of what you are (i mean a . soul). TV only adds to this by reinforcing . all the sh*t they teach you in school. I am . in my 20's and have often felt very . distraught about life, but now I am . learning that it is not me that is wrong or . bad or "rebellious", it is the whole system . that teaches one false beliefs and . standards and only lies. . . They fill kids up with Ritalin and then . tell them to "dare" to say no to drugs. . They are the biggest pushers of those . harmful chemicals and then they have the . nerve to say that a wondrous plant of the . earth is "bad" and if you use it, you will . go to jail. . . I just want to thank you for your writings . and web site...all of it has helped me more . than you know . Re: Attaining Greater Mastery Through the HIGH - Matthew Webb . 20 Jun 2005 17:51 . #552 The following is a copy of a post from the . Hawaii THC Ministries forum. I've been . attempting to discuss the use of the Herb . as a spiritual sacrament there... . . ******** . . Brother Slide, . . I haven't been on the Hawaii forum, (or . Amsterdam) for some time, nor have I been . posting on the internet much. With the . exception of your posts and perhaps a few . others, I felt that that the discussion of . the spiritual use/expansion of . consciousness with the Herb wasn't going . anywhere. I see the same thing in various . other forums as well, such as Amsterdam, . Deoxy.org and New Civilization Network. . Seems to me that folks aren't quite serious . about such potentials as the article which . started this thread mentions. This must be . because they either don't believe that such . potentials exist, (such as raising their . consciousness to high levels through the . meditative high, even to those of a Christ . or a Buddha), or that they feel they've got . better things to do such as what the "every- . day world" expects. . . But whatever the case, my hope that such . discussions could lead to an in-depth and . motivated appraisal of these potentials, . has for the most part been in vain. I was . simply going to post the following as I did . on Amsterdam... . . ******* . . Greetings everyone, . . I was curious to know if anyone here has . actually tried the practices mentioned in . the article that started this thread. . . In particular, I'd like to hear about your . experiences with the Herbal Chakra . Meditation and the four steps of intent, . especially in the raising of the high at . will. . . ********* . . But now that I see your post, I'll answer . your question as fully as possible at this . juncture. . . It's good to hear that your use of these . meditations as the original post describes, . have come to productive use. Certainly, . these practices expand the mind both . intuitively and logically, if that is the . intention of the user. But of course, it's . not expansion of the mind which is the . highest use of such practices...it's the . expansion of consciousness itself which . matters far more. . . Rather than elaborating on this fact . further, I just want to answer your . question by saying two things. The first . is that I recommend you focus on the [b] . high itself[/b] for an extended period . during each meditation with the Smoke. Try . using your intent as the article describes . to get higher and higher. This in itself . has great spiritual merit and can result in . truly profound experiences. . . The second thing is, while focusing on the . high in this way, use the expectation that . getting higher and higher is a spiritual . journey with unlimited potentials. In . other words, consider getting higher as a . process of personal evolution, a . transcendant transformation of SOUL. With . this expectation/intention in place during . your progressive raising of the high, you . can and will reach such levels of . consciousness as that of a Buddha or a . Christ if you have such "spiritual iron", . spirit and inspiration to achieve them. Another Follow-up on the Sacrament article - Matthew Webb . 22 Jun 2005 17:21 . #553 This is an excerpt from a current . discussion on the WMS article "Sacrament of . the High" from the Hawaii THC Ministries . site. . . *********** . . Brother Slide; . . You have my appreciation as always, for an . earnest focus on such matters as spiritual . self development and the expansion of . consciousness. Our conversations have . always, "been to the point" about these . things in previous months, such as on the . Amsterdam forum. It's very revealing to . have conversations such as this, because it . brings forward subtle points which may not . have been addressed otherwise, and from . which everyone can gain benefit. Perhaps . best of all, you're a PRACTITIONER not a . theorist, meaning you have first hand . knowledge of what you're speaking of rather . than just vague notions, (which may or may . not be applicable to the subject matter . being presented). As you know, there is . simply no better way to know or understand . the truth of any question than through . experience and experimentation. All the . rest is just sitting around for hours . asking, "How will the soup taste"? without . ever daring to take a bite and know first- . hand. . . Of course, the Gnostics of Christianity, . Islam and Hinduism understand this . principle all too well. They are not . into "religion" per se, because religion is . not necessarily spirituality. Religion is . by and large the relatively blind . repetition of tradition. Spirituality on . the other hand is a living thing, a . philosophy of ACTION which doesn't need . dogma to function. The Gnostics similarly . understand that to know God is a process of . direct experience, not the repetition of . given phrases or rituals. What we've been . talking about here with regard to . meditation and the expansion of . consciousness, is very much a gnostic . practice, and it is based upon certain . validatable, natural and spiritual laws . which anyone can observe for themselves. . . Two of these laws are those of vibration . and resonance. When we're talking . about "the high" of cannabis, we're . speaking of a substance which literally has . an elevated vibrational rate. When the Herb . is smoked or otherwise ingested this high . vibration is imparted to the user. A . certain resonance with the plant, and even, . (to put this in shamanic terms) with the . spirit of the plant and the Earth itself, . is then established as well. When two or . more people smoke together something occurs . which many refer to as a "contact high", . but physics has another word for . it..."resonance". Two nervous systems in . the high give great possibility for . mutually realized spiritual work, assuming . of course, that spiritual intention is in . place. Such matters are not fantasy, nor . are they a matter of "my truth and your . truth" (which is really a way of saying . there is no such thing as truth, only . whatever a person would prefer to believe) . they are a matter of natural laws being . observed and used for best benefit. . . Natural laws are also spiritual laws. . . Your mention of the experiences of the . crows, which of course shamanism would . call "signs", "indications" or "omens", is . something along the lines of my experiences . as well. I take what you said on this as a . matter of fact. Perhaps I'll post that . article, "Hill of Power Experience" in this . section, as an addition to what you've . pointed out. . . Slide, you said; . . "The herb and the high it gives is a means . to connecting to a higher consciousness, if . you so intend it. . . Meditating on the high, raising the high, . expands consciousness. Many people through . the ages believe that the herb can connect . you to a universal consciousness. I believe . this as well. That is why I joined this . ministry. I believe the herb is a divine . gift and the high is one of the gifts this . plant has to give. " . . ********** . . Yes, needless to say I agree with you . wholeheartedly. That is also why I joined . this Ministry. The combination of . a "raising intention" as the article . mentions, with that of the Herbal high, is . VERY instrumental in expanding . consciousness. It is similarly my . experience that the high helps to connect . the user with "universal consciousness", . (God and Nature) and to one's own soul as . well. This also is partly due to the . natural law of resonance. The high . vibration of the Herb is to a large degree . resonant with that of the soul, with the . natural world, (particularly those natural . places relatively undisturbed by man) and . with God. The Herb is in effect . a "vibrational tuner", much like a radio . can be tuned to different stations, and . upon those high frequencies we can, like a . radio transceiver, "receive" or "pick up" . such spiritual signals as they exist in . God, Nature and Soul. This is no . exaggeration or theory, it is a proven fact . for those who understand the Herb as a . spiritual sacrament. Understanding these . principles can help a practitioner greatly . in their exercise of the spiritual . potentials offered by ingestion of this . sacrament. . . ********* . . Slide; . . If you read Rishi’s post or go to his web . site and read his extensive writings you . will understand that he is not about just . getting high. He is about spiritual . advancement and employs the use of INTENT, . MEDITATION and the HERB to advance. . . ******* . . This is quite true, and I appreciate your . mention of this. The link is at the bottom . of the article which started this thread. . That article is designed as an entry point . for a person to begin their practice of . consciousness expansion in earnest. It was . my intent in writing the piece that the . methods and information given would be the . most accessible to the greatest number. In . my view, the high itself is an excellent . starting point for meditative exploration . of what the sacrament has to offer. It is . surely the most obvious aspect of the Herb . and is hard to miss, and that makes it a . great focus for anyone. . . Beyond this, the Herb is also a psychic . amplifier, which is another subject. . . Besides the high itself, I've given a four . step process for the greater mastery of . intent. Intent is the very foundation for . all endeavors in life, and if ever there . were a need for self knowledge or the right . employment of intent, it is within . spiritual practice/consciousness expansion. . With these four steps, a person can take . the high to literally any level they wish . and can boldly sustain. "Traveling the . high" by way of progressive intent, . literally transforms the smokers' . consciousness, which means, essentially, . that they become far more than they were . moments ago. Greater insight is gained, as . you mentioned, and even, greater . intelligence and wisdom, psychic powers, . the ability to impart the high to others, . (even many others at once) knowledge of God . and Cosmos, and a number of other . significant benefits. . . ********** . . Slide; . . The herb is my sacrament. When you meditate . and raise the high with the intent of . spiritual advancement you are magnifying . and compounding the divine gifts of the . herb such as expansion of consciousness. . That is one on the gifts of the high IF you . are willing to receive the gift. Employing . the sacrament in this manner requires less . herb and increases the positive benefits of . the herb long after the meditation has . ended. . . ******** . . That's exactly right, and I can't add to . what you've said along that line, other . than to say consciousness is composed of . three elements....energy, awareness and . intent. . . But I will say that not only are we . creatures capable of employing intent to . great benefit, we actually ARE INTENT at . the deepest level of our being. In essence, . when we raise our level of high, and of . consciousness in general, we're raising our . level of intent. It's fascinating really, . to realize that when we raise our . consciousness, we are ultimately intent . raising itself. When Christ or Buddha spoke . of spiritual practice, or a purity of life . focus and a life well-lived, the bottom . line of what they were talking about is . intent. To "know yourself" as all the . philosophers and spiritualists through . history have advocated, is to know the . direction of your daily, moment to moment . intention. Even further, it is to know you . ARE INTENT, (as well as awareness and . energy). Upon realizing this, it becomes . clear that there is no greater nor more . useful focus in life than that of the . knowledge and greater mastery of intention. . Through this one can actually become such a . Master as a Buddha or a Christ, and the . Herb is an excellent aid in such . achievements. . _________________ . The Intent of the Master is the Mastery of . Intent Re: Another Follow-up on the Sacrament article - Martyn Martin . 26 Jun 2005 13:38 . #554 Yes something else can be experienced for a . short time with the use of certain . substances not only cannabis. But the real . trick is to get there without anything :-) . That means really knowing thyself. The use of marijuana and thought disorders - Umi Miyahara . 18 Nov 2005 01:07 . #555 I've heard many stories of spiritual experiences while using marijuana and other psychedelics, and have had some of my own. I am wondering if the use of concious-altering substances can trigger schizophrenia or other related thought disorders in prone people. . -thanks Re: The use of marijuana and thought disorders - Brenda McCann . 22 Nov 2005 18:12 . #556 I would say yes from my own experince with others who have done so and considering that thie is where we are all at right now on planet: . . EXCERPT: http://www.luisprada.com/Protected/dna_changes.htm . . "Your genetic structure operates much in the way a satellite system works as a transmitter and receiver. It is your biological and energetic connection to all things not only environmental but Universal. The frequencies found within your genetic structure are very fine. Light in fact. . . Knowing this, when you work inter-dimensionally, it is that your harmonic frequency is your road map to your multiple aspects as well as all other aspects…beings, places, times. Each has a unique frequency. It is with this awareness that you are able to travel inter-dimensionally. It is with this awareness that you are able to locate times and places, and further, it is with this awareness that you are able to access the Akashic records for the attainment of any and all knowledge that you desire. . . The changes that are occurring within you at this time are a re-harmonization with all other things. This re-harmonizing is occurring by a re-patterning of the electrical communications within your genetic structure. *Both within the electrical and electro magnetic impulses which communicate from one segment to the next*, as well as the inter-relationships of your DNA and RNA. . First of all, the electrical relationships between your segments of DNA are changing their relationships. There is an arcing occurring which at times will skip one or more segments in the DNA strand. . . This change in patterning is allowing for more of your Universal Awareness to come forefront. It is a part of the Awakening process which is occurring. As the electrical patterns change, so do the electro magnetic relationships. . . In turn, as the electro magnetic relationships change, they become of higher frequencies. This instigates the overall raising of your vibration as a Being of Light. In such a way, what follows is a redistribution of the chemical relationships within you. At the same time, those impulses which are emitted from you throughout the Universal process invite certain other frequencies to you. *These frequency impulses that come to you bring whole blocks of information*. That information is becoming a part of your very being. In such a way, *when shifts occur*, you are already in possession of full knowledge of everything that you need in order to make the transition with those shifts." . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Brenda in Idaho USA Earth & Beyond... . LOVE IS US SO WHY FIGHT IT? . http://www.lightsoflove.us/index.html . Raise Your Manifesting Vibration here: . https://ssl42.pair.com/jafree/commerce/index.php?ref=46 . I "Create My Own Destiny" Here: http://yjnj.com/468 . . original message below: . Waking Life - Matthew Webb . 5 Dec 2005 20:42 . #557 Greetings fellow WMS members, . . I have been away to the woods for many months without internet access, and I'm glad to see so many new members. Forgive my lack of commentary at this time, but my computer access is still extremely limited. Never the less, I'd like to share this letter to the director and writer of a movie known as "Waking Life" written today. I highly recommend this movie to all of you...if you can't rent it locally, then by all mean buy it on E-bay or some other resource. It's worth every cent of your expense. . . Warm regards, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . ********* . . To Brother Richard Linklater and honorable entourage of Waking Life; . . We have had the pleasure of seeing your visionary movie on several occasions, and on each of these, saw something of greater depth and meaning. Your creation is truly an outstanding work of art, but this is surely not its’ greatest value. . . It’s interesting to note after viewing the “special features” area of the Waking Life DVD, that the commentaries there did not address the most important part of your wonderful creation. No doubt this is due to mass media or corporate pressures. Surely the most important part of your movie, which is its real purpose far beyond mere entertainment or artistic expression, is the profound message you are conveying to a mass media- brainwashed public. Among the more obvious themes of that message are of course; . . 1) the encouragement and even guidance of lucid dreaming . 2) the total and complete questioning of the status quo, of social programming that is entirely bogus . 3) the outright rejection of the false notions of consumerism, religion and corporate mass-control . 4) the smooth collaboration between intelligent minds for the sake of mutual improvement, and the improvement of society as a whole . 5) the further evolution of the human species as a conscious process . 6) the expansion of consciousness, self realization and the greater understanding of reality . 7) self as soul, and life as spiritual purpose . 8) truth, spiritedness and the gaining of personal power, far beyond the petty and absurd limitations of modern thought . . We salute you for the excellentness and desperately needed content of Waking Life, for all of the above reasons and more. These points should have been the main focus of the movie’s ‘special features’ commentaries, because if they were generally heeded by mainstream society, the world would be changed forever and mankind would actually have a good chance of surviving its’ own stupidity. . . The benefit of the collaboration of like minds and souls is obviously something you’re well aware of. We would certainly always be enthusiastic about such collaboration, and the making of friends/community with inspired souls. . . If you get a chance, take a look at our World Mind Society website at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest for material that makes very similar statements to those made in Waking Life. . . We’re looking forward to corresponding with you, . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com Re: Waking Life - Silvia Martínez . 14 Dec 2005 21:41 . #558 Hello Matthew. Thank you for recommending us this movie, it looks very interesting. I'll try to find it and watch it. . . Silvia . Fear/Pain...Love/Clarity - Matthew Webb . 19 Dec 2005 20:31 . #559 The Tao of “Opposing” Forces . . Which is stronger… that which is tested, or that which goes untested? . . That which is tested. . . Which is stronger… that which is pressured, or that which is never tried by adversity? . . That which is pressured is stronger. . . Just as steel is tempered by heat, so too is love tempered by fear. . Just as a plant is made strong by the wind, so too is clarity refined by pain. . . So it is with the processes of evolution…two apparently opposing forces, love/clarity and fear/pain exist ultimately as complimentary elements to a larger picture. . . Order and entropy are not necessarily at odds with one another. . . Where love falters and becomes weak, fear enters to tests its’ resolve . and level of intention. . . Where clarity falters and becomes enfeebled, pain enters and reminds the Knower . of the importance and scope of the Knowing. . . Therefore, seeing these elements as un-opposing or non-dualistic, the wise know pain as that which brings the knower back to clarity. If clarity is embraced, the teacher gets stronger from this pain, and personal evolution is accelerated. . . So it is with the strength and depth of love. The wise know that where a weakness of spiritual intensity is felt, fear enters to challenge any state of inner lack. If love is embraced, the healer gets stronger from this fear, and personal evolution is accelerated. . . Where fear/pain predominate without the guidance of love/clarity, destruction rules the day. When this process goes too far, extinction is the end result. . . Where love and clarity predominate without the testing pressure of fear and pain, weakness and shallowness rule the day. If however, the wise maintain their love and clarity together, . while recognizing also the value of fear and pain, world enlightenment is the end result. . . Those who recognize their own fear and pain as an opportunity . for the refinement of their spirit, will overcome any foe. . . Those who recognize together the world’s fear and pain, as an opportunity . for the refinement of the human spirit, will overcome any evolutionary obstacle. . . Knowing this, seek not to avoid the pain and fear which permeate the modern world. . Instead, consciously embrace each of these as a source of inner strength. . . When the victim of fear seeks fear out, they are no longer the victim, but the hunter. . When the victim of pain seeks pain out, they are no longer the defeated, but the victorious. . . When this path is followed sufficiently, the Master arises. . The Master of pain and fear is a gatekeeper, . of all that holds back the destruction of the world. . . Any Master who can successfully convey this to others . so that they too become such Masters, . can rightfully be called; “MESSIAH”. . . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com Movie expose'...Wal Mart, The High Cost of Low Price - Matthew Webb . 27 Dec 2005 19:15 . #560 An Expose’ of the film; . Wal Mart, The High Cost of Low Price . . December 2005 has seen the release of a little-advertised, but informative movie that will appeal to anyone who truly cares about other people, and the fate of humanity as a whole. This movie is a “must-see for all thinking minds”, being one of the most startling and revealing films since Michael Moores’ “Fahrenheit 911”. Entitled, “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” produced and directed by Robert Greenwald, the movie exposes what is perhaps the largest-scale corporate scandal of our time, dwarfing even the Enron level of social corruption. . . If you’ve ever marveled at the fact that behind the facing or label of almost any product, from wrenches and plastic toys, to fashion clothing and appliances, there reads, “Made in China” then this movie will explain what’s going on in corporate back-rooms. Part of the “high cost of low price” as the movie explains, are miserable sweat shops around the world where far less than minimum wage-slaves toil day and night, so that Wal Mart can “sell for less”. It explains that even American workers are exploited to the maximum possible extent to drive down costs, and still make a pretense of staying within the limits of the law. But actually, Wal Mart DOES NOT stay within the law on several accounts, from environmentalism and wage/overtime scandals, to the inhumane working conditions for it’s armies of sweat-shop, worker-ant, human machines. . . Although the movie is brilliant in its’ presentation and scope, it fails miserably in certain areas of commentary. Not once during the entire film were the words “consumerism”, “materialism”, “trade deficit”, “wrong values”, “sweat shops” “supply and demand” or “simple living” ever mentioned, let alone discussed to any depth. Not once was the entire scope of corporate enterprise and its’ associated wide-spread fraud and corruption exposed. So although everyone should go out of their way to see, “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” they should also keep in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive view of our social-corporate problem as a whole. After the below highlights are mentioned, see our letter written to director Robert Greenwald, that lavishes praise and criticism alike, upon this epic work. . . To review some of the highlights of the movie, the following facts and figures were mentioned. These facts alone should give even the most casual reader the clear and unmistakable impression that something is gravely wrong with a society and corporate ethic alike, which could allow such tragedy to occur, merely for the sake of increased profits. . . From; . “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” . . See website information at www.walmartmovie.com and www.bravenewfilms.org . . · In 2003 Wal Mart posted 240 billion dollars in sales, but cost tax payers a total of $1,557,000,000 to support its’ under-paid employees. . . · Wal Mart imported 18 billion dollars in goods from China alone in 2004. . . · Lee Scott, Wal Mart CEO, earned $27,207,799 in 2005, . while the average Wal Mart hourly employee was paid $13,861 . . · The cost for a Wal Mart factory worker to assemble an average toy car is 18 cents, while the retail cost at Wal Mart for that item is $14.95. [Assuming additional shipping charges, raw materials and stocking for a total cost of $1, the profits to Wal Mart on an elaborate piece of plastic is at least 1400 %.] . . · Tax abatement/taxpayer subsidies for Wal Mart amount to hundreds of millions of dollars per year, at all levels of government. Wal Mart encourages its’ employees to go on government assistance programs [to compensate for its’ lack of adequate pay and benefits]. A UC Berkeley study concluded that in California alone, Wal Mart costs state tax payers 86 million dollars a year, and up to 25 million dollars to county taxpayers. [This drain to taxpayers to supplement underpaid and under-insured employees, went to such expenses as; Medicaid, welfare, food stamps, health care, income tax credits and housing subsidies, because workers cannot survive on their hourly pay] . . · Wal Mart is currently fighting employee lawsuits in at least 31 states for hundreds of millions of dollars, due to lost pay/non-payment of overtime. It has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to settle class action lawsuits, “cheating people out of overtime on 40+ hours a week” in various states throughout the nation. . . · Racial and sexual discrimination exist as a systemic practice through this organization, as documented by many lawsuits and public cases. Unfair or unlawful hiring practices have also come to light, such as the hiring of illegal immigrants for less than minimum wage pay, as after-hours cleaning persons. . . · Overseas hiring practices in places such as China, Bangladesh and Honduras, have been exposed in many investigations consistently revealing illegal, inhumane and immoral practices on the part of Wal Mart factory management. . . · In Bangladesh, 189,000 women are on the known payrolls, working a documented 7 days a week, with 14 hour days, making 13-17 cents an hour. Many were shown asleep and exhausted at their sewing machines and other manufacturing stations. . . · In China, workers make less than $3 a day for 15 hour days, working 7 days a week. Regarding these practices, workers were routinely told by management to lie to inspectors about their working conditions, pay, living conditions and hours worked per week. Many were even given false pay stubs to show to these inspectors, and those who did not “lie well” for the company were harassed or fired. Worker paychecks had automatic deductions taken out of their weekly earnings to pay for crude, dormitory-style housing. They were forced to pay these deductions whether or not they lived at the company dormitories, so of course, most are forced to live there, and this does not include the cost of utilities such as electricity. Living conditions of the employees are less than minimal…unthinkable under US standards…with double-decker beds, no place to wash or even hang laundry, little to no storage, few to no windows in tiny buildings that have no security, forced to wash their clothes on the floor in small plastic tubs. Many workers are made to work with little to no ventilation and other minimal facilities, in super-cramped factory areas surrounded by as many as hundreds of other workers in long rows, working as fast as they can under the eyes of abusive management. One worker was quoted as saying to Americans, “These profits you make and the wonderful life you have, are the sweat and tears and overtime-working of the Chinese people”. . . · In Honduras, an interviewed manager and loyal, career employee of Wal Mart, speaks of being fired after bringing to light revelations of widespread worker abuse in every single factory he visited there. He said he was fired for performing his job, and that no actions were taken by Wal Mart to correct the human rights abuses they regularly forced upon their indigenous workers, once those facts were reported. . . · The estimated value of the Wal Mart jet fleet is $125,350,000. Such jets are routinely used by top executives to visit those store locations, the movie explained, within which any hint of forming an employee union is mentioned. Employees who attempt to form unions or improve conditions are “profiled” by managers, harassed, fired and held under surveillance. . . · The top 5 members of the Walton family, the original proprietors of the now world-wide Wal Mart chain, are worth an estimated 102 billion dollars. Ten billion of that would promote adequate wages and health care for all U.S. Wal Mart employees. The Walton family has given an estimated 1% of their wealth to charity, but made 3.2 million in political contributions in 2004 alone. The Walton family received a federal tax cut of $91,500 for every hour of the 2004 tax year. . . · There is a Wal Mart employee program called, “The Critical Need Fund” into which employees may donate a portion of their pay in order to assist fellow employees in times of crisis, such as in the case of hurricane or tornado victims. Into this fund, employees paid a sum of 5 million dollars in 2004 alone, whereas the Walton family donated only $6000. . . · A facility exists for the Walton family to escape to, in the event of a collapse of society or an apocalyptic-style, world war scenario. It is composed of vast wooded grounds, hi-tech equipment and an extensive underground system of tunnels and rooms. Included in this facility are a helicopter pad, satellite up-link dishes, and a highly fortified chain-link fence with barbed wire, surrounding the entire complex. . . *** . . Dear Mr. Greenwald, . . Perhaps needless to say, your hard-hitting movie, “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” is an epic accomplishment in the expose’ of a corporate monster. Before this movie was available, the vast majority of the public was doubtlessly unaware of these scandals you expertly reveal to every viewer. Your work is genius and long over-due. In a very real way, society owes you a debt of thanks and gratitude for what must have been an often difficult-to-document subject matter. Every person who has money and buys products should see your movie as soon as they possibly can. Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price would make worthwhile compulsory viewing in public schools, and in any setting where the welfare of humankind is being carefully considered. . . With that being said, we would also like to point out to yourself and to your viewing audience, that several key points were strangely missing within an otherwise excellent documentary. You missed a sparkling opportunity in your film to make landmark social statements. Had you given these subjects their proper due, it would have elevated this work from the level of mere documentary, to classic masterpiece of social responsibility. . . Perhaps the most conspicuous point that was lacking in, “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” was that the “high cost of low price” is by no means limited to Wal Mart alone. If you were aiming at making a socially responsible statement on this mark you failed miserably, because such scandalous activity as your movie exposes, is truly widespread amongst most, if not all, of the major corporations in America and abroad. Wal Mart is by no means the only corporation, for instance, which treats its’ workers like replaceable machine parts. This has become an across-the-board phenomena in the slashing of 401K retirement plans, reduction of worker benefits, discouragement of unions, increased working hours for less pay, intentional understaffing, the exploitation of the poor and a lack of proper compensation in overtime, not to mention damaging working conditions. Wal Mart by no means has the monopoly on such practices as the building of foreign sweat shops that routinely abuse their workers, or in paying them far less than what we would lawfully consider minimum wage. Wal Mart is by no means unique in its’ flagrant disregard for the environmental health of the ecosystems which surround its’ factories. Wal Mart is surely not the first corporate institution, which we all well know, that bribes government officials in the form of “political contributions” to make its’ exploitive intentions easier to implement. . . So although your films’ statements are truly exemplary for pointing out unethical Wal Mart practices, they fail completely in not giving even the slightest mention to HOW WIDESPREAD such corporate practices really are. The thinking person is prompted to wonder after seeing this film as to just why this is, and what your motives were in that direction. After an hour or so the movie begins to come off as a Wal Mart bashing party, (which is well deserved, don’t get me wrong) by forces who are jealous of Wal Mart’s privileged economic position, not as a responsible social statement regarding corporate corruption as a sum total. One might even conclude that your movie is a form of corporate warfare, based not on a real concern for people, but as an attempt to take a swipe at the biggest bully on the playground. . . You might protest this conclusion calling it unfair, however, if your movie is not just motivated by corporate in-fighting, then why is there not even one mention in the entire length of the film of such words as, “consumerism”, “materialism”, “supply and demand”, “trade deficit”, “wrong values”, “sweat shops” or “simple living”? If in fact your motive for making this movie was to uplift the human condition, as it is made to appear, then why is it you did not address, even for 30 seconds total, any of these implicitly related issues or key words? Perhaps this was an honest mistake on your part, and if so, you will be interested to note that the problems your movie describes are NOT confined to Wal Mart alone, but reside within our society as a whole. . . When we say “wrong values” what comes to your mind? After seeing your film it’s not hard to conclude that the management of Wal Mart has its’ values in the wrong place to say the very least. To put that more succinctly, it’s obvious that they do not see human life as having any value, other than the monetary profits that can be made from it. Their executives obviously think that there is no God higher than money, and toward the daily worship of this end, they’re willing to do LITERALLY ANYTHING to make a buck, including destroy the ecosystems of the entire world, reduce entire populations to the status of wage slaves, lie, cheat and defraud the public at every level of social concern, corrupt government officials and the democratic process from city, regional and state levels to the making of federal regulations, and in every other way, pervert the human condition to one of poverty and community disaster. But our essential question to you, Mr. Greenwald, is this….”How are any of these wrong values and goals in any way confined to the Wal Mart corporation?” To literally DO ANYTHING to make a buck can surely be considered the underlying slogan of life, in the last 40 years of the so-called “American Dream”. Such corruption of right values is seen everywhere rampant in our society and world civilization as a whole. In essence, it is the modern public expectation that “nobody cares about anything” except for themselves and the greedy values which underlie the very heart of the consumer ethic, and materialism in general. You missed a wonderful chance to point this out in your movie, and to make a real case for social change, rather than just corporate one-upmanship. . . On the unnecessary waste generated by American society, which is by far the most wasteful society in the history of the planet, one could feed and clothe half the world. Consumerism is completely out of control. This becomes even more obvious when reflecting upon, (so-called) “Christmas”, where the Teachings of Christ, a simple-living advocate and the ultimate anti-materialist, has been transformed into the spectacle of consumption we see today. Why doesn’t your film address this point, especially in the context of a simpler and more sane lifestyle? . . A very large portion of “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” was dedicated to hearing the woes of small-time American businessmen who, after long years of local community existence, were displaced by Wal Mart. Fair enough, and to those people the viewer can certainly commiserate. However, the thinking person is once again left asking themselves…”How many of their competition did these local establishments put out of business in the normal course of affairs, and just how much did THEY give back to their community beyond the usual love of more and more profit, seen everywhere else today?” Would any of these local proprietors, if given the chance to be CEOs’, really have done anything differently than Wal Marts’ Lee Scott? Is Wal Mart really the only entity who displaces its’ competition with its’ presence? No, of course it isn’t. It is commonly considered fair and appropriate for the so-called, “free enterprise” system of economics to function in this way. And that is a large part of my point. A selfish, dog-eat-dog way of life based on greed and destruction is not a sane way to live. . . The thinking viewer is also prompted to say, “Let’s just be honest about this whole issue shall we?…and realize that the entire social structure to which we belong is based upon the maximum greed and acquisition possible, in the shortest period of time, regardless of what it costs other people or the world at large!” Let’s face it…this is exactly how society routinely functions. If we’re going to really change anything for the benefit of the common person, it’s going to have to be through the change of these very wrong, TV-promoted consumer values upon which society runs, not just in the criticism of a singular corporation. What about K-Mart, Weyerhauser, McDonalds’, General Motors or McDonald Douglas? What about Microsoft, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, The Fox Network, The American Broadcasting Company or Halliburton, Exxon, United Airlines, AOL/Time Warner, or countless others? How about the entire consumer culture that is promoted every day upon the radio, television and newspapers, which lie to people constantly about how widespread environmental destruction is becoming as a result of consumerism, and how a huge portion of the people of the world suffer endlessly just to support the so-called, “American way of life”? What about the extremely typical neighbors next door, who think that life is all about money and showing off their new car and fancy clothes, and to hell with the rest of the world? If you had been truly concerned with the human condition, Mr. Greenwald, then wouldn’t it be reasonable to say that this is the kind of all-inclusive statement you would have wanted to make? . . If you genuinely cared about the human condition, why didn’t your movie talk about the very “supply and demand” that makes such entities as Wal Mart possible to start with? Without the wrong values of consumerism and materialism firmly established in almost every citizen’s mind, there simply would NOT be the kind of public demand for products which literally sustain Wal Mart and hundreds of other entities like it. In other words, if people didn’t think they had to have every, “new and improved” trinket that crossed their television screens, places like Wal Mart would not be the bloated monster it is today. No demand means no ability to supply. If we’re really going to address this problem, don’t you think the most ethical thing to do would be to point out how almost everyone is complicit in this world devastation we’re discussing? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to show that everyone who buy’s into the whole consumer products world, where even love is equated to material objects, is partially responsible for the sweat shops, the mass deaths, the political uprisings, the environmental disasters and the misery of countless children in foreign nations? Wouldn’t it be even more appropriate to point out that if we’re REALLY concerned with stopping terrorism, that we’d better stop giving farmers and idealists reason to become terrorists to start with, by no longer exploiting their countries, their natural resources and their children for the sake of fashion magazine imagery? . . What we’re getting at here, if it isn’t completely obvious already, is that the problems your film, “Wal Mart; The High Cost of Low Price” run much deeper than a singular corporation or nation. The problems we’re discussing are a matter of almost every human being on this planet, being suckered into the wrong values of consumerism and materialism. These problems could not exist without widespread public participation in such values…to buy without thought, and upon whimsical impulse or egotism, (as in keeping up with the Jones’). Without the wrong values of consumerism and materialism which infect Wal Mart and the rest of the planet, this world would not be able to support those dictators, terrorists, (State and otherwise) sweat shop overlords, corrupt politicians and illicit wars, whose primary driving force is similar greed and egotism. You seem an intelligent man, I’m sure you can see the connection here. Corrupt companies and governments are ultimately maintained by corrupt populations. This is a sad but true fact which nobody wants to hear, but it is true nonetheless. . . So instead of questioning a given corporate entity, let’s question those consumer values of greed, (there’s never enough) and egotism, (fashion and glamour) which underlie them. Let’s question and oppose not just a single example of corruption, but those corrupted values which make them possible at all. . . Perhaps in your next film you will take a more socially responsible course, one that addresses the actual CAUSES of world and social destruction, rather than just one set of corporate symptoms. We do dearly hope that this is so. We hope that you will see the intent of this letter as one which is concerned not with criticism of your fine works, but with the improvement of the human condition. Known producers and writers like yourself have a truly unsurpassed opportunity to change this troubled world for the better. We urge you to make the very best use of that opportunity in the future. . . Thank you once again, and best wishes. . . Sincerely, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com . . For additional reading, see the Social Commentary section of the Library at; . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . Re: Waking Life - Tiffany Lardomita . 3 Jan 2006 01:35 . #561 This movie is amazing! Such a coincidence... I just watched it last weekend. WOW~ Can't say enough about how powerful it was. Sheldon Nidle (and other follies) - Matthew Webb . 20 Jan 2006 20:09 . #562 I received the following message, and my response appears first…. . . Dear Colleen, . . I regret to point out the unfortunate fact that Sheldon Nidle is a fool. He does a disservice to the crediblity of all sincerely spiritual movements and attempts to reach the public with REAL ministry. His messages are both shallow and without even a shade of logic or evidence to support his wild claims. . . This is NOT spirituality it is charlatanism and sensationalism at its' worst. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb . . . Founder of the World Mind Society . [link] . . ***** . ----- Original Message ----- . From: Colleen Marshall [mailto:galacticheart@hawaii.rr.com] . Sent: 1/18/2006 9:00:10 PM . To: undisclosed-recipients: . Subject: PAN: Listen to Sheldan Nidle - the Isle of Light Radio Show . . . . THE ISLE OF LIGHT . . Sheldan Nidle . "First Contact: The Latest Procedures Revealed" . . Click MP3 link to listen now . . [link] . . Sheldan Nidle revisits The Isle Of Light, this time providing us with the most recent First Contact information. Sheldan Nidle is a scientist, representative and lecturer for the Galactic Federation of Light and founder of the global, Planetary Activation Organization established in 1997. He is renown for his best-selling books, You Are Becoming A Galactic Human, Your First Contact, Selamat Ja! A Guide for Galactic Humans and his new book, Your Galactic Neighbors. Chyrene Pendleton is the host of this highly important and timely discussion called, "First Contact: The Latest Procedures Revealed". . . During the show, Sheldan Nidle speaks of changes with the First Contact scenario, especially a recent, dramatic shift regarding our transformation as well as increasing changes with our planet Earth. All plans must now be accelerated. . . "My general belief is that this year is the year when a lot of this energy that has been building up for the last six to eight months is going to finally start cracking through and causing massive changes because the Federation would really love, if everything worked to the maximum, to have contact by the spring or summer of this year, but they can't do that until certain basic things happen..." . . We learn what our governments must do as soon as possible regarding disclosure and exactly what the Galactic Federation is doing now to speed this process up. Sheldan Nidle shares what "Operation Transformation" is and how the Galactic Federation wants to do a technology transfer with us in order to assist us. Sheldan describes some of these technologies during this discussion. . . "We are going, when the Galactic Federation arrives, from being in a technology that is very polluting and very much a hindrance to the planet to the point where we're even extracting substances used to stabilize the tectonic plates - which is crude oil, to a position where we can actually put the crude oil back into the planet and all the difficulties we've caused the Earth's land, sea and air we can correct..." . . Sheldan reveals what we can expect to see and experience in our new reality. We learn what we need to do now to prepare for First Contact and the importance of staying positive during this great transformation. Sheldan tells us how First Contact is much more than a single event. . . "What we have to understand is that this is part of a process. And that this process is a very important one - it involves a whole series of things, it's not just one little thing happening. Contact involves things to do with our government, it involves things to do with abundance, it involves things to do with our transformation in consciousness, it involves things to do with the transformation of Mother Earth. So it's part of a massive complex process..." . . Sheldan Nidle has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows over the years including BUFO with Mary Sutherland, The Art Bell Show, The "X" Zone with Rob McConnell, The Great Shift with Rev. Fred Sterling, Parascience and Beyond with Uri Geller, Earth Changes TV, Nightside with Richard Syrett, and The Isle of Light cable television show and many more. He continues to lecture in countries all over the world. . . Besides his books, You Are Becoming A Galactic Human, Your First Contact, Selamat Ja! A Guide for Galactic Humans and his newest book, Your Galactic Neighbors, Sheldan Nidle has many other consciousness tools available for purchase on his website, such as "The Galactic Calendar of the Year 13 Eb (July 26, 2005 - July 25, 2006)", video, DVD and audio tapes including a new DVD called, "The Truth About Right Now! What Must Happen to Our World Before First Contact". . . To order or to send a donation to The Planetary Activation Organization, please visit the website at [link] A secure shopping cart is now available for your online orders. You can also order by phone at: 808-573-3110, by fax at: 808-573-2867 or by email at: pao@hawaii.rr.com. . . The mailing address for the Planetary Activation Organization is: . PO Box 880151, Pukalani, Maui, HI 96788-0151 USA. The Planetary Activation Organization is run totally by volunteers. Donations are greatly appreciated to assist in keeping the organization operating. To send your donation, please fill out the form at: . . [link] . . You can also make a direct credit card contribution by phone to: 808-573-3110, by fax to: 808-573-2867. If you are interested in becoming a member of The Planetary Activation Organization, or to join a Planetary Activation Group (PAG), just fill out and send the online form at: [link] or email pao@hawaii.rr.com. . . You can also join a free, interactive discussion group on the Internet called, PAGPAWNT, administered by Ron Henry. Just send an email to: PagPawnt-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. The topics include, Sheldan Nidle's Updates, consciousness, ascension, meditation, the Galactic Federation of Light, ET's, First Contact, World Peace and Healing. . . Interview Times and Dates . . This interview with Sheldan Nidle airs on Live365 on the following dates and times: . . Tuesday, January 17th at 6 AM, 2 PM and 10 PM EST, Friday, January 20th at 5 AM, 1 PM and 9 PM EST, repeating every three days on a rotating time schedule. Schedule information can be found in the Radio/Television section of The Isle Of Light at [link] as well as on The Isle Of Light radio station broadcast schedule at: . . [link] . . The times listed above are all for Eastern Standard Time (EST). . On the bottom of the Live365 schedule page and you will see the message "Please update your GMT offset to correct any time discrepancies". Make sure the GMT is adjusted (using the scroll down arrow) so the correct times for your area are shown on the schedule. . . How To Listen . . To listen to the shows, just click on: . . [link] . . If you are not already a listener of Live365, you will have to subscribe and it is free. Live365 has instructions on how to subscribe or you may read the instructions at www.theisleoflight.com in the Radio/Television section. You can also use your existing players and those options are provided at Live365 after going to: . . [link] . . For assistance with listening to the shows on Live365 (Windows users) click on: . . [link] . . For assistance with listening to the shows on Live365 (Mac users) click on: . . [link] . . . The Isle Of Light at www.theisleoflight.com is designed to assist in the empowerment and enlightenment of all who dare to venture. A free, monthly subscription to the newsletter also called, The Isle Of Light is available. . . As you explore, please visit the Catalog section featuring beautiful and unique artwork, accelerators, books, CDs and accessories - all created and inspired by those who are assisting in raising the consciousness of the planet. . . If you are interesting in becoming a guest on The Isle Of Light, please contact the producer, Chyrene Pendleton, by email at cap@theisleoflight.com. . . Visit the Prosperity is a State of Mind blog at: . [link] . . The letters I’ve received thus far regarding Sheldon Nidle are followed by my comments, as I responded to the senders. (Apparently someone posted a copy on the PAO Web forum and this has caused something of a stir) Basically, I’m saying that such statements as Nidle makes are sheer nonsense, and are absolutely NOT a suitable alternative to genuine spiritual practice or wisdom… . . **********- . . ---- Original Message ----- . From: the dave [mailto:thedave@dkdesigns.net] . Sent: 1/19/2006 5:56:46 PM . To: visionquest@eoni.com . Subject: email you sent to Colleen Nidle . . Ø Carlsbad, Calif., USA . . . My reply; . . Dear Dave, . . Ok, let's say you're right and Sheldon is absolutely correct in all his assertions...that aliens are going to "land" soon, and all that other talk about changes in world consciousness, etc. My question is this; If any of this has even a humble portion of truth to it, then why doesn't our illustrious Mr. Nidle offer even basic deifnitions for the words he's using, (such as consciousness) or give even a shred of reasoning or evidence as to why he should be believed? If he's sincere then that should be no problem, right? . . And if he can't supply even basically logical reasoning or believable evidence other than "I said so" then why should his paradigm be seen as anything more credible than the Christian fundamentalist "faith" in the so-called "immaculate conception"? . . Mind you, I know something of consciousness and various other matters of which Sheldon speaks. But in my case and in my writings, I provide clear definitions based upon the concepts of science, not fanciful speculation. If a writer can't even define the words they use, then may6be they should think twice about using them so loosely. . . I await your sound evidence and/or reasoning which supports what I call "the Nidle nonsense". . . Warm regards, . Matthew . . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . In a second response regarding this issue, I received the following letter, which I respond to at length afterwards…. . . ---------- . From: Ricardo Ocampo . Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 19:15:17 -0600 . To: PaoPag FORUM for PAO Coordinators . Subject: Sheldan Nidle Charlatan? . . I wouldn't finger on Sheldan as a charlatan, dear Matthew, he's a holder of . a great hart, as all of ourselves; the name of the game, as you know, is . love, and he needs it -as everybody- to make his communication clearer... . People can discern already! . I love him because nobody believe in him! ;-) . The pourpose of the gathering in Spain this year is interreligious dialogue, . just as simple as that... . Love in action, here, now, without ET's and Nesara bull... . Without 'new age' bullshit, as we coincide... . Let's refound the Mind Society proposals and provocations in the web of . light, congratulations! . Love & Peace . This is our seventh anniversary online!! . 90 countries . 50,000 daily subscribers . just a nothing... . let's keep it small... . we're not a threat . Ricardo . . *********** . . Hermano Ricardo, . . I understand about the indigenous meeting you're having, and like I said, I would certainly attend if I was able. . . Please understand that my view on Mr. Nidles' works are a matter of principle. Spirituality is not, and must never be, just a "placebo" or a "feel good" replacement for reality, as I'm sure you know. Spirituality is a matter of embracing reality and the laws of nature on their own ground, rather than "wishing" them differently or making up Gods in straw men, only to worship them afterwards. What I'm saying is that the spiritual practitioner has a deep responsiblity to exercise careful discernment, regarding what is true and what is not true. The wise know that all propositions are not equal, that all assertions cannot possibly be true. The world, for instance, is not flat merely because someone may believe so, and regardless of the fact that this was once widely believed. Likewise, aliens are not going to "land" soon to take away all our problems, just as mighty jehovah is not going to come down to take away our woes, merely because we say so. Truth has a stronger basis in fact than mere assertion or wishful thinking, needless to say, and it is our responsiblity to discern what is nonsense and what is truly needful. . . In my estimation of Nidles' claims, which I've been hearing for years now, is that his words do not ring true...they lack substance, logic, evidence, careful reasoning and most of all, they lack spiritual merit. It is not enough to merely say "unconditionally love one another" and then never bother to define what kind of love we're referring to. Are we talking about sentimental attachment, puppy love, or spiritual unity? And if we ARE talking about spiritual unity, then we'd better also talk about being truthful, having clarity, understanding the soul, (consciousness within) and about planetary responsibility for ourselves, rather than mentally relying upon "the aliens" to clean up our mess for us. For these reasons and others, I see Nidle as doing a DEEP disservice to the spiritual community. It is authors like him who give the New Age movement a bad name, because he does not promote credibility or careful thinking of any kind. These are a part and parcle of spirituality, and without them, what you've got left is just the dogmatic and arbitrary nonsense of religions and cults, which are a meaningless as they are delusional. The Jehovah Witnesses for example have been giving precise predictions for the end of the world now for over 60 years, and upon every occasion they've been proven wrong. I'm wondering how many of Mr. Nidles' predictions have suffered the same fate. . . I say these things not because they are pleasant but because they are true, and it is my responsiblity to say them, therefore, regardless of how I may feel about the matter. Responsible spiritual practice means advocating those sound and practical measures which will really have any chance at transforming the human condition from its' present course of disaster. Responsible spiritual practice then, unlike Mr. Nidles' statements, advocates REAL remedies that address the human condition like meditation not fanciful story-telling, honesty, not waiting for aliens to land, and truth, not made-up statements which are made up precisely because they cannot be corroborated by anyone except the person who makes unfounded claims. . . Does talking about love make the world a loving place? No. Does speaking of clarity cause the worlds' people to become instantly lucid? NO. Spiritual practice is about doing the necessary inner work to accomplish something great, and through a life so dedicated. Waiting for the aliens to land is a fools' game, not the focus of the sincere practitioner of spiritual advancement, and only the irresponsible person promotes such nonsense as a substitute for the often difficult inner work of spiritual advancement. . . I trust this will shed some light on this issue. . . Love and Clarity to you, and your works, Brother. . . Matthew Webb . . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Ø Another example of an out-of-control society.... - Matthew Webb . 26 Jan 2006 23:36 . #563 WSWS : News & Analysis : North America . . What Al Gore’s speech reveals about the state of US politics . By Patrick Martin . 26 January 2006 . . In the ten days that have passed since the January 16 speech delivered by Al Gore in Washington charging President Bush with trampling on the Constitution in his conduct of the “war on terror,” the former vice president has been alternately vilified, ridiculed or ignored. There has been little serious discussion of his criticisms of the Bush administration, however, outside of the World Socialist Web Site. (See: “Bush administration domestic spying provokes lawsuits, calls for impeachment”) . The substance of Gore’s speech was the most sweeping indictment of the Bush administration by any significant figure within the US ruling elite since Bush took office in 2001. He not only charged that the Bush White House seeks to exercise quasi-dictatorial powers over the American people, but he painted a picture of a judicial system and a Congress which are unwilling to challenge the presidential power-grab and uphold the traditional institutions of the American constitutional system, based on the separation of powers between Congress, the White House and the courts. . . Such statements from such a source have extraordinary political significance. Gore is, after all, not an accidental figure in American politics. The son of a longtime senator from Tennessee, he was in turn a congressman, senator, vice president for eight years—during which he played a central role in much of the policymaking of the Clinton administration—and then the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party in 2000. He received more than 50 million votes in that election, beating Bush by 500,000 in the popular vote. . . Now this representative of the highest level of the American ruling elite declares that “America’s Constitution is in grave danger,” and that democratic values “have been placed at serious risk by the unprecedented claims of the administration to a truly breathtaking expansion of executive power.” . . In the current exposure of illegal surveillance, Gore said, “What we do know about this pervasive wiretapping virtually compels the conclusion that the president of the United States has been breaking the law, repeatedly and insistently. A president who breaks the law is a threat to the very structure of our government.” . . He repeatedly referred to the conviction of those who wrote the American Constitution that “they had established a government of laws and not men,” declaring that the Bush White House was seeking to reverse this, creating an all-powerful executive that could ignore the law and do as it pleased. . . Gore dismissed the administration’s claim that the NSA wiretapping was an exercise of presidential war powers authorized by Congress after the September 11 terrorist attacks, pointing out that the White House had sought to have specific authority for domestic counter-terrorist actions inserted in the resolution, but congressional leaders refused. “When President Bush failed to convince Congress to give him the power he wanted when this measure was passed, he secretly assumed that power anyway, as if congressional authorization was a useless bother,” he said. . . Gore warned that the Bush administration’s “disrespect for America’s Constitution ... has now brought our republic to the brink of a dangerous breach in the fabric of the Constitution.” He denounced Bush’s claims of a presidential right to imprison American citizens indefinitely, without an arrest warrant or any judicial proceeding, and without informing them of the charges against them or allowing them to contact a lawyer or their own families. . . He cited the White House claim of the right to kidnap, imprison, interrogate and torture individuals seized in foreign countries and held in secret US facilities around the world. “Over 100 of these captives have reportedly died while being tortured by executive branch interrogators,” he said, noting that the vast majority of those held at the best-known such prison, Abu Ghraib, were innocent of any crimes. . . “Can it be true that any president really has such powers under our Constitution?” Gore asked. “If the answer is yes, then under the theory by which these acts are committed, are there any acts that can on their face be prohibited? If the president has the inherent authority to eavesdrop on American citizens without a warrant, imprison American citizens on his own declaration, kidnap and torture, then what can’t he do? . . “The dean of Yale Law School, Harold Koh, said after analyzing the executive branch’s extravagant claims of these previously unrecognized powers, and I quote Dean Koh, ‘If the president has commander-in-chief power to commit torture, he has the power to commit genocide, to sanction slavery, to promote apartheid, to license summary execution’.” . . This last passage warrants underlining. Gore cites with approval the assessment—by a prominent member of the US legal establishment—that the logic of the Bush administration’s policy is to assert the right to commit atrocities on a Hitlerian scale. This is how far American capitalism has moved since the launching of Bush’s “war on terror.” . . The rest of Gore’s speech was devoted to reviewing the impact of this unilateral assertion of presidential authority on the system of checks and balances between the executive, legislative and judicial branches which is the hallmark of the US constitutional system. . . “As a result of this unprecedented claim of new unilateral power, the executive branch has now put our constitutional design at grave risk,” he said. “The stakes for America’s democracy are far higher than has been generally recognized. These claims must be rejected and a healthy balance of power must be restored to our republic. Otherwise, the fundamental nature of our democracy may well undergo a radical transformation.” . . Gore discussed the historical implications of the Bush administration’s actions, comparing them to the arbitrary actions of the British Crown which sparked the American Revolution, as well as other episodes of attacks on democratic rights, particularly during the major wars of the 20th century, such as World War I, World War II and Vietnam. One danger in the present situation, he emphasized, was that the open-ended character of the war declared by the Bush administration could “justify arrogations of power [that] will in this case persist in near perpetuity.” . . The administration has also embraced a legal theory of the “unitary executive” which claims that the president’s actions as commander-in-chief are essentially unreviewable by either Congress or the courts, another blow to the traditional framework of checks and balances. . . Gore noted the declining willingness of the federal judiciary to restrain executive power, but he focused more attention on Congress, saying, “The sharp decline of Congressional power and autonomy in recent years has been almost as shocking as the efforts by the executive to attain this massive expansion of its power.” . . He said Congress had become “structurally unrecognizable” and “now operates as if it were entirely subservient to the executive branch.” There are no oversight hearings, and appropriations bills are passed without serious consideration, often without even being available for members of Congress to read before voting on them. The rubber-stamp character of Congress was exemplified in the NSA spying case, with a handful of congressional leaders informed under conditions where they agreed to say or do nothing. “Democrats as well as Republicans in the Congress must share the blame for not taking sufficient action to protest and seek to prevent what they consider a grossly unconstitutional program,” he said. . . Gore concluded by condemning what he described as an administration effort to spread fear and intimidate the public into accepting the massive erosion of democratic rights. He called for the appointment of a special counsel to “pursue the criminal issues raised by the warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the president.” . . There are three aspects of Gore’s speech which are critical from the standpoint of a socialist analysis of the deepening political crisis in the United States. First, his speech was directed entirely to the ruling elite. Gore was making an appeal, not to the American people as a whole, but to the Washington political and media establishment of which he is a longtime member. After making his indictment of the Bush administration—quite powerfully, by the standards of official American political debate—he declined an offer from PBS to appear on the Jim Lehrer news program, and issued only a perfunctory two-paragraph response to the predictable diatribes against him by White House spokesmen and the right-wing press. . . Second, Gore refused to characterize the material interests and motives which impel the Bush administration’s power-grab, referring only to “mistakes” and actions which were “misguided.” He criticized the decision to invade Iraq, but never mentioned the word “oil.” The previous week, Bush gave a particularly vicious speech attacking opponents of the Iraq war in which he declared that criticism of the war was permissible only so long as charges of a “war for oil” were excluded from the debate. Despite the harshness of his criticism of Bush January 16, Gore tacitly accepted this restriction. . . In a similar vein, Gore avoided any examination of the social conditions within the United States—above all, the enormous growth of social inequality—which is the underlying motor force of the Bush administration’s attacks on democratic rights. It is impossible to maintain democratic forms in a society so sharply polarized between enormous wealth in the hands of a tiny elite—less than one percent of the population—and the vast majority struggling for their economic survival. . . As a bourgeois politician who defends the profit system that is responsible for this vast social polarization, Gore is incapable of raising this central issue. Instead, he sought to make an appeal to a section of the ultra-right, warning that an all-powerful Bush administration might be succeeded by a Democratic president who would exercise similarly sweeping powers. His appearance was co-sponsored by several anti-tax and libertarian groups and Gore paid tribute, at the beginning of his remarks, to the co-organizer of the event, former Georgia congressman Bob Barr, who was one of the Republican managers in the impeachment and trial of President Bill Clinton. . . Gore was at pains to reassure his fellow members of the ruling elite that despite his well-grounded criticisms of the Bush administration, he was equally committed to the defense of the interests of American imperialism. One key passage of his speech declared his agreement that the threat of terrorism “does indeed create a real imperative to exercise the powers of the executive branch with swiftness and agility.” . . Gore added, “there is in fact an inherent power conferred by the Constitution to any president to take unilateral action when necessary to protect the nation from a sudden and immediate threat. And it is simply not possible to precisely define in legalistic terms exactly when that power is appropriate and when it is not. But the existence of that inherent power cannot be used to justify a gross and excessive power-grab lasting for many years and producing a serious imbalance in the relationship between the executive and the other two branches of government.” . . In other words, Gore condemns Bush for an “excessive power-grab lasting for many years,” holding out the prospect that a power-grab of lesser size and shorter duration would be more manageable and less costly in terms of discrediting the political system which has served corporate interests and the American ruling class for so long. . . Thirdly, the response to Gore’s speech in the political establishment underscores what the WSWS has maintained ever since the stolen election of 2000: there exists no significant section of the ruling elite that is prepared to make a serious issue of the defense of democratic rights. . . The Bush administration itself and its open lackeys in the right-wing press have portrayed Gore either as an embittered loser of 2000—although he actually won the popular vote and would have taken office but for the unconstitutional intervention of the Supreme Court—or as a lunatic who ignores the obvious necessities of the global war on terror. . . From the Democratic Party and its media allies, the response has generally been to ignore the speech altogether. Here the lead was given by the New York Times, the most cowardly and unprincipled of the bourgeois “opponents” of the Bush administration, which did not even dignify the speech with a separate article. The Times relegated it to a passing mention in a story, buried in its New York regional coverage, on the White House reaction to Hillary Clinton’s comparison of the Republican-run House of Representatives to a southern plantation. . . While some daily newspapers published editorials supporting Gore’s criticisms, the speech was dropped as a media topic within a few days. It went virtually unmentioned in the network television interview programs the following Sunday, on which Democratic senators Joseph Lieberman, Richard Durbin, Charles Schumer and John Kerry all appeared. . . Only Kerry was even asked about Gore’s attack, and his response demonstrated the intellectual incoherence and inability to take a firm position which made him a caricature as a presidential candidate in 2004. Kerry said the current program of presidentially-authorized spying by the National Security Agency (NSA) was illegal, then rejected the suggestion that Congress should cut off funding for it, saying instead that Congress would readily approve some form of NSA domestic spying if the administration sought legislative backing. . . See Also: . Bush administration launches campaign of lies in defense of government spying . [25 January 2006] . . Bush administration report defends spying, unconstrained executive powers . [23 January 2006] . Hey there from IDAHO: Mathew & all present now! - Brenda McCann . 9 Feb 2006 19:51 . #564 **I would like to bring THIS BACK AROUND: . . Started bt Ame: . . "For instance, when I am thinking . of the past I feel a definite movement. So . what I am beginning to realise is that if . there are multiple earths and dimensions, . possibly up to 144, that by our thoughts and . intentions that is what we are experiencing . in the moment. So if we want a world of . peace, love and light. **That is what we must . intend and experience at all times.** . . I have read that people in the advertising . industry, discovered that it takes 7% of any . population, once they have inwardly and . consciously agreed on something to make that . something happen in the phsycial world (or . in advertising's case..accept a product). So . I wondered if any of you have had experience . or knowledge about what I am talking in . relationship to our thoughts and intentions . and what we are experiencing in this NOW . moment. Because if people had the truth . about this and the knowledge then their are . enough caring people on the world to change . our experience." . . I am in sales and am familiar with these abaove stats. . . Not only that there is a saying that 2% run the collective illusion we are calling our world. 10% carry it out and the other 88% just 'go along' as if it is their reality by default. . . That said, let me say that YES we do all create this reality that each of us experiences whether we do it by default or by intention and vibrational match discipline. . . I am convinced from my own research = direct experience (The Science of Attunement Skill) that there are *as many dimensions* (differing frequencies of energy and information) making up this adhoc global reality *as there are people currently incarnate*. . . What I would like to ask you all in view of all your most current focuses and discussions is: . . Where are we all at NOW in light of the information above? Are we all (majority here in this forum) *still wondering within ourselves* whether the above information is true or not? If not wondering...what have we decided by now as per whether or not we have the individual and collective power to experience the dimensions of reality OF OUR CHOICE or not = here and now!? . . Mah Gii Kah Oui, . . "Our Relationship Speaks" . . Brenda McCann, aka Freo`7 . Idaho USA Earth & beyond 3 & 4th Density Earth Only Consciousness... Re: Shamanism/Entheobotany - Pigs Stinkk . 17 Feb 2006 19:39 . #565 . . i am interested in further elaboration on the "unravelling" of conciousness you describe Group Mind - Matthew Webb . 7 Mar 2006 20:49 . #566 Consciousness is the Key of Keys . A Basic Primer for Group Mind Action . . The mutual empowerment of which I speak, and which could save this divided world, is an ancient precedent set by Nature. It flows through a grove of trees just as it exists in any human community. This essence of life to which I refer, is the primary source of unity for all time. Particle physics describes it, as do the sages and poets of ancient texts. It is the felt embrace of lovers in their shared passion, even when they are thousands of miles from each other. It is the bond between Druid and nature, between the shaman and their animal-spirit allies. It is the “atmosphere” of any inspired music concert, the heightened joy of group celebration. This mutuality of feeling and intention is Einsteins’ Unified Field, who said that, “the only lasting way to change the world is to change its’ consciousness”...for the subatomic realm of particle and wave has deep effect upon us all. People who speak of, “the oneness of all things” refer also to that which passes between those who meditate or pray together earnestly. The unity of mood, of excitement, is that which can be readily felt during team sporting events. It is the charged presence of the woods in springtime, the fury of the mob, the gravitational effects exerted by any emotional crowd or social movement. It is the flow of emotional conviction from speaker to crowd, and the group spell-casting power of the coven. It is the school of fish and the flock of birds, in their extraordinary synchronization of motion…. . . I refer of course, to the consciousness we all possess. No one can honestly deny the intimate psychic effects which constantly pass from person to person. There is not a single human being alive who has not felt the contrast of felt experience between love/admiration, and fear/hatred from another. Everyone understands the difference of psychic effect between these, and likewise knows which is of greater mutual benefit. Everyone is aware of the experiential contrast between argument and accord. . . Knowing this, is it not our greatest need and privilege to learn about the consciousness which we, and all other human beings are? Is it not our essential task to carefully wield that force of consciousness, upon which all of nature is likewise based? . . So I ask you, spiritual teachers, shamans, druids, meditators, the progressive minded and those who pray with a purity of heart, is it not time that we intentionally and consciously helped one another using this knowledge? . . For example, the shaman or druid has knowledge of aligning themselves with the spirit(s) found in nature. This alignment is a felt, psychically established thing. Also felt is the act of the shaman extending themselves to a patient, (or at least providing a conduit to the healing forces of nature). The shaman INTENDS to exact benefit upon the recipient of their spiritual work. If a shaman can align themselves with aspects of nature or with a patient, why then can they not align themselves with other shamans for the sake of mutual empowerment? . . If Wiccans can align themselves with such essences as air, earth fire and water, (as a felt, psychically established thing) then why not with each other for the sake of group empowerment? Why not “cast, (intend) spells of empowerment” simultaneously, upon one another? . . If a prayer or Reiki circle can aid the sick and bring in energy to those in need, why then can it not also be used to boost each others level and refinement of consciousness? . . If a group of meditators gather together to meditate more deeply, and with more profound results due to the group setting, then why not consciously and knowingly employ this force of collective consciousness, for the sake of mutual upliftment? . . In its’ simplest form, mutually uplifting effects can be enjoyed between people simply by intentionally holding others in the minds’ eye, while using favorable feelings and thoughts. But why stop there? Why not intentionally cultivate high feelings in ones’ self, and then learn to intend these upon others for the sake of their highest benefit? Even better still, why not intend upon others progressive joy, the greatest high, ever improving clarity and feelings of inner strength? There is much to learn about this subject, and I encourage the reader to have patience with its’ study. . . Imagine also that the recipient of your intent similarly projecting high feelings and images upon you at the same time…something extraordinary starts to happen then. What happens is that a mutual flow of enlightening energy is established…a reciprocating field of “positive vibe” is set up, that can have very progressive results. As person “A” uplifts person “B” with their spiritual intention, “B” is then better enabled to uplift “A” in turn. “A” can then offer even greater psychic aid to B, at which time B then “raises” the state of A even more, and so forth, without end. Two people can climb to high levels of consciousness together in this way, with the only limit being what their minds and bodies are prepared to handle. Add in a third person to this meditation and you’ve got a three-way reciprocating field, where A, B and C, all raise each others’ consciousness to potential degrees that are geometrically greater than two people alone. Four practitioners have an even greater effect and so forth, especially when all involved have sufficient self knowledge to wield intent with competence. Imagine what a hundred might accomplish, or even thousands, once they possessed enough skill to handle the tremendous energy and spiritual potential involved! . . Best of all, one can intend spiritual upliftment upon others to such a degree, and with such high intent, that they are inspired, (catalyzed may be a better word) to reach such states of consciousness as that of a Buddha or a Christ. Can this really be done, the reader may ask? Yes it can…if one person can attain such a level of consciousness as a Christ or a Buddha, then so too can others, (“you too can do as I”). In essence, a Christ or a Buddha is only a level of consciousness attained, (realized). A Christ then, is just a higher level of consciousness than what the ordinary person has cultivated. A Buddha is likewise not a different type of being than we, just one which has refined that innermost part of themselves to a degree most others have not. Furthermore, there is no logical reason whatsoever to think that two or more persons, with sufficient intent and self realization, cannot achieve such states of consciousness together. In fact, given the extraordinary benefits of reciprocating mutual intention, it should be EASIER to hold such high levels of consciousness in tandem, than it would be to hold them alone. What then might be the exemplary accomplishments of an association of Christs or Buddhas? What of an entire world composed of such spiritual Masters? . . When two good friends get together, especially after a long absence from one another, there’s a definite flow of positive feelings and intention which both enjoy. This is a reciprocating field of energy, awareness and intention, that enhances each person in a two-way fashion. But why stop at this level of, (usually) subconscious rapport? Why not acknowledge the fact of this Unified Field of interpersonal phenomena, and act upon it at a conscious level? Why not make such knowledge a spiritual practice? Why must human beings, (usually) take months if not years to develop such a rapport with one another, when they could simply decide upon good and spiritual will and intend it into place at a moments’ notice? . . When a child feels the mood of their parents at any given moment, they are deeply effected at a psychic level of being. [Children are inherently sensitive this way, and so too would adults be, if they would only focus upon their state of being at a conscious level.] There is clearly a strong rapport between parent and child, and for that matter between siblings, which no one can honestly deny. The same energy of consciousness also flows between pets and their human “owners”. So why must we, as a culture, go on denying that there is such a thing as psychic connections between people, animals and the environment at ALL TIMES, when in fact we are literally surrounded by examples of these in everyday life? When will we learn to harness this natural law of the group mind which is really the resonance of nervous systems, souls and mental energies? . . When a band takes the stage, they know when they’re “in the groove”, or in sports-talk, “in the zone”. It’s a felt thing of particle physics, which represents a real interplay of personal energies. It’s commonly known that mutual performance on stage is greatly enhanced through a cohesive mutual focus. It is this mutuality of focus that enables smooth group action. Accomplished performers are enabled to be their best through such rapport. Band members align with one another psychically whether they realize this fact or not, and it is through such alignment that they can bring forth their most brilliant performances. Such felt mutuality, (also known as “synergy”) is a combination of the consciousness of all component members into a great whole. That whole is truly greater still than the sum of its’ parts, (the group mind principle). Our own bodies are perfect examples of such cooperation at the cellular level…without group mind rapport the body immediately begins to die. With strong group mind morale at the cellular level on the other hand, we enjoy robust health and vigor. Likewise, the best teams in professional sports are those whose individual talents are synergistically combined via the group mind of the TEAM. Without a team consciousness, even the best of players can never realize their full potential of play, without cultivating a psychic at-one-ment with their teammates, whether they realize this fact or not. But why stop at the playing of fine music or winning team action, when considering the use of this knowledge of consciousness? Why not take this information to its’ very highest level of application, which is the mutual expansion of consciousness for the sake of spiritual benefit? . . Naturally, becoming proficient at psychically raising the consciousness of other people is a learned skill, just as is the raising of one’s own state. It takes considerable self knowledge to do well, and yet, even the beginner can render excellent effects. After all, we each know what it feels like to be in a friendship…the positive and uplifting feelings involved are common experience. Just by intentionally projecting high feelings to another by imagining that they are a trusted friend, is something even the novice can do with relative ease. Another avenue to take is to meditate together. Anyone can learn to meditate, and meditating together renders positive mutual effects, primarily because the meditational state is itself beneficial. When a person is in beneficial states of being, they psychically effect others in a resonantly beneficial fashion. Add to this natural effect an awareness of mutual resonance, (group mind feeling and intention) to meditation or picturing friendship together, and the psychic effects created for each other are multiplied many times over. Demonstrate this principle of natural law for yourself…try picturing someone you’re going to be around for the next hour as an incredibly strong, capable and super-positive person. In your mind, superimpose this image over the physical person you see with your eyes. Feel the truth of this projected intention as strongly as possible for added effect. Be persistent, and do this with unwavering focus for at least 15 minutes. Then notice how that person is somehow strengthened, vitalized and made more capable. Notice too, that upon repeated applications of this exercise, the subject person is made cumulatively stronger over time. [Hint; the best results will be noticed when the subject person is not distracted by engaging activities.} . . Some will inevitably argue that to project such benefit upon others without their knowledge, is an “invasion of privacy” or some such reasoning. But the fact of the matter is that each and every time we even casually think or feel something about another, we’re deeply influencing them. It is part of our nature as human beings to effect everyone around us…we’re all “psychic transceivers” that can never be turned completely off. We might as well accept this fact and DEAL with it intelligently. When you think the person can handle it, by all means tell them about this practice, and encourage them to do the same for you in return. It’s precisely when such a practice becomes mutual, that it begins to realize its’ higher potentials… . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Further suggested reading in the WMS Library on this subject; . “The Group Mind”, (GM) series . “The Perpetual Raising” series . The article; “Let Us Manifest Together” . . . . . . . . Re: Hey there from IDAHO: Mathew & all present now! - Matthew Webb . 7 Mar 2006 20:55 . #567 Dear Brenda, . . Thanks for your post on this important subject of group consciousness. I had not previously heard of the 7% figure in advertising, in terms of making a shift in public views, or in this case, desires. . . What you said about manifesting our intention is certainly true, and so are your thoughts on collective consciousness. I just posted an article on this subject here, written in the last few days, which speaks of how we can better harness this force we all possess, and which inter-personally effects us all every moment. . . You might also read the Group Mind series in the WMS Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest... . . Thoughts? Letter to the Dalai Lama - Matthew Webb . 14 Mar 2006 20:13 . #568 I'm posting this letter to the Dalai Lama here, more to preserve it than anything else. It's nothing new to this forum. But I needed a place to store it on the net, instead of just a disk carried to the library... comments are of course welcome. . . ***** . . March 15, 2006 . . To His Holiness the Dalai Lama, . . It is my duty to make a strong attempt to reach you, regardless of the very strong odds against this letter ever reaching your eyes. There is no real choice in this matter. It is a spiritual compulsion which prompts the writing of these facts. It is also far more than just my personal hope that these meager words will have the power to convey to you what must be conveyed. There is every probability that the entire course of human history, (and perhaps even all life on this planet) hangs upon the thread of a person such as yourself being able to See the importance of this message. . . Let me give you an example of what I mean by this. I read a quote from you recently to the effect that, “no one knows for certain what consciousness is”. As a matter of fact, most people in this modern age seem to assume that consciousness cannot be known. Yet, I can assure you that not only can consciousness be known, but that it’s exact essence is clearly known. . . Consciousness is composed of three elements. These elements are known as INTENT, AWARENESS AND ENERGY. Intent is the foremost among these, which guides the other two. Awareness provides a focusing agent for energy, and energy, (chi, ki, prana) then carries out what both intent and awareness direct. . . Within this simple basis of knowledge, there is contained such spiritual power and potential, that the entire course of human history could indeed be changed drastically for the better. I implore you, I beg you, to consider carefully this knowledge of all knowledge, this science of all sciences. It is none other than the greater master and self-knowledge of intent, awareness and energy, which would propel the human race toward the next great threshold of evolution on this world. There is literally no other focus or knowledge which can make that claim. Never in the entire written or un-written history of our race, has there been a more essential revelation than this. As you know, the primary basis for self is NOT thought, emotion, memory, ego or self image of any kind. The primary basis for self is consciousness itself, and this fact is the foundation for self realization and spiritual Mastery, such as what the Buddha expounded. But to go further than this would be to say that the human being is in fact, (as consciousness, atma or soul) intent, awareness and energy, and that within the greater mastery of these can indeed be found the shortest route to Mastery such as what the Buddha represented. . . Some may call these statements presumptuous. But I will not apologize for having such realizations as these, nor for bringing them forward to the world. I endeavor neither humility nor egotism, but rather, simple matter-of-factness. For in truth such realizations ARE a matter of fact and nothing more. . . The question now arises…will you hear the intent and content of this letter? Will you See the sweeping implications of this knowledge, and converse with me regarding the myriad details and subtleties which govern its’ use and Mastery? If a person such as yourself were to reveal this knowledge to others, they would listen…to me they will not. Given this, I must at least try to suggest an in-depth dialog between us regarding such matters, and to promote the necessity of conveying such knowledge to the world at large. Like you, I am dedicated to the expansion of consciousness and the self realization of all people. Let us find such time and common ground to speak of these matters, not so much for our own sake, but for the sake of the welfare of all life on this planet. . . Love and Clarity to you, my brother, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Founder, World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . . Re: Letter to the Dalai Lama - Brenda McCann . 16 Mar 2006 19:29 . #569 Dear Matthew, . . You address the Dalai Lama and you miss the fact that there are many of his stature right in front of you and from YOUR GENERATION of KNOWING to boot. LOL But, thankfully you did address *the Dalai Lama within all of us here and now* whether you realize that aspect of the consciousness, whom or which, WE ALL ARE or not. . . "Will you See the sweeping implications of this knowledge, and converse with me regarding the myriad details and subtleties which govern its’ use and Mastery?" . . That said, my answer with you in the consciousness we ALL ARE, is yes. . Please do begin the dialog now... . . There is one word meaning that I use to describe in English what my experience of the consciousness we all are, + that consciouness pool (I call it) which is currently outpicturing as the Earth Herself and all creatures within her including the ones we call human beings. I call it the love THE LOVE energy pulse that creates sustains and continually recreates all of creation (externalizing life forms in the densities of energy and information that we humans are equiped to be/experience relationship with. I call said densities, the *relationship of relativity* for short. . . There is another interesting aspect of consciousness US that you call 'awareness' that I would like to expand on from my own unique and direct experience. I have discovered that when I am awareness outside of or beyond this Earth vehicle/physical emotional mental & causal body (containing a pre-set agenda), whom I am while typing this message WITH you, I AM in a flow of THE LOVE that contains *no will* as we have it here in human Earth forms from the solar plexus down. I am refering to the expreience of us as and through our energy chakras which (if you are aware there also as your self) you know is the energy dynamic that in fact gives what we call LIFE (here and now) to all of our Earth bodies. . . over and your turn, . *because this dialog is started now and you will find there could be many who have much to add as it continues. . . Also I want to say that the WAY we change what is appearing at this moment as our collective reality = *relationship of life forms here and now* that we humans are aware of as EARTH, is....by impacting the Earth's causal body ITSELF = all of us incarnate right now through bodies. (= means equals) . . Mah Gii Kah Oui, . . "Our relationship Speaks" . . Brenda in Idaho USA Earth & Beyond... . aka Freo`7 . http://www.geocities.com/freo72003/stories/A_Healing_Clarification.html . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Re: Letter to the Dalai Lama - Matthew Webb . 16 Mar 2006 21:36 . #570 Dear Brenda, . . Your term, "consciousness pool" seems quite appropriate for what consciousness does. The pooling of people of similar vibration and intention into groups, and even interests, is one such example. As I'm sure you'll agree, we can all take advantage of this pooling effect, which physics sometimes describes as "resonance" to render good effects upon one another. . . Since you mentioned so many facets, and because this same conversation is going on in the Newslog area, (more or less) I'm going to post here what I'm saying there to save energy/time, as much as posible. Unfortunately I'm somewhat forced to do this because of limited library computer time...my apologies. . . I want to always bring such conversation back to specifics that are as concrete as possible, because I want there to be real understanding and practice, among as many as possible who read our discussions. So toward that end, I'm addressing clarity in this response, and how it can be progressively obtained.... . . ********* . . I’ve been considering what to suggest for the sake of mutual focus and perhaps, personal affirmation. Having been deeply involved for years in such practice with about a thousand people around the world, I found that significant psychic and spiritual results are usually obtained best through clear understanding of what is involved. In other words, I found that clarity and it’s mutual amplification is very key. So my first suggestion in this has to do with focusing upon clarity together, and to do that, we have to “be clear about clarity”, (no pun intended). . So let’s try some experimentation first, shall we? . ************** . Note that the following are five ways of saying exactly the same thing; . “Let that which looks rest within itself” . “Have awareness of awareness” . “May the soul contemplate its own nature” . “A/A=C, whereas, “A” is awareness and “C” is clarity” . “Meditate upon the Watcher within” . Please contemplate these five for at least 5-15 minutes. . I can only assure you that the surest way to gain greater and greater clarity, is to focus upon “awareness of awareness”. This does not mean clarity about any given subject…it means the progressive gaining of the state of consciousness, CLARITY ITSELF. . Hint; To focus properly on awareness of awareness, one first needs to isolate awareness. Awareness is that property of consciousness in each of us which “looks,” which is to say perceives. Start by shifting your awareness from sense to sense…first sight, then hearing, then touch, smell, taste and even how someone feels, (psychically) when they enter the room. Know that it is awareness which does this shifting from sense to sense, and yet it is none of then. . Upon isolating awareness itself, (rather than being distracted by what it reveals through the senses) it is THEN that one can cause it to focus instead upon itself. Have awareness of “that which looks”, or in other words, “awareness of awareness”. . Doing this will progressively increase one’s level of clarity, and even wisdom and intelligence! But don’t take my word for this, TRY IT patiently and earnestly. . Afterwards, lets’ talk about what happened, ok? . . Re: Letter to the Dalai Lama - Brenda McCann . 17 Mar 2006 07:40 . #571 So Matthew, . . Are you asking the Dalai Lama to do this experiment in awareness of awareness with you now so that he will exprience clarity? Or are you asking him to do it on his own and report bac` & discuss it with you ... . . YOU SAY: . "I’ve been considering what to suggest for the sake of 'mutual focus' and perhaps, personal affirmation. Having been deeply involved for years in such practice with about a thousand people around the world, I found that significant psychic and spiritual results are usually obtained best through clear understanding of what is involved. In other words, I found that clarity and it’s mutual amplification is very key. So my first suggestion in this has to do with focusing upon clarity together, and to do that, we have to “be clear about clarity”, (no pun intended). So let’s try some experimentation first, shall we?" . . I too have practiced as you suggest. I am a 3rd degree lama yoga. If you do not see (= think feel & experience = 'attune with' the awareness of all the Earth, as you or anyone perceives it from here through our bodies, as one big collective consensual time = resonance = agreement, albiet an unconscious one, I suggest you try coordinating all your energy chakras during any ritual = repeat able action of your choice, that works for you to coordinate each of your energy chakras from your highest vibrational frequency = your crown chakra that is uniquely you - and then slowing THAT frequency down to your root chakra that is uniquely Earth's energy = kundalini, and THEN just see = allow this awareness of yours to BE 'what it is', without a pre-conceived agenda and where it all is, K? *Trust me this is not an experiment that I suggest in this dialog with you. . . May I ask WHY you wish to *preserve words* that you write to the dalai lama? When, each day even the words you write are changed from the day be4 due to the existance of life ITSELF whose constant is movement here in the real relativity relationship. . . My awareness really does not know what you mean by: "I want to always bring such conversation back to 'specifics' that are as 'concrete' as possible" Are you saying that you want to converse through specifics that are lowest slowest vibrational frequencies possible through human? Or that specifics in this conversation should be the lowest slowest 'possible commonly (already) known denominator' in order to be 'real understanding and practice', among as many as possible who read our dialog? . . Mah Gii Kah Oui ~ "The relationship of life honors the awareness of relationship that all life is" . . I AM Dharma Lama . Brenda in Idaho USA Earth . http://freo72005.blogspot.com/ . . P.S. I am not talking about intensions above. . . I am talking about awareness of being aware of what is, how it is, where it is, and why it is 'as it is' by being 'with' it. . . Kind of like attending the sun & attending the leaf at Spring Solstice as it tilts with all the leaves on all trees that morning at sunrise. Or, by attending the ray mix in the sap of the tree on whose leaf you have focused your awareness. Who is the teacher? Is it the sun's rays to which the leaf tilts? Or is it that which is absorbed becoming the ray mix in the sap of the tree... And I ask you, is not the leaf giving purpose to the sun life just shining infinitely 'out there'? But who feeds the sun? The roots receiving the ray mix in the sap given by the leaf? No, because all the while the roots are busy absorbing nutrients from the Earth Herself to mix with that ray mix in the sap of the tree and thus to make another tree. And though the tree appears to be the same day after day for a thousand years is that appearance awareness? Or is it interpretation based in clarity? I would say that any real awareness is always flowing always adapting always changing in order to be continually attuned with whatever its environment is flowing adapting and changing, continually a rhythmic pulse continium of reciprocal creation. . --------------------------------------------- . . . . . . Re: Letter to the Dalai Lama - Matthew Webb . 17 Mar 2006 20:55 . #572 Dear Brenda, . . I sent that letter to the Dalai Lama, (again today, due to errors in formatting in the first sending) for two basic reasons. The first is that because it seems logical he can understand, (cognize) what I'm saying about consciousness, and second, because of his comment that "nobody knows for sure what consciousness is". The fact is, at least somebody knows for sure what consciousness is....it is intent, awareness and energy, and in that order of relevance. It can be confirmed through meditation, (especially meditation upon awareness of awareness) that these three are indeed the most irreducible components of what we essentially ARE. I haven't yet introduced the awareness of awareness focus as an agenda with the Dalai Lama, since he has not yet responded to my original letter. . . With regard to the reason for the clarity/awareness of awareness focus here on this forum at present, I made the following comment on my newslog to Blueboy; . . "The reason I decided upon this particular focus in response to your suggestion BB, is that this one aspect of consciousness expansion is usually the most overlooked, or at least underemphasized. The fact is too, that with greater and greater clarity, all of the other aspects of consciousness expansion, such as greater love, (vibration) and greater energy, (chi) can be accelerated in their progress by more awareness of awareness. " . . Although that is by no means an exhaustive reply as to why this focus is useful, it does begin to explain. . . I'd like to discuss awareness of awareness with you, as a truly "concrete and specific" focus, since it is that, and it does render the results I'm speaking of. Why the need for the concrete focus? Because such focus is greatly needed by any practitioner, so as to balance the investigation of concept, (mentally) with experiential wisdom.... . Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - rosalindrobin . 18 Mar 2006 18:05 . #573 . Yes, I've read the article on Truth as being the most dreaded and useful. . . I agree that many people flee from the Truth. . . They are afraid of what is truly so. . . The greatest facts before us however have not been mentioned. . . We, human beings have been created in such a way that we rule supreme on this earth. . . That's a fact. Meaning that a Truth that noone can deny. . . Next, man is also different from the rest of creation. Man is different from whatever else exists in this universe. . . It is common experience of everyone that in life, we are confronted with decisions where we need to choose between right and wrong. . . This happens to be a fact. . . Also, we have something embedded within us called Conscience which guides us to make the right decisions. . . These are all facts, and therefore these observations are true. And will always remain true. . . The questions that arise therefore...... . . Why is it that only man is faced with this dilemma of making choice? . . Man is the only creature who is endowed with the ability to reason to a very high degree. . . Furthermore, man is also created in such a way that each human being is a distinct individual, complete with unique face, fingerprints, DNA etc. . . This clearly points to a purpose that man was created to live in society. . . All these are true statements. And universal in nature. . . The burden of making the right choice involves responsibility. . . Which means man has a responsibility on his shoulders to make the right choice. . . And this is the reason why people flee from the Truth. . . They don't want to take responsibility for their actions. . . Re: Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful - Brenda McCann . 19 Mar 2006 03:32 . #574 "And this is the reason why people flee from the Truth. . . They don't want to take responsibility for their actions." . . SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . B in Idaho USA . . . Re: back at the the start WMS - Matthew Webb . 29 Mar 2006 19:50 . #576 Dear Tom, . . In answer to your question, the GGM Meditations are still going for those who wish to participate, but on a far more informal basis. I no longer do mailings to remind people of them.... . . Hsve you read the Perpetual Raising series? . . Sincerely, . Matthew . Re: back at the the start WMS - Germaine Duguet . 31 Mar 2006 04:48 . #577 I suppose I'll be able to find . I am interested in participating in a meditation for raising world consciousness as well as reading The Perpetual Raising which I suppose I'll be able to find in the archives. . I'm not quite sure how to join but in 10 days I should be able to find out. Re: Letter to the Dalai Lama - Matthew Webb . 6 Apr 2006 20:58 . #578 This is a follow-up on my previous post to the office of the Dalai Lama regarding consciousness. First is their last response, and then my reply as of today, April 6th. Some here may find this discussion useful, in the clarification of what consciousness is, and what the great implications of this knowledge really are…. . . ------- Original Message ------- . From : Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama[mailto:ohhdl@dalailama.com] . Sent : 4/3/2006 4:22:32 AM . To : visionquest@eoni.com . Cc : . Subject : RE: Matthew Webb . . 3 April 2006 . . visionquest@eoni.com . Matthew Webb . . Dear Matthew, . . I want to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 31 March 2006. . . Unfortunately, due to His Holiness the Dalai Lamas very busy schedule and owing to the overwhelming amount of correspondence he receives, he is unable to read and answer all the mail personally. I do hope that you will understand our situation. . . I recommended the book Mind in Tibetan Buddhism because I thought you would find the Buddhist presentation of consciousness interesting. In the Buddhist presentation consciousness and awareness are synonyms. Intention is described as a mental event that is a part of consciousness in the sense of it being of one nature. Energy is a bit harder to define, this would take a little more dialogue between yourself and a qualified Buddhist scholar to find a common understanding. . . According to the Prasangaka school of Buddhist tenets, the self is merely an imputation based on the psycho-physical aggregates of which consciousness and the mental events are a part. . . You can also read His Holinesss book The Universe in a Single Atom where he talks on length about consciousness. . . His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been tirelessly promoting a dialogue between neuroscientists and Buddhist scholars to try and forge mutual understanding of and respect of each others views in the hope of increasing our understanding of consciousness. If you want to become part of the debate, you can contact the Mind and Life Foundation, www.mindandlife.org, who organize conferences between scientists and Buddhist scholars, sometimes including His Holiness. . . If you want to discuss your ideas with a qualified Buddhist teacher, one of our overseas offices can help you get in touch with one. If you live in the USA you can contact the Office of Tibet in New York, our official representatives for North, Central and South America. A list of our other offices can be found at www.tibet.com. The address of the Office of Tibet, New York, is: . . The Office of Tibet . 241 East 32nd Street . New York, NY 10016 . U.S.A. . Tel: (1-212) 213-5010 . Fax: (1-212) 779-9245 . e-mail: otny@igc.org . web: www.tibetoffice.org . . All the best, . . Rinchen Dhondrub . . ************ . . Brother Rinchen, . . Thank you for your latest response, and the detail of your comments. Once again, I do not wish to presume unduly upon your time, or the time of the Dalai Lama, keeping in mind the considerable bulk of correspondence you must receive. However, I do not believe that the subject matter of our dialog thus far, (regarding the nature of consciousness) to be trivial, as I’m sure you will readily agree. If ever there were an important subject matter deserving our, and indeed all of humanity’s attention, it is the nature of consciousness which we all possess, at the most fundamental level of our being. Given this, I consider pursuing this matter with you worthwhile for all, regardless of circumstance. . . I asked you recently if the Dalai Lama did indeed receive my original 1-page letter, regarding the nature of consciousness. I take it from your diplomatic reply that he did not, and that as a matter of policy, he will not. In that letter I conveyed that consciousness is composed of three elements, intent, awareness and energy, and in that order of importance. I ask you this…if in fact consciousness IS quite literally and truly composed of intent awareness and energy, is it not in the best interests of the Dalai Lama to see this letter, and to potentially dialog regarding this revelation? If in fact you, (or others) do not know, “the exact nature of consciousness” can you say with certainly that it is not composed of these three? Is it truly the task of your office to not only screen out the vast bulk of correspondence He receives, but to “protect” him from “non-traditional” views? If in fact consciousness IS composed of intent, awareness and energy, do you think it wise not to convey this to his Holiness, keeping in mind that he said, “no one knows for sure what consciousness is”? Don’t you think he’ll want to know? . . The truth must be spoken. It compels the knower to reach out with its’ impetus to the world, and cause it’s value to be realized, just as Buddha, Christ and others, knew that they must convey their realizations to humanity. History shows that any revelation not in conformity to existing doctrines, has always received great resistance by the status quo. Non-orthodoxy in itself however, is no reason why a fact is made any less true. On the contrary, it is non-orthodoxy that has quite often caused the most sweeping and beneficial changes known to human kind. There was a time when Buddhism itself was considered unorthodox, but that did not make the value of self realization any less valid. I want to convey the fact to you and the Dalai Lama, that consciousness IS known in exact terms, and that these terms are verifiable by any person with an open mind and normal powers of observation. . . When the Dalai Lama made such statements as, “the exact nature of consciousness is not known”, (meaning that he doesn’t know either) does this imply to the world community of Buddhism, that in fact it CANNOT be known? Is the Dalai Lama considered all knowing and infallible, and what he does not know literally cannot EVER be known by anyone? Is it possible that Buddhist scholars and practitioners of all stations have missed something so essential, or should anyone who claims to know anything they don’t, be automatically dismissed as misguided or presumptuous? Is there nothing left for Buddhism to learn, or could it be that there is still TRUTH TO BE REALIZED AND APPLIED that is currently not generally cognized? . . Thank you for referring me to the book, Mind in Tibetan Buddhism, where awareness is considered synonymous with consciousness. I will seek that book out to better understand the official position on this. I must say however that awareness alone cannot be synonymous with consciousness, since awareness is not all that we are at our most fundamental level. What directs awareness from one subject/object to another, or indeed, one level of consciousness to another? That directing force is intent. You said the doctrine states that intent is a, “mental event” but in fact intent is not relegated to mind any more than it is relegated to thought, emotion or physical action. Even in a purely thought-less state of meditation, intent is still fully functional and has an independent existence. The “energy” I refer to as the third component of consciousness, is what both particle physics calls, “sub-atomic” energy, and what the East calls “prana”, “ki” and “chi”. Prana is basically sub-atomic energy. Awareness depends on this energy to function. . . You said, “According to the Prasangaka school of Buddhist tenets, the self is merely an imputation based on the psycho-physical aggregates of which consciousness and the mental events are a part”. Forgive me for saying this, brother, but doesn’t this sound rather convoluted, or in other words, “unnecessarily complex”? Here’s what I say….”the self is merely intent, awareness and energy”, (consciousness). Consciousness does not arise from mind or body, it is mind and body which arise from consciousness. This means consciousness is the base of all things. . . I do not say these things, by the way, as a matter of mental speculation or theorizing. I say these things as a matter of direct insight, (cognition if you will) regarding the nature of reality via meditation, and subsequent practical application. How is it, one may ask, that a person with no “credentials” could make such statements and receive revelations of any worth? “How did Buddha?” is my reply, as well as, “Anyone can realize these things for themselves”. What established doctrines did Buddha or Christ need to cognize their revelations? None. The problem with orthodoxy you see, (religion included) is that the majority of persons adhering to established ideas are followers not explorers. By definition a religious person is one who applies themselves to the status quo primarily because that is what is expected by tradition, regardless of the fact of whether or not the tradition is, in whole or in part, actually valid. By doing this the follower is hoping that no errors have been made in the long history of that tradition, and that nothing of fundamental merit has been overlooked. An explorer on the other hand, (such as a Buddha) is not interested in the established, scholastic doctrine for its’ own sake. The explorer does not consider what is written in books, (based upon other books, and further based upon other books before that) as implicitly meritorious as scholars are prompted to do. They are interested only in WHAT WORKS, and thus, they can See truth with a mind unfettered by the bias established by traditions. THIS is how I would explain the reason why I’ve Seen consciousness for what it is, and others have not. . . I also look forward to reading the book, The Universe in a Single Atom, and thank you for referring me to it, as well as for the invitation for participation in those debates between neuroscientists and Buddhism. Perhaps I will indeed join in. As for getting in touch with a Buddhist representative who would like to debate/discuss, please do refer me to whoever you think will follow through, in-depth. I’ve debated Buddhists before, and they all lasted for exactly one exchange of letters. . . I invite you to meditate upon these matters and see the nature of consciousness for yourself, without assuming it cannot be known. I trust that the content of this letter is received in the manner that it is intended, which is simply the revelation of truth and nothing more. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . . Re: Group Mind - Matthew Webb . 8 Apr 2006 22:11 . #579 Regarding such material as this article; Consciousness is the Key of Keys, (which speaks of mutual psychic effects and how we can both recognize and greatly enhance these) let's think about having real-time discussion(s). . . Let's schedule the first chat, for lack of more specific input, for noon Pacific Standard Time, on Tuesday, April 11th.; After that attempt we can do others as interest indicates..... . . Those interested should go to, "A Place to Chat" here in this Work Group area, and we can start at noon sharp of perhaps before. There's also another chat room here called, "Mutual Realization" which can serve as a more general chat at any time.... . . See you there! . . ************ . Discussing Reality - rosalindrobin . 9 Apr 2006 19:12 . #580 Hi there everyone! I was wondering if anyone would be interested in discussing reality. This materialistic world doesn't seem to be real. If so, what is real? How can we know what is real? Any ideas? Re: Discussing Reality - Diana Butler . 11 Apr 2006 06:16 . #581 . mppotterpo says . . I was thinking about a question someone ask me once asking "What is nothing" I thought that nothing must be everything, since it is no thing in particular. Then it has to be everything in order to be no thing. And nothing IS that is not God because God is "All That Is". . . So therefore if we are God, (and I believe that we are, only not God realized as yet,) . then we are all of us 'All That Is' as well. So we are physical all that is. We are also spiritual All THAT Is, yet we have no way of knowing too much about that since we are primarily focused in the physical expression. Physical can't describe spiritual in a physical way like an object. . . You remember the song, Row Row Row your Boat that ends up saying, "Life is but a dream".....That's it, we are God's dream and as dream characters we are experiencing for God in an unreal world, because it is after all, A Dream...... . . But it is a dream for a purpose. God is using us as experiencers into this physical world for we are but extensions of God's thoughts, much like the sun's rays which can not be separated from the sun are extensions of the sun, but they sure can look like many and varied expressions of sunlight. Yet they are all the SUN. . . So why would God want to experience this physical world that is not even real....I think that it is because of the qualities of Spirit that are developed in us by being in a physical body. This Earth is a very good place to be to learn things like patience, braveness, kindness, love, sharing....all words that have no physical body. They are just words you see. A person can be kind and do some kind service for another, but show me "kind". It has to be felt to know what "kind" is....And God being a Spirit is our own self discovering our special attributes.... . . It is like as if we were on a special ride like at a theme park. They make you think at CA. Adventure (a Disneyland place) that you are flying over a orange grove in a hang glider. You feel the breeze, you smell the orange trees (because they douse you in some orange spray. Your moving or so it seems because before you is a giant screen and it looks so real surrounding you that it makes you dizzy just to look at it as images on it pass by you. If someone made it even more a virtual reality, they would give you the sensations of maybe too much heat sometimes, pain in the body sometimes, cold, and many more of the things that our physical senses tell us about. But it would still be a ride at a theme park, not real, except while you are on the ride...you would think it was real if you did not know better. . . We are on the ride and all of the physical senses are alive and well on this ride because with them we are also learning because of them, more of those non physical spiritual attributes. . . Our biggest thing to learn on Earth is to be Unconditional Love. That is our main reason to be here I think. And if we are God, then we are one another. We are all like reflecting mirrors reflecting to each other different attributes that we can't know unless we are in a dualistic world. One thing can not be unless it's opposite is also. You know Jesus said to 'Love your Enemy'. Why, because you are your enemy. He or she is a fellow sunbeam all from the same SUN. What we do to others, or even think about others, is what we think about a part of our own self. So it makes no sense to hate anything, even any situation. . . Everything is thought born. Thoughts are real but you can not see a thought. Thoughts are what will get us out of the mess we have made in our world. WE have been too physical only, not knowing this Spiritual biggest part of ourselves, and have forgot that everything created is created out of our thoughts. We being spirit, being God, are creating like mad, zany creating machines. We call things like we see them with our physical eyes. This keeps them there, real to us in our physical unreal world...We energize things with our acknowledgement of it being whatever we see it as being. When Jesus said, "resist not evil". it was saying, Don't recognize it as a power because when you do that you are giving your power away to it, giving away the dominion of the earth. . . But not being God realized, we fail to call everything GOOD. "God looked at All that he had made and called it Good" it says in Genesis. But we don't. We call things good and bad. We are the Adam and Eve eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (which I think only means we as 'mankind' came into a dualistic world) and we forgot that things will be as we call them. . . What reality is IS more like to say that we are Energy...You know we are mostly empty space, just this tiny ether moving in circles so fast it gives the appearance of matter. And as Energy we travel in circles as all energy travels in spiraling circles. And as energy we can't really be destroyed for it is known that energy can not be destroyed. It can be transformed. We will meet what we put out there coming back to us. Our emotions are our "Energy, in motion". So if we keep on trying to destroy things, they just come back in another form maybe, sometimes multiple other forms, but they come back full circle and they will have to be dealt with by us. . . It is such a powerful thing to forgive, because then you can be forgiven. When you forgive you are really just forgiving yourself and then what appears to be a miracle can happen in This PHysical world. Forgiveness is an energy we can set in motion. . . I know of a woman named Anne Hughes, who I listened to a few times. She had an experience with St. Fransis of Assasi, being in his experience when he walked this Earth, actually traveling through time to his day and feeling all of his life, also Francis escorted her to another reality where Jesus and many other reside. She talked to Jesus. Not having been a real avid Bible reader, she did not know much about Jesus and she ask him, "I hear that you healed a lot of people". He said, "I did not heal anyone?" I never saw them as being anything but perfect. He knew how they thought of themselves as maimed or blind, but he would not share their vision of themselves and his true belief of their true condition healed them. . . We are God but God is not us in this sense. Just as Victory Records is not the music that is played on the records, so is God not us. God animates us and lives within us doing what we do in the physical unreal world. Yet God is not us.....God is a state of balance.... a zero.... a nothing....from which all power springs. If you know the lever and the fulcrum, you can see this. The lever can lift huge weights but the power to lift the heavy weights in not in the level. It is in the fulcrum. The place of rest. You have to find that place in order to exert movement but the place of rest does not move. It centers us and yet it is not us.....Yet it is US when we realize it to be. We are a part and not apart. We are part of the whole and whole of the part. . . Spiritual understanding of this means that balance in our our doings, is the best way to be God realized. We have to see that the unreal world is good and only good. Because we, the God US will balance everything in our life to get to that perfect zero, place of rest from which all POWER extends. I think if we ever get to that place of rest, then God really begins living in our lives to the place where we are very very happy and content with whatever IS. . . Some people never get there because of being caught up in the illusion knowing IT as the only power, when really it has not power except what we believe it to have. And churches teach a God who has emotions like a physical man, anger, jealousy, sadness.....BUT Thats not the REAL GOD. . . This is why Christian people, thinking of God like this, can feel it is o.k. to hate, kill, judge, punish, and harm others or the earth.... all things that keep their spirits from growing into God realization. When "time" (which is a construct) is NO MORE. Guess what. there will be no hear and there, you or me, yesterday or tomorrow. We will be truly ONE. Time creates somewhere else, and a you and a me and the time it takes to get from me to you if we travel by car or plane. But if we ever get to realize that we are ONE, we can be anywhere, have anything, do anything. ' . . If anyone ever has done something once, then it is doable. Well, Jesus walked on water. We can do that to. We can multiply the bread, raize the dead, raize our own body from the grave. We can walk in a firey furnace as the three men in the Old Testament supposedly did. We don't have to be subject to the powers that be in this unreal world, except we are because we have not been able to get ourselves out of our thoughts one nano second. Some people may have done this, but few.... I think. . . So it is a wonderful thing to want to understand about the unreal world. I have typed up all the words from a book called, The Secret of Light, typed them into a file on my computer. I have learned so much from that book about WHAT IS GOD and WHO AM I. I think of it as like "my Bible". for it is an experience of a man called Walter Russell who had a mountaintop experience with GOD. Russell is known as "the man who tapped into the Universe".....God gave many words but said that three words perfectly describe God if you wanted to do it with only three words. They would be RYTHMATIC, BALANCED, INTERCHANGE. . . My biggest inquiry would be to understand Energy and the laws that govern energy.... . Evil, both good and necessary - Diana Butler . 11 Apr 2006 07:01 . #582 I would like to address this group with a hard question.....It is.....Do you believe that evil is both good and necessary? . a long poem - Diana Butler . 11 Apr 2006 07:14 . #583 I was inspired by a song sung on a kid's show with a puppet "Lambchops" and Sherry singing the "Song that Never ends" and it would go on and on forever until all the little puppets were at their wits end to have it end.........I call this . . THE POEM THAT NEVER ENDS . . (There is a message in it concerning what we all do a lot.....myself included.) . . . . . The Poem that Never Ends . . This is a poem that never ends . It just goes on and on my friend . One day I started writing it . Not knowing what it was . And I continued writing it forever just because.... . . . I know you want this poem to end . For it to not begin again . And I’m going to end it soon . the message to ensue . Will show you that your acting out . a cycle like this too . . For so many do complain . Talk about their grief and pain . We’ve been talking about it now . Since day one did begin . For when we spilt the cell in two . We started saying me and you . . Mine and Thine became our theme . And mine, not thine, we echoed too . It happens each and every time . when we got into fear . The fear you see became control . Saying things would make them so . . So we began then to create . And we created with our fear . Thinking that there was a you and me . Our oneness disappeared . Until our fears piled up so high . We forgot our descent from the sky . . Pretty much we were earth bound . And we keep going round and round . We didn’t realize that with our words we could create . So when we put our brother down . Those words we said, they would rebound . . You know that fear turns into hate . And yes with hate we could create . We had thought that we were only . Trying to survive . And so we thought of many ways . In order to provide . . Security became our quest . And so we started to devise . There were oh so many things . Our minds were cooking up . The fun we had, the terror too . the dramas then that would ensue . . We came into a time of fear . Cause we no longer knew our place . Had been to be a God descended from above . We didn’t know our mission here . Was to become the love . . We wanted only to survive . And many times in order to . We would take from others what they were . Holding in their hand . We forgot that our purpose here . was to serve our fellow man . . So we started to complain . About all the grief and pain . And our talking about the things our eyes would look upon . Made things not change . Our words you see . Were creating our reality . . So I am writing this long poem . It’s my way to make it plain . To get a lot of us to just start looking at our thoughts . The way you know to get control . Is to lose the fear but then you know . . . It won’t happen if we allow . Ourselves to be chocked up with fear . And recounting all the things we see as being bad . The telling of it ore and ore . It’s such a pain, it’s such a chore . . To talk about them is just like . this poem that goes forever on . Forever we could talk about . the things we’re calling wrong . Until we finally realized it’s taking way to long . . So I have made a long long poem . To show you of our father’s plan . Not to call the things we see for that’s not the way of God . For we can call what is not . just as though it were . . And you know what we can say . “My words will not return unto me void . But they will go out there . to accomplish all my will” . I call it done . I call it good . And I call it in the name of me . . For we are Gods you see . No need to call it blasphemy . In his image we were made, we are creators too . Our words you see . They are the key . to changing our reality . . So we must watch that little tongue . For it is set on fire of hell . For the hell we make, we’re living in it now . and we can made another choice . That’s what we’re here to do . . We will have heaven on earth . We are here to bring the birth . For we are the sons of God, the world is waiting for . We’re bringing light and light is truth . And truth is love . . Unconditional love . . Unconditional love we have . We don’t call things good or bad . We have no rules to make you follow . Nor forms of control . We won’t possess . We won’t dictate . We’ll show you how to . give up the hate . . You know sweet Earth’s evolving too . And though the workers may be few . You see it only takes a few you know . To get it done so all will know . And we can have heaven below . . When we learn just how to walk . When we finally walk our talk . We’ve been going round and round you see . But now it’s time for mastery . And it begins with you and me . . So let it all begin with you . You know your heart knows what to do . We’ve been playing round and round with this . But there is waiting so much bliss . Only listen to your feelings now . . Don’t try to intellectualize . Don’t only look with physical eyes . For the spirit wants to move in you . Mother Earth is pushing though . She needs the help that comes from you . . . And now the world is speeding up . For kindergarten school is through . The bell has rang for all to hear . The message we make clear . We’re proud to say, no more delay . The end is near, the end is near . . Now we are going to graduate . . We’re going to lift our banners high . And embrace the joy and all is well . There is no devil, there is no hell . There is only God . And God is love . . And the complaining all will end . And then my poem will dissipate . The fear that’s given us such hell on earth . Recognizes now the light . There’s no more fear, there’s no more night. . . And the gates are opened wide . There’s no place for fear to hide . And everyone will say . I need no belief . I know I’m love, unconditional love . God has descended from above . . We have risen up to meet . Our resurrection is complete . Now as below, so up above . The world is filled with so much love . Of which there is no end . . Oh yes there’s more of this to come . But for now the poem is done............. . . Oh, About time Re: Discussing Reality - Lisa Lambert . 11 Apr 2006 23:17 . #584 One can know what is real through meditation, logic and focus on Truth. . . It's quite obvious that the materialisitic world is arbitrary and made up to suit the needs of Beings that have lost their connection to Nature and their own souls. . . Here we are on Raising the World Mind bulletin board with a whole library full of articles (on the World Mind Society website) that tells us what is real and how we can "know" and "see" this for ourselves. Why don't we talk of such things? . . Rishi has written that our consciousness is made up of 3 elements. Intention, Awareness and Energy. I have seen this in meditation myself. We are not our thought, beliefs, minds, bodies, titles etc. We ARE energy, awareness and intent. If we all lived this truth, it would be a different world. . . Now that is reality!! . . *************************** . Re: back at the the start WMS - Janet Unruh . 13 Apr 2006 03:46 . #585 My husband and I would also like to know how to join a group in Portland, OR. We read everything in the library. Searched with Google. Is there a WMS group in Portland? How can we open the eyes of the populace? - Gabriel Guevara . 22 Apr 2006 01:30 . #586 I already posted this message in "a place to chat" responding to Rishi and Spells, but I have the feeling more people read this section so I am re-posting it here :) . . ---------- . . I've been thinking about HOW to educate the general populace. The problem is that these ideas are world-shattering for many people and wander into the realm of "quackery". How can we bridge that gap? . . My personal encounters on this topic have varied, and I will try and relate what I can. One friend of mine I have talked to about these things and I get the feeling that he is struggling with these world problems just as I am, however he is in school and must continue on his path. He rides a bicycle everywhere or takes the train, but he is locked into society by choosing the path of a doctor. I have had little problem talking to him about raising consciousness and the tangent topics this brings. . . Next I have two friends I would not hesitate to call my best friends. One grew up a Christian and we would talk till all hours of the morning about the world. After going through college and becoming better educated he has dropped much of the Christian dogma yet still retains the aspects of God, etc. I have found him also rather open to these topics as they require education (to determine truth from bullshit) and spiritual openness. My other best friend comes more from a strictly scientific viewpoint. He is the person that requires proof and logic before seriously discussing anything. He knows what he knows and is very closed to spiritual matters (as spirituality is usually the realm of christian dogma or new-age quacks). It is his arrogance in "looking up the facts" that really restricts his viewpoint since he is not willing to even open up to the possibility. I have admitted to the same bias, however I have kept a more open mind. When I began to read the WMS archives I found some of it interesting but a lot of it was a little bit "out there" to take seriously, however with my own experience and more readings I fully opened myself to the possibility of psychic effects, etc. My friend reads about "psychic phenomena" and turns off and tunes out, satisfied that science has debunked all such nonsense already. . . Finally there are my limited experiences with the "general public" which have almost never gone well. People are interested, but after high school most people form every one of their beliefs according to the standard of society and anything different is threatening in some (to me) baffling way. Most often these topics are so far from people's normal routine so that it is like learning how to swim for the first time EVERY time. I have had little success with these people except to use science (the new standard) against them!! . . So here are the types of reactions I have encountered and they seem pretty comprehensive. First you have people who are truly interested in listening, next you have people who are interested but what they hear crosses lines they have already drawn, and finally you have people who are not much interested and nearly everything not only crosses lines but goes a bit farther than they even IMAGINED possible (scary). . . I bring all of this up because on a larger scale you can not simply tell people to read this or that, or do this or that. People will have various problems not easily addressed by one explanation, and I guarantee that there will be questions not covered. So how can we break through to these people? That is why I asked people what specific problems they've had because hearing how they solved them or are dealing with them can be very helpful. Hindsight is 20/20 and it is easy to forget how hard the situation was in the first place. . . I mentioned using science against people when discussing consciousness and spirituality because so far that is my only method of opening the door. Science truly has become the new-age religion with quantum mechanics giving credibility to some of the more outrageous claims even though scientists usually claim their work is devoid of spiritual concerns. However, science has built up a strong record of reliability making it the best explanation of how the universe operates, so it is very difficult to argue with scientific conclusions. The key here is the word "operates" because science tells us HOW things work but not WHY. Why does life exist? No biologist can point to a part of the brain and say "that's you right there, without that you are nothing". No scientist can even tell you HOW you make choices! What is the mechanism that tells a neuron to send a signal?? Anyway, pointing out the shortfalls of science is helpful, but also some of the more important discoveries of science are unknown to most people. Relativity can be helpful by showing people that common sense can easily fly out the window (along with most of their assumptions), and try thinking about "time". What is the future, what is the past, how do we define it? Because that is all it is... a human definition to help explain change. . . So how have you managed to reach people? How did you open their eyes? Re: Evil, both good and necessary - Gabriel Guevara . 22 Apr 2006 01:56 . #587 . . I've given this idea much thought. The problem with this question is it largely depends on how you wish to define "good and evil". Situations vary and personal reasons vary so that it can become hard to make firm definition. Personally I've come to the conclusion that there is no good or evil except for human definitions. Any duality springs from a singularity which has the option of proceeding in two different manners. Since the matter in the universe all came from a small point (the big bang) it is irrelevant whether that matter is shaped like a human being or dirt on Earth. If "evil" is destruction, then that destruction will only pave the way for a new life to grow. The best definition I read was somewhere on this site I think, and it said that good is the expansion of consciousness while evil is the lowering of consciousness. Which you prefer is a matter of opinion. . . This debate is similar to asking if protons and electrons are both necessary. They both exist and make up this universe so don't worry which is better. . . Personally I choose the expansion of consciousness as the ultimate goal of humanity and so I do my best to do everything for "the greater good" or "ultimate expansion". Sometimes destruction is necessary, most times it is not. Finally I will say that the energy of destruction is very powerful on the short term but is balanced over time by the force of life building back up. Good and Evil are just terms to help people act for the greater good when they are too ignorant to figure it out for themselves. . Only the Truth will Prevail (all else is hopeless) - Matthew Webb . 22 Apr 2006 18:50 . #588 Dear Gabriel, . . Thank you for your thoughtful post. In answer to your question about "how to reach people" we have indeed tried various techniques, subject matters and tones. In this latest attempt, sheer, unbridled honesty is the technique. This article is being posted all over the internet and sent to thousands of people via e-mail. We shall see if in fact it accomplishes its' aims.... . . *********** . . Only the Truth Will Prevail . (All Else is Hopeless) . . Just one hour of your time is a small “sacrifice” to realize the information herein…the saving of the world hinges squarely upon it. I guarantee that nothing like this has ever been written before, and rarely has such honesty been available to the modern world. . . I’m going to pass along something to you today about modern Homo Sapiens, which is completely bizarre, totally absurd and almost unbelievable. It’s something that nobody ever DARES to talk about, which is part of the reason why I MUST tell it to you, dear reader, in full. No one else it seems, is up to the task. None of those who speak of, “love and light” without even so much as defining their words, can come to grips with this. What I’m going to show you in no uncertain terms, is potentially the most terrifying fact about the modern world. It is far more dangerous than the threat of nuclear war, more destructive than pollution, more outrageous than the lies told in political speeches and far more dangerous than any plague. The World Mind Society does not make excuses, nor does it tell pretty lies. . . I do not bring your attention to these facts because I enjoy doing so. However, the need to respect and honor the truth is indispensable. It is our spiritual duty to tell the truth in the fullest measure possible, regardless of who likes or doesn’t like it. I fully expect to be sieged by angry letters saying, “take me off your list” and, “who do you think you are” etc, but before you read any further, understand that I do not say such things to anyone out of a desire to win popularity contests. Popularity is NOT the desire of the spiritual person….truth-telling is. There is nothing, “more loving” than telling the truth even when it hurts, because in the end there is nothing of greater benefit. What I offer next may be likened to a pocket-mirror for society, enabling a bit of well needed self-reflection… . . The dreaded subject matter of this mailing is the insanity of the modern world. How do I know the majority of human beings have gone insane? I know this, as does any person who has the iron to be honest about the modern condition, because of the OBVIOUS and widespread denial of truth, everywhere to be seen today. What follows is a sample of internet chat-room conversations I’ve had with countless people, demonstrating this point without a single doubt. When you read this transcript you may well find yourself incredulous. You may ask yourself, “How is it possible for people to be so stupid?”, or you may ask, “Is this a REAL conversation, or did he make this whole thing up?” As for the latter question, I swear in all honesty that this represents a REAL conversation had very recently on the internet, (my comments appear as “#261” in bold red). The conversation has been slightly edited for the sake of brevity, (non-related comments taken out) and readability, (punctuated, and clarified). Beyond these simple corrections, what follows is a REAL conversation, believe it or not, regarding truth. Educators will be horrified to note that this conversation is by no means unique, and that science, as well as the fascination with knowing the truth, is truly dead amongst the general public. Once again, I cannot emphasize completely enough that the chat which follows represents the nearly UNIFORM reaction of most people when presented with the word “truth”. For 6 years, EACH AND EVERY TIME I’ve entered any chat-room to discuss truth, such points as the following are ALWAYS brought forward, proving the complete insanity of the modern condition; . . 1) there is no truth, (and therefore no such thing as a lie, either) . 2) there is truth, but it is, “relative” or “subjective”, as in, “my truth” and “your truth” . 3) there is truth, but it can NEVER be known by human beings . 4) the truth is constantly changing, so there’s no point in trying to understand it . 5) the truth needs human observers to exist…what we don’t observe doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter . 6) truth is defined as whatever the majority believes, (if everyone believes the Earth is flat, then that makes it flat….there is no such thing as evidence, reasoning or logic) . 7) the truth is whatever we want to make up at any given time, with no explanation needed, (this is our right as, “centers of the universe”) . . I ask that the reader be patient and examine carefully this rather long conversation. Without doing this you will not get the full and rather unsavory flavor of the mass insanity which now grips our world. And without coming to grips with this insanity, (which at least 99 out of 100 persons is afflicted) how can you ever hope to really aid the human condition? Please read this conversation from beginning to end, to understand just how deep and pervasive the mental illnesss I’m speaking of has gone, and the lengths to which the average person will go to deny reality. If you are prompted to write me complaining about this e-mail, I’ll first ask if you carefully read the entire text of this article. If you say, “no” then I will not discuss the matter further until you do so, since you simply cannot understand the source of my statements about the public, without reading its’ entirety. Please note my concluding comments after the below transcript. . . “If ever there was a concise, accurate definition of insanity, it is simply this; “the denial of truth”…. . . //////////////////////// . . When I first entered the chat room on Deoxy.org on this occasion, I witnessed the usual babbling, (which is the hallmark of ANY modern chat room, and most forums). [Anyone can come into this chatroom without registration, and are automatically assigned a 3 digit number if they are not registered] At that time they were talking about cereals… . . Mr_Spliff > A lot of talk about philosophy and none of it ever goes anywhere, we only go in circles so why not talk about breakfast cereal . #261> I can see how people here could easily get bored with philosophy, and readily discuss cereal all day long, and other equally important subjects, ( yes, that was sarcasm). May I suggest a reason why, "we only go in circles"? . eztigger please. . night_scanner I think we also zig-zag . #506> I like real cereals, preferably the ones w/ granola & dried fruit- don't like any of that puffy breakfast candy most cereals are greatly overpriced for what they are . Mr_Spliff 261 yes, yes, there is much to talk about but that’s all we can do is talk, talk with our words. and that gets us no where, hence we go in circles cuz words suck, people lie, people hide intent bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla . #261> Mr---Splifff, may I suggest a reason why, "we only go in circles"? . Mr_Spliff go ahead lets hear it . #261> yes, people lie, hide their intent etc. but that is not the fault of words, words are tools and tools are only as good as those who use them. These forums “go in circles” because nobody really cares about the truth; truth is not why they’re here. People are on forums to go into mental oblivion, to distract themselves and do ANYTHING to avoid the truth . 518 it’s not the word that matters but the meaning behind the word. People are scared of the important topics 261,and dont want to solve the facts of life . #261> if even two people REALLY cared about an in-depth, meaningful discussion here, then they could easily have one that actually MATTERED /good point 518, and I know why that is . 518> so they can hoard money or don’t want things to change . Mr_Spliff look I care, TRUST me on that, I’ve gone threw all this philosophy junk, metaphysics junk, and its all good and meaningful and matters a whole lot, but right now, in my life, I’m just trying to be happy, and that’s it, I can never know the meaning of life, I can never know truth, for truth in itself is a lie . #261> 518..right, and because if you start talking about what is really important in life, (not money/possessions) then that shows people they are wasting their lives There is NOTHING which terrifies people more than truth . Mr_Spliff and talking about cereal once in awhile tends to brighten my day . 518 yea 261, most are insecure about themselves . eztigger> spliff if you refer to philosophy and metaphysics as 'junk' it's pretty obvious you weren't to thorough in your 'going through' . #261> MrS...do you realize how common that belief has become...there is no truth, or that it can't be known?> . 518> the search for truth is good, sure many don’t find it but sometimes the journey is more important then the destination. . Mr_Spliff yes I refer to it as junk cuz that all anything is, and if your gonna make a conclusion about how far I’ve gone in my thinking cuz I used a word, OMG . #261> I pose this thought to you...that the whole crux of the problems in the modern world stem from such beliefs as "there is no truth" or that, "truth can't be known" . 518> stems from more then that 261 . eztigger agrees with 261 . #261> truth is all that ever did, or ever will make any difference or have any meaning . Mr_Spliff but what I mean is that there is always more, more truth to find more truer truth, that there is no end to it that your always here, in the middle of it all, and that’s just it, if there is more truth, then you never knew truth . #261> I mean, when you think about it, the whole international mess, religious fallacies, politics, corruption, mass death, are all for the lack of truth and its' application . #261> MrS...your argument is like saying that there's no reason to learn mathematics because there's algebra beyond simple addition and subtraction . Mr_Spliff the thing is, is that truth is a word, REALITY IS NOT TRUTH because reality is not a word, truth is not a word, all I know are words its what I got and I don’t got shit . Nemo_Lotus> who knows what truth is . Mr_Spliff exactly my point . Nemo_Lotus> is the sun a big ball of fire, or is it the angels coming together to sing? . #261> and also, just because we don't know everything is not a reason to say we know nothing. Let’s not deny what we DO know and pretend that reality doesn’t exist, just because we prefer not to take responsibility for it. . Mr_Spliff no human will ever KNOW truth . #261> Mr Spliff...true or false...2+2=4 ?? and if so, I just proved that at least some truth can and is known . Nemo_Lotus> perhaps truth only exists cause there are humans who want to inquire about it, but to reach a state of the absolute truth you would at least temporarily lose your human form, not sure . 518> Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been; or shall be. . #261> can we say that 2+2=4? . Mr_Spliff but how can we know anything if were are just trapped in this fleshy cage, experiencing everything indirectly, always needing a middleman to tell us what’s there . #261> can we also say that that plants grow better with their branches up, rather than in the ground? . Mr_Spliff yes we can 'say' that.. but we could also say that 6+6=1 . 518> I’m listening 261, ye should make a user name . #261> because if we CAN say that with certainty, then we know something about truth, don't we? And given this, we’re RESPONSIBLE for that knowledge aren’t we? . Nemo_Lotus> Crowley has an excellent report on numbers and metaphysics but 6 + 6 = 1 is not true : ) . Mr_Spliff yes it is nemo . #261> we can say with certainty that we need to breathe, that the body runs by virtue of certain natural laws, and that nature does the same, correct? . Mr_Spliff > 6+6=1 foot but can we say we are even here, can we even say anything . 518> I dunno 261, people have kept going even though they haven’t had water for a week . Mr_Spliff its all a mystery, and I want it to stay that way . #261> 518, people have lasted without water for a week yes, but not for two months . #261> MrS...I think that's the real point in such statements...you and others don't WANT there to be such a thing as truth. It's not that you can honestly argue that there is no such thing, or that it can't be known, it's that you and others would rather deny the fact, to avoid responsibility for it. . Nemo_Lotus I don't mind if there isn't a truth why does there have to be a truth? . Mr_Spliff what I’m saying, is that in my present condition (and yours) we will never know the ultimate truth, that is the only truth I have. . OctopusDancer Truth is relative. To have something be true, you must have something be false. . 518 how can there not be nemo? . Mr_Spliff listen if your comparing me to organized religion and shit don’t, they sell truth, they want us to believe in ultimate truth, cuz that’s what they sell, god, that’s what they call truth . #261> Nemo...why does there have to be a truth? Because the universe as we know it would be pure chaos if there were no consistency or organizing laws to govern both body and universe. We’re it not for truth, (natural laws) your heart wouldn’t pump, you wouldn’t be able to digest food, and your tissues would die. . Nemo_Lotus> it is pure chaos . 518> yea to find truth you must compare something . Nemo_Lotus> i assumed everyone on deoxy knew that. I dont know how anyone could think reality wasn't chaos . #261> MrS...the fact that some peddle falsehood in the name of truth, does not make the truth any less true Chaos means the lack of order, meaning that if reality were nothing but chaos, crystals, neurons, molecules, (including your own DNA) couldn’t exist. These structures and countless others prove that ORDER is the governing force of life. . 518> there’s order in that chaos nemo . Nemo_Lotus> they have a whole science of that called chaos magic. I didn't say there wasn't 518! . #261> nemo...if reality is pure chaos, then how do these computers function that we're typing on? . Nemo_Lotus> you know I’m smart enough to know order comes out of repeating chaotic patterns. . 518> you said "pure" chaos nemo, thought something else . Mr_Spliff there is always greater order to chaos, Is it random when a rain drop hits your tongue? . Nemo_Lotus> through consistent patterns of chaos . Wordslinger> chaotically, at best...hehe . #261> how do light bulbs work, internal combustion engines work, or hydro-electric power get generated, if there is no truth? All these function by virtue of natural, observable laws, not because of total chaos. . Nemo_Lotus> exactly spliff . 518> laws which may be chaos doing things over again . . #261> Is an electromagnetic field chaos? Do the tides, “just happen” or are they result of the gravitational influence of the moon? Is the operation of the brain chaos, or does it function by virtue of knowable laws and principles? . Mr_Spliff I don’t believe in chaos, I believe in order, I believe there is "truth" just not a truth a "human" can ever understand . #261> you people ever heard of science? Ever heard of biology, earth science, physics, astronomy, chemistry? . 518 science has been proven wrong over and over . 261, yes, science has been proven wrong, as well as correct, over and over again, and mostly because it continues to question itself and refine our knowledge. Religion can’t make that claim, and neither can consumerism. . Mr_Spliff truth is a lie, a fallacy. and that’s why it’s science I don’t think truth is the right "word" here, and that’s what I mean about going in circles . #261> MrS...if we can't know truth and science is a lie, then how did engineers build these computers we're on? . #261> "science" is another way of saying, "knowing truth through various disciplines of reasoning" . Mr_Spliff trust me 261, been there, fucked that . Wordslinger> "reality" is observable and repeatable . 518> and it is not always found or known . Wordslinger> "truth" is in the eye of the beholder...hehe . Mr_Spliff exactly, word . #261> besides, when you say "truth is a lie" are you saying that is the truth? . Wordslinger> are you going to believe the mirror or your own eyes????...hehe . Mr_Spliff there is no absolute truth . 518> a paradox 261 . Mr_Spliff truth is a fallacy in itself . #261> can you see the absurdity in such an argument? . Mr_Spliff yes, and that’s the problem, you don’t see the absurdity. . Wordslinger> ok, 261, i will concede that there is as much chaos as order....and that's the truth....hehe . #261> by your reasoning, if there is no such thing as truth, then saying truth is a lie is also a lie. Also by your reasoning, if there is no truth then there is no such thing as a lie, up is down, love is hatred, war for profit or fun is good, the stars we see in the evening are just pinholes in the black cloth of night, Santa Claus knows who’s been naughty or nice….with that thinking we’re back in the caves where we started. . Mr_Spliff> yes truth and lie are just the same thing separated by us its relative, all is relative, even truth . #261> So then, what is the purpose of forensics in legal inquiries? If a man runs over another while he's drunk, and then goes to court saying, "there is no truth" (regardless of the fact of leaving behind a body in the street) what do you suppose the judge will say? . 518> well 261, if spliff and slinga are right, (assuming they are) then others don’t have to believe it . your still arguing over truth? that can never be won . Mr_Spliff you see to a Christian truth is that there is a man in the clouds who created this planet and is our father bla bla bla, to a physicist truth is that there are particles, multi-verses, to a Taoist truth is bla bla bla, TRUTH IS A WORD and that’s the honest truth . #261> Do you suppose the judge will say, well. that's your truth, and you are dismissed, or will he want the evidence examined…the skid marks on the road, the body, the blood on the bumper? . 518> well no 261, because he believes there is a truth . Mr_Spliff FUCK THE JUDGE MAN . Nemo_Lotus> I think there is enough evidence to know there isn't an absolute truth. This is ridiculous . #261> to say that the man didn't really run over the other would be a lie, wouldn't it? . #567> truth isn't a word, it is a sword . Mr_Spliff truth is like clay, it can be anything even a lie . #261> and the truth would be that the driver did it when he was drunk, wouldn't it? . Mr_Spliff hence I don’t believe in truth . Nemo_Lotus> I don't think the universe operates in the same manner though . <518> but the judge doesn’t care . #261> and that the facts and fictions of the matter can be determined through investigation, right? . #261> that is the whole purpose, (ideally) of the scientific method...to determine what is fact and what is fiction, based upon evidence and experimentation . Mr_Spliff> BUT to the drunk mother fucker he ran over a dog, not a man, and that’s his truth, the judge will sentence him to what ever, and the drunk will be like, “Fucking judge screwed me over all because of a damn dog” . Nemo_Lotus> But what about scientific truths which later become fact, but were once thought to not ever exist like computers! . Mr_Spliff> that’s the drunks truth, go ahead try and convince him he’s wrong, hell attack you, like you attacking me . #261> to say that we can know nothing is like saying we don't have eyes to see, ears to hears or brains to think with. To deny there is such a thing as “evidence” is to deny the obvious reality which surrounds us. . Nemo_Lotus> of course we know some things, very little though. . Mr_Spliff> truth is what we all agree upon, if we all agreed it was a dog, and science says it was just a dog, what’s the truth? . #261 The TRUTH would be that a drunk man ran over another in the street, as evidenced by a dead body, skid marks and blood on the bumper…not a dead DOG in the street, a dead MAN….that isn’t hard to understand! . 518> as I said science has been wrong before . #261> you ever studied biology or earth science. MrS? How are the facts changed simply because of what we may or may not agree on? Let’s say a volcano erupts in the ocean, and that is an observable fact. This fact isn’t changed just because we or others don't agree that it did, our “views” on the matter wouldn’t change the fact that molten lava appeared from the sea floor, or that steam rose up from the waters… the fact is it DID erupt, like it or not . Mr_Spliff> I’m just trying to show you that truth is just a word, and tomorrow the word of the day changes . Wordslinger> well said, spliff . Nemo_Lotus> 261 your an idiot… biology changes all the time. . Mr_Spliff but what if volcanos don’t exist, they do today, cuz we say so . 518> nice spliff, can I quote that? . #261> everything I've said to you proves that truth is much more than a word, it exists regardless of my views or even your views/ nemo...really?...the function of a mitochondria in cells changes all the time? Your DNA changes to that of a plant all the time...? Do you mutate on a daily basis? Can you digest arsenic as readily as soybeans? If not, then you'll have to admit that there is such a thing as truth and that it CAN be known . #257> truth is a concept that cant be proved or disproved ey? . Mr_Spliff I have a question. Have you ever fucked yourself 261? please no offense its a real question. . Wordslinger> arsenic tofu, now there's an idea for the health nuts who want to end it all....hehe . Mr_Spliff have you ever had a sexual dream and fucked a person of the opposite sex? . #261> ok, if so, then let's do an experiment. You eat the arsenic and I'll eat the soybeans, and then we'll see who’s around to continue this debate . Mr_Spliff Well then I say to you, " You fucked yourself" . Wordslinger knows he won't be, and that's the truth/// pax all . #261> fact is, you people aren't speaking honestly, because not one of you would actually drink a pint of arsenic . Mr_Spliff > that chick in your dream was just that, "in your dream", in your head, a part of you, you fucked yourself . #257> of course we wouldn’t drink arsenic, you bloody fool . #261> 257.so you admit there is such a thing as truth? The real deal is that you DON'T WANT there to be truth, because then you'd have to take responsibility for life . Mr_Spliff so well, what if this is all a dream, and here we all are, just ourselves, fucking ourselves. well is it true that we literally fucked yourself in our asshole while asleep? No. is it truth that a drunk ran over a man? . Mr_Spliff > were you listening 261? if not please go back and read from" Have you ever fucked yourself 261" . #261> MrS...your statements are degenerating to blabbering and crude nonsense for the lack of a sane argument. . #257> No the truth with a small "t" is that we cannot say anything for definite . Mr_Spliff > all I know is that I know nothing . #261> you're just talking now to sound like you have something to say, but actually, your position on truth cannot be defended and your statements are intended as a smoke screen, and the same can be said for the vast majority within society . #257> because everything is relative to space and time. . Mr_Spliff > 261, did you read my thing on fucking your self? . #261> actually, I'd say you know very well there is such a thing as truth, but that you don't want anything to do with it. In fact, you and most others are so completely terrified of truth that you’ll say, “up is down” or, “arsenic is as good to eat as corn flakes” or anything at all to avoid the responsibility implicit in TRUTH. . #257> if you stand on a large rock you will go thru it . #261> that's called "denial" and this entire culture we live in is similarly in denial. By another name it’s called "mass insanity" and this conversation is only one small example of a world-wide trend. . lots of people say this shit 261, all this cultural shit, you saying shit about what I’m saying, saying I am a loser in general and that I put up smoke screens and blah blah blah all this you say about me not want to have truth cuz I don’t want to deal with it bla bla bla, why haven’t you said anything? . #518> insanity depends on the culture, if there was a last "sane man" then he would be insane . Mr_Spliff > yes, insanity is relative like truth . #261> what would you like me to say, and, what part of what I said about you is untrue? . Mr_Spliff > all of it, there is no truth... . #261> 518/MrS…actually, if ever there was a perfectly concise definition of insanity it is this; “insanity is the denial of truth”, (not the amount of people who agree on something) . Mr_Spliff > hahahahahahahahaha, sorry man I had to write that . #567> perhaps truth is the lack thereof, hm, can it? . #261> but there is truth, and I've given you over a dozen examples of it already . Mr_Spliff so I’m insane? no you haven’t. and I’ve given plenty of examples to refute that damn drunk guy thing or volcano thing . #261> To further the point, lets talk about natural laws. Ever heard of resonance, entropy, gravity, inertia, polarity, the principles governing the flow of electrons, the formation of atoms and molecules, electromagnetic fields, refraction, dissonance, the principles governing radio wave propagation, to name just a few? . #257> The truth used to be the world is flat …lets. . trace this conversation is going nowhere . #261..the “truth” used to be the world was flat? Why, just because people thought so? . #567 would be disappointed if there weren't any truth, for there wouldn't be any lies too . #261> If a drunk runs over a man in the street, it doesn't matter if after the fact, the drunk says, "there is no truth, that body isn’t really lying there in the street, so let me off". Fact is, he ran over the guy. that's that, no ambiguity! And furthermore, planets are not changed to the shape of pancakes just because somebody says so! Not even if ten billion people believe so! . #257> that’s not an argument 261 . 518 people couldn’t fly, then two guys who owned a bicycle shop proved them wrong . #261> Ok, how’s this for an argument. The Earth has been proven to be nearly round…do you refute that? (there is such a thing as truth and that it can be known) . #261> or maybe you'd like to explain to the police afterwards that the body lying in the street is just an illusion? Or that people really do fall off the edge of the Earth when they travel too far west or east? . #257> no we would use language to say that he ran over a guy but actually it could be described in a million different ways all being "true" . #261> regardless of the method of description, 257, the FACTS would remain the same. The body in the street would still be there, even if we described it as a dead dog, a plant, a UFO or whatever. . #257> we would say it’s a fact, others might not, which opinion is true? . Mr_Spliff I told you about those circles didn’t I . #261> the same may be said thus...that clear-cutting forests causes increased erosion . #261> or that our own bodies are healthy through good nutrition, and are weakened by poor nutrition . #261> or that bombing people with depleted uranium ruins land, air and water, not to mention bodies . #261> or that the principles governing electro-magnetics and their right application allows us to harness the power of flowing water and turn it into electricity . Mr_Spliff the same thing can be said thus... that forest may not even be there for cutting to take place, and erosion may be an equation on a page of script for some program and that none of it happened, all that "truthfully" "factually" happened was a bunch of numbers ran threw the processor . #261> do you people deny that any of these are true? . #257> nothing is certain. . #261> MrS...have you ever actually examined a clear-cut area and seen the increased erosion for yourself? . Mr_Spliff what Im saying is that I may not even be "here" at a computer. . #261> no roots holding in the soil means the soil gets washed away by running water and the force of gravity upon it...do you deny that? . bts the illusion illusion in the illusion . Mr_Spliff alright we don’t agree… lets agree on that and be friends . #257> but gravity isn’t the same everywhere . Mr_Spliff I hate circles...lol . #261> no, the truth is a matter more important than friendship or simple congeniality . Mr_Spliff yes, it is, and obviously, our truths are very different... . #261> 257...gravity is not the same everywhere because of increased or decreased mass, and other factors . #567> truth is something you can't enjoy . 518 what’s important and what’s not is an opinion . #261> there is no such thing as "subjective truth"… the phrase is a contradiction in terms . bts> truth twists, truth turns, truth inverts, Yet one learns . trace so 261, what are you getting at? cos I'm fucked if I know . Mr_Spliff Prove to me that this universe and all the laws of physics are not just a bunch of computer codes . #261> if truth were subjective, we'd have destroyed each other with our thoughts long ago . 518 he’s trying to say there is one truth, Trace . #257> look I know they insisted things were true when you were growing up, but the real truth is that no one can back it up. No one can say anything for certain. the only limits we have we have set for ourselves, (maybe) . #261 > trace...this is what I'm getting at...that there is such a thing as truth, that it can be known, that we'd BETTER take responsibility for it, and if we don't we're all dead as a species . trace> 261 I've been listening to you for an hour and i agree with you . Mr_Spliff> but truth is relative ; ) and it does change . #261> mass denial about it does not change the fact, for instance, that we are increasingly depleting and polluting our environment and that mass extinctions are taking place. In fact, I would say that the reason why so many people are in denial, (the vast majority who say there is no truth, or who feel they can ignore it) . #261 > is because we humans have made a real mess of this world and of ourselves, and nobody has the maturity to DEAL with the truth on it’s own terms. We live upon a world of children…those who are actually very young, and those who, no matter how old they are, have the intellects of 6-8 year olds. . bts like it or not everything that everyone perceives at this stage of existence is generated for the individual whom perceives it . 518 by the year 2050, 25% of species will be gone . #257> without being insulting 261. I think you are between the ages of 17-21 and struggling to come to terms with adulthood, (just a harmless guess) . #261> we humans think we can deny the truth out of personal preference, or lacking that, that there simply is no such thing...that attitude is the very definition of madness.. to think we are above natural laws, (truth) just because we say so . Mr_Spliff Oh no there is truth, just not, one truth, absolute truth . #261> MrS...is that the absolute truth you're saying there? . Mr_Spliff yep, all I know is that I know nothing ; ) that’s all I know . #261> even your argument defeats itself . bts there is only one way to get to know more than most people, and that is only through direct contact with the creator of the illusion of our personal perceptions. . Mr_Spliff I KNOW 261 THATS THE POINT THERE IS NO TRUTH, in my books . #261> how do you know there's no absolute truth if you say you know nothing, and yet at the same time, claim with certainty that there's no such thing? Don’t you really mean to say that you PREFER to BELIEVE there is no truth regardless of the facts, even if it kills you and all the world? . bts there is only what is created for you . Mr_Spliff its just something I’ve come to terms with, within myself, if I’m wrong what ever, no matter, the world goes on . #261> bts...do you really think the whole universe and everything in nature exists to hang on human whims? . #261> no, there is only truth, and truth can be known and wisely applied...any less than that is denial of the facts, amounting to utter madness . Mr_Spliff there is, and that’s the truth . bts the so called 'reality' follows your mind around, not your mind following reality . #261> bts....what you describe is insanity, do you realize that? . bts the 'Whole' is created for each individual, I do not think it I know it . #261…do you also realize that what you’re describing is the mass insanity that now grips the entire planet? . chromatics insanity is wearing a KFC bucket on your head in public for no good reason . #261> insanity is also eating what's in the KFC bucket every day, and imagining that this is good for the body . #261> what I've noticed is that this attitude "there is no truth" has become the common belief, so common in fact that if you go on ANY forum or chat area of the internet, or even any conversation of more than five people ANYWHERE in the world, . #261> what you’ll overhear is the same nonsense that is being spoken here, about “there is no truth” or “there’s only my truth and your truth” or “the truth can’t be known” or simply the implication that the truth doesn’t matter, (so lets’ talk about the weather, or gossip or eating cereal endlessly).. . Mr_Spliff the thing I’m trying to say to you 261 is that if there is some sort of absolute truth to describe everything that goes on and explain why and you know what your talking about, the big kahuna, and what you mean by, "there is only truth", that we will never know it, and that’s all I know, you get it . chromatics there's no one truth and little point trying to understand understanding. . bts we can 'only' 'know' that which we are 'given' to perceive, like it or lump it . chromatics it's almost enough to...drive you nuts . #261> it's not true, MrS that no one can know the truth....simple observation reveals that, as does logic that's applied to it. bts. chrome...exactly what is it that you claim cannot be known? (I know you won’t answer that because you have no good reason to believe it to start with) . Mr_Spliff well if you follow "simple" observation far enough you will see that nothing is what it seems and what you need to know is that logic is only what is pleasing or easy for the human mind . #261> You're only saying that because you strongly dislike the very concept of truth, not because you actually think it can't be known, MrS...that is the misuse of logic, a dishonesty renamed . Mr_Spliff and where do you get that from 261, have we met? . bts nothing can be known other than that which you are given to know 261 . #261> there IS a difference between dishonest denial and the actual lack of reasoning and knowing, because logic itself is the discipline of evaluating fact, and making conclusions based upon the facts, not what is "pleasing" . Mr_Spliff no its what our brains allow us to do, logic is not something apart from the human, it is human, not truth . #261> all most people know is what we are willing to look at, and it seems that most people are unwilling to look at anything other than what they already suppose…what you describe is not logic, MrS, it is just whim. . bts seems like your telling yourself that 261, i already commune with the perception giver, you'd be wasting your time trying to tell me anything about the so called reality . #261> if science had such an attitude throughout history as that toward logic, we'd still be communicating by thumping sticks on the ground . chromatics fucking antagonist 261, I'm going back to sleep peace y'all . Mr_Spliff you speak as if truth and logic is something "out there" like its something that is not part of us, but anything "out there" is really just "in here" you see logic and truth are just products of how our minds work . #261> I've had this conversation here with many people, many times, by the way, and it’s always the same theme. Even the same words are used by people to deny the truth, and that makes me wonder if they’re not getting all this straight off the television somewhere. It’s a real shame really, to think that the human race has degenerated this far to the point of babbling and denying their own experience/basic logic . #261> really MrS? so if "reality" is just a product of human desire as you imply, how did the world function say, 100 million years ago in the age of dinosaurs, without humans around to say so? . bts can I try for a minute to get a clearer idea of what it is that your saying 261 please, tell me what your statement is . #261> how did hearts beat, plants photosynthesize, and mountains rise up volcanically from the sea floor, without our views around to allow these to happen, if in fact, as you say, truth is not something "out there"? . #261> how did the world function then, without human "observers" MrS? . bts anyone whom is awake would realize that we may be dino's or anything else, we cannot know what we are from an outside perspective . #261> I ask you to answer the question honestly . Mr_Spliff its like a CD, there is a bunch of codes, info, but once you put it in a player you get a song, you get trees, planets, the universe . #261> if in fact reality hangs upon human whims and desires, how did the world function in the age of dinosaurs? . bts aye mr Spliff, we cannot know . #257> it doesn’t need "human" observers . #261> just answer the question straight, if you please . #615> Umm, I am doing a paper about the Ideal Man and its relation to the Taoist utopia does anyone have any insight for me? . Mr_Spliff no of course not, a CD doesn’t need us.. . bts what makes you think that I said reality hangs upon human whims and desires, 261 ? . #261> that is EXACTLY my point, 257 bts...because everything you say about reality being "subjective" and depending on us to be real, implies that . Mr_Spliff but it needs some sort of observer, you see the universe is like an apple tree. much like the tree apples, the universe people's . #261> fact is, REALITY, as composed of FACTS still doesn't need us to function...just the reverse… WE NEED IT to live meaningful, healthy lives . #261> MrS...what "observer" did the Earths' continental plates need to shift, say a billion years ago? . #261> bts...didn't you say something about "everything is made for each individual to perceive"? (as if all of existence is there just for humans) . Mr_Spliff that question makes no sense? 261 but what we see does depend on us, and a great deal too. . #261> what do you mean it makes no sense? what observer did those continental plates need to shift, (plate techtonics)? What observers did the dinosaurs need to live and die? . bts no, i said--->"everything that can be perceived is created for each individual to perceive . Glandmaster> poor 261 . Mr_Spliff but why would a plate need to shift an observer? . #261> bts...what's the difference...all you're saying is that we're the center of the universe/ brilliant MrS, you’ve outdone even yourself . bts no I'm not . #261> my point is that reality doesn't need an observer to function, the observer is irrelevant When a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, it STILL makes a sound, because the laws of physics do not hang of the thread of human whims . bts the giver of perception gives you your perception is what I'm saying . #261> bts…and what I'm saying is that regardless of our perception, reality continues on, so we might as well learn to perceive correctly rather than making things up as we go along . Mr_Spliff yes, reality (according to quantum physics) does need an observer to exist as it does, other wise its just a bunch of probability waves and such . bts the giver of perception does not need us. that is a silly statement 261, how do you arrive at such a conclusion ? . #261> MrS...does a forest in Sumatra need your perception to grow today? does that person in London England need our perception to go about their affairs? . Mr_Spliff no, but there is no forest till I look at it I think 261 is the one in denial . #261> does the dark side of the moon not stay dark regardless of whether we perceive it or not? . bts for sure he is . #567 gives 261 an hegelian shot . Mr_Spliff there is no person in England there is no moon, its day out . #261> there is no forest until you look at it? Does that mean YOU didn't exist until I or others "perceived" you here in this discussion today? . bts your statements are not relevant to your argument . Mr_Spliff no I always exist, just not to you but to me . bts what exists for an individual is that which is given into existence for the individual . Glandmaster 261 chill for a minute will you – you’ve no need to come across as a sage here - we all know you and we are but fools dreaming of being mages (in the tarot sense of course) . #261> MrS.. you know very well that isn't true, and that such a statement is not a viable argument, just pure nonsense…. anyone who says reality depends upon our perception is a fool, Gland . Mr_Spliff> if you say so, I guess quantum physicists have no Idea of what they are saying . #261> when will you come to grips with the fact that each of us is not the center of the universe? . #257> reality IS our perception ya big muppet . Glandmaster> 261 - we are the centre of OUR universe... as DH Lawrence put it 'aristocrats of the sun' . bts 261, you can have nothing in your mind other than that which you can perceive . Mr_Spliff the observer collapsed the wave function, simply by observing you’re insane 261 how in the world are we NOT the center, just look around . Glandmaster I’d also suggest googling schroedingers cat - may make things clearer as well . #261> bts...not true...there is such a thing as synthesis, clarity and accurate intuition, not to mention logic and logical conclusion-making . Glandmaster RAW has written a few good books on the subject - one of the tools here will tell you the books I’m on about - its late and im off duty drinking sangiovese petit verdot m'kay ;) . #261> MrS...just "look around"? you mean look at the billions of galaxies which compose the known universe, the billion of stars which compose ours alone, and all the natural laws which run it ? You claim that we are the center of all that, and it never occurred to you that such a view might be a tad egocentric or deluded? . Mr_Spliff no 261 is asleep, so I forgive him, hehe . bts ok 261 tell me of something that is not within your perception,,,, please . #257> that’s brilliant Spliff. I didn’t think it could be done but you've done it and found absolute truth... we are the centre of the universe . Mr_Spliff its not, I AM THE CENTER but of course I’m not the only center, there are many . #261> ok bts...the electrons which flow from the electrical wires that makes this chat possible is not in my perception, yet they are real and obviously facilitating this discussion/ MrS...saying that there are many centers of the universe is as contradictory as saying "everybody has their own truth" . bts they are within your perception, try again . Mr_Spliff yeah gland, that’s what I tried to tell him in the beginning, but he insisted on talking about something other then cereal, I mean , what could be more important? . #261> those electrons are not in my perception, are they for you? you try again! . bts if they were not so you would not have the knowledge that allows you to speak of them, they 'are' within your perception . Mr_Spliff sigh* look 261, you are a center too, you’re not left out so don’t feel that way, no matter where you are, aren’t you always here? . 261> bts; knowledge of them and perception of them are not necessarily the same. I know of distant galaxies, but have never been there for instance. And their existence certainly does NOT depend upon my lack of having been there . Mr_Spliff look if you couldn’t see those electrons you couldn’t see me or anything . bts perception includes 'ALL' senses . Mr_Spliff you are just seeing them collectively . #261> will you say that an entire galaxy does not exist, bts, simply because you don't perceive it? . Glandmaster> nothing is certain in the universe - except the mind of a pedant . #261> and what if beings on that distant galaxy don't "perceive" you...does that mean YOU don't exist? . bts a perception can also be false, numbnuts a perception is not some sort of truth or sighting . #261> that’s my point, bts...reality does not depend upon perception of it . bts its an idea, sensed or otherwise . #261> just as our existence does not depend upon somebody else observing us . bts but your personal one does do so . #261> no, it does not. Reality is non-personal, in that it does not depend upon us to exist or function. Does the digestion of an apple in my stomach depend upon my perception of anaerobic glycolysis? No, it doesn’t, and if it did, I and everyone else here would have starved long ago. . bts your reality is your perception your perception is your reality . Four40 ILLUSIONS! . #261> reality IS, it already exists…it's up to the responsible person to observe it as it is and take action accordingly, not make up whatever they want and then call that reality Do you people realize how completely insane you are? No, I guess you don’t. . bts and reality & the perception of it are a 'given' construction . Mr_Spliff all you have is what you perceive, and like you say 261 "reality does not depend upon perception of it" and bts said "a perception is not some sort of truth or sighting" then how can we ever have truth? . #261> what you are describing bts and MrS, is delusion, regardless of the fact that most people believe in it. Clarity means being able to discern a childs’ imagination from the laws which govern the universe. . Glandmaster reality IS AWOOGA semantic spook alert! . bts the first time you observe so called reality doing odd things to you and your perception of it you will change your tune . #261> MrS/bts...know truth by applying such careful observation and experimentation as that used in science...how can we know how to best grow vegetables, (for example)? by observing what they need, just as organic agriculture has done . Mr_Spliff 261 sounds like a normal sane person. I am not a normal sane person. . #261> how can we know what is true and what isn't? by observing closely, having some mental discipline, using logic and experimenting. But then, it’s not a honest question you’re asking…you’re not really asking “how can the truth be found?” you’re asking because you want to escape from the responsibility truth implies . Mr_Spliff and nothing is perfect, how can we observe truth? . #261> I would say, MrS...that your statements ARE those of a "normal" person. But that only proves that 6 billion people CAN be wrong . Nemo_Lotus hehe you’re still arguing! wow that was ignorant 261 . #261> why do we need perfection to observe that when we run our foot into a rock that it hurts and does damage to the tissues? . bts when your in tune there is as much chance of damaging the rock with your foot . Mr_Spliff but you’re talking about truth in the grander scheme of things, and that rock may not even have been there, and that pain was not real, it was an electrical impulse that my brain read and went "ouch" . Glandmaster yo 261 - use some of this mental discipline you are spouting and pop your views in e prime - your platitudes and logical fallacies will fall away and you may find yourself relaxing as you fall into the bliss of not having a clue - just like all of us sexual tyranisauruses . #261> MrS...in order to clarify that issue, all one need do is to look down and see if there is a rock there, and if there's blood or a bruise or your foot...simple You will say or do anything to avoid the truth, wont you? (and that goes for almost everyone here and the world in general) . Mr_Spliff ooh ray for glandmaste no, mine eyes are not trust worthy. . #261> brilliant gland...I'm glad the scientific community does not have you as a director of policy . Mr_Spliff im not, we need gland in the scientific community . #261> yeah, we need gland and yourself for science to study the intricacies of mental illness . Glandmaster bollocks 261 - read up on the links and join in the linguistic accuracy that e prime allows - fuck the verb 'to be' and tell us what you really think / feel . bts 261 observes the junior sights & thinks he gets it . Nemo_Lotus if we had people like 261 for scientists we wouldn't have even evolved passed the inquisitions . Glandmaster e prime is so simple to understand but hard to implement - cos you have to think for once . #261> if anyone would like to read something of merit, I recommend the following website... http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest see "Truth Most Dreaded and Useful" in the Library . Mr_Spliff well, time to get caught up in e-prime, I’m tired of circles . #257 reiterates his opinion that 261 is adolescent and struggling to come to terms with adulthood as his concrete beliefs fall away . #261> perhaps after some such reading you will all feel like being more honest in your "arguments" and actually learn something of value . //////////// . From the Glossary of terms in the World Mind Society Library; . TRUTH; That which IS universally and at all times, the determining basis for the reality of existence. Factuality and that which exists, regardless of viewpoint or relative opinion. The essence of natural law and its principles. . . Once again, dear reader, how can I impress upon you the uniformity of such mindless anti-intellectualism and hostility to truth, (as the above shows) in the world today? For 6 YEARS I’ve been having this very same discussion with many hundreds of different people, on dozens of different forums and chat areas of the internet. What’s eerie and completely bizarre about such discussions of truth, is that the “arguments” used by people trying to deny it, have ALWAYS been the same. They were always the same on the United Communities of Spirit forum, the New Civilization Network, THC Ministries, (Amsterdam and Hawaii branches) at least two dozen Yahoo chat groups and probably 40 or more Yahoo forums, among a great many others I won’t list. In each case, one can witness the widespread denial of truth in all its’ forms, in favor of what is immediately pleasant to believe. If you don’t believe me when I say that the insanity shown above is widespread, then I challenge you to perform a few experiments. Go into any two or more chat areas or forums, be persistent about the subject of truth and how the lack of it is destroying this world, and see for yourself how the same denials come out from the vast majority. . . One is prompted to ask, “How did the human race ever take such a wrong turn, as to deny all knowledge of natural laws or facts?” I’ve actually had people argue with me, (in the name of “no-truth”) that plants can grow in total darkness, that driveway gravel is as good to eat as an apple, that there’s no such thing as gravity, that all the universe is just an illusion, and that the body doesn’t need water or food to survive! I’ve also had people argue, in all seriousness, that all of the natural history of this planet didn’t exist simply because no human was around at the time to observe it. I’ve had people argue that, “we create our own reality” and therefore I and others don’t exist, until such a time as we are, “perceived as real” by them. What else is one to conclude, given such twisted and obviously false lines of thought as these, (which are permeating EVERY part of the public mind-set) other than the majority of the human race has gone stark, raving mad? . . I ask you not to conclude that such anti-intellectualism, for which any sane 8 year old ought to be ashamed, is limited to youth or internet chat rooms. People of all ages can be readily observed to believe whatever they please, and all evidence to the contrary be-damned! In this modern age where the human race is supposedly, “more advanced” than at any other time in history, we have as much ignorance among the public as to the nature of reality as in the times of the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Sumerians. In fact, what we have is open hostility to anything that even looks like it might be the truth from the majority of modern humanity. Even now we have major proponents for ‘reforming” education in the name of a 7-day Creation and a 10,000 year old Earth, from people wearing suits and ties. Even now we have the majority of the Earths’ population laboring away their lives in sickness and misery, for the sake of some never-questioned idea of “success”, while destroying each other and the environment to accomplish a room with a view and the wearing of diapers in an expensive rest home. We have wars without end and mostly without good reason, whose death and destruction is hardly questioned by those who strive to be, “politically correct”. We have 10 times the rate of cancer and four times the rate of medical mal-practice than what was known at the turn of the last century. We have a world environment that is rapidly degrading into a toxic soup, the clear-cutting of forests and the mass death of ocean creatures, and meanwhile, the human population is busying itself with buying of the latest fashion and reading Enquirer magazine. We have a population of persons who rarely even go outside to exercise or speak to each other any more, because they’re too busy watching actors win cash on game shows, people behaving like petty children on daytime soap operas, and believing in so-called “reality TV” programs whose intellectual content is a disgrace to grade-school children, let alone adults. Why do we have all this, and why is it that almost nobody seriously questions such things? Precisely because modern humanity assumes that the truth either doesn’t exist, can’t be known or is basically irrelevant! . . I can well imagine that such statements may upset many readers. Well, like I said before I’m not here to win popularity contests, I’m here to be honest with you, (because almost nobody else is going to be). You don’t like what I’m saying or pointing out perhaps? Then let me ask you this…Do you think the truth cares whether or not you like it? Do you really think that happiness is found in a can or a box as your television constantly suggests? . . Without honesty, (the acceptance of truth) the following inevitably takes place; . . 1) government becomes organized crime . 2) spirituality/religion becomes hypocritical shallowness . 3) social relations become insincere play-acting . 4) charity and social institutions become exploitation . 5) politics become the efficient and convincing telling of lies . 6) mass media becomes propaganda . 7) international relations become bitter posturing and war . 8) traditions become the repetition of empty ritual . 9) knowledge becomes a weapon used for the control of others . 10) progress is defined as the destruction of nature and man alike . 11) sincerity is seen as weakness . 12) goodness is seen as naiveté . 13) democracy becomes an excuse for going to war . 14) industry becomes a nature destroying profit-margin . 15) sex becomes the perversion of life energy . 16) higher education becomes a means for making more money, not gaining more wisdom . 17) medicine becomes a business that preys upon death and sickness . 18) science becomes a grant-money machine, not the quest for truth . 19) material objects lose their utility and become a reflection of egotism . 20) the mind engages in trivial pursuit and madness, rather than exercising genius . 21) nature becomes a stockpile of “natural resources” . 22) communication becomes mindless babbling and posturing . 23) love is fashioned into ownership, (pets are “things”, marriage is a contract of possession, children are extensions of ones’ ego) . 24) education becomes conditioning for the workplace . 25) work is made into meaningless, competitive drudgery, (far beyond practical need) . 25) all things become a money-making enterprise . . In essence, without truth as our guiding principle, life becomes so miserable that most activities become an escape. Sound familiar? . . With the above conditions in place and everywhere to be seen, is it really any wonder that the average person would prefer to be in d Re: Only the Truth will Prevail (all else is hopeless) - Brenda McCann . 22 Apr 2006 20:02 . #589 "Only The TRUTH will prevail (all else is hopeless)!!" <= ABSOLUTELY TRUE!! . . 2 SHARE what's happening now in This Basis: . . Invitation to the Christed Heart -- A Letter from Yael Powell, ARK USA Earth... . . . Hello everyone. I am writing to extend God's invitation to you to . participate in the awakening of your own Christed heart, and to be the . beginning of the wave of the awakening Christ on Earth, that which is . also called the Second Coming. Here at Circle of Light we have been . led through a series of Messages and meditation experiences this . Easter that are the template that each of you can use to awaken to . your own Christ heart by releasing the personal will and the focus on . the outer world. . . It has been the most amazing experience of my life this past Easter . weekend but because it is so difficult to express it in words, I am . going to share with you how it came about and some of the gifts God is . offering to us all. First, as we moved toward Easter we received a . Message from beloved Jesus in which he said that the coming Good . Friday was going to be the time for our human selves to die on the . cross � to fall away, to be released, and that this Easter was the . Easter of Christ consciousness, the Easter that is the beginning of . the shift of consciousness on Earth. We shared that Message with our . full list. . . Then, right before Good Friday I received another incredible Message . from our dearest friend, mentor and beloved brother, Jesus, in which . he explained what it means to be the bridge for humanity and why he . experienced what he did, and most of all, how his experiences were . specifically for us to create the bridge to this time, the bridge to . the closing of humanity's separation from God. This was also sent the . our full list. . . On Easter Sunday I was shown a ceremony that we did here at Circle of . Light in which each of us who was present made the choice to release . every bit of our focus on the outer world, to release it all to God. . Everything was released: things that held our interest, held our fear, . everything that kept us feeling involved or anxious � in other words, . kept our attention focused outside of ourselves. That is the world of . effect rather than the focus on the cause which is God, which we come . to through our heart. In doing this ceremony, each of us wrote all the . things that we were releasing and allowed ourselves to feel how much . lighter we were as we burned these pieces of paper. Then we were given . the opportunity to make the decision to release our little will into . the higher will of our Christed Self, after which we were anointed by . the Living Spirit. . . At the time I thought THIS was the most amazing experience. That is, . until our Tuesday night meditation. At that time, God lifted us and . led us through an entire experience of moving from the limited human . being with a focus outside of ourselves into the glorious truth of our . eternal nature as the living Twin Flame Christ. God then brought us . back and created for us the experience of the embodiment of our own . Christ consciousness merged with our focus here as living life on . Earth. I want to tell all of you that this it truly the most . magnificent unbelievable experience that I have had, and I have had . many experiences. . . As the meditation was ending, I was being shown that this IS a . template and that from this experience of ours will come a "domino . effect" as people receive this invitation from God and choose to use . this meditation to release the little will into the will of the . Christed self. Those of you who are on the Tuesday Meditation . transcript list have received this Meditation by email. We are going . to send the transcript of this Tuesday Meditation to the full list, so . that everyone can experience it. . . However, I truly feel that the most effective way for each of you is . to begin this process, following the steps above which I have . described, and then to use the recording of our meditation last night . to finalize the union with Christ, because the energy was so powerful . that I feel sure that it will truly come through on the recording. . . So what we are doing right now is preparing duplicates of the . recording of this meditation given to us by God on Tuesday night onto . CDs and we are now taking pre-orders from those of you who are . interested. This will help pay for the duplication and bring them to . you as quickly as possible so you can share in this Easter experience . directly. [If you go to our Secure Order page on the website -- . https://www15.addr.com/~yaelhana/order.html -- this meditation is at . the bottom of the CDs and is called Easter Resurrection Meditation. . You may order there with a credit card. The cost is $10. Be sure we . have full information, including your address.] . . From here, we are going to do some work together � all of you who . choose to do this � assisting each other to live in this higher . consciousness while functioning here on Earth. We will make a . commitment together each week to keep our focus on one aspect of . living divinity here on Earth and allowing God to guide us in the . order in which we focus on these things. . . Our first focus is on giving Love. What God is asking each of us -- . after we have made this decision to release the little will and the . focus on the outer world -- is to turn our attention and all of our . Love to the heart, to God, to Love, and the truth of our being. Once . this has occurred, then our experience is to become the living heart . of God. The living heart of God is totally based on giving Love. . . So what we are asked to do is to consciously give Love in the most . intense, passionate, totally committed, truly focused way that we ever . have � to pour Love out with all our heart and all our being � to . focus on the star at the center of our heart as the place where Love . is connected, where our connection with God is the strongest, and to . allow that center to magnetize the Love from the Real, and pour it . outward in service to humanity. . . What I am being asked to do is to make our focus on Love the first . step, until we can get the CDs to all of you who want them. Then we . will begin a program together, moving on through a series of focuses . that will help us come to hold the Christ energy while we live on . Earth together. . . So if those of you for whom this resonates will send a pre-order for . the CD of the meditation, you can then begin following the path of . release that has been outlined, and please join with our hearts as we . rejoice in this new opening for humankind that God has given us. I . write this with the greatest Love for each and every one of you, and . with the deepest gratitude to God for allowing me to be of service in . this way. . . Please pray when you read this. I feel that you will know instantly if . this is the next step for you. But I am also told very clearly that . God encourages everyone to do this meditation, to make this . commitment, to take the steps, even if you have doubts about your . ability to hold it� because first, there is power in numbers. Where . "two or more are gathered" is very true, and the fact of the support . of this whole group of people who are going to be doing this work . together will make a very big difference to all of us in our ability . to hold the Love. . . Secondly, whatever stage of your journey you are on, God wants you to . know that if you do this meditation it will change your life. It will . open your heart and it will begin the process of the embodiment of the . Christ and the coming of the Christed heart in you, and even if it . ends up being in a series of stages, it will still begin the process. . So I am asked to encourage everyone who can to participate, to get the . CD if you possibly can, and to make the time to allow God to lead you . through this experience of transformation that is to begin the . transformation of life on Earth. This is not to say that . transformation is not already underway � that it isn't already begun � . but this is a new opening for us to bring about the bridge, the merger . between the realms of Love and life on Earth, allowing us to reclaim . life on Earth as only and always Love. . . Thanking you for your most beautiful hearts! . . I am ever and always yours in Love, . . Yael . Circle of Light . www.circleoflight.net . . P.S.*If anyone reading this has not received the Easter Messages from . Beloved Jesus mentioned in the letter, please email: . connect@circleoflight.net and we will forward them ASAP. . . *The Tuesday Circle Meditation of April 18th will also be sent . following your request. . . -- . . To subscribe Circleofloght.net mailiing list: . http://www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=19332n . . -- . . NAMASTE, . . Brenda McCann, aka Freo`7 in Idaho USA Earth & Beyond... . http://groups.yahoo.com/group/say_yes2real_love/join . --------------------------------------------- . Dear Gabriel, . . Thank you for your thoughtful post. In answer to your question about "how to reach people" we have indeed tried various techniques, subject matters and tones. In this latest attempt, sheer, unbridled honesty is the technique. This article is being posted all over the internet and sent to thousands of people via e-mail. We shall see if in fact it accomplishes its' aims.... . . *********** . . Only the Truth Will Prevail . (All Else is Hopeless) Re: Only the Truth will Prevail (all else is hopeless) - Gabriel Guevara . 24 Apr 2006 17:18 . #590 I like your reply that only the truth will work, however I must add something to that. Sometimes the truth is too much for people, no matter how basic you make it. The only thing I can think of is to give people time, to back off when they become emotional and just try again later. . . Specifically I've tried to use your articles in a specific order for people to read. I tried to link them in an order that is less daunting as far as deviation from common "reality". This hasn't seemed to do much good... Anyway, my thought is perhaps we can write "introductory" articles that deal only with specific topics in order to first release people from the their own ideologies. Personally for me the hook was in articles such as BIBLES DO NOT EQUAL WISDOM, CONFESSIONS OF AN AMERICAN EX-PATRIOT, and THE CRUCIFIXION OF TRUTH. While I read others, these were of most interest because they resonated with my own feelings at the time but this was my own haphazard "clicking". . . So what would be the best way to open the door for people while not plunging them into the deep end of the pool? . . Re: Only the Truth will Prevail (all else is hopeless) - Matthew Webb . 