While I enjoyed NN08 immensely (except for the cold brunch, the lack of plug outlets in the big hall, a candidate who repeatedly ducked a brief interview with me--although a more famous candidate did an interview with me!!--, and other minutiae), I did wonder about the explosion of New Age spirituality in the exhibitors' area.

    "Share International USA" had a booth featuring their teachings/propaganda about "Maitreya the World Teacher", complete with photo!! how convenient!! (see here on Share Int'l site for the same pic of Maitreya. Ain't it great they got a photo of the Holy One?)

    Did Arianna Huffington have anything to do with this?? Ouch.

    (below the fold, it gets WAY worse)

Nana lay on her back on the pillows on the floor
as Walter guided her
through the soul journey meditation.

Cradling her head, holding her feet,
all around her we supported her,
touch and intention, as she
relaxed into her private sensations.

Walter talked and Nana answered,
a golden ball of energy,
the astral traveling.
I felt the spirit in the room
rise and expand as Nana
breathed and imagined.

Towards the end, she described
the orange light of gratitude that reached out to touch
                                                                                    everyone
on the planet
then returned to her body
to infuse each of her cells.
Thank you magnified
the fundamental blessing.

If you haven't seen this already, make sure the volume is turned up on your speakers and enjoy. It's a real heart opener. With definite political overtones, plus obvious spiritual undertones (or visa versa). "One heart, one hand" kind of stuff.

This crazy guy has done a couple of these already. It began as a lark. During his travels, he would film himself doing this ridiculous, arrhythmic dance -- as a silly, personal memento of where he had been. When he got home, he edited the clips together and posted it to youtube, and oddly enough it made a splash. This video is from his third trip. In my opinion, by far his best work (if something this fun can be called work) so far.  

I hesitate to wade into these waters, but I'll do it anyway. I'm a person of faith, I think God is here and interacts with us, and the world around us. If we're perceptive enough (maybe "receptive" would be better) we can feel the interaction. Which is why I didn't even try to post on the front page diary entitled,

"What a Coincidence!
by DarkSyde
Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 06:50:33 PM PDT"

which deals with the discovery of a fossil of a four-legged fish, in the appropriate geologic time frame, which supports the concept of evolution. No problem. I also believe that the science of evolution is correct.

Jim Garrison and Ken Wilber discuss the increasingly dangerous crises the world is currently experiencing, and the unique ability for Integral consciousness to face the precarious challenges of the 21st century head-on.....

1
People are so afraid. So afraid to end one cycle and begin another, full of newness and love, pregnant with the possibility of transcendence. Fear begets fear. And with hardly any nurturing whatsoever, fear matures to thieving terror.

Before I begin, I'll admit that I'm a spiritual person. I do believe in God, I do think God works actively in our lives, and after having lived as an unhappy but devoted atheist for 40 years I'm much happier with my current situation. I'm also a pacifist, own no guns or weapons other than kitchen knives, so you might wonder why I find the Terminator series enjoyable.

I enjoy watching some movies, mostly old ones that I know, because I find a spiritual connection with them. I don't watch TV at all, because I don't find that connection, and I'm not willing to look for it. The "Terminator" series of movies is a good example. Normally, I don't like to watch violent flicks, but this series has enough connections that I enjoy it.

    I'm building a labyrinthto mark my 60th birthday and writing about it. Here's Part 2:
     It was a very mild winter here and so, even in February, I was out in the yard digging. I saw the coming and going of the perennials in my yard as never before: the appearance of the buds, then the full flowers, starting with crocus, of course, and forsythia and a daisy like a small white flower that looks great but really is invasive. There hasn't been a time since March that I haven't had something blooming in the yard, sometimes many plants at once.
     But every time I would see the new buds and recognize a new flower appearing at its unique season, I found myself immediately calculating how long its season would last  . .and being sad at how little time I had to enjoy the daffodils or forsythia or the spectacular pink tulips before they were gone for another year. I could almost hear the clock ticking. Rather than considering each flower's beauty in its moment, I felt regret, almost panic, that they are so temporary.
   

