25 March 2010
New Beginnings
I have received my program materials for the New Hermetics Program. It looks very promising. The founder, Jason Augustus Newcomb, will be personally proctoring me.
22 January 2010
New Hermetics
I received a e-mail from Jason Augustus Newcomb today welcoming me into the program, pending the assignment of a proctor. Not only am I impressed with Mr. Newcomb's spiritual writings, but he's actually got a book out called "How the Teaching of Jesus Could Save America," which promotes the idea of liberals and conservatives working together.
Quite a far cry from deep left I usually encounter when dealing with other people of mystical orientation.
Quite a far cry from deep left I usually encounter when dealing with other people of mystical orientation.
29 July 2009
Bible Study
Hey, all!
During the last two weeks, while was at Camp Dodge, IA, for Annual Training, I had the opportunity to attend several sessions of Bible Study hosted by a Baptist chaplain (always a bad idea for me, but what else was there?). I can't say that I personally grew as a result of the sessions, but I did get some other people to think a little bit.
At one point, after we discussed the Beatitudes, we talked about how the Christ (and boy did "the Christ" raise a few eyebrows) generally avoided healing lots of people; instead focusing his time on His disciples. The chaplain agreed with the general consensus, that he didn't know why the Christ wouldn't heal as many people as possible (it was "a mystery"). I proposed the following:
The Christ is both fully human and fully Divine. Consider yourself in His position--you know that in order to fulfill your destiny and save the human race, you must soon face a final temptation between rulership of the Earth, and death. Would it be easier to face that temptation have spent weeks discussing spiritual truths with you disciples and preparing them for stewardship, or having spent weeks being adored as the Son of God by grateful crowds?
Also, we discussed the disciples as the "salt of the Earth." The other students actually pulled references out of their Bibles that talked about salt as "tasting good" and "useful for melting ice." (sigh)
Let's put aside for a moment the idea that "melting ice" was really a big problem in first century Judea: Salt was incredibly valuable. Wages were often paid in salt--that's where the expression "worth his salt" comes from. Back then, you could grow your own produce, you could raise your own livestock... but salt had to be mined. And unlike precious metals and gemstones, salt was necessary to live.
Today, we can create sodium chloride artificially; we even get too much of it in our diet. Back then, diseases of salt-deficiency were quite common, and even deadly.
As for salt "losing its saltiness" and being "trampled underfoot," I actually had to point out that "saltiness" is a chemical property of sodium chloride and cannot be lost; the Christ was speaking hypothetically. However, if salt did lose its saltiness, it would just be a rock (not the fine granules we see in the supermarket. It would be trash, and the Jews would treat it like middle-easterners have always treated trash: throw it out the window. It will either rot away, be blown into the desert, or be trampled underfoot (in the case of a rock) until it disappears into the roadway.
Of course, I really raised eyebrows when they started talking about the infallibility of the Bible. Sorry, I don't worship the Bible, and I don't need it to be infallible. The group asked me for an example of a contradiction in the Bible: I pointed out that the Christ is not only given two different genealogies, but that they are both patrilineal genealogies. Oh, the aneurisms and logical contortions that ensued. We finally "agreed to disagree." Ahem.
During the last two weeks, while was at Camp Dodge, IA, for Annual Training, I had the opportunity to attend several sessions of Bible Study hosted by a Baptist chaplain (always a bad idea for me, but what else was there?). I can't say that I personally grew as a result of the sessions, but I did get some other people to think a little bit.
At one point, after we discussed the Beatitudes, we talked about how the Christ (and boy did "the Christ" raise a few eyebrows) generally avoided healing lots of people; instead focusing his time on His disciples. The chaplain agreed with the general consensus, that he didn't know why the Christ wouldn't heal as many people as possible (it was "a mystery"). I proposed the following:
The Christ is both fully human and fully Divine. Consider yourself in His position--you know that in order to fulfill your destiny and save the human race, you must soon face a final temptation between rulership of the Earth, and death. Would it be easier to face that temptation have spent weeks discussing spiritual truths with you disciples and preparing them for stewardship, or having spent weeks being adored as the Son of God by grateful crowds?
