moon soup

December 22, 2008 · 5:44 pm

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M

Free e-book (this work is in the public domain, download at will)

But first know these things:

This is huge- I mean really huge. 1260 pages huge. It has not been easy.
I have not found the complete book available anywhere and so compiled it section by section. This could have led to some errors but hopefully only small ones. Teeny, insignificant in relative terms, I’m sure.
I have included the original preface, introduction and other notes (a forward by Aldous Huxley, not in the original printing).
I have taken the liberty of adding some photos/ pictures that were never in the original book.

Here are some excerpts, followed by the download, in doc format because that’s what the uploader will take.

HAZRA: “Does God listen to our prayer for bhakti?”

MASTER: “Surely. I can assure you of that a hundred times. But the prayer must be genuine and earnest. Do worldly-minded people weep for God as they do for wife and children? At Kamarpukur the wife of a certain man fell ill. The man thought she would not recover; he began to tremble and was about to faint. Who feels that way for God?”

Hazra was about to take the dust of the Master’s feet.

MASTER (shrinking): “What is this?”

HAZRA: “Why should I not take the dust of his feet who has so kindly kept me with him?”

MASTER: “Satisfy God and everyone will be satisfied. ‘If He is pleased the world is pleased.’ Once the Lord ate a few greens from Draupadi’s cooking-pot and said, ‘Ah, I am satisfied.’ Immediately the whole world and all its living beings were satisfied; they felt as if they had eaten their fill. But was the world satisfied or did it feel that way when the rishis ate their food?

(To Hazra) “A perfect soul, even after attaining Knowledge, practises devotions or observes religious ceremonies to set an example to others. I go to the Kali temple and I bow before the holy pictures in my room; therefore others do the same. Further, if a man has become habituated to such ceremonies, he feels restless if he does not observe them.

“One day I saw a sannyasi under the banyan-tree. He had put the salagram on the same carpet with his guru’s sandals. He was worshipping them. I said to him, ‘If you have attained Knowledge to that extent,* then why such formal worship at all?’ He replied: ‘What difference does it make? Since I do everything else, why not this too? Sometimes I offer the flowers at the guru’s feet and sometimes to God.’

“One cannot renounce work as long as one has a body. As long as there is mud at the bottom of the lake, bubbles will be produced.

(To Hazra) “If there is knowledge of one, there is also knowledge of many. What will you achieve by mere study of the scriptures? The scriptures contain a mixture of sand and sugar, as it were. It is extremely difficult to separate the sugar from the sand. Therefore one should learn the essence of the scriptures from the teacher or from a sadhu. Afterwards what does one care for books?

(To the devotees) “Gather all the information and then plunge in. Suppose a pot has dropped in a certain part of a lake. Locate the spot and dive there.

“One should learn the essence of the scriptures from the guru and then practise sadhana. If one rightly follows spiritual discipline, then one directly sees God. The discipline is said to be rightly followed only when one plunges in. What will a man gain by merely reasoning about the words of the scriptures? Ah, the fools! They reason themselves to death over information about the path. They never take the plunge. What a pity!

“You may say, even though you dive deep you are still in danger of sharks and crocodiles, of lust and anger. But dive after rubbing your bodv with turmeric powder; then sharks and crocodiles will not come near you. The turmeric, is discrimination and renunciation.

(To the devotees) “God made me pass through the disciplines of various paths. First according to the Purana, then according to the Tantra. I also followed the disciplines of the Vedas. At first I practised sadhana in the Panchavati. I made a grove of tulsi-plants and used to sit inside it and meditate. Sometimes I cried with a longing heart, ‘Mother! Mother!’ Or again, ‘Rama! Rama!’

“While repeating the name of Rama, I sometimes assumed the attitude of Hanuman and fixed a tail to the lower end of my backbone. I was in a God-intoxicated state. At that time I used to put on a silk robe and worship the Deity. What joy I experienced in that worship!

“I practised the discipline of the Tantra under the bel-tree. At that time I could see no distinction between the sacred tulsi and any other plant. In that state I sometimes ate the leavings from a jackal’s meal,* food that had been exposed the whole night, part of which might have been eaten by snakes or other creatures. Yes, I ate that stuff.

“Sometimes I rode on a dog and fed him with luchi, also eating part of the bread myself. I realized that the whole world was filled with God alone. One cannot have spiritual realization without destroying ignorance; so I would assume the attitude of a tiger and devour ignorance.

