tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51196862010-02-07T23:40:53.737-05:00"Do not try to bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead, try to realize the truth... There is no spoon... Then you'll see that it is not the spoon that bends; it is only yourself." -- The MatrixLaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-64555901940784274432010-02-07T18:35:00.001-05:002010-02-07T23:40:53.836-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee poses us an interesting challenge on The Huffington Post. Can we use the global communication potential of the Internet to experience unity consciousness with the world? I remember when I first accessed the Internet in the early Nineties. I think that my children were using AOL and I went online to see what these "chat rooms" were. But although

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-42192697494092685902010-02-05T19:02:00.001-05:002010-02-06T00:25:50.484-05:00

Apparently, all the various and sundry news agencies have reported James Arthur Ray's "Not Guilty" plea. This was due to a toxic combination of sloppy reporting and fancy lawyering. He has not plead guilty, because he has not yet entered a plea. The confusion starts when Judge Warren R. Darrow asks if Mr. Ray has been informed of the charges against him. Kelly answers, "I have, judge." Then

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-19998351739935060392010-02-03T23:12:00.001-05:002010-02-03T23:17:33.240-05:00

James Arthur Ray was arrested this afternoon for causing the deaths of three participants in his "Spiritual Warrior" retreat. I have been following this case pretty closely, since the news broke last fall. See here, here, here, and here, for background. Not much to say here, except that it's about time. Motivational speaker James Arthur Ray was arrested Wednesday afternoon on three counts of

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-84830945860380907372010-02-02T19:47:00.000-05:002010-02-02T19:47:38.624-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com One could argue that shamanism has been surviving the discovery of Grey-like aliens going all the way back to the paleolithic era. But I don't think shamanism was what Ted Peters of the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary had in mind when he conducted a survey on how religious people would weather the discovery of extraterrestrial life. Study participants were mostly

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-60230525006337366422010-02-01T15:37:00.002-05:002010-02-06T00:22:43.939-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com Last night the Green Man walked through my door. For a split second, I thought him an intruder. Then I saw that his limbs were branches, he was covered head to toe with leaves, and he lumbered more than walked. But of course, Imbolc celebrations begin this evening, and what I sensed were the earliest ticklings of spring. Imbolc is a word believed to be derived from the

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-74302776371102023702010-01-31T12:48:00.000-05:002010-01-31T12:48:14.292-05:00

A couple of years ago, I was able to report major strides in the acknowledgment of Wiccan service members, when the Veterans Administration finally authorized the use of pentacles on tombstones. It is with no small degree of glee that I am able, now, to report a major development in religious freedom in the armed services. The Air Force is providing a ritual space for Wiccans, and other pagans,

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-2829355296720470302010-01-28T08:28:00.001-05:002010-01-28T08:53:53.282-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com According to Newsweek, the Chinese government has realized how badly it bungled Tibet. Pouring billions of dollars into urban development has not won over the indigenous population they have mercilessly repressed. Does that ever work? After the mass riots there in March 2008, Tibet faded once again into relative obscurity—the province of foreign-affairs wonks,

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-18170179627264784672010-01-26T12:33:00.000-05:002010-01-26T12:33:00.062-05:00

Some very biting satire from the folks at Mr. Deity, addressing the violence and total absurdity of the Old Testament God. Watching this episode, I can't help but think of John Lash's correlation of Jehovah with the deluded, psychotic Demiurge Yaldabaoth described by the Gnostics. Look at it through that lens and the whole thing starts make a crazy sort of sense. Comments on this entry are

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-36010556487444684582010-01-25T22:48:00.000-05:002010-01-25T22:48:09.106-05:00

James Arthur Ray has broken his silence and granted an exclusive interview to New York magazine. Ray's legal team has conducted its own investigation and exonerated him of all wrong-doing. The white paper testifying to his innocence appears on his web site. The long and the short of it: Move along folks. Nothin' to see here. Here are some of the more interesting bits from the New York

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-20115447312616890662010-01-25T17:47:00.000-05:002010-01-25T17:47:41.953-05:00

Some really good interviews with Gnostic scholar John Lamb Lash recently popped up on YouTube. Both allow him to explain pretty thoroughly his unique take on the Nag Hammadi Codices. I've posted a few things on Lash and his Metahistory site, previously, although I should caveat that whatever links I've posted are probably dead. The site seems to be constantly undergoing reorganization, and

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-66325914693970565792010-01-23T13:36:00.001-05:002010-01-23T14:53:31.756-05:00

And deals with the devil. Comments on this entry are closed, on this blog. If you wish to comment, please find this and all newer blog entries crossposted on Celestial Reflections.

