Thursday, May 10, 2012
How Might a Rational, Responsible Adult Behave?
In all the to-ing and fro-ing and hanky-twisting over Obamacare and related topics ("Who's going to pay for what?" "Where's the money going to come from?") there's a deafening silence on the single topic that nobody--nobody--dares address; to wit,
"What are the responsibilities of the ultimate benefactee--the patient?"
I see people stuffing their faces--voluntarily, mind you--with all manner of toxic edibles and high-fructose corn syrup and factory meats, on the arrogant assumption that might be expressed this way:
"I'm entitled. I'm entitled to gorge my gut with these alleged foodstuffs. I'm entitled to break all my bones repeatedly in daredevil ‘sports'. I'm entitled to stay up all night in mindless partying. I'm entitled to abuse the body in all its parts in every way I can think of, thumbing my nose at sensible behavior, debauching it in a quest to contract the venereal disease du jour, disregarding every known fact about sensible, health-promoting nutrition. And I'm entitled to do all this at somebody else's expense. Then once I'm healed, I'm entitled to walk out the door of the hospital and start the same kind of behavior all over again."
In all the millions and billions and trillions of dollars pouring down the drain for medical care, I'm fool enough to believe that I bear some microscopic responsibility for my own state of health; that I owe it to myself and to the generations of my descendants who will still be paying for my recklessness in health matters to behave in an adult and responsible manner with regard to my health. Am I all alone here? Does any other being feel as I do: that we have a share in our own health outcomes? Let me hear from you.
Blessed Be. Yvonne
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Health Update April/may
Greetings, Friends and Affiliates.
It's been a long time, and we've been busy trying to keep up with everything. Now after several visits to assorted medical people in Hinton, Princeton, and Charleston (some of them two hours' drive away), Gavin has gone back into hospital to have a cyst in his abdomen drained. (Keep your sense of adventure here, friends. You'll need it.) The thing formed after his 12-hour surgery in November, so now he is at home toting a drain bag with him. He is to measure the fluid drained off, and return to Charleston for inspection next Wednesday--a fine start for the merry month of May. We are hoping that the relevant physician will be satisfied to authorize removal of the drain.
The drained fluid shows no infection and no symptom suggesting cancer.* Two of us at least are quietly jubilant at both these facts. It seems too that the procedure has reduced the pressure and thus the intractable pain in his back and abdomen; so you can expect to see us at SummerFest and Sirius Rising in mid-July in Sherman NY. With Yvonne's support we'll see how many we can offend at one sitting.
This year we will go back into history some little way to look at ancient beliefs and rituals from the Indus Valley civilization and the Aryans which are the roots of present-day Wicca. As many of you know, part of the School of Wicca's course requires that students study Hinduism.
The reason for that became increasingly clear as we looked at where the founders of the various Wiccan/Witch movements came from in the mid-1800s. Without exception, all relied on the East for the basis of their paths. So we hope to see you there and we hope for some lively discussions.
Lady Rae Blackhood, whom many of you know, has also tentatively agreed to go to Sirius Rising and Summerfest. Not only is she a good speaker; she can also bring expertise gained in a lifetime of nursing to Gavin's aid in case he needs to deal with health problems.
Be strong. Live sensibly. The longer your lifespan, the more noses you can rub in the (unwelcome to conventional thinkers) successful life you're demonstrating.
Gavin and Yvonne
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* Yvonne traces the no-cancer life we two have enjoyed so far to the Edgar Cayce suggestion: eat three raw almonds every day. Remember when everyone with cancer was making pilgrimage to Mexico to get treated with laetrile? Okay. Laetrile derives from apricot seeds. Botanists know that apricots and almonds are very closely related. I rest my case. The best aspect of it all is: Optional is not mandatory.
It's been a long time, and we've been busy trying to keep up with everything. Now after several visits to assorted medical people in Hinton, Princeton, and Charleston (some of them two hours' drive away), Gavin has gone back into hospital to have a cyst in his abdomen drained. (Keep your sense of adventure here, friends. You'll need it.) The thing formed after his 12-hour surgery in November, so now he is at home toting a drain bag with him. He is to measure the fluid drained off, and return to Charleston for inspection next Wednesday--a fine start for the merry month of May. We are hoping that the relevant physician will be satisfied to authorize removal of the drain.
