The Mask & the Sound of Silence

After having just read an article about how there are only about a dozen places in the U.S. left, where one can truly escape the unnatural noises so prevalent in our modern society, I'm somewhat saddened by the fact that people must work so hard anymore, just to hear themselves think, but then, maybe that's part of the problem; most of us 'think' too much! Many people pray for peace in their lives, not seeming to realizing that they themselves are the arbiters of the 'peace' they seek. Among the business of the 'day-to-day', with all its busyness & noise, it is our choice whether to get lost in all the 'hub-bub' of the everyday, or to retreat within ourselves to find the peace that we so desperately need. Coming from a religious background, as so many of us do ( of one sort or another ), I was taught to seek that peace outside myself. If only I had 'faith to move mountains', I would experience that Peace Within, the 'peace that passes all understanding'. This is true enough, I guess; many religious people have found such a peace in their hearts, through a child-like trust in an all-wise, all-powerful Being that controls their destiny. I can say, with Peace & Love in my heart, 'if it works for you, go for it!' As long as you harm none, you're all good!

The problem with thinking too much is that when we 'clear our minds' so we can think, we aren't really clearing our minds! We're simply exchanging one thought, or set of thoughts, for another. Thinking, in & of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing; in order to 'make it' in this rough & tumble world, one must be able to readily set aside one set of thoughts so they can focus on a different challenge. Then again, sometimes it's better to just follow your gut without the dangers of over-thinking it. Whether one believes, as most do, that we were created by an al-powerful, all-knowing Being, or that we are the product of past experiences ( AKA, 'evolution' ), personally speaking, of course, along with this biological vehicle, we are gifted with the ability ( ? ) to process thoughts. Thinking is a completely natural process: when we are faced with a choice, our brain immediately slips into gear, sending millions of electrical impulses through even more neuro-transmitters. Not being a scientist myself, I will proceed no further in that 'vein', but suffice it to say that the thought process is almost what one would call 'automatic', a 'knee-jerk' response!

We all wear a mask! The word 'persona', itself 'comes from the Greek word for the large masks that early Greek actors would use to portray their characters.'  As more & more people seem to be discovering, we are not just people, though that is usually how we present ourselves. This is somewhat of a rabbit-trail, but even while we seem to be noting, especially in the MSM ( Main Stream Media ) that so much ( more & more, actually ) in society seems to be based on the 'persona'; this is actually a good sign, as 'it's always darkest before the dawn', so to speak. Getting back on track, the persona itself is completely natural; it's part of our make-up. Like the Ego, the Persona is neither good nor bad; it's just not us! We can choose whether to manifest our Self through the Persona, or we can choose to use our Persona to try to make people ( including ourselves ) think we're something we're not. The more we use this 'mask' though, to portray ourselves, the greater the risk of fooling ourselves into thinking that we ARE the Persona, into identifying with it. In this day & age especially, with all its busyness & general ( unnatural ) clamor, it is difficult, to say the least, not to get sucked into this whirling vortex!

Life seems more & more to be a battle-ground ( to some, a losing battle )! This need not be! Speaking of the masks we wear; most often, we end up fighting ourselves because we have convinced ourselves ( ? ) that we are simply people, here for one purpose, to survive the battle. If along the way we can leave a goodly inheritance for our children & grandchildren, all the better, but when we identify with the Person, or Persona, we start thinking like Harry Houdini, escaping one trap only to be presented with another, 'out of the frying pan into the fire', in most cases. Some of us are lucky enough, for whatever reason, to escape all the perceived 'traps' that Life sets for us, but one has to wonder, 'is that not itself a trap?'!

Speaking of traps, we are often trapped by our own mind!  Back on the rabbit-trail, it is easy to get trapped IN our own mind as well, if we do not exercise great care. This, in relation to the Persona, Ego, etc. etc., is where one begins to identify themselves with their Mind. Ever hear the saying, 'my mind is like a steel trap'? Most, if not all people who say such things have begun to identify with the mind & thus are trapped by & in it! This becomes a prison from which, once ensconced, it is not easy to set yourself free. I say, 'set yourself free', because, as a wise man once said, 'I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it'!

When we react to what Life throws at us, which the best & brightest of us tend to do ( ? ), this is a good sign that we have been trapped by our own mind & indeed, have begun to identify with it! There is nothing wrong, in & of itself, with utilizing our Mind, 'our God-given talent', one might say, but there is the dangerous tendency to rely upon our Mind to save us from Life's many & diverse 'traps'. As I intimated, this itself is a trap, for when, as above, we allow ourselves to be lured into thinking (usually 'over-thinking' ) that it is our Mind, 'our smarts', so to speak, that have gotten us out of so many traps, we begin to identify with our Mind & thus, we become not only trapped BY it, but trapped IN it!

'As above; so below'; speaking of wise men, another wise man, animated by the same Spirit, or 'Energy' once said, 'If you want to be free, be free'. During the era of 'sex, drugs & rock 'n roll' which began in the late fifties & stretched into the seventies & even eighties, but especially in the sixties, 'free your mind' became a popular & well-used phrase. This phrase referred to the use of mind-altering drugs, which, when used properly DID have the property of expanding, not the Mind so much as the Consciousness. For this reason, many of the song lyrics that came from this era were very insightful & relayed much Truth, however acceptable or not!

However much music can relay the Beauty of Nature, though, much of the music of this era cannot exactly be considered 'natural sounds'. In fact, music, however peaceful, however soothing, is surely not what the author of the previously mentioned article had in mind when he talked about 'natural sounds'. The Music of Nature, similar to 'The Music of the Spheres', are the 'Sounds of Silence'; the babbling of a brook, the calls of the wild, trees rustling in the breeze, even the waves crashing on the shore. Although, by definition, these sounds are not, to our perception anyway, silent ( they can get very noisy, in fact ), they are, in their gentle state, peaceful, which is the meaning here.

The Sound of Silence can also refer to the stilling of our Mind, of our very thoughts. This can be achieved best through meditation, but with practice, even the practice of meditation becomes a thing of the past, for once we have found, or rediscovered that place of peace & harmony within ourselves, we no longer need to still our biological vehicle in order to be at peace. All we must do is remember who we really are; not this vehicle, not our situation: we ARE Peace & Harmony Itself!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!
Charles Haddon Shank

The Glorification & Personification of Divinity

'To make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration'. This is the definition supplied by Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary for 'glorify'. Taking a step back, according to the same website, 'glorious' means 'possessing or deserving glory'. Here again, though, we must step back again, only to see that the word 'glory' is defined as 'praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent'. These words describe both persons or things. To be honest, they are closely related to the word 'worship'. According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, the word comes from the Old English 'worðscip', meaning 'condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown'. This again can be indicative of a person or thing, mostly a person. Anticipating the argument of those who say the Christian 'God' IS a Person, we will also offer this definition of 'person'; again, from Merriam-Webster; 'human, individual —sometimes used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds applicable to both sexes'. Reading further in the above link shows that only fourthly does it refer to the so-called '3 Persons of the Trinity'! All that to say this; 'the Christian 'God' IS, in this sense, a Person: 'He' is how a male-oriented ( dominated ) society perceived the Divine Source of Life!' Because we here in America, for the most part, are grounded in Christian ( Bible-based ) principles, most Christians perceive 'Him' in this way as well. This is not either to say that theirs is a wrong or 'bad' perception, for 'as above, so below'; It is what It is'. The Hebrews were not the first to describe the Divinity in a way they could relate to, nor are they the only ones to have their own perception & to believe that it's the only correct or true One!

The Divine Source of Life is neither male nor female! Strangely similar to our makeup, as human beings, this 'Source' is perceived in as many different ways as there are perceivers. Some perceive It as a 'Him', some as 'Her', while others perceive It as 'Energy' or 'the Universe' ( which IS arguably 'Energy' ). The three major religions of the world, Christianity, Judaism & Islam, all perceive It as 'Him'; Judaism & Islam because they're both from male-dominated societies; Christianity, because it sprang from Judaism. The Pagan roots of Christianity revered the female aspect of Divinity, which seems to have been all but lost in the shuffle, so Earth-worshipers who fall under the large umbrella known as 'Pagan' refer to the deity as 'Her'. Along those lines, one might recall that, in the Bible, 'God', or 'Elohim', commands the Earth to 'bring forth' ( Genesis 1:11 ); the only time 'He' spoke those words concerning anyone or anything beside the man & woman.

'Why do humans feel the necessity to personalize Divinity?' Furthermore, 'Why do we feel that we must glorify that Divinity; that this should be our Life's Purpose?' One doesn't necessarily lead to the other but to answer the second question first, religion bears the brunt. Religion teaches us to look outside ourselves for strength, for answers, whereas most so-called 'religious texts' teach us that we have the power to choose our own destiny. To return to an example from the Hebrew Scriptures, 'God' ( 'Elohim' again ) told Cain, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.' ( Genesis 4:7 ) We have the Power, through Choice, to decide our own Destiny! There is not some Divine Being up among the stars that sets our course, although, on a bit of a side-track, it is well accepted that the Moon affects the tides, yet we humans, or at least most Christians, find it ridiculous, even blasphemous, that 'She', along with other heavenly bodies, should affect us.

