It dawned on me that we have embarked on this NEW Quest for the Golden Keys Treasure Hunt when many of us (me included) may not have the full comprehension as to what a quest really entails.

What is a quest and what are some worthy examples that we might learn from and possibly be able to apply as we head out on our “Long winding road”?

So it might very well be worth the time it takes to look at quests and questing a bit closer. Princeton University is a good place to start as far as finding a basic definition:

• S: (v) quest (make a search (for) "The animal came questing through the forest"
• S: (v) quest (search the trail of (game)) "The dog went off and quested"
• S: (v) quest (seek alms, as for religious purposes)
• S: (v) request, bespeak, call for, quest (express the need or desire for; ask for) "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service"

OMG, I have already solved this part of the puzzle – it was SO easy! Do you “get it?” (Hint: We are questing again, since this quest for golden keys has been done so many times before – see yesterday’s blog.) Which definition of quest would YOU choose?….I know which one I will choose because it will get the results the quickest with the least amount of effort  on my part. I know you can figure this one out, or if you want you can look at the definitions for “hero quest,” “epic quest,” and “archetypal quest” before you make a final decision (and remember, too, that decisions never have to really be final…things change, more enlightenment sets in, etc.).

Now there is the issue with this being the very last day of September and the fact that we have a Surprises in September Treasure Hunt. Well, I do have to thank the universe for one surprise I got just yesterday. There has been a lot of turmoil in my life. The new car that was manifested for my son quite magically in August came along with insurance and car payments of nearly $500 per month. Just as I added that into my budget and was asking how I was going to really handle this big jump in expenses, my son lost his job and I, due to technology glitches, was cut back on teaching assignments. But, I can’t say that during this time we have been lacking anything at all. The universe does provide. Still, it would not have been good for this to have gone on for very long.  The technology issue was analyzed and considered and my teaching assignments are back up, almost to where I would wish. PLUS I was told to add up all of my debts and to aim for manifesting enough in October to pay everything off.

That’s a lot of money, but it will be wonderful to be completely debt free. I just wonder if I can open my mind up far enough to figure out how to earn that much in one month – we are talking here about more than a couple hundred thousand dollars (thank you to the exorbitant tuition and student loans).

Still, I do have faith that anything is possible, so my imagination is running at full speed ahead, just like Joe teaches in the book.There was something else about the Surprises in September Treasure Hunt – it was mentioned that there is another new Treasure Hunt called The Light Way is the Right Way Treasure Hunt….that is ALL I have been told. It sounds like some kind of light diet (ugh) as I have been getting lots of clues in that regard.

Other than that, I have simply gathered that this new treasure hunt is one of my September Surprises and I have no clue where it is supposed to go. Still, I am always thankful and just totally full of gratitude that there are so many fun and exciting challenges, games, puzzles, and assorted excitement sent my way. And it is SO COOL that Surprises in September, thus extends to more surprises in October (since Treasure Hunting ALWAYS yields surprises). Someone who came up with this is ingenious. This makes me happy because I just LOVE treasure hunts and I will take each and every one that comes my way!

Berrying Ralph Waldo Emerson

"May be true what I had heard,
Earth's a howling wilderness
Truculent with fraud and force,"
Said I, strolling through the pastures,
And along the riverside.
Caught among the blackberry vines,
Feeding on the Ethiops sweet,
Pleasant fancies overtook me:
I said, "What influence me preferred
Elect to dreams thus beautiful?"
The vines replied, "And didst thou deem
No wisdom to our berries went?"

Don’t you just LOVE Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work? I do; we really need to bring beautiful poetry like his back into the limelight. I think he would not only approve immensely but he would also be immensely honored and very appreciative. His poetry is so much more positive and enlightening than the media pastimes today and it is much better reading than some of the bestselling books. I will be incorporating his work in my future “fictive” writing (as Joe liked to call it – he had an answer for everything).

Well, maybe by tomorrow I will know more about the Surprises in September as well as the Golden Keys. It often helps to sleep on these things….
Have a great day!
Vanessa

In Quest For - Avantasia



[Tree of Knowledge:]

Coming from the wastelands
Full of reason, common sense
Where their principles are blocking minds
And you don't understand
Giving you belief,
You never touch, you never see
But if you dare to try to grip it
you're accused for heresy

[Gabriel:]

Here I stand to find the truth
and for ought I know
You're the one to show me
You can tell my spirit how to grow

No, the more I try
The more confusion on my mind
And no matter how I try
I feel my eyes seem to stay blind

[Tree of Knowledge:]

No use in analysing, forget about alchemy
Because the secret of all truth
Is the quest for - and you'll feel

When you knock right on the door
"Forever locked" they say
A little man will let you in,
For you have always tried - to get inside

You're in quest for more to find the call
Your journey still ain't over
Your quest is your purpose, go on
You're in quest for more to find the call
It will be - never- over
Your quest is your purpose, go on ...

You're in quest for more to find the call...

Lyrics Courtesy of sing365.com 
Images Courtesy of Microsoft

As I stated in yesterday’s blog, we are on a quest to find the Golden Keys in Joe’s last book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction (and when we finish that book, there is another important book as well). We will also need to find the doors but, of course, that will not do us any good if we do not have the Golden Keys. I did some research on Golden Keys to find out the significance of them, but as is always the case, we can expect that Joe’s interpretation is much higher level than what has been presented previously AND there are likely to be multiple interpretations. I think the key is to find the best meaning or interpretations (pardon the play on words).

Today’s blog is very short because I had a late night last night and a late start this morning and I have a rigorous list of tasks to get through. Therefore, I am just leaving you with some stories to think about and to try and figure out if they relate in any way to the keys in Joe’s book. At this time, I have no answer or even a clue. I was just prompted to research “The Golden Key” and this is what came up and do note that in his book there are multiple keys and this is called a NEW Quest, so we are looking for something new, not something that has already been rehashed thousands of times…it truly is a long, winding road to the doors – but these doors and keys are not impossible to find by any means.

The Golden Key
The Golden Key
The Golden Key
The Golden Key

Explore the above links -- and have a Golden Sunshine Day!
Vanessa

The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles

References

Grimms Fairy Tales http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimmtales.html

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer
Photos courtesy of Microsoft

Joe talks about keys throughout his book and while keys are usually significant, as is always the case with his work, there is something deeper and more important about the “keys” in his book and so the New Quest is to determine what the significance is. What doors do the keys in Joe’s book unlock? With this understanding, we can transform and we can more easily “skate” through life.

This was brought home to me when the song for today’s blog was, once again, sort of “handed down” to me from an intuitive person in my life (“I’ve got a brand new pair of roller skates and you’ve got a brand new key”).  Again, this is just one of the sort of “hints” that can be provided that can pass you by if you do not wish to acknowledge them. If I see hints, signs, or symbols pop up in particular places or at particular times, I tend to look for the deeper significance. The song, on one level simply means that I need to get a move on (I have not been working as consistently as I need to be), pick up the pace of my work, etc., and on another level is the knowledge that in Joe’s work I will find specific “keys” to help me do so….but, of course, there is so much more to this….something about keys and doors. Joe’s “keys” are not something to take lightly or bypass. Here is just one quotation from his book (the quest is to find more):

I would not be spending the thousands of hours it takes to address these issues if I didn’t believe that a critical complex epistemology helped provide us a key to discern the multiple realities obscured by Western science that can help unlock the door to a new vision of humanness and human action (Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 233).

This sounds like a new treasure hunt to me. What shall we call it? The New Quest for the Golden Keys Treasure Hunt?

Hoping for a great week for everyone,
Vanessa

I’ve got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates; You’ve got a Brand New Key - Melanie Safka

The odds are great that life on earth is pure illusion. Many people liken it to a dream. There are many cultures in which people believe “real” life is what we typically regard as the dream state and our dream state is our real life – thus, this struggle most of us experience on earth is just a bad dream, or on occasion, a good dream.

Another perspective is that it is a total illusion in the form of a virtual reality game. This may be like the movie The Matrix, but at this point, I don’t know since I have never seen the movie and barely know what it’s about. As I said, I do not watch movies very often and I don’t watch television at all. I just do not like the disgusting attempts at mind control by the media. I will probably watch The Matrix, though, just out of curiosity and I do know Joe had mentioned it several times, so there is something about the movie.

I like the idea that this life on earth is a game, actually. A game in which we have the opportunity to try out different things to see what would make the best functioning world of sentient inhabitants. We can clearly see that we have gone wildly astray and it is just a matter of changing the rules to the game. Also, one would take the ups and downs of life much less seriously, knowing it’s just a game and it would be then possible to actually take control of those ups and downs and turn them all into positive experiences. Plus, I really like my dream life better so I would rather it be the real McCoy and life on this planet as non-reality.  Knowing that this is just a game that involves gaining certain “secret” knowledge makes one more willing to play the game and do what is needed to fix the world. It all of a sudden becomes much more fun. I do know my Dream Life is SO much happier than this life. There is no suffering, no pain, no death, only love, bliss, joy, learning, fun, music, the arts, nature, magic, fairy tales, etc. Maybe I just need to take what I learn in my dream life and apply it as strategy in this game. Maybe that is the whole point of the game.

The more I think about it the more I really like the idea of this earth life being a virtual reality game. Think how less seriously one has to take things – no need for anger, no need for worry or fear or strife or struggle – it is just a game. And not only that, the rules of the game can be changed as soon as you come to realize it’s only a game.  There is no reason to play by the rules of those on the dark side who put themselves in power and who control the game at the moment. They cannot harm anyone once more people come to realize it is just a game – we can take control on the side of the light. Besides, we know the outcome. Those on the side of the light are going to win. So, if you are on the wrong side of the game, it might be best to switch sides at this point. The game is almost over.

So, now, you can freely traverse across multiple dimensions at will to get some R&R or sweet TLC from those you know reside there, or just to get away from the game for awhile. Plus, you know how to ask for help from those on the sidelines who are watching the game and working for the side of the light and you know their hints, signs, and signals and how to interpret them. Playing the game, of course, was free will – we all freely chose to play this game. And once you become so acutely aware it’s all a game, you realize that you have just as much right as anyone else to make the rules and so you quit following the old rules and just start playing the game by the rules you want – the rules that come down from being on the side of the light. This really throws off those who expect their old rules to keep working. They just cannot figure out why they don’t work anymore and they can’t figure out new strategies that work. They become the powerless ones; the tables have turned.

Suddenly many people become aware of this all at once and they don’t like the way the game has been played all of these years that has resulted in so much injustice, pain, misery, suffering, and unfair distribution of wealth, so they all work together to change the rules and they all go by the new rules, which leaves the old in the dust. Some people like to call it changing paradigms, but what it really boils down to is changing the rules. And if there are people who do not want to play by the new rules, then we just recreate earth (after all, it is just a holographic image) and we let them stay on the old, worn out, damaged earth with people who choose to stay in the dark ages while we go on our merry way playing the game by the new rules for the new earth of peace, joy, and happiness.

What is so cool about looking at life on earth as just a game is that all of a sudden what seemed like magic – for example, manifesting things like money or cars or homes or vacations is not magic at all. It is just part of the game. We can manifest whatever we wish in this game because it is all holographic anyway – nothing is real. Whatever we can imagine, we can create. Once that is comprehended by many people, they exercise their power to manifest and you have a beautiful world in which everyone has what they want and need and there is peace and beauty throughout the land. This is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Here’s an interesting article if you want to read more:

Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?

For various commentaries and additional articles on the same subject, visit: Simulation Argument
Also: Reality As Simulation

I thought that was a fun article and the responses are very interesting as well. I love looking at situations through different lenses because it has a way of expanding one’s consciousness and gives a broader perspective of situations, which also helps in imagining solutions. This is what Joe's bricolage theory promotes -- getting many perspectives from even the most obscure places, synthesizing them into a coherent whole, and in this way, we can create new knowledge. It is somewhat like putting together a puzzle in which you do not have a picture to look at to assist you. But, it turns out very, very beautiful because you have utilized Joe's formulation of complex criticality in selecting the pieces, which factor in the alleviation of suffering. We only use the pieces that will ensure equality, purity, goodness, sweet justice, peaceful existence, etc. If a particular piece cannot ensure these things, it is not used. 

If this life on Earth is just a game, why not make it more fun? We CAN make our own rules. We can put together more beautiful puzzles in this game and we can obtain SWEET justice. And sweet justice simply means “righting” the wrongs in a way that alleviates suffering, not creating more suffering as the Western concept of justice would have us do.

Here’s a question that came to mind:

Is the universe expanding because consciousness is expanding, or is consciousness expanding because the universe is expanding? Is that even the right question?

Wow, September is almost over already and I am wondering what happened to the Surprises in September Treasure Hunt. Nothing so far or maybe I have failed to count all of my blessings and overlooked something.

Have a great Sunday,
Vanessa

References
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer 

Virtual Diva – Don Omar

Images courtesy of Microsoft.

Yes, an alarm clock, LOL. I knew I needed one. Of course, I have not missed a beat with my blogs….well, I did get a little behind on uploading the blogs, but that’s taken care of. I get a little hung up on what I write sometimes even though I have been informed by the Higher Council not to worry, that it is all approved by them. They did say it is OK (but not necessary) to remind people that I am simply following Joe’s theory which specifies that we all have and create our own realities (as creatively as we wish), thus what I write is my own personal and idiosyncratic take on things and in no way implies that I am presenting “one true reality.” Contrary to that, the whole idea is that we are all free to construct our own ways of seeing things and, in fact, I love looking at multiple perspectives and presenting things from various assorted directions and within totally unexpected contexts – just as Joe prescribed and as he has demonstrated in his book. It is a very enlightening process, if somewhat shocking for some people. Existential shocks are actually good. I have them myself sometimes and they move me up a few levels.

It’s probably hard to tell that I have been on vacation, but I have been, according to the word that has come down. And let me just interject here, that I am not the only person in the world who gets messages from Higher Councils. There are several higher councils and there are many people now who seem to receive messages, and all of the messages are very good, actually. For example, I really like the messages from Chandra and Ashtar and about the Rainbow Warriors. It’s always good to find hope wherever you can and it seems that there is hope for a better world from many different perspectives. In addition to these views, I have also recently presented various prophecies in my past blogs that provide great hope as well as how many people rely on their personal Guardian Angels. Also, I would like to present an indigenous prophecy that receives regular updates in accordance with what is happening now in the world, the Hopi-Tibetan prophecies. Of course, in my view, it is silly to expect someone to come down and rescue us from our own problems, especially if we use that as an excuse not to do our own work. We all have work to do! But the ideas presented do make it all seem more fun in some ways and achievable…

Speaking of happy life, I have been blessed with being able to sleep in for quite some time now, and to slack off  on posting my blogs, not being required to attend Council meetings for a while (I have not been needed there), etc. Well, the word also has come down that this is going to change very soon. The Higher Council would like for me to get back on schedule, “pronto.” As always, though, it is of my own free will, but they know where my priorities lie, so certain members know that they can talk to me like that and I just see it as a very loving gesture. And so, “pronto” it will be!

