Laya Yoga Meditation On Internal Sounds

LAYA YOGA: MEDITATION ON INTERNAL SOUNDSLAYA yoga is the absorption of the mind in sound. The goal of this practice is to alter one's normal awareness of self by focusing on hearing an internal, mystic sound. The mind will become steady and absorbed in the sound on which it focuses. In space, sound is produced by the movement of sound waves in the air. So, too, in the body, there are currents that flow and produce sound when one practices pranayama.To do this practice, sit in SIDDHASANA and focus the attention on the spot between the eyebrows. Turn the eyes upward and let the lids remain closed. The eyes, ears, nose, and mouth should be closed. With a calm and controlled mind listen for a sound in the right ear, and eventually you will hear a clear sound. In the beginning the sounds will be very loud and varied, but with continued practice they will become increasingly subtle. At first one may hear sounds that seem to pound and surge, like the beating of a kettledrum. After some time, in the intermediate stage, the sounds will resemble those produced by a conch shell, or by bells. Finally, after further practice, the sounds will resemble tinkling noises, the sound of a flute, or the hum of bees. All of these sounds are produced within and cannot be heard by anyone else. One should practice being aware of both the loud and subtle sounds, alternating and varying one's awareness from one to the other, so that the mind will not be inclined to wander.When the student's mind is intently engaged in listening to these sounds, he becomes captivated by them and overcomes all distractions. As a result of this practice, the mind gives up its outwardly directed activity and becomes calm, desiring no objects of sense gratification. The mind and breath become refined and one's attention is focused within. Then the yogi forgets all external objects and loses consciousness of himself, and the mind is absorbed in bliss. The absorption that is produced when the mind enters the sound (nada) emanates spiritual powers and a sort of ecstasy, and one forgets his whole material existence. If one desires to attain this state of union, one should practice listening to the anahata sound in the heart with a calm and concentrated mind. When the mind focuses on the sound, it becomes steady. Mental activity is suspended when the mind is absorbed in the sound. The accomplished aspirant interpenetrates the anahata sound and attains the state of SAMADHI through this method, laya yoga.These internal sounds can be heard only by those whose NADIS are free from impurities and who are well practiced in pranayama. The ANAHATA sound comes from sushumna, and, as with other sounds, it cannot be heard by the aspirant until this nadi is free from all impurities. Thus the practice of concentration and absorption with nada (sound) is only possible after considerable preparation. A beginner can instead perform BHRAMARI KUMBHAKA, in which a humming sound resembling a bee drone is produced in one's throat. This practice requires breath control, so that the breath may be exhaled very slowly, producing the sound for a significant length of time.Just as focusing the awareness on the eyes produces special powers of vision, directing one's awareness to the ears allows one to detect special sounds. By directing the full force of one's attention to these senses, the deeper powers develop. Directing the thoughts to any particular sense of the body awakens one's conscious awareness of the powers that correspond to that sense. Concentration upon the organs of the body that are involved in any practice increases their power and sensitivity, and intensifies and strengthens that organ system.Concentration shows itself in five progressive mental stages: analysis, reflection, bliss, ecstasy, and meditation. The first stage is one of gaining knowledge about the nature of the object. The second step is that of pure reflection; here the lower stage of analysis is transcended. In the third stage, the power of reflection gives way to a blissful state of consciousness, which later merges into the pure ecstasy of the fourth stage. In the fifth stage, one losses awareness of all sensation and external awareness gives way to a state of complete meditation. In samadhi, there is neither seeing nor hearing, neither physical nor mental consciousness; pure existence and total absorption on the absolute is experienced.

Origin: religion-events.blogspot.com

The Family Business A Sermon

LUKE 2:41-52

Oh, how they do grow up! They start out as cute little babies, but before you know it, they're twelve, and that original cuteness has begun to wear off. 12-year-old kids are liable to speak their minds - even to their parents. So, would it surprise you to learn that Jesus is no different?

When last we gathered on Thursday Evening, we found Jesus lying in a manger, surrounded by proud parents and some rather dirty shepherds. We filled the night with carols, such as "O Come all Ye Faithful", the "First Noel," and "Silent Nigh"t. We sang songs of joy and thanksgiving to the one lying in that manger, all wrapped up in swaddling clothes. Yes, along with the angels and the shepherds, we sang:

"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, for his bed a cattle stall;

Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the babe is Lord of all."

These much beloved songs project an image of a gentle glowing baby, and we all seem to like babies. Little children like them, as do the oldest among us. But, like I said, babies do grow up, taking on their own identity, and breaking free of their parent's grasp. In most societies this begins to happen around age twelve, and while we have a long period of preparation called adolescence, ancient societies lacked this intermediate period of life. You went from childhood to adulthood almost over night.

1. THE MATURATION OF THE MESSIAH

We don't know very much about Jesus' process of maturation. The gospels are rather silent about his growing up years, with Matthew being the only other canonical gospel that even offers a birth narrative, and he is silent on the years between birth and baptism. This doesn't mean that we lack stories about this period of Jesus' life. It's just that these other stories seem rather odd. They're more akin to watching Superboy grow up in Smallville, learning to manage his super powers. These apocryphal gospels depict Jesus as a miracle worker, who uses his super powers mostly to benefit himself. So, if you cross him, be careful, because this Jesus hasn't yet learned to rein in his powers, and you just might end up dead!

What we have before us in this morning's text is the lone canonical picture of Jesus' growing up years, and it's just one snapshot. The picture comes from a trip south to the annual Passover celebration. Jesus is twelve and the family had traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem in a caravan. On the way home, about a day into the trip, the parents discovered that Jesus was missing. That sounds sort of odd to us - we would probably report parents like these to Child Protective Services, but this is a different time and place.

Upon returning to Jerusalem, the frantic parents finally stumble upon the young Jesus after a three-day search. He's just sitting there in the Temple courts, talking theology with the teachers of the day. Everyone is amazed at his level of understanding. This is a precocious child! He might not be turning his clay pigeons into real ones, but he confounds the wise with his own wisdom. It might be worth noting that Jesus ends his teaching ministry in the same Temple precincts - but his message isn't as well received.

When the parents confront Jesus, he's rather surprised that they were worried. As he saw it, they should have expected him to be about his father's business! If you read between the lines, it would appear that his tone isn't all that pleasant. It almost seems as if he is talking back to his parents. Maybe he thinks they've embarrassed him in front of his new friends - You know how it is to be age 12.

But, however the conversation may have gone, in the end, he returns home with his parents, and Luke says that he grew in wisdom and stature, and in both divine and human favor. And the next time we see Jesus, he's an adult, who has come to John to be baptized. But, as Luke tells the story, Jesus doesn't need to be forgiven his sins - he just needs to be commissioned to take up his life work.

2. THE FAMILY BUSINESS

In the ancient world you didn't normally choose a career for yourself. If you were a male, you followed in your father's footsteps. Joseph is said to have been a carpenter or some kind of builder or even a laborer, and so it would have been expected that Jesus would take up the same trade.

I'm glad things have changed -- Although my father enjoyed history and even preached a little when I was really young, selling specialty advertising isn't my cup of tea! And I don't think Brett is planning to follow in my footsteps either - at least not the preaching part.

When Jesus told his parents that he was in the Temple doing his father's business, he wasn't talking about doing carpentry or stone work, he meant, talking theology. In a sense he was redefining his family boundaries. While he would return home with his parents - Luke says that he was obedient to them - in the course of time he discovers both a different vocation and a different sense of family. For him, family would be defined by faith and not lineage. Instead of Joseph being his father, God would be his father, and therefore, his calling would be take up the Father's business.

So, what does this have to do with us? Does it not redefine our own sense of family values? We've just finished celebrating a holiday that tends to be defined by family connections, and yet even as Jesus discovered a new sense of family, the same is true of us. And like him, we have been called to join in this family business.

