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Over the past month, newspaper and website This is Tamworth has run a series of articles about alleged intrigue, witchcraft and occult activity in Hopwas Woods, Staffordshire. The features have not been particularly pagan friendly - and the latest one is, frankly, a sensationalist rehashing of some very old news.
The first couple of news articles were about supposedly occult artefacts that were discovered in the woodlands, including an Egyptian-style statuette and an engraved copper tablet. Local residents were keen to find out why they were there and what they meant. Those stories were not too offensive, and I even blogged about the first one, back in December. I guess a little curiosity is natural, and one shouldn't leave stuff lying around in public places - particularly when it might have magical significance.
This is Tamworth's latest story is far more sensationalist. It states: "Hopwas Woods has been the centre of tales of naked witches, occult artefact discoveries and spooky goings-on for decades."
Then it dug an old copper out of retirement to tell a tale about an incident in 1984 when he was called to investigate a report of naked witches dancing in the woods.
This is Tamworth reports the ex-policeman as saying: "It was quite an eerie experience, believe me! There were signs of a burnt out fire, and a number of small bones, which, at the time, were thought to have possibly been sacrificial and later identified as bird bones, possibly chicken bones. There were also signs of a roughly drawn out pentagram scratched on the ground nearby. A number of items were taken for later forensic examination if required."
A group of people were arrested, thrown into police cells overnight and interrogated. Extra police were drafted in to guard the woods. The only charges made, however, Witchcraft was not illegal in the 1980s, but now paganism and witchcraft are far more acceptable in the public eye than they were back then. These days the police are taught to treat pagan rituals with sensitivity and understanding.
So, This is Tamworth, please take your Gene Hunt lookalike back to his retirement home and ask some modern policemen if they would throw people into prison for being pagans.
And, so long as people using Hopwas Woods aren't breaking the law, causing a nuisance or damaging the environment, I don't really care if they are fluffy Wiccans celebrating the solstice, wannabe Cthulhu cultists attempting to summon That Which Does Not Exist from beyond the void - or the local Girl Guides having a chicken barbecue and singing late night songs around the campfire.
In this country people of all beliefs are perfectly entitled to enjoy our lovely public woodlands - and if they want to dance, sing and say words in honour of ancient gods, stars or planets, that is their choice.
But, fellow pagans, when you are outside celebrating the seasons, do make sure you take your ritual artefacts - and your litter - home with you afterwards. If you don't, you could find some Scooby gang trying to investigate what you've been doing and selling their story to This is Tamworth.
I hope we see more responsible journalistic reporting in Tamworth in future.
The photo shows Hopwas Hays Wood
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BRANSON WELCOMES OUR NATION'S CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE (City of Branson Official Release)
For the first time, our nation's official Christmas tree will make an appearance in Branson, arriving on Saturday, Nov. 15, for public viewing in front of the Grand Palace.
At 11 a.m., there will be a 30-minute, star-filled, patriotic and Christmas musical presentation. "Mr. Christmas" Andy Williams will emcee and The Spirit of Christmas dancers, The Lennon Sisters, Pierce Arrow, Bob Anderson, SIX and the cast of Celebrate America will perform.
The 138-year-old sub-Alpine Fir - or Rocky Mountain Fir - left Montana's Bitterroot National Forest on Nov. 4. It was about 100 feet tall when felled, and 77 feet will be transported.
They rejected some more perfect tree specimens because of their environmentally sensitive positions along creek banks. An elder of the local Salish Indian tribe blessed the tree at a ceremony attended by more than 600 people.
According to US Forest Service representatives, the elder said the tree has a greater calling now, to bring joy to many people. On the 3,100-mile trip, the caravan will stop in 18 Montana cities and three in North Dakota before arriving in Branson, where it will be parked in front of the Grand Palace on Saturday, November 15.
The crew of 13 people who accompany the tree will stay in Branson on Sunday, visiting local attractions. The tree on its 95-foot trailer will be housed overnight inside the Branson Convention Center.
The tree is kept fresh with a rubber "vase" on the cut end with a ready supply of water. Asking a national forest to provide "the people's tree," as the Capitol Christmas Tree is often called, is a tradition that started in 1970. Each year since then, a different national forest, and the state in which the forest is located, is asked to provide the tree, and all of the trimmings, as a gift to our nation.
The tree will be officially lit in front of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 2.Branson EDGE
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By Scott Petullo and Stephen Petullo
We've interacted with thousands through our work and often ask people if they believe in the concept of karma. Karma is simply defined as what goes around comes around, meaning you reap exactly what you sow, including (and perhaps mostly) rewards and challenges from past life actions.
About 60% say they do believe in karma, 15% say they don't know, and about 25% say they don't believe in it. We've concluded that those who don't accept the concept of karma appear to reject it for one or more of the following three main reasons:
1) Some are simply more analytical, rational, of the if-I-can't-see-it-it's-nonexistent frame of mind and need proof. They don't have a good reason to accept it, so they're rejecting for now.
2) Some have misconceptions about the concept. They may mistakenly feel that karma is all about punishment, and since they don't believe a higher power would punish people, they reject what they perceive karma to be.
Our work has convinced us that karma is not about punishment, but a spiritual law of energy; whatever you do and say, both "good" and "bad," will return to you, even if you don't believe that it will. This really is a universe of justice, but it understandably doesn't seem that way to those who focus only on the circumstances of this lifetime.
It's also common for people to think that karma only happens immediately, in this lifetime, but it often takes more than a lifetime to balance itself out. For example, it was not "his karma to be dumped" just because he broke up with someone else a year before. The act of breaking up with someone, by itself, does not incur negative karma unless it's done in a negative way.
Another misunderstanding about karma is that many don't realize that the more you try to balance karma yourself through negative actions, the more negative karma you'll create for yourself.
Does that sound like too passive of a disposition to you? There's nothing passive about changing what you can and letting go of what you can't change, or that is not your right to change.
Yet another misconception about karma is that due to your subconscious and super-conscious self (soul, or spiritual self) being beyond your conscious personality, simply forgiving yourself or confessing your sins won't eliminate your karma. While doing so, your higher-self is smiling and shaking its head, saying, "That's one more circumstance you'll have to experience directly from the receiving end in a future life."
3) Another reason some reject the concept of karma is that they seem to have great difficulty in taking complete responsibility for their actions, would rather maintain a victim-consciousness, or refuse to admit the reality of their behavior. This group of people is likely to be in denial about things they've done or said and don't want to face the possibility that they will eventually need to experience directly what they've inflicted upon others. No matter how good someone is at justifying their actions and convincing themselves of their own lies, they still must face the music of the karma they generate at some point in the future.
These types of people are less likely to do "the right thing" in all situations, especially when no one is looking. They assume, incorrectly, that if no one catches them, they can get away with anything. Based on our past life regression and astrology and numerology charting work, we've found that the eyes of truth really are always watching all of us, at all times.
What is doing "the right thing," you ask? Ultimately, it's treating others as you want to be treated.
But it's not easy to fathom exactly how karma functions through traditional, earth-bound thinking.
