There's an audio selection set upon the Day 761 post and within the larger scope of THE 800 DAYS blog content that is amazing, in my humble opinion...
If you do NOT feel calmed and garner positive feelings from hitting the "play" arrow over on the 800 DAYS blog, well... I just wouldn't know what to say to that because as soon as I started listening, I felt more calm, and got in touch with a more positive set of "I" statements within...
I was reviewing other materials before I checked out the audio on Blake's 800 Days blog today. These materials were Doomsday and Apocalypse articles, videos and audios - so although I have my own pretty solid beliefs about these matters and am not actually afraid of some of the prophecy materials that I see online in various media forms, I admit - some of the information is pessimistic and FRIGHTENING... if one gets into a mindset of believing in some of what might only be propaganda, misinformation or disinformation about Doomsday and Apocalypse Theories...
The audio selection is called "Agents of Calm" and has narrative and vocal messages on it from EDEN SKY... Christian Burne mixed the selection, so credit goes, in part, to Mr. Burne for aligning great audio with vocal bytes!
Also in this post...
THE GALACTIC BUTTERFLY... something that I didn't have much awareness of prior to reading the content for Day 761 on Blake's blog. Strangely, it must have been just the right time and head-space for me to read this blog post right on this day because in my earlier activities, along with pessimistic concepts about the future, I did learn a lot more (on a positive note) about symbols, the importance and power of symbols... so the giant, revolving GALACTIC BUTTERFLY image that is flippin' around on Blake's Day 761 post seems really important and interesting to me now. I'll refrain from describing or explaining the concepts around The Galactic Butterfly here because Blake's attention to this topic is well done over on his blog. Instead, I'll insert a definition soon for "Galactic Butterfly" in the Glossary section/tab of the blog here.
There are some charts, 13-moon calendar information, 260-day calendar explanations and things that are better left on the 800 DAYS blog... I'd just be tossing jargon out if I explained here as "narratives," psych and sociology stuff, legends and related details are more my area of experience. I'm still learning much about the various calendars as Blake posts content. If you're a beginner just heading into or just becoming interested in 2012/Mayan Calendar topics, and find a bit of this stuff confusing, I HEAR YA!!! I know what this feels like... but we'll learn together!
Go check out The 800 Days blog, Day 761 post: Take me to Day 761 on THE 800 DAYS BLOG
The Day 761 content is associated with Saturday November 20 2010 in the 800 Day Countdown.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Day 762 (Tidbits)
If you've been following along, the last post should have gotten your head a little distance away from "Western World View" and this will continue for the Day 762 entry on THE 800 DAYS blog. More ZEN references and details are on the 800 Days blog.
In the spirit of Zen, I thought I'd add some little stories here to coincide with the Zen tidbits that Blake has written about...
Here's a little "Zen" story...
"Eat The Blame"
Some unforseen circumstances arose one day and delayed the preparation of dinner for a Soto Zen master, Fukai, along with his dedicated followers. In great haste, the cook tried to make up for lost time. He ran out to the garden with his curved blade and quickly cut off the tops of various green vegetables. He then chopped the vegetable tops all up and threw them in a pot, fashioning a fast soup recipe. In his haste in the garden, the cook was unaware that, along with the vegetable tops, he'd also included a chunk of snake in the recipe...
Fukai's followers believed they had never tasted such delicious soup before but when Master Fukai, himself, found the snake's head in his own soup bowl, he immediately summoned the cook...
"What is this?" Fukai demanded - holding out the head of the snake.
Thinking most quickly and brilliantly, the cook said,
"Oh, thank you, master!"
The cook took the snake's head as if it were a tender, tasty delicacy - and HE ATE IT - then performed a respectful bow...
How's THAT for quick thinking??
And another little Eastern derived story:
"Sound of One Hand"
Mokurai, Silent Thunder, was the master of Kennin Temple. Toya, 12 years old, was Mokurai's little protege. Now, Toya watched the older disciples as they visited Master Mokurai's room each morning and each evening. The disciples received instruction in the disciplines of sanzen or personal guidance and they received koans from the master to stop their minds from wandering.
Young Toyo also wished to do sanzen.
"Wait a while - you are too young" Mokurai told Toyo.
But young Toyo kept insisting, so after many requests from Toyo, Mokurai finally obliged...
That very evening, little Toyo showed up at the proper time to Mokurai's sanzen room. Toyo struck the gong to announce his presence, then bowed respectfully three times while outside the door before entering to sit before the master in respectful silence.
"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together." Mokurai stated. "Now, show me the sound of one hand."
Toyo bowed then went to his room to carefully consider this problem. From his open window, he could hear the sound of music from the geishas. After listening a while, "Ah! I have it!" Toyo said.
On the next evening, when the master asked Toyo to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.
"No, no," corrected Mokurai, "That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."
Toyo left again - to think on the problem of the sound of one hand. He felt that music might interupt his thoughts so to ponder over the sound of one hand, he choose a different location than before. This time, he selected a very quiet place. He meditated again, wondering, "Now what can the sound of one hand be?" At this time and location he heard the sound of water dripping. "I have it now" thought Toyo.
When Toyo went before his master again, he imitated the sound of dripping water.
"And what is that now?" asked Mokurai... "That is the sound of dripping water - not the sound of one hand. Try again."
Toyo tried to meditate upon what must be the sound of one hand clapping. He heard the sighing of the wind. When he took this explanation and sound to his teacher, this, like the previous assertions, met with rejection.
The sound of one hand was not the music of the geishas, not the sound of dripping water, not the sound of a sighing wind, or of the cry of an own - or of locusts - or anything else Toyo managed to assert to his master over several days and evenings. After 10 times, Toyo still had not been able to come to the master and say what the sound of one hand was.
Finally, Toyo entered into a meditation that transcended all sounds... when he visited his master after this,
"Master, I could collect no more - so I reached the soundless sound..."
Toyo had finally realized the sound of one hand.
Hopefully these little Zen stories fit in well with the Day 762 post on The 800 Days blog. At the 800 Days blog, you'll also find a few words about writing a Chinese poem, so I hope you'll allow these eastern tidbits take your outside of western world view in your mind for just a little while. It's always a good exercise for the mind to think outside the box, take on a different viewpoint for a little while.
I've found many Zen stories quite full of humour and wisdom at the same time...also, they are occassionally full of a practicality and simplicity that will make you laugh at how your own mind will try to complicate a situation provided in a short Zen story.
I hope you will enjoy the koan/Zen stories as much as I have. Reading the Day 762 prompted me to look up more Eastern "koan" pieces and THERE ARE MANY. In the course of the 800 Day Countdown, I'm sure I will return to posting some KOAN tidbits again, so watch for them...
Day 762 in the 800 Day Countdown is from Friday November 19, 2010.
In the spirit of Zen, I thought I'd add some little stories here to coincide with the Zen tidbits that Blake has written about...
Here's a little "Zen" story...
"Eat The Blame"
Some unforseen circumstances arose one day and delayed the preparation of dinner for a Soto Zen master, Fukai, along with his dedicated followers. In great haste, the cook tried to make up for lost time. He ran out to the garden with his curved blade and quickly cut off the tops of various green vegetables. He then chopped the vegetable tops all up and threw them in a pot, fashioning a fast soup recipe. In his haste in the garden, the cook was unaware that, along with the vegetable tops, he'd also included a chunk of snake in the recipe...
Fukai's followers believed they had never tasted such delicious soup before but when Master Fukai, himself, found the snake's head in his own soup bowl, he immediately summoned the cook...
"What is this?" Fukai demanded - holding out the head of the snake.
Thinking most quickly and brilliantly, the cook said,
"Oh, thank you, master!"
The cook took the snake's head as if it were a tender, tasty delicacy - and HE ATE IT - then performed a respectful bow...
How's THAT for quick thinking??
And another little Eastern derived story:
"Sound of One Hand"
Mokurai, Silent Thunder, was the master of Kennin Temple. Toya, 12 years old, was Mokurai's little protege. Now, Toya watched the older disciples as they visited Master Mokurai's room each morning and each evening. The disciples received instruction in the disciplines of sanzen or personal guidance and they received koans from the master to stop their minds from wandering.
Young Toyo also wished to do sanzen.
"Wait a while - you are too young" Mokurai told Toyo.
But young Toyo kept insisting, so after many requests from Toyo, Mokurai finally obliged...
That very evening, little Toyo showed up at the proper time to Mokurai's sanzen room. Toyo struck the gong to announce his presence, then bowed respectfully three times while outside the door before entering to sit before the master in respectful silence.
"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together." Mokurai stated. "Now, show me the sound of one hand."
Toyo bowed then went to his room to carefully consider this problem. From his open window, he could hear the sound of music from the geishas. After listening a while, "Ah! I have it!" Toyo said.
On the next evening, when the master asked Toyo to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.
"No, no," corrected Mokurai, "That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."
Toyo left again - to think on the problem of the sound of one hand. He felt that music might interupt his thoughts so to ponder over the sound of one hand, he choose a different location than before. This time, he selected a very quiet place. He meditated again, wondering, "Now what can the sound of one hand be?" At this time and location he heard the sound of water dripping. "I have it now" thought Toyo.
When Toyo went before his master again, he imitated the sound of dripping water.
"And what is that now?" asked Mokurai... "That is the sound of dripping water - not the sound of one hand. Try again."
Toyo tried to meditate upon what must be the sound of one hand clapping. He heard the sighing of the wind. When he took this explanation and sound to his teacher, this, like the previous assertions, met with rejection.
The sound of one hand was not the music of the geishas, not the sound of dripping water, not the sound of a sighing wind, or of the cry of an own - or of locusts - or anything else Toyo managed to assert to his master over several days and evenings. After 10 times, Toyo still had not been able to come to the master and say what the sound of one hand was.
Finally, Toyo entered into a meditation that transcended all sounds... when he visited his master after this,
"Master, I could collect no more - so I reached the soundless sound..."
Toyo had finally realized the sound of one hand.
Hopefully these little Zen stories fit in well with the Day 762 post on The 800 Days blog. At the 800 Days blog, you'll also find a few words about writing a Chinese poem, so I hope you'll allow these eastern tidbits take your outside of western world view in your mind for just a little while. It's always a good exercise for the mind to think outside the box, take on a different viewpoint for a little while.
I've found many Zen stories quite full of humour and wisdom at the same time...also, they are occassionally full of a practicality and simplicity that will make you laugh at how your own mind will try to complicate a situation provided in a short Zen story.
I hope you will enjoy the koan/Zen stories as much as I have. Reading the Day 762 prompted me to look up more Eastern "koan" pieces and THERE ARE MANY. In the course of the 800 Day Countdown, I'm sure I will return to posting some KOAN tidbits again, so watch for them...
Day 762 in the 800 Day Countdown is from Friday November 19, 2010.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Day 763 (Tidbits)
Welcome to the world of "ZEN," brought to you by Blake Hall.
Although there are some quotes and very short stories on Day 763 of The 800 Days blog, do not take them all too lightly, please.
There are some definite light-hearted details on the Day 763 post, however, there are also bits of wisdom embedded in the quotes. If you read each quote then pause, you'll likely find that larger messages reside in the funny details...even messages that are pertinent pieces of wisdom for your life today.
It's a look at Zen worldview without having ZEN placed too harshly in your face.
Day 763 in the 800 Days Countdown is Thursday November 18, 2010.
(this post is short because the quotes on the 800 DAYS blog are important to ponder over rather than focusing on my ramble)
:)
:)
Although there are some quotes and very short stories on Day 763 of The 800 Days blog, do not take them all too lightly, please.
There are some definite light-hearted details on the Day 763 post, however, there are also bits of wisdom embedded in the quotes. If you read each quote then pause, you'll likely find that larger messages reside in the funny details...even messages that are pertinent pieces of wisdom for your life today.
It's a look at Zen worldview without having ZEN placed too harshly in your face.
Day 763 in the 800 Days Countdown is Thursday November 18, 2010.
(this post is short because the quotes on the 800 DAYS blog are important to ponder over rather than focusing on my ramble)
Day 764 (Tidbits)
Blake has really offered a lot of good information (in my opinion) and has given prime attention to the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Adha on the previous Day 765 post. On Day 764 of his The 800 Days blog, he does something a little different and writes something to appreciate and honour a person from India who is held dearly in his heart. Blake does this in poetic form - and to my way of thinking, the poetics are as close to an "act of reverence" (definitely a focused "mindfullness") as one can get when coming from a different culture.
Blake has dedicated this piece to a dear friend of his, "dreamreachout" who was already mentioned recently in my "Follower Reader Appreciation" post.
The poem is called "Do Good" and to my knowledge, you're not going to be able to find this piece anywhere, save for THE 800 DAYS blog.
My perception of the general essence of this poem is that Blake is associating his dear friend, dreamreachout, with someone (or the sort of person) who will just "Do Good," regardless of circumstances... There are those who do good things for different motives and who sometimes need the right coaxing in order to act humanely and rightly. I gather that Blake feels his friend is one of the exceptional people who just "Do Good" without requiring additional motivational factors to push them in the right, humane direction. Of course, the poem is open to interpretation, but this is my interpretation.
