Afterglow

Here are some stray thoughts that didn't make the cut in Blink, Blink.

 

The understanding therein came to me over the last few days, it has been a pleasure, so very seductive and electrifying. Of course it's just the start of coming to grips with the information, but I'm enthusiastic about what it all could mean. I was about three quarters of the way through writing it when the whole lot was erased. Just disappeared. Gone. And the auto-save feature just happened to swoop in at exactly the same moment, saving a blank document. That was at approximately 4AM. I was so upset, because this is a labour of love to me. The amount of time and energy spent - there was no way I could replicate or even want to try. I kept as calm as possible, tried a few things, even going so far as to close the browser, but it was no use. Only by some beautiful mystery did it reappear, literally as it sounds, ta-dah; the void gave birth to a dancing star. I admit, I did want for divine intervention. I'm so grateful, that's about all I can say. Truth will out.

 

Alison Maclean's film adaptation of Jesus' Son (1999)

I notice the significance of the image above. It is the Sacred Heart associated with the common Christ figure, pulsating on the bare chest of a man wearing a snakeskin jacket. It is just one of those synchronicities. Snakeskin jacket, baby!

 

The ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be an important aspect of the soul. To them, it was the seat of the soul and most other things were attributed to it; the snotty old brain organ was deemed pretty useless. They had some wild theories, as do we. The heart was thought to be the key to the afterlife, surviving death to be weighed in the underworld. A lifetime of good deeds meant a light and balanced heart and therefore safe passage into the Field of Rushes (heaven), whereas bad deeds would mean a heavy heart and eternal wandering through the underworld. I like how it is worded on Wikipedia: '...where it gave evidence for, or against, it's possessor.' As if the heart was an intimate akashic record; as if we are our own akashic records in essence.

Where did they get them from, these fears of divine judgement and retribution, demons and evil? Was this innate or taught and conditioned? Even if it was taught, it had to start somewhere. Does it not also seem like another opportunity to exert control over the people?

As for slippery serpents, the ancient Egyptians had a love-hate sort of attitude toward them and deities with such characteristics. This isn't so confusing when you think about the threat that snakes will have posed in their environment, it is not uncommon to see the serpent associated with the underworld and attributed to the turmoil caused by certain 'Gods'. However, one of the respected serpentine goddesses was Wadjet, patron and protector, early depictions show her as a cobra entwined around a papyrus stem - like the staff symbol, sacred image of the caduceus (of which the staff can represent the spinal column, I might add). Wadjet later became identified with war goddess, Bast. There's a link between Wadjet, Bast, Horus, Ra, Hathor (and so on...) and the all-seeing eye. I'm thinking they could represent Saturn (even though Ra is popularly accepted as having been a solar deity - see: Immanuel Velikovsky's Saturn Model and David Talbott's continued research in this sphere), but I'm struggling to make sense of it, what with there being so many deities and offshoots and deviations. It must be the most complex tale in all history.

This ambivalence for snakes has been throughout history, hence the nature of the caduceus and related symbolism, when in the winding of two snakes, it's this dualism that is so prevalent. They've long been associated with two sides; good and evil, life and death, creation and destruction.



The ancient Great Serpent Mound in Ohio, now thought to be circa. 300 B.C.

Notice from the source on the left, where it maintains its coil, there are seven bends that lead to the head of this serpentine effigy. Coincidentally, the same number as the major chakra points.

It is one of only a few surviving, as the rest were destroyed by paranoia as Roman-fuelled Christianity plagued the land.

Historically, serpents have often been symbolic of fertility or a creative lifeforce, and kundalini is a creative energy - understood as feminine, latent until awakened.



Brandon Boyd's back tattoo - the owl and Eye of Providence.

Brandon Boyd, all-seeing eye.

Here is an excerpt of an interesting interview with Brandon Boyd of Incubus (conducted by Sirona Knight and Michael Starwyn), now with added italics(!):

What is your opinion of God and Goddess?

For the past eight years I've been leaning more towards the Goddess. The energy I have experienced has definitely been feminine at its core. At the same time though, I've come to the conclusion that by putting a type of sex on it, one way or the other, you limit the energy. At this point, it, stressing the word "it," is far beyond my capability.

