Ehidense Dictionary

Quaker Saturnalia

Count me in for any religio-saturnalia you got goin' on-- we Quakers are down with that shit.

The Imperative

Pay Attention

“Pay Attention” by Us3

A lie is a falsehood Everybody knows it
We’ve come to a crossroads ‘Cause I realise that
Things aren’t what they seem And I see a pattern
Of people and their dreams Regularly shattered
We trust in our nation That’s where we are living
To allow our elevation Do more than surviving
No-one asks the question When we need the answer
Are we in the right direction We don’t think it matters

We wonder why we’re in the situation that we’re in
The real truth is we’re not paying attention

(chorus)
We’re freely marching on to exploitation
We’re blindly moving toward extermination

Because every lie we hear has a justification
And the truth we deny is public relations

You think you have freedom That’s what they all say
But your mind doesn’t function Over medicated
Because of depression Too much information
And you have no direction Just don’t pay attention
There’s so much pollution Some kinda radiation
Which leads to destruction Everything is wasting
But political action Everybody rising
Is deemed a distraction Well well well well

We wonder what is happening, and how we got into this situation
We’re not paying attention

(repeat chorus)

You say we need discussion About all our problems
Then we need protection From those who cause them
We should be talking preservation For our children
Which leads to evolution Higher higher!
There can’t be hesitation If we want the real truth
And no more reservations And you know that means you
What we need as a nation People come together
Is a spirit of revolution Around the world

We don’t have to believe the words that they spin
If we just keep paying attention

I'm much happier here in front of the computer, letting my mental out on the screen, but I feel I must do something substantial about this world we live in. At least for my family. I must at least reach out locally and try to develop community. I must become involved.

Y'know, when something's in the air, it's everywhere, and this same idea of just breaking out and forming community showed up on Jaynebug's site, too!

I want you to go over to her site and show some love, but I'll reproduce it below as well-- if for nothing else, it'll be there for me when I need to reread it.





(emphasis added in the parts where I really need to pay attention)

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Whatcha Waiting For? by Jaynebug

  Me! Me! Me! That was it. Years ago, I was so self involved that I just didn't have the time for others.  'Others' meaning people I didn't know. I'd show up to volunteer or work or be part of some gathering and I'd keep to myself rather than join in the community that was happening around me.  You know what I mean right?  Being part of it. Adding myself into the mix. No... I was mostly just observing it.  I was a very social person, but very selective about who I shared my time and thoughts.

   After I had Baby Dude, now Teen Dude, we'd go to the park and I'd just  play with him.  I was an older mom so I could be ignored pretty easily.  When he was Little Dude, I'd go to his ball games and just sit to the side not speaking to other parents or only speaking to the one's whom I had a "history".  I kept my world much smaller back then.  I felt I was on overload with my 'plate of life' full enough and I didn't see a way of adding any more people to that plate. I also wasn't sure I'd fit in to their way of looking at things. I wasn't sure I wanted to know how they saw things.  I was more comfortable being a shadow on the wall.  You're there, but no one really cares.

  Well...a good thing happened on my way to better worldly spirit.  I stopped wanting to get it over with and thinking I didn't fit in.  I stopped thinking about fitting in all together.

  Now I introduce myself to an unfamiliar face and many times a familiar face that in the past I've only nodded to in passing.  I make contact with people more and more.  I want to hear what they're thinking and I let them know what's on my mind.  (As some of you well know, I have a lot on my mind most of the time so it's a good thing to share it.) I stopped wondering if they'd understand my individuality.  

  I find I look forward to sharing other's perspective on life as they know it.  We all come with our 'stories' that have directed our choices along the path of life.  I don't want to avoid those stories. I want to know those stories. I have found in doing this that there is always some common thread that we can share. When I show interest, ask questions, then listen, people sometimes tell me what's deeper in their thoughts. I find myself having conversations where people say "I never thought of it that way." I love those conversations. I also introduce these people to people I know in order to make the circle larger.   

