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tomasorban · 5 years

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Greeting Goddess Gaia

Who is Gaia?

Quite simply, Gaia is life. She is all, the very soul of the earth. She is a goddess who, by all accounts, inhabits the planet, offering life and nourishment to all her children.

In the ancient civilizations, she was revered as mother, nurturer and giver of life. It’s she who created and sustained us, and to whom we returned upon death.

She goes by many names, but in an effort to better connect and understand this energy, we’ll explore the myriad of forms in which she appears on Earth.

Ancient Ways and Goddess Traditions

Every culture has their version of the Earth Goddess. The Greeks called her Gaia, while the Incas know her as PachaMama. In some cases, she predates writing: ancient, pre-linguistic references to her have been found, alongside shrines, statues and paintings of her in every corner of the globe. She is the first goddess, the primeval one, the creator of all life and the fullness of her legacy is still being resurrected after patriarchal suppression.

The paleolithic Venus figures dot all of Europe, hearkening a worship of the feminine earth mother which has been lost to us. Despite the efforts of many historians, archaeologists and artists, we’re only now beginning to remember the stories of the goddess.

In any sincere effort to unearth her, we must look to the oldest documented accounts.

Gaia in Greek Mythology

To the Greeks, Gaia was the ultimate goddess of raw, maternal power. In the beginning, there was chaos, nebulous ethers waiting to take form. This primordial landscape awaited direction; it’s then that the spirit of Gaia arrived to give structure to the formless and the Earth was conceived.

She became the Earth, birthing all form of landscape, plant and creature. Though her creation was majestic, her solitude was great. She longed for love and created the sky with whom she mated, igniting a creative force which birthed countless offspring: Time and the Fates, the Muses and the oceans, to name a few. She’s considered the primeval mother of whom all gods—and life itself—descended.

As the prevalence of gods and goddesses in the 19th and 20th centuries faded away, so did history books’ tales of female pharaohs, women scientists and amazon warriors. History is kept by the victors—and the victors are most often men. This left a void in collective consciousness and Gaia was relegated to mythology alone.

With the convergence of feminism in the 1970s, all that changed when a groundbreaking pro-female establishment was founded, providing new understanding of how our planet operates.

The Gaia Theory

In 1970, chemist James Lovelock and his research partner Lynn Margulis (the wife of Carl Sagan at the time) proposed that the earth is a living being, self-regulating the elements to sustain life on it. This revolutionary hypothesis was seen as heretical, but has since been accepted as fact; a theory, no longer a hypothesis.

Their work suggested that in the earth chemicals all “talk” to one another to protect life on the planet; the salt in the ocean is never too salinated, the oxygen in the atmosphere never too noxious, and the temperature of the earth never grows too hostile for life to thrive. All elements work in perfect harmony to ensure life on earth is sustained.

The stability of life and its consistent ability to self-regulate and protect earth’s creatures connotes a universe much more intelligent than previously imagined.

Gaia theory taught that a sophisticatedly aware universe is regulating these many facets to protect and preserve life on the planet, much as a mother protects her own children.

Far beyond a comforting ideology, we can find evidence in spiritual traditions which give heed to the belief of the earth as a loving mother, further nurturing our human relationship with Gaia.

Resurgence of Gaia

A new curiosity about the history and meaning of Gaia has recently been sparked. Men and women have begun to seek to understand this innate consciousness. What they’re finding is far from surprising, as the idea of characterizing the earth energy is present in the wisdom of two of the most enduring native traditions, Chinese medicine and Native American theology.

Chinese Five Element Theory

Among the oldest healing modalities on the planet is Chinese 5 Element theory. Before Mao Tse-Tung instituted a politicized Traditional Chinese Medicine, there existed a theory based not only in physical, but rooted in a spiritual understanding of life. Five Element theory honors the Earth energy as maternal, warm, nurturing and joyous. Abundant in its gifts, earth’s energy is the sound of laughter on a late summer day.

If someone has an unbalanced earth energy, they could fear security, develop eating disorders and may never feel satisfied in life. It’s these qualities of being fulfilled, complete and secure that earth gives us.

Native American Medicine Wheel

Equal in its enduring wisdom, the Native American Medicine Wheel is a way of understanding our world as practiced by every indigenous nation. By working with the directions or elements, we can be in harmony with nature.

On the wheel, the earth lies in the south and is the ruler of bounty, expansive growth, passion, peace and relationships. To work with the earth energies of the south ensures we are in communion with the spirit of abundance, joy and creation.

Both ideologies are based in an understanding of the world as interwoven and infinitely more complex than Western beliefs convey. Though from different parts of the world, both teachings characterize the energy of earth as the same: loving, generous and maternal, a protector of people and the planet.

Enduring Relevance

Far beyond the mythological Gaia, the name has come to represent an all-loving, nurturing and intelligent cosmic force which oversees life on earth. The goddess traditions have worked tirelessly to resurrect the ancient teachings of the Great Mother and ensure her presence as a force of love on the planet.

More than saving the planet or participating in Earth Day celebrations, we can treat everyday like a ceremony. To be in a sincere connected relationship with Gaia, we must acknowledge her sundry gifts and be open to receive her wisdom.

Ways to Be Present With Gaia

In her infinite love, we may forget to acknowledge all the bounty she offers. Here are a few spaces to reconnect, remembering the loving presence of Gaia all around you. To be in ceremony in every moment allows us to rise as co-creators with her now.

Food

See your food as sacred nourishment. This will not only raise your vibration but it will also ensure more mindful presence when you can be aware of where the blessings came from. She not only provides the crops, but also the earth in which they grow.

Shelter

From the wood under your feet to the aluminum siding surrounding you and the tar on the roof overhead, all these materials are grown on or in the earth. Be in awe of her myriad of blessings.

Crystals

Whether or not you’ve been zapped by the crystal bug, you can probably recall seeing a mineral specimen whose beauty moved you. Every jade, amethyst, diamond and shard of obsidian came from Gaia. In her love, she creates the most stunning specimens to support and ease our human existence.