To answer the first question might be a bit more of a challenge though! Why DO we humans feel the need to put a face, so to speak, on the Forces of Nature & especially the Divine Source of Life? In an attempt to answer this question, let us consider that, as human beings, we are naturally prone to relate to other human beings. For example, Christians refer to the Divinity as 'Father'. That again, is because of the male orientation of the culture from which the Hebrew Scriptures sprang. In that vein, 'Father', being more of a human, or biological concept, it is natural as well, to believe that we come from somewhere. For Christians, of course, 'God' is a spiritual 'Father', rather than a natural, or biological One. As spirit-beings, of course, it IS only natural to personalize the Source as our 'Father', in other words, to attach ourselves to this Source in a way that we, as human beings, can relate to. There is nothing wrong with this, of course ( nobody wants to feel like they're an orphan-physically or otherwise ), though looking to this 'Father' for our sustenance tends towards irresponsibility. One might actually compare this to our level of maturity as human beings: as we mature in Life, we learn to rely on ourselves, rather than, or at least more than, our father, This, though, is to say nothing of the female half of the equation, our 'Mother'.............

'Mother Earth' is a term used by 'Pagans' for the most part, although it is often employed by even those who view themselves as 'spiritual, not religious', something which is becoming more prevalent. Going back, again to our quote from Genesis 1, we see that the Earth, just like a human Mother, in fact, similar to Adam & Eve, was told to 'bring forth'. Therefore, in this sense, we could all be called 'Children of the Earth'. It should be noted here that such an argument is somewhat dependent on the notion that these first few chapters of Genesis describe nothing but the 'creation' of the material world. On the other hand, it should also be noted that this is a Universal Truth!

While the argument that 'it had to start somewhere' is rather 'up-in-the-air', so to speak, it is fairly well-accepted that there was/is a Creator, that a Divine Being is behind it all. This blogger is no exception! I can foresee & indeed, have heard no questionable evidence contrary to the fact. As I have been known to put it, 'I didn't put that mountain there; did you?' Are we to simply believe that the 'God' of the Bible placed them there? Of course not; that would be akin to averring that 'God' created Adam with the appearance of age, as well as the stars, etc., etc.! Was there a beginning? Will there be an end to the physical universe? Some say 'yes', some say 'no'. Clearly though, Someone put that mountain there! 'Was it, as the Hebrew Scriptures seem to say, the Christian 'God', the God' of the Hebrews?' Believe what you will; it must be known that, while there is/was in the ultimate sense, a Creator, a Divine Source, this Divine Source gave 'Mother Earth' the ability to 'bring forth', not on 'Her' own, but as in the case with the Virgin Mary ( Matthew 1:23 ( Isaiah 7:14 ), '[ The ] Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you' ( Luke 1:35 ).

'So, Who do you worship & 'why'?' 'How do you worship?! 'Worship', at its roots, simply means 'to ascribe worth to' ( IOW ). It is often said that we 'worship the ground she walks on'. In fact, if you'll recall from one of my recent posts, some of the original ( Christian? ) marriage vows actually contains that very concept. One could well say then, that whatever, or whoever one sees as worthy, actually receives their worship! In the same vein then & moving on; 'How does one show ( manifest ) their worship, be it of an individual or thing?' 'We will glorify....................' As described earlier, we worship by bestowing 'honor, praise, or admiration'. To worship is to glorify, to glorify is to worship! Since worship simply means 'to ascribe worth', anything we view as worthy therefore receives our worship; anything or anyone, therefore, that we honor, praise or admire thus receives glorification. Though, religiously speaking, these terms are used to refer only to a Deity outside ourselves, in terms of Spiritual Truth, they refer to what might be termed, 'The Spirit Within'. Even the Bible agrees; Jesus said, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him' ( John 14:23 ) When we give honor, glory & praise to the Spirit Within; when we ascribe worth to our Higher Self, we thus worship ourselves, not as human beings, but as as Spirit Beings, part & parcel with the Divine Source!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!
Charles Haddon Shank

Yin & Yang; My Mama Told Me....................

Life is all about balance. In so many ways, without the correct & necessary balance, things just don't go smoothly, if they go at all! This is true with spirituality as well as biology. You may have heard, like I did; ''They're so heavenly minded, they're of no earthly good!' Or something to that effect. In my own life, I can see somewhat of this, as I have always, or at least for the past twenty years or so, valued relationship over what I was taught to view as 'worldly goods'. Not that I thought there was anything wrong with earthly goods, or even with having them! It's simply that I found, as most already know, that these 'worldly goods' are of no real value, spiritually speaking. Relationships, on the other hand, I was taught & have seen for myself, are of GREAT value, both spiritually & in this biology ( ? )! ( One might well wonder if there is really much difference! ) So the Story goes........

Several years ago, I began to religiously practice yoga, or at least, a semblance thereof! Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to pat myself on the back here, although I have semi-jokingly told a number of people that 'I don't get mad anymore; I do yoga'. While it is of great, even utmost importance to 'know thyself', of no less import is why we are here & now. One cannot, however, truly have one without the other. If we don't love, or know ourselves, is it even possible to truly know, or love others? Even further; when we truly know ourselves, ARE there really any 'others'?! Many there are, no doubt, who would aver that, 'yes, if we truly know ourselves, we must view the 'world' as 'others' ( at least, until 'they' come around to our way of thinking ). Personally speaking, there are many differences that make us unique, as human beings. However, being More than human, we know that our differences need not separate us, as in 'us & them' ( even 'us VS them' ), but in fact bring us together, for each one of us, individually speaking, has a part to play in this grand production we call 'Life'!

Again, 'Life is all about Balance'! Biologically, whether we're observing plants, animals or human beings, to say nothing of the most basic ( ? ) minerals, without the correct mixture, or balance of necessary constituents such as air, water & other, more solid nutrients, Life could not exist, as we personally know it! However, as Life, like us, is More than this biology, It, as we, still exists; it is simply ( ? ) manifested through this biology. Spiritually speaking & this is where yoga & meditation come into play, truly knowing ourselves ( not simply believing what we're told ) enables us to find the necessary balance between what is 'heavenly' & what is 'earthy'. 'As above, so below'; as we are, so we manifest in this biology! If we believe we are, at heart, as the so-called 'Good Book' says, 'deceitful above all [ things ], and desperately wicked', then we will manifest those desires. If however, we are able to truly, through whatever means, know ourselves for what we truly are, rather than who we have been taught, then we cannot help but manifest the desires of our heart, our innermost Being!

Balancing who we are & who the 'world' needs us to be might seem, at first glance, one of those things that's 'easier said than done'. It's really quite simple, actually! Fortunately for us, one must not even attain this delicate balance, as so many 'self-help gurus' seem to tell us. If only we buy their book ( only $29.95, but if you act now........................ ) and/or attend their seminar, we too may learn how to do it, to master ourSelf. The thing is, rather than attaining it, rather than even 'becoming' it ( whatever 'it' is' ), we must simply be. Just as our biological bodies are made to heal themselves, so our spiritual 'bodies' will balance themselves out, if only we will let them BE!

Just 'let it be'?! Speaking of things 'easier said than done'! Because we live in such an Ego-driven society, most if not all people will find it very difficult, if not impossible to just 'let it be'! But 'let it be' we must, if we are ever to find true happiness. 'Bringing balance to the Force', so to speak, is not an easy proposition, not because it is 'un-natural' but simply because we have been so conditioned to believe, either that it is not 'natural' or that the 'natural' is itself evil!

So, how DOES one go about 'bringing balance to the Force'/ Well, first of all, don't 'force' it! 'As above, so below'; it comes naturally. In fact, if you DO 'force' it, then's when it becomes difficult, even impossible for some people. Second, when we begin at the beginning, so to speak, with the 'heart' of the issue, 'for out of it [ spring ] the issues of life' ( Proverbs 4:23b ), then what is right & good will naturally flow through our biology. This does not guarantee, unfortunately, that just because we do 'the right thing', that everyone will follow suit, but, 'hey', 'I can dream, can't I?!' But seriously, even if NO ONE else does what is right, at least we'll rest assured that WE did! On the other hand, 'what is 'right'? Who's to say that ours is 'right' & theirs is 'wrong'?? But, that's another Story.........................

 'Yoga' is Sanskrit for 'union'. Reading the Wikipedia article referenced, as well as others, will reveal a much deeper history & etymology, but put simply, the practice aids in bringing together our two natures, joining 'Heaven' & 'Earth', in a manner of speaking. One might even note, as has been noted previously by several authors, that this is really what the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures are all about! Again though, it should be noted, for clarification, that it is not actually a 'joining' or 'bringing together'; rather, it is a realization of what already is. 'It is what It is'!

Wrapping it up then, one must find that delicate balance ( for It IS there ) between realizing who we are & why we're here! As Spirit-beings living in a material world, especially among those who seem to be satisfied with just being human, it IS difficult sometimes, humanly speaking, to act as we know we are. Making the right choices, according to the Spirit Within can become more of a struggle the harder we strive to undercut our Ego. ( Strange; I thought the Ego liked being on top?! ) Seriously; I've found this to be true in my own experience. The more we try to manifest from our Inmost Being, rather than letting our Ego rule the day, the more the Ego tries to remain 'King of the Hill', at the top of the totem pole, so to speak. This is not to say the Ego is, in & of itself bad, or evil'; again, 'it is what it is', a necessary part of our humanity, though it does have a tendency to rule over ourselves or others.

