From: Tony Navarra Date: Tue, 18 Jan 1994 21:10:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: FogHorn #44 To: FogHorn Distribution List Dear Friends, The electronic FogHorn has returned! As some of you may know, it got to be a problem when the number of people receiving the FogHorn got over twenty - I had to type in everyone's address every month. Got to be a major drag. But this problem has been solved and now the eFog makes its return. The eFog is just the text of the FogHorn. If you want to see it in all its graphic glory, you need to subscribe. Prices are $12/year for US delivery (US funds). Fax delivery to subscribers may soon be available to subscribers. Watch this space for details. If you have found yourself the recipient of this newsletter and have no desire to be on the distribution list, I apologize. Please drop me a note and I will remove you from the list. Feel free to share this or post it anywhere you wish. Never Thirst, Tony **************************************************************** The Electronic Foghorn Issue # 44 January 1994 **************************************************************** The purposes of the Fog City Nest are to provide members with a sense of community, to cultivate the growth of the larger Pagan community, to foster personal and spiritual growth on the Pagan path and to offer members opportunities for education and direct experience in Pagan topics. **************************************************************** What's Happening ? January 19, Wednesday 7:00p.m. Pagans and Money Workshop Gifts of the Goddess 973 Valencia Street, San Francisco Call Toni for more information: 415-282-1872 January 13, Thursday 7:00p.m. Business Meeting Patricia's house 1041 Page Street, San Francisco Call Patricia for more information: 415-252-8520 February: Fool's Journey : A Tarot Initiation March: Belly Dancing Through the Elements **************************************************************** Important Legal Action Park Tries to Evict Shiva by Patricia Croteau This month, the United States District Court in the Northern California will hear a case that has important implications for all non-Christians. It is of particular interest to all who prefer outdoor meditation and worship sites to church buildings. Case number C93-4089-DLJ involves a Hindu shrine which has evolved in Golden Gate Park. Citing concerns over the separation of church and state and the nuisance value, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the City of San Francisco wish to remove it. The cause of all the furor is a four foot high rounded pillar of granite. Once a parking barrier, it was dumped about four years ago in an obscure area of the park behind the Japanese Tea Garden, that the gardeners use for odds and ends. Set down in a grove of fir and eucalyptus trees, the stone is at the intersection of three small paths. As a frequent walker in the park, artist and third generation Hindu Baba Kali Das was struck by the sudden appearance of this object resembling the Shiva Lingas he had seen on his travels in India. He left a leaf as an offering. Usually found as a naturally occurring stone formation at a place where three paths meet, the Shiva Linga represents the union of God and Goddess. The stone is the phallus of Shiva joined to the earth which is the yoni of Shakti. Without the power and energy of Shakti, Shiva can accomplish nothing. From these small beginnings, much has grown. Kali Das' daughter, Meitraya became involved in creating and maintaining the site, leaving small offerings and decorations, and organizing the remaining rubble into a circle surrounding the pillar. She was forced to rebuild the circle many times because vandals would frequently toss the stones around at night. Others began to join them in using the site for meditation and chanting. Often crystals, flowers and incense are left by the stone. People come from as far away as India to visit the site. On Monday, the moon's day, milk is poured over the stone in a puja or Hindu prayer action . The Shiva Linga has acquired a care taker. Affected by the concern of Kali Das, a homeless man living in the park, allegedly a follower of Mithra, decided that cleaning and caring for the Shiva Linga was his task. He has moved the remaining pieces of stone into an elaborate double circle and keeps the pillar clean and the paths raked. Although the Shiva Linga is tucked in an infrequently used area not readily apparent to casual visitors and requires no expenditure by the Park, Mary Burns, the manager of the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City of San Francisco initiated proceedings to have the stone removed. Kali Das won an restraining order on the state level and the City has chosen to pursue this matter to the Federal level. To carry the matter this far, Kali Das has spent about $12,500 of his own money. Beyond this one individual case, he is motivated by the opportunity for Goddess worshipers of East and West and non-Christians of all sorts to bond together to demand respect for out door meditation and worship sites. He would like to see a mutual support network grow out of this case. Kali Das also sees this as an opportunity for non-Christians to become more familiar and less frightening to the general public. Local media