The Hillbilly Heathen

Faith, Politics, and Gaming, from an Opinionated Appalachian Shaman

[thehillbillyheathen]

Animism: the Techgnostic Parable (Part II - The Gaia System)

     Nature adores systems of complexity. This, with even the briefest period of investigation, proves indisputable. All living things are elaborate systems, and in turn are parts of systems within systems within systems.

In short, we are touching a bit on what James Lovelock called The Gaia Hypothesis only whereas science (when doing its task properly) does not meddle overmuch in the theological, as an animist one does by default.

Thus the foundation of the Techgnostic Parable is quite simply this: the Earth, and thus most likely the universe, is a system, a 'Goddess Machine,' tasked with the express purpose of maintaining  life upon itself.

The question of whether this is a strict automated process or,as was the case with the planet of Chiron in Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and the entirety of the system is in fact a facilitation for a sapient, sentient "planet mind" is an intriguing one,but ultimately not relevant to this discourse. The self-awareness of the system pales in significance to the fact of its existence.

What then becomes the nature of instinct, inborn knowledge, and in human case such things as the Collective Subconscious? In the framework of the Parable, what is the Life the Gaia System maintains?

We are the programs and the functions. The meaning of life is life itself.

[thehillbillyheathen]

Animism: The Techgnostic Parable (Part I - Introductions)

     Here, gentle reader, is where I begin to get a bit heavy. I identify myself as a shaman if someone asks, and though the term is somewhat loaded and leaning more toward my Cherokee ancestry than the Druidism of my Celtic forefathers and foremothers, but both these "source systems" share a number of striking similarities, particularly at the level of their foundations - Earth, fire, water,sustenance, as I once heard from one of the few pureblooded Cherokee I have had the honor of speaking with. At their heart there is a sense of harmony and unity beyond the individual - and this is also seen in much of Eastern thought and mysticism as well.

     Ultimately a core of Animism tends to sit at the center of many sch belief systems, but to those from a thoroughly Westernized, sterilized background Animism can be a strange duck indeed, something rather far from the typical modern Westerner's context or in many cases even their otherworldly frame of reference. This before one can begin to expound on higher principles and more-advanced theories one must establish a foundation on which to build.

Thus in my first multi-part essay here on The Hillbilly Heathen I will be presenting something I have come to call The Techgnostic Parable.

[thehillbillyheathen]

What a Shaman Sees in A Mental Hospital

There is certainly truth in this article, to my experience.

[thehillbillyheathen]

About The Heathen

     Yeah, maybe this should have been in the introduction post, but in a way I think it's best to keep a separation between the entity that is The Hillbilly Heathen and the individual who is the Hillbilly Heathen.

(Trust me, it'll all make sense - I'm a professional.)

     Truly I do go by many names, some of them even fit for print (or post, as it were) and tho I have no shame in my real identity - this is the fucking internet and I'll probably end up saying something to piss someone or someones off. So we'll default to the name the Spirits granted and my various Pack-members have used in association and just refer to yours truly as "Brother Wolf".

     Brother Wolf was born in the early days of October in 1983, seven weeks premature and facing an extended fight to survive a world doing its best to be rid of him - he also came out at four in the morning showing the world his ass to demonstrate exactly what he thought of it.

(To date neither his view of the world or its' desire to grind him down has changed much.)

He was raised as a non-denominational Protestant of no huge degree of devoutness, faith a holiday concern at best, until economic circumstances pulled him from his homeland in the Hills to the central part of the state, where he would soon face his Tribulation. The details need not be printed but suffice to say High School was Hell and left deep scars mentally and emotionally - and sundered his faith in an unanswering God to allow room for his Awakening. Always a bit of a "Sensitive", one day in Freshman class those "Senses" were set off immensely, and a bit of vision-seeking and meditation would slowly reveal the truth - the Blood of Celtic Priest-Kings and Shamans (don't roll your eyes, this is true lineage. Can't make this  shit up)  held true and the Spirits claimed him -specifically the Spirit of his "Totem" patron, the Wolf. From there vision-quests and timely guides appearing when needed have been his guide in finding his own syncretic sense of the mysterious world and shown him his role in guiding the lost and confused through this and a bit of conventional Appalachian wisdom and the occasional relevant quote. It's eighteen years later and as the World teeters now on the end of an age and the beginning of the Cycle anew, Brother Wolf has taken to the Web to share his wisdom.

Or at least his profanity-strewn opinions.

[thehillbillyheathen]

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

           - William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Act I, Scene V)

[thehillbillyheathen]

Introductions

hillbilly (plural hillbillies)

Someone who is from the hills; especially from a rural area, with a connotation of a lack of refinement or sophistication.

heathen (not comparable)

not adhering to an Abrahamic religion; pagan.

(by extension) uncultured; uncivilized; savage, philistine.

     Well, I suppose that is being rather succinct about the name, now isn't it?

(Don't get used to that -me being succinct. I am in fact rather verbose and have, more than once, been accused of being a bit prone to run on into excessive loquaciousness -- I also, notably, use big words. English teacher for a mother. No, I don't tend to translate - I won't lower myself to the sad standards of the masses. You're online, look it up if something confuses you. Improve thineself, gentle reader)

So, what is this all about, really?

Honestly, fuck if I know. I'm feeling restless and observing a lot of things in the world today I feel like talking about - and Facebook's no platform for that (and also, filled with too much spam of the non cat-photo variety). We'll see where this goes.

Welcome to The Hillbilly Heathen. Put yer feet up'n' stay awhile, friends.