- Wednesday 1
- The suffering of innocense has a meaning within the field of Karma. Life
upon life, rebirth upon rebirth, each resonating with the subtle currents
set in motion by actions committed under another mantle.
I understand the Tibetans argue that like gives rise to like. Only
consciousness can give rise to consciousness. Therefore consciousness
extends eternally into the past. The consciousness that we are always was
and always will be.
These incarnations can be on many worlds in a multiverse. The Tibetan
Hells and Heavens could be incarnations on other worlds. Ceremonial Magick
has echos of this in the spirits it attributed to the planets to which we
are close. For example, the spirits of Mars are hot and in a constant
state of agitation and anger.
If out incarnations cover the fabric of the Multiverse, then we have
magickal links to the most distant of stars of the most deep and effective
variety. We have spent time on Sirius B. The terrain, if our deep memories
be sounded, has a familiar ring.
We were loa; we were orisha in an infinite past.
- Thursday 2
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple.
WILL: Honor and praise to the loa and Orisha.
LOVE: Order of service with addition of Mary Ellen Peasant
from knowledge gained at the lecture last Friday.
SUCCESS: Extremely strong ritual.
COMMENT: I wore my dark glasses and allowed the loa into my body during
the Banda. "I" stayed just enough to keep my drumming coherent. Located
the "I" in my hands. This is a variant that Mishlen did on partial
possession. Usually the Spirit would be invited to possess the hands,
feet, etc. In this case the Spirit possesses the majority of the body and
the "I" possesses the hands.
- Friday 3
- To Bloomington
To pick up Mishlen and participate in the Tibetan Buddhist Workings and
Healings. The medical concerns about my lungs continue. I have no desire
to stay with this body forever but I do not want my death to cause Mishlen
and those I love suffering.
- Saturday 4
- RITUAL: Tibetan Buddhist; Bloomington
WILL: To receive the TARA EMPOWERMENT
LOVE: I have come to the point where I can recognize a few of the
elements of these rituals. This Buddha took on physical form in a butter
sculpture on a side altar. The power of Tara flowed through the initiator.
SUCCESS: Very Strong
COMMENT: I have taken this initiation before. This is to strengthen my
link with Tara.
The Working was not done at the Tibetan Center but at a very large house
down the road. One entered the house through what looked to be a cave;
also a part of the house was designed as a castle. This is where the
practitioners devoted to the linage that particularly honors Dorge Shugden
meet.
- Sunday 5
- RITUAL: Bloomington; Cave House
WILL: Healing for myself and Mishlen
LOVE: The presiding monk was possessed by one of the Buddhas (or
Protectors?). Assisting monks chanted and he went into the possession
state smoothly (guttural sounds, head lolling till the possession was
complete).
Only two of us were there. One woman who seemed to have a long standing
invitation and I, who a monk invited just yesterday when he was told I may
have a lung problem.
I approached the possessed monk, left a small offering in an envelope. He
did an extensive healing and gave me and Mishlen neck strings, gave me a
kata and a jar of medicine to be taken over the following three months. He
told me to do the Medicine Buddha mantra daily. I said I did not know it.
He said he would teach it to me. He touched various parts of my chest,
blew into my mouth, and threw rice into my open mouth. Said, if possible,
to see a qualified Tibetan Doctor.
SUCCESS: Very Strong
COMMENT:- Technique very similar to Voodoo. I could feel the compassion
that motivated the healing and this is something that all spiritual
systems could use.
The "house" is constructed in such a way that noise is minimized but
still, interesting situations developed. During the Tara Empowerment noise
came from the kitchen area. During the Possession Ritual someone had
unsettled bowels. This shows me that perhaps internal quiet is easier to
obtain that a complete control of the external.
RITUAL: IU University
WILL: To receive the Medicine Buddha empowerment
LOVE: Large room with maybe 100 people present. The link with the Medicine
Buddha was precisely constructed.
SUCCESS: Very Strong
COMMENT: I recognize more of what is being said and done. I took this
empowerment about 4 years age. In this time much of what is being done has
become comfortable; even familiar but I still can not reconstruct the
sequence of events in the ritual. There is much to learn and experience.
Drive back to New Orleans.
- Monday 6
- Arrive in New Orleans.
Drove all night...SLEEP.
- Tuesday 7
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Museum
WILL: Honor and Respect to the loa, Two Spiritual Houses working together.
LOVE: With Mombo Margaret. She has a good heart. Litany of the
Loa...particular emphasis on Marie Laveau and Dr. John.
SUCCESS: The rite was meant to be particularly celebratory. Good and as a
bit of lagniappe, at least two participants were touched by Spirits.
COMMENT: This kind of cooperation between the two Houses (Voodoo Spiritual
Temple and the Voodoo Museum ) is very powerful. Space used as the Temple
has a third floor balcony. So beautiful; just the right height to see the
roofs and the Quarter's streets.
- Wednesday 8
- Watched video on the nature of time. Speculation on an ever existent
universe. This fits with the teachings of the Tibetans.
I am reminded of the Heart Sutra...no creation/no cessation.
- Thursday 9
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple, Petro Fire Ritual
WILL: Honor and respect to the Petro loa
LOVE: Litany; Numbers of fiery crossroads drawn.
SUCCESS: Strong
COMMENT: The Petro energy just seems to bubble up; a Rada ritual was
planned but the loa made their needs known.
- Friday 10
- Sleep...Very active last few days. Need more of the passive for balance.
- Saturday 11
- Quarter Flea Market with Mishlen; All roads meet at the market...and a
plethora of spiritual practices. The Purple People are some of the most
interesting....Sufi current.