“While practising the disciplines of the Vedas, I became a sannyasi. I used to lie down in the chandni and say to Hriday: ‘I am a sannyasi. I shall take my meals here.’*

“I vowed to the Divine Mother that I would kill myself if I did not see God. I said to Her: ‘O Mother, I am a fool. Please teach me what is contained in the Vedas, the Puranas, the Tantras, and the other scriptures.’ The Mother said to me, ‘The essence of the Vedanta is that Brahman alone is real and the world illusory.’ The Satchidananda Brahman described in the Vedas is the Satchidananda Siva of the Tantra and the Satchidananda Krishna of the Purana. The essence of the Gita is what you get by repeating the word ten times. It is reversed into ‘tagi’, which indicates renunciation.

“After the realization of God, how far below lie the Vedas, the Vedanta, the Purana, the Tantra! (To Hazra) I cannot utter the word ‘Om’ in samadhi. Why is that? I cannot say ‘Om’ unless I come down very far from the state of samadhi.

“I had all the experiences that one should have, according to the scriptures, after one’s direct perception of God. I behaved like a child, like a madman, like a ghoul, and like an inert thing.

“I saw the visions described in the scriptures. Sometimes I saw the universe filled with sparks of fire. Sometimes I saw all the quarters glittering with light, as if the world were a lake of mercury. Sometimes I saw the world as if made of liquid silver. Sometimes, again, I saw all the quarters illumined as if with the light of Roman candles. So you see my experiences tally with those described in the scriptures.

“It was revealed to me further that God Himself has become the universe and all its living beings and the twenty-four cosmic principles. It is like the process of evolution and involution.*

“Oh, what a state God kept me in at that time! One experience would hardly be over before another overcame me. It was like the movement of the husking-machine: no sooner is one end down than the other goes up.

“I would see God in meditation, in the state of samadhi, and I would see the same God when my mind came back to the outer world. When looking at this side of the mirror I would see Him alone, and when looking on the reverse side I saw the same God.”

The devotees listened to these words with rapt attention.

The Download:

the-gospel-of-sri-ramakrishna-by-m

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Filed under Free E-Books, Mystic Poetry, pictures, Spirituality

December 21, 2008 · 8:33 pm

Picture Sunday

All pictures, no theme today.

Click for full size-

Martian sunrise from various angles.

Mostly from Mars Orbiter (poorly aligned- the probe is supposed to face the planet surface) and some other probe shots, color enhanced or false color to reveal geology (the Mars Orbiter shots are often released in false color to highlight mineral or water-created features), mostly, to make it more cool I suppose. But a beautiful series nonetheless.

Just to warn you, I’m compiling the complete Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M (in public domain, but I haven’t found a single source with all sections/ volumes). Sometime this week I’ll be offering the complete ebook download.

Definitely click for full size. Got this from a website that doesn’t exist, so don’t ask. If I tell you I’d have to kill you.

Actually yesterday- bad quality from camera pictures. We celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday, 12/20 because my son Andrew is in town (was in town). Now we’re done. Feels good.

Kind of stupid, but why not?

What?

No, really.

Important legal information for everyone. Must click!

Just silly.

What, Me Blurry?

Pics from phone, from top of Larch Mountain. Better at full size (click).

Baby Sacrificed to Robot (Tabloid headline)

Guinea Pogs (collage by my son)

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Tagged as baby sacrifice, cartoon, guinea pigs, Larch Mountain, mars, national laws, pet monkeys, Sr Ramakrishna, sunrise, weird

December 16, 2008 · 5:25 pm

Interview with/ about Ray

Forced Electroshock-

Question: Is “forced treatment” really “treatment” or is it “Torture”?

This is an interview on NPR (click on link):

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98273451

Background (mostly from MindFreedom):

Ray Alerts

(I apologize for repetitive information)

MindFreedom International – 16 November 2008
Ray Human Rights Alert #3: Please Forward

Now see a photo of Ray here:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray

Media ought to ask, “What is Minnesota Governor Pawlenty’s
position on Involuntary Outpatient Electroshock (IOE)?”

Ray gets a one week reprieve.

First the good news.

Within days of MindFreedom launching its campaign on 7 November 2008
to stop the weekly involuntary outpatient electroshock of Ray
Sandford, his doctor has decided to “skip a Wednesday.”