Anyway, the Council does sometimes allow slacking in August and a little in September, but that’s really the only time of the year. In fact, it is probably the only time, period, since the perpetual revolution is slated to begin soon. Once that happens, there will be no letting up from the work if we have chosen to work on this special mission. So, I bought a dependable alarm clock. It’s one of those wind-up ones since electronics are a little iffy these days. Have you noticed that when you buy something electronic, it seems to only work for a short time? Just in the past few months I have had the following items wig out on me within a few weeks or even a few days: A stereo system, a fan, a table lamp (there’s a really funny story about that one), three cell phones, a printer….there is probably more. I am really tired of this disposable society we live in and I’m hoping integrity that leads to quality will come back soon.

The word has come down that things are going to get very busy. And the recommendation for tackling the complexity and the numerous tasks is to set up a schedule that stays the same each day. And in order to remember what I am supposed to be working on at any given moment, I am to list out all of the tasks and put together an acronym. That way I only have to remember the acronym, what letter I am on and what the letter is associated with….I will work on this. Another helpful thing is to keep watch on the stars and the planet alignments. This is all important because I have been assigned many diverse tasks for each day, not to mention teaching and my comp exams and beginning work on my dissertation -- and I have not forgotten about the instruction manual to find Joe's hidden Easter eggs! (kind of makes one wonder how I will do it all, doesn't it?)

Speaking of acronyms, Joe’s famous acronym is FIDUROD. He explains in his book exactly what that means, which is all very straightforward. F stands for Formal and how we always have to do things an exact certain way. For example, scholarly writing has all of its formalities one must follow as if being able to follow precise instructions makes one intelligent (quite the opposite, in my book). That’s why I just LOVE the way Joe wrote his last book. He broke some of the rules and he was very, very creative and very, very brilliant. Then, the I stands for Intractable. What is IS, by God. That is reality and if you have a different one, don’t even hope to get on the same boat with the elite crowd. When the bad guys make use of FIDUROD for their own evil purposes, things gets really oppressive and destructive, which we can see taking place in the world all around us today.

It is fine in my book that the educational elite won't allow me on their boat, because their boat is lost at sea and rapidly sinking. (I will be helping build new boats.) Next, we have the D which stands for Decontextualized. That just means that whoever is dishing out the “knowledge” could care less how - or IF - you are going to use it. Just take it at face value for what it is, even if it only paints a small part of the picture or perhaps is just one little puzzle piece of the entire finished puzzle. Needless to say, the puzzle never gets completed in a way that makes sense, unless you use Joe’s advanced conceptualization of the bricolage, which I will cover another time. That’s when things really get fun! Next, we have the U which stands for Universalistic. Yes, it is universal if you buy into the European white male world view. That is a little difficult for the majority of us, but there is a price to pay if we do and if we do not; it’s a catch-22. The way this plays out is that if something applies in one place, it applies in another place – for example the over-rated IQ tests we attempt to apply to all learners in all contexts. Then we get to the R, which means Reductionistic. One of the favorite ways this pans out is to take something that is defective apart – analyze it into its pieces and then lamely thinking we can put the same pieces back together differently and it will work better. This is not much different than Einstein’s definition of insanity (doing the same things and expecting different results). OD, the last two letters stand for One Dimensional which is the belief that there is only one true reality. What you see is what you get, so to speak. That reminds me of the computer jargon: WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and we all know what a lie that is. I imagine Joe thought “one true reality” was very, very boring and uncreative (although he was superb at hiding his feelings about that), which is just one of the many great points he was making with his book. I can relate to that; I would almost rather be gagged with the spoon rather than be force-fed someone else’s reality that only serves their personal agenda. It always amazes me how people think their motives are not out there like huge red flags waving in the wind and yet they are the first to accuse others of having some sort of agenda that is the furthest thing from their minds.

I know there is something about the FIDUROD acronym that is very special beyond what the meaning of each letter reveals. I keep getting hints, but no substantive clues and, in fact, I have been told that “the time is not right” and that when the time is right, it will be revealed. I am patient. In the meantime, FIDUROD is a very useful way to represent what Joe describes as “the basic features of a contemporary mechanistic epistemology that is used sometimes unconsciously to shape the knowledge that permeates Western and Western-influenced cultures” (p. 22).

That’s it for today. I just wanted to point out the source of the horror and terror on Earth – FIDUROD -- as well as some perspectives that provide clues for eliminating it in our lives. It is no wonder we need “magical” solutions such as provided by the various accounts of heavenly angels coming to our rescue, so to speak, which many of us believe. Although, most of us also know we must, of course, do our part. In my experience, I need only make the slightest effort sometimes and then all the rest is “magically” done for me. Buying a car for my son was a perfect example. I knew I was going to have to get him one somehow, but I did not know how, being a single mother with credit that sometimes comes across as “iffy.” I put in one credit application and it was turned down. It didn’t matter. I had put out a sincere effort and so the rest was done for me: a car was almost magically manifested for him – the perfect car! Magic, only if you don’t understand the dynamics behind the scenes…

Have a lovely day and take time to dream some happy dreams that can take you out of this sometimes seemingly "hell on Earth" - dream the dreams that provide hope, meaning, and guidance for you. Look out ahead and see some real solutions for the world – such as love, peace, and sweet justice to alleviate suffering. It really does help and can provide great comfort as well as greater motivation for creating the change in ourselves that can help move us all in the right direction – out of the dark ages and toward the light.

May you have an unconditional-love-filled journey,

Vanessa 

Arms of an Angel
 
 

References
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction.
Amsterdam: Springer

Photo Credits: Clocktower, dancing couple, and horses courtesy of Microsoft.
Astrology, Good Guys-Bad Guys, Lost at Sea courtesy of me.
New car artwork courtesy of my grandson.

All of the roses in the pictures were taken just yesterday in my front yard! They are all of the roses that I planted in memory of Joe. I know; I am overly sentimental and I can’t get him out of my heart, not that I would want to. When I first moved to this house last February, I was still very traumatized by it all and I honestly didn’t know what else to do, but plant roses. And from somewhere, I learned that they should be yellow roses. For next year, I want to plant some more along with bugleweeds….it should be so beautiful with the yellows and purples. Why yellow roses? I learned that they represent joy, spiritual wisdom, and power. I have been truly highly blessed in my life and so the continuously blooming roses do remind me to be thankful for all of the blessings that are sent my way. It seems that when we are thankful for even the smallest things, we become even more blessed.

As I had mentioned some time back, I was informed that I will gain some specific insights while the roses bloom – I have actually had many insights – some of which I have shared in these blogs and others to share later, since the blogs are somewhat censored for now and the treasure hunts have more work, research, and analysis as I continue forward with them. None of them are being dropped; things are simply being put on hold as I deal with the higher priority issues. One of my most significant insights is the fact that Joe’s book is a sort of Golden Chalice/Holy Grail by virtue of all of the hidden secrets and codes encrypted within it. There is much more to be revealed and as we go through and find all of the MUSIC Easter eggs, additional codes will be disclosed to certain people who will know what they need to do with the information. If you are one of those people, all I can say is, you are very highly blessed. I know that I have been. And so, one of the highest priorities for the moment is to finish the manual that explains in detail how Joe has hidden the MUSIC Easter eggs, along with examples and solutions for those I have found so far.

On top of that, I am about to begin my “Comp Exam” for my PhD which entails four boring weeks of writing on three boring topics selected by someone else….hopefully, I can make it interesting by perhaps offering a new twist to the answers the assessors are looking for, and hopefully, it will not feel like a FIDURODian prison in which one must adhere to those positivistic (“Baconian-Newtonian-Cartesian”) sorts of rules that Joe has explained in his book, that keep the status quo alive and well. I try to avoid that at all costs, even if it's all for a PhD and only for four weeks.

That’s it for today. I just wanted to share the lovely, lovely roses and to thank all of my guardian angels, guides, spiritual assistants, and God for blessing me with roses that have bloomed since very early summer and apparently, with all of the buds on them, they will bloom well into fall.

The Last Rose of Summer – Celtic Woman
  
 

References
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer

As I write these blogs about the “way ‘we’ are” [that is a MUSIC Easter egg, btw, in Joe’s book on the last page], I do work hard to stifle the anger that I feel when I think about how cruel some people are to others. Of course, I fail at that sometimes. We can all be cruel without knowing it, we all can be cruel and know it, and all of this must be dealt with, no doubt. It is all painful. But the greatest anger to smother back is that which arises from the observation of or knowledge about people who have the conscious and absolute intent to be cruel. Those individuals who connive and plan devious actions, those people who consciously, willingly, and deceptively manipulate others for their own personal gain, those people who commit unspeakable crimes on others, those leaders in the world who divide and kill people in order to gain riches and power, and those people who would harm or circumvent someone who is dedicated to only do good and loving things in the world. It is hard to smother back anger with love.

I am sure Joe felt the same way at times. How does one hold back the anger, or more desirably, dissipate it so that it is not experienced at all? Sometimes knowledge of karma as the great equalizing force or natural law is just not enough. And it should not be enough. If we are aware, then we do need to expose what is happening and take real action against people who inflict or have inflicted pain and suffering on others, physical and emotional, or who purposely limit the success and potentialities of others for their own personal gain. If we do not take this action, we are complicit in the very actions we criticize. Sometimes our actions for recourse do cause pain and suffering back to these individuals, not on purpose, of course, but rather indirectly – a form of karmic reflection – for the greater purpose that waits at the end of the day. It must be done in the name of love and by direct divine guidance and intervention. In love and faith, it must be carried out, not with the intention to harm anyone, but with the intention of providing justice for the victims.

All I can say is that reading Joe’s book and his thorough explanation of FIDUROD – the powerful force that is in each of us that does not serve humanity or the earth well at all, will provide an understanding that will help everyone. By gaining full knowledge of how this force is used against us, how it is used to manipulate us, and how we may be using it unwittingly against others and even ourselves is the first step for alleviating its grip on us. It is very complex and that is why Joe explained it over and over again in his book, using every imaginable context along with numerous creative – and at times, humorous - frameworks. When you read his chapters on FIDUROD, no matter where you are in your life, you will have a much greater understanding of how this force works against humanity and a future sustainable earth.

And then you will want to read about Joe’s solution – the next half of his book, so that you can work toward ending the insanity and make some real progress for alleviating suffering – everyone’s suffering, except, perhaps those who refuse to give up their evil ways. As we all know, nothing that has been tried to this point has worked. It is time to try something new and brilliant: Joe’s solution, which revolves around the most powerful, divine, and blissful love in existence. While Joe has taught me of this love, personally and spiritually, and he continues to help me learn and progress forward by virtue of the work he's left, it is also available to every person on the planet and it is the key to getting earth back on the right track toward a more peaceful, loving place to be.

It is time for the true alchemy that manifests from a deep spiritual love. It is the kind of love that lights fires under people and unites them for a greater, divine purpose both in life and for eternity. You will only understand it if you already have it in your life or if you consciously realize that it is missing in your life. I do not want to see anyone miss out. Joe would not want anyone to miss out, either, which is why he wrote the book on it.

More later…
Vanessa

Fire – Babyface and Des’ree

 

References
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer

It’s 4:30 AM, just woke up and can’t sleep. Interesting. I have Joe’s book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction on my desk and it is opened to page 37 for some reason. I don’t question these sorts of things and just go where they lead me. It all becomes relevant if you seek….you know, “seek and ye shall find” sort of thing. So I read the section that begins on that page, titled “Knowledge Regression Therapy: The Birth of Epistemology.” 

In this section Joe has made it so very clear that knowledge can never be objective. In fact, without our cultural and social blinders, without our filtered perception of the very objects we gaze upon, knowledge would be nonexistent. He used the example of the interpretation of poetry and how everyone will convey different interpretations. The same is true with the meaning of various photographs, artwork, music etc. This is one reason these creative arts programs are so very important in schools. Children learn that knowledge is not fixed, is not straightforward, does not have only one way of being interpreted and conveyed. Of course, children already know this, and cutting these creative disciplines from their curriculum is a way to force their consciousnesses into accepting knowledge as isolated “facts” to memorize to show how “smart” they are when they score well on their standardized tests. All we are doing is creating a severe cognitive dissonance between what children already know and what they are being told and forced to live up to. As Joe puts it, “the moment we recognize the socially constructed and interpretive dimension of a phenomenon such as fog, [in a poem] the cosmos gives birth to epistemology” and he states that with his book he is “trying to feed that restless, needy, and earsplitting epistebaby” (p. 38). 

Here, he has used the analogy of a baby when describing epistemology and why we need to change its diaper and stop the mad scientists from creating any more “Chuckies from the ‘Child’s Play’ horror movie series, who terrorize the world without conscience or remorse” (p. 38). Joe is just so creatively funny. He has taken a very serious subject and has injected a sense of humor that helps bring home the absolute insanity of what we are allowing to happen in education. He provides the example of Monsanto, having polluted what are now residential areas where cancer rates are extremely high – but, how is a poor, powerless person to argue with the mad scientists? Facts are facts: Monsanto cannot be to blame, right? I actually had a similar experience, with the following thrown at me: Who am I to pretend that I had a relationship with Joe that I could not possibly have had, given I only met him for a few minutes? And how dare I write about it? [in THEIR reality according to THEIR epistemology]. In my reality, Joe and I shared epistemologies, in fact, after reading this section of his book I have concluded that we may have been raising the very same sweet epistebaby (lol). 

Joe goes on to say that too many people have sold their “minds/bodies/souls to their commercial pimps,” including scholars in corporatized universities (pp. 38-39). Scholars – the very people who should be saving us from our demise have sold out. Thus, his beautiful song, What Happened to Soul?: "I wanna know...oh...oh...what happened to soul?" may very well have been directed to some of the scholars he observed around him in his work in the university. By doing this, by “selling out,” we are jeopardizing everyone, as he points out. There is no thought whatsoever to the future (except for the powers that be – they do have their escape plans, they think). He mentions here that many of the indigenous peoples look ahead seven generations before they make decisions for their actions. In fact, just yesterday in my blog, I presented the 13 grandmothers who formed a council for that very purpose – in an attempt to look after all of the world’s children for the next seven generations. Many of the corporate decisions today do not even look as far ahead as tomorrow except in terms of the bottom line. 

We can question the morality of teaching Of Mice and Men, Joe explains, but we do not question the morality of forcing children to engage in pep rallies to boost their commitment to taking standardized tests – because, after all, science has shown us that increased commitment leads to increased test scores. We must not question science and the “facts” that derive from the scientific process. 