26 Apr 2006 19:29 . #591 What follows is a follow-up reply to many people regarding the recent article on truth. It is somewhat clarifying.... . . . ///////////// . . . Thank you for responding to our article, “Only the Truth Will Prevail”. The subject of truth and its’ evident lack in the modern world, is surely the greatest key to world change for the better. Knowledge and application of truth in daily life, is likewise the best opportunity for human fulfillment, which any individual may apply themselves to. . . It may interest you to know that I’m receiving a great many replies to this article, (and in the last several days). Copies continue to be sent out over the internet, all over the world. The responses have been very diverse. Some congratulated the authors for their courage and insight, others were sorely vexed about the wrongly “judgmental” nature of its’ content, or assumed that the piece was only making personal statements due to personal issues. Others still were relatively neutral in their position, and saw either great value or no value at all, in the subject matter of truth. Many, I suspect, did not read the entire article, which would have answered many questions that have been raised. It is our hope that most people will want to follow up with their reading on this subject, via the article, Truth; Most Dreaded and Useful” in the WMS Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . These responses have been encouraging with the exception of two points. The first point that the article failed to convey to some, is the widespread nature of insanity in the modern world. Part of the intent of, “Only the Truth Will Prevail” is to show that the denial of truth is everywhere to be seen in today’s world. It is by no means confined to chat rooms or internet forums…these are only a small reflection of a much bigger, global trend which afflicts the human mind. I would have liked to emphasize this point more in the piece, but its’ length was already far more than was practical. Had this not been the case, we would have given many more examples of this madness that all can easily witness, and which does not bode well for the human race. . . To show demonstrate this point, consider the world view of consumerism, fashion and popularity. Sandi has reminded me that in this world we see the majority of people steeped in the concept that IMAGE IS ALL THAT MATTERS. By this we mean that APPEARANCE is considered the key to “success”, far more so than substance, meaning or sincerity. People live out their lives in consumer culture under the assumption that their reputation is what is worth cultivating, not intellect, wisdom, inner strength, health, spirituality or mental stability. In other words, as long as we “look good” on the outside, it doesn’t matter so much that there’s cancer on the inside. We take our pills to avoid the symptoms of pain in our lives, rather than getting rid of the pain, (wrong living) to start with. As long as we are surrounded by shiny material objects, it doesn’t matter so much that we are stressed out on the inside, and that our emotions are jumbled mess. Instead of meditating, taking up meaningful spiritual practice or honestly discussing the conditions of the world and what to do about these, we watch television or engage in some other distraction. As long as we wear, “nice clothes” and a, “warm smile”, it doesn’t matter so much that we aren’t actually very nice underneath, (perhaps even quite evil) or that we tell lies out of convenience each and every day out of habit. As long as we “look” like we’re complying with society and the norms established on television, it doesn’t matter so much that our own children have become alienated strangers in our own household, or that our neighbors are secretly plotting against each other, or that murders are committed in our name for the sake of distant wars that serve only corporate bank accounts. As long as we OWN THE RIGHT MATERIAL “THINGS” it doesn’t matter so much that we are destroying the entire environment of the world, and creating less than minimum wage slavery in two thirds of the people in foreign lands, (“Made in China”, etc, etc.). People buy products not so much for their practical value but for their associated IMAGE, or in other words, how they imagine they’ll look to others for owning whatever the television says they should own. In all honesty it must be said that these widespread social norms are nothing less than institutionalized mass insanity for which people suffer endlessly, and to which they dedicate their lives without so much as a single, meaningful question asked, (such as a simple , “Why”?). . . Another example of mass insanity is the content of 99% of television programs today. Not only is this content obviously nonsensical, ridiculous, shallow, absurd in the extreme, meaningless and very degrading to mind and spirit, such content is SWALLOWED UP WITHOUT QUESTION by the majority of viewers. Right now, billions of people around the world are having their minds destroyed by televised propaganda and sheer nonsense, while at the same time, BLINDLY OBEYING that nonsense in every aspect of their lives. The television tells them to love war regardless of the reasons given, and they love war. The television tells them to buy, “the latest” thing, and they buy that thing, regardless of its’ practical value. The television tells them to believe that corporate criminality is the norm, and they participate. The television tells them to trade their freedoms for security that isn’t secure, (war on ‘terror”) because it creates the very problems it is supposedly addressing, and they, “get in line”. The television tells people to lie to their children, (say ‘no’ to drugs and don’t forget to take your Ritalin) and they knowingly lie to their children, even though personal experience shows otherwise. What can be said about these widespread trends, other than mass insanity has become the norm? . . This brings me to the second troubling aspect in many replies to, “Only the Truth Will Prevail”….and that is the lack of discussion of specifics. Many responses still insisted, regardless of countless examples given, that truth is subjective, relative and/or unknowable. Many quoted vague scientific principles to “justify” our lack of responsibility for natural laws. Others quoted vague spiritual ideals in a claim that either truth is unknowable or that, “human beings all learn at their own pace”. Exactly what it is on a practical level that we, as human beings, cannot know is never explained. In other words the human race, according to such thinking, is not accountable for it’s deeds or it’s beliefs….that everything is progressing, “as it should” and never mind the severe problems evidenced everywhere in the world. When I say that the lack of specific discussion of the points made in the article was troubling, I mean that those points are being overlooked as unimportant, when in fact they imply a great deal about where we are headed as a species. When we spoke of the widespread denial of truth for instance, this was intended to show the modern tendency to believe whatever is, “comfortable” or, “convenient” regardless of the dire consequences. . . We assure you that this article was NOT primarily a matter of personal issues finding an outlet to ‘rant”. On the contrary, these specifics are very important, in and of themselves, and they deserve much discussion in the public domain. The real purpose of, “Only the Truth Will Prevail” is to change these dire world conditions for the better, by brining greater public awareness to bear upon the issue of truth and it’s current mass-denial. In doing so we hope to cause some deep self-reflection on this issue, so that truth will become the centerpiece for public debate and practical application. By “practical” we mean discarding what clearly doesn’t work in society, (consumerism and egotism) and doing what DOES work according to the natural laws that run the universe. Our own bodies, for instance, are a perfect example of a system that runs by virtue of these laws, and in the practical application of truth, the wise will seek to strengthen the body, not destroy it. Likewise, the spiritually minded will want to observe the law of cause and effect when they go about their daily affairs, taking care to not cause more of the same war-afflicted and thing-fetish attachments which plague the modern marketplace. The intelligent will want to cultivate genius not the mind games of denial. . . Not only is there such a thing as truth, it CAN be clearly known and practically applied in daily life. If you have any doubt of this, then by all means read our free book, “The Survivalists’ Guide for the new Millennium” found in its’ entirety in the Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . May your life be truthful and therefore wise and ultimately fulfilled, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . Sandi Hunter spellscaster9@yahoo.com Quantum Mechanics and consciousness - Gabriel Guevara . 1 May 2006 18:07 . #592 I am an astrophysicist and have taken advanced courses in quantum mechanics. I am going to explain once and for all what scientists mean when they say "we can't measure something without changing it." Many people take this claim to mean that the perception of the human being as actually changing the real world, and thus the real world depends on human perception. . . This is the worst case of people reading something, not fully comprehending it, and declaring that they know the "truth". What scientists mean is that the quantum world (very small stuff) is so small that even a SINGLE photon (small bit of light) has enough energy to knock a quantum particle around much like a cue ball in a game of pool. Since our measurements rely on energy readings we must pump energy at small particles in order to measure their properties, but when we pump energy in we alter whatever it was those small particles were doing. . . This is in no way tied to human consciousness, and in most cases a human being is probably not even watching! Just letting a computer record the information. . . On the positive side I believe quantum mechanics has discovered some interesting things, and I do believe it will soon help us understand more about the nature of consciousness. Personally I hope it helps us understand how we actually make our choices. Not WHY, but HOW. Why we make choices is up to us, but how we do it is a mystery. Perhaps this will lead to the discovery that we can affect the world around us with our willpower, but it still does not make that reality dependent on human perception. . . For people that like movies I will say that the movie "What the BLEEP do we know?" is a big offender. That movie mixes the science up with the creator's own ideas in hopes of "proving" their ideas, but they did not fully understand the science. The only possibility I saw in that movie is that NOW is the only moment. The past is memory, it no longer exists except in patterns we keep intact. The future is a mix of possibility and probability, where nothing is yet written but still must adhere to certain probabilities. . . While it is POSSIBLE that your body may "tunnel" through a wall (sort of like transporting), it is so unlikely that you might as well imagine the Earth suddenly tranporting into the center of the Sun. . . The point of all of this is to try and show that certain ideas only go so far. It is fun to talk about possibilities, but when we take guesses as facts then we are in danger of creating an entrenched dogma like the popular religious institutions of the world. We MUST accept new facts at face value and no more. . . -Gabriel The Kybalion - Light Lizard . 2 May 2006 16:00 . #593 The Kybalion . . The way of the Ancients returns! . . Since embracing the Goddess energy, I have been guided to this, the Kybalion, which expresses to me the perfect and most appropriate perceptions of reality that I have yet to find. I feel 'closer to Home' now than at any time in my life! Bless the Goddess!! . . . "The Universe is Mental--held in the Mind of THE ALL." -- . . -The Kybalion . . "THE ALL is SPIRIT! But what is Spirit? This question cannot be answered, for the reason that its definition is practically that of THE ALL, which cannot be explained or defined. Spirit is simply a name that men give to the highest conception of Infinite Living Mind--it means "the Real Essence"--it means Living Mind, as much superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior to mechanical Energy and Matter. Spirit transcends our understanding, and we use the term merely that we may think or speak of THE ALL. For the purposes of thought and understanding, we are justified in thinking of Spirit as Infinite Living Mind, at the same time acknowledging that we cannot fully understand it. We must either do this or stop thinking of the matter at all. . Let us now proceed to a consideration of the nature of the Universe, as a whole and in its parts. What is the Universe? We have seen that there can be nothing outside of THE ALL. Then is the Universe THE ALL ? No, this cannot be, because the Universe seems to be made up of MANY and is constantly changing, and in other ways it does not measure up to the ideas that we are compelled to accept regarding THE ALL, as stated in our last lesson. Then if the Universe be not THE ALL, then it must be Nothing-- such is the inevitable conclusion of the mind at first thought. But this will not satisfy the question, for we are sensible of the existence of the Universe. Then if the Universe is neither THE ALL, nor Nothing, what Can it be? Let us examine this question. . If the Universe exists at all, or seems to exist, it must proceed in some way from THE ALL--it must be a creation of THE ALL. But as something can never come from nothing, from what could THE ALL have created it Some philosophers have answered this question by saying that THE ALL created the Universe from ITSELF --that is, from the being and substance of THE ALL. But this will not do, for THE ALL cannot be subtracted from, nor divided, as we have seen, and then again if this be so, would not each particle in the Universe be aware of its being THE ALL --THE ALL could not lose its knowledge of itself, nor actually BECOME an atom, or blind force, or lowly living thing. Some men, indeed, realizing that THE ALL is indeed ALL, and also recognizing that they, the men, existed, have jumped to the conclusion that they and THE ALL were identical, and they have filled the air with shouts of "I AM GOD,' to the amusement of the multitude and the sorrow of sages. The claim of the corpuscle that: "I am Man!" would be modest in comparison. But, what indeed is the Universe, if it be not THE ALL, not yet created by THE ALL having separated itself into fragments? What else can it be of what else can it be made ? This is the great question. Let us examine it carefully. We find here that the "Principle of Correspondence" (see Lesson I.) comes to our aid here. The old Hermetic axiom, "As above so below," may be pressed into service at this point. Let us endeavor to get a glimpse of the workings on higher planes by examining those on our own. The Principle of Correspondence must apply to this as well as to other problems. . Let us see! On his own plane of being, how does Man create? Well, first, he may create by making something out of outside materials. But this will not do, for there are no materials outside of THE ALL with which it may create. Well, then, secondly, Man pro-creates or reproduces his kind by the process of begetting, which is self-multiplication accomplished by transferring a portion of his substance to his offspring. But this will not do, because THE ALL cannot transfer or subtract a portion of itself, nor can it reproduce or multiply itself--in the first place there would be a taking away, and in the second case a multiplication or addition to THE ALL, both thoughts being an absurdity. Is there no third way in which MAN creates? Yes, there is--he CREATES MENTALLY! And in so doing he uses no outside materials, nor does he reproduce himself, and yet his Spirit pervades the Mental Creation. Following the Principle of Correspondence, we are justified in considering that THE ALL creates the Universe MENTALLY, in a manner akin to the process whereby Man creates Mental Images. And, here is where the report of Reason tallies precisely with the report of the Illumined, as shown by their teachings and writings. Such are the teachings of the Wise Men. Such was the Teaching of Hermes. THE ALL can create in no other way except mentally, without either using material (and there is none to use), or else reproducing itself (which is also impossible). There is no escape from this conclusion of the Reason, which, as we have said, agrees with the highest teachings of the Illumined. Just as you, student, may create a Universe of your own in your mentality, so does THE ALL create Universes in its own Mentality. But your Universe is the mental creation of a Finite Mind, whereas that of THE ALL is the creation of an Infinite. The two are similar in kind, but infinitely different in degree. We shall examine more closely into the process of creation and manifestation as we proceed. But this is the point to fix in your minds at this stage: THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL IT CONTAINS, IS A MENTAL CREATION OF THE ALL. Verily indeed, ALL IS MIND! . "THE ALL creates in its Infinite Mind countless Universes, which exist for aeons of Time--and yet, to THE ALL, the creation, development, decline and death of a million Universes is as the time of the twinkling of an eye."--The Kybalion . "The Infinite Mind of THE ALL is the womb of Universes."--The Kybalion . The Principle of Gender (see Lesson I. and other lessons to follow) is manifested on all planes of life, material mental and spiritual. But, as we have said before, "Gender" does not mean "Sex" sex is merely a material manifestation of gender. "Gender" means "relating to generation or creation." And whenever anything is generated or created, on any plane, the Principle of Gender must be manifested. And this is true even in the creation of Universes. . Now do not jump to the conclusion that we are teaching that there is a male and female God, or Creator. That idea is merely a distortion of the ancient teachings on the subject. The true teaching is that THE ALL, in itself, is above Gender, as it is above every other Law, including those of Time and Space. It is the Law, from which the Laws proceed, and it is not subject to them. But when THE ALL manifests on the plane of generation or creation, then it acts according to Law and Principle, for it is moving on a lower plane of Being. And consequently it manifests the Principle of Gender, in its Masculine and Feminine aspects, on the Mental Plane, of course. . This idea may seem startling to some of you who hear it for the first time, but you have all really pa*sively accepted it in your everyday conceptions. You speak of the Fatherhood of God, and the Motherhood of Nature--of God, the Divine Father, and Nature the Universal Mother --and have thus instinctively acknowledged the Principle of Gender in the Universe. Is this not so? . But, the Hermetic teaching does not imply a real duality- .THE ALL is ONE the Two Aspects are merely aspects of manifestation. The teaching is that The Masculine Principle manifested by THE ALL stands, in a way, apart from the actual mental creation of the Universe. It projects its Will toward the Feminine Principle (which may be called "Nature") whereupon the latter begins the actual work of the evolution of the Universe, from simple "centers of activity" on to man, and then on and on still higher, all according to well-established and firmly enforced Laws of Nature. If you prefer the old figures of thought, you may think of the Masculine Principle as GOD, the Father, and of the Feminine Principle as NATURE, the Universal Mother, from whose womb all things have been born. This is more than a mere poetic figure of speech --it is an idea of the actual process of the creation of the Universe. But always remember, that THE ALL is but One, and that in its Infinite Mind the Universe is generated, created and exists. . It may help you to get the proper idea, if you will apply the Law of Correspondence to yourself, and your own mind. You know that the part of You which you call "I," in a sense, stands apart and witnesses the creation of mental Images in your own mind. The part of your mind in which the mental generation is accomplished may be called the "Me" in distinction from the "I" which stands apart and witnesses and examines the thoughts, ideas and images of the "Me." . "As above, so below," remember, and the phenomena of one plane may be employed to solve the riddles of higher or lower planes. . Is it any wonder that You, the child, feel that instinctive reverence for THE ALL, which feeling we call "religion"--that respect, and reverence for THE FATHER MIND? Is it any wonder that, when you consider the works and wonders of Nature, you are overcome with a mighty feeling which has its roots away down in your inmost being? It is the MOTHER MIND that you are pressing close up to, like a babe to the breast. . Do not make the mistake of supposing that the little world you see around you-the Earth, which is a mere grain of dust in the Universe--is the Universe itself. There are millions upon millions of such worlds, and greater. And there are millions of millions of such Universes in existence within the Infinite Mind of THE ALL. And even in our own little solar system there are regions and planes of life far higher than ours, and beings compared to which we earth-bound mortals are as the slimy life-forms that dwell on the ocean's bed when compared to Man. There are beings with powers and attributes higher than Man has ever dreamed of the gods' possessing. And yet these beings were once as you, and still lower--and you will be even as they, and still higher, in time, for such is the Destiny of Man as reported by the Illumined. . And Death is not real, even in the Relative sense--it is but Birth to a new life-and You shall go on, and on, and on, to higher and still higher planes of life, for aeons upon aeons of time. The Universe is your home, and you shall explore its farthest recesses before the end of Time. You are dwelling in the Infinite Mind of THE ALL, and your possibilities and opportunities are infinite, both in time and space. And at the end of the Grand Cycle of Aeons, when THE ALL shall draw back into itself all of its creations--you will go gladly for you will then be able to know the Whole Truth of being At One with THE ALL. Such is the report of the Illumined--those who have advanced well along The Path. . And, in the meantime, rest calm and serene--you are safe and protected by the Infinite Power of the FATHER-MOTHER MIND." . . "Within the Father-Mother Mind, mortal children are at home." . "There is not one who is Fatherless, nor Motherless in the Universe." -- The Kybalion" . . http://www.kybalion.org/kybalion.asp?chapter=intro . . *LOVE* . . ~LL~ . Re: How can we open the eyes of the populace? - The Subverse Human . 6 May 2006 14:03 . #594 I think that by trying educate your peers anything is a waste of time. Thats because your peer population only listens to their mothers n fathers (their upbringers). I use plural there because these days we have many parents telling us whats right and wrong and how we should think and live when we grow up - teachers, tv presenters, news reporters, avertisements, superheros, sitcoms, soap stars. Basicaly that box in the corner of your room that projects light images to a glass screen is our childrens parents. And judging by the state of this egotistical, self destructive, nature hating, material, money obsessed, slave trade society, theyve done a good job of closing the eyes of the public from an early age. . So it seems then that the only way of determining how people think and live for good or bad is by educating them from birth. And it all comes down to a matter of whoever gets there first. We are never going to change the state of mind of the adult population because their cake has allready been baked, you cant change the ingredients now, its too late. The answer is to enlighten our children to truth, and then in turn they can enlighten their children. In the eyes of this system everytime a child is born they just become another source of revenue. The children ARE our future, protect our children, protect our future, the 2 go hand in hand. At the moment the government has control of our children through schooling and television. But if we could use their same tools of indoctrination for enlightenment instead, we could change the world mind of future adults. And what the adults will know and then pass on to their children is that the meaning of life is being young free and happy and not comforming to any systems, for youth is fleating and never returns, EVER! Adulthood is just for producing more offspring, and after that death roe (life is the cruelist). Children are so often ignored as nieve, but in reality THEY have everything. You can learn more from a child about life than any adult or even your adult self, children are allways right (how could they not be), they should be telling US what to do instead. . In conclusion ,lets take back our children and teach them the value of there life, and that they dont have a dollar value on their head to be bought. The teaching of self teaching through life experience instead of being taught to be taught (to wait for instruction) as their is NO other way to LEARN. And from this everything else will manifest itself. . . Peace to all (accept politians and other various controling governmential leaders who should all gutted but their own sword) Re: How can we open the eyes of the populace? - Gabriel Guevara . 17 May 2006 21:53 . #595 I disagree that trying to educate our friends and neighbors is a waste of time. Having a 24 year old "liberal" talk to a 52 year old "conservative" is ridiculous because the conservative will have no respect for the kid's ideas. However, having peers the same age talk to one another is excellent since they will see eachother as a reflection of their own generation. This is one of the best situations for people to be open-minded with eachother, and it CAN work. . . Even with the advent of television you can still educate people, it will just be harder. People do not freeze in time, nothing is permanent. No one will ever agree with you on everything, so just work at educating them wherever else possible. With enough time you can align your goals together well with that person (such as non-violence, some spiritual aspects, etc). . . If every single person on this Earth were capable of pledging to one week of non-violence that is what we would call a miracle. If just 1% of the population did this it would be a scientific miracle (reasonable without paranormal explanations, etc.) hailed as probably the salvation of the Earth. So just having YOU pledge to one week of non-violence (or easier for us here, probably 5 years) is a large achievement that will most likely affect 10 - 100 people over 5 years. And the only way to do this is to attempt to better the world and educate those around you with a intention of love. . . Yes working with children helps affect thousands, but this is at the expense of 20 - 30 years of time. Talking to children is easy and less dangerous, but if we want to change the world (and with such world violence abroad right now we might not have much time). Even politicians deserve aid because they are ultimately tied to their districts. Educating them is VERY HARD because they by default are close only to certain aspects of their districts. Never advocate death and violence for that only spreads fear at least on to the target. "The governement" might be abstract in it's evils with people doing "evil" things that they do not fully comprehend as wrong, however saying "death to the government" is saying death to SOMEONE'S father/mother/grandparent. . . Only love will bring us higher. . . Gabriel Guevara . . PS: From the moment of birth children make mistakes and are subject to evil. Their moral/judgemental viewpoint is what we lose over time. Knowledge of the world (in most ways) is the realm of adults/older children, so do not place too high of an importance on children's views as they might sell the world for a bag of candy. . . . . . Re: How can we open the eyes of the populace? - The Subverse Human . 22 May 2006 16:24 . #596 I think your underestamating the amazingness of a young mind. It is difficult for a dumber to comprehend a smarter. It is an obvious fact that the human body slowly deterierates as time go's on. Brain cells are lost every second, like anything with age it becomes less functional. And the saying "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" is very accurate, and the problems in this world ARE the old dogs. You dont see any young politions do you. Their minds have allready bean programed, but unlike a computer we cant just delete out the currupt files. So to really make sure our computers run correctly we need to program them correctly to start with. A young mind is like a sponge, and like a sponge its initial absorbtion is vast and quick, after that, any other liquid just runs off. So we must fill our minds with the right stuff to begin with. . So is our childrens minds getting filled with the right stuff? . Well that depends opun what you would concider right. Right wrong good bad and evil are all relative. If an american soldier kills an iraqi soldier its good for Bush, but if an iraqi soldier kills an american soldier its bad for Bush. If you catch AIDS its bad for you but good for the virus. If you look at the state of the world from a capitalist point of view, then things are going swell and any improvements would only mean a higher profit output. From the viewpoint of nature the very thing that give us life and sustanance, its a catastrophy of immense proportions. Now if the human race wants to continue to exsist ,mans ways of living NEED to change or else the enevitable is enevitable, just as life was enevitable from before thier was life ,so is death and extinction. Just like a virus, its way of exsisting is slowly destroying its planet (our body) until it eventualy shuts down efectively the virus killing itself. A victim of its own succsess if you like. . The whole human race mimics the whole human body. If our cells are working correctly our body stays alive. But if there is a defect in the system a rogue cell army (cancer), the whole body can become effected and die. Cancer is a desiese that is in all of us and can hit anybody at any time without outside infection, then it is our own cells that keep us alive, that eventualy kill us. . The human race HAS developed cancer! Its clear as day and at the moment its terminal. . As matthew says its intent that determins our path so all we need is right intent, right meaning right for our long term survival which is of upmost impotance, unless you want to die of course. . So our children are being programed for the benifit of consumer capitalism, and like most religions it relys on peoples belief that this is the right and ONLY way to live. . Therefore we most teach our children that this is NOT the way to live, the cancerous style of living. . You said "PS: From the moment of birth children make mistakes and are subject to evil. Their moral/judgemental viewpoint is what we lose over time. Knowledge of the world (in most ways) is the realm of adults/older children, so do not place too high of an importance on children's views as they might sell the world for a bag of candy." . If a simple natural pleasure like the desire for candy is more important than the world of money, then maybe a child president would be a good move. The answers to the worlds problems arnt complicated, their very simple even a child can work then out. If their is an underpriviliged country that is going hungry and dieing then it would be a good . idea if the overpriviliged countrys didnt keep bombing them and taking away their ability to live on their own. Why is it that all the old dog polititions cant work out such a simple thing. . You said it would be a mirrical if the world stoped being violent for a week , yes it would be concidering that our very exsistence from the begining of time depends on violence to survive. Defence, mateing, feeding. Just because you just walked into the cafe and bought the burger doesnt mean to say you are not responsable for the violence upon the cow, you created that demand for the violence by asking for a burger. If you work for the state and pay taxes you are funding wars and political excess. Violence is even a part of sex, we cannot just eliminate it that is a stupid wish. Theirs no such thing as a mirrical, something either happens or it doesnt. . In conclusion to the problem in question, why spend 20 - 30 years breaking the mind and the next 50 - 60 trying to fix it? . . I love anyone in this world who can hate this world. Re: Discussing Reality - The Subverse Human . 24 May 2006 16:01 . #597 Reality is the moment just before the hunter is eaten by the lion. Re: How can we open the eyes of the populace? - Gabriel Guevara . 26 May 2006 19:53 . #598 I wasn't arguing any of your viewpoints except for the cynical nature of your posts. Being a cynic myself I do not take it lightly. . . Yes the world is in a bad way, yes we need to teach children the correct way of living, but NO we don't need to write off anyone over 12. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, it is just harder and longer. Simply put, everyone wants the world to be a better place but very few are willing to live the life necessary. . . What is necessary is love and non-violence, most especially towards those you hate. Once you can truly live this way then you must work to show others why it is such a great path to follow.\ . . We must work on the world as a whole, because as soon as you condemn anyone you are giving in to hate. Everyone deserves help! . . -Gabriel Guevara . . PS: If you can help an enemy then you will most likely gain a friend for life. Consciousness Expansion, Herb, Santo Daime and ayahuasca - Sandi Hunter . 27 May 2006 17:42 . #599 I've recently been in contact with an interesting person in Brazil (Francisco) who is a practitioner of Santo Daime. We've been corresponding for days about the expansion of consciousness and what is necessary in spiritual practice. . . Francisco explains that "Daime" refers to the ayahuasca vine and its' "teacher plant", spiritual effects on the user. So we've been talking about that, and about Herb as well, in their role in expanding consciousness. What follows is our latest exchange of letters, with my last answer appearing first below. I've invited Francisco to come here to chat and post...we'll see if he takes me up on that. . . In any case, I'm posting this here because it is very relevant to the forum, and to other discussions had along these lines.... . . //////////// . . . Brother Francisco, . . Thank you for your in-depth replies to each question posed. There's a great deal of wisdom in each of your statements, which reflects the thoughtfulness of a practitioner, (and not just theory as many in the world today). . . I agree with you that the spiritual Path, in whatever form it may take, is a very serious matter. There's just a few points that I'd like to address, as one practitioner to another, for the sake of the Path itself. . . You mentioned intent, "Sacred Master Plants are the ultimate key to the mysteries of Life but only for those who search for it with serious intent, respect and sincere devotion", . and this is very true. I would include Cannabis in this catagory. There's no dount that intent is the most critical and key element in any attainment, but most especially in the case of spiritual advancement. Progresiveness and purity of intent are a foundation to real human progress, especially when they are applied with wisdom to the Path. In my experience with ayahuasca, I too found that this Teacher Plant has it's own intent of the living Earth, and that upon listening to what it had to say with my entire body, I learned many things. Among the subjects it evoked were details regarding what a Master is, the intent of God, and the spiritual nature of our planets' natural history. The Herb has taught me such things as well, but only because I had such intent as you pointed out. . . What you said about the expansion of consciousness as distinguished from other personal development is interesting. There's no doubt that in addition to that expansion, there is need to develop the mind so that wisdom blossoms there, and to strengthen the body to serve as an adequate vehicle for mind and soul. As you pointed out, there's also the need to address the cause and effect nature of ones' actions, (karma) or in other words, to address spiritual concerns on an exterior basis, as well as an interior one. However, you said two different things about the expansion of consciousness...one is the need to go beyond the, "initial expansion" and second that this expansion continues all along. If I may, I'd like to clarify something here, which regards self realization. The expansion of consciousness is not just a thing that we can or should do, nor does it have a limited duration. It's a life-long process of self-evolution. When we expand consciousness we are transforming our true selves, which is to say, transforming that most essential and foundational part of self, (soul). We ARE consciousness, (just like the rest of nature) at our deepest level of being. This is not to say of course that there is no need to develop the mind and body, but these are secondary considerations which aid the process of consciousness expansion, precisely because mind and body are not what we centrally ARE. We will leave the body behind upon physical death, and the mind is but a chapter in the book of the soul. . . I say this in answer to your statement which follows; . "one is faced with the need and responsibility of deciding for really following a Path, by taking over all his own true religiosity, his part of actuation in connection with God, understanding the way of the mystical wisdom of all ages and choosing definitively for assuming the Cosmic Ethics of Consciousness given by the Great Masters and by his own Christ Self Master as well. So that at this point, expansion of consciousness becomes only an attribute of this process and no more the main feature in the necessary development of the spirit and the furthering of evolution" . . Perhaps a useful question to ask to clarify this would be, "What 'religiousity' or specific doctrine did Christ need to become a high Master?" The same question may be asked of Buddha or any high Teacher...did they really need doctrine, or did they rely upon the direct realization of truth? Is religion, belief, or specific doctrine truly essential to the expansion of consciousness, or are they just accessories, (aids) to this expansion? Are they not, historically speaking, the usual cause of the hindrance of true spiritual progress, in fact? . . In other words, which is more essential and fundamental, specific doctrine and mental-level considerations such as ethics and morality, or consciousness that is expanded? I'm sure you've noted the fact that all things mental are transformed by shifts of consciousness. When in a high state of consciousness, our minds soar, regardless of doctrine or belief. When in a low state of consciousness we suffer, once again, regardless of doctrine or belief. What need of morals does a man have who is filled with love and joy? What need of ethics does the practitioner have, when their clarity pierces the truth of literally ANY issue to find it's definitive solution? Given this, and given the fact that at the basis of our being we ARE consciousness, I say to you that it is the expansion of consciousness which is central to spiritual progress, and that this expansion can never be exhausted, explored fully or raised to a finite degree. There is no limit to this progression and in fact, the process of the expansion of consciousness is the very defining factor of evolution. Granted, the mind and body must come along. They must be made to understand and align with the process, but they must by necessity remain secondary considerations for this personal and planetary evolutionary Path. . . If I might also add, the expansion of consciousness is itself inherently devoid of all doctrine, religions and specific philosophies. Rather than being a doctrine, or subject to doctrine, it can be better described as the progression of a force of nature, or the unfolding of a natural law, such as an expression of physics. As centers of consciousness, when we expand this essence of ourselves, we are ultimately going beyond ALL systems of belief, ethics, religion, doctrine, philosophy and method. This is not to say of course that systems, methods and doctrines cannot help us along the way, but each has the limitations inherent in delving into considerations that are not quite, "to the point", with that point being the expansion itself. . . To clarify this fact, let's look at what consciousness, (self as soul) really is. In other words, let's look at what we really ARE. Our consciousness is composed of three elements. Foremost among these is intent, which is our ulitmate, inner decision-maker and direction-giver. Second is awareness, which serves as a focusing agent, and which makes perception possible. Third is energy, (chi, prana, ki) which gives both intent and awareness their means to ACT and TRANSFORM, as well as allowing them to take action upon, and transform, the environment. Now, one might argue that saying these things is a doctrine, but actually, these things are a natural matter of fact. They can be realized by anyone. Essential to the masterful expansion of consciousness is the greater mastery of intent, awareness and energy, as a natural law. Herein lies the reason why doctrine of any kind, (religion/religiousity) is ultimately not necessary. All that is ultimately necessary is the greater mastery of these three elements of the consciousness that we ARE, and which all of nature IS. Of course, the mind must learn what intent is appropriate and what is not, as an aspect of wisdom. Logic, intuition and honesty are useful cultivations. The body must be refined. But these other considerations are only secondary, and must by necessity remain secondary, to the actual process of expanding consciousness. . . Previously I said, "Of even greater interest to me is what one might call, "the group mind high" where several such practitioners may gather and expand their consciousness together, taking advantage of the, "group space" and spiritual intention to really GO FAR." . . I was referring to the effects of combining intentions as a group, so as to achieve a mutual expansion of consciousness. The reason for this emphasis is due to another natural law, which I call "group mind". (group consciousness, synergy, etc.) . Whenever two or more people are gathered together in like cause, (like intention) there is some resonant, group mind manifestation taking place. Between such resonant persons streams of energy, (chi) as well as awareness and intent, are flowing back and forth among them. Of particular interest to me is the harnessing of this natural law, this synergistic effect of intention to intention, so as to expand consciousness mutually. When combining such a mutual focus to, "raise" as I call it, and when also usuing such an entheogenic booster as ayahuasca or Herb to accomplish that raising, the group high could be exceedingly profound. Mutual realization and spiritual attainment could be so great, so as to make all analogies inadquate. However, I will say that a group high/expansion could be as greatly sophisticated and excellent as compared to an individuals' efforts, as our entire body is more sophisticated and excellent in its' results, as contrasted to a single cell. This fusion of high feelings and intention, of wisdom and group energy, would truly be as great an evolutionary leap for human community, as the multi-cellular level of life was for the first bacteria, were it to be realizaed sufficiently. . . My Perpetual Raising series of articles explains all this in detail in the Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest if further examination of the group mind subject and consciousness is of interest. Perhaps you've read it already. But whatever the case, I must by spiritual and social necessity point these things out, for the sake of clarification of the Path. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . ///////// . . Franciscos' earlier letter; . . Rishi previously; "Of particular interest to me, as you may have gathered, is the expansion of consciousness through these substances, amounting to the further evolution of human beings. " . . Francisco; I consider your trend line of exploration as excellent Matt because you follow the truth and clarity of spirit. From my side, with all my respect for this specific inherent characteristic and focus given by and to entheogens in general, which is about consciousness expansion in many levels, and which is true in itself, of course, besides being a basic and constant aspect of this kind of experience, when one reaches a certain point after continuous deepening within this sphere of self-knowledge, self-transformation and search of God, after delving in the revelations, holy teachings received, visions, purifications and divine callings for many times, one is faced with the need and responsibility of deciding for really following a Path, by taking over all his own true religiosity, his part of actuation in connection with God, understanding the way of the mystical wisdom of all ages and choosing definitively for assuming the Cosmic Ethics of Consciousness given by the Great Masters and by his own Christ Self Master as well. So that at this point, expansion of consciousness becomes only an attribute of this process and no more the main feature in the necessary development of the spirit and the furthering of evolution. This means that “after” expansion you proceed boostering your soul search and refining your “true life goals” to the essential and most vital elements that deal with destiny, karma and the part you play in relation with all life and those who are next to you. You become fully engaged in a spiritual life and a compromise of moral transformation. This is much more serious, and it is a thousand levels above that initial expansion, leading us to other spheres of Being. . . I speak for MySelf, you know. Expansion continues however, not less important in its constant role. It is just another aspect of the story. . In combining meditation and spiritual intention with such a booster as ayahuasca for instance, it's clear, (I'm sure you agree) that the potential for sweeping change and empowerment is profound. . . Yes, no doubt that meditation is an important tool for focusing a goal. However the intention or Intent is all that counts in fact ( and I believe you agree too…)at least with regards to ayahuasca.Specifically with ayahuasca sessions, on the shamanic style, there is no meditation in the usual sense. At least not before the work. (In the shamanic center I use to attend over here). . . A certain “attuning” is naturally provoked, some relaxation is required and excellent shamanic music is heard. But everybody is aware that soon after you take the “medicine” you are simply catapulted to the realm of visions, the realm of pure spirit and feeling and of direct understanding and interaction with things. Then there you may consider you are caught in the highest meditations you could ever attain. But you are not the guide or conductor, rather you are guided and conducted by the Sacred Power we call the Force and this is the real and royal characteristic of a true Master Plant. She considers your “sincerity” of intent, but takes you wherever she deems fit for you, independently of your personal will or expectations. . . As to what refers to Santo Daime services, the principle is the same, with the difference that you are following “a line”, a communal line of rituals within a specific framework composed of hymns, chanting and dancing which follow certain “motifs” that act as a kind of referential for the spiritual trip you undertake. The service aims at religiosity in its true meaning for all participants, within a special religious ambience, oriented towards the connection with Master Jesus, Mother Mary and celestial beings. . . Rishi previously; "Of even greater interest to me is what one might call, "the group mind high" where several such practitioners may gather and expand their consciousness together, taking advantage of the, "group space" and spiritual intention to really GO FAR. " . . Francisco; When you are in a shamanic ayahuasca ritual with shamanic music, which is a very important element, despite the fact that each individual undertakes its own “inner work”, usually the group mind under the effect of the ayahuasca creates a collective egregora of high visions and high vibrations which affects the whole in one direction. . When it deals with Santo Daime sessions, a “positive spiritual chain”, (when it doesn´t fail due to any disharmony), creates a strong collective “miração” (term used for spiritual visions), which is made up of profound visions and emotions of the same nature for everyone at the same time and that is manifested during long or short periods or sometimes the whole work and that can be very emotioning and wonderful, in both cases. . What are your thoughts on this? That´s it! . How do you receive this? Hope well! . What about a picture of my new buddy as a souvenir for me? . Let´s exchange our mutual portraits just for an image contact… . Thank you Matt for your invitation and details again and I am very pleased to meet a person like you, committed to the path of illumination of the soul and helping others to this aim! . I feel much glad with this opportunity to share ideas with you.. Let´s go ahead! . My best vibrations . In Truth, Compassion, Brotherhood . Francisco Woods sojourne - Matthew Webb . 31 May 2006 15:13 . #600 I extend many thanks to everyone who visits and posts here on this forum, and encourage lively discussion of the various issues which the WMS addresses, that involve every human being. I wont be available for some time. Every year I go to the woods for an extended period to meditate. It is an intensive focus incorporating all the teachings of the World Mind Society, plus many I've never put to e-paper, in the expansion of consciousness. . . Warm regards to everyone, and highest intent... . . Matthew The only criminals are those that call us criminals. - The Subverse Human . 5 Jun 2006 14:14 . #601 Living free as nature intended is a criminal offence by governmental laws. They try to control our physical actions and our mental actions. . Since the days days of slavery that we know of, governing powers have since learnt that its much easier if your slaves are willing. Be good to your slave and your slave will be good to you, or even better make him believe that good is being done to him. And how do you do that? Take away his ability to know any diferent. If someone is born in a box when their adult it would be difficult to comprehend anything different. But what if then that person was given a window and a set of binoculars, he could then get a glimes of what is really going on. . The government knows the importance of windows and binoculars. Tools of enlightenment are a threat to mans society. A society based upon slavery. 80% of the population work 90% of their lives while 20% live off the other 80%. . In the governments eyes a criminal is a slave who wants to live free (an act of rebelion against their wrongdoers). . In reality of nature a criminal is an ingnorant man (or woman). . DONT BE A SLAVE !! . All our lives can be different, use the unlightenment tools and see outside the box. . They cant control what cant be controled. . THERE ARE MORE OF US THAN THEM! . You can fool some people some of the time but you cant fool all the people all of the time, and those that do the fooling are themselves the fools. . . . eVeRy CuLtUrE eVeRy CrEeD cUm ToGeThA sMoKe ThA wEeD. . pEaCe. Re: The only criminals are those that call us criminals. - Sandi Hunter . 6 Jun 2006 15:22 . #602 Hi Steve, . . Thanks for posting this and I couldn't agree with you more. Time doesn't allow me to answer fully at this time, but let me suggest to all here that they read "The Survivalist's Guide for the New Milennium" found in the library at The World Mind Society. It is a complete book that talks of all these important topics. . . Love and clarity to all, . Spells . . *********************** . The Do No Harm Movement! - Charles C. Keiser . 19 Jun 2006 00:48 . #604 Greetings! . . May I ask you to please help support the Do No Harm movement by placing the words Do No Harm on your web sit? . We do not ask that you link to us, or even mention our movement, just to simply support the movement with the words Do No Harm. . . From: http://www.donoharm.us . . . Do No Harm! . . . This is the start of a new movement, the "Do No Harm!" movement. . . We seem to be living in a world that is getting meaner every day. Too many of us are only out for ourselves, and we are either oblivious of the harm we cause or we ignore the harm we cause. Could it be because no one taught us otherwise? . . Could it be because no one ever asked us to "Do No Harm"? . . If we look at just about any endeavor our species has engaged in, it would seem we are unaware of the harm we do to others, or we intentionally do harm for our own gain, and sadly in some cases for our own pleasure and enjoyment. . . Since we haven't been taught otherwise we see no harm in doing harm. We cause harm and shrug it off. We cause harm and laugh about it. We cause harm and brag about it. . . Worse, our children bear witness to our actions and never learn to do no harm. Above all else we must teach our children, by example and instruction, this simple philosophy of life. . . If we are to become a more evolved species we must begin to make better choices and treat each other with more respect, and that includes the other creatures who share this planet and this planet we call home. . . We believe that the first and most basic moral law is, "Do no harm!" Why? Because we can feel pain and suffering, we can imagine the pain and suffering of others. Because we can imagine the pain and suffering of others, we can act accordingly. . . What does "Do no harm" mean? For some it means arbitrary restrictions of action (not to strike or kill), speech (not to lie or insult), and thought. But what it ultimately means is thoughtful consideration. Do no harm simply means to consider how our actions may affect the world we all share, to be compassionate in our dealings with all creatures, and not to despoil our planet. . . Doctors are asked to first do no harm, why not lawyers, businessmen, religious leaders and politicians? Why not us? Why not now? . . If we cannot do good and leave this world a better place for being here, the very least we can do is to attempt to do no harm, and leave it no worse than as we found it. . . It sounds like a simple idea, because it is a simple idea, but it just may be effective over the long run. Will "Do No Harm" solve all the problems in our world? Perhaps not, but this is an effort to decrease the nastiness in the world and to increase the kindness. . . We hope that "Do No Harm" becomes that little voice that guides our actions. . . . We hope you will join the movement and pass on the message "Do No Harm." . . Place it on your web site or use it to sign your e-mails in place of "Yours" or "Regards." . . It is not necessary to link to this web page or even to mention the source of the message. This is surely a case where the message is far more important than the messengers. All we ask is that you practice do no harm and take every opportunity to pass the words "Do No Harm" on to others. . . If you wish to include this essay, or the link to the "Do No Harm" web page, that's fine, or if you wish to change the wording or write your own, that's equally fine. But if this movement is to succeed, and if we are ever to change our world for the better, we simply must pass the "Do No Harm" message on. . . If you wish to send us your own thoughts or comments, we will add them to this web page. . . . Sometimes, all you really need to do is ask: . . . Do No Harm! . . c.c.keiser & clyde grossman . . June 1, 2006 . . Re: The Do No Harm Movement! - The Subverse Human . 19 Jun 2006 13:24 . #605 Surely if u have to tell someone to do no harm then they're either unaware or blissfully ignorant of the harm. Getting people to follow a command like that is just as harmfull because its getting people to obey which is the same harmfull system we have in place. People must first have higher awareness before they can understand any aspects of life. People need not be told anything. The problem we face today is that people or waiting to be ordered ultimatly to their deaths. . Harm starts with your own children. . 99% of parents are harming thier own children in a way that is more horrifing than any media terrorist charrade. . TERRORISM STARTS AT HOME !! . We always look to point the finger. . Point no more, the terror lies within! When the mind dies the body becomes dangerous! - The Subverse Human . 19 Jun 2006 14:13 . #606 "Beat a man in the mind and you've beaten him for real" Prince Naseem. . Just like in the si-fi horror The Terminater, machines that look like humans but have no reasoning or own thought are being created in thier thousands waiting to slaughter and mame women and children alike on order. You could call them mass murder units, or killbots but the government like to call them THE ARMY. . Take away a mans ability to reason and think before acting and you have yourself a robot capable of anything you tell it. . . If u was to tell your neighbour to kill his own wife and he does, are you then responsible for that murder? And then if he told you to kill your wife would you? What if your neighbour was a pollition, would that make a difference? And if you did do you think that the judge would sentence your neighbour for telling you to do it? . Of course not! . We should all be responsible for our own actions, and that includes the army. Each individual soldier should take responsibility for their murders. Every human should think about what they are doing. . Is the government really responsible for murder? For murder exempt from normal law they need war, for war they need an army, to make an army u need soldiers, to make soldiers you need people. . People like US! . We the people are resonsible for every irrisponsible action in the world. . . WE MUST ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ,IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE! The High and the Higher Still Part 2 - Matthew Webb . 11 Jul 2006 18:19 . #607 The High and the Higher Still . Part 2 . . . A scenario was then revealed to me by the Earth Mind, as one good way to approach the mutual expansion of consciousness. The information arrived as a compressed, intuitive packet of potential images, as sometimes occurs in higher states. To my knowledge such potentials have never been tried. I Saw a gathering of experienced practitioners coming together for a group mind raising. Each practitioner would understand the employment of intent to raise their own consciousness, and ideally, each would also have experience in elevating a groups’ state of consciousness. Group raising can be accomplished by intending it into place, just as one’s own state can be shifted. In essence, the intent to raise one’s self involves the same process as raising others in a group, as a four step process; . . The Four Step Process in the Greater Mastery of Intent . . 1) Know the current state in detail, (feel this body-wide). . 2) Be clear about what kind of state is desired, (such as greater energy, love or clarity). . 3) Shift from the current state to the state desired, (feel the desired state increasingly manifest). . 4) Once the new state has been gained sufficiently, hold it in place as permanent. . . This process is relatively self-explanatory at a beginning level of understanding. But in the group setting, it is necessary to, “feel the group space” or, “sense the group vibe” constantly. While staying in touch with the group high then, the practitioner has accomplished step one above for group raising. Step 2 consists of all practitioners being clear about how a higher collective space would feel and be mutually experienced. Knowing this higher group state of consciousness is an intuitive indication, (unless of course the group has met before and raised in tandem). Step three, and perhaps the most critical stage, is where all practitioners employ their intent to raise the group, much in the same fashion as they would raise themselves. Step 4 occurs when a consensus is psychically reached between the participants that, for the time being, the group need only stabilize the elevated mutual state, rather than continuing to raise into higher levels of consciousness. . . To further amplify the consciousness expanding effects, each practitioner of this 3-8 person gathering could employ a different entheogen whose effects would add synergistically to the group high. Ideally, each member of this, “conclave of shamans” or, “gathering of Masters” would be an expert in the handling of their particular sacrament. One could be the, “Master of Ayahuasca”. Another would be the, “Master of Cannabis”. Another still might be the, “Master of Psilocybin”, (mushrooms) and another the Master of Peyote, Salvia Divinorum, etc., etc. Each expert would time the taking of their own sacrament to coincide in its’ maximum effect, with the sacraments of other practitioners, (those sacraments with longer, “onset times” are taken first). Each would be prepared to project the states induced by their sacrament, to the others in the circle, via progressive intention and the four steps above. . . The Earth Mind further revealed to me that such a group mind raising scenario could be of extremely profound spiritual merit. It indicated that the establishment of a regular meditational group of Masters ought to be established somewhere on earth, for the sake of the further evolution of human kind, and the augmentation of a battered earth consciousness. I also got the impression that it would be beneficial to establish such a group somewhere in the Amazon basin or elsewhere in South America. The group should meet regularly, if not live together on a permanent basis. The core goal of this group would of course be the expansion of consciousness and the progressive attainment of mutual, high Mastery as a God/Nature inspired group mind. Additional persons using the same sacrament could form sub-groups within the overall organization. Experts in their particular sacrament or sacraments would instruct others as to their correct spiritual use, and take on “initiates” who earnestly seek to embody the greater wisdom entheogens and the Path has to offer. The essential value of such an, “inter-sacramental” group is impossible to fully elucidate. Suffice it to say however, that highest and best properties of each substance can in this way be psychically co-transmitted. Each practitioner and their sacrament-raised state of consciousness, would be like a spiritual carrier wave. Each would bring forth particular aspects of ancient Earth Mind knowledge, just as the shamans of old had knowledge of, to every person present within the circle. Every other person would in turn provide the particular frequencies and benefits of their sacrament in reciprocation, simultaneously. In essence, a super high mutual state would be formed, composed of the best properties of each sacrament in synergistic combination, and which could then be built upon via the group intention to raise. . . Each sacrament, and in fact every animal, fungus and plant which exists, embodies a portion of the overall spectrum of frequencies, intentions and awareness that compose the planetary Earth Mind. Cannabis for instance, holds such Earth Mind feeling/intent elements as the euphoric high, one that resembles joy in many ways. Ayahuasca holds such feeling/intent elements as visionary perception, expansiveness, and a kind of burning vitality, (especially in the lower chakras). Psilocybin mushrooms enable a unique form of fluidity of state, of intuitive, transcendental perception and increased telepathic communion. Likewise do Salvia Divinorum and Peyote have their characteristic properties in the expansion of consciousness. Each of these, “Teacher Plants” share some properties in common, while also offering unique benefits to the spiritually-focused user. All of them have been evolved, in part, to enhance human evolution, and we should make every effort to acquire the benefits they offer as they are intended. To partake of these entheogens with appropriate spiritual intention, is to temporary or even permanently, “gain their spirit” or in other words their Earth Mind frequencies, intentions and attributes in large part. When this happens and is consciously appreciated by the user-practitioner, it is then that a sacrament becomes ones’, “ally” in like spiritual Cause, and through which we form a spiritual, shamanistic bond with the Earth Mind as a whole. In essence, entheogens can put us in greater touch with nature, much in the fashion of the Druid-mystics of old. . . To combine the effects of these sacraments via their human-ally counterparts, in psychic, group mind alignment, and through such intention as the progressive expansion of consciousness without limit, is to engage an extremely potent process of collective transformation. It is for the sake of this kind of transformation that we human beings are here to start with. The expansion of consciousness is our very purpose. . . Not only can different sacramental highs be combined, it is also true that the best properties of each practitioner are synergistically combined at the same time. The high of Cannabis and the vision-inducing comprehension of Ayahuasca can be combined, to produce a higher synthesis of both. Likewise can the best properties of various practitioners’ super high, love, mutual strength, clarity and transcendental wisdom, be shared without limit. It is our responsibility as serious practitioners, to cultivate the greatest personal purity and height of spiritual intention, not only for the sake of the Path itself, but to adequately transmit our inner strengths to fellow practitioners. We must cultivate the strong intent to manifest best benefit to others, so that they too may better acquire these, just as they acquire sacramental benefits. The combination of high mutual intent and sacramental benefit, is one of the most potent spiritual tools for world transformation that humanity has ever known. All of these Seeings and more, became apparent to me about 20 minutes after the third puff. . . With a fourth puff about an hour and a half into this session, I was once again reminded that intent is a body-wide reality which manifests itself in our lives as a continuous stream. Never are we without intent, nor can there EVER be any action we take that does not have an underpinning of intent. Even emotions and thoughts are merely actions that we DO, with each and every one owing its’ existence to a corresponding intention. Just as thoughts occur in the average persons’ mind as a constant stream, so too does intent function as a never-ending flow of causation. The wise, self realized person moves ever closer to that center of intent within with their awareness and conscious mind. To emphasize the supreme importance of the greater mastery of intent to the wise, know that; . . 1) The average person knows nothing of intent, and uses it chaotically and without purpose. For this reason they may well be blown like a leaf in the wind of fate, without real say as to their destination in life. . 2) The initiate practitioner knows that intent is very important to every moment, and will employ it occasionally to accomplish shifts of their state and direction in life. They are no longer the leaf, but the butterfly, who can choose, often through great effort, how they will BE and live. . 3) The Adept realizes the subtle changes of intent in themselves and their environment. They will direct their intents’ direction with some proficiency, being able to steer their thoughts and emotions in any direction as desired, or to have no thought/emotion at all in meditative repose. The butterfly now becomes the bird, who knows the much larger vistas of life well understood. . 4) The Master resides in their intent, rarely wavering from this essence of self and universe, Seeing clearly the mutual effects it has between persons and all of nature. They can readily project, (manifest) their intent into the environment, or other persons, and explain the doing of this to the initiate. In this the bird becomes the wind itself, blowing where it will to destinations named and unnamed. . 5) The High Master not only resides in their intent, but also regularly raises the level of the intent that they employ, recognizing that intent and the thing intended, (center of soul) ever higher, are one and the same. The High Master knows of and can travel, very high levels of intention, and correspondingly enlightened levels of consciousness. . . Just as a focus of awareness of awareness generates clarity, so too does the, “intent of intent” generates more refined intention, and thus contributing to higher states of consciousness. Because intent is a body-wide reality, so too is the raising of intent and the expansion of consciousness which is it’s result. Regardless of whether or not we are a disembodied soul, or an incarnated one, intent is in both cases a, “whole-body” consideration, even if as souls our, “body” is just a field of cohesive energy. The meditative practitioner will readily perceive the fact that what their call their “state”, (overall state of consciousness) is actually a composite of smaller “states” of like kind. The body is a cooperative of smaller elements…organs, tissues and cells. Each level of organization possesses and expresses intent. Feel the truth of this by observing how different parts of the body feel differently. Each of these minor and often subtle variations of feeling in arms, hands, legs, torso, neck and head have subtly different feelings in them. Each of these minor feelings has a corresponding intent behind it, thus the term, “feeling/intent elements”. The adjustment and upgrade of these body-wide, intent/feeling elements is of paramount concern to the practitioner, since it is their collective effect which creates our overall state of consciousness. The “chakras” or major energy centers located along the spine, are significant examples of intent/feeling elements in clusters. The alteration of a chakras’ feeling/intent elements benefits the entire region of the body with which they are associated. And even if a person/entity is not in a body, they still have aggregates of feeling/intent elements, (chakras) as fields of cohesive energy. What makes a disembodied entity cohesive, (since it lacks a “physical” structure) is its’ awareness and intent. Even a soul can raise their consciousness, by upgrading their feeling/intent elements. . . As the practitioner raises the vibration, (pitch of high) in say, their 3rd chakra, (solar plexus area) their overall state becomes slightly elevated. The body is an interconnecting group mind network of cooperative units, (cells) whose collective power is far greater than any one individual. When we make a change in any part of this network of intent/feeling elements, (the body) the whole system gains benefit. The practitioner will generally do most of their inner work in the upgrade of intent elements within the 7 chakras along the spine. More advanced practitioners will also address, (know with their awareness and raise with their intent) the more subtle feeling/intent elements throughout the body. Eventually, the practitioner has raised most or all areas of pain and fear throughout the body, and also elevated the vibration of those which were already high. As this process gains momentum, the overall effect on one’s state is profound. . . When smoking Herb, the practitioner will wish to raise with the high the various intent/feeling elements of the body. Even though much of the highs’ effect is often temporary, it cumulatively acts to purify out pain and fear, replacing these with a much more spiritually suitable vibration. Upon taking a puff, some feeling/intent elements will immediately respond to the high and align with it. Other elements in the body will not. The practitioner will take care to recondition those areas which are of low(er) vibration, by intending the Herbal high into their pain and fear. Focus your awareness squarely upon any pain or fear in the body, avoiding nothing. Take a puff and intend that these areas are cleansed by the high as a medicinal and spiritual purification. Hold their high in these areas with awareness and intent for as long as necessary to offset any low vibration. Know that this will represent permanent and cumulative gains in the high. The saying, “a house divided will surely fall” is a legitimate spiritual principle. A body with ‘divided” intent elements, (some of pain and others of high for instance) is a body that is most likely in some degree of internal conflict. The degree of this conflict of housed intention/feeling is in fact generally proportional to the degree of mental and physical ill-health which manifests in any given person as a result. Greater unification of intent elements in the high is extremely beneficial to body, mind and spirit. The raising of any areas of fear and pain will greatly aid the process of healing, in almost any affliction known to man. Every part of the self simply works better under the auspices of higher vibration and greater clarity. A state with elements of pain and fear simply cannot be as high as one which does not have them. Upon inhaling a puff of the sacrament, intend that the high be manifest in each and every square inch/intent element throughout ones’ being. Take special care to raise those areas which are problematic. . . After taking the fifth puff, I realized all of the above in greater detail than ever before. Through this realization and progressive intonations, I implemented/intended such improvements be made throughout my system, even at the cellular level. I also intended an upgrade of feeling/intent elements in the aura surrounding my body. The result was a correspondingly excellent set of states in which I repeatedly passed through various levels of consciousness. Some of these states even ranged into the High Master levels, and during these moments I Saw with great clarity many things regarding the embodiment of high intent, and how it can be manifest in others. On this occasion, the Path I Saw would have to be classified under the beauty/purification heading of intent types. I Saw how certain exceedingly marvelous states can and should be manifest consciously at the cellular and even DNA/molecular levels of the body, causing its’ overall state to become so spiritually powerful as to exceed even a Christ and Buddha combined. I was shown that the intent of cultivating extreme and progressive beauty of feeling in all of ones’ intent/feeling elements body-wide, is so desirable that it makes almost all other considerations in life comparatively irrelevant. . . With a super-pulsation of ultra high forming the permanent foundation of one’s state, a practitioner would have the energy and dynamism to transform the world. They could transmit this ultra high to any person at will, even at a distance, whereas president and pauper alike would swear on bent knee in sudden fealty to the Cause of causes, in the expansion of consciousness. Such potentials exist, and I glimpsed them unwaveringly for many minutes, and at different moments. . . I found however, that my energy level was dropping, and was somewhat insufficient for holding these states and their accompanying realizations. A drifting, somewhat undisciplined mind aggravated this condition. I indulged in pondering the possibilities of permanently embodying High Mastery, instead of staying focused upon the intent(s) which make it possible [This is a classic mistake made by the practitioner]. I drifted in and out of Adept, Master and High Master levels, while using various intonations, and repeating the phrase, “the intent to raise the intent to raise” like a mantra. . . After the fifth and final puff, (I smoked perhaps a third of a bowl) I used the Smoke to rekindle some lost ground, and was only partially successful in this. I experienced the classic symptoms of what I call, “energy body fatigue”. Never the less, some later moments yielded excellent intonations, of both single and quavering tones. Such Smoke sessions as these I once again realized, would be interesting to video tape for the sake of instruction and inspiring others. Certain motions and sounds could then be conveyed in a way which words cannot. The making of intonations and shamanic movements is always more sophisticated when immersed in higher states of consciousness, so much so that it is accurate to say that they hinge directly upon them. . . I left my staff in the circle and walked back to my van to rest and contemplate…. . . June 7 . . Yesterday I had the second Smoke of the year, after assimilating much of what was gained on June 3rd. Most of this inner work has continued along the lines of upgrading my body-wide intent elements, and the purification of mental intent by purging pain and fear. . . The Smoke of the 6th wasn’t just of a higher nature than the 3rd, it was exponentially greater. I attribute this to three factors; 1) I moved the casting circle from the meadow to a place within the nearby woods with old growth trees, 2) better Herb, and most of all, 3) to this intensive focus upon intent and intent elements. In fact, this last Smoke was many times over the highest I’ve ever had. The revelations I gained from this 2-hour period could fill several volumes, and it’s probable many of these subjects will never be given their proper due on paper. . . After setting up the new circle with the three lesser staves, I scattered agates and shells to fill in the rest of the perimeter. My main staff formed the northern point. I brought along muira puama/damiana tea to drink, and the PVC tube I use as a didjeridoo. . . The first puff provided a high of no great mention, though it was stable and of good clarity. After taking it I immediately focused upon vibrational raising and transcendental attainment via that climbing vibration. . . The second puff built itself squarely upon the first. After this point, the exact chronology of what transpired is not clear. This was due to the fact that my state(s) went so high that my mind was ill-equipped to remember events in a “normal” fashion. In such cases information is always retrieved in full the next time the practitioner enters those states, as a general rule. At one point my mind was little more than an inconsequential speck. It belonged to a much larger whole, (of soul, Earth Mind and God) and when it Saw this, it was overwhelmed until I intended it to be matter of fact. It is difficult in the extreme to know where to begin, or how best to approach such subjects as they were revealed and traversed. So initially, it will have to suffice to say that the following major landmarks of consciousness expansion were encountered; . . 1) The threshold known as, “I am that”. . 2) The collective threshold known as, “We are that”. . 3) The threshold known as, “Agent of God”. . 4) The threshold/action known as, “the Will of God be manifest”. . 5) The threshold known as, “I am your servant”. . 6) The casting of world-raising high consciousness, and the, “manifestation of like kind”. . 7) The partial embodiment of the love of God. . 8) The manifestation of the love of God worldwide. . 9) The use of the planet earth as a casting medium for galactic raising. . 10) The purification of world intent and karma. . . [Continued in Part 3] . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 11 Jul 2006 18:21 . #608 The High and the Higher Still . Part 1 . . . What follows is a factual account of many extraordinary experiences, which most will find completely unbelievable. For the last 7 years I’ve returned to the woods for a period of personal transformation, and this last period was by far the most meaningful. I confess that it was frankly startling in many respects. Contained herein are spiritual encounters with God and Nature, revelations as to the purpose of life, the expansion of consciousness, the right use of entheogens, the greater mastery of intent, and many other spiritual facts which, to my knowledge, have never before been written. This series of articles is a chronology, a short diary if you will, of the Immense and Profound available to us all. It describes the transcendental events which occurred during the June 2006 vision quest in the deep woods. While it recounts events with as much clarity as may be expected of the written word, it also focuses on how the reader may themselves begin to undertake such a journey. In fact, many of the revelations of this period center themselves around the combination of two key factors, which can be described, (clumsily) as, 1) the nature and will of God, and, 2) the employment of the group mind principle for the sake of expanding mutual consciousness. Were such revelations to be understood and applied by even a handful of practitioners, the course of human history would be changed forever. I am thus compelled by a Will not entirely my own, to report these experiences to a select minority of persons around the world. It is hoped that those who are ready to undertake the Path in fuller measure, will find this information of aid in greater attainment. . . [Please note that these particular writings are definitely not intended for the general public. They are meant for the intermediate to advanced practitioner of the expansion of consciousness, or at least the very serious-minded, spiritually focused individual.] . . June 4, 2006 . . Having arrived yesterday in the usual wooded place far from “civilization”, I set up camp by mid morning. This meant little more than cleaning up, after unpacking a few 5 gallon propane tanks and cook stove near my RV-equipped van. A short walk down the steep hill to the condemned creek bridge, yielded 3 gallons of excellent water by backpack. . . Upon return to camp an extreme meditative calm suddenly swept over me. The compulsion to lie in bed even after a long and sound nights’ sleep was overwhelming. Intuition told me that this unexpected shift was due mainly to a purging of the psychic impact of town-living for so long. Various effects of stress, primarily the pain and fear so prevalent in the apartment complex Sandi and I had been, “house-sitting” in for the last month, (and which permeate the entire modern world) were, I was told, being “purified out” by the consciousness of the woods. I was also told after about an hour of deep meditative slumber, that this represented a turning point of spiritual change. It was a personal threshold of transformation for things to come, now that I had returned to, “my native element” of the deep woods. . . As I lay in the bed of my van, the depth of this spontaneous meditation was causing some unusual perceptual effects. After about two hours, sensations of not being in the physical body were increasing. To be more exact, it felt as though the body was in fact becoming a large-scale field of energy and awareness. The exact center of this, “field of self” seemed to fluctuate and waver. I focused my intent to get the most from this experience, and sensed a much larger source of consciousness. The presence of the Earth Mind was clearly flowing through me like a conduit. Intuition was again indicated that the, “intent at large”, (God/Earth Mind) were aiding my long-standing process to expand consciousness, and fully express the spirit of soul while still in this body. It was indicated that I should relax completely and in all the subtle feeling/intent elements of the body and aura. I was further compelled to draw in chi, (energy) omni-directionally from the forest, and to use the intent of incorporating the state of the local Earth Mind to improve my own. This entire process went on for about three hours, (though time was difficult to estimate, seeming simultaneously slow and fast-moving). . . I arose in the early afternoon, with the sun filtering through old Douglas fir and thick growths of huckleberry bushes and rhododendrons. The spongy soil was still damp from the recent rains, and smelled of spring growth. Walking around the short, encircling road near camp proved difficult, due to a body-wide sensation that could only be described as a kind of, “system shock”. The feeling might be compared to overexertion combined with a mild sunburn, although it was not entirely unpleasant. After walking one lap of that short loop of gravel road, the idea of having a Smoke kept coming into my mind, just as it had while lying down. I’ve previously made it a policy to never smoke the sacramental Herb upon freshly arriving in the woods, because a process of purification of two days or more is usually advisable. On this occasion however, it was indicated to me that a Smoke would be extremely useful regardless of ill-preparation and the symptoms of system shock that sometimes accompany great personal change. In addition, this impulse to Smoke did not entirely originate with me, and so, I immediately obeyed it. . . Making sure I was equipped with lighter, kitchen matches and staff, I walked barefoot to that place near that old casting circle where I hid some sacrament last year. This, “stash” was in perfect condition, kept dry regardless of the heavy rains this year. I packed a liberal bowl, re-buried the Herb, and stepped into the casting circle with my staff. The circle is small, about 6 feet in diameter, marked off by three lesser staves, and various crystals, stones and shells from local beaches. . . Without much of the usual meditational preparation, I took the first puff, drawing chi into the entire body via my main staff. I then employed the intent of vibrational raising to augment the natural effects of the Herb, using the high as a foundation for further, “travel” into higher states of consciousness. The vibrational raising intention was only partly successful. In part this was because that particular piece of Herb was of low quality, and in part it was due to the lingering psychic effects of the last 4 weeks in town. Never the less, I gained some significant ground in the high after five minutes or so, and raised my staff with both hands above my head to, “cast” this high to the immediate meadow which surrounds the circle. I also intended benefit upon the local Earth Mind presence via the high, while using intonation of the, “eww” and, “ohh” sounds of the second and third chakras. . . Upon taking the second puff, I raised my level of high using the first puff as a foundation, or starting point. This time the results were quite intense. A promising moment of silent yet turbulent expectation shivered through my body then, heralding the approach of a threshold soon to be crossed. With unbending intent I crossed through this vibrational threshold. The message encoded into this new state of consciousness was, . . “Use the raising to raise itself” . . This reminded me of the essential fact that while the intent to raise ones’ state of consciousness is good, but the intent to raise that intent is even better. As centers of consciousness, we ARE intent at the most fundamental level of being. There is nothing in life we can accomplish, including walking from one room to the next, or the attainment of Buddha/Christ-level consciousness, without the intent to do so already in place. The practitioner knows that the intent to accomplish something can be elevated, and with that elevation comes greater accomplishment. The Olympic, gold medal-winning runner for instance, employs by necessity a far greater level of intent than the casual jogger. In essence, it is a natural and spiritual law that the degree of success in accomplishment is directly proportional to the level of intent employed. It is therefore very efficient to raise ones’ level of intent, rather than trying to modify one’s actions while using the same level. All of this is of course even more applicable to spiritual advancement, and most specifically, the expansion of consciousness. The intent to raise one’s body-wide vibration is good, whereas a higher intent/expectation to raise is that much more effective, assuming of course that the practitioner has sufficient inner knowledge to employ it. The average practitioner raises. The Adept practitioner raises well through much experience. The Master raises further still and with less effort, implying that the levels of spiritual proficiency ranging from novice, to Adept to Master, are but levels of intent that have been firmly embodied. Herein lies the key to spiritual advancement itself! . . All of the above flashed through my mind like a memory many times forgotten and many times remembered, after taking the second puff. At the same time, the quality of my intonations took on tones of greater purity, while employing this realization of the raising of intent. The following “mantra” then occurred to me, which reinforced the earlier Seeing; . . “The intent to raise the intent to raise”, . (repeat this mantra while contemplating it’s deeper implications). . . The Smoke had started with a fairly typical intent to raise consciousness, via energetic and vibrational gain. Now I successfully, “intended my intent higher” with regard to chi gain and greater feelings of high-spiritedness throughout the body. The effects of, the intent to raise the intent to raise were cumulative. As my consciousness expanded through this focus, my intonations more sophisticated still. I was reminded yet again after the third puff, of much higher levels of consciousness which are available to anyone who has such iron to pursue and achieve them. These can be described in every-day terms as, “that of a Buddha or a Christ”. I Saw that such a state of consciousness as a Buddha or Christ is just a level of intent. Raise your intent sufficiently, and you will inevitably achieve such a corresponding level of consciousness. I Saw also that it is my truest need, just as it is the truest need of every human being, to seek out such a level of intent, and to hold, (embody) it on a permanent basis. To See into Christ consciousness for instance, is to understand something of its’ profound height of vibration. It is a certain bliss coupled with an ocean of wisdom and energy upon which to draw. Were humanity to survive its’ current social norms and find true progress, it will do so within such parameters as make possible a Christ or Buddha. In other words, our further evolution in the truest sense of the word, will be found in the significant expansion of consciousness. Furthermore, it is no accident we have at our disposal such tools as the Marijuana Herb to help us along the Path. This plant, like other sacred entheogens, is a way-shower toward those expanded states. It is a guide-proper when used correctly, back to those natural states of transcendent bliss and ever-transmuting excellent joy that are our birthright as cosmic citizens. The high of Herb shows us the Path when we employ spiritual intent in its’ use, because the Path itself is also naturally “high” in terms of both feeling and knowing. The Smoke and my own soul showed me once again as I stood in the meadow, that it is our most fundamental need of all time to regain such natural high(s) as the unblemished child knows, and which our ancestors took for granted. It is that bliss of being which the child knows simply as, “play”, combined with wisdom, spiritual love and matter of fact clarity. Through these we can become self-guiding agents in the expansion of consciousness, and therefore the on-going process of evolution! . . Accomplishing such love and clarity is largely a matter of self realization. To speak of love is one thing, but to know in subtle detail what it feels like to the point of being able to evoke it at will, is another. To speak of clarity is usually done in the context of being clear about the facts of a given subject. But to actually gain clarity itself through greater awareness of awareness, is another matter altogether. The person who is self realized understands that they ARE consciousness, that they can expand and improve upon this consciousness, and that the intent which is its’ basis can be refined and raised. To realize one’s self as intent is to also realize that they are literally, “that which moves and manifests”. To realize ones’ self is to not only understand personal motives, but more importantly, the nature of motive itself. This goes beyond conscious action in life. It is the process of becoming the very action taker, (identification of self as intent) who is the basis of any action to be taken. As the practitioner goes deeper into self as intent, they eventually cross a realizational threshold whose name is the same as its’ content. That threshold is spontaneously known by any who cross it as, “I AM THAT’, (consciousness/intent) as well as, “I AM THAT I AM”, (consciousness/intent…a center thereof). I passed through this threshold as in many times previously, about 30 minutes after the third puff. . . There was a slight breeze stirring the bushes and trees, while the energy of the sun felt invigorating on my back. I continued to elevate my body-wide intent/feeling elements via various intonations, and the mantra, the intent to raise the intent to raise. Accompanying high states was the usual overwhelming desire to convey the essence of such Seeings to others, so that they too can act upon them as I do. Even more overwhelming is the consistent desire to promote group action along these same lines, or in other words, to establish a group mind in the super-high, via three or more experienced practitioners. I’ve been informed on countless occasions, psychically and intuitively, that when three or more practitioners gather to raise together using advanced spiritual intention, a synergy of super highs can occur. This synthesis would create a mutually reciprocating field of high vibration, energy and awareness. With high intent it can create a field of excellent quality and spiritual progressiveness such as this world has never before witnessed. Consider the accomplishments of three Christs or Buddhas working in tandem! Rather than leaving organized group mind action in the basketball court or music hall, consider if you will the merits of applying it to spiritual progression in mutual love and clarity. Consider further still, the potentials of using the Herbs’ high as a starting platform for raising this love and clarity together, and you have a major Pathway for literally becoming such Christs and Buddhas. That Pathway is open to us all, individually and collectively….we need only pursue it with earnest, progressive intention. . . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Higher states - Martyn Martin . 12 Jul 2006 15:57 . #609 I to have entered into higer states of conciousness and never once was there anything godlike or spiritual in them. So what is a higer state and why do some see or feel god some jesus some angels and some even faires whereas i have never know any of the aformentioned phenomena. I think it is all to do with impressinons. If you are a god minded person then in higher states you may find yourself communing with what you think of as god or jesus or the angels or maybe even faires depending on your beliefs. My belief is that a higher state of concious is when all our earthly knowledge is known in total sort of like recalling all that you know in one moment. And as i said above depending what information you have your experience of higher conciousness will show you this. So if you are a believer in god it would only be natural for you to have some sort of godlike awareness. Personally i think people should be very careful of getting into higher states and then taking what they have experienced as being fact, something god , jesus and angels are not. One should also understand that the mind which ultimately is the tool used for analysing altered states of conciousness is also the tool used for imagination and dreaming, which i think says a lot about the reasons why some people think they have spoken with or are god. . peace to one and all . martyn The High and the Higher Still Part 4 - Matthew Webb . 14 Jul 2006 18:54 . #610 The High and the Higher Still . Part 4 . . . June 9 . . To summarize this, “challenge of our fitness to evolve” would be to say that our greatest human need is to, “get over” our own faulty ideas and emotional attachments so as to competently address our true purpose. That purpose is to BECOME HIGHER, MORE SOPHISTICATED BEINGS, through the development of the consciousness that we ARE. Only in this development can true progress be achieved. Everything we do hinges squarely upon our state and level of consciousness, in each moment that passes. This development and this development only, is the ultimate solution for the worlds’ ills. No political of social measure will have such lasting benefit. No Senate-passed law can compensate for low consciousness in the public domain, as un-evolved minds will always erode legislature and other social measures sooner or later. Unchecked fear and pain will inevitably rip down all edifices of liberty, no matter how well they are constructed. Only the higher establishment of love, clarity, self knowledge and right alignment with God in sincere spiritual intention, will bring forth the Shining Age of Evolved Man, we all secretly wish to establish. . . It is clear that a large part of the motivation to encourage others along the Path, arises from the Intent of God and Nature. In fact, it is notable that the higher ones’ state of consciousness at any given moment, the stronger is this Intended compulsion to raise others, and the world as a whole. God is of a very high order of consciousness and vibration. The modern human consciousness with its’ attendant fear and pain, has difficulty accessing the Intent of God because our feelings and intentions are usually too dissonant. However, the higher one is at any given moment, the more vibrationally resonant they are with God and Nature. This resonance induces a greater rapport or flow of information and intention. It roughly follows the same principle of frequency resonance seen between radio transmitters and receivers. Those receivers which are, “in tune” with what is being transmitted, (by virtue of being on “the right frequency”) are enabled to receive the information sent. This is true of higher states of consciousness and the proportionally increasing ability to receive “Gods’ transmission”. Spiritually smoked Herb clearly enhances this resonance with God, which is partly why it is a sacrament proper. Thus the appropriateness of the word, “ENTHEOGEN” as applied to cannabis, which means, (en) in, (theo), God and, (gen) active agent or catalyst, or in other words, “a catalyst for aligning with God”. . . I am “told” that God wants, (intends) that each human being BE as high as they possibly can, via entheogens, spiritual intent/practice, music, Tantra and a multitude of other methods. As with any world, God desires us ALL, each and every one, to be High Masters such as Christs and Buddhas. Even a handful of such High Masters could combine their spiritual intent, as a group mind of excellent quality, to change the karma of our race forever. Such a group could even usher in an evolutionary leap, a great expansion of collective consciousness, by casting their raising intent worldwide, in a very high and repeated fashion. Such a possibility exists for humanity even now. But that potential future requires those who have done the necessary inner work. It necessitates the psychic alignment of those few among us who have great inner strength, and who have traveled sufficiently far along the Path, to align their spiritual powers together for the good of the planet. This they must do regardless of the psychic and karmic pressures of the modern world, so as to shine in the High in ways that truly befit UNITY IN SPIRITUAL CAUSE. All ego must be laid aside. Those who would be High Masters must raise each other, just as they would raise themselves. There is no territoriality or egoistic reputation to uphold in high states of consciousness. In fact, it is these very social forces which the truly spiritual aim to dismantle, in favor of the Reality they obscure. . . I am also told that although God can aid the practitioner in deeply profound ways, It will often intentionally NOT do so. It is necessary for each person to do all the real inner work which the Path requires. Not the least of these tasks is the valuing of truth above all other things, the elimination of attachment, the dismantling of the ego, (and it’s twin, fear) for the sake of spiritual Cause. Without actually working for these attainments, one does not gain the necessary richness of experience, and thus their depth of wisdom suffers. Consider for a moment the intense strength of living things as the result of millennia upon millennia of natural selection. Life forms are strong precisely because of having to overcome the pressures of mutual competition and environmental hazards. No greenhouse plant can ultimately be so strong even though it may be well fed and watered, as its’ counterpart in the wilds who is tested by wind, drought and predators. That which is catered to, (over-domesticated) grows weak, losing its’ spirit and vigor. So it is along the spiritual Path. The various trials and pressures of personal growth beyond the faulty norms of our day, and which the Path inherently affords, are the very best means by which we can gain real inner strength. This too is why knowledge does not imply wisdom. Anyone can read a book about meditation and self refinement, but without serious application of the words on the page, no real wisdom can arise. Enlightenment arises as much through trial as it does through knowledge. It often comes from adversity, not emotional pampering or intellectual convenience, (denial). Most of all it comes from the application of truth in daily life. There is no adequate replacement for this strength gained through adversity and application. There is no replacement for the trials of the sincere which lead to embodiment of truth, not even through the beneficent influence of God. God understands this. To use a crude analogy, a good parent knows this too…that although you can tirelessly speak of responsible action, only experience can fully teach the child. . . Understanding this reveals the folly of the Christian doctrine of blind faith. “Be ye as sheep unto the fold” is clearly NOT a valid recipe for wisdom. One should certainly stand well prepared to accept into themselves high knowledge and influence. But a sheep cannot do this in a meaningful way, because they are basically MINDLESS. They lack the essential intelligence and wisdom necessary to spiritually progress as conscious beings. There can be no real trial for the blind follower, no test of spiritual proficiency or intellectual correctness, in the face of a mindless adherence to dogma. For what use is faith, (belief in the unseen) in the person who has clarity and therefore Sees? Does the person who perceives God directly need faith that there is a God? No, not any more than a person needs faith that they have a physical body. Furthermore, it is very often the act of adopting blind faith which creates spiritual blindness. Through faith in false ideas of Deity, God remains unperceived. God does not want us to be blind or sheep-like…It wants us to See as clearly as we can every moment, all there is to perceive of life and consciousness. God wants us to be competent spiritual leaders, not sheep who can do little more than graze the unproductive meadows of doctrine, and who in turn leave little more than the droppings of mediocrity. . . This too has been revealed to me many times; that the pursuit of God and higher consciousness is far greater in value, than the following of any way-shower to God or enlightenment. The messenger of truth is never more important than the message itself. The finger that points at the moon is not the moon, nor should it be confused with anything else it may point at. Christ, Buddha and Herb are all way-showers to God and higher consciousness. They demonstrate the right direction of travel, the appropriate focuses, hazards along the way, and knowledge of the Path. But they are in no way the Path itself, nor would any true Master ever claim to be THE PATH. We must not become so enamored with the messenger that we lose sight of the essential meaning of the message. This is what has happened within the religions of the modern world. We’ve become so distracted by rituals, symbols and intermediaries to God, (Saints, Icons, Arcane Glyphs, Temples, Churches, Alters and Fancy Robes, etc.) that they have obscured the truth in the mind of Man. We have in essence given far too much credence to the wrapping, and ignored what is inside the box. “Look what wonderful wrapping…praises be!”, people say, without going to the effort of unwrapping those spiritual gifts of God, contained in body, soul and nature. For these reasons no Master would ever make statements to the effect of, “No one can enter unto God except through me”. This is a false teaching made up by power-hungry popes, not by any awakened Soul. The true teaching is this, “No one can enter unto God except through purity and height of intent”, meaning of course that we do not ultimately require intermediaries to travel the Path. Once again, a way-shower is just that, one who shows the Path through example and insight. They are NEVER to be confused with the Path or the goals of the Path itself, and every true Master will tell you as much! To know God then, be of earnest and high spiritual intent. Know Thyself for therein you will know God to be of the same essential essence as your very soul, (intent, awareness and energy). Know too that there is no such thing as the, “only begotten son of God” since we are ALL, and without exception, fragments of God-force as less refined examples of intent, awareness and energy. We are as sparks of the same great fire. Upon Seeing the sameness-to-God that is our birthright, stand ever ready to reject the false doctrines of Man. Religions masquerade as an unquestionable orthodoxy, in an attempt to monopolize spiritual opportunity! Know the false by it’s resistance to questioning! . . All of this and much more I Saw during the Smoke of June 6. . . June 12 . . Question; Who is the Gatekeeper? . Answer; The Master of fear and pain. . Q; What is the gate? . A; That threshold which allows significant passage to the High and the Higher Still. . Q; Why is there a gate? . A; Because fear and pain are vibrational inhibitors to the high, and they create it. . Q; Who is the Master? . A; Anyone who intentionally faces fear and pain, (like the seeking out of prey) with sufficient intent to surpass them. . Q; Why is the Gatekeeper the only one who can consistently pass the gate? . A; Because those who do not intentionally face fear and pain are still subject to their limiting influence. . Q; Besides the intent of transcending fear and pain, what else is required to permanently/consistently enter the High beyond the gate? . A; Self knowledge . Q: What does self knowledge reveal? . A: That we are NOT fear, pain or any other feeling-state. . Q; What else does it reveal? . A; That we are not thoughts, memories, occupations, social positions or any other learned thing. Neither are we psychological images or considerations. . Q; Since we are not these things, what then are we at our very base? . A; We are That which creates these things….consciousness. . Q; What is consciousness? . A; Consciousness permeates all things as intent, awareness and energy. . Q; What is the goal of consciousness? . A; To expand, to be High and Higher Still, beyond the gate. . Q; How is this goal achieved? . A; As with all other goals….through intent. . Q; What is the High? . A; An infinite set of spiritual states of consciousness, representing a direction of travel toward increasing vibration and spiritual purification. . Q; In this context, what is traveling? . A; The intentional movement of the practitioners’ state toward higher and higher levels of consciousness. . Q; Who is prevented from travel? . A; Those who will not place one foot, (intent) in front of the other, and who identify with fear and pain, or their false constructs in the modern world. . Q; Who is the Gatekeeper? . A; The Master of fear and pain….. . . ************* . . Q; What is right action? . A; Living in accord with truth. . Q; What is the truth of the self? . A; That we are consciousness. . Q; What then, is right action with regard to the self? . A; The expansion of consciousness. . Q; Why is this action not taken by the vast majority? . A; Right action is most often lost by assuming the present is expendable. . Q; Why is the present not expendable? . A; Because all action occurs in the present, never in the past or the future. . . ************* . . Super-dynamic, ultra-high… . autonomous, self-replicating, . psychic engines of spiritual intention, ride! . Cast by the wise, vast, far and wide. . . It is never certain as to the exact nature of a given Smoke before it is engaged. One may enter upon it with a given intention and achieve initial results in the High accordingly. But ultimately, the states encountered can be as diverse as formations of clouds in the sky. There are innumerable facets to the expansion of consciousness. Some are far more productive and well-traveled than others, such as the drawing/storing of chi and the raising of vibration, to name a few. However, there are a million different ways to accomplish either of these. Regardless of the Path followed to the heart of self and High however, it is intent which does the guiding, even when in unfamiliar territory. In essence, the experienced practitioner travels through various states of consciousness using their intent as propulsion. In part, the practitioner accomplishes such travel by staying focused on the desired goal….which is, generally speaking, higher spiritual attainment. Let this focus be your navigational beacon. . . The Smoke on the occasion of the early morning of June 10th, was both powerful and difficult. At about 8AM I entered the High with the initial intent of personal refinement. I sought to better master and embody what I learned in the Smoke of June 6th. Finding ways and means, (mostly inner) to enter the High more proficiently is always desirable, as is being able to direct it effectively into useful manifestations. . . My predilection in the last several years is to channel the High into shamanic-style motion and intonation. This is especially true when casting. To “cast” is once again the act of projecting the High and higher states into the environment, via intent. The High is a spiritual thing when properly recognized, and it can be manifest in a person or persons, a tree, a forest, or even the entire world, if that is the proficiency of the practitioner. To cast a thing, one must first have a thing. To cast a high, the practitioner has need of first solidly entering into that High within themselves. After this accomplishment, they may then endeavor to replicate such states/intentions into their surroundings. This is a learned skill that is somewhat beyond the scope of the present text. . . The Smoke of the 10th was a typical example of small, area-of-effect casting to the local grove of trees which surround the new circle. Despite being slightly burdened by the pain I mentioned some days ago in my lower chakras, I entered a very dynamic level of High consciousness after three puffs of the Herb. This I successfully manifest in, (approximately) a 100 yard diameter sphere. Such intent initiated the expected alignment with the surrounding forest. I communed with, and felt psychic reciprocation from, the old growth trees which inhabit there. I used the standard WMS Chi Gaining Meditation, intended progressive vibrational raising, (especially in those pain-afflicted areas of my lower back) and did various intonations. The psychic alignment with the woods gave a significant boost to this raising process. . . Then, a series of significant thresholds were passed, one after another. Typical of the upgrading effect that passing through a threshold induces, the quality of the tones I produced vocally and by didjeridoo increased again and again. I then focused on only two intentions…1) the quality of the tones produced, and, 2) the progressive, ever climbing High, (the intent of the Perpetual Raising). These formed a feedback loop that continued to spiral upward for many minutes…better tones to higher states, and higher states producing better tones in turn. Through this method which I now frequently use with each Smoke, I transitioned through at least three major thresholds of consciousness expansion. Such thresholds are readily perceived by the observant practitioner. With experience one learns to not only sense their approach and prepare, but to competently pass beyond each one with enough inner flexibility and unbending intent, to stabilize their state, “on the other side”. . . As I’ve said, a threshold is like a doorway or gate. If one has such energy and perseverance to, “step through it” internally, they have then passed into a place of higher quality. This can be likened to entering a room through a door. The environment has changed its’ character…there are distinctively different features to note and learn from. There are innumerable thresholds on the Path of consciousness expansion. A rare minority are very great and profound, others are merely significant, (major) and many more still, are minor. It is a fact that the practitioner must learn to cross thresholds great and small. They will find that the act of greater mastery is found not so much in actually passing through a threshold, but in holding in place such changes once they are gained, (or re-gained). . . Three major thresholds did I cross on the early morning of the 10th, often with staff in one hand and didjeridoo in the other. From this greatly raised platform of high states, I could clearly see the psychic oppressiveness of human karma which I call, “the World Mind”. This collective consciousness that is the modern world and everyone in it, is essentially a group mind on a global level. Just as an individual can employ wrong action and intent resulting in pain and fear, so too can a group, corporation, family, nation or entire species. This fact renders karma at each level, including the World Mind. Collective human karma, is the compounded intensity of wrong intent over many millennia, coupled with reciprocating pain and fear between members of the human race. It is not at all difficult to feel this pain and fear, especially for the more psychically aware practitioner. In fact, people feel the ill-effects of the World Mind quite often, but they fail to recognize its’ source, imagining instead that such feelings and even thoughts are purely of their own creation. . . As I gained many levels of consciousness via herb and the intent to raise combined, I perceived the World Mind in energetic detail. I saw it as a system of intent elements, where billions of individual intents (people) comprise the matrix of a much larger field. Group mind phenomena at this scale, is similar to the organization of the body where billions of cells make up a larger whole, and whose actions are often beyond the perception of the individual. In essence, the psychic world community interacts on the level of the Unified Field, whereupon billions of transceivers, (human nervous systems) transmit and receive states of consciousness mutually and constantly. People are psychic broadcasting towers, some of which are on the same frequency, (resonance via like intent and feeling) and some of which are on different frequencies, (dissonance via antagonistic intent and divergent feeling). And like radio broadcasting, our thoughts, feelings, states and especially intentions, are carried by the invisible, subatomic realm. Our inner workings produce tangible waves of force that carry information encoded into them, just as a radio station transmits at a given frequency and provides information to those similarly, “tuned”. It is upon this energetic medium that we are indeed, “All one”, which is a fact that can have both advantages and disadvantages. When a collective, (group mind) has digressive, (un-evolutionary/evil) intent, then this is exactly the type of compounded effect it manifests. Examples of destructive manifestations which are antagonistic to nature and even our own bodies, is everywhere to be seen today. On the other hand, when a group mind has progressive intent, (evolutionary/good) its’ manifestations are likewise progressive, and felt by all as joy even in the company of strangers. . . [Continued in Part 5] . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . The High and the Higher Still Part 3 - Matthew Webb . 14 Jul 2006 18:55 . #611 The High and the Higher Still . Part 3 . . . June 8 . . I had to stop writing yesterday because of having very low energy…this process of transformation is a bit rough. As I purify out fear and pain, (pain in particular) my lower three chakras are really going through a difficult transition. I’ve had a great deal of pain and weakness in the calves and feet, and even worse discomfort in the lower back, (between the second and third chakra) making it difficult at times to even walk upright. I sleep a great deal, even napping during the day, and meditate upon upgrading the intent elements in these areas. With this focus they become pain free only to once again flare up. My general energy is minimal, and if I focus upon the ills of the world the pain is increased almost immediately, and my energy likewise drops. Purity of spiritual intent is highly called for, and I’m reminded frequently on a psychic level to align with God and Its intent, as revealed during the last smoke. . . It becomes necessary to point out many things regarding the Path, or in other words, the expansion of consciousness and spiritual progression. These two are basically one and the same thing. In relation to this subject, it’s also necessary to clarify many points regarding the nature of God and God in nature. Be it known that when I speak of God I do not essentially refer to Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Apollo, or Santa Claus, nor any other religious figure, with the possible exception of the Native peoples’ perception, of the, “Great Spirit” worldwide. Most of the concepts of God, (or Goddess) around the world are just that…mere concepts of mind and not direct Seeings which cognize Its’ true nature. In other words these “Gods” and “Goddesses” are mainly of mental origin, as psychological projections of human-made wishful thinking upon the exponentially greater Essence which is truly God. Even the word, “God” is unfortunate, as it denotes the male sex, just as “Goddess” denotes the female sex. But the truth is that “God” is neither male nor female. God is an “It” which holds the potential for either of the sexes. I use the word “God” therefore, only because it is most commonly known and easily used, and in no way because of any religious or anthropomorphic attachment. If one were to combine certain key features of so-called, “animism”, Taoism, Shamanism, Shinto, “The Force” of the movie Star Wars, Wicca, Vedic concepts of consciousness, and various Gnostic understandings, one would begin to get a more accurate picture of what God actually is. . . But to clarify matters further it is useful to say that God, as a very high order of large-scale consciousness, is composed of three things: INTENT, AWARENESS and ENERGY. It is through these essences that God manifests its’ influence. This is especially true through the instrumentality of INTENT, and even now as you read this page, the intent of God flows through you and everything in your environment. This is going on each and every second. God-force flows through your atoms, your neighbors’ dog, the bush in the yard, the rain, the stone in the field and the presidents of distant nations too. . . Because the word, “consciousness” also denotes intent, awareness and energy, “God” and “Consciousness” are basically synonymous terms. God IS consciousness. It is no mere accident that our essential identity, (the true self as soul) is likewise consciousness. Upon looking within the observant seeker of truth will find none other than their own energy given focus by awareness, and that this awareness is in turn given direction by intent. There is nothing in life that we can accomplish, no single act of any kind which does not entirely depend upon our intent to initiate motion, our awareness to stay appropriately focused, and chi, (energy) to carry it out. Know too that God acts through these same universal instruments, and in that same order. . . It is precisely because we are all consciousness, (intent, awareness and energy) which makes true the phrase, “we are all one” with each other and all of nature. It is because our essential nature is consciousness that we may also know God. Consciousness likewise flows throughout nature, and has some degree of refinement and concentration in every living thing. Due to this fact we can likewise commune with nature just as we can commune with God and other human beings. Upon, raising or expanding our consciousness, it is a natural fact that our capacity to know the, “secrets” of God, Nature and Man is proportionally enhanced. To better understand, (realize) our true nature, (know thyself/soul) as consciousness, is to likewise have much clearer perception of that same force which animates the entire cosmos. . . God did not, “create us in ‘His’ own image”. God enhanced part of Itself on this planet, (as elsewhere) by assisting the increasing sophistication of biological forms over eons of time. God is STILL doing this, meaning that “creation” was not a 7-day process. It is an ongoing process partially understood by science as “evolution”. In essence, God assisted, (and still assists) the creation of man, “in Its’ own intent”. Our intent can rightfully be called, “a miniature God-force” that is capable of creations in its’ own right. The same may be said to lesser degrees about the rest of nature…it too is animated by God-force, but in ways generally less refined than in the potentials of Man. . . Microbiologists have been compelled by the sheer weight of modern evidence to concede that the structures of the cell are far too sophisticated to have evolved by virtue of sheer chance. In the mechanisms of DNA replication and RNA-initiated protein synthesis alone, the evolution-by-chemical-chance theory has been thoroughly discredited. These are elaborate multi-step processes which occur even at the molecular level of cell function, so much so that the chance they could have arisen on their own accord through blind probability are literally trillions to one. The “design” of “pattern” if you will, of even the most simple bacterium would fill encyclopedia sets of sophisticated and interlocking information. Modern scientists are in growing numbers feeling compelled by the mathematics of extreme improbability, to acknowledge the scientific validity of a God-source theory of living systems. Interestingly, the scientific models of natural selection, cell mitosis, species mutation and development remain provably valid regardless of God-source origins. Indeed, what is arising in modern science and religious Gnosticism both, is a comprehensive synthesis of evolution and creation. Perhaps this new field should be called, “Creavolution”. . . In repeated Seeings and under the test of methodical logic, I can attest to the reality of this synthesis, by saying that both creationists and evolutionists have been partly right and partly wrong. Creationists have been right in the fact that God has been “creative”, as evidenced by the extreme sophistication of Man and nature at all levels of organization. They have been incorrect to advocate a 7-day “Creation” of all things however, and wrong to reject the scientific understandings of natural selection. Science has been right that natural selection through physical forces continues to shape species, but wrong to reject the notion that God has played a vital role in the process of evolution. . . Within the promising seas of early Earth some billions of years ago, the molecular constituents for DNA formation were at hand. God-force entered these constituents via Its’ Intent and directed Awareness, thereby causing molecular energies to respond. That intent was the same as on every life-forming world, to cause greater and greater sophistication of form to arise, (initiate evolution). A very crude analogy for this molecular rearrangement is that of a magnet acting upon iron filings. God intent, as an organizing force, compelled the molecular constituents of single celled life to form into a sufficiently ordered pattern, (the first DNA). Once single cells began to replicate on their own, and over great periods of time, they gained in sophistication, (due in large part to the pressures described by natural selection). This was how the process of evolution was initiated on Earth, just as it has been in countless other places throughout the galaxy and cosmos at large. . . The compelling nature of God-force, (intent) has subsequently and constantly intervened as It deemed appropriate, over the entire course of the evolutionary process described by science. The “mysterious” leaps and transformations of one species to the next, including our own so-called, “missing link” of human development, has occurred therefore, not only through the impetus of life and the natural laws which govern it, but also through the Intent of God, of Consciousness at Large. Every single plant and animal, fungus and microorganism great and small, are the result of creation and evolution both. It is the intent of God that life on this planet and elsewhere, continue to evolve into ever higher forms. It is therefore the intent of God that WE also become more sophisticated, not through technological advance, but through the expansion of consciousness which we ARE, and which God likewise IS. . . The reader might be compelled to ask, “What then is the motive of God to oversee the process of evolution?” “Why all the effort?” The answer is this; as life in any one place flourishes and evolves, the God-force and presence in that place is enhanced. This fact implies many things; . . 1) That God is not “perfect”. . 2) That God learns. . 3) That the consciousness which is God is also expanding. . 4) That life serves as a type of “feed-back loop” for God, and through that loop It reflects on Its own nature and finds self refinement in this. . . 1) That God is not “perfect”. There is no such thing as perfection, not even for God, because there is no single state of being, no ultimate and therefore finite level of consciousness which cannot be improved upon. No matter how high or knowing any state can become, it can ALWAYS be made higher and wiser. Ultimate knowledge to the exclusion of further knowledge is not attainable, because new and novel interactions of variables always arise in an infinite universe. This fact precludes the possibility of knowing ALL, even for God. It is therefore as much a desirable thing for God to continue to evolve, (gain greater sophistication) as it is for us and all other life. . . 2) That God learns. Every time the God-force enters upon any world capable of supporting life, it must by necessity encounter unique conditions and variables seen nowhere else in the universe. For this reason God-consciousness must actually learn, step by step, what it specifically means to advance consciousness and life on that world. The earth has been no exception. As God learns to gain from and enhance life on a world, It then follows a local progression from simpler to more advanced when it comes to, “dealing with” that set of unique physical variables. On each world where life arises, the “local presence of God” (aka “local God”) gains greater and greater enrichment from the life evolving there. Through each eye, (where consciousness dwells) It Sees. Through each ear, (where consciousness dwells) It hears in ways unique to that physiology. Through each nerve ending and brain, (where consciousness dwells) It perceives and understands each unique environment in ways similarly unique within each life form. Through each growing plant and even the tiniest micro-organism, (where consciousness dwells) God experiences Itself to some degree, and in so doing, gains an increasing understand of the peculiarities of evolutionary advancement in that place and time. And in all this, 3) the consciousness which is God is expanding, not only through Its’ own initiative, but through Its’ various extensions and manifestations collectively known as “life forms”. The human being, we must keep in mind, is also such an extension of God consciousness on the material plane. . . Thus, it is true; 4) That life serves as a type of “feed-back loop” for God, and through that loop It reflects on Its own nature and finds self refinement in this. This is an on-going, cumulative process. Every animal and plant which lives on Earth, and which has ever lived on Earth, has generated an arrangement of intent and awareness unique to its’ species. Each of these has had special properties of perception, and each understood the world in a way unlike any other. The God-force which is possessed to some level of refinement by all life, has thus experienced Itself in a myriad of ways throughout the natural history of this planet. Through each animal and plant, extinct and still living, Gods’ consciousness has been expanded and broadened by assimilating the essences of each arising form. The more rich, vital and diverse the expression of life on a given world, the more rich, vital and diverse is Gods’ enrichment by it, as a direct result. As God is progressively enriched by each unique form of life, It gains greater and greater ability to enhance the evolutionary progress of any ecosystem. Beyond physical factors, the feedback loop of God to evolving form, and evolving form to enriched local God-presence, is the primary engine behind the progress of life in all places and times. . . Notably, there reaches a point upon all evolving worlds, whereupon life gains the ability to reflect upon itself and actually guide its’ own nature. Upon reaching this point, the intelligent life form is then enabled to begin consciously guiding its’ own development. In essence, the engine of the evolutionary dynamic is at this point given an advanced mind, whereby its’ own processes can be self known and self guided. Such a point is considered a very desirable outcome on any world. The evolution of form and the expansion of consciousness that implicitly accompanies it, then becomes greatly accelerated. It is in such places and times that God gains an exponentially greater benefit in Its’ own evolution, than what was seen previously in non-sentient forms. Humanity represents just such a sentient form. The evolutionary threshold of hominid to Homo Sapiens, was the Earthly version of achieving sentience and therefore self guidance, in the on-going expansion of consciousness. . . The problem is of course that capability does not necessarily imply right action. There is a partial truth in the Christian doctrine of, “God giving us the freedom of choice” and in relation to, “good and evil”. However, good and evil are NOT as they are (un) defined by the Bible, or any other mainstream religion that I am aware of. Good is defined precisely as follows, and in all places in the universe thus; “that which stands for the greater sophistication of life, as well as all that contributes to evolution and the expansion of consciousness”. Evil is very simply that which runs contrary to this cosmic purpose. . . Although humanity has evolved to the point of being CAPABLE of self reflection and the conscious guidance of its’ own true progress, it has not yet exercised this capacity in any real way. Humans have instead, (in the vast majority and historically) chosen instead to invent gods, ideas, religions and institutions of their own convenience, calling these, “reality”. They have thereby neglected to simply look, to See the truth of self and universe directly and accurately, and have come to view even the word “truth” with contempt. Humans have primarily rejected the fact that existence runs by virtue of natural/spiritual laws. They have confused themselves through so many artificial and false images, that the true knowledge of self as consciousness has been largely replaced by self indulgence and dogma. They have confused themselves with so many small and false images of deity, that the true knowledge of God as consciousness has been largely replaced by empty ritual and religion. Humans have further entered this self-induced confusion so thoroughly, that most consider life to be a shallow and boring, 2-dimensional plane, of materialism and quick-fix consumerism. I tell you this with utmost urgency and clarity of Seeing, that if our true purpose as intelligent agents for the expansion of consciousness is not embraced by humanity, we are doomed to extinction. That which will not serve the purposes of God and Nature is eventually eliminated as worthless, like it or not. If we will not renounce our self made purgatories in favor of real human progress, then it is within those purgatories we will remain until the death of our kind. It is herein that the ultimate test of our fitness to survive will be found. If we will not carry the brightening torch of evolution onward into the night of possibilities, then another form will be chosen by circumstance and Intent, who will. . . [Continued in Part 4] . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . higer states 2 - Martyn Martin . 14 Jul 2006 22:43 . #612 From all my experience of higher states it has been obvious that when one returns to the usual state, that is the one i am in now while writing this, the majority of what is experienced in the higher state is forgotton. This is because our usual state of mind cannot cope with the overwheming amount of data that it recieves while in the higher state. To try and make this more clearer observe how many thoughts you can have in one moment in the usual state of mind, you can only have one thought at a time, this is all the usual state of mind can handle and rationalise. In a higher state of mind one can can know everything in one moment, that is one can know how and why all this that we call life came about, what our part is in it and how it will all end. to put it bluntley one can know everything in less time than it takes to have one thought in our usual state of mind. Im sure you can imagine if you even experienced one millonth of a percent of this in you usual state of mind you would think you were going mad because the usual state of mind cannot make sense of so much information at one time. Try talking to someone in a higher state of mind, someone who is aware of the total, if it was even possible for them to communicate with you you would not make out one ounce of sense of what they were saying. There are some people who talk about an evoloution of conciousness as though it is everyones right to evolve conciousness, in my opinion this is false and without proof just as the idea of the earth being flat or the evoloution of apes into humans is also false. There will be an evoloution in conciousness and humans will live by a different code with different concepts and ideas but what these new concious humans will know and do is unimaginable to us mere mortals. Just as an animal has no concepts of human ideas so we can have no concepts of the ideas of a race of humans of higher conciousness. Re: higer states 2 - Matthew Webb . 15 Jul 2006 20:02 . #613 Dear Martyn, . . If you mean to have an honest conversation about my posts on the expansion of consciousness, then I invite you to place your comments as replies after those posts, not in separate headings. That way, when other people read the thread they can see the whole and contiguous discussion, including what originated it. . . After that I will gladly answer your thoughts on these matters.... . . *********** . . ********** . Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Francisco Lazaro . 16 Jul 2006 03:56 . #614 Esteemed comrade Matt . . I am following part by part. . However in this first part I just can reiterate my conviction that we are indeed speaking the same language along and that I definitely surrender to your elevated, lifting, noble, precious statements, intent and experiences! . I expect to revert with you over here with additional comments. . Greetings of Love and Light from Brazil! . Francisco higher states 3 - Martyn Martin . 16 Jul 2006 17:14 . #615 Before entering into a higer state of mind one should have a good understanding of their usual state of mind. What is mind what does it consist of and how did what is in mind get there. In general peoples minds are conditioned from the day of birth, they are given information from the very first moment of entering into life and this information is assimilated in their mind unconciously or should i say without them being aware of it. All through life peoples minds are being impressed by all the things around them, they take in knowledge like a sponge soaking up water but without any idea as to the valadity of most of the knowledge they are recieving. As they reach maturity it is said people begin to make up their own minds, obviously this is a false assumption as what they have in mind is only what has been put there through the impressions they have been subject to. Because people are subject to different impressions depending on the envoiroment they have grown in it appears to them that they are different from each other, this is another false assumption. A building is a building wether it is made from mud, straw or brick, its essence is still the same, it is a building. Because of all the above there are many and various theories about what a higher state of mind is and wether what is known in a higher state of mind is valid or not. To the scientific mind a higer state of mind can be put down to a chemical inbalance with overtones of mental health issues. To a religious person a higher state of mind is getting in touch with god or recieving messages from some kind of divinity, to a lay person a higer state of mind is something weird and wonderful but usually of no consequense. Ultimately a higher state of mind is personal and subjective to the experiencer because none of what they experience can be proven to anyone else, just like a dream that cannot be experienced by anyone other than the dreamer the higher state of mind remains an enigma to most people. As i said previously higher states are all dependent on the experiencer and the impressions which they are subject to during life. The point i am trying to make is untill we are all of one mind and have a verifiable sense in common we will not be able to understand one another when ior if we reach higher states, we need to find a common ground similar to the logic we use in this state of mind, we need to begin thinking in new ways with new or existing concepts that are more exact. For instance a simple example of thinking in a new concept would be the movement of the earth around the sun, we know this is how it happens but our conception is still one of the sun moving around the earth. It may not seem so but just such a concept has a great bearing on our way of thinking and our perceptions. Re: higher states 3 - The Subverse Human . 18 Jul 2006 14:40 . #616 Hi m8, once again i completly agree with you on the subject of conditioning. But i think theres a bit of a missconception about higher states. A higher state of conciousness can be obtained in everyday life without entheogens such as mj. Plants like this are just a guide to the higher state and consuming entheogens certainly doesnt grant you it as by right of administration. In this society having a higher state could be refered to as a mental illness, as anything that doesnt comform is considered mad. I think that there is a big diference between a dream state and a higher state. A dream state is an unconsious one, a higher state is very concious. Having incredibily vivid dreams could be called a higher state of unconciousness i suppose. Dreams have indirect krypic meanings that shouldnt be directly translated, kind of like finding the method from the madness. . Anyway got to dash. higher and lower - Martyn Martin . 18 Jul 2006 21:46 . #617 There is a certain teaching that says there are four types of conciousness ie . The sleeping state the one we dream in and can do no harm . The waking or relative waking state that is this on we are in now in which man talks and has grand ideas and then destroys and kills. . The self concious state one which we may have flashs of but very rarely, although there are those who will claim to be self concious. . And objective conciousness or cosmic conciousness a state in which one is aware of everything. This is a state in which some have touched on but none can live in snd none can have control of untill the two lower states are fully understood first before even the state of selfconciousness can be experienced fully. Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 4 - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2006 18:39 . #618 To clarify the many parts and pages of this series of articles thus far would be to say the following; . . 1) Everything contained in these "High and Higher Still" posts is true, not just for me, but for anyone who earnestly applies the intentions and perhaps the techniques mentioned therein. Every sentence and every word is based directly upon repeatable and repeated experience. This content is NOT theoretical, speculative, fanciful or fictionized in any way. It is practical, demonstrable and can be fully confirmed by anyone. . . 2) There [b]is[/b] such a thing as wisdom, and levels of wisdom. These need to be addressed by the earnest practitioner. . . 3) There [b]is[/b] such a thing as levels of consciousness, and these too need to be addressed by the earnest practitioner. . . There is no such thing as "personal" truth, no "my truth" or "your truth". There is only THE truth, everything else is delusion, illusion, ignorance or self decption. . . . Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2006 18:54 . #619 Brother Francisco, . . Even more than your progressive intention, I very much appreciate the value you place upon insights into truth. You know truth when you see it, and that's definitely a rare quality. . . I would have answered this post here sooner, but I simply missed it because of the way I have things set up on the Work Group. I'm looking foreward to discussing any point or points herein, especially for the sake of enhancing the experience of actually DOING them, (the expansion of consciousness, gaining of personal power, spiritual transcendance). . . Please note also that I received your last e-mail saying that you haven't received my recent mailings. I did answer, as always, all your letters, and don't understand why you haven't received them. In my last response, I mentioned the fact that you need to log in first at THC in order to find my, "Techniques" section there and read these same posts. Since you've found them here, there's really no need to go there however, unless you'd like some amusement as to the replies received, (much like those here). . . I'm still working on Part 5, but the going is slow with so many other things going on for now... . . Warm regards, . Matt/Rishi . . *********** . How high will you go to find truth - Martyn Martin . 20 Jul 2006 00:24 . #620 Hello all, first i must say when i came onto this bulletin board i did not know that it was only for conversations like the conversation room, i thought people just posted their thoughts here, but now i know different so i will treat it as i find it. . . So it seems people, that is some or maybe most people who come here to read or interact are seeking the truth or maybe the reason to their existance or what some call their life. . . Now i am only an ordinary person raised under what some would call ordinary conditions in the envioroment that i grew up in. The person that raised me was a good woman old enough to be my grandmother when she took me on. As a child being raised by this woman i was never subjected to any form of conditioning ie (this is the way you should be this is what you should do etc ) all she ever said was be a good boy and dont get into trouble. Although as i got older i did get into trouble this special person whom i called gran was always there never angry never negative but always ready to make me think on what i had done with words like, "what have you been up to now martyn". I believe i am the person i am now because gran gave me love and respect and also most of all she understood the human condition. She knew that people do things without really knowing why they had done them so with this knowledge she did not judge but just tried to reassure and help but she was wise enough to know a bad person when she met them and had the language to deal with such people. . . Right, now i have told you all a little bit more of who i am, and you can believe it or not it makes no difference to me, as my whole philosophy in life now is based on a teaching that says "verify everything before you accept or believe it" let us try to understand what truth really is. . . I have already tried in some previous post to try and help people understand that before one enters into higher states of mind (i prefer this word as all should understand it) one needs to know and understand their lower states of mind ( in my last post i talked of the four states of conciousness). . . In our lowest state that is what we think of as sleep we are subject to all our thoughts imaginings and experiences of our everyday life. . . In this state know as the awakening state or as it is known in the teaching as relative awakening. We are aware of ourselfs physically mentaly and emotionaly as we are now. . . In the state of mind known as self conciousness ( a state that people already think they are in ) we are not only aware of ourselfs as we are in the above state but we find there is an element of something else ( i have a theory that such things as stage fright epilepsy etc are moments of self conciousness ). . . In what is called the higher state of conciousness ( as i have said before eveything that can be known is known ), that is everything that is in the general conciousness, in other words everything i know you will know and vice versa. . . Now i must say that, although i have not said anything of this before, there is and are even more states of conciousness, but these although we can talk of them are to complicated to even understand without experience of them and even with experince what is left over in the memory seems no more than a dream. . . Now you might be thinking why am i telling you these things, let me just say that i have lived since the age of 5 with some kind of feeling that has always made me think that the way things and people are in this life ( the way people act ) are just not quite right. And as i have grown and eventually found my way i have begun to understand why these feelings have been there. . . The truth is i am no different from any of you ( except for the way i have evolved ) reading this or anyone else. The only differences between us are the ones that we have been subjected to in life ie you had to eat grits i had sausage and mash or you got taught that people who were poor were not as good as people who were rich or people with blone hair were better than brown hair, you all know what im saying. And the truth what is it well let me say there are earthly truths those are the ones we all understand and there are higher truths and they cannot be understood by any including me untill we all share in them together. . . I will say no more here except as far as im concerned all knowledge is free i give it freely you can find if you you look else where for free. Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Gerald Vest . 20 Jul 2006 00:35 . #621 . *************** . Hola, Francisco and Mat...I'm really enjoying this dialogue into Higher Consciousness. As I'm reading your commentary, Matthew, I find myself or inner being connecting to these levels...seems like I am very much into the moment and into energies uniting us and everything. The birds and trees and flys and all are interacting as one. . . Thanks so much for sharing your experience and descriptions of relating to all that is. . . I've been pondering, in a gentle way, the question about how Perfection can become more Perfect? My thought about perfection is that it can not be improved upon as we are created and Creation is Perfection. Does that make any sense to you? . . Nice Going, Matthew. You are certainly a precious Jewel to have as a brother. Am looking forward to your continuing journey. Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 20 Jul 2006 18:53 . #622 Brother Gerald, . . Thank you for your comments and interest in such matters as these. . . You asked; . . "I've been pondering, in a gentle way, the question about how Perfection can become more Perfect? My thought about perfection is that it can not be improved upon as we are created and Creation is Perfection. Does that make any sense to you? " . . I've heard this said before, of course, and my question is always the same..... . . "What is this perfection people speak of?" How do they know creation is perfection...what does "perfect" feel like, look like, sound like? . . Presumably by this thinking, people are perfect, as they are part of Creation. How is this evidenced in the modern world? . . Finally, as I asked in the articles, "What state or level of understanding cannot be improved upon?" Man first then god - Martyn Martin . 20 Jul 2006 19:39 . #623 If man did not exist who would think of god? . Re: The High and the Higher Still Part 1 - Gerald Vest . 20 Jul 2006 23:22 . #624 . ************ . For sure. I suspect that we can not improve upon the highest level of consciousness. It is so true that we don't reason well as evidenced by how we behave and relate to ourselves, one another and to mother nature. However, we are created with the potential to improve on our relations--love one another, and learn how to reason--cause no harm. I'm with you Matthew...let's all raise our level of consciousness here and now!!! . . Jerry Is it working? - Tiaan Bronkhorst . 22 Jul 2006 22:12 . #625 Hi, i'm new to all this so if there is anyone with ANY advice, please reply. I have tried meditation via marijuana and have had strange happinings. How do I know if I am on the right path; am I doing it right? Are there signs to watch for? Words of wisdom - The Subverse Human . 23 Jul 2006 18:01 . #626 Never take a moth to a candle lit dinner. Re: Words of wisdom - Martyn Martin . 24 Jul 2006 20:20 . #627 Its no good clutching at straws if your falling of a mountain. Re: Words of wisdom - Sandi Hunter . 24 Jul 2006 22:44 . #628 I don't know if you or others have noticed, (or if you'll even admit that you have noticed) the serious discussion and practical methods this board has offered. . . Consistantly I have seen Rishi post articles that contain only truth and he has imparted what is/was learned through actual experiences. . . Trying to make it anything less is a disgrace and I don't think any of you are clever or honest. . . If anyone belonging to this group has ever read any of the WMS material here and in the library, you would know that it is written from first hand experience and what was actually Seen. The writings that came out of these experiences were done with the highest intent of sharing great knowledge and Truth. If we only would take a minute and get serious, step out of our egos and try some of the practical methods offered, we would see that it is true and to it's word. . . I am not writing this to get a discussion started or to hear that I'm judgmental, negative, too serious or cynical. I'm writing this to get people to take the WMS material seriously. It is NOT based on theory or heresay. It is based on fact and anyone can benefit from it. . . Namaste' . . ***************************** . Re: Is it working? - The Subverse Human . 25 Jul 2006 13:39 . #629 What is your intent? It kinda sounds like someone who has seen Eric Clapton play live and gone and bought a guitar, music book and outfit, give it a go and said well ive got all the ingredients why dont i sound like him. You have to take it step by step, everything around us supresses our higher mind. You have to reject the dishonesty and ego of this world before you can tap into trueness. The articals at The world mind society WMS say it all. They reveal the truth in all its honesty and horror of the society we live in, accepting this and rejecting the lies is the only way to clarity. I hope you will soon join the elite class of clear thinkers. Re: Words of wisdom - The Subverse Human . 25 Jul 2006 14:20 . #630 I take the truth and disscusions of it very seriously, and the writings of matthew webb are invalueble. If this material was taught in schools to children the world would change in an amazing way. But that aint gonna happen, and society will eat itself. 100% of the worlds problems are the adults, And one thing that adults have taught themselves is to be serious. Ands its so called seroius matters that have been the cause of wars and death. The whole of the WMS literature is very serious and heavy reading, similar to other religious scripts that also contain valuable truths. But just like other religious writings the people that read them will allways missinterpret what they dont understand. What if thousands of years ago ,after the first group of people to read the writtings of moses started to worship god somebody said -dont be silly! It doesnt mean god an actual being like us, thats not possible think about it, god us and all you fools. Laughing at the ridiculous is an essential part of disscovering truth. If people cannot see the sillyness of missinterpretations then the WMS articals become just another missunderstood bible. I think comedy has opened more peoples minds to serious issues than anything else. This site is disscusions of truth, humour IS essential for self understanding and higher thinking, and thats the truth. . . . . Re: Words of wisdom - Martyn Martin . 25 Jul 2006 20:33 . #631 Well said Steve humor can bring us into contact with the truth although if understood properly the words of wisdom we both posted although appearing humuros to some carry a very serious message. I think the problem still lies in conditioning, people are so used to what they have always thought and believed that they find it very hard to think in different ways. An example of this can be found in fundemental religion where people are told to reject anything that does not go along with what they are being taught as it is probably coming from the devil. Its quite strange really but the idea of the devil as we know it ie something opposite to god is a relatively new idea ( only a few hudred years old if my memory serves me right ) yet there are people in these times that believe this idea to be true and put all there ill fortune and the worlds down to this thing known as the devil. If we go back to the begining of the last century people were frighted of the new age of steam and saw all the change as being the devils work. Today over a hundred years later we still find the same thing people see change as a bad thing and some will still say it is the devils work ( i wouldnt be surprised if there are some here who are reading this and thinking its the devil ) and yet these same people will proclaim to be concious and aware. As i understand it one needs to 'verify' anything they are told before accepting it as a truth or as again it is said in the gospels ' take everything with a pinch of salt '. . peace to one and all. Re: Words of wisdom - The Subverse Human . 26 Jul 2006 14:09 . #632 Well im convinced your the devil now, and so is mr webb, im only kidding of course but other so called desent respected people of this nation would think just that. The truth to some is such a horror that they would rather live in ignorance than to accept that their whole life and values are a lie. Well im glad to be part of the devils work, if the devil symbolizes everything opposite of "god" as a religious person would see him (and this includes media followers, the word of the news being the word of god). . In this society, we are the threat. The devil to the system is the truth. . The truth is such a simple thing with no fancy addons, its always been here and always will. Lies are complicated constructions that fade with time and have to be updated. Its something that people probably took forgranted thousands of years ago, people just lived in honesty. But just like for example if you deprive a person from something like sugar including fruit from birth, and when they were older they dissover a strawberry patch, every strawberry would be special and amazing. There are many amazing things that are available to us that we take forgranted. Maybee its just human nature to seek out what we dont have and not appresiate what we do have. . The High and Higher Still, Part 6 - Matthew Webb . 1 Aug 2006 18:21 . #633 The High and the Higher Still . Part 6 . . . Last night I had the realization that nothing in life can ever be as important as the expansion of consciousness. All personal considerations, fears, pains, assumptions of lack, strife with the world and so forth, are but trivialities in comparison with this cosmic process. The greater depth with which I realized this, caused me to intend a greater personal purity, and to inwardly declare that I am solely dedicated to such expansion and in accordance with the will of God. Immediately thereafter there was a great spontaneous improvement of my back and general energy level. It is clear that even death or imprisonment cannot ultimately dampen the practitioner so realized. I found such revelations quite simplifying in terms of what is needed in life. Even the gaining of practical necessities such as food and shelter should be seen only as accessories which support the great purpose of consciousness expansion, personally and globally. I therefore urge every person to reject the falsehoods of the things = happiness and things = worthiness, consumer world. Cast these out of your lives in favor of simplicity, efficiency, love, logic, clarity and naturalness, starting right now! . . Even the last person on earth, the moment before the end of the world, can and will find deep fulfillment in life by continuing along this Cosmic Path. It is our true purpose and the only one that is ULTIMATELY worthy of life-long attention. . . I ran this morning for the first time in many days due to the improvement of my back, and the purification of intent which caused it. I usually run every other day in the woods, but have not felt that to be appropriate until now. All such improvements to the body count a great deal toward the establishment of ultra-high states and their maintenance. I’ve been eating only an organic, “trail mix” I make from bulk storage for days, and feel little desire for anything else except the occasional multivitamin and soymilk. This diet is very conducive and cleansing…. . . June 14th . . Last night offered a very profound revelation. Clarity is something I tend to take too much for granted. It hasn’t been part of my conscious, intensive focus for some time. Using the WMS Advanced Chakra Meditation, and focusing primarily in the area of the forehead, I intended into place greater clarity there, via awareness of awareness. At first the results were a bit vague, but my recent inner work allowed a more sustained focus on awareness of awareness then I have ever before engaged at one time. Over the course of about an hour as I lay in bed, my clarity increased by subtle though cumulative degrees. . . Then a minor threshold was crossed. Intuition indicated clearly that the clarity that was increased in my entire head should be differently focused then usual. It was indicated that awareness of awareness should be focused down into a more “micro-level” of the brain. Following this realization, I focused into very small areas of each brain hemisphere, about the size of golf balls at first, then marbles, then points of focus only the size of a pinhead. At each level of focus, I could feel clarity being enhanced in smaller and smaller regions of the brain. As the focus-areas grew smaller and awareness of awareness was established in them, the overall effect in increased clarity grew enormously. By the time I was intending greater clarity at the level of neural nets, smaller than a pinhead, and even at the level of individual neurons, my state of consciousness then passed a major threshold. Various revelations arose then as a result, as often happens with a threshold crossing. . . One of the pieces of information that was indicated was that the brain is by no means the monopoly-holder of clarity or autonomous self direction. Increased clarity revealed that it is very beneficial to transfer, (intend into place) clarity gained at the brain level, to the various tissues and cells of the entire body. I had known from previous Seeings that clarity could indeed be instilled body-wide, but what I had not realized until now, is that actual autonomous awareness of awareness could be instilled into any cell of the body from head to toe! The importance of this escapes easy explanation, but it is a major key to the High Mastery. . . In essence, just as the brain can gain greater clarity through meditation upon awareness of awareness, so too can the consciousness of any individual tissue and cell of the body! This need only be properly intended. After accomplishing this, I felt clearly that the majority of cells in my body were gaining in their level of clarity. As a result they were becoming far more self-guiding…intuitive feedback indicated as much. Intuition indicated that this instilment of greater clarity in tissues and cells is a large part of what is known as, “awakening the body”, which is an important basis for the ascension process. An awakened body requires less effort by the brain to reorganize and upgrade into high levels of health and consciousness. As I said, it is made more AUTONOMOUS. I’ve noticed too that my ability to draw chi and raise vibration this morning are enhanced by at least 30%. There is no doubt whatsoever that raised, body-wide clarity will aid the holding of higher states on a permanent basis, (even ultra highs). The entire body does not just have a significant interface with the mind, (thus the term body-mind in holistic medicine), it is MIND to a large degree. Cells have consciousness. Tissues are cellular group-minds of that consciousness. Ongoing are the group mind actions of tissues, while the body as a whole is a group mind composite of them all. This is s very important fact to note in any consideration of self improvement, from body-building and self healing, to gaining Christ-Level radiations of love/high. My back this morning, speaking of self healing, is 80% better. . . Also there was/is a key revealed to me that invoked even more surprise. As I’ve mentioned many times before, intent and state of consciousness is a body-wide consideration. The body is composed of, “intent elements” which contribute to one’s overall intent and the state of consciousness. Just as the function of individual cells contribute to overall body function on the physical level, so too are there energetic feeling/intent elements which contribute to the overall state of the soul. To expand/raise their consciousness, the practitioner must address all these body-wide elements. They must identify areas of low vibration for instance, (pain and fear) and raise these so as to better free-up the entire system for spiritual gain. What had not been clear to me before was the full reason behind why change of some of these body-wide elements can be so difficult. Of course there are unsavory psychic effects, personal and world karma, the inertia of long-held pain and fear and so forth. But another more important factor in the raising of intent elements body-wide, is the level at which they are raised. By “level” in this context I mean level of bodily organization as in, system, organ, tissue, cell and even DNA on down to the atomic level of ones’ physical matter. I had on previous occasions met with limited raising success in certain intent elements, because I wasn’t focusing down to the appropriate level. In the address of fear in the third chakra, (stomach) for instance, and the intent to upgrade it to a higher feeling, (vibration) I made the mistake of focusing upon that fear only at a more, “macro-level” of solar plexus fear, instead of intending the very cells in the region to be raised. Fear and pain, I discovered last night, can be and are housed at the cellular level of the body, not just in the tissues and organs. This makes sense of course, I just never gave the matter its proper meditative investigation. So last night when I instilled greater clarity at the cellular level, I not only received such revelations, it also became clear that greater clarity at the cellular level implies a greatly enhanced ability to transform fear/pain there as well. This also is logical and predictable. In fact, I found the very presence of greater clarity at the cellular level to automatically remove some fear and pain. As these cells gain greater clarity-autonomy, they can also begin to take greater needed action at their own level and upon their own initiative. This is exactly what happened last eve, and my overall consciousness was greatly raised. My sleep was also unusually sound and with uplifting dreams. . . The practitioner will find that an alternating focus upon the various aspects of consciousness expansion to be useful. As of midday, my focus gives an example as a rotating implementation of the following: . . 1) The intent to relax, which helps dissolve pain and fear, (especially in problem areas). . 2) The intent to raise vibration (especially in problem areas). . 3) The intent to increase clarity, (especially in problem areas). . 4) The intent to gain and store energy, (especially in problem areas). . 5) The intent to purify intent, (especially in terms of improving the thought pattern of the mind) toward more progressive moment to moment focuses. . . (See detailed descriptions of these in the Perpetual Raising series, where specific meditations are prescribed) . . I’m using each of these intentions one after another, according to felt necessity. Sometimes the felt need for spiritual gain will indicate such a focus as one of the above, for an extended period. These “intensives” allow a greater depth of lasting effect. An intensive however, does not have the benefit, (necessarily) of working synergistically with other consciousness expanding focuses. It renders a deep effect but not a holistic one. A focus on clarity alone for 30 minutes for instance, will indeed generate deeper clarity than multiple focuses, but will not necessarily aid the practitioner in gaining of chi or right alignment with God. Meditating upon a series of consecutive intentions/focuses such as those just listed will work synergistically, meaning that they will aid each other in raising your state, (this may not result in the significant manifestation of any one desired quality though). The practitioner is advised to keep these facts in mind, and use their clarity/intuition/feelings to indicate what focus is most appropriate at any given moment. Keeping track of your state, (body-wide intent elements/feelings) all the time will provide the necessary self knowledge to make informed decisions regarding this. Generally speaking, what one most needs to focus on will make itself known in the form of discomfort or spontaneous desire. . . That which is unknown remains basically unchanged! . That which is little-known remains little-changed! . That which is known well is subject to mastery. . . Thus, KNOW THYSELF as a felt, body-wide state of consciousness every moment! . . Note; . I hereby affirm that the content of this article series, like others of its’ type in the World Mind Society Library, is completely true and accurate. These writings recount actual events, and are in no way theoretical, speculative or fictionalized. Each and every one of the psychic and spiritual activities described herein, are fully accessible to ANYONE who has sufficient purity and level of intention. I invite everyone who has read these pages to experiment with the reality of these findings to gain a greater Mastery of them on a progressive basis. Remember that the expansion of consciousness, even the gaining of such levels as that of a Christ or Buddha, is but an act, a DOING. Only through such DOING can a person hope to realize the full merits of the Path. I further invite others to consider the great potentials involved with DOING these focuses/intentions with others, to know that they can be much more powerful in tandem… . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . For supplemental reading from the Library, . The Perpetual Raising series, (5 parts) . Sacrament of the High . The EntheoGenius series . The Higher Self . And many others….. . . . Glossary of some terms used in this text . . Area of Effect; The parameters of manifestation for a given intention, (see casting). . . Awareness of awareness; That state which occurs when the practitioner focuses their awareness, (from the world of objects or personal concerns) upon itself, resulting in enhanced clarity. . . Cast/Casting; To psychically project whatever state one is in at the time. This is the primary precursor to manifesting intent into the environment. . . Consciousness; The true self and the essence of soul, composed of three distinct, readily identifiable elements as follows; intent, awareness and energy. . . Earth Mind; The collective consciousness of the natural world as a sum total. The planetary group mind of all living things found on Earth which can function semi-independently of its’ various parts. . . Expansion of Consciousness; The elevation and greater mastery of ones’ intent, awareness and energy. . . Group Mind: The psychic synthesis of two or more resonant members, which results in a whole that is geometrically greater than the sum of its’ parts. [examples, the cells of the body, the felt, combined excitement of sporting or music events, mobs, forests, atoms that combine to form a molecule, etc…] . . Intent: The foremost component of consciousness, and the causal force of all personal action. . . Intent/Feeling Elements; The felt sub-units of intent which compose any system, such as the physical body and soul. . . Master; A soul that has achieved a certain minimum of self realization and refinement. A being who has expanded their consciousness to the point of being able to demonstrate and explain the Path. . . Path, the; The name for the infinite progression which is the expansion of consciousness, and the purpose of all life. It is upon the Path which the practitioner spiritually travels. . . Raising; The act of elevating consciousness via intent, personally, mutually and/or externally. . . Right Alignment; The state of being psychically tuned to sources of high spirituality, such as God and nature. . . Threshold; One of many points of significant change along the Path, which the practitioner must cross in order to progress. A spiritual and psychic barrier which when crossed, results in an upgrade of ones. level of consciousness. . . . World Mind; The collective consciousness of the human world as a sum total. The planetary group mind of all people as a whole, which can function semi-independently of its’ various parts. The High and Higher Still, Part 5 - Matthew Webb . 1 Aug 2006 18:22 . #634 The High and the Higher Still . Part 5 . . . The World Mind must be raised. If ever there were an ultimate, planetary task for the spiritually minded, it is this very cause. We must, as intelligent creatures, either take the responsibility for which we were designed by an intelligent universe, or fall back into oblivion in failing to evolve. . . Seeing the truth of these revelations in subtle detail, (as many times previously) I was urged by my soul and the increasingly presence of God to act upon them. This compulsion to take spiritual action, to raise the consciousness at large especially when it labors under needless suffering, is in my experience common-place. Intuition strongly indicates that when any practitioner is sufficiently expanded they will spontaneously take up the larger spiritual Cause as their own. That Cause is the further evolution of ones’ own soul and the collective spirit of the world. This is a cosmic calling, and no soul can be truly fulfilled until they have done their best in fulfilling it in significant measure. Egoistic selfishness and narrow-minded self identity are largely responsible for the miseries of the modern world. The very best remedies for such a state of social confusion, is the joining together under this Causal banner, rendering nationality, political party and religion essentially meaningless. We must join together in a body of collectively high states of consciousness, whose progressive intent is exemplified by the beauty of God-in-nature. The future course of humanity if there is to be one, MUST be based firmly upon this foundation, while leaving behind all the petty, obsolete distinctions of class and ethnicity. . . I would call the above, “Gods’ Standard Pitch” for collective redemption and further evolution. I receive some portion or version of it with each and every smoke. This smoke was no exception and that came as no surprise. I was intuitively prompted to cast my elevated high, and with the aid of the Intent of God, to the entire world. The visualized thought-form that spontaneously came to me was a band, about 500 miles in width, encircling the globe as if seen from space. This band slowly rotated, with its one axis where I stood in the forest, and its other axis on the opposite side of the world. My high and the intent to manifest it, circulated through this band. In essence, the band was my castings’ area of effect. I requested Gods’ aid of high and profound intent to amplify my area of effect, and this was immediately supplied. As I stood inside the circle with a staff in each hand, I chanted/intoned while slowly turning my body 360 degrees. As I turned, one staff pointing and one staff rhythmically shaking, the visualized band of world casting high, turned with me. I turned around and around in this way for at least 20 minutes, always using the intent that the high be manifest in everyone and everything it swept over, and that best benefit be gained for all as a result and in accord with the Intent of God for true progress. I’ve used this band-method of world casting before, and want to point out that there are a great many other methods and visualized thought-forms which can be employed. There are however, two consistent basics that must be taken into account for any successful casting regardless of technique used. . . 1) One must first have something of value in order to give something of value. In other words, the higher ones’ consciousness is at any given moment, the greater their potential to manifest progressive karma and spiritual benefit. . . 2) That the INTENT to manifest benefit, and in accord with Cause, be sincere. This relates to sufficient purity and height/level of intention. . . With any successful casting, be it to a small or large area of effect, the observant practitioner will notice what can be called, “psychic reciprocation” or “instant (good) karma”. Generally speaking, though not always, what is sent out is what comes back. This is a phenomena resembling an echo effect on the psychic level. . . On this occasion I did receive various degrees of psychic reciprocation in the high from the world. The reciprocation was minor for the most part, so I concluded that my beneficial effects were similarly limited. Never the less, it was a progressive session of, “raising” and, “casting” whose lasting karmic impact is not to be easily underestimated. Like personal raisings of ones’ state, the cast effects of high and progressive intent to areas at large, are cumulative. Such effects DO linger and this is generally how a staff, a circle of stones or other spiritual tools gradually gain more and more of a “charge”. This is to say that the atomic level of matter can and does become imprinted by intention and cumulatively so with repeated applications. Thus a staff can for instance, become an increasingly powerful tool for the work of channeling energy, awareness and intent. The same is true of casting circles, particularly where local and even regional Earth Mind forces are repeatedly concentrated and refined. Even though I’ve now picked up all the stones and shells which made the old meadow circle, the spot is still highly charged with palpable high and Earth consciousness. . . My session on the 10th ended upon having exhausted much of my energy in casting, and because I indulged in some fear. It seems that various animals were attracted to my casting and intonations, and these could be heard in the heavy brush below the rise where the new circle is. The sounds of snapping twigs and moving branches were persistent, and I began to imagine, since that was a Sunday, that perhaps these were encroaching people. Since I strongly hesitate to reveal my practices in person until their intent is known, I hastily packed up and left quietly down the slope to the meadow below. After getting back to camp a short walk away, I discovered there were no cars parked about, and that those sounds were only animals after all. . . It was on the morning of the 11th when I was picking up those stones from the old circle. To my great surprise I was strongly prompted to have another Smoke, after placing them around the new location. This is extremely rare to have two Smokes back to back on adjacent days like that. A practitioner’s smoke often depletes the physical and energetic bodies, because great energy is used to transform and upgrade them. Plus, it is very useful to assimilate the experiences had under more “normal” states of consciousness so that gains made may be methodically embodied. But the intuitively felt urge to smoke was strong, so I obeyed it regardless of my surprise. I actually was not at all fatigued by the smoke of the 10th, but my back, (between the second and third chakras) was still feeling great duress. . . Upon each of the three puffs I took, I intentionally sent the high to this region of pain. The results were truly profound and amazing. This area of pain in my back is acting as a release point for fear and particularly stored pain I had since childhood. By intending the high to manifest there, an extreme shift of my energy occurred. I felt many times healthier and more vital, even at the spiritual and psychic levels, than just a moment ago. Whereas previously I was on hands and knees in pain in the circle trying to stretch and energize that area of the back, I was now upright, feeling like a towering psychic monolith, a spiritual engine of vitality. Clearly the Herb was initiating some serious healing upon me. Intuitively I was told that the exact spot of pain in my back is exactly where I should pay particular attention in the raising of my overall consciousness, as well as for physical and energy-body vitality. It said that this spot is really all I have left in terms of manifest issues, pain and fear, that constrict my ability as a soul to really unfold into this life. The extreme pain there made more and more sense to me. Rather than assume such discomfort and disability to be a weakness contrasting my usual good health, I understood it to be a process of purification. This pain is actually a physical, mental and spiritual detoxification…a release of stored emotion, just like the release of carcinogens from fatty tissues. There is in essence no real difference between these “detox” processes, as they follow the same principles, of purge-improve, purge-improve cycling of change. I noticed this same detox pattern occurred occasionally when I was in Peru taking the ayahuasca sacrament. . . My intonations were the best they’ve ever been on this occasion…very high and with lasting force. Hours later, I was still intoning and playing didgeridoo in my van at camp. . I feel it important to mention that the practitioner should be mentally prepared for trials such as the detoxification process. These can occur at the physical, mental, energetic and even soulic level, and are a VERY important parting the gaining of Mastery. Be persistent in your intent to raise beyond these crises events, and know that they are a type of threshold to be crossed for the sake of achieving higher ground on the other side of the “doorway”…. . . June 13th . . Given time to reflect in the clean of the forest with its psychic purity, there is much that becomes far more obvious! The psychic difference between woods and town is tremendous, for instance. In virtually any town or city in the modern age, it is not difficult to discern the often disquieting levels of fear and pain there. Some may call these prevalent states of consciousness, “tension”, “nervousness” or “anxiety”, but regardless of the names used, it is still the same modern phenomena. Contrast this with the relatively high, clear feelings of the woods, and it is self evident which environment is better suited for spiritual progress. . . There is every need for the practitioner to keep clearly in mind the psychic variations in their environment. Just as weather effects the quality of our daily activities, so too do the prevailing psychic conditions. The collective psychic impact of the World Mind is also part of our “environment”, and like local psychic conditions, it impacts our state of consciousness every moment, (unless the practitioner takes the appropriate measures). . . Although history could have turned a very different way making our collective World Mind a global phenomenon of joy, clarity and spiritual progressiveness, what we have today is nearly the opposite. Pain and fear are the readily felt norms of modern society the world over. Were these not the average states of consciousness for nations and peoples everywhere, then this would not be so. But it is so, and thus, the practitioner must take into account such negative world karma and its impact upon all but a very few, who know how to deal with it. This is yet another good spiritual reason to go to the woods regularly to raise consciousness. While we are not inundated as heavily by pain and fear by not being in such proximity to it, and while being buffered by the high of the natural things of the woods, there is a better opportunity to raise self and world. The Earth Mind or collective consciousness of nature on this planet, is a spiritual resource for renewal, cleansing and real progress. This fact reflects the true understanding of native peoples the world over, in their reverence for the felt upliftment of ones’ spirit in nature. Native spirituality is a psychic and spiritual fact therefore, and others are wise to adhere to such ways. Psychic accord with nature and/or God is known in WMS terminology as, “Right Alignment”. It is one of the 6 factors the practitioner may use for consciousness raising, along with the gaining of energy (chi), raising vibration, increasing clarity, expansion/manifestation and right intent/action. . . Such discussion brings up another reason why the marijuana Herb is an excellent spiritual sacrament. First of all, marijuana is a plant of the good and aware Earth, a gift of high vibration from the Earth Mind. When we smoke it we obtain this high vibration. Not only does this put the practitioner in better psychic alignment with the high vibration of God and Nature, it tends to DISALIGN us from the chaos of the World Mind. The high, like orgasm, is not a very “socially acceptable” thing in the modern world. . . Neither one of these are ever really talked about due to an unspoken, “pseudo taboo” against high feelings. But this is in a way very predictable, when you consider the so called, “daily grind” nature of the 40 hour work week, 3-4 weeks paid vacation, 30 year career retirement paradigm. It is this life-view putting up with triviality, pain and fear is considered a, “worthy” sacrifice in order to gain what really matters in life, which is of course more and more money. No one ever questions why these wage-slave life goals are to be what life is about, forever and ever, AMEN. That’s because if they did question the consumer-world ethic, it would fall to pieces under scrutiny. In that world, pain and fear are the accepted norm and so, it is not considered “polite” to speak of the high or of its kin, orgasm, since these run contrary to them. It’s arguable that the worker-mentality, who sees occupation as self, and as a reflection of self worth in the eyes of others similarly deceived, does not wish to be reminded of the natural life they have traded for money. Perhaps the career minded do not want the high in their presence because it tends to evoke the troubling thought that the 30 year career retirement, rest home-cancer plan isn’t worth their life-long devotion after all. Perhaps the high, like unrepressed sex, reminds them that feeling good, and having a progressively expanded consciousness is what life is really about, and so, we find the built-in deeply ingrained social defenses against them. I say “perhaps” of course, merely to be diplomatic, since I wish to avoid defensive reactions and truly transform the world with this information. . . The practitioner is well advised to keep these social realities fresh in their mind, and know that the Herb lends itself to dis-alignment, psychically and spiritually, with the consumer world. The idle amusement of consumer items after all, is indeed hollow compared to the spiritual bliss and enhanced enlightenment which properly used Herb affords. The consumer group mind, like any other group mind, is compelling. This is true not because it is sane or truly satisfying, but because there are literally BILLIONS of human intentions who align themselves behind it every day. This creates a truly enormous energy and spirit-sucking psychic vortex, behind the thing = meaning and thing = happiness world. Such a vortex makes it seem to be a good idea, but actually, all these fads, trends and fashions, are just manifestations of the group mind principle. Smoking the Herbal Sacrament, especially while using spiritual intent, acts to snap a person out of these degenerately attractive group intentions. The Smoke gives one the vibrational inertia to achieve an, “escape velocity” beyond consumer fear and pain, for a time sufficient to make significant inner gains. This plant and the Earth consciousness behind it, seeks to purify the consumer tarnish from our bodies, minds and souls. Given the extreme nature of fear and pain the modern World Mind, this Herb makes a particularly excellent spiritual tonic for the progressive human being. We need the high and the spiritual help it gives, from as many sources as possible, music, sex, enlightening videos, health, knowledge, natural joy, progressive social relations, and entheogens like the marijuana Herb. . . Some people experience what is called, “paranoia” on Herb, as well as other unpleasant effects. They might well question the validity of the above statements. Such persons should rest assured that there is no fear inherent with the Herb. Fear and paranoia are not part of its’ natural structure, nor are they part of the structure of nature from which it comes. Besides its’ vibrationally enhancing properties, Herb has the effect of not only dilating blood vessels, but also chakras. It acts to expand these energy centers for the body, increase our energy level and generally improve the smokers’ psychic sensitivity. Because of these effects and because the high is very dissonant with the pain and fear prevalent in the world, the smoker may suddenly find themselves psychically awash with these feelings from the environment. Normally we shield these feelings of others out, at least in part. But the healing Herb with its connect-us-all-in-the-high nature, acts to bring an overwhelming openness to what is going on in our environment. The uninitiated feel this and readily bring blame to bear on the plant. But paranoia and other fear or pain reactions from a smoker are not the doing of marijuana…these are either detoxification processes or the result of wrong focus and intent by the user. Examples of wrong intent include fun-and-games recreation, indulging in fearful thoughts or harmful psychic connections. Herb is not a toy! Neither is it a casual affair to be taken lightly! The marijuana sacrament, like all other entheogens, is a very serious spiritual booster. To toy with it is a hazardous affair indeed. The practitioner knows that when they ready themselves for a smoke, they do so with serious focus upon spiritual gain and upon the expansion of consciousness in the high. Also, the wise person will make every effort to find a progressive environment to be in, such as a forest in order to smoke. Lacking this opportunity, they will smoke alone in any undisturbed place to contemplate the high properly. Or, when smoking in tandem they will do so only with those who are likewise serious about this Sacrament and spiritual progress. NEVER will they smoke in the presence of a television and trivial talk, or drink toxins such as alcohol or soda at the same time. Doing so is a very foolish act. The practitioner will also wish to refrain from junk foods, and those foods which have unnatural ingredients as well, because their effect on the body is contrary to good health and therefore, the expansion of consciousness. Eat well on organic vegetables and a good protein source before a Smoke. Ginseng, Bee pollen and fresh fruit/vegetables are all excellent state and body boosters that will aid your high. Try the herbs; Muira Puama, Damiana and Ginseng as a tea (in equal parts) before, during and after your smoke. . . The practitioner is also well advised to keep physically fit, doing aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week on most weeks, unless the body indicates otherwise. Use intent to help upgrade your body during work-outs, by intending healthy, high feelings into place…. a greater high in the muscles, joints and tendons will most assuredly increase strength and vitality. It is necessary to hone all of the mental, energetic and physical ”vehicles” that the soul uses to accomplish its’ ultimate mission…the expansion of consciousness. . . I’ve been using intent in a similar way to upgrade this painful condition of the back. There’s definitely a parallel between negative thoughts/assumptions and greater pain there, and an equal parallel between high intent and no pain. . . [Continued in Part 6] . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . H & HS series follow up on THC - Matthew Webb . 8 Aug 2006 18:07 . #635 The following is a reply to various people about the High and Higher Still series, as posted on the THC Ministries Amsterdam Website. What it says is equally applicable here, and I'd very much like to see our conversations focused around actually DOING what is suggested in the series. . . Let's get down to the practical focus! . . ******** . . I thank all concerned for your good intent and encouragement, with regard to my comments here. Despite appearances, my concern is not for recognition in writing this material. My motive for this thread and all these other posts is based upon something quite different, and I’ll clarify that shortly. To do this, I’d like to ask for a moment of your further indulgence, to consider a few points that beg to be brought forward. . . As you know I’ve posted a great many articles on the spiritual, sacramental properties of our Herb, here at the Ministries. These writings are obviously of a very non-ordinary nature, so much so that in the eyes of the modern world, they no doubt lack a great deal of credibility. I fully recognize and accept this, believe me. It is for this reason that I don’t expect anyone to simply accept what has been written as legitimate or true, (even though I can, for what it’s worth, assure you that this material IS quite true and provable). In this materialistic age in which we live, it would be presumptuous to imagine that the world might readily jump upon the chance to embrace ideas like the High can be raised at will, that it can be “cast” to others even in aid of world consciousness, (World Mind and Earth Mind) or that it can greatly aid in the evolution of humankind! . . Never the less, I ask you to momentarily suspend all rightful doubt as to the credibility of such propositions. Just for the sake of hypothetical discussion, I ask you to imagine that all of these premises are indeed completely true. Imagine for a moment that the High is indeed so spiritually powerful, (by potential) that it could completely change the course of history, even in this late and dark hour of world affairs. Imagine that it IS completely true and provable that the High can be transmitted from person to person, so that it forms a reciprocating, psychic loop of exquisite feelings body-wide in each person, and that through such a mutual High, we have an opportunity to aid each other greatly in our spiritual unfoldment. Imagine that each of us can, through the right focus of intent in combination with the Herb, climb levels of consciousness like a ladder to reach even such states as those held by a Buddha or a Christ, and even hold these in place permanently. Consider seriously for a moment the possibility of being in such ultra-Highs together, as the primary basis for social interaction and community building, wherein we might establish an entirely new and higher form of human being, which would look back upon the current age, and marvel at the primitiveness and darkness currently taken as “normal”. Consider for a moment that our true identity IS consciousness, not nationality, occupation, socio-economic status, credentials, possessions, memorized personalities, political parties, gender or ethnicity. Consider further still that as centers of consciousness, the cannabis Herb can be a great aid for the sake of self realization and refinement, so much so that all these false concepts of our worldly selves, are rendered at once obsolete and meaningless. . . Finally, entertain the idea, even if only for five minutes, that each and every person on Earth has the power to tap ALL of these potentials and much more, if only they will apply themselves earnestly. . . If you can do this, or have seen the truth of such things for yourselves already, then you know very well my motive for this thread and these articles. I want these excellent Herbal benefits to be realized by as many who will listen. In this there is the possibility that the world actually WILL be changed in a fundamental way. As centers of consciousness, the only real and lasting Path for social/world change is through the expansion of that very consciousness. The Herb is probably THE premier tool for accomplishing this. Great joy and lasting inner strength, (which the High can greatly accelerate and augment) can be made a daily reality, regardless of the current world of pain, fear, sickness and needless war. But the key is that WE must also do the necessary inner work, especially through greater self knowledge and the mastery of intent, so that we can form a working, spiritual partnership with our Sacrament. No one has the right to assume that the Herb can and should do all the work. . . So please understand my barely concealed frustration in what I perceive to be a lack of response or even interest, in these potentials at THC, is due to my failure to motivate ACTION. I don’t want recognition unless that contributes to action. Thank you for suggesting that any or all of my articles be made available more obviously on the THC site or elsewhere. If it weren’t for the value of follow-up reading, I’d say just take my name off of these materials, or cut them up to use only those parts most useful for the sake of brevity and practicality. In other words, my real concern whether these items are posted or not, and in my name or another, is that they inspire motivated ACTION. Did you consider for a moment the potentials I mentioned? If so, then you can also See that it would be a horrible waste of potential if these matters were not given their due trial and application! What if our entire race were to die off in the end, due to its’ own carelessness and self-destructiveness, having never taken seriously an Herb and such information to use it, as it is spiritually Intended? Can you imagine ANYONE who knew even half of these potentials, recognizing full well it could save the world, let alone any one individual or group, who did NOT do all they could to cause others to realize these potentials as well? What kind of a fool or a monster, if it was within their power/knowledge, would NOT try to convey these benefits to others? . . So you see, what I’m after here is not mere discussion or recognition. I want to see the comparing of notes based upon EXPERIENCE. I want to see much, much more than just hypothetical or theoretical SPECULATION about these Herbal potentials I’ve brought forward. Mental speculation is good, and I will certainly indulge in it with anyone in-depth, regarding any of these premises. I’m fully ready to offer logical and even scientific validation, based upon direct experience, regarding what any of my articles contain. But the point is that until anyone here SERIOUSLY TRIES these potentials for themselves, (such as focused meditation upon the High, and intent applied to make it higher at will) our discussion will remain only theoretical and speculative. If we were all cave dwellers who never saw the sun, and one day one fellow walked out to see it and came back to inform the others, he might well be looked upon as a crazed fool. Or, the others might take him half-seriously, and debate the matter endlessly as to whether or not there is a sun, that it is hot, and good, and causes growth. Or, they could take the necessary steps, actually go to the required effort to SEE FOR THEMSELVES that sun and all its’ good qualities, at which point theoretical speculation to the exclusion of all else, would be seen as ridiculous. How can I get you to try these practices and collaborate with me and each other, for the sake of even better practice? How, I must ask myself, can I possibly convey not only information, but the necessity of its’ application? . “Success” in the writing of these articles I would define by such responses as, “Dear Rishi, I tried the “four steps in the mastery of intent” and did indeed cause my High to go twice as high as normal on the same Herb. But I have a question about one of these steps…I seem to have trouble moving from step two, (being clear about what you want/higher) to step three, (moving from where you’re at to where you want to be). Can you give me some hints on this? rishis’ answer….”Please tell me exactly what you experienced in applying these two steps and we’ll go from there”….Or something like, “rishi, when I meditated upon “awareness of awareness” after taking a puff, I found a certain tingling in the area of the forehead, but I’m not sure I gained greater clarity”, to which rishi might reply, “Make sure you maintain your meditation upon awareness of awareness for at least five minutes, and in a way that is as unwavering as possible, then notice the result” or it could be something as simple as “Dear Rishi, I took a puff and focused on gaining chi and raising the high, but I found my focus swayed to many other things, such as music or chats with other people, in other words, too chaotic, and I could not stay focused long enough on making the high, higher still. Is this because I don’t meditate? Or is it just a “mind” thing?…etc. And rishi might reply something to the effect of, “Yes, this is an issue of getting more deeply into meditation. Most efforts which fail at, “making the High higher” are due to this simple cause…that the practitioners’ mind is yet too unfocused and un-restful to really sustain ANY significant focus. I recommend using the WMS Chakra Meditation on three consecutive mornings and evenings without fail for 20 minutes per session. After this, see if your focus is less wavering and more “unbending”. Then try to raise your high once again, using this more meditative foundation. Such discussion as this shows that the information is actually being tried, and ONLY therein can its’ merits be Seen directly. . . If you like, I can recommend certain specific practices that are mentioned so that we can discuss their application. Thank you for your indulgence in this matter. . . Love and Clarity, . rishi . . Suggested Focus - Matthew Webb . 9 Aug 2006 18:36 . #636 From the Sacrament of the High article, in the WMS Library http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . "You can raise your level of HIGH indefinitely through the following simple knowledge; . . THE EMPLOYMENT OF INTENT (4 steps) . (for rendering internal change) . . BE AWARE OF YOUR CURRENT STATE OF BODY/MIND, (this is accomplished through meditation). . . GAIN FAMILIARITY WITH THAT WHICH IS TO BE INTENDED, (such as a higher HIGH) and the Intent to be acted upon is crystallized. . . THE DESIRED STATE IS HELD STEADY IN THE MIND, (for at least 5 minutes). Visualize and feel this state as if it already exists, until the body/mind shifts into it. . . THE NEW STATE IS "HELD IN PLACE" throughout the body, (or a given chakra). This new state is maintained by treating it as the new reality of the self on a permanent basis. Prayer for a Good Death - Sandi Hunter . 22 Aug 2006 19:03 . #637 To the sender of this message, . . I want to compliment you on this group of messages which are so incredibly true and necessary. No doubt that the general public reaction to them is a very stupid one, which only goes to further reinforce the main point being made. I for one however, fully appreciate this mailing. It is by far the best I've received in years. It would be a particular pleasure to speak with the person who wrote that prayer to the Great Spirit, for it is filled with the kind of true humility, intelligence and wisdom befitting a real spiritual practitioner, not all these phoney-baloney new age fakirs. . . My thanks also for the honor of including one of my articles in conjunction with these great works. Hopefully that inclusion will actually accomplish such noble aims as the author/compiler sought to establish in the public mind. . . If you would like to correspond I would actually be enthusiastic in doing so, even though I've recently stopped mailing and writing because of the general impression that "no one gives a damn". Obviously at least a few people truly care as evidenced by the great honesty of these writings. Whoever composed them evidently cares more for telling the unvarnished truth than for public approval, and for that I am imminently grateful..... . . ********************** . . Prayer for a Good Death . . Great Spirit, I am unworthy; . My species has disgraced itself. . Of all the species that live, or have ever lived, . Mine is the lowliest. . . Lower than the flowers who fill the air with sweet pollen, . Lower than the trees who encircle the Earth with their roots, . Lower than the insects, rulers of Earth . . Since the beginning of time, . Lower than the darting fish, . Lower than the soaring birds, . Lower than the four-legged creatures, . Who are the beating heart of the living Earth. . . Great Spirit, my shame is as deep as the ocean, . And my sadness is unbearable. . I pray for enlightenment, . But fear that my prayer is too late. . . Great Spirit, if this be so, then I pray for extinction. . Let my species become extinct, and vanish from the Earth. . Let my loins be barren, . Let my seed not sprout, . Let the race of men fall like leaves. . Let my fields grow wild, . Let my fences crumble, . Let my cities turn to dust, and become forests. . . Let the grass drink my blood; . Let my body be food for worms. . Great Spirit, let me die, that the Earth may live. . . ************************* . "IT IS DISTANCE AND FOR THAT REASON DIFFICULT BUT IS NOT SO DISTANCE" . . "Global Warming": If I had a child today. My grand child born today will be old as I am today 2062. It is not far away in terms of generations of people that are around. You can care about this issue because of the people you know. If not what is the use of having children as they won't be able to survive because of our greed and matter worshipping. We are in the fossil field era of human history. If human kind is going to have a future on this planet it is absolutly inevitable that we are going to find a new energy source or humankind is on a destructive suicidal path to oblivion with the "ECOCIDE." President Bush abandoning the "Kyoto Protocol" that aims at reducing industrial emission link to "Global Warming"but in his statement says, " The hell with the future generations. I and my corporate buddies already have ours and the hell with the planet. I have to take care of the American economy and my elite backers of industry. We follow the "Vile Maxim" of the Masters of Mankind: All for ourselves and nothing for other people for we want ours now and to enjoy it now!" . . It is distance when the environment is finally forced to file for bankruptcy because its resource base have been polluted, degraded, dissipated and irretrievably compromised and the economies of the world will go down with it...so what does that say about the future of "Capitalism" as we know it. . . Human happiness, and certainly human fecundity are not as important as a wild and healthy planet. There are scientists who remind us that people are a part of nature, but it isn't true. Somewhere along the line--at about a billion years ago maybe half that we as a species quit the contract and became a cancer. We have become a plague upon ourselves and upon the "Earth". It is cosmically unlikely that the developed world will choose to end its orgy of fossil (U.S.A., China, India etc). Energy consumption and the "Third World" its suicidal consumption of landscape is devastating to the eco-system...until such time as Homo Sapiens should decide to rejoin nature - some of us can only hope for the right virus to come along for growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the Cancer Cell*. Good planet are hard to find. David M. Graber - National Park Service . . *Cancer Cell: It is as if cancer cells have been heavily indoctrinated with the ideology of individualism and personal achievement: . Imagine a mass of cancerous tissue and the cells of which enjoyed consciousness...would they not be full of self-congratulatory sentiments at their independence than their more advanced level of development..their rapid rate of growth (GNP)? Would they not sneer at their more primitive cousins who were bound into a static and unfree existence with limited aspirations subject to heavy group constraint and obviously "Going Nowhere"? Would they not rejoice in their control over their destiny and cheer the conversion of more and more normal cells as convincing proof of the validity of their own way of life? Would they not in fact feel increasingly triumphant right up to the moment the organism on which they fed expired? Re: Prayer for a Good Death - The Subverse Human . 23 Aug 2006 15:42 . #638 I agree with sandi, this is a very honest eliquently written depiction of humanity today. But i dont belived the entire human race should die because of the sins of the ignorant few. Thats like taring everone with the same brush. We are all responsible for our own actions not the actions of others. Should we all be sent to the electric chair for crime of one idiot? I certainly dont want to die just yet, and i hope the writter of the that piece doesnt want to die either. Your own life is the most valuable thing in the universe (but only when you realize this), whether or not life continues for others, you are not aware of it, therefore they die too. All is relative. The universe is literaly over when consciousness is gone. Being able to comprehend this and appreciating the value of our own life gives you a greater appreciation for the lives of others not just human and the home we live on. This lack of life worth understanding is part of the cancer thats infected human minds. We are taught from birth that we are only worth what we can give to the god capitalism to make her stronger and nothing else matters. And if we fail to accieve their financial expectations then we are worthless. I am certainly not worthless, and neither is the human race. The madness of the world that is controled by money will only end when money returns to the value of what it really is - numbers within a computer meaningless and pieces of printed paper. . The piece on cancer couldnt be more true. We are kinda like conscious cancer. I view the human race as a large cancerous mole on the face of a most beautiful woman. But i think that maybe the cancer isnt the human race itself but a cancer within the race. Its not a medicaly detected desiese so it is only detected by being self aware and enlightened. Like the actions of a bad parent on a child infect the child with the thier desiesed conscious and unconscious influences which then get passed on to their childrens children and so on. Within this cancer of the mind is all the traits of this selfish capitalist society - egotism and dishonesty. Mainly dishonesty to self and for self gain. Like all illness's prevention is better than cure. Im not sure if this illness is curuable but it can be prevented. A new born baby is pure and unafected, we must prevent our children from turning cancerous. The terminanly aflicted adult population cant be easily saved. Its the children that are our future, lets not let us be their future. Im praying to the great spirit for a good LIFE. . The Laws of Incarnation - Matthew Webb . 29 Aug 2006 18:15 . #639 The Path . and the Laws of Incarnation . . To excel beyond the karma of ones’ place and time is no small matter, especially upon a world such as this. Never the less, the Laws of Incarnation must be observed. . . Law 1 . Remember your Mission, (as a soul with a purpose for incarnating). . . Law 2 . Never get caught up in local karma, (family, regional and planetary). . . Law 3 . Super energize the vehicles, (physical, mental and energetic bodies) so that they may adequately serve the demands of fulfilling Law 4. . . Law 4 . Mastery is progressively embodied, (via the expansion of consciousness). . [4a) Self is realized as soul. 4b) Soul is realized as a field of intent elements. 4c) The intent elements are raised.] . . Law 5 . Manifest the raising, (without getting caught up in the phenomena of the Path). . . The mission of the awakened soul is very simply to follow “the Path”, as it has been called in many places, throughout many times. The Path is also known as, “the Cosmic Path”, “the Laws of Incarnation”, “the Progression of the Raising” and, “the Expansion of Consciousness”. By other names it is known as, “the Knowledge of God”, “the Process of Ascension” and, “the Process of Evolution”. Through whatever name it is known, (and there are a great many more) the awakened soul actively employs the Laws of Incarnation in order to travel the Cosmic Path, and gain greater Mastery. . . In remembering the Path as the true and revealed purpose of life, a soul fulfills Law 1. . . To raise ones’ consciousness is to travel a vibrational spectrum of ever higher states and levels of refinement. Traveling in this fashion implies a specific direction of inner spiritual movement. The direction of the Path is specific, and therefore, its’ demand on the Practitioner is equally so. To travel into higher, more expanded levels of consciousness, is also known as, “Raising”. The Adept realizes the spiritual need to perpetually raise, (travel upwards in levels of consciousness) and in so doing, they become a Master proper. . . The fulfillment of Law 2 is largely a progressive, two-fold process, as follows; . 2a) Honestly holding truth to be above all other considerations in life, and, . 2b) Having such self realization and clarity to be beyond identification of self with anything but soul, (consciousness). The self realized soul is beyond the petty and false distinctions of nationality, creed, family, ethnicity, race, gender, occupation, socio-economic status, and ego-based titles of all sorts. . . The fulfillment of Law 3 is progressively found in the greater refinement and empowerment of the vehicles the soul employs while incarnated. This Law is also known as, “the gaining of spiritual power”. . 3a) The physical body is made healthy by observing natural laws. . 3b) The energetic body is made healthy by gaining and being aware of energy, and observing natural laws. . 3c) The mental body is made healthy through honesty and clarity, and by thinking via natural laws. . . The fulfillment of Law 4 is progressively found through meditative self realization, and the right employment of the knowledge gained therein. . 4a) Self is realized as soul, soul is synonymous with consciousness. The soul is a fragment of God, and like God, it is composed of intent, awareness and energy. . 