tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57729269649946661622012-02-12T13:39:14.269Zi found myself. now what do i do with it?~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-23256529420224061942009-11-25T14:05:00.018Z2009-11-30T19:28:21.450Z

The other day i was at a communal meal with some friends and one of them said, "I was contemplating eating that chicken they're about to throw away but then i thought--nah, it's repulsive. It's a corpse."To which i responded, "vegetables are corpses too."She replied, "yes but that animal suffered alot in its life and was probably really frightened when it got killed. vegetables...eh, i don't

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-25019148552542781242009-10-20T17:07:00.002+01:002009-10-20T17:13:16.320+01:00

The other night (i happened to be sleeping in a cell at the time) i had a very disturbing dream. I dreamt that i was in my parents house and was talking with my mom about one of the rooms in the house. It was the last room that we remodled and we refer to it as The Book Room. I dreamt that the books were all gone and that it had been turned into a bedroom. For some reason the feeling in the

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-56112367600065771022009-06-03T20:22:00.011+01:002009-06-18T01:55:22.858+01:00

Now, whatever be the rights or wrongs of war, one thing seems clear. The weapons are wrong. My young friend, with his fine-spun brain and his spiritual delight in Milton's harmonics, ought not to be annihilated by apiece of raw matter. One does not fight a Sevres vase with a stone. Bringup your Chinese vase an you will, and let the battle be of beauty. There isa horrible expression, " food for

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-59551116413241467542009-06-02T19:46:00.006+01:002009-06-18T18:32:00.224+01:00

although on some liberal definitions of the term i could be considered a Christian (in fact, a better Christian than many who self-define as such) i've never felt drawn to Christianity as an organized religion because i don't believe the Jesus of Nazareth was the only Christ.i believe that the Christ is a potential that exists within all of us but one which we can never attain perfectly because

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-39412728873435935302009-05-23T19:35:00.007+01:002009-05-23T23:02:51.270+01:00

this started as a letter to you, mom and dad, but turned into a blog entry. so some of it might not apply to you and other bits might not apply to anyone else.. this was E--'s original idea, in response to me saying i wanted to write you a letter on how to radicalize yourselves: "we could structure it into segments. one segment could be what to do about the environment, and this would then have

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-21790529454546692602009-05-23T14:30:00.006+01:002009-05-25T14:57:37.016+01:00

Le Dogme et Rituel de la Haut Magie Eliphas LeviGeneology of Morality NietzscheCapoeira and Candomble Floyd MerrellFriends Theseshttp://essays2changetheworld.wikispaces.com/The Perennial Philosophy Aldous HuxleyMcGee on Food & Cooking Harold McGeeMevlana Celaleddin Rumi and The Whirling Dervishes Talat Sait Halman, Metin AndLoyalty to the Sky Marisa HandlerEmersonPlotinusMaximus the

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-32868995824273102382009-05-15T16:06:00.001+01:002009-05-15T16:21:28.588+01:00

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-45604844569711327912009-05-14T21:22:00.008+01:002009-05-15T15:56:54.475+01:00

so originally i wasn't going to go to the G20 but then i got to thinking about how much fun it would be, what a milestone it would be, how i could look back on it in my old age and say 'yes, i was there when we protested against carbon trading in the streets of London.' plus, i had already gone to capture the flag, a kind of pre-protest training which deserves its own entry, and it would have

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-42134311406069420072009-05-13T17:12:00.009+01:002009-05-14T13:32:38.345+01:00

the other day i was talking to a very good friend (you know who you are) and she was telling me about her blog (you can read it for yourself if you understand Turkish). it started as a small project among her friends who had grown up doing activism together in Istanbul, to keep in touch with one another as they spread out over the world and share their experiences and reflections about their

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-11635535246686117552009-04-26T17:12:00.003+01:002009-04-28T01:30:17.166+01:00

i just read an article by anarchist anthropologist David Graeber:http://www.sleepykid.org/blog/2007/01/13/army-of-altruists/and it gave me some more ideas about what the problem with our society is and what we can do about it, if you haven't heard enough already. this time i think i really nailed it, so to speak..as i see it, one of the biggest problems (possibly the most important next to our

