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Occasionally I wandered in where I was not wanted and gave truthful answers.
Sometimes I even did it deliberately. A little disruption now can prevent disaster later.
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Gibbs Rule #16

If someone thinks they have the upper hand, break it.
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A Pict Song

When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would always say to me 'look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'
— Fred Rogers
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“Have YOU Found Jesus?” (Author Unknown)

Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
— Leonardo da Vinci
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Gibbs Rule #15

Always work as a team.
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Gibbs Rule #14


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Gibbs Rule #11

When the job is done, walk away.
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Gibbs Rule #9


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Gibbs Rule #8


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Gibbs Rule #6

Any questions?

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Gibbs Rule #5


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❝The Road goes ever on and on…❞

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say
— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Gibbs Rule #4

“Mirrored Ceilings and Criss-Crossed Stairwells Give a Chinese Bookstore the Feeling of an M.C. Escher Woodcut”

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Gibbs Rule #3?

I love how the stones of her necklace bring out her eyes.

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McGee Rule #70

Humans do change the planet. But humans don't change the climate.
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❝Don't start nothing, won't BE nothing!❞

A Divine nudge or two to straighten up my act

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DiNozzo Rule #3

Never underestimate your opponent.
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DiNozzo Rule #1

Don't sit on the sidelines while your people are in trouble.
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Gibbs Rule 1?

I don't care who gets the laughs on my show, as long as the show is funny.
— Jack Benny
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Abby Rule #9

The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.
— Albert Einstein
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Revived - November 23, 2018

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“Freud, Jung, Luke Skywalker, and the Psychology of Myth: Crash Course World Mythology #40”

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Revived - November 9, 2018

As always, the most recently converted entries are at the top of the list at the 3rd Yearnings tag page.

These blog entries have been reformatted and entered into the current directories. Redirect pages have been placed in the old locations.

Sometimes the sad songs do help

Spells for Democracy?

Myth ruminations

“I dare you to do it better!”
or
Adventures in Mythmaking


Meant to be used

On the Threefold Law of Return

A Rule of Three

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Journal - Friday, 02Nov2018

Looking for Paganism in films

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Revived - November 2, 2018

Every person has the right to control their own sexuality, and nobody else’s.
— Maggie McNeill, Standing in the Rain
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Somebody please explain to me…

These blog entries have been reformatted and entered into the current directories. Redirect pages have been placed in the old locations.

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Those who hunt for treasure…

I've been busy on the site, it's just not been obvious.

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Philosi-bear

“This week, we're continuing our discussion of heroes by talking about Gilgamesh, star of one of the earliest written hero stories, The Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was a terrible ancient king who left his kingdom seeking adventure, and eventually on the prowl for immortality. Along the way, he checks pretty much all the boxes on the checklist of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.”

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Music as a place

Because enchantment is not a belief; it’s an experience.
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NeoNotes — Perception and symbols

Why it was removed is unclear.

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Another passing

Thinking by blogging

I'd rather talk about the pagan stuff.

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So much for avoiding the topic

I don't approve of older men having sex with young teens, but it has been happening from the beginning.

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“Circles”

Moonlight is sculpture; sunlight is painting.
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
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“The Christians and the Pagans”

Good men don’t need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.
Doctor Who, A Good Man Goes to War
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A good man

I miss my companions.

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“Joy to the World”

A pagan take on a still another holiday classic.

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“Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful!”

I like the composition and how it suggests a magickal landscape.

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“Away from the Harvest”

A pagan take on a still another holiday classic.

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“Moon of Silver”

“ ”OF COURSE the Puritans banned Christmas.”

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“Silent Night”

A man who truly touched lives

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“All Hail Ye, Simple Pagans”

That which is known but not told.
— NeoWayland
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“The Holly and the Ivy” (pagan version)

The desert is natural; when you are out there, you can get in tune with your environment, something you lose when you live in the city.
— Robyn Davidson
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❝One Tin Solider❞

Listen children to a story
That was written long ago
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley folk below

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath a stone
And the valley people swore
They'd have it for their very own

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Heaven
You can justify it in the end

There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the Judgment Day
On the bloody morning after who
One tin soldier rides away

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they'd kill

Came an answer from the kingdom
With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain
An' all the riches buried there

Now the valley cried in anger
"Mount your horses, draw your sword"
And they killed the mountain people
So they won their just reward

Now they stood beside the treasure
On the mountain dark and red
Turn the stone and which beneath it
"Peace on Earth" was all it said

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Heaven
You can justify it in the end

There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the Judgment Day
On the bloody morning after who
One tin soldier rides away

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Heaven
You can justify it in the end

There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the Judgment Day
On the bloody morning after who
One tin soldier rides away
words and music by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter

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“Nina Paley's haunting, mesmerizing, and life-affirming God-Mother animation”

“In which Mike teaches you about the creation of the universe, with sex. This week we're talking about creations stories from Egypt, West Africa, Greece, China, and Persia that have a lot in common with human sexual reproduction. And also some castration and puking, to boot. We've got your cosmic eggs, right here!”