I sincerely hope to get to that humane level, myself, someday but as yet... I have this poem to absorb as a guideline - and, of course, dreamreachout's materials to read when I so choose, too!
DO GOOD, dreamreachout, poetry, hints of Eid Al-Adha and Day 764 in the 800 Days Countdown are all associated with Wednesday November 17 2010.
Blake has dedicated this piece to a dear friend of his, "dreamreachout" who was already mentioned recently in my "Follower Reader Appreciation" post.
The poem is called "Do Good" and to my knowledge, you're not going to be able to find this piece anywhere, save for THE 800 DAYS blog.
My perception of the general essence of this poem is that Blake is associating his dear friend, dreamreachout, with someone (or the sort of person) who will just "Do Good," regardless of circumstances... There are those who do good things for different motives and who sometimes need the right coaxing in order to act humanely and rightly. I gather that Blake feels his friend is one of the exceptional people who just "Do Good" without requiring additional motivational factors to push them in the right, humane direction. Of course, the poem is open to interpretation, but this is my interpretation.
I sincerely hope to get to that humane level, myself, someday but as yet... I have this poem to absorb as a guideline - and, of course, dreamreachout's materials to read when I so choose, too!
DO GOOD, dreamreachout, poetry, hints of Eid Al-Adha and Day 764 in the 800 Days Countdown are all associated with Wednesday November 17 2010.
Day 765 (Tidbits)
Getting back to "tidbits" and review type posting on the follower blog here. Now I know I am behind, 'cos I typically stay a few days behind Blake's posted material, and in doing so I am a little off on celebration days. I think of it this way - I learn as I go so although I was aware of certain celebrations, writing about them a few days off keeps me in mind of them for longer and I don't see that as a negative!
A celebrated topic/observance on THE 800 DAYS BLOG for the Day 765 post on Tuesday November 16 2010, was "Eid Al-Adha."
Eid Al-Adha isn't something that I personally have celebrated in the past but is something I have become more interested in just in the past few years. Eid Al-Adha is a Muslim religious holiday and festival whereby Muslims celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, his son, as an act of obedience to God. Now, God intervened, according to traditions, legend and myth - and provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead of doing so with Ishmael, so this holiday and festival is known also as the "Festival of Sacrifice" or the "Greater Eid."
As stated earlier and above, this isn't a festival I have been familiar with celebrating in my personal life. Luckily, I have learned more about this festival via contact with Blake, his writings and through searching around online to learn about Muslim traditions. Even though I do not identify primarily as a Muslim, myself, I believe that any culture's or peoples' traditional days have importance in the world...a belief I have only picked up in the past few years - so I think it is an act of reverence to start learning about things another culture's people feel are of tantamount and religious importance. I will be taking more care in years to come from this year forward - and start to honour other days/festivals that are important even if I do not adhere to all unfamiliar traditions outside of my own belief system.
I am learning that we can only "other" people, place prejudices against, act out against other people if we continue to ignore their ways and beliefs and then oppress these beliefs and people. We may not always be able to adhere to every belief foreign to our upbringing but I can't imagine it can be wrong to learn more or honour the beliefs of another culture... so I will not be missing Eid Al-Adha anymore in the future. Thankfully, Blake has placed the explanation on how the days of Eid Al-Adha are determined with Muslims and also has next year's days of celebration posted on the Day 765 entry on the 800 Days blog.
A quote - for the purpose of displaying the days:
Naturally, because there are quite rigid rules surrounding days of reverence for Muslims during Eid Al-Adha, I cannot participate fully - but I will make special prayers in my own faith during the next Eid Al-Adha which will contain wishes that others honour the elaborate, reverent celebration of the Muslims regardless of affiliation with other religions and cultures. For example, according to Muslim traditions, I would not be allowed to be in a position during Eid Al-Adha to "sacrifice" a ram or acceptable sacrificial animal - because I am not Muslim myself. I believe, however, that doing special cleansing rituals on the same days that Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha will not be looked upon poorly by anyone and cleansing rituals would put me in mind to be respectful of other cultures, even if I am not Muslim and even if I cannot quickly adopt or learn all about every Muslim point of belief or tradition.
What I have found very interesting and awesome about the Muslim celebrations is the great intricacy of ritual involved with Eid Al-Adha. When involved in these days of reverence, it must be that great care and mindfulness is employed for many hours of the day and for several days on end... this attention to personal relationships with God/Allah, to human relationships with the Earth and on humans together with humans should be more widely known and accepted in my opinion. These considerations are what I intend to project and experience next November! Until then, I will be learning more about the Muslim traditions.
Be sure to visit Blake's descriptions, article and details about Eid Al-Adha as I have in no way provided extensive explanations - only my belief here - that I ought to learn more about these Muslim days of reverence. There are a few things from Blake's article that I will have to get committed to memory so that I understand Eid Al-Adha better for next year.
Article: Eid Al-Adha the Festival of Sacrifice
The Day 765 post is associated with Tuesday November 16, 2010.
Allahu Akbar ("God is the Greatest," or "God is Great.")
A celebrated topic/observance on THE 800 DAYS BLOG for the Day 765 post on Tuesday November 16 2010, was "Eid Al-Adha."
Eid Al-Adha isn't something that I personally have celebrated in the past but is something I have become more interested in just in the past few years. Eid Al-Adha is a Muslim religious holiday and festival whereby Muslims celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, his son, as an act of obedience to God. Now, God intervened, according to traditions, legend and myth - and provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead of doing so with Ishmael, so this holiday and festival is known also as the "Festival of Sacrifice" or the "Greater Eid."
As stated earlier and above, this isn't a festival I have been familiar with celebrating in my personal life. Luckily, I have learned more about this festival via contact with Blake, his writings and through searching around online to learn about Muslim traditions. Even though I do not identify primarily as a Muslim, myself, I believe that any culture's or peoples' traditional days have importance in the world...a belief I have only picked up in the past few years - so I think it is an act of reverence to start learning about things another culture's people feel are of tantamount and religious importance. I will be taking more care in years to come from this year forward - and start to honour other days/festivals that are important even if I do not adhere to all unfamiliar traditions outside of my own belief system.
I am learning that we can only "other" people, place prejudices against, act out against other people if we continue to ignore their ways and beliefs and then oppress these beliefs and people. We may not always be able to adhere to every belief foreign to our upbringing but I can't imagine it can be wrong to learn more or honour the beliefs of another culture... so I will not be missing Eid Al-Adha anymore in the future. Thankfully, Blake has placed the explanation on how the days of Eid Al-Adha are determined with Muslims and also has next year's days of celebration posted on the Day 765 entry on the 800 Days blog.
A quote - for the purpose of displaying the days:
- "This year is 1431 (Islamic Calendar): November 17 - 19 ,2010
- Next year is 1432 (Islamic Calendar): November 6 - 8 , 2011
- And the year 1433 (Islamic Calendar): October 26 - 28 , 2012"
Naturally, because there are quite rigid rules surrounding days of reverence for Muslims during Eid Al-Adha, I cannot participate fully - but I will make special prayers in my own faith during the next Eid Al-Adha which will contain wishes that others honour the elaborate, reverent celebration of the Muslims regardless of affiliation with other religions and cultures. For example, according to Muslim traditions, I would not be allowed to be in a position during Eid Al-Adha to "sacrifice" a ram or acceptable sacrificial animal - because I am not Muslim myself. I believe, however, that doing special cleansing rituals on the same days that Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha will not be looked upon poorly by anyone and cleansing rituals would put me in mind to be respectful of other cultures, even if I am not Muslim and even if I cannot quickly adopt or learn all about every Muslim point of belief or tradition.
What I have found very interesting and awesome about the Muslim celebrations is the great intricacy of ritual involved with Eid Al-Adha. When involved in these days of reverence, it must be that great care and mindfulness is employed for many hours of the day and for several days on end... this attention to personal relationships with God/Allah, to human relationships with the Earth and on humans together with humans should be more widely known and accepted in my opinion. These considerations are what I intend to project and experience next November! Until then, I will be learning more about the Muslim traditions.
Be sure to visit Blake's descriptions, article and details about Eid Al-Adha as I have in no way provided extensive explanations - only my belief here - that I ought to learn more about these Muslim days of reverence. There are a few things from Blake's article that I will have to get committed to memory so that I understand Eid Al-Adha better for next year.
Article: Eid Al-Adha the Festival of Sacrifice
The Day 765 post is associated with Tuesday November 16, 2010.
Allahu Akbar ("God is the Greatest," or "God is Great.")
Friday, November 19, 2010
Follower Reader Appreciation
Almost all of my posts on this blog to date have been attempts to keep up with The Blue Magnetic Storm 's many articles and posts at THE 800 DAYS blog. Blake's 13 Moon Astrological Identity/Association is Blue Magnetic Storm, in case you're wondering.
I just wanted to take some time to post a "Reader Appreciation" article because I know that some friends are reading, even if they haven't been posting comments directly at this blog here. I've gotten comments at my Facebook page that let me know that people are reading.
In return, I'd like to tell people about a few articles I think are related to thinking critically, are about tough topics, or about sharing the experience of being human - such as...
To summarize... thanks in particular to Lorlie6, kimberlyslyrics, dreamreachout and Pacal Votan for just being online and for sharing the written words, pictures and human experiences with people online...and thanks to any who are reading!
Stay Well!
IAOTIO!
Myth~~
I just wanted to take some time to post a "Reader Appreciation" article because I know that some friends are reading, even if they haven't been posting comments directly at this blog here. I've gotten comments at my Facebook page that let me know that people are reading.
In return, I'd like to tell people about a few articles I think are related to thinking critically, are about tough topics, or about sharing the experience of being human - such as...
- Lorlie6 's Article: Suicidal Soldiers
- kimberlyslyrics' very personal offering: He Was My First, I Was His Last
- dreamreachout's beautiful photos and article: Long Oiled Hair
- Pacal Votan (2012 info blog), a new online acquaintance whose blogs/sites are just awesome! ie: Project MMXII (2012).
To summarize... thanks in particular to Lorlie6, kimberlyslyrics, dreamreachout and Pacal Votan for just being online and for sharing the written words, pictures and human experiences with people online...and thanks to any who are reading!
Stay Well!
IAOTIO!
Myth~~
Day 766 (Tidbits)
I really have enjoyed the Day 766 post on Blake Hall's THE 800 DAYS blog , although the information on this particular post, I expect, will be met with more than a few wails and arguments.
Essentially, Blake gives the space for this post to another author, bibi16. Consequently, bibi16 provides a number of interesting but strong arguments AGAINST many of the things it has become easy to believe in within our societies.
Right before bibi16's alloted space, Blake has positioned a video in place which shows the viewpoints of one of the most controversial performers of our age - Marilyn Manson. Now, no matter if you appreciate this performer's materials or not, there are loads of valid points he makes on this video. Intelligent statements, calmly stated...if you hate this performer... that's too bad 'cos you're going to miss some IMPORTANT MESSAGES if you skip this video just based on your prejudices!
Once bibi16's space is created, there are 5 major topics covered here:
As already stated - I have really enjoyed the Day 766 post. I've taken care to ponder over what bibi16 has written and I believe that if many more of us consider these viewpoints, we can know ourselves better, treat others with more fairness and - mostly - stop our egos from getting the better of us - and others...
I'm going to stop writing now because what is on The 800 Days blog for Day 766 is worth real consideration - so I'll get quiet now.... time for thinking, not expressing...
Day 766 is associated with Monday November 15 2010 in the overall 800 Days Countdown.
Essentially, Blake gives the space for this post to another author, bibi16. Consequently, bibi16 provides a number of interesting but strong arguments AGAINST many of the things it has become easy to believe in within our societies.
Right before bibi16's alloted space, Blake has positioned a video in place which shows the viewpoints of one of the most controversial performers of our age - Marilyn Manson. Now, no matter if you appreciate this performer's materials or not, there are loads of valid points he makes on this video. Intelligent statements, calmly stated...if you hate this performer... that's too bad 'cos you're going to miss some IMPORTANT MESSAGES if you skip this video just based on your prejudices!
Once bibi16's space is created, there are 5 major topics covered here:
- evolution vs creationism OR evolution AND creationism (can't they exist side by side?)
- religion versus science OR religion AND science (again, can't these two things exist side by side?)
- hypocritical judgements people make in all sorts of topics
- mankind's ego and tunnel vision about the universe and about life
- people are people - genders are gendered but all genders are people
As already stated - I have really enjoyed the Day 766 post. I've taken care to ponder over what bibi16 has written and I believe that if many more of us consider these viewpoints, we can know ourselves better, treat others with more fairness and - mostly - stop our egos from getting the better of us - and others...
I'm going to stop writing now because what is on The 800 Days blog for Day 766 is worth real consideration - so I'll get quiet now.... time for thinking, not expressing...
Day 766 is associated with Monday November 15 2010 in the overall 800 Days Countdown.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Day 767 (Tidbits)
The topic of the Day 767 post on THE 800 DAYS blog is "Cyberpunk...As a Religion?"