4b) Soul is further realized, at the most fundamental level of being, as a field of intent elements. In essence, self as intent elements is the right basis for Mastery, the conveying of Mastery, and the manifestation of high intent, (see Law 5). . 4c) The intent elements are raised body-wide, individually and as an interactive system, on a progressive basis. This is a process without end, and thus, the gaining of greater Mastery is also a process without end. . The gaining of Mastery must be progressive and cumulative, until a certain minimum threshold of proficiency in the raising is reached. When this threshold, (known by many as, “Adept”) is crossed, the ability to fulfill Law 5 then begins to take shape. . . The fulfillment of Law 5 is progressively found within the realization, and employment of that realization, of the fact that environment and self are both composed of consciousness. In this essential unity, the consciousness of self and environment are implicit, and thus, mutual psychic effects are never-ending. The psychic and spiritual relationship of self and environment is a matter of field interaction, whose results are karmic. By virtue of such realizations, the practitioner does inevitably cognize the spiritual need of raising the environment, in much the same fashion as the raising of self. . Phenomena of spiritual and psychic powers then arise, which are regarded by the wise as less relevant than the purity/height of intent from which they spring. . . It is accurate to say that contained within the Knowledge of God, is; . 1) Knowledge of self as consciousness. (“I Am That”) . 2) The means to raise consciousness progressively. (intent), (“I Am That Which Raises”). . 3) Knowing of both the raising and the qualities of the thing raised. (self as Master of consciousness), (“the Hand that raises is also the Hand that is raised”). . 4) Knowledge of field as consciousness. (the basis for, “We Are That”) . 5) The means to raise a field progressively. (intent), (the basis for manifestation). . 6) The raising of self and field in tandem, (conclave of Masters) implying psychic and spiritual alignment, (group mind intent), (“We Are That”). . 7) Raising is primarily accomplished within the vehicles of the soul, (bodies) via the following 7 variables, a) the gaining of chi, b) the elevation of vibration, c) the elevation of clarity, d) psychic right alignment, e) the increase of beauty/purification, f) right intent/right action, g) the expansion/manifestation of high states. . 8) The ability to demonstrate traveling of the Path, (raising) and to explain its’ particulars, (especially the subtleties of intent). . 9) The purpose of life, (the expansion of consciousness) and our karmic relationship to God, (as a result of the intents used moment to moment). . 10) Knowledge of God as consciousness, soul as consciousness, nature as consciousness, (unity in essence). . 11) Truth above all else without exception, (facts and natural laws). . . The Master is a self realized Agent of God, just as a neuron is an agent of the body and mind. To be That Which Raises is to act in accord with the Will of God, who stands behind the primary momentum of evolution. To raise an area of effect, (field) is to implicitly be included within the sphere of Cosmic/Divine influence and concern. Raising is known universally in all enlightened places of cognizance. Beyond the holding of high states, it is the common standard by which those who Know the Path, also Know one another. . . To raise areas of effect is to assist in the evolutionary process of self as soul, nature as aware, and humanity in sum-total. All organisms can be classified as fields of cohesive, orderly intent elements. All environments can be classified as collective fields of intent elements, which may or may not be cohesive or orderly. The Master can discern the degree of order or chaos within a given field, by feeling this within the body. Through these feelings, (energetic connections with the environment) the Master employs intent to bring higher sophistication, (raising) to any area of effect which they have the expertise to handle. Even the entire world can be so raised by a Master, but this is no easy feat given the collective karma of the modern age. . . Raising the world requires extraordinarily high levels of pure intent, and even then, the psychic/spiritual effects rendered are rarely significant on a permanent basis. A conclave of Masters, on the other hand, is much more capable of not only raising the world in ways superior to individual effort, but to sustain those psychic/spiritual effects for longer periods of time. If ever there were sufficient number of those who had such skills gathered in one place, a threshold/critical mass of exerted spiritual intention could be crossed on a field-wide basis. That field may even be as large as the entire world, implying that world consciousness would be shifted significantly and semi-permanently. If the public were sufficiently educated regarding the subtleties of intent and the traveling of the Path, such a world shift of consciousness could be made solidly and permanently. This would represent a major culmination in the evolutionary process on this planet, and it is the Cause most supported by the Will of God. Any social purpose less than such raising of world consciousness and the resulting ascension of humankind en masse, is beneath the noble purposes of evolution on earth. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Suggested further reading in our Library; . The Perpetual Raising, . Lessons of the Soul, . and, . The High and the Higher Still The High Comments - Francisco Lazaro . 7 Sep 2006 03:28 . #640 Dear Matt and bothers . NAMASTÊ! . Please allow me to participate on the marvelous study of the High and Higher herein presented by you and share my ideas with all of you. Of course that such a profound and outstanding nature of experience reported with its consequent conclusions obviously deserve the most serious and attentive considerations and the best appreciation from all of the sincere seekers of Truth everywhere, what requires a bit of a slow taking of time. So my excuses for being a little late. . I would praise foremostly in this study, the main aimed goal of uplifting human spiritual condition from the downs we find it presently to the aspired heights of harmony and true lasting peace, our common wish. . . I would start by asking in the air whether would be Intent in some point and quality intimately connected or not to our dreams and high ideals? . . I am a Mystic above all. And as a Mystic-Christic-Spiritist-Shamanic-Daimist-Seeker in search for the Great-Synthesis I firmly hold that the basis for the success of such a spiritual enterprising of this nature, is the sticking to the Sacredness, the return to the Feeling of the Sacred which was somewhat lost in all of human ad-ventures, with consequent lost of respect for the Divine Mysteries, as an unalienable condition for deserving and attaining the True Understanding with perfectibility. . . I consider that in the same way as our body and consciousness are made up of several elements, the Path is likewise composed of many varied elements of wisdom, revelations, nature teachings, sources of knowledge, ancient secrets, as well as our futuristic dreams. . . As a Mystic I stick primarily to the feeling of the Power that rules all the manifestations as from the occult reality. It is occult, but not blind. It is reached through sincere devotion, commitment, intuition and vision. . So that I trust in this perennial Path that shows me this possible connection with The One, The Giver, the Resplendent Sovereign of Love, Light, Beauty, Joy and Perfection that made everything! . And I believe in a Family of Light, very coincident with Matt´s idea of a gathering of Seekers and in accordance also with the connotation given by Barbara Marciniak in Bringers of the Dawn and which I consider that is already acting in synergistic force. However the Big Meeting is something worthy of taking the time to evaluate its realization. I find this a formidable idea, as a concentration of forces! . . I further believe that Entheogens are the Ultimate Key to the secrets of Life and Spirit and the Last Medicine for healing humankind, if and when properly used, with respect for the sacred! Notwithstanding I know of no other person so far except Matt that can make so clear statements about the traveling in the High of the Herb with such a purity of intentions and effectiveness in directing this experience with such good results. On the other hand, may Matt and brothers believe me or not, incredibly as it may seem, Ayahuasca can convey one to the same levels and more with the characteristic that instead of your being the guide, you are spontaneously guided by The Force, as we call It, to the same source of consciousness. The Intent then mingles with the very same act of looking for an entheogen for spiritual enlightenment. Revelations come spontaneously through the Force and according to one´s needs. Same happens with the Magic Mushrooms, with which I have long years experience as well. Here resides the difference between Cannabis and other Teacher Plants. It is indeed interesting and noticeable that with Cannabis the direction of the experience is directly connected to the efforts of the practitioner in focusing his intent. That means some commitment is required in this sense. I think this commitment, kind of faith in the true viability and legitimacy of the Herb as a way-shower is what lacks in most of the people nowadays. . Well there is so much to deal with here that may be we will not be able to approach all in detail and in a sequential order, so many things will remain in open for further discussion of course. . With regard to the mention of disembodied spirits, the reincarnation factor and karma conditions, I would say that it has much to do with the “set and setting” for the evolutionary goals of humankind, and in this sense, the Spiritism Doctrine, a compilation of revelations given by the spirits, through mediumship and gathered together in main five-5 books by Allan Kardec are to my views, the most comprehensive and important source of high knowledge about all the above topics given to the known world and are a must, worthy of devoted studies by and for all Seekers of the Truth to help! No one should loose time to dive in it! . There one can deduce from logical understanding, that we are here on Earth as Apprentices of the Spirit, like in a Big School mixed with a Big Hospital, in order to purify our souls and improve our whole Being. And that an Incarnation is intended for inner-self-reform, what is achieved in stages and by means of moral elevation. This morals are not the same as that common social-religious puritanism, but rather Cosmoethics, a superior consciousness moral guide which is awakened by the Christ Teachings. We continue praising here the excellence of High Consciousness achievements, but we must remind we still have Karma, plenty of karma to burn, and this is burned only through Right Attitudes in daily ordinary life! This includes acceptance of certain hard proofs. . In short words I can say that with ayahuasca and psilocybes, we learn mostly in accordance with this guidance and see that we are indeed imperfect beings, far from reasonably satisfactory evolutionary conditions within the Order of the Universe and that we are still in the early phases of our illumination, despite our best levels of consciousness expansion. That we must be humble in our way, following love and compassion as the only way to redemption of our past bad actions, which are not few nor light, from present and past lives! As said by the Nagal D. Juan in Castañeda: …”For me there are only the ranging over pathways that have heart; there I travel and the only challenge that worth the while is to range over all its extension; and there I travel, seeing, seeing, panting…!” This was the beginning. Truly open to he Knowledge. Of course that nothing said here goes against the essential role of expanding consciousness, which has all to do with the most important lesson given to us with said entheogens which is that of Being; being transcending all dualities, all difficulties, all illusionary appearances to stabilize in a Positive State of Bliss. That´s our task, a somewhat long-way task. But that parallel and along with this, the action of Karma and its role is very heavily played on Man yet, and it is related to Cosmic Justice, whose central pillar is the Right, which manifests in us through Consciousness-Judgement, a mark placed inside every one of us by God and that makes us distinguish between the righteous and wrong. It is readily manifested in soon after-death lives of we-spirits out of body according to descriptions given by them themselves. Here also lies the meaning of great pains over the world. . Being is to be in the throne of the I AM Presence manifested and absorb in it all his servant ego manifestations. I would say that this is a long way cleansing the ego in order the Self can shine and there´s a lot of work to do. I would say here that I agree in this point with Joshua D. Stone when he says that we have only two ways of seeing or expressing: either through the Ego or through the I AM. . I am since long convinced about the wonder that the marriage of entheogens with the Christ Teachings was, as it was exactly what happened to ayahuasca when it was made become the Santo Daime by Master Irineu, the founder of this Doctrine, when he adjusted the shamanic sacrament and its High to the connection with Jesus, Our Mother Mary and the Spirits of Light!(with their teachings). And at this point is that I can´t deny the role of Jesus as our Only and True Master Elder and Shower of the Right Path! In addition, we learn constantly within the deepening of our visionary experiences and studies that there are High Guides, Helper Spirits in an infinite Hierarchy of Beings that form a natural chain of mutual support and that have great influence in our life, apprenticeship and destiny! The visions and the Guides are in tune with the faith in God as a Supreme Intelligence and Sustainer-Creator of Life, as well as the faith in the otherworld, in Goodness, Beauty, Purity and Love! These are some of the elements of different variegation that I mentioned which also compound the Path. . We should realize that despite the highest level of consciousness we can attain at our dimension, these are High Beings since the eons of time in Creation that are also eons of spiritual levels above and ahead our best possible imagination and that they act as True Guides for us in the measurement of our actual position as spiritual walkers. In this sense is that I firmly believe in the Absolute Excellence of Jesus as the Only Highest Master of Masters of all times, seen his incomparable Authority and Power manifested. I use to say that he is the Highest Shaman of the Galaxy.I further consider that although we can sometimes grasp at superior status of cosmic consciousness, we still are very humble sparks in the sea of multidimensional grades of spiritual evolution. Perfection exists but is just a point in Self-Realization that implies in the completeness of Understanding or better, the Perfect Understanding and Accomplishment of Spiritual Gifts or Virtues, while evolution goes on indefinitely. I have different views on the nature of God. Indeed I start by understanding that we humans are not yet ready to explore into the very intimate nature of God considered our inherent limitations as child cosmic beings. However based on my own experience and explorations too, I just can say that God is both immanent and transcendent in the universe. That He Is. And more, that He is communion, and so, as Father/Mother Creator He wants Creation to search for Him and join Him in this Communion, in a Cosmic Divine Play. That He made us to commune Creation and Life with Him at last. I tend to believe that Jesus called Him the Father for better highlighting His Decisive and Only Supremacy above all other human limited conceptions. I agree that God is A Consciousness but not that He/She should be a collective gathering of evolving consciousness as many are induced to think nor that He could have any limitation in any of His known attributes, otherwise the logic would tell us that He would NOT be a God in the full sense and meaning of the term. Nor would there be A Perfect Order ruling all this Universe. Our godliness is still awakening but His Is from Eternity and it could not be different. He Is God. We shall be gods. . I wish to clarify that all that was said is just intended to show how different experiences and different plants of power can contribute with diversified points of perception, nevertheless enriching the views and converging in their main aspects to the essential features that enrich and give body to the Path. Let´s say that it would constitute complementary focusings around the core statements given. Nothing in this context goes in any way contrary to those truly excellent assertions presented by Matt as main precepts which are to do with the excellency of consciousness expansion, where it all starts, meaning that our compromise with the exaltation of the being is the most important goal in life, aided by the respectful and sacred use of entheogens as well as by devotion to the search of Truth and the Spirit, a heartfelt tuning with Our Mother Nature as a living Temple of Mysteries and Teachings, the ultimate purpose of life and the various factors involved and more the importance of group-mind in the purpose of helping our House and Planetary Family to give one step ahead in the stairway to Harmonic Being. I want to make clear that I agree in full and wish to collaborate with these noble efforts from Matt to share with you who reads us some of the best treasures a spiritual opening can bring to all of us. Last but not least the extreme importance of Intuition as the highest tool and language of the Spirit for the direct apprehension of other dimensions´ realities. May be we still speak of the importance of prayer in due time. . As for the gathering of Masters I would directly suggest to Matt in the present case that may be it would be recommendable if you could take the opportunity to firstly try and experience “in loco”, this means, in Brazilian jungle, the possibilities offered solely by the “Daime” (ayahuasca) in its original environment, by partaking of the sacrament along with people from Santo Daime Church, in Acre State, Brazil, so as to see and feel empirically what some good deep sessions would induce him to evaluate further, before someone is engaged in that planned meeting. Perhaps this experience would give rise to any new ideas. . As to what a Master should be I remind that we have already grasped on this concept before, but I would certainly prefer to say that above all, the Master is the one who is ready to serve all. But to really serve all, one must have attained the full command of himself in all levels. This does not mean one is perfect, but rather that he comprehends and exerts maximum power on himself from his Being, managing his ego-imperfections, at the same time embodying and anchoring all his achievements in the field of consciousness. But I like always to state and reiterate that this mastery is foremost the whole-self-mastery and not the generally presumed mastery of others. Of course that a Self-Master is the one who has true knowledge and true love to be shared with other seekers of truth. After all, light is intended to shine and make clarity for others. That´s what moves us here I am sure. . Last for the moment I want to comment with you Matt that regards your observations on the localized body-healing-high-projection this reminded me of a similar teaching of a hindu guru who recommended that we practiced a daily talking with the various parts of our body, from organs to cell to molecular level, speaking friendly with them and stimulating them to be in harmony with the whole body and with feelings of well being, especially for those areas with pain or other problems. Great isn´t? Be blessed Matthew for your noble part. I bless you all with Love and Joy! . FRANCISCO fm Brazil brothers not bothers! apologies! - Francisco Lazaro . 7 Sep 2006 20:28 . #641 Sorry for the mistake! Re: The High Comments - Matthew Webb . 8 Sep 2006 17:10 . #642 Brother Francisco, . . Our many thanks to you for your reply on these interrelated and important spiritual subjects. . . Thanks also for the extensive mention of various authors and Seers, from Barbara Marciniak and Joshua Stone to the teaching of Christ and others. . . I have but one question at this particular point which would seem relevant to the discussion, presumably begun by the High and Higher Still series, posted here. . . The question is, "Did you read this series of articles?" Re: The High Comments reading - Francisco Lazaro . 10 Sep 2006 18:19 . #643 Dear Matt . I´ve read it far beyond the words, mor than you pressuppose. What can we further debate? . Going on beyond separation - Francisco Lazaro . 13 Sep 2006 03:15 . #644 Ok Matt, as you didn´t take the initiative to argue me where you considered necessary, (perhaps you thought that I didn´t get anything of what you tried to show), let me go on and try again to tune with the Truth and also with you. . Firstly brother, don´t give up! You are doing a superb and pioneering task that deserves our most high appreciation and gratitude! I am considering that perhaps you don´t need me particularly for any help at this specific discussion group and I have in mind to leave it open only to your proposals, considering they are enough for almost everybody. . . But before that please let me clarify some points. I have not read all your texts and frankly speaking it is not either possible for me to do it at this time as I would like. None the less, at this point in my life I can immediately identify myself with the ones I´ve read and they appear to me as being of inestimable spiritual value for sincere seekers of the Spirit. It would take years to discuss about each one of them in detail. . I agree and realize about their excellency and clarity, besides objectivity. . There are of course some topics which I see with some reticence with basis on my perceptions, but this is natural.The first one is the approach or the attempt you made to logically run through an understanding of God´s nature and with all my respect I would debate it towards another perspective. . The second one is that despite all the good possibilities of reaching a higher level of consciousness with the help of Cannabis and your proved assertions on its entheogenic qualities, I still have serious concerns as to the viability of preaching its use to the crowds, where we find a great percentage of addicts that are not – may be – sufficiently mature and committed to reverse their mode of using it. It could constitute a good reason for continued abuse. You could say that this is the right chance they have to use it righteously, but knowing this class of users as I know, puts me in doubt about this practical possibility with responsibility. Except for this, I am in total accordance with your revelations and I sincerely recognize their guidance. . . When I made some of my previous message statements I was thinking of doing an analogy of aspects and views under different approaching angles to reach the same goal. I am aware of many of your former studies with regard to sources of wisdom, spiritual directions, definitions of several psychic elements of composition of the Path and other concepts. . And I regard all of them as precious guidelines for our evolution and very defined assertions, worthy of the best understanding. . There are two points that I wished to highlight in all of these studies which are to my feeling worthy of mention: . . 1-Intuition: it is a high gift and tool of the spirit for the perfect understanding of the lessons, revelations and for one to distinguish safely the True Knowledge from the ordinary literary knowledge – True Wisdom from simple intellectual intelligence. Intuition is a faculty which evolves from life to life, a tool that must be developed and which is found at its best condition in the more mature spirits, of course. . . 2- The Path: as I ventured to state before, if I may, it is composed of various elements and one of them is no doubt the Books! The selected books and readings! Of course that we can´t deny one must read about spirituality as much as possible, studying all possible sources of wisdom in order to become essentially complete in the universality of the True Knowledge, until the point that one can be able to read in the archives of the soul directly! Until one can better read also in the Sacred Book of Self and Nature along! . These readings however should be exercised through the help of Intuition as mentioned, so as to give the disciple the required capacity to separate what is true from what is not, preventing him from incurring in misconceptions. May be you have already mentioned about this also that I have not noticed, sorry. . In this sense is that I make some references and point out to some complementary elements related to the main scope of your High and Higher account of experiences. And unless people wish to base themselves exclusively upon your writings or wish to try to reach a higher consciousness solely with the use of entheogens (which I do not recommend), one can have the opportunity to search for other valuable written sources of knowledge such as the one mentioned by me which is the Spiritism, considered to be the “Comforter” promised by Jesus at that time for the present times. . Something at least worthy of receiving one eye on it. . I believe I understand perfectly all of your statements and wish to reiterate that they are brilliant, concise and true in its contents. . People should no doubt take advantage of such a superior teachings in order to redirect their lives for the better. But may be I am being redundant pursuant to things you may have already said somewhere, when I intend to remind that much effort is needed for one to acquire and embody the required moral transformations and consequently reverting one´s karma conditions, reaching not only high and expanded consciousness, but also better karmic settings, karmic healings and inner strength, either in and for this lifetime, if possible, or in the next, when is the case. In so speaking I would be pointing out to other surrounding elements that accompany the central features of consciousness expansion, deeming you have yet said all about that. . We have to remember that we speak or we are read to/by people who know and people who don´t know and that´s where I take into consideration the raising of other connotations to their fundamental freedom of making analytical parameters of any proposals to see the common thread of truth among them, its validity and final destination. . . Putting all the above aside, I consider of utmost importance what you said about the synergy of entheogenic forces in a gathering of shamans and a sacred meeting point for irradiation in the Amazon basin and this is something fantastic and promising considering its origin by revelation! Indeed there are a lot of mystical evidences on that area as one of energetic vortices and spiritual energy centers. . . Besides this and with this in mind I invite any expected better and more profound comments than mine from the brothers who follow us and especially from those who would also be feeling themselves as prospective applicants capable of joining us in the entheogenic mastery enterprise foreseen. . Let´s keep this project under construction and let´s keep in touch! . Thank you Matt for your patient understanding, for your pleasant companionship and for your wonderful work to help others find their way out to the Pathway, which is above everything blessed and wonderful! I love you my dear brother! . Let us make also an ultimate effort to express ourselves as true seekers of our-Selves and owners of our Intents, together as we already are in these limit times, through and above time and space and ego, to tune in more stronger with one another, all of us who, except for secondary minor differences, of no importance now, we are One, converging in the focus to spreading Light, Love, Compassion and Harmony to all Beings in All Sacred Directions! . Hare Govinda! Hare Jesus Krishna! . Om Namah Shivaya! . Anusuya, Daya, Mangalam! . OM! . FRANCISCO Re: Going on beyond separation - The Subverse Human . 15 Sep 2006 15:08 . #645 Greetings Francisco. Its allways good to read about another spiritualy awake being. . I would just like to add that i too have been following the articals of Mr Webb and think their brilliant but long. I find myself losing track of whats its about. The information held within the WMS libary is like nothing legal ive ever read before. I allways new that my way of thinking was wrong and ilegal and went against everything that im supposed to think by the government, so it was quite a breakthrough for me to find this site. But with regards to sheep of the system reading it, its incomprihendable, its hard to fight ignorance. I also dont believe the key to knowlege and wisdom is by reading. Most of what you are reading is normaly relative anyway. I personaly have only every read 2 books in my life -"Understanding hi fidelity" and "A guide to loudspeaker encloseur design" and i know i have a deeper spiritual and phsycic awareness than any educated folk. Just as one of matthews articals is entitled -Bibles do not equal wisdom. Im not sure if im down with this path to spritualaly approche. I think that its unpredicted physical events that bring about spiritual change. One may be at their destination and not know it, maybee all of our destinys is everlasting happyness, and that path never ends. My higher awareness was not out of choice it just came to me though life events, i have never had higher education and was brought up in the Jehovahs wittnesss cult. I was allways allone with my views and never new anybody who aggreed with me, it was not a good time of my life. Issueing better informed books to people is not going to change the world. This society has breed a race of morons, and this is no accident. At the end of the day the only people who can truely understand what their reading are the ones who know it allready. . . Best regards to everyone and be happy. . . STEVE Going on beyond separation - Francisco Lazaro . 16 Sep 2006 17:40 . #646 Hello Steve, greetings! . . I sincerely expected to hear something back first from Matt but I thank you for your participation. . First if you are here in this discussion it´s because you are reading. If the articles from Matt are extensive it´s because one needs to read and know what it is all about in full. One must KNOW all there is to be known. TRUE KNOWLEDGE. . I didn´t meant the KEY to knowledge is reading. Nor that simple reading is the way. I didn´t mean ANY reading but true spiritual readings. Nor that knowledge comes with literacy but with experience and intuition mostly. . . I said right reading is one of the components of the Path we deal with here. If reading is helped by experience and intuition. . . CONSCIOUSNESS COME WITH KNOWLEDGE . . KNOWLEDGE COMES WITH COGNIZANCE . . COGNIZANCE COMES WITH INTUITION . . INTUITION COMES WITH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE . . If I am wrong please someone shows me otherwise. . Light and Love! . . FRANCISCO Re: Going on beyond separation - The Subverse Human . 16 Sep 2006 20:08 . #647 Hello franco. Thanks for the reply, i have written much that has been ignored. Sorry to have cut in on a disscusion between you and matthew but i didnt seen to be gettin much response from mr webb. His WMS libary has ment a allot to me conferming that the world is mad and not me and given me hope in this hopless world. . I think you can abbsord many many facts from reading but it doesnt teach you how to think. You can read every book ever written on how to play snooker but it doesnt make you snooker master. . I think my so called path to spiritual enlightenment has been more of an assualt course with huge hidden pits. Would i have the same state of mind if i'd had an easier life? In this society probably not. . I think as well that there are asspects of personal transformation that have not had attention. The "path" to spiritual strength cant be taken to any high level until physical strength is maintained. Contrary to the phrase looks arnt everything, looks are everything. They are the basis for everything. . Im not sure what COGNIZANCE means but i think mans allways looking for the formula to everything so that it can be recreated in an organized manner. I think however we get intuition we should just be thankful that we have it. . . Best regards . . Steve YES or NOT - Francisco Lazaro . 17 Sep 2006 04:02 . #648 It seems to me that there are basically 2 classes of people that venture within esoteric and spiritual matters: those who despite the truth in front of them insist in denying and prefer to believe in the negative and biased beliefs and those who despite the lies, the ignorance and the negative, they rejoice with any little finding of the truth and go ahead with this finding in his life. . People who say Yes or No to Truth! . The important is not how much one has to question, but to realize WHAT YOU´RE LOOKING FOR? . Ask yourself and drop out. To either direction you prefer. Don´t loose time! And . Don´t cheat yourself! MATTHEW: GODSEND, PUKKA! - Francisco Lazaro . 18 Sep 2006 20:06 . #649 MY MUCH BELOVED BROTHER MATTHEW! . . LET ME TELL YOU THIS GREAT NEWS THAT COME LATE TO MY AWARENESS! . . NOW I REALIZE IT! YOU KNOW I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU SINCE THE BEGINNING! BUT SOMETHING WAS INTERFERRING! . AND NOW I REALIZE EVERTHING ALL TOGETHER AT ONCE FOR ALL TO SEE AND HEAR! . . LISTEN MY BEAUTIFUL BUDDY, LISTEN ATTENTIVELY PLEASE – . NOW I GOT IT! . . I AM WITH YOU! AND YOU ARE WITH ME! WE ARE STICKED TOGETHER IN THIS FORCE AND I AM READILY ALL-SET AND DETERMINED TO FOLLOW WITH YOU AND YOU MUST FOLLOW ME TOO, BELIEVE ME! . . CONSCIOUSNESS EXPANSION IS THE KEY OF REDEMPTION AND MASTERY OF INTENT IS THE KEY TO CONSCIOUSNESS EXPANSION AND FREEDOM AND SPIRITUAL SELF-REALIZATION! . NOW LISTEN: ALL THIS IS ALREADY BEING LIVED AND RUNNING WITHIN THE SANTO DAIME! INCLUDING THE JOINT-SYNERGY OF ENTHEOGENS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! INCLUDING THE GROUP-HIGH INTENT-MIND PRACTICES! . I DON´T KNOW HOW I DIDN´T HAD AWARENESS OF THIS AWARENESS TO TELL YOU THIS BEFORE!!!!! . I AM ABLE AND FIRMLY INCLINED TO JOIN THIS FOCUS WITH YOU AND HELP YOU TO COME AND JOIN US AS SOON AS YOU MAY! . DON´T DESPERATE NOR LOOSE TIME ANYMORE SEARCHING FOR EARS TO HEAR YOU BROTHER! . YOU WAS HEARD! THOSE WHO HAVE ALSO EARS TO HEAR, LET´S COME ALONG! . . YOU MUST PACK YOUR BAGS AND FLY TO BRAZIL TO START THIS EVERLASTING CRUZADE ALONG WITH YOUR BRAZILIAN BROTHERS MY DEAR! NOW I AM QUITE SURE OF WHAT I AM SAYING! YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! . AND I WILL DO ALL MY BEST WITHIN MY MEAGER MATERIAL CONDITIONS TO BE WITH YOU AND YOU WITH ME, WITH US! . THE HIGHEST SHAMANS ARE HERE! COME AND SEE! . . I AM TELLING THIS TO YOU WITH FULL JOY AND LIGHT IN MY HEART! YOU DO SHOULD BELIEVE! THAT´S IT MY TRUE BROTHER! . NO MORE TALK! LET´S JOIN FORCES WITH THE SUPREME FORCE AND THIS FORCE IS IN THE DAIME AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPIRITISM, WHICH IS ALREADY INCLUDED AS WELL!!!!!!!!!!!! . IN ADDITION, APART OF ALL THIS, WE CAN SURELY SHAPE AN INDEPENDENT GROUP TO EXPLORE ALL FACTORS ACCORDING TO OUR MORE SPECIFIC GOALS! . YOU CAN WRITE ME IN PRIVATE FOR DISCUSSING THE SUBJECT IN DETAIL. . . HURRY UP, YOU AND EVERYBODY!! . . WITH ALL MY LOVE AND LIGHT AND TRUST AND HOPE!!!!! . FRANCISCO Re: MATTHEW: GODSEND, PUKKA! - Matthew Webb . 20 Sep 2006 17:39 . #650 Brother Francisco, . . Please note my replies within your text below; . . FL; . . . MW; . . Yes, I agree of course. Allow me a moment to crystallize once again what we are talking about for all concerned. "The intent of the Master is the mastery of intent" for that very reason, and it's through this medium that the world may be transformed, just as a person may be elevated without limit. The problem with merely saying this in the modern age, is that it cannot be well understood on a purely mental level. It must be understood through progressive experience. Knowledge of one's intent is self knowledge in it's inner-most form. The greater mastery of intent is built upon this basis, and Mastery is not to be had without such experience. . . With this understanding (and practice) in place, the practitioner may then reach out with competance to their fellow practitioners. Through intent and entheogen combined, super high states of consciousness can be "cast" to another or many at once, resulting in the elevation of their state. When this other person or people do the same in return, a reciprocating field is set up of very high spiritual quality and super-elevating power. This is done on a psychic level as well as through fellowship and community, via spiritual intention. Spiritual intention is the basis of the Path, and when it is combined with the spiritual intent of others, this creates a most profound potential for dynamic self and world transformation. . . ******** . FL; . . . ********* . . MW; . . That is excellent, good brother. It is exactly this type of focus, based upon action that I am most interested in, for the above reasons. I'm fascinated to hear you say that Santo Daime is actively engaged in such a focus. Perhaps you could give specific details about how this is so, what intentions are used, what mutual focus, etc. As for the "Raising" as I call it together along the Path, I'm always enthusiastic about such spiritual progress, which in my view is the only kind that has a real chance for mutual and global improvement. Let's speak more of this in detail. . . *********** . . FL; . . ********* . . MW; . . I would very much like to think what you are saying is absolutely correct. If I knew it was a certainty, I would definitely go to Brazil one way or another to engage this mutual consciousness-raising process. I think it wise however to hear from those brothers and sisters in Brazil who would be so dedicated. I'd like to hear the details of their thoughts on these matters, preferrably on this very forum, expressing such a desire to Raise with us. If through such discussion we could reach a mutual understanding of the Path and what can and should be done together, then yes, I would certainly plan accordingly. . . ******* . . FL; . . ********* . . MW; . . Thank you for these thoughts brother. I look forward to your response. . . Matthew GODSEND, NEW HORIZONS! - Francisco Lazaro . 21 Sep 2006 04:36 . #651 My esteemed brother and comrade Matt . . Pax et Lux! . . Thank you so much for you kind response. . Forgive me for the enthusiasm in my last words but I assure you it comes from the very origin of the word itself, en Theos mos (God inside or blow of God inside). . . Speaking in a group is always double-shooting and I just remind we speak to both knowers and no-knowers who are or not serious in their intentions. . Whatsoever you deserve an extensive reply. I will try to respond to you as clearly and satisfactorily as possible, giving you the elements you need to draw a reliable conclusion, within the short possibilities available. . Once more we are in full agreement with regard to your top statement (which epitomizes all the Issue), that the only way to accomplish with all the Path-work is through experience and practice and I would add more to this, if you allow me, with sincere commitment, surrender and feeling! . There´s no other way to achieve a superior consciousness condition. No mere mind/word understanding attempts will ever replace the need for living it all to unfolding it all! In this sense I would like to note that of course all of your statements and teachings presented to this date refer “at distance” so to say, to a “thing” that operates at another level of perception and that the efforts are directed-in a first moment, to deal in “logical terms” with such an “affair” of different nature than the usual rational minded ones, so as to offer a preliminary understanding and approach to the Real Thing! . However it becomes clear for us that all that “work” is carried out in a non-verbal-non-analytical level and is achieved while doing and living it! . It´s here that lies the very basis of the existence of the S.Daime . . . It is worthy of mention here and then that these studies are in a certain way “defining in orderly and logical manner” certain practices that are in an empirical manner being searched for and exercised by mystic-seekers, shamans and a few entheogenic congregations all over the world since immemorial times. You are aware of that. . And there is where the Santo Daime comes into scene in a similar way to Native American Church or Peyote Church, having an entheogen or master-plant as their main wayshower eucharist and sacrament. . Nonetheless, the Santo Daime has additional and peculiar features in an advantageous comparison with other movements and groups, starting from the very odd spiritual facts that gave her birth from shamanic and Christian roots united and a broader spectrum of acceptance of other spiritual forces in it, including the mentioned Spiritism, a science of the spiritual life by excellence. . Despite the connotation that Santo Daime carries of being a genuine Brazilian born “religion”, it bears sort of a “cosmic spiritual synthesis in its doctrine (which is all musical, by the way), comprehending within its ecumenic-entheogenic practices, the high-consciousness spiritual revelations given directly to everyone and supported by principles from all times and sources of perennial wisdom from East and West, along with the fusion of the best shamanic practices for attaining personal and group consciousness raising , self-knowledge and illumination. . And all this in “practical works”, living it, feeling it “live”, as it is known also as being the religion of the feeling, where legitimate spiritual achievements are obtained only through the works, never with words or mental speculation. . The only words are those that come through “received” (channeled) hymns, when one is in high visionary states, called “miração” and which compound the “doctrinary body” and which are sung and danced during the rituals, bearing the role of guiding-mantras of high-symbolic revelation contents and the simple dances that have universal connection with the sacred dances. It would take books to explain all about, given the very nature of the subject focused, I hope you understand. . I just can give you a slight picture of the whole. . And this is the main reason to tell you that you can only have an authentic impression of all this IN SPOT. One must come and see to understand and believe. To experience everything “live”, in colour and motion! There´s no place for theory here. . The group-mind-spirit-intent raising is performed in full force by means of each individual focus, aligning in a more or less effective way with the collective focus, thus creating a high-vibrational-chain of energy (that can even become visible many times), that rises through the gathering of unidirectional focus to other elevated dimensions and to any intended place of the world while the hymns are sung and played, serving as a magnetic needle to the consciousness! . The Santo Daime cult has also made brotherly agreements of union and mutual support with a peyotist cult from Mexico and some from USA, as well as with native people from the Bwiti cult in Gabon (iboga cult) and most of its followers are acquainted with the use of other entheogens such as psilocybe mushrooms, but that are not used within the same Daime (ayahuasca) session. . Now this is important to observe that within a present significant representative of a segment of the SD cult, the conjoint use of cannabis (as a second sacrament) is made, along with the Daime, in the same sessions. I had already mentioned this to you in my previous e-mails. . But while it is a fact known by many, in and out the church, it is not known nor recognized by the majority and the main reason for this is obviously because the Herb is not legal in Brazil nor it is yet considered allowed by law for religious use. . With basis on this is that I cannot facilitate nor assure any channels of public communication with you or anyone else, especially in a group of general discussion like this, for nobody from the cult would further be inclined to take the time to leave their belief-place even for a while, to come to terms with anyone for any purpose, about matters of so much intrinsic and complex nature, and I am sure you will no doubt understand it without difficulty. In this connection I am sorry to say that I am unable to try to prove anything to you in order to convince you in any sense. . This is a case for personal quest, as is the case with hundreds of foreign newcomers, spiritual seekers that arrive every week in Acre State, deep inside the jungle, coming from all around the globe for meeting the Cult where many of them stay for living there, in Céu do Mapiá community, the headquarters of thecult in the forest. . People there unfortunately are not about discussing about techniques for certain spiritual goals, none the less they are very open, friendly and sensitive to exchange ideas and deal with spiritual issues at a person to person level. But you know, they have chosen for following a specific religious trend that is considered the most appropriate for living their spirituality in this modern world. . This cult is the most encompassing one in terms of universality, but it still carries some sort of let´s say dogmatic procedures in a daily basis, of human origin, of course and it could be regarded by some as kind of limitations, but this is something you will find in the best groups and in every human enterprise and is a factor that can be overcome by those who have broader views. . There are many branch churches spreaded over the country and the world and a few people there can speak English. I know of one person in the central administrative group that speaks and could be contacted in due time. . Apart of this – if and when – after acquainted in person with the practices, you would meet many brothers and friends, like me, that would be inclined to develop such consciential researchings with you in a more specific manner. But I am quite sure many would be highly interested in hearing you about the objective sacred side of a serious cannabis spiritual use to increase their own yet religious use. . I have also a good Canadian friend who is a daimist-follower too and is a very clear-wise man in his fifties, who could help you with some useful information you might need. . Now the most important issue you are required to take into your most profound meditation and understanding is that – for us – there cannot be any separation between any entheogen-plant of power use and Jesus Christ – in ALL he represents as Divine Messenger and Supreme Master of Souls for us – and that there is no other greater Force and Guarantee of Safety than this one, which results from this Union of Daime – and other sacred plants – with the absolute faith in the command of Jesus – both Jesus the Man and as the Christ, as an indisputable point of maturity and awareness for our advance in this Path. Jesus as Masters of Masters, Light of Lights and the Boulder of Firmness that, along with other High Beings, sustains the practices of consciousness expansion within the realm of the mystery sacred plants. Our guarantee of Highest Blessings from Above! . Finally I just can say that this is by far the best possibility I see to find a “environment” most propitious to the consummation of your/our goals in a large scale and reach, within the ever natural surroundings that are the Amazonian woods. And I see it is according to your received intuitive directions, isn´t it? . You might wish to make a proof-test if you will, but seeing is believing as said before. No other way unless trial in flesh and soul. More details now I hope we can exchange in private. . I trust I have at least been able to attend to some of your best expectations and hope that some essential issues were opened and clarified here for all of those also concerned, despite the thousands of other questions that are to be ventilated some time in the near future, if I can be of help to this venture. . I sincerely wish you much clarity and love in all your appreciations and decisions Matt! . Excuses for being somewhat lengthy. . Love to you and all! . NAMASTÊ! . FRANCISCO Re: GODSEND, NEW HORIZONS! - Sandi Hunter . 21 Sep 2006 18:30 . #652 It looks like you're here in the group Francisco...and if so wh;y not go into the chat room and Matt or myself will meet you there! . Re: GODSEND, NEW HORIZONS! - Matthew Webb . 21 Sep 2006 19:00 . #653 Brother Francisco, . . A great thanks and appreciation to you for all those details about Santo Daime, and other practitioners worldwide. . . I've been involved in a great number of groups and organizations over the years, and have learned through experience that discernment is crucial to see what is worthwhile. On that basis, I want to just ask a few things about Santo Daime. . . When you gave me that link some time ago for the Santo Daime home page, I went there and studied what was offered in careful detail. I noticed that the site was actually rather small. There was no statement of purpose to speak of, except in the most general of terms. There were no supporting articles about what the organization is about, what it's philosphy is, what it aims to accomplish or how it aims to accomplish it, except for broad generalities. . . You say that they have ceremonies of great merit where much group mind raising is had. That's truly wonderful, but I'm wondering why they haven't mapped out more regarding the Path and the expansion of consciousness. If you take away the sacrament, what's left? Wisdom? Intelligence? For instance, why don't they speak of intent and its' greater Mastery? Do they know what "level of intent" means? Can they define what consciousness is, or describe how it can be expanded, (other than simply singing a few hymns, dancing and taking sacrament)? In other words, have they developed their minds? Do they understand what clarity is and how it can be cultivated and shared? Can they define what a group mind is, and how intent is employed to raise it? . . To each of these questions my prediction is that the answer will be the same; "No, they don't have any clear idea as to how to answer any of these questions". . . My question to them is also this. "What does religion have to do with the good Earth?" Does Ayahuasca have a religion? Does marijuana? Does truth, God or Christ, or any other awakened Master have a religion? . . To each of these questions my prediction is that the answer will be the same; "No, they don't have any clear idea as to how to answer any of these questions". . . Why is this? Because they are too wrapped up in rituals, religion and a dogmatic lack of clarity to define anything, let alone Master anything. If this is not true, then why have they not written concise articles or books on the principles of consciousness expansion and spiritual practice in general? Why haven't they devoloped their minds and thus their practices? . . In my experience, true spiritual practice is always fresh. It does not concern itself with religion or dogma of any kind as these are only hindrances, not an aid to progression along the Path. True spiritual practice evolves, it improves, it never calcifies into a rigid system. It may offer suggestions and practices, focuses and information, but always in the context of neutral truth, of fact alone as principles of natural and spiritual law, not religion, ritual or memorization of dogma of any kind. . MY DISAPPOINTMENT! - Francisco Lazaro . 22 Sep 2006 05:32 . #654 Brother Francisco, . F-Hi Matt, this is our final communication and I´m in blue(s) and F-with you! . . A great thanks and appreciation to you for all those details about Santo Daime, and other practitioners worldwide. . . I've been involved in a great number of groups and organizations over the years, and have learned through experience that discernment is crucial to see what is worthwhile. . F-So what is your need to look for those who understand your propositions and your idea of forming a group of practitioners if you are so much empowered with discernment and so far you don´t have an ideal group whatsoever??? . Nobody follows you? WHY? Where is your power of influence? . . On that basis, I want to just ask a few things about Santo Daime. . . When you gave me that link some time ago for the Santo Daime home page, I went there and studied what was offered in careful detail. I noticed that the site was actually rather small. There was no statement of purpose to speak of, except in the most general of terms. There were no supporting articles about what the organization is about, what it's philosphy is, what it aims to accomplish or how it aims to accomplish it, except for broad generalities. . F-That link is really resumed. They have all this information in Portuguese in their original Brazilian site. And there are a lot of writings about it on the Web. . . You say that they have ceremonies of great merit where much group mind raising is had. That's truly wonderful, but I'm wondering why they haven't mapped out more regarding the Path and the expansion of consciousness. . F-Mapping out what for what? The practice is the Path and the Path is enacted live! . If you take away the sacrament, what's left? Wisdom? Intelligence? . F-I ask you the same: what is left without cannabis? Theories? Are you underestimating others´ capacities? Where is the wisdom or intelligence you are looking for? . For instance, why don't they speak of intent and its' greater Mastery? . F-Because it is not speaking that you get there. They do it. They have it. And it is furthermore taught also through the lyrics of the hymns as guidance for everyone. . . Do they know what "level of intent" means? . F-Yes of course they know it very well, exercising it, practicing it daily. . Can they define what consciousness is, or describe how it can be expanded, (other than simply singing a few hymns, dancing and taking sacrament)? . F-You say SIMPLY…?? Have you ever been there to judge? . You are too much worried about definitions and conceptualizations or descriptions. . I thought the question was how to embody it through the practice! . Can you also teach and describe how to expand consciousness without any entheogen and make this expansion actually available to any person from the dull to the wise? . In other words, have they developed their minds? Do they understand what clarity is and how it can be cultivated and shared? . F-It seems to me you are out of your own way brother.! They didn´t develop their minds they develop their CONSCIOUSNESS and so doing they get much, plenty of real CLARITY! Did you forget I AM A DAIMIST FOLLOWER? So what do you think Am I doing all this time with you? What image I pass to you? Of an IDIOT? I am one of them!!! . . Can they define what a group mind is, and how intent is employed to raise it? . F-Again DEFINE??? Go there and comprove for yourself. Show your talents, virtues, powers and mastery by going there and taking ayahuasca with us! There is a lot of people who are convinced about having a lot of achievements, powers, a lot of self-qualifications about themselves, doctors, scientists, writers, philosophers, experts in many fields, and who soon after having partaken of JUST ONE session with the Daime come to the ashamed conclusion that they had NOTHING of what they thought they had or that they thought they WERE! It is a very common experience! Then they humbly declare that they are starting to BE something as from that very first day and moment ahead! Are you about to this CHALLENGE? . . To each of these questions my prediction is that the answer will be the same; "No, they don't have any clear idea as to how to answer any of these questions". . F-It is your prediction, nothing else than this. Merely suppositions. . . My question to them is also this. "What does religion have to do with the good Earth?" . F-Formal religion have not much to do. But the religious feeling of course YES! And thru this religious feeling, the sincere feeling of longing and search for God one can find the answer in any religion. It happens everyday. . Does Ayahuasca have a religion? Does marijuana? Does truth, God or Christ, or any other awakened Master have a religion? . F-YES, ayahuasca have RELIGIOSITY embedded in it. Marijuana now I am not sure. The Truth, God and Christ THEY ARE the religion, they bear the already highlighted FEELING OF THE SACREDNESS, of natural respect for the Sacred, what seems to be missing in you my brother, with all my respect! . . To each of these questions my prediction is that the answer will be the same; "No, they don't have any clear idea as to how to answer any of these questions". . F-It is your presumption, trying to evaluate facts and acts by simple deduction at distance. Perhaps it is lack of courage to face another reality out of your personal world? . . Why is this? Because they are too wrapped up in rituals, religion and a dogmatic lack of clarity to define anything, let alone Master anything. . . F- I see now that you look like the hunter that is looking only for the track of the bear, not for the bear himself! . I challenge you: if you are right and realized in the Mastery of the Christ Consciousness as you say, COME JOIN US AND PROVE US in person…With or without the help of marijuana! Doesn´t matter! . . If this is not true, then why have they not written concise articles or books on the principles of consciousness expansion and spiritual practice in general? . F-Now you need books? There´s a lot of it out there written by them in Portuguese. Do you read Portuguese? A taking of one cup ayahuasca equals hundreds of books or definitions my dear! . Why haven't they devoloped their minds and thus their practices? . F-How can you state that?! Do you believe I HAVE NOT developed my mind? . You are being offensive brother! . IS IT NOT YOU THAT SAYS WE ARE NOT OUR MINDS??? . . In my experience, true spiritual practice is always fresh. It does not concern itself with religion or dogma of any kind as these are only hindrances, not an aid to progression along the Path. True spiritual practice evolves, it improves, it never calcifies into a rigid system. It may offer suggestions and practices, focuses and information, but always in the context of neutral truth, of fact alone as principles of natural and spiritual law, not religion, ritual or memorization of dogma of any kind. . . F-Sorry for my frankness Matt but what is lacking in you is a bit of HUMBLENESS and RESPECT FOR OUR SUPREME CREATOR-GOD from Whom you kept yourself distant. It is exactly thIS very same RELIGIOSITY, from RE-LIGARE, that inexplicable feeling of AWE AND COMMUNION with the FATHER/MOTHER source of all life and love that is missing in your findings! Don´t summarize God as a “thing” you can handle at your will and that maybe you don´t need sometimes!! Remember you originally create NOTHING! Neither a single string of hair! And you want to define God too?!!!!!!!!!!! I intended to help you in the best ways I could, but now it is enough for me. You showed very unhappy with your DEFINITIONS and caused to disable all my trust in your proposals. Nevertheless as a remaining comfort I can say you was only HALF RIGHT in your way. Unless there is any remaining possibility that A MAN like you be courageous enough to acknowledge your own misconceptions and review your position in some points. It is hard to believe it can happen. I am so sorry. I was really engaged in all that. . Watch your step brother! Easy going! And take care! Good bye! God bless you! . . FRANCISCO The Expansion of Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 29 Sep 2006 18:53 . #655 is the purpose of life. . . On a personal basis, it is the essence of spiritual fulfillment and the gaining of personal power. . . In relationship, it is mutual ascension and the gaining of excellentness together. . . On a planetary level it is evolution. . . On a cosmic level, it is known among other names as, "the Path". Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - Martyn Martin . 29 Sep 2006 22:37 . #656 I would like to ask Mr Webb you speak of being or experiencing, what is known as higher concious cosmic concious devine concious enlightened concious god concious objective concious to give it but a few names, where do you think all this is taking you? . . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - The Subverse Human . 2 Oct 2006 14:01 . #657 All that is true , but is it higher consciousness evolution if it doesnt happen? Only possible things will happen. Can we really expect to see this whole ignorant world wake up? Can good really overcome evil? Sometimes life doesnt have a happy ending like the movies. . . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 2 Oct 2006 18:37 . #658 A meaningful question. . . It may well be that the expansion of consciousness will not occur for the human race as a sum total. It is therefore equally likely that our species will go extinct due to a profound arrogant distaste for the truth, a rampant anti-intellectualism which prefers to indulge itself rather than "get real". . . However, the Path will still be the Path, regardless of the human outcome. The expansion of consciousness will remain the central means and standard by which all worlds either fail or advance, and by the same token, all individual persons. . . As practitioners we must realize that the Path/spiritual advancement is the very meaning of life, regardless of what the rest of the world does or doesn't do. . . The truth remains just as valid and useful even when a whole world denies that it exists or is important... . . ******* . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 2 Oct 2006 18:52 . #659 Regarding being/experiencing higher levels of consciousness, the question is best answered by meditating and actually raising ones' state. I invite you to read the High and Higher Still series posted here, as well as countless other articles which explain in detail the very practical merits of the expansion of consciousness, (see also the Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest ) . . But in short, consciousness is what we ARE. Meditation reveals this. By expanding (elevating the quality thereof) our consciousness, we improve our very essence. The basis of the consciousness that we (and Nature) ARE is intent. . . I want you to understand the practicality of this, and will offer a crude example. The couch potato has almost no intent to be fit, and for this reason they pay a high prace over years of time. The casual jogger lives longer, has a better ability to think clearly, better sex life and energy level. The Olypic runner is at a much higher level of fitness still, and their abilities are likewise enhanced in all ways. In each of these cases there is a level of intent in play. The higher the level of intent, the greater the manifest ability to be competant, powerful and able. . . In the self-study of consciousness, we can learn about intent first-hand. In so doing we're enabled to gain a greater mastery of it, and this is important because everything we do in life is based squarely upon the intent of the moment. . . In the case of actually expanding our consciousness, we gain not just a higher intent to accomplish a given thing, (such a running) we gain HIGHER INTENT ITSELF. I say this in the spiritual sense, through such qualities as enhanced clarity, energy level, vibration/love, psychic refinement, inner strength of all kinds, and wisdom. . . Where does this lead? The Path leads UPWARDS in all ways. There is not a single area in life where the expansion of consciousness is not a great boon. . . //////////// . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - The Subverse Human . 5 Oct 2006 20:35 . #660 These are comments on both of your replys. . I think that what you've said pretty much somes it up about mankind. We CAN become spiritualy higher beings but for most the intent isnt there, therefore no intent no progression. Focusing my intent is something im having trouble with at the moment. I seem to be passing through different worlds of personalitys. I find the profit intent and dishonesty of the world hard to deal with at times, this can lead to a confusion of intent. Everything around me wants the opposite of what i know is right and natural. . One thing that im getting to understand more and more is the link between physical and mental. If the mental intent is not focused the higher physical self starts to fail. Many desieses i believe are related to this physical mental connection. I high intent on physical greatness can lead to great mental strength. I may be wrong but appart from your good comment about the couch potatoe vs the jogger, i havent seen you address the higher physical self, which i believe is of upmost importance if a higher mental intent is to be acchieved. The intent should be physical greatness. All assumumptions of other humans are from a visual judgement ((how could it be any other way, its the same for the rest of the animal kingdom)A better quality of physical being keeps up a better quality of mental being. . . The problem in todays world does seem to be low or wrong intent. And i think the culprit for most ignorant destruction, and mass murder, is "good intensions". Theres no excuse for ingnorance. I think most people choose to be ignorant so as not to upset the status quo. . I think that you can only ignore the fire till it burns. Any transition between ignorance and truth awakening is going to be a painful one for the world. . . So if we evolve consciously, will our physical genetics change? . . . . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 6 Oct 2006 17:39 . #661 Brother Steve, . . Your comments and inquiries are once again most thoughtful and exactly on target. Please note my replies within your text; . . SW; . . . /////// . . MW; . . Very true. If humanity were to realize how fundamentally important and yet simple this profound revelation is, it would change the world overnight. .."No intent, no progression" is exactly why true progress has not, and is not, occurring in the global human community. As a result of wrong intent, (unnatural, anti-intellectual and anti-spiritual) we witness the very same mistakes of policy and outcome as in any era of history one cares to study. Intent is the source-cause of all our actions...if we will not endeavor to master it as a species, and to learn what intentions are appropriate for right living, then there can be only one outcome for Homo Sapiens...extinction. Ironically, the name "Homo Sapiens" means, self/same knowing. Yet knowledge of the self, (consciousness, intent primarily) is certainly not a going concern for the modern world. . . /////// . . SW; . . Focusing my intent is something im having trouble with at the moment. I seem to be passing through different worlds of personalitys. I find the profit intent and dishonesty of the world hard to deal with at times, this can lead to a confusion of intent. Everything around me wants the opposite of what i know is right and natural. . . /////// . . MW; . . By virtue of your comments, it appears to me that you're doing good work. Persist and you will see improvement, I guarantee it. Improving ones' intent, like any other aspect of the self, necessitates first improving our awareness of the thing to be refined. Intent can realistically be called, "the most subtle" of all the qualities of the self, and yet it is the most important for obvious reasons. Of course, meditation aids an awareness of intent greatly, especially if one has "the intent to see intent in subtle detail". I recommend employing this intent in quiet meditation. Intent can also be observed in action every moment of the day...it is behind each of our decisions and actions. Observe the moment of decision/action-change carefully, and you will see intent there. Seeing it in a clearer and clearer fashion, will inevitably result in being able to work with it in more subtle detail and refined mastery. . . It is very accurate that everything in the modern world is contrary to what is right and true, and once again, due to wrong intent. Much of the pressure you feel toward such wrong intent is psychically based, which is to say, there are SO MANY people strongly focused on the money-as-life destructiveness, that this creates an equally powerful group mind and therefore, mass psychic effect. Any strong group mind effect has a, "psychic gravity" to it if you will, creating an attractive force upon almost everyone on the planet. When further refining your intent toward the spiritual, natural and empowered, keep such psychic influences in mind. This will aid the effort. . . ////// . . SW; . . . MW; . . There's no doubt that the mental and physical have a strong inter-relationship, and your insight on this is clear. It's true that I've not commented a great deal upon the physical aspect of the Path and Practice, and this is largely due to the fact that no one has EVER asked me about it before. I personally focus on the physical as it relates to the mental and spiritual a great deal, but never commented much upon the physical because I felt the mental and spiritual should be understood first. However, if you read Chapter 6 of the Survivalists' Guide in the WMS Library, (http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest , As the Worm Turns) you'll find some recommendations about diet, exercise and herbal uses, cleansing the body, etc). Beyond this there's a great deal to talk about in "refining the physical vehicle" and if you'd like to address a specific area of concern, or discuss general principles, by all means bring these up and I will be glad to discuss them. What you mentioned is STILL not clearly understood by modern medicine...that wrong intent/focus in the mind will cause degeneration of the physical body, and vice versa. By understanding intent, and working with the body, (especially via the Chakra Meditation) the physical can indeed be greatly improved, while combining this focus with right diet and exercise. When I jog the 3-4 miles on the beach every other day for instance, I intend improvement of the "intent/feeling elements" of my body, especially in those area which feel weaker or have pain/discomfort. I intend to raise the vibration in these areas, draw chi, and the manfiestation of strength, for instance. . . /////// . . SW; . . MW; . . One could say that, perhaps, on the psychological level. However, the following principle of intent always holds true, . . "Intent implies action, and action implies intent". . . Anything less that action is only the "intent to consider taking action". As for the supposed "good intentions" of the world, see these not in terms of politicians' speeches or a negihbors' smile, see them in terms of what is actually DONE. . . /////// . . SW; . . . MW; . . YES . . SW; . . MW; . . That is insightful. Yes, I believe they will, and that genetics changes with use, like everything else. . . Excellent and insightful comments, Brother Steve. Re: The Expansion of Consciousness (The evolution of the species) - The Subverse Human . 7 Oct 2006 14:27 . #662 Thank you you ever so much for the return comments, they have been a great help on a personal level. Any advice i normaly get is usualy off the mark, and i only accept anything im told if it makes sense to me. If it doesnt add up then its wrong. And next to all the sums of this system theres a big red X. . . Evolution- . I dont believe in evolution as it is taught, that we mutated from other species. I think that all life merely progresed and not evolved. The dna code has allways remained the same, but to start with it wasnt finished. What i mean is that the code was enough to bring about life but wasnt fully developed. Through better diet our genes grew stronger until we became what we know today. Humans at one point or another have ingested just about all natural and unatural stuffs. I think the evolution of the species has allready happened, but being starved of our full diet and wars that have killed off all of the healthy stong male genes of a nation, we have started to regress. Our genes are not being able to create the perfect human. People like u are the dieing remains of the advanced human gene. . . Fittness- . All wisdom comes from physical occurances. Senses of motion, sight, sound, smell, taste, emotion, pleasure and pain all bring about wisdom, enlighenment and understanding. Deny a person of these senses (which so many of the population are in this tv age) we are not stimulated to learn and grow. I dont believe you can really know something by being told or reading it. Fine tunning you body and senses, then subjecting them to stimulation brings about strength and wisdom through experience. Now you can KNOW for yourself about life and need not be taught. Natural life teaches itself. Physical acchievement will lead to satisfying greatness. . . I am out of time but will write more on this. . . Steve . . Re: The Expansion of Consciousness - Martyn Martin . 9 Oct 2006 23:58 . #663 Thanks for the invite but i follow my own path so i know where i am going. . The unspeakable! - The Subverse Human . 13 Oct 2006 18:46 . #664 There are many truths that are deamed unacceptable and unspeakable, so thus denied. One that has recently been made more aware to me is the use of drugs for spiritual enlightenment. According to most the 2 are not connected. In fact one might even have the opinion that a drug user would be the complete opposite to an enlightened person. . . People like to believe that they live completely independantly without anyhelp and any goals acchieved have been through nothing more than hard work on their part. This is not the case. Without the help of nature we would not even exsist, yet people still want to deny their mother and provider. . . The immage the word DRUGS cunjers up is not usualy a good one and is usualy connected with badness, criminals, police, violence, weapons, dealers, needles, street junkys, addicts, not being of sound mind, low lifes, losers, being sick and even death. So its not a mystery that the majority of people who think highly of themselves as respectable citizens, renounce their affinity to them. Espesialy as one gets older they do not want to be connected to that picture for fear of rejection by their high class peers. . . But denial does'nt change facts. You CANNOT enter into the inner depths of the mind without the keys. Once you have used these keys CORRECTLY, you are then another priveleged being able to understand and use a higher part of your mind. . . Picaso may have been a great painter, but he can never deny the tools of his art - The canvas, paint and brush. . . Ebrace our teachers. Re: The unspeakable! - Matthew Webb . 14 Oct 2006 23:20 . #665 Brother Steve, . . I did indeed read your excellent statement on the subject of entheogen use. Needless to say I agree with every bit of it. The reaction you noted to your comments is not unlike the various reactions I've received over the years via a variety of articles, especially on this subject. Ignorance is the rule rather than the exception, sadly, and it is largely self-induced. By that I mean that people WANT to be ignorant when their cherished beliefs are more convenient to them than the obvious truth. I've found that the vast majority of modern humans will either agree or disagree with something without so much as a single FACT supporting their view. Facts are not something which rank highly in the value system of many, what ranks is how they FEEL, or prefer to believe regardless of facts. . . In the case of entheogens, what people most often believe is what they've been told by government propaganda, NOT what they have through long experience and experimentation, found out for themselves. It is an insecure mindset in which this society lives. Because of insecurity, people would much rather simply "get in line" and "believe" what is politically correct, rather than think and act for themselves. This is largely why there is such a lack of personal power in the modern public, and why they are SO VERY dependant on "authority" figures and "experts" to run their lives for them. . . There is no doubt whatsoever that entheogens can have a very excellent effect on the body, mind and consciousness, They are a premier tool for spiritual progress, especially when combined with meditation and right living. . . Thanks very much for making this post, and I do hope it makes an impact in a way that encourages free thought and TRUE spiritual progress. . . Sincerely, . Matthew Webb . . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . Health Unites All. - The Subverse Human . 22 Oct 2006 18:37 . #666 Health and strength go hand in hand. A measure of a persons strength is by a measure of their health and vica versa, so in order for a person to be strong they must be healthy. . . Anything of strength and power is a threat to the weak. The government is very weak. Its a bitter dieing old man on his hospital bed. The only strength it has are its ignorant followers. The easyist way to defeat an ememy is by rather than making yourself stronger than them, you make them weaker than you. The government has put in place many systems to keep us weak. . . Good health is a threat to them. Health unites all. United we will win! . . Its time for this bitter old man to meet his maker, or should i say braker. Its a world fashioned from ill health. Forget "terrorism", WE are potencialy their greatest threat. This system we have inplace does not produce good health. We MUST brake free of this system in order to gain good health and POWER. A healthy nation is a powerful nation. . . If you dont have your health you've got nothing. . . Dont leave it up to others to fight this battle coz we ARE the others. Make good health your intent. Make power your intent. Make freedom your intent. Make true happyness your intent. They all follow suit. . . A great thanx to Astrid for the inspiration for this artical. . . Luv 2 all . . Steve . . WE ARE THE US! Re: Health Unites All. - Matthew Webb . 23 Oct 2006 19:53 . #667 This is a great and true statement Steve, which I agree with wholeheatedly and practice every day. . . Th only thing I'm compelled to add is that the body-mind-soul interface must be observed wholistically. Body strengthens mind. Mind strengthens body. Soul has a greater ability to act proficiently on this physical plane through the strength of both.... . Re: Health Unites All. - The Subverse Human . 24 Oct 2006 15:48 . #668 Thank you Matt for your support, it means allot to me. . The World Mind Society has been Updated - Matthew Webb . 15 Nov 2006 23:08 . #669 The New WMS gives even more at no cost . . The not-for-profit World Mind Society has been actively serving the highest human interests since 1987. We went on-line in early 2000, and have been providing you, our valued readers, with an ever-expanding set of valuable tools for physical, mental and spiritual excellence. . . Our on-line Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest/library.html is the most comprehensive collection of free writings in the world, on such subjects as the expansion of consciousness, natural and simple living, truth, the ills of society and its remedies, meditation, intentional community, entheogens, mental development, and much more. All in all, there are at least 3 books of enlightening material contained on our "shelves". To this collection we just added 13 more articles, marked "New" in the Library for your benefit. . . Our site also offers a collection of psychedelic desktop artwork for your use and enjoyment. To this collection we've added 20 new masterpieces of color and form. . . Lastly, we just created a professional music album entitled, "That Which Raises" dedicated to the expansion of the listeners' consciousness. This meditational booster is quite unlike anything ever made before. Six sample tracks of this new and higher music are now on this page for your listening enjoyment ( http://www.eoni.com/%7evisionquest/library/sophia.html ). . . This is your opportunity to contribute! . . If you've gained benefit from our entirely free articles, music, artwork, mailings and forum posts over the last 6 years, now is your chance to help promote the World Mind Society cause to uplift the human condition. To help us cover Internet, printing and other costs, send us what donation you can. Your investment in this case is in wisdom, intelligence and spiritual advancement, for the entire human race. . . Never have we asked anything of you before, our regular readers and listeners, other than your careful consideration of the truth. Now, we'd like you to consider sending us a donation to become an active contributor to the WMS Cause. . . For those of you who donate $20 or more, we'll send you a copy of our just released, professionally made, music CD. This is a very special meditational album, as unique and penetrating in character as our articles. The CD insert says the following about this music; . . ....Created through altered states for those who relish them, this album is made in the spirit of the Shamans of Old. A basis for this music is a practice known as “intonation”, which is the meditative focus of the voice upon sustained tones. To that basis is added the didjeridoo, (in certain tracks) which is in essence a resonating tube. Both of these instruments are capable of transmitting states of consciousness and intention. . . You are invited to further study the science of consciousness and its’ expansion. It is through such means that humanity may continue to evolve, and avert the current course of destructive consumerism….…Music by Matthew Webb with accompaniment by Sandi Hunter. Mixed on location at BQ Studios...... . . Go to the WMS website and listen now to these unique and powerful meditative tracks... http://www.eoni.com/%7evisionquest/library/sophia.html . . Send us a check or money order, (preferred) of $20 or more, and we'll ship your exclusive album for free. . . Make these payable to: . Matthew Webb or Sandi Hunter . PO Box 283 . Port Orford, Oregon 97465 . . Our many thanks to the caring and wise of the planet, who understand what is truly important in life. It is in your hands that the future of the world rests. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Notes from Global Round table discussion about Mayan Calendar Code - Brenda McCann . 25 Nov 2006 06:10 . #670 Among other things: . . I. The Meaning of the Mayan Calendar . . A) 9 underworlds . . 1. What are underworlds? Don't we have a modern term for this? . . 2. They could be called the levels of Earth's evolution . . 3. The Mayans had a whole process that they called the 13 heavens and under them as expressed as the Earth are the 9 underworlds of density. . . B) The cycles of the day = heaven, night = underworlds are starting at the bottom or most base level of evolution: . . 1. The cellular cycle - 1 day = 16.4 billion years as Earth. . 2. The Mammal Cycle - 1 day = 64.million years . 3. The Familial Cycle - 1 day = 3.2 million years . 4. The Tribal Cycle (when humans appeared - 1 day = 3.2 million years. . 5. The Cultural Cycle - 1 day = 102 thousand years . 6. The National Cycle - 1 day = can't remember . 7. The Planetary Cycle - 1 day = 19.7 years . 8. The Galaxial Cycle - 1 day = 365 days . 9 The Universal Cycle - 1 day = (2012) 20 days . . C) We are supposedly in the Galaxial Cycle now. . . 1. How does this Mayan Calendar Code affect individual persons? . . a. we are now in what they call the budding phase = the 5Th SUN or Day = Heaven. . . b. A time when nothing can be suppressed or dominated . . c. a time when life force is breaking loose to express ITSELF . . e. This release and acceleration of life force impacts everything in earth because it is in every atom at the cellular level of creation ITSELF . . f. QUESTION: What happens to the people who are still not getting it and are remaining in religious orders of dogma and ritual inherited beliefs about reality? . . D). ANSWER: We are only resisting what ALREADY IS THE ONENESS of all life. The light is present in every atom of life and is in all those people who appear to you to NOT GET IT. . . 1. It is up to each of us to simply allow the unfoldment of our own whole selves in this cycle and vibrate with the highest vibration of light that we each already are. . . 2. This is the 5Th DAY ~ it is Galaxial Spring. . . 3. AH HA moments will abound in the bursting of life force into new expressions as we remove the OLD filters between US and the light love source we already are. . . 4. Even those who are clinging to inherited dualistic based religions and who still view 2 sides or more to live such as: mine and yours, ours and theirs, us and them will find that those beliefs will kill them. . . 5. We are in for Divinely Guided Anarchy. . . F) What tools will we need to create? . . 1. Enter Elizabeth Tobin . - Holographic Repatterning . . a. "Wait a minute! Each person is going to experience this in their own perfect and unique way!" . (she announced that her site was down since be4 Thanksgiving for re-vamping and won't be back up until Monday) . . b. "What we need to DO is RELEASE what we think this SHOULD LOOK LIKE and go with the complete flow of source through is in 100% TRUST." . . c. "Here is a chakra tool I use and teach": . . 1. The Root chakra - is all about releasing what is not working and can feel like personal crisis when it is releasing. . . 2. Release all old stuff that you have in your house that you are NOT using in some way. You have energetic connection to STUFF from the past and it is now time to discard it. . . 3. Food carries energy and information of the current of LIFE and NUTRITION. Eat only fresh organic foods and be sure to have pure water to drink. . . 4. BE AWARE of where you are focusing your attention = energy flow. Do not take in negative chaotic energy from any source as that is toxic in the astral - emotional and mental bodies. . . . . II. The TIME IS NOW to move totally into the present = NOW and ground it many times a day into the planetary energy and information grid system,. . . A) Elizabeth again: . "Maintain your source connection = Your personal sphere daily flow of I AM presence energy." . . B) ALLOW IT to flow freely through you to clear your right & left brain moment to moment. You CAN TRUST your own source flow entirely. . . 1. Let all the OLD energy & information GO to allow your own experience of the source flow of energy & information here and now each moment. . . 2. In this way ONLY will you receive your own daily energy and information tailored 4 YOU each moment of each day in perfect relationship all balance with environment. . . C) Joseph speaks up: "YES Elizabeth! I am feeling this in my GUT as true. Maintain our oneness at all times by staying in the HERE & NOW. GOT IT!" . . F) Elizabeth again: In Holographic Repatterning you are changing your own energy field into the male female balance of energies. . . G) Also know that we are all IN THIS SAME BOAT no matter what we may chose to create to 'call it'. . . H) KNOW THAT WE have the winds of creation in our sails from our back now. And we can trust that source wind to blow/empower us in the correct direction for our self and all selves we are connected to. . . . III. Joseph Grove is asked to do the closing meditation. We switch now to his screen and see a live time satellite view of the rotating earth from outer space. He can zoom in on this or that country or state in a country. Nifty technology he has going. We have all written in the chat window for this meeting room - where we are from and he somehow puts a little twinkle light in each of our locations upon the earth as it is - still rotating live time. LOL VERY COOL TOUCH I'd say!! . . You can read my quick view summary of the closing meditation in the email I sent you and the firethegrid care2 group and here is another one I wrote for Suzanna Kennedy also: . . I did the Free tele-webinar round table panel discussion thingi today at 11 AM PST: http://www.lightsoflove.us/LLAW/vol20.html with Elizabeth Tobin, Joseph Grove, Andi-Mac & Jag and a guy named Carl Johan Calleman. Their forte` was a crash course in the meaning of the Mayan calendar and E. Tobin of course is holographic repatterning as a tool to get clear and be part of the changes/shift. They all tell it as if it is happening on its own though - where as, I get it that we are co-creating this shift in unison with, or as, the Divine will/LOVE through us... I felt somewhat like a thrilling facilitator at times. . . THE ACTION POINT, however, was the closing meditation led by Joseph Grove during which we all went up into source and asked to combine our masculine feminine energies in perfect balance (lots of detail he was VERY GOOD at leading this merge) and then we all descended/slowed our vibrations/ back to our respective crown chakras to settle the sacred union (more detail again) and then all descended in unison repeating 'the settling' in each of the chakras - finalizing in the root where there was a moment of releasing all that is to make room for the new sacred union of perfectly balanced male female energies and then we grounded down into the center of the Earth Grid (basic unconsciousness energy of Earth) and from there all that is radiant sacred union was celebrated as us in us together (there were almost every country present with many others included in the aethers - in fact, he spoke that we could share this sacred union with everyone we are connected with and all their ancestors in all multidimensionally also - so of course I DID THAT. My being was completely taken over in massive thanksgiving - tears of deep wonder and joy washing my bodies and that of the mother. our bottom line: . . "I AM LOCKED IN LOVE OH MY EARTH." . . Then of course we were all just awe struck in an amazing ringing zinging of our energies and Joseph had us all take 5 deep breaths to slowly come back up during which time I SMELLED THE CHEMICALIZATION so strong I could not believe it but...so it was. This event was called the Celebration of the Break Through of the 5Th Day on the Mayan Calendar. . . Re: Notes from Global Round table discussion about Mayan Calendar Code - Sandi Hunter . 26 Nov 2006 00:19 . #671 Am I in the wrong place????...I thought this was the World Mind Society discussion board. Isn't there more than enough info in the WMS library for discussion? How about a discussion of the 3 elements of consciousness..awareness, intent and energy? If someone out there would only look at the fundamental and profound importance of this topic, the potential for what could be done individually and globally would be mind boggling, but I guess the trend is to avoid a true definition and something that can be worked with and on for subjects that don't take as much responsiblity to respond to. . . This is the Raising the World Mind discussion board...isn't it? It sure is Sandy - The Subverse Human . 30 Nov 2006 17:22 . #672 I too am dissapointed in the lack of intrest in this field. Unfortunatly a higher state and raizing it are for some very difficult especialy with our poisoned enviroment. Knowing and feeling the truth and practicing it is a criminal act in this society. For many, people would rather stay ignorant than upset the government. The government has done a very good job of inflicting fear into the nation and most people run into the arms of the enemy (the government) for protection and security. I personaly has falling victim to the spiritual opression of the system. What do you do when your whole family are hopless followers of the system and any truths you utter are to them just an attack on their beliefs and faiths. . . Whats the answer? . . Im still working on it. Truth and Clarity - Matthew Webb . 1 Dec 2006 18:33 . #673 I posted the following article on a forum called "THC Ministries Amsterdam" and would like to share also, the comments which followed; . . Truth and Clarity . . There is one single basis upon which the entire modern world is built, and upon which all of the problems of the modern age can be traced. This one ultimate source of human misery, the essence of what is called evil, and the demise of all that is noble within persons and nations is this; . . that there is no such thing as truth. . . Another way to say “there is no truth” is to claim that “everyone has their own truth” or that truth is related to the [human] observer, and without an observer the universe eases to function. . . Because it is commonly assumed that there is no such thing as truth, we find that the following implications in the modern world keep arising; . . 1) That there is nothing in life to learn other than what is already known by humanity, for purposes useful only to human-kind. . . 2) That there is no higher standard by which anything or anyone in society may run their lives, since everything that is believed is automatically made true, simply because it is believed. . . 3) That “judgment” is automatically a “negative” thing. We are told that we “should not judge each other” and there is no way one could believe this, other than through the assumption that, a) there is no truth and therefore there is nothing to be judged, and, b) that no person could possibly embody or know the truth, since we are all, “only human”. . . 4) That all teachings and ideas are equal since it is a human right to believe whatever is immediately appealing, [rather than attempting to know what is universal] since “reality” is entirely subjective. Whatever we make up today is what is real. If we choose to make up whatever pleases us today, and this contradicts with yesterday, tomorrow or practical action in the moment, then that is “ok” since “everyone has their own opinion”. . . 5) That personal feelings and desires are always more important than anything else in the universe. If we don’t want to look at the truth, (commonly known as “their truth”) then it is our right to ignore facts, change the subject, make believe problems don’t exist, or simply say that “all is by Divine Plan”. People call this right, “my truth”. . . 6) It is a modern trend to first ask “who” is saying a given thing, rather than asking if the thing said is true regardless of its author. [“who” is basically irrelevant] . . Such social attitudes about truth are widespread. They are the direct and primary cause of war, fear, pain, hatred, ignorance of all kinds and a lack of responsibility for the actions of the self and of nations. They are the source of all discord, and the primary obstacle to peace and human advancement, now and throughout all the ages. They may in fact very well be the ultimate very death of our species. . . To believe that there is no such thing as truth implies that; . . The more people believe in an idea, the more justified and acceptable that idea becomes. Thus if war, for instance, is disliked by many that makes it wrong. If it is liked and approved of by the majority, then that makes it right. According to society then, the facts about the suffering and widespread destruction war causes, or whether or not such mass violence is appropriate, is not the key issue here. The key issue for society is whether or not the majority of people believe it to be desirable. The same may be said about all the issues of our day….corruption in government and corporate board rooms, social inequality, racial prejudice, destructive social policies and legislature, (such as the PATRIOT act) the militarization of society and the removal of civil liberties, etc. etc. Because people believe there is no such thing as truth, then all of these social injustices become the norm, and they will last only so long as truth is considered a personal fiction. . . So if we are serious about changing this world society in which we live, then a complete transformation of our collective idea of truth must be had. In fact, we must go beyond our personal or social ideas of what truth is, to REALIZE it’s nature directly. Nothing in the world can significantly change until the social definition of truth has been altered. But first we have to realize what stands in the way of this re-definition. To define truth as a personal affair composed solely of preference and imagination, is to cloak all that is corrupted in the modern age in the veneer of personal freedom. It is certainly our personal prerogative to define reality however we may wish. But to do this is to ALWAYS incur effects from this central cause of ignorance. The fact remains that truth exists, independent of our personal beliefs. It doesn’t matter in the slightest degree how many people believe in a falsehood, since numbers of believers do not make a thing so. Six billion wrongs do not make a right, (reality). . . Many people want to believe however they wish, simply because this is convenient. So long as they believe as they always have nothing in their lives needs to be changed, or so they imagine. Others enjoy the implicit lack of responsibility for their actions or words, given the belief that there is “only my truth and your truth”. Still others do not wish to face the highly unpleasant prospect that the lives they have lead have not been according to truth, and have therefore been greatly misguided and even destructive. For these persons the prospect that there is a universal truth that does not bend for the sake of whim is quite terrifying, and they shun it at all costs. Typically they will also shun those who offer the message of truth at all costs. . . The cost of not observing truth is literally surrounding us at every turn. Denying it is costing people their health, (wrong eating and lifestyle) while destroying the environment, (through the idea that the planet exists for us to use up, rather than to serve). We have gained in knowledge but not in wisdom, since wisdom may be defined as the degree to which one applies truth in their daily lives. The folly of genetic engineering, nuclear weapons, chemical bio-hazards, unhealthy farming practices, war after war and widespread social dissatisfaction are all the symptoms of denying truth in our daily lives, as a species. . . Never the less, it is the constant need of the realist, the practical minded and the spiritual practitioner alike, to always consider truth as a foremost priority in life. They realize that only through truth are REAL and lasting solutions found to any personal or world problem. They know that truth is the only bedrock upon which a life may be founded to any real success, rather than the flimsy house of cards upon which modern society bases all of its expectations. Such persons also understand the need for honesty, since truth cannot be applied when facts are constantly denied. . . The World Mind Society defines truth as: . . That which IS, universally, and at all times the determining basis for the reality of existence. Factuality, and that which exists regardless of view point or relative opinion. The essence of natural law and its principles. . . The proverbial question of, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound” is rendered absurd. Of course it still makes a sound. To ask this question is to assume that human perception is somehow the cornerstone upon which reality rests, and this is sheer folly. To assume this is to invite our widespread destruction. . . The facts which compose truth must not and cannot be ignored profitably. Our purpose as human beings therefore, is largely one of finding out what the truth is and applying it in our daily lives, as well as for the sake of a new world society. A world society based on truth will address all questions honestly, given a desire for the progressive consequences of a realistic inquiry. Given this honesty and the implied need for solutions to the problems we face as a species, our kind may transform itself for the sake of REAL human progress. Through truth alone we will continue to evolve, or from a lack thereof, continue to decay as a civilization to the point of total entropy and mass death. Let us see if our human need for honesty can outweigh the pain of its realization, so that we can move beyond the faulty assumptions of past centuries. . . ******* . . Besides honesty, one of the foremost keys in the obtaining of truth is that of clarity. The truth about clarity is that it is a state of consciousness which can be increased at will, especially through the use of a certain focus. The WMS writings call this focus “awareness of awareness”. I highly recommend using the following meditational focus, which is an excerpt from Perpetual Raising Part 5 in the WMS Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest. . . . . . . Advanced Chakra Meditation . . Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately begin focusing on the feelings centered in the area of the forehead, or sixth chakra. Those new to this practice may begin by tapping the tip of their right index finger upon what is known as the "third eye", or exact center of the forehead, with the eyes closed. Tapping increases awareness in that region, which is useful for the beginner. Be aware of every subtle detail of feeling in this area. Allow awareness to spread to the entire region of the frontal lobe of the brain, (the front third of the head, directly behind the forehead), through the middle of the brain, and inclusive of the occipital region, (back of head). FEEL all the subtleties. Do not avoid any pain, fear or other unpleasantness found anywhere in these areas, but instead relax them, and continue the meditation. . . As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, simply relax, and return again and again to a feeling focus, even if this means doing so a hundred times every minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As the practice of meditation proceeds, stress is released, and the tendency of thoughts to intrude upon the process of meditation will gradually diminish. Be patient and don’t let the simplicity of this method of meditation deceive you. Maintain your awareness on the area of the front of the head, with particular emphasis paid to the third eye, and the temples at the side of each physical eye. Areas of particular stress or activity in this region, will attract your awareness and hold it for longer periods. Allow this to happen, as it is a function of natural self-healing processes and energy body activity. Don’t be concerned or irritated by intruding thoughts, just continue to return to a feeling-oriented focus. . . After maintaining this feeling focus in the third eye region for about 5 minutes, shift your focus to one of awareness only. In other words, don’t just be aware of feelings in this area, be aware of that in you, which is being aware. This statement may at first sound a little cryptic, but it is actually quite simple. In the basic Chakra Meditation we use awareness to focus on feelings in the body, as a replacement for continuous thoughts in the mind. In the Advanced Chakra Meditation we start with a feeling focus, and then soon shift to a "focus upon the focuser", or to one of having, "awareness of awareness". So while focused upon the third eye region, the meditator engages in "awareness of awareness", particularly in the frontal lobe of the brain. This act "recycles" awareness back upon itself, thereby increasing its intensity. This is a primary means to gain greater clarity. Contemplate this concept to comprehend its profound simplicity and value. It is recommended that you perform this meditation twice daily as a temporary replacement for the basic Chakra Meditation, before arising from bed and just before going to sleep at night. Each session should last at least 20-30 minutes. . . Employing the Advanced Chakra Meditation to gain greater clarity is a process of self education. Clarity is not a concept Western culture is thoroughly familiar with, and rarely is it a term that is concretely defined. In this system, clarity is defined in terms of the degree of awareness of awareness one possesses. Represented mathematically, this principle of natural law may be shown as A/A=C, whereas, "A" is awareness, (divided by itself) and "C" is the clarity that results. As greater experiential familiarity with clarity is had, it then becomes a known quality of mind that can be summoned up or enhanced at will, even without the precursor of meditation. Thus it can then be Intended into place at a moments’ notice, for the purpose of improved mental and even physical function. In the group meditational setting, it may also be Intended into place for oneself as well as others, simultaneously. In other words, awareness of awareness may be psychically projected to others, which aids in their higher establishment of clarity as well. We should not consider this a particularly esoteric act, when remembering that any state of consciousness can be projected. All states of consciousness in fact, automatically radiate from the body/mind as soon as they are gained within, to some degree. By Intending their projection outward however, we are increasing the potency of rendered psychic effects many times over. In this way too, we are acting on behalf of natural laws, and are thereby gaining the cumulative support of nature in our spiritual practices . . ON THE GROUP LEVEL . . Once you are familiar with awareness of awareness, (clarity) then the opportunity exists to project this state to others. This act is not unlike the projection of love. Clarity is experienced as a certain peculiar concentration of activity and self-observance, especially in the sixth chakra or forehead, since this area specializes in pinpoint focus and ideally, self awareness. While meditating upon greater clarity, visualize all other participants in the group mind as having a strong glow of light upon the forehead. Intend that this glow represent your positive influence of greater and greater clarity upon them, and for their highest spiritual unfoldment. You can also visualize lines of light similar to laser beams, connecting the brow of each mediator in a union of greater awareness of awareness. The experienced Visionary may also simply Intend into place the greater state of awareness of awareness in others. This act is the direct transference or replication of clarity in each person thus projected to. . . Let’s talk more about clarity in future newsletters….You are reminded of the opportunity to discuss these matters directly with me and other practitioners, on the New Civilization Network, (NCN) website. They have generously provided us and others with the means to discuss in open forum, such issues as are mentioned above. You can either join NCN in the usual way at http://www.newciv.org/ncn/ncnintro.html or you can go directly to our web page there at http://www.newciv.org/wms/. In either case, entrance can only be had by NCN members. Look for the “Raising the World Mind” work group there, once you’ve become an NCN member. Questions and information given can be viewed by all for mutual benefit. That’s why it’s a good idea to have public discussions there, in the spirit of community focus. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . _________________ . The intent of the Master is the mastery of intent . . . Rev Adam; . . "The beauty of the truth is that there is only one universal truth regardless what anyone wants to believe. However, I do like how your post touched on how our conscious beliefs directly affect the reality we live in. " . . Rishi; . . Yes, the New Age scene does not understand this distinction. They go to extremes with this "you create your own reality", even believing there is no reality beyond what humans do and believe. Truth already exists...it is not within our prerogative to "make it up as we go along"....thus the shoddy thinking of the new Age paradigm. They've taken the principle and called the sparks plugs the engine, or the engine the car, ignoring the fact that there are a great number of other natural laws in play. We certainly MODIFY "reality" with our consciousness, especially through intent, but we do not "create it" as though it did not exist already, as exemplified by nature and natural laws. . . Rev Adam . . "There is no doubt that we manifest a lot of bad things in this world on our own...the big question is WHY aren't we intelligent enough to understand that basic principle and take control of our direction as a species united?? Why can't the collective conscious get it right when it seems so simple to some of us? I believe we are perplexed by the amount of time it takes one person to reach an enlightened state of mind, which for many never happens....let alone a whole species at the same time." . . Rishi; . . Yes, well said and well asked. These are perhaps the biggest questions of all time regarding the human race, and I ask them every day, even though I know the basic answers. . . The two primary reasons why we don't take control of our direction as a species, and as most individuals, is because of; . 1) a singular lack of self knowledge, and, . 2) a lack of honesty . . Without self knowledge any person can never gain even significant mental growth, let alone a greater mastery of their intent, (the primary component of consciousness). . . Without honesty, even self knowledge will be of little use, since what is Seen about the self will be rejected or ignored, in favor of whatever the person wants to believe. We not only live in an unintellectual society, we live in one which is ANTI-INTELLECTUAL, with actual hostility toward the truth, based upon an arrogance that assumes WE humans are more important than what runs the universe. . . Combine these with a lack of spiritual practice, (especially meditation) and you have a recipe for institutionalized blindness, in the face of an entirely false construct...consumer society. If these hurdles to our further evolution are not sufficiently addressed, resolved and surpassed, then our kind will die off by its' own hand, and be regarded as yet another evolutionary experiment that failed miserably. . . This article includes a meditation on clarity in the hopes that such clarity will be gained and applied by any reader (toward self knowledge and a rejection of the false) for the sake of what we are speaking of... . _________________ . The intent of the Master is the mastery of intent . Re: It sure is Sandy - Matthew Webb . 1 Dec 2006 18:41 . #674 I hear very clearly what you are saying Steve, and appreciate its' lucidity very much. What you're saying is surely the one thing in the modern age which most desperately needs to be shouted upon every street corner of the land. The people suffer in their perpetual sleep, and yet they clutch the blankets of ignorance and pain with a grasp that resembles the drowning upon life preservers at sea. . . My "Truth and Clarity" post addresses why this is so to a great extent... . Orgasms for Peace - Matthew Webb . 5 Dec 2006 21:05 . #675 This e-mail is much akin to our GGM Meditations. It has a different technique involved, but the intent is the same... . . Dear Grace, . . Very good concept, metaphysically and spiritually sound. I'll post this around.... . . Matt . . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . www.globalorgasm.org . . WHEN? Winter Solstice Day Friday December 22nd at the time of your choosing . in the place of your choosing . . WHY? To effect positive change in the energy field of the Earth through . input of the largest possible surge of human energy. . . Our minds influence Matter and Energy Fields, so by concentrating any . thoughts during and after The Big O on peace and partnership, the . combination of high orgasmic energy combined with mindful intention will . reduce global levels of violence, hatred and fear. On (R)evolution - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2006 18:30 . #676 What follows is a conversation currently going on within a forum known on the internet as "Deoxy.org". I am replying to a person calling themselves, "Nolongerblinb". . . NLB begins as follows; . . The bigger the SPARK the better! . . Hello ALL!! I am an inspired young college student in pursuit of a simple life, un-complicated by society and its guidelines. I realize how much bullshit goes on in the United States, and how the US affects many parts of the world extending its bullshit to them. I, along with others from my generation are fucking sick of this. We are sick of the way people treat each other, we are sick of the repressive attitude towards so many things, sick of the lies, sick of the degrading struggle we have seen our parents and so many other adults spend their life going through just to end up “financially” secure, sick of the unnecessary pain of others, sick of the lack of compassion and true freedom. Sick because this way of living that has been set up for us is viral, it is diseased with death and ego and destruction of that natural. BUT WAIT! In this time of dim lighting I see a brightness starting to shine through, shining from the thoughts and feelings of others from my generation. I am not alone in my struggle against such repressive times, but I am not surrounded by nearly enough. . . This is where I call on each of you, to help “enlighten” the humans on this planet that will respond compassionately and open mindedly to shift away from this “old” type of life. I feel that this time is a prime one for exposing the youth of the planet to the disgraced condition of what other humans have left this world in. So many crazy things are happening now, it’s getting easier to question things because there are so many instances that just don’t add up, or make sense! I think, that merely exposing the type of thoughts and ideas that are generated and discussed on deoxy, to the youth of today will spark the same feelings of revolt that I have. I’m not saying that every, or even many young people will fully understand the message, BUT the ones that do, the ones that do will be the ones who carry on the SPARK using it to set fire and burn down the rigid intellectual barriers and societal guidelines of today. Then, it will spread, and I say this with confidence because I have seen it for myself, as myself and my friends for example. Once you become aware, it is almost impossible to deny it, to me it feels like spreading the word is something I don’t have a choice in now, it’s a must! Me and some other colleagues who feel this is a good way in bringing about a change want to set up some kind of media where we can expose “deoxy” like thoughts to our generation. I would like input from the members here on what kind of writings, or movies, or music, or art they were exposed to that helped them disengaged from the monotonous thinking we get corralled in. I will take all this input and figure a way to combine it, and then present it in some form to others. Ideas for ways of presenting this are also very welcomed….I think a spark was seen around the sixties, but it was a confused small spark that was smothered….HELP me created a BLINDING spark, one so huge it will not be able to be stomped out! what'dya say??? . . Here are some of my favorite quotes from the movie "Waking Life" by Richard Linklater because they tie into my first post perfectly. . . •Alex Jones - "You can't fight city hall." "Death and taxes." "Don't talk about politics or religion." This is all the equivalent of enemy propaganda, rolling across the picket line. "Lay down, GI! Lay down, GI!". We saw it all through the 20th Century. And now on the 21st Century, it's time to stand up and realize, that we should NOT allow ourselves to be crammed into this rat maze. We should not SUBMIT to dehumanization. I don't know about you, but I'm concerned with what's happening in this world. I'm concerned with the structure. I'm concerned with the systems of control. Those that control my life, and those that seek to control it EVEN MORE! I want FREEDOM! That's what I want, and that's what YOU should want! It's up to each and every one of us to turn loose of just some of the greed, the hatred, the envy, and yes, the insecurities, because that is the central mode of control, make us feel pathetic, small, so we'll willingly give up our sovereignty, our liberty, our destiny. We have GOT to realize we're being conditioned on a mass scale. Start challenging this corporate slave state! The 21st Century's gonna be a new century! Not the century of slavery, not the century of lies and issues of no significance, of classism and statism, and all the rest of the modes of control... it's gonna be the age of humankind, standing up for something PURE and something RIGHT! What a bunch of garbage, liberal, Democratic, conservative, Republican, it's all there to control you, two sides of the same coin! Two management teams, bidding for control of the CEO job of Slavery Incorporated! The TRUTH is out there in front of you, but they lay out this buffet of LIES! I'm SICK of it, and I'M NOT GONNA TAKE A BITE OUT OF IT! DO YA GOT ME? Resistance is NOT futile, we're gonna win this thing, humankind is too good, WE'RE NOT A BUNCH OF UNDERACHIEVERS, WE'RE GONNA STAND UP, AND WE'RE GONNA BE HUMAN BEINGS! WE'RE GONNA GET FIRED UP ABOUT THE REAL THINGS, THE THINGS THAT MATTER - CREATIVITY, AND THE *DYNAMIC* *HUMAN* *SPIRIT* THAT REFUSES TO *SUBMIT*! WELL THAT'S IT, that's all I've got to say. It's in your court now. . . •Man on the train - I haven't seen too many around lately. Things have been tough lately for dreamers. They say dreaming is dead, no one does it anymore. It's not dead it's just that it's been forgotten, removed from our language. Nobody teaches it so nobody knows it exists. The dreamer is banished to obscurity. Well, I'm trying to change all that, and I hope you are too. By dreaming, every day. Dreaming with our hands and dreaming with our minds. Our planet is facing the greatest problems it's ever faced, ever. So whatever you do, don't be bored, this is absolutely the most exciting time we could have possibly hoped to be alive. And things are just starting . . •Philosophy Professor - It might be true that there are six billion people in this world, and counting, but nevertheless -what you do makes a difference. It makes a difference, first of all, in material terms, to other people, and it sets an example. In short, I think the message here is that we should never write ourselves off or see each other as a victim of various forces. It's always our decision who we are. . . ////////////// . . Rishi; . . NLB...great, outstanding post. Relevant, caring and to the point. If there were more posts like this at Deoxy I'd show up here more often. . . I'm with you in this cause, and have been into such directions for many years. . . You asked; . "I would like input from the members here on what kind of writings, or movies, or music, or art they were exposed to that helped them disengaged from the monotonous thinking we get corralled in. I will take all this input and figure a way to combine it, and then present it in some form to others. Ideas for ways of presenting this are also very welcomed….I think a spark was seen around the sixties, but it was a confused small spark that was smothered….HELP me created a BLINDING spark, one so huge it will not be able to be stomped out! what'dya say???" . . Well, I've written a great many things on these subjects...such as simple, spiritual living, the ills of society and all that. . . Regarding simple living and a robust critique of the utter madness known as "consumer society" check out my "Survivalists' Guide for the New Millennium" linkin my World Mind Society Library. . . Intertestingly, speaking of the Waking Life movie, I recently wrote a review of that which you'll see in a different section. It IS an excellent movie and I recommend it to ALL. . . ////////// . . NLB . . Thank you! I feel very dignified that my post grabbed your attention! I know of you well and credit your writings like the mentioned "Survivalists' Guide for the New Millennium" as part of my wake up call. Your writings on truth have also made a profound impact on me. . . As I have blindly gone through this system of schooling, I now find myself waking up in college...But once I was jarred from that conformity conditioning of the mind, I began to look at things as a true observer. What I have been noticing and struggling with for some time now is that, school clouds your mind, and I am no exception. So you see I am constantly struggling to escape the conformity while living in it as an observer. But I am also noticing that while I object to this lifestyle, I am learning a great deal of how it works and how it really affects me, and I can FEEL it TRYING to pull me back in. . . At a point not to long ago I wanted to flee it all and live on a Island where I could become self-sufficient and be free of society once and for all. But then I thought, If I were to do this, could I realy justify to myself such a goal? I felt I was only looking out for myself if I did that. Then I thought about something, and Terence Mckenna helped secure this into my brain, I am in a very privelaged situation, and it feels like its almost my obligationg to use the situation I am in as a tool in communicating to others. . . When you read this post, take me at least as an example for a hope for change, I am not very different from others of my generation, and if I can realize such injustices, so can the rest...and this is important because if they do not, the current trend continues... . . Im sorry to all that have suffered because of the current conditions, and I am also angered/saddened that there hasnt been a BIG enough intent towards a changed that would bring about simple living, revive the soul, and promote love for OUR planet, our "Pacha Mama". Well im fed up and fired up, How can HUMANS have allowed things to go on like this for so long, how have we not stood up in a big enough group to make a change yet?!?! Well Im gunna stand up, and I need your help to stand up with me, and we need all the others to help us as well!! My flame burns bright and strong and will not be extinguished. . . //////// . . Rishi; . . NLB...I like that spirit, such intent is the very thing needed by the world today. When I say "intent" I of course mean that upon which action is based. It is clear that you have that kind of intent which makes for real change. . . Many people today talk about "getting out the vote" and other forms of "change" based upon the existing system. This is more than a little naive, and perhaps not even truly honest, as the existing system is rotten, through and through. The only viable source of social reform is the one which you are advocating. It is composed of actually living out those changes which are necessary on a daily basis. To BE love and clarity combined, to embody honesty in expression and to stand for real human progress, is to devote ones' focus to truth every day. . . It is ONLY through such people who are willing to do this, (despite all the awful lies told constantly by mass media and brainwashed people) that anything meaningful can be accomplished. Real progress will not occur through political means. It will only come about as a grass-roots shift of life focus at the individual level. These individuals can then band together in common purpose, to live a way that is truly satisfying and strengthening, instead of the current consumer mindset, that is both unsatisfying and weakening. . . Intentional community is a good way to go if it has a viable philosophy. . Google "Federation of Intentional Communities" . . We stand ready to question ALL that is now taken for granted, to replace the bogus with the profound, fashionable lies with the truth, and muddled confusion with unconditional clarity... . Maha rishis - Carla Mann . 31 Dec 2006 00:31 . #677 Hello all! This is my first post. I found this discussion group after I meditated high and wrote an essay about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (my "distracting" thoughts from the meditation). . . I was born in 1953 and I was very caught up with TM during the 1970's. I meditated regularly for about eight years and I always wanted to meet Maharishi. Then I got married and a few months learned I was pregnant. Kids require a lot of time and the years got by me. Now I'm interested in the study of consciousness again. . . I think it's quite interesting that so many of the 60's icons were with Marharish in Rishikesh. Donovan is still an admirer of Maharishi. John Lennon, on the other hand, wanted to make it clear that Mahesh is a man, not a god. I think that point is an important one. . . For myself, I do admire Maharishi, but I can see that he is human and flawed like most people. Even so, he has been and is a great teacher. . . Here's the essay I wrote: . As our species forms a global tribe, we must leave behind anything resembling cult mentality. As each one of us self-actualizes, we must listen to our own inner voices and think for ourselves. Then we can share our realizations and learn from each other. . . I wish to say thank you to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for being such a dedicated teacher of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Millions of people around the world have learned the technique thanks to his efforts. But it is also important to remember that the technique itself predates Maharishi by several thousand years and at this point, no one owns it. Anything that allows human intelligence to blossom is part of our common heritage. Re: Maha rishis - The Subverse Human . 2 Jan 2007 16:55 . #678 Hi Carla. Its good to see someone taking an intrest in this site. . . All the best for the new year. . . Steve Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Matthew Webb . 6 Jan 2007 21:44 . #679 What follows is a recent conversation on the topic of the human condition and what to do about it.... . . Terry H, sent the following letter, to which I reply below . . ">Good Morning Matthew, . . //////////////// . . My response; . . Brother Terry, . . Sandi has consistently checked on my e-mail and such for weeks now, as I have not gone onto the internet, nor have I had any desire whatsoever to do so. However, I perceive much sincerity in your letter, and the genuine intent to be progressive and really accomplish important changes within the human community. I hadn't realized you wrote until now, so I must apologize for the delay in answering. . . Yes, I absolutely have the very same experience with regard to the public attitude, which you summed up very well by saying, "as if denying the facts will make them go away". Such an attitude is so prevalent that I consider the public to be nothing more than an exercise in EXTREME mass insanity. No less than such a description will do, and as evidenced daily by local, national and international events. In answer to your question about the merits of further participation in that society via "higher education" so as to find more sophisticated ways, (perhaps) to aid the human condition, I would have to say "No, I see no purpose in that whatsoever". To clarify what we've already said about the public attitude, or the "modern condition" as it may be called, I would say that "educating" people about the truth is not the issue. I realized this in recent years. Merely presenting the truth in concise, clear and unmistakable terms, along with such practical remedies which would competantly address its' lack, is not at all the point. The point is that the human race has lost its' capacity, by and large, to assimilate the truth, mostly because it arrogantly assumes that the truth is expendable in favor of its' cherished beliefs and daily routines. In other words, "IT DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW", and regardless of the cost. By "regardless of the cost" I mean the vast majority of people today would rather die miserable and lingering deaths than to EVER come to grips with the truth. They would rather their children die such deaths, and their childrens' children, than to ever come clean about the reality of the natural/spiritual world and the stark unreality of modern society and their willing participation in it. So, regardless of the approach of education or the content of that effort, and no matter how enlightened the presentation, or how persistent and wise, the fact of the matter is that the general public couldn't care less about any revelations of FACT which implicitly oppose their favored delusions about the nature of reality, and the reality in nature of which they are a part. . . What this means is that humanity is already a dead race waiting for the end. This too is a fact, and no amount of positive optimism will change it, as evidenced by the daily example. I've learned this the hard way via many years of effort in writing articles, in-depth correspondence and forum/mailing list coordination. . . You said, . ">I continue to "bang my head against the wall" with people . . This is noble and indicates advancement along the Path. Let me say though that it is the Path itself, just like the laws of nature and spirit, which say that: "that which refuses or is otherwise inacapable of progress, (evolution), especially in the spiritual sense, MUST by necessity die". The physical body is organized around the same principle...not every cell or tissue should be saved. It is understood even by cells that the inferior, the dying, must at some time perish so that the rest of the body may remain healthy and unimpaired. The whole of humanity, as a vast majority, may accurately be compared to such a diseased cell or tissue in the greater body of the galaxy. It flatly refuses to acknoledge the greater prupose and basis of which it is a part, and in fact works arrogantly in direct opposition to that greatwer purpose of life and evolution. This makes humanity a cancer in the body of nature/God. For this it must pay the price of every extinct species and failed evolutionary experiment...it must die if it will not change, and change the average person will NOT regardless of any facts to the contrary. I believe you know this. . . My question to you is, "Why must humanity be saved"? What special merit does it possess which is worthy of saving, "despite itself"? Who or what can possibly help those who do not want to be saved, and worse, who will not even acknowledge there is a problem, (the modern condition)? . . In essence, truth is all that matters. To this those who walk the Path owe their allegience, and none other. No other cause is worthy. My suggestion is to consider the mindset which views this higher cause, beyond the considerations of petty humanity, to be the one truly worthy of life focus and basic action. Only from this position, perhaps ironically, is there any chance at all to really help humans. . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . //////////// . Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 7 Jan 2007 18:01 . #680 Mr Terry H is truely a man of my own heart. Its extremely frustrating when it comes to peoples insanity. Humananity has become well and truly fuckt up but does EVERYBODY deserve to die? I for one do not want to die any time soon and i sure hope that you dont too Matthew (allthough ive got more years ahead of me). What we must'nt fail to forget is that it is not our genetic makeup itself thats gone astray, its the ADULT social living institutions that are the problem. We are all born pure. We are all capable of spiritual greatness if given the chance. But the children of the world are not given the chance. Their options have been taken away from them before they are even born. . . The adult world is doomed. But children DO have the possibility of becoming their own, and not the traits of the ignorant. If enlightened ones could control schools there might be a chance. Remember it is the children of today who will making desisions for our planet in the future tomorrow. It is yesterdays children who are destroying the planet NOW. If they were not spiritualy killed when they were young they would not be making insane desisions of world destruction for money today. It is a problem that can easily be remedied -Stop destroying the minds of the young, destroying our future in fact. . . I think that many people even forget that children exsist as part of society. For most they're considered irrellivent and insignificant. The young have it all basicaly. The young will allways have what an old adult can NEVER achieve no matter how much money power he accumilates. I believe that its this jealous hattred of the young that has lead to allot of our problems. . . The amazing power of youth is not something thats been covered (i dont think). Its seems that most of modern adult man's efforts have been to suppress the power of the young. Anything of power without control is a threat to a weak old deseised society. The young should control the old not vice versa. The old are the ones that are fuckt up not the young. . . What do you think Matt? . . All the best . . Steve Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 7 Jan 2007 18:11 . #681 To add further to what ive written. . . Could YOU a man of older years suddenly change your entire way of life, thinking, habits and rutines after many years of doing what YOU have allways believed as correct just because a very small minority think that you should? Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Jim Whitescarver . 8 Jan 2007 11:16 . #682 People are stupid but they are magnificent creatures. Arrogance is evident not only in our parents and children, but also in our amimals. Our birds, cats, dogs, and even rabbits, like to dominate us if they can get away with it. . . It is an error to assume people are different. The idea that we are logical rational beings and ought to be different, is false. . . My son wrote, performed and produced song about my problem with people not wanting to be confused by the facts because they already . made up their mind. . http://whitescarver.com/james/Don'tConfuseMe.mp3 . . Evolution is not random, and it is beyond our understanding. The fruits of Evolution exhibit engineering that renders human endeavor crude and primitive. . . Mammals baSK IN THE DELUSION OF being INTELLIGENT beings. . . Intelligence is social, beyond the body. far from the instance of inception yet intimately connected to it. . . It is a semantic argument, evolution is undeniable as is intelligent . design. There is no controversy just the delusion that we can choose . one over the other because we are intelligent. . . Today science exposes the quantum mechanics of inception triggered by . a single atom. Only spirit, currently, illuminates the determining . cultural intelligence. . . Jesus, etc., live through me, I pray. . . And may Love rule. . . We are children of rapists and murderers as only the ruthless have . survived. If we believe that natural selection is dominant, then . there is no hope for us. 99% of human diversity has been murdered by . humans. . . Yet, we live The Good Life. The evidence suggests, that social . intelligence dominates natural selection. . . Thank God. . . Science does not mix with religion in my book, because Science should . not include that which is beyond our understanding. . . It is important Science not be a Religion and pretend to understand . what it does not understand, e.g. evolution. Science can describe . lower (local) dimensions, but a new paradigm is need before it can . include higher (global) dimensions which are actual, but made of memes . embodied anywhere and everywhere. Our social sciences, today, are . volitile and suggestive, preditive to 11%, 5%, and 3% significance . unlike true science or religion which is 99.99999999999999% . predictive. . . Our philosophy must include both science and religion if we are whole . people, but to love science, to me, is to distinguish it. . . Science has become a popularity contest. We don't know what we think we know. Real science, as far as I can determine, does not know whether human habitation is contributing to global warming or cooling. . . We don't know what we think we know. . . But human beings are magnificent animals that deserve to be rescued from extinction dispite their delusion of understanding. . . There is hope that enough humans might evolve to become the collective intelligence trancending their animal nature and humanity be saved. Otherwize we will perish. Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 8 Jan 2007 17:35 . #683 Im not sure if it is mans animal instints that are the problem, thats ridiculous. If women are choosing partners because of "educated" status and financial security (which would be considered by some to be "inteligence") and not looks (which is the first and main basis for any courting) then the best human genes are not becoming the winners. It is this so called "inteligence" of modern man that has got this planet in such a mess. True qualitys of real inteligence like common sense and logical thought process seem to be worthless in this society. If beautiful women are marrying short fat bankers and accounts because of their financial security, then the female is not achieving her best offspring. This is one of the many problems of a money orientated society. . . Humans have the greatess mind in the universe and all understanding IS possible if desired. There is no other higher force to understand things that we cant, we are the only beings who are capable of infinate knowlege and understanding. . . I should be saved because i know how much my life is worth, but its probably best if many are'nt. . . Steve . . . Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Jim Whitescarver . 10 Jan 2007 12:44 . #684 Instinct is of the collective mind of Mammal and of Man. . . Woman choose what they perceive culturally to be the most powerful and perfect mates, there is no independent thought, reason, or choice except in our fantasy. . . "Humans have the greatess mind in the universe" . . This is our arrogance speaking. While we might sit among the gods, and be One with the Universe in our meditations, we awake as human animals. The Universe is the greatest mind. It is so far beyond that of the human delusion of knowing that they are not comparable. . . Human believe they are logical, but simple tests prove that human are extremely poor in logic. Computers are perfect at logic. Humans are miserable. . . Socrates taught that we do not know what we think we know. To me, the greatest knowledge we posses is that of our ignorance. . . Only with that knowledge can we know Truth. . . And Truth is not absolute. It is the synthesis of the thesis and antithesis ad infinitum. . . Jim . http;//WikiWorld.com Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 10 Jan 2007 19:08 . #685 I'll be honest with you, i cant understand most of what you've written in both comments. Please write stuff that us humans can understand. Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Jim Whitescarver . 11 Jan 2007 03:30 . #686 It is human nature that if you tell someone something different from what they understand, even in if it is stated in simple terms, stating simple facts, with clear logic, it will not be understood. It will be interpreted as gibberish. . . Thus, if I tell you what you understand, you will understand it. But, telling you what you know fails to instill new understanding. But if I tell you what you do not understand it can serve as a seed that might someday blossom into understanding. . . Humans have evolved physically and spiritually to where they are now. Those here, in this group, may have evolved a slight bit further. WE wish humanity would transcend their low place as we recognize that much greater things are in humanities destiny. . . I may not have said that very well but it may be understandable as it addresses an understanding we share. . . Monkeys and Humans should be saved not because they are the most evolved, but because they are evolved at all. . . I once thought ordinary people lived worthless lives. But each time I thought I met an ordinary person I tested my hypothesis. I stopped my journey and got to know the person. I asked what they did, and about their politics and religion. I asked them what was really important to them. Each of them taught me something significant, beyond my wildest dreams. I learned from this that all humans are extraordinary. . . So, in sum, I believe we are all idiot savants, with islands of understanding in oceans of ignorance. We know what we understand and are generally oblivious to that which we don't understand. This defines our arrogance. We are not so different that only some could be saved. There may be no one who is not arrogant. . . Truth different from what we know is very often a bitter pill to swallow, but it is always good medicine. . . We cannot make others accept our beliefs. The best we can do is live, and let live. We can only insist they allow us to follow our beliefs. The human notion of truth is most often not different from belief. We have not evolved to the point of being objective. It is not that we are incapable of objectivity in principle, but that we currently lack the desire to be so. . . Is there anything further you want to to clarify for easier human comprehension? :-) . . Jim . http://WikiWorld.com Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 14 Jan 2007 11:37 . #687 Whats comprehension? Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Coulter Thurber . 14 Jan 2007 22:40 . #688 . If humans knew their true nature, would they then have the ability to understand? If they understood their purpose and why they were created, to be love and to project that love around them so that others can bathe in the love that was always there for them, would they be so arrogant? Its hard enough for a 17 year old to try and swallow all this but what is harder is trying to get an old otherwise stupid person to try and swallow this everlasting pill. I NOW have the drive to live, learn, and grow and by trying to give this message to others I am helping myself. Is this arrogance? It is not arrogance to try and better yourself as long as your intentions are based upon love. It is love that sustains the universe, love that ultimately makes you feel that you are a good, happy, and healthy INDIVIDUAL. The truth is that we are all miracles and all deserve to be saved but will arrogant humanity ever realize this and TRY to be saved? There are an infinite number of reasons on why we should be saved but it is up to us to discover our endless possibilities. . . LOVE & Light, . Coulter James Thurber IV Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - The Subverse Human . 15 Jan 2007 12:30 . #689 Well put thurber. Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Gabriel Guevara . 16 Feb 2007 07:53 . #690 . . Arrogance is believing that somehow you posess knowledge which is beyond another person. The problem is that in part this is true. If you truly understood the true nature of consciousness you would not be arrogant, only compassionate. . . I understand your complaint of humanity and the problems that go with it, however that is no excuse to place blame. This ties into the debate of "nature vs. nurture". Personally I blieve that infants are more affected by their upbringing (nurture) than their heredity. To expect some child that was beaten and abused to somehow independently realize that love is truth and that this "reality" is another illusion is LUDICROUS. . . People all have their own problems (you and I included), so the true path is to try and teach truth. We must help people understand. The "true path" which is always referred to is actually to help heal the world, not criticize it. Think of what you can do, then do it. . . This applies even to christian fundamentalists. Do what you can, don't fall back on criticism. If you wish to get metphysical, negativity + negativity = 2 x negativity. Positivity + negativity = neutral. Positivity + willingness = 1 x positivity. Positivity + Positivity = 2x positiviy. A great simplification, but like attracts like. If you complain and dwell on the negative aspects of humanity then you will only perpetuate them. If you just THINK about positive aspects, imagine the NEXT step for that religious fanatic, then it will become reality. . . Stop the hatred! Keep explaining, but keep the hatred out... . . -Gabriel Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Gerald Vest . 25 Feb 2007 01:52 . #691 This is a very wise and beautiful response on arrogance and what it means to be saved. I appreciate the miracle that we are and also, am inspired by all that is created. If only more of our adult population wanted to "...live, learn and grow," we would not be in such a planetary or global mess. Seems that those in power and authority are totally asleep and unaware of their predicament. All "Waiting for Godot?" . . Thanks for your contributions to this discussion, Gabriel. I hope we can all 'grow' into our innocense and true freedom that we loved so dearly during our early childhood. Most adults just don't know how to play and be fully human as we are intended. . . I like what the 3 Muskateers said: "All for One and One for All." That doesn't seem to be too difficult to understand and embrace. By the way, did Gabriel "Blow his Horn" to awaken humanity from the dead? I think you did!!! . More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Sunimal Alles . 2 Mar 2007 01:55 . #692 The world needs more refined thinkers with strategies to implement their thoughts in order that the "pending" issues are eradicated. In order to do this, visionaries have the responsibility of broadcasting their visions to a large audience. Everyone can develop a vision and contribute. Others that are silent can develop visions for themselves by identifying their talents/latent skills, analyze the level of refinement of their minds, identify what they want to be and obtain guidance to attain their objective/vision in life. When more and more individuals do this, we will have more minds working and the world will have solutions to become a better place rapidly. I believe that it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to participate, with their vision. Sunimal Alles, The TIDY Center, 54, Anura Mawatha, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka. Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Coulter Thurber . 2 Mar 2007 03:35 . #693 . For me the a true thinker is someone who has first and foremost surrendered and devoted his life to God's will. Finding your own path to God, would have to be the first step before you could lovingly, compassionately, and responsibly empower yourself to make a difference. The beauty of this is once you acknowledge a higher consciousness and start to awaken to the power you hold inside, that alone could be your greatest contribution to humanity. Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Martyn Martin . 11 Mar 2007 23:43 . #694 . . For me the true thinker is someone who has thought past god without becoming an atheist. . . . abstrat teachings.....different always....... Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Nassim Kamdar . 20 Mar 2007 15:43 . #695 To talk of thinkers and strategists suggests that one has reached consensus on the destination, the objective of ones thinking and strategising. . . Unless there is consensus on this vital question, one cannot apply ones self, ones mind or ones time. . . What, may I ask, would qualify as the end result of our thinking and planning. If you could share with us your vision of the end result, perhaps we will have a focus on our deliberations. Notwithstanding what I have said, I suspect that a great deal of deliberation and discussion will ensure before consensus on the end result is reached, but this will be a good place to start. Re: Why should arrogant humanity be saved? - Gabriel Guevara . 2 Apr 2007 17:46 . #696 Thanks Gerald! . -Gabriel . . Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Gabriel Guevara . 2 Apr 2007 17:55 . #697 I would imagine there is never an end result. Perhaps "goals" would be a better, such as improving anything and everything you can. Consensus is only needed for a group project, and only at the point of implementation. . . It would be wonderful for everyone to share their ideas, but it is not a pre-requisite for beginning to make your own ideas. I think one Sunimal's points was that people need to solve the problems around them in the best possible way. This does not mean solving the whole world's problems all at once, but whatever portion you are able to grasp :) . . -Gabriel . Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Gerald Vest . 10 Apr 2007 02:43 . #698 I can give an example of a global problem that can be solved by taking "right action." . . We can learn how to reason and interact as human beings and transform our war mongering resources into global health, education and human service programs that unify, empower and serve humanity as One body-mind-spirit, rather than divide us. All requirements for production, marketing, finance, communication, administration, research, programming, intake, quality control, etc. are identified by function. All functions are equally important and valued. . . Any designated leader of any country or corporation that abuses their position of authority by over-estimating their value or worth will be asked to resign or join the work force at a lesser rank. Perhaps they can take a sensitivity training or learn compassion through volunteering in a health clinic, clean toilets, or learn how to work with others. When these designated leaders get big heads, big nose, forked tongue, and are bullies, workers must rise up and vote a No Confidence in their 'leadership function.' . . Everyone who contributes to the effort of the country, corporation, school, etc. is of equal value--it is a common effort. No more superior-inferior positions need exist in any of our organizations--even in our families. Those who are qualified serve according to their abilities, skills, wisdom and knowledge. There are various levels of competency within all social systems and we need everyone to contribute their part for a successful outcome. No one is to be left out or left behind--the truth is, we are all created equal--as human beings. . . Just some thoughts that come to my mind. . . Btw, I played "That Which Raises"(NMS)with a special care unit in a nursing home the other day while giving our "stressouts" and everyone loved it. Our Alzheimer's residents seemed to just melt in our hands, relieve their agitation and relax as we introduced them to our massage program. . . Thanks again, Matthew, fantastic Music! . . Best wishes - We are One!!! . . Jerry . . Re: More Thinkers and strategists Needed Immediately - Gabriel Guevara . 13 Apr 2007 01:46 . #699 Neat idea! Sounds kind of like "Star Trek" to me :) I think the biggest barrier is "money". Humanity has created the idea of money to help solve problems, however without some new system people will continue to be able to promote their personal agendas by playing the "money game". Currently our system in the US is such that if you have little money, tough luck. If you have a decent amount of money, save for retirement or invest with a large possibility of losing it all. If you have a lot of money, play the market for all its worth and receive LOADS of money!! . . To me this system seems backwards... and if I hear anyone mention trickle-down ... >:O . . Anyway, it truly does require some brave leaders to stick their heads out and ask humanity to get over it. . . -Gabriel . as one - David Sisk . 23 Apr 2007 06:29 . #700 We are indeed eternal beings who have lived for eons, and have come back here to help clean up this spiritual negativity and mess. May the tide now be tuned to a brghter vision and hpoe for all humanity as we become more as one through the Christ and his spirit of one as we raise the vibration of an all new more beautiful creation for all! Re: as one - Gerald Vest . 25 Apr 2007 01:02 . #701 For sure...may we all find purpose and meaning in our lives to serve humanity, nature (we forgot our true nature) and our planet. When humanity becomes mindful or aware of their relationships with all that is, we can move in a positive direction that is attractive to us all. . . I am reminded of the mantra, "Awaken My Divine Consciousness!" "Awaken, My Divine Consciousnes!" Awaken!!! . Re: as one - Sandi Hunter . 27 Apr 2007 17:26 . #702 This sounds wonderful, can you please explain how this will be done? . . ****************** . Re: as one - Gerald Vest . 28 Apr 2007 01:40 . #703 This will be done when humanity transcends fear of God, fear of Death, fear of Living, fear of Sex, and fear of Sin. These are the big ones that we all must cross as introduced in The Tarot. During this trip, all or most of us in the NCN have already completed this process and are waiting or Working with humanity to complete their Work as well. . . It is my understanding of the "Levels of Consciousness" that we have advanced our levels and we are now able to clearly see that humanity is approaching the total destruction of our habitat or planet. . . I'm certainly no prophet, but as "Fools" the Tarot/Tora shows us where we've been and what is in store for us as we walk the Path. Interesting to me is that the last card represents our World, united with Knowledge, Wisdom, Love and Truth--humanity as one. . . We are Awake, Alive and Able to do all we can to change the direction of these negative energies of self and human destruction. Now is the time to improve the quality of lives, health and relationships in our society and beyond. We are One, but most of humanity do not see or experience this essential relationship--yet! . . Jerry . Re: as one - Coulter Thurber . 10 May 2007 14:04 . #704 We have come to preserve and work with the physical matter of this planet and to spiritualize it. . . How can this be done? . . By opening your heart, and be(com)ing the purity god desires. . . Feeling pain is about feeling attached to separate when we are never seperate. . . Feeling lonliness is about feeling alone when we are never alone. . . When you truly open yourself to all that is, you open yourself to the divinity in which everything is sustained. As the ultimate power of the universe comes to you, through love, you will allow your co-creative powers flow through you. . . So the scope of our purpose is grander that just merely saving humanity. Since we are connected to all the is, as one, the only way we can be able to experience reality is with prayers attended with feelings of unity and wholeness. The art of the genuine heart. . Re: Parallel Universes - Coulter Thurber . 22 May 2007 01:19 . #705 . . I stumbled upon this and i have to get this down. What if our so-called past lives are all going on in one perpetual nowness. We are here as instruments of first source to help integrate and learn more aspects of Our mother/father creator god. quantum truth - Jim Whitescarver . 3 Jun 2007 19:44 . #706 Like the yin-yang, quantum truth is in a superposition of state, both true and false. . . Evolutionary logic also employs competitive truth. . . Humanity lacks the authority to postulate the nature of truth. Classical truth demands a truth be true or false, excluding all other perspectives. . . Truth contradicts the law of the excluded middle as not all propositions are decidable. . . Quantum logic, and evolutionary algorithms get better answers than Platonic systems and good solutions to intractable problems. . . Correct thinking is without judgment of true and false. . . Truth manifests herself as the Hegelian dialectic of the thesis, the antithesis, and synthesis, eternally. . . "May I find those seeking truth, but deliver me from those who have found it." . . We are what spirit we allow in ourselves. We are at every frequency. Our center of being is within our body when we act, and beyond the body in our meditation. . . Quantum logic tells us that every conceivable logical system to some complexity exists, and that those that persist synthesize information. . . Indeed, being and discovering higher truth are one. . . Yet, we are alone in our knowledge of truth as truth is relative. . . Collective mind is possible because truth has power a prior, but there is no dark side, ultimately, there is just the synthesis. . . The collective mind exists as a the conservative orthodoxy and the politically correct liberal. . . WE are different in that WE seek collective intelligence, rather than the collective stupidity we see expressed in modern society. . . While eastern philosophy acknowledges the relative nature of truth it has led to inaction, or non-interference mostly. WE wish to employ collective intelligence to collective action that creates value. . . Theory-W management employs relative logic for organizing human activities. It can be employed by everyone manging their own lives and realizing their dreams. . . Raising the world mind, in my view, means discovering the nature of truth, such that we might let it rule in our world. . . Jim Re: quantum truth - Gabriel Guevara . 17 Jun 2007 23:52 . #707 Nicely put Jim, . . This is a good way to summarize "consciousness" from a mathematical/physics perspective. Additionally to this I'd like to state that the speed of light is in recent times shown to not be the final answer. Traveling faster than the speed of light may soon be possible, which would shatter the common held theories on gravity and time. . . I theorize that on the most fundamental level our "reality" as we like to call it may be based upon the power of thought! In order for consciousness to inhabit a flesh-and-blood body it must be able to interact with the body. The law of physics states that "energy" must be involved in order to affect this reality, so our "thoughts" as we think of them must exhibit a form of energy. You follow this to its final conclusion and you find that consciousness forms reality. . . Since the only thing we do with physical reality is use it to make choices (easier to let the body lift the cup than to concentrate on lifting it with sheer will power), than it seems reasonable to imagine that consciousness actually transcends the body. . . Quantum mechanics looks and points directly at the energy of concsciousness! We are at last beginning to notice the effect of "life" upon our physical reality, and it scares the hell out of most people for mostly personal concerns. We are a living, breathing, quantum possibility; and when this body dies who says we lose our consciousness? . . If consciousness controls the quantum possibilities (free will) then our consciousness can theoretically re-create the physical "reality" we are so used to! Now how skilled you are at doing so? hehehe, yeah... . . I assume the easiest point to start at would be, "how can I create a teeny tiny point of light". Light (photons) doesn't even have MASS! Just energy! Let me know if you can do it :) . . - Gabriel . . . . Re: quantum truth - John Ringland . 19 Jun 2007 16:51 . #708 Much of what has been said brings the idea of commonsense realism into my mind. It is a profoundly important concept that impacts on this subject. Let me explain how it fits into this discussion... . . Firstly, just to be clear, 'truth' as I use the word is "that which is" and any truth that is known/spoken is just a cognitive/cultural reflection of the underlying truth. . . So as Jim says: . . . I would add: . . From Taoism: "The Way that can be spoken is not the eternal Way." . From Christianity: When asked "What is truth?" Christ replied "I am the truth." . . But what is it that separates the actual truth (that which is) from the relative truth (that which we know)? . . It is commonsense realism, also called naive realism - I'll explain shortly... . . This also connects with what Gabriel says: . . . You are in good company in theorising that - all the greatest mystics for thousands of years have been saying much the same thing: . But let me pose a few questions: . . Does consciousness inhabit a flesh-and-blood body? . Does the body actually exist separate from our perception of it through the medium of consciousness? . Or is it just an object of perception that we unthinkingly assume to exist "out there"? . Does the concept of "out there" even make sense? . . All of the above issues pivot around the concept of commonsense realism! . . To explain commonsense realism I'll quote some paragraphs from my latest e-book "The Gaian-Ego Hypothesis", soon to be released: . A preview of the e-book can be found on my NCN news log: . http://www.newciv.org/mem/prof-newslog.php?did=550&vid=550&xmode=show_article&artid=000550-000001&amode=standard&aoffset=0&time=1182267375 . . /quote/ . An example of commonsense realism manifesting in humans is when we look at something and we believe we are objectively seeing "out there" and that the mind is grasping the "things as they are" but what is actually happening is that information flows through the senses, it is subconsciously filtered and interpreted to form a cognitive impression based upon our prior beliefs, agendas and values, which is presented to the conscious mind. The conscious mind succumbs to commonsense realism and believes that the cognitive impression is actually "the world" that objectively exists "out there". So when we see a chair we unquestioningly believe that the chair exists exactly as we see it; we don't think to question this beyond taking a second look, which gives exactly the same subjective impression. Thus "with our thoughts we make the world" (Buddha), which is a subjective experiential construct that we respond to as if it is an objective external reality. The ego is the perceived centre of that world around which we structure all of our values, agendas and fears. The ego, its delusions and "the world" have no absolute existence beyond our cognitive impressions. There is definitely something that is real underlying those impressions but it is not what we think it is; that is the illusion. It is more like a complex dance of energy/information or quantum wavefunctions or universal consciousness or 'spirit' that we cannot truly comprehend. . . Perception and cognition in all systems is a highly flexible, adaptable and non-linear process where the mind is both the seer and the lens. The mind looks through the lens of its own ideas, which change based on what is seen, thus changing the lens, thus changing what is seen and so on. So the contents of awareness, what we call "the world", is only stimulated by reality but is in fact composed of the contents of one's mind. The mind is metaphorically like a puppet made up of beliefs, thoughts and expectations and all we ever experience is our own mind dancing about as reality pulls its strings. If the puppet is very agitated by desires, aversions, fears and agendas, only a small tug from reality may cause it to dance wildly or perhaps a huge tug will elicit a barely perceptible response. By mistaking this mind-puppet for reality we make constant and grievous errors of judgement. By stilling and clarifying the mind we can better discern and respond to the stimuli of reality, thereby participating more harmoniously within reality. . . Because of the uncertainty of the relationship between our objects of perception and the underlying reality human ideas such as the world, objects, people, places, events and so on, and collective ideas such as terrorism, strategic threats, economy, industry, society and so on, are only useful metaphors for referring to aspects of cognitive impressions. One must be careful that one doesn't naïvely believe that they exist "out there" objectively exactly how they appear to be because they are purely subjective responses to the underlying reality and not the reality itself. . . In truth, beyond the mind made world there is no such thing as "out there", there are no objects or industries. The idea of objects in space operating via mechanistic forces has been clearly shown, by quantum physics, to be a commonsense realist belief system without any basis in objective reality. Beyond these subjective impressions there is the ongoing process of the real, which we don't really understand but which we can attune to and align with if we open and clarify our minds and let go of our delusions. We cannot totally understand it with our minds but we can align with it because we are it, beyond our impressions of ourselves we too are that deeper reality. . . The only reality our minds can be sure of is consciousness or awareness itself because that is the medium within which all the objects of awareness are made manifest. We know awareness exists but the objects of awareness are just subjective reflections within awareness that have an unreliable relation to reality that depends on the nature of perception and the contents and stability of our minds. This awareness can only be found 'within' via deep introspection, by not solely focusing on the objects of awareness and chasing after egoic agendas but by focusing on awareness itself. All that we think is "out there" can be said to really exist 'within' but in truth there is no inner and outer, there is only the 'dance' of existence. . . The ego creates a centre and the senses create a circumference and these divide reality into inner and outer, but without the ego there is only the vast field of existence. This can be explained metaphorically by the idea of a VR universe that is occupied by AI beings. Here everything is the flux of information. When the information flows within it manifest consciousness and when it flows from 'outside' through the senses it creates the experience of an external 'physical universe'. But in reality there is only a transcendent information process and all concepts on inner and outer only arise in the minds of the virtual beings. . . The senses perceive boundaries and the mind makes divisions between spaces and through commonsense realism we come to believe in the reality of those divisions. There is a vast network of systems engaged in intricate interactions that make up the body of the cosmos, and the senses identify a boundary between 'I' and 'other', but different senses would perceive a different boundary, and a mind that knows the network of systems can only identify the cosmos as a whole because there is no arbitrary boundary. Similarly, there may be just an open landscape but a nationalist ego arises and arbitrarily creates an inner and outer by defining borders. The egoic mind creates these arbitrary divisions and this tendency of the mind is the source of all dualities, especially the dualities of mind and matter or self and other. These are just ideas with which we unthinkingly fill gaps in our understanding. In this manner commonsense realism is the root of all duality, of all ignorance, of all delusion, which is what we call 'evil' and of all suffering. . . This is very simple psychology and information systems theory, stripped of all pre-conceived beliefs and taken seriously. Whilst it is really very simple the implications are profound. Overcoming commonsense realism destroys all delusion and gives clear perception and understanding of reality but commonsense realism is not trivial to overcome. It is a fundamental aspect of being a system and our succumbing to it is a deeply engrained habit that has been reinforced by billions of years of evolution. But with sincere effort, self-honesty and introspective self-awareness it can be unravelled very quickly or worn down very methodically, depending on one's nature and state of readiness and commitment. . /unquote/ . . The two best ways to overcome it that I know of are jnana yoga (yoga of supreme knowledge), which can be rapid for those that are ready for it, and meditation, which can take a while but it's sure to succeed. But there are many ways of tackling it but it's a deeply ingrained habit so just knowing about intellectually isn't enough to stop oneself from doing it. One needs to get down to its subconscious roots and uproot it from one's mind. . . So coming back to the questions: . . Does consciousness inhabit a flesh-and-blood body? . Does the body actually exist separate from our perception of it through the medium of consciousness? . . And also the issue of: Where does spirit fit into all this? . . I'll quote some of a recent comment I made here on NCN regarding Body, Mind and Spirit: . . /quote/ . All the deepest mystic wisdom and much of cutting-edge science suggests that the underlying reality is the intricate flux of a non-material essence that is a unified cosmic resonance. Some call it spirit or transcendent information or a unified quantum field but the implication is that it is the deeper reality and what many people call reality is the cognitive reflections of the deeper reality. . . The flux of spirit manifests forms such as that which underlies what we perceive as "the body", the flow of spirit within that system is experienced as consciousness. The deepest level of pure consciousness is the universal flow of spirit that transpersonally permeates the cosmos. But within the body there are more localised patterns in the flow and these are experienced as the mind. The mind experiences itself and perceives the body and thinks 'I' and thus the ego arises. This ego looks out on a world that is perceptually 'wrapped' around the 'I-thought' and it interprets everything from that perspective. . . From this egoic perspective people develop their understanding of the body as an object in space within a world of 'others' and thus the whole 'normal' world comes into being. Although the deeper reality is an intricate flux of spirit, it gives rise to cognitive reflections that are interpreted as a physical universe and a human social world of objects, people, places and events. . . It is within this interpretive scheme that most people believe themselves to be born, to live and to die. That is a real and useful interpretation but in the underlying reality there is only the timeless flux of spirit. Those who understand themselves thus know that they are the timeless and all-pervading cosmic spirit and there is no birth or death. . . As Ramana Maharshi puts it: . . "What is it that had birth? Whom do you call a human being? If, instead of seeking explanations for birth, death and after-death, the question is raised as to who and how you are now, these questions will not arise... . . The body is born again and again. We wrongly identify ourselves with the body, and hence imagine we are reincarnated constantly. No. We must identify ourselves with the true Self. The realised one enjoys unbroken consciousness, never broken by birth or death - how can he die? Only those who think 'I am the body' talk of reincarnation. To those who know 'I am the Self' there is no rebirth. . . Reincarnations only exist so long as there is ignorance. There is no incarnation, either now, before or hereafter. This is the truth." (Sri Ramana Maharshi) . . And Nisargadatta Maharaj puts it: . . “The real does not die, the unreal never lived. Once you know that death happens to the body and not to you, you just watch your body falling off like a discarded garment. The real you is timeless and beyond birth and death. The body will survive as long as it is needed. It is not important that it should live long.” (Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj) . . I come to this understanding too from the angle of information system theory but the parallels with mystic wisdom are no accident. Thinking of reality as an information process is equivalent to thinking of it as a spiritual process. Both are non-material and universal, they both give rise to an inner flow that perceives outer forms and both have a transcendent reality generative process that creates a context in which objects in space and time seem to arise. . . Coming back to your comment "Mind is part in body and part in spirit" I agree and I think it is because all is spirit, where the mind is a high level experience of consciousness which is how we experience spirit and the body is how the mind perceives the spirit through the senses, i.e. as matter. The entire cosmos is spirit in motion, both within us and outside us. When it flows within it is experienced as consciousness and when it flows outside it is experienced as matter. But the concepts of inner and outer are constructs of the mind and in reality it is all an intricate flux of spirit. The ego creates a centre and the senses create a circumference and these divide reality into inner and outer, but without the ego there is only the vast field of existence. . /unquote/ . . I discuss these matters in great detail (over 150 pages) in the e-book "An Information Systems Analysis of Mind, Knowledge, 'the World' and Holistic Science", it's shorter informal title is "The Red Pill" http://www.anandavala.info/TASTMOTNOR/InformationSystemAnalysis.html . . That's all I really have to say for now but I'll tack on some other information below in case anyone is interested in reading a little more - it's mainly a bunch of quotes, comments and links related to commonsense realism, epistemology, materialism, information theoretic metaphysics, consciousness, empirical science, mysticism, holistic science and also system theory. There's some fascinating links to profound experiments into the nature of consciousness if you don't already know about them... (The PEAR REG/GCP experiments) . . Best Wishes :) . John Ringland . . ----------- . Skepticism "is the application of reason to any and all ideas - no sacred cows allowed... Ideally, skeptics do not go into an investigation closed to the possibility that a phenomenon might be real or that a claim might be true. When we say we are 'skeptical' we mean that we must see compelling evidence before we believe." (http://www.skeptic.com) . . Furthermore "To some degree skepticism manifests itself in the scientific method, which demands that all things assumed as facts be questioned. But the positivism of many scientists, whether latent or open, is incompatible with skepticism, for it accepts without question the assumption that material effect is impossible without material cause." (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia http://www.answers.com/topic/skepticism) . . So materialism is NOT a skeptical position to take - because it is based upon the unquestioned assumption and belief in the primacy of matter. If people were to question it and not simply assert their beliefs it could be a skeptical position but any deep questioning soon shows it to be unable to withstand such questioning. . . . ----------- . I'll also clarify "naive realism": . . "Naïve realism is a common sense theory of perception. Most people, until they start reflecting philosophically, are naïve realists. This theory is also known as "direct realism" or "common sense realism". Naïve realism claims that the world is pretty much as common sense would have it. All objects are composed of matter, they occupy space, and have properties such as size, shape, texture, smell, taste and colour. [It is assumed that] These properties are usually perceived correctly. So, when we look at and touch things we see and feel those things directly, and so perceive them as they really are." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na%C3%AFve_realism) . . In its most common form a naive realist thinks "I ... am a human being. There is this one physical world, the space where everything exists and the time in which everything happens. There are many things in this physical world, each largely separate from the other and persisting over a span of time... My senses give me direct knowledge of reality. If I see a chair, it is because there is a chair physically where and when I see it. There are exceptions, like when I am dreaming or watching a movie, but these are rare and obviously not real. I can know things through my senses, through thinking about things, and through communication with other people. Other people's beliefs may be correct or not, but beliefs of people I respect, and beliefs held commonly by most people in my society, are usually true." (http://www.boogieonline.com/seeking/first/yesterday.html) . . It is a general tendency of naive realists to be unaware that their beliefs are in fact beliefs. They consider them to simply be obvious facts about the way things are. This is because they have not yet questioned their beliefs. They are naive believers but they often also believe that they are skeptical. It is a habitual credulous state of mind and the habit can be very hard to overcome. . . "Karl Popper (1970) pointed out that although Hume’s idealism appeared to him to be a strict refutation of commonsense realism, and although he felt rationally obliged to regard commonsense realism as a mistake, he admitted that he was, in practice, quite unable to disbelieve in it for more than an hour: that, at heart, Hume was a commonsense realist. [And] Edmund Husserl (1970), saw the phenomenologist in Hume when he showed that some perceptions are interrelated or associated to form other perceptions which are then projected onto a world putatively outside the mind." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume) . . I.e. objects which are assumed to comprise the "external world" are really objects of perception. To attribute them with external reality is an act of belief for which there is no rational basis. . . . ----------- . As for 'matter' and 'information': . . "Let us now return to our ultimate particles and to small organizations of particles as atoms or small molecules. The old idea about them was that their individuality was based on the identity of matter in them... The new idea is that what is permanent in these ultimate particles or small aggregates is their shape and organization. The habit of everyday language deceives us and seems to require, whenever we hear the word shape or form of something, that it must be a material substratum that is required to take on a shape. Scientifically this habit goes back to Aristotle, his causa materialis and causa formalis. But when you come to the ultimate particles constituting matter, there seems to be no point in thinking of them again as consisting of some material. They are as it were, pure shape, nothing but shape; what turns up again and again in successive observations is this shape, not an individual speck of material..." (Erwin Schroedinger) . . ""materialism is the philosophy of the subject who forgets to take account of himself." (Schopenhauer)... an observing subject can only know material objects through the mediation of the brain and its particular organization. The way that the brain knows determines the way that material objects are experienced." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism) . . "Noumena (the reality that is the foundation of our sensory and mental representations of an external world) do not cause phenomena, but rather phenomena are simply the way by which our minds perceive the noumena... we participate in the reality of an otherwise unachievable world outside the mind... We cannot prove that our mental picture of an outside world corresponds with a reality by reasoning." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schopenhauer) . . "Because it is now a scientifically established fact that less than 4% of the universe is composed of matter as commonly understood modern philosophical materialists attempt to extend the definition of matter to include other scientifically observable entities such as energy, forces, and the curvature of space. However this opens them to further criticism from philosophers such as Mary Midgley who suggest that the concept of "matter" is elusive and poorly defined." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism) . . Information is discernible difference and is thus a generalised concept for any discernible feature of existence. It can therefore manifest in any medium and be transformed between any mediums. When information flows in the same information space it produces effects that are 'material' in the current scientific sense of the word. This is the essence of quantum physics where there is only the flow and interaction of quantum information. Information is not 'matter' but what is matter? Can anyone coherently answer that? A simple metaphor for the physicality of information is when a computer game character tries to walk through a computer game wall it is stopped in a very 'physical' sense. In this sense information is no less material than energy! . . A fairly typical materialist / naive realist rejoinder is: . . The information space doesn't "swell, bleed and hurt" but my head certainly does if the brick and my head exist in the same information space such as that which we naively call "the physical universe"! Information is communicated from brick to head, the bulk transmission (or bandwidth) of this information is what we call energy (i.e. the flow of non-material substance (discernible difference) that produces material effects). The dynamic flow of the communication is what we call causality. The resulting effects of the communication is what we call swelling, bleeding and hurting. . . "The old foundations of scientific thought are becoming unintelligible. Time, space, matter, material, ether, electricity, mechanism, organism, configuration, structure, pattern, function, all require reinterpretation. What is the sense of talking about a mechanical explanation when you do not know what you mean by mechanics? The truth is that science started its modern career by taking over ideas derived from the weakest side of the philosophies of Aristotle's successors. In some respects it was a happy choice. It enabled the knowledge of the seventeenth century to be formulated so far as physics and chemistry were concerned, with a completeness which lasted to the present time. But the progress of biology and psychology has probably been checked by the uncritical assumption of half-truths. If science is not to degenerate into a medley of ad hoc hypotheses, it must become philosophical and must enter upon a thorough criticism of its own foundations." (Alfred North Whitehead http://www.alfred.north.whitehead.com/witwiz/witwiz4.htm) . . “Science, in the broadest sense, refers to any system of knowledge which attempts to model objective reality.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science) . . But “Empiricists claim that sense experience is the ultimate source of all our concepts and knowledge” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/) . . And because of this empirical science has succumbed to naive realism! . . . ----------- . Now for empiricism (naive realism) vs. rationalism (scientific realism) . . In this discussion I subscribe to the rationalist perspective and most people at present subscribe to the empiricist perspective. If anyone can coherently argue for that position I'd like to hear it in order to explore these ideas deeper... . . "Rationalists generally develop their view in two ways. First, they argue that there are cases where the content of our concepts or knowledge outstrips the information that sense experience can provide. Second, they construct accounts of how reason in some form or other provides that additional information about the world. Empiricists present complementary lines of thought. First, they develop accounts of how experience provides the information that rationalists cite, insofar as we have it in the first place... Second, empiricists attack the rationalists' accounts of how reason is a source of concepts or knowledge." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/) . . Traditional empirical science addresses “the epistemological question [what can be known and what is unknowable] by drawing a sharp distinction between truth and empirical adequacy. [Empirical science claims] that a good theory need only provide an empirically adequate description of observable phenomena [it doesn't claim to be able to ascertain any kind of truth but rather it only claims to have phenomenological adequacy]. Any unobservables, such as electrons and quarks, are simply empirical tools for describing the observable world... [hence] our epistemic knowledge is limited to the observables... [However] Scientific realism claims that we can know about objects beyond what we observe with our bare senses, and this knowledge is what allows us to predict phenomena… The realist interpretation [of quantum mechanics] shows that we can make knowledge claims about objects, such as electrons, that are unobservable with our bare senses. This challenges the empiricist claim that quantum objects are simply empirical tools to describe observables. Thus, contrary to what we might at first think, the wave-particle duality of quantum objects provides support for the [scientific] realists. We now know that quantum objects behave differently from everyday objects, and we can make an experimentally supported epistemological claim about the quantum world, a very realist claim.” (A Critique of the Empiricist Interpretation of Modern Physics http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~gholling/home/quantumMechanics.pdf) . . Regarding the issue of "empirical adequacy. [Empirical science claims] that a good theory need only provide an empirically adequate description of observable phenomena [it doesn't claim to be able to ascertain any kind of truth but rather it only claims to have phenomenological adequacy]". This means that empirical science is fundamentally unable to address any questions of ontology (what actually is) and it can only address questions of phenomenology (that which appears to the human mind). This derives from the foundations of empiricism where “Empiricists claim that sense experience is the ultimate source of all our concepts and knowledge” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/) . . But scientists generally ignore this fundamental limitation and the general public is unaware of it. This causes empirical science to intrude into questions of ontology where it is totally incoherent and irrational. This leads to Scientism, which is a very crude form of religion - the most obvious denomination of which is materialism. . . "Sociologists coined the term "scientism" back in the 1940s, when they realized that many scientists unthinkingly accepted many scientific theories as simple, unquestioned Truths, just like believers in any "ism," and thus we often acted like any prejudiced "believer," especially outside our immediate areas of expertise." (The Archives of Scientists Transcendent Experiences (TASTE) http://issc-taste.org/index.shtml) . . From a recent article in Nature: . "we have to give up the idea of [naive] realism to a far greater extent than most physicists believe today." (Anton Zeilinger)... By realism, he means the idea that objects have specific features and properties — that a ball is red, that a book contains the works of Shakespeare, or that an electron has a particular spin. For everyday objects, such realism isn't a problem. But for objects governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, like photons and electrons, it may make no sense to think of them as having well defined characteristics. Instead, what we see may depend on how we look.” (Physicists bid farewell to reality? Quantum mechanics just got even stranger http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070416/full/070416-9.html) . . . ----------- . As for mysticism and how it fits with a holistic science: . . "The concepts of science show strong similarities to the concepts of the mystics... The philosophy of mystical traditions, the perennial philosophy, is the most consistent philosophical background to modern science." (Fritjof Capra) . . Aside from stereotyping, misrepresentation and demonisation of mysticism from political/religious institutions, mysticism is the logical result of deep skepticism and the overcoming of naive realism. Once we stop irrationally believing that the objects of sense perception are material external objects we realise that everything is information in flux - it is all a type of low-level consciousness. This is a profoundly liberating and empowering realisation that undermines all delusional entrenched power structures and mechanistic hegemonies – hence the suppression of mysticism in order to enslave, deceive and exploit vast populations. . . Quantum physics is rapidly leading us to a mystic perspective. But most convincingly in terms of scientific evidence, recent experiments provide incontrovertible evidence for the influence of consciousness over physical processes! Since 1979 there have been experiments that incontrovertibly prove that consciousness has direct influence over physical processes, thus shattering the illusion of materialism. Not only has it been shattered by philosophical argument and psychology and information systems theory but now empirical data proves it. These experiments are analogous to the photoelectric effect that signalled the dawn of quantum physics and the end of classical physics. The experiments categorically prove that there is something fundamentally wrong with both the materialist and Cartesian dualist perspectives on reality. . . The REG (Random Event Generator) experiments at the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research lab prove beyond doubt that consciousness has real measurable effects on physical processes and that roughly 80% of those tested, all 'normal' people, had a measurable influence on the output of the REG's. These effects are not attenuated by distance and they have the same strength whether the events are simultaneous with the intentional influence or whether the events are in the past or the future! They are magnified by psychological bonds such as love and by cognitive discipline such as focused non-agitated awareness (e.g. via meditation). The measurable effects also arise without intentional influence and can be used to monitor the coherence of the ambient field of consciousness. There is currently a network of machines monitoring the moment by moment fluctuations in the global consciousness; the overall statistics for the Global Consciousness Project (GCP), after nine years of data accumulation, indicate a probability of about one in ten million that the correlation of the data with the specified global events is merely due to chance. These aren't vague crackpot experiments, there is NO DOUBT about the data, the only thing in contention is the interpretation of the data. There has been resistance to interpreting these experiments because core materialist beliefs are fundamentally challenged by them. . . The results are "empirical facts that are anomalies from the perspective of standard (mainstream) scientific models." (http://noosphere.princeton.edu/conclusions.html) . . . The PEAR REG experiments: (The modern equivalent of the photoelectric effect) . ------------------------- . . First some background: . ---------------------- . REG Experiments: Equipment and Design (A brief abstract) . http://www.princeton.edu/~rdnelson/reg.html . . Details of the methodology . http://noosphere.princeton.edu/methodology.html . . Paranormal Meets Physics (General non-scientific article) . http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa062298.htm . . Then some data: . --------------- . . List of PEAR Publications (Over 50 available directly on the net) . http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/publications.html . . Correlation of global events with reg data: An internet-based, nonlocal anomalies experiment - Statistical Data Included . http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2320/is_3_65/ai_83262438 . . The MegaREG Experiment: Replication and Interpretation . http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/pdfs/jse_papers/MegaREG.pdf . . Field REG Experiments of Religious Rituals and Other Group Events in Paraná, Brazil. . http://www.kisc.meiji.ac.jp/~hirukawa/paper/FieldREG.doc . . Analysis of Variance of REG Experiments: Operator Intention, Secondary Parameters, Database Structure . http://www.princeton.edu/~rdnelson/anova.html . . . The Global Consciousness Project: (GCP or the Electro-Gaia-Gram EGG) . --------------------------------- . . Main GCP website . http://noosphere.princeton.edu/ . . Introduction . http://noosphere.princeton.edu/science2.html . . The primary results . http://noosphere.princeton.edu/results.html . . EGG data archive . http://noosphere.princeton.edu/gcpdata.html . . . -------------- . The ultimate test of the holistic efficacy of any world view is the impact that it has on our lives and the world at large over time, and empiricism has produced unbounded unstable growth of exploitative monstrosities that are on the verge of destroying all life on this planet as well as the human spirit within each of us. Politicised religion was no better either. Both are empiricist delusions, one dressed up as science and the other dressed up as religion – neither is true science or true religion. It is empiricism and naïve realism that is their fundamental flaw, which is protected by orthodoxy and denial. Mysticism destroys illusion and overcomes this flaw; it conceives of the Whole and our place within the whole and thereby keeps things in balance and harmony. . . "Indeed, to some extent it has always been necessary and proper for man, in his thinking, to divide things up, if we tried to deal with the whole of reality at once, we would be swamped. However when this mode of thought is applied more broadly to man's notion of himself and the whole world in which he lives, (i.e. in his world-view) then man ceases to regard the resultant divisions as merely useful or convenient and begins to see and experience himself and this world as actually constituted of separately existing fragments. What is needed is a relativistic theory, to give up altogether the notion that the world is constituted of basic objects or building blocks. Rather one has to view the world in terms of universal flux of events and processes." (David Bohm) . . "In contrast to the mechanistic Cartesian view of the world, the world-view emerging from modern physics can be characterized by words like organic, holistic, and ecological. It might also be called a systems view, in the sense of general systems theory. The universe is no longer seen as a machine, made up of a multitude of objects, but has to be pictured as one indivisible dynamic whole whose parts are essentially interrelated and can be understood only as patterns of a cosmic process." (Fritjof Capra) . . This is the fundamental world view of mysticism and so too with system theory - the two are almost identical in their fundamental principles and they differ only in the language and metaphors used to express them. It is mainly this parallel between system theory, quantum physics and mysticism that I explore in my work. I do what I can to cross-fertilise them, to build a conceptual bridge between them and to distil the best aspects of all of them to help create the foundations of a holistic science. . . "There is this hope, I cannot promise you whether or when it will be realized - that the mechanistic paradigm, with all its implications in science as well as in society and our own private life, will be replaced by an organismic or systems paradigm that will offer new pathways for our presently schizophrenic and self-destructive civilization." (Ludwig von Bertalanffy) . . The latest essay describing the work is: . Information Systems Analysis of Mind, Knowledge, 'the World' and Holistic Science . http://www.anandavala.info/TASTMOTNOR/InformationSystemAnalysis.html . . And the general website is: . http://www.anandavala.info . . Best Wishes :) . John Ringland . . . . Product-fixated Egotists - Matthew Webb . 22 Jun 2007 18:49 . #709 Greetings all, . . I'd like to point out an unavoidable fact about the modern age, which is contrary to popular opinion. That is; . . "You can't progress mentally, spiritually or socially in any meaningful way, and still belong to the false idea(l)s of consumer society." It is upon this basic fact that I post this correspondence.... . . ///////// . . I received this letter recently regarding the folly of society and simple living. What follows is my reply….. . Subject : RE: Just read your Survivalists’ Guide...comments and questions . . Your work is truly inspiring. I was always a big fan of the movie Fight Club (inspired by a Chuck Palanhuik book). I'm doubting you've seen it, but the main part of the story is the fact of how truly pathetic the human race is in it's pursuit of money and things. A direct quote from the movie implies that "you don't own your things, they own you". Almost verbatim to what you're talking about. Anyhow....I was just surfing the net involving Fight Club stuff and stumbled onto your guide. I was literally blown away. . . I'm a 25 year old guy living in Northern Michigan who never graduated college (seeing the big lie that it is) and still has a good paying job (50k/year). I work 55+ hrs a week and have a pager 365 days a year. My job literally is my life. In one weeks time since reading your guide I've really had a hard time not constantly thinking of what I read. It seems such a daunting task to completely revamp ones life, but I feel so drawn to this it boggles my mind. I had already been getting rid of many things I didn't need, as I was in the process of selling my house to move into a smaller apartment. I was planning on doing this because of how Fight Club made me feel, and your guide took that feeling and multiplied it by 1000. Since then, I've disconnected my cable (not the easiest thing to do, as I'm a diehard sports fan and everybody knows it), and continued to either throw out, give away, donate, or ebay many of my possessions. Needless to say, a few close friends are wondering . what the hell is going on. . . Do you have any suggestions of how to properly tell them what is going on? I would like them to read your guide, but I just have this feeling that nobody is going to understand. There are a couple of my close family members that may, but I just have this feeling that they are going to question my sanity and really make a big deal out of this. I want them to understand why I'm making these changes in my life, but many of the people close to me are as greedy as they can get. . . I'm going to continue on my quest of preparing my house to sell and ridding myself of all my stuff, but can't imagine the reaction when i'm getting close to realizing my goal. . . My vision is this: I own a Jeep liberty that i'm reasonably close to paying off. When I sell my house, I will be able to outright own it, along with having about $25k in cash. I'm already making a list of tools and such (a tent, fishing pole, books, etc) that I would like to have when I finally do this. Does this seem like a logical way? I'm already making a list of things i'd like to do that my job has prevented me from doing (climbing a mountain, helping others, etc). I really am having alot of fun planning this out, but this is, without a doubt, the hardest thing i've ever done, yet it seems so clear that it's the right choice. . . I know some of what i've said is a bit mangled and all over the place, but i would greatly appreciate any input you might have. Thank you so much for what you've done. I hope that I can follow through with this and inspire others. I've always thought there was more meaning to life, and I believe you've showed me the way. . . Thank you from the bottom of my heart. . . Greg . Alpena, MI . . ////////////////// . My response; . . Re; “Product-fixated Egotists” . Brother Greg, . . I haven’t answered any correspondence for untold months. In your case however, I’m making an extraordinary exception, because your letter to me is extraordinary. You can use it if you like to send to those concerned, but I’m doubtful it will have any lasting effect. It does sound as if you’re taking the right steps to transcend the rat race…careful thought is always the best foundation for true success in life. . . As you are obviously aware, choosing a simple, sane lifestyle, is of huge benefit to anyone with a body and mind. This is true for a large number of reasons, (ranging from environmental, mental, social, international and spiritual) but most of all because simple living is practical and satisfying. It allows the time to live life (meaning)fully, rather than squandering ones’ energy on meaning(less) acquisition. Everyone knows this, but can’t face it. The egos given to people by the institutions of our day won’t let them admit the simple facts. . . I realized in the last few years that despite all consumer appearances, this is really NOT a materialistic society. If people were really materialists, they’d at least care about their material bodies enough to keep fit. If they were really materialists they’d also care about the natural, material world enough to keep it reasonably unpolluted and unexploited. But even the body is considered expendable for the sake of getting a bigger paycheck, as is the mass extinction of plants and animals for the sake of profit. What we’ve got here is not true materialism, because material things are considered, “expendable assets” for the sake of money. And money is wasted on all manner of “things” which mean absolutely nothing, and which have no practical value whatsoever. Rather than actually being material, consumer society is really EGOTISTICAL. People waste their lives on such Enquirer nonsense as high-heeled shoes, neckties and reputations, not because they truly value objects or even life itself, but because they have egotistical images to uphold. Mind you, the image has little to nothing to do with the real person underneath. The ultimate mistake in the social setting is honesty…if you want to speak to the modern person, talk to their projected image, not their true selves! For this reason people spend most of their waking moments fixated obsessively upon how other people perceive them, and THIS REASON ALONE is why they commit slow suicide hoping to impress that imaginary crowd inside their heads. Meanwhile, everyone else is doing the same and not really paying attention. It’s all just an absurd game played for the sake of false ideas of the self, and every living thing on the planet suffers for it. I often wonder what the average devout consumer, (product-fixated egotist) would say about playing, “The Game” if they looked ahead 20 years into the future and saw splintered skulls and burnt piles where humans used to be. I wonder if they’d have the good sense to stop now and get real, and the answer is a very probable “NO”. The future is of no real concern to those who secretly hate their lives, and who commit suicide in ever more creative ways, to pass the time with as little pain as possible… . . The television tells people, “buy now, pay later”…indulge yourself like an addict with every conceivable product, “because you’re worth it”. “Go ahead, use that credit card and go further into debt” it says, “because you’re far too important to be made to wait for what’s really good in life, (whatever the advertiser happens to be selling). So, “live in debt and servitude…slave for decades so that you can keep up with the Jones’”. Without blatant, simple-minded egotism like this, consumerism wouldn’t exist. The message is also; “Go ahead and sacrifice your health to occupation, your free will to anyone with a paycheck, your children to war and your sanity for the sake of ‘fashion’…money is your God, material things your crutch, and the nine to five your life. It says, “Don’t ask questions, get in line, want what we tell you to want, and need what we tell you to need”. In other words the mass media encourages not just impulse buying, but mindless, impulse living. It’s a shallow, false world, where everything is based upon moody whim and nonsensical slogans, made possible by a meaningless career. Rational thinking is considered bizarre, anti-social and “politically incorrect”. Such attitudes come from minds which imagine that the words, “want” and “need” mean exactly the same thing, and they “want” whatever happens to cross their TV screens. . . What all this really boils down to Greg, is that everyone secretly wishes they had the nerve to live a satisfying life. Deep down they yearn for an existence not defined by work, money, things and false images, yet lack the courage to even admit this to themselves. So when you tell people that you’re going to live simply and follow your dreams, while developing self and enjoying life, well, that’s very challenging. You’re saying you don’t believe in The Game and aren’t going to play anymore. This is in itself, cause for a deep resentment of your free will and independent mind. Humanity has, for the vast majority, traded its’ spirit for a pile of pocket change. “How dare you live outside the shoebox of meaningless drudgery and fashion trends?!?” How dare you See through the phony-baloney nonsense of, “expensive car or house = popularity” and “fancy shirt and designer clothes = admirable person”…”if we have to waste our lives living by these bogus ideas, then so do you!”, and so forth. . . To defend the, “everything good comes in a can or box” hysteria, the modern world would like to believe that a practical, natural and efficient person is grossly naïve of what every good consumer knows. But when asked simple questions like, “What is all this endless acquisition for?” or, “Why must we live an unfulfilled life of slavery to money and goods?” the answer is always the same….absolute silence or an abrupt change of subject. Fact is, there is no good reason to worship dollars and images only to end up on, “mood stabilizers”. There is no good reason to kill yourself only to become dependant on a dozen prescription medications, miserably failed relationships and medical payments for half a dozen surgeries, simply because you never took the time to be honest, work out, eat right, introspect, relate meaningfully and live well. . . Consumerism is like a religion. It asks you to, “have faith” and never mind the details…our priests in suit and tie have everything under control for everyone’s benefit, or so the official story goes. But actually, society is out of control in every way, and everybody secretly knows it. It’s based upon the wrong values of greed and egotism where no one can really trust anyone, (and for good reason as almost no one stands for anything). It is essentially EVIL and mindless, for there is one simple question it can never afford to ask, one that will remain unanswered for all time. That question is the simple, “WHY”? There is no reasonable answer to the questions, “WHY must the natural world be increasingly destroyed for the sake of profit”? “WHY must people buy and go on buying things they don’t need, and only for the sake of “impressing others”, while the world dies and billions live in misery”? “WHY must wars rage for the sake of international piracy and in the name of hypocritical ideology”? Believe me, you wont find even one person out of ten thousand who has the guts to tackle these questions…if such persons did exist, you’d see a lot more of such discussion on the internet. This is in large part because they know somewhere, deep down, that they’re partly at cause for all of it. As someone explained to me recently, and in a casual tone, “People don’t care so long as they are kept fat and complacent” and that is a literal truth. Sure, they like to look like they care but they really DON’T, and this is evidenced by the lack of meaningful content in their daily lives. Such is the entopic state of the human condition. There are those which will say such talk is harsh, but the truth remains the truth regardless of human preference. . . In essence, consumerism is a hysterical belief system. It actually offers very little, but will gladly sell you a nice “image” attached to every plastic trinket, and “for a limited time only”. People who buy new cars for instance, are very rarely interested in the practical aspects of the device. They are far more interested in the supposed “image” they are granted while driving the thing around, and for that they will pay triple or quadruple what the piece of machinery is actually worth. Such thinking comes from a deep hollowness inside, an aching, empty pointlessness that seeks the comforts of the caged animal. This has become a world where truth is the dirtiest word of all, and never a moment of self reflection can be afforded, lest we see the reality of the modern world. “Denial” is, above all else, the word of the millennium. . . You asked me what I would say to others who are surprised by your, “strange behavior and attitudes” of simple living. I would say such things as the above, while asking them to answer questions like, “What’s so great about this consumer set of values, where silly material objects are viewed as representations of ones’ self, where lies and trivia are the currency of conversation, and where people are merely tools to be bought and sold to, “get ahead”? Ask, “What’s so indispensable about a world where almost everyone is so deeply stressed out that they can’t “get by” without a handful of pills and a thousand distractions from the pain”? What’s so great about the fact that up to 90% of the population are Prozac poppers, crystal meth junkies or alcoholics, and even grade-school children are given Ritalin to keep them, “conformed to the norm” and prevent them from committing suicide? Where is the meaning of life in a society where people abuse each other for 70 years while standing for nothing but selfishness, only to end up with cancer in a “rest home” wearing diapers and babbling at the morning game shows”? Ask them to answer these questions competently and honestly. They won’t answer honestly, but ask them anyway. The value of simple living speaks for itself in a number of ways, such as what the Survivalists’ Guide clearly points out. The value of consumerism on the other hand, cannot be logically defended, nor will you ever find anyone who makes any real attempt to do so. It is impossible to successfully defend mass insanity as true and appropriate. . . Some like to think that technology and consumerism are the same thing, but they are not. Technology is a product of science and an applied understanding of natural laws. Consumerism is, first and foremost, a value system based upon knee-jerk, reactionary whims. It claims to offer goods, but in reality technology does that. What the consumer world really offers is a set of bogus ideas whose intellectual development is no more sophisticated than that of a seven year old. Comparing the price tags of cars, houses and clothes as a measure of self worth, in other words, has no more wisdom than grade-school children arguing over whose lunchbox superhero is the “coolest”. Even so, most people will defend their participation in this madness to the grave, not because that makes sense, but because they can’t stand the fact that they’ve lived some of the biggest lies ever told in the history of mankind. . . This means that the vast majority of the public has been snared by a scam of colossal proportions, and are frankly ashamed to admit they’ve been so duped. Therein lies the heart of the matter. Don’t expect anyone you know to admit that society is based upon wrong values. Likewise, don’t ever expect anyone to truly understand simple, practical and efficient living for what it is, (sane) without first experiencing it for themselves. Remember that mass insanity is the norm, and mass egotism is what holds it in place at ANY cost, including the imminent destruction of the human race. You can try to tell others about the obvious truth, but only the very rare person has such personal power as to be honest, let alone the mind power to reject the society that’s killing them and their children. That’s just the way it is on Earth at this time, as the result of centuries of wrong decision-making by human beings. . . I say well done to you in the steps you’ve taken thus far. Freedom is not far away now, and soon you’ll have such time and energy as to excel in every possible way. Let me know how it goes. . . Sincerely, . Matthew Webb . Founder of the World Mind Society . Author of; The Survivalists’ Guide for the New Millennium in the Library at . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Founder of the World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest Re: Product-fixated Egotists - John Ringland . 