Words of Power; A Contemplation

You're probably familiar with the old, child-hood saying. 'sticks & stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me'? Well, in this day & age of 'buttercups' & 'snowflakes', it seems painfully obvious that words can indeed 'hurt a fella' ( or gal )! But, is it really as simple as that?! It depends, as we've discussed in a previous post, on your definition of the words 'hurt' & 'harm'. Are we really hurting them, if by our words, we wound their Ego, or as I like to say, 'bend their feelers'? At this point, of course, we must investigate further; 'what is the intention?' 'Is it the truth?' First off, if 'we' tell them a truth that they need to hear, though it may upset them, or even cause physical dis-ease, 'we' have not hurt them; on the contrary, we have done them a favor, with nothing but good intentions! If, on the other hand, we tell them a lie, causing them to put others or themselves in physical danger, one might well say that we are complicit & have hurt someone with our words. Again, though, the choice is theirs as to what to do with the truth or lie, just as it is ours to tell them the truth or lie!

Words have Power, there is no doubt! Being raised Christian, the first thing that comes to mind is when the children of Israel marched around the historical ( biblical ) city of Jericho every day for a week ( 7 days ). Joshua 6 records that they marched around the city 7 times on the last day, the priests blew the trumpets long & loud, then the people gave a great shout ( no word on what they shouted ) & the walls fell down. Maybe not the greatest example of words themselves having Power, but you might remember the phrase, 'the pen is mightier than the sword', penned by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839. This phrase was used, if memory serves me correctly, to speak of at least one great 'conflict' that began, more or less, because of the written or spoken word. It goes without saying ( yet I will say it ) that more than one fight starts, on a daily basis, because of carelessly ( even carefully calculating ) spoken words. Here again, we run into the unforgiving brick wall of 'Choice'!

It has been said, 'Life is all about Choice'! This time, 'yes; it really is that simple'! From a human standpoint, at least, it may be well said that how we live our lives here on Earth, even in some sense, how & when we pass from this existence, is our choice: we, in the greatest sense, are the movers & shakers of our own destiny. 'Whoah', some might say; 'what about God?' 'What about 'God'? is my reply. Did not 'God' give us free-choice, according to the Holy Bible? Then again, to further their consternation, I might ask, 'who is 'God'?' 'In the beginning', according to the Christian Bible, this 'God' basically spoke the world into existence ( depending on how one interprets the text ), so, from a Christian standpoint, being Creators along with 'Him', would it be too far-fetched to say that we can speak something into existence, or destroy it with a Word?! Some would say so ( in fact, most probably would ), but the question remains; 'Why not?'

Speaking of my Christian upbringing, another familiar phrase that you might have heard is, 'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions'. Even if one doesn't believe in 'Hell' ( which I haven't for the majority of my adult life ), the phrase could be taken to mean that, even though we may intend well, the results may not be what we, or others, wished. When I first became acquainted with this phrase, it stirred up feelings of guilt in me ( as I'm sure it was meant to )! Even if our intentions are nothing but the best, so the theory goes, for whatever reason, things may go awry. If things go awry ( correct me if I'm wrong ), it's really ( actually ) our fault, because we did whatever we did based on faulty thinking.

Okay; rant over! Our intentions, whether good or bad, have the first & last say in what we do; they ARE, one might say, the Alpha & Omega! Usually, of course, this involves thousands, even millions of brain synapses firing in a split second; sometimes it takes a bit longer, but again, we call it 'Choice'. Our earthly lives are based on it.The Choices we make, to say nothing of the Choices others make, determine the course of our lives in this earthly realm! But, what if it wasn't up to us? What if we actually didn't have free-will ( a mind of our own ) & were simply automatons, able only to accomplish what our Creator programmed us for ( ? )? 'Okay, so it wasn't quite over...............'!

Back to the subject at hand, 'Good Intentions'! When someone intends the best for someone else, even though things might 'go south' anyway, the former bears no guilt in the matter, for they have done their best, they have made what they knew, or believed, was the right choice. The other person, however, also had/has a choice in the matter; to take what was given with the best of intentions & 'run with it', or to disregard it, even to flagrantly despise it. Even bad intentions have a way of turning out for the best. Conversely, the latter may, again, disregard the former's bad intention & turn the intended disaster into a triumph through their own choices, or good intentions. Either way, the Choice & thus, their Destiny, is squarely on the shoulders of the Individual!

'Why not?!' Why shouldn't we, as Creators ourselves, both physically & metaphysically speaking
be able to Create or Destroy with a Word? Is it too much to acknowledge that we can actually convince ourselves not to do something? Can we convince others not to do something, simply by choosing our words carefully? On the other hand, can we not, whether carefully or carelessly. convince someone to do something they shouldn't? Taking some examples from movies, 'Star Wars' & 'Dune' in particular, one might remember how easy it was for 'Obe-wan Kenobi' to convince the weak-minded Stormtrooper that he didn't need to see their papers. In 'Dune', not too dissimilar from the biblical story of 'The Fall of Jericho', the attackers were able to blast through the enemies wall using voice amplifiers, or sound weapons. 'Farfetched?' More or less, but it's entirely possible. In fact, if you believe some of the conspiracy theories out there..................

'Life IS all about Choice'! 'As above, so below', of course, it is on this plane of existence ( ? ) that Choice bears the greater part.  Whatever we choose may or may not have the desired effect, but then, our Choice is what we intend to do about our failure. Even if it involves another person & their Choice, it is still our Choice as to what to do ( if anything ) about their Choice. From there, the Choices & the Situation tend to escalate until someone puts a stop to it. A bruised or wounded Ego is a good thing; it builds character! Some people realize sooner than others that they shouldn't let their Ego run their lives for them. As always, this is not to say that the Ego is a bad thing, even a 'necessary evil', just that 'it is what it is'. It is an integral part of our human nature, not good or bad, simply a part of our 'make-up'. As powerful as the Ego is, though, we still have the Choice of whether to rule over it, or to let it rule over us!

'The Truth hurts'! Does it really?! Only if one is allowing their Ego to rule over them ( determining their choices ) can one be hurt by the truth! In fact of the matter, even then ( in most cases ), only their Ego is hurt, or wounded. Sometimes, physical harm can come from hearing the truth, but again, Choice is the main factor here; there is ALWAYS a Choice!

'Words DO have Power' & when used wisely, with good intentions, can have a miraculous or magickal effect! On the other hand, as we've seen, when chosen & spoken with bad intentions, they can also have adverse effects. Call it Black Magick or White Magick;call it what you will, what it all boils down to is Intention. Intention & Choice. So Mote It Be.

 Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

Enough

'Okay', let's be honest & call this what it is, 'a fucking rant'! I'm getting so fucking tired ( yup, there it is again ) of people, Christians especially, saying things like, 'I'm nothing without Jesus', or 'I'm just a sinner, saved by grace', based on Psalm 14:3, 51, 53:3, etc. Then, there's Jeremiah 17:9, 'The heart [ is ] deceitful above all [ things ],and ^[d]desperately wicked; who can know it?'. These passages, if one is careful enough to read them in context, have one thing in common, 'The sin of Judah'. Okay, so the Psalmist refers either to himself or 'The fool', but even though he never specifically points the finger at the Tribe of Judah, 'those that knows' know where he came from. Back to the former statements made by too many Christians, while I can almost agree with the first statement ( though not in the way you might think - back to that later ), the second is simply ridiculous. For one thing, in the context of Scripture, the 'sinners' in view are not those in the 21st century who have a difficult time remembering Who they truly are; no, the 'sinners' were those who failed to follow the instructions of their 'God' under the Mosaic ( Adamic ) Covenant. Yes, this could be the beginning of an 'exciting' discussion about how Adam & Eve were the Mother & Father of us ALL, but I, for one, am here to tell you that I was NEVER under any damn 'Mosaic Covenant' & neither were YOU! Suck on THAT 'can of worms'!

As human beings, are any of us truly enough? 'Interesting question', right? This one brings up others, though, most importantly, 'why are we, as human beings, 'not enough'?' 'The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wind.................' No, wait; wrong context..............or is it?! Are we not enough, or do we think/believe, for whatever reason, that we're not enough? From our spouses to our children ( though they may not vocalize it ) to our boss/manager at work, as well as our pastor/teacher ( if we sit under one ), we encounter people every day who are quick to tell us, even if they don't say it in so many words, 'you're not enough'! 'ARE we enough?! Read on..................

Here's a good question; 'what IS enough?' In a job/work situation, it could actually be said, 'you're not enough' & be somewhat credible. Just like a person can't actually sprout wings & fly off the top of a ten story building, so some people just aren't fitted for certain jobs. In the same vein, though, to use an example I've used recently, the Wright Brothers sure figured out a way around it, or to be more precise, over & above it! Similarly, children & spouses may tell you, in other words, 'you're not enough'. For reasons mentioned earlier, your pastor/teacher might tell you the same, or worse. You might even be so used to telling yourself, for 'all of the above', that you are indeed, 'not enough', that you take their word for it. Do not believe ANY of these LIES!

