Very late comment on this beautiful post. I absolutely hunger to be with people who both understand and feel what has happened. The anger is only one small part of it, and truly, it’s merely a gateway to the higher emotions. I want all the crust to be washed away with earnest tears, and I want us to remember our sacred oath, that whatever else is true or false, we are real and we owe each other everything. All for one, one for all. Kill the ego.
I'm glad you raised the issue of transcendence, something that has been largely discredited in rational Western society. In addition to music, poetry has this capacity. However, due to the wholesale co-optation of poetry starting sometime in the late 1950s by the postmodernists and academic careerists, its capacity for transcendence was largely neutered. Poetry became an elite activity. So no wonder people gravitated by the millions to the songs of Bob Dylan and the popular music revolution of the 1960s and '70s, when songwriters essentially stepped in to fill the vacuum left by the academic poets. Even today this bias persists in creative writing faculties and if you try to write poetry that seeks transcendence, as I do, you're slammed as I was recently by one critic for "grasping for the profound," as if this were some kind of intellectual sin. Thankfully, postmodernism is finally a dead horse, but not before misleading poets for nearly five decades. I consider myself a New Romantic because I think the Romantic poets of the 19th century, for the most part, were the last ones to understand the need for transcendence. My hope is that this impulse will return now that so much new light is reaching the planet, both literally and figuratively.
Awesome post Toby. You have tapper into the power... which is not religious (symbology).. it is truth, and that is the underlying reality under the surface of our day to day perception.. connectedness and oneness... god energy.... that has no name.
Dear San Francisco Medical Freedom Activists and Allies:
Yesterday, Lowell High School in SF began practicing school lock down, a social credit system, and in part, digital IDs. Scroll further down for more details from a Lowell parent.
I think we all know where this is going -- getting our children accustomed to having restrictions in their movements, having to scan their IDs to get in and out of non-optional locations, and having their movements restricted based on a "merit system". Which school, workplace, library, hospital, or courthouse is next?
We need all-hands-on-deck to shut this down immediately. Whether you're a Lowell student, parent, or alumni, a San Francisco resident, a taxpayer in California, or NOT -- please, please, please take immediate action to let the powers-that-be know: We will resist this.
Lockdowns, social credit systems, and digital IDs such as what have recently been used to control and punish populations in Communist China will NOT STAND in the United States.
Tweet to the City of San Francisco at:
@sfgov
Tweet to the Mayor's Office at:
@SFMayorsOffice
Tweet to London Breed at:
@LondonBreed
Tweet to Lowell HS Alumni at:
@lowellalumni
Tweet to the Friends of Lowell HS at:
@FriendsofLowell
Summary, from a Lowell parent in our SF group:
On April 6th, Lowell's new Principal sent a letter to families informing of a new "Closed Campus Protocol" to be implemented starting on April 10th, yesterday.
The reasoning behind this new policy is to improve safety and security in the school, but no information was given as to what prompted this sudden change. Rumors have it that a few weeks ago there were fights taking place at Stonestown Mall, where many students go for lunch or after school. Rumors also say that no Lowell kids were directly involved in the fights, and that this happened after school hours anyway.
The closed campus policy means that students and staff alike are not allowed to leave campus between the hours of 8:30 and 3:40 (with rare exceptions) and need to identify themselves with an ID on a lanyard (with a QR code) or with their cellphone app.
A very troubling part of the letter is the introduction of the conditions for the reopening of the school in a "tiered-basis", were students with good grades, low truancy rates, few tardies and a clean record will recover their freedom while others won't. Welcome to the social credit system!
I am attaching the link to the communication from the Principal:
Oh, Toby! I only just read this Substack from you (I’d been saving it for when I had time to read it), but it’s so brillaint and inspiring and true, and I hope you write on this topic more - a lot more! This is what separates us from them. We have love and God (and, of course, TRUTH - which comes from God) on our side. And so we have the GREATEST power at our disposal. And we need to not forget that.
I've been meaning to leave a comment about this Substack since March 3rd. Thank you for sharing these links. I enjoyed listening to this father and son sing together so much. I also went and listened to some of their other recordings. It's beautiful.
We humans have a problem with intangibles. We live our lives relying on tangibles for our survival.
