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SHREW U: Worshiping at the Alter of Perfectibility

To plan for worldly perfection is a web of deceit and the spider who sets this trap believes himself to be like a god.

A web of deceit has been inadvertently spun since our founding which I will date as June 21,1788 when our Constitution was ratified. At that time there were 13 states. Only nine states needed to be on board for ratification…Ammendments to the document continued for several years after the ratification, for instance the Bill of Rights was not ratified until December, 1791.

During ratification the first political parties formed, the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.  Anti-Federalists saw the constitution as a potential threat to personal liberties and opposed its ratification wanting only each state to have sole power.  However, there were more Federalists than Anti-Federalists so the Constitution was ultimately ratified.  This is not to say that the Anti-Federalists didn’t get some of what they wanted…The Constitution did put in place checks and balances to help prevent central government corruption and tyrannical rule as well as incorporate explicit protections for individual rights.

In today’s polarized political climate we must all remember that perception is only part of the path to truth.  Facts still remain. – The Shrew

The Anti-Federalists soon became the Democratic-Republican Party.  Founding Fathers such as Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson were among them.  In the early 1800’s this party split into the Republican Party and the Democratic Party (Federalists such as George Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton ultimately became members of the Democratic Party).  Essentially Republicans at this time wanted to reserve more power to state governments unlike the Federalists (later the Democrats) who dominated national government early in our founding and passed laws which taxed land owners to pay for war preparations against the French, increased residency requirements for U.S. Citizenship, deported all male citizens of enemy nations, and limited free speech rights.  By 1830 the Federalists had been completely reformed into the Democratic Party which supported slavery and opposed civil rights reforms.  You can see the trend early on that neither party was perfect with their understanding of Liberty. 

In the mid 1900’s the Democratic Party underwent a dramatic ideological realignment by supporting organized labor, civil rights of minorities and progressive reform.  During this time there were a number of other political parties with their own particular ideologies that came and went, many of which had elected representation in Congress, but they would not prove the test of time.  Today’s Democratic and Republican Parties bear almost no relationship to their original counterparts.

Through the decades of party representation in the presidential and congressional roles it seems that any time the dominant party was too aggressive with its messaging it left an opening for the opposing party to take control.  This “duel” made it more difficult for progressive ideas to cement, but laws and programs which began under the New Deal and civil rights reforms were enacted when both parties were more amenable.


When I compare the ins and outs, ups and downs of our federal system to our state and local governance systems the picture is the same.  Any time an extreme example of controlling power is displayed, another election happens to check this power and bring a modicum of balance to controlling forces.  Governing systems don’t just create themselves, it is people working together who bring them to being.  Ours is the only system which allows for ideas to be tested, thrown out and reinvented.  This is what a free republic does.  And if the people of this republic are free to also imagine and be inspired by the invisible hand of God at work in their personal lives, then the ups and downs of our system give emotional maturity for the individual to persevere when their wants are not able to balance their needs.  We do ourselves a great disservice when we believe that whole populations and desired outcomes can be forcibly perfected.  These are the ways of tyrants.

Our Earth and the cosmos are ever changing, and as we know, people are limited when they try to improve upon these changes.  To plan for worldly perfection is a web of deceit and the spider who sets this trap believes himself to be like a god.  We must not worship at the alter of perfectibility lest we divert our inherent worth to a false  master.

Shrew View: Homelessness and the Thin Blue Line

Identity politics has been stripping us of our humanity.  The latest case in point aligns with how the homeless population has been allowed to grow unchecked in many urban centers.  Homelessness has been a plight since the dawn of civilization.  Circumstances create personal problems for people in a myriad of ways.  Hopelessness becomes all consuming to the point where personal responsibilities which were once manageable suddenly are too much to handle.  Some would argue that it’s a money problem and tell us, “If only we all had a basic income, free health care, and free higher education, then homelessness would not exist!”   Responsibilities with this model of free stuff inevitably shift to an administrative group.  This group identifies money sources, collects the money, distributes it with a system that is “fair”, and employs a means of enforcement.  But would this progressive formula actually mitigate the personal problems inherent to human nature?  Think about it!


If I allow an administrator to take control of my basic neccessities and to educate me, will they also be able to control my dreams, wishes and choices?  What will be expected of me from this administrative state?  And what about morality?  Who defines morality and enforces this paradigm?

Now consider our police force…The men and women who are employed by municipalities to protect and serve its citizens.  It seems to me that their functions are slowly being eroded by an over zealous political class.  Lately the main stream news programs and social media fixate on police brutality as though it was more commonplace than the smuggling happening daily on our boarders.  Angry attitudes against the police along with the dangerous aspects of the job itself are causing many municipalities hardships to find new police recruits.  Is this by design and does this define a new mindset whereby law enforcement is now seen as the bad actor?  To be sure, policing will need a newly defined mission in order to help a controlling administrative state enforce their “fair and progressive” systems.


