Tek-Gnostics

Cowboy Psychedelica – Kesey & the Superhero Mythos

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:19:24 PST

The current fantasy… yes... just Kesey and a couple of Merry Pranksters left on the Bus... a tape drones on… in a weird voice, full of Ouija-whammy:

“the blissful counterstroke ... a considerable new message ... a considerable new message... the current fantasy.”

Fantasy is a word Kesey has taken to using more and more, for all sorts of plans, ventures, world views and ambitions… it is a good word… it is ironic… and it isn't. It takes a rare kind... Because always comes the moment when it's time to take the Prankster circus further on toward Edge City. And always at that point some good souls are startled… Hey, wait!

Kesey can remember them all, people who thought he was great so long as his fantasy coincided with theirs. But every time he pushed on further… and he always pushed on further… they became confused and resentful… The tape winds on:

“the blissful counterstroke... through workhorse and intercourse... the blood that was available to him in intercourse... made us believe he was in the apple sauce for twenty years.”

Only lucky dogs and Merry Pranksters can understand this supersonic warble! Most likely… the blissful counterstroke… The current fantasy… but how to tell them?

About such arcane little matters as Captain Marvel and The Flash ... and The Life… and the very Superkids... a considerable new message . . . the blissful counter-stroke?

But of course! The feeling… out here at night, free, with the motor running and the adrenaline flowing, cruising in the neon glories of the new American night. It was very Heaven to be the first wave of the most extraordinary kids in the history of the world… only 15, 16, 17 years old… dressed in the haute couture of pink Oxford shirts, sharp pants, snaky half-inch belts, fast shoes—with all this Straight-6 and V-8 power underneath and all this neon glamour overhead, which somehow tied in with the technological super-heroics of the jet, TV, atomic subs, ultra-sonics… Postwar American suburbs… glorious world!

And the hell with the intellectual bad-mouthers of America's tailfin civilization... they couldn't know what it was like or else they had it cultivated out of them… the feeling… to be very Superkids! The world's first generation of the little devils… feeling immune, beyond calamity. One's parents remembered the sloughing common order, War & Depression. But Superkids knew only the emotional surge of the great payoff, when nothing was common any longer…

The Life! A glorious place, a glorious age, I tell you! A very Neon Renaissance… and the myths that actually touched you at that time… not Hercules, Orpheus, Ulysses, and Aeneas… but Superman, Captain Marvel, Batman, The Human Torch, The Sub-Mariner, Captain America, Plastic Man, The Flash… but of course! What did they think it was… quaint?

When Kesey talked about the comic-book Superheroes as the honest American myths? It was a fantasy world already… this electro-pastel world of Mom & Dad & Buddy & Sis… in the suburbs. There they go, in the family car, a white Pontiac Bonneville sedan… the family car! A huge crazy god-awful powerful fantasy creature to begin with… 327 horsepower, shaped like twenty-seven nights of lubricious luxury brougham seduction… you're already there, in Fantasyland, so why not move off your smug-harbor quilty-bed dead center and cut loose… go ahead and say it… Shazam! Juice it up to what it's already aching to be: 327,000 horsepower, a whole superhighway long and soaring, screaming on toward...

Edge City… and ultimate fantasies, current and future... Billy Batson said Shazam! and turned into Captain Marvel. Jay Garrick inhaled an experimental gas in the research lab... and began traveling and thinking at the speed of light as... The Flash… the current fantasy… Yes.

- Excerpt from Tom Wolfe’s “Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.”

The Yankee and Cowboy Psychedelic War (updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:10:31 PST

Since before it’s founding in 1776, the history of America’s colonization and expansion is one of embattled ideologies… competing for dominance and control of the American socio-political landscape. Indeed, what was to become the United States of America was born of violent revolution against the British Empire. Other illustrations of colliding American ideologies include: Settlers (european invaders) vs Native Tribes (indigenous population), North (yankee) vs South (rebel), Democrat (jackass) vs Republican (elephant), etc. A contemporary, albeit slightly more obscure example of such dichotomy is what can be referred to as the clash between the Eastern Yankee and the Western Cowboy.

In 1976 Carl Oglesby published a book entitled: The Yankee and Cowboy War: Conspiracies from Dallas to Watergate. In that book, Oglesby outlines one version of the concept that there exists in the United States, a power struggle between the East Coast, Ivy League, powers-that-be, Yankee establishment, pedigreed old money… and the West Coast, Nuevo riche, big oil, silicon valley, Cowboy cabal, upstart new money. Oglesby argued that the seemingly unrelated events of Dallas (1963), Memphis (1968), Watergate (1972)… even the demise of the Howard Hughes empire… are all tied together in a vast conspiracy whereby one power elite attempts to overthrow and replace the other.

These monumental events of US history, viewed from the perspective of The Yankee and Cowboy war, take on new and interesting nuances concerning “who is really pulling the strings” in American politics of power. Seemingly unrelated events “fall into place” in light of the possibility of an East Coast-West Coast power elite struggle. As in all good conspiracies, there potentially exist multiple factions… indeed factions within factions… in each power elite camp. Possible factions include… the mob, the CIA, organized labor, Goldman Sachs, the high tech industry, the Heritage Foundation, the Hollywood establishment, NASA, the Supreme Court… the list goes on.

The question becomes… which faction is battling for which power elite? Are they loyal and under what circumstances do they switch sides? For instance, what clandestine role does NASA play in its off-world operations and is NASA Yankee controlled… or does it align with Cowboy high tech? And is high tech Cowboy? Oh what a tangled web. There is enough fodder in Oglesby’s Yankee-Cowboy theory to keep any respectable conspiracy theorist busy for many a computer screen lit, search-engine driven night.

Contemporary political issues especially post 9/11, take on a more sinister shade, given Oglesby’s premise. What black ops organizations were put into play in the name of Homeland Security… devoid of any congressional oversight… in the days and weeks that followed 9/11? The ramifications of Top Secret America suggest a splintering of motivations of these cabals, rather than a unified America standing up to international terrorism. The puzzle pieces of contemporary American politics suddenly re-arrange in interesting ways.

The current election cycle alone is mind-bending within a Yankee-Cowboy war scenario. In light of the above, we encourage the curious to dig deeper into this theory… yet our interest is focused upon another, more arcane facet of the Yankee-Cowboy power struggle. We suggest that during the exact same time-line as Oglesby’s East-West discord, there existed a co-occurring and deeper struggle, waged for the very soul of America… especially the American youth. This was a deeper struggle in the sense that its influence went beyond political, into the cultural and psychological… dare we say archetypical… framework of American consciousness.

Amid the socio-political turmoil of the era, there was in America, a lotus-blossoming of philosophical and spiritual inner exploration. This was fueled in part by the availability to the Western World, of materials on comparative religions of the East, especially those of Buddhism and Hinduism. Interest in Theosophy from the previous century, along with the works of Herman Hesse, Aldus Huxley and Alan Watts added fuel to the fire of what was to become the new Western spiritual quest. If Eastern spiritualism was a figurative fuel to a philosophic fire, psychoactive substances, most notably LSD-25 was like gasoline thrown onto the flame.

LSD-25… that hideous/wondrous trickster… that two-faced creator/destroyer Shiva, sipping soma from a goblet made of human scull… pearlescent jewel of day-glow night-light… perfectly (both literally and metaphorically) encapsulated for the West in the form of a little pill. Enlightenment in a bottle… conveniently manufactured for the West by the alchemists at Sandoz laboratories.

