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Lifting the veils, peeling the onion

Written by Juliet Bennett
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As we walk through time our view of the world is constantly in flux. One day I think this, the next day I think that – nothing is ever static. There is always something new to learn, and that new thing might well knock down a wall that previously blurred your view.

The problem, it seems, is that more veils that are lifted, the more one wonders how many layers still remain. Slowly through our lives, and probably through our death, the facades that surround us are exposed. We slowly peel down the layers of the onion, and maybe only in death do we discover our true core.

For me, this unveiling process began with some radical realisations surrounding the religion of my upbringing. I was born into a religion. By that I mean I was brought up being told that religion was Truth. I could accept it (and go to heaven) or reject it (and go to hell). With no seemingly comparative alternatives on offer, I chose the former: I accepted it with a full heart, adopted it as part of my identity, and used it as a framework to evaluate my surroundings and give my life some purpose.

As I “grew up” and my social network widened, this framework evolved. I started to question. The first veil lifted.

I looked out at the world with new eyes, curious about the beliefs of other cultures and past civilisations, curious to understand how different groups have evolved to see the world so differently. I started to question:

  • How do I know if a story is true or false?
  • How can I evaluate right from wrong?
  • If evangelising to the world is not my life purpose, then what is?

Ahead of me I saw a much bigger more dynamic world, albeit more scary it was beautiful and exciting.

As I learned about history and science and culture, I began to look at them more critically. My favourite analogy for this is to think of it as analysing the “stories” that they are made of. As I pulled them apart I realised that every story has its biases. There is a story behind every story.

Every story is the result of events that have occurred throughout history – that all aspects of our lives come from our ancestors and how they adapted to fit environmental changes, or how we are taking this position and adapting to changes in our environment.

I guess that what has led me to philosophy. It seems the question at the onion’s core is: What is “reality”?

Slowly, slowly, I feel I am getting closer to determining what it means (to me) to be “alive”. Or at least I’m figuring out what story of reality makes the most sense to me.

Truth

When you lose your peace narrative….

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Last night during some deep anthropological discussions, the subject of depression came up.

“Depression is the incongruence between creations of your mind and soul, and the creations you are manifesting in the material world.” Lauren explained. “A depressed person feels as if their mind is disconnected from their emotions and from their body. One’s feelings take over their body and although their mind might be wanting one thing, their energy levels prevent them doing it. It’s like the disconnection felt by a person who’s had a stroke… It seems to come down to a loss of hope.”

I know I’ve talked about depression when I was feeling down and lost, but my self-diagnosis may have been a little over the top. I might eat when I’m emotional or annoyed – as a “fuck you” to myself – but I’ve never been unable to get up in the morning and I’ve never lost hope in humanity and life. I guess there are different degrees of everything.

Western societies today have the greatest rates of depression than ever before. Why?

When I woke up this morning after a night of processing all we had discussed, something dawned on me… my last entry was wrong:

NOT ALL of us live by a narrative of peace.

And what happens when we don’t? I guess our minds might travel down a narrative of destruction. A narrative that affirms in our minds that nothing is going to get better. Depression being a possible consequence.

I guess the thing about narratives is that they do change over time – a narrative of destruction can turn into a narrative of peace. How? I’m not really sure. I guess that’s what I’ll look at in my phd if I do it.

One thing I know for sure is that I’m loving narratology already. Simply the idea of interpreting the world and our minds as different narratives seems to provide so much opportunity for understanding. And I haven’t even read a book on it yet!

Truth, ,

We ALL live off a Narrative Of Peace

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Ok so I’m laying in the water enjoying an early morning swim at a nearby harbour-pool when all these thoughts stream into my mind. A sign that my mind has had enough vacation? I’m not sure.. Narratives of Peace is a topic I’m looking at doing a research project on in the second half of this year…

We ALL have a Narrative Of Peace (NOP) – that is, a story we tell ourselves will bring us toward a more peaceful place.

Even suicide bombers have one – acting with the conviction that their action will bring about eternal peace for themselves and their families, and bring about a world of greater peace for their descendants.

Religious narratives are quite obviously based on a NOP. If you do this… believe this… say this… then you will go to heaven and live in eternal peace.

In a capitalist world a majority look for the next purchase that they hope will bring them peace. Or maybe it’s a mortgage paid-off, moving to a bigger house, a better street, buying a boat, accumulating a certain digit on a bank statement. After this and this and this, then I’ll be happy, then I will be at peace.

Politics, ideologies, even the histories as told by the winners – are told in a narrative, one said to lead toward peace. Even our culturally defined pursuits of love and success – are narratives with at root a narrative of peace: a desire for happiness, harmony and completeness.

Evolution is a narrative, although the scientific one might not set its sights on peace. Is that the missing link? Over and above whatever other “missing links” exist… what meaning can be drawn from this 14 billion year process of evolution? What is it that we are evolving towards?

Which narratives are right, which are wrong? I guess that depends on the storyteller. It depends on the lens he or she sees the world through.

Is there a “grand narrative” of truth that transcends them all? If a grand narrative does exist we can be sure we will never know it, not in our present conscious anyway.

I understand where the postmodernists come from – the rejection of a grand-narrative, the rejection of absolute truth. I do see their point.

Today I was thinking about post modernism and the (very little) understanding I have of quantum physics… if all possibilities exist simultaneously until the observer observes one or the other, then surely we, as observers, are the creators of whatever individual truth we wish to create? Maybe postmodernists are right – it seems like at least on quantum levels no one truth exists until we select it.

Ok, crap. Now I think I’ve tied myself in a knot.

