‘When a man embarks on the paths of sorcery he becomes aware, in a gradual manner, that ordinary life has been forever left behind; that knowledge is indeed a frightening affair; that the means of the ordinary world are no longer a buffer for him; and that he must adopt a new way of life if he is going to survive. The first thing he ought to do, at that point, is to want to become a warrior. The frightening nature of knowledge leaves one no alternative but to become a warrior.’   – A Separate reality by Carlos Castaneda based on the teachings of Don Juan.

Elva Thompson – A couple of years ago, I watched a video by Cristobal Vila called Nature By Numbers.  The short film was awesome, but it turned my perception of the natural world upside down, by showing that nature is nothing more than an animated mathematical construct.

From then on, even though I could marvel at the breathtaking beauty of nature in all its forms, it did not hold the same magical quality and wonder it had before my revelation.

The understanding that creation is mechanized was a spiritual disappointment for me at the time, and for a while after, but it has led to a new beauty and astonishment. A greater understanding of my place in the scheme of things. Continue reading →