Frugal Friday

May. 23rd, 2025 12:22 pm
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
domeWelcome back to Frugal Friday! This is a weekly forum post to encourage people to share tips on saving money, especially but not only by doing stuff yourself. A new post will be going up every Friday, and will remain active until the next one goes up. Contributions will be moderated, of course, and I have some simple rules to offer, which may change further as we proceed.

Rule #1:  this is a place for polite, friendly conversations about how to save money in difficult times. It's not a place to post news, views, rants, or emotional outbursts about the reasons why the times are difficult and saving money is necessary. Nor is it a place to use a money saving tip to smuggle in news, views, etc.  I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #2:  this is not a place for you to sell goods or services, period. Here again, I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #3:  please give your tip a heading that explains briefly what it's about.  Homemade Chicken Soup, Garden Containers, Cheap Attic Insulation, and Vinegar Cleans Windows are good examples of headings. That way people can find the things that are relevant for them. If you don't put a heading on your tip it will be deleted.

Rule #4: don't post anything that would amount to advocating criminal activity. Any such suggestions will not be put through.

With that said, have at it!  

Plans for the Journey

May. 22nd, 2025 01:22 pm
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
Glastonbury TorAs I think most of my readers are aware by now, I'll be in England for the first week or so of June -- in London from Monday the 2nd to Thursday the 5th, and then traveling to Glastonbury from then until Monday the 9th. I have a couple of details to pass on, a few remaining scraps of scheduling to work out, and also a couple of not-quite-unrelated announcements. 

I will be doing two booksignings while in London. The first is at Watkins Bookshop on Tuesday, June 3 at 5 pm, where I'll be releasing my new book The Way of the Secret Temple, the third instructional volume in the Golden Section Fellowship sequence, covering the advanced methods of the Fellowship's system of self-initiation. Details on the booksigning can be found here

book 3The second is the next evening at Atlantis Books, where I'll be launching a second new book -- Revisioning the Tree of Life. This is the first-ever booklength exploration of the Cabala I learned from my teacher John Gilbert. It's a complete manual of Cabalistic meditation, pathworking, and magic, with techniques that as far as I know have never been published anywhere. Details on the booksigning can be found here

cabalaSo it's going to be a lively time. In the meantime, I've made sure to have plenty of room in my schedule for readers and students of my books who happen to be in London on the 2nd and 3rd; from the time I arrive at Heathrow at 7 in the morning on the 2nd until the afternoon of the 3rd, I'm pretty much footloose and fancy free. Let me know if you'd like to get together during any of that window of time. I'll also have some free time in Glastonbury, but that's going to be much more of a catch-as-catch-can matter. (On the other hand, if anyone's driving back from Glastonbury to or past London on Monday the 9th, and has a spare seat, please let me know.) 

Finally, let's talk a little about those books. The Way of the Secret Temple is available for preorder now, and will be actually in print by the time I reach England, in paperback and hardback editions -- if you intend to do the work, I recommend the hardback, since you'll be putting a year of hard use into your copy. You can order a copy here

wheel, dammitRevisioning the Tree of Life is also available for preorder, with a bonus -- use the code RTL20 when you order and it's 20% off. It won't actually be out until September but orders are being taken now. You can place an order for your copy here

Finally, I'm delighted to report that my book on the Merlin legend as the foundation for a set of mystery initiations, which was dropped by its original publisher, will be back in print under the title I wanted -- Merlin's Wheel -- and in a greatly revised and expanded edition, which includes full instructions for practicing it using the ritual methods of the Golden Section Fellowship and the Fellowship of the Hermetic Rose as well as those of the Druidical Order of the Golden Dawn. I'm very pleased by this new edition and I think you will be too. It'll be out in October, but it's also available for preorder now, and if you use the code MW20 when you order it's also 20% off. You can place an order for your copy here

So there you have it. This spring has shaped up to be a very busy and successful time for me and I hope it's the same for you and yours. I'll look forward to seeing some of you in England in a few weeks! 
neptunesdolphins: dolphins leaping (Default)
[personal profile] neptunesdolphins
 
 
Self-Transforming Machine Elves
Includes Machine Elves, the Tykes, and Clockwork Elves
First described by Terance McKenna, the ethnobotanist, these Beings are the most well-known of DMT entities. Similar to the Elves of Celtic folklore, these entities have a strange sense of humor. Extremely playful, the Tykes like to sparkle with their bodies. Meanwhile, Self-Transforming Machine Elves will usually emerge from the geometric patterns formed by DMT. These entities seem to be teaching people about their DMT world.
 
Mantis Entities
Includes Mantids and Insectoid Aliens
People report their encounters with these Beings to be intense, challenging and overwhelming. These entities seem to be cold-hearted scientists experimenting on humans. Mantids are also reported in UFO abductions, usually operating on people’s brains. They are believed to be the future descendants of Earth’s insects, coming to this time from the far future.
 
Reptilians
Includes Reptoids and Lizard People
These entities also appear in UFO contact writings. David Icke, the British writer, claims that they (i.e. Reptilian Aliens) control Earth’s political systems. These entities do seem to be involved in human affairs. Since many people report them to be to be frightening, caution is advised when encountering Reptilians.
 
Greys
Greys are the classic UFO beings who are reported in abductions. It is believed that they are interdimensional Beings living in a symbiosis with humans. In their encounters, people have reported them to be robotic in their movements. Meanwhile, others have considered their abductions by the Greys similar to fairy kidnappings.
 
Blue and Purple-Hued Beings
People who encounter Blue and Purple-Hued Beings report a feeling of love, peace, and understanding coming from Them. These humanoids seem to be a part of people’s spiritual journeys. (People using cannabis also experience these Beings welcoming them.) Various DMT users have met Blue and Purple-Hued Beings ranging from Lord Krishna to Barney the Dinosaur, who then became their guides.
 
Clowns and Jesters
Includes Tricksters, Harlequins, Imps, and Jack-in-the Box
Terence McKenna said that these represented the archetype of the DMT which is the circus. These entities are a part of that milieu. Meanwhile, Joe Rogan, the Podcaster, reported being flipped off by a Jester. Since they are tricksters, caution is advised when encountering these Beings.
 
Threshold Guardians
Includes Gatekeepers
Also known as “Dwellers on the Threshold,” these entities were first descried by Manly P. Hall in his occult writings. They will challenge anyone who approaches the Threshold. Before moving on to a higher dimension of reality, a person has to pass a rite of passage given to them by the Gatekeeper.
 
Spirit Guides
These Beings will appear as often on psychedelic journeys as they do on New Age “shamanic journeys.” Protective of their charges, Spirit Guides will guide people through the process of enlightenment. Users tell of how they are benevolent teachers, who help people to navigate the realms of hyperspace.
 
