Greetings and salutations on this fine Italian morning. I thought we’d move away from all this talk about the New World Order; Zio-Krays and Gallo’s, PC-Nazis, Schmoo epidemics, Biblical plagues and all the other looming evils and uncertainties that have turned the world into a chiaroscuro Wellbutrin-junkie world and look into some of the more positive things that are being worked on around the world.
This year, I’ve got a bumper olive crop since nearly all 76 of my trees are producing at the same time. My almond trees were also outstanding as well. I have had to lay out around 500 meters of net five meters wide to catch them all. I think that’s a lot of olives. My various succulent efforts are booming and blooming and I hope to have them become a major feature of the landscape in time. I am in love with succulents and never knew there were so many until I got into it.
Most people know that I am very interested in The Devic Realm and I had some conversations with my local entities about the situation where I live and you can form your own conclusions about the reality of the affair but it’s there to be seen that I’m getting more olives than one might ordinarily expect when I haven’t done anything to my trees. There are other surprises as well but I won’t be going into them today. Some of you may be familiar with Findhorn and what they accomplished there. I’m not going to comment on this particular organization or what might be the state of it today. We all know what happens when fame and notice, encounter money and influence.
In any case, there’s something to making contact with the invisible entities that labor in the natural world. What we call angels and other cultures and religions know by other names are only the highest entities from The Devic Realm. There are many other groups and types. You might know what gnomes, sylphs, salamanders and naiads are and you might not but they are employed like the dwarves in Time Bandits to engage in certain activities demanded of them by The Supreme Being.
What are called 'fairies' and 'elves' are also residents of The Devic Realm.
The agencies of The Devic Realm are quite curious about human beings, however, most of the time we behave like rampaging, destructive demons and they are not going to come around under those circumstances. I’m just throwing this out because I think some people might be curious about Nature’s helpers and a little inquiry can sometimes open windows of perception in your day to day.
Mostly I want to talk about the new technologies and to mention Jacque Fresco and encourage you to see the movie, The Future by Design. I have the highest admiration for Jacque and Roxanne and the work they do. In my communications with them they have proven to be every bit as remarkable as human beings as they are innovators for humanities future. This is the key element I look for when I encounter anyone who has been made famous for any reason... are they also a human being. If not, my interest in them ends.
Presently I am looking at a lot of different modalities to take my little hectare and this little house off the grid. I’ve seen some real breakthroughs of late such as spray on solar cells, the new super solar panels and this little item of entrepreneurial ingenuity. I’ve looked at geo-thermal and wind turbine systems. There’s a lot out there and once again, I’m probably not going to get out of seventh grade because I’m almost all right brain. Conceptually I get a lot of things and the intuition is a marvel. I’ve found that you can supercharge the intuition; maybe it’s better to say that you can greatly enhance access by the practice of certain repetitive efforts; more on that at another time... but... but... I’m a technical and mechanical Luddite and best left to simpler chores like chain-sawing firewood, digging holes and constructing planters and washing the dishes. I can do some simple household repairs and I can build some simple, interesting structures but that’s about it.
What I really need are friends who have this end of the equation down. That is why I love the idea of a community of diversely talented individuals who are also, ‘human beings’ and with whom one can accomplish all sorts of wonderful things for the benefit of the group. Unfortunately for me... now in Expatria, I don’t run into this much and my reclusive nature doesn’t facilitate running across many people but I suspect I wouldn’t be talking about this if there weren’t a reason that leads to some sort of change in the dynamic.
Recently I’ve had some freakishly positive encounters with individuals who possess specialized knowledge that looks like it is going to solve several long standing problems I have had in the area of supply and demand and in the area of making what I do a lot more professional than I have been able to accomplish. The world may be temporarily turning to shit but there are a lot of good things going on and I would rather focus on those when I can; surely I do in my personal life because most of what Smoking Mirrors talks about doesn’t have much actual impact on me except in the spiritual and metaphysical sense.
I’ve brought this up before and you should know that the primary intention of my blogs was to facilitate it... I’ve discussed this concept of a community before. Susanne and I are not tied to Italy over the long term. At the same time, I would say that where I am in Italy is a better than average location for a community and the people are genuine and hospitable in a way that has all but vanished from contemporary life. The idea of a community in several locations is also good and allows for varieties of creative possibilities.