Mirroring the dichotomy of the Eastern and Western philosophical tradition… born of it… was the distinctly American manifestation of a psychedelic cultural revolution. The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words psihi and diloun… which translates to soul manifesting. The American East Coast approached psychedelia in a distinctly different manner that did the American West. Yankees and Cowboys… Each coast had its unique spin on the burgeoning psychedelic culture, complete with holy places, heroes and villains.

The East Coast lineup included such lysergic luminaries as the “Cambridge Three” ie: Drs Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert and Ralph Metzner, all professors at the pride of the Ivy League: Harvard University. While at Harvard, beginning in 1960, the good doctors conducted research on the effects of psychoactive substances. This study was known as the Harvard Psilocybin Project. Leary and Alpert went beyond academia… leaving Harvard… each to establish their own intertwining psychedelic sub-faction. They also colonized the holy psychedelic sanctuary infamously known as Millbrook, thereby defining the East-coast intellectual Yankee psychedelic bloc.

The West Coast bloc consisted, in part, of Oregon Author Ken Kesey, the Merry Pranksters and poet & lyricist Robert Hunter, of Grateful Dead fame. Kesey and Hunter were both indoctrinated into psychedelia by volunteering as research subjects for the CIA backed MK-ULTRA experiments involving LSD-25 and other psychedelic drugs. This covert (and illegal) experimentation commenced in 1959 and continued into the late 1960s at Kesey’s alma mater, the West Coast’s pillar of learning: Stanford University. Kesey’s Acid Tests became the travelling psychedelic circus/temple that defined the West-coast-hippy Cowboy psychedelic bloc.

Kesey's Bus "Furthur"

Synchronistically… both Harvard and Stanford appear to be independently researching psychedelia at approximately the same time… and (coincidentally?) some of the same political factions identified in Oglesby’s book, are also nefariously at work behind the scenes of the psychedelic revolution.

Thus began the Yankee and Cowboy Psychedelic War… a campaign of consciousness… a clash of philosophic strategies on how to "break on through" the doors of perception… more accurately considered a revolution than a war. Interestingly, the origin of the word "War" is from the Old High German: werran, meaning to confuse... for the 60s were necessarily confusing times in America. The innocence of the Eisenhower years were slipping away, even as the military-industrial complex, Ike warned us about... was cranking up.

In retrospect, the 60s were a high-water mark for American culture, for good or ill. The 60s also marked the true beginning of the new millennium… the new world. The effects of the psychedelic revolution are still being played out today. The so-called counterculture of the 60s was the beginning, the precursor to the social networking of the 21st century. The 60s counterculture was the first reaction, the first response to the industrial-military complex… the machine… or in Kesey’s words…the combine (One Flew over the Cockoo’s Nest). The 60s counterculture was the first "strike against the Empire."

Change of this magnitude takes time. What occurred with Leary, et al on the East Coast and Kesey and company in the West, is much more important than we realize… even today. The seed of psychedelia that was planted then… has germinated… incubated… and quietly blossomed into a global world view… a global mind. The rise and proliferation of personal computing… as a technology of personal freedom… is a now-obvious outcome of the incubator that was the 60s. What occurred then is inextricably tied to who we are now and who we will become. For the psychedelic experience, drugs aside, is the consciousness of the future… and in the words of Ken Kesey…

“Yer either on the Bus... or yer off the Bus.”

The Secret Sun & the Hornet's Nest (Updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:13:54 PST

A good read and even better commentary over @ Chris Knowles’ blog…

The Secret Sun: Ron Paul: Race, Ritual and the Scottish Rite

Clownshow 2012: Brother Ron and the All-Seeing Eye

Occupy your Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:09:07 PST

We found the following video, left on our doorstep in the night… just like a newborn babe, swaddled in a blanket of hope… of the possibilities of things to come. This babe, obviously abandoned by that bent old villain, 2011… is an inspiration to us… so we share it with you. May baby 2012 bring peace and joy to us all…

What a long, strange trip it's been...

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:53:02 PST

Happy New Year from a Dead guy...

Book of the Dead

Tek-Gnostics Year in Review - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:41:18 PST

“May the New Year bring you courage to break your resolutions early!!! My own plan is to swear off every kind of virtue, so that I triumph even when I fall!”

― Aleister Crowley, Moonchild

from January 4th – The Vibratory Nature of Universe

from February 8th – Navigating the Apocalypse 1.4… Revolution in Babylon

from February 25th – Egypt, Sacred Geometry & the Eight Brain Model

from April 11th – DNA and Future Memory part 2

from May 23rd – Rapture & Disclosure

from September 18th – Listen…

from October 2nd – Shamanic Dreams pt 1

from October 19th – Syncromystic “CosmicTrigger” #9

from November 11th – Triple Eleven

Jesus was the first "Occupy" Revolutionary

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:53:36 PST

The ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement is the most significant manifestation of a popular revolt against the “powers that be” & the “status quo” …since the civil rights & anti war protests of the 1960s. Like its late 20th century cousin, Occupy (OWS) is an immaculate expression of our collective frustration with the corrupt nature of our political and economic systems.

The dysfunction of our political institutions is outrageously matched by the arrogance and downright gluttony of our financial institutions. Imagine the audacity of a government providing not only cover for the largest transfer of wealth from the many (99%), to the few (1%), in modern history… but a fiscal bail-out when the greedy financial institutions got caught with their pants down. In this regard, the OWS provided the public service of clearly (and relatively innocently) pointing out that “The emperor wears no clothes” both politically and fiscally.

To those inside the beltway, as well as those in Manhattan’s financial district, the “occupiers” are completely unfathomable. Imagine a politically amorphous group that purposely organizes and governs by consensus… that allows for a complex series of interrelated issues to be considered, rather than parroting a single sound-bite/issue. To the powers that be, unfortunately including the news media, the occupiers are a new and exotic species.

There is, however a historical if not mythological precedence for this outlandish behavior. We’re talking about the big JC, whose birthday will be celebrated across much of the planet. Remember tidings of great joy… Peace on Earth, goodwill toward man? Was it not Jesus who threw out the money changers from the temple?

In fact, it was Jesus who first utilized the now famous “call and response” method of public address, popularized by the occupiers. It just so happens that we have procured footage of Jesus using this mode of address just prior to his crucifixion in Nazareth.

Roll tape…

Correction: It has been brought to our attention that the man featured in the above footage is not Jesus, but rather another Messiah of the era known only as Brian. We can neither confirm nor deny such allegations… In fact, we cannot even confirm much of the acts attributed to Jesus. Much of the mythology surrounding JC may have been appropriated from the Persian deity, Mithras… or even the Egyptian sky deity, Horus.

As for us… we throw our hat in Santa’s ring! Regardless of competing dogmas, we at Tek-Gnostics wish you and yours a very merry solstice, and a happy new year!

Shamanic Dreams - part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:35:02 PST

We highly recommend re-reading part one of the “Shamanic Dreams” series, prior to reading part two. Follow the provided link below...

Shamanic Dreams - Pt 1

The second dream occurred within a few nights of the initial dream. As in the previous “ayahuasqueros” dream, consciousness within the dream realm came to me in the middle of an ongoing situation of consequence. Where the first dream’s setting was completely organic… a tropical grotto, the subsequent dream was housed within an immense warehouse complex. Where the first dream was sun-lit, the second was dimly illuminated by some recessed or indirect lighting. As in the earlier dream, the atmosphere… also filtering luminous, smoky beams… produced a soft, warm, otherworldly effect.

