My Blog

Great-grandpa Joe Allen

Simon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:20:59 GMT

My Great-grandfather, retired Deputy US Marshal Joe Allen, lived with his daughter, my grandmother Ruby in Porterville California. This was my Mom’s Mother. When I knew great grandpa Joe, he was in his late seventies and early eighties He always wore a straw hat and a kaki jacket, thrown over his shoulders like a cape. He carried a walking stick, which he would tap you on the head with if he thought you were not paying attention to what he had to say. Grandpa Joe had been a Deputy US Marshal in the Oklahoma Indian Territories in the late 1800’s. He told us kids wonderful stories of his days as a lawman. He slept with a loaded Colt 44 under his pillow. When we asked him why, he told us he had put many bad men in Jail and one might come look him up. We had visions of him and some old outlaw having a gun fight in grandmas driveway. We had no doubt who would win that fight. Ruby always told us not to startled Grandpa when he was sleeping. At this time period, there were a great many Westerns on TV. Great grandpa Joe would watch and laugh and laugh. The idea of shooting a gun out of someone’s hand tickled him. He had killed men in the line of duty, and never been shot himself. He was a very proud man. He was a man out of a different time and a different era. He had his own personal code of honor that he had lived by. He believed that a man had to take actions in life based on his own beliefs, not what others thought. Even the Badmen of that time had a code they lived by. I learned those lessons from Grandpa Joe, sometimes my actions brought me acclaim and reward, sometimes they caused me nothing but trouble. Yet, if a man (or woman) does not have a personal code to live by, what kind of person are you? As I watch the 21st Century unfold, I too feel like a man out of time and place. I see so many people who have no concept of personal Honor, let alone a code to live by. They let others; School, Church, Government, tell then what to believe and how to behave. They are dangerous robots. Controlled by those in power who use them for their own aims and agendas. With a personal Code of Honor comes responsibilities for one’s actions. You cannot blame others for what you do or say. This life is yours to live.

Riding a Bike

Simon — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:32:37 GMT

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was ride my bike around our southern California neighborhood. To me that was freedom delux. Here I get the same feeling. I can cut down alleys, go through parking lots, pick my own routes or stay in the Bike lanes, its up to me. A bike has totally expanded my universe here. On foot I can cover a few miles, on wheels I can cover many many more. I ride my borrowed bike (thank you Kat) six miles round trip to work and back. I no longer think anything of a ten or twelve mile ride on my days off. Riding a bike saves me bus fare, is better for the environment and is good for my health.As long as I keep my eye out for those cars who don't seem to see me, I am ok. Riders are a friendly bunch for the most part, smiling and waving or nodding as we pass. I say good morning or howdy to folks in their porches and yards. The often seem surprised by the human contact. I will be in great Bike shape when I get to Burning Man and Black Rock City, a Bike friendly place if there ever was one. Thousands of bikes there give the city color and movement throughout the day and night. An amazing weave of bikes, people on foot and Art Cars that just seems to miss each other in almost magickal ways. You are never too old to Bike.

Hope

Simon — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:38:47 GMT

Sunday I attended a rally at Waterfront Park in Portland for Senator Obama. We got there in time to be about halfway to the speakers platform. A little later and we would have been way way back. 75,000 people came. A very young and diverse crowd. When I was twelve or thirteen and living in southern California, my mother took me and my brother to see and hear Senator John Kennedy when he was running for the democratic nomination. I remember how inspired I was to see JFK, a man full of life and hope for the future. That is the same feeling I got from watching and listening to Senator Obama. He spoke of the need for change, of the coming together of the American people to tackle the real issues and problems that we face. No more failed business as usual. He is the voice of his generation. There were tears in my eyes as I stood there listening to this young man speak. I never dreamed that in my life time, in this country of ours where segregation of the races had been the law in many States not that long ago, that a man of Color would have a good shot of becoming the next President of the United States. I felt an emotion stirring in me that I have not felt for a long time. Hope. Hope that the future of my children and grandchildren and their children could turn out better than I had thought before. Hope that this man and all those who follow and connect with him will take the problems we face as a species on this ball of earth we call home seriously. No more business as usual, no more hiding our heads in the sand while the rich get filthy rich and the rest of us struggle to survive. Hope that this insane war in Iraq can be ended. Hope that people of every color, age group, and gender can work together to create a better world.

Population Bomb

Simon — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:12:18 GMT

When I was born, in 1948, population of the world was 2,555,948,654 and the USA had 146,631,302 people. Today, sixty years later, there are 6,667,926,022 people crawling around on this ball of dirt we call Earth. Here in the good old US of A we number 304,066,273 people of various genders, races and ages. In 1968 Paul Ehrlich and others published a book titled, ‘The Population Bomb”. This book shouted out the dangers of an ever shorting double time for world population and the terrible effects this over population would bring. They especially targeted the first world countries, like the US, for the amount of world resources consumed. Dr Ehrlich’s predictions were twenty years off. He predicted many of the world problems we are seeing today to come to a head in the 1980’s. That they waited in the wings this long has more to do with denial than Man’s cleverness . The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are loose upon the world. Brought forth by the sheer number of humans scrambling for an ever decreasing supply of finite resources. War, Famine, Disease and Death ride forth on the wings of jet air craft. It became clear over 30 years ago that if we as a species did not do something about our population growth, nature would. We have reached a tipping point. There are too many of us and our activities and machines have sped up the natural cycle of climate change. As this change increases, more and more of us will be impacted. Now is the time to prepare and join together as family, clan, tribe and community in combining our resources, wisdom and energy in creating systems and life styles that are connected to the natural world. It’s going to be a wild and crazy ride into this new century. Hold onto your hat. Blessings Rev T.