The common factor here is that they're all based on Perception. In a job scenario, it might look like this; 'you don't have the necessary qualifications'. That may be true enough, but with enough determination ( Will ), we can usually get the job done. Similarly, in a familial situation, we may initially hear/perceive them saying, 'you're not enough', but when we give it all we've got, sooner or later, they'll realize ( usually after we realize it ) that we ARE enough. The pastor/teacher? Well, that's kinda hopeless. But then, maybe that's just MY perception!

Everybody has a different, unique Perception of things, however slight or major; how they happened, why they happened, when they happened, indeed, if they even happened at all. Perhaps this is why we read a slightly different Story in all four Gospels in the Christian Bible. This, for instance, is why I remember certain things from my childhood that my siblings have no memory of. This also explains why we have so many different religions in the world. To use an analogy that I've borrowed previously, remember the four blind ( East ) Indians who stumbled upon an elephant for the first time? The first grabbed the elephant's whip-like tail & exclaimed that an elephant must be somewhat like a short snake. Another latched onto the elephant's large, leaf-like ear & said that, 'no', an elephant was like an umbrella. The third Indian grasped the elephant's thick, stumpy leg & likened it to a tree. The fourth found the elephant's long, sinewy trunk & decided that an elephant was like a snake, but definitely not a short one. None of them got the whole picture, but they each had a piece of the puzzle. Thusly, though our Perceptions are not necessarily wrong ( although they surely can be ), it is very rare to find a Person who has the whole picture, if such a Person even exists!

'As above, so below'; our Perceptions are not necessarily wrong. Much, if not all of it, depends on the Conditioning we have endured in our lives, however long or short. By 'Conditioning', I mean what we have been taught from day one, whether it be, 'this is yours, that is not', 'we are all Fallen human beings ( sin nature )', or, 'you are not enough'. Maybe you were strictly brought up to believe that 'possession is nine tenths of the law' & so today, you call an 8 X 8 cell 'home'. Maybe you were told, or made to feel, so often that you were somehow not enough that you took their word for it. Maybe your pastor/teacher drilled it into your thick skull that you were beyond hope unless you asked Jesus into your heart, so every time you 'sinned' ( which you really couldn't help ), you feared you would ultimately end up going to 'Hell' ( also a Perception ). Perceptions then, though not necessarily wrong, aren't necessarily right either; they are simply that, Perceptions. One Person may see or view events in one way, while another may have a much different purview of the situation. Religion is much the same, but that may be another Story for another Day.......................

The word 'Enough' can itself be taken, or perceived in several different ways. Anyone who was ever a child probably heard their parents say ( very loudly ), 'Enough!', when they were fighting with a sibling. If you were not 'Enough', that just meant that you had a lot to learn ( either that, or you were hopeless ). Growing up in a fairly poor family as I did, though we never starved, 'not enough' meant that someone was 'going short' ( usually Mom or Dad ). 'Enough' is a human perception, yes, but in a very real sense, it is More than that. As discussed in previous posts, it goes to ( or comes from ) the very Core of our being, Who we really are, underneath all the onion-like layers!

As Human Beings, yes, there is always room to grow, but when we realize that We are so much More than just human beings, then we will see that, while there are areas in which we could improve, We are full of Potential; in Essence, we only limit ourselves. Again, this is not to say that 'pigs can fly', but with the Will to persevere, we can come pretty damn close. Beware Icarus, though! 

As Sean Connery said when a book fell on his head, 'I can only blame my shelf'! But seriously, others, through Conditioning, may endeavor to show/teach us how limited we are, but ultimately, WE are the ones who accept those limitations & in essence, place them on ourselves.  I, for one, being in the handicapped situation that I find myself, realize that there are more limitations on what I personally can do, as opposed to say, a professional athlete. On the other hand, I know as well, that if I would just get off my lazy ass, so to speak, there are many more things that I could be doing, even with my limited availability. The Point is, because We are More than human, We ARE Enough; we are all different, with different abilities, but we must remember, we don't HAVE to do it all, that what we're all here for each other, to do for each other what we can't do for ourselves!

'I'm nothing without Jesus'! Well, not quite; I've said it before & I'll say it again, 'we ALL have the potential to manifest the Christ Within'! It can be as simple as 'helping a little old lady ( or man ) cross the street', as complex as delivering a healthy new baby into its mother's arms or even doing brain surgery, or transcending Time & Space like 'Nothing Else Matters', but the Potential that rests Within each & every one of us is Infinite; Divine, one might note! 

When we listen to all those who say we're not enough & believe them, we feel ( too often ) that we're not enough. On the other hand, even though we've heard all the arguments, even though we often face circumstances in life that make us wonder if we are enough, the Knowledge that We are More than Human & thus, More than Enough, will bolster us to accomplish great things. All one has to do is take out a History Book & read the exploits of the Heroes of Old!

Namaste' & Blessed Be.

Sage Charles 

Home

It has been said, 'Home is where the heart is' & while this is true enough; in actuality, how many truly understand the gravity of this tired old phrase? Okay, sure; where we feel ( in our 'heart' ) at home, IS Home, but does that really cover its vast meaning? Yes, personally ( humanly ) speaking, when we love our spouses, our children ( family ), etc, our 'heart' resides with ( in ) them & thus, THEY are 'Home'. 'Closer', but does this even reach It? Home, our true Home, has nothing to do with feelings ( emotions? ), nothing, indeed, to do with our humanity....................except, of course, by extension!

'I'm tired'! As Michael Clarke Duncan told Tom Hanks in 'The Green Mile', 'I'm tired, Boss'. To whatever extent, we're ALL tired; tired of the drama, tired of negative people, tired of the bullshit, tired of our thankless job, tired of............................you name it, but what it all comes down to is, we're tired, to whatever extent, of 'life'! The majority of people, whether they realize it or not, usually put on a good face & stoically go about their 'day-to-day', doing what they feel is necessary for the relative peace & harmony of 'Home'. But this only goes so far. A few go so far as to take their own life, seeing this as the only real option for ending their tiredness ( sadness ). It goes without saying...........................

The Answer to our Problem, 'as above, so below', has nothing to do with our humanity, though it has everything to do with our humanity! Let me clarify; 'as human beings, we always have a choice!' We can choose, as some do, to solve the dilemma of Life, by ending our own, or we can choose to trudge on through Life, stoically doing our best to survive the battle. More to the point though, we can look at the dilemmas that Life hands us as 'problems' to solve, or as opportunities to grow. Depending on how we look at it, we end up tired ( to the point of exhaustion ) or we dauntlessly go about the business of living & loving!

Life has a way of bringing us to our knees, whether literally or metaphorically ( sometimes both )! 'No', I'm not saying, in the manner of most religious folks, that 'prayer is the Answer', though many do turn, in one way or another, to some outside source for salvation. No, I'm simply saying that, in the busyness of the day-to-day, our struggles often bear so heavily upon us that we feel that we can't stand on our own two feet any longer ( 'I can't take it anymore! ). When we come to this wearisome realization, which we all do at some point & to whatever extent, some do indeed choose to rely on some 'outside source' to come & rescue them from their own chosen misery, while others selfishly take the easy way out, hoping their 'world' will be a better place without them in it. Still others pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, defiantly yelling, 'I got this, you 'sonsabitches'!' However one chooses to look at, from a human standpoint, anyway, we still have a Problem to Solve. But there IS a better way........

'O boy, here we go again; he's gonna tell us everything's really 'hunky-dory': the Problem's all in our heads'! Well, yes & no. The dilemmas we face in Life, though ofttimes of our own choosing, are not ALL in our heads; there are things that occur outside of our control. There ARE certain things, for instance, 'the evils that men do', that we cannot change; we can only react in whatever way we choose, even if our reaction is simply to be a duck, & 'let it roll off our back'. Along those same lines, however, it CAN be truly said that the Problem ( NOT the dilemma ) IS all in our head, because, again, it's our choice as to how we will act or react in the face of whatever Life hands us.

'Yes; we've been here before', but here we go, nevertheless! Humanly speaking, it is only natural to react to Life's circumstances ( not that there is necessarily anything wrong with that ), but as More than Human, we need not rely on our Humanity, pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps, so to speak ( though that often works, at least for a time ); quite the opposite, in fact! Relying on our Humanity, whether it's ourselves or some 'outside source', to pull us through only gets us so far; 'Tired'!

No, as More than Human, More indeed than this Biology ( 'out of this world' ), we need only BE Who We truly are in order to alleviate our weariness! 'Easier said than done', you're probably thinking.......... You're right though; simple as the solution may be, in the busyness of this day & age, it IS a daunting proposition! 'Let it be', you might say; 'sounds an awful lot like being a doormat & letting people walk all over you'! No, I'm not saying to let people treat you however they will, but neither am I saying that, just because it's human nature, that we should react in accordance with our Ego. 