Notes:
Note 1. David Jay Brown and Sara Phinn Huntley, “The Illustrated Guide to DMT Entities.” Park Street Press. 2025.

Ecosophia Prayer List, Gemini 2025

May. 22nd, 2025 01:05 am
tunesmyth: (Default)
[personal profile] tunesmyth
(This is the current Prayer List post. Most recent edit: May 24th)

At this link is the full list of all of the requests for prayer that have recently appeared at ecosophia.net and ecosophia.dreamwidth.org, as well as in the comments of the prayer list posts. Please feel free to add any or all of the requests to your own prayers.

If I missed anybody, or if you would like to add a prayer request for yourself or anyone who has given you consent (or for whom a relevant person holds power of consent) to the list, please feel free to leave a comment below.

* * *
This week I would like to bring special attention to the following prayer requests.

May SLClaire's honorary daughter Beth, who is undergoing dialysis for kidney disease, be blessed, and may her kidneys be restored to full functioning.

May 1Wanderer's partner Cathy, who has bravely fought against cancer to the stage of remission, now be relieved of the unpleasant and painful side-effects from the follow-up hormonal treatment, together with the stress that this imposes on both parties; may she quickly be able to resume a normal life, and the cancer not return.

May Kallianeira's partner Patrick, who passed away on May 7th, be blessed and aided in his soul's onward journey. And may Kallianeira be soothed and strengthened to successfully cope in the face of this sudden loss.

May Pygmycory find relief from her tendonitis and emotional exhaustion, and receive wise guidance in choosing which matters to address and which to let go. (If you choose to pray for her, she requests that this prayer go only to God as understood from the Christian perspective).

May Viktoria have a safe and healthy pregnancy, and may the baby be born safe, healthy and blessed. May Marko have the strength, wisdom and balance to face the challenges set before him. (picture)

May Linda from the Quest Bookshop of the Theosophical Society, who has developed a turbo cancer, be blessed and have a speedy and full recovery from cancer.

May Ron M’s friend Paul, who passed away on April 13, make his transition through the afterlife process with grace and peace.

May Corey Benton, whose throat tumor has grown around an artery and won't be treated surgically, and who is now able to be at home from the hospital, be healed of throat cancer. Healing work is also welcome. [Note: Healing Hands should be fine, but if offering energy work which could potentially conflict with another, please first leave a note in comments or write to randomactsofkarmasc to double check that it's safe]

May David Spangler (the esoteric teacher), who has been responding well to chemotherapy for his bladder cancer, be blessed, healed, and filled with positive energy such that he makes a full recovery.

May Giulia (Julia) in the Eastern suburbs of Cleveland Ohio be quickly healed of recurring seizures and paralysis of her left side and other neurological problems associated with a cyst on the right side of her brain and with surgery and drugs to treat it, if providence would have it, and if not, may her soul move on from this world and find peace with a minimum of further suffering for her and her family and friends.

May JRuss's friend David Carruthers quickly find a job of any kind at all that allows him to avoid homelessness, first and foremost; preferably a full time job that makes at least 16 dollars an hour.

May Princess Cutekitten, who is sick of being sick, be healed of her ailments.

May Pierre in Minnesota be filled with the health, vitality, and fertility he needs to father a healthy baby with his wife.

May Liz and her baby be blessed and healthy during pregnancy, and may her husband Jay (sdi) have the grace and good humor to support his family even through times of stress and ill health.

May Jennifer’s newborn daughter Eleanor be blessed with optimal growth and development; may her tongue tie revision surgery on Wednesday March 12th have been smooth and successful, and be followed by a full recovery.

May Mike Greco, who had a court date on the 14th of March, enjoy a prompt, just, and equitable settlement of the case.

May Cliff's friend Jessica be blessed and soothed; may she discover the path out of her postpartum depression, and be supported in any of her efforts to progress along it; may the love between her and her child grow ever more profound, and may each day take her closer to an outlook of glad participation in the world, that she may deeply enjoy parenthood.

May Other Dave's father Michael Orwig, who passed away on 2/24, make his transition to his soul's next destination with comfort and grace; may his wife Allyn and the rest of his family be blessed and supported in this difficult time.

May Peter Evans in California, whose colon cancer has been responding well to treatment, be completely healed with ease, and make a rapid and total recovery.

May Debra Roberts, who has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. Healing work is also welcome.

May Jack H's father John, whose aortic dissection is considered inoperable and likely fatal by his current doctors, be healed, and make a physical recovery to the full extent that providence allows, and be able to enjoy more time together with his loved ones.

May Goats and Roses' son A, who had a serious concussion weeks ago and is still suffering from the effects, regain normal healthy brain function, and rebuild his physical strength back to normal, and regain his zest for life. And may Goats and Roses be granted strength and effectiveness in finding solutions to the medical and caregiving matters that need to be addressed, and the grief and strain of the situation.

May Kevin’s sister Cynthia be cured of the hallucinations and delusions that have afflicted her, and freed from emotional distress. May she be safely healed of the physical condition that has provoked her emotions; and may she be healed of the spiritual condition that brings her to be so unsettled by it. May she come to feel calm and secure in her physical body, regardless of its level of health.

May Frank R. Hartman, who lost his house in the Altadena fire, and all who have been affected by the larger conflagration be blessed and healed.

May Open Space's friend's mother Judith be blessed and healed for a complete recovery from cancer.

May Peter Van Erp's friend Kate Bowden's husband Russ Hobson and his family be enveloped with love as he follows his path forward with the glioblastoma (brain cancer) which has afflicted him.

May Scotlyn's friend Fiona, who has been in hospital since early October with what is a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, be blessed and healed, and encouraged in ways that help her to maintain a positive mental and spiritual outlook.

May Jennifer and Josiah and their daughters Joanna and Eleanor be protected from all harmful and malicious influences, and may any connection to malign entities or hostile thought forms or projections be broken and their influence banished.


* * *
Guidelines for how long prayer requests stay on the list, how to word requests, how to be added to the weekly email list, how to improve the chances of your prayer being answered, and several other common questions and issues, are to be found at the Ecosophia Prayer List FAQ.

If there are any among you who might wish to join me in a bit of astrological timing, I pray each week for the health of all those with health problems on the list on the astrological hour of the Sun on Sundays, bearing in mind the Sun's rulerships of heart, brain, and vital energies. If this appeals to you, I invite you to join me.

Now, here is the current list.


