The Eighth Sermon to the Dead

Israel vs. Lebanon/Hezebollah U.S. vs Iraq & Afghanistan & Al-Queda West vs. Islam Etc. I deplore the fighting. I deplore the reasoning behind the fighting. I deplore the actions of those doing the fighting. I weep for the innocent dead, simply caught in the way, by virtue of their address. I am not an activist. I do not trust the agendas of the systems in place to help those who are affected by the fighting. I do not trust the agendas of the fighters, or the players on the worlds stage. I don't know the issues well enough to take sides. I'm not personally affected. So I sit behind my oceans, and I worry about my own, smaller problems, and try to help those locally that I can. In my land of plenty, I help the 'poor'. I hope that through syncronicity, my helping here will help there. I pray for peace, knowing it will not come. While people die in a conflict not of their making. But I am not an activist. I have my own problems, my own worries, my own is...

The Prince of Eternity* Go and seek the truth within. Throw away your petty rituals and become a prince of eternity. Don't take the soul from your soul. Don't turn this bread into poison. Can't you see? -- Someone tossed a pearl into the bottom of a dung heap. It is only for the sake of that pearl that we cover our hands with dung. --rumi An interesting, very deep little poem. The things that stuck out for me: 1) Don't turn the Bread into poison: Don't make the spiritual world such an evil or difficult place, but rather keep it as something lifegiving. 2) Throw away your petty rituals: this, to me, indicates a process of continual self-review, to see which rituals are becoming habits, and no longer have meaning. Either throw them away, or make them non-petty. Rituals, themselves, are neither good nor bad. It is when they become automatic, rather than having the meaning enfused in them, that they are worthless. Something to think about, next time you're doin...

Video RIP Syd Barrett. Although I never met you, you've shown us it's OK to be crazy. I actually did a sound poem for several open mikes which was reminiscent of "Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With a Pict" Lots of audience participation in that one. Shine on, you crazy diamond.

http://plutopsyche.livejournal.com/468583.html And http://ceilede.livejournal.com/267921.html In my own research, I've noticed a) a lack of female authors, and b) a lack of female authors with anything to say. The exceptions encountered include Dion Fortune (Who's "Mystical Qabalah" was very interesting) and Madam Blavatsky. Perhaps it's simply the direction I'm taking. Perhaps its that women authors focus more on Wiccan style stuff, or books of spells. I've seen a few good tarot authors, but not many. Can anyone recommend good female occult authors?

...To the archonic gameplaying that seems to plague so many of the other religions, the pursuit of material power and status? I think it needs to be something along the lines of "In the game, but not of it." The focus should not be on the institiution, but on the goal for which the institution was created. Once the Church becomes an end in itself, it's time to leave. It's a tool, just like money is a tool, or your car. You can't love your car, because it will eventually stop working, and it can't love you back. What you can do is use your car to get you where you want to go. We use the church to do the same thing. If the church provides a good framework for you to obtain that salvific knowledge of which we speak, then use it. IF NOT, DON'T. Maybe it's not the proper tool for the job. For some people, a church provides a reinforcing community, with a guide and standards to attain the gnosis they seek. For others, it's a stifling exercise i...