'It's not a Problem unless you make it a Problem'! In other words, our Problems ARE all in our head ( mind ). Again, humanly speaking, we tend to look at the circumstances Life throws at us as Problems to be solved, whereas if we simply 'let it be' ( 'it is what it is' ), we can bypass the Problem ( which really isn't ) & simply BE Who We are, no matter what everyone thinks we are, or for that matter, think they are. It IS difficult, in this day & age especially, with 'the Law of the Jungle' & all, not to simply return 'tit for tat', to 'kill or be killed' ( whether metaphorically or in actuality ), but by drawing on our innate Strength, on what I have often termed 'the Spirit Within', it IS well within the realm of possibility!

Home IS indeed where the Heart is! When we become familiar with our 'Heart of Hearts', in Essence, when we realize Who exactly We are, not just Human Beings, but that We are, in our Inmost Being, One with the Source of All Life, it naturally follows that We are Above all the pettiness of the Person, Above all the Drama of the day-to-day, Above the business of what we, as Human Beings, call 'Life'. As We go about our business ( or busyness ); all We need to do is keep in mind that 'this is not Us'. It ( 'Life' ) only affects us if we let it. If we let It pursue It's course ( including perceived harm ), we are left free to pursue our own course. As always, however, I speak as much to myself( maybe more ) herein, as to anyone else; I too, tend to create my own Problems.

Namaste' & Blessed Be.

Sage Charles

The Cycle of Life & Love

Coming up on 7 years ago, I 'penned' an article titled 'Februation': re-reading this article recently, I was able to see, once again, how far I have come on my Journey, though I'm obviously on the same Path; It just looks different! I say ' it just looks different' because I can read what I wrote way back then & note that I have not 'strayed' at all; I just use different wording. Not to 'stray' too far from my intended Purpose here, but 'God' takes many shapes & forms - in fact, some have said that 'God' is 'above all, and through all, and in ^[c]you all' - so while there are those who refer to 'God' as 'Him', following/worshiping Yahweh of the Hebrews, others have noted, whether correctly or incorrectly ( you be the judge ) that 'God' is simply our Highest Self, our 'Divinity', you might say. Back to our subject now, that of 'februation'.....................

In this day & age, selfishness seems to abound! In the traditional, or even non-traditional relationship, this might be a simple as doing what you want, even though you know your significant other would much rather be doing something else. It can also be complicated by that 'significant other' sacrificing his/her wants/needs in order to keep the peace/placate their chosen partner. Speaking of 'Sacrifice', which is what that previous post centered on & what this post will touch on somewhat, the act, in itself is not wrong, in fact, it is often vaunted as one of the most noble Paths one can take, but it can be detrimental. Again, in this day & age ( of selfishness ), the tendency for the one being sacrificed for is to want more, to begin to expect it. On the other hand, if one sacrifices their wants/needs for the other's wishes, resentment tends to step in & like a double-edged blade, this 'sacrifice' also leaves one feeling drained & unfulfilled. So we come to 'Self-love': this term has been getting a lot of attention lately, mostly because of the 'selfishness' related above. Please don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that those practicing 'self-love' are being selfish, though there IS a bit of a fine line here & we must practice with care: no, to love others, we must first love ourselves, whatever 'love' means to you individually. To some, 'love' is based on feelings, so if you feel like, 'I'm not getting enough out of this relationship', you may want to re-examine your own reasoning for being in that relationship in the first fucking place! To others, 'love', at least on this earthly plane, looks more like 'care'. On this earthly plane, at least, the latter definition is definitely the closest to defining True Love. Humanly speaking, we should note well, caring for others is the greatest, if not the only manifestation of True Love. What is known as 'Romantic Love' & which is celebrated around the middle of the month upcoming is really nothing more than lust, passionate & even sacrificial though it be!

'Love' looks different to different people: 'As above. so below'; to love someone is to care for & about them. As some have said, 'I don't much like you right now, but I still love you!' Statements like this should sound strangely familiar, for they are inextricably linked to what is often called 'the human condition', or, our feelings, which are not a 'bad' thing. Sometimes, however, one can care about another, but if this other does not return that feeling, that care soon goes away. This is because that 'love' was based on feelings/emotions, which, as we've discovered previously, can be fleeting. There is a Love that lasts the test of Time & we'll get to that, but first, a little more about this so-called 'Romantic Love'. 'Romantic Love', just plain 'Love', as it's known in most circles, can be a fickle mistress & is really more akin to 'Lust'. The holiday most associated with this feeling is coming up soon. During this holiday, if only on this holiday, those with a 'significant other' will traditionally ( ? ) purchase, for that 'other', anything from chocolate & roses, to sexy underwear ( lingerie ), usually in the hopes of getting something in return ( most guys ( this applies to some girls/women, too ) would say 'gettin' some' ). Most often, you might say, the feeling is mutual ( else they wouldn't be 'together' ), but sadly, this is not always the case..................

On Facebook, you may have noticed the cute little reactive emojis under a person's post that allow you to like what they have posted, love it, be angry, be sad, etc., etc., not necessarily in that order. You may also have noticed, as at least one other has, that these emojis follow, almost perfectly, the 'normal' modern human relationship. Sadly, this is often the case, for our feelings often change like the weather ( 'like the Seasons' would be another way to put it ). Speaking of 'the Seasons of Life'; as we mature, humanly speaking, our perceptions change. This usually includes our perception of what 'love' is. When, at a relatively young age, we 'fall in love' with 'the girl next door' ( so to speak ), this is often called 'puppy love', especially when the two involved ( sometimes, it's one-sided ) are in their early teenage years, or younger. 'Infatuation' is another word for it, though this word can be employed throughout the 'Seasons'. All of the above, of course, is based on feelings & when the feelings change, well...................

The 'Seasons' of Life are not necessarily set in stone. We can normally ( ? ), more or less, count on the weather, for instance, changing with the Seasons. At or around the Spring & Fall Equinoxes, as well as at the Summer & Winter Solstices, like 'clock-work', the Seasons are ushered in. As with the Seasons of Life though, the Wheel of the Year is not so precise. For example, we may see Fall-like weather in the middle of January, or freezing, Winter-like weather at the beginning of Fall ( like we did this year, here in Montana ). Though during the Summer, we can pretty much count on the weather being fairly warm to very hot, Spring is much like the Fall, ranging from Winter-like weather to almost Summer climes. In the same vein, the Seasons of our Life can change on a whim it seems, because, once we reach a certain age, our likes & dislikes can change, almost like the weather. Much like the Zodiac, which we covered in a previous post, these Seasons can affect our lives & explain why we, as human beings, are the way we are, but ultimately, the choice is up to us, as to how we will either act or react in any given situation.

Reincarnation may seem like a strange subject to bring up in the middle of a discussion on love, yet here we are! To many, the notion that we have more than one life to live is ridiculous, tantamount to blasphemy, even. However, to this blogger, as well as to a growing number of people, it makes all the sense in the world. Deja vu, as well as other 'feelings' ( 'stirrings'? ), are explained by what many now understand to be 'a fact of life'. 'Soulmates' are one such notion that has enjoyed increasing airtime of late, maybe especially around this time of year. Although soulmates are often lovers from past lives, this is not necessarily so. A 'soulmate' is simply one individual soul that, for whatever reason, is inextricably, even inexplicably connected to another.  Just because two individuals are soulmates, does not mean that in every lifetime they will end up together, either; circumstances or other environmental factors are usually involved here, humanly speaking. Getting to the point, though, 'how do these souls know to find each other in all these different & various lifetimes?' That may be a question for another day, but for now, suffice it to say that Love does have something to do with it!

The modern definition of 'Love' may vary from individual to individual or group to group, but in reality, there can be only One! Okay, a little movie humor there, but seriously, True Love has but One definition. Although, humanly speaking, Love may look/sound/feel differently to different people, at the Heart of It, Love is Who we are ( much like Energy )! This may seem to be a strange, enigmatic statement (' what does he mean, 'We are Love?' ), but I urge you to ask yourself, 'What IS Love?' 'What does It mean to me?' 'As above, so below'; Love means different things to different people; to some, 'love' might be simply a feeling they get around certain people or a certain person. In many cases, this feeling is more akin to 'lust'. To others, however, their definition of Love adheres about as closely to the true definition, humanly speaking, as One can get in this earthly experience; 'care', even sacrificial care. No, I'm not saying we should sacrifice self-love, or self-care, but seriously, what real harm does it do us to give up our wants/'needs', in deference to another?! With the realization that we must love ourselves, again, humanly speaking, before we can love another, in essence, 'if we don't care for ourselves, how can we truly care for others?''; we can give of ourselves ( sacrifice ) to the other ( ? ), knowing that by doing so, we are manifesting the Love that we are.

