A message to the moderators

[Nungali]

                                                                 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Nungali

[Apech]

32 minutes ago, Nungali said:

                                                                 

 

Nice hair - what shampoo do you use?

[thelerner]

1 hour ago, Earl Grey said:

“If”, you predict with certainty.

But so far, the opposite happens on those other sites I am on, actually! 🤣

 

...probably because it has roots in Indian Vedantic teachings and is something found in the works of Rudolf Steiner and Madame Blavatsky, who came LONG before New Age even if they have influenced a lot of New Age ideas...not to mention that I make no false equivalence with New Age and traditional wisdom...

Glad you have other places to go.

I'm pretty sure most New Age ideas say the same things on a similar line.. our roots go back to yada yada.

Out of curiosity, based on something you wrote earlier.  If someone said 'My friend has cancer, can the Akashic Record help?  How would you answer? 

 

<don't mean to beat up on the Akashic Record, just that many consider it New Age..many consider modern yoga New Age, it's not necessarily an insult>

[Nungali]

1 hour ago, Apech said:

 

Nice hair - what shampoo do you use?

 

 

[Earl Grey]

7 hours ago, thelerner said:

Glad you have other places to go.

I'm pretty sure most New Age ideas say the same things on a similar line.. our roots go back to yada yada.

Out of curiosity, based on something you wrote earlier.  If someone said 'My friend has cancer, can the Akashic Record help?  How would you answer? 

 

<don't mean to beat up on the Akashic Record, just that many consider it New Age..many consider modern yoga New Age, it's not necessarily an insult>

You can certainly make conjecture and try to draw comparisons (and yes, you did intend to make a jab that whiffed earlier, which  others saw too...), but I can ask for quotes from people with Vedic and Taoist prestige on their views of my interests in the Akashic.

 

Anyway, to answer your question: it depends on what they want. It isn’t going to heal them. It isn’t going to predict the future. It’s equivalent to one part life coaching, one part counseling, one part devil’s advocate, and is neither a fortune teller nor clairvoyant. But I make no assumptions about what will come because I just play a role as an interpreter, am not a channel or anything else.

 

Will it help? Depends on their questions. Will it make sense immediately? Who knows? Sometimes it hits immediately, other times it sinks in a week or so later.

By the way, New Age is based off of New Philosophy from the 1960s and a bastardized version of Blavatsky’s work:

 

Quote

Birth Of The Movement

In 1970 American theosophist David Spangler moved to the Findhorn Foundation, where he developed the fundamental idea of the New Age movement. He believed that the release of new waves of spiritual energy, signaled by certain astrological changes (e.g., the movement of the Earth into a new cycle known as the Age of Aquarius), had initiated the coming of the New Age. He further suggested that people use this new energy to make manifest the New Age. Spangler’s view was in stark contrast to that of Bailey and her followers, who believed that the new era would arrive independent of human actions. Spangler’s perspective demanded an active response and shifted the responsibility for the coming of the New Age to those who believed in it.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Age-movement

Might want to look into that rather than presume I hate anything new. I hate hacking culture even more when it comes to cultivation.

Edited September 11, 2020 by Earl Grey

[freeform]

10 hours ago, thelerner said:

For all your bitching about New Age

For the somewhat ‘senior’ student of the arts, I think it’s important to point out troubling practices and ideas - whether new age or old age. 
 

It’s a good use of experience as it will hopefully help someone. 
 

I personally make a judgement call -

 

1) is this damaging for the person.

 

- If no then onto judgement call 2)

 

- if yes - then I voice my opinion.

2) is the person really striving for something deep and transformational - or is this an interest/hobby.

 

- If hobby - then it’s fine
 

- if it’s a deep calling and they’re doing something that I see is counterproductive then I voice my opinion.

 

Of course it’s never that black and white - and I follow my intuition on things. But I’ve certainly ‘bitched’ about all kinds of practices and ideas. And I won’t stop

 

 

[dwai]

FWIW, the theosophical society is essentially considered (if at all) as a quack movement by most traditional Hindus.  

 

And we have Vedic astrology which is very powerful — my paternal grandfather being quite an accomplished Vedic astrologer (and I learnt it from him though I don’t practice anymore), but of Akashic records I only ever heard of after coming across ‘new age’ literature and the works of Tuesday Lobsang Rampa (who was neither Tibetan, nor a lama, but an English plumber writing under a pseudonym). Maybe one serious source where it’s mentioned is in Wang Liping’s “Opening the dragon gate”. 
 