coverage in San Francisco has had slightly amused but benevolent tone. Since the suit began the story has attracted increasing amounts of media attention. Among others, DVM magazine has sent a writer from France to cover the story and the New York Times has interviewed Kali Das. The suit itself, a request for a restraining order preventing the Parks Department from removing the stone is based on several cases involving Christians asking for access to public resources for specifically Christian oriented activities or displays. The case mentions the Christian cross on top of Mount Davidson, that is occasionally used for services. Not mentioned in the suit is the Celtic cross on top of Rainbow Falls in the park itself. Like the Shiva Linga, the cross is in an inconspicuous place. The cross however is indicated on park maps and does have a sign near it. The suit also mentions that the Shiva Linga is in an inconspicuous place, has no signs pointing it out and does not appear on the park maps. The site is also used as a quiet place for secular meditation. In a new development, it has been used by witches as a place for a circle. Although similar cases involving Native American sites have come up, Native American tribes are treated as separate nations within the borders of the United States and the court's findings apply only to that particular nation. The Parks department has not offered any explanation of why they are choosing to use precious resources in this suit. Allegations have been made that fundamentalist Christians in the Parks Department are pushing this. Calls to Ms. Burns' office were not returned and the Parks Department would only say "No comment." **************************************************************** Tarot Musings Justice Patricia Croteau Here the Fool begins to explore the principle embodied in the Sanskrit term "Karma" or the Witch's Law of Three-Fold Return. What goes round comes round. Realizing she is part of Arachne's Web and her actions do have consequences, she understands that it is necessary to weigh and consider her actions more carefully. On the journey to maturity, this is an essential step. Weighing the costs and benefits of each situation in her scales, Justice uses the sword of her intellect to cut to the heart of the matter. The sword also cuts away what she no longer needs. Her primary tools are her intellect and her analytical abilities. The green of money and the yellow of gold indicate that she is involved in the distribution of resources. She is the stern mother who must allocate family resources so that all her children are cared for. Numerologically, eleven becomes one plus one or two. Therefore, Justice is related to the High Priestess. Both cards express the logical intellectual side of the female principle as opposed to the more traditional emotional relating side expressed by the Empress. In the Builders of the Adytum deck, Paul Foster Case equates the green robe and blonde hair of Justice with those of the goddess Venus. Venus is the female principle as creative imagination and equivalent to the Empress. He sees the golden scales as repre senting light used as a standard of measurement and thus the use of the speed of light as a constant in physics. **************************************************************** The Oracle of the Dead Maxine Grodjinsky >From a lecture by Dr. Raymond Moody, October 15, 1993 "School was never like this" is the motto of the Learning Annex. It sure wasn't. Dr. Moody's talk was what I had always wished school to be - listening to a learned professor lecture on occult topics in a well thought out manner and in a way that would keep the students so totally enthralled that I wouldn't want to miss a word. Dr. Moody is a best-selling author and expert on the subject of Near Death Experiences (NDE's). His latest research tries to bridge the worlds of the living and the dead through experimentation with mirror-gazing. Dr. Moody himself was surprised at the results and their implications. In addition to the actual experiments, Dr. Moody also did extensive investigation into the historical background of the practice, including its cultural and literary aspects. Gazing on reflective surfaces such as water, shiny metal, and mirrors has been traditional in many cultures. The "Oracle of the Dead" in ancient Greece was one of the most elaborately developed institutions devoted to this practice. Herodotus, the first Western historian, mentions the "Oracle of the Dead" where ghosts gave information to the living. In the Odyssey, Circe send Odysseus to the "mouldering House of Hades" - a place wrapped in mists and cloud whose underground inhabitants never see the sun. Hidden for 2000 years, the Oracle was rediscovered in 1958 by following ancient descriptions that placed it at the point where the rivers meet in northewestern Greece. When Dr Moody and his wife visited the site a few years ago, it was still very difficult to reach and little known among the Greeks. The top of the rock is so high up that it is "wrapped in mist and cloud" just as the Odyssey describes. There were dormitories for pilgrims and a huge bronze cauldron filled with water. Skeptics thought the psychogogues concealed themselves in this cauldron. Observation posts and bannisters around the site