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-51367899118172000992010-01-19T23:03:00.000-05:002010-01-19T23:03:53.073-05:00

Disclose.tv Graham Hancock Discovers the Ancient Teachers Video Really fun interview with Graham Hancock exploring his body of work. Hancock makes the most of rather surface questions asked and manages to cover significant features of very diverse areas of his research and experience. He retraces his journalistic progression from East Africa correspondent for The Economist to his quest for the

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-44744123806730196262010-01-16T16:04:00.000-05:002010-01-16T16:04:27.555-05:00

The longest annular solar Eclipse of the millennium was visible to residents of Africa and China. The rest of us can only see pictures, but here is a round-up of some the striking images from around the web, with links to galleries and slideshows. Kansas City Star Washington Post The Hindu The Huffington Post Comments on this entry are closed, on this blog. If you wish to comment,

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-4782076537192064452010-01-14T23:04:00.000-05:002010-01-14T23:04:00.714-05:00

Shortly after getting pounded for trafficking in female stereotypes, Mr. Deity is back and exploiting gender role humor to its fullest. I note that Brian Dalton preemptively apologizes for his hatred of women, in the commentary. Very, very funny. Comments on this entry are closed, on this blog. If you wish to comment, please find this and all newer blog entries crossposted on Celestial

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-11928388397453022142010-01-14T13:18:00.000-05:002010-01-14T13:18:47.229-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com As I said here,  I've been, over the past couple of weeks, noting incidents of jaw-dropping arrogance, in the name of Christianity. Having been raised in the Episcopal Church, with its emphasis on ecumenicism and tolerance, I always find this kind of thing rather jarring. So, as promised, here's a quick round-up. Sadly, I think this could be a regular feature. The

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-15289421496446260192010-01-13T17:10:00.000-05:002010-01-13T17:10:25.869-05:00

I've been cataloging a number of recent, arrogant, public pronouncements, offered in the name of Christianity. More to come on that, but Pat Robertson's latest hateful outburst requires a stand alone post. In the aftermath of this horrific tragedy in Haiti, one which may have caused as many as 100,000 deaths, Pat Robertson is, once again, blaming the victims, and citing their sinful nature.

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-60054897361634207852010-01-12T11:40:00.000-05:002010-01-12T11:40:51.196-05:00

The following review contains spoilers. Previous posts on the new "Battlestar Galactica" can be found here. The makers of the makers fall before the child. Accessing defense system. Handshake. Handshake. Second level clear. (It's begun.) Accepting scan. Love outlasts death. (Been a long time coming.) Apotheosis was the beginning before the beginning. Devices on alert. Observe the

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-76976994273121306722010-01-10T21:23:00.000-05:002010-01-10T21:23:17.137-05:00

(The following is my attempt to shamelessly ape the stylings of Christopher Knowles. It is my first such attempt. Developing...) An interesting article on how the forming Earth avoided falling into the sun caught my eye this morning. I read it with avid interest to see if, perhaps, it pointed to a giant arachnid queen organizing the particles of the developing planet, a la Doctor Who's "The

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-61296758199279941202010-01-10T14:30:00.000-05:002010-01-10T14:30:53.712-05:00

There's was little write-up on Zecharia Sitchin in the New York Times metro section the other day. It definitely treats him like a curiosity, but there's no such thing as bad publicity, I guess. In Mr. Sitchin’s Upper West Side kitchen, evolution and creationism collide. He is an apparently sane, sharp, University of London-educated 89-year-old who has spent his life arguing that people

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-79472687127782356482010-01-07T21:46:00.000-05:002010-01-07T21:46:40.169-05:00

Hat tip to documentaries 2 be seen and to Graham Hancock, who has been busily scouring the web for available content related to his body of work, and posting links on Facebook. Many of them I've found and posted previously. Some not and the following is a new find. It's the documentary of Underworld on google video. The sound quality is not that great, but it's still very worth viewing. (

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-56128501770684182542009-12-29T16:40:00.002-05:002009-12-30T17:29:50.680-05:00

The homicide investigation resulting from James Arthur Ray's disastrous sweat lodge has turned up evidence of a pattern of illness and injury. In addition to the previously discussed suicide, there have been broken bones, loss of consciousness, vomiting, and other adverse events at Ray seminars. In documents released Monday, a man Ray hired to build the sweat lodge told investigators that he

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-64369344967469751462009-12-23T16:36:00.000-05:002009-12-23T16:36:27.033-05:00

Buy at AllPosters.com "When I'm in Egypt, and I look at the pyramids, I think, that's the real world."  ~ William Henry Some years ago I recorded something in my journal that, like so many things I scribble in these notes, has taken me years to even begin to understand. An image emerged in my mind's eye of what looked like a mountain range, so I began to draw it. I drew the first peak. The

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-22328379915798487372009-12-21T14:40:00.000-05:002009-12-21T14:40:20.162-05:00

Graham Hancock had this video posted to his Facebook page, so I took a look at it. It's a neat little round-up of ideas on transformation and multi-dimensional awaremeness, from thinkers as diverse as Joseph Campbell and Joe Rogan. Comments on this entry are closed, on this blog. If you wish to comment, please find this and all newer blog entries crossposted on Celestial Reflections.

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-23150508366423395972009-12-20T16:22:00.002-05:002009-12-20T18:18:04.730-05:00

The last episode of Mr. Deity introduced Eve. I posted it here. I thought it was cute, but I thought, at the time, it might tweak some people. Apparently, it did. In fact, it seems to have really pissed some viewers off enough that Brian Keith Dalton has come out with an apology. It's at the end of this most recent episode, "Mr. Deity and the Wrong Number." Like all things Mr. Deity, the

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5119686.post-48325744076767252722009-12-16T17:30:00.005-05:002009-12-20T18:20:37.929-05:00

"A shift in awareness always causes transformation." ~ Virginia Sandlin Clif High is making the media rounds again, in association with his latest report, and some changing time tables. Most notably, he says that we will be experiencing a "context shift," that was predicted for December 29, on or near December 19. That's this Saturday. A context shift, according to High, is when there is a

LaVaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09147322061125012346tekhen@gmail.com