Also, we discussed the disciples as the "salt of the Earth." The other students actually pulled references out of their Bibles that talked about salt as "tasting good" and "useful for melting ice." (sigh)
Let's put aside for a moment the idea that "melting ice" was really a big problem in first century Judea: Salt was incredibly valuable. Wages were often paid in salt--that's where the expression "worth his salt" comes from. Back then, you could grow your own produce, you could raise your own livestock... but salt had to be mined. And unlike precious metals and gemstones, salt was necessary to live.
Today, we can create sodium chloride artificially; we even get too much of it in our diet. Back then, diseases of salt-deficiency were quite common, and even deadly.
As for salt "losing its saltiness" and being "trampled underfoot," I actually had to point out that "saltiness" is a chemical property of sodium chloride and cannot be lost; the Christ was speaking hypothetically. However, if salt did lose its saltiness, it would just be a rock (not the fine granules we see in the supermarket. It would be trash, and the Jews would treat it like middle-easterners have always treated trash: throw it out the window. It will either rot away, be blown into the desert, or be trampled underfoot (in the case of a rock) until it disappears into the roadway.
Of course, I really raised eyebrows when they started talking about the infallibility of the Bible. Sorry, I don't worship the Bible, and I don't need it to be infallible. The group asked me for an example of a contradiction in the Bible: I pointed out that the Christ is not only given two different genealogies, but that they are both patrilineal genealogies. Oh, the aneurisms and logical contortions that ensued. We finally "agreed to disagree." Ahem.
12 June 2009
07 June 2009
On Atheism and Morality
Point: Atheists cannot be moral.
Morality must be derived from a higher authority than the actor. Without a higher authority--God--from which to derive a code of morality, then each person must define a "moral code" for themselves. This reduces "morality" to essentially acting according to what is one's own nature, anyway. If morality is simply acting according to one's own nature, then no one could be anything except moral, and morality becomes meaningless.
This is not to say that atheists cannot behave in ways that society considers "good," only that they cannot be defined as "moral" people.
Morality must be derived from a higher authority than the actor. Without a higher authority--God--from which to derive a code of morality, then each person must define a "moral code" for themselves. This reduces "morality" to essentially acting according to what is one's own nature, anyway. If morality is simply acting according to one's own nature, then no one could be anything except moral, and morality becomes meaningless.
This is not to say that atheists cannot behave in ways that society considers "good," only that they cannot be defined as "moral" people.
20 April 2009
On Theism and Atheism
The theism vs. atheism debate continues to be a popular one on many internet fora that I visit. Still, I have encountered very few people who really understand the issue well enough to make a coherent argument for either side. Here is analysis of the debate itself:
The Western world today is as theologically illiterate today as it was mathematically illiterate two thousand years ago. On one side, you have people reading books of religious instruction like they're history texts. To use the mathematical analogy, this is like adding 2 + 2 and getting 22. They've got a vague idea that something called "addition" is going on, but they really don't understand the nature or intent operation they're attempting. On the other side, you've got people who say, "I know how much two is, and I know how much twenty-two is. It makes no sense that 2 + 2 could equal 22; therefore, the entire idea of arithmetic should be abandoned."
Meanwhile, neither side has even a clue that something like algebra could be possible, never mind geometry or calculus.
The Western world today is as theologically illiterate today as it was mathematically illiterate two thousand years ago. On one side, you have people reading books of religious instruction like they're history texts. To use the mathematical analogy, this is like adding 2 + 2 and getting 22. They've got a vague idea that something called "addition" is going on, but they really don't understand the nature or intent operation they're attempting. On the other side, you've got people who say, "I know how much two is, and I know how much twenty-two is. It makes no sense that 2 + 2 could equal 22; therefore, the entire idea of arithmetic should be abandoned."
Meanwhile, neither side has even a clue that something like algebra could be possible, never mind geometry or calculus.
28 January 2009
Change of Schedule
Until now, SED's have always been a burden to my schedule. We are starting a projected 3-day SED today, and I'm going to use it to fix my sleep schedule so that I'm getting up at 0800 and can get to Church again.
There is always possibility in adversity...
There is always possibility in adversity...
09 January 2009
Goals for January 2009
January 2009
Join Episcopal Church
Find Lodge for Monday night
Begin 1-year Bible program
First Quarter 2009
Enroll in AMORC
2009
Read through entire Bible
Join Episcopal Church
Find Lodge for Monday night
Begin 1-year Bible program
First Quarter 2009
Enroll in AMORC
2009
Read through entire Bible
16 November 2008
Gone for Six Weeks...