suggest that the experiences were meant to be shared by a community. The tradition of the Oracle has largely disappeared in the last 800 years. The site was physically destroyed by the Romans and the custom of spirit gazing was forbidden by the Christianity. In 350 A.D., the Church made it a sin for Christians to use a mirror to see a spirit. Dr. Moody presents an intriguing question for us to ponder. How would our society be different if the tradition had persisted into the present? I'd like to add: What social changes might occur due to the revival of these ancient practices? Resources: The October, 1993 issue of Heart Dance magazine has an interview with Dr. Moody. (Heart Dance 473 Miller Ave. Mill Valley, CA 94941; 415-383-2525 Dr. Moody may be reached in Alabama at 205-831-0199 If you want a copy of my easy-to-read notes on the lecture, send $1 (stamps ok) to Maxine Grodjinsky at P.O. Box 170305, San Francisco, CA 94117 **************************************************************** Drumming Workshop Tony Navarra The sound of the drums was ragged, each person seemed to be working against the others. I stepped into the circle and the waves of sound seemed to pound me from all sides. I desperately wanted to step out of the center, instead I stayed and drummed out my greeting to the others. One by one we all stepped into the circle to introduce ourselves and thus began the drumming workshop taught by Rick Hamouris. In two and a half hours we learned how to make our drumming more effective in our rituals. How to use sound and rhythm to bring a group of people together and to maintain the energy of the circle. I learned to loosen up and let myself experiment and "converse" with my fellow drummers. The best part, however, were the hand and arm exercises that seemed to go on forever. Rick brought a powerful new perspective to my drumming and I want to thank him for that. Hopefully we will be able to have him back in '94! **************************************************************** Who ya gonna call ? Nest Resource List The FogHorn is published by FogCity Nest, an independent congregation of the Church of All Worlds. All contents are copyright 1994 by the authors. The Fog Horn is published monthly and mailed by the seventh of each month. Subscriptions are $12/year. How to contact the FogHorn Editrix Patricia Croteau 1041 Page Street San Francisco, CA 94117 415-252-8520 Mailing List Tony Navarra 692 San Jose Avenue #6 San Francisco, CA 94110 415-282-1872 How to Contact FogCity Nest Coordinator Toni Spizman 692 San Jose Avenue #6 San Francisco, CA 94110 415-282-1872 Treasurer Jennifer Adams 779 Guerrero St San Francisco, CA 94110 415-821-3821 Worship Circle Katrina Matos 1880 Jackson Street #203 Oakland, CA 94612 510-268-1241 **************************************************************** Book Review Megabrain by Michael Hutchison (William Morrow 1986, hardback; Ballantine Books 1991, paperback) reviewed by Dave Brubaker It's a cold, rainy, icy day in New York City. The harried editor rushes in, looks at the strange contraption, and makes no effort to conceal his skepticism as he asks, "This is it?" Nevertheless, he dons the goggles and earphones and begins the experiment. People gather around, make jokes, and ask questions, and the photographer's flashbulbs flash and film advance whirs. Meanwhile the crusty editor drifts into a reverie. Tiny lights in the goggles flash rhythmically before his closed eyelids and the earphones emit only an electronic hum, but he begins to hear women's voices, chanting monks, a violin, and a piano. Then he experiences visual hallucinations, yellow amoebas and a black insect flapping purple and yellow wings, and he discovers that he can change the scenes with a mere thought. He relaxes with a blissful smile and claims to be in euphoria. With this story, Michael Hutchison introduces us to the world of "mind machines," machines that manipulate consciousness to induce relaxation, promote healing, enhance creativity, reduce stress, mimic dream states, and even, some say, create spiritual experiences. Megabrain is really two books in one. The first part is a general survey of recent research in neuroscience. He describes the research on the intelligence-enhancing effects of "enriched environments," much of it done at U.C. Berkeley. Scientists such as Marian Diamond are discovering that much of what we traditionally thought about the brain is not true, as they explore intelligence, growth, aging, and even regeneration. He explains the work of Candace Pert and others on brain chemistry, neurotransmitters, and neuropeptides. A review in "The Psychiatric Times" claims that his coverage of endorphins and neuropeptides would help a candidate with most of the questions on those subjects in the medical Boards; but I, who never had a college-level course in either chemistry or biology, still found it clear and easily understandable. I found his explanation of Ilya Prigogine's Nobel Prize-winning work on dissipative structures the most complete and cogent explanation for the lay person that I have read anywhere. Recent brain research is so intriguing that throughout part 1 I found myself thinking, "That's amazing!" or "I didn't know that!" But this first part of the book seems to exist only to justify and provide