  I finally figured it out.  If you can do it - If you can contribute positive energy when people gather then you build a bridge of understanding.  Not everyone can and you might be the balance in that situation.  You might be the one in that group that can show an example of reaching out to others.  As I've said before, I hope it's contagious. 

  If you can shake off the moment of unknown outcome, you're on your way.  Introduce yourself.  Ask questions. Find a common thread. Smile a bit more when your out among the masses. It's all part of being the blessing. 

  Oh yeah.  How did I get off overload?  What changed in me in order for this to happen?  I surrendered to the process.  My 'plate of life' grew and I found that I could hold it. 

What on Earth: FILM: Money as Debt

What on Earth: FILM: Money as Debt

The Valiant 60

From Wikipedia: The Valiant Sixty were a group of early leaders and activists in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). They were itinerant preachers, mostly from northern England who spread the ideas of the Friends during the second half of the Seventeenth Century. They are often identified as the First Publishers of Truth. There are actually more than sixty of them.

From A Quaker's View:

The men and women who carried the Quaker message abroad became known as the Valiant Sixty. They were the most ordinary of people — farmers, tradesmen, and shopkeepers. Yet something extraordinary propelled them into action.

Of this “extraordinary something,” Francis Howgill wrote:

“The Kingdom of Heaven did gather us, and catch us all, as in a net, and His heavenly power at one time drew many hundreds to land... the Lord appeared daily to us, to our astonishment, amazement and great admiration, insomuch that we often said to one another, with great joy of heart,'What? is the Kingdom of God come to be with men? And will He take up His tabernacle among the sons of men, as He did of old? And what? shall we, that were reckoned as the outcasts of Israel have this honor of glory communicated amongst us, which were but men of small parts, and of little abilities in respect of many others...”

These people “of small parts and of little abilities” became the spearhead of an ascendent Quaker movement. They left behind their families and all that was familiar. Often, they suffered beatings and imprisonments for their troubles. But their message spread.

Friends traveled to Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Quaker emissaries made their way to Holland, Germany and North America.

The story of one Friend, Mary Fisher, exemplifies the unflinching spirit of the Valiant Sixty. Her first missionary journeys were across England. When she arrived in York, she was thrown into prison. In Cambridge, she was the victim of mob violence and then publically flogged.

In 1655, Mary Fisher traveled to the New World. Her journey took her to Barbados and then to Boston. The Puritans of New England searched through her luggage and confiscated all of her books. These were then burned in the marketplace.

Mary herself was then thrown into prison. The window to her cell was covered over — leaving her unable to communicate with anyone who might be sympathetic to the Quaker message. She was even strip-searched to see if her body bore any marks of witchcraft. After five weeks as a prisoner, she was placed aboard an outgoing ship and told never to return.

And now we get to the amazing part.

In 1657, when she was 35 years old, Mary felt called to bring a message from God to the Sultan of Turkey. A more exotic destination could not be imagined.

After traveling across Europe, the young woman finally arrived in Smyrna (a city within Turkish territory). However, a protective English Consul in Smyrna tried to spare her any further danger. He in placed her on a ship bound for Venice.

Fortunately (?), bad weather forced the captain to seek haven in Greece. Once the ship landed, Mary resumed her journey. She went straight to Adrianople, where the Sultan was encamped with his army.

After arriving in Adrianople, Mary needed someone to introduce her to the Sultan. At first, no one was willing to do this. If Mary should happen to offend the monarch, then she would lose her head — along with whoever had dared to provide her with access!

At last, the Grand Vizier arranged a meeting. Since Mary had said she was bringing a message from God, she was treated as an ambassador. The whole court was assembled to receive her.

After pausing for a moment of quiet worship, Mary delivered her message. In conclusion, she asked the Sultan if he had understood. “Yes,” he replied, “every word!” And he agreed that it was Truth.

Although there is no evidence the Sultan was changed by this encounter, others most certainly were. The simple message of the Valiant Sixty extended the Quaker movement across the barriers of class or ethnicity.