Plants

The magnitude of healing plants is astounding. From fresh flowers, to trees, mushrooms to bark, every culture understands the blessings of the plants to heal human ailments.

Pay attention to the plants around you to hear the messages they may be trying to share. Chicory for example is a common weed that grows freely even in the most impoverished areas of urban landscapes. Chicory is an extender spirit, making coffee go further in times of economic depression. If we could remember to use the natural resources of Gaia, we could eradicate or lessen hunger.

Time in Nature

Dr. Joe Dispenza recently reported: “In clinical studies we have proven that 2 hours of nature sounds a day significantly reduces stress hormones up to 800% and activates 500-600 DNA segments known to be responsible for healing and repairing the body.”

To amp up your healing connections, try earthing.

Respect of Natural Resources

It hopefully goes without saying, but being mindful of recycling and limiting your use of synthetic resources will be a great blessing to honor the preservation of Gaia.

The Great Destroyer

While it’s easy to become infatuated with the beauty of Gaia’s gifts, she’s also the great destroyer. As children, at times we will upset mother—so too is this the case with the Great Mother Gaia. Her generosity can be taken advantage of, her lands raped and people harmed.

Just as we disappoint our human mothers and consequences are dispensed, so too does Gaia balance out the injustices she suffers. Famine, extreme weather, volcanoes and tsunamis are the ways she rights herself and restores balance. While these actions could look punitive, it’s destruction in order to create something better which she must enact. Even in chaos, there is purpose beyond what our human minds can see.

By moving into better alignment with her, these unpredictable forces can be ridden with ease and understanding.

Meditation: Connecting with Gaia

Sitting on the earth would be most ideal for this meditation, but as we are working with her Spirit, find any comfortable sitting position and begin to slow your breath.

Bring your awareness gently into your hips and let all the energies of the day go. Focusing on this pelvic bowl, allow your breath to expand all the way down into your abdomen. Bring anything which causes discomfort or distress there now.

See beneath you the earth, open to greet you, and a red and gold spiral of light begins to glow at your perineum. This light spirals into the earth, ushering you into her most sacred center.

Feel yourself gently drifting to the center of the earth, into her cosmic womb of creation and destruction. You will feel a natural resting place and appreciate the serene calmness around you. Sit in this quiet and be with the calm energy she offers.

If you wish, ask for a figure of Gaia. You may see her as a woman, a goddess, a color or a symbol. Whatever arises is perfect for you now and will offer a meaningful tool to deepen your relationship with her.

When you feel finished, thank her and allow your attention to come back into your body. Open your eyes slowly and celebrate your newfound connection.

Shifting to Honor Gaia

Each time we honor Gaia and all she represents, we honor the love of a living and present universe around us. In these ways, we’re participating in the expansion of a cosmic consciousness.

Your intimate work with her will remind you resolutely that there’s always more than enough and all of your needs are provided for. By being in this awareness, you can see through the illusions and understand the beliefs that are truly damaging our planet. It’s only through shifting our own perceptions that we may link with the consciousness of Gaia to change the earth.

#gaia #mother earth #mother goddess #divine feminine #consciousness

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goodvibesatpeace · 6 years

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4 Soul Mate Relationships That Guide Your Life

Most of us define a Soul Mate as a perfect romantic partner that will fulfill every aspect of our being. Soul Mates are in sync with us, they are supportive, sexy, intelligent, funny and will be part of our “happily ever after” story.

The truth is, life is not quite that simple.

What Exactly is a Soul Mate?

A Soul Mate is a member of your soul family. These are other souls that come into our lives for one reason or another, and they can be family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, lovers and even enemies.

We all have a soul and when we encounter other souls in our lives, the friction of the meeting between two energy forces can create different, intriguing and challenging effects. Some souls will feel as though they have known each other from another lifetimes, some will clash, and some will feel at ease with the other person’s company.

Essentially some of the souls that come into our lives will help us grow in love and wisdom, while others will aid us in learning difficult life lessons or universal truths.

No matter how fleeting the encounter, each soul that comes into our lives has the potential to provide a significant life transforming moment; even that one girl that smiled at you from the window of a bus passing by.

Soul Mates serve as mirrors of ourselves. What we see in another soul reflects our own soul.

When we are capable of seeing others souls as ‘mates’, (including our enemies), as members of our family that are there to teach us life lessons, then our whole perception and relation to other people changes entirely.

Different Types of Soul Mates

In our language we have the word ‘friend’, and the word ‘soul mate’ which is essentially romantic by nature. But how would you describe someone that falls in between? Someone who is more than just a ‘best friend’ but doesn’t have the romantic and sexual attraction of a ‘soul mate’?

We need to create new words to express these relationships we have with others. Here are a few words that help to distinguish these deep connections we have in life:

Soul Friend

This is your most common type of relationship connection. These are the people in your life who you have chosen because your ego, intelligence or emotions are harmonious with the others. Essentially, you share the same tastes, interests, beliefs, sense of humor and values.

While this connection is not as deep as a Soul Companion, a Soul Friend’s company creates little friction. Sometimes Soul Friends can become Soul Teachers, but generally you are the one who chooses your Soul Friend as you perceive the world in a similar way to them.

Soul Teacher

Soul Teachers are composed of all the people in your life that have come to teach you a lesson. They don’t necessary teach you intentionally, but often provide challenging situations in your life for you to overcome and learn from.

Soul Teachers often come in the form of family members, friends, acquaintances, old lovers, momentary drifters and even enemies. You attract them into your life because you need to learn something from them. For example, some teach you to cultivate patience for the guy who doesn’t signal before changing lanes, to stop lusting over the ‘bad boys’ that keep crossing your path, or to develop greater compassion and understanding for another person’s way of life and beliefs.

Usually any friction in relationships is due to a failure in acknowledging something within ourselves, or in other words; a resistance to the lessons our Soul Teachers teach us. We can never change other people unless they are open to do so, but we can change ourselves.

Soul Companion

This would come closest to what we commonly define as a “soul mate” with the exception of romantic attraction. Soul Companions can be males or females, friends or family members. While Soul Friends are harmonized with us through their ego identities, Soul Companions experience soulful harmony with us. The nature of a Soul Companion is much more long-lived and stable to that of a Soul Friend for this reason.

