SAINT AUREA OF PARIS FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 4 - NOTES ON CONTEMPLATIVE MONASTIC LIFE

 

Relic of the saint in a decorative housing

Saint Aurea of Paris celebrates her feast day today, along with Saint Frances of Assisi and at least half a dozen other saints, all male, as far as I can tell. As you know, I am keen to make the female saints a bit better known than they are presently. Of course, there is only so much one can say about a saint for whom not much information has been passed down to us over time - not because they are any less saintly than other saints, no doubt, but because women just don't get much recognition in a church run entirely by men.

I used to make a joke out of this, saying that women are more naturally saintly, so that when a man lives a saintly life, that fact alone is a miracle! While humorous, I won't claim that it is true. I am just casting around for some reason besides the obvious - that women are not celebrated nearly as much as the men...for whatever reason.

Why does this matter? Everyone needs a source of inspiration, and I find nothing more inspiring than another woman living the Christian ideals most assiduously - especially monastic women, and CONTEMPLATIVES, since that is my path.

Saint Aurea of Paris

Of particular interest with regard to today's saint is that she died of the plague. Considering that we are currently beset with a modern day epidemic, we can certainly relate to what she must have been feeling, especially since 160 of her monastic sisters also died of it.

Saint Aurea was originally Syrian but relocated to Paris, France and was put in charge of St. Martial convent as Abbes by Saint Elegius in 633, where she ruled for 33 years (a number I find interesting because when our Lord died, HE was 33, I believe.)

Saint Elegius

(Sometimes called "Eloi")

I find Saint Elegius himself to be a most interesting person, having been a metalsmith, and this is an area that interests me. I am currently contemplating learning how to make punched tin frames for my religious paintings and am trying to calculate whether all the time and money will be worth doing it, since I have already lost the vision in my left eye and doctors anticipate that I will likely lose it in my right as well.

Saint Elegius was extremely gifted in many areas and is the patron saint of metalsmiths, craftspeople, horses, and is credited as a gifted spiritual teacher. Saint Godeberta was one of his pupils.

Interior of Saint Paul Saint Louis Church in Paris, France
Photo by David Iliff

License: CC BY-SA 3.0

The Saint Martial convent where Saint Aurea of Paris was Abess is no more. I offer you the following etching from 1850 which depicts a narrow impasse called the "Impasse Saint-Martial" which was all that remained of the Saint-Martial convent by 1850.

artist: 

Theodor Joseph Hubert Hoffbauer

(1839-1922)

It does make me a little sad to see how this convent that held such holy women, saints and martyrs to the faith, has just disappeared - eaten up, as it were, by the city of Paris. Over time, these holy institutions could not be maintained. In addition to the terrible EXPENSE, there is no longer the enthusiasm for it. The faithful don't feel inspired to support the monastic institutions as they once did because they no longer understand the absolute value of the spiritual work of men and women who have set themselves aside for the sole purpose of contemplation of the Divine and prayers for the faithful. Intercessory prayer isn't valued in the same way it once was.

In addition, from the other side of things, the monastics have been sullied by the corruption of a small number of priests who were predators of children, who snuck into the ranks of the holy ones, causing untold damage to innocents. The monolithic institution of "the church," in turn, did not deal with these predators in an appropriate way, which highlighted some degradation that had occurred in the church, over time.

You see, monastic life in the Christian tradition actually started out being mostly composed of independent hermit-type Christians who set themselves apart from society, initially going out into the dessert to live a penitential, solitary existence dedicated to prayer and ascetic practices. Later, hermits are found housing themselves in caves, such as in the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, in present-day Turkey. In some countries, they retreated to the forest. 

Hot air balloons float over the caves of

former religious hermits

in the "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, Turkey

At times, a particularly holy person would attract followers who would cluster around them in their own hermitages. Various types of organization were employed. Things grew from there, and I suspect that at least a partial return to the earlier manifestation of independent monastics is more than due. The corruptions of monolithic institutions need to be addressed, at least in the West.

In the Catholic Church, the home of the Christian mystics and saints, there are STILL official "diocesan hermits" provided for in the canon, but it appears that the institution is loathe to confer that designation. As in other traditions, if you are willing to give a small fortune to The Church, it will quickly dispense with any impediment that it imagines for anyone else  who might approach it. Even so, as a Diocesan Hermit, you are not all that "independent" because every detail about your life has to be approved by the bishop. You can't blame them for wanting to be in control of anyone pretending to be a part of the official institution, though. Mentally unstable people are often attracted to extreme forms of religious expression, and it takes a lot of work to establish whether or not an individual is of sound mind. 

Hindu sannyasini - holy woman

at the Kumba Mehla celebration

There are many independent holy men and women who have taken sannyas in India. A great number belong to large institutions. Some merely belong to the tradition. My sannyas was an independent thing approved by my swami, who had hoped that I would open a Vedanta Center in Arizona, but which turned out to be more physically taxing than I would be able to endure. Plus, I would be living in what was, essentially, a very small but very public space that I would have to share with a male swami who would visit once every 4 to 6 weeks. The master bedroom was to be reserved for the visiting swami, and this reminder that I was to do all the work while the man got all the benefits was something I did not wish to revisit in my life.

It isn't that I don't like people, by the way. I like people too much, and it would have pulled my focus dangerously off-kilter. The swami knew this, however, and I don't think he was surprised when I ultimately declined his offer to open the center in Arizona. When I had left the Hollywood convent, he said to me, "who will smile at the devotees if you leave?" He knew my nature.

Hindu holy woman - Sannyasini (renunciate)

In American culture, the general lack of value placed on the contemplative path is unfortunate. Just the presence of a person who has dedicated themselves to this way of life has a positive effect on everyone who comes in contact with him or her. But I remember hearing from many of the devotees who frequented the Vedanta temple that there was a good deal of resentment against the monks and nuns because it appeared as if they lived a higher standard than the devotees. The devotees didn't have to live in close quarters under constant criticism and, while the housing appeared to be grand, it is well known in monastic circles that we could use all sorts of things but couldn't actually have anything. Bottom line? The grass is greener, as they say. (Personally, I was thrilled at the freedom that this granted me. It was a delight to only have 2 or 3 keys on my key ring and not to have to pay a single bill.)

Many people in my generation became enamored of the mystical, contemplative life of the Hindus that was made popular in the hippie era. What many of us did not know is that the Christian church has its OWN mystics that are just marvelous. There is nothing in the Christian Church that cannot be perceived through the meditative methods of Vedanta. God is ONE.

[NOTE: While I am  happy to look at Catholicism through the lens of Vedanta, some Hindus whose tradition I am co-opting by this are, at times, peeved by it. Out of respect for that point of view, I offer THIS LINK TO A "HINDUISM TODAY" ARTICLE about this topic. It appears to be mostly a problem for those in India who object to the perceived efforts on the part of the Catholic Church to convert Hindus to the faith by using their own images and traditions "against" them.]

Sign outside Bede Griffiths' Shantivanam Ashram

in India

Unfortunately, parish life in America, on the other hand, is rule-bound with little support for the contemplative perspective. Pedestrian matters of sex, family life, contraception and abortion grab most of the attention, unlike in the early days of the church. I pray that one day they strike a better balance.

It had been my intention, in the early days of my hermitage, that I would start a small Catholic ashram catering to like-minded people, but I was robbed of a promised inheritance that would have purchased the house, and my physical disabilities worsened and multiplied. It isn't out of the question for the future, but at 66 years old, I am fast running out of future. I DO hope that my writings encourage others to explore this life, however.