So... the purpose of this blog entry is to encourage the readers to chime in with their thoughts on the matter. I would venture to say that among the readers here we could generate a prosperous and productive living situation pretty easily since there are some very sharp minds and multi-talented individuals coming around here. The key is to remain human and avoid the nasty self-interest and petty ego demanding that seems to proliferate more than one would like. We need to leave certain things at the door and not mind too much when life shows us our approach needs modification and to be willing to change so as to more richly enhance our lives and the lives of our companions.
Basically, I’d just like us to think about this and maybe have a little to say and see what comes about in the mix. It is certain that the old world is on its way out. It is a combination of damaged systems and wasted energy, rife with greed and appetite; not to mention, bad food and lifestyles. We can do better. It may be that we create a virtual community or one where people come in and out as time and circumstance permits. Whatever the result might be it will be better than what we have seen and better than what is recycling away.
So... let’s see what you come up with.
'Something Good (is Coming Soon)' is track no. 10 of 10 on Visible's 2002 album
'911 was an Inside Job'
Lyrics (pops up)
20 comments:
Thank you for the fire side chat Les.
We have a virtual community now
And it accommodates those who aren't necessarily compatible ego wise- no problemo- best of both worlds
Except for those that rattle (eg.ap,gs) who once tamed seem to become drop-ins; needed by all to remind us of what we once where/could become (and the probability of possible conversions- hallelujah)... utopia!
As I’ve said to you elsewhere, you and I are chalk and cheese but in ‘our’ world we would get on!!
Tony
It's nice to get away from the death and destruction ... necessary, in fact. Forget about it and you get blindsided, sure; but obsess on it, and you go off the deep end.
Here in the Canadian cottage country, I'm well insulated from all that dark stuff but on the other hand, socially isolated as well. Many of the encounters I have had have been positive, lately; but then, I've had very few encounters. Not many people around here, and those who are, are not often the most aware. Too wrapped up in the day-to-day, fixated by maya, not the sort of people from which a community can be built.
And I've been realizing that I need a community. A real one, a close and immediate network of multi-talented friends and companions and collaborators. What friends I have are scattered across the world, facebook friends for the most part. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that's the case for many of the readers; it seems to be the default, these days.
Ah, look at me. I'm making myself all morose. Well, the weather outside is vile, so I'll just chalk it up to that and say, if anything comes of this idea ... I'll give it serious thought.
It's important psychegram- good friends and accessability to same.
The town I live in is <1000 with about 30,000 in surrounding area on small <100 acre farmlettes in about 2,500 sq.miles.
My friends of 40 yrs are within 50Km of me- just far enough away for them to think of me as being too far to visit regularly but for me just close enough to easily visit when I feel the need. As Jj would say- sweet.
My siblings are far enough away so as to be reasonably close and my children are scattered over the state doing what suits them. We all see each other at least once a year and as you say very little of the big wide world impacts on our community. Life’s good.
I really enjoy communications with ‘you lot’ and as for Les- well, a van Gough in the making if not greater.
Tony
Sadly I live only 20 minutes away from a city, but yet in a vast expanse of woods where one could easily get lost. South Jersey is really a crazy place. Although I think i should be on the move out west, i feel compelled to sit here and do my best to bring positivity to an area full of ignorance and well....depression. When it comes to the stereotypical american, the local pop. is about 95% . Although all this social stratification does create some very unique individuals as i have come to to find out.
Anyway, I look forward to the day when, well........actually I'm feeling pretty content. :)
psyche,
Canadian cottage country... :)
collingwood, georgian bay... my hub's auntie has a beach cottage there :)
pretty area:) not too terrible of a drive up from etobicoke :)
maya... i've been to the yucatan...did chichen itza...
i agree, i really feel like we have no accurate understanding of the maya.. such a dichotomy. all this high art, astronomy... and bloodshed. of course we have 'the church' for the destruction of the codices and really only - conquistador/priest accounts of maya civilization, their only interest, advancing both spain/vatican empire's agendas/fortunes. sigh..
There's a new post Cimbing the Mountain with a Piano on your Back. at Visible Origami.
Hi Les-
Nice. I like it, the post I mean. I thought about sending this comment via email but decided to share it with all.