Monkey/Angels

Simon — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:15:52 GMT

When I was a child, I remember watching the Wizard of Oz and how frightened I was of the flying Monkeys. Monkeys with wings seemed very scary to my young mind. King Kong scared us with his hugeness, his ability to destroy. In India they worship Hama, a monkey god. In many places monkeys are considered sacred. In Tennessee the Scopes Monkey trial was held in the early 1900's. A high school teacher was arrested for teaching evolution. He was convicted. In Chinese Astrology there is the year of the Monkey. A year where nothing is impossible, filled with unexpected delights and unusual success. Our language is filled with Monkey stuff; Monkey business, Monkey wrench, “are you trying to make a Monkey out of me?” Once upon a time there was a TV show where they dressed chimps up as people. They would do westerns and detective stories. They acted very Human. Tarzan of the Apes in books and film has long thrilled us with his mix of animal and human. That is who we are. Only a tiny percentage of our DNA separates us from our monkey cousins. Our close relatives are the chimps, not very nice monkeys. We are primarily animals, a form of Ape. We have creatively evolved from the common ancestor that all creatures share. We passed through many stages of physical development before we arrived at this form; an upright humanoid. We are the only species of animal that has ever attempted to remove itself from the Natural world. Theodore Roszak, an ecopsychologist sees the American cultural malaise as 'separation anxiety' from the natural world. For millions of years our ancestors were directly involved and balanced with the natural world. Survival as a species depended upon living in this balance. To many Humans today the Natural world has become something separate, something to watch on television. They feel no connection to this natural world. The virtual world seems more real to them. Destruction of the natural world for greed and profit does not affect them. It is all happening in some other place, far from the safe electrical/mechanical world. The world of Cyberspace has become more real than the forest, mountains, deserts, and oceans. Kalle Lasen writes in her book 'Culture Jam', “When you cut off the flow of nature into peoples lives, their spirit dies”. Being separated from the natural world makes Humans insane. Physiologist have begun to call this NDD, Nature Deficit Disorder. We are no longer operating from our original minds. Insane Humans do crazy, violent, evil things. Sometimes these Insane Humans find themselves in positions of great power. Hitler and Stalin come to mind. There have been and will always be others. The great question isn't why Insane Human animals do the evil they do, the great question is why isn't more evil done? Why we as a species don't just destroy the Planet and ourselves? Monkeys with Nukes. We've tried in the past and came close a couple of times. In my lifetime we had the Cuban missile crises where the Russians blinked and Nuclear War was averted. What is it that tempers the actions of all these crazy Monkeys? Spirit. The universal force that feeds the Angel in us all. I'm not talking about winged beings here; I'm talking about that part of us that is Divine, connecting us to the great universal awareness. The place where compassion and friendship and love and joy dwell. That part of us that says, “Even though I'm very hungry, it's not okay to eat the Baby.” Some folks call this having a conscience. Here we find the inspiration for great works of Art, Music, Writing and Thinking. This is the part of us that stands looking at the night sky as Einstein did and say,” I wonder, I wonder, I wonder”. This constant shift in the balance of Monkey/Angel is the great Human dance. There are those with way too much Monkey and there are those with way too much Angel. For most of us it is a mix of the two. Our Animal nature, which appears to act saner when connected to the natural world at some level and our Angel nature, which allows us to connect with the Joy of Spirit. It is far easier to balance these two prime aspects of our Human personalities when living in your Original Mind, instinctively being aware of our inner animal/spirit force. The Monkey/Angel in us all. When your true Spirit/Nature is connected and celebrated through the Natural World, the Magick in your life greatly increases. This connection can be anything from a wilderness vision quest, a backyard garden, a local park or a potted plant. Watch the birds, animals and insects that share this natural world with you. Enjoy and explore both these sides of your Humaness, The animal that creatively/evolved into modern humans over millions of years. The Angel, who dwells in our souls and connects us directly to the divine.

Life without a Car

Simon — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:08:06 GMT

I have had my own car since I was 17 years old (1966). As a California boy getting a car was a rite of passage. If you had a car, you were free and independent. My first car was a 1956 Chevy Bellaire four door. I paid my soon to be brother-in-law $300. I should have kept that car, it is still running.. My next machine was a 1964 GTO. 389, three deuces and a four speed meant she was real fine. Mine was baby blue and fast as well. This was the era of mussel cars and since I lived in the central valley of California , I had to have one too. Gas was 35 cents a gallon and the speed limit was 75. A ticket for going 90 cost $15 dollars. I got her up to 130 mph and scared my self. Two things ended my love affair with my Goat. First I came close to dieing while racing a Chevy Super Sport out in the orange groves. This was at a time when I was a young, but still a family man. The second reason was that my wife could not drive the monster. Traded the GTO for a red Fire Bird with an automatic. This became a 1968 VW Van as my hair grew and my politics shifted to the left. The Van turned into a 73 VW Bug, which blew the number three valve up in Canada. Several cars, trucks and vans came and went until I got Ruby. A 1958 Dodger pickup truck. I kept that truck for ten years and then had to let her go. The up keep was getting too high. My last car was a 1983 Mercedes Diesel . The motor was strong, but the electronics were going. Today, living in Portland Oregon I have decided not to have a car. Parking, city driving, the cost of insurance and fuel are too much for me. I ride the buses, walk and will soon be riding a bike about the City. I do feel blessed that I lived at a time when the open road was still open and affordable. Where even poor people could get in their automobiles and travel freely to see the sights or just go visit family, clan, tribe. If there was a problem, you pulled it over to the side of the road under a shade tree and fixed it yourself. I understand that a culture designed for and dependent on the automobile is neither viable or environmentally friendly. Yet there is a part of me that misses those days of my youth when gas was cheap and the road of powerful machines on the highways and byways of American filled the air. The open road called us and we responded with joy and freedom.

Life in the City. Home

Simon — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:09:18 GMT

I sit at the kitchen table looking out the window at a giant Bay tree. It is a wet, cold gray day here in Ptown. Another in a long string of the same, but what the hell it's the weather around here in the winter time. Having a place to call home after many months of travel and couch surfing feels wonderful. Sharing this space with a friend is so much nicer than living with strangers and the land lady is an old friend too. Now I can settle in for what's left of the winter without the stress of looking for a home. I can put my energy into exploring this delightful city and my own part of it. The bus to work stops right in front of the place and the bus to everywhere else is just down the street. Life is good and I am blessed with meaningful work, home, friends and family. I am meeting many interesting and exciting people as well.Looking forward to the good weather and riding a bike around this bike friendly city.I had my doubts about being able to pull this off, starting a new life in a big city and me being an old fart. I have no doubts anymore. Blessings

Waiting for the Bus.

Simon — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:00:20 GMT

As a bus rider in this fair city, I have discovered the frozen zone of bus riding. Waiting for the bus on these clear, sunny, windy, 20 degree days is a whole new experience for me. The buses are often running late, which leaves me even colder. I'm all layered up but the wind still cuts to the bone. The joy of stepping into a warm bus is not to be overstated. I am so gald they have good heaters. You can never really appreciate warm till you've been cold. My friends from back in the midwest and the east tell me this is nothing compared to there. As an endless summer kind of guy, this is cold enough for me. I am not really complaining, just observing my city life here in Portland.

Looking forward.

Simon — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:28:35 GMT

2007 was an amazing year. Transformations and journeys of all types happened. I find myself in Portland Oregon, city of water, as 08 begins. I am open to all the wonderful energy, experiences, sights, people and magick that comes my way. Blessings to all my Tribe of fellow minds. My the new year bring us health and harmony. Rev Terry Simon Scott

Life in the Fast Lane.

Simon — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 20:28:18 GMT

Well, here I am in Portland Oregon. The energy of the City is awsome. So many new sights,sounds, experiences, people; WOW. Hanging on to my hat and enjoying the ride.

All the Rest.