Many times the relationships you develop with these people will feel as though you’ve known them for centuries, even from past lives. With a Soul Companion there is a great and deep understanding of the other person, and a feeling that you are both on the same ‘wave length’ of thoughts and emotions. These connections often last for a lifetime.

Soul Companions share both attributes of Soul Friends and Soul Teachers in that they experience ego harmony with us, as well as teach, help us learn, and grow, without the friction of a Soul Teacher, as Soul Companions lovingly share with us the journey. One of the reasons for such depth and harmony is because they usually share with us the same Soul Age.

Soul Twin

The ancient Greeks believed that our souls were once whole and the Gods divided them into two different halves, and once we found our other halves we would become whole and complete again. That is the essence of Soul Twins.

Finding our Soul Twin often feels like finding a piece of ourselves that was missing. Many describe the feeling as ‘returning home’, or developing a greater sense of wholeness in the presence of the other person. Soul Twins share complementary, compatible life goals and their spiritual natures are often in sync. They also experience immense levels of comfort with each other that cannot be experienced in other relationships, and they compliment each other in many ways through their strengths and weaknesses.

Interestingly, the Soul Age development of a person plays a significant role in Soul Twin relationships. Mature and Old Souls, for example, are more in-tune with finding their mates as they are more capable of experiencing a peaceful, joyous love that is not rooted in infatuation. This love can be grounded in unconditional affection that requires significant spiritual development to first overcome the fears and possessive attachments that are involved in most typical relationships.

In the end, it’s important to remember that none of these relationships are better or worse than the other – they each serve a purpose in our spiritual growth and healing.

Why Soul Mates Come Into Our Lives

There are three ways a Soul Mate can come into our lives, and that is: For a Reason, For a Season and For a Lifetime.

It is important to know of this distinction because once you know why a Soul Mate has come into your life, you can know what to expect from that connection. All too often we find couples, for example, who are still clinging to the dead flower of a relationship that was once blossoming but has reached the end of its season. So lets have a closer look at these:

For a Reason

When you come across a Soul Mate for a REASON, it’s usually to meet a need that has been expressed in your life. This can be for guidance, assistance through difficult times, support, depth of conversations or simply as a presence for you physically, emotionally or spiritually. A Soul Mate can last a moment or a lifetime, depending on the type of Soul Mate relationship it is.

For a Season

Then there are Soul Mates for a SEASON, or people that come into our lives only momentarily. These people may serve as catalysts to share, grow and learn, or they may present themselves in a moment when we need to overcome our fears of vulnerability, or when we need someone to challenge our belief system, or even when we need to discover a passion we were unaware of. Regardless of the reason, these Soul Mates are only Seasonal and leave once their gift has passed on.

For a Lifetime

Lifetime relationships are predominantly Twin Soul connections. They teach us lessons that are so deep, so intricate that they require a lifetime of loving growth with the other to assimilate deeply.

In lifetime connections, the strengths of one person are used to strengthen the other, and the harmony between both Soul Mates is so peaceful and flows so well that they often last a lifetime. These relationships are as rare and as precious as fine jewels, and we should feel immensely blessed if we encounter them during our lives.

There are an infinity of Soul Mates out there that we will encounter during our lives. While some come to teach us something new, others come to share our joys. While some last for only a few months or years, others last for a lifetime.

With these lessons and shared moments of bliss, we learn to grow spiritually and come closer to finding our wholeness as human beings.

#greatest versions #soul twin #soul teacher #soul mates #soul companion #soul friend #relationships

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tastethegrace · 3 years

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Analyzing “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”

I don’t often post things as they’re having their cultural moment. However, this song by Lil Nas X, a rap/hip hop/pop artist, who is famous for his song “Old Town Road” a few years ago, has caused quite the stir. On one side of the fence is the LGBTQ+ community, who touts this song as an anthem to the artist’s sexual identity. On the other are the Christians, many of whom have posted warnings on social media, urging fellow believers to “wake up,” guard their children, and many calling down the name of Jesus against the Satanic imagery associated with it. The music video for this song sees the artist depicted as Eve in the garden of Eden, being seduced by the serpent. He is then on trial, then descends into hell, where he himself seduces the Devil. The artist has also partnered with street wear brand MSCHF to produced what many are calling “Satan shoes.” These shoes apparently have contain one drop of human blood in the soul, have a black and red color scheme with pentagrams painted on the soul and attached to the laces.

So first off, the reason I’m writing this post is to critique the Christian reaction to this song and its associated media. It’s important to understand this right off the bat, as I will not be analyzing this song on its artistic merits. Instead, I will attempt to analyze the artist’s intent behind the imagery and symbolism he chooses to use.

If there’s one thing that I have grown to understand, it’s that the American Church has a fundamental misunderstanding of how believers are to interact with culture. We have been stuck in the same culture war for decades, with this idea that we must enforce our beliefs on others, affect change through politics and protests, and fear all that is antithetical to the Christian belief system. This latter point is the most significant, and one that many of my Christian friends may dispute.

Let me explain here. In the age of social media, everyone judges and reacts quickly, posting their affirmations and protests for everyone to see without putting much thought into what they’re actually critiquing. Sadly, the American Church, most of the time, has followed suit. Rather than choosing a different way to interact with the world on social media, it has become a leading reactionary voice -- a more intense version of what already exists in the mainstream. It has so become the case that the world looks on and mocks.

As a younger Christian, I went with the flow, just as everyone else did. But as a I grew up, and especially in college, I learned the importance of questioning, of slowing down, of considering the ins and outs, the truths and lies present in our everyday world. I believe this process gives insight into the presence of God in our everyday lives, presenting us with his truth and beauty, present even in the darkest of places. It also gives us the ability to, like Jesus, call something what it actually is, diminishing its power, and responding to it with the importance/weight it deserves.