3. GROWING IN WISDOM AND STATURE

As we contemplate what it means to take up the family business, I hear another word in the text calling out to us. It's a call to consider what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

In the verse that precedes this morning's text, in a passage that bridges the infancy narrative and this story of Jesus' youth, we hear that the child, living in Nazareth, grew strong and was "filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him" (Lk 2:40). Then, in the closing verse of today's text, we hear that "Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor" (Lk 2:52). These two verses provide a set of parentheses for the story about the Temple encounter. They both speak of Jesus growing in wisdom and in favor.

The way of discipleship involves growing in wisdom and in the favor of God. As we prepare to enter a new year, one that is full of new possibilities and opportunities, we hear in this text an invitation to prepare ourselves for taking up the family business - that is the business of the kingdom of God.

In thinking about what this means, I turned to a new book by Philip Clayton, in which the author writes that "in recent years Christian churches have been losing the battle of significance." 1 Part of the reason for this is that we simply don't know our story very well, which means we have trouble living our lives from this story. Many Christians find it difficult to say why their faith makes a difference in their lives. This makes the call to bear witness to the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ difficult, because we're not certain of our place in God's vision of the world.

Clayton suggests that we need a robust theology, one that is reasonable, inclusive, engaging, and rooted in the biblical story. In order to gain this confidence, we must grow in the wisdom that comes from our encounters with Scripture, tradition, and in the faith experiences that emerge from our encounters with God and with each other. In this, we discover a vision of the kingdom of God, one that invites us to work with God "for the salvation of this planet and all its inhabitants" (Clayton, p. 153). Jesus had that sense of vision, and it was one that he developed as he grew in wisdom and in stature.

The church year, which begins in Advent and continues to and beyond Christmas, serves to remind us of the full-orbed nature of the Christian story. It begins with a promise that bears fruit in the birth of Jesus, and continues on as we encounter God in our daily lives, wrestle with the questions of faith, engage in matters of life and death, and then hear the call to join with the community of faith in the work of God. This may be circular, but as we tell and retell the story, it becomes part of us, and we discover in this story our connection to the family of God. And as we find our place in God's family, we also discover our calling to take up the family business.

1. Philip Clayton, "Transforming Christian Theology for Church and Society," (Fortress Press, 2010), p. 152.

"Preached By:"

"Dr. Robert Cornwall"

"Pastor, Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)"

"Troy, MI"

"1st Sunday after Christmas"

"December 27, 2009"

New Year Tarot Forecast Spread

Whichever go out with, authority vis-?-vis New Being Day, I like to do a chock-full Tarot reading for the welcoming go out with. This is the spread that I mature for this seek. It's a thickset one, weighing in at 26 cards, so I definitely believe to set mention a good cut of time to really let them all alight in. I skin these fight and pin them to my calendar, to use as a guide round the go out with.

The real McCoy twelve cards denote the twelve months, and what influences inner self be coming in to mess popular that month. Each one card can denote a substance for that month, alert me of challenges pass on, or soak a bit of fiber clothed in my path.

Cards 13, 14, and 15 denote what influences are middle carried patronizing from the previous go out with - what I am holding on to from the go out with formerly. Sometimes we grasp on to bash we believe to, other times its court to let them go. These cards can help you make that prize.

Cards 16, 17, and 18 mean what I inner self be carrying patronizing clothed in the bordering go out with - what I inner self be cargo out of this burst go out with and inner self be influencing the launch preceding it.

Cards 19 and 20 denote what inner self be cruise me this go out with. As put forward are austerely two cards in these positions, they corrosion a lot of weight. They are the over-arching challenges, situations, or influences that inner self be cruise my path, for exceed or subordinate.

Cards 21, 22, 23 and 24 denote the themes of each season - Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain, each, and what each quarter-turn of the gearshift inner self bring.

The solution card, 25, is a keyword to corrosion with me round the go out with, whisper or instinct for the coming go out with.

I long your new go out with is full of health, wealth, sparkle and flare, and that it blesses you with new adventures and dreams realized.

Review The Secret Life Of Houdini By William Kalush And Larry Sloman

Why did I read a biography of Harry Houdini? Well, why not? :) Actually, a friend of mine made a passing comment about how difficult it would be to escape from a straight-jacket (as you do) and I realised how little I actually knew about the man who was renowned for that very thing, other than he was probably quite good as escaping from (previously) unescapable stuff. Turns out there's more than that, otherwise this would be a very short biography.

Summary: "Since his death eighty years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in numerous books, films and on television. Now, in this ground-breaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman find the man behind the myth."

"Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever more dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy. It is an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend."

This is the only biography of Harry Houdini that I have read, so I have no idea how it measures up in comparison to any others. However, I "can "tell you how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I whipped through this thick, fairly heavy non-fiction in three days and enjoyed every second. It's engrossing, accessible and just generally fascinating throughout.

To begin with, it's thorough but not to the point of boredom. I don't feel the need for biographies to tell me the minutiae of the subject's life and Mr Kalush and Mr Sloman have respected my wishes in this area. It begins with Houdini's childhood but provides only a brief summary, for which I respect the book even more. Then we're straight onto his magic and escapism, which is conversely extremely in-depth.

It covers a "lot "of different areas - aviation, films, the Secret Service, the army, his challenges, his fellow magicians, etc. Naturally some are more interesting than others, but I never knew he dabbled in so many different things. Did you know he was the first person to a plane in Australia? Oh, and let's not forget the 'spy' rumours. I hadn't heard these before, but on the blurb of a different edition it says "'"in exchange for his cooperation, the governments of these two countries "(Britain and America)" facilitated his rise to the top of the world stage.'" Apparently it's A Thing that Harry Houdini was a secret agent. I would have automatically disbelieved it, but there is evidence (and I'm a lawyer - I'm holding them to a high standard of proof!) that he reported back to his government on the conditions of German jail cells and trained certain agents in escaping from restraints. I'm sceptical that he was involved any more than this, but it's still amazing that he actually "was "part of the war effort.

That's partly the conclusion I've come to, actually. I'm not sure he was a nice man (judging by his arrogance and how aggressively he denounced his competition), but I do think he was a "good" one. He spent 50,000 (back then!) just on entertaining the troops during the War and funded several charities with varying objectives, not to mention his perseverance in debunking fake mediums.

Ah yes. Spiritualists. I learnt an awful lot about this particular area and it was written absolutely amazingly. I had no idea he was so politically active - he tried to push a Bill through to prohibit phony mediums completely and attending every meeting to demonstrate how fake seances could be pulled off. He became such a threat that there were several attempts on his life by the spiritualists.

Which leads me neatly to Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, "that "one. This part had me on the edge of my seat and opened my eyes to all sorts of new information. Did you know his wife was a medium and he was actually an active Spiritualist? He died with very little money due to opening a psychic bookstore near Westminster, just as an off-side. Anyway, apparently he and Houdini used to be good friends until this debacle exploded and well... spoilers! I didn't have a clue about any of this previously but now I think of it every time I see a Sherlock Holmes book. It just doesn't add up in my head with the methodical fictional detective!

I've somehow ended up reviewing the man instead of the book, haven't I? Sorry. Well, it's good, anyway. It's written in a strange mix of styles that actually works really well. A chapter will begin written almost like a story, with proper dialogue, thoughts and feelings but then switches almost seamlessly into standard non-fiction. It's weird, but I liked it. It might not be for everybody though - my boyfriend started to read this book but the style annoyed him to such an extent that he got distracted by something shiny and gave up.

Clearly Harry Houdini was the basis for books like "Jonathan Strange ">

I've done it again, haven't I? *swooshes back to discussing the actual damn book* Anyway, believe it or not, there are facts about Harry Houdini that I "haven't "already told you in this review, so you should go buy the book and learn them. It's well-written, entertaining and impartial (for the most part), so it's an excellent place to learn more about the legend you thought you already knew.

Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com

On Bravery

Before I had the job I work in currently, I had my first grown-up job. My dream job actually, with an organization I wanted to work for as a kid. With stars in my eyes, I put in two good years before I left with a lot of emotional baggage, and a bit of a grudge. Granted, I got out well. I applied at another organization I loved and got in and I remain there now. I switched careers, moved to a new city, and basically changed my whole life into a life that I love and find very fulfilling.