HEALTH RELATED ISSUES
•May SLClaire's honorary daughter Beth, who is undergoing dialysis for kidney disease, be blessed, and may her kidneys be restored to full functioning. (5/24)

•May 1Wanderer's partner Cathy, who has bravely fought against cancer to the stage of remission, now be relieved of the unpleasant and painful side-effects from the follow-up hormonal treatment, together with the stress that this imposes on both parties; may she quickly be able to resume a normal life, and the cancer not return. (5/19)

•May Kallianeira's partner Patrick, who passed away on May 7th, be blessed and aided in his soul's onward journey. And may Kallianeira be soothed and strengthened to successfully cope in the face of this sudden loss. (5/12)

•May Pygmycory find relief from her tendonitis and emotional exhaustion, and receive wise guidance in choosing which matters to address and which to let go. (If you choose to pray for her, she requests that this prayer go only to God as understood from the Christian perspective). (5/12)

•May Viktoria have a safe and healthy pregnancy, and may the baby be born safe, healthy and blessed. May Marko have the strength, wisdom and balance to face the challenges set before him. (picture) (5/6)

•May Linda from the Quest Bookshop of the Theosophical Society, who has developed a turbo cancer, be blessed and have a speedy and full recovery from cancer. (5/6)

•May Open Space's friend's mother Judith be blessed and healed for a complete recovery from cancer. (5/6
•May
Ron M’s friend Paul, who passed away on April 13, make his transition through the afterlife process with grace and peace. (4/15)

•May Corey Benton, whose throat tumor has grown around an artery and won't be treated surgically, and who is now able to be at home from the hospital, be healed of throat cancer. Healing work is also welcome. [Note: Healing Hands should be fine, but if offering energy work which could potentially conflict with another, please first leave a note in comments or write to randomactsofkarmasc to double check that it's safe] (4/10)

•May David Spangler (the esoteric teacher), who has been responding well to chemotherapy for his bladder cancer, be blessed, healed, and filled with positive energy such that he makes a full recovery. (4/3)

•May Giulia (Julia) in the Eastern suburbs of Cleveland Ohio be quickly healed of recurring seizures and paralysis of her left side and other neurological problems associated with a cyst on the right side of her brain and with surgery and drugs to treat it, if providence would have it, and if not, may her soul move on from this world and find peace with a minimum of further suffering for her and her family and friends. (4/3)

•May Princess Cutekitten, who is sick of being sick, be healed of her ailments. (4/3)

•May Pierre in Minnesota be filled with the health, vitality, and fertility he needs to father a healthy baby with his wife. (3/27)

•May Liz and her baby be blessed and healthy during pregnancy, and may her husband Jay (sdi) have the grace and good humor to support his family even through times of stress and ill health. (3/24)

•May Daedalus/ARS receive guidance and finish his kundalini awakening, and overcome the neurological and qi and blood circulation problems that have kept him largely immobilised for several years; may the path toward achieving his life's work be cleared of obstacles. (3/14)

•May Jennifer’s newborn daughter Eleanor be blessed with optimal growth and development; may her tongue tie revision surgery on Wednesday March 12th have been smooth and successful, and be followed by a full recovery. (3/11)

•May Cliff's friend Jessica be blessed and soothed; may she discover the path out of her postpartum depression, and be supported in any of her efforts to progress along it; may the love between her and her child grow ever more profound, and may each day take her closer to an outlook of glad participation in the world, that she may deeply enjoy parenthood. (3/2)

•May Other Dave's father Michael Orwig, who passed away on 2/24, make his transition to his soul's next destination with comfort and grace; may his wife Allyn and the rest of his family be blessed and supported in this difficult time. (2/27)

•May Bill Rice (Will1000) in southern California continue to be blessed and healed of his back injury, and may he quickly recover full health and movement. (2/27)

•May Jim G. in Ohio, who is struggling with atrial fibrillation, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. (2/19)

•May Peter Evans in California, whose colon cancer has been responding well to treatment, be completely healed with ease, and make a rapid and total recovery. (2/19)

•May Sister Crow's cat Saoirse ("SIR-shah"),who has lost a great deal of weight suffering from frequent vomiting and erratic appetite, be quickly and easily returned to full health, and may she be blessed with happiness, health and contentment for the remainder of her life. (2/19)

•May Debra Roberts, who has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. Healing work is also welcome. (2/17)

•May Karen, who has now come home from hospital and her bout with RSV, quickly recover and be restored to full health. (2/13)

•May Jack H's father John, whose aortic dissection is considered inoperable and likely fatal by his current doctors, be healed, and make a physical recovery to the full extent that providence allows, and be able to enjoy more time together with his loved ones. (2/10)

•May Goats and Roses' son A, who had a serious concussion weeks ago and is still suffering from the effects, regain normal healthy brain function, and rebuild his physical strength back to normal, and regain his zest for life. And may Goats and Roses be granted strength and effectiveness in finding solutions to the medical and caregiving matters that need to be addressed, and the grief and strain of the situation. (2/10)

•May Kevin’s sister Cynthia be cured of the hallucinations and delusions that have afflicted her, and freed from emotional distress. May she be safely healed of the physical condition that has provoked her emotions; and may she be healed of the spiritual condition that brings her to be so unsettled by it. May she come to feel calm and secure in her physical body, regardless of its level of health. (1/30)

•May NeptunesDolphins's son succeed in receiving SSI/DI benefits, and get the help, legal or otherwise, to attain it. May he be blessed and receive the help he needs to keep good spiritual and mental health. (1/25)

•May NeptunesDolphins's husband's feet remain healthy; may the open wound on his foot heal quickly, and may the situation resolve quickly without any complication.

•May Matt, who is currently struggling with MS related fatigue, be blessed and healed such that he returns to full energy; and may he be enlightened as to the best way to manage his own situation to best bring about this healing. (1/23)

•May Brother Kornhoer's son's sleep apnea and associated kidney issues be resolved in a way that benefits all involved, as soon as possible. (1/23)

•May Brother Kornhoer's daughter, who is struggling with depression, be blessed and strengthened with mental clarity and peace, and may her therapy be effective. (1/23)

•May Frank R. Hartman, who lost his house in the Altadena fire, and all who have been affected by the larger conflagration be blessed and healed. (1/16)

•May Sub's Wife's major surgery in early January have gone smoothly and successfully, and may she recover with ease back to full health. (1/11)

•May David/Trubrujah's 5 year old nephew Jayce, who is back home after chemotherapy for his leukemia, be healed quickly and fully, and may he, and mother Amanda, and their family find be aided with physical, mental, and emotional strength while they deal with this new life altering situation. (update1/11)

•May Mindwinds's dad Clem, who in the midst of a struggle back to normal after a head injury has been told he shows signs of congestive heart failure, be blessed, healed, and encouraged. (1/7)

•May Christian's cervical spine surgery on 1/14 have been successful, and may he heal completely and with speed; and may the bad feelings and headaches plaguing him be lifted. (1/7)

•May Quin's old friend Kristina, who was diagnosed with ALS a few years ago but whose illness has progressed unusually slowly, heal and grow in strength; if there is a route toward meaningful healing of her condition (which was potentially misdiagnosed), may she come to know it and find the means to pursue it. (1/7)

•May Pierre's wife Julie in Minneapolis be healthy, fully functioning, and brimming with the energy needed to thrive each day.