RE the devas: I'm very grounded in the physical but the physical isn't the life force and it isn't inspiration. I create nothing without "divine" inspiration, the muses so to speak. Many years ago a great teacher of mine put a temporary curse on me, just to make a point. He cut me off from contact with creative inspiration for about ten days. At the time I was just getting into the furniture business and had an order for a dozen beds. The client wanted one small change, a scroll cut at the bottom of the head and footboards. I found myself unable to design a simple scroll and had to ask someone else to do it. No creative abilities whatsoever. Big lesson there.
During the years that I lived in a cabin in the forest I had a lovely grow spot at the edge of a swamp, full southern exposure and perfect for growing plants that the authorities wouldn't let me grow elsewhere. I loved the spot and the spirit of the place, and would go there and dance naked in the sunlight while giving praise and asking assistance. The assistance was always forthcoming as was my gratitude. Well, the authorities, with the assistance of a spiteful and nosy neighbor, found and destroyed that lovely garden and I was unable to get back there for over a year. When I returned I was greeted with joy and sadness by the lonely sweet spirit of the place. "Where have you been?" I did my best to explain, but was forced to move on. It's painful to leave one you love behind like that and it makes me sad today as I write this. Bless you, lovely spirit. Perhaps some day I can return.
On community: When I left the USA I figured it would be a long time if ever before I returned, so I packed up what I considered most necessary and valuable, around 4 cubic meters of tools and books, and had them shipped to me in South America. I've been here for two years now but have yet to encounter a single person who sees value in what I brought or in my skills, beyond wishing to steal or borrow my tools or take advantage of my skills for little or no pay. This is a bit strange for someone who has been a highly respected and highly paid craftsman and designer for many years, but those who actually produce things of value are at the bottom of the totem pole here. The only gauge of societal status is money, and the less you do for the money the higher your status. Somewhat similar to the USA but about twenty times worse. A master mason earns around $15 a day, a corrupt cop ten times that, a corrupt government official one hundred times that and up. Just the facts, ma'am.
My mission for the past ten years has been what I call the New Agriculture, combining the best of all traditional wisdom with modern science and chemistry. It has finally come together over the past few years and I'm putting the finishing touches on an ebook, a hands-on manual about how to accomplish this. Although I consult with and work with people around the world from Bali to Poland, I'm living in a place where a female friend told me "Don't say anything to these people about gardening or farming because they consider agriculture the lowest of the low". Where I live, Venezuela, imports around 90% of its food, up from 70% when the glorious revolution began ten years ago. It's all bought with oil money, and with oil hitting $50/barrel that won't be possible much longer, yet there is no interest in growing food. Less than zero, and that means starvation on the horizon I think. As few have grown anything here for at least a couple of generations, all seeds and most fertilizer are imported, and the cultivated land is largely abused or neglected, I'm getting the message that this is not going to be a good place for survival even short term.
I held out some hope for a new forum that started a couple of months ago called projectavalon, but it quickly proved to be disappointing. Ostensibly it was about networking for those who see what's coming and want to form communities, but it has quickly degenerated into PC New Age fluff. The thread I started listing my wish to get together with others with a similar vision went unanswered, and everything else is apparently just talk. Too bad.
Apologies if necessary for being a bit of a downer so far in this missive, but I'm doing my best to be truthful.
I have been emailing some old friends from Ecuador who have a rural property, and something may come of that, but they don't have the same vision of what needs to be created that I do; their vision is to create an Eco-Tourist destination resort and get rich. I see the whole shebang crashing down into chaos, and my vision is to use that opportunity to create systems that do work, islands of sustainability and community that clearly demonstrate a positive direction for humanity. I think it would be wise to get going on this sooner rather than later, so the community(s) would be already in place as an example, rather than trying to create them in the midst of chaos and desperation. I'm very serious about it and don't have anything better to do.
As for getting along together, the comment that notamobster wrote on the latest Obama thread at smoking mirrors keeps going through my head. He was talking about various types of truth, e.g. truths that you have proven to yourself as opposed to truths that you have accepted without proof. It seems to me that it's the truths that we have accepted that divide us and cause ideological conflict. Religion is a good example, as are various governmental systems. The claim that Jesus or Mohamed is the only path to salvation, or that capitalism=freedom while communism=slavery or vice versa. They aren't really truths, simply unproven beliefs that have been accepted, and usually are found in those who haven't seriously studied or questioned them.
