Gone to the beach

Maslins Beach, South Australia

The Garden of Goude and Evil

Photo by Jean Paul Goude

If you're out there, you're vulnerable. People prefer to disappear in life, to repress their personality. That's not living. It's dying. I see them all over the place, the walking dead. - Grace Jones

What Tree Did You Fall From?

I am an Apple and a red, juicy, sweet, delicious one at that! ha ha

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and somewhat accurate. Find your tree below and see what you are like...

Dec 23 to Jan 01 Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) Beech Tree

TREES (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.
Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.
Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).
Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant,friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.
Cedar Tree (Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.
Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.
Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.
Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humour, practical.
Fig Tree (Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, sexually oriented, great sense of humour, has artistic talent and great intelligence.
Fir tree (Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.
Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humour, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.
Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.
Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.
Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.
Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.
Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.
Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft,needs affection and reassurance.
Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.
Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.
Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.
Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

Selfish Bitch

The injunction to be unselfish is an impossible ideal. Each of us is totally selfish in the sense that we are always doing what some part of us wants to. Generosity feels at least as rewarding as greed. Selfishness is neither inherently good nor bad - it depends on the way we are selfish as to whether it nourishes or injures. Notes to Myself, Hugh Prather

I feel like life has stalled at present. It's a waiting game, waiting for results that say 'You have scary cancerous cells, time to get the chop' or 'Those scary cells, well don't worry they are ok but we'll have to keep an eye on them...' (read stick a steel speculum up your most intimate and private space and probe with a microscope into your innermost womanly depths, often, as often as we would like because we have your health at heart, do you mind if these half a dozen student doctors look at your twat too?). It feels like everything has slowed down to a snails pace. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting for a reply. Waiting for a miracle. Waiting for fate to change so I don't have to make a decision. Kind of like Groundhog day. I wake up. There is children and their needs, I can't concentrate on my work, or anything long term, there is a partner who literally twitches with sexual frustration and is now stating it in every conversation, calling it 'feelings'. 'I have these strong 'feelings' for you...' Give me a break! It would be sooo easy to just sleep with him just so he would shut the f&*% up and give me some space. But then he would be all melty and goobly and expressing his undying affection... I feel like throwing up. I feel so objectified. I feel like Pandora, a creation of desire, my purpose to be perfect, to be ideal, to fulfill some man and his immediate physical needs. I stay open, compassionate, loving, kind, but something is itching, an impulse...

I'm curious one...

I want to open the box

unleash it all

every fucking inconceivably horrid emotion and desire and selfish 'I don't give a fuck about you and your fucking needs I'm looking out for me now, so FUCK OFF!'.

But I sit on it.

And what about what I WANT?

What do I want?

FUCK IT ALL
FUCK
FUCKING
FUCK FUCK!

(I just taught my spell checker the word 'fuck'. I had to 'unlearn' my three year old this week)

I hate waiting...

Love came...

Love came slowly
it crept up on me in the darkness
curled around me
warming my coldness

I melted into it's arms
merging
releasing my fear in a headrush of relief

I was loved
needed
desired
wanted
oh yes that was clear

In his eyes
desire
I want you
to possess
to have
to hold

I was your slave
your life
I existed to please you
and that was enough

But in the the cold winds of time
the love shrunk
eroded
to a tiny bundle of expectation
it no longer embraced everything
and we routinely plodded through this thing called

home
family
commitment

a fire blew through
blowing off the roof of our cozy existence
shattering the windows in an explosion of broken promises
i was hot
a ball of burning desire
the fire burned in me for a long while
two years

but not through me to you

I see sadness now
in your eyes
where once there was desire

I am not yours anymore
I can't be

I'm not connected now
I blow in the wind of change
like a plastic shopping bag
dancing in the empty carpark

Something plain
something domesticated
something disposable
something once useful

There is beauty in the ordinary
something beautiful
when freed

I always was a wild horse
and you knew I would break free one day

The irony of being a caged wild animal doesn't escape me

Freedom cost me something
it left a hole

I dance now in that empty space
my spirit is my own
the space is vast

I'm not really sure where I am
but I am
I am

RIZE

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

Last night I went to town to see glamour guru, David LaChapelle's docco on street dance in the impoverished areas of urban Los Angeles. Something is illuminating the souls of these kids born into the pits of poverty in the City of Angels. It is giving them courage and hope in the face of adversity as innocents are gunned down in broad daylight and babies begin their life on the streets because their mum is in jail for possession.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

LaChapelle's work is a celebration of freestyle street art in the form two styles of hip hop dance 'Clowning' and 'Crumping', that were birthed out of the violence and tragedy of the 1992 riots.

