CAROL SILL

Lately I’ve been fascinated by the concept of open source spirituality – an approach that means each individual who participates is a co-creator of the energy field, and of the aspiration to the one goal of transcendence or realization or enlightenment – and from this there is a renewed connection with humanity and our goals on earth.

I know that there are many many organizations and movements that foster human development along these lines, and over the centuries so many masters and enlightened ones have brought us their messages – seemingly different but actually the same: look within, learn from nature, seek the truth.

Well, then what? And how do we look within? And in these times, what does it mean? I see it as a great experiment where we are now in possession of all the sacred scriptures in translation, and where the methods that were guarded for centuries as sacred treasures are available free on the internet. Some say you need a teacher to really unlock the secret of these treasures, others say this is available to every human being as our birthright. And awakening can occur spontaneously.

When we begin to seek a kind of peace of mind or transcendence we take steps on the path that is in front of us, toward it or to retain and sustain it. Those steps actually draw the path to come up to meet us. It may come in the form of a specific organization or group – or a lineage of yogis or sufis or kabbalists or buddhists – or even scientists.

Here we are in a new field. A step on the path (whatever it is named) takes us and trains us for the inner work on ourselves. And the stepping on the path is in fact the first effort we may make. Here I think that we are creating and developing a new path – new to each seeker, but ancient and old as all humanity, or maybe even older. What is important to me is that this path is open and is now part of these times.
All ideas and concepts begin to fall away, and another intuitive way of knowing begins to take over, as the human being comes closer toward the purpose of life.

As this happens we feel we need to belong to someone or something, and it is here that the groups and movements come in. They train and help, but can also hold back, as there are so many pitfalls and windy twisty passageways ahead. A straight path is only in our ideal, the combination of time, place and causation makes this path and its process difficult. The truth comes shining through, but is often hard won, as we instinctually hold on to what we must release in order to take another step.

We don’t want to belong to any group or teacher or teaching that will hold back the progress of this path which we are simultaneously creating and following.

I describe all of this as a kind of open-source spirituality because those who have gone before can give to those who are just setting out, and here there is no longer any need for “proprietary software” – it is all available, and free. What we need are more individuals on the path to share with all, outside of the dogmas of any one point of view or specific system. We are all developing exponentially these days, and there’s a new feeling in the air, different from the climate that was so catalytic for human potential development and spiritual life back in the 70’s.

So I’m calling this “open source spirituality”, a free field of play and development of intuitive software for awakening, and the sustaining of this awakening.

Spring has come here in Vancouver, finally, and the air is magically laden with the scent of the blossoms and the opening leaves. Tulips stand tall. But like everyone, I’ve noticed that we don’t have the same power to the scent of flowers that we once did. It was brought home to me when a friend showed me her sweet peas. Remarkably, they smelled as strong as those flowers used to smell when I was a little girl. I realized that I hadn’t actually smelled sweet peas for decades. Why? This article just came in to me today from Vakil Forest Shomer, and I felt I should share it here.

Published on Sunday, April 20, 2008 by The Independent/UK
Why Flowers Have Lost Their Scent

Pollution is dulling the scent of flowers and impeding some of the most basic processes of nature, disrupting insect life and imperiling food supplies, a new study suggests.

The potentially hugely significant research - funded by the blue-chip US National Science Foundation - has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects’
ability to repel enemies and attract mates may also be impeded.

The researchers - at the University of Virginia - say that pollution is dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent of flowers. Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said: “Scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 metres. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 metres. This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers.”

The researchers - who worked on the scent given off by snapdragons - found that the molecules are volatile, and quickly bond with pollutants such as ozone and nitrate radicals, mainly formed from vehicle emissions. This chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A vicious cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food and the plants do not get pollinated enough to proliferate.

Already bees - which pollinate most of the world’s crops - are in unprecedented decline in Britain and across much of the globe. At least a quarter of America’s 2.5 million honey bee colonies have been mysteriously wiped out by colony collapse disorder (CCD), where hives are found suddenly deserted.

The crisis has now spread to Europe. Politicians insist that CCD has not yet been found in Britain, but the insects have been declining here too, and the agriculture minister Lord Rooker has warned that “the honey bee population could be wiped out in 10 years”.

The researchers do not believe that they have found the cause of CCD, but say that pollution is making life more difficult for bees and other insects in many ways.”

© 2008 The Independent

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/20/8404/

We had a wonderful get-together this past weekend in memory of Shamcher Bryn Beorse, who was a yogi, sufi, pioneer of OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion.) People who had known him in his life, and those who were in touch with his work, but never met him in person gathered here, in Vancouver. I’ll report more on this event after I’ve had some time to decompress.

Taking a few moments to relax after the intensity of the weekend, I fooled around with photo booth on my mac.

The magical Lamp of Knowledge award goes to each person who was here (and you know who you are!)

The Rose of Beauty designation goes to the excellent Fifis!

