The First Blog of March

Hello Gentle Reader

This blog contains two different topics that I felt like talking about today. First and foremost I saw this neat show, on the discovery channel on . . . let’s see here, it was the premiere, and I think Monday was the day. Yes it was Monday, I do believe. So it was the premiere, as I had already just informed you, and it was called “Oddities.” The show is basically about this antique shop down in New York City, called “Obscura Antiques and Oddities.” So they sell some very interesting and peculiar and otherwise eccentric items. Of course this seems like my kind of store. Not that I am a strange or morbid person. Quite the contrary – and by contrary I don’t mean I have the sun shining out my ass! What I mean is that I present myself to the world in a rather normal fashion. I dress normal, I do normal things. And let’s face it the two people who own the shop called “Obscura Antiques and Oddities,” Are also normal people, with interesting tastes, much like myself. But instead of being narcissistic let’s continue on with this general idea here. So the shop sells, interesting things. Taxidermy(ed) animals, puppets and dolls, prosthetic limbs, straightjackets, coffins, skulls, gallstones, so on and so forth. So it looks like a very fascinating shop. If someday that I get lots of money and have a career, and am able to travel down to New York, I’d love to visit the shop and maybe buy something’s.

Any how here are some videos of the Shop for your enjoyment my Gentle Reader

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/oddities-fashion-squeeze.html

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/oddities-shock-therapy.html

(Just a observations but the early electroshock therapy machine kind of has the same look as the Scientology e-meter)

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/oddities-master-violet-ray.html

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/oddities-is-that-a-straightjacket.html

(The above one is perhaps my favourite. Edgar Oliver’s voice is just beautiful and very unique)

http://atlasobscura.com/place/obscura-antiques-and-oddities

Here are some pictures and information

Part (ii)

Well the other day – Tuesday March first to be exact I went to the bookstore. Decided to order some books, and so I did. I also plan on going to another bookstore, where I can get three books that I want – rather than having to order them. So while I was at the bookstore I went with another person, as a ride. A friend of course. This friend just happens to be really interested in these ideas of spirituality and New Age thoughts and beliefs. Whatever is what I say? I think it’s nothing more than a hoax and a greedy way of raping and pillaging the eastern religions and philosophies, and the Native American/Aboriginal beliefs, and spiritual thoughts, which had long since been dead, and destroyed – or so was originally thought; by me. So anyhow my friend is there and is trying to find a book on “Crystals,” and their meanings. So any how she’s going through the damn book, and telling me all these things that I don’t care about. Like how the Amethyst was something of a birthstone of November, in the ancient times – how ancient I wonder; and how all this and that, adds up and blah blah blah, like I give a royal shit. But here is what almost sent me bursting out laughing. When it said in the Chinese zodiac she was a “pig,” she remarked angrily to the book I assume that no she was a “Horse.” Upon that, she set the book down and tossed it aside. She then remarked: “No matter what you read you always get something different.” – which tells me something, that you should probably take that kind of stuff with a grain of salt, rather than take it so seriously, but no she decides to take it seriously and so she does. Which of course, I pay no attention to or mind, to and just ignore it, as nothing more than a “Fashionable,” thing to be interested in.

But today I found something interesting. While looking through on Google for some criticism of New Age thoughts and belief I found myself, stumbling across two things. One is the following:

“NAFPS,” which stands for “New Age Frauds & Plastic Shaman.” The other interesting thing I found was a self-help author by the name of James Arthur Ray who is being charged with three counts of reckless manslaughter. My opinion on that is coming up soon. First and foremost, let’s talk about “NAFPS,” or “New Age Frauds & Plastic Shaman,” shall we.

“New Age Frauds & Plastic Shaman,” according to their website is an activist group compromised of Native peoples and their supporters of course – I don’t know does that count me? Anyhow, more detailed put this group is against the cult-like movement called “The New Age movement.” You know the people who worship rocks, speak to angels, fear that having a dishwasher, and a stove, and other modern day appliances is evil, and they talk like that author of “The Lord of the Rings,” has written their entire life for them. More or less, the Charles Manson Family – nah I am just being an ass, but in many ways their beliefs, are not far from Manson’s own odd set of beliefs, and able to control people.

Much like the common New Age belief that the world will end in 2012, Charles Manson believed that the world will end by his own predication of what he named “Helter Skelter.” His background on these beliefs, his tools for coming up with this prophecy? The band called “The Beatles,” and the Book of Revelations by the bible. That’s right everyone, Charles Manson used those two icons, and smashed them together, to make his own idea and prophecy. Much like the New Age beliefs have used the beliefs, of ancient times, from Native American’s/Aboriginals, to the eastern philosophies, religions, and schools of thought. The only difference if anyone could say there is much of a difference at all, is that this or these New Age idea beliefs, are just like the Manson Family, expect they haven’t killed anyone . . . yet. Oh wait that brings me to the second part of my critical analysis of the New Age thought belief, that this mystical hippie loving quacks believe in.

James Arthur Ray is a professional speaker and author. Let’s change that around. Is a motivational speaker, and a self-help author. What does James Arthur Ray have to do with this? On February 3 2010 was arrested with the connections with the death of some participants at a sweat lodge ceremony. Hence earlier I had reported to you, that he was being charged with three counts of manslaughter – I mean reckless manslaughter. Here’s what has reportedly happened.

From my favorite website for such information Wikipedia, has gathered this information for me:

“[from Wikipedia] [B]y the time the sweat lodge ceremony began, the participants had undergone days of physically and mentally strenuous events that included fasting. In one game, guru James Arthur Ray even played God. Within an hour of entering the sweat lodge, people began vomiting, gasping for air and collapsing. Yet Bunn says Ray continually urged everyone to stay inside." – All that came from a participant and Texas resident Beverly Bunn – when she spoke to the associated press.

So does that sound interesting or what? This “New Age,” believer taking advantage of the sense of control and may I say power over the vulnerable minds of the other people, that he is leading in spiritual exercises, does follow the protocol and gets 3 people killed and according the article I am also reading 15 others sick.

Hmm here is some interesting news that James Arthur Ray now a motivational speaker, and self-help author and now a man on trial for Manslaughter of the reckless kind, should learn:

“[again from Wikipedia] Traditionally, a typical leader has 4 to 8 years of apprenticeship before being allowed to care for people in a lodge. Participants are instructed to call out whenever they feel uncomfortable, and the ceremony is usually stopped to help them.” – Obviously the man leading this sweat lodge, did not listen very well to the cries of his people, and now three people are dead.

“[Again from Wikipedia] The Angel Valley owners announced they have accepted Native American friends' help to "heal the land". – I can only hope that this means that these people, will shut down the place, and admit they are frauds and that they had senselessly killed three people.

If you are considered in following this story of James Ray Arthur, and hope he is convicted of what he has done, as “Reckless manslaughter,” which to me is just a nice way of saying: “oops sorry I killed you.” Please follow the link that will follow, to read an article of CNN.

Thank-You for reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always Stay Well Read

M. Mary

P.S. Don’t follow stupid people’s ideas because they promise you meaning and they promise you help, and they promise you all these aspects of human life. Face the fact that we all come to realize these existential crisis’s, and that we all suffer the idea of “what is the meaning of my life?” but that is not for anyone to tell you what it is, that is for you to discover on your own. That’s for you to decide, and for you to find out. No one else’s.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray#Witness_accounts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray#Native_American_perspective

CNN Article:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/01/arizona.sweat.lodge.deaths/index.html