A good way to envision how karma works is to imagine a spiritual tie to everything you say or do, like an invisible, indestructible golden link that only detaches itself from you once you finally balance, often unknowingly, the energy. Each time you're born, your soul is still attached to all the golden links from previous incarnations and you deal with some of them directly in the current life according to what your soul planned before incarnating.
Whether or not you believe in karma, don't do or not do something just because you "should," or "shouldn't." Remind yourself you're doing the right thing because you don't want to deal with the repercussions at a later time, and more importantly, because we're all in this together.
Copyright (c) Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo
Scott Petullo and Stephen Petullo are identical twins and have been exploring metaphysics since the early 1980's. They are experts in the fields of prediction, personal fate, love life, and past life regression, and are natural psychics and mediums. Get their free report: 13 Spiritual and New Age Myths and 11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Psychic.
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Due to unhealthy life style, sins, pollution, ever growing technological development, epidemic crisis, so many people suffer from one or more health conditions nowadays.
So a common request, to a Spiritual worker or Witch, is often how to heal the sick relative, friend etc.
Magick can work miracles in this department, but common health care should come first. Yes, magick can cure what medicine is unable, however only medical experts can diagnose health conditions properly and treat urgent traumas. If there were ever spells or any form of magickal procedures, charms or potions that could heal instantaneously even the most severe of traumas, today such knowledge is either forgotten or kept jealously as secret J
What I want to say with all that is that healing magick even though indeed miraculous and wonder-working, takes time and effort. Therefore get a diagnose, proper medical care and then If needed magickal assistance.
I shall do my best to cover as much as possible here, however the topic is so large and seemingly inexhaustible, that I am not certain how successful will I actually be.
WHO TO TURN TO ?
"There are many ways of alternative healing, Reiki, Crystals etc. Here, in this article/post I will limit my elaboration on magickal ways of healing and Healing magick.
WHEN TO TURN TO ?
"When You need help, because the medical treatment is not working good enough or medical professionals do not offer solution.
IMPORTANT ( ! ) When medicine can not diagnose Your condition but the symptoms are evident Your sickness/condition is most likely magickaly induced, so swallow Your skepticism, stop wasting time and money and refer to proper Spiritual worker.
WHAT TO EXPECT ?
"Healing via magick mostly works all the time. However sometimes the conditions may be a punishment, or a karmic lesson or simply something one is destined to undergo., and overcome alone or with other type of help. In such cases these may appear in reading which should be preformed before healing work for clarification directions and/or possible omens, and magick may help, but perhaps via other type of procedures.
TIME FOR HEALING MAGICK
Healing is best preformed during the waning Moon phase, and day and Hours of Sun are most suitable for such operations ( SUNDAY ).
NOW HERE ARE SOME NEAT SPELLS AND PROCEDURES
Egg healing spells
"Each day waning Moon starting form Full, rub egg all over patients body or affected part and pray for disease to depart. In the morning toss the egg in running water, crossroad or even toilet and flush it. This means new egg is used each day !
HOODOO HEALING
One of the best ways to help someone is by a simple prayer. Orthodox people have so many beautiful healing prayers and Saints devoted to healing. In Conjure it commonly petitioned are Dr. Jose Gregorio Hernandes, Saint Teresa, Saint Dymphna ( ESPECIALLY FOR MENTAL CONDITIONS ). Our Mother of Perpetual help, than petitions to Manopoderosa and alike.
Dress a seven day candle ( BLUE OR WHITE, BLUE-WHITE COMBINATIONS WORKS VERY WELL ) with healing oil and pray each day for seven days for health of the affected. Underneath the candle place the picture of the person or petitioners paper where the name of the party is written in centre and surrounded by word health written in square and also diagonals of the square, crossing the name.Candle can be sprinkled with dust made of Allheal or Selfheal, or some commercial Healing powder.
Voodoo Hoodoo healing doll baby spell ( by me )
"1.Make a poppet to represent the sick person
2. Stuff it with any or combination of the following : Sage, Eucalyptus leaves, Lemon Balm, Master of the Woods, Echinacea ( SAMPSON SNAKE ROOT ), Rosemary, Mint, Thyme
3.Consecrate and/or Baptize the poppet, add personal belongings If You have some, or attach a photo or name paper, some people add "HEART" or rose quartz or copal
4. Dress the affected part of the doll with healing oil.
5. Pin 3-7 white head needles or pins, previously dipped into Healing oil, into area of sickness on the poppet, the "affected part"
6. Read the Psalm passages for healing
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. Psalm 26:2
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. Psalm 6:2
O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. Psalm 30:2
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:18-19
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:10-12
7. Wrap the fabric in blue of white fabric and hold each days saying prayers or words above for healing, until the person is healed.
HEALING OIL
"A condition oil recipe for healing, by me
SOLOMON SEAL ROOT IN EACH OF THE BOTTLES MADE
Master of the Woods root in each of the bottles made
THYME IN A GOOD PINCH
Sampson Snake Root
SANDALWOOD OIL 7 DROPS
Camphor oil 7 drops
CEDAR OIL 3 DROPS
If the condition is of mental nature You can substitute Thyme or Samson snake with mint and Sandalwood with Bay Leafs oil
THE SPELL AN OIL WERE WRITTEN BY MYSELF. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TI USE THEM ELSWHERE THAT IS FINE, BUT GIVE CREDITS: Shadow of ShadowsMagickPlace or Shadow-333@hotmail.com
BALKAN FOLK MAGICK HEALING SPELLS
Common healing spells in this raw magickal s systems involve incantations, offerings to spirits and petitioning them.
Typical healing spell calls for catching a waning Moon's reflection in a pan with water, and then adding healing herbs in it. The witch makes Cross signs over the pan with Balkan equivalent to athame called "KUSTURA", and chants something along the lines :
" As the Moon shrinks and descends
So shall disease shrink and descend from N.N.'s body
And as the herb heal, and rejuvenate
So shall N.N. heal and rejuvenate..."
The water is then sipped by sick and used to wash face and sprinkle room where they stay.
Now if the disease is too strong it is transferred to stone, plant ( TREE ), animal or in worst case human. This is a very cruel but stunning ly effective procedure, but causes another living being to be sacrificed, as the object of sacrifice literarily becomes new "HOST" for sickness. I don't feel confidents or called to elaborate on very procedure here.
BARON AND CREOLE, STOP DEATH SPELL
This is similar concept as done in Voodoo and Creole, though less radical, when the Barron Samedi is appeased, offered and petitioned so that he does not dig a grave for certain person. If this Lwa is willing the person will live, if of course they n were treted the right way.
The Barron is offered with cigares, piece of dried bread, whiskey that had hot peppers inside, glasses with one lens poped out ( BARON CAN SEE IN TWO WORLDS ) and alike.
Though this is not a typical healing spell, it is a drastic method of saving someone that is seriously ill, disseased. That is why I decided to add it here :)
Baron Cimetiere, another "INCARNATION" of Baron Samedi, a member of Guede family, picture shown abbove is property of Miss Denise Alvarado and can be found on her Squido account www.squidoo.com/freevoodoodollspells and the doll can be purchased from www.planetvoodoo.com
The first picture Showing drawing of Voodoo poppet is a scrible from my own notebook :D
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REBIRTH VS REINCARNATION
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The Buddha's description of the process of "rebirth" is quite similar to reincarnation, except for the addition of two other concepts.
