h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Dear hootoo otherworld journal journey place of being and seeing

Just print out a mammoth smiley here to make me laugh, just because I am about to write about intense thngs.

Maybe a cheesecake to ensure maximum psychic protection.

OK, serious bit.

Following the very recent deaths of both my parents in the space of a year, my psyche is a bit stretched and bruised and wounded and hopeful and questing, tested, yet hopefully rested.

Sometimes what happens after people die in the family, is that all the various relations left behind have to adapt to the changing pattern of the family, and work out their relationship to each other, and there can be a period of chaos before calm.

And there is so much business to do, but also the times are emotional, so the mix gets further chaotic.

This seems to be a familiar picture.


So, I have been going through one of these times. Being of shy nature, I'm not one to present too many personal details of such matters. Being of an artistic nature I will tend to work cryptically, somewhat obliquely, , through images and things.

However, what I want to share is this.

Actually, wait a minute, I am going to change postings.

OK Part Two .

I feel like I have been through one of these vision quest type journeys, as spoken about in shamanic cultures. I am no stranger to the inner journey, having had a breakdown in the 80s, and being arty, I am not afraid to travel inward. In fact I see it as a sort of like precious gift, like a journey to the centre, a journey of spirit, even though it can be extremely painful at times, and you meet weird things on the way.

I'm not great on outer travel , being seasick and scared of flying , but inner is good.

Anyway, just yesterday, while I was still in a period of psychic turmoil, I was writing in my notebook, and I was visited by the image of a beautiful white moth, which was fluttering through my turmoil, and through everything, through the tunnels of the past, and it was leading me out towards a new light of the unknown. I saw it alight on the lupins in my parents' garden, it fluttered around everywhere, landed on my notebook even, (in imagination, not for real), and it was a very healing experience, and seemed to appear from beyond my conscious control, although I just said imagination, so I don't know.


I have studied Jung, and I can relate to the collective unconscious and all that, and when I write I tend to be in a sort of waking dream state, and I think this is probably where these images come from.

However, in this case, it was so incredibly healing, that it also feels like it visited me, from somewhere beyond the confines of my tiny self.

And my psychic turmoil cleared, and I knew that the souls of my parents were OK, and free, and on their journey, and that there was nothing to fear about death or what happens after.

Forgive me, any sceptics reading this. . I understand you and respect your opinions, I too am a sceptic about many things, but please resist argument on this particular thread, as I am a bit delicate, and I don't want my image (or me) to fly away.

So, it was kind of like a renewal for me.

I checked some online forums, and found that other people have had a similar experience, same image in fact, some people have even seen a real white moth around the time of a death, and they too have felt the same comfort.

I am fascinated by all this sort of thing, truth be told, these curious borderlines of the known and the unknown and I want my writings and photos to somehow reflect it, but I don't know how.

Perhaps they just will, anyway.

hmm

I need cheesecake

In conclusion.

I have decided that I love scientific rational explanations for things and also I love to leave space for the unknown, for the unexplained, for mystery. With me, these two situations can co-exist quite happily within the confines of my tiny brain.

In this case, my psyche was troubled, and that affects the brain and body. The brain and body are programmed to protect themselves, if under threat, and the brain can create a dream image to do just that. Dream images as healers. Quite miraculous really.

However ...... then there is mystery. The unexplained borderlines of consciousness.

Sort of thing, like.

What a gift, that moth. I am glad that this happened, and doubly glad that you chose to share it with us.

Well, that will teach me to preview.

From everything known about how the the brain works etc, we still only know what 1/5th of it does. That leaves 4/5ths untapped! who knows what can be achieved should we find the key to unlock itBut! GIFTS can appear from within itin many forms

Hey guys! , and yes, 4/5ths uptapped! that's so exciting. I am kind of obsessed about that now.

I intend to do a lot of writing soon, completely inspired by the borderline between the known and the unknown.

I don't know how to write it though . All I know is that it will involve a motorway service station, a psychic photographer, and a car radio.

it will come and the fingers will write it out automatically

most of (99%) of my stuff comes while in sleep modenote pad next to bed to take notes, so not forgotten next morning

hey cactus flower - pleased to hear you're getting the creative thirst again!

here's a little bit of synchronicity about a park with moths and music - and (hopefully) encouragement for you:

......restaurant in the park......

the moon bobbed up and down behind the trees
as we watched from the swings
afterwards we walked across the park
to our private restaurant

our table
the only bench
was taken
but it was a big restaurant
and we were pleased to share in its beauty

so we chose some high ground
in the middle of the dining floor
and sat down in the evening dew
our friends the trees
pulled themselves into a lazy circle
to keep the world at bay

motioning to our mechanical minstrel
to make music
we lit the candle on the green cloth

then
as we waited for our food
a troupe of two acrobats entertained us
with handstands and handjives

moths flew across the wick
and became embalmed in its molten flow

after we had started our meal
we noticed that the guests upstairs
were lighting the candles on their tables too
bon appetit!

we saluted each star as it came out
and saw the moon's face spying on us
slipping from window to window in the trees

the dance team hadn't turned up
so the management asked us if we could step in
the candlelight reflected from the clouds
and the trees hustled closer to watch

we threw back our heads
and saw the sky surrounded by the trees
reflections in a grass lake

we lay down
and with our ears to the ground
listened to the tremor of music in the earth

clouds flew across the moon
and became becalmed in its golden glow

heheh I love that blue butterfly. I think it might be the cousin of the white moth. I wonder if it is equally attention seeking. The white moth keeps landing on my laptop wanting me to write stories about it. .

I can tell I am feeling better. . I am being stupid again. .