I do believe there is a grand narrative in the non-quantum dimension we find ourselves in. Sure I will never know for sure, maybe there are millions of grand narratives sitting, awaiting us to select one to observe. But I like to think there is one grand narrative that exists, one we can engage with and move closer to… and let me tell you why.

I suppose it is reasonable to say that some narratives that exist today are more true than others – depending on the sources of one’s data and the mental processes one engages in.

If we were able to look at our world through a lens that sat outside our universe, observing past, present and future all as one… I suppose it is reasonable to say that this non-earthly perspective or “Godly” perspective, we would be closer to the “truth” than any earthly lens we look through today.

If these to propositions are true then shouldn’t we be setting our sights on discovering this grand narrative, and drawing from it a narrative of peace? What would the world look like from the perspective of The Universe or even from a perspective outside our universe?

What is the point? How will it help us?

Ok. Consider the fact that fundamentalist religions are experiencing the most rapid growth they have ever experienced. Why??? I think it is because they offer a grand narrative. Granted they are a grand narratives based on words of historical men misinterpreted in our modernistic mentalities (mythos interpreted as logos, Jewish midrash as literal event, symbolic meanings stripped to create historical “truths” that our degenerating modern minds can understand)… but what they do offer the masses is something that evolution as it stands is often not presented to offer. Religions offer people a sense of wholeness: a sense of completeness; a sense of meaning; a purpose for one’s life.

Ok, now consider the “clash of civilisations” predicted to come from the clash of such fundamentalist movements. And the growing animosity between atheism and theism. Surely that is motivation to identify gaps and seek bridges?

Evolution as it stands, particularly since the dawn of post modernism, has failed to provide such a perspective. Where does my tiny individual consciousness fit into the big monstrous picture of an expanding universe? Evolution provided us a grand-narrative but somehow we abandoned it after WW2. We don’t need to look for a new ideology or new religion to replace it, we just need to take another look – reinterpret what it means to be a part of the grand evolutionary process.

If we little humans are but tiny pieces of a universal puzzle that continuously becomes more complicated as the space expands, what the heck can we do about it? Can we actually have a role to play?

Yes, I believe we can. I believe we do. The self-awareness of human consciousness is more advanced and complex than any other form of consciousness that we are aware of. And rather than running away from this gift we have to embrace it, figure out whatever the heck we are going to do with it in the millions of years to come.

As far as we know this awareness is new, extraordinarily new – given that our bodily shape has only been in this form for 700,000 years, and our minds have expanded exponentially faster through to the speed of change and information transmission we are witnessing today.

Recognising this gift. Living in awe of our awareness. And hopefully preventing it from imminent self-destruction has surely got to be a step in the pursuit of peace.

Have I lost you? I might even have lost myself in this one. Somewhere in my mind this makes sense but the rest of my mind hasn’t quite caught on. Maybe when these ideas are clearer in my own cognition I’ll be able to share this a little better than I’m doing today.

Peace, Truth, ,

DREAMS FOR A NEW DECADE

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Today is 010110. Another year gone by, we farewell another decade. As a society following a human-made calendar we have reached our century’s teenager years.

Time is ticking on, the completion of a rotation. I count my age, evaluate my place. I think about the future, scenarios I desire, those I hope to avoid. It’s a time to reflect. A time to resolve. A time to dream.

I ask myself where I see myself in ten years? Where will I be come 2020?

Will I be rich? Famous? Am I a writer? An academic? A teacher? A photographer? A student? A mother? A wife? Divorced? Unemployed? Am I satisfied? Am I happy???

Where to I want to be? What do I hope for? What do I dream will come of this decade?

I don’t care about marriage but I would like to be in-love: in a relationship that shares a love that grows stronger every day; a love that asks no questions and requires no promises. A love that is true in every way, one that in every moment we are not together because we have to be, but because every day we choose to be.

Children? They are a big responsibility to bring up properly, but the ultimate expression of creation is one worth it’s pain. To create a new life, to see two lives become three… something I’d like to do once, one day.

I don’t care if I have money. I don’t care about fame. I care about my health. I care fulfilling some kind of purpose, doing whatever it is I’ve been put on this planet to do.

I care about my family and friends, and about the state of our world.

I want to be satisfied with my life. And most of all I want to be happy, with happy people surrounding me.

Come 2020, the most important thing for me is that I am still wearing a smile. How can I best give myself a chance at making this so?

I have big dreams. I have lots of goals. Am I setting myself up for disappointment? What if my dreams are never fulfilled? Won’t I be unsatisfied if I don’t make it?

If happiness is based on meeting expectations, would it not be better to set easy goals, have low expectations so they can easily be met? But if I do this, I won’t get anywhere.

“It is better to shoot for the stars and miss

than aim at the gutter and hit it.”

Decisions gone wrong, opportunities denied, a life of regret. There are many sources of fear, sources of sadness, all of which can be avoided – it all depends on the perspective we take, it depends on the lens through which we see the world. Here’s my theory on the spiritual/quantum mechanical side of dreams, goals, plans, expectations and regret:

I think we should dream, plan and make goals, but hold those plans tentative. Even dreams are transient. Dream and strive for those dreams in the conscious you exist in today and if our consciousness evolves to dream new dreams, strive for those dreams in the same way. Give it our all but don’t try to achieve it in our own might. Let the greater energies behind life guide the way.

I seem to find the most happiness and satisfaction when my dreams are connected with the dreams of the greater good, and my timing connected to nature’s time. It is when I share my dreams with “God” and say to “Him”, “not my will, but Your will” and “in Your time, not mine” – it is then that my dreams seem to come true.

