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“Ghosts do exist. Death does not finish all. The colorless shade escapes the burnt-out pyre.”
— Sextus Propertius – The Elegies ( c 50 BC – 16 BC )
Category Archives: PAN-GOD OF THE WOODS
Pan, the Greek god of forests, shepherds and fertility, has long represented the pagan gods in general. With the advent of the Christian church communication with the pagan gods was very heavily suppressed by priests who have a vested interest in eliminating religious competition, by any means required, including, but not limited to lying, stealing, cheating, murder, mayhem, extortion, torture and blackmail. As a result, general public attention to the pagan gods disappeared about 2,000 years ago. PAN-God of the Woods assumes that the pagan gods may still be active, living beings. If any of the ancient gods are still around in the 21st century, what are they doing now? If they are here now — still watching, still powerful, still immortal — where or how might we contact them? If Pan is still around which of us mortals could not use the helping hand of a friendly god once in awhile? — Lawrence R. Spencer
ATTRIBUTE ALL TO THE GODS
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“Attribute all to the gods. They pick a man up, stretched on the black loam and set him on his two feet firm. Then again, they shake solid men until they fall backward into the worst of luck, wandering hungry, wild of mind.”
— Archilochus of Paros ( c. 648 BC ) Greek poet of Paros, notable for using his own experience as subject matter.
— From the Introduction to Chapter 1 of the book PAN – GOD OF THE WOODS
by Lawrence R. Spencer
(Painting by Frank Frazetta © 1976. All Rights Reserved.)
YOU WILL BE FREE?
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From the Introduction of Chapter IV of the book PAN – GOD OF THE WOODS, by Lawrence R. Spencer
“The soul of man can never be enslaved, save by its own infirmities, nor freed save by its very strength and own resolve and constant vision and supreme endeavor!
You will be free? Then, courage, o my brother! O let the soul stand in the open door of life and death and knowledge and desire and see the peaks of thought kindle with sunrise!”
— from “Herakles” by George Cabot Lodge (c. 1873 – 1909), American poet
LAOTZU, IS THAT YOU?
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LAO-TZU, IS THAT YOU ?
Without seeking, one may know all under heaven;
Without finding, one may know the way of heaven.
The wise man knows without searching,
Understands without thinking, accomplishes without acting.
To know when one does not understand is a virtue;
Failing to know that one does not understand is an error.
One becomes more perfect each time an error is corrected.
But One who knows but does not act accordingly, does not know
Be honest with those who are honest. Also be honest
With those who are dishonest; thus is honesty attained.
All beings as basically good. However, prevent those who
do evil from harming others for even they are basically good.
What separates goodness and badness ?
What difference is there between yes and no ?
What distinguishes beauty and ugliness ?
Front and rear join in the center.
Being and non-being are a circle of decision.
The way of heaven conquers without war,
Speaks little but answers well, is always present
Without being summoned, is not rushed but is well planned.
The wise man is skilled in all of his undertakings.
He who is skilled at counting needs no counting devices.
He who is fluid in speech needs no script to guide him.
A man of skill practices skill and conquers reality.
A man who fails practices failure and is conquered.
Walls form and support a room, yet the space between them is most important.
A pot is formed of clay, yet the space formed thereby is most useful.
Action is caused by the force of nothing on something,
just as the nothing of spirit animates the flesh.
One suffers great afflictions because one has a body.
Without a body what afflictions could one suffer?
When one cares more for the body than for the spirit
One becomes the body and looses the way of heaven.
He who looks will not see it; he who listens will not hear it;
He who gropes will not grasp it.
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Poem “Laotzu is that you?” from “PAN-GOD OF THE WOODS” by Lawrence R. Spencer. Copyright © 2011. All Rights Reserved.
Photo was taken on April 21, 2010 in Bohinjsko Jezero, Radovljica, SI © 2010 Mitja Kobal-Cwithe @ www.fotohikari.com
THE TRUE SELF
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Mens cuiusque is est quisque.
“The spirit is the true Self.”
Cicero – De Republica, Vi.26 (c. 106 – 43 BC)