Last time, we spoke of Indiana Jones, the fictional hero archaeologist and how he relates to your own spiritual journey.  All that having been said, how about going on your own exploration?  The fact that you're not Indiana Jones or a Schliemann (in real life) doesn't have to hold you back.  Neither does the thought that your travel opportunities might be limited.

First off, it needs to be understood that a lot goes on before any archaeologist gives any thought to packing any bags.  It's always a good idea, after all, to have some idea of where you are going and what you might be looking for.

And what are you looking for?  I know what quests I've been on, and I also know the quest I've been on for the last two years.  Or has it actually been most of my life?  No, in the last two years, I've explored something that has been a major part of most of my life.

You might be surprised at the tools available to you.  And you might be surprised at what you find.

If you are Pagan, Wiccan or Gnostic, you have the opportunity to re-discover what our spiritual ancestors knew.  And if you aren't, you can still find what's at the root of things.  And never lose sight of the fact that you might be dealing with something that took your ancestor many years to learn how to deal with.  And yes, common sense is a good tool, too!

There is much waiting to be found!

Blessed Be!

So, what does Indiana Jones have to do with your spiritual quest?

Perhaps more than you know.  I do know that I was surprised at how much he had to do with my own spiritual quest.  It was only when watching some TV shows concerned with how his latest movie relates to his earlier shows that I noticed some facts that really got my intention.

Notice how the main subjects of Indiana Jones' quests are physical objects which either are, or are related to, something which an aspect of The Divine did for the sake of humankind - or at least the portion group of people withing humankind which that particular aspect of The Divine was caring for.

Notice also how the people who oppose Indiana Jones do an excellent job of embodying a definition of evil.  After all, what else is most evil other than someone (or several someones) perverting something good to fit a greedy agenda? 

And that is merely the beginning.  Indiana Jones is just as much of a frail mortal as you and me.  He might be skilled with a handgun and a bullwhip, he might be fluent in Hebrew, Coptic and Hindi, but he can't speak a word of Hovitos if his life depended on it (it almost did), he can't figure out how to fly a plane, and he becomes a total wuss whenever any kind of snake appears.  But whether we agree with his ideas of right and wrong or not, he is true to what he believes.  And he has respect for all aspects of The Divine, whether it be El Shaddai of the Ark Of The Covenant, or Shiva who gifted people with the lingam.

There is much to discover in Indiana Jones, and some of it you might be able to use on your own spiritual quest.

Blessed Be!

Open eyes are very nice to have, especially if you are looking for something. 

And a statement like that is perhaps reminiscent of the time when Mahatma Gandhi was asked his opinion of Western civilization.  His reply was: "That would be nice."

It is a good idea to have eyes open when looking for something, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  There are always the people who want to mind your business for you and tell you what you are seeing.  And there are the false leads that look like what you are seeking but are not.  And then there are the distractions which try to get you off of your path.  And then, of course, there's the situation in which you are looking at what you are seeking, but you don't recognize that what you are about to overlook is what you've been after all along!

Of course, there are those folks who don't even know that there is something to look for.  But they're not likely to be listening to a podcast like this.

I will admit that I've never had a burning bush want to discuss something with me, and I've never had a heavenly lady, angel, goddess or god suddenly appear and introduce herself/himself and give advice.  But that does not mean that I might not occasionally hear from The Divine or from someone who has gotten to be much closer to The Divine than I am right now.

On my own spiritual quest, the most major discoveries have not been accompanied by a "Eureka," but more often by something to the effect of "Well, DUH!"

And so, something on the subject of open eyes.

Blessed Be!

Sacrifices - a very special topic.  Most Wiccans know a version of the Charge Of The Goddess which explicitly says that She does not desire sacrifices.  But some don't, and others bring the concept of sacrifices as part of their emotional baggage from other spiritual paths.  So, let's look at it from what this show tries to make as its usual point of view - that of practical theology that you can actually use every day.

We know that sacrificing is in the past of our ancestors.  That's how they got food, especially meat.  It was also what had to suffice sometimes as a way to deal with people who were not able to "pull their own weight" in ancient society.  Most interesting is that sacrifices seemed to increase with the fanaticism associated with a dying culture - as if cutting the hearts out of the best warriors would help win a war.

And, sacrifices are a part of modern life, especially spiritual life.  Did you ever hear someone encourage anyone to "give until you feel good?"  No, the saying is "give until it hurts."  And, of course, we cannot forget the preachers and others who will promise blessings to those who put the rent money in the collection plate and "have faith" that their need will somehow be met.

Salvation, if you need it, is not for sale.  Nobody has the franchise on the Heavenly Admissions Desk.  And above all else, The Divine cannot be bribed.  Yes, The Divine might very well accept an offer.  But filling some pastor's collection plate is not the way to get the attention of The Divine.

And do you think that human sacrifice is gone?  When a child is told that someone they loved is dead because of "God's will", the effect is pretty much the same.  To say nothing of what a way that is to introduce a child to The Divine.

And perhaps there is something better.  In fact, there is something better.  Like so much else, it has been waiting for us to make more use of it.  A way that doesn't hurt, and can often do much more than sacrificing could ever do!

Not only can we break the bonds of sacrifice and spiritual blackmail (and guilt-trips), we can move to an even higher level.

Once you see what I'm talking about, you'll see what I mean!

Blessed Be!
 

There is a need for spiritual healing.  That is, spiritual healing of the genuine kind.

For some, the word "healing" connotes a sterile environment with people in white coats and scrubs.  For others, it might bring a mental image of someone at a tent-revival shouting "halleluia" and passing the offering plate.  The real kind is neither, but it is something that is within your grasp when you're called upon to do it. 

Until recently, I never gave much thought to the idea of myself doing any kind of healing.  But then circumstances forced me.  And healing does happen.

It can happen, and it does happen.  It happened twice for me in the last few months.  Joe came home today.  And as you know, Lord Pan went home last week.  That Joe was a healing that worked is obvious, but what of Lord Pan?  True, we would have liked to have him live longer, but eighteen years old is pretty old for a cat.  And he did cross over while he was comfortable and at home with his family, not in some vetrinarian's office.  Cats are mortals too.

And here are a couple basic lessons about healing.  One is the fact that no matter how divine The Divine might be, sometimes you can't transform a bowl of broccoli into a glass of beer.  The other is that if you don't get what you want, you might still get something that you can deal with.  

There are obstacles to healing as there are obstacles to any form of magick, but they can be dealt with.

Anyone might find theirself called upon to heal. 

The complication is keeping the simplicity.

Blessed Be!