I don’t believe the “power of attraction” means we have the power to bring into our lives ANYTHING and everything we want. I think means we get what we wantif it is also what the universe wants. When analysed in a century’s time I think we would find that what the universe wants in fact what we want too. I don’t actually know much about the power of attraction past documentaries like The Secret, so this is more of a reflective observation of my experience of prayer, dreams and attraction... it seems to me that the power of attraction is not a one-way pull – it is a two-way process. Us attracting something from the universe, and the universe attracting something from us.

So I sit here evaluating my place – my little spec of awareness within an 14 billion-year expansion process,  inside a universe of incomprehensible distance, conscious of a shallow number of layers within a deep ocean of frequencies – I feel like I am one cells inside a body. I and you, and everything we can see, and everything we can’t see, all together comprising the body of the universe.

I’m not sure yet if we are cancerous cells, or if together we create a useful organ, maybe the universe’s heart or brain. What I do know for sure is that the six and a half billion of us, together, are a pretty powerful energy. We have the power to destroy the most creative expressions of the universe that we know exists. But also the power to continue this evolutionary expression in infinite new ways, exploring wider and deeper layers of existence.

I guess from the perspective of this body, of the universe’s totality, my wants, your wants, and the wants of the universe are in fact one and the same.

So how will I live my life in this new decade?

Like an actor in a movie I will play out my role, with a director who values his actor’s input. I understand that from where I am standing I cannot see how my scene fits into the final cut. So I must trust the director’s instruction, for he is the one stringing it together. If in 2020 I find myself with dreams fulfilled or with plans that have failed, if I am in-love or if I am alone, if I am a mother, a widow, rich, poor, famous, healthy, or even if I’m dead – whatever happens I trust will be for the greater good, for the benefit of the me inside The Universe, and for The Universe inside me.

…

A note about this photo, taken last NYE on the Bolivian Salt Lakes. This is the original, turned on it’s side:

DSC_0642colem

A friend who has studied Sacred Geometry saw the landscape and immediately identified Angel Wings in the clouds. I rotated it clockwise to check them out closer and on a whim made it black and white. I guess now it’s a bit like one of those pictures where you interpret it for yourself…

DSC_0642bwem

What do you see?

In closing, I wish you and your friends and family a very HAPPY NEW YEAR, and HAPPY NEW DECADE. May you DREAM, may you HEAR THE UNIVERSE, and may you FIND FULFILMENT BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

And thank you for reading my blog – if you keep reading and I’ll keep writing. 🙂

With love,

Juliet xx

Peace, Truth, , ,

2009

Written by Juliet Bennett
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September 2009

My first blog

At the moment so much is happening every day that I feel like three days fit into one. This morning I finish uploading the basics of this website and “took the next step” – announcing it on facebook. Facebook is interesting – with the click … Read More →

Early days

Some of my stuff from a few years back. Most of these are from Paris and London. I can’t hardly remember the feeling of having a shaved head… it was liberating, that’s for sure.

Alchemy

Exhibiting at Manning Artspace, Sydney University – July 2009-December 2009. The title of the series, Alchemy, was inspired by Paolo Cuelo’s The Alchemist; a four-part series taken over a three-month journey around South America. The first shot of the series was the one in Huacachina … Read More →

Sud Americana Landscapes

Galapagos is not the only awe-inspiring place in Latin America. Here are some of the most mind-blowing sights that with my camera I did it’s best to capture… Uyuni Salt-Lakes, Bolivia Lake Titicaca, Bolivia El Calefate, Patagonia Iguazu Falls Salvador, Brasil Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

“A Little Inspiration for a Big Idea”

The Art Tree Exhibition – my series is called “A Little Inspiration for a Big Idea”… The little inspiration The Theory of Evolution is a HUGE idea. But like all ideas, it starts with one thing: a little inspiration. Something happens to you: a feeling, … Read More →

People and Portraits

South Americans are different. There’s some powerful energy inside of them unlike any other people. The eyes of these children say it all.

Love Is

“Love Is” by Juliet Bennett Love is lost in eye’s oceans butterflies a breathe unknowns potentials innocent bliss Love is innate desire a constant distraction unexplainable energy a potent seduction soft lip’s tender kiss Love is beyond your control the wish of God ecstasy and … Read More →

Creativism – a philosophy for life

Creativism… the beginnings of a new philosophy, with positive implications on social, political and economic theories. Ok – with that amazing very creative photograph that won “Portrait of the Year 2009” by  Sydney photographer Pippin Schembri – I now divert your attention to something close … Read More →

Lindt chocolate is NOT slave chocolate!

I emailed Lindt a year ago and pretty much got a ‘no comment’ response but I emailed them again today and got a response already and guess what?! They DO NOT GET THEIR COCOA BEANS FROM THE IVORY COAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They do not use slave labour!!! … Read More →

What is Beauty?

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” In Japan, people would look at me and gasp “Kirre!” “SagoiI!” “Chiisai!” (translation: “Beautiful! Wow! Small!”) as they motioned a small circle with their hands and touched the skin on their face. This was followed by broken … Read More →

My inspirations

“Good novels are written by people who are not frightened.” George Orwell. Some of the most inspiring people in my life: Leigh Stark Blogger, photographer & the creator of this website. Thank you so much! www.leighlo.com & www.sackboyliveshere.com Chelsea Haywood Author and my wonderful Canadian … Read More →

A guy’s point of view

Sorry about the photo. A bit rude. Rachel took it not me (I think) – one of the millions of photos we took of graffiti art in South America. This one was in Bariloche Argentina. I thought it was appropriate. I never really read FWD’d … Read More →

Meaning of life

Something sure to come up a lot on this blog is the question of meaning – why the f**k are we here on this planet??? It is something I contemplate regularly. The human condition is a strange one –  born no different from other animals … Read More →

Shopping malls & traffic jams

Two entries in one day! Don’t know what’s gotten into me but I’ll probably be scaring off any readers if I have any… it won’t happen too often, I promise. I just got home from Warringah Mall. I was standing in line waiting to return … Read More →

God and fundamentalisms

This may sound strange but I LOVE our universe. I love that we are conscious of our selves, that we understand so much about our location in space and time, and I love that there is so much we don’t know – the mystery and … Read More →

PEACE: HOW DO WE FIND IT?