Ray says that this coming Wednesday, 19 November 2008, for the first
time in months, Ray will not be escorted against his will, under
court order, from his Minnesota home out in the community to his 34th
involuntary outpatient electroshock.

So there’s a reprieve for Ray.

For one week.

The bad news is that Ray’s doctor said Ray’s forced outpatient
electroshocks will resume on Wednesday, 26 November 2008, the day
before the USA holiday of Thanksgiving.

Ray said his involuntary shock will then continue every other week.

We don’t know if the one-week reprieve is because of the MindFreedom
campaign, but we know MindFreedom News readers are having an impact.

Since the MindFreedom first alert went out nine days ago, on 7
November 2008:

*** Many people from all over the world have e-mailed and phoned
the offices of the Governor of Minnesota, along with social service
agencies, media, and the hospital where Ray receives his electroshock
against his expressed wishes.

*** For the first time, thousands of people are now aware of the
existence of IOE — Involuntary Outpatient Electroshock.

*** A few national and local media are now actively investigating.

*** Several advocacy agencies and human rights organizations are
expressing concern and getting involved.

*** Several volunteer attorneys are now in touch to provide
assistance.

*** Volunteers are visiting Ray and sending him their support,
and Ray tells us he is grateful. One volunteer took the photo of Ray
shown on the web version of this alert:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray

*** MindFreedom’s “Zapback” e-mail list is coordinating the
campaign.

*** A disability professor and her class of students have called
up Ray and are taking on his campaign as a project.

*** And more.

Thank you, everyone.

Keep up the pressure and the support!

KEEP IT UP!

First, keep phoning and e-mailing, especially if you have not so far.
Show there is national and international concern!

Here are the links to the original two MindFreedom alerts, which have
information about how to e-mail and phone the Governor of Minnesota,
and how to write or visit Ray:

7 Nov: Alert #1:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray-sandford

12 Nov: Alert #2 – Governor Phone-In Campaign:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/pawlenty-electroshock

16 Nov: Alert #3 – Link to this alert with photo of Ray:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray

SOLVE A MYSTERY!

Second, help MindFreedom answer the main mystery.

Despite all this public interest the question remains, “What is
Governor Pawlenty’s position on Minnesota laws allowing involuntary
outpatient electroshock?”

Is this Governor, who campaigns for “limited government,” for such
laws or against them?

Unfortunately, the Governor’s office has not responded to any of the
many e-mails or phone calls requesting his policy position. The
Governor’s office is immediately forwarding citizen inquiries to a
voice mail, and then not replying to the voice mail.

We need media to ask the Governor for us. Please forward this alert
to all media, small and large, from newspapers to bloggers.

Media can direct questions to:

Brian McClung
Director of Communications for Minnesota’s Governor
phone: (651) 296-0001.

Media ought to ask, “What is Governor Pawlenty’s position on
Minnesota laws allowing involuntary outpatient electroshock?”

Sometimes the Governor’s office is re-directing calls to the
Minnesota Department of Human Rights. At first that sounds good. But
this office says it is only focused on determining whether narrow
discrimination complaints are legally valid. A spokesperson said this
department makes no statements about policy.

This Minnesota agency said they are planning a major one-day human
rights conference and forum on 5 December. One barrier is the “forum”
costs $200.

For information on this Minn. Dept. of Human Rights, and their
“forum,” click here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/minnesota-human-rights-conference
or use this link:
http://tinyurl.com/mn-human-rights

You can also keep up with some of the latest developments about the
Ray Campaign on the MindFreedom blog by MindFreedom director David
Oaks, here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/mfi-blog

Disclaimer: Because the State of Minnesota won’t reply, portions of
these alerts are based on Ray’s personal statements. By Ray’s own
admission, he now has severe memory problems. Therefore, journalists
may want to find a second source to confirm accuracy.

MindFreedom International – 24 November 2008
Ray Human Rights Alert #4: Please Forward

You Can Ask: Thanksgiving Reprieve?

MindFreedom Filing Complaint with UN Claiming “Torture” in Minnesota

The next forced outpatient electroshock of Ray Sandford is
scheduled for this Wednesday morning, 26 November 2008, the day
before the USA holiday of Thanksgiving.

Join an international campaign *NOW* to phone Minnesota Governor
Tim Pawlenty today and tomorrow, before the shock:

1) Ask the Governor to give Ray Sandford a reprieve from his next
forced electroshock.

