Tree: Part III

Click here to read Part I.
Click here to read Part II.


Sunday 14/11:


After the festivities of the night before, I woke up around 9:30 to a large dog named Taco (owned by Carly's housemate, Sharna) licking my face - some may say gross, some may say free facewash! Carly had left early and gone to work at her families camera store in the Melbourne CBD - finishing at 4 that day; meanwhile James and I had more spiritual adventures to partake in.

James in some mower trouble...

First off was a quick meditation session lasting 30 minutes, and then to James' house that he was moving out of in Thornbury for one final crack at mowing the lawns (alas it was not to be, the mower just wasn't co-operating).

We bid farewell to the house in Thornbury and hopped on a bus, a tram, and a train into the CBD - we were running a little late for our first visit to a spiritualist church...

Talking Time with Dr Manhattan

It is 2009. I am reading The Watchmen. Dr Manhattan fascinates me. He raises a point concerning the nature of time and how humans incorrectly perceive it. It takes me some time to catch on. He narrates his memories as present tense. He sees no sense in distinguishing time into a linear form of past present future. Everything happens now. Everything is happening now. My mind is attempting to enlarge itself to understand the concept. I finish the chapter. I close the book.

***

Time is simultaneous. This is the grand idea that has stuck with me ever since I read the Watchmen. It was like the pinnacle of my existentialist philosophising back in the day. You could even say it became the straw that broke the camel’s back. I have had to tuck the idea away for some time as my mind was unable to comprehend it. I hope one day to read some physics books that might shed some light but the questions that this has raised are too tough to really explain.

Tree: Part II

Click here to read Part I.


Saturday 13/11:

James and I woke up on Saturday morning around 9. We begun our day with a one hour sit of meditation followed by some Qi Gong and Tai Chi stretches, the perfect way to start any day. The weather had taken a drastic turn from the day before. In Melbourne on Friday the temperature was 32 degrees, sunny, and humid - on Saturday, 20 degrees, overcast, and raining. Waking up to the rain in the forest was amazingly beautiful, even though I was beginning to catch a cold.

We had an appointment to meet with another friend of James' at 12 that day, affectionately known as 'massage' Mike. Mike picked us up from outside an Anglican church a few train stations away from Upwey, in Heathmont. Upon arrival at his house I met his partner, Dennis and not long after met a friend of theirs, Sasha, who was partaking in the BBQ we were having for lunch. The day before, James showed me a bottle of Ormus (click the link to read about what it is). Sasha owned his own skin-care company, with an office in LA, and is in the process of selling bottles of the stuff at a very inflated price on a worldwide scale. I myself have been taking a cap-full of Ormus on a daily basis since returning to Sydney, and it has made me feel great! Truly is the Philosopher's Stone.

After lunch Mike invited the three of us over to his "office", a small building next to his house that was where he conducted business. Within the office (for lack of a better word), there contained a foyer/waiting room area, two rooms with massage tables, and bathroom facilities. "OK, who's up first?", Mike said. James and Sasha looked in my direction, with a gaze that almost said, "do it, do it, do it" - just like Jack Black's devil from Mr. Show (sorry for the obscure reference for those who haven't seen the episode...). I stripped down to my undies and lay face down on the table, unsure of what Mike was going to do.

"Any area that we need to work on specifically?", Mike asked. "Well, I have brain cancer, so I'm not sure if that helps...", I replied. Upon admission of my condition, I filled Mike in on my treatment and the initial symptoms. Mike started to lightly massage my neck, and felt some great tensions that I knew existed. The part that really surprised me was that he had the ability (healing ability if you will) to place pressure on an area of my back or neck, and ask (almost rhetorically), "This is a painful area, isn't it?" - Mike could find the tension spots just by touch, it was incredible. Now it was time for the needles...

Dogman, a Historie

It was a brisk winters evening in the winter of 1946 in the London suburb of Barking when the Barchangel Dogriel appeared to a woman named Mary.

Dogriel was an Angel of magnificence and importance, it has been written in the classical texts that he was the most loyal Angel in the Great Battle of C’Anine against Lucifer and the Faecal Felines*. Due to his great loyalty, it is said that he is the best friend of God and therefore – man.

The Barchangel Dogriel appeared to Mary and he proclaimed, “Rejoice, highly favoured one, blessed are you among bitches!”

Mary said nothing, she looked stunned and fearful.

The Barchangel Dogriel proclaimed, “Be not afraid Mary, for God has looked kindly upon thee. And you will conceive in your cracke and bring forth a puppeh, and you will name him Dogman”. Dogriel continued, Mary, awed by the revelation. “He will be a grand puppeh, and he will be called the Dog of the People and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary finally spoketh, “I am but a Virgin, doth God have skille enough to explore thine cavernous cracke?”

The Barchangel Dogriel proclaimed, “Bitch! No cracke be too wide or too deep for God to fill! Go now to the Isle of Dogs where you shall find a Public House, and here three men will seek your puppeh and rejoice in his miraculous birth.”

And with this, the Barchangel Dogriel vanished.

*This is where the Dog VS Cat rivalry we have today originated.

Face Your Fears

We have all heard this said to people. We all have said it to someone else. We have all had it said to us. In two of these scenarios it makes perfect sense that the fear must be faced, but in the other you begin to wonder whether it should be adhered to.

I don’t know if everyone is as clear about their biggest fear as me, or whether it is similar in how it may present itself. But mine is very distinct. I have a fear of public speaking. I really fall apart when a certain degree of attention is paid to me. It becomes worse if the situation is professional. Worse still if I am visible. Basically the fear arises at the idea of looking nervous in front of people while I talk or present something. This fear of appearing nervous then causes me to be nervous, which then feeds the fear, which feeds the nerves, which feeds the fear, which feeds the nerves, which- well you get the point.

The vicious circle makes no sense at all. It is like the old belief that you have to invite a vampire into your house before it can enter and kill you. Simple right? Don’t invite any vampires in, right? It's as if I was wandering the theme park of life and spotted a ride called the Nervepool. It’s like a whirlpool and when you jump in you just spin around and around feeling more and more sick. The guy warned me that once you go in it’s fucking tough to get out, but I jumped in anyway. And now as I try to stay afloat I- you know what, let’s stick with the vampire analogy.