I’m not knocking akashic records or New age of course, just that it is a stretch to say it has Vedantic roots. Vedanta doesn’t have anything to do with reading ‘soul records’ — it is a way to transcend karma and therefore The cycle of rebirth. 

[Earl Grey]

38 minutes ago, dwai said:

FWIW, the theosophical society is essentially considered (if at all) as a quack movement by most traditional Hindus.  

 

And we have Vedic astrology which is very powerful — my paternal grandfather being quite an accomplished Vedic astrologer (and I learnt it from him though I don’t practice anymore), but of Akashic records I only ever heard of after coming across ‘new age’ literature and the works of Tuesday Lobsang Rampa (who was neither Tibetan, nor a lama, but an English plumber writing under a pseudonym). Maybe one serious source where it’s mentioned is in Wang Liping’s “Opening the dragon gate”. 
 

I’m not knocking akashic records or New age of course, just that it is a stretch to say it has Vedantic roots. Vedanta doesn’t have anything to do with reading ‘soul records’ — it is a way to transcend karma and therefore The cycle of rebirth. 

Sure—and “Hindus” have a lot of variety rather than being one homogeneous group given that the “Hindus” and Vedic people I know have completely different views and practices from one another. It’s like saying that there’s only Catholic and Protestant or there’s only Sunni and Shia.

[Earl Grey]

Let’s be clear I don’t hate “New Age” per se, what I disdain is people using New Age to display a shallow understanding of traditional wisdom and touting it as superior to it all is my issue, especially self-initiation and hubris.

 

After all, I do list Reiki, Biogenesis, and Pranic Healing as practices I do and have done before as can be seen in my profile....

Edited September 11, 2020 by Earl Grey

[dwai]

1 minute ago, Earl Grey said:

Sure—and “Hindus” have a lot of variety rather than being one homogeneous group given that the “Hindus” and Vedic people I know have completely different views and practices from one another. It’s like saying that there’s only Catholic and Protestant or there’s only Sunni and Shia.

 I bet you dollars to donuts, I know far more and a wider variety of "hindus" and "vedic people" than you do  

I'm not knocking akashic record reading etc...just saying that I suspect the roots are not "Hindu" or "Vedic". Can you share one reliable source that says so?

[Earl Grey]

11 minutes ago, dwai said:

 I bet you dollars to donuts, I know far more and a wider variety of "hindus" and "vedic people" than you do  

I'm not knocking akashic record reading etc...just saying that I suspect the roots are not "Hindu" or "Vedic". Can you share one reliable source that says so?

I am quite sure you would get your fill of donuts.

 

Anyway, I am already cynical about “Hindu” because of the BJP and Modi and how they’ve ruined it in modern times, but that’s a whole different discussion...

 

As for reliable source—nope. Don’t have one offhand. I have what I’ve been given and that won’t cut it for sake of citing sources for a discussion. so I concede on this part.

Edited September 11, 2020 by Earl Grey

[dwai]

6 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

I am quite sure you would get your fill of donuts.

 

Anyway, I am already cynical about “Hindu” because of the BJP and Modi and how they’ve ruined it in modern times, but that’s a whole different discussion...

That is actually a revival -- a departure from the groveling colonized mindset that used to rule in India post-independence. They surely have their flaws, but being apologetic for their culture and religion is not one of them. This is why they are so massively popular in India with the masses. Yes, it is a whole other discussion

6 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

As for reliable source—nope. Don’t have one offhand. I have what I’ve been given and that won’t cut it for sake of citing sources for a discussion. so I concede on this part.

Fair enough. 

[Earl Grey]

1 minute ago, dwai said:

That is actually a revival -- a departure from the groveling colonized mindset that used to rule in India post-independence. They surely have their flaws, but being apologetic for their culture and religion is not one of them. This is why they are so massively popular in India with the masses. Yes, it is a whole other discussion

 

The Kumb Mela issue last year (you know what I'm talking about) was what really irked me...along with the revival was in my eyes staring to look very similar to the Islam that was considered "orthodox" that came more from Arab nationalism in response to colonialism....and also, the list of issues with how non-Hindus or lower castes...don't get me started...

 

3 minutes ago, dwai said:

Fair enough. 

 

 I make no assumptions and will also make no claims to have all the answers. 

[Apech]

20 minutes ago, dwai said:

That is actually a revival -- a departure from the groveling colonized mindset that used to rule in India post-independence. They surely have their flaws, but being apologetic for their culture and religion is not one of them. This is why they are so massively popular in India with the masses. Yes, it is a whole other discussion

Fair enough. 