The drained fluid shows no infection and no symptom suggesting cancer.* Two of us at least are quietly jubilant at both these facts. It seems too that the procedure has reduced the pressure and thus the intractable pain in his back and abdomen; so you can expect to see us at SummerFest and Sirius Rising in mid-July in Sherman NY. With Yvonne's support we'll see how many we can offend at one sitting.
This year we will go back into history some little way to look at ancient beliefs and rituals from the Indus Valley civilization and the Aryans which are the roots of present-day Wicca. As many of you know, part of the School of Wicca's course requires that students study Hinduism.
The reason for that became increasingly clear as we looked at where the founders of the various Wiccan/Witch movements came from in the mid-1800s. Without exception, all relied on the East for the basis of their paths. So we hope to see you there and we hope for some lively discussions.
Lady Rae Blackhood, whom many of you know, has also tentatively agreed to go to Sirius Rising and Summerfest. Not only is she a good speaker; she can also bring expertise gained in a lifetime of nursing to Gavin's aid in case he needs to deal with health problems.
Be strong. Live sensibly. The longer your lifespan, the more noses you can rub in the (unwelcome to conventional thinkers) successful life you're demonstrating.
Gavin and Yvonne
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* Yvonne traces the no-cancer life we two have enjoyed so far to the Edgar Cayce suggestion: eat three raw almonds every day. Remember when everyone with cancer was making pilgrimage to Mexico to get treated with laetrile? Okay. Laetrile derives from apricot seeds. Botanists know that apricots and almonds are very closely related. I rest my case. The best aspect of it all is: Optional is not mandatory.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Magical Determinism
a blog titled Magical Determinism drafted 03 14 12, posted ___________
Determinism - the philosophical doctrine that every state of affairs, including every human event, act, and decision, is the inevitable consequence of antecedent states of affairs.
In the past few years determinism has manifested itself in various disciplines. The most recent of such disciplines may be subatomic physics. Determinism postulates that the thing you are today and the things you do today have already been determined by past actions and events. In physics this serves to define the expected results of any experiment: "What can we validly expect? What would it be rational to expect, given past actions and their effects?" It can be seen that in most cases it works at the macro level--but the question of whether it works at the micro level is really open. We get into abstract ideas such as chaos theory and probability.
In the magical field the question is whether determinism works to affect the results / outcome of a magical action. If you have done, let us say, a money magic and it has worked perfectly, will it work again? Most magicians will tell you that there is no sure way of guaranteeing that the same results will accrue from the same actions. This seems to indicate, then, that in the magical field determinism does not apply.
We hate to think that their attitude is sloppy or lazy ...
The opposing view is that on the second occasion of trying the "same" magic, something very slightly different was done: a minute change was made in the procedure, and the variation resulted in a different outcome. That is why many traditions require that rituals be followed to the last detail. Even pausing as for a period instead of for a comma in an affirmation can make all the difference between success and "failure", they say. When you have a procedure that works, you must record that procedure in the minutest detail. Example: What was the phase of the moon? What was the ambient air pressure as read by meteorologists at the very hour of the Working? How long had it been since the worker(s) had gotten laid? Did you blink in the middle of it?
Then try it again.
In the early days of the Church and School of Wicca, a large number of our neophyte students had never read outside books on ritual procedure, let alone tried such procedures themselves. That student body was international in scope. Today, in vivid contrast, we see people writing rituals and doing all sorts of unusual procedures in attempts to influence the future. Most of their efforts seem foredoomed to failure.
We encourage you therefore to think about determinism. If determinism is to be taken as a Law, you should obey that law. (That is called rational behavior.) If determinism is just claptrap, go right ahead and wing it. Do what you will--though still harming none, of course. The Church and School of Wicca believes that determinism is real and is valid, since it has been applied to so many disciplines and proven true.
Determinism - the philosophical doctrine that every state of affairs, including every human event, act, and decision, is the inevitable consequence of antecedent states of affairs.