Like the Church of Saint Martial, which housed so many women and so much prayer then disappeared into nothingness, I am of a certain age when I contemplate my own demise and anticipate that I will likewise disappear without much fanfare. The prayer corner where I spend my hours speaking with the Lord will be partitioned and distributed among the faithful, a statue here, an icon there, a rosary somewhere else. None of these things are permanent. What IS permanent are my prayers and the vibrations of my conversations with and meditations on the Lord.

What I hope to leave behind is an appetite for the contemplative life, and it is my hope that other women will be inspired to live the vowed life at home, like their friend, the accidental hermit.

May we all be blessed!

Silver Rose

Sannyasini Kaliprana

P.S. Food has gotten more expensive during the Covid virus, on top of a food budget that was ALREADY very tight here. I've long ago reverted to a vegetarian diet, but would welcome some canned fish, if wild caught (mercury free.) There are other necessary items listed on my donation list on Amazon. They have my address and will mail to me direct. Check it out on my donation list, link below:

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SAINT HILTRUDE OF LIESSIES - COMMENTS ON MONASTIC LIFE

Saint Hiltrude of Liessies

Every day I endeavor to celebrate a female saint whose life is an inspiration to me in my capacity as a hermit, or what you might term a "recluse," such as today's Saint Hiltrude who spent her life dedicated to communing with the Lord while attached to the Benedictine monastery ruled by her brother, Gundrad.

It delights me to be able to celebrate someone whose name is remembered in the context of this type of vocation. A "sannyasini," which is my vowed path, is very similar to the hermit, and, as a type of shorthand, I refer to myself as such to Westerners. At heart, it is a contemplative path.

Each time a hermit is celebrated on our calendar, I feel inspired to encourage others who are thinking they may take to the path others of us have stepped upon. Many people feel the pull toward monastic life, but it has become very expensive to support nuns and monks in big institutions. Public support has lessened at the same time that the economy has made it cost prohibitive.  Unlike in the Middle Ages, the number and size of monasteries and convents has been drastically reduced. They have had to become more and more PICKY about who they accept. If you want to live as a monastic and you are not young, not rich, and perhaps not perfectly healthy, you won't typically be welcomed with open arms and may HAVE to "go it alone."

My comments and recommendations in this post, and in this blog, in general, are meant for the hermits who, by necessity, have to pursue this life entirely alone, without the assistance or support of an institution.

There are many names for a person who lives a monastic life in a somewhat solitary state: Hermit, Anchorite, Ascetic, Cenobite, Eremite, Monk, Nun, Solitary. None of these labels can be relied upon to adequately describe the journey each individual undertakes when they choose the monastic vocation because the vocation often chooses the person. Even when there is no institution that is able to entertain the idea of supporting this vocation in you, the Divine Tide moves the heart and accomplishes the life, nonetheless- so strong is the call of the spirit.

Me with my guru, Swami Swahanandaji,

when I was in the Vedanta Convent

Late 1980's

I have been encouraged by a number of spiritually advanced souls who recognized that the Lord prepared me for this life by allowing great difficulties to assail me throughout my time on earth, and that, through the blows of the little hammers of sorrows, pressures, losses, death, disease and disaster, the golden carapace - the armor with which the serious spiritual seeker is given the strength to deflect the evil we encounter on our way to God realization - has been formed. With it, we may eventually become somewhat impervious to the worldly temptations.

    

My friend, Roshi Prabhasa Dharma

1930-1999

In my monastic journey, I have been very fortunate to have enjoyed the friendship and counsel of spiritually advanced souls, such as my Vedantic monastic advisor, Swami Swahananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California who directed my vows as a sannyasini; my friend, the Zen Buddhist Roshi Prabhasa Dharma, with whom I enjoyed many brilliant conversations; as well as the occasional perspective of Father Dennis at San Felipe de Neri Parish in Old Town, Albuquerque, who acted as my confessor on several occasions. Even dear Amma, the "hugging saint" has played a part in my journey, with her wise individual counsel, when she came to Santa Fe, years ago, and we discussed the arena of my monastic "work."

Mata Amritanandamayi "the hugging saint"

from the Ma Center Michigan newsletter

September 5, 2018 - Ann Arbor

It is my humble opinion that without the companionship and wise counsel of these saintly people, as well as the close association with other aspirants (good, bad and mediocre), I would not be fit for the job I undertook decades ago. I recommend heartily that if you aspire to the independent spiritual life, solicit input from people known to be spiritually advanced and psychologically sound. Not everyone is destined for this path, and it shouldn't be embarked upon without the hearty support of those who know what it entails and who are familiar enough with you to be able to give a recommendation.

On the other hand, you need to keep in mind that there will always be naysayers. The world is full of petty, jealous people who delight in criticizing and blockading the paths of others. Ignore the naysayers. Who are they to tell you that you cannot love God? Who are they to tell you that you may not seek the company of the Divine? Place your mind at the feet of God and ignore the words of those who try to discourage you.

Spiritual advisors should be confident in themselves and have a history of keeping their ego in check. Real humility, though rare, is definitely required in the character of the person who advises you, otherwise you run the risk of being undone by the covert, passive-aggressive machinations of the ego-impaired. 

My guru, Swami Swahananda

Just make sure that your spiritual advisor is more adept than you are and that you are picking him or her, not the other way around. In this arena, there seems to be no end of people who wish to push themselves and their unsolicited opinions on you. You'll recognize this when it happens and I trust you will politely decline their effort to direct you against your will.

When you do pick a teacher and he or she gives you advice you don't care to follow, you may comply anyway because you, yourself have chosen him as your teacher. Someone who has pushed themselves on you will be less successful in ensuring your cooperation and really helping you. There is a saying in Hindusm that "when the student is ready, the teacher appears." Just be on the lookout and do what you sense is best. It will work out. God is watching out for us, those who love Him. He knows us and will place us in the right hands, when all is said and done, so have no worries about any of this.

When contemplating monastic life, it wouldn't hurt to undergo some psychological counseling as part of your discernment process, especially if you are embarking on the path without benefit of institutional support. You don't have to find someone with a specialty in counseling people from a spiritual perspective. Monastic life is full of ordinary stressors that exact their price on the psyche, and you want to make sure you can handle it. Give yourself a little tune-up, as it were. I have done this over an extended period of time, and I can attest to its benefits.

Remember also that no one is perfect and none of us starts out as a saint. Take Saint Mary of Egypt as an example. She led a completely dissolute life for quite some time before coming to the Lord, leaving home at the age of 12 to pursue a life devoted to lust for 17 years before becoming converted. She thereafter retreated to the desert to live as a hermit the remainder of her days.

Saint Mary of Egypt

You do not have to have led a perfect life before taking the robes. You just need to be certain that the basic requirements of your vocation can be met without constant inner turmoil. On occasion, you will be beset by petty temptations. You just need to be confident that you can put these aside, much as you put aside distracting thoughts that pop up in the mind while you meditate.

I remember, with great sadness, a woman who appeared, at first glance, to have the ideal temperament for a mystic but she was entirely undone by a male pursuer. For our purposes, we will call her "Durga." She was in the convent at the time. Her love of God appeared to be intense, but it was her misfortune that she was both extremely pretty and had a lovely speaking voice. Her mannerisms were a little too dramatic and, at times, laughable. I remember her breathy speaking voice, combined with the actual batting of eyelashes! She was a walking, talking cliche of the delicate maiden nun. You could almost hear the musical soundtrack behind her - like a movie from the 1940's. One day, a man appeared out of nowhere, as it were, began to worship her, throwing himself at her feet and proclaiming that she was a "Goddess." Her overly romanticized ego was her downfall. She ended up working the streets to support his heroin habit.