Yes, we have the need for spirituality but that is exceptionally difficult for us to perceive, it requires trust and so many of us have been taken for a ride by trusting people and institutions. Very private space only to be shared with the most trustworthy.
Religious institutions are an example as as are insurance organizations and investment. Those that rely on our misery and misfortune are the ones to avoid for starters. Those promising fortunes too.
Fear is the biggest one to overcome and the antidote is courage and when in doubt say no thanks, not today.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with other, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Thank you for these videos they made my day. We have to keep exposing light on their darkness because sick powerful people and institutions are at their worst when it's undercover. There is an intentional perverted assault on our language in the form of ambiguity that has life and death consequences for people. Money coupled with ambiguity and deception is the fuel driving 'progress' and innovation forward. They only get away with it because it's so vague, complicated, and compartmentalized. All the billions and billions of dollars thrown at biomedical research is not merely for mice, rats, and monkeys. People are being harmed and killed through research. There can be no true spiritual awakening unless we intercept and save these people from this harm and death. I say that because I figure that's what Christ would do. What do you think?
You humble me once again “oh great utobian” ….thank you. In our all encompassing anger at the unfathomable events these past several years, it’s good to be reminded of our shared humanity ….❤️
Very late comment on this beautiful post. I absolutely hunger to be with people who both understand and feel what has happened. The anger is only one small part of it, and truly, it’s merely a gateway to the higher emotions. I want all the crust to be washed away with earnest tears, and I want us to remember our sacred oath, that whatever else is true or false, we are real and we owe each other everything. All for one, one for all. Kill the ego.
Your wonderful essay expresses so well some of the things I am getting at in this essay. Thank you. Https://liveyosemite.wordpress.com/2024/10/09/reconciling-science-and-religion/
I'm glad you raised the issue of transcendence, something that has been largely discredited in rational Western society. In addition to music, poetry has this capacity. However, due to the wholesale co-optation of poetry starting sometime in the late 1950s by the postmodernists and academic careerists, its capacity for transcendence was largely neutered. Poetry became an elite activity. So no wonder people gravitated by the millions to the songs of Bob Dylan and the popular music revolution of the 1960s and '70s, when songwriters essentially stepped in to fill the vacuum left by the academic poets. Even today this bias persists in creative writing faculties and if you try to write poetry that seeks transcendence, as I do, you're slammed as I was recently by one critic for "grasping for the profound," as if this were some kind of intellectual sin. Thankfully, postmodernism is finally a dead horse, but not before misleading poets for nearly five decades. I consider myself a New Romantic because I think the Romantic poets of the 19th century, for the most part, were the last ones to understand the need for transcendence. My hope is that this impulse will return now that so much new light is reaching the planet, both literally and figuratively.
Excellent post! Thanks for sharing.
Toby, thanks for admitting you cry when you hear this s9ng. Me too. Every time
True spiritual battle Toby, and the path is narrow .. .. thank u for this essay.
Awesome post Toby. You have tapper into the power... which is not religious (symbology).. it is truth, and that is the underlying reality under the surface of our day to day perception.. connectedness and oneness... god energy.... that has no name.
Loved this whole article. The message and the videos were so so moving.
Dear San Francisco Medical Freedom Activists and Allies:
Yesterday, Lowell High School in SF began practicing school lock down, a social credit system, and in part, digital IDs. Scroll further down for more details from a Lowell parent.
I think we all know where this is going -- getting our children accustomed to having restrictions in their movements, having to scan their IDs to get in and out of non-optional locations, and having their movements restricted based on a "merit system". Which school, workplace, library, hospital, or courthouse is next?
We need all-hands-on-deck to shut this down immediately. Whether you're a Lowell student, parent, or alumni, a San Francisco resident, a taxpayer in California, or NOT -- please, please, please take immediate action to let the powers-that-be know: We will resist this.