In the past few years determinism has manifested itself in various disciplines. The most recent of such disciplines may be subatomic physics. Determinism postulates that the thing you are today and the things you do today have already been determined by past actions and events. In physics this serves to define the expected results of any experiment: "What can we validly expect? What would it be rational to expect, given past actions and their effects?" It can be seen that in most cases it works at the macro level--but the question of whether it works at the micro level is really open. We get into abstract ideas such as chaos theory and probability.
In the magical field the question is whether determinism works to affect the results / outcome of a magical action. If you have done, let us say, a money magic and it has worked perfectly, will it work again? Most magicians will tell you that there is no sure way of guaranteeing that the same results will accrue from the same actions. This seems to indicate, then, that in the magical field determinism does not apply.
We hate to think that their attitude is sloppy or lazy ...
The opposing view is that on the second occasion of trying the "same" magic, something very slightly different was done: a minute change was made in the procedure, and the variation resulted in a different outcome. That is why many traditions require that rituals be followed to the last detail. Even pausing as for a period instead of for a comma in an affirmation can make all the difference between success and "failure", they say. When you have a procedure that works, you must record that procedure in the minutest detail. Example: What was the phase of the moon? What was the ambient air pressure as read by meteorologists at the very hour of the Working? How long had it been since the worker(s) had gotten laid? Did you blink in the middle of it?
Then try it again.
In the early days of the Church and School of Wicca, a large number of our neophyte students had never read outside books on ritual procedure, let alone tried such procedures themselves. That student body was international in scope. Today, in vivid contrast, we see people writing rituals and doing all sorts of unusual procedures in attempts to influence the future. Most of their efforts seem foredoomed to failure.
We encourage you therefore to think about determinism. If determinism is to be taken as a Law, you should obey that law. (That is called rational behavior.) If determinism is just claptrap, go right ahead and wing it. Do what you will--though still harming none, of course. The Church and School of Wicca believes that determinism is real and is valid, since it has been applied to so many disciplines and proven true.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Body and Spirit
For many years we Frosts have taught pro-active stress relief--the means to avoid getting sick from being chronically over-stressed. The technique is simple: you take steps before the stressing event happens to alleviate the response (also sometimes call the fight-or-flight response). In today's world we continually stress ourselves through physical or social stressors that we might just as easily avoid. A very common example? Traveling to work at the same old time every day over the same old route and getting caught in the same old traffic jam. A change of time or of route will eliminate this source of stress.
There are many other situations in which you can easily avoid going into stress. One of the areas that causes most stress--yet scarcely recognized--is the alleged conflict between our spiritual self and our physical/temporal body. The spiritual part of our being wants to do such things as meditate, or give a donation to the local hospice, which our mundane side says are ridiculous or something we can't afford. This means that you generate an internal stress between the two parts of yourself. When you put together your life plan for the next few months, you need to balance these two demands on yourself. Figure out a way to make the demands compatible with each other. When they conflict, you open yourself to all those diseases which are conditions to be avoided. Just as life partners ideally work together hand in hand to form a pleasant life, so the parts of your psyche need to be balanced and to work together so that you can proceed in an equitable fashion into the future.
You've been told that the spirit and the body have different agendas and cannot work together: that they conflict. That idea has served for centuries to control your actions--yet it simply isn't true. The parts of your being can work together. In fact, the truth is this: They complement each other. Each does functions that the other cannot do.
Don't believe these accusing claims fed to you as facts-that-must-be-followed. Always ask yourself: Who gains by telling me that my spiritual side and my physical side are irrevocably at war with each other?
Think about it. It's a ploy that many institutions use to gain control of you through guilt.
1. set up the guilt, as the stick. Then 2. promise relief, through donations or whatever means, as the carrot.
You will very quickly find that when you get your body and your spirit working together, life becomes pleasant and easier.
There are many other situations in which you can easily avoid going into stress. One of the areas that causes most stress--yet scarcely recognized--is the alleged conflict between our spiritual self and our physical/temporal body. The spiritual part of our being wants to do such things as meditate, or give a donation to the local hospice, which our mundane side says are ridiculous or something we can't afford. This means that you generate an internal stress between the two parts of yourself. When you put together your life plan for the next few months, you need to balance these two demands on yourself. Figure out a way to make the demands compatible with each other. When they conflict, you open yourself to all those diseases which are conditions to be avoided. Just as life partners ideally work together hand in hand to form a pleasant life, so the parts of your psyche need to be balanced and to work together so that you can proceed in an equitable fashion into the future.