When I went out on the front porch today, I saw that the first of our lily plants had two blossoms on it, the first of the flowers we planted this year to bloom.  The first of the plants we lovingly placed in soil that is jointly owned by my husband and I and my father.  Actually, the Packhorse did the planting; I have the opposite of a green thumb.  My contribution has been limited to picking out the bulbs (we planted 27 of them, and so far 20 have come up)  and admiring them from the first tiny shoots to these first miraculous blossoms, talking to them and singing to them—they don’t seem to care that my alto is quavery and sometimes I go off-key (I make sure that Dad, who sang in choirs or choruses for 30 years, isn’t around to comment).  And I thought of the old Shaker hymn...

    I'm not sure when I decided to build a labyrinth to mark my 60th birthday this summer, but without considering what it might entail, I started telling people about it.
    The first labyrinth I ever walked was several years ago at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM a stunning retreat center along the same road that Georgia O'Keeffe looked out onto and painted. Even though other people were at the center, I was alone at the labyrinth and walked it slowly, with intention. I remember moving slowly, the sun on my shoulders, looking down at my feet but also looking inward to find -- whatever it was. I can't remember now what issue I was trying to unknot. In the center were many different artifacts left by previous travelers. I wrote something on a piece of paper and left it there.  
     I have no recollection of what I wrote. It must have reflected where my mind was that day, of course, and it's entirely possible that I'm still struggling with the question. After all, it's pretty much always the same questions.

Oprah Winfrey recently interviewed a Harvard professor and brain researcher who experienced and observed her own stroke, from the inside out. As a result of this experience, and the spiritual awakening that went along with it, the good doctor came to understand the brain (and human experience itself) in a completely new way.  

If you feel so moved, take a short break from politics and see what she has to say. If you're anything like me, you'll be glad you did.

One of the favorite things I learned while in an Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery was the term "fool for Christ." These "fools" were simply, and often simple, spiritual people who had truly found their connection to God, to a higher order. It changed their lives, but in doing so it often cost their lives. The "fools" would confront what they perceived as non-Christian behavior in even the powerful, both within the church and the State. And for doing so, were often executed or persecuted for their efforts. Many of the Orthodox saints were "fools for Christ"

The shoddy debate tonight has been blogged into oblivion, I'm sure. From lapel pins to "bittergate," we're all sick of the trivial questions. And from the Iraq war to economics and torture memos, the substantive political questions have been asked, and asked well, by smarter folk than I, right here on DKos and dozens of other excellent blogs.

So I'm tuning out of the politics for a bit and asking you guys for help with a REALLY deep question. Philosophically inclined folks, intellectually curious people, and those of you who have read literally everything else to read on the site (it's happened to me at 4 AM :lol:), feel free to follow me below the fold as I begin the first in a series of rather deeper question and (hopefully) answer sessions.

A fascinating talk by a brain researcher describing her own stroke. Really worth watching!

Cross-posted from Project Mockingbird

When you get right down to it, what is popular is not always right. And what is right is not always popular. - Anonymous

JOIN US:  Native American Children Need YOU!

Changing Winds Advocacy Center is an educational, Civil Rights, and charitable organization working with several different Native American Nations in South Dakota.  We have many programs that you can easily participate in to strengthen the efforts of self-sufficiency of the tribes, support traditional cultural programs, and will serve the youth of the reservations through the building of a library.  

Rather than struggling against an immovable oppressor, Changing Winds Inc at www.changingwinds.org  has begun to assist the strengthening of the tribes from within.  There is a lot to be done and a lot you can do. Read the entire Blog entry to find out more about our organization and programs, why the need is so great, and how you can actively participate to make things better.

Psychological surveys, polls, sociological theories, and other cerebral means of determining why people act the way they do have been utilized to measure this variable, or that variable, as regarding how people will vote and who they will vote for.

As an idealism not seen in politics since 1968 struggles to emerge, what can we learn from the life and death of Lee Atwater?