The first is NO-SELF (ANATTA), which states that there is no self-existing soul, self, personality, or ego that connects individual lives together. Beings may have many similarities with their former selves but they are not the same person. This is not hard to imagine at all. Just think of yourself when you were ten years younger. You can't exactly say that you are that same person since many of your views have since changed; even the cells in your body have changed. However, you also cannot exactly say that who you were ten years ago is different from who you are now. So who are you really?
The second is IMPERMANENCE (ANNICA), which states that all conditioned things (including consciousness) are subject to change. Consciousness is seen by Buddhists as a series of conscious moments instead of a steady or uninterrupted flow of awareness. These moments continually arise and pass away in the form of thoughts, memories, feelings, or perceptions. After one conscious moment ceases, the next one arises. For this reason, the consciousness of any sentient being is thought to be the continuity of these conscious moments.
"Rebirth" is generally considered to be a stream of evolving consciousness. Consciousness is the only part which leaves the body at "death" and enters another during conception. It is also the one that collects karma. However, the consciousness in the new person is neither identical to nor entirely different from that in the deceased, but the two form a causal continuum or stream. Thus, even if consciousness can take another form through "rebirth", it is not exactly the same as it was before. It continues to change.
Followers of Theravada Buddhism generally claim that "rebirth" takes place immediately while those who belong to Tibetan Buddhist traditions have a concept of intermediate states called "bardos," which may take up to forty-nine days to pass through. This concept is further expanded into an exclusive guide to the process of "death" and "rebirth", which is contained in a funerary text known as the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead).
REBIRTH AS A HUMAN
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"So too, bhikkhus, those beings who are reborn among human beings are few. But those beings are more numerous who are reborn elsewhere than among human beings. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: we will dwell diligently. Thus should you train yourselves."
- Gautama Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya 20.2
According to the Buddha, "rebirth" as a human being is extremely rare and precious and that there are more beings that are reborn in the animal realm, ghost realm, or hell when they pass away (see The Sidpa Bardo). The experience of pleasure and pain in the human realm allows the development of virtue and wisdom to the degree enough to set a being free from "samsara". Therefore, "rebirth" in the human and the deva realms is difficult and should not be wasted.
If you're wondering why, just think of the number of animals and insects that can be found on this planet. No one knows for sure how many species of animals exist on Earth but the estimated number range from 2 to 50 million. The population of the human species alone may be close to 7 billion, but the number of a single insect species, like ants for example, is even far greater than that, so just imagine how many forms of life exist on this planet. Thus, if you waste your life with the pursuit of material pleasures, your chances of landing a human birth again will be far lower than, let's say, winning the lottery.
Nevertheless, it is said that if a being can attain the level of "sotapanna" or "stream-enterer" (one of the four stages of enlightenment), it is guaranteed that all future rebirths will be in the human or higher Realms of Existence. One can attain the level of stream-enterer by removing three fetters (a fetter is a "chain" or "bond" that shackles a sentient being to "Samsara"). These fetters are:
* IDENTITY VIEW - The view that a so-called self or ego exists. It is eradicated when one gains insight into the selfless nature of the Five Aggregates.
* SKEPTICAL DOUBT - Doubt about the Buddha and his teaching. It is eradicated when one personally experiences the true nature of reality through the development of insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha's teaching.
* ATTACHMENT TO RITES AND RITUALS - The view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals or rigid moralism, such as praying to God for salvation, slaughtering animals for sacrifice, ablutions, etc. It is eradicated when one realizes that rites and rituals are nothing more than obstructive traditions and dead dogmas. Liberation can only be achieved through spiritual practice (such as following the Noble Eightfold Path).
REMEMBERING PAST LIVES
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Many people find the concept of "rebirth" very hard to accept because, apparently, no one can remember who or what they were before they were born. Just thinking about the events that happened in our childhood is difficult enough for most of us, so what makes the recollection of our past lives any easier?
Nevertheless, there are, in fact, cases of people who have re-called some incidents from their past lives. Many such cases were documented by a psychiatrist named Ian Stevenson who investigated reports of young children who claimed to remember a past life.
One of the spiritual attainments that you will gain from practicing meditation is the ability to remember your past lives. This ability is actually one of the spiritual powers that the Buddha used to investigate the nature of reality and formulate the Four Noble Truths. It's the same ability that he said we should use to verify the accuracy of his teachings. Hence, reliance on factual evidence alone is not that beneficial at all regarding this matter. It's either you practice the meditation techniques prescribed by the Buddha and prove it yourself or you can just keep on "biting the dust" without any progress every time you are born as a human, or
Origin: http://witchcraftforall.blogspot.com
Venerable Beobjeong, a major leader of Korean Buddhism, passed away yesterday at age 78. Ven. Beobjeong was not only a man of the highest spirituality and integrity, but also was quite a writer who sought to make the Buddhist way accessible to as many people as possible. He also had a great relationship with the leaders of Korean Catholicism, always striving for religious harmony in Korea.
" Ven. Beobjeong"
Here are selected quotes from Ven. Beobjeong, translated:
- We possess things because of need, but sometimes we spend our heart because those things. Therefore, to possess something is to be held into something else. Thus, possessing much means being held as much.
- Flowers; do not take for granted this heart-filling truth that blooms around us. This is an amazing mystery. We must reflect upon human history through the flower's bloom. How much am I blooming the clearest and most beautiful element within myself? We must reflect our own lives through flowers.
- The empty heart is called "musim". The empty heart is our true heart. If the heart is filled with something, that is not the true heart. Without emptiness, there is no resonance. Without resonance, life cannot be fresh or energetic.
- "Musoyu "("not possessing") does not mean not having anything; rather, it means not having anything unnecessary. The clear poverty that we have chosen is much more valuable and precious than wealth.
- Who am I? Ask yourselves that question. You must ask, ask and ask again until your inner face emerges and shows itself. Do not ask cursorily, but ask desperately with the voice within your voice, against the ear within your ear. The answer lies within that question.
-There are two ways in Buddhist training. The way of wisdom, through which the self is formed; and the way of mercy, through which your neighbors are warmly cared for. If either one is missing, it is not Buddhism, nor is it religion. Every religion has these two elements. A religious life entails care for others at the same time.Ven. Beobjeong always stressed the importance of "musoyu "("not possessing"). His last words were true to his teaching:
You will absolutely not kill any precious trees for any grand cremation ceremony, and do not waste money on new cloth for new burial clothes. There's leftover firewood that I already gathered at my mountain hut. Cremate me there by the rocks where I used to meditate. Scatter my ashes on the ground where the azaleas graciously bloomed each spring. That will be my final recompense.Accordingly, as you can see from the picture below, the body of Ven. Beobjeong was not put in a casket, but was simply laid on top of the low table on which he used to sit, and was covered by his overcoat.
There is not any need to speak the trite words, "Rest in peace." He had long attained peace while he was alive, and his passing is no more than that - passing, and continuation of his spiritual life.
(Some information via Marmot's Hole)
"Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at" askakorean@gmail.com.