As my awareness and interactive abilities focused, I examined my surroundings. I was moving through the periphery of what appeared to be a large, many-chambered industrial interior. The structure had a sprawling, open floor plan with walls branching out, labyrinth-like. The walls were seemingly unattached to the massive super-structure ceiling, which resulted in an over-glow lighting effect that indicated the immensity of the structure and provided navigational insight. The over-glow suggested a large, main chamber nearby, where a massive gathering was taking place.

Lights and music of an electronic/psychedelic nature wafted through the open ceiling, signaling that a party or some other club-like event was in full swing. The sound of laughter reached my ear, as if it were an integral part of the music mix. The desire to further explore the nearby goings on was intense and yet I hesitated. As in the earlier dream, there was an unspoken and unexplainable question of invitation that troubled my mind. Some inner sense of propriety or prudence… held me back.

It was at this moment I realized I was travelling with a companion. A sense of otherness or un-familiar familiarity emanated from my cohort. As my dream took a turn from observation to communication, it became apparent that my “friend” had something for me... a gift… a wonderful, terrible gift. We discreetly moved to a nearby un-occupied bar or standing table.

The neon green glass vial that my companion produced from his trench-coat glowed in stark contrast to the dim, shadowy lighting that concealed our immediate locale. The small vial or tube was housed in an intricate mechanism of (apparent) alien design. It looked more like a miniature stasis tube than an illicit substance vial. As he held the device for me to see, cradled in his palm, its green phosphorescence lit both of our faces. Peering at its glow, it produced the same sense of awe as a Spielberg film’s baby blue background glow effect does… an evocation of wonder.

The glow came not from the mechanism, but from a viscous, almost gelatinous liquid secured inside the tube. I instantly understood the implications. If this substance wasn’t LSD-25, it was something more exotic and potent. Again, the implication was of off-world origin. Simply examining the vial brought on symptoms of impending psychedelic adventure and exploration. I yawned, nervously.

Alas, the dream realm has a way of morphing to other locations and other circumstances, as is the case here. There is much more that I could relate about this dream, as well as the earlier dream. There are many more details of nuance. But in retrospect, the interesting aspect of these two specific dreams is revealed in their contrasts. The difference between the two dreams was literally like day and night.

The “ayahuasquero” dream took place during the day, immersed in nature, while the LSD dream took place at night, in an industrial setting. The sunlit glow of the first dream felt warm and organic, the cradle of Gaia, while the atmosphere of the second dream was darker, industrial and possibly even off-world. It wasn’t even clear where in space and time the second dream took place. I could have been on a large transport bound for the rings of Saturn (the dream realm allows for such).

Although both dreams included a spirit helper or companion, the “ayahuasquero” helper was clearly an advocate, while the companion of the second dream had a more sinister feel of a dealer, or broker. If the spirit helpers were aspects of my “higher self” or my “dark side,” an angle on one shoulder, a devil on the other… the contrast could not have been greater.

Arguably, the two dreams chronicled here share the hemispheric difference typified by Tek-Gnostics. The “ayahuasquero” dream appears to suggest a traditional quest for knowledge of the shamanic realm… with time tested access to the parallel worlds of magical and mystical ritual. The LSD dream, on the other hand, reflects a shortcut approach of psychedelic experience… a synthetic entheogenic route devoid of time honored tradition. The first dream explores the realm of the faerie, the second… alien encounter. This may explain the darker feel of the second dream.

These dichotomies play into a greater narrative at Tek-Gnostics... the philosophical yin-yang of Tek vs Gnosis. One hemisphere of the tekgnostic mind pursues the outward, overt aspects of the technology of consciousness. Here the focus is on the “how” of Tek-Gnostics, the artifacts and yogas of consciousness exploration... the form of being. The other hemisphere contemplates the inner, covert elements of knowledge or gnosis of the mysteries. Here the focus is on the “why” of Tek-Gnostics, the meditative understanding… the essence of being. The Tek path pursues the manifestation of universe, while the Gnostic path explores the ineffable mystery of universe.

As is pointed out in ancient texts… the concepts explored within these two dreams diverge in the naming only. Mystery upon mystery… the gateway to Tek-Gnosis.

Eight Circuit Addendum

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 09:09:15 PST

The following chart, the “Periodic Table of Evolution” is being provided herein as an addendum to the Eight Circuit model of Consciousness. A more thorough description of this system/tool can be found on our web-site...

Eight Brain Model

The eight-circuit or "8 brain model" is a system/tool used for understanding the human nervous system and accelerating human consciousness. It was “popularized” or “westernized,” if you will, by the infamous Dr. Timothy Leary. Leary in turn received this information in the form of an obscure manuscript, penned by a Tantric Yoga Master in India, from a certain "Professor Adams." Leary's brilliance was in the integration of the Eastern Hindu and Tantric teachings with Western Psychology and Psychedelic inner exploration.

Imagine eight subtle spiraling wheels of energy, one above the other, tethered by a translucent chord of life-force or “chi” suspended and flowing through your body. This energy nexus extends hierarchically upward from the base of your spine, to the top of your scull. Each individual circuit represents a major behavior mode or center of consciousness, from basic survival instinct to extra-sensory perception and beyond.

The lower circuits model mundane human behaviors, while the higher circuits model a framework that transcends time and space. As suggested above, each of the eight circuits may be visualized as corresponding to the "Chakra" system taught by Hindu schools of thought. Circuit one through seven line up with the seven chakras localized in the earthling body. Circuit one equates to the "Muladhara" or base chakra, and so on. Although each circuit does not correspond exactly with the eastern teachings for each chakra, the analogy is a useful one for locating each of the first seven circuits within the earthling body.

Circuit eight is non-local... The curious are encouraged to investigate this system by following the hyperlinks provided above…

Zombies invade Amerika!

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:09:13 PST

It was never my intent to get sucked into AMC’s adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s comic book series The Walking Dead… but upon an enthusiastic recommendation by my first-born, I tuned in shortly after last season’s premiere. The TV series roughly follows the plot of the comic book. Southern Sheriff wakes up from a coma to find himself a survivor in a Zombie Apocalypse. That pretty much brings the un-initiated reader up to speed.

What makes the series compelling isn’t the gore and goo of the “walkers” (the term zombie isn’t used) but rather the questions raised of what it means to be “human” in a world gone zombie. What is it that makes us any different from the advancing creatures? How do we retain your moral and spiritual integrity when faced with un-human (inhumane) hoards?

One might ask: From whence did these hoards come?

Zombies come from the Congo (not Benin where Voodoo comes from) where the word, “nbzambi” refers to their primary sprit and/or refers to one’s soul. When the Trans-Atlantic slave trade mixed peoples from all over the African Atlantic Coast, the zombie found a new home in Voodoo. There are actually four types of zombies in Voodoo; the Great Spirit, the Spiritual Soul, the Herbal Zombie and the Bargained Zombie.

The word zombie (in Haitian it is "zombi") means "spirit of the dead." Voodoo folklore contends that a Bokor, or Voodoo priest that is concerned with the study and application of black magic, possesses the ability to resurrect the deceased through the administration of coup padre. Coup padre is a powder that is issued orally, the primary ingredient of which is tetrodoxin, the deadly substance of the notoriously poisonous fou-fou, or "porcupine fish."

According to legend, a person who has annoyed his/her family and community to the point that they can no longer be tolerated is dealt with by hiring a Bokor to turn them into a zombie. Once they have been issued the coup padre, the subjects being prepared for their descent into zombie-dom would appear to die insofar as their heart rate would slow to a near stop, their breathing patterns would visibly subside and their body temperature would significantly decrease.

The unsuspecting would think that the person was dead. Family would bury him/her as if they were a corpse. Later, they would then be exhumed, still alive, by the Bokor and, although their physicality remained intact, their memory would be erased and they would be transformed into mindless drones. "Though still living, they would remain under the Bokor's power.