•May FJay and her newborn baby be blessed, and may her postpartum period be restful and full of love and support. May her older child feel surrounded by her love as he adapts to life as a big brother and may her marriage be strengthened during this time. (12/24)

•May Jon's neighbor Eric overcome his difficulties with alcohol and may his cirrhotic liver be healed. (12/13)

•May Peter Van Erp's friend Kate Bowden's husband Russ Hobson and his family be enveloped with love as he follows his path forward with the glioblastoma (brain cancer) which has afflicted him. (12/11)

•May Kyle's friend Amanda, who though in her early thirties just passed away from brain cancer, make her transition through the afterlife process with grace and peace. (12/11)

•May baby Gigi, continue to gain weight and strength, and continue to heal from a possible medication overdose which her mother Elena received during pregnancy, and may Elena be blessed and healed from the continuing random tremors which ensued; may Gigi's big brother Francis continue to be in excellent health and be blessed. (12/6)

•May Scotlyn's friend Fiona, who has been in hospital since early October with what is a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, be blessed and healed, and encouraged in ways that help her to maintain a positive mental and spiritual outlook. (11/25)

•May all living things who have suffered as a consequence of Hurricanes Helene and Milton be blessed, comforted, and healed. (10/15)
,
•May Falling Tree Woman's son's girlfriend's mother Bridget in Devon UK, who is now in a rehab facility following a life-threatening fall from a horse some months ago, be blessed and healed and returned to full health. (9/30)

OTHER PRAYERS
•May NebulousRealms be protected from hostile spiritual entities and curses at this time, so that he may be grounded, in accordance with the will of his Higher Self. (4/17)

•May JRuss's friend David Carruthers quickly find a job of any kind at all that allows him to avoid homelessness, first and foremost; preferably a full time job that makes at least 16 dollars an hour. (4/3)

•May K from Canada be blessed and supported in their spiritual development, and in making advancements in their life, including finding a pleasant place to live. (2/19)

•May Dominique be filled with hope to get our of her negative mental and physical rut for herself and for her family and may she be filled with love and joy and get on with life and get the willpower to change. (2/14)

•May NPM/Nick's 12-year-old Greyhound Vera, who passed away on 1/20, be blessed and comforted, and granted rest and a peaceful transition to the next life. (1/23)

•May Anonymous be blessed and have their worthy desires answered in a way that benefits them and those they love. (1/23)

•May Luke's friend Kim, whose mother Geraldine recently passed away, be supported and healed in this difficult time; likewise may his family be supported and healed, and may Geraldine be blessed in her onward journey. (12/8)

•May Jennifer and Josiah and their daughters Joanna and Eleanor be protected from all harmful and malicious influences, and may any connection to malign entities or hostile thought forms or projections be broken and their influence banished. (11/7)

Danny and Mary, in Donegal, Ireland, are still stunned by the sudden loss in March 2023 of their four-year-old grandson Darragh, a bright and bubbly wee child who was well loved. For Danny and Mary, for Darragh's brother Daniel, for Darragh's surviving family as a whole, may all of their hearts heal and mend, may all of their sorrows find comfort, and may all find peace in the face of their shared and tragic loss of Darragh. (10/1)

•May Lp9's hometown, East Palestine, Ohio, be protected and blessed in the safety and welfare of their people, animals and all living beings in and around East Palestine; may the natural environment there improve to the benefit of all. The reasonable possibility exists that this is an environmental disaster on par with the worst America has ever seen. (Lp9 gives updates here, here, here, here, and most recently, here.) (9/2)

Snakes and Ladders

May. 21st, 2025 09:46 am
sdi: Oil painting of the Heliconian Muse whispering inspiration to Hesiod. (Default)
[personal profile] sdi

Happy Hermes-Day! Can we talk about Teiresias for a second? That whole thing with the snakes [item 3] has been bothering me.

So if you're recall, one day blind Teiresias was walking on Mount Kullene (the birthplace of Hermes), stumbled across two snakes entwined in sex, and he accidentally crushes one or both of them with his staff. Hera was infuriated at this and changed Teiresias into a woman. Teiresias becomes a priestess of Hera. At some point, Apollo advises Teiresias that if he ever happens upon the same situation to crush one or the other of the snakes with his staff; in the eighth year of being a woman, Teiresias does and is restored to his original form.

This is clearly a story about reincarnation in order to learn a particular lesson: Teiresias is each of us, Teiresias's sex-change is reincarnating into different bodies, Hera is "mother Earth" and becoming her priestess is to devote oneself to learning her lessons; Apollo is the mysteries and his advice is the mystery teachings; eight years is a "great year" representing one's greater life (Apollodoros, Library III iv §2).

All that is very straightforward, I think; the only question is, what is the lesson to be learned? It has something to do with polarity, certainly, which already puts me at a disadvantage since I'm of a monistic bent and have a difficult time making sense of dualities; but it is further complicated by the fact that almost every version of the story we possess tells it differently. I tend to trust Apollodoros more than the others, but his version is itself ambiguous, so we're on our own.

Thinking about this, though, reminded me of the Ra Material; if you're not familiar with it, it's one of the major channeled texts of the New Age movement. (Since it's a channeled text, we're already in super-grain-of-salt-territory, but bear with me.) "Ra" states that there are seven degrees of consciousness, and that each degree of consciousness has a lesson to learn in order for beings of that consciousness to move to the next degree of consciousness. First degree beings (like minerals) are static and inanimate, and their lesson is to learn to move and grow. Second degree beings (like plants and animals) are animate but unselfconscious, and their lesson is to learn individuality. We humans are third degree beings, and our lesson is to learn to relate the individual to the all. "Ra" says that there are two polarities of relating to the all: the positive pole of giving to others or compassion, and the negative pole of taking from others or selfishness; since all is one, both the love of others and the love of self are ways of loving the all, and so either way can carry one upwards, but the crucial point is to develop enough reflective capacity and will to be capable of actively choosing a path.

Of course, all models are wrong, but some are useful: true or not, "Ra's" model certainly has the merit of making sense of the snakes. The female snake is the negative pole (and let me stress that I'm not denouncing women, I am referring strictly to the inward-attracting direction of any negative pole); the male snake is the positive pole (as outward-emitting); Teiresias is doomed to reincarnation by being incapable of choosing a path (his first killing is accidental); over a great year he studies the lessons of earth, guided by the mysteries; finally, he is freed from reincarnation by choosing a path (his second killing is willed). Perhaps it even makes sense of why so many variants of the story are recorded: a "pure" version of the story, like the "Ra" material, stresses the free will of the individual to choose as they please; however, "moralistic" versions of the story might urge the individual to prefer one or the other polarity. (And I can certainly sympathize with this: I would, myself, much rather hasten to the light in love than sound the darkness in isolation.)

