Date: Sat Jan 19 23:14:02 EST 1985 From: "New Age Moderator" Subject: New Age Digest # 5 New Age Digest #5 Moderator: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K.ARPA (uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim) Sat Jan 19 23:14:04 EST 1985 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This time: Editorial Policy A Member Bio Castaneda Poll A Taxonomy of Speaking New Age Pizza in Indian Hill What is the O.T.O.? Pagan Book Reviews ---------------------------------------- From: The Moderator, Tim Maroney Subject: Editorial Comments I got a message the other day with which I agree whole-heartedly. It has resulted in a change in my editorial policy concerning comments. No more bracketed comments within or at the end of messages will appear. It is heavy-handed and intimidating. All comments will now be in separate messages. Any and all other comments on my editorial style will be gratefully appreciated. Tim Maroney [I think this is a very good idea indeed. Incidentally, has anyone heard about my pet frog Jake? It seems that -- oh, never mind. -- Tim] ---------------------------------------- From: ihnp4!ihlpm!russ@seismo.ARPA Date: 12 Jan 85 20:30:49 CST (Sat) ============================================= Name : Russell Spence Age : 22 Occupation : Computer programmer for AT&T Tech in Naperville, IL Interests : Music, Film, Literature, Philosophy and Religion Initially, I grew up in the Lutheran church and was confirmed as a member, but as I grew more devote in my feelings, I also became more dis-illusioned. I saw that there was alot of hypocrisy in the Christian church and I felt that I was undergoing alot of unnecessary guilt because of my beliefs. I rejected the church and became a very cynical agnostic for a while (this was during my high school years). When I got to college I began reading about Zen Buddhism and Taoism. I got interested in Philosophy so I took some courses in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Existentialism. I gained new hope that there could be a belief out there that was true. Now, I would probably have to call myself a "Taoist", but I definitely have not participated in any organized "religion" since about Junior High. I read alot, but my favorite authors would have to be Ayn Rand and Friedrich Nietzsche. I really like Ayn Rand and politically I would have to call myself an Objectivist (I also vote Libertarian). However, by far my most favorite author is Nietzsche. In reading his works and in the Tao Te Ching, I have come to the deepest insights. In my readings and contemplations I feel that I have made great progress in understanding, but I had never found any group or organization that practiced any form of religion that I could cope with. When I starting reading about paganism on the net I was interested, because it seemed that this may be just what I was looking for. I have just recently read "The Spiral Dance" and "Mother Wit: A Feminist Guide to Psychic Development" on the recommendation of a letter by ellen@ucla-cs in net.religion. I enjoyed both books and became even more interested in witch craft, paganism, and whatever else this groups treats, which is why I wanted to get on this mailing list. Perhaps we are entering a new age. I hope so, and I plan to do everything possible to help it along. Of course, the best thing you can do is to take care of your own spiritual development, and I think that's a big enough job for anyone. "Skating away on the thin ice of the new day" russ ---------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 12 Jan 85 23:33:48 CST From: Ken Montgomery Subject: Opinion poll On the subject of shamanism, there is the controversial series of books by Carlos Castaneda. I'll bet that there are at least several other people who subscribe to this mailing list who have read this series. I wish to poll your opinions: Is Castaneda believable? (I decline to answer my own question, for now, hoping to avoid influencing the results....) Ken Montgomery ...!{ihnp4,allegra,seismo!ut-sally}!ut-ngp!kjm kjm@ut-ngp.ARPA ---------------------------------------- From: cran!merlyn@decwrl.ARPA (Randal L. Schwartz) Date: 14 Jan 1985 1519-PST (Monday) Subject: Taxonomy of speaking, and introduction As both an introduction to who I am, and a useful piece of information, I present a short taxonomy (collection of distinctions) regarding speaking and listening. Some speaking is ineffective. The result is no alteration on the flow of the universe, or a "hiding" rather than a "revealing" of the state of things. This kind of speaking I call "non-committed" speaking. It's a speaking that consumes most of the interactions of human beings on this planet. Most sentences that start "I think..." or "I feel..." (or have that implied) are in this category. (More on this distinction in future messages.) Some