Somehow, this all relates to the Easter egg hunting in Joe’s book, which is, I believe, why I was led to this passage. His four levels of hidden MUSIC Easter eggs (easy, medium, hard, scrambled) eases us into epistemological considerations. I am still working on the book relaying ways to identify and interpret these hidden Easter eggs – and it is turning out to be more of a book than a booklet. Maybe I am giving away too much. Maybe I should condense it. I have just now, as I wrote this blog, realized there are four levels, not three. Maybe I should only include two examples for each level – and some hints as to where additional Easter eggs can be found….I will consider that. I could write a complete book about Joe’s Easter eggs… as you might notice in the above discussion, he used a MOVIE Easter egg, although it was not hidden…as I have mentioned previously, I do think he has hidden MOVIE Easter eggs, but I have never been into watching many movies, so I would not be able to recognize many of them, unless they have been provided directly as was the case with the Chuckie movie, although, yes, I have seen one or two Chuckie movies. I did not like them. 

I like Joe’s formula….everything emanates from LOVE. His love has blessed me in miraculous and divine ways. And like Joe, I believe we can change the world with love.

Vanessa 

References
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer 

Change the World – Babyface and Eric Clapton

 

Photo Credits: Chuckie image courtesy of http://iconsoffright.com/news/childs-play-movie.jpg

For the Next 7 Generations: The Grandmothers Speak

 

International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, Part 1

International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, Part 2

 


International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, Part 3

I am posting these two videos in order to present the viewpoint of the gentleman in the second video in relation to the first video, because no doubt there are many people who feel some, if not all, of the same things he has expressed. It is important that we do express our thoughts and emotions and respect and honor them -- and listen to each other. I am thankful that the Internet and YouTube allows us the opportunity to share what is in our hearts, as he has done.

Tomorrow I will post some information about the International Council of 13 Indeigenous Grandmothers who are on a global mission of prayer and healing that can help bring us all together and hopefully serve to heal some of the pain. There is work to do for us all.
 
Vanessa

I am thankful to the great power in the universe: God, the Great Spirit, Allah, Jehovah, the Source, along with our own personal angels and master teachers who link us, or whatever you wish to name the great power of love and knowledge that fills the universe and is available to each of us. One does not need to ascribe to a particular religion nor any religion at all to sense there is something very intelligent, very powerful, very unifying -- something Einstein had been on a great quest to discover -- and very, very loving working behind the scenes for the greater good of the universe and all who reside in it. I certainly do not claim to understand it nor do I wish to attempt to portray that it is any certain thing or being or god. It just is. We each have to seek our own understanding in our own unique way, and as many who are on that particular journey will tell you, there are multiple pathways to the top of the mountain – and there are multiple mountains -- or a river we must learn to navigate.
 

The last few blogs in which I presented several perspectives and prophecies from our Elders on this very real, profound, and compelling human mission, also presented just a few ways this can be accomplished. So many of us seem to have forgotten these knowledges and our great purpose for being on this planet, and yet it is more important today than at any previous time in history that we do remember. This may be one reason Joe stressed over and over again in all of his work that those of us -- all of us -- who have been indoctrinated with the Eurocentric white worldview need to open up our consciousnesses to alternative, diverse, and multiperspectival ways of interpreting and experiencing the world – how we view reality – “ontologies,” as he presented it, particularly indigenous ontologies (Kincheloe, 2008). As the indigenous philosophies readily point out, there are multiple ways of experiencing this quest, we each need to find our mountain, and we should explore various pathways to the top. If we shut out the possibilities, we confine our consciousnesses and those around us in ways that constrain human potentialities.
 

For me, there is great joy in exploring different perspectives and trying out different tools on the way up the mountain --- which, I do happen to be climbing up with Joe’s guidance and wisdom as well as with the help of many other people on earth today and people who reside in other dimensions (or who have “passed on”). As Joe would probably have said if he were here, and I have actually seen him say this while he was here, “call me crazy,” but then you can also explain to me how it is that so many other cultures, societies, religions, philosophies, physicists, psychologists, mystics, not to mention those who practice metaphysics, of course, and some of the highest respected and most successful people in history have known or do know this and engage in this form of personal growth and knowledge production. Yes, I do believe we can access greater knowledge simply by “tapping into the source,” however you wish to define the source. Do not fall for the “fidurodian” (positivistic) trap that would claim you are merely tapping into your “alter egos” or that you are “crazy” or “imbalanced” (Kincheloe, 2008). This is only misinformation to control and manipulate people so that they refrain from accessing this knowledge, for if you are successful, the power and success of those at the top becomes highly limited.

Thus, people who hold power and authority will come up with anything to keep people from improving their abilities to access this knowledge. If you cannot define it for yourself or if you are humiliated for your attempts to gain access to this knowledge, then you will not be able to tap into it and your knowledge, ability, and power will be limited. Those in power are well aware of this and so those of us who access our innate abilities are viewed as threatening to these people. Please do understand that there are many of us now who are rising above the feeble attempts to discredit what we are doing and saying, and the earth and people on it will continue now to move “onward and upward” (as Joe has put it) in evolutionary development. Don’t get left behind.

In the book, Exploring Native American Wisdom by Fran Dancing Feather and Rita Robinson, which I just picked up this morning and began reading, the authors describe some of traditional ways for taking these sorts of spiritual journeys or "vision quests". Their descriptions do correspond with what I have been learning the past nine months. Please understand, that prior to this, I was not a spiritual person at all. I was bound and gagged by the fidurodian mindset. And I shunned religion due to the dogma and doctrine that did not make sense to me. What I did do, however, during the past nine months, was remain open to divine guidance that was generously sent my way and I gathered a spiritual family, much the same way as seems to be suggested by the Elders, a spiritual family that included members who reside both in this plane and members who have passed over to the other side. And so when I began to read about this process this morning in this particular book, I was quite fascinated with it and it seemed familiar and right.

They describe this process as “creating your own circle of power” in which you can be assisted with finding your “true north” (the mountain), or in other terms, your purpose or divine destiny. Then we do a sort of “spiral dance,” which can be accomplished in a multitude of ways as has been done for thousands of years around the world, such as meditation, yoga, dancing, music, artwork, Pleiadian lightwork (Quan Yin, 1996) which I love as it presents some very delightful visualization techniques, etc., all of which takes us on a journey whereby we are much more open to receiving “knowledge, wisdom, and power” that is freely and lovingly passed down to us (p. 42). And there is an ultimate mission, according to many, including the Elders. The authors explain:

“It is the path to the ultimate mate for our soul and heart. It is not a human power, but rather the other half of our spirit self that longs for union with us” (Dancing Feather & Robinson, 2003, p.46).

Thus, once again, finding our one true soul mate becomes our mission and, as the authors convey, our true spiritual path. This is a topic I have discussed in these blogs on several occasions and one which I will no doubt cover more extensively from a scientific perspective since science does provide the more positivistic explanation now that so many people still seek in order to be convinced. Although, Joe did point out that this scientific knowledge, even though it presents information in a postivistic sense that is typically respected and promoted by those in power, is highly shunned by those same people and by the educational community (Kincheloe, 2008). This will be covered in future writing.
 

We are divinely guided toward a reunion once and for all with our one true soul mate, according to this Native American account (and of course, not all Native American accounts will be exactly like this one, but there are likely close similarities). Once we form that sacred bond, once we transcend the physical world “into unfamiliar territory…we soon become aware that the other half of us waits patiently to form a bond that will change us forever” (p. 47).
 

I have personally embarked on that path and I do feel that I have been transformed forever, continue to transform, and now know what my true destiny is. I have a better understanding of the past, present and future – which occur simultaneously, a concept that is difficult for the Western mind to comprehend fully and, of course, I do not claim to comprehend it fully whatsoever – I merely perceive threads of the idea. There is always more to learn, much more to learn, but I now have my mentors, peers, and ascended masters who help me even when I do not ask for help and there is a tight intertwined symbiotic relationship between all members of this spiritual family. If I should I ask for help, they are available instantly, but they also just know when I need help and they often simply wish to bless me with help and other blessings that might serve to move me forward more rapidly or that they wish for me to share with others to help us all move forward. When I willingly and lovingly do what I have been requested -- which I do because I know that it is for some higher purpose and greater good -- then I am also blessed for that.

And so, I had another blessing bestowed upon me just two nights ago (September 17, 2009), which is what has prompted me to write this blog in the great detail that I have. I was speaking to a spiritual advisor/counselor who is a medium (and as a reminder, this is totally new to me; the very first time in my life that I ever even considered speaking to a medium was about eight months ago when I did not understand why Joe's leaving this world hit me so hard and I could not get past crying, even after several weeks. I was moved or nudged to talk to a medium.) She also has had great ideas for helping me move up spiritually by dealing with some of the personal issues in my life – issues that most of share like how to overcome our fears, understand our dreams, and the inability to manifest our wishes. I enjoy telling her about the latest and greatest miracles in my life and it always amazes me how many miraculous things happen even in one short week. With no exaggeration, I could write an entire book every week about that week’s miracles if I had the time to do so. Anyway, I was in the process of telling her that I am writing an instruction manual to explain how to find the MUSIC Easter eggs in Joe’s book (and she does not know Joe, his work, or this website, as I have kept that confidential, only that he was an educator who wrote books and had hidden music Easter eggs in them to make reading his book more fun) and so out of the blue, as I told her I was writing a booklet to help people find his hidden Easter eggs and was going to give it away free, she said: “Band on the Run.”

She said this song was just handed down to her as we were speaking. Mind you, nothing I said remotely related to this song. I became very excited because I knew instantly where the song was hiding in Joe’s book as an Easter egg. There was a very interesting analogy he had presented that stuck in my mind, but I had not associated any particular song with it and I did not correlate it with being a MUSIC Easter egg. I did feel that there was much more to this short excerpt in his book than what it stated at face value, if I could just decode it hermeneutically.  I was very excited because here was a song just handed down to me as a gift that I made an instant connection with exactly where it fits in the book. How amazing (considering the vastness, depth, and multiple levels of his book and the numerous topics he has covered)….if the medium who handed me the title of this song was not genuinely blessed with a special ability, then she is blessed with being a genius to have figured out that this precise song was in Joe's book and that it was highly relevant to Joe's message, and so, to counteract this notion, I will give readers a chance to try and find just where in his book this song, Band on the Run, is hiding as an Easter egg -- which turns out to be by Paul McCartney after researching it on YouTube – and also a chance to explain what it means in context with what Joe wrote? Can you find it?

I am certain that, if a medium is not genuinely connected with a higher source of knowledge as she and I am claiming, that most of you can quite easily find where this song is being conveyed in Joe's book, even though it is a more challenging Easter egg. Without the title of the song, I honestly would not have solved it, but now that I have been given the title and the insight to the passage that correlates with it, it is solvable. One might ponder the question, while engaging in the process of searching for this Easter egg, which I warrant will be quite difficult to find, how did the medium come out with the exact perfect song title if she was not connecting to a higher spiritual power? Perhaps if you have read Joe’s book in its entirety you will immediately know where this Easter egg is located, just as I did instantly upon hearing the title of the song? Band on the Run. Think about it. Can you solve this?

I will include my interpretation of this particular Easter egg in “How to find the Music Easter Eggs in Joe L. Kincheloe’s book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy” when I post it on this web site as a free download. I do believe it is important that I include this particular Easter egg in the book, and in fact, that was the message I received personally later as to why I was being directed to this particular Easter egg. Again, as is usually the case, there are multiple reasons for including this Easter egg in the instruction booklet. And do remember: there are many more Easter eggs just waiting to be found, so I hope you join in on this MUSIC Easter Egg Treasure Hunt. It is sure to prove very exciting and enlightening. I hope to post the booklet in the next week or so, so be sure to check back then.

In conclusion, I would just like to point out that there are many of us who believe we can receive knowledge -- powerful knowledge as well as insights to guide our research -- from higher spiritual realms if we take the time to use some of the many wonderful tools that have been handed down to us generation after generation in many different cultures  -- knowledge and tools that can help us pay attention to the treasures we find along our paths and to listen to the insights that are handed to us. It is very important to listen to the Elders among us because their messages are deep, true, and the actions they recommend can save humanity and the earth. I hope you will search YouTube for more of these messages and prophecies from the Elders and also begin practicing some of the multitudes of techniques that can raise your consciousness.
 

They do not teach us any of this in school, and in fact, they teach against our obtaining this type of knowledge and they prefer to keep our consciousnesses shut down. They may even claim this is a form of religion, a very popular tactic. It is not religion, although, as I have stated elsewhere, it may be part of a religion if one chooses. Many religions today leave these teachings out, influenced and molded as they are by the people in power. So why is this knowledge kept from us? Joe also provided us the answer to that question and most of us already know as well. The powers-that-be want to keep us all dumb and divided and as history has shown, they have no boundaries or limits as to what they will do to ensure this, as we have witnessed by the numerous examples of genocide throughout history and that continue today as we speak (Kincheloe, 2008). Personally, I do not like thinking or talking about such tragedies, but we must face the facts so that we can make the changes needed to prevent this from continuing. How long are we going to tolerate this? I truly hope that each and every one of us who is not already doing something, will today begin to take powerful actions to put an immediate halt to this horror. For what we are calling for here are actions, not merely "lip service" as Joe had observed among so many of his colleagues in education (Kincheloe, 2008, p. 251). Those who merely pay lip service will be left in the dust while the rest of us move onward and upward toward the creation of a more beautiful and loving world to be in. I hope you will be among those who truly wish to leave selfishness and greed behind and are working to make the world a better place. However, it can only happen when we all put this mission ahead of our personal self-interests and fears. We all have a lot of work to do.

Vanessa

References

Dancing Feather, F. & Robinson, R. (2003). Exploring Native American wisdom: Lore, tradition, and rituals that connect us all. Franklin Lakes, NJ: The Career Press.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

Quan-Yin, A. (1996). The Pleiadian workbook: Awakening your divine ka. Rochester, VT: Bear & Company.

Band on the Run – Paul McCartney

Indigenous Native American Prophecy: Elders Speak Part 1

Indigenous Native American Prophecy: Elders Speak Part 2

Education has got to catch up with Science. We are doing our children a huge injustice by teaching them old Newtonian and Cartesian science concepts that do not apply and are, in fact, the very reason why humans have bungled things up so badly. Still today, science is being taught as if it is simply just a bunch of boring and disconnected facts that children need to cram into their brains and then access just long enough to pass their standardized science tests.

When I was assisting a high school science teacher just a few years ago, I was appalled at how she handled teaching. She gave the students a study guide with a list of all of the terms and concepts they needed to memorize and understand, gave them a textbook which was a dry dissertation about biological “knowledge” but had lots of pretty pictures – as if we know for certain what the unknown looks like -- and told them they were on their own from that point on. She had done her part, she stated to the students, by giving them the materials and it was up to them to learn it. I am not sure how she considered herself a teacher.

Of course, in Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, Joe has presented the most thorough argument in existence against the use of “Baconian-Newtonian-Cartesian” thought – the very foundation of his explanation of FIDUROD that rules our thoughts and actions – and so I highly recommend reading this book for a better understanding of how this limited and restricted way of teaching and learning is implicated in the horrible state the world is in today, from the ecological destruction to the wars and pillaging; whereas, acknowledging subjectivity and relationship opens up doors for greater knowledge and understanding.