Simon — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:16:52 GMT

SPIRIT/NATURE “OUR VIEW OF EVERYDAY REALITY IS MOSTLY DIVORCED FROM THE REALM OF SPIRIT” RAM DASS Your Spirit/Nature defines how you view reality and how you live your life and walk your path upon this Earth. Each of us is born with a unique Spirit/Nature.An individual path that is our personal vision of our place in this world. Once Original Mind is reawakened, your unique Spirit/Nature becomes much clearer and the Spiritual and Natural aspects of every being around you becomes visible. Your true Spirit/Nature will change as the circumstances of your life change. Spirit/Nature effects the way you see and function in the world. The way you do your job, deal with your kids, play and love, make life decisions, vote and spend your money, are all directly related to your Spirit/Nature. Your unique Spirit/Nature is crying out to be fed, to be recognized, to be honored. Suppressing your true Spirit/Nature will cause mental, physical and spiritual illness. When you awake in the morning do you jump into your day? Or do you pause at some point for a morning prayer, honoring and touching spirit? Do you give any thought or action to spiritual matters except in Church or on certain days of the week and religious holidays? Or do you walk in your true Spirit/Nature throughout the day, understanding that the world around you is constructed of Spiritual and Natural forces and energies? That you are a part of this great dance, made of the same energies and forces? That you as a mobile, aware being can influence these forces and energies for good or ill? You are born with your Original Mind open and your unique Spirit/Nature in place. Young children live in the moment, looking at the world as a place of magick, mystery and miracles. In many modern cultures today, a child's unique Spirit/Nature and world view is suppressed and replaced with an implanted understanding of reality. This process shapes the child's Spirit/Nature toward a uniform world view with the group around him or her. This brain washing continues throughout the person’s life. Your unique Spirit/Nature sees the world as it really is; not a lifeless, joyless, dark place, but a living, aware, interconnected world filled with energies, forces, and cycles. True Spirit/Nature works with these natural and spiritual cycles and forces, not against them. People living in their unique Spirit/Nature are open to the joy and beauty of the spiritual and natural world. Living moment to moment and directly connecting to the Spirit and Natural world all around them. The use of a wide range of practices including; the Tarot, I-Ching, Tai Chi,Yoga, personal prayer, blessings, rituals and ceremonies of all kinds will honor and strengthen this connection. Every breath, every step, every action we take does not occur in a vacuum. Our actions, words, thoughts and feelings directly effect all living beings around us. This Life around us directly effects us. Seeing the beauty, even in places where it is hard to find, and being with others who live from their unique Spirit/Natures, strengthens and blesses us. There is nothing to do and nothing to seek, your true Spirit/Nature is always there. It is more a process of allowing yourself to be who you really are instead of seeking and finding some Other. Reawakening your Original Mind, your unique Spirit/Nature comes forth. As if awakening from a dream, the reality around you shifts into the magickal, miraculous, mysterious place it really is. You are open and filled with Spirit and Joy. Working proactively to create beauty and balance in your life one moment at a time. The natural world is no longer a dangerous Other, but an extension of our aware selves. How you celebrate and honor your true Spirit/Nature is up to each individual and group. There are as many ways to walk a spiritual path as their are humans to walk them. Each unique Spirit/Nature is part of a World Spirit/Nature and a Universal Spirit/Nature. Any action that honors and aids this divine ecology is good. People who call themselves Pagans tend to see the Universe as a joy filled dance of energy and matter in constant flux, aware of itself at all levels, a magickal realm filled with mysteries and miracles. As a person of Spirit, you join a world wide Pagan community. All the traditions and wisdom of this community are open to you. Teachers, both living and dead, can aid you in defining and celebrating your own Spirit/Natures. Trust in your own inner feelings and visions to help create your personal Spirit/Nature. Join with others who have similar Spirit/Natures and create communities, churches, covens and ritual groups of all kinds. Practice your true Spirit/Nature openly and proudly. ORIGINAL MIND “Once you accept the fact that most of your neighbors are insane, you’ll be better off” Mark Twain Many Humans, especially Americans, have lost their connection to both the spiritual and natural worlds and have tried to fill this void with the buying of things or the numbness of drugs and alcohol. They seek spiritual comfort and joy in established religions or false teachers and find little or none. These belief systems for the most part worship a separate male sky God, with a book of rules that must be followed. The Goddess or female principle has been rendered into a ‘Virgin’, kept powerless, controlled and owned as property. Phony Guru’s abound who will sell you Enlightenment. These false teachers only goal being the enrichment of themselves. Millions live in cities, far removed from the natural worlds of forest, mountain, oceans, surrounded by squalor and poverty. The air, water and land around them poisoned and toxic. The stars and sky blotted out by light pollution. Others live in wealth and power, high up in towers of steel and glass, hiding from the human and environmental misery below. Or they enclose their own little piece of Nature and fencing it off with barbed wire and armed guards. This has not always been the case. In the beginning of Human evolution, when we had reached hominization, the process of becoming fully Human, we operated from our original minds; that place in all of us where the core of our Humanness is centered. The place where consciousness dwells and where universal mind exists. Original thought is stored here; an intuitive, inborn awareness and deep understanding that we and the world around us is made up of spirit and nature in balance. The miracle of Life, formed by the inner action and joining of Male/Female. We as Humans, being aware and having the ability to freely move, are proactive agents in maintaining this balance of nature and spirit. How Humans have interpreted this balance was as varied, diverse and full as Human vision, imagination, and interpretation could make; Gods and Goddesses, spirits of earth, water, air and fire, temples, caves, holy sites in forests, mountains and near streams, household spirits and gods. Dancing, ritual, prayer, music, theater, stories, pageants, and celebrations of all kinds. All were connected with the basic balance and cycles of life; the Moon, the Sun and the seasons as they shift. A vast tapestry of nature and spirit balanced and alive. Humans were an active part in this weave. We were aware of our own spiritual and natural sides and in balance with our selves and our daily lives. This original thought/original mind was the dominant idea until only the last few thousand years. It is still practiced today by small groups of native people throughout the world who have withstood the pressure of missionaries and governments and never stopped being fully human, balanced and sane. Original thought/Original mind came under attack and New thought was forced upon the people. First by fire and sword, later by political and social pressures as male dominated religions became all powerful. This new thought held that spirit and nature were separate. Spirit coming from a male sky god, written in a book of law and interpreted by a religious elite, usually male, while Nature was here for us to control and reap profits from. Destruction of the natural world was of little concern to those in Power. Those people who lived in their original minds and practiced the natural ways were either forcibly converted or their beliefs and cultures were destroyed. The last survivors in Europe were hunted down during the ‘Burning Times’ of the Inquisition and the witch trials. To survive, many who followed the path of living spirit hid themselves and their practices and knowledge. Myths, legends, folk stories and fairy tales give us shadows of this world. Once Original Mind is reopened, the way any one individual shapes their spiritual practice is uniquely theirs. We in this country are doubly blessed. We have laws that protect our spiritual rights and freedoms and we have open access to the religious, philosophical, spiritual and magickal wisdom and knowledge of the ages. Millions