Something terrific coming up at Western Front this week, so I thought I’d amplify it here in my blog post. William Burroughs was really into this stuff in the late 50s. Here’s the release, and for more, check that Western Front link.

Western Front Media Arts | Darsha Hewitt workshop | APR 20
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Darsha Hewitt
Artist Presentation
Instrumental Transcommunication: Listening Through Your Electronics (Hearing The Dead)
April 20, 2008, 2 PM
FREE

In her talk, Hewitt will look at inventions created during mid 20th century that were used to communicate with the dead. The term “instrumental transcommunication” describes communication between spirits and the living through any sort of electronic device such as tape recorders, fax machines, television sets, or computers. The talk will end with a demonstration of sensitive daemon detection devices created by the artist.

Workshop
Ethereal Computing: Homemade Sensing Devices for Invisible Matter
April 23, 2008, 6 – 9 PM
Registration:  $20
Register before April 15, 5 PM by emailing media@front.bc.ca

The artist will lead a hands-on workshop that takes a hobbyist approach to electronic experimentation for anyone curious about electronics, sound or the invisible noise of nature. Hewitt will introduce basic antenna and radio theory, and concepts like induction and electronic crosstalk, and will focus on how natural phenomena such as skin resistance, body capacitance and ethereal interference can affect and control electronics. Participants will look at examples of how early electronic instrument inventors, artists and electronic enthusiasts have explored, harnessed and exploited these invisible forces.

By tinkering with radios, scrapped domestic electronics and handmade audio generating devices, and using leftover wire, participants will learn how to piece together amateur antennas to unleash the power of ungrounded electronics and pick up on the invisible information of our atmosphere. Additionally, Hewitt will go over safe and practical discarded electronics salvaging techniques, and participants will learn what to look for and what to scavenge from electronic devices they find in the alley on garbage day.

About the Artist:

Darsha Hewitt is an Ottawa-based artist experimenting with electronics in order to capture traces of the invisible ethereal realm. By handcrafting, rebuilding and cross-wiring basic electronics, the artist intervenes with the commercial obligations of today’s ubiquitous electronic products, and exposes them to the noise of an invisible realm. She often draws on the formulas and aesthetics found in vintage D.I.Y. electronics magazines, in order to create “homemade sensing devices for invisible matter.” During her residency, Hewitt will work with experimental handmade electronics to develop an environmentally responsive sound installation specifically for the Western Front called DAEMON DETECTION. Hewitt will install sensing antennae throughout the building to detect changes in the surrounding electromagnetic fields. These shifts will create subtle audible emissions through transmitter radios that have specific lo-fi/low-tech sounds including white noise, frequency distortions, and voices captured from broadcasts.

I was just watching the Dalai Lama webcast at the Seeds of Compassion site - he’s at an arena in Seattle, in the same sunny weather we have here in Vancouver.

All Murakami, all the time. I first saw Murakami in the Superflat show at the Henry in Seattle several years ago. We got the big Murakami book and now I see there is wonderful coverage of the Murakami show in NY - including a feature in the Times Magazine. For a taste, here’s the slide show from the NYTimes, and their video of the opening.

Active, inspiring, great people, good insights, rich media follow-up, plus: Fast turnaround, with Miss604’s liveblogging of the event, and Robert Ouimet’s overnight podcast of the proceedings!

If you couldn’t make it but want to find out what happened, check out their links.

Miss604 on Bridging Media (Link to session 1, follow next posting for all 4 sessions)

Robert Ouimet’s podcast (Link to session 1, other sessions outlined here also.)

Spring inspiration for all: check out Jason’s garden just under the Burrard Bridge.

I’m really looking forward to the Bridging Media event this Saturday, where I’ll be moderating one of the panels - and taking in the rest. I’ve been helping out a bit with this and its a great example of a free community event that shows how quickly and directly a good event idea can become a reality. Here’s a posting from the Alphablogs site:

Looks like this will be one of those “mark your calendar” events in Vancouver.

Bridging Media: Addressing the Challenges - this Saturday, March 29, 2008, 9:45 am - 3pm
Aimed to provide a bridge between the two communities of film/television and interactive/social media, I think this event comes just at the right time. The expertise we have here in Vancouver is remarkable, leading in the field. The panelists  assembled for this event have a lot to share in the short time they have available, so it looks like the whole day will be power-packed.

The tools are here and easier to use than ever, and the panelists are articulate and experienced in the slippery ever-shifting world of web/mobile/social media. Its free, its informative and it can change what you think you might know about social media, and more. Plus there is a door prize: a free pass to nextMEDIA, just before the Banff Television Festival.

Want to know who’ll be there? Go to the registration site and take a peek.
And did I mention that lunch is sponsored? Yes it is a free lunch!

Brainchild of Megan Cole and Erica Hargreave, the event now has a terrific team putting this together, with good will and sharp skills: Cinci Csere, Monique Trottier and Monica Hamburg. I’m really glad to help out with this event and be in their company!