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-67660202649401366192009-03-25T15:47:00.000Z2009-03-25T15:49:53.290Z

order in the universe is an illusion. it is not the case that order arose from chaos in the temporal sense. rather, the distinction between the two is unreal. order is constantly permeated by chaos. the reason we

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-1363601595876396672009-03-25T15:42:00.001Z2009-03-25T15:44:21.810Z

i think that all really funny people have their own private sense of humor and what we see is only the most presentable fraction of what tickles them.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-37518045691731995752009-03-14T20:41:00.012Z2009-05-15T15:59:55.354+01:00

dear E--,here are some of my experiences with and thoughts on the practice of meditation that you requested. i suppose the reason i've been kind of elusive about this subject with you is that i don't want you do have any preconceptions about it but rather learn through trial and error. however, i'm sure that hearing about my experiences will not prevent you from having your own unique ones.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-34923687071644395972009-03-14T20:39:00.004Z2009-06-13T13:37:05.820+01:00

Dear All,of course activists are impeccably motivated by love for the world and its inhabitants, right? i know that i more often than not fall short of this ideal. in my experience it is often the case that when i speak to someone i harbour very subtle ulterior motives. i want to assert my identity. i want to feel important. i want to ‘win’ the argument. what are your motivations for

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-36119396107133081132008-10-02T13:21:00.002+01:002008-10-02T13:24:54.875+01:00

read this, especially if you consider yourself an activist:http://www.redroom.com/articlestory/getting-beyond-the-narratives-an-open-letter-activist-communityDon't be put off by the fact that the author is a self-proclaimed Druid. :)

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-91008481039692935592008-10-02T13:18:00.002+01:002008-10-02T13:21:29.634+01:00

What if at some point in the future you aquired the ability to go back in time.What if you then used this ability to travel back to a day in your life that, for whatever reason, you considered special and worth re-experiencing.What if today were that day?

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-43130470169897952572008-09-26T21:12:00.005+01:002008-09-26T21:51:32.733+01:00

I'm writing this post from a squat-like place in Manchester. Just now, in the heavily graffitied and dimly lit toilet, a mysterious voice noted that "Heroine has been used here." I am unable to discern whether this voice originates in the transpersional psychic fluid or is a product of my own thoughts, nor am i sure of the accuracy of the information it supplied. Such things have long since

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-91909463977478768012008-09-03T17:11:00.007+01:002008-09-04T02:05:34.885+01:00

While writing my dissertation on spiritual activism i had the chance to reawaken my activist career after several years of slumber. I participated in Climate Camp 2008, a week long protest against the construction of a new coal-fired power station in Kingsnorth, UK.Where to begin to describe such a complex phenomenon? Use of the field was given to the campers by the landowner on the condition

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-7590243985662132822008-09-03T16:58:00.002+01:002008-09-03T17:11:32.350+01:00

I owe megan credit for the pun in the title.YES, THE DISSERTATION HAS BEEN VANQUISHEDI felt a rush of endorphines upon its submission. It got really intense toward the end. i had put so much effort into it and really wanted it to be good, which it is-by my standards at least. If you would like to read it, it is available for download here. I'm still very interested in the subject of

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-12044734881739099702008-08-26T00:57:00.002+01:002008-08-26T00:57:46.597+01:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8OgOz9tTIUthanks for this, Ju :)

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-92186444144545916272008-08-01T04:43:00.008+01:002008-08-01T05:42:46.610+01:00

My time here in England is nearing its end.I came here looking for mystical insight and i found it.I guess my purpose in doing this course, adopting these practices and keeping this blog was so that i could verify for myself and others the things the mystics have been claiming throughout the ages....and much of what they've said has, in my experience, turned out to be true, although I don't

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-80206997365842485452008-07-15T17:03:00.000+01:002008-07-15T17:04:40.468+01:00

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-74945478772881537702008-07-08T18:45:00.004+01:002008-07-08T19:10:16.158+01:00

1 large or two small aubergines quartered lenghtwise and sliced thinlyolive oilsaltmaple syruppowdered hot chocolate (the kind without powdered milk)one banana, slicedone onion, choppedhalf a head of garlic, finely chopped or presseddash cinnamondash nutmegdash coriander???mystery ingredient??? (i can't remember what it was - maybe cumin)generous dash of curry powderdried chilies for extra