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Wal-Mart has announced that they are going to change their advertising policy this year to fully embrace Christmas. Evidently, last year's religious protests and boycotts were effective. Christmas trees, nativity scenes, and other holiday decor are starting to emerge around town. Stores are rolling out their Christmas decorations and hoping to entice shoppers to start early. I suppose it is time for we evil atheists to rally our troops to fight yet another battle in our war on Christmas.
I'm joking, of course. There is no war on Christmas, never has been, and probably never will be. We atheists are used to celebrating this and many other holidays. Just because Christmas has no religious significance for us doesn't mean we would rather work that day. Sure, it is generally a time for me to renew my feelings of disgust toward religious belief and at least some believers. But it is also a time to enjoy family, get a break from work, and reflect on the happy memories of holidays past.
If they haven't done so already, Fox "News" will soon be driving their easily manipulated viewers into a frenzy over our imaginary war on Christmas, our nonexistent efforts to ban their bible, or
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IF YOU ARE A FAN OF DOWNTON ABBEY LIKE I AM THEN YOU CANNOT PASS UP THIS FANTASTIC NEW NOVEL CINDERS LADY ADA MARY EDWINA AVELINE AVERLEY IS THE ELDER DAUGHTER OF LORD EDWARD AVERLEY, EARL OF WESTLAKE, AND THE LATE LADY MARY OLIVIA AVERLEY, COUNTESS OF WESTLAKE. SHE WAS BORN SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO AT SOMERTON COURT. HOWEVER, ADA HAS SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE IN INDIA, WHICH SHE CONSIDERS HOME. BLESSED WITH BOTH GREAT BEAUTY AND WEALTH, ADA'S RETURN TO ENGLAND HAS SPARKED ENDLESS GOSSIP ABOUT WHO SHE MAY MARRY, BUT ADA HAS LITTLE INTEREST IN BALLS, CLOTHES, AND ENGAGEMENTS. SHE HAS WHAT SOME CONSIDER AN UNHEALTHY INTEREST IN READING AND POLITICS.
HER PASSION ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS IS PARTICULARLY FIERCE AND RATHER DISCONCERTING TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF HER CIRCLE, INCLUDING HER STEPMOTHER LADY FIONA AVERLEY AND STEPSISTER CHARLOTTE TEMPLETON. ADA IS DEVOTED TO HER FATHER, WHO RECENTLY RESIGNED FROM HIS POST AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF BENGAL AMIDST A GREAT SCANDAL THAT HAS FOLLOWED ADA'S FAMILY ALL THE WAY FROM INDIA. SHE IS EQUALLY DEVOTED TO HER YOUNGER SISTER, GEORGIANA, WHOSE DELICATE HEALTH REQUIRES ADA'S CONSTANT ATTENTION. ALTHOUGH THE FORMALITIES SOCIETY ARE TEDIOUS FOR SOMEONE OF ADA'S INTELLECT, SHE IS A ROMANTIC AT HEART, AND FINDS IT TRYING TO ALWAYS BE PROPER. IN FACT, SHE FEARS SHE IS OFTEN THE OPPOSITE OF PROPER WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE.
AN INTERVIEW WITH ADA AVERLEY
. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IT IS CLEAR THAT YOU (ADA AVERLEY) ARE AN APPEALING AND UNCONVENTIONAL HEROINE FOR YOUR TIME. INSTEAD OF BEING A PROPER LADY YOUR PRIORITY IS TO ATTEND OXFORD AND BECOME A JOURNALIST, WHY IS THAT?SOMETIMES I ASK MYSELF THE SAME QUESTION. IT ISN'T EASY TO BE OUT OF STEP WITH YOUR TIMES. PERHAPS I'M SELFISH TO WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY EVEN THOUGH I KNOW MY FATHER DISAPPROVES. IT CERTAINLY ISN'T THE ATTITUDE OF A DUTIFUL DAUGHTER. BUT I CAN'T LIE TO MYSELF. I KNOW THAT I HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE AND ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ALL SHOULD DO? SHOULDN'T WE TRY TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?
. IF YOU COULD BECOME A JOURNALIST WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT?I WOULD LIKE TO EXPOSE INJUSTICE IN BRITISH SOCIETY. A DECADE INTO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, MODERNITY IS RUSHING TOWARDS US AT THE SPEED OF THE AUTOMOBILE. AND YET CHILDREN STILL LIVE IN SLUMS, DISEASE AND POVERTY STEAL HOPE FROM FAMILIES. THIS IS WRONG.
. If you could go on any adventure without having to worry about your station in life, where would you like to go.?I would like to go back to India. I still think of it as my home, in a way. I'd like to wander around and explore its many beauties.
. What made you fall for Ravi and do you think that you both could ever express your true intentions publicly?Most men look at me and see a title. Others see a pretty face. Ravi is the first man I've ever met who saw me, Ada. Sadly, I don't think we would ever be accepted as a couple by my family. If he were a maharajah, things might be different. But he can offer neither wealth nor status, and so my father would never accept him.
. What changes would you like to be a part of for the improvement of women's rights?I want women to be able to take their place alongside men in every field of work. Therefore I would like to see the universities of Oxford and Cambridge award degrees formally to their female students.
. Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?I hope I will be making a difference in some small way. And I hope I will be happy.
Leila Rasheed has gained an MA in both Children's Literature and Creative Writing. She started work at Reading Is Fundamental, a children's literacy charity, before moving to Belgium. Leila now works as the children's
By Leila Rasheed
Reference: http://religion-events.blogspot.com
7,77 USD
This beautiful candle is infused with herbs for divination and dreaming. You can burn this candle while doing readings for added energy. It will help open your third eye while reading and working. This candle may also be used when doing dream work. It will help with dreams and contact in your dreams. Each candle is made per order so if you want a different intention or more specific herbs please convo me.
Anoint the tops with your favorite blends of oils and herbs if you chose. I can dress them for you inbox me if you would like. Since we all follow our own paths I believe some of us like to use a specific method for this and that is why I leave it up to the customer.
This is great in conjunction with my other divination products. I made them as I like to have a full line of supplies for most purposes. It helps you focus your energies in all aspects.
Everything made in a smoke free home. All products are made according to the cycles of the moon. They are made per order so please allow time to craft yours for you. I can do emergency orders as well, again message me.
* THIS LISTING IS FOR 1 CANDLE
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Reference: http://animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
This is a very early earth religion before people got more advanced to know more than they did. This is where the sun is the father and the earth is the mother. The sun is the Sun God and the earth is the Earth Goddess. Every living thing was worshipped. Every event was chronolized. It was recorded on walls as paintings. Magic was the moment that occurred to people. Faith was in their Gods and Goddesses to get results and in devising of nearly anything that came to their minds. This religion allowed anything that proved good.
Good was a positive built-up result. Bad was something negative that proved to hinder and stop their ability to make effects. Somethings were good and bad, and this was thought from idea of what was observed mentally. Physically, they could achieve nearly anything they set themselve or psyched themselves up to believe. They literally had a skill greater than normal and they could make anything materialize that was energy based. People today call their magic psi and their materialization ability magic.
