BARAKA BASHMENT

A little discussion over at Crime of Aquinas has once again surrounded the pederasty debate regarding Hakim Bey. It’s an important issue if some of the mudslinging can be kept in check, but that’s hard to do when it’s such an infuriating issue. I allowed myself to get pulled in a little playing that fine line of making room for cultural differences, making distinctions between consent and coercsion, etc… but in the end if you do this people just assume you want to make out wiht boys. I don’t. None the less I thought I’d see if the conversation wanted to come over here. It’s like playing on someone else’s court over there.

The article is titled “Hakim Bey Deserves What He Gets” and it opens with this statement:

“Apparently Hakim Bey is holding a shindig right about now….

What’s a legal, non-threatening way to say if someone shoots him, I’m not gonna cry?

To hell with that guy. To hell with all child molestors and also their apologists and enablers. I’m sure plenty of his followers, should they ever read this, would take me to task. Because they’re all smart guys with a grasp of irony and “personal mythology” (if they’re muslims/psuedo muslims) or “anti-patriarchal autonomy” (if they’re anarchists), and I’m just a simple minded drone. Whatever.”

A few things come to mind, but since I got called an “arrogant prick” I thought I’d just let you decide. And be honest. I can take it…

The comments from the original article are now back over at the Crime of Aquinas site. It felt weird having them cut and pasted over here. Not quite plagiarism, but something didn’t feel right.

The Blue Lily of the Nile. “We did a remote study that came up inconclusive. Ten people went out-of-body to experiment with this plant. It’s coordinates were provided and the ten subjects made their way to the plant having first left their bodies behind. Gibberish is all we can tell. Though a personal experience showed me that this plant provides the person, if access is declared open and available, with a direct download of ancient Egyptian texts. Apparently the information has been declared closed and off limits for the time being. The plant itself has declared this to be the case.”

And this was just an evening at our host’s house.

That’s right. The second part of the GREEN HERMETICISM conference at Suluk Academy was this past weekend. And we were there in full force. As was the rain. And yes, it most certainly rained. It is probably still raining up there. It felt like it was actually raining inside my bones. I was freezing. But it teaches a far greater lesson than any book or dare I say TV program. Slugs kiss when you are not looking, and when they notice your presence they go on kissing. Life truly is short on a soggy dirt road. This road lead to a pond and a super-saturated row boat. This pond has a “nude section” at the eastern edge. For GH III both the boat and the eastern edge will be utilized.

And a spider, the totem of AW, our spirit guide and medium between the seen and unseen, drops steadily to her feet upon finishing a “reading” of a friend’s situation with the night-being who pokes his side. We found out he has some unfinished business to take care of. The masculine force will be met. It simply needs to be engaged. Jinn have weight and can pressure. Caught between two worlds, did you die an untimely death? Are you stuck? What can we do to help you let go if that is your desire?

I am told: Humans have no idea how much energetic power they possess. A ghost lingering around your house may pester you. Confront it. It is only a piece of it’s previous existence. You are the entirety. Your intention carries more weight. Be kind but direct. It should yield. But be kind is my advice. This is what I was told.

Consider the world as a teaching. Walking along a path and noticing any number of occurences. A red salamander! A temorary waterfall. It finds its way because of the rain. They negotiate a temporary solution. Spiders are not scary. Apparitions are not inherently disturbing though at first they may be. Magic is in the overcoming of what can not be overcome. A child, AW as a child, meets a being in her closet. Scary at first, but reconciled.

Consider now the images protrayed in films of ghosts and other spirits. The black magic of the represented image infects the brain and solidifies a workable experience. Otherness, a flickering light is evil. Is it? Or can this realm be managed?

Gravity was first called love. Newton the traitor! Green Hermeticism is based on the overcoming of the ego. Techno-science seeks to control the object. The science of love degenerates into the science of utility. The symbol is the living presence of what it symbolizes. Alchemy, spiritual agriculture. The re-enchantment of the landscape. Decartes deanimates the earth with “animals have no souls.” Speed is th death of nature.”I can’t stand guided tours.” But why re-enchant the landscape?