Basically, Cyberpunk is a sort of lifestyle or a sub-culture...and it's also a science fiction media genre (lit, film, art) but on THE 800 DAYS blog, Cyberpunk is talked about in terms of religion. It's a lifestyle full of computers, gadgets, computer lingo, etc.
In the Cyberpunk science fiction genre, Cyberpunk is generally a blend of "cybernetics" with "punk," and as such, incorporates a mix of information technology and advanced science (cybernetics) with at least some marked degree of breakdown in (punk) in the social order, possibly a radical change in social hierarchy and social controls.
Artificial Intelligence, Hackers and Mega-Corporations tend to be subjects/themes in Cyberbunk culture and in the plot of cyberculture novels and film, generally a power struggle is acted out, usually between an extreme underdog versus (cyberpunk) a mega-corporation or the extreme whole of society itself. Sometimes the actions is with the cyberpunk group versus the authorities which uphold a certain, rigid dominant ideology of the society. The underdogs rely largely on outwitting the authorities with monumentally outstanding displays of technological know how - fantastic, speedy knowledge and work with or via computers, gadgets, etc., and usually the underdogs use the megacorporation's or the society's most highly acclaimed tech gadgets against the megacorp' or society...sort of a "using their own weapons against them" deal.
Much of the cyberpunk lit out there is definite and impressive social commentary against power, oppression and control and there are rarely any ambiguous statements made when cyberpunk is the genre used to embed social commentary messages in text or film. The message is clear "you megacorps and corrupt societies will NOT gain control of everything."
So, Blake asserts, on The 800 Days blog, that Cyberpunk can actually be thought of in terms of a religion. I keep preferring to say "lifestyle," however, points made on the 800 Days blog are pretty strong, so I have to concede that maybe "lifestyle" isn't the best descriptor for those who are extreme cyberpunks. Not to mention the fact that Blake mentions:
"The technology has a spirit of its own, as valid as the spirit of any creature of the goddess. This is the spiritual force we, those who are called technopagan, feel and must express. Not surprisingly, we find ways of bringing technology into our worship."
I suppose that in much of the cyberpunk literature - especially lit and film that is "future-based" the technologies, items, computers, etc., are shown as transforming society and cyberpunks are shown as "doing the impossible" through sheer human effort of mind, along with extreme expertise and knowledge of how to make gadgets perform in ways nobody would expect or assume gadgets could ever perform... essentially, the cyberpunks are extraordinary and they make machines do surprising, extraordinary tasks.
In all of this, we can definitely see a parallel between the cyberpunk and "the faithful" of many religions - who all intend to persevere through what ails in this world. There are parallels between the cyberpunk making a machine/gadget do the impossible - and the pagan working his/her magic which is either forbidden in society or said to be impossible in soceity.
Reading the Day 767 post lead me to do some searching for examples of "cyberpunk-ness" and I turned up the short story called "Cyberpunk" in my searches. It's an interesting little short story and the author, Bruce Bethke, is credited with having coined the term "Cyberpunk" via his short story title of the same name. The story is entertaining and is available all over the place online.
Here's a handy link: http://www.brucebethke.com/articles/shortstories.html it's from Bethke's own site and you'll find a free pdf of the Cyberpunk story that is readily downloadable.
Well this is all for now... I actually want to read that Cyberpunk story one more time - it's got some sub-culture lingo that gave me a little trouble during the last read-through...
The Day 767 post is associated with Sunday November 14 2010 in the 800 Day Countdown.
Basically, Cyberpunk is a sort of lifestyle or a sub-culture...and it's also a science fiction media genre (lit, film, art) but on THE 800 DAYS blog, Cyberpunk is talked about in terms of religion. It's a lifestyle full of computers, gadgets, computer lingo, etc.
In the Cyberpunk science fiction genre, Cyberpunk is generally a blend of "cybernetics" with "punk," and as such, incorporates a mix of information technology and advanced science (cybernetics) with at least some marked degree of breakdown in (punk) in the social order, possibly a radical change in social hierarchy and social controls.
Artificial Intelligence, Hackers and Mega-Corporations tend to be subjects/themes in Cyberbunk culture and in the plot of cyberculture novels and film, generally a power struggle is acted out, usually between an extreme underdog versus (cyberpunk) a mega-corporation or the extreme whole of society itself. Sometimes the actions is with the cyberpunk group versus the authorities which uphold a certain, rigid dominant ideology of the society. The underdogs rely largely on outwitting the authorities with monumentally outstanding displays of technological know how - fantastic, speedy knowledge and work with or via computers, gadgets, etc., and usually the underdogs use the megacorporation's or the society's most highly acclaimed tech gadgets against the megacorp' or society...sort of a "using their own weapons against them" deal.
Much of the cyberpunk lit out there is definite and impressive social commentary against power, oppression and control and there are rarely any ambiguous statements made when cyberpunk is the genre used to embed social commentary messages in text or film. The message is clear "you megacorps and corrupt societies will NOT gain control of everything."
So, Blake asserts, on The 800 Days blog, that Cyberpunk can actually be thought of in terms of a religion. I keep preferring to say "lifestyle," however, points made on the 800 Days blog are pretty strong, so I have to concede that maybe "lifestyle" isn't the best descriptor for those who are extreme cyberpunks. Not to mention the fact that Blake mentions:
"The technology has a spirit of its own, as valid as the spirit of any creature of the goddess. This is the spiritual force we, those who are called technopagan, feel and must express. Not surprisingly, we find ways of bringing technology into our worship."
I suppose that in much of the cyberpunk literature - especially lit and film that is "future-based" the technologies, items, computers, etc., are shown as transforming society and cyberpunks are shown as "doing the impossible" through sheer human effort of mind, along with extreme expertise and knowledge of how to make gadgets perform in ways nobody would expect or assume gadgets could ever perform... essentially, the cyberpunks are extraordinary and they make machines do surprising, extraordinary tasks.
In all of this, we can definitely see a parallel between the cyberpunk and "the faithful" of many religions - who all intend to persevere through what ails in this world. There are parallels between the cyberpunk making a machine/gadget do the impossible - and the pagan working his/her magic which is either forbidden in society or said to be impossible in soceity.
Reading the Day 767 post lead me to do some searching for examples of "cyberpunk-ness" and I turned up the short story called "Cyberpunk" in my searches. It's an interesting little short story and the author, Bruce Bethke, is credited with having coined the term "Cyberpunk" via his short story title of the same name. The story is entertaining and is available all over the place online.
Here's a handy link: http://www.brucebethke.com/articles/shortstories.html it's from Bethke's own site and you'll find a free pdf of the Cyberpunk story that is readily downloadable.
Well this is all for now... I actually want to read that Cyberpunk story one more time - it's got some sub-culture lingo that gave me a little trouble during the last read-through...
The Day 767 post is associated with Sunday November 14 2010 in the 800 Day Countdown.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Day 768 (Tidbits)
Crash course happenin' now on THE 800 DAYS blog for a wonderful Day 768 post!
Wait a sec' - let me announce this in a more official way so people sit up and NOTICE!
Okay but seriously...
There's some decent information for people who want to know just a smidgen about Paganism and it's on the Day 768 post of The 800 Days blog...
What you'll find:
Perhaps people who believe the world is going to go through a transition in December 2012 will gather together in open spaces and around significant bodies of water...and wait for the whole darn transition to unfold. If those electrical bits of nature touch down - MAN, I would get the heck away from that water!
As you can probably tell, my knowledge of visual art is pretty sketchy and my ability to put visual aspects into similarly effective words is lacking flair... I don't know what it is about that picture that catches my eye so much but - IT ROCKS!
Obviously, in reviewing the post, I should just stick to words and leave off the commentary about visual stuff. The main content of the post is about Modern Pagan Movements and Blake has done a nice job of outlining what four main movements/traditions can be considered as such today. I like the brief explanation of Discordianism/Nihilism but admit these terms/the traditions are something I need to look more closely at. The only thing I understand well about discordianism is the concept of dissent...but I hope (I know) Blake will be offering more details on Discordianism in the days to come so that I can have a more rounded picture of this Pagan tradition.
The Day 768 material coincides with Saturday November 13 2010 in the 800 Days Countdown.
Wait a sec' - let me announce this in a more official way so people sit up and NOTICE!
HEY!!! It's the Official Pagan Mini-Crash Course Happening RIGHT NOW on THE 800 DAYS BLOG!
Okay but seriously...
There's some decent information for people who want to know just a smidgen about Paganism and it's on the Day 768 post of The 800 Days blog...
What you'll find:
- touch of historial background (and not enough to even get boring...)
- four broad classifications of Pagan "traditions"
- tidbits on Classic Paganism
- tidbits on Neo-Paganism/New Age tradition
- tidbits on Technopaganism
- tidbits on Discordianism/Nihilism
- totally cool quote from Aleister Crowley
- fantastic photo of what could be a 2012 crowd
Perhaps people who believe the world is going to go through a transition in December 2012 will gather together in open spaces and around significant bodies of water...and wait for the whole darn transition to unfold. If those electrical bits of nature touch down - MAN, I would get the heck away from that water!
As you can probably tell, my knowledge of visual art is pretty sketchy and my ability to put visual aspects into similarly effective words is lacking flair... I don't know what it is about that picture that catches my eye so much but - IT ROCKS!
Obviously, in reviewing the post, I should just stick to words and leave off the commentary about visual stuff. The main content of the post is about Modern Pagan Movements and Blake has done a nice job of outlining what four main movements/traditions can be considered as such today. I like the brief explanation of Discordianism/Nihilism but admit these terms/the traditions are something I need to look more closely at. The only thing I understand well about discordianism is the concept of dissent...but I hope (I know) Blake will be offering more details on Discordianism in the days to come so that I can have a more rounded picture of this Pagan tradition.
The Day 768 material coincides with Saturday November 13 2010 in the 800 Days Countdown.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Day 769 (Tidbits)
Do you like Coffee or Tea? You'll want to take some time for yourself in reading about what's on THE 800 DAYS blog. Surely, if you've read some consecutive articles or done some reading of back to back posts, it's time to get in "artsy" head space for just a few moments. For the Day 769 post, what you'll find is poetry. If you usually drink coffee...try a tea as you sit down to read some poetry. If you normally drink tea - try some coffee. Try something different - DO something different than you normally do today... it helps - as poetry surely does - to build different ways of perceiving of the world.
Enjoy!
You'll still require a THINKING CAP, of course, but Blake's material for Day 769 is significant without being something that will hit you like a sack of hammers. I know, I know - sometimes the content for the 800 Day Countdown has been nothing short of DIFFICULT to wrap a head around so far - but Blake's piece, "Nameless The Goddess" is a nice change of pace for everyone.
Now, I wasn't joking about the thinking cap. If you want to know how to make a thinking cap:
Free Thinking Cap (paper construction directions here)
I tried making a paper thinking cap... ended up with a conical sort of funnel thing that made me look quite stoopid while reading Blake's Nameless The Goddess poem... but I didn't/don't care. It's what's inside the cap that's important.
:)
Favourite lines of Nameless The Goddess:
I don't know whose eyes and sighs are whose but this hasn't kept me from enjoying the blending of sense perception that we are asked to endure, imagine, accept in these lines.
ie: sighs are abstract - sounds - not material, physical things like a hand which might cover someone's eyes.
I enjoyed creating that sense/stretch or sense/mixup in my mind as I read what Blake's poetics demanded of the reader.
I went on to assume (but you don't have to) that the heart-covering and the covering of heart-flutters was also the domain/management of the abstract sighs - and THIS created a lot of physical sensation...I ended up sighing to "invoke," in a way, the ability to take this sense/blend far enough to use it to cover my heart.
I like that the silence and darkness are mentioned with beast...that's not "typical" in many poems where "beast" is mentioned. I like the new association I was just able to make with "beast" - with "beast" as being calmed in darkness and silence.
Normally, when I see "beast" in any literature or art, it is with the associations of:
Enjoy!
You'll still require a THINKING CAP, of course, but Blake's material for Day 769 is significant without being something that will hit you like a sack of hammers. I know, I know - sometimes the content for the 800 Day Countdown has been nothing short of DIFFICULT to wrap a head around so far - but Blake's piece, "Nameless The Goddess" is a nice change of pace for everyone.
Now, I wasn't joking about the thinking cap. If you want to know how to make a thinking cap:
Free Thinking Cap (paper construction directions here)
I tried making a paper thinking cap... ended up with a conical sort of funnel thing that made me look quite stoopid while reading Blake's Nameless The Goddess poem... but I didn't/don't care. It's what's inside the cap that's important.
:)
Favourite lines of Nameless The Goddess:
Shield your eyes with my kind sighs
Cover your heart and its flutters
The silence will tame the beast
The dark will tame the beast
I don't know whose eyes and sighs are whose but this hasn't kept me from enjoying the blending of sense perception that we are asked to endure, imagine, accept in these lines.
ie: sighs are abstract - sounds - not material, physical things like a hand which might cover someone's eyes.
I enjoyed creating that sense/stretch or sense/mixup in my mind as I read what Blake's poetics demanded of the reader.