Contemporary Voodoo believes in the existence of one supreme God (Bondye), a very abstract, omnipotent yet unknowable force. Below this almighty God, Spirits or Loa rule over the world's affairs in matter of family, love, happiness, justice, etc. Contrary to popular belief, Loas (also referred to as Mystères and the Invisibles) are not deities in and of themselves, but rather act as intermediaries between Bondye (Bon Dieu, or good god) the Creator, who is distant from the world, and humanity.

Offerings are made to the appropriate Loa to ensure success in specific areas. Each Loa has its preferred fruits or vegetables, color, number, day of the week, etc. The Loa also manifest through elements of nature such as the wind and rain, lightning and thunder, the river, the ocean, the sky, the sun, and certain animals.

Li Grand Zombi (also known as Damballah Wedo) is a major Loa of worship among New Orleans Voodooists. Li Grand Zombi is the snake spirit in Voodoo, derived from the Congolese name for the same principal entity. The snake used by the renowned New Orleans voodoo practitioner, Marie Laveau was said to have been called “li grand zombi.” The Louisiana mud snake used in rituals is sometimes called “ouncongo.”

The current fascination with all things zombie is a revealing trend in contemporary pop culture. The zombie obviously strikes a nerve within our collective unconscious. But what is it exactly that shuffles about, moaning in the dark, just below the surface of our consciousness? Are the un-dead hoards symbolic of mindless consumerism? Are these creatures lurking just beyond our under-protected borders, ready to pour through a break in the fence… in mass… to prey upon the unsuspecting? Are these the failed product of our under-funded schools… mindless methamphetamine monsters… slowly closing in? Surely these slack-jawed amblers are not representative of a zombified population, blindly accepting politics as usual… following the bidding of Bokor politicians?

Zombies have indeed invaded our collective psyche. It is clear that a zombie can represent the Jungian shadow. That which is repulsive, rejected and repressed within each of us. Jung wrote that everyone carries a shadow… and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. In this regard, we have met the zombie and they are us. But what of the current popularity of the zombie apocalypse?

Mass media reflects the consciousness of the culture in which it is generated. Is the current zombie invasion indicative of a culture in decay… a society spiritually bankrupt and consumed by violence? Unlike Japan’s nuclear Godzilla archetype… a great strange "other" bringing death and destruction to the innocent… zombies are a manifestation of the personal and collective shadow of a society that is capable of perpetuating such devastation. Zombie hoards mark a civilization ending event.

Early in the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, protesters dressed like zombies with dollar bills spewing from their mouths. This creative (if not melodramatic) image was captured by the press and broadcast around the planet. What a poignant visual meme that was! It encapsulated and demonstrated to the world a very complex realization in America’s social development. Recognizing the zombie within our culture is the first step toward understanding, addressing and ultimately integrating the collective shadow.

These are the first steps toward avoiding the zombie apocalypse. Recognition of the inhumane consequences of the rise of globalization and corporate malfeasance is the first tentative movement toward healing that which infests our culture.

This is also a time of reckoning. We must put right these things in order to survive and grow as a culture. The beauty in all this is… we are up for the task. We may suffer some growing pains, but the effort will be well worth it. We owe it to our kids.

Seven Elephants in the Room

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:37:38 PST

7 Elephants Now Thrashing Your Living Room - by Zen Gardener

According to the mass media fog machine, the following phenomena are really not worth reporting. In fact, by their omission they literally do not fully exist in people's minds but are just slight vague ephemeral illusions dancing on the fringe of their consciousness.

As many people say to this day... "If 9/11 was an inside job the media would have been all over it."

Conditioning complete.

Here They Come...Just 7 Of The Herd for Starters...

Elephant # 7... Marginalization Of Extra "Ordinary" Phenomena

What UFOs? 10's of thousands of sightings doesn't apparently mean squat if "official sources" don't acknowledge their existence. A secret space program and mega militarization of space? "C'mon, they couldn't hide something like that! And underground bases? That would be such a story the media would never ignore and surely someone would have spoken up about them."

Mind control? "Now who would do that to you but a demonic Asian in a POW camp? Get over it. It's not possible any more. I'm a free entity, there's no way they could pull that off. Pass the cool aid, honey, I'm thirsty.."

Funny, they talk about the technological capability to do things like these, and put out scores of movies on these subjects, but in order to apply it to your reality they've positioned themselves as the final authority on every subject. For example, that the wicked PTBs may be targeting the general population with mind control techniques, never mind manipulating thousands of actual Manchurian candidates around the world would seem crazy to most. Yet they know advertising works on this very basis.

But again, that's been cleverly camouflaged, excused and justified as "free enterprise". Clever little bastards, aren't they?

"And now those wackos are talking about secret societies, ritual child abuse and paedophilia amongst the elites? All that stuff's nonsense. Why the news man would laugh at all that, honey. I could tell by the smirk on his face not to believe all that stuff in that interview..."

And consciousness and extra-dimensional realities? That's relegated to "scientists" to package up and serve in some remote non-applicable sanitized fashion. Otherwise, you talk about that stuff and you're a new age paranoid conspiracy nut job.

Again, the false choice technique...neither option they give you is the Truth.

Find Elephants 1 thru 6 (complete article) here.

Ed. Note: A special "thank you" to Agent 87 for tipping us to this article...

Triple Eleven

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:29:12 PST

“The significance of recognizing the 11:11 signal as a manifestation of synchronicity (a meaningful coincidence in time of multiple events perceived to be similar if not identical) illustrates the deeply personal nature of these transmissions. This is a world-wide phenomenon, the experience of which began more than thirty years ago and continues to grow in numbers. In fact, our shared Global electronic archive system (aka: the world wide web) returns anywhere from 900 million to three billion results when 11:11 is searched on any of the major search engines.”

- Tekgnostic Cosmic Trigger

In the tumultuous times that we live in… it isn’t easy to accurately or fully appreciate the phenomenal degree of change that is occurring globally. One cannot see the effects of the whirlwind, while being immersed within it. Forget for a moment the cosmic aspect. The socio-political change that is happening now, is incredible. Being part of the phenomenon skews our perspective as to just how quickly and completely the world is changing.

In time, we will look back at this era as being one of the most significant periods in our lifetimes, if not the entire millennium. But apparently that is what the cyclic progression from the old millennium to the new is all about… epic change.

The 11:11 cosmic trigger is at once a metaphor for “being in the moment” with universe, and a personal verification or communication with universe. It’s the old “be here now” reminder. Any cosmic significance attributed to this trigger is completely justified, because we are here now. We don’t need pixie dust to facilitate the magic… the magic is all around us… if we but have eyes to see.

Where the cosmic meets the practical is being identified by more and more of us daily. It is being expressed by the occupy movement and the anonymous persona. It is being expressed by the Arab Spring. It is being expressed by the dissatisfaction with the political status quo of folks like you and me around the globe. It is a culminating moment. The old world has been laid bare and the new world has yet to be defined… magic.

As we know, an important element in the current world change is communications technology. Internet… cellphone… facebook… twitter… all point toward personal autonomy as the new defining aspect of humanity. The old paradigm of top-down, institutional control is fast becoming obsolete. The time of the illuminati is over… the time of the illumined is upon us. In recognition of this fact, we present our “Declaration of Neuro-Autonomy”…

"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for the individual to dissolve the tyrannical bands of coercive persuasion imposed by an antiquated dominator culture and to assume among the powers of universe the authority to which sentience entitles, a decent respect to the collective conscious of humankind requires that the individual declare their right to neuro-autonomy.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all terrans are created equal, that they are endowed by universe with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

On behalf of the future, we declare the contents of our mind and the capacity of our heart to be naturally independent of imposed media. We proceed with no greater authority than that with which liberty herself always issues. We recognize no higher allegiance than the natural communion between self and universe."

