What's your most memorable trip, and why?

[Maia]

Yes. Crows are amazing. The closest we have here are magpies which are very clever too.
I didn't realise that birds are dinosaurs. Not 'descended from dinosaurs' but actual dinosaurs.

Yes, the earth is completely covered in flying dinosaurs.

[Maia]

It's the moot again tomorrow, since it's the second Friday of the month.

+++A short introduction to meditation, why we do it, how it can help us to focus and what can be the benefits. We'll also talk a bit about path working and psychography (automatic writing)
We'll finish off by having a go at a guided meditation+++

Sounds like fun, but the main reason to go to these sorts of things, I always think, is to catch up with people. And I'll be meeting up with my fella, of course, who'll be picking me up this time, and we'll be going for a drive, as it's supposed to be a lovely day. Probably to Stratford, where we can feed the swans and have a meal on the grass, or maybe Malvern, or even both, before heading back to the city for the moot. It's all quite exciting, actually, and it's been a while since I've done anything like this.

[Maia]

I had a lovely day yesterday, and the weather was gorgeous. I made a packed lunch for us and we drove to Stratford, as planned, for a picnic by the River Avon. I'm not usually a massive fan of car journeys, but we had the windows down and it was fine. We fed the swans, of course, and I was almost stung by a wasp at one point, feeling it crawling on my leg. Afterwards we headed back to the city for the moot. Only about seven people turned up, including us, which was in marked contrast to the previous one, so instead of doing the guided pathworking, we just sat around chatting, which was probably much better, to be honest. And then, later, we went out the back to the beer garden, which was heaving with people, taking advantage of the warm evening. So, all in all, a really good day, I think.

[Perspective]

It's the moot again tomorrow, since it's the second Friday of the month.

+++A short introduction to meditation, why we do it, how it can help us to focus and what can be the benefits. We'll also talk a bit about path working and psychography (automatic writing)
We'll finish off by having a go at a guided meditation+++

Sounds like fun, but the main reason to go to these sorts of things, I always think, is to catch up with people…

Social connections are significant highlights for trips.

I am interested in psychology, shadow work etc. Will you please elaborate on “path working and psychography (automatic writing)”?

[Maia]

It's the moot again tomorrow, since it's the second Friday of the month.

+++A short introduction to meditation, why we do it, how it can help us to focus and what can be the benefits. We'll also talk a bit about path working and psychography (automatic writing)
We'll finish off by having a go at a guided meditation+++

Sounds like fun, but the main reason to go to these sorts of things, I always think, is to catch up with people…

Social connections are significant highlights for trips.

I am interested in psychology, shadow work etc. Will you please elaborate on “path working and psychography (automatic writing)”?

A pathworking is a guided meditation, usually done in a group, where the leader guides the participants through a particular scenario. The term comes from the Kabbalah, where it means something slightly different, referring to travelling along one of the 22 different paths in the Tree of Life, to reach the top, but in Paganism it's basically just the same as a guided meditation.

Automatic writing is a form of divination where you take some paper and a pen and just write whatever comes into your head, like a stream of consciousness, or even let the pen write things itself, as it were, though in fact, of course, it's still the person who's doing it. Needless to say, it's not one that I can do.

[Perspective]

It's the moot again tomorrow, since it's the second Friday of the month.

+++A short introduction to meditation, why we do it, how it can help us to focus and what can be the benefits. We'll also talk a bit about path working and psychography (automatic writing)
We'll finish off by having a go at a guided meditation+++

Sounds like fun, but the main reason to go to these sorts of things, I always think, is to catch up with people…

Social connections are significant highlights for trips.

I am interested in psychology, shadow work etc. Will you please elaborate on “path working and psychography (automatic writing)”?

A pathworking is a guided meditation, usually done in a group, where the leader guides the participants through a particular scenario. The term comes from the Kabbalah, where it means something slightly different, referring to travelling along one of the 22 different paths in the Tree of Life, to reach the top, but in Paganism it's basically just the same as a guided meditation.

Automatic writing is a form of divination where you take some paper and a pen and just write whatever comes into your head, like a stream of consciousness, or even let the pen write things itself, as it were, though in fact, of course, it's still the person who's doing it. Needless to say, it's not one that I can do.