'Okay', you may be saying, 'so We ARE Love; how does that translate to the REAL world?!' Well, first of all, 'what IS 'real' to you?' Secondly, SINCE We ARE Love ( NOT humanly speaking ), We must simply BE! In order to manifest What & Who we truly are, we must simply live sacrificially, proving to ourselves, as well as to others that We ARE Who We say WE are. With the realization that this is easier said than done, especially in this day & age, we tend to strive for 'perfection' & this, humanly speaking, is the majority of the problem! No, I'm not saying that, as human beings, we should simply stop caring, or loving, just that we don't have to TRY to love, it comes naturally.  ( 'Love' does not equate with 'like' ) If we could simply ( ? ) bypass our Ego & manifest from our True, or Higher Nature, we might find that Love DOES come naturally to us ( as opposed to manifesting from our lower, or animal nature, which equates to 'lust' )!

Whether we manifest from our Higher or lower nature, then, depends largely on whether we have learned from our past lives. One may or may not believe ( ? ) in reincarnation, but again, it only makes sense to this blogger ( much more than the Christian notion of the whole 'fallen nature' thing ). Since Life is all about choices, so why should it be so hard to believe ( ? ) that It's all about learning our lessons & bettering our choices? The choices we make, as individual human beings, prove whether we are acting according to our Higher or lower nature; if our definition of 'love' is more akin to 'lust', in essence, caring/loving others only as long as WE are being sated, that is a good sign that we are acting/reacting from our lower, or animal nature. However, if sacrificially care for others, while remaining true to ourselves, this is a good indication that We, in our Higher Nature, have learned in the process that it is better to give than receive!

The Seasons, or Cycles of Love may also be explained thusly; when we act/react differently at different times in this present life, it indicates the level of maturity that we have attained. Another way of putting this is to say that we have learned & are learning the lessons that our past ( life? ) experiences have taught us.  In some sense, this is only humanly speaking, for this is how We manifest on this earthly plane. On the spiritual plane, however, since Time is an illusion, there ARE no Seasons or Cycles: in the Realm of Spirit, We simply ARE, no changing, no choosing; no liking or loving, no feeling. It is in this Life alone that such things exist & they exist for the Sole Purpose of manifesting the Love that We are!

The Love that We are, then, is not affected by any of the above ( 'below' might be a better way of saying it )! We do not 'love' another, simply because of how they make us feel ( although many try & fail miserably ), We do not 'love' another for what we can 'get' from that person ( that too, will always fail ); We manifest True Love when we realize that We are the definition of True Love; it is only when we manifest from our Higher Nature that we truly know/prove what Love really, actually IS! Again, this is MUCH easier said than done, but once we accomplish it, EVERYTHING on this earthly plane will change, however imperceptibly, first, for us, then for our 'world'!

Namaste' & Blessed Be.

Sage Charles

 

 

 

May The Circle Unbroken Be

As we meet this sacred night, may all worries take their flight.

Heavy heart & tired hand, Lady, lift on high both heart & hand.

We meet this night with our Mother Earth, lending aid to lift this dearth.

To meet the darkness with our light, to make Her dwellings O, so bright.

May the Goddess & the God now with us meet, elemental powers to defeat.

In our hearts we long to fight, with our hands to bring the light.

Now we draw the Circle Three, now all troubles quickly flee.

Maiden, Mother, Aged Crone, join us here, evermore dispel the Fear .

Perfect Love & Perfect Trust, in this Unbroken Circle, we ever must.

O Great Goddess of the Gnome, let us know we're not alone.

Powers of the Earth be at our feet, ever ready to be fleet.

On this long & wintry night, let us vow to be Her Light, let us burn e'er so bright.

O Mother, may we see, 'tis only Light that shines in Thee.

Sacred Mother, praise to Thee, forevermore, So Mote It Be.

Misty Mountain Morning, RV

Morning has broken, and I wonder as I wander,
How blessed I am to live among such beauty!

The mountains high, the valleys deep,
The rivers that are so cold and clear!

The fawns that graze, majestic elk,
The great old bear that wrestles with her cubs!

On this beautiful & wintry day, I watch the veil of steam,
As it rises from the vales, on this Misty Mountain Morning!

We praise our Mother Earth, with Whom we dwell,
Her Glory is seen in the beauty all around!

The Love of the Goddess is greater far, than all the Beauty found on earth,
The Creation shines forth Her praise, and sparkles in the Sun-lit haze!

The Beauty of the Earth does not surpass Her Grace,
Nor the Ones who shout Her praise!

We worship Her with all our deeds, in all we do and say,
For in Her strength we live & love, on this Misty Mountain Morning!

Sage Charles

Procreation; What It Is, What It Isn't

 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb [ that ] yields seed, [ and ] the fruit tree [ that ] yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed [ is ] in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.  

Genesis 1:11

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, [ each ] according to its kind”; and it was so.

Genesis 1:24

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over ^[g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His [ own ] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “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 1:26-28

Let me first make this disclaimer; I no longer call myself a Christian! Though I no longer accept the moniker, I tend to borrow from the Christian Scriptures because they are those with which I am most familiar, being the ones I was raised with. I believe, as I did even when I claimed to be a Christian, that the passages above do not necessarily refer to anything but the 'everlasting covenant' ( Genesis 9:16, 17:7 ) that the Hebrew God made with Israel. Even so, the words, however 'lost in the translation' they may be, still convey a certain Universal Truth which stands today. This Truth is that, even according to these Scriptures, all Biology ultimately springs from the Womb of our Mother Earth. Humankind, on the other hand, being the Image of God ( unlike mere animals ( ? ), were not instructed to 'bring forth', only to 'Be fruitful and multiply'. To 'Be fruitful and multiply' carries with it less physicality then the command to 'bring forth'; the point being that Humankind need not 'bring forth' more Humans in order to 'procreate', but must simply 'Be fruitful and multiply', whether it be through art or some other form of magick ( creativity ).

In the passages above, one might note that the Hebrew perception of the Source of All has been given a male Persona; while the Source of All is neither male nor female, the Deities that most cultures worship as apart from themselves have been assigned either one gender or the other. One might well note here that, in doing so, Humanity has neatly made 'God' in their own image! As the case may be, however, the Source of All, be It simply Energy or the Master of the Universe, rather than being male or female, like Humanity, indeed everything in this Biology, is not divided into male & female, but is, as the Christian Scriptures also say, 'above all, and through all, and in ^[c]you all'.

Clearly though, biologically speaking, human beings are made for physical procreation. Without going into too much information, or detail, suffice it to say that the male & female sexual organs fit together like hand in glove, normally speaking, anyway; obviously, there are exceptions to this rule. As the case may be, though the act of sexual intercourse, when done correctly & at the right time, will most often result in a pregnancy, or physical procreation, this is not necessarily always the case. If no pregnancy is desired, but the act itself ( which I hear can be VERY pleasurable ) is, then either the pair must engage in sexual intercourse at ONLY certain times, or the male may encase his sexual organ in a special covering & the female can also do certain things to allay this concern.

When done correctly, again, the physical act of sexual intercourse may bear much fruit, not least of which is strengthening the bond, both spiritually & physically, between the two participating in the act. I cannot speak from experience, never having 'sired' a Child, but from all ( or most ) accounts, the Joy that springs from giving rise to a new Human Being is like nothing else on this physical plane! Though this act, or the resulting 'consequence', is termed 'procreation', one might well wonder why it's not just called 'creation', for in Essence, that's what it is.

The Essence of What we are, as spirit-beings having a physical experience, is More than Human. Being thus, as normally understood, the act of procreation IS merely physical. Considering the above Truth though, the question should be presented; 'since we are More than Human, not merely physical beings, MUST procreation be simply a physical act?'  'Is there such a thing a spiritual procreation?' I would venture to say, 'as above, so below', that 'yes', there most definitely is & it is far more important to the survival of the human race than the physical act! 'How does one spiritually procreate?', you may ask. Well, we've already covered this to some extent, but to put it plainly, spiritual procreation is as simple as the magickal act of letting your creativity flow. 

The word 'procreate' or 'procreation' first appeared in the late 14th century, according to this article & means anything from 'the process of begetting offspring, generation and production of young' to 'bring forth'. 'As above, so below'; although, according to this fairly obvious definition, procreation is primarily a physical act, both the word & its definition seemed to be based largely upon the religious notion of a 'Creator'. Now, before someone blows a gasket; I'm by no means saying that there is NOT a Creator, or a Divine Intelligence Who put everything in motion! There very likely IS ( some would say, 'HAS to be!' ) a Master of the Universe, but on the other hand, there are those who say that it is the Universe itself that is Eternal. Again, still others would say that All is Energy ( which is true ) & that 'Intelligent' or not, Energy is Its own Generator!