speaking is journalistic, or "reporting". The sports reporter writing about Sunday's football game in the Monday paper is reporting on the game. His report, although possibly interesting and entertaining, as well as being fully accurate to the story of what happened, can have *no impact* on the game itself. Some speaking is "evocative", in which the speaking itself brings present the experience being spoken about. Good poetry does this. "I love you", when the listener actually experiences the love in the moment of conversation, is an example. In the football game, this is like the quarterback playing the game -- his actions have an impact on the game, but he's basically playing out something that already exists (a perfect execution of a predetermined plan). Some speaking is "coaching", in which the speaking itself brings about an alteration in the substance of the committed listener. An effective coach can bring about in Saturday's practice an impact on the quarterback's performance on Sunday. Coaching is distinct from reporting; the coach doesn't merely provide a "this does that" type of speaking. The coach creates new ways of being through speaking, that show up as a real impact on the game. The possibilities for ways of being available to the listener are altered through the listening itself. A coach doesn't "teach"... knowledge about "how to throw the ball" is useless when the linebackers are attacking. My purpose in presenting this particular taxonomy of speaking and listening, besides providing elements for discussion, is to distinguish the phenomonon of "coaching". This time around for me on this planet, my job is to be a coach. Over the last few years, I have been looking at abstractions that provide leverage in coaching, such that in the game on Sunday, the ball gets caught. I have been coached by some very masterful people, and have been coaching others to hone my own coaching machinery. Part of my coaching people has led me to see a number of things about what's possible in being a human being that don't have a lot of agreement in the current culture. I have interacted with people that literally disappear terminal cancer through communication, alter the flow of reality in "non-normal" ways, and produced all sorts of other practical, real "magic". I'm not a believer... I maintain a healthy skepticism about everything I discover, but I have disposed of my resignation that reality is the way I had it wired up to be, and the way my parents, teachers, and peers presented it to me. The results on my personal life have been rather remarkable -- doing "six impossible things before breakfast" [Carroll Lewis] is almost commonplace for me now. (No accident that my login name is "merlyn".) My promise to you is to interact with you as a coach, such that my speaking won't be merely reporting, but have an impact on the possibilities of your life. If you wish to have personal correspondance with me, I encourage you to write directly. (Next: a taxonomy of knowing...) -- A particularly personal and original observation from the thought-stream of Randal L. ("(null)") Schwartz, esq. (merlyn@sequent.UUCP) Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. (503)626-5700 (sequent = 1/quosine) UUCP: { teneron,decwrl,nsc,ogcvax,pur-ee,rocks34,shell, unisoft,vax135,verdix,islabs,lcc,pmr}!sequent!merlyn ARPA: "sequent!merlyn"@decwrl.ARPA ---------------------------------------- From: ihnp4!ihuxf!pjs1@seismo.ARPA Date: 14 Jan 85 17:33:21 CST (Mon) Subject: Whats for Lunch at Indian Hill If there are any readers of this list, who work at Bell Labs Indian Hill, and would care to meet for lunch some time to discuss the important Mystical Questions (such as: Pizza with peperoni or mushrooms?) please call at IH X4721. I have recently moved from the N.Y. area and would like to meet more people then those who I interact with through work. Peter Silverman ihnp4!ihuxf!pjs1 AT&T Bell Labs at Indian Hill ---------------------------------------- From: Tim Maroney (tim@cmu-cs-k) Date: Mon Jan 14 20:34:37 EST 1985 Subject: What is the O.T.O.? I got a question about what the O.T.O. is a few days ago. The O.T.O. is the Ordo Templi Orientis, The Order of the Temple of the East in English. It has also been called the Order of Oriental Templars, but that is very bad Latin. It is an international Thelemic group which split from Masonry around the turn of the century. Unlike Masonic groups, it accepts women. Like any Thelemic group, its primary concern is helping its members in their work to know and do their will. There are a few members on this list, including me. Like many occult orders, the O.T.O. has a system of degrees or ranks. These acknowledge members' progress. Each degree is associated with a particular initiation ritual which is performed with the member as he or she takes the degree. Each degree