Penises (as emblematic of male sexuality) are really all over the mysteries, from the phalluses in the temples of Osiris to the thursoi of Dionusos. (Hell, if you haven't read De Dea Syria, there's a veritable boatload of penises in there for you.) I've always thought that's pretty weird to say the least, but if it's an injunction towards the positive pole, that would at least make some sense of it.

It is interesting to me that Hermes picked up the image of the story as his symbol, carrying always the kerukeion with it's two snakes coiling around Teiresias's cornel-wood staff, topped by the wings which the development of will grants. It is interesting that this became Hermes's symbol even though Athena also figures prominently in the Teiresias myth; we see just the opposite in the Perseus myth, where Perseus is guided by both gods, but only Athena took her symbol—the head of Medousa affixed to a shield—from there.

Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 198

May. 20th, 2025 12:24 pm
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
distrust the scienceWe are now in the fourth year of these open posts. When I first posted a tentative hypothesis on the course of the Covid phenomenon, I had no idea that discussion on the subject would still be necessary more than three years later, much less that it would turn into so lively, complex, and troubling a conversation. Still, here we are. Crude death rates and other measures of collapsing public health are anomalously high in many countries, but nobody in authority wants to talk about the inadequately tested experimental Covid injections that are the most likely cause; public health authorities government shills for the pharmaceutical industry are still trying to push through laws that will allow them to force vaccinations on anyone they want; public trust in science is collapsing; and the story continues to unfold.

So it's time for another open post. The rules are the same as before:

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry and its government enablers are causing injury and death on a massive scale. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its wholly owned politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here. 
 
3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue. 

4. If you plan on making off topic comments, please go away. This is an open post for discussion of the Covid epidemic, the vaccines, drugs, policies, and other measures that supposedly treat it, and other topics directly relevant to those things. It is not a place for general discussion of unrelated topics. Nor is it a place to ask for medical advice; giving such advice, unless you're a licensed health care provider, legally counts as practicing medicine without a license and is a crime in the US. Don't even go there.


5. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. Also, please don't drag in current quarrels about sex, race, religions, etc. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules. 

6. Please don't just post bare links without explanation. A sentence or two telling readers what's on the other side of the link is a reasonable courtesy, and if you don't include it, your attempted post will be deleted.

Please also note that nothing posted here should be construed as medical advice, which neither I nor the commentariat (excepting those who are licensed medical providers) are qualified to give. Please take your medical questions to the licensed professional provider of your choice.


With that said, the floor is open for discussion. 
neptunesdolphins: dolphins leaping (Default)
[personal profile] neptunesdolphins
 David Jay Brown and Sara Phinn Huntley. “The Illustrated Field Guide to DMT Entities.” Park Street Press: Rochester (VT). 2025
 
In shamanic and sacred work, people have used several methods to achieve altered states of consciousness. (Note 1) One of them is the “Path of Sacred Plants,” which entails ingesting plants such as the Little Red Man Mushroom and Ayahuasca among others. Another drug ingested in the “Path of Sacred Plants” is the chemical DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) (Note 2). Users of DMT refer to the drug as the “Spirit Molecule.” (Please note that I have never used Sacred Plants, and are only reporting on what other people have said.)
 
The authors, David Brown and Sara Huntley, both experienced in using N,N-DMT, have catalogued the various entities reported by people in their encounters in “The Illustrated Field Guide to DMT Entities.” These beings range from mantis-like animals to clowns to fairies and Gods. (Note 3) The authors describe the entities and how people perceive them as they meet each entity. The reports include how people felt, which varied from confusion and fear to awe and comfort.
 
For background to their book, Brown interviewed various scientists about DMT entity contact. For the authors and many others, the entities experienced under DMT are real and not figments of their imaginations. (Note 4) Terence McKenna, noted for his work in DMT research, viewed the entities as “Souls of Another Realm.” Neuroscientist Andrew Gallimore, also thought, they were beings of other dimensions. Gallimore perceived that DMT was a new way to “travel to these new worlds and engage with the beings there.” (Note 5)
 
One researcher, Daniel McQueen, who leads the DMTx project at Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, discussed his protocols. “We did ceremony as part of our protocol. We provided offerings on an altar with fruit and water. We engaged [the entities] with respect. We acknowledged and understood their boundaries.” McQueen stressed that the entities were real and not drug induced hallucinations.
 
Joe Rogan, the Podcaster, told Brown about his DMT experiences as well. Rogan said, “There are these things that are there, and they communicate with you. But they don’t seem to be you. They seem to be something else.” Rogan referred to the “things” as a “well of souls.”
 
Having established the entities’ existence (Note 6), the authors detail the various Beings often encountered. Besides Angels, Gods, God (Yahweh), Christ and Mary, people may meet Beings described in UFO and occult writings. One written about by Manly P. Hall is the Threshold Guardian. This Gatekeeper challenges people before they are allowed to enter a higher dimension. UFO aliens such as the Greys and Reptilians are also encountered.
 
One group often met by DMT users is the Devil and Demons. The varying reactions to Them by people are based on their ideas about Demons and their fears. While some have had positive encounters, the authors conclude is that these entities are too complex for understanding.
 
Polytheists know these Entities are real since they experience the Gods in their rituals and devotions. The Beings, described by Brown and Huntley, are a part of the interconnected Cosmos. The authors are not Polytheists, but they and others regard these DMT Beings as worthy of respect and awe.
 
Notes:
Note 1. Northern Traditional Shamanism refers to these methods as “the Eightfold Path to Altered States of Consciousness.” They are “Meditation,” “Ritual,” “Rhythm,” “Asceticism,” “Sacred Plants (Drugs),” “Flesh (Sex),” “Ordeal,” and “Spirit Possession (Being a Horse).”
 
Note 2. There are two DMT chemicals in use to achieve altered states. One is N,N-DMT which launches users into hallucinogenic and visionary experiences. N,N-DMT is the psychoactive ingredient in Ayahuasca and other plants. The other chemical is 5-MeO-DMT, which launches users into a void. This DMT, a modern ceremonial drug, is derived from a toad (Bufo alvarius). Caution is advised in using 5-MeO-DMT since it can be disorienting with its powerful effects.
 