I went on to assume (but you don't have to) that the heart-covering and the covering of heart-flutters was also the domain/management of the abstract sighs - and THIS created a lot of physical sensation...I ended up sighing to "invoke," in a way, the ability to take this sense/blend far enough to use it to cover my heart.
I like that the silence and darkness are mentioned with beast...that's not "typical" in many poems where "beast" is mentioned. I like the new association I was just able to make with "beast" - with "beast" as being calmed in darkness and silence.
Normally, when I see "beast" in any literature or art, it is with the associations of:
- crashing noise
- loud roars
- some darkness but with the beast surrounded by flame, fire, sparks, etc
- the beast in semi-darkness but with the darkness in the background
- agitation (an agitated beast)
- violent movements
- agitated, forceful movements which create noise
With the newer associations, however, the beast is uncharacteristically attached to "calm" and "darkness." The beast no longer roars, nor comes from some moody, darkened landscape to leap noisily and violently into view...
Well - that's by my interpretation and via my imagination, anyway. I hope you enjoy Nameless The Goddess by Blake4d as much as I did...with or without the thinking cap!
Day 769 is associated with Friday November 12, 2010 in the 800 Day Countdown.
(If you read this poem a couple of times in a row and find it "speaks to you," perhaps then you'll know - if you didn't before - why it is that arts and literature have so often been banned and put off limits in the past... Powerful...moving. Enjoy!)
(If you read this poem a couple of times in a row and find it "speaks to you," perhaps then you'll know - if you didn't before - why it is that arts and literature have so often been banned and put off limits in the past... Powerful...moving. Enjoy!)
Day 770 (Tidbits)
The post offered on Day 770 of THE 800 DAYS BLOG contains numbers...
A LOT OF NUMBERS.
Even SPECIFIC Numbers - and, that's basically what the whole post is about. What you're going to read about when you visit the 800 DAYS blog is "11:11 THEORY." These aren't all "Time" or "clock" prompts, but can also be a series of recurring numbers ie: 9999, 888, 1213, 7777, 242526, 8989, and so on. Apparently there are some people who almost always see these prompts whether they are planning on it or not. What I mean is, they're not consciously aware of constantly looking back and forth at clocks - or numbers - in fact, they're probably not attempting in any way to prompt themselves or keep tabs on numbers or the clock...what is happening is that, quite naturally, when they're in everyday - even mundane - activities do they DO HAPPEN TO glance at the clock, other time-pieces, digital technology, they're seeing consecutive or patterened numbers!
Are they subconsciously in some sort of obsessive time-checking or a similar obsession? People who are reporting this don't think so and, personally, I don't really think they're doing this obsessively either...at least some people aren't.
The kicker: this time-checking CAN BECOME obsessive for a little while IF YOU WORRY ABOUT IT or if you don't take a healthy viewpoint on this matter.
Personally, this 11:11 Theory is a curious matter - a strange phenomena to me, however, even if I don't understand it or what's going on surrounding 11:11 events and theory, I am perfectly "OKAY" to let 11:11 happen around me, unexplained. Oh sure, I want to know WHY these prompts happen, but I look into a TON of strange topics, paranormal items, urban legend and folklore - even HORROR genre tidbits - so I am content to read up on this 11:11 stuff and let it be until I come across a really valid explanation that satisfies my curiousity.
Oh wait a minute...
I just glanced at my clock. It says 12:13 as I am still typing...I just typed "1213" above just a couple of minutes ago... that was probably at around 12:11 and through 12:12... until when I looked just now and the clock said "12:13" - very curious coincidence?
Hmm curious, right?
The date for the Day 770 post: Thursday November 11, 2010.
*gasp* "11."
"ELEVEN!"
A LOT OF NUMBERS.
Even SPECIFIC Numbers - and, that's basically what the whole post is about. What you're going to read about when you visit the 800 DAYS blog is "11:11 THEORY." These aren't all "Time" or "clock" prompts, but can also be a series of recurring numbers ie: 9999, 888, 1213, 7777, 242526, 8989, and so on. Apparently there are some people who almost always see these prompts whether they are planning on it or not. What I mean is, they're not consciously aware of constantly looking back and forth at clocks - or numbers - in fact, they're probably not attempting in any way to prompt themselves or keep tabs on numbers or the clock...what is happening is that, quite naturally, when they're in everyday - even mundane - activities do they DO HAPPEN TO glance at the clock, other time-pieces, digital technology, they're seeing consecutive or patterened numbers!
Are they subconsciously in some sort of obsessive time-checking or a similar obsession? People who are reporting this don't think so and, personally, I don't really think they're doing this obsessively either...at least some people aren't.
The kicker: this time-checking CAN BECOME obsessive for a little while IF YOU WORRY ABOUT IT or if you don't take a healthy viewpoint on this matter.
Personally, this 11:11 Theory is a curious matter - a strange phenomena to me, however, even if I don't understand it or what's going on surrounding 11:11 events and theory, I am perfectly "OKAY" to let 11:11 happen around me, unexplained. Oh sure, I want to know WHY these prompts happen, but I look into a TON of strange topics, paranormal items, urban legend and folklore - even HORROR genre tidbits - so I am content to read up on this 11:11 stuff and let it be until I come across a really valid explanation that satisfies my curiousity.
Oh wait a minute...
I just glanced at my clock. It says 12:13 as I am still typing...I just typed "1213" above just a couple of minutes ago... that was probably at around 12:11 and through 12:12... until when I looked just now and the clock said "12:13" - very curious coincidence?
Hmm curious, right?
The date for the Day 770 post: Thursday November 11, 2010.
*gasp* "11."
"ELEVEN!"
Monday, November 15, 2010
Day 771 (Tidbits)
Oh, wow...some of my favourite stuff is being presented for Day 771 on Blake Hall's The 800 Days blog ! What we're talking about here is - commentary on PROPAGANDA.....
Nice!
Well, propaganda isn't nice - but people recognizing propaganda makes me smile!
Nice!
Well, propaganda isn't nice - but people recognizing propaganda makes me smile!
Muhahahaha!
Okay that's not exactly a smile but you get the picture.
What's in store when you head on over to the 800 DAYS blog is a pertinent and detailed message not only about reading your way through propaganda but also some information for content providers online (bloggers, article writers, THIS MEANS YOU!)...
You've already been supplied with the blog link above...
It's Blake's "Take" on a certain sort of ethical consideration for writing online that you'll find on the other blog...and it's interesting. I wish more people had the guts to BE REAL as is suggested on the 800 Days blog in the Day 771 post. Blake reminds us to BE ASSOCIATED BUT NEVER CONTENT!
The day 771 post date: Wednesday November 10 2010.
Day 772 (Tidbits)
If you've been reading and have been wondering a lot about the person who launched this project... Here's your chance to know a little more about Blake Hall. It is a very personal post as far as content goes is on THE 800 DAYS blog for the date of Tuesday November 9, 2010 as the Day 772 posting.
I'll not provide too much commentary here as the content for Day 772 is too personal, in my opinion, and should be left in Blake's own words.
I'm just here to say, "Hey, I'm following... keep leading."
And
"R.I.P. Joe Mattingly and Robert Hall, Blake4d's biological father and first step-father, respectively."
Day 772 of the 800 Day Countdown: Tuesday November 9, 2010.
I'll not provide too much commentary here as the content for Day 772 is too personal, in my opinion, and should be left in Blake's own words.
I'm just here to say, "Hey, I'm following... keep leading."
And
"R.I.P. Joe Mattingly and Robert Hall, Blake4d's biological father and first step-father, respectively."
Day 772 of the 800 Day Countdown: Tuesday November 9, 2010.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Day 773 (Tidbits)
It's a good thing Blake offers some mixed kinds of points for pondering because several of the posts so far have been BIG ITEMS - controversial topics, important discussions and themes to think about. The Day 773 post on Blake Hall's 800 Days blog contains slightly lighter fare - although you should still put on your thinking cap before reading...
There are some fun things to think about on this post - is your dog an alien? I have a cat and I KNOW he's some sort of angel or better-than-human entity. Is the earth "alive"? Is there life out in "outer space"?
Interesting things to think about, for sure - or even study up on.
After more than a dozen blog entries with very serious content, Day 773's post is kind of refreshing without being boring or insignificant. Obviously I'm not going to repeat all the questions here that Blake asks within the Day 773 post on The 800 days blog. I'm just following along, adding a "thumbsup" here and - as always - asking readers from here to go visit the work that Blake is committed to over on The 800 Days blog.
Blake has been adding content diligently already for over a month - and I have been tuned in as a "follower" for the same length of time. Let me tell you one thing - this blog here HAS TO BE much easier to manage than Blake's 800 Days one. All I have to do is follow, read and comment... Blake has to decide what topics are pertinent for particular days, what content is going to be acceptable (we're using google space here - google doesn't always like controversy, eh?), how to make a countdown "flow..." Mostly - it's a HUGE time committment for making big decisions on content and also - for just showing up all the time...
*Hat's off*
SOURCE
Whooooops WTF? Lost my head!
The Day 773 post is associated with the date of Monday November 8 2010.
There are some fun things to think about on this post - is your dog an alien? I have a cat and I KNOW he's some sort of angel or better-than-human entity. Is the earth "alive"? Is there life out in "outer space"?
Interesting things to think about, for sure - or even study up on.
After more than a dozen blog entries with very serious content, Day 773's post is kind of refreshing without being boring or insignificant. Obviously I'm not going to repeat all the questions here that Blake asks within the Day 773 post on The 800 days blog. I'm just following along, adding a "thumbsup" here and - as always - asking readers from here to go visit the work that Blake is committed to over on The 800 Days blog.
Blake has been adding content diligently already for over a month - and I have been tuned in as a "follower" for the same length of time. Let me tell you one thing - this blog here HAS TO BE much easier to manage than Blake's 800 Days one. All I have to do is follow, read and comment... Blake has to decide what topics are pertinent for particular days, what content is going to be acceptable (we're using google space here - google doesn't always like controversy, eh?), how to make a countdown "flow..." Mostly - it's a HUGE time committment for making big decisions on content and also - for just showing up all the time...
*Hat's off*
Whooooops WTF? Lost my head!
The Day 773 post is associated with the date of Monday November 8 2010.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Day 774 (Tidbits)
This is one of the best posts I've come across so far over at The 800 Days blog. Right near the top of the entry, Blake Hall has placed a very interesting and inspirational video - a hopeful message from a woman named, "Eden Sky," who is a self-described "Red Self-Existing Skywalker."
WOW...
With a title like that - c'mon...admit it - YOU HAVE TO LISTEN!
Go To the 800 Days blog, entry for Day 774 (day seven hundred and seventy four)
Now I have to say that after I listened to Eden speak via the you tube video, I had to just sit back and BREATHE a sigh of relief for this very positive message about the month of December in the year 2012.
FINALLY... some positive STUFF!
I also had to remark - to myself (because the only other entity at home happened to be my cat, who doesn't particularly CARE that 2012 is coming 'cos he's an angel, anyway)... "Mythbuster, now T - H - A - T which was recently heard - is SO COOL." Also, "WE DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE IN IT TO TAKE ACTION."
What I mean by that last statement is that, basically, WE NEED TO GET OUR SPIRITUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SHYT TOGETHER... and even if we don't believe in the conclusions about WHY Eden says we should get our shyt together - IT WILL NOT MATTER what we believe because...
Okay... I know, I'm gettin' fired up and ahead of things here. Let me backtrack just a bit...
Basically - Eden says something is in motion in the universe anyway... we are all out of sorts, partly because we're living in a time period where a final wrap up of events, environmental, spiritual, planetary and universe STUFF is going to happen - WITH OR WITHOUT our caring about what's going on...
To make things beneficial and positive for our human species, we can cleanse, get straightened around, get our ducks in a row, so-to-speak.
Or
We can ignore everything, continue killing the environment, the world around us... whatever's "coming" or "about to happen" is so much larger than us that it's going to happen anyway...
Those who are creating positive changes can benefit...
Those who aren't... SEE YA!
And the world will be left in a better shape or in a state that is sort of "supposed to be," according to the cosmos...If that is MINUS a bunch of hundreds-of-thousands of people who don't want to create changes for the positive...
Oh well *shrug*
Basically, Eden Sky is talkin' about GALACTIC ALIGNMENT theory within the 2012 Prophecy which follows a timeline marker of the 13 Moon Natural Time Calendars (13 Baktun Long Count Mayan Calendar) and points to a date - December 21, 2012, for the date when the world as we know it, will end...
How to live from this day onward 'til December 2012:
Now you might never believe in the telepathic possibilities that Eden Sky is talking about in the video - but believe me - even if you don't believe and feel that this is all just a bunch of bulljunk, doing the things from the bullet points above sure isn't going to do any harm to you or anyone else.
And if this date and alignment is coming... NOT doing acts of stewardship and cleansing and all the rest sure - and expecting awesome results from these - well it's just silly - so ya might as well "go with the positive, healthy, beneficial flow."
Day 774 in the 800 Day Countdown is Sunday November 7, 2010.