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Many of the papers presented at the Popular Culture Association's annual convention have proved to be a source of intellectual and reflective gems for me. I have commented on some of them in the past, and with this post I am privileged to interview Michael DeLashmutt, the author of "Religionless in Seattle" that will be part of the forthcoming book "Explorations in Religion and Media Culture" (London, Ashgate, Spring 2009). Michael is Lecturer in the Study of the Christian Church at the University of Exeter in the U.K. where he works in the area of practical theology and has done some fascinating research and writing on techno-theology and posthuman speculative science. He is also a prolific author and some of his work can be found at www.giffordlectures.org. He is an active member of the U.K. Research Network for Theology, Religion and Popular Culture, a film reviews editor for the journal "Political Theology", and an aspirant for Holy Orders within the Episcopal Church (USA) in the Diocese of Olympia.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: Michael, thank you for agreeing to talk about your interesting research in this interview. I know that blog interviews are not something that you usually participate in, but I am trying to do something different with my blogs in the subject matter touched upon and the manner in which it is explored. I'd like to begin by exploring a little about you. How did you come to develop a personal and academic interest in theology and popular culture, and more specifically, how did you come to address specific research topics like information technology and posthuman speculative science?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Thank you for asking me to take part. Your blog seems like an interesting space for discussing such issues and I'm very happy to be a part. I suppose, like most people who study theology and everyday life that my interests were born out of a desire to study things that appeal to me. I remember in the mid-1990s watching movies and hearing songs which talked about God and faith, love, and virtue and thinking to myself that popular forms of media culture were doing a better job at wrestling with these issues than were their correlates in the religious world. To be sure, the evangelical Christian church was keen to use media culture as a venue for the promulgation of the gospel, but the simplistic attitude towards faith and the shoddy production value made such attempts seem childish. Instead, mainstream culture appeared to be voicing more authentic theological concerns whilst maintaining commitment to artistry and craft. At the time, I was involved in Christian ministry and beginning to consider graduate theological education. I wanted to be able to bridge my interest in popular culture with my commitment to the church and my passion for rigorous and critical theological inquiry.
As for information technology, my foray into that field was quite by accident. A child of the 70s, I remember distinctly the first computer that was brought into our home in the early 1980s. I suppose, I'd always been keen to play with this new gadget and eventually found a way to supplement my book-buying budget as an undergraduate student with work in IT. I was living in Seattle at the time, and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to have a part-time job in IT. After having a horrible experience working as a computer lackey at my undergraduate institution (where I was constantly belittled by my over-bearing tyrant of a boss), I moved on to find better and more lucrative work in IT, eventually taking part in the dot-com economy directly before and after the burst of the dot-com bubble in 2001. All the while I was working on my Master's degree at Fuller Seminary and preparing to start a PhD in the UK in 2002. With this heady mix of theology, millennial frenzy, and seemingly unlimited growth in the IT sector, it seemed to me that technology and the ways in which we approach technology, would soon be among the biggest issues for a practical theology to address.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: Earlier this year you presented a paper at the national convention for the Popular Culture Association that caught my attention titled "Religionless in Seattle" that looks at the issues of identity and spirituality as it relates to information technology in the Seattle, Washington area. Your paper has been revised for publication as a chapter in the forthcoming collection edited by Christopher Deacy, "Exploring Religion and the Sacred in a Media Age" (Ashgate Press). At the beginning of your article you reference a "techno-theology" which will likely be unfamiliar to most readers of this interview. Can you touch on what this is and what theologians you have interacted with to construct such a theology?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Techno-Theology was a short-hand term that I started using when I was writing my PhD thesis. I'm sure other scholars have made us of the term quite independently of me, yet I find it to be a handy abbreviation. In sum, I view techno-theology as the antithesis of a theology of technology (something which in my current book I'm trying to outline). A techno-theology considers technology itself (or rather, a reified and essentialist understanding of 'Technology') to be the core facet in the construction of ethics, value, and identity. A techno-theology is an unreflective attitude towards technology which invests human agency and technical capacity with the power to alleviate all human suffering and fulfill the basics of human need. Where this becomes problematic is when the drive for technical mastery or technology development is pursued without concern for the human impact of continued technologization. The role played by theology in this portmanteau of a phrase is more abstract and diffuse than one would expect from the word. In sum, the theology within techno-theology represents an alternative system of values and concerns which strive for ultimate importance. When translated into the language of Christian systematic theology, techno-theologies appear to spawn heterodox eschatologies and soteriologies where the human certainty in human salvific activity in the future and present is exchange for contingent hope in the activity of the Divine. A theology of technology, on the other hand, places the role of the kerygma (the kernel of Christian proclamation) at the centre of our dealings with technology and material culture and asks first after the role of the other in governing our development and use of technology. Moreover, a theology of technology rightly regards technology as a part of the whole of our life-world, judging it alongside other elements of creaturely reality.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: Are many theologians aware of this techno-theology, and do you see this as an increasingly important realm for theologizing to take place?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: My interest in techno-theology is intended to point out the cultural, imaginative, material and scientific elements of technology and to examine how these disparate aspects of 'technology' each contribute to the construction of one's theological world view. Amongst those working within the field of theology and popular culture, the input of media-studies and material culture into the sub discipline has elevated the profile of technology as a concept worth theological reflection. The work of Elaine Graham in post/humanism and Heidi Campbell in new-media are just two examples that come to mind - and to be sure, their projects were very influential for my own thinking on this subject. However, as a whole I have found technology to be an underdeveloped topic within contemporary theological discourse. Serious discussions of technology tend to be pushed to the fringe, whereas a related topic like the sciences still has a tremendous draw. The privileging of a science-theology dialogue over a technology-theology dialogue reveals the late modernist view of science which is still very much at play within contemporary theology. In more postmodern philosophy, however, the philosophical investigation of technology in its own right has become a very interesting field of research. Philosophers of technology who draw upon continental, phenomenological, or hermeneutic themes (Don Ihde, for example) or more conventionally Anglo-American philosophers who still address the philosophical issues raised specifically by technology (Albert Borgmann) have done terrific work in raising the profile of technology as an object of reflection. I believe that it is only a matter of time before theologians begin to more broadly engage with technology as a vital aspect of our lived-life.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: How have information technologies contributed "to the radical construction of identity, community, ethics, and even religious faith" as you discuss in your paper?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Good question! Technologies of information have always placed formative pressures on the ways in which we construct the world around us, whether this is in terms of the technologies of information which were so influential during the Reformation (literacy in general, printing in particular), or the role played by new media in the expansion of Pentecostalism in the American west. Information technology (as most broadly understood) is a medium which transmits the stories we tell about ourselves and our world, though the transmission of these stories is no neutral matter. Early information theorists noted that all forms of data transmission resulted in the attenuation of the signal and the transformation of the content by means of its transmission. No matter how invisible, how seemingly benign or how ubiquitous a technology may become, its role in changing or suitably transmogrifying the underlying information being transmitted cannot be denied. This is why, for me, a theology of technology is ultimately reducible to a robust hermeneutical analysis, which reads not only the stories being conveyed by technologies, but the technologies themselves.