 

 

I wondered how long it would be before you started blaming the Raj.

[Earl Grey]

On 9/10/2020 at 8:03 PM, ilumairen said:

I saw the following in the thread:

 

Quote

Unfortunately, this is not a democracy or a public place with the respective rights and privileges, this is a privately-owned and managed forum. You do not get the same rights and privileges in a public park as you would a guest of a private individual in their home. Those who would call someone's rules tyrannical and totalitarian are often like this lovely young American gentleman here:

 

 

So I realize my short answers were already more or less adequate, but I think I'll say a few more things starting with the above: that quote is not complaining about the forum, it was a "too bad for you" response to the user who got suspended, who, by the way, was the same one who was defending Ausar. He wanted a democratic vote and felt people would rally to his cause, and didn't realize it's not the way things are here, it's more like Cheers where Ted Danson could theoretically throw Norm out if he's had too much to drink (but they're buddies, so he won't!). In other words, I was telling him to deal with it because he was causing issues for our Flying Phoenix and Doo Wai matters and some posts that have disappeared included him inciting threats of violence. 

 

Anyway: moving along, the visa system is already gone, I just haven't edited it or looked at my PPJ the past week. I made my point and the threads are open for all...but if someone starts posting like Everything did on Taomeow's Sumeria thread, then I'll see about employing mafia hitmen to hang them by their toes and torture them by forcing them to listen to Gilbert Gottfried, Fran Drescher, and Bobcat Goldthwait sing covers of Bette Midler's "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Some Day My Prince Will Come"...from the tinny quality of a mobile phone's speakers instead of a surround sound stereo. 

 

Political correctness, overreporting, the whole "Teacher, teacher! Someone's being a meanie to me!" and "ahem! Young man, I don't like your tone...Why, when I was a lad, I had far more respect for my headmaster, blah blah...." kind of thing going on now, I hope will become a thing of the past. 

 

Lastly, freeform summarized his criteria that are also my reasons for saying what I say to help out, but as I just said to someone in a PM, at this point, I'm too exhausted to say much more in the future discussions, unless someone comes knocking or if someone looks like they're about to drink Clorox to cure Covid and are sure it will work because they chanted "Om" into the bottle before they attempt to chug it. 

[SirPalomides]

Hindu chauvinism is just more evil residue of the colonial era, and the legacy of partition, much like how the previously non-sectarian Irish nationalism becoming identified with Catholics played into the British colonialists' hands.

 

19 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

the Islam that was considered "orthodox" that came more from Arab nationalism in response to colonialism....

 

 

Most Arab nationalism, of the early to mid 20th century, was pluralistic/ secular. Looking for a way to keep the middle east divided and backwards, the British and later the Americans eventually settled on supporting the Wahhabi movement. It's a sordid tale of divide and conquer. By the same token they loathed people like Nasser, pan-Arab, secular nationalists.

[dwai]

23 minutes ago, Apech said:

 

 

I wondered how long it would be before you started blaming the Raj.

Not the Raj per se, but the effects of colonialism. 

[dwai]

40 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

The Kumb Mela issue last year (you know what I'm talking about) was what really irked me...along with the revival was in my eyes staring to look very similar to the Islam that was considered "orthodox" that came more from Arab nationalism in response to colonialism....and also, the list of issues with how non-Hindus or lower castes...don't get me started...

 

 

 I make no assumptions and will also make no claims to have all the answers. 

A lot of nonsense has/will be spouted about Hinduism’s “evils”. The truth lies in between the multiple narratives in the social context. That would be a massive thread of its own. 
 

That said, everyone is entitled to their own views.  
 

And that does nothing to support or prove that akashic record reading is a Hindu practice  

[Apech]

17 minutes ago, SirPalomides said:

Hindu chauvinism is just more evil residue of the colonial era, and the legacy of partition, much like how the previously non-sectarian Irish nationalism becoming identified with Catholics played into the British colonialists' hands.

 

 

 

Most Arab nationalism, of the early to mid 20th century, was pluralistic/ secular. Looking for a way to keep the middle east divided and backwards, the British and later the Americans eventually settled on supporting the Wahhabi movement. It's a sordid tale of divide and conquer. By the same token they loathed people like Nasser, pan-Arab, secular nationalists.

 

In your world does anyone have agency apart from the Anglos?

 

[dwai]

11 minutes ago, SirPalomides said:

Hindu chauvinism is just more evil residue of the colonial era, and the legacy of partition, much like how the previously non-sectarian Irish nationalism becoming identified with Catholics played into the British colonialists' hands.

Chauvinism of any kind is toxic.
 