It is always better to have detractors than flatterers in this life. Some nuns have gone to extremes to make themselves less attractive, and I don't usually recommend it, but perhaps they know something about themselves the rest of us don't. I would just say that all of us females need to remember the cautionary tale of Durga that I've given you, above. Don't entertain too many romantic notions about yourself. If you are one of these people that is susceptible to the blandishments of a man who appears to have fallen hard for your charms, don't take to this life, as it will ruin you as surely as it ruined dear Durga.

San Felipe de Neri Parish Church

Copyright © 2005 - Silver S. Parnell

No use or copying for any purpose.

The lessons gleaned from my association with holy souls that hailed from widely disparate religious traditions have been remarkably similar. Meditation and monastic practice are common to all three of these great religions: Hindu, Buddhist and Catholic Christian. All of these monastic traditions sit upon some version of the three-legged stool of poverty, chastity and obedience. The stool may appear to be different, if the color and decoration vary, but the basis is that of a three-legged seat that supports our spiritual undertaking.

A recluse often follows their own program when they choose this occupation, as far as the specific practices are concerned, although there are certainly some institutions that prescribe extensive rules of life for hermits who live under the umbrella of an establishment. But it seems to me, in my reading of the known persons who lived as I do, that the expression of the ideal finds its own peculiar manifestation, based upon the personality and gifts of each person. I do recommend studying the Catholics and their manner of doing this. They've codified everything over the last 2,000 years, and it can be helpful to you.

Retiring to a property outside of town may not be possible for you - particularly if you are physically disabled and going blind, as in my case. We all have to do the best we are able, given our circumstances. Typically, it is only those who are part of rich institutions who can afford all that great churchy ambiance. Every inch of land is owned by someone in America, and you can't just place yourself anywhere you like. If you have to live in an apartment, surrounded by people on all sides, then this is all that the Lord has provided for you, and you must be grateful for it. Do what you can, where you can. Ultimately, what is really important is the condition of your mind. On what does it naturally incline itself? Only you know the answer to that question, since it is entirely "an inside job."

Hermit caves of Cappadocia

The overarching requirement, of course, is that one is single, that is unmarried and unpartnered. The word "monastic" is based on "mono" which refers to "one" or "singular," in regard to the instant topic. No matter the religious tradition or the expected method of adherence to the practices of poverty, chastity and obedience, the first and absolutely necessary aspect is the singularity of the work. Married life, lived in the bosom of the family with children around one's ankles, can be a highly elevated state through which one is sanctified, but it isn't monastic life. One needs to be clear about one's suitability. Occasionally, it is apparent from youth, but many people who take to this state have previously tried other modes of life, and there is nothing wrong with that. In the history of some Eastern cultures, householders were encouraged to have a few children, raise them, and, when they had grown, the mother and father would "take to the forest" and become hermits together.

There is something to be said for the force that habit may have upon a person. This is one of the reasons why the Catholics want their nuns young, but part of this equation is that they wish to make use of them while they still have their health. It isn't for the sake of the young nun. It's for the utilitarian needs of the institution.

Poverty is usually the easiest leg of the monastic 3-legged stool. Unless you've inherited a great deal of money or worked and saved it, poverty visits you without much invitation. In the monastic life, "chastity" requires that you be unmarried, unattached, and sexually pure. As far as "obedience" is concerned, unless the recluse is living under the aegis of a particular institution, general obedience to one's religion and its requirements is the only sort one can really have.

There are those who imagine that being a hermit or an anchorite has some sort of status attached to it and, because of this, people who are involved in romantic or sexual relationships, sometimes present themselves as a religious recluse, despite being unfit in the most essential requirement of singularity. There is at least one woman I know of who advertises herself online as an "anchoress" but is married and lives with husband and children. It is a sham. I have seen a few of these, but the reality of their lives is obvious for all to see, and no great harm is done, probably. Perhaps one day they will actually move toward an authentic expression, and leave the convoluted pretense behind.

Why does one choose this kind of life? Ideally, the desire for union with the Lord is the primary incentive. Some who are invested in intercessory prayer may want to help mankind thereby. Everyone has their own special vision as to how they will work this out. I applaud them all, as long as they don't create institutions that purport to be part of a particular established religion, there is no harm in any of it, I imagine.

I remember feeling pulled toward the contemplative practices just prior to when I found the Vedanta Society. For a long time, I had been yearning for a meditation practice that would put me more in tune with the Divine. I used to have a large walk-in closet where I go and sit in a corner with the lights off, close the door, and adjust myself to the right vibrational level. The experience was exquisite and inspired me to find others of like mind, which is what I did - and this was the beginning of my serious contemplative practice.

Spiritual practice is so enjoyable, I wonder why more people don't embark on a life devoted to prayer and meditation. On the other hand, many people have remarked to me that they don't understand why anyone would willingly give up the many pleasures of life to do it. To each his own, right?

Remember, though, that meditation, prayer, fasting and other ascetic practices are a means to an end and not an end in themselves. Some people are able to deny themselves nearly everything that a human requires, and others are more ordinary in their capacity for suffering. I, myself, have constant chronic pain to offer up. We each have to be true to what is natural to us and not try to be too grand about it all. The result is the key - not the method by which we obtain it. Each of us knows what our acetic practices cost us in discomfort.

If any of my readers have a serious desire for a life lived closer to God and you'd like to talk with me about it, feel free to register a comment on this blog post. I won't publish it, unless you want me to. But I will answer any question you might have for me. It is a delight to occasionally share correspondence with others of like mind. I look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime, may God bless us all!

Silver Rose

"Sannyasini Kaliprana"

P.S. Due to COVID, food has gotten astronomically expensive. I was ALREADY having trouble meeting all my bills, and I have to take my dog to the vet very soon for shots and tests. Please consider contributing to my food and supplement wish list. (A few items for the dog are on there as well.) AMAZON HAS MY ADDRESS AND WILL MAIL TO ME DIRECTLY:

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CORPORATE THINK IS TOXIC TO HUMANS

"Ghost Tree"

Copyright © 2020, Silver Parnell

All rights reserved.

Throughout my life, I have instinctively avoided interactions with large corporate structures, both at work and at home. Nearly all of my jobs, except for when I wrote for television, were in small businesses. Whenever I rented an apartment I tried to rent only from individuals who had a few properties. I did not want to become enmeshed in systems that I sensed weren't healthy.

The Hindus would say that my attraction to light and health was a natural orientation to the sattvic realms. Even though the salary and the benefits weren't quite as good as what the large businesses offered, I had a sense of dread when I contemplated working for big business.

In my youth, I could not have told you exactly why I was inclined in this direction, because it was an intuitive thing, but now that I've got a lot of years (and experiences) under my belt, I've realized just why.

The entire operating principles behind big business are calculated to maximize the most profits for the fewest people. These organizations rely upon being able to capitalize on the work of a large number of people in order to shove all the profit to the top handful of decision makers. Meanwhile, most of the wage earners barely make enough to put a roof over their heads and food on the table.

American corporations took their inspiration from a plantation mindset. It IS "the American way" to take advantage of people who lack resources by enslaving them in a system that capitalizes on their value and misappropriates it to the benefit of the tiny ruling class.

Even the customers or clients that these big organizations are supposed to be served are NOT served by them at all. Let me explain:

Because a corporation is an anonymous, faceless thing, it has no ethical restraints and no conscience. Employing tricks, such as 'bait and switch' and making clients 'buy a pig in a poke' because the business hasn't informed them of crucial facts surrounding their purchase of goods or services, is quite common. Because the dictum from on high is always to squeeze the most profits possible from the enterprise,the lengths to which these companies will go in meeting that guiding standard has no limits.