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: Your article lists the top eleven cities for computer science MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Three factors played into my selection of Seattle: 1) I have lived in Seattle, on and off, for the last 15 years and I am well connected in the region and able to make use of those connections for the purposes of my research; 2) during the final stage of this research project my research was unfunded and as I was living in the city at the time, I didn't have the resources of a University at my disposal to broaden the scope of my project; 3) the majority of my current research centres on the condition of the Christian Church in the UK and Seattle more closely matches the religious demographic of the United Kingdom than do most other regions in the United States.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: In reading your article I was surprised to find that your research indicates that computer science and information technology does not account for Seattle's low-rates of religious affiliation. Do you think others will be surprised by this, and if so, what does this say about our assumptions or biases about technology as it relates to traditional forms of religious commitment?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: I was certainly surprised. My assumption was that technological and scientific people just don't have time for God. Though this may be the case, it seems from my research that other factors are far more significant in influencing one's self-selection for religious identity. I believe that one of the things that this project points out is how complex one's religious identity truly is. We often assume that by translating the message into a culturally relevant form we'll be able to overcome people's preconceived biases against the Christian story. The truth of the matter is far more complex than either metaphysical incredulity or subaltern presuppositions.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: What other factors are there that you suggest might contribute to the Seattle area's low-rates of religious affiliation?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: I would have to refer you to a fantastic book on the religious climate of the Pacific Northwest: "Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest" (AltaMira Press, 2004) edited by Killen and Silk. The book looks at historical and contemporary religious trends. In my mind, the entrepreneurialism and lack of a unified and singular religious presence in the region over time are the two principal reasons why the region has so dramatically differed from national religious affiliation norms. People in the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle in particular, see themselves as the chief arbiter of truth, goodness and value and the imposition made by organized religions upon the freedom of the individual are seen as meddlesome.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: In your interviews and ethnographic research you also found diversity in the spiritual habits and interests of those in Seattle. Can you summarize some of this?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Well, interestingly many people conveyed some kind of latent spirituality, either in terms of a belief in a diffuse notion of God or gods, or through their respect for various spiritual practices (meditation, yoga, even spiritual cleansings). Yet when pushed as to the ways in which individuals practiced the beliefs which they posited, few showed any of the marks of discipline or even regularity which would, in effect, evince through their practices the centrality of the beliefs and values which they posited. In a sense, St Cyprian's famous dictum 'Outside the Church there is no salvation,' resonates with my own view of religion and spirituality. One cannot confess to a particular kind of spirituality and not follow through with practices, if one wants to maintain any sense of credulity. Eschatological implications aside, you cannot reasonably call yourself a 'Christian' and not at the least attend Church with some frequency. Moreover, you can not call yourself 'spiritual' and not maintain some consistent set of spiritual practices. In my opinion, the spiritual landscape of the United States has increasingly become one that reduces spirituality to a matter of consumer choice.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: I enjoyed your conclusions in the article that are important for continuing research and theological reflection. One of your conclusions noted that computer science and information technology professionals are not the techno fetishists that we many times assume they are. You argue that there appears to be a trend toward the use of such technologies for "ubiquitous computing, social networking technologies, and high-touch." You then suggest that because of this that the ministry and mission of the church might need to rethink its assumptions about the use of technology in worship and the presentation of the Christian message. Can you touch on your thinking here and what the practical implications are, not only for churches in Seattle, but elsewhere in our media saturated culture?
MICHAEL DELASHMUTT: Well, Christian theology has a long and venerable ascetic tradition. If we were to put a moderated form of ascesis into practice today, it would reflect the material theology evinced by the episodic stories in the middle of Luke's Gospel. Luke's Jesus consistently challenges his audience to re-consider their relationship with material wealth in light of Jesus call to self-sacrifice. Neither family, social status, nor material possessions should interfere with the disciples' Jerusalem-ward journey alongside Jesus. Jesus' call is one of self-sacrifice and other-oriented service. This may seem an unusual point to place at the center of a theology of technology, but I believe it is a concern for the other which must be at the heart of our decisions regarding the use and consumption of contemporary technology. Obsolescence is at the heart of contemporary technology. Items are purchased with expiry dates in mind, if only for the purpose of procuring the most recent version. Is it truly honoring to God, the creation, or the other for us to simply buy into the consumerist element of technology culture in order solely to keep up with the times? Does having the most recent gadget really make us happy? Is the latest hand held computer really that much better than the previous version or, moreover, a paper calendar? Though blind consumption of technological goods is a society-wide problem, for many an entrepreneurial Christian church, the consumption of technological goods has become a kind of sacramental duty. Executive pastors seem to think that if they don't have digital projector, the latest AV equipment, and all the gadgets that come with it that their church is bound to fail. We assume that the obstacle which stands in the way of people attending Christian worship services are carpet color, seat materials, and the flashiness of the on screen display. Though the pre-green church of the 80s and 90s may have relied on tactics and technologies for the proclamation of the Gospel; I believe that the current culture-wide shift towards lower-tech and higher-touch uses of technology signals a move away from technological fetishism and a move towards more considered uses of technology.
MOREHEAD'S MUSINGS: Michael, thanks again for making some time to explore this important area of cultural, social and theological reflection.
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original graphic by: Kadri Umbleja
"The power to reveal the future can be a blessed gift,"but be sure to use it wisely"don't get so caught up in knowing the future that you forget the present"
"- Jasmeine Moonsong"
Merry Meet and Good Morning :))) Blessings to you and yours for a magickal day today. Today is Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturdays are ruled by Saturn. Saturn's seemingly infinite journey around the Sun connects us to a greater world beyond. Today is a day of wisdom and awareness. It's a wonderful day to work on spiritual awareness and connection with the divine. Take some time to meditate today and connect with the universal energy. When working with stones today choose to wear turquoise, labradorite, or diamond for protection. Use amethyst in amulets.
The Moon tonight is Waxing First Quarter in Leo. The Waxing Moon is when the moon is getting larger in the sky, and moving towards the full moon. It is the ideal time for magick that draws things towards you bringing about positive changes. The Waxing Moon represents the Goddess in her Maiden aspect. The Maiden is all about new beginnings, youthful ideas and enthusiasm. The Moon in Leo draws emphasis to the self, central ideas, or institutions, away from connections with others and other emotional needs. People can tend to be melodramatic. The magickal color of the day is Gray, and the incense of the day is Rue. Have an amazingly magickal day!
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GENESIS 45:1-15
ROMANS 11:1-2A, 29-32
MATTHEW 15:21-28
LOVE WINS?
" Not long ago there was a great disturbance in the Christian community. It began when the trailer for a new book by Rob Bell was released. A debate arose as to whether the author was an unversalist. After all, he did raise the question - how do we know for sure that Gandhi is in hell. There were those who bid him farewell from their ecclesial ranks, while others embraced him for the first time. It's likely that partisans on both sides of the debate misread the book, but the debate did raise an important issue. What is the nature of God's love? Is it exclusive and conditional is it inclusive and unconditional? For much of Christian history, perhaps of human history, our theological voices have assumed some form of exclusivity, and we have hoped that we are on the inside of the circle and not on the outside. Another reason for our embrace of exclusivity, or a sense of chosenness, is that it gives us a sense of superiority over the other. In other words, "my God's bigger and better than your God." But, what if in the end God's love wins"? What if God sends the rains on the just and the unjust and seeks to reconcile all, so that everyone may share in the bounty and abundance that is God's?