There was a moment in this film where a (very young) defiant teenage boy was talking about running with his dad's gang, wearing his colours and everything about this kid was aggressive and angry, macho and tough. Two other adults were with him, drawing him out and encouraging him to talk and let all that go before he ended up dead on the streets. The saddest thing, this confused kid, wanting to be with his dad who was his hero, but it wasn't enough, he needed a good role model not a gangland father. Seeing him melt into the arms of a little toddler who was wanting to cuddle and comfort him and give him affection. This tough kid was tears, it gave me goose bumps.

Another woman was surrounded by her kids, telling of her path to find love and acceptance within her circle and realising after years of drug addiction, neglect and jail that it wasn't love, in the end, no one was there for her...

This a high energy 96 minutes of hip hop as black America rediscovers it's tribal roots. Dance is a cathartic release in the darkness of gangs, drugs and street wars, where loss and pain is every black persons birthright and redemption is glimpsed in the power of love, laughter and the celebration of life.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. (text in italics from Martin Luther King's speech 'I Have A Dream' )

Top ten sexiest things about summer

desire feels like your heart melting and running down your navel and pooling warm and liquid around your genitals.

my top ten sexiest things about summer...

one - sundresses and strappy heels

two - lip gloss

three - the bikini

four - alfresco dining at a great restaurant with a sea view

five - gin and tonic with a slice of lemon and sprig of thyme

six - lovemaking under the stars on a balmy evening (sans mosquitos!)

seven - sunshine! (6am till 9pm)

eight - eating a mango

nine - cruising on a motorbike to the beach

ten - diving into the ocean on a hot day

What the?

I sound like such a Bimbo in this blog!

BIMBO!

But I can't be fucked sounding intellectual.

I'm smart enough. I have a degree, my work involves skill and intelligence...

but I'm also the mother of two and that fries your half your braincells and the other half deteriorate from lack of use.

Maybe anything intellectual floating around in your brain is about as relevant or appropriate as wearing designer clothing or high heels once you become a mother...

God that is so depressing.

I'm going to heel up and go to the supermarket. LOL

Good thing I have a sense of humour or hang on maybe I've finally gone insane, in a good way. Ha hahhahhahahha ha

Ideal Lover

I just realised that my last post was that cheesy questionnaire result... 10 days ago!
I have come to the conclusion that there is no ideal lover. There have been many people in my life who have come and gone and returned and left and kept in touch and faded away to the merest whisper of a memory...

I'm still addicted to the adrenalin rush of passion though.

Ok who am I kidding, my ideal lover would be;

1 Someone who intuitively understands me and my needs and visa versa

2 Can cook divine! incredible food when the occasion warrants and also really good simple food (i.e. the perfect omelete on a Sunday night)

3 Intellectual and conversational without being a total smart arse!

4 Exquisitely skilled in the art of lovemaking... sigh

5 Broad tanned shoulders and godlike body

6 I'm thinking male because I like cock but lately I'd settle for a girl

7 Sensitive gentle hands that just love to massage, especially backs and feet!

8 Someone who has enough of their own life to leave me to mine when I'm not with them

9 Generous and reliable

10 Honest, passionate, respectful, kind, loving, demonstrative, playful, fun, affectionate, considerate...

Ok that's enough fantasyland...

I think I'm the happiest when I am my own person anyway.

It's finally summer (officially in 9 days!) and the weather has drawn me out of doors to soak up the delicious energy of the sun. Thus the lack of posts.

I went for a walk along my favourite (nudist) beach this morning... It was perfect! I stripped off to get some sun on my arse! Unfortunately my warm, sleepy, basking repose was destroyed by a dirty perverted old man who had the audacity to walk over where I was sunbaking and then stand there and stare at me. I put my clothes on and walked back up the beach. He was lucky I was chilled out by the sea and sun because in anything less than the good mood I was in and I would have thrown sand in his eyes and given him a good kick in the shins! I have no problem with men or women who wander down the beach with their kit off having a good perve as they wander, no problem, but old men, fully clad, walking up to people chilling out on the beach and invading their space that really shits me! In the end I don't really care, they are sad, sad creatures but the next one will experience my wrath!