In small business, however, even if the paradigm is similar, the human being in charge of the place is usually visible, knowable, reachable, and can be reasoned with (theoretically.)

Unfortunately, corporation mind think has become so prevalent that it has become nearly impossible to operate in this culture without involving oneself in it. This week, I have had a number of run-ins with toxic corporate culture, and there is little to nothing that I can do about it.

I am an expert genealogist and have a family tree of more than 70,000 people in it. I have been working on it since 1978, and there are thousands of hard hours invested. There was no internet in 1978. In order to gather documents and photos, I had to pound the pavement, go to libraries, watch hours and hours of microfilm and microfiche, and physically get down into the work of digging out the facts behind ancestors lives.

Mistakenly, I believed that when the Mormon site "Family Search" said that by using their site, my tree would be "public," it meant the same thing that typically comes to mind, and the same thing that Ancestry.com means by the term. "Public," to me, meant that my tree would be viewed by the public. INSTEAD, this group of wackos has decided that "public" means that my tree belongs to them, that I can never remove it from their site, and that anyone and everyone who registers with them can make changes to the tree I spent YEARS creating.

"You AGREED that your tree was public," the woman intoned, in a smarmy, smug sort of monotone. I had clearly bought a pig in a poke. They had deliberately hidden the reality of the situation in a dense bit of legalese that even I, a person with years of experience in legal contracts, did not perceive. I tried to reason with the woman, but reason has no place in corporate mind control. The woman just kept repeating the same excuse. This is the way it is because we decided that this is the way it is.

I went to report them to the Better Business Bureau and discovered that the Mormon site "Family Search" ALREADY has an "F" rating because there have been at least three prior complaints about them, and the organization didn't even bother to ANSWER the complaints.

Corporations do not care about reputation. Corporations have no shame - even when that corporation is manned by people who claim to have an ethical life.

The Mormons used to have my respect. While I thought their theology was nutty, I appreciated that most of the Mormons I had met were very ethical and kind people. But even customarily good people are stripped of their ethical souls when they cooperate in the corporate mind.

I went ahead and filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but I don't expect to prevail because the Mormons will likely just ignore my complaint, as they have ignored all the others. This type of business isn't regulated, and if you have a dispute about a contract, you basically have to sue the company. Who has the money for that?

The only thing I can do is something that will help other people, which is to warn everyone away from using that site.  Doing something that will inhibit their ability to con other people is the only thing that might have any effect on the corporate mind. In other words, only a threat to the underlying principle of maximizing profits might work to get them from sitting on me and impinging on my copyright.

I had an experience with Amazon that wasn't as personally devastating, but was still annoying, to say the least. I purchased an item on which they offered payments "once a month," but it wasn't until AFTER they had already shipped the item that they sent me an email outlining a payment schedule that was once every 30 days, so that the payment date shifted every month, from the 3rd, to the 2nd, to the 1st! Obviously, most months have 31 days - not 30. I get paid on the 3rd, so there is at least one month where my one and only check has to take a "hit" for two payments, rather than one.

The Amazon people were no more helpful than the Mormons. "This is the way it is because this is the way it is," is what one is ALWAYS told, in essence. The arbitrariness of the corporate mind can't be argued with - because it is NOT HUMAN. After I discontinued the "chat" with the Amazon agent, she went in and cancelled one of my OTHER orders, then sent me an email about that other order. I don't know if she did it in retaliation for my having been upset or what. I had to RE-order that item, then call the company AGAIN and speak to yet another agent. He wasn't able to change the payment program, but he did promise to report the previous agent, which doesn't actually help me at all.

Yesterday, I received a generic email from Consumer Cellular, a terrible telephone company that drops nearly every call I get, sends me my voice mail messages a MONTH after someone leaves one and produces text messages DAYS after they are sent by friends. The email advised me that the 3G phone I JUST purchased from them will no longer be able to be used because they are changing their service. Only 4G and 5G will be accommodated. They obviously knew this for a long time before I bought that phone from them, but they didn't advise me. NO SHAME.

I was already planning to go to T-Mobile, as my research had indicated that theirs was the most reliable service at my location, as soon as I got paid, so I spent a good 40 minutes setting up a new phone service, including a credit check and all that entails. It wasn't until the END of that long experience that the woman told me she was charging me $20.00 to set up my account and another $10.00 to pay for the SIM card. I told her I wasn't going to be activating my account for a week or 10 days. She indicated that as along as I activated within 14 days, I would be fine.

What happened? I got an email this morning from T-Mobile telling me that my account has been activated! It included information on how to get the phone up and working. I don't even have the SIM card yet! I had to call the company AGAIN and complain.

The reason why they activate your phone service before you are even able to USE it is so they can charge you for time that you don't use. Again - NO ETHICS.

In this case, I was able to get them to DE-activate the account until I decide to activate it. The agent, as is the case with SO many agents in these corporations, barely spoke English. Likely, she was sitting at a phone bank in some other country where labor is even cheaper than America. Every time she asked me a question, I would try to answer and she would interrupt me and start talking, even when she was asking me for information to verify my identity. Then, of course, she didn't hear my answer because she was too busy talking. Even after I asked her to stop and just let me answer her, she continued to do it. I think it may have something to do with a cultural difference in the pace of conversation.

On the other hand, I've noticed that Americans often can''t be bothered to wait for me to finish a sentence before they're talking over me. This happened when I called JoAnn Fabrics a couple days ago. When I objected, she said that there were only two people in the shop, and of course I understand this. When the underlying dictum is to squeeze as much money out of the business as is possible, there are never enough workers. Corporate mind requires that there never be enough employees to actually do the job well. Quality is always sacrificed when the corporate decree is operational.

In addition, the corporate conglomerate has formed into an interconnected thing. It forces consumers to continue to "upgrade" their services and equipment because they make it mandatory in order for the customer to FUNCTION. For example, I purchased some Rit Dye from JoAnn Fabrics online web page for a clothing project a few months ago. The sale price was only good for a "pick up" order, so after I ordered and paid for the dye, I called the store to make sure it was ready for me before I trekked all the way out there [My disabilities make it extremely difficult for me to get out and about. Energy has to be conserved.]

In the course of the conversation, the JoAnn employee informed me that they would NOT release my purchases to me because, even though I have several forms of picture identification, including a current New Mexico Drivers License, as well as a PASSPORT, they would only let me have my purchases if I presented them with a copy of the email they sent me confirming my purchase. Since I had neither a cell phone nor a printer at that time, I could not show them the email on my phone, and I could not print it out either! Nor would they give me my money back! I had to wait 4 days until the temporary hold for the funds had dropped off my bank's radar, after which I could not find that color of dye ANYWHERE. Every once in a while, I check around to see if I can find it, with no luck.

Before the internet, I used to be able to call a store, find out if they had an item, have the proprietor hold the item for me, and go in and get it.

The corporate mind typically ignores what the client may want or need. Arbitrary changes to the Facebook platform and now Google Blogger have me tearing out my hair. BOTH of these companies have decided to fiddle with their platform, making changes that none of us really wants. It appears that they have changed it to be more like all the other sites that cater to people who bury their noses in their phones all day.

Before long, none but the most talented computer geek will be able to make sense out of the internet or use it for anything but the most basic search functions geared toward leading people to corporations that want to sell us stuff.

I would say that we should fight the corporate mind, but I don't know how one could do that, aside from maintaining mindfulness and taking proper care of our mental hygiene. I am just going to try not to use corporate services any more than I have to - but what can I do? I am disabled and mostly home bound. I need a phone. I need to order groceries and other necessaries to be delivered to me. Everywhere I turn, I am being forced into service to the corporate mind after a lifetime of avoiding it.

