SCHWAGSTOCK!!!
I started summer classes on Monday, and so far they are going better than I expected. Art history is reasonably interesting, and Dr. Lyons' class on evolution and intelligent design is even better than I had hoped. I'm also actually enjoying getting up at 7:30 everyday. Pleanty of time in the afternoon for reading too.
Daniel and I are heading to another Schwagstock tomorrow. We will be gone until Sunday, and it should be quite a trip ;-). It really is a beautiful camp too. Its in the middle of the Ozark mountains, and there's even a river. And to make things even better, Angie and heatheR will be there too (actually they should be ther eby now). So all and all, I expect to have a great time. If the past is any indication, I expect to learn and grow a lot as well.
I've been reading a lot of interesting books on entheogenic plants and fungi as of late, and I found one book on Teononcatyl (the sacred mushroom of pre-Spanish Mexico) that is particularly interesting. It's very unfortunate that the West is so closed minded about such deeply spiritual elements of nature, particularly ones with documented medicinal and psychological benefits. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail over time. I'd really like to see a mushroom church started in the US. We have good precident now, thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the religious freedom of members of the UDV church (the one with the ayuasca sacrement). They certainly play a major role in my religious activities, and the more I read, the more I find that such experiences are far from unique. There is a history that spans thousands of years, much longer than any of the accepted religions of the West.
In other news, my parents are selling my 350Z, and are giving me their Accura MDX for my birthday. Definitely a better car for my current lifestyle (yay camping!), although I will miss the Z. I was suprised they finally gave me the title to a vehicle, as they have been holding the title to my last car. I guess we are on much better terms than ever before, and college is going well. I just keep being suprised by how well things have been going since I started down this path of spiritual growth. The past year and a half has been...indescribable. I found God, started being honest with my parents, found my soulmate, went back to colleg, I'm getting better grades than ever before, and I feel like I've grown spiritually and emotionally in ways I can't even begin to understand. Jesus definitely knew what he was talking about when he said "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness, and ALL these things will be added unto you...". Not seek ye first religion, or seek ye first a book of laws. Seek GOD first, and everything else comes later. The past year has definitely confirmed this as fact, time and time again.
Daniel and I are heading to another Schwagstock tomorrow. We will be gone until Sunday, and it should be quite a trip ;-). It really is a beautiful camp too. Its in the middle of the Ozark mountains, and there's even a river. And to make things even better, Angie and heatheR will be there too (actually they should be ther eby now). So all and all, I expect to have a great time. If the past is any indication, I expect to learn and grow a lot as well.
I've been reading a lot of interesting books on entheogenic plants and fungi as of late, and I found one book on Teononcatyl (the sacred mushroom of pre-Spanish Mexico) that is particularly interesting. It's very unfortunate that the West is so closed minded about such deeply spiritual elements of nature, particularly ones with documented medicinal and psychological benefits. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail over time. I'd really like to see a mushroom church started in the US. We have good precident now, thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the religious freedom of members of the UDV church (the one with the ayuasca sacrement). They certainly play a major role in my religious activities, and the more I read, the more I find that such experiences are far from unique. There is a history that spans thousands of years, much longer than any of the accepted religions of the West.
In other news, my parents are selling my 350Z, and are giving me their Accura MDX for my birthday. Definitely a better car for my current lifestyle (yay camping!), although I will miss the Z. I was suprised they finally gave me the title to a vehicle, as they have been holding the title to my last car. I guess we are on much better terms than ever before, and college is going well. I just keep being suprised by how well things have been going since I started down this path of spiritual growth. The past year and a half has been...indescribable. I found God, started being honest with my parents, found my soulmate, went back to colleg, I'm getting better grades than ever before, and I feel like I've grown spiritually and emotionally in ways I can't even begin to understand. Jesus definitely knew what he was talking about when he said "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness, and ALL these things will be added unto you...". Not seek ye first religion, or seek ye first a book of laws. Seek GOD first, and everything else comes later. The past year has definitely confirmed this as fact, time and time again.