Sunday, February 23, 2014

Pagans and Occultists Do Have Representation in D.C.

I met a man by the name of Thomas Caldwell at Pantheacon. He is a former corporate lobbyist turned "educator". He educates politicians about Paganism. You can find his website here: Esoteric Education and Action League.

Thomas changed my mind about politics in about five minutes. I told him that it seemed that as average citizens we have about as much representation as money can by. He said that was totally wrong. He asked, "What do politicians buy with the money given to them?" Votes. So, it stands to reason that if you have the votes you don't need the money. All you have to do is organize your votes in blocks. This made sense to me.

He then goes on to tell me that since Pagans are making such in roads into the military that any elected official that bashes Pagans can be asked one simple question. "What do you have against our military?" Apparently, the armed forces are so sacrosanct that such a question shuts them down cold.

He then argued that the numbers of Pagans at high levels in our government already would astound the average Pagan/Occultist.

Thomas told me that if he had 5,000 Pagans donate $10 a month, he could do a lot of damage on the hill. In speaking with him, I totally believe him. Go to his web page, sign up for his email alerts and then set up your bank account to automatically send him $10 a month. I have.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Robert's Review of Pantheacon 2014!

Please forgive me for making this short. Items two and three may explain my lack of time at the moment. Forgive me also for sharing my "Best Presentation Award" with myself. While my presentation was not at all public, I am co-awarding it this year because this is my blog and I can!

Best Presentations

The winner of best presentation this year is Sam Webster announcing his Pantheon Foundation. I cannot do it justice here in a limited time frame. In a nutshell, Sam and his cohorts have created a legally recognized Pagan Education and Social Foundation that will do the following:

  • Provide legal assistance to Pagan groups when it comes to obtaining 501C status.
  • Support small Pagan groups so that they have access to that which is generally available to other religious groups. 
  • Support and provide Master of Divinity scholarships for Pagans
  • Social welfare programs for Pagans
  • A host of other stuff
The Pantheon foundation is building the Pagan infrastructure so desperately needed as this movement comes of age. I can also testify that Sam will never get caught with his hand in the cookie jar. I encourage you to support this worthy endeavor both in spirit and financially. If you have a group in need of their services in any capacity, please let them know. 

The Manifestation Meditation Becomes Available!

Two things happened during side meetings this weekend that I am very pleased to announce! 
  • I made a deal with an international Pagan web-educator to present the Manifestation Meditation classes world-wide. More details will be emerging soon. I can share that it will be emerging under a different name. 
  • Llewellyn Publications has asked me for a formal proposal for the book on the Manifestation Meditation.



Honorable Mentions

Jason Mankey delivered two presentations worthy of mention.

The first was on the Horned God. Jason has the rare ability to present factual information while being funny and managing not to step on what he is saying. The facts never take a back seat to his humor. If you ever have a chance to see him, I encourage you to attend.

The second was a recreation of a ritual that you may have seen in 1899. He and his crew did an excellent job. It was fun to see elements that I would associate with modern British Traditional Wicca, Masonry, the Golden Dawn, along with the pompous air of Victorians. I have some questions for Jason that I was too busy to ask this weekend. Overall it was a cracking good show!

The final honorable mentions have to go the the venerable Lon Milo DuQuette. Lon didn't do his normal presentations this year. However, he did speak of his upcoming book Homemade Magick, due out at summer's end in Llewellyn's hospitality suite for maybe five or six of us. The tidbits of wisdom and spiritual truths he dropped in such off-handed way were totally cool. During that class, he was labeled The 20th Century's Rumi by one of his admirers. 

He also performed his music in Club Max Sunday night. He was funny, irreverent, kind and every bit the Gentle Heretic. He earned a standing ovation from myself and many others. Buy his books, buy his music but if you can, see him live. You will not regret it.

(P.S. I quickly found these images on the web. If I stepped on anyone's copyright, please let me know. I will remove them immediately.)




Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The One Year Anniversary of My Awakening

Today marks the one year anniversary of my awakening as recorded here.

That day seems quite long ago. In fact, I have a very hard time understanding old Robert. It isn't like those who knew me then wouldn't recognize me now. The change is not that drastic in form. My puns are just as bad as they have ever been but I enjoy them even more.

If I had to narrow it down, I would say that the main change is two-fold.

  • Personal Perception
  • Personal Creation
As most of you know, my perception has moved to the view that all souls are in the continual process of unfolding. That process is perfect and each moment is whole unto itself. Nothing is fractured. I think I have shared that enough in the past. I see no point in boring you with more on that.

Old Robert had a lot of anger issues. Over the last month or so, I have come to understand why that issue has passed. When I was angry, I was using my fiery creative energy trying to force others  to see the world as I saw it. Or, I was trying to create in places where there was universal resistance, such as work. Or, I was trying to create where there was no hope of having any influence, such as arguing about politics. What I could not help to create, I burned down. I was also quite easily baited. 

New Robert creates easily. 
  • My lecturing, teaching, life and coaching business, those are not one thing but three interlocking things, is starting off quite well. 
  • Soul Sangha, which is the local Manifestation Meditation group, is now growing to bimonthly meetings instead of monthly. Those are free. 
  • The MM book is finally coming along, thanks to some coaching I have received from classmates.
  • My home life is superb.
  • My friendships are blossoming.
  • Two MM people have experienced the ALL in the past month. One credits the MM. The other does not. The jury is out on weather they will hold it.
  • I am starting to accept the spiritual teacher label. 
  • I have lost fifteen pounds and easily eat better.
  • Adjustments to my approach to things come easily.
  • My teaching has been described as "spiritual morphine" because for the length of time I am lecturing "all is right with the world and nothing can be wrong," life's pains depart for many in the audience.
  • Forgiveness comes easily.
  • I have no insecurities.
  • I know exactly what my True Will is and I am doing it. Nothing whatsoever has stood in my way.
  • I laugh a lot.
I could continue but there would be little point. 

The most fundamental thing I have learned is how close all of us are to G-d, Goddess, the Great Universal IT or whatever you call That Which Creates. We are just as close to enjoying singularity of thought with the All. Everyone is just half a step away.

I have also learned that our so-called faults and difficult portions are really the virtues of our souls just slightly misapplied. There are few, if any, major changes that need to occur. A few tiny, and by that I mean tiny, adjustments need to be made. That is all. 

I know that every person reading this is perfect. I know that you are all worthy of G-d. I know you can all get to your personal version of where I am right now. Have hope. Be persistent. You can do this.



Saturday, February 1, 2014

Habits of Spiritual Living: Being Connected

To be connected, one must be all. To be all, one must accept all. To accept all, one must receive all.

To receive all, one must see life as a continuum. To see life as a continuum, one must aware that subjective judgments of good and bad are born of finite notions.

To see unfolding beyond the finite, one must rise from the body that gives the finite importance.

It is the misapplication of the virtues of the lower bodies that impede our understanding and awareness of our connection.