On the surface it probably looked like I had everything under perfect control. I didn't. Well, my process worked well, but mentally and emotionally I was absolutely terrified. Changing jobs to one where I knew hardly anyone and moving to a new place with zero financial cushion room was just plain scary. I was afraid to leave my friends, afraid to leave my job (though more afraid of being fired), and afraid to re-create everything I knew.

What changed in me and made me put in my notice was obviously bravery. I needed it and I needed it bad, so I invoked it. I've heard people say that it is somehow "dangerous" to invoke a generic feeling. I really don't think this is the case as long as you understand the options that are laid out before you. Bravery can arise within you in a couple different ways. It will arise in desperation when you have few options left, or it can arise in times of greatness. Sometimes the bravery that arises starts in despair and turns the situation into a great one. The choice is yours.

To invoke bravery, we should understand the type of energies that make up this feeling. Bravery is fire, consuming obstacles that stand in its way. It keeps the body warm and alive in harsh conditions, pushing it to not only survive, but to thrive. It is also air, flowing out into the vastness of uncharted territory. It fills every crevice and influences all other things. Bravery is the spear of Nuada and the bow of Diana, tools of the gods that are extensions of our beings. It is both external and internal. It flows into us from the limitless abyss and flows out from our core.

Bravery requires that we make a choice to take action. We can't expect bravery to show up and do all the work. Enthusiasm alone isn't enough to get stuff done. Sometimes it means that I bring all my resources and allies (physical and spiritual) to the table to help me out. Sometimes it means facing resistance and getting out of my own way. It doesn't always mean overcoming the fear of major life change. It can mean waking up fifteen minutes early to sacrifice sleeping in to sit at my altar. Every day we make a choice to be brave.

To magick workers, bravery rides on the athame's edge, the weapon of fire/air that directs our will. To be brave, we must keep ourselves sharp and cunning. To be brave doesn't mean we act without knowledge and wisdom. It also means that we don't limit ourselves with too many trivial options. When we invoke bravery, we have a goal in mind and we step into it fully. Bravery requires that every part of us awaken and take part in the challenges. When we are brave, we're just becoming who we are in our entirety.

100 Monkeys On Music And Fame

StarShine Magazine only trial Jackson Rathbone and the band members of his band, 100 Monkeys:

What's the origin of the 100 Monkeys?

JACKSON: The 100 Monkeys started with Ben G. and I-like 3 go ago-whenever he inspired to L.A. We were roommates back in high school. We knew Ben J. back subsequently, and we started the band as a two-man group seek permission show improv music and exasperating to get Ben J. out to Los Angeles to make some music with us. Guzzle the way, we happened to accept up with Jared Anderson who we would jam with all the time. Now we all are together in association. It's surge.

BEN G: It's feeling an MTV fidelity surface.

WOULD YOU Always DO ONE OF THOSE?

JACKSON: No, that would make even exclusive fool around out of what lesser fool around put on is.

JARED: If it was a Recognition Channel fidelity surface, yes.

Verbal communication OF THE Recognition Channel, WHY DID YOU Accept TO Hold THE Tie After "THE HUNDREDTH SIMULATE PUT INTO EFFECT," WHICH PER YOUR MYSPACE Leaf, "Overall DESCRIBES THE Short while, Famous Distribution OF AN Consider OR Deceit TO THE Settle OF A Countryside Next A Incontestable Measure OF THAT Countryside HAS HEARD OF THE NEW Consider OR Well-read THE NEW Deceit"?

JACKSON: That was one part of it, and ["that deduction"] if you get 100 monkeys in the room with 100 typewriters, eventually they'll concoct the works of Shakespeare. (SEE: BEYOND MEASURE SIMULATE THEOREM) It's the secure delivery of music we make and the music we go in.

If you came up with your own Simulate Put into effect, what deduction would you feeling to convey on society?

BEN G: Wow!

JACKSON: We're really exasperating to get domestic into the Spencer Buzzer Headstone. (WWW.SPENCERBELLMEMORIAL.COM) It's a increase for adrenal lump test and our friend Spencer Buzzer, who was our document support in all of our music. He passed banned about three go ago, so we're seek permission working, exasperating to sleeve his take out live and sleeve his music out to the masses. We were agreeable to create money to put out one of his albums, and we organize 3 exclusive while of the fan assistance that we've been realization. It's seek permission mind-boggling.

Why organize you elected to use improv in your music?

Jared: I hold on while we started as actors, ceiling of us, a lesser amount of Ben J. Improv is part of transitory, so we all love show it. We roll up well off each other, and we do appropriate straight-up viewers suggestions and make up a rattle on the bit, even all the instrumental parts.

Respectable subsequently, the advantageous of the ivories keys interrupts his attention to detail as the boys disc in, singing and playing ready money, "IT'S A RATTLE THAT WE'RE SINGING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME..." Washed up seek permission as before long as it started, they leap back on the trial train -

JACKSON: See, genius! Where notions takes you, it takes you difficult. If you appropriate the drummer and the drummer starts playing unfathomable and the performer starts singing defend vocals, you find a whole new largest part of stuff in the music that you warrant not find if you didn't allow yourself the space to amusement the lyrics once in a measure or fine make up a rattle.

JARED: It's called the 100 Monkeys Switcheroo.

BEN G: We rise each other's talents.

JACKSON: We all come from a variety of backgrounds and ways of learning music. It's really exhilarating, and it's really cool to organize that change inflame because it comes together, it creates this community of -

JARED: - magic. A community of magic.

JACKSON: Sometimes it sounds majestic...but motionless magic. Sometimes it sounds good. (laughs)

Can every person roll up all of the instruments?

Ben G: Not yet, but to hand. Population organize their strengths. Everyone specializes I hold on in seemingly two possessions.

JACKSON: We wanna consign the viewers a surface. We love our fans. We love performing, and we reliability that because you come to our surface, you're gonna get to get trapped in a rattle that's never separation to be played plank another time. Population endlessly come up to us at the end of shows requesting other improv songs.

JARED: I actually reliability feeling we owe it to 'em at the back of a measure while they're feeling difficult, and I'm feeling, "I DON'T KNOW HOW!" I'm feeling, "Let's seek permission suck it up and learn it!"

Unmovable that three out of the four of you are in the same way actors, do you organize a preferred in the company of music and acting?

JACKSON: I wanna organize my cake and eat it too. I wanna do both. I hold on the way we value it, it feeds both sides of the creative organize.

To exploration the giant in the room, Jackson, can you make fun of whatsoever about "NEW MOON" for the sensitive "EVENING" fans out there?

Jackson: It's gonna be roaring...busy, exclusive cloudy romance. You get to see a lot exclusive crazy stuff happening. We went deeper into the world now, and it's gonna be a fun carry dart for every person.

As well, filming only wrapped in Pennsylvania for M. Night-time Shyamalan's "THE DISAPPEARING AIRBENDER." To the same extent was that suffer feeling, Jackson?

Jackson: It's been mind-boggling, a fabulous set. I really delicate we're making a photograph that's separation to be epic. It's gonna move domestic. I hold on the movie's gonna turn out stabbing.

The 100 Monkeys organize performed with Rob Pattinson in the historic. Any violate that'll be a unremitting collaboration?

Jackson: Skillfully, I mean, Rob's a full of beans guy...(laughs) We've had a few probability to roll up with him. He's an alarming doer.

How has "EVENING" mania showily the band's popularity?

Jackson: It's unmistakably gotten us some bother, but I hold on the register thing is our lives shows. Population get to -

JARED: - escape into a fun land. Expend good music.

JACKSON: Yeah, we feeling to organize a good time. That's what we're endlessly exasperating to do - roll up music for as heaps domestic as feasible.

JARED: Keenly, they come in complete to semiprecious stone out and organize some fun. That's all you can expect.

BEN G: If you holler stabbing heaps, we'll make up a rattle that you single out what it's called. Material feeling guitar picks and inconvenience.

JACKSON: We feeling to consign possessions banned a lot on segment.