Sucked in to one of those quiz things

Your Seduction Style: Fantasy Lover

You know that ideal love that each of us dreams of from childhood? That's you!Not because you posess all of the ideal characteristics, but because you are a savvy shape shifter.You have the uncanny ability to detect someone's particular fantasy... and make it you. You inspire each person to be an idealist and passionate, and you make each moment memorableEven a simple coffee date with you can be the most romantic moment of someone's lifeBy giving your date exactly what he or she desires, you quickly become the ideal lover. Your abilities to make dreams come true is so strong, that you are often the love of many people's lives.Your ex's (and even people you have simply met or been friends with) long to be yours.No doubt you are the one others have dreamed of... your biggest challenge is finding *your* dream lover.

What Kind of Seducer Are You?

Expression Métaphorique

To experience the drama of plate tectonics -- the jostling of the giant plates that carry continents and oceans -- try this experiment: Sit in a comfortable chair, hold your hand out, and watch your fingernails grow. That's about the average speed of a tectonic plate. But wait around long enough, and even the tortoise crawl of plate tectonics will have dramatic and deadly consequences. Though plate tectonics is a global phenomenon and virtually invisible to us in our daily lives, it introduces enormous stresses in the crust where we live. From time to time, stressed-out crust releases the stress in sudden fits: earthquakes.
More frequently than time to time, actually. If you imagine the Earth as a giant bell, it's ringing with earthquakes every second of the day -- from the many imperceptible clinks of microquakes to the deafening gong of very occasional but "great" earthquakes (those of magnitude 8.0 or greater). More here

There is currently a grand fixed cross in the sky. Mars in Taurus, Saturn in Leo, Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Aquarius. Mars rules the day and if you are a fixed sign and feeling streesssssseed! It's the fucking planets. Everyone else if you are feeling streeeeeeeeeeessssssssssed, the moon is passing over the whole, shit-shang caboodle and ramping it up to the max! (i.e. moon/emotions).


Here is a list of de-stressing suggestions...

Watch a sunrise
Go to the beach
Be positive
Sing a song
Pet a dog
Tell a joke
Listen to music
Blow bubbles
Take a nap
Dance a jig
Take a walk
Write a letter
Have a cup of tea
Ask for help
Smile
Take a break
Stretch
Keep a journal
Hum a tune
Meditate
Do Tai Chi
Play a drum
Prioritize
Give a hug
Throw a ball
Play with a child
See a movie
Plant a flower
Say "No"
Set Limits
Eat a snack
Read a book
Practice kindness
Light a candle
Laugh out loud
Lie in the sun
Walk in the rain
Run in the park
Talk to a friend
Take a bubble bath
Avoid negative people
Take a deep breath
Ask for what you need
Go to bed early
Give a compliment
Clean a closet
Go barefoot
Watch a sunset

Fly me to the moon

O swear not by the moon, th'inconstant moon
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. - Romeo & Juliet

The moon is looking particularly beautiful at the moment, with Venus dazzling like a multifaceted diamond and falling into it's crescent bowl. They are both visible in the afternoon, during sunset and in the early evening.

The issue of reflectors and the four paths to enlightenment

By Richard Rudd

Since time immemorial, man has hankered after a state of transcendence from the form in which he finds himself locked. This state has been called so many different names - nirvana, moksha, brahman, satori, enlightenment, awakening…This issue of enlightenment is deeply ingrained within the Human Design Revelation. The actual terminology is important here since Design notes a difference between enlightenment and awakening. Awakening is referred to as being in absolute alignment with our original nature. It is as simple as being oneself. Enlightenment is a rather more slanted terminology, since its etymology hints towards the word 'light'. In other words, enlightenment, as a word, can be deeply divisive and misleading.

To dwell within the light is to dwell in an extreme, and many enlightenment teachings over the centuries have sought to escape the darker side of human nature. Awakening is a broader term - you can be awake and in the light or asleep and in the light and you can be asleep in the dark or awake in the dark.Enlightenment, in many ways, is something of a con. The light can be so deceptive; it can so easily draw you away from where you are really meant to be. Most of all, it can prevent you from accepting yourself as you are now. To the Not-Self, enlightenment is the ultimate lure. I have even conned you all by using the term in the title of this article. But Human Design is not concerned with enlightenment. If you awaken, you will attain the states you are meant to attain, at the right times with the right people and in the right places.

Many teachers have over the centuries attempted to categorise the paths to enlightenment and awakening. Buddha himself divided these paths into four broad categories. So often, great cosmic truths arise directly from deep genetic truths. There are four types of vehicle and therefore there are four mechanical paths to awakening (and four types of spiritual propaganda!). They are all rooted in a common theme of surrender:Manifestors are here to surrender to Freedom. The more deeply a manifestor rests in their true nature, the more powerful their urge to be free becomes. By design, manifestors are archetypes of pure freedom, even though within the maya, this is an illusion. For a manifestor, freedom comes before everything, even before love.

