Hanging In the Balance!

Where's the paper and scissors? I totally stumbled across this, this morning... and I want to know more about it. Apparently, someone somewhere has instigated this new art-form, known as rock-balancing! Just look at that picture above, isn't it amazing? Reminds me totally of "Myst Exile", I wonder if either the rock balancer or the photographer had that in mind? Anyhow, I will find out more about this and report back to you on the subject at a later date. It definitely merits further investigation.

OK, change of plan, and I've left the above to demonstrate just how fickle I can be. Wikipedia tells me that rock-balancing has been around far longer than I had presumed, and that there are three types of rock-balancing:

• Pure Balance - each rock in near-point balance (See Above)
  
• Balanced Stacking - rocks lain flat upon each other to great height
  

• Free Style - mixture of the two above; may include arches, etc.

It is suggested that there might be spiritual connotations involved, presumably traits from Buddhism, particularly as a great deal of patience is required in order to achieve perfection. Harmony with nature is another Buddhist element that one might associate with rock-balancing. I note however that some people get paid for doing it, and while artists need to make money, as soon as money becomes the principle motivation for doing so, the art is sure to suffer. I therefore cannot condone payment of any sort for rock-balancing. Long live the unpaid free-style rock-balancers!

Don't Save Me, Save Yourself!

How many times have you heard it, "You need to be Saved!" or "You have to let Jesus into your heart!" or something along those lines. I've heard it so many times. Well, you know what, don't worry about me, my conscience is clear. The only people who believe in being saved, are those who are looking for some sort of backdoor into heaven. They've done bad stuff in the past, then with one stroke it's all forgotten about and the way ahead is clear. There are of course those who buy into the idea because they're easily led by stronger personalities, weak willed people, of whom there are so many.

Well, my ideas of what comes after don't require any priests churches or self-appointed zealots to show me the way. I concur with the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, which Buddhist philosophy is also akin to. On the day of judgement I expect to stand upon the scales of justice, look back on my life and decide whether I'm worthy. You see how that works, there is no way of erasing wht you've done, what's done is done, accept it! You always had a choice between right and wrong, and if you chose to follow the wrong path, then I'm afraid no-one can save you.

Christianity provides such a convenient system, that's why ex-cons frequently seek refuge in religion, not because they've found God, not because they're remorseful, but because those people tell them that they can wipe the slate clean for them, and once accepted, those same people will tell you how that ex-con is a good person really, they were possessed by demons or something when they did the bad stuff. Sure... It's not demons, it's DNA. Not only DNA, but Materialism as well. Get the combination right, and you find people willing to do anything to get what they want, including being saved if necessary!

I was a Roman Standard Bearer!

Dealing with less weighty issues than gaming and comedy classics today! Is there life after death? and is reincarnation real?

Two questions any individual has asked themselves many a time, and may well have discussed with others occasionally, but it's a personal matter really, a matter of faith, not in the Christian sense of the word, as we're leaning more towards Buddhist concepts here, but; you hear stuff, you read stuff, you enquire and you assimilate that knowledge to form your own opinions on what life is really about.

From a personal point of view, I think life is too short to spend it worrying about what comes next (I know people who do though). I've been fed a few Buddhist tidbits over the years and they do tend to make sense, but I'm neither a Buddhist or a Christian, because I don't believe Jesus was the son of God, nor that he actually died on the cross. I suspect that to have been the single biggest con job in history (I refer interested readers to the book "The Messianic Legacy" for detailed clarification).

Where am I going here then, oh yes, re-incarnation. I believe in reincarnation, not because I remember past lives, and I've never been hypnotically regressed (although I fancy it), but I once had the most vivid dream ever, in which I was a Roman Standard Bearer. In the dream I had the full regalia, I was holding the eagle standard, and I was descending a snow-covered mountain, in thick mist, with other soldiers seen dimly at either side. This was followed by a sort of recce-mission sounding out an enemy fort on a hill-top, in the snow, at night, with a clear sky. I can't really emphasise how vivd this dream was, I'm totally convinced that what I dreamt really happened, and I was there.

Anyone has the right to punch holes in my merry tale, but just like any good religious person, I can believe what I like and no-one will convince me otherwise. At least I wasn't Alexander the Great's Chief Eunuch!