Life is a balancing act, in so many ways! On the physical plane, one must juggle so many things, that we must find humor in the Mundane in order to keep our sanity. ( Either that, or enjoy the insanity ) Speaking of the Mundane, one must also maintain a balance between the Divine & the Mundane! It could truly be said, though, that, 'We do not find Balance; Balance finds us'! In this Life, especially in this Day & Age, we often find ourselves becoming so hectic, 'living in the fast lane', that it seems almost impossible that Balance could ever find us, but if we can just slow ourselves down, It will sooner or later catch up to us. The key is finding that slower pace, before Life 'catches up to us'!

Namaste'
Charles Haddon Shank

The Dark Lord

Jesus was a good man. At least, his wife & children thought so. In his own country, at least for the most part, he was revered as a humanitarian of sorts. Outside his country though, he had many detractors: we can't really call them enemies, although, like some in his own country, they probably would have like to see him removed, even erased! Jesus was well-liked by most people in his little 'world'; even those who didn't like the way he did business couldn't help but admire the man & everyone with whom he came in contact, instantly, or at least soon thereafter, gained a healthy respect, if not kinship, with this good man. In his corner of the world, life was not easy, there was much corruption in the government, but Jesus had found that if he kept his nose clean, so to speak &; stayed out of their way, he could pretty much stay off their radar. A few substantial 'gifts' now & then couldn't hurt either....................

Mario Joseph Jesus Alcazar was at the helm of a fairly minor cartel in Southern Mexico. Born into a devout Roman Catholic tradition ( hence the name ), Jesus had grown into his current position in the family business. Traditionally, although their main business was what most would deem 'drugs' & therefore illegal, the little-known Alcazar cartel had their fingers in many pies. While the 'drugs' they processed ( mainly marijuana & cocaine ) were the most lucrative, their efforts were largely humanitarian. While the big cartels further to the North would selfishly enjoy the fruits of their labors while the country collapsed into corruption & dilapidation around them, our friends, thanks to their fairly hefty profits, were able to bring much-needed relief to their neighbors. Their neighbors then, around the world even, because of this relief, helped in shielding the cartel from the preying eyes of corrupt governments.

The mountainous jungle-like region of extreme Southern Mexico, almost extending into Central America, was home to the Alcazars. For generations they had cultivated this area & thus were known & loved by all but the most recent occupants. It didn't take even these newcomers long to learn who their neighbors were & what kind of business they did. While some disagreed, especially expatriates fleeing, for whatever reason, the States far to the north, these new neighbors learned pretty quickly to either love them or leave them ( alone )! If their traffic was disagreeable to anyone, which it was to some, they soon came to enjoy the benefits of what most considered illegal.

Unlike the larger cartels to the North & West, the Alcazars believed in harming no one, no matter the perceived wrong! Treating others as they themselves would like to be treated had been their family's mantra for generations. When confronted by violence of any kind, which naturally occurred in their region of the world, especially considering the 'trade' they did, they met it, as often as they could, with peaceful resistance. As you can imagine, this form of opposition did not always have the desired effect & so the Alcazars were probably just as acquainted with pain & loss as anyone in the area. However, they also knew that what happened to the body in this life was not so important as what one did in their lifetime, so they were happy to suffer for the Cause!

This knowledge had a most remarkable effect, both on how each individual member behaved & also how they ( the cartel ) did business! One negative aspect to doing business thusly, in such a world as we live in, was that they often found themselves being taken advantage of, either by corrupt governments or by the bigger cartels. Strangely enough though, those who brought violent opposition to their door, more often than not, were almost immediately met by karmic forces which either stopped them in their tracks or otherwise removed the threat they posed. Again, this was not  always the case, so the Alcazars, like most every family in that region, was more than familiar with the suffering so prevalent in our world.

Considered an 'illicit trade'; the natural 'drugs' that our friends processed & propagated were far superior in quality to anything offered by the Northern cartels. Again, their family mantra, or motto, was 'harm no one'.  Doing business the way they did, the Alcazars enjoyed a level of security & safety unknown to others in a similar business. Because they operated so much further South than the larger cartels, they were able, to a great extent, to fly under the radar. Also, due to their relatively small operation in the jungle-like & mountainous region they called 'home', they barely, if at all, registered as more than a 'blip' on said radar. Their humanitarian efforts in their own region, as well as sending aid further North & even overseas, to some extent, provided them, to an even greater extent, with a sort of 'invisibility cloak'.

As the Leader of a so-called 'drug cartel', involved in an illegal trade, Mario Joseph Jesus ( 'Jesus' ) Alcazar slept soundly at night, knowing as he did, that the 'drugs' he traded, although considered illegal, would harm no one. Any harm that might come from the use of these 'drugs' was solely due to the user! Knowing that some of those who purchased & used his products would come to harm saddened him, of course, but he knew that simply keeping them out of the hands of certain people would elicit no change in these people, for if they did not buy his quality products, they would be buying someone else's, of much less quality & which may cause them harm! He also felt confident, knowing that because he was sowing good seed, he would reap as well, even in the corrupted & dilapidated 'world' in which he lived.

Jesus WAS a good man, but More than that, he was a good soul! Like most people in his corner of the world, Jesus had seen more than his 'fair share' of suffering. Suffering, in fact, that might have soured ( jaded ) a lesser man! 'As above, so below', however, Jesus knew that, as more than this biology, Life was of greater importance than what happened to a person; what mattered was what one did in this Life, how one reacted ( actively or passively ) to what Life, so to speak, threw at a person. This Way of Life had served the Alcazars for generations & Jesus knew, by continuing the family tradition, the world was somehow a better place!

Namaste'
Charles Haddon Shank

The God Theory, or, The Theory of God

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
 being understood by the things that are made,

Romans 1:20b

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or ^[e]principalities or ^[f]powers. 
All things were created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 1:16 

Not having studied the Holy Books of any other culture so thoroughly as I have the Bible, being that I was brought up to be a Christian; to my limited knowledge, the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures, of all other Scriptures, may have the most to say about the Creator. Or so it would seem. Other Scriptures may introduce us to a veritable pantheon of Gods, or Creators, each of whom is responsible for breathing Life into one or several certain aspects of what we call 'the Creation'. Take J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastic world, for example. Reading the first number of pages in 'The Silmarillian', one can see where the author basically mixes his own version of Christian ( Roman Catholic ) theology with a sort of Greek/Norse mythology. We do not see such a reference, except among the 'Heathen' ( Egyptian, Canaanite, Syrian, Greek, etc. ) in either the Greek or Hebrew Scriptures, but we do find Elohim, 'God, in our English Bibles telling the Earth & Sea to 'bring forth' & 'abound with' ( Genesis 1:11 & 20 ( 24 ). In fact, one might note that this is much the same as we find later, where 'He' tells Adam & Eve to 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that ^[h]moves on the earth' ( Genesis 1:26 ) 

All that said, however, it must be noted that the context of the quotes above demands a slightly deeper, if not different meaning, more of a literary, as opposed to a literal one, to be precise. More of a covenantal meaning. The notion that Genesis 1 & 2, as we've discussed before, are not about the birth of the Universe, or even our solar System, but about the formation, by this 'Elohim', of a certain people, peculiar to 'Him' alone cannot be ignored. Although this does tend to affect a more scientific understanding of cosmology, depending on how one perceives the information, it should be clear, from the manifold evidence available, that there is a Divine Designer of the Universe & all that is. Coupled together with the fact that mere human beings ( Jesus claimed ( not in so many words to be 'God' ) were 'elohim' as well ( Psalm 82:6, John 10:34 ), it should not be too difficult to gather that, while there is One Supreme Source of All, this Source was & is not alone in the act of 'Creation'. 

'Why bring that up? you ask; 'the Bible tells us as much!' Yes, the Bible tells us so ( if one reads with a halfway open mind, anyway ). It also tells us a unique ( 'peculiar' ) Story about how this 'Elohim' not only created this special ( covenant ) bond with a specific tribal people in the Ancient Near East; It also tells how 'He', in due time, became human so that 'He' might save 'His' people from their sins, committed in direct disobedience of 'His' Law. Whether or not this is a literally historical account or not ( 'mythological' is more like it ) may be questionable, but that It describes historical events has been proven in most areas. Is this to say that 'God', as most Christians know 'Him', is simply a tribal deity?! Well, again, 'Yes' & 'No'! 'He', as 'Elohim', was the God ( or god ) of the Hebrews, according to the Bible, as corroborated by this Wikipedia article. As discussed in at least one other of my blogposts, 'Elohim', or 'YHWH', was also how the Hebrews & later, the Christians, perceived the Divine Source of All. So is 'God' SIMPLY a tribal deity?! No; simply put, It's not that simple!

'God', therefore, is not simply a theory, although there are many theories floating around out there about 'Who' this Supreme Deity is! What if we've got it all wrong, though; what if every culture, with their different mythologies & Holy Books has created 'God' in their own image?! What if the 'God' we all know & love ( some hate 'Him', to be honest ) has so many human characteristics because 'He' was created by humans?! There are certainly many Universal Truths that we can read about 'God' in the Bible, but there are certain attributes that are definitely, in context, only applicable to a tribal deity, for example, much of what we read about 'Him' in the Hebrew Scriptures, the so-called 'Old Testament'. 