Send an email to Principal, Dr Michael O. Jones:
jonesm@sfusd.edu
Call him at: 415/759-2730, extension 3167 (principal's office)
Send an email to Superintendent Dr Matt Wayne:
waynem@sfusd.edu
tweet him at: @SFUSD_Supe
Contact all members of the San Francisco Board of Education:
Kevine Boggess - kevineboggess@sfusd.edu
Lisa Weissman-Ward - lisaweissman-ward@sfusd.edu
Matt Alexander - MattAlexander@sfusd.edu
Jenny Lam - JennyLam@sfusd.edu
Lainie Motamedi - lainiemotamedi@sfusd.edu
Mark Sanchez - MarkSanchez@sfusd.edu
Please let them know, politely and firmly:
Lockdowns, social credit systems, and digital IDs such as what have recently been used to control and punish populations in Communist China will NOT STAND in the United States.
Tweet to the City of San Francisco at:
@sfgov
Tweet to the Mayor's Office at:
@SFMayorsOffice
Tweet to London Breed at:
@LondonBreed
Tweet to Lowell HS Alumni at:
@lowellalumni
Tweet to the Friends of Lowell HS at:
@FriendsofLowell
Summary, from a Lowell parent in our SF group:
On April 6th, Lowell's new Principal sent a letter to families informing of a new "Closed Campus Protocol" to be implemented starting on April 10th, yesterday.
The reasoning behind this new policy is to improve safety and security in the school, but no information was given as to what prompted this sudden change. Rumors have it that a few weeks ago there were fights taking place at Stonestown Mall, where many students go for lunch or after school. Rumors also say that no Lowell kids were directly involved in the fights, and that this happened after school hours anyway.
The closed campus policy means that students and staff alike are not allowed to leave campus between the hours of 8:30 and 3:40 (with rare exceptions) and need to identify themselves with an ID on a lanyard (with a QR code) or with their cellphone app.
A very troubling part of the letter is the introduction of the conditions for the reopening of the school in a "tiered-basis", were students with good grades, low truancy rates, few tardies and a clean record will recover their freedom while others won't. Welcome to the social credit system!
I am attaching the link to the communication from the Principal:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QNERcIQYg0dJCc5k2PqQDfgZcqdgOFSzPweDkMP-4qQ/edit
This is truly the right direction.
Oh, Toby! I only just read this Substack from you (I’d been saving it for when I had time to read it), but it’s so brillaint and inspiring and true, and I hope you write on this topic more - a lot more! This is what separates us from them. We have love and God (and, of course, TRUTH - which comes from God) on our side. And so we have the GREATEST power at our disposal. And we need to not forget that.
Thank you, Skye!!! 🙏
Thank YOU, Toby! So, so, so much.
I've been meaning to leave a comment about this Substack since March 3rd. Thank you for sharing these links. I enjoyed listening to this father and son sing together so much. I also went and listened to some of their other recordings. It's beautiful.
I keep going back and listening to these songs too!
We humans have a problem with intangibles. We live our lives relying on tangibles for our survival.
Yes, we have the need for spirituality but that is exceptionally difficult for us to perceive, it requires trust and so many of us have been taken for a ride by trusting people and institutions. Very private space only to be shared with the most trustworthy.
Religious institutions are an example as as are insurance organizations and investment. Those that rely on our misery and misfortune are the ones to avoid for starters. Those promising fortunes too.
Fear is the biggest one to overcome and the antidote is courage and when in doubt say no thanks, not today.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with other, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Me my backup is Desiderata
Thanks Toby
Truth, light and love ... And angels to protect you my warrior friend.
Thank you for these videos they made my day. We have to keep exposing light on their darkness because sick powerful people and institutions are at their worst when it's undercover. There is an intentional perverted assault on our language in the form of ambiguity that has life and death consequences for people. Money coupled with ambiguity and deception is the fuel driving 'progress' and innovation forward. They only get away with it because it's so vague, complicated, and compartmentalized. All the billions and billions of dollars thrown at biomedical research is not merely for mice, rats, and monkeys. People are being harmed and killed through research. There can be no true spiritual awakening unless we intercept and save these people from this harm and death. I say that because I figure that's what Christ would do. What do you think?
Agreed except that we do not save people, only love them in truth and by the power of the Holy Spirit who moves as He wills and is the power to save.
You humble me once again “oh great utobian” ….thank you. In our all encompassing anger at the unfathomable events these past several years, it’s good to be reminded of our shared humanity ….❤️