How does it feel when you tap into it?

It almost can't be described. I've had conversations with it, I've dreamt about it, I've felt it when I've been thoroughly enveloped in a painting, and when I'm creating something. At these points I feel I'm very in touch with it.

Like when you're merged into the process?

Exactly, I feel like, by me creating something in the creative process, that I am as close to it as I can get. I am in a sense emulating what it does. I am tapping into a place in you that is unexplored, and very dangerous, but I think essential to the creative life of an artist.





Great Serpent Mound illustration, not a totally accurate portrayal.

The triangular section of the effigy is considered to be the head of the snake, mouth open and extending around the oval feature - postulated to be either an egg, the sun, an eye, a frog...

I can see how it could symbolise fertility here, to think of it as an egg, it's quite beautiful. Though the first thing that struck me was how the curve of the triangular shape holds the oval symbol, and the dot in the middle, it resembles the ancient circumpunct symbol. The circumpunct has many ties, but the most common is surely its association to the sun (or had it once represented Saturn?). There are claims that the head and tail align with the sun of the summer and winter solstice respectively.

Serpent as symbol of fertility has my attention; still wondering how to interpret the words: 'Attracted to Infertility'. That was more than a month before this kundalini fixation - I can't see that it'd be relevant, unless it was a forewarning of sorts - follow/don't follow?

I have no reason to think of the kundalini as demonic, rather that it's a portal to the unknown, to a powerful and ancient spirit - presumably of the universe, of the creation, but likely a personalised form of; essentially one becomes a personification of this monumental intelligence, and to channel that is potentially dangerous or at the least unpredictable. It is when this is tapped into unwittingly that human derangement can occur - I believe 'mental illness' to be really of a spiritual nature, though that's not for me to explain here. It's a fine line, as between genius and some kind of divine, unintelligible madness - and it's not always pure. We've the limitations of the conscious mind - the 'doors of perception' - so we can't all expect to be resilient when it comes to converting the nature of the infinite. If you seek, then chances are you're reasonably assured as to what you will find. As well as this ancient spirit of possible ambivalence (filtered through a world of polarity), I suspect there are primordial spirits or entities that have been granted passage here. Our ancient ancestors may have been the first to summon or dream up these spirits, give them life - in dealing with a realm in which thought creates, crafted from the ambivalent creative Most High. Irrespective of where they came from, these spirits are the ones who can guide us or may lead us astray, particularly when we're vulnerable - and I think there's a certain amount of vulnerability required when opening oneself to the unknown and the transcendent.



Look at this chap, Buer, champion tennis player, but not such a good dinner guest.

On the other hand, one may trust that these things have little or no influence unless acknowledged; they require the belief in order to have the strength to act. To an extent I think that's true for the non-religious, non-spiritual, sceptics; those disassociated and removed from such realities, they don't let themselves get close enough. That's not necessarily a fault either, it's kind of subjective. But even without the belief, when these types of people are weak from ill health or in a lowered state of mind, their usual guards are down, can they be manipulated? These things are still there even if we're oblivious to their existence...

How I feel at present, the nature of this place means we need to really consider what we're dabbling with. And whatever we choose to do should be done with understanding and respect.

The information centred around the serpent and kundalini that had been imparted to me, was it guidance or a trap? Doubt as a defence mechanism is imperative. I'm always thinking, always observing from as many angles any given situation, and won't rest until I'm confident I have the answers.

Ancient Greek stone tablet.

The serpent is an archetypal image and the kundalini energy might in some way relate to the anima, but then what of the animus? And because this imagery has been with us throughout history in one light or another doesn't mean that it is natural or good. It could be an embodiment of the creator or ruler of this dominion. Depending on how its words are taken, it could ensnare us and be our undoing - or - be our making, our salvation. Like 'siding' with the enemy, getting close enough to understand the logistics of the situation in the hope of escaping.

If you're fatalist by admission

and you're tangled in the web of denial

well there's only one way that you're going to get out

that's if you go to the source of the fire.