24 Jun 2007 10:40 . #710 Hi Matthew, . . I've encountered your website before - great work ; ) . . I wish to suggest some ideas because I connect strongly with what you say about the ego and I feel they may have something to add to your own work. . . As you point out - the ego is very much the root cause of the problem. But what is the root cause of the ego? And how do we uproot it throughout civilisation? . . I suggest that the root cause of the ego is commonsense realism (also called naive realism). I discuss commonsense realism in a few places from the perspective of system theory but if you're interested check out "Commonsense Realism and the Ego": . http://www.newciv.org/mem/prof-newslog.php?did=550&vid=550&xmode=show_article&artid=000550-000010&amode=standard&aoffset=0&time=1182678223 . . The best ways to overcome commonsense realism that I know of are jnana yoga or meditation but there are many different but equivalent techniques. . . Also it's not just a matter of many human egos - all complex adaptive systems form centralised power structures that succumb to commonsense realism - including organisations such as corporations, nations and even whole civilisations. These are emergent collective organisms or super-systems that we human sub-systems are creating through our integration just as cells create us. These collective organisms form centralised power structures and begin to form egos as well. This is the cause of fascist regimes (political or corporate) that use society and nature as a body with which to pursue their agendas. In my opinion, just as the individual ego is the source of our individual problems - so too are collective egos the source of our collective problems. . . The two resonate with each other where a mass of egoic people create emergent collective egos that come to control them through their individual egos. This resonance drives people into a conformist egoic frenzy thus assimilating the population into the collective egoic trance whilst the collective egos battle it out on a higher systemic level. There's a number of discussions on collective egos but a good place to start is "The Gaian-Ego Hypothesis": . http://www.newciv.org/mem/prof-newslog.php?did=550&vid=550&xmode=show_article&artid=000550-000001&amode=standard&aoffset=0&time=1182678224 . . I've also begun to adapt individual meditation techniques into "Collective Meditation to Counter the Collective Ego": . http://www.newciv.org/mem/prof-newslog.php?did=550&vid=550&xmode=show_article&artid=000550-000011&amode=standard&aoffset=0&time=1182678223 . . This may give rise to discourse strategies that can create a bubble of sanity within the mania that can grow and spread and weaken the egoic discourse and eventually become the dominant personality. . . Also, just as the egoic frenzy is intimately tied to economic activity in the form of a corporate driven consumer frenzy (also a politically driven militarist frenzy) - so too is the collective ego intimately connected to the overall economic system. Economics is the metabolic processes of the collective organisms. A good place to start on this theme is "Economic Metabolism": . http://www.newciv.org/mem/prof-newslog.php?did=550&vid=550&xmode=show_article&artid=000550-000007&amode=standard&aoffset=0&time=1182678224 . . The systems analysis suggests that one of the most powerful metabolic defences communities have from being 'digested' by runaway corporate metabolisms is the use of complimentary currencies. They operate not only on the community level but in subtle systemic ways they undermine the metabolic supremacy of the mass collective and inhibit its control thereby reducing its tendency to spiral into an egoic frenzy. . . Best wishes : ) . John Ringland . http://www.anandavala.info/ Re: quantum truth - Martyn Martin . 25 Jun 2007 08:57 . #711 IMO raising the world minds begins with knowing your own mind. . . Re: quantum truth - Martyn Martin . 25 Jun 2007 09:16 . #712 The problem I have with your theory is in my experience light as it is called is only a product of our perceptions. Scientifically speaking though light is limited and finite and only last as long as the product that produces it. . . abstract teachings....seeing is not believing.... . . Re: Product-fixated Egotists - Martyn Martin . 25 Jun 2007 09:33 . #713 . . . Hi Greg it would be great if all our problems could be solved by giving everything away but . the problem is not with what you have on the outside but what your lacking on the inside. . . abstract teachings . . We are at Gift3 Yahoo groups. Re: Product-fixated Egotists - Gabriel Guevara . 30 Jul 2007 21:11 . #714 A rather harsh reply Martyn! While you are correct that happiness and well-being are ultimately dependent on "yourself" rather than the physical reality surrounding us all, your comment is unduly critical. . . Everyone has their path to follow in life, and it sounds like Greg is beginning to discover the truth our life here on Earth is a spiritual journey. Perhaps your words were meant as caution Martyn, that dropping material possessions is not some type of "cure" which will make you a spiritual expert. That there are many journeys ahead which may be difficult. . . My only words of caution to Greg are to keep the future in mind, at least on occasion. Our physical bodies still reside in this "reality" and most usually require food, sleep, and shelter. Make sure to plan ahead if one part of your dream is to live to be an old man! . . Congratulations on finding your first eye opener to reality! There are many more on the way if you keep your mind open and searching for them. . . -Gabriel Re: Hello all - Sunimal Alles . 1 Aug 2007 14:09 . #715 . After MAny years of research and working with people of different mind levels I see a way out related to the Natural Talents (Thinking patterns and Natural or inherent Skills) Anyone wishing to discuss this is invited to send an email to: sunimal_alles@yahoo.com Shamanism/consciousness expansion on your camera - Matthew Webb . 3 Aug 2007 04:57 . #716 . Shamans’ Ascent . The Cosmic Process Revealed . . Filmed live and without rehearsal, this psychedelic documentary is completely unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It is the dramatic essence of ancient and eternal practices. Meditational focus, the use of the sacred Herb, didjeridoo, intonation and drumming, are but a taste of what the viewer can expect. Shamans’ Ascent is anticipated to be an inspiration to all those who seek deep meaning and natural transcendence. . . Using shamanic techniques, the subjects of this film demonstrate how it is possible to expand consciousness, to reach such states as that of a Buddha and beyond. Also a meditation-video proper, scenes of Shamans’ Ascent are over-layed with computer animation, in the style of the film, Waking Life. The unique scenes create a consciousness-shifting effect on the viewers’ mind. . . The fire of change in world consciousness has been sparked! . . *************//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//************* . . Your quality video camera, capable of feeding directly into a modern computer equipped with Windows Vista, is needed! Help us to document something that has changed worlds, and which could help transform humanity. Send us that camera which you rarely use, or which has been made obsolete by a better model, and we’ll put your name in the Shamans’ Ascent credits. We’ll also send you a free copy of the shamanic-style meditational music album, That Which Raises, (listen to free samples of all the tracks at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest ). Re: Product-fixated Egotists - Martyn Martin . 2 Oct 2007 00:19 . #717 You find the truth harsh, then you have just learned a harsh truth. . . abstract teachings..... . . Find us at Gift3 at yahoo groups . test - Vanesa Cvahte . 10 Oct 2007 11:05 . #718 hi. I am new here and I want to see how this 'forum' works. I am a bit surprised about the dates of this posts. so, let me see this now. greetings. Re: test - Vanesa Cvahte . 10 Oct 2007 11:08 . #719 oh, now I got it! the posts at the end of the list are the most recent ones. *all clear now*. I will post more, this is, as I said, only my test : ) *thx for understanding ~~~* The Scam of all time has Scammed Itself - Matthew Webb . 15 Oct 2007 19:11 . #720 I recommend following up on the article which follows, (which is very excellent by the way) with further reading in the WMS Library. The Survivalists' Guide for the New Millennium there will tell you the basis of where to start and why..... . . Eight Things You Need to Know About the Shaky U.S. Economy . . by Larry Saltzman and Linda Buzzell-Saltzman . . On the macro level, we may be concerned about the negative impacts of globalization and so-called “free trade.” We may also be uncomfortable with the kind of planet-destroying capitalism that has sprung up under the giant international corporations. But there is more – much more – we need to understand about how economics is impacting our personal and collective lives and the health of our planet. . . The economic consequences of globalization and late stage hyper-capitalism are reaching a crisis point that will be felt by most of us in the next few years “up close and personal” – probably even before we feel the immediate results of peak oil or global warming. Even if we are doing everything we can to live a low-impact, sustainable lifestyle, we need to understand what’s happening in the U.S. and world economies. . . The Big Picture . . We have lived most of our lives in a growth economy, and our society has been getting rich off the consumption of cheap fossil fuel. That “free ride” up to Peak is just about over and a number of disturbing economic trends are appearing that spell big trouble for oil-dependent economies and for the average U.S. citizen. The era of endless “economic growth” is coming to an end. The Energy Descent economy has begun. . . So let’s examine eight worrisome economic trends. They are interconnected and when stirred together create a nasty brew… . . 1. Private Debt . "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery." – Charles Dickens, “David Copperfield” . . America has forgotten Charles Dickens’ famous words of wisdom. We are collectively trying to buy happiness by going on the greatest credit binge in the history of humanity. . . Here are a few of the shocking facts: . The Federal Reserve reports that Americans collectively owe $2,164 trillion, of which $804 billion is credit-card or other revolving debt. By 2001, Americans were paying $50 billion a year in finance charges to service their debt and that number has since climbed higher. The average American owes $8,562 on their credit card(s) and will need ten years to pay that amount off at the minimum payment. At that point, they will have paid out over $16,000 or almost double the amount they originally borrowed. . . These levels of personal debt are virtually enslaving Americans, forcing many of us to work harder and harder, for longer hours, at often meaningless corporate jobs in order to pay off our obligations. And bankruptcy laws have recently been hardened to make it even more difficult to escape the impact of serious personal debt, often caused by huge medical bills as well as our own intemperance. . . 2. The Real Estate Bubble . Thanks to low interest rates, Americans have been on a real estate binge, buying any property at any imaginable price in the belief that real estate will appreciate forever. Interest-only loans, variable interest loans, balloon payments and low- or no-down payments have become the norm in the usually conservative world of home loans. The result is that as interest rates continue their inevitable ride upwards, many recent home buyers are going to see their home payments rise beyond their ability to pay. And as home prices begin to fall, and perhaps collapse, some home owners are going to experience negative amortization. That means that every month, instead of the equity on your home increasing, it will decrease and the total amount you owe will increase. . . As real estate prices soften, which is already happening on the South Coast and elsewhere, foreclosures may rise as people go “upside down” on their loans, owing more on their mortgage than their properties are currently worth. Banks, stuck with unwanted properties, may begin to sell them at fire-sale prices, further depressing the price of real estate. . . Any fall in real estate values is especially worrisome as some Americans have been using their home equity as a kind of last-resort personal bank, taking out second mortgages to pay off credit card balances, do home remodels, buy cars or take expensive vacations. Others have used their equity to pay monthly or extraordinary bills, masking the fact that it’s getting harder and harder for many Americans to retain a middle class lifestyle in the era of outsourced jobs and flattened incomes. . . 3. Our Savings Rate . The citizens of the United States can now boast having a negative savings rate. We remove more money every month from our collective piggy banks than we put in. The average baby boomer will retire with a net worth of $23,000. The parents of baby boomers left their children far better off than the baby boomers are going to leave their children. Perhaps we can partly blame boomers’ extravagance, consumerism and sense of entitlement. But we also have to look at changes in the U.S. economy that have allowed those at the top to earn more and more while paying less and less taxes, while the middle and working classes are being squeezed with job losses and the export of much of our manufacturing. . . 4. The Bond Bubble . This is a little more obscure problem, but worth understanding. As interest rates have been increasing on short term debt, the interest rates on long term debt have remained stubbornly low -- probably because of foreign investment in U.S. Treasuries and the fact that U.S. currency has been until recently the preferred currency to accept payment in. Recently a 90-day Treasury bill paid approximately the same interest rate as a ten-year bond. As interest rates keep rising, the value of bonds may plummet, causing many people to lose a lot of money in supposedly safe and secure U.S. Treasury Bonds. . . Bonds are confusing to most people. High interest rates mean that the price of existing lower-yielding bonds falls. Why buy an existing bond paying 5% when you can get a new bond paying 6%? Much of this U.S. debt is of course held by foreign countries, most notably China. If foreign countries ever panic and begin dumping U.S. Treasuries, we will see interest rates rise dramatically and we will be very lucky to escape a full blown depression. . . 5. Government Debt . Whatever happened to old fashioned conservative fiscal responsibility? Thanks to George Bush and his imbecilic economic policies, we have now become the nation with both the largest personal debt and the largest government debt. Our military policies are hugely expensive as well as immoral and stupid. And as the effects of Peak Oil and Energy Descent begin to be felt, we will have little wealth available to invest in new solutions. . . If we are lucky enough to elect one of the hapless Democratic candidates for President and this person turns out to be a Franklin Roosevelt disguised as a centrist Democrat, he or she will have none of the maneuvering room, that Roosevelt had, to get us out of the economic depression that we may face in the not too distant future. Roosevelt was able to keep the much smaller federal budget of that era in balance while spending on programs to jump start the economy. Today’s Bush economics will leave a great deal of our federal budget servicing the debt the fiscally irresponsible Republicans have run up. . . 6. Inflation and Higher Prices . By lowering interest rates to practically zero to encourage false and unsustainable economic growth, the Federal Reserve under recently-retired Chairman Alan Greenspan set the stage for inflationary pressure in the economy. Virtually non-existent interest rates not only fueled the current real estate bubble but made borrowing in general too cheap and easy. This conned millions of Americans into a borrowing binge that has left us deep in debt to the banking industry. If we cannot pay those debts, the banks themselves may also falter. . . 7. Loss of True Productivity . What does America actually produce these days? Our financial services sector is now far larger than our manufacturing base. In other words, the business of America is moving money around. And what happens to this truly unproductive economy when the shaky American dollar falters or exorbitant fossil fuel prices make it impossible to import what we need? . . 8. The Shaky U.S. Dollar . A currency has to be based on something of true value. But the U.S. dollar is increasingly dependent on its status as the world’s default currency rather than the underlying worth of America’s productivity. So what would happen if oil producers, for example, decide they’d rather be paid in euros than dollars? . . Add it all up… . So what do these eight interconnected trends add up to? An unsustainable situation, a house of cards waiting for a tiny breeze – another spike in oil prices caused by a natural or terrorist supply glitch, a sneeze from our major creditor: China, a major oil producer requesting payment in euros, another bad hurricane season – to start the downward cascade. . . How You Can Survive and Thrive in Spite of these Trends . . The solutions at the individual level are clear. . . 1. Stay out of debt, and if you are in debt get out ASAP. If you don’t pay your credit cards off in full every month, get rid of them and use a debit card. . . Even if you aren’t in credit-card debt, consider getting rid of your cards anyway as a political act. Credit cards have tricked and deluded Americans into feeling richer than we actually are. They start arriving in the mail while we are in college so we get hooked young. Then these plastic handcuffs enslave many of us, creating an illusion of wealth and disguising the fact that our salaries have stagnated and fallen. This has benefited politicians and banks, not ordinary people. Credit cards lock us into the world of materialism, consumerism and greed and keep us like hamsters in a treadmill, running to keep up, going nowhere. If you think of debt as an addiction, the credit card companies are the pushers. . . 2. Find work that has a future in an energy descent economy in which “economic growth” is a relic of the pre-Peak past. . . 3. Learn to take your pleasures from simple and sustainable living. Live at or below your means and save for the future, even if you can sock away only a few bucks a month. Let friends, family and spiritual pursuits replace consumerism and greed. The Voluntary Simplicity movement has done a great job of showing us how to enjoy a rich and satisfying lifestyle without excessive materialism. And Permaculture offers the practical tools for sustainable living that increase our real prosperity and the true wealth of the earth rather than squandering it on the impossible nightmare of endless economic growth at the cost of environmental and social destruction. m . . Larry Saltzman and Linda Buzzell-Saltzman are Fellows at For the Future, a sustainability think tank based in Santa Barbara. Re: Product-fixated Egotists - Gabriel Guevara . 20 Nov 2007 07:06 . #721 Martyn, I didn't find the truth harsh I found your attitude towards Greg was harsh. He seems to have stumbled upon the beginning of his own spiritual path and should be given joy instead. . . Anyway, as to your "harsh truth" I think you need some perspective. "Consumerism" is not inherently evil. It is how we survive as physical beings. Modern ideals are pretty screwed up, but people can still operate in a messed up system and maintain spirituality or whatever you wish to call it. As a society we don't know how to live in harmony with our environment, but that doesn't disallow individuals doing their best. Your comments speak of a general truth based on statistical probabilities of certain demographics, but no need for the complete negativity. . . The crisis of "consumer society" is too bound up in paranoia. A lot of people are spiritually sick, which makes for a spiritually sick society. Don't blame all of society for the small sickness caused by the people themselves! . . -Gabriel . . Re: The Scam of all time has Scammed Itself - Gabriel Guevara . 20 Nov 2007 07:28 . #722 Great article! It feels very eye-opening for me because these are the thoughts that have been bumping around my head. In my area housing has sky-rocketed for various reasons but it has truly put an economic pressure upon society. The general lifestyle of most consumerists is over the top. Going into the holiday season and its more like a holiday for the people in the sales business. Santa is now an economic force all his own! . . What scares me the most is that all of these situations are controlled by a relative few thousand people with lots of nukes. I just hope that the will of the people (not to be nuked) oversees any schemes or fears of the few. . . May we meet everyone with true honesty. . . -Gabriel . Re: Product-fixated Egotists - Martyn Martin . 27 Nov 2007 00:37 . #723 Ah I think I see the misunderstanding here. I should have said 'we' rather than 'you' in my reply to Greg. . Intentional Community with Cosmic Standards - Matthew Webb . 7 Feb 2008 22:02 . #725 Creating the Universal Ideal . . The founding of a community is in part like the founding of a society, or even an entire world. It is no small matter. As with all great inventions, the form is always followed by inspired conception. If an idea has great merit and real quality, then so too will the device or community. Like a seed, good ideas must be planted upon fertile ground where they can grow and bloom. Lacking this, all objectives will either fail or simply never grow beyond a certain point. Everyone knows that to grow a plant requires knowledge of soil, climate, moisture and sunlight. To grow a strong community from the seed of even the greatest planning, requires knowledge of resources, social circumstance, wisdom and spiritual focus. . . Our first and foremost resource as human beings is not lumber, coal, stone, solar energy, liquid fuels, seeds or even land. Our foremost resource is ourselves. Any tool is only as useful as the hand or spirit that wields it. The first priority in life must therefore always be the refinement of the tool user, not the tools themselves. From our own inner capability do these materials find utility and fashioning for the sake of building community. This means that in order to successfully build an infrastructure, we must first refine ourselves. The capability of our minds is genius, the strength of our bodies is enduring and the potential wisdom of our souls, born of cosmic purpose, is limitless. It is from this soil well prepared, that the most progressive communities must sprout. These are the basic nutrients of community excellence, (not to mention the source of our survival as a species) whose fruits shall be the sweetest and most nutritious of all, for everyone concerned. These fruits spring from the rich soil of truth. . . The social circumstances in which we live are very challenging, and we must be realistic about this. To build the new we must simultaneously dismantle the old. We live in an age of social disempowerment, where it is commonplace to imagine that humans must depend heavily on outside sources for their own health, sanity, spiritual guidance and even their own thoughts, emotions and beliefs. We live in an era wherein nations routinely proclaim that their own deeds of oppression and injustice as liberating and just. We live in a mindset that follows where the majority leads, simply because the television says so, (regardless of any facts to the contrary) and where rational and logical debate are the rare exception not the rule. We also live in an era of information, possibility and choice for those who seek wisdom and inner strength will find it without looking far. It is within this world climate that our community vision of human excellence and greatness of spirit, must grow and flourish. It is our task to choose carefully which aspects of this climate are useful, and which need to be utterly discarded. Arguably, the list of what needs to be discarded in modern society is BY FAR the longest of all. . . While there have been countless attempts made to produce a utopian mode of community living, the successes remain fewer than few. Many high conceptions have come from great minds down through the centuries, for the sake of generating a new social order. But a new social order we have not yet achieved. This is not for the lack of trying, but because we have accepted the answers to the wrong questions, rather than asking the right questions to start with. The question of, "What would make an ideal community?" is one that cannot be asked within the limited framework of modern ideas and institutions. We have to think outside the this small box long enough to crystallize the answer. .To do that it is necessary to first realize just how limited modern notions are. We've been conditioned by these our whole lives through peer pressure, religion, government and the media. Let us assume for a moment that ALL of these sources of public belief are basically mistaken. Let's take a fresh look at what life is all about. . . The ideal intentional community cannot be one which is primarily based upon our human past. We have not truly progressed as a species far enough, either mentally or spiritually, to use our own past as a foundation for the future. This is especially true since the very word "progress", is still assumed to denote the ravaging of natural areas of the Earth with asphalt and concrete, while developing higher and higher technologies. Technology is only a tool with which to do our spiritual work here, not an end unto itself. Nor is it a means to make even more monetary profit at the cost of sanity, health and livability. We need to re-define such words as "progress" so that they reflect their true meaning in the context of Cosmos, not country, city or special interest ideology. Cosmic progress means applying ourselves to those ideals such as expanding consciousness into greater love and clarity, which are the very source of our evolution as biological beings to start with. It also means living life as souls in bodies, whose true identity can never be anything so petty as job descriptions or socio-economic status. Our true identity as souls is that we, like the rest of nature, are conscious beings in a conscious universe. It is the purpose of that universe to expand consciousness, refine self awareness and accelerate the process of evolution. That must be our purpose as well, if we are to create the ideal community arrangement, let alone survive the next century as a species. . . Some imagine that setting up the perfect physical circumstances for community is all that is needed, and that the rest will fall into place. To this end, there are those who invest heavily in solar power, alternative building methods, organic horticulture and the like. These technologies are very good, there can be no doubt. But there is also no doubt that without a higher reason for employing them other than being "energy efficient" for instance, is a relative waste of our spiritual potential. Such community leaders imagine that by taking careful stock of finances, each members' weekly labor quota, and using all the technologies of modern agriculture or urban living, that this is what is called "independence". Yet this is not an independence of mind or spirit, nor does it in itself accomplish man?s further evolution. That kind of thinking to the exclusion of Cosmic relevance, is just more of the same mainstream materialism seen infecting every aspect of modern life. It is no different than the average persons' obsession with making enough money to retire wealthy and "financially secure". It misses the essential point of life that living is not about making money or having elaborate material goods, it's about having enough tools, be they dollars, meditation techniques, computers or ploughshares, so as to accomplish our spiritual task here on Earth. . . Others imagine that by structuring a community after the rigid rules established by a church or other source of ethical codes, that people will be given the "framework" they need for mutual living. But this is not the case, since the rules and codes of behavior established by human kind are inherently inferior, to those which are already well established by the Cosmos at large. These Cosmic "rules" are the laws of nature, which have also been partly described by modern physics. They involve how the universe is structured, and why life functions as it does. It is not the small laws of enforcement that we need, which aim to corral the mind of the participant as though it were a wild animal to be subdued by force. Such community concepts don't take into account that the nature of spiritual progress is self and mutual realization, not conditioning. What we need in community and in society as a whole, is to return ourselves to recognizing those Natural Laws which make our heart beat, the plants grow, our minds soar and our souls commune with one another. Right action and spiritual motivation come from the realization of these, not the blind following of rules or their authoritarian enforcement. This is a large part of what is meant by "refining the tool user, rather than the tools". . . The source of natural wisdom from which we may draw, is from the same deep ocean that has carried the great Seers, visionaries, inventors and spiritual Masters of all time to their Earthly fruition. That source is none other than the consciousness itself which we already ARE, as well as the consciousness which the universe already IS. That wisdom tells those who would listen, that we are NOT separate from nature, we are a self-aware extension of it. It also tells us that there are no such thing as "separate issues" such as politics, social inequality, war or environmental issues that require "separate treatment". On the contrary, ALL ISSUES ARE SPIRITUAL CONCERNS, and it is upon this Cosmic Foundation that all other consideration are inherently built. We must address this foundation with competence, in order to address the human condition with any hope of success. We are consciousness raised up past a certain evolutionary degree, which can now KNOW ITSELF. In essence, we are matter that is animated by spirit, and not just a random collection of atoms. It is this human, evolutionary arrangement of matter, awareness, energy and intent, which accounts for our extraordinary abilities as Homo Sapiens. Having gone further than the animal not so much in form, but in the capacity for self awareness and self change, the human evolutionary course is ours to guide. Yet we cannot access our extraordinary and inherent abilities of genius and great wisdom, unless we realize that there is such a thing as Truth, and a purpose for life far beyond consumerism, militarism, nationalism and materialism. . . . Our true purpose as human beings can accurately be called, "the aim of evolution", which is self knowledge and species advancement, or in other words, the expansion of consciousness. Existence has it's own cosmic purpose in the evolution of life, of which we are an inextricable part. Our purpose is to further advance this Cosmic Cause, through wise decision making and spiritual inspiration. Higher and higher love combined with progressive clarity, can and must become the new, standard human interaction toward that end. We CAN intentionally cultivate these qualities together.. It is this evolutionary purpose that is based upon the development of the consciousness we ARE, and which all life IS, that will save our species from the brink upon which it is now poised. Without sufficient realization of truth and Cosmic Purpose, our species will remain lost in it's own delusions about what life is all about. Until realizing this, we will remain fixated upon brand names, television sit-coms, fashion trends and gossip magazines, until the day of our collective extinction. Until we realize the inherent purpose of life, as opposed to the artificial, human-made purposes of corporate greed, we will always be moving toward entropy, war and insanity of all kinds. The purposes and laws of Nature will not be denied forever. If ever there was a test of our fitness to survive and evolve, this recognition is IT. . . It is necessary that we, as centers of consciousness, (otherwise known as "souls") do realize this bottom-line self. "Realize" means, "to perceive with such accuracy that we enthusiastically act daily upon that which is understood". To realize ourselves as souls whose composition is consciousness, is to implicitly understand a great many other important issues at once. Among these are the understanding that "we are all one", that psychic streams of feeling, intent and thought flow between us constantly, making society a collective creation, and that our communion with both God and Nature is made possible because they too are literally MADE OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Thus we are both the created and the creator of forms, and with this ability comes specific responsibilities. It is through us and all other life that Cosmic Consciousness manifests itself here and elsewhere through the universe. We CANNOT access these facts and their implications fully, until we achieve sufficient self realization. That means going beyond idea of self composed by job title, race and nationality, and into that with which we were born. Upon achieving this, and to varying degrees, we may then carry forth such realization into our daily lives. This is what is known as "spiritual focus". . . Our salvation then, if there is to be one, ultimately rests upon our degree of self and mutual realization, coupled with sufficient spiritual will to address the cosmos on it?s own terms. It?s terms are those comprising natural laws and processes, as well as the spiritual laws and processes that reflect them. Consciousness, or that which is called "God", as well as that which we refer to as "soul", have the same three constituents. These three are INTENT, AWARENESS and ENERGY, and in that order of causation/importance. To know self is to know consciousness. To know consciousness is then to know others as being of the same essence as we. If we are to master the purpose of life, generating on this planet a progressively superior place to live in peace and enlightenment, then it will also be necessary to progressively enhance our mastery of Intent, Awareness and Energy. When we purify our intent towards one another for instance, it is then that truly progressive relations are made possible. When we expand our awareness beyond the personal, it is then that we are made empathically aware of the feelings and intentions of others. Upon raising our level of energy, we are made more capable of accomplishing great things together. . . It is Intent that guides our lives. This is true not only through personal intent, but group, planetary and cosmic intent. The intent of modern human beings is the primary basis for all the world?s problems, as well as it?s ultimate solutions. To achieve world peace, enlightenment and high intelligence, our most fundamental need is to purify our intent. toward nature and one another. The reason we see so much misery and chaos played out on the world stage, is because our Intent is wrongly focused in all areas of this global human community. The faulty intentions behind materialism and consumerism are largely responsible for this. The very term, "intentional community" derives it's meaning from the implication that we're aware of our progressive intent in forming such a group, and for the sake of improving our lives. But we must do more than merely improve the circumstances of a few human lives. Our intent must be focused at levels much higher than self or community interest alone. Only a progressive, PLANETARY intent for the good of all, can provide us with the needed fuel to generate a truly profound social shift. Only the Cosmic Intent of evolution, recognizing the commonality of souls in bodies which we all are, is ultimately worthy of our mutual community focus. Community no longer means just growing a few veggies or making solar power for a select few. It must also mean that we ultimately recognize the whole world as our community, for the interconnectedness of life intimately effects each and every person from around the globe. The social norms and expectations of this current world society are far too low. They do not serve us well, nor do they serve the Cosmic Purpose of which we are a part. It is extremely important to realize this when forming any community. . . Our world-based community movement, can be founded upon such basics as the following; . . 1) Recognizing that the same basic principles of plant and animal growth, nutrition, consciousness, biochemistry, life cycles, reproduction, and the like, are the very same principles which govern our human existence. Science describes these in detail, but usually without realizing their spiritual application or significance. Modern humanity does not seem to realize that it cannot live indefinitely without recognizing the universal constants of all life. Among these are efficiency, progressiveness, logical action, practicality, evolutionary improvement, the need for natural and clean sources of water and food , etc. By observing how nature works, we can re-learn the great values of natural living, and living in accord with the evolutionary processes of nature. . . 2) Recognizing that the laws of nature, (aka Spiritual Laws) are what have molded and shaped all life on this planet, (and others). Humanity is no exception to this rule, which is why we need to return to nature in every practical way, so as to regain our true strength, wisdom and inner vitality. Human beings have tried to "outdo" nature for centuries under the premise that It exists to serve us. The truth is that we are as much a product of nature as any other plant or animal, and that the true reason for our existence is as an extension of Natural Intelligence, for the sake of furthering the evolutionary process. The rightful place of humans is therefore to serve the designs of nature, not for nature to be sacrificed for the sake of human whims. As all Native cultures know, we can learn better how to serve nature by constantly working with it. In so doing it?s influence purifies our lives, and teaches us how to live better with the Cosmos and each other. . . 3) The gaining of wisdom, as defined by the greater application of truth in daily life. Wisdom is the embodiment of truth . the greater the embodiment of truth, the greater the wisdom. . . 4) The increase of intelligence and intuitive cognition, through the right use of the mind. . . 5) The expansion of consciousness and the recognition of the true self, (beyond just the physical body or mind) as soul. . . 6) The recognition of that which the Western world calls "God", and which the Eastern world calls, "Consciousness" as the prevailing force and intelligence that is seen running through all natural forms. . . 7) The practice of personal and group meditation, for the sake of self knowledge. . . 8) Placing spiritual growth as the foremost .priority in daily activities, while recognizing the distinct differences between spirituality and religious dogma. . . 9) Holding truth to be the highest and guiding principle in life, and the best course for personal relations. There is one truth by definition, not many. There is no such thing as ?your own truth? since the truth never bends for the sake of personal preference. Our purpose as intelligent and wise beings, therefore, is to determine what the Cosmic Truth already IS, (as composed of facts, collectively known as "reality") rather than trying to re-invent it from scratch, or by using the standard misconceptions of modern society. This requires objective observation, intuitive crystallization and logical evaluation of all subjects. . . 10) Rejecting faulty and destructive models of society, such as consumerism, egotism, materialism, nationalism and militarism, which act only to artificially divide the world into warring factions, from which there can arise no true victor. We do this in favor of the already provided template for right living, found in nature and spiritual laws. . . 11) That logic and intuition must work together, and check each other's conclusions. The same is equally true of science and religion, both of which can be mutually complimentary when the truth is seen clearly. . . 14) The cultivation of clarity and the valuing of clear, honest communication. . . 15) Upholding the vision of collective wisdom, one that is greater than the wisdom of one person or even many uncooperative persons. . . 16) Making decisions through the process of educated and logical consensus. . . 17) Collaborating with other communities and individuals, for the sake of greater collective wisdom. . . 18) Emphasizing excellent health in all ways through right eating, exercise, herbal/natural remedies and meditative self healing. . . 19) Offering educational materials to the world for the improvement of the human condition. . . 20) Living in an independent, simple and free fashion, unfettered by the unnecessary limitations of the modern world. We must continually emphasize self empowerment in all ways. . . By engaging the Cosmic Evolutionary Purpose together, (so as to improve ourselves and each other at will) the course of history will be transformed for the better. In doing this we become active participants in Creation, not just creative persons. In such an undertaking, individual persons could be likened to atoms and communities to molecules, whereby the first cells, (cities) of a new human culture would find their highest expression. When our community is dedicated to the Cosmic Purpose, it then takes on much the same role as DNA does in the creation of new, fresh life for our kind, one which could replicate itself worldwide in a relatively short period of time. This truly revolutionary basis for living together could sweep real vision and wisdom into the stagnant pools of modern society. But to crystallize this ideal basis for community requires a great deal of intelligence, based upon knowledge of how the universe really is, not necessarily how we imagine or want it to be. To begin, we can use the principles of nature as a basic template. Then, through self realization of the consciousness we are, truly See how we can interact with each other as SOULS in a higher, superior way. This will be a way of interaction and understanding, that is far beyond what has ever before been known in the history of mankind. Let us keep ever in mind that there exists cosmic purposes far higher than those currently employed by mainstream society. It is to these we must strive, so as to create something truly great together. Through such a basic vision of ideal community as a starting point, this crystallization can then evolve further into a highly profound social movement the world over. . . Why strive for less than this, especially when this is exactly what our species most needs? This work will greatly aid the evolution of humanity, as the seed of a New Way. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest "Science of Collective Consciousness (event and researchers) - Matthew Webb . 20 Feb 2008 19:23 . #726 From: new_vibe_list_only@infinityaffinity.org [new_vibe_list_only@infinityaffinity.org] . Sent: 2/18/2008 2:49:03 PM . To: visionquest@eoni.com [visionquest@eoni.com] . Subject: Correction: Science of Collective Consciousness: TeleConference with Dr. David Orme-Johnson . The date of this TeleConference is February 21st, not the 16th. Sorry. . . Date of TeleConference: Thursday February 21, 2008 . . Time: 6 pm to 7:30 pm PST; 9 PM EST, www.timezoneconverter.com . . Number to call: 616-712-8000, access code 545195# . . Cost: No Charge to InfinityAffinity or CommonPassion members . . Note: This call will likely fill up. You can get on the line 15 minutes . before the call starts, promptly at 6 PM PST. . . Guest Presenter: David Orme-Johnson, PhD, Consciousness Researcher, . www.truthabouttm.org . . ............................................. . . Dear Vibe Tribe, . . Through CommonPassion.org we are launching a series of scientific . discussions to find creative ways to measure the effect of our collective . consciousness activities on society and the environment. This Thursday, . February 16th at 6 Pm PST we are honored to have David Orme-Johnson, PhD, . one of the principal researchers in the world on meditation studies, . especially expert on the Maharishi Effect and the remarkable social studies . that forms the basis of our work over the last 10 years. . . As you know, Maharishi made his transition recently and this call will be a . tribute to this great being and his work. Dr. Orme-Johnson will summarize . the rationale for the Maharishi Effect. He will begin with what Maharishi . was/is as a glimpse into what all of us are, basically, as a means of . understanding field effects of consciousness. Then he will review the kinds . of measurements that he and other TM researchers have used in previous . research, and why these measurements were chosen. He will talk about some . exciting new findings motivated by Maharishi's theory of collective . consciousness. We will then discuss possibilities for real time indicators . of collective phenomena. Then we will open the conference for questions by . participants. . . The discussion will then be continued after the call on the CommonPassion . forum: . . http://forum.commonpassion.org, "Measurable Effects of Social-Environmental . Harmony" . . This teleconference is an important part of building our Global Coherence . Feedback System: . http://www.commonpassion.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52&It . emid=68 . . And you can participate. We are seeking to tap the collective creativity and . genius by inspiring you to help us find ways to create a real-time measure . of our influence in the world. . . Please join us, and help us spread the New Vibe! . . All my best, . Joseph Giove . jgiove@infinityaffinity.org . www.infinityaffinity.org . www.CommonPassion.org . www.IntendBalance.com/maya2008 . . Launched into cyberspace by jgiove@infinityaffinity.org . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . To subscribe, send a blank message to InfinityAffinity-on@mail-list.com . To unsubscribe, send a blank message to InfinityAffinity-off@mail-list.com . To change your email address, send a message to InfinityAffinity-change@mail-list.com . with your old address in the Subject: line . . To unsubscribe, or change your email address, click here. . http://cgi.mail-list.com/u?ln=infinityaffinity&nm=visionquest@eoni.com More about truth and community - Matthew Webb . 21 Feb 2008 21:48 . #727 The very term, “intentional community” has come to mean one which is formed with a specific and noble purpose in mind. It is a situation where the PEOPLE THEMSELVES have created a higher ideal, to achieve greater things than just, “living as neighbors”. What distinguishes such a special gathering from the usual real estate development scheme, is that the IC is MORE than just an opportunity to make somebody a suitcase full of cash. When a community is intentional it implicitly exists for purposes beyond mere money-making and material ends, for the sake of higher goals that elevate the human spirit….or at least so the theory goes. . . The reality of the average community however, is a hierarchical core group or person who makes all the rules, who reaps the lions’ share of benefits from the toil of the, “lower class” majority, and who are rarely seen doing any real work. Work weeks of 35-40 hours are not uncommon for the newcomer, sometimes with additional dues, “joining fees” or other obligations to be paid, but with no mention of the accountability of the, “upper class”. The new person more often than not, finds themselves doing hard labor with no real pay, at the convenience of the people who have all the real control, and for purposes that do little more than help the owner(s) make their mortgage payments. In almost all cases communities have spent all their time, (apparently) setting up businesses to “support themselves”, (the upper class only, who don’t share their profits or open their bookkeeping to others) and who have spent almost no time at all, “elevating the human spirit” or developing any real working philosophy for progressive community. . . Growing organic veggies or inventing green-friendly businesses is fine, but is this the ultimate end of human advancement? To such organizers I ask, “Is there nothing more to achieve in intentional community than paying your bills, eating organic dinner together and, (to quote a catch-phrase) ‘celebrating your diversity’”? I also ask you, “Why should a person participate in your, ‘re-inventing of the usual wheel’ of 9-5 drudgery and 40 hour work week, for such materialistic ends as these, when they could just stay in mainstream society and probably do much better for themselves?” “Where is the time for REAL COMMUNITY in the sharing of ideas, important discussion, art, the development of wisdom, spiritual focus, meditation, playing and simply ‘being together’ in meaningful ways, when you’ve got this 35-40 hour work week concept in place”??? The intelligent person will inevitably ask themselves what the purpose of such an exercise in futility is…and find the answer most unsavory. All sentimental notions aside, the newcomer should be advised that what is often called, “intentional community” is little more than a labor or real estate scam with a fancy label attached. They should ask themselves and those involved, “For what ultimate purpose are you doing all this, other than selfish benefit?” If there is any reluctance to answer such questions, then by all means do yourself a favor and move on, or found something on a more meaningful basis. . . This is not to say that all intentional communities are without a meaningful philosophy. However, many which make a big sound often do not define their terms. Some speak of “communing with God” (or nature) without explaining how this is done. Others refer to a refinement of mind or spirit without explaining what such refinements are, or what they will lead to on an individual basis/community level. Beware of half-baked ideas which were never intended to be practical or concrete actions in the daily world, or which, although well-intentioned, simply do not have the power to follow through on their promises. Theory and practice are NOT necessarily the same thing. . . Having spoken briefly of the shortcomings of intentional communities today, I’d like to explore with the reader what truly progressive community can look like, what it can be founded upon, and best of all, what it can actually do for the participants. . . First of all, truly progressive intentional community is nothing less than a potential blueprint for the correction of the out-of-balance modern condition. It is also nothing less than a model of human interaction, whereby REAL progress can be achieved. Herein, “progress” is not defined as economic profit margins or consumer-friendly, scientific invention, but as the actual acceleration of the evolution of the species known as Homo Sapiens. Such a community can be boiled down to three basic foundations, or categories of action. . . These are; . 1) Truth . 2) Living in accord with nature and natural law . 3) The expansion of consciousness . . With a community of persons as few as five who have a basic, working understanding of truth, nature and consciousness, profound accomplishments could be achieved through the group focus upon such noble subjects. A collaboration of minds in greatness could therein arise, of a type previously unknown in human history. A communion of souls could be had, a group mind of spiritual progress causing all involved to actually EVOLVE as centers of consciousness, and become Homo Superior. Inventiveness would be a natural bi-product of such a collaboration, as it would increase the intelligence of all participants. Keen insight, (wisdom) into the workings of nature and the cosmos at large, not to mention the self and the human condition, would likewise be the natural bi-product of these three focuses. A refinement of the body would also be experienced, with love, joy and clarity becoming the new foundations of the human condition, rather than the pain and fear which currently dominate the globe. . . To clarify these subjects a little, the following short definitions are called for; . . TRUTH; 1) That which IS regardless of viewpoint or opinion. 2) That which exists as a matter of fact, (not fiction). 3) The collection of facts known collectively as REALITY, through which nature and the greater cosmos at large are organized. . . LIVING IN ACCORD WITH NATURAL LAWS; 1) To live in a manner consistent with how nature operates, including efficiency, practicality, simplicity, and organic technology. 2) To further evolve, consciously and intentionally, or in other words, applying to that purpose which is the objective of all of natural history. . . THE EXPANSION OF CONSCIOUSNESS: 1) To amplify and refine that essence of self which is also known as “soul”. 2) Largely as a cumulative act of meditation and inner realization, the act of self evolution in becoming progressively more than we previously were…i.e. the gaining of clarity, higher vibration, energy, intention and wisdom. . . These three categories of personal study amount to genius, personal power, extraordinary insight, revolutionary intuitive wisdom and psychic/spiritual powers. On the community level however, they take on a much greater significance. In this setting they generate a psychic gestalt, a synergy of progressive intention that can create a super-advanced group entity or group mind, capable of much more than the above. The expansion of consciousness on the group level, will inevitably accelerate the evolution of each participant to a geometric degree, creating a condition of mutual love, clarity and understanding, such that the history of humanity has either never known, or never bothered to previously record. This is especially true when it is consciously based upon truth and natural law, and concretized in the physical world. By another name, such a community can become a “gestalt of souls” whose communion is as much non-verbal and felt, (psychic) as it is spoken. The best qualities of each participant in such a case can become the strength of everyone else involved…each meditator then gains the abilities of the group as a collective consciousness, becoming, needless to say, much more than they were as a ‘separate” individual. . . The above description is only the merest taste of what awaits the community of committed, spiritually-minded individuals, who align their spirits together for the greater good. There can be no doubt that in the average community setting, material things and considerations take the first priority. In fact, they may be the ONLY real priority, while the concern of mental and spiritual development languish as if they are irrelevant. As a matter of natural fact, the mental and particularly the spiritual, are the most important considerations to address. This is as true of individuals as it is of communities. If an intentional community is to be truly important to the history of humanity, it MUST address these concerns of truth, natural law and consciousness so as to address the REAL NEEDS of Homo Sapiens. THIS and THIS ALONE is the best definition of “progress”. After such a goal is properly understood and realized by those who would create a community, then and only then should they concern themselves with the physical necessities of community formation. Let the organic veggies be a means toward a much greater end, rather than the dead-end of nothing more than horticultural technique. . . Let Homo Superior arise, and according to the designs already established for it by 3 billion years of previous evolution. Let us take this process into our own hands, and claim it is the natural human birthright of all time! . . Education, The Official Story Vs. the Real Purpose - Matthew Webb . 22 Feb 2008 18:34 . #728 Education; . The Official Story Vs. the Real Purpose . . We hear a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth these days, about the inadequacy of so-called, “education” in the public schools. A recent newspaper headline read, “American Students Fall Behind Those in China and India”. The article, like so many others representing the official, politically correct view, placed the blame for this public crisis on the poor quality of teachers themselves. But is the bulk of the blame for the lack of effective education REALLY to be placed upon teachers, or should it be placed upon the educational system itself? Or should we go even one step further, and question the entire philosophy of what education is supposed to be to start with? That is in fact what we must do in order to competently address the real purpose of education…which is the enlightenment of the student, not the dull conditioning of minds to suit the corporate workforce. . . It may come as a shock to the uninformed to learn that the educational system, at the very highest levels of administration, is not even able, (or willing) to define the purpose of education. If you don’t believe this, go to the official website of the U.S. Department of Education, as well as your own state department of education. Such websites have a searchable database, so just type in the words, “purpose of education” or “definition of education” and click “search”. In a few moments you’ll find the result as follows, “there are no matches found for your search”. In other words, the purpose and definition of education is something that these institutions can’t even be bothered with! Just imagine that…the great educators of our time, whining about the poor quality of education, while being unable to even define the word in an intelligent manner! If the powers that be cannot even define the terms they use, how can they presume to know what is best for the minds of future generations? . . If you haven’t figured it out already, there’s something gravely amiss with education that goes FAR DEEPER than just a few inept teachers. The very premises upon which modern education is built are dead wrong, and for a variety of reasons. It is amazing to note that questioning these premises is very rarely done. If you don’t question then you don’t truly learn, and if you don’t learn you can’t competently change. The fact that the educational system does not question itself is bizarre, since a system which is supposedly about learning and yet does not question so as to learn or improve, automatically demonstrates itself unfit to teach! The educational system is like a closed mind, unable to even define its’ own ideology or purpose. It’s like a straight “F” student pretending to be an expert about the learning process, as the following reasoning will indicate. . . First of all, lets’ look at the attitude of modern education toward knowledge and learning. So-called “learning” is referred to as, “compulsory” which is to say that ALL young people are required to attend whether they like it or not. This approach can be likened to commanding a young person sit down, shut up and, “read that book, or else you will be punished in a variety of creative ways”, (which by the way, is one of the few things truly creative about the process). “Do it this way…exactly as we say and no other! Ask questions but only within the narrow framework provided, regurgitate these lines upon command and according to the clock on the wall”, (then quickly move on to the next subject with little to no digestion of such knowledge, or any consideration given to its’ relevance). We’re loading enough stress on our youth today to make anyone sick with anxiety. Beyond the increasing number of shootings and bullying that are rampant in the school setting today, the Ritalin dispensed by the truck-load to address, “Restless Leg Syndrome” and, “Attention Deficit Disorder” what is left of the joy of learning? What are we promoting here, wisdom or mass mental disorder? It doesn’t take a genius to see that there’s something terribly wrong with THE SYSTEM itself, and not all these kids on anti-stress medications. Have any of these policy-making geniuses with their high and mighty university degrees, ever given serious thought to what this does to the actual learning process within the young mind? Apparently they haven’t, or else we would see a serious discussion of the matter in the public domain. What it does to the young mind is to make learning an awful task, a burden to be bourn, a thing to be avoided due to the sheer misery it evokes. After the 9 to 5 at school, then there’s, “homework” as if wasting the better part of a day in a classroom-made-prison isn’t enough. In addition there are the so-called, “extra-curricular activities” leaving little to no time for self reflection or independent thinking. Anyone who doesn’t see the striking similarity between the school schedule and the usual 9-5 job isn’t being very honest with themselves, and it’s not hard to imagine that this is by conscious design. Apparently, the educational system believes that this is the nature of learning. It obviously believes that education is something which must be commanded like a boot camp for the mind, regimented and forced upon the unwilling, like the cracking whip which compels a mule to pull a cart. . . Some say that what we’re describing here is not learning at all, but the conditioning of minds toward a uniformity of thought. Some go so far as to say that the educational system is specifically designed to kill free thought, so as to produce unquestioning citizens who, after 12 years of such conditioning, are fashioned into equally unquestioning worker-robots in the corporate work force. Those that say this are most certainly correct. Many marvel at how someone could graduate high school yet be basically unable to read or write effectively, and they need look no further than the, “cracking whip compelling the unwilling mule” analogy. Whatever happened to the innate desire to learn that is the human birthright? Whatever happened to valuing knowledge as something empowering, something to be willingly and enthusiastically sought out, so as to expand ones’ horizons? Whatever happened to the study of knowledge for its’ own sake, and for its’ own inherent benefit, rather than because it might make you more money? It died for most people through forced and competitively graded drudgery, dress codes, stern, authoritarian and domineering school administrations, “detention”, “alternative schools for ‘problem’ children”, student ID cards, stress/psychosis drugs, police intervention in school activities, written “permission” from parents or doctors to be “excused” from class, hallway monitoring cameras, under-paid teachers with mental illnesses who resent their students, and who are there only to earn paychecks and justify their otherwise worthless college degrees, and through a psychological association of learning with intimidation and coercion. . . The reader might be surprised to learn that Einstein was not the only great mind who was a high school dropout, and who was told there, “that he would never amount to anything”. One is prompted to ponder the idea that, “dropping out” of such a system is NOT the measure of inadequacy or unintelligence, but rather, the wisdom to realize that the educational system is itself exceptionally stupid. . . You see, learning isn’t about being force-fed often uninteresting and useless information. It isn’t about cramming trivia into short-term memory to be regurgitated upon command, (the pop quiz/test). Learning isn’t about literally sprinting from one subject of study and classroom to the next, only to forget 90% of it within hours or days, because it isn’t a working knowledge that actually benefits day to day living. Learning is about the gaining of wisdom. This means taking practical, profound knowledge and actually USING it to live better, more fulfilled lives. And this brings us to the second bogus premise upon which modern education is based….the idea that RELEVANCE in curriculum is irrelevant. Relevance is defined briefly by Websters’ as, “having bearing upon the matter at hand, pertinent, practical”. With reflection upon your own experience in the educational system, what percentage of its’ content have you actually used in daily life...5%...10%, maybe even as much as 20% ? Or perhaps a better question would be, “How long do you suppose it would take the unconditioned, intelligent mind to actually glean what is useful out of the usual 12-year education program, and function just like a high school graduate…a year, perhaps two or three at the outside”? What else would such a mind have learned of actual, practical value, with all those other years left open to the real interests of personal study? How many times have we heard of statements made by the great minds of past and present, to the effect of….”I learned most of what I know through my own study”, (and NOT public school)? . . Regarding the issue of relevance, let’s take a good look at the example of mathematics in school. Beyond the obvious practicality of basic math, of what use is algebra or geometry to the average person on a daily basis? The honest answer is either, “none” or, “almost none”. Most of us simply don’t use these subjects on any practical level in our lives and NEVER WILL. So why are they the subject of such intense study, as regularly required curriculum, in the average public school? These subjects are certainly bonafide and legitimate areas of study, but are never the less specialized knowledge which is typically used only by certain technical professions. Investing such intense focus upon algebra and geometry, is like forcing young people to examine the fine details of metallurgy or cartography or astrophysics…they are simply not particularly RELEVANT to most peoples’ lives. Now what if all that basically wasted effort of study were spent NOT on balancing algebraic equations or providing geometric proofs, but were instead invested in philosophy, psychology, medicinal herbs/nutrition, how to discern between fact and fiction, of logical and creative thinking, or a better understanding of government/current world events, social motives or self knowledge in general? What then would the result be? The result would be more empowered individuals, rather than dull-minded robots who never ask questions, and who accept anything they are told so long as a “reputable” source is doing the telling. Hundreds of subjects such as these would most certainly have a more practical, useful basis for ANY student. Now if a person WANTED to study algebra or geometry for personal reasons, or because these are a prerequisite understanding for their choice of work then fine, but why force such specialized knowledge on everyone, when only a tiny handful will ever use it for anything? Education must consider relevance in its’ curriculum or else it serves little to no practical purpose. . . Some people say that the lack of relevance in education is there by design. They say that school exists not so much to inform but to condition the mind to, “perform” according to a routine of fear and stress-based adherence, one that is designed to prevent real questioning rather than enhance it. In a truly competent and honest system, questioning minds would surely be those most quickly and thoroughly rewarded. In fact, were education a legitimate source of enlightenment, it would encourage students to question its’ very existence by asking, “Why are we here at all?” and be able to promptly and enthusiastically give a good, honest answer. Yet how many educators could competently or even willingly answer the question, “Why are we here at all?” …perhaps one in a thousand? To be honest about the current system would be to say that school is not actually about the benefit of the individual. School children are tamed and trained like any domesticated animal, to get in line, to stay in stuffy, overcrowded classrooms that function more as day-care for working parents, rather than centers of learning. They are forced to bolt down non-nutritious food in less than 45 minutes, take their various “meds” without complaint, run around outside for 20 minutes then promptly run back indoors, and to not give the, “taskmasters” any problems, (or suffer the severe consequences). Although undefined, the word “education” has actually come to mean, “authoritarian conditioning” wherein free thought is discouraged not for any practical reason, but simply, “because we said so”. The system is designed to program the student not so much with a working knowledge that actually benefits them, but to mould prospective employees according to clock, deadline, routine and the boss’ command. As a case in point, many schools have a rule which says that when a given number of days are missed, (not attended) that the student is automatically failed, regardless of their grades. This further reinforces the conclusion that school is less about learning, and more about blind adherence to regimen. In other words it is designed to crush down anyone who would otherwise rebel against the mindless toil of the corporate world, to provide ready-made dupes who never complain about their mistreatment, just like a trained dog is made to sit, bark or roll over on command. . . To prove this point, just take an honest look at what education is supposed to do for the individual. Although they don’t come right out and say it, the reason for schooling is never framed within the context of personal enlightenment, free thought, genius, or wisdom of any kind. Never do we hear of “getting an education” in order to find meaning and profound purpose in life. Rather, the subject is always framed in the context of earning within higher income brackets, as well as the so called, “competitiveness of the student in the world marketplace”. What this vague jargon actually means is a matter of corporate-speak, to the effect of…”education is conditioning for the work force, so as to provide maximum profits for those who are already obscenely wealthy”. It exists to provide cannon fodder for those who view the average person as a mere pawn to use up and throw away, (human “resources”) according to THEIR needs, not the true needs of the individual. Education is also provided in the context of peer pressure, of competitiveness at every level. The hidden message is that competition is on par with, if not more important than, the actual information being conveyed. This means that the student is conditioned to define their ego in terms of group comparisons, of, “getting ahead of ones’ competitors”. This is no accident, since it plays right into the corporate scenario, in the “climbing of the, (so-called) ladder of success”. Such underlying motives as these are no doubt why the status quo hesitates to define the purpose of education. If it did, people might realize that public educations’ real purpose has very little to do with actual learning, and a great deal to do with conformity. . . With even the briefest glance at the intellectual state of the general public today, what can we surmise about the legitimacy of education? Have we inspired a public of thinking, logical and wise minds, or have we created something else entirely? To answer this question, just take a brief look at the popular content of writings offered at any grocery check-out stand. Do we see science magazines there, an advocacy for environment, better government or honest critiques of the modern condition? No, what we see are horoscope booklets, soap opera commentaries and the tabloids, talking about what “celebrity” just had liposuction to have their cellulite removed, who’s pregnant by whom, and what was said in the last, “break-up scandal”. Rather than public interest in the latest discoveries of galaxies, genetics and mental clarity, we have the average person avidly consulting, “what the stars predict for their personal actions today”, who cheated on who in Hollywood, and how Biblical prophecies of Armageddon have been confirmed by a chicken-entrail reader in New Guinea. Television and magazine content is much the same. It seems we live in a society that is not only escapist to the point of being unintelligent, but one which is avidly anti-intellectual. It seems that the very LAST question most people would ask about any of this is, “WHY?” Why is it so popular to fixate upon the trivial and downright ridiculous…and what role does public education play in this sorry state of affairs? It’s not hard to imagine it has had a significant hand in literally creating and sustaining a mindset such as this. If for no other reason, this is true because modern education does not teach methods of using the mind, or free questioning of any kind. Instead it crams a lot of apparently unrelated “data” into the mind, as though it were all equal and necessary, without real analysis, practicality or prioritization. Is it any wonder that the average escapist mind cannot then distinguish between useful information and trivial nonsense, after 12 years of such training? Could it be also that so-called, “education” is designed to produce functional stupidity, precisely because a dumb consumer is an, “easy sell”? People who never ask questions, and who lack the ability or desire for discernment make easy political party converts, and willing military recruits. Most of all, they BUY whatever is advertised, and so, generating thinking people through education is certainly NOT in the corporate interest. . . A legitimate educator, like a legitimate educational system, is one which encourages asking “Why?” in all its’ forms, while not being threatened by such questioning. But modern educators, as well as the system in general, is usually VERY THREATENED by such revelations, as the reader will find out. If you doubt this, then take an article such as you see before you to the local school board, and ask for their input regarding its’ conclusions. You will immediately be made to feel like a heretic, a trouble-maker and mal-content. It is not surprising that students who question the validity of their teachers or the school curriculum itself, are treated in a similar fashion. Modern education is therefore not about opening the mind, but about closing it tight and forevermore. The system is there to justify itself and the society it caters to, just like any religious dogma. It is a system of mind control, not enlightenment, designed to stifle any thought outside of the established norm. . . The Free Mind Versus the Boot Camp Recruit . . One of the first things that should change about the educational system, is that it must be made voluntary, not compulsory. The very nature of learning necessitates this, since real learning is had only through genuine interest, not intimidation or coercion. If the truth behind reality cannot be offered freely without compulsion, in all its’ glory and empowering excellence, then this is the fault of a grossly ignorant system, not any would-be student. The very philosophy behind education must therefore be changed, from the burden of dry, memorized facts, to fascination with the depth of truth. Why should the entirety of the unlimited cosmos in all its’ grand design, be forced upon a person to motivate them to acquire knowledge? This thinking doesn’t add up, and is inherently contradictory. It must be the job of the schools to show how knowledge can benefit the learner in innumerable ways, not that arbitrary data must be absorbed or else punishments will follow! Students should WANT to come to school, not because they feel they have to make an arbitrary grade, out-compete their classmates or because it is mandated by the State, but because their desire for learning is evoked by the sheer beauty and excellentness of what is to be learned! If school officials cannot offer such inspiration, then they must resign themselves to the fact that they are inadequate to the task of enlightening future generations. If educators cannot demonstrate “WHY” as well as they can demonstrate “WHAT”, then they have no business calling themselves teachers. A volunteer setting would completely change the teacher-student relationship. Antagonism and resentment would be replaced by mutual appreciation, coercion by the joy of learning and false authoritarianism by the truth that composes the cosmos at large. . . Education as Personal Enlightenment Not Cattle Prod . . Furthermore, if any school system cannot consistently produce open, creative minds that readily question the validity of society itself, then they are doing no service to humankind. What the world needs today, what society needs, are people who can think for themselves, “outside of the box”. We need fresh perspectives beyond the limitations of business as usual, to provide life affirmative innovation and philosophy, capable of rescuing the human condition from itself. Education is not, and must never be, about making more dollars per annum…as if that is the highest goal of human aspiration. Education is not about creating conformists, it’s about enhancing creativity and genius. With the rapid destruction of all the worlds’ ecosystems, the deterioration of international relations in pointless and endless wars, and the rise in mass mental and physical illness of every type and description, the last thing the human race needs is more of the same, “profit above all else” thinking. What we need are students with questioning, compassionate minds, capable of finding creative solutions to our increasing social problems. What we need is innovators, spiritual leaders, revolutionaries and geniuses, not candidate corporate executives, consumer-addicts, unquestioning followers and dumbed-down fools. . . The real purpose of education must therefore be one of enlightened wisdom, the cultivation of progressive intelligence and self empowerment in all ways. We cannot create an empowered society through disempowered individuals. Let’s stop pretending that modern education is even barely adequate for the task of elevating the human condition. Modern education is a disaster. It is totally inadequate and inappropriate for the sake of creating a better world for tomorrow. In honestly asking the question, “Where should we go with the direction of education?” we need only find the answer to one other basic question, and that is, “What is of the highest benefit to life and all living things”? By examining this last question and finding its’ wise solutions, we may yet refashion education into the tool for enlightenment that it is meant to be… . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://woww.eoni.com/~visionquest Greetings and a question - Daryl Watson . 28 Feb 2008 17:53 . #729 Hello all, . . I am a mystic who, after experimenting with meditation and yoga about a year and a half ago, under went a kundalini awakening. My path is currently leading me towards the exploration of the shamanic arts, and I plan to travel to Peru in the fall to undergo ayahuasca cleansing and to learn as much as I can re: this subtle energy that is now a part of my being. . . Consequently, these experiences have forced me to radically examine my current living situation and the degree to which I am plugged into the global capitalist system; a system that is undeniably hostile to the unshackling of my consciousness. I came across the World Mind Society's website while I was exploring articles dealing with entheogens and meditation. I've been reading the Survivalist's Guide For the New Millenium and am drawing much inspiration from it, as I am preparing to take the full plunge, get "unplugged" and live in as close proximity to the natural world as possible. . . I do have one question: in the Survivalist's Guide, it's advocated that the individual purchases a used van to be used as a living space. Frankly, I'm torn between this idea and using my finances to learn how to survive in the wilderness itself. Ideally, I'd like to do both; my concern is that if I pour my resources into a van, I will be totally dependent not only on it's mechanical upkeep, but also on keeping it supplied with gasoline/oil, maintaing auto insurance, both of which still makes me feel more dependent on the global capitalist system than I'd like to be. . . I can't honestly say that an entirely primitivist approach is ideal either, but any insight that anyone can offer would be much appreciated. . . . Many thanks, peace and blessings, . . . Daryl . . Re: Greetings and a question - Matthew Webb . 28 Feb 2008 20:23 . #730 Brother Daryl, . . From your comments and plans, I'd say you have all your priorities exactly right. Simple living, (being unplugged from consumerism) is the very best way to obtain the time and free energy needed to make REAL human progress. That's especially true of the spiritual path of course, which is the bottom line of why we're here and what, as intelligent creatures, we're supposed to be doing. . . It's interesting you've decided to go to Peru, and to pursue the shamanistic avenue. I did the very same thing, and went to see a shaman there by the name of "Don Augustine Rivas" of Iquitos. This was done via a tour group in New Mexico called, "Puma Shamanic Journeys". I stayed on there for a total of 4 months with permission of Don Augustine, with the desire to continue my, "visionary training" under his and Ayahuascas' guidance. It was indeed a very insightful time, a period during which I wrote the first draft for a book, "The Evolution of God", which is now a major basis for the WMS Library. . . As for the van situation, there are several practical advantages. I completely understand your reluctance to opt into even as much particpation in a corrupted system as licencing, fuel/upkeep costs and tags...all that. However, the trade-off between these and the advantages of storage and practical mobility is very worthwhile. First of all, your major expense in ANY scenario is always food. The best thing to do about food is to buy bulk and store it in containers for long-term use. Then there's cooking and camping supplies, books, writing materials, tools and various other useful items which are not wise to dispense with. You can't do that effectively on foot/via backpack, and so, the no-van scene can easily end up costing more and becoming a hassle. Beyond this, it's basically necessary to remain easily mobile, because since the time I wrote the Guide, they, (the National Forest Service/police, etc) have become much more aggressive in their patrols, (you know, protecting those corporate assets from the public, on supposedly public lands). . . Great post, and right in line with what's really important... . . Re: Greetings and a question - Daryl Watson . 29 Feb 2008 18:06 . #731 Brother Matthew, . . Thank you so much for your response. You make an excellent case for the used van route. . . It very much feels like six of one, half a dozen of the other. Having the van would certainly allow for greater freedom and travel...but I'm also conflicted because, ideally, once I return from Peru (when that will be, I don't yet know), I'd like to set up shop somewhere and offer my services as a healer to whomever needs them, without charging fees which could only be met by middle/upper middle class clients. It seems that would be difficult if I was on the road constantly...it angers me that land is something that can be "owned." Who ever said that feudalism was over? To paraphrase Jesus, the Son of Man has no where to lay his head...at least not without the risk of getting a baton to that head and thrown in prison. The injustice and insanity of our civilization is almost too staggering to comprehend. I feel like Neo from the Matrix, once he finally wakes up in his pod, completely dazed, alone, terrified and helpless, a stranger in a strange land. . . Even though the recent realizations of spiritual truths that I've had have been a blessing, I'm also frustrated that I am so ill-equipped, financially and physically to walk down the path that lies before me. I was raised in a suburban middle class home, prepped to be a obedient member of the workforce. I have no actual skills in terms of day to day survival (growing food, hunting, building a shelter, making a fire), nor any knowledge of the techniques that would best help me channel this energy and be of service to others. My funds are limited, so any decision I make needs to be well thought out and precise, and my margin of error is practically nil. . . Sorry. Just needed to vent. . . I've heard wonderful things about Don Agustin, and also noticed in your bio that you'd studied under him. I have so many questions! Did you know how long you wanted to stay there when you asked permission? Where did you live that whole time? With him? If so, how did you earn your keep, or was that even asked of you? . . . Peace and blessings, . . . Daryl . . . Re: Greetings and a question - Matthew Webb . 1 Mar 2008 21:36 . #732 Daryl, you asked... . . "I've heard wonderful things about Don Agustin, and also noticed in your bio that you'd studied under him. I have so many questions! Did you know how long you wanted to stay there when you asked permission? Where did you live that whole time? With him? If so, how did you earn your keep, or was that even asked of you? " . . ///// . . In fact, I didn't know how long I should stay, other than to continue on with the ayahuasca and the various "ceremonies" held at night, by Don Agustine to an average "audience" of about 25. The maximum permissable, as far as I know, is an initial 90 day visa, with a possible one-month extension subject to the approval of the local office. I did in fact stay 4 months, arriving back in Miami with exactly 2 dollars and 35 cents in my pocket. . . There was no, "earning of keep" as it were, he let me stay on as a full-time student. I made use of that time taking ayahuasca almost every night, and writing every day regarding the various insights on consciousness which arose. Most of that time I spent at his second camp in the jungle...a clearing within which pineapple was planted, and at the center, a three-story pole-thatched roof structure. Occasionally he led groups there to do the ceremonies. Most of that time however, I spent alone, sleeping in the tent I brought to Peru. . . With regard to the particulars of van living, I suggest first getting a used van and becoming used to living in such a way, before venturing to the countryside. That wont take long. Many assume that the cost of such a situation is great because of the gas expenditure, but actually, one need not drive very much. In town it's a matter of finding a place to park cheaply or even without cost, and getting around otherwise via bicycle. In the forest setting, one need only find a good campsite to stay for 14 days, (forest service limit)and then move on, or find someone with land who will allow such parking. In any such cases, driving is by no means something you need to do every day, or even every week. . . You said, "The injustice and insanity of our civilization is almost too staggering to comprehend. " . . Needless to say I completely agree. Also needless to say is that you won't find many who even have such honest insight, let alone the backbone to acknowledge its' truth. Believe me I understand your feelings on the matter. My advice is to just remain very practical...take the steps necessary to get out of the system one at a time, and as you mentioned, with careful planning. Being freed out of that mess is generally a gradual process, resulting in advantages that are cumulative over time... . . ///////// . The Latest Example of the Failure of Consumerism - Matthew Webb . 7 Mar 2008 21:04 . #733 South Africa and the global economic downturn . By Latief Parker . 7 March 2008 . In South Africa, we swing wildly between believing that everything is doomed or imagining that the financial sun will always shine. Because of our mineral resources, it often seems—for a short period at least—that whatever the financial agonies of the rest of the world, there will always be a silver—or to be more exact—a golden lining for us. In reality, it is easy to trace the political impact of the global economic crises within South Africa. . There is a clear and unambiguous link between the global downturn of the mid-1970s, provoked by the oil price hike of 1973, and the Soweto uprising in 1976. Mineral resources cushion us from the immediate impact of a global economic crisis, but they only delay the pain, they don’t stop it. Young businessmen, who see post-apartheid South Africa as a licence to print money, implicitly trust the sages of global finance to protect them from the ravages of capitalism in crisis. If they knew their history, they would be substantially less trusting. . The 9th of August 2007 should always be remembered as “Debtonation Day”—to utilise the composite word forged by Ann Pettifor. On that particular day, an economic tidal wave created by the intensifying problems within the US sub-prime mortgage market swept across the Atlantic and the Pacific, flooding banks in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Australia with the realisation that the international credit system and globalised finance had finally imploded. . The terrified investment banks immediately ceased lending to each other, transforming the apparently unlimited financial liquidity of the previous five years into a crisis of illiquidity. This “strike of the banks” spread anxieties from the credit markets into the stock markets and produced a financial meltdown. Interventions by global leaders, including President George W. Bush, could not calm the markets. On 10 August, and again on 13 August, in an unprecedented development, the European Central Bank (ECB), swiftly followed by the Federal Reserve of the United States (the Fed), the Bank of Japan (BoJ) and other central banks injected more than half a trillion US dollars into the banking system. The central banks had decided that they had no choice but to act as the “lender of last resort” to the crippled banking system. . A financially cautious “lender of last resort” would usually require the following conditions: establishing that it was indeed a crisis of illiquidity rather than a crisis of insolvency; the imposition of penalty rates; the existence of good collateral; conditionality and limits to the amount of loan support. As commentators immediately observed, none of these criteria were employed by the central banks. The Wall Street Journal described the situation as a “moral hazard” because reckless investors could now expect to be bailed out by the central banks’ injection of liquidity. . The reality was that the global financial system faced an insolvency problem, not a crisis of illiquidity. The banks had refused to lend for fear that US households, mortgage lenders, home builders, hedge funds and non-financial corporations would prove insolvent. As the Financial Times noted, the injection of liquidity was not accompanied by penalty rates and limits. The loans supplied by the central banks were not based upon solid collateral, but mortgage-backed securities that were the very core of the problem. Finally, there was no conditionality: banks that needed money could have access to it at a fixed rate. . Why had this violation of all the tried and trusted criteria of finance occurred? The answer is that the ECB, the Fed and the BoJ, the pillars of the world’s financial system, had been confronted with something much more frightening than a “local difficulty” in the US; they had recognised that the global economy was facing a systemic threat. The intervention to stabilise the global economy had been on the principle of “by any means necessary.” This was confirmed within a few days by the Fed’s slashing of interest rates, a step that had initially been rejected. The turmoil has persisted in the global economy, taking different forms in different countries, throughout the last seven months. . There had been numerous signs of the impending crisis during the months before August 2007. In June, Bear Stearns, one of the biggest US banks, had shut down two imploding hedge funds that had become over-exposed to mortgage market-related non-performing loans. The Nation reported that Goldman Sachs had had “to rustle up $3 billion to keep one of its hedge funds from collapse. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts ... the notorious takeover firm that has cannibalized so many corporations, experienced similar embarrassment.” . The crisis had originated with the US sub-prime mortgage “bubble” which had burst in February 2007. But how had this “bubble” been formed? . During the previous four years (2002-2006), US interest rates were extremely low. This encouraged the housing market and the construction industry and eventually led to escalating house prices. Quite rapidly, it became apparent that purchasers could secure a cheap loan, buy property and see the investment immediately increase in value. The annual growth in the value of property could either support the payment of the loan or generate swift profit if the purchaser sold the building. . This was capitalist heaven: “win-win.” But the market needed to expand beyond the usual purchasers of property. Rapidly, a market in mortgages for people who had previously been unable to secure conventional loans emerged. These “sub-prime” mortgages were nicknamed “liar” loans or “Ninja” (no income, no job, no assets) loans. Robert Wade, professor of political economy at the London School of Economics, recalled in an article posted on Open Democracy that “the mortgagees were told that continuously rising house prices would allow them to ‘extract equity’ from the rising value of the house and in this way meet the higher payments when the repayment terms toughened in a year or two.” If the sub-prime purchaser couldn’t meet the higher payments, the houses were repossessed and sold in another lucrative “Ninja” operation. . This form of deceptive capitalism was complemented by techniques of “structured finance” developed by the hedge funds, private equity companies and investment banks “securitizing” the “Ninja” loans. Wade continues: “Combinations of highly risky mortgages would be packaged and sold—and given AAA ratings by the rating agencies on the pretext that the risk was widely dispersed ... this mechanism constituted a turbo-charger on the US house market. House prices escalated, the bubble intensified.” . Securitization: the multiplication of securities to disperse the risk became the generator of all kinds of exotic derivative instruments. Collatorized Debt Obligations (CDOs) could give rise to CDOs of CDOs (or squared CDOs) and then to CDOs of CDOs of CDOs (or cubed CDOs) ad infinitum, or rather into a “bad infinity” as old Hegel could have said. . Nouriel Roubani portrayed the expanding bubble as follows: “[A] wealthy individual can take $1 million and go to a prime broker and leverage this amount three times: then the resulting $4 million ($1 million equity, and $3 million debt) can be invested in a fund of funds that will in turn leverage these $4 millions three or four times and invest them in a hedge fund; then the hedge fund will take these funds and leverage them three or four times and buy some very junior tranche of a CDO that is itself levered nine or ten times. At the end of this credit chain, the initial $1 million of equity becomes a $100 million investment ... Then, only a small 1% fall in the price of the final investment (CDO) wipes out the initial capital and creates a chain of margin calls that unravel this debt house of cards.” . Who is responsible for the credit bubble, the credit squeeze and the international slowdown that is currently occurring? Wolfgang Munchau informed the readers of the Financial Times that “the explosive growth in credit derivatives and the collateralized debt obligations between 2004 and 2006 was caused by global monetary policy between 2002 and 2004. In parts of 2002-04, both the US and Europe experienced negative real interest rates—nominal rates adjusted for expectations of future inflation. From 2003 until 2004, the Fed funds rate stood at 1 percent. In Europe, short-term nominal interest rates reached a low of 2 per cent between 2003 and 2005.” . The low interest rates were a reaction to the previous systemic crisis which had started in 1997 with the crash in the Asian-Pacific region. It expanded worldwide in 1998 with the default in Russia, the collapse of the Long Term Capital Management hedge fund and the crises in Brazil and Turkey. It then spread into the US with the bursting of the “dot-com” bubble and the Enron debacle, climaxing in 2001 with the bankruptcy of the “jewel in the crown” of international neo-liberalism, Argentina. In this context, credit expansion was not a choice but a financial necessity in order to contain a global crisis. . The relative upturn in the global economy between 2002 and 2006 was based on the credit-sponsored US consumers’ boom, the huge US deficit and the trade surpluses in Asia, particularly China, which is now the industrial workshop of the world. During the last few years, the Chinese have propped up the US economy by purchasing US Treasury bonds and pegging the yuan to the shrinking dollar. The never-ending flow of cheap commodities and manufactures helped counteract the inflationary pressures in America. . We can now see that the methods used to temper the crisis of 1997-2001 provided only temporary relief. The global economy has now accumulated fresh problems and the systemic contradictions have intensified. It is not a coincidence that the emergence of the US sub-prime crisis between February and May last year was book-ended by stock market plunges in Shanghai. And it is no good looking to China for salvation. As Stratfor’s Global Market Brief explained: “In China, growth rates regularly top 10 percent annually. But this growth is not healthy, as it is predicated on throughput and exports, not profit and local demand.” Put simply, since China’s growth is export-led, it cannot trigger a resurgence elsewhere. China is not the solution; it is an inseparable part of the global crisis. . There is a significant difference between the crisis of 1997-2001 and the financial upheaval now—the United States of America is no longer the world’s financial sheriff, it is now the central villain. . The exposure of the sub-prime delusion in the US “triggered a sequence in which ... banking and financial operators became aware that the foundation of the debt problem was quicksand.” . But sub-prime mortgages and an over-inflated US housing market were only the most prominent tips of the iceberg that is sustained by US debt. Loren Goldner’s inventory of total US debt demonstrates the scale of the problem and the speed with which Americans are wasting their treasure: “As of the end of 2005, there was $33 trillion in outstanding debt (Federal, state, local, corporate, personal) in the US economy, three times GDP. (No one knows how much is tied up in the international hedge funds and derivatives, and the estimated $7-8 trillion in Federal debt does not include trillions more in commitments for Social Security and Medicare.) The state (including Federal, state and local levels) consumes 40% of GDP. The net US debt abroad is between $3 and $4 trillion (at least $11 trillion held by foreigners minus $8 trillion in US assets abroad) i.e. it is comparable (at 30 percent of GDP) to the situation of crisis-ridden Third World countries. That amount is growing by $800 billion a year at current rates. Ominously, in late 2005, foreign income from investment in the US exceeded US income from overseas investment (the one remaining strong pillar of the US international position) for the first time.” . Globalized finance is incapable of eliminating the systemic contradictions in the global economy; in fact, it globalizes and intensifies the crisis. . Signs of the Coming Fall - Matthew Webb . 19 Mar 2008 18:53 . #734 Shades of 1929: Bear Stearns collapse signals deepest crisis since Great Depression . By the editorial board . 18 March 2008 . However the events on Wall Street play out during the next few weeks, there is no question but that a crisis of historic magnitude is now unfolding. After a generation of relentless media propaganda, which touted the infallibility of the capitalist market and the genius of Wall Street’s financial wizards, the United States economy now stands on the very brink of an economic breakdown on a scale not seen since the Great Depression. . The collapse of Bear Stearns last Friday and its subsequent takeover organized by JP Morgan Chase and the Federal Reserve Board mark a major turning point in the history of post-war global capitalism. It signifies that the contradictions within the world capitalist economy are now reaching the point where the type of financial catastrophe and social and economic devastation experienced in the 1930s is not only possible, but is becoming increasingly likely. . The plight of Bear Stearns’s 14,000 employees, at least half of whom are expected to lose their jobs and whose life savings in company stock have been wiped out at a stroke, foreshadows the social catastrophe that threatens to engulf the working class in the United States and throughout the world. . The measures taken by the Fed over the weekend underscore the fact that Bear Stearns is the first of what threatens to become a rash of bank and financial institution failures in the US and internationally. The Fed announced late Sunday that it would take responsibility for some $30 billion in illiquid assets held by Bear Stearns, as part of the takeover agreement with JP Morgan Chase. . In addition, it announced a quarter-point cut in the discount rate it charges for direct loans to banks, and added—in a move with no precedent since the Great Depression—that it would extend unlimited credit for six months not only to commercial banks, but also to investment banks and brokerage houses. Normally, the Fed’s so-called discount window is restricted to commercial banks, i.e., depository institutions, and closed to less regulated and traditionally more speculative investment banks. . By invoking an emergency provision added to the Federal Reserve Act in 1932 at the height of the Depression allowing Fed loans to investment houses, the Fed signaled that it feared the failure of other major Wall Street firms. Veteran economist Allen Sinai has predicted that “several major financial institutions” will be lost in some form. . The Fed took these actions in advance of its scheduled meeting Tuesday, at which it is believed the central bank will further slash short-term interest rates between 0.50 percent and 1.0 percent. . In highly volatile trading on the New York Stock Exchange Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed slightly higher, but financial stocks, with the exception of JP Morgan Chase, continued to fall sharply. Of the major remaining investment banks, Lehman Brothers, the largest underwriter of mortgage-backed securities, fell the most, losing 19 points on top of a 15 point decline on Friday. Citigroup, the largest commercial bank in the world, in terms of market value, fell 6 percent. . The dollar hit new lows against the euro, the yen and the Swiss Franc. . The Fed’s actions, coming on top of massive infusions of liquidity into the financial markets and an agreement to accept as collateral mortgage-backed assets that cannot be sold and are of dubious value, mean that the US central bank is taking onto its balance sheet perhaps hundreds of billions of dollars in bad investments. This threatens to undermine global confidence in the solvency of the Fed itself and accelerate the stark fall of the US dollar on world currency markets. . It is now broadly acknowledged that the current financial crisis is the worst since the stock market crash of 1929 that ushered in the Great Depression. “NBC Nightly News” led its coverage Monday night with the assertion that the moves surrounding the buyout of Bear Stearns were of a type “not seen since the Great Depression.” . In a column published Monday in the Financial Times of London, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan wrote: “The current financial crisis in the US is likely to be judged in retrospect as the most wrenching since the end of the Second World War.” . There are those within the US corporate and financial establishment who are harshly critical of the actions by the Fed and the Bush administration, on the grounds that they are seriously undermining the dollar and the global position of American capitalism. The Wall Street Journal published an editorial Monday that began: “In the credit market panic that began in August, we have now reached the point of maximum danger: A global run on the dollar that could become a rout.” . The Journal went on to complain that “the Fed’s main achievement so far has been to stir a global lack of confidence in the greenback... The Fed needs to restore its monetary credibility or today’s panic could become tomorrow’s crash.” . There were also criticisms from some quarters that the Fed’s intervention was interfering in the operations of the “free markets.” However, most analysts insisted that the action was necessary because of the state of world financial markets. A complete collapse of Bear Stearns would have led to a fire sale of its assets and a cascading effect across financial markets, as the value of all financial assets was marked down, undermining the balance sheets of other major banks and financial institutions, all of which have made similar investments to Bear Stearns. . According to the New York Times, had Bear been allowed to sink, this would have resulted in a “wholesale dumping of mortgage securities and other assets” onto a market where credit is frozen, resulting in a “tsunami” that would swamp hedge funds and brokerage firms. . Reporting on the discussions between Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and other Fed governors with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Undersecretary Robert Steel, the Wall Street Journal noted: “If they allowed Bear to fail, the rest of Wall Street could have been dragged down with it. A major financial institution would have gone from being worth $8 billion to worthless, overnight.” This could have led to a complete freeze on lending, dragging other Wall Street banks under and sparking a stock market collapse of “1987 proportions,” causing “untold damage” to the US economy. . There are growing concerns that the response of the Federal Reserve Board—cutting interest rates and the provision of credit to the banks—is becoming completely ineffective. Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers has warned that “the principal policy tool on which we have relied—the Federal Reserve lending to banks in one form or another” is like “fighting a virus with antibiotics.” He and John Lipsky, a top official at the International Monetary Fund, have suggested that public funds will be needed to bail out the US financial system. . As many analysts have pointed out, the inability of the Fed to resolve the crisis by pumping in more credit stems from the fact that the central problem confronting the financial system is not one of liquidity, but of solvency. . The crisis has its immediate origins in the fall of home prices which started in 2006 and has accelerated since then. This has resulted in tens of billions of dollars being wiped off the value of mortgage-backed securities held by the banks and investment houses, which no amount of interest rate cuts or additional credit will restore. The only way this solvency crisis would end is if home prices started to rise. But with the US economy entering a recession—possibly the deepest since World War Two, according to Harvard economist Martin Feldstein—home prices will continue to decline, further deepening the financial crisis. . The dependence of the global banks on the mortgage-backed securities business is indicated by the fact that the total issuance of these securities, which stood at $16.4 billion in 1998, had risen to $366 billion by 2007. Bear Stearns was only the eighteenth largest underwriter of these securities last year, meaning that many other institutions could go the same way. . The crisis they confront is compounded by the fact that there is no real valuation of the assets they hold, and therefore virtually no buyers if they went to sell them in order to raise cash. According to the New York Times, as of November 30 last year, Bear Stearns had on its books $46 billion worth of mortgages and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Its annual report stated that $29 billion worth of these assets were valued using computer models “derived from” or “supported by” some kind of observable market data, while the value of the remaining $17 billion was based on estimates from “internally developed models or methodologies utilizing significant inputs that are generally less readily observable.” . The methods used at Bear Stearns extend across the global finance and banking system, meaning that hundreds of billions of dollars in asset-backed securities are literally fictitious capital. . The historical roots of the crisis . While the immediate cause of the financial crisis is the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, its historical roots lie in the changes in the physiognomy of US and world capitalism over the past three decades. . The 60 years since the end of World War Two fall roughly into two halves. In the first period, the American capitalist economy was characterized by the dominance of its manufacturing industry. In the second half, it has been characterized by ever-increasing financialization. . This process has seen the creation of a vast mountain of credit and the development of a mode of accumulation in which the profits of major banks and financial institutions are increasingly separated from actual production processes and obtained by ever-more complex financial operations and manipulation. This mode of accumulation is centered in the United States, but the financial crisis which has now erupted there is not simply an American issue. Rather, it is the expression in the American financial system—the heart of the world economy—of a crisis of the global capitalist order. . While the unfolding disaster has come as a surprise to so many of the Wall Street experts, one can find in the first chapter of Volume II of Marx’s Capital a very timely insight into the background of the crisis. Karl Marx made the point that for the possessor of money capital (the banks and financial houses): “the process of production appears merely as an unavoidable intermediate link, as a necessary evil for the sake of money-making. All nations with a capitalist mode of production are therefore seized periodically by a feverish attempt to make money without the intervention of the process of production.” The process depicted here as “periodical” by Marx has now become a permanent feature of American capitalism. . This has now led to the situation where fraud, manipulation and outright criminality have become a central feature of the process of wealth accumulation. When the share market bubble burst in 2000-2001, some of these methods came to light with the collapse of Enron and WorldCom. But far from being ended, they were extended on an even broader scale in the next period. . The response of the Fed to the implosion of the share market bubble was the same as it had been in all previous periods of turmoil, starting with the Wall Street plunge of October 1987. It lowered interest rates and pumped more credit into the financial system. This process led to the housing price bubble which accelerated rapidly after the 2000-2001 recession. It saw the emergence of the fraudulent practices associated with “teaser rates,” “liar loans” and the packaging of debts of dubious quality into exotic financial instruments. These were then given AAA ratings by the credit-rating agencies which themselves stood to gain from the growth of these ever-more dubious financial practices. . Far from the claims of the “free market” boosters that deregulation has promoted transparency, the financial system has been marked by increasing deception and cover-up. Over the past decade, the volume of financial contracts which are not traded on any major exchange and are completely unregulated has increased rapidly, with trade in derivative contracts tied to stocks and bonds taking place in transactions between financial institutions. And in conditions where, as exemplified by the balance sheet of Bear Stearns, “value” is derived from internally generated computer models, it is only a short step to deliberate deception. . In fact, one of the reasons for the credit crunch is that the major banks and finance houses do not believe what they are being told by each other, and so refuse to make credit available. . The post-war evolution of the capitalist economy . The eruption of financial manipulation and criminality, while of major significance, is not itself the cause of the crisis. Rather, the events taking place at the heights of capitalist economy and society are the product of historical changes in the structure of the world capitalist economy. . It is these processes which have led to the prospect of a re-emergence of the type of social and economic conditions which characterized the 1920s and 1930s, and which eventually led to the eruption of World War Two. . The restabilization of the world economy after the devastation of the Great Depression and the war was grounded on the strength of US capitalism. It laid the basis for the reconstitution of the world market, after it had virtually disappeared in the 1930s, made possible the re-establishment of an international monetary and financial system under the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944, and enabled the rebuilding of the European economy via the Marshall Plan of 1947. . The consequent extension to the rest of the advanced capitalist countries of the more productive methods of American industry made possible the upswing in the rate of profit which laid the foundations for the post-war economic boom. . But notwithstanding all the claims of bourgeois economists during the boom that Keynesian economics—based on government intervention to control interest rates and the level of aggregate demand—had ended forever the type of crisis which had exploded in the 1930s, the contradictions of the capitalist mode of production were not overcome. They signaled their re-emergence with a fall in the rate of profit from the end of the 1960s and the accumulating problems of the international monetary system, which led in 1971 to the removal of the gold backing from the US dollar and the ending of fixed currency relationships in 1973. . The 1960s and early 1970s saw an eruption of struggles by the working class in every country—a movement of potentially revolutionary dimensions which was contained only through the betrayals of the Stalinist, social democratic and trade union leaderships of the working class. . The containment of this movement provided the necessary political foundations for the vast reorganization of world capitalism which began at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. The “Volcker shock” of 1979, which saw the lifting of real interest rates to unprecedented levels and the imposition of the deepest recession since the 1930s, was the start of a restructuring of the US economy based on the shutting down of unprofitable sections of industry and a continuous offensive against the working class, starting with the destruction of the air traffic controllers union in 1981. . This offensive was coupled with the development of new computer-based methods of production and management aimed at cutting costs and thereby increasing profits. The impact of these measures was to be seen in the fact that average real wages for American workers underwent a continuous decline from 1973 to the end of the 1990s, whereupon a brief rise was followed by further decline which began in 2001. . While these measures played an important role, the most significant shift in the structure of the world capitalist economy has been the opening up of vast resources and pools of cheap labor in China and other regions of the world following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Stalinist regimes at the beginning of the 1990s. . The exploitation of these resources enabled the world capitalist economy to enjoy an upswing following the recession of the early 1990s—although one marked by increasing instability, as revealed in the Asian economic crisis of 1997-98. . The hollowing out of the American economy—the rise of finance and destruction of the manufacturing industry—and the establishment of vast new production facilities in China and elsewhere are two sides of a global process which has increased economic growth in the past decade-and-a-half. . The expansion of credit in the US and the creation of a series of booms—the share market bubble, the dot.com bubble and the housing boom—have sustained the markets necessary for the expansion of production from China and other cheap-labor countries. . At the same time the lowering of production costs resulting from the transfer of manufacturing to these cheap-labor regions has enabled the US Federal Reserve to maintain the low interest rate monetary regime necessary for the creation of credit-based booms. . But these very processes, which led to increased growth over the past period, have now created the conditions for a global economic crisis which threatens to plunge hundreds of millions of people into a disaster. . The massive investments in China, and the increased demand for raw materials it has produced, have produced a resurgence of global inflation. This upsurge in prices is also being fueled by the continuous fall in the value of the dollar. At the same time, the dollar is continuing to slump because of the Fed’s cuts in interest rates, aimed at sustaining the financial system. In short, the processes which created the upswing of an earlier period are working in reverse. . In the US, the unending assault on the social conditions of the working class and the exhaustion of the “coping mechanisms” developed over the past three decades to sustain family incomes—the entry of greater numbers of women into the workforce, the extension of work hours and the use of household mortgages to finance expenditure—threaten a reduction in consumption spending, leading to deepening recession. . The continuous weakening of the US dollar is not only boosting inflation, it is threatening to spark a reversal of the $2 billion daily inflow of foreign capital which is needed to finance the American financial system. . Apart from its immediate economic impact, the decline of the US dollar is the expression of a broader historical transformation. Last week, as the dollar fell below $1.56 to the euro, the US lost its title of world’s biggest economy to the euro zone. This is not merely of symbolic significance. . The post-war restabilization of capitalism and the consequent boom depended on the strength of the US economy. But for a considerable period, at least since the early 1980s, the global position of American capitalism has been steadily weakening. This decline, however, has been covered over to a considerable extent by the fact that the US dollar has still functioned as the pre-eminent global currency. The dollar’s role as world currency conferred enormous advantages on the US and boosted its financial system, to give it the appearance of a strength it did not have. . Now the underlying weakness has exploded to the surface as the value of the dollar collapses against all major currencies. . The necessity for a socialist program . The eruption of the American financial crisis is an event of profound importance for the US and international working class. . Whatever its immediate outcome, it signifies that the fundamental contradictions of the capitalist profit system, whose eruption saw hundreds of millions of workers, youth and the best sections of the intelligentsia enter the road of struggle for international socialism in the 1920s and 1930s, are maturing once again. . The political tasks which confront the working class center on the fight for an international socialist program which aims at ending the subordination of the economy to the dictates of private profit and utilizing the vast wealth which is created by the labor of working people the world over for the benefit of all. . The financial crisis unfolds in a presidential election year in the US, and yet none of the prospective candidates of the two major parties has anything to say about the financial swindling of the banks or the increasingly dire consequences for tens of millions of Americans. The incumbent president, George Bush, attempts to pass off the growing catastrophe as a “rough patch.” This in itself demonstrates that both parties are nothing other than instruments of the financial aristocracy. . For the past two decades, the high priests and publicists of the capitalist system have used the collapse of the counterrevolutionary and bureaucratic Stalinist regimes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe as the basis for an incessant campaign declaring that socialism is finished and that the capitalist market, based on private ownership and profit, and the division of the world into competing nation states, is the only historically possible form of economic organization. . This historic lie now stands exposed. It is as worthless as the exotic debt products which were passed off by the banks and finance houses as representing real value. . The fight for a socialist program can go forward only through a political struggle against the nostrums advanced by those who claim that a return to Keynesian measures, based on greater government control and regulation while leaving private ownership intact, can provide a solution. . The historical record shows that it was the failure of these measures in the 1970s which paved the way for the “free market” program which has led to the present crisis. . The working people in the US and the world over cannot allow their fate to be determined by the operations of a financial system which threatens them with catastrophe. They must take matters in their own hands. . They must unite across all national borders to fight for a socialist solution to the crisis, at the center of which is the demand that the entire financial system be taken out of private hands and placed under public ownership, subject to full public accountability and democratic control. . The rich and super-rich, along with their representatives in the media, will denounce any such program as not viable because it violates the dominance of private property. But the disaster created by their policies and their stewardship of the social order over which they preside means they have lost any right to direct the future economic organization and activity of society. . For a whole historic period there has been an attempt to deny the scientific analysis of Marx that the development of capitalist society is governed by objective laws which necessarily lead to a social and economic crisis, posing the need for a higher form of social organization. But those laws, hidden from view in the “normal” operation of the capitalist economy, have now come to the surface in precisely the manner described by Marx, just as the “law of gravity ... asserts itself when a house falls about our ears.” . A new political era has been opened up by the eruption of the American financial crisis in which the working class must secure its future and that of mankind as a whole through the struggle for an international socialist program. This is the perspective of the Socialist Equality Party and the International Committee of the Fourth International. . See Also: . After the Bear Stearns bailout: Fears of more Wall Street failures . [17 March 2008] . Fed rescue of Bear Stearns raises specter of Depression-era crash . [15 March 2008] . The world crisis of capitalism and the prospects for socialism . Part one Part two Part three Part four Part five The real meaning of Education - Matthew Webb . 18 Apr 2008 18:41 . #735 I realized today why most people think education is a process of memorization... . . ....and "intelligence" is equated with "how much you know" not how well you use your mind). . . It's because their concept of self is memorized too. . . People think "self" means resume', job title, social position, political party and various other learned (and therefore artificial) labels. . . But the true self is no more a job title, than education is a memorization of chapters and pop quizzes. . . The true self is soul, (AKA consciousness) and this is not learned, (or conditioned) it is innate. . . True education is learning how to use the mind, (the cultivation of intelligence and wisdom) rather than sheer amount of knowledge memorized. . . Do you remember the board game called "Trivial Pursuit"? THAT is the one most akin to modern education. . . Real education is most akin to chess, where rarely are two games are played alike, and yet the same principles (analogous to natural and spiritual laws in life) always apply... . . Education has become sheer drudgery and conditioning. It is directly antagonistic to intelligence and wisdom for this reason. The wise will then see modern "education" for what it is...95% sham and 5% what they probably could have learned better on their own initiative. Those Who Live By Consumerism Shall Die by.... - Matthew Webb . 1 May 2008 17:05 . #736 Those Who Live By Consumerism . Shall Die By Consumerism . . The following letter is written to Leonardo Dicaprio, narrator and producer of the new documentary film, The 11th Hour. In this movie Dicaprio makes an iron-clad, irrefutable case for the need of global human change, through the words of a legion of many of the worlds’ best thinkers, scientists, philosophers and bio-revolutionaries. The need for a complete re-thinking of how we humans do business, lifestyle and government is shown in great detail. The film demonstrates that without such change, we face mass disaster, starvation and even extinction within just a few short decades. Statistical evidence, scientific studies and insightful thought abound in this great work, one that is nothing short of essential viewing for every thinking person on the planet… . . Brother Leonardo, . . What you’ve accomplished with this film far exceeds all previous efforts for global change of which I am aware. This masterpiece of modern analysis and honest self reflection ought to be mandatory viewing for all school-children. It should be the subject of focus for every neighborhood and every caring mind. The 11th Hour is perhaps the single-most “humanitarian” and socially responsible act ever committed in the name of the Earth, the natural health of every living thing upon it, and the true good of all people on every continent. The various commentaries of the dozens of intelligent people interviewed in the film, combined with startling photography and statistical evidence, synthesize together brilliantly for an effect which leaves the viewer very much shaken. Were the average person to realize just how close we all are as a species to environmental collapse, they would be truly terrified. Were people to realize just how close we are to the fall of civilization, to the collapse of all those amenities of, “modern convenience” which most take for granted, I wonder how many would take meaningful action? . . This question brings me to the purpose of writing this letter, apart from the desire that is, to extend every well-earned congratulation for a job well done. In my extensive experience with public attitudes on the internet and in person over the last decade however, I have not found the kind of caringness about the planet or each other which your film alludes to. In it you said that people from all walks of life and on every continent are, “spontaneously” and en-mass taking a new approach to how they live. They are living in far more environment-friendly ways, it said, and carrying out various projects which address such concerns as global warming, deforestation, soil depletion, over-fishing, pollution and other such concerns. I’d like to actually meet even ONE person who has such a passion for the natural world or for a real quality of life which only natural ways can provide. But I’ll tell you this….I have never met such a person at random in the street or on the internet. In my experience regarding such issues, (as the author of various articles and commentaries on these and related subjects) one should consider themselves lucky to even get the most superficial of replies to such posts regardless of the internet forum, and regardless of the method of presentation. In saying this, I refer to the supposedly most progressive forums, not just the average “Yahoo chatrooms”, but those explicitly dedicated to social change. . . What I’m saying is that I don’t believe, as much as I’d like to, that even one person in a million cares in the most superficial way about any of these subjects. I don’t believe that even one person in a million gives much of a damn about ANYTHING, including the inevitable demise of the human race and the mass destruction of nature on this planet. Does that revelation shock you, or is it that you were putting an optimistic face on what is surely the inevitable death of Homo Sapiens? In over 8 solid years of campaigning on the internet on behalf of the expansion of consciousness, the rejection of consumerism as an exercise in insanity, the embrace of nature and natural laws, not once have I had a truly lucid, long-standing conversation about any of these subjects with anyone anywhere in the world, and certainly nothing that even resembled the taking of concrete action. Let me assure you that this has not been through the lack of trying, after the writing of about 200 articles on these and related subjects, and the posting of thousands of comments on various forums. . . Such statements about the uncaringness of the public may seem to you and others to contradict what’s really going on in the world. Such statements may seem heartless or misinformed. You may argue that there are in fact countless people who, “really care” and who are, “really doing something” about saving this planet. So lets’ define what “caring” really means. To really and truly care about saving the world, or even just the saving of one’s self by the same token, is a matter of doing what is truly needed. Token efforts and lip service given to causes are decidedly NOT what I’m talking about. To care about putting out a bonfire does not mean throwing one teaspoon of water on the blaze and then walking away with smug satisfaction, only to throw various lit cigarettes in woodpiles on the way home. It means sizing up what is actually REQUIRED by the situation which reality presents, and acting upon it in such a way that has realistic hope of successful intervention. Real caring is not about how people are working to plant trees in Los Angeles to “mimic” nature, it’s about not living in a 3000 square foot house to start with, that took a hundred acres of trees to build, furnish and maintain. Real caring is not about just using some recycled paper towels at the marketplace while creating 50 times more garbage and waste than is necessary to live well. Real caring is not about buying ethanol to fuel your car, when you’ve got two more cars than you need, with price tags and amenities which cost 100 times more than they should have to start with, and which guzzle gas like water through a sieve. Real caring, in short, is not about a subscription to Audubon magazine or using “green friendly” technologies to water your lawn, but in NOT PARTICPATING IN THE WHOLE MADNESS THAT IS CONSUMERISM TO START WITH. Here we are, talking about all these, “potential solutions” to our various grave problems, but spending very little time analyzing WHY THE PROBLEMS ARE THERE ALREADY. They’re there because of the holding of low consciousness by the average person, because of wrong values, because of unthinking follower-ship of the mass media, and because of a widespread lack of self knowledge. Our problems are rooted in endless greed for the sake of egotism, and these attitudes are the product of inner spiritual lack and mental imbalance. If a person REALLY CARES, then they must grapple fully with what has caused such problems to start with, as we now witness them in the world, and then take such action that will fully and realistically remedy them. THIS is what is required of us by our world situation, and THIS is simply the nature of reality. But rare indeed is the person who is even willing to discuss the real bottom line of the modern condition, (greed and egotism) for the sake of re-founding a sane world wherein the higher qualities of the human being may flourish, (truth and naturalness). This and only this is what is meant by “caring”, not token projects that neither address the root of the problems we face, nor find those fundamental solutions which only the unmasked truth can provide. If we’re going to save this world through REAL caring, then we are forced to deal with reality on its’ own terms. We must stop trying to simply address the problems of our own making with short sighted “solutions” and quit causing those very problems to start with. You can’t detoxify a body that is constantly bathing in poisons. The first and best thing to do is to, “not participate” in the poison to start with, and by “poison” I mean all the phony-baloney product-hype of consumerism. By “caring” I mean living in a fashion that is anti-consumerist, one that doesn’t care about, “keeping up with the Jones’” and which doesn’t define “success” through a suicidal focus on a life of wage slavery and thing-fixation, (with or without volunteerism in the local, “beach clean-up”). By caring I mean no longer being a cancerous tumor in the body of the good earth, all for the sake of brand name egotism, and instead living in a manner that is in all ways practical, efficient and SANE. . . Also, it is easy to blame short-sighted government policy or corporate greed for much of the worlds’ ills. In a superficial sense, these entities ARE much to blame. But what is a corporation other than a collection of typically greedy individuals who value nothing but egotism and money? What is a corrupt government other than a collection of persons who share essentially the same values as anyone else in the general public? What else is a corporation or a government other than a reflection of the general consciousness of humanity at large? This means that real worldly change is NOT ultimately about a change of corporate or government policy, the re-writing of laws or the petitioning of politicians. Meaningful change is about the transformation, or upgrade if you will, of the consciousness of the individuals who compose these collective entities. This is so because real caring and sane lifestyle are the direct result of an expanded consciousness…they are in fact a BI-PRODUCT of expanded consciousness. Everything we do in life, individually and collectively, is a matter of the level and quality of consciousness we hold each moment. Ignore this fact and all other efforts at social reform are doomed to fail. Observe this inescapable natural law, and regardless of government policy or judicial ethics, we’ll have the necessary groundswell of wise support which can only come from enlightened individuals. . . Some of the learned people whom you interviewed were clearly of the mindset that we need to “redesign” the practices and methods of industry. They pointed out that we have such technology as is necessary to save ourselves and this world. I have no doubt that we do indeed have the physical means to save ourselves from extinction, but this is not truly the issue as certain other interviewed persons pointed out. What we have today is not truly a social crisis or a problem in governmental policy…it is a crisis in the individual persons’ consciousness. You could also call this a, “spiritual deficit”, and as one person pointed out, the fractured, disconnected modern condition is just a mirror for the fractured and disconnected inner state of the average human being. Consumerism is not the material utopia it is presented to be, but in fact, a mass mental disorder which has, “replaced” the need for inner honesty and spiritual integrity, with more and more material objects. This is of course not a real solution for anything…material objects are not the true issue of our crisis, and therefore, neither is the means of their production. Saying this does not negate the legitimate need for earth-friendly technologies and lifestyles. It merely points out that the real root of the modern problem is willing participation in a soul-less culture, one that is at odds with nature and true spiritual advancement in every possible way, even to the extent of denying the basic nature of the body and our relationship with all other living things. We even talk about nature as a, “resource” which “provides us with services” as though the function of existence is to serve human needs. Not only is this attitude arrogant, it is incredibly stupid. As a species we are as much at war with ourselves as we are natural laws, and given this, we must first, “get our own house in order” before we can presume to competently get the house of nature back on its’ feet. . . When I said I don’t believe even one person in a million honestly and truly cares about any of this, I refer to the inner crisis with which Homo Sapiens is faced. The reason people don’t really care about such obviously important and inescapable issues, is that they are impoverished inside themselves…their spirits are dead, their minds are in chaos and their lives a karmic wreckage that continues to spin out of their control. They have no self knowledge in other words, and don’t even want any. With the average person out of control even of their own minds, bodies and lives, how can they possibly be expected to develop such personal power as to competently address the needed remedies for our world? They simply cannot, and it was a little disappointing to see this point underemphasized in The 11th Hour. THIS is the heart of the issue….outward environmental, government and political change can ONLY be accomplished through an equivalent shift within the personal realm of the average human being. Until then they simply WILL NOT CARE, not even about themselves, and so what we’re talking about here is not a green revolution, or an evolution of technology or method, but a revolution in human consciousness. . . Consciousness is improved and expanded, first and foremost, through self knowledge and unflinching inner honesty about ones’ self and the world. Self knowledge shows us that we are in fact a part of nature…our natural bodies contain billions of years of information. It also shows us that as souls, (spirits in bodies) we ARE in fact consciousness, not the artificial titles written upon resumes’. We are awareness itself, not just an awareness of job descriptions, consumer-product images, sales slogans and fashion. We are the embodiment of natures’ wisdom, and our purpose is not endless greed at the cost of all life and limb, but as the functioning, self-aware neocortex of nature itself, as the respectful caretakers of the process of evolution, and the wise followers of natural law. Nowhere in this equation of truth is written the awful lies and falsehoods of the consumer world. It is nothing short of disgraceful to be on the brink of extinction for the sake of egotistical accumulation of plastic trinkets, cosmetic surgery, wars for oil and social posturing. When we dubbed ourselves, “Homo Sapiens” which means, “self knowing” we surely were not referring to the modern age, where the very idea of self knowledge is scoffed at, and the words of Enquirer magazine headlines about, “celebrity cellulite” is idealized as though they were the latest revelation of God Almighty. . . In short, I want to reemphasize the point to you, and as a matter of felt, social responsibility, that the crisis so well defined by The 11th Hour is one of human consciousness. We can attempt to quick-fix our constant errors of wrong values as a species through technology or policy, but the bottom line here is that real remedy will not, and cannot come about, through anything less than the improvement of the human being itself. Better machines cannot replace their wise use, as any tool is only as good as the hand which wields it. Better policy cannot replace wisdom and the expansion of consciousness, as policy, like governments, will only decay under the auspices of such suicidal values as greed above all else, and products as a surrogate for love and clarity. . . Within these honest realizations lies our duty toward each other and this planet as a whole. Green technology is excellent, but what of the exaggerated demand placed upon the environment and each other by the average “consumer” who imagines that life is only so precious as the next paycheck and what it can purchase? When we have people spending more on their lawns each year as a matter of egotistical image, than the entire gross national product of India, where else can this scenario go but mass suicide? Until truth is valued over shallow image, what else can the human race expect than endless war and continent-wide starvation? . . Healthy worlds are the result of healthy people. Intelligent governments and corporate endeavors are the result of intelligent individuals. Wise policy making can only come about from the wise persons who both draft and enact them. If you or anyone else expects REAL social change to occur in any meaningful way, you’re going to have to deal with this essential fact of human existence. It isn’t going to, “just happen” by virtue of special projects or social movements. If meaningful change is going to occur at all before the human race goes extinct, it will have to be the result of the expansion of consciousness of the majority of human beings. Therefore, what is needed now more than ever, is an emphasis upon self knowledge, self realization, meditation and the expansion of THE TRUE SELF. A science of consciousness is key in this regard, one which identifies clearly the true nature of the self, (consciousness itself) and how it can be expanded, upgraded and made more enlightened. Without such an implementation of ancient knowledge of soul, of true self, such efforts as you and others are trying to promote are eternally doomed to failure, and all rhetoric toward the ends of, “saving a brighter future for our children” is just an empty flapping of gums in the breeze. . . I want to elaborate on what consciousness is, and what a “science of consciousness” really means, but that is far beyond the scope of this letter. To say that consciousness is, “intent, awareness and energy” and in that combination would be a start, but experience has taught me that nobody really listens to such revelations with a serious ear, until such a time as they get serious about their efforts in meditative self knowledge. Never the less, it is my responsibility to at least leave the door open to this knowledge, and point to where further study about this subject may be found….(see link). . . Sincerely, with love and clarity, . Matthew Webb . World Mind Society Founder http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . visionquest@eoni.com . . The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Matthew Webb . 27 May 2008 18:56 . #737 The Most Hated and Feared of All . . Who is the most hated person in all the world? . Not the mass murderer, the rapist, nor the thief. . Not presidents of countries who bomb whole populations into oblivion, . nor corporate CEO’s whose bottomless greed destroys whole regions of the good Earth, . but rather, . the most hated person in all the world, . is the truth-sayer, . the honest man, the speaker of unvarnished fact, . regardless of politics, country, religion or fashion-trend. . . Who is the most feared person in all the world? . Not gun-toting mafia gangsters or insane military leaders, . nor sadistic prison wardens, corrupt policemen, crooked bankers or dictators. . Not terrorists, crack cocaine peddlers, nor mad scientists with their genetic engineering, . but rather, . the most feared person in all the world and throughout the history of humankind, . is the speaker of WHAT IS, the wise among the wise who say, . “The world has gone utterly astray”. . . There is no quicker way to clear a room, . no better method to destroy the party or, “change the subject”, . no surer method to cultivate the very deepest and longest-lasting enmity . amongst family and neighbors alike, . than to speak the truth. . . Who, therefore, is the most ignored, the most rejected in all the world? . Whose words reach only deaf ears, dumb lips and utterly resistant minds forever-more, . until the last days of the human race? . He who speaks the truth. . . Indeed the messenger is both feared and despised for their message. . But what is really feared and despised in this modern day, . is the truth itself and all its’ implications. . . For what greater enemy is there to the common man, . than the truth of his own reflection, . behind the masks, facades and scheming plans. . “Kill me, torture me, cheat me, kill my children in pointless wars, rape my lands, . destroy the mountain forests, the rivers, the oceans, . until all living things must die, . but don’t take away my cherished illusions!”, they cry. . Gibbering tongues wag, on and on they try, . in vain attempts to avoid the pain, . not for the love of truth, but an addicts’ “high”, . insane, seeking somewhere to hide . from all their lies, . in temples, churches, universities or waving flags to fly. . . What does this tell you, oh thinking minds of the world, . if indeed such minds still exist, . about the state of humankind? . It ought to tell you one thing most certain… . “The world has gone utterly astray”. . . There is only one thing in all the universe from which a person cannot be saved, and that is themselves. . Likewise, there is only one thing in all the universe from which a society cannot be saved, and that is itself. . . Those who do not wish to be saved cannot be saved! . . Truth-sayers beware; . Any attempt to speak the truth about the modern world will therefore be met by only seven types of responses, as follows; . . 1) absolute silence . 2) denial of any real problem with the world, or any responsibility for it, . 3) issuing superficial “agreements” which lack even the slightest desire for action or sincere, progressive discussion . 4) babbling something totally nonsensical/changing the subject . 5) attacking the speaker in a desperate attempt to slander their character, thus making it easier to ignore their message or otherwise distract from it, . 6) The denial that there is even such a thing as truth, or that it can be known, or, . 7) any combination of the above six. . . Such madness, such bizarre phenomena is universal, no matter what the internet forum, country, setting, method of presentation or subject matter, so long as the unvarnished truth is being spoken. This is so because humanity, in its’ arrogance, believes that not only is it above nature, it is above truth itself. Thus arises the popular phrase, “my truth and your truth” as though truth is something you make up as you go along. Humans have come to believe, en-masse, that how they FEEL about the truth is far more important and deserving of focus, than the certain consequences of ignored FACTS. This is so no matter how dire or relevant the subject, from environmental destruction and the very laws of the universe, to the imminent demise of the human race. . . In the modern world, denial has become the norm. We live amongst a race of beings much akin to the ostrich with its’ head in the sand, hoping reality will go away if we wish long enough, or enough of us believe it so be so. But it has not, nor will it go away merely because we wish it. Our destructive and irrational actions, have and will continue to produce, an equally destructive re-action in the environment and amongst the nations of the world. This is also known as “karma”. . . Having said this however, is to be ignored. It simply isn’t “popular”, and so, humanity will die by its’ own hands, with a stranglehold around its’ own neck, for a lack of those with enough integrity to simply say, “I reject modern society and all that it stands for”. . . This is a conscious and suicidal decision to keep “comfortable” in consumer-land, until the very last moment. When that moment comes it will be a day of reckoning, at which time whole regions of the human world will simply die off in a matter of days and weeks. All your lies will finally catch up with you. Tjhere will be nowhere to hide in fashion-trends, or phony religious notions that have nothing to do with reality, or silly patriotic slogans which are simply cultural fascism re-named. . . The World Mind Society . http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Constance Hall-Orman . 29 May 2008 18:51 . #738 Matthew and All!;-) . . Our inner truth, is as it is. . . Focusing on the outer, is an illusion, and this is too, just as it is. . . Perhaps, my truth, is not what you want to hear ... but who is to deny my truth? . . Self Governance is the way ... . Guided by the individual soul ... . . Who is to say, that this or that individual is not on their path, in each given moment. . . We are all operating at different levels of consciousness ... in every breath. . . this is too ... just as it is ... . . so the focus is within, to bring the soul without in the world of illusion ... . . creating a new world ... new vision ... new being ... . . this happens within, this is our transformation that we are responsible for ... . . we shall be guided by our inner truth, and not by any others ... . . we shall always point to within, and allow the individual to find their way ... . . we can help ... we can hope ... we can heal ... . . but who must do the work ... . . each individual that houses human form in manifest ... . . this too, is as it is. . . always, . with, . LOVE! . in kindness to your request, for thoughtful dialogue in Truth. . . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Matthew Webb . 30 May 2008 17:39 . #739 Dear Constance, . . Thank you for your response, and for caring about this issue. The lack of truth in the modern world, is surely the bottom line of all of its' ills. . . You said; . . ////////// . . "Our inner truth, is as it is. Focusing on the outer, is an illusion, and this is too, just as it is." . . ///////// . . There is no difference between the "inner truth" and "the outer truth" for they are one and the same thing. The illusion is in thinking that they are somehow different. The same natural laws apply to your biochemistry, just as they do in all the life forms of nature. The same laws of physics govern each and every thing the body does, just as it does for all the circumstances of the natural world. The same spiritual laws apply equally well to the human being, as they do every other creature and object in the universe. . . /////////// . . "Perhaps, my truth, is not what you want to hear ... but who is to deny my truth? . . //////////// . . It doesn't matter who WANTS to hear the truth, and it also doesn't matter who speaks it. What matters is the truth itself or the lack thereof, whatever the case may be. If truth were a personal fixture, subject to change at a whim, then it wouldn't be "truth" it would be "baseless opinion". If this were the case in fact, then science wouldn't be possible, and philosophy/religion would be rendered utterly meaningless, no matter how factual their doctrine, since to say "my truth" is also to say "there is no such thing as truth". Truth is not subject to being made up as anyone happens to wish or choose. . . ///////////// . . "Self Governance is the way ... . Guided by the individual soul ... " . . //////// . . If you mean that self responsiblity is necessary, then I agree completely. . . //////////// . . "Who is to say, that this or that individual is not on their path, in each given moment." . . ///////// . . Who is to say that a person is not on the Path that is both necessary and needful? God, nature and natural laws, to start with. . . //////// . . "so the focus is within, to bring the soul without in the world of illusion ... . creating a new world ... new vision ... new being ... . this happens within, this is our transformation that we are responsible for ... . we shall be guided by our inner truth, and not by any others ..." . . /////////// . . The world of illusion to which you refer is Man's view of the material world, not the material world itself. Atoms, molecules, DNA, plants and animals are not "illusions". What is an illusion is such views of the world that humanity holds, examples being thus; . . 1) that nature exists for us to exploit, or that God put it there for us to "use" as we see fit. . 2) that life is about money and the gaining of material posssessions for their own sake and for the purposes of egotism and unlimited greed, (rather than the expansion of consciousness, and the further evolution of human beings). . . Yes, I agree that the inner focus is totally essential, and that a soulic transformation is essential not only for the individuals' progress, but for the survival of humanity as a species. But that transformation (the expansion of consciousness) is governed by specific spiritual laws. The reality/truth which govern life operate by very specific parameters, a fact that life has always had to observe during the course of natural history. If we do not observe such details, such "natural/spiritual guidelines" if you will, then it is our folly, and in fact, our death as a species, as well as our failure as individual practitioners, to accept and apply truth on its' own terms. That's just the way it is, but it is a fact which gives real meaning to the Path, as opposed to just "made up stuff" which may or may not be true, real and practically useful. . . . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Constance Hall-Orman . 30 May 2008 21:03 . #740 No problem Matthew;-) . . I believe that we are saying about essentially the samethings about the outer reality ... . . but, perhaps death ... . . death is just another illusion ... . . illusion is not just things/stuff/matter/form ... or material . . illusion is buying this reality as real ... . . there is no death ... death is continuing the illusion, that we are not soul travelers ... even the earth itself works within the same frames as the being in form. . . everything is energy ... . . we know this ... as fact, shall we say a Truth? . . energy is not still, but is constant and always moving, vibrating, pulsating, gathering and shattering ... . . new forms always creating ... . . is this reality ... the very one you witness/observe, your creation? . . The life you built out of subtle matter into form? . . i think ... therefore i am ... . . what is beyond this? . . i am nothing and i am everything ... . . but what is this? . . it is matter and form, energy and information ... colliding ... . . yet, in the end, we are still here, walking and talking in matter, taking form, looking into a landscape called reality, which has been for a millennium ... we are addicted to the reality as a human being, returning again and again, because it is where we need to work ... to be*come. . . and so it is ... . . we are working ... . . LOVE! its an energy too! . thanks for the continuous ... . . . . . . . . . . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - The Subverse Human . 31 May 2008 12:48 . #741 Hey Matt. I believe that this guy comenting iz just the kinda person ur talkin about. He dosent have to take responsiblity for the application of truth coz there is no truth in his illusion. The higher plain of thought becomes a magical fantasy land where all things are posible and no ones responsible excect the force of the unconprihendable. Well this is just the problem. Lack of comprehension or no true desire for it. Do we really die???? YES we fckin DIE never to exsist again! Its harsh, its unfair, its disturbing, its scary, but its how it is, GET USED TO IT!! . . Matthew, you know im allways with you on everything you say as you are only saying the truth and nothing more, which pushes out any room for arguments. This still doesnt stop them. . . I think that maybe the thing that is destroying our race will be the thing that will save it - LOVE. All of the above you mentions only applys to disfuctional adults. Children are born pure free from ills so the answer to purifing the human race lies within our children. I see all around me parents neglecting and mistreating their children, but the kids will still love them no how badly their treated. Its this love of their own parents who have ruined them is what is ruining the world. We instintively love our parents from birth no matter who or what they are. People follow in their parents footsteps so if the parents footsteps lead to ruin then so will their children and so on and so on. People are fearful of their parents. We all instintively (as part of love) want to please out parents. For example look as the Bush's, George Bush jr allmost mirroring his fathers way of life. Adults, parents are the problem. These are the desiese carriers. Our new born must be quarenteened from this infection. Once a child is infected it is very difficult to cure. . . PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE . . Basicaly we are being lead to the pressipiss by our parents, the very ones who brought us life are the same ones who are leading us to death. I HATE my parents! If i didnt i wouldnt be here now supporting truth and life, i might be doing the opposite. Rejecting my parents "love" was an essential part for me in seeing truth in the world. Nothing my parents did or said made any sense. Why follow that that doesnt make sense, that in itself doesnt make sense. But love is sometimes blind and its not reality but people that become inportant to an individual. Children desire love and company from their parents so they will do whatever it takes to FIT IN. We all need to fit in somewhere or we're lost n lonely. Its the unconcious fear of being alone and rejected frightens people away from the truth. But if us adults as parents have accepted truth then through love so will our children. . . REJECT ALL LIES + . REJECT ALL LIERS = . REJECT OUR CURRENT SYSTEM . . I hope ive introduced most here to this very important and relivant to current status topic more than just petit misunderstanding and denile of facts. . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Constance Hall-Orman . 31 May 2008 14:59 . #742 hey happy human ... . . i'm a girl;-) i see, you are a guy/or a happy human? . . you don't seem too happy? ;-( . . where is your love? ;-( . . wrapped in anger towards a world that is ... . . death like birth, is an experience, and you're having it ... . . are you not? . . LOVE - living one vibrational energy . . is a conscious act, that you do consciously, or not ... . . Responsibility for Self is key ... . . Harmlessness is key ... . . Awareness of outer conditions is key ... . . Cleaning house is key ... . . Purity is key ... . . these are all keys, you have the keys, we have these keys, . . to unlock any door ... of greater potential in us all ... . . animal/human/divine beings ... this is us ... . . where do you operate from? . . there is a future, there is a new world emerging ... . . however, you must be part of it ... . . you must make the necessary changes within you ... . . this work, is key ... to the greater whole of all humanity ... . . as we are each a sum part of the greater whole ... . . when we leave ... ;-) . . well ... when we are there, we can talk about it then ... ok? . . so we can be on the same page ... to know a truth together ... as one ;-) . . sound like a plan ... ? . . LOVE! . . . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - The Subverse Human . 1 Jun 2008 14:43 . #743 Im not quite sure if i know what you mean. I hear the kind of talk from a few people on here, its like talking in riddles. Sorry to call you a guy, i never checked your profile before. You say you were born in Castro Valley, i cringe at the thought of what may have been praticed there at one time. Anyway, love in its purest form is a release of nero chemicals. An entense body n mind rush of love can be stimulated with the drug ecstasy (hence the name). From what i know of love it is how i feel about certain music or art or beautiful women. I had a crush on a girl at school once with feel quite overwhelming. Dont have a close partner whoom i love so love for me kinda is limited within the relms of what ive experienced. But i could never have experienced the oneness of love without ecstacy and i feel sadened of people who have not experienced this. This intense and powerful experience of emense love and pleasure for a prolonged time (like a 4 hour super orgasm) changed my life forever. But i know that it wasnt just the drug itself that caused this as i have tried many times after to achieve the same state in failuer. It exsagerates feelings you allready have toward things like music and people. I know ive digrest a bit from the topic, sorry Matthew, but it part of my life i thought i'd share with you. . . The UNhappy Human . Re: The Most Hated and Feared in All the World - Constance Hall-Orman . 2 Jun 2008 14:13 . #744 happy human;-) . . here we are a like; in many ways ... . . one being we are human, and i wish you to be happy human again, not unhappy ... . . so this is where my self responsibility kicks in and says; . . i did the same thing, i responded to you, without reading your bio first; i thought oh dear, look here, me and happy human have some thing in common ... our love of music, and even our use of profanity when our personalities are in control of our divine nature ... in a moment that passes. . . the love i speak of is not the love that you are speaking; the love that dances between the opposites of pleasure and pain; the love i speak of is in the middle between the two that dance here and there, but is a constant state, and it takes work to maintain it; and it is infinite, unconditional ... constant;-) . . so can we shake hands, and be friends happy human? . . and you can be happy again ... are you kidding ... i'm not leaving here ... until you say, ok, ok, ok ... i'm a happy human again;-) . . LOVE! . . PS: Matthew, sorry for the digression in the subject matter ... but truth be said;-)we must make good ... . . Falsification of US Economic Data - Matthew Webb . 2 Jun 2008 18:41 . #745 I don't mean to distract from our ongoing discussion of truth by posting this, but it is a very useful article... . . Behind the falsification of US economic data . By Peter Daniels . 2 June 2008 . . In recent years, it has become increasingly clear to those who follow US economic statistics that there is something dubious about the numbers released by official government agencies and used to guide many aspects of social and public policy. . The details and chronology of the corruption of economic data are presented in a new book by Kevin Phillips, the political commentator and former Republican Party adviser who has become something of a muckraking critic of the “excesses” that he helped set in motion. The book is entitled, Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism Phillips summarizes some of his main conclusions in an article in the current issue of Harper’s Magazine. . . The article focuses primarily on three measures: the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), the quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the monthly figure for the unemployment rate. Phillips convincingly demonstrates that the real unemployment rate in the United States is between 9 and 12 percent, not the 5 percent or less that is officially claimed. The real rate of inflation is not 2 or 3 percent, but instead, between 7 and 10 percent. And real economic growth has been about 1 percent, not the 3-4 percent officially claimed during the most recent Wall Street and housing bubble that has burst. . . Phillips’s background makes his statements all the more significant. He was a prime strategist for Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign and one of the main architects of the notorious “Southern strategy,” through which the old Republican Party of Wall Street and Main Street refashioned itself with a right-wing populist appeal, stoking racial antagonisms while above all capitalizing on the bankruptcy of American liberalism to shift the political spectrum sharply to the right. . . The corruption of official statistics is not the work of one administration, and Phillips traces it back nearly 50 years. The current occupant of the White House has, in fact, been somewhat less active on this front than his predecessors. . . Soon after John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, Phillips points out, he appointed a committee to recommend possible changes in the measurement of official joblessness. What soon followed was the use of the category of “discouraged workers” to exclude all those who had stopped looking for jobs because they weren’t available. Many who had lost employment in basic industry, in a trend that was just beginning to pick up steam with automation and the rise of global competitors in such industries as steel and auto production, were no longer counted as unemployed. . During the administration of Lyndon Johnson, the federal government began using the concept of a “unified budget” that combined Social Security with other expenditures, thus allowing the current Social Security surplus to disguise growing budget deficits. . . As Phillips reports, Nixon tried to tackle the “problem” of statistics in typically Nixonian fashion: he actually proposed that the Labor Department simply publish whichever was the lower figure between seasonally adjusted and unadjusted unemployment numbers. This was apparently deemed too brazen an attempt at manipulation and was never implemented. . Under Nixon’s Federal Reserve chairman, Arthur Burns, however, the concept of “core inflation” was devised. This became the means of excluding certain areas like food and energy, on grounds of the “volatility” of these sectors. The suggestion was that these prices jumped and then sometimes fell, so that it was best to remove them from the prices surveyed. In fact, food and energy together accounted for an enormous portion of spending for most sections of the working class and, as Phillips also explains, these two sectors are “now verging on another 1970s-style price surge.” As of last January, Phillips writes, the price of imported goods had increased 13.7 percent compared with a year earlier, the biggest jump since these statistics began in 1982. Gasoline prices, meanwhile, have soared by more than 30 percent since just the beginning of this year. . . The Reagan administration addressed itself to the pesky problem of housing in the inflation index. An “Owner Equivalent Rent” measurement was dreamed up for the purpose of artificially lowering the cost of housing—from a purely abstract statistical standpoint. Under Reagan, Phillips also points out, the armed forces began to be included in the labor force and among the employed, thus reducing the unemployment rate, even though these same members of the military would in many cases have no employment in civilian life. . . George H.W. Bush and his Council of Economic Advisers proposed the recalculation of inflation statistics to give greater weight to the service and retail sectors and, again, reduce the official rate of inflation. . . This change was actually implemented during the Clinton administration. Clinton also carried out other changes, including a reduction in the monthly household sampling from 60,000 to 50,000, a decrease that was concentrated in the inner cities and had the effect of reducing official jobless figures among African-Americans. . . The Clinton years were an especially active time for imaginative tinkering with economic data. Three other “adjustments” in the Consumer Price Index were implemented under the Democratic administration: product substitution, geometric weighting, and hedonic adjustment. . . Product substitution means that, for example, if steak gets too expensive, individuals substitute hamburger. Steak is simply removed from the typical food basket even though it has been used in the past to track price changes. . . Geometric weighting is defined as lower weighting in the price index for those goods and services that are rising most rapidly in cost, on the assumption that they are consumed in lower quantities. This may of course be true, but the aim is to reduce the inflation figure, covering up the fact that some items are no longer affordable for tens of millions of people. . Phillips is particularly scathing about “hedonic adjustment,” also implemented during Clinton’s presidency. In this concept, the supposedly improved quality of some products and services is translated into a reduction in their effective cost. This is another obvious attempt to reduce official inflation. “Reversing the theory, however, the declining quality of goods or services should adjust effective prices and therefore add to inflation,” Phillips writes, “but that side of the equation generally goes missing.” . . Phillips explains that every single one of the statistical revisions implemented over the past two generations have become permanent. Once initiated by a Democratic or Republican administration, they were carried over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other agencies in bipartisan fashion, no matter who the current occupant of the White House was. . . To all of the above should be added one other element, which Phillips does not discuss, perhaps because it does not stem from the economic data itself. That is the explosive growth of the US prison population, which has soared over the last 30 years and now stands at 2.3 million, compared to an overall labor force of 153.1 million. This situation, the outcome of the misnamed war on drugs and the overall bipartisan law-and-order hysteria, keeps the official unemployment rate artificially low. Between the army and the prison system, official joblessness is reduced by perhaps 2 percent. . . Phillips points out that all of the changes in economic recordkeeping over the past 50 years were not the result of some grand conspiracy. They certainly did not stem from a master plan hatched in the 1960s or 1970s, of course. This does not mean, however, that there is no logic to these developments, no broader economic and political source. . . The corruption of economic data corresponds to deepening contradictions of US and world capitalism. These contradictions impelled the bourgeoisie to abandon a general policy of social reform that had lasted for more than three decades, and to embark on what has been termed a “one-sided class war,” in which the services of the pro-capitalist trade unions were utilized to carry out an unprecedented transfer of wealth from the working population to a tiny ruling elite. . There was a step-by-step logic to all of the measures that were taken to misrepresent basic economic statistics. Big business could not have carried out the policies it required without falsifying economic reality. Even though daily life became increasingly difficult for huge sections of the working class, it was necessary to divide and disorient, to intimidate millions with the claim that “there is no alternative,” and that what Reagan referred to as the magic of the marketplace was creating a veritable golden age from which everyone would benefit. . Some of the consequences of the falsification of data can be translated into dollars and cents. . . If the CPI had not been systematically understated, Phillips explains, Social Security checks would be 70 percent greater than they currently are. . Beyond the direct impact on Social Security and other government expenditures, an artificially low unemployment rate and poverty rate (officially reported as 12 percent, but in fact at least twice that figure) helped the financial and political establishment to reduce living standards and social conditions. . . How many countless think tank reports and magazine articles, trumpeted by Democratic and Republican politicians and academic figures alike, took as the gospel truth that the “Anglo-American” model of capitalism, compared to its more regulated rivals in France and Germany, meant lower unemployment? This and similar claims were based largely on lies. . . American capitalism once prided itself on the accuracy of its economic statistics. An alphabet soup of regulatory agencies carried out this work. During the decades of the Cold War, the spokesmen for big business always pointed to the mockery of economic data produced by the Stalinist regimes as one more proof of the superiority of the profit system. Today, however, the growing crisis is producing a historic reversal. Where American capitalism once required accurate data, today it requires lies. . . Phillips’s revelations share something with those of former White House press secretary Scott McClellan. They are not exactly news, but they represent a kind of barometer of the growing crisis that is forcing its way into the open within official and semi-official circles. . Brujo of the Daimistas Marianos - Matthew Webb . 5 Jun 2008 17:28 . #746 Brujo of the Daimistas Marianos . . There is a large organization in Central and South America known as the Daimistas Marianos, who intake a combination of marijuana and ayahuasca as their spiritual practice. [For those who are unaquainted with ayahuasca, it is a leafy, rapidly growing vine which contains highly hallucinogenic quantities of DMT. When mashed and boiled in conjunction with a second herb, Chacruna, the DMT is chemically liberated. The mixture yields a dark brown syrup of foul taste, but of very potent visionary quality.] This group considers both ayahuasca and marijuana as sacred substances. They use both to gain visions into the nature of reality and the reality of nature, of which the practitioner considers themselves a part. . . A tale is told amongst a certain sect of Daimistas Marianos, which speaks of an ancient Brujo, a Curandero or medicine man of great power, in the time before the Conquistadores of South America. So great was his power they say, that he could cure any disease of the mind, body or spirit. So powerful was his spiritual medicine that he could divine future events, send his psychic influence over great distances to render influence tribes far away. They say he could alter the weather at will, kill another with his “virote” or change the state of consciousness of anyone in his presence through sheer intention. They say he could commune with any plant or animal to determine, “their spirit” and their practical use for man. These and various powers he was said to have, but most of all, this Brujo was revered as a very holy man who used both marijuana and ayahuasca as his primary, “plant allies”. The people say that both he and the lineage of teachers before him, learned everything they knew through careful observation and the imparted wisdom of these two teacher plants. . . On a certain occasion, the Brujo called for a great meeting amongst the tribes, somewhere in the area now known as central Chile. He summoned a Council of Curanderos, or “meeting of the wise” to convene their beneficial influence for all the peoples of the region. Many vats of ayahuasca were prepared, and the finest flowers of the marijuana were hung from pole rafters of various thatched huts. During one evening the ayahuasca was drank by all. The next day their visions were interpreted by the Council as to their deeper meanings, and by midday, the marijuana was also smoked in liberal quantities. At this time the Brujo said to the gathered peoples; . . “It is our practice to imbibe the ayahuasca and marijuana together on most occasions, though on this one I have had you take them separately. I did this to show you the clear distinction between these two plant teachers. The ayahuasca purges the spirit and shows us how to correct our ways so that we may live a clean life. The marijuana on the other hand, shows us how to actually build upon that clean life and become a wise man or woman of the High. In my opinion, the marijuana is the superior plant teacher, for it is very kind, and imparts many excellent gifts to those who use it correctly. But unlike the harsh ayahuasca, this Path requires much inner discipline. It requires the practitioner to change their life in many ways, so that they can live fully the wisdom contained in the great Plant Ally.” . . He then challenged the gathered throng thus; . . “Who among you, right now, would be willing to learn of this Path and gain the various gifts of the Teacher known as Marijuana”? . . At first there was a surprised silence, as it sounded as though the Brujo was offering in depth knowledge usually only taught to apprentices. But then a great cry arose from them, and the hands of all 1000 or so people were thrust into the air to convey their desire to learn. . . “Fine, fine”, he said, indicating them to be silent once more. “Then let me ask you again, who among you, right now, would be willing to learn this path and gain the various gifts of the Teacher known as Marijuana, if that meant spending time alone from your families and friends in deep meditation upon the woods and the meaning of life.” . . This time, only about half of the hands went into the air. . . “I see that some enthusiasm has been lost” he said, “and I haven’t even begun to list the things required of you in this practice”. Many of the people looked down, embarrassed, that they could be swayed from their spiritual purpose so easily, especially in the face of the great Brujo. Most then raised their hands again in the air, indicating their desire to learn. . . “Then I ask again”, the Brujo said, “who among you, right now, would be willing to learn this Path and gain the various powers and abilities of the teacher known as Marijuana, if that meant purifying your diet, not engaging in trivial gossip, getting enough and the right kind of exercise, and devoting your intention to spiritual progress?” . . This time only a third of the hands went into the air. . . “And you who still want to learn of the High and gain its’ powers and abilities…who among you would be willing to take up this Path, if that meant dedicating yourself to the principles of nature and not the follies of human tradition?” A silence ensued. “Who among you will smoke this herb with reverence, with meditative focus, and commit yourselves to a life of truth alone where the old, comforting gods do not live, and where only the Truth of Life remains? Who among you would leave the limitations of your wife or husband, tribe or clan, if necessary, in order to take up the Facts of Life as revealed by the Smoke?” . . This time only ten hands stayed raised, out of over a thousand people. Everyone else looked rather sheepishly at the ground, the sky, the surrounding trees of that large clearing, in uncomfortable silence. . . “You then”, the Brujo pointed to those with hands still raised, “step forward”. “Based upon sheer desire alone, I will accept any or all of you to be my probationary apprentices in this sacred work, but only if you can pass a test that I now pose”. These few faces lit up with joy at first, but then became more grim after they reflected on the possible demands of the unnamed “test”. The rest of the crowd gathered around silently and respectfully to observe what would happen next. . . From within a woven vest the Brujo pulled forth a plain red hardwood pipe, whose bowl was covered by a square of leather with straps. These he untied to reveal that the bowl was already packed with fine marijuana flowers. . . “I will pass this Herb to you, and you will each smoke it in turn three times around this circle. After the third puff, I will test your readiness to undertake the Path.” Many looked from one to the other nervously, but some had calm focus. Three puffs did each take from the Masters’ bowl. The Brujo looked carefully and deeply into the eyes of each aspirant, and then said, “My test is of two parts. First you will focus upon the High and the High alone for ten minutes straight without wavering in your intention. You must do this with fidelity, and I will FEEL it if you lose your focus. Of the ten aspirants, only five could focus upon the high with unwavering intention for ten minutes straight. To the rest he said “You may go”. Five left the small circle, disappointed, but a little wiser. To the remaining five, the Brujo said, “The second part of my test for you is to direct your high according to will, and cause it to be Higher still. This is done by staying focused upon the High of Marijuana and using your intention to guide it even higher than what the herb gave you”. Use your intuition and body-wide feelings of High, and ask your spirit, ask the Herb, ‘What is just one step higher still’. Let your feelings slip upward, let them rise up first one step higher, then two, then ten if you can”. . . Of the five remaining aspirants, only two could successfully focus their intention and cause their High to become Higher still. To the other three, the Brujo said, “You may go”. To the two remaining he said, “As you can see, although many seek the Path of wisdom, few are chosen to be its’ representatives, not because that Path is exclusive, for it is not, it is for each and every human being. Few are chosen because humanity has been down the wrong path of intention for millennia. Now, with all their flaws, they seem unable to distinguish between what is good and natural, and what is destructively of human creation. They seem unable to determine clearly what is TRUE and what is not, and then act properly upon that Knowledge, and so, are bound to needless suffering and lack of power until such a time as that condition is corrected. As my apprentices, it will be your task, just as it is mine, to show the people the Path of wisdom with the spirit of Marijuana as their guide…. . . /////////////// . . How many of you are ready to undertake, with all seriousness and change of life, the Path that is the High of Cannabis? . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . Practical Guide - Matthew Webb . 6 Jun 2008 20:39 . #747 As a follow-up to the preceeding article, I offer ; . . A Practical Guide for the Practitioner of the High . . Affirmation of Dedication to the High . . As a practitioner of natural law, of what is healthy, good, true and High, I do hereby affirm that the plant known as Cannabis, also known as Marijuana, is sacred to me and that I abide by its sagely effects. Cannabis is my sacrament, my plant advisor, teaching me to better understand the wisdom of nature. I consider it a boon from Nature and God, to instruct Man properly in the art of right living. I recognize that the High of Marijuana, just like the highs of music, or great health, or the high of old growth forests in the spring, or great sex, or the high of mystical revelation, is Holy. I do abide by the advice of the High of Marijuana as I would the words of the most wise, for its’ message is profound, ancient and progressively excellent. Cannabis is my spiritual plant ally. It reveals to me great Paths of high feelings, which I follow to destinations of expanded consciousness. I recognize that the High of Cannabis is, when followed with spiritual intention, a pathway to that which is called, “God” and to the further evolution of humankind. God is of high feelings, and so too is the Herb. Nature is of high feelings, and so too is the Herb. Therefore I heed the High of Cannabis just as I heed the Highs of God and Nature. I affirm that the smoking of this Herb of herbs constitutes an inner discipline. My meditations are upon the High itself, and this High lends itself to insights into truth and personal powers, psychic and soulic. I affirm that the High has the power, when taken as advice of earnest merit, to save humanity and to uplift the human condition from the chains of materialism. The High of this Herb leads to exaltations of clarity, joy, health, communion with God and my fellow souls along the Path, gnostic revelation and realization of facts most profound. So it is that I smoke the Cannabis with reverence… . . The practitioner should renew this affirmation twice daily, once upon rising and once before sleep. They should view this statement as a standing intention and a guidepost to right and sane living, taking the Cannabis sacrament with utmost seriousness of study and spiritual dedication. In so doing the practitioner sets the proper stage to learn with humility, the lessons of the Herb and of its’ sacred High. . . Furthermore, the practitioner must dedicate themselves to the kind of life, lifestyle and life focus, which is most conducive to learning from the High. In this they must learn to accomplish the following aspects of right living; . . 1) The taking up of focused and earnest meditation, especially for the purpose of gaining greater self knowledge and self mastery. . 2) The purification of the mind in dedication to truth. This includes the rejection of that which is not of the truth, such as consumerism and materialism. . 3) The purification of the body in right diet, exercise and detoxification. . 4) The embodiment of spiritual intention and ministry, for the sake of transforming both self and the world at large, in accordance with the lessons of the High. . 5) The embrace of self as soul and as a center of consciousness. This includes the expansion of the consciousness which the practitioner IS, and which God, Nature and humankind as a collective, ARE. . . . Upon accomplishing the above 5 aspects of right living, in conjunction with communion with the Herb, the practitioner is made ready for Mastery. . . Item 1; “The taking up of focused and earnest meditation, especially for the purpose of gaining greater self knowledge and self mastery. . . When not on the Smoke, meditate as follows; . The “Chakra Meditation” . Sit quietly with a straight spine in a place not disturbed, especially in a natural setting, with eyes closed. Relax, and relax again and again, by simply intending to do so. Then begin by focusing upon the feelings that run throughout the entire body. Focus quietly upon your feelings and not upon thoughts. When thought intrudes upon this focus, return again and yet again with your awareness upon body-wide feelings. Do this for at least 5 minutes at a time in the beginning week, then 10 in the second week, and 20 in the fourth week, (once per day or more as the felt need arises). Know that the calming, clarifying effects of this meditation are cumulative, and that these build up in one’s physiology progressively, as the body-mind detoxify and de-stress. . . When on the Smoke, meditate as follows; . The “Herbal Chakra Meditation” . Sit quietly with a straight spine in a place not disturbed, especially in a natural setting where no one can observe, with eyes closed. Relax, then relax again and again, by simply intending to do so. Begin by focusing upon the feelings of the High that run throughout the entire body after the first puff. Focus quietly upon your feelings of the High and not upon thoughts. When thought intrudes upon the focus, return again and yet again with your awareness upon body-wide feelings of the High. Do this for at least 5 minutes at a time in the beginning week, then 10 in the second week, and 20 in the fourth week, (once per three days or more as the felt need arises). Know that the raising, calming and clarifying effects of this meditation are cumulative, and that High feelings can build up in one’s physiology progressively, as the body-mind is improved by the Smoke. . . Item 2; “The purification of the mind in dedication to truth. This includes the rejection of that which is not of the truth, such as consumerism and materialism.” . . Dedicate yourself to logic, to factuality and truth alone, as the guiding focus of mind. Realize that any human beings’ attitude toward the truth is never as important as the truth itself. It is truth which runs the universe, just as it runs our own bodies, the inventions of science and the laws of nature. Only the truth can give us what we need, as individuals and as a species, to overcome any obstacle and achieve any worthwhile goal. Use the scientific method in determining what is true or false…always test your assumptions with repeatedly-gained evidence. Carefully experiment just as the great thinkers of our race have always done, to see if what is assumed is actually SO, or if another explanation for any given question might be better explained through another conclusion. Read the philosophies of the world, ancient and modern. Compare them as to their relative merits and practicality, and take from them all the best of what they have to offer, as a composite of wisdom. Critically examine all the worlds’ religions and systems of thought, and readily discard that which “doesn’t work”, while adopting that which does. Reject that which is illogical and that which is impractical. Know that truth is always practical, knowable and repeatable, and be ever-willing to take responsibility for it in your daily life. Be honest with yourself above all else, and to your own experience, and therefore be able to depend upon your mind for accurate functioning. Never allow outside sources of any kind to tell you what is real and what is not, based solely upon reputation or intimidation. Demand proof(s) of any hypothesis and test any idea rigorously through attempted application. Make as your standing intention of the mind unrelenting genius through truthfulness, and find that genius does indeed rise within, and by progressive degrees. Stand ready to reject that which is not true, for the false is poison to body, mind and spirit. Know that truth gives personal and collective power and the false takes it away. From this principle see that consumerism and materialism are based upon lies and the taking away of power from every person who engages it. With this rejection you will be empowered to overcome the low karma of the modern world, to soar with revelation and empowerment as a fully mature human being. Avoid television for the most part, for it is largely poison for the mind that reduces the functional intelligence of the viewer, and which is made through very poor, anti-spiritual and anti-natural intention. . . Item 3; “The purification of the body in right diet, exercise and detoxification.” . . The body is our vehicle of mind and spirit in the physical world. It is the wise who treat the body as sacred, as the workshop of the mind and as the temple of the soul. A clean, healthy body is a necessary prerequisite for significant spiritual advancement, as well as the intentional cultivation of genius. Thus, the practitioner must take every measure to cure the body of all addictions, to clean it of all toxins and to make it an instrument of strength, agility, energy and excellent health. Be aware that mind and body are essentially one entity. What afflicts the body also tends to afflict the mind, and what afflicts the mind tends also to cause disease in the body. Work with mind and body as a singular effort, wherein the improvement of either is the improvement of both. Employ also the following measures, which are in accordance with natural law; . 1) Eat organic, natural foods whenever possible and practical. Raw vegetables, fruits and nuts are an excellent source of nutrition as they provide the necessary catalyzing enzymes for great health. . 2) Cook for yourself, eating fresh stews and other dishes composed of only good, natural ingredients. . 3) Take supplements of vitamins and minerals, using the body as an advisor as to what is needed and when, later on in the practice. Experiment, use logic and careful observation as to what to take and when. Take extra vitamin C and E in particular, as these are not only very useful vitamins, they are also anti-oxidants which cleanse the tissues. Take multi-vitamins occasionally, especially before working out as these will be used right away, but not before bed when they will not be used, and will therefore become toxic for the body. . 4) Familiarize yourself with natures’ pharmacy…the various medicinal herbs of the world of which Cannabis is a part. Among these which can be commonly obtained, and which are of very noteworthy merit are; ginseng, garlic, onion, parsley, cayenne and ginger. Others of less common availability include, pau d’arco, damiana, sarsaparilla, goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, senna, chamomile and many others. Take the time to research this area of knowledge, for it is a sane alternative to the, “hack and slash” of modern medicine. . 5) Work out regularly and aerobically. In particular, take up regular jogging, cycling or other such activity, which boosts the heart rate for significant periods. Aerobic health is essential to the expansion of consciousness, not to mention all others endeavors in life. . 6) Clean the body of all toxins, which are especially prevalent in the modern world. It is best to avoid all meat, including fish, since the seas are now too toxic and meat farming methods are very unhealthy. Instead, find other sources of protein such as the various products made from the soy and other beans. Learn about occasional fasting. Don’t eat too late in the day before bedtime, as undigested food becomes toxic overnight. Read all labels on food religiously, and do not buy those products which have bizarre additives, “stabilizers”, “preservatives” or other chemical compounds, which are not in accord with what the body really needs. Particularly avoid all alcohol and phase out prescription medication through natural substances and meditation, when at all medically possible. Alcohol is particularly destructive, and is an affront to the temple of the body. . . Item 4; “The embodiment of spiritual intention and ministry, for the sake of transforming both self and the world at large, in accordance with the lessons of the High.” . . “Spiritual intention” means an intent in daily living which embraces the highest good of all life and the advancement of truth. “The embodiment of spiritual intention” means the adoption and practice of spiritual focus, to such a degree that this practice becomes second-nature. Embodied spiritual intention becomes the automatic assumption through which ones’ daily life is focused, and through which the practitioner is empowered to live in alignment with God, Nature, natural laws and the facts which compose spiritual reality. The “transformation of self” in this context means moving, via intention, from the profane to the profound, from the base to the Holy, from the disrespect for life in the modern world, to the great respect for nature that always marks the self realized man or woman. “Spiritual ministry” means advocating the truth and the inherent holiness of life, so that others might be likewise self-realized and inspired to practical, spiritual action. Such ministry is an implicit expression of inner revelation, for in realizing the profound benefits of truth and spiritual reality, one is compelled to share these with as many as will earnestly listen. “In accordance with the lessons of the High” means that as practitioners, we not only listen attentively to the merits of the Cannabis High, but also seek to apply these in all ways practical, to ourselves and society as a whole. We realize that the High of the Herb bears marked resemblance to that which is also called, “joy”, “sex”, “happiness”, “soul”, “exuberant health” and even, “spiritual communion with Nature and God”, and so, revere it as a way-shower, a guide for the sake of right living. Through the High of Cannabis we learn how to expand our consciousness, to intentionally self-evolve, to gain greater clarity, genius, vibrant health and exquisite inner beauty. . . Item 5; “The embrace of self as soul and as a center of consciousness. This includes the expansion of the consciousness which the practitioner IS, and which God, Nature and humankind as a collective, ARE.” . . The Herb of Herbs, also known as Marijuana, has the power to reveal to those who will take the time and intention to earnestly listen, the higher nature of the self and reality at large. Through meditative focus and spiritual intention, the High places us in greater touch with the soul, or true self. It likewise shows us that as centers of consciousness (who are aware and have energy and intention) we are connected to Nature which is likewise composed of other centers of consciousness. We learn that God is of that same essence as self, (consciousness). God is intent, awareness and energy, just as we and all the life forms of nature essentially are, beyond all physical forms. Through the expansion of consciousness which the Cannabis can promote, we learn that our true identity is soul not occupation. We learn that the true identity of our fellow human beings is not determined by the false distinction of national boundaries, but rather, as centers of consciousness who share all the same spiritual, mental and physical needs as we, in union. Through the High of Cannabis we learn the meaning of the phrase, “expansion of consciousness” by following the Path of that High with fidelity. We travel upwards with our intention, seeking not only the High but the Higher Still, and in so doing expand consciousness, spiritual perception, love, clarity, good will and self improvement in all ways. “We travel upwards with our intention” means that upon becoming greatly familiar with the High, (Herbal Chakra Meditation) and with the true self, (Chakra Meditation) the ability then arises to actually raise ones’ degree of High at will. Ask your intuition, ask your soul, ask God, and finally, ask the Cannabis, the following question during your High; “What would just one step higher than my current High feel like”? Likewise ask, “What would just one step higher than my current High do for my clarity, my strength, my love, and my perception into higher states of consciousness?” After asking these, let your body-wide feelings of the High slip upwards, let them ascend first one step and then many more. Know that the Herb is showing us a spiritual pathway, and that the High itself is part of the name of that very Path, with or without Herbal help. Such a pathway exists in and of itself…find it through the Herb, and exalt in its’ excellence. Know that the higher the state, especially using the Herb as a foundation, the higher the revelations and spiritual benefits of all kinds, that the attentive practitioner will reap. . . I say to you, accomplish these five aspects of the practice, using the Herbal High of Cannabis as your advisor, and you will achieve truly High things in your life. You will achieve the favor of Nature and of God Itself. You will be, “That Which Raises”, (gets ever higher in their consciousness) and so, earn your rightful place among Saints and mystic Masters alike. But to do this you MUST be exceedingly earnest. You must make every smoke a very serious matter, with a very serious and progressive focus upon the truth that it can reveal. Now that you know of the Path and how it can be reached, forge ahead in exploration of the ultimate frontier…consciousness itself. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . This writing may be considered a follow-up practical guide for the article, “Brujo of the Daimistas Marianos”. Further suggested reading on this subject can be found in the Library of the World Mind Society, in the, “Special Tools” section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Fall of a Bogus Paradigm; Consumerism - Matthew Webb . 11 Jul 2008 21:36 . #748 US foreclosure filings rose 53 percent in June . By David Walsh . 11 July 2008 . . The most recent data on home foreclosures give an indication of the human cost of the US housing market collapse. Foreclosure filings were up 53 percent in June from a year ago and bank repossessions soared 171 percent, as falling property values forced more and more people out of their homes. . . According to RealtyTrac, in the course of June one in every 501 American households either lost a home to foreclosure, received a default notice or was warned of an impending auction. . . Rich Sharga, RealtyTrac’s vice-president for marketing, told Bloomberg News that foreclosure activity is the highest since the Depression. He noted that falling home prices have created a cycle where shrinking equity is driving homeowners into foreclosure, which further depresses prices. “We’ll have 1 million bank-owned properties by the end of the year,” Sharga said. “That will represent between one-fourth and one-third of all home sales.” . . Nationwide, more than 250,000 homes received at least one foreclosure-related notice in June. Economists are predicting 2.5 million US homes will enter the foreclosure process this year, compared with 1.7 million in 2007. This spring, a Credit Suisse report estimated that 6.5 million loans would fall into foreclosure over the next five years, affecting more than 8 percent of all American homes. . . The figures in certain areas are staggering. In Stockton, California one in every 72 households is currently in a stage of foreclosure. In Merced, California the figure is one in every 77 households, and in Modesto, California it is one in every 86. . . In the state of Nevada as a whole (with 2.5 million residents), one in every 122 households is in the process of losing a home. More than 3,000 properties were seized by lenders in June alone. In California, banks repossessed more than 20,000 properties last month, more than a quarter of the national total, and one in every 192 households was undergoing foreclosure. . . Soaring gas prices are contributing to the woes of families that moved out of urban areas. “The housing beyond the sprawl is going to suffer another serious leg down because of high oil prices,” Peter Navarro, professor of economics and public policy at the University of California in Irvine, told the media. “A lot of people went out there to get cheaper homes, but this [gas prices] is going to take a big bite out of their mortgage.” . . Meanwhile, the total of new homes that have been completed and are available for sale was up 35 percent in May over June 2006. The average length of time they have been sitting on the market unsold has climbed 136 percent in that period, from 3.6 to 8.5 months. According to Floyd Norris in the New York Times, the latter figure is the highest ever recorded by the government. . . Norris noted, “Some of those homes are in subdivisions where foreclosures are already climbing, and may be hard to unload at any price... May was the first month ever that sales of completed new homes totaled less than 10 percent of the number of such homes that had been available for sale at the beginning of the month.” . . The working class is suffering enormously, and worse is still to come. A report from the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), entitled “The Impact of the Housing Crisis on Family Wealth,” paints a dire picture. Authors Dean Baker and David Rosnick make the point that average Americans have been the victims of “two extraordinary asset bubbles in the last decade,” a “stock bubble” that began in the mid-1990s and collapsed in 2000-2002, and the housing bubble, which began to deflate in 2006. . . These speculative bubbles, which poured billions of dollars into the pockets of financial operators, made it difficult for families to plan their savings “since they would have no simple way to distinguish bubble-generated wealth, which would prove ephemeral, from real wealth, which could be expected to endure. As a result, tens of millions of families likely ended up saving less than they would have considered prudent ...” . . The authors note that the housing bubble has had the most serious consequences. By 2004, more than two-thirds of American families headed by people 35 years old and older owned a home, and this “is usually a highly leveraged investment. Families typically rely on mortgages for the overwhelming majority of the purchase price, and even after they have been in a home for several years, the value of the home can easily be five times their equity or more. As a result of this leverage, even small changes in housing values can have a large impact on family wealth.” . . US homeowners, they argue, have been taken “on a gigantic roller coaster ride.” With the collapse of the housing bubble, many now find themselves “with much less wealth than they expected at this point in their careers.” . . The decline in housing prices since the middle of 2006 has resulted in the loss of over $4 trillion in real housing wealth in the US, more than $50,000 for every homeowner in the country. Real house prices are dropping at the rate of 2 percent a month, or $350 billion. . . The CEPR study projects median household wealth for various age groups in 2009 if house prices fall another 10 percent below their March 2008 level. According to Baker and Rosnick, an additional 10 percent drop in house prices will mean, for the median family in the age cohort from 18 to 34, a 67.6 percent drop in net worth as compared to 2004. The median family in the 35-44 age group will have 56.2 percent less net worth, which “corresponds to a decline of $41,000 in median wealth.” . . Families in the 45 to 54 age cohort will have 34.6 percent less in 2009 than their counterparts in 2004, and the median family aged 55-64 will have $121,000 less wealth than families in that age bracket five years earlier, a decline of 43.9 percent. . . The authors note that “the crash of the housing bubble is likely to eliminate most, if not all, of the gains that families have made in accumulating wealth over the last two decades.” Families in the 35-44 age bracket are projected to have less wealth than their counterparts in 1989. “For those who owned a house in the last few years, the collapse of the housing bubble led to the destruction of much or all of their wealth.” . . The housing bust threatens to spark a full-scale meltdown of the financial system. Two enormous US financial firms, Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (Federal Home Mortgage Corporation), are facing insolvency. The two government-sponsored, privately held companies currently own or guarantee some $5.2 trillion in residential mortgages, nearly half of all outstanding home loans in the US. In the nine months from July 2007 through March 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lost a combined $11 billion and are finding it increasingly expensive to raise capital to cover their losses. . . The two firms operate in the secondary mortgage market, buying mortgages from banks and other lenders, packaging those loans into securities and selling them to Wall Street investors. . . Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have performed a vital function for American capitalism by lubricating and widening the housing market, coming to particular prominence during the recent boom. However, they are highly leveraged and very loosely regulated institutions, with massive amounts of mortgage assets whose values are now increasingly dubious. . . Shares in the two mortgage finance companies continued to plummet Thursday, with Fannie Mae’s share price down 22 percent this week and Freddie Mac’s down 43 percent, over worries that the firms will not have enough capital to offset losses from the housing slump. The New York Times observed that the deteriorating share price numbers “were unimaginable just weeks ago.” . . In an interview with Bloomberg.com Wednesday, former St. Louis Federal Reserve President William Poole asserted that under fair value accounting rules the two companies would be bankrupt. “Congress ought to recognize that these firms are insolvent,” he said. . . The collapse of one of the two companies, or both of them, would have a devastating impact. Speaking of this “doomsday scenario,” CNNMoney.com wrote July 9 that if one or both of the companies could not function, “the result would be chaos.” . . Sean Egan of credit ratings firm Egan Jones commented, “If Fannie or Freddie failed, it would be far worse than the fall of [investment bank] Bear Stearns... It could throw the economy into depression or something close to it.” . . The Wall Street Journal revealed Thursday that Bush administration officials are holding talks about the possible failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While administration officials continue to assert publicly that the government will not back the debt of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Journal cites the comments of Peter Wallison, a former Treasury Department official: “They can’t be allowed to fail... The losses would extend through so much of our economy, and so much of the world economy. There is simply no way that the United States government can let it happen.” . . It is increasingly likely that the American population will be forced to pay for the disaster brought about by years of parasitic and reckless financial operations. Standard & Poor’s reported this spring that a bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would cost US taxpayers $1 trillion, more than five times the amount of the savings and loan bailout (taking inflation into account) of the late 1980s and early 1990s. . . This is an indictment of American capitalism and its cult of the “free market.” The blind and anarchic operations of the profit system threaten the population with catastrophe. Society can no longer afford the rule of this corrupt, greedy elite, none of whose political representatives, Republican or Democratic, have any solutions for the crisis. . . See Also: . Bernanke, Paulson outline strategy to make working class pay for Wall Street crisis . [10 July 2008] . Facing bankruptcy threat, General Motors to slash thousands more jobs . [8 July 2008] . Bank for International Settlements annual report . World economy may be at “tipping point” . [1 July 2008] The Fall, part 2 - Matthew Webb . 16 Jul 2008 17:56 . #749 Southern California depositors could lose $500 million in IndyMac bank failure . . By John Burton and Kim Saito . 16 July 2008 . . Last Friday afternoon, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regulators abruptly shut the doors of Pasadena, California-based IndyMac Bank several hours before its normal closing time and seized $38 billion in assets, making IndyMac Bank the third-largest bank failure in American history, and the sixth this year. . When the 33 branches reopened Monday morning as IndyMac Federal Bank, they were greeted by thousands of retirees, workers and professional people, many having already stood in line for hours. The crowds waited in sweltering heat to withdraw whatever funds they could in scenes recalling the financial panic that gripped the country during the Great Depression. . Police were called to the Encino branch in the San Fernando Valley Tuesday to control a line of people, many of whom had been waiting since Monday to withdraw funds. . A spin-off of Countrywide Finance Corporation founded by Countrywide’s recently retired CEO Angelo Mozilo, IndyMac in the first years of the decade played a key role in the Southern California housing bubble by providing high-interest “Alt-A” home mortgages to purchasers with good credit ratings who were not asked to provide documentation of their income and assets. These so-called “liar loans” exemplified the speculative frenzy that created a vastly inflated housing boom which enabled mortgage lenders, banks and big investors to amass huge profits by buying and selling securities backed by such dubious assets. . While home prices were rising, sometimes at rates of more than 10 percent a year, purchasers refinanced their equity or “flipped” properties to make up deficits. With the collapse in home values, some 15 percent of IndyMac mortgages have gone into default or foreclosure, with many more losses on the way. . IndyMac holds directly about $15 billion in such highly toxic mortgages, and bundled another $185 billion into securities, which were sold to investors. Deposits in savings and checking accounts total $19 billion. Most of the depositors are ordinary people, who were encouraged to increase their deposits by means of IndyMac certificates of deposit paying 4.3 percent, higher than average for Southern California. . The FDIC insures individual deposits up to $100,000, a limit set in 1980, and $250,000 on certain retirement accounts. A 2001 effort to raise the limits was defeated largely due to opposition from former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan. . FDIC officials are allowing IndyMac depositors to withdraw the federally insured portions of their accounts and fifty percent of any balance. Remaining funds will be repaid, if at all, out of any funds left after the liquidation of IndyMac’s assets. . About $1 billion of IndyMac’s deposits are beyond the FDIC insurance limits and therefore are not covered, meaning that depositors may lose as much as $500 million in savings. . Paying off the insured deposits is anticipated to cost the FDIC between $4 billion and $8 billion of its $52 billion insurance fund. . Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat, has been accused of fueling the panic by sending a June 26 letter to the FDIC and other federal agencies warning of “IndyMac’s financial deterioration.” During the next two weeks, depositors withdrew $1.3 billion, leading to layoffs of 3,800 employees. Finally, the run on bank deposits forced the government takeover to slow down the financial hemorrhage. . The collapse came as no surprise to Wall Street insiders. IndyMac Bancorp share prices plummeted from a high of $31.50 per share in 2007 to less than a dollar by the date of Schumer’s letter. The stock is essentially worthless today. . The IndyBank collapse was followed Monday by the steepest single-day decline in banking shares in almost twenty years, with the Standard & Poor’s banking index falling almost 10 percent. . Other Southern California banks were particularly hard hit. Shares of Downey Financial Corp. (Downey Savings) and FirstFed Financial Corp. (First Federal Bank of California), large providers of subprime adjustable rate mortgages, lost 22 and 19 percent of their value, respectively. Stock in Washington Mutual Inc., the nation’s biggest savings and loan bank, lost one-third of its value Monday, sending depositors scurrying to withdraw uninsured funds. . Current estimates are that of the 7,500 FDIC insured banks, 100 to 200 will fail in the next 12 to 24 months, potentially unleashing a social catastrophe affecting millions. . . //////////////// . . GM continues job slashing in effort to stave off bankruptcy . . By Jerry White . 16 July 2008 . . . In what it termed a move to “bolster liquidity to protect against a prolonged US downturn,” General Motors announced plans Tuesday to slash jobs, wages and benefits of its salaried workforce. It will also further reduce production at light truck manufacturing plants, move to sell off assets, and suspend dividend payments to shareholders for the first time since 1922. . The measures—aimed at saving $15 billion—were announced just weeks after GM said it would shut four plants in the US, Canada and Mexico and lay off 8,000 workers. They are the latest in what appears to be a increasingly desperate attempt to quell Wall Street rumors that the world’s largest automaker is running out of cash and could soon file for bankruptcy. . Earlier this month Merrill Lynch auto analyst John Murphy—citing the fact that GM was “burning” up to $1.5 billion a month in cash reserves—said bankruptcy was “not impossible if the market continues to deteriorate and significant incremental capital is not raised.” . “Measure of America” report - Matthew Webb . 19 Jul 2008 20:10 . #750 “Measure of America” report documents social decay of the United States . US ranks 42nd in life expectancy . By Patrick Martin . 19 July 2008 . . A new study released Wednesday, entitled “The Measure of America,” provides a wealth of data demonstrating the profound and deepening social decay of the United States. Commissioned by the Oxfam charity and several foundations, and published by Columbia University Press, the report documents, using government figures, the dramatic decline of American society relative to other advanced industrialized countries and the mounting social disparities within the US. . . The study takes the methodology employed by the United Nations Development Report, widely recognized for its insights into the social conditions of less developed countries, and applies it for the first time to the study of an advanced country. The result is a portrait of America that shows much of the country’s population living in conditions that are closer to the “Third World” than to the “American Dream.” . . The report analyzes figures provided by the US Bureau of the Census in its 2005 census of economic and social conditions. It thus lags significantly behind the actual deterioration in conditions of life, since the census was taken before the collapse of the sub-prime housing market and the ensuing plunge of the US economy into recession. A report based on today’s conditions would be even bleaker. . . The three social scientists who prepared the study constructed an American Human Development Index which includes both median income figures and data relating to health, life expectancy and “access to knowledge” (school enrollment and the proportion of the population with college and professional degrees.) The result is a broader picture of social conditions than would be provided by a purely economic analysis. . . In terms of the human development index, the United States has fallen from second place in 1990 (behind Canada) to 12th place. This decline continued through both the Clinton and Bush administrations, with the US falling to sixth in 1995, ninth in 2000, and 12th in 2005. . . In certain respects, the decline is even worse. The US is 34th in infant mortality—with a level comparable to Croatia, Estonia, Poland and Cuba. US school children perform significantly below their counterparts in countries like Canada, France, Germany and Japan, and 14 percent of the population, some 40 million people, lack basic literacy and number skills. . . Of the world’s 30 richest nations, which comprise the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States has the highest proportion of children living in poverty, 15 percent, and the most people in prison, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the whole population. With five percent of the world’s population, the US has 24 percent of the world’s prisoners. . . The report notes: “Social mobility is now less fluid in the United States than in other affluent nations. Indeed, a poor child born in Germany, France, Canada or one of the Nordic countries has a better chance to join the middle class in adulthood than an American child born into similar circumstances.” . . In overall life expectancy, the United States ranks an astonishing 42nd, behind not only Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all the countries of Western Europe, but also Israel, Greece, Singapore, Costa Rica and South Korea. The US spends twice as much money per capita on health care as any of these countries, but its citizens live shorter lives. . . Two principal contributing factors were identified in the report—the epidemic of obesity, a disease primarily of poverty and miseducation, and the lack of health insurance for 47 million Americans. The report also noted that homicide and suicide are among the 15 leading causes of death in America. . . The health crisis in the United States was underscored by a second report, issued Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research group based in New York. This study found that 75 million people are either uninsured or under-insured, one quarter of the population. Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, focused on the rising cost and diminishing availability of health care. “The central finding is that access has deteriorated,” she said. . . A major factor is the immense administrative costs incurred by private insurance companies which spend billions of dollars to avoid paying claims. Much insurance company profit gouging is masked as “administrative” expenses as well. Administrative costs take 7.5 percent of US health care spending, compared to 5 percent in Germany and Switzerland, which also have private health insurers, and 1 percent or less in countries like Canada and Britain that have government-run insurance systems. . . Assessing 37 separate healthcare indices, the Commonwealth study found that even in those areas where there was some improvement in absolute terms, other countries had improved by a far greater amount, pushing the US further down the table. For example, the US reduced the number of preventable deaths for people under 75 from 115 to 110 per 100,000 over the past five years. However, other countries, led by France, Japan and Australia, did much better. The US is now last among developed countries in this measure, having just slipped below Ireland and Portugal. . . The Measure of America report also documents the widening social gulf within the United States, particularly in geographical terms, as it breaks down the census statistics to provide a table ranking all 50 states and all 438 congressional districts. The report greatly understates the degree of income inequality since the US economic census counts only wage and salary income, leaving out dividends, interest, capital gains and business profit, the principal forms of income for the upper class. But even with these limitations, the findings are devastating. . . The executive summary of the report notes that “the average income of the top fifth of US households in 2006 was almost 15 times that of those in the lowest fifth—or $168,170 versus $11,352.” The top one percent of households possesses at least one third of the national wealth, while the bottom 60 percent possess just 4 percent of the total. . . The authors observe: “Growing inequality in income distribution and wealth raises a profound question for Americans: Can the uniquely middle-class nation that emerged in the twentieth century survive into the twenty-first century? Or is it fracturing into a land of great extremes?” While not drawing any conclusion, they admit, “the answers to these questions will determine ... the future of America.” . . There are staggering disparities in income, health care and educational opportunities from state to state, between urban and rural areas, and between relatively well-off areas like the Northeast and Pacific Coast and impoverished areas like much of the South and the Appalachian region. . . The top ten states in terms of median income lie along the Eastern seaboard from Virginia to New Hampshire. The bottom five states include West Virginia and four states of the Deep South: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. It is worth emphasizing that the 2005 census figures were compiled before Hurricane Katrina devastated three of those states. . . There are even greater disparities within states and regions. The poorest congressional district in the United States is not in the South, but in the central valley of California, around the cities of Fresno and Bakersfield, where tens of thousands of agricultural laborers toil under conditions not much improved from the time John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath. . . In the 20th district of California, only 6.5 percent of adults have graduated from college, and the median household income is $16,767, below the US poverty line. Meanwhile, ten of the 20 richest congressional districts are also in California, including the Silicon Valley and the upscale suburbs of Los Angeles and San Diego. . . The richest congressional district is New York’s 14th, encompassing Manhattan’s east side: 62.6 percent of the adult population have a college degree and median family income is $51,139 a year (counting only wages, not the income from capital). A short subway ride away in the Bronx is the 16th congressional district, one of the five poorest in the US, where only 8.6 percent of adults have a college degree and the median annual income is $19,113. . . Summing up the findings of the report, co-author Sarah Burd-Sharps writes, “Some Americans are living anywhere from 30 to 50 years behind others when it comes to issues we all care about: health, education and standard of living.” While the US remains one of the richest nations in the world, it is “woefully behind when it comes to providing opportunity and choices to all Americans to build a better life.” . . Just as revealing as the figures provided by the Measure of America report is the response to it on the part of the American media and political establishment. The report was published by Columbia University, one of the most prestigious American colleges, and its co-authors held a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce their findings. But not a single major daily newspaper carried an account, nor was the study mentioned on any of the evening television newscasts. . . The regional press in California reported the dismal last-place ranking for the 20th congressional district, but not the wider findings. And Talk Radio News Service, a web site serving the largely ultra-right talk radio industry, posted an item that turned the findings upside down, under the bizarre headline, “Report: Most Americans doing better than fifty years ago.” . . The silence of the media was matched by the silence of the Democratic and Republican candidates for president. Neither Obama nor McCain made mention of the findings, although both have made photo-op appearances in poverty-stricken areas like eastern Kentucky, New Orleans and inner city Detroit. . . In that context, it is worth pointing out that Obama’s campaign is making little effort in the five most impoverished states, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama and West Virginia. The last four have been virtually conceded to the Republicans. The Obama campaign hopes for a heavy turnout among Mississippi’s large black population to vote for the first major party African-American candidate. . . In fact, neither party is able to advance any policy to address the vast decay of American society. The Measure of America and Commonwealth Fund reports are the latest in a series of studies that depict a society—ravaged by poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, ill health and inequality—that is going backward. The sclerotic two-party system cannot provide any answer to the social disaster because it is a corrupt instrument of the financial aristocracy that is plundering the country to pile up ever-greater wealth for itself. . . See Also: . "Equality is not good" . Barney Frank and the putrefaction of American liberalism . [18 July 2008] . US: Amid surging prices, Fed raises specter of renewed class struggle . [17 July 2008] . "Fall of World Powers" - Matthew Webb . 29 Jul 2008 18:21 . #751 . By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer Tue Jul 29, 8:38 AM ET . TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president on Tuesday blamed the U.S. and other "big powers" for global ills such as nuclear proliferation and AIDS, and accused them of exploiting the U.N. for their own gain and the developing world's loss. . But, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, time was on the poor countries' side. . "The big powers are going down," Ahmadinejad told foreign ministers of the Nonaligned Movement meeting in Tehran. "They have come to the end of their power, and the world is on the verge of entering a new, promising era." . The more than 100-member NAM is made up of such diverse members as communist Cuba, Jamaica and India and depicts itself as bloc-free. But most members share a critical view of the U.S and the developed world in general. . And with Iran assuming the chairmanship of the conference Tuesday, Ahmadinejad's keynote speech was tailored to reflect the struggle that some NAM members see themselves in against the world's rich and powerful countries. . A draft of the final document that ministers will be asked to approve, made available to The Associated Press as the conference opened Tuesday, reflected that struggle. . "The rich and powerful countries continue to exercise an inordinate influence in determining the nature and direction of international relations, including economic and trade relations, as well as rules governing these relations, many of which are at the expense of developing countries," it said. . NAM countries oppose "unilaterally imposed measures by certain states ... the use and threat of use of force, and pressure and coercive measures as a means to achieving their national policy objectives," said the draft. . That appeared to be an indirect slap at the United States, which has refused to rule out force as a possible means of last resort against Iran unless it heeds U.N. Security Council demands to curb its nuclear activities. . The draft also condemns "the categorization of countries as good or evil based on unilateral and unjustified criteria" — oblique criticism of President Bush's labeling of Iran as part of an "axis of evil" along with Saddam Hussein's Iraq and North Korea. . Iran has in the past counted on NAM countries to blunt pressure from the U.S. and its allies for harsh U.N. sanctions and other penalties because of its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, which can produce both nuclear fuel or the fissile payload of warheads. Tehran has been slapped with three sets of U.N. sanctions because of its nuclear defiance and new penalties loom unless Tehran shows compromise. . Another draft statement also obtained by the AP before the meeting began seeks continued support. Submitted by Iran on behalf of the NAM, it asks the conference to agree that "sanctions imposed on Iran for its nuclear program are of a political nature and should be promptly removed." . The ministers "further affirm ... that there is no legal basis that (the) U.N. Security Council proceeds" in continuing to deal with the Iran nuclear file, said that draft. . While only infrequently mentioning the U.S. by name Tuesday, Ahmadinejad made clear that he blamed Washington and its allies for trying to "impose their political will on nations and governments." . He accused the great powers of "fomenting discord .... to intensify the military and arms race" so they can feed their arms industries. AIDS, he said, also was the result of world conditions "imposed by big powers." . Accusing the U.N. Security Council of being a tool of the world's haves — which use them against the have-nots — he said it was useless to expect that body to be the solution to the world's ills. . "If the United Nations and the Security Council ... were supposed to deal with the problems of the world ... we would not have a problem called Palestine," he declared, in indirect criticism of the creation of the Jewish state 60 years ago. . The Face Behind the Mask - Matthew Webb . 30 Jul 2008 19:24 . #752 The Ugly Face Behind the Mask of Consumerism . . Few can deny that the world as we know it is about to end with a crash. . . Yet it is shocking to realize that the public today appears oblivious to the grave circumstances which face our planet. Or do people just pretend to be oblivious? It is becoming increasingly difficult, after all, to pretend that there is nothing wrong with the world as we know it. Yet public casualness about our own looming extinction is surely an intentionally cultivated facade. Our uncaring attitude is clearly a self induced denial of the blatant facts, which confront every human being in one way or another, each and every day. Among the most potent of these facts is that the human world is poised to take a tremendous fall…a literal crashing down of all the institutions of our day, of governments collapsing, economies falling apart, the failure of agriculture and the ecosystems upon which it depends, mass mental disorder and epidemic levels of cancer, wars for profit without end or sane reason, and a whole list of other related symptoms, OF A CENTRAL AND LARGELY UNNAMED CAUSE. . . That cause is the holding of WRONG VALUES…those which destroy and degrade life, rather than affirm and enhance it. . . If ever there were a central source for all the worlds’ ills, and for the imminent demise of human beings everywhere, it can be summed up by two simple values…GREED and EGOTISM. These two words can further be summed up by one single world view, one single word that is the source of all our problems as a species, and that word, that paradigm, is CONSUMERISM. . . Perhaps the reader imagines that such a statement is preposterous. How could consumerism, the very well spring from which flows all that is good in life (or so we have all been told by corporate media since the day we were born) possibly be the source of all our ills, you may ask? Isn’t consumerism the very means by which all that we need in life is produced, transported, manufactured and delivered? No it is not. . . Consumerism is in fact a fanatical belief system based upon suicidal irrationality. It has next to nothing to do with practicality, efficiency, logic, truth or the sane accommodation of reality. It has everything to do with the stimulation of desire for unneeded goods and destructive industries, to BUY without logic, to CONSUME without care, to live without purpose, to speak without meaning and to follow without question. It is a set of values which promotes the imagined ego-boosting properties of products, without real concern for their practical value or the consequences of their manufacture. Consumerism is a death-cult of childish fixations upon material things, as a false replacement for love, clarity, sanity, spirituality and truth. It therefore caters to the basest, most destructive and ignoble of human traits, amplifying these above all other considerations in life and at the cost of all that is living. . . If you doubt this, then take a look at the following list of world ills and consider… . . 1) Widespread corruption in government and boardrooms alike is considered, “business as usual”. . 2) The degradation of medicine from the promotion of health, to preying upon the sick and the intentional cultivation of disease, for the sake of making money. . 3) Wholesale destruction of the worlds’ ecosystems, global warming and the mass extinction of species unlike anything ever known in the natural history of this planet, all for the purpose of corporate earnings. . 4) The promotion of war for profit in the name of democracy and liberation. . 5) Extreme hypocrisy in religion in the speaking of righteousness, and in the doing of the exact opposite in daily life. . 6) The treating of humans, plants and animals alike as nothing more than, “resources” which exist solely to be exploited, for the sake of immediate personal gratification and endless egotism. . 7) Intentional shallowness and outright lies told daily by all mass media. . 8) The mental decay of the public in imbecilic fascination with trivia and pointless drama, as reflected by the vast majority of television, “programming”. . 9) The continuing degradation of agriculture and extreme cruelty in animal husbandry, pollution of bodies through toxic, unnatural practices, genetic engineering, cancer-causing pesticides and herbicides, soil depletion, erosion, desertification and lack of water, all in the production of inferior produce for the sake of corporate convenience. . 10) Abuses of the public trust, pay-offs and scandals of every possible description on a daily basis, as the norm for politics and government leadership. . 11) Pettiness between the leaders of nations, and the wholesale deterioration of international relations in endless wars, civil strife, phony posturing and pointless arrogance. . 12) Education as a farce of conditioning and blind adherence to dogma and authority, not the freeing of the mind or the encouragement of questioning. . 13) National, state, corporate and personal debt to the scale of tens of trillions of dollars, as a reflection of SPENDING carelessly and foolishly. . 14) The widespread use of “mood stabilizers” among adults and even school children as young as seven, implying mass mental illness and the wrongness of this way of life. . . Etc, etc…on and on and on…. . . The list of world ills is endless, and it is part and parcel of the consumer paradigm to pretend that, “all is well” irregardless. It is literally considered, “impolite” to speak of such matters in daily conversation. . . How is consumerism directly and largely responsible for all of these problems? It is responsible for them because the attitudes and values that sustain the consumer world, i.e., endless greed and shallow egotism, make all of the above a daily reality. Read once again the list above and ask yourself, “Which one of these ills of the modern world is not directly traceable, and absolutely founded upon, the source causes of greed and egotism?” You will be forced to answer with any honesty, “All of them”. Then ask yourself, “What single world view, what single word of all the words that exist, could better summarize the twin values of greed and egotism?” You will be forced to answer with any honesty, “consumerism”. . . Consumerism is about sacrificing your sanity, your health, good family relations, your children, your love, clarity, intelligence, naturalness and wisdom, for the sake of earning “the sacred cash” and accumulating a lot of supposedly impressive, expensive objects. . . Society calls this, “being a success”. . . Consumerism is about looking down on the natural as inferior, as something to exploit and which has no meaning or value other than what personal objects of self indulgence it can provide. It is a value system of abusing nature and the breaking of natural laws for the sake of profits regardless of the obvious consequences, in strip mining, clear cutting, genetic engineering, asphalting and toxicity, criminality in pollution and mass extinction, all in the name of Wall Street economy, (greed). . . Society calls this, “progress”. . . Consumerism is about being an addict who has so little MIND left, that their every act is one of whim, impulse and irrational waste. We are taught that the purpose of life is the acquisition of brand names that supposedly enhance our, “prestige” in the eyes of an admiring public. But the actual fact is, that the consumer is a silly dupe whose sanity hangs on a thread, and whose life is the misery of an endless drudge-work, wage slave. Thus the drudge is ever in debt in order to pay for their long list of addictions to “things” which the consumer world has them believing they “must have” to be, “happy” and “successful”. In order to pay this debt they work away their entire adult lives in servitude to plastic, chrome-plated trinkets. . . Society refers to this lifelong struggle as a “career”, a process also known as, ”planning for your financial future” and, “establishing your good credit”. . . At the end of that exercise in self destruction where health is replaced by disease, cancer and mental psychosis, the “worthy member of society” is allowed to “rest” and “play” while taking half a dozen medications daily just to stay alive, only to end up babbling in senility and wearing an adult diaper. . . Society calls this social phenomena, “retirement”. . . Although it is popular to treat all of the above as “different” problems that demand separate measures, they are by no means separate. They ALL, each and every one of them, spring from the very same source, and are founded upon the very same set of wrong values. The values of greed and egotism which literally make consumerism what it is today, represent a phony-baloney paradigm of waste, corruption and fraudulence, that can only end in one result…the destruction of life and all that is good, as well as the extinction of the human race. “Consumerism” is the polite, politically correct name for the contamination of the human spirit by the filth of suicidal, infantile self indulgence. It is a “faith” in the absurd proposition that things=fulfillment which neither satisfies, nor produces anything of real value to the world. Instead, it is quickly parasitizing the globe and everything upon it, just as a cancer eats away at its’ host body, demanding all and giving nothing but landfills, deserts, war zones, failed banks and broken lives. It is a world view which teaches that there is literally NOTHING as important in life as money and what it can buy for the sake of, “looking good” to a numbed, dumbed-down public of wage slave automatons. Consumerism is hollow…it is a fancy-looking box with elaborate wrappings, containing nothing inside but distractions from all the self-induced pain and fear of the world. It is nothing but silly, juvenile imagery, a con game dressed up to look like something admirable, like a suit and tie hung on the manicured ass of a donkey. . . Consumerism says, “Buy this fancy-looking overpriced car or house, and spend the next 20-30 years of your life paying them off, so that you can look like a, “success” to your neighbors. Your neighbors are in turn playing the same absurd game, as dictated by what they see every day on, “the tube”. Thus civility dies, rational conversation turns to petty posturing, community becomes a police state of locked gates, no trespassing signs, manicured lawns, legal battles and fences to “protect” each little would-be emperor and their host of “things”, from competing emperors and “have-nothing trash”. By the same token, and through the same empty, soulless state of greed and entropic egotism, goodwill among nations becomes the meaningless posturing of world leaders through the gibberish of political slogans, and the policy of “furthering their national interests” at the cost of millions of lives, pointless suffering and entire regions of the earth being stripped bare. Nothing in the consumer world is sacred except image, (egotism) and the way to, “sell your image” to others, is supposedly through, “things” which are themselves, “images”…ones that supposedly confer, “worth” in the eyes of the deaf, dumb and blind. . . The consumer world, in short, is a social landscape painted by corporate con artists, and made reality by the willing. Statistical knowledge of human reactions has revealed more about what NOT TO SAY about a product or service, than what its’ actual practical value may be. To pull off their “sale” of largely bogus and unneeded goods, (read SCAM) it is in the best interest of the corporate world and the mass media which caters to it, to keep the public in a perpetual state of ignorance and sheer stupidity. The “logic” of this practice is simple…if you’re a con artist offering something whose real and practical worth is nowhere near the price you’re asking, then you must “cultivate” your market of potential buyers (dupes) by making sure they are exposed to the full range of mind-destroying practices of education, advertising and social conditioning known to the modern science of propaganda. In so doing the level of manifest intelligence of the public has become so degraded, that not only will the average person fall for literally ANYTHING that is presented with the appropriate song and dance, they have been conditioned to actually be hostile to questioning of any kind. “Why ask why” a recent beer ad asked, “because you work hard and you’re worth it”. “Why ask why” is indeed the very epitome of the modern age, because it is the one question the modern world cannot afford to ask, and still keep things the way they currently are. . . But things simply CANNOT remain as they are, regardless of all the pathetic assurances to the contrary in popular media. This is a mathematically irrefutable FACT. Consumerism is by nature ALL DESTRUCTIVE. It is a parasitical process of hysterical beliefs which essentially values NOTHING but shallow ideas of self indulgence at the cost of ALL ELSE. It assumes, arrogantly, that man is at the center of the universe. It promotes the idea that humans are the personal darlings of God Almighty, and that our personal indulgences outweigh the value of all the plants, animals, facts and natural laws of the universe. “…Because you’re worth it” is the catch-phrase of that world, and through this thinking, supposedly any dark deed is deemed acceptable, any destructive occupation for the sake of a paycheck justified, and any war made glorious for the sake of, “national interests”. In the end, which by the way is not very distant from now, the consumer mindset will be forced to cannibalize itself, wherein the consumers will be consumed and nations fall into ruin. To say that the consumer world is, “unsustainable” is an extreme understatement. It would be more accurate to say that consumerism is a soulless state of desperation, whose degree of inner lack is directly proportional to the unquenchable desire to try to fill that lack with meaningless material things. It is a very foolish belief system which can only subsist through denial and manifest stupidity. This system is, as we speak, pressuring nature and nations alike, with households and persons reeling in confusion, to produce ever more, earn more profits, secure more resources, even while those very practices are destroying nations, households and persons, and even while those very resources are rapidly running out. It is madness, pure and simple. . . Because consumerism is at the very heart of the suicidal modern condition, and because it is composed of greed and egotism by which society simply CANNOT run effectively, (for obvious reasons) it is necessary to reject that belief system in all its forms. It is necessary to reject the demeaning idea that a persons’ social identity is that of a “consumer”, a word which literally means, “one who consumes” and which does not qualify them to be anything more than a worm. A worm “consumes”…a bacteria “consumes”, but human destiny is about intelligent use of the mind and the exaltation of the soul in wisdom. It is necessary to reject the paltry notion that life is defined as the accumulation of objects, that money equals love, that clarity is irrelevant, and that the universe holds no more meaning than can be assigned to it by any 30 second TV commercial. It is necessary to reject the idea that all of existence is an exercise is exploitation, that social relations are nothing but the posturing of images, (as seen on TV) and that the acts of mass suicide in corporate industry, constantly visited upon the good earth, are to be known as, “progress”. So long as such values and beliefs prevail in society we are literally DOOMED as a race. All other efforts beyond the rejection of these lies and petty falsehoods to secure a better world MUST ultimately fail, so long as the consumer paradigm remains in place. . . To accomplish this rejection, this fundamental change of values and lifestyle, it is our deepest need to be HONEST and to cultivate minds that respect a factual, truthful examination of life, regardless of how we may feel about the matter. There is literally NOTHING honest in the world of consumerism…everything is either a lie or based upon lies. We must reject the notion that we are the center of the universe, (another lie) which can do no ultimate wrong, and that our personal, self-indulged feelings as, “consumers” are far more important than the facts and reality which now confront this world. Then and only then can we manifest a sane lifestyle, one that is measured not by sales slogans or brand names, but by practicality, efficiency, logic, truth, wisdom and real fulfillment in spiritual advancement. Collectively, this is the true definition of “progress”, and individually, the true definition of “success”. . . Doing so is nothing less than the measure of our fitness to survive this century, and further evolve as a truly intelligent race… . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . For recommended reading…the free on-line book entitled, The Survivalists’ Guide for the New Millennium in our e-Library, giving detailed philosophy and practical instructions for the accomplishment of a sane and simple life. Military Censorship of the War in Iraq - Matthew Webb . 31 Jul 2008 17:07 . #753 Military censorship of the war in Iraq . By Naomi Spencer . 31 July 2008 . . Five years of bloody US occupation have seen numerous crimes against humanity unfold in Iraq. Millions of Iraqi civilians have been killed and wounded, with millions more made into refugees. Ancient, once-vibrant cities have been destroyed by air raids and chemical weapons. Thousands of Iraqis have imprisoned by the US military in barbaric conditions, and in many cases tortured. In carrying out the occupation, more than 4,400 military personnel—most of them American—have died and tens of thousands have been wounded. . . Little reflection of these realities is to be found, however, in the US media, particularly in visual form. Censorship by the military—and self-censorship by media outlets—is part of an effort by the ruling elite to sanitize the war and keep the American public in the dark about its real nature. . . As highlighted in a July 26 piece in the New York Times, titled “4,000 U.S. Deaths, and a Handful of Images,” very few photographs of the occupation have trickled out from the military-embedded journalists and been released by the American media. The military and Bush administration have imposed rules barring photos of flag-draped caskets, as well as documentation of battlefield casualties in which faces, ranks, or other identifiers are visible. . . The Times notes, “Even memorial services for killed soldiers, once routinely open, are increasingly off limits. Detainees were widely photographed in the early years of the war, but the Department of Defense, citing prisoners’ rights, has recently stopped that practice as well.” Journalists have also been forbidden from releasing images showing what the military deems to be sensitive information—anything from an image of American weaponry to the aftermath of an insurgent strike. . . . . Journalists interviewed by the Times said that even tighter rules imposed last year, requiring written permission from wounded soldiers before their images could be used, were nearly impossible to satisfy in the case of seriously wounded and dying soldiers. . . “While embed restrictions do permit photographs of dead soldiers to be published once family members have been notified,” the Times commented, “in practice, the military has exacted retribution on the rare occasions that such images have appeared.” . . Clearly, none of these restrictions have anything to do with “prisoners’ rights” or respect for the families of fallen soldiers. To the contrary, the military’s intent is to obscure from the American people the hellish reality in which prisoners and US soldiers alike have found themselves. Indeed, while employing typical military jargon and doublespeak, Defense Department officials make no secret of the subject: free and easy access to photographs, print journalism, and first-hand accounts of the war are a “vulnerability” for US imperialism because it fuels antiwar sentiment in the population and within the military. . . The Times article invites a comparison of Vietnam war-era photojournalism and coverage of the present occupation in Iraq: “If the conflict in Vietnam was notable for open access given to journalists—too much, many critics said, as the war played out nightly in bloody newscasts—the Iraq war may mark an opposite extreme: after five years and more than 4,000 American combat deaths, searches and interviews turned up fewer than a half-dozen graphic photographs of dead American soldiers.” . . Significantly, the Times was able to document only five published images of war dead that had been released by embedded journalists. In four of those cases, the paper notes, “the photographer was immediately kicked out of his or her embed following publication of such photos.” . . The number of embedded journalists has been cut drastically in the last five years. At the time of the invasion in 2003, 770 journalists accompanied US forces. Currently, according to the newspaper industry journal Editor & Publisher, only a dozen embedded journalists remain, about half of whom are photographers. Even if they were granted complete liberty to witness and document the occupation, the idea that 12 journalists could adequately cover the operations of 150,000 troops around the country is absurd. . . The first “disembedded” photojournalist documented by the Times was Stefan Zaklin, then of the European Pressphoto Agency, who was barred from working with the US Army after publishing a photo of a dead US officer in Fallujah in 2004. In 2005, Chris Hondros of Getty Images was “kicked out of his embed” with an Army unit after photographing a young girl, screaming and covered in blood, after US soldiers killed her parents. . . . . Two Times journalists were barred in January 2007 after the paper printed a photo of a fatally wounded soldier. The soldier died within hours of being wounded, but the military insisted that the Times reporters violated rules by not getting his written permission to use his image. . . The most recent barring of a photojournalist followed a devastating suicide bombing June 26 in Anbar province. The bombing killed 20 people, including three Marines. . . The photographer, Zoriah Miller, who goes by his first name, was among the first on the scene after the blast. He documented scattered body parts, pools of blood and debris, and wounded and shocked survivors. . . According to a July 17 piece in Photo District News, a photography industry magazine, Zoriah was told to “stop photographing, delete his memory cards, [and] surrender his cameras”. . . Three days after family members had been notified of the Marine deaths, Zoriah published the images on his independent website. The next morning, the Times reported, “high-ranking Marine public affairs officers demanded that Mr. Miller remove the photos. When he refused, his embed was terminated.” . . Zoriah wrote on his blog that officers claimed the military “would not allow even the pants or shoes of an injured or killed Marine to be depicted in images.” On July 3, the photographer was handed a letter claiming he had violated embed rules by publishing photos that revealed “tactics, techniques and procedures witnessed during operations,” and provided “information on the effectiveness of enemy techniques.” . . . . “Specifically, Mr. Miller provided our enemy with an after-action report on the effectiveness of their attack and on the response procedures of U.S. and Iraqi forces,” Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Hughes told the Times. Another Marine officer, Captain Esteban Vickers, waxed indignant to the paper: “Mr. Miller’s complete lack of respect to these marines, their friends, and families is shameful... How do we explain to their children or families these disturbing pictures just days after it happened?” . . Zoriah countered: “The fact that the images I took of the suicide bombing—which are just photographs of something that happens every day all across the country—the fact that these photos have been so incredibly shocking to people, says that whatever they are doing to limit this type of photo getting out, it is working.” . . “It is absolutely censorship,” the photographer told the Times. “I took pictures of something they didn’t like, and they removed me. Deciding what I can and cannot document, I don’t see a clearer definition of censorship.” In an earlier interview with PDN magazine, Zoriah commented: “They embedded a war photographer, and when I took a photo of war, they disembedded me. It’s as if it’s okay to take pictures of them handing lollipops to kids on the street and providing medical care, but photographing the actual war is unacceptable.” . . Indeed, the claim that documenting casualties aids the enemy is crafted to stifle information about almost any situation. It has also been used to justify the military targeting of independent journalists and media outlets that document American atrocities. The US bombings of independent Arab media Al-Jazeera offices in Kabul, Afghanistan, and in Baghdad served to quash critical coverage of the wars. . . Photographers have been increasingly held back from combat zones. James Lee, a photojournalist embedded with a Marine unit, told the Times that he was thwarted by commanders from entering Basra during the massive air assault and raid offensive in April. He was told the military brass “did not want any Western eyes down there.” . . As with Fallujah in 2004, the sieges on Basra and Sadr City constituted major war crimes. Over the course of a few days, hundreds of civilians and militiamen were slaughtered. During the siege in Basra, hospital and health officials were prohibited from speaking to independent journalists. American media dutifully reported Pentagon talking points, referring to killed civilians—even when children were counted among the dead—as “terrorists,” or at best “collateral damage.” . . Such suppression of the truth is an expression of the larger crime of the war. More fundamentally, however, military censorship and the self-censoring of the media reflect the immense and growing militarization of American political life. . . See Also: . How the Pentagon manipulated the media to promote the Iraq war . [25 April 2008] . US military blocks soldiers’ access to blogs, popular social sites . [21 May 2007] . US media drops Abu Ghraib torture issue . [21 February 2006] . US media covers up American war crimes in Iraq . [15 September 2004] Economic collapse...a Global Phenomena - Matthew Webb . 4 Aug 2008 17:24 . #754 And there's no surprise there.... . . Australian bank debt write-downs reveal deepening economic problems . By Mike Head . 4 August 2008 . . Large write-downs announced in the past week by two of Australia’s big four banks have underscored the worsening local implications of the financial meltdown that began in the United States last year. The announcements by the National Australia Bank (NAB) and the Australia New Zealand (ANZ) bank, accompanied by warnings that worse was still to come, sent share prices plummeting, wiping some $27 billion off the value of the major banks in just two days. . . The markets were initially shaken on July 25, when NAB took investors by surprise by increasing its expected losses on US mortgage debt-related investments to more than $A1 billion. The bank lifted its write-off provisions by $830 million, on top of $181 million announced earlier in the week. As a result, NAB’s share price dived 13 percent in a single day and is presently languishing at around $25, down from $44 last November. . . NAB’s chief executive John Stewart, who resigned this week, blamed the deteriorating US housing market, saying in a television interview: “I think we are not at the bottom yet.” At a media briefing he commented: “Unfortunately, the behaviour of the housing market in the US leads us to believe that the worst-case scenario might not be too far away from the most likely scenario.” . . For months the NAB and other Australian banks have insisted publicly, and assured investors, that they had little exposure to the US sub-prime crisis, because their US mortgage-related investments were AAA-rated. Over time, it has become increasingly clear that these ratings were worthless, because “toxic” sub-prime debts were packaged with other debts and because the entire US housing market is now falling precipitously. . . Given the banks’ record of underestimating their losses, financial analysts expressed scepticism about the extent of NAB’s disclosures, while the ratings agency Standard & Poor’s issued a warning that it may have to lower the NAB’s AA credit rating given it had only made write-downs on a small portion of its entire portfolio. . . Even greater questions were raised about the banks’ domestic debt situation on July 28, when ANZ lifted its possible charges to $1.2 billion for the second half of the year and slashed its full year profit forecast by a quarter, from $4 billion to $3 billion. ANZ’s update sent its shares tumbling by 11 percent, the biggest one-day fall suffered by the bank since the 1987 stock market crash. . . The announcement brought ANZ’s possible write-downs for bad debts to more than $2 billion for 2008, with the bank admitting it had underestimated its problems in March, when it revealed possible losses of close to $1 billion. Significantly, ANZ’s write-offs did not flow directly from the US, but from the emerging downturn in Australia and New Zealand. . . ANZ chief Mike Smith declared: “We have no direct exposure to US sub-prime. We have no exposure to US sub-prime or mortgage related CDOs [collateralised debt obligations]. In fact our total exposure to CDOs is $5.5 million.” Instead, he pointed to the “deterioration in global credit markets” and “the slowing of the global economy”, which was “playing out in Australia and in New Zealand”. . . ANZ has been hit by the collapse or near-collapse of heavily-indebted Australian businesses such as Centro, which operates shopping malls, Tricom, a finance house, and Opes Prime, a stock brokage firm. The bank has also been affected substantially by the recession that has taken hold in New Zealand. Smith said arrears had only risen slightly in ANZ’s Australian mortgage and personal debt portfolios, but warned it was unrealistic to assume that trend would be maintained in a slowing economy. . . Smith warned that local homebuyers could again face more interest rate rises, regardless of any Reserve Bank decisions about the official lending rate. “We also have to expect further volatility and further stress in the international credit markets in terms of funding costs ... and we will have to continue to pass that on,” he said. . . Wider fallout is expected in the banking sector, with the other two big Australian banks, the Commonwealth and Westpac, now under pressure to raise their bad debt provisions. Banking analysts at UBS have estimated that the Commonwealth will push its write-downs close to $1 billion and Westpac to almost $900 million. In the Financial Times, the July 29 “Lex Column” bluntly stated that the NAB and ANZ announcements hinted at “broader carnage to come”. . . The Lex columnist cautioned against investing in Australian shares. “Australian bulls like to believe life is different Down Under: the commodity boom and full employment, the argument goes, offer a buffer against defaults. By extension, lending banks are sitting pretty once you erase the toxic made-in-the-US paper. But the Australian consumer does not look that robust. Household debt-to-income ratios, at 177 percent, are higher than in the US, according to Morgan Stanley. Houses are every bit as over-valued as elsewhere, if not more so: the average house/price ratio is 5.5 times.” . . The anxieties on the financial and share markets were heightened on July 28 when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its April Global Financial Stability report, stating that financial markets continued to be fragile and indicators of “systemic risks remain elevated’’. It said easing the slump in US housing was necessary for financial markets to stabilise, but at the moment “a bottom for the housing market is not visible’’. . . In response to the IMF report, Australian treasurer Wayne Swan issued a statement in an attempt to allay fears in the banks’ health. Although the IMF had highlighted the difficult global financial conditions, he insisted that Australia had a strong, well-regulated banking sector that was “well-placed to withstand the fallout’’. Swan revealed that he and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had held an urgent weekend meeting to discuss the situation with the Reserve Bank and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which is meant to monitor the banks. . . While Swan criticised the banks for making some “bad investment decisions,” he defended the performance of APRA as a regulator and made clear that the government’s only concern was to shore up public confidence in the banks. Of course, there was no suggestion of holding the banks and financial markets accountable for the burden being placed, by their activities, on the backs of ordinary people, who face historically unprecedented levels of household debt, higher interest rates, falling house prices and rising inflation. . . . Slump and superannuation losses . . Since the beginning of 2008, every month has seen fresh indicators that the financial crisis is having an increasingly serious impact on the living conditions of working people, and that broad sectors of the Australian economy are already in recession, despite the massive profits still being enjoyed by the big mining and energy companies. . . Over the past week, reports have shown that consumer confidence slumped in July to the lowest level in 16 years, home-loan approvals fell in May by 7.2 percent—the biggest drop in eight years—followed by another 0.7 percent fall in June, and retail spending fell another 1 percent in June, accelerating a total drop of around 0.6 percent over the first five months of the year. . . TD Securities senior strategist Joshua Williamson commented that retail sales were at “recession” levels. “It’s higher interest rates from the major banks, higher costs of living, it’s the credit squeeze ... it’s the uncertainty in household wealth and falling share markets which are making people stay away from the shops.” . . House values have fallen to their lowest level since 2004, and Australian Property Monitors (APM) has predicted that the value of houses and units will fall by 10 percent across all mainland capital cities over the next year. APM general manager Michael McNamara said some borrowers would find themselves “sitting on negative equity” and “there is no doubt that the Australian market will see more foreclosures, repossessions and bankruptcies over the coming years”. . . If large numbers of people start losing their jobs, as now seems certain, many more working class families will be forced out of their homes. Up until now, the official unemployment rate has remained relatively low at just over 4 percent, but this masks the shifting of workers into insecure, casualised and part-time jobs. Moreover, major job losses have started to emerge, including some 1,500 layoffs by Qantas, 640 by Don Smallgoods and 600 by Starbucks. . . More businesses are reconsidering their hiring plans because of the economic slowdown, according to the NAB’s quarterly survey, which showed that business confidence for the June quarter fell four points to minus 8, the lowest level since the 1990-91 recession. Job losses are likely to intensify because bank lending to business has begun to dry up. Commercial lending rose by just 0.4 percent in June, a sharp fall from the 11.7 percent increase over the previous 12 months. . . Retirement funds have recorded their worst losses since the Keating Labor government introduced compulsory superannuation payments in 1992. Because the funds have poured their contributors’ money into the share, property and financial markets, their end-of-financial-year statements are revealing average losses of more than 6 percent. . . According to SuperRatings, retail super funds will post an average loss of 9.8 percent, with industry funds down 5.7 percent. These results mean that all retirees will have less money to live on. There are already reports of people being forced to postpone their retirement. . . Like Treasurer Swan, the Rudd government’s minister for superannuation, Senator Nick Sherry was at pains to insist there was no need for panic, arguing that superannuation should be seen as a long-term investment. He admitted that many people, especially those close to retirement, would be shocked and angry. “There are probably millions of Australians who have never seen their fund statement show the end balance less than the opening balance,” he said. . . Another report by Rainmaker Research showed that financial advisers were paid $2.4 billion in fees and commissions in 2007 by super funds, even as the share market began to fall. . . See Also: . Australia's "two-track" economy: super-profits and falling living standards . [16 July 2008] . Australia: Inflation soars and thousands more face losing their homes . [26 April 2008] . Dark clouds gather over Australian economy . [22 April 2008] Famines - Matthew Webb . 6 Aug 2008 17:24 . #755 Famine in East Africa: Catastrophe threatens as food prices rise . By Barry Mason . 6 August 2008 . . The threat of starvation facing millions in East Africa is increasing. According to FEWS net, (Famine Early Warning Systems Network) 11 million people across the region are in need of food aid. . . A recent Oxfam press release was headed, “Spiralling food prices tipping millions in East Africa towards catastrophe.” . . It quoted Oxfam’s Rob McNeil, who had just returned from assessing the situation in Somalia and the Afar region of Ethiopia. He said, “This is a catastrophe in the making; we have time to act before it becomes a reality. The cost of food has escalated by up to 500 percent in some places... People are increasingly becoming desperate... We fear that the worst could be yet to come as the crisis deteriorates across East Africa.” . . The situation in Somalia is exacerbated by deteriorating security, making it dangerous for those trying to distribute food aid. The invasion by Ethiopia has displaced thousands of people. . . The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) director for Somalia, speaking at a recent news conference in London, explained. “Somalia is at a dire crossroads. If sufficient food and other humanitarian assistance cannot be scaled up in the coming months, parts of the country could well be in the grips of a disaster similar to the 1992-1993 famine, when hundreds of thousands of people perished.” . . An article in the Guardian, August 1, stated that Ethiopia is suffering most in the current crisis. In June the Ethiopian government has said around four and a half million people faced food shortages but now, “official estimates from donor agencies following recent nationwide assessments put the figure closer to 8-10 million people.” . . The article continued: “The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia warns that the country is facing ‘critical challenges’... those living in drought-affected areas are resorting to extreme measures including slaughtering animals, eating seeds meant for planting and migrating from their homes.” . . The British Development Charity, Tearfund, commented on their website, “Ethiopia, Somalia, northern Kenya and Uganda are the worst hit areas with around 17 million people in need of emergency food aid. Drought, poor harvests and the continuing rises in food prices are the main factors driving a worsening humanitarian situation. . . “If the current rainy season is also poor and the next harvest in a few months time also fails, the crisis will become catastrophic... In many areas there is a shortage of seeds to plant the next harvest, food on sale at markets is unaffordable and livestock lacks grazing land. . . “There is already an urgent need to help those faced with severe hunger now. It is also equally important to act fast to help people to secure their next harvest and to maintain healthy livestock to prevent the crisis from deteriorating further.” . . The development charity Christian Aid published a report in July, called “Fighting food shortages—Hungry for change”. It analyses the current food crisis. In its introduction it make the point that there is enough food grown to feed everyone, citing figures produced last year by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. . . Yet the numbers lacking sufficient nutrition is increasing. Around 860 million of the world’s population were malnourished, but the effects of the recent spiralling food price rises have added another 100 million to this figure. . . It explains: “A ‘perfect storm’ has now arisen... long term problems affecting agricultural production have been exacerbated by other factors, sending global food prices soaring and causing acute shortages of staple foods in at least 37 countries.” . . “In the first three months of 2008 all major food commodities hit their highest price in real terms for nearly 30 years,” it notes. . . It is the world’s poor who are hit hardest, for they have to spend up to 70 percent of their income on food for themselves and families. . . It goes on to highlight the major factors which have led to the recent spike in the global cost of food. . . One factor is rising oil prices. Apart from increased transport costs, fertiliser has jumped in price. Josette Sheeran, executive director of the WFP, following a recent visit to Kenya said, “The world’s misery index is rising”. In Kenya fertiliser costs had more than doubled over the last few months, and seed prices have risen. She explained, “Farmers have no access to credit so when prices go up, they can’t afford to plant.” . . Climate change is also affecting food production. In Africa it has led to more erratic and extreme weather events. The report says, “Across sub-Saharan Africa, more erratic rainfall has led to drought and frequent crop failure... evidence that the climate is changing is unequivocal.” . . The increasing production of crops for biofuels is also having an impact. Biofuel production has increased from 1,300 million gallons in 1997 to 6,500 million gallons last year. John Lipsky of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) states that “biofuel policies in some advanced economies are spilling over to the price of key food items, particularly corn and soya bean. IMF estimates suggest that increased demand for biofuels accounts for 70 percent of the increase in corn prices and 40 per cent of the increase in soya bean prices.” . . The role of speculation in commodities, which has moved into food production, is a major factor in the recent spike in food prices. Michael Masters, an expert on hedge funds, speaking to a US senate committee in May this year, said, “You have asked the question ‘Are institutional investors contributing to food and energy price inflation?’ And my unequivocal answer is yes... What we are experiencing is a demand shock coming from a new participant in the commodities futures market: institutional investors.” . . He went on to explain that amongst the commodities involved in speculative investment were agricultural products including wheat, corn and soya beans. The report continues: “So popular has this form of trading become that several banks, including Barclays and Deutsche Bank, have launched agricultural commodity index funds.” . . Previous IMF loan conditions, such as the privatisation of emergency food stores in Malawi, have had a devastating impact on many sub-Saharan African countries. Their markets have been opened up for cash crop production for export to the major economies. The report notes that “The most productive land is then used to grow these crops, squeezing out domestic food producers. Although the intention has been to raise the income of marginal producers, such crops have reduced agricultural diversity and left countries reliant on importing staples.” . . In sub-Saharan Africa 65 percent of the population are reliant on subsistence farming. The collapse of the recent Doha round of trade talks can only accelerate this process. . . See Also: . Global food price rises exacerbate famine in Ethiopia and Somalia . [3 July 2008] . The world food crisis and the capitalist market: Part three . [10 June 2008] . Global food prices rise and famine increases . [29 March 2008] Wages fall, prices rise - Matthew Webb . 21 Aug 2008 17:28 . #756 Real wages fall as record price hikes hit US workers . By Andre Damon . 21 August 2008 . . US prices jumped in July by their highest month-to-month rate since 1981, in one of the sharpest inflation spikes since the Second World War. . . The July Producer Prices index, reported Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose by 1.2 percent, on top of a 1.8 percent increase in June. “Core” prices, which exclude food and energy, shot up by .7 percent, more than triple economists’ expectations. Producer prices were up 9.8 percent from a year ago. . . “There is no doubt we’re in a period of stagflation,” Peter Kretzmer, a senior economist at Bank of America, told Bloomberg News, referring to the combination of stagnant growth and inflation, which characterized the US economy in the 1970s. . . The consumer price statistics released last Thursday mirrored the producer price statistics. Seasonally-adjusted consumer prices jumped .8 percent last month—more than double earlier predictions—and were up 5.6 percent since July 2007. Even so, inflation has picked up in recent months. While the Consumer Price Index rose at a comparatively low annualized rate of only 2.8 percent in the first quarter, it shot up at an annualized rate of ten percent in the past three months. . . The living standards of workers continue to decline as the purchasing power of their wages falls and pay increases fail to keep up with inflation. The most recent Bureau of Labor statistics report found that real average weekly earnings fell by .8 percent from June to July. Over the past year, weekly earnings fell by 3.1 percent. Thus, the average household now earns a staggering $1,500 less than it would if wages had kept pace with inflation over the past twelve months. . . Skyrocketing prices, falling wages, rising unemployment, and falling home values are all lining up to create a massive social catastrophe. According to Credit Suisse, the credit analyst, there will be some 6.5 million home foreclosures by 2012, amounting to 12.7 percent of homeowners with mortgages. While arranging multi-billion dollar bailout of big investors involved in the mortgage meltdown, the Democrats and Republicans have offered no relief for working people facing the loss of their homes and unsustainable levels of debt. . . The housing market, one of the main components of the US slowdown, showed no signs of improvement, as the construction of new homes fell 30 percent lower than a year ago. “A [housing market] recovery will not happen this year,’’ Russell Price, a senior economist at H&R Block told Bloomberg News. “Not only are mortgage rates creeping up, but financing is becoming more difficult for a lot of people. Builders will continue to pull back.’’ . . The unexpectedly high US inflation statistics followed the announcement last week that the Eurozone economy contracted for the first time since the creation of the European Monetary Union in 1999. Combined output in the fifteen Eurozone counties fell by .2 percent in the second quarter. Germany was particularly hard hit, with output falling by .5 percent in the second quarter. France’s economy contracted by .3 percent and Italy’s by .3 percent. . . The British, Spanish, Greek, and Austrian economies managed to avoid contracting, but all grew at rates lower than one percent. The weaker position of the Euro—which has helped keep the US economy from shrinking in the last several quarters—has dragged down growth of the EU’s largest exporters: Germany, France, and Italy. . . Meanwhile, the Japanese economy contracted .6 percent in the second quarter, according to figures released last week by the government. Japan is the world’s second-largest economy and the fourth-largest exporter. Thus far, all eight of the world’s largest exporters—excluding China—have announced at least one quarter of stagnation or negative growth. . . Consumer Price inflation also reached its highest level since the creation of the Euro. Consumer prices rose by 4.1 percent in the second quarter, more than double the European Union’s inflation target of 2 percent. . . Despite facing similar difficulties—slowing growth and rising prices—the US and European Central banks have reacted in completely opposite ways. In the past year, the US Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark Federal Funds Rate from 5.25 to 2 percent. The European Central Bank has on the other hand proceeded to raise rates to 4.25 percent. . . This is at least partially due to the differing levels of success the European and US corporate elite have enjoyed in suppressing the wage demands of the working class in their respective countries. Thus far, the American ruling class, with the full assistance of the trade union bureaucracy, has kept wage increases well below the rate of inflation despite widespread anger over high prices and eroding living standards. By contrast, German wages have risen at the same rate as inflation, which reached an annual rate 3.5 percent in the second quarter. . . The Wall Street Journal, noting the results of its recent survey of leading economists, observed that “part of the reason for the disparity [in central bank policy] is the difference between the European and US work forces. Some 94 percent of respondents said the US’s risk of a wage-price spiral, where pressures from labor costs and high prices push each other up, is either minor or nonexistent. But 34 percent said that the Eurozone countries face a major risk of a wage-price spiral, and 9 percent said it is already beginning.” . . The Federal Reserve, facing a financial meltdown that would cost the US government hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars, has pumped huge amounts of cash into the US economy. It has kept interest rates extremely low, extended billions of dollars in loans to Wall Street, and all but guaranteed that it would bail out any large financial firms that run into trouble. This, combined with rising commodity prices, has contributed to persistently high inflation rates despite radically falling wages. . . But, despite all this, the Fed has been unable to stabilize the financial sector. In recent days, the conditions facing major finance companies have only worsened. On Wednesday the Treasury Department backed away from its previous assertions that it would not bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, after the two firms saw their stock values plunge more than thirty percent since Monday. . . Meanwhile, Kenneth Rogoff, the former IMF chief economist, said Tuesday that “the worst is yet to come,” and that another major financial firm is likely to collapse in the next few months. “We’re not just going to see mid-sized banks go under in the next few months,” he said at a conference in Singapore. “We’re going to see a whopper, we’re going to see a big one, one of the big investment banks or big banks.” . . See Also: . Bank seizures of US homes reach record high . [16 August 2008] . US unemployment rate rises to four-year high . [2 August 2008] . Government report shows sharp fall in US economic growth . [1 August 2008] . US housing slump “without precedent”: foreclosures up 121 percent over 2007 . [26 July 2008] Fascist State - Matthew Webb . 25 Aug 2008 17:55 . #757 Bush administration widens domestic spy agency powers . By Naomi Spencer . 25 August 2008 . . In recent weeks, Bush administration officials have introduced a number of provisions that substantially widen the powers of intelligence and law enforcement agencies to conduct spying and other operations within the US against American citizens. . . Last week, several news outlets reported that the Justice Department had drafted new rules on intelligence gathering operations which it plans to ratify on October 1, the first day of the new fiscal year and one month before the November elections. . . Although details of the draft have not been made publicly available, officials told the Associated Press (AP) that the changes give explicit permission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to spy on Americans even if there is no basis for suspicion of criminal activity or allegations of wrongdoing. According to an August 20 report by the AP, officials speaking on condition of anonymity said “the new policy would let agents open preliminary terrorism investigations after mining public records and intelligence to build a profile of traits that, taken together, were deemed suspicious.” . . Among factors the officials said could be used as the basis for spying, according to the AP, were “travel to regions of the world known for terrorist activity and access to weapons or military training, along with the person’s race or ethnicity.” . . The FBI would be authorized to conduct activities such as “long-term surveillance, interviewing neighbors and work-mates, recruiting informants and searching commercial databases for information on people.” . . Four members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who were briefed on the new rules—Democrats Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island—wrote in an August 18 letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey that the new rules opened the way for “intrusive surveillance” against innocent Americans based on “race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or on protected First Amendment activities.” . . An August 22 editorial by the New York Times, citing comments of Senate staffers familiar with the new rules, reported that the FBI would be authorized to carry out “pretext interviews, in which agents do not honestly represent themselves while questioning a subject’s neighbors and work colleagues.” . . There can be little doubt that among those targeted will be the sizable and growing segment of the population actively opposed to the government’s policies. “Pretext interviews” and the use of “recruited informants”—who infiltrate targeted organizations—are deeply anti-democratic and unconstitutional tactics that the FBI, in the anti-communist Cold War era, widely employed against socialists and civil rights groups. . . In their letter, the senators merely urged Mukasey not to ratify the guidelines until they have been publicly announced—an indication that they have no any serious intention of blocking the action. Only last month, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and Senate passed, by an overwhelming margin, legislation legitimizing the Bush administration’s ongoing domestic wiretapping and surveillance operations and granting immunity to telecommunications companies participating in the illegal programs. (See: “Obama joins Senate vote to legitimize Bush’s domestic spying operation”). . . In an August 20 reply to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Attorney General’s office gave an assurance that Mukasey would not sign the guidelines in advance of a September 17 appearance before the committee by FBI Director Robert Mueller. . . However, the letter made clear that the Justice Department considered the delay little more than a grace period. It stated, “Although we have not traditionally worked with Congress in developing Attorney General guidelines, and as you note in your letter, we are not obligated to do so, we appreciate the laudable and thoughtful suggestions we have already received...” In the meantime, the Attorney General’s office said the department would “continue to train FBI employees in preparation for the October 1, 2008 implementation date.” . . In tandem with more aggressive FBI spying, the Justice Department last week introduced a proposal to further integrate state and local law enforcement agencies into the intelligence apparatus by allowing police forces to collect intelligence about American citizens. The proposal would allow police to share data with federal agencies and retain information for at least ten years. . . As an August 16 Washington Post article reported, in the past few years numerous instances of police infiltration of peace and other protest groups have come to light. The article noted that “undercover New York police officers infiltrated protest groups before the 2004 Republican National Convention... California state agents eavesdropped on peace, animal rights and labor activists,” and “Denver police spied on Amnesty International and others before being discovered.” . . Michael German, a former FBI agent turned whistleblower who is now a policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told the Post, “If police officers no longer see themselves as engaged in protecting their communities from criminals and instead as domestic intelligence agents working on behalf of the CIA, they will be encouraged to collect more information... It turns police officers into spies on behalf of the federal government.” . . On August 20, the Post reported that the federal government has been compiling information on land, sea, and air border-crossings by Americans via a previously undisclosed Border Crossing Information system run by the Department of Homeland Security. The data—including name, birth date, gender and photographic documentation—will be held for 15 years and can be used by intelligence agencies in investigations. The newspaper commented, “The same information is gathered about foreign travelers, but it is held for 75 years.” . . This month, the Bush administration also announced the creation of a new unit within the Defense Department’s Defense Intelligence Agency, called the Defense Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence Center. Without giving details, Mike Pick, appointed to direct the program, told reporters at a Pentagon press conference that the office would carry out “strategic offensive counterintelligence operations” within the United States. Pentagon officials have insisted that the agency would target only “foreign intelligence officers” on US soil. . . The announcement closely followed a July 30 executive order by President Bush ordering a restructuring of intelligence agencies to more tightly centralize spying and other so-called “counterintelligence operations” under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The purpose of the change is to consolidate and solidify the huge intelligence apparatus that has grown massively in the period since the September 11, 2001 attacks. . . See Also: . Obama joins Senate vote to legitimize Bush’s domestic spying operation . [10 July 2008] . US: Democratic Congress approves war funding, legalizes domestic spying . [21 June 2008] The Russian/US Situation - Matthew Webb . 26 Aug 2008 17:24 . #758 US continues to ratchet up tensions with Russia . By Barry Grey . 26 August 2008 . . The United States has continued to intensify its confrontation with Russia in the wake of Moscow’s withdrawal of troops from most of the Georgian territory it held following the five-day war provoked by the invasion of the breakaway province of South Ossetia by the US-backed government of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. . . On Sunday, the US guided missile destroyer USS McFaul docked at the Georgian port of Batumi as part of what President Bush and the Pentagon have called a “military humanitarian mission” to aid the former Soviet republic in the southern Caucasus. . The McFaul, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is outfitted with an array of weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads, and a sophisticated radar system. According to US Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman, the US Coast Guard cutter Dallas has also been dispatched to the Georgian coast, while a third vessel, the Navy command ship USS Mount Whitney, is being loaded in Italy. . . Russian military officials on Monday denounced the US-led naval buildup, and hours later Russia’s flagship cruiser re-entered the Black Sea, ostensibly for weapons tests. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of the Russian military’s general staff, said, “The fact that there are nine Western warships in the Black Sea cannot but be cause for concern. They include two US warships, one each from Spain and Poland, and four from Turkey.” . . Reuters cited unnamed sources in Russian military intelligence as saying the NATO ships in the Black Sea are carrying more than 100 Tomahawk cruise missiles, with more than 50 onboard the USS McFaul alone that could hit ground targets. . . On the ground, the Georgian military has concentrated equipment and forces along the border with South Ossetia, near Russian troops that have set up checkpoints in a five-mile buffer zone around the pro-Russian enclave. The Georgian parliament voted on Saturday to prolong the official “state of war” with Russia until September 8. . Russian military officials this weekend vowed to boost their forces in the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in direct proportion to American military spending to rebuild the Georgian army. . In addition to its provocative military moves, Washington is stepping up its political and diplomatic offensive against Moscow. American officials continue to charge Russia with violating the terms of the cease-fire agreement brokered two weeks ago by French President Nokolas Sarkozy, acting in behalf of the European Union. Sarkozy currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-member European alliance. . . The Bush administration moreover announced that Vice President Dick Cheney would visit the Georgian capital of Tbilisi next week as part of a tour of former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations that are now allied to the US and ruled by virulently nationalistic and anti-Russian governments. Cheney heads a faction within the Bush administration that has long pushed for an even more belligerent and aggressive policy toward Russia than that carried out by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. . Early in the five-day Georgia-Russia war, while Bush was still attending the Olympics in Beijing and issuing relatively muted statements on the conflict, Cheney telephoned Saakashvili and placed the blame for the fighting squarely on Moscow. His office issued a statement saying that Russian “aggression ... must not go unpunished.” His visit to the -region indicates that his faction has gained the upper hand within the administration. . . On Sunday, Sarkozy announced that he was calling an emergency EU summit for September 1 to consider the European Union’s relations with Russia and the provision of aid to Georgia. Sarkozy, who said he was calling the meeting at the request of “some EU governments,” last week threatened to call such a summit and warned of “serious consequences” if Russia failed to adhere to the cease-fire terms. He, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Minister David Milibank, are echoing US charges that Moscow continues to defy the agreement. . . Russia on Friday withdrew almost all of the forces it had sent into Georgia to repel the attack on the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, which, Moscow contends, killed over 2,000 civilians and leveled 70 percent of the buildings in the city. However, it is retaining over 500 troops within the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and has established military checkpoints in what it calls a “security zone” around the two provinces. . . Moscow insists that it is in compliance with the cease-fire, which includes a point allowing Russia to take unspecified “additional security measures” besides keeping peacekeepers in the disputed territories. Russia has maintained peacekeeping troops in the provinces since they ended effective control by Tbilisi in fighting that followed the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. A subsequent agreement between Moscow and Tbilisi sanctioned the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the breakaway republics. . . In a telephone conversation with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev over the weekend, Sarkozy said the agreement allowed Russian peacekeepers to “patrol” areas near the borders of the two republics, but not to set up checkpoints. He also demanded that Russia remove military checkpoints near the Georgian port of Poti and the air base at Senaki, which are outside the five-mile buffer zone around Abkhazia. . . From the moment the cease-fire agreement was announced, Washington began accusing Russia of violating its terms. Both Georgia and the US have refused, in practice, to acknowledge the point allowing Russia leeway to station some forces beyond the borders of the disputed provinces. . . The Financial Times reported Monday that “US diplomats have voiced their frustration at the terms of the subsequent ceasefire deal brokered by Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s president, which they consider too vague and too favourable to the Kremlin.” In a separate article based on an interview it conducted over the weekend with Saakashvili, the newspaper reported that “Saakashvili put the blame on the ‘vague’ ceasefire agreement.” . . Divisions within the EU over how closely to adhere to the extremely provocative line of the US and how far to take the confrontation with Russia were reflected in a statement by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who ruled out EU sanctions against Russia at the upcoming summit. . . However, Sarkozy’s announcement of the meeting reiterated the US mantra of support for the “independence and territorial integrity” of Georgia, a formula for rejecting demands of separatists in the two breakaway provinces, broadly supported by the local populations in the wake of the Georgian assault on South Ossetia, for independence from Georgia. . . The question of independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia is becoming the flashpoint for further conflict. On Monday, both houses of the Russian parliament—the upper Federation Council and the lower State Duma—voted unanimously in favor of a non-binding resolution calling on Medvedev to recognize the independence of the provinces. . The Russian parliament and the governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have cited as precedent American and European recognition of Kosovo, which last February, over vehement objections from Russia, declared itself independent of Serbia, a traditional ally of Moscow. . . Intensifying the conflict, Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh called on Monday for a military cooperation agreement between an independent Abkhazia and Russia. . Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in an interview with Spiegel Online on Sunday attacked the US for its “deceitful role” and pointed out: “American was arming Georgia for five years, and Georgia tripled its military budget.” . . Of Washington’s intense lobbying for Georgian admission to NATO, he said, “That would be very dangerous ... It is a decision by all of NATO, a decision on what relations it wants with Russia in the future.” . The Russian government is incapable of responding to the aggressive and provocative policy of the US except by counterposing to Washington’s drive for hegemony in the Caucasus and the Eurasian continent its own Russian nationalism and militarism. . . Resting as it does on the dominant factions of the new bourgeoisie that enriched itself from the plundering of the nationalized economy of the former Soviet Union, the Russian regime is incapable of making any appeal to the masses of former Soviet republics such as Georgia and Ukraine which are being lined up against it. . . On Sunday, Ukraine held a large military parade in Kiev to mark the 17th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko gave a televised address in which he declared that only NATO membership and military rearmament could protect Ukraine from Russian domination. . . Yushchenko published an op-ed column in Monday’s Washington Post in which he reiterated earlier threats to limit Russian naval access to the Black Sea port of Sevastopol. Russia and Ukraine agreed in 1997 to a 20-year renewable lease for the Russian naval base in the Crimean port. . Yushchenko went on to declare his support for the “territorial integrity” of Georgia and insist on Ukraine’s admission to NATO. . Indicative of the bipartisan support for the Bush administration’s reckless and belligerent policy toward Russia, with its ominous implications of a potential military clash between nuclear armed powers, is an interview with Saakashvili reported in Monday’s New York Times. The article notes that the Georgian president is convinced of unqualified US support for his drive to reassert control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, saying he “spoke by phone with the presumptive Republican nominee for president, Senator John McCain, as often as twice a day, and that he was in regular contact with Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., who has been picked to run for vice president on the Democratic ticket.” . . See Also: . Bush administration steps up war of words with Russia . [22 August 2008] . US exploits Georgia crisis to push through Polish missile deal . [21 August 2008] . US oil pipeline politics and the Russia-Georgia conflict . [21 August 2008] . NATO meeting in Brussels: US steps up pressure on Russia . [20 August 2008] . Less than $2 a day - Matthew Webb . 4 Sep 2008 18:46 . #759 World Bank: Two and a half billion people live on less than $2 a day . By David Walsh . 2 September 2008 . . The World Bank reported Tuesday that in 2005 an estimated 1.4 billion people in the so-called ‘developing world,’ one-fourth of its population, lived on less than $1.25 a day, the new official poverty line. This figure is 400 million more than the Bank’s 2004 estimate of 985 million. Another 1.2 billion people live on between $1.25 and $2 a day. . . The report issues from an institution correctly identified by great numbers of people around the world as a reactionary pillar of the global financial system. Despite efforts by Bank officials to put the best face on things, that more than two and a half billion people continue to live in unspeakable poverty in the first decade of the 21st century is an indictment of the capitalist system. . . Martin Ravallion and Shaohua Chen, of the World Bank’s Development Research Group, in a study entitled, “The Developing World is Poorer than We Thought, But No Less Successful in the Fight Against Poverty,” note that in 2004, for the first time, the Bank’s global poverty count had fallen below one billion. . . They continue: “Alas the revised estimates reported in the present paper suggest that our celebrations in finally getting under the one billion mark for the ‘$1 a day’ poverty count were premature. ... We find that the incidence of poverty in the world is higher than past estimates have suggested.” . . The 2005 estimates are based on surveys conducted in 116 countries and interviews with some 1.23 million households. . . The most dire conditions exist in Sub-Saharan Africa. After a quarter-century (1981-2005) that witnessed the most extraordinary advances in technology, the percentage of people living in absolute poverty in that region remained unchanged; some 50 percent of its population subsists on $1.25 a day or less. . . The actual number of the extremely poor in Sub-Saharan Africa almost doubled, from 200 million in 1981 to about 380 million in 2005. “If the trend continues,” notes a World Bank press release, “a third of the world’s poor will live in Africa by 2015. Average consumption among poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at a meager 70 cents a day in 2005.” . . Most of the 15 poorest countries in the world—Malawi, Mali, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Uganda, Gambia, Rwanda, Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Mozambique, Chad, Nepal and Ghana—are located in Africa. . . In South Asia, the percentage of those living below the $1.25 poverty rate has decreased from 60 to 40 percent over 1981-2005, but the absolute number of desperately poor people did not decline; there are some 600 million in that category. In India, extremely uneven economic development reduced the poverty rate as a share of the total population from 60 percent in 1981 to 42 percent in 2005, but the number of the destitute increased from 420 million in 1981 to 455 million in 2005. . . The largest factor in lowering the percentage of extremely poor people in East Asia has been the explosive industrialization of China. In 1981 East Asia was the poorest region in the world. In China the number of people surviving on less than $1.25 a day in 2005 prices dropped from 835 million in 1981 to 207 million in 2005. A quarter of a century ago, the report states, “China’s incidence of poverty (measured by the percentage below $1.25 per day) was roughly twice that for the rest of the developing world; by the mid-1990s, the Chinese poverty rate had fallen well below average.” . . In the former colonial world, outside of China, the progress has been far more limited; the total number of extremely poor people has remained at about 1.2 billion. The percentage of the ‘developing world’ population living in absolute poverty has decreased from 40 percent in 1981 to 29 percent in 2005, according to the Bank. Excluding China, however, the most oppressed countries are not on track to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the 1990 poverty rate by 2015. . . In Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), the former Stalinist-ruled countries, the picture is bleak. “The mean consumption of EECA’s poor has actually fallen since the 1990s, even though the overall poverty rate was falling.” In passing, the authors note that social inequality has grown in that region since the collapse of Stalinism: “The paucity of survey data for EECA in the 1980s should also be recalled. Thus our estimates are heavily based on extrapolations, which do not allow for any changes in distribution. One would expect that distribution was better from the point of view of the poor in EECA in the 1980s, in which case poverty would have been even lower than we estimate—and the increase over time even larger.” . . The poverty rate in Latin America and the Caribbean has also declined, but not enough to bring down the number of extremely poor people. . . Ravallion and Chen point to two phenomena that tend to undercut even the limited progress they cite. . . First, although hundreds of millions of people have lifted themselves out of absolute poverty since 1981, the improvement has been very slight for vast numbers. While the increase in wealth at the other pole of global society, registered in the number of billionaires and the share of national incomes held by the top one or five percent of the population, has been explosive, the very poor have only inched ahead and remain immensely vulnerable. . . The study’s authors point to the phenomenon of “bunching up” that has occurred between $1.25 and $2.00 a day. They observe that the number of people living at that level “has actually risen sharply over these 25 years, from about 600 million to 1.2 billion. This marked ‘bunching up’ of people just above the $1.25 line suggests that the poverty rate according to that line could rise sharply with aggregate economic contraction.” . . Speaking of the same phenomenon in relation to both East and South Asia, they note that a total of some 900 million people live on between $1.25 and $2.00 a day, “roughly equally split between the two sides of Asia. While this points again to the vulnerability of the poor, by the same token it also suggests that substantial further impacts on poverty can be expected from economic growth, provided that it does not come with substantially higher inequality.” . . In a press release, the World Bank notes that its estimates “suggest less progress in getting over the $2 per day hurdle. Indeed, we have seen no change in the number of people living below $2 per day at around 2.5 billion, between 1981 and 2005.” . . In another press release, the Bank is also careful to point out that the new estimates “do not yet reflect the potentially large adverse effects on poor people of rising food and fuel prices since 2005.” . . Or, as Ravallion and Chen write in their conclusion, “There are a great many people who have reached the frugal $1.25 standard, but are still very poor, and clearly vulnerable to downside shocks. One such shock is the steep rise in international food and fuel prices since 2005. Despite the progress in reducing the lags in survey data availability, it will probably not be until 2010 that we can make a reasonably confident assessment of the ex post impacts of the rising food and fuel prices on the world’s poor. Until then, ex ante assessments will be required, based on pre-crisis data and economic assumptions. Such assessments suggest that at least a few years of the progress reported here have been eroded since 2005.” . . See Also: . Global food price rises exacerbate famine in Ethiopia and Somalia . [3 July 2008] . The world food crisis and the capitalist market . [10 June 2008] . Global survey reveals growing anger over social inequality . [20 May 2008] . World Wealth Report: a census of the global oligarchy . [12 July 2007] US Economy Falling Apart - Matthew Webb . 8 Sep 2008 19:28 . #760 US government takes over mortgage giants to stave off financial meltdown . By Bill Van Auken . 8 September 2008 . . In the biggest government intervention in the American economy since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the US Treasury Department announced Sunday that it is effectively nationalizing the two mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. . . Timed to precede the opening of the stock markets in Asia, the announcement that the two firms are being placed in “conservatorship” left no doubt about the depth of the economic crisis confronting American and world capitalism. . . “Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are so large and so interwoven in our financial system that a failure of either of them would cause great turmoil in our financial markets here at home and around the globe,” said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr., at a Washington press conference. “A failure would be harmful to economic growth and job creation. That is why we have taken these actions today.” . . Indeed, the bankruptcy of these two companies points to the bankruptcy of American capitalism. Between them they are responsible for funding more than two thirds of all home mortgages in the US. . . While politicians from both parties as well as most media reports have tried to portray the plan as assistance to beleaguered homeowners, it is clear that the intervention will do nothing to ameliorate the crisis confronting millions of average working people. . . As the New York Times acknowledged Sunday, “The plan to bail out the firms will probably do little to stop home prices from falling further. And foreclosures are almost certain to rise. . . “The bailout will give the mortgage industry a stability that we haven’t had in a couple of years,” Rich Cosner, president of Prudential California Realty told the Associated Press. “But frankly no, it won’t help (struggling borrowers) to refinance.” . . Its real aim is to bail out the banks which bought Fannie’s and Freddie’s unsecured debts as investments with the understanding that the US treasury ultimately stood behind these so-called “government-secured enterprises.” . . The immediate cost of the bailout will be borne by taxpayers as well as shareholders, who will see their investments wiped out. Part of the plan announced Sunday authorizes the government to buy up existing assets at a nominal price of less than a $1 a share. A significant portion of these investments are held by mutual funds handling 401K plans that constitute the sole retirement savings for large sections of the American workforce. . . Moreover, the terms of the takeover is expected to precipitate at least some new bank failures. The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) issued a statement Sunday affirming that “while many institutions hold common or preferred shares of these two government-sponsored enterprises, a limited number of smaller institutions have holdings that are significant compared to their capital.” How “limited” this number was, the agency did not say. . . The plan announced by Paulson calls for the investment of up to $200 billion in government funds to prop up the two mortgage giants. . . The real cost, however, could prove significantly higher. William Poole, the former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said Sunday that the government could be compelled to spend as much as $300 billion to rescue the two companies. . . The action marks the third time since the beginning of the year that the US government has been force to bail out a major financial institution in order to stave off a threat of imminent collapse of the US and global banking system. . . Last March, the injection of $29 billion from the US Federal Reserve was used to subsidize the takeover of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase. And in July, the government was granted authority to inject cash into the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while the two government-backed private companies were allowed to borrow money directly from the Fed. . . Together, the two companies had recorded $14.9 billion in net losses over the past four quarters as a result of rising foreclosures and plummeting home prices. . . In selling the plan last July to the Senate Bank Committee, Paulson argued, “If you have a bazooka in your pocket and people know it, you probably won’t have to use it.” The idea was that by creating this safety net, private investors would be reassured and would lend money to the two companies, which together own or back more than $5 trillion in home mortgage debt. . . As it turned out, the “bazooka” had the opposite effect, convincing investors that Fannie and Freddie were headed for bankruptcy and federal takeover. As a result, their share prices continued to plummet, having lost 80 percent of their value this year. . . In after-hours trading Friday, after rumors of an imminent takeover began circulating on Wall Street, Fannie Mae stocks fell by another 21.9 per cent and Freddie Mac’s by 20.9 per cent. . . One of the triggering factors in the government intervention was apparently the dumping of Fannie-Freddie holdings by Asian and other foreign investors. Bank of China, the country’s third-largest bank, announced at the end of August that it had shed some $3.14 billion in debt holdings from the two companies over the previous two months. Other central banks were apparently following suit. . . Russia’s central bank, meanwhile, reportedly dumped some $40 billion in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Federal Home Loan Bank securities over the course of this year and further cuts were expected. . . The flight from investment in these government-backed companies clearly raises the specter that a similar pull-out could be threatened from US government securities. At present, the US economy is dependent upon foreign investors, principally in Asia, purchasing up to $20 billion in US agency debt monthly. . . Implicitly threatening just such a pullout, China’s leading economist, Yu Yongding, a former senior advisor to the central bank, commented last month: “If the US government allows Fannie and Freddie to fail and international investors are not compensated adequately, the consequences will be catastrophic. If it is not the end of the world, it is the end of the current international financial system.” . . Significantly the bond rating agency, Standard & Poors, felt compelled to issue a statement Sunday affirming that the takeovers—adding $5 trillion in debt to Washington’s balance sheets—would not result in the downgrading of the US government’s sovereign credit rating. . . The depth of the crisis and the scope of the government intervention was underscored by the fact that Paulson briefed not only President Bush before announcing the plan, but also Democratic and Republican candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, as well as senior congressional leaders. . . Both candidates voiced their backing for the intervention, while criticizing the government’s past handling of the two mortgage companies. . . “These entities are so big and they are so tied into the housing market that it is probably true that we have to take steps to make sure they don’t just collapse,” Obama told an audience in Terre Haute, Indiana. . . “I think that we’ve got to keep people in their homes,” McCain declared in an interview aired Sunday on the CBS news program “Face the Nation.” He continued: “There’s got to be restructuring, there’s got to be reorganization, and there’s got to be some confidence that we’ve stopped this downward spiral.” . . Obama proclaimed that the takeover should not be used to “protect investors and speculators who relied on the government to reap massive profits,” while McCain denounced “executives were making hundreds of—some billion dollars a year while things were going downhill.” The Republican candidate acknowledged, “This is the kind of cronyism, corruption, that’s made people so justifiably angry.” . . All of this is empty demagogy. The speculation, cronyism and corruption that pervaded the operations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are emblematic of the parasitism and criminality of the America’s ruling financial elite as a whole. . . Moreover, this bipartisan unity in support of the bailout is the clearest expression of the unconditional subordination of both major political parties to the fundamental interests of America’s financial oligarchy. . . One of the deciding factors in the government’s intervention Sunday was an audit of the two companies performed by advisers hired from Morgan Stanley. While initial reports are sketchy, it appears that the auditors found that the two firms were employing Enron-style accounting methods to hide the real depth of their crisis, failing to write down the value of securities backed by subprime loans. . . As a result, the amount of capital that the companies had to protect themselves from losses—extremely limited by any standards—was in actuality far less than had been presented. Their ability to raise new capital had clearly dried up with the dizzying drop in share prices in recent months. . . “Freddie Mac had made accounting decisions that pushed losses into the future and postponed a capital shortfall until the fourth quarter of this year, which would not need to be disclosed until early 2009,” the New York Times reported. “Fannie Mae has used similar methods, but to a lesser degree, according to other people who have been briefed.” . . Both of the mortgage giants had been involved in previous accounting scandals. Freddie Mac underwent a shakeup in 2003 after it was revealed that earnings figures had been falsified to the tune of $5 billion, while at Fannie Mae, the company was accused of “accounting errors” totaling $6.3 billion. Both Freddie and Fannie were forced to pay fines and replace their chief executives, but no criminal investigations were initiated and no substantive change was initiated in the companies’ operations. . . As the New York Times described these operations, the two firms used the implicit government commitment to bail them out “to borrow money at below-market rates and lend money at above-market returns,” turning them into “what amounted to gigantic hedge funds operating with only a sliver of capital to protect them from unexpected surprises.” . . Fannie Mae was set up by the federal government in 1938 as part of the New Deal to inject capital into a mortgage market mired in the Great Depression. It was a public agency with the explicit mission of providing government credit so that average families could buy homes. . . In 1968, it was turned into a private but government-sponsored corporation with the aim of getting mortgage debt off of the government’s books under conditions in which the Vietnam War was creating growing fiscal pressures. Freddie Mac was created in 1970 as a similar “government sponsored enterprise.” By the 1990s, the two agencies became central to the speculative housing bubble that underlay the profit boom on Wall Street that preceded the current crisis of the world financial system. . . The government’s choice of new chief executives to head the two firms it has taken over makes clear whose interests it intends to defend. Placed at the helm of Fannie Mae was Herbert Allison, a former vice-chairman at Merrill Lynch, and to head Freddie Mac, it tapped David Moffett, a former CEO at US Bancorp and current senor advisor to the Carlyle Group. . . See Also: . US jobless rate soars as foreclosures break new record . [6 September 2008] . US Congress approves government bailout of mortgage giants . [28 July 2008] . US housing slump “without precedent”: foreclosures up 121 percent over 2007 . [26 July 2008] . US government bails out mortgage giants . [14 July 2008] Staying Conscious - Ame . 1 Oct 2008 02:12 . #761 I wonder how many people are able to stay conscious during this time of economic and material turmoil. Conscious to the truth that the affairs of men are like the rise and fall of the waves of the sea,in that they rise and fall and rise again. . One needs to remember that the only constant is "change" as Einstein said and that our thoughts and feelings as manifested light create the material experience. We have a choice as to what forces we allow to influence our consciousness. . During this turmoil, I have chosen to stay detached and to concentrate on the only true reality which is light, beauty and love. By doing this I feel I am contributing to the collective good creations of our planet. . Instead of becoming embroiled in the economic and media chaos. . Instead, I have chosen to flood the world with purifying light. . "Let there be Light" in all the affairs of humankind and in our creations. . As I am writing this the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling springs to mind, so I will . post it here: Wise words indeed in this time through which the world is passing. Stardream. . . If . . If you can keep your head when all about you . Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; . If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, . But make allowance for their doubting too; . If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, . Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, . Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, . And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; . . If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; . If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; . If you can meet with triumph and disaster . And treat those two imposters just the same; . If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken . Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, . Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, . And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools; . . If you can make one heap of all your winnings . And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, . And lose, and start again at your beginnings . And never breath a word about your loss; . If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew . To serve your turn long after they are gone, . And so hold on when there is nothing in you . Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on"; . . If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, . Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; . If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; . If all men count with you, but none too much; . If you can fill the unforgiving minute . With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - . Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, . And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son! US economy falling together? - Jim Whitescarver . 1 Dec 2008 13:42 . #762 It is time for the great delusion of humanity to be dispelled? . . It is not time for blame or retribution. . . All are victims of the deceit. . . I am called to spread truth and the way toward realization of the dream that the meek shall inherit the earth. There is in the trick of time the provides the means to put Armageddon and the destruction of the temple behind us. . . I am tempted, in the manner of Jesus to turn over the tables of the money changers. I must remember that he did not do so in the market square, but at the temple. . . We are faced with an unworkable monetary system benefiting only the money changers and enslaving us all. National debts can never be paid but since money represents no value there is no real problem. . . Yet as long as the system of money as debt and fractional reserve banking persists, the children will starve and the people are condemned to relentless consumerism and cycles of boom and bankruptcy. . . The truth can set us free. The time is come. Money can become the servant of humanity rather than its master. . . Why do we need money at all? We do not. Money is just a necessary evil until we know His world here. . . How do we get there from here? How will the tables turn? Only by our realization of a monetary system that does not destroy us but serves us instead. Then money will have no power to rule us. . . There is not one way this will happen. First it requires understanding. We need to educate ourselves about the nature of money that we can take reasonable action. We need to spread the word. Then we ought promote a new economy, not in one way, but in every way we can. . . Getting off the economic roller coaster means facilitating independent grass roots economic efforts by our participation. It means promoting monetary reform in the family, the church, the community, the state, the nation, and the world. . . May we be at peace with ourselves and the world. But lead us not to inactivity, but to proactivity, in facing the challenges facing humanity, such that the starving children and humanity as a whole may thrive, the prophecies be fulfilled, and our destiny realized. . . Om. . . Jim . http://MonetaryReformAct.org Yes, U.S. Economy Failing Altogether - Matthew Webb . 6 Dec 2008 21:32 . #763 US payrolls shrank by more than half a million in November . By Barry Grey . 6 December 2008 . . The Labor Department reported Friday that US payrolls plunged by 533,000 in November, a staggering decline that far outpaced forecasts by economists, who had predicted an already sharp drop of 340,000 to 350,000 jobs. The huge net fall in non-farm jobs, coming on top of data registering dramatic declines in retail sales and factory orders, shows that the United States is careening into a recession deeper and longer-lasting than any since the Great Depression of the 1930s. . . The monthly job loss, the eleventh straight decline, was the biggest since December of 1974, the high point of one of the worst economic slumps in the postwar period. Since the beginning of 2008, the US has lost a net total of 1.9 million jobs, according to government figures, including 1.2 million in just the last three months. Friday's report revised sharply upward previous Labor Department estimates of job losses in October (to 320,000 from 240,000) and September (to 403,000 from 284,000). . . Currently, more than 10.3 million people are out of work, the Labor Department said. . . The pace of layoffs is accelerating, as the financial crisis and credit crunch take an ever heavier toll on consumer spending, production and investment. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that US employers announced at least 33,000 job cuts this week alone. The Business Roundtable, which represents 160 big US companies, said Thursday that 60 percent of chief executives in a recent survey expect to slash jobs in the coming months. . . The US auto companies are preparing to close dozens of plants and shed tens of thousands more jobs as part of a federal bailout loan. Should Congress and the Bush administration fail to extend emergency credit, one or more of the Big Three companies will go bankrupt, resulting in hundreds of thousands of auto-related layoffs. . . On Friday, General Motors announced that it is cutting production at four North American car plants, including the elimination of the third shift at its Lordstown, Ohio, Oshawa, Ontario and Orion Township, Michigan factories in February, resulting in a loss of 2,000 jobs. . . The November jobs report showed the third largest decline in the number of people employed since the data began in 1950. According to the Labor Department's alternate measure of employment, based on a survey of households, the net decline in jobs was even higher than the payroll-based figure, coming in at minus 673,000. . . The government's official unemployment rate rose 0.2 percent from the October level to 6.7 percent. This is the highest level in 15 years, but it is a gross underestimation of the real scale of unemployment. The 6.7 percent figure excludes laid off workers who have stopped actively looking for a new job. The Labor Department reported that 422,000 workers left the job market in November. If these "discouraged workers" were included in the government survey, the jobless rate would climb to 7 percent. . . The Labor Department's so-called "underemployment" rate, which includes temporary and involuntary part-time workers, reached 12.5 percent last month, up 0.7 percent from October. . . Major job losses were recorded in virtually every sector of the economy, reflecting the depth and breadth of the recession. Particularly ominous was the sharp increase in job cuts in the service sector, which registered a decline of 370,000 and accounted for 70 percent of the total fall in employment. Payrolls in manufacturing, construction and other goods-producing industries have been falling sharply for months, but most service industries, which account for 80 percent of US gross domestic product, have, until recently, been only marginally affected. . . "The service sector had been holding up relatively well into this downturn, but now the service sector is just imploding," said Michael T. Darda, chief economist at the research firm MKM Partners. "As the service sector goes, so goes the US economy." . . Hiring in goods-producing industries fell 163,000. Within this category, manufacturing firms cut 85,000 jobs, with auto and auto parts makers accounting for 13,000 job losses. The manufacturing sector has lost more than half a million jobs this year. . . Construction employment was down by 82,000. . . Within the service sector, business and professional services companies shed 136,000 jobs and financial sector payrolls were down 32,000. Retail trade cut over 91,000 jobs. Leisure and hospitality businesses shed 76,000 jobs. Temporary employment, which is considered a bellwether for future job prospects, fell more than 78,000. . . Job gains were registered only in health care, education and government employment. . . These figures provide only a pale indication of the mounting social distress of tens of millions of working people. As a result of decades of restrictions on eligibility, barely a third of laid off workers in the US are able to receive jobless benefits, which in any event are wholly inadequate to support a family. . . Workers' incomes are declining at an accelerating rate. Average hourly earnings in November increased 7 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $18.30 from the previous month. That was up just 3.7 percent from a year earlier, significantly lower than the inflation rate. Moreover, work hours are being slashed. The length of the work week slipped to 33.5 hours in November, the shortest since records began in 1964. . . A stark measure of the social crisis was provided in a report issued Friday by the Mortgage Bankers Association, which showed that by the end of September a record number of American homeowners—one in ten—were either in foreclosure or at least a month late on mortgage payments. More than 19.5 percent—nearly one in five—of subprime mortgage holders were seriously delinquent on their payments. . . Millions of American families have already lost their homes, and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke told a Fed housing conference on Thursday that lenders were on track to initiate 2.25 million foreclosure proceedings this year, more than double the rate before the housing and credit crisis broke 16 months ago. . . The past week alone has seen a raft of layoff announcements spanning every sector of the economy. Telecommunications giant AT&T announced 12,000 job cuts, chemical maker DuPont said it would slash 2,500 jobs, United States Steel announced 3,500 layoffs, paper maker AbitibiBowater said it was eliminating 1,100 jobs, office furniture maker Steelcase said it would close an Atlanta plant that employs 300 people, Avis Budget said it was cutting 2,200 positions, newspaper chain Gannett Co. said it would eliminate 2,000 positions, software maker Adobe Systems announced plans to lay off 600 employees, Real-Networks Inc. said it was laying off 130 workers, entertainment companies Viacom and NBC Universal announced layoffs, 850 and 500 respectively, State Street Corp. announced a 6 percent cut in its work force, representing as many as 1,800 employees, asset manager Legg Mason said it would cut nearly 200 jobs, and publisher Houghton Mifflin indicated it would cut several hundred employees. . . Friday's jobs survey followed a series of economic reports this week pointing to a rapidly accelerating recession. The government reported that factory orders in October registered their biggest decline in eight years. Total jobless claims lasting more than one week jumped to their highest level in almost 26 years for the week ended November 29. Consumer spending in the third quarter fell by the steepest amount in 28 years. Retail sales in November, the first month of the crucial holiday season, saw their biggest drop—2.7 percent—since 1969. . . An indication of the global scale of the recession, and the threat of a deflationary spiral, is the fall of crude oil prices on Friday to below $41 a barrel, the lowest closing price in four years. . . Many economists now expect that US gross domestic product will contract 4 percent or even more this quarter after falling 0.5 percent in the third quarter. HIS Global Insight, a forecasting and data gathering service, informed its clients this week that its GDP forecast for 2009 was now minus 1.8 percent, rather than 1 percent. "We see the unemployment rate at 8.6 percent by the end of 2009," Global Insight said. . . Financial analysts reacted with shock and alarm to Friday's jobless report. "Business shut down in November," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's economy.com. "Businesses are in survival mode and are slashing jobs and investment to conserve cash. Unless credit starts flowing again soon, big job losses will continue well into next year." . . "The pace of job losses is accelerating alarmingly," said Ian Shepherdson of High Frequency Economics. . . Peter Morici of the University of Maryland told the Wall Street Journal, "This was much worse than expected and represents wholesale capitulation. The threat of a widespread depression is now real and present." . . However, the responses from the Bush administration and the incoming Obama administration make clear that no serious measures are contemplated to provide relief for millions of struggling working class families. . . Bush made a perfunctory appearance outside the White House Friday morning in response to the disastrous jobs report. Speaking for less than five minutes and exuding complacency and indifference, he reiterated his policy of funneling trillions of taxpayer dollars to the banks, saying, "The most urgent issue facing the economy is the problem in the credit markets." . . Refusing to make even a gesture in the direction of social relief or spending for jobs, he repeated his opposition to using any of the $700 billion allotted for Wall Street to bail out the auto industry. On the foreclosure crisis, he said his administration was taking action to avoid "preventable" foreclosures—a formula for denying government aid to the vast majority of families facing the loss of their homes. . . For his part, Obama issued a similarly perfunctory statement saying that the jobs report was further evidence that "we need an economic recovery plan that will save or create at least 2.5 million more jobs over two years while we act decisively to maintain the flows of credit on which so many American families and American businesses depend." . . What this means in plain language is a continuation and expansion of the transfer of taxpayer funds to the major banks and finance houses, while a mere fraction of the trillions going to Wall Street will be used to address the greatest social crisis in three-quarters of a century. Under conditions where well over 2.5 million jobs will have been wiped out by the time he takes office, Obama's pledge to "save or create" 2.5 million jobs over two years amounts to a token policy, even if it is carried out. Moreover, the formula "save or create" is contrived to allow for a continuing net decline in jobs. being free - Jim Whitescarver . 7 Dec 2008 12:18 . #764 "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.... The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs. ... The modern theory of the perpetuation of debt has drenched the earth with blood, and crushed its inhabitants under burdens ever accumulating." . -Thomas Jefferson . . “And there was a cry of the people...against their brethren the Jews...we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses that we might buy corn because of the dearth...and lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants...some of our daughters are brought into bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them for other men have our lands and our vineyards...” BIBLE: NE: 5:1,7 . . “Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who makes its Laws.” ANSELM MEYER ROTHSCHILD (major owner of world banks) . . The simple fact is we have national debt and personal debt that cannot . ever be paid off under the current system because money is created . solely in the creation of debt but the money to pay the interest is . never created. Interest compounds exponentially increasing debt . without the corresponding creation of the money required to ever pay . the interest making economic collapse inevitable. The poverty and war . that is instigated for the sole purpose of increasing debt and the . resulting increase in the wealth and power of the money masters would . be reason enough to change the system even if it could work. The . simple fact is it cannot work and must be changed. . . The reality is that the economic transformation will be evolutionary, . not revolutionary. What will determine the future will be application . of the principles on a small scale initially, and different competing . systems learning from each other with gradual expansion and . refinement. The challenge here is to find opportunities to . demonstrate these ideas and take the initial first steps toward the . dream by correcting the primary problems first and then addressing the . resulting issues while developing the complete vision of where we are . going and how we are getting there from here. . . The Resource Based Economy of the Venus Project is an excellent . example of what to me is a great vision of the future that is totally . impractical and is potentially dangerous because it is much too much, . much to soon, and fatally incomplete. The complete elimination of all . money and all laws is certainly a pipe dream. At the same time, it . is to me, a long term vision that has good merit though many of the . specific elements I expect will be outdated before they could ever be . implemented. . http://www.thevenusproject.com/ . . We first need to be focused on minimalistic measures . to correct the current system. The Monetary Reform Act directly . addresses the major issue in correcting the debt based economy. . Without taking such a step, I do not see how any other national . currency reform is possible. Rather than a potential complete . solution to all the problems facing humanity it seems more prudent to . focus on the minimal change we can get a consensus on and then argue . how we could make it better. . . Once we have money that belongs to the people we must face the other . issues that inhibit the creation of value in a free market, resource . depletion and market displacement by providing the necessary . incentives and disincentives by public spending and taxing policies. . . In the current control hierarchy the money masters sit at the top, . once they are dethroned, it will be the multinational military . industrial complex left at the top continuing to be the hidden hand . controlling our media and governments. We have the responsibility to . insure that we affirmatively promote the decentralization of industry . and agriculture by our spending and taxing policies. Free enterprise . is not the same as lasifare capitalism. Monopolies and other huge . conglomerates suppress free trade, they do not exemplify it. Taxing . the mega corporations to subsidize market diversity is necessary to . strengthen the market and maintain free trade. Taxing windfall . profits to subsidize redirection of displaced markets is not just the . humanitarian thing to do, it benefits everyone. . . It would be irresponsible for us to allow a few greedy people to . exploit our shared resources for their own exclusive benefit. As our . shared resources are depleted and rendered nonrenewable we ought tax . such depletion. The tax ought be increased as the resource becomes . scarce to prevent the extinction of the resource and reflect its . growing future value as it becomes a scarce commodity. Such taxation . encourages the preservation of our scarce resources while encouraging . the development of our abundant resources. . . On the other hand, taxing income and sales stifles the economy and is . the worst thing we could do. Money that circulates continually . creates value. This cycle is stymied by taxes on transactions and is . self defeating. the total tax can be greatly reduced once we stop . paying interest to the money masters for no good reason. Once begin . taxing what ought to be taxed we can stop taxing what ought not be . taxed. Eliminating taxes on income and sales will be the greatest . economic stimulus package imaginable and give us the opportunity to . become a wealthy civilization. It will remove government interference . with doing business freely and simply. enterprise that is taxed is . not free. . . The capital of the planet is our resources, and in principle we all . share ownership of those resources, and have the collective . responsibility to invest them wisely. This includes all resources . especially human resources. Responsible taxing and spending will . insure our resources are not squandered and that conditions are ripe . for maximal value creation. . . Once the money masters and imperialist capitalists have been put in . their place by effective monetary policy, government regulation is the . next greatest threat to our ability to create value and to our . freedom. Law is the antithesis of freedom. The tyranny of the . majority is mob rule, not wise leadership. Government is responsible . for monetary policy with strict guidelines for sustaining our economy . and planet using objective criteria, not public whim. Government . primary responsibility is to protect our freedom, not limit it. Large . organization are particularly bad at decision making and should not be . making decisions about how we ought life the good life. . . The financial crises has led many to believe we need more government . regulation. Nothing could be further from the truth. The extreme . degree of regulation makes the notion that the free market has failed . ridiculous. Mainly, what regulation has done is make doing business . more expensive for honest people and more profitable for crooks. It . puts many businesses out of business and does not fix anything. For . example, whatever trades are illegal in this country are done overseas . as a matter of course. No government can control trading in today's . international economy. It only makes us less competitive and more . vulnerable. We cannot improve our quality of life by making laws that . fill more buildings. Instead, we need to let laws expire . automatically and get down to laws that all fit in one book. Our only . personal contract with society should be that we will not interfere . with anyone else's freedom if they do not interfere with our freedom. . Collectively we have added responsibilities in our collective action . but these need not, and ought not, interfere with our individual . freedoms. . . Now, once we have reclaimed our freedom by taking it back from the . money masters, the industrialists, and the government, we can begin . engineering a great future for humanity proactively and effectively . capitalize on our human and natural resources to create value rather . than squandering them.. But if we do not reclaim our freedom first, . all efforts will be in vain and our good, well intended ideas will be . exploited to enslave us for the benefit of the few at the expense of . us all. There can be nothing real or moral while the powerful few . have the power as they control the masses by our deception. Given the . real freedom to fulfill our dreams will eventually mean we have no . need for money, as long as our dreams do not interfere with the dreams . of others. The notion that we can capitalize on our share of the . earths resources is no pipe dream. Unlike money, resources embody . actual value, rather then a pretense of value supported only by our . blind faith and blissful ignorance of our slavery to those who . controls it in the society that demands it. . . It may seem a bit crazy to think of living without money, but we at . least must think of living without the money of the money changers. . The current crises is a direct result of the IMF contracting the money . supply. As long as we depend on their money if will be taken away . from us by them at will. It is preferable that money represents real . value, but we ought happily use any money that belongs to the . people, and render to the money changers all their money that . has no value, just as we would "render unto Caesar that . which is Caesar's" (he'll get it anyway). . . Grass roots economies offer the immediate promise of alternative to . using their money, We ought to be the dream. Nothing else can make . it happen. We should insist on the right to pay taxes in currency . that belongs to the people and represents value. Though, if we use . less than our share of resources, and do not interfere with the . freedoms of others, we should pay no taxes at all, and be compensated . by those using an excess of resources, and not need money at all. . . There is no one perfect monetary system in my view. We need to . enable, by our participation, whatever exchange systems we trust, and . build decentralized cooperatives of these trading exchanges, to enable . transactions between members of different exchanges. In this way we . can realize the dream and never by enslaved again by the new money . masters. . . It is easier said, than done. Without government backing it is . difficult to achieve a bases for trust, but there are many small . working examples to build and improve on. That is the challenge we . must face while advocating monetary reform in government. Should we . succeed, our slavery to the money changers currency will be ended and . there will no longer be any power behind the resistance to monetary . reform in government. But I strongly believe that even the slightest . suggestion that grass roots economies might be succeeding will . stimulate radical change in national currencies. . . While monetary reform is our greatest threat and opportunity for the . enrichment of humanity today, we ought be wary of powerful . corporations and governments simply taking the reins from the money . masters in depriving the people of the benefits of our labors, our God . given rights, and our share of the earths bounty. . . Being free, is a cooperative effort. It is a responsibility . government has botched as the founding fathers anticipated. We cannot . count on government to provide freedom for us, it is beyond the power . of any institution to grant that. To be free we must simply live . free, and support each other in being so, in the freedom militia by . legal recourse and passive resistance. A necessary step, is using our . own money. It is not the only step, but it is most important in . ending hardship and fulfilling our dreams at this time, avoiding the . otherwise inevitable economic collapse. . . Jim . www.MonetaryReformAct.org Even More Revealing - Matthew Webb . 19 Dec 2008 19:25 . #765 Dollar plunges after record rate cut by US Federal Reserve . By Barry Grey . 19 December 2008 . . In the two days since the Federal Reserve Board cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low range of 0 to 0.25 percent and announced that it will supply an unlimited amount of liquidity to near-frozen credit markets, the US dollar has fallen sharply on world currency markets. The panic sell-off of dollars is an expression of falling confidence in the solvency of US financial institutions and the credit-worthiness of the American currency, and mounting fears that the recession that began with the collapse of the US housing and credit markets could develop into a full-blown depression. . . . The Fed’s unprecedented move, widely described by commentators as a “shock and awe” action, has evoked both relief in financial circles that the US government is prepared to take extraordinary measures and fears that it represents a desperate and reckless move with potentially disastrous implications for the US and world economy. . . . In essence, the Fed tacitly acknowledged Tuesday that the US economy is breaking down under the weight of trillions of dollars of bad debt and could enter into a deflationary spiral similar to that which took place in the Great Depression of the 1930s. It made clear that it will print an unlimited volume of dollars to buy mortgage-backed securities, credit card debt, car loans and even long-term bonds issued by the US Treasury in an attempt to get banks to begin lending once again to businesses and consumers. . . . This is the financial equivalent of emergency triage on an expiring patient. It means a massive increase in US indebtedness and a further dilution in the value of the US dollar, a recipe down the road for an explosive growth of inflation, a further decline in the world economic position of American capitalism, and the further impoverishment of large sections of the US population. It takes place under conditions where US private sector gross debt has already soared from 118 percent of gross domestic product in 1978 to 290 percent this year. . . . The fact that the Fed, whose core legal mandate is to maintain the stability and value of the dollar, is nevertheless prepared to take such action is an indication of growing alarm over the depth of the economic crisis and the rapidity with which it is developing. . . . On Wednesday, the euro jumped as much as 4 cents against the dollar, the biggest single-day move since the euro was launched in 1999. The dollar plunged against the yen to its lowest level in 13 years. The dollar also fell in relation to the British pound and the Swiss franc. . . . In the space of two hours Wednesday, the euro soared from $1.4058 to an 11-week high of $1.4440. The dollar gained back some ground against the euro on Thursday, closing at $1.4180, after the European Central Bank moved to stem the rush from dollars into euros by cutting its interest rate on deposits from 2.0 percent to 1.5 percent. However, the dollar continued to fall against the yen. Gold futures surged. . . . Only a month ago the euro was at $1.24. In just the two days since the Fed’s announcement, it has jumped nearly 7.5 percent. . . . US stock markets, which had a sharp rally Tuesday after the Fed announcement, fell back on Wednesday and Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 99 points Wednesday and 219 points Thursday, giving up most of its gains from Tuesday. The retreat reflected mounting concerns over the implications of the Fed’s actions as well as new economic data indicating a continuing surge in joblessness and a further contraction in the economy in the coming months. . . . Financial commentators in both the US and abroad expressed concern over the deeper significance of the Fed’s moves. The Financial Times published a lead editorial Thursday entitled “The Fed Rips Up the Rule Book,” which began, “We are flying blind.” . . . It continued, “The Federal Reserve’s announcement this week that it was abandoning conventional rate measures in favour of directly propping up lending represents a bold experiment in policy. Ben Bernanke, Fed chairman, is taking a gamble, but he had little choice… . . . “The US real economy is crumbling and continues to deteriorate, the global downturn has been exacerbated by a crippled domestic financial system. Credit is not flowing to consumers and businesses because risk spreads are too high…. Restoring credit may be the Fed’s primary aim, but its measures are also an insurance policy against falling into a deflationary spiral… As growth returns, inflation might come back with a vengeance.” . . . A report by Credit Suisse Group said the Fed’s “easing and very low US rates will ultimately undermine the dollar across the board.” . . . C. Fred Bergsten, director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, wrote, “The risk is that the deceleration of the dollar could cascade and push interest rates up as the rest of the world demands a higher return on US investments.” . . . Nouriel Roubini of the Stern School of Business at New York University summed up the Fed’s actions as follows: “Traditionally, central banks have been the lenders of last resort, but now they are becoming the lenders of first and only resort. As banks curtail lending to each other, to other financial institutions and to the corporate sector, central banks are becoming the only lenders around. . . . “Likewise, with household consumption and business investment collapsing, governments will soon become the spenders of first and only resort, stimulating demand and rescuing banks, firms and households. The long-term consequences of the resulting surge in fiscal deficits are serious.” . . . The backdrop to the Fed’s action is a raft of economic data showing an accelerating economic decline. Earlier this week there were reports showing a continuing fall in industrial production, a record drop in homebuilding and a record decline in consumer prices. These deflationary indicators were supplemented by a fall in crude oil prices below $36, despite a record production cutback announced Wednesday by OPEC, another massive increase, 554,000, in first-time jobless benefit applications for the week ended December 13, and the Conference Board’s report that its leading economic indicators gauge of future economic performance posted its biggest annual fall since 1991 in November, dropping 3.7 percent from the year before. . . . JPMorgan Chase analysts now estimate that the global economy will contract at a 3.7 percent annual rate this quarter and a 2.3 percent pace in the first quarter of 2009, marking the worst six-month period for the world economy since World War II. . . . Every day brings multiple announcements of job cuts across all branches of the private sector US economy. Such announcements over the past few days include 1,000 jobs at the insurance company Aetna, 2,500 jobs at hard-drive manufacturer Western Digital, 800 jobs at Caterpillar’s Mossville, Illinois engine plant, and hundreds of layoffs at Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan plant, American Apparel in Los Angeles, Cooper Tire and Newell Rubbermaid. . . . The Fed’s massive injection of liquidity into the financial markets does not address the underlying causes of this downward spiral. The crisis is not one of liquidity, but of solvency. Decades of rampant speculation and outright fraud based on cheap credit and an expansion of debt, facilitated by government deregulation of the banks and financial markets, have produced a vast edifice of paper values that is now collapsing. . . . There is a general erosion of confidence in the credit markets. The basic problem is not the cost of credit, but the fact that banks and other financial institutions refuse to lend to one another, to other businesses and to consumers because they have no confidence in the financial viability of prospective clients. . . . At the heart of this crisis is the internal decay of American capitalism, marked above all by the dismantling of large sections of its manufacturing base, and the decline in its global economic position. A longstanding crisis of profitability in industry has led to a separation of wealth accumulation by the financial elite from the productive process and a massive growth of financial parasitism. There is no genuine solution to this crisis within the framework of the capitalist market system—only ever more brutal attacks on the jobs and living standards of the working class, combined with a growth of militarism and war. Christmas is a FARCE - Matthew Webb . 25 Dec 2008 00:05 . #766 Christmas, Just Like Consumerism, is a Farce . or, . What the REAL Cause of the Economic Crisis Is . . When listening to the mass media today about Christmas, which has become the spiritual joke of all time, what do we hear about? Do we hear about the message of Christ, or the meaning of the so-called “holiday” (Holy Day)? No, we hear about is how companies, who depend upon “the holidays” to financially survive, are struggling to stay in business. We hear that this is because “consumers” are being tight with their pocketbooks, because they just aren’t, “shopping the malls and department stores like they used to”. There’s even been talk about how the average “consumer” ought to do their patriotic duty to God and Country by “consuming more” in order to support, “the American dream”. Never mind that Christ was an avid anti-materialist who advocated simple, unpretentious living. Never mind that Christ would undoubtedly be sorely vexed, (righteous indignation) by this whole spectacle, and be truly appalled that it’s all being done in his name, year after year, in direct contradiction to what he was trying to teach. Never mind that not once in all this platitude-filled, (“Merry Christmas!”) greeting-card sloganized, credit-card indebted, plastic trinket peddling, mental illness-causing nonsense, do we have any real discussion of what Christmas is supposed to mean. And here we get to the real crux of the matter….the child Christmas, just like its’ parent religion consumerism, DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING AT ALL. Christmas has become, for mainstream America and the majority of the world, just an exercise in corporate profits, sweat shop labor, environmental destruction, and Titanic-sized, Roman-like wastefulness. Like consumerism, Christmas is based upon nothing more than glorified self indulgence, within a spiritual vacuum so immense that “things” have actually become equated with love and happiness. So, yes, to call Christmas a “farce” is actually an understatement, since it is every bit as shallow, meaningless and anti-spiritual, as the paradigm known as “consumerism”. . . Some will argue that Christmas is a, “wonderful time of year had in the spirit of giving”, and that the above statements are “negative”. But actually, the above statements are merely FACTUAL. In other words, they are HONEST. Now there’s a novel concept for the ‘holidays” isn’t it?....honesty. But what is honest about Christmas or consumerism? Nothing at all. There is every historical evidence, for instance, that Christ was in fact NOT born on December 25th, and that the only reason Christmas came about then, was because the Church decided to usurp the usual “pagan” celebration of the solstice with a falsified date of Christ’s birth. Then we have the so-called “Christmas tree” which is also of “pagan” origin, which originally symbolized the coming new life of spring. And if we’re going to talk about the, “spirit of giving” then let’s be honest…such a spirit has nothing whatsoever to do with social obligation or a date marked on a calendar. The spirit of giving is just that…a spiritual impulse to GIVE for the sake of the betterment of our fellow man, REGARDLESS of what the calendar says. It has nothing to do with going to Nordstroms, buying a $150 brand name sweater, wrapping this up in a ten dollar box with fancy wrapping and putting all this under a silly tree with flashing lights in your living room, only to be “unwrapped” on a given morning, according to the day of the month. So let’s get real here…most people don’t BUY in the “spirit of giving”, they buy out of a feeling of social obligation, “because that’s what you do on Christmas” and out of a super-inflated sense of self indulgence which they borrowed from advertisers on the television. . . Christmas has become nothing more than a consumer orgy of ridiculous proportions, promoted by equally ridiculous advertisements for every nonsensical and unnecessary plastic trinket known to man. It therefore represents NOTHING, means nothing, and accomplishes nothing, other than corporate earnings for the final quarter of the year. The same may of course be said for consumerism in general. In this hollow and soul-less world view, EVERYTHING from mind, body and soul, to the environment and the peace of nations is sacrificed in the name of shareholder earnings. And in the name of Christ the once beautiful natural world is being sacrificed yet again for the sake of “things”. Meanwhile, we have a huge number of people who think that life is about the ownership of ego-ornaments. Yes, that’s right…ego-ornaments like a new car, brand name jeans, fancy jewelry, 20 more sets of shoes than you can wear, closets so packed with clothes that people don’t even take the store-tags off of some items before giving them to a thrift store, fancy mansions on the hill, wall-screen plasma TVs’ and refrigerators with so much wasted food in them, that there’s more rot going on than actual eating. And all this, we are expected to believe, is based upon such ideas as, “money equals success”, or “things = happiness”, and “objects = love” and more absurd still, the more expensive the “things” the greater is the expressed love, success and happiness! What a scam! What a con-job! It’s truly the biggest mind game of all time, and tragically, almost no one ever questions a bit of it. Instead of questioning anything, the average person goes right along with the whole bizarre show, AS IF IT MEANS SOMETHING, when in fact it means nothing at all other then the destruction of the good earth, to feed to the enormous egos of humans in the modern age. Objects do not equal love, happiness or success, and they never will no matter how expensive or rare. If anything, such a total fixation on materialism implies a vast blackened cavern of emptiness where the soul used to be. If anything it represents an otherwise sane mind having been reduced to infantile fascination with baubles and false social images. If anything, materialism and consumerism represent not success, but an absolute and miserable failure to recognize what life is all about….not “things” but the higher values of genuine spirituality, genius of mind, fitness of body, simple and practical living, peace among nations and excellentness in true human progress. . . Now relate this if you will to the whole, “economic downturn” jargon heard everywhere on the radio and television. There’s a lot of finger pointing as to, “who is to blame for this mess”. Some say it’s the corporate CEOs. Others say it’s the unions. Some say it’s the Democrats’ fault, others say its’ the fault of Republicans. Others still say it’s the fault of “those damned liberals” or, “it’s all the fault of those damned conservatives”. Some point to corruption in government or unscrupulous business practices. But the fact of the matter is, this so-called “economic downturn” is NOT the fault of any one of these entities, or even just a combination of these entities. The whole mess cannot even be called the fault of all of these social forces combined. Shall I tell you where the fault really lies? The fault really lies WITH EACH AND EVERY PERSON ALIVE IN THIS WORLD, WHO WILLINGLY BUYS INTO THE VALUES AND PRACTICES OF CONSUMERISM. In other words, it’s almost everybody’s fault! Come on people…just how long did you think the earth could support your so-called “economic growth” without collapsing? What did you expect to happen when the unlimited greed for “profits” caused river and ocean destroying pollution, global warming, corruption in government and unnecessary wars-for-profit, (such as in Iraq)? What did you expect to happen to medicine, (now a modern horror-story of cost and malpractice) where even human lives and well-being are considered an economic resource to exploit? What did you expect to happen to agriculture in these GMO frankenfoods, heavily laden with toxic herbicides and pesticides, when the highest value of the land is “profits” no matter what the social cost? What did you expect but outright lies being made as excuses to go to war, so that certain corporations might make larger profits, exploiting resources and scoring lucrative government contracts? In essence, what did you expect to happen when you knowingly bought into the whole scam that is consumerism, without complaint or question, only to end up with cancer, Alzheimers’ and a window seat at the nearest rest home? What did you expect would happen to your life when you wrecked your body, destroyed your mind and totally ignored your soul, for the sake of cash-in-hand? . . The main point being made here is that the so-called “global recession” (soon to be a global depression and worse) is NOT so much a product of wrong government policy, or corporate book-cooking, or unemployment statistics, or GDP production. These are all just SYMPTOMS of a root cause. This unprecedented crisis we are in as a species and around the globe, is very simply a crisis in WRONG VALUES. It is a spiritual crisis, nothing less. What have we come to stand for as a species? Greed and corruption! Honestly, what we’ve come to stand for is not the, “goodwill to man” that we give lip-service to. What we’ve come to stand for is measured instead by our deeds, within consumerism. It is measured by how we spend the 9-5 for 30-40 years at a time. What are those deeds? How about unlimited, unquenchable greed for starters? How about egos the size of planets who, now mater how much they already have, feel a driving sense of entitlement to twice as much? “There’s never enough” they say in consumer-speak jargon, and “you’re worth it”, (that new car, big house, fancy clothes, etc.). If you are “poor”, then the goal is to become, “middle class”. If you’re “middle class” then your goal is to become “upper class”. If you’re “upper class” then your goal is to become a millionaire. If you’re a millionaire, then your goal is to have five million, then ten, then 50 million. But why stop there? The ladder of so-called “success” as defined by consumer society has unlimited rungs, and only the “most successful deserve to be on top”. So if you have 50 million dollars in your bank account and three Rolls Royces in the driveway of your winter home, your next goal as a good, “successful” consumer is to be a billionaire. But even then “there’s never enough”…remember? So the next task is to see who can have THE MOST BILLIONS, where even the richest man in the world must always “earn more profits” so as to maintain his title as, “most successful”. And what do these billionaires and millionaires DO with their sacred cash, their God the Dollar? They buy $10000 dollar pincushions, cater $20000 parties to hob-nob gossip in idle conversation, make solid gold commodes, wear $70000 in furs and gem-studded shoes, wield $5000-a-set golf clubs at lavish resorts for $15000 a night, while driving $100000 chauffeured cars ! Does this make them more intelligent? No! It merely implies they are too stupid to know what to do with their vast wealth on any practical basis. Does this make them wiser, healthier or happier than anyone else? No, it means they lack ALL wisdom, suffering the same diseases and even MORE hypertension and mental illness than the “lower classes”. And THIS sort of mindless, 6-year-old mentality of self indulgence is what the whole world is suffering and dying to support? The name of this game is officially ‘consumerism”, but the unofficial, real name for it is, “absolute madness and bottomless greed in the name of primitive egotism”. What’s the point of the whole exercise? There isn’t any point in it, and that’s why it’s just sheer madness! There’s absolutely nothing practical, efficient or sane about anything in the consumer world, and yet THIS is the leading ideology which now runs humanity and nearly everything in it, in one way or another. So what is the cause of the “global recession”? The WRONG VALUES which literally make consumerism what it is…a train wreck for a social policy. “Success” as it is defined by modern society therefore has NOTHING to do with love, wisdom, intelligence, health, life or truth, it has to do with one thing, and one thing alone…and that is the egotistical one-upmanship of the consumer world, at the very COST of all these true qualities of human excellence. . . Speaking of practicality and efficiency, less than one tenth of the worlds’ population lives in the United States, and yet, it’s people use over 25% of world resources. For this the U.S. is glorified as a “world leader” in “growth” and “progress” in banks and boardrooms around the globe. Never mind that the U.S. is simultaneously the world leader in prison populations, hypertension, cancer, mental illness, poor quality of medicine, environmental decay, government corruption, propaganda/mind control, poor education, and labor-exploitation from China, Mexico and Korea to Eastern Europe. Now mind you, the U.S. is not being singled out as the ONLY country with such an influence on world destruction, it is merely the most noteworthy. By extension the majority of the world, including China and Western Europe ALL cater to those same wrong values of greed and egotism we’ve been talking about, rendering for them the very same results….environmental destruction, an alarming increase in the incidence of cancer in humans and animal alike, the increasing collapse of agriculture, corruption at every level of government, along with mass mental illness and “mood stabilizer” pills dispersed by the truckload, even in gradeschools. . . So what is the real and unspoken cause of the financial crisis? The real cause is an inner spiritual deficit in the modern human, so huge that it has driven them mad, so mad in fact that they imagine material things equal love and life success. This mental imbalance is so great, and the chasm between the reality of the natural world and that of televised consumerism so large, that modern society can only be called an exercise in mass insanity. Let’s just stop this pretense then, that the financial crisis has been caused by certain, specific elements within society, and be honest enough to recognize that EVERYONE who participates in consumerism and it’s wrong values of greed and egotism, are just as much to blame as any corporate CEO. This is true for many reasons, but one is simply the law of supply and demand. Every junior economist knows this, and it’s high time the average “consumer” learned it too. When buying something, you place a demand upon given products…this then creates an incentive for others to make those very products. For instance, when people buy fancy clothes instead of just what will keep them warm, then whole corporate industries are literally sustained by that demand, and those who would be making “unfashionable” but practical clothes are put out of business. When you buy junk food or fast food you’re supporting junk corporations who support junk-growing farms. When you buy a new car for the sake of ego, you’re sustaining egotistical, wasteful, environment ruining, sweat-shop producing manufactures, and a whole assortment of other supporting industries of similar philosophy. When you buy into the very idea that things=happiness, you’re sustaining the absurdity and mental illness of consumerism itself. Just look around you at the consumer spectacle of Christmas this year, and realize that these “trappings” of “comfort and joy” are in fact nothing of the sort…it’s all just a façade, a lie of things=happiness which is anti-intellectual, anti-spiritual and anti-life. Therefore, when you participate in the consumer world, placing demand upon it’s false values and products with your life energy, the honest thing to admit is that YOU are as responsible for the economic crisis as any banker or politician. Don’t participate! Have the integrity to say “I reject society” and the wrong values it stands for! If you can’t do this then you’ve got no excuse to complain about ANYTHING awry in the modern world. Because ALL of the ills of the modern are based squarely upon greed and egotism, and these are the very foundation of the consumer world. What would consumerism be without greed and egotism? It wouldn’t exist at all! Must we then change government policy, fiscal policy, the national debt, or international trade sanctions? No! We must first and foremost change these values of greed and egotism which are everywhere to be found in the modern world, or else HAVE NO HOPE of EVER saving the human race from extinction…period! . . Also, how difficult is it to realize that over 90% of what is produced in the egotistical consumer marketplace, has no real or practical value at all? We have porcelin dolls, “keepsakes”, trinkets, mementos, cosmetics, junk foods, plot-less movies and books, “reality TV”, soap operas and game shows, gossip magazines, carcinogens, cigarettes, alcohol, thousands of harmful prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, accessories to accessories, chrome-plated baubles and plastic ego-enhancers of every description, and a billion other “products” whose only REAL value to anyone is to make somebody a handful of cash! Instead of asking what we can do about government oversight of the banks, we should be asking ourselves, “What has gone wrong with the society we willingly belong to?” “Why is it that we have become so enamored with the trivial, the impractical, the distracting, the pointless and the downright stupid?” “Could it be that this is because our lives have become so empty inside, so pointless, that we actively seek out what is intentionally meaningless in order to not “deal’ with this senseless ‘reality’ called “consumerism?” So in essence, we have this “crisis” that is actually a reflection of inner poverty, one that is based upon insane concepts of reality. If anyone is actually SERIOUS about remedying the human condition, the first place they need to start is with wrong values in society, moving on then to the production of worthless products solely for the sake of money, and sick, self indulgence. . . The sad fact is, you CANNOT successfully sustain a culture on the basis of greed and egotism. Any government, corporation or institution, in fact, cannot be sustained on such a basis either. Even the individual person who lives upon these premises must ultimately face the reality that their existence has been a miserable failure, that they have not stood for anything meaningful in their lives, and that their own children are the inheritors of a doomed world. Doomed, that is, until we as a culture and as individuals, gain so much honesty as to come to grips with this, the REAL cause of ALL of our problems as human beings….wrong values. If we are to meaningfully change these wrong values, then it is absolutely necessary to REJECT the ideology which acts as their vehicle for world destruction…consumerism/materialism. It’s time to throw out the meaningless Christmas tree and stop BUYING like mall-robots programmed for a limited number of simple functions…sleep, eat, talk nonsense, shop, work 30 years, pay credit cards, get disease and die miserably. It’s time to think in a practical and efficient fashion, to adopt LOGIC as our cultural way and truth as our spiritual standard, rather than behaving like simpletons with pickled brains, who do things only because the TV or calendar tells them to. . . Wake up and think for yourselves! Get a life independent of “traditional” thinking, which is itself only an excuse not to think, and be authentic human beings full of intelligence and wisdom! Use your brain to see that consumerism in only a false value system, one that has been SOLD to you just like any product off the supermarket shelves. Question literally EVERYTHING and find out how life can be so much simpler, easier, satisfying and best of all, MEANINGFUL. . . Suggested reading, “The Survivalists’ Guide for the new Millennium” in the Library of the world mind society and related articles. . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . . . . . From discussions on the Celestine forum... - Matthew Webb . 29 Dec 2008 23:40 . #767 Much of the bottom line we’ve been talking about here is a matter of intention. The intent here on Celestine is clearly NOT to take meaningful action in the context of the real world. The intent on the part of the current majority, it is plain to see, is to do two things. One is to use the special “code words” of the new age (cuddle-speak) so as to posture. “Posture” means; “to strike a pose for an effect” or in other words, say things to others with the intention of causing them to think well of the speaker, (egotism). The second is to use this place, like almost all internet forums, as a social club, where everybody just sits around and pats each other on the back repeatedly. In doing this you are creating this little insulated bubble of mutual illusions, where you don’t have to deal with the real world and can instead pretend, “as if” . This is one of the serious flaws the new age movement has developed, which is why it is a failing paradigm, with almost no historical impact. You’re pretending as if your words ARE what they represent…”loving” and “supportive”, where life is all roses and perfume. In other words, you’re using this place as a new age escapist club, and without even any real interest in the theme of the site. You NEVER define your terms, and you never focus on specific actions, because you’re not here to actually accomplish anything, other than the two points I just mentioned. If you were to actually define your terms, (such as “love”,r “abundance” or “truth”) give concrete examples, or have honest discussions, then you might be held accountable for your definitions, and that “simply wont do”…will it? . . When you mentioned Michele, “You are entitled to your opinion that the world is a helpless cause but obviously your approach is not winning over any fans or you would have people clamoring to follow you but they are not.” . Along these lines, there’s several things to say about this…. . . 1) The world IS in a grave mess that is only getting worse, is not my “opinion” it is a demonstrated, well proven FACT. I have given ample evidence in this regard, and am prepared to give much more. I suggest that you avail yourself of study of the world situation, instead of hiding away from it here and elsewhere. . 2) “winning over fans” is not the purpose of my words, and unlike you, I don’t aim at “popularity” when I post. In fact, if you don’t like me, then that it probably for the best. I’m sure a statement like that is quite mysterious to you, since you’re here only to have a social picnic. I don’t care if anyone here doesn’t like me or the content of my posts, that’s not the point. What I want from you, like or dislike, fan or enmity, is to come to grips with the reality of the world, and the reality of spiritual practice by the same token. . 3) This has little to nothing to do with my “approach”. It has everything to do with the lack of respect in the public for the truth. This is a cultural karma, it is not the personal issue you try to frame it as. . . No doubt everyone here has heard the saying “Be in the world, but not of it”. This means that although practical considerations force the spiritual practitioner to interact with a corrupted human society, it also means that they do not identify with that corruption in any way. What you people are doing here is exactly the opposite…you are; “Of the world, but not in it”. What that means is that you identify, (obviously) with the norms and standards of a corrupt society…you ARE society mentally, emotionally and physically, but are “not of it” inasmuch as you don’t like discussion of any kind about what’s really going on in this human world at present. You don’t like such talk as “consumerism/wrong values are destroying the world” or, talk of unnecessary war among nations, or corruption in government because you don’t want the responsibility for knowing, and because you’re here to escape all that, to “not be of it” in order to hide away here and spin your new age illusions about life. It would be in your interest, believe it or not, to re-think this roses-end-perfume brand of denial, and to invest in some serious consideration about what REAL spiritual PRACTICE is about. It’s not about saying key words or phrases over and over again like a parrot in a cage, pretending AS IF the words are spoken often enough, and by enough people, that this is going to make them real. It isn’t. Furthermore, it never has, and it never will. . . Real spiritual practice often involves, “getting a little dirt on your hands” much like real gardening as opposed to just reading about it all day long in Better Homes and Gardens, or talking about it all day in the local, “garden appreciation club”. Real practitioners do not isolate themselves from considering what’s actually going on in the world, calling any honest appraisal of that “negative”, which is itself, “negative”. They instead recognize and appreciate honesty when it is spoken, seeking not to deny but to cultivate the necessary inner mental and emotional strength to DEAL effectively with the world such as it is. Doing otherwise is simply spiritual failure, new age jargon notwithstanding. . . I propose the idea to you, (Michele, Truth and others), that there IS NO APPROACH OF ANY KIND, which will effectively motivate persons such as yourself to take meaningful action. That kind of motivation comes from an honest appraisal of the truth, (facts) and from self realization. If I am a failure at providing such motivation then so be it, but on the other hand, so is James Redfield, Deepok Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Jiddhu Krishnamurti, Bahgwan Shree Rajneesh, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Buddha, Christ, Lao Tse, and hundreds of others who have attempted to change the course of human civilization for the better. If you want evidence of this conclusion then just look at your own forum here. Everyone here can agree that Mr. Redfields’ approach is both clear and conveyed upon appealing terms, and yet, just look at you. Do you talk meaningfully about the Insights or about related spiritual practice in a way that reflects practicality? No, you don’t, so obviously James has failed to motivate you, just as I and others have, REGARDLESS of approach, wording, phrasing or any other excuses you might like to come up with. Fact is, any person who has no respect for the truth, and who only postures endlessly for the sake of ego gratification, will NEVER come around so long as they hold such intentions. . . So basically, where I’m coming from here with you is to say “get real”, because the real world, and real spiritual considerations are not going to go away just because you say so. They won’t even go away if several of you say so in unison, and with concerted effort. If you will not value truth above all else, then the truth will come to haunt your every moment like the sensation of imminent disaster. It will NOT go away, and then before you know it, you will be paying a heavy karmic price for your denial of it. Want to know what the real reason is for the world being in such a mess? I’ll sum it up here for you in just 5 words… . . LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE TRUTH . . ////////////////// . . The following is a concise article on the Israeli-Gaza situation, which you all have no doubt heard about, and which, equally doubtless, nobody here has the nerve to bring up. None the less, I bring it up here and now. After reading the following, this question is posed to you…. . . “What are you going to do about it”??....sit here and talk “love’ and turn a blind eye to what’s going on in the world? . . By Bill Van Auken . Washington bears guilt for Gaza war crimes . 29 December 2008 . The Israeli massacre of Palestinians in Gaza is a war crime for which not only the government of Israel but also that of the United States bears full responsibility. . The relentless bombing campaign, which in its first 48 hours has left at least 300 dead and 1,000 wounded, is a deliberate slaughter of innocent civilians and an act of state terror. The toll of casualties, many of them women and children, is certain to rise. As Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenaz put it, "This is only the beginning." . The pretense that this assault is an act of retaliation for the recent scattered rocket attacks that have been carried out against Israeli territory from inside Gaza is preposterous. Israel, with the collaboration of Washington, has been preparing the current bombing campaign and threatened ground assault for months, under the cover of the supposed cease-fire with Gaza's Hamas-led administration. . "These people are nothing but thugs," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe, who insisted that Israel was only acting to "defend itself" against "terrorists." . This is the official story that is largely echoed by the mass media and endorsed by the leadership of the Democratic Party. . Few bother to point out that not a single Israeli was killed by the homemade rockets that supposedly justified Israel launching its Gaza bombardments and killing 300 (one Israeli died in a rocket attack afterwards.) Such a disproportionate response is hardly an aberration. During the last eight years, barely a score of Israelis have died in rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza. During the same period, Israeli forces have killed nearly 5,000 Palestinians. . Nor is there much concern over the fact that Israel chose to launch its bombing in the most crowded and desperately poor urban area on the face of the earth precisely at the hour that schoolchildren were making their way home. Under these conditions, ritualistic US statements urging Israel to "avoid civilian casualties" amount to mocking the victims. . Having maligned an entire people as "thugs," the White House has given the green light for a bloodbath. More importantly, it has provided the indispensable resources for carrying out this crime, assuring Israel more than $3 billion a year in US military aid and supplying the IDF with the deadly tools of its trade—F-16 fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, TOW and Hellfire missiles and the fuel and spare parts needed to keep them in operation. . The dispatches from inside Gaza provide a graphic accounting of what Washington got for its arms and money. . Safa Joudeh, a freelance journalist in Gaza City, writes: "There were piles and piles of bodies in the locations that were hit. As you looked at them you could see that a few of the young men were still alive, someone lifts a hand, and another raises his head. They probably died within moments because their bodies were burned, most had lost limbs, some of their guts were hanging out and they were all lying in pools of blood." . Ewa Jasiewicz reports from Gaza: "We saw a bearded man, on a stretcher on the floor of an intensive care unit, shaking and shaking, involuntarily, legs rigid and thrusting downwards. A spasm coherent with a spinal chord injury. Would he ever walk again or talk again? In another unit, a baby girl, no older than six months, had shrapnel wounds to her face. A relative lifted a blanket to show us her fragile bandaged leg. Her eyes were saucer-wide and she was making stilted, repetitive, squeaking sounds." . The Israeli newspaper Haaretz carried a report from its correspondent on the scene: "Relatives search among the bodies and the wounded in order to bring the dead quickly to burial. A mother whose three school-age children were killed, and are piled one on top of the other in the morgue, screams and then cries, screams again and then is silent." . The New York Times, hardly known for its sympathy for the Palestinians, acknowledged: "Still, there was a shocking quality to Saturday's attacks, which began in broad daylight as police cadets were graduating, women were shopping at the outdoor market, and children were emerging from school. . "The center of Gaza City was a scene of chaotic horror, with rubble everywhere, sirens wailing, and women shrieking as dozens of mutilated bodies were laid out on the pavement and in the lobby of Shifa Hospital so that family members could identify them. The dead included civilians, including several construction workers and at least two children in school uniforms." . This is not self-defense; it is premeditated mass murder. The aim of the "shock and awe" campaign, as the assault on Gaza is widely described in Israel, is similar to that conducted by the US against Iraq—regime change. . Neither the Zionist regime nor Washington accepted the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian election—hailed by the Bush administration (before the results were known) as part of a flowering of democracy in the Middle East wrought by American militarism. . In response, the US and its Israeli ally did their best to provoke a Palestinian civil war and military coup and, when this proved ineffective in ousting Hamas from power in Gaza, subjected the territory's one-and-a-half million people to relentless collective punishment. They imposed a siege that choked off supplies of food, medicine, potable water and electricity, condemning masses of people to poverty, unemployment, hunger and disease. The present killing represents a qualitative escalation of this merciless policy of making life for the people of Gaza so intolerable that the Hamas regime would fall. . The New York Times Sunday gave a concise analysis of the real relationship between the Israeli blockade and the rocket attacks from Gaza. The siege, it stated, had led to "the near death of the Gazan economy," adding, "While enough food has gone in to avoid starvation, the level of suffering is very high and getting worse every week." . Hamas had entered a cease-fire with Israel in a bid to reopen trade and alleviate this suffering. While the rocket attacks, supposedly Israel's main concern, fell "dramatically in the fall to 15 to 20 a month from hundreds a month," the Times noted, "Israel said it would not permit trade to begin again because the rocket fire had not completely stopped..." It was this intransigence that led to the collapse of the Israeli-Hamas cease-fire. . From the outset, Israeli actions have been motivated not by concerns for security, but rather by political aims. In the first instance, there is the desire to oust the Hamas administration in Gaza. Also in play are the desires of the Zionist establishment and military to offset the humiliation they suffered in Lebanon in 2006. . For Washington, support for and direct complicity in Israeli war crimes is bound up with a wider strategic policy of creating a new order in the Middle East, one designed to assure undisputed US domination of the region and its oil wealth. Israel represents the junior partner in this bloody venture and is allowed to satisfy its aggressive appetites because they are seen as furthering US imperialist interests. . Regime change in Gaza is viewed by US policymakers as a steppingstone to similar changes elsewhere, particularly in Syria and Iran. Indeed, the unfolding events in Gaza foreshadow a broader intervention in the Middle East and the threat of a new war against Iran. Re: From discussions on the Celestine forum... - Jim Whitescarver . 30 Dec 2008 12:43 . #768 . I share the frustration. Being the change is a challenge that is ongoing and thankless. What can we do? . . Here is one action... . ---------------------------------- . As we watch the Gaza bloodshed with horror, appalled at how the crisis is spiraling further out of control, one thing is clear -- this violence will only lead to further civilian suffering and an escalation of the conflict. . . There must be another way. Over 280 are dead so far in the Gaza Strip and hundreds more injured -- rockets are striking Ashdod deep inside Israel for the very first time, and the sides are mobilizing for invasion. A global outcry has begun, but it'll take more than words -- the immediate violence won't end, nor will wider peace be secured, without firm action from the international community. . . Today, we're launching an emergency campaign which will be delivered to the UN Security Council and key world powers, urging them to act to ensure an immediate ceasefire and address the growing humanitarian crisis -- only with robust international oversight and action can civilians on all sides be protected and real steps be taken toward a wider peace. Follow this link now to sign the emergency petition and send it to everyone you know: . . http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/?cl=161744059&v=2605 . ---------------------------- . . This alone is too little. Avaaz seems too centralized. I believe we need something like http://WikiWorld.com/AnewGo and That is what I am doing along with http://MonetaryReformAct.org as all war is economic in origin. . . Perhaps you ought apologize to the Celestine group for your personal attack or your message may be lost. . . Peace, . . Jim Re: Christmas is a FARCE - Jim Whitescarver . 30 Dec 2008 12:58 . #769 . Bah Humbug!? . . The truth is, as FDR remarked, fewer than 50 men rule the world. The cause every economic downturn and depression as Miltom Freedman showed clearly. All war is economic in origin. . . The simple truth is that people learn like chickens. (no offense meant to chickens). The economic system is unfair and it fosters greed. To be moral we ought not use the money of the beast. Using their money dooms us to be their pawns and slavery to consumerism and economic turmoil. Everyone should watch the money masters video if they are interested in truth. . http://MonetaryReformAct.org . . Let the joy of the season full you and understand that if you are the change then all will be well. It matters not what others do or think. . . Love, . . Jim Crackedpot Holiday Message, The Truth of the Parable of Truth and Parable - Jim Whitescarver . 30 Dec 2008 13:03 . #770 A Chinese and Indian Parable About Cracked Pots . . A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak all the way back to your house." . . The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house." . . Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. . . Blessings to all my crackpot friends . . I stumbled on this parable while seeking a different parable of Jesus, which turned out to be in the gospel of Thomas. . . 97 The Father's kingdom is like a woman who was carrying a pot full of grain. While she was walking along a distant road, the handle of the jar broke and the meal spilled behind her along the road. She didn't know it; she hadn't noticed a problem. When she reached her house, she put the jar down and discovered that it was empty." . . In fellowship, my friend Nancy lamented, why does God allow the world to be so flawed, why must we suffer. I answered that we chose original sin, we ate from the tree of knowledge, and the taste of knowledge allowed us to make choices, and suffer the consequences of those actions. My own father gave me great freedom, such that I might learn by the consequences and take responsibility for my actions. And so it is with our father in heaven. . . In Gods kingdom, without knowledge or forethought, seeds are planted and grain grows all along the distant road. Yet it is interesting that it was a flaw in the pot that allows this to be. . . The latest crackedpot theory is the end of the world on December 21, 2012. I turn 62 on that day and could semi retire on my pension at that time if the world does not end. All though history the crackpots have proclaimed the time is near. And this is actually the dawning of the age of Aquarius. . . It is said that Nostradamus suggested and the Mayans call this the end of an era. December 21, 2012 is the time of a coming solar minimum 11 year cycle and approximate 25,000 cycle suggested to cause a reversal or fluctuation of the suns magnetic field of unpredictable nonlinear effect that most often is coincident with the dawning of an ice age, except in the presents an excess of greenhouse gasses, according to some scientists. It is also coincident with the alignment of the sun with the galactic center which some say could disrupt the earths magnetic field axis of rotation. An aligned precession of Saturn, Venus and Mercury herald the rising sun, the biblical true morning star, as it was in the beginning of the age. . http://www.artideas.com/Why2012/Dec2120120311.JPG . . In the new era,like a mustard seed, or a bit of leaven, the meaning will emerge as the reign of darkness becomes the reign of light according to Western, Eastern, and Mesoamerican scripture. The possible significance of the symbology of the snake or serpentine associations with the new era and the alignment with the galactic center can be seen as the analog of the structure of the universe and the brain. . http://www.whitescarver.com/albums/InfoPhysics/GodsBrain.jpg . . I found it surprising that the new age is to be ruled by the Mayan Quetzalcoatl or Christian Jesus Christ, who share being God in the form of a man born of a virgin birth, at the winter solstice, was sacrificed and resurrected three days later. It is surprising how many religious figures share many of these and other traits with Jesus. They include, Dionysus/Bacchus, Horus, Tammuz, Krishna, Zarathustra, Mithras, Buddha, Lao Zi, Attis, Heracles, Odin, Karna, Adonis, and Prometheus. See http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/jesus_similar1.html . . Many use the similarity of these stories to prove they are all false, but it might also suggest they are all true in the spiritual sense, as god speaks to us in parables. It is reasonable to assume God would reveal the same truths to all civilizations. . . Matthew 13:34-35 . . V34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not unto them: V35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet [Esaias], saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. . . In a sense, as all mathematical and scientific truth is by analogy, it may be that all spiritual truth is metaphorical. . . The Parable of Truth and Parable - Yiddish Folktale . . Once, two beautiful women names Truth and Parable lived together on the outskirts of town. Each thought herself the most attractive, so they quarreled and argued until they finally decided to have a contest: whoever attracted the most attention while walking through the village would be considered the most attractive. . . On the appointed day, they walked to the edge of the village and Truth decided to go first. She was confident that everyone seeks Truth and wants to know Truth, so she began to walk through the village, smiling and greeting people as she went. To her chagrin, everyone began to move back inside their houses, glancing suspiciously over their shoulders. As she reached the far side of the village, only a few people still stood outside their houses. Fearing that she would lose the contest, she decided to attract as much attention as possible, so she threw off her clothing and walked back through the town wearing nothing at all. Surely now she would attract lots of attention. . . The remaining people, however, saw her coming and scuttled into their houses, closed their doors, and closed their shutters, so that when she returned to Parable, the village appeared deserted. Hanging her head in shame, Truth told Parable that it was her turn. . . Parable walked quietly into town, and as she passed, people began to come out of their houses, smiling and chatting together. They followed Parable through the streets, talking happily with her. By the time she had returned to Truth, the entire village was in the streets. Truth looked at Parable in confusion and defeat. "Why is it," she asked, "that people flock to your side but spurn me? . . . Do people no longer value Truth?" . . "Ah," sighed Parable comfortingly. "People do still love Truth, but they do not like the naked truth. If you wish people to accept you, you must clothe yourself in the mantle of story. Only then will people be able to accept and understand you." And with that, Parable took off her multi-colored robe and draped it around the shoulders of Truth, and when the two returned to the village, the people found that they did, indeed, still love Truth. . . . The truth is both wonderful and horrific. So we like it dressed up. . . No one, for example, likes to admit we are ruled by the money masters. and that false history and science, human hardship, suffering, and war is engineered, in no small part, by them for their own selfish ends. If we allow ourselves to learn the truth, we see that this age has indeed been ruled by a great deceiver. And we have been party to it, as we allow it to happen and do not seek to change it. . . Few admit that the classical foundations of human logic and mathematics have been contradicted in the last century. The very notion of absolute truth proves to be false within mathematics itself by Godel incompleteness and by the universe itself by the nature of quantum truth. It turns out that parable or analogy is the best we can do and for every thing we think is true there is a greater truth. Truth as humanity envisioned it is a delusion. . . Humanity is still in denial of these things. for me the new age, means the end of the reign of darkness with belief in false truth and the beginning of the era of light with holistic, evolving complete truth. . . The truth is that there are no simple answers and complete truth cannot fit in the human mind. The new age, starting December 21, 2012, or whenever we draw the line in the sands of time, will be the liberation of humanity, from the limits of the brain, with the rising of the machine. . . I may be a cracked pot, but I believe my view will be vindicated when the new age arrives, whenever that may be. It may be the end of the world as we knew it, but it is the beginning of a much better world where the meek inherit the earth and we populate the galaxy and beyond with unprecedented freedom and wealth. . . Happy holidays to all! . . Jim . . http://InformationPhysics.com . http://MonetaryReformAct.org Re: From discussions on the Celestine forum... - Matthew Webb . 9 Jan 2009 18:18 . #771 Dear Kelly, . . You asked “Who am I to judge how another chooses to respond to a post?” and, “Who are any of us to judge”? . . My response to these questions is this, Who do you need to be to judge? . . Any person with a thinking mind can “judge” (evaluate) anything or anyone given a minimum of facts. This is simply the nature of reasoning, of logic and of the scientific method. Anyone can observe, learn details, ascertain principles and subtleties, based upon evidence and careful observation. A theory or theories are made and tested through experiment, for instance. Such a theory is either eliminated as unlikely/untrue, or accepted as probable/factual. This is precisely how humanity has learned anything at all over the last ten thousand years. It’s why we have the biggest brain to body-mass ratio of any creature on the planet...it is the intent of nature that we use our minds intelligently. The facts are the facts, and it is our responsibility to accept truth on its face value. We can then use what we’ve learned until such a time as better understanding may be had. . . Having said that is definitely NOT to imply that we can know nothing, or behave as though we know nothing, or believe that we should know nothing, thereby being unable to “judge” anything. . . You said, “As long as we’re doing SOMETHING to elevate the world, then we’re doing our job.” I hope you realize that if the white blood cells in your own body had this philosophy, you’d be dead within a short time. The FACTS about what it is to be a physical body demand of them (white blood cells) certain minimums of immune function. They do not have the luxury of sitting idly by waving their pseudopods around in the bloodstream, “to help blood flow”, since, “who are they to judge what needs to be done” and, “that’s ok, so long as they’re doing SOMETHING”. I hope you realize also, that if the engineering and manufacture of the car you drive, or the computer you type on, or the clothes you wear, were made with the philosophy of, “As long as we’re doing SOMETHING” (anything at all in that process, in other words) that your car wouldn’t run, your computer would crash, (if it worked at all) and your clothes would be unwearable. . . Sorry, but that’s just the way reality works. Reality is composed of very specific parameters and conditions. If you want to grow a plant, for instance, you cannot expect to do so at the north pole, or without water, or without the right nutrients. This is similarly true for the spiritual practitioner, of natural laws, of science, of a clear and intelligent mind, and of a healthy physical body. It’s also true of whether or not we are to survive as a species on this planet, or to progress as souls. . . The fact is, this planet is in quite a crisis. That crisis is accelerating faster and faster…the world civilization as we know it, essentially, is collapsing all around the globe. This situation demands that we do more than just water our houseplants with religious conviction. . . Another fact; That the demands placed upon all of us by the spiritual path itself, is NOT arbitrary. We do not have the luxury of “just doing anything” while expecting to obtain meaningful results, not for ourselves, nor for the upliftment of the human condition. God Spoke to Man - Matthew Webb . 12 Jan 2009 22:37 . #772 God Spoke to Man . One Last Time Before the Fall of “Civilization” . . A great teacher arose from a humble place, (as they most often do) just outside of Calcutta India, even now in this modern age. Veda was born of humble means into a world of mistrust and ignorance, a world of lost souls who have forgotten the nature of self and life. And although her mind did not well understand such matters in youth, her soul remembered, and said, “I will cultivate this mind and this body, so that they may serve the high calling for which I have once again incarnated…the saving of mankind. . . Far and wide did Veda’s mind roam, first science, then psychology and religion, then philosophy, then metaphysics and the occult, and finally, The Path and that which is called “God”. Much of her study was from intuition, (to learn from within) and from meditation, which revealed many fundamentally important things, never written about in the holiest texts of man. . . Communing with the deep forest one day in meditation, Veda asked herself, “How is it that I see so clearly, so many things which are not properly addressed in the great scriptures of the world? And to this question, God answered unexpectedly, saying, “What you behold with clear inner sight has been shrouded by the egotism of humankind. Even what once was well-spoken by my emissaries throughout the ages, has often been worn down by ignorance, just as the rocks are slowly worn down by the rain”. . . Veda reflected upon this, not at all surprised to hear from God, for they spoke often. And she said to God, “So it is with the governments of the world and the peoples upon the earth…they forget the roots of soul and of the purpose of life, do they not?” . “That is so” replied God. . “What then must be done to correct this situation?” she asked. . . And God said, “Go forth, and teach them once again the right way to live, just as many of my teachers have done, Buddha, Christ, Lao Tse being just a few. Turn them once again upon the proper path of wisdom in life, so that this race may survive its’ own folly, and so that the good earth may once again flourish”. . “Yes, Master” replied Veda in her mind cautiously, aware that this was no small task. “Where should I start in such teachings”? . . And God said, “You may start with me. Teach them that God is not a man, nor even remotely man-like, that I do not dwell exclusively in clouds or upon thrones, or in scriptures, or in the supposedly holy temples or churches of any one religion. Tell them I am not a materialist, that I am not compelled to abide by the pettiness of human concept or supplication, that I am no sooner found in cathedrals of gold, silver and silk, any more than I am the barren rocks of desolate places. Tell them I am not jealous, nor petty, nor easily angered by the small deeds of men, any more than a man might be angered by the activities of microbes in a given drop of pond-water. Tell them that I do not pick favorites among the races of man, and that no one doctrine can claim me as their own, and that to declare war in my name is hypocrisy and presumption without end. . . “What shall I say about your nature, Master”? asked Veda. . “Say to humans that I am both male and female, and yet neither, and that I am, in varying degrees, of ALL religions and philosophies and yet none of them. No one can claim me as their own, any more than they can claim the wind or the mountains or the sea. I AM THAT which dwells behind the appearances of nature, behind ALL faces, within all souls and at the essence of all living things. Split a piece of wood and you will find me, turn a stone in any field, and I am there. That which some call “consciousness” is what I am, but at a level of being and understanding far beyond the ken of most human beings, not because I am obscure, but because the race of men has obscured it’s own clarity with wrong ideas about life. I am not hard to find or to understand, ALL are available to me and me to them, just as they are one to another, being of the same essence. No church, priest, priestess, or religious authority of any kind is required to find, know and commune with me. On the contrary, the presumption of such persons is a hindrance to the clear perception of God, nature and reality in general. As a center of consciousness, I AM intent, awareness and energy. As souls, (centers of consciousness) every man, woman and child is likewise, at the essence of their being, intent, awareness and energy. It is for this reason that you may commune with me directly, with each other mind to mind, and with nature in it’s parts, or in it’s sum total. This is why you are as sparks of the same great fire, or as cells in the same great body of God. Know yourselves, and know these things to be true.” . . Veda was, regardless of her wisdom, somewhat surprised by these revelations. She rather timidly asked God, “Do you mean to say that all the world religions are in error?” . And God said, “That is exactly what I mean to say, and although some hold more truth than others, the difference is trivial and nearly unimportant. Some have said that, ‘All religions are correct in their own way’, but know full well that the truth is not so. The truth is that all religions are wrong, that each has but a small portion of the truth contained within it, like a small island of fact, within a sea of misconception and error. It would be better that ALL religions were cast aside, as they do more harm to the seeker than good, they mislead more than they lead, they foster ignorance whereas enlightenment is dimmed, and dogmas where there ought to be free inquiry. . . And Veda did go forth to the peoples of the world. She wrote articles on the nature of God and God in nature, she lectured, hosted meditations and started organizations. After about ten years of this, she communed with God one day and said, “Forgive me, Master, but my efforts have seemingly come to naught. What you have instructed me to teach, almost no one takes seriously. Many claim to understand, but in their inaction they prove otherwise. Many chastise me for being a blasphemer, their hostility to your words borders on the desire to kill this, your servant in truth. They remain attached to their man-made ideas of you and of reality in general, saying that doctrine is more important than the revealed truth, that hierarchy of religious authority more important than direct revelation, that tradition is more important than free thought and inquiry. What sayest you to this?” . And God replied, “This is with you, as it has been throughout the ages with my other servants of truth. Always is the story of the history of man the same, always are those who would reveal truth and empower the race of man, persecuted by the majority who seek only to glorify their own images. This is the fruit of arrogance and ignorance, recognize it as such and persevere upon the Path.” . “Yes Master” she replied, “but how am I to carry forth your will that humanity progress, if I cannot reach them upon the basis of such subjects as your true intent and form?” . And God replied, “If they cannot be reached upon the basis of such subjects, then attempt to reach them through others. Along these lines, teach as you see fit, and I will once again observe the results”. . . And so, Veda did once again go out into the world of human beings, to teach them of right living in accordance with truth. She taught them about simple and practical living, knowing that with such knowledge they could live far more easily and be granted such time and energy, as to devote to real understanding of God and truth. But although many claimed to understand, almost none took action upon that knowledge, choosing instead to remain bogged down in the materialism which plagues the modern world. Veda advocated the rejection of that world, of the consumerism and materialistic egotism which rule all the worlds’ marketplaces, but none among the nations would say, “I reject society”, for they feared to act against the status quo. . . Having failed to convey practical living, Veda wrote and lectured upon the merits of the right use of the mind, of logic, critical thought and clear reason, of clarity and intuition combined in genius. She knew that this could free the people of the world from their bondage to the false ideas of centuries past, and of their servitude to wages, things, nationalities, ethnicity, and bogus ideology. But although many claimed to understand, almost none took action upon that knowledge, and thus, remained mired in the destructive karma of false culture. . . Having failed to convey right use of the mind, Veda wrote and lectured upon the merits of self knowledge, of self realization and of the expansion of consciousness. She knew that such knowledge is the science of sciences, and that upon such a basis, progress would no longer be defined by culture as the accumulation of things, but rather, the actual improvement of the human being itself. But although many claimed to understand, almost none took action upon that knowledge, choosing instead to remain bogged down in the materialism and egotism which plagues the modern world. . . Finally, 30 years later, Veda once again said to God, “Master, I have failed you once again, and in a variety of ways. It seems that no matter what the subject matter, what the approach or careful clarity of conveyance I use, the result is always the same…almost no one seems to really care. It appears that truth is considered by the mind of humans to be the ultimate foe, and that those who speak it are likewise turned away, being called ‘judgmental, negative and false’, and that no matter what the subject matter or the approach to it, the result is always the same. What is to be done regarding this?” . And God said, “these things you say, so too have I observed. But this aversion to truth which you have observed among men, is not your karma, nor was it the karma of Christ, or Buddha or countless other truth-sayers. It is the karma of the human race, for they seek to avoid the truth at all costs, even if that must mean their inevitable deaths, as persons, and as a race. As for what is to be done about this, there is little, in fact. Those who do not wish to learn do not make adequate students, just as those who do not wish to be saved, cannot be saved. Such a motivation that surrounds the true student must come from within…I will not intervene significantly among them, for the genuine student of truth must find that motivation and focus through their own initiative. Were I to render felt-inspiration or even clarity among men, it would not have such a satisfactory result as when, and if, they came to such a revelation through their own labors. There comes a time when the young child is not so young, when to clean their bodies or their sleeping places for them, would be a hindrance to their growth as self-refined spiritual adults. There comes a time when the youngster must learn to do for themselves that which must be done, and in this doing they gain the kind of maturity that no amount of parenting can provide.” . . To this Veda replied, “I understand this clearly, Master. But I am still compelled to take action. Must it be that I do nothing further in the world, for the lack of truly learning minds?” . And God replied, “Do what you will, so long as it is right action along the Path. But remember that for those who will not learn, who have little to no respect for the truth are usually taught best by only one thing, and one thing alone. That thing is CRISIS, long and protracted. Even then, most will not learn to hold truth above all other things, as evidenced by the modern world. Say this to them, if you must, and perhaps a few will yet listen.” . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society Jan 2009 . Materialism and Consumerism - Matthew Webb . 13 Jan 2009 20:02 . #773 Among the many rightful criticisms of modern civilization, is that it has, “lost its’ soul”, that it serves no useful purpose, and is in fact, all-destructive. Those who would like to claim this isn’t so, need only superficially review such facts as, 1) at the current rate of environmental destruction, SEVEN SPECIES AN HOUR go extinct, a figure that is increasing by the year if not the month, and, 2) war, famine, mental illness and social strife are at an all-time high. At the center of this irrational destruction lies consumerism, and its foundation, materialism. It is useful to point out, that by definition, to be a consumer is to be materialistic, and to be materialistic is to deny the value of both spiritual and intellectual achievement, (regardless of lip service to the contrary). . . Although many assume that consumerism is the source of all goods, as a practical necessity, it is not. The products of agriculture are not consumerism, nor is industrial manufacture, nor is the delivery of goods, made possible by highways or railways. Consumerism is not a set of products, it is a nonsensical ideology. It merely glorifies and gives structure to the values of greed and egotism. Consumerism is a set of self and world-destructive ideas, the foremost of which, is that things = happiness, and also that things = success and admiration in life. These absurd concepts have nothing whatsoever to do with the actual production of goods…they were designed simply to artificially stimulate the desire for those goods, and irregardless of the actual, practical value of what is produced. . . A review of the definitions of certain key words, is instrumental in understanding this; . . Materialism; . 1)A theory that physical matter is the only reality, and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter. . . 2)A preoccupation with material, rather than intellectual or spiritual things. . . 3)The ethical doctrine that consideration of material well being, especially of the individual himself, should rule in the determination of conduct. . . 4)The tendency to give undue importance to material objects. . . Consume; . 1)To destroy, (consume by fire) 2) To spend wastefully, hence to use up, expend. 3) To eat or drink up; devour. . . Consumer; 1) One who consumes . . Given these definitions, a “consumer” is therefore not just “one who consumes” but also one who destroys, spends wastefully, uses up/expends, (the world) and who literally eats, drinks and devours everything in their environment, including the welfare of peoples, foreign and domestic. It is interesting, if not horrifying to note, that this is also exactly what a cancer does with one’s own body. It is not unthinkable to conclude from this, that the extremely high incidence of cancer in the modern world is actually the karmic result of being consumers. Why shouldn’t rampant egotism and constant selfish interest in life, be translated down into ones’ own cell structure? Why shouldn’t the very cells of one’s own body rebel in self-interest against the abuses dealt them in the name of money, during the course of self destruction known as a, “career”? In fact, why isn’t it well within the rights of nature and every living thing upon the face of the earth, to resist human endeavor, as well as what man has already done to destroy this planet? Why shouldn’t every form of new plague, climate change, crop pest, mental illness, social injustice, unnecessary war, government corruption and carcinogenic toxin, be visited upon a humanity that cares for nothing, but their material enrichment at the cost of literally ALL ELSE? . . Do we deserve to be treated any better? No, we deserve exactly what we’ve been dishing out for the last several decades, and this, in fact, is exactly what we’re getting. If you must go on being a “consumer”, then know that it is your karma to sooner or later, “be consumed”. . . The solution to this social/mental illness, is of course, the wholesale rejection of consumerism as the guiding philosophy of one’s life. Consumerism is a collective phenomena that cannot be sustained, without the wholesale consent and participation of most human beings. The corruption of mind, body and soul it represents is arguably the basis for ALL the problems of the modern world, not the least of which is the looming extinction of the human race. . . Simple and practical living is the alternative. There are a great many books and magazines which address how to go about such a change of life. Among these is, “The Survivalists’ Guide for the New Millennium” available for free in the World Mind Society website Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest . . . . Re: God Spoke to Man - Matthew Webb . 