2) Ask the Governor — who claims to believe in limited government —
if he supports laws in Minnesota allowing this torture: the
involuntary administration of electroshock therapy (ECT) of people
living out in the community?

A MindFreedom investigation revealed that Ray Sandford, 54,
complained of being escorted every week for months from his supported
living home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota to Mercy Hospital for
another course of electroshock over his objection.

After the first MindFreedom News international alert, Ray’s doctor
let him skip his forced shock this past Wednesday, 19 November.

This Wednesday morning, 26 November, Ray expects to be woken up early
once again to be escorted the 15 miles to what he is told will be his
34th involuntary outpatient electroshock under special Minnesota laws.

Meanwhile, MindFreedom is filing a official claim with the United
Nations calling Minnesota’s abuse of Ray “torture,” using a new
process and expanded definition by the UN.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

** ACTION ** ACTION ** ACTION **

Join in a MindFreedom international phone-in campaign!

Telephone Governor Pawlenty’s office *NOW* — and insist on talking
to a staff person.

Call any day, but especially call today and tomorrow, *before* Ray’s
scheduled electroshock this Wednesday.

From anywhere in the world phone (651) 296-3391.

From inside Minnesota phone toll free (800) 657-3717.

You have the best chance of reaching staff from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Central Time weekdays.

NOTE: Staff is directing many of these calls into voice mail.
MindFreedom is not aware of anyone actually getting a response to
this voice mail.

DO NOT GIVE UP! Politely but FIRMLY insist on on talking to a staff
person.

If you get redirected to voice mail leave a message, but call back
until you get an answer from a live person.

If you do receive any helpful information, e-mail it to
news@mindfreedom.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ray Campaign News Updates:

MindFreedom Filing Complaint with United Nations Alleging
“Torture” by Minnesota

This past Friday, 21 November, disability advocates met with Ray at
the Minnesota Center for Independent Living. Ray told advoctates he
very much supports this campaign.

During the meeting a teleconference was held with MindFreedom
President Celia Brown in New York City and MindFreedom Director David
Oaks in Oregon. Celia interviewed Ray so that MindFreedom may file a
human rights complaint under a new process with a United Nations
Special Rappateur. Because of recent developments, some types of
severe psychiatric abuse may now be considered torture by the UN.

Involuntary outpatient electroshock (IOE) is part of a trend to bring
the power of forced psychiatric procedures out into the community,
from the back ward to your front porch.

Mind your freedom: Your home is no longer your castle… it can
become your ward.

Electroshock itself has made a comeback throughout the USA, and
internationally, without adequate human rights protection.

You may read some of the many public comments that have been e-mailed
to the Governor at tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/sandford-support-letters

For a full-sized photo of Ray click on his image here:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray
MindFreedom International – Ray Alert #5
Win Human Rights in Mental Health – Please Forward!
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/alert-5-sandford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ray’s Next Scheduled Involuntary Outpatient Electroshock is:
10 December — International Human Rights Day!

by David W. Oaks, Executive Director, MindFreedom International

This Wednesday, 10 December 2008, human rights activists all over the
world will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the signing of the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

10 December is the UN’s official International Human Rights Day.

10 December is also the day that Ray Sandford is scheduled to receive
his 35th involuntary outpatient electroshock.

NEW ON WEB: Learn Ray’s story — Frequently Asked Questions About Ray
Sandford Campaign, click here:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/sandford-faq

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: New Page (above)

I’ve added a radio archive for Mad Liberation by Moonlight, starting for this last show (1 am 12/13/08, to be technical).

angel_punch

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Tagged as angels

December 13, 2008 · 12:11 am

Links

shadow20820blue

Ricks brief annotated webography on recovery and stuff

Interactive Theater–

· Broad access to books, publications and links related to the work of Brazilian playwright Augusto Boal: http://www.tonisant.com/aitg/Boal_Techniques/

· Blog related to Augusto Boal techniques/ Theater of the Oppressed most specific to issues of class and poverty: http://www.tonisant.com/aitg/Boal_Techniques/

· Article on/ review of an interactive performance the University of Missouri (not instructional but gives an impression of the process from an audience perspective): http://difficultdialogues.missouri.edu/theatre.html

· Similar to above, from a performance at Harvard: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/10.05/11-theateroppressed.html

· Wikipedia article on Augusto Boal and the Theater of the Oppressed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_the_Oppressed

Consumer/ Survivor/ Recovery Blogs–

· One great feature of all the blogs listed here is that they often have links to other consumer/ survivor sites and resources.