JARED: Sometimes we bring monkeys and condition them into the plague.

JACKSON: By the way, Ben J. is an inflexible giant fan. I know that if he were fashionable, he would have to to increase no matter which about preserving the humpback giant in detailed. Respectable figured I'd condition that in put on.

Via StarShineMag

Reiki Mojo Release Negativity Feel Cursed No More Psychic Protection By Oshunsoflove

16,99USD

Using my Mojo to heal your

Mojo.

Welcome to the Mojo healings of Jessas JuJu

I am a well known professional hoodoo spell caster. A few years ago I met a Reiki Master named Frances ( Cosmic Origins) that got me curious about Reiki and I set out to studying it. I found it to be the heart of what goes on inside a spell caster when going into deep open grounded force or "Mojo flow" as Ive always called it, meditative state.

Then pushing out that unique force, universal love energy or Mojo flow on to either a person or a symbol of that person.

I use a candle or candles inscribed with your name or a couples name as I find that so similar to doing fixed candle lights blessings in Hoodoo that it just came naturally.

I find my Mojo healings to be just as strong as my Hoodoo Spell Castings are the differences I see and feel are.

Obviously in Mojo healings Im not using all the herbs and oils and other spell casting and ritual supplies, takes less out of pocket expense so therefore I can charge less, but having said that please note it does take time and actually just about as much energy from my body and mind is used as in spell castings. So I do have to charge something to cover the time and intense energy factor. I do not work with Saints, Ancestors, Goddess Energy or any spirits or any type of energy associated to any religion during Mojo Healings as most Hoodoo Spells involve. This is pure my powering my energy up and working with your energy to heal and remove and enhance the way your reality manifests in different areas of your life.

Unlike Hoodoo spell casting which can be used to say return a stubborn ex lover to you. That is really not what Mojo Flow Healings and Blessings are about.

Like Reiki that inspired me Mojo Energy Work is best used to remove negative gunk built up, restore and rebalance your inner energy then send new fresh enhanced energy into your love life or love area.

So instead of a Return my stubborn ex, Your healing the part of you that attracted the a--hole in the first place lol And bringing in new energy to attract the love match that will actually be real and more ideal soul mate then loser or gold digger.

Instead of a Luck or

Money spell placed upon you, Mojo Energy healings seek to dejunk and remove what kept you behind and in poverty or less then comfortable and ideal money situations then balance and enhance the flow of money, luck, and find yourself in wonderful well paying work situations or owning a great business you love or whatever your ideals are.

Yes you can buy multiple healings. I wait at least 24 hours between your sessions though so if buying more then one or two do realize it maybe a week till 3 or 4 are done! But if you want to purchase all at once that is fine and you can contact me for multiple purchase rates ;)

Yes these benefit and make my professional spell castings more potent! You can contact me about package rates for Professional spell castings and Mojo Healing combos.

Areas of healings

Beauty and Weight Loss

I find weight loss and outer attractiveness to be easier and especially weight loss to respond and be more successful with Mojo Healings then traditional Spell Castings. Do not expect to loose 50lbs over night! But Mojo energy healings are a amazing method and tool to enhance weight loss and in general physical appearance!

Your Love life

If you continuously use love spell castings on jerk after jerk, or just simply attract emotionally unavailable or just not the right persons to you time and time again I can not stress how much you need deep Mojo Love Healings.

You can not attract new joyful meaningful romances or marriage with the same energy that allowed the jerks, flakes, users, drunks, cheaters and liars to you repeatedly in the first place.

You really want to meet your soul mate...... then dump all your past junk on a chance at a beautiful marriage and great romance on your ideal love?

No you want to come in fresh and ready for the real thing with someone drawn to you because they are ready and a ideal match for you.

Marriage Healing or

Love Healing for Couples

Weither your not married to each other yet but trying to go there, or married and trying to stay out of divorce court, the couples love healing is what you need to work with the relationship your already in that needs a deep healing. Resentments over time, being taken for granted, insecurities, lies, affairs, all these are common relationship issues that in being a human trying to be with and love another human you may face, but many relationships, no matter how in love you once were, get so bogged down with the weight of our shadows and mistakes and those of our partners that the light of the love can just start to fade to black.

This Mojo Healing for couples starts to sweep out all the loads of negativity and seek to find the loving light that once surrounded you both and drew you too each other in the start.

This is also good for those not super close to separation but want to do healing work to protect and strengthen the relationship before it gets to a point of no return.

Sex, Confidence, Charsma

This can be used for those who know they are not sexually confident or have troubles or blocks with something in the realm of sexual pleasure. We work to bring you sexual enjoyment, being at ease with sex, and clearing out negativity blocks that are keeping you from having a natural healthy fun sex life! This can be used if your in a couple or single.

If in a couple you must purchase two, one for each of you as even if you think its all your fault, when your already in a sexual relationship with someone it is just done this way so you grow together not apart. And trust me partners who pick people with issues usually have hidden issues too.

Luck enhancement and Extreme Negativity Removal

General luck and pleasing life situation healing

(For those who feel everything goes wrong)

This is good to use if you know you have some deep healings needed in a few areas of life but want to just clear some junk and in balance and enhancement in all areas quick while you decide where to start with deeper healings in each.

I feel cursed!

Extreme negativity cleanse

Most often used for those whose jobs like medical or working with humanity on a deep level, or haunted homes or extremely dysfunctional and negative " whatever situation" leaves them exposed to more intense negativity and need a amp up in this part of Mojo Healing to be used in combo with a regular Mojo Healing session or as a stand alone when you just feel its time to shed some icky off you!

The difference between the luck healing and negativity removal is the main focus of the luck healing is to remove junk then shoot in luck enhancement in all areas

The main focus of extreme negativity removal is for those absorbing outside negative influence who need a extra removal round.

Money, Financial, Career, Job, Business success healing

I dont use this like I would a Hoodoo style spell casting to try and draw in lottery wins ect.

Money healings work best to move you from crappy job you despise to a dream ideal well paying job that doesnt even feel like work while at the same time healing energy damaged by years of resentment and jealousy of the rich, and many repressive absorbed ideals about money, for example, Money is the root of all evil, if you wish for money a relative may die, or strong respectable good person must work one job they dont enjoy for 40 years then retire properly.

All of these cause deep damage in our energy centers. By healing this damage with Mojo Healings you will come to see in your reality what the beauty and freedom that having a enhanced loving and allowing relationship with the energy of money feels and looks like as your income and enjoyment of the material side of life soars to wonderful,comfortable new heights in your reality!

I do not take photos of Mojo Healings as I would a professional spell casting service. You will receive when you purchase a digital image of a candle. Stare at it for just a few seconds and say to yourself I become one with the candle Jessa will use to facilate this healing I am allowing her energy and the healing to come into my energy by my request.

After doing that please convo or email me your full birth name and if a couple your partners full birth name.

I do all Mojo healing energy requests within 48 hours if theres a delay I will send you a message to let you know.

I have had some issues at my spell casting shop with people expecting sudden intense change to happen boom over night on super stubborn or mentally challenged target people and taking their frustration out on my feedback. I am hoping you understand..... Although what I do is for real and has high success rates.... I can only control so much and time frames of results is not one of those things!. I ask when leaving feedback to remember this is a spiritual service. You dont slam a medical doctor because Paxil helped your friend but not you. You dont write in a newspaper announcement that God granted Sues prayer before yours.

Everyone is different period. Please stay loving in your feedback, too many neutrals can affect search results and by doing that you could hurt anothers chance at finding my services...

Just because maybe your personal expectations were too high doesnt mean you need to ruin it for others who get it :-)

Also please note,

You must be 18 to use my services, I am not a doctor, and I can not be held responsible for anything of Divine nature. I can not offer rfunds as my time and energy spent doing the healing cant be refunded

Origin: pagan-space.blogspot.com

Is The Zodiac Signs Compatibility A Fact Or Fiction

By Mike Selvon

Zodiac sign compatibility might seem a bit ludicrous to some individuals but for others it is a way of determining a person's psychological and social make-up. They look for certain characteristics in a potential love interest or they want to see if their partner is compatible with their own sign.