- inspired by the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Terence McKenna & John Perry Barlow

So this day, November the Eleventh, 2011… three times eleven… becomes a global cosmic trigger. A planetary reminder to be here now and that we are all in this together. They say that good things come in threes. Let us all lend a hand to make it so…

Spaceship Earth 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:04:57 PDT

Spaceship Earth welcomes aboard her 7 billionth passenger!

The closed economy of the future might similarly be called the 'spaceman' economy, in which the earth has become a single spaceship, without unlimited reservoirs of anything, either for extraction or for pollution, and in which therefore, man must find his place in a cyclical ecological system.

- Kenneth E. Boulding

Spaceship Earth’s population reached 7 billion humans this week. While demographers are unsure exactly when the world's population reached the 7 billion mark, the United Nations is using Monday, October 31st to symbolically mark the day. A string of festivities are being held worldwide to welcome our 7 billionth baby!

This global milestone inspired us to present a status report on our home world’s operations…

Ship Status Report

Dimensions

Radius – 3963 miles

Diameter – 7926 miles

Circumference – 24900 miles

Power Source

Currently under solar power

Current Speed

504,000 miles per hour in tandem with our power source “Sol” relative to galactic center.

Current compliment

7 billion (and counting)

Capacity Maximum

*Unknown

*The earth currently produces 2,264 million metric tons of cereals, which is the staple food of the world. If each person consumes 2,000 calories per day, 2,264 million metric tons of cereal will support a little bit over 10 billion people.

We hope you find this status report useful…

Bon Voyage!

V for Vendetta and Anonymous - emerging persona (updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:54:41 PST

When it debuted in 2006, the Wachowski brothers film “V for Vendetta” was not quite the box office phenomenon that their 1999 hit “The Matrix” was, yet the cultural and memetic importance of the film has in many ways surpassed The Matrix’s influence. Although the Matrix was huge at the box office as a dystopian sci fi/kung fu action film, it was essentially a philosophic Gnostic/Buddhist composition. Despite the cool special effects and over-the-top fighting scenes, it becomes less accessible and more cerebral as time goes by.

V for Vendetta, on the other hand, is a political tome that, given the state of the world, becomes more impactful as its anarchic message continues to resonate with a wider (more politically disillusioned) audience. The film’s protagonist, known merely a “V” has become (perhaps it is more correct to say V’s persona or mask, has become) popularly symbolic of resistance to the global power elite. In our media-immersed culture, visual imagery has a global impact. The Guy Fawkes mask has become the world-wide face of revolution.

First, a brief synopsis of the movie (based on the comic book written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd) from The Matrix 101:

Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V". Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a (British) society fraught with cruelty and corruption.

After V for Vendetta’s premiere, the mask quickly became a Halloween favorite, especially among young adult revelers. Halloween (Oct. 31) resonates with Guy Fawkes Night (Nov. 5) not only by proximity of date, but by a shared archaic-pagan-party vibe, complete with nighttime merry-making, bonfires, etc. Soon thereafter, the mask took on greater cultural significance. The following snippet from Wikipedia outlines the continued cultural impact…

Since the release in 2006 of the film V for Vendetta, based on a comic book series about a dystopian future United Kingdom, written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd, the use of stylised "Guy Fawkes" masks, with moustache and pointed beard, has become widespread internationally among groups protesting against politicians, banks and financial institutions. The masks both conceal the identity of individuals and demonstrate their commitment to a shared cause.

The character first became an internet meme, common on imageboards such as 4chan as well as on video-sharing based websites such as YouTube. The Internet-based group known as Anonymous adopted the Guy Fawkes mask in 2008, following its use by members during the Operation Chanology protests against the Church of Scientology. On 23 May 2009, protesters dressed up as V and set off a fake barrel of gunpowder outside Parliament while protesting over the issue of British MPs' expenses.

During the Occupy Wall Street and the whole ongoing "Occupy" protests, the mask appears internationally as a symbol of popular rebellion. In October 2011, campaigner Julian Assange attended the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest wearing such a mask, which he removed after a request by the police.”

- from wikipedia’s “gunpowder plot in popular culture"

Thus the widespread use of the Guy Fawkes mask as a symbol of protest and solidarity continues to gain momentum around the world.

Of particular interest is the correlation between the Guy Fawkes persona and the internet moniker Anonymous. Within the bulletin board and blog-o-sphere, the use of anonymous is a convenient and unidentifiable (some would accuse irresponsible) way of signing comments without publically implicating oneself. Much commentary on the Internet is done anonymously, using pseudonyms. These names can take on an identity of their own and provide a degree of separation from the actual author. Anonymity is a time-honored component of a free society, especially in the arena of political dissent.

Within this context, signing an internet post as anonymous takes on a greater, more nuanced meaning… it now becomes associated with subversion and rebellion. Otherwise unassociated individuals using the anonymous tag to mask identification on-line become co-conspirators in the global resistance to the machine. In this regard, signing a post anonymous now becomes a revolutionary act. Anonymous are everywhere.

It is fascinating how seemingly mundane objects or events become symbolically significant to large segments of the population. What ineffable property resonates with humanity, turning the common into the extraordinary… turning a plastic mask into the face of revolution? Ultimately, it is the use of symbols… the artifacts of the mind that turn the ordinary into the magical… that is so intriguing. Use of symbols and the ability to communicate deep understanding with their use, is what being human is all about. It’s what makes the pain and suffering of being human... tolerable.

11-26 Update: Krampus as archetypical symbol of “Occupy Movement”

Symbols evolve rapidly under the watchful eye of the media. Even as coordinated efforts to squash the Occupy Rebellion have brought un-intended consequences to the “powers that be” …the face of “occupy” is morphing. That old rascally trickster, Krampus, aka: Black Peter has reared his ancient, gnarled grimace, much to the delight of the news media’s camera crews.

Krampus is the personification of the old pre-Christian Nordic woods-spirits… the face of the old pagan deities of Europe. In an earlier yuletide post, we more fully examined the Krampus Mythos.

While there are many good reasons for members of the Occupy movement to relate to the rehabilitated image of Guy Fawkes/”V”, I am personally convinced that the image of Krampus could potentially be a much more effective iconic symbol of the Occupy movement, especially in the coming weeks leading up to Christmas which is arguably one of the biggest and most lucrative times of year for large banking institutions and corporations that have been shown to have connections to less-than-equitable business practices. Krampus represents responsibility and accountability for one’s actions while more than willing to punish those who engage in harmful practices – business and otherwise.

The full post from which the above quote was taken can be found here.

People may know… but the people don't care…
that a man could be as poor as me.
Take a look at poor Peter… he's lyin in pain…
now let's go… run and see… run and see… run and see!

- from “Black Peter” Garcia/Hunter

2012 Update:

Synchromystic “Cosmic Trigger” – Number 9

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:37:03 PDT

Number nine… number nine… number nine… number nine…

- From “Revolution 9” by the Beatles

Cultural Syncs
The imagery of a tattered Soap-Box Preacher on the street corner, holding a sign proclaiming “the end is near” is, of course, completely true on some level. The cycle of birth and death and the changing of the seasons… the life and reproductive cycle of “annuals” (those plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season)… the incredible and completely magical metamorphosis of the caterpillar to the butterfly… all mark cosmic cycles that recur anew each year. In this regard, the end is always near… as is the new beginning.