· The author of this blog originally used it to document their journey off psychiatric medications as well as an introduction to alternative forms of care for mental health disorders regardless of whether one is on medications, off medications, or coming off medications. Includes articles submitted by readers/ visitors. Now called Beyond Meds, used to be Bipolar Blast; this site has articles and commentary related to recovery, wellness and personal experiences with treatment: http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/

· The author is a mental health treatment survivor concerned about the state of mental health care in America and elsewhere. The perspective is that we are not getting the kind of results that patients were promised 20 years ago at the dawn of the psychopharmacological revolution. Called Furious Seasons: http://www.furiousseasons.com/

· Author Ron Unger, Eugene native, nationally recognized therapist who promotes the treatment of “psychotic disorders” using cognitive methods, provides information valuable to consumer-survivors and perspectives on non-drug treatments. He incorporates reader commentary and stories of recovery. The title is Recovery from Schizophrenia: http://recoveryfromschizophrenia.org/blog/

The Icarus Project:

· I’ve given them their own section because they are in a class by themselves. The main site for The Icarus Project is one of the most densely packed web resources you can find. It includes a wide array of mostly free publications, galleries, discussion groups and much more. It began with a nationwide collaboration of folks diagnosed with bi-polar disorder that published a book called “Navigating the space between brilliance and madness” (now in it’s 5^th printing and available for download on-line). From the site’s introduction- “We are a website community, support network of local groups, and media project created by and for people struggling with bipolar disorder and other dangerous gifts commonly labeled as “mental illnesses.” We believe that when we learn to take care of ourselves, the intertwined threads of madness and creativity can be tools of inspiration and hope in a repressed and damaged world. Our goal is to help people like ourselves feel less alienated, and to allow us—both as individuals and as a community—to tap into the true potential that lies between brilliance and madness.” You could spend all your time reading/ contributing to this site and never get bored: http://theicarusproject.net/

· The Icarus Project Blog is a diverse creation of the on-line community with news and information of interest to project members and organizers: http://theicarusproject.net/blog/5482

· There are many member-blogs hosted on the site that have their own unique contributions. Two that I have found interesting or useful:

· Olinka’s blog- http://theicarusproject.net/blog/olinka

· Squirrel ABC’s blog: http://theicarusproject.net/blog/squirrelabc

Mad Radio:

· These are web-based and broadcast radio sources by consumer-survivors of mental health treatment.

· The Freedom Center, The Icarus Project, Pacifica Radio Affiliate Valley Free Radio WXOJ-LPFM and south-central Alaska’s KWMD in Kasilof produce a radio show weekly (broadcast in Alaska and on some Pacifica Radio affiliates). “The Freedom Center is one of a collection of grassroots organizations springing up across the country in reaction to the prevalence of medication in America. It alerts people to the downside of psychiatric drugs but does not try to force people off them: it seeks instead to help sufferers find the best methods of coping, even if their solution is unconventional by the standards of the medical establishment.” (Forbes Magazine). The show includes interviews and informative information related to The Freedom Center’s objectives, challenging traditional medical-model and forced treatment. Podcasts and archived shows are available at: http://www.freedom-center.org/view/madnessradio_page

· MindFreedom has a streamed and archived radio program hosted by David Oaks and including guests, news, call-in and special topics. The show is streamed at: http://www.prncomm.net/ and archives are available at: http://www.mindfreedom.org/campaign/media/mfradio/archived-shows and at: http://oaks.progressiveradionetwork.org/

· I do a monthly radio show on KBOO Portland called Mad Liberation by Moonlight. The show is broadcast at 1 am on the Friday night following the full moon (yes, I know that this is actually Saturday; relax, it’s only radio). The program is streamed at: http://kboo.fm/ and archives will eventually (currently this is just an announcement and message board for the show) be available at: http://fullmoonradio.wordpress.com/

Resources:

· Alternative mental health treatment (includes information on aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal, homeopathic and other non-traditional treatments: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=15&cn=15

· Another part of the site (above) with alternative medical therapies has a source book on starting peer-led self-help groups: http://www.mentalhelp.net/selfhelp/selfhelp.php?id=866

· Another source for how to start peer-led self-help groups: http://www.selfhelp.on.ca/start.html