Rather than conducting research in “objective” frameworks, which truly are not possible anyway, since there are always subjectivities involved in all research, the “omnijective” approach views the research process as a holistic, interactive endeavor (Talbot, 1993, cited in Kincheloe, 2008, p. 228). As Joe explains, “Obviously, these two approaches constitute very different epistemological perspectives on the interaction of connecting knowledge, researchers, and the phenomenon under study. Thus, the FIDURODian researcher remains as anonymous as possible, while a critical scholar understands that his or her input into a study, his or her subjectivity, must be viewed as an important and transparent aspect of the process of inquiry” (p. 228).

The point is, however, that science today is still being taught as a body of disconnected knowledge to learn, and not as a discipline in which we do not have the answers but we have many very fascinating questions and it is beneficial to acknowledge the ways our perceptions play a key interacting role in our inquiries and the “answers” we find. Our mission to keep exploring is the very purpose of science – and indeed, life itself and yet we squelch this in the very discipline that should be moving us forward. Thus, I present the following video, which sums up some of these ideas and their effects succinctly and clearly, not to provide answers, but for the purpose of invoking the asking of questions so that we might seek greater knowledge and understanding.

The Four Myth Perceptions of the Apocalypse

 

References

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer

Image Credits: Русский: Апокалипсис (Видение Иоанна Богослова на острове Патмос)

Russian Orthodox Icon Apocalypse; first half of the 16^th Century. http://lj.rossia.org/users/john_petrov/1025764.html Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse

I had SO much fun yesterday! I met with a very sweet college student who is working on a design for a special logo for the GREAT MISSION. I picked her up and we went out to lunch together and immediately, as we sat down, a song played, which she commented on as being one of her favorite songs. I happen to love the song, too, so it is appropriate to share it here: Girls Just Wanna to Have Fun! And so, I knew we were in for a good time. It was very enjoyable and I am so excited about the great ideas and drawings she showed me for the logo. It is going to be a “hyper special” logo that will convey the magnitude of the entire mission we are working on. You will have to check back at a future date to see what develops…it will be great! And I am very excited where this project is heading! We are building something so monumental -- some of which will be revealed in the near future. The AMAZING THING is that this is not the full-blown mission project yet! That doesn’t even start until April 3, 2010.

So, was the light above Joe’s head in the picture I posted in yesterday’s blog a halo? What do you think? I think it was. Anyone who knew him, knew that he had qualities that most of us can only dream of: virtue, patience, unconditional love, tolerance, creativity, super human intelligence, integrity, and more. The indications I have received are that it probably was meant to represent a halo, since the song below, Heaven Must Have Sent You, made its appearance to me again today. I have learned to look around me for signs and symbols; it is quite spectacular and makes life so joyful. Why this song? It just sort of "popped out" at me this morning and there happens to be an Easter Egg inside it that provides more proof! Can you find it? (You will need to listen carefully.)

Have an angelic day! Be good, be loving, and be observant for those delectable treats – the signs and signals that are all around you, surely sent from angels, and just waiting to be discovered and acknowledged.

Vanessa

Heaven Must Have Sent You – The Elgins

I am so glad I drove the five short hours from Oregon up to Vancouver, Canada to meet Joe on July 29, 2008. It is absolutely one of the most memorable experiences of my lifetime. The following is a blog I wrote -- just one of my “long, lost blogs” with certain portions deleted and revised (but improved).

I love this particular photograph of Joe in which the "light" is right above his head (is it a halo?) -- it was one I took on the day I met him which I just discovered as I went back throuh my photographs to put this blog together. I guess even then, I knew Joe was an angel. It is very special since I have very, very few photos of Joe.

Please note that the term FIDUROD is an acronym Joe devised for a very complex form of positivism that controls us, our society, politics, and education today. It is the epitome of the power  that is so ingrained within each and every one of us and is used to control us. Joe thoroughly defines it, provides multiple examples, and extrapolates in multiple ways so that you cannot fail to understand it – all in his book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction.

My Transformation Crossing the US/Canadian Border: The Day I Met Joe

I had wanted to meet Joe Lyons Kincheloe ever since I came across his website in May, 2008, and he asked me to write a blog for the site. I was so excited when I learned that he was going to be at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, only about a five-hour drive from my home in Oregon. So, the day before the special day (I wanted to be there early to make sure I did not miss him), I gathered up my two teens and we trekked over the border to meet Joe and learn more about his views on religion, politics, and freedom.

During our visit, I shared with Joe my humorous and transformative crossing of the U.S./Canadian border. The incident seems to be indicative of the ironclad grip FIDUROD has on my mind and it is almost scary – but I also feel empowered now that I realize what happened because I know it will never happen again. Maybe I was tired and “zoned out” from driving and maybe I just thought the guy on the motorcycle in front of me had handed over cash to the border guard. Those were my excuses for what actually transpired, because whatever the reason, my mind was off-task and what I saw ahead of me on the border was a tollbooth – you know, a place where you have to drop off money as you drive by. I knew I also had to show ID, but being in that twilight state, (Kincheloe, 2008a) for some reason I was thinking I needed to pay the guard first. So, along with my ID, I was robotically handing over cash!

Joe burst out in laughter when I described this to him (and I was laughing, too) and he said it would have been funny if the guard had thought I was giving him $10 to bribe my way across the border, which is exactly what I was afraid of, especially since, as I clarified for Joe, “I gave him $30!”  Joe was bent over from laughing so hard and I was laughing even harder, as I went on to describe that the guard had thankfully not taken my money. In fact, the border guard finally said to me in a deep voice with no expression, “I need to see your ID.” I was so embarrassed over my blunder that the guard felt sorry for me because next he told me, somewhat paternally, “People from the East often hand over cash, thinking they have to pay a toll to get through.” I quickly grabbed onto that, saying, “Yes! I had lived in the East” (well, actually Chicago, but close enough) and “yes, we had to pay tolls” – whew! What a mistake

But it was SO worth it to have the story to tell and to see Joe laugh so hard. And I laugh again every time I think about sharing my experience with him. He shared with me that he also did not do well crossing borders, that he always came across looking and feeling guilty about something, and we laughed some more…another thing that was so sweet about Joe that day was that he took time to get to know my two children and asked them questions about their interests and activities; he just loved children…in fact, he could hardly be pulled away from us, even though he was at risk for missing his plane flight. Both of my children were impressed with him and have forever been changed by meeting him. He still works in their lives today in many dimensions and meeting him has had a powerful impact on them.

Seeing Tollbooths: Is FIDUROD the culprit?

Joe had once told me that we all have to be “mindful of FIDUROD,” including him (pers. corresp.) and this, even though he wrote the book on it. It is disconcerting to think that FIDUROD has such a grip on my mind that I just unwittingly hand over money at the sight of a symbol, while at the very same time I am sabotaging my own desire for a better way of life. It makes me wonder just how much control over my own mind – and money - I really have. I realize that this is another one of those “generative themes” that Joe Kincheloe (2005) defines as a “topic taken from students’ lived experience that is compelling and controversial enough to elicit their excitement and commitment” (para. 2).

In my mind, it also signifies what he describes as “crypto-positivism [which] has us construct just one possible meaning [and it] crushes the sociological, psychological, and pedagogical imagination” (2008b, p. 19). Ontologically, I was limited due to the economic and social constraints placed on me due to our hierarchical society. This, of course, culminated in no experience traveling across borders. I was only recognizing a tollbooth and did not have the tools at hand, such as hermeneutics, to evaluate the situation according to other epistemologies or possibilities. It is clear that what I really need is Joe’s complex critical pedagogy (Kincheloe, 2008a).

Can we just have freedom?

It would help to have freedom. Where is freedom when I cannot even think for myself because the imperialist’s deep and complex indoctrination and permanent class assignment have led me to believe there is only one definition for a little booth at the side of the road and that definition dictates handing over money? Even though I know Canada has some of the same issues as the United States, I nevertheless felt freer when I finally stepped over the border. And the contrast between entering Canada, where there was a beautiful “Peace Park” with little surveillance as compared to entering back into the US where lines of cars were delayed for hours and people were intimidated as numerous cameras snapped photos, and video cameras whizzed in concert with US border guards demanding more ID, was astonishing.

The US is a special place I guess, so special that some people believe it is worth giving away our freedom so we are safer from fabricated terror. The real terror is the fact that we have less freedom than we realize, and what little is left is being continuously eroded through our own numbed out complicity with the ever-growing global imperialist machine and by mindlessly purchasing and uncritically consuming numerous products and media that only serve to drag us down and numb us out even more.

We need Joe’s complex critical pedagogy and critical complex epistemology to gain a thorough understanding of how FIDUROD operates in our lives, turning us into puppets (Kincheloe, 2008b,c). We also need a unifying sense of solidarity to enlighten and empower us no matter where FIDUROD has us chained to the contrived hierarchical and divided ladder as long as all of the rungs continue to fall far beneath the imperialist elite at the top. I realize that I was lucky to get across the border unscathed, and very likely it was due to my privilege, but I also know that privilege has not always rescued me from scenarios like this (I could be sitting in jail). We need to teach honor and justice for both earth and people so that we can break free from imperialist bondage. It is imperative that we all continue this struggle for freedom.

Crossing the Border – Alfredo Rodriguez  AMAZING, Incredible & Transformative!

References 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2005). Issues of power, questions of purpose. In

Joe L. Kincheloe (ed.). Classroom Teaching: An Introduction. NY: Peter Lang. Kincheloe, J. L (2008a). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An Introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

Kincheloe, J. L (2008b). Critical pedagogy and the knowledge wars of the twenty-first century. International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 1(1), 1-22.

Kincheloe, J. L (2008c). Critical pedagogy: A primer. 2^nd edition. New York: Peter Lang.

PHOTO CREDITS: All photos taken July, 2008, on my trip to Canada, by yours truly and her children.

As mentioned earlier, the Higher Council wishes for us to observe FREEDOM during the entire month of September so that we can all become more enlightened about what freedom really is. This is important as children and students go back to classrooms where they are not free to learn, but rather are constrained from learning about the very things that are closest to their hearts (Kincheloe, 2005a,b; 2008 a,b). I can relate. I am currently in a doctoral class in which I am not free. I am forced to write an entire paper defining “professionalism” and its “ethical principles” along with a plan for how I will practice this “professionalism” in my career throughout the future. It provokes an agonizing angst, because whereas in most courses I have been able to work around being forced to support the status quo, in this particular course, achieving this has been particularly difficult because the assignments are extremely directive. I would have much rather have written a paper discussing how the term professionalism needs to be abandoned because it has become so hopelessly ideologically defined in ways that only continue to serve the status quo and does not promote the changes our society needs.

I would rather write a paper that expounds on how Western based ethical principles cannot apply to defining professionalism in this increasingly global society (Paradis, 2008), and how we are right in the middle of developing a whole new paradigm that would have us developing a new word for “professionalism” and a new epistemology (Cronin & Davenport, 1989; Pearce, 1995, 1999; Baggett, 2000). In fact, some authors have adopted the term “post-professionalism,” but then this complicates the matter by bringing in the time-wasting and ideologically-misinformed arguments of postmodernism, which I am so weary of reading since it becomes more of a turf battle than honest academic discourse (Cronin & Davenport, 1989). It seems there are just too many people who have forgotten that “post” means “after” not postmodernism and that no one has defined or can define postmodernism; thus, it results in hopeless arguments in which nobody is even talking about the same thing (and they call it academic discourse?)

We are so UNfree when it comes to our education! (Kincheloe, 2008). I mistakenly thought that by the time I reached my very last doctoral course, I would have the freedom to choose a topic to write a paper about and that academic discourse would be productive – I thought I had certainly paid enough money out and have proven myself academically so that I have earned this right even if it should not just be handed down; apparently, not, and of course, this all relates to the status quo and the fact that education is a dictated, top-down endeavor.The work I am doing on this website – as well as in many other places by essentially “going out on a limb” and risking any chance of a future career in education in the traditional sense of the word (which, I totally reject as long as people are harmed by the way education is practiced), is likened to what Rosa Parks did when she refused to give up her seat on the bus for a white male passenger. With Rosa, of course, it was racism and classism. In my particular case, because I am white, we are talking about classism; however; the two absolutely go hand-in-hand.

Therefore, I do hope that by paving a path for people who are poor and do not begin to stand an equal chance the privileged elite have with education or anything else in our society, I am also paving the way for people of other races by this, what is likely to be considered by some, extremely radical web activism . I cannot help but think Joe would have actually loved what I am doing. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that he suffered great angst through his own efforts to work within a broken educational system.

Rosa Parks’ actions, as well as actions by others before her, were absolutely monumental in creating change within this country, the United States. Her activism sparked an uprising. I hope that my activism by which I am refusing to acknowledge and be constrained within an education system that is dictated by white male Europeans (sadly, supported hegemonically by many, including women) for their own selfish purposes , a topic Joe discusses extensively in his works, including his fears surrounding critical pedagogy heading in that same wrong direction, does spark a revolution – a peaceful and loving one, a revolution of enlightenment, a revolution of new epistemologies – the “perpetual revolution” that Joe has spoken of and is a part of his mission for education (Kincheloe, 2005a, b; 2008a,b; personal correspondence).

We do not have freedom in education today, no matter what level we aspire to, as I have learned in my doctoral work where I am fighting a battle to do the research the way I wish – using Joe’s advanced conceptualization of the Bricolage on a very monumental topic of my choosing (Kincheloe, 2005). There is simply no reason for a university, if it is truly about education, learning, and moving humanity forward, to prevent people from researching the topics they choose and from using the methodologies they choose when these have been more than adequately  justified through advanced scholarly discourse. My heart goes out to Joe again. Sometimes I feel like he was giving up, in some ways (just my own perception, and I own that). Yet, I know he would never give up, and he has not given up. He was/is quite the warrior scholar and, as I have stated, he has opened the door – it is my choice to pass through that door in my own chosen idiosyncratic manner, start blazing more trails, and allow his work to lead me to finding the multiple pathways to other doors that can be opened.

Joe left us the keys to many doors. We only need to take those keys and unlock them. I hope there are many people on the same trail who will refuse to allow the status quo – no matter whose status quo it may be – to dictate to them what they should learn, how they should learn it, why they should be learning it, and how they must talk about it (what they can and can't say, the formal and prescribed procedures, etc.). 

We  must follow the missions for education which we know in our own hearts are positive ones that will benefit humanity and provide a better future for us all. This is why I follow Joe...

Vanessa

PS This is one of our new universal anthems. It replaces Star Spangled Banner. We will be announcing some additional anthems in the future, as we believe there should be multiple anthems. This will more adequately represent a universal diversity while at the same time serve to promote greater unity.