- Sunday 12
- Completed essay for Fulbright. Really same essay as three years ago with
the addition of Mr. Norbu and Tibetan Buddhism.
- Monday 13
- Thoughts on my possible lung problem.
- It may be a misreading or a benign something or other. To spend overmuch
time considering the possibilities is premature; a waste of time. But, I
do find it difficult to make any future plans in this state of
uncertainty.
- I had always thought the a quick and unexpected death was best. Maybe
still so, but I can see the benefits of knowing death is near. It is a
great impetus to spiritual practice. - I ask every morning that I live
longer than Mishlen. I don't want her to experience my death and the pain
it would bring her.
- It would be sad not to die. So many I have loved have gone before.
- Tuesday 14
- Film crew from a movie being shot in New Orleans came over. Mishlen may be
working on the special effects and they want to film in our courtyard and
kitchen.
- Wednesday 15
- More x ray tests tomorrow. There are certain moments during which your
whole life changes.
- Thursday 16
- Stronger self determination needed. Fell asleep with no intention to. The
cooler weather and the darker days make the Will to act more necessary.
- Friday 17
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: For Babalou
LOVE: Honor and Respect to the loa; Concentration on Babalou as Healer
SUCCESS: Strong
COMMENT: With an orisha as powerful as Babalou, it is difficult not to do
a strong ceremony.
- Saturday 18
- Ah! I have seemed to erase all of my files on the New Orleans Free Net.
Shock then an even greater shock when I realized I do not need these files
to do my work. Simplify...become like a Laser beam carrying a message in a
specific direction.
- Sunday 19
- To the ocean and a cold sea it was. Mishlen and I walked upon the shore. I
turned around at one point and saw that she had written "heal Lou" in the
sand. Healing has never been that important to me. Now I see...Healing is
not simply a guarding of the body or self; it is a noble attempt to keep
those loved from pain, from suffering.
- Monday 20
- Tibetan Buddhism...so much to learn and so much to practice. Now the wish
of some people for a long life is starting to make sense. Time is needed
to get to the heart of the Tibetan teachings...beyond the variety of
words
.
Perhaps 20(?) years ago I thought that Buddhism would be the last
spiritual system I would explore. So...now I will see if I have a longer
or shorter time in which to explore Tibetan Buddhism.
- Tuesday 21
- Getting the word out on the 4 days of ritual planned for the Voodoo
Spiritual Temple. Announcement sent to paper.
- Call Dr on x rays. She says there is a nodule in my lung. Now the
question is what it is. I have done everything possible to help the
situation. There is nothing to be gained by worrying. Maggie's advice was
excellent..."Its OK to die."
I usually have a variety of disturbing thoughts. Like I will be sitting
somewhere and all of a sudden remember how the latex glove I was using at
work a few weeks ago was torn during some procedure. I don't seem to have
more of these disturbing thoughts but the thoughts of this type are
centered upon the concern for my lung. Recognizing that this is just the
mind looking for a degree of stimulation makes it much easier to keep the
thoughts in perspective.
- Wednesday 22
- Thelema and Tibetan Buddhism...are they congruent. This is an excellent
question. Hell if I know, but I'm going to find out.
Interesting that as I was thinking this over, I saw a car linc plate with
DNK 666 Saturn of Metairie on it. Metairie means "small farms." DK = 74 or
Lamed.
- Thursday 23
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Healing Ritual
LOVE: Litany of the Loa; Emphasis on cleansing.
SUCCESS: Strong
COMMENT: There was a great sense of peace and calm in the Temple's
courtyard. This seemed to be felt by all present.
- Friday 24
- Rest...a balancing with the passive.
- Saturday 25
- Went to Celtic Nations Festival in City Park. I have never been very good
with right and left. Mishlen told me to look to my right as I was watching
the performers on the stage. I looked to the left. I was amazed when I
realized that I looked to the side right would have been on if I were on
the stage, my focus of attention. It may be that my problems with right
and left are in part due to my identifying with the position of my
attention rather than the position of my body. Something to look at.
- Sunday 26
- Celtic Nations Festival. What is the nature of music. One band has a
nondescript singer but when the band is playing and the music is flowing
through her, she becomes the soul of what is being played and is
fascinating to watch. What is Music?
- Monday 27
- Babalon and Babalou...interesting. Babalou is a healer of AIDS. Babalon is
extremely sexual. Connection through association with the sexual current.
- Tuesday 28
- The practice of writing "will/love" as a fraction is a good starting point
for the Buddhism of the Tibetans and Thelema. The assertion of "love" as
the denominator of all experience. When the "Will" of the magician equals
"Love," the fraction disappears in a unity.
- Wednesday 29
- Movie (Lucinda's Dream) people over to see the house. The loa are so
funny. The art director said that shark fetus was needed for the filming.
Mishlen happened to have a shark egg casing and a baby shark in the
freezer of our ice box. They want to use our kitchen and courtyard in the
filming.
- Thursday 30
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Celebration of the Harvest; Damballah has once again entered the
earth.
LOVE: Parade in Quarter; past old house of Marie Laveau; Rite in Court
Yard with much honor to Damballah.
SUCCESS: Very Strong
COMMENT: A beautiful tribute to the Great Zombi.
- Friday 31
- RITUAL: Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Marriage of a visible couple; celebrate marriage of the invisible
Guedes.
LOVE: All the loa honored; wedding ceremony embedded in the ritual.
SUCCESS: Strong
COMMENT: Effective confirmation of the joining. This is the second of the
four days of ritual at the Temple to celebrate All Saints.