Speaking of 'Energy'; anyone who has ever participated in the act of sexual intercourse knows how much Energy it takes. Not to get too graphic, but it takes a lot out of a person to employ his or her sexual organ. It IS ( or can be ) VERY pleasurable & although it is often over too quickly, there are ways which can be employed in order to prolong the gratification. Not having done much study myself in this area, I cannot say this with authority, but probably one of the best ways to reach this heightened 'gratification' ( 'ecstasy'? ) is of Eastern origins & has more to do with self-awareness than physicality, though physicality might seem to be, in modern times anyway, the predominant factor. The point is, the physical act itself, whether willfully or ignorantly, is overshadowed by the Higher Self. Although sexual intercourse is most often viewed as a predominately physical act & can indeed become very animalistic, it is, first & foremost, a spiritual exercise, one which is meant to bring balance to the Universe Itself.

It has been said that human beings are a microcosm of a much vaster macrocosm above. How true this statement is is not merely  matter of conjecture or theory, it is a proven fact! The infinite wanders of the human body are, in some areas still, beyond comprehension, Yes, Science. with the help of Technology, has made great leaps in its study of the human anatomy, but it has yet to explain how the egg & sperm come together to 'create' a uniquely individual human being. It obviously does not just 'happen'; certain factors must occur ( not unlike the operation of the Universe ) in order for the new avatar to form correctly. That said, these factors, while obviously physical in manifestation, have their genesis in the spiritual realm.

In conclusion, then, while the generally accepted definition of the term 'procreation' refers to the physical act of producing offspring, it should be clear, if for no other reason than that the physical is simply a manifestation of the spiritual, that our Higher Self, again, whether consciously or not, guides our actions in the physical realm. In case any objection might present itself ( which I'd imagine it will ) obviously some people are unconscious of their Higher Self, which explains their animalistic behavior. In order to 'procreate' ( biologically speaking ), two people, one male & one female must magickally employ their collective Wills. Again, procreation may, by definition, be a primarily physical act, but in reality It all begins in the Spirit & in the Spirit It must remain, or it loses all meaning!

Namaste' & Blessed Be.

Sage Charles

The Mansions of the Moon

 In My Father's house are many ^[a]mansions; if [ it were ] not [ so ], ^[b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:2 

In the majority of English versions of the Hebrew/Greek Scriptures, the Greek transliteration monē is, literally translated, 'dwellings'. Interesting enough is the fact that the translators chose to use the term 'mansions' instead, but, even more intriguing is the fact that this transliteration, monē, is a feminine noun! In Vedic, or ancient Indian/Hindu astrology, as well as Chinese, Arabic & Greek, according to this Wikipedia article, the position of the moon on any given day was called a 'lunar station'. These stations, or positions, were also called 'houses' or 'mansions'. Here, one might recall the very first line of 'The Age of Aquarius' by 'The Fifth Dimension'; 'When the moon is in the Seventh House.............................'. It should be fairly clear fro the article above that the use of the word 'mansion' predates ( by far ) its appearance in most English versions of the Greek New Testament, though there are many ( Christians ) that would very likely argue that the opposite, that the ancient astrological term is based on the biblical usage. 'As above, so below', though, the question here is, 'Why did the original translators of the English Bible choose to use the term 'mansions', when it is such a clearly esoteric reference to ancient astrology?'

Though it is almost taboo to most fundamental Christians & defamed by many others, Astrology has proven its worth, if by nothing other than the fact that it is an ancient art. Modern Astrology, to whatever extent, has contributed to this defamation, as it, like so many other art forms, has become almost merely, in some cases, a business, for monetary gain. On the other hand, there are some who truly possess this skill & are able to divine some scarily accurate astrological portraits for their clients. One must judge carefully between the two!

One thing that we must consider, when confronted by those nay-sayers ( of Astrology ) is the well-accepted fact that the movements of the Moon in the heavens affects the tides of the oceans, here on Earth. How or why the Moon so affects the waters of the Earth is not in question here, so much as, 'if the Moon affects the tides in such a drastic way, how can it not also affect our physical bodies, which, by most accounts, are made largely of water?' In the same vein, 'if the Moon affects these biological marvels, why should we find it ridiculous that the other planets, even the stars, do as well?'

As we have noted previously, however; we are More than this biological construct! As such, as spirits having a physical experience, what is 'written in the stars' need not necessarily determine our destiny, though it does help us to understand why we, as human beings, act the way we act, like or dislike the things we do, etc., etc. Just to be clear, the movements of the Moon & Stars only affects this Biology; they have no effect whatsoever on Who we really are, the Essence of Us!

The causa principalis for the above, of course, is that we are of the same Essence as the One who hung the stars! It might be said ( correctly ) here that my Christian roots are showing, but be that as it may........................ Whether one posits that there is an Almighty Being ensconced in some mythical ( mystical? ) Heaven above or simply that All is Energy, the fact is that all creation ( ? ) is connected, to whatever extent. What affects one has an effect on the other, though they be 'worlds apart'!

Being of the same Essence, it is only natural then, that, biologically speaking, we would feel a 'pull' from these heavenly bodies, an attraction of some sort. 'As above, so below', though; it is still our choice as to how that effect manifests.We may choose to submit to what some prognosticator foretells about our supposed 'destiny' & very likely, our future will be chosen for us. Or, we may choose to understand that these effectors, though they have an influence on our physicality, have no power whatsoever over us, unless, again, we allow them that power. As we have also previously noted, though there are things outside of our control, it is our future, our choice!

How the Moon ( Planets, Stars ) affects us is ultimately up to us! Yes, 'as above , so below', they help us to understand why we feel things at certain times, but they cannot determine how we will either act or react to those things. Some might chalk our negative reactions up to our supposed 'fallen nature' or whatever ( not that reactions are necessarily negative ), but again, that is their choice. One may quite sensibly take the responsibility for their own actions, even with the understanding that this or that is 'written in the stars', or they may choose to believe that a particular ( all-powerful? ) Being has made them thus & thus, so there is really nothing they can do about it except hope against hope ( have faith? ) that someday that all-powerful Being ( or one like It ) will come & save them from their 'fallen nature'!

Hoping to end this post on a more positive note, let us strive to answer the questioned posed in the first paragraph; 'Why did the original translators of the English Bible choose to use the term 'mansions', when it is such a clearly esoteric reference to ancient astrology?' Well; it may be as simple as these 'wise men' understanding that, while this passage was a fairly obvious, though esoteric, reference to the Zodiac, as are numerous references throughout both the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures, they might easily make that point refer to a more intangible, even mythical 'Heaven', where the above-mentioned 'all-powerful Being' makes 'His' lodgings. It could also be that, 'wise men' that they were, they purposely ( esoterically ) 'hid' ( in plain sight? ) a very plain reference to the Zodiac that their ancestors had found to be proven & true. Whatever the case may be, we may take this as yet another sign that, though there may not be some pie-in-the-sky reserved for our 'Afterlife', as we were taught to believe ( as I was ), the Truth is in there, if only we would choose to accept It!

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

The Masks We Wear & the Personas We Create: Shadows of the Self

We all have a part of the marvelous humanity we wear on a daily basis that we don't want others to perceive, integral parts of us that even WE fear to look into! If they found out what we're really into, we fear, they would 'drop us like a hot potato'. Speaking in a relative sense, though, we must understand that these 'parts' of our persona we hide from the general population are not necessarily 'bad', simply unacceptable to certain groups of people or individuals. On the other hand, these 'parts' of who we are may be perfectly presentable to 'others', who are thus not 'others' at all, but our 'Tribe'.

These 'Masks' we wear are mostly metaphorical for the way we present ourselves to a watching world & depending on who is watching, that 'Mask' may look entirely different! However, even though It is mostly metaphorical, It manifests in a very physical way. The way we purport ourselves, the clothes we wear, even the way we beautify ourselves. This, of course, is not to say that just because we wear certain clothes in certain situations, or make ourselves up for certain people ( even if it's just US ), we're being fake, just that, even though we wear these 'Masks', they're more or less true to who we really are, personally speaking. On the other hand, of course, it is important to remember that these 'Masks', though they are a necessary & integral part of our Persona, they do not define us; WE are not our Persona!

Speaking of our Persona, much as with our Mask, we allow others to see only that part of ourselves we wish them to see. Of course, there are times when we slip up & give them a glimpse, or a taste of the 'real' us! When this happens, our Persona remains ( untouched ), but their perception of us has changed, sometimes drastically. So, in a manner of speaking, one might note, the main difference between the Persona & the Mask is that the latter is an illusion ( metaphor? ) we have created to disguise our true feelings, our emotions, if you will, while the former, though our creation as well, has more of a physical manifestation ( if THAT makes any sense ) in that the Persona ( Person ) is that which wears the metaphorical 'Mask'.