Now understanding this context and the process by which I will move forward, let’s talk about this song. First of all, the lyrics explicitly discuss the artist’s encounters with one specific person, a male in this context. There’s a couple of levels to this song. The first, that many in the LGBTQ+ community point out, is that he says that his partner “lives in the dark,” while he himself “cannot pretend.” This refers to the fact that his partner is a closeted gay man, while Lil Nas is out. As for the rest of the lyrics here, Lil Nas discusses his attachment to this man and the sexual experiences he has and wants to have with him. He mentions the use of drugs to illustrate a hellish environment. On a deeper level, evidenced even more clearly in the music video, Lil Nas is using this situation as a metaphor to reach out to his former, closeted self.

In the interest of digging for the truth, I would go one step further here. While it is obvious that the artist wishes to affirm his former self and encourage a lifestyle that is honest, at the very least, he also confesses what he wants very clearly. All of the explicit imagery here is true to his experience. So what does he want? He wants deep connection, intimate experiences, and he’s ultimately willing to go to “hell” to get it, even if his partner won’t come out.

Why is it important to understand this? Am I trying to affirm how Lil Nas gets what he wants? No, but that’s also not the point. Understanding the artist’s questions are just as important as understanding his answers; in my opinion, even more so. In order to make any sort of true judgment of merit or integrity, either subjective or objective, it’s important to understand fully how the artist is coming to his conclusions.

Moving on to the music video, I’m going to use an analysis posted by reddit user margarita_atwood, as she discusses much of I what I found myself.

Everyone is going to have an opinion on this video, whether that opinion is heavily in favor or disfavor...Later, I’ll talk about why the negative opinions about this video don’t really matter and actually play right into LNX’s plans.

Lil Nas as every character: Through the miracle of CGI, LNX plays every single character. Some people might interpret this as LNX making love to himself in some scenes, but I think it has more to do with the Jungian concept of the Shadow Self (explained some in this video). There’s definitely some interesting psychology behind LNX playing all the parts. He’s talking to himself, seducing himself, running from himself. And I don’t think it would have had the same impact if the main characters were played by anyone else. He’s definitely being a little narcissistic, which he winks at with his own face on a Narcissus flower (daffodil) that I’ll get to next...He also says in the intro: “Welcome to Montero”, which is both this fantasy land he is creating for us in the video, and introducing us to his real self, saying welcome to the real me.

Scene 1- Garden of Eden: In the first scene. We’ve got the temptation of Adam by the snake/Satan in the Garden of Eden story mixed with Greek classical architecture motifs (sans Eve, as LNX raps “If Eve ain’t in your garden/ You know that you can/ Call me when you want”). In the reaction video I mentioned earlier, LNX talks about how growing up gay in a black church (or any church for that matter) made him repress and feel ashamed about his budding sexuality as a young adult. So while the lyrics are explicit, all of the themes in the video are very pointed allegories about how he’s dealt with his sexuality. He runs away from his tempting snake-self, meanwhile running past a Lion King-esque Mufasa cloud featuring his fate/destiny, and Narcissus flowers AKA daffodils (in the Greek myth, daffodils grew where Narcissus drowned after staring at his own reflection for too long), only to be caught by his temptation in a scene that gives me a ton of Labyrinth vibes. After his literal fall with possible Paradise Lost references to this perceived “sin,” we nearly see his alien-snake-self fellate his Adam-self. Finally, we close in on a shot of Greek writing on a tree. Some people smarter than I were able to find out that this is an excerpt from Plato’s Symposium which reads: “So in the beginning when they were cut in two, they yearned for each other’s half.” Symposium is basically a bunch of Greek philosophers telling metaphorical campfire stories about love (let’s ignore once again problematic themes of statutory rape in some of this). The excerpt in the video in particular is a part where one of Plato’s students Aristophanes gives an account of the origin of soulmates. Originally people were joined as two people to make one whole person. In this story, there were male/male, female/female, and female/male pairings and the gods became jealous and split them in two. The Montero excerpt is explaining this splitting of soul mates where they’re doomed to long for their other halves to become whole for eternity. Lots of allegories there regarding LNX trying to seduce a possibly gay man who is still in the closet.

Scene 2- The gladiator’s Colosseum: LNX then is taken as a prisoner in chains to a Greek colosseum, also full of LNX judges in Marie Antoinette wigs and faceless LNX mob spectators. I believe his character in this scene is supposed to be a Ulysses-type as his pink, fur shawl he’s wearing has a ram’s head broach...the blue LNX jury sentences him to...jail, and he gets literally stoned to death... Ulysses-LNX presumably dies and his soul is being lifted up to the heavens. An angel awaits him above, with a lot of Creation of Adam motifs (which was also hinted at on LNX’s IG). But just before he reaches his guardian angel.... a stripper pole rises up from the earth...and he rides that b**** all the way to the seventh inner circle of h*** in some thigh-high boots, tricking all the way down.

Scene 3- Twerking on the devil: And now we get to the biggest scandal. LNX said to those of you who think gays deserve to go to hell, watch me go to hell and give Satan a lap dance....he’s one-upping the shock factor in each part. Think it’s scandalous to go down on myself? Just wait. There’s some trolling of Illuminati/Satanist conspiracy rumors in the motifs. Honestly, the purpose of this scene is that he knew religious types would try and metaphorically crucify him over the lyrics. So he said let me beat you to it. He’s trolling the religious hater that I’m sure made his life growing up a proverbial hell already. And hey, the more times they stream and react to the song out of anger, the more money he makes from their anger. And then he goes and pulls a mafia hit, killing Satan after seducing him, and taking his horns of braids and becoming the fallen angel...

While perhaps not stated the most eloquently, and obviously from a more approving light, the OP gives us some insight into the symbolism used in this video. On first glance, the believer might gag at how biblical imagery is used and twisted here. However, I would encourage that believer to be patient and consider for a moment a few things.

1. If we let our gut reaction to this imagery become our public reaction, we prove the artist’s perspective of believers correct in the eyes of the world.

2. If we consider the symbols and imagery used, it is obvious that this piece was intricately planned by Lil Nas to suggest his conclusions through the subversion of cultural norms. This is not a new technique by any means, and it is important to acknowledge this.

