What is a psychonaut exactly? According to clinical psychiatrist Jan Dirk Blom, psychonautics is “the exploration of the psyche by means of techniques such as lucid dreaming, brainwave entrainment, sensory deprivation, and the use of hallucinogenics or entheogens,” and a psychonaut is someone who “seeks to investigate their mind using intentionally induced altered states of consciousness.”

The controversial new documentary “The Reality of Truth” asks viewers to examine the often taboo relationship between spirituality, religion, and psychedelics. In the film, Mike “Zappy” Zapolin travels the world interviewing thought leaders with help from co-host actress and activist Michelle Rodriguez.

“At the end of the day, whatever your ‘true reality’ is going to be, I’m sure it will be mostly inspired by whatever you come in counter with in your life,” Rodriguez said. “We’re all transmitters. You can shift your frequency,” she added.

Administering psychedelic drugs can often lead to mystical experiences, transcendence, insights, awe and ultimately, positivity. But this is nothing new. Spiritual pursuits and psychedelic drugs have been associated with one another for thousands of years. For example, “psychedelic plants, such as psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and ayahuasca have long been used in shamanic traditions in the Americas,” according to Lerner & Lyvers’s Values and Beliefs of Psychedelic Drug Users: A Cross-Cultural Study.

Featuring a diverse group of celebrities such as Deepak Chopra, Peter Coyote, Ram Dass, Serena Dyer, Joel Osteen, Marianne Williamson, David Lynch, among many others, the film debunks many myths about spirituality, and specifically hallucinogenic spirituality around the world. “The Reality of Truth” premieres July 19, 2016.

“If a child doesn’t get enough love, everything’s left to be discovered.”

–Margueritte (played by Gisèle Casadesus) in the movie Afternoons with Margueritte

“It’s hard to be so adored, so young, at such a tender age.  It creates expectations.  When it comes to maternal love, one searches, hopes, waits at dawn, life makes a promise that it can never keep.  When a woman takes you in her arms and holds you tight it’s nothing but condolences.   You always come howling to your mother’s grave, like an abandoned dog.  Never again, never again, never again will those sweet arms circle around your neck. Those gentle lips speak to you of love.”

—Promise at Dawn by Romain Gary (1914-80), a classic of modern French literature, has all the earmarks of a richly romantic novel. It is all the more thrilling, therefore, to read it and know that this is not fiction but a real-life story. As a young child, Romain Gary’s mother told him that a day would come when he would have to challenge and conquer the evil demons of submission and defeat. After all, he was to be a French military hero, ambassador, noted writer, and ladies’ man . . . . Thus anticipating battle, by the time of his death he had won the Cross of the Liberation, the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honor, the Prix Goncourt (the last rather a comedown, as his mother had mentioned the Nobel Prize); and he had been the French consul-general in Los Angeles. Promise at Dawn begins as the story of a mother’s sacrifice. Alone and poor she fights fiercely to give her son the very best. Gary chronicles his childhood with her in Russia, Poland, and on the French Riveria. And he recounts his adventurous life as a young man fighting for France in World War II. But above all he tells the story of the love for his mother that was his very life, their secret and private planet, their wonderland “born out of a mother’s murmur into a child’s ear, a promise whispered at dawn of future triumphs and greatness, of justice and love.”  (Amazon.com)

THE HEAVENS—Despite allowing the Cavaliers to win the city’s first major sports championship in 52 years, God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, confirmed Sunday that He still hates Cleveland fans. “I just figured that enough is enough, so I decided to throw them a bone and finally give them a title, but believe me, I still can’t stand Cleveland teams or their fans,” said the Lord, adding that even though He decided not to intervene in order to prevent the Cavaliers from winning Game 7 against the Golden State Warriors, He “still really enjoys” watching Cleveland fans suffer after heartbreaking losses. “Don’t get me wrong, I love LeBron. My original plan was actually to get Cleveland’s hopes up by having him born in Ohio and drafted by the Cavs before he left to go win titles elsewhere without ever coming back. I knew that would absolutely crush the fans, but then I kind of felt bad about it, so I changed my mind since I wanted LeBron to win one in Cleveland. But I don’t give a shit about Cleveland fans, and I’ll see to it that they never win anything again.” God also clarified that His contempt for Cleveland fans is nothing compared to His total and utter hatred for “those fucking scumbag fans” in Philadelphia.

Full Moons contain the energy of release. As the Moon becomes more and more darkened, the things you want to release become less and less obvious. Then set your intentions at the New Moon for manifestation of your desires by the light of the Full Moon; Full Moon release, New Moon manifest, and so this cycle repeats itself month after month. Taking advantage of these cycles can be very helpful if you are mindful and purposeful in setting your intentions with trust in a benevolent Universe. You have a 3 day window of power; the day before, the day of, and the day after.

This particular Full Moon is strengthened by a few other factors in the coming days. The Cancer solstice this year is on the 20th at 3:34 p.m. PDT. This occurs less than 12 hours after the peak of this Full Moon. Solstices are energetic windows. At that time, there appears to be a reduction in the magnetic field of the Earth, allowing a greater influx of cosmic radiation to penetrate our atmosphere and also our psyche, giving us access to greater understanding and wisdom. Then on June 29, Marsfinally goes direct at 23° Scorpio. This has been a powerfulretrograde contributing to the unrelenting global chaos and unrest.