WOW...
With a title like that - c'mon...admit it - YOU HAVE TO LISTEN!
Go To the 800 Days blog, entry for Day 774 (day seven hundred and seventy four)
Now I have to say that after I listened to Eden speak via the you tube video, I had to just sit back and BREATHE a sigh of relief for this very positive message about the month of December in the year 2012.
FINALLY... some positive STUFF!
I also had to remark - to myself (because the only other entity at home happened to be my cat, who doesn't particularly CARE that 2012 is coming 'cos he's an angel, anyway)... "Mythbuster, now T - H - A - T which was recently heard - is SO COOL." Also, "WE DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE IN IT TO TAKE ACTION."
What I mean by that last statement is that, basically, WE NEED TO GET OUR SPIRITUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SHYT TOGETHER... and even if we don't believe in the conclusions about WHY Eden says we should get our shyt together - IT WILL NOT MATTER what we believe because...
Okay... I know, I'm gettin' fired up and ahead of things here. Let me backtrack just a bit...
Basically - Eden says something is in motion in the universe anyway... we are all out of sorts, partly because we're living in a time period where a final wrap up of events, environmental, spiritual, planetary and universe STUFF is going to happen - WITH OR WITHOUT our caring about what's going on...
To make things beneficial and positive for our human species, we can cleanse, get straightened around, get our ducks in a row, so-to-speak.
Or
We can ignore everything, continue killing the environment, the world around us... whatever's "coming" or "about to happen" is so much larger than us that it's going to happen anyway...
Those who are creating positive changes can benefit...
Those who aren't... SEE YA!
And the world will be left in a better shape or in a state that is sort of "supposed to be," according to the cosmos...If that is MINUS a bunch of hundreds-of-thousands of people who don't want to create changes for the positive...
Oh well *shrug*
Basically, Eden Sky is talkin' about GALACTIC ALIGNMENT theory within the 2012 Prophecy which follows a timeline marker of the 13 Moon Natural Time Calendars (13 Baktun Long Count Mayan Calendar) and points to a date - December 21, 2012, for the date when the world as we know it, will end...
How to live from this day onward 'til December 2012:
- Find our calling, our breath, our centre, our grounding and calm
- Live by moving with and toward our healthy passions
- Move toward our callings
- Purify and heal
- Reject artificial time as much as is possible
- Get back to "earthy" things, be aware of the presence of the earth
- Look outside to get a bearing on what time of day it is
- Look at the stars, look at the daytime sky, the clouds, the night, the day
- Cleanse and become stewards of those weaker than ourselves
- Become stewards over the earth and respect the environment
- Find and project our compassion
- Become an "agent of calm"
- Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude and love...
Now you might never believe in the telepathic possibilities that Eden Sky is talking about in the video - but believe me - even if you don't believe and feel that this is all just a bunch of bulljunk, doing the things from the bullet points above sure isn't going to do any harm to you or anyone else.
And if this date and alignment is coming... NOT doing acts of stewardship and cleansing and all the rest sure - and expecting awesome results from these - well it's just silly - so ya might as well "go with the positive, healthy, beneficial flow."
Day 774 in the 800 Day Countdown is Sunday November 7, 2010.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Day 775 (Tidbits)
There is a wealth of information being made available at the 800 Days blog in the Day 775 post. There is the suggestion, of course and as always, for readers to become more informed about "things." More specifically, readers are invited to become more informed about a certain uncommon text that is available but possibly not widely enough read or discussed.
Now, Blake Hall has described this book as being related to esoteric Christian works, New Age philosophies as well as an Occult item, so for those three associations, I'll buy in to the idea that it's an important piece of literature.
The book: OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom by John Ballou Newbrough and David A. Cardone. Blake gives a bit of history behind this literature, so I won't go too far in explaining but would just like to mention alternate titles this book has been published under - just in case an alternate title jogs someone's memory.
OAHSPE - A True Channeled Book, OAHSPE: A New Bible (wikipedia article), OAHSPE; A New Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors, and also OAHSPE; A Kosmon Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors.
The most recent title is the first given in this post, OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom.
Admittedly, this is not a book I have read in full. I have seen large portions of excerpts to date, but this book is one that I am suddenly compelled to read. I have found the book in Google Books and am currently reading it, starting from page 583, where G-Books allows me to see the text. This Chapter has the heading, "Book of Cosmogony and Prophecy.
Once you choose to start reading this book, the format will likely remind you of the Christian Bible/Scriptures ie: chapters and verses. Let me just offer a few interesting quotes:
Verse 19: If an iron wire extend from city to city, and vortexya be charged at one end, it will manifest at the other pole, and at times even escape in a flame of fire (electric flash). Verse 21: When vortexya is manifested in flames of fire it is called electricity. But when it lieth dormant, as in iron, it is called magnetism.
Here are numerous verses pertaining to the topic of "energy" or as close as I can describe what is meant by "vortexya" at the moment. If you're bored by scientific terminology, this section ought to interest you just for the difference in terminology from what you are accustomed to hearing/reading in current science journals and articles. You'll have to spend a few seconds, here and there, figuring out an "equivalent term" for just a few words but the stretching of vocabulary will prove useful for texts you'll read in the future and, obviously, for further chapters in the OAHSPE book.
And that's about as wrapped up as I should get as far as blogging about the OAHSPE text because Blake provides another esoteric-related piece of wisdom literature...
Another/the Other Title: The Secret Teachings of Manly Palmer Hall and this is definitely off the esoteric shelves and has content related to Masons, Hermetic literature, arcane sources and information.
Definitely, some extra reading is in order here!
I'll be getting back to the OAHSPE Literature now.
Day 775 in the 800 Day countdown was Saturday November 6 2010.
Now, Blake Hall has described this book as being related to esoteric Christian works, New Age philosophies as well as an Occult item, so for those three associations, I'll buy in to the idea that it's an important piece of literature.
The book: OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom by John Ballou Newbrough and David A. Cardone. Blake gives a bit of history behind this literature, so I won't go too far in explaining but would just like to mention alternate titles this book has been published under - just in case an alternate title jogs someone's memory.
OAHSPE - A True Channeled Book, OAHSPE: A New Bible (wikipedia article), OAHSPE; A New Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors, and also OAHSPE; A Kosmon Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors.
The most recent title is the first given in this post, OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom.
Admittedly, this is not a book I have read in full. I have seen large portions of excerpts to date, but this book is one that I am suddenly compelled to read. I have found the book in Google Books and am currently reading it, starting from page 583, where G-Books allows me to see the text. This Chapter has the heading, "Book of Cosmogony and Prophecy.
Once you choose to start reading this book, the format will likely remind you of the Christian Bible/Scriptures ie: chapters and verses. Let me just offer a few interesting quotes:
Verse 19: If an iron wire extend from city to city, and vortexya be charged at one end, it will manifest at the other pole, and at times even escape in a flame of fire (electric flash). Verse 21: When vortexya is manifested in flames of fire it is called electricity. But when it lieth dormant, as in iron, it is called magnetism.
Here are numerous verses pertaining to the topic of "energy" or as close as I can describe what is meant by "vortexya" at the moment. If you're bored by scientific terminology, this section ought to interest you just for the difference in terminology from what you are accustomed to hearing/reading in current science journals and articles. You'll have to spend a few seconds, here and there, figuring out an "equivalent term" for just a few words but the stretching of vocabulary will prove useful for texts you'll read in the future and, obviously, for further chapters in the OAHSPE book.
And that's about as wrapped up as I should get as far as blogging about the OAHSPE text because Blake provides another esoteric-related piece of wisdom literature...
Another/the Other Title: The Secret Teachings of Manly Palmer Hall and this is definitely off the esoteric shelves and has content related to Masons, Hermetic literature, arcane sources and information.
Definitely, some extra reading is in order here!
I'll be getting back to the OAHSPE Literature now.
Day 775 in the 800 Day countdown was Saturday November 6 2010.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Day 776 (Tidbits)
Getting into some symbolic stuff here for the 800 Days blog as far as the Friday November 5 2010 Day 776 post is concerned. What this means is an awesome poem by Blake4d called "ZEA MAYS."
You might ask, who or what is Zea Mays, anyway? (Most people don't know)
Well, I don't know how in heck Blake found out about Zea and me but...
*sigh*
Zea was this golden haired beauty whose life intertwined with mine quite some time ago...
I was about 14, she - older and wiser, by far... To look upon her golden waves of hair took my breath away, as I recall. I will never, have never, simply cannot - WILL NOT - forget about Zea Mays. It's just not possible...
So who/what is Zea Mays?
Look her up in the Glossary section. The tabs for getting to that page are above this post.
And once you've returned back here to read, please don't be harsh with me... I wasn't misleading...
Blake's selected content for the Day 776 post over on The 800 Days blog is a wonderful piece of poetry about Zea Mays - about Zea Mays' body swaying in the wind, her wisdom, her permanence/immortality, about consuming Zea Mays and being consumed by Zea Mays... a poem about mortality and immortality, dragonflies, nymph, wolf, bear, buffalo and bones...
But there's more...
The Zea Mays poem is about bald eagles, cactus thorns, wings, fins, hands and feet - both of four and two legged creatures...and finally
About death...then life again.
Go Read: Poem - ZEA MAYS by Blake4d
Hie Hie
And as far as the rest of the Day 776 post - YES, THERE'S MORE than just the Zea Mays part...
Blake seems to have been rushed to make a Day 776 entry, but has made a nice little bit of fiction for readers to enjoy. Personally, it's not on my favourite theme - INSECTS - but just because it's written by Blake4d, I decided to read it in its entirety...
AWESOME.....spooky, bizarre - pretty much right up my alley...
Insects and telemetry (see Glossary if you're not sure what telemetry is), a somatic Morpheus (can't you determine already that just a hint of poetics is waiting for you?), see, sleep, Samhain night... "I love all insects...I love all insects...I love..."
Blake4d...
:)
Day 776 in the 800 Day countdown was Friday November 5 2010.
You might ask, who or what is Zea Mays, anyway? (Most people don't know)
Well, I don't know how in heck Blake found out about Zea and me but...
*sigh*
Zea was this golden haired beauty whose life intertwined with mine quite some time ago...
I was about 14, she - older and wiser, by far... To look upon her golden waves of hair took my breath away, as I recall. I will never, have never, simply cannot - WILL NOT - forget about Zea Mays. It's just not possible...
So who/what is Zea Mays?
Look her up in the Glossary section. The tabs for getting to that page are above this post.
And once you've returned back here to read, please don't be harsh with me... I wasn't misleading...
Blake's selected content for the Day 776 post over on The 800 Days blog is a wonderful piece of poetry about Zea Mays - about Zea Mays' body swaying in the wind, her wisdom, her permanence/immortality, about consuming Zea Mays and being consumed by Zea Mays... a poem about mortality and immortality, dragonflies, nymph, wolf, bear, buffalo and bones...
But there's more...
The Zea Mays poem is about bald eagles, cactus thorns, wings, fins, hands and feet - both of four and two legged creatures...and finally
About death...then life again.
Go Read: Poem - ZEA MAYS by Blake4d
Hie Hie
And as far as the rest of the Day 776 post - YES, THERE'S MORE than just the Zea Mays part...
Blake seems to have been rushed to make a Day 776 entry, but has made a nice little bit of fiction for readers to enjoy. Personally, it's not on my favourite theme - INSECTS - but just because it's written by Blake4d, I decided to read it in its entirety...
AWESOME.....spooky, bizarre - pretty much right up my alley...
Insects and telemetry (see Glossary if you're not sure what telemetry is), a somatic Morpheus (can't you determine already that just a hint of poetics is waiting for you?), see, sleep, Samhain night... "I love all insects...I love all insects...I love..."
Blake4d...
:)
Day 776 in the 800 Day countdown was Friday November 5 2010.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Day 777 (Tidbits)
The post for Day 777 is totally BOOKMARKED in my browser because it contains an excellent list of reading materials that are really important for people to read if they wish to get out of "robotic mind-mode" and "manufactured-consent" mode and simply if they want to start being able to THINK INDIVIDUALLY. I will have need to return to the reading list on The 800 Days blog until I'm further up to par with these titles.
Ultimately, Blake has my full attention here, especially 'cos in the Day 777 post, Blake appears as a "Fortean" in displaying some "uncommon" but important book titles.
Now, don't get the wrong idea about the term, "Fortean," because this term has a derogatory connotation attached to it by "pop-culture" non-thinkers... the pop-culture derogatory meaning is that Forteans are "whack-jobs," "nuts," "nutty," "off their rockers." This has come about because original supporters of Fort appreciated out-of-box thinking and information sources that were uncommon and not from mainstream sources. Naturally, mainstream sources basically turned a "name-calling" trick on Fortean thinkers (related term, "Forteana" to describe materials/sources that are uncommon, sometimes "arcane"), hence, Forteans and sources - Forteana - have become "joke terms" and derogatory in our times. Personally, I think many of the writers I appreciate - and also of course, Blake Hall - should be considered "Forteans" - in all positive senses of the word. Forteans simply choose to delve into information and materials that most people aren't paying attention to - also - delving into materials that have been banned (often with a motivation to figure out WHY the materials were banned).