3. Remember that Lil Nas was raised in the church. His use of biblical imagery is intentional here. If you detect a hint of bitterness in the twists he uses, that’s because there is, and not without reason.

See, I think that if Jesus looked at this video and gave us his reaction, it would not be a warning to us to guard our hearts. That’s common sense. I think it would be sadness that Lil Nas has not experienced the true intimacy and connection that he so desires in a healthy context, but also that he would be so bitter as to use the imagery as a “F*** You!” to the church. Granted, this is all speculative, but when I look at Jesus in the gospels, I never see Jesus trying to separate or isolate his disciples from sinners. He sees right to the heart of why sinners sin, and urges his disciples by example and speech to have compassion. It is the the Pharisees and teachers of the law who he preaches against, urging his disciples to guard their hearts against them.

Finally, there’s the even bigger deal being made in Christian circles of the “Satan shoes.” Let me set the record straight here. This company put out “Jesus shoes” a couple of years ago that claimed to have holy water in its soles. This was a stunt by the artist for the very purpose of causing controversy. It was done out of anger. The imagery only has power if we let it be something other than what it is.

I have seen so many people decrying the use of this imagery as an act of devil worship. That’s not what this is. Is Lil Nas believing a lie? Most certainly, as all humans do every day. But this should not be shocking. We must look behind the symbols to what they’re really pointing to.

In conclusion, I felt that it was important to share my feelings on this, as the social media chatter is a prime example of how the American Church has lost its way. However, on a more personal note, I have a lot of history and connection that helps me to deeply understand what’s happening in this song. That drive for connection, that willingness to put myself in horrible places to find it, the feeling of dirtiness and the running away from it...and especially the now often used intimate metaphor “call me by your name,” referring to the book/move of that title...I’ve been there. I even embraced it for a time. So more than most, I am more inclined to have compassion on those who are in that place, even if they don’t see the fruitlessness of it. The Lord has been good to me. He was with me in that place, just as he is with me now. It is important for all who call themselves Christians to remember that before we judge, we must seek empathy and compassion, fullness of understanding, and most of all, the heart and mind of Jesus himself.

#culture #review

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cantujordan91 · 4 years

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#Desperate To Save Marriage From Divorce Portentous Tricks #Save My Marriage Retreat

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9r7g5h · 7 years

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Theory: the gods portrayed in Xena and Hercules are aliens from either another planet or universe.

I just started ‘The Destroyerer’ (a painful episode I’ve been putting off for the last three weeks, but it’s time), and at the very beginning, Ares is talking to Discord. She asks him why he himself refuses to go destroy the temple, why he’s just casually leaving the destruction in the hands of a mortal, and he says “Don’t mistake confident for casual. I know full well what could happen. Everything we know, everything we’ve done to make this world a home, could come to an end.”

Now, that’s an interesting statement, isn’t it? Because, according to myths, the gods are born into this world. Starting with Uranus and Gaia, who gave birth to the titans, and the titans Cronos and Rhea, who gave birth to the original Greek gods: Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. These gods are directly connected to the earth, their powers are based upon the elements and human emotions, and they are the supreme rulers of the universe.

Or are they? Because why would the gods have to make the world their home, if it already was?

Maybe it wasn’t.

I theorize that at least the Greek gods (as they are portrayed in Xena) are not, in fact, gods at all, but instead aliens from another planet that have come to make Earth their home. Their powers are based on their advanced technology, which we see glimpses of in the show, mainly through Aphrodite. She wears headphones, talks about advanced topics of psychology that won’t be discovered or understood for a couple thousand more years, and is clearly a lot smarter than she seems. We also see some of this technology in Hercules, specifically Hades- he has a “magic orb” that can see anywhere in the world, whenever he wants. Now, as a god, wouldn’t he just be able to see into the mortal realm? Or see through the eyes of his sister, Celeste, as she collects souls? No, he needs a magic item to do it form him.

Which brings into question whether or not it’s actually magical, or just very advanced technology. Because we now have the ability to turn on screens, and while we can’t see everywhere in the world, we can see most of it. Using our satellites and our computers, we can see anywhere in the world. And, to a people three thousand years ago, wouldn’t that seem like magic?

Now, the gods are able to change things, like people’s mental states and the weather, but again, that could be based in technology. We see Zeus create lightning and storms- who’s to say he doesn’t have a machine that does it for him? We see Bliss make people fall in love- who’s to say that those arrows aren’t dipped in some kind of hormone that creates the perception of love? Ares causes people to go into a blind rage and fight wars; again, it could all be hormonal.

We currently create hormones that people take in pills. We add it to perfumes and body sprays, and are able to trick ourselves into believing their effects. Who’s to say an ancient alien race wouldn’t be able to do the exact same things?

Now, I know some of you are probably wondering about instances when the gods went missing, such as Ten Little Warlords, or You Are There. In these episodes, we see the exact result of a god losing their power: Ares’ going missing causes everyone to go into a rage, and Aphrodite’s loss takes all the love out of the world.

But did it really? Because as we saw, people who had already learned how to deal with their rage became more focused. But they still fought, they still felt anger and rage, and they still killed. All without Ares. Ares wasn’t the cause of this anger, he was the dampener on people who weren’t ‘destined’ to be warriors, and the accelerator on people who were. Theoretically, had Ares stayed gone, the people who were suddenly overwhelmed by the anger they were suddenly feeling would have eventually learned how to control it, just like the warlords had. Thus, Ares would be unimportant, and could stay gone.

Aphrodite is a bit trickier, but can still be explained. You see, the love and desire that Aphrodite brought into the world wasn’t really gone, but instead buried. Obviously, people could still have sex without her- we had that whole brothel seen to prove it.

And even when Xena went crazy in The Furies, did she not hear a strange buzzing before she went insane? A strange buzzing that could have been from a machine, a machine that disrupted her thought patterns in such a way that she seemed insane?