Our Persona, or Person, is quite a bit more substantial than our Mask; it is, in fact, very real! Although our Personality, much like our Mask, is largely formed by our personal choices, our Persona is simply a part of who we are as human beings. Thus, It is much more concrete than our Mask, which is simply an Illusion we create, again, by choice. For instance, 'as above, so below', referring to the latter condition, we often choose to allow only certain people to see certain parts of our Personality; to all the 'others', we strive to keep them hidden. This comprises our Mask; the Persona is what remains, even if we are unMasked!

This all has to do with the Ego! It is through the Ego that we choose, for whatever reason, to reveal our true Self to certain people & to hide It from 'others'. As we have noted previously, the Ego is neither good nor bad; it just IS. Being an essential part of our humanity, it allows us to operate in the Mundane; in fact, one could almost say it's the link between our Divinity & our Humanity!

Through our choices, our actions or reactions, we either operate on this earthly plane by putting our Ego to good use, or we allow our Ego to define who we are as a Person. For example, one might accuse another of being a 'narcissist' because that 'other' has allowed their Ego to define them, thus acting as if it's all about them. On the other hand, though, we can put our Ego to good use, by employing good business sense, even though it might go against our 'druthers'.

On a happy note; our Egos, along with the accompanying Masks & Personas, do not define Us, nor need they! We, even personally speaking, are not our Ego. In fact, we are not even really the Person ( persona ) that most people see. either the ones that we allow to see our true Self or the ones who glimpse our true human nature by accident, so to speak, through the inevitability of Time. As More than Human; we have an Ego, but we are not that Ego!

Our true Self is, in Essence, More than Human! You may have heard the term 'astral body' & such; such terms refer to the onion-like layers that make up our unique Self. Underneath it all, at the very Core of our Being, one might say, is the Individual Soul, our True Nature. It is this Individual Soul, together with countless other Individual Souls, that make up the Collective, which could be called Divine Energy. Religion has called this Divine Energy 'God', 'Yahweh', 'Allah', 'Rah', 'Shiva', Krishna' & the list goes on.................... All this is to say that humanity, just as it has created the Persona for its own individual Self, has created, largely based on its environment ( culture, etc. ) a Persona for their Perception of this Divine Energy. While some religions realize we are One in Essence with this Divine Energy, 'others' perceive It as a Power outside of & thus apart from themselves. But this is changing......................

Previously, in the annals of this blog; I have entertained the proposition that we, in Essence, are Gods, or Goddesses, as the case may be. Even in our Humanity this might be said, because of our ability to choose, to shape, or form our own Destiny. Rather than sitting on our 'blessed conceptions', waiting for the 'God' or 'Goddess' of our own choosing to change our Season, we have the ability to make our own changes. Now, saying all this is not to say that we control the Universe around us. We cannot decide to sprout wings & fly, though the Wright brothers sure gave it 'the old college try' & look where we are today, vaulting through the 'heavens' like great silvery birds. It is not within our Power, though many men & women have tried, to control the actions of other people.It should be noted that this sort of 'enterprise' has seen some success & so continues to this day, but people are unpredictable.............

The unpredictability of people, speaking of the Individual Ego, is what makes the World go round! If everyone was the same & could be counted upon to always make the same choices, acting or reacting in the same way to any given situation, our World would be a very dull place indeed. If the Individual could indeed be controlled by an outside force ( ? ), all Hope for this World would be lost! But thanks be to all the Gods & Goddesses, this is not the case. Things may be looking pretty grim for our World, but as 'they' say,'it's always darkest before the dawn'. So it is dawning on an ever-widening array of people that it is within Us, within our Power to change the shape, not only of our World, but of the World to come. Now again, 'as above, so below', we cannot control the actions of those around us, but through the exercise of our Divinity, through our choices, how we act or else react, we can influence them & thus hopefully plant the Seeds of Life that will lead us to a better Future!

Dropping our Masks, showing 'others' who we really are will go a long way toward reaching this goal! If we would only be Who We are, not allowing their perception of us to influence our actions in this World, we might begin to see, not only great ( albeit, 'painful' ) change in our World, but in the World at large. As Individuals, Divine in our own right, we are the Spice of Life; in fact, we are Life itself. Realizing Who we truly are helps us to understand ( perceive ) that we are the Power that shapes our Future. Must we fear the choices that 'others' around us might make, to either purposely or accidentally upset our plans? That, of course, is your choice. So make the wise choice; BE Who you are, not just as an Individual Soul, but as the Goddess or God you REALLY are & sooner or later, everything will fall into place!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

The Other Child

Josaphyna was different, there's no question! From the moment of her latest incarnation, when her avatar began to take form in her Mother's Womb, though she was barely aware, even her Mother knew that this One was unique. When she began to realize & recognize her surroundings, Jo, as she would later be addressed, knew that this was not her first time around. Her brothers & sisters ( for she was not the first to exit her Mother's Womb ), although they accepted her as part of the family, never treated her like their other siblings. She never quite fit into their plans, except as it was convenient to them! Jo never really blamed them, though if she thought about it too much, it wounded her Ego. Being more aware of her surroundings, more aware of everything, Josaphyna had to admit that she was a bit much for the uninitiated. Knowing what she knew at such an early age was pretty unusual, even weird, or scary. Not only did she begin to show signs of awareness as soon as she struggled free of her warm Cocoon, she was making sounds & even putting words together into sentences by the time she had been in the Open for 6 months!

Jo's parents knew they had a child prodigy on their hands! Although there were no musicians in their family, they soon found themselves making room for, first, a guitar, then a banjo, then a piano, a flute, a saxophone. Music began to absolutely flow from a house where there had never been any before! Oh, sure, her siblings had their own likes & dislikes, as far as music went, with their radios, records, tapes & later CD players, but Josaphyna felt the need to vibe to her own unique orchestration. For the most part, her family tolerated & even to some extent, enjoyed her talent, but they never quite understood it. 'Why did she have so much 'God-given' ( as they put it ) talent, whereas we ( her parents & siblings, even aunts, uncles & grandparents ) never experienced such a Gift?!' Then, there was the music she played, even began to create. Not only did she play the old favorites, including everything from the Classical Masters to Classic Rock, she even started, at the almost frightening age of 5, to compose her very own music, which, she claimed, was not her own; it was 'The Music of the Spheres'. This, of course, only served to further confuse, then frustrate them. 'What is she talking about, this 'Music of the Spheres'?! Jo soon found that she could try to explain it to them till she was 'blue in the face', but they would never 'get' her vibe; that is, until they made the conscious, or unconscious, choice to do so!

Josaphyna knew that this was not likely to occur in her lifetime, personally speaking, but she could plant the seeds that would bear fruit when her avatar no longer tread upon this earth. It was at the beginning of her 7th trip around the sun that Jo unconsciously made the decision that she, personally speaking anyway, was not going to bless this world with her physical presence much longer. She had always taken to heart the subtle feelings of rejection she felt from her siblings & even to some extent, her parents. Being so aware at such an early age, little Jo 's physical body began to show signs of dis-ease.

It wasn't that she was being attacked by outside forces, although sometimes it sure felt that way; no, Josaphyna, being empathetic as she was, simply stopped responding to her physical needs & so her organs slowly began to weaken, then deteriorate, then shut down! Although her parents did their best to try to make sure she ate & drank regularly, even with her diminutive size & relatively young age, they found it increasingly hard to control her, much less keep up with her.

A 'normal' day for Jo looked something like this; up with the Sun ( if she slept at all ), Josaphyna hit the ground running! If it wasn't for someone else ( which it usually was ), Jo, having her own Agenda, her own Life, never got bored; she was always doing something! Her parents, though they gave her some lee-way, actually began to show some concern for this young wisp of a girl, who was ( they thought ) WAY too mature for her age. First then, Jo would make sure that everyone in their moderate household was prepared for their day ( including breakfast, sack lunch, etc. ), all the while cradling her phone between her bony shoulder & her head, either 'talking a friend down' ( whether metaphorically or really ) or making sure everyone in her little 'world' was well. When everyone else was more or less taken care of, maybe then Jo could be bothered to take in a bit of nourishment, whether it be 'bread' or 'water'. As young as her avatar was, she knew the importance of attending to her own 'needs' before others, but she refused, 'right' or 'wrong', to look at it that way!

 

By her own choice then, our little heroine's health was steadily declining. While she still kept up a fairly steady pace & a brave face, Josaphyna's delicate little flower was showing definite signs of wilting. Holding unsteadily at the bare minimum functionality, Josaphyna, placing others before herself, was slowly approaching the end of her short but weary sojourn! In her relatively short lifetime ( at least, in this iteration ) Jo had accomplished much in the way of spreading Awareness, not that everyone with whom she came in contact immediately 'woke up'' ( by NO means ), but, 'as above, so below', our little flower had spread plenty of seeds in her short, but purposeful lifetime!