I know what you mean Prof, keep a notepad or dictaphone or something by the bed, to lay down that dream inspiration. I always forget. I know someone who once scored a piece of musical theatre in a dream, brilliant it was (so they said), hmm, but of course they forgot it when they woke up.



Fingers will write it automatically. Interesting. Automatic Writing. A great interest of mine. Like, you just write, without restraint, and it is as if something takes over. The surrealists use it to channel the subconscious, and psychics use it to channel something entirely other......it is very fascinating. I would like to write an organised piece about it.




The way I write is usually Automatic, hence the white moth, , although sometimes its more like .



Gifts. That's such a great word. Gifts, sent via the extraordinary medium of the human brain, which is a gift in and of itself.



But wait! wait! I am waylaid once again by the jewels of amazing artists and seekers and seers and who scatter their jewels in my path, as if they were petals from that mysterious fragrant tree of mystical wonder, in E minor blend to orange velvet (what?? ssshh. I am on a roll here. ) .

What deep company all you people are. There is no finer. I was in such a state last week, thought I might have to go find an art therapist in town, but hootoo is better, haha lucky you, you got me. What do you charge?? ... no! wait! I never said that. uh oh ... ...

That's such a beautiful piece of writing, a-l-s. Thankyou. Thankyou. And timely too, I read it aloud, of course, had me in tears, of course, your imagery makes me go all tingly, and synchronistic, hah! with the moth, and isn't synchronicity fascinating and .....



I will return. You bet I will.

PS typo

is of course meant to be . that's what comes from writing posts about Automatic Writing, in an Automatic way. . Although they say that what you write can be very interesting, and tells you things you need to know.

Soap power???? Could this be the start to my piece about the borderline between the known and the unknown?

Answer...

No.

>>> "soap power"

...clean round the bend! - if you ask me

Synchronicity, indeed. Soap power.

You see, this week we have been indulging in Youtubes. Watching bits and pieces of the only soap opera we ever loved. (Soap power, get it?)

On Friday the 13th, our beloved Jonathan Frid left this world. Who, you say? He was the actor who made our teenage years magic. The soap opera was called 'Dark Shadows'. He was the reason we could understand the world you guys are talking about.

That doesn't make much sense, I know, because the soap opera never got to the UK. But I've got a bit of an explanation in tomorrow's issue of , maybe it will make it clear.

Here's a sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZk48FVhMlg

Now you see why we're weird. This is what we watched after school every weekday.

Soap power.

It's another kind of dance - like the dance in that poem. I like that poem.

Hello Cactuscafe

I hope you don't me just jumping in but I read this journel entry after clicking on interesting stats

I found it touching and I was very taken with your white moth and my thoughts just kept coming back to it. It seemed so beautiful and soothing and hopeful I thought I would work it into some visualisation

First time it didn't quite work, because what floated into my mind was a cabbage white butterfly, that threw my focus because it made me giggle quite a lot

So I googled white moths for some imagery and tried again and found it uplifting

So i would like to thank you for that and say I am glad that you are feeling better and to wish you well

all the best, Peanut

thanks, Dmitri, glad you liked, too


now what about this, for a continuation of your synchronicity?...

my son suggested that he and i visit the cinema when we met up yesterday and, whilst waiting for the main feature, a trailer was shown for a soon-to-be-released film starring Johnny Depp & Michelle Pfeiffer

it was all new to me and, since i'm not usually that interested in vampire programmes, i wouldn't have taken much interest

however, i've enjoyed Mr Depp's other 'weird' offerings (Ed Scissor-sister; Alice; Jack the Lad, etc) and, of course, it DOES also star Miss Pfeiffer, so i'm sure that i'll be catching this film somewhen

i just G**gl*d for your 'Dark Shadows' programme and i see that the new Depp/Pfieffer film is based on the same characters!

cool, eh?

so - does that make me sort of a weird sibling with you guys?

Absolutely.

You're right, those are the same characters. All the old DS fans are worried about the new film, but Mr Depp has pointed out that he, too, was one of the kids who 'ran home to watch it'.

There's a cameo in that film by Frid and three other original DS actors. The new film may not be a patch on that wonderful soap, but at least Depp and Frid met, fang to fang and cane to cane.

Oh, and can I steal that poem for the Post?

>>> "There's a cameo in that film by Frid and three other original DS actors."

i like it when the film makers do that


you're very welcome to use the above poem in the Post - my only hesitation is that it wasn't so long ago that my first offering appeared there. i wouldn't want others to be put off submitting work because they thought someone else seemed to be getting more attention

so, maybe if there's a poetry-shaped hole in the Post submissions...?


and dear cactuscafe, apologies for hi-jacking your thread!

...please continue, in your own time

There is definitely a poetry-shaped hole there. Also, I'm running several fiction and poetry pieces that week to encourage people.

Whenever we do that, somebody else gets an inspiration.

So thanks!

hey masters of synchronicity, and clean round the bend soap power people think I will just have a couple of drinks right now because you guys are an evolutionary marvel, and I need to consider the lilies of your minds. ,



and hullo Peanut! how lovely to meet you, and thanks for what you said, and now I am really interested in your visualisations. Do you write them, or meditate using visualisation, or work with visualisation healing, or I wonder what? Very fascinating. Great that you came by, and hope to meet you again soon!

Ah, haha, yes the cabbage white. Funny name, hey. Why are they called cabbage white I wonder? I remember watching them in my parents' garden, they seemed to love the lavender.

What's interesting stats then? I'm not very good at navigating hootoo, even though I have been here for about seven years.



So we go up to the pool this afternoon, and I am asleep on a poolside chair, headphones on, i-pod shuffle. I half wake up, Underworld track playing, I realise that I never did know the title of this track. Just manage to open my eyes enough to check the Now Playing screen.

It's called Holding the Moth.