Lift Every Voice and Sing



References

Baggett, L. “Chip” (2000). Professional issues of the cultural paradigm shift: A new AHP Center.  Perspective, August/September, 2000. Association for Humanistic Psychology. Retrieved September 12, 2009 from http://www.academyprojects.org/baggatt.htm.

Cronin, B. & Davenport, E., eds. (1989). Post-professionalism: transforming the information heartland.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2005a). Critical constructivism. New York: Peter Lang. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2005b). On to the next level: Continuing the conceptualization of the bricolage. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(3), 323-350. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008a). Critical pedagogy. 2^nd ed. New York: Peter Lang. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008b). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer. 

Paradis, V. J. (2008). Should Western-based ethics theories form the foundation for global distance education? Unpublished paper. 

Pearce, R. (1995). The professional paradigm shift: Why discarding professional ideology will improve the conduct and reputation of the bar. New York University Law Review, 1229, 12. 

Pearce, R. (1999). Law Day: Post-professionalism, moral leadership, and the law-as-business paradigm.  Florida State University Law Review, 27, 9, 9-21. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, 1955. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

For me, the big question is why does society not value things such as art and music? We should ALL be demanding these things and see the value in them to our wellbeing and enlightenment. This should be a society that people determine this -- and not a corrupt government that deems only "factoids" (Kincheloe, 2008) that can be tested constitute knowledge. We would be valuing aesthetics for all of the inherent contributions these beautiful, lovingly created works provide to our overall well being and to our wisdom. There are many, many studies that show the value of aesthetics for learning, enlightenment, creativity, innovation, and forging community.

I envision a dream home of white marble (in another time, place, and space) in which sunlight streams in and there are exotic beautiful plants throughout, gorgeous paintings by skilled artists, tapestries by gifted needle workers, wood carvings created with love by talented woodworkers, sculptures gracefully embodied with the talent of artisans, an enormous library that is a sensuous delight with the greatest literary works, gardens just outside the doorstep with winding pathways that sport a new and exotic scene around each corner: waterfalls and statues, exotic plants and trees with breathtakenly beautiful vibrantly colored flowers, ponds and goldfish, wildlife that love people because their consciousnesses are devoid of fears, multiple pathways winding down to a beautiful crystalline sparkling beach beside a deep blue soothing ocean....that is the home I dream of.

All people are respected and revered for their special innate talents and skills. We do not hire a gardener and yet we have a gardener. We do not hire someone to clean our home, yet someone is there each day to clean our home. We do not hire a cook, because we have fresh fruits and vegetables delivered free to our door each day. We do not kill animals because we eat very little meat and what meat we do use is made in the lab without harming animals whatsoever. There is no exchange of money. Money does not exist. Everyone is happy doing what they love, and what they love is multiple things because everyone has multiple special gifts. Everyone is provided what they need and wish for. We have parties and celebrations nearly every day and we never tire of them. We exchange intellectual dialogue, we build relationships, we mentor, we teach, we exchange goods and services, we plan, we engage in that "civic" activity which people today have absolutely no clue as to what it truly is all about, we play, we provide happy, colorful, joyful, entertainment for the children -- carnivals, parades, arts and crafts. We have the absolutely most beautiful and heavenly music one could imagine that sends your spirits to places most people have never known and we do not pay musicians.

Everyone -- absolutely everyone only does what they wish and what they most love to do. There is no television because it is not needed. There is no Internet because it is not needed. Travel is nonintrusive and rapid, so everyone can enjoy open space, nature, and even their own private stretch of beach where soul mates can share their love (lol).... this is my dreamland.

Education is free. There are many master teachers who have dedicated their lives to education. We engage in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary education. Everyone learns philosophy, history, reading and writing in multiple languages, mathematics, physics, and environmental sciences, and of course, arts and music….it is blended; the disciplines are not isolated and fractured as is done in U.S. schools. The first 10 years of a child’s formal educational life, from age 6 to 16 are spent identifying the child's innate interests and abilities and to discover what their unique purpose is in life. They are assigned a Master Teacher to teach and guide them in this discovery and if the Master Teacher's interests align, they stay with that Master Teacher for the duration of their first leg of education -- until they are 24 years of age at which time special recognition is given them for their potential contribution to society. If the Master Teacher has determined a different Master Teacher would better meet the needs of the child's interest, they refer them to a Master Teacher who specializes in that interest. And teachers always build a relationship of love for their student -- and yes, they have just one student at a time. At age 24, the student then begins practice in the field they select to focus on for the next leg of their educational journey, always knowing that their education continues on and they may work in many different branches of their specialty and even change specialties later if they so choose. There is no "lock in" as far as what people wish to do -- it is always free choice and there is NEVER a worry about money for "bills" for anything whatsoever. Bills and money do not exist. Everyone is provided everything they need and want. It is a system that works very well and no one has complaints about it.

The U.S. system, including education, is devised by a few greedy people at the top. As Joe (2008) puts it, “Imagining what could be – a central goal of any critical pedagogy – has no place in such regressive schools” (p. 4). The entire system is devised to divide, rule, and conquer. When people get tired of this someday, they will come to see there really is a better way and there really is enough to go around for everyone. Competition falls by the wayside and sharing, caring, and loving rule the world. It can happen. Just as soon as people awaken to the reality of the hell they live in and that they (we) are all complicit in maintaining, and instead, choose to take charge and work toward a new way of life. Only then will people be fully empowered to see that they do have the power to escape and create something new and better. The first step is what Joe called “immanence” which is the ability to imagine how things could be….I just provided a scenario of one way it could be. How would you like it to be?

Don't you just love Joe's creativity? It is SO great! He has gems of wisdom, morsels of entertainment, beautiful music, and sparks of sensuality dispersed regularly throughout his books. The first time I read Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, I could not put the book down until I finished, except, as I had told Joe in an email at the time, "I was forced to take brain breaks" (lol). I just love reading his work.

What is Joe’s word for today? Here’s what I hear (in my imagination):

Joe never really liked being called “Jodie.” He would probably like to have that “nipped in the bud.” Given that he worked so hard and maintained his perfect reputation as a professional educator with impeccable integrity, in spite of the stigma of being "a hillbilly from the mountains of East Tennessee" (p. 16), his preference would most likely be to always be referred to as Joe: Joe Lyons Kincheloe.

Quotation for the day (from Joe’s book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction):

“With criticality, the cat gets out of the bag. With the critical kitty sitting in our laps we begin to understand the way the matrix is loaded, the deck is stacked, socio-political reality is constructed. Indeed, a critical complex epistemology/politics of knowledge can help us gain new levels of consciousness and in the process, change the world” (Joe Kincheloe, 2008, p. 177).

Flute Celtic Music

 

That's it for today. I am off working on some other exciting and great projects, for the Great Mission, of course!

Have a great Saturday!
Vanessa

Image Credit: http://help.com/post/198088-images-you-i-likei-hope-you Kagaya Yutaka (Japanese: カガヤ) (born 1968, Saitama) is a Japanese digital artist who is known for painting elaborately detailed and spectacularly colored images. His images often include elements with a luminous quality. Some of his favorite subjects are astronomy and visions of utopian worlds. His most famous works focus on three main topics: Celestial Exploring, Galactic Railroad and Starry Tales. Kagaya really likes the night sky with stars and he often uses the blue color in his work. http://www.kagayastudio.com/index.html  English: http://www.kagayastudio.com/english/index.html

It has been brought to my attention that I have not fully comprehended (until now) the significance of pennies from Heaven – at least not the pennies from My Angel. While I have done nothing wrong in the way I have interpreted finding the pennies in my two previous blogs since there are always multiple interpretations, I did fail to create adequate emphasis on the fact that often pennies are manifested as a divine promise for something to come such as being a representation of “seed money” for future money that will be coming to you. For example, in the first incident, Pennies from Heaven, my daughter found the penny right after she had suffered disappointment when we were not able to buy  her an iPod as we had set to do because the store was completely out of stock. Someone had just recently stolen every iPod in the store. So, when she found the penny immediately after that, it was a promise to her that she would get her iPod and was meant to console her.

Sure enough, the very next day, she was able to buy her iPod. And in this particular case (if you read the blog), the penny was even more significant, because it was as if our Angel was proving to us what I had just told my daughter on the way to the store about pennies coming from heaven.  (It would be funny and also amazing if something manifests from THIS blog....we will have to wait and see...I do know the Angels will be pleased that I have taken the time to write this.)
 

It has also been brought to my attention that my second experience with the penny, Another Penny from Heaven: How Sweet, in which I was told there was treasure next to the yellow climbing rose bush happened the very next day after the announcement was made that I would receive $1.2 million to begin the development, planning, and property purchase for the first Joe Lyons Kincheloe Academy. It should have dawned on me right then that, in addition to the interpretation I had provided about equal rights based on the date of the penny, that this penny is a promise to me. It’s like seed money that will manifest into the money I will need for the Joe Lyons Kincheloe Academy.

Angels can do that. They are very powerful. In fact, it has often been said that it is just as easy for them to manifest millions of dollars as it is to manifest a penny hidden in the ground and convey the message where you can find it. Timing is everything, however. I have noticed, for example, that money often only manifests when you truly need it -- at the exact right moment. I used to get upset because everytime I got unexpected money something came up that I had to use it for. Now, I look at it differently. I thank God and the Angels for providing me the money at that exact right moment. The purpose for all of this is so that we learn to overcome our ingrained fears about not having enough money. And things can get worse for us if we do not work to overcome these fears. It appears that the timing does have to be exactly right.

The penny I was led to and found in the ground is a promise to me that when the time is right, the money will be manifested. It is also interesting, to me, although it may mean nothing to you, the penny was right next to the special yellow climbing yellow rose bush that I had actually planted, along with three other yellow rose bushes, in memory of Joe when I first moved into my manifested new home last February (and believe me, the home was manifested; you would be amazed at that story, which I will have to tell another time). At any rate, you do have to believe and you also need to acknowledge what your Angels have done for you, what it means, and be sincerely grateful. Therefore, I must apologize to my Angels for the oversight in not recognizing and conveying the significance of the pennies they have provided me in these two examples. And I really do love to find pennies now, especially through treasure hunts that get passed down to me from exactly whence, I do not know...I suspect there are many Angels behind those.

 
Remember: When you find a penny on the ground, it just might be a very special promise from an Angel. You may be richly blessed for picking it up.  

I hope you find a penny from your Angel(s) today!

Vanessa  

"We are lost if we are not imaginative, exploring entities" (Joe Kincheloe, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 250).

Voices of Angels

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Joe's Rose, by Yours Truly

              The Great Mission

What Is the Great Mission?

A dedication to students and teachers everywhere! And we are ALL students and teachers.

Have You Had Your “Joe” Today?

I was just reminiscing over all of the work Joe produced during his too short lifetime and it is so amazing. I could post something here absolutely everyday for the rest of my life and not begin to cover the multitude of great and amazing insights and revelations for education, living, and love that are enclosed within the pages of his nearly 60 books (I have yet to even purchase them all) -- and who knows how many articles he wrote, not to mention the previous website and email dialogue I had with him for seven months before he tragically left this world as you know it (he has NOT left the world as I know it; for what Joe taught me is so true: There are multiple dimensions and we can choose to engage in them, which is one reason I have dreams about him on a regular basis, and which is but one way I experience his presence). I will make it a point each day to include something of his great wisdom that teachers, students, parents – each of us – have something profound to think about each morning as they head out (or stay in) for their day, something they can apply to their daily lives that will in some way make their lives better. Just call it a gift from Joe each day, which is better than that cup of "Joe" that so many of you seem to need to start each day with.

There is so much to learn from the gifts of discourse he left us and I realize even these are but a mere fraction of the powerful and profound gifts he left the world. He left his music, his love, his immanence, his complete educational theory, his discernment, his virtue, his impeccable integrity, and so much more. And to think that this website is a shrine to his greatness? Never could his greatness ever be matched by this website or even multitudes of websites. We need to build a Joe Lyons Kincheloe Public Library and Historical Museum to house all of his works, his personal library, and all of the amazing artifacts I find on the many treasure hunts (which is NO COINCIDENCE, incidentally). We also need to launch many Joe Lyons Kincheloe Academies that provide a curriculum he would advocate for.

I have been writing here each day for quite some time, and it appears this will continue under directive of divine authority. The blogs will be briefer for this next academic year because I know people are rushed in the mornings, so I will be limiting the dialogue to short, sweet, and profound messages that will brighten your day and that will, hopefully lead you toward your desire to find your true blue soul mate and your joint destiny which will make up your purpose for eternity.

Indeed, that is exactly what I have found by knowing Joe, although there will be people who doubt that and that’s good! The “coincidences” will just keep happening, become more powerful, more convincing, and more undeniable. I will remind those people that this is my reality, not theirs, and I do not have the need for others to accept my reality. We all need to do our own work. And, anyway, I LOVE Treasure Hunting and all of the profound and divine gifts that manifest from them (for those of you who are new, you will want to review my treasure hunt blogs). Also, eventually, I will write them up in more detail, conduct more research surrounding them since each one has multiple purposes and extends knowledge in some way. This is just one of my projects over the next year. Another is that I will be writing a short manual for finding the Easter eggs in Joe’s work and it will be posted here as a free download. I will also write a book in which I identify many more of Joe’s Easter eggs and some interpretations for them, because it appears that I am being divinely guided to finding them when the time is right. And there is so much more in his book – codes, key codes, MOVIE Easter eggs, and much more, which I am also being divinely guided into finding. How is this so?

I know my destiny! I knew it when I met Joe. (I have had many signs and symbols!) Those who would question my assessment of my own destiny have yet to find their own destiny and my love goes out to them. Perhaps reading my blogs over the next academic year will help them find their pathways. I do hope what I write here will guide people along that road. If you have already found your one true soul mate, you have also found your destiny and there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in your mind. And your soul mate may reside in another dimension or multiple dimensions, yet you are free to fully participate in those other dimensions and work together in this dimension for the fulfillment of your joint mission. If you have found your one true soul mate, you will know exactly what I am saying and that it is truth. If you do not consciously believe what I am saying, your subconscious mind knows the truth. If you question whether the person you have found is your one true soul mate, you have not found them.

Much more to come….and it is all beautiful and all love. And please, do not get some of the “New Age” ideas mixed up with divine and true knowledge. While some of the New Age material is helpful, there is also propaganda put out there to prevent us from reaching our true potential through the tactics of confusion and obfuscation (Joe loved that word). Be discerning. And if you study Joe’s work, you will develop great skills of discernment. Find the beautiful light in your life and it will guide you further on the path of your destiny! The photo above is a special church I was led to during the No Ordinary Treasure Hunt (during which a new car was manifested, by the way!). I am instructed to return to this church. What is behind the door? I will cover that in a future blog and it should be exciting.

What is Joe’s word for today? Here’s the advice he gave me today ( in my imagination?):

Stuff your fears in a suitcase and throw them over the bridge….[which I did in my imagination] ….good….The Newport, OR bridge. Now, they are gone and you can get on with your day and begin manifesting our shared "dream come true".