You've been told that the spirit and the body have different agendas and cannot work together: that they conflict. That idea has served for centuries to control your actions--yet it simply isn't true. The parts of your being can work together. In fact, the truth is this: They complement each other. Each does functions that the other cannot do.
Don't believe these accusing claims fed to you as facts-that-must-be-followed. Always ask yourself: Who gains by telling me that my spiritual side and my physical side are irrevocably at war with each other?
Think about it. It's a ploy that many institutions use to gain control of you through guilt.
1. set up the guilt, as the stick. Then 2. promise relief, through donations or whatever means, as the carrot.
You will very quickly find that when you get your body and your spirit working together, life becomes pleasant and easier.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Progress Report
At long last Gavin is beginning to recover. The office is back on schedule, more or less, after a health caper that started in April 2011. We have to thank the students who have been so patient with us. We can assure you now that, provided there are no more glitches in his health situation, things will be A-Okay. So okay, in fact, that the Frosts are tentatively planning to attend Sirius Rising and SummerFest at Brushwood east of Erie PA in mid-July.
Next year (2013) we will probably be back at Florida Pagan Gathering (FPG) for Beltane. This assumes that their invitation stands, of course ...
We don't expect to be dancing, although Gavin has been practicing a few steps with his physical trainer under Yvonne's careful supervision.
We want to thank everyone for their support and the enegy they sent.
Blessed Be all Gavi and Yvonne
Next year (2013) we will probably be back at Florida Pagan Gathering (FPG) for Beltane. This assumes that their invitation stands, of course ...
We don't expect to be dancing, although Gavin has been practicing a few steps with his physical trainer under Yvonne's careful supervision.
We want to thank everyone for their support and the enegy they sent.
Blessed Be all Gavi and Yvonne
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Progress Report
Greetings, one and all. This is an update on (a) Gavin's state of health and (b) the School of Wicca and its status. First the School of Wicca.
We are gradually getting the School's incoming mail back into a current status. Please be patient with us. We expect everything to be up to date by February 1 or thereabouts. The forecast is complicated by the fact that the city of Hinton wants to buy the School's building, so we will be moving its offices to an old house further along Temple Street. When your name is Frost, nothing is simple or straightforward.
The post-office box number will not change.
This year we hope to be able to attend at least Sirius Rising and SummerFest, and maybe in the autumn we will get to FPG, an observance of the Temple of Earth Gathering in Florida. Much depends on Gavin's strength as it returns incrementally day by day. To our very deep regret, Kaleidoscope Gathering is probably beyond our present abilities.
On the health front, Gavin has one more surgery scheduled for the end of January, to fix the ever- present threat of maturing men, kidney stones. Apparently the back surgery (three sessions so far) has gone very well and the rods and screws of October are in place to keep the spine in line and to reduce the pain. He is now walking part-time on a cane, gradually weaning himself from the walking frame as his strength returns, aided by a crew of physical therapists. This last operation is scheduled for the end of January and is not supposed to be life-threatening, although it counts as the fifth in a series since April and each one seems to knock him back further. For the procedure in October, he was on the table for twelve (12) hours. Still, at 81, what can you expect?
We look forward to brighter days ahead, as long as we do our share of the physical work.
An inexpressible debt of gratitude is owed to everyone who has been sending thoughts of healing and strength in our direction. Don't stop now.
To each one who has thought of us, Blessed be, and thank you again. Gavin and Yvonne
We are gradually getting the School's incoming mail back into a current status. Please be patient with us. We expect everything to be up to date by February 1 or thereabouts. The forecast is complicated by the fact that the city of Hinton wants to buy the School's building, so we will be moving its offices to an old house further along Temple Street. When your name is Frost, nothing is simple or straightforward.
The post-office box number will not change.
This year we hope to be able to attend at least Sirius Rising and SummerFest, and maybe in the autumn we will get to FPG, an observance of the Temple of Earth Gathering in Florida. Much depends on Gavin's strength as it returns incrementally day by day. To our very deep regret, Kaleidoscope Gathering is probably beyond our present abilities.