The term, "Fortean" comes from the name, Charles Hoy Fort. Now the late Mr. Fort is considered to have been quite eccentric, it's true, but if you look more deeply into the bio of Charles Fort, you'll learn that - in part - his shying away from mainstream society had something to do with the fact that he studied "uncommon" topics, rare books, old newspaper and magazine clippings that (grab your seat and HANG ON!) were out of MAINSTREAM CIRCULATION... Also, Mr. Fort wasn't well appreciated in his time and basically lived quite an impoverished lifestyle. Hence "out of the limelight" has no bearning on "validity of source/activity." Mr. Fort basically did nothing but research into topics and reading materials that almost nobody else in his day and age would touch!
An Article: People in Strange Sciences Series: Charles H. Fort by (yours truly) Mythbuster
Anyway - that aside, here are my favourite words in the Day 777 post:
Ultimately, Blake has my full attention here, especially 'cos in the Day 777 post, Blake appears as a "Fortean" in displaying some "uncommon" but important book titles.
Now, don't get the wrong idea about the term, "Fortean," because this term has a derogatory connotation attached to it by "pop-culture" non-thinkers... the pop-culture derogatory meaning is that Forteans are "whack-jobs," "nuts," "nutty," "off their rockers." This has come about because original supporters of Fort appreciated out-of-box thinking and information sources that were uncommon and not from mainstream sources. Naturally, mainstream sources basically turned a "name-calling" trick on Fortean thinkers (related term, "Forteana" to describe materials/sources that are uncommon, sometimes "arcane"), hence, Forteans and sources - Forteana - have become "joke terms" and derogatory in our times. Personally, I think many of the writers I appreciate - and also of course, Blake Hall - should be considered "Forteans" - in all positive senses of the word. Forteans simply choose to delve into information and materials that most people aren't paying attention to - also - delving into materials that have been banned (often with a motivation to figure out WHY the materials were banned).
The term, "Fortean" comes from the name, Charles Hoy Fort. Now the late Mr. Fort is considered to have been quite eccentric, it's true, but if you look more deeply into the bio of Charles Fort, you'll learn that - in part - his shying away from mainstream society had something to do with the fact that he studied "uncommon" topics, rare books, old newspaper and magazine clippings that (grab your seat and HANG ON!) were out of MAINSTREAM CIRCULATION... Also, Mr. Fort wasn't well appreciated in his time and basically lived quite an impoverished lifestyle. Hence "out of the limelight" has no bearning on "validity of source/activity." Mr. Fort basically did nothing but research into topics and reading materials that almost nobody else in his day and age would touch!
An Article: People in Strange Sciences Series: Charles H. Fort by (yours truly) Mythbuster
Anyway - that aside, here are my favourite words in the Day 777 post:
"DO NOT SETTLE FOR A GUEST APPEARANCE IN YOUR OWN LIFE"
I am only psssed that I cannot make these words larger
;)
I also liked the COMMAND: "BE THE PLAGUE" but realize that out of context, this little phrase can be misconstrued, so I will find another article or way to project THAT message out there...
If the words at the beginning of the post, all in caps - don't make you shudder...that is, if you DO NOT identify with at least some of the things being conveyed there - if you do NOT turn the words on to yourself and feel somehow at least slightly imperfect and like you need to make changes.....
I say this to you:
BEEEEEEE ! ESSSSSS!
Bullshyt...
Unless, of course, you're quite perfect, then you've had the experience before - or now - of wondering, "Hmmm did I just get OWNED in that situation?" and "Oh man... did I STEP UP when I should have," or the opposite, "Shoot, did I run away from that situation?" or anything like, "Have I used critical thinking in order to DO THE RIGHT THING?"
Well... heck, we're all human - and AS SUCH... it is necessary to modify our behaviors and thinking, bringing them back to a balance and centre... or else we can be very much like the way things are in the letters with all caps at the beginning of the Day 777 post. Here's a BIGGER HINT... Day 777 beginning of post - all in CAPS - simply: "BE MINDFUL."
I'll say that again' 'cos it's such a quick summary of the caps-text:
BE MINDFUL !!!
Loving the caplock button today...
An important article from The 800 Days blog post:
Looking at a Survival Guide For "The Year 200o Problem" In Retrospect"
I think this article is important to read because - if you're on THIS blog and have been visiting Blake's 800 Days blog, then you're not a little kid... this means that the year 2000 is something you lived through already - INCLUDING the Y2K Scares... so go read the article above and reflect on how "MINDLESS" some of society became, as a whole, in the year 2000.
Let's not GO THERE AGAIN!
A MORE IMPORTANT ARTICLE: (the book list)
Important Books Nobody Reads (on Magick and the Occult)
Trust me, you're not going to explode if you read the works from the list...
I don't care how busy you are or what is on your schedule for 2011 or even what New Years Resolutions you're getting ready to make as the year 2010 winds down... I feel people should make "CRITICAL THINKING" a priority in the coming days! The book list is a great way to start LEARNING about things that are out of mainstream common ideology and out of mainstream media...
Hey - is this too bossy? --- "Get on over to those urls and READ"
The Day 777 post on the 800 Days blog was for Thursday November 4 2010.
An important article from The 800 Days blog post:
Looking at a Survival Guide For "The Year 200o Problem" In Retrospect"
I think this article is important to read because - if you're on THIS blog and have been visiting Blake's 800 Days blog, then you're not a little kid... this means that the year 2000 is something you lived through already - INCLUDING the Y2K Scares... so go read the article above and reflect on how "MINDLESS" some of society became, as a whole, in the year 2000.
Let's not GO THERE AGAIN!
A MORE IMPORTANT ARTICLE: (the book list)
Important Books Nobody Reads (on Magick and the Occult)
Trust me, you're not going to explode if you read the works from the list...
I don't care how busy you are or what is on your schedule for 2011 or even what New Years Resolutions you're getting ready to make as the year 2010 winds down... I feel people should make "CRITICAL THINKING" a priority in the coming days! The book list is a great way to start LEARNING about things that are out of mainstream common ideology and out of mainstream media...
Hey - is this too bossy? --- "Get on over to those urls and READ"
The Day 777 post on the 800 Days blog was for Thursday November 4 2010.
Day 778 (Tidbits)
Hey - Check out the groovy (I'm old, pick your own "cool" adjective - "neat" - "fantastic" - "sweet"?) Vid/Audio on the blog for the Day 778 entry on Blake4d's "The 800 Days" blog!
The audio is perfect for a meditative state - and it won't be a bad idea to meditate SERIOUSLY upon the Day 778 post.
If you haven't been made at least a little bit anxious by any of the posts thus far - and anxious enough to consider making some changes in your life (*hint... change starts at - "awareness" - ridding the self of ignorance and becoming WILLING to become aware), or at least explore the world for different meanings, then the meditative-enhancing audio clip from the Day 778 post, along with the text content OUGHT TO bring you to a space in your head where you can PAY CLOSE ATTENTION !
Frankly, the "all-chemical war" content APPLIES TO YOU...
It applies to virtually everyone on the globe who has ever been excited to see the golden double-arches (kids who like "Mc D" food and treats), or been relieved to see the Yellow Double Arches (parents, adults, too busy to cook, teens - in a rush, on their way to someplace fun)... even if you groan 'cos you KNOW McD(amage)'s items have no nutrition value but know you've eaten it anyway or/and will eat it again the next time you're in a rush to stuff some "food" (and I say that loosely) down and 'cos it's CHEAP...
...heads up! This post is for YOU!
Now I'm not sure I totally agree with the author's full conclusions on the Day 778 post (his conclusions lead to "conspiracy theory") but I definitely do believe the author is exposing some pertinent information about large food, beverage and drug entities. Personally, I am not positive one has to make a list of large corporate entities then use the "C" (Conspiracy) word as an all-round explanation for why the world is sick, why these corporate entities seem to be controlling everything in the world and seem to be the source of sickness. I believe there's an equally powerful and detrimental "C" word that gives an equally nice closure on WHY WE ARE ALL GETTING SICK and why the world is so messed up... the other "C" word - "Capitalism." That is - Capitalism at its worst - with no controls...but then again, getting into a discussion on "capitalism" is for some other blog... I'm just stating my personal "take" on some of this stuff...
Oh what the heck... I'll rant a li'l more...
ie: capitalism is an ECONOMIC system...that has long been mistaken for a governing system. Sure, there are humans IN IT, in the system, but the humans are in a low place in the hierarchy of this system. (if a human leaves the system, it will take a while for capitalism to fall down - but nothing will likely fall down so long as another human is inserted into the system to push the buttons, grease the machine, etc). This economic system allows for growth of large entities and as such, when entities become huge and when massive trade, money-exchange and overwhelming profits - including some monopoly - happens, this just means that this particular economic system is in "success mode." It's not that Capitalism is so bad - it's just that CAPITALISM IS BAD FOR HUMAN BEINGS... it's an economic system - not a system built for managing human beings... capitalism is a system for managing trade, goods and services, money, mergers of business, etc... and Humans are merely the "batteries" or energy in the capitalism machine. Naturally, humans are expendible in the Capitalism machine, (Heck, there are BILLIONS OF US on the earth - a lot of batteries, huh?) so this is a system that quite logically isn't meant to project well-being for humans.
Okay, so I've taken things a bit far and am definitely writing something that is not quite in line with Blake's post on The 800 Days blog for Day 778. I'm pretty sure Blake's going to see this soon and say (in his "inside the head voice"), as he slams a fist upon his palm, "That darn Canuck Mythbuster...only Myth would start a supporter blog then argue against it." lol Well, I'm not arguing entirely against Blake's ideas... just providing more FOOD FOR THOUGHT since most of the Day 788 post is ABOUT OUR FOOD - OUR NECESSITIES OF LIFE THAT WE NEED FOR SURVIVAL...
No matter what you believe about the spirit, afterlife, body/mind connections, etc - whether you're a believer in the body as mortal, immortal and even whether you believe that "dead is final" or not... we're all stuck here RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, with human body shells... and those bodies need food, medicine, clean drinking water, AIR (in a very delicate balance of chemical components)... and frankly...
WE ARE ALLOWING - BY MANUFACTURED CONSENT - OUR FOOD, WATER, MEDICINES AND AIR TO BE RAVAGED BY A HUGE ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HUMAN BEINGS....
*Heh! I saw Blake writing all in caps a lot, so I decided to try it... just to have a little "same-ness" after all this difference of opinion...
:)
So as you might be able to tell... Blake and I are on the same wavelength to a certain degree (ie: information is of tantamount importance...people NEED TO KNOW MORE news details than they currently get from mainstream sources) - I'm simply not drawing all the same conclusions as Blake does... HOWEVER - the message I believe we're both trying to get across - no matter what the actual CAUSE of the problems are in this world...
WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES - and those changes are going to seem very strange to us...extremely difficult for some, not so difficult for others - but WE NEED TO BE AWARE, PICK UP ON POSITIVE CALLS TO ACTION - AND DO SOMETHING instead of being victims in this world...
I'm not positive that Blake holds the particular opinion that there's a world-wide "CONSPIRACY" of corporate and gov't entities poisoning, altering and ruining our food, medicine, air and water resources - or if he's just offering this as one explanation for a "MAJOR CAUSE" of why the world and its inhabitants are getting so sick and crazy... but
IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING - VERY SERIOUSLY...
And there you have it for Day 778 from more than one perspective...
I've ranted enough... GO READ: The 800 Days Blog - Day 778
An Amazing "Must Read" Article: ALCHEMICAL WAR
Day 778 on the 800 Days blog: Wednesday November 3 2010.
The audio is perfect for a meditative state - and it won't be a bad idea to meditate SERIOUSLY upon the Day 778 post.
If you haven't been made at least a little bit anxious by any of the posts thus far - and anxious enough to consider making some changes in your life (*hint... change starts at - "awareness" - ridding the self of ignorance and becoming WILLING to become aware), or at least explore the world for different meanings, then the meditative-enhancing audio clip from the Day 778 post, along with the text content OUGHT TO bring you to a space in your head where you can PAY CLOSE ATTENTION !
Frankly, the "all-chemical war" content APPLIES TO YOU...
It applies to virtually everyone on the globe who has ever been excited to see the golden double-arches (kids who like "Mc D" food and treats), or been relieved to see the Yellow Double Arches (parents, adults, too busy to cook, teens - in a rush, on their way to someplace fun)... even if you groan 'cos you KNOW McD(amage)'s items have no nutrition value but know you've eaten it anyway or/and will eat it again the next time you're in a rush to stuff some "food" (and I say that loosely) down and 'cos it's CHEAP...
...heads up! This post is for YOU!
