Despite teeth chattering temperatures, it was a bright day that illuminated the sky into a fluorescent blue. My mom and I took a quick hike on Mt. Pisgah in the afternoon and Sean and I went to the Interfaith service, followed by a dark beer at the Monroe St. Cafe. Pictures and video to follow.
The interfaith service is a collaborative effort amongst all of the faith communities in town to share their beliefs and practices in order to promote tolerance. It was borne out of 9/11 in an act to further dialogue between faiths. While this message is left firmly intact, given the time and place (Eugene, OR. @ 7pm) of this event it can degenerate into a rather strange circus. I am not meaning to be disrespectful to those religions that are represented at the service, but instead to the new agey movements/cults bordering on self devotion. Hence, "The Ascended Maste
rs"... a group that took the stage tonight, that thoroughly freaked me out. Below is what they are chanting, and also a video (coming soon!)"Om Mani Padme Hum, AUM
In the name I AM THAT I AM, I pray for the
washing, cleansing, spinning, raising, and
sealing of the earth and its evolutions with
the violet fire, for the transmutation of all
karma, burden, suffering and substance
that opposes the dawning of the great golden age
of Aquarius and all light-bearers this day.
Wash the earth in violet fire! (4x)
Cleanse the earth in violet fire!(4x)
Spin the earth in violet fire! (4x)
Raise the earth in violet fire!(4x)
Seal the earth in violet fire! (4x)
In the fullness of your cosmic joy, we accept
this prayer manifest here and now with full
love, wisdom and power, anchored in the
earth, air, fire, water and ether and tangibly
manifest our lives and in the lives of all evolutions
of light throughout the cosmos!
My favorite is when they chant "Spin EUGENE IN VIOLET FIRE!" It's around the 1 minute mark.
The Monroe St. Cafe is a little hole in the wall that is comprised of a cafe, convenience store, and bar. It's the kind of place you would find me on a rainy night playing a game of scrabble, reading, or writing. I've heard tell of their wondrous open mic nights, but have never attended one. I wasn't ready to settle down after the Interfaith madness, so we dashed on over to Monroe St. to check out the fireworks. It was definitely more than we bargained for, it was the most impressive open mic night I have ever been to. Granted, when we first walked in there was a drag queen reading erotic poetry in a whisper of a voice being drown out by raging customers acquiring beer and wine. Sean was turned off by this, I was turned on. The rest of the night ranged from Jr. Soapbox, a dude from Missouri who wore overalls and had a slight lisp, to a rather impressive young woman singer songwriter.
I am not sure what it is, but whenever I am in completely authentic settings of local culture and creativity I feel walled in. I feel as if my soul is not as free as those around me; they actively create in the world and I generally sit on the sidelines and watch these people. My new goal is to live more freely, unrestrained by insecurity and apprehension.
Great night.