· The National Empowerment Center website has a vast collection of articles, handbooks, pamphlets and other material related to mental health recovery. Most of the material is downloadable for free. Partly funded by SAMHSA: http://www.power2u.org/

· Dan Fisher’s website, in case you can’t find enough of his work at the National Empowerment Center: http://www.narpa.org/fisher.htm

· Mainstream mental health information leaning toward recovery and empowerment: http://www.nmha.org/

· Another fairly mainstream site with some good material and links: http://www.mhrecovery.com/

· The official SAMHSA website is a good one to find references, studies and articles that support recovery based treatment models: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/ (for example, a downloadable article on how self-disclosure helps break down stigma and other barriers to recovery: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/SMA08-4337/)

· The MindFreedom portal is the doorway to another fairly dense source of news and information on the mental health consumer/ survivor front, including a calendar of protests and events on mental health-human rights. This organization is recognized by the U.N. as a NGO representing people with a mental health diagnosis: http://www.mindfreedom.org/

· The Mental Health Self-help Clearinghouse has tons of information, articles and downloadable manuals for self-help and advocacy (the ultimate step in self-determination): http://www.mhselfhelp.org/index.php

· A web-based support community- something like The Icarus Project in it’s objectives but way different in tone (without the emphasis on “radical” politics): http://www.peoplewho.org/

· Professor Ed offers recovery tools based on a spiritual perspective available on 2 companion sites: http://www.professored.com/ and http://www.recoverycircles.org/

· Another good resource for spirituality and mental health: http://www.spiritualcompetency.com/recovery/lesson1.html

· This is the site for Peter Breggin, the famous anti-drug anti-psychiatrist/ rock-star of the talk-show circuit (not as friendly a site in terms of free access to information but it has some good points): http://www.breggin.com/

· Dr. Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd has developed a system for psychological self-help, step by step, by the numbers: http://www.psychologicalselfhelp.org/

Self-determination:

What? We should ask people what they want before we give it to them??? Preposterous! Or: http://www.self-determination.com/

A downloadable 91-page manual for person centered planning with emphasis on Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH), not specific to mental health: http://rtc.umn.edu/docs/pcpmanual1.pdf

The National Coalition for Self-Determination is a national partnership of people with disabilities, parents, and family members who work to promote federal policies that support the five principles of Self-Determination. The five principles are Freedom, Authority, Support, Responsibility and Confirmation of the role of self-advocates: http://www.nconsd.org/

Mike Hlebechuck of Oregon AMH has a blog on what he calls Peer Operated Recovery Treatment and Supports (PORTS), a proposal for self-directed supports in mental health services: http://selfdirectedcare.blogspot.com/

The website of Empowerment Initiatives, the nations first/ only consumer-operated self-directed supports brokerage in mental health: http://www.chooseempowerment.com/

Deb McLean’s page on person centered planning for employment outcomes using the Making Action Plans (MAPS) process: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/handouts/2004/02-18-McLeanAnderson/tool.htm

Look around, enjoy.

tarkvoln

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Filed under CS/X movement, Links: Recovery, Mad Radio, Mental health recovery, wellness and systems change

December 10, 2008 · 4:50 pm

Autobiography of a Friend

Today’s free book: The Autobiography of George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). And he doesn’t look at all klike the guy on the cereal box. Just who are these Quakers anyway?

Wikipedia says: The Religious Society of Friends, also known as The Quakers, is a movement that began in England in the 17th century.The word “Quaker” means to tremble in the way of the Lord. In its early days it faced opposition and persecution; however, it continued to expand, extending into many parts of the world, especially the Americas and Africa.The Society of Friends has been influential in the history of the world. The state of Pennsylvania, in the United States, was founded by William Penn, as a safe place for Quakers to live and practice their faith. Quakers have been a significant part of the movements to abolishslavery, acknowledge the equal rights of women, and end warfare. They have also promoted education and the humane treatment of prisoners and the mentally ill, through the founding or reforming of various institutions.

During the 19th century Friends in the United States suffered a number of separations. These separations have resulted in the formation of different branches of the Society of Friends. Despite the separations, Friends remain united in their commitment to discover truth and promote it. There are perhaps 400,000 Quakers in the world today, the overwhelming majority of them Evangelicals in Africa and Latin America.