The arguments for Intelligent Design have multiplied over the past several decades. Darwinian Evolution had up till then ( still is in many areas ) been the accepted explanation for the Theory of Everything. This is not the case anymore. Although they are still in the minority, many scientists have found the evidence for some sort of Intelligent Design to be both irrefutable & overwhelming. Knowing what we know then, or at least perceive about the movement & makeup of the Universe, most would have a very difficult, if not totally impossible time refuting this theory. As I've said before, concerning several things; 'It is what It is'! Just because we perceive the Universe to be expanding, doesn't mean that It is. Just because we perceive the Source of All to be the 'God' of the Hebrews, doesn't mean 'He' is. For one thing, how can we be certain that 'God' IS a 'Who', much less a 'He'? These terms imply a person; is 'God' a person?! Was Joan Osborne correct in asking 'What If God Was One of Us'? According to most theologians, 'God' IS a Person ( or three persons ); this actually makes a lot of sense, especially as we read some of the 'hairier' parts of what we call 'the Old Testament'!

As a Pagan, to whatever extent, it is understood that there is a Divine Source, a Creator, if you will. One look at the natural world around us should immediately make clear to us that there is an Intelligent Designer behind it all. A closer look will reveal to us the sanctity of all Life in its Divinity. The Pagan world, which 'spawned' much of what we know as 'Christianity, while not denying this One Divine Source, also worshiped & yet worships a veritable pantheon of 'Gods' ( or 'gods' ) who mediate for the 'natural' world ( one of these being 'Mother Nature' ). Not so different maybe, from the Biblical Story as quoted above, in the beginning paragraph!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Magick of Intentional Living

Most people seem to miss the difference between parlour tricks & everyday miracles! On the other hand, witchcraft has been given a bad name, especially in the 'Christian' community. Not that this is right, or fair, it IS understandable, given that the Sacred Book of Christianity, the Bible, tells us that it is evil, that we are not to suffer a witch to live. But what if we are misinterpreting/misunderstanding what the Hebrew Scriptures are really saying? After all, the Bible is a Western translation of an Ancient Near Eastern text. Also, there are many translations of at least several slightly different texts. Who are we to say that this one ( translation ) is more correct than another? How are we to know that this translation of that text is more accurate than that one? We can't know, for instance, that what is known as the Majority text is better than, say, the United Bible Society text, or even the Westcott & Hort. It's just more commonly accepted, or  it used to be. In a way, one might note that it's subject to the whims of the majority, which, humanly speaking, tend to change like the weather!

To live intentionally is to practice magick! One doesn't have to mutter incantations or cast spells, although many do; one simply has to purpose, in their heart of hearts, their innermost Being, that they're going to live a certain way, do certain things, no matter what & voila, they're practicing magick, whether they know it or not! Magick, like most 'things', is not in & of itself, 'evil'! Some people DO have wicked intentions, though I would dare to say there are more people with good intentions. 'It is what it is'; if one's purpose is to live well, harming no other ( ? ), then it could well be said that they're practicing what is most often called 'white magic', but one who lives carelessly, only concerned with their own profit ( ? ), no matter if others are harmed, could well be said to practice what is called 'black magic'. Aside from the fact that it is wrongly called 'magic', magick is what it is, neither good nor bad, but dependent on the spirit of the individual practitioner.

In this Life, it's sadly surprising the amount of people that simply strive to survive! From surviving the teenage years to surviving till the weekend ( 'work' is a four-letter word', etc. ), there are many who seem to have blindly accepted the notion, whether they believe in an 'after-life' or not, that no one makes it out of this life alive, that all we can do is hope to survive long enough to see our grandkids & maybe great-grandkids. If we can provide them a better life along the way, that's great too!

But what if there's More?! Maybe there's more to Life than simply surviving! If we could only change our perceptions of who we really are & what Life's really all about, maybe we would learn to aim for More than just survival: maybe we would thrive to such an extent that we & those around us never thought possible! Really, there's no doubt about it; we would thrive; we just have to take that first daring step. Knowing yourself is a dauntingly frightening proposition, but if we are to do More than survive, we must know ourselves. This may look different to different people, depending on their chosen religion, because, depending on what one believes about themselves, the aforementioned task may be more or less daunting, more or less frightening. There is a difference, however subtle it may seem, between knowledge & belief!

To truly know oneself, one must discard every notion that one has about themselves! Maybe that sounds crazy, but it's true; we have been so conditioned, as human beings, to believe that we are simply biological machines, bred for survival ( some call it 'evolution' ), that it will take a 'miracle' for us to 'get back to the Garden', so to speak. While we ARE in this biology, an integral part of it, one might note, WE are More than this biology! ( I know, this is 'old hat' for most of my readers ) Rather than human beings, bred to survive, with a spirit, WE are spirit-beings in a human body, who will thrive, if only we can see Beyond our Humanity!

How then, DOES one see Beyond their Humanity? CAN one see Beyond their Humanity; is there TRULY More?!  'As above, so below'; once we realize, through whatever means, that WE are More, once we start the ball rolling, so to speak, it's all downhill from there, though it is really an up-hill battle! Some use their chosen religion to strive for this knowledge, though that most often stagnates in belief, while others employ a more holistic way, through meditation & yoga. More than just an exercise regimen practiced for relaxation, 'Yoga' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Union'. Called anything from 'chi' to 'orgone', it is the striving ( without striving ) to unite body & soul, to realize that it must be 'both/and' rather than 'either/or'. It is in the innermost being, our individual spirit, that the decision-making process begins. It goes without saying ( but I'll say it anyway ) that without the spirit, the body can do nothing!

Once one accepts, then, that there is More to Life than mere survival, she or he has made that first crucial step towards true knowledge! Some will take longer in this process than others, depending on their level of stagnation, while some, in their current Lifetime, will NEVER see this, but when it's all said & done ( ? ), ALL will come to this startling, but glorious realization!

Intentional Living, humanly speaking, is the first step. We must go about our lives, whether we call it 'magick' or not, purposefully taking each step, every action we imagine, beginning with the individual spirit. We must choose to harm no other rather than carelessly going about our 'day-to-day', irregardless of the harm we may be doing to others. As we've seen, this is easier said than done, but once we have made that first step, it becomes, not easier, but more 'natural', if that makes sense. The River of the Water of Life, which itself flows from the Tree of Life, will begin to run more freely through this biology, enabling us to thrive, not just survive!

The River of the Water of Life flows through this biology nonetheless, for it is Life itself, but humanly speaking, until we learn that WE are the Tree of Life & that every aspect of Life is miraculous & magickal, it will not flow as freely as it could! It's not as simple as the ( relatively ) old adage, 'if a tree falls in the forest & no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?', but our 'reality' ( again, 'humanly speaking' ) hinges on our perception. If we do not perceive the River of the Water of Life flowing through our veins, much less ourselves as the Tree of Life, we still ARE, but WE will not have the impact in this Life we otherwise would have.

Just like any religion, in reality, witchcraft is simply a way of Life, one that is intended to help us along the Way, toward becoming better versions of ourselves. There is always the tendency, it is true, to allow our Ego to get the better of us & to use our Craft in a way that is harmful to both ourselves & others, but when we purpose Within ourselves not to cause harm to others ( this includes More than one might think ), whatever religion we ascribe to ( if we ascribe to any certain religion ) will help us along the Way toward, not just becoming a better person, but realizing that we ARE More; More than just a Person; we are Life itself!

Charles Haddon Shank

New Year, New You?

This has became a bit of a handy-dandy catchphrase in the past decade or so. On the surface, it sounds pretty good, right? Most people would love to become 'a better version' of themselves. To become the best person they can be should be everybody's goal. However, although it is an honorable thing to want to be the best ( person ) we can be, it's definitely not as easy as it sounds! How do we become a better person? Well, that's easy; make better choices! Again, easier said than done, right?! Yes, we should make better choices, but really, where do those choices begin? In our 'choice generator' of course, our innermost being, our 'heart'. Here's where we come to the 'crux' of the matter, though & this is where perception plays the biggest key. Many or most of us have been taught from day one that somehow & to whatever extent, we are fallen creatures & that 'the heart [ is ] deceitful above all [ things ] and desperately wicked'. Therefore, in line with this reasoning, since our choices originate with the 'heart', we really cannot make good choices........................without help, that is!

To be honest, 2019 might be the hardest year on record for me & I know it wasn't any easier ( in some cases, harder ) for many who are reading this! The biggest issue that I've dealt with this year, as in the several years leading up to it, was more than a paradigm shift ( that happened years ago, as some of you are aware ); this was a Shift in Consciousness. This Shift has caused me, even almost forced me, to look at many things differently! Although I wouldn't necessarily say that I have lost any friends or loved ones over it, the relationship that I enjoyed with certain people has felt the strain. Although, to whatever extent, my relationship with certain others already suffered because of my prior shift. Speaking of perception, though, I sometimes wonder if it is simply my own perception that these relationships have suffered. 'The door swings both ways', right? I know that in times past, I have seeming allowed 'being right' over 'being friends' . There IS value in being right, please don't get me wrong, but another lesson I have learned over the past few years, especially this one that is rapidly drawing to a close, is to value relationship, not more than Truth, but more than the human need to be right. It's not that I don't want to be right, or that I no longer care about Truth. It's that, while I KNOW Truth, I will no longer use It as an excuse to play the victim, to separate me from those I love or care about!

I said all that to say this; maybe this is becoming somewhat passe' by now, but I AM, we ARE More than what we normally manifest in this human form, or vehicle. 'How do you know?', you might ask. I might simply respond, 'I just DO!' But this kind of answer, though true, probably won't satisfy most people. 'How DO I know?!' Well, off the top of my head ( so to speak ), I've become more aware, as I walk through this Journey we call Life, that I AM, first & foremost, a spirit-being. Humanly speaking, the words we speak & the things we do are simply the manifestations of the choices we make in our individual spirits. 'So far', you might be thinking, 'this is simply lending credence to the notion that the 'heart' is desperately wicked or incurably sick'. 'No, not really, though I can understand how you might reach that conclusion'. This, though, is where it gets a bit complicated; speaking of the individual spirit, this is where the Ego come into play. I've said it before & I'll say it again; the Ego is NOT a bad thing. It's part of what makes us human. It's when we allow our Ego ( individual spirit ) to overrule or overrun the part of us that is inextricably linked to those we often call 'others' that we run into trouble. As a Christian, maybe the best example I can give is from the Bible, in Genesis 4, where Cain killed Abel because he allowed his Ego to rule over him!

'So how', one might ask now, 'do we stop ourselves from allowing our Ego to make our choices for us?' ( In this case, you could almost call the Ego, 'the Devil' ) First & foremost is to realize that we are not the Ego, It does not define us! Much, if not all the problems in this world is that most people, not all, identify with the Ego ( ie., blame it on the Devil ). We need to remember who we are & why we are here, in this biology. We are here to love. We ARE Love! Although we manifest as individual spirits in individual human bodies, we are all One with What the American Indian calls the Great Spirit! Therefore, even though we are individually manifesting in these human vehicles, there are, in reality, no 'others'. It is not us versus them, with our empires & nationalistic fervor; It is US, sharing the Truth in Love!

Again, 'easier said than done', particularly in this Ego-driven world we live in, but, 'it is what is'! By continuing to strive for the best seat at the banquet, by continuing to view 'others' as somehow 'less-than', simply because of race, color or creed ( even sexual preference ), we will never be able to break this vicious cycle. It all starts with US. Not us individually, although that is where It manifests; we all need to realize that it is not all about 'Me' ( Ego ), though there is nothing wrong with individuality, that's what makes Life worth living: what matters most is the Collective 'US', the Divine Energy that drives us all ( Christians call this 'the Imagio Deo' ) When we remember & this is happening as we speak, that we are all, at 'heart', One, then wars will cease, countries will become borderless & Love will rule!

'As above, so below'; this past year has not been an easy one for ANYBODY! It has been fraught with pain, peril & Peace. Yes, 'Peace'! Through whatever means, whether because of or in spite of the suffering we have undergone, many have found anew, in our 'hearts', the Peace that passes all understanding.

Again, 'easier said than done'! The suffering will continue, though we may pray it eases up in the coming year, for while the world around us is in turmoil & confusion, we carry this Peace in our 'hearts'. As is the case in many a scenario, in many of the current events we witness, it's taken this long to get to the point that we find ourselves & the world in, that it's likely going to take at least that long to get back to where we should be, personally speaking. Can we make that change in the coming year, can we BE that necessary change?! It's really up to US!

Charles Haddon Shank

Awaking

'Am I really awake?'

Sometimes wonder stills me, doubts assail me.
It seems the harder I try, the more fear freezes.
Learning to let go & let be, is a tough lesson for me!

But 'let it be' must happen & yet it must not!
Confusion assails, a near cousin.
Trying ties the stomache in knots.
Letting go is easier than it sounds.
Without letting go, growth cannot change.

Must grow, must live, must die.
Brilliantly we shine for others to see.
But, we are not here for 'others'!

Choices to be made, things to do, or not.
Change will come, will we or won't we.
Time is just a concept, but it is.
Growth there is, just 'let it be'.
It occurs to us all, as we strive, or no.

Letting go ain't easy, but moving on.
There is no Fear, as days go by!
Its all in our heads, not our hearts!
Wander as we wonder, for there is More to Life than this.

'I AM!'

Charles Haddon Shank

Ascension: An Ode to Joy

Joy, beautiful spark of Gods,
Daughter of Elysium,
We approach, fueled by fire,
Heavenly, your sanctuary,
Your magical powers unify
What custom harshly parts
All men are made brothers
Where your gentle wing spreads.

Friedrich Schiller

What is Life all about? Many in this day & age seem to think it's all about accruing as much ( wealth? ) as humanly possible before time expires, whether for ones own personal enjoyment, or for some sort of familial dynasty. Both scenarios have their own issues, but we should all know that Life is about More than mere accumulation: an ancient Greek Maxim, immortally inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple at Delphi, is, 'Know Thyself'. To truly know, or love others, one must first know themselves. Life, then, is not about building dynasties or even leaving a nest egg for our children, although both of these may contribute to our enjoyment of this thing we call 'Life'. It's not even about enjoyment, although one might say that if we can't enjoy the fruits of our labor, is Life really worth Living?! What then, IS Life all about?! Schiller understood that the loftiest goal in this Life is finding Joy, though he seems to point us upwards & outwards for the Source of this Joy. 'How', you might say, 'do we find this Joy?' I'm glad you asked!

First of all, what is Joy? One modern definition is that it is an emotion, a feeling based & dependent on the possession of ones deepest desires. This is not totally untrue, for humanly speaking, our emotions, our feelings are our greatest gauge. They can also prove our downfall, however, for when we base our Joy on our possessions, whether it be the love of another person, or a material object, our Joy can then be lost, for things & people tend to change. In fact, things in this thing we call 'Life' change like the weather in Montana; one minute we could be floating on 'Cloud Nine' & the next minute, we're so 'down in the dumps' that we're almost seriously contemplating suicide ( extreme case ). The point here is that if we base our Joy, much like our Happiness ( almost indistinguishable ), on anything or anyone outside ourselves, we risk disappointment, because ( you guessed it ), 'things change. Situations change, people change, but you know what NEVER changes?!

The importance of truly knowing yourself cannot be denied! Being brought up Christian as I was, the biblical injunction to 'love your neighbor as yourself' has some profound implications, yet it is so simple. The further biblical notion that you cannot truly love 'God' ( whom you CAN'T see ) if you can't love your brother ( neighbor-whom you CAN see ). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out then that one must love, or know themselves before they can truly love, or know, anyone else, much less 'God', Loving God, to most Christians, means doing what 'He' commands, or at least, what the Bible says 'He' commands. There is certainly nothing wrong, in & of itself, with following the instructions in some Holy Book, especially, 'as above, so below', when they say to 'love your neighbor as yourself'. If one is simply following the command ( 'for the Bible tells me so ) to 'love' their neighbor, we might have a problem. I say 'might', because this is not necessarily always the case, but what if we don't really love, or know ourselves? What if all we know of love, we learned from a Book?! What if we only think we know ourselves from what we read in a Book ( Jeremiah 17:9, et al )

What is Love?! We've been here before, methinks, but Love is NOT a feeling or an emotion, though both these are involved in Its outward manifestation! Love is even More than an action, though this IS its outward manifestation! Love begins with our Inmost Being: in fact, one could truly say that Love IS our Inmost Being! Doing ( action ) surely follows, as it is the outward manifestation of Love, but it all starts, as it must, with our Inmost Being. Whether we consciously, as most do, or unconsciously make the choice to express Love towards another individual, outwardly speaking, it all begins with that choice. We may decide, based on our feelings or emotions that we 'love' this or that person & this is not to say that we should not trust our feelings or emotions ( they're there for a reason ), though when we just 'let it be', allowing the Love that we are to manifest on Its own, we will find that Life comes a lot easier, with no stress!

Thus, then, the importance of knowing ones Self! 'As above, so below'; if we do not know ourselves, can we truly know 'God'?! Is 'God' simply who the Bible says 'He' is, or is 'God' something More? The Bible does say truthfully that 'God is love' ( I John 4:8 ), so therefore, we go ( transversely ) back to, 'he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, he cannot love God whom he has not seen?' The Bible itself says that no one has seen God, though the apostle Paul, in what has become known as 'the  Love Chapter'  ( I Corinthians 13 ) says, 'For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.' In context, maybe, Paul's words held more import for his original audience, but, as a Universal Truth, they stand today as a reminder, not that we must wait for the so-called 'Afterlife' to see 'God', but that when we realize the Christ Within & what Love really IS, then we will see 'God'!

So, 'What IS Love?!' Put simply; 'God is Love: transversely, Love is God! Some may say that's a bit too simple, even simplistic, but there it is. Some might reason that 'Love' has too many definitions, that the 'love' in 'I love you, man', 'love is all we need', etc., is something different than what the Bible says 'Love' really is. Like 'God' though, Is 'Love' simply what the Bible says it is ( I used to 'believe' this ), or is it something More? Do we, or even some Holy Book, define what Love is? 'It is what It is'; like 'God', neither we nor some Holy Book can offer anything but our own perception of  what 'Love' truly is! As a wise man once said, 'Love is not a victory march'! Love is not a conquest, it is not something we must do in order to be; it something we are & when we realize it, sometimes even without realizing, Love comes shining through!

It is in this life, personally speaking, that we must come to this realization if we are to have any lasting impact on the wider world! A Spirit manifests its Will through this biology; that's just the way it works. We may go around the world, spreading 'the love of God in Christ', we may even unconsciously manifest this Love without knowing that we are only manifesting our true Self, but our greatest impact will be once we realize that this is us; It is not something we are doing, or something outside of ourselves that we are manifesting.We are not 'mirrors', we are not simply reflections! Even the Bible says that It is within us ( Love/God-John 11:26 ). We are not reflecting the Love that we have been shown, for Jesus Himself said that if you love ( only ) those who love you, you're no better than a tax collector. By sharing the Love of the Christ, that is, the Christ Within, we are manifesting the Love that we ARE!

Namaste' & Blessed Be,
Charles Haddon Shank

The Word in Flesh

 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His ^[c]own, and His ^[d]own did not receive Him.

John 1:10 & 11

First of all, I want to make absolutely clear that the traditional Christmas Story, while it does have implications for all of humanity for all time ( though it's not what most people think ) & so, IS a Story for the Ages; the Christmas Story that we read in the Bible is primarily one about the salvation of the Jewish people. It's also about their condemnation, but that might be another Story for another Day. This is, however, not to say that the world of our day, or humanity in general, did not or does not benefit from what the historical figure known as Jesus of Nazareth did. According to the Bible ( Matthew 1:21 ), Jesus came to save HIS people from THEIR sins! He surely did that, at least to those who accepted Him as Messiah, but He also showed, to anyone who reads His Story ( down through the ages ) that a Man could also be God! 

The 'flesh' of which the Bible speaks can be applied to humanity in general, but primarily, as above, it refers more generally to the Jewish people, or, more correctly, to the Hebrew people. Theologically speaking, it refers in particular maybe, to the Law, or the Law/Temple System. Not to get too far into it, theologically speaking, for that is something I prefer not do anymore, but, as I've postulated before, the Hebrew Story IS the Story of Humanity. The tendency among many, unfortunately, is to allow the Hebrew part of the Story to fade into the background & apply the Story DIRECTLY to us & OUR situation, OUR day & age. There are many ageless truths to be found in the Bible, but when we bypass the Hebrew flavor, we tend to read into the Story what was never meant to be there. In the same vein, then, we also tend to overlook certain blessings that ARE there!

The 'Word' ( Logos ) that was 'in the beginning', actually means just that; 'word'. Just as Elohim breathed life into His Creation, so the 'word' that proceeded forth from His mouth did not return to Him void, but accomplished everything He sent it for ( ? ). In the Story of Israel ( what we know as 'The Bible' ),  it is often taken for granted that when 'Elohim' Spoke the Word, the Universe, with all its constituent elements, was formed, but closer, more careful study will reveal that this piece of Ancient Near Eastern literature is NOT about the formation of the material 'world' in which we live; it is about the formation of a covenant that this 'Elohim' made with His own Creation, the people who would be known as 'Israel'.

As we progress through our reading of the Bible ( I'm writing largely of my own Journey here ), it should become clear that this 'Word', according to the apostle John ( John 11:26 ), resides with ( in ) us. One might even say that It IS us, or at least a part of us. Since we are, in some sense, Creators ourselves, with the ability to create a blessing or a curse with our own words, or the thoughts we breathe, it should be fairly simple to take two & two here to make four. I'm not saying that we created the world ( Earth ), or that we can simply make things appear out of nowhere, just by saying the 'word'; no, we have to put forth some effort too, working to create, or manifest what we imagined with our thoughts & spoke with our mouth, but as they say, 'you gotta start somewhere'!

My readers are by now aware of the fact that I affirm we are Gods! I agree with Jesus when He 'echoed' ( ? ) the sentiment of David King of Israel, telling the religious leaders, 'you are gods'. It is not, however, in our human nature ( our 'humanness' ) that our God-hood rests, though it is often made manifest there ( ? ), but rather in the fact that we are spiritual in nature, of the same essence as the One that Christians call 'God'. Other religions perceive this Divine Source differently & thus call It by a different Name. That this Divine Source ( some simply call it 'Energy' ) formed the universe is abundantly clear! 'As above, so below'; it had to start somewhere! Or did it? Maybe It, like the 'God' that Christians claim, has always been; 'Eternal in the Heavens'!

The Truth is that, humanly speaking, no one KNOWS for certain that their perception of 'God' is the correct one! Human beings can only BELIEVE, unless they see it with their own eyes, that a thing is actually true. The Christian religion tells people that they must take it on faith; they must believe that the God of the Bible is the One True God; Islam doesn't totally disagree that He is the One True God, but He is only One ( Person? ) & His Name is 'Allah'. The Jews are kinda mid-way between the Christians & Muslims, while the rest of the world can go to 'Hell'! Just Kidding! The Eastern religions worship the Source by the Names of Shiva, Yamantaka & Amaterasu, along with a host of other deities, most of which are based, however loosely, on mere human beings.

Back to our Story now, many people miss the fact that we are glorious & powerful beings, even in our humanity, because the Bible tells us, for example, that we are all begotten in sin ( Psalm 51: 10 ) and that even our hearts are desperately wicked ( Jeremiah 17: 9 ). Read in the context, not just of the surrounding passages, but the Rest of the Story, it should be fairly clear that these words were meant for Israel. Can they be applied to us as well? Not really, but in reading those words, we can better understand our own human nature, with its tendency to want see for itself, not just believe everything it's told, just because 'I said so'. 

'Flesh', as defined by Merriam-Websters online dictionary, is 'the soft parts of the body of an animal and especially of a vertebrate'. We are, biologically speaking, little more than animals! We, however, as we've seen, are More than our biology; at the heart of the issue, we are of the same Creative Essence as the One Christians call 'God'! Because of this, we are able, of ourselves, to create, both ourselves & even our environment ( to whatever extent ); by our choices, we manifest that which WE will, 'good' or 'evil', kind or unkind. When Jesus told the Jews ( Pharisees? ) that they were gods, this is what He meant; they had the power, as Judges of Israel, to decide whether this or that was right, whether this or that was wrong. WE have that same Power; by our choices, we decide what kind of environment we're going to live in, spiritually speaking. Our choices determine whether we will be a rest in 'Heaven' or whether we will perpetually slave in 'Hell'!

Not much of a Christmas Story, eh? Well, we can't be jolly & cheerful ALL the time, now can we?! But we don't hafta be 'The Grinch', either! By exercising our God-hood in a creative, not a destructive way, we can ensure that, although it may not always be stars & tinsel, in our hearts, we will know the Peace that Passes all Understanding.  In that Way, if in that way only, we ourselves may celebrate the Christmas Story, knowing that we are an Essential part of it!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!
Charles Haddon Shank

Great Expectations; 'Under Pressure'

The Pressure to Perform is without doubt the hardest part of any relationship ( pun intended ). This applies to any relationship ( not only physical/sexual ). In a Work Relationship, for instance, if one cannot perform the assigned task well, in a timely manner, that one very likely won't be employed very long, if at all. In most Personal Relationships, the case is much the same; if one person cannot well-supply the 'needs' of the other, whatever sort of arrangement the relationship exists under, it probably won't last very long either. This often is related to the Work Relationship as well; if one person cannot keep their 'job', for whatever reason, this in turn will most likely affect any Personal Relationship he or she may be in.

There is nothing wrong with having expectations! If we never expected anything, mostly of ourselves, we would probably never get anything done. On the other hand, if we jumped off a cliff expecting to sprout wings before we reached the sharp rocks at the bottom, we would be very disappointed...........for about 1/100th of a second, that is! The problem there, if indeed one perceives it thusly, is that expecting a human being to suddenly exhibit behavior we normally attribute to birds is pretty unreasonable. Expecting to be able to jump far enough out over the cliff to land in the deep water is not so unreasonable, though it's pretty risky, no matter ones physical condition. The expectations we have of ourselves, however, are somewhat different than those we have of others. When we expect things of others, we must take into account, among other things, the feelings of that person. For instance, a person may, to all appearances, be as fit as a fiddle, but if they're having an 'off' day, make one tiny mistake/miscalculation, etc., it could mean the difference between life & death!

Marriage, at least as we're most familiar with the term ( pun intended ), is such a proposition. As most popularly defined, marriage is full of expectations. The husband is expected to provide for his family; in the same vein, the wife is expected to support him in his endeavor, as well as to nurture & care for any children that result. This is not to say that this is necessarily wrong, in & of itself, for to provide for the other person, especially what he or she cannot provide for themselves, is an important, if not absolutely necessary, part of any relationship. This applies as well to both husband & wife. When these expectations are not met, for whatever reason, the relationship often hits the sharp rocks at the bottom of the cliff!

The problem with having expectations, even when they're 'reasonable', is that we'll almost always be disappointed! This is not, though, to say we should NOT have them ( ? ), for 'as above, so below'; if we don't expect anything, in particular, of ourselves, we'd never get anything done, personally speaking. The problem appears when we base our happiness on those expectations. When we're happy or satisfied with our partner only when he or she fulfills our expectations, our happiness won't last long, nor will it be true happiness.  For true happiness, one must simply BE!

Living without expectations, whether positive or negative, is truly the best way to BE!  When one doesn't expect anything, whether from their partner or themselves, they will never be disappointed! It is difficult, I will admit, to be in ANY kind of relationship without having expectations, but in order to remain in ANY relationship, we must learn to deal with disappointment, or else to live without expectation. Living without expectation is not easy, in fact, in this day & age, I daresay that most people perceive it to be well-nigh impossible. It is, however, NOT impossible! If we do not expect anything from anyone, much less ourselves, as above, we will never be disappointed. If we're never disappointed, we have nothing to be unhappy about. If we have no reason to be unhappy, we can only BE......you guessed it; HAPPY!