Thank you for explaining.
I have heard of something like automatic writing but didn’t know the name for it. I believe there are many ways to tap into the subconscious mind - & our potential.

[Perspective]

Memorable moments in various trips…

A nice talk on a flight to Colorado (I was moving by myself at 15 & was nervous). This lady sitting by me, and I had a good talk that I needed.

Shooting pool with good friends after going to Watkins Glen Park.

Beautiful sand & water in St Maarten. Playing truth or dare during a long layover in Puerto Rico airport.

Motorcycle ride to cool off in the Amazon jungle. Loved canoeing in a peaceful village. Helping a local volunteer teacher to teach kids who just gathered outside for school. After not having sugar for so long, panettone tasted so sweet!

Beautiful river & sunrise in clear ceiling train car - to Aguas caliente. Ollantaytambo - on the roof of “Casa de Wow” being shown land figures and associated legends. Cusco-mind, Machupichu -industry(?) & Ollantaytambo - heart/circulation.

Central Park - such an oasis! And a ferry to & back from Staten Island… loved just being on the water.

Montreal - going with friends to visit her dad in a beautiful retirement community with a lake. Played piano & later enjoyed his accordion music. Good conversation.

Backpacking Europe - mostly cities so appreciated sound of music tour around Austria. Frankfurt train station - good friend took my backpack - best gift in that moment! I was so tired of carrying it! Beautiful Heidelberg - big brewery castles, river, ice cream. Good talks.

Kansas City - hallmark & other museums with good friend.

Visiting HOME… sleeping in my old room, waking up to palms outside the big windows, relishing in our sanctuary away from so ca chaos.

[Maia]

Social connections are significant highlights for trips.

I am interested in psychology, shadow work etc. Will you please elaborate on “path working and psychography (automatic writing)”?

A pathworking is a guided meditation, usually done in a group, where the leader guides the participants through a particular scenario. The term comes from the Kabbalah, where it means something slightly different, referring to travelling along one of the 22 different paths in the Tree of Life, to reach the top, but in Paganism it's basically just the same as a guided meditation.

Automatic writing is a form of divination where you take some paper and a pen and just write whatever comes into your head, like a stream of consciousness, or even let the pen write things itself, as it were, though in fact, of course, it's still the person who's doing it. Needless to say, it's not one that I can do.

Thank you for explaining.
I have heard of something like automatic writing but didn’t know the name for it. I believe there are many ways to tap into the subconscious mind - & our potential.

You're welcome.

Yes, there are countless ways of tapping into the subconscious, or divination.

[Phil8659]

I have had several.

One, I was wide awake. I was using the light pressure on the eyes method, concentrating on pure blackness.

eventually, a light that formed into an eye. I went through the eye, to a desk, upon which was a single candle burning, and a book opened to me

It took years before I knew what it meant.

I often use lucid dreaming. I wanted to learn something about mathematics while dreaming. I was in the lotus posture, when my test started. I went through three tests, nothing was said, I had to analyze what I saw. At the end of the test, there was a voice, all it said, Okay, you win.
my response was WTF, win what? It took me years before I knew what that test was about.

Once I knew what all my lessons were about, both awake, and in dreams, they stopped, as I knew what I had to do, a whole lot of study and thought.

We learn in metaphor because all information processing is on the relative difference. It is an intelligence test.
You cannot advance in that school until after you correctly respond to each lesson, when you understand it.

As the human race evolves, that school will be opened to more people to learn in. That school is not a free for all fantasy state, it is geared to each person's ability.

In that state, you control only your responses, the rest of the environment is controlled by something which is certainly not you. In that sense, it is just like being awake. It is simply a highly advanced virtual reality platform used to teach using methods which are actually very normal.

Written books, are a very elementary form of virtual reality used for teaching. If one cannot get past the basics of virtual reality, no way you can master dreams and visions, a much higher platform and more in-depth lessons.

A long time ago, when, out of the blue, my life was saved by a vision, while I was driving, in real time, it lasted less than a second, but in virtual time, it lasted much longer. After it was over, and I was saved from my own stupidity, I got very, very angry for a very long time. Why are so many just let die?
I cannot answer that, and it is something I will never forget. I was given a choice, most never have one.

[Perspective]

I have had several.