The sign of Sagittarius, is concerned with our philosophy and convictions; Gemini deals with objectivity and perception. The idealistic side of Sagittarius delves into ever-expanding knowledge and far-reaching horizons of understanding, tolerance, and the realization of one’s life purpose. Its shadow leads to feelings of entitlement, and excuses for excess of all kinds. The bright side of Gemini remains open minded, aware that there is always more to learn and that listening is as important as speaking. The shadow side knows lots of facts but has little wisdom, talks incessantly but doesn’t listen and allows its mind to control its soul. This Full Moon in Sagittarius/Gemini shows us how to determine the philosophies that resonate with our hearts and where we need to walk our talk.

Remember that we are living in a time of great change (Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn). Be mindful of your intuitive impressions about what you see and hear. Don’t be led to follow blindly any philosophy that leads with fear. This is a time to lead with love and with a desire to help our fellow beings. It is time to break up old outmoded structures and to lead with bright and noble ideals for the future. The light is always stronger than the dark.

Albertina Walker with James Cleveland backed up by The Trinity All Nation Choir.  “I’ve Got A Feeling” soloist:  Albertina Walker

David Hartsough

June 14, 2016

The US and Russian governments are pursuing dangerous policies of nuclear brinkmanship. Many people believe we are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the Cuba missile crisis in 1962.

Thirty-one thousand troops from the US and NATO countries are engaged in military maneuvers on the Russian border in Poland – together with tanks, military planes and missiles. The US has just activated an anti-ballistic missile site in Romania which the Russians see as part of an American first strike policy. Now the US can fire missiles with nuclear weapons at Russia, and then the anti-ballistic missiles could shoot down Russian missiles shot toward the west in response, the assumption being only the Russians would suffer from nuclear war..

A former NATO general has said he believes there will be nuclear war in Europe within a year. Russia is also threatening use of its missiles and nuclear weapons on Europe and the US if attacked.

Back in 1962 when I met with President John Kennedy in the White House, he told us he had been reading The Guns of August describing how everyone was arming to the teeth to show the “other nations” they were strong and avoid getting embroiled in World War I. But, JFK continued, arming to the teeth was exactly what did provoke the “other side” and got everyone embroiled in that terrible war. JFK said to us in May 1962,”It is scary how similar the situation was in 1914 to what it is now “(1962) . I’m afraid we are back in the same place again in 2016. Both US and NATO and Russia are arming and engaging in military maneuvers on either side of Russia’s borders – in the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the Baltic sea to show the “other” that they are not weak in the face of possible aggression. But those military activities and threats are provoking the “other side” to show they are not weak and are prepared for war – even nuclear war.

Instead of nuclear brinkmanship, lets put ourselves in the Russians’ shoes. What if Russia had military alliances with Canada and Mexico and had military troops, tanks, war planes, missiles and nuclear weapons on our borders? Would we not see that as very aggressive behavior and a very dangerous threat to the security of the United States?

Our only real security is a “shared security” for all of us — not for some of us at the expense of the security for “the other”.

Instead of sending military troops to the borders of Russia, let’s send lots more citizen diplomacy delegations like ours to Russia to get to know the Russian people and learn that we are all one human family. We can build peace and understanding between our peoples.

President Dwight Eisenhower once said, “I’d like to believe that the people of the world want peace so much that governments should get out of the way and let them have it.” The American people, Russian people, European people – all the world’s people – have nothing to gain and everything to lose by war, especially nuclear war.

I hope that millions of us will call on our governments to step back from the brink of nuclear war and instead, make peace by peaceful means instead of making threats of war.

If the US and other countries were to devote even half of the money we spend on wars and preparations for wars and modernizing our nuclear weapons stockpile, we could create a much better life not only for every American, but for every person on our beautiful planet and make the transition to a renewable energy world. If the US were helping every person in the world have a better education, decent housing and health care, this could be the best investment in security – not just for Americans, but for all people in the world we could ever imagine. .

David Hartsough is the Author of Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist; Director of Peaceworkers; Co-founder of the Nonviolent Peaceforce and World Beyond War; and participant in a Citizens Diplomacy delegation to Russia June 15-30 sponsored by the Center for Citizen Initiatives: see www.ccisf.org for reports from the delegation and more background information.

Jacques Prévert (February 4, 1900 – April 11, 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best regarded films formed part of the poetic realist movement, and include Les Enfants du Paradis. Wikipedia

I am what I am

I am what I am
I’m made that way
When I want to laugh
Yes I erupt with laughter
I love the one that loves me
Is it my fault
If it’s not the same one
That I love each time
I am what I am
I’m made that way
What more do you want
What do you want from me

I’m made for pleasure
And nothing can change that
My heels are too high
My figure too curved
My breasts way too firm
And my eyes too darkly ringed
And then afterwards
What can you do about it
I am what I am
I please who I please
What can you do about it

What happened to me
Yes I loved someone
Yes someone loved me
Like children love each other
Simply knowing how to love
Love love…
Why ask me
I’m here for your pleasure
And nothing can change that.