On the health front, Gavin has one more surgery scheduled for the end of January, to fix the ever- present threat of maturing men, kidney stones. Apparently the back surgery (three sessions so far) has gone very well and the rods and screws of October are in place to keep the spine in line and to reduce the pain. He is now walking part-time on a cane, gradually weaning himself from the walking frame as his strength returns, aided by a crew of physical therapists. This last operation is scheduled for the end of January and is not supposed to be life-threatening, although it counts as the fifth in a series since April and each one seems to knock him back further. For the procedure in October, he was on the table for twelve (12) hours. Still, at 81, what can you expect?
We look forward to brighter days ahead, as long as we do our share of the physical work.
An inexpressible debt of gratitude is owed to everyone who has been sending thoughts of healing and strength in our direction. Don't stop now.
To each one who has thought of us, Blessed be, and thank you again. Gavin and Yvonne
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Subject Excruciating Pain in the New River Gorge
Here's the latest update on Gavin's health situation as of October 1 2011: the latest episode in an ongoing adventure with a steep learning curve.
We apologize to readers of our blog as well as to students of the School for delays in communication. Gavin's back decided that it needed more work, and made us aware of that decision in no uncertain terms. After three weeks of intensive testing, including X-rays, sedimentation tests, and an MRI, we have learned that a deep-seated infection began at the time of his surgery in early May and has been simmering ever since: first silently, then only too emphatically.
Having started in May, the thing has progressed into the actual vertebrae that were first damaged so very long ago. After the outpatient tests, Gavin was re-admitted to the hospital in Princeton, West Virginia, where they used a hammer and chisel to take bone samples from the area of infection to culture and identify the specific creature at the bottom of it all. At the same time they introduced a bypass tube into the upper arm so that antibiotics can be administered directly into the bloodstream. He is making daily visits to Summers County's hospital at 8:15 a.m. for an hour or two to receive intravenous addition of curative solutions.
Until the villain is identified, then, the experts are treating for the two most popular creatures in this field: staphylococcus and streptococcus. Once they have identified the exact disease and thus the best antibiotic to address it, he will continue treatments for the next six weeks, followed by a new series of tests.
Meantime controlling the pain with appropriate painkiller(s) presents yet another challenge. In the course of this aspect of it, unsuspected allergies have manifested just to make things more interesting.
We are doing what we can to keep the School running, and student dues and membership end dates will be fine-tuned in light of the delays occasioned at this end. Please understand, though: It's going to be slow. Knowing what is actually causing the pain has been a great relief.
Keep us in your thoughts, and please send healing energy if you see fit. Thanks.
Blessed be. GY
We apologize to readers of our blog as well as to students of the School for delays in communication. Gavin's back decided that it needed more work, and made us aware of that decision in no uncertain terms. After three weeks of intensive testing, including X-rays, sedimentation tests, and an MRI, we have learned that a deep-seated infection began at the time of his surgery in early May and has been simmering ever since: first silently, then only too emphatically.
Having started in May, the thing has progressed into the actual vertebrae that were first damaged so very long ago. After the outpatient tests, Gavin was re-admitted to the hospital in Princeton, West Virginia, where they used a hammer and chisel to take bone samples from the area of infection to culture and identify the specific creature at the bottom of it all. At the same time they introduced a bypass tube into the upper arm so that antibiotics can be administered directly into the bloodstream. He is making daily visits to Summers County's hospital at 8:15 a.m. for an hour or two to receive intravenous addition of curative solutions.
Until the villain is identified, then, the experts are treating for the two most popular creatures in this field: staphylococcus and streptococcus. Once they have identified the exact disease and thus the best antibiotic to address it, he will continue treatments for the next six weeks, followed by a new series of tests.
Meantime controlling the pain with appropriate painkiller(s) presents yet another challenge. In the course of this aspect of it, unsuspected allergies have manifested just to make things more interesting.
We are doing what we can to keep the School running, and student dues and membership end dates will be fine-tuned in light of the delays occasioned at this end. Please understand, though: It's going to be slow. Knowing what is actually causing the pain has been a great relief.
Keep us in your thoughts, and please send healing energy if you see fit. Thanks.
Blessed be. GY
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