But love is a much harder emotion to figure out. Love can show itself in a thousand different ways, much like we see with Xena and Gabrielle. When Aphrodite says to Gabrielle that she was worried she and Xena wouldn’t be as close without her, Gabrielle replies “No, we’re partners.” And we still see that they love each other. Xena gets protective of Gabrielle, Gabrielle gets jealous over the idea of Xena being with other people- these are things people who are in love do. We still see that they trust each other, that they’re willing to do anything for the other, that they are still a pair.

And when Gabrielle is asked if she loves Xena, there’s that single moment of hesitation before she says “I don’t love Xena.” But every single moment before then in that scene shows that she does. She defends Xena’s honor, she’s clearly angry over watching Xena and Ares kiss, and she never denies that she and Xena were/are lovers. She just says that she doesn’t love Xena. But if that was true, why the hesitation? Why the look of confusion after she speaks, as if she doesn’t understand why she said that? Why?

Now, even though we’re told again and again that love doesn’t exist anymore, we see direct contradictions to that. And that makes me believe that Aphrodite isn’t the cause of love, she just makes it earlier to understand. Humans can love without her, but it’s such a hard tangled mess to figure out, it can take humans forever to realize what they’re really feeling. I believe Aphrodite, using her technology, just helps people figure that out. She’s clearly very knowledgeable about the brain and human psyche, so it probably wouldn’t be too hard for her to mess with it. She could easily manipulate people, and she does. All the time.

Finally, we do have one last thing to discuss, and that’s the god’s ability to breed with humans and turn humans into gods. And honestly? It’s again super simple- matching biology and technology.

We, as humans, can already breed different species if they’re similar enough. Look at mules, ligers, camas, coywolfs, etc. And if you believe the myths, Prometheus made humans as two headed, four armed, four legged, and double of everything else creatures that Zeus then broke apart later. Who’s to say Prometheus didn’t use the gods as an example of genetic superiority, and just made humans a little bit lesser by combining mates? And Zeus, by breaking the original humans apart, just made them that much closer to the gods.

So, if the gods and humans are already close, they could breed, much like the line of animals I listed above. And if humans are close to gods, then it’s possible to turn them into gods. Thus the ambrosia, which might not only be a food, but it might also be a technology. The humans eat it, and the technology within the ambrosia begins to change them, turning them into the gods that created them.

And, of course, humans with godly parentage would have incredible powers, because one of their parents did. Possibly tapping into the technology already scattered across the land (which is a possibility. We scattered the skies with satellites, it makes sense that the gods would scatter their own technology across the world so they could use it), they would be able to make their own changes to the world, though they would be lesser than their parents.

Which brings me back to The Destroyerer. Because if the Greek gods were real gods, why would they fear him? There’s 13 main gods and goddesses (I do count Hestia, despite her giving up her throne) and dozens of other minor gods that could fight him. If they were true gods, then they should have had nothing to fear. They should have welcomed the Destroyer’s arrival, since they probably haven’t had a good fight in centuries.

But if they’re not truly gods, while Dahok is? Well, that would explain why they spend so long cowering before him. Because while a god might be nothing to a non-believer, to a group who would oppose one? That god is the most terrifying thing to ever exist.

#Xena #Long post #meta #XWP #Xena: Warrior Princess

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bike42 · 4 years

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Days 5&6 Wednesday and Thursday August 12&13, 2020

As we get further into the river, we’ve dropped in elevation so the evenings have become progressively warmer, but still cool. The weather has been perfect, although the deeper we get into the canyon, the less sunshine we get on the river.

Wednesday morning we had biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs with bacon and Mike made savory pancakes using the left over quinoa and herbs. Jessie led us through another yoga session, and what an amazing connection to the earth that was. We were in a beautiful camp, where the Shoshone Indians (Tukuduka) had lived for an estimated 10,000 years. They’d spend the summers higher in the mountains hunting Big Horn Sheep, and the winters at camps like this where they lived in Pit Houses - holes about 8 feet deep, with logs and hides for the roof.

We set out on the river, Jeff and Me in duckies following Jessie. Just after starting out on Wednesday, we passed the Big Creek confluence that signals the start of the Impassable Canyon. The canyon is so named because with the steep vertical granite walls that rise from the river, the trail couldn’t be built along the river. The canyon is pristine, and one of the deepest gorges in North America, they say even deeper than the Grand Canyon.

We had a few water stops, filling our bottles from a cold spring, and saw a few waterfalls that must be spectacular during high water. I was glad lunch was on a sunny beach again as after a few hours of sitting in the water and having cold shots of water over the bow as we churn through the rapids, I needed to bake in the sun and warm up.

After lunch, we stopped at Veil Falls, the most magical moment of the trip for me. We hiked up to a cavern, and noticed the green oasis which signifies water, and we heard water, but just saw a tiny bit leaching through the cavern. Sadie led Jeff & me and Her mom down a trail to a large rock and told us to lay down. From there, we saw this magical mist coming from the top of the cavern. The wind created a migrating curtain of mist, swirling down towards us. It was amazing how with the sun hitting the mist, you could follow a single drop all the way down. I laid there thinking this was the most magical experience I’d ever had in nature, and then I could hear M&Mc singing and playing one of my favorite songs of theirs ... “You Take Me Somewhere,”. It’d been in my head all week and whenever I hear it from now on, I’ll be transported back to that magical moment.

We probably paddled another hour, with some really fun rapids. Jessie really freaked us out a few times with her seriousness as she was describing where the “ducky eating holes” were and which side of critical rocks we needed to be on. By now, Jeff and I were feeling pretty comfortable with the tiny inflatable kayaks, and even when we weren’t able to hit the exact line we wanted to, we were agile enough to go with the flow, not tip over when we slammed into rocks, and most of all, keep paddling. On occasion, one of us would unintentionally spin in the middle of the rapids and shoot through a hole backwards (like the hotdog kayakers do) - always worked out anyway and we awarded ourselves extra style points! On the last rapids before camp, Jessie instructed us to hug the right side but not get stuck in the shallows, - and then a big paddle to the camp. She warned us not to get sucked into the rushing water along the wall or we’d shoot right by camp. I watched later as Onne did just that, whooping with glee as he shot by in the fast water. I didn’t see how hard his paddle was back to camp however!