1. Because ugliness and stupidity are offensive.
2. Society is impossible without imagination of nature and culture, the imaginal world.
3. Mere survival

“I’m in favor of superstition.” Sacred space is haunted space. Thomas Paine the Druid. Kropotkin the Mutual Aid advocate. Erasimus Darwin (Darwin’s father) and his concept of “Survival of the Happiest.” Luddism, the destruction of anything deemed hurtful to the community. The Anabaptists. Joseph Boyce and his “social sculptures” planting ten-thousand trees “here and there.” The Qur’an stating that nature is another Qur’an. The town of Pang Yang. The disciples who followed a woman there. Tri-racial isolates. “These are the true Americans!” Euro-Afro-Native. Eugenics. Father Divine. The “eyes of fire.”

Thanks to Tauhid for unknowingly letting me sleep in his bed. If you are reading this: I appreciate you letting me do this without knowing I was doing it. Only one night. And I was alone. Except for the spirit realm of course. Carl and the hows and ways for personal summer retreats.

Rocks, water, moss. Trees, grass, puddles. Road, cabin, keep left. Salat, samad, ahad.

Life is so Muslim it don’t even know it! Salaams!

I’ll be back on Monday with a full report from Green Hermeticism Weekend Workshop #2.

Turing lead into gold and gold into, well, a necklace or something. Something nice I guess.

A Negative Depth Experience (-NGE) of any magnitude requires a dictionary. A dictionary requires a reader. A reader requires a breath. A breath requires a wind. A wind requires a rotation. A rotation requires a cosmic push. A cosmic push requires a transcosmic impulse. A transcosmic impulse requires an imperceivable requirement—a post measurement—a yes/ and/ but/ is/ not—YA BISN!

From the top!

rahima — to have mercy; to have compassion; to spare or let off

Rahima assumes a relationship. One cannot show compassion without a “for”—a some (thing) to show compassion to. Rahima necessitates intimacy.

rahim, rihm f., pl. arham — uterus; womb; relationship; kinship

An intimacy in utero. A relationship within the womb—not gender specific, but basic—the non-singularity, the non-static perpetual possibility and negotiation.

rahma — pity or compassion; human understanding; sympathy; kindness; mercy

Rahma assumes a relationship. One cannot show compassion without a “for”—a some (thing) to show compassion to. Rahma necessitates intimacy. Understanding requires a subject or one that is subject to another. A subject maintains a heirarchy only before “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known” at which point the subject enacts the reader. The reader enacts the subject.

1.
Follow a bird’s course.

2.
You can not.

3.
What a pleasure.

The beauty in magic is not in the witnessing of someone who *can* but witnessing how someone who cannot, does!

Dear Baraka Bashment:

Well done! And thanks for the post! Rather “honest” isn’t it. You’ve gotten very proclamatory haven’t you. I appreciate it. I really do. A sort of “true colors” one could say. I wouldn’t say that, but certainly one could. True colors. Or rather a few colors. I’m prone to thinking “red” but that is giving you too much credit. It’s more pink-orange. Have you seen pink-orange? It just doesn’t have the same bold nature as red. It’s a bit scratchy. Like a rash. Necessary for personal growth, don’t get me wrong, but a nussiance all the same you see . . . one needs to take a few precautions when pulling up weeds. Protective eyewear, some rubber gloves. You mustn’t think yourself above rubber gloves. Do you? Do you think yourself above rubber gloves? Of course you may think yourself above rubber gloves but you may not think you are above rubber gloves. It’s important to make that distinction. Nonetheless you are a piece of the puzzle and I love you with all my smarts and that is that.

You raise a number of points. I’ll address a few of them but first I want to make a note of your language—a piece of your language that maybe you didn’t want me to pick up. Notice. A language of hope.

You said, and I remember when you were debating this statement: “Islam as an institution is unworthy of my time.” A fine statement. Really splendid. But I remember how you felt it necessary to put in the clause “as an institution.” Do you remember it? Come one now, don’t be shy. It’s OK. You are allowed to be hopeful if not full of hope. And I agree. Islam as an institution is, as you say “a hulking death.” But what this leads me to ask is: What is the other option?