The changes to this platform - "Blogger" - will force me to use it less and less. The changes to Facebook will likewise repel me. While I have enjoyed making contact with a wider group of people throughout the world, I am afraid that it is becoming so klunky and difficult to navigate that it is no longer something I want to do, since I am not interested in being one of those people whose nose is always pressed against my telephone screen.

This reminds me of something that happened during my last surgery at University of New Mexico Hospital. I WOKE UP DURING SURGERY to find that the anesthesiologist was reading his email. I told him, "Hey! I'm awake! Get off your phone and put me back to sleep!" Without even looking at me or moving his face away from his phone, he extended his hand to a lever somewhere out of my sight, and I went under again.

Years from now, when history books recount about how the internet got broken, something about the corporate mind will be blamed.

I remember now how very happy I was when I joined the Vedanta Convent and only had 3 keys on my key ring. I didn't have to pay any bills. I didn't have to own a car. We had two of them in the garage. The downside of being independent is wrestling with the corporate mind and being enslaved to it, due to the necessities of disabilities. Every state of life has a price.

God bless us all.

Silver "Rose" Parnell
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)

Copyright © 2020, Silver Parnell
All rights reserved.

GOOD TROUBLE HAS CONSEQUENCES

In the background of all my days is the Covid-19 pandemic, but that isn't the first thing I think of when I wake up. I think of the nutty, conspiracy theory fueled, abusive authoritarian regime that has captured our government. It has scary implications for a poor disabled old lady who is going blind and has no power, except the power of my mind and my prayers....which is not "my" power at all, but the power of The Divine.

Hitler had his brown shirts. Trump has his white supremacists, Boogaloo Bois, neo-Nazis, Q-Anon conspiracy theorists, and pseudo militia men, tricked out in full camo and loaded assault rifles, who are now taking the law into their own hands and are murdering citizens who have the gall to protest the killings of black citizens by a trigger-happy, militarized police force.

The dangerously escalating situation started when a black man, George Floyd, was murdered by four policemen in broad daylight, on a city street, in full view of many witnesses, and memorialized by several videos.

While the prone, defenseless, unarmed and restrained citizen pleaded that he could not breathe and begged for his mother, one of the police officers, the murderer, pressed his knee into George Floyd's neck while the other police held him down. Onlookers can be heard on the videotape, trying to intervene, but the police officers spent a good six minutes strangling him. The cold, bloodless look on the face of the murderer is eerie.

Protests started to break out in response. It certainly wasn't the first black American to be murdered by police, but enough people had finally had enough of this travesty that they were willing to risk their own lives to protest with an eye to change.

The response of Trump, the police and the right wing "law and order" crowd was to kill more people and assault the peaceful protesters with gas, rubber bullets, and clubs.

Online, the right wing was complaining, not about the citizens who had been murdered in the street by the police that were supposed to protect them, but the tiny percentage of looting and violence that was occurring. This is typical of the alt right talking heads. They ignore the main issue and get it lost in the weeds of much less evident side issues. This is how the conspiracy theorists operate, as well. If they can find ONE instance of something happening, they blow it up to such an extent that, in their minds, at least, it becomes true for a massive number of people. It isn't truth, but they don't care about truth. They care about force and punishment, even if they have to manufacture an issue that they can then stomp on.

The response of Trump's administration and the right wing lie machine was to (1) express outrage against the protesters instead of the police who murder citizens on the street; and (2) express approval and encouragement for armed white supremacists to take the law into their own hands and come to the protests with loaded weapons to, supposedly, "protect property," but all I saw were pitched battles between them and protesters, initiated by the quasi-military goons who had taken it upon themselves to establish "law and order."

The response of the police was to (1) kill MORE black citizens; and (2) collude with the white supremacists so they would come in large numbers, bristling with weapons.

The protesters, seeing that there was no attempt to address the issues of racism and human rights abuses, but that, instead, the establishment had doubled-down, became enraged. (Who could blame them?)

Most recently, part of a group of white supremacists, a 17 year-old proudly came to a protest with an assault rifle and killed two protesters, after which he approached the police, who basically patted him on the head and sent him home. (You can well imagine if the kid had been black and had approached the police with an AR-15 slung around his neck, after killing two citizens. They would have shot him dead where he stood.)

Shortly thereafter, police can be heard thanking the armed civilians for coming out that night.

There is video and audio of all of this, and I have seen most of it.

Witnessing some of the recent murders of citizens by police, vis-a-vis video and audio tape taken by bystanders with their cell phones, had actually made me sick to my stomach.

The pandemic, a despotic fascist dictatorship, and the string of abuses against people of color, women, minorities, disabled folk, seniors, and anyone deemed too "different" to be allowed to live, is horrifying. This is not the America that the world has counted on to do the right thing. Starting with the kidnap and incarceration of babies and children at the border, we became the bad guys. I have cried every day since this started.

I have always been nonviolent. I have subscribed to Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolent protest and resistance since I was a little girl. In response to the blood bath on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in which John Lewis, of blessed memory, was savaged and nearly killed, I participated in a protest march in the streets of Carmel, California. But now, since becoming old, disabled and nearly blind, I can't even do that. All I can do is meditate, pray and advise.

I admit that I sometimes feel demoralized and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of amoral, abusive language spewing out of Trump, but when I put my mind at the feet of the Lord, the way is clear. I have to continue to advocate for the vulnerable and the weak, even though I myself belong to those categories.

In Proverbs, there is a commandment to kings which I believe Jesus would agree that we follow:

Open your mouth for the dumb,

for the rights of all the unfortunate.

Open your mouth, judge righteously,

and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

~ Proverb 31:8

Although I have not taken to the streets to protest, I have suffered reprisals for my words of protest. I used to have supporters, in my parish and here, online, who were helping me with small gifts and gestures of kindness. One of them bought me a reclining chair when mine broke, so that I would have something on which to sleep. (I can't sleep lying down.) Another gave me a couch she had inherited. A group of them took me to lunch or tea on my birthday - but because I advocate for the weak, the vulnerable and the marginalized, and because I call out Trump and the lies of the right wing, they all, (except one) called me "hateful" and shunned me. They blocked me on Facebook and never spoke to me again.

The last time I was able to go to church and actually sit through mass, I happened to encounter one of them in the hallway. She glowered at me ferociously, lifted her nose in the air, turned her back to me, and stomped out the door.

Another supporter, a woman in IRELAND, of all places, had somehow become a Trump enthusiast. She had been trying to help me find a decent place to live that would be helpful when I lose more of my vision, but she also sent me an angry screed.

The assistance of my "Christian" family has always been welcome, especially since my father's will had been changed after he got dementia, and I was written out. (Typical family greed. He subsequently died under very suspicious circumstances, and I didn't know he had passed away until his body had been cremated, destroying the evidence.)

It is ironic that I left the Hindu convent because of the lack of love exhibited by the people in that faith, only to find that Christians are, for the most part, no better. Just because they claim to follow the God of love, doesn't mean they actually DO. A good portion of them don't even advocate for Christian love and fellow-feeling, opting instead for the dark side of resentment, grievances, force and punishment. The few who actually follow Christ are a beacon of light to me, and I thank God for them daily.

I mention all of this because I want you all to know that there is a cost to advocating for truth and justice! I am not just "blowing hot air" because the internet enables me and it is therefore easy to get my opinion published. I have suffered and continue to suffer retaliation for my advocacy - so when I ask you to do the same, you understand that I am also paying a high price.

I offer up my prayers today for all who need them, especially for the black community that has endured so much for so many years, and I pray that they continue to protest without undertaking violence. I recommend the same to the rest of you, as well.