As I go through my studies, learning about the world and the peace and conflict that exists on different levels, and even as travel through my own life’s little challenges,  I find I coming back to one question: HOW CAN I FIND PEACE? Is peace … Read More →

Empowering women & the role of men

Empowering women has been said to be the “silver bullet” to ending poverty. Studies have shown that an increase in the income of women directly correlates with increases in the education and nutrition of children. These children will lead longer and more fulfilling lives, and … Read More →

Temporality & my chocolate belly

Ok I know that’s a shocking photo (it’s from a family celebration for my sister’s engagement last night which makes it even worse)… but I think it’s worth a laugh. And I tell you what, the chocolate semi fredo I’m licking is the very best … Read More →

October 2009

The journey of an inquisitive Christian

This is a 70-page book tracing the questions and answers encountered in my journey from a conforming, narrow-minded fundamentalist Christian into a passionate free-thinker – without losing my spirituality, my connection with “God” (albeit with a new understanding of what this word means, namely a personification of the macrocosm we are a part of), and reifying a passion for truth, people and our planet… Read More →

An Ethical Dilemma: Childhood Conversion in Christian Fundamentalism

My MA Dissertation completed in June 2009. I got a HD… pretty ridiculously stoked!!! Click here to download my PDF Abstract The rise of religious fundamentalisms and the implications of the dividing polarity are a topic of increasing attention in scholarly literature. The induction of … Read More →

My Thunderbolt Moment

Written as an appendix to my masters thesis “An Ethical Dilemma: Childhood Conversion in Christian Fundamentalism” in June 2009. My ‘Thunderbolt’ Moment This brief account of my personal case is provided to make known the perspective from which this paper was written, to demonstrate how … Read More →

Things aren’t always what they seem

Back at bikram yoga yesterday I looked back into the big horrible mirrors and smiled – my tummy looked thin and flat. This was only my third class and I was already getting great results. Then I stepped to the left and the image changed … Read More →

“I have an excellent idea – let’s change the subject!”

My blog has gotten a quite intensely serious. Religion, philosophy and peace talk. Interesting but reflective of the subjects going on in my mind, it has become a little draining. Or maybe today I’m just a little tired. Either way I do believe I should … Read More →

The Animal Question: Darwin’s Bastards

I’m working on a concept for an upcoming exhibition entitled “Darwin’s Bastards” that will be held at Verge Galleries on City Road in November. I’m not yet sure yet my photos will be accepted but it has been an interesting exercise to contemplate how Darwin’s … Read More →

I’m late

Time is my most valued asset. Time is money. And money (in its intended design) is a store of time. Money effectively allows us to trade our time for the time of others. Numbers in bank accounts provide me no pleasure. It seems to provide … Read More →

Death, life-commitments & a horse’s penis

It all began on Friday morning when my Opa said to me “I’m not well. I’m feeling dizzy.” I held his hand. He was freezing. I called the Doctor, and then the ambulance. I put a blanket on him, the heater next to him and … Read More →

At the precipice…

“Only on the brink of disaster do people find the will to change.” “Our sun was dying, we had to evolve.” “Nothing ever truly dies. Everything simply transforms.” (I found these quotes in my diary. I think they are from The Day the Earth Stood … Read More →

Live life for money

Live life for money Accumulate many things Get into debt Rejoice what this brings: … More work, less time Fear material loss Forget impermanence Decay of time is boss … What’s left is a story A story of Capital Of slavery to a system Of … Read More →

Depression

Sometimes life just sucks. For no reason in particular. And for every reason in particular. You know that feeling? Or am I the only one… The funny thing is that nothing has really changed. I’m still living with my Opa, I’m still at uni, I’m … Read More →

Circles in the Land of Angles

THE CRAB – IN ENGLAND I love learning where words come from. England, according to wikipedia, comes from the Old English Englaland, the “Land of the Angles”, the Angles being a German Tribes from the Middle ages. Learn something new every day – I always … Read More →

November 2009

Internal battles of head and heart

Sometimes the battles inside your body can provide many insights on the battles of the world. The last couple of weeks have been a struggle – a battle between my head and heart over what the two of them inside my body are going to … Read More →

Helping “developing” nations

Geez I have been bad at keeping my blog. I’ve had a lot on I suppose… what with uni essays, exams and my Opa slowly dying before my eyes … So yeah, haven’t really been so inspired to write just for the pleasure of it. … Read More →

St Tropez with Jason Mraz

Hmmmm….. I feel like a capitalist. How this reconciles with my hate for what capitalism does to the world I’m not quite sure. Yachting on the Cote de Azur was pretty frickin cool…

Sisters and puppies

Just a cute little post to encourage a laugh and smile on a Friday afternoon. The sleeping puppy above (small black mound of fur) is Bella, and that’s my youngest sister in 2004 – the only photo a sleeping dog I can find atm to … Read More →

The memoirs of Willem Van Leeuwen… and the magic of life.