Finally, it appears to me that a community such as is being discussed should be approached as wide-eyed and seriously as a marriage or business venture should be if it is to be successful. In any case the honeymoon is soon over and one is left with whatever assets and abilities the partners have brought or can contribute, as opposed to just falling in love or getting rich quick.
Another important aspect is that the community should have a focus, a "trade" as it were, a "family business" that all are excited about, eager to contribute to, and have enough interest in to stick to it when things get tough. Agriculture, as in feeding themselves, will be important for all such communities at least for a while, as will being self-sufficient in shelter, warmth, clothing, energy, and the other necessities; these are a given, but each community might also have a common interest in, for instance, weaving and dying fabrics, or building boats, or computer software, or communications, or music, or really outrageous olives and olive oil as the "family business".
To that end I would suggest that the idea might be approached as a mutual job application scenario: one finds people of like interest, and each individually and all together decide who they want to be working with. I realize this may seem a bit too pragmatic rather than visionary, but I've been around a few "communes" where all are welcome and they don't work long term.
Perhaps each of us with an interest in this sort of thing could put together a resume of sorts, not just of skills and education but of ideals, goals, personal visions and dreams and see where that leads.
m_astera
m_astera;
this is one of the reasons that I chose rural Italy. Small farming is respected and everyone does it. I live in an area of one and two hectare plots. Only a few of us live at these locations. Most commute from a nearby town. Food is cheaper here than anywhere I've been. I mean the vegetables. Everything else you shop around for because prices vary widely but still, it's no problem for me. At the moment we can afford any food we like. We don't eat out much at all. The food's just better at home.
Your ideas of a community are like mine; a combination of talents that make the whole thing work and some product(s) that provide an income. That's just not difficult for reasonable and gifted people like ourselves and those who come here.
I've no interest in New Age horseshit or airheads. I'm a productive kind of a guy but I don't intend to ride herd on others which is why you need the right people to begin with. Once you have a central core everything operates off of probationary timelines. There are some good people who would not get on with each other because their visions are different and that's a no blame thing.
I've lived in successful communes and I've owned restaurants and a bookstore which financed them now and again with others who did as well. I don't like pecking orders or valuing one contribution over another. Everyone makes it work and I've always felt shitwork should be evenly distributed.
what I've seen is that when the thing hums everyone is just fine. I've seen corruptions try to enter too and I've seen communes go down for various reasons but that was always because the common vision went missing.
These days a community would be a more serious enterprise because the world is a more serious place and I think that makes communities more prone to work than before when you could just flow back into the world and that might not be so bad either. Now the world you flow back into has a backed up waste system.
Equity has to be maintained as does a fairness in shares determined by green or actual energy and longevity. But most details are common sense and the only thing one has to ask is, "Am I fair?" "Are you fair?" I believe with Lao Tzu that you always take the left hand of the bargain.
The fewer the rules and Indian chiefs the better. In a working community most everything should be understood and usually is.
I'm guessing that there are good Christian communes and communes that have other religions as their guide but that wouldn't work for me because I don't care for proselytizing and don't want to hear it. Otherwise I'm glad to hear anything that would make me a better person just so long as it doesn't involve transferring power to a priest class or creating cabals and exclusionary class structures.
I could go on and on but I won't.
It should be self-sustaining and it should be as off the grid as possible. I'm a certain kind of artist and I need electric for some of it. I believe in private space and communal space and that some things we do together and some we don't and there can be choice there too. I can't wait to get my wood-fired sauna in and a few of the other amenities that I like. But... of course, I can wait... forever if I have to.
vis, michael,
I got a letter some time back from a socialist friend who was exploring public interest in a "purposed community", for some friends. They echoed alot of your sentiments, good variety of talents/skills, public space/activities, private space/activities, off the grid, even allowing excess energy to be sold back to "the grid", and more. I like the sound of it, but like so many others, I don't want to move my family and life to monatana only to find out that it's falls apart 2 years down the road.
You might want to read Graham Hancocks book "Supernatural". Really good book.
Kinda funny that I had Lao Tzu around for years and never read him. Maybe I should.