Campsite was on a shelf overlooking the rapids and the imposing rock wall across the river. After we landed, we watched two other groups come through the rapids - it was mainly lots of water as the river narrows around the corner, so fun to run but they all sure screamed and got soaked.

The ledge was small so our tents were huddled together, we had our beverage and snack table nearby as well as the fire pit. The kitchen was set up down the hill on a gravel bar. The only problem with the site was the wind whipping through the canyon made it tough to have music on the last night. Those of us that were interested huddled close to James and Kort in order to hear.

Another fabulous dinner - hor d’oeuvres were baked Brie, main course was steak, salad and potatoes with brownies for dessert. The last night was a little somber and reflective. Sadie read us a poem about the river that was quite stirring. After dinner, we gathered near the river for group photos, the guides were getting squirrelly - probably thinking ahead to dropping us off Thursday and many of them are starting with a new group in a day or two!

The cohesiveness of our guide team made this trip really special. They’re all talented with different skills and personalities, and the way they worked together was unusual I’d guess. They seemed to easily share the work, and it seemed ok with the others if one sat and visited with one of us for an extended time. From time to time they’d mess with one another - paddle splashing, or once Sadie leaped to another boat to try to throw one of the guys in - didn’t work, but it happened so fast I was shocked!

The meals they prepared were amazing - day six they were still producing fresh tomatoes and avocados from somewhere in the depths of their magic boxes!

As we prepared for Thursday morning, Jessie told us how crazy the takeout spot can get, so we had the goal to be first group to the there. So coffee was ready while it was still dark, and breakfast was cold but still fabulous (our favorite Greek Gods yogurt with granola everyday, plus lox and bagels today). People packed up efficiently and we were on the river by 8 am.

No one in the duckies today - I think they wanted to move fast, and we had some serious rapids today. It was cold when we started; Jeff and I wore our rain jackets, which is the only thing that saved me from hypothermia. Paula, Jeff and I sat on the front of Jessie’s boat

Really fun rapids - we got stuck again and spun around and around, but finally needed a bump from Taylor’s raft to become dislodged.

As we came out of the canyon, the sun finally hit the river. As soon as we’d warm up though, we’d slam through the next rapids and get soaked again! After about three hours, we reached the confluence with the Main Salmon River, which had a road running along it. What an odd concept to see cars and buses whizzing by. The road goes just beyond our take out at Cache Bar, to where people who are running the Main put in. One of the coolest parts of being in the wilderness was the sounds: water, wind, birds, an occasional plane. What we didn’t hear: traffic, cellphones, unpleasant blasts of music, the sound of electrical appliances and TV sets. As I saw the first car, I was sad that our serenity was coming to an end.

Mark had successfully landed our sweep boat at the take out. We watched the sweep from another company get up against a rock at the landing and nearly go down the next rapids. Mark ran to help, and they winched it to their truck and brought it back to the ramp.

We unloaded and changed into dry clothes, then said goodbye to the guys who were staying to load and unrig the rafts so they could do it all over again.

Sonja, our bus driver, filled us in on what’s been going on the past six days: Joe Biden picked a VP running mate, earthquake in the Sawtooth Mointains near Stanley, and other Stanley gossip that was only of interest to Jessie and Sadie. I wasn’t quite ready for reality just yet, but you do wonder when you’re completely unplugged if you’ve missed something significant with an event or the health of a family member.

We’d seen a mom and baby sheep one afternoon on the river, but from the bus we saw several who even posed for photos, as well as several mule deer.

We had a box lunch on the bus, and stopped in North Fork where we said goodbye to Mark and Mary (they’d had their van shuttled there to shorten their drive home) and Sadie (who’s fiancé met her there). We did some shopping in their little store and ordered Huckleberry milkshakes which were amazing. Three hours back to Stanley, I read and dozed and it felt like we were back at the warehouse in no time.

Back to the hotel for a glorious shower, and then most of us met for a final dinner and some stories. As usual, we lucked out with great fellow travelers, as typically like-minded people do adventures such as this.

While this was a very special trip, it was different from many of our adventures. We were pretty busy and active most of the time, and with so many others it was difficult carve out downtime and for me that’s often where the magic of getting away happens. I had several moments out of my comfort zone (jumping from the rock, solo kayaking through class IV rapids) and I feel good about that. I really enjoyed the music on this trip. I could have listened to James and Kort for hours each evening. Their harmonies, the easy style with which they play multiple instruments - and in such a magnificent setting. Just wow. Above all, our wonderful team of guides!

We donned our masks and have gone back to civilization and the creature comforts and life that I love so much: our house, our kids, our cat, WiFi, our bathroom with it’s flushing toilet - shower and soaking tub, our work and my garden. But a little piece of my soul will never be the same after the beauty and the inspirational moments along the Middle Fork.

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trendingnewsb · 7 years

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Love: What Everyone Wants but Never Really Understand

We’ve all experienced the gut wrenching, plot flipping, sweaty palm emotion that we’ve come to know as love. But love is much deeper than these panicky reactions. In fact, once you have a chance to get comfortable and let those feelings pass, you’ll know if it was truly love; or something else.

So, what does love mean?

The concept of love is very easily mistaken for its similar counterparts; lust and infatuation.

The feelings we experience during the beginning stages of any of these tend to blur our judgment; mistaking something casual for something very deep and meaningful. But there are a few very prominent distinctions that can help you to decide what it is that you’re actually feeling.

Love: an intense and constant feeling of deep affection.

Happens over time.

Lasts, gets deeper with time.

Accepts the person as a whole, flaws and all.

Deeper than physical attraction.

Energizing.

Improves overall deposition; brings balance to your life.

Survives arguments.

Considerate of the other person.

In love with the actual person.

Lust: very strong sexual desire.

Happens instantly.

Tends to be fleeting.

Completely superficial, only involves an individual’s personal appearance and performance.

Very fickle; won’t last in the face of conflict.

Infatuation: an intense but short-lived passion for someone or something.

Occurs instantly.

Powerful but fleeting.

Idealized image of partner, only showing them your good side.

Focus on physical attraction.

Emotionally draining.