I'm not on vacation, but I won't be blogging anything here for about six weeks.
09 October 2008
Wednesday, 08 October 2008
I skipped Lodge last night. I had made up my mind to go, but I burned out so bad doing PT that I fell asleep as soon as I got home from work.
06 October 2008
Relaxation Response, Fourth Quarter 2008
15 minutes, with mantra "IAO"
Followed by reading three chapters from the Holy Bible (from Aramaic); five chapters on Sunday
Followed by reading three chapters from the Holy Bible (from Aramaic); five chapters on Sunday
Autogenic Training, 4th Quarter 2008
Autogenic Leg Relaxation
My right arm is very heavy. (x10)
My left arm is very heavy. (x10)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x10)
Everything is normal. (x3)
Drop one repetition of each of the first three sentences at the end of each week, until the the first two sentences have no repetitions and the third sentence has only one.
My right arm is very heavy. (x10)
My left arm is very heavy. (x10)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x10)
Everything is normal. (x3)
Drop one repetition of each of the first three sentences at the end of each week, until the the first two sentences have no repetitions and the third sentence has only one.
01 October 2008
Little to report...
I didn't have a chance to visit Unity Village while on TDY like I'd hoped... I was pretty busy (most of my free time was spent visiting my friends). There won't be any church for me this Sunday; I'll be at drill. Next week I have it clearly marked on my calendar to visit the early service of the Episcopal Church (if I really don't like it, I'll have plenty of time to go the Unity service later...).
29 August 2008
A Slow Week
There hasn't been very much to report, spiritually speaking, this week. I had intended to visit the local Episcopal church on Sunday to observe their services... but my parents visited, and I changed my schedule. At the risk of sounding ambivalent (well, I am) I suppose that I may simply have to resign myself to belonging to liberal church. There are many other things about Unity that I do appreciate, after all.
As it turns out, my job will have me in Kansas City for most of the month of September. The "headquarters" of Unity Christian Church--Unity Village--is just outside of Kansas City; perhaps I'll have the opportunity to blog about a visit there.
As it turns out, my job will have me in Kansas City for most of the month of September. The "headquarters" of Unity Christian Church--Unity Village--is just outside of Kansas City; perhaps I'll have the opportunity to blog about a visit there.
22 August 2008
Friday, 22 August 2008
Morning Meditation:
15 minutes of Relaxation Response followed by the QC. I can feel my proficiency with the RR increasing as I use it. Of course, I'm still very "noisy," but I'm relaxing into it. Right now, all of my meditations are performed lying down, so that I'm not distracted by muscle tension. After I feel that I've returned to a decent level of proficiency, I'll start working in half-lotus, and then hopefully I'll get back into full lotus eventually.
I've cut back my Rosicrucian exercise from the LBRP to just the QC. I'm re-learning several skills at once, and I'd rather have a good visualization with the QC before moving on, than rush into longer practices with poor projection.
15 minutes of Relaxation Response followed by the QC. I can feel my proficiency with the RR increasing as I use it. Of course, I'm still very "noisy," but I'm relaxing into it. Right now, all of my meditations are performed lying down, so that I'm not distracted by muscle tension. After I feel that I've returned to a decent level of proficiency, I'll start working in half-lotus, and then hopefully I'll get back into full lotus eventually.
I've cut back my Rosicrucian exercise from the LBRP to just the QC. I'm re-learning several skills at once, and I'd rather have a good visualization with the QC before moving on, than rush into longer practices with poor projection.
21 August 2008
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Morning Meditation
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
LBRP
Self-Hypnosis
Autogenic Arm Relaxation
My right arm is very heavy. (x5)
My left arm is very heavy. (x5)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x5)
Everything is normal. (x3)
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
LBRP
Self-Hypnosis
Autogenic Arm Relaxation
My right arm is very heavy. (x5)
My left arm is very heavy. (x5)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x5)
Everything is normal. (x3)
19 August 2008
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Morning Meditation
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
Bible Reading: Matthew 16-18
Here Yeshua starts to prepare his followers for His impeding crucifixion. Moses and Elijah appear and spend the day with the apostles--although Yeshua also says that Yokhannon (John) the Essene was the return of Elijah referred to in the Old Testament (I learned "Yokhannon" today; I'll try to be consistent in using it). Although some people take issue with a passage in Mt 16 where Yeshua states that "There are men who stand here who will not taste death, until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," the real problem should be with Elijah.
After all, Yeshua appeared to his followers in a blinding light after His crucifixion; "appearing in his kingdom," as it were. However, the re-appearance of Elijah is supposed to herald the end of the world.
Self-Hypnosis
Autogenic Arm Relaxation
My right arm is very heavy. (x5)
My left arm is very heavy. (x5)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x5)
Everything is normal. (x3)
These autogenic exercises I'm doing are from a book called Power Hypnosis by Pierre Clement. Good luck finding a copy--it's been out of print for years. Autogenic induction seems to have gone out of vogue.
I found this book when my parents moved and cleaned out some of their storage; I had previously used it to good effect when I was in high school and college. I wish I had continued my practice--but I fell out of a lot of good habits in Boot Camp, I'm afraid. The skill of self-hypnosis is not coming back to me as quickly as I first acquired it, but it is returning.
Afternoon Meditation
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
QC-LBRP-QC
Although I'm not currently affiliated with any Rosicrucian bodies, I'm going to try to start working Rosicrucian exercises back into my daily routine. I don't think it will be much of a problem... at least until I register for classes in September! For right now, I'm limiting myself to one session daily.
Freemasonry
Blue Lodge
We did a first-degree initiation tonight. I didn't participate this time, but I did get the recommendations I needed to enter the Scottish Rite in December.
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
Bible Reading: Matthew 16-18
Here Yeshua starts to prepare his followers for His impeding crucifixion. Moses and Elijah appear and spend the day with the apostles--although Yeshua also says that Yokhannon (John) the Essene was the return of Elijah referred to in the Old Testament (I learned "Yokhannon" today; I'll try to be consistent in using it). Although some people take issue with a passage in Mt 16 where Yeshua states that "There are men who stand here who will not taste death, until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," the real problem should be with Elijah.
After all, Yeshua appeared to his followers in a blinding light after His crucifixion; "appearing in his kingdom," as it were. However, the re-appearance of Elijah is supposed to herald the end of the world.
Self-Hypnosis
Autogenic Arm Relaxation
My right arm is very heavy. (x5)
My left arm is very heavy. (x5)
Both my arms are heavy as lead. (x5)
Everything is normal. (x3)
These autogenic exercises I'm doing are from a book called Power Hypnosis by Pierre Clement. Good luck finding a copy--it's been out of print for years. Autogenic induction seems to have gone out of vogue.
I found this book when my parents moved and cleaned out some of their storage; I had previously used it to good effect when I was in high school and college. I wish I had continued my practice--but I fell out of a lot of good habits in Boot Camp, I'm afraid. The skill of self-hypnosis is not coming back to me as quickly as I first acquired it, but it is returning.
Afternoon Meditation
20 minutes of Relaxation Response meditation (IAO)
QC-LBRP-QC
Although I'm not currently affiliated with any Rosicrucian bodies, I'm going to try to start working Rosicrucian exercises back into my daily routine. I don't think it will be much of a problem... at least until I register for classes in September! For right now, I'm limiting myself to one session daily.
Freemasonry
Blue Lodge
We did a first-degree initiation tonight. I didn't participate this time, but I did get the recommendations I needed to enter the Scottish Rite in December.
14 August 2008
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Morning Meditation: 10 minute Relaxation Response
Matthew 14--The beheading of John the Essene; the miracles of loaves and fishes and walking on water.
Matthew 14--The beheading of John the Essene; the miracles of loaves and fishes and walking on water.
10 August 2008
Sunday, 10 August 2008
No Church today! I'm at work--my schedule has been changed for the month due to scheduled absences of my co-workers.
06 August 2008
No Lodge Last Night...
... For me, at least. I went to a Neighborhood Watch meeting instead. I felt compelled to go; I keep getting invited and not showing up--I feel anti-social! Except for meeting my neighbors, however, it was a complete waste of time... Thankfully, I live in a very quiet neighborhood.
Definitely a step up from my last two residences!
Definitely a step up from my last two residences!
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