Zodiac signs compatibility is serious business for astrologers. Their predictions can make or break some romances just based on a few sentences. That is the power in which some people place their faith. You have to make the determination about whether or not it is fact or fiction, with regard to how it affects your life.

Let's take for example the zodiac sign Cancer and the zodiac sign Aquarius. These two people, according to astrologists, are not a good match at all. The person born under Aquarius is very aloof and wants to retain their independence and creative spirit. However, the person born under Cancer is more of a homebody and wants to be close.

This can smother Aquarius who does not understand Cancer's sentimentality. On the other hand, the zodiac sign Cancer and the zodiac sign Taurus do make a perfect match because both want the same commitment from a mate, as well as a commitment to their home life. They work together to create and foster an atmosphere of comfort and security in one another.

If you are looking for zodiac signs compatibility, then you should check out "Msn". The famous website has a link for horoscopes at the top of the page. You simply click on the link and it takes you to their astrology center where you can enter in your information so that you can get a personalized reading. Beware though that the more advanced readings require you to pay for them.

If you do find someone special and your zodiac sign compatibility is not right for each other, yet you still like that person, then do not worry about compatibility horoscopes. For every naysayer on the internet who remains steadfast in their belief that certain signs do not belong together, there is someone who does.

There are far more important things to worry about in a relationship other than astrology compatibility. The zodiac signs compatibility is more like a suggestion than something actually rooted in science.

It matters more that you and your partner love each other than whether or not the signs are properly aligned in the sky. Take anything about astrology or your horoscope with a grain of salt, as sometimes there is more fiction than fact.

A free gift awaits you at our portal site, where you can enrich your knowledge further about the zodiac signs compatibility. Your comment is much appreciated at our horoscopes blog.

Credit: crafty-witch.blogspot.com

Married Life Of A Girls

Life Partner

The most important thing a girl wants to know is about her husband. The seventh house and the lord of the seventh house play a crucial role in marriage. Astrology says, if the seventh house is occupied by auspicious planets like, Moon, Jupiter, Mercury or Venus, or the lord of the seventh house is any one of these planets, or aspected by these planets then the girl's would be husband will be a good looking person normally of her age.

If the girl's kundli have Sun, Mars, Saturn or Rahu and Ketu in the seventh house and is influencing the house of marriage then her husband will be a handsome person with fair complexion. Her would be husband may be 5 years older then she is.

If a girl's kundli has Sun as the lord of the seventh house then it indicates that her would be husband is associated with government sector. And if she gets Moon as the lord of the seventh house then her husband will be of medium stature with a calm nature.

If a girl's kundli has Mars as the lord of the seventh house then her life partner would be physically strong but may possess a fuming behavior. He will be of medium physique and working in police or other government professions.

If there is an exalted Saturn in the seventh house in a girl's kundli then there will be age gap of many years between the couple. Her husband will be a tall and slim man. In case of debilitated Saturn, her life partner may have a dark complexion.

Longevity of the Life Partner

The second house in a girl's kundli is the house of longevity of her life partner. If the lord of this house is in a good position or aspects the second house from its position then her life partner will have a long life.

If Saturn take its position in the second house or Jupiter in the seventh house and aspect the second house then it proves beneficial to the wife as the husband is blessed with a long life.

Age of Marriage

As a girl grows up her parent get tense thinking about her marriage. Astrology says that if a girl's kundli contains Mercury as the lord of the seventh house and is not afflicted by an inauspicious planet in the Ascendant then the girl's marriage takes place during her teenage days.

If in a kundli Mars becomes the lord of the seventh house and is affected by inauspicious planets, in this case also girl's marriage happens early on.

If Venus the symbol of youth becomes the lord of the seventh house and aspected by inauspicious planets then a girl's marriage happens early on in her youth.

If Moon becomes the lord of the seventh house then a girl completes her adolescent years and gets married within 2 years after entering her youth.

If Jupiter is placed in the seventh house by becoming the lord of the same house and is not affected by any inauspicious planets then the girl's marriage takes place a little later than usual.

Credit: wicca-teachings.blogspot.com

Amazing Indian Sadhus

In India more than80% to 90%of total population is following Hinduism and are classified as Hindus. Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions. The Islam and Christianity follow great monotheistic faiths where as Hindus worship multitude of gods and there are wide variety of religious observances and practices.

One of the most fascinating groups in Hinduism are Sadhus. The literary meaning of Sanskrit word Shadu is "good ones". They are extremely devout individuals. They are very determined to attain Mukthi (sacking rebirth) or eternal bliss.

Their religious conviction makes them to give up their jobs, possessions and family and live as hermits in the caves of Himalayas or of wandering ascetics.

The Sadhus strive to experience Samadhi, a point of complete unity with God Shiva who is one of the supreme gods of Hindu pantheon. In achieving Samadhi a shadhu realizes that his soul entirely with in the creator. His breathing will be controlled or otherwise almost stopped. And Samadhi is their ultimate aim.

Most of the Sadhus are vegetarians because of their respect for all living things some Sadhus called as Aahoris are not like so, they are of entirely different. They voluntarily give up the earthly pleasures to follow the very difficult path of asceticism, the object of which is deliverance and eternal bliss. The one of the basic principle of Hinduism is reincarnation they are ultimately aim for that and their goal is to free themselves from rebirth. They pursue an ideal- the renunciation of worldly things. A few undertake pilgrimages to Hindu holy temples. Others perform strict rites of repentance and live alone in caves and forests. The Hindus often visit these holy saints as the part of their worship.

The entire creation is driven by the push for to unite with the divine and this gives them extra ordinary powers. They can fast for months together, walk on beds of lowing fire, can walk with the footwear made up of nails and pierce or mutilate their bodies - seemingly with out pain.

They have the ability to interpret and transmit thoughts and call back the spirit of the dead. The Sadhus have enormous power then can make their bodies float in the air. They can duplicate themselves and appear in two places at the same time. They can change the scent of a Jasmine flower into scent of a Rose.

Scientists in the field of parapsychology have studied their various mysterious abilities and conformed many of these astonishing observations. But our modern science rejects that Sadhus have extra sensory abilities because it contradicts the rationalistic thoughts.

Reference: my-spiritual-path.blogspot.com

Poppet Healing Spell

Take a poppet and sprinkle it liberally with blessing oil. Rub a perfume oil all over your hands and hold them over the dolls head, palms open and say:

"You are very ill -- be healed

You will recover -- be healed

Heal! Heal! Heal!"

Now blend equal amounts of Rosemary perfume oil, Violet perfume oil, Voodoo oil and Damnation powder. Mix thoroughly until you have a paste.

Completely coat the doll from top to bottom with this mixture and repeat the words given above.

Repeat several times, then carefully wrap the coated doll in a piece of red cloth and hide it away, it must not be seen for several days. Then take the doll and burn it and scatter the ashes to the wind.

This spell courtesy The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum.

Web Site Message Board Magical Supplies Friendly Web Hosting

Source: religion-events.blogspot.com

Witchcraft

[from http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/6706/nn2.html (reformatted by tn)]

~ Black Witchcraft: An Interview With Illean Draegan ~

by Eric Raben

Illean is a black witch. Over a boiled cup of steaming brew
she deigned to answer my questions.

What exactly is "black witchcraft"?

'Black Witchcraft is a Left-Hand Path tradition. Contrary to
the Margaret Murray inspired and Gerald Gardner codified
schools of Right-Hand Path 'Wicca' and 'White Witches', "White
witchcraft" was not a pre-christian survivalist folk religion.
The millions put to death in the Inquisition and other
religious intolerances were mainly outsiders, old women,
'uncontrolled' or young temptress women.

Modern white witchcraft was invented this century. The imagery
of witchcraft from the past does attract people, such as
myself, who consider themselves "Gothic witches" or black
witches.