Note 3: List of Entities: Self-transforming Machine Elves, Mantis Entities, Lizard People,
Greys, Blue and Purple Beings, Clowns and Jesters, Threshold Guardians, Spirit Guides, Gods,
Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary, Angels, The Devil and Demons, Animal-humans, Ancestors,
Fairies, Gnomes, Mother Ayahuasca, Plant Spirits, Animal Spirits, Octopi, Chemical Spirits, Mother Gaia, Beings of Light, and God (Yahweh).
 
Note 4. There are two schools of thought in metaphysics as to the reality of these entities. (1) Physicalism: “Anything with a physical form is real, everything beyond that is imaginary. In order to exist, something must involve observable phenomena.” Under this theory, the entities are not real because they have no physical bodies. (2) Idealism: “Reality is created entirely in the mind of the beholder.” Since people do experience these entities, they are real.
 
Note 5. The Qualia Research Institute lists six levels of the DMT realm (also known as “psychedelic hyperspace:”
 
1.Threshold – Experiences of enhanced HD vision and vibrant colors.
2. Chrysanthemum – Emergence of a fabric made of shapes and bright colors resembling a chrysanthemum.
3. Magic Eye – The chrysanthemum then forms a complex autosterogram (a two-dimensional image that creates the optical illusion of a three-dimensional scene).
4. Waiting Room – The autostereogram forms a waiting room around the person.
5. Breakthrough – The geometric patterns become extreme and uncontrolled. DMT entities are encountered at this level.
6. Amnesia – A person becomes unaware of their body.
The Qualia Research Institute seeks to develop “mathematical formalizations for subjective experience and its emotional valence.”
(Source: Justin Cooke, “What Are DMT Machine Elves? 8 Theories Explained,” 10, January, 2024, https://tripsitter.com/dmt/machine-elves/)
 
Note 6. Theories about DMT Entities are:
 
1. Denizens of the DMT Realm.
This is the theory that Terence McKenna proposed.
2. The human brain is a Consciousness Generator.
The brain makes order out of chaos of the DMT experience. It takes sensory information and translates it into a coherent experience.
3. Alien communication.
They are messages from aliens of other dimensions.
4. The psychedelic microscope.
The DMT acts as a microscope allowing the person to see what they could not perceive but actually is there.
5. Contact with the Divine.
DMT is one of the ways that shamans connect with the Other Worlds. Traditional substances used by shamans have been Ayahuasca and Peyote.
6. Tapping into the Collective Unconscious.
DMT is a method to tap into Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious. The elves and others are manifestations of the Collective Unconscious.
7. Innate anthropomorphic recognition.
This is the Rorschach inkblot test for psychedelic experiences. People make sense of random patterns by seeing them as faces.
8. Meme theory
The entities could be ideas passed on through other people. Terence McKenna invented “machine elves” which then became standard for others to meet in DMT space.
(Source: Justin Cooke, “What Are DMT Machine Elves? 8 Theories Explained,” 10, January, 2024, https://tripsitter.com/dmt/machine-elves/)
 

Magic Monday

May. 18th, 2025 09:44 pm
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
Jerry Shimizu carries a gun. Midnight is upon us and so it's time to launch a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism, and with certain exceptions noted below, any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. Please note:  Any question or comment received after that point will not get an answer, and in fact will just be deleted.  If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 341,928th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.3 of The Magic Monday FAQ here

Also:
 I will not be putting through or answering any more questions about practicing magic around children. I've answered those in simple declarative sentences in the FAQ. If you read the FAQ and don't think your question has been answered, read it again. If that doesn't help, consider remedial reading classes; yes, it really is as simple and straightforward as the FAQ says.  And further:  I've decided that questions about getting goodies from spirits are also permanently off topic here. The point of occultism is to develop your own capacities, not to try to bully or wheedle other beings into doing things for you. I've discussed this in a post on my blog.

The
 image? I field a lot of questions about my books these days, so I've decided to do little capsule summaries of them here, one per week.  This is my seventy-eighth published book and nineteenth novel, a stand-alone (so far) tale set in 2095 or so. You could call it cli-fi (the current cute label for climate change fiction) if you like, or deindustrial SF; I'd call it a deindustrial noir Shinto science fiction spy thriller with Gnostic overtones. Jerry Shimizu, the two-fisted, gun-toting, half-Japanese tough guy who narrates the story, and the world in which he lives are interesting enough, at least to me, that he may get a sequel...but we'll see.  If you're interested, you can get copies here in the US and here elsewhere. 

Buy Me A Coffee

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I've had several people ask about tipping me for answers here, and though I certainly don't require that I won't turn it down. You can use either of the links above to access my online tip jar; Buymeacoffee is good for small tips, Ko-Fi is better for larger ones. (I used to use PayPal but they developed an allergy to free speech, so I've developed an allergy to them.) If you're interested in political and economic astrology, or simply prefer to use a subscription service to support your favorite authors, you can find my Patreon page here and my SubscribeStar page here
 
Bookshop logoI've also had quite a few people over the years ask me where they should buy my books, and here's the answer. Bookshop.org is an alternative online bookstore that supports local bookstores and authors, which a certain gargantuan corporation doesn't, and I have a shop there, which you can check out here. Please consider patronizing it if you'd like to purchase any of my books online.

And don't forget to look up your Pangalactic New Age Soul Signature at CosmicOom.com.

With that said, have at it! 

***This Magic Monday is now closed and no more comments will be put through. See you next week!***

Reagent and Catalyst

May. 16th, 2025 08:58 am
sdi: Oil painting of the Heliconian Muse whispering inspiration to Hesiod. (Default)
[personal profile] sdi

ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι, κάκ᾽ ἐλέγχεα, γαστέρες οἶον,
ἴδμεν ψεύδεα πολλὰ λέγειν ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα,
ἴδμεν δ᾽, εὖτ᾽ ἐθέλωμεν, ἀληθέα γηρύσασθαι.

"Boorish shepherds—you disgraceful wretches, nothing but stomachs!—
we know how to say many convincing lies,
but we know also, when we please, how to sing true."

(The Muses of Mount Helikon speaking. Hesiod, Theogony 26–8.)


I have been thinking a lot lately about the spiritual process.

I have studied, and continue to study, a lot—but truth is simplicity itself: ἕν τὸ πᾶν "all is one." The closer one can actualize that notion, the closer to divinity one is. No amount of study can add to that.

And yet the study is not for nothing; one often needs much scaffolding to build a tower, even if it all gets pulled away and torn down thereafter. This was called to mind forcefully today as I began my attempt to reread Hesiod haltingly in Greek and read the above lines. (He's much harder than Homer, since while Homer has an elegance about his speech, Hesiod is coarse and takes, shall we say, tremendous liberties with his grammar to make the verse work. Simonides said that Hesiod was taught by the Muses, while Homer was taught by the Graces, and this seems about right to me.)