Ancient man conformed to the succession of the seasons with ritual and technology. Although epic cycles such as the agricultural age, followed by industrial age and proceeding to the current information age all mark evolving epochs, civilization has always danced to the rhythm of the seasons… the annual revolution around Sol. Ancient artifacts like Stonehenge accurately measured and delineated key transition days such as the solstice and the equinox.

These cyclic artifacts blend and overlap with other cultural world-views and artifacts of reckoning, such as the Mayan “long count” calendar. The long count was used to mark the procession of Mesoamerican epochs. The Mayan calendar has achieved recent (and conflicting) wide-spread popularity within segments of Earth’s population. Some envision a cataclysmic ending, an undefined immanentization of the eschaton. Others envision the beginning of a new epoch or “new age” on Earth.

I confess to a cynical bias toward the “new-agers.” I see them as suspiciously sanctimonious and more than a little woo-wooish (a “woo” is defined by some as a unit of measurement that assesses a quanta of pseudoscience… defined by others as “bullshit”). With that said, I acknowledge the 2012 phenomena as a pop cultural expression and a genuine manifestation of the completion of an epic cycle… the ending of an era. Certain artifacts, such as the Mayan calendar, reveal these cycles and act as “cosmic triggers” to raise awareness of them among the population.

Mediated Syncs

In order to get to the synchromystic cosmic triggers in question, a recap of current affairs is necessary: The time-frame in question begins with the tragic events of 9/11 and continues through a decade of war, followed by global economic crisis… the effect of which is still playing out… and finally leads up to the present “Occupy Wall Street” movement. This recap is a massive over-simplification of events, but it serves as a backdrop for the information of synchrony that has popped up in recent news media.

It is painfully clear that the first decade of the new millennium has generated significant amounts of shared angst for all of Earth’s citizenry, both politically and culturally. Emerging pattern recognition, triggered by the media’s coverage of current events has revealed symbols of cyclic change that have a distinct Synchromystic flavor. These symbols speak in the language of archetype… sparking connotations outside the realm of logic… conveying meaning that lurks on the fringe of reason, yet startles us awake as we begin to connect the dots.

The synchromystic “cosmic triggers” that revealed the cyclic trending of current affairs, hinting at the possible ending of an era “surfaced” in the form of the number nine. In Numerology, the number 9 is the last simple number and is therefore considered the number of finalization or completion before the cycle renews (ie: 9→10). In this regard, 9 completes the old cycle, while the number 10 represents the new beginning, the commencement of the new cycle.

So… synchromystically speaking… the number 9 suddenly started popping up everywhere within the media. The first 9 sync came to my attention several weeks ago and was reported on the evening news, concerning the republican presidential hopeful, Herman Cain and his 999 plan. Candidate Cain (also a sync to the Cain & Able myth… “am I my brother’s keeper?”) had proposed a flat tax of 9% to individuals, a flat tax of 9% to businesses… and a 9% national sales tax… hence 9-9-9. It was not Cain’s plan, but the 9 that caught my attention. This sync brought to light political and cyclic connotations around the 2012 elections and the economy.

The first trigger was followed by a second sync that took the form of the “We are the other 99%” slogan being flashed at the many “occupy” events, first in New York City, then across the USA and the world. Here, the 9 represents everybody except the 1% wealthiest plutocrats. The popular opinion is that we are all being fleeced by powers-that-be from NYC’s financial district… that the US government “bailed-instead-of-jailed” the banks and bankers (read: criminals) of Wall Street. The intent of the occupiers of Wall Street was to shed light on the real culprits behind the economic melt-down.

The third 9 sync came in the form of a PBS show, [I]ndependentlens… that did an episode called “Wham! Bam! Islam! The episode was about a comic book project, titled… “The 99.” The comic book series chronicles 99 superheroes with roots in Islam and Islamic culture, each one exemplifying one of the 99 attributes of Allah. The concept of the 99 is to exemplify the Islamic virtues of compassion, understanding, and tolerance… qualities not often associated with Islam by the West… in the superhero format. This third sync merged the “War on Terror” with the superhero mythos that is currently percolating within the sync-o-sphere.

Many of you are familiar with the work of Christopher Knowles, specifically his book: “Our Gods Wear Spandex” in which the mythos of the superhero is examined as a modern depiction of the mythological diety archetype.

Needless to say… these syncs resonate on many levels for those who delve in the synchromystic realm. This last decade has been dominated by the “War on Terror” …the financial bailout of “Wall Street” …and the media circus that is American politics. The synchromystic practitioner might examine the pertinent memes presented by the media and extract meaningful coincidences… collective unconscious signals that arise from the overriding information stream. Within this context, certain patterns emerge.

Bearing in mind that you cannot separate the observer from the observed, the multiple number 9 signals point, from my perspective, to the conclusion of a major cycle… the end of an era. This end of an era meme was also transmitted with the passing of Apple’s Steve Jobs. On the day that Mr. Jobs’ death was announced, President Obama was trying to sell his “jobs” Bill to the American Public. The news media proclaimed Obama’s Bill to be… dead on arrival.

Death being the ultimate expression of cyclic transition, it did not take a great conceptual leap to symbolically equate the death of Mr. Jobs… idealized by industrial America as the epitome of the successful CEO… with the death of “jobs” in America. It seems clear that the number of traditional jobs lost in this country cannot be fully replaced by any new economy that arises. Significantly, the persistent 9% unemployment rate in America is indicative of the fact that this country’s manufacturing base was sold out decades ago, to be replaced with a service economy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a service economy is doomed to fail without the value-added foundational support of a manufacturing economy.

Revolution 9

It is no wonder that the networking warriors of “Occupy Wall Street” felt compelled to take a bite out of the big apple. Their consciousness tells them that not only is there fundamental inequity in the distribution of wealth… not only are the perpetrators of fiscal debacle getting off scot free… but that the very foundation… moral, ethical and spiritual… of the western system is bankrupt.

This is truly the end of an era. The pundits are worried about a global recession… if only it were that simple. The old paradigm is done… stick a fork in it. What is to come… is still in flux. This is what those who occupy NYC’s financial district are grappling with. The Mayan long count calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012… events of the world seem to be coinciding very closely with the Mayan system… synchronicity. Cycles are concluding… systems are winding down… as seen from many different perspectives.

One point: I do not subscribe to any “end of the world” scenario. I choose not to put energy in any apocalyptic armageddon. Quite the opposite... I place my creative energy in participating in the manifestation of what comes next. For as surely as one cycle ends… another begins. When one door is closed, another is opened. We can make the new paradigm anything we can imagine… this time around. The revolution that some fear and some hope for… is just that… another turn of the wheel. Wheels within wheels. In the words of the old Beatles tune: Revolution 1… “Don’t you know It’s gonna be… alright!

Meanwhile, the world keeps turning… and we continue to keep alert… stay awake… keep watching the symbols… keep your lovelight trimmed and burning.

Welcome back, Mr. Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:54:43 PDT

“Occupy Wall Street” – hairline fractures in the New World Order...

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:05:50 PDT

On September 17^th(heads up, Mr. Knowles), a few hundred protesters assembled at “Liberty Plaza” in New York City, USA to draw attention to the ever-increasing disparity between the haves and the have-nots, and the incredible transfer of wealth from the citizenry (the many) into the hands of the uber-wealthy (the few), that has occurred in America in the last decade. And thus the occupation of Wall Street began…

The media pundits seem perplexed by the multifaceted, un-homogenized nature of the group. Without a clear political agenda and without clear leadership, this un-organized rabble cannot be taken seriously… so the pundits rationalize. What is being completely missed by the mainstream media is that it is precisely the business-as-usual political strategy that is being rejected by the loose-knit assembly. The last thing that this diverse band of occupiers wants to be… is another tea party.

"Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of non-violence to maximize the safety of all participants.

Our nation, our species and our world are in crisis. The US has an important role to play in the solution, but we can no longer afford to let corporate greed and corrupt politics set the policies if our nation.

We, the people of the United States of America, considering the crisis at hand, now reassert our sovereign control of our land.

Solidarity Forever!"

- from occupywallst.org

Now that organized labor has joined the demonstrations and pledged their solidarity to the occupiers of Liberty Plaza, what started out as “quaint example of performance art” has become the beginnings of a potentially game-changing movement… an unpredictable opposition to the New World Order.

Back in February, we posted a piece, drawing attention to what was to become known as the “Arab Spring.” At that time, it felt like the beginning of something new. Here is an excerpt from that 2/8/11 post…

Again… I am not sure where all this is going… but I feel it is important that we pay attention to these events in Egypt. The plea of Egypt’s people for freedom effects all of us. I feel that humanity is at a crossroads between the old and new paradigm. The choices we make today will impact what the new paradigm will be. Our future is one of all peoples of Earth collaborating in harmony. Let us hope for all our sakes that this moment in time moves us toward love and away from fear.

- from Navigating the Apocalypse 1.4 Revolution in Babylon posted 2/8/11

Then in August, we reported on the London riots. Again, an excerpt from the 8/10/11 post…

The unrest and anger in London is more of an indicator of global conditions, as it effects the industrialized (post industrial) West, than it is a protest over police brutality. All is not well on either side of the pond. The Evil Empire is straining to the breaking point under the heavy load of the New World Order. London is the “canary in a coalmine” for the modern world. The UK is burning… young Londoners are waking up… while that sleeping giant, the US… reaches for the snooze alarm.

- from London Calling posted 8/10/11

Now it appears that the “sleeping giant” referred to in our earlier post is waking up. What occurred first in Cairo, then in London and now in NYC is truly an awakening. It is a peaceful and creative expression of a desire for real change. Not the kind of change that is promised in campaign slogans… not the kind of change that is dropped in a beggar’s (previously middle class) tin can… but Earth shaking change. We’re talking the P word… paradigm.

2012 is fast approaching and many different cultures, utilizing many different world views and different reality tunnels, have expressed their version of what Earth shaking change might look like. Whether it’s political, economic, geologic or cosmic… there are commonalities to all of these prophesies. The key shared element, from different perspectives… is a fundamental shift in the nature of co-existent life on Earth: Beginning with an understanding of the essential autonomy of all life... and continuing with the fair, just and honorable allocation of Earth’s ample resources to all earthlings (not just humanity) in need of those resources. To follow the golden rule…

This view may be perceived as idealistic and naive… just as the occupiers of NYC’s financial district may be perceived as naïve. But believe me when I say that stranger things have happened. The time has come for us all to… in the words of R Buckminster Fuller… DARE TO BE NAÏVE!

PS: the Gobal Guerrillas blog makes a good point as to WHO the targets of these protests are...

- JH

Goodbye Mr. Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:25:47 PDT

"You are already naked... There is no reason not to follow your heart... Stay hungry... Stay foolish" - Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs - 1955 - 2011

Shamanic Dreams - part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:50:17 PST

The realm of dreams and the practice of dream interpretation have, since ancient times, been interwoven with the spiritual realm of humanity. The world’s oldest book of dreams, a compilation of dream symbols and their meaning, comes from Sumerian Mesopotamia, circa 5,000 BCE. The Egyptians took many ideas from the Sumerians; they viewed dreams as messages from gods. The dreams of the Pharaohs attracted the most attention, as they were revered as gods themselves.

Around 335 BC Greek philosopher Aristotle said that human beings are capable of achieving the pure form of wisdom only during sleep, when our minds are liberated. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama said: "Tibetan Buddhism considers sleep to be a form of nourishment, like food, that restores and refreshes the body."

The creative potential of dreams is unquestionably valued in traditional Tibetan culture. Within Tibetan Buddhism there is a class of dreams labeled Milam Ter or “dream treasure.” These treasures are teachings that are considered to be the creations of enlightened beings. The teachings were purposefully hidden or stored in order to benefit future generations.

Buddhist and Bonpo systems for dream awareness training appear to be thousands of years old, according to Norbu Rinpoche. Dream awareness training is discussed extensively in the text of the inconceivably ancient Mahamaya Tantra, whose author is unknown. Many millennia before the historical Buddha Shakyamuni lived, the tantras were taught by the buddhas of past eras to both human and non-human beings.

- Michael Katz – from Dream Yoga & the practice of natural light

In the Americas, the Kagwahiv, a Tupi speaking Amazonian group of peoples have a saying… “Everyone who dreams has a little bit of the shaman in them.”

In early 2011, I had a series of transformative dreams, the ramifications of which are still unfolding. The nature of the dreams was such that upon retrospect, they might be classified as “lucid dreams,” with one caveat. Although I “woke up” or became aware that I was in a dream state, I did not consider that what I was experiencing was a dream. More precisely, although I became conscious during this series of dreams, I didn’t perceive them as less real or consequential than my normal waking state. If anything, the dreams felt more real.

The dreams followed a common thread in which I invariably found myself immersed (entangled) in a psychedelic search for the miraculous. The set and setting of each dream varied greatly and often dealt with widely different cultures or subcultures in which inner exploration played a central role. Of this series of dreams, there are two which I shall relate here.

The first dream occurred on the evening of March 10th, 2011.

As I became conscious within the dream, I found myself in what appeared to be a twilit tropical grotto or what I came to think of as a “sacred grove.” Diffuse light filtered trough the canopy above me in luminous, smoky beams. The darker encompassing vegetation contrasted the beams of light to produce a soft, warm, otherworldly effect. The awareness of being in a dream state underscored my experience that the colors, although of earthy tones, were extremely vivid… to the point of being psychedelic. There was also an aspect of communication or conveyance from the surroundings, to me, as to what was about to transpire.

I was part of a group of two-dozen or so individuals. As my consciousness focused, it became clear that we were waiting for something… a decision to be made. At this realization, it also became clear that a circle of ayahuasqueros, or shamans were in counsel nearby but concealed from our view. This indigenous circle of elders was fifteen in number (the significance of 15 elders was unclear within the dream).

Awareness of the counsel and it’s deliberation brought about the realization that the waiting group, of which I was part, were being individually considered for either initiation into the mysteries of this shamanic circle… or perhaps a ceremony that was about to be performed. My desire to participate was clear. Recognition of this desire brought with it the knowledge that each aspirant in the group was accompanied by a helper or guide. The role of our guide was to act as an advocate for each of us in our bid to partake in what was apparently about to happen… in what was being decided by the counsel.

At this point, it is important to mention that at the moment I became aware of myself within the dream… of my surroundings and my situation (predicament)… it was clear that I was at a critical juncture of events of magnitude. I was not aware of the circumstances that had brought me to this decisive crossroad... of how I came to be in the middle of a primordial rainforest… of how I became a candidate for some arcane ritual… or even how I had come to be associated with my guide, let alone the ayahuasqueros. What was clear was that whatever obscure series of events had brought me here… this was a nexus point of consequence. This was the culmination… the intersection of possibility.

Abruptly, the elders made their decision and I was out. I hadn’t been picked and the proceedings and preparations were being carried out without me. As this new development permeated my consciousness, or perhaps because of it, multiple occurrences transpired… my dream guide simultaneously communicated with the elders, received information from them and relayed that information to me. One of the selected candidates could not fulfill their commitment to the event and my guide was successful in securing my place as a participant. I was back in.