I lived off grid for many years and have a good handle on what works and what doesn't. The main drawback is batteries---heavy, nasty stinky things that emit explosive hydrogen gas, self-corrode all connections, and hold very little power. And eat any clothes that come in contact with them. Finding a way to charge them isn't that big a hurdle, but the amount of batteries it would take to run an average home for a week would fill the garage, and the amount of solar panels to charge them would cover the roof, the neighbor's roof, and both yards. An alternative charger could be run off of a primitive steam engine that burned straw or corncobs.
I ended up with a bank of six deep-cycle golf cart batteries that when fully charged would run a few lights, the stereo, and the computer for a week. All high-efficiency stuff drawing 15 to 35 watts. An older computer or a TV can draw 350-500 watts and drain that week's electric in one day. It's basically modern tech, i.e. lights, music, computer being run by 18th century tech, the lead-acid battery. Solve the problem of how to store electricity as electricity and the planet is home free. For now, the key is to buy the lowest wattage high efficiency equipment available.
I agree that all that's really necessary is people who are fair, but coupled with aware. The average these days seems a bit too wrapped up in whatever nonsense is running through the monkey mind to find time to consider what's fair. Dense levels of hypnosis and distraction that don't allow a minute of the day for such introspection. I am constantly astonished and left speechless at the sheer absence of awareness, thinking "Do you realize what you just said (or did)?" It really didn't used to be this bad.
Tail end of a hurricane blowing in; the rain just started and the wind blew over some tomato starts on the patio. Thin sheets of water streaming down the sliding glass doors and wind whistling through the cracks. Life is good.
It's late and I'm not making much sense. You are welcome to not post this, just wanted to let you know that I'm enjoying the discussion.
m_astera.
Best wishes and good luck in your quest for alternative energy. I think you'lle get it resolved, expeditiously and in a pleasing way. Serendipity.
Hope that info I sent on devas was helpful. The author appeared, to me, to be one who was conversant.
Hey Will;
Thanks for writing. I haven't actually seen that piece yet because I've been jammed with various things and it's why I haven't replied yet... but I will (grin).
RE: Free energy:
There's a Tesla patent from 1901-1902 for a free energy device that is almost absurdly simple. I would cost nothing to make one to test it out; funny, but I've known about it for years and never built one, nor have I heard of anyone else who has tried.
Do a search for Tesla free energy and it will come right up; it's a metal plate stuck on top of a pole with a wire running down.
Even easier, here it is:
http://www.t0.or.at/tesla/tesfreee.htm
You're going to get tired of Venezuela sooner or later and then you can come here. You are welcome. You might have to stay in a guest trailer for awhile but we can certainly build a state of the art platform in an olive tree in short shakes or a hexagonal one room wrap around deck space or whatever.
Just remember that Ellis is a personal friend of mine and he might show up too. Ellis has carte blanche with me and his being gay never interferes with my life and his contributions are always actual contributions.
It's reincarnation baby. We all get to be everything so long as we are waiting for another role.
Thanks Les, I'm seriously considering it. I've always had a thing for Italy though I've never been there. I've read a lot about Venice and had the dream a few years back of moving there where craftsmen are honored. If it's that way throughout Italy I think I'd fit in well.
I believe I have given up on Venezuela. Where was I reading yesterday about some tribe whose values were mostly sociopathic? Friendly people here, I like them, but the culture is fundamentally dishonest, which is hard on someone who is not. It's been a nice refuge and I've gotten a lot of work done that I might not have in a place where I fit in better. Wish I could get them to understand that it would be wise to grow some food, at least. I started a bunch of seeds in September and took a few healthy vegetable starts out to some friends' land last weekend, where they watched me plant them. Some onions and other plants I put in there a month ago had not been watered and were mostly dead. It seems pretty hopeless.
Last week I was talking with a local entrepreneur who is hip to the world situation; he was telling me that the country's income right now is from oil sold 90 days ago when it was $140/barrel, and the money will fall off really fast come December. He knows tough times are coming. I asked him what the people here on the island would do for food and he said "eat sardines, there are lots and lots of sardines just offshore". I'm laughing as I'm writing this. What's for breakfast?