Brings out jealousy & possessiveness.

May cause you to neglect other relationships.

Avoids arguments.

Selfish.

In love with the feeling of love.

The Greeks answered the question “what does love mean” with 7 types of love.

“According the Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with two heads, four arms, four legs, and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other half” — Plato

The Ancient Greeks had strong theories and explanations when it came to love and how we love. The quote above is in relation to soul mates, if only we could all be so lucky as to find that one person who we feel truly completes us. Unfortunately, you’re on your own in that department. Luckily, we are all capable of deciphering the type of love that we are, or the lover that we happen to be at the moment, as it tends to change. The Greeks broke up the different types of lovers and love into seven categories.[1]

1. Agape: Known as the unconditional love, but also a universal love. A love for your fellow man, children, God, nature, whatever it is that makes them swoon. This love is accepting, regardless of flaws, in fact the flaws are embraced. They can still love without liking the object of their affection at the time. It is a unselfish love, sacrificing without the intention of receiving. It is a translation of love in the verb form; it is love being demonstrated by another.

2. Phileo: An affectionate kind of love. Warm and tender. Typically a platonic love. Phileos desire friendship, and strive to make deep bonds with their acquaintances. It is translated as love in the noun form.

3. Storge: The love of family and friendship. It is the love that parents feel for their children. It is the love that causes best friends to fall into a romantic love, and for lovers to transition into best friends. This love is unconditional, and accepting of flaws. This love is committed, sacrificial, secure, comfortable, and safe.

4. Eros: A passionate and intense love that arouses deep romantic feelings. This love triggers feelings of euphoria, and makes you want to profess your love to your partner. (Perhaps sometimes a bit too soon.) It is deeply emotional and sexual. This love tends to be fleeting and fizzle out quickly. It is more infatuation that it is true love.

5. Ludus: Playful, uncommitted love. A lustful love. Acts of this love may be through dancing, teasing, flirting, and seducing. This love is noncommittal and requires absolutely no strings attached.

6. Pragma: Practical love, focused on duty or long-term interests. Sexual attraction takes a back seat while variables such as personal qualities, compatibilities and goals are the priority.

7. Philautia: Self-love. A person with high self-esteem and a deep respect for themselves.

Falling in love can make you feel neurotic and strung out, almost as if you’re coming down from drugs- because technically you are.

According to Anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University[2], who studied 166 societies and found that the concept of romantic love was prevalent in 147 of them. She deciphered this information by comparing MRI scans of individuals who were very newly but madly in love. She broke down the similarities into 3 stages of falling in love based on our brain chemistry. Although love may on some level have some deep and spiritual elements that are not tangible enough for study, one thing is for certain.

“Love is kept alive by something basic in our biological nature.” — Richard Schwartz, Harvard Medical Professor

In other words, these emotions are nature’s way of encouraging procreation.

Lust: The initial attraction.

You’ve just met someone, and you’ve decided that you’re into them. This is where the hormones estrogen and testosterone have come into play. You’ve decided that they make a suitable mate.

Attraction: This is when you start to experience the butterflies in your tummy.

And this is when the excitement to see them but the overwhelming anxiety as well. That’s because the neurotransmitters in your brain are firing off some pretty powerful stuff.

Adrenaline: activates your stress response, increase blood levels of adrenaline and cortisol.

Dopamine: simulates desire and reward, triggering intense pleasure, is comparable to the effects of cocaine on the brain.

Serotonin: alters your thought process, this is why you can’t stop thinking of your lover.

According to a study conducted by a Dr. Donatella Marazziti in Pisa, Italy involving 20 couples who are very newly in love, she found that the serotonin levels of the individuals were the same as someone who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Attachment: The bond that keeps couples together long enough to procreate.

Here, two of the strongest love drugs are released, rendering you physically addicted to your partner.

Oxytocin: a very powerful hormone that is released during an orgasm. It deepens the feeling of attachment after sex. The more sex you have with your partner, the deeper your bond will be because more of the chemical has been released.

Vasopressin: also released after sex. This aids in the feelings of long term desire.

Richard Schwartz and Jacqueline Olds, Harvard Medical School Professors and long term lovers found[3] that we have two neural pathways that decip her the judgment of negative and positive emotions. When the “love drugs” are administered, the neural pathway for negative emotions is hindered, thus proving that love is actually blind.

They also found that if the love lasts for two years, the emotional roller coaster will eventually steady itself out. The serotonin and cortisol levels drop and normalize once more. Dopamine, the reward and pleasure hormone is still very prevalent and can stay the same even after 30 years of marriage; although the craving and desire for your lover does lessen. Love no longer is the stress, but becomes a defense mechanism against the stress. The love transitions from passionate to compassionate.

Don’t go looking for love. Let it come to you. Make yourself magnetic.

The best way to find love is to let it come to you. Sounds a bit unrealistic and incredibly counterproductive, but hear me out. If you put out the right vibe, it will attract the sort of energy that you want in your life.

1. Love yourself.

Let’s face it. You’re awesome. And just because you’re “alone” right now or haven’t met “the one” doesn’t change a thing. Commit to yourself to be the best that you can be. You can’t rely on anyone else to make you happy, and this practice will seriously hinder your personal growth.

So take the initiative. Get out there and be the boss that you know you can be. Instead of searching for a lover, search for your best self. You will be happy. You will radiate confidence and people respond positively. What you put out there has a huge impact on what you’ll eventually bring in.

2. Get to know your lover before taking the plunge.

Sure, these new emotions are so exciting and you want to jump right in and take this thing to the home stretch. But just one second. You’re glossing over all of the good parts. You’re missing out on the intimacy, which will eventually cause the destruction of your relationship in the long run.

Really get to know your prospective partner. Take the time to know their interests; see if they match with yours, or inspire you to expand your interests to encompass theirs. Build a genuine connection with someone before you let those three little words slip out. It will be all the more satisfying when you truly deeply feel it, and you know those feelings are reciprocated.

Reference

[1]^Psychology Today: These Are the 7 Types of Love[2]^You Amazing Brain: The science of love[3]^Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute: Love and the Brain

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