Now I'm not sure I totally agree with the author's full conclusions on the Day 778 post (his conclusions lead to "conspiracy theory") but I definitely do believe the author is exposing some pertinent information about large food, beverage and drug entities. Personally, I am not positive one has to make a list of large corporate entities then use the "C" (Conspiracy) word as an all-round explanation for why the world is sick, why these corporate entities seem to be controlling everything in the world and seem to be the source of sickness. I believe there's an equally powerful and detrimental "C" word that gives an equally nice closure on WHY WE ARE ALL GETTING SICK and why the world is so messed up... the other "C" word - "Capitalism." That is - Capitalism at its worst - with no controls...but then again, getting into a discussion on "capitalism" is for some other blog... I'm just stating my personal "take" on some of this stuff...
Oh what the heck... I'll rant a li'l more...
ie: capitalism is an ECONOMIC system...that has long been mistaken for a governing system. Sure, there are humans IN IT, in the system, but the humans are in a low place in the hierarchy of this system. (if a human leaves the system, it will take a while for capitalism to fall down - but nothing will likely fall down so long as another human is inserted into the system to push the buttons, grease the machine, etc). This economic system allows for growth of large entities and as such, when entities become huge and when massive trade, money-exchange and overwhelming profits - including some monopoly - happens, this just means that this particular economic system is in "success mode." It's not that Capitalism is so bad - it's just that CAPITALISM IS BAD FOR HUMAN BEINGS... it's an economic system - not a system built for managing human beings... capitalism is a system for managing trade, goods and services, money, mergers of business, etc... and Humans are merely the "batteries" or energy in the capitalism machine. Naturally, humans are expendible in the Capitalism machine, (Heck, there are BILLIONS OF US on the earth - a lot of batteries, huh?) so this is a system that quite logically isn't meant to project well-being for humans.
Okay, so I've taken things a bit far and am definitely writing something that is not quite in line with Blake's post on The 800 Days blog for Day 778. I'm pretty sure Blake's going to see this soon and say (in his "inside the head voice"), as he slams a fist upon his palm, "That darn Canuck Mythbuster...only Myth would start a supporter blog then argue against it." lol Well, I'm not arguing entirely against Blake's ideas... just providing more FOOD FOR THOUGHT since most of the Day 788 post is ABOUT OUR FOOD - OUR NECESSITIES OF LIFE THAT WE NEED FOR SURVIVAL...
No matter what you believe about the spirit, afterlife, body/mind connections, etc - whether you're a believer in the body as mortal, immortal and even whether you believe that "dead is final" or not... we're all stuck here RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, with human body shells... and those bodies need food, medicine, clean drinking water, AIR (in a very delicate balance of chemical components)... and frankly...
WE ARE ALLOWING - BY MANUFACTURED CONSENT - OUR FOOD, WATER, MEDICINES AND AIR TO BE RAVAGED BY A HUGE ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HUMAN BEINGS....
*Heh! I saw Blake writing all in caps a lot, so I decided to try it... just to have a little "same-ness" after all this difference of opinion...
:)
So as you might be able to tell... Blake and I are on the same wavelength to a certain degree (ie: information is of tantamount importance...people NEED TO KNOW MORE news details than they currently get from mainstream sources) - I'm simply not drawing all the same conclusions as Blake does... HOWEVER - the message I believe we're both trying to get across - no matter what the actual CAUSE of the problems are in this world...
WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES - and those changes are going to seem very strange to us...extremely difficult for some, not so difficult for others - but WE NEED TO BE AWARE, PICK UP ON POSITIVE CALLS TO ACTION - AND DO SOMETHING instead of being victims in this world...
I'm not positive that Blake holds the particular opinion that there's a world-wide "CONSPIRACY" of corporate and gov't entities poisoning, altering and ruining our food, medicine, air and water resources - or if he's just offering this as one explanation for a "MAJOR CAUSE" of why the world and its inhabitants are getting so sick and crazy... but
IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING - VERY SERIOUSLY...
And there you have it for Day 778 from more than one perspective...
I've ranted enough... GO READ: The 800 Days Blog - Day 778
An Amazing "Must Read" Article: ALCHEMICAL WAR
Day 778 on the 800 Days blog: Wednesday November 3 2010.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Day 779 (Tidbits)
Okay, I have to admit... Day 779 on The 800 Days blog has caught me off guard... Plainly speaking, the information on this post for Day 779 actually freaks me right out!
Artificial Intelligence is the main topic here and, well... I've had enough of a problem with human intelligence going awry, according to our history books... the idea of robots and similarly "intelligent" machines is something that makes my blood run cold and sends prickly shivers up and down my spine.
Sure - some say I've watched too many spooky movies, read too many strange and scary tales. I probably have. But even after a good, full night's sleep and in the middle of the daylight hours, the topic and possibility of artificial intelligence frightens me a great deal.
Partly, it's because I have observed "machines" in our day and age... and the overuse of and the human reliance on these same machines. With some machines doing "work" and "tasks" that human beings used to do, we've inadvertently allowed many healthy human activities to fade away.
ie: microwave ovens can now defrost and cook our food - and also tell us the time and be used as alarm clocks. Our way of cooking has forever changed with the invention of and use of microwave ovens... Gone are the healthy activities of many kinds of food preparation - sometimes tasks done with multiple members of the family. Instead of families preparing a meal together - now one only has to go to the freezer in the kitchen, take out a packaged meal, pop it in the microwave - then sit down and eat it after the microwave oven beeps. No real food handling is necessary (will we forget what the food looks like while in its unprepared state?), no food "prep" is necessary (how many more generations or years before we forget how to safely use a knife to cut a carrot? Or how to do the simple task of shucking corn?), and worst of all... "community" decisions/family decision making (what should be on the menu?) and practice with compromising is almost not necessary anymore. And those are the details of just one extremely (almost universal) item found in most modern homes... There are computers, besides... and washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, home security systems (have we forgotten how to be good neighbors? so much that we must lock the whole world OUT?), video games and cell phones and more...
Are we forgetting how to have conversations? It's easier and quicker to text a friend these days than to pick up the landline phone, dial a number and have a conversation.
Whoops, but now I'm really side-tracking away from the content on The 800 days blog.
Mind you - there is more of the same in topics on the Day 779 post... where the content turns attention toward cell phones, the sci-fi novel "I Robot" by Isaac Asimov, South Korean "robotic laws," and tech gadgets or "tech-toys." As well, the concept that robotics will be used to replace humans for the tasks of warfare... Hmmm
I'd better let Blake do the explaining on these items...
Day 779 was on Tuesday November 2, 2010.
Artificial Intelligence is the main topic here and, well... I've had enough of a problem with human intelligence going awry, according to our history books... the idea of robots and similarly "intelligent" machines is something that makes my blood run cold and sends prickly shivers up and down my spine.
Sure - some say I've watched too many spooky movies, read too many strange and scary tales. I probably have. But even after a good, full night's sleep and in the middle of the daylight hours, the topic and possibility of artificial intelligence frightens me a great deal.
Partly, it's because I have observed "machines" in our day and age... and the overuse of and the human reliance on these same machines. With some machines doing "work" and "tasks" that human beings used to do, we've inadvertently allowed many healthy human activities to fade away.
ie: microwave ovens can now defrost and cook our food - and also tell us the time and be used as alarm clocks. Our way of cooking has forever changed with the invention of and use of microwave ovens... Gone are the healthy activities of many kinds of food preparation - sometimes tasks done with multiple members of the family. Instead of families preparing a meal together - now one only has to go to the freezer in the kitchen, take out a packaged meal, pop it in the microwave - then sit down and eat it after the microwave oven beeps. No real food handling is necessary (will we forget what the food looks like while in its unprepared state?), no food "prep" is necessary (how many more generations or years before we forget how to safely use a knife to cut a carrot? Or how to do the simple task of shucking corn?), and worst of all... "community" decisions/family decision making (what should be on the menu?) and practice with compromising is almost not necessary anymore. And those are the details of just one extremely (almost universal) item found in most modern homes... There are computers, besides... and washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, home security systems (have we forgotten how to be good neighbors? so much that we must lock the whole world OUT?), video games and cell phones and more...
Are we forgetting how to have conversations? It's easier and quicker to text a friend these days than to pick up the landline phone, dial a number and have a conversation.
Whoops, but now I'm really side-tracking away from the content on The 800 days blog.
Mind you - there is more of the same in topics on the Day 779 post... where the content turns attention toward cell phones, the sci-fi novel "I Robot" by Isaac Asimov, South Korean "robotic laws," and tech gadgets or "tech-toys." As well, the concept that robotics will be used to replace humans for the tasks of warfare... Hmmm
I'd better let Blake do the explaining on these items...
Day 779 was on Tuesday November 2, 2010.
Day 780 (Tidbits)
The date of November 1, 2010 is Day 780 or seven hundred and eighty days before the Mayan Calendar day count ends. This is a significant day for us because it is ALL SAINTS DAY. Also called "Day of the Dead," and this is primarily a pagan recognized day. This is the 21st day in the 800 Day countdown.
The 800 Days blog post contains a selected piece of music that Blake offers to friends and enemies alike - a song/performance considered a "traditional" song appropriate for sharing on the Day of the Dead.
The video is early in the post so that readers can listen to the song while reading the Day 780 text - and the content starts with some background information on the topics of "All Saints Day" and "Day of the Dead."
Now if you've been following Blake's writings for quite a while outside of the 800 Days blog, you may have come across some tidbits and details before that are in this blog post but - trust me - the post is worth reading IN FULL whether you've seen similar writings from Blake before or not... because if read with critical thinking and open-mindedness, the content here is going to be priceless, promoting a sense of tolerance, understanding of "the other," and general community mindedness that is so lacking in our world today.
Don't let certain terms catch you off guard or turn you aside from this information. Allow prejudices to melt away while you glean some knowledge here. YES there are CULTS mentioned here - along with religious groups... however, if you turn away from the information, aren't you just ensuring a certain level of personal and individual ignorance on a topic or theme that you dislike? Personally, I feel that within the writings so far on the 800 Days blog, an environment is being created which allows for tolerance, and which limits prejudice and ignorance as far as is possible.
In the article, you will find 30 paths of truth/cults of darkness.
The article: 30 Ways of Light, 30 Paths of Truth, 30 Cults of Darkness
Would you rather be intolerant - or INFORMED?
Day 780 in the 800 Days countdown is Monday November 1 2010.
The 800 Days blog post contains a selected piece of music that Blake offers to friends and enemies alike - a song/performance considered a "traditional" song appropriate for sharing on the Day of the Dead.
The video is early in the post so that readers can listen to the song while reading the Day 780 text - and the content starts with some background information on the topics of "All Saints Day" and "Day of the Dead."
Now if you've been following Blake's writings for quite a while outside of the 800 Days blog, you may have come across some tidbits and details before that are in this blog post but - trust me - the post is worth reading IN FULL whether you've seen similar writings from Blake before or not... because if read with critical thinking and open-mindedness, the content here is going to be priceless, promoting a sense of tolerance, understanding of "the other," and general community mindedness that is so lacking in our world today.
Don't let certain terms catch you off guard or turn you aside from this information. Allow prejudices to melt away while you glean some knowledge here. YES there are CULTS mentioned here - along with religious groups... however, if you turn away from the information, aren't you just ensuring a certain level of personal and individual ignorance on a topic or theme that you dislike? Personally, I feel that within the writings so far on the 800 Days blog, an environment is being created which allows for tolerance, and which limits prejudice and ignorance as far as is possible.
In the article, you will find 30 paths of truth/cults of darkness.
The article: 30 Ways of Light, 30 Paths of Truth, 30 Cults of Darkness
Would you rather be intolerant - or INFORMED?
Day 780 in the 800 Days countdown is Monday November 1 2010.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Day 781 (Tidbits)
Wow... part of the post on the you-know-which blog leads right back to HERE! The "Follower" blog I've created here has been recognized in a big way on The 800 Days blog as the beginning of the Day 781 content.
A BIG THANK YOU TO Blake! *thumbsup*
However, the main content of the Day 781 post isn't about THIS blog or about my stuff - it's about the OBVIOUS special day and DATE for the Day 781 post...
HALLOWE'EN! October 31 2010 is Day 781 in the countdown!
There are some brief introductory bits about Hallowe'en as "Samhain" (pronounced, "sow-un" - some say "sow-en" or "sow-een" but generally the phonetic "sow-un" is quite universally accepted around the globe and particularly by Celtics and scholars of Celtic peoples) and as being a day/eve of celebration as marking the Pagan New Year or Halloween Eve.
Call it what ye will... for most people in the western world, it means "CANDY NIGHT" or "Trick-or-Treat" time. Rather, all the costumes, dressing up, candy-giving and candy taking is the western world's capitalist, opportunist exploitation of a very sacred Pagan date and celebration... I'll back up to the Trick Or Treat stuff sometime soon in another post 'cos Hallowe'en has many legends just too FUN to overlook...but for now, in keeping with the way the topics are lined up on the 800 Days blog, I'll stick to the review and commenting for the Day 781 post.
You won't be able to miss the "account" of a "happening" on a past Halloween night that should make readers think about what is important in life... you won't miss this account 'cos it's in big, BOLD lettering, right after the awesome mention of this blog... This "event" happened during the Witching Hour on Samhain... but the year is not given. No matter - read and be grateful... for life spared - for strange things unexplained by science... for some things ARE explained by other means and in the end... are just TRUE and Possible... you'll get what I mean once you've finished reading the BOLD TEXT.