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“Cosmic Sexy Time, Eggs, Seeds, and Water: Crash Course World Mythology #3”


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“Coyote and Raven, American Tricksters: Crash Course World Mythology #22”

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“Hermes and Loki and Tricksters Part 2: Crash Course World Mythology #21”

Thinking by blogging

I think I'm spending more time trying to sleep than actually sleeping.

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“Creation from the Void: Crash Course World Mythology #2”

You should beware the politician who wraps himself in faith and the minister who wraps himself with the flag.
     — from the private journal of NeoWayland, 01Mar2002
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“What Is Myth? Crash Course World Mythology #1””

I let my ego off the chain last weekend. It was a vain and foolish thing to do. And it had consequences.

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“Tricksters: An Introduction: Crash Course World Mythology 20”

Thinking by blogging

As something suitable for the ages, the websites work as they are. As something that I can update and tweak, I need programs to manage.

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Wonder Woman Easter egg

Film Review: Eugene Brave Rock Speaks Blackfoot to Wonder Woman in DC’s Best Film Ever

<
I woke up this Saturday morning to see a 9:15 a.m. showing of the DC Comics and Warner Brothers feature Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot as the fearless Amazonian heroine. I was thrilled that Native American actor Eugene Brave Rock, an actor and stuntman that ran a stunt ‘boot camp’ on The Revenant with numerous other Hollywood credits under his belt, would be appearing in the film.

What I didn’t expect was to be overcome with emotion when Eugene Brave Rock’s character ‘Chief’ met Wonder Woman, who was spectacularly portrayed by Gal Gadot. Why? His first words to her were in Blackfoot. Even better, he introduced himself as Napi, the Blackfoot demi-god who is known as a trickster and a storyteller.

Congratulations, Indian country. We all get to share a secret moment in the Wonder Woman movie. If you speak Blackfoot, the magic will surely be tenfold.

     — Vincent Schilling, Indian Country Today

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“We are starstuff…”

That book has her attention.

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Naked ritual

Margot Adler • Before birthday

Lived 16Apr1946 to 28July2014 (68)
American author, journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess and radio journalist

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NeoNotes — Help

It's the last bright moon before Summergate, the Lady Moon is entering the Court of Stars and I am ready.

For what I am not sure.

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“Reflection-Medusa”


h/t Maggie McNeill

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Rhythm Of Life

The last few days you may have seen some site issues.

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❝NO PROBLEMS!❞

Suncrest starts tomorrow, it’s my version of midsummer.

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❝You have to believe in dreams…❞

People so disconnected from reality that a movie depresses them

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Better

A little piece of me - Updated

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❝At the end of the day…❞

In the dark and early, I woke my companion with hot chocolate…

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Remember this

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1982366546/E20100903124219

On a quote binge

Power has to be shared. It is the key to survival.
Andromeda TV series
Sometimes I shouldn't be allowed in my quote file.

In this context, I meant that the magick should be sent back into the world as soon as possible.

Notice I did not say a thing about the lore…

Posted: Fri - September 3, 2010 at 12:42 PM

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Last night she bet me I wouldn't do it

Playtime

I'm not yet ready for sex beyond the physical

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Eyes open and watching carefully

Public face of Paganism

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Yesterday's news…

h4 class="blurb">I don't have a stake in that fight. Or the other three either. Read More...
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hums softly

Playtime

Fog & snow at my home

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Good reasoning

Part of a IM conversation I had with Juliaki.

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Do you believe

doesn't touch tomorrow's promise

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Myth ruminations

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“I dare you to do it better!”
or
Adventures in Mythmaking

Isaac Bonewits is calling for spells to change the outcome of the Senate vote on judicial filibusters.

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Redux: Christians & Pagan Tolerance

A musical interlude because I have a song that won't get out of my head

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Lost in the story

You should find it easier to navigate the site

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October - updated

Technically not nude, but close.

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Forget the red pill, go for the green drink

Time marches on and the wheel of the year turns

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Snap out of it!