In different ways, these three very intriguing lectionary texts wrestle with these questions. In Genesis, we read of Joseph's family reunion with the very brothers who sold him into slavery. He has the power to bless them or withhold blessings, so what will he do? Then in Romans 11, we find Paul reflecting on the "fate" of his own people, the Jews. Has God thrown them aside in favor of the church, because they haven't responded as favorably to Jesus as Paul would like? Or will God draw them into God's realm anyway, because the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable? Finally, we have one of those texts that upset our picture of Jesus. We want to envision Jesus as loving and welcoming, and yet we have this text where Jesus encounters a Gentile woman and is anything but kind and welcoming. But in the midst of all three texts we're asked - does love win?
As I almost always do, I begin with the reading from the Hebrew Bible. I've been following the Genesis text as much as possible in these reflections, and today we land on the story of Joseph's reunion with his brothers. In an earlier chapter, the brothers, perhaps out of jealousy, decide to kill their younger brother, but upon further reflection decide that selling him into slavery would be more profitable, and in their minds more humane. If you continue reading the story, Joseph makes out pretty well, though not without a few scrapes. His ability to interpret dreams and manage households and then nations lead to his rise in political power. Now, after having interpreted Pharaoh's dream concerning the seven years of abundance and then seven years of famine, he has tasked with over overseeing the gathering of grain and then subsequent distribution of that grain. If only President Obama had such a dreamer in his cabinet! It's in this context that Jacob, the one who had lost a favored son and faces starvation for his family, decides to send his sons to Egypt to obtain grain. Ten of the eleven remaining brothers go on the trip, with only the youngest, Benjamin, staying behind. When Joseph spots his brothers he is overjoyed, but decides to make them jump through a few hoops, including making them go and get Benjamin, before he reveals himself. Throughout this ordeal the brothers have no idea that it is Joseph who holds their fate in his hands. So, when Joseph finally reveals his identity to them, they pull back in fear and guilt. But Joseph welcomes them and forgives them. Don't worry, he tells them, for God has sent me here to save lives. What you meant for evil, God has used for the good of all.
There is a way of reading this passage that makes God into the puppet master, the one who determines every step. But, there is another way of seeing this, one that is perhaps more faithful to the meaning of the text, and if I might borrow from Process Theology as a prism to read the text, we can see God as one who draws out, through persuasion, our participation in creating something good, even if it means adapting to what was meant for evil. So, here is Joseph, having been made father over Pharaoh and master over Egypt, living out a role that God has prepared for him, so that he might be the bearer of salvation - of Egypt and of his own family, from whom he had been estranged. The blessing that would come with reconciliation would be the opportunity to live in Goshen, close to Joseph. And as we see in his response to his brother Benjamin, with whom he shared a mother, God is faithful and loving and merciful. Yes, love wins!
In Romans 9-11 Paul wrestles with the status of his own people, the Jewish people, in relationship to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an important question that has vexed the church for millennia - where do the Jews fit in the realm of God? Is the church the new Israel, replacing the old Israel in the covenant of God? We use the word "supersessionism" to describe this perspective. That has been a predominant view, but Paul appears to go in a different direction. He makes it clear that God hasn't rejected the Jewish people, because "the gifts of calling of God are irrevocable." Once you're a member of the family, you're always a member of the family. Even if, as the brothers of Joseph had done, you reject one of your own, that doesn't lead to your rejection. What it might lead to is blessings for others, outside the family. Yes, Paul may have been frustrated with the "disobedience" of his brothers and sisters in the Jewish community, but in the end he believed that God's covenant love would win out. In his mind, the covenant of God is unconditional. If it was otherwise then we wouldn't have confidence in God's love. It is clear that for Paul, God is not fickle, and in that we can all take solace. Since Paul is writing to Gentile Christians, who may have begun seeing themselves as better than the Jews, Paul offers a reminder that these people remain God's people. But that reminder should be a welcome one, because it reminds us that God's love is steadfast, and that God is concerned about the welfare of every person. With this promise in mind we can turn to the final sentence, where Paul states that "God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all" (vs. 32). The word about imprisonment should give us pause, for it seems to suggest that God is responsible for our disobedience, but the emphasis needs to be placed on the concluding phrase where we're told that God will be merciful to all. We may all stand in disobedience, that is, we're all in this together, but even as God is faithful to this irrevocable covenant with Israel, so God will show mercy to all. Is this a universalist statement? That is a good question. It could simply mean that God will show mercy to those whom God foreknew, a group that isn't completely defined by this text. But, if we all share in disobedience, can it not be that we all share in this mercy of God? Is this not a reminder that, as Paul noted earlier, nothing can separate us from the love of God? (Rom. 8:39). I find the reflections of Kyle Felder in "Feasting on the Word" helpful. Reflecting on Karl Barth's suggestion that Christ is the elect one, the one whom God foreknew, and the one who has been "rejected for our sakes," he writes: "So Paul ends where began, with the fact that nothing can separate us (and hopefully anyone else) from the love of God" ("Feasting on the Word", Year A, Vol. 3, p. 354).
As I noted earlier this reading from the gospel, in which Jesus is confronted by the pleas for help from the Canaanite/Cyrophoenician woman, is a bit startling. Jesus is, in the minds of so many of us, the one who welcomes all into his presence (except maybe self-righteous religious leaders), but here we find him first ignoring the pleas of this woman whose daughter is apparently possessed by demons, and then when he finally addresses her, Jesus tells her that he's only sent to the lost children of Israel. There is in this attitude a real sense of exclusivism. God knows who is in and obviously this woman isn't on the list.
The woman, however, keeps after him. She won't let up, and even as the disciples urge Jesus to send her away, he decides to engage her in conversation. But again, this isn't the loving and welcoming Jesus we all know and love. This is a rather nasty and bigoted Jesus, or so it seems. Why should he attend to her needs, for it's not appropriate to give the children's food to the dogs? Does this sound like the Jesus we know and love? How do we account for this Jesus who calls this woman (and the people she represents) dogs? Remember that in this culture dogs aren't the beloved pets they are in our culture. This is as insulting as one could get. But the woman remains persistent and even accepts Jesus' description of her, if it will get his attention. She says to him, don't even the dogs get to share in the crumbs from the table? Could she not at least have a few crumbs for her daughter? What could Jesus say then? How could he push her aside, for there was no answer to her question? And so, Jesus says to her: what faith you have, "let it be done for you as you wish." At that moment the girl is healed. Some have suggested that this encounter is a conversionary moment - not on the part of the woman, but on the part of Jesus. It is in this encounter that the kingdom vision of Jesus expands beyond the Jewish community to embrace the whole of creation. That may be difficult solution for some to embrace, for how could Jesus need to be converted? But however we answer the question as to why Jesus responded to the woman in this way; it does seem that Jesus has embraced the message of mercy and reconciliation that is present in the Genesis text and in Romans 11. That is, it seems that since mercy has been shown to one who seemed outside the bounds of divine mercy, the door must be open to all and that all are welcome.
Yes, it seems that love does win!
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Was this a fair experiment? Perhaps the laboratory setting suppresses psychic abilities. The BBC reports:
The test by researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London, tried to establish whether mediums could use psychic abilities to identify something about five unseen volunteers. The results, carried out under test conditions, did not show evidence of any unexplained powers of insight.