of people now openly call themselves Pagans: people of the spirit. Creating a living, open, diverse spiritual practice that is incorporated into their daily lives. Living in the joy of the moment, finding their own unique Spirit/Nature, male/female in balance, working actively toward harmony with those around them and the Earth itself. Today, all over the Earth, millions of people are feeling the stirrings of their Original Minds, reopening and awakening to Original Thought. At that point we become fully Human, sane, aware and conscious. Active in responding to a call for help that comes from the living planet itself. Both the Spiritual and Natural realms are under attack by corporate greed, pollution and fanatical religions. Once you have reawakened this center, you are no longer separated from the spiritual and natural worlds. The way you perceive the world makes a difference. It is all one joy filled, miraculous, mysterious, magickal oneness of life, with you as an aware, active part. We wake up every morning in the natural world, yet our dreams, rituals and visions carry us to the spirit realms. This is what’s real, this balance of spirit and nature. This is what we must regain to begin the healing process of Humans and the living planet itself. The amount of Joy you feel is a good indicator of how close to spirit your path is taking you. The more Joy, the more open you are to the power of Spirit. How much Joy is your belief system bringing you? Isn’t it time for more joy in your life? Why not live in a world where your intentions matter, where you have some control of your destiny? Why not be filled with the Joy of life and spirit. Open to the Universal awareness of all living things. A separate individual, connected to this great Oneness. Stand up, be proud practice your beliefs, rituals and prayers as individuals, couples, groups, tribes, clans, covens and churches. Let your children be an active part of this; they are born as magickal beings, created from the joining of the Male/Female force. They are the ones who will inherit this world. A world that we, sane and fully Human, have the power to shift back toward balance and health. All we need to do is live our lives from our Original Minds. Since we live in a world that is both spiritual and natural, we must not ignore the physical aspects of our lives. Working, playing, eating, doing the laundry, washing the dishes, paying the bills, all these mundane tasks, must still be attended too. As our Buddhist friends say, “Before enlightenment, chop the wood and carry the water. After enlightenment, chop the wood and carry the water.” Once you see the world as it really is, spirit and nature in balance, these day to day tasks become more joyful. Everything you do in each moment is a spiritual act. Be awake and aware to the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us open to the joy of spirit that fills us. COSMOLOGY “Earth and its inhabitants are the merest most microscopic speck, and our concepts of God surely need to expand.” Ian Tatterrshall Scientist have a few problems concerning the universe. Using the Hubbell Space telescope they have found an additional 40 billion galaxies, on top of the many others they already knew of. Just how big is the Universe? How does infinity strike you? A Universe that creates itself by expanding into the endless void of Space. They also cannot figure out what really fills the universe. Mystery stuff. Antimatter. Negative charge. Lots of theories. The latest concerns Dark Matter, an idea of Einstein’s that has sat on the shelf for years. Cosmologist understanding of Dark Matter is limited. Einstein theorized this as a repulsive force that balanced the universe against its own gravity. This energy makes up 70% of the universe and is thought to be constant and permanent, a “cosmological constant”. A different alternative holds dark energy to be connected to a changing energy field called “quintessence”. But what makes up the missing 30%? This vast and ever expanding Universe is made up of Star Stuff, left over from the Big Bang. This force is constantly in flux, going from particle to wave, from matter to energy and back again, endlessly. This occurs at all levels, from supernovas to quarks. Many people call this force God. God seems too limited a word to explain the workings of what many mystics claim is an aware Universe. A Universe that is aware of itself as an infinite whole and a diverse other. I prefer to use the word Spirit, more an energy and force than a personality. Spirit is Aware, of it’s own being and of every living part and particle of its vastness. And at its core, every living part and particle of this vastness is aware of the Oneness of it all. Life on this Planet began when Spirit and Nature merged and balanced in the great planetary soup that covered this planet at the dawn of geologic time. From this joining, life as we know it began. Both the Creationist and Evolutionist are correct, life was created by this combining of Spirit and Nature and evolved into the diverse planet we live upon. The Earth was a Garden. Clean air, water and food were abundant. Life grew and developed in multitudes of diverse forms. Every thing was apart of the Ecology of this Planet, a world wide Ecosystem. Each part having a purpose that connected and balanced with the whole. Our purpose as humans, since we have free will, free motion and consciousness, was to actively aid in maintaining this balance of Spirit-Nature. For millions of years our distant ancestors lived in balance with the natural world around them as an active part of this environment. When the environment changed, Humans adapted or migrated. Only major natural occurrences like meteors, ice ages, massive volcanic eruption and floods, could really reshape this environment. Our ancient ancestors were well aware of the balance of the natural and spiritual worlds. They used these skills to find out which plants were safe, which dangerous, which healed, which killed. They did this by communicating with the plant spirits. They could sail across many miles of open sea to settle Australia and the islands beyond, thousands of years ago, because of their knowledge of the stars, the currents and the help of their spirits guides. In the beginning, most humans operated from their original minds, understood their own Spirit/Nature and instinctively acted to maintain the balance of the world around them. Spirit was alive and active in the material world. Rituals, Ceremonies, Prayer and Magickal work shaped and focused this spiritual force in many many ways. Men and Woman shared this power. The joining of man and woman, the balance of the male/female force, created new life. It is at the point of balance between Spirit-Nature, between energy and matter that mystics and physicist agree. It is here that the real mysteries and miracles occur. Where Spirit becomes Matter and Matter Spirit. Where energy moves from wave to particle and back again. It is this action, this chaotic dance that creates the ever shifting forms of life throughout the endless universe, as well as here upon our planet and inside our own bodies. So Above, so Below. What is true for stars is true for atoms. What is true for nature and spirit is true for humans. We have reached the point in creative Human evolution where our physical being is basically formed. We will not gain another limb or a second mouth, no matter how much some people would wish. It is in our consciousness, our awareness of the Natural-Spiritual world around us and our proactive place in this vast, diverse universe where our expansion will occur. This reawakening of our Original Human Minds and the discovery of each individual’s true Spirit/Nature allows us to reconnect with Universal Spirit. As more humans connect with this inner and outer force, our ability to influence and be influenced by Spirit will grow. The stronger our connection to Spirit, the more joy in our lives and the greater the good that can be done. MONKEY/ANGELS “Monkeys is the craziest People” Anon When I was a child, I remember watching the Wizard of Oz and how frightened I was of the flying Monkeys. Monkeys with wings seemed very scary to my young mind. King Kong scared us with his hugeness, his ability to destroy. In India they worship Hama, a monkey god. In many places monkeys are considered sacred. In Tennessee the Scopes Monkey trial was held in the early 1900’s. A high school teacher was arrested for teaching evolution. He was convicted. In Chinese Astrology there is the year of the Monkey. A year where nothing is impossible, filled with unexpected delights and unusual success. Our language is filled with Monkey stuff; Monkey business, Monkey wrench, “are you trying to make a Monkey out of me?” Once upon a time there was a TV show where they dressed chimps up as people. They would do westerns and detective stories. They acted very Human. Tarzan of the Apes in books and film