Just as her life in this iteration had begun, so long ago, so now her human experience was growing to an End! Josaphuna had fulfilled her Purpose in this thing we call Life & now was ready to be truly Free to continue her Purpose in the Realm of Pure Spirit. As Jo's Spirit poised to take flight, those who had been blessed by her physical presence gathered around her depleted avatar. While most mourned her 'passing', having loved her in their own way, the last words she breathed through her failing & feeble lips will forever be etched into the memory of those who truly knew & loved her; 'Be as I AM'!

Namaste' & Blessed Be

Sage Charles

The Goddess Within, the God Without

Have you ever wondered why some fetuses turn out to be male while others are female? You may be aware of the scientific fact ( ? ) that all fetuses are formed as females. It's only when & if that extra male 'Y' chromosome enters the picture that it's determined whether the fetus/baby is a boy or a girl. Although there are theories abounding, I'm sure that it's still somewhat of a mystery how that happens. Here's a theory, though; what if it can't be explained by Science? What if it has more to do with what is known as 'metaphysical'? If the individual soul that inhabits that fetus/baby, no matter how one believes it got there, is what ultimately determines the sex of the baby, how can we say for certain that genitalia determines sex, or maybe more politically correctly, 'gender'? The ultimate question, in this regard then, is 'who are we'? Do we have genitalia? Or is it the bodies we inhabit that sport genitalia? Personally speaking, then. yes; our sex is usually determined by or genitalia, but is it really? What about hermaphrodites ( also called 'morphodites' )? Maybe homosexuals, male or female, ARE 'born that way' ( or at least, with a predilection for it )!

'You are what you eat'; humanly speaking, this is true enough, our bodies are affected largely by what we ingest. However, this is not all that determines the overall health of these biological machines we call 'home'.  'Stress', though it DOES come in many different shapes & forms ( including tangible ones ), can have an even greater ( adverse ) effect on our physical bodies. Many of these stressors, including the foods we eat, are linked inextricably to this biology, but, equally important, it should be noted. are those which emanate from the metaphysical, in particular, the Mind. Although the Mind may be inextricably (?) linked with the brain, which is tangible, it should be noted here that studies have found that the Mind has been discovered to still be aware, maybe even moreso, in fact, when the brain is functioning at a very minimal level, or else not at all. 

Within the confines of modern Science, there is & probably ever will be, two main camps; one that believes there is no consciousness apart from brain activity & one that sees that the Mind is still aware despite the lack of any noticeable activity in the brain. Not being a student of modern science myself, I hesitate to venture into all the intricacies of the human anatomy, especially the brain, but from what I understand, the scientific community is slowly but surely becoming more aware that not everything can be explained scientifically. For instance, new research has shown that it is not the X/Y chromosomes alone that determine the sex of a baby. According to this article, there is something in the human DNA strand they call 'regulators' that help strengthen a specific gene & voila, the child is either male or female. So far has Science come, but like the Darwinian evolutionists, they still cannot satisfactorily explain the 'where' & the 'why'!

The Christian story of Creation ( every religion & culture has one ) says that 'in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth' ( Genesis 1:1 ). As a covenantal preteristic Christian, I came to the understanding that this phrase refers, not to the actual formation of the material universe, but to the creation of a covenant with the Hebrew people. This is not to say that there is NOT a Divine Source that put everything in motion, just that the Bible is the Story of a specific people, from a specific time & place. I personally believe there IS a Divine Source, 'behind the curtain', so to speak, though this 'Divine Source' is not the personal 'God' they all revere! Some call 'Him' 'Allah' or 'Yahweh', while others revere the Divine Feminine ( as they should ), honoring Her role in the Creation of the material universe.

The Universe itself ( multi-verse? ) has often been ascribed the Creator & Sustainer of everything! In a blogpost a few years ago, I discussed how many view the universe as expanding. Rather than the Universe itself expanding, I raised the argument that it is our perception, or understanding of it that is expanding. The Universe, according to this statement, should thus be seen as Eternal, to use biblical jargon. It is neither expanding nor contracting, though the same may not be said of the objects in said universe. Not unlike our physical bodies, these heavenly bodies are in constant motion until they eventually burn out. Even then, though, they do not die but simply take on a new form.

'As above, so below'; modern science has not been able to satisfactorily explain how certain things occur. For instance, the Big Bang had to start SOMEWHERE, with SOMETHING! Call It 'God', cal It 'Energy', call It 'the Universe', that original bit of matter ( anti-matter? ) had its beginning. Unless, of course, the Universe IS ageless! Personally speaking. as my readers have no doubt gathered by now, I'm of the opinion that the 'God' Christians worship is NOT the Creator of the material 'heavens and earth', though 'He' IS an aspect of, or the Hebrew perception of the Divine Source. 

'As above, so below', getting back to our original subject matter, the Mind, though it is made manifest ( under 'normal' circumstances, anyway ), through the machinations of the brain, it is not subservient to that wondrous organ. Rather, the brain, like the rest of this biological machine, is put in motion by our true Self, which, like the Divine Source, is pure Energy. 

That fabulous instrument we call 'the Mind', though it IS an intangible & thus not really an instrument in the normal sense of the word, is responsible for so much More than the brain. While it does manifest through the activities of the brain, the Mind, which is, humanly speaking, our link to Divinity, is also where everything begins. Routed through the machinations of the brain, all of our thoughts & actions have their genesis in the Mind. Our Reality, for that matter. is all in our mind, in our perception. 

Humanly speaking, then, we may change our Reality by changing what we eat. Part of that Reality, for instance, might be that we are overly obese, looking at the possibly deadly disease of diabetes ( not to mention the aches & pains that stem from being overly obese ). Simply by changing our lifestyle ( diet, exercise ), we will lose the extra weight & even beat the diabetes. By simply not responding in a negative way ( worry, fear, etc. ) to the stressors that are presented to us every day in this grand adventure we call 'Life', we can beat the notion that 'stress is a killer'!

So, if in the beginning, again, humanly speaking, we are conceived female, who are we, as a society, to say that one must assume a certain role, simply because they were born with certain genitalia? What if their individual spirit ( do spirits have sex, or gender? ) does not wish to conform to the status quo, just because their biological bodies were formed in a certain fashion? As 'spirits having a physical experience', we are More than this Biology! We are Eternal ( for lack of a better word ) Beings that inhabit these biological bodies, but we are not defined by these marvelous machines; we DRIVE these marvelously fantastic machines! We are the Goddesses & Gods of our Universe ( or multi-verse )!

Namaste & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

Overcoming Fear; Knowing Yourself

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.”

  Socrates'

'The fear of the Lord [ is ] the beginning of wisdom........................'

Psalm 111:10a 

Being brought up Christian as I was, I was taught to 'fear the Lord' from early on. To be honest, it was often, in my limited understanding, 'softened' ( for lack of a better word? ) to 'a healthy respect' or 'reverence', but for most of my Christian life, I experienced this 'healthy respect' as an almost deafening, blinding fear; fear that, at any second, the bottom could drop out & the hammer ( or 'lightning bolts' ) could come crashing down. Such was the Fear I was forced to confront when I began to 'see' myself for Who I really was, not what I was taught I was! Though Fear continues to rear its ugly head, it no longer rules me!

'Know thyself', as the phrase usually attributed to Socrates is often shortened to, has been the subject of philosophical arguments from ancient times, even, some say, as far back as Ancient Egypt. Some, in this article, for instance, seem to take it to mean that striving to know yourself could & most likely would lead to 'cognitive dissonance' & even confusion. This argument, however, should be dismissed outright, if only because who we are is not necessarily who we've been led to believe we are! As we have discussed for some length of time in this blog, we, as human beings, are More than our humanity. We are, in reality, 'spirit beings having a physical experience'. If we allow this physical experience to define us, then, as the article above suggests, it might be silly & yes, even dangerous to 'know thyself'. But if, in fact, our quest for self-knowledge reveals our True Nature, then it is truly a noble, even Divine venture.

Fear, in this human experience, is our greatest detractor! It could also be seen as one of our greatest protectors. By that, I simply mean if we have a healthy respect for what will most likely result from certain actions, we, humanly speaking, are preserved from bodily harm. On the other hand, though, an unhealthy fear will lead to stagnation, to rotting in our own shell, being afraid to venture Beyond our humanity & what Truths lie Within. In many ways, not just because we have been programmed for it, we fear this Truth, this Wisdom, because with Knowledge comes Freedom & with Freedom comes Responsibility. Responsibility scares the 'hell' out of most human beings. When we do the things we know we shouldn't or fail to do the things we should ( my training is showing here ), who are we to blame if we can't blame someone ( or Something ) else? For instance, 'the Devil made me do it', 'he/she finally pushed me too far & I just snapped', etc., etc., etc. 