a theoretical basis for the rest. The larger part of the book, and Hutchison's primary interest, deals with a wide variety of the new mind machines that have become available in recent years. Most of these machines work by either measuring or manipulating brainwave frequencies. Brainwaves are the natural electrical activity of the brain. The electroencephalograph (EEG) measures their frequency and amplitude. Frequency ranges correspond roughly with various states of consciousness: Beta waves (13 hertz, or cycles per second, and up) correspond with everyday waking consciousness. Alpha (8-13 Hz) is a comfortable relaxed state. Theta (4-7 Hz) is associated with hypnagogic imagery and, to some, mystical and visionary states. Delta (0.5-4 Hz) is sleep. Hutchison begins Part 2 with TENS (Transcutaneous Electro-Neural Stimulation) and CES (Cranial Electro Stimulation) devices, which are medical devices available only by prescription. They pass an electrical current through the body or over the cranium. Their medical use is primarily in pain relief, but they have many other interesting potentials because of the brainwave-entraining effect of pulsed current. Then he moves on to several EEG biofeedback devices which display brainwave activity. The CAP Scan (Computerized Automated Psychophysiological scan) shows a real-time computer image of the brain, using different colors to indicate the dominant brainwave frequencies in various parts of the brain. The Mind Mirror displays the amount of activity over the whole range of frequencies in each hemisphere, also in real-time. Using either device, a person can learn to create or suppress various frequencies and thereby create the associated states of consciousness. One can also learn hemispheric synchronization, getting the two hemispheres of the brain working together. Numerous devices, such as the light/sound machine used by the harried editor in the introduction, use flashing lights and sound waves to entrain brainwaves to a desired frequency and to promote hemispheric synchronization. Lights entrain to the frequency of the flashes. Sound machines use the principle of binaural beats; if two slightly different tones are played through headphones into a person's ears, the brain mixes the two signals internally to create a beat frequency, just as two tones mixed in air create a beat frequency, and brainwaves tend to entrain to that beat frequency. People use these devices to enhance meditation, to relieve stress, and simply to get "high" legally. Some claim they improve intellectual and creative abilities. Finally there are sensory deprivation devices, the familiar flotation tank popularized by John Lilly and the Tranquilite. The Tranquilite is a set of goggles and earphones that block out external stimuli and provide a uniform, unchanging stimulus of their own. The earphones play a continuous monotonous sound, and the goggles have a featureless colored field of unchanging hue and intensity. Psychologists call this sort of monotonous stimulation a ganzfeld, and its effect is to block out the perception of senses receiving the continuous stimulus. After wearing the Tranquilite for awhile, wearers lose awareness of sight and don't even know if their eyes are open or closed. The description sounds alarming but the actual effect is calming and relaxing, and many people use it as an aid to meditation. **************************************************************** Scion's Corner Tony Navarra There are powerful forces for change within the CAW. And it is refreshing to see happening. Since becoming a Scion, all of a sudden I am on a lot of mailing lists. I am impressed with a new group that has made an appearance on the scene - the Council of the Second Ring. They are working on such touchy issues as alcohol use and appropriate sexual behavior at rituals, straight forward communication, and conflict resolution. Most of this work is being done by Scions who dedicated to creating forms of human organization that reflect our values rather then that of the dominator culture. I applaud people who are willing to work to make their dreams real. If you want to get involved, call Marilee Lewis (Lifeways voicemail number) @ 510-549-7777. ************* I feel these efforts are much more important then attempts to explain why gossip is the mechanism of the oppressed in striking back at the oppressors. Sure gossip is fun and I like to know the "real story" as much as the next person, but at a certain point it starts to become destructive. If we are supposed to be an extended family, doesn't that imply straight forward communication instead of whispering behind a person's back? ************* Some exciting things have been coming out of Australia. Their beautiful newsletter "Dragonsong" is available at most Nest meetings. All you have to do is ask to see them. The last issue included an article on the history of CAW. Get a down under perspective. ********** This column, like all my writings, are my opinions alone. They do not belong to Fog City Nest or Church of All Worlds. If you agree or disagree, you can lodge your opinions in any of the following ways: Mail:692 San Jose Ave #6 San Francisco, CA 94110 email:navarra@well.sf.ca.us Phone:415-282-1872 **********************E N D*************************************