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-13973181157354106862008-06-14T15:17:00.001+01:002008-06-14T15:19:00.442+01:00

Heads bent in prayerfor friends not there.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-45088932733054020172008-05-20T20:24:00.003+01:002008-05-20T20:33:43.075+01:00

Sitting on the grass, doing capoeira in the sun, watching Jimi Hendrix at woodstock on my friend's laptop, being poor yet wanting for nothing, sometimes i catch glimpses of a connection with the iconoclastic youth of generations past. i get the sense that something very beautiful that began back then, maybe even further back, is just now blossoming into maturity. This is the (re?)emergence of a

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-49727361842991456342008-05-20T01:33:00.002+01:002008-05-20T01:45:05.491+01:00

The experiment was a success, quite possibly the best dish i've come up with yet:Two 3/4" thick rounds of pineapple, chopped3 medium-small tomatoes chopped, or one can chopped tomatoes1 can tomato paste1/2 package mock beefchocolate sauce2 bananas, sliced1 onion, diced1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped1 can black beans1 can black eyed peasassorted hot spices[secret ingredient]waterplace the beans

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-69212704405131446832008-05-09T00:16:00.005+01:002008-05-09T02:45:12.928+01:00

You know the feeling when you have tons of things to do and barely any time to do them? You have to start thinking strategically, every second is valuable. You can't look too far ahead because you're concentrating on what needs to be done NOW but the things you're doing are meaningful and bringing joy to yourself and the people you love, so it doesn't matter that you're overwhelmed because its

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-48687322362074570972008-04-22T01:27:00.002+01:002008-04-22T01:33:42.858+01:00

patiencemindfulnessplayfulnessnon-judgementnon-attachmentcompassion is conspicuously absent from this list because it cannot be taught or practiced. it is an innate sensitivity awakened and nurtured by continuous effort in putting these disciplines above into practice.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-79525977056774428252008-04-20T23:26:00.001+01:002008-04-20T23:30:29.813+01:00

My friend Amy and a few of her Japanese friends made sushi for us. Those of you who know me well should know that i was IN HEAVEN. It was one of the best meals i've ever had in my life, in close competition with Adrianna's Mexican cuisine. This is me eating it with a large helping of wasabi to prove what a badass i am. I wish Amy had photographed the subsequent grimaces.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-29632766862496897192008-04-12T23:25:00.007+01:002008-04-13T00:38:19.583+01:00

it's been a while since i've written a very detailed entry. i think this is because i've been struggling to get a handle on all the that's been happening to me over the past few months. right now i'm very much in the process of integrating all this and i think it would be dangerous for me to talk about it prematurely. this isn't because i'm trying to be secretive. the words don't capture the

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-62425101907369768982008-03-29T19:02:00.006Z2008-04-25T03:22:10.667+01:00

Estoy enamorado de la tierra: "Este ser hermoso, que está vivo hasta sus últimos resquicios y comprende cada sentimiento, me dio cariño, me curó de mis dolores y finalmente, cuando entendí todo mi cariño por él, me enseñó lo que es la libertad." Adoro a las personas cerca a mí y a todos seres. Los adoro porque adoro la tierra y adoro la tierra porque yo los adoro. ¡Qué cosa más linda el vivir en

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-85356964913028142862008-03-20T23:43:00.003Z2008-03-21T21:29:43.106Z

A few years ago I had a very large black dog named Marley. He was my best friend. We used to play with one another out in the yard, usually at night. We would make up our own games and try to outwit one another. While we were playing we forgot about the line that separates one species from another. The fact that he was a dog and I was a human only meant that he was faster while I was trickier. We

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-19747840214411782022008-03-16T23:22:00.003Z2008-03-17T00:32:03.400Z

I've been amplifying my culinary repertoire with the help of The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook which my friend Jay graciously lent to me. Here are some of the things I've made recently:Thai Coconut Curry1/2 cup water1 large potato cut into 1-inch chunks3 carrots also cut into 1-inch chunks2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 medium onion, cut into chunks2 cloves garlic4 thin slices fresh ginger root (or

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-3896595391820498662008-02-24T03:43:00.011Z2008-03-11T01:02:12.544Z