When we, as human beings, begin to take responsibility for our own actions, though it hurts like hell, this in turn, leads to experiencing true freedom, which can, admittedly have the startling effect of learning to know yourself. 'Knowing yourself', of course, is not so simple or frivolous as truly understanding beyond a shadow of a doubt what kind of person you are ( in essence, what kind of coffee you like; 'am I coffee or tea-drinker?' ) To truly know oneself, one must discover their True Nature by peeling back, like an onion, the various layers of their humanity. This is by no means to say that our humanity is necessarily a bad thing, just that it does not define us! 

As responsible human beings, we do have an almost frightening tendency to blame anyone but ourselves for our problems! Part of 'knowing yourself' is acknowledging that we ARE responsible for our own actions ( or inactions ). 'As above, so below'; this can lead us dangerously close to the 'abyss' of Freedom, which, again, usually involves learning much of our True Nature. Being Who & What we are, we need not live in Fear of 'what may come', for whatever may come can only harm to our humanity, though this is itself somewhat relative, for 'harm' is just a perception. Only if we perceive our humanity as defining us can someone ( or something ) harm us. On the other hand, what one person perceives as 'harm' may indeed be perceived as a 'boon' by another. 

'As above, so below'; to truly know Oneself , One must simply acknowledge that One is More than Human, More than this Biology. Sounds simple, right? Well, yes; it IS that simple, but its also easier said than done! Yes, we're More than this Biology, but we're also IN this Biology. So, in Essence, we must reconcile these two glaring & glorious facts. In order to function in this mundane world in which we live, we must accept the fact, like it or not, that we have chosen to manifest in this Biology, in whatever form. However, if would truly be Free ( as we are ), we must live with the understanding that, though we are human beings, existing within the Circle of Life, we are also Spirit Beings, Eternal in the Heavens, without Beginning or End, outside that Circle! 

'Yes', as you may have guessed ( neither should it come as a surprise to some of my readers ), 'I AM equating Myself ( indeed, all my readers, too ) with the One that Christians call 'God'. 'No, I'm NOT saying that we, in our humanity, are equal to ( not even a blip on the radar ) the Source of all Life, though this Biology too, derives from this same Source & is inextricably & unexplainably linked to It'. Maybe it would be more correct to say that we are One with the Spirit of Life, call It 'Divine Energy' or what you will. Our Higher Self, then, is simply an extension, if you will, just one facet of an infinitely multi-faceted Gem!

Namaste' & Blessed Be, 

Sage Charles

The Seasons of Life; 'An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will'

A good friend of mine, who has passed from this biological experience we call 'Life', used to say crazy things like, 'Love God and do what you want'! Now, coming from that same Christian ( more or less ) worldview, I understand that he was referring to the God of the Bible, or 'Yahweh' of the Hebrews. All religious differences aside, one should note the striking similarities ( differences as well ) between these statements; 'Love God and do what you want' & 'An ye harm none, do what ye will'. The latter focuses on how we should treat 'others' in this biological experience ( experiment? ), while the other seems pretty ambiguous. 'What does it mean to 'love God'?' 'Who, for that matter, IS God?' We may say, 'Love God' & then 'do what you want', but that seems to grant quite a bit of lee-way'; if their 'God' is a bit more 'liberal' than yours, maybe He/She/It would allow them to harm anyone who got in the way of them doing what they wanted! Then again, 'what is 'harm'? 

The accepted dictionary definition of harm is 'physical injury, especially that which is deliberately inflicted.' In this scenario, it should be fairly simple, right? If you don't cause physical injury to anyone, especially deliberately, by doing what you want. then, 'no harm, no foul'; 'just do it'! So, by this strict dictionary definition, if no one is harmed in the process, then it's all good, right? Well, for instance, what about hunting? How can we take our rifle into the woods with the deliberate intention, not just of causing physical harm to, but of killing an animal? 'But, that's different', one might object, 'it's just a dumb animal; plus, it's only so we can eat'. Well. 'dumb animal' arguments aside, it's still a Life, it's still physical injury ( not only that, it's deliberate ), so how do we justify deliberately causing harm in this instance? How about 'self-defense'? If we cause physical injury or death to someone who is trying to harm us or a loved one, even though it may be termed 'justifiable', we're still causing harm to someone!

How then, do we justify killing someone or something, so that no harm will come to another? The Circle of Life entails the Law of Sacrifice. One thing must die, or offer it's life so that another might live. To use a simple biological example, plants, for instance, need the water from the clouds, the nutrients from the ground ( ? ) & for the seed itself, in essence, to die. in order to be ( trans ) formed. Human life, on the other hand, speaking gestationally, feeds off of human life. Though the mother doesn't usually give her own life that her child might live ( though this does happen, however infrequently ) in a sense, she does give of herself so that her child will prosper. ( Without going into all the biological intricacies of the human anatomy ( I am ill-equipped for that ); throughout the gestational period, the fetus feeds off the available nutrients that the mother's body holds, most of which are necessary to her own life. ) 

How can we, then, justify this 'Circle of Life' while holding to 'An ye harm none............'? This dilemma may be solved by looking at 'harm' in somewhat the same way as we do 'murder', Then again, if we go hunting, for instance, with the intention of killing an animal ( whether it be to eat or not ).................... On the other hand, though, we're back to 'The Circle of Life' & 'The Law of Sacrifice'. Something must die, biologically speaking, in order for something else to live. From the minerals that make up Mother Earth, to the plants which are consumed by animals and human alike, to what most call 'dumb animals', which often serve as 'food' for the human animal; call it 'transformation' or 'death', 'as above, so below'; in order for something to live, something else must die.

'What if the term 'harm' has become 'lost in the translation', so to speak?' As we are 'spiritual beings having a human experience', are we really harming another by causing physical injury to their biological machine, whether it's intentional or not? Without flirting with the nuances of things like war & abortion, let's take a short look at the concept of self-defense. In this scenario. which may be variously 'colored'; harming another may be justified, whether in defense of oneself or their loved ones, even a complete stranger. In such a scenario, though, especially that of the 'complete stronger', one must beware lest they themselves partake in another's karma! 

It should be understood, then, that harming another entails 'intention'. If we go into the woods with the intention of harming ( killing ) a 'dumb animal' for the sake of causing physical injury ( or death ), this might rightly be connoted 'harm'. However, if we were to take the same action with the intention of feeding our family in the great 'Circle of Life', it should be noted that this would be 'transformational', rather than 'harmful'. In the case of 'self-defense', where the intention would be more along the lines of preventing physical harm to oneself or a loved one than in causing harm to another, this too, could be termed 'justifiable', though, in this case, you must judge for yourself, The same would apply in the 'theatre' of war & abortion.

'As above, so below'; 'are we really harming another by causing physical injury to their biological machine?' Humanly speaking, it would be extremely difficult, if not entirely impossible, to debate this question. In fact, it seems somewhat ridiculous to even countenance such a query! With the understanding that we are primarily spiritual ( spirit ) beings, not physical ( human ) beings, we should note that the intention to cause physical harm to another comes, not from our spiritual ( divine ) nature, but from our Ego, which entails our human nature. In the same vein, 'harm' is relative; what, in one's perception would be denoted 'harm', may in another''s perception, simply be 'self-preservation', a necessary part of the 'Circle of Life'. Either way, 'as above. so below', it is in the the intention that the harm lies ( or not ).

'Death is an illusion'! Biologically speaking, one might note, like Energy Itself, everything. from the lowly mineral to the human being ( the highest form of Life? ) is simply transformed into what seems to be something else entirely. Some might ask, at this juncture, 'What then is 'death'?' That might require another story for another day. Suffice it to say for now though, 'death is not the end of anything; it is simply a transition from one form to another, a transformation, like a caterpillar to a butterfly. To quote from a recent movie, with obvious Christian under-tones, 'End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.' Metaphorically speaking, one should note that this could be, in fact should be understood to describe our own inner transformation or 'awakening'; in biblical terms, 'dying to oneself'.

So, not to justify the taking of a human life, or any biological entity, for that matter, when we view 'harm' from the perspective of 'The Circle of Life' & 'The Law of Sacrifice', we may see that 'death' is not the end of Life, it is simply the beginning of a new one, a transformation. From a spiritual standpoint, however, 'death' should be seen in a whole new Light: since 'death', as we know it, is encompassed by this physical experience alone, may not the same be said of 'harm'? This may seem an exercise in futility, but can we really harm anyone without them perceiving it as such? With trepidation, concepts like 'mercy killings' come to mind!

In conclusion, whatever one's perspective of Who ( or What ) 'God' is, whether it be a Higher Power out there somewhere, or their own Higher ( Divine ) Self, it should be clear that if we live by the Law of Love, we are free to live in this human experience as we will, yet harming none. 

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles