And the Truth. . .

. . . "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free" . . . "Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not continue in the house forever; the son continues forever." John 8:31-32, 34-35

The choice is to know the truth and be free, or to sin and be a slave. It may seem obvious, but what is so good about truth and freedom, and why do we seek it, and what is so bad about sinning and slavery, and why should we avoid it? 

What is the good feels good, right, perhaps soothing? What is bad feels bad, uncomfortable, and/or perhaps . . . prickly. . .

  'Devil's Tongue', Prickly Pear(Opuntia humifusa)

Soothe is from Old English soðian (sothian)"show to be true", from, soð (soth) "true, genuine, real; just, righteous". In this respect, hearing the truth should be comforting, and hearing lies should sting. However, sometimes hearing the truth feels bad in the moment, and hearing lies can feel good as well, but lies are cold comfort, and change (from a state of imperfection to perfection) is what brings about true peace.    

Prickle is from Old English pricel "thing to prick with, goad, point". When things are prickly we tend to stay away from them. But we have to recognize them as being prickly fist. This probably only happens after some experience with being hurt or made to be uncomfortable by something prickly. I like to say that word, "prickly", its fun. Getting a hand full of cactus spines. . . not fun.

  The Torment of St. Anthony, Michaeangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni,c. 1487-1564

Stimulation (n.) is the "act of pricking or stirring to action", from Latin stimulationum (nominative stimulate) "an incitement". When we feel the sting of sin we are stimulated to avoid that sin. But sometimes its hard to stay away from sin, even so, and we pay over and over, choosing momentary pleasure and instant gratification, and we pay the price later. Perhaps we even fool ourselves saying things to ourselves like, "I won't get so stuffed that I feel sick and disgusted with myself after (insert holiday) dinner (or otherwise), or I'm not going to get so drunk that I feel deathly ill and have a massive hangover after my good friend's (or not so good friend's) wedding. . . this time. In any case, we may want to avoid the discomfort caused by the excess, but then cross the line accidentally. Nevertheless, can't this, then, cause one to try to do better the next time and to grow in maturity? 

And what is sin? Is it a particular act, or only an act which causes regret or suffering?

One word for sin in Hebrew is chataah "sin, sin offering".

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin (chataah) is covered. . . When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:1, 3

Another word for sin is shagag " to go astray, commit sin or error". So to sin in this sense is to err.

Before I was afflicted I went astray (shagag, "I sinned"), but now I obey your word. Psalm 119:67

Sin is the cause of discomfort. When actions do not cause discomfort, are they, then, sin? It seems that it is the consequence of the sin itself that produces discomfort. However, discomfort isn't always a bad thing if it stimulates one toward the good and truth. So how should we view sin? Should we be so ashamed of having sinned that we do not act because we fear sinning and, thus, we fail to learn and truly become free from sin? In the story of the prodigal son, the prodigal son goes astray and his discomfort causes him to return to his father. 

How many of my fathers hired servants have enough bread and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! Luke 15:17

In addition, ones discomfort is not always a sign of his or her own sin, for we say that Jesus was without sin, yet he suffered greatly. So it is possible to suffer the sin of the world, rather than ones own personal sin. But then, how does a person know if their discomfort is caused by their own sin? And, furthermore, can we judge another in this respect? No. It seems to come down to personal conscience. 

For when the Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law are a law unto themselves. In that they show the work of the Law is written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. Romans 2:14-16

    Jesus Cleansing the Leper - Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864

And not everyone seems to learn from his or her own sin. They may feel bad, i.e., the consequence, but also feel helpless to change. They simply cannot ever seem to win a victory over their unhealthy desires which rule their lives. In this case, they are slaves to sin. Some blame the Devil. The Devil made them do it, or perhaps Satan. . . Could it be?

Satan is from Hebew satan "adversary, one who plots against another".
If only there was a way to free oneself from the clutch of this adversary; this supernatural plotter of evil and ruin.

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing Romans. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with we. Romans 7:18-21

    Satan- The Adversary

But it is the truth that makes us free from sin. So, the truth is a cure for sin. If one has the truth he or she is not a slave to sin. Wouldn't it follow that if you are or identify as a sinner, then, you do not have the whole truth? Or, at least, you have not really heard it to the point of intimate understanding. 

In them is fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. Mt. 13:14

Maat was the ancient Egyptian concept of truth. She set order out of chaos at the moment of creation. And at death the heart of the deceased was weighed against the lightness of the feather of Maat. Those whose hearts were found to be heavier than the feather of Maat were devoured by the waiting lion / hippopotamus / crocodile demon, Ammit, meaning "devourer", "soul eater"; the "Devourer of the Dead", and "Eater of Hearts", and had to remain in the underworld apart from paradise, the Aaru, i.e., "reed" fields.

[and isn't it interesting that emet, which sounds like Ammit, means "truth" in Hebrew? So is it the truth with is ultimately the devourer of the heart?]

    Maat Wearing Feather of Truth

It would seem that living in the truth should create a certain lightness of being. True is ultimately said to be from root *deru- / *drew- "be firm, solid, steadfast", like a tree. Tree is from PIE root *drew-o-, from deru- "oak". Feathers are not strong and trees are not light. How, then, is the truth solid yet light?

Jesus was no Goliath, some argue that he was, in fact, small in stature, however, Jesus claimed to be THE truth (John 14:6). God often works in this way; showing that his chosen, whom are the greatest, appear to be the least, or the most humble.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his hight, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

So, the strength of the heart is not necessarily shown through outward appearance, or the flesh, not unlike the feather of Maat. The strength of truth has to do with the durability of the heart. The heart of truth is light in weight, but strong, and, maybe, also it is light, as in bright, like the light of dawn. Truth is light like the birds which fly high in the heavens with their lightness (feathers), but the truth is also very strong, like the strength of the strongest tree, in spirit; durable (deru-ble), as the mighty oak. 

And feeling discomfort is not necessarily a sign of weakness, the people of the highest purity are going to be the ones who are most sensitive to discomfort of sin. They are more finely tuned and honed into the vibration of the truth.

    The Princess and The Pea, by Chetkova

Therefore, shouldn't we, who have the truth, take confidence in the truth, having lightness of heart, and let our light shine out of the darkness like we know what we're doing, and know who we are? Own it! Show the strength of your truth, or you prove you are nothing more than a slave and the truth is not in you. . . you are still a slave. . . though Christ has already ransomed you.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.  Romans 6:6

Maybe you'll look a little awkward at times until you get really good at it. That's OK.

I don't mind if you don't mind, 'cuz I don't shine if you don't shine.

Oblivion

Near winter
White blankets upon the land:
Icy warm, smooth and crunchy

Leaves
Dregs of satisfaction hanging like frosted breath; 

Pure and refined

'Neath entombed twigs with clear casted wigs:

Their armor

Frozen decay

None proceeding 'till damp melted spring
Rotted amour
Stems splendent growth
Scented blossoming death from death 

Change and life, only to fade and die
The wheel turns

So much distraction for meaning
Fooled and helpless folk eking out
Stupid fawns amazed and gleeful;
Climbing higher, the tendril beanstalks running for the sun

Brown and dead by summer's end,
When baited brewing transforms:
Wine. . .

Come, come awaited oblivion

–by Julie O./ Ember Elektra

November 30, 2014

At the End of All Things and Everything

                                   

If I met you at the end of all things and everything,

We would embrace, and the wind would whip my hair into my face,

Soft and warm like the moment before all time.

Silent, deafeningly silent, like music melancholy and lonely, 

But full, full to bursting. 

Then the fall. 

And falling . . . who cares?

Why should we care? 

Why should I care, when there is nothing and no one there? 

Heaven, maybe hell. 

All is lost, only to be found. 

And only one moment is real in eternity. 

–by Julie O. / Ember Elektra,  (photo by Lauren Stupar)

November 23, 2014

All that Glitters is Not Gold

About 3.4 billion years ago cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria) began to perform photosynthesis in the oceans of the earth. This first life upon the earth was directly dependent upon sunlight for its existence. To be in the light meant photosynthesis and life, to be in the dark meant no photosynthesis, no life. It wasn't until round 360 million years ago the first animals started to come out of the water to live upon land. Therefore life evolved for billions of years with a direct connection to the light as sustenance. About 250 million years prior to animals appearing on land, the first proto-eyes evolved in animals which were able to detect light and dark. Cnidarians were the first animals to be able to detect light. The seers were dependent upon these types of bacteria and other plant life to sustain them. Even for these animals, going toward the light and heat meant food and energy.
The shiny places meant refuge in the dark foreboding expanses of the sea. Could it be that at our deepest most primal cores we are still hard wired to think that shiny glittering things mean abundance, comfort, and life? 

   Hey, come  back. Come back here. I'm gonna get you. Gonna get you. . . Come here. . . I'm gonna swim with you. . . I'm gonna get you. I'm gonna get you. - Finding Nemo, 2003

And no one showed us to the land. 

And no one knows the where's or why's

But something stirs and something tries And starts to climb towards the light. Echos, Pink Floyd, 1971

Animals that do not preform photosynthesis are one step removed from the sun and can travel deep into the darkness of the ocean, never needing to travel to the surface. These are some of the meanest looking, craziest creatures on the planet who are obviously not concerned with beauty. They play dirty to get what they need to survive. They use other creatures natural attraction to the light to lure them in and eat them.

    Some deep sea Anglerfish lure in prey with a light emitting escae, the result of a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria

The lure mimics something that the prey are drawn to naturally out of self preservation, but in a sadistic twist, that very thing turns out to be a trap and the cause of death rather than life. 

The word lure is originally from Anglo-French lure, Old French loirre "device used in falconry to recall a bird, lure". The lure mimics the natural prey of the falcon. Falcons probably aren't stupid. They learn that the lure is not prey, however it comes to be associated with something valuable, namely food and other benefits they may get from the relationship with their keeper. The user of the lure, in this case, does not mean to harm the falcon, but uses the birds natural attraction to its prey as an incentive for training.

    Pheasant Wing Lure, northwoodsfalconry.com

The etymological dictionary states that lure is from Frankish *lothr or some other Germanic source. It seems plausible that the Old French word loirre comes from root words like PIE *legh- "lie, lay" and *leugh- "to tell a lie", with the meaning of something like "lie, deceive, conceal, be false", considering that the 'g' might have been replaced by 'r' as in the name of the River Loire in France. The name Loire comes from Latin Liger, which is from the Gaulish name of the river Liga meaning "silt, sediment, deposit, alluvium", from root *legh- "lie, lay". False prey might be a bird that lies. It does not move it lays still. It is false, a lure. Which can make it like a trap. A lure lies, like a concealed hole in the ground lies, or, even, like soft wet silty earth near a river lies that it is solid ground when it is actually a muddy trap. All that appears solid is not solid and all that appears delicious and edible is not really edible.

The French word for gait of a horse is allure. The allure "gait; way of walking" of a thoroughbred may be a factor in people choosing a particular hose to bet on in a race such as the Kentucky derby, but it finally comes down to the race. You don't necessarily get paid by betting on looks. Although looks and talent are often seen together.

    Secretariat at Saratoga On The Grass Saddling Area, The Whitney Stakes, 1973

Appearances can be manipulated for effect. So we have the common saying that all that glitters is not gold. All that is shiny or alluring is not valuable. Gold is ultimately from PIE *ghel- (2) "to shine." Gold is shiny, but what about being shiny is good? It is pretty and that is part of the allure, however, its real value goes beyond its appearance. The gleam of gold does not fade it is durable, and gold is malleable, a good conductor, and it doesn't tarnish. So it is pretty, but it is also the promise of being something of value that is alluring. If something is alluring but it does not prove to be valuable or beneficial the allure is a trap. 

    Iron Pyrite- Fool's Gold

A beautiful or mysterious woman can be very alluring. Mermaids are the epitome of mysterious allurement. 

    The Depths of the Sea, Edward Burne-Jones, 1887

The sea itself is very alluring. It glitters and waves. In Latin mare / maris is "sea" and merus "pure; bare, naked," figuratively "true, real, genuine", probably originally "clear, bright," from PIE *mer- "to gleam, glimmer, sparkle." It is so delightful when it is peaceful. It is full of abundance, and enables swift travel. But it is a very raw and naked strength, and sometimes seemingly cruel and unforgiving, not unlike a mirror of merus (pure) truth. 

Things can be alluring that hold the promise of being delicious and delectable. In fact the word delicious comes from the sense of luring away. It is from Latin de "away"+ lacere "lure, deceive." Why would what is delicious be a deception? Perhaps it is a deception that what is delicious will make one happy, when in fact its deliciousness can lead one instead to a state of weakness, sickness or delicateness through [over]indulgence and therefore making one less resilient and finally less able to enjoy anything. What is delicious can lure us away from balance to our own demise.

Delicate meaning (of people)"self-indulgent, loving ease"; also "sensitive; easily hurt, feeble"; (of things) "delightful" is from Latin delicatus "alluring, delightful, dainty," also "addicted to pleasure, luxurious, efiminate" deliciae "a pet". Related to Latin delicere (de "away' + lacere "to lure, entice"). Often people have delicate lacy looking doilies to dress up holiday party tables. Fitting in that we are trapped by the delicacies and the word lace is from Latin lacium, from Latin laqueum "noose, snare," related to lacere.

Eat now. Feel guilty later. Hang over. . . tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving. 

    Delicious Root Vegetables on Thanksgiving, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

And I'm just going to leave it at that, 'cuz that's where I'm at right now.

peace ✌️

Movers and Shakers

We are the music-makers, 

And we are the dreamers of dreams,

Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

And sitting by desolate streams;

World-loosers and world-forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world forever, it seems.

-Ode, Arthur O'Shaunghnessy 1844-1881

When things move or are moved they are not at rest. They are disturbed. Move is ultimately from Latin movere "move, set in motion; remove;  disturb". The one who is doing the moving can be viewed positively, as in, the prime mover, creator of light and everything good, but often movers are given negative connotation because of the discomfort that often accompanies change and growth. Movement brings about darkness and discomfort. The experience of adversity seems evil rather than pleasant. However, it is the experience of adversity, which when experienced, often ends up bringing about a greater good than if it had not been experienced at all. It is like the dawn of a new day which only comes after the night.

 The night moves us. Difficulty can move us in the right direction.

I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law. . . . Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep your word. . . It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. Psalms 119:55, 67, 71

    Lilith, By LeOstrich

Lilith/Lillit is a Hebew name for the first wife of Adam in Jewish folklore, from the Hebrew layil/lel/laylah meaning "night", and possibly also connected to Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". The night, however, can seem to be a bringer of ill. Ill is from Old Norse illr "ill, bad"(of unknown origin) before the sense of "sick, unhealthy, unwell" which was first recorded in the mid 15c. Before that, from c.1200 it meant "morally evil", also "malevolent, hurtful, unfortunate, difficult." This is actually not too much unlike how the night and darkness is often described in the bible. Perhaps, then, it is not far fetched to suppose that the word illr might have come from a word meaning night, darkness or Lilith, even. 

  Lilith, John Collier, 1892, The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport, England

Witch is from Old English wicce "female magician, sorceress", feminine form of wicca "sorcerer, wizard, man who practices witchcraft or magic", from wiccian "to practice witchcraft"(Low German wikken, wicken "to use witchcraft," wikker, wicker "soothsayer")

Witches practice wicked witchcraft. And what is wicked? To cause movement? Witches are traditionally the ones shown stirring the cauldron. 

    Witch at Couldron, Gustaf Tenggren, 1937

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. - Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1, William Shakespeare

Is it the stirring of the pot that is the cause of the toil and trouble?

Sorcerer is from sorcer, from Old French sorcier, from Medieval Latin sortarius "a teller of fortunes by lot; sorcerer", literally "one who influences fate or fortune", from Latin sors(genitive sortis) "lot, fate, fortune, destiny", also the origin of sort, from sortem(nominative sors) with the additional meanings "share, portion; rank, category; sex, class, oracular response, prophesy." A sorcerer is one who sorts things out, looks at the signs, categorizes, and passes on the information of what is seen in the stars, the stones, glass, and lots. They don't let it alone. They stir the pot. 

    Sorcereing Sorting Hat at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft & Wizardy, Harry Potter

Wicca is Old English masculine noun meaning "male witch, wizard, sorcerer, soothsayer, astrologer, magician", from which we get the word witch, Old English feminine form of wicca being wicce. Its origin possibly being ultimately from PIE *weg- (2) "to be strong, be lively"(cognate with Latin vigil "watchful, awake" and vigere "to be lively, thrive", this would give it the same root as wake which is a merger of Old English wacan "to become awake, arise, be born, originate" and Old English wacian "to be or remain awake", both from Proto-Germanic *waken. So the wizards and witches would be the ones who are vigilant and awake, they are woke, perhaps to the signs and omens, or maybe also, ones who wake or call up the spirits.

    The Magic Circle, John Williams Waterhouse, 1886, London

In Hebrew nachash has the meaning "a serpent", a word naming the creature from its hiss. The snake is a hisser or whisperer(Old English hwisprian), as in this passage

Now the serpent(nachash, i.e., hisser) was more subtle(arum "crafty, shrewd, sensible") than any other wild creature that YHWH Elohim had made.  Genesis 3:1

Nachash also has the meaning "practice divination, divined, observe signs, enchanter, learn by experience, diligently observe", and also "omen, omens", from the same primitive root, to hiss, ie, whisper a spell.

So this particular word for snake in Hebrew is used for and associated with those who we would call sorcerers or witches. The two groups are both whisperers, and they are both associated with shrewd, cunning, or sly behavior as well. Furthermore, the work of the nachash brought about the eating of the fruit in the garden of Eden, and was the cause of movement, i.e. the fall, and the bringing of the night.

    Eve Tempted by the Serpent, William Blake, 1799-1800

Weird is from a Proto-Germanic root and words like the Old Norse urdr "fate", from PIE *wert-"to turn, to wind", from root *wer- (3) "to turn, bend." Like those spinners of fate, the weird sisters, the three fates or, Norns, guardians of the Well of Urdr/Urd(Wyrd / Weird), Urdarbrunner, the Well of Fate. Urd is derived from the past tense of verda "to be"("that which became"). The three norns are Urdr, Verdandi present tense("that which is happening"), and Skuld is from skulla ("need/ought to be/shall be").

   A Golden Thread(detail), John Melhuish Strudwick, 1885

Wag is from Proto-Germanic *wag-, probably from PIE root *wegh "to move about". Related to weigh, which is from Old English wegan, past tense waeg "find the weight of, measure; have weight; lift, carry, support, sustain, bear; move". Wiggle is ultimately from the same root *wegh.

Someone who is awake or watching, i.e., lively(*weg-); a watcher, is someone who is either in motion, or ready to move(*wegh); someone with the weight/gravitas to set things in motion and accomplish, i.e., a mover. . . or a guardian.

Medusa from Greek Medousa, literally "guardian," has serpent(nachash) hair that wiggles. In certain traditions it is said that the poisonous snakes(vipers) of the desert sprung up from drops of her blood, and she was a guard at the West gate of Death.

    Medusa, Lynnette Shelley, 2012

Wadjet(also known as Uto/Buto, Greek) the "green/papyrus colored one"(from wadj "green"), who was the Egyptian goddess represented by the Uraeus(Gk.), iraret, jr't transliterated from Egyptian hieroglyphs, was the rearing cobra, "the raised up one / one who rears up". Ir is "eye" in Egyptian, so maybe we could say the goddess who was called the Eye of Ra, was a watcher, i.e., an eye, the opened or raised eye of Ra, or the witch/nachash/serpent of Ra.

   Nekhebet, Wadjet, Uraeus Pendant - National Geographic

Green is the color of growth and movement. The green skinned god of death and re-birth, Osiris, was also an agricultural god, as in a plant which dies, is harvested and broken on a threshing floor, and then the seed is planted, watered, and resurrected to new life, or transformed into spirits, as is associated with Bacchus / Dionysus, god of the harvest and wine making, and the Green Man and stories such as John Barleycorn of whom they sing, 

There was three kings into the east, Three kings both great and high, And they hae sworn a solemn oath John Barleycorn must die. -Robert Burns version, 1782

In Hebrew ir/irin is not "eye" as in Egyptian, but "watcher", from ur/uwr/oor "awake, rouse oneself, stir", called "holy ones" in the book of Daniel 4:13, 17. Still the connection is there however, eyes are watchers and when the watchers are open(raised) the person stirs.

Watch (v.) from Old English waeccan "keep watch, be awake", from Proto Germanic *wakjan from PIE *weg- (2) "be strong, lively", essentially the same  as Old English wacian "be or remain awake". So we might say a watcher is a raised/open eye associated with serpents(nachash) which are wriggling writhers, witches(wicce/wicca) stirrers of the pot, and Wadjet(eye of Ra).

One of the Hebrew words for "donkey" is chamor, from chamar "daub, befoul, be red, trouble". The troubled(chamar) person, is the person who is stirred, or agitated to the point of bubbling/boiling. This troubling is the kind of adversity that can make one turn away from harm as in the story of Balaam and his donkey. Donkeys(chamor) tend to anger, or make one red(chamar) in the face because of their stubbornness. 

Chamar is also "ferment, boil or foam up, leaven". The trouble causes brewing, bubbling, and agitation, or stirring of the pot. Like Balaam's donkey(athon "female donkey", probably from ethan "permanent, firm, enduring") who caused trouble for him and saved his life. Balaam, what an ass!

   Balaam and the Angel, Gustav Jaeger, 1836

But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary(satan). Now he[Balaam] was riding on the donkey(athon), and his two servants with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get back on the road. . . 

Then the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey(athon), which you have always ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No" he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes[raised his eyes, like those who see and caused him to be awakened] and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword(chereb from "desolate, dry, waste") drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?I have come here to oppose(satan) you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey(athon) saw me and turned away these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have let her live. Numbers 22:22-23, 31-33

Another Hebew word for donkey, ayir, like ir/irin, is related to ur "awake, rouse oneself, lifted, raise, stir"(supposedly from the notion of lifting/raising and carrying burdens). Donkeys are movers. They are even movers fit to be the vehicle or carrier(from PIE*wegh- "to go, transport in a vehicle", Old English wegan "to carry") of salvation. 

    Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, Pietro Lorenzetti, 1320

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey(chamor), on a colt(ayir) the foal(ben "son") of a donkey(athon). Zechariah 9:9

So Jesus enters humbly, riding on a donkey, but donkeys are movers, and movement often brings trouble, and Jesus was indeed trouble!

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace(eirene) to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34

Why not peace? First change brings about trouble and is uncomfortable. AFTER transformation comes peace. 

Fermentation(chamar[see above]) is the fifth(chamash, from chamesh "five") operation in the Alchemy of Transformation. It is the death(putrification) and rebirth(spiritualization) phase. For example, spirits are not made but through, first, the decomposition of certain organic material in the substance, i.e., the wine, barley, etc. With the change, and the bubbling fermentation, some things are lost, but something else new, and magical is created due to this loss.

    The Devil's Wine - Bubbles from Rose Champagne, by Gaetan Lee, wikipedia:champagne

There appear to be both holy watchers, and rebellious or fallen watchers traditionally  The holy/good ones we call angels, i.e., messengers, and the fallen angels we call demons, from Latin daemon "spirit", from Greek daimon "deity, divine power; lesser god; guiding spirit, tutelary deity". 

Egregoroi/Grigori "Watchers" in Greek(Ir/Iren in Aramaic), are guardians, from Greek gregoros "to be awake, watchful, alert, vigilant", from eger/egeiro "to waken, rise up, stir", from PIE root *ger "to be awake"(Sanskrit cognate jagarti "he is awake"). 

   Les Anges Dechus(The Fallen Angels), Francois B. Cibot, 1833

Perhaps this is related to the English word jog, from the 1540's meaning "to shake up and down", of uncertain origin they say. The German jager/yeager is "hunter, huntsman", from jagen "to hunt", From Old High German Old jagon, related to Old Norse jaga "to drive, to move to and fro". Hunters are definitely awake, alert and vigilant.

Guardians / Watchers of the sky are the four stars which bring the seasons, and the seasons mean movement and change, Alderbran(vernal equinox), Regulus(summer solstice), Antares(autumnal equinox), Fomalhaut(winter solstice). Antares is the alpha star in Scorpio, "watcher of the west"[like Medusa?]. The movement to autumn is the cause of the Fall, and the change from light to darkness. 

Fomalhaut is the bright watcher(ir) that appears at the winter solstice, in the darkness of the night. . . and it actually looks like an eye/ir(jrt[eye] in Ancient Egyptian). Erie, huh?

   Fomalhaut debris ring, NASA/Hubble Telescope

Therefore keep watch(gregorite) because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-- whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. Mark 13:35

Don't be afraid of movement, the night, or darkness. Salvation comes riding in upon trouble. Don't deny him out fear like Peter. He will see you through. . . 

"This will feel a little weird." -Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999

And I Call This Love

      Expansion - artist Paige Bradley 

I want to like you.

Let me love you.

I only like you because I don't know you.

When I see your nakedness I cringe. I don't really like any body. I want to see the mask and the costume. It makes me feel comfortable. 

I don't love you without the mask and without the costume.

You are hideous.

Your truth is like drooping breasts and sagging flesh with snaky silvery fissures running up and down from carrying and holding, expanding and shrinking over and over, bringing other naked beings into the world. 

What is beautiful about you and your brokenness?

Let me pretend that you are beautiful and that I like you.

Clothes are not for comfort and utility, they are there so that I can pretend to love you.

And when you are perfect, and young, and beautiful, I will feed on you and use you until you become ugly. 

I will hide you away for myself.

I cannot stand your power.

I will push you down and be your lord and master,

and when you change

you will wear a mask and you will wear a costume to please me, so that I may love you.

If I can't have you, you will hide so that that I cannot see you and I will not be tempted by you.

You will wear a mask and you will wear a costume so that I won't love you.

And I call this love.

– by Julie  O./ Ember Elektra

August 23, 2014