13 Jan 2009 23:12 . #774 This is part of an on-going discussion of the above article, and related subjects, from another forum; . . Dear M, . . Your post is quite interesting, and there is much truth to it. I’d like to amplify many of the well-taken points you made. . . I understand quite well the spirit of the, “unconditional love” philosophy in principle. Love without limit is truly a powerful and transformative one, and I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Part of the problem comes about though, in that “love” is never defined, at least not in this context. Let’s say for a moment that love is defined as not just a feeling, or warm intentions, or friendly congeniality, but also, THAT WHICH IS OF THE HIGHEST BENEFIT. It would be reasonable to say, don’t you think, that the conveyance of highest benefit, also represents the highest form of love? . . So in order to even know what is truly loving, we must first know what is of the highest benefit. If we’re “too slack” about how we define what love is, we might well give a drunk another bottle of wine, for instance, thinking that, “since this is what will make them happy, that’s how I can love them”. Happiness alone then, cannot define what love is. Or as another example, a person can say, “I have unconditional love” and yet live in such a way that destroys nature, causing harm and pain to, “everything downstream”. This implies they think that “love” only applies to humans, or perhaps their definition of love is even narrower, applying only to those humans who think as they do, or who have as much money, or who have the same religion, or who have the same color of skin. Then there are those people who say “love is all you need” and yet, they offer no constructive criticism of their own government(s) as these entities engage in yet another pointless war. Such persons, regardless of their talk of love, evidently don’t see the need of extending such a philosophy to the “outside” world, which also means they’re using that thinking as a shield FROM the world, rather than as a medium through which to CHANGE it. . . So you see, love without wisdom, (applied truth) cannot endure, meaning also that the statement, “all we need is love” is greatly mistaken. When I mentioned THAT WHICH IS OF THE HIGHEST BENEFIT, I of course meant the truth itself. Just to clarify this point a little, it’s worthwhile to mention those who speak of, “my truth and your truth”, and yet at the same time talk of love. In saying that truth is subjective, meaning basically, that you make it up as you go along, (my truth, your truth) they don’t realize that they are also destroying what they said about love. This is so because if there is no truth apart from whatever we want to make up, then if it’s, “my truth” that there’s no such thing as love, then that makes it so. One might also declare “their truth” to be, “I am the only human being on this world”, and call that “truth” simply because they said so, not bothering with this thing called, “evidence”. But of course, these statements are false, disproving also, that truth is subjective. It is not subjective…it exists whether we approve of it or not, and regardless of our feelings, pro or con. . . I’m saying this merely to clarify such points, so indulge me for a moment if you will. . . You said, “For humans/spirits our purpose is to evolve”. Yes, I agree entirely. But then you said, “But the only way to ensure that our purpose is never ending, (eternal) is if our evolution is not restricted by conditions.” The thing is, the process of evolution has always been conditional, and this is what I was also pointing out, in the giving of a bottle of wine to a drunk, above. From the very beginning there have been limitations and parameters to life…these are described in biochemistry, physics, astronomy, geology to name just a few sciences. When a place is too cold, or too dry, or to caustic or too ever-changing, (unstable) then life cannot grow there. It’s therefore difficult to get around the “conditionality” of existence. When our own bodies are fed junk foods, and given no exercise, they begin to decline. At the mental level, chaotic thinking results in the inertia of a chaotic mind. When a person tells lies as a chronic habit, very soon they will find themselves unable to tell, even within themselves, what is true and what is not. Even at the spiritual level of reality, there are conditions placed upon the advancement of the practitioner. If such a practitioner attempts only to be in love for instance, and doesn’t want to deal with, or learn how to handle pain or fear, then pain and fear will tend to haunt them. If such a practitioner likewise attempts to find wisdom through the memorization of Scriptures, instead of through direct experience and the cultivation of clarity, they will not achieve their goals. Once again, we are confronted with conditions, and at every level of our being. . . We live in a conditional universe because it is governed by spiritual/natural laws. Were it totally random we would indeed have a larger prerogative to act, but on the other hand, if it WERE totally random we wouldn’t exist at all, neither as souls or as human creatures, since the laws that give structure to these forms wouldn’t exist either. It is for this reason also, (conditionality) that reality is composed of something to learn, and something worth studying, for that matter. Wisdom is in fact defined by the implication that there’s something specific we need to learn and act upon, and that it is not within our prerogative to merely ACT without well considered forethought, (unless we don’t care about the consequences, something you pointed out). Besides, as someone just pointed out to me, “conditions” need not necessarily be seen as limitations, but rather, guidelines wherein right action can be found in life. . . In saying all this, I’m definitely not implying that we need to stay within a mindset of limitation, (such as what materialism does). Nor am I saying that we cannot evolve ourselves or our species with great leaps and strides. But what I am saying is that if we are to significantly progress, and outlive this current age of self destruction, then it will be necessary to ALSO carefully observe those natural/spiritual laws which run the universe, our own bodies, and our own minds and souls. For instance, self knowledge of intention is exceedingly useful. Through the intent to do so, we can render positive psychic influence on others just by passing them on the street. We can “cast” love upon them, or even upon whole crowds or regions of people, thereby rendering good effects. On the other hand, the practitioner is benefited by being aware of a thing called, “purity of intention” whereby they refine what they project to others in a way that does not intrude upon them. In this “conditional” way, they manifest loving intent via ‘best benefit’ by allowing the necessary free will, other people need to truly progress. In other words, they use a “sub-intent” alongside love, which renders benefit, under the provision that it does so at the best rate and way the recipient is capable of receiving. . . What you amplified about the story which started this thread is very insightful. You said, “…the God in the tale knows the true bliss that will befall humanity if they learn to live together.” To this I say, “there’s no doubt that if the people of the world were to use intention in such a way as to invoke, ‘best benefit to all’ and for the sake of our further evolution, (consciousness expansion) that our species would look so different from what it does now, it would hardly be recognizable to modern man.” Pain and fear would no longer hold sway among the nations of men, ignorance would not be a cherished shield, but would instead be recognized as an impediment to true human progress. The artificial divisions of nation to nation and religion to religion would be seen as irrelevant and even primitive. The science and mysticism of soul would then arise to take its’ place as the guide for a humanity, once again on the right track for enlightening this world. . . I appreciate this discussion, and thank you for such insightful intent. I’d like to talk more about natural/spiritual laws at some point, to clarify what is meant here. . . . . The Pound is Finished - Matthew Webb . 21 Jan 2009 19:07 . #775 British government mounts new bank bailout amid warnings of economic collapse . By Jean Shaoul . 21 January 2009 . . Britain's Labour government announced another massive bank bailout on Monday. It comes just months after the same banks received a £500 billion "aid" package from the government that included buying up shares in Britain's leading high street banks and providing loan guarantees and credit facilities. . . Prime Minister Gordon Brown had claimed of his October bailout that it had "saved the banks". In reality, the global economic crisis has intensified, plunging the UK into the worst recession since World War II. . . The latest measures came as the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), one of Britain's largest banks, posted a loss of £28 billion for 2008—the largest corporate loss in UK history. This includes a £20 billion write-down of its purchase of Dutch bank ABN Amro and US bank Capital One. . . Banking shares collapsed due to fears about further losses and the expiry of the short-selling ban at the weekend, threatening to pull down the entire banking sector, Britain's largest and most important industry. . . RBS' shares are worth just 10 percent of their value two years ago. On Friday, Barclays Bank, which has so far avoided part-nationalisation by the government by seeking funds from Middle East investors, saw its share price collapse by 25 percent. . . Overall, British banks are set to lose £85 billion over the next three years, far in excess of the £50 billion of fresh capital under the October bailout. . . According to the Financial Times, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling admitted that he had not known about the banks' huge losses when he authorised the purchase of bank shares at prices above the market price. . . Despite handing over hundreds of billions of taxpayers' money, Darling claimed that there had been no time in October to fully scrutinise RBS' books, as the government's priority had been to prevent the collapse of the banking system. . . Such was the government's anxiety to announce its latest rescue plan that it has yet to be finalised. . . Darling claimed the new package was needed because a collapse of the banking system would bring the entire economy "down with it". The chancellor and the prime minister have refused to specify how much the measures will cost or where the money will come from. Financial commentators believe it could be more than £350 billion. . . Everything points to another series of hasty improvisations whose bottom line is to provide the means for the financial elite to continue "business as usual" at the expense of millions of working people. . . The first measure, aimed at ring-fencing the banks' toxic assets, will provide insurance for the banks against borrowers defaulting on their existing loans. Under this Asset Protection Scheme, the banks will pay the government a flat fee, and then the state will cover approximately 90 percent of the losses should the borrower default. In return, the banks will have to commit to lending more. . . The details of the scheme are subject to negotiations that will not be completed until the end of February. . . The government has said that it will send in accountants, lawyers, bankers and financial consultants to establish the value of the assets and level of insurance required. The Financial Times cited an unnamed government official as describing it as "a job-creation exercise for the City". While the remark may have been intended as a joke, it is in essence the content of the entire rescue package. . . While the government claims that it will not have to negotiate with the banks over the value of the loans, as it would if it were setting up a stand-alone "bad bank", a solution that had been touted by some, that is exactly what it will be doing, with even less transparency. . . Those banks that have not yet written down their bad debts will be required to do so or absorb greater losses than those that have. But since there is no market for such loans, it is unclear what their value is or whether they have any value at all. The Asset Protection Scheme paves the way for the taxpayers to assume the burden of all the banks' toxic assets. . . Under the second measure, the government will extend its £250 billion Credit Guarantee Scheme, which enables banks to raise funds by issuing new wholesale debt with a five-year maturity date until the end of the year. . . . Third, the state will guarantee £100 billion of asset-backed securities such as mortgages, corporate and consumer debt in an attempt to boost the wholesale markets. . . Fourth, while the government's £200 billion Special Liquidity Scheme will close at the end of this month, it has put in place other mechanisms to achieve the same effect. The Discount Window allows banks to swap "assets" such as sub-prime mortgages for more liquid assets such as government bonds. For an extra fee, they can be swapped for one year instead of one month. . . . The government will also ease the terms of the October bailout by offering to convert its preference shares in RBS, Lloyds TSB and HBOS into ordinary shares. In the case of RBS, this increases the government's stake from 58 percent to nearly 70 percent and saves RBS £1 billion a year by not having to pay a 12 percent interest charge on the shares to the government. In return RBS will be required to increase its lending to £6 billion next year. . . Northern Rock, which was nationalised last February to stave off bankruptcy, will be allowed to hold onto its mortgage loans rather than selling them off. This will mean repaying its debt to the government more slowly. . . In another policy reversal, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has reduced its requirement for banks' first tier capital from 8 percent to 4 percent for those banks that took part in the first bailout in an effort to get them to restart lending. . . Last and by no means least, the Treasury has followed the US Federal Reserve and put in place the mechanisms, euphemistically called "quantitative easing", that will allow the Bank of England to inject money into the financial system. This will enable the Bank to lend to the non-financial sector by buying up assets such as corporate bonds, commercial paper and syndicated loans under the Asset Purchase Facility, up to £50 billion in the first instance. . . The claim is that this will ensure funds are available to corporations requiring credit where they are unable to raise loans from the banks. According to the Financial Times, the top 350 listed companies are due to refinance £210 billion of loans over the next five years. Without such a mechanism in place, auditors may refuse to sign off annual accounts as going concerns, effectively bankrupting numerous corporations. . . The Asset Purchase Facility also means that the Bank will take on the risk of corporate default on the loans. But since the Bank does not have the funds, the Treasury will provide the Bank of England with the necessary cash by issuing government debt and indemnify the Bank against default risk. Thus while the Bank is the conduit for lending to the corporate sector, it is the taxpayers who are, in reality, the bankers. . . The big four high street banks have a combined loan book of more than £6 trillion, more than four times Britain's annual GDP of £1.3 trillion or 15 times the government's officially recognised debt. . . To put this in some kind of perspective, even a 10 percent increase in RBS' bad debts, soon to be 70 percent owned by the government, would equal £200 billion. This is equivalent to one-third of annual government spending or double the annual spend on the National Health Service. . . Not only does the government's blank cheque for the banks stand little chance of rescuing either Britain's banks or the economy, financial commentators are now talking openly about the insolvency of Britain itself. On Tuesday the pound fell to a seven year low against the dollar, hitting $1.3966 from $2 less than a year ago. . . Jim Rodgers, who founded the Quantum hedge fund with billionaire speculator George Soros, warned that sterling was "finished" and that investors should dump the pound. Soros and Quantum are credited with forcing sterling's collapse out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism on September 16, 1992, by selling short more than $10 billion worth of pounds. The Karma of the consumer world (Thain) - Matthew Webb . 25 Jan 2009 21:13 . #776 The rise and fall of Wall Street’s John Thain . A dirty, but revealing affair . By Tom Eley . 24 January 2009 . . John Thain, the CEO of brokerage house Merrill Lynch, who guided his firm's absorption by Bank of America, was fired yesterday by BOA head Ken Lewis after it was learned that Merrill had brought $15.31 billion in fourth quarter losses onto the bank's balance sheet. Bank of America stock has lost 83 percent of its value since the Merrill acquisition was announced on September 21, and analysts believe that the banking giant is, for all intents and purposes, insolvent. . . Merrill was one of the five major brokerage firms that only a year ago were considered pillars of the US financial system—the others being Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley. Since then, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers have gone into liquidation, while Morgan Stanley—like Merrill—was absorbed by a large bank—Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group of Japan. . . Thain was widely celebrated for shepherding Merrill's sale to BOA. But the honeymoon did not last long when it became known that Thain had "failed to tell the bank about mounting losses at Merrill late last year," according to Marketwatch. Merrill's exposure to toxic debt has thrown into doubt BOA's own survival. It is widely assumed that Lewis sacrificed Thain in order to mollify stockholder anger—and save his own position, at least for the moment. . . For now, BOA carries on only due to taxpayer handouts to the tune of $45 billion through TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) and billions more from the Federal Reserve. The US government has also committed itself to sharing losses on as much as $118 billion of BOA toxic assets. The bank will need tens of billions more to survive, analysts say. . . Up to the moment of his forced resignation, Thain was a darling on Wall Street. He served as president and co-chief operating officer of Goldman Sachs from May 1999 to June 2003, and as president and chief operating officer of the firm from July 2003 to January 2004. (Media accounts indicate that Thain received some $300 million in Goldman stock.) After leaving Goldman, Thain assumed the top office at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where he replaced the previous CEO, Dick Grasso, who was fired after it was revealed that he had essentially rewarded himself $140 million in deferred compensation. . . In that position Thain was paid "only" about $4 million a year. During his three years at the helm of the NYSE, he converted it from a privately held company to a publicly traded one, and arranged for two mergers. Since his departure early in 2007, NYSE stock has plummeted 72 percent. . . Thain was celebrated as a Wall Street turnaround artist who could dictate his own terms at his next job. In 2007 he was won by the highest-bidding suitor, Merrill, where he replaced another disgraced CEO, Stanley O'Neal—who left the brokerage with a severance package valued at over $160 million. O'Neal was sacked in the initial phases of the subprime mortgage crisis, after it was revealed that Merrill had suffered $8.4 billion in mortgage-related write-downs. . . Thain's Merrill pay package made him the second highest-paid executive in 2007, according to the Associated Press, amounting to more than $83 million. . . The salary was not based on Thain's foresight. In a January 2008 interview, while he allowed that the financial crisis was "not a zero," he assured the Wall Street Journal that it "is for the most part behind us." . . Thain's efforts to resurrect Merrill resembled an above-the-board Ponzi scheme. According to the Journal, Thain "promised a number of shareholders who invested in Merrill in December 2007 and January 2008 that if additional common stock were issued at a lower price, the firm would compensate them. Within months the firm had to raise more cash ... Merrill issued additional shares to pay off its earlier investors, diluting its common shares by 39 percent. The dilution essentially cost shareholders about $5 billion" ("‘Mr. Fix-It' Failed to Take Measure of Mess," January 23). . . While the financial position of Merrill eroded in 2007 and 2008, Thain—who lives with his wife on a large estate in exclusive Rye, New York, reportedly purchased for $10 million—continued to lavish money upon himself and a group of cronies he brought over with him from Goldman Sachs. . . In early 2008, for example, Thain squandered $1.22 million on the remodeling of his office suite. Among other purchases, he spent $131,000 on rugs, $87,000 for guest chairs, $68,000 for a credenza, $35,000 for a commode and $1,400 for a waste paper basket. To do the job he hired celebrity interior designer Michael Smith, now at work on the Obama White House. . . Through December, Thain lobbied Merrill's compensation committee to pay him his multimillion bonus early, before the closing date on the sale to BOA. According to insiders, his initial demands were for a bonus between $30 million and $40 million, and later $10 million. Thain has had to content himself with $16 million in compensation for 2008, according to a Forbes estimate, even as his company collapsed. . . Then, after Merrill's enormous fourth-quarter losses became public, Thain went on vacation in Vail, Colorado and issued a directive accelerating executive bonus payments before the BOA deal closed. . . While Thain has been grasping for every last million dollars, tens of thousands of workers have been laid off from Merrill and BOA, or will soon be dismissed. Ridiculously expensive rugs aside, the looting of companies such as Merrill has played a role in helping to bring down the financial system and resulted in millions more jobless around the globe. . . The financial aristocracy's unquenchable mania for personal enrichment, that Thain so thoroughly embodies, is not the source of the collapse of capitalism. Nonetheless, this socially destructive and parasitic quality is characteristic of historically doomed ruling classes. America's wealthy seem organically incapable of restraining themselves from committing outright larceny. They behave as though, on some level, they do not anticipate being around for very long. Psychic Survival in the Modern Age - Matthew Webb . 29 Jan 2009 22:37 . #777 What follows comes from my Newslog and is pertinent to our many discussions here… . . 28 Jan 2009 @ 20:08 by ashanti : Question . I really do love the way Matthew writes, so clear. I have a question: . . What happens if you are an individual, reasonably conscious, aware, striving to become more so, (as you realise you are by no means there yet), but still - you have an awareness of that great Love and Truth that is the infinite One - and the group consciousness around you is very, very low, almost flatlined? That it is a daily struggle to keep your own consciousness awake, when everyone, and I mean everyone, around you is unconscious, living robotically, unquestioning, selfish, for themselves only? You do have some effect, you do plant seeds, and at times, there is an occasional flicker of consciousness in response to your presence, or there is a violent resentment, but by and large, you are dealing with dead consciousness. Your only way of staying conscious is to be an individual, separate, and not merge with the group into unconsciousness. . . How does one deal with this in a better way? . . /////////// . . 29 Jan 2009 @ 22:30 by rishi : Psychic Survival in the Modern Age.... . Dear Ashanti, . . What you’ve asked is without doubt the most important question I’ve ever heard posed on this forum. You asked, What happens to the [aware] individual who is surrounded by the low consciousness of the public, (robotic, unquestioning, and selfish)? . . Although Spells addressed your question in general terms, I’d like to further amplify it here. This is a very serious matter, one that is impossible to take lightly and still maintain one’s spiritual practice. First of all, there is no question at all that the consciousness of the modern public is indeed very low. It is permeated with fear and pain as a psychic, field-effect, one that can be easily perceived by the aware person at most times of day or night. Likewise noticed by the thinking, questioning person, is the robotic, unquestioning and selfish nature of the consumer world, whose fruits are plain to see…widespread environmental destruction, unnecessary war, insanity and domestic unrest. There are only two ways that anyone could possibly miss the fact that the modern world has gone horribly astray from common sense, let alone truth for its’ own sake. One is through sheer naïveté from living in some sort of an insulated bubble of perception, and the other is through a completely dishonest denial of the world and domestic scene. . . The point in saying this is not only that it is true, but to re-affirm what this implies for the practitioner. It implies that such a person is an alien within their own culture. The low consciousness of the modern is on a suicide course, and it is composed of people, (the vast majority) who secretly hate their lives, (for good reason) and who deny the truth at all costs, even if that means a quick and painful death. It is this mindset which would rather die of cancer than to really change anything about their lives, who would rather have wars for profit based upon lies, than to EVER employ the energy to challenge the status quo. It is such a mindset that would rather destroy the natural world and everything in it, including the welfare of their own children and grandchildren, than to turn away from their “profit-above-all-else” and “money-as-God” value system. To put all of this simply would be to say that the vast majority don’t value their lives, or in fact, life itself, and frankly don’t care if their actions/lifestyle contribute to the death of all life on earth. All of this does indeed imply that the aware and caring person is an incomprehensible alien within their own culture, and that fact will not change until such a time as the current world consciousness is either upgraded, or the majority of humanity dies off as a result of its’ own self-destructive madness. . . In essence then, be prepared to remain, “the outsider” even while you are filled with the earnest desire to align with others on a loving and exalted way, and even when you only desire to uplift the human condition. Remember that such a mindset as the consumer world does not wish to be saved…the shallow life of the consumer is a dead end, it creates only an emptiness inside, it stands for nothing, and would, secretly, prefer to die than to change. Use this knowledge and realize there’s only so much that can be done for people who deny that anything is wrong in this paradigm, and who do not wish to be uplifted. “Plant seeds” as you will, but don’t make the mistake of placing your self-worth as a practitioner on the line that is measured by the publics’ awakening. . . What you said is basically correct….”Your only way of staying conscious is to be an individual separate, and not merge with the group consciousness”. That’s not ultimately the ONLY way, but it is the best way…dis-identification with the consciousness/paradigm of the modern world. . . Even more concretely, I recommend daily meditation upon the feelings that run throughout the body, as a sum total. FEEL the entire body as a whole, and note those areas which are of a lower vibration, (lower feeling). In accomplishing this, you cultivate self knowledge. Notice then how such feeling(s) change when in the presence of different people, and know this change to be the result of their intent upon you. In accomplishing this, you cultivate knowledge of others. By having self knowledge and (psychic) knowledge of others’ intention, you will be empowered to clearly SEE what is of your own doing, (your intent) and the psychic impact of other peoples’ intent. This is an invaluable distinction, one that will allow you to remain unscathed by the psychic chaos of the world. . . Having gained such knowledge and being starkly honest about it then, “take psychic action” as necessary. If you are being impacted by another person psychically to negative effect, then do what is necessary to detach that effect, and be unburdened by it. Visualizations can aid such action, but the bottom line of it rests within the feelings that run throughout the body. The body is a psychic transceiver….it sends and receives constantly. We can discuss the particulars of this practice if you like. . . Another extremely useful practice is what some people call “soul retrieval”, but with a knowledge of intent thrown in. We are constantly sending and receiving information at the energetic, (psychic) level, as I said. If you use your intent to regain this energy, then you’ll find a partial, if not complete restoration of lost vitality. Once again it is necessary to focus upon body-wide feelings. Know that each small area of feeling is, in itself, an input-output point for interacting with others. Start by focusing upon areas that are uncomfortable, in pain or fear. While focusing upon that area(s), take a slow deep breath, and visualize the, “drawing in” or, “retrieval” of energy in to that area, knowing that you are regaining parts of yourself sent out to the world. Do this for at least ten minutes per problem area, or as long as it takes to change the feeling(s) in that area of the body…combine this with right eating and exercise, and you can revitalize any portion of the physical vehicle. It is notable that in the upgrade of any area of the body, the most difficult period is in the beginning of the change. Such efforts will gain positive inertia over time and practice. . . These are of course, advance practices with many nuances. I would be glad to discuss these in depth if you so wish… Break-up of the Euro-Zone - Matthew Webb . 2 Feb 2009 19:21 . #778 Global crisis threatens to break up the Eurozone . By Ulrich Rippert . 2 February 2009 . . The international economic crisis is having an ever more devastating impact on Europe. A few weeks ago German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück (Social Democratic Party—SPD) was still speaking of a financial crisis centred in America. Since then it has become clear that the crisis has developed into a worldwide recession with increasingly serious consequences for industry and jobs. . . . At the beginning of last week came warnings of the possible bankruptcy of several European states. Since then there have been mounting reports of a potential breakup of the sixteen-nation Eurozone and the collapse of the European currency, the euro. . . . The current issue of Der Spiegel magazine warns: “The possibility of the disintegration of the Eurozone has become a burning issue on financial markets.” On January 29, Die Zeit commented: “The crisis is widening the gap between the euro countries. Serious economists are wondering when the first state will go bankrupt. After that it’s only a short step to catastrophe—the collapse of the currency union.” . . . Such a breakdown of the European currency is entirely possible because the crisis has exposed a fundamental problem in the European currency union: The countries that share the euro lack any common economic policy. . . . The economic position of the individual Eurozone countries is extremely diverse. At the beginning of the 1990s, the so-called “stability pact“ was adopted on the insistence of Germany. The introduction of the euro seven years ago was tied to firm conditions concerning financial policy. Each accession country had to commit itself to strict budgetary discipline. The annual deficit of a country was to be limited to a maximum of 3 percent and its total debt to 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). . . . First and foremost, it was Germany that urged the adoption of these criteria as a means of maintaining the stability of the euro. The euro was to be strengthened not only to compete with the US dollar, but also to ensure the dominance in Europe of the German economy, which was certain to profit from a stable currency owing to its position as the leading exporter. . . . A few weeks ago the German finance minister was still trying to defend the stability pact. His opposition to costly economic stimulus programmes led to heated conflict with the French and British governments. Since then, the crisis has largely destroyed the stability pact. Every European government—including the German government—is doing its best to save its own industries and economy. . . . On January 27, the federal cabinet put forward a supplemental budget amounting to 18 billion euros. It is designed to counteract shortfalls in tax revenue and increased expenditures. It also includes special allocations for investment in a second economic stimulus package. These will come from credits of up to an additional 21 billion euros. Combined with net borrowings of 18.5 billion euros already planned in the budget, the new package will result in total additional indebtedness of well over 50 billion euros for 2009. Never before has a German government had to approach financial markets with such massive demands. . . . Debt is growing even faster in other countries. Financial experts in Brussel’s European Union (EU) Commission assume that the deficits of the sixteen Eurozone states will increase to 4 percent of GDP this year and 4.4 percent the following year–although such figures have to be corrected upwards almost every day. The stability pact’s 3 percent cap on debt is being exceeded in all the Eurozone countries. . . . Consequently, a competition for access to credit has begun. This is sharpening antagonisms within Europe and pushing the Eurozone to the breaking point. Despite the single currency, government bonds of different countries attain widely different values on the financial markets. Some countries—like Spain, Portugal and Greece—have to pay much higher interest rates because of growing doubts about their credit worthiness. . . . Italy’s national debt is the third largest in the world at 106 percent of its GDP. With the threat of national bankruptcy looming, it is more and more difficult for the government in Rome to find financial backers. Fixed-interest government bonds, issued in mid-January, attracted buyers only after the return interest rate was significantly increased. . . . Over the coming two years Greece will need 48 billion euros to redeem old debts. In addition, it also has to finance its recent budget deficits. . . . Rating agencies are reevaluating downwards the economic status of “problem countries” and, as a consequence, raising the interest rates on the debt they issue. Greek ten-year government bonds now yield 5.75 percent; those of Ireland, 5.25 percent; and Spain, 4.21 percent. A look at German ten-year bonds, yielding just over 3 percent, reveals how serious the situation has become. In contrast to Greek and Irish rates, the German government is obtaining loans for, respectively, 2.66 percent and 2.21 percent less. And this divergent tendency is increasing rapidly. . . . Up until now, countries with falling credit ratings have devalued their currencies and lowered key interest rates, thereby boosting their economies by creating more favourable conditions for exports. This is no longer possible for the Eurozone countries. “It looks like [some countries] might have to leave the club,” writes Der Spiegel. . . . Facing this situation, Luxembourg’s finance minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, who is also the prime minister, suggested that the sixteen Eurozone states should issue common debt securities, or “euro bonds.” This was greeted with approval by some of the smaller EU countries, but met with bitter resistence from the Berlin chancellery. Just as Austrian Finance Minister Josef Pröll referred to euro bonds as “a royal charter to get into debt at the expense of others,” his German colleague Steinbrück claimed each country will have to take its own steps to cope with problems arising from the rescue measures for the banks. . . . Mounting economic and political problems are creating conditions in which self-interest predominates and the project of European integration is rapidly unravelling. . . . A collapse of the EU would have convulsive consequences. Countries that became insolvent and opted out of the euro club would be confronted with enormous problems. Their credit standing would decline further and the cost of credit would become even higher. Old debts would have to be paid off in euros. In the case of devalued currencies, this would cause additional expense. The inevitable result would be drastic austerity measures and emergency decrees, as in the 1930s. . . . However, preservation of the EU and the single currency is not the solution. Bridge loans for the most crisis-ridden member states are already being made subject to draconian financial conditions and austerity measures. This has already led to riots and street-fighting in several eastern European capital cities. A few days ago, EU Economic Commissioner Joaquin Almunia demanded painful reforms in the labour markets and welfare systems of Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. . . . Notwithstanding the tensions among EU countries, all European governments are using the European Union to shift the burden of the economic crisis onto the general population. To achieve this, Brussels is laying the foundation for a police state. . . . The EU Commission has become a synonym for deregulation and the dismantling of workers’ rights. Instead of reconciling social and regional antagonisms, it exacerbates them. This bureaucratic colossus–with 40,000 generally high-paid officials, unhindered by democratic control and subject to the influence of an army of lobbyists—manifests itself more and more openly as a tool of the leading European powers and the most powerful corporate interests. . . . The working class must prepare itself for major social and political confrontations and advance an international socialist programme that counters escalating economic nationalism and protectionism with a struggle to unify Europe on socialist foundations. Bankrupt California - Matthew Webb . 5 Feb 2009 18:54 . #779 Yet another example of a failed paradigm; . . California runs out of cash—$3.5 billion in state payments delayed . By Dan Conway . 4 February 2009 . . In response to the continuing state budget crisis, the California state controller’s office began to delay $3.5 billion in state payments this Monday due to lack of funds. This includes postponement of income-tax refunds, grants to college students, and welfare checks. . . . Of the overall $3.5 billion, nearly $2 billion in personal state income tax refunds are being withheld, $515 million in payments to state vendors held back, and $280 million from funds to help the developmentally disabled have gone unpaid, as well as nearly $13 million in grants to college students. . . . State controller John Chiang said the postponements would last a minimum of 30 days, while noting that they could, in fact, last much longer. Should the state still not have sufficient funds by early April, the controller’s office will begin issuing IOUs in lieu of cash payment, with no guarantees that banking institutions will honor them. . . . In an interview given last Friday, Chiang noted the effect that payment delays will have on the state’s more vulnerable residents, emphasizing the fact that his “principal responsibility is to make sure that California does not go into default.” In other words, the state’s primary fiscal responsibility is to the large banks and big capital, and not to its own citizens. . . . The same financial interests that were responsible for the subprime mortgage collapse, which has played a central role in the current budget crisis in California, are also responsible for the state’s inability to meet current outlays. The state relies on funding from the sale of municipal bonds to outside investors during winter months to keep operating and is thus highly vulnerable to changes in its credit rating, which has also fallen victim to financial speculation over the past period. . . . The state’s already-poor credit rating was made even worse by the actions of large banks such as Goldman Sachs, which deliberately drove up interest rates on the state’s debt obligations by issuing credit default swaps against state bonds and advising investors to short the bonds as well. The three major credit-rating agencies have all announced that a further downgrade of the state’s credit rating is forthcoming. . . . In addition to the payment delays, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was recently given the authority in a Superior Court ruling last Thursday to furlough state employees with no compensation. The order will force nearly 238,000 mostly unionized workers to take two Fridays off work per month without pay. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents the majority of the state workers, is planning to appeal the ruling, but otherwise has done nothing to oppose the action. . . . The furlough order will affect state workers across a wide spectrum of occupations, including engineers, scientists, Department of Motor Vehicles clerks, pharmacists, maintenance workers, social workers, computer programmers and unemployment caseworkers, to name a few. Tellingly, state police officers will be exempt from the furloughs. . . . The action being taken against unemployment caseworkers will serve to exacerbate the state’s already dire unemployment situation. California’s official employment rate rose from 8.4 percent in November to 9.3 percent in December, making the state’s unemployment rate the fourth highest in the nation. In terms of absolute numbers, however, California has the highest unemployment in the country, with more than 1.7 million people jobless. . . . As the ranks of the unemployed continue to increase, the state finds itself unable to provide the relief to which these workers are entitled. The state Employment Development Department is attempting to handle tens of thousands of requests for benefits each day with a staff of only 850 workers. . . . Unemployed workers are entitled to a maximum benefit of $450 a week. Benefit seekers are often unable to even reach a call center representative, due to the high volume of unemployed. When they can get through, many are denied benefits on technical grounds, such as an incorrectly completed unemployment insurance request form. . . . According to a February 2 article in the Los Angeles Times, tens of thousands of jobless Californians are awaiting action from a state appeals court to find out if they can still obtain benefits that were denied to them. The Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board is severely backlogged with such cases, resolving only 4 percent of them within the 30 days required by law. . . . Demand for other forms of government aid has also increased sharply. Demand for food stamp assistance increased by 13.8 percent from September 2007 to September 2008. The number of families receiving cash assistance from the CalWorks welfare program rose by 5.9 percent during the same period. . . . Meanwhile, as the state’s employment outlook continues to worsen, median home prices have continued their downward spiral, declining by nearly 50 percent since the spring of 2007. According to the web site foreclosures.com, California had the second-highest number of foreclosure filings in the nation in 2008, with 453,421 filings. The web site realtytrac.com, however, reported California having the highest number—523,624. According to both web sites, the city of Stockton, California, maintained the highest rate of any city in the nation, with 1 of every 11 homes in foreclosure. . . . Governor Schwarzenegger, in collusion with the state Democratic Party, is actively working to impose the state’s ballooning $41.8 billion budget deficit onto the backs of the state’s working people. State officials are looking to boost revenues by $14.3 billion through regressive tax increases, including a 1.5 percent rise in the state sales tax. . . . The governor also plans to reduce state spending by an additional $17.4 billion by eliminating dental and other benefits for adults on Medicaid. A further $7.7 billion is to be cut from public education, along with other severe reductions in public financing. The draconian measures being undertaken by Sacramento officials to address the current budget crisis are only just the beginning. Bankrupt Australia - Matthew Webb . 7 Feb 2009 21:09 . #780 Deepening global crisis shatters consensus over Australian stimulus package . By Mike Head . 7 February 2009 . . A sharp conflict has erupted within Australia's political establishment over the Rudd government's latest $42 billion economic rescue package. The bipartisan consensus on the government's previous six bailout packages has collapsed in the face of the rapid deepening of the global meltdown, and the dawning realisation that Australia's ruling elite is powerless to prevent a severe and protracted downturn. . . . Within certain ruling circles, growing doubts are developing about the Labor government's desperate turn to Keynesian-style pump-priming in the hope of averting, or at least delaying, a recession. That became apparent last Wednesday, when the Liberal-National Party opposition announced it would vote against the required legislation. The package now depends on the votes of the four Greens and two Independents in the Senate, where a one-week inquiry is now underway, accompanied by all sorts of negotiations and horse-trading. . . . The government, and those in the financial and business elite who are backing its package, are anxious to head off mass unemployment and rapidly deepening social discontent. Their fears were summed up by ANZ bank chief economist Saul Eastlake, who told the Sydney Morning Herald that the government's latest cash handouts to families and schools had to be accepted. "Imagine what kind of policies would be proposed in an environment of rising unemployment and mounting social unrest?" he asked, citing the street protests that have already broken out in Europe. . . . But others, including Rupert Murdoch's editorial writers, are concerned that no matter how much the government spends, its efforts will be dwarfed by the worldwide crash, leaving huge budget deficits and debts. Warning against the government's series of attempted quick-fixes, which has seen it stagger from one multi-billion dollar rescue package to another, the Australian warned today: "Nothing Australia can do will end the global financial disaster." . . . Both sides of the debate appear to be shell-shocked by the continuing deterioration of Australia's major export markets, including China, Japan, South Korea and the US. After 15 years of super-profits and hundreds of billions of dollars in windfall government revenue, the mining boom has turned into bust in just a few months. It is now clear that the crash will last far longer than anyone in corporate circles previously imagined. . . . Month after month, official estimates have had to be revised. In its latest forecast, issued yesterday, the Reserve Bank of Australia slashed its growth estimate for this year from 2 percent to 0.25 percent, and zero in non-farm output, despite the $42 billion package and its own cut in the benchmark interest rate to 3.25 percent, a drop of 400 basis points since September. In effect, this means that the economy is already in recession and still contracting. . . . The central bank warned that because of the global financial crisis, credit had dried up for small and medium-sized business, threatening a new wave of bankruptcies. According to Dun and Bradstreet, 100,000 companies could fail this year. . . . The Labor government's $42 billion package has nothing to do with assisting the millions of working people whose jobs and lives are about to be shattered. There was not a cent for the jobless, whose numbers the government admits will double to nearly a million by next year, in spite of the package. . . . Like the pre-Christmas $10 billion package, the latest one contains a slew of one-off cash payments, which the government hopes will be spent quickly and resuscitate consumer demand. But the $950 handouts are more likely to be spent by cash-strapped families on lowering the historically unprecedented levels of home mortgage and personal credit card debt. . . . The other main element of the package—infrastructure funding, mainly for schools, community facilities, roads and housing—is primarily designed to prevent a looming collapse of the construction industry. The Housing Industry Association is warning that companies will crash and 85,000 jobs will be destroyed if the package is not passed. . . . At the same time, by distributing money to families and schools, the government is seeking to head off growing discontent over its allocation, since October 2008, of billions of dollars to underwrite or subsidise the big banks, property developers and major auto companies. . . . Many business groups—notably those whose members face oblivion—have backed the government, calling for the package to be implemented as soon as possible. Representing manufacturers, Australian Industry Group chief executive Heather Ridout told the Australian Financial Review that "aggressively targeting consumer spending is absolutely critical to our near-term economic prospects". Peter Anderson, the chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which covers large and medium-sized businesses, said the government had "ticked the boxes business has advocated as a response to the economic downturn". . . . Others throwing their weight behind the government included Westfield shopping empire boss Frank Lowy, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and the Australian Trucking Industry. Economists at Westpac, one of the country's four big banks, warned that without the immediate cash handouts, the economy would contract by 0.7 percent this year. The government also claimed the backing of the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Even the Liberals' only state premier, Colin Barnett of Western Australia, praised the package as "fantastic" and generally well-targeted. . . . Why then, in the face of this tide of approval, has Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull, after a series of Coalition party room and shadow cabinet meetings, nevertheless decided to go out on a political limb by refusing to provide bipartisan support? . . . Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his front bench claim that the Liberal leader is simply fighting for his political survival in the face of a possible leadership challenge by former Howard government treasurer Peter Costello, who reportedly led a party room push for rejection of the package. . . . Whatever Turnbull's immediate political calculations, however, the Coalition's stand reveals anxieties in ruling circles about the economic and political risks of the government's actions. In the first place, these relate to the sheer scale of the debt the government is racking up. . . . Turnbull told parliament: "The government is looking increasingly like a frightened soldier who fires off all his ammunition in a panic in the first minutes of an engagement. This downturn may be very long lasting and we cannot possibly spend larger and larger sums like this every quarter." . . . Defending Turnbull, Friday's editorial in the Australian Financial Review warned that while the government's plans to go into debt were currently manageable, "if the economic recovery is slower and more protracted that could change". . . . The $42 billion package allows for four years of budget deficits totaling $118 billion, but the government effectively conceded that the situation could get far worse when one of its bills sought to increase from $75 billion to $200 billion the limit the government can borrow to service debt. . . . Murdoch's Australian also came to Turnbull's defence, pointing to financial and ideological concerns with Rudd's abandonment of his previous commitment to "fiscal conservativism" and his adoption of Keynesian measures laced with populist attacks on "the forces of neo-liberalism", "unrestrained greed", "under-regulated markets" and "unprincipled merchant bankers" whose "entire ideology" had produced the financial crisis. . . . The Australian's Thursday editorial declared that while the government was right to take emergency measures, "we need a discussion of its intellectual underpinnings, of the idea Mr Rudd is pushing that the global financial crisis must change the market economy". . . . Rudd's claims to oppose "market fundamentalism" are absurd. He took office pledging to big business that Labor would carry through the next "wave" of the market restructuring pioneered by the Hawke and Keating governments from 1983 to 1996. All his measures, including the latest package, are oriented to bailing out the finance houses and other corporate giants that have benefited from the "free market" over the past quarter century. . . . Nevertheless, alarm is being expressed by some that any public questioning of the logic of the market could exacerbate what has already become a major ideological crisis for the capitalist system. There is also concern that any return to national regulation and protectionism could cut across the operations of international capital and severely harm Australia's export-oriented economy. . . . The turn in the latest package towards protectionism became apparent yesterday when Rudd warned of a "limited tolerance threshold for imports" in relation to supplies needed to meet the government's subsidy for the installation of ceiling insulation in around two million homes. . . . For their part, the Greens have rushed to assure the business elite that, unlike the Coalition, they will be "constructive" and not block the stimulus package. Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said that while his party would suggest improvements to "enhance" the package, "the government needs maximum flexibility to deal with the financial crisis"—in effect, a pledge to support the Labor government. . . . The trade unions also seized upon the Coalition's stance to reinforce their commitment to cooperating with the government and employers. ACTU president Sharan Burrow accused the Opposition of "jeopardising Australian jobs with its short-sighted political grandstanding". ACTU secretary Jeff Lawrence called for "all parts of the Australian community—business, unions, government and community groups" to "work together". The ACTU, which has already called for workers to make wage sacrifices in the name of "saving jobs," is doing everything it can to prevent them from developing any independent challenge to the Labor government's pro-capitalist policies. NEW FOURTH ELEMENT IN CONSCIOUSNESS - Francisco Lazaro . 13 Feb 2009 13:00 . #781 NEWLY DISPENSED SHAMANIC REVELATION: . THE INCREDIBLE NEW FOURTH ELEMENT IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS MAKE-UP! . Dear brothers and sisters . Sacred Greetings! . This article is surely and inspirationally the most assertive shamanic revelation at this moment in time dispensed to all sincere truth seekers of all Four Sacred Directions involved with the appreciation of the whole intrinsic nature of Consciousness! . It is a result of lifetimes of shamanic search, mainly through intense experiences carried out with the help of the Sacred Fungus (magic psilocybe mushrooms) and the Sacred Ayahuasca, along with profound meditations with Mother Nature and in tune with the precious guidance given by the Invaluable Teachings of the Doctrine of the Spirits, codified since the late century by Allan Kardec and mostly known as Spiritism! . This is also fruit of the Way of Synthesis – as I have named it for reference – which is nothing more than – The Path – enriched by a tireless commitment to the realization of a Cosmic Fusion of all the Mystery School´s teachings on Spirituality into a sole Unity of Wisdom! . By spirituality here I would give emphasis on the meaning of “ awakening and rebirthing to the infinitely majestic presence of the Spirit throughout the whole visible and invisible Universe, reigning intelligently over all manifested forms of life within the Cosmic Mind!” This goes on further with the acknowledgement of the existence of the Great Spirit Creator known as God, the existence and presence of a hierarchy of created spirits and finally the spiritual principle embedded in all other beings of creation not yet self-conscious. . But I really would like to give an introduction to this revelation approach with a sincere deference and reference of appraisal for incontestable merit to our respected brother Mr. Matthew Webb and his companion for his pioneering in this unique exploration and partaking of teachings in the field of Consciousness, its true nature and meaning! . I wish to mention that even not agreeing completely with him in some of his spiritual statements, this present revelation of a fourth new element shall not be going against any of his definitions/assertions with regard to the components of consciousness in itself, but rather comes as a complementary element of it, which in some way must have been simply disregarded, unobserved or overlapped by the three other aspects of consciousness make-up not for lack of awareness or clarity but for other natural reasons which I will try to explain later in this study. . Therefore this present labour of souls aims additionally at being a contribution to his work with the purpose of attesting and carrying out a real complete fusion of his findings with others more to the benefit of many. However even he himself can have the right and freedom to discord of my own assertions which are anyhow presented here in the same way as he does: absolutely impersonally, with no intention of obtaining any agreement or self-aggrandizement of any kind, but for the wish to share the truth with all brothers seekers. . So my friends lets begin with an appreciation of this sacred esoteric gnosis by focusing the aspect of Knowledge. It is related to True Power and Light. True Spiritual Knowledge IS Power! And it is this knowledge that gives Vision and Clarity for the Seers to See! And it gives way to Wisdom, one of the aspects of the Big Triad! It is this Light, the light of knowing that gleams so brightly throughout the spiritual universe and is the same light that makes for the individual light of the spirits! This Light is connected to the element Awareness of the Consciousness. So Awareness IS Light, is clarity inside of us. It is important to remind that any and all of these composing elements are absolutely interconnected and intertwined one with each other and there is no separation among them in their functions. What can happen is imbalance only, according to spiritual development. Awareness same as Knowledge can be improved. So can Power and Vision. . The Intent is related to Volition and Choice of Direction granted by the Fundamental Free Will embedded in us. This is the inherent right to Move your Self and Mind to whatever Focus of Attention you want, so Intentionally creating your destiny! . The Energy is a combined force of both these aspects. It IS the Force! The Force is incredibly powerful when rightly directed! This Force abounds the Universe and sustains all creation with life and is the Prime Tool of the Higher Spiritual Beings for acting, influencing, transforming and co-creating in all levels and dimensions of Life! When under the effect of entheogens like Ayahuasca especially, one can feel this universal force in a constant vibration like that of a generator, a cosmic vibration that comes in waves all the time of the experience. Considering that We Are the Universe, all this Force and Light combined IS also within us! IT IS US! Here we have two of the Triad aspects. . Now my brothers let´s go to the most wonderful Fourth Element of the Spiritual Universe and of our Spiritual Consciousness! It has been incredibly referred to in one form or another since immemorial ages in many sources of wisdom, mystery schools, initiations and by many sages! . It is related to SOUND! IT IS SOUND! Consequently it is also THE VERB! It is a very powerful, the most powerful MANTRAM resonating throughout the whole Cosmos! That´s why some races and civilizations like the Hindus gave and still give until nowadays so much devotion to the Sacred Sounds! It is the Sound that makes the Music of the Spheres and that makes us sing the inner song of praise to the Beauties and Wonders of Creation and to the Supreme Creator of all things! It is this Sound that comforts and heals all wounds! It is this Sound that makes the High and makes it even Higher! Some specific philosophies like the ECKANKAR value this aspect of cosmic life as one of the most important ones. Not without very important reasons, because this Sound is the missing link for the Consciousness to be whole, complete, it is the magical alchemical alloy agglutinating ALL THINGS material and spiritual! This sound is what gives the GLOW and the Balance to Light and Force making the Spirit-Consciousness Resplendent in the Christ Flame! And that´s why when absent, no matter how far we go in our search for understanding the fathoming of our consciousness, we always feel that something is missing, there´s something to fulfill a void place in it! This THING, THIS Sound, this Fourth element IS LOVE! Be astounded, be amazed! Be glad! We Are LOVE! Made of Love! GOD IS LOVE! Love is Joy, Divine Joy! It is said since immemorial times! Gradations of Love evolving from the quarks up to the Cosmic Love! When we give in to Love all mysteries make sense, all revelations are justified and united, our UNDERSTANDING reaches the pinnacles of Life, our Spirit soars like an eagle and we stand in Tune and Harmony with Higher Dimensions and only then we are fully able to comprehend not only our consciousness but human life in all its extension and contrasts! This is a lesson you can learn in flesh and blood if you attune to it with all your senses, all your mind, all your intent and trustness! This is a lesson you can learn from the responsible use of the mentioned entheogens. May I say this is the main point and issue highlighted by Master Jesus, the Highest Shaman of the Galaxy, during his whole life? Stating that all sins would be forgiven by much Loving? So it is in us! It can be worked out, it can be awakened, it can be improved, it can grow ever more higher! . Now we have the relationship Consciousness-Divine Triad in perfect interconnection, with Love making the Sacred Fusion. Wisdom, Force and Love - or Light, Love and Power along with Awareness, Intent, Energy and Love! Does it makes sense to your Senses? The Universe being made of Sound and Light, so as above, so below. . So now why was this so important missing link apparently disregarded in some studies? . Well just as a matter of reference I will report to a short aspect of the Toltecs Wisdom, by including here an excerpt of a commentary text on Castañeda´s books which I think is pertinent to this question. I am fond and adept of the Toltecayotl but I consider Don Juan´s teachings a very limited and sometimes distorted part of the Great Universe of Toltec Shamanic Teachings, however having its truthful essences here and there to be panned. Here is one of them: . “The Toltec seers* were extraordinary men, powerful sorcerers, somber, driven men who unraveled mysteries and possessed secret knowledge that they used to influence and victimize people by fixating the awareness of their victims on whatever they chose." * (he refers to sorcerers). . . "But you don't consider yourself a sorcerer, don Juan, do you?" I asked. . "No, I don't," he said. "I am a warrior who sees. In fact, all of us are los nuevos videntes, the new seers. The old seers were the sorcerers. . Don Juan later elaborates about the old seers and the new seers: "Those conquerors," he went on, "took over the Toltec world - they appropriated everything - but they never learned to see."' . "Why do you think they never learned to see?" I asked. . "Because they copied the procedures of the Toltec seers without having the Toltecs' inner knowledge. To this day there are scores of sorcerers all over Mexico, descendants of those conquerors, who follow the Toltec ways but don't know what they're doing, or what they're talking about, because they're not seers." . "Who were those conquerors, don Juan?" . "Other Indians," he said. . Further in this book, Castaneda reveals more about the fact that he had not really been taught about sorcery, and how all the talk of sorcery was simply a clever ruse to catch his attention; “It was in his teachings for the left side that don Juan let on what he, don Genaro, and their companions were really doing to me, and who they were. They were not teaching me sorcery, but how to master three aspects of an ancient knowledge they possessed: awareness, stalking, and intent. And they were not sorcerers; they were seers. And don Juan was not only a seer, but also a nagual.” . In “Tales of Power” don Juan reveals to him; “Sorcerers have learned after generations of using power plants to account in their views for everything that is accountable about them. . They were men of great power, but they were not men of knowledge”. . First of all please note that I do not intend to make any linear comparison of any person with the classifications given by the characters of this text, but only to make an analogy of methods of approach to the truth, either with or without the help of plants of power and without being a sorcerer. A sorcerer usually uses different plants and has no higher intent, therefore he is not looking after true knowledge, but for inferior powers related to low energies. In the same way I consider that we are actually on the verge of attaining the path of wholeness, i.e., being a seer, a warrior and a man of knowledge, always with love in the heart, looking after learning, but that sometimes we still tend to follow the path more inclined into a certain direction than another. This has happened in the past and occurs again nowadays. . Furthermore we have to take into consideration the very important influence of the Rays not only in a planetary injunction but also in our individual astrological conjunction, especially as truth seekers, a factor which frequently causes at least that one mostly inadvertently clings on more to one Aspect of the Path than the other. This is another line of study which is out of the present scope and can be researched separately. . I just can declare that this is true shamanic apprenticeship and mastery same time in all honesty. . This is live lesson lively learned through devotion and dedication to the Truth. . In view of the above revelation, we can rightly deduce that the resulting implications are vast and urgent! From now on new horizons can be disclosed, a certain revolution in the mind angles of observation of consciousness are a must, if and when honest opening to this teaching is present, acknowledged and valued. Hope you enjoyed! . Doubts and comments are welcomed! . I thank God Father/Mother for granting me this knowledge, because all my true knowledge comes from Him. I only search and remember and find it. I thank God for the Love He put inside me to keep it alight and to love my brothers, sisters, all creation ever more and love Him eternally! . We Are One! Mitakuye Oyasin! Namo Narayana! OM! . Francisco Lazaro Power of Group Mind Intention - Matthew Webb . 17 Feb 2009 23:36 . #782 This is a copy of a post made today on the Celestine forum by James Redfield; . . /////////// . . The work of James Redfield is in my view, a very practical system of facts and methods for spiritual progress. Perhaps even more importantly, that work is largely oriented toward collective gains as much as it is individual expansion. As a prelude to the following article, I'd like to quote the 10th and 11th Insights in order to refresh what they have to say in this context; . . THE TENTH INSIGHT . . . HOLDING THE VISION . The Tenth Insight is the realization that throughout history human beings have been unconsciously struggling to implement this lived spirituality on Earth. Each of us comes here on assignment, and as we pull this understanding into consciousness, we can remember a fuller birth vision of what we wanted to accomplish with our lives. Further we can remember a common world vision of how we will all work together to create a new spiritual culture. We know that our challenge is to hold this vision with intention and prayer everyday. . . THE ELEVENTH INSIGHT . . . EXTENDING PRAYER FIELDS . The Eleventh Insight is the precise method through which we hold the vision. For centuries, religious scriptures, poems, and philosophies have pointed to a latent power of mind within all of us that mysteriously helps to affect what occurs in the future. It has been called faith power, positive thinking, and the power of prayer. We are now taking this power seriously enough to bring a fuller knowledge of it into public awareness. We are finding that this prayer power is a field of intention, which moves out from us and can be extended and strengthened, especially when we connect with others in a common vision. This is the power through which we hold the vision of a spiritual world and build the energy in ourselves and in others to make this vision a reality. . . /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// . . Let US Manifest Together… . . In the air there seemed to stir, a rare wind of other-worldly fragrance. It was a sweet essence, like orchid blossoms on a summer day, yet felt all over the body as a flowing current, not as a thing smelled by the nose. To the uninitiated, the mind said, “I’ve never felt anything like this before” but even so, there was a presence in the back of the mind saying at the same time, “At last I feel this again”. Since she and I were not uninitiated, we looked at each other with a knowing glance, and just then caught the eyes of the couple sitting next to us. As a felt thing, when we looked at them and they gazed at us, there was an immediate, mutual knowingness that ALL of us were experiencing something extraordinary, yet familiar. It was as though Knowledge of some deeper kind than that which is had in the “ordinary world” were traveling unseen streams winding their way from eye to eye. She and I both knew at the same time, that they too, were both amazed, yet Knowing. . . In the distance, the 40 or so people that were now meditating together in this remote forest meadow, had suddenly become even more silent than before. In fact, no one spoke or made any sound at all, not even the various children near the thick bushes at the feet of tall Douglas Firs. Birds seemed to sing with an added joy during such moments as the hour-long meditation progressed. To those practiced in inner awareness, it was clear that the “atmosphere” of our group was not just a shared intimacy between human beings, but ALL the beings of the forest clearing. Even the plants glowed with an unusual vitality, and children’s faces looked somehow far more ancient and reposed than their scant years would normally reveal. . . Looking out over the clearing of grass and people with an unfocused gaze, it was possible to notice something else extraordinary. It was not difficult to see how the small motions of bodies being adjusted in the heat of the day on soft grass was oddly uniform, as if all of us were to some variable degree part of the larger BODY of US, rather than as a mere collection of separate individuals. In fact, each and every time there swept among us these ecstatic feelings of HIGH and WELL BEING like some current of electricity as yet to be named by Western science, such uniformity of small motions in the group were made far more obvious. Clearly there were during certain moments, a connectivity of nervous systems being set up…a “synergy” or “group mind” of feeling-based unity, that was the common experience of absolutely everyone there. For this many children to be absolutely silent and focused for so long was a minor miracle in itself. But perhaps even more extraordinary, I mused to myself, is that adults in this modern world do not take every opportunity they can to frequently immerse themselves in what could accurately be called, “the excellence of progressive, group intention” especially while in meditative states of consciousness. . . These moments of mutual bliss came and went like the waves of a tide. Every five to ten minutes there would come another wave of very high feeling, especially a felt love in the heart and to a lesser extent, the entire body as well, one that could only be described as “spiritual”. It was during such moments that it was not hard for anyone to clearly see that WE ARE “spirits” in bodies, and that whatever we do in this world, (or others) is therefore a matter of spiritual concern. Such felt and mutual love is far too sweet and of much greater depth than to be classified with mere “sentimentality” or “affection” as might be seen in the everyday world. Upon feeling it there’s an unmistakable quality of transcendent beauty which at once puts the concerns of our modern world into the category of “petty” and “basically irrelevant”. We sit upon the shores of this ocean of energy, whose waves register upon our inner being as crescendos of feeling, and yet it is common-place to deny there is such a thing as an “ocean”, or that people really DO affect one another deeply at ALL TIMES, even during casual meetings on the street. . . Toward the end of our meditation, there arose a moment where our high, mutually felt states of consciousness reached a peak. A kind of “threshold” passed over the group, or perhaps it would be better to say that it passed between us and through us, once again as if we were but one body that had absolutely no divisions. Nor were any divisions desired in any way. This threshold or doorway to something even higher than what we’d been experiencing, was about to reveal itself. Very clear to practiced meditators was the unmistakable fact that a new level of group consciousness was about to manifest in that clearing. This felt something like a combination of ones’ ears popping when gaining altitude driving up a mountain, with the sense that a type of “spiritual rapture” was taking hold of profound meaning. It was as if the birth of a Christ or a Buddha were at hand, and WE were the new sentience about to be born. A “bubble” of feeling, for lack of a better word, suddenly appeared around us. It felt somehow like a greater air pressure, especially around the head, but in the heart too as a depth of loving feeling. Our group mind was “raising” or by other words, “mutually ascending”. The thought that came to mind, and which came to every other mind there in the forest clearing at the same time was; “If only we could cross this threshold, we would find ourselves on the other side of great Knowingness and High together”. . . The spiritual tension of the moment continued to build, but then from outside our rough circle of meditators came a cold feeling on the wind, a “psychic chill” or fear that was pushing upon our sphere of HIGH, and threatened to bring it down. My counterpart and I took some measures psychically to protect the group from this influence. We held it off for a few minutes, but it was clear that this felt distraction had been enough to derail the groups’ focus upon getting ever higher together. We had taught them about the use of intention in the raising of one’s personal state of consciousness, and also, how intent can be projected to others to help them raise their state of consciousness. But as for such widespread effects of fear as this, we had not spoken at length. This FEAR from the outside was from the world of human beings at large. It was from that global group mind we call “The World Mind”, and it swept over our clearing with such force that our meditation was basically ended. . . Afterwards, we talked about our experiences during this hour, and many spoke of the sheer amazement they had for the spiritual power of group focus. I explained that such power, when wielded through the right intention, could indeed transform not only each other but the entire world as well. “Just as we ‘raised’ our state of consciousness here today for ourselves and each other”, I said, “so too can the much larger body of humanity be raised. If knowledge of the science of consciousness such as we have been speaking of, were to be widely applied to the groups, communities and nations of this world, the evolutionary course of humanity would once again be set upon its’ intended track of real progress and mutual enlightenment.” . . Someone asked, “How do we maintain these high feelings together for longer periods of time?” I replied that, “This is solely a matter of intention, combined with the ‘prevailing psychic conditions’ that occur at any given moment, much like changing weather conditions. We can do the most about our own intention. It is intent and intent alone which determines our state of consciousness at any given moment, even if the intent of others does influence us from a distance. We can’t help but affect each other all the time…it is the nature of the consciousness that we are. In recognizing this then, we should take every opportunity to meditate together, and raise up our consciousness in our own lives through various other means as well…through entheogens, spiritually-focused sex, play, intonation, music, dance, uplifting movies and theater, the reading of spiritually powerful writings and many other avenues. We can maintain high feelings together, both in meditation and as a new, daily norm, by persevering with equally high intentions in each moment that passes, no matter what the current physical activity. This is a cultivated ability, refined through practice and patience. For this to be made possible, we must first within our individual selves, dedicate our lives to a spiritual focus, as a foremost priority in life. We must ourselves be HIGH in order to convey the HIGH to others.” . . We spoke then of the threshold that the group almost crossed that day. Many acknowledged it as a feeling of “something imminent” as though we might have really accomplished something significant on the level of energetic existence. “There is indeed something that we and others can do that is most significant” I explained, “that even groups of two can achieve together. This thing might by one name be called, ‘mutual ascension’ or by another, ‘the group-mind expansion of consciousness’, or ‘the fundamental science of all worlds’ or perhaps, ‘the raising of states together through progressive intent”. By whatever name we call this, it represents a knowledge and practice that is known on every intelligent world in the universe. It is the Knowledge of knowledge, this ‘science of consciousness’, and the real test of our further evolution as a species, will be whether or not we can come to terms with this knowledge on a serious and practical basis, in our everyday lives. The question as to whether or not humanity will do this will either make or break the entire 3 billion year course of life on this planet, that lead to human beings. We really have no choice in the matter…we MUST employ this knowledge of intention and the expansion of consciousness to raise our own states, and those of the world at large. We MUST re-direct the current trends of world mind fear and pain, into progressively higher feelings and states of being. Even the current tragedy of world events can be clearly understood in terms of this world pain and fear that now sweeps the Earth. If we can change this trend of feeling and intention, first in ourselves, then as groups around the world, so too will we change the very motives for war, racial hatred, social fear and collective decay of all kinds. The modern crisis is NOT social or political in nature. What we witness today is a spiritual crisis, pure and simple, and the science of spiritual right-action is this very knowledge of intention and consciousness we’ve been discussing…” . . These and other meetings of spiritually focused people, can be held for the high benefit of all involved. Such meditations can and do have impact on global consciousness, especially if those involved have such intention as that of a “spiritual Master”. Let us ALL embody such intention…. COSMOETHICS: the Quintessence of Consciousness - Francisco Lazaro . 18 Feb 2009 03:20 . #783 COSMOETHICS: the Quintessence of Consciousness . . Until now we have studied the nature of consciousness through the optics of spiritual quantics so to say, focusing on its intrinsic faculties or facets of manifestation namely awareness, intent, energy and love, which exist and function synergystically and that can be expanded by some ways to higher levels infinitely. . However when we refer to consciousness in first instance of our minds, we automatically relate it to the idea of Righteousness of Attitudes and Correctness of Judgement of all of our thoughts, words or actions before any other consideration. There is also an intrinsic connotation of Morals in it, notwithstanding not always sufficiently clear about which moral standard features its manifestations. . But we can naturally feel that this is due to a sense of inner Census as integral part of our whole Being and is present even in the most deviated human beings, the worst criminals. Even when apparently not exercising any influence on them, the presence of this moral-watch in our soul imposes itself from other dimensional levels and despite the fact that it can be overlapped by the indifference of the free will, it is always present ruling our choices through unknown laws within other deeper substratums of mind, unaffected by any external factors, misconceptions or trickeries. . These laws belong to a higher order of the Cosmic Divine Nature and are indefectibly and indelibly embedded in our consciousness. They compose the COSMOETHICS (a term coined by Scientology and adopted by me for its perfect pertinent meaning), which indeed is the Quintessence of Consciousness. . This is the Superior Ethics established by the Divine Principle to regulate evolution (in all Universe, according to spiritual instructions/revelations given) under equanimous order for all Self-Conscious Beings. . Its central pillar is Divine Justice which manifests itself through the Righteousness of Judgement, according to the Light of Truth. This is the Balance of Ma’at of the ancient Egyptians. And it is this Light of Cosmic Justice and Right that all seekers of Truth must inevitably face when the Way or the Path of Spirituality is honestly undertaken by them. It is by this Cosmoethics that lovers of Truth should guide themselves voluntarily during all their searching life, directing all their daily movements and giving them the true discernment as to the righteous and wrong of all things in life. And it is this Initial (sometimes painful) Self-Presentation before the Tribunal of Consciousness that is a probation faced by those who really decide for entering the Hall of Entheogeny, having to confront with the Guardians of the Portals personified by our fears, illusions, doubts, bad feelings and ignorance. However this is always softened by the constant presence of Love from higher spheres permeating firmly the soul of the sincere seeker. . Cosmoethics is spiritual morals, but it is a Higher Morals, of Divine Nature, not human nature. Nobody can cheat it. On the other hand, when viewed and received with open heart and honest surrender to its light, it will operate the deepest transformations in one’s life, making the person to awake spiritually and correct all his mistaken attitudes in relation to himself at first, in relation to his fellowselves, in relation to Nature and in relation to God! Great cures can be reached here! Cosmoethics is the standard by which all human karma is regulated. This is the quintessencial factor of consciousness of utmost importance in maintaining the clarity of awareness, the rightly directed intent, the full personal power and the soundness of love! Master Jesus spoke emphatically about this in all his preachings, admonishing against the serious consequences of our despise to this reality! . Finally this is the Ultimate Factor which all humankind shall obligatorily face in full, with all of each individual consciousness focus – AFTER DEATH! . But don’t loose your heart! Keep the enthusiasm! Because if GOD IS LOVE, SO ARE WE! . Blessings of much Peace of Consciousness to all brothers! . mysticseeker Fall of Eastern Europe - Matthew Webb . 1 Mar 2009 21:38 . #784 BRUSSELS – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders flatly rejected a new multibillion euro (dollar) bailout for eastern Europe on Sunday, suggesting that additional aid be given to struggling nations only on a case-by-case basis. . . Germany had been under rising pressure to take the lead in rescuing eastern EU members staggering from sinking currencies, shrinking demand for exports and rising debt, but Merkel insisted a one-size-fits-all bailout was unwise. . . "Saying that the situation is the same for all central and eastern European states, I don't see that," said Merkel, adding "you cannot compare" the dire situation in Hungary with that of other countries. . . That tough stance came even as Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany warned that the global credit crunch was creating a widening economic chasm in the 27-nation bloc which threatened to rend Europe. . . Noting that eastern members were being hit the hardest, he suggested setting up an EU fund of up to euro190 billion ($241 billion) to help restore trust and solvency in eastern members. . . "We should not allow that a new Iron Curtain should be set up and divide Europe," Gyurcsany told reporters. . . Eight other EU nations had joined Hungary in vowing to pressure richer members to back up vague pledges of support with action — Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania and the three Baltic states. But Hungary's plan was quickly shot down by Germany and others, who balked at the costs. . . EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said eastern European countries were already getting billions in emergency rescue funds and loans from the EU, the World Bank and other financial institutions and did not need a sweeping new bailout plan. . . He said the EU has euro25 billion in reserve to help member nations. It already gave euro9.6 billion of that to Hungary and Latvia, the first EU government to fail because of the global economic turmoil. . . Gyurcsany acknowledged that other EU leaders had questioned his plan but insisted they would study it. . . "If you are speaking about Europe and you are facing this type of complicated challenge, you have to respond in a way not just concentrating on independent nations, but some regions as well," he said. . . Gyurcsany said eastern EU countries could need up to euro300 billion ($380 billion), or 30 percent of the region's gross domestic product this year. . . He warned that failure to offer bigger bailouts "could lead to massive contractions" in eastern economies and "large-scale defaults" that would affect Europe as a whole because of political unrest and immigration pressures. . . Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who chaired Sunday's talks, promised that the EU would not leave any nation "in the lurch." . . Sunday's summit was the first of three high-level talks EU leaders have planned to forge a common strategy to combat the worsening recession. Yet vague statements issued by the leaders hardly appeared a unified stance. . . French and German leaders made separate calls for more EU funds to keep European car makers alive and insisted those subsidies would not be protectionist. . . Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy called EU subsidy guidelines too stingy and said they needed to be updated. Sarkozy welcomed EU regulators' approval of France's euro7 billion ($8.95 billion) in loans for Renault and Peugeot Citroen PSA, which came only after France said it would not require the two to buy from French suppliers or safeguard jobs at French plants. . . The Czech Republic had protested earlier that French auto measures were protectionist. . . Some EU nations — notably Hungary, Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — had called on the bloc to consider making it easier to join the euro currency. The 16-nation currency has so far proved a stable financial anchor in turbulent markets. . . But other members said existing economic requirements for joining the shared currency should not be relaxed. Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende said if a nation wants to join "it must meet the minimum economic criteria." . . Sarkozy said EU could look at reviewing the stringent euro entry criteria. . . EU leaders also agreed on guidelines for how governments could buy up toxic assets from banks to try to unfreeze lending. Banks are putting cash aside to cover huge potential losses from complex investments that have tumbled in value during the financial crisis. . . But Eurochambres, a business association that represents 19 million companies across the EU, criticized the leaders for failing to come up with concrete plans Sunday to stimulate the economy. . . "This summit was yet another rather unproductive political showpiece, bringing no concrete solutions to the dramatic economic situation and showing a worrying lack of economic coordination among member states," said Arnaldo Abruzzini, head of Eurochambres. Emotions and Mind - George Bader . 3 Mar 2009 01:56 . #785 Your will never have clear . . EMOTIONS . . If your Mind is not Clear. . . . Know where you are . Know what you have to do in this life . Gather with People with the same . . PURPOSE . . What a . . BLESSINGS . . To be together here and . . NOW . . In this Beloved . . PLANET . . This is the Purpose . . TO LIVE EVERY MOMENT INTENSLY & WISELY . . . George / Centre of Light, 03.03.09 Re: Hello all - George Bader . 3 Mar 2009 03:58 . #786 I am going to begin this post with just a . small divergence from pure consciousness. And I am also going to make us aware that we are all One. . . The Truth I discovered that our Aura has many different Bodies and that most people are experiencing only 3 of those bodyes. . . 1) the Physical . 2) the Emotional . 3) the Mental . . Now there is a 4th Body (which contains many more Bodies) which is also called . . 4) the Spiritual . . Now most people' experiences are related to the first 3 Bodies. When the 4th Body enters into the Game we speak about the Mistical. . . The 4th Body is Nothing Mistical it is a Scientific Reality. . . Science is beginning to discover this Body or Dimension. We speak about Quantum Physics. . . Just a few points to be mentioned . . George/ Centre of Light 03.03.09 FDIC in Trouble - Matthew Webb . 5 Mar 2009 23:28 . #787 FDIC warns US bank deposit insurance fund could tank . . AFP/Getty Images/File – The US government is warning banks that its deposit insurance fund could go broke this year as bank failures … . WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US government is warning banks that its deposit insurance fund could go broke this year as bank failures mount. . The head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Sheila Bair, in a letter to bank chief executives dated March 2, defended the FDIC's plan to raise fees on banks and assess an emergency fee to shore up the fund and maintain investor confidence. . Bair acknowledged the new fees, announced Friday, would put additional pressure on banks at time of financial crisis and a deepening recession, but insisted they were critical to keep the insurance fund solvent and protect. . "Without these assessments, the deposit insurance fund could become insolvent this year," Bair wrote. . The FDIC chief said in the letter that the rapidly deteriorating economic conditions raised the prospects of "a large number" of bank failures through 2010. . "Without substantial amounts of additional assessment revenue in the near future, current projections indicate that the fund balance will approach zero or even become negative," she wrote. . The FDIC last Friday announced it would impose a temporary emergency fee on lenders and raise its regular assessments to shore up the rapidly depleting deposit insurance fund that insures individual customer deposits up to 250,000 dollars. . A week ago the FDIC reported a sharp depletion of the deposit insurance fund in the fourth quarter due to actual and anticipated bank failures, to 19 billion dollars from 34.6 billion in the third quarter. . The FDIC said it had set aside an additional 22 billion dollars for estimated losses on failures anticipated in 2009. From Mind to Consciousness - The Garments of the Soul - Francisco Lazaro . 8 Mar 2009 03:38 . #788 From Mind to Consciousness - The Garments of the Soul . I would like to present here this new old very intricate and important spiritual subject with an introduction of short excerpts of a conversation held between me and a companion of this group and website some years ago where due to subtleties of expression I had not given the due attention and had no opportunity to elaborate on their specifics what I could do now, after reviewing it more carefully, with more time. I think this matter is very relevant to establish a real clarity upon so important issues relating to our seek for a comprehensive understanding of our own life as evolving souls! All that I expose here is in honor of Truth itself and by no means is intended to personalistic points of view nor to preferences of ideas, but rather to try to dissolve misconceptions with basis on experiential evidences. To start with I want to make noticed that the lines between quotes are my fellow´s citations whereas mine are in blue letters with no quotes, sometimes within parenthesis(). . ...“The expansion of consciousness is not just a thing that we can or should do, nor does it have a limited duration. It's a life-long process of self-evolution”. . . I would then ask HOW this self evolution is processed? How is it reached? . . “This is not to say of course that there is no need to develop the mind and body, but these are secondary considerations which aid the process of consciousness expansion, precisely because mind and body are not what we centrally ARE. We will leave the body behind upon physical death, and the mind is but a chapter in the book of the soul”. . . This statement disregards the reality of our several bodies and the profound intimacy and the almost impossible dissociation between Higher Manas and Consciousness. . …(continued,formerly said by me)…So that at this point, expansion of consciousness becomes only an attribute of this process and no more the main feature in the necessary development of the spirit and the furthering of evolution (I add now that therefore the function of expansion is the UNDERSTANDING OF A PATH to be followed on a daily basis!). . . “The same question may be asked of Buddha or any high Teacher...did they really need doctrine, or did they rely upon the direct realization of truth? Is religion, belief, or specific doctrine truly essential to the expansion of consciousness, or are they just accessories, (aids) to this expansion?” . . Again the realization of truth is undoubtedly a TWOFOLD WAY that may start either by a doctrine, a Pathway, a religion or conversely by an altered state of consciousness that will then lead back to a truthful Way. . . “When in a high state of consciousness, our minds soar, regardless of doctrine or belief. When in a low state of consciousness we suffer, once again, regardless of doctrine or belief. What need of morals does a man have who is filled with love and joy?” . (HOW CAN ONE HAVE LOVE AND JOY WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO GET TO IT?) And how can one keep a high state of consciousness all the time? Unless one have MIND DRIVES to Truth there´s not even connection to ways back to true truth! . . “What need of ethics* does the practitioner have, when their clarity pierces the truth of literally ANY issue to find it's definitive solution?” . . So how can we obtain clarity without knowing beforehand the means to obtain it, for what to obtain it, what tools-keys to use as a way to obtain it? . . “…the process of the expansion of consciousness is the very defining factor of evolution”. . (I fully agree. I ASK THEN, WHAT TRIGGERS IT AND MAINTAINS IT ALIGHT IN DAILY LIFE IF WE DON´T HAVE THE KEYS?) . . “Granted, the mind and body must come along. They must be made to understand and align with the process, but they must by necessity remain secondary considerations for this personal and planetary evolutionary Path”. . . So I would say that the KEYS come through the HIGHER MIND Body and the Keys are exactly the MIND DRIVES derived from the many Sources, remaining by no means secondary to this process. . . “If I might also add, the expansion of consciousness is itself inherently devoid of all doctrine, religions and specific philosophies”. . *(WHAT THEN HAS JESUS CHRIST PREACHED?)Did He not teach a Higher Morals, a Higher Ethics indeed? . . “As centers of consciousness, when we expand this essence of ourselves, (HOW TO DO IT? the common man?) we are ultimately going beyond ALL systems of belief, ethics, religion, doctrine, philosophy and method”. . “Essential to the masterful expansion of consciousness is the greater mastery of intent, awareness and energy, as a natural law.” . (HOW ONE ARRIVES TO THIS CONCLUSION? BY WHICH MEANS?) . . “Of course, the mind must learn what intent is appropriate and what is not, (WHICH INTENT MUST BE APPROPRIATE, WHAT DIRECTION MUST IT FOLLOW?) as an aspect of wisdom. Logic, intuition and honesty are useful cultivations”.(how to cultivate them in the right direction without the right knowledge?). . . I have exposed all these considerations not to contradict the utmost importance of consciousness aggrandizement but to make clear that we only can develop our consciousness by means of searching for The Keys that are scattered along the Path of Spirit that is made up of all Sources of Wisdom. Here are the very answers to the questions posed above by me. To show the importance of mind. . On the same hand we have to take into consideration the millenary esoteric wisdom that teaches about the Seven Bodies of Man being the Monadic Body the ultimate one in the manifestation of Pure Consciousness and that Pure Consciousness is a state and condition of the ultimate dimensional level of the Spirit. The Consciousness is attired and manifested by the various energetic bodies, from the higher to the lower, having an indissociable symbiosis with them as they are its natural inherent vehicles of actuation within the Great Cosmic Mind. All is Mind with Consciousness behind! Universal Life IS THE MIND OF GOD MANIFESTED with Consciousness! In our actual vibrational level the Higher Mind or Higher Manas is the main vehicle for our consciousness to express its lights! Even the Intuition belongs to this plan of vibration! So that Mind and Consciousness are very closely interconnected, I would say almost inseparably. . True Knowledge is a “taking of consciousness” in its very legitimate sense, it is the truth brought from the world of visions to the world of reason, so it is no way less important in any aspect for the development of the spirit that We Are. . In this way the Self and the Path become ONE! One reflects the Other! . To confirm, enrich and illustrate all these statements, I have included the following text treating on the subject of Seven Bodies that is already well known to many students of spirituality and mystic seekers, for a broader and more detailed understanding of all those involved with this exploration. . To resume these definitions I would explain that these bodies are divided into two main categories to know, those who refer to the Ego or Personality which are the Lower Mental or Concrete Mental, the Astral or Emotional, the Etheric and the Dense Physical in decreasing order. . The other three main bodies are related to our Real Identity, the Higher Self, the Divine Self and are mentioned as the Bodies of Perfection known in the Orient as Atma-Buddhi-Higher Manas, with some small different conceptualizations and/or variations in definitions. The Higher Manas is also known as the Causal Body. The highest body should be the Atmic or Monadic one. . . “Atma-buddhi-manas (Sanskrit) (from atman self + buddhi spiritual soul + manas mind). . The reincarnating ego in conjunction with the monad. This trinity includes only the highest essence of manas -- the higher manas. The combination of atma-buddhi-manas is sometimes mystically called the divine swallow or the uraeus of flame, when the speaker intends to convey the idea that spirit, the spiritual soul, and the intellect or higher manas are all united and therefore immortal and enduring for the cosmic manvantara. "The 'Three-tongued flame' that never dies is the immortal spiritual triad -- the Atma-Buddhi and Manas -- the fruition of the latter assimilated by the first two after every terrestrial life. The 'four wicks' that go out and are extinguished, are the four lower principles, including the body. . " 'I am the three-wicked Flame and my wicks are immortal,' says the defunct. 'I enter into the domain of Sekhem (the God whose arm sows the seed of action produced by the disembodied soul) and I enter the region of the Flames who have destroyed their adversaries,' i.e., got rid of the sin-creating 'four wicks' " (SD 1:237). . The reincarnating ego is at times loosely used to signify either atma-buddhi-manas as a monadic unity or, on the other hand, the higher manas. Strictly speaking, the reincarnating ego is the combined spiritual, intellectual, and psychological fruit gathered in by the monad or atma-buddhi at the end of each individual life of the imbodied entity; hence, the reincarnating ego is the higher manas. However, as these various manasic fruitages are ingathered by the monad in which they have their abode and from which it is impossible to separate them, the reincarnating ego is often spoken of as being the atma-buddhi plus the higher manas. . According to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings, living beings are constituted of a series of psycho-spiritual subtle bodies, each corresponding to a subtle plane of existence, in a hierarchy or great chain of being that culminates in the physical form. . . It is known in different spiritual traditions; "the resurrection body" and "the glorified body" in Christianity, "the most sacred body" (wujud al-aqdas) and "supracelestial body" (jism asli haqiqi) in Sufism, "the diamond body" in Taoism and Vajrayana, "the light body" or "rainbow body" in Tibetan Buddhism, "the body of bliss" in Kriya Yoga, and "the immortal body" (soma athanaton) in Hermeticism.[1] The various attributes of the subtle body are frequently described in terms of often obscure symbolism: Tantra features references to the sun and moon as well as various Indian rivers and deities, while Taoist alchemy speaks of cauldrons and cinnabar fields. . . Clairvoyants say that they can see the subtle bodies as an aura. The practice of astral projection, as described in various literature, is supposed to involve the separation of the subtle body from the physical.The theosophical movement was important in spreading such ideas throughout the West in the late nineteenth century. The existence of subtle bodies is unconfirmed by the scientific community. . Hinduism . . See also: . . * Vedanta (the five kosas) . * Samkhya . * Tantra . * Kundalini . . The subtle body (Sukshma sarira or Sukshma sharira) in Vedantic philosophy is composed of five Kosas or "sheaths". The subtle body is the vehicle of consciousness with which one passes from life to life. The Liṅga Śarīra is the vehicle of consciousness in later Samkhya, Vedanta, and Yoga , and is propelled by past-life tendencies, or bhavas. [2]. Linga can be translated as "characteristic mark" or "impermanence" and the term Sarira as "form" or "mold".[3] Karana or "instrument" is a synonymous term. In the Classical Samkhya system of Isvarakrsna (ca. fourth century c.e.), the Lińga is the characteristic mark of the transmigrating entity. It consists of twenty-five tattvas from eternal consciousness down to the five organs of sense, five of activity (buddindriya or jñānendriya, and karmendriya respectively) and the five subtle elements that are the objects of sense (tanmatras) The Samkhyakarika says: . . "The subtle body (linga), previously arisen, unconfined, constant, inclusive of the great one (mahat) etc , through the subtle elements, not having enjoyment, transmigrates, (because of) being endowed with bhavas ("conditions" or "dispositions") . . As a picture (does) not (exist) without a support, or as a shadow (does) not (exist) without a post and so forth; so too the instrument (linga or karana) does not exist without that which is specific (i.e. a subtle body)."[4] . . The idea was adopted by Vedanta and Yoga philosophy, and from there, in the 19th century, the terminology was adopted by the Theosophy of Madame Blavatsky. . Theosophy . . H. P. Blavatsky's Theosophical teaching represented the convergence of 19th century Western occultism, Eastern philosophy, religion, science, and mysticism. The Secret Doctrine, and The Key to Theosophy combined the Vedantic concept of five koshas with Western esoteric traditions, (particularly Neoplatonism). She refers to a number of subtle bodies or vehicles of consciousness: . . * Linga Sharira - the Double or Astral body . * Kama rupa - the "Desire Form" . * Manas - the Mind, Lower and Higher . * Buddhi - the Consciousness, Spiritual Soul (the vehicle of the Spirit) . . The Linga Sarira or Linga Sharira, which is part of the lower quaternary[5] is the eidolon of the Greeks, separated from the physical plane by a Laya center. It is the invisible double of the human body elsewhere referred to as the etheric body, etheric double, doppelgänger or bioplasmic body and serves as a model or matrix of the physical body, which conforms to the shape, appearance and condition of this "double". . . The linga sarira can be separated or projected a limited distance from the body. When separated from the body it can be wounded by sharp objects. When it returns to the physical frame, the wound will be reflected in the physical counterpart, a phenomenon called "repercussion." At death, it is discarded together with the physical body and eventually disintegrates or decomposes. The mayavi-rupa, in contrast is an illusory body. Apparitions of the dead are often projections of the mayavi-rupa. . . Theosophy was further systematised in the writings of C.W. Leadbeater and Annie Besant, who established the Adyar School of Theosophy or neo-Theosophy. They described seven bodies, but they divided Blavatsky's higher and lower astral and Manas into two bodies each: . . * Etheric body . * Astral or emotional body . * Mental body (concrete mind) . * Causal body (abstract mind) . . Each "body" has its own aura and set of chakras, and corresponds to a particular plane of existence. C.W. Leadbeater considered the astral body equivalent to the kama principle of Blavatsky's septenary series. Annie Besant[6] wrote that the Linga Sarira corresponds to the Etheric Double, contrary to earlier theosophical teachings.[7] The Linga Sarira is considered the vehicle of prana. . LOVE AND LIGHT! . mysticseeker Re: From Mind to... - A remark of clarification - Francisco Lazaro . 10 Mar 2009 15:50 . #789 I would like to clarify to all readers of this article that the highest purpose of its contents is just to highlight two main aspects on the seek for a broader understanding of the spiritual path of wisdom and consciousness: . a) The first one is to acknowledge and reiterate with logical facts of the utmost importance of Mind in the way to self-consciousness, making clear that the Mind Drives are the many tools and sources of Knowing that validate the same Knowing itself along with the ascertainment that Mind and Consciousness walk always together hands in hands. . b) The second one is to challenge the minds to foster the questioning and thinking for themselves. . This is by no means any theory, this is practical key knowledge and to come to this “matter of fact” conclusion is a five percent result of a ninety five percent of many years (not to say lifetimes) of serious efforts, dedication ands sweating in the spiny way of Spiritual Self-Realization! . In this sense however it is important to say additionally that the dialog used in the text is just a wise hook to illustrate the intricacies of thought and the value of thinking with open mind to get to truth and to your own conclusions about the essential role that Mind has in choosing the right tools for a taking of consciousness! . Still in this avenue, it never meant to disregard or invalidate the importance of any of those other tools that are frequently mentioned in this website, to know (energy gaining, [Chi Gaining Meditation] vibrational raising, [Herbal Chakra Meditation, and others] the increase of clarity, [Advanced Chakra Meditation]Right Alignment, [Soulic Rapport Meditation], Expansion, [various techniques] and Right Intent, [various descriptions], all of them remaining of utmost value for the development of consciousness without any doubt. Therefore it is necessary to state here that nothing in this text aims at misconsidering the invaluable material already presented by Matthew Webb like Perpetual Raising series, Manifesting World Enlightenment series, The Entheo Genius series, the Group Mind series and others. . This is just another way of seeing things with new eyes wide open looking within the vastness of the Cosmic Mind! . Thank you and Blessings! . mysticseeker . Manifesting World Enlightenment Part 1 - Matthew Webb . 19 Mar 2009 17:30 . #790 MANIFESTING . WORLD ENLIGHTENMENT . (companion series to the Perpetual Raising) . Part 1 of 5 . . Amazing things take root and grow, from the minds of the world. Human creations are much more far reaching than mere cities and nations. We are also creators of mental and spiritual manifestations, and these are of world changing scope! Humans are idea and thoughtform-producing creatures. What this means of course, is that our power for creation or destruction is nearly unlimited. For this reason we must be responsible caretakers in this Earthly garden of life. Natural living, and the following of natural laws, is thus a necessity. There is a great need to follow nature or perish, and yet its laws provide much leeway for creative expression. This is true even if it implies the freedom for self destruction, or self ascension. As conscious beings, our creativity has such vast potential, that we ride the wave of natural history with uncertain stride. Our dynamic and active minds leave us no option, but to choose evolutionary lifestyles or reap international chaos. . Many of our thoughts bear the edible fruit of wisdom and revelation, whereas some only bloom for the sake of delight. Others still, destroy all life through sheer self indulgence. The thoughtforms of social imagery and popular culture, all eventually suffer the fate of weeds along the wayside. What is considered unquestionable today, is soon cut down by the modern fascination for what is “new” and “different”. This is a fact that reflects the boredom inherent in materialism. Today’s attitudes will ultimately be ignored by the fickle judgments of history, or like weeds, be pulled up stem and all to provide growth for revolution. Only that which is of nature and the Truth it contains, will last for all time. . . It is an ancient saying that “thoughts are things”, for they do indeed stream forth like living entities, to find haven in social habitats around the world. Ideas are lasting forces, and not only because they become known, recorded or memorized. They have lasting power in themselves, as thoughtforms, due to the fact that they are propelled and empowered by Intent. From a single idea, the whole of this world society in which we live may be changed forever. We may indeed move mountains with the stroke of a pen, and the flash of a neural chain. . . Ideas, and the intentions which psychically propel them, render world changing effects, even after they are long forgotten by their creators. Thus, the relevance of these creations of ours, goes well beyond the personal domain. Our intentions and thoughts exist as a currency of exchange, on both social and spiritual levels. Ideas are the building blocks of synchronicity and simultaneous invention, of cities and subtle glances. They know no boundaries or nation’s borders, and are ultimately beyond copyright or patent. Thoughts, like feelings, travel from mind to mind as lightning travels wires of copper. Some are flashy though of little use, rendering small significance. Others are of universal and undying scope, reappearing through the ages like a variety of creature that simply will not, and cannot, be eradicated. Ideas based on Truth Itself have such ultimate, lasting value. Thus, to hold truth as the highest ideal in ones’ life and mind, is to implicitly empower the thoughts which are based upon it. Truthful minds will ultimately prevail, because truth is itself undying. It is of eternal ideal, making no distinction between peoples, cultures or nations. It provides the most fertile ground for the fruits of social revolution among us all. Ideas based upon Truth are everlasting, surviving all changes, societies and even worlds. . . In gaining self knowledge we find that truth resides within. It literally composes both the self and the cosmos in general. Beyond all specific thoughts and emotions, we find within the very founder of societies, cultures and nations. We are the Earthly embodiment of creative, universal force, or in other words, that which is called God. God and soul by another name, are known as consciousness. It is consciousness itself with which we were born, and which we will carry past the day of our physical death. The Truth of our existence as human beings, is that we are souls in bodies. As souls, our essence is composed of consciousness, with Intent being the guiding factor within. A study of Intent is an examination of the souls’ primary means. This study is best made through introspection. So it is that through self knowledge, we find what is true about ourselves, God and life in general, beyond all cultural bias. . . In introspection, (meditation) it is made obvious that we are all One in Consciousness. All things in the universe are composed and guided by this essence of creation. We may each directly perceive the Truth of SELF AS CONSCIOUSNESS for ourselves. The underlying truth of self, is that Watcher and Intention behind every thought. This Watcher is the soul. Consciousness/Intent is behind every feeling and image, As the true self, and is observing even now as you read this page. . The meditator comes to know that the knowledge of Truth exists as a part of the universe itself, encoded into our very souls and DNA. For this reason we gain direct perception into the nature of reality, through self realization. Self realization then becomes Cosmic Realization. Direct perception or intuition into Universal Fact, is a quality of consciousness we all possess. In meditation we realize that there is no “distance between us and ourselves”, as psychology would have us believe. Our true identity is not composed of thoughts. Our minds however are so powerful, that we can come to believe our thoughts actually define who we are. Modern culture teaches that the only way to change the self is to change our way of thinking. This is not so, for we are not our own creations, (thoughts, feelings and images). The creator should not confuse itself with its own manifestations, any more than an architect should imagine themselves to be the blueprints they have drawn. . . The realm of consciousness, (the true self) is not just a creative place, it is the place of Creation Itself. Propelled by Intent, the thoughts that are our creations, become forces strong enough to tear down high mountains, just as surely as river and earthquake. They are also delicate and subtle things, blown this way and that by the forces of common belief, as clouds in the sky of social consensus. These carriers of mental force are created and recreated like uncertain clay. Yet, they compose only the subtle structure of our inner world, reflected by the outer manifestations of nations. They are not the cause of change, for they did not create themselves. We are their creators. Powerful are these products of consciousness, mighty enough to destroy paradigms, or to create whole new societies in their image. Even so, the world we have been creating and continue to create, is only a reflection of our own inner realm. The modern crisis cannot therefore be called the cruel fate of an uncaring universe. It is in fact the result of humanity’s lack of clarity into the Reality of universal purpose. That purpose is the continual elevation of consciousness and wisdom. . . If we are to sustain the right focus of mind in order to survive as a species, then this will be the result of our own volition. The spiritual will, (Intent) to progress must outweigh the will to accumulate unnecessary material objects, ideas and limiting cultural attitudes. Spiritual will flourishes through clarity and love combined. It grows through a sheer enthusiasm and deep-felt passion for spiritual understanding, in the knowledge that truth alone bears significance in daily life. Truthfulness is the mark of the healthy human being. It represents the presence of Divine Intent, manifesting Itself through human affairs. We may channel this Truthful Intent at will, so long as our lives are aligned with the evolutionary process. . . It is time we fully realized the impact our thoughts have upon each other, and upon the collective condition of our species. Behind every thought there is an Intent, and every Intent moves the creative energies of the world. Contained is this realization are the keys to REAL self and mutual progress. We must never lose sight of our ability to change the world into a paradise of peace and prosperity. Over the centuries, it is we who have generated this global condition, or current World Mind. The materialistic and fearful world society we see today, is the mutual creation of destructive intentions. It is we who may now change that condition for the better. The responsibility for what grows in the garden is the gardener’s alone. This planet can either grow the weeds of our carelessness, or the sweet fruits of right action, depending upon what seeds each mind sows for itself and others. Every thought is a seed planted in the surrounding ethers. If we give up on or neglect our garden, then we will neither prosper nor survive, in this self-made collective consciousness. This is just a cosmic fact of life. . . It is important to understand which Intentions are most useful in life and spiritual progress. The Intent of Christ Love and Buddha Clarity are keys to the enlightenment of the world. Such Intentions must rise up in us all! We must allow and even request this to happen within, as we come to know the blatant errors of past wrong Intent. Ask yourself the following questions: Is not the seeking of material wealth and that of becoming a Buddha or a Christ, both simply a matter of holding a corresponding Intention? And is not the task laid out before this life, not simply a matter of choosing between the two? Let us each choose what is clearly the greater seed to be planted, as a measure of our innate human wisdom. . . In finding the creator within, we learn of consciousness itself. This is a gaining of the knowledge of universal forces, contained in humanity and Nature alike. By charting the subtleties of Intent we learn the secrets of nature, and the very basis for everything society has brought forth out of the far reaches of human imagination. Through an awareness of Intent we gain an increasing synchronization with nature and natural laws. In the knowledge of self as consciousness, (rather than memory, social position or ego) we gain the tools of cultivation we need, to plant the seed of tomorrow’s spiritual fruits within human society. Those seeds must grow, from own spiritually progressive will to evolve. It is our prerogative and natural, practical need, to now manifest a greater world than before. It is up to us to set a new spiritual standard. . . Thoughts resulting from a spiritually progressive Intent re-build the world, just as they re-build the self. The sub-atomic energies that surround us, are as sensitive to our thoughts as are leaves to a gale. Therefore, that which is focused upon is that which is done, (manifest). In order to manifest those thoughtforms which are of the greatest benefit for the evolution of humanity, and in fact all life, we must first know ourselves as consciousness. When the mind comes to know itself as consciousness, we are reminded of the unity of all life. We are also reminded of our existence is as individual cells within the body of God. . . It is important to re-emphasize that we are not the thoughts, images, social attitudes or feelings within. These are the creations of the consciousness that we are, not self identity. The potter is not the clay pots they spin, any more natural law is changed by the latest advertising slogan. With the realization of self as consciousness, (soul) in place, we no longer confuse the creations with the creator. Thoughts and feelings are something we DO, not something we ARE. Let us identify with what we are, as creators, and therefore as consciousness, the universal essence. When we do this, we implicitly identify with the essence of God and soul. . . Inner knowledge is universal wisdom. Wisdom increases in direct proportion with self knowledge. Through introspection we are provided with the means for Mastery. Self realization or greater Mastery, motivates us to rebuild the body and mind according to Cosmic Designs. It causes us to re-evaluate the actual value of accepted standards, (the thoughts and values of a materialistic society) in favor of the Divine knowledge contained in our very souls. Self realization breaks the traditional shackles, (of the last 50 centuries) surrounding our feet, ones that have confined history to less than noble destinies. We break these bonds to consciously extend our natural Divinity to the material world. We reject the shallowness of materialism in order to express the innermost desire of the soul. Together our Intent manifests mutual benefit, to bring about a more enlightened world. This is universal wisdom in action! It is also the essence of true freedom! . Self knowledge allows insight into the common motives of all souls, regardless of cultural, ideological or national differences. In Truth we are patterned after the same natural designs, as a united whole. This is so because all things are composed of consciousness, (Intent, Awareness and Energy) and consciousness resembles a great, endless, multi-dimensional ocean. Like consciousness itself, no part of an ocean may truly be separated from another. This is its nature as a fluid, dynamic substance. In the same manner, pain, love and passion flow from mind to mind, and body to body, in endless streams. The joys and sorrows of a changing world are ours to feel, every moment of every day. For this reason we each have no choice but to address the condition of humanity as a united whole, and a singular organism. We must take into account the influences of the World Mind upon our every waking moment, knowing that no feeling or thought is an island unto itself. . . Meditation reveals that we share a common essence, source, and root cause. Our passions for life reflect those of all peoples in every obscure corner of the world. Like the rest of the cosmos, we are all inextricably bound to participate in the ONE MOTION of planetary natural history. Evolution or destruction are the only two options open to all living things. We have no real option but to choose between the evolution of consciousness, or the falling back into fear, false division and ultimately, extinction. Life either grows or dies, and so too does love, clarity and spiritual progressiveness among us all. The Cosmic Intent for human life is that we become Its evolutionary agents. Our purpose is to be the conscious stewards of the Earth, to be our brother and sisters’ keepers, as the revolutionaries of God. As cells in the body of the Divine, our inherent unity goes beyond all false political division. As souls we transcend all special-interest affiliations, because Truth knows no special interests. We are not now, and can never truly be, of nations, states, cultures, towns or clans only. We are members of the family of God the everlasting. In consciousness we stand together forever united! This is not only our destiny but the only reality which has ever existed and ever will exist. Only delusion believes life to be otherwise. Only self destruction and self pity, makes petty mockery out of Divine Intention. But this state of world affairs may not last, and delusion is not self-sustaining. The fire of materialism burns itself out, and from those ideological ashes rises the reality that was never absent, nor even slightly maligned. Truth cannot be altered, but it can be more fully realized and embodied. As we look within to the true self, we find the dynamic spirit of cosmic design, ever ready to progress. Individual consciousness rises from the destructive storm of modern beliefs and petty thoughts, to take its place as a custodian of Natural law. This is the basic meaning and practice of enlightenment. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society [link The Self-Retardation of the Human Mind - Matthew Webb . 19 Mar 2009 23:50 . #791 In the following expose’, I offer the reader clear and certain proof that humans have, as a species, almost completely destroyed their own minds through false, incredibly ridiculous beliefs. So severe is this self-induced condition, that what remains of logic is naught but a pathetic shell, a babbling void where every nonsense is embraced, and every fact is viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility. The modern mind, as the following conversation will demonstrate, is merely that of a small child. The below will show to any honest, thinking reader that the results of education are a complete disgrace, that knowledge itself is viewed with contempt, and that science is truly dead for the majority of the world’s population. The following will prove to you through shocking evidence, that humans have become incredibly arrogant, that their inherent capacity for genius has sunk to sheer stupidity, and that the errors of thinking in the modern world are so grave, that they render the prospect of our extinction nearly certain. . . What is next presented is a typical conversation held on a well-known internet chat on Mar 17, 2009. It is exactly like a great many others I’ve had on a variety of forums over the years…always the issues and denials are the same. Among the entirely insane premises reflected herein, and which are COMMONLY held beliefs anywhere in the public today, are the following; 1) “facts are not truth” 2) “truth doesn’t exist outside man” 3) "man is the measure of all things" 4) “truth is a man-made concept” 5) “reality is dependant upon human perception” 6) “that which is not perceived by humans is not real” 7) “reality is subjective, and there is no such thing as truth” 8) “ all viewpoints are equal”, 9) “contradiction is an everyday fact of life”. Be it noted that these beliefs are the very basis for the classical definition of insanity as it is professionally diagnosed. . . Although the modern person prides themselves in scientific discoveries such as, “the earth is not the center of the universe, and it orbits the sun rather than the reverse” the barbarism of the Dark Ages still persists. We are clearly NOT the enlightened members of a more enlightened society, nor have we made any real progress for hundreds if not thousands of years, as it is commonly imagined. The below discussion will demonstrate to you that people still imagine themselves as the center of the universe. They still believe that there is no such thing as truth and therefore science, and that whatever they want to make up at any given moment is precisely how reality is, regardless of any evidence to the contrary. In the modern world, such denial and extreme egotistical dishonesty is common place. What this fact points to is that we have as a species, become essentially stupid, over-domesticated brutes, so alienated from the reality of nature and natural laws, that we live in a made-up fantasy world that has no bearing whatsoever on reality. We have lied to ourselves so often, and believed so many of those lies, that we have the audacity to imagine that there is no truth other than what we prefer to believe. In other words, humans have reduced themselves to the level of intellect of the 5 year old, simply because they would rather believe in the nonsense of their own creation, rather than being honest about their direct experience of the real world. . . In the chat in question, anyone can drop in anonymously, or they can be regular, named members. In this case, I am “#679”. I present this spectacle to you for the purpose of demonstrating just how far we have fallen as a race, and what obstacles now confront our continued survival, beyond environmental complications. I trust that you will be able to gain the experience of this chat by simply reading the dialog that follows. I ask the reader to question themselves about what the below discussion implies regarding the sanity of humanity… . . <#679> I'd like to ask an open question to anyone here and would really like your thoughts on it . let's hear it . <#679> well, I'd like to know why you think the word "success" is defined as it is in society . <#297> maybe because the word society is defined as it is in success . <#679> ok, I'll agree that the two are intertwined. But why is "success" defined only in terms of money earned and things had, instead of, say, intelligence and wisdom? . <#679> or personal power, health, love, truth? . wisdom cannot be measured; wealth can . in capitalism, wealth is the measure of worth . the first question people ask is "what do you do?" #679 yes, the question “what do you do” always impressed me as an odd question, as though “what you do amounts to who you are. So if a genius or a Christ sweeps floors that means they are lowly, but if in the very next moment they get a job as a corporate CEO, then suddenly they are made “great”. <#297> maybe because "money" is defined only in terms of success <#679> so what matters is what can be measured in terms of numbers on a page? or things in your yard or living room? . capitalism is based on the enumeration of worth. That’s the capital part. . just because a particular culture uses a particular standard doesn't mean you are tied to it in any way. How would you propose success be measured? . <#679> this culture you refer to is now worldwide, there is literally nowhere to get away from it. . Only so long as you want to be able to communicate with that society. And who needs that. . <#556> no way out and dropping out gets you incarcerated and diagnosed it seems . <#679> true success in life is a sincere dedication of one's life to truth, and therefore wisdom and personal strength . those qualities are subjective numbers are not…personally, I’m concerned with happiness, not success . <#679> how can a person really be "successful" in any meaningful way without truth in their life? . <#679> Relayer, if you mean to say that truth is relative to each person, I would say that we are each governed by the same natural laws, and wisdom is simply the application of truth in life. The greater the application, the greater the wisdom . the definition of success is the accomplishment of any aim or purpose, the completion of a working of will…and then only we will have it . success used to be measured in the numbers of acres, cattle, and wives/children, but it's pretty much always been tied to a number . <#679> relayer, yes, and so it is in the modern age. But this idea of success exists only in relation to what other people think is "alot" (of money and “things”) so it's society's definition that is relative . success is a concept that only has meaning to he who is not yet successful . <#679> the usual definition is not concrete, . only a person with no money would resent a culture that measures success in terms of financial status . <#679> “success” is only in relation to made-up ideas of how much a person ought to have, based on arbitrary standards . <#556> the whole of 3Deality is an illusion it seems but money is required for survival in this strange place . in my experience, people have as much as they feel comfortable taking from those who are weaker or more moral, for one to gain, another must lose . <#679> 556..you refer to practicality, however, there's absolutely nothing practical about the modern idea of success . this is why i'll never be rich - i consider the hoarding of wealth to be the most immoral act achievable . <#679> does anyone here agree that the modern idea of success is arbitrary? . all things are arbitrary and transient . well that concept itself is in flux as we speak . success is only a feeling or opinion . <#679> relayer, by that you mean there is no such thing as truth? . yes, i mean that . now that the old way has been shown for what it is, a new meaning must develop . <#679> zed...agreed . all things, including truth, change given enough time . <#679> so if you drop a pen onto your desk a thousand times, on the thousand and first time it wont fall because somebody says so? . eventually, neither i nor the pen nor the desk will exist . i always say the truth is simple, the truth is not simple. . all forms are temporary, including the entire universe . <#679> or ice doesn't actually freeze at 32degree F because, well just because? . but as far as they can be observed they stay in a perceivable range . <#679> or that light is a byproduct of fire, as well as heat? . facts are not truth . <#679> you say these things are not always true? . don't forget that your reality is merely an over-simplified electrochemical model of reality itself . And so is eternity i suppose? . <#679> then tell me when light and heat are EVER NOT a bi-product of fire . <#679> or when wind does not blow due to a change in temperature/pressure from one area to the next . <#679> or when salt water is NEVER a conductor of electricity . but the "reality" in my head is a product of the "reality" that creates it. . only so much is knowable and definable . <#679> please tell me when any of these is ever NOT SO, then re-affirm that there is no such thing as truth . eternity is unknowable, it is the unknown, the mystery. . are you comparing a definition of success to the freezing point of water/ one is philosophical and one is factual . <#679> a question for you Zed....before there were humans around to perceive anything, did grass grow? did the rain fall? . Perhaps. but they might not have been called those things. . <#679> no, I'm not comparing success to natural laws, I am disputing the common belief here that there is no such thing as truth . "man is the measure of all things" . What can you define of perception any how? . truth is a man-made concept . <#679> Zed, what does it matter what they were called? did they still do photosynthesis? . truth doesn't exist outside man, because water is not concerned with the temperature at which it freezes . <#679> if man is the measure of all things, then the universe didn't exist before man? does water NEED MAN to freeze at 32 F? . Truth is the opposite to mystery. is like matter and antimatter they annihilate . obviously, the universe exists independent of its observation; however, the universe we perceive is not the universe itself . Man is but one expression of the "universe" . it is a model we generate . <#679> zed, do plants need humans to photosynthesize? please answer the question . No. but if breathing out is a question and breathing in an answer, they may be related. . <#679> did the dinosaurs need humans around to classify and name them for them to exist? . the main problem is confusing language with what it represents . <#679> or did the planet Pluto need astronomers, and before it was "observed" it didn't exist? . <#679> no, the problem is that humans have developed the false idea that the whole universe needs them to function, and that there is therefore no such thing as truth . i spent years trying to achieve total objectivity until i realized it wasn't possible, since i'm just a meat robot. now i embrace my subjectivity and am much happier . <#679> do sodium atoms need an observer to combine with chloride atoms in the formation of salt? . <#679> science disputes you....nature disputes your "subjectivity" . quantum physics has shown that the observer's expectations have an effect on subatomic processes . <#679> existence is not subjective....it exists, and it has natural laws to govern it . my perception is subjective, and that's all there is (for me) . <#679> yes, our consciousness has an effect on what happens, but that too is a natural law...it does not make up reality from scratch every moment . the old argument of fate versus free will assumes a separation of organism and environment - in truth, there is no separation . <#679> zed, do you deny that gravity is holding you to your chair? . As far as you can observe it doesn't. you obviously have not tried Salvia. . <#679> or that the laws governing electricity and electromagnetics makes it possible for your computer to run? . <#679> Salvia never lifted your body off your chair . I do not deny a described force mathematically reproduced can explain why i am in my chair. But can you tell me what it is or why I can’t stand against it? . <#679> I'm not talking about descriptions, I'm referring to an obvious fact that need only be observed . No Salvia did not lift me out of my chair, it made me see only the reality that was creating itself every moment, out of itself. . um you are using words your kinda trapped into making descriptions . <#679> zed, do you deny gravity...that's a question, not a description . <#297> language is a game as any other it was invented to deceive and earn money . i do not deny my observation of a force, only my ignorance of its source and pure nature. . <#297> the more you ask the less you know . <#679> well, we could discuss that, but do you agree that this force is not subjective? . Dark matter could cruise through here any second and put your gravity on its head. . <#679> 297...that doesn't make sense, the more you ask the more you have opportunity to know . <#297> does knowledge provide sustainability? . <#679> zed...that may be, but when was the last time "dark matter cruised” through your living room? . <#679> knowledge is the essence of all invention . <#297> knowledge is labeling, that's all . <#679> 297, if knowledge is just "labeling" as you say, then how was your computer constructed? with twigs and rocks? . <#679> if knowledge is just labeling, then why is it that when you plant a tree upside down it dies? . <#297> knowledge is a scheme for cataloging and earning money in doing so . physical laws are based on measurements over time, but just because something works a certain way today doesn't mean it will tomorrow . <#679> zed, have you ever planted something like a tree in the ground? how about you 297...ever had a garden? . sure, just reproducing what was the process as i understood it through observation. . <#297> reality already existed long before humans invented physical laws . of course . <#679> ok zed, then tell me, why was it that you didn't plant the vegetable of whatever with it's roots in the air, and it's leaves in the soil? . that there is a mystery, a topic not a fact or a truth. because there aren't any plants i observe that function that way. unless maybe a vine . <#679> I mean, if there's no such thing as truth, then putting a plant in upside down ought to work, correct? . <#297> humans are led into the illusion of knowledge when everything they analyze existed long ago before they appeared as a species . <#679> and electrical power lines ought not to need copper wires, they could as well use cotton, if there’s no truth, right? . perceptual points of view . outside gravity's pull, there is no upside-down it's all relative . <#297> knowledge is a strategy for earning money . there are truths. i can say that much. I’m not the one saying there aren't, but i concede they cannot be climbed as absolutes . <#679> and for that matter, all of you ought to be able to eat driveway gravel instead of cornflakes for breakfast and feel perfectly fine, if there's no truth, correct? or a pint of arsenic for that matter . <#679> I don't think any of you actually BELIEVE there's no such thing as truth...there is another issue involved here . <#297> before there was money there was pursuit of power and profit, money is just the outcome of that . <#679> because that belief is not defensible through any honest means or argument . <#297> truth exists: it's a word that may be written in many ways . <#679> I think the real issue here is that you don't WANT there to be such a thing as truth . <#297> you can write the word truth a thousand times and you will find only lies in its place . <#679> shall I tell you why you don't want there to be truth? . to whom are you addressing this, which one says THERE IS NO TRUTH, loud booming voice from the mountain . <#679> because you don't like the implication of the word....responsibility for something beyond just making every moment up at random as you go along according to felt preference . because it is the Lord and you are all going to hell? . <#297> there is this truth, this TRUTH and this TrUtH . "truth" is a word that symbolized mankind's yearning for fixity . again to whom are you addressing the sermon monsignor . the basic thing is, an organism's senses are not king; they are not lawgivers. . <#679> truth is another word for reality, the very same reality that functioned quite well through natural laws before there were ever humans around to have a word for it . <#679> and it is that very same truth which governs how each of our bodies function . well then..Reality is NOT pebble or a leaf or a cracker jack . <#679> if there is no truth, then try cutting your arm and bleeding out a few pints, and find out what happens when the heart doesn't have enough blood pressure to function properly . what makes you so certain of that position 679? Faith? on the world thing not the blood thing . where is your way of communicating proof of this? carbon dating? . <#679> what about the world? that it functioned quite well without humans to name things in it? . <#297> i really feel like a psychiatrist who is feeding the patient's paranoiac delusions, therefore i will terminate this failed attempt of communication . <#679> the fossil records for one.... . not what im saying. what you know as the world did not exist before humans defined it in the model you experience . <#679> I don't need human definitions to perceive anything...does a baby? does an animal? . you cannot say for certain there wasn’t another perception of the world before humans that may have been truly defining it can you? . <#679> life is not a mental "model" . Hell it could have been fairies and dinosaurs, they just don’t have bones /what you experience on a day to day most certainly is one . <#679> zed, the point is that…what does it matter what "perception" there is? does that change the essential fact of the things perceived? no . no but they are creating the perception in you. red gives the red to you that you call red . <#679> red exists regardless of what my or your "perception" is . and you call red what you were told by others to call red . <#679> it is a wavelength of light, not a mental construct . red exists to humans.... . right a wave length a number a value a description made by something and communicated to you it is a mental construct of a wave-length of light . <#679> you can call it "kjdfhkwejrfh" if you like, and it will still be the same wavelength of light . and it will still be your perception that experiences it . <#679> "and it will still be your perception that experiences it"...and that matters because? . <#679> like the three blind men and the elephant...right? . because thats your model, it is not the TRUTH of red it is what you can read of red . <#679> who cares what each ones "perception" was...did that change the elephant from being an elephant? does the elephant need the blind men to "perceive" it to exist? no it doesn't . it just means, the elephant remained the same, but it was folly for the men to take each others' perceptions without a grain of salt . <#679> just as the wavelength of light we know as "red" does not need us to exist . but the blind men can only describe the universe to themselves with the tools they have and once the elephant farted they’d figure it out any how . <#679> argh...agreed. with the point being that reality is not subjective . <#679> zed....what does it matter to the universe what tools human have? . all the better to see itself my dear . <#679> do you think that nature hangs on the thread of human approval or ability to understand? . "in the eye of the beholder" . Um yes because we have the power to manipulate it. or . <#679> that all of life on this world needs human classification to "be real" and that all the distant galaxies of the skies just beg to be given a number and classification? . depends on your point of view . it does to be known by humans, other wise it remains in mystery . <#679> gee, we really ARE important little creatures in this "model" you people have, aren't we? . your stuck with one too you know . are we stereotyping here..? . there is a system of feedback between reality and the model of reality that allow reality to be altered . down with the you people are you a goat or something . in that sense, the model is as important as the reality it represents . <#679> it's just incredibly arrogant...these beliefs which imply we are the center of the universe, and whatever we want to make up at a whim is what's important, NOT what there IS already . it is the way we can talk to the whole, when are model is wrong it disproves us > and we learn and the model grows . it is all about control, no doubt . <#679> disproof? what do you care about disproof when there is no truth? . <#679> there is only what you want to make up at any given moment...that's all that matters to you, right? . nothing matters in the end or does it? and, if so, why? . we put in our head what we want until it gets knocked out by something else . success is truly a relative concept - the freezing point is not . <#679> that's the whole "reasoning" behind the phrase, "everything is subjective" isn't it? because you want the universe to be whatever you whim, instead of going to the trouble of studying it as IT IS . <#679> I'd say that such an attitude is the very essence of what is wrong with the world today, and it's why we as a species are bound to go extinct … too self important to really learn, and too small to realize why we should even care . how so, that’s how we learn, any better plan? . <#679> how can you learn if you reject simple observation in favor of personal preference? . all points of view are equally valid or invalid . fighting for a particular point of view is the "problem" . <#679> ah yes, "all points are equally valid" which is just a clever way of saying that there is no truth . Ok now I’m SPUN WTF are you talking about. you are having an argument with yourself and I’m not playing into it any longer. . <#679> zed, I've no idea what you mean . <#679> how can you learn if you reject simple observation in favor of personal preference? . everything i read comes from some victory you are trying to score over the "flaky flakes" who have no truth or so you say. I have described the basic principle of scientific process. hypothesize and observe, synthesize and describe. . <#679> the basic principles of scientific method is to hypothesize and observe, yes, but also experiment, and after experimenting, conclude honesty and factually based upon those experiments . <#679> one does not grow a garden successfully by never learning that you don't plant things upside down . who's planting shit upside down??? . <#679> and one does not gain wisdom by thinking that life is just a mental model rather than a thing-unto-itself . that understanding is, indeed a part of wisdom, imho . all im saying there are some "absolutes" that will always stay in mystery as far as human description is concerned. . <#679>Zed, you are planting things upside down if you think that dark matter is going to float into your living room and change the law of gravity . and it is both a mental model and a thing unto itself "the map is not the territory" . <#679> or was that just an intellectual excuse to avoid the point that existence is not subjective? . but an understanding that the world you know is only an ever expanding simulation of the perceivable, creates a balance between you the thing and the thing itself . of course existence is subjective /my existence /it's only a way of looking at things . <#679> yes, of course it is relayer....so feast on arsenic for dinner and then write me again saying that nothing is real except for what you want to believe . some would argue that there are no objects, that all is one thing . <#679> zed...yes of course...a "balance" between the perceiver and the perceived, without which nothing could exist, right? . i understand what you're saying, 679, and i agree... but i also agree with several other views . BINGO 679! . <#679> have it your way . i see nothing wrong with accepting many conflicting views . <#679> so tell me zed, if I don't "perceive" you...does that mean YOU don't exist? . believe what you will, and everything still goes on about it's business . based on knowledge why would one have arsenic for dinner. You are inventing scenarios where some one with a world view does some thing ridiculous out of principle /saying that people who believe what ever they want will believe something stupid . <#679> well, according to your view, there is no such thing as knowledge/reality and that "all is perception" . isn't that right? . <#679> so I ask you again, if I don't "perceive" you...does that mean YOU don't exist? . no all I’m saying is all I have is perception, that’s all I have to offer. . <#679> so you'll have to admit then, that your existence has reality REGARDLESS of my perception, correct? . OK how about this, I will most certainly admit my perception is self existent, and that you also are as such, and that all we can trade in is our observations of said existence . <#679> and if you have reality REGARDLESS of anybody’s perception, then why not any part of the universe? . but I cannot suppose to know what that perception is, or validate the existence of any other perception with out communication with it . <#679> WHY NOT? . it took me forever to figure out how totally clueless i am . <#679> it's interesting to me how many people say "everything is one(ness) and yet they also say that two or more people cannot objectively share any perception...that looks like a contradiction to me . I cannot know that I cannot know with out having encountered an experience that communicated. I cannot tell you what the mice think because I have not had tea with them . it's nice to believe that things are fixed, but they most assuredly are not . there's nothing wrong with contradiction . <#679> I say you HAVE had perceptions with others at the very same time and way they did, and just didn't realize it . <#534> everything may not be fixed, but we deal with what we have and do the best job we can . realized what? there are little voices but you cant hear them? huh? . <#679> contradiction is indication of error...that's basic scientific method . nope... contradiction is an every day fact of life . no. to share a perception (if it were possible) would fall under Duality, because of the 'more than one' beings supposedly sharing it . <#679> ever been to a music concert? I'm sure you have, and also, that you had a mutual experience of the event with the crowd . 'you HAVE had perceptions with others at the very same time and way they did' <-- what gives you that idea 679.? also how far are you willing to go with calling perceptions 'the same' . <#679> the names for it are various...gestalt, group mind, synchrony, synchronicity, psychic unity, telepathy . all theoretical . sure everybody’s on the same show, we have the same hardware and bandwidth . 'you had a mutual experience of the event with the crowd' <-- there's a local vibration many will feel, but i don't see how it could possibly be the same for each individual..?.. . <#679> argh, think of it this way...we are electromagnetic transceivers, and as such we send and receive energy/information to each other constantly . we are little mites, crawling around on a rock which is spinning around a ball of plasma - not much more to it . <#679> anybody who says we don't has forgotten the fact that everybody has felt the vibes of either interest or disinterest from the opposite sex, and even their intention and thoughts . sure there’s spill over, and directed transmissions, that’s the first place we feel it because a lot is riding on it. . <#679> even from across a room, and even without body language...just info communicated through eye to eye contact . <#679> no…TM has for instance done scientific studies regarding the psychic and social effects of group meditation, and it is well documented . sure in a state where everybody wanted to be in each others heads . <#679> and I don't just mean the mutual effects between meditators, but also, in terms of crime rates and attitudes of people in the area . . Conclusion; . That the above represents the typical beliefs, erratic and arbitrary thought patterns of the modern age is without question. If you doubt this then visit any chat room on any website anywhere on the internet, as well as the majority of posts on most forums. If you doubt this conclusion even then, reflect upon the actual meaningfulness of any conversation held in person, and note the type of written material most people are fascinated by…(i.e….Enquirer Magazine, “reality TV shows, game-trivia, etc.). . The problems which face our species today are not many and various. They are based upon one single foundation upon which all others are merely symptoms. That single CAUSE of human suffering and calamity is THE LACK OF RESPECT FOR TRUTH. Until we as a race gain such respect, viewing truth on its’ own basis and merit rather than what we’d like to believe, our collective demise is as certain as the setting sun. . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . Wall Street Celebrates Corruption - Matthew Webb . 24 Mar 2009 17:55 . #792 Wall Street celebrates government windfall for banks and big investors . By Barry Grey . 24 March 2009 . . Wall Street erupted in a demonstration of euphoria and greed Monday as the Obama administration announced a plan to offload bankers' bad debts that amounts to an unprecedented looting of taxpayer funds to benefit the financial elite. . . . All of the major stock indexes soared as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner laid out details of the administration's so-called Public-Private Investment Program—a euphemism for a scheme to bankroll private investment firms and guarantee them huge profits in return for buying failed home loans and securities from the banks at vastly inflated prices. . . . The masters of Wall Street, who have been driving up share prices in recent days—especially bank stocks—in anticipation of the roll-out of the program, were delighted to find that it not only met, but exceeded their expectations. . . . Hedge funds and private equity firms that participate in the scheme will put up as little as 5 percent of the capital to buy between $500 billion and $1 trillion of the banks' junk assets, with the government providing the rest in the form of $75-$100 billion in Treasury funds and low-cost loans from the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The loans will be guaranteed by the government, which will assume the overwhelming bulk of any losses. . . . Even though the bulk of the capital and financing will come from the government, the public-private investment funds set up under the scheme will be run by private investment firms, which will receive lucrative fees for dividing up the booty. . . . The banks cheered the deal because it will allow them, at their own discretion, to palm off their bad debts at prices many multiples of what they could currently fetch on the market. Since the government will bankroll the big investors and assume virtually all of the risk, the investors will be willing to pay inflated prices for the illiquid loans and securities in government-supervised auctions. They calculate that they can hold the assets until the housing market recovers and then sell them back to the financial markets at a return of 20 percent or more. . . . For their part, the banks will be able, at little cost, to cleanse their balance sheets of what is routinely referred to as "toxic waste," laying the basis for a big rise in their stock. . . . The entire scheme is voluntary. No one on Wall Street is required to do anything—unless he judges there is a substantial profit to be made. There is no requirement that the banks increase their lending. They can choose to continue to hoard their government windfalls—as they have done thus far with the billions they've received in cash injections and government loans—in order to pressure the state for even more favorable terms. . . Stocks opened sharply higher after Geithner's presentation of the plan to reporters Monday morning. They continued to rise throughout the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a gain of 497 points, or 6.8 percent. It was the Dow's biggest one-day rise since October 28, bringing it 18.8 percent higher than its low earlier this month. The other major indexes—the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Nasdaq—registered similar gains. . . It was, above all, a banner day for bank stocks. Citigroup finished up 19 percent, Bank of America rose 26 percent, JPMorgan Chase closed 25 percent higher and Wells Fargo ended with a gain of 24 percent. . . There was a political as well as an economic component to the jubilation on Wall Street. The plan and the related statements of top administration officials, beginning with Obama, were rightly taken to demonstrate that the Obama administration is nothing more than a direct instrument of the most powerful sections of the financial aristocracy. . . Top administration economic officials and Obama himself spent the weekend reassuring Wall Street, which responded with fury to a bill passed by the House of Representatives taxing the bonuses of wealthy executives and traders at AIG and other bailed-out firms, that they did not support the measure and would impose no executive pay limits on firms that participated in the new bank bailout measure. . . With Wall Street executives threatening to boycott the program unless they were given ironclad assurances that their fortunes would not be touched and there would be no "change in the rules" down the road, Geithner gave an interview that was published by the Wall Street Journal Monday morning pleading for hedge funds and banks to participate. "The Obama administration believes those provisions shouldn't apply to such broad programs [as the Public-Private Investment Plan] and an exception was made last month for participants in the Federal Reserve's consumer-lending facility," the newspaper reported. . . The same issue carried a column by Geithner entitled "My Plan for Bad Bank Assets" which declared that "we need to be very careful not to discourage those investments the economy needs to recover from recession." It went on to equate protecting the million-dollar bonuses awarded by firms that have bilked the public for billions of dollars with defending "the rule of law." Geithner solemnly wrote that "when our government gives its word" to "responsible entrepreneurs and investors... we mean it." . . In his press briefing Monday morning, he rejected any suggestion that the government might temporarily nationalize failing banks and declared, "We're going to do what's necessary to protect the system." . . . Obama, in remarks to the press on the toxic asset plan following a meeting with his top economic advisers, affirmed that it "will involve market participants who have every interest in making a profit." . . . In fact, the plan was drawn up in the closest consultation with the billionaire bankers and hedge fund managers who stand to profit from it. The Financial Times reported Monday: . . . "People close to the situation said the plan was the result of detailed talks between Treasury, banks, private equity groups and other investors over the past few weeks. Senior private equity executives said the key terms of the initiative unveiled on Monday went beyond their own wish-lists. . . . "Some investors had asked Treasury to provide debt equal to around three to four times the value of the equity to be injected in the public-private partnerships, but the authorities decided to grant leverage of up to six times for the purchase of toxic loans, making it even more attractive for private equity groups to participate in the plan... . . . "‘As it stands, there is very limited downside for us,' a senior Wall Street banker said. ‘If we like the price offered, we will sell the assets and record an accounting gain and if we don't, we will stay as we are.'" . . Among the big Wall Street investors who praised the scheme and announced their intention to get in on the action was Bill Gross, the founder and head of Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), the world's biggest bond fund. Gross, along with billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, first broached the idea of creating public-private investment funds to buy toxic bank assets with Treasury officials last fall. . . The noted economist Jeffrey Sachs provided an accurate characterization of the plan in a commentary published Monday by the Huffington Post. . . He wrote: "Geithner and Summers [Lawrence Summers, director of the White House's National Economic Council] have now announced their plan to raid the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Federal Reserve (Fed) to subsidize investors to buy toxic assets from the banks at inflated prices. If carried out, the result will be a massive transfer of wealth—of perhaps hundreds of billions of dollars—to bank shareholders from the taxpayers (who will absorb losses at the FDIC and Fed)... . . . "The investment funds will have the following balance sheet. For every $1 of toxic assets that they buy from the banks, the FDIC will lend up to 85.7 cents (six-sevenths of $1), and the Treasury and private investors will each put in 7.15 cents in equity to cover the remaining balance. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation loans will be non-recourse, meaning that if the toxic assets purchased by private investors fall in value below the amount of the FDIC loans, the investment funds will default on the loans and the FDIC will end up holding the toxic assets... . . . "The FDIC is giving a ‘heads you win, tails the taxpayer loses' offer to the private investors." . . Princeton University economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman offered a similar assessment, writing, "But the Geithner scheme would offer a one-way bet: if asset values go up, the investors profit, but if they go down, the investors can walk away from their debt. This isn't really about letting markets work. It's just an indirect, disguised way to subsidize purchases of bad assets." . . Mournfully, he noted, "It's as if the president were determined to confirm the growing perception that he and his economic team are out of touch, that their economic vision is clouded by excessively close ties to Wall Street." . . . It is not, however, a matter of Obama's "clouded vision," but rather an administration that embodies the reality of class relations in America and the dictatorship of finance capital which is exercised through a political system dominated by two parties of the capitalist ruling elite. The wholesale theft of the social wealth embodied in the latest bailout scheme is a continuation of a policy that has, from day one, been driven by horror not at the impoverishment of tens of millions of workers, but rather the prospect that the crisis of their own making could cut into the vast wealth of the financial oligarchs. . . . On Monday, Wall Street celebrated the fact that it has in Washington a bunch of lackeys who can be counted on to do its bidding. . . . The author also recommends: . . Obama administration plan for "toxic assets": A windfall for Wall Street . [23 March 2009] Eastern Europe Disintegrating - Matthew Webb . 31 Mar 2009 22:03 . #793 World economic crisis provokes fall of Hungary’s government . By Markus Salzmann . 31 March 2009 . . At a convention of Hungary's ruling Socialist Party (MSZP) just over a week ago, Ferenc Gyurcsany, the party's leader, announced his resignation as head of government. In taking this step, he was responding directly to the consequences of the worldwide financial and economic crisis. At the time, it seemed Hungary could only have been saved from bankruptcy by an injection of $25 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A few days ago, the country announced it would be seeking further credit of about $2 billion. . . The rapidly deteriorating economic situation is leading to political turbulence throughout Eastern Europe. Latvia's government collapsed at the beginning of the month, and the Czech government headed by Mirek Topolanek was forced out of office by a no-confidence vote just a few days after Gyurcsany's resignation. Moreover, in recent months many countries in the region have been shaken by massive protests. . . The fall of the government in Budapest came as no surprise. Gyurcsany headed Hungary's most unpopular government since the collapse of the Soviet bloc 20 years ago. Latest polls show his party is supported by only about 18 percent of the electorate. About a year ago, the Free Democrats (SZDSZ) broke away from Gyurcsany's centre-left coalition after bitter confrontations. Since then, the government had been dependent upon votes from the opposition to implement its policies and, therefore, virtually hamstrung. . . The MSZP further enraged the population at the beginning of the year, when the government continued to tighten its austerity programme in line with the financial stimulus package received from the IMF. Christmas bonus payouts were reduced for pensioners and completely cut for most public servants. Some 70,000 public employees, including teachers, doctors and state officials, were affected. In January, gross wages declined 5.2 percent on average. In order to get more money into the state coffers, the government decided to raise value added tax by 3 percent to 23 percent. Taxes on alcohol and tobacco were also increased. . . At the same time, the country's banks were propped up with vast funding. The country's biggest financial institutes, the OTP savings bank and the FHB mortgage ban—both largely part of the German Allianz banking cartel—received cash injections amounting to 520 billion florints (1.73 billion euros). . . The reason for the resignation of the head of the government was not only the mounting hostility of the population. Various financial circles were also unhappy with what they saw as the government's hesitant reaction to the economic situation. . . Up until a year ago, Hungary was considered a candidate for imminent entry into the common currency of the Eurozone. The government had wanted this to take place in 2010. Since then, Hungary's currency has been drastically devalued. This has had consequences for both the national budget and the country's credit rating. The funding of the national debt of about eight billion florints (26 billion euros) has become three billion euros more expensive due to the currency decline. The economic growth of a mere 0.6 percent in 2008 had been the lowest in 15 years. Compared to last year, industrial production in January had dropped by 23 percent. . . Cautious estimates assume that the whole economy will shrink by about 5 percent this year. Sectors like the construction industry, until now considered stable, have also been badly hit with 90 percent of all major building projects having been shelved. . . Hungarian government bonds are currently valued as A3 or BBB by the major rating agencies. Both of these point to further downgrading in the future. If that happens, Hungary's credit rating will fall to the same level as South Africa's or Mexico's. . . Above all, Gyurcsany's resignation will serve to clear the way for a government that, equipped with a sufficient parliamentary majority, will ruthlessly represent the interests of European banks and big business with respect to the financial crisis, without shunning confrontation with the population. . . The parliamentary elections are due to take place in the spring of 2010. However, conflict has arisen on this score between Gyurcsany and Laszlo Solyom, the country's president. Solyom, as well as the opposition, is pushing for more immediate elections. The conservative Solyom had already wanted to force the premier's resignation in the autumn of 2006. This was after the turmoil occasioned by Gyurcsany's "speech of lies" and his admission at the time to having lied prior to the parliamentary election. . . However, the business world was sceptical about the prospect of new elections. They might have ended in a clear victory for right-wing conservative and nationalistic forces that business circles could not trust to pursue a stringent course of economic reform. "To elect as premier a man lacking sufficient ambition and political backing in order to continue the fiscal austerity programme necessary for the international effort would negatively affect Hungary's economic ratings", according to the Fitch rating agency. . . Therefore, the MSZP and the liberals are pushing for the installation of a "government of experts" that will then gain the support of a parliamentary majority. . . The former central bank head, György Surányi, turned down the offer to head such a government, and former ministers of finance Lajos Bokros and László Békesi, now seem favoured for the position. . . Bokros is a relatively well known figure. As minister of finance in the 1990s, he pushed through an austerity programme, named after him, that drastically reduced social security, privatised state enterprises and accelerated unemployment. . . Békesi is a representative of the so-called "alliance for reform" that only recently presented a programme involving huge reductions in corporate taxation. At the same time, it calls for a virtual cessation of all expenditure on social services, cultural facilities and education. G-20 Protestors - Matthew Webb . 1 Apr 2009 21:35 . #794 LONDON – Protesters clashed with riot police in central London on Wednesday ahead of the G-20 summit, breaking into the heavily guarded Royal Bank of Scotland and smashing its windows. Nearly two dozen people were arrested in multiple clashes. . . Some 4,000 anarchists, anti-capitalists, environmentalists and others clogged the streets of London's financial district for what demonstrators branded "Financial Fool's Day." The protests were called ahead of Thursday's summit of world leaders, who hope to take concrete steps to resolve the global financial crisis that has lashed nations and workers worldwide. . . A battered effigy of a banker in a bowler's hat hung on a set of traffic lights near the Bank of England. Protesters also tried to storm the Bank of England and pelted police with eggs and fruit. . . While most of the protesters were peaceful, a violent mob wearing balaclavas broke into the RBS building and stole keyboards that were used to break windows. Other protesters spray-painted graffiti on the RBS building, writing "class war" and "thieves." . . Riot police batted back protesters carrying banners that read "Abolish Money." . . Protesters focused the Royal Bank of Scotland because it was bailed out by the British government after a series of disastrous deals brought it to the brink of bankruptcy. Still, its former chief executive Fred Goodwin — aged just 50 — managed to walk off with a tidy annual pension of 703,000 pounds ($1.2 million) — just as unemployment in Britain is at 2 million and rising. . . "Every job I apply for there's already 150 people who have also applied," said protester Nathan Dean, 35, who lost his information technology job three weeks ago. "I have had to sign on to the dole (welfare) for the first time in my life. You end up having to pay your mortgage on your credit card and you fall into debt twice over." . . The protests in London's financial district — known as "The City" — came as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Barack Obama held a news conference elsewhere in the British capital. . . At least one police officer was injured when a printer and other office equipment was thrown out of the RBS window. Hundreds cheered as a blue office chair was used to smash one of the blacked-out branch windows. . . Two men — one was wearing a suit — exchanged punches in the financial district before police intervened. . . Of the nearly two dozen people arrested, offenses included disorderly behavior, illegally wearing a police uniform, carrying knives and assault. Another person was arrested for drug possession. . . "The greed that is driving people is tearing us apart," said Steve Lamont, 45, flanked by his family and protesters who were banging on bells, playing drums and blowing whistles. . . Bankers have been lambasted as being greedy and blamed for the recession that is making jobless ranks soar. Protesters waived banners reading "Banks are evil," "Eat the bankers," and "0% interest in others." . . London equity analyst Viktor Gusman, 53, said he understood the protesters' anger ahead of the G-20 summit but said it didn't put him off working in finance. Some bankers went to work in casual wear Wednesday for fear they could be targeted. . . "This is what I do," he said, taking a cigarette break a block down from a police barricade in central London. "I'm supporting my wife and mother and I don't know that it hurts anyone." . . Some financial workers leaned out their office windows, taunting demonstrators and waving 10 pound notes at them. . . Police helicopters hovered above as a separate protests — climate change and anti-war — started near Trafalgar Square. . . "It seems like everything is in a mess," said protester Steve Johnson, 49, an unemployed construction worker. . . One protester dressed as the Easter bunny managed to hop through the police cordon but was stopped before he could reach the Bank of England. Another black-clad demonstrator waved a fake light saber at officers. . . More protests are planned in London for the G-20 meeting on Thursday. . . Still, the London protests Wednesday were minor compared to those during a World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in 1999, where some 50,000 people turned out and several hundred people were arrested. On the Human Condition; A dialog - Matthew Webb . 3 Apr 2009 22:12 . #795 “MM2” on another forum writes; . . “I can see how you feel that way rishi. A few years ago I felt the same way . and "gave up" on the community for a while. Actually, I knew it was more of a . break, but I truly wanted to give up. Anyway, after 2 years of being away from . these types of people, I realized that there are people at this level of . thoughtfulness that you and I seem to be at and still ascending at. . . If you need to take a break please do, but I wouldn't blanket all of humanity . with the statement that we are not ready for the truth. I think that these . massive movements to "save the earth" and to end extreme poverty through the . Millennium Development Goals are strong signs that we are pulling together in . perhaps what will be a sudden jump in spiritual awareness. Do you know much . about the Millennium Development Goals or Millennium Villages? . . Anyway, I grew past the stage of merely talking about causing a spiritual . paradigm shift in those 2 years I took off. I started acting, and building a . network of people that would help me tangibly achieve that goal and to . synchronistically attract people at higher levels of thinking (easier since I . was at university) so now even thought I might be reaching out to this . community to change it, I don't get as frustrated because most of my energy is . going to Make Poverty History and "real" people that are working as hard as I . am in a more tangible matter to generate the political will to end extreme . poverty and lift the tumor of low awareness that is keeping the whole of the . human race relatively low and imbalanced. . . I will tell you that jumping on board with the Millennium Development Goals . and trying to make them a success in an intelligent way is going to challenge . you mentally, physically and spiritually. Ever since I began pursing it, it . seems like all the things I struggled so hard for before are suddenly in my . life. I recently realized this! I used to desire and crave having spiritual . conversations at a very deep level but never seemed to be able to find anyone . to have them with (even at a university). Now, when I'm most active and busy, . preoccupied and challenged, there seems to be high level spiritual . conversations everyone and now I can't keep up! . . Anyway, I encourage you to look into what I've written about the whole poverty . thing, but if you feel you need to go else where then that is your choice. . Being around this community too long can crush the spirit. “ . . ///////////// . . and my response was… . . Rishi; . . Thank you for this reply, and for your cause-oriented focus. I respect the . sincere desire to uplift the world condition, as evidenced by your actions. . . May I point out that I am not "taking a break" with the forum, but I will . concede that I believe humanity is not ready for truth, as a blanket . statement. If they were, their goals would not be those evidenced by the . everyday world. As I analyze what must be said to anyone, or to everyone, the . logical conclusion is that nothing can be said to fundamentally change their . misguided direction. This same issue, evaluated intuitively, yields ever the . same result. I conclude from this and from years of experience that truth . itself is considered the greatest enemy of man for all time and bar none. It . is of course the only real ally they have, but it has become the norm for . people to embrace dishonesty, imagining that this is somehow acceptable, and . will in the end result in progressive results. It has not, and it will never . do so. . . I thank you for your offer to join in this cause of reducing poverty and . perhaps human suffering in general. However, I recognize that their suffering . is what they have literally earned through their consistently bad choices. . Such wrong intent is at the center of all human ills and always has been. The . impoverished condition of human beings is the direct result of their . selfishness, lack of perception into the truth of life and short sighted . egotism. This poverty and other forms of suffering you mentioned is self . induced. Eliminate such poverty and what have you accomplished? Only an . interim of relative physical well-being, one that must once again be followed . by bad decisions and lack of perception, ending in another cycle of poverty. . Meanwhile the health of the earth as a whole steadily erodes, an effect that . is cumulative over the period of decades, centuries and millennia. . . The point here is that this poverty issue is not at root-cause. In fact, it . is only a symptom of the inner lack of human beings in not dealing with truth . at its' face value. If you want to address the real cause then, and not just . symptoms, thereby effecting real solutions for the human condition and this . planet as a whole, you must address the cause of causes...CONSCIOUSNESS. To . put the matter simply is to say that the predominance of low consciousness is . the center of the ills of this world, and that dishonesty is but one symptom . of it. Since we are ultimately centers of consciousness, and that the state . of such consciousness effects every single thing we do and the manner in which . we do it, it is THIS issue which must be addressed first and foremost. . . This is the truth of life. If you do not act to raise the consciousness of . the world, it will not matter if everyone is clothed, or well-fed or housed . adequately, since the root cause of wrong intention and lack of perception . will remain. Even in accomplishing all these things then, the failure to . truly address the human condition will be complete. . . Given this, I must decline your caring offer for participation in such a goal. . . Do you understand the truth of what I've said? Consciousness and Mastery - Matthew Webb . 8 Apr 2009 17:24 . #796 The following is a conversation had on a chat today. It is not entirely edited of the superfluous, but it’s content has usefulness… I am “#679” as follows…. . . <#679> the soul is an energy field, held cohesive by awareness and given direction by intent. It is therefore by definition a center of consciousness . <3seven3> a center or a focal point? . <#679> a center and a focal point for larger-scale consciousness effects . <3seven3> what then is meant by “self knowledge” . <#679> the essence of self knowledge is soul knowledge, (consciousness) not psychology, philosophy or sociology . <#679> because psychology, philosophy or sociology are things that we DO not things that we ARE . <#679> energy, awareness and intent on the other hand, are things that we are. Refinement of these leads to Mastery . <#679> consciousness, (soul) is the base of everything we do and the manner in which we do it. . <#679> even now, as you read or type these words, energy is required, given cohesion by awareness, and directed by intent . well put . <#679> any person who takes this information seriously, especially through careful investigation via meditation, can transforms themselves in great measure . <#679> that is all I have to say today, unless there are any questions... . What does Mastery mean? . 3seven3 leaves a little pile of sweetleaf on the table before wandering off. . <#679> "Mastery" with a capital "M" implies a certain minimum of self and spiritual realization. . <#679> realization of the facts, (truth) of the self and of life, that is . <#237> do you live what you preach, 679? . chromatics 'choose your masters wisely' -anon . <#679> ! AM what I "preach" . <#237> HA . <#679> org....yes, and yes, since there is no practical limit to the levels of consciousness one can See and achieve . Agreed. . If asked by another Master, to demonstrate, such that this other might obviously recognize your Mastery...how would you respond? . <#237> I AM what I preach . <#516> InI . <#516> eye and "I" . <#679> I would respond by asking what kind of demonstration they would like...informational, the projection of states of consciousness to them, or evidences of the Path lived . 11:53:55 A menu...mmm. . 11:54:00 organelle examines the menu items. . 11:54:14 <#516> no master asks for a demonstration . 11:54:25 <#516> you misunderstand the terms . 11:54:49 <#516> if you are a master yourself, why would you need the mastery to be demonstrated to you? . 11:56:08 <#679> not as a matter of need, 516, but rather, collaboration . 11:57:16 <#607> None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.—Goethe . 11:57:20 well said . 11:57:27 679's response is enlightening. . 11:57:46 <#679> "The intent of the Master is the mastery of intent”....Webb . 11:58:08 Sounds vaguely Castenedan. . 11:58:28 <#679> or, Castaneda sounds vaguely Vedic . 11:59:11 But of course, Casteneda popularized the term 'intent' in Western metaphysical circles. . 11:59:19 <#679> yes . 11:59:41 Intent= the roots . 12:00:00 a strong tree has large unseen roots . 12:00:12 <#679> dop...yes, intent is the root. The Master asks their students one day, "What is the highest intention" . 12:00:47 heh . 12:00:55 ZEN moment . 12:00:57 <#679> one said, "love" another "clarity" and another "world peace" . 12:01:34 <#679> the Master replied, good attempts, but you are all wrong. the highest intention of all is the one which raises intention . 12:01:45 I might suggest that the highest intention is the intention to embark on a path that grants as many others as possible direct access to their own nature. . 12:02:00 <#679> this is so because the increase of means is always greater than the increase of ends . 12:02:22 <#237> the highest intention is when you dont need intention anymore . 12:02:59 <#679> 237, if you can name even one single act which does not require some form of intention, then do tell . _________________ . The Intent of the Master is the mastery of intent G8 summit on world hunger - Matthew Webb . 16 Apr 2009 17:53 . #797 G8 document on world hunger warns of global instability . By Hiram Lee . 10 April 2009 . . A document prepared by the Group of Eight, or G8, countries for its inaugural summit of agricultural ministers entitled “The Global Challenge: To Reduce Food Emergency” was leaked to the press this week, revealing the G8's concerns of global instability arising from a worldwide food crisis. . . According to a report in the Financial Times, the document states, “Without immediate interventions in agriculture and agri-marketing systems the 2007 crisis will become structural in only a few decades.” The report also stresses that global food production must be doubled by the year 2050 in order to meet the needs of a growing world population. . . Should the present food crisis continue to gain momentum, the report goes on to say, it will have “serious consequences not merely on business relations but equally on social and international relations, which in turn will impact directly on the security and stability of world politics.” . . The G8 document and agricultural summit come on the heels of a report delivered to a United Nations Food Policy conference in Thailand by Jacques Diouf, the director general of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), in which Diouf declared more than one billion people would go hungry this year as a result of the economic crisis and its impact on both food production and prices. . . Like the UN's conference, the G8 agricultural summit to be held in Italy April 18-20 has been initiated as a response to an intense crisis in high food prices beginning in 2007 and its eruption into riots in no less than 30 countries in 2008. It marks the first time the agricultural ministers of the G8 countries have met in their own summit, independent of the regular G8 summit of world leaders. . . While global food prices have fallen from their 2008 peaks, they are still at elevated levels. World food production now faces the added impact of the massive economic and credit crisis. . . The G8 countries of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Russia and Japan will be joined at the summit by the G5—China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa—as well as Australia, Egypt and Argentina. . . The aim of the meeting, as stated on its official web site is to “identify a common strategy to tackle the world food emergency and the problem of soaring prices of agricultural raw materials.” The ministers attending the agricultural summit are expected to make recommendation to the G8 world leaders when they meet in July. . . With the food crisis reaching a level at which it presents a threat to the very security of governments throughout the world, capitalist leaders are finding it necessary to make at least a show of support for the world's hungry. . . Last week, during the G20 summit in London, President Obama announced his intentions to request $1 billion in aid from the US Congress in order to provide assistance to the agricultural programs of developing countries. The number is a pittance. The FAO has estimated that at least $30 billion per year would be necessary to draw international agricultural production out of its state of crisis. This is a fraction of the amount handed over by the American government to the banks and financial institutions. . . The half-hearted nature of Obama's request was further revealed by the president's actions this week. While Obama was only prepared to make the gesture of $1 billion for the food crisis that has resigned one billion people around the world to starvation, the president requested Thursday from Congress an additional $83.4 billion with which to continue the ongoing wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new request would bring to $150 billion the amount of funds allocated to the wars thus far for 2009. . . Ultimately, neither Barack Obama nor any of the other world leaders comprising the G8 or G20 countries are willing or capable of resolving the world's food crisis. While presently forced by unfavorable circumstances to present a level of concern to the world's hungry, the leaders of the G8 countries and the agricultural ministers whom they employ represent the interests of the ruling elite of their own countries. . . Whatever conclusions reached by the G8 agricultural summit, they will not address the root problem of the crisis. At no time will it be permissible to question or challenge the domination of private property, profit and the personal accumulation of wealth through rampant speculation in agricultural commodities over the world's food supplies and distribution. . . It is significant that the agricultural ministers of the leading capitalist countries present the question of world hunger not as an issue of basic human rights, but as a matter of security. What is expressed in the G8 document and its upcoming agricultural summit, far more than a concern for the state of starvation into which at least a billion of the world's population has been plunged, is the fear that further disruption in agricultural production and food prices will contribute to mass social upheaval and revolution as the world economy enters the greatest economic crisis in generations. God, Soul and Consciousness - Matthew Webb . 22 Apr 2009 18:16 . #798 The following conversation occurred today in a certain chat. It goes into detail about the nature and composition of god, the soul and other spiritual insights. I am #679 below; . . 10:26:39 <#679> ..."and the man said to the crowd..."I know what God is" . 10:27:19 <#679> and people in the crowd, without even asking a single question, all said in unison, "nobody can know what god is" and "there is no god" . 10:27:56 <#679> and the man replied, "but I can even tell you what god is made of and how to commune with that" . 10:28:22 <#679> and the people just scoffed, and ridiculed, and tried to find something wrong with the mans' character . 10:28:55 <518> thus spoke.... . 10:28:58 <#679> not one person would even give the man a chance to speak further, so intimidated were they with the subject matter, and his claim . 10:29:47 <#679> it can only be concluded from this that nobody WANTS to know, not that they have good and specific reasons for rejecting such a statement outright . 10:30:16 <518> so all the people on the planet were included in this crowd? . 10:31:21 <#679> the ones that aren't included in this crowd are those who might listen for a few minutes and THEN reject what the answer is without a second thought, or any real investigation to confirm it . 10:31:42 <518> how do you know that? . 10:31:52 <#679> a scarce few remain perhaps, but they are rarely heard from . 10:32:22 <#679> I know that because of personal experience over years of time, and in hundreds of instances . 10:32:38 <518> thats still a drop in the bucket . 10:33:12 <518> it could also be how you communicate your idea, or with what groups you try it with . 10:33:22 <#679> it IS however statistically convincing, since 0% have ever taken the subject matter seriously . 10:34:09 <#679> yes, that could be, except for the fact of at least a dozen articles written in different styles on the subject, and different approaches taken in conversation . 10:34:26 <518> its still a drop in the bucket . 10:34:39 <518> very very very very small when compared to the total population . 10:34:54 <#679> the conclusion is this, that humanity is not ready for the truth and will always deny or avoid it no matter what the presentation . 10:35:52 <518> well i will investigate this alot more . 10:36:01 <#679> well, of course that doesn't count tens of thousands of hits on a website with such articles, and thousands more in e-mailings over the years, not to mention several other websites who carry those same articles . 10:36:20 <518> oh thats strange . 10:36:40 <#679> would you like to know what god is composed of? . 10:36:52 <518> sure 679 . 10:37:20 <#679> three things, and in this order of importance....intent, awareness and energy . 10:37:41 <#679> so too is the individual soul, (same composition) . 10:37:42 <518> what kind of energy . 10:38:34 <#679> you could call it "subatomic energy" others would call it "chi", or "prana" . 10:39:18 <518> now its awareness......is it self aware? . 10:39:45 <#679> yes, specifically, "awareness of awareness" which is the foundation for clarity . 10:40:13 <518> as for its intent.....well what is its intent? . 10:40:49 <#472> how could you not know? . 10:41:05 <#679> it's intent is to progress, evolve and manifest evolving forms, and this is for the purpose of the expansion of it's own consciousness, (enrichment) . 10:41:40 <#679> if you were a god, what better thing to manifest than that which can both enrich itself and enrich you in the process? . 10:41:48 <518> to try to make itself better? . 10:42:00 <518> evolve does not necessarily mean to make something "better" . 10:42:32 <518> if i were a god, why not just skip that and enrich myself? . 10:42:35 <#679> yes, absolutely...more sophisticated, more capable . 10:43:05 <#679> because even a god cannot forsee all such possibilities and potentials . 10:43:29 <#679> regardless of human dogma to the contrary, (so called "perfection") . 10:43:31 <518> so its not omnipotent . 10:43:35 <#472> only santa can do that . 10:43:49 <518> is there more then one? . 10:43:59 <#679> there is no such thing as perfection, since there is no state of consciousness or manifest form that cannot be improved, (further evolved) . 10:44:22 <#679> is there more than one god? . 10:44:32 <518> yes . 10:44:46 <#472> are these platitudes? . 10:44:48 <518> or something comparable . 10:44:54 <#679> yes, "omnipotent" is not credible, any more than "perfection" . 10:45:25 <#679> yes, I believe there are . 10:45:32 <#472> is god always so cliche? . 10:45:45 <518> well id say there can be no omnipotence because therewould be so many paradoxes for it . 10:45:53 <#679> and they have different scopes and levels of realization too . 10:46:43 <518> are some gods more powerful then others? are each in certain "fields" . 10:47:12 <#679> yes, that seems intuitively correct . 10:47:37 <#472> this conversation seems somewhat contrived . 10:47:41 <518> if no one believes in one of them, does it fade away? . 10:48:03 #472 guesses you are sitting in the same room, giggling . 10:48:03 <#679> it is an interesting fact to note also, that our own souls are composed of the same three elements as that of god . 10:48:36 <518> well id say if there are gods, and if there are souls they’d be made out of the same thing . 10:48:39 <518> like ectoplasm . 10:48:52 <#679> a god does not require followers/believers, but there ARE strengthening under some circumstances . 10:49:05 <#472> yes there are . 10:49:21 <518> like what circumstances? . 10:49:27 <#679> yes,...the phrase, "fragments of god" has truth to it . 10:50:06 <#679> under the circumstances that those followers are themselves of real merit, that they base themselves upon truth and do not invest in arbitrary dogmas . 10:50:43 <518> oh, so the followers doing things for their gods can strengthen them i suppose . 10:51:22 <#679> yes, and there an interesting point about this, . 10:51:53 <#679> it is popular on this world to "praise" god for instance, but this is not what is truly wanted . 10:52:09 <#472> just start your own religion . 10:52:10 <#679> what is truly wanted, and of real benefit, is to "raise" god . 10:52:25 <518> raise god? . 10:52:51 <#679> by "raise" I mean use one's own intent to expand to consciousness of god, to augment rather than to heap hollow praise . 10:53:21 <518> guess gods dont want suckups . 10:53:38 <#679> just as you might intend love clarity and benefit upon another, so too can this be done for god . 10:53:52 <#679> this is basically true...would you? . 10:54:31 #472 throws a copy of the god delusion by richard dawkins directly at your head and does not miss . 10:54:46 <518> some people do tho . 10:54:58 <#679> do you meditate, 472? . 10:55:16 <#679> yes, they do, but that is not for their true benefit . 10:55:29 <#472> only when i'm brushing my teeth . 10:56:07 <518> cant be vain gods? . 10:56:10 <#679> what is really wanted by those who seek sycophants, is their psychic energy. such energy is far more refined from those who expand their consciousness and who dedicate themselves to truth itself . 10:56:48 <#679> 518...this seems highly unlikely, as one does not become a god by exercising such careless intention as vanity . 10:57:32 <518> careless to us . 10:57:47 <#679> 472, may I suggest that without deep self knowledge, one's own soul is considered non-credible, let alone god . 10:58:14 #472 brushes quite often . 11:00:06 <#679> and also, faith is not required to know ones' soul, just as it is not required to know god . 11:00:45 <#679> these are things in and of themselves, therefore they require only careful observation and honest reflection 10 Countries in Trouble - Matthew Webb . 23 Apr 2009 17:55 . #799 10 Countries in Deep Trouble . Matthew Bandyk . Monday April 20, 2009, 10:32 am EDT . . Buzz up! Print While the collapsing U.S. housing market may be at the root of the global economic recession, the downturn's effects are being felt hardest overseas. Take Iceland, for instance. Its biggest banks failed, its economy may shrink 10 percent this year, its government fell, its central banker was sacked, the country was bailed out with a $2.1 billion IMF loan, and 7,000 people (in a country of 300,000) took to the streets in protest. . . Which countries have the greatest chances of being the next stories of failure? U.S.News looked at some countries that are currently facing severe economic disruption that endangers their standards of living, attractiveness to foreign investors, and political stability. First, we examined what Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's had to say about them. These firms rate the risk of sovereign bonds, securities that finance the debt of a country. Many of the countries we identified have poor bond ratings or ratings under review for a downgrade, showing that these governments are perceived as being at greater risk of defaulting on their debt. . . Second, we looked at what global markets think about a country's debt, based on data from Markit. The financial information company provides daily pricing on credit-default swaps, contracts between two parties that provide a kind of insurance on corporate and government debt. Analysis was also supplied by credit-rating organization AM Best. It ranks countries into five tiers based on the risk to insurers posed by the countries' economic, political, and financial systems. Using these analyses, here are five countries in deep trouble and five worth keeping an eye on. . . [Find your Best Place to Retire.] . . Five Countries in Deep Trouble . . Mexico. Thousands of would-be tourists from America and elsewhere had to cancel spring break trips to Mexico due to ongoing violence related to the drug trade. Mexico was the second country recently identified by the U.S. Joint Forces Command as possibly poised for a "rapid and sudden" collapse. Mexico's "politicians, police, and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and pressure by criminal gangs and drug cartels," says the report. . . The violence and tourism decline could not come at a worse time. Economists predict a 3.3 percent contraction of the Mexican economy this year. The poor economic growth means that the government is getting strapped for funds. In April, it asked the International Monetary Fund for a $47 billion loan. While credit-rating agencies don't expect Mexico's debt to grow riskier soon, and the risk of its sovereign derivatives has not skyrocketed like some other countries on this list, serious problems still remain for the Mexican economy. The country depends on the United States to consume its exports and pay Mexican immigrants who send money back home. If the U.S. recession deepens, Mexicans will feel the pain as much as Americans. . . Pakistan. The country has already almost gone bankrupt once in the past six months. In October, only an emergency $10 billion in support from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and others prevented Pakistan from defaulting on its debt. During that crisis, the cost of insurance on Pakistan's debt exploded. Even though the situation has calmed since then, investors are not getting comfortable with Pakistan. It still costs $2.2 million a year to insure $10 million of Pakistan's sovereign bonds. . . The economic situation isn't all bad. The Asia Development Bank recently predicted that Pakistan's economy will grow 4 percent in the next fiscal year beginning in July, compared to 2.5 percent growth estimated this year. But the wild card that could change everything is the country's political situation. Pakistan is one of the most unstable countries in the world. On April 13, White House counterterrorism consultant David Kilcullen said that a political collapse in Pakistan could come within months. A 2008 report from the U.S. Joint Forces Command identified Pakistan as a country at risk of a "rapid and sudden collapse," one that would create a devastating security problem for the world. The report says that "the collapse of a state usually comes as a surprise." Anyone banking their money on Pakistan's economic growth might not know what hit them. . . Ukraine. While Iceland may have suffered the worst financial collapse of the global recession, Ukraine has also received a dubious honor: It had the priciest sovereign credit-default swaps for the first quarter of the year. It currently costs about $3.9 million to insure $10 million of Ukrainian five-year sovereign bonds. A year ago it cost just under $3,000. S&P rates them CCC--the seventh-best (out of eleven) rating, indicating that Ukraine is vulnerable to nonpayment. . . As the government tries to solve the crisis, Ukrainians are getting squeezed. Kiev, one of the oldest capitals in Europe, has had to shut down free clinics, schools, and increase public transportation costs in order to close a deficit. The Institute for Economic Research and Consulting is forecasting a GDP contraction of 12 percent. The Ukrainian stock market has fallen 25 percent so far this year. The Ukrainian currency, the hyrvnia, is also plummeting, falling 35 percent against the dollar in the last six months. The Ukrainian government's efforts to shore up the currency, including setting a floor for which the hryvnia can be traded, have so far been in vain. . . Venezuela. Hugo Chavez has inextricably tied the Venezuelan economy to oil, and that didn't look so bad before the financial crisis. Oil profits helped deliver massive economic growth, so much that 4.8 percent growth in 2008 was seen as a disappointment. But with oil prices having plunged due to the global slowdown, the fortunes for Chavez's strategy have changed. Many economists are predicting negative growth for Venezuela this year, such as the 4 percent drop predicted by Morgan Stanley. . . From June to September, the cost for an investor to buy insurance against Venezuela's debt almost doubled. Right now, to protect $10 million in Venezuelan sovereign bonds against default, an investor would need to spend $1.8 million each year. S&P gives Venezuela's sovereign bonds a BB rating, meaning Venezuela faces "major ongoing uncertainties" that could lead to "inadequate capacity" to meet its obligations. S&P also has a negative outlook for the bond rating, meaning it could decline in the next six months to two years. . . Argentina. The Argentine economy is notorious for its boom and busts. The country last defaulted on its debt in 2002, but enjoyed economic improvements through most of this decade. During that last financial crisis, citizens staged protests known as cacerolazos, which means "banging of pots and pans," but the demonstrations resulted in broken windows and fires. Argentina has not seen that kind of violence stemming from the current financial crisis yet, but foreign investors are worried the economy is back to "bust" mode. CMS Datavision ranks Argentina as having the third most expensive credit derivatives in the world. Right now, Markit composite prices show an annual cost of $3.2 million for an investor to buy protection against $10 million of Argentina's sovereign debt. Moody's rates Argentina's sovereign bonds as B3, meaning a high, speculative credit risk, and S&P as B-, meaning that more bad economic news for Argentina could lead to default. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development gives Argentina a seven, its riskiest classification rating. . . Five Countries to Keep An Eye On . . Latvia. Iceland isn't the only country that's seen massive protests against economic hardship. In January, a 10,000-strong demonstration in Latvia's capital, Riga, turned into a riot. Tremendous economic growth since the end of the Cold War earned Latvia its place as one of the "Baltic Tigers." GDP growth was 11.2 percent in 2006, for instance. But Latvia's Ministry of Finance forecasts a 14.9 percent drop in GDP this year. Latvia is getting a $7.5 billion emergency loan from the IMF, but the organization is sitting on part of the money because of the Latvian government's failures thus far to reform its budget. The past two years have seen the cost of Latvia's credit default swaps increase over one-hundred fold. Moody's rates Latvia's bonds as Baa1, or "moderate" credit risks, and projects that they could become riskier bets in the medium term. . . Croatia. The country's beaches on the Adriatic Sea draw so many visitors that tourism is almost 20 percent of the country's GDP. But since the recession is taking a bite out of travelers' pocketbooks, Croatia's economy is getting bitten as well. The government forecasts unemployment could rise as high as 12 percent this year. And a recent poll found that 78 percent of Croatians think the country is going in a bad direction, with unemployment cited as the primary reason. All this bad economic news might be one of the reasons S&P projects a possible rating decline for Croatia's BBB-rated bonds. The BBB rating means that Croatia does not have payment problems yet, but are in a position where their ability to pay for debt could be easily weakened. . . Kazakhstan. While the Central Asian nation's GDP has grown in recent years, Kazakhstan has two problems that have created the potential for economic disaster: a reliance on foreign lending and a reliance on oil. Kazakhstan holds 3.2 percent of world's oil reserves. But the soaring oil prices that have boosted Kazakhstan's economy are no more, and investors have pulled money out of Kazakhstan in response. The cost of buying protection against Kazakhstan's debt has skyrocketed about 75 percent during the past year. The cost is back up to a peak reached in October, and it currently costs $875,000 a year to insure $10 million of Kazakhstan's debt. S&P has a negative outlook on Kazakhstan's BBB-rated sovereign bonds, meaning they could get riskier in the next six months to two years. . . Vietnam. Unlike many of the other countries on this list, Vietnam has had some good news recently. The Asian Development Bank forecasted Vietnam's economic growth at 4.5 percent for the next year, the highest in Southeast Asia. Yet the country just registered its slowest economic growth in a decade. A survey found that 46 percent of Vietnamese were afraid of unemployment in January, up from 9 percent in September. Both Moody's and S&P have a negative outlook for Vietnam's sovereign bonds. The price of its sovereign derivatives has almost doubled in the past year. Vietnam falls into the riskiest of the five tiers as rated by AM Best. In particular, the firm identifies Vietnam's financial system, plagued by "relatively poor infrastructure and cumbersome bureaucracy," as "very high" risk. . . Belarus. Minsk, the capital of Belarus, was mostly destroyed during World War II and much of the city was rebuilt in the form of hulking, utilitarian, Soviet-style buildings. Belarus also retains a heavy Soviet influence in its financial system--all but one of the country's 31 banks is controlled by the state, according to AM Best. Because of Belarus's failure to reform its financial system, the firm gives the country its highest score for financial risk. Even though Belarus scores relatively well for political stability, that economic rating is enough to push it into the riskiest of the report's classifications. . . Belarus's problems aren't just speculative. Although its economy is still growing, the IMF expects it will expand 1.4 percent this year, compared to 10 percent last year.The country's government has also been approved for a $2.46 billion IMF loan. But the IMF now forecasts that the country will need a further $10.7 billion in 2009. Still, other experts disagree about just how fragile Belarus's economy is. Its bonds are rated as B1 from Re: 10 Countries in Trouble - Matthew Webb . 23 Apr 2009 21:08 . #800 British chancellor releases austerity budget in worst crisis since WWII . By Chris Marsden . 