Quotation for the day: "When there is so much we don't know in the cosmos, to attribute the emergence of the universe to mere mechanical (non conscious) causes seems rather myopic. I find it difficult to accept such a meaningless universe when I have seen the power of love..." (Joe Kincheloe, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 122).

Check back tomorrow morning. And I do add other items on a regular basis to the rest of this website as well, so go “treasure hunting.” You never know what you might find. I also hide Easter eggs all over the site so that people can get some practice for finding them in Joe’s book.

Have a blessed day,

Vanessa

PS For those of you who have just started reading my blog, I end each blog with a relevant music video that is usually provided to me in some divine way….either when I am searching on YouTube for something else, when I am reading Joe’s work and another MUSIC Easter egg pops up, or anytime throughout the day I may receive the music telepathically. For today’s blog, as I write this I do not have a music video selected….hmmm…..what shall it be?

I typed “what shall it be” into the YouTube Search Box. Here is the music video that came up that seems appropriate for this particular blog – it is about Unity. Albert Einstein had been on a great quest for unity and Joe was very attune to Einstein's work. I will cover the topic in greater detail, later. Unity does not mean we give up our individuality or our differences…yet, we are all one, similar to the way we are one with our true soul mates, and yet two separate and distinct individuals, as the yin-yang symbol depicts.

Protoplasma - SynSUN

 

So what shall it be?
Do you join the Unity,
or do you die here?
Join! Die! Join! Die!
I don't have to prove anything to you! Prove.
I am no villain.
You have no idea what I, or the Unity is about.
The Unity will bring about the master race.
Master!
Master!
One able to survive, or even thrive, in the wasteland.
As long as there are differences, we will tear ourselves apart fighting each other.
We need one race.
Race!
Race!
One goal.
Goal!
Goal!
One people...
To move forward to our destiny...

PHOTO CREDITS: The Sacred Church by Yours Truly, taken on the No Ordinary Treasure Hunt. Newport Bayfront and Bridge by Rainbow Princess, take on the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt.

This is song is dedicated to ALL of you Angels out there everywhere, including Kathy, Kathi, Keenan, Daniel, David, Darrick, Darrick 2, Desi, Drew, Bri, Rainbow Princess, Kristin, Grandmother, Uncle Albert (Einstein), Ralph Emerson, Wilhelm Reich, La-ni-ta-weh, all angels in my life, past, present, future, and, of course, Joe.

School has officially started and so has the official fall launch of the
Great Mission
….more later. Check back soon.

Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground – Willie Nelson
Special thanks to Kathy for sending this song!
It is BEAUTIFUL

PHOTO CREDIT: Microsoft

The last blog about music reminds me of how one of my goals in life is to keep moving up spiritually. Once you get on the ride, you don’t wanna get off it. The song for today actually came to me a couple of days ago, and just as most of them do – it just popped into my mind like it was planted there over thoughts of spiritual ascension. Kind of a strange song – I remember the Jeffersons, a television program I actually used to watch. I NEVER watch television anymore. I cannot bear the pain of the severe attempts at mind control, programming, repetition, nonsense, violence, focus on the negative, playing on fears, war mongering….I could go on and on, but all I really have to say is that today television is just plain gross – as Joe called it “the Devil’s Radio” in his book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. I do not even own a television, nor do I wish to. I do not miss it at all!

So anyway, this song came up for me, and I also realized it is a subtle reminder of what has turned out to be the New York! New York! Treasure Hunt. Sweet. Subtle. Nudge. There are issues with New York in spite of the hints that this is a new treasure hunt. Huge issues. Evidently, that is why the treasure hunt that will require me to go to New York has come up so very quietly and subtly. It began with a song that was handed down to my spiritual friend who then handed it down to me that included the phrase: “I like New York in June, how about you?” So clearly, to me this was a sign that I am to go to New York in June – all free will of course. We never have to do anything that is handed down to us, but I have quickly learned that if something comes down to us from the higher spiritual realms, it is always in our best interest to willingly and lovingly oblige. The rewards, as I have often pointed out, are unimaginable.

Just as a sidenote, I noticed that the song New York! New York! that I had included in my previous blog has been deactivated for ridiculous reasons. I am really tired of YouTube cowtowing to the music industry -- the few idiots left who do not "get it" that this is a free world now and their greedy attempts to protect their copyright "ownership" is not going to work in this world in which the masses will be making the rules, not them. In case they do not know this, the majority of people in the world do not recognize copyright protection at all. This is because they do not recognize property ownership that the constricted Western mind conceives of. Most people in the music world do know there is greater benefit in freely sharing their music on YouTube. It has been shown to actually INCREASE sales! But still, there are the few who are locked into their old Cartesian way of thinking. Be sure you engage in the struggle to keep music available to the masses through YouTube! Anyway, here is a new link to the relevant song, New York! New York!

So, anyway, of course, I am happy – oh, sure, I let everyone know I would LOVE to! I would love to go to New York, a place I have never been before (not knowing at the time exactly what this would entail and that it would force me to deal with some my worst fears and anxieties that are a consequence of some very traumatic past experiences….and this is a long story, so I will not get into it here). My excitement and affirmative intention toward going to New York, led to the next song that came to me – again, it just popped into my mind, New York New York and thus the title for the treasure hunt was born: The New York! New York! Treasure Hunt.

It is a very good thing that this treasure hunt is in June and that I was informed so far ahead of time! As I have learned, even thinking about this trip is likely to be very traumatic if I do not clear myself of all of the related garbage due to past traumatic experiences I have had. And that is what has been going on the past few days. There are angels who are helpful. If you have past emotional stuff to get rid of, it is really important to work on getting rid of it. Even – and especially – stuff that has happened to you that is not your fault. It really hampers doing what’s right in the world and meeting the mission of making the world a better place. Just know that there are many angels who know how to help and they will help. You just have to ask them for their help. Or you can ask God, if you adhere to a particular religion, and you will be helped in the alleviation of your pain, fear, anxiety, or whatever holds you back. Or you may have other effective methods or prefer other techniques such as yoga and meditation. There are multiple pathways and really, it is up to each of us to discover our own pathway. I am so fortunate to have real angels helping me. You will be amazed at how powerful you are once you alleviate all of that stuff. Well, that’s where I am, and I have a lot to do before I can handle going to New York and doing the assigned work there. I will come back to this topic much later – perhaps when I actually get ready to go to New York, or maybe sooner. In the meantime, I will be “movin’ on up!”

Movin’ on up – the Jeffersons

PHOTO CREDITS: Carnegie Hall, Wikipedia

One of my blog readers recently asked me how I come up with all of the songs I post on these blogs and whether it’s hard to come up with them. The songs come to me in multiple ways. Usually, they simply pop up out of the blue as if someone is giving them to me, communicating to me telepathically through music…a song will just start playing in my mind – songs I have not heard for years and years and some I have not heard at all that I know of.

Other people in my life have begun to have the same thing happen to them and when I talk to them, they will tell me – oh, I have a song for you and then proceed to tell me the name of the song. They seem to know it will fit into a future blog, whether the next blog, or down the road a bit, and invariably it does. In fact, one friend who is very highly spiritual is particularly good at gathering songs that come to her the same way they do to me “telepathically” as if someone is sending them to her. Of course, we have all had songs pop into our minds – but daily – even multiple times during the day? This is a recent, new, and very delightful experience for me. Music, especially rock music, seems to be a big part of my life these days; whereas, in the past I actually seldom listened to music.

Often, I will have a blog completely written and not even posted with no song selected for the end and then I will happen to talk to my special spiritual friend on the phone, and she has a song for me that has popped into her mind that turns out to go perfectly with the blog that I will be posting for the next day. That has happened numerous times. Other times, the title of the blog just gets handed down to me, I plug it into YouTube and right to the top is the perfect song. And finally, often when I am writing the blog, get to the end with the final sentence, it just happens to suggest or actually turn out to be the song for the end of the blog. I will search the phrase that stands out, and sure enough, there is a song that matches the phrase.

So there you have it. I have never been that musical, yet I always have to end my blogs with music and there is always the perfect song to do so. I do believe that so many of these songs are suggested by angels from the other side. I think angels love music and the insistence on ending the blogs with music is due to the fact that there is so much great value in music. We should not be leaving music – or any of the arts – out of education. This is a huge mistake.

In our current educational system we have denigrated music to the back seat and this is so detrimental to the learning process. Many, many studies show that engaging in music in some form increases learning, and subsequently, grades because it helps in all areas of academics. Additionally, there is the emotional aspect of music that is so very helpful. In my recent educational coursework relating to instructional design, there is this technocratic push to leave the “emotional” aspects completely out of our instructional designs. The thinking is that music or other emotional elements distract from the learning process, particularly for online or computer based learning. There is even a newly devised term for these “distracting” and “emotional” elements, as if giving it a word makes it “a thing in the world” (as Joe would put it). It is as if we say it enough times and give it a name, then that will make it real. And so, we have the “coherence principle” that instructs us not to add anything to the lessons that might be distracting. Nevermind that we have goals to achieve emotional responses for the purpose of enhancing the learning process or any of the other great benefits including music in the curriculum has.

Another term for these extraneous videos, text, graphics, or in this case, music, is “seductive details” and theoretically, these interfere with learning. The recommendation to leave these out is based on the contention that “adding extraneous pictures [or videos, or music] can interfere with the process of sense-making because learners have limited cognitive capacity for processing incoming material” (Clark & Meyer, 2003 p. 121). It makes one wonder why our government through the media uses such tactics. You know, like showing videos of “vicious wolves” when talking about their opponent in a presidential race.

So there you have it; many computer based instructional designers think learners are deficient and stupid – they can take care of two issues at one time: Make sure that we know we are stupid while they take away our music.

The truth is that music can invoke learning, increase motivation, and it is spiritually uplifting – it makes us happy. As teachers, by including music in the curriculum (and the other arts) we can capitalize on that “jouissance” and innate “libido” Joe pointed out enhances learning and makes it fun (Kincheloe, 2004; 2008). And clearly, Joe felt including music in education was so important that he hid it all throughout his work in the form of his MUSIC Easter eggs! I do believe he was trying to make a point (and knowing Joe, many points all at the same time).

So, I say, keep the music coming! Rock me, Rock me, Baby! This song was handed to me first thing this morning upon awakening (what a sweet awakening!), and it led to the topic for today’s blog. The song that came to me was a specific song (the first one below) and it began playing in my mind immediately when I awakened. It is amazing because the song is exceptionally relevant right now to some issues I am dealing with in an effort to move up spiritually, some issues that I have been seeking spiritual guidance for before I can take my trip and accomplish my mission in New York (so, I included the lyrics.) Also, when I searched on YouTube I was amazed at how many other great songs came up in the search for “Rock Me Baby,” so for fun I have included some of my favorite ones here. There are so many of us who want to keep on rockin’! Let’s bring music back to education! Enjoy.

Rock Me - Steppenwolf

Lyrics and music by John Kay

She asked me maybe I could share her sorrow
For all the men that tried to treat her wrong
Though just a baby, awaiting her tomorrow
It's rock me baby, rock me baby, all night long

She needs an answer to her confusion
Someone to guide her with tenderness
But when she's askin' for a solution
All that she gets, you know, is something like this

I don't know where we come from
Don't know where we're goin' to
But if all this should have a reason
We would be the last to know
So let's just hope there is a promised land
Hang on 'til then
As best as you can

Ev'rybody's ills, you know it fills her with compassion
That's why she tries to save the world alone
She helps the needy in her own fashion
And tries to give them all her own

She needs an answer to her confusion
Someone to guide her with tenderness
But when she's askin' for a solution
All that she gets, you know, is
Something like this

I don't know where we come from
Don't know where we're goin' to
But if all this should have a reason
We would be the last to know
So let's just hope there is a promised land
Hang on 'til then
As best as you can

Lyrics

Rock Me Baby – BB King – Eric Clapton – Buddy Guy – Jimmy Vaughn

Rock Me Baby – Johnny Nash

Rock Me Baby – Jimi Hendrix

Rock Me Baby – Rolling Stones and AC DC

Rock ‘n Me – Steve Miller Band

Rock Me Baby – GWOP

Rock Me Baby – Big Mama Thorton 

Rock Me Baby – Tina Turner

Rock Me Baby – Etta James

Rock Me Baby – Sugar Pie Desanto

There are many more! Just go to YouTube and do a search on “Rock Me Baby.” We all wanna rock, baby!

References

Clark, R. C. & Lyons, C. (2004). Graphics for learning: Proven guidelines for planning, designing, and evaluating visuals in training materials. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Clark, R. C. & Mayer, R. E. (2003) E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006b). In pursuit of new forms of intelligence: Postformal thinking. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

PHOTO CREDIT: Invasion of the Centipedes, taken by yours truly on the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt

Every day is a brand new day and so I rejoice for that. It is a new opportunity to release the old that would have us restrained, constrained, shackled, and muffled. It is important to release these false and negative energies so that we can move forward.

I had a bit of exciting news! This is related to treasure hunting, but it’s different. In Joe’s book there are “keycodes” and there is one in particular that is especially relevant for me. Unfortunately, that is about all the information I have right now that I can release. I have certain tasks I need to complete before I get more information. The most important task is that I must revise (of my own free will, and, of course, I wish to because anything to do with Joe's work is something I freely choose to work on) the instructions for finding the MUSIC Easter eggs in Joe’s book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction and include all of the Easter eggs I have found so far, how I found and interpreted them, and what they mean, along with some guidance to help other people find the rest of the MUSIC Easter eggs in his book. Then, I am supposed to post the booklet, or book, whatever it turns out to be, for free access/ free download on this site – so be watching for that. I will have it posted within a couple of weeks (I also have a lame paper to write for my doctoral class and an exciting paper to write for Einstein first). Then, after I have posted the guide for finding Easter eggs, I will be given more information about keycodes in Joe’s book along with information about a very special keycode.  

What are keycodes? That was explained to me, but I really do not quite understand them so I hope more information will eventually be provided. They are a series of words, numbers, syllables or a combination thereof that are like codes that have to be interpreted. There are certain processes for interpreting them, which, of course I do not know at this time. As I said before, though, there is much more than just MUSIC Easter eggs in his book. There are other types of Easter eggs (I believe there are MOVIE Easter eggs, but I am not a movie buff, so I have a difficult time finding those), and there are “keys,” “keycodes,” and other types of codes all through his book. As everyone knows, Joe was absolutely brilliant and there are wonderfully divine reasons he created this equivalent to a Golden Chalice/Holy Grail type of work, which will be revealed as his work becomes decoded.  