Yesterday at 5pm my  Opa (that’s dutch for grandfather), passed away at the ripe old age of 93. Born 20th February 1916 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Willem Frederik Van Leeuwen lived a long and inspiring life. He was a wonderful, caring father and grand-father. Me … Read More →

A novel in the making…

On the 19th of November last year I left Australia on the most exciting adventure of my life thus far – a crazy fast tracked expedition around South America. A desire had been growing ever since I’d noticed the incredible energy of my Brazilian friends … Read More →

December 2009

Indecisive Spontaneity and Noncommittal Commitment

“Ok Andressa, how much to fly to Brazil for carnaval? Via New York? How about via Mexico? Ok, how about I just go to Mexico and make my own way there? … How about Africa? Tasmania? Uluru?” In the span of one week I have … Read More →

Potentialism: a philosophy for life

Potentialism: a philosophy for life Discovering your ultimate creative potential: you as your individual conscious, you as your society and you as the universe – playing your role in the creation of a future reality you desire. Syncretic paradigms: 1. The purpose of life is … Read More →

Burbs to buzz

Arrrhhhh moving house ain’t easy. I am writing now from a chair that’s too high for my desk surrounded by piles of clothes, computer gear, papers, and empty boxes; frustrated that the internet connection I was waiting to be delivered was (after many-a phone calls) … Read More →

Dilemmas of the Mercury Retrograde

“Since Mercury rules communication, it’s said that everything goes haywire in that area — emails get deleted or bounced back, mail is returned, calls go out into the ethers, etc.” (www.astrology.about.com) So put it into your diary: December 26th to January 15th, 2010. In 2010 … Read More →

Sex and the city

Sydney is my New York. And I am Carrie Bradshaw, sitting at my computer with an apple (or cachaca & pineapple as it is), pondering and writing about life, love and the city that is my new home. I’ve been here just one week and … Read More →

De ja vu? Hair

“What do you think?” She asked me. “Ah… It’s ok.” I said, frowning at my reflection. “I’m not quite sure how you got that,” I looked to the mirror, “from this” observing the photo in my hands. The cut is not so bad. Nor … Read More →

Consumerised misinterpreted pagan traditions

Surrounded by the mayhem of people spending money in desperation to tick the boxes and announce that those glorious words: “I have finished all my Christmas shopping”, when something dawned on me. It is not the nicest thing to day one day before the holiday … Read More →

Chapter 15: Old Peak (Machu Picchu)

This was my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day last year. It was absolutely positively fantastically magic. I highly recommend!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE  xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Keeping the tradition

No thanks to my preluding complaints I ended up having a great Christmas. I still don’t think gifts are a necessary part but who am I to complain about receiving money, new yoga mat, vacuum cleaner and other very useful and yummy and generous gifts? … Read More →

Random Life Stuff,

Keeping the tradition

Written by Juliet Bennett
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No thanks to my preluding complaints I ended up having a great Christmas. I still don’t think gifts are a necessary part but who am I to complain about receiving money, new yoga mat, vacuum cleaner and other very useful and yummy and generous gifts?

What I enjoyed most was the time I got to spend playing games. Handstands, rope-swings and Just Dance on Nintendo Wii resulted from sugar highs and were followed by Balderdash, a game where you make up definitions, which I considerably and shamefully sucked at (considering my hopes of being a writer).

I blame the drink.

What I came to realise is that Christmas, even if a consumerist and mis-interpreted affair celebrated in Australia at the wrong time of year, is still a fun day with the family and a good excuse for naughty food.

So keep the tradition, see if I care.

Truth

Consumerised misinterpreted pagan traditions

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Surrounded by the mayhem of people spending money in desperation to tick the boxes and announce that those glorious words: “I have finished all my Christmas shopping”, when something dawned on me. It is not the nicest thing to day one day before the holiday many people have looked forward to all year but to be brutally honest I realised I like Christmas about as much as I like loosing my ipod.

I looked down at my own list, cursing myself for not getting organised earlier, chewed down hard and repetitively on the gum in my mouth to prevent me from punching a big stand of useless shit. What the heck was I doing there???

It’s not that I don’t like giving presents. I do. I love giving presents. I love the smile and sparkle in the eyes of someone who likes something you have chosen for them. But I don’t like having to buy this present by a certain deadline. It turns a pleasure into a chore.

I feel like I have this big assessment due on the 25th of December. And until I have ticked all my boxes I am afraid that I’ll be up at the midnight mall on Christmas Eve doing a rush job to get it in on time. Am I missing something here?

Sure I could buy gifts throughout the year in preparation. I often do. But the lack-of-patience leads me to give my gift straight away. Then I get to see the smile sooner. And they can enjoy it now. Can someone please explain why I should have to hold onto that present until the anniversary of a consumerised mis-interpreted pagan tradition???

For a second let’s just consider the real meaning of Christmas, the reason our ancestors had a big party on the 25th of December each year, that is: the celebration of the winter solstice. The celebration of the last short day and rebirth of the sun.

I celebrate that too – in JUNE! Here in Australia, the middle of January is our summer solstice – the last of our long days and beginning of shorter ones. If we are going to celebrate Christmas shouldn’t we at least do it at the appropriate time?

When you think about it, Christmas is just another overbearing example of continuing colonialism, Western hypocrisy and chronic consumerist Capitalism on steroids.

“But it’s tradition.”

And now that all my boxes have been ticked I am actually looking forward to it. I am looking forward to dinner at Mums tonight. Amongst the move and my Opa’s death it has been weeks if not months since we have sat down for a relaxed meal together. Now that I think about it I really really really am looking forward to it, and the wonderful fruit-filled breakfast we will have Christmas morning as we laugh and play games and exchange gifts by the tree.