has long thrilled us with his mix of animal and human. That is who we are. Only a tiny percentage of our DNA separates us from our monkey cousins. Our close relatives are the chimps, not very nice monkeys. We are primarily animals, a form of Ape. We have creatively evolved from the common ancestor that all creatures share. We passed through many stages of physical development before we arrived at this form; an upright humanoid. We are the only species of animal that has ever attempted to remove itself from the Natural world. Theodore Roszak, an ecopsychologist sees the American cultural malaise as ‘separation anxiety’ from the natural world. For millions of years our ancestors were directly involved and balanced with the natural world. Survival as a species depended upon living in this balance. To many Humans today the Natural world has become something separate, something to watch on television. They feel no connection to this natural world. The virtual world seems more real to them. Destruction of the natural world for greed and profit does not effect them. It is all happening in some other place, far from the safe electrical/mechanical world. The world of Cyberspace has become more real than the forest, mountains, deserts, and oceans. Kalle Lasen writes in her book ‘Culture Jam’, “When you cut off the flow of nature into peoples lives, their spirit dies”. Being separated from the natural world makes Humans insane. Physiologist have begun to call this NDD, Nature Deficit Disorder. We are no longer operating from our original minds. Insane Humans do crazy,violent, evil things. Sometimes these Insane Humans find themselves in positions of great power. Hitler and Stalin come to mind. There have been and will always be others. The great question isn’t why Insane Human animals do the evil they do, the great question is why isn’t more evil done? Why we as a species don’t just destroy ourselves and the Planet? Monkeys with Nukes. We’ve tried in the past and came close a couple of times. In my life time we had the Cuban missile crises where the Russians blinked and Nuclear War was averted. What is it that tempers the actions of all these crazy Monkeys? Spirit. The universal force that feeds the Angel in us all. I’m not talking about winged beings here, I'm talking about that part of us that is Divine, connecting us to the great universal awareness. The place where compassion and friendship and love and joy dwell. That part of us that says, “Even though I’m very hungry, its not ok to eat the Baby.” Some folks call this having a conscience. Here we find the inspiration for great works of Art, Music, Writing and Thinking. This is the part of us that stands looking at the night sky as Einstein did and say,”I wonder, I wonder, I wonder”. This constant shift in the balance of Monkey/Angel is the great Human dance. There are those with way too much Monkey and there are those with way too much Angel. For most of us it is a mix of the two. Our Animal nature, which appears to act more sane when connected to the natural world at some level and our Angel nature, which allows us to connect with the Joy of Spirit. It is far easier to balance these two prime aspects of our Human personalities when living in your Original Mind, instinctively being aware of our inner animal/spirit force. The Monkey/Angel in us all. When your true Spirit/Nature is connected and celebrated through the Natural World, the Magick in your life greatly increases. This connection can be anything from a wilderness vision quest, a backyard garden, a local park or a potted plant. Watch the birds, animals and insects that share this natural world with you. Enjoy and explore both these sides of your Humanness,The animal that creatively/evolved into modern humans over millions of years. The Angel, who dwells in our souls and connects us directly to the divine. TIME “Time is natures way of preventing everything from happening at once”. Sami Salami In today's modern world, time is being broken into smaller and smaller increments. Seconds are no longer fast enough, we must view the world in Nanoseconds. Clocks made of wheels and gears are too slow, even electric clocks cannot keep pace with the modern flow of time. Atomic Clocks now record the pulse of our lives. Time today is recorded by a line of related events through cause and effect. This has replaced the rituals and festivals that were performed and celebrated to the cycles of the moon, the seasons, the gods and goddesses, solstices and equinoxes, honoring both nature and spirit. The seasons of our lives move in circles, not straight lines. Cycles and shifts occur over short and incredibly long periods. Modern time madness has thrown most people out of balance with both the natural world and the spiritual realms. They have lost connection with the natural ebb and flow of time. Faster and faster, more and more is jammed into each day, each hour. Days,Weeks, Months and Years whip on by until we are suddenly out of Time and die. Surrounded by the endless cycles and forces of the natural and spiritual world there is only one answer to the question, “What time is it?”. The answer is always NOW. This moment, which becomes the next moment and the moment after that, yet always remains in the present, the forever Now. No past, no future, only Here and Now in the embrace of nature and spirit. To find your place in the moment, the eternal Now is the true quest of Human life. A Moment may last the blink of an eye or the whole day. To savor each moment, to find the joy and knowledge that each moment brings us, is to live in true enlightenment. So much of the sights, sounds and experiences of the Now are lost. If a person spends all their Time in the Past or the Future, they never truly live. Each of us has only so much time to live, to be fully alive and functioning as Humans. When your Time is up, nothing you do will extend it. When Death calls, all living beings answer. Slow down, savor the moments of your life, live in the NOW. Become aware of the people, events and the natural and spiritual world around you. Understand that the world of clock time; of hours, minutes and seconds is a world artificially created to control and enslave you. Finding the Joy in each Moment of your life will connect you to the Universal NOW of spirit and nature. There are many techniques and practices from many different traditions that will help you find the Now and connect into the moments of your life. Find the ones that fit your true Spirit/Nature. Following the natural movement of your inner clock; resting when tired, eating when hungry, will help you stay in the Now. Following the cycles of seasons, moons, equonix and solstice, will keep you there as well. DEATH. “Spirit is where the pain goes when the heart can take no more”. J. Trudel Understanding that Death is part of the natural way, that all living beings will physically die, is to see the world as it really is. Life and Death are the dance that we, as living beings, celebrate. We are born, we live for a certain number of days, and we Die. This is part of an endless chain of DNA that has passed from one generation to the next from the days of our ancient ancestors. For us to live, other living beings die. Every breath we take, thousands of living organism enter our nose. The food and drink that sustain us is made from plants and animals. There is a continuous cycle of birth and death in every moment of universal awareness. What happens at the moment of death and after is one of the great Universal Mysteries. Does everything cease for us or do we continue on in some other form or shape? I believe in Universal Reincarnation. Reborn, but perhaps not as a human on this planet. The Universe is vast beyond our comprehension. There may be many aware species. Perhaps our next lesson is located in a different galaxy, far far away. When a living being dies, they have moved on. It is up to those who remain to deal with this loss. If it is a person who has lived a long and happy life and now suffers a painful illness, there can be Joy that the loved one has passed and feels no more pain. When it is a sudden and unexpected death, or the loss of a child, it appears that all the Joy in the world is gone. Sorrow is the other side of the Joy coin. Without knowing great Sorrow, it is difficult to know great Joy. Sorrow comes to us all. Small sorrows, like the feeling you have when you lose a cherished object. Great Sorrows, the death of a loved one. We will all experience loss and grief at some point in our life. That too is part of the great Oneness. That too is part of being Human. Grief is a healing emotion. Grief must not be locked away, but embraced. Grief helps us process the loss and move on. When you are ready to reenter the world, don’t deny your grief but give yourself the freedom to have moments of grief throughout your day. Anger is another normal reaction to death. This anger must not be suppressed