Of course, his book has practical applicability for education on all levels, which is one of my major goals – to interpret his work so that it gets applied in classrooms all over the world, and I do hope there are many people all over the world doing this as well. It will move education forward in ways never before witnessed in history. However, along with that activity, I have been blessed with the task to interpret his book on a more divine level, which is taking me more time than I would like because until now, I knew nothing of the divine or of spirituality whatsoever. It had been snuffed out of me entirely through my educational, political, societal, and religious indoctrination. I do have many people on many dimensions helping me get up to speed with all of this since it is essential to be experiencing life at a much higher spiritual level when decoding Joe’s book, otherwise it will not be understood. I am making slow but sure progress. 

I was very excited to learn just yesterday that there is this spiritual aspect of life in which we all receive signs on a daily basis if we are open to perceiving and accepting them. Then it dawned on me: That is exactly what the Treasure Hunts I have been experiencing and writing about are all about! Signs from a divine being or beings! Only, in the case of treasure hunts, the divine people who are behind the creation of these miraculous and fascinating treasure hunts that I have been graciously handed down on a continuing basis, have taken it a step further: I am provided CLUES for finding the signs. This is probably because I am at such an elementary spiritual level, and of course, I am not alone at all. Much of the population of our world has had the divinity and spirituality smothered out. I think this is why I am guided to writing these blogs. As people read about the treasure hunts and how things become interpreted and see what ultimately emanates from them (and here, I have much work yet to do), then they are also being guided toward a more spiritual outlook so that they become cognizant of signs.

Hopefully, they, too will begin seeing the signs that are around them personally that will lead them to greater joy and abundance in their lives.  I am hoping for that and  I cannot help but see, if people are reading about my treasure hunts that they also will begin to look at their life and things happening around them with a new perspective. Anyway, I happened to come across a book I am sending for because I think it will teach me a few things that could be helpful in deciphering the treasure hunt clues and signs, and perhaps it will also help others as well. It is called Signs from Above and it is by Charles Virtue and his mother, Dr. Virtue, who has presented a great presentation about special children and their special abilities here (scroll down to view video): Indigo Children

Now, it is very difficult to convey how privileged and the level of gratitude I feel for being blessed with this extra step of being provided clues for the signs in my life and to be the recipient of this extra special attention. I am so very grateful for this and I thank each and every angel who has been involved in creating these joyous and rewarding activities for me and my children. Essentially, what is happening with the treasure hunts that I have discussed throughout my many blogs, is that I am being taught in a very divine and blessed way exactly how to identify signs, interpret them, and even how to use them to manifest things in my life. There are other people – as in on the “other side” –  (many people call them angels, and they are angels) who are pulling all of the serendipitous strings and the pushing for the synergistic and symbiotic events that ultimately create amazing and exciting treasure hunts. And these treasure hunts, I have been informed will continue because there are many levels of learning that will arise out of their interpretations and manifestations.

Yes, I truly believe at this point in my life with all of the amazing things I have been blessed with during the last eight months, that people do live “on the other side” and they are all there to help us should we seek their assistance. I am sure it makes them joyful for us to acknowledge their ability and contributions to making our lives happy, joyful, blissful, blessed with abundance, and most importantly, SPIRTUAL. Spirituality is the missing ingredient in everything from education to religion to politics. We simply must bring it back.  

We live within abundance. We all have special and beautiful skills and abilities and if we were to fully engage in these as we are spiritually and divinely called to do, we will automatically be blessed with abundance. Competition is a contrived belief that we can throw out with yesterday’s trash. It makes no sense to compete when each of us has our own unique and divine abilities to do good things for the world, for the Universe, even. We have all of these books and tapes and ideas about manifesting riches and happiness in our lives, but don’t you see what’s missing? Don’t you see why these tools for manifestation rarely work?

There is a greater purpose than seeing that we, alone, possess that abundance. We must want abundance that is available for everyone to be dispersed to everyone. There is nothing we must be without and there is no reason for anyone in the world to suffer. We must bring back spiritual divinity before manifestation of abundance will work in the way it is intended. The Secret and other great works allude to this. Now it is time to bring it fully out in the open. If you research some of these solutions for creating abundance in your life, there are some people who are beginning to do just that. I would contend that perhaps their programs will bring greater success rates than those that forfeit the acknowledgment of what is really going on behind the scenes.

Still, it is all going to depend on what’s in your heart. As long as you maintain a selfish attitude and focus on what you, personally, stand to benefit rather than focus on what you can do for humanity and our earth, you will not reap the divine blessings fully. This is a lifetime struggle, and indeed, I struggle with it daily. There are many tools for assisting one to get out from under this struggle and overcome limitations. Explore these ideas and find what works for you. Perhaps at a later date, I will share some excellent tools. You can be certain that as I develop a curriculum, I will be inserting some of these tools, along with Joe’s great theory for education, so that teachers can see their students achieve at greater potentials than ever in the past.

And so, it really is a brand new day and a brand new way for me, and yet a very ancient way that has been and continues to be celebrated in many cultures outside the Western worldview. I am happy that I realized the purpose of the treasure hunts -- or rather that their purpose was divinely brought to my attention. Engaging in treasure hunts was heavenly before I knew this and they are even more heavenly now. I do believe there will be profound things yet to come from the treasure hunts, not that the manifestations such as a diamond ring, a yin-yang symbol, a divine church, a new car, and much more is not already very profound. I thank all of the special angels in the cosmos, and God, too (or Highest Power, Great Spirit, Allah, Jehovah, etc.), of course. Please do keep in mind that, just as Joe emphasized throughout his work (Kincheloe, 2004; 2008), there are multiple ways of interpreting things. This applies to his work even more perhaps than any other work that has been written.

I am free to choose my own reality – the ways I wish to interpret his work. Joe would advocate for that today if he were able, even if he might not agree with my interpretation. It's all ok. Thus, I claim my own interpretation and if you agree, so be it. If you do not agree, so be it. Therefore, I have chosen to interpret his work on multiple levels, which include for now, the educational and the spiritual. My future work will follow both tracks. No one should be upset over this, especially not in education where we must have freedom to learn in ways that honor diversity of thought. This is the only way humanity will move forward to better ways of being in the world than exist currently. And no one can argue that the world is in a huge mess socially, politically, environmentally, and from almost every dimension we would choose to look at our world problems. Please refer to my posted academic essay, The Future of "Professionalism" in which I address these problems in the world and point to some of the causes. And of course, Joe covers these problems and issues with great depth and insight in his books. It is time to move away from dwelling on the problems while doing nothing and time to creatively move toward viable solutions.

This is the beginning of the future. The world is undergoing a very, very clear transformation….this is an awakening. – Charles Virtue (2009). 

References

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006). In pursuit of new forms of intelligence: Postformal thinking. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

Virtue, C. (2009). In touch with angels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpFF6082L8

Brand New Day - Sting (Great music video!) 

Brand New Day – Sting and Stevie Wonder

Again, people may not believe this since things in the world are so bad right now, but a new world is coming and it is not going to be the New World Order and Intergalactic Take Over. That whole thing will fail big time and by the time those who are so locked into the ideological forces of it come to realize it will no longer work for them, it will be too late for them to escape their own downall. Of course, things will seem to get worse before they get better, no doubt. Long story for another time.
 

Anyway, the future that I look forward to is approaching rapidly and one thing that will become clear is that it will no longer be possible for people to lie and deceive each other or to commit crimes without getting caught. That’s because there are just too many people who can see right through the deception instantly. And not only that, the Critical Knowledge Networks that Joe talks about in his book (2008) will be in place and will provide them instant access to the truth. All old crimes will be solved. The children are here to solve the crimes and to turn this world around so that crimes are no longer possible --  and make this world a better, more heavenly place. They are here to create peace. “No Justice, no peace” (Terpstra, 2006).

Most of these people are young now, but with each passing year they are going to be closer to reaching positions where they have the power to expose the truth and reveal criminals of crimes that have been long unsolved. I spoke of these children in a previous blog: teachers beware. They know when you are lying to them, whether it’s about the “facts” you force them to memorize, the crazy ideologies you attempt to force on them, or whether you are just pretending you care. If you are going to be a teacher of these very special children, you must truly learn to care about making the world a better place and be DOING something about it, for that is their agenda and if you have a different one, they will make your teaching position so miserable that you end up resigning. And you should resign if you are not actively leading for positive changes in the world. It is actually already happening, but not on the full scale you will see in just a few short years. Indeed, you see many teachers leaving their posts.

Most of these children were born after 1991 and the greatest numbers of them around 2000. (There were a few of these special people born in the 1950’s and 1960’s, who are now adults, and some born in the 1980’s who are preparing a path for these children and who will actively work with them, especially as they reach adulthood.) As the younger, and by far the larger group, reach middle school and high school and move on up to college, there will be some major confrontations over curricula, rules, and integrity. And the legal and political system as it exists today will become history with many of the perpetrators imprisoned within the "old" earth system.

The government (that is, the imperialist group who pull the strings) knows about these children and their special abilities as well as their purpose, and is doing everything possible to “dumb them down” through the “stupidification” of education (Kincheloe, 2008), through lacing immunizations with mercury and other poisons and attempting to force them to get these immunizations, through putting poisons in our food, through mass marketing drugs on the street, and through labeling many of these children as “autistic” and as suffering from “ADHD” and even various “psychological” issues all in an attempt to drug them into a stupor so that they can be controlled and kept from accessing true knowledge. It is not working and it will not work. In fact, it will ultimately backfire as engaging in these horrific crimes tend to do and the karmic debts will be very high. The best thing to do is to get with the program. Do what’s right for the world, not what’s right for your own personal, selfish, and greedy benefit. That is not to mean you cannot take care of yourself, but do it by doing what’s right and stay out of the dysfunctional mode of being in competition with someone for that over-valued, idolized dollar that will soon be worth nothing, anyway.

You might find the video on this site interesting, especially if you want to work successfully with these children, or perhaps you are a parent of one or more of them, or perhaps you are one of them. Dr. Doreen Virtue has many tips for working with and helping these children fulfull their life missions and she is very kind to the guilty parties who are bent on harming these special people, giving them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps hoping many of the will turn their lives around and do what is right, fair, loving, and just: http://tianasetka.wordpress.com/2008/11/

References

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008b). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

Terpstra, J. S. (2006). Follow the money: Reform work in the U.S. Engaged Methodologies in Academic Praxis, Revolution, Resistance, and Reform. Retrieved September 5, 2009, from http://www.juneterpstra.com/about.html

Beautiful World - Coldplay

 

I don’t know if it’s the full moon or what, but I really do not feel much like writing a blog today and I am feeling very blue….cried most of the night. I don’t like to admit this, but I still cry about Joe. Reasons are passed on to me … it is not due to being obsessed with him; not at all. It is not a psychological problem at all. It is just what happens when you finally meet your one true, what they call “twin” soul mate. Crazy as it sounds, I really did feel that “in tune” with Joe, even though we supposedly barely knew each other. I lost track of how many times he emailed me about something that was on my mind without my even mentioning it to him or even giving him a clue; he could literally read my mind over the distance, "like minds," he would say….it’s all in the emails.

And now that I know about his MUSIC Easter Eggs, yes, he sent me sweet song lyrics. That makes me cry even more because I wish I had been aware of them when he sent them. I think he had figured it out, that we were soul mates; from what I have heard and read, he was very good at identifying his soul mates, and he had many. And then there is the fact that from the moment I read his work and mission, I felt that it was a part of me. It literally is. And then there was the signifier found in the Yard Search Treasure Hunt, the Yin Yang symbol – the symbol of twin soul mates and the manifestation of the diamond ring. Someday, if I really wanted, I could “prove” all of this, but I really do not feel that I need to at the moment. I know for myself what the truth is and that’s all that matters to me, not what other people believe or think. People will believe what they want anyway. This is especially true with people in education. They are hung up on positivistic evidence, as Joe pointed out repeatedly in his work, but if that positivistic evidence proves something they do not wish to believe, even their over-valued scientific tool becomes highly suspect and the evidence is pushed into the dustbins of knowledge and people are labeled as “crazy.” It has happened over and over again. It happened with Einstein. It happened with Wilhelm Reich. It happened with many authors and artists and special brilliant people. It is just protocol. And there is so much more, but this is not the time or place.

Treasure hunting was brought up again. I figured it was about time for another treasure hunt. I know it’s probably meant to cheer me up. I was given the following clues this morning:  

And did you sense “treasure hunt?” Yes, there is the Treasure Hunt Coming Up The Pike, which you have not even started on. What is a pike? You will need to discover that before I can give you the clues. Well, ok, I’ll give you a couple of clues. The first is that it is never blue as in sad. The second clue is it does not take much water at all for this particular pike. The treasure flows down freely. All the treasure is yours. 

I quickly discovered that there are many meanings for pike plus this is an idiom and it is switched up. The idiom is “coming down the pike.” Oh well, I will think about it. More later….

And remember, this is MY DREAM so I can exercise my freedom to write it exactly the way I wish for it to go. Someday people will realize that it is we who create our realities. I no longer wish to engage in the reality that is so heavily forced on me. It has never been good to me, although it has been good to the people around me, at my expense. It is my turn and I happen to like my life just the way it is. If I feel like crying sometimes, I will cry.

It's My Party - Leslie Gore

I was a little late posting yesterday’s blog (I had it written; I just didn't actually publish it until today). I always worry that I might be posting classified information or that I might be saying the wrong things about the wrong things. See, the real project does not start until April 3, 2010, and I do not want to reveal anything that might jeopardize the mission. Yesterday, I got into watching videos and such about the New World Order, who the people are who are behind the New World Order, and then I began getting a little worried about things. I even posted a video on the site about Obama’s part in all of this New World Order stuff. According to the video, The Obama Deception, Obama is one of them, which of course, I do not want to believe. So I had a lot of questions and a lot of doubts.

After consulting with those at the top, the ones who are making the decisions about how this mission is going to be carried out, I was again – as always – told not to worry. Everything I am doing is just fine and there is nothing that I can reveal that is going to hurt the mission whatsoever. So, it is ok that I reveal the fact that Obama is just playing a role until the mission starts. This is how he was able to get in there so that we can work together to make the changes that need to be made. He must play the act and he must play it very well up until the very last minute. And he’s doing a right fine job of it. In the meantime, the fear tactic over this can be used to put doubts in the public’s minds and that works well, too if you don’t know what’s going on – that Obama is just playing a role until the mission project begins in April, April 3, 2010, to be exact, and then the tide will turn. It’s ok for me to put this out here because I have no credibility anyway and only the people who really count will believe what I am saying. It has been predicted that Obama is going to be taken over by a “walk-in.” I am not sure what that really means. I think it just means that he’s working for the light and will be doing what’s right when the time is right. The timing is critical. Playing the game well until then is critical.

It’s pretty much like what Joe did, if you look at his work. He was wedged in just the right spot to do his good work. No one paid that much attention to him and then wham! He came out with his book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. This book will shake up the world – fill it with some real movers and shakers before the mission is over. Then we will see some real change in not only education – but the whole world.