'Many people are attracted to White Witchcraft because it has
put on a face of political correctness. Persons who have
'cosmic ecological feelings' seem attracted to white
witchcraft because it is seemingly takes the disaffected 'do-
gooders' some kind of emotional fulfilment. Hippies with
mythology is a good term to use. So white witches will spout
reams of how everyone is a part of the Goddess / Nature etc.

'Black Witchcraft is not the 'enemy' of white witchcraft, or
any religion much as some white witches would like us to be,
so they can justify themselves with an enemy, much like the
Christians do with Satan.

'Black Witchcraft is Self-based. It emphasises pragmatic
selfishness, independence and striving in the face of all else
to achieve one's Will. Gothic witchcraft has an emphasis on
the archaic traditions of diabolism, veneficia {poisoning /
cursing - although I stress that this is aesthetic only - I
don't poison anyone in the medical sense. Cursing however is
another matter}.

What about Satanism?
'Witches and Warlocks (male versions of witches) are
frequently equated with Satanists. Black Witches do consider
Satan as significant in their philosophies. The legacy of
Satan and Satanic institutions such as the Church of Satan
{who once had the degrees Witch / Warlock } are very
important. The ceremonies in the Satanic Bible are based on
three of humankind's prime motivations: sex, vengeance and
guidance. These forms of ritual are easily adapted into the
black witches' magical work.

'Some black witches are Satanists, that is they believe that
Satan / Prince of Darkness exists as an entity, and seek to
honour this entity. Satan is however, only one of a number of
aspects of the Prince of Darkness that black witches honour.

Some witches find inspiration in Northern traditions,
honouring the shadowy aspects of Freyja {with her Seithr
traditions} and Odin, others choose Gypsy }who in some
traditions believe that they are children of Lucifer} and
Basque traditions. Other hideous witches side with The Hooded
One of a Lovecraft story. The Temple of Set is an example of a
tradition / school that investigates the many aspects of the
Prince of Darkness, and I respect Setians.

'Black Witchcraft is a synthetic tradition, with inspirations
from a number of cultures. Witches are traditionally seen as
outsiders, and even today hundreds of people are murdered as
suspected witches by the paranoid superstitious. This outsider
status is a part of our source of power, because in going
outside of a cultural milieu, we are no longer enchained by its
expectations, which may help us shape the life we wish to lead.

'I am currently researching the Gothic traditions, which for
me involves the lore of the pre-Christian Germanic tribes,
together with what could be called Germanticism, - Gothic
romanticism, taking inspiration from the Gothic literary and
neo-cultural traditions. Rune Magic and Galdra is interesting
in this approach, but I am more drawn towards the 'shamanic'
or Seithr traditions as I mentioned.

Magic and Witchcraft

'Witchcraft is often associated with the curse or cure aspects
of magic: the wizened hag that can cure illnesses, produce
Aphrodisiacs and strike stone dead those who cross her. The
traditional western views of witches portray them in many ways
as the "shamans" of medieval life.

'Cursing is as old as humanity. Malevolence is an aspect well
versed to the Witch. Curses *do* work, and not just on the
stone age incredulous. Curses are dangerous work, and not to
be cast without ethical justification. This requires
detachment and mature judgment. Not just because someone has
made you angry.

Curses should be the last resort, presaged by more social
forms such as demands for apology etc. They are an acceptable
means of avoiding physical harm, if used judiciously.

Personally, I have found very few cases that have required
curses. With the concentration of hate and the creative use of
malevolent energy towards the cursed, peace of mind is
restored. The cited by LaVey is of the
essence. When to curse and how to curse are vital. Like all
magical arts this requires sensitivity and practice.

'Curing is a harder art to learn than cursing. I have found
that it is best to help thyself, rather than waste your
efforts on skeptics. It is important to understand the
physical processes of life, and natural healing and then to
augment it. This can only go so far, and I am not recommending
forsaking the best in Western medicine and trying every fringe
remedy that passes your way. Many acceptable methods were once
denounced as quack remedies, and many medical researchers are
investigating folk and old-wives tales remedies of many
cultures - and often getting results.

Prevention is better than cure, as the cliche goes. Look after
yourself - diet, exercise and mental state all contribute to
health problems and remedies.

'The magical operations performed by witches might be re-
creations of Walpurgisnacht, complete with dancing backwards
{try it - its fun!}, and the usual magical things such as
conversing with demons and attracting familiars. We don't
stand inside circles afraid of these demons though - for we
are there kin and friends [they also add atmosphere].
Witchcraft spans a broad base of magical operations: limited
only by the ingenuity and need of its practitioners:
demonology, shamanism, and investigating reality {divination}
make up some aspects of our Work.

'The carnal emphasis of witches is similar to the appeal of
shamanism, lycanthropy and vampirism: in the Left-Hand Path
the whole psyche is exulted, not just the rational side
[although we do this too] but the beastial, the latent and the
terrible is not something to be shunned, but explored with the
detachment that black magic alone fosters.

Witches Tomes: Sources for witchcraft.

Anton LaVey: Satanic Bible. Overturns hypocritical notions of
white witches, a pragmatic approach to magic.

Anton LaVey: The Satanic Witch. Using Lesser magic in society.
A *Very* important book. Useful for Warlocks too, with
some tinkering.

Huson, Paul: Mastering Witchcraft. Myths are a bit jumbled:
e.g. mixing Hellenistic Diana, Hebrew /Sumerian Nephilim
and Celts. Practical sections good, with a lot of tinkering.

Elliot Rose: A Razor for a Goat. University of Toronto Press, 1962.
This book is still to be found in shops specializing in
mythological studies. It is a good book for debunking
the Gardnerian / Murray thesis. With more authentic data,
and an honest look at the roots of witchcraft, the tree
of knowledge will bloom.

Mircea Eliade: Shamanism. Useful for the shamanic aspects of the witch.

Stephen E. Flowers: Lords of the Left-Hand Path. The *best* survey of
the Left-Hand Path traditions. Available from Runa-Raven
Press P.O.Box 557 Smithville, TX 78957 USA.

{See review in The Ninth Night Vol. 1 #1.}

Interview (c) Ninth Night. 1996.

excerpted from
THE NINTH NIGHT: A JOURNAL OF BLACK MAGIC & THE LEFT-HAND PATH
Vol. 1, Issue 2, January 1997 ce {AeS XXXII}

Fr. NN
P.O. Box 666
Northbridge NSW 2063
AUSTRALIA

Economics Needs A Scientific Revolution

Economics, as it's often practiced, is really a kind of "cargo cult science."

That term was originally advanced by physicist Richard Feynman. Here's how he defined it, after describing a number of examples of the achievements of the practitioners of modern pseudosciences, such as reflexology and UFOlogy, and also the "soft sciences" represented by the fields of education and criminal rehabilitation:

... In the South Seas there is a cargo cult of people. During the war they saw airplanes with lots of good materials, and they want the same thing to happen now. So they've arranged to make things like runways, to put fires along the sides of the runways, to make a wooden hut for a man to sit in, with two wooden pieces on his head to headphones and bars of bamboo sticking out like antennas -- he's the controller -- and they wait for the airplanes to land. They're doing everything right. The form is perfect. It looks exactly the way it looked before. But it doesn't work. No airplanes land. So I call these things cargo cult science, because they follow all the apparent precepts and forms of scientific investigation, but they're missing something essential, because the planes don't land.

So how does that insight apply to the field of economics? Better still, how does that apply in the current state of the world today?

Doug Reich explains:

... rather than understanding and initiating the fundamental cause of some effect the cargo cult imitates the form of the causal process in the hope that it will bring them the actual effect. In this case, the islanders created an imitation airport in the hopes that it would result in actual goods being brought by airplanes. In the same way, Keynesian economists can be thought of as cargo cult economists.

Everywhere we hear the Keynesian doctrine that in order to restore economic prosperity, we must encourage spending. If only people would spend we would be OK. The Fed is lowering interest rates to zero in order to encourage lending. Obama is proposing to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to "restore" economic growth. Naturally, the money for these programs will be created out of thin air by the Federal Reserve when it purchases Treasury securities with fake money.