One, I was wide awake. I was using the light pressure on the eyes method, concentrating on pure blackness.

eventually, a light that formed into an eye. I went through the eye, to a desk, upon which was a single candle burning, and a book opened to me

It took years before I knew what it meant.

I often use lucid dreaming. I wanted to learn something about mathematics while dreaming. I was in the lotus posture, when my test started. I went through three tests, nothing was said, I had to analyze what I saw. At the end of the test, there was a voice, all it said, Okay, you win.
my response was WTF, win what? It took me years before I knew what that test was about.

Once I knew what all my lessons were about, both awake, and in dreams, they stopped, as I knew what I had to do, a whole lot of study and thought.

We learn in metaphor because all information processing is on the relative difference. It is an intelligence test.
You cannot advance in that school until after you correctly respond to each lesson, when you understand it.

As the human race evolves, that school will be opened to more people to learn in. That school is not a free for all fantasy state, it is geared to each person's ability.

In that state, you control only your responses, the rest of the environment is controlled by something which is certainly not you. In that sense, it is just like being awake. It is simply a highly advanced virtual reality platform used to teach using methods which are actually very normal.

Written books, are a very elementary form of virtual reality used for teaching. If one cannot get past the basics of virtual reality, no way you can master dreams and visions, a much higher platform and more in-depth lessons.

A long time ago, when, out of the blue, my life was saved by a vision, while I was driving, in real time, it lasted less than a second, but in virtual time, it lasted much longer. After it was over, and I was saved from my own stupidity, I got very, very angry for a very long time. Why are so many just let die?
I cannot answer that, and it is something I will never forget. I was given a choice, most never have one.

Interesting.
What are your beliefs about the spirit realm & afterlife?
In some of your trips, did you use any mind-altering crutches?

[Phil8659]

Is there something wrong with staying on topic? All of my work is under the same screenname on the Internet Archive. I do not use drugs. I learnt to concentrate when very young. I discovered lucid dreaming back in the 50's by myself. I never read anything on it until in my 40's

I learnt, It is a system of very advanced grammar. It took me only three days of practice. I did it to see if it could be done. What I have read on it, seems to be from professionals who are mentally undeveloped.
One can look at the lucid dream state as a very advanced form of geometry. And it is just like being awake, you have to comprehend our own waking perceptions using metaphor, or what Plato called the ability to see the similar idea in the many examples. I started of playing in my dreams, trying the same things different ways, experiencing the results.

I learnt that we can dream in great detail, but we are generally not allowed to, because it can be addictive. Heightened awareness is used only for emphasis. The detail can actually be better than the waking state. I once had a totally awesome one, the song, Rainbow Race. If one does not get somethng important, the dream becomes repetitive until you comprehend it. But it is not for everyone. It will eventually, I believe, become a school, but not until we are ready.

Lastly, no one can really go there unless they are allowed. My lessons stopped when I understood what I am supposed to do. Either that, or I graduated. Some never graduate, because they drift off into fantasy and absurdity. It is just an advanced grammar. Learn and teach literacy after a fashion, which can be proven today. There has been a literacy crisis for a long time, most of it is because of the way we live, This puts the entire planet at risk.
Anyway, just imagine an educational system tailored to each individual's psychological profile. For us, that is a very, very long way off. You never now exactly what is going one until you experience it in its different forms. There is intelligent life in the Universe, but no so much here on Earth.

[Martin Peter Clarke]

Dachau.

[Maia]

Dachau.

I imagine that's a very powerful experience. I don't think that I could go there, to be honest.

[Martin Peter Clarke]

Dachau.

I imagine that's a very powerful experience. I don't think that I could go there, to be honest.

I'm afraid it just popped in to my head immediately. Don't. I wish I hadn't.

[Martin Peter Clarke]

I climbed a mountain solo in Wales, August 2023, I was a mere boy of 69. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mynydd_Garnclochdy Anything over a thousand feet is a mountain in Britain. Not much eh? The weather turned from brilliant blue sky to a black wall of water. I had to keep moving. It was absurdly exhilarating. My daughter and I failed to do it the year before. And the intrepid guy, 8 years younger, whose cottage we rent, had never done it : ) Bucket list! Followed by a surprisingly memorable night at the Goose and Cuckoo.