- Cedric Bixler-Zavala, 'In The Lurch', ANTEMASQUE

Following the signs I've noticed the synchronicities that come in time, an alignment. Might say I'm reading into things too much, but I don't think so - I know the difference between looking for significance everywhere and seeing significance as it enters my little world; difference is these things are naturally brought to the attention.

 

Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials, the songs and their lyrics are curious to say the least. Seven devils, as well as being a song by Florence, get a mention in the bible under St. Luke 8:2 and St. Luke 11:26 -

 

'And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.'

 

'Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.'

 

For now let us not get hung up on madam Magdalene or Jesus, whether they existed or were conjured up, revised editions of even older myths, or what kind of a relationship they may or may not have had, or indeed what brand of loincloth the Son of Man may have worn.

Seven devils, seven deadly sins, seven 'archons' (of the firmament) and seven chakras. What does it mean? The way I interpret it is that with the opening of each chakra point, we are exposing ourselves to the darkness and the unknown - our own personal demons or external terrors or both - however this is necessary so that we may harmonise and secure each point or portal, allowing the light to pour in and initiate change, enlightenment, transcendence. The masculine and feminine aspects even-out, coexist. The devils or archons (or whatever you wish to refer to them as) can and do influence us, keeping us stuck so they can control our fate - the sins are an extension of this, the tool, the temptation. I'm not going to be a doom merchant and claim that sin will have us all sent to hell, there's enough of that being tossed about. This is hell enough when it wants to be - Mephistophelian - though by its nature we can describe it as a purgatory where both the shadows and the light meet. There is something that transcends all of this, higher ground (planes/plains), and there are also lower planes of existence. But what we know now is cyclical, until that cycle is broken.

That second passage (St. Luke 11:26, also mirrored in St. Matthew 12:45...) uses the word spirits instead of devils to describe these seven 'inhabitants', when in other places of the bible seven spirits are of God, they're of the Holy Spirit. It's a messy piece of work as far as I'm concerned, not clear, it's all over the place, like a bad cut n' paste job. But it implies descent, a fall, a decline as opposed to transcendence; the last state is not liberation but total demonic possession, ravagement. Isn't this meddled with, in reverse order to what we're beginning to understand beyond the pages of the black book?

See, later on, in the Book of Revelation (also known as the Apocalypse, which simply means 'to uncover' or 'reveal') the seven spirits are referenced again, this time in a positive light, but without any clarification or distinction between the seven (devils/spirits) previously mentioned. Here, Revelation 1:4 -

'John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne.'

Apart from the capital 'S' for 'spirits' this time, there's no explanation for why the seven in Mary happened to be evil, but elsewhere (i.e. here) they're holy. I guess the capital 'S' is supposed to make all the difference. Shoddy, just shoddy. But I do like what the bible has to say, don't get me wrong - to dip into and extract meaning is what it's all about, otherwise as a whole it is horrendously repetitive and just not that interesting. Good for scares and laughs, perhaps. Anyway, these seven spirits in Revelation are of God, that's the idea. Here they are again, Revelation 3:1 -

'And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.'

Why so many sevens? There are seven candlesticks, seven gifts, seven stars, seven of everything - honestly, the number is used over 700 times throughout the damn thing. Hey, that's more 'sevens' than the 'fucks' in Limp Bizkit's 'Hot Dog' song. Well, why? It is said that the number indicates perfection and is therefore God's number. I don't know how that ties in with the seven evil spirits of Mary Magdalene, but whatever, nothing's perfect.

'And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.'  (Rev. 4:5)

'And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.'  (Rev. 5:6)

Vagueness. First we must realise that seven spirits are of God, of the Holy Spirit. Though a woman such as Mary is introduced not as possessing them; instead she is possessed by seven spirits said to be evil. Interesting that. The Holy Spirit is the mystical nature that's around us, nearby, inside; within. It is still with us, it's our contact with the 'outside', the 'one true beauty'. The seven spirits of this mystical nature and divine beauty can be received or accepted into our lives. They originate from and lead us back to the 'throne', where we belong. They are (of) the seven (major) chakras. Stars, seven of 'em, feasibly a reference to the seven classical planets (wandering stars) known at the time, which heavily influence us physically and spiritually; matter and mind. Jesus is shown to hold a symbol of these stars in his right hand, which means despite their influence we have the key to transcend their authority. Look, Revelation 1:16 through 1:18 -

'And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.'