How about this George Fox character? What’s his deal? The following excerpt is from William Penn’s preface to the Autobiography of George Fox (the full preface is included with this e-book):

The blessed instrument of and in this day of God, and of whom I am now about to write, was George Fox, distinguished from another of that name, by that other’s addition of younger to his name in all his writings; not that he was so in years, but that he was so in the truth; but he was also a worthy man, witness and servant of God in his time.

……….

but, in general, when he was somewhat above twenty, he left his friends, and visited the most retired and religious people, and some there were at that time in this nation, especially in those parts, who waited for the consolation of Israel night and day, as Zacharias, Anna, and good old Simeon did of old time. To these he was sent, and these he sought out in the neighboring countries, and among them he sojourned till his more ample ministry came upon him.

At this time he taught and was an example of silence, endeavouring to bring people from self-performances, testifying and turning to the light of Christ within them, and encouraging them to wait in patience to feel the power of it to stir in their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of God might stand in the power of an endless life, which was to be found in the Light, as it was obeyed in the manifestation of it in man. “For in the Word was life, and that life was the light of men.” Life in the Word, light in men, and life too, as the light is obeyed; the children of the light living by the life of the Word, by which the Word begets them again to God, which is the regeneration and new birth, without which there is no coming unto the kingdom of God; and which, whoever comes to, is greater than John, that is, than John’s ministry which was not that of the kingdom, but the consummation of the legal, and opening of the gospel-dispensation. Accordingly, several meetings were gathered in those parts; and thus his time was employed for some years.

In 1652, he being in his usual retirement to the Lord upon a very high mountain, in some of the hither parts of Yorkshire, as I take it, his mind exercised towards the Lord, he had a vision of the great work of God in the earth, and of the way that he was to go forth to begin it. He saw people as thick as motes in the sun, that should in time be brought home to the Lord, that there might be but one Shepherd and one sheepfold in all the earth. There his eye was directed northward, beholding a great people that should receive him and his message in those parts. Upon this mountain he was moved of the Lord to sound out his great and notable day, as if he had been in a great auditory, and from thence went north, as the Lord had shewn him: and in every place where he came, if not before he came to it, he had his particular exercise and service shewn to him, so that the Lord was his leader indeed; for it was not in vain that he travelled, God in most places sealing his commission with the convincement of some of all sorts, as well publicans as sober professors of religion.

william_penn

Again from Wikipedia:

The Quakers began in England in the early 1650s as a Nonconformist movement separate from other such movements, from Anglicanism and from Roman Catholicism. Some would say that it was not precisely a “break” from any of these, but was organized outside of them. Traditionally George Fox has been taken to be the founder or at least the most important early figure, but modern scholarship suggests a more complicated picture. Most likely, a number of radical Puritans, among them Fox, James Nayler and Edward Burrough, independently came to similar positions, eventually came into contact with one another, and then began to coordinate their preaching. However, since Fox outlived most of what some Quakers have called the Valiant Sixty—a group of early Quaker evangelists—his account of the early days as recorded in his Journal, while it may exaggerate his role, is the most detailed one available.

The Valiant Sixty believed that direct experience with God was available to all people, without any mediation (e.g. through a pastor, or through sacraments). Friends have often expressed this belief by referring to “that of God in Everyone”, “inner light“, “inward Christ”, “the spirit of Christ within”, and many other terms.

Modern day Friends (as we call ourselves) are best known for their devotion to peace and consistent opposition to war. If people only knew! The Society of Friends is so different from most modern churches or sects that it can barely (if at all) be described as “organized religion. Without ministers, bishops or other religious hierarchy, the common threads of belief are referred to as “testimony”. Quakers don’t have dogma per se, but generally adhere to the principles of peace, justice, simplicity and community.

Quakers (past and present) tend to be social activists. Friends have been instrumental in the formation of many non-sectarian organizations (e.g. Oxfam, Greenpeace and Amnesty International).

Quaker meetings (called Meeting for Worship) are unprogrammed, last about an hour and consist primarily of silence, interupted only when an individual is “moved to speak”. Here’s a quote about Meeting for Worship:

“A Friend’s meeting, however silent, is at the very lowest a witness that worship is something other and deeper than words, and that it is to the unseen and eternal things that we desire to give the first place in our lives. And when the meeting…is awake and looking upwards, there is much more in it than this. In the united stillness of a truly ‘gathered’ meeting, there is a power known only by experience, and mysterious even when most familiar.” Caroline Stephen, (1908).