I did a very foolish thing. I drank some ayahuasca the other night during the lunar eclipse and quite a few strange things happened to me. I had been preparing myself with diligent spiritual practice for the past two months and was expecting an intense mystical experience, but of course I was in no way prepared for what was about to occur. I felt the peak effects of the potion coming on and

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-31033573159529170352008-02-09T14:43:00.001Z2008-02-24T03:43:53.282Z

There exists a force in this universe that compels it to life. Though almost too primal to be talked about, this principle can be understood as the impetus to come to life, to become conscious, and to actualize. To restrict the discussion to human beings, all the sources of motivation in us, from the strongest to the weakest, are easily recognized as manifestations of this principle. Physical

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-88229133602516707002008-02-08T00:02:00.000Z2008-02-08T01:32:59.774Z

How they got there unfolded as follows: My friend Michelle is an avid korfball player (korfball is some crazy Dutch sport that I've never actually witnessed; from what I hear it seems to be the bastard offspring of basketball and rugby). There was a tournament in Canterbury and the visiting teams needed a place to stay. Being high on Kensho at the time, I thought it would be very Zen of me to

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-86831179493800479792008-01-18T19:53:00.000Z2008-01-27T16:42:33.059Z

I'd like to devote a post to a new thinker I've encountered who is bound to become a great influence on me, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.This man was simultaneously an eminent paleontologist, a Jesuit priest, and a social activist, and thus embodied the quintessential mystic in my view. Reading his works, it is clear that he was an evolved being and many of the people who met him felt an instant

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-77839448068301397002008-01-18T18:48:00.000Z2008-01-19T16:24:32.666Z

Some very significant changes are happening in my life. As I mentioned on January 3rd everything seemed to come together. Since then I have become much more disciplined in my spiritual practice. I have been meditating much more often, rising early every morning (most of the time) without difficulty to do yoga. At the moment I feel as though I need nothing. I wouldn't care in the least if all my

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-33545547103273055952008-01-11T13:58:00.000Z2008-01-11T16:04:28.757Z

So here's a write up everything that happened to me while on mushrooms in Amsterdam. I'll do my best to be as candid as possible, although there are some things which are simply too personal to be publicized. Don't worry, what I do choose to leave in should be shocking enough. IntroductionI believe I should start by assuring the reader that I was not as in danger of losing my mind as I may have

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-2877852311951005612008-01-10T18:23:00.000Z2008-01-10T18:27:07.257Z

"How hard is it to quit smoking?As hard as it is to start flossing!" -Mitch HedbergThe importance of flossing in the system of spiritual development that I use cannot be overeggagerated. In fact, my very life hangs by a thread of floss.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-30567683344527077222007-12-19T23:46:00.000Z2008-01-03T13:22:17.878Z

Holidays this year, as might be imagined, were quite a roller coaster ride. Although many discreet episodes took place I've decided to lump them all together into one post, beginning with:Thanksgiving Thanksgiving was particularly dear to me this year. For starters, I never thought that I had anything resembling "American Heritage" until I came to the UK. Some other American postgrads decided to

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-85726852600875537732007-12-04T00:28:00.001Z2007-12-05T02:14:26.244Z

My belief that the divine permeates everything cannot be abolished by any evidence. This is because the belief is only an epiphenomenon of something more basic and non-rational--that is, a sensitivity. I see the divine oozing out of everything around me, sometimes more so, sometimes less so, but never not at all. It is as if all external objects, indeed reality itself, is a tenuous membrane

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-61178137654698644302007-12-02T01:42:00.000Z2007-12-02T02:14:19.958Z

Last night I had an extremely vivid lucid dream. Many lucid dreams that I have had have been located in a relatively mundane setting. However this one occurred in the bowels of something resembling a combination of a temple and a subway station. The tunnels were lit with a dim yellowish light and covered in red and off-white square tiles. I remember worming my way through these tunnels and

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-69067960255504658512007-11-27T01:54:00.000Z2007-11-29T22:42:32.875Z

Since I do not believe in academia for academia's sake and would rather write about something that might be helpful to someone than pursue something purely out of the urge to intellectually self-stimulate, what do you, my friends, want to know about mysticism, religion, etc.?...and don't think this is just because I'm stuck for an idea! It's about POWER TO THE PEOPLE dammit!