Who are Hesiod's Muses? Well, recall our fourfold schemata of consciousness, and note that light is truth. In Air, light is transmitted clearly, so all there is true. In Earth, light is not transmitted and only received, so all there is false. (Indeed, this is why there is no "user manual" for life here in the world of Earth, and why we need to grope about in darkness.) Water is translucent, just as Air is, but unlike Air, the light there can be reflected and refracted: when the Water is calm, the light passes true, but if the Water bends on itself cleverly, it can distort the light in whatever ways it pleases—even seeming true when it is quite false. So the Muses are clearly daimons, beings of Water, shepherding the shepherd—inner-plane initiatrixes, we may say, rather than the guiding angels I am so fond of. (Thus while one may learn from them—and from Hesiod!—great care must be taken, as they can't be trusted to be Good, just as they warn us.)

This identification is very useful, I think, and was effortless to make, but it must be noted that I've studied Empedokles with at least some care for something like six years, ever since I first took up geomancy. It took so much effort and contemplation to finally penetrate the proper simplicity of the model, so that now I can easily use it as a map and identify something from it. Now that I comprehend the model in it's simplicity, a lot of what I studied is now redundant... but it cannot be said to be "wasted," since without the complicated I couldn't have gotten to the simple.

So it is with spirituality. It is perhaps best to just clear the mind and sit in zazen; but without a koan or sutra or some other material for the soul to work on, the leap may never come, just as you may have all the reagent in the world, but without catalyst, the reaction can't occur.

The end may be utter simplicity, but there are long miles of breadcrumbs we must follow that we may appreciate it.

Frugal Friday

May. 16th, 2025 09:20 am
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
infinitely seventiesWelcome back to Frugal Friday! This is a weekly forum post to encourage people to share tips on saving money, especially but not only by doing stuff yourself. A new post will be going up every Friday, and will remain active until the next one goes up. Contributions will be moderated, of course, and I have some simple rules to offer, which may change further as we proceed.

Rule #1:  this is a place for polite, friendly conversations about how to save money in difficult times. It's not a place to post news, views, rants, or emotional outbursts about the reasons why the times are difficult and saving money is necessary. Nor is it a place to use a money saving tip to smuggle in news, views, etc.  I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #2:  this is not a place for you to sell goods or services, period. Here again, I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #3:  please give your tip a heading that explains briefly what it's about.  Homemade Chicken Soup, Garden Containers, Cheap Attic Insulation, and Vinegar Cleans Windows are good examples of headings. That way people can find the things that are relevant for them. If you don't put a heading on your tip it will be deleted.

Rule #4: don't post anything that would amount to advocating criminal activity. Any such suggestions will not be put through.

With that said, have at it! 

One is. Two are.

May. 15th, 2025 03:23 pm
sdi: Oil painting of the Heliconian Muse whispering inspiration to Hesiod. (Default)
[personal profile] sdi

"Seijo, the Chinese girl," observed Goso, "had two souls, one always sick at home and the other in the city, a married woman with two children. Which was the true soul?" [...]

The clouds and moon are the same.
The mountains and valleys are different.
Each is blessed in its own way.
One is. Two are.

(Wumen Huikai, The Gateless Gate XXXV. The case is adapted by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki, while the verse is adapted by myself.)

neptunesdolphins: dolphins leaping (Default)
[personal profile] neptunesdolphins

Noted Polytheist professor and philosopher, Edward P. Butler, presented a paper at the 17th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy, which was held on November 2021. His paper, “Considerations Regarding Worship in Extraterrestrial Habitats” discussed how to accommodate the spiritual needs of people living in extraterrestrial habitats. What form would this spirit work take and what sort of spirit worker would be needed?


 
“Considerations Regarding Worship in Extraterrestrial Habitats,” 17th Venice Architecture Biennale (November 2021) | Henadology

Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 197

May. 13th, 2025 09:32 am
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
smudge for the winWe are now in the fourth year of these open posts. When I first posted a tentative hypothesis on the course of the Covid phenomenon, I had no idea that discussion on the subject would still be necessary more than three years later, much less that it would turn into so lively, complex, and troubling a conversation. Still, here we are. Crude death rates and other measures of collapsing public health are anomalously high in many countries, but nobody in authority wants to talk about the inadequately tested experimental Covid injections that are the most likely cause; public health authorities government shills for the pharmaceutical industry are still trying to push through laws that will allow them to force vaccinations on anyone they want; public trust in science is collapsing; and the story continues to unfold.

So it's time for another open post. The rules are the same as before:

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry and its government enablers are causing injury and death on a massive scale. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its wholly owned politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here. 
 
3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue. 

4. If you plan on making off topic comments, please go away. This is an open post for discussion of the Covid epidemic, the vaccines, drugs, policies, and other measures that supposedly treat it, and other topics directly relevant to those things. It is not a place for general discussion of unrelated topics. Nor is it a place to ask for medical advice; giving such advice, unless you're a licensed health care provider, legally counts as practicing medicine without a license and is a crime in the US. Don't even go there.


5. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. Also, please don't drag in current quarrels about sex, race, religions, etc. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules. 

6. Please don't just post bare links without explanation. A sentence or two telling readers what's on the other side of the link is a reasonable courtesy, and if you don't include it, your attempted post will be deleted.

Please also note that nothing posted here should be construed as medical advice, which neither I nor the commentariat (excepting those who are licensed medical providers) are qualified to give. Please take your medical questions to the licensed professional provider of your choice.


With that said, the floor is open for discussion. 

Cosmos-theology: A Brief Intro

May. 12th, 2025 09:38 am
neptunesdolphins: dolphins leaping (Default)
[personal profile] neptunesdolphins
 If most of the writings on astrotheology have a Christian focus, that is because most of the people pondering these questions are Christians. However, other people have written on what they call “cosmotheology.” (Note 1) In their metaphysical considerations, various philosophers stress the Cosmological Principle: “We do not live in a special place in the Universe.” (Note 2) Noted philosopher, A.N. Whitehead wrote, “On a grand scale, our cosmology discloses a process of overpowering change, from nebulae to stars, from stars to planets, from inorganic matter to life, from life to reason and moral responsibility.” (Note 3) Whitehead’s concepts have formed a basis for examining religion and exo-life (Note 4) outside of Christianity.
 
Stephen Dick, noted astrobiologist and former NASA historian, has developed several principles of cosmotheology. (1) “Humanity is not physically central to the universe.” (2) “Humanity is not central biologically, mentally, or morally in the universe.” (3) “Humanity is not at the top of the great chain of being in the universe.” These three principles acknowledge the cosmological de-centering of the universe for humans. According to Whitehead, “humans are as fully natural as everything else in the Universe.” In other words, humans are not the moral center of the Universe.
 