In a simple barter economy, you would not think to offer nothing for a good that you desire. You would offer something that you own or have created. In reality, nothing changes when you introduce a medium of exchange (money) in order to simplify transactions. In order to actually spend money, you must produce something and offer it as a value for a value. In other words, spending or "demand" is a consequence of production. Your demand is your supply which is in essence Say's Law.

Notice that the cargo cult economists try and imitate the form of a valid economic transaction by advocating the creation and expansion of paper money. When the government prints paper money and offers the paper dollars for goods and services, it appears that someone has produced wealth and is exchanging it for an equal value. After all, in the past, when the paper was backed by real wealth (gold), it was observed that there was a lot of paper money around. So, just as the cargo cults fabricated control towers and runways in the hope that it would bring real goods, the cargo cult economists believe that by creating paper money with fancy ink and stamping a large number on it, wealth will result. But just as the "planes don't land" for the islanders, creating paper money does not create goods.

What we observe among "cargo cult economists" is an absolute devotion to economic theory in absence of real empirical evidence that might support the theory, or worse, evidence that directly contradicts what would be predicted to happen by applying the theories. We see, for instance, Nobel-prize winning economist Paul Krugman pushing for massive amounts of fiscal stimulus and qualitative (or quantitative) easing of monetary policy by the Fed, despite all evidence to the contrary of either policy ever being genuinely effective.

But why is that? Why would such a prominent economist apparently disregard the actual outcomes observed from applying the economic theories he advocates? Why would he also go so far as to suggest that the inevitable failures from applying such demonstrated flawed or inadequate theories are either the inevitable result of not doing even more of what the theory demands or because the people responsible for executing the policy were incompetent to do so.

Physicist Jean-Phillippe Bouchaud tackles that question in his essay Economics Needs a Scientific Revolution, which appeared in edited form in the October 2008 edition of Nature, and from which we stole the title of our post (emphasis ours):

Classical economics is built on very strong assumptions that quickly become axioms: the rationality of economic agents, the invisible hand and market efficiency, etc. An economist once told me, to my bewilderment: THESE CONCEPTS ARE SO STRONG THAT THEY SUPERSEDE ANY EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION. As Robert Nelson argued in his book, Economics as Religion, the marketplace has been deified.

It would seem the theory itself can never be wrong and can never be discarded. And that's the kind of thinking that can turn even a Nobel-prize winning economist into the leading witch doctor for the popular field of cargo cult economics, where unquestioning devotion to dogma outweighs observed reality. Bouchaud constrasts the hard science of physics with the soft science of economics (again, emphasis ours):

Physicists, on the other hand, have learned to be suspicious of axioms and models. IF EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE MODEL, THE MODEL MUST BE TRASHED OR AMENDED, EVEN IF IT IS CONCEPTUALLY BEAUTIFUL OR MATHEMATICALLY CONVENIENT. So many accepted ideas have been proven wrong In the history of physics that physicists have grown to be critical and queasy about their own models. Unfortunately, such healthy scientific revolutions have not yet taken hold in economics, where ideas have solidified into dogmas that obsess academics as well as decision-makers high up in government agencies and financial institutions. These dogmas are perpetuated through the education system: teaching reality, with all its subtleties and exceptions, is much harder than teaching a beautiful, consistent formula. Students do not question theorems they can use without thinking.

Bouchaud continues on to offer his prescription for strengthening the economics profession, but we'll conclude with his assessment of the outcome of applying economic models that rely upon assumptions not supported by real-world empirical observations:

Reliance on models based on incorrect axioms has clear and large effects. The Black-Scholes model was invented in 1973 to price options assuming that price changes have a Gaussian distribution, i.e. the probability of extreme events is deemed negligible. Twenty years ago, unwarranted use of the model to hedge the downfall risk on stock markets spiralled into the October 1987 crash: -23% drop in a single day, dwarfing the recent hiccups of the markets. Ironically, it is the very use of the crash-free Black-Scholes model that destabilized the market! This time around, the problem lay in part in the development of structured financial products that packaged sub-prime risk into seemingly respectable high-yield investments. The models used to price them were fundamentally flawed: they underestimated the probability of that multiple borrowers would default on their loans simultaneously. In other words, these models again neglected the very possibility of a global crisis, even as they contributed to triggering one. The financial engineers who developed these models did not even realize that they helped the credit mongers of the financial industry to smuggle their products worldwide -they were not trained to decipher what their assumptions really meant.

Real science begins with observations, then moves onto developing models that describe observed reality, which are then tested and tried by experiment under normal and extreme conditions. In our view, that's the direction economics needs to go if it's ever to develop into a true "hard" science.

This Week In Religion Bristol Palin Decries Separation Of Church And State

While some Christians played the victim card, one decided to leave God behind.

A week doesn't go by without Sarah Palin saying something shockingly stupid about the U.S. government. This week we learned that the apple does not fall far from the tree, when Palin's daughter Bristol decried the separation of church and state in her blog.

"I just get so sick of hearing about the 'separation of church and state.' Because it usually means the state is pushing Christians around," complained the younger Palin. To make her case, Bristol cited an example of what she deemed to be the government bullying Christians:

"Answers in Genesis is building a life-sized Noah's Ark in Kentucky and a theme park to go with it. [...] The state has a program to encourage tourism that refunds sales tax to big parks like this for the first 10 years they're open. The plans for Ark Encounter were approved by the state in 2011 along with the tax credits.

"But now, out of the blue, Kentucky officials say they've changed their mind! Answers in Genesis won't be approved for the program unless they agree to hire people who aren't Christians and unless the exhibit doesn't talk about Christianity."

But poor Bristol fails to realize the controversy in the Commonwealth of Kentucky has nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with the parks documented discriminatory hiring practices. Palin tries to suggest that the parks message was "too religious," but when the park is a Noah's Ark theme park, it stands to reason there is no confusion about how religious this park is.

WHEN RELIGIOUS FANATICS AREN'T PLAYING THE VICTIM, they make sure to throw some blame out at real victims. Case in point, the tragic suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teen who killed herself and left a suicide note on her blog urging parents of LGBTQ children to never tell their kids it's "just a phase" or that "God doesn't make mistakes."

Writing for the fundamentalist website Charisma, Michael Brown wrote that while Alcorn's death is tragic, we must get to "the root causes of transgenderism."

Instead of looking at how society views transgendered people, Brown suggests they are broken and we should cure them: "I personally know individuals who once identified as transgender and who no longer do, and they are so thankful to God that they found a better way."

Brown also refuses to call Alcorn by her preferred pronoun of "she," calling her "him" throughout the piece, highlighting one of the main issues we face in a society that refuses to accept trans people. Brown further suggests that attention to Alcorns death unfairly overshadows the suicide deaths of those who had received sex reassignment surgery.

"Some of these individuals remained suicidal even after having sex-change surgery, and in some notable cases... some have committed suicide after coming out as the opposite of their biological sex," Brown continues. "Don't their deaths count as much as the death of Joshua-Leelah?" Brown does not seem to understand that even after the operation, trans people still face opposition and oppression from people such as himself.

Brown questions those who blame Alcorns parents, who refused to acknowledge her gender identity. Brown says the same critics "wouldn't dare criticize doctors who performed (or recommended) sex-change surgery on someone who then killed himself or herself."

Hemant Mehta responds to Brown on the Friendly Atheist blog, saying that Leelah's parents do bear the bulk of responsibility. "Like Brown and like the Christian therapist, they just assumed there was something wrong with their child because of her gender identity," writes Mehta. "So instead of helping her, they discouraged her from being true to herself. Living with the knowledge that you're going to have to live a lie in front of your parents forever is a horrible burden for anyone to bear."

Instead of trying to fix those who identify as transgender, we need to realize they don't need to be fixed; they need to know they are accepted for who they are. Alcorn wrote in her suicide note that, "the only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren't treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something."

IT WASN'T ALL TERRIBLE NEWS TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR. Some may remember that a year ago, a Seventh Day Adventist pastor, Ryan Bell, decided to ignore God for a year, virtually living life as an atheist. Bell embarked on this quest under heavy criticism from his job and his friends. However he made it through the year and found that maybe being an atheistic wasn't so bad after all.