Judeo – Christian principles were once the sphere of moral precept in our country.  As these priciples erode and secular laws replace them, the human capacity for obtaining  higher consciousness will decrease and dependency on the administrative state will increase.  Each one of us is then acting as a cog in the wheel of an interdependent system and is replaceable if we are not being “perceived” as doing our part.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive” – Sir Walter Scott, 1808

We can see how the deception is forming the web, but do we know WHO IS THE SPIDER?

You Came To Earth…

Higher consciousness is the place in your mind where you find the transcendent power of your soul.  You get to this place (or should I say “space”) by being in full awareness of your actions and affections.  You can’t reach this state of mind unless you have been born into our earthly reality which is a powerful act in and of itself!

Why is the transition to higher consciousness important, and when is the right time to act on it?  There is no easy answer.

To start, you must live an earthly existence and experience your life with all its joys and sorrows.  To have experience is what makes you human, and the daily choices you make relate to who you are becoming.  Education is a very big part of this phase; reading and studying all you can on both sides of the spectrum, asking questions, testing theories, observing the actions of your elders.  Along with education is your ability to acquire a respect for those things you are unable to control; other’s words and actions, the weather, an animal’s instinct.

Next, you must understand how your own emotions relate to your experiences.  You must feel each of these emotions deeply.  Cry when you’re feeling the tears move you, laugh when the outcome of your own oddness is funny, be angry when disappointed, be humble when you’ve disappointed another.  Along with these expressions comes a practice of letting go which is hard to do at first, but becomes easier as you figure out that life does indeed come with its ups and downs.   Everyone has these internal mood regulators which generally come up against your external influencers.  Accept it all and find comfort in a Higher Power that loves you for your unique soul.  This will help you to know who you are and to find the strength for improvement in your earthly endeavors.

Finally, practice makes perfect!  Be intentional with positivity.  Let mindfulness be consistent with your daily interactions and you will touch upon the unconditional Love which is required for the transformation to higher consciousness.  You can honor this ability by your practice of it because it shows through in your authentic purpose and gives meaning to your life, enriching everyone around you.

How does this spiritual capability work within our secular systems?  This is the topic of my next blog post…

A Religion for Our Time

Religion is a practice.  Belief in core Priciples along with rituals of song, prayer and symbolism help to engage an individual in spiritual growth.  The world’s major religions are practiced by many people, however there are just as many people for whom these religions do not resonate.  This does not mean that non-religious people do not desire a spiritual anchor.  Many find great meaning in nature, music, movement, and volunteerism.  Given today’s active lifestyles there should be a religious practice that would work for most anyone who wishes to engage meaningfully with Devine inspiration, spiritual healing and God.  If there was such a practice, how would it be taught?   And, would it be necessary to commune with others in a physical church to make it truly a religion?

Polarizing political climates are a symptom of needed spiritual intervention.  The focus of each individual must be diverted from physical needs and wants and placed squarely in  the hands of a higher power.  In my past writings I have pointed out that our mainstream dialogue is trending toward more order which is why more social justice initiatives and socialist programs are being pushed as necessary for equity in our U.S. Culture.  The political emphasis on centralizing government rather than respecting individual liberty has huge implications on the human soul.  This is patriarchy or what I call the Male Principle in action.  It amazes me that women who call themselves “Feminists” are buying into this patriarchal system.  The alternative, having a matriarchal system is no better.   The “male” symbolizes  confidence, protection and humor.  The “female” symbolizes passion, modesty, and creativity.  In this instance male/female does not connotate sex or gender, instead their meaning is purely related to human nature as order/chaos.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines human nature as the fundamental dispositions and traits of humans.  Taken together the male and female traits are present within all humans to various degrees, and our cultures are manifestations of these traits.  Witness now the physical focus on trans men and women, race, gender inequality (AKA intersectionality)…Why the need to physically transform oneself into a “category of traits”?  Why not instead accept your natural physical presence and utilize your fundamental human traits to transform your spirit and hence your life with all of humanity?  I believe the Bible is a guide for this transformation, however its religious message can be incredibly difficult for the average person to understand.  You cannot find yourself by expressing feelings through physicality.

Devine transformation occurs somewhere between the human traits of confidence/passion, protection/modesty, and humor/creativity.  The Genesis is hidden from the eye, but felt with the heart.  The transformation is fully physical in the form of good works not your identity of sex or race or even your material acquisitions.  The goal is love, of yourself and others.  And if God is Love, then our good works in our homes and communities make us into the image of our Creator.