The experiment asked two professional mediums to write something about five individuals who were concealed behind a screen. These five volunteers were then asked to try to identify themselves from these psychic readings - with a success rate of only one in five. This was a result that was "entirely consistent with the operation of chance alone", said Professor French.
But one of the mediums, Patricia Putt, rejected the suggestion that this showed any absence of psychic powers - saying that she needed to work face-to-face with people or to hear their voice, so that a connection could be established. "Psychic energy" was not likely to work in the setting created for the experiment, she said.
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I was raised in a Roman Catholic home. My dad never went to church, and my mom and I pretty much only went on holidays and for bingo but she took all of it pretty seriously in her own way. I had a godmother that I saw two or three times a year that always gave me prayer By the time I was 21, I was married for two years into an Evangelical Christian family that had made it quite clear that I was not acceptable to them as a non-Christian. I was soon working at a bridal shop staffed by charismatics and had a "born-again" experience. For the next 15+ years I went from traditional Presbyterian to Evangelical to adult reconversion in the RC church and ended up in the Eastern Orthodox church as a fervent, zealous convert.
My religious beliefs in part led me to end my marriage of 17 years. In the two years following my divorce I spent my time searching for understanding: why did our Christian friends turn their back on me? Why did my priest not even try to help? What was the basis behind the doctrines that influenced my reasons for leaving? I was able for the first time to examine my beliefs and the very foundation of Christianity itself. In concluding that the faith and scripture was built on little credible evidence, I was left to examine whether *any* religion was true. It was scary and I strongly resisted the process, but I eventually concluded that what described what I was left with was atheism.
Reference: http://master-of-tarot.blogspot.com
- Original Message -
> I want to share something with you a few years ago, and my search for spiritual
> knowlege i joint a group. and a,fter few year with them i desided not to continued
> getting their teaching, because there where some contradiction. And for that reason i
> became their enemy.
Aloha Gilbert,
That's very common.
Mere knowledge without virtue is worse than ignorance.
I've had to put up with a number of those types over the years myself, and everybody must struggle with similar passions within yourself on a daily basis.
By dedicating yourself to purification (kala), you do not attract those energies, keeping focused on 'I'o-tumu... the very highest perspective... you become more and more pure.
Now look...
Those prideful gurus despise having their contradictions exposed, and they usually "blame the messenger" and they quickly use anger, intimidation, and guilt-installation to manipulate and control.
By keeping to your regular kala, they remain completely impotent because their only power is what they can steal from you.
That's why doing a daily Ha Rite (pule) is so essential.
The complete Hooponopono manual we developed with Morrnah Simeona has all the prayers you need to do kala.
Even though Kala is only a part of the Ha Rite, it is probably the most important part.
And you'll better understand why below.
The ultimate goal of doing Hooponopono is creating harmony between your three selves.
This requires the complete relaxation of your body, the cleansing of all those unconscious negative programs from deep within your inner self and the conscious mind, followed by meditation on your 'Aumakua to "draw it near to you."
Read that again, because it really packs severl Master Keys together in a profound way. It sounds simple, and it is "simple" because all wisdom is simple...
... it's in the nitty-gritty how-to-do-it that takes a lifetime.
Think about it.
* complete relaxation of the body... Complete!
* total cleansing of your deepest inner self... totally!
* harmonizing the conscious mind with the Divine Will
* etc.
THAT is the Truth of Huna!.
Onward.
> After this about 3 months ago i found out that did black magic to me. I think that they
> shut off my solar plexus center. can you help me.or tell me what i have to do.
Pure A-LO-HA and the blessing of 'I'o upon you.
I'll explain exactly what you need to do, with the assistance of the Poe 'Aumakua below, and first... let me explain...
You are NOT alone!
"Pandora's Box" was opened upon the world with the spread of "spiritualism," New Thought, and what is now generally called the "New Age" movement.
There is a huge difference between a "good person" and a holy person.
... anyone who pretends to be holy should be avoided at every cost.
We're ALL human!
... and that means we're all "imperfect" and striving toward perfection. So, even if every New Thought leader of the past century began with the highest and best intentions, the energies they unleashed brought destruction.
The Theosophists appeals to "masters" on the spiritual plane, and countless "channelled entities" easily fool so many with their simplistic but entertaining feats of syllogistic expositions that any and every unihipili can and does perform quite easily.
Even Max Freedom Long, who had only limited communication with Kahuna after moving to California, suffered some terrible effects resulting from his earliest experimentation with healing energies.
And here's why...
Without a long-lasting and very close relationship with experienced Elders from the Ancient Tradition, you're on your own.
The spiritual seeker who tries to guide himself has a fool for a student.
The world is full of sorcerers and misconceptions, and that is why I encourage everyone to thoroughly investigate everything that you're reading.
These teachings were traditionally kept under lock-and-key... NOT out of greed or control or power, but to protect the uninitiated from the awesome power of these energies.
If you're playing with fire, you will get burt.
This is of the utmost importance!
We recently filmed a Huna Practitioner Certification, I agreed to put it on DVD, and we're going to have to pull it from the market because the company that is producing the DVDs put some parts of the training that should NEVER go out to the general public!
The Kupuna are here to keep you safe!
So the very first thing that you must do to protect yourself from their black magic is this...
You have to forgive them.
Why?
... it's pretty simple.
They don't understand what their doing.
... if they did, they wouldn't be doing it.
We may always be dealing with the consequences of renegade teachers who place their own interests above all... that's part of human nature!
Look at the "tourist industry Huna" some people in Hawaii are promoting today.
Led by self-appointed "kahuna" who claim they met some mysterious and unidentifiable "kahuna" years ago, but no one else has ever seen or heard of them nor ever discovered who they were supposed to be. They look sort of Hawaiian because they sprinkle Hawaiian symbols around indiscriminately, including a number of powerful black magic symbols, mixed together with positive symbols, and they're openly experimenting with all of them together equally. They have inexperienced students meditating on what so many of our Elders would instantly recognize as being pure evil. They're even trying to use them for healing!
Understand... this is definitely nothing new!
You can find exactly the same thing happening in every nation throughout history.
The "Kahuna Motto"
In the "House of Teave" they had a seal-of-secrecy to protect people from themselves... from aspiring to things for which they were not prepared.
And there was clearly good reason for having a minimum of 20-years preparation required in the Ancient Traditions before a Kahu beginning to teach.
The initiate can only prepare to command through learning to obey!
Practically everyone who's ever written a book on spirituality comes from that very limited perspective... enthusiastically sharing what they've learned of the spiritual realm long before they've gained proper experience and perspective.
That's just human nature...
... so you have to forgive them.
Forgive them now.
I will personally be working on this for you at 9am and 9pm daily (see mr. james vinson wingo: my name is gilberto l. gutierrez, and want to share something with you a few years ago, and my search for spiritual knowlege i joint a group. and a,fter few year with them i desided not to continued getting their teaching, because there where some contradiction. And for that reason i became their enemy.After this about 3 months ago i found out that did black magic to me. I think that they shut off my solar plexus center. can you help me.or tell me what i have to do.
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