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Some Basic Ideas About Belief Systems

Who We Are and Why

Panentheism, not Pantheism, seems to be a good start for what I now understand. My core belifs are still predominately what they were as a child, but with some Hinduism thrown in. I believe that some of us, the overthinkers, taste many flavors before settling on a primary choice. Sometimes it is a matter of defining what we already know. Sometimes we must create our spiritual reality almost from scratch or blend new ideas that feel right with our set, not quite there, beliefs. None of us wants to be led astray. None of us wants to be uncomfortable with beliefs and rules that do not truly hold us. It seems to me that after we experiment and learn and gather what we need from the Baskin Robbins of belief that we finally come down to a more defined, or more mellowed version of what we knew as children.

I do not mean at all what we were taught by our parents or our observations, but what we (knew) from the first. I understand that this is covered up and forgotten by expectations of parents or friends, but, this belief is always there. It does not follow that someone born into a Lutheran family will be Lutheran or even christian as such. Some children may feel more "at home" with budhist or Catholic ritual. Watch children. See who they are and what they worship before they are taught (correctly). Many of the early teachings or observations will add to what we started with and who we are as adults.

Preferences for ritual or meditation or speaking in tongues can come from who we were at birth, consider them past life memories or astrological influence, whatever, or, sometimes, perhaps, we have been subtlety influenced by something we have been taught or observed even as a baby or before. I have actual conscious memories of my mother holding me at the adoption proceedings. I was only six months old. I remembered the room when I saw it as an adult. The memory is of Mothers chest, her black dress, the scent of her powder, her warmth and smile, the halo of her hair. and the strange scent of the building. You can never tell what might have registered as a holy moment that helped to influence your preferences for life. Could the scent of incense from a particular church draw the adult because as an infant they had smelled it on a favorite caretaker ?
I suspect that at least part my love of incense came from my mother who burned India Moss Rose fairly often as I was growing up . What is not accounted for by exposure would be my closeness to the earth as a living being and my need to care for and sacrifice to it. I believe that this closeness to God was a between life memory or true part of my soul that surfaced. Some things such as respect for deities may have been past life memory. You see there are very distinct categories here dividing Past Life, Learned, and Soul memories. (Just wait until we get to the discussion of ONE and how none of this is real anyway except as a framework of perceived reality designed solely to facilitate remembrance.)

Another factor involved with all categories is between life planning and involves our Signposts. As I said before, we have a general outline of how our life will go, lessons to be learned, people to influence etc. A sort of soul plan for the current existence. There are forks in the road where we need wake-up calls or reminders to get on with our purpose. We make agreements with other souls to be at a certain place at a certain time where hopefully will notice the carnation in their button hole and choose the right road or awaken the memory intended. Please note that we sometimes do not make the connection and that there may be more than one Signpost out there. Especially if we knew we would be more than usually stubborn or unobservant. This folds into synchronicity at times.

There you are drifting along when you suddenly someone, you may have just met, gently nudges you in a direction that you may not have realized was open. Suddenly things begin to make sense, you have a purpose, something wakes up. You are no longer feeling derailed. Sometimes these become long lasting relationships. Sometimes they will be only a few minutes talking to someone you will never see again.

One of my most recent Sign posts is a hobbit named Jeff from Colorado, my, now, ex-husbands best friend, mine too. He is part of a terrible trio consisting of Lillian a fairy lady from Canada, Jeff, and Wolfy. Lillian was a particular Signpost for my ex. Lillian and her friends generated a wake up call of serious interest in Huna in my butterfly mate. He fit in with them at once. This interest has generated a major increase learning curve and ability to stick to and assimilate a belief system without damage to his ability to think for himself.

Jeff , my sign post has been a very dear friend. I admit to being a bit suspicious of him when I first heard about him. After all, he and Lill got to go the Huna convention and walk on fire together. Wolfy kept saying "He is just like you." Not necessarily a good thing in itself. However, if ever there was a sign post he is it. During a chat with him on Compu-Serve I discovered that I could channel and call my totem and power animals. He invited us to Colorado and the mountains took me back to who I was. The me that was left behind in childhood that felt the connectedness of it all and could talk to the trees. ( I also met a very special tree and had a miracle at Cabrini shrine, just for starters.)

On top of everything else, the resemblance between Jeff and my brother Ricky as well as the resemblance between Susanne, his wife and my sister in law Susan is totally startling. Not to mention Susanne and I look rather a lot alike and could easily be sisters.

In both our cases these people came along with perfect timing. Both of us were on major growth spurts and ready for more. In Wolfs case, a wake-up call was needed to give him dedication. In my case the call was to remember who I am and who I was. To regain touch with the earth and faith that I had studied and intellectualized into a cocoon. In both cases the meetings and connections were coincidental, unexpected and unsought.
***Cont. in Signposts ***

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Chapter1 History
Chapter 3 Signposts
Chapter 4 Quantum Aspects
Chapter 5 Sweat Lodge
Chapter 6 Teachers and Shamen
Gods Dream/Alan Watts
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Quotes and Poems
Suggested Reading List
Book Reviews / Opinionated Mystic

Note: Panentheism is the belief that God is everything and everyone. But, that He is greater than the sum of the parts. Or that He has his own being in addition to being all.

Pantheism believes that God is All and that All is God. No seperate being or essence..

Animism believes that God is everywhere in everything but that each place may have its own seperate God or being, different and seperate from the whole. And, that these beings or gods may be placated or dealt with on an everyday basis.

These are quick explanations and leave out lots of detail. You may research for more detail. A good source for Animism is Daniel Quinn in "Providence." There is a link above to a Panentheism source. Pantheism may easily be looked up. There are may sites about this.

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