Now for the teaching…Imagine the egg as a symbol of this transformation.   The yolk feeds the embryo (germinal disc) and is attached to the shell internally by a membranous strip (chalaza).  The egg white (albumen) cushions the yolk and supplies water to the growing embryo.   There is an air chamber that holds oxygen.  Inner and outer membranes form the protective layers between the eggwhite and the shell.  We know all this exists inside the shell and yet we are unable to actually view it unless of course we dissect the egg. Consider that your soul is the embryo and your human nature is the yolk.  The chalaza anchors your soul and human nature to a membrane that protects your emotional maturity.  The egg whites cradle your emerging soul and ensure that the oxygen remains removed from you until you are ready for the physical transformation to do good works in the physical world.  But the symbolism does not stop here.

Now consider the Easter Egg.  Let’s decorate the shell with symbols of the human capacity for love.  The diagram below shows the outer shell of the egg with a blue heart near the top, a red heart toward the middle and a purple heart near the base. Out from either side of the red heart internally are two more hearts, one orange and one green. Attached to the inside and opposite to the red heart is a large yellow heart, and the large yellow heart is connected to the blue and purple hearts almost directly like the chalaza of an egg.   Everything happening within the shell is not able to be seen, but if you can imagine the internal dimension then you can quite possibly connect to it’s deeper meaning.  This rainbow of hearts manifests Devine inspiration and offers a guide for spiritual healing and growth:


God (yellow), man (blue) and woman (red) are primary colors.  Chaos (orange) and order (green) are a blend of God with woman and man respectively.  Community is a blend of man and woman (as the color purple).  This image is very similar to a previous image I created from a previous blog. Order and Chaos balance with Transformational Suffering from which Good Works and Meaning emminate and ultimately connect to God or Christ…This is Devine transformation and can be achieved by anyone willing to believe in the process.


Both women and men must nurture new life and teach good works, doing this with guidance from their Creator.   Women and men carry on the traditions of Devine inspiration for their homes and communities to bring meaning.   The Judeo-Christian teachings are the basis of these traditions.   No matter what gender or race you are, it is human nature that drives your soul and God’s presence is the mystery  working in your soul.  You are in charge of doing the good in the world on God’s behalf.  Understand that each individual shares the same journey  of our human race….This is our church,  and at its core it is religious.

Hold an egg in the palm of your hand.   Sense the frailty of its mystery.  Consume the meaning of its message and put it to work in your life.

Shrew View: Common Sense Greenology

The much talked about Green New Deal is a farce.  Just the time taken from the people’s business to create this document should be concerning.  And, much like the “hate crimes” that have materialized as unfortunate fraudulent claims, the list of pie in the sky goals to be achieved in ten years time in this deal will likely cause a cascade of despair and misery when actions do not meet their objectives.


To live in harmony with our planet Earth we should very much want to strive for a cleaner environment, but this should not be at the expense of lowering our standard of living.  Opportunities abound as we work together to solve problems with clean energy, abundant water sources with efficient sewer systems, telecommunication networks in all regions and more dependence on local food sourcing.  As a life long student of engineering principles with a knack for research and development in my professional life I will now attempt to give my list of goals to help our society become the epitome of environmental consciousness or what I call the science of Greenology…

  1. Improve the internet infrastructure to include access for those living in our most rural areas.
  2. Increase methods and opportunities for telecommuting.
  3. Encourage co-working spaces near community centers with shared technology and internet connectivity that is secure.
  4. Allow K – 12 public schools to advance entrepreneurial thought and skills.
  5. Encourage innovation of new green technologies by allowing philanthropy to work through 501c environments.
  6. Science is never “settled”.  Always push for advances in research and development by remaining curious and always asking what next.
  7. Encourage a new wave of farming technology that produces locally sourced ingredients for regional markets.

This is just the start!  What could you add to this list?  Remember, we are not getting rid of anything that would naturally fade away anyway because of supply and demand…That’s good capitalism working with sound progress.

An Evolving Nation…

“Even though our Founders were white Anglo-Saxon men, their education concerning governance and phylisophical nuances of human kind produced a value-based means system for our nation to evolve. All elected officials swear an oath to follow the Constitution. Political parties have a tendency to put in place officials that stray from this oath and focus instead on their party platforms (which often reflect constituent beliefs, not values) and lobbying interests (which often reflect business profitability) quite like children manipulating their parents. Core values are discarded in an effort to maintain control.”  The Shrew

Shrew View: The Duty of Privilege

To perceive or assume privilege on another necessitates blame and thus removes the obligation for the “accuser” to see their own power to positively change themselves for the betterment of community.

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What is a Shrew?


A Shrew is any person who honors the Female Principle. I describe a Shrew as having these qualities:

Emotional maturity
Openness as a condition toward wholeness
Fortitude
Humility

These qualities are expressions of controlled chaos which feminine energy must display in order to be a true Feminist. A Shrew will never humiliate or degrade male energy because to do so would disregard the importance of this balancing energy which in essence is order.