I am looking forward to checking out the Sydney to Hobart boats getting ready down their big race, a burgeoning tradition I do with my sisters, Dad and Stepmom, that nicely breaks up the wonderful food and wine we will enjoy that night with my cousins and grandma and my sister’s fiancee’s family. Those are some pretty special moments – I guess I shouldn’t write-off Christmas altogether.

I wonder, is it possible to enjoy these moments without the chaotic consumerist prelude???

What if next Christmas I buy each of my loved ones a tree to be planted in the Amazon – something that will provide oxygen for them and the generations to come. My friend’s family put their gift money together to sponsor a child for a year. That’s a good one too!

The years come and go so fast I think I’m happy for Christmas to come every 4 years like the Olympics. Last Christmas I was at the top of Machu Picchu and I’m already dreaming of next Christmas – in India. Or China. Or Africa. Somewhere away from the shopping malls and plastic wrapping. I don’t need a pagan tradition to bring me to see my family, nor to give them presents. I do that throughout the year and prefer it that way.

But Christmas is here and I can relax. I too can happily announce “I have finished all my Christmas shopping”! I am ready to enjoy the food and festivities keeping my fingers crossed that when the time comes for plastic wrapping to be unveiled, my gifts deliver a smile.

Truth, ,

Potentialism: a philosophy for life

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Potentialism: a philosophy for life

Discovering your ultimate creative potential: you as your individual conscious, you as your society and you as the universe – playing your role in the creation of a future reality you desire.

Syncretic paradigms:

1. The purpose of life is to discover and fulfill your creative potential in a way that brings the most benefit to others.

This is the purpose of all life

This is “living God’s will”

This is expressing Who You Truly Are and Who You Want To Be

This is discovering your inner being, your intuition, and listening to it

As Shakespeare said, “Above all things, to thyself be true”

2. We are defined not only by our separate identity, but are in fact a collective identity of humanity, of living organisms and of the universe.

In the same way that our body is not separate from the living micro atoms that make it up

In the same way that science describes all matter, us included, as made of the same substance: atoms, which at quantum levels flash in and out of physical existence

In the same way the Buddhists imagine God to be everything

In the same way Christians describe God, as three forms: the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, yet one God; simultaneously omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent ie all-knowing, all-powerful and present everywhere.

These ideas do  not contradict – they complement. They are each other’s missing link – the way such abstract concepts maybe by physically actualised.

3. Peace is a state of harmony, when the body, mind and spirit are united

Key principles:

4. Listen to “God”/ The Universe / Your Intuition

Thoughts – ideas, images, and words that come into your mind

Intuition – the deep feeling inside that says ‘yes’ or ‘no’

Omens/signs – notice the things in the world around you that you are conscious of at each particular point in time

Words of other people – be it in conversation, a religious, fiction or nonfiction text, or a song on the radio, everything that enters your world is God communicating with you

5. Minimize fear and maximize love

Fear leads to insecurity, hate, and greed

Love leads to security, generosity, and kindness

6. Commit to the process not the result –

Creative potential is infinite and there is no end. An end means a beginning, and the circle of life continues.

Living in the present – it’s a present, a gift from God, pre-sent to you as an accumulation of all your life experiences and thoughts.

7. Realise that all problems can be solved with:

Will – desire to solve the problem

Honesty – about everything

Empathy – understanding where the other is coming from

Creativity – finding solutions

Transform and transcend:

8. Equal care for self and others

When we understand the inseparable connectedness between ourselves and others, we realise our happiness depends on the happiness of everyone else.

Hence our goal: to maximise our collaborative creative potential – expressing our own creativity, and encouraging others to express theirs

9. Consequences of this paradigm:

Selfishness transforms into selflessness – I want the best for me, and since you are me, I want the best for you.

Greed becomes generosity – I want everyone else to have as much as they can, because everyone else is me.

Jealousy and envy becomes pride and happiness for one another – others achievements are achievements of other expressions of myself

The concept of hate disappears – we cannot hate what is you

Self confidence increases, as we feel other’s trying to bring us up, not put us down

We truly put into action Jesus teaching to “do unto others as you’d have them do to yourself” (check wording + add equivilant teaching from other religions)

10. Self-reflection and self-transcendence

Breaking down defensiveness, building up confidence to critically evaluate one’s self and acknowledge our wrongs or harms we have done to others – allow us to repent and allow them to forgive

Rid yourself of your own grievances and any desire for vengeance for injuries inflicted by others – through empathy with the Other, we learn to forgive and move on

11. Create your own happiness

Make the decision to be happy – it is the biggest decision you will ever make in your life.

Begin with gratefulness, for what you have, even if it is little

Study the past, analyse different perspectives, take lessons from it and use it to expand your creative potential

Don’t cultivate feelings of regrets, everything has happened for a reason, figure out what that reason is, and how the past can help you in your quest for creative potential.

Bad decisions do not exist, that is judgement you make yet instead you can realise that this results may have led you to challenging times, from which you can now learn. These consequences were a small sacrifice, part of the process of discovering your creative potential.

Do not cultivate feelings of guilt. Guilt is of no benefit for you nor for those around you. Forgive yourself and let it go. Learn from the past, but keep your mind in the present, and an eye on the future

12. Cultivating wisdom

Facts are never static, but are the closest statement of the truth, at a particular point in time. If the data changes, facts also change. We must remain open to new data, ready to evaluate it in order to constantly progress towards a more truthful truth.