The propaganda of manifestors brings us the concept of freewill. This is the 'You create your own Reality' propaganda. This is 'we are the planet of choice'. Spiritually speaking, this is symbolised by the path of Yoga - a proactive path towards awakening (this is 'Yoga' as a teaching rather than the western body-centred discipline). When a manifestor comes to Human Design, they actually appear to make their awakening happen. Given the power of their conditioning, this may not be as easy as it sounds.Generators and Manifesting Generators are here to surrender to the Now. The awake generator actually goes in the opposite direction from the manifestor (albeit to towards the same source). Whereas the awake manifestor takes control of their own life, the awake generator surrenders control. The surrender of response is the continual surrender to the next moment. This is the propaganda of 'nothing is up to me, it's all out of my hands'.

Spiritually speaking, this path is embodied in the Indian Vedic teachings known as 'Advaita', but it can also be found in other teachings such as the Chinese Tao Te Ching, which centres on the concept of 'wu wei' - the art of doing nothing. Since it applies to over 70% of us, it is amusing how unpopular this kind of teaching really is. The Not-Self generator much prefers the manifestor propaganda that says: 'no, I have a choice and I'm going to make a difference!'Projectors are here to Surrender to the Other. Like the generator, the projector has a design to wait. But the awake projector cannot simply wait for the next moment to define them, they are actually defined by their relationships.

Spiritually, this is symbolised by the path of Tantra, the union of two or more energies leading to transcendence (again, this is 'Tantra' in its purest form, rather than the modern western sexual interpretation). The secret of the projector's true path lies in the mastery of the undefined sacral, which always depends on the correct alignment of their own and someone else's energies. The spiritual propaganda of the projector path is all based on cooperation and love. This is the teaching that we are all one and that only by joining together can we attain transcendence. One can see how this is actually the most natural of all teachings, since projectors are the most natural teachers. It is the natural direction of humanity, and yet projectors cannot impose this way on others.Reflectors are here to surrender to their own Existence.

The awake reflector is a living archetype of transcendence. Their very being testifies that there is no individual self. This is symbolised by the spiritual teachings of negation - that all form is emptiness for example, as Buddha taught (one wonders about his design). The myth of Buddha is a wonderful archetype of the reflector - sitting beneath a tree for seven years until the deconditioning reveals the truth that there is no one sitting under the tree after all.

For such a relatively small part of the population, the propaganda of this path is enormous. The reflector's propaganda is the propaganda of enlightenment! They represent the extreme. For a reflector, the repetition of the truth 'this isn't me' directly resonates. Every time the reflector looks in the mirror and identifies with what they see, they stop being a clear mirror for others. The Reflector also bears testimony to a great truth - that beneath our designs, we are that as well. Only when we resonate our designs through our correct path will we become aware of the background emptiness in which we live and move and have our being (symbolised in every channel, gate or centre that we have undefined).

Any awake being, whether manifestor, generator or projector, will attain the same transcendence as the reflector, but each will simply perceive it differently. Our individual path is directly linked to the definitions in our design, which is why the Reflector has no distinct path of their own. Theirs is the so-called 'pathless path'.The Maya in which we live holds such delicious ironies - perhaps the greatest of which is that there is any such thing as awakening, let alone any path towards it. The mystics have always held that we are already awake. And yet, we are each designed to seek out a higher truth. Collectively, humanity is a passage in which a rolling consciousness is flowering. We are all being used by consciousness, whether through the authentic self or the not self. From the viewpoint of pure consciousness, no duality exists, but from our viewpoint within the maya, we are each limited through the perspective of our designs.

There is no spiritual teacher who has ever existed who has not been limited by the perspective of their design. Even the Reflector is limited by seeing things in an unlimited way! I begun this article with the intention of writing about reflectors, and now find that I have in fact written about all the types, and a great deal more. That actually symbolises the reflector beautifully. All the above paths to transcendence have been so deeply intermingled and confused that it extremely difficult for anyone to know which path belongs to them. The Not-Self is generally only comfortable with imitation, which is why it seeks outside authority and a structured path. Everyone these days wants fast food, pre-prepared spirituality.

So, one final caution - especially for those with undefined minds and undefined head centres! All of the confusion about awakening and enlightenment has come about because of the mind. Undefined minds hate to be uncertain, even though it is their nature. And worse still is the undefined head centre. 71% of humanity has an undefined head centre! That means that two thirds of the human race is still trying to figure out questions that do not matter to them. So, if you have an undefined head centre, enjoy the inspiration of teachings and structures, but don't try and work them out. Let time and the simplicity of your strategy answer all these questions for you.