23 April 2009 . . Chancellor Alistair Darling, despite his continued attempts to minimize the problems, has admitted that Britain faces the worst recession in 60 years. He has responded with an austerity budget targeting working people. . . Darling painted a bleak picture of the “worst global economic turmoil” in six decades, saying the UK economy would shrink by 3.5 percent this year—the worst decline since World War II—before, he claimed without substantiation, it would grow again in 2010. Last year, Darling forecast growth for this year of about 2.5 percent and he still predicted growth of one percent in November’s pre-budget report. . . Before he spoke official figures showed that government borrowing has risen to a staggering £175 billion. This is almost double last year’s record £90 billion, more than double last year’s budget forecast of a £43 billion shortfall. Darling estimates that borrowing will fall to £118 billion and then £97 billion in the following two years, but this is based on a forecast of a global economic recovery that will not materialise. . . Britain’s budget deficit as a percent of GDP is proportionately larger than any other major economy, including the 8.9 percent deficit predicted in the United States. The rise Darling predicts will push it from the present level of 51 percent of GDP, or £743.6 billion, to a high of 79 percent in five years time. But some economists are already predicting that this year’s deficit will in fact be £160 billion, £42 billion more than Darling is now admitting to. . . In this context much of the budget was mere tinkering in the face of an economic deluge. . . Headlines have focused on Darling’s announcement that the top rate of tax leveled on those earning over £150,000 is to rise to 50 percent from the present 40 percent. . . After more than a decade in which taxes on the corporations and the rich have been cut again and again, Darling had to make some effort to get back some money in the face of massive and unsustainable levels of government debt—much of it accrued through the £250 billion bailouts for Britain’s banks—and falling revenue due to the worsening recession. The new top rate of tax is being implemented a year earlier than announced in the pre-Budget report last year and has risen by an additional five percent. There was also a pledge to reduce tax relief on pensions for those paid more than £150,000. . . In reality, these measures were the least Darling could do to lend credence to government claims that all are now sharing the pain of the recession. Most of the rich will as usual avoid paying the tax increase. . . There were also pledges of £2 billion to help the young unemployed find work or a place on a training scheme, to create or support up to 250,000 jobs in deprived areas and to expand sixth form and further education places. But this must be measured against the reality of unemployment that has already topped two million and is expected to hit three million before the end of the year. In addition, more than 800,000 16- to 18-year-olds are currently not in education, training or employment and do not receive benefits. . . Newly released figures show 2.1 million people are now looking for work, higher than when Labour took office in 1997 and a rise of more than 600,000 over the last year. With the rate of unemployment now approaching seven percent, the Office for National Statistics also revealed that there were only 462,000 job vacancies in the first three months of the year, the lowest figure since records began in 2001. . . Insolvency practitioner Alan Tomlinson told the BBC, “Sadly, these appalling unemployment figures will get much, much worse before they get better. There’s still a lot of pain in the pipeline. The impact of the recession on smaller businesses is especially severe. Company failures in this vital sector are still increasing and are likely to do so for some time yet, putting more and more people out of work.” . . Darling announced a £1 billion package to boost house sales and house building. But the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has pointed out that estate agents are selling less than half as many properties as they were last year, despite recent claims that the housing slump is “bottoming out”. . . Measures to subsidise businesses, such as an old car scrappage scheme to stimulate the auto-industry, are worth more than these combined initiatives. . . Darling made clear that the government intends to step up its programme of cuts, with a pledge to make £15 billion in “efficiency savings”—an additional £10 billion on cuts already announced. Current spending will rise by only 0.7 percent, half the planned 1.2 percent growth announced in November’s pre-Budget report. The Financial Times described the move as looking “set to produce one of the longest and sustained squeezes on departmental spending since the Second World War.” . . In addition, the temporary cut in VAT to 15 percent will be reversed at the end of this year, when it will increase to 17.5 percent and may go higher. This level of indirect taxation will be paid disproportionately by the poor who will not be able to employ the tax avoidance measures available to the rich. It will mark a further blow to household budgets, under conditions where wages have already stagnated and even fallen by 0.5 percent in the private sector. . . Even so, the Conservatives advocated even greater cuts in public spending. Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said Darling’s spending cuts did not go far enough and that Labour’s planned 1.1 percent annual spending increase was “unaffordable”. . . Commenting on Darling’s admissions, Martin Wolf wrote in the Financial Times, “This is a horror story. But it could, of course, be even worse. The economy may not recover as hoped; the losses on support for the banks could, as the International Monetary Fund suggests, be far worse; and, above all, the creditworthiness of the British government could come into question, with devastating consequences for the terms on which it can raise the vast sums required. The government is flying on a wing and a prayer... a government that made such large claims for the quality of its economic stewardship hardly deserves to survive such a debacle.” . . Wolf was referring to the IMF’s warning that credit crunch losses could reach $4 trillion internationally, four times its estimates last November. The IMF also initially warned that the cost of the bank bailout in the UK was £200 billion, or 13.4 percent of GDP, before revising the figure down to 9.4 percent of GDP, or £130 billion. But even this reduced figure is more than double the estimate Darling is reportedly working with. IMF Predictions, (very revealing) - Matthew Webb . 24 Apr 2009 18:19 . #801 IMF issues grim forecasts for 2009 . By Patrick O'Connor . 24 April 2009 . . The International Monetary Fund’s updated World Economic Outlook, released Wednesday, predicts world economic growth of negative 1.3 percent this year, marking “by far the deepest global recession since the Great Depression”. Not since the 1930s has the global economy undergone a collective contraction. . . . The latest evidence of a rapidly accelerating world slump comes amid growing signs of disarray among policy makers. Finance ministers and central bankers from the G7 group of advanced economies are meeting in Washington today, with an expanded discussion involving G20 countries to be held immediately after. . . . Member states are deeply divided over how to respond to the crisis, with each seeking to promote its own national business interests at the expense of its rivals. Few if any concrete decisions are expected to emerge. The focus is reportedly on working out how to implement the limited measures agreed to at the G20 leaders’ summit held in Britain earlier this month, including who is to pay for the proposed $500 billion extra emergency loan money for the IMF. . . . This month’s World Economic Outlook marks another downward revision of the IMF’s forecasts for 2009. In October 2008, the Fund was predicting 3 percent annual growth, then in November this was lowered to 2.2 percent, in January to 0.5 percent, and now to minus 1.3 percent. . . . According to the IMF, advanced economies experienced an “unprecedented” 7.5 percent decline in real gross domestic product (GDP) during the fourth quarter of 2008. Over 2009, this group of countries is forecast to contract by 3.8 percent, with the US economy—described by the IMF as the “epicentre of the crisis”—shrinking by 2.8 percent. Official unemployment rates in the advanced economies are expected to average 9.2 percent by the end of 2010. . . . In 2009, the Eurozone is projected to contract by 4.2 percent, with Germany (minus 5.6 percent) and Ireland (minus 8 percent) especially hard hit. Britain is forecast to decline by 4.1 percent. The IMF predicts that the Japanese economy will shrink by 6.2 percent, and the Russian by 6 percent, while the export-dependent “newly industrialised Asian economies” will experience average negative growth of 5.6 percent, with Singapore (minus 10 percent) and Taiwan (minus 7.5 percent) the worst affected. . . . China and India are forecast to grow by 6.5 and 4.5 percent respectively, and are among the few major economies expected to register positive growth. The figures nevertheless mark a major slowdown in both countries and unemployment is expected to sharply increase. . . . The IMF predicts that the world economy will grow by 1.9 percent in 2010. Advanced economies will stagnate, with average GDP growth of exactly zero. These estimates may prove optimistic, especially given the Fund’s repeated revisions of the 2009 figures. In any case, IMF Chief Economist Olivier Blanchard acknowledged that there would be no rapid recovery from the current economic crisis. He noted that, historically, wherever recessions are preceded by financial crises they are more severe and longer lasting. . . . A separate IMF publication issued on Tuesday, the Global Financial Stability Report, revised estimated writedowns on US-originated assets—largely sub-prime mortgage “toxic” debt—from $US2.2 trillion to $2.7 trillion. Global writedowns, including “other mature market-originated assets,” may be more than $4 trillion, with two-thirds of this incurred by banks and the rest by insurance companies, pension funds, and hedge funds. . . . The report effectively admitted that the world’s banking system was on the verge of insolvency. “If banks were to bring forward to today loss provisions for the next two years before expected earnings, the US and European banks in aggregate would have tangible equity close to zero,” the IMF stated. . . . This assessment was rejected by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who insisted before Congress earlier this week that the “vast majority” of US banks had enough capital. The Obama administration has no interest in a public discussion on the real levels of bad debt wracking the financial system; instead, behind the backs of the American people, it is preparing to hand over hundreds of billions of dollars to the banks. . . . Previously announced bailouts are only the beginning of what is set to be a protracted looting of public funds. The IMF estimated that to restabilise the banking system, capital injections are needed of about $500 billion for US banks, $725 billion for those in the Eurozone, and $225 billion for banks in the rest of “mature Europe”. The Fund nervously acknowledged: “The political support for such action, however, is waning as the public is becoming disillusioned by what it perceives as abuses of taxpayer funds.” . . . A similar concern over mounting public opposition was evident in the IMF’s World Economic Outlook. The Fund advised that while stimulus measures to boost immediate economic activity were needed, fiscal deficits could not be sustained indefinitely and would require deep cuts to government spending in the longer term. It warned of “impending costs from rising expenditures on social security and health care for the elderly” that required “credible policy reforms” to ensure balanced budgets. . . . The economic crisis is being exacerbated by what the Global Financial Stability Report described as a “downward spiral between the financial system and the global economy”. While the global slump was initially triggered by the US credit crunch, declining economic activity is now exacerbating the banks’ precarious position, which in turn further raises the cost and scarcity of credit. . . . An editorial in the Financial Times on Wednesday, titled “Facing the abyss,” described the IMF’s $4 trillion write-down estimate as “shocking”. The figures reflected two important facts, the editorial continued. Firstly, “we have no certainty whatsoever as to what the real losses will eventually be—except that they get worse every time we look” and secondly, “the recession in the real economy is compounding losses that originated in finance: conventional loans, not exotic securities, make up half of the forecast writedowns”. . . . The two IMF reports refute recent optimistic statements by Obama administration officials that the recent upturn on Wall Street signals an imminent economic revival. Economic officials and pundits have been clutching at other straws—including marginal improvements in Japanese exports and capital spending in China—to forecast the beginnings of a recovery. . . . Financial Times commentator Martin Wolf devoted his column on Tuesday to countering claims that “glimmers of hope” and “green shoots” were visible. “Is the worst behind us?” Wolf asked. “In a word, No. In the US, the rate of decline of manufactured output compares with that of the Great Depression. Japan’s output of manufactures has already fallen by almost as much as in the US during the 1930s. The disintegration of the financial system is, arguably, worse than it was then.” . . . Wolf concluded: “The brutal truth is that the deleveraging of the private sectors of highly indebted countries has not begun, the needed rebalancing of global demand has barely even started and, for all these reasons, a return to sustained, private-sector-led growth probably remains a long way in the future.” World Bank warns of Human Calamity - Matthew Webb . 28 Apr 2009 17:43 . #802 World Bank president warns economic crisis poses “human calamity” . By Andre Damon . 28 April 2009 . . The head of the World Bank warned over the weekend that the deepening global economic crisis threatens to unleash “a human and developmental calamity.” . . World Bank President Robert Zoelick issued the warning in the context of a meeting of the bank and the International Fund in Washington that came on the heels of meetings by G7 and G20 finance ministers in the US capital. . . Zoelick said that developing countries will see “especially serious consequences with the crisis driving more than 50 million people into extreme poverty, particularly women and children.” . . The IMF and World Bank warned Sunday that global unemployment is set to rise from 5.3 percent to 8.5 percent, leaving some 90 million more people “trapped in extreme poverty.” He added: “The number of chronically hungry people is expected to climb to over 1 billion this year.” These stark warnings stood in stark contrast to the relatively sanguine assessment adopted by the finance ministers from the G7 and G20 groups of leading nations in their meeting last Friday. Despite this more optimistic tone, the ministers neither offered any new policies nor resolved any of the issues that divided the previous G20 summit. . . While the G7 communiqué begins by noting that the meeting takes place during the deepest and most widespread economic downturn and financial stress witnessed in decades, the G7 ministers present a markedly rosy assessment of the future trajectory of the world economy. . . Their communiqué states, “Economic activity should begin to recover later this year amid a continued weak outlook, and downside risks persist.” The group added, “Recent data suggest that the pace of decline in our economies has slowed, and some signs of stabilization are emerging.” . . The relatively optimistic tone of the document flies in the face of reports issued last week by the IMF. The organization's Global Financial Stability Report, published last Tuesday, predicted that total credit write-downs worldwide may reach over $4 trillion, and that the world banking system was close to insolvency. . . The following day, the IMF published its World Economic Outlook, sharply reducing the estimates of world growth it had made in January. The bank said that it expects the world economy to shrink by 1.3 percent in 2009, and that the world economy would grow at a rate of only 1.9 percent in 2010. The advanced economies, including those represented in the G7, are expected to see no growth next year . . The US financial system, given huge infusions of government cash and ever-more lax regulatory standards, has in fact returned to profitability, prompting White House officials to proclaim that the economy may be nearing recovery. Favorable borrowing rates have led to increased refinancing activity, generating an uptick in profits. . . But the crisis in the real economy has only gotten worse. The UK economy contracted in the first quarter faster than anticipated, while German Central Bank President Axel Weber said that the German economy may have contracted by as much as 3 percent in the first quarter, which would be the highest on record. . . Following the release of the communiqué, the Financial Times Monday warned against any overly optimistic view of the world economy, noting that at least twice in [Japan's] “lost decade,” fleeting signs of recovery yielded to the reality that the economy had not yet overcome a crisis emanating from its burst bubble at the start of the 1990s. . . Conflicts between the US and Europe continued to simmer under the relatively placid tone of the communiqué. There are sharp divisions on all major questions, including the amount of stimulus to be provided by each country, and whether there is to be any international regulation and restrictions on financial speculation. . . The IMF had previously recommended that G20 countries allocate 2 percent of their gross domestic products as stimulus spending. While the IMF said on Sunday that, on aggregate, this figure has been reached, there are severe disparities in the amount of stimulus spending various national governments have been willing to undertake . . The United States has pressed for countries to adopt a rigorous and intensive stimulus, while Euro Zone members argued that 2 percent of GDP was too much. On Sunday, the IMF released its estimates of the total stimulus levels for the G20 countries. Russia had the highest government stimulus of 4.1 percent, while Japan's stimulus program amounted to 2.4 percent of its GDP. The US package was an even 2 percent of output. . . The other G7 member countries pledged significantly lower amounts of stimulus funds. France's stimulus plans amounted to only 0.7 percent of GDP, while Germany allocated 1.6 percent and Britain 1.4 percent. . . As in the G20 Summit three weeks ago, sharp divisions surfaced on the question of world financial regulation. Christine Lagarde, the French finance minister, told the Financial Times, “I have this concern that as things pick up...a lot of people will want to go back to the old games. Go back to making money and exploiting [regulatory] systems as much as they can.” These comments referred implicitly to the United States, which has resisted any international restrictions on its financial system. . . Guido Mantega, the Brazilian finance minister, said that the overriding issue was cleaning up the global financial system. “If the United States and other countries that have banks with toxic assets do not clean up their financial system, this crisis will last for a long time,” he said. . . The Obama Administration has challenged the IMF's bleak picture of bank balance sheets, claiming that the US banking system is fundamentally sound. The IMF said last week that write-offs at US banks could total $2.7 trillion. . . The communiqué stressed the need to repair bank balance sheets in order for recovery to proceed. “All the experience we have of past banking crises...is that you never recover before you complete the cleaning up of the balance sheet of the financial sector,” it said. “You can postpone it. At the same time, you postpone the recovery.” . . There were difficulties even raising the funds pledged by the G20 summit to the IMF. The G20 pledged an additional $500 million at its meeting 3 weeks ago. Thus far, however, only $375 billion have been raised, and Friday's meeting ended without new pledges. . . The communiqué issued by the G7 pledged to abstain from protectionist measures. The resolution of the G20 conference in London made a similar solemn pledge, but according to Bloomberg.com, the US, UK, Germany, France and Italy have all introduced protectionist measures since then. A Dialog on Dishonesty - Matthew Webb . 28 Apr 2009 23:56 . #803 A Dialog on Dishonesty . and the Insanity of Modern Culture . . Questioner; Upon meeting another, what is the enlightened person to do in a time of corruption, when no one can be trusted…when the public, who cannot even trust themselves, are interacted with? . Master; One method is the asking of two questions. . Q; What are these two questions? . M; Ask them thus, ‘What do you stand for?”, and, “What proof within your daily life demonstrates this?” The result of this questioning will show the quality of their soul and their mind. . Q; Why these two questions in particular? . M; The first, “What do you stand for?” reveals the core intent of a person away from the usual self indulgence, greed and selfishness of society, and toward a cause-oriented life of meaning. Those who stand for nothing can never be trusted, and the reason for this should be self evident. The second merely confirms the authenticity of those who claim that they DO stand for something. Know that those who have no answer to these questions at all, are likewise corrupt pretenders, who usually act AS THOUGH they cannot understand the purpose of the inquiry. . Q; But experience shows that the conversation will merely end upon the asking of such questions, since the few who say they stand for something can rarely demonstrate the truth of such an assertion. . M; Exactly so, and this ending should tell the practitioner that such a person is unworthy of further relations. The implications of such a reaction are the cause for asking in the first place. . Q; What implications are those? . M; Just as you said at first, that this is a time of corruption where no one can be truly trusted, where greed and selfishness rule the day, and where an extreme shallowness of mind is cultivated amongst the public. . Q; Why an extreme shallowness of mind? . M; Shallowness is used as a pseudo-defense against truth, under the auspice that the ignorant or the stupid are not to be held accountable for the continuing destruction of this world. This is also the case in the general lack of questioning regarding the status quo…the coward and the scoundrel seek ever to keep things as they are, no matter how degenerate that status quo. . Q; But of course, people ARE to be held accountable for this destruction since they ARE responsible for it. I suspect also that everyone must KNOW this already, or else they would not have developed such an elaborate psychological defense system against the truth. . M; This is perceptive of you. This falseness that so pervades the public is actually mass-dishonesty and mass-insanity renamed. Lack of honesty is the source of the modern rot, it is the cancer of the human spirit, degrading it below the level of the animal, and beyond the recognition of those who hold intelligence and wisdom dear. . Q; Why and how has this come about, for an otherwise noble humanity? . M; The modern corruption is the result of cumulative bad decision-making, and the wrongful intention of humanity as a collective, over the period of centuries and millennia. This is both how and why our race is currently in the miserable condition that is the 21st century. . Q; But what is the mechanism of this self-wrought degradation? . M; In essence, the casual disregard and even contempt for the truth is a matter of decision, one that is based on the ideas that, 1) humanity is the center of the universe and can therefore do no wrong, 2) that as the center of divine intentions and physical forces, to be a human and to lie, is to actually tell the truth, since “we create our own reality”, and, 3) that nothing matters in the whole universe except how we feel or want to believe. To sum up these three things in a single phrase would be to say, “insane arrogance”. . Q; How is it that EVERYONE seems to conspire in this dishonest fashion, so as to defend the society they belong to, and their willing participation in a corrupt system? Why is it that no one will simply say, “I reject society”? . M; Much of the reason for this is simple terror. Although there are a great many who know modern society for what it is…pointless, unnatural, anti-spiritual and destructive, there are few indeed who have the inner fortitude to overcome their fear of social rejection or alienation. Add to this iron-clad conditioning of the mind to blindly follow any instruction given by “authority” through education, mass media, conditioned parenting, government influence and corporate manipulation, and you have a public that will literally do anything and say anything to maintain their way of life, even when that way is a daily agony to them and all that lives in nature. . Q; What you’re saying then, is that humanity is now in such a degree of denial that not only are they ignorant of the truth, but that this ignorance is by design and (un)conscious choice. . M, Yes, quite right. Humanity has already chosen its’ course, and that is suicide through the denial of truth. There is only the extremely rare person who has both the fortitude and the intellect to dare to question the status quo. There are fewer still who would actually take meaningful action upon this knowledge to live a better way. Of those few there are but a handful or less who recognize that the old ways will mean our certain destruction as a species, and who would advocate fundamental change to others as a spiritual calling. . Q; What of those who claim to be on a spiritual path, and yet have the same contempt for the facts when spoken?...which of course leads us to my original questions, “Upon meeting another, what is the enlightened person to do in a time of corruption, when no one can be trusted… when the public, who cannot even trust themselves, are interacted with? . M; There are many who claim to be spiritual, but the question to ask them is, “Are they still a willing part of a corrupt society?”, and also, “How do they rectify this inherent contradiction?” One does not light fires in the woods in their daily lifestyle, and then claim to be for the forest on the weekend. One does not bathe in poisons, and then cheerfully claim they are, “getting clean”. I would therefore caution any who would be sincere teachers of truth, to not expect anyone to ever listen to what they have to say, not even the supposedly, “spiritual-minded”. Most of those who say they are “spiritual” are merely using this word and concept, to disguise the fact that they are not genuinely good or spiritual persons. Spirituality to them is not a cause to live by daily, it is merely yet another extension of their unchecked egotism. . This world is now summarily opposed to truth in any meaningful form, especially when it challenges the materialistic way of life, and what people have taught their own children to likewise follow. What Christ found in his crucifixion was also the fate of the common thief at the hands of an evil empire. What EVERY spiritual teacher of the past has found, is that false religion takes the place of unvarnished facts. What Christ and others learn from such experience, is that mankind is not ready for the truth, and is instead actively hostile to it. The modern person is not merely willfully ignorant, they do not merely deny. The modern person is actually an enemy of the truth, just as they are an enemy to nature and anything natural, which is based upon truth. They daily crucify truth on the cross of arbitrary beliefs and egotistical posturing. Such persons are hostile to logic, to anyone who is truly honest, and who speaks fact over pleasant fictions. Such persons are an enemy to all things truly spiritual. For in the spiritual resides the implication that the modern life is not a good one, that there is meaning beyond the human desire to trivialize and create arbitrary myths. The modern person strongly resents the implication therefore, that beyond all facades they are essentially NOT good people, and that the life goals they have dedicated themselves to have no meaning other than mutual and world destruction. This too is why the modern person is often times found hacking away at nature and everything in it with contempt. For within nature too is the implication of a higher order and purpose, higher than the self indulgence of consumerism (plants and animals as merely things to be used or destroyed at a whim) and the primitive egotism of fashion, fad and gossip magazine. . Q; Any form of life that is reluctant to even admit that there is such a thing as truth has gone mad, denying the example set for them by their own bodies, and by the order of nature. Any species which is hostile to truth is doomed. . M; Quite right, and this fact will be made self evident in the next few years to come. There will increasingly be no place left to hide, in trivial gossip and small talk. For those who live and speak in such a way that echoes the mad belief that, “nothing matters” or “nothing need be changed” their karma shall be that they in turn are rendered irrelevant and cast aside, by the physical needs of evolution, and the spiritual will of God. . . The World Mind Society . . The Yuan and the Dollar (very important article) - Matthew Webb . 7 May 2009 17:41 . #804 China takes steps towards full convertibility of the yuan . By Luis Arce . 7 May 2009 . . China recently announced a series of measures to protect its economy against a possible devaluation of the US dollar by decoupling the Asian currencies from the American currency and using the Chinese yuan to gain access to raw materials from South America, the Caribbean and, most importantly, Russia. . . The Chinese government has serious reasons to be alarmed. As the financial crisis deepens and the US debt multiplies to unprecedented levels, the possibilities of the US dollar failing to maintain its privileged position as the world reserve currency are very real. . . Under such a scenario, China has much to lose. Its economy has been built around exports to the US, and the Chinese government holds $744 billion in US Treasury bonds, whose value would fall should the dollar be devaluated. . . So far, the 21 percent gain of the yuan against the dollar since the yuan’s fixed exchanged rate was scrapped in 2005 has eroded China’s reserves as well as exporters’ profits. This was a factor in February’s 25.7 percent fall in exports in February. . . The leaders of the Chinese Communist Party are aware that China lacks a domestic market capable of supporting the growth levels it needs to avoid mass unemployment. The jobless rate among China’s 225 million rural migrant workers has already reached 10 percent. . . With a million college graduates from 2008 yet to find a job, another 6 million will join the labor market this year. The Chinese leaders fear that unemployment could lead to social unrest, threatening the wealth and privileges they have carved out for themselves since China opened itself to the world market. . . Towards full convertibility of the yuan . Concerns over the stability of the US dollar led China last March to lobby the Group of 20 for the adoption of a “super-sovereign reserve currency.” This move, China feels, is necessary, all the more so since the yuan cannot be a reserve currency today because it is not fully convertible. . . To redress this problem, China has embarked on a program to ensure that the yuan gains full convertibility in the not-too-distant future and is thereby in a position to compete with the dollar at some point for the role of world reserve currency. . . The measures announced so far represent “baby steps toward liberalization of China’s capital account and internationalization of the renminbi,” said Tim Condon, head of Asia research at ING Group NV in Singapore. (Renminbi is another name for the yuan.) . . Condon added, “Access to renminbi is not going to be an issue. China is using its financial might to hedge any risk it might face in terms of supplies of central raw materials for its growth and demand in other markets for its products.” . . In a series of statements, the Chinese government has expressed its commitment to make the yuan a fully convertible currency. “China’s State Council said last week it allowed yuan settlement for international trade in Shanghai and four cities in Guangdong province—Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Dongguan—to promote global use of the currency and protect companies from swings in the dollar,” reported Bloomberg News on April 9. . . Other steps include the decision by the People’s Bank of China, approved in November 2008, to provide currency swaps for 650 billion yuan ($95 billion) to Belarus, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Argentina. Last month, a similar arrangement with Jamaica was announced. . . Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Hartadi Sarwono told Bloomberg News last month that a 100 billion currency swap will enable Indonesia to buy Chinese goods using yuans for the first time. . . China is also moving closer to eliminating the remnants of Hong Kong’s previous status as a British protectorate. Hong Kong will become the first city outside mainland China to start settling trades in yuans. In addition, China plans to allow Hong Kong companies to issue debt in yuans. Hong Kong had been accepting payments in yuan since 2004 to attract tourists from the mainland. . . “It will reduce foreign exchange risks for companies, create more business for Hong Kong banks and diversify use of yuan funds,” Donald Tsang, chief executive in Hong Kong said at a press briefing last month, according to Bloomberg News. “The policy has already been approved. It’s almost here.” . . With these actions, China plans to protect its exports to Hong Kong, Macao and the ASEAN nations, which reached $402.7 billion in 2008, a substantial 20 percent of China’s total trading volume. This is a sufficiently large volume to make a statement to the world on the benefits of trading with China in yuans, rather than US dollars. . . Latin America is another case in point. China is stepping in to fill a vacuum left in the region by a US in financial turmoil. A $10 billion currency swap will allow Argentina to purchase Chinese goods without using its depleted US dollar reserves. . . The Argentina deal came as a direct challenge to US dictates in the region. The Argentina-China currency swap was announced a few weeks after the US approved $30 billion in swaps each to Mexico and Brazil, but was unwilling to extend a line to Argentina, which has yet to clear its defaulted Paris Club debt. . . As the Argentine daily, La Nación, put it, the yuan swap was a “historical agreement with China to eliminate the US dollar on commercial exchanges.” For China, it represents the prospect of increasing its exports to a region where it already occupies the position of second trading partner after the US. Surely, other Latin American countries will follow closely the progress of this deal. . . As China consolidates its influence among the ASEAN nations, moves to eliminate any vestiges of the British occupation of Hong Kong, and opens long-term relations with Latin America countries, it is significant that the steady steps taken by China to decouple its currency—and exports—from the US dollar have not received the attention they deserve in the American media. So far, economic analysts, speaking through American newspapers and cable news programs, have focused their commentary on what is happening to the US public debt, the ups and downs of the New York Stock Exchange and President Obama’s attempts to rescue Wall Street. . . These are important aspects of the world crisis. But it is an illusion to think that these developments can be understood while leaving China out of the analysis. In reality, the measures to establish full convertibility of the Chinese yuan are highly correlated with developments in the US. . . The far-reaching consequences, including the challenge to the US dollar, implicit in making the yuan fully convertible were dealt with on the Asia News web site (January 1, 2009). It noted: “If, after a trial period, China makes its currency convertible, the consequence is that importing countries must have reserves of yuan. To get them, central banks around the world will have to divest themselves of US assets and Treasury bonds. The euro has a rather limited role in Asian exchange.” . . Maurizio d’Orlando, the chief economic analyst for Asia News, explained the relationship between yuan convertibility and the US dollar in a series of articles published on the Internet over the past six months. He wrote: “The massive levels reached by the foreign debt of the United States and the excessive and unjustified devaluation of China’s yuan are two high-risk factors for the world economy and stability.” . . The huge US debt is threatening the US dollar’s position in the world. The unthinkable has become a possibility: that the US government may become insolvent, unable to borrow to cover its debt. . . The American media has thus far not dared to analyze the future of the dollar. Because it strictly adheres to looking at the world from the point of view of the profit interests of the American ruling class, it finds it all but impossible to consider such a possibility. Having grown accustomed to seeing the US make others behave the way the US wants, the media lives in a state of denial. Nevertheless, there is mounting statistical data pointing in the direction of the possibility of insolvency. . . US debt . In an article written in December 2008, Maurizio d’Orlando examined the explosion of US debt. He wrote that it “grew from $6.9 trillion as of 31 December 2003 to $13.4 trillion as of 31 December 2007. This is internationally circulated currency.” . . The rate of growth of the debt has increased since the financial crisis began in the summer of 2007. The US public debt stood at $10.6 trillion, or 76.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), at the end of 2008. “Adding the Paulson plan and the rescue package for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (but not counting that for AIG), the ratio jumped to 118 percent,” wrote d’Orlando. . . He continued: “If the figures published by Bloomberg are correct—$7.74 trillion in rescue packages—we arrive at about $23.3 trillion of public debt, for a ratio of 169 percent of GDP. In just a short period of time, the public debt of the United States has almost doubled or tripled. Whatever the case may be, it is far too high.” . . “We can nonetheless roughly assume,” d’Orlando noted, “that a breaking point is quickly coming up, because if we add up US public debt and spending commitments in health care (Medicaid and Medicare) and pensions (Social Security), we get to 429.27 percent of GDP.” . . An International Monetary Fund (IMF) study found that when the foreign-owned public debt of a country reaches 60 percent of GDP, that country faces the risks of a major monetary crisis. By the end of 2007, the ratio of US foreign-owned debt stood at 61.8 percent, up from 54.4 percent the previous year. . . Even if one sets aside US commitments to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, its current public debt, at least 118 percent of GDP, implies that its foreign-owned debt stands at 73 percent of GDP, far above the 60 percent limit calculated by the IMF. . . The only reason the IMF’s 60 percent limit does not apply to the US is that the US dollar remains the world reserve currency. Were the US dollar to lose its uniquely privileged position in world trade, the result would be nothing less than catastrophic. . . It must also be borne in mind that Asian investors, especially the Japanese and Chinese, are the main foreign investors in US financial assets. . . What are the alternatives for the US? Monetary policy reached a dead-end the day Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke set the federal funds interest rate at zero. The fiscal plans launched by the Obama administration—including the many rescue schemes offered to banks, insurers and auto makers—still do not satisfy Wall Street, and more may be allotted to bail out the banks. Most market practitioners consider the bottom of the financial crisis hasn’t been reached yet. . . There is a real risk that fiscal policies alone won’t work either. As Washington runs out of options, the next measure available to the government is a massive devaluation of the US dollar. That would have the effect of exporting the crisis to other countries, and would unquestionably raise calls by major US competitors to replace the dollar with another currency or basket of currencies as the world reserve currency. . . Undervaluation of the yuan . For trade between China and the US, a devaluation of the US dollar is equivalent to an appreciation of the yuan. Asia News estimates that the yuan is undervalued by 55.5 percent. . . “Currently,” writes Asia News, “because the exchange rate is controlled by the People’s Bank of China, the US dollar is worth about 6.8798 yuan.... If we applied the same relationship between China’s GDP in current dollars (6.04 percent of world GDP) and China’s GDP at purchasing power parity (which is 10.78 percent of World GDP), a US dollar should be exchanged at 3.821 yuan (hence the latter is undervalued by 55.54 per cent).” . . A yuan appreciation of such magnitude—or a similar massive devaluation of the US dollar—would bring about a collapse of Chinese exports. Factories would have to shut down and lay off workers. This would cause social upheavals and threaten the power of the Chinese Communist Party and the cast of corrupt individuals who have enriched themselves by seeding capitalism in China. Equally affected would be foreigners who have at stake billions in direct investments in China. . . Asia News writes, “Seen as the world’s workshop, China is a great success, but if we consider the amount of human resources, capital and raw materials used with regards to GDP growth per unit, then its system of production appears very inefficient. What is more, China’s yuan devaluation in 1994 led right to the 1998 Asian crisis. For Asia, that crisis was the price to pay for China’s transition from Communism to a market economy, the equivalent in some ways to the 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall.” . . Asian News summarized the relationship between China and the US in the following way: “Globalization is based on an unbalanced economic model. So far, public and private consumption in the United States have driven world demand. US consumers made export-driven growth in many countries possible. . . “The absurdity of this method lies in the fact that producers get underpaid and are forced into saving in order to provide credit for those who do not produce and could hardly afford to buy. Workers in China, Brazil and India get starvation wages to produce goods tailor-made for the US (and Western) market, whilst US consumers are unable to generate corresponding resources and value. . . “In fact, the trend for the US GDP is negative since the third quarter of 2000 when calculated on the basis of inflation as calculated prior to the Clinton era. Yet US consumers have been pushed, flattered and funded to live above their means, almost forced to buy every kind of goods. This is why there is a solvency problem.” . . In fact, consumers in the US have been forced to assume an ever bigger and more unsustainable burden of debt while their wages steadily eroded as a result of corporate and government policy. . . The steps taken by China to decouple its exports from the US dollar and increase its influence in emerging markets are strong indications that the financial crisis is evolving toward a new stage in which the major countries will use their currencies, economic and political muscle, and military might to carve out a larger share in a new division of the world economy. World Economy Update - Matthew Webb . 22 May 2009 17:41 . #805 World economy in freefall . By Andre Damon . 22 May 2009 . . Governments of the world's major economies announced staggering first-quarter contractions in the past few days, as real indicators of the economic crisis continue to worsen. . . Mexico was the latest country to post a huge decline in the first quarter, announcing Wednesday that its economy shrank by 8.2 percent compared to a year ago. This is the steepest fall since the peso crisis of 1995 brought the country to the brink of insolvency and works out on an annualized basis to a 21.5 percent free fall. . . This followed Tuesday’s announcement that the Japanese economy contracted 4 percent in the fourth quarter, the worst downturn since 1955, and a stunning 15.2 percent annualized contraction. The Japanese economy had shrunk by 3.8 percent in the previous quarter. . . Last week Germany announced that its economy had also fallen by 4 percent in the first quarter, the sharpest contraction since the government began keeping quarter-to-quarter figures in 1970. Germany, whose export-led economy is heavily dependent on external demand, was only the worst-affected of the major eurozone economies, all of which registered significant declines. . . Only Monday, Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, had said on behalf the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that the downturn had reached an “inflection point.” Working largely from stock market performance and confidence figures, Trichet hinted that an upturn is right around the corner. . . “In all cases we see a slowing down of the decrease in GDP. In certain cases you see already a picking up,” Trichet concluded. The latest batch of GDP figures certainly do not lend credibility to this prognosis. . . Official figures released Friday indicated that the eurozone contracted by 2.5 percent in the first quarter, compared to 1.5 percent in the last quarter of 2008. . . The figures involved are staggering. As the Financial Times Lex column pointed out: “If the German economy continues to shrink at this rate, it will be a fifth smaller by the end of the year, entirely reversing the decade and a half of growth since unification.” . . The economies of Eastern Europe are being pulverized, with the latest statistics indicating that Slovakia, the newest EU member, saw its economy contract by 11.2 percent in the first three months of the year. . . Mexico, Germany, and Japan are among the United States’ largest trading partners, together accounting for over half a trillion dollars in yearly trade with the US. Prior to the downturn, American imports neared three trillion dollars per year and constituted a major force in driving production abroad. . . US merchandise imports fell by over 30 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the same period a year ago, according to the Wall Street Journal. In 2006, the US had a current account deficit of over $800 billion, which has now narrowed to $500 billion. Rising unemployment, falling home values and mass foreclosures have prompted significant declines in the consumption of foreign goods, including cars and consumer products. Mexican auto production, much of which goes to the US market, has fallen by over 41 percent, according to the Wall Street Journal. . . The downturn has shattered the complex web of international production, leaving producers in the global supply chain completely cut off from information on how much to produce. . . “You actually had to pick a number with no knowledge whatsoever, because nobody knows anything,” said one electronics parts manufacturer interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. Following the announcement of the fall in Japanese output, Sony said that it would cut its global supplier network in half to compensate for reduced demand. . . Foreign direct investment shrank by 15 percent last year, according to a report published Wednesday by the United Nations. Supachai Panitchpakdi, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that the decline in foreign investment would be “far deeper” than last year's. . . Meanwhile global stock market and financial profits have continued their rally. In the past three months, all major world stock indexes have sharply increased. The FTSE All-World index has risen by over 40 percent since March. . . Over the past three months, the US NASDAQ has gained 16.88 percent, the European FTSE Eurofirst 18 percent, The Japanese Nikkei 24.91 percent, and the Taiwanese Hang Seng 35.44 percent. The Vanguard Financials index, meanwhile, has outperformed all of these, shooting up by 42 percent since March 6. . . As the Financial Times pointed out in a column Thursday, the recovery of stock markets is linked to the trillions of dollars in cash that central banks around the world have pumped into circulation. “Markets are being swamped by a wall of money unleashed by governments and central banks, causing a re-run of the speculation that drove indices ever higher two years ago. At some point this must drain away...If the hope is artificial, the disappointment is likely to be real.” . . The US alone is set to pump nearly $15 trillion into the financial system, according to a recent Deutsche Bank report. The major developed countries have taken similar initiatives, injecting untold trillions into finance while real economies suffer the greatest ravages since the 1930s. . . The program of the Obama Administration—the impoverishment of working people through layoffs and restructuring, together with huge subsidies to finance—has, with certain caveats, become the modus operandi of the governments of all developed countries. In the counties with high external deficits, such as the US, Spain, and the UK, this has the effect of transferring contraction abroad. . . But the surplus countries are responding no more rationally. Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Beijing’s Peking University, writes in Thursday's Financial Times that a number of Asian exporters, particularly China, are attempting to offset falling world demand by boosting industrial production. . . “These investment-oriented policies raise consumption indirectly, by boosting production, and so although they temporarily boost growth, they cannot result in a sufficiently large increase in domestic net consumption to replace American buying. What is worse, in some cases these policies will sharply constrain future domestic consumption, just when it is needed most.” . . In short, while the US elite wants to go back to huge profitability through the impoverishment of millions and a consequent reduction of the current account deficit, China seeks to restore profits through the buildup of unsustainable manufacturing capacity. These two policies are set on a collision course, but their mutual outcome will be the same: impoverishment of workers in the importing countries, huge unemployment, overcapacity and deepening economic crisis for the exporters. . . These processes, developing within a world economy in free fall and alongside drastically rising unemployment, augur social upheavals all over the world. Re: Japan - Matthew Webb . 22 May 2009 17:41 . #806 Japan’s economy suffers record contraction . By Peter Symonds . 22 May 2009 . . The Japanese economy shrank by 4 percent in the first quarter of 2009 or an annualised rate of 15.2 percent, according to government data released this week. The plunge in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was the worst since records began in 1955 and the largest of any major industrialised country. . . . Virtually every sector was sharply down. Exports fell by 26 percent compared to the previous quarter. Household consumption was down by 1.1 percent—larger than the 0.8 percent decline in the fourth quarter of 2008. Corporate capital spending shrank by 10.4 percent—worse than the 6.7 percent drop in fourth quarter. . . . The 4 percent contraction was more than double the shrinkage of 1.6 percent in the United States and higher than the 2.5 percent decline in the euro zone. The latest result in Japan follows bleak figures for the fourth quarter of 2008, which were revised downward to minus 3.8 percent or an annualised 14.4 percent decline. . . . While the global economic turmoil did not begin in Japan, the country has been badly hit by the worldwide fall in demand that has devastated its crucial export sector. Significantly, Germany, the other major economy dependent on manufacturing exports, suffered a first quarter contraction of 3.8 percent or 14.4 percent annualised. Other Asian export-oriented economies have suffered, with Taiwan reporting an annualised first quarter decline of 10.2 percent and Singapore 10.1 percent. . . . Prime Minister Taro Aso’s government attempted to put the best possible face on the figures. Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano declared: “I think we are now past the worst period, but a great deal of effort will still be needed in order to get back on a real upward trend.” A poll of 40 economists by the government-affiliated Economic Planning Association forecast an annualised growth of 1.1 percent in the second quarter. . . . Economic commentators have pointed to an increase in manufacturing output of 1.6 percent in March as a sign of recovery. The rise—the first since September—followed a fall of 9.4 percent in February. Exports also rose in March compared to the previous month and consumer confidence hit a 10-month high in April. . . . However, improved economic prospects in the current quarter hinge almost entirely on huge stimulus packages, which amount to almost 5 percent of GDP. The government’s ability to sustain high levels of public spending is compromised by Japan’s huge public debt, which the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) predicted in March would reach 197 percent of GDP by 2010. . . . The International Monetary Fund’s prediction this week that Japan will enter “a sustained recovery” in 2010, after a record 6.25 percent contraction this year, assumes an improving global economy that will provide markets for Japanese exports. Apart from the possibility of increased exports to China, the prospects, to use the IMF’s own phrase, “remain uncertain”. Whatever the short-term ups and downs in Japan’s economic fortunes, the latest statistics reflect the far-reaching character of the global economic breakdown. . . . The British-based Economist warned: “The trouble is, if the world economy does not rebound strongly, it is hard to see where the final demand [for Japan’s manufactures] will come from to stimulate production, exports and investment on a sustainable basis... Banks such as Nomura, HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland believe the recovery will not be sustainable. Goldman Sachs, among others, points to the risk of a ‘double dip’: that the economy sinks again in the first half of 2010. What the source will be of Japan’s long-term economic growth—not least as the population shrinks and ages—is even more uncertain.” . . . Japan’s severe recession is compounding the country’s political turmoil. With a lower house election due by September, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led coalition has again fallen behind the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the polls. . . . Tokyo-based analyst Minoru Morita told the Washington Post that the latest economic statistics “were a very serious blow to [Prime Minister] Aso. He has been postponing the election, claiming he needed time to enact an economic stimulus. But the general public’s perception is: ‘These numbers are so bad. What is Aso doing?’” . . . The opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is also trying to claw back its standing after party leader Ichiro Ozawa was compelled to resign amid a scandal over corporate fundraising. His replacement as DPJ president—Yukio Hatoyama—defeated rival Katsuya Okada in an internal ballot on Saturday. Polls released this week by the Yomuiri Shimbun found that 41 percent of voters intended to vote for the DPJ—up by 11 percentage points from the newspaper’s previous survey and well ahead of the 27 percent for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). . . . The DPJ remains an unstable amalgam of ex-LDP and social democratic party members. Like Ozawa, Hatoyama was a former LDP legislator who quit the party in the 1990s. He comes from a long line of conservative political figures—his grandfather was a prime minister, his father served as foreign minister and his brother Kunio is part of the current Aso ministry. . . . With the prospect of the DPJ ending the LDP’s virtually unbroken half century of rule, there are serious concerns in ruling circles in Japan and internationally about the viability of the DPJ in government. Hatoyama has put on a show of unity by appointing rival Okada to the powerful post of party general secretary and Ozawa as election campaign manager. The second appointment has immediately resulted in government accusations that Hatoyama was simply Ozawa’s puppet. . . . More broadly, concerns have been raised about the capacity of either the government or the opposition to address the economic crisis. In an editorial on Wednesday, the Financial Times condemned both sides for their lack of ideas. “Japan’s politicians are failing,” it declared. “Both parties have certain, specific pledges and have targetted narrow interest groups. Neither, however, have told enough to let them predict how the parties would respond to the country’s grand challenges or to unforeseen events.” . . . It is not the general voter that the Financial Times is speaking for, but the business elites in Japan and internationally that are dissatisfied with the failure of the government and the opposition to elaborate a strategy to accelerate the restructuring of Japanese capitalism and impose the brunt of the economic crisis on working people. . . . Both the LDP and DPJ are well aware that to do so would risk provoking popular opposition and have shelved promises to rein in the budget deficit. Already there is widespread disaffection and hostility, particularly among young people, toward the political establishment as a whole—one reason why opinion polls tend to be highly volatile. Significantly, more than 30 percent of respondents in Yomuiri Shimbun poll were uncommitted to either party. . . . As the economic crisis worsens, along with unemployment and social inequality, public alienation will only widen. While some corporations increased production last month, others are preparing to shed to jobs. Panasonic, for examples, confirmed plans last week to close about 20 factories and proceed with 15,000 job cuts announced in February. Pointing to the underlying dilemma, Credit Suisse economist Hiromichi Shirakawa told Bloomberg.com: “There is a huge problem of over-capacity.” . . . Finance Minister Yosano warned this week that unemployment, which is currently 4.8 percent, was likely to grow. Japan’s official jobless statistics mask a broader social crisis. After a decade of economic restructuring, low-paid, temporary workers constitute about a third of the workforce and are particularly vulnerable to dismissal. Many more workers have already had their pay and bonuses cut—one of the factors that has reduced consumer spending. . . . As in other countries, what is building up in Japan is a confrontation between the ruling elites and the working class on a scale not witnessed for decades Credit Card Bill of Rights - Matthew Webb . 28 May 2009 19:58 . #807 Credit card “bill of rights” puts few restraints on banks . By William Moore . 28 May 2009 . . Last week the US Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the so-called Credit Card Holders’ Bill of Rights, legislation that has been touted by both the Congress and the Obama administration as a major reform of unfair practices by credit card issuers. . . This legislation has been pushed through Congress amid growing outrage by middle class card holders over the increasingly arbitrary and usurious methods being used by credit card issuers to extract ever more money from a shrinking pool of card holders who are, at the same time, being battered by the economic crisis. The banks, which have suffered severe losses in other areas, such as the collapse of the mortgage bubble, have turned to their credit card business as a potential source of increased revenue. . . For several decades credit cards had indeed been an area of growing profitability. Credit card debt has increased by 25 percent in the last decade. About 90 million households carry credit cards, with an average debt load of more than $10,500, according to CardTrak.com. Penalty fees alone amount to $15 billion per year, representing 10 percent of the credit card industry’s revenues. Recently, however, as unemployment, mortgage foreclosures, and other aspects of the crisis have hit large numbers of people, the income realized by the banks from credit cards has declined, due both to a marked retrenchment in purchases, as well as a growing proportion of late payments and outright defaults. . . MasterCard’s Chief Financial Officer Martina Hund-Mejean told Reuters that US purchase volumes are declining in the second quarter at a higher rate than in the first quarter. The AP reports a record drop in borrowing on credit cards, which fell at an annual rate of $7.8 billion in February. It was the sharpest drop in dollar terms since federal records began in 1968, and the steepest percentage decline since 1978. . . As the economic crisis deepens, the rate of payment defaults has grown markedly. The Federal Reserve reported that in the first quarter of 2009, credit card delinquencies rose to an all-time high of 6.5 percent. Credit-card defaults reached a near-record 7.5 percent. These defaults are occurring across the board, including both “risky” and “credit worthy” borrowers, reflecting the broad impact of the economic crisis. This has placed banks and other credit card issuers in a precarious position, and they have responded aggressively. . . As has been widely reported in the media, some of the tactics employed by the banks in an attempt to increase their rate of return have included: repeated increases in interest rates based on little or no justification even for customers who paid regularly, imposition of increasingly large penalties for late payments often created due to arbitrary and unannounced changes in due dates, shortened periods between statement delivery and payment due date, and double billing during a single payment cycle. The average interest rate charged on credit card balances was 13.5 percent in February, according to a Federal Reserve report in March. Interest rates of more than 20 percent are paid by about a third of card holders, and some are as high as 41 percent. . . For several decades the credit card companies had used a range of aggressive and deceptive practices to lure large numbers of people into taking cards, tactics such as low “teaser” rates that would later be raised substantially and lavish campaigns on college campuses to snag financially unsophisticated students. However, now, as growing numbers of people have suffered economic difficulties due to the crisis, the banks have unilaterally reduced credit limits or closed accounts entirely based on “profiling” card holders, using presumed similarities to people who had defaulted on payments, even if the individual in question has given no indication of such difficulties. . . The new legislation will, at best, dampen these practices only slightly. The bill’s main provisions include a prohibition on raising interest rates on existing balances unless payments are at least 60 days overdue and a requirement that credit card issuers give 45 days notice of increases in interest rates or other changes in an existing “agreement.” The bottom line is that interest rates and fees can still be raised, only a bit more slowly. For those already paying 20 percent or more such “restraints” will have little significance. Furthermore, as growing numbers of people lose their jobs or are hit in other ways by the economic crisis, the slight delays in the imposition of increasingly usurious terms by the banks will barely be noticeable. . . The most significant change that could have been made, the imposition of a cap on interest rates and fees, was briefly floated by some Democrats, but quickly killed. . . Senator Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Finance Committee and a major recipient of campaign contributions from the financial sector, is quoted by the Huffington Post as saying, "There used to be a time you could go to jail for charging rates like they charge today. Even organized crime would blanch at some of these fees. So there'll be a movement in that regard [capping interest rates and fees—WSWS]. There's [sic] obviously some legitimate arguments about opposing caps, and I'm listening to them, but frankly the overwhelming majority of people I talk to would like to see some limitation put on these rates." . . Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who styles himself a “socialist,” proposed a 15 percent cap on credit card interest, the same as is currently in effect for credit unions. “When banks are charging 30 percent interest rates, they are not making credit available,” said Mr. Sanders. “They are engaged in loan sharking.” The amendment was overwhelmingly rejected, drawing only 33 votes of the 60 needed. . . In its report on the vote, the New York Times noted: “The banking industry, which had some heavyweight representatives monitoring the vote, warned that an interest rate limit could cause a sour reaction in the financial markets.” Presumably, senators who have counted on the financial services industry for a large share of their campaign contributions were conscious of the “heavyweights’” presence. . . The grandstanding over the issue of rate and fee caps followed by a quick climb down illustrates the fundamentally fraudulent nature of this legislation and the total subservience of the Democrats to the financial elite. The proposed legislation’s provisions are similar to ones the Federal Reserve was already planning to implement in July of 2010. The politicians, for all of their bombast, are only bringing these regulations forward a few months. In other words, the implementation of these limited restrictions is still nearly a year away, leaving plenty of time for the banks to increase rates at will. They will also find ways of circumventing the bill’s provisions when they do come into effect, such as through the imposition of annual fees. . . Top card companies, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup, Bank of America, Capital One, and American Express, are already “raising interest rates on a larger portion of customers than usual and increasing the number of fees they impose,” Joshua Frank, a senior researcher at the Center For Responsible Lending, said in a research note. Many cardholders have seen increases of as much as 10 percentage points or more over their existing rate. . . The lopsided votes for passage of this bill in both the House and Senate, with many Republicans joining the Democrats, is a sure sign that, the constraints put on the credit card companies by this legislation are minor. The New York Times quoted Edward L. Yingling, president and chief executive of the American Bankers Association, as stating that the bill contained provisions that were “tough, but workable.” Warnings by issuers that the legislation will result in a restriction of credit are disingenuous at best, since they are already cutting credit limits and closing accounts. . . Despite the claim by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that, “We stood up for consumers and stood up to abusive credit card companies,” there is little in the legislation to aid the large numbers of working and middle class people who are being crushed by credit card debt. The bill’s actual purpose was indicated by Reid when he stated that, “Any effort to restore confidence in our economy must start not on Wall Street but on Main Street, and that’s what the credit card situation is all about.” In other words, this is one component of the government’s campaign to try to convince the population that through its efforts the economy is beginning to improve. . . Americans are estimated to hold a total of more than $2.5 trillion in personal debt, excluding home mortgages, according to the Federal Reserve. The growth of personal indebtedness over the last several decades is largely the result of two factors. First, the decline of real wages has forced middle and working class people to use credit, not only for “luxuries,” as the right-wing media is fond of repeating, but to deal with unexpected expenses, such as medical bills not covered by insurance, or to pay for “big ticket” items such as large household appliances. For businesses and the wealthy using credit to compensate for variations in “cash flow” is portrayed as a perfectly acceptable practice. However, when people of lesser income do essentially the same thing, they are branded as irresponsible and extravagant, living beyond their means and, by implication, their status. . . Over the past decades, credit card defaults have paralleled the unemployment rate fairly closely. This tends to undercut the myth propagated by the media that many people (read: the working class) “irresponsibly” overspend through the use of credit cards getting themselves into unmanageable levels of debt. In fact, it appears that difficulties arise primarily when people lose their jobs. Another frequent factor is huge medical bills due to catastrophic or chronic illness. Therefore, payment defaults by individuals are primarily the result of the capitalist crises and inadequate social programs. . . Credit card companies are behaving in accordance with patterns established in recessions of the past. The companies squeeze cardholders in order to maintain their profits during the economic downturn. The expectation is that the increased rate of return will carry them until better times return, despite the fact that this policy will drive a certain percentage of their customers into extreme economic difficulty and raise the rate of payment defaults. In other words, there is a cold calculation that no matter how many people are driven to default, the increased income from those remaining will maintain the revenue balance in the company’s favor until the economy rebounds. . . This strategy is based on the assumption that the rebound will occur before the balance tips the other way—when the losses from the ever increasing numbers of defaults overwhelm the company’s ability to squeeze greater income from those credit card holders who have not yet succumbed to economic ruination, which is brought on, in part, by the very policies carried out by the companies. Clearly, this model leads to disaster if the economic crisis continues for longer than expected. However logical it might appear for the banks to reduce the financial stress on borrowers so that they can survive over the long term and continue making payments, the incessant need to maximize profits in the short term in order to maintain investor support makes this latter strategy impossible for capitalists. Thus, the “logic of the market” leads to irrational and destructive results. . . The business and financial elites are caught in a contradiction. On the one hand, retailers are desperate to get people spending again, which means a return to the “easy credit” conditions of recent years. On the other hand, the banks, while enjoying a temporary respite due to federal bailout money, but at the same time still acutely aware of their highly precarious financial positions overall, are driven to jettison those card holders they consider risky while squeezing the remainder for all the revenue they can get. The huge amount of outstanding credit card debt—nearly a trillion dollars—poses a major threat to the stability of the banking system. The federal government has reported that 12 of the nation's 19 biggest banks could experience credit card losses of $82.4 billion through the end of next year under a “worse-than-expected” economic scenario. With rising unemployment and other stresses on the economic condition of increasing numbers of middle and working class people, this contradiction will only get deeper. The REAL Unemployment Scene - Matthew Webb . 5 Jun 2009 17:14 . #808 By FRANK BASS, Associated Press Writer Frank Bass, Associated Press Writer – Fri Jun 5, 9:31 am ET . . TOWNSHEND, Vt. – For weeks, Greg Noel roamed the spine of the Green Mountains with a handheld GPS unit, walking dirt roads and chatting with people as he helped create a map of every housing unit in the United States. . . Work was good: The sun was out, the snow was gone and the blackflies hadn't begun to hatch. But now that work is over and Noel, 60, and more than 60,000 other Americans hired in April to help with the 2010 census are out of work once more. . . It's a familiar predicament in today's economy, in which some 2 million people searching for full-time work have had to settle for less, and unemployment is much higher than the official rate when all the Americans who gave up looking for jobs are counted, too. . . Because of the surge of hiring for the census, April unemployment only rose to 8.9 percent — a much slower increase than had been feared. Figures out today show unemployment now stands at 9.4 percent. . . But consider these numbers: . . _The 9.4 percent May unemployment rate is based on 14.5 million Americans out of work. But that number doesn't include discouraged workers, people who gave up looking for work after four weeks. Add those 792,000 people, and the unemployment rate is 9.8 percent. . . _The official rate also doesn't include "marginally attached workers," or people who have looked for work in the past year but stopped searching in the past month because of barriers to employment such as child care, poor health or lack of transportation. Add those 1.4 million people, and the unemployment rate would be 10.6 percent. . . _The official rate also doesn't include "involuntary part-time workers," or the 2.2 million people like Noel who took a part-time job because that's all they could get, plus those whose work hours dropped below the full-time level. Once those 9.1 million workers are added to the unemployment mix, the rate would be 16.4 percent.... California Insolvency...a model for what is to come elsewhere - Matthew Webb . 10 Jun 2009 18:25 . #809 California fiscal crisis threatens millions with ruin . By Rafael Azul . 10 June 2009 . . California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is giving the state until June 15 to balance its budget. The treasury of the “Golden State” is facing a massive and ongoing shortfall, and the government is responding to the crisis with a massive attack on education, health care, and whatever remains of the state’s social safety net. . . Despite three years of intense budget cuts, the 2010 budget projection includes a deficit of $26.8 billion. This is up from a budget gap of $14.8 billion in 2009. . . If California is unable to balance its budget before the middle of the month, Schwarzenegger warned that the state would be unable to secure the necessary short term bridge loans required to pay its bills. . . The message from the banks and hedge funds is that there will be no loans until the Governor and the Democratic Party-controlled legislature, come up with an austerity budget, based on gutting state welfare programs, health insurance for the poor, programs for the elderly, disabled and mentally ill, parks and education. . . Late last month, the Fitch bond rating agency lowered its outlook for California’s indebtedness from stable to negative. The rating is utilized by investors when deciding whether or not to make further loans to the state. . . For all practical purposes, the state government is locked out of the credit market until it restructures its economy to meet Wall Street’s requirements. . . The state’s fiscal meltdown is being used to fundamentally restructure class relations in the state, tearing up whatever remains of gains won by working people in an earlier era. The claim that there is no way out of the crisis—except by these means—is a lie, designed to protect the interests of the financial aristocracy, the wealthy and big business. . . The Obama administration, which is handing over trillions of dollars to bailout the banks, has denied requests for direct financial aid to California. It has also denied requests to underwrite the state’s loans. In doing so, the president has made clear that he stands in alliance with the wealthy elite in imposing drastic cuts. . . Obama is insisting that California resolve the “structural” problems with its budget—a model that he hopes will be implemented throughout the country. Many states face drastic budget deficits as well. . . In alliance with the state legislature and the Democratic Party, Schwarzenegger is now proposing devastating cuts that would bridge the gap between revenues and expenditures. This year’s general fund budget would be lowered by some $8 billion, to $92.4 billion. . . On May 26, the governor singled out more than 20 programs that would either be eliminated or greatly reduced as part of the new budget plan. On June 8, he announced an immediate halt to funding for most state contracts. . . Among the social programs to be eliminated outright are the state’s welfare-to-work program, CalWorks and the health insurance program for children. The imposition of these changes will transform California into the only region among industrially advanced nations that no longer protects poverty-stricken, one-mother families and their children. . . At a protest of disabled Californians before the legislature’s Budget Conference Committee, Will Lightbourne, Director of the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency said, “No civilized modern state has proposed this as a budget balancing ploy until now... When the safety net is eliminated in whole or part, all of the societal relationships are broken and what were communities become camps.” . . Ending CalWorks would result in an end to vital support checks for some half million mothers and their one million children. The average check per family is the ridiculously small sum of $651 a month, a sum that in California is insufficient to pay rent for even a modestly-priced apartment, let alone food, clothing and other vital necessities. In Lightbourne’s words, eliminating these grants for these families will result in their “immediate descent into homelessness—not poverty, because they are already in poverty, but complete destitution.” . . In addition to the proposal to eliminate CalWorks, the state government plans to close more than 200 state parks, eliminate funding for HIV/AIDs counseling, reduce state grants to low income elderly, blind and disabled to the federally mandated minimum and slash in-home care for the elderly and divert funds away from mental health programs. . . Almost $6 billion will be wrenched from the public education system, including K-12 education, community colleges, and the state’s two university systems over the course of the current and subsequent budget years (See “Public education devastated by California budget cuts”). . . The austerity measures being proposed, along with those already implemented, will produce a social catastrophe for the state—the effects of which have only just begun to be felt. Nearly 50,000 teachers will lose their jobs by next September, along with 5,000 state workers and tens of thousands in the private sector. Hundreds of workers in local governments will lose their jobs as well. . . The Schwarzenegger administration has proposed seizing nearly $2 billion from local governments, most of which are already under enormous financial strain. . . The city of Los Angeles has recently approved layoffs for 400 of its employees, along with a mandatory unpaid furlough day twice per month. And the city of Vallejo, which once served as the state’s capital, applied for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in May 2008, making it the largest California city to do so. . . Schwarzenegger defends the cuts as necessary. “If we don’t make these choices, I think that we will face catastrophic consequences because the state will simply run out of money and get insolvent, which we can’t afford to do,” said the Governor. . . In other words, in order to insure the interests of bondholders, the Schwarzenegger administration is engineering the bipartisan California version of the ‘General Motors scenario.’ In the same manner that the restructuring of GM was premised on sacrificing autoworkers’ jobs and living standards and bankrupting entire communities, the restructuring of California will require a wholesale attack on living standards for state employees and an end to social programs on which millions of Californians depend. . . This was made clear by Schwarzenegger on Saturday June 6. In response to questions from the Sacramento Bee, Schwarzenegger denounced the “unbelievable benefits” paid to public employees. . . The 2010 revenue projections, which include a year over year increase of $6 billion, hinge on a rapid economic recovery in the state. However, there is every reason to believe that the current crisis will continue, with tax receipts continuing to decline. California has the fourth largest unemployment rate at 10.2 percent, while also having the country’s largest number of unemployed workers in absolute terms. In the very likely event that the recovery does not happen this year, the budget cuts will be even more drastic. California Insolvency...Part 2 - Matthew Webb . 13 Jun 2009 20:11 . #810 Obama administration spearheads assault on workers in California . 12 June 2009 . California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, and the Democratic-controlled state legislature are using the economic crisis gripping the state as an opportunity to gut basic social programs upon which millions of people depend. . . This offensive against the working class in the state is being carried out with the backing of the Obama administration. . . On Wednesday, Schwarzenegger declared that he would let the state government come to a “grinding halt” if state lawmakers did not agree to budget cuts sufficient to cover a $24 billion deficit. The governor said he would not “under any circumstances” seek emergency loans. California will run out of cash by the end of July, according to the state’s comptroller, who warned of a financial “meltdown.” . . California’s budget deficit is bound up with the financial crash and recession that have overtaken the American and world economy. The state was a center of the US housing boom, and is at the center of its collapse. It has also been deeply impacted by the decline in international trade. The state’s economy is contracting and unemployment and foreclosures are soaring. The result is a sharp decline in tax revenues. . . The response of the state to the crisis is part of a broader process. The American ruling class is utilizing the deepest slump since the Great Depression to push through long-planned cuts in social programs and carry through a permanent reduction in working-class living standards. It is seeking to eliminate the very idea that government should provide basic social services and at least the modicum of a social safety net. . . The state government is seeking to eliminate billions from already starved education and health care budgets. Schwarzenegger aims to save $248 million a year by eliminating the Healthy Families program, which subsidizes low-cost health, dental and vision coverage for nearly a million children. . . Some $200 million a year is to be saved by eliminating the Cal Grant program for college students, even as cuts in education have led to soaring tuition and fees. . . California has already implemented $11.6 billion in cuts to education this year, and Schwarzenegger’s new proposals include an additional $5.8 billion over the next two years. These cuts will leave California, the country’s most populous state, ranking last in education metrics such as per-pupil funding and teacher-student ratios. . . Among the other proposed cuts: $80 million for HIV/AIDS programs targeting the poor and vulnerable, the closure of public parks across the state, and a sharp reduction in state grants to low income elderly, blind and disabled residents. . . The cuts are already having far-reaching repercussions. Tens of thousands of teachers face the loss of their jobs. State, city and local agencies are scrambling to shed costs through layoffs and budget cuts. . . Last month, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner rejected a federal bailout of the state, demanding that California and other states “put in place reforms that will restore their creditworthiness.” With these words, Geithner, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York prior to being named treasury secretary by Obama, spoke openly as the representative of the bankers. Wall Street demands a scorched-earth policy to make the American people pay for the crisis that the banks precipitated. . . In 1975, the Ford administration refused to provide assistance to New York City when it faced financial collapse, prompting the famous newspaper headline: “Ford to City: Drop Dead!” Today, the Obama administration is carrying out a broader and even more ruthless policy, with direct implications for every part of the country. . . No one in the administration, least of all Obama, attempts to explain why it is impermissible to bail out a state with 37 million inhabitants, while it is necessary to provide trillions of dollars to pay the gambling debts of billionaire bankers on Wall Street. . . The administration wants to use California as a model for the types of cuts that are to be imposed elsewhere. It sees the social devastation of California as a useful precedent for the assault on basic social programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security it intends to carry out. . . There is a definite parallel between the administration’s policy toward California and its policy toward the auto industry. Obama insisted that any aid to the auto companies be conditioned on massive job cuts and wage and benefit concessions from workers. In both cases, the aim is to carry through a fundamental restructuring of class relations in America, whose centerpiece is the destruction of the social gains won by previous generations of workers. . . The claim—promoted by the Democrats and Republicans and by the mass media—that there is no money to solve California’s fiscal crisis and there is no choice but to implement drastic cuts in social programs is a fraud. . . The budget deficit in California pales in comparison to the sums handed out to individual banks as part of the various bailout schemes, and it is a fraction of US government spending on the military. . . The deficit is also a fraction of the personal wealth of the tiny layer of super-rich at the summit of the economic ladder in California. The state is home to a significant proportion of the world’s billionaires. The net worth of Californian Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, is estimated at $22.5 billion—roughly equal to the state’s entire budget deficit. The personal fortune of this single individual could cover the entire deficit of the state. . . Such is the scale of social inequality in America. Even a ten percent tax on the wealth of California’s billionaires would more than cover the deficit. There are not a few individuals who could write personal checks to cover the costs of health care programs set to be shut down. . . The suggestion that the financial elite pay for the economic crisis it has created is absolutely rejected by the entire political establishment, in California as in Washington. The Democrats in the state legislature are proposing dipping into a “rainy day” fund to postpone some cuts, while working closely with Schwarzenegger to impose the crisis on the backs of the working population. . . The fate of what was once known as the “golden state” underscores certain facts. First, the current crisis represents the failure of American and world capitalism. The living standards and elementary needs of the vast majority of the people are incompatible with the continuation of a system based on private ownership of the means of production and the subordination of social needs to the accumulation of personal wealth by a financial aristocracy. . . Second, there is no possibility of the people effecting a change of government policy by electing one or the other party of big business. The Obama administration, elected by appealing to the social grievances of the electorate and promising “change,” is daily providing proof that the political system is impervious to the interests of working people. . . Third, the result of the policy of Obama and the Republicans will be the impoverishment of the American people. . . The development of mass opposition to these attacks is an urgent necessity. Workers in California must take a determined stand against all cuts and begin organizing now for mass actions, including demonstrations and strikes. New organizations must be set up to unify all sections of the working class in a common struggle against the dictates of the financial elite, linking the crisis in California with the crisis throughout the country and internationally. . . Above all, a new political perspective is required, based on a socialist program. The entire political establishment, in alliance with the trade unions, accepts that the economy must remain under the grip of the financial elite. There can, in fact, be no solution to the crisis facing working people outside of breaking the dictatorship of the banks, exercised through the twin parties of American capitalism. This means the transformation of the banks and giant corporations into public utilities under the democratic control of the working population—in California and throughout the United States—and the building of the Socialist Equality Party to lead the fight for a workers’ government. . . Joe Kishore Sweden/Baltic Economic Instability - Matthew Webb . 15 Jun 2009 17:50 . #811 Baltic economic instability threatens to spread to Sweden . By Jordan Shilton . 15 June 2009 . . Deepening economic problems in Latvia are threatening to spread throughout the region. The Baltic state, which received an IMF bailout worth approximately €7.5 billion at the start of the year, has revised its economic figures for 2009 downwards, forecasting an 18 percent contraction this year. On June 3, the government failed in its bid to sell state debt, raising concerns in financial circles that Riga may be forced to devalue its currency, the lat. . . Latvia’s central bank has been compelled to spend more than €200 million since the start of June in order to defend its sliding currency. Since the beginning of 2009, around €850 million have been expended to ensure the maintenance of its trading band with the euro. The lat is in a fixed exchange rate with the euro in line with Latvia’s plans to adopt the European currency in the coming years. But without additional support from the IMF, devaluation seems inevitable. Torbjörn Becker of the Stockholm School of Economics stated, “They’ve invested a lot of political capital to maintain their fixed exchange rate, but in the long term it’s unsustainable.” . . Devaluation would have a catastrophic effect on the Latvian population, faced with sharp price rises in the midst of a deep recession. Latvia’s economy is set to suffer the worst decline of all 27 EU member states. Unemployment rose to 17 percent in April, with Standard & Poors projecting a jobless rate of more than 20 percent by the end of the year. The credit rating firm has threatened to downgrade Latvia’s debt rating in the coming months. . . To avoid devaluing its currency, the government, which came to power in the aftermath of mass protests earlier this year, is implementing budget cuts agreed on with the IMF including wage freezes and cuts to public services. The latest package, scheduled for passage on June 17, will be worth more than €500 million. . . The IMF refused to grant Latvia the second instalment of its loan deal in March, since parliamentarians had stalled on proposed budget cuts in the lead up to recent local and European elections. With the elections over, the government is likely to press ahead. . . Even with the implementation of deep cuts, it remains unclear whether the IMF will grant the next instalment of Latvia’s loan. The current spending cuts will only bring down the budget deficit for 2009 to 9.2 percent of GDP, but the IMF has targeted a level of 5 percent as one of its conditions for providing support to Riga. Aidan Manktelow of the Economist Intelligence Unit pointed out, “There will still be an awfully long way to go to stabilise the economy. A further round of budget cuts is likely to be needed later in 2009, not to mention 2010.” . . The uncertainty over Latvia’s economic future has provoked concerns in ruling circles throughout Europe. Joaquin Almunia, the EU commissioner for Economics and Monetary Affairs stated, “The end of the lat [currency peg] would create...very serious difficulty.” . . Any devaluation of Latvia’s currency would likely trigger similar moves in neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania, as well as placing further pressure on the neighbouring Scandinavian economies. . . Concerns are particularly acute in Sweden. Estimates suggest that Swedish-based banks have outstanding credits totalling 500 billion kronor (nearly €50 billion) to the Baltic countries. Particularly affected will be SEB and Swedbank, which between them have loaned nearly 400 billion kronor. Swedbank, SEB and Nordea together account for half of all banking business in Latvia. The danger for these banks is compounded further by the fact that many of the outstanding loans were made to Latvian customers in euros. In the event that Latvia is forced to devalue the lat, repayments for such loans will rise sharply, increasing the likelihood of defaults. . . Swedish banks therefore reacted with relief to the proposed budget cuts, with shares in Swedbank, SEB, Handelsbanken and Nordea all rising. This followed on from heavy losses, with Swedbank shares having fallen by 15 percent and SEB stocks by 11 percent during trading on June 3. On June 8 the krona fell to one of its worst-ever exchange rates against the euro, with €1 worth 10.98 kronor. In the past two weeks, the currency has fallen by 2.5 percent and 1.7 percent respectively. . . Already in the first quarter of the year, SEB suffered losses of 2.4 billion kronor while Swedbank lost more than 6 billion kronor. Nearly three quarters of Swedbank’s losses were linked to the Baltic region and a further 1 billion kronor were lost in Ukraine, which also faces economic difficulty. . . As early as last August, international financial circles were warning Swedish banks about their involvement in the Baltic area. The IMF stated that economic turmoil there could provoke a “credit crisis” in Sweden, an outcome that is looking ever more likely. . . Swedish banks in Latvia are to be subject to police investigation, after reports that “aggressive” methods were used to collect money from borrowers. Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told TT, “We’re investigating certain methods when it comes to freezing companies’ accounts and taking over their deposits, quite aggressively I might add.” . . While Latvia’s economy presents the greatest cause for concern at present, neighbours Lithuania and Estonia face a similar recession. Estonia is projected to suffer an economic contraction of 15 percent this year, following first-quarter figures showing GDP down by 15.1 percent. The Tallinn government announced on May 21 a loan deal with Swedbank reportedly worth €50 million designed to stabilise state finances. . . In Lithuania, forecasts suggest that credit portfolios at the main banks could shrink by up to 16 percent this year. First-quarter figures had economic output down more than 13 percent, its worst recession since secession from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. . . Ruling circles in Sweden are increasingly worried about the impact of recession on its banking system. At the end of last month, the Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) announced its intention to borrow 100 billion kronor of foreign currency from the Swedish debt office in order to boost its currency reserves. On June 10, the Riksbank announced plans to borrow a further €3 billion from the European Central Bank. . . The Riksbank has extended a number of foreign currency loans to the banks since the onset of the economic crisis last September. In addition, it has entered into swap agreements with the central banks of three troubled states, Iceland, Estonia and Latvia. In a press statement announcing its plans for further borrowing, Riksbank governor Stefan Ingves declared, “We still need to be prepared for the eventuality that the financial crisis may be both severe and prolonged. This is why we need to strengthen the foreign currency reserve. This is part of our work to safeguard financial stability.” . . The Riksbank has also released its projections for the losses Sweden’s banks are likely to face in the next period. Although it suggested that €16 billion of losses over the next three years could be handled by the banks, it said that actual losses could amount to much more. Its estimate €16 billion was based on “a number of risk factors” that could turn out to be much worse, which included a further deterioration of economic conditions in the Baltic countries as well as a longer world recession. . . Any instability in the banking sector would immediately have an impact on state finances and on the population as a whole. While finance minister Anders Borg declared on June 3 that the banks had to take responsibility for their reckless lending in the Baltic, the reality is different. Sweden’s right-wing Alliance government passed a package worth 1.5 trillion kronor to support the banking system last November. . . While only Swedbank and SEB have received support thus far, this scheme will place the full burden of any banking crisis onto ordinary people. . . State finances in Sweden have already suffered over the past year, with a budget deficit of more than 100 billion kronor forecast for 2009. In the event that the government is compelled to make more funds available to the banks, this will mean deep cuts to public services and social programmes. . . The latest figures suggest a jobless rate of 11.3 percent next year, meaning that more than half a million Swedes will find themselves out of work. . . Concerned over the potential economic and social consequences, Borg urged the IMF and the “international community” to step in and provide Latvia with sufficient credit to stabilise the situation. Even if such measures are agreed to, there remains the real possibility of Latvia being unable to meet its obligations. 50 Days until State financial Meltdown - Matthew Webb . 16 Jun 2009 17:11 . #812 SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) – California lawmakers were poised to miss their constitutional deadline on Monday for a state budget, bringing the state's government closer to running out of cash. . . Democrats and Republicans in the legislature's budget conference committee worked through Monday afternoon on a variety of proposals addressing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to close a $24.3 billion budget shortfall, but they failed to find common ground on its most dramatic proposal: eliminating the state's welfare system. . . "This meeting is not headed in that direction," Republican Assemblyman Roger Niello said. . . California's revenues are plunging amid recession, rising unemployment and the prolonged housing crisis, and the state is unable to borrow its way out of its immediate financial trouble by issuing debt at low cost because of its budget gap. . . It will run out of cash within weeks if it does not balance its books, leaving it little option but to postpone a variety of payments, according to State Controller John Chiang, who estimated last week that California was "less than 50 days away from a meltdown of state government." . . Democrats, who control California's legislature, said their aim is to cut spending, but to maintain a base of government programs, including many for the needy. . . Republicans countered that only dramatic cuts will balance California's budget for its next fiscal year, which begins in July. . . Some state Assembly Democrats have talked about the possibility of increasing some taxes to raise revenues, but both Schwarzenegger and Republicans said no. . . Republicans have enough votes to block budgets from passing and have used the power in previous years to delay spending plans from reaching the governor's desk. . . In fact, the legislature has missed its constitutional budget deadline for more than 20 years running. It is not unusual for the government of the most populous U.S. state to begin its new fiscal year without a spending plan in place which is one reason why California has the lowest credit rating of any U.S. state. . . In most years, California officials have been able to rely on the state's growing economy to fill the state's government's coffers -- even as the bickered over budget plans. . . The sooner California has a budget, the sooner it will be able to approach Wall Street to sell short-term debt in the form of revenue anticipation notes to help smooth out its near term finances, according to the state treasurer's office. Talking about NCN - Matthew Webb . 19 Jun 2009 19:22 . #813 The following was said on Scottys’ log in the Communicate section of this site. My response follows; . . 18 Jun 2009 @ 18:54, by Scotty . . I can't help noticing how quiet NCN seems to be these days ! . . I have the impression that there's movement in only about six of the groups . and pretty much the same for the news logs ! . . As far as the conversation rooms are concerned ..it's a veritable blight ! . . . I don't want to harp on about 'how things were' ( hate that and anyway yesterday isn't now ! ) . But I'm not blind to the fact that there a bit of stagnation sludging up the arteries of this site ! . . When I first found newciv.org there was so much energy buzzing about it was sometimes quite electric ! . . Now (it seems to me ) it's limping along with a whimper ! . . Just wondering what happened ? . Just wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to go about injecting some positive energy into this terrific place! . . There's not another site on the net that comes up to New civs knees ! . There's not another site on the net that offers us what New civ offers us ! . There's not another site on the net like it ... point final. . . In the past a lot of people have been happy to put the 'blame' onto the shoulders of the webmaster because the site didn't do this or that or the other ! . Hard to believe isn't it - here in a site where the webmaster gives people complete freedom to do whatever they want to do ! . ( so much freedom in fact that he's often been asked to make and apply 'rules' LOL ) . . The blame for 'what' has never been quite clear to me ! . If anything has or hasn't happened here it's because the members haven't been big enough to bring it about - and that's nothing to do with the webmaster ! . . Lot's of people tend to blame 'society' for all that ails the world today - without realising that we are all of us 'society' . . If this site is to be alive and to mean something then it's up to the members to take the responsablitly and put some energy into what they'd like to see happening here and not blame others for their own disappointments !! . What is this 'blame' thing anyway except a waste of time and energy ! . . . . Anyone got any thoughts on the matter ? . Real thoughts I mean. . Not just a bunch of moaning and finger pointing with no 'solutions' to offer. . . I love this place . it seems logical for me to assume that the members who continue to use this place care about it too ...it seems logical to me that the 'users' can also be 'investers' ! . . . What's going to happen to this site ? . . On the other hand maybe nothing is going to happen - nothing needs to happen and everything is as it ought to be ! . . . Any ideas anyone ? . . . .( i'll take this page down in a couple of days) . . . ////////////////////// . . 19 Jun 2009 @ 19:16 by rishi : Getting real . Scotty; . . I share your dismay at the lack of dynamic motion and accomplishment here at NCN, and agree that what this site offers is unparalelled in terms of user options. But I'd like to point out that as a member of various other large forums, the very same trend of disuse and atrophy are evidenced EVERYWHERE. Posts are way down, chats are rarely used to do anything but gossip, and what little remains is largely personal in nature and not cause-oriented. As a case in point at NCN, Spells and I both have posted various articles, HUNDREDS actually over the years, giving precise recommendations as to "what to do" and "how to do it" in the living of a better life, and these have universally met with little to no real interest. BY "real interest" I mean genuine, in-depth conversations that are oriented to actual change and wisdom, not just idle comments designed to make the poster, "look good" and then everyone just walks away, "amused" but not CHANGED. . . It is clear to me and Spells at least, that this widespread condition has far less to do with anything specific to NCN, and far more to do with the continued degredation of world consciousness. There's a great deal of escalating pain and fear in the world today, discernable to anybody with a body and an ounce of self awareness. it is under such conditions that a sense of hopeless resignation takes over, and also, there's a lot more personal-survival focus going on, rather than an outreach based upon something more than personal concerns. . . Oh, but I am reminded that when you point out the diminishment of NCN you don't really mean the reduction of cause-oriented focus, do you? . . You said; . . Lot's of people tend to blame 'society' for all that ails the world today - without realising that we are all of us 'society' . . Rishi; . . No, we are NOT "all society". Society is the agreed upon norms of common thought...those who reject those norms and stand for completely different values and activities, belong to alternate ways of being. Society as the generally unquestioned norm is not only on the wrong track, it is clearly mass-suicidal and evil. It is based upon greed, ignorance and primitive egotism, and as such, is actively involved in its' own annihilation. There are those of us who have actively criticized that paradigm here for years, stating our cases with clarity and well-considered logic, while at the same time presenting clear alternatives to that suicidal paradigm based upon personal experience, efficiency and practicality... . . Scotty; . . If this site is to be alive and to mean something then it's up to the members to take the responsablitly and put some energy into what they'd like to see happening here and not blame others for their own disappointments !! . What is this 'blame' thing anyway except a waste of time and energy ! . . Rishi; . . Just what do YOU mean by "mean something"? When I say "new civlization" I mean it, and that implies fundamentally changing the old, failed ways to new and spiritually-focused, practcal and natural ones. Yet how many people here are even willing to seriously DISCUSS fundamental change of living, let alone actually carry it out? Are you? . . Continuing with what i was saying, I'd like to ask you what YOU have contributed to such practical discussion to change the status quo. Also, what have others here said or done to accomplish this? As for the "blame game" well, you get the world you pay for. If you're not willing to even discuss the rejection of the false in favor of what is true in any comprehensive fashion, they you get what you deserve...a failed forum and a failed world. . . ///////// . . Scotty; . . Anyone got any thoughts on the matter ? . Real thoughts I mean. . Not just a bunch of moaning and finger pointing with no 'solutions' to offer. . . ///////// . . Rishi; . . Yeah, I've got plenty of solution to offer, for this forum and the world at large. . 1) First, let's cut the trivial chit-chat and get down to serious business. Personal commentaries upon personal commentaries do not a better world or forum make. Let's talk about TRUTH instead. . 2) Second, let's be HONEST about what's happening in the world at large, which is mirrored at NCN. Let's talk about just how and why that world has gone wrong, and not meander this way and that in non-useful, non-practical and off-the-topic responses as though "any ol' thang" is an intelligent and meaningful comment. Lets' focus on practicality, efficiency, logic and truth in an honest fashion that KEEPS THE DISCUSSION GOING for more than just a few idle, shallow comments and then drops away as though there's better things to do like talk about sports, or trivia or gossip or our precious "human feelings" without end, while ignoring what's really going on in the world, or here on this forum. . . That's a start...I'm curious to hear what you and others will say about this. Two Summits and the Global Scene - Matthew Webb . 22 Jun 2009 18:30 . #814 Two summits in Russia: A cautious challenge to the US . By John Chan . 22 June 2009 . . Four emerging economic powers—Brazil, Russia, India and China, collectively known as BRIC—held their first summit in Russian city of Yekaterinburg on June 16. A summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which is led by Russia and China and includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, was held in the same city just a day before. . . . According to Chinese president Hu Jintao, the four BRIC countries account for 42 percent of the world’s population and contribute more than half of global economic growth. China and India are the only two major economies still growing at substantial rates amid the global financial crisis, albeit more slowly. Although Russia was hit hard by falling oil prices, it remains the only power with a nuclear arsenal that rivals the US. Brazil is by far the largest economy in Latin America and is rapidly developing trade ties with China. . . . Russian president Dmitry Medvedev described Yekaterinburg as a new “epicentre of world politics”, with the BRIC and SCO summits representing a group of emerging economies seeking to expand their international influence. In 2001, Russia and China established the SCO to counter the US influence and military presence in Central Asia. India, Pakistan, Mongolia and Iran are SCO observers, while Sri Lanka and Belarus have become “dialogue partners” this year like Afghanistan, which is a regular guest. . . . Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh attended the meetings for the first time, after sending only energy officials previously in order to maintain a distance from the Russo-Chinese grouping. The Bush administration wooed India as a strategic partner and counterweight against China, a policy that has continued under Obama. Russia, however, is attempting to restore the close relations it had with India during the Cold War by offering New Delhi access to Central Asian oil and gas and selling large quantities of weapons. China and India still view each other as regional rivals. . . . Singh’s mere presence raised the question of whether he was going to a “US-bashing forum”. Indian foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon was compelled to tell the media: “American bashing is an extreme word, there is no reason to categorise BRIC as US-bashing. These are the world’s four fast growing economies coming together to play a positive and constructive role. And, it’s not directed against anyone.” . . . Nevertheless, the anti-US tenor of the meeting was evident in the welcome given Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is confronting a concerned campaign at home challenging the validity of this month’s presidential election. While the US and European powers are tacitly backing the Iranian opposition leaders, BRIC and SCO members congratulated Ahmadinejad on his re-election. . . . Ahmadinejad told the SCO meeting that the US was a declining power: “It is absolutely obvious that the age of empires has ended and its revival will not take place,” he said. “Iraq is still occupied. There is no order in Afghanistan. The Palestinian problem is unresolved. America is overwhelmed by economic and political crises and there is no hope in their decisions. The allies of the United States are also not in a position to wrestle with these problems.” . . . Ahmadinejad represents a section of the Iranian bourgeoisie who regard China, Russia and their allies as a useful counterweight to US and Western pressure. China is now Iran’s largest export market, buying huge amounts of energy. On June 3, Tehran ditched the French company Total SA in favour of China’s CNPC for a $US5 billion gas field project in the Persian Gulf, effectively thumbing its nose at US-instigated sanctions on investment in Iranian energy resources. . . . Alexander Dugin, who heads the influential International EurAsian Movement in Russia, told Christian Science Monitor on June 16: “The SCO is evolving into a kind of organisation for countries that feel themselves excluded from the global system, who feel victimised by the US-dominated unipolar order. Now this unipolar world is being shaken to its foundations by economic crisis and imperial retreat, and it’s time to define a new project of a multi-polar world.” . . . A major theme at the BRIC summit was the replacement of the US dollar as the global reserve currency. Earlier this month, Russia announced its intention to reduce holdings of US Treasury bonds and was joined by China and Brazil. The three have agreed to buy International Monetary Fund (IMF) bonds, instead. Collectively, BRIC holds $1.711 trillion in US Treasury bonds, or 33 percent of the total foreign ownership of US federal debt. It is unlikely, however, that the BRIC countries, especially China, will abruptly dump their dollar assets, as such a move would potentially crash the US dollar. . . . Writing in the Financial Times on June 14, US economist Michael Hudson commented: “These governments face a hard choice: either recycle the dollars back to America by buying US Treasury bonds or let the ‘free market’ force up their currencies relative to the dollar—thereby pricing their exports out of world markets, creating domestic unemployment and business failures. US-style free markets hook them into a system that forces them to accept unlimited dollars. Now they want out.” . . . The consequences were far reaching for the US, Hudson warned. “The IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and other Washington surrogates are seen as vestiges of a lost American empire no longer able to rule by economic strength, left only with military domination. They see this hegemony cannot continue without adequate revenues and are attempting to hasten the bankruptcy of the US financial-military world order. If China, Russia and their allies have their way, the US will no longer live off the savings of others, nor have the money for unlimited military spending.” . . . Russia has been raising the need for a “super-national” currency, based on IMF Special Drawing Rights—a basket of currencies that would include the Chinese yuan and those of commodities producers like Russia, Australia and Canada as well as gold. Medvedev told the SCO meeting: “There can be no successful global currency system if the financial instruments that are used are denominated in only one currency. Today this is the case, and that currency is the dollar.” . . . Russia and China first raised the idea before the G20 summit in Britain in April. However, Beijing has been silent on the subject recently as any weakening of the US dollar would directly impact on its $1.5 trillion in dollar assets. Interviewed by truthdig.com, Hudson explained the explosive consequences if the US dollar lost its position as the international reserve currency. “We will have to finance our own military spending, and the only way to do this will be to sharply cut back wage rates. The class war is back in business. Wall Street understands that. This is why it had Bush and Obama give it $10 trillion in a huge rip-off so it can have enough money to survive,” he said. . . . Given the far reaching ramifications of any weakening of the US dollar, the BRIC communiqué was silent on the issue, stating only: “The emerging and developing economies must have greater voice and representation in international financial institutions. There is a strong need for a stable, predictable and more diversified international monetary system”. . . . China is seeking gradually to reduce its reliance on the dollar. This month, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proposed a plan to denominate Sino-Brazilian trade in their own currencies. China has struck similar deals with Argentina, Belarus and several Asian countries. This year China overtook the US as Brazil’s largest trading partner. China and Russia have also agreed to use their currencies in trade. China overtook Germany as Russia’s largest trading partner this year. The two countries signed energy deals worth a record $100 billion this year. . . . Russia has called for the SCO to establish a single currency initially as a unit of accounting within the group. “Let us recall the ECU [European currency unit], which was not precisely a supernational currency but served as a monetary unit, as a unit of account in European Community countries before the introduction of euro as the main reserve currency,” Medvedev noted. . . . The two summits at Yekaterinburg are a sign that relations between the major powers are undergoing a dramatic restructuring, with the US global position undermined by the world financial crisis. The shifting relations are leading to rising tensions between the major powers. . . . The two groupings—SCO and BRIC—are far from solid, however. Despite a shared desire to weaken US economic and strategic hegemony, China, Russia and India all have conflicting interests. Brazil remains primarily a Latin American regional power with few geopolitical interests in Central Asia. The SCO bloc holds joint military exercises but is far from being a formal military alliance. . . . China offered $10 billion in credit to SCO members struggling with the global credit crunch. While it welcomed the money, Russia insisted that the financing must be “transparent” in Central Asia—a veiled warning to Beijing not to undermine Russian influence in the region. To protect its auto industry, Russia has lifted tariffs, causing a sharp fall in Chinese car exports to its largest foreign market. Amid ongoing pricing disputes, Gazporm has postponed two planned pipelines to China. . . . Russia wants to encourage India into the SCO, but China backs its own ally—India’s rival, Pakistan. Moscow and Beijing encouraged Indian prime minister Singh and Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari to meet for the first time since the Mumbai terror attack last year. But the meeting ended abruptly after Singh told Zardari: “My mandate is to tell you that the territory of Pakistan must not be used for terrorism against India”. . . . The US is not going to sit by and watch China and Russia consolidate a rival bloc on the Eurasian landmass. The Obama administration is stepping up the US-led war in Afghanistan and pressing Pakistan to intensify military operations against anti-US insurgents operating inside its territory. At the same time, it is seeking to strengthen strategic ties with India. These growing rivalries are setting the stage for even greater conflicts as the major powers vie for economic and strategic dominance in this key region of the globe. The stock market and the real state of finance - Matthew Webb . 21 Aug 2009 02:04 . #815 Stock market gyrations reflect fears of protracted global slump . By Patrick O’Connor . 19 August 2009 . . Stock markets in the US and internationally declined sharply Monday before recouping some of their losses on Tuesday. The volatility reflects concerns that despite recent gross domestic product (GDP) growth registered by several major economies, the global economic crisis continues to deepen. . . The US Dow Jones Industrial Average index fell 0.8 percent Friday and another 2 percent Monday, before recovering somewhat with a 0.9 increase yesterday. Standard & Poor’s 500 index was up 1.0 percent yesterday after declining 2.4 percent Monday. . . A similar trend was evident on world markets. On Monday, China’s Shanghai Composite index fell 5.8 percent—its largest one-day decline since November last year, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 3.1 percent, the German DAX lost 2 percent, France’s CAC 40 fell 2.2 percent, and London’s FTSE 100 declined 1.5 percent. These markets clawed back some ground yesterday, but all remain lower for the week. . . The volatility coincided with Germany, France, and Japan reporting positive second quarter GDP growth. Many economists are also anticipating that US GDP will return to positive territory in the third quarter, in part due to the government’s “cash for clunkers” subsidy for new car purchases. . . “Markets are reflecting fears the world economy will have trouble weaning itself off government stimulus,” the Wall Street Journal commented. Several economists noted that the return to positive GDP growth is due to coordinated multi-billion-dollar fiscal stimulus measures, rather than any rebound in private sector economic activity. There are widespread fears of a renewed downturn once the stimulus impact ends. . . International Monetary Fund chief economist Olivier Blanchard warned that while there are signs of a “nascent recovery,” fiscal stimulus in most advanced economies cannot continue much longer because of mounting public debts. “The world is not in a run-of-the-mill recession,” he stated in a feature article for the IMF’s Finance and Development magazine. “The turnaround will not be simple. The crisis has left deep scars, which will affect both supply and demand for many years to come.” . . Blanchard emphasised that there was little prospect of a return to the “old growth path,” and that the positive GDP forecasts for many advanced economies in the next few quarters “will not be quite strong enough to reduce unemployment, which is not expected to crest until some time next year.” . . The IMF economist explained that a major reorganisation of the world economy remained necessary. China and other countries with large current account surpluses must lower net exports and boost growth through domestic demand, while the US and other advanced economies have to engineer “a shift from domestic to foreign demand”—that is, a permanent reduction in the populations’ consumption levels. . . These shifts will be accompanied by the elimination of wide sections of industry in the leading capitalist countries. Blanchard stated: “Changes in the composition of world demand, as consumption shifts from advanced to emerging economies, may require changes in the structure of production.” . . The IMF economist warned of the possibility that in the US, “fiscal deficits might be maintained for too long, leading to issues of debt sustainability, worries about US government bonds and the dollar, and causing large capital flows from the United States.” Blanchard insisted that the only way this scenario can be avoided, in the event further stimulus spending is required, is if “structural measures are taken to limit the future growth of entitlement programs—whether from rising health care costs or from the effect of ageing populations on retirement costs.” In other words, bedrock social programs must be gutted. . . These conclusions point to the fact that whatever the immediate fluctuations on the world’s stock markets and ups and downs of business activity, there is not going to be a return to the pre-crisis status quo. The old regime of capital accumulation—based on shifting manufacturing production from advanced economies to low-wage platforms, the explosive growth of financial parasitism, and promotion of debt-fuelled consumption—has broken down. In its place, the financial elite in the US and internationally is attempting to engineer a new equilibrium by advancing a sweeping restructuring agenda involving the further destruction of “excess” productive capacity, elimination of countless jobs, and a permanent reduction in the living standards of the working class. . . In this context, official discussion of a nascent economic recovery takes on an unreal character. Unemployment rises, consumer spending continues to decline, private investment remains depressed—and yet many leading US stocks have rebounded from record lows recorded last March. This is largely because corporations have been able to slash costs further than revenues have declined. . . Computer giant Hewlett-Packard, for example, yesterday reported making a $1.6 billion quarterly profit, despite seeing sales decline by 2.1 percent on an annualised basis. Its returns this year have been boosted by its recent takeover of services firm EDS, involving 24,600 layoffs, as well as an announcement last May of an additional 6,400 job cuts. . . At the same time, the financial system remains in crisis. No one knows whether the US banking system is solvent. The banks are holding on to massive volumes of toxic assets, declining to write them down or sell them off, while assigning them vastly inflated values to boost their balance sheets. . . The crisis has worsened since the 2008 crash, with declining economic activity feeding back into the banking system in the form of mounting bad debts. A recent report by the Congressional Oversight Panel monitoring the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) found that the value of one category of toxic assets on the books of the largest 19 US banks is up 14.3 percent since the beginning of the year. . . In an extended comment on the US economy published August 10, David Rosenberg, chief economist and strategist with Canadian investment firm Gluskin Sheff, noted that the S&P 500 index’s 49 percent gain in the five months since its March 9 low is “unprecedented back to the 1930s.” . . In the post-war period, Rosenberg continued, it has taken an average of 18 months for the stock market to rebound 49 percent after a recessionary low. Usually at the point of a 49 percent stock market rally, real GDP has expanded 4.5 percent, employment increased by 850,000, corporate profits recovered 12 percent, and bank lending increased by 5 percent. . . Now, however, real GDP, employment, corporate profit, and bank lending are all still declining. “We have never before witnessed a stock market rally of this magnitude over such a short time frame and absent anything more than tentative signs of economic improvement,” the economist noted. “The only rally of this magnitude was the wild bear market rally ride in 1930, which was followed by a resumption of the decline that finally bottomed 82 percent lower in 1932.” . . Rosenberg concluded: “This is the most speculative momentum-driven equity market since the early 1930s... What we have on our hands is a jobless, revenue-less, income-less, profitless and consumer-less recovery. It’s a one of a kind.” . . Recent data on US economic activity has borne out this conclusion: . . * The Labor Department reported yesterday that producer prices declined by 0.9 percent last month, reportedly due to lower food and energy prices. The decline in producer prices over the last twelve months is the sharpest since records were first kept 60 years ago. The latest monthly decline indicates persistent deflationary tendencies. . . * A Federal Reserve survey found that 30 percent of banks are further tightening conditions on consumer and small business loans, exacerbating the credit crisis. The banks are continuing to hoard the federal government’s bailout money. The Fed and Treasury Department, refusing to take any measures to force the banks to free up credit, have announced an extension of the Term Asset-Backed Securities Lending Facility (TALF) until the end of the year. This program involves the Fed purchasing banks’ securities that are backed by auto loans, credit card debt, business credit and commercial real estate. . . * Commerce Department figures released last week showed a 0.1 percent decline in retail sales from July to June, significantly worse than analysts’ estimates of a 0.8 increase. Excluding auto sales, retail activity fell 0.6 percent. Research company Retail Metrics has predicted that retailers will soon register a ninth consecutive quarter of falling sales. . . * Data on housing starts released by the Commerce Department yesterday showed that new home construction fell by 1 percent in July, with building permits also down 1.8 percent and housing completions down 0.9 percent from a month before. . . * RealtyTrac has reported that foreclosures hit a new record last month, marking the third monthly record set in the last five months. Foreclosure filings, comprised of default notices, auctions and repossessions, reached 360,000, up 7 percent from the previous month and 32 percent from a year earlier. . . * According to the National Association of Realtors, more than one-third of all house sales in the second quarter were “distressed sales,” that is, either foreclosures or short sales. Property prices continue to decline, with median home values reaching $174,000 in the second quarter—down 15.6 percent from a year earlier. . . Behind these figures is a growing tide of social misery. The strategy of President Barack Obama’s administration—like that of governments in advanced capitalist countries throughout the world—is to make the working class bear the entire burden of the economic crisis. At the same time, nationalist and protectionist tendencies are mounting as each national ruling elite seeks to outmanoeuvre its rivals—raising the spectre of militarism and war. Then National Debt - Matthew Webb . 25 Aug 2009 17:25 . #816 From a Yahoo-posted article.... . . By Alister Bull and Andy Sullivan Alister Bull And Andy Sullivan – . . WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. national debt will nearly double over the next 10 years, government forecasts showed Tuesday, challenging President Barack Obama's economic and healthcare overhaul agenda. . . The White House midsession budget forecast and the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office both forecast that government revenues will be crimped by a slow recovery from the worst recession since the 1930s Great Depression, while spending on retirement and medical benefits soars. . . The White House projected a cumulative $9 trillion deficit between 2010 and 2019, while the CBO took a more optimistic view, pegging the deficit at $7.1 trillion because it assumed higher revenues as tax cuts expire. . . The spending blitz could push the national debt, now more than $11 trillion, to close to $20 trillion. The debt is the sum the government owes, while the deficit is the yearly gap between revenues and spending. . . "The alarm bells on our nation's fiscal condition have now become a siren," said Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate. California Budget Crisis Worsens - Matthew Webb . 25 Aug 2009 17:34 . #817 California braces for new round of budget cuts . By Jack Cody . 25 August 2009 . . The 2009-2010 California budget appears to have been based on unwarranted optimism over the prospects of an early economic recovery, according to several state officials now pressing for additional cuts in social spending. Even as the devastating effects of the first round of budget slashing is being felt around the state, there are growing political chorus suggesting a second bout of cuts will be necessary, as economic data indicate there is no recovery in California’s foreseeable future. . . In late July, after a highly publicized stalemate, the Democrat-controlled California state legislature and Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed on a state budget that closed a $26 billion deficit by slashing $15.6 billion in state expenditures. Schwarzenegger signed the budget on July 28, but not before using his administrative authority to tack on an additional $489 million in cuts to social programs for the most vulnerable members of the state’s population. . . Working class students at all levels of education have been hit particularly hard by the budget cuts. Schwarzenegger cut $8.1 billion in public funds for education, including $6 billion from K-12 and the rest from the state’s community colleges and public universities. . . The University of California (UC) system consists of ten campuses, has a student body of roughly 222,000, and boasts of prestigious institutions such as UC Berkeley. The California State University (CSU) system is the largest four-year university system in the country, with 23 campuses and 450,000 students. Both the UC and the CSU systems have responded to the massive loss of funds by hiking student fees, cutting expenditures and decreasing enrollment. . . The UC system raised fees for the coming academic year by 9 percent over the previous year, and decreased incoming freshman enrollment by 6 percent. . . The CSU system raised fees by 32 percent, and announced plans to cut enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years. Many students at CSU campuses work, receive modest subsidies from their working class parents, or finance their education through some combination of the two. For thousands of working class students statewide, a 32 percent tuition hike will be an insurmountable obstacle forcing many to forego their education altogether. . . Officials from both the UC and CSU systems have recently indicated that the cuts and fee hikes enacted thus far offer, at best, a transitory solution to their respective budgetary crises. UC President Mark Yudof announced the UC campuses will lose $600 million in stimulus money next year while spokesman Claudia Keith said the CSUs will lose $640 million from the same source. Both systems say they are only currently solvent due to federal stimulus funds. Remove the funds, and the universities are back in the red, with no choice but to enact more ruthless cost-cutting measures. In the words of Yudof, “It is a question of being a great university or a crummy university.” . . In addition to working class students, public employees have suffered from budget cuts. . . The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the nation’s largest pension fund, reported a 23.4 percent drop in asset value last year. Under-funded pensions threaten to bankrupt many municipalities, eliciting a threat from Governor Schwarzenegger that he will pursue “pension reform.” . . Once again the word “reform” is being used as a euphemism for cutting benefits and, in this case, stripping retirees of their hard won pensions. One plan being proposed by the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility would require state workers to work, on average, six additional years in order to qualify for benefits. . . The Schwarzenegger administration announced last Tuesday its intention to lay-off 5,000 state employees in the coming weeks. The bulk of the layoffs will come from the Department of Corrections, which runs the state’s massive prison system. The prisons are already under-funded, overcrowded and highly volatile. On August 8 the Chino Institute for Men in Southern California erupted in riot (see: Prison riot in California: Budget crisis to make inhumane conditions worse). . . Last February, Schwarzenegger sought to save the state $1.3 billion dollars by imposing involuntary furloughs on 238,000 state workers for two days a month—in effect, cutting their wages by 10 percent per month. Schwarzenegger, at the time, cynically presented workers with an ultimatum: submit to a pay decrease or a portion of workers will bear the whole burden of the fiscal crisis through the loss of their jobs. Despite several months of furloughs, workers were stung this week with the announcement of 5,000 layoffs. . . Schwarzenegger, moreover, has made no guarantee that this will be the last round of layoffs for state employees. In fact Schwarzenegger’s deputy chief of staff, Vickie Bradshaw, specifically made it clear that “[t]his may not be the only layoff.” Bradshaw is deliberately understating the case. As the real economy of California continues to tumble, it is all but certain, including to the governor and his staff, that this will not “be the only layoff.” . . The unemployment rate in California climbed from 11.6 in June to 11.9 percent in July, the highest level for California since before World War Two. The state has lost 760,000 jobs so far this year. . . The Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA) reported Thursday that 15 percent of California mortgages are either delinquent or in foreclosure. This is the highest such total since the MBA began keeping records. California is above the national average, which is 13.16 percent, also the highest on record. . . As E. Scott Reckard and Ronald D. White of the Los Angeles Times noted, walking away from “underwater” mortgages—where the debtor owes more than the house is worth—began with speculators walking away from soured investment. It then spread to sub-prime mortgages for high-risk borrowers, and “is now hitting unemployed homeowners with good credit scores, clean financial histories and conventional home loans.... One in three new foreclosures from April to June was from a prime, fixed-rate loan, up from 1 in 15 a year earlier.” . . Most economists predict job losses will continue to mount well into 2010, as the job market usually does not stabilize until between six and nine months after the end of a recession. Even if the recession has already ended in California—a claim that bears little resemblance to reality—that would mean unemployment could easily rise until the third quarter of next year. According to Jay Brinkman, MBA’s chief economist, “We would expect delinquencies and foreclosures to peak sometime after [job losses], probably at the end of next year.” . . That does not bode well for the prospects of recovery in California, or for American capitalism more generally. Fully one third of new mortgage delinquencies in California in the second quarter came from low-risk homeowners with prime mortgages, a clear indication that the high levels of unemployment are contributing to the rise in mortgage defaults. As unemployment continues to mount the economy faces a further downward spiral that, according to Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi, threatens to derail the entire recovery. The unemployment feeds into the further collapse of the mortgage industry, creating more bad debt on the bank’s balance sheets. . . It is not unfair to say that Obama’s plan for the crisis has been premised entirely on the notion that the toxic assets will eventually regain some of their lost value. This assumption has not been borne out by real economic activity. . . While President Barack Obama handed trillions of dollars in public funds to Wall Street, his administration has rejected any bailout of California and other states bankruptcy by the economic crisis. On the contrary, the administration has used the fiscal crisis to push through a right-wing agenda of fiscal austerity long desired by the very same financial aristocracy that received the funds, and whose reckless racketeering led to the financial collapse. The “California model” is being used as a precedent to prop up the capitalist economy on the backs of the working class through decreased wages and a no-holds-barred attack on long standing social benefits, such as education, health care and housing. Banks in Trouble - Matthew Webb . 27 Aug 2009 17:10 . #818 By Karey Wutkowski and Steve Eder Karey Wutkowski And Steve Eder – 2 hrs 10 mins ago . WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of problem U.S. banks and thrifts on an official watchlist rose sharply to 416 in the second quarter of 2009 from 305 in the prior quarter, as the industry recorded a $3.7 billion loss. . . The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said on Thursday that the industry swung back to a loss in the second quarter after reporting a $7.6 billion profit in the first quarter, primarily due to costs associated with rising levels of bad loans and falling asset values. . . The agency's insurance fund used to safeguard bank deposits dipped 20 percent in the second quarter to $10.4 billion from $13 billion at the end of the first quarter. The decrease in the fund was chiefly caused by an $11.6 billion increase in the money the FDIC set aside for anticipated bank failures. . . Nevertheless, FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said there were signs of economic revival even as the banking industry struggled. . . "While challenges remain, evidence is building that the U.S. economy is starting to grow again," Bair said in a statement. "Banking industry performance is -- as always -- a lagging indicator." . . Regulators have shuttered 81 banks so far this year, compared with 25 last year, and three in 2007. . . "We expect the numbers of problem banks and failures will remain elevated, even as the economy begins to recover," said Bair. . . Despite the low insurance fund balance, Bair said the FDIC does not expect to have to tap its $500 billion line of credit with the U.S. Treasury Department "at this time." . . She also said the FDIC had not yet decided whether to charge banks another special assessment to replenish the fund, but said the agency's board would meet toward the end of the third quarter to discuss the issue. . . The FDIC has been already been collecting a special fee in the third quarter that totals more than $5 billion, and is authorized to charge two more special fees. . . The combined assets of "problem" institutions rose to $299.8 billion from $220 billion. Problem banks are troubled institutions whose regulatory rating has been downgraded due to issues related to liquidity, capital levels, or asset quality. . . PROBLEMS TO CONTINUE . . Bill Fitzpatrick, analyst at Optique Capital Management, said he expects the number of problem banks will keep rising. . . "These are smaller institutions but they hold a lot of commercial real estate loans and that market will continue to deteriorate," Fitzpatrick said. . . Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Jefferson Harralson saidconstruction loan losses related to residential real estate and development were depressing banks. . . "These numbers were fairly expected, and I expect we'll continue to see losses in construction," Harralson said. . . The FDIC's second quarter briefing comes a day after the agency approved new rules on private equity investment in troubled banks, softening an initial proposal that critics had warned could scare away badly needed capital. . . The FDIC reported on Thursday that more than one out of four U.S. banks was unprofitable during the second quarter. . . The losses came as the industry set aside more money to cover costs associated with deteriorating loans. The bank industry's reserves for loan losses increased by 8.6 percent to $66.9 billion during the second quarter. . . However, the industry did show some improvement. Net interest margins, or a bank's cost of funding, improved at a majority of institutions. . . Overall capital levels also improved. The industry reported that on average, the leverage capital ratio increased during the quarter to 8.25 percent from 8.02 percent. . . The combined assets of "problem" institutions rose to $299.8 billion from $220 billion. Problem banks are troubled institutions whose regulatory rating has been downgraded due to issues related to liquidity, capital levels, or asset quality. . . (Reporting by Karey Wutkowski and Steve Eder; Additional reporting by Joe Rauch and Elinor Comlay in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Banks in Trouble Part II - Matthew Webb . 29 Aug 2009 20:10 . #819 US government list of “problem banks” tops 400 . By Andre Damon . 29 August 2009 . . Figures released Thursday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) show that the banking crisis continues to deepen in the US. At the same time, a handful of mega-banks have increased their control over the financial system and are posting rising profits, due to the policies of the Obama administration. . . The number of firms on the FDIC’s “problem list” grew to 416 this quarter, up by 111 since March. A total of 81 institutions have failed so far this year. The list of banks in danger of failing now amounts to 5 percent of all banks in the US. . . “Problem” banks—those deemed to be at high risk of insolvency—held nearly $300 billion in assets at the end of June, up from $80 billion in 2008. Institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC lost $3.7 billion in the second quarter, mostly because banks wrote off $48.9 billion in bad loans and set aside $66.9 billion to cover potential future losses. The $48.9 billion in loan write-offs was nearly double the figure for the second quarter of 2008. . . Delinquencies on business loans doubled from a year earlier, and the total percentage of all loans and leases that were delinquent hit a new record of 4.35 percent, up from 3.75 percent in the first quarter. . . The FDIC report showed how the “toxic asset” crisis has spread beyond residential mortgages. In the second quarter, defaults on commercial and industrial loans more than doubled from the previous year. Write-downs on credit card loans increased by 84.5 percent, as a record 9.95 percent of all credit card debt became delinquent. . . Banks are holding $332 billion in loans that are more than 90 days past due and therefore at high risk of default. That is up by $41 billion since the end of March and the highest level since the FDIC began collecting data 26 years ago. . . The FDIC report noted that its deposit insurance fund, which protects the bank deposits of consumers, fell to its lowest level since 1993. Deducting funds earmarked by the FDIC for institutions likely to fail, the total deposit insurance fund fell to $10.4 billion, down from $45.2 billion in 2008. The fund guarantees $6.2 trillion in consumers’ deposits. . . Gerard Cassidy, a bank analyst at RBC Capital Markets, told the Wall Street Journal in an article published Friday, “We think there are hundreds of failures to come.” . . The state of the banks underscores the fragility of the economic situation. Not only are job losses mounting and the wages and benefits of working people falling, there is a real possibility of a new financial implosion. . . As banks have set aside more funds to cover potential defaults, their available lending pools have declined, and the banks have cut back their lending to consumers and businesses. . . In response to rising default rates, banks have compensated by sharply increasing interest rates and fees on loans to consumers and small businesses. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that banks in the second quarter collected $22 billion in service charges and other fees, more than double the first quarter. These predatory practices are exacerbating the economic difficulties of millions of indebted Americans. . . Despite the worsening of the economic situation for the banking sector as a whole, many of the largest banks are continuing to post profits and expect to pay out record bonuses. While the crisis is weeding out smaller and weaker banks, the larger institutions are flourishing amid a plentiful supply of cheap government credit and implicit assurances that they are “too big to fail.” . . Banks with $100 billion or more in assets are borrowing money at interest rates on average 0.34 percentage points lower than their smaller rivals, according to the Wall Street Journal. That advantage was only 0.08 percent in 2007. . . An article Friday in the Washington Post (“Banks ‘Too Big to Fail’ Have Grown Even Bigger”) noted: “The crisis may be turning out very well for many of the behemoths that dominate US finance. A series of federally arranged mergers safely landed troubled banks on the decks of more stable firms. And it allowed the survivors to emerge from the turmoil with strengthened market positions, giving them even greater control over consumer lending and more potential to profit.” . . The newspaper reported that JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America now each hold more than 10 percent of all deposits in the country. These banks, plus Citigroup, issue half of all mortgages and two-thirds of all credit card loans. In the past year alone, the ten largest banks have increased their share of bank deposits from 40.6 percent to 48.2 percent. . . The large banks are taking advantage of their monopolistic control over the market to drive up fees. The Post noted that in the past quarter these banks raised their deposit fees by an average of 8 percent, while the smaller banks lowered their fees by 12 percent. . . In 2008, during the height of the crisis, the government mediated a large number of high-profile bank mergers and takeovers, ostensibly in the interest of preventing a crisis of confidence. These mergers violated the government’s own rules and regulations. . . The Post reports: “JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo were each allowed to hold more than 10 percent of the nation’s deposits, despite a rule barring such a practice. In several metropolitan regions, these banks were permitted to take market share beyond what the Department of Justice’s anti-trust guidelines typically allow, Federal Reserve documents show.” . . Since these mergers, the Obama administration has, through a number of schemes, made available trillions of dollars in cash and cheap credit to ensure that these banks are “made whole.” . . “The oligopoly has tightened,” Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com told the Post. “There’s been a significant consolidation among the big banks, and it’s kind of hollowing out the banking system,” he added. . . The Wall Street Journal quoted Ed Najarian, head of bank research at International Strategy & Investment Group Inc., as saying that major banks which received billions of dollars in government bailout funds are “chomping at the bit” to buy failed banks from the FDIC. Referring to the FDIC’s dire report on the state of the banking system as a whole, he said the big banks were “looking at it as more opportunity to acquire banks.” . . This restructuring of the banking system, in which unprecedented economic power is concentrated in the hands of a few mega-banks, is the result of a deliberate policy by both the Bush and Obama administrations. The crisis precipitated by the speculation and profiteering of Wall Street is being exploited to increase the dominance of the most powerful sections of finance capital. Those overseeing the process, such as former New York Federal Reserve President and current Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, were themselves deeply involved in the practices that led to the deepest slump since the Great Depression. . . The term “financial oligarchy” used by the World Socialist Web Site to describe the nature of American society here acquires a very concrete meaning. With the active collaboration of the federal government, the largest banks are consolidating their grip on the financial system and on society as a whole. Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Gabriel Guevara . 2 Sep 2009 04:19 . #820 I found the WMS library many moons ago and it helped change my life. I joined this forum to promote this change, however all I have really seen is a focus upon the negative with the iron pillar of "truth" holding it up. . . Sure there are horrible things in the world and humanity is on a collision course with itself and mother nature. However, preaching to the choir changes little, and focusing on these negative aspects all the time only uses your own spiritual energy to promote these very same aspects of humanity. . . Make your peace with the world, work on forgiveness, and realize that everyone is where they have chosen to be. Anyone who appears here already knows pretty well about the ills of humanity, so show them the path higher! . . Blessings to you Matt, you have a charismatic influence which could make you a great teacher for many of the materialistically bound "intellectuals" out there with your focus and understanding of science. But, you would have to forgive them their ignorance ;) . . -Gabriel Re: Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Matthew Webb . 11 Sep 2009 00:16 . #821 The focus upon world/social facts is not negative. . . Liking a fact does not make it positive. . Not liking a fact does not make it negative. . . A fact merely IS. Those who don't like to be reminded of the state of mainstream society can call the facts "negative" all they want. This however, will not change the fact that they are SO. . . Until such a state of low consciousness changes (and the severe social and planetary crisis which is it's result) then nothing else will really aid the human condition. One of, if not THE first step, in solving any problem is to first acknowledge/admit that it's there. . . I have yet to see anyone on NCN sincerely admit that such a social crisis (low consciousness and wrong values) exists. I have yet to see even one person here say "I reject society". . . How about you Wizbik, will you say you reject society and admit that it is fundamentally wrong and insane? Or do you seek, (like everyone else) to make excuses for it, while fundamentally changing nothing? . . . . . . . . Re: Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Gabriel Guevara . 13 Sep 2009 07:58 . #822 You are correct, stating the facts is important and claiming ownership of our responsibilities is necessary. Yes, our society is definitely sick. The cultural programming we have been born into and which many of us propagate knowingly or not is flawed to such a degree. Our modern world is fast surpassing the ability of this old programming to cope with the changes! . . Do I reject society and call it insane? No. What I find are people who are fundamentally afraid, and the society that history has bestowed upon us has little spiritual guidance to offer the common man. Nearly everyone now realizes the world is unbalanced, and the recent trend of environmental awareness is an indication that people are finally coming to terms with this truth. . . I say you focus on the negative because that is what you are doing. Reverting to scientific "objectivity" and calling your statements "facts" in no way changes the "fact" of your behavior, which is that you focus on the negative acts of humanity. It is the intention behind ideas that matter, not the labels we give them. . . Pointing out every single way in which society is shooting itself in the foot does not help anyone. "Or do you seek, (like everyone else) to make excuses for it, while fundamentally changing nothing?" I make excuses for no one, and I point that statement back at you. What are you doing to change anything? You say you have rejected the world, yet you are fascinated by it's failings... . . You will next ask what I am doing. Well, I am smack in the middle of the world doing my best to help it in the form of teaching science to middle schoolers in the hopes that they will later be able to better understand the effects humans have on Earth. Its not much, and I don't reach thousands, but its the best I can do. . . -Gabriel . . PS: Your library was a great inspiration to me, and I value your criticisms of society. However, you need to let go of this aspect and continue with your more valuable spiritual insights and teachings. Don't reject society, send it your compassion, forgiveness, and understanding. Most people are just large versions of 5 year olds throwing tantrums and needing a lesson on sharing. . Re: Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Matthew Webb . 13 Sep 2009 22:36 . #823 Gabriel, . . You said; . . "Do I reject society and call it insane? No. What I find are people who are fundamentally afraid, and the society that history has bestowed upon us has little spiritual guidance to offer the common man. Nearly everyone now realizes the world is unbalanced, and the recent trend of environmental awareness is an indication that people are finally coming to terms with this truth." . . Matt; If you don't reject consumer society, then you're a willing part of it. . . The world is a lot more than "unbalanced"; it is mass suicidal. If people are, as you say, "coming to terms with this truth" then why is it they aren't talking seriously about changing the lifestyles of their wanna-be rich and famous daily focus? What good is a so-called "environmental awareness" if the very cause of environemntal destruction (overpopulation and consumerism) are never seriously discussed, let alone addressed competantly? Time is running very short...how long do you think humanity has left to jack-around with their half-baked environment fad, and still be around to casually talk it over? . . Given this I say that humanity as a whole is FAR from "coming to terms" with anything. As a whole they are in severe denial, society itself is an exercise in severe mental illness, and by and large there is no respect whatsoever for nature, natural laws or real spiritual progress. Fact is, most people don't want to hear it, and don't care about anything but themselves. Do you deny this? . . /////////// . . You said; . . "I say you focus on the negative because that is what you are doing. Reverting to scientific "objectivity" and calling your statements "facts" in no way changes the "fact" of your behavior, which is that you focus on the negative acts of humanity. It is the intention behind ideas that matter, not the labels we give them." . . Rishi; . . It's you that are calling the facts "negative" not because you disagree with the reality of those facts, but because you simply don't like to hear it, (just like everyvody else). If I'm focusing on the "negative" aspects of humanity, then by all means tell me what "positive" aspects I ought to be reporting on? International relations? The fact that the EPA is headed by corporate past-CEO's? The Iraq war? The fact that nine tenths of the population is on "mood stabilizers" (including kids on Ritalin)? If there is something "positive" to report that is at all meaningful, then tell me what and where that is. And I don't mean just website links and vague references...I mean actual subjects and developments. . . //////////////// . . Gabriel; . . "Pointing out every single way in which society is shooting itself in the foot does not help anyone. "Or do you seek, (like everyone else) to make excuses for it, while fundamentally changing nothing?" I make excuses for no one, and I point that statement back at you. What are you doing to change anything? You say you have rejected the world, yet you are fascinated by it's failings... . . ////////// . . Rishi; . . I have done all that can be done, in essence. It is not up to me to hold anyone by the hand and encourage them to take seriously what is best for them. . . Also, do tell what exactly DOES, "help anyone". . . I'd like you to take a moment and scroll down what I've posted on this work group, since its' beginning over 6 years ago. I'd like you to take careful note as to how many articles I posted on the expansion of consciousness, the improvement of the mind, on entheogens, meditation, intentional community, group mind, etc. etc. . . Then I'd like you to notice just how many comments that were actually addressing the material presented were given in reply. . . In all these years, (and this goes for my newslog as well) there has been only ONE comment to anything posted here or elsewhere. The rest were in essence just personal commentaries. . . Seems to me that the so-caleld "positive" approach didn't work too well either, what do you say? Seems to me that nobody really cares about such things...why?...because they are too steeped in society, to unquestioning, too accepting of what is poisonous, insane and downright wrong to be bothered to take such matters as seriously as they were/are intended. And that goes for you too...what comments/discussion have you engaged in all these years regarding the WMS Library materials, which you claim to be so inspired by? . . You said nothing then, but this "negative" approach got you to at least have something to say, didn't it? Consumer Meltdown [A re-thinking that is long overdue) - Matthew Webb . 20 Sep 2009 20:09 . #824 By DAVE CARPENTER, AP Personal Finance Writer Dave Carpenter, Ap Personal Finance Writer – 2 hrs 57 mins ago . CHICAGO – The stock market bounced back, just as it has for nearly three decades. It just doesn't feel that way. . . Last year's financial meltdown knocked the swagger out of Americans' views toward investing. The baby boomers who forged the Reagan bull market; survived the 1987 crash; bought Amazon.com at $2 a share and sold at $100; brushed off the collapse of the dot-com bubble and kept plowing money into their 401(k)s are reassessing what they once believed. . . It's hard, after all, to keep the faith in buy-and-hold after the market crashed harder than at any time since the Great Depression. It's hard to trust your financial adviser after Bernard Madoff stole billions from his clients. Most of all, it's hard for a generation that equated personal finance with investing in stocks to accept that the rules have changed. . . People are still investing. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 58 percent since hitting a 12-year low on March 9. 401(k) participation rates have held steady. . . But financial planners around the country say there is a sense that people are returning to basic principles that were shunted aside: Maximize your savings; limit your use of credit cards; keep a substantial emergency fund; know how much risk you can tolerate; diversify your investments; don't try to short-cut your way to wealth. . . "Before the market chaos, there was a very low savings rate, inappropriate use of credit cards, too much risk in investments, excessive spending on residences," says Tom Warschauer, a finance professor at San Diego State University. "Virtually every type of financial decision was being made in a kind of fairyland atmosphere, thinking 'This will lead me to be better off' when in fact that was never the case." . . Warschauer, who also sees clients as a certified financial planner, predicts the new behavior could last for a decade. Others financial planners say people still believe in the market; they're just more realistic. . . "People were in shock for a while. Now they're reassessing their situation and being very pragmatic, especially about their retirement," says Mark Jamison, a vice president at financial services firm Charles Schwab Corp. "They are learning that if you're willing to work a little more, spend a little less, take Social Security later, things can still work out all right." . . ___ . . The jolt to investors hurt so much because it hurt so many. . . A generation ago, most people had no direct stake in the daily dealings on Wall Street. Fewer than 6 percent of households owned mutual funds in 1980. Four years later that number had more than doubled, thanks to the birth of the modern-day 401(k) and an economic boom that followed the severe recession of 1981-82. It nearly doubled again, to more than 24 percent, in 1988. By the turn of the century about half of all households owned them. . . Wall Street can thank the baby boomers for that. They bought the idea that stocks would always go up — or if they fell, that they would rebound quickly. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 23 percent on Black Monday in October 1987 — its largest one-day percentage drop. But it took just 15 months to make that up. And a decade later the Dow had nearly quadrupled from there. . . Boomers piled their money into the latest market fad — whether it was biotechnology stocks, the Internet or exchange-traded funds. They put the money for their children's college education in 529 plans and saved for retirement by investing in 401(k)s and IRAs. . . Then came the crash. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 55 percent of its value from October 2007 to last March. Even with the recent bounce back, it remains 32 percent below its peak. . . And with three-plus months to go, it has been a lost decade. The S&P began 2000 at 1,469 and is now 27 percent lower at 1,068. This decade trails only the 1930s as the worst in the modern investing era, and not by that much. Losses this decade have averaged 3.2 percent annually, compared with 5.3 percent a year in the '30s. . . The market turmoil has lengthened careers and delayed retirements. . . David Sinclair, 62, of Rio Rancho, N.M., retired in 2007 from his job as budget officer for a federal agency. He was confident his savings of more than $500,000, bolstered by a government pension, would be enough to support him and wife, Debra. He had spent 20 years playing by the rules and carefully planning for retirement. . . But then the value of his portfolio fell 33 percent, and he ended up back at work at his old desk. . . "One of my goals when I retired was to do a lot of traveling," he says. "With the way things were going, it became pretty apparent that I'd be lucky to take a trip every three years." . . ___ . . It might seem we've been here before — in this decade. . . The collapse of the dot-com bubble, the terror attacks on Sept. 11 and a recession sent the stock market reeling to three years of double-digit losses from 2000-02. . . Then it was over. As in the past, the consumer helped the economy roar out of recession with a surge in spending. Stocks rebounded 26 percent in 2003 to start a five-year run that lasted through 2007. . . Why can't it happen like that again? . . Consider: . . • The tech crash was different. The stability of the entire financial system was never in jeopardy, as it was with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and the tech crash didn't affect all investors. . . "It was sobering, but if you held (mostly) non-tech stocks you did well," says Austin Frye, a certified financial planner in Aventura, Fla. "The lesson from that was you need to spread your money around a little." . . • The first baby boomers turn 65 in just two years. When that happens, the 78-million-strong group will begin the long process of removing its wealth from the market. . . There is evidence that the nation's love affair with stocks is already ebbing. Just 45 percent of U.S. households owned stocks or mutual funds by 2008, down from 53 percent in 2001, according to the Investment Company Institute, a mutual fund industry trade group. That number is unlikely to increase as the biggest, richest and most invested generation starts to cash out. . . • The consumer is tapped out. Even as their stock portfolios begin to recover, consumers are left with deflated home values and debts piled up during the boom years. If they spend less and save more for years, as many predict, corporate profits may be sluggish and stock gains muted. . . • The U.S. economy will be wrestling for years with the effects of the Great Recession and the record amount of government debt it spawned. That could lead to higher taxes. At the same time, a share of global wealth is gradually shifting to markets in developing countries, especially China and India. . . • For many, cash and bonds have become the new stocks, reflecting investors' desire for safety and security. . . About two-thirds of the money flowing into the $11 trillion U.S. mutual fund industry in the second quarter went into bond funds and one-third went into stock funds, according to the research firm Strategic Insight. That's roughly the reverse of the pre-crash ratio. . . Bonds have far outperformed stocks this decade. While the S&P has been taking a beating, a benchmark bond index has posted 6 percent annualized returns and an 83 percent cumulative return since the start of 2000, according to Morningstar, an investment research firm. . . Typical of many financial advisers, Joy Slabaugh of EST Financial Group in Delmar, Del., says liquidity is a priority of her clients. . . "People are leaving tons of their money in cash and not wanting to move it," she says. "They want it to be cash, they want it to be FDIC-insured, and that's that." . . And it's not just the little guy who is cooling on stocks. Some financial professionals have questioned the buy-and-hold approach to stocks, along with the strategy of putting 60 percent of a portfolio in stocks and 40 percent in bonds. . . Money manager Rob Arnott says the past year has challenged some basic premises behind what he calls the "cult of equities." . . "There's nothing wrong with stocks if you buy them at sensible prices," says Arnott, chairman of Research Affiliates in Newport Beach, Calif. "There's something very wrong with buying stocks when they're terribly expensive, and assuming that time will heal all. . . "The notion that stocks will always help us if we're patient — well, how patient do you have to be?" The Global Jobs Crisis (and others) - Matthew Webb . 20 Sep 2009 20:18 . #825 The global jobs crisis . 18 September 2009 . New reports on unemployment, poverty and hunger released this week demonstrate that the global economic crisis is being used to effect a basic restructuring of social relations characterized by long-term high unemployment and the impoverishment of the working class. . . . An Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study released Wednesday reports that by the end of 2010, 10 million jobs will likely be lost among member states, bringing to 25 million the number of jobs eliminated in the thirty-member group of industrialized nations since the economic crisis began at the end of 2007. . . . The OECD unemployment rate climbed to 8.3 percent in June, the highest on record dating back to World War II, and a sharp increase from the close of 2007, when unemployment stood at 5.6 percent. . . . Among member states, Spain has the highest unemployment rate, at 18.1 percent, and is joined by two other countries hard hit by the housing bust—Ireland and the US—with the sharpest increases in unemployment this year. Since the beginning of 2007, unemployment rates in Spain, Ireland and the US have increased by 9.7 percent, 7.8 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. . . . Official unemployment in the US stands at 9.7 percent and will surpass 10 percent next year, the OECD predicts. Unemployment levels in Germany, France, Italy and Canada are expected to rise rapidly by the end of next year, reaching 11.8 percent, 11.3 percent, 10.5 percent and around 10 percent, respectively. . . . The OECD report singles out high unemployment among youth as a particularly dire problem. For 15-24 year-old workers, the OECD predicts that unemployment in Spain will rise to nearly 40 percent next year, in Italy and France to about 25 percent, in Turkey to 23 percent, and in the UK and US to around 18 percent. . . . The trend toward impoverishment among young workers is substantiated by a report in Friday’s USA Today analyzing recent American census data. The newspaper concludes that the incomes of young and middle-aged workers “have fallen off a cliff since 2000.” . . . “People 54 or younger are losing ground financially at an unprecedented rate in this recession,” the article reports. It notes that “household income for people in their peak earning years—between ages 45 and 54—plunged $7,700 to $64,349 from 2000 through 2008, after adjusting for inflation.” Only workers born before 1955 have seen even a marginal increase in their incomes since 2000. . . . It is understood, moreover, that the jobs, pay, benefits and social spending being eliminated in the recession will not come back. . . . The OECD study warns that “a major risk is that much of this large hike in unemployment becomes structural in nature,” while a recent Time magazine story anticipates that unemployment in the US is likely to remain between 9 percent and 11 percent for years to come. . . . “It’s not hard to imagine,” Time says, “a country sprouting listless Obamavilles: idled workers minivanning aimlessly through overleveraged cul-de-sacs with no way to pay their mortgages, no health care, little hope of meaningful work and only the hot comfort of angry politics.” . . . The economic crisis is also ravaging workers in so-called “developing” nations. . . . A new report from the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) reveals that more than one billion people, or about one in every 6 of the earth’s inhabitants, will experience hunger this year. Hunger is most widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, but it is also growing among workers in advanced capitalist countries like the US. . . . And a report issued Wednesday by the World Bank predicts that the economic crisis will force 89 million more people into poverty by the end of next year, largely in poor countries. Worse, governments of “developing” nations are responding to the economic crisis by slashing already meager social spending on education, infrastructure and health care, the report warns. . . . OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría noted that governments have “thrown trillions and trillions and trillions” at the economic crisis. But he warned that “employment is the bottom line of the current crisis. We cannot claim victory because we see economic indicators going up. We should not assume that (gross domestic product ) growth will take care of this.” . . . World Food Program Executive Director Josette Sheeran noted that the $3 billion budget shortfall her agency must bridge in order to feed 108 million people globally is less than one one-hundredth of one percent of the tens of trillions world governments have allocated to the major banks in their bid to prop up the financial order. . . . It is not an accident that multi-trillion-dollar bailouts of the banks have been accompanied by growing unemployment and poverty. The defense of the personal fortunes of the financial oligarchies that rule the major economies necessitates a ruthless attack on the jobs and living standards of the vast majority of the world’s population. . . . The overriding concern of President Obama and his G20 counterparts, who are about to gather in Pittsburgh, is not the rising tide of joblessness and social misery, but the profit margins and share values of the big banks and corporations. Using that measure, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday declared “the recession is very likely over at this point.” . . . For the vast majority of the world’s population, the economic crisis has only just begun. . . . The new reports make clear that the social crisis is fundamentally international in scope and in its origins. It follows that unemployment and poverty cannot be fought on the basis of a nationalist perspective and protectionist measures that aim to beef up the revenue of particular national industries—the perspective promoted by the official trade unions of every country. . . . What is required is a coordinated offensive by the international working class on the basis of a socialist and revolutionary program that aims to reorganize the global economy to meet social needs rather than the profit imperatives of the various national elites. . . . Tom Eley Iraq War Resister - Matthew Webb . 1 Oct 2009 20:57 . #826 US Army abandons effort to court-martial Iraq war resister . By Peter Daniels . 29 September 2009 . . The US Army, admitting defeat in its more than three-year effort to punish First Lt. Ehren Watada for refusing to deploy to Iraq, is allowing the Hawaiian-born soldier to resign from the military on October 2. He will be granted a discharge “under other-than-honorable conditions,” according to his lawyer. An Army spokesman said regulations allowed for “resignation for the good of the service in lieu of general court-martial.” . . . Watada, now 31, was the first officer to face court-martial charges for refusing to serve in the Iraq war. He did not ask for conscientious objector status, instead courageously attacking the US invasion as a war of aggression. He said he refused to be a party to war crimes, and was charged in July 2006 with three counts: one count of “missing movement” stemming from his refusal to deploy with his unit to Iraq in 2006, and two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer in connection with public statements explaining his reasons for resisting the war. He faced up to six years in prison if convicted. . . In one of the statements the Army considered “unbecoming an officer,” Watada said, “It is my conclusion as an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law. As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order. ... The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of Iraqis is not only a terrible and moral injustice, but it’s a contradiction to the Army’s own law of land warfare. My participation would make me party to war crimes.” . . The original court-martial, in February 2007, ended in a mistrial after a ruling by a military judge. A second court-martial was stopped by a federal court ruling in the state of Washington, near Watada’s base at Fort Lewis, later that year. The district court judge ruled that such a trial would amount to double jeopardy and would therefore be unconstitutional. . . Watada enlisted in the Army in May 2003, later explaining, “I believed the [Bush] administration, like many Americans out there, when they guaranteed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, ties to Al Qaeda, and Saddam had ties to 9/11.” . . Watada described how, in light of “the abuse and mistreatment of detainees in Abu Ghraib, the accounts of Iraqi civilians, the accounts of independent journalists, and the accounts of American soldiers coming back home, I began to look deeper into the legality of the war itself … any war that you are forced to participate in that is not a war of necessity is a war of aggression and is the worst crime against humanity and the worst crime against the peace.” . . In another comment after he was first charged in 2006, Watada spoke of the economic and social conditions driving young people to enlist in the military. “It’s the 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds that really don’t know their rights, don’t know what they are getting into, so are at a really huge disadvantage. If they realize that they are opposed to the war, they have no way out. There is that socioeconomic disadvantage—it is a type of draft.” He said that “using these people for an unjust and illegal war … is tragic.” . . The Army’s decision to abandon their case against Watada reflects a recognition and fear inside the political and military establishment of the enormous unpopularity of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Watada’s lawyer, Kenneth Kagan, explained that the Army had up to now refused to allow the soldier to resign. “This time, however, it was accepted, apparently only when the Army realized it could not defeat Lieutenant Watada in a courtroom.” . . The author also recommends: . . . US federal court blocks second court martial against Army war resister . [15 November 2007] Re: Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Gabriel Guevara . 12 Oct 2009 06:37 . #827 So you want me to expound on the wonderful importance and inspirations that your teachings have given? Well, basically your writings helped me to come to terms with the reality of expanded consciousness. That we are all connected on a deeper level, and that such a level is accessible to us at any time is something bordering on ESP, psychic, paranormal, etc. Things not generally accepted as "sane" ideas. This was a very important step for me since I come from a highly cognitive and scientific background. Anyway, you should be HAPPY that people read your material. And then if someone compliments you and yet has never asked questions, you should be INCREDIBLY happy that they understood what you wrote. . . I'm sorry if I came off as overly critical of you since I don't personally know you and your predispositions. Perhaps you are a very happy and blissful being that is merely trying to point out some truths to people that need to hear it. . . My comments are merely coming from a perspective of having followed your writings in the past 4 or so years, both the library and these discussions. If you feel so threatened by my comments (which I have tried not to make into a personal attack) that you must return to me with personal attacks and stereotyping then I am sorry I opened such a sensitive topic. . . Truthfully, I am not one who wants to pretend the world is "fine", just the opposite. I see so much horror, so many avenues of sickness that I get rather depressed whenever I read of it. Your writings began as a cautionary tale with lots of "truth" about society, but were mostly focused upon inspirational and transcending material. . . Over the past few years I have seen a focus solely on negative aspects of society with little to no constructive criticism. Your only advice is that people "must realize" this truth and "change". However, you give no advice on how to change our society in a manner that is honest about the realities of how human society works. Your solution mostly sounds like "if everyone would just live like buddha!" . . Anyway, very recently you've started complaining about people leaving. One complaint was commiserating with the person who runs newciv network about the drop in traffic, and negative characterizations of "people". You are bitter, at least through your writings on newciv. You have a negative energy around your writings. Negative is a characterization, maybe I should say "low energy". Almost all of your Library writings are counter to your current replies to me. . . Instead of trying to build a community, you want the community to form around you and your ideals of "correctness". You want everyone to support you otherwise we are just "consumers" promoting the "madness". Sorry bud, even you are a consumer of some sort. Congrats on escaping nearly any involvement in societies "mass suicide", however realize that every piece of tech you use, especially your computer, was made at a horrific cost to the environment. . . And how do you use it? Drive away the people trying to maintain any discussion with you, destroy the very purpose of the net. . . Lose the ego (not like I've lost mine, but y'know do as I say etc.) . . -Gabriel . . . One Billion Starving and a 10000 Dow - Matthew Webb . 14 Oct 2009 23:40 . #828 I invite the reader to compare these two article pieces via Yahoo today, and reflect deeply upon the implications of that comparison…. . //////////// . 1 Billion going hungry… . By TOM MALITI and ARIEL DAVID, Associated Press Writers Tom Maliti And Ariel David, Associated Press Writers – 2 hrs 49 mins ago . NAIROBI, Kenya – Parents in some of Africa's poorest countries are cutting back on school, clothes and basic medical care just to give their children a meal once a day, experts say. Still, it is not enough. . A record 1 billion people worldwide are hungry and a new report says the number will increase if governments do not spend more on agriculture. According to the U.N. food agency, which issued the report, 30 countries now require emergency aid, including 20 in Africa. . The trend continues despite a goal set by world leaders nine years ago to cut the number of hungry people in half by 2015. . "It's actually a world emergency that calls for action from both developing and developed countries," said Otive Igbuzor, the head of international campaigns for ActionAid International. . "We know a child dies every six seconds of malnutrition," he said. . ///////////////////////// . NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow industrials pierced the 10,000 level on Wednesday for the first time in a year on surprisingly robust company results and better-than-expected retail sales. . With major indexes up more than 1 percent, the Dow's milestone shows how far the market has come since last year when investors fled collapsing financial markets as the economic outlook soured. Analysts said the more than 50 percent rise off the 12-year lows hit in March could encourage more investors to buy stocks. . "Dow 10,000 may be largely psychological, but with tremendous levels of cash on the sidelines this may still be a call to action for investors," said Lawrence Glazer, managing partner at Mayflower Advisors in Boston. . The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI:^DJI - News) rose 144.80 points, or 1.47 percent, to 10,015.86. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (^SPX - News) gained 18.83 points, or 1.75 percent, to 1,092.02. The Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq:^IXIC - News) put on 32.34 points, or 1.51 percent, to 2,172.23. Re: Focus upon the negative? Draw it to you? - Gabriel Guevara . 24 Oct 2009 05:33 . #829 See? More personal attacks, more statements on how horrible the world is. . . You know, I'm a teacher and I found out that constantly pointing out the negative behaviors of kids gets only one response: resentment. If you want to criticize people and not be a hypocrite you had better be able to show the "light at the end of the tunnel". If you can't do that, you are simply a hypocrite who's very means of living is DEPENDENT on a gasoline powered home.... I don't care one whit whether your impact is more or less than other people, you are still a hypocrite for depending on methods that society provides. . . You are a selfish person who's ego is so self-aggrandizing that you just lash out at people from your pillar of ultimate wisdom. . . L oh fucking L. . . Get over yourself and realize exactly WHY no one posts on your site. I'm a member of other sites where people are serious about spiritual evolution, positive and upbeat about life (usually), and trying to make the world a better place. . . All you can say for yourself is you wrote some cool articles, lowered your own carbon footprint (still hypocritical, and what will you do when society kills itself and won't make gas, oil, or tires for your van?) and have tried to build a community with yourself at the center and tearing apart anyone who doesn't toe the "party line" which is Chairman "Rishi". . . "To the rishis, bliss (ananda) was more than the expansive feeling of ecstasy. It was the basic vibration, or hum, of the universe, the ground state from which all diversity springs... the possibility for creation to manifest. Bliss itself is far from the feeling of happiness or even joy, though in diluted form it can be experienced as both. It is simply the vibratory connection that allows pure consciousness to enter into creation" . . I believe you have perhaps achieved a glimpse of these areas, but your daily life is OBVIOUSLY not coming from the standpoint of bliss. If you were truly a Rishi, I doubt (from the above description) that you would find the world such a bleak, dreary, and miserable place. . . "Fact is, most people don't want to hear it, and don't care about anything but themselves. Do you deny this?" . . Most people DO want to hear it, but they have been conditioned to not recognize it except through their preferred medium (religion). People do care about more than themselves on the majority, but most people have not learned HOW to think beyond their immediate lives. Its not like people are trying to be so crazy, its just that they don't know any better. The ones who do and still don't change? Well, they are like you. They look at the world, say "wow that shit is crazy and there is no way I'll make a difference" so they give up and become cynics. Not that you didn't try, but you gave up hope, you gave up optimism, because in this little corner of the net you've met people who need time to absorb and process yet you gave them the boot by attacking and insulting them. . . I have checked around on occasion, and every positive influence has taken off when they realized that the negativity here is not going to change. As a leader you have failed. Tell everyone the world is gonna end and they are the sinners, and voila you are alone. . . If you can't master this most basic aspect of teaching you need to stop trying and just let your library grow as you add to it. Interacting with the people and trying to teach is obviously not healthy for anyone involved. . . Good luck to you Matt. . . -Gabriel . . PS: you can't expect a whole society to change overnight without government stepping in with the national guard, and then you'd have a civil war I guarantee. win win? Are you a proponent of depopulation through murder? There, a way to solve one of societies "insane problems" :P . . The real face of the economic crisis - Matthew Webb . 1 Nov 2009 21:24 . #830 US: GDP figure masks deepening economic crisis . By Barry Grey . 30 October 2009 . The Commerce Department on Thursday reported that the US gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.5 percent on an annualized basis in the third quarter (July through September), breaking a string of four consecutive quarters of negative growth. . . . President Barack Obama hailed the report as “welcome news” and “an affirmation that the recession is abating and the steps we’ve taken have made a difference.” Wall Street rallied on the report. The Dow gained 200 points, reversing a week of losses and nearing the 10,000 mark once again. . . . The reported increase in the growth rate topped most forecasts. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast 3.2 percent GDP growth for the quarter. . . . Many media outlets and economists were quick to declare that the GDP rise meant the recession which officially began in December of 2007 was over. . . . However, as a number of analysts pointed out, the scale of the increase provided a distorted picture of the real state of the economy, which remains dominated by rising unemployment, falling wages and near-record low rates of factory usage. . . . Nearly 63 percent (2.2 percent) of the 3.5 percent increase in GDP was due to temporary government tax credits to consumers that have either expired or are set to expire next month. Federal outlays added another 0.6 percent to growth. . . . More generally, the GDP rise was the inevitable result of an unprecedented funneling of public funds into the financial system, totaling at least $11 trillion to date, according to most estimates. This diversion of resources to the financial elite has resulted in vast and unsustainable budget deficits and precipitated a sharp decline of the dollar on world currency markets, undermining the status of the US currency as the world reserve and trading currency. The outcome is a short-term boost in growth—one that is still insufficient to bring down the jobless rate—which paves the way for even greater financial and economic convulsions in the coming months. . . . The temporary spurt in economic growth has been carried out at the expense of the working class. Corporate profits have rebounded, but almost entirely on the basis of deep and widespread job cuts and reductions in wages and hours of work for those able to hold onto their jobs. Profits at some of the major Wall Street banks that received tens of billions of dollars in government cash as well as many billions more in cheap loans, debt guarantees and other subsidies have also surged. The big banks are leveraging their government handouts to return to the speculative practices that precipitated last year’s financial crash, while awarding their executives and traders record bonuses and pay packages. . . . A vast redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top, combined with intensified exploitation of the work force, has helped fuel an upsurge on the stock market. The S&P 500 stock index has risen by 60 percent since its low point last March. . . . The GDP figure reflects, in short, a fragile recovery for the ruling elite based on growing economic distress and social misery for working people. . . . Fully 1.7 percentage points, or nearly half, of the 3.5 percent growth figure came from motor vehicle output—the result of last summer’s “cash for clunkers” subsidy to car buyers, which expired at the end of August. That spurt in auto production was reversed in September, which saw a 35 percent decline in vehicle sales. . . . The government’s $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers produced a 23.4 percent jump in homebuilding, which boosted GDP for the quarter by another 0.5 percent. This program is set to expire on November 30, raising fears of another plunge in home sales and prices. . . . One measure of the ongoing crisis underlying the GDP figure is the fact that business spending reduced the growth rate by 0.24 percentage points. Business outlays fell by 2.5 percent in the third quarter. . . . Another is the Labor Department report on initial jobless claims issued the same day as the Commerce Department’s GDP estimate. The number of US workers filing new claims fell by only 1,000, less than the 6,000 predicted by economists. The total for the week ended October 24 was 530,000, far higher than the 325,000 figure considered to be in line with a healthy economy. . . . This followed the previous week’s 11,000 increase in initial jobless claims. The number of continuing claims—those drawn by workers for more than one week—remained at the extremely high level of 5,800,000 for the week ended October 17. . . . These figures presage a further rise in the official jobless rate from the current 9.8 percent to 10 percent and beyond. The real unemployment rate—taking in account those who have given up looking for work and those forced to work part-time—is at 17 percent, embracing 30 million Americans. . . . Mass unemployment is being used by the Obama administration as a weapon in its drive to “reduce consumption” and boost US exports on the basis of a falling dollar and low wages. . . . Average weekly earnings of production workers rose by only 0.7 percent in September, as the average number of weekly hours worked fell to a record low of 33 hours. This represents the lowest annualized weekly earnings growth since such data began to be tracked in 1964—nearly half a century ago. . . . Since hitting a recent peak in December 2008, real average weekly earnings have fallen by 1.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. . . . Factory use was at 67.5 percent in September, just above its all-time low and well off its 80 percent average. . . . This downward spiral in workers’ wages and income is combined with a sharp increase in productivity, producing conditions for a sharp increase in the rate of corporate profit. As USA Today gloated on Thursday: . . . “Corporate earnings are blowing away analysts’ estimates by the widest margin ever.… Half of the companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index have reported, and a staggering 81 percent have topped expectations, says Thomson Reuters.” . . . Noting that these profits have come despite a 10 percent decline in third quarter revenues, the newspaper wrote, “Rampant layoffs and assaults on corporate expenses are showing real benefits.” . . . Meanwhile, mortgage defaults and home foreclosures are continuing to rise, increasingly effecting middle- and upper-income households hit by long-term unemployment. Failures of small and midsize banks are increasing, and state and local governments are dealing with budget shortfalls by slashing services, imposing unpaid furloughs and cutting jobs. . . . Just this week, major corporate layoffs were announced by Caterpillar, US Airways, American Airlines and Shell Oil. Milwaukee County announced plans to shed up to 200 jobs. . . . The banks, rather than using their government handouts to expand lending to businesses and consumers, are doing the opposite. The New York Times noted Thursday that consumer credit from commercial banks in August was some $45 billion less than at the end of last year. As for business financing, banks’ outstanding commercial and industrial loans fell to $1.411 trillion in September, $170 billion less than a year earlier. . . . The social crisis is reflected in a sharp drop in consumer confidence, according to a report released this week by the Conference Board, a private research group. The Conference Board’s latest index of consumer confidence fell from 53.4 in September to 47.7 in October, the biggest drop in eight months. Even more dire was the fall in sentiment about “current conditions,” which fell to a 26-year low. . . . In a further sign of deepening crisis, the Commerce Department on Wednesday released a report showing that sales of new homes in the US unexpectedly fell in September for the first time in half a year, as buyers opted for bargains on existing and foreclosed homes. New home sales fell by 3.6 percent from August to September. . . . The drop in new home sales, combined with the expiration of the tax credit for first-time home buyers and an expected rise in foreclosures, paves the way for a renewed decline in home prices, which are already down 11.3 percent from a year ago. . . . Despite the Obama administration’s touting of the new GDP figure, it has acknowledged that the official unemployment rate will breach 10 percent and still be at least 9.6 percent by the end of 2010. Last week, Christina Romer, the head of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, told Congress that the main growth impact of last February’s $787 billion stimulus package has already been spent. . . . Most economic forecasters are predicting GDP growth of 2.5 to 3 percent through most of next year. Since it takes 2.5 percent just to keep employment steady, such a growth rate would do little to reduce shrink the unemployment numbers. “You need four to five percent GDP growth to get job growth,” Romer said on Thursday. . . . Nevertheless, the Obama administration is opposing a new stimulus package, and preparing to introduce plans for austerity measures to reduce the deficit, including cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. "I Don't Believe in Your Spiritual Practice" - Matthew Webb . 4 Nov 2009 00:46 . #831 Dear WMS mailing list, . . This is challenging material and not for the weak-stomached. . . What I'm sending you on this occasion is an extremely revealing correspondence had in September. The original letter was sent to me via e-mail under the title of, "I don't believe in your spiritual practice". I'll let our discussion speak for itself. My reply to this welcome challenge follows.... . . To the World Mind Society/Matthew Webb, . . Your new age website, like all other new age websites, is just a lot of bunk. You talk big, but have little reality to show for your high-sounding, fancy words. New age is little more than airy-faerie wishful thinking..a new religion with the same old twist. Just wave an "all you need is love" type of magic wand and everything becomes, "love and light". Just add water and WHISH!...... instant enlightenment and world peace. This sort of thing is disgusting, gives real spiritual practice a bad name, and has a bitter aftertaste. . . Before you just delete this e-mail, read on and understand. . . I've been into a spiritual focus now for the last 25 years, and that includes elements of Buddhist and Taoist meditation. During that time I've been hopeful regarding the human condition, with all this talk about, "a New Age" of enlightenment and social justice. I've been hopeful about speakers and authors talking about a, "shift of consciousness" that is, "taking place right now", and so forth. The only thing is, they've been saying this "shift" is happening "right now" every year for the last 25 years, and yet one look at world events, and even a blind man without a cane could see that humanity just gets into a deeper mess, with every passing month. . . Now I know from personal experience that spiritual practice is real and that it truly works. I also know that it has the power to save the world. But experience has also shown me that it requires sincere, focused effort to make it work. It may interest you to know that spiritual unfoldment is much like body building. You don't just go from a stick figure to a Swarzenegger physique, through casual jogging once a week and eating a few vitamins. The same is true of real spiritual practice. You don't clear the mind of fog, gain personal power and achieve meaningful enlightenment by going to a few weekend, "chakra clearing" seminars. Nor do you achieve these things by particpating in such events as your so-called, "global group meditations". You have to live spirituality in all aspects of your life, until it becomes a practical, daily affair full of soul. Then and only then will you make real gains and see the real meaning of life. . . Your website makes silly statements about how the consciousness of humanity is rising, and about your global group meditations which are making such a big difference. What big difference? . . I'm truly fed up with all this new age jargon that is nothing more than spiritual and socially irresponsibility. It's irresponsible because it's just ill-conceived wishful thinking. It gives people yet another religion to have faith in, but which provides no real substance or meaning upon which humanity can actually improve itself in any practical way. . . When the new age started, it looked to have real promise, as though it meant something very profound. But now, predictably, those two words are rarely heard, even on the internet. The new age is dead, give it up! It was a house of cards built in the wind...it just couldn't stand up to the reality of the modern world. It made promises it couldn't keep and now look at it! Although very few call themselves "new age" anymore, the world is still full of quacks who are happy to deceive. They'll summon archangel michael for you for the small fee of $100 per half hour, so that he can give you advice on how to clear your aura of demons, and, "gain the prosperity you desire" to boot! Or they'll tell you to apply their technique for sexual freedom, and have you dance naked in a circle during a weekend seminar, "to release your inner child and incestual traumas" for a mere $250 a session. It's all about money and ego. . . Advocate some social responsibility! Quit giving spirituality a bad name...come down out of the clouds and do some real work for the good of humanity, rather than misleading them for a profit! . . I feel very strongly about this issue, about what genuine spiritual practice means, and although I commend you for your efforts in the WMS website, the hypocrisy bothers me. . . Just fyi, I've sent this letter out to 27 different new age sites and authors over the last 6 months, and not one of them has had a single thing to say about any of it. This is just further proof of their insincerity in my book. I don't expect you to respond to this letter either, but I would very much appreciate it, if you would think deeply about what it says. . . Thank you, . James B. . . //////////////////////// . . Dear James, . . So you, "don't believe in our spiritual practice". Well, to me, a good challenge is healthy, and I truly love intelligent debate. . . As a matter of fact, not only will I respond to your e-mail, I'll explain in-depth. The reason I do this, regardless of your false and pre-mature assumptions about the World Mind Society, is because your letter speaks a lot of truth. I also answer because from your words you seem a very sincere practitioner of meditation, who wisely knows what is and is not bona fide spirituality. In this particular case however, you're wrong, but in general I agree with what you said about "the new age". . . You should read further into the WMS Library http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest and understand that this is no ordinary spiritually-focused website, nor is it "new age". It seems to me you took one look at the front page of the site, saw the words "expansion of consciousness" and assumed it was more of the same seen everywhere else. Well it isn't, and I suggest you be more careful in your assumptions. You may not believe this now, but I myself have criticized the new age for many of the things you mentioned. That whole scene has become little more than a money making business opportunity, largely for those who lack any concept of social responsiblity, and who have at best, a very limited level of realization and spiritual understanding. If you doubt this, then read my article in the Library entitled, "Rise and Fall of the New Age" and understand that I too feel strongly about this issue. . . Let me offer if you will, some guidelines through which anyone can quickly discern quackery from sincere and enlightened spiritual teachings. I'm not offering these because I assume you don't know necessarily, I'm just crystallizing what we're discussing. . . 1) First of all, a REAL spiritual teacher is one who advocates spiritual focus FOR IT'S OWN SAKE, pointing out that it's practice IS IT'S OWN DEEP REWARD. They do not do this primarily for money, but because it's worth doing in and of itself. For those who sheepishly mumble something about "having to make a living in the material world" in trying to justify the ridiculous costs of their classes or seminars, to them I say "you've lost your way". To them I say, "fine, make your money to meet your practical needs, but don't use spirituality as a business opportunity, so that you can have that new car and fancy condo, or stay on the best-seller list for months by telling people just what they want to hear, (ego at the expense of truth). Avoid those movements and groups who demand a high "initiation fee" or "membership fee" so that you can partake of their glorious wisdom, arguing that, "such high costs make people 'value' the teachings", because these are the worst scammers of all. Only sufficient realization can make a person value the truth, not the price tag. The amount of money paid has nothing to do with the worth of spiritual knowledge. If a knowledge is indeed profound, then it should be studied for that reason alone, not to make somebody else wealthy. If you dig a little deeper you'll find that the WMS is not-for-profit, and even the articles there are expressly NOT copywrited so that they can be used widely. . . 2) Second, a real spiritual teacher or organization has far more to give than they have to sell. Upon visiting any website, look to see what they're giving away for the sake of the greatest spiritual good. The less they're giving up front, the less they really have to offer in the way of spirituality. If all you can find are brief descriptions of what's offered, a lot of fluff and flash with little explanation, or a lot of photographs of the smiling author selling you their profound goods for a bucket of money, then you know you've probably found a quack. At best, you've found a mere spiritual technician with some proficiency in what they're talking about, but who is really just a business person who wrongly USES spiritual information or techniques, to pad their wallet or amplify their already enormous egos. . . There are about 150 articles and a complete book for free on WMS, on topics ranging from the right use of the mind, consciousness and it's expansion, simple and natural living, intentional community, entheogens and strong critiques of the consumer paradigm. We have only EVER asked for money in the sale of our meditational music album, after being on-line for 9 years, so as to cover our minimal website costs. And by the way, we've come nowhere near to covering our website costs. WMS is a SERVICE to humanity, not a business opportunity! . . 3) Third, a real spiritual teacher or organization defines their terms clearly and without ambiguity. The fake will try to sell you a a bunch of goods without informational notes, much like food which has no ingredients listed on the side. There are a great many sites for instance, that speak of consciousness or it's expansion, and not one of them even attempts to define what the word means, or how it behaves. They just go on and on about it AS IF the reader should know what they're talking about. The same is true of those who speak of "God", "truth" and "reality". This is because they HAVE NO comprehensive definition of the words they're using. This is just a nice way of saying they don't really know what they're talking about. Whenever corresponding with so-called "spiritual" persons or groups, just pick three of the terms they commonly use and ask them for clear definitions. You'll find that the majority will scurry away and not even answer. A minority will try to pull the old, "the Tao that can be described is not truly the Tao" or some such jargon, which is ofcourse sheer nonsense. Anybody with an ounce of clarity knows better. . . The WMS defines every one of it's terms. In fact, it is the only source of wisdom I know of to EVER define the words "consciousness", "God", "the expansion of consciousness", . "truth" and "the purpose of life" etc., etc, in very clear terms that anyone can understand. Look in our Library for the "Glossary of Terms"....hundreds of important spiritual words are defined there, and are used in our texts in a manner that echoes clear, scientific understanding as well as mystical practice. . . 4) Fourth, the real spiritual teacher or organization offers the self evident TRUTH ITSELF as the foundation for their practice. They ask only that the would-be practitioner prove what they claim for themselves, and through their own experience. They do not require the prospective practitioner to have "faith" in anything, or to automatically accept ANYTHING they say simply because they say it, or because of the supposed "credentials" of its' leaders/scriptures. The truth does not require faith, (belief in the unseen) it merely requires sufficient clarity to See it's details. What the real teacher offers is practical guidelines, whereby a person can demonstrate universal principles through sincere practice, without need of dogmas, doctrines or authoritarian hierarchies of any kind. Know the quacks by seeing just how many kudos for themselves they have plastered all over their website, while at the same time explaining very little. Know the false ones by seeing just how much they tout their enlightenment, without giving an ounce of logic or justification for their claims...these are just a "cult of personality" and should be strongly avoided. . . 5) Fifth, know the real spiritual teacher or practice by their natural practicality and logic. The truth is both practical and logical. There is no GENUINE spiritual practice in existence, which is not BOTH of these for that very reason. . . 6) And finally, know the real spiritual teacher or organization by the sometimes hard truth that they speak, regardless of how "unpopular" such a message may be. Those who speak for the sake of public approval don't care that this sacrifices the highest benefit for the reader. The new age scene, like the pop-culture scene, most often resembles modern publishing. Most publishers want what sells, not what is socially responsible. Most "successful" (albeit unscrupulous) authors know this, and intentionally structure their writings to tell people what they'd like to hear, rather than what is MOST REAL, pertinent and true. This makes for a repeating cycle of social mediocrity, where people only have available those bookstore authors who write according to what they think the public wants to hear. New authors in turn write only more of the same, trying to convey what the public has already been conditioned to want, for fear of not being published. If a group or author only talks roses and perfume, without any criticism of what is going wrong in the world at the same time, (and there's plenty to be sure) then they are only "fair-weather friends" who tell lies or half-truths only to make a buck and gain public notoriety. If all a supposedly "spiritual" person will speak is, "heart-warming fluff" then the reality is that they secretly stand for nothing. Such persons gladly sacrifice the truth for the sake of maintaining their public image, and this is not what the real practitioner is about. . . As you can see James, I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the quackery and fee-raking that's been going on everywhere. Obviously, Christ, Buddha or Lao Tse would not teach their wisdom in order to own a second car first, enhance their egos second, and then maybe, just maybe, enlighten the world third. They taught what they did, as all real Masters do, as a felt need of soul, a CALLING of spiritual focus that yearns to benefit the whole world, not six digit bank accounts. . . Regarding what you said; "Your website makes silly statements about how the consciousness of humanity is rising, and about your global group meditations which are making such a big difference. What big difference?" . . Actually, I/we never claimed that these global meditations were making a big difference. I merely factually stated that they COULD make a big difference if they were practiced effectively. This has to do with group mind power, (the power of collective consciousness) and is explained in many places on the site. . . I also agree with what you said about providing a message with social responsiblity. Along these lines, read that section of the WMS Library dedicated to "Social Commentary". While there you'll find a complete set of information regarding simple living, environmentally responsible lifestyles, and practical ways whereby any person can live these in a daily fashion, and with great satisfaction. I myself have lived in a van for the better part of a decade, and so, this is not mere posturing or theory. . . I invite you to consider what I've said regarding your letter and WMS, and investigate for yourself its' authenticity. When I say to you, or anyone, that what is contained on the World Mind Society website would save the world, I do not do so lightly, whimsically, egotistically or in any way "new age". I do so because that is the simple fact of the matter, and I am compelled to report it to you factually. Any person that sincerely and seriously applies the information on WMS WILL expand their consciousness, even to the point of becoming a Master in their own right. Any world which would apply such teachings as these, could transform themselves collectively, just as humanity could do. No bunk there, just a matter of fact. . . Practice what we are advocating, and you will progressively understand the truth of such statements for yourself. Your existing steadfast practice of meditation should provide an excellent foundation for this. . . Thank you for this opportunity to clarify... . . Sincerely, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . World Mind Society Founder . . P.S. This correspondence would be of benefit to others, and I ask you permission to publish it, minus your personal information, of course. Re: - Matthew Webb . 