If you read my latest reply to Ellis you can probably infer that I don't look for or want any conflict with him. People being attracted to their own gender is not what I was writing about. I really didn't start posting here just to rile everyone up. Actually I'm one of the good guys. Friendly too. :) I am capable of innuendo, but I'm not always sure that others get it; it appears not. Perhaps I get the bad cop role and you can be the good cop?
I'm not a very good guitar player either, though I'd say that you are just being your humble self and are really quite good. I just like them.
My present financial straits preclude any rapid moves beyond the range of the local bus routes, but the Universe works in wondrous ways, does it not?
Blessings on you and yours-
Michael
kikz:
Actually I wasn't talking about the mesoamerican civilization; there's a hindi (or is it sanskrit) word, 'maya', which means the illusory quality of the world.
psyche,
ah.... i must've confused your mention of 'maya' w/someone else's meso-american travels :)) sorry:)
m_astera and tony . . .
Thank you both for replying to my comment over on the other thread.
i am going to reply there in detail, and i started doing that but haven't finished it yet. Today i'm busy at work and may not be able to finish this evening either but i am definitely completing that because it's important to me, so . . . watch that space.
For a short response here, m_astera, there is an important piece that i believe you are not seeing, and i had thought you were a person who was determined NOT to see it, and now i see from what you're saying on this thread that you are not that type of person at all, and in fact you are ALREADY starting to see it, because it has to do with discriminating between (as you said) . . .
". . . truths that you have proven to yourself as opposed to truths that you have accepted without proof. It seems to me that it's the truths that we have accepted that divide us and cause ideological conflict. . . . They aren't really truths, simply unproven beliefs that have been accepted, and usually are found in those who haven't seriously studied or questioned them."
One of those indoctrinated truths, accepted without testing -- namely, that as the pope recently repeated, homosexuality is 'an intrinsic evil' -- is the thing that is squarely in the way here. This is a truth that has been (again quoting from your post) "running through the monkey mind" of western culture for a very long time, making it impossible for people to simply "consider what's fair."
Bullseye diagnosis, doctor.
You said . . .
"I am constantly astonished and left speechless at the sheer absence of awareness, thinking 'Do you realize what you just said (or did)?'"
That is a pretty good description of my first reaction to your post about the AIDS ridden fags, etc. Then, as i thought about it i started thinking, No, the guy IS aware, and he's doing it on purpose! Now, from learning more about you, i see it as being on purpose ONLY in the sense that this topic is one that you are used to feeling right about, and it looks to me like you said what you did in order to re-experience those familiar feelings of 'being right', about this particular topic. But the content of what you said was actually unintentional in that it was an readout of a belief that you (and i, and billions of other people) got indoctrinated with, and that you have not been aware IS actually an indoctrinated belief (because it has felt like something that is just obviously right without even having to be said, or even thought about).
I AM aware of it because i have (as you said) seriously studied and questioned it, and i did that because . . . my karmic situation made it absolutely necessary for survival. Otherwise i probably wouldn't have. And my understanding is, the aspects of my situation that in the past have seemed negative and limiting (difficulty self-expressing, possessing a characteristic that per-the-Bible means i should be killed if i let anyone see it) are indications of how i have BEEN in the past toward other people -- maybe a nazi schoolteacher or Retardant type of person, who was suppressive and really into being that way. So, i don't see any innocent victims in the picture. i would however like to lighten the load that this belief puts on the people it impacts. Paradoxically i think that means i have to recognize and renounce the ways that i have been or am being suppressive to other people.
Thank you m_astera for indicating something i never thought about before, the relation between indoctrinated beliefs and fairness . . . that what we were indoctrinated with, and believe without even realizing we're believing something, keeps us from considering and creating the arrangements that we would prefer to be in effect as 'fair.'
Now i'll put the rest of this back over on the other thread.
Les, thank you for thinking of me as a possible community participant. When i read what you wrote i went out for a walk and thought it over without actually needing to because the answer is already obviously yes! Would i possibly consider living in an olive grove in the boot of Italia? Como no???
ellis
I moved with my family to Sardinia for many of the same reasons... and am suffering (slightly!) from the lack of whatever it was that i had in my 10 years in London.
Good luck with your adventure - i am enjoying planting the veg and looking after my donkeys.
PS you meet some interesting people thro' helpx.net...
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