Taoists belief “what is impossible today may become possible tomorrow, and what is good today may become evil tomorrow; what seems right from one point of view may from another view seem completely wrong.”

13. The pleasure of extremes, and joys of balance

Life and death, hot and cold, love and hate, good and bad – you can’t have one without the other. This is the dualistic nature of life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d prefer a passionate love, even if it sometimes slips over to hate, than a mediocre love all the time. The extremes are much more fun. Ups and downs are what make life interesting. It’s the challenges that bring the most satisfaction.

Happiness when pushed to the extreme becomes sickly and dull.  Beauty overdone becomes ugly. Even too much chocolate makes feel sick…

14. Rid your life of fear

In the same way that millions of skin cells die every day, and yet our human body continues to live

Our consciousness is already connected, and will continue to be connected even when the separateness of our present memory no longer functions, our consciousness will continue to live on through others – that are ourselves

15. Cultivate faith

Faith is about cultivating a state in your heart and mind whereby you give yourself to God* – not about conforming to a set of “beliefs”

Don’t worry, don’t struggle, allow the will of God/ the Universe to be done

Is not about belief in hocus pocus or confession to any kind of autocratic dogma – faith is about a state of heart and mind

Even things that seem to have no reason whatsoever, in time, you will see how it expanded your, or another’s, creative potential

16. Get in-touch with your creative side

We ALL have one, you just have to give it a go

Try everything, don’t be afraid of anything

Know that time and effort are what give results; if you are prepared to invest yourself in something, you can do whatever you want to do.

In order to maximise happiness in life:

17. Right investment

(a) Of your time

Spend it with people who motivate and encourage

In an occupation that allows you to learn and express your creativity

Feelings of daily happiness are essential to stimulate your creative potential

Expanding other’s creative potential, and the creative potential of other forms of life, including the planet

In ways that will provide maximum benefit to the most people

Spend some time in silence, connecting to your conscious and giving it room to create; meditation, walking, driving, prayer

(b) Of your money

Money should be a reflection of the amount of time and effort that you have expended, and can henceforth use in exchange for others’ time and effort.

In your purchases, buying what is good for yourself and good for others

In your financial investments, in businesses that are helping life move toward it’s creative potential

18. Not no conflict but no violence

No circumstance ever substantiates violence

The ideology of Potentialism must never be fought for – this is against the nature of creative potential. Fighting for an ideology destroys creativity, which may be trying to morph into new forms, in which case, this is it’s achievement of creative potential.

Fighting against nature is fighting against the will of God, that is, fighting against the deepest drive of each of us,

Potentialism seeks organic expansion through love, it is never forced or forged, but is the result of a synergy between selfish and selfless – working together for the good of all-life itself, all which is God.

19. The power of the mind

The universe operates through spontaneous creativity, and through patterned phenomena – your role may be to contribute to either

Thoughts are powerful in ways we don’t yet understand. We do know they are measurable on wavelengths, like radio waves, but have not tapped in to harness them yet. Experiments have shown the incredible impact of positive thoughts on plants, water molecules, and even the nature of atoms.

Harness this power. Dream, make goals, pray, meditate, make them reality.

20. The power for world peace lies with you

Each of us have, together, the power to change the world

All it takes is a vision: what do we want the world to look like?

And then in each of us the will to reconnect with our life’s purpose and play out our roles in this transformation.

It begins with finding the peace within ourselves.

Anything is possible!


Some notes on terminology and origins:

What is a Creativist?

A Creativist is someone who sees Creativity as the expression of the Divine Creator present in all life and the universe. Creativity is humanity’s source of greatest pleasure, satisfaction, and act of generosity. Creativity expresses your individual consciousness and shares it with others, simultaneously expressing the collective conscious and providing avenues for your individual conscious to learn.

Creativism or Creationism?

Just to clarify – this is NOT to be confused with “Creationism” which refers to a belief in a 6-day creation 6000 years ago. NO. Creativism is about CREATIVITY and the role WE play in the ONGOING CREATION PROCESS of our universe. These ideas are a work-in-progress (that I wrote one year ago and haven’t touched since) hence I thought I’d put out there. Everything in life always seems to be a work-in-progress, so carpe diem…

Expressions of Creativity:

Creativity is not only for those left-brainers; creativity is for everyone. Analyse the sources of pleasure in your life, you will probably find they involve some form of creation that you contribute to. For example:

–       art of any kind: photography, draw, write,

–       in numbers, in science, in business: look for creative solutions to problems

–       food and wine: play with life’s little pleasures

–       breathe: take pleasure in every breath, it feeds your cells and contributes to the production of new ones

–       look for improvement: in every aspect of your life, each little bit of creative expression adds value

–       in interior and exterior of your house, fashion, self expression

–       make babies: the most amazing creation a human can make

Did I make this up?

I think you’ll find there’s nothing really new about what you’re read above … we are all so connected that I have this feeling when you finish reading this, you’ll feel like I’ve just typed out a transcript of your own mind. I may be wrong – all of the following may make no sense to anyone other than myself…

The writings above are a summation of my beliefs around July 2008. They outpoured form my brain as a stream of consciousness and are most likely inspired by all the books I’ve read and all the experiences I’ve incurred, so I don’t take credit for any of it. That’s how ideas grow and form – a culmination of the past, remoulded/stated a little differently, into something that can be used for the future.

I’m not sure how the term “creativism” first came into my head, probably on one of my long walks, where all my other ideas come from, and when I googled it I discovered it was a term being used by a few people to describe a similar concept of what I wanted to use it to describe.