but channeled in nondestructive ways. This Anger often helps us to keep functioning when feeling only grief would immobilize us. Denial is often connected with a loved ones death. The Denial that they are actually gone, yet you can still feel them. This is spiritual residue left behind as the transmission from matter to energy occurs. We leave traces of ourselves in the places we have lived and visited and the objects we have owned and touched. Denial can sometimes be healthy, helping you understand that this loved one has not really died, but changed and moved on,to a place we will only find at the moment of our own deaths. The great Healer is time. As time passes, we are blessed with the power to forget. The terrible loss and sorrow fades, the Joy of the person’s life is remembered. The Joy in your own life is rediscovered moment by moment. When a Loved one dies, the greatest act of Love you can give them is to let them go. To honor their lives and cherish their memory is good. Holding onto their memory too hard can keep them from moving on to the next step in their journey. Holding them in Limbo, not allowing them release in their death journey is an act of cruelty. Your own relationship with Death depends on your True Spirit/Nature. Do you view death as part of the natural way, that your life is a cycle; birth, life, death, rebirth? Or do you fear death, would pay any price, do any evil deed, to just live one more day? Yet, at some point, some place, some moment, you will die. That is a given, no way around it. Nobody gets out of this life alive. No reason to let that fact ruin your day. The knowledge of our own death is a blessing and a curse. A curse because the fear of death, our own or a loved one, can rob us of our will to live. A blessing because the fact it will all end brings us comfort and makes each moment of life sweeter. The fact of Death teaches us to take nothing for granted, to celebrate our blessings and moments of Joy and deal with our sorrows and pain. It is not just physical Death that challenges us. The Death of a relationship, a marriage, a friendship, a business, a community or a life plan, affect us at many levels. Here too your True Spirit/Nature will aid you in moving on while doing the least amount of spiritual damage to your self and those around you. You can only experience Death fully when you die. At that point you will know the answer to this great mystery. You can help those you are leaving behind by accepting and making peace with your own Death. Make out a will, decide how you want things to be after your gone. A living will is a legal document that lets people know how you wish to be treated in a hospital setting. Do you want a Wake? Do you want to be buried or cremated? Let people know. What are your wishes, how to you want your passing to be celebrated and mourned? What to do with the objects you leave behind? Living your true Spirit/Nature in the here and Now without fear is the best way to deal with Death. Understanding that all living things die, including yourself with bring you great peace of mind. FESTIVAL, FANTASY RITUAL AND MAGICK “Festivity and fantasy are absolutely vital to human life”. Harvey Cox Festival, fantasy, rituals, prayer and magick have been practiced by Humans for millions of years. They are used to celebrate and focus magickal/spiritual energy, awareness, force and power. They mark the passage of seasons, cycles and events. In his book “Feast of Fools”, Harvey Cox defines festivity as “the capacity for genuine revelry and joyous celebration”. He defines Fantasy as, “the faculty for envisioning radically alternative life situations”. In much of today's modern world, festivity is limited and controlled, and fantasy is a commodity for sale. This has not always been the case. In ancient times Gods and Goddesses had their own festivals and days. These temple and sacred space rituals gave birth to Theater in all its various forms and styles. In the medieval period of Europe, a Feast of Fools was held. Here the stable boy became King for a day and the choir boy an Archbishop. Everything was possible at the Feast of Fools. Without fantasy and festival, life becomes boring and flat. The magick is lost, joy gone. Today with events like Burning Man and numerous music and ritual gathering all over the world, this spirit is rising again. Connecting through the Web of the internet, people from all over the world can share community, fantasy and festival both cyberly and physically. Start a local festival; Attend as many as you can. Celebrate life, the seasons, and any reasons you wish. Ride the waves of fantasy both inside yourself and around you. Add focused Ritual to your festival. RITUAL Ritual can be done by one person, small working groups, or huge gatherings. Rituals should be fast, fun and focused. Fast, because long and boring is the best way in the world of turning people off to ritual. Fun, because a celebration of joy keeps people wanting to do ritual. Focused, which feeds energy into the intention of the ritual. The words you use in your rituals and prayers can be formalized or free style. Words have power and should be chosen with care and an aware intentions. Once spoke, words cannot be drawn back. Be careful what you wish for, it will come true but perhaps not in the way you wish. Many traditions celebrate universal spirit as having a Male and Female form. Rituals are held celebrating these Goddesses and Gods and their joining in a thousand different ways. During many rituals the four Primal Elements are often called from the four sacred directions. One Tradition holds the North to be primal AIR. The breath of our lives, the stuff inside bubbles, wind, and hurricanes. Air, that carries music, song and words to our ears. Air, shaper of earth, mover of clouds and rain, feeder of fire. South brings primal FIRE. The spark of Life. The Heat and Light of the Sun. Warmth in the winter. A Fire Storm changing stone to Lava, turning Water to steam. Devourer of Air. Primal EARTH comes from the East. The material Body we live in, the earth we walk upon. The sliding of the great plates, pulling continents apart. Earth quakes. Bed rock. Mother Earth. The Earth of your garden. The treasures hidden in the Earth. Earth, solid yet always being moved and shaped by water, air and fire. From the West comes Primal WATER . The flow of our lives. Rain, Oceans, Semen. Two thirds of the planet is covered by it. Tears of joy and sorrow. Devouring Fire . Shaper of Earth. Partner with Air. From above comes the power of Universal Spirit. Shaper and creator of all the primal elements. Aware of itself and all it’s infinite parts. Passing between Energy and Matter in an endless dance of creation and destruction. Other traditions have the primal elements coming from different directions. What's important is your intention when you call these directions and elements. SOLO Often people practice their Pagan beliefs alone because there is no one close to them to perform ritual with, or they just like doing their rituals alone. When performing solo rituals your Altar is a great place to focus the forces and energies you wish to use. An Altar is a small place where objects are used to focus consciousness and magickal force. A small table, a box, a hearth in the garden a small structure or room, are all good places to place an Altar. This is your Altar, create it anyway that fits your unique Spirit/Nature. Mine is in a constant state of change, depending on the time of the season and what I am trying to manifest in my life. Reciting your prayers and blessings near your Altar will help you focus and draw energy into your self and the Altar. If you use candles use some type of lantern to keep the flame contained. Bells, crystals, wands, feathers, flowers and pictures of loved ones can all be used as objects on your Altar. The objects on the Alter are useful too. Light a candle, ring a chime, strike a gong, light incense, smudge with sage sticks. Call the powers of Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Spirit together. Honor the four cardinal directions. Speak your intention for the Ritual; a blessing, a healing, a money issue. Intention is the Key. Focus the energy you have called and created toward a goal. Hold this as long as you can. When you are done take a moment to be still. Blow out the candles, ring a bell, say a closing prayer. Give thanks to the energies and spirits you have called and release them through verbal direction or action. A morning prayer is an excellent way to perform a ritual for the self and start your day. I ring a chime and greet the day, then face the sun and say, “Blessed is Ra giver of life, thanks for returning,” then I add “Blessed is this day, may I walk in Beauty, Balance, Love and Spirit.” I add any special intentions I have; Healing, Money magick, Blessings. Simple, yet very focused and powerful. There are many traditional morning prayers from many