Anarchistbanjo's World

The concept of trial by fire, alchemy, turning lead into gold, and choosing the harder path because of the reward it brings is an old one. Taking risks is a difficult path to understand and a difficult path to walk. Who wants to believe that “no pain, no gain” approach applies equally to spiritual life as it does to physical life?

When we express desire to have mastery over our own lives what do we really mean? The chances are that our vision of mastery includes the ability to accomplish physical goals that we were born to do. We feel spiritual strength should overcome any barriers that block us. For this reason we concentrate on spiritual things to the exclusion of physical realities and limitations.

We attempt to build reserves of spiritual strength to help us in our times of need. We have been taught and we believe this to the point we no longer question it. We are taught the superiority of spirit over physical and taught to deny the physical in favor of the spiritual. Perhaps you have heard the phrase “So heavenly bound they are no earthly good!”

Let’s take a closer look and see what is really happening. We will find the physical and spiritual are not to be so easily separated and each one has need of the other. Each of us has individual past memories and experiences we draw upon. Each of us has a system of beliefs tailored to us as individuals. They may not be appropriate for someone else.

We all walk individual paths. These memories, experiences, and beliefs create a web or network within our psyche that allows us to travel consciously from point A to point B. We solve problems that confront us by reasoning or traveling this web or network until we arrive at the desired destination and solution.

This web or network is our computer program that we cannot deviate from or ever leave. One thought is connected to the next, connected to the next and so forth. This is the nature of associated thought and mental reasoning. It is not possible to jump from point A to point B unless a mental connection of some type exists, an association of some type

We are imprisoned within this web or network of our personal memories, experiences and beliefs. That is why it is so hard for us to move forward when we are stuck in a rut of old thinking and behavior.

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This is the first point to understand about chaos theory. There is a place for everything. All viewpoints and all beliefs are valid and must be treated as such. Conflicting beliefs and data do not really conflict, they only seem to.

When any conflict occurs the viewpoint is not broad enough to see the entire picture. We must be able to affirm everything!

Here are a few examples:

“I agree with everything that you just said.”

“I agree that you know what you are talking about.”

“I’m sure that you believe what you are saying”

“I hear what you are saying to me.”

“Oh, were you talking to me?”

As you can see there are very many levels of credibility at which one can affirm something. This may seem like wordplay or stupidity but it is very important. If you can believe that all inputs are valid you will automatically be more tolerant of others and strive to understand their own unique perspective. You will begin the process of unification

You will begin to mentally order things according to levels of credibility and start to think for yourself. As you look around the self-evident truths will stand out screaming for your attention while superstitions and absurdities will take the lower levels where they belong.

With the discovery of each new self-evident truth, a strong feeling of freedom and excitement builds within us. Each shackle we loosen gives us new power and energy. Each concept we are exposed to stretches our minds and once stretched it can never go back to a smaller view.

This is particularly true in the area of parapsychology and metaphysics where everything is so subjective. How is it possible to know what is true and what is wishful thinking? Does magic work? Are miracles possible? Do ghosts really exist and if they do can they hurt me?

These and other questions make our head spin and lead us often to the very doors of chaos itself, not to mention possible hallucinations and psychotic breaks. Let’s be honest here. Many magical traditions make a point that such study is not for the emotionally or mentally troubled. In fact, they encourage counseling and therapy as a supplement to their own studies.

Relax! This trip is not going to be an acid trip. The whole purpose is to merge these subjective areas to hard science and hopefully gain a more realistic perspective that allows us to live the kind of life that we want to live.

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Organic Gnosticism is a revolutionary force and has often been persecuted by rational atheists and by social enforcers. Eternal vigilance is the price of organic freedom! We all have a right to a modest living, even though some may have more. Work and labor are the lawful ways to get what we want in life. Our efforts are cumulative! People that try should be rewarded for their efforts! This is what Organic Gnosticism is all about!

Logic and reason don’t capture the hearts of people. Organic slogans do! Keep it simple! Genius simplifies things so that everyone can understand! This is the way. Educate others, gain competency in life so that you can teach others. If you become competent you will be an example for others and they will become competent as well! Someone has to go first, why not you? Show others how to live in their hearts! Show others how to be Organic Gnostics!

It is not what you say that counts, but what you do! Actions count, not empty words! We need heroes and successful people so that we know success is possible. We have to have faith and believe in each other. One person can make a difference! As we learn we begin to free ourselves from life’s problems. As others see us become free they will want to become free as well! But this must be done in real life! In physical life! In Organic life!

This is a life-and-death struggle. Man is superior over institutions, not institutions over man! Free government, free thought, free speech, free men and women; these are the organic goals! Keep all laws and rules simple! Only the weak require complex laws and special circumstances. All public servants are accountable for their actions! Hold them accountable! The voice of the organic individual must be heard!

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There is a normal cycle that should be followed in communications. It’s pretty straightforward and simple, but stop and think about it after you’ve read it. Give some serious thought about whether you follow the communication cycle and whether other people that you know follow the communication cycle. Think of some people that you know who abuse the cycle. The whole purpose of this is to gain more awareness of our communications so that we can be more effective.

First we bring up a subject. Or maybe it’s the other person that brings up a subject, but somebody brings up a subject and the other person listens. But the other person does more than listen. They show that they are listening by acknowledging what the person is saying and they do this by nodding, saying yes or showing in a nonverbal manner that they are paying attention to what is being said.

I should stop right here and state the obvious. When you’re talking to somebody and they are not looking at you or paying attention by acknowledging you, why do you keep talking to them! It’s a total waste of time! Something else that I shouldn’t need to say that I will, is that we should give acknowledgment when somebody is talking to us, and let them know that we are really listening to what they’re saying to us by nodding or in some other way acknowledging them.

At some point the person who is speaking pauses or stop speaking. This time the listener gives feedback or acknowledges what was just said. Perhaps they rephrase it in their own words, “Is this what you mean?” “I agree or disagree!” Maybe they just ask pertinent questions that encourages the speaker to continue on with the subject.

The original speaker listens and then gives feedback to what the listener has said in response. The original speaker acknowledges the feedback in some way or another. “Yes that is what I was trying to say.” “No, I was really trying to say this instead.”

The conversation then continues back and forth with each person alternately having a chance to speak, getting acknowledgment from the other person and then giving feedback of their own. When the subject is closed it then becomes the listeners turn to begin a new subject and the cycle is continued.

Now take a few minutes and think about whether your conversations follow this pattern and if they don’t follow this pattern why? Think of some abuses of this communication cycle and how it makes you feel when somebody goes on and on and on not really caring whether you are listening or not.

My mother used to be like that. She used to talk to me on and on and on without checking in to see whether I was even listening. There were times as a teen when I would go into the other room and come back after a few minutes and she was still sitting there talking to me! I’ve known other people that do the same thing! I like to think that I would notice if someone walked out of the room on me and I would stop talking!

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