May God bless you all.

Silver Parnell
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)
Copyright © 2020 Silver Parnell
All rights reserved.

THE SUN STILL SHINES

"Rainbow in the Trees"

Photo taken by Silver Parnell

Copyright © 2020, all rights reserved

The real advantage of having had a wonderful spiritual teacher in one's life is that, if you've spent enough time with them, you can pretty much anticipate what their advice would be, even if they've died long ago.

My teacher, who was somewhat of a father to me, would brush off the recent political news. He would say that history is like this and that men have always broken laws and subjected people to tyrannical rule. The overbearing cruelty that is common with dictators isn't unique to Trump. Few people will escape. Once we have done what we can do, spiritual life remains the same. "Meditation, prayer, eating and drinking - all of these things still go on," he would say.

He was a practical man and, during this difficult time, I appreciate his practical example more than ever. Every day, he stuck to the same schedule, no matter what was going on around him. To be clear, he did have a lot of people attending to his needs. I don't think he ever had do any manual work like cleaning his own room or cooking a meal. But no matter how he was feeling, he stuck to his meditation and prayer routines. He attended the expected events, no matter how bored he might be by them or how pathetic was our rendering of the Sanskrit chants. (It must have sounded harsh and grating to his ear.)

It is both soothing and inspiring to conjure up Swami Swahananda in my mind and have a virtual conversation with him about the dictator that has suddenly come to power in my country and how this has affected me and most of my friends, as well as all the other difficulties that have arisen with my disabilities, chronic pain and looming blindness. I can feel the tension melt away, and it is much easier to just stick to my schedule, as much as I have one, and proceed.

Between this post and the last one, I have gained and lost another attendant. This one, although her work was excellent, was socializing in groups of hundreds of people in close quarters without masks. She belongs to a local big box protestant prosperity-gospel church where most of the people don't practice good Covid hygiene because they mistakenly believe that, because they are very good Christians, the Lord is going to protect them and He won't let them get sick with the virus. So, hundreds of people gather on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, in close quarters, doing everything we are told NOT to do.

The agency that provided this woman immediately understood my concern and, in fact, they told me that, with the exception of people who had hired relatives to care for them, none of their other clients were availing themselves of their services during the pandemic. I resolved that I would try to also avoid it as long as possible. My apartment may be in chaos, but at least I will probably live to see the day when the virus is more under control.

In the meantime, meditation, prayer, eating and sleeping all go on.

Silver Parnell
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)
Copyright © 2020, All rights reserved

P.S. Getting food into the house is still an issue. Please do what you can to help. Amazon has my address and will mail to me directly. JUST CLICK THIS LINK FOR MY AMAZON WISH LIST

IF TRUMP GETS ANOTHER TERM, I MAY BECOME HOMELESS

Although I have worked for more than 30 years, and paid into Social Security through my employers AND my employers have matched my payments with payments of their own, I just found out from prominent professional historian Heather Cox Richardson that Trump's continuation of his "payroll tax cut" will eliminate my Social Security income by mid 2023...less than three years from now.

She cites the data of Chief Social Security Actuary Stephen C. Goss who "crunched the numbers" of Trump's payroll tax cut scheme and discovered that Trump's plan would end Disability Insurance in mid 2021 - a year from now - and Social Security by mid-2023 - which is three years from now. Social Security will be gone ENTIRELY.

The payroll taxes Trump wants to cut are the taxes that provide the money that funds Social Security and Disability insurance. DON'T KID YOURSELF that it will only cut it back a little bit or that it "wont be that bad." Social Security will be dead and gone in 2023 if Trump has his way, and seniors living on their Social Security insurance payments will have no income at all.

For information about the Chief Social Security Actuary, his bona fides, responsibilities and other descriptions of his functions at the Social Security Administration,

see: THIS WEB PAGE

I have multiple physical illnesses and syndromes that affect my ability to walk and to stand. I am also going blind and have lost most of the vision in my left eye already. I have no family in my life, to speak of, except for some distant cousins I found through my genealogy research. My only income is Social Security insurance, into which I paid for more than 30 years.  If I were to lose it, I really don't know where I could live. I represent a large demographic of seniors.

Because of my meditation and other spiritual disciplines, I'll probably get through this final phase of my life without going mad, but I still don't know if I could survive any homelessness at this late stage, with as many physical disabilities as I've been dealt.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, and the reason why I write blogs like this one, is to inform the public about what is happening to a broad swath of American citizens. There are millions of seniors in the same or similar situation  as I am - relying completely upon their Social Security insurance payments in order to survive. Some may have relatives with whom they can live - but many DON'T. Even if a relative could take them in, most people don't have an extra bedroom. Grandma might have to camp out on the couch. And who can afford to absorb all of the living expenses, food, medicine and medical bills, for another adult person?

After a lifetime of being contributing members of society, dumping America's seniors on the street isn't a fitting reward.

Donald Trump was handed a thriving economy that was on the upswing, but like all the businesses that he drove into the ground and bankrupted, he has destroyed our economy by his refusal to address the pandemic, claiming that it was a "Democrat Hoax" because they were "overreacting" in order to make him look bad. For the longest time, he mischaracterized it. He called it a "flu." He said it would disappear, "like a miracle." He said that the warm weather of summer would kill it. He posited that ultra violet light somehow inserted in the body would kill it. At one point, swallowing bleach was his thing. Recently, he lauded a woman peddling discredited cures with a malaria medication - the same woman who can be seen in numerous videos, screeching at crowds inside carnival-style tents, that illness is caused by having sex with demons in your sleep!

Before Obama left office, he had created a pandemic response team and protocols. Experts had warned that a pandemic was on its way, so the Obama administration put all these things in place. They tried to brief Trump but he wasn't interested. Instead, he disbanded the pandemic response team and the measures that had been put in place.

Even before the virus hit our shores, Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy increased the income disparity gap that already rivaled the worst third-world dictatorships. Although promising to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, his administration has continually attempted to make cuts while hacking away at the Affordable Care Act - continuing to do so, even in the midst of the pandemic!

When he was in business, Trump was famous for cheating "the little guy." All these subcontractors would do the actual work of building some luxury resort or golf course or hotel, and he would just refuse to pay them. They'd have to sue him, but he would sell the building or resort and then declare bankruptcy of the business through which he operated to build it. The working man and woman have always been used by Trump to further enrich himself undeservedly. He is still doing it, though on a larger stage.

The question to ask yourself after reading this is whether or not you'd be happy to have millions of grandmas and grandpas living on the street so that Trump and the other one-percenters can become more wealthy. Also, do you ever plan to retire? What would YOU do without any income from Social Security when you retire or, God forbid, become disabled?

If we don't vote Trump out of office, life for grandma and grandpa is going to be more grim than it already is. Please don't let that happen. Vote for Joe Biden. He is not perfect. No one is. But at least he doesn't want to kill grandma and grandpa. That's a good start.

If, after reading this, you discount the estimation of the Chief Actuary of Social Security, please tell me who it is you believe would have better information about Social Security than HE does.

While deciding, may you all be blessed.

Silver Parnell
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)
Copyright © 2020 Silver Samantha Parnell
All rights reserved.

LYING IS MORE DIFFICULT IN THE ERA OF COMPUTERS AND CELL PHONES

Last night, after writing my diary entry for the day, I received an email from the housekeeper who had not shown up. She claimed to have had a car accident on the way to my house and that she couldn't call me because she left her phone in the car and her son couldn't get to it...blah blah blah.

Oh, and by the way, her doctors want her to take a few days off.