There is even a definition in the Urban Dictionary: Creativism = ‘The theory or practice of creation as a way to live and understand life’ and a Creativist = ‘someone who is attuned creatively to their surroundings; a person who understands and expresses their life through creative works or motifs.’

I came across the term “Potentialist” in an article inside a flight magazine. See: https://julietbennett.com/2010/04/26/potentialism/

I couldn’t find a definition of “potentialist” so I made up my own: A “potentialist” is an alchemist of potential – someone who strives to achieve their mental, physical and spiritual potential.

The end and the beginning

Anyway if you have got through this essay then I have to say I’m extremely impressed. Six pages worth of babble… anyway I would really really really love to know what you think. And do you like the title Creativism or Potentialism, or can you think of something better???

Thank you!!!

Juliet xxx


Truth, , , , ,

Internal battles of head and heart

Written by Juliet Bennett
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Sometimes the battles inside your body can provide many insights on the battles of the world. The last couple of weeks have been a struggle – a battle between my head and heart over what the two of them inside my body are going to do with this precious gift of life. In the midst of the battle I spiraled down, my mind clouding over with external events and voices sending it into confusion, depression and despair. My heart was speaking to me strongly but it is easy for the power of fear to overcome the power of faith. Faith has the power to trump yet the strength and courage to listen to your heart over your head cannot be underestimated. And even with the strength, doubts manage to creep back inside, tempting you again and again to choose the easy way out, the safest path, choose the most logical option – all of which are reasoned through the common thought structures of our society. What we so easily cease to realise is that outside the thought patterns of our Western-culture are new ways of thinking, new ways of listening, new ways of acting – new ways of living that prioritise one’s heart over one’s mind.

Similarly in the world today it is the battles between short-term interests lacking long-term visions that drives the heads of the world to a fear-driven system, ignoring and suppressing the call of the heart to care for our planet and for other people. Although without such a long-term vision we are condemning ourselves to a hellish future with insufficient water, food, energy, and the death of billions that will surround.

Where is the vision? These threats are imminent.

Governments are still patterning and planning using international relations theories based on defense and security. They aim to trade and enter relationships with other states in whichever way will increase their profits hence increase their weapons supply and increases their power as well as the well being of its citizens (or at least of the citizens in the groups that have the most bargaining power over them)… in sum, governments are still living in the past. Globalisation calls for global citizens. The well being of people in all countries now affects the well being of people in our own. We would be idiots to think populations can go into the billions in some countries and have a mere 20 or 30 million occupy others. All humans share a common fate. And at the moment, with all humans aspiring to lead consumption-driven lifestyles with cars and dishwashers, that fate is not looking so promising… if everyone lived like Americans and Australians we would need six planets. We have one.

Businesses are not yet investing money or time to reduce their carbon emissions. It all depends on Copenhagen’s decision (Climate Conference of world leaders from 6th till 18th of December) – clearly, unless governments place strict requirements and high taxes, no business will lead the change.

But will a tax and carbon restrictions be enough? Even if we decrease our emissions by our targets, will this prevent the planet from warming? Is a tax going to prevent billions of “poor” people from slowing adopting the frivolous lifestyle of the “rich”? No. And if it did, would that be at all fair? In the last 100 years the “rich” have be frivolous enough for everyone, ruining the planet and losing their sense of self in the process.

The mind of the world wants its cake and to eat it too. Only thing it hasn’t quite realised yet is that it’s already done it. The world has eaten its cake and is beginning to gnaw at its own limbs. It can not be denied or ignored that we are on a suicidal path. Really. I’m not exaggerating. I’m studying the scientific, economic, political and social literature on this stuff – this is the daunting and depressing truth. Something has to change. Now.

The heart of the world calls for a return to our collective purpose – placing people before profits, valuing relationships over money. But the economic system dictates profits as number one. You can’t blame businesses for their wastes – they are only fulfilling their programmed purpose – to earn profit for shareholders. Even if the individuals running the business want to put people first, if they want to keep their job and progress their career then they must put their shareholders needs first. And even if shareholders care more about people than profits, they invest their money in businesses to make more money so they can live without doing any real work. So… what is wrong here? Something is definitely wrong. Something needs to change. But what????? Somehow the rules of the game have to change. Is it unreasonable to request for Business Law to change from a Company’s responsibility being first to society and the environment over and above their commitment to profit for shareholders? Are any of you wonderfully smart lawyers reading this? If so please let me know your thoughts… how does one go about changing such a law?

It seems that these battles of the head and heart run deep through the centre of the universe, from inside each one of our bodies, to our world systems and beyond.

The watermelon picture I headed this post with was taken in Nasca, Peru. Mmmmm was that watermelon sweet! The Peruvian people seem to live a far simpler life than we do in Australia. And you wanna know something, it seemed to me that they are also far HAPPIER than people in Australia too. Why? Could it be that they are heart-driven people who prioritise their community, rather than us mind-driven people driven by individualistic pursuits of money? I don’t mean anything personal by this statement, it’s just my cynical observation of our Western worldview.

My heart won my most recent battle. My head feels light and free. I’m no longer depressed but have returned to my usual excitement about life. I know who I am, have a vision of where I am going and letting my heart and soul lead the way. I have let go of my coffee coping mechanism, I don’t feel like a beer at the end of the day, I’m eating healthy, teaching pilates again – spiraling upwards in positivity. Although the war is probably not yet over I hope that in the long run faith can overcome fear – both inside my body and in the body of the world. Fear produces fear and faith produces faith. Everything is a spiral. Do you think it is possible for the world to listen to its heart and spiral upward in faith?

Peace,