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-78597848875664365002007-11-27T01:49:00.000Z2007-11-27T15:16:00.972Z

Cut sweet potatoes into disks about 1 cm thick, cut off skin, and then cut each disk into fourths. Place in plastic bag and drizzle in a liberal amount of sweet chili sauce. Make sure sauce is evenly distributed then place bag in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Pan fry 5-7 minutes on each side over medium heat.note: Try to minimize the amount of sauce that gets into the pan as it tends to

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-75506526814920892672007-11-13T14:47:00.000Z2007-11-14T01:41:45.766Z

Yeah, so I went to London last night for the first time since my arrival in the UK to see ADULT. in concert. ADULT. is an extremely weird married couple/electroclash duo known for their eccentric aesthetic and abrasive sound. As if these weren't enough reasons to like them, to me they embody a beautifully twisted version of the American dream. They certainly lived up to all of this live,

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-48750689452404923872007-11-04T17:06:00.000Z2007-11-05T00:02:47.998Z

Alright, I've been getting a lot of negative response to my last entry, so I'd like to give some additional information about the mushroom and my approach to psychoactive substances in general which may clarify things.To begin with, the title of the entry doesn't really have anything to do with the experience described therein, it is rather a reference to an inside joke made earlier that day in a

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-61013574208429552882007-11-03T08:09:00.001Z2007-11-03T09:26:28.243Z

Two days ago I found some amanita muscaria mushrooms growing the forest. I picked three of them and ate them yesterday at around 2:30 in the afternoon. It was somewhat irresponsible of me to eat so many without first testing their potency since there are regional and seasonal variations and they are known to be toxic at high doses. Fortunately I came out of the experience intact. These

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-91416359144052203282007-11-02T02:06:00.000Z2007-11-02T03:18:58.864Z

Many things have happened in recent days.My coursework is intensifying and I find myself reading frantically to keep up. I'm going to start my annotated bibliography soon. It's going to be about clinical research into mystical states of consciousness. There are too many issues floating around at the moment to describe them all. I encourage my readers to post questions if you have any.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-49255647662860702292007-11-02T01:45:00.001Z2007-11-02T02:01:21.604Z

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-61478798236341617292007-10-22T00:40:00.000+01:002007-10-26T02:28:07.824+01:00

Last weekend was a weekend of art. I went to a art exhibition at the Univeristy College for Creative Arts in Canterbury on Saturday. There were a surprising number of pieces gathered there, mostly paintings with a few sculptures, some photography and a little fiber (I could have used a bit more fiber).There's also several trails of artist open houses you can follow. I did the Herne Bay trail on

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-56177795181767542392007-10-19T22:22:00.000+01:002007-10-19T22:27:15.692+01:00

Today I made a badaaaaaaasssss thumb ring from scratch and dined on a deliciously unholy union of naan and hummus. The other day I made a lampshade for my obnoxious fluorescent light out of colored paper.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-75128266781046856102007-10-19T14:20:00.000+01:002007-10-19T18:33:27.335+01:00

The works of Carlos Castaneda tell us of seeing, a special mode of perception by which things can be perceived as they truly are. Now and then I would puzzle about how this could be possible. It seemed to me that since the totality of the universe is reflected in each of its parts, including you and I, there might be a way to tap into this unity in a quasi-perceptual manner, rendering a special

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-8551899692569060412007-10-19T03:04:00.000+01:002007-10-19T17:43:35.111+01:00

I also neglected to mention that I found an LP store called "Canterbury Rock" which is run by a old, burnt-out looking guy with long hair reminiscent of the guy from Wayne's World 2 who keeps telling the story about beating people to death with their own shoes. I asked him if there was a prog festival coming up and he said he didn't think so but that he would probably see me there if there was.

