Sherman Krebbs

I have thought about this. It is very interesting. I sometimes go to this Lutheran church by me. I don't understand much, since its in a language I only pretend to understand, but I love the organ music and the rituals they conduct are absolutely breathtaking. They sing these magical chants, and then, if you want you can go up and drink the blood of their guru and a baked cracker. I sometimes sneak up there and have some. I might go to hell. Its funny, though, the blood tastes a little like wine. It is really a magnificent experience, a magical ceremony of purification, which if delivered by any other means, or understood as magic, might be highly objectionable to those participating. They also wear magical sigils on their cloaks. The sigils and rituals change from season to season. I don't know why , nor the spells that they use when the adorn them, but I am sure there are some and that they are quite elaborate. And the building is covered in symbols and has a massive picture of their guru, lying naked, save a conveniently dangling loose towel, dying on a cross ominously overseeing the dias, and constantly reminding of the pain and suffering in life, but also the resurrection and redemption from that pain and suffering that can be achieved by accepting his blessing. It is really cool, but the point is that, until recently, I never really understood it as a magical ceremony. Most people involved in it would probably not understand it as such, but it is. And I say this as one who does not really practice magic, or really practice anything at all for that matter, excepting laughter.

Nah, just curry and rice. Although since you encouraged me go back read the original posting, the clip o3b posted is really worth listening to (I just did). Elton John is a genius.

I hate to get betwixt the conversation, although this is perhaps a good question, which needn't deserve an answer and one which really cannot be obtained through any form of media, excepting perhaps that of ones own experience, and as much as I dislike headlines, I had a great dinner today.

I offereth one observation. It is interesting how people write in biblical middle English to try to sound authoritative or devine. Joseph Smith did the same. This is not how people actually talked or wrote in the early 20th century, or the 18th or 19th for that matter. It maketh me laugh a little when I heareth or readith such things, like maybe beowolf kneweth something we doth not.

I think I'll stay home insight scrawls the bathroom stall my quarters are gone

need a brave new world no stock markets or money where dimes are kindness

Away, scullion! you are not my messiah where'd my money go

suffering = imbalance balance = beauty beauty = essence essence = buddha

as Jellicle cats watch the moon fill the heavens, they prepare to dance

From my own recent experience, I have found it is best to stare the trauma in the face. Don't try to run from it, or try to suppress the experience. Accept it and surrender to it. When the memory of the event or thing comes into your mind, let it stay there and go where it pleases. It is uncomfortable, but it will (hopefully) eventually tame itself. I am just a random person on the internet, however, so take my words with a grain of salt. Good luck.

I for one vote to close this thread.

Thanks for posting. A few personal musings on the first three: To me concentration is like a muscle. It can be trained, but you can't hold a 50 lb weight forever (well maybe Schwarzenegger could, but I cant, and eventually even he would have to let go) In my view, it is the letting go of concentration, like the relaxation of a muscle, that brings about self awareness. Unlike concentrating (i.e. using a muscle to hold a weight), it is possible to stay in a relaxed state for an extended period, but nothing lasts forever. And it is probably still necessary to train the mind through concentrative practice, else it turns into a couch potato. Sometimes it feels that there is a deeper, ethereal "knowledge" that transcends the analytical and linguistics knowledge of the mind. My intellect (as well as all other phenomena) are tools to keep me alive, which I can also use to connect with that deeper knowledge. I actually don't know what dualism really means, other than some sort of ghost in the shell conceptualization, which to me makes no sense. Here I am, what else is there which must be split in two. Surely there different components ( a heart, a brain, a nose, cells, mitochondria, molecules, atoms, particles, quantum fields...), but these all function as one thing or being, which lies in a deeper place than I have the ability to comprehend intellectually, although at the same time its presence is always right there on the surface. I have to talk about it like it is something else, but that is just an artifact of language since I am both the speaker and the object that is being spoken of. In a way, maybe everyone and everything is part of one thing working in cosmic homeostasis.

Perhaps my sarcasm was too subtle? : ) Maybe you need to question your need for a phone and electricity in the first place. If you want to get off the grid entirely, what you need is lots of wood. Fire is amazing. It can cook your food and give you warmth. It is also infinitely pleasing to watch as the flames twist and dance, much more pleasant than staring cross-eyed at an RGB LCD display (I have a theory that, with smartphones, human eyes will gradually evolve to get closer and closer together, until they eventually merge into a malformed cycloptic mass). You will also need food and water. I am not sure if you are envisioning something apocalyptic, but if not, you might invest in some chickens and a chicken coop. Otherwise, you might invest in a rifle and stock up on LOTS of ammunition. Finding clean drinking water will also be a challenge (more challenging that you would think). Culinary water is a vastly under appreciated convenience, much more so than electricity. Best to try to locate by some kind of spring, but don't tell anyone where it is, else you might end up using up all your ammunition. I am afraid that charging your smartphone may be the least of your worries in such a situation.

I live in Finland -- it would work great in the summer. In the winter just buy a hanging plant light, and put the solar panel under there... viola