First of all, all she had to do was have someone look up the phone number of the agency on the nearest computer or phone and then call them. She didn't need her phone to do it. Information is everywhere in the era of the internet.

Secondly, I remember her telling me that her daughter was due to have a baby any day, and I am willing to bet the $24 left in my bank account that the baby was born, or she had an accident because she was drunk (she was slurring her words when we spoke on Sunday), or - most likely, she found an agency that paid more money and she couldn't call during that entire day because she was working SOMEWHERE ELSE!

I wanted to give her a chance to prove me wrong, so I told her I would believe her if she provided me with a doctors note, in response to which she gave me some word salad that conveyed no information and ignored the request for a doctor's note:

"My employer was the first to know and the baby wasn't born thank you."

The agency tells me they didn't speak to her. There is no doctor letter, and they don't expect one. They won't be using her again, and she won't get a recommendation from them.

This reminds me of the numerous times in the last 5 or 10 years that someone has told me, "I tried to reach you, but you didn't answer the phone," and there is no record of receiving a phone call from them. Somehow, dishonest people "forget" that cell phones keep track of every bit of data going in and out over the airwaves. Whoever calls me, whether I speak to them or not, there is a record of that call.

Just yesterday, a service person claimed to have called me, but they didn't leave a phone message and there is no record of them calling me in my phone history. Why didn't they leave a message, if they were truly "trying to reach" me? Because they did not "try to reach me" at all. They were lying.

Lying has become a habit, but a dangerous one, if you care about your immortal soul, as some religous people claim.

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to 

do the desires of your father. He was a murderer 

from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth

because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks

a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar

and the father of lies."

~ John 8:44

Another housekeeper has shown up and is now, at the moment I type this, working diligently on cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes. She had to get here on the bus, but fortunately she doesn't live far from me.

When I told the new housekeeper about the gal that didn't show up yesterday, after telling me how devoted she was to her clients and how she was available to them "24/7" she piped up and said, "which means 'I won't be seein' ya." THIS gal has potential.

Silver Rose
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)
Copyright © 2020, Silver S. Parnell, All rights reserved.

THE INMATES HAVE TAKEN OVER THE MENTAL INSTITUTION

Last night, I had a lovely 20 minute telephone conversation with a woman who was hired by my home health agency to come and take care of me, do my dishes, a little laundry, and whatever else I need done in the house. I have multiple physical disabilities and I am going blind. I've already lost most of the functional sight in my left eye. It is becoming difficult to function.

It delighted me to speak to this nice lady who talked about her devotion to her clients and how she is really available "24/7" whenever they need her and that I can call her any time if I need help. After telling her how thrilled I was to be having her come to help me, we completed the call and I went to bed feeling great relief that, finally, someone would pick up where the last homemaker left off - you know, the one who got into my pain pills, stole a bunch of things and lied constantly?

This morning, I "hurried"around getting the apartment ready for a new person to come in, making sure there was enough room for her to park in the assigned spot, and generally just making sure that when she walked in the door she wouldn't be overwhelmed.

I sent her a text message at about 10:40, with a picture of the parking spot, and my car right next to it, and I waited.

She never showed up. She didn't call. She didn't answer my phone calls or messages, nor did she call the agency or pick up the phone when the agency called HER. Nothing.

While I was waiting for this woman, I opened up a package of face shields, intending to put them together and have them available for us both to use. Although I had purchased them on Amazon, and they were supposed to be new, they were both badly damaged, and one of them was missing the film that is designed to be peeled off, prior to use. I'd paid $14.00 for two pieces of junk. CLEARLY, I had fallen into a Covid price-gouging scam. The Amazon agent I spoke to when I contacted them to complain had seen this before. We discussed how people are using the world-wide pandemic to enrich themselves.

Later in the day, I picked up some food from a restaurant - a celebration, because today is my birthday. I RARELY buy ready-made food. The man came out of the shop and he wasn't wearing a mask. After all the effort of ordering "contactless" pick-up, he had done nothing to ensure my safety. I'd already paid a tip when I ordered online. I suppose that's all that mattered to him.

Nursing a stomach ache from having eaten abnormally rich food, I watched "Democracy Now" on PBS and was horrified to learn just how much traction Q-Anon has made in the Republican Party. I watched a video in which Trump was asked about them and all he could say was that he heard that they like him very much. (He said it twice.)  He would not disavow their bizarre fantasies. After all, saving the world from devil worshippers, fictional democrat pedophiles and demons was a good thing, right?

What are we talking about? Somebody who styled himself as "Q-Anon" started putting inane cartoonish messages out onto the internet about 3 years ago. He/she claims to be a higher-up in the Trump administration and says he is working with Donald Trump to fight an imaginary Democrat cabal of DEMONS AND DEVIL WORSHIPPERS who they say run a pedophilia ring with the intention of ruling the world. They worship Satan and they eat babies after they molest them, and then they also sell them....and that's not even the wackiest part of the story. Read up about them. I just can't bear it.

[Personally, the whole thing sounds like something out of the feverish mind of an adolescent computer geek who isn't too popular in school, and I am willing to bet that this description is more accurate than the supposed "higher up" in the Trump administration that is supposedly "Q-Anon."]

There is a lot more crazy to be had out of this bunch of fantasists but the really surprising aspect of this is that the Republican Party - a portion of it - has taken on this conspiracy theory and there are more than 20 legislators who are believers! The state of Georgia just nominated an out-and-proud Q-Anon supporter, to the 14th Congressional District: Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has a reputation for blatantly racist comments in the past.

Oregon Republicans have also nominated a Q-Anon advocate to the Senate: Joe Rae Perkins.

The list goes on. If you're not familiar with any of this, research it. It beggars belief.

Previously, I would give you a host of links, which took forever, and I can no longer afford the time, as it was eating into my spiritual disciplines and my creative endeavors. Let me just assure you that this is an extremely important turn of events that should form part of your understanding of our current situation. Dig into it.

We are seeing a disturbing number of people who are becoming unbalanced as a result of this insanity. Having Donald Trump at the top of the heap was bad enough - but you must understand that he is just a symptom and a mouthpiece. Donald Trump was formed by a combination of these kooks and Fox "News". Now, this insane Q-Anon movement has infiltrated the halls of government and is toxic enough to topple America into the dustbin of history.

UPDATE: Thinking I was finished with today dose of disaster, I published this diary entry. Then I read an article about that Republican couple that stood outside their house and pointed guns at protesters as they passed by on their way to the mayor's house. Evidently, they are terrible bullies and have wreaked vengeance against the Jewish synagogue that shares their property line. The synagogue had just established a series of bee hives at the fence line, to make their own honey for one of their religious holidays. Mark McCloskey, in the middle of the night, without warning or discussion, took an axe to the hives and somehow killed all the bees. He left a note that if the detritus wasn't moved immediately, he and his wife Patricia would sue the synagogue.

Evidently, the fence was 6 inches over their property line. SIX INCHES. The little Jewish children cried when they learned of the destruction. The Rabbi reports that this act of bullying is not the first. They would have been more than happy to move the hives if the McCloskey's had communicated with them. These vile people, these bullies, will be speaking during the Republican National Convention.

It doesn't surprise me that people like the McCloskeys will be celebrated by the Trumpian Party, formerly the Republican Party, because it has become the party of hate, bigotry, and bullying. The preferred method for nearly every issue is FORCE AND PUNISHMENT. At the same time, these people loudly assert a type of Christianity that would make Jesus weep. This is not what He had in mind. NONE of this is what He had in mind.

Can you imagine what Jesus would say if you walked up to Him and told him that you've broken up families and incarcerated the babies behind barbed wire, to sleep on cement floors, under mylar-coated pieces of paper, without any reliable means of reuniting the families? Bullying, bigotry, force and punishment are not worthy of the humble man called Jesus, the man of Love and peace.