different types of spiritual practices and cultures. Use one that speaks to you and through you. Or like me, make up your own. What is important is your intention and that you follow through. Morning prayers are an excellent way to reinforce original mind. To be aware everyday that the world around you is spiritual as well as material. SMALL GROUP RITUALS Working together as a group adds both power and focus to a ritual. Each person calls forth a direction and primal force. Once called, this person channels and holds the energy. A protective circle of sacred space should be drawn around the ritual group. This can be done mentally or physically. This will keep out any strange or negative forces that are attracted to your energy work. A simple way is to welcome the directions and the elements and open yourself to them. Each person holds and directs this force toward the fifth person, Spirit. The Spirit force is welcomed without an assigned direction. Spirit comes from everywhere. The intention of the Ritual should be decided before the circle of protection is drawn. The person holding spirit will use all the energy channeled to them, and direct it toward the intention. A healing of a person or even a place can be focused on. Guidance can be requested. When the ritual is completed, the Primal Elements and Spirit are thanked and released. The circle is opened and the energy released. RITUAL WITH LARGE GROUPS. Classic Theater was born from Ritual. The use of masks, costumes, choirs all came from rituals designed for large groups. Ritual differs from most theater in the fact the audience is a participant in the ritual and has actions to carry out. This may be vocal or physical, movements, spiral dancing and twirling in place, chants, singing, set dialog are all part of ritual. The larger the group and focus, the more power there is to channel toward the intention of the ritual. During Equinox and Solstice celebrations, the intention is to welcome the return of light, darkness and balance, to help the seasons shift in their yearly progression. As an example, at a recent large summer Solstice Ritual the person representing the Sun King, dressed in the color of fire and carrying the symbols of his office, was escorted into the sacred space by the representatives of the four elements and spirit, Each dressed in costume and mask representing their powers and direction. Each carried an objects of elemental power. These in turn were escorted by the Mud people, dressed only in mud, bones and feathers, and the Holy Clowns, dressed anyway they liked. The crowd was gathered in a big circle by the Clowns and Mud people. The Elements and Spirit were called. The King lit the sacred fire as drums pounded and the crowd rejoiced. All who wished to come forward, took cedar from baskets to toss into the fire as a prayer or release. The crowd was gathered back into a circle and then led into a spiral dance and song. When finished, the circle was regained. The four elements and Spirit gave thanks and released the power gathered. The Sun King wished everyone to go forth in celebration and light. Ritual for large groups can be as simple or complex as you wish. Many traditions exist as examples of large scale ritual. Here Magick, music, theater and dance can all come together to create a powerful focused force. Why not create your own large rituals using original music, masks, costumes and words? Keep it fast, fun, and focused. MAGICK Part of being a Pagan is the belief and practice of Magick. Not to be confused with Magic, the art of illusion and slight of hand. Magick is the ability to shape, focus and influence spiritual and natural forces and events through prayer, ritual, ceremony, thought, will and action. By combining Ritual and Magick with intention, you can shape and influence your personal life and the world around you. How you do this is entirely up to you and your true Spirit/Nature. There are many excellent books and web sites that can guide and instruct you in the arts of Magick. The practice of Magick is as old as human kind. Traditions and methods vary depending on the culture and historical time period. Magick happens all around us everyday. The miracle of Life and Creation is Magick at it’s most powerful. Atoms and DNA are Magick. A child's laugh, the touch of a loved one, are all Magick. Never attempt to harm any living thing with Magick. Never attempt to aid another without their awareness and approval. Be aware of the Law of Three. The energy you send out will return three fold. Always practice Magick in a sacred and safe space. Know yourself and your intentions before you begin. There are unseen forces working and existing around us. Some of these forces will aid us, some will harm us, some are totally neutral. Just because you can not see, hear or smell them does not mean they are not there. Living your life in the Magick of the moment is the key. Being in balance with the forces and energies inside and outside yourself brings you closer to the Magick of Life and the Oneness of the Universe. TAKING ACTION GIVING SERVICE “The desperate situation of the planet is slowly waking people up to the necessity for transformation on a global scale.” Sogyal Rinpoche Now that you have awakened your Original Mind and found your true Spirit/Nature, what next? Living your life based on this understanding of your self is the first step. Being true to your unique self as a proactive agent for the balance of male/female, and spirit in nature is very important. Millions of people all over the Planet are responding to the great need that faces us. The question remains, shall we as a species go on living our lives more and more distant from the Natural Ways, creating artificial systems that fail us in so many vital areas? These man made systems are destroying our natural environment and putting more and more wealth into the hands of fewer and fewer individuals. Millions looking for their rewards in the afterlife while poverty, illness, war and extinction rage around us. It appears that all human designed systems have four things in common. It does not matter if it is the United States Army or the Salvation Army. A corporate job, a government job or a nonprofit job. It is all the same. In his book “Birth of the Chaordic Age”, Dee Hock lists these four commons as; 1. The way you would like them to be. 2. The way they should be. 3. The way they are. 4. How it was in the beginning. To constantly bang your head against one of these systems trying to force it to be the way you want it to be is a good way to get a massive headache. Failure and frustrations follow this path of dealing with systems and structure. Occasionally you can push, pull and prod a system into acting in the way it was designed and fulfill its basic principles for a small amount of time . The cost in your time, energy and sweat is enormous. Burn out is the reward for this action. Learning to deal with a system as it really operates requires patience and creativity. Finding the correct people in the correct positions to cause change inside the system takes much time and digging. Understanding how the system really works may take years of hard struggle and frustration. Most people give up long before they can make a difference, becoming one more cog in the machine. Reawakening your original mind and finding your true Spirit/Nature allows each individual to see the world as it really is, a place of spirit-nature in balance. From this point of view, new systems and structures that work with the natural ways can be designed and developed. New, creative, systems of business, agriculture, education, spirituality must be implemented and nurtured. The time to awaken your original mind is now. The time to find your true Spirit/Nature and live your life connected to the natural ways is now. The time to take action is now. These actions can be simple; Plant an organic garden, walk or ride a bike, support organizations, businesses and candidates that work with and for the natural cycles and systems. Speak out, practice your Spirit/Nature proudly and openly. Join with others who share your spiritual outlook, work together to create communities of like minded people. Become Pagan ministers and spread the word. Give service to the greater Pagan community as needed. Prepare for the comeing environmental changess that will occur in the next twenty years due to global warming. What you do and how you live your life makes a difference. The actions you take today will aid the balancing of the natural systems for years to come. The future is in our hands, a world of diverse ecosystems, where Primal Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Spirit are in balance. Where all living things are treasured and cherished. Where our children and grandchildren inherit a world of beauty and balance. Clean water, clean air, living food, and freedom for all of us to follow our own Spirit/Natures. It is up to us.