I believe that Jesus is representative of ourselves, and as Jesus is the lamb of God, so are we. And if we're not the lamb, then we are the sheep, okay. The lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, which are of the seven spirits sent forth into all the earth. Horns and eyes; power and knowledge; omnipotence and omniscience. We can be as the lamb. Our sacrifice, our trials and tribulations, our path through the shadows and into the light.

It is an individual process, however we should encourage and guide each other, connect with likeminded - what Rumi described as a caravan of souls - for otherwise we may become lost in the desert.

Jesus and words as a weapon - Holy Rap, Holy Spit.

Imagine that, seeing someone with an actual sword protruding from their mouth. Of course, it's not literal, nor a stab at surrealism, nor is it an allusion to Jesus' sword swallowing pastime; the sword of the spirit is the word of God. When we allow the spirit into our lives, it speaks through us truths. It is our weapon against the enemy, our saviour in that sense, it may deliver us from evil. The spirit is not only residing where we belong, it is also here with us, able to be tuned into. Psalm 139:8, 9 and 10 -

'If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.'

And Psalm 139:23 and 24 -

'Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'

The spirit may simply be of the soul, as that is what connects us to... 'Mother of Pearl'! Of the soul, and then given the signal via awakening of the kundalini and activation of the chakras - it's as much about cleansing as anything. As for the psalm, don't our souls (and therefore great spirit and maker) know us better than anyone ever could? Know our hearts and thoughts, our intentions, our genuineness. Ah, like the hypothetical akashic record!

It is by improving our relationship between body and mind, balancing the dark with the light, this acceptance of both sides, which enables us to transcend.

As we progress there are the seven gifts brought by the Holy Spirit (or seven spirits), which is depicted as a dove.

Isaiah 11:2 and 3 -

'And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.'

Whether we take as gospel (ha) what they say the gifts represent is down to personal choice, but know that they're the different stages of spiritual growth, what new understandings each chakra brings and how each phase of our life coincides with that. Surely there is knowledge, wisdom, understanding, enlightenment and harmony. Smart choice of words with the 'fear of the Lord' though. The rulers of this world have taken the beauty from outside of here and turned it into something grotesque and fearful to keep the people grounded. Severing the breast and nursing the young.

Fear is of their simulated nature.

And a certain 'fear of the Lord' has been re-understood as wonderment and awe - to make it easier to swallow.

We don't need their tantrumous, jealous, male wino of a creation. No way, it's perverse. We don't need no thought control, and hey, while we're on the subject, why don't you leave those kids alone!

If the Christian God exists in the manner that he's painted, the male bravado, the egomania, then I'd rather side with his opposite. And I mean that more than anything. Who would want to lounge in the company of that fig roll? He's a joke; quick to judge, close-minded, utter bore.

But I don't believe it for one moment, so in that sense I've already chosen his opposite; some alluring beauty.

Cedric of The Mars Volta. Kudos to the individual who photo'd and public domain'd this.

"I'm interested in the parts of religion that aren't talked about," so said by Cedric Bixler-Zavala (frontman of At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta, ANTEMASQUE...) in this neat interview. When you begin to appreciate how there is hidden meaning within the text or that which goes unaddressed, that's when it gets interesting, that's when it starts to make better sense. In order to keep the herd bewildered, scripture had to be inadequate. That's where its strength lay, it's so vague, so it could function as it has and be taught and taught the way it is.

In fact, yesterday morning I woke with a few words balanced on the tightrope between conscious and subconscious: 'copyright', 'illegal' and 'reinterpret'. I didn't know whether the bible would be a copyrighted piece of work in all honesty, but it is a piece of work, copyright also. More to the point, do 'they' allow the freedom of interpretation (or reinterpretation)? They can hardly stop anyone, but it is strongly discouraged. I did a little searching and didn't think I found much, aside from Martin Luther of the 16th century saying that one shouldn't dare to reinterpret the 'word of God', even when it might seem foolish and strange to human reason.