So anyway, it has been all said here, and really it’s ok that there are people who question my sanity. Joe would think it’s funny, actually. From my perspective, it does not matter much as long as I can stay out of the worry track that the media is so good at creating for us with all of their hyped up misinformation, nonsense and lies.  If I have any advice for those who choose not to believe what I am saying about Obama and the mission and Joe’s work, it would be to not to fall into the media worry and fear trap. Once you are there, the people running the New World Order show can get you to do and believe most anything. Do stay active each day and try to do at least one thing for someone else to alleviate their suffering, discomfort, pain, etc. in whatever loving way you can. I think school this year is going to be very tough, so I am sure there are going to be many needy children to show some love to.

Yes, we are fighting against an evil takeover of the world; that much is true. But there is a lot said for letting love dominate your life for the purpose of snuffing out evil. And remember, there are very few of them. We are fully capable of disengaging from their games to create our own games. In fact, when you think of how few of them there are, the question becomes why in the world do we buy into their games, anyway? When are we going to get tired of it and start new games? And this time, they can’t play.

Don’t You Worry About a Thing – Stevie Wonder

PHOTO CREDITS: Photo courtesy of Rainbow Princess, taken at the Wax Museum during the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt.

In case you are new to this site, I have been discussing many educational issues here along with “Treasure Hunting” as defined by Joe Kincheloe with his new critical psychology of complexity and critical complex epistemology (2006a,b,c,d; 2008a,b). Somehow, I have been blessed with all of these treasure hunts in which I am literally handed down interesting clues to go to assigned places and track down. They seem to come to me from “nonlocal spaces,” spaces we cannot see, but exist, nevertheless and are mathematically defined by quantum mechanics (Einstein, 1935; Rauscher & Targ, 2001). Perhaps these spaces are what define the imagination; perhaps they are real spaces that most of us cannot perceive or our consciousnesses have been formed in such a way that we have constructed barriers such that we are not able to perceive them. These barriers can be blasted open. I think reading Joe’s work helps in that regard. I remember reading something to that effect in his books. I will explain more later in an article I will be publishing, including the mathematics involved for those who are interested in that aspect, but for now I want to talk about how much enjoyment and how many blessings I have gotten from the treasure hunts. They have been so much fun!

I have gone treasure hunting in Kings Valley, Queen City, Albany, OR, the Pacific Coast, and even in my own back yard. If you are new to this site, you might find it interesting to read some of the treasure hunting accounts in my previous blogs. The things they have turned up have been quite fascinating. And it’s not over. None of the treasure hunts are really over and each will yield ever more fascinating insights. On top of that, there is a Treasure Hunt Coming Up the Pike as well as many more treasure hunts that will be handed down. I will have the Appalachian People Treasure Hunt in April and next June, I am supposed to even be going to New York, if I wish, for the New York! New York! Treasure Hunt. During the next few months, I will be synthesizing and writing about what I believe are to be important ideas from the treasure hunts that have transpired so far.           

For example, The NEW Treasure Hunt has encased within it a new model for instructional design and teaching as well as new ways to use the bricolage. Einstein’s Riddle can be solved by more people than what has been claimed, simply by using Joe’s concept of perceptual shifts or multiperspectival analysis throughout the process of solving it and by relying less on linear Cartesian methods. It also seems there is something very important about Einstein’s work that everyone has missed….I will be working on that for the purpose of putting forth more information about consciousness, nonlocal space, free will and how all of that ties in with freedom. We cannot even talk about freedom productively when we have been stripped of our free will. 

It is interesting that Joe wrote a book about Einstein with a couple of other people, called The Stigma of Genius: Einstein, Consciousness, and Education. I have not read it. I have only read parts of it, but enough to come to the conclusion that Joe must have suffered the same sort of stigma that Einstein did….and all I can say is “shame on you” if you were one to cause him pain. Actually, I had seen it first hand from some of the people who were around Joe and who intersected with my life so I know it happened. And I cried and cried over some of the things that came down. Not for myself, but just because I was trying to do good things for Joe, and basically it seemed that certain things for reasons I did not understand were quite taboo. I can deal with criticism and critique. What I cannot deal with is inadvertently causing someone I love pain or discomfort or humiliation, some of which is what I perceived had happened in those instances. And why did they happen? For all of the wrong reasons in my estimation, is all I have to say about it, at least according to the information that was given to me. Maybe it was all my wild imagination and it is definitely my own interpretation, but nevertheless, I felt so bad about certain things that happened that I still cry when I think about them. I know Joe, being the humble, forgiving, and loving man he was, took all of these sorts of things in stride, but still… 

Now, of course a different sort of stigma has fallen on me because I refuse to support the status quo – any status quo that has been artificially constructed -- and ideologies except those that I construct for myself. I will never buy into a set and predetermined way of viewing anything, nor will I support censorship in any form on a whim, nor will I dwell in the dark pits of negativity that grow and increase suffering without offering up real solutions. Instead, I actively seek answers and solutions, as Joe did, but in my own idiosyncratic way. Joe’s theory allows for this, even encourages it. We all must be who we really are and try to move away from having our consciousnesses defined by someone outside ourselves. That means we do not blindly follow like sheep. We do not move to smaller herds and expect that we are not still following blindly like sheep. We must think for ourselves. We must blaze new trails for ourselves. If others want to follow, so be it. If not, so be it. With this, of course, there often is stigma. 

There should never be stigma attached to people who are as brilliant as Joe, Einstein and many others who have been and are geniuses, and who also know how to tap into universally available knowledge and use it for the good of humanity. It is there for us all. I am hoping to explain this in scientific and mathematical terms that the FIDURODIAN positivistic mindset needs before it believes such things are possible because, heaven forbid if I become labeled as someone who is off the deep end of mysticism, magic, and metaphysics. The thing that is curious about people in the higher echelons of education is that it seems Cartesian and linear logic is highly desired – unless it proves that those in power have been lying to us, thus, threatens their goals for the dumbing down of education for complete control of the people (Iserbyt, 2000). In other words, perhaps real stigma comes not from being a genius, but from challenging the powers that be. Maybe that is what Joe’s book concluded, I don’t know since, as I mentioned, I have not yet read it, although I do plan to.

There are many other people who understand these ideas about how much power we really have if we just come to use it, but also many who would rather selfishly hide in the closet. If they are hiding out of fear, I can assure them that their fear is not real. As I have learned, fear is “false energy appearing real.” I have written two blogs about fear that should be helpful. FALSE ENERGY. It is nonexistent. Why would one choose to construct such pain, when they have readily available a real source of energy that can take them to the land of ecstasy? If they are hiding in the closet because they want to maintain their status, position, power, and the money they make, I can assure you that these reasons are equivalent to building a card castle in a windstorm. Put your thoughts, actions, efforts into what is good, true, divine and you will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams. What good does it do for the world of millions upon millions of suffering people to hide in the closet? You are not living out your purpose for which you have been placed on this planet, which is to make the world better. Joe’s whole purpose in life was exactly what he said it was, to alleviate human suffering. With the knowledge he has left us, not only can suffering be eliminated for those who suffer the stigma of genius, so can be the suffering of those who are labeled as deficient in the multitudes of ways we have for labeling people deficient. Why? Because we are all geniuses and by exposing that fact, suffering can be eliminated globally in many ways. We all have what we need and we just need to access it and put our knowledge to good work for the right reasons. 

Obviously Joe was quite frustrated and perhaps even angry in places in his last book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. Although, he did a fantastic job of keeping it all in perspective and he even joked about it in some very hilarious ways. I think he might have told a few people off in that book, if you read between the lines (but that is only my interpretation, mind you, and as Joe was quick to point out, there are multiple ways to interpret things). He was very, very clever in oh so many ways, and he did understand hermeneutics and knew how to put it to brilliant use. There is just so much there, how does one even begin? Well I did begin: With the Easter egg hunts; specifically the MUSIC Easter eggs. There are literally dozens upon dozens of them in this book. Soon, I will put out better instructions for finding them along with a list and description of the ones I have found so far. I know there are many more, but I don’t spend my day sitting around looking for them. I do not think that was the intention. I think they had specific purposes and some were probably even meant for specific people. The major benefit I see, is that they will get people to read and discuss the issues and if professors use Joe’s textbook in Teacher Education courses, it would make for quite a deep, rich course with great discussions. 

I also happen to know that one of Joe’s favorite words was obfuscation, a clever tool those in power use to keep the masses ignorant. He told me he loved to use the word and now I realize he looked for very clever ways to use the tool, too. And did he know how to use the tool very well to his – and our – great advantage to keep those in power ignorant. He used the tool better than the original toolmakers! In fact, I find his use of obfuscation very humorous and at the same time, very, very powerful and one day I will have to get into a serious academic discussion (yes, I can play that role when it is effective to do so) about exactly how he used it. Suffice it to say for now that he has left his great work for the rest of us to benefit from and he has outwitted those who would hold his work back or even try to use his good name to make profit on their cloudy formulations that serve to support the status quo and fail to move humanity forward in the way it is destined (Kincheloe, 2008b, p. 47). If your work is truly synergistic with what Joe was doing, then you and your work will be highly blessed. If it is not, expect a very rocky climb with many falls along the way, until you get it right. And if you never get it right, just remember that you made the wrong choices out of your own free will if you are making conscious choices, and you were warned about the naturally occurring negative outcomes. These things cannot be helped – they are all explained by Joe’s take on symbiotic hermeneutics (Kincheloe, 2004). All I can say is, Joe blazed a beautiful trail for all of us and we can choose to engage in our own free will and follow that trail or not. After a little more research, I will be putting some formal information out on how each of us might better engage our own free will and, hopefully, it will help more people to see that they are not truly free until they do just that -- which is a timely topic for this month of recognizing and celebrating freedom. In the meantime, I know my choice. I will follow Joe. 

References 

Einstein, A. (1935). Can quantum-mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete? Physical Review, March 25, 1935, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ. 

Iserbyt, C. T. (2000). The deliberate dumbing down of America: A chronological paper trail. Athens, GA: Conscience Press. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/ 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2004). Questions of disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity in a changing world. In Kincheloe & Berry (2004) Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage, (pp. 50-81). New York: Open University Press. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006a). Imagining new ways of thinking about education. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 1-22. Rotterdam: Sense. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006b). The complexities of higher order thinking: Teachers as postformal thinkers. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006c). In pursuit of new forms of intelligence: Postformal thinking. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006d). Postformalism and the socio-cultural political challenge: Taking multilogicality seriously. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008a). Critical pedagogy primer. (2^nd ed.). New York: Peter Lang. 

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008b). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer. 

Rauscher, E. A. & Targ, R. (2001). The speed of thought: Investigation of a complex space-time metric to describe psychic phenomena. Journal of Scientific Exploration, (15)3, 331-354.  

I will follow him – Peggy March

Welcome to September and the beginning of a new school year and the launching of the discussion and celebration of freedom. This month my major project is to mathematically and conceptually define free will, since free will is the major ingredient we must achieve before can really talk about freedom. Can it be mathematically defined? Actually, to appeal to those Newtonian-Cartesian minds out there, I will note that it already has been. Except that I have been alerted to a major problem and some misconceptions surrounding the way it has been defined. I am hoping I will find that someone has resolved that, because I am not a mathematician whatsoever. 

All of this has just been somewhat magically or serendipitously handed down to me and I thought it would be fascinating to explore this critical complex idea within the framework of Cartesian thinking just for the fun of it. Naturally, this involves Joe’s brilliant work as well as Einstein’s, the two greatest geniuses who have ever graced our planet, in my biased view. I just love them both. Oh, and I learned that Einstein is actually my uncle, and he always sort of favored me. Of course, I idolized him to no end. (This is in my imaginative past life, of course, for those who believe in such a thing and for those who do not believe in such a thing.)

There is just no way to explain what I am doing in my life right now and how joyful it is as compared to being constrained by the FIDURODIAN positivistic hyperreality that imperialist puppeteers pulling our strings limit us to. As Joe put it, “Positivism assumes that what is discernible through everyday experience and mathematical relationships is basically all there is – at least all there is worth exploring. Positivism’s Absolute Reality is a tyrant who roams the land like Big Foot, striking fear into those who might offer challenging inquiries concerning the epistemological ogre’s identity and qualifications” (Kincheloe, 2006b, p. 116).

I feel sad for those who cannot make the "quantum leap" (as Joe has put it) in thought that it takes to escape that scenario for a truly blessed and joyful life, and this is one reason I put all of this out here the way I do. If I can encourage just a few people to take the risk so that they come to realize there is no risk whatsoever, but only blessings, exuberant joy, and freedom that they have never imagined, then I will have met my goals. Still, I hope it makes a greater impact even than that. I realize none of this makes sense to the hylotropic mind; it will only make sense to the holotropic mind, which is why I provided guidance and advice for reaching that state.

In my life, I now have had dozens of “treasure hunts,” which Joe had discussed and even presented as a sort of “magical mystery tour” that he never strayed far from (Kincheloe, 2006a, p. 6). My God, I did not even know what he was talking about! But somehow, after reading his work, it just all seemed to miraculously become a part of me and my everyday life. It was magic! Now, when I read through his explanations of these magical moments, I see how this magic happens daily for me and in almost every moment of my life. His advanced conceptualization of the bricolage helps promote this way of being in the world by virtue of acquiring multiple perspectives as one engages in the research process. I believe this is what Joe had intended to happen for people who would take the time to read his work and put it into practice. In fact in his book about the bricolage, he conveyed that quite clearly. He stated, “A wide variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds can make use of the research orientations of the bricolage in their every day vocational lives. In the ideological spirit of its genesis the bricolage is not only for high theorists and researchers operating in the arcane confines of research universities.” (Kincheloe, 2004, p. 61). Thus, we can all benefit from engaging in this sort of inquiry in which, no matter what the situation, we take time to obtain and view multiple perspectives, whether it is an exchange of dialogue or something more complex such as solving a complicated problem or designing something new. The rewards are out of this world.

Joe was heading in some very exciting directions, which he alluded to in his last book (2008, Chapter 9) and which I am being somewhat divinely or serendipitously guided toward because I believe in his work and his mission. The world will be so much better off if more of us can open our minds to the great ideas he has presented. I am only just beginning to discover some of the powerful gifts he has left the world.

Tomorrow: Joe Kincheloe: I Will Follow Him (Part 2).

References

Kincheloe, J. L. (2004). Questions of disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity in a changing world. In Kincheloe & Berry (2004) Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage, (pp. 50-81). New York: Open University Press.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006a). Imagining new ways of thinking about education. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 1-22. Rotterdam: Sense.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2006b). In pursuit of new forms of intelligence: Postformal thinking. In Thomas & Kincheloe (2006) Reading, Writing, and Thinking: The Postformal Basics, pp. 105-122. Rotterdam: Sense.

Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.

Photo Credits: Big Foot was taken at The Wax Museum on our Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt by yours truly.

The Liberty Bell was taken on our Love Day Treasure Hunt in Queen City, Kings Valley also by yours truly.

I Will Follow Him - Little Peggy March