Definitions

Simon — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:07:02 GMT

I'm posting more here and find these definitions helpful to folks trying to figure out what I am talking about. Blessings Rev T. DEFINITIONS All definitions without a source or author are my own. ALTAR. A place to create focus and power. ARCHETYPES. “Unconscious images of human instincts; patterns of instinctual behavior.” Carl Jung. BLESSINGS. To pass on the Joy of Spirit. CHAORDIC. “A harmonious blend of chaos and order”. Dee Hock CHURCH. An organized congregation. COMMUNITY. A group of like minded individuals who may or may not live near each other. CONGREGATION. A group of people who share a basic Spirit/Nature. CONSCIOUSNESS. Awareness of the balance of Spirit and Nature in day to day, moment to moment living. Being aware of your connection to everything in the Universe. CREATIVE EVOLUTION. The Evolution of life with Spiritual guidance. DIVINE. “Holy. To predict.” Webster ECOLOGY. The science of the connection between all living things. GOD. The Male half of the creative force in spirit and nature. GODDESS. The Female half of the creative force in spirit and nature. GOD/GODDESS. The joining of the male and female in the creation of Life. 3 GREATER PAGAN COMMUNITY. That world wide tribe of nature and spirit worshiping peoples. This tribe gathers together in fairs, ceremonies, rituals and celebrations of all types. HUMAN SYSTEMS. Any man made agency, corporation, business, government, religion, private or nonprofit structure. JOY. “Bliss, delight.” Webster MAGIC. Slight of hand, Illusions. MAGICK. The ability to shape, focus and influence spiritual and natural forces and events through prayer, ritual, ceremony, thought, will and action. MARRIAGE. “A group’s approved mating arrangements usually marked by a ritual of some sort.” James Henslin MIDDLE MIND. “A human mind set where the person becomes passive and non creative. The point where culture turns to mush.” Curtis White. MINISTRY. To give service to a community of individuals with similar Spirit/Natures . These may include spiritual counseling, weddings, birth celebrations, wakes and death rituals, healing of body, mind, spirit. MINISTER. A person legally ordained and trained to give such service. MONKEY/ANGELS. The two sides of all humans. Our animal side, a Monkey, and our spiritual side, an Angel. NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER. To be so cut off from the Natural World that you become insane. NATURAL WAY. Living your life in Balance with the natural cycles and energies of yourself, the planet and the Universe. 4 NATURE-SPIRIT. The Spiritual and Natural worlds in balance, existing simultaneously in space and time. ORIGINAL MIND. That place inside all of us where the core of our Humanness is centered. The place where consciousness dwells; where group mind exists. To live with your original mind open is to be sane and fully human. In many cultures and spiritual traditions, to open your original mind is to become enlightened. Original thought is stored here. ORIGINAL THOUGHT. An intuitive, inborn awareness and understanding that we and the world around us are made up of nature and spirit in balance. That we humans are proactive agents in maintaining this balance inside ourselves and the world around us. Knowing that Male/Female in balance is the key to creation and harmony. PAGAN. People of the Spirit. A person who celebrates a living, creative, open spirituality. Believers in magick. PEOPLE OF THE BOOK. People who join together and follow a book of laws handed down from an all powerful male sky god. (the Bible, the Torah, the Koran) PRAYER. See Magick. REVEREND. See Minister. SPIRIT. The force of Universal Awareness. The primary building material of both the Universe, the Earth and every thing upon it. Spirit is constantly in movement from energy to matter, from waves to particles and back again. SPIRIT/NATURE The way in which a person views reality and lives their daily life moment to moment. UNIVERSAL REINCARNATION. To be reborn any time and place in the Universe. Not stuck here on Earth as a Human.

PAGAN RENAISSANCE

Simon — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:42:36 GMT

Today the very Spirit/Nature of the Planet is being assaulted by greed, corruption and pollution, done under the banners of World Wide Corporations and Established Religions. According to many experts from around the world, we are in grave danger of setting off a massive extinction period. Survival of many species of plants, animals and insects are in doubt. Perhaps even our own. In response to this a world wide Pagan Renaissance is occurring as more and more people are coming out of the Broom Closet and practicing their beliefs openly and proudly. These Pagans follow many diverse paths and traditions. Many have been practicing their beliefs in private for years, others are just beginning to find their spiritual path. They are joining in Community, demanding their spiritual rights and taking action in defense of a diverse, living planet. In the middle ages, during the burning times when thousands of women and men were murdered for their beliefs, survival required that those who practiced the ancient traditional spiritual ways had to hide them. Ritual and Magickal rites were held in secret. In many parts of the world, these people of the spirit became shadow people. Mostly invisible, hidden even from each other. Today, survival requires the greater Pagan Community to be visible and accepted as an alternative religion. Websters defines Pagan as, “Pertaining to the worship or worshipers of any religion that is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim”. That covers a vary broad ground. My own definitions is, “People of the Spirit. A person who celebrates a living, creative, open spirituality. Believers in magick.” Being Pagan and living your unique Spirit/Nature connects you with traditions, wisdom and knowledge that are as old as the first Humans. Seeing this world as a place of Spirit and Nature in balance and working in your daily life to maintain that Balance, has been practiced by humans for millions of years. World wide, there are traditional people who have always been connected to the natural ways. They have held these beliefs even after occupation and persecution. As a proud Pagan, you can follow not only the ancient traditions of numerous cultures, but create your own living, spiritual practice. Create your own rituals and blessings. Join with other Pagans and form communities that are part of the world wide Pagan Community. Teach you children by the example of your life. Be Pagan and Proud so they can see your spirituality in their daily lives and find their unique Spirit/Nature. We are blessed in today's world with an abundance of Pagan Teachers and Elders, both living and dead, to guide and instruct us. These Teachers and Elders represent many Pagan traditions and practices that span countless years. Numerous books and sacred texts are available that teach and inspire us. Pagan web sites are available to lead us to deep awareness, the acquiring of new skills and connecting with community. There is risk involved in being publicly Pagan. There are people out there in the world who view Magick and Spirit as tools of Satan and Pagans as evil. Nothing could be further from the truth. We must show them by the examples of our lives that Pagan’s are good, kind caring people. That Pagans can be found in all walks of life. Of course we cannot return fully to the Old Days. The World has changed and our numbers have multiplied almost beyond the ability of the Mother to sustain us. We can embrace the Old Ways openly and proudly. The Ways of spirit, nature and humans in balance and fullness. Opening ourselves to the beauty and dance of our spiritual side while working with the natural cycles and systems that allows life on this planet to survive. By joining the Pagan Renaissance, we declare ourselves believers in a better future for all life on Mother Earth.