It’s a rhetorical question really because I of course have an answer. The other option is pre-fascist. It may not be pre-binding, but it most certainly is pre-code. I am of course talking about I:Peace (Team Willow). islam. the verb-noun. the always already releasing of egoic efforts for God’s efforts. Do you remember such a tendency? Perhaps it’s lowercase nature slipped beneathe your radar undetected. islam can do that. Slip under your radar. Meaning: it is already there slipping by. Not to be militaristic, but it’s rather stealth. Slippery like a snake if you’ll pardon the taboo imagery.

Now. I saw that you mentioned Muhammad as the final Prophet. You were teasing me with that. I can tell. You just knew I would speak on such an arrogance. Not to me. But to some I’m sure. We mustn’t forget the some. But I’m not going to. Not now. We’re at work. But I will tell you this: What a blessing it is not to have to wait around for yet another prophet telling me/us what to do. I’m happy he’s the last prophet. A. We’ll finally be left alone. and B. it appears God feels we have everything we need. Oh I can’t resist! C. The spiritual reverts back once again on the human individual. Waiting for a prophet is future-thought. It’s certainly not present moment. And you as well as I know that the Buddhists have been trying their hardest to hip us to that concept for some time now. So let’s at least try to embrace it, no?

Oh Baraka Bashment. You are so many! You are so much! I appreciate you even if our othernesses do not. This islam says the Qur’an is all we need. The hadith is a good reference (not binding or law). And we take heart in Lungfish’s Daniel Higgs singing: “I pledge to stand at attention. I pledge to never swerve. I pledge to sing a thousand more songs. In confusion I shall serve.”

In love,
Baraka Bashment

A first step in any healthy break-up is an appreciation of the different parties’ points of view. I, being the type of person that must at least perceive the carrying out, the following through, of personal and multiple beliefs, feel that it is time to appreciate the parties within myself as they break or align themselves with ways of being in the world, namely big “I” Islam as it is incompatible with our bloody hearts. Break-ups are never “easy”, but they wouldn’t be worth our time if they were. So, below is the beginnning of a conversation with selves. It will come in installments. This is installment one. You the reader are a voyeur. I as in the others am also, in part, a voyeur. If you feel like engaging your selves by engaging our selves than by all means chime in and become a realized part of the Global Human. It’s kind of like Voltron. This is a contribution to identity (de?)construction and the dismantling/recontextualizing/problemitizing of superimpositions. A commentary on “outside” and “inside.” Or whatever floats your canoe. The idea of “coming to” a tradition from somewhere else. Where? Really? One world don’t permit.

Dear Baraka Bashment:

I think it’s time for a little rant, no?

If you may permit me to be a naughty this-is-the-way-it-is for a few moments it will allow me to get through this.

Permission granted?

Good.

I’m shocked. Really shocked. It’s an insult to you. It’s insulting. Really. It’s insulting to actually be discussing why “Islamically” the death penalty for homosexuality is NOT OK. Why waist your time with “these people”? Are you really discussing what people should be “allowed” to wear in public? Don’t you think it’s insulting? You’re a smart person. You don’t believe in any of this stuff. Certainly you find it much more reasonable to worship a statue than some invisible mystery God. At least you know where the statue stands. It’s right in front of you for goddness sake!

Muslims? The people with all the rules? You? Interested in THAT?! It’s an oppressive institution just like the rest of them. Islam as an institution is unworthy of my time. Dare I say it is unworthy of your time? Since you have permitted me to do so, if only this once, than I will certinaly say it. Islam as an institution is unworthy of your time. ALL religious paths engaged as the institutions their pundits so obsessively desire them to be are unworthy of your time and in the long run should be dismantled by any means necessary. They are a hulking death. And such a shame on this beautiful Spring afternoon to have such a hulking death encroaching on our good will to embrace and maintain a grass-stained existence. Shame on them! But in all seriousness, I think we should actively and consciously dismantle the whole lot. Top to bottom. Maybe make a few outrageous statements like: “Not only does Islam permit homosexuality, but it requires it!” and “Have you heard? Islam allows women to have sex with whomever, whenever they want. Glorious!” or “Yes you are right. We are making up definitions as we go along. ‘Marriage’ means ‘burrito’ and ‘infidel’ means ‘marriage’!” Why not? Chaos? I never knew you. And it’s very overrated I suppose. Sounds sexy, but by the time it reaches our doorstep it will have a receipt attached and a buy one get one offer in tow. So, you know, not really our concern.