6 Nov 2009 19:25 . #832 The following was sent to me in response to the above mailing today. My response follows.... . . From : Aaron . Sent : 11/5/2009 4:11:47 PM . To : visionquest@eoni.com . Cc : . Subject : RE: Re: "I Don't Believe in Your Spiritual Practice" . . I enjoyed your response this email. I do disagree(not that it matters that . I disagree, but maybe I could learn something from your response to my . reply) with your perspective on money and charging for services. In a world . of absolute abundance where mind and thought create(indirectly though. I . would say we imagine and God creates) the state of the world and of an . individual's life, avoiding money by not making use of the opportunities to . acquire it while helping people at the same time is misguided. For example, . if you were to offer a service or product that has great value, such as some . of your books or articles, and learn to market the site, your message would . reach a much wider audience. Life would and does take care of the means of . payment for those who would benefit from your insight. To assume that . charging for insight is a disservice is to assume that there is a lack of . ability on the part of your readers or the Universe to bring them and you . money that in the current setup of the world does indeed offer us much . ability and opportunity. I know money isn't real, and understand that in an . enlightened world we would not need it, but I also see great benefit to . taking full advantage of the idea of money. One way that I look at money is . that it is a direct reflection of the amount of openness that I have to what . life has to offer. If money is short, i know that my inner state created . that situation, along with the limitations that come with it. When moving . toward enlightenment, we are moving toward the release of all limitations, . and money is an external manifestation of the the falling away of . limitation. And eventually money itself will not be needed. . I appreciate your site and what you do by the way. I would like to know how . you feel about this as someone who is moving into a career to do just what . you talked about as being a "bad" thing; charging for spiritual/life coach . guidance. Maybe you were only referring to excessive charging. I'm not . sure. I am open to your input. . -Aaron . . /////////// . . Dear Aaron, . . Thank you for the thoughtful reply, and relevant questions. . . I'll address what you said as follows; . . You said, . "For example, if you were to offer a service or product that has great value, such as some of your . books or articles, and learn to market the site, your message would reach a much wider audience." . . Marketing may indeed "reach a much wider audience" but "more" does not necessarily . imply "better". "Reaching an audience" in the spiritual sense does not mean the same thing as it . does in the marketing of products. Products are merely material objects of limited facility. But . as for spiritual concepts, these have inherent value and are NOT of limited facility. They are of . unlimited potential benefit, and as such, should be taught for their own sake. Besides, even if . ten million people are exposed to a given spiritual idea, that does not mean they have acquired . the wisdom to employ it. The world is full of Wayne Dyers, Deepok Chopras and James Redfields. . Between just these three gents, they've probably sold 50 million books between them. But given . this, has the world been enlightened? Has the fact that these authors and thousands of others . like them with similar messages, transformed the human race, so that we are not in fact, standing . on an ecological and political cliffside? No, they haven't. It is not popularity which will . change the world, it is the unvarnished truth, told for it's own sake and no other, and this has . been said before. Christ said it, Buddha said it, and many others have said it throughout . history. ALL the great teachers of history have said, "do not make money or things your objective . in life" and they said this because money and things are not the point of, or reason for life. . Spirituality and it's principles/truth are the reason for life. To SELL these like any other . business opportunity, immediately demonstrates a certain lack of realization on the part of the . practitioner. Imagine posing your argument about money to Christ, and then consider what he would . say about it! . . You said, . "Life would and does take care of the means of payment for those who would benefit from your . insight." . . Better that life provides the means for enlightenment, rather than the means of "payment" for it . in cash. The real payment for enlightenment is dedication to truth, and the various . disciplines/intensive focuses that are required to gain it. If the practitioner desires "payment" . then all they need do is reap the good karma of their good deeds, in teachings things of value to . others. . . You also said, . "To assume that charging for insight is a disservice is to assume that there is a lack of ability . on the part of your readers or the Universe to bring them and you money that in the current setup . of the world does indeed offer us much ability and opportunity." . . This is the standard "prosperity" teaching of the new age. Obviously, the practitioner must . indeed feed themselves, put a roof of some kind over the heads and so forth. But this is a . practical matter for which one should keep in mind the following..."Spirituality is a CALLING, not . a business opportunity". This is so because spirituality is the area of study that most reflects . the truth, and therefore the purpose of life. And that purpose is not the making of more and more . money, well beyond practical need. . . I say leave the bad karma of money-and-thing focus to the Romans. "Those who live by consumerism . will die by consumerism". The idea of "unlimited prosperity" implies an unlimited earth with . unlimited natural resources, and this is simply a very dark fantasy. Prosperity does not mean you . have a mansion and a millions dollars in the bank. It means you have your good health, a sharp . mind, a clear conscience, and expanding consciousness and a progressive soul. You don't need a . million dollars to gain these, and neither does anybody else. Money is only one limited tool to . help accomplish these TRUE GOALS of LIFE, and should never be placed as a first priority. . . This is why the practiioner is well advised to engage simple living, so as to facilitate their . CALLING. Details on this can be found in the World Mind Society Library...see the Survivalists' . Guide there. . . I trust that these few meager words in response have answered the intent of your inquiry. I do . appreciate the opportunity to crystallize this issue further... . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb . . . . "I don´t believe in..." - A brother´s view - Francisco Lazaro . 7 Nov 2009 16:57 . #833 Dear readers and brothers at WMS and groups . . . . I would like to have a humble participation in your comments in search of spiritual clarification on this subject, pursuing the pertinent text addressed to me by e-mail notification and hoping our companion James will be reading my words too. . . I share partially both with the frustration of James and the assertiveness of statements of Matt, the later having given some more emphasis on the positioning of the WMS in this regard, which no doubt presents unvaluable and unique guidance to all sincere spiritual seekers and practitioners. . . However I would try to give my contribution to sheding light on the matter in a somewhat different way according to my own spiritual experience of a whole life in the search of truth and self-realization. . . Then I would start by saying first of all that if one is really searching for the truth of life like a drowning man seeks air you'll find it whatsoever and this finding will cause the real rebirthing and transformation of things. There are many ways to reach this point of realization, of course, and I will briefly mention the entheogenic way as one of the most effective, like a “final hour medicine” for humankind awakening in these decisive times yet come. This change of course will happen first and foremost INSIDE of us and with the continuous “faithfulness” to this truth inside, things will happen to change as a reflection outside too. But rebirthing is an individual enterprise and not a collective one. It is the personal inner transformation of the self consciousness that will give rise to group/environmental transformation with time. This despite the indiscutible fact that we are living tough social and spiritual times and we have to consider that some of the hard things and misleading trends that we face today in the world are irreversible consequences of our own irresponsible actions during centuries past. Also with regard to this spiritual rebirthing which brings light from inside, please allow me to say that Master Jesus made a reference about this by stating that “the kingdom of heavens will not come with external appearances” and that is something on what to meditate upon. . . And then, in addition, I would say two important things that make up for vital lessons of the path: . . One is that that are only TWO TRUE MASTERS in this Universe in which to trust, believe or not, agree or not, to give us the ultimate light and direction amidst all teachings and guidance offered through the various sources of wisdom and spirituality, some authentic, some false: Master Jesus and Your Christ Self, your I AM Self. This involves continued effort to incorporate, to anchor lessons received in life. This involves also faith. Not a blind faith, but a superior faith, one that comes as a result of authentic mystical communion with the mysteries of life and God, with the “unseen world” and its powers over and above human life and mind, faith that comes from deep recognizance and intuition of the higher princilpes that rule cosmic life everywhere. Faith in the superiority of a higher knowledge along with hope in the blooming of divinity as heritage of our own True Being in due time. . . The second thing, based on this same principle, is that the wholeness of truth and consequent change (inside and outside) is to be carried out only through the path of SYNTHESIS again INSIDE OF YOU! Never hope to find the complete truth in just one source or practice or human author, but rather look for the universality of truth split partially among the many pieces or sources of spirituality, like different rays of the same sun which integrate with each other and form the whole picture. And in the same sense, NEVER EXPECT to find the truth or the authentic spirituality in anything external to you, except in Nature, nor in ANYONE besides YOU! If you see the truth, if you understand the truth, BE THE TRUTH IN YOURSELF, be yourself and be true to Truth! Don't expect anything from others! It is up to you and God! Be the one to Love, be the one to Show, be the one to Live what you Believe! Simple as this, but never easy as this.And with time you will find others, like you, like me, like Matt, fortunately, happily realizing that we are not alone in this effort! Despite our falls, errors, mistakes and imperfections. Then we will feel the Dawn of a quite unique New Age, the real one! . . May God bless us all and give us Light and Love, the true ones! . . Francisco Lázaro . . With greetings From Brazil! Re: "I don't believe in your spiritual practice" - Stefan Hager . 8 Nov 2009 15:39 . #834 Hey Matthew, . . thank you for taking the time to write the long reply you did there. . . My reply would have been much more simple, I guess. It would have been something along the lines of "If it doesn't work for you, try something different.". . . Although I do understand James' frustration with New Age and also his criticism, in my opinion acting spiritually rarely is shouting "You're doing it wrong!" to other people. . . Because - who am I to know whether it works for them or not? It doesn't work for me to pay 250$ to dance naked to release my inner child (or, in my case, it's more a question of freeing the inner adult), but it *might* work for those who participate. I think, if there was only one way to enlightenment, there also would only be one human. . . Trying to put the blame on someone else, something is, in my opinion again, a sign that one is still projecting feelings, emotions and other things onto other people instead of realizing that there is no such thing as guilt and responsibility for the things in one's life lies in one's one hands. . . Cheers, . Stefan Re: - Matthew Webb . 8 Nov 2009 21:15 . #835 Brother Francisco, . . You mentioned "faith" as a main point in this last post, and I'm glad you did that because this is a key issue of misunderstanding in the human world. . . One of the Websters' Dictionary definitions for this word is as follows; "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". Similarly, I have also heard it commonly said all my life by the religious minded, that faith is simply, "belief in the unseen". . . I was speaking to a visiting Jehovahs' Witness some years ago. We were seated at a table, and he was trying to explain the nature of faith to me, saying it was, "belief in the unseen". And so I asked this fellow, "Do you have faith in this table we're sitting at"? . . He looked down, thought for a moment, and said "No, of course not." So I asked, "Why not? Why don't you have faith in this table"? And he said, "Because I don't need to...the table is tangible and apparent". . To this I said, "Yes, I agree with you, and from this I conclude that faith is not required for that which is readily seen". . "And so your point is?" he asked. . "My point is twofold. First, you ask me to have faith in God, implying that God is both intangible and not apparent. And yet I would tell you that from my own experience, that which is called 'God' is readily discernable to anyone who would look. My second point is that in order to truly LOOK, you need to cultivate clarity in order to See". . "Are you claiming that you see God"? . "Yes". . "Then tell me what you see" he said, grinning, as if a ploy or some ignorance of mine was about to be revealed, and that my statements were only bluffs. . "God is consciousness. Consciousness is composed of intent, awareness and energy, and in that order of importance. Also, the consciousness we possess as souls is of the same substance as that which composes God, only our consciousness is not as evolved, sophisticated or widespread. This means we are literally a part of God, and a part of God literally composes us." . "Well let me read to you what the Bible says about God" replied the Jehovah's Witness. . "I don't care about the Bible and what it says about God, friend, I've read it cover to cover and found it severely wanting." . "You should have more respect for the 'holy scriptures', he replied. . To this I said, "Why should I have blind respect for such a poorly written and self contradictory work of largely fiction, when I myself have written far better? Would you like to read my writings on God and consciousness?" . "No" he said simply. . "Well then, can you offer a description of God?" . "The Bible says that God is ineffable". . "Then the Bible is wrong. God is not "unknowable" any more than this table is unknowable. The only reason you think God is unknowable is because you don't meditate." . "I will pray for you Matt", as he got up to leave suddenly, and I said, "Before you go, I'd like you to consider a saying...Prayer is talking and begging, while meditation is listening and doing". . . I say these things based upon the cultivation of clarity over the period of decades. You would ask me Francisco, to have "faith" in Christ or God, and I would tell you that both of them are tangible and apparent. . . For what use is faith for those who have clarity? . . Why remain in the dark and guess, (or take other peoples' word for something, who were likewise in the dark and guessed) when you need only to turn on the light? . . I agree with what you implied about self reliance on the spiritual path. . "I don´t believe in" - Faith - Francisco Lazaro . 9 Nov 2009 18:34 . #836 Dear friends and brothers . Dear Matt . . Thank you for your thoughtful and keen statements regarding the subject of faith as pertinent also to the original text on belief started with James. Thank you also for the opportunity to once more try to clarify my position and elaborate with regard to this theme for all brothers involved. . I would begin by saying that as regards faith either one has it or does not have it yet. . I fully understand your personal views in relation to the meaning of "traditional", "religious faith" which causes you so much aversion as well as to me. . I am primarily an esoteric mystic and as such I know and believe in the occult world and its mechanics of manifestation that is behind the "scene" of the objective material world of illusion created by the mere ordinary "sleepy" human mind; an occult world or universe that is "not readily seen" by common eye and mind and which has many facets which sustain the true spiritual knowledge, the knowledge of truth. This certainty, this absolute trust in the sovereign power of this "otherworld science" of spiritual truths beyond all spurious speculations is that which give me the faith, the spiritual force above all human beliefs to follow the Path and do whatever I have to do in its conformity without doubt or hesitation. . This faith is a high state condition of soul manifested with more or less intensity during our spiritual walk. . It´s a mixture of an unshakable certainty of occult truths behind the illusion of the ephemeral world created by man, along with an absolute certainty both of the supremacy of the Good in cosmic life as well as an absolute trust in our Christ Flame Consciousness, our I AM presence, our Divine Self or any other name we give it, producing sometimes an exalted state of profound serenity and bliss that surpasses any definitions. Faith here is a feeling sustained by God! . This faith has nothing to do with the "standard" pattern of religious BLIND faith so noxious to the sincere seeker! Under that natural faith EVERYTHING can be proved and confirmed by reason, vision and intuition and everything makes sense! It is a clear faith, a faith that SEES, as the faith of the SEER, born as a result of the great understanding that comes through the union of good sense and intuition of the cosmic truths/teachings, felt in flesh and blood. . But as I understand it, it is not necessarily required from one to look to see things (at least not with body´s eyes), as we do not look at the world with them indeed but rather with our mind´s eyes and these are which need clarity to see and understand! . On the other hand, for those who have acquired some conviction in the knowledge of a pre and post life after the death/transformation of the physical body and also in the processes of disincarnation/incarnation in full, the karma suffering conditions prevailing over most souls incarnated on Earth are an evident fact and in a number of cases are presently impossible of being changed. This is where and why the certainty of a future spiritual life condition of improvement above all beliefs, either as a spirit or in a next embodiment/incarnation is a great comfort, bringing hope and tranquility or resignation to face present karmic rescues from past live actions. Christ himself, as a Master, mentioned about this faith, its nature and power and the need to acquire it many times. The man of good finds his strength to bear the proofs of life in the faith on the spiritual/celestial life and its divine justice ruling over all human actions and deeds. . Just as a matter of final mention, when and where I would tell someone to have faith in Christ it would mean to trust in his teachings of supreme wisdom that authoritatively also preached the Faith as something essential and as for God, to have faith in His Benign providence above all things human! I am sure beyond doubts that these teachings are already spreading "invisibly" amidst those that have eyes to see and ears to hear and I have faith that this knowledge will finally thrive above all materialism and consumerism and egotism and like a good yeast will ferment all the masses in due time, not before profound commotions, finally inaugurating externally the true New Age already rising internally in many of us! . Sacred Greetings and good Vibrations! . Francisco Ten US states face budget disaster - Matthew Webb . 12 Nov 2009 20:49 . #837 One million jobs at risk . Ten US states face budget disaster . . By Patrick Martin . 12 November 2009 . . Two reports made public Wednesday underscore the colossal dimensions of the social and financial crisis in the United States. One study warns that California and nine other US states face near-term budget crises that will force mass layoffs of public employees and cuts in schools and other services. The other forecasts that as many as one million jobs will be at risk when the full impact of the economic crisis hits state governments early next year. . . . The study released by the Pew Center on the States is entitled, “Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril.” It examines nine states that face California-style budget crises, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. . . The ten states, counting California, are in every region of the country: the Northeast, the South, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and nearly the entire Southwest. They have a combined population of more than 100 million people and account for one-third of total US economic output. . . According to the study, the same pressures—the worldwide recession and the collapse of the housing bubble—that forced California to issue IOUs to state employees and suppliers during the summer “are wreaking havoc in a number of states, with potentially damaging consequences for the entire country.” . . In four of the states, California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida, the housing collapse has had the biggest impact. New Jersey’s budget deficit is largely a byproduct of the 2008 collapse on Wall Street, which accounts for one-third of the state’s economic activity. The other five states have been devastated primarily by the collapse of manufacturing industries. . . Pew reviewed state statistics available July 31, 2009, so that further economic deterioration, particularly in industrial states like Michigan and Illinois, is not accounted for. Overall, the combined budget deficits for all 50 states were $162 billion in July, and that figure is estimated to have since risen by another $16 billion. . . The study ranked the 50 states based on the change in state government revenues, the size of the state budget gap, the change in the unemployment rate, the foreclosure rate, and political obstacles like the requirement of a supermajority in the state legislature to approve budgets or tax increases. The study did not include such factors as long-term debt or pension liabilities for public employees, which would produce an even darker picture. . . While California’s gargantuan $46 billion deficit exceeds those of the other nine states combined, these states face shortfalls equally substantial considering their size and population. Among the findings of the Pew study is that Michigan, with the bankruptcy of two of the three big auto makers and an unemployment rate over 15 percent, is “trying to deal with today’s problems on a 1960s-sized budget.” . . Oregon has been hit by the combined collapse of both low-tech and hi-tech industries—lumber and computer-chip manufacturing. Florida’s population is actually shrinking for the first time since World War II. Illinois has the second largest state budget deficit, some $13.2 billion, and has been forced to borrow money to cover pension obligations. . . The second study, by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, warned that the fiscal crisis of the states will become even worse next year. . . For fiscal year 2010, which in most states began last July 1, 48 of 50 states faced deficits, all but Montana and North Dakota, but the severity of the crisis was partially alleviated by federal aid under the stimulus program enacted last March. This aid is to terminate in most cases by December 31, 2010, so the new fiscal 2011 state budgets will face the double impact of the deepening recession and the withdrawal of federal support. . . The CBPP report declared: “The federal assistance that states received for their Medicaid programs under this year’s economic recovery legislation is scheduled to end with a ‘cliff’ on December 31, 2010, and the assistance states received for education and other services also will be largely exhausted by then. Although that date is more than a year away, the problem is coming to a head now.” . . The reason is that state governments will start budget planning for FY 2011 soon, since most governors must send budget proposals to the legislature between December 2009 and February 2010, to allow time for debate and passage. This means that most state governors will propose massive budget cuts and tax increases before the coming spring. . . Assuming that there is no further federal assistance to the states—the position taken by the Obama administration and the leaders of both parties in Congress—the deficit reduction measures taken by the states, according to the CBPP report, “will likely take nearly a full percentage point off the Gross Domestic Product. That, in turn, could cost the economy 900,000 jobs next year.” . . State and local government operations account for one-eighth of US GDP, so that the estimated 25 percent fall in state revenues, if translated into a similar decline in spending, will have a significant effect on the entire US economy. . . According to the CBPP study, “The revenue decline in this recession is unprecedented; it is the largest on record in the post-World War II period. State tax revenues have been declining since the fourth quarter of 2008. In the critical April-June quarter, when a major portion of state tax revenues are collected, revenues dropped 16.6 percent in 2009 compared to the previous year. The income tax was down 27.5 percent, and the sales tax was down 9.5 percent.” . . The federal stimulus package covered between 30 and 40 percent of the current-year fiscal deficits of the states, enabling the states to preserve 255,000 education jobs and 63,000 jobs in other areas, according to estimates by the Department of Education and the White House. All these jobs will be at risk, along with hundreds of thousands more, in the coming year. . . The ongoing recession, which has already driven the unemployment rate over 10.2 percent, puts the states in a fiscal squeeze. The receipts from both sales and income taxes plunge, while outlays for state services increase, particularly for programs like Medicaid that are need-driven. With the jobless rate expected to hit 11 percent early next year, and record demand for food stamps, heating and housing assistance, many of the states will face outright bankruptcy. . . The dimensions of the social needs generated by the financial crisis greatly exceed the budgets of the state governments. But these sums are insignificant compared to the resources which the Obama administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress are devoting to their two principal priorities: bailing out the Wall Street financial interests, and continuing (and in the case of Afghanistan, escalating) the two wars launched by the Bush administration. . . Total spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—$130 billion in the Pentagon budget and another $40-50 billion in an expected “emergency” spending bill—would by itself cover all the state budget shortfalls. And the bailout of the super-rich, with an estimated $23.7 trillion in loans, guarantees and direct cash injections, is more than 100 times as large as the total state deficit. . . Thus the crisis of the states is not an inevitable byproduct of the recession, regrettable but unavoidable. It is a deliberate policy choice made by Obama and the congressional Democrats—and fully supported by the congressional Republicans and the corporate-controlled media—to devastate the living conditions of tens of millions of people. There is not a single “mainstream” political voice calling for the diversion of major federal resources in order to prevent state bankruptcies and safeguard essential services like education and public health, which are largely funded and operated by state and local government. 200 million children - Matthew Webb . 13 Nov 2009 20:48 . #838 Almost 200 million children undernourished in poor countries . By James Brewer . 13 November 2009 . There are currently 195 million children under five years of age in poorer countries whose growth is stunted due to chronic malnutrition, according to a UNICEF (United Nations Childrens’ Fund) report released on Wednesday. . . The report, “Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition”, highlights the extraordinary suffering caused by entirely preventable illnesses, many of which arise from the basic lack of quality food. . . The accompanying press release explains, “Undernutrition contributes to more than a third of all deaths in children under five. Undernutrition is often invisible until it is severe, and children who appear healthy may be at grave risk of serious and even permanent damage to their health and development.” . . UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said, “Undernutrition steals a child’s strength and makes illnesses that the body might otherwise fight off far more dangerous. More than one-third of children who die from pneumonia, diarrhea and other illnesses could have survived had they not been undernourished.” . . She goes on, “Those who survive undernutrition often suffer poorer physical health throughout their lives, and damaged cognitive abilities that limit their capacity to learn and to earn a decent income. They become trapped in an intergenerational cycle of ill-health and poverty.” . . The 124-page report details the causes and effects of undernutrition. Country-by-country statistics are charted. Advanced symptoms of malnutrition, such as low birth weight, stunting (low height for age) and wasting (low weight for age) are provided. The report takes stunted growth as a measure of chronic malnutrition. . . In several countries, more than 50 percent of all children are stunted due to malnutrition, according to UN estimates. These include Afghanistan, Yemen, Guatemala, Timor-Leste, Burundi, Madagascar, Malawi, Ethiopia and Rwanda. . . India has the highest total number of stunted children—more than 60 million (48 percent of all children in India). This amounts to 31.2 percent of all stunted children in what the UN defines as the “developing world.” In terms of absolute numbers, China is second, with 12.6 million. . . The report is focused on poorer countries. However, a table at the end of the report ranks countries based on the number of stunted children. The United States, the only economically developed country in the list, appears as number 42 of 136, with 714,000 stunted children under five. . . Also included in the document are statistics showing the results of very limited interventions promoting early breast-feeding and diet supplements. Funding these limited “cost-effective” strategies is at the core of the appeal that will be made at next week’s UN Food Summit. . . The summit in Rome follows a warning from the G8 summit in April that the global hunger crisis is a threat to international political stability. The WSWS wrote then that the G8 report “stresses that global food production must be doubled by the year 2050 in order to meet the needs of a growing world population.” . . The G8 wrote nervously that the growing food crisis would have “serious consequences not merely on business relations but equally on social and international relations, which in turn will impact directly on the security and stability of world politics.” (See “G8 document on world hunger warns of global instability”) . . Last year’s Rome Food Summit was only able to get commitments from participating member nations for a small fraction of its appeal. The plea for $30 billion resulted in only $1 billion. Jacques Diouf, FAO general director, said at the time that the appeal had “generally fallen on deaf ears.” . . The major powers have approached the question of mass starvation, made worse by the economic crisis, entirely from the standpoint of its implications for the “stability” of the political and economic system. Diouf notes, “It was only when the destitute and those excluded from the abundant tables of the rich took to the streets to voice their discontent and despair that the first reactions in support of food aid began to emerge.” . . Even so, the aid made available has been minuscule, a tiny fraction of the sums made available to the financial elite in every major country. . . The author also recommends: . . “UN food summit ends in fiasco” . [19 June 2002] . . “United Nations conference offers derisory level of aid for millions hit by food prices” . [9 June 2008] It Was the Year 59 AGF Parts 1 and 2 - Matthew Webb . 13 Nov 2009 20:51 . #839 It was the Year 59 A.G.F. . Part 1 of 2 . . Nineteen warm bodies clad in an odd assortment of tattered clothes, huddled around a campfire, the night breeze swirling the flames in orange pirouettes. Behind them were the rusted hulks of what they used to call "vehicles" in the Before Time...a "Ford Ranger" flatbed truck, it's windshield completely broken out, and the dashboard now a "planter" for a variety of flowering weeds. Another mass of faded paint and twisted metal, whose passenger side door had been ripped completely off in some violent collision, still had a barely legible label on it which read, "Econoline van". These two enigmas of a former time, which few really understood any more, served to block the wind from the discussion which now took place. . . The stench of bodies lying dead on highways, in ransacked homes and upon streets the world over, had passed in the wind. The choking fumes of burnt plastic and various other toxic materials, was becoming but a tale to be told, to children too young to remember what was now called, "The Great Fall". . . An old woman with an intense stare gazed off through the fire, as if she were using it as a crystal ball to See the spirit world. She was the only one of the nineteen who wore hand woven clothes, of a simple purple dye and pattern. Fifteen adults and three children patiently waited for her speak again, for she sometimes took long pauses to contemplate memories of times past. A child of six suddenly broke the silence, as children often do, and said, "Tell us again about the Before Time, Grandma!". The woman beside her, embarrased by this display, reprimanded in a loud whisper..."Hush now Marina! Be patient, and you don't call her 'grandma' during the time of the Storytelling, address her respectfully as "Elder". "Yes mommy" the child replied softly, staring at the ground poking a stick at the dirt in little circles. . . "So you want to hear again about the Before Time, do you?", the old woman asked with raised eyebrows, showing a mixture of grave seriousness and amusement. "Yes Elder!" piped the child. "Don't you ever get tired of that story?" "Oh no!", "No way!" "Please tell us again!" all three children said in unison. "Very well then, move closer so I don't have to yell the tale over the wind." So everyone moved closer to that side of the fire. The adults were as focused and interested in hearing this story as the children were, for the old woman, who called herself, "Heroditus" was one of the few people left, who was actually alive during the Before Time. She was old, but even so, only a little girl during that period in history. An intense fascination for history was now considered normal, and yet, no one of this local Tribe knew for sure what year it was by the old calendar. Some said it was the year 2073 AD by that reckoning, others simply referred to it in more "modern" terms as 59 AGF, or in other words, the 59th year After the Great Fall. The place was what was once called, "Northern California". . . Heroditus said, "Although there are those of other Tribes in this area who glorify that dark time in our past, wishing again for the 'luxuries' of that world, they are but fools. The reason we study history is to learn from it and grow beyond it, in order to become true Human Beings. That time of great cities which used to stretch for miles in all directions, of "highways" and "jumbo jets" and "supermarkets" and "genetic engineering" is nothing to long for. It was a time of great madness, when our kind had lost it's soul. . . "What's a 'supermarket' grand-, I mean Elder"? asked Marina. "Shussh!" her mother cautioned, frowning. But Heroditus looked at her daughter saying, "It's ok, questions flow from alert minds". Turning to the child, she said, "A supermarket, honey, was a large building where people used to go to get their food". . "Why'd they do that when they coulda just growed it for themselves?" . "Well some did, but most just grew grass in their lawns, only to have to keep cutting it down every week". . "What good is growing grass only to cut it down every week?" the child asked. . "It really isn't any good for much of anything except to waste water and fertilizer, honey. But as a matter of fact, the people of those times wasted just about everything". . "Why'd they do that?" . "Because", the Elder replied, "they were mad little buggers". . Everyone chuckled, because Heroditus always called the people of the Before Time, "mad little buggers" especially just before she'd tell a very passionate tale of that dark period in human history. . . "So as I was saying, it was a time of great madness, when our kind had lost its' soul. It was a time when there was very little respect for anything at all, when we lived apart from nature and actually strongly resented it as an enemy to be subdued. Plants were just "things"...either decorations or nuisances to be hacked on, whole forests were wiped out all over the world for the sake of profit, the rainforests were basically gone. Animals were just "pets" or meals to be grown in cages where they could barely even move, and where they were often fed the ground-up dead remains of their own kind to "save money". . "Money?" asked another child, "What's that"? . "Money used to be how they lived their lives, dear", said her mother quietly, taking a small, darkly tarnished piece of metal out of her pocket and handing it to the child. . "But I thought this was called a "quarter", replied the boy. . "Yes dear, it was called that too, now listen". . . Heroditus continued. "The Before Time was a time when the once noble human being, was made into what is basically just a greedy, sloppy pig, feeding at a trough. They even called themselves, "consumers" and that was the one thing they were truly good at. They weren't much good at living peacefully with one another, nor in living naturally or simply, or in being wise. They weren't much good at living with each other in what they used to call "nations"...there was always multiple wars and armed conflicts raging all over the globe, in every day of every year. They weren't much good at being efficient or practical, in fact, most scoffed at those concepts. Marriage was usually just a financial agreement, not a dedication to love. And although there were many who called themselves, 'spiritual' the vast majority of those were just hypocrites, who said one thing, only to live the exact opposite in every day of their lives. They had governments so corrupt that political positions were often sold to the highest bidder or campaign contributor, where Senators were actually corporate henchmen, having nothing at all to do with observing the will of the people they supposedly governed. They built great prisons, but lousy schools. They had huge militaries, but a run down system of roads, bridges and public utilities. Oceans and rivers were just dumping grounds for corporate profits. Whole ecosystems were referred to not with spiritual reverence, but as "services" and "resources" for human exploitation. So it's only fitting, I suppose, that they called themselves, 'consumers' rather than 'thinkers', 'seers', 'philosophers', 'lovers' or 'idealists'. They consumed literally EVERYTHING in their path the world over...forests, animals, oil, metals, rivers, lakes, oceans...all for the sake of petty fashion and ego. Almost everybody then felt they had a need and a God-given right to be their own little emperor. Each felt that it was their right to have that mansion, three car garage, more clothes than they could wear, and more food than they could eat. Meanwhile, two thirds of the human world was either already starving or coming close to it. It was like the Old Roman Empire a hundred times over. And when things started to really run out, with the forests gone, the water too polluted to drink and the fish too toxic to eat, they increased their efforts to steal what was left from others peoples' lands, in even MORE wars. It was at about that time, that things started getting really dark. And amidst all this pointless destruction, they actually had the nerve to call it all, 'progress'." . . "They called it 'progress'? asked a man of about 30, incredulously. "I don't believe it!". . "Believe what you will Markus, but it's true. What they considered 'progress' was based upon sheer greed, and I believe, an unspoken desire to commit collective suicide. In fact, their greed was a reflection of an inner hollowness and pointlessness, one so deep and so pervasive, that society had itself convinced 'progress' meant building things called 'shopping malls' where a forest used to be. They built such structures just so that people would have a convenient place to have their hair done, and buy gifts of little practical value." . "I didn't know that" Markus said, the light of amazed realization brightening his eyes by the fire. "But how can a people actually believe all of that has anything to do with real human progress?" . "As I told you", Heroditus responded sourly, "they were mad little buggers". . "Mad little buggers!" "Mad little buggers!" the children cried in unison, jumping up and down by the fire, laughing as they jumped. "Mad little buggers!" The adults laughed too regardless of this display, for no one here had any particular fondness for the fools of that Age. Those in the Before Time had, after all, almost destroyed the whole world and everything upon it, with their silly ideas about "prosperity" and the purpose of life. Going from a world population of around 8 billion, 99.999% of the human race had suddenly died within a few years, snuffing themselves out like a paltry candle in the wind, leaving only a comparitive handful of survivors to carry on the human legacy, in a now largely toxic wasteland. . . After a few minutes of levity, the group calmed down, while Heroditus continued her story. "And on top of all this, not one person out of 5 thousand seriously questioned the false goals of a greedy, corrupt and egotistical society. People then were taught by so-called "schools" to obey without question...to get in line, rely on the system for everything you are and everything you want, and everything you believe. People then had very little individuality...they were more like numbers than genuine humans....mental clones would be a good phrase for them. Most even named their children the same as thousands of others...that was before people started naming themselves, before they realized that conforming to the social norm is NOT more important than being wise. And they spent most of the time watching this thing called "television" which told them exactly how to think and act, what to say in company, what to believe, what to wear, what to BE, and most of all what to 'consume'. " . . "They say that television was evil" said a woman in the shadows, who had just joined them from the yurt-style village beyond. . "And so it was" replied the old woman. "But perhaps I should say the USE of it was evil, even though the technology itself was interesting, and could have been used for enlightening purposes". . "What WAS it used for Elder?" asked Markus. . "It was used for brainwashing people into compliance, basically, and for distracting them from the startling revelation that their lives as consumers were being wasted on frivolity, and a fascination with all things trivial, destructive and pointless. It was used to sell them a great many false ideas and mostly unneeded objects. People used to bury themselves in absurd focuses then...they even had what was called 'magazines' dedicated to nothing but gossip about 'celebrities', and a lot of other nonsense, which nobody in their right mind would care about. The vast majority even glorified randomness, chaos and trivial gossip, pretending that there was no such thing as truth or meaning in life." Many of the adults nodded, for they had seen old tattered remains of these 'magazines' and their 'celebrity gossip'. . . "They were indeed quite mad to focus on such things, especially while the whole world was falling apart", commented Markus glumly. . "Mad little buggers!" cried the children, laughing again. . "It's not a game children, it's really a very serious and tragic thing" cautioned Heroditus, and only the sound of the crackling fire then remained. The children reseated themselves, frowning, and waited respectfully. "You have to understand that those times were an incredible waste of human potential. Everybody rushed about in little circles and tight schedules, like a foolish dog chasing it's own tail, pretending as though all of it meant something. But it didn't. None of that meant anything at all. And that fact didn't seem to bother anyone either. This proved only that humans have a tendency to believe in their own madness, and teach their children to do the same. That whole era accomplished absolutely nothing but the near destruction of us all, in the name of "fashion", "conformity" and "fad". That's why they did everything you know...to be like everybody else, and everybody else called themselves 'consumers'. Even when they did something to supposedly "be different" like wear a different fashion of clothes, they did so only because, "being different" was what all their friends wanted to do. Of course, almost nobody was truly 'different' from the status quo, since they lacked both the courage and the intelligence for such a thing." She paused for a moment, considering gravely, "And then the time of the Great Fall happened, and everybody started dying..." . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . Further suggested reading..."The Survivalists' Guide for the new Millennium" and other related articles in our free, on-site Library. . . Please distribute this article widely, by e-mail, internet forum and hard copy for the next two years, and ask others to do the same...11/5/2009 . . It was the Year 59 A.G.F. . Part 2 of 2 . . Heroditus gazed off into the flames again, frowning, a tear flowing down her cheek in the orange-lit night. She put her head down on her arms, while sitting on a rusted folding chair. Her shoulders sagged uncharacteristically, as though the telling of this tale had suddenly become too much for her old frame to handle. But then she raised her head, and with a look of determination continued; . . "It was about the year 2011 or 2012 AD of the old calendar, if memory serves correctly. That's when it all started to fall apart in a way that even consumers couldn't ignore. Agriculture had been degrading for decades...the over-use of artificial fertilizers and bad farming methods on, "super-farms" had made food tasteless, toxic and non-nutritive. Erosion was having it's way...7% of arable land was being destroyed every year. Deserts were rapidly expanding all over the world, rivers were drying up, the old pesticides weren't really working any more because 'pests' had become too resistant, and vegetables were genetically engineered just to make them last longer without rotting. The price of food just kept climbing and climbing. Of course, it didn't matter to most people that the food wasn't worth eating any more, conditioned as they were to imagine that profit margins are far more valuable a thing than life, or for that matter, a life well lived. And they say that the livers of those people, their blood, tissue and organs were so polluted with hundreds of poisons, that they scarcely needed to be embalmed upon death. And of course, these unnatural toxins created in the Before Time, ones that still circulate in our water and air, are why only a lucky few of us can even have children to this day". . . "Jesus!", "What a shame!", "Idiots!" were the comments blurted out then from the listening crowd. . . The Elder continued, nodding. "Yes, and these things were just the tip of the iceberg. The forests, even those carefully 'managed' and re-planted, had become so depleted that logging trucks now carried little else but sticks to paper mills. They could have planted hemp, of course, but this was contrary to the profits of many corporate interests. So rather than planting hemp for clothes, food, soil improvement and paper, they chose instead to destroy the very lungs of the planet. There was much talk about, "preserving the environment" through replanting, but of course, this was just posturing...the forests has become little more than tree farms, not true ecosystems of great diversity. Livestock farms were places where horrible atrocities were committed to animals...beaks were cut off so they wouldn't peck each other to death, pens were like disease causing prisons, animals were injected with and fed hormones and other chemicals just to make them grow faster, or fight off infections from being mistreated...and all this once again, was just to make a few extra dollars" . . "Why would they do that", asked another woman, "when it's obvious that when you take an axe to chop off your own foot for a meal, that you're going to bleed to death? I mean, what were they thinking, that they weren't actually biological creatures living on a biological world...did they think of themselves as indestructible machines?" . . Heroditus laughed. "Yes, I believe they did. To be more specific, money-making machines. This is what happens to a world when the people believe in a philosophy as shallow as that of materialism. You ask this question, Demeter, because you're a practical person...all of us here are practical people who live close to the earth, as nature intended. But when you have people identifying themselves en masse with a label like 'consumer', you've got minds that think of themselves as little more than a jaw moving up and down... with busy arms and legs that make sure that jaw is kept constantly fed....just like a devouring machine. Back then they even had a saying, 'THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH!', and that was what they literally believed. No matter how much you had already, you wanted more and more, and this was as true of those who lived homeless on the streets, as it was of multi-billionaires who practically owned whole countries. Consumerism was a dread sickness of both mind and soul, you see. Basically, this made consumers just like deadly parasites. A deadly parasite will chew and chew upon it's host until the host body drops dead, killing even the parasites within it. This of course is exactly what happened to them...they chewed upon the good earth with jaws constantly moving up and down, FAR beyond practical need, until the earth simply couldn't support them any more! And of course, they didn't have the good sense to stop reproducing like bacteria." . . An owl hooted in the distance, and the wind had died down. . . "You see, the people of that world thought they owned everything the eye could rest upon. And since they thought life was little more than a pile of possessions, they treated nothing with real respect, even their own bodies. There was no such thing as truth to them. Everything in existence, they thought, was just there for humans to USE as they saw fit, since they also believed that humans are the center of the universe. Why, they even invented a god called "jehovah" that looked like a man. They pictured 'him' predictably, as a white haired, late middle-aged caucasion male in a Roman toga, with a sneering and arrogant countenance, claiming that man was created in the image of this "god". Even their "holy scriptures" said that man has dominion over all of nature as a divine birthright, to use however he wishes, as a gift from God. The truth is, man made many false gods throughout history in his own image, and always to 'justify' his own false motives. So it's not hard to understand how they thought their all-destructive way of life might last forever...after all, how could God's little darlings be allowed to fail?" . . "This was about the time even the polar ice caps began to melt with global warming, and super-storms got stronger and stronger, until the damage done just from global warming itself began to bankrupt the nations of the world. But of course, by then most of them were already bankrupt due to huge military budgets, rampant corruption and short-sighted policies. Rome was about to Fall again. Medicine was not about staying healthy, but about how to address the symptoms of disease. They took pills for everything...sex, liver function, digestion, overweight, pancreas function, alertness, anxiety, sleep, blood pressure, psychosomatic diseases of all kinds....everything. Consumers were so busy making money they didn't take care of themselves...obesity and anxiety were epidemic. They didn't even take good care of their own children, so fixated were they upon, 'careers' and, 'financial goals'. They had a hundred pills for everything under the sun, and over nine tenths of these were simply deadly poisons. Herbs were far more carefully controlled and suppressed then, than the tens of thousands of toxic 'medications' for sale through unscrupulous doctors, whose side effects were usually worse than the symptoms they addressed. Why?...well for the sake of profits, of course! Whole regions of the world suffered famines, droughts and plagues. Police and military organizations became very brutal, and crime rates shot through the roof. Mental illness had become so widespread, that psychology began to define the human mind in terms of insanity, as though that was the normal state of the human being." . . "That's like forestry defining the woods as a nothing but clearings of stumps!", said Heroditus angrily, pounding her fist on her chair. "Anyway, questioning the status quo was viewed with both suspicion and resentment. Those few who stood for anything were sometimes called 'terrorists'. I've even heard it said that anybody who rightfully and truthfully criticized consumer society were routinely called 'negative'. Imagine that! What could BE more negative then than consumer society itself? And yet, their hypocrisy and madness ran so deep, they just called any criticism of a world destroying paradigm, 'negative'! They were very arrogant people, which is why they had this attitude. Most actually IDENTIFIED with corrupt society you see, and so, they perceived any criticism of that society as criticism of themselves. 'How dare you say such things!...how negative, how presumptuous!' was considered the acceptable response, even though that reeked of egotism and insincerity. The world was OBVIOUSLY in big trouble, and such criticism was OBVIOUSLY well deserved. But that didn't stop them from being arrogant anyway." . . Everyone sat, wide eyed and thoughtful without interrupting this time. The sky had cleared somewhat, and a full moon shown through some trees onto the clearing below. Only glowing embers of the fire remained. . . "Then agriculture collapsed and the oil ran out. The trees were all but cut down, and the air had a filthy taint. Humanity had become what some later called, "techno-primitives", where, despite their ability to build geostationary satellites and advanced computers, they were too dumb to even know themselves. Although they could build a spaceship to fly to other planets, they were too confused and corrupted to even CARE that they were poisoning their own children. They had become like bad animals with large brains and no wisdom. And like any other primitive animal in a cage, they soiled their own food and water, to the point of collective suicide. . . I remember the day the Great Fall started to really happen...the lights went out again, and then they STAYED out. All the electrical appliances in the house had suddenly become useless. We couldn't open any cans of food for a day and a half, until mom finally found a hand operated can opener under the sink. Water from the refrigerator ran all over the floor, and the toilet was clogged with nothing to flush it with. Plus, when the running water in the faucets stopped, we couldn't take showers any more. Cooking meals had to be done on the back lawn with the barbeque stove, but only when the neighbors weren't looking, since we couldn't trust them any more to not try and steal our food. Then the propane ran out. Nobody trusted anybody, and even as a terrified little child, I wondered then if they ever REALLY did. . . The fire department suddenly had too many fires to put out, because of arson and sheer stupidity on the part of people, and so they had to prioritize their resources carefully. But after a week the fire engines quit coming, and things just started to BURN everywhere! The police were having a hard time keeping people from looting and burning everything, and hungry groups of people turned into rioting mobs. Then the police quit coming! Everyone shouted about how the government had let them down. Others cried on their knees and begged to God, asking, 'How could you let this happen to us'? Some people tried to help put out the fires, and a few neighborhoods policed themselves for a while, but the barricades they put up in the streets were quickly torn down by rioters searching for food. The grocery stores had already been completely ransacked...many were burnt down to the foundation in frustration. The same was true of the banks and public offices. The sounds of windows being shattered by stone-throwers could be heard at all times in the day or night, as could frightened screams, yelling and loud fights. I huddled in my bed in the candle-lit darkness absolutely terrified, and although my mother and father tried to calm me, I could tell they were as scared as I was. . . "Where were you at the time, Heroditus?" asked a man in the crowd. . "I was in a place they used to call 'Los Angeles', which meant 'city of angels', she replied with disgust, "and in what was once considered, 'a very good neighborhood'. My recollection gets a little fuzzy at this point, because I was very traumatized. But at one point the next evening there was a loud knock on the door. Then the knock turned into a frantic banging, and my parents dared not answer it. They just sat on the sofa hugging each other saying things like, 'It's all going to be Ok...order will be restored soon...the governed has GOT to send the 'national guard' in to set things straight'. But I knew even then that there was no government left.. before the television went silent, they were having problems they couldn't handle even with the military, and that had been two weeks ago. People were in widespread DENIAL up till the very last moments of modern civilization. I still marvel at this even now." . . "Soon a bottle of something was thrown through the window...I screamed, and we all ran to the back bedroom. Then it sounded like somebody was coming through the window...I heard several of them talking while stepping on the broken glass. They were going through our kitchen and stealing our food! My father wouldn't have that, so he ran out into the kitchen to confront them...then I heard a gunshot and my mother ran out to see what happened to my father...I heard her scream "NO!" and then I heard more gunshots. Again there were feet on broken glass as the rioters ran outside. I dared not move an inch! I sat in the pitch-black like a little animal in it's burrow, inside the bedroom closet where my parents had told me to hide. I trembled and would have cried, except I was too worried somebody might hear me. For what seemed like hours I sat there, not knowing what to do, but longing to see my parents. So I finally crawled into the kitchen on hands and knees, and with a flashlight got up the nerve to shine light the floor and look around. There lie both of my parents dead in a pool of blood...shot to death over a half dozen cans of food! I howled with anger and fear, and then smelled smoke. The house was on fire...I had to get out! I ran back to the bedroom, opened the window and was just about to crawl outside, when a man came up and helped me through it. I never feared him, even in those circumstances, and he hurried me to a car with a woman waiting there. These two became what I later called, 'my adoptive parents' and we somehow made it this far north, to help found what would later be called, one of the, 'neo-tribes'." . . "But forming this tribe didn't happen for a couple of years...people were still everywhere at that time raping, looting and burning. Many of the remaining forests burned too. Nothing was safe for the longest time, not even remote cabins, because many headed to the countryside in an effort to survive. People died like flies, EVERYWHERE. About 30% of them died, I believe, just from a lack of prescription medications, within three weeks of the power going out. Another 60% died just from killing each other in the next 12 months, and when I say 60%, I mean about 4 1/2 to 5 billion people the world over! The rest of humanity which perished, died from a lack of food within the next two years, because, being the 'techno-primitives' that they were, they didn't know anything about growing their own food, hunting or survival of any kind...they didn't even have logical or practical minds. So they just DIED in droves." . . "And that's the story summarized...many of you know what came next...the rebuilding of humankind, and the re-thinking of everything the Before Time thought was important in life. Many of us took oaths to the effect of, 'never again would we worship material things over truth, God and nature' and so, we never have. We determined ourselves to fully realize that life has much greater value than any 'profit margin' could ever have. And, we have learned that the owning of shiny things does not make a better person. That's just a waste of life and precious resources, for the sake of primitive ego. If anything, the spiritual one who isn't interested in accumulating material objects just for their own sake is 'better', for they hold their life priorities in accord with sanity. And above all else, we learned that the truth itself is all that ever did or ever will really matter." . . The entire crowd, which had grown to about 30 people by now, almost the entire community, were listening carefully nodding their heads. No one said a word, but all looked on in admiration for their Elder-Historian, because no one was held in higher esteem in most tribes. . . Finally, before the night was done, Heroditus said one last thing, which everyone thought about quite a bit, as they went to sleep in their tarp yurts. . . She said, "I wonder how any of those people in the Before Time would react to what has been said this night, if they could have somehow listened in? Would they have changed their ways and embraced natural, simple living? Would they take up spiritual practice and hold truth above all other things, or would they merely scoff and walk angrily away? I wonder..." . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . The World Mind Society . Further suggested reading..."The Survivalists' Guide for the new Millennium" and other related articles in our free, on-site Library. . . Please distribute this article widely, by e-mail, internet forum and hard copy for the next two years, and ask others to do the same....11/5/2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Species an Hour Go Extinct - Matthew Webb . 16 Nov 2009 21:33 . #840 Three Species Go Extinct Every Hour . UN Urges World to Slow Extinctions: 3 Each Hour . . Planetark.org, May 23, 2007 . . OSLO - Human activities are wiping out three animal or plant species every hour and the world must do more to slow the worst spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs by 2010, the United Nations said on Tuesday. . . Scientists and environmentalists issued reports about threats to creatures and plants including right whales, Iberian lynxes, wild potatoes and peanuts on May 22, the International Day for Biological Diversity. . . "Biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement. Global warming is adding to threats such as land clearance for farms or cities, pollution and rising human populations. . . "The global response to these challenges needs to move much more rapidly, and with more determination at all levels -- global, national and local," he said. . . Many experts reckon the world will fail to meet the goal set by world leaders at an Earth Summit in 2002 of a "significant reduction" by 2010 in the rate of species losses. "We are indeed experiencing the greatest wave of extinctions since the disappearance of the dinosaurs," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago, perhaps after a meteorite struck. . . "Extinction rates are rising by a factor of up to 1,000 above natural rates. Every hour, three species disappear. Every day, up to 150 species are lost. Every year, between 18,000 and 55,000 species become extinct," he said. "The cause: human activities." . . DODO . . A "Red List" of endangered species, however, lists only 784 species driven to extinction since 1500 -- ranging from the dodo bird of Mauritius to the golden toad of Costa Rica. . . Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the list compiled by the World Conservation Union grouping 83 governments as well as scientists and environmental organisations, said the hugely varying figures might both be right, in their way. . . "The UN figures are based on loss of habitats, estimates of how many species lived there and so will have been lost," he told Reuters. "Ours are more empirical -- those species we knew were there but cannot find." . . UN climate experts say global warming, blamed mainly on human use of fossil fuels, will wreck habitats by drying out the Amazon rainforest, for instance, or by melting polar ice. . . The World Conservation Union also said that one in every six land mammals in Europe was under threat of extinction, including the Iberian lynx, Arctic fox and the Mediterranean monk seal. . . "The results of the report highlight the challenge we currently face to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010," European Commissioner Stavros Dimas said. . . Europe's goal is to halt biodiversity loss by 2010, tougher than the global target of slowing losses. . . Another report by a group of farm researchers said that global warming may drive many wild varieties of plants such as potatoes and peanuts to extinction by mid-century, wiping out traits that might help modern crops resist pests or disease. . . The WWF conservation group and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society said that whales, dolphins and porpoises were "facing increasing threats from climate change" because of factors such as rising sea temperatures. . . A survey in Britain said climate change might actually help some of the nation's rare wildlife and plants -- such as the greater horseshoe bat and the turtle dove -- to spread to new areas even as others faced threats to their survival. 1 in 7 Americans go Hungry - Matthew Webb . 16 Nov 2009 21:46 . #841 USDA: Number of Americans going hungry increases . By HENRY C. JACKSON, Associated Press Writer Henry C. Jackson, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 58 mins ago . WASHINGTON – More than one in seven American households struggled to put enough food on the table in 2008, the highest number since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began tracking food security levels in 1995. . That's 14.6 percent of U.S. households, or about 49 million people. The numbers are a significant increase from 2007, when 11.1 percent of U.S. households suffered from what USDA classifies as "food insecurity" — not having enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. . Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the numbers could be higher in 2009 because of the global economic slowdown. . "This report suggests its time for America to get very serious about food security and hunger," Vilsack told reporters during a conference call. . The USDA said Monday that 5.7 percent of those who struggled for food experienced "very low food security," meaning household members reduced their food intake. . The numbers dovetail with dire economic conditions for many Americans. And they may not take the full measure of America's current struggles with hunger: Vilsack and the report's lead author, Mark Nord with USDA's economic research service, both emphasized that the numbers reflected the situation in 2008 and that the economy's continued troubles in 2009 would likely mean higher numbers next year. . The report also showed an increasing number of children in the United States are suffering food insecurity. In 2008, 16.7 million children were classified as food insecure, 4.3 million more than in 2007. . Hunger advocates said they were not surprised by the numbers, and said the numbers for children, in particular, were lamentable. . "What should really shock us is that almost one in four children in our country lives on the brink of hunger," said David Beckmann, the President of Bread of the World, a hunger advocacy organization. . Vickie Escarra, the president of Feeding America, another hunger advocacy group, said all indications were that numbers in 2009 would be even worse than 2008. . "(T)he escalating unemployment rate and the number of working-poor, lead us to believe that the number of people facing hunger will continue to rise significantly over the coming year," she said. "Research on previous economic recessions indicates that people who fall into the grips of poverty in a time of recession do not recover financially." . Vilsack said that it would take a concerted effort to reduce the number of Americans who face food insecurity and said he hoped that the stark reality of Monday's report would inspire action. He also said it was important to recognize that the numbers could have been much worse without adequately funded food aid programs, such as food stamps. . "There's an opportunity here for the country to make a major commitment to focus on ways we can improve this process and make sure that food is safe and available for everyone," he said. . The So-called "Prosperity Gospel" - Matthew Webb . 16 Nov 2009 21:56 . #842 America’s mainstream religious denominations used to teach the faithful that they would be rewarded in the afterlife. But over the past generation, a different strain of Christian faith has proliferated—one that promises to make believers rich in the here and now. Known as the prosperity gospel, and claiming tens of millions of adherents, it fosters risk-taking and intense material optimism. It pumped air into the housing bubble. And one year into the worst downturn since the Depression, it’s still going strong. . by Hanna Rosin . . Did Christianity Cause the Crash? . . LIKE THE AMBITIONS of many immigrants who attend services there, Casa del Padre’s success can be measured by upgrades in real estate. The mostly Latino church, in Charlottesville, Virginia, has moved from the pastor’s basement, where it was founded in 2001, to a rented warehouse across the street from a small mercado five years later, to a middle-class suburban street last year, where the pastor now rents space from a lovely old Baptist church that can’t otherwise fill its pews. Every Sunday, the parishioners drive slowly into the parking lot, never parking on the sidewalk or grass—“because Americanos don’t do that,” one told me—and file quietly into church. Some drive newly leased SUVs, others old work trucks with paint buckets still in the bed. The pastor, Fernando Garay, arrives last and parks in front, his dark-blue Mercedes Benz always freshly washed, the hubcaps polished enough to reflect his wingtips. . It can be hard to get used to how much Garay talks about money in church, one loyal parishioner, Billy Gonzales, told me one recent Sunday on the steps out front. Back in Mexico, Gonzales’s pastor talked only about “Jesus and heaven and being good.” But Garay talks about jobs and houses and making good money, which eventually came to make sense to Gonzales: money is “really important,” and besides, “we love the money in Jesus Christ’s name! Jesus loved money too!” That Sunday, Garay was preaching a variation on his usual theme, about how prosperity and abundance unerringly find true believers. “It doesn’t matter what country you’re from, what degree you have, or what money you have in the bank,” Garay said. “You don’t have to say, ‘God, bless my business. Bless my bank account.’ The blessings will come! The blessings are looking for you! God will take care of you. God will not let you be without a house!” . Pastor Garay, 48, is short and stocky, with thick black hair combed back. In his off hours, he looks like a contented tourist, in his printed Hawaiian shirts or bright guayaberas. But he preaches with a ferocity that taps into his youth as a cocaine dealer with a knife in his back pocket. “Fight the attack of the devil on my finances! Fight him! We declare financial blessings! Financial miracles this week, NOW NOW NOW!” he preached that Sunday. “More work! Better work! The best finances!” Gonzales shook and paced as the pastor spoke, eventually leaving his wife and three kids in the family section to join the single men toward the front, many of whom were jumping, raising their Bibles, and weeping. On the altar sat some anointing oils, alongside the keys to the Mercedes Benz. . . Later, D’andry Then, a trim, pretty real-estate agent and one of the church founders, stood up to give her testimony. Business had not been good of late, and “you know, Monday I have to pay this, and Tuesday I have to pay that.” Then, just that morning, “Jesus gave me $1,000.” She didn’t explain whether the gift came in the form of a real-estate commission or a tax refund or a stuffed envelope left at her door. The story hung somewhere between metaphor and a literal image of barefoot Jesus handing her a pile of cash. No one in the church seemed the least bit surprised by the story, and certainly no one expressed doubt. “If you have financial pressure on you, and you don’t know where the next payment is coming from, don’t pay any attention to that!” she continued. “Don’t get discouraged! Jesus is the answer.” . . America’s churches always reflect shifts in the broader culture, and Casa del Padre is no exception. The message that Jesus blesses believers with riches first showed up in the postwar years, at a time when Americans began to believe that greater comfort could be accessible to everyone, not just the landed class. But it really took off during the boom years of the 1990s, and has continued to spread ever since. This stitched-together, homegrown theology, known as the prosperity gospel, is not a clearly defined denomination, but a strain of belief that runs through the Pentecostal Church and a surprising number of mainstream evangelical churches, with varying degrees of intensity. In Garay’s church, God is the “Owner of All the Silver and Gold,” and with enough faith, any believer can access the inheritance. Money is not the dull stuff of hourly wages and bank-account statements, but a magical substance that comes as a gift from above. Even in these hard times, it is discouraged, in such churches, to fall into despair about the things you cannot afford. “Instead of saying ‘I’m poor,’ say ‘I’m rich,’” Garay’s wife, Hazael, told me one day. “The word of God will manifest itself in reality.” . . Many explanations have been offered for the housing bubble and subsequent crash: interest rates were too low; regulation failed; rising real-estate prices induced a sort of temporary insanity in America’s middle class. But there is one explanation that speaks to a lasting and fundamental shift in American culture—a shift in the American conception of divine Providence and its relationship to wealth. . In his book Something for Nothing, Jackson Lears describes two starkly different manifestations of the American dream, each intertwined with religious faith. The traditional Protestant hero is a self-made man. He is disciplined and hardworking, and believes that his “success comes through careful cultivation of (implicitly Protestant) virtues in cooperation with a Providential plan.” The hero of the second American narrative is a kind of gambling man—a “speculative confidence man,” Lears calls him, who prefers “risky ventures in real estate,” and a more “fluid, mobile democracy.” The self-made man imagines a coherent universe where earthly rewards match merits. The confidence man lives in a culture of chance, with “grace as a kind of spiritual luck, a free gift from God.” The Gilded Age launched the myth of the self-made man, as the Rockefellers and other powerful men in the pews connected their wealth to their own virtue. In these boom-and-crash years, the more reckless alter ego dominates. In his book, Lears quotes a reverend named Jeffrey Black, who sounds remarkably like Garay: “The whole hope of a human being is that somehow, in spite of the things I’ve done wrong, there will be an episode when grace and fate shower down on me and an unearned blessing will come to me—that I’ll be the one.” . . I had come to Charlottesville to learn more about this second strain of the American dream—one that’s been ascendant for a generation or more. I wanted to try to piece together the connection between the gospel and today’s economic reality, and to see whether “prosperity” could possibly still seem enticing, or even plausible, in this distinctly unprosperous moment. (Very much so, as it turns out.) Charlottesville may not be the heartland of the prosperity gospel, which is most prevalent in the Sun Belt—where many of the country’s foreclosure hot spots also lie. And Garay preaches an unusually pure version of the gospel. Still, the particulars of both Garay and his congregation are revealing. . Among Latinos the prosperity gospel has been spreading rapidly. In a recent Pew survey, 73 percent of all religious Latinos in the United States agreed with the statement: “God will grant financial success to all believers who have enough faith.” For a generation of poor and striving Latino immigrants, the gospel seems to offer a road map to affluence and modern living. Garay’s church is comprised mostly of first-generation immigrants. More than others I’ve visited, it echoes back a highly distilled, unself-conscious version of the current thinking on what it means to live the American dream. . . One other thing makes Garay’s church a compelling case study. From 2001 to 2007, while he was building his church, Garay was also a loan officer at two different mortgage companies. He was hired explicitly to reach out to the city’s growing Latino community, and Latinos, as it happened, were disproportionately likely to take out the sort of risky loans that later led to so many foreclosures. To many of his parishioners, Garay was not just a spiritual adviser, but a financial one as well. . . MANY OF THE TERMS and concepts used by prosperity preachers today date back to Oral Roberts, a poor farmer’s son turned Pentecostal preacher. Garay grew up watching Roberts on television and considers him a hero; he hopes to send all three of his children to Oral Roberts University, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the late 1940s, Roberts claimed his Bible flipped open to the Third Epistle of John, verse 2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health. Even as thy soul prospereth.” Soon Roberts developed his famous concept of seed faith, still popular today. If people would donate money to his ministry, a “seed” offered to God, he’d say, then God would multiply it a hundredfold. Eventually, Roberts retreated into a life that revolved around private jets and country clubs. . . Roberts’s fame had faded by the late 1980s, and prosperity preaching briefly imploded soon after. We all remember Tammy Faye Bakker and her mascara tears, along with her husband, Jim, and his various scandals. They took their place in a procession of slick, showy faith healers on Christian television who ultimately succumbed to earthly temptation. . . But since that time, the movement has made itself over, moving out of the fringe and into the upwardly mobile megachurch class. In the past decade, it has produced about a dozen celebrity pastors, who show up at White House events, on secular radio, and as guests on major TV talk shows. Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Methodist megapastor in Houston and a purveyor of the prosperity gospel, gave the benediction at both of George W. Bush’s inaugurals. Instead of shiny robes or gaudy jewelry, these preachers wear Italian suits and modest wedding bands. Instead of screaming and sweating, they smile broadly and speak in soothing, therapeutic terms. But their message is essentially the same. “Every day, you’re going to live that abundant life!” preaches Joel Osteen, a best-selling author, the nation’s most popular TV preacher, and the pastor of Lakewood Church, in Houston, the country’s largest church by far. . Among mainstream, nondenominational megachurches, where much of American religious life takes place, “prosperity is proliferating” rapidly, says Kate Bowler, a doctoral candidate at Duke University and an expert in the gospel. Few, if any, of these churches have prosperity in their title or mission statement, but Bowler has analyzed their sermons and teachings. Of the nation’s 12 largest churches, she says, three are prosperity—Osteen’s, which dwarfs all the other megachurches; Tommy Barnett’s, in Phoenix; and T. D. Jakes’s, in Dallas. In second-tier churches—those with about 5,000 members—the prosperity gospel dominates. Overall, Bowler classifies 50 of the largest 260 churches in the U.S. as prosperity. The doctrine has become popular with Americans of every background and ethnicity; overall, Pew found that 66 percent of all Pentecostals and 43 percent of “other Christians”—a category comprising roughly half of all respondents—believe that wealth will be granted to the faithful. It’s an upbeat theology, argues Barbara Ehrenreich in her new book, Bright-Sided, that has much in common with the kind of “positive thinking” that has come to dominate America’s boardrooms and, indeed, its entire culture. . A Message to NCN (newslog comments) - Matthew Webb . 18 Nov 2009 21:56 . #843 It's not just the huge number of people going hungry either, (1 billion, or 1 in 7, with a child starving to death every 5 seconds). It's the IMPLICATIONS of these statistics which is even more alarming. . . The bottom line here, is that humans are out of control of their own world society. In fact, they are out of control of themselves. It means that the average person around the world today has no concept whatsoever of taking self responsiblity, let alone world responsiblity, nor are they the least bit interested in getting responsible. By the same token, they care either nothing or next to nothing for self knowledge/mastery. . . Our world is DYING, and our species is dying with it. This is a documented FACT...not an opinion, not a guess, not an exaggeration, but a scientifically proven decline. This decline only accelerates over time. Like a suicidal driver who knows they are approaching a cliff at high speeds, humanity only steps on the accelerator with all their might, just to spite their last few seconds of life. This behavior resembles a cross between a small, spoiled-rotten child with an evil temperment, and that of a crime boss caught in the act, while still pretending like they are a pillar of the community. . . I like very much what you said Spells, as it a desperately needed message. . . You said, . . "I'll bet not one person would have even commented on here, but they now have to defend their IMAGE. But talk of the importance of species going extinct or people starving to death...nah, why bother, it will cut into their joy. . . Joy cannot be real joy when the consciousness of a whole world is suffering and one avoids and denies it. It is nothing but bs to cover up the pain and fear within oneself and of the world at large. You can't get rid of a cancerous growth by ignoring or denying it and not addressing it. Address it, even just start to heal it, and then truly feel the joy! " . . ////// . . Exactly so. You people can dance all you want, but your house is still on fire. Smell the smoke? Can you still deny there is a severe problem that personally involves YOU, even while choking with a crooked smile? . . Spells, it boils down to one thing...FEAR. The vast majority of modern humans are too afraid to live, and at the same time, they're too afraid to die either....they choose a slow death, one they don't have to face right away. So although they know they're dying as a race, and that THEY are responsible for this mass death, they go on pretending that everything is "OK"...smiles, gaffs, back slaps and light talk galore! I'm sure Enquirer magazine is happy about this, but as for all living things on earth, humanity has become an engine of suffering and mass destruction. But as you pointed out Spells, without also taking the world situation seriously, and challenging those wrong values which make it possible, (greed and egotism) they are just FAKES, not authenitc persons with real caring. Their "joy" is hollow and hypocritical. Fact is, they really don't give a damn about ANY of it...the whole world can go to hell, ALL can be destroyed, and that's ok with them so long as they have a few moments left to "enjoy", (which really means feel the pain and fear of the world a little less). . . ///////// . . UN abandons hunger reduction target . By Barry Mason . 18 November 2009 . The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations abandoned its hunger reduction targets in advance of the World Food Summit on Food Security that opened in Rome on November 16. Instead, it has substituted a vague phrase. From now on, it will aim “to take action towards sustainably eradicating hunger at the earliest possible date.” . . “The idea of setting a timetable for the eradication of hunger was presented by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and supported by Latin American, Middle Eastern and African nations. It was strongly rejected by the US, the European Union, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, said diplomats,” according to the Financial Times. . . The FAO called the 2009 World Food Summit on Food Security as this year marked a 100 million increase in those affected by hunger worldwide, taking the figure to the 1 billion level. The summit has been heralded by public statements from a range of agencies expressing pessimism that the assembly in Rome will change anything. . . ActionAid’s food rights coordinator, Francisco Sarmento, called the draft declaration preceding the summit, “just a rehash of old platitudes. . . It says hunger will be halved by 2015 but fails to commit any new resources to achieve this.” He said, “ActionAid appreciates Pope Benedict XVI’s attendance at the summit, but frankly he needs to pray for a miracle.” . . Oxfam joined ActionAid in saying that the conference may be just “a waste of time and money.” . . In his opening remarks to the summit, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon pointed out that even though the planet has enough food for all, a child dies of hunger every five seconds. He called on world leaders to act now to feed the earth’s one billion hungry and secure the lives of millions of others who are at risk of going hungry. . . The previous official World Food Summit was held in 2002. In 2008, the rise in food prices due to the effects of the global economic crisis saw food riots in countries such as Haiti, Bangladesh and Egypt. In response, the FAO organised a special summit in June 2008, in which high-level representatives of the G8 participated. US Foreclosures - Matthew Webb . 20 Nov 2009 20:08 . #844 US home foreclosures at record high as jobs crisis deepens . By Andre Damon . 20 November 2009 . . The number of home loans in the US that are either in foreclosure or at least one payment past due reached one in seven last month, a record high, according to a survey released Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association. . . . The survey found that nearly 10 percent of mortgage holders were at least one payment behind on their mortgages, while 4.47 percent of were in foreclosure. Both of these are the highest figures on records dating back to 1972. About 7 million households are behind on payments or in foreclosure. . . These figures present just one indicator of the worsening conditions facing US workers caught up in the longest economic downturn since the Great Depression. The number of people behind on their mortgage payments has doubled since last year, as has the percentage in foreclosure, according to the survey. . . The foreclosures were spread throughout all borrower categories, with high-quality, fixed-rate mortgages showing the fastest growth in delinquencies, not the sub-prime mortgages that initiated the foreclosure crisis. . . LPS Applied Analytics, which also recently released a survey of late mortgage payments, found similar figures. The LPS survey found that the number of people three months behind on their payments, but not yet in foreclosure, reached 3.4 percent of US households, up from 1.5 percent 12 months before. . . Unemployment is now a primary cause of home foreclosures. MBA chief economist Jay Brinkmann told Reuters: “It is all about unemployment, everything else is secondary. We expect unemployment to keep rising into the first quarter of 2010, which means we will most likely see even higher rates of delinquencies and foreclosures.” . . New unemployment claims stayed at 505,000 last week, according to figures released Thursday by the Labor Department. Economists were expecting a decrease in the number of new filings, but this did not materialize. The official US unemployment rate reached 10.2 percent in October, while the “real” unemployment rate, which includes involuntary part-time workers and those who have left the labor market, soared to 17.5 percent. . . Home construction starts likewise showed an unexpected slump last month, falling 10.6 percent from September. There were 529,000 new housing construction projects last month, significantly lower than the 600,000 expected by analysts. “As we look out to 2010, we are expecting difficult conditions to continue,” said Richard Dugas, chief executive of Pulte Homes, the largest US homebuilder. . . The White House extended its first-time homebuyer tax credit this month to April 2010. Once this measure expires analysts expect a further deterioration in housing prices. Average real estate prices doubled in the first six years of this decade, but have fallen by 30 percent since 2006, with no recovery yet in sight. . . The slew of bad data led several economists to revise their estimates for the fourth quarter growth downward. Macroeconomic Advisors, for example, revised its forecast down from 3.2 percent to 3 percent. . . Companies continued to announce mass layoffs this week. America Online announced plans on Thursday to cut one third of its 6,900-person workforce ahead of its planned spinoff from Time Warner, Inc. At its height, the company employed 20,000 people. Aetna, the health insurer, announced Wednesday that it plans to lay off 3.5 percent of its 35,000 employees. . . Those workers who have not been laid off are facing speedups and higher workloads. A survey of employers released Wednesday showed that half of employees report an increased workload over the previous six months, which contributed to a quarter of employees reporting “low morale.” . . While the Confidence Board’s leading indicator, which estimates future economic growth, increased for the seventh month in a row, the rate of its growth slowed significantly in October. The index grew by 0.3 last month, down from 1 percent in September. . . As the number of unemployed continues to increase, benefits are becoming harder to come by. A program passed this year that subsidizes healthcare for unemployed people is set to expire December 1st for the first people to take advantage of it. The subsidy, which paid for 65 percent of health-insurance costs for nine months, has not yet been extended. People who lose medical coverage for 63 days or more may not be covered for pre-existing conditions when they reapply for insurance. . . Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke highlighted the devastating impact of the crisis in a speech before the National Economic Club Monday, warning of continued loan defaults and high unemployment. Bernanke noted that the number of people working part-time involuntarily has more than doubled since the beginning of the recession, while the average workweek for manufacturing workers has fallen to the lowest level in postwar history. . . The Fed chairman noted the impact of the cost-cutting programs being put into effect by US companies, saying that, “together with the reduction in hours worked, slower wage growth has led to stagnation in labor income.” He summed up the conditions facing workers: “The best thing we can say about the labor market right now is that it may be getting worse more slowly.” . . High unemployment is in fact a deliberate policy of the Obama administration, which is seeking to drive down the conditions of the working class in order to restore profitability of American companies. Obama has rejected any serious jobs program or further stimulus measures. . . . Meanwhile, Wall Street profits are likely to set a new record this year, according to a report released Tuesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report noted that Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and a section of JPMorgan Chase are set to make $22.5 billion this year, compared to losses of $40.3 billion last year. There is every likelihood that the year-end bonuses at these banks will be equally unprecedented. NY City and the Implications of Homelessness - Matthew Webb . 21 Nov 2009 21:17 . #845 New York City homeless population at an all-time high . By Sandy English and Ali Ismail . 21 November 2009 . . According to a report released last month by the New York City advocacy group Coalition for the Homeless, there are currently almost 37,000 people in the city shelter system. This includes approximately 10,000 homeless families with 16,500 children. . . The number of homeless housed by the city marks an 11 percent increase over last year and is the highest number of people seeking shelter on record. These figures are all the more significant because they reflect the state of the homeless population before the cold weather has started. . . The report notes, “The growing homeless family shelter population has been driven by historically high numbers of newly homeless families entering the municipal shelter system.” In August, over 1,900 families sought shelter in the city’s system. For the last fiscal year (FY), over 120,000 homeless people used the city’s shelters. . . The emergence of mass unemployment in the city has been the leading cause of the increase in homelessness. The official figure now stands at 10.3 percent, with a loss of 111,000 jobs since last year. Among Blacks and Hispanics, the figure is over 20 percent. If part-time workers who want full-time jobs and those who have stopped looking for work are counted, the overall unemployment rate rises to 15.8 percent. . . Antonietta Bertucci, Director of Part of the Solution (POTS) Justice Center, a nonprofit agency that supplies services to the poor in the Bronx, told the WSWS: “We’ve seen people that would never have imagined they would be seeking our services. One woman who came to us is sleeping her car. She was evicted because she lost her job.” . . The city’s capacity to shelter the homeless is being severely strained. Mary Brosnahan, executive director of the Coalition for the Homeless, wrote in the Daily News, “New York City is in the midst of a homeless emergency. … As of Sept. 30, there were only two empty beds left in the entire New York City shelter system for homeless men and only eight empty beds for homeless women—10 available beds in a system of more than 7,000 for homeless single adults.” . . The city spent over $856 million providing these services in FY 2009. . . On November 7, the Department of Homeless Services announced that it would close the city’s largest drop-in shelter to make way for the construction of a new subway line. The Open Door on 41st St. near the Port Authority Bus Terminal serves meals to homeless men and women. According the Daily News, although the shelter does not have beds, an average of 94 people slept there each night in September. . . Robert Hess, the chairman of the Department of Homeless Services, the city will not replace the center, but seek to add beds to churches and synagogues that house the homeless. But Patrick Markee, a policy analyst for the Coalition for the Homeless, told the News: “With all-time record homelessness, this is no time for the Bloomberg administration to close the city’s largest drop-in center for homeless people”. . . Bloomberg’s policies, like those of his predecessor, Rudolph Giuliani, are more concerned with hiding the homeless from view than with addressing the needs of people in distress. . . One of these schemes involves providing homeless individuals and families with one-way bus or plane tickets to wherever they have contacts that could give them a place to stay. The New York Times reported that at least 550 families have been relocated in this fashion. City Hall would much rather ship families off rather than spend the funds necessary to house them. People have been relocated to many states and to a number of countries around the world. . . According to the Times, many of these families are often long-time residents of the city, while others are newcomers. Hector Correa, an immigrant from Puerto Rico, told the Times, “I didn’t expect the city to be the way it is. I was expecting something different, something better.” . . Ruby Davis told WCBS TV that she felt the city was trying to give her the boot when she was offered a one-way ticket to North Carolina, where her estranged mother lived. She said, “I didn’t take it because when I was living in North Carolina, I was sleeping on a broken pull-out couch, and I wasn’t getting along with my mom at the time.” Domestic violence and domestic disputes often lead to homelessness—a fact the one-way ticket program obviously does not consider. . . Arnold S. Cohen, president of the Partnership for the Homeless, criticized the policy for failing to address the underlying causes of homelessness. He said, “What we’re doing is passing the problem of homelessness to another city. We’re taking people from a shelter bed here to the living room couch of another family. Essentially, this family is still homeless.” . . In a grotesque scheme, the city’s Department of Homeless services began charging rent (see “New York City demands rent from the homeless”) to some families living in shelters in May. After a public outcry, the city backed off. Based on WSWS interviews with families seeking shelter from the city, it is clearly difficult for families to obtain services to begin with. . . In addition to mass unemployment, the irrationality of the housing market and the very high cost of housing in New York City aggravate homelessness. Millions of working-class and middle-class people sacrifice huge portions of their income to pay rent or mortgages. When someone in a family loses a job or has a medical emergency, it can become impossible to pay rent or make payments on a house. . . In New York City, however, blocks of units remain unfinished or unoccupied because big landlords cannot make a profit by completing or renting them. Often wealthy property owners chose to hold back empty apartments from the market, hoping to make a return on them later. Three years ago, the group Picture the Homeless estimated that 24,000 units in Manhattan alone are empty and available. . . The New York Times noted recently that, despite city financing for the creation of affordable housing, over 200,000 apartments for lower-income working-class families have been eliminated since 2002. According to data supplied by New York University’s Furman Center, the city now has only 991,591 units that it considers affordable for families that make less than 80 percent of the city’s median income, $37,000 a year. This is a loss of 17 percent since 2002. . . Antonietta Bertucci of POTS told the WSWS that over the last year, a number of landlords have taken advantage of a program sponsored by the Department of Homeless Services. The DHS will pay up to $3,000 to rent an apartment as a shelter for the homeless. This has prompted mass evictions from some buildings, especially in the Bronx, because landlords see it as a way to make more money. “They take their tenants to housing court and accuse them of violating their leases,” Bartucci said. “The tenants are obligated to prove that they did not”. . . She added, “Everybody is suffering because of the recession, including the landlords. They can’t afford their mortgages and pass the cost on to their tenants. Many apartments are in awful condition. It is quite widespread in the Bronx for tenants not to have hot water”. . . The housing crisis in New York City and nationwide is so egregious that the United Nations Human Rights Council recently appointed a special rapporteur on the right to affordable housing in the US. The rapporteur, a professor of city planning from the University of São Paulo in Brazil named Raquel Rolnik, was denied entry into the US by the Bush administration. Admitted to the US after the election of Barack Obama, she found that little had changed in US government attitudes to the homeless: “One of the first meetings I had at the State Department, they clearly told me: here, adequate housing is not a human right.” America the Hungry - Matthew Webb . 30 Nov 2009 19:54 . #846 Food stamp usage at record levels . America the hungry . 30 November 2009 . . A front-page report in Sunday’s New York Times, detailing the skyrocketing rise in food stamp use, provides a far different picture of America at the end of 2009 than the complacent assurances of economic “recovery” voiced by Wall Street and the Obama administration. . . . The Times conducted a statistical analysis of food stamp use by county, in an effort to present a more detailed social portrait of the 36 million people currently on the food stamp rolls. “They include single mothers and married couples, the newly jobless and the chronically poor, longtime recipients of welfare checks and workers whose reduced hours or slender wages leave pantries bare,” the report noted. . . . Among the significant findings: . . . In 239 counties, more than a quarter of the population receives food stamps. . In more than 750 counties, at least one in three African-Americans receives food stamps. . In more than 800 counties, more than one-third of all children depend on food stamps. . In 62 counties, food stamp rolls have doubled over the past two years. . In 205 counties, food stamp rolls are up by two-thirds. . . The geographical dispersal of the mounting social need for food is staggering, from traditional centers of poverty such as rural Appalachia and inner-city urban ghettos to the suburbs built up in the Sunbelt in the last two decades. The map showing the counties where food stamp usage is growing most rapidly includes the affluent Atlanta suburbs, most of the state of Florida, most of Wisconsin, western and northern Ohio, and most of the Mountain West, including large swathes of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado and Idaho. . . . While unemployment is the main trigger of rising food stamp usage, the immediate economic cause varies widely, from the collapse of the housing bubble in the southwestern states and Florida, to the collapse of the auto industry in the Great Lakes region, to the layoffs sweeping through white collar America as the recession worsens. . . . The Times notes the impact on affluent suburban areas, long dominated by the Republican Party, where food stamp usage has more than doubled since the official start of the slump in December 2007, such as Orange County, California and Forsyth County, Georgia. Food stamp use has grown more slowly, in percentage terms, in cities like Detroit, St. Louis and New Orleans, but only because so much of their populations were already living in poverty and receiving food assistance when the slump began. . . . All these figures significantly understate the level of social deprivation. An estimated 18 million people who are eligible for food stamps do not receive them, partly because of institutional barriers like inadequate outreach services, particularly to immigrant communities—the state of California reaches only half of those eligible—and partly because of the social stigma attached to receiving “welfare,” especially in suburban areas where impoverishment has been a sudden and recent event. . . . According to a study by Thomas A. Hirschl of Cornell University and Mark R. Rank of Washington University in St. Louis, half the children in America will depend on food stamps at some point during their childhood. The figure rises to 90 percent for black children. The study was published this month in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. . . . Since it is based on analyzing 29 years of data, the latter study gives a picture of the levels of social need during a period when unemployment averaged well below the 10.2 percent mark hit last month. A protracted period of double-digit unemployment—now widely predicted by business and government economists—will make more and more children dependent on federal aid to meet their basic nutritional needs. . . . The findings of both these studies confirm the conclusions of a US Department of Agriculture survey released November 16 that found 49 million Americans, including 17 million children, were not consistently getting enough food to eat in 2008. The vast majority of the 17 million families struggling to put food on the table had at least one employed worker in the household, but with wages too low to ensure basic necessities. The level of food insecurity was the highest since the USDA began keeping records in 1995. . . . These figures demonstrate that for American working people, the social reality today is the worst since the Great Depression. Some 30 million people are unemployed or underemployed. Nearly 50 million lack health insurance. Nearly 50 million have difficulty feeding themselves and their children. Some 40 million live below the official poverty line, and the figure would rise to 80 million if a realistic family budget were used as the yardstick. . . . Young people face the greatest challenge. According to a Pew Research Center report issued last week, 10 percent of adults under 35 have moved back with their parents due to the recession. More than half of men 18 to 24 were still living with their parents, and 48 percent of young women. The proportion of young people with jobs—46 percent—is the lowest since records began in 1948. . . . These figures are an indictment of American capitalism and its criminal sabotage of the productive forces of society. How is it possible that in a country whose agriculture is so productive that it can literally feed the world, tens of millions of people struggle to feed their children and themselves? It is because production and distribution take place on the basis of private profit, and feeding hungry children is far less profitable for the ruling elite than speculation in the financial markets. . . . These figures are also an indictment of the political representatives of big business in the Obama administration and the Democratic and Republican parties. Apparently hunger, like unemployment, is viewed by Obama merely as a “lagging indicator”—something that the American people simple have to endure, but not a crisis, not even a cause to lift a finger. . . . Having funneled trillions into the financial system, to ensure a return to profitability and seven-figure bonuses on Wall Street, and set his course for military escalation in Afghanistan at the cost of countless billions, Obama is now declaring that his top domestic priority is deficit reduction. After Wall Street and war, there will be little or nothing left over to meet the needs of hungry children—or their parents. . . . Patrick Martin . . . The author also recommends: . . A record 49 million Americans faced hunger in 2008 . [17 November 2009] . . US food charities overwhelmed by demand . [28 November 2008] What does it all Mean? - Matthew Webb . 8 Dec 2009 00:46 . #847 Regarding the modern world...of culture and society, there's something in particular I'd like you to think about. It amounts to two questions, and I request that you to answer them. . . Please take a look out your front window, then the side and back windows. Look to the neighbors' yard...the mowed grass, the manicured bushes, and flowers planted in a row. Look at the various types of fancy cars, the carefully painted houses and apartment buildings, and the bright clothes of passers-by on the street. Look at the cars driving by, with peoples' faces in them, all on their way to various, "busy tasks". Think about the church down the street, with their hollow doctrines, and the gradeschool with it's corporate conditioning for young minds, and the various stores, shopping malls and business offices. . . Consider all the frantic arms and legs, moving as fast as they can, "in order to achieve their financial goals". Imagine inside peoples' places, with all the "art" hung on the walls, and shelf upon shelf of pictures, figurines, and "other stuff", Fahrenheit 451-style wall screen TV's, whole U-hauls worth of "things", closets full of expensive clothes, cabinets full of extravagent foods, medicine cabinets full of prescription drugs, multiple surgery and credit card bills, 20 year mortgages, and faces in the mirror(s) full of pain, fear and misery, with diseases, (mental and physical) galore. . . Then consider the state of the world environment...the death of a species every 20 minutes or less, dead zones in the oceans, whole forests clear cut, whole mountainsides strip-mined, toxic foods, corrupt governments, and wars the world over. . . After considering all this at length, while looking out your windows, I just want you to answer these simple questions.... . . "What is all this supposedly accomplishing"?, and, "What is it all supposed to mean"? . . Please think anout that, and tell me what the answers are. Compilation of recent news - Matthew Webb . 15 Dec 2009 19:26 . #848 India: Soaring food prices place tens of millions at risk . By Ajay Prakash . 15 December 2009 . Rapidly rising food prices are pushing tens of millions of Indians deeper into poverty and outright hunger. . The soaring price of vegetables pushed the annual rate of inflation for food articles to over 19 percent for the week ending November 28, a marked increase from the 17.5 percent recorded the previous week and the 15.5 percent the week before that. . The most recent data shows that the price of cereals has gone up by 12.7 percent over the past year, the price of rice by 11.8 percent, wheat by 12.6 percent, fruits by 13 percent, and milk by 11.4 percent. Potatoes cost more than double what they did a year ago and the price of onions has risen by more than 23 percent. Pulses, a major source of protein for the poor, now cost 42 percent more than they did a year ago. . In response to the latest inflation figures, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi said that “the price rise of essential commodities continues to be a matter of highest concern to us” and pledged that India’s Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance coalition government will take “every possible step” to address the issue. . UPA Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government will strengthen the Public Distribution System, which offers select food items at fixed prices to those with low incomes, but failed to provide any details. . Mukherjee blamed the food price rises on a shortage of pulses on the international market, saying, “There is a shortage of pulses to the tune of 3-4 million tonnes and this deficit cannot be met through imports as there are not enough pulses in the international market. It is this scarcity that is pushing up the prices.” . This is a cynical attempt to shirk the responsibility of India’s elite for the current crisis and the acute economic insecurity in which the vast majority of Indians live. . Since last spring, India’s agricultural sector, upon which more than 60 percent of the population depends for its livelihood, has been battered by drought. Floods also devastated crops and uprooted millions in some parts of the country during the late summer and fall. As a result, 278 of India’s 626 administrative districts have been declared drought or flood afflicted. . While the monsoons came late and rainfall was the scantest in four decades, the drought is not merely or even principally a natural calamity. After six decades of Indian independence, the bourgeoisie has failed to develop a proper irrigation-water management system. Consequently, the overwhelming majority of India’s peasant farmers are wholly dependent on the monsoons to water their crops, meaning the threat of crop failures and food shortages and price rises is ever-present. . As a result of this year’s poor monsoons, India’s production of rice is expected to fall by 18 percent in 2009, from 84.6 tons to 69.5 million tons, and India, the world’s second largest producer and biggest consumer of sugar, will be forced to import sugar for the first time in many years. In 2007-2008, India exported 5 million tons of sugar, but next year it is anticipated it will import an equivalent amount. . Another reason for the pulse-shortage is the decreasing acreage given over to pulse production. Seeking to maximize their meagre earnings, Indian farmers have increasingly turned to cultivating crops that are either in high demand from the sections of the middle class that have benefited from India’s increased integration into the world capitalist economy or are suitable for export. . For fear of the social dislocation and unrest that would result, New Delhi has thus far resisted Washington’s demands that India remove all its barriers to agricultural imports. Nevertheless in India, as around the world, food prices are being impacted by a recent surge in speculation in agricultural commodities. . While Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee made hollow statements of concern about the impact of rising food prices on India’s toilers, C. Rangarajan, a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and current chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, shed light on the real concerns of India’s financial elite. . He warned that the food price rises could cut across Indian big business’s drive to make the country a world manufacturing hub. “Food prices,” said Rangarajan, “must be controlled, otherwise they have a tendency to lead to manufacturing inflation … this will require monetary action by RBI, especially (money) supply management.” . ///////////////// . . Philippine president declares martial law in Maguindanao province . By Peter Symonds . 12 December 2009 . In a move that marks the further erosion of democratic rights in the Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo imposed martial law from December 4 over most of the province of Maguindanao on the southern island of Mindanao. . Arroyo cynically used the massacre of 57 people, including 31 journalists and media workers, on November 23 to justify her declaration. The armed forces have taken control of the province and dispatched heavily armed soldiers backed by armoured vehicles and war planes to hunt down members of the Ampatuan family and their private army that allegedly perpetrated the brutal murders. . On November 23, family members of Esmail Mangudadatu, a political rival of the Ampatuans, accompanied by lawyers and journalists, were travelling in a convoy to file his election papers for the post of Maguindanao governor. They were stopped outside Ampatuan town by dozens of gunmen, who forced to them to drive to a remote location off the highway then murdered them all and buried the bodies in pre-prepared graves. The victims were shot and hacked to death. Some of the women were raped and mutilated. . The massacre provoked widespread outrage in the Philippines and internationally, not least because the powerful Ampatuan family was allied to President Arroyo and had assisted her in winning her widely disputed victory in the 2004 elections. Allegations of election rigging and corruption in Maguindanao province were rife, reinforced by the fact that in a number of towns her opponent received no votes at all. . Arroyo immediately sought to distance herself from the massacre by expelling Ampatuan family members from her party, Lakas-Kampi. By declaring martial law and ordering a crackdown on the Ampatuan clan, that message has been further reinforced. While Arroyo is constitutionally barred from running from another term in the May 2010 elections, she is seeking a congressional seat and the Lakas-Kampi presidential candidate is polling behind his rivals at this stage. . So far about 150 people have been arrested in connection with the massacre. Local mayor Andal Ampatuan Jnr, who allegedly organised and was present at the killings, has been detained and charged with 25 counts of murder. His father, Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Snr, and his brother, Zaldy Ampatuan, the governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, have been removed from their posts and charged with rebellion. Family compounds have been raided for arms. . The army has called on an estimated 2,400 armed gunmen connected to the Ampatuan clan still at large in 16 of Maguindanao’s townships to surrender. Last Sunday, police commandos clashed briefly with armed Ampatuan loyalists in the township of Datu Unsay before armoured personnel carriers were sent in. On Tuesday, the air force flew two OV-10 bombers over the province in what a military spokesman described as “a persuasion flight”. The entire local police force has been replaced due to concerns about its allegiance to the Ampatuans. . The military has encouraged the growth of large private armies in Mindanao as a means of countering a long-running insurgency by Islamic separatists, particularly since Arroyo took power in 2001. The strategy of backing local warlords parallels that used in Iraq and Afghanistan by the US military, which also maintains a quasi-permanent presence of between 300 to 500 Special Forces troops in southern Mindanao under the guise of training the Philippine military in counterinsurgency. In 2006, Arroyo legimitised these private armies as Civilian Volunteer Organisations, operating in support of the security forces. . //////////////// . . Greece verges on default . By John Vassilopoulos . 12 December 2009 . Concerns over Greece’s solvency were renewed on Tuesday after Fitch Ratings downgraded Greece’s debt rating from A- to BBB+. . In response to the news, the Athens stock exchange index dropped 6 percent on Tuesday and a further 3.4 percent on Wednesday. In an interview with Bloomberg, former Bank of England policy maker Willem Buiter said, “It’s five minutes to midnight for Greece. Default is not unavoidable, but unless there are radical fiscal actions…we could see our first EU 15 sovereign default since Germany in 1948.” . Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou sought to reassure investors, saying, “We are not a new Iceland, just as we are not the next Dubai.” . The reality is that the global downturn has visited on Greece its worst economic crisis since the military junta was overthrown in 1974. The European Union Commission recently sharply revised upwards its projections for the Greek budget deficit to 12.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 and 12.7 percent in 2010, after the newly elected PASOK government revealed that the outgoing New Democracy regime kept the full extent of the deficit secret. . Greece has the highest public debt in the EU, projected to rise from 99 percent to 125 percent of GDP in 2010. In a televised cabinet meeting, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said, “We must close the credibility gap to survive as a sovereign and cohesive nation.” He added, “We are determined to do whatever it takes to control the huge deficit.” . Just like other members of the Eurozone, the Greek government raises funds by issuing bonds benchmarked against German state bonds, with the interest rate difference between them defined as the “spread.” If the spread increases, so does the cost of government borrowing. The last few weeks have seen volatile fluctuations in the Greek/German bond spread. . Fears were first raised about the debt worthiness of Greece following the panic sparked by the November 25 request of the Middle Eastern conglomerate Dubai World for a “holiday” on its debt repayments. The spread on Greek bonds shot up to 213 basis points from around 118. In response to the downgrading news this week, the spread shot up to 250 basis points by the time markets closed on Wednesday, an increase of some 75 points over the previous week. . While Greece’s economy accounts for only 3 percent of the European Union’s GDP, recent events have major implications for the stability of the European financial system given that Greece is in the Eurozone. . Signalling its reluctance to come to the rescue, the EU has been leaning very heavily on Greece to curb its public spending. Following Fitch’s downgrading, European Central Bank (ECB) President Jean Claude Trichet declared, “Given the severity of the situation, I am confident that the Greek government will take the necessary and courageous measures in the near future,” implying that the precondition for any future help to Greece from the EU would be drastic action by the government in Athens. . The Financial Times stated, “The EU’s authorities, rightly or wrongly, are more afraid of the moral hazard of a bailout than the possible spill-over effect of a hypothetical Greek default to other Eurozone countries. If faced with a choice between preserving the integrity of the stability pact and the integrity of Greece, they are currently minded to choose the former.” . Trichet also recently announced his intention to end the 1.0 percent interest emergency funding available to Europe’s banks. According to a recent report by the Greek Central Bank, Greek lenders proportionately borrowed more than their counterparts in Europe from the fund. . Out of €570 billion pumped into the European economy by the ECB in 2009, Greek banks borrowed €42 billion. In a financial merry-go-round, they lent this money to the government by buying government bonds, which were then offered as collateral to the ECB. . Mindful that they will not be able to roll over their debt in future, the banks have already begun to sell their bond holdings rather than wait until the end of the year. This has contributed to the plummeting of the value of Greek bonds, which has further pushed up the government’s cost of borrowing. . Greek banks are also holders of potentially toxic assets. Standard & Poor’s recently reported, “We view Greek banks’ credit risk as heightened by their sizeable exposure to markets [such as Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine] with higher economic risks on the back of severe macroeconomic imbalances in some of the targeted markets and the abrupt economic slowdown they are experiencing.” . The Greek economy has already been hard hit by the economic downturn. After posting annual 4 percent growth rates for much of the decade, the economy is set to contract by 1.5 percent, the first decline in 16 years. The preceding boom has proven to be nothing more than a bubble, fuelled largely by consumer spending boosted by the ECB’s record low interest rates and revenue from the 2004 Olympic Games. . Even during the boom years, with the average wage at €650 to €800 a month, the majority were forced to borrow in order to make ends meet. At the height of the boom in 2006, apart from Spain and Portugal, Greece had the lowest minimum wage in the European Union and 27 percent of the population was officially classified as poor. . ///////////////// . . Mercenaries and assassins: The real face of Obama’s “good war” . By Bill Van Auken . 12 December 2009 . Reports that mercenaries employed by the notorious Blackwater-Xe military contracting firm participated in CIA assassinations in Iraq and Afghanistan have further exposed the real character of so-called “good war” that is being escalated by the Obama administration. . Citing former employees of the firm and US intelligence agents, the New York Times reported Friday that Blackwater gunmen, ostensibly contracted as security guards, “participated in some of the CIA’s most sensitive activities—clandestine raids with agency officers against people suspected of being insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and the transporting of detainees.” . These “snatch and grab” operations—many of them involving killings of individuals suspected of participating in the resistance to US occupation—“occurred on an almost nightly basis during the height of the Iraqi insurgency from 2004 to 2006, with Blackwater employees playing central roles,” the Times reports. . Both the Times and the Washington Post quoted unnamed intelligence officials and ex-Blackwater operatives as asserting that the involvement of the company’s mercenaries in assassinations and abductions was not planned. Rather, they claimed, it was a matter of the division of labor between CIA operatives and private guards supposedly hired for the purpose of protecting them becoming “blurred.” . According to the Times, the Blackwater guards “were supposed to only provide perimeter security during raids, leaving it up to CIA officers and Special Operations military personnel to capture or kill suspected insurgents.” The newspaper added, “But in the chaos of operations, the roles of Blackwater, CIA and military personnel sometimes merged.” . The pretense that armed Blackwater contractors, most of them former US Special Operations troops themselves, would be used merely as security guards for CIA personnel is absurd on its face. Whatever justification was given for the contract, the “skill set” that Blackwater offered was precisely that of highly trained assassins. . A spokesman for Blackwater-Xe responded to the press reports by insisting that there was never any contract for the firm to participate in raids with CIA or Special Forces troops “in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else.” He added: “Any allegation to the contrary by any news organization would be false.” . The absence of a contract spelling out Blackwater’s role in assassination missions is hardly surprising, given that the mercenary outfit’s chief attraction for the CIA is precisely its ability to act without regard to any government oversight or regard for civil or military law. As the Post put it, citing a retired intelligence officer, “For government employees, working with contractors offered ways to circumvent red tape.” . Blackwater’s role as an extra-legal extension of the Central Intelligence Agency tasked with dirty operations with which the CIA did not want its employees directly associated is more than evident. . An article published in the current (January) edition of Vanity Fair, written by Adam Ciralsky, a former CIA attorney, cites intelligence sources in reporting that Eric Prince, the multi-millionaire Republican founder-owner of Blackwater, was not merely a private contractor, but a “full-blown asset” recruited by the agency precisely for such operations. . The central role played by Blackwater in the CIA’s activities became increasingly clear as key agency officials left the CIA and took up positions in Blackwater’s management. These included J. Cofer Black, the former head of the agency’s Counter Terrorism Center, Enrique Prado, the center’s former chief of operations, and Rob Richer, formerly the second-in-command of the CIA’s clandestine service. . In Iraq, Blackwater’s employees acted with complete impunity, killing large numbers of civilians without being held to account by either the Iraqi regime or US military commanders. The scope of this violence came to public attention in September 2007, when a convoy of Blackwater operatives stopped in Baghdad’s Nisour Square and without provocation opened fire on unarmed civilians, killing 17 Iraqis. . Six of the Blackwater mercenaries have been charged by federal prosecutors with voluntary manslaughter over the killings. One of them has pled guilty and is expected to testify against the others in a trial starting in February. . Meanwhile, the company is being sued in separate civil cases brought on behalf of 70 Iraqis over killings by the firm’s employees in Iraq. Two ex-employees of Blackwater have filed affidavits in these cases charging that company head Prince may have either murdered or ordered the murders of individuals cooperating with the Justice Department’s investigation of the firm. . Friday’s report in the Times follows a series of revelations that have surfaced since last June, when CIA Director Leon Panetta briefed Congressional intelligence committees about a covert assassination program involving Blackwater, which he claimed to have only just discovered and terminated. Panetta asserted that the program had never been implemented. Until then, it had been kept secret from Congress, reportedly on the orders of former vice president Dick Cheney. . It was subsequently revealed that employees of Blackwater, since renamed Xe Services in an attempt to shed the firm’s infamous reputation, were actively involved in an ongoing assassination program on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, carried out by means of Predator drones. The Blackwater mercenaries were assembling and loading the 500 pound bombs and Hellfire missiles used to carry out so-called “targeted killings,” which have taken the lives of hundreds of civilians. In addition, they provided security for the drone bases and according to some reports, participated in intelligence operations that determined the targets for the attacks. . There have been at least 65 such aerial assassination strikes in Pakistan since August 2008, with a reported death toll of over 625 people. Some estimates put the number killed at over 1,000, many of them women and children. Most of these attacks have taken place since the Obama administration took office. . In addition to the more than 30,000 additional US troops being sent into Afghanistan, Obama has authorized the CIA to dramatically escalate the drone attacks. US officials have also warned the Pakistani government that these attacks are to be extended beyond the tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan into Baluchistan, and potentially against the crowded city of Quetta, where Afghan Taliban leaders have reportedly taken refuge. . It is far from clear, based on the Times report, to what extent Blackwater’s role in targeted assassinations, both from the air and on the ground, is continuing. Since 2001, the firm has netted over $1.5 billion in government contracts, providing armed mercenaries for the CIA, the State Department and the Pentagon. . //////////////////// . . Accepting peace prize, Obama makes case for unending war . 11 December 2009 . In the most bellicose Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech within living memory, President Barack Obama made an argument Thursday in Oslo for ever-widening war and neo-colonial occupation, putting the world on notice that the American ruling elite intends to push ahead with its drive for global domination. . Obama defended his dispatch of tens of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan, and ominously referred to Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Darfur in Sudan, Congo, Zimbabwe and Burma, any or all of which may become targets for future American military intervention. . There was a darkly farcical element to the award ceremony, as Obama acknowledged that he is the “Commander-in-Chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars.” He presented war as a legitimate means of pursuing national interests. . In Orwellian fashion, he declared that “the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace,” that “all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace,” and that imperialist troops should be honored “not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.” . Awarded a prize supposedly intended to promote world peace, Obama made the case for past, present and future military action. The US president communicated the “hard truth” to his audience that “we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes.” He promised that nations would continue to “find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified,” and emphasized that squeamish populations would have to get over their “deep ambivalence about military action” and “reflexive suspicion of America, the world’s sole military superpower.” . He admitted that masses of people around the globe were hostile to imperialist war, noting regretfully that “in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public.” But the popular will and democracy be damned: “The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice.” . Obama arrogantly spelled out Washington’s belief that it can intervene in defense of US interests when and where it likes, no matter what the human cost. . This was wrapped, rather miserably, in the language of moral uplift, the “law of love” and, inevitably, the “spark of the divine.” He indicated, although the speech and his mode of presentation offered no sign of it, that he felt an “acute sense of the cost of armed conflict.” On the contrary, Obama delivered his remarks about war and peace with all the depth of feeling of a university administrator issuing a set of campus parking regulations. . Obama was even blunter when answering questions from Norwegian journalists prior to the ceremony. Speaking of his administration’s first 11 months, he explained, “The goal is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award, even one as prestigious as the Nobel peace prize. The goal has been to advance America’s interests.” . Obama offered his audience—which included Norwegian royalty and politicians, along with Hollywood celebrities—a potted, misanthropic history of human civilization (“War … appeared with the first man … Evil does exist in the world”), before launching into a spirited and lying defense of America’s global role. . The president presented the post-war period as one of peace and prosperity bestowed by a benevolent US. “America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace … The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. … We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will.” The levels of hypocrisy and falsification are staggering. . Obama later made the extraordinary claim that “America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens.” Aside from the historical fact that the US has fought wars with Britain, Germany and Austria-Hungary, when all of them had parliamentary systems, Obama deliberately sidestepped the long, sordid history of US interventions against peoples of the oppressed countries, from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region in the first part of the 20th century, to Vietnam, Iran, Guatemala, Congo, Indonesia, Chile, and Nicaragua in the postwar period. . ///////////////// . Mass arrests in Copenhagen . 15 December 2009 . Tens of thousands of demonstrators who assembled in Copenhagen on Saturday to peacefully demand serious measures by the United Nations Climate Conference (COP15) to address the global warming crisis were confronted by masses of riot police, who cordoned off a section of the march and arbitrarily arrested nearly 1,000 people. . The brutal measures employed by the Danish police represent a blatant violation of the democratic right to free assembly. They must serve as a warning to the working class and youth of Europe and internationally. . The march, which included many families with children, was broken up by heavily armed police squads who employed so-called “kettling” tactics to trap and detain groups of protesters. Demonstrators, mostly young people, were handcuffed and forced to sit on freezing pavements for several hours before being placed in cages. . One protester from Germany described his confinement: “You have a cold solid floor and four mesh walls and a mesh ceiling, and outside are cops walking around with dogs.” Those arrested were made to sit “with our legs on either side of the people in front of us, leaning on the person behind us, with our hands still cuffed behind our backs. It was very painful for the person behind you and you were in pain from the person in front of you. It looks like Guantanamo when you see it.” . The vast majority of those arrested were set free after their papers had been checked and their photos and personal information recorded by the police. On Monday, 13 of the nearly 1,000 demonstrators arrested Saturday remained in custody. . The mass arrests had been preceded by a number of selective detentions on Friday, when police arrested 68 members of the group “Our Climate—Not Your Business” on suspicion that they might commit illegal acts. The Danish police have been empowered to arrest people on the basis of unsubstantiated suspicions under a law rushed through the Danish parliament prior to the start of the Copenhagen conference. . On Sunday, police arrested a further 257 demonstrators after “kettling” a section of a march near the Osterport station. Those arrested were handcuffed and put onto buses which transported them to a detention centre.The aggressive tactic of “kettling” and arresting protesters en masse is not new. It has been increasingly employed in recent demonstrations around the world—most notably in April this year, when British police cordoned off a group of demonstrators at the G20 summit in London. One protester died while being detained in an area that had been cordoned off by the London police.However, Saturday marked the first time that such “zero tolerance” police tactics have been used against a mass demonstration on environmental issues.The completely unprovoked police action was aimed at sending a clear signal as the COP15 summit entered its second week. This week, 110 heads of state will attend the conference. . The Danish authorities wanted to set an example: no protest will be tolerated in the vicinity of the conference centre. The proceedings inside the hall are not be “disrupted” by the opinions of demonstrators reflecting the concerns of hundreds of millions of people across the globe, who are alarmed at the inability of world leaders to arrive at anything resembling a binding agreement to combat global warming. Global Warming and Profiteering - Matthew Webb . 22 Dec 2009 20:03 . #849 Great powers sacrifice climate on the altar of profit . 21 December 2009 . . Scientists around the world are agreed that in order to avert a catastrophe the speediest possible action is necessary to halt man-made climate change. In the coming decades, the living conditions of billions of people are threatened by rising sea levels, storms, droughts and the loss of harvests. . . Despite the urgency of finding a solution to global warming, the representatives of 193 states at the world climate conference in Copenhagen last week were utterly incapable of agreeing on any effective steps to reduce global levels of greenhouse gases. The verdict on the conference by environmental groups and broad sections of the media was devastating. “What a disaster” begins the report on the conference on the online site of the German newspaper, Der Spiegel. “Shame, farce, disaster” wrote the Süddeutsche Zeitung. . . After two weeks of discussions, the conference delegates produced a final text of barely three pages that is non-binding. It outlines goals generally recognized by scientists to be completely inadequate to deal with the danger of accelerating global warming. . . Several smaller countries objected to the agreement, hashed together in closed-door meetings. In the end, conference participants did not commit to accept the deal, and instead voted to “take note of the Copenhagen Accord.” . . The presence of around a hundred heads of government during the last two days—including US President Barack Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and French President Nikolas Sarkozy—did nothing to break the deadlock. It was once again the US president who laid down the parameters for the final agreement, reassuring right-wing political circles in the US that the United States “will not be legally bound by anything that took place here today.” Obama’s declaration of US self-interest was echoed by other leading industrial nations. . . In the final analysis, it was the antagonistic interests of the major economic powers—in particular, the US, China, and the European Union—that prevented any agreement. The two weeks of disputes in Copenhagen had more to do with strategic interests, commercial conflicts and competitive rivalries than with how to rescue the world’s climate and environment. . . The leading industrialized countries addressed the issue of their CO2 emissions entirely from the standpoint of the economic and strategic interests of their respective ruling classes. In fact, the geostrategic questions behind the discussions in the Danish capital are the same as those that resulted in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and numerous other international conflicts. . . According to the estimates of the International Energy Agency, demand for energy worldwide will rise by more than 50 percent over the next twenty years. The economic strength of a country will depend considerably upon its access to sources of energy. This is why the US has invested around one trillion dollars in wars aimed at securing its supremacy over the world’s most productive oil and gas reserves. . . With its military presence in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan—the gateway to Central Asia—the US is not only securing its own energy needs. It seeks to obtain an important lever to apply pressure on its rivals in Europe and Asia, which are heavily dependant on imported energy from the Middle East. The development of alternative technologies would reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, which still constitute nearly 80 percent of world energy consumption. The US has little interest in spending billions on pollution-free technologies that could help make its rivals more independent. . . Additional pressure is exerted by the lobby of those energy groups and industries dependent on fossil fuels. They regard any reduction of CO2 emissions as a cost factor and obstacle to their competitiveness, undercutting profits. They have repeatedly used their power to sabotage any effective emission-reduction measures in the US Congress. . . Finally, the leading industrialized countries, which at present consume half of the world’s energy, are using the issue of climate change as a weapon against developing nations, whose energy consumption is increasing commensurate with their industrialization. . . In Copenhagen the US demanded that emerging and developing countries, in particular, China, commit themselves to concrete and verifiable reductions of their CO2 emissions. Representatives of the 77 poorest nations vehemently protested against this attempt at blackmail. . . China, whose industrial expansion is based particularly on heavy industry, has rejected any inspection process into the verifiability of its environmental measures as an unacceptable violation of its national sovereignty. It argues that the older industrial nations are responsible for global warming, rather than the newly developing countries. It therefore demanded financial support for developing countries to reduce their CO2 emissions. China has also expressed the concern that carbon emission limits could become a rationale for imposing trade barriers—a position advocated by sections of the US political establishment. . . For its part, the US has offered only a 17 percent reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2020 compared to 2005. Based on the levels established in the Kyoto agreement of 1997, which the US never ratified, this represents a reduction of less than 4 percent. As is the case on the question of war and social issues, there is little substantive difference between the climate policies of Obama and that of his predecessor, George W. Bush. . . The European countries, in particular, Germany and France, have sought to present themselves as responsible and environmentally conscious, in contrast to the US and China. The European Union declared it was prepared to lower the continent’s CO2 emissions by around 30 percent by 2020, instead of its previous pledge of 20 percent. In addition, the EU promised during the first week of the summit to contribute €7.2 billion to developing countries over the next three years. . . However, the EU member states are just as keen to advance their own economic interests as the US and China. Most scientists agree that even a reduction of around 30 percent in emissions is not enough to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius. Moreover, the EU states have made their offer conditional on a comparable reduction by the US and China. . . Germany and France, which lack fossil energy reserves and are highly dependant on imports, hope to reduce their dependence through the development of alternative technologies. In this respect, they are in conflict with the US. At the same time, they are counting on winning markets for their new technologies. . . Meanwhile, the carbon credit-trading scheme has already become a vast moneymaking enterprise. . . The climate conference in Copenhagen proves that it is impossible to implement a scientifically guided and internationally coordinated policy to prevent a climatic disaster within the context of the capitalist system. The private ownership of the means of production and the system of rival nation-states, upon which capitalism is based, exclude any rational policy based on common social interests and needs. The major imperialist powers, particularly the US and Europe, are using the issue of climate change to impose an agenda reflecting their own economic and political interests. . . Even the most radical forms of protest are incapable of halting this self-destructive policy, which inevitably leads to new wars, misery and environmental disaster. The only genuine solution lies in the unification of the international working class on the basis of a socialist program, to rationally organize society and production world-wide according to the needs of humanity, including all necessary measures to protect the environment from a climate catastrophe. . . Dietmar Henning US Home Foreclosures - Matthew Webb . 23 Dec 2009 20:55 . #850 US home foreclosures top one million mark . By Andre Damon . 23 December 2009 . . The number of US homes in foreclosure topped the one million mark for the first time ever, according to figures released this week by federal agencies. The continued deepening of the housing crisis is being driven by the relentless economic squeeze on working people, confronted with declining wages and persistent and growing mass unemployment. . . While millions are facing the loss of their jobs and their homes, corporate profits have reached their highest levels in five years. . . The number of prime-rate mortgage borrowers in default doubled from a year earlier, according to figures released Monday by the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) and the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The portion of such “prime” mortgages in serious delinquency reached 3.6 percent in the third quarter, up 19 percent from three months before. . . The report surveyed the 34 million home loans made by banks under the purview of the OTS and OCC, which amount to about 65 percent of all mortgages issued in the US. Given that the figures only covered this share of US mortgages, the real number of foreclosures is undoubtedly well over 1 million. . . The total percentage of “nonperforming” mortgage loans climbed for the sixth straight quarter, reaching 13 percent of all mortgages in the survey. The percentage of mortgages that are “seriously delinquent” reached 6.2 percent, while 3.2 percent of all mortgages were in foreclosure. . . Extrapolating from the survey of all US mortgages, 6.8 million of US households were behind on their mortgage payments in the third quarter. These figures do not count those families who have already lost their homes. A loss rate of 3.2 percent on the $6 trillion in loans measured by the report would represent write-downs of some $192 billion. . . Meanwhile, the study found that despite mortgage modification programs promoted by the US government, homeowners whose banks modified their mortgage terms continued to default at extremely high rates. Nearly half of all participants in such programs still went on to default on their mortgages. . . This is partly due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of such modifications have been temporary. The Obama administration reported this month that while 700,000 three-month trial modifications were issued as part of its “Home Affordable Modification Program,” only 31,382 had been made permanent as of November. . . The report followed findings by First American CoreLogic, a real estate information firm, that the number of foreclosed homes about to go on the market has reached 1.7 million. The backlog of such homes has grown by 55 percent in the year to September, according to a report issued last week by the California-based company. . . The flood of foreclosed homes has pushed down home prices, with the average selling price of a previously occupied home falling to $172,600 last month, a 4.3 percent decrease from a year ago, according to the CoreLogic report. In separate figures, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said its index of housing prices was down 10.8 percent from its peak in April 2007. . . Plummeting home prices, together with extensive government tax incentives, helped push up the number of existing home sales by 7.4 percent last month, to a three-year high, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors. Lawrence Yun, the vessociation’s chief economist, said that the jump was due to “a rush of first-time buyers” who wanted to take advantage of the Obama administration’s tax credit before it was set to expire last month. . . On November 7, the White House extended the program that provides new homebuyers with up to $8,000 in tax credits, to April of next year. Economists warn that home sales will likely plunge following the program's expiration. . . Meanwhile, the employment situation, which has become the principal cause of the housing crisis, remains dire. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that in 25 states unemployment benefit programs have already run out of money due to record numbers of people losing their jobs. The state’s unemployment insurance programs have had to borrow $24 billion from the federal government to continue functioning. . . By 2011, according to government figures, 40 states will have exhausted their benefit pools and will need to borrow an additional $90 billion from the federal government to keep afloat. . . The Obama administration has explicitly denied states’ requests for further aid, forcing them to consider cuts to benefit payments that are already too low to cover essential needs. The shortfall has brought calls for cuts to unemployment benefits, with a state panel in Kentucky recommending last week that the state reduce its benefits for the jobless by about 9 percent. . . Virginia has borrowed $89 million from the US government to cover benefit payments, and Maryland owes the government $85 million. South Carolina, which has a 12 percent unemployment rate, owes the federal government $649 million for unemployment payments. . . Meanwhile, the rate of US economic growth in the third quarter was once again revised downward this week, to 2.2 percent. The figure was originally reported as 3.5 percent by the US Commerce Department, but was lowered to 2.8 percent last month. The US economy shrank at a rate of 0.7 percent in the second quarter. . . Corporations, however, are reaping the benefits of the so-called recovery. In its latest report, the Commerce Department revised third-quarter corporate profits upward, from 10.6 percent to 10.8 percent, representing the largest gain in over five years. . . Far from signaling any amelioration of the economic conditions confronting the broad mass of working people, the rise in profits has been driven by reduced labor costs stemming from layoffs and increased productivity. During the last quarter, labor costs fell at a rate of 2.5 percent, the steepest 12-month decline in seven years. . . This decline is a function of stagnant and declining wages, along with the threat of unemployment being used to intensify the exploitation of those still on the job. Productivity has risen by 8.1 percent, the highest rate in six years. US home sales and bankruptcies - Matthew Webb . 6 Jan 2010 19:59 . #851 . US home sales plummet, personal bankruptcies soar . By Tom Eley . 6 January 2010 . An important measure of future home sales fell far more sharply in November than economists had expected. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) index on pending home sales—contracts agreed upon but not finalized—dropped by 16 percent in November, more than three times what economists interviewed by the Dow Jones Newswires had anticipated. . . . The pending home sales index registered declines in every region: 26 percent in the Northeast and Midwest, 15 percent in the South, and 3 percent in the West. . . . “It will be at least early spring before we see notable gains in sales activity as home buyers respond to the recently extended and expanded tax credit,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR. . . . The sharp drop-off was caused, in part, by a surge of pending home sales in October, as buyers sought to take advantage of a federal tax credit set to expire on November 30. After Congress reinstated the credit until April 30, the pressure to buy before the deadline was removed and the pool of home buyers shrank. . . . Yun expressed guarded optimism over the fact that the NAR pending sales index remained 15.1 percent above the abysmal reading from last November. “The fact that pending home sales are comfortably above year-ago levels shows the market has gained sufficient momentum on its own,” he said. . . . Currency markets seemed not to share the sentiment. The dollar had a turbulent day in wake of the NAR report, first tumbling against the yen and the euro as investors speculated the home sales figures would lessen the likelihood of an interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve Board, but then recuperating its losses as the “safe haven” currency of choice. . . . The NAR report follows the release last week of a Case-Schiller report showing home prices were flat in October, in spite of the surge in purchases based on the home buyer tax credit and exceptionally low mortgage interest rates. This was not enough, a Tuesday New York Times editorial points out, “to overcome the drag created by a glut of 3.2 million new and existing unsold single-family homes—about a seven-month supply.” . . . “The situation, we fear, will only get worse in months to come,” the Times writes, citing increasing mortgage rates, the eventual ending of the home buyer tax, and an anticipated “flood” of foreclosed homes. . . . Foreclosures continue to increase. In 2008, more than 1.7 million mortgages fell to foreclosure or similar actions. In 2009, the number swelled to 2 million, and in 2010, the figure is expected to increase to 2.4 million, according to Moody’s Economy.com. . . . The looming glut of new foreclosed homes will drive down home values by as much 10 percent next year, bringing to 40 percent the four-year drop-off, the New York Times reports. This will swell the ranks of “under water” homeowners—those who owe more on their mortgage than their home’s market worth. Moody’s estimates that one third of all US homeowners, 16 million in all, find themselves in this predicament. The abandonment of homes in negative equity is now a leading cause of foreclosures. . . . Last spring, President Obama claimed that his $75 billion Making Home Affordable Act would help to permanently renegotiate the mortgage payment terms for millions of homeowners by providing incentives to lenders to lessen monthly payments. The administration ruled out lowering principal, the outstanding and typically overvalued balances homeowners owe banks on mortgages. . . . An almost statistically insignificant share of homeowners, about 30,000, have seen their mortgages permanently modified as a result of the program. Many of the roughly 750,000 homeowners approved for temporary modifications may be in worse shape than before. Banks admit reporting homeowners accepting modifications to credit ratings agencies as delinquent. Most of the modifications last only three to five months. . . . Obama’s “housing rescue” was in fact another facet of the multitrillion-dollar Wall Street bailout, only serving to shield the banks from writing down the value of their grossly overvalued mortgage loans while providing rich new revenue streams to carry out “trial” loan modifications. . . . In the interim, the banking industry has, with the support of the Obama administration and both parties in Congress, successfully thwarted legislation that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to write down the outstanding balances on overvalued homes. . . . Also on Tuesday, the National Bankruptcy Research Center released data showing that 1.41 million personal bankruptcy petitions were filed in 2009, a figure representing more than 1 percent of all US households and an increase of 32 percent from the previous year. The year has seen the most bankruptcies since 2005, when Congress passed legislation at the behest of the banking and credit card industries aimed at preventing filings by putting in place punitive restrictions. . . . Significantly, a large majority of filings occurred in the Chapter 7 category, which forces filers to liquidate assets in order to gain debt relief. Chapter 7 filings increased by 42 percent in 2009. The 2005 law aimed to steer those entering bankruptcy toward Chapter 13, which requires those seeking relief to submit to a debt repayment plan. . . . There were 113,274 filings in December, up one third from December 2008. It was the 12th straight month in which filings exceeded 100,000. . . . Bankruptcy filings increased in all 50 states in 2009. The states with the highest filing rates were Nevada, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Indiana. Those with the sharpest increases over 2008 filing rates were Arizona, Nevada, California, Wyoming and Utah, all of which saw increases of between about 60 percent and 80 percent, according to Professor Ronald Mann of Columbia Law School, who analyzed the data. At the county level, the highest bankruptcy rates occurred in three suburban counties in the South around Memphis, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. . . . Bankruptcies are affecting wider layers of the population, the data indicate. Courts have seen an increase in joint-bankruptcy filings, suggesting that more families are seeking protection from their creditors. . . . “I can’t see over the top of the files on my desk,” Cathleen Moran, a California bankruptcy attorney, told the Wall Street Journal. “Ms. Moran’s clients in 2008 typically were people who earned between $40,000 and $80,000. That changed last year when a rash of people who earned $100,000 to $300,000 began filing as well,” the newspaper explains. . . . Local figures from the US Bankruptcy Court for Eastern Wisconsin reported by the Green Bay Gazette verify the national data. Filings increased there by 31.5 percent between September 2008 and September 2009, with a sizable majority of Chapter 7 petitions. . . . Bobbie Lison, budget counselor at the local Catholic Charities, pinned the increase on job losses. “A lot of people, when they first lost their jobs or their hours were cut, used credit cards to supplement their spending,” he told the Gazette. “But a lot of credit card companies have cut limits or raised interest rates. If you’re at the point where you have no more credit or your rates or minimum payments went up, you might be out of options.” . . . Lison also cited medical bills. “People have tremendous medical bills,” he said. “And they might not have insurance because either they lost their job or they work part-time. They might not be able to afford COBRA prices, and even something minor can get very expensive.” . . . The economic crisis is also driving large numbers of small businesses into bankruptcy. The credit analysis company Equifax recently reported that small business bankruptcies increased by 44 percent nationally for the year ending on September 30 over the previous year. In California, the percentage increase was nearly twice as large, 81 percent. . . . Economists sought solace in recent figures from the manufacturing sector. US factory orders increased by 1.1 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted $365 billion, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. The increase was greater than expected, and is partially attributable to increasing oil prices. The figures came on the heels of a survey released Monday by the Institute for Supply Management suggesting that manufacturing activity increased for the fifth straight month and similarly positive industrial production data from other countries. . . . Yet US manufacturing output in November remained more than 13 percent lower than its level in December 2007. . . . The dubious nature of the rebound in manufacturing was illustrated by new sales figures released Tuesday by the auto industry. Among the Big Three US auto companies, only Ford saw an increase in December 2009 from December 2008, when the collapse in auto sales was already under way. Ford’s sales for the year as a whole fell by 15 percent. . . . General Motors suffered a 6 percent decline in December sales, capping a dismal year that saw total sales drop by almost one third. Chrysler, which like GM was forced into bankruptcy by the Obama administration and is now controlled by Italian automaker Fiat, also saw a December sales drop of 4 percent. In 2009, its sales volume fell by 36 percent from 2008, plummeting below the 1 million vehicle mark for the first time since 1962. For the industry as a whole, 2009 is likely to produce the worst year since 1970. . . . As bad as these numbers are, they would have been far worse were it not for the Obama administration’s “cash-for-clunkers” tax credit for auto purchases. The program primarily served to rid automakers of bloated inventory. . . . New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman on Monday warned that the overall increase in manufacturing output may well follow a similarly illusory trajectory. . . . “To work off their excess inventories, [companies] slash production; once the excess has been disposed of, they raise production again, which shows up as a burst of growth in GDP,” Krugman wrote. “Unfortunately, growth caused by an inventory bounce is a one-shot affair unless underlying sources of demand, such as consumer spending and long-term investment, pick up.” . . . But consumer spending, which counts for some two thirds of US economic output, will not improve absent a major expansion in jobs and improving wages, or a sudden rebound in home values. No serious observer expects any of these events to take place in the short term, if ever. . . . Another survey released Tuesday by the Conference Board found that the lowest proportion of American workers ever, 45 percent, report being happy with their jobs. Among the leading causes of worker dissatisfaction, according to the report, are wages failing to keep pace with inflation and increasing health insurance costs absorbing take-home pay 6 Million in the US - Matthew Webb . 7 Jan 2010 18:08 . #852 Six million in the US with no income but food stamps . 7 January 2010 . Some six million Americans—one in 50 people in the US—are living on no income other than $100 or $200 a month in food stamps, according to an analysis of state data by the New York Times. The number of people who reported that they are unemployed and receive no cash aid—neither welfare, nor unemployment insurance, pension benefits, child support or disability pay—the newspaper reported, has jumped by 50 percent over the last two years, as the recession has taken hold. . . According to the January 3 article, the number of people reporting no income tripled in Nevada over the past two years, doubled in Florida and New York, and increased nearly 90 percent in Minnesota and Utah. In Wayne County, Michigan—which includes Detroit, where half the population is unemployed or underemployed—one out of every 25 residents reports an income of only food stamps. In Yakima County, Washington, the figure is one out of every 17. . . The figures reveal the vast scale of human suffering in the US as the new decade begins and puts the lie to talk of an economic “recovery.” The 6 million people in households reporting no income—which includes 1.2 million children—is equivalent to the entire population of Indiana or Massachusetts, or the combined populations of Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Boston. . . Such a social catastrophe underscores the indifference of the Obama administration, which has done virtually nothing to provide relief to those who have lost their jobs, homes and livelihoods—even as it spares no expense to shore up the fortunes of the financial elite and fund its ongoing wars. . . The number of people without an income has been on the rise since 1996, when Democratic President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress ended welfare as a universal entitlement, a status the federal relief program had enjoyed since its inception in the 1930s. Pledging to “end the cycle of dependency,” the Democrats and Republicans imposed lifetime limits on benefits, drastically reduced the level of cash assistance, and imposed restrictive “workfare” and other requirements on further aid. . . Despite the increased need for relief, Obama has opposed any additional funding for what remains of the welfare program, called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Since their peak in the 1990s, welfare rolls are down nearly 75 percent, the Times reported. . . “Many of those who would have received cash assistance in past recessions are not getting it now,” Judy Putnam, a spokesperson for the Michigan League for Human Services, told the World Socialist Web Site. “Only a third of the state’s children living in poverty are getting cash assistance compared with two-thirds before ‘welfare reform’ in 1996. People in Michigan are heavily dependent on food stamps.” . . With jobless benefits covering only half of the unemployed, food stamps—which provide an average of $1 per meal per person, or around $100 per person each month for individuals or families earning up to 130 percent of the official poverty level—have become the safety net of last resort. A record 36 million people—one in eight people and one in four children—now rely on the food stamp program. The joint federal-state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is expanding by 20,000 people per day, but is still estimated to serve only two-thirds of those who qualify. . . An earlier Times study showed there are more than 200 US counties where food stamp usage shot up by at least two-thirds, including Riverside County, California, most of greater Phoenix and Las Vegas, a ring of Atlanta suburbs, and a 150-mile stretch of southwest Florida from Bradenton to the Everglades. The study found there are over 800 counties where food stamps feed one third of all children. . . Late last year, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis released a study showing that 50 percent of all children and 90 percent of African American children will receive food stamps at some point before their 20th birthday. “Rather than being a time of security and safety,” said Mark Rank, Ph.D., one of the authors of the report, “the childhood years for many American children are a time of economic turmoil, risk, and hardship.” . . The January 3 Times report focused on Florida, where the number of people with no income beyond food stamps has doubled in two years and more than tripled along the southwest coast, where a housing boom turned into a bust of foreclosed and abandoned homes. According to state data, those without income were split evenly between families with children and individuals. Those affected were also racially mixed—about 42 percent white, 32 percent black, and 22 percent Latino—with whites making up the fastest growing segment during the recession. . . This plunge into destitution has affected wide layers of the population. The Times article cites a middle-aged mother of two, Isabel Bermudez, who moved from a Bronx housing project to sell real estate in Florida. Once enjoying a six-figure income, a house with a pool and investment property, she lost her job and home and ran out of unemployment benefits. Ms. Bermudez’s sole income is now $320 a month in food stamps. “I went from making $180,000 to relying on food stamps,” she told the newspaper, adding that without the program she wouldn’t be able to feed her children. . . The increasing reliance on meager food stamp allowances exposes the absence of anything that can properly be called a social safety net in the US. The situation will only get worse, as both the Democrats and Republicans prepare to slash what remains of publicly funded programs in order to pay for the multitrillion-dollar Wall Street bailout and expansion of US military action around the world. . . The theme of Obama’s State of the Union address—expected early next month—will be long-term deficit reduction and a further demand that the American people reduce their consumption. The White House is backing a bipartisan commission to recommend major cuts in basic social programs along with regressive taxes on consumption, and Obama’s budget director, Peter Orszag, has said the administration will take measures to reduce the deficit in its next budget due out in February. Such actions will throw millions more into poverty. . . The social crisis facing working people—depression levels of unemployment, home foreclosures, the growth of hunger, poverty and homelessness—is the most graphic expression of the failure of capitalism, an economic system that benefits the wealthy few at the expense of the vast majority. . . In the midst of this worsening situation for the working population, it was reported last week that the top three banks—Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley—which received tens of billions in public funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program—will hand out $49.5 billion in end-of-year cash bonuses and stock awards. All told, US banks will dispense an estimated $200 billion in total compensation. . . The Obama administration is continuing and accelerating the transfer of wealth from working people to those who are responsible for precipitating the worst economic breakdown since the Great Depression. . . Nearly a year after his inauguration, President Obama has demonstrated he is nothing but a tool of the financial oligarchy. The very future of the working class depends on the development of a mass socialist movement against this administration, both big business parties, and the profit system which they defend. . . Jerry White US children - Matthew Webb . 13 Jan 2010 18:09 . #853 Millions more US children in poverty . By Tom Eley . 13 January 2010 . The “Great Recession” of 2008 and 2009 has spread poverty to millions more US children, according to a recent report by the Brookings Institute. The report, “The Effects of the Recession on Child Poverty,” estimates that a large number of states witnessed marked increases in child poverty in 2009. . . . In 2008, one in five US children under age 18 lived in families below the official poverty level, according to Census Bureau data released in September 2009. The figure now is significantly higher, according to Brookings researcher Julia B. Isaacs. The census poverty statistics for 2008 “lag considerably behind current economic conditions,” Isaacs writes. “Job losses and wage reductions occurring in 2009 were obviously not captured. In addition, many adverse events in 2008 were only partially captured.” . . . The report’s estimates are based on the rapid increase in the use of food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is taken as a fairly accurate predictor of poverty growth. . . . Between August 2008 and August 2009, food stamp use increased by a staggering 24 percent, and monthly caseloads increased by 7 million—from 29.5 million to 36.5 million people—a 24 percent increase. “This extraordinary increase means that roughly 3.4 million more children were receiving SNAP benefits in August 2009 than a year earlier,” according to Isaacs. . . . The report states that eight states were likely to have experienced a “particularly high risk” of poverty in 2009, “reflecting a combination of high child poverty in 2008 and very high increases in use of nutrition assistance between 2008 and 2009.” These states, all in the US South or Southwest, already had child poverty rates greater than 20 percent in 2008, even prior to the surge in food stamp use. They are: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The report warns that both “public agencies and private charities” will “face significant strain” in providing aid to these children in the near future. . . . The “very high” increase in poverty in these states spells Depression-level misery for their populations. In Mississippi, for example, the child poverty rate was 30.4 percent in 2008, or nearly one in three children. The Brookings report also relies on low federally-determined official poverty levels. In 2008 this meant an annual income of $22,000 for a family of four. A more reasonable measure would doubtless show that the majority of children in states like Mississippi live in poverty. . . . Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia also had child poverty rates greater than 20 percent in 2008, and saw “high” increases in food stamp use in 2009. Florida, Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oregon had child poverty rates of 15 to 20 percent, plus a “very high” increase in food stamp use. Washington, Wisconsin, and Vermont had child poverty rates of below 15 percent, but also saw “very high” increases in SNAP use. . . . Twenty other states, including the populous states of California, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, had child poverty rates of 15 to 20 percent prior to 2009, but saw “high” increases in food stamp use. . . . “There is little doubt that poverty is on the increase,” Isaacs writes, citing a study demonstrating the “particularly strong impact” of unemployment on child poverty rates. . . Isaacs told the World Socialist Web Site that if the current recession follows the pattern of other recent recessions, the child poverty rate will increase for several years. Another Brookings study released earlier in the year estimated that the national child poverty rate could climb as high as 25 percent, or one in four, by 2012. . . . “Such predictions are sobering,” Isaacs concludes, “since child poverty rates were higher in the United States than in most other rich nations even before the onset of the recession.” Isaacs was referring to a UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) report that found the US next to last—ahead of only the United Kingdom—in a ranking of child well-being, falling behind countries such as Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Greece. . . . There had already been a dramatic increase in poverty among US children even prior to the economic collapse of 2008 and 2009. This is confirmed by a new report, “Kids Count,” on living conditions among children in Michigan, once one of the wealthier US states. . . . The report, compiled by the Michigan League of Human Services (MLHS), includes data up until 2007 and 2008. Among other findings, it shows that in 2008 more than 40 percent of Michigan public school children came from families whose income was low enough to qualify them for reduced-cost federal lunches, an increase from 30.7 percent just seven years earlier. . . . Statewide, 19.3 percent, or about one in five children was poor in 2007, in line with the US national average and an increase from 18.3 percent in 2005. The increase in childhood poverty took place statewide. In Wayne County, the child poverty rate rose to 31 percent in 2008. In Saginaw County, 25.8 percent of children were poor. In sparsely populated Baraga County on the Upper Peninsula, the child poverty rate increased to 21.3 percent. Even in suburban Oakland County, the wealthiest county in the state, the childhood poverty rate increased to 11 percent in 2007 from 8.6 percent in 2005. . . . Increasing poverty correlates to an increase in both confirmed and investigated cases of abuse and neglect of children, according to the report, noting a deterioration of 16 percent in confirmed cases of neglect and abuse in Michigan between 2000 and 2008. . . . “Kids in Michigan are bearing the brunt of our economic crisis,” Judy Putnam of the MLHS told the WSWS. “We know this is only going to go worse as the data becomes available,” citing the rapid increase in unemployment in Michigan beginning in 2008. . . . Putnam noted that the state government is pushing its fiscal burden onto children at a moment of acute need. “We’re cutting funding from education, preschool, and mental health right when children need the most help,” she said. . . . Putnam fears that in the coming years social services in Michigan could face drastic funding cuts after stopgap funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expires. “The funding cliff is in 2011, and it doesn’t look at all certain that Congress will make new money available” to the states, she said. Re: Hello all - Elaine Clermont . 2 Feb 2010 20:28 . #854 Hi Ame, . . Yes, the balance not only in the individual but in our body collective here on the planet. There will be some that will be on the one side of the balance, fully and only within the physical, then others who will be on the balance fully and only within the spiritual -- and that third component, the mind is the place where the balancing act is determined. . . using the mind to alter and change your own personal balance is very important as it is to work the collective mind to a new balance as well. your integration into the world at large, expressing yourself through your physical body, acts and deeds, is what will impact the collective mind to shift to either a more physical existence or a more spiritual existence or both. . . so, it does not surprise me that your body moves with your thoughts, its supposed to. i would also try to, when you are experiencing that sensation, try to move your thoughts from your head to your heart chakra (or any of them for that matter) -- move the source of your thought we are accustom to originate solely in the mind to other energy centers and see how that affects your balance. The True Nature of Intelligence - Matthew Webb . 25 Apr 2010 19:44 . #855 The first step taken by the true intellectual toward personal enlightenment, is to understand that there exists something worthwhile to learn. For them the learning process begins in the study of the opinions of others, an activity they ultimately reject for the sake of first hand perception. Direct perception lends itself first to the study of facts, as they are self-perceived. The opinions of others, no matter how historically noteworthy they may be considered, then pales in comparison to the depth of personal experience. Through the faculties of direct experience we possess, the ability to gain knowledge directly from observation begins to overshadow the academic process. Then as we learn from our own experiences about what is important in life, the lesson of relevance is learned. Relevant fact is determined as, "that which relates to reality and the real needs of existence". It is a study which readily replaces a fascination with trivia. The study of relevant fact through direct perception, then leads one to embrace the subject of subjects, the epitome of the relevant and therefore useful; Truth Itself. As Truth Itself is ascertained it becomes inspiration, as the most expedient fuel for the fire of spiritual advancement. When spiritual advancement occurs, it does so at the behest of a 3 step, universal process. . . The first of these is REALIZATION, wherein Truth Itself is perceived unmistakably as fact(s) most profound. . . The second stage occurs when the realized Truth is noted for its invariable relation to the self within the grand scope and design of universal purposes. This stage is known as INSPIRATION, which lends itself the most noble of causes, to a life dedicated to spiritual ideals. . . The third stage of spiritual advancement is the EMBODIMENT of that which is first directly perceived, or REALIZED. . . It is the intentional act of the self realized explorer of TRUTH, to seek out facts of the highest relevance. By the time the EMBODIMENT of Truth becomes the daily practice of the seeker, it is exactly then that the intellectual is graduated to the higher phase of being that is the mystic, or spiritual practitioner. A fixation upon the products and process of mind, no matter how subtle or finely tuned these may be, becomes a constant receptivity to TRUTH ITSELF, as a superior source of understanding. The intellect is like the sharpest blade, best used to cut away that which is not desired. Intellects' utility for discernment does not adequately extend itself however to the process of building a higher self, just as the sword does not make an effective shovel, hammer or brick layer. There comes a time when the keenest mind must spend more focus in the attentiveness of absorption, than to the products of thought and the modes of intellectualism. The keen mind which fails to recognize this, is doomed to a self-indulgent arrogance over the products of a trained focus. Training and method are only tools which facilitate specific modes of action, and as such, are by definition limited. Formal education which cannot reach beyond itself thereby, becomes self-deception and delusion. . . It is to Truth itself we must constantly aspire, because it alone is the repository for all potential action. Only from this unlimited reservoir can we draw sustenance without fear of shortage or imbalance. The mind we must develop, yet part of that development rests in the realization that intellect alone does not suffice. To apprehend Truth, direct perception must also be added, which is a faculty also known as intuition. The root of the word "intuition" is "tuition" or in other words a state of learning, with the prefix "in" referring to that which is inward or within. Intuition therefore means to learn from within, or to put this more exactly, it refers to the ability of the consciousness we possess, to gain knowledge directly from the Universe rather than from books. . . For intuition to function fully it must first be unobstructed by thought, or the products of intellect. The mind must get out of the way of the higher faculties of the self. These higher attributes are those possessed by that which transcends thought, mind and ideas, with which we were born. In the East this is referred to as CONSCIOUSNESS, in the West as SOUL. The student of Truth, taking a comprehensive view of both of these, must conclude that they are synonymous terms. Soul is consciousness and consciousness is soul. Regardless of the name applied, Soul is this essential foundation that is the truth of the self. Meditation reveals that this is so, for when thought ceases so too does any identification of self that is defined by thought. The true intellectual then realizes that they are neither thought nor any other product of mind, but instead the maker of thought, feelings, images and societies. This "maker" is soul, or the eternal watcher behind a screen of self-made thoughts. . . When the truth of consciousness as self is realized, the spiritual practitioner rises up from the ashes of intellectualism. Self as soul/consciousness becomes a conscious, intentional focus for the practitioner. Identification of self as soul also gives way to the understanding that all other people are souls, one which ultimately necessitates a personal stance for the universal good of all humanity. We come to regard each other in this way as brothers and sisters of like kind, and of the same essential need. That need is one of self-realization. Self as soul is implicitly infinite, especially as contrasted to self as thought/intellect. The properties of the soul are vast just as nature is vast, and equally deserving of detailed exploration and adventure. The universal recognition of this fact among the peoples of the Earth would cause the construction of a new era. Such a realization inspires the practitioner to embody the practice of spiritual ministry. This is in essence, nothing other than the dissemination of Truth to the world, so as to improve its condition. . . The realization of all people as souls, (not unlike the self) lends itself also to the recognition that nature is similarly founded upon consciousness. The essences or composition of the soul/consciousness is of three parts; namely; INTENT, AWARENESS and ENERGY, in that order of causality. These three elements of consciousness are also found in the manifestations of nature. They are found in all life, making all living forms the kindred blood of a Creative Universe. All life possesses Intent, Awareness and Energy, just as do all souls. Meditation allows direct perception of this fact, once it is realized by the practitioner that these components are integral to their own being. . . That which is called God is also composed of Intent, Awareness and Energy. Thus, as souls we are not merely the product of God, or the extensions of God. We are in fact the members of God, as component elements within a greater whole. Just as neurons compose a brain, we as individual souls make up a greater intelligence, a collective consciousness whose acts are far greater than the mere sum of its parts. We are therefore not merely embedded in the greater presence of God, nor outgrowths of an externally guiding force only. Instead we are the functioning elements of a collective that stretches into the infinities of space and time. We are all of similar substance, belonging to a body without end and which can never end. The meditator may also ascertain the above facts for themselves, just as surely as they can isolate the true meaning of self between the manifestations of one thought to the next. . . It must be concluded that since the true self is consciousness, and that a true understanding of nature includes viewing it as a collective consciousness, (God) that no other daily life focus is truly worthy of our attention. To understand Truth fully we must live it out, since anything else is mere speculation, and speculation the comparatively primitive product of mind. The living of such a life is the only concrete demonstration of true intelligence. Truth is not altered by speculation, for if it were our own musings would have annihilated us long ago. It alone stands untarnished in this primitive age of humanity. To Truth alone we must apply in order to shed the light of self that is both SOUL and GOD. . . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com . . The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest 72 banks this year - Matthew Webb . 15 May 2010 03:08 . #856 Regulators shut 4 banks; 72 have failed this year . . Regulators shut banks in Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri; makes 72 US failures this year . . Marcy Gordon, AP Business Writer, On Friday May 14, 2010, 8:08 pm EDT . . WASHINGTON (AP) -- Regulators on Friday shut down Midwest Bank and Trust Company in Elmwood Park, Ill., as well as three smaller banks in Georgia, Michigan and Missouri to bring the number of U.S. bank failures this year to 72. . . The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took over Midwest Bank and Trust, which had about $2.4 billion in deposits and $3.2 billion in assets. . . FirstMerit Bank, N.A., of Akron, Ohio, agreed to assume all the deposits of Midwest Bank and Trust and essentially all the assets. . . Midwest Bank and Trust had 23 branches. FirstMerit is a division of FirstMerit Corp. According to its Web site, FirstMerit Bank has 186 offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois. . . The FDIC and Firstmerit Bank agreed to share losses on about $2.3 billion of Midwest Bank and Trust assets. The move is expected to cost the deposit insurance fund about $216.4 million. . . The other banks the FDIC took over were: . -- New Liberty Bank, based in Plymouth, Mich. The bank had about $101.8 million in deposits and $109.1 million in assets. Bank of Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, Mich., agreed to acquire the deposits and nearly all of its assets. New Liberty Bank had one branch. . -- Southwest Community Bank, based in Springfield, Mo. It had deposits of about $102.5 million and $96.6 million in assets. Simmons First National Bank of Pine Bluff, Ark., will acquire the deposits of Southwest Community Bank and essentially all of its assets. Southwest Community Bank had one branch. . . -- Satilla Community Bank, based in Saint Marys, Ga. It had about $134 million in deposits and $135.7 million in assets. Ameris Bank, based in Moultrie, Ga., agreed to acquire the bank's deposits and nearly all of its assets. Satilla Community Bank had one branch. . . Satilla Community Bank was the eighth bank to fail this year in Georgia, one of the states where the meltdown in the real estate market brought an avalanche of soured mortgage loans. There were 25 bank failures in Georgia last year, more than in any other state. Also high on the list are California, Florida and Illinois. . With 72 closures so far this year, the pace of bank failures is more than double that of 2009, already a brisk year for shutdowns. By this time last year, regulators had closed 33 U.S. banks. The pace has accelerated as losses mount on loans made for commercial property and development. . . The number of bank failures is expected to peak this year and to be slightly higher than the 140 that fell in 2009. That was the highest annual tally since 1992, at the height of the savings and loan crisis. The 2009 failures cost the insurance fund more than $30 billion. Twenty-five banks failed in 2008, the year the financial crisis struck with force, and only three succumbed in 2007. . . As losses have mounted on loans made for commercial property and development, the growing bank failures have sapped billions of dollars out of the deposit insurance fund. It fell into the red last year, hitting a $20.9 billion deficit as of Dec. 31. . . The number of banks on the FDIC's confidential "problem" list jumped to 702 in the fourth quarter from 552 three months earlier, even as the industry squeezed out a small profit. Still, nearly one in every three banks reported a net loss for the latest quarter. . . The FDIC expects the cost of resolving failed banks to grow to about $100 billion over the next four years. . . The agency mandated last year that banks prepay about $45 billion in premiums, for 2010 through 2012, to replenish the insurance fund. . . Depositors' money -- insured up to $250,000 per account -- is not at risk, with the FDIC backed by the government. Apart from the fund, the FDIC has about $66 billion in cash and securities available in reserve to cover losses at failed banks. . . AP Business Writer Tim Paradis in New York contributed to this report. Reality - Chandler Grillone . 23 May 2010 20:08 . #857 What is it that persons refer to as reality? is it not all current and progressive energies? accepting such that flow through our life? in which everything is entertwined so we are all in one reality moving through the dimension of time in our one universe. a non seperate but distant reality would be one of the afterlife? how our spirits tranverse to a "spirit world" after they leave our bodies i have no idea. but i feel us all moving together as a whole. Re: Reality - Matthew Webb . 26 May 2010 21:01 . #858 . Reality is what nature and natural/spiritual laws are. . . Reality is that collective condition composed of things called facts. . . It is what ran the universe before humans were ever around on this planet, what runs it now, and which will run it after humans are no longer around. WMS going off-line - Matthew Webb . 27 Jun 2010 20:59 . #860 I will soon be taking the World Mind Society website off-line. What follows is a letter prepared for those who may write me afterwards, inquiring why this is so. It explains fairly well my reasoning.... . . //////////// . . July 1st 2010 . To those few who may inquire; . . Since its’ inception in June of 2000, the World Mind Society website has been in a truth-telling class by itself. After ten years of remaining the most in-depth source of information about, “all that really matters” it has now gone off-line. The WMS Library was the only place in the world, physical or virtual, where the very definition of truth and consciousness could be found. It was one of the few places where the fine details of simple, natural and spiritual living were provided, absolutely free of charge. . . However, the World Mind Society is a failed social experiment. After thousands of hours of e-mail counseling and years of making regular posts on over two dozen major internet forums, the result has always been the same...people just want to talk about themselves. If they can’t talk about themselves in one way or another, then they just aren’t interested. After the hosting of GGM Meditations every second and fourth Sunday for many years, mailing out our own music albums and articles to prominent organizations and individuals for free, contacting countless authors, “intentional” communities and “cause” groups with offers of joint action, it is obvious that there is simply no real interest in the CAUSE of human enlightenment beyond casual lip service, religious dogma and money-profits. In other words, there is no earnest interest in the expansion of consciousness, the embrace of truth for its’ own sake, or in the transcendence of modern consumer society. Our experience has shown that there is no meaningful interest in the self-evolution of humanity. Neither is there any real public focus upon logic, or practical and efficient living that denies materialism, advanced meditational practices or advanced, spiritually-focused intentional community. This conclusion is demonstrated by the fact that even after 10 years of ardent advocacy of such causes, the World Mind Society website got an average of 10-12 internet hits per day. When one considers that the estimated total of internet users in the world tops 100 million every 24 hours, it is not far-fetched to conclude that the WMS is not, “a going concern on the global scene”. This is primarily so because not one person in ten thousand even WANTS to know what truth is, since their personal lives have nothing to do with the honest facts of reality. What people want instead is sensationalism and glamour. They want to be spoon-fed flashy, 30-second, “sound bites” of information that fit in neatly with their, “busy schedule” since, “who has time to even eat right any more, let alone meditate or read a long article”. Truth is not their desire, especially if it involves any effort. On the contrary, the average life is dedicated to denying there even IS such a thing as truth, since the very idea of it is quite upsetting, not to mention very politically incorrect. . . Furthermore, the paltry level of interest in WMS themes is by no means unique. Everywhere on the internet where spiritual, (not necessarily religious) focus is the primary subject, there exists a total apathy. This can be witnessed on ALL the major internet forums dedicated to the spiritual upliftment of humanity, including NCN, (New Civilization Network) UCS, (United Communities of Spirit) Celestine Prophecy, (James Redfield) Deoxy.org, (Terrence McKenna) the THC Ministries, (Amsterdam, Hawaii and other branches), dozens of related Yahoo groups, and many others not named here. Taking James Redfield as an example, (an author who has sold millions of books on spirituality and made a movie to that effect) one can see on his website that his materials are rarely even mentioned, let alone seriously discussed. The Celestine forum is really quite dead, and so are the others I just mentioned. Similarly, the WMS has had a forum hosted on the NCN network for the last seven years, precisely for the sake of the discussion of its’ materials, and never once has it been used for that purpose, even though I repeatedly invited the hundreds of members there to do so. . . There exists an entropic decay of human consciousness around the world, and despite our best efforts, it is getting far worse, not better. All things spiritual are getting left behind. In its’ place is the mass destruction of the environment through endless selfishness, rampant corruption, pettiness and the survival instincts of the brute, even at the level of international relations. As the globe sinks further and further into a quagmire of vain and frankly evil intention, humanity is preoccupied with only two things….greed and egotism. These are the fruits of consumerism, (“know a tree by its’ fruits”). In essence, these values represent a desire on the part of humanity for collective suicide, rather than wise living. . . “Things = happiness” is a base lie told by the unscrupulous to the unthinking, and it is one which cannot satisfy the soul. Not only is true spirituality universally ignored under such auspices as these, it is actually viewed with suspicion. Truth is dismissed as far less relevant than TV game shows, endless advertisements, soap operas, gossip magazines, trivia and, “dramas”. “Reality TV” is a farce as far removed from actual reality as Santa Claus, and yet it is the main concern of people everywhere. On internet forums, any thread which does not constantly dwell upon personal issues, (how an individual “looks” to others) becomes a dead subject. The modern person views with contempt the mere mention of the words, “expansion of consciousness”. In the back of their minds they know that they’ve, “missed the boat” in a big way, as to what life is all about. They resent even the implication that there is more to life than the worship of money-as-God, and the purchase of products that are supposedly the epitome of, “success”. . . To be honest with you, I found that as an advocate of natural spirituality and self-evolution, I was ill-equipped to compete with the consumer paradigm. After all, how far can one go in the education of the modern mind, (about higher and higher states of consciousness, for instance) when all the public cares about is, “image” through “fashion” and product ownership, while doing something as arbitrary as, “achieving their financial goals”? How deep can one go in any subject when dealing with a mind that actually believes something as absurd as, “my fancy car makes me cool” or, “my expensive shoes make me somebody important”? If a person is a staunch materialist who has dedicated their whole life to living and dying for thing-status in a 30-year career, of what use is it to tell them that materialism is a world destroying nightmare of mass mental illness? Who among the people you know will sincerely admit that the Dollar-God is a false one? Of what use is it to point out to those who have trained their children to be mindless consumers, that a life so dedicated is utterly wasted, misguided and foolish? Such admonitions, although completely obvious, fall upon universally deaf ears. In 25 years of spiritual advocacy, I have never met a single person who will firmly and honestly say, “I reject society” or the false values of greed and egotism upon which it is based. And until a person will reject the false, they will NEVER be at-one with that which is TRUE. . . So it is that I’ve decided to close down the World Mind Society for an indefinite period. There is every likelihood that it will never again return to the public domain, unless of course, the collective consciousness of humanity miraculously shifts for the better. But until such a time that corruption and artillery shells are not what runs the world, where dull oblivion and pathological denial are not considered the normal state of mind, where disease is not the average condition, where life itself is not up for sale to the highest bidder and the Dollar is no longer God All-mighty, the WMS will remain silent. This is not my preference, it’s just the way the world has chosen to focus. . . To those few who write me and inquire as to what happened to the WMS website, I have but one final thing to say. “Where were you for the last ten years?” However, I won’t close the door to the public altogether, on the off chance that there are a few sincere students left amongst the huddled masses. The New Civilization Network, (NCN) still hosts our discussion area and I will be checking there occasionally. If you wish to discuss, first join NCN, then join the “work group” there known as, “Raising the World Mind”. Make a post or two and I will answer, if what you have to say goes beyond the usual personal focus and seems serious. . . Until such a time, may your next incarnation surpass reality TV and sports statistics… . . Love and Clarity, . Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com Re: WMS going off-line - Gabriel Guevara . 1 Jul 2010 18:35 . #861 Just make sure to zip all of your articles into one big file and host in through a torrent! Leave it as a torrent share on your own personal computer with an easy to search "spiritual teachings" type name. No need for your works to vanish completely from the world. . Re: WMS going off-line - vagabondx . 2 Sep 2010 00:37 . #862 Rishi, . I was first introduced to your writings, and the WMS library, through your posts on James Redfields website. I,too, am disheartened at the abscence of Spiritual focus, or even intrest, in this society. Well, "disheartened" is an understatment... I'm heartbroken. . . I know I'm just one person in this world of billions, but, I have to tell you that your writings, and the whole WMS library meant alot to me. In fact I'll go as far as to say that it opened my eyes to Truth. I went there often to read, study and digest what you had to say. Your writings changed my thinking and the way that I live out my life. They opened new vistas for me, and gave me a clear view of my own personal evolutionary path. . . For the sake of beivety I'll simply say that your writings are greatly missed. I now regret that I never "saved" them to a file as I don't own a computer anymore. However, I will thank you for the teaching that you offered me, and for the time that I had to absorb it. . . In Truth, . Vagabond X . garyrfinley@gmail.com . . . . . It Mattered - vagabondx . 4 Sep 2010 23:47 . #863 One day a young man was walking down the beach when he saw something weird in the distance. As he approached he noticed that a man was throwing something into the ocean. The closer he got he saw that the man was throwing star fish into the sea over and over again. When he got close enough he noticed that the tide had washed hundreds of thousands of star fish onto the beach. They would be dried up by midday. . . He shouted out to the man, "Sir what are you doing?" . . The man replied, "I'm throwing these star fish in, they will die if I don't." . . Shocked the young man answered "Surely you don't intend to throw all of them in? There are thousands of thousands of star fish out here. It won't matter, there are too many of them." . . The man stopped and without speaking picked up another star fish. He threw it into the ocean. He gazed for a moment at the young man and said, "It mattered to that one". . Re: WMS going off-line - Nita Formosa . 10 Nov 2010 16:59 . #864 Well, so much for The World Mind Society. He wrote great material, which I am sure inspired a lot of people who are on a spiritual journey in search of the truth about themselves, and the reality around them. . Unfortunately, very few people, or even possibly no one, (as implied by this and his other letters to the public,) was qualified to actually be in his group of followers. This is The Cult That Never Was cult! He ran practically every one off, telling them they were too selfish, and didn’t give a crap about the planet, and fellow humans because they refuse to reject society! . . Did all of the world’s prophets withdraw their teachings because people wouldn’t listen? Or did they adopt an attitude of “Forgive them for they know not what they are doing” A lot of people are serious about at least some of what he put forth, but unless you agree with everything, you are an outcast. First of all, no one is right all of the time, second of all, it takes time for people to grow and mature. Check this out: . …….1. That God is not perfect. . 2. That God learns . 3. That the consciousness which is God is also expanding. . 4. That life serves as a type of “feedback loop” for God, and through that loop it reflects on its own nature and finds self refinement in this.……. . . If this looks familiar to anybody, it is right out of part III of The High and the Higher Still written by Matthew Webb. Matthew, if you don’t believe that God is perfect, then how can you expect any one of his individual expressions (read limited transient beings) to be perfect? We are all expressions of an imperfect “God” This document, and I have to admit; a little bit of psilocybin, helped me to realize this truth! If everyone could come this far, and realize this truth, the world would be a better place. Still not perfect, but better and further along on that evolutionary scale you wrote about. Sorry, but you do not have to get rid of all material possessions to get to this point either! I do however think that pitching the TV would be a good idea! The thing is not to let material possessions rule you, and if you can live off the grid, so much the better. We are all at different points in our evolution, and it all adds up in the divine experience pool that every one of us participates in filling. I have to admit, evolution is painfully slow, and I get very depressed when it looks like we are going backward instead of forward too. . . Most of society doesn’t give a hoot about anything but football, money and sex, but some of us are at least trying to better ourselves, and the world, but unfortunately Matthew Webb doesn’t want to see that. There wouldn’t be any spiritually oriented forums if that wasn’t true, even if they are all full of deception and ego maniacs leading them. There would be no followers if no one really cared. . . This proves that we really don’t need a New World Order, A Satan, or a reptilian race to fight the search for truth. Ego does a fine job all by its self doing that, and it just claimed another victim! I guess we are going to have to look within ourselves to find the divine within ;-), and then when enough people do this then the world will change for the better. If you have trouble looking within, there are some mushroom species, along with right intention (Matthew talked about “right intent”) that can help with this better than any spiritual website ever could! . . We can look at the worst case scenario in a positive light. If we blow ourselves up, at least we collectively as God will learn how not to conduct a 3D reality game! Starting all over again really, really sucks (God shakes Its Devine Head)! – Sorry, couldn’t resist! . . And I don't give a shit if y'all flame, or ignore this post, I am not gonna delete it! If Matthew does, that's a different story. . . If you are on here reading this forum, you certainly do give a shit, I don't care what he says about us not caring enough. So to you all, and Matthew too, Good luck in your journey. Re: WMS going off-line - vagabondx . 2 Dec 2010 00:01 . #865 I agree. The Ego of the "master" has reared it's ugly head. . . Matthew asked, in his farewell letter, where we have all been for the past 10 years. Well, we've been here and on the WMS website reading his drivel. Christ! Well over 11,000 members and this guy melts down crying "nobody cares". . . Yeah, I feel like a fool for falling for this crap, but at the time I honestly thought I'd found someone who could articulate that ever elusive "truth". . . To tell you the truth, I think the guy just saw the error of his ways and bought himself a flat-screen and La-Z-Boy recliner. WMS Archive - ipher . 26 Sep 10:57 . #866 I know that nobody uses this forum anymore, but just in case I put an archive of the old WMS site at . . http://www.ipher.org/~visionquest . . The pages were ripped from the WaybackMachine at archive.org, I will remove the garbage from the files in the coming weeks, but for now all of the pages should at least be there and the links working. . . This site helped me in a time of need, so i do not want to see it totally disappear. . . -ipher [Post a Message] View as Continuous StreamSubject ThreadsReply ThreadsTop of Thread Only   Sort by date, old to newby date, new to oldby authorby subject   Excerpts noneshow short excerptshow full message

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