I was thrilled and slightly apprehensive at the developments as they unfolded. I prepared myself for the… initiation?... ceremony?... psychedelic journey? It was not altogether clear what was about to occur. The surroundings began to communicate anew. Complex strata of information began to flow into and through me. It was as if the very fabric of the realm became a vast date-structure that was suddenly made available to me... that I was suddenly in tune with. Along with my guide, I made my way to the threshold of the grotto where the elders awaited. I steadied myself as we entered the sacred space…

Of course at this moment the dream transformed itself into some other realm… some other space. Where I went from there, I cannot say. I had and have no memory of any further dream travels that night. I awoke with those golden moments reverberating in my mind. What combination of events lead to and spark our awakening while in dreamtime, remain a mystery. Where we were prior to and where we go hence remain in the realm of dreams. We can only proceed in wonder.

To be continued…

Part Two

So here’s the thing about the "Occupy Wall Street" protest

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:19:20 PDT

- by Tracy R Twyman

It’s absolutely true that people, especially the youth, should be upset at both the government and the financial elite. Their entire future has been destroyed by these people. They have been sold into slavery by their elders, and they are not getting any of the benefit. It is going to take a revolution to change the situation so that they are no longer slaves and have a chance to make their own future.

Complete Article Here

Flower of Life - from Spirit Science

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:31:21 PDT

Recognize the signs of teenage shamanism...

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:51:58 PDT

Do Glass Pipes, Incense Prove Teens Are Practicing Shamanism?

Listen...

noreply@blogger.com (Sensei) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:12:04 PST

It is both a blessing and a curse to be born on Earth as a sentient domesticated primate. Living in this world… but not “of this world” is the eternal Gnostic dilemma. One is constantly being pulled in many directions from the moment one emerges from mother’s womb. One’s attention is called upon by a myriad of “pressing issues” from the minute the eyes open each morning. Whether it’s the anticipation of the events of the busy day, the headlines of the morning paper, a CNN news flash or a twitter update… the world calls.

What a temptation it is to answer that call… to dive in and immerse one’s self in the realm of the intellect. It is the intellect that is the vehicle of the world… the interface, if you will. This is a most necessary survival mechanism that insures continuance upon the Earthly realm. As important as the events of the day are… their collective impact only represents half of the Earthling’s Gnostic dilemma.

All that presses humanity to action on a daily basis, all of the social, political, environmental and humanitarian issues that arise are all aspects of “living in this world.” They do not address the balancing factor of the spark of divinity within each human that “is not of this world.” This counter balance to intellect, this spark… is the direct connection to infinity… to eternity… to universe. It is the communion with the source, to that which must remain nameless.

Countering intellect as a mechanism of being in this world, infinity’s vehicle is meditation. To meditate is to interface with that which must remain nameless. Be clear that there are as many facets to meditation as there are to intellect. Meditation is simply an avenue to communion. It is a means to quite the chatter of the world. There are as many unique ways to meditative communion as there are humans.

A most advantageous moment to counter the allure of the world is also when one first opens one’s eyes in the morning. This is a golden opportunity, while still in between the realms of sleep and wakefulness, to take a moment to just be. Listen to the quiet…

The disciplined human might pursue a meditative activity such as zazen or yoga… but any contemplative notion will do. That first sip of tea in the morning may be the cosmic trigger to connect one with the infinite. What is important is being mindful of the divine spark within and the balancing power of connecting to it. Even the intention of such a practice brings one closer to that which cannot be named. Interestingly, only a few moments of communion dramatically improves one’s ability to take on the events of the day. One’s kinship with that which is not of this world, augments one’s ability to participate in it. In this way, one aspect services the other…

Top Secret America – the Post 9/11 Terrorism-Industrial Complex

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:07:30 PDT

In 1961, then outgoing President Dwight D Eisenhower made a now-famous farewell address to the American public. Now known as the Industrial-Military Complex speech, President Eisenhower gave a dire warning to his fellow citizens. Here, in part, is the essence of his (himself being a retired and celebrated military man) concern…

“Until the latest of our world conflicts, the

United States

had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all

United States

corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence, economic, political… even spiritual… is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

In that speech, President Eisenhower gave a second warning…

“Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.”

Now… fifty years later… ten years after 9/11… a new and greater threat, the next generation of the Industrial Military-Complex… is being investigated by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The Washington Post, Dana Priest. Priest has just published a book, along with co-author William Arkin, entitled: Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State.

The book outlines the rapid growth of Top Secret America, which began with an impulse to secrecy and a blank check from Congress in the days after 9/11, and which now employs nearly a million people at 1,900 private companies and 1,300 federal organizations.

Here is an excerpt from a piece that recently aired on NPR…

Thousands of government organizations and private companies work on programs related to counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence. Last December, The Washington Post reported that this… "top-secret world ... has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work."

Priest also profiles the Joint Special Operations Command, or JSOC, the clandestine military command that now conducts more anti-terrorism operations than the CIA. The organization, established in 1980, conducted hostage rescues for many years. It has since developed into a highly secretive and lethal force responsible for reconnaissance and targeted military operations — including the one last May in Pakistan that found and killed Osama Bin Laden. Priest describes JSOC as… "sitting at the center of a secret universe as the dark matter that shapes the world in ways that are usually not detectable."

The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged to study special operations requirements and techniques and to conduct special operations exercises and training, and develop Joint Special Operations Tactics. It was established in 1980 on recommendation of one Col. Charlie Beckwith, in the aftermath of the failure of Operation Eagle Claw… strange pedigree. It is located at Pope Army Air Field and Fort Bragg in North Carolina, USA.

Sync Alert… Elsewhere in the news: (September 09, 2011) 14,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition reported missing from Fort Bragg. Authorities are trying to find 14,000 rounds of ammunition missing from Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The ammunition went missing from the 1st Brigade Combat Team at Fort Bragg, said Staff Sgt. Joshua Ford. The missing ammunition can be used in the M-4 and M-16 assault rifles. Someone alerted Fort Bragg leadership about the missing items on Wednesday, Ford said. After the report, the 1st Brigade team, about 3,500 people, was placed on lockdown during an initial investigation, Ford said.

The missing ammunition story aside, this is all extremely scary stuff. The reality that a terrorism-industrial complex has run amok for the last ten years indicates a complete loss of control… by our government… over this “Black Op” juggernaut. What is most unsettling, aside from the mass killings being carried out, is the total abdication of authority and responsibility by our government, into the hands of private contractors who are carrying out said black ops. Once government relinquishes control, we lose the capacity to provide oversight of these operations. The checks and balances of a legitimate government vanish… thus fulfilling the prophecy of John Robb concerning the Hollow State theory.

This is genuine fodder for Conspiracy Theory Buffs. Once a nation goes down this slippery slope… the end result is predictable.

Legitimate Government → Hollow Government → Contractor Ops → Illuminati

Call me alarmist, but this is a very real concern for all citizens… not just right-wing neo-cons or left-wing anarchists. The proliferation of the terrorism-industrial complex is an erosion of civil liberties and individual freedom. We shouldn’t be surprised. Dear old Ike gave us fair warning fifty years ago. The question is… is it too late to do something about it?

Jack Heart is an activist in the fine tradition of the old Wobblies of the Pacific Northwest and a card-carrying member of the Legion of Dynamic Discord, Siskiyou/Cascadia cabal.

The Revolution will NOT be Televised...

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Heart) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:32:45 PDT