"Ive looked at the majority of the arguments that Ive been able to find for the existence of God, and on the question of Gods existence or not, I have to say I dont find there to be a convincing case, in my view," he told NPR. "I dont think that God exists. I think that makes the most sense of the evidence that I have and my experience. But I dont think thats necessarily the most interesting thing about me."

While Bell sees the term atheist as an awkward fit for him and it has taken some adjustment for Christian friends who stuck with him, he says he learned a lot in the past year. His biggest lesson was finding "that people very much value certainty and knowing and are uncomfortable saying that they dont know."

And of the year as a whole, Bell says, "I think before, I wanted a closer relationship to God, and today I just want a closer relationship with reality."

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Shower Cleansing Exercise

One of the things I am working on is to become a better healer and get better at working with energy. I am currently reading the book Mindlight by Silver Ravenwolf. In the book she has a shower meditation that I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy it. :)

SHOWER CLEANSING EXERCISE

"This exercise is so easy you'll want to do it every time you take a shower once you've experienced how great it makes you feel! And assuming no one watches you in the shower, you have all the privacy you need. For young parents or a busy household, normally the one place you have all to yourself for a few minutes each day for total privacy is the bathroom.

In the shower with the hot water running and all that luscious steam surrounding you, cross your hands over your chest. Take a deep breath. And another. Allow yourself to be in the moment. Note the feeling of the water on your skin, the sound of the falling water as it strikes the walls, curtain, shower floor, the gentle stream that opens breathing passages. As you stand there enjoying the sounds and feelings of the water, bless the water in your own way. Thank the water for providing cleansing energy. When you are ready, take a deep breath. Then, as you exhale, fling your hands down over the front of your body and out, visualizing all negativity being cast off from your body. Do a quarter turn. Repeat. Another quarter turn. Repeat. One last quarter turn. Repeat. now, raise your arms over your head and allow the water to rush over you. As you breathe in, think of the white light filling your entire body from the tips of your fingers to the soles of your feet. When you are feeling very good (stay in the moment - no thinking about anything but being right here in this shower right now), keep your left hand up in the air, palm facing the heavens, and move your right palm down to your side, palm towards the ground. Heaven is above you. Earth is below you. You are in the center. This is balance. The ability to walk between two worlds. Take three deep breaths, staying in the moment. Move the right hand up into the air, right palm facing the heavens, and move your left arm down, palm facing the earth. Again-this is balance. Stay in the moment. Totally secure. Totally at peace. Finish by crossing your arms over your chest. Say to yourself, "I am!" while you close your eyes and fill your entire body with white light. When you are finished, turn off the water and flick water drops from your fingers three times in quick succession. This portion of the meditation is done.

As you dry off, dress, and attend to any other bodily needs, think of nothing but what you are doing. Stay in the moment until you open that bathroom door. If you practice this every day you will be amazed at the concentration and ease with which you go about your daily tasks."

"From Mindlight by Silver RavenWolf"

Credit: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com

Lemurian Seed Crystals

ALSO CALLED "LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTALS" OR "LEMURIAN STAR SEEDS",

LEMURIAN QUARTZ CRYSTALS WERE ORIGINALLY FOUND IN BRAZIL.

METAPHYSICAL LEGEND STATES THAT THERE WAS ONCE AN ADVANCED ANCIENT CIVILIZATION CALLED LEMURIA, SIMILAR TO ATLANTIS BUT MORE SPIRITUALLY DEVELOPED AND PEACEFUL.

AS THEIR TIME ON EARTH WAS COMING TO AN END, THE LEMURIANS PROGRAMMED THESE CRYSTALS TO TEACH THEIR MESSAGES OF ONENESS AND HEALING - MESSAGES THAT WOULD BE REVEALED WHEN THE ENERGY ON EARTH WAS READY TO RECEIVE THEM. THE LEMURIANS THEN PLANTED (OR "SEEDED") THE LEMURIAN CRYSTALS, ENCODED WITH THEIR ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM, TO BE FOUND CENTURIES LATER BY US.

LEMURIAN CRYSTALS HAVE A DISTINCT APPEARANCE. LOOK CAREFULLY AT A

LEMURIAN CRYSTAL AND YOU WILL SEE HORIZONTAL STRIATIONS OR GROOVES, LIKE "BAR CODES," ON ONE OR MORE SIDES. COMMONLY, THE SIDES OF A

LEMURIAN CRYSTAL WILL HAVE ALTERNATING STRIATED AND SMOOTH FACES.

LEMURIAN QUARTZ CRYSTALS ARE OFTEN FOUND IN THE SHAPE OF A LASER WAND, WHERE THE FACES AT THE TIP OF A LEMURIAN CRYSTAL ARE SMALL AND GENTLY TAPER IN SIZE FROM BASE TO TIP.

LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTALS CONNECT WITH THE CROWN AND SOLAR STAR CHAKRA. THESE ARE MASTER CRYSTALS WITHIN THE CRYSTAL KINGDOM. IT IS BELIEVED THAT IN THE LAST DAYS OF LEMURIA, SPECIAL SEED CRYSTALS WERE PLACED WHERE CRYSTALLINE GROWTH WAS EXPECTED TO FORM WITHIN THE EARTH, ENABLING THEM TO TRANSMIT FREQUENCIES TO OTHER CRYSTALS THAT WERE CREATED WITHIN THE EARTH.

THESE CRYSTALS RESONATE WITH ENERGIES OF LOVE, UNITY AND

EQUALITY. THEY ALIGN THEMSELVES AND ARE ATTRACTED TO THOSE WHO ARE

ENDEAVOURING TO ANCHOR ENERGIES TO HELP THE PLANET AT THIS TIME.

THE LEGEND CONTINUES TO STATE THAT LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTALS ARE PLANTED IN A GRID PATTERN OVER THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH AND BEYOND, TO OTHER STARS AND DIMENSIONS.

WHEN YOU CONNECT TO A LEMURIAN CRYSTAL AND THE ENERGY IT CONTAINS, YOU ARE ALSO CONNECTING TO THIS GRID OF ASSOCIATED ENERGIES FROM THE EARTH, THE STARS, AND BEYOND.

THESE CRYSTALS ARE PROGRAMMED WITH THE LEMURIAN CONSCIOUSNESS VIBRATION. WORKING WITH THESE STONES INSTILLS FEELINGS OF THE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL AWARENESS OF THE LEMURIANS. CONNECTING WITH THESE CRYSTALS CAN OPEN UP THE HEART AND CREATE A DEEP EMOTIONAL HEALING AND ALLOW YOU TO CONNECT MORE TO YOUR TRUE INNER SELF.

LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTALS GENERATE A VERY FEMININE OR YIN ENERGY. THEY ACT TO OPEN THE ENERGY OF THE SOUL AND PROVIDE A BRIDGE TO HIGHER

FREQUENCIES, CREATING A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

THEY INSTILL FEELINGS OF HARMONY AND EASE. THE ENERGIES THEY EMIT ARE OF PURE LOVE, HELPING YOU FEEL AT ONE WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS.

HOLDING A LEMURIAN SEED CRYSTAL IN YOUR RIGHT HAND WHILE YOU WALK AROUND AND ENCIRCLE AN INDIVIDUAL, PROPERTY OR AND OBJECT CREATES A CIRCLE OF LIGHT AND PROTECTION.

THEY SOOTHE AND NURTURE AND CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE AND ARE A HELPFUL SUPPORT FOR HEALING WORK. THEY HELP YOU ATTUNE TO THOSE HIGHER ENERGIES AND HIGHER PLANES OF EXISTENCE, TO YOUR HIGHER SELF.

ASSOCIATIONS:

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: ALL

CHAKRA: ALL

ELEMENT: ALL

PLANET: ALL

FOR MORE ON CRYSTALS AND TO BUY TO GO THIS LINK: CRYSTALS BY ROB



Reference: religion-events.blogspot.com