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Earth Walker
August 18th, 2001, 01:49 PM
Is this weird or what?:confused:

The Prophets Conference taking place this weekend at the
University of Victoria, as the Harmonic Convergence ushers
in an era of New Age get-togethers. Victoria is an ideal venue
for this sort of thing, what with its reputation as a spiritual
g-spot.
The event is organized by a group called Axiom -- check out
their Web site at: greatmystery.org It's impressive.
On its Web site, Axiom lista a sort of travelling faculty of the
sixth sense, like the one Tom Robbins, brainy wordsmith and
architect of the counter-culture, lines up at the end of his novel
Half Asleep In Frog Pyjamas: Deepak Chopra, Patrick McKenna,
Carlos Castenda, Ram Dass, Robert Anton Wilson....
Not all of these names, however, will be showing up in B.C.
Slated for Victoria is a New Age dream-team that includes
Robbins, who purloined the body of christ in Another Roadside
Attraction, and invented aromas that lead to immortality in
Jitterbug Perfume. He's a veritable Pied Piper for flower children.
The greatmysteries.org Web site answered many questions,
but posed new ones. Who or what was Axiom? Why were they
meeting in Victoria? How come all the prices were in U.S. dollars?
But what really caught my eye was a note that promised partial
scholarships for the "financially challenged."
I'm on disability. That's as financially challenged as it gets.
I e-mailed them a request for succour and they replied promptly:
"There are a couple of partial scholarships available at a cost of
$250 U.S. Blessings on your journey -- Robin."
I hit them back: "$250 U.S.? That's like a thousand dollars
Canadian! Please, please, I'm so poor I have no food to put
in the mouths of my kitties. I'm begging you -- if you have any
mercy, or cash, left in your heart, please cover all of my expenses!"
Axiom got snide: "Perhaps you might consider shifting your
mantra from 'I'm so poor' to something more open to the
possibilities. Blessings on your journey -- Robin."

You know what bothers me about New Agers? They're always
trying to get closer to the light. But when you walk toward a
light, your shadow gets bigger. These modern-day prophets are
no exception, although their shadow is not what you might expect.


Only my Cat understands me.
************************
There are only two times I feel stress.
Day :D and Night :D

quixote
August 18th, 2001, 03:49 PM
mystique, that definately is weird. Maybe we could all get together and write a book of our own something about New-age capitalism.
BB, quixote

bloodstone20
August 18th, 2001, 03:54 PM
i can't stand ppl trying to get to the light ... embrace darkness!

Xois
August 18th, 2001, 05:11 PM
I am with bloodstone! ;)

bloodstone20
August 18th, 2001, 10:07 PM
light is nice, but it is what we usually do, or how we act. Darkness, to me, is the emotions boiling inside you, the things you wished to say but didn't, and the deepest corners of your soul.
I have felt my darkness, and others as well.
Its rather refreshing.

Apotheosis
August 18th, 2001, 10:48 PM
Peculiar, as to me, the light is about not having emotions boiling anymore, and about know exactly what you *really* want to do and say, and doing and saying it. I digress.

I can't object to their demand for money, and indeed what here seems to be a very reasonable amount of cash. Certainly, you have my sympathies that you cannot afford it, but you are in a very particular and unique scenario. Even I, "starving student", could pull together $400CDN for a workshop if I chose to.

Not giving away free admitance is a way of keeping out a certain undesirable element. But any restriction will always keep out some valid seekers. In this world, it is a neccesary thing.

I have great empathy for your situation, but implore you to look again, shifting your mind away from resentment. I don't think this sort of comment was justified.

bloodstone20
August 18th, 2001, 10:55 PM
I was talking about Darkness.

Earth Walker
August 18th, 2001, 11:09 PM
Originally posted by Apotheosis
Peculiar, as to me, the light is about not having emotions boiling anymore, and about know exactly what you *really* want to do and say, and doing and saying it. I digress.

I can't object to their demand for money, and indeed what here seems to be a very reasonable amount of cash. Certainly, you have my sympathies that you cannot afford it, but you are in a very particular and unique scenario. Even I, "starving student", could pull together $400CDN for a workshop if I chose to.

Not giving away free admitance is a way of keeping out a certain undesirable element. But any restriction will always keep out some valid seekers. In this world, it is a neccesary thing.

I have great empathy for your situation, but implore you to look again, shifting your mind away from resentment. I don't think this sort of comment was justified.

Please re-read the post. It is in U.S. Funds, not CDN.
Can you afford to pay the xchange rate?
I can't....not on $442 I get every month.

Apotheosis
August 18th, 2001, 11:22 PM
You'll notice I uped the amount to $400CDN, an ad hoc on the fly conversion of $250 US. So, yes, I was meaning to say I could afford that amount.

I had guesses that you were on an extremely tight budget. I'm not unsympathetic, but that goes for both you and the conference organizers. Its an unfortunate dispute in perspectives, but I don't think vilification is the solution.

Revelation
August 18th, 2001, 11:25 PM
Err, hold on, what exactly is being objected to? The fact that they wouldn't give you a free ride? I understand that you don't have the cash to attend, but I"m not really sure that's a good enough reason for you to get a free ride.

(And, I may be mistaken, but I"m pretty sure 250 US dollars does not equal 1000 Canadian dollars)

Apotheosis
August 18th, 2001, 11:29 PM
Originally posted by bloodstone20
I was talking about Darkness.

Uh. Yeah....I was going for a subtle contrast and comparison. Go back and read what I wrote about light. It was a nifty little flip on what you wrote about dark. The other half of it being a not so subtle innuendo over what was better. That is left as an exercise for the reader.

bloodstone20
August 19th, 2001, 02:15 PM
i read what you said and i have to dis agree. to me, light is thinking you know what you really want, and knowing what you feel on the surface. Darkness is the opposite, to me. not knowing what you want, just feeling the emotions. Of course, in both i left much unstated, but whats unsaid is sacred to me.

gunner
August 19th, 2001, 08:09 PM
begins to sound pretty much like any other at that level, most of the names i see listed have done quite well by themselves out of the "new age" well enough to have forgotten, if they ever knew, what it is like to be in mystique's situation. $400 odd cdn isn't much when you consider that canadian prices run, on the average, a bit higher than comparable stateside prices. i've also some thoughts on the sarcastic reply she got to her second letter but i'll keep that to myself for now. suffice to say that it is possible to say "sorry, no" politely if you must say "no".

Myst
August 19th, 2001, 08:23 PM
$250 USD = $385.515 CAD

http://www.xe.net/ucc/

(edited, I had them switched the first time. According to this site, exchange rate shows that $1 CAD = $0.648191 USD, or $1 USD = 1.54275 CAD. The point is, $250 USD is less then $400 CAD)

Earth Walker
August 19th, 2001, 08:56 PM
$250 Cdn. x .68 = $170 (exchange rate)

Twig
August 19th, 2001, 11:28 PM
As I read your first post the song "One Tin Soldier" began to play.
I thought "How appropriate". This song holds a particular place in my heart. It represents futility in a way, But there is always hope. Hope that these people will see THEIR light, as you are doing through sharing this experience and showing how you have been "enlightened" by it.

Perhaps Mr. Robbins would like to post a rebuttal here? This forum is open to All, after all. ;)

Yours in Peace,
Twig
:elf:

Lavender
August 20th, 2001, 03:56 PM
I thought about going to that conference but once I added up the cost of the conference, ferry trip over there, room & board for the weekend...it was waaay too much for me. My friend went & volunteered for that conference. She was still responsible for her room & board for the weekend and the ferry trip. Can't wait to hear what she thought of it.