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-10962152009561975352007-10-19T01:52:00.000+01:002007-10-19T17:38:36.533+01:00

Well I suppose I should rewind and talk about my trip to that ol' Cathedral which actually took place at the end of my first week here, but for some reason hasn't seemed important enough to write about until now. Actually there isn't much to talk about, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. It does seem worth mentioning that the tour guide (apart from being a nice, knowledgeable guy)

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-11191369214231430972007-10-19T01:07:00.000+01:002007-10-19T01:20:59.679+01:00

Last night I had a mystical experience. Just a little one, but vivid enough to be memorable. I was lying in bed thinking to myself when it occurred to me how strange it is that I'm stuck listening to this internal voice of mine for my entire life. As I thought about this I suddenly had a very powerful impression of being outside myself, not physically exactly but able to regard myself with

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-53618173524685644962007-10-17T02:18:00.000+01:002007-10-17T02:33:25.759+01:00

Chop an onion and saute in butter or olive oil. Wash greens (of any type, chard, collard, turnip, kale, etc.) and leave the leaves very moist. Add greens to the onions, COVER and begin cooking on low heat adding water periodically. Finely chop a few cloves of garlic and add. Continue cooking until stems are done. They will be soft and lose their planty flavor. Try to time the adding of the

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-92068141029692998402007-10-17T01:40:00.000+01:002007-10-17T14:41:39.623+01:00

At the freshers societies fair I somehow found myself near a sexual health booth. I noticed one of my fellow students come away from said booth with a free umbrella. Being in need of protection from the rain, I decided an investigation would be profitable."Are you giving out free umbrellas?" I inquired."or free condoms," replied the matronly occupant of the table, "which would you like?"Now I

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-259674597855825532007-09-30T21:45:00.001+01:002007-10-19T02:51:13.431+01:00

I had my first REAL class on Thursday, although it was mainly devoted to pedagogical matters. Grad school here is so much more nebulous than my undergrad in the states, and I haven't really got used to it yet. I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to read for next week so I've just been going through the course packets, reading whatever seems like it's going to be covered. There are three

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-74552804306417399652007-09-26T03:03:00.000+01:002007-09-29T03:04:43.201+01:00

Cover an eggplant with boiling salted water, cook 15 min., drain Cut in half lengthwise, carefully remove the pulp with a spoon so you don't break the skin Filling: Chop the pulp and add one cup soft bread crumbs Saute a finely chopped onion and two tablespoons of butter until translucent or soft Add pulp and crumbs, season to taste, moisten with a little water or stock Cook five minutes and then

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-40499324547693608422007-09-26T01:52:00.000+01:002007-10-19T02:52:48.542+01:00

Okay, so I had my first day of class today and I figure I might as well write about it while it's fresh in my mind. Even though I haven't covered everything that happened to me the first week I can alway write about that later. Actually, the class I had today was an optional module being offered to undergrads that postgrads are invited to sit in on, but STILL. Today I got to hear my program

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-84096404749635246522007-09-26T01:20:00.000+01:002007-10-26T02:25:18.248+01:00

Emotions have indeed been running high since my arrival.I've been thinking that I started my life as a very obvious person who could easily have become an Andersonian "grotesque" (and still may). However, my studies of mysticism, particularly Carlos Castaneda, have allowed me to transcend these dispositions...to a degree. I'm starting to identify what I believe to be a tension between my valuing

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-88479199497085833052007-09-26T01:09:00.000+01:002007-10-19T17:42:20.377+01:00

...brooding as my narrative posts may be, a substantial part of my existence is spent in meditation upon highly abstract ideas some of which may have little or no relevance to anything and may not even be comprehensible by anyone, including myself. From time to time, such thoughts may escape and rear their hoary heads, squinting in the harsh light of day, in this blog. I urge the reader to keep

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-79660694174720964222007-09-23T17:13:00.000+01:002007-10-19T03:00:00.330+01:00

The events leading up to my departure were interesting in and of themselves, but being that this chronicle concerns my travels and should delve into them as soon as possible, for now I must devote less prose to my last days in the States than they deserve. Sufficed to say that the preparations for my departure were rushed and I didn't linger with my friends and family as much as I would have

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772926964994666162.post-26557949466433476522007-09-23T16:51:00.000+01:002007-10-19T17:42:37.476+01:00

These first posts come at the tail end of a week of activity. I will do my best to recount everything of note that has occurred. Be aware that many of these stories are transcribed from emails that were sent to my friends and family shortly after the events inspiring them occurred. I hope you won't find me unoriginal if you were the recipient of one of these emails and you find it crudely

~chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222634947005797898noreply@blogger.com0