That said, I’m not sure whether what’s happening in India is entirely chauvinistic.

 

There genuinely needed to be a correction, with so much of India’s problems being attributed to Hinduism (hindu rate of growth, Hindu cowardice), and castes, cows and curries stereotype which is being perpetrated even to this day in western media. 
 

For those of us who have been raised in a somewhat traditional, albeit non-orthodox form of Hinduism and Indian brand of multiculturalism, it is baffling to see. Only those who have suffered colonialism will understand. Maybe the native Americans know what it feels like to have their culture and way of life be systematically decimated. Luckily for us indians, it wasn’t successful entirely.  
 

The political nuances of India are far more complex than anywhere else in the world today. Certainly much more so than the binary logic of western politics. 

11 minutes ago, SirPalomides said:

 

 

 

Most Arab nationalism, of the early to mid 20th century, was pluralistic/ secular. Looking for a way to keep the middle east divided and backwards, the British and later the Americans eventually settled on supporting the Wahhabi movement. It's a sordid tale of divide and conquer. By the same token they loathed people like Nasser, pan-Arab, secular nationalists.

Yeah agreed. Wahhabism is a scourge, and it’s offshoot in Pakistan and the neighboring regions via the Deobandi school is another scourge. 
 

So is evangelical Christianity. 

[SirPalomides]

1 minute ago, Apech said:

 

In your world does anyone have agency apart from the Anglos?

 

 

Super edgy comment

[Earl Grey]

18 minutes ago, dwai said:

A lot of nonsense has/will be spouted about Hinduism’s “evils”. The truth lies in between the multiple narratives in the social context. That would be a massive thread of its own. 

 

I didn't say Hinduism is evil--I am implying the BJP and Modi are presenting a perverse version of it right now for political means.  

 

18 minutes ago, dwai said:

That said, everyone is entitled to their own views.  

 

And some are more informed than others in certain respects. 

 

19 minutes ago, dwai said:

And that does nothing to support or prove that akashic record reading is a Hindu practice  

 

Nor was I trying to as per me conceding earlier! 

[dwai]

2 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

I didn't say Hinduism is evil--I am implying the BJP and Modi are presenting a perverse version of it right now for political means.  
 

I very much doubt you know much about this than what you read on social media and western media.

 

I have members of my family (not political bigshots, but had to work professionally with modi & his govt when he was CM of Gujarat and later as the PM) who have interacted with Modi personally and attest to his character and sincerity. I’ll go with their judgement, thanks  

 

2 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

 

And some are more informed than others in certain respects.

Yes. I acknowledge that I am more informed than almost anyone else on this forum when it comes to India, and Indic traditional knowledge systems  

2 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

Nor was I trying to as per me conceding earlier! 

Just seemed like a ‘counter strike’ because of the fact that you had to concede.  

[Earl Grey]

1 minute ago, dwai said:

I very much doubt you know much about this than what you read on social media and western media.

 

I have members of my family (not political bigshots, but had to work professionally with modi & his govt when he was CM of Gujarat and later as the PM) who have interacted with Modi personally and attest to his character and sincerity. I’ll go with their judgement, thanks  

 

Yes. I acknowledge that I am more informed than almost anyone else on this forum when it comes to India, and Indic traditional knowledge systems  

Just seemed like a ‘counter strike’ because of the fact that you had to concede.  

Re: Modi:

 

NOPE.

[Apech]

18 minutes ago, dwai said:

Chauvinism of any kind is toxic.
 

That said, I’m not sure whether what’s happening in India is entirely chauvinistic.

 

There genuinely needed to be a correction, with so much of India’s problems being attributed to Hinduism (hindu rate of growth, Hindu cowardice), and castes, cows and curries stereotype which is being perpetrated even to this day in western media. 
 

For those of us who have been raised in a somewhat traditional, albeit non-orthodox form of Hinduism and Indian brand of multiculturalism, it is baffling to see. Only those who have suffered colonialism will understand. Maybe the native Americans know what it feels like to have their culture and way of life be systematically decimated. Luckily for us indians, it wasn’t successful entirely.  
 

 

Are you seriously comparing what happened to native Americans to what happened in British India?

 

18 minutes ago, dwai said:

The political nuances of India are far more complex than anywhere else in the world today. Certainly much more so than the binary logic of western politics. 

Yeah agreed. Wahhabism is a scourge, and it’s offshoot in Pakistan and the neighboring regions via the Deobandi school is another scourge. 
 

So is evangelical Christianity. 

 

Most organised religion is some kind of scourge.