Master the discipline or be mastered by the victimhood.
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Sometimes the sad songs do help

Looking at portrayal of Pagans in horror films

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In a hole

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1982366546/E20081216143256

Friends in dark places

A man walks down the street and falls into a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor walks by. The man calls up "Hey doc, can you help me out?" The doctor writes out a prescription and throws it in the hole. Then the doctor leaves. A priest walks by. The man calls up "Father, can you help me out here?" The priest writes out a prayer and throws it in the hole. Then he walks away. The man's friend walks by. "Hey Joe, can you help me out?" The friend jumps into the hole. "Why did you do that? Now we've both trapped."

"Yeah, but I've been here before. And I know the way out."

     — From the West Wing episode, "Noel" that first aired December 20, 2000
Don't have much else to say today, just keeping the fire going and watching the snow.

Posted: Tue - December 16, 2008 at 02:32 PM

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License to thrill

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1982366546/E20081203160533

Rattling the windows, singing in anticipation

Sometimes I shouldn't play the music too loud...

Jim Steinman is a songmaker, there's no other word for it. He's probably best known for collaborating with Meatloaf, and stars above that man could write.

He is a literate lyricist, and when his songs hit, they hit hard. I still remember my reaction to Making Love out of Nothing at All. Yes, I know I am dating myself, but just because I was one screwed up teen doesn't mean I was passionless.

He wrote a great number called Original Sin, which Taylor Dayne sang for the film The Shadow, a film that almost was. It had all the pieces, but didn't have them put together right. Anyway, this song was the sole reason I sprung for the six bucks when I saw the sound track album in the bargain bin at Wal Mart. When I am really down, it sometimes helps. When I drive at night and I play it, I have to use the cruise control or I go too fast.

Yes, I identify too closely with this song sometimes.

All I wanted was a piece of the night
I never gotta equal share
When the stars are all outside
And the moon is down
The natives are so restless tonight
All I needed was a spot in the light
Never had to get so dark
The natives are so restless tonight

All I needed was a spot in the light…
I’ve been looking for an original sin
One with a twist and a bit of a spin
And since I’ve done all the old ones
Till they’ve all been done in
Now I’m just looking
And I’m gone with the wind
Endlessly searching for an original sin…


But today I cranked it just because I could. And because my voice was good enough today to sing along and rattle the windows.

I'll never be a first rank singer. But I can be enthusiastic.

I’m applying for a license to thrill…
Going out on the edge…
Moving in for the kill
And there’ll be hell to pay someday…
Put it all on the bill…
Cause we’ll always be paying
And paying until…
We're beyond expiration…
With a license to thrill…


I'm meeting someone in a couple hours.

And why am I talking about this on a Pagan blog? Because sometimes raising energy works best the old way, one of the very original ways I'd say. The snake up through each of the chakras. Although those aren't the terms I used when I learned the techniques.

Truthfully I can't think of too much else Pagan related right now. I need an emotional kick in the pants and the lady always chooses.

Original Sin by Jim Steinman
Posted: Wed - December 3, 2008 at 04:05 PM

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Keep Moving Forward

Economics, magick, and life

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Absolutely mythical

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1325529963/E20071009133622

Dualism and modern mythology

From some reason as I write this, I've got the tune to Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistible running through my head with new lyrics.

When it comes to modern Pagan philosophers, Isaac Bonewits was one of my earliest influences. His writings on the distortions created by dualistic assumptions were some of the best I had ever read. It was one of those "ton of brick" moments, I was struggling with my identity as a Pagan despite being raised Christian. And Bonewits is absolutely right.

Except when it comes to his own politics.

It's common. Those EITHER/OR blinders are a lot more widespread than we comfortably admit. Especially when it comes to ourselves.

My own blinders include prejudices against "fluffy bunnies" and until quite recently otherkin. Part of that was because I didn't make the effort to dig deeper, but mainly because the "noisiest" examples aren't necessarily the people you'd want around you. There are exceptions, but they are difficult to find.

I absolutely love Wren's Nest, I consider it one of the the best Pagan news sources around. But it doesn't take long before a commenter trots out the anti-Christian bit on almost any thread.

One of my hard won life lessons that I am willing to share is very simple. When you see two and only two alternatives, start looking for the third.

In most situations, either/or choices don't work.

A dualistic mind set is one of those REALLY BAD™ ideas.

It doesn't matter if it's Christian vs. Pagan, Democrat vs. Republican, or Freemasons vs. the Elks.

I made that last one up. And that is my point. The myths we choose to talk about and live are the memes that shape our lives, regardless of their "truth."

I want to talk about one of the best known myths of our time, and how it illustrates the Third Way that overcomes dualism. I'm talking about the Star Wars films.