To be happy in ANY relationship, particularly marriage, we must learn to live without expectations! 'But', one might say, 'I expect my wife/husband to act according to to their marriage vows; that's what he/she signed up for!' Marriage is more than vows & though, according to the institution of marriage, a man or women has a 'right' to expect certain things of their partner, they also have the 'right' to be disappointed when all these things are not fulfilled! Marriage being more than just an agreement between two persons; when two souls are united, realizing their spiritual nature, the following relationship cannot be based upon any personal expectations. Such a relationship is eternal, not being based on expectations, but rather, being 'grounded' in the heavens!

One might well say that to have expectations is a purely human condition! It is in our human 'vehicle', this biological wonder that we are blessed ( ? ) to inhabit, that 'feelings', or more correctly 'emotions' originate. This, really, is not quite true either; our individual soul, one might note, is actually the origin of our 'feelings'. Our emotions, from which come expectations, are based in perception, which DOES originate with our human nature. Programming, or training, also has something to do with our perception. Whether religious or 'secular'' ( ?), we have all been taught, or trained to expect certain things of certain people. It is only by returning to the beginning that we can overcome this 'conditioning'!

To return to the beginning, we must first realize that we are not here simply to 'perform'! This is not to say, of course, that we must do nothing, or even that we SHOULD do nothing; there is plenty that we should & must do! For instance, we must do what we can to maintain this vehicle so that we can fulfill our purpose in this biology, in this incarnation; we should do our best to provide for those we have placed in our care ( wife, children, etc. ): all this is personally speaking. We, however, as we've explored to some length in this blog, are More than the Person; we are More than just Doing: we are BEing ( s )! Not just Human Beings either, though this cannot be denied, nor should it be overlooked ( ? ): we are, at heart, in our innermost BEing; of a Spiritual Nature, Pure Energy, some would say. In order to bypass the Pressure to Perform, this is what we must return to; the realization that, while we are in this incarnation, in this biology, for a Higher Purpose; we are here primarily to BE, not to DO, though again. there is that! May we, as Higher Beings with a Higher Purpose, help others to realize this Glorious Fact!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!
Charles Haddon Shank

A Mythology for Today

The definition of 'myth', found at Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary website, is, 'a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon'. A myth, therefore, is usually a true story, though not necessarily entirely factual, though based on actual events. Any piece of literature contains some element of mythology, be it an autobiography, biography or history book. The Scriptures of most if not all of the world's religions fall under this classification as well. The Christian Scriptures, in particular,  must be read in this way or else a deep misunderstanding of much of the text will undoubtedly follow!

With that said; 'On with the Story!'

John had quite an imagination! In his world, there was no such thing as religion, therefore nothing to fight over. There was no such thing as a 'Heaven' above ( except the sky ) & no 'Hell' below. John would likely tell you that the only 'God' there was to 'fear' was the One inside each & every human being, their Higher Nature. In John's idealistic world, there was no such thing as 'mine': it was 'ours', if it 'belonged' to anyone.To be sure, John knew that if such a world were to exist, the human beings that peopled it would have to use their imaginations as well & even though most laughed at John's dreamings, he knew he wasn't the only dreamer......................

A typical 'day' in John's dream-world involved everyone, including Nature, living together in harmony! This does NOT mean, though, that everybody liked everybody; just because they all got along in the most sincere & loving manner imaginable, there were still fields to plow, animals ( what we call in this world, 'lesser beings' )  to care for & buildings to maintain. Even for those living from the Higher Nature, there were still differences to overcome ( if that's even the right word for it ); life in this human shell, as even John realized in his world of dreams, meant dealing with humanity, though it was a Higher Humanity!

Religion, Organized Religion anyway, was a sure way to unleash a world of trouble on an undeserving world; John knew this from experience, having been raised in its unhealthy fear! With all the differences between people, as it was, there was enough to deal with, without separating into groups ( denominations? ) of those who were 'right' & those that were 'wrong', 'us versus them', so to speak. As above, so below; there were still obvious differences to get past, but once the people learned to live from their Higher, instead of Lower Nature, even though there were those that resonated better with some more than others, they were able to live together, or apart, for that matter, not just in spite of, but because of their differences!

The Higher Nature, or 'Godhood' that John knew was necessary for such a world to exist is not beyond the reach of any human being. In fact, It exists within each human being; It is in fact, a very necessary constituent, believe it or not, of our humanity. Speaking of belief, not that there is anything wrong, in itself, with belief; in John's wide experience, he knew that when beliefs are exalted above what Is, trouble is sure to follow, to whatever extent. If we did not have that Spark of Divinity within us, we would exist in no way, shape or form! Organized Religion & in particular the three major world-wide ones, Christianity, Judaism & Islam, teaches its adherents that not only is there an Angry 'God' out there somewhere, ready to drop the hammer at a moments notice ( even on a whim, so it would seem ), but 'He' has a chosen mouthpiece on this earth to spread 'His' Good News, 'His' Truth.

Organized Religion has no place in John's Imaginary World! The only religion John knew, if religion it could be called, was to live ones life in peace, to love others as you loved yourself & to treat others in the way you wished to be treated. Other than that, as long as they didn't harm anyone in the process; John really didn't care what anyone else did. In this world, he knew, one couldn't count on everyone responding in kind, but John also knew that the more people started living in harmony with the Laws of Nature, loving & being loved, the more this world would begin to look like the world he imagined. The wars that have been & are being waged in this world would no longer occur, as most if not all wars ever fought have been based in religion, or blind faith. Faith has its place, as John well knew, but blind faith was a clear & present danger, not only to those who held it, but to the world around them!

John was a Prophet of Peace; he didn't claim to be the mouthpiece of some Angry God out there somewhere who watched 'His' children with a critical, all-seeing eye, ready to hurl 'His' lightning bolts of justice at any of them who dared disobey. No, John knew that any 'God' who treated 'His' children like this was egocentric at best & psychopathic at worst! If any lightning bolts were to be hurled, it would take place within oneself, being hurled by oneself. This too, is where the whole notion of separation exists; it begins within oneself & thus that is where it must end. John knew, as we all must, that the only way the world of which he dreamed would manifest is if we, the practitioners of magick, would realize that Spark of Divinity within ourselves, then within those around us in an ever widening circle & thus manifest the Gods & Goddesses that we, by Nature, are!

As Gods & Goddesses in our own right, living as John imagined, from their Higher, rather than Lower Nature, in Harmony with all of Nature, loving without borders, we can forget such things as Pride & Nationalism! We can rule over our own Ego ( nobody else's ) by loving others as we love ourselves & treating them, not as they often treat as, but as we would like to be treated. John himself was often beleaguered by his Ego, but as we must, he had learned how to master it, much like his body, not by forcefully dominating it, but simply by using it for a Higher Purpose!

The World that John imagined DOES exist! In fact, it exists right alongside of this world that we call 'real', just on a Higher Plane. However, I can't take you there; I can show you the door, but YOU  must step through it, You must make the conscious choice to learn to know yourSelf, your Higher Nature. It's not easy, not by any stretch of the imagination, but 'oh, it's worth it', as John well knew & though it's at first a lonely existence, you'll find that it's closer to 'Heaven' than you've ever imagined!

Charles Haddon Shank

Good Intentons; the Battle for the Ego

It begins at an early age. Dad or Mom will tell a child, 'don't do this', or 'don't do that' & the response of the child, usually sooner rather than later, is to do exactly what they were told not to. A prime example ( almost a cliche' now ) is, 'don't touch that hot stove!' I'm pretty sure we ALL just experienced a painful childhood memory of a burning sensation. Coming from a Christian background ( as I do ), maybe one of the most famous ( or is that 'infamous'? ) examples from the Hebrew Scriptures, or rather, our English Bible, is that of the Fall of Adam & Eve. Elohim told them not to partake of a certain tree 'in the midst' of the Garden & what was the first thing these 'children' did? From the Rest of the Story, we know that they did eat of the fruit of this tree & so experienced the death of separation from their 'God'.  One can read this Story & garner different meaning from it, whether metaphorical or woodenly literal, but for the current purposes of this blogger, it serves as a reminder of our natural inclination to do what we're told not to, most often to our own detriment, personally speaking, of course.

'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'! This familiar phrase, though probably not as popular as it once was, rings as true today as ever. Although it should most definitely be understood metaphorically, since 'hell' is simply reaping the sour fruit of bad seed, this phrase tells us that even though we might mean something in a good way, the recipient of our actions, whether words or deeds, may not receive it as such & in many cases, the exact opposite! This, according to their own personal choice, of course, can set them on the 'highway to hell' & we, then, must be careful with OUR choices, lest we join them there.  This is all personally speaking, of course: when we allow our human nature, our Ego, to determine our course, most often, we end up on 'the highway to hell', or in other words, to use another example from the Hebrew Scriptures, filling the shoes of Cain, who murdered his brother, simply because his ( Cain's ) offering, made with 'good intentions' ( ? ), was not accepted, while his brother's was.