'Understand the simple meaning of these words, the way they are usually read. You shouldn't dare to reinterpret the Word of God your own way. It's better to think, "I don't understand these words. But before I change them, take something away from them, or add to them, I would rather leave them alone. I'll give them to God."'

That says it all, that's the typical attitude - no thought outside the box, no stepping out of line, otherwise the whole façade falls apart. It's this rigid thinking that has prevented transcendence and evolution as a collective.

Then I was told to look at the very end of the bible, it's there as well. Fail-safe.

'For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.'

Manipulative, threatening, abusive. Yawn. And yet people still take it at face value and buy the lies, none the wiser, cowering beneath Father's whip hand. Be ye wise.

'Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.' (St. Matthew 10:16 - 17)

That there is the serpent and the allegory of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the same sentence, and from Jesus' mouth no less. There is no mention of evil or fallen angels, only wisdom. Wise as the serpent; energy, power, knowledge, and shrewd all the while, which can't really be labelled as good or bad, it just is, a sort of mixed blessing, and harmless as the dove; the spirit itself, a certain pureness, what you were most familiar with when you were a child. It's the mixing and balancing of these two qualities; the spirit meets the base, the raw, the fleshly.

And before Christianity interfered, the serpent was emblematic of renewal, physical and spiritual rebirth, along with the creative, fertility, and dualistic aspects. So, in the case of the kundalini, the individual experiences a sort of shamanic death, a cleansing, a shedding of the old and an invitation of the new, a more fruitful life. That was likely the serpent's most significant attribute in all of the symbolism through the ages.

Moses and the serpent entwined on an effigy of the individual.

Speaking of this metaphysical rebirth, Jesus makes a comparison between the raising up of the Son of Man (technically us, we're in this position) and Moses raising up the serpent. St. John 3:13 and 14 and 15 -

'And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.'

So, on that note, either 'Satan' himself wrote the bible as trickery or these are some hidden truths which predate Christianity and have been bound within. There seem to be allusions to these older philosophies scattered throughout the text; with reference to the kundalini, the chakras, the pineal gland, et cetera.

Codex Gigas (Devil's Bible)

Ride Like The Devil's Son. I realise that what I've said here can be considered satanic to some, it's sort of mandatory for the preachers, but it's not so black and white as that, one extreme to the next, never is it so simple. I accept no sides really. And it's somewhere in between, ideally, that we need to coexist. Again, it's about finding that balance. There are favourable things to be said for both Christian morality and Satanism, too, and strewn elsewhere. Good can be found. It's the obvious lies and oppression that I'm against, the fraught world that bothers me, otherwise I exist quite happily on my own path.

As for Anton LaVey, I have a newfound respect for what the man had to say. Not a respect for him necessarily, because I had not known him personally, I'm still wary of his intentions and I don't agree with everything he said, but I can definitely appreciate where he was going with his ideas, the role that he played in this cycle of life. It's just a fine line between the smooth transition and the fall of an Empire into debauchery, lunacy, rampant orgies and people frothing at the pores. That's what I remain cautious about, how this is going to pan out, and so I'm keeping an eye on the future.

This line of inquiry comes at a time when rebirth - a collective cleansing (not ethnic cleansing!) - is due, probably long overdue. The truth can't be suppressed much longer, surely. The Age of Aquarius shall be as an apocalypse; an uncovering, but with all the disorder the transition brings, how will society fare? I think that if you view Anton LaVey's work, you will see how the plan is to integrate a Brave New World, he practically spells it out, and it is this system that is ruling us. Whether Anton was a cog in the machine, I don't know, I have my suspicions, he did make reference at least once to being part of a 'pretty big institution'. He essentially wanted the same thing they want. He may have meant well, but they don't. It all depends on whom the power rests with. No religion or government can offer salvation, only we have the means for that.

Yes there are forces at work of which we have little understanding, and they'll manifest in whatever form we see fit, but as St. Matthew 10:16-17 says, it is man we have to be wary of. That's when we're dealing in the Faustian, dealing with the Mephistophelian, the snakes in suits; it is the untamed shadow side of human nature that causes such darkness.


So much for 'some stray thoughts', hey.