Specifically, I want to concentrate on the differences between the pre-Empire Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire on the large scale, and between Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker on the small scale.

From the original films, we know that the Galactic Empire is EVIL BAD in capital letters. They destroy entire planets. They make their stormtroopers wear dorky armor that doesn't seem to deflect much blaster fire. They squeeze the economies of their member planets. They send secret operatives to ferret out dissent.

From the prequel films, we know that the Republic are the good guys. They have a democratic tradition which prevents justice and can be manipulated behind the scenes. They make their cloned stormtroopers wear dorky armor that doesn't seem to prevent much blaster fire. They squeeze the economies of their member planets. And they send secret operatives to ferret out dissent.

The Empire has the Death Star, but the Republic is incapable of defending one of it's members from the advances of another. Is it evil to destroy life with the push of a button or with the procedural vote?

Be careful, that is one of those either/or choices I warned you about.

So let's look at how Anakin Skywalker fared under the Galactic Republic.

Time after time, he's told that he has to deny his passions, his connections to other people. It's not pure, it's not the Way of the Jedi. At first, he's even denied the Jedi training. The mighty Jedi Council sits on high, dispassionately evaluating everything and totally blind to the Sith.

The one Jedi Master who thinks outside the box well enough to help Anakin come to terms with his feelings is dead by the end of the first prequel film.

Despite promises of freedom and justice, Anakin's mother remains a slave and is killed without the protection of the Republic. Anakin's visions torment him with visions of his beloved dying in despair. The Jedi Council won't make him a Master, despite his obvious gifts and abilities.

To Anakin, the Republic betrayed him long before he took up the path of a Sith Lord.

Luke Skywalker fared even worse under the Galactic Empire. His guardians were killed by stormtroopers. He knew that Darth Vader had "killed" his father. He watched as Vader sliced his mentor in half. If anyone had a reason for revenge, it was Luke.

As Luke progressed in his training, his teachers stress that he must disassociate his feelings from his actions. Time after time, he is told that only a fully trained Jedi could hope to face Vader and the Emperor.

Yet there was an x-factor, something totally unexpected. Even before Luke knew Leia was his sister, there was a connection that grew only stronger the more time they spent together. Luke could feel how his sister felt about Han Solo, the charming rogue who only became a hero because his friends were in danger.

Anakin didn't have a Han Solo. Luke did.

That's why Luke knew his father could be redeemed. He had already seen Han redeemed.

I'd like to say that the clues were there. Red Flight became Rogue Flight. Han's military and practical experience showed up on Hoth and in the deference that the Rebels gave Han and Chewie. More than anything else, more than the pronouncements of Yoda or the promises of Ben Kenobi, Luke knew that he could count on Han to pull him out of a disaster.

"That's two you owe me, junior."

It was the connection to Leia that let Luke survive his first encounter with Vader. It was Han's willing sacrifice that let Leia, Chewie, Lando, and the droids escape.

Because, you see, even though the good guys won and the Emperor was destroyed, it wasn't done by the way of the Jedi.

It was a man who had mastered the way of the Jedi but chose a path of compassion.

Luke Skywalker looked for the third way beyond either/or. That's what let him win.

That's the real myth of Star Wars. Not good versus evil.

The Sith could only exist because the Jedi were incomplete. And the Sith were doomed because they were the flip side and just as incomplete.

The only lasting solution was to find another way not in the assumptions of either "side." And the man who made it possible wasn't a Jedi, but a good man who chose to be better out of friendship and love.

So how does this relate to us?

Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it is enough to know that there are usually more than two answers. Maybe it is enough to know that sometimes our expectations shape our answers more than any truth.

And maybe it is enough knowing that only two answers mirror each other.

Posted: Tue - October 9, 2007 at 01:36 PM

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Riding the Music Part II

Every home should have a fireplace

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Riding the music

Rainy day musings

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Pagan films part 1 - updated

What I have been doing.

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Mulling over the nature of Deity

My web surfing turns up a couple of articles. Irony abounds.

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Pagan Films Part II
- Projecting the Horror

Talkback and trackback

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“You're not doing what I wanted you to do!”

Welcome to Winter

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Religion and popular culture

This is what happens when you hit deadline and you can't think of anything to write. You bring out something from your poetry file. This started as a chant and developed into something else along the way.

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Happy Towel Day!

Thinking by blogging

I'm doing things behind the scenes that you may not notice.

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Sunfell Tech Mage Rede Nine Words Serve The Tech Mage Best Keep What Works Fix What’s Broke Ditch The Rest

A narrow slice of life, but now and again pondering American neopaganism, modern adult pagans & the World.

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