Another article found at this location: 20 Paths To Freedom And Possibly Being a Better Human Being
Don't fret about the link too much - the content is made plain and clear right on the blog. The author at The 800 Days blog is offering some ideas on how to be a better person... pretty simple stuff here (simple concepts but not particularly EASY to put into practice if you're not truly inclined and dedicated toward doing so).
Read carefully... there's a serious CHALLENGE here in the Day 781 post. A personal favourite of mine on this list is number nine (#9)... "STOP IDENTIFYING YOURSELF WITH A NATION OR COUNTRY." This one, I am up for concerning the challenge posed.
I'll explain... I'm against Nationalism. I understand why this point is in the challenge and message. I have written an article prior to my work on this blog that explains my views on Nationalism: Dangers of Nationalism.
Naturally, the rest of the points on the list - 19 more and a total of 20 - are things I have to work on...
Which points will you work on? To bring about a better human being in the world - YOU? Basically, Day 781 contains an awesome checklist to consider for becoming a better person. Isn't it time?
The Day 781 post was on Hallowe'en Day/Eve, Sunday October 31, 2010.
A BIG THANK YOU TO Blake! *thumbsup*
However, the main content of the Day 781 post isn't about THIS blog or about my stuff - it's about the OBVIOUS special day and DATE for the Day 781 post...
HALLOWE'EN! October 31 2010 is Day 781 in the countdown!
There are some brief introductory bits about Hallowe'en as "Samhain" (pronounced, "sow-un" - some say "sow-en" or "sow-een" but generally the phonetic "sow-un" is quite universally accepted around the globe and particularly by Celtics and scholars of Celtic peoples) and as being a day/eve of celebration as marking the Pagan New Year or Halloween Eve.
Call it what ye will... for most people in the western world, it means "CANDY NIGHT" or "Trick-or-Treat" time. Rather, all the costumes, dressing up, candy-giving and candy taking is the western world's capitalist, opportunist exploitation of a very sacred Pagan date and celebration... I'll back up to the Trick Or Treat stuff sometime soon in another post 'cos Hallowe'en has many legends just too FUN to overlook...but for now, in keeping with the way the topics are lined up on the 800 Days blog, I'll stick to the review and commenting for the Day 781 post.
You won't be able to miss the "account" of a "happening" on a past Halloween night that should make readers think about what is important in life... you won't miss this account 'cos it's in big, BOLD lettering, right after the awesome mention of this blog... This "event" happened during the Witching Hour on Samhain... but the year is not given. No matter - read and be grateful... for life spared - for strange things unexplained by science... for some things ARE explained by other means and in the end... are just TRUE and Possible... you'll get what I mean once you've finished reading the BOLD TEXT.
Another article found at this location: 20 Paths To Freedom And Possibly Being a Better Human Being
Don't fret about the link too much - the content is made plain and clear right on the blog. The author at The 800 Days blog is offering some ideas on how to be a better person... pretty simple stuff here (simple concepts but not particularly EASY to put into practice if you're not truly inclined and dedicated toward doing so).
Read carefully... there's a serious CHALLENGE here in the Day 781 post. A personal favourite of mine on this list is number nine (#9)... "STOP IDENTIFYING YOURSELF WITH A NATION OR COUNTRY." This one, I am up for concerning the challenge posed.
I'll explain... I'm against Nationalism. I understand why this point is in the challenge and message. I have written an article prior to my work on this blog that explains my views on Nationalism: Dangers of Nationalism.
Naturally, the rest of the points on the list - 19 more and a total of 20 - are things I have to work on...
Which points will you work on? To bring about a better human being in the world - YOU? Basically, Day 781 contains an awesome checklist to consider for becoming a better person. Isn't it time?
The Day 781 post was on Hallowe'en Day/Eve, Sunday October 31, 2010.
Day 782 (Tidbits)
Obviously, since male and female are counterparts to each other and the last post on The 800 Days blog was about Female Goddesses, it naturally follows that there should be a complimentary post to immediately follow that is about Male Gods. The Day 782 post lists male deities that are important in many religions and philosophical belief systems but will mainly be noted as "Wiccan" and "Pagan" gods.
This isn't an extensive list by any means but Blake has managed to provide most of the "correspondences" personas from the list on the Day 783 post. That is, most of the "male" gods who correspond or match the female goddesses from the previous list are mentioned here.
A personal favourite of mine is in the list on Day 782 - Coyote! (Native American)
I love Coyote but have run into many an argument when I mention "Coyote/Trickster Tales" to people who identify as devout Christians. A few Coyote tales I know about have this trickster present during the creation of the world... he actually tricks God (some people view the persona in the story as "God" or "the one-god" of "the one-god people" but many Natives consider the one persona as "Creator" who has human-like characteristics...you can see how this might offend some people, right?). Sometimes people fail to see the symbolism and life examples and explanations in trickster tales and, instead, see them as offensive against certain religions or against particular religious personas - but I love trickster tales - and am happy to see this "deity" in Blake's list of gods in the Day 782 post.
Day 782 before the end of the Mayan Calendar was Saturday October 30 2010.
This isn't an extensive list by any means but Blake has managed to provide most of the "correspondences" personas from the list on the Day 783 post. That is, most of the "male" gods who correspond or match the female goddesses from the previous list are mentioned here.
A personal favourite of mine is in the list on Day 782 - Coyote! (Native American)
I love Coyote but have run into many an argument when I mention "Coyote/Trickster Tales" to people who identify as devout Christians. A few Coyote tales I know about have this trickster present during the creation of the world... he actually tricks God (some people view the persona in the story as "God" or "the one-god" of "the one-god people" but many Natives consider the one persona as "Creator" who has human-like characteristics...you can see how this might offend some people, right?). Sometimes people fail to see the symbolism and life examples and explanations in trickster tales and, instead, see them as offensive against certain religions or against particular religious personas - but I love trickster tales - and am happy to see this "deity" in Blake's list of gods in the Day 782 post.
Day 782 before the end of the Mayan Calendar was Saturday October 30 2010.
Day 783 (Tidbits)
Okay, well it seems that on The 800 Days blog , Blake is determined to set the records straight on a lot of Wiccan/Witchcraft myths or something because the Day 783 post is on the topic (again, or still) of Wicca/Paganism...
Actually, it's more specifically about Wiccan/Pagan Goddesses.
My opinion of all this focus on paganism is that IT IS GOOD for people to read about this kind of "stuff." A hint here: with further reading, people are going to find out how much "Christian" religious stuff is actually very HEAVILY laden with pagan "stuff."
Religions are belief systems... all of them hold similar purposes if you get down to the nitty-gritty of them. A main purpose is to give EXPLANATIONS for things in the world, about people, etc... Wiccan and various Pagan religions DO OFFER explanations about the world, living, about people, the environment... So, too, to Christian religions. So, too, do other belief systems that people don't describe as "religions," such as Athiesm... Atheism is still built upon beliefs... We will never get beyond belief systems because beliefs hold the psychological frames in our minds so that we can view all the data/things, scenarios, etc., in the world that we observe - and not go freakin' CRAZY wondering what every sound, word, sight, feeling, touch, etc., all is for... we have to develop shortcuts and explanation for why things, in general, are the way they are...
Keep reading the 800 Days blog... the focus of the content being on many Pagan topics so far isn't as narrow-minded and narrow-focused as it seems. I believe this because I have looked into Pagan topics and studied narratives, legends, fairy tales, etc., for a long time and have delved into Pre-Christian tales, philosophy, history, etc - and when put together with principles and stories within Modern Pagan beliefs, the pagan beliefs allow one to EXPAND understanding of the world, not turn to some dark side or focus narrowly down to omit all other belief systems... Pagan symbols, principles, messages, etc., are interspersed into almost all the allegedly "Christian" works and sources... I think partly this is what Blake is trying to get across by offering so many articles about Witchcraft, Vampires, Witches, Pagan Goddesses, etc.
Now, look carefully at the list offered on Wiccan/Pagan Goddesses... you'll notice names that are common and known by people all over the world. You'll also probably notice that you can recognize "cultural" or "regional" names ie: Freya (Norse), Mary (the alleged mother of Jesus), Aphrodite (Greek), Parvati (Hindu), Nut (Egyptian), Rhiannon (Celtic), White Buffalot Calf Woman (From the Lakota peoples), Pele (Hawiian)... now after this list of mostly benevolent personas, I think the whole idea is to realize that deities OTHER than from a "one-god" religion have been in belief systems all over the world, in all ages... Also, in case you missed it, the alleged mother of the Christian cults - MARY - is listed in the midst of these goddesses.
Just some food for thought...
The day which was 783 Days before the date the Mayan Calendar ends was Friday, October 29 2010.
Actually, it's more specifically about Wiccan/Pagan Goddesses.
My opinion of all this focus on paganism is that IT IS GOOD for people to read about this kind of "stuff." A hint here: with further reading, people are going to find out how much "Christian" religious stuff is actually very HEAVILY laden with pagan "stuff."
Religions are belief systems... all of them hold similar purposes if you get down to the nitty-gritty of them. A main purpose is to give EXPLANATIONS for things in the world, about people, etc... Wiccan and various Pagan religions DO OFFER explanations about the world, living, about people, the environment... So, too, to Christian religions. So, too, do other belief systems that people don't describe as "religions," such as Athiesm... Atheism is still built upon beliefs... We will never get beyond belief systems because beliefs hold the psychological frames in our minds so that we can view all the data/things, scenarios, etc., in the world that we observe - and not go freakin' CRAZY wondering what every sound, word, sight, feeling, touch, etc., all is for... we have to develop shortcuts and explanation for why things, in general, are the way they are...
Keep reading the 800 Days blog... the focus of the content being on many Pagan topics so far isn't as narrow-minded and narrow-focused as it seems. I believe this because I have looked into Pagan topics and studied narratives, legends, fairy tales, etc., for a long time and have delved into Pre-Christian tales, philosophy, history, etc - and when put together with principles and stories within Modern Pagan beliefs, the pagan beliefs allow one to EXPAND understanding of the world, not turn to some dark side or focus narrowly down to omit all other belief systems... Pagan symbols, principles, messages, etc., are interspersed into almost all the allegedly "Christian" works and sources... I think partly this is what Blake is trying to get across by offering so many articles about Witchcraft, Vampires, Witches, Pagan Goddesses, etc.
Now, look carefully at the list offered on Wiccan/Pagan Goddesses... you'll notice names that are common and known by people all over the world. You'll also probably notice that you can recognize "cultural" or "regional" names ie: Freya (Norse), Mary (the alleged mother of Jesus), Aphrodite (Greek), Parvati (Hindu), Nut (Egyptian), Rhiannon (Celtic), White Buffalot Calf Woman (From the Lakota peoples), Pele (Hawiian)... now after this list of mostly benevolent personas, I think the whole idea is to realize that deities OTHER than from a "one-god" religion have been in belief systems all over the world, in all ages... Also, in case you missed it, the alleged mother of the Christian cults - MARY - is listed in the midst of these goddesses.
Just some food for thought...
The day which was 783 Days before the date the Mayan Calendar ends was Friday, October 29 2010.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Day 784 (Tidbits)
If the previous articles that were related to or about "Wicca" or "Witchcraft" were of interest to you, then you'll probably also enjoy the blog post on Day 784 on the countdown blog, The 800 Days.
This particular post goes into further detail about the history of Witchcraft as related to the military (U.S.) and otherwise - and the post also has details under the following headings:
This Day 784 page might be one you want to bookmark for referring back to at a future date. None of the text is complicated or hard to understand - there are just a lot of explanations, in brief, about Witchcraft here - with probably just enough details that you'll need to read through this information two or three times over the next while - in order to commit some of these tidbits to memory.
Day 784 of the 800 day countdown: Thursday, October 28 2010.
This particular post goes into further detail about the history of Witchcraft as related to the military (U.S.) and otherwise - and the post also has details under the following headings:
- Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups
- A Handbook for Chaplains
- Historical Roots
- Current World Leadership
- Origins in the U.S.
- Number of Adherents in the U.S.
- Organizational Structure
- Leadership Role of Priestess and/or Priest
- Who May Conduct Worship Services?
- Is Group Worship Required?
- Worship Requirements
- Minimum Worship Requirements
- Facilities For Worship
- Dietary Laws or Restrictions
- Special Religious Holidays
- Funeral and Burial Requirements
- Autopsy
- Cremation
- Medical Treatment
- Uniform Appearance Requirements
- Position on Service in the Armed Forces
- ... there are more
- Basic Teachings or Beliefs
- Creed Statements and/or Authoritative Literature
- Ethical Practices
- ...there are more
This Day 784 page might be one you want to bookmark for referring back to at a future date. None of the text is complicated or hard to understand - there are just a lot of explanations, in brief, about Witchcraft here - with probably just enough details that you'll need to read through this information two or three times over the next while - in order to commit some of these tidbits to memory.
Day 784 of the 800 day countdown: Thursday, October 28 2010.
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