also carries with it certain responsibilities. The structure is essentially tripartite, based on the Book of the Law, Nuit:40 "there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth". Each of the three "triads" contains several degrees. The first triad is the Man of Earth triad, consisting of Zero Degree to Third Degree. (I am currently a Zero Degree hoping to become First soon.) The responsibilities in these grades are just to gain skill in various branches of Magick, and to pay the dues, which are quite low in the Man of Earth triad. The responsibilities of the Lover and Hermit triads are more concerned with serving other members and governing the Order, although progress in Magick is expected as well. On the local level, the O.T.O. consists of groups called Lodges, Chapters, and Camps (from largest to smallest). There are also a fairly large number of solo members who have no local body; me, for instance. (Theosophy appears to be the going thing in Pittsburgh -- I couldn't even find any Wiccans, and they're everywhere!) These local bodies serve members in a variety of ways, of which the most significant are reminding people of what they're supposed to be doing, holding classes by members who are proficient in particular areas, providing experience with group ritual, and performing initiation ceremonies. Different bodies often specialize in particular branches of Magick, such as Yoga or Enochian operations. That is a necessarily sketchy introduction to the O.T.O. More details can be found in the impossible-to-get "Blue Equinox" published by the O.T.O. in the 1920's. Unfortunately, most of the Blue Equinox documents are not yet available in electronic form. -=- Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University Computation Center ARPA: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim CompuServe: 74176,1360 audio: shout "Hey, Tim!" "Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains." Liber AL, II:9. ---------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Jan 85 12:24:01 PST From: Ellen Perlman Subject: another posting for NewAge Digest what follows is a book-list of pagan/wiccan books which include rituals to celebrate a woman's various changes: menarche, regular (or so) menses; birth, abortion, or other related occasions; and menopause. [this was originally posted to net.women.only, which is why this particular slant. most of these books are useful for other purposes as well; however, most are woman-oriented.] "The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, Part I (c. 1978 & 1982) & Part 2 (c. 1980)" by Z. Budapest, self-published, paper. available from: Susan B. Anthony Coven No.1 P.O.Box 11363 Oakland, CA 94611 this is a book written by a very publicly avowed feminist and lesbian witch. she practices a form of Dianic witchcraft (contemporary Goddess- oriented paganism). Dianic witches are more than generally separatist, that is, they worship only the Goddess and not the Horned God, and they are exclusively female; males are not welcome in their circles (although they are NOT necessarily lesbians). Z. and her coven members have developed a number of touching rituals dealing with women and their bodily changes. i'm not a lesbian or a separatist, but i find these books a real source of inspiration. women CAN celebrate our bodies! by the way, i will add that i have some friends who are Dianic witches [these books contain info on spells, herblore, history (herstory), and many wonderful year-cycle rituals - all with a definite female/ feminist leaning.] "Earth Rites, Vol. 1 - Herbal Remedies (c. 1978 & 1980) & Vol. 2 - Rituals (c. 1978 & 1981)" by Sheri Mestel, self-published, paper. available from: Earth Rites Press c/o Mestel 398 8th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 these are not formal books, but rather compendia of rites, rituals, invocations, thearer & performance pieces, art shows, etc., made by women, mostly on the the East Coast, in honor of Women, the Goddess, Mother Earth, to heal, to cure, to curse (only those raping women and the Earth). herbs are discussed, both medicinally and ritually (again, this is not in-depth or all-inclusive). this is inspiring, because it shows how women can get together and publicly celebrate their Woman-ness. "The Crone's Book of Words" by Valerie Worth, Llewellyn Publications, St.Paul, Minnesota, 1971, paper. (may be out of print - i got mine second hand). contains rituals, prayers, spells in the form of poems (chants?). includes self-affirmations, and other personally healing formulae. [this book is not exclusively woman-oriented] "WomanSpirit, A Guide to Women's Wisdom" by Hallie Iglehart, Harper & Row, Publishers, 1983, paper. Not to be confused with a now defunct Quarterly of the same name, this is not a strictly Pagan book, as most in this list are, but a book to aid women in the search for their spiritual nature. it shows many possibilities: witchcraft, politics, dream work, healing, personal explorations, etc. with photographs, exercises, etc. warm & lovely, strong & practical. "MotherPeace, A Way of the Goddess" by Vicki Noble, Harper & Row, 1983, paper.