Dick continues with (4) “Cosmotheology must be open to radically new and non-supernatural conceptions of God…a God grounded in cosmic evolution.” (5) “Cosmotheology must have a moral dimension, extending to embrace all species in the universe – a reverence and respect for life in any form.” (6) “Cosmotheology must embrace the idea that human destiny should be linked to natural cosmic events, not to the divine.” Dick states that the “God of cosmotheology is a natural evolutionary product, potentially with many characteristics normally associated with God.” (Note 5)
 
Andrew Davis, a process philosopher, interprets Dick’s God as a “fully contingent super intelligence (emphasis by Davis), an outcome of evolution.” Meanwhile, Whitehead, who developed process philosophy (Note 6), claims that the “non-temporal actuality of divine mentality” is in every phase of evolution. He adds, “The universe is thus understood as including a source of ideals. There are experiences of ideals…This is the experience of the deity of the universe.” For Whitehead, God is the divine duality as experienced across the universe.
 
Davis further develops a cosmotheology based on Whitehead’s process philosophy. “(1) Humanity exemplifies metaphysical principles that are utterly central to the universe. (2) Humanity exemplifies biological, mental, and moral antecedents that are metaphysically central to the universe. (3) Humanity exemplifies the same metaphysical principles that are expressed in various intensities throughout the great chain of being in the universe. (Note 7) (4) Cosmotheology must be open to truly radical and non-supernatural conceptions of God, a God grounding and exemplifying the metaphysical conditions of cosmic evolution. (5) Cosmotheology must provide the ontological basis and stimulus for ideals of moral reverence and respect in the nature of things. (6) Cosmotheology must embrace human destiny as inextricably linked to the destiny of the cosmos as an infinite evolutionary expression of the metaphysical conditions chiefly exemplified in the divine.”
 
Since some of us may be alive when life is discovered beyond the Earth, we do need to understand our place in the cosmos. I believe that Polytheists should add their thoughts to how this affects all of us. Since Polytheism entails that humans are connected to other worlds and other beings, Polytheists have a unique perspective to offer.
 
Notes:
Note 1. The astronomer Steven Dick defines “cosmotheology” as his attempt at a theology based on what “we know about the universe based on science. It is a naturalistic theology that denies supernaturalism.” From Interview with Ted Peters, “The Cosmotheology of Steven Dick,” Patheos, 22 April, 2023. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/publictheology/2022/05/cosmotheology-steven-j-dick/.
 
Note 2. Formally stated, the Cosmological Principle is “Viewed on a sufficiently large scale, the properties of the Universe are the same for all observers.” In ordinary language, the Earth, the Sun, the Milky Way, etc. are only average and not special. The Cosmological Principle is a part of Isaac Newton’s Laws of Physics.
 
Note 3. Whitehead as quoted by Andrew Davis in “Metaphysics of Exo-Life.”
 
Note 4. “Exo-life” refers to all life other than the Earth’s including extraterrestrials (ETs).
 
Note 5. Unless otherwise defined, “God” refers to Yahweh, the Monotheistic Deity.
 
Note 6. Alfred North Whitehead developed process philosophy further in the 1920s. He believed that “there is urgency in coming to see the world as a web of interrelated processes of which we are integral parts, so that all of our choices and actions have consequences for the world around us.”
 
Note 7. “The Great Chain of Being” is a hierarchy of Gods, Angels, humans, animals, plants, and minerals. The philosophy behind the hierarchy is that everyone has a role and purpose in the Cosmos.
 
Works Used:
Davis, Andrew, “Metaphysics of Exo-Life.” Grasmere (ID): SacraSage Press. 2003.
Meade, Shannon, “Faith in the Cosmos.” Machiasport (ME): Shannon Meade. 2024.
O’Meara, Thomas, “Vast Universe.” Collegeville (MN): Liturgical Press. 2012.
Peters, Ted, “The Cosmotheology of Steven Dick,” Patheos, 22 April, 2023. Web. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/publictheology/2022/05/cosmotheology-steven-j-dick/. .
Weintraub, David, “Religions and Extraterrestrial Life.” London: Springer Book. 2014.

Magic Monday

May. 11th, 2025 10:28 pm
ecosophia: (Default)
[personal profile] ecosophia
all about sexMidnight is upon us and so it's time to launch a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism, and with certain exceptions noted below, any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. Please note:  Any question or comment received after that point will not get an answer, and in fact will just be deleted.  If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 341,928th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.3 of The Magic Monday FAQ here

Also:
 I will not be putting through or answering any more questions about practicing magic around children. I've answered those in simple declarative sentences in the FAQ. If you read the FAQ and don't think your question has been answered, read it again. If that doesn't help, consider remedial reading classes; yes, it really is as simple and straightforward as the FAQ says.  And further:  I've decided that questions about getting goodies from spirits are also permanently off topic here. The point of occultism is to develop your own capacities, not to try to bully or wheedle other beings into doing things for you. I've discussed this in a post on my blog.

The
 image? I field a lot of questions about my books these days, so I've decided to do little capsule summaries of them here, one per week.  This is my seventy-seventh published book, a study of the utterly unfashionable approach to sexual energies in magic that Dion Fortune and her fellow occultists of the Society of the Inner Light pioneered. You can always get a lot of interest by telling people to engage in orgiastic excess, and curiously enough, you can also get a lot of interest by telling people that sex is bad and God will spank them for thinking about it. Suggest something in between these extremes and nothing like so many people want to hear about it. Be that as it may, this is a practical handbook of magical practices that use redirected, sublimated erotic energies; the participants sit several feet from each other, usually with an altar in between them, and stay fully clothed. How dowdy? Nonetheless the methods work extremely well, and I give full details. If you're interested, you can get copies here in the US and here elsewhere. 

Buy Me A Coffee

Ko-Fi

I've had several people ask about tipping me for answers here, and though I certainly don't require that I won't turn it down. You can use either of the links above to access my online tip jar; Buymeacoffee is good for small tips, Ko-Fi is better for larger ones. (I used to use PayPal but they developed an allergy to free speech, so I've developed an allergy to them.) If you're interested in political and economic astrology, or simply prefer to use a subscription service to support your favorite authors, you can find my Patreon page here and my SubscribeStar page here
 
Bookshop logoI've also had quite a few people over the years ask me where they should buy my books, and here's the answer. Bookshop.org is an alternative online bookstore that supports local bookstores and authors, which a certain gargantuan corporation doesn't, and I have a shop there, which you can check out here. Please consider patronizing it if you'd like to purchase any of my books online.

And don't forget to look up your Pangalactic New Age Soul Signature at CosmicOom.com.

With that said, have at it!

***This Magic Monday is now closed, and no further comments will be put through. See you next week!***
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