(Not) just a question: Is it time to begin to rewrite the whole of it, the great garden of repose and reposition and reposess your home in a word or two related to the speaker her or hisself. Cause seriously, if I have to hear another product-of-organization “righteous” handsomely trimmed beard white-boy saying “alhumdulillahi” after everything I or someone else says I’m gonna go crazy. Seriously. Like ragamuffin style. All growly and fists in the air chanting down Babylon in all it’s manifestations. We’re gonna have to nice up the dance in a whole new way.

Now come on. You’ve got your own ideas that work. Last Prophet? Puh-leeeze. How many times do we have to hear that again?!

So tell me: Mob rules in religion doesn’t it?

In love,
Baraka Bashment.

A change in one’s language is the beginning of the change in one’s being. In a way, the language of a person both dictates and maintains the boundaries within which a person or people can move and thus willfully express themselves. You can only express what you can in fact express. Laws work in a similar fashion. They maintain the preordained limits of a society. Laws are the language by which people act.

Since my wife is an ultra-proud South African, and since I love South Africa, I thought I might present a little of what makes South Africans so proud. Here is a slice “of what could be” taken from the South African Constitution via the Bill of Rights.

For the full South African Constitution text please go here.

South African Bill of Rights: 9. Equality section 3
“The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.”

Let us think regarding our own use of language: Is it really acceptable for us US citizens to be championing “All MEN are created equal,” if we are expected to clarify that statement every time with: And by that we really mean all people because you see back in the day people used to use the term “men” as a universal for “people,” well not everyone used that term, there have always been women who disagreed with its usage, so in a way the usage of “men” was an act of marginalizing alternative voices in a culture, but nonetheless what we mean by “All MEN are created equal” is that all people, except for the fact that Africans weren’t considered “people” which was a sign of the times, although again, as in the “all MEN” issue, there have always been people in opposition to the idea that Africans were not people, so once again we have a situation where a deliberate selection of opinion was codified, but today we should of course understand “All MEN are created equal” as “All people regardless of race, gender, etc… are created equal” even though you and l know it doesn’t say that. But you know, when it’s the foundation upon which the US bases every legal action, who needs such clarity. We all know what “the founding fathers” really meant. Unfortunately that’s part of the the problem.

Thanks for setting the bar so high South Africa. The consciousness of our national being is pegged to the language of our national documents. Is it time for a little editing? Take a look at some of our (US) debates regarding the Bill of Rights and the Constitution etc… Nothing is sacred. Every aspect of our legal tradition was and can be contested. May we keep that struggle alive in the face of ALL legal traditions.

FIRST.

May Day! May Day! Love is in there air.

May Day! May Day! Today two years in state sanctioned partnership with the wife. 5 years total—renegade style. Five years?! It seems like only yesterday I was saying: You see, I have this thing with this other girl, and she’s cool with it ’cause she’s got another boyfriend, but….

The most beautiful woman on two legs. A 5′ 3″ wily coyote whose shoes are taking over the apartment. A not so hidden opinion of mine: all girls/women should have LOTS of shoes. Much much love to the wife.

SECOND.

Big Ups to Tawhid for slipping me the Lamb’s Bread record. Notice: 1 AM dark dirty road New Lebanon, NY acquisition.

A major acquisition.

Roots rock reggae dub-Islamic acquisition.

If this was in my possession in wax form this would be a big spinner in the set. As for now it’s a pre-party number. I recommend everyone fan of the one-drop to pick this up.

Lots of little records. Much roots/reggae/dub/dancehall on two turns in NY. Come see me. Some consistancy. Some random.