The Ego, as we've discussed in this blog previously, is not a 'bad, or 'evil' thing; It just IS! An integral part of our human nature, it's what enables us to make ( manifest ) choices, but when we allow our Ego to determine those choices, we often end up playing the part of Cain & metaphorically ( ? ) murdering our brother. On the other hand, the Ego is actually necessary for us to be able to choose! Being, as we've seen, an integral part of our humanity, we use the Ego ( our individuality ) to decide which is the better choice ( for us ). This again, following the rabbit trail, is not always 'good' either, for sometimes, what seems 'best' for us is not so for others. Individuality, in the same 'vein', is not 'evil' either; like the Ego, It just IS. As human beings, we HAVE an Ego; we have Individuality, but we are defined by neither! Both ( one is very nearly the same as the other ) are necessary constituents of our humanity, but when we allow either to determine our conscious ( or unconscious, for that matter ) choices, then is when we begin to tread the aforementioned 'highway'!

As long as we inhabit this biology, we daily run the risk of traveling 'the highway to hell'! No, the 'hell' of which I write is not some place that sinners go when they die, which was probably the intention behind the phrase; the 'hell' of which I write here is the 'hell' of ones own choosing. Whether through 'bad' choices, or simply our reaction to others, we tend to heap coals of fire on our own heads, allowing our Ego to convince us that somehow we have separated ourselves from what is 'good' & 'right', simply because the 'other' did not react well! This is NOT, though, to say that we should do whatever we can to avoid this risk ( drastic measures? ), simply that, knowing the risk is there, we must exercise great care in knowing ourSelf, for if we truly know ourSelf, we KNOW that we are More; More than our Ego, More than our Individuality, More than our Humanity!

Being More than our Humanity, we nevertheless, through whatever means, are consigned to living with it all, the Ego, the Individuality, the whole nine yards. This is not to say, either, that just because someone IS Ego-driven, their choices are always 'bad', though this is often, if not usually the case; sometimes, Ego-driven people make 'good' choices, not so much because of 'good intentions', though that is often the case, but because their true nature, which is Love, cannot help but shine through! That said, going back, not to the Hebrew, but the Greek Scriptures & in particular the writings of the apostle Paul, we must not needs escape this 'flesh & blood', as some ( still ) think was his intention in writing, rather we must learn to transcend this mortality, realizing that it is simply our 'vehicle' in this thing we call 'Life', though a necessary constituent of it!

'Good Intentions' will take you far in life! If ones intentions are truly 'good', anyway; a person can say 'I didn't mean to do that' or 'I didn't intend any harm' & if/when harm transpires, did they actually intend no harm or mean not to do that ( whatever 'that' is )? Speaking of childhood experiences, most of us can probably relate, in one way or another, but I can recall a saying that went the rounds in my family: when faced with the excuse, 'I didn't mean to do that', the reply, most often, was, 'well, you didn't mean NOT to, did you?' Most often in this life, whether you ascribe to something like The Wiccan Rede, which says, 'an ye harm none, do what ye will' or follow Jesus injunction to treat others like you want to be treated ( IOW ), when we live with good intention, no matter others response to them, we will find ourselves, not just going the opposite direction ( from THTH ); we will find ourSelves living in that 'place' called 'Heaven'!

In Conclusion, though it may be seen as a daily 'battle'; it need not be viewed as such. We do what is right, yes, but we need not engage with the Ego as our enemy in order to do so. As More than our Ego, we simply USE our Ego for what it was intended & make ( manifest ) our choices from our Higher Nature. rather than our Lower ( or animal ) Nature. Easier said than done, I know, but it is what it is. As above, so below; the Ego is NOT our enemy, it is a necessary constituent, part & parcel both with our Humanity & our Individuality.

Namaste' & Blessed Be!
Charles Haddon Shank

Conscious Breathing

A good friend of mine has a saying, something to the effect of, 'imagine if you had to consciously draw every breath!' The context of his statement, of course, being the religious man that he is, was that there is a 'God' out there somewhere, a 'Man in the Sky' ( though He most certainly would NEVER put it that way! ) Who watches over us, in this case particularly, while we're sleeping & helps us to continue to draw breath while we are in a state of unconsciousness, so to speak. While this is true, from a human standpoint, at least, that there IS a 'God' ( consciousness ) that watches over us ( while we sleep ), It is NOT some 'Person' in the heavens ( 'Heaven'? ) that does this, though it IS most certainly a Higher Intelligence than is normally attributed to humankind ( even someone like Albert Einstein or Nikola Tesla )!

The subject of meditation may, at it's most basic, be said to focus, first & foremost, on one's breathing. By calming oneself, by focusing ones attention on their breathing, one is enabled to willfully breathe; that is to say, rather than allowing ones body to clamor for attention by some some 'need to breathe' ( which I do not deny, by the way ), one allows their Higher Consciousness to control their breathing, thereby becoming calm. Some people, as mentioned previously, both above & in a post on the same subject, focus their attention on a Power outside them which enables them to breathe unconsciously: I will not say this is wrong, though it does detract from personal responsibility & tends to lead to a sense of unworthiness & even self-loathing! No, it is not wrong ( by any means ) to look outside oneself for necessary sustenance ( whether physical, emotional, or spiritual ), but once one realizes, through whatever means, that the Power is within, it becomes less & less necessary ( even harmful ) to look outside oneself.

Some may accuse me of haranguing against, in particular, Christianity! Although I'm not the only one ever harmed, spiritually or emotionally ( which can both lead to physical harm ), by ( institutional ) religion, neither am I trying to imply that ALL Christians, even some within the bounds ( 'bonds'? ) of institutional Christianity, are wrong. Some Christians rightly practice the Principles of the Christ, even though they may still be entrenched in religion! For the most part, though, those particular Christians are on the move & will not be content to stagnate, or 'wallow in the mire' with the rest of their fellows!

The Power of Prayer is another subject which has come under consideration, particularly of late. Having written on this subject previously as well, I will simply reiterate & expand on my previous statements. While prayer is most often made to some 'God' above ( I do not deny a 'God' Above ), in many places, it is voiced aloud & quite publically, to whatever effect. In some cases, this 'effect' is that some who hear the uttered request or need, if it be in their power to answer that request or fulfill that need, will do so, thus acting the part of 'God'. In other prayers, the supplicant may focus on health issues or concerns, such as a cancer of some type, that only 'God' can take care of. In such a case, however, although modern medicine, to a degree, is often, in the long run, worse than the cure; it has enjoyed some degree of success in dealing with many ailments. On the other hand, here too, as in many other cases, physical issues, including cancer, can be resolved by voicing ones concerns aloud.

Unlike prayer, which is focused on a Power outside oneself ( which also tends to alleviate or even negate personal responsibility ), meditation usually focuses on the Power within, helping one to realize that they do have have the Power, as well as the responsibility, to maintain & sustain the physical vehicle they incarnate. Without going into the science of the matter ( much information on the subject is easily accessible, thanks to the internet ). suffice it to say that it IS within the realm of possibility, even probability, for humanity to cure itself of ANY type of cancer! ( Strong statement, I know, but the Power really IS within us to heal ourselves, naturally, without the aid of artificial 'drugs' )

Modern science, to whatever extent, has discovered ( 'uncovered' might be a better word for it ) many of the wonders of this human vehicle, leading to ( for those willing to 'see' it, anyway ) the knowledge that, contrary to popular opinion, we don't need all the 'drugs' that Big Pharma is selling us to 'cure' ourselves! The Earth ( Mother ) has all the necessary resources to help us sustain & maintain this physical vehicles. This may come as a bit of a surprise to some ( Christians? ), but even the Hebrew Scriptures intimate this glorious fact!

Meditating on this glorious fact has lead many to the even more glorious realization that the Power is all around us, within our grasp, so to speak. Thanks to Big Pharma, in large part, most of these resources are not readily available ( or acceptable ), but the tide is turning as we speak: more & more people ( for the most part, those outside the bounds of 'religion' ) are realizing those natural cures, putting them to good use & bettering their own lives, as well as those of others!

Christianity ( organized religion ) has not done much, sadly, to educate the Greater Community to this glorious fact. With its focus on the Power in the heavens & its commitments to 'saving souls for the Afterlife', it has failed to enable its adherents to realize their own Power, 'God-given', no less; to 'save' themselves, to cure their own physical vehicles by making the best use of the resources this Good Earth has to offer. This, again, is NOT to say that no one within the bonds of organized religion, in particular, Christianity, can, does, or will ever realize this glorious truth, although it surely can be detrimental to this realization!

Back now, to the subject at hand; proper meditation ( on the Power Within ) calms our spirit, our true nature, if you will, enabling us to look past the trials of this life ( including 'cancer' ) to see that, indeed, we ARE More than what meets the eye! The illusion that 'what you see is what you get' being destroyed, we are enabled to more clearly see the available resources, including ourselves. It all starts, physically speaking, with consciously & purposefully taking every breath.The realization that our fate is not dependent on the whims of some 'God' out there somewhere, but rather on our own personal choices is empowering!

'Is meditation, then, the cure for everything; is that what you're saying?' My readers will have to decide for themselves; I'm not saying either way, but I will say that it is WHOLLY dependent on themselves! By the choices you make & the actions ( both directly & indirectly ) that follow; YOU determine your own fate, as well as influencing that of others, to whatever extent. Yes, this goes both ways; anyone may be influenced by the choices & actions of others, but it is OUR choice that most affects our destiny. How we react ( or not ) to someone else's actions determines our own personal course. Focusing on our own personal Power has the effect of realizing that it is what WE do, the choices WE make, that really matter in the Grand Scheme of things!

Namaste'
Charles Haddon Shank