I think about the babies every day. Their contorted faces, wet with tears, haunt my every nightmare. Every morning I wake up thinking about them. I can hear them from the videotapes I have watched. "Mommy! Poppy!" The piteous shrieks make my heart ache. I can feel their terror and emotional pain. Psychologists have confirmed that what they have been made to endure by the Trump administration is equivalent to the worst psychological TORTURE.

Later, I happened to see yet another unarmed black man, shot in the back by police officers. Nothing has changed since BLACK LIVES MATTER became a thing. Almost every night there is a new videotape of an unarmed, defenseless man being killed by the police. Tonight, they put seven bullets into the man's back while his three little children watched. He was leaning into the car where they were all sitting. So close, they could smell the blood and the gunpowder.

Every day is some fresh new hell. Every. Damn. DAY.

Voting will not be enough to fix this problem that we have in this country. What do we do about a country that has lionized individuality to such an extent that we have become soulless, selfish MONSTERS? What do we do?

Being disabled, mobility challenged, poor, half blind - I have no power to fix this AT ALL. I can pray. Of course I can pray. And I can meditate to maintain my own inner peace and equilibrium. But how do we pull our country out of this terrible black hole into which we have plummeted?

I suspect that, in the rise and fall of civilizations, this is our fall...and there is no coming back from it. If I had the money, I would move to another country - a kinder country - perhaps Canada. Sometimes I fantasize about going "back" to where my family originally came from - Wales or Ireland or Scotland or Cornwall. I mull over the idea of learning Irish or Welsh. To which country will I return when I suddenly have money to spend and my body is suddenly healthy again? Obviously, I have a strong fantasy life. In reality, I am stuck here, in a country ruled by animalistic heathen bastards.

But it is also full of blessed, loving, lovable and truly gentle souls. We must band together...if for nothing other than our shared mental health and wellbeing.

The most important thing I want to suggest to you is that you redouble your spiritual efforts in order to stay sane, stay balanced, and stay in tune with the Divine. If you'd like to connect with other SANE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE, contact me on my Facebook page:

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO MY FACEBOOK

In the meantime, God bless you and keep you.

Silver Rose
Sannyasini Kaliprana

UNSOLICITED ADVICE

There is nothing that throws a cold wet blanket on a relationship like unsolicited advice when a little empathy and sympathy are all that are called for.

This is never more evident than on social media, especially with people with whom you are less well acquainted than would be ideal. Let us say that you've had a bad day or something unfortunate is occurring, and you post an oblique mention on Facebook among your friends. There is always at least one person who, without benefit of knowing any of the underlying facts, just jumps right in and does a cursory Google search and then throws a website link at you or, more commonly, they will dispense low-grade, unimaginative BASIC directions that only a truly dull person would not have already thought to do.

She knows next to nothing about the situation and, though you haven't asked for advice or recommendations, this person is going to give you elementary instructions, by golly, whether you like it or not, and when you tell her that you aren't in need of her sage advice, she informs you that simply by posting anything on Facebook, you are asking for advice. Of course, this is not true. Posting on Facebook does not constitute permission for random people to talk down to you vis-a-vis ridiculously juvenile advice. Fortunately, there is a block function, and you can get rid of these socially inept neanderthals when they refuse to stop gracing you with their fabulous prescriptions.

After my latest experience with a woman who tried to force her advice on me, despite my request that she stop, I was moved to write a blog about communication. Clearly, it is needed, though I doubt the people who need it the most will read this, but perhaps if the rest of us raise the tone of social media through treating each other with greater respect and love, those other people who are addicted to the sound of their own voices will pick up some of these habits by osmosis. A rising tide raises all boats.

The great thing about a blog is that, although it is often a type of 'advice,' it is a passive platform for it. It isn't targeted to any one individual. It doesn't humiliate individuals in public in the way that a Facebook post will do. If someone reads this blog, or any blog, they're free to take any "advice" they feel might relate to them,  without having to feel that they have been flagged in public.

So what should you do instead of forcing unsolicited advice on others? If you truly want to "help someone" (as many advice-givers claim) then take the time to get an accurate picture of the problem, but first ask the person if they want your help. If it is a personal matter, don't be surprised if they decide not to share with you. If they're not comfortable sharing the details with you, then they're sure not going to be comfortable listening to your advice. Offer, instead, emotional support. something along the lines of;

"I'm sorry you're going through a rough patch right now. Let me know if you ever want to talk."

If you DO get their agreement, ask some fact finding questions that will give you the back story. Ask the person what they've done to rectify the situation and ask them what result they would like to have happen. Ask an open question such as, "is there anything else you want to tell me about this situation?"

At that point, if you feel you may have some ideas that might help, ask the person, "can I run some ideas by you?" If they say "yes" then phrase your ideas gently. Don't tell them what to do. Ask them. For instance, "how would you feel about doing ______(x)_______" OR "Have you thought about doing ________(x)___________."

This is a format for phrasing your questions in a respectful manner that invites permission, rather than trying to force it.

Be prepared for the person to reject your ideas. They do not owe it to you to explain why your ideas for them do not work for them. It may look to you as if the person is just being negative or that they are standing in their own way or even causing their own problems. That could be true or it also could be true that you are failing to understand this person's point of view. No matter how self-reflective a person is, it is often difficult to convey an individual's perspective to another person who doesn't live inside their head, and they simply don't have the language to articulate it.

The entire world is not crying out for our opinions, as much as some might feel otherwise. It is far more crucial to give love, affection, sympathy and warmth than it could ever be for your unsolicited advice.

Just to be clear, solicited advice is when an individual agrees that they specifically want your advice in particular. It doesn't count if someone has mentioned a problem in a Facebook post UNLESS that post distinctly ASKS for advice or recommendations. Posting a lament is not permission.

If you haven't asked the receiver if they want your advice, anything and everything you might offer as a solution is unsolicited and therefore useless.

If it sounds like compassion takes a lot of time and a lot of work - it DOES! If you can't give the time, don't offer your services.

Finally, I would ask you to examine your motives. Why is it your first instinct to try and control the actions, thoughts or words of another person instead of offering sympathy, love and emotional support? Does this person's situation actually annoy you, and you want to shut them up by offering a fast fix so you can make a hasty exit? Do you feel judgmental or critical about the person and think, perhaps, they cause their own problems?  Do you feel uncomfortable with the personal information that they've revealed about themselves? Get yourself sorted out FIRST. YOU might be the one that needs fixing - in the way of an attitude adjustment. Or perhaps you just need a script - something to say that conveys compassion but that doesn't require you to have an hours-long conversation you don't have the time to start?

"I'm sorry to hear this. Do you need to talk about it?" is a good place to start. If you don't have time at the moment, then also say something like, "I've got to run out now, but I have some time on Friday. Can we chat on a private message?" If you DON'T have any real interest in the person, then you can simply say "I'm sorry to hear this. May I pray for you?" [Or whatever your version is.] You get the idea.

You aren't expected to be available to every person you run into on social media. You don't HAVE to fix every squeaky wheel, and it is understood that we all have a finite number of minutes we can afford to devote to noodling around on Facebook.

MOST of us have, on occasion, had to throttle back the tendency to opine about what OTHER people should do.  I've done it, in the past, and I continue to try to be better about this and put a lid on this bad habit.  Every year I try to be better, show more love, and to be more respectful and receptive to the needs of suffering people. I offer this blog in that spirit, so that we can all travel together toward love, in love.

God bless you all.

Silver Rose
Sannyasini Kaliprana