Welcome to Hell

A heavy thunder breaks the deep lethargy within your head.......causing you to upstart suddenly, like a person who by force is awakened. Before you stands an enormous gate with an inscription that reads:

"Through me the way into the suffering city,
Through me the way to the eternal pain,
Through me the way that runs among the lost.
Justice urged on my high artificer;
My maker was divine authority,
The highest wisdom, and the primal love.
Before me nothing but eternal things were made,
And I endure eternally.
Abandon every hope, ye who enter here."

And I'm relegated to ...

Dante's Second Level of Hell

You have come to a place mute of all light, where the wind bellows as the sea does in a tempest. This is the realm where the lustful spend eternity. Here, sinners are blown around endlessly by the unforgiving winds of unquenchable desire as punishment for their transgressions. The infernal hurricane that never rests hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine, whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. You have betrayed reason at the behest of your appetite for pleasure, and so here you are doomed to remain. Cleopatra and Helen of Troy are two that
share in your fate.

Yeah that figures, no surprises there. Take the Dante's Inferno Test and see if you will join me in the endlessly unforgiving winds of unquenchable desire... or worse.

http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv

Moksha and Nirvana

The doctrine of samsara as it was developed in the Upanishads made the hope of a heaven in which all the sorrows of this world were made good a foreclosed possibility. With the concept of an afterlife in which one simply is reborn time and again because of the actions (karma) one takes in life led Upanishadic thinkers to conceive of moksha, or release from the changing world and the cycle of birth and rebirth.

Buddhism also stressed individual effort in the quest for moksha and placed liberation from samsara as the central goal of its philosophy. Buddha seems to prescribe a form of therapy in the Four Noble Truths, in which he describes the cause of human suffering or impermanence (dukha) in the human desire for permanence and then outlines a method of ridding oneself of one's desire and, therefore, one's suffering or impermanence. For Buddha there was no underlying or fundamental unchanging aspect to the constantly changing universe, so that successful detachment of the self from the world of change was in fact self-extinction (Nirvana). Although this doesn't sound like an attractive alternative to most Westerners, logically it is preferable to an eternity of suffering in a universe of change and illusions.

Disclosure

This is meant to reveal some of my lesser known personality traits, qualities, strengths and weaknesses. The idea is for you to copy and paste into your blog to reply e.g. my favourite colour is red because... to which you may reply my favourite colour is blue because... Post a link in my comments box. This is not to discover whether we are worthy/not worth the bother, good/bad, compatible/unlikely to get along but to increase our knowledge of each other as friends and cohabitants on this strange planet called earth.

1. I am a Cancerian, born in 1975 and a woman! definately! My full name is Katherine Elizabeth Fitton (that is Fit-ton not Fitten)

2. My favourite colour is red because it is the colour of passion and represents love and life, blood and danger.

3. I masterbate everyday, at least once, sometimes more. I think it is a healthy form of 'self-love' and care as it eases tension, boosts the immune system and floods the body with endorphins.

4. I am a 'feel good' junkie. If it feels good, I'm there. This extends to eating delicious food, drinking wine with a drinking buddy, smoking pot on a lazy afternoon, uncontrollable laughter, sizzling ssssex, hugs, kisses, smiling at strangers, walking in the moonlight along the beach, rolling around on a blanket in the sunshine, taking off my shoes (clothes too) and walking barefoot, eating chocolate cake for breakfast, driving fast (naughty), talking with my mouth full, ignoring people who are rude or have their head stuck up their arse... the list goes on...

5. I can be extremely spoiled, petulant, picky and unable to be pleased if the mood strikes!

6. I have an explosive temper. When I go off, I go off. Things get smashed and there is a lot of yelling.. then sobbing and apologising.

7. I have moments of such introspective, spiritual calm, I feel as if I have ceased to exist - nirvana?

8. I love the beach, getting sandy, wet, salty, hot and burnt(bad tho). I would be happy stranded on an island (as long as I could find something to eat and had a yummy body to indulge my primal instincts with).

9. Sometimes I am happy to share ALL my thoughts, beliefs, feelings with people, even total strangers and other times I lock it all away and say squat. I am a paradox. This doesn't depend on the company I'm in, I'm like this even with my closest friends and family.

10. I have slept with women and men and enjoyed both. I think every person has something that makes them sexy, beautiful, desirable or special.

If you feel brave write your response, secrets, lies whatever...