So, without further fuss, here is the book download- The Autobiography of George Fox:

georgefoxautobiography

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December 9, 2008 · 7:05 pm

What was I thinking?

stillness

12/09/08
Today on route to work (riding in the vanpool with seven other long-distance

commuters) I was listening on my mp3 player to a talk by the Dalai Lama on the

Heart Sutra. My mind wandered into some thoughts that arose during meeting for

worship at the Friends Meetinghouse on Sunday. These are some of the thoughts

that drifted through:

Stillness (or emptiness or balance) is the source of all things. Movement (or

content or imbalance) arises from stillness. The world of seperate things

arises from relative motion. Beauty, suffering and gladness are all produced by

the arising motion from the field of stillness.

The appearance of things is that the world is always in motion. Motion arises

from imbalance. For example: solar energy makes some parts of the atmosphere warmer,

creating an imbalance in pressure that creates wind, the engine of weather and

climate.

Using the same analogy (the living motion of the processes that support life on earth), water finds it’s level, seeks balance. Outside forces (e.g. the radiation produced by the sun or by the earth’s core) moves water from the bottom of the gravity well to the upper atmosphere where it eventually loses that energy, falling to the earth to make streams, waterfalls, rivers and springs on it’s journey back to the bottom of the gravity well. During this process water feeds and sustains life.

I have often thought about how it is imbalance/ imperfection that gives rise to

beauty. If things are in balance, there is no motion, no beauty and no

gladness. Through imbalance and the seeking of balance, come birth and death.

When the seeking ends, stillness reigns and emptiness replaces content. In

perfect balance motion does not arise and all things lose there seperateness.

blue_peace_sign

Sometimes I feel like I’m in the middle of a stumble- like my imbalance is

propelling me forward into something unknown. I have the sensation of falling

into mystery. Sometimes it feels as though the world is a thin movie screen and

I am about to walk through it. It is as though balance, emptiness, stillness lies

just beyond the veil of appearances and any minute I will fall into it.

inner_peace_under_a_tree

Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can feel the rush of time like a wind. I

sense that just behind that wind is timelessness, the flash of this moment in

perfect peace, the wholeness of myself and the world.

don__t_be_afraid_yellowman_by_voln

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Filed under personal story, pictures, Spirituality

Tagged as stillness, thoughts, time

December 9, 2008 · 12:20 am

Is the full moon making my butt look fat?

Mad Liberation By MoonLight

youarenotalone1

This Friday! On KBOO Radio 90.7 FM

1- 2 a.m. Late Friday night

(yes, I know that it is technically Saturday morning- relax, it’s just a radio show)

December 12th, 2008

This show is dedicated to Everyone

*who has ever been given a psychiatric label, *who experiences mental health challenges and of course to *anybody who has the misfortune (or good fortune) of being awake at that hour.

You can participate!

Call in at (503) 231-8187

Special guests are anticipated! How about you? Aren’t you special? Better call in.

(Set your alarm if you aren’t usually up at that time or write an email to fullmoonradio@yahoo.com)

Friday nights from 1 am to 2 am usually following the full-moon, will be a segment on KBOO radio (90.7 on your fm dial, to the left of NPR), also streamed on the internet on their website, http://www.kboo.fm/index.php will be time for of Mad Lib by Moonlight. The program is part of the usual Friday night show, The Outside World.

Updates can also be found on my website, Moonsoup on the interweb & at http://fullmoonradio.wordpress.com/

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December 3, 2008 · 10:58 pm

Now available

From The Icarus Project:

Navigating the Space Between Brilliance and Madness

Download the pdf here.

Go to The Icarus Project site here.

Click these thumbnails for Icarus related pictures/ posters-

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Tagged as E-book, Navigating the Space, radical mental health action, The Icarus Project

November 29, 2008 · 12:04 am

A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul

Just another book by St. John of the Cross.

Excerpt:

XXVIII
My soul is occupied,

And all my substance in His service;

Now I guard no flock,

Nor have I any other employment: 
My sole occupation is love.

Download the e-book:
a-spiritual-canticle-of-the-soul

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Filed under Free E-Books, Mystic Poetry, poetry, Spirituality

Tagged as E-book, Mystic Poetry, St. John of the Cross

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moon soup

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M

Picture Sunday

Interview with/ about Ray

Note: New Page (above)

Links

Autobiography of a Friend

What was I thinking?

Is the full moon making my butt look fat?

Now available

A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul

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