(this publisher seems to be coming out with a lot of Pagan books! (they also publish Starhawk's "Spiral Dance") do they see a trend?) this book goes along with a completely new Tarot deck, composed of circular cards containing mostly female imagery, and designed by the author and Karen Vogel. i waited many months before i finally gave in and bought the deck, too. (it's a bit more expensive than most Tarot decks, but was WELL WORTH the investment.) the book describes a way of thinking that reaffirms femaleness, feminism, the power of women. this book can definitely be used without the Tarot cards (there are color illustrations of most cards, and black & white of all) to rethink spiritual and psychological matters, and could probably be used to construct rituals celebrating Women. "God Herself, the Feminine Roots of Astrology" by Geraldine Thorsten, Avon Books, 1980, paper. a new/old vision of the Zodiac - a female images for each of the 12 houses (priestesses & goddesses (& their male consorts, on occasion). reaffirm the eternal power of Women month by month through the stars. (now what i want to find is the book describing "Arachne," the 13th sign - there's an out-of-print book or two on the subject; anyone out there have one they'd be willing to part with?). "The Secrets of the Tarot: Origins, History & Symbolism" by Barbara G. Walker, Harper & Row (here they are again!), 1984. probably the most inspiring book i've read since "The Spiral Dance." the author puts her vast research into the realm of the Ancient Ones (for the "Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths & Secrets") to use in a book which truly gives the Tarot back to the followers of the Old Ways. it traces the Tarot symbolism through many times and cultures. while the Tarot is know to have existed only since the Renaissance, numerous authors on the occult have sought to establish its origins in the cultures of Egypt, India, the Hebrews. most of these authors, while wise in their fields, were not deeply knowledgable about the great Pagan religions of the past. Walker does not try to establish the absolute origins of the Tarot deck of cards itself, she does give deep and far-reaching information on the roots of the symbolism contained within it. (i was in a metaphysical bookstore recently, looking through the Tarot section. a young woman was also searching, who admitted to being a neophyte. i recommended Walker's book to her. she mentioned that she'd heard of it (with widened eyes) and backed away from me. i noticed from some other books she had near by that she was a Christian, so i recommended another book, which i use, which has a strong Christian leaning (i replace all references to Jesus or God with references to my Lord and Lady Goddess.).) (no, these are not faces, just completing the sentences and parentheses:-) A QUOTE from the section on Major Acana 6: "The 666-Beast was originally the beast with two backs, the Primal Androgyne, said to resemble a man & woman in sexual union. Like the hexagram, it described, 666 was a sexual charm sacred to triple Aphrodite (Astarte). Pythagorean mystics called her number 6 the perfect number, or The Mother. In Latin six was 'sex', in Egyptian 'sexen,' meaning to embrace or copulate. A derivative Egyptian word 'seshemu,' "sexual intercourse," had as its heiroglyph a phallus inserted into an arched yoni-gate. The word was repeated in Sufi love rituals and became the magic charm that opened the gate of the secret uterine cave in Arabic fairy tales - that is, Open Sesame. Hence the number 6, 'sex', which Christian authorities call the number of sin, was especially appropriate to the sixth Tarot trump with its message of love." she quotes many & varied sources (with a rich bibliography). i don't want to argue about some of the syntheses of ideas she makes (perhaps she's reaching a bit, but such great ideas!). read with an unfettered mind. this book was so exciting to me (intellectually - the above quote was randomly selected, i assure you), i couldn't put it down! (honestly!) [anyone out there with more Tarot insights to share? i use it as a meditation tool, and i do spreads for myself when i am anxious about some situation - not as a future predictor, but as a way of "getting my thumb on the pulse of the problem." it doesn't "solve" the problem, but it certainly helps me focus - by giving clarity to what is troubling me, i can relax with it a bit. i should do another posting on this - anybody else?] --------------------- End of New Age Digest ---------------------