Unwanted Walk 3

Unsure

some days simply numb

others, the sensations of cold

or was that a seizure once more?

A walk in God’s creation

seeing the createdness of Creator’s creators

a ch-zoo

so freeing, but challenging

for other folks

who fear the same, to speak openly

the unknown, the fears

as children grow

existing in a system that can do such harm

when the voice of advocacy is silenced by age

Rumbles in the sky

neurology roles

fades once more

what will the reboot do?

Will he come back

to where he was

or stay regressed

a simple prayer for hope

a simple little light

to not go to smoke

Morning light….

a new day

one more day

fear recedes to joy

but the great fear remains

for this Daddy..

an unnatural end where I outlive my son,

or my son outlives me,

and is left to a system that does not see the beautiful wholeness of his created self

and the joy that he is

being fully him…

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Justice. Love. Humility.

Justice. Love. Humility.

Three parts of a Franciscan Community of Reconciliation. Why does it matter?

Well let’s share a story that brought me to typing this now.

Mnay moons ago when I was still a student at SAIT, I went back to church with my Nan and Aunty Bert. In that process I inquired about prayer, and was given an answer that peaked more of my curiousity. As I had just recently started working at a bookstore, I stumbled across Talbot’s Life Lesson’s of St. Francis, one of the early works in my reading to shape my understanding of the gospel (this with the Great Love Commandments that brought me back into church began shaping, unconsciously, my ministry).

Over time I would move from a less structured spiritual formation to inquiry and postulancy with the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, when I would serve in the Anglican church, I would transition to the Third Order, Society of St. Francis, to complete my postulancy, and two years of novitiate and fellowship with the RC Secular Franciscan Order (as my Dad would call us the shit disturbers of the church. A quick history lesson, third/secular orders exist as St. Francis realized not everyone was gifted with celibacy, and as such needed to go make babies, as he blessed Brother Leo to go forward and have blessed family.

When a new blessing would emerge, as my Nan needed extra help, I would rejoin her in church, and the great the barriers of church labels would halt my official membership in the orders, and would move forward in the work of living my rule for continuing to make my own part of the world a better place (which is debatable to some if I did or not).

There was times the orders would touch base about re-joining, but I did not have the right church pedigree in those moments, and as such nothing moved forward.

That has changed, with an ecumenical community out of the new monasticism paradigm, my life vows (24 years on from the first opening of Talbot’s book) have been accepted.

No matter how impossible things may seem, if you are called, never give up for there is a path for it to be light.

Pax et bonum (peace and goodwill)

Prologue

The innocuous coin was in a non-descript grey plastic grocery bag, on a bottom shelf, shoved away in the cob webbed storeroom of the 1970’s era split level family home. The chains holding the shelving up were beginning to sag a bit with time. The house was next to what had once been known as the ashram, a simple trailer co-op that had been used as the base of operations for a superhero conclave. After the last of the heroes had vanished, the municipal council had passed a motion to annex the land to build a new multi-purpose housing development, the long boarded up split level, rotting away in the slow death of abandonment on the fog rolling space, was also part of the plan. It is where the new green space and universal designed playground was to go.

Long ago, implosion had been taken off the table, the house would be collapsed upon itself with all contents to simply be plowed over and paved. It was a plan many municipalities had used to repurpose landfill sites in time, to build malls. It was a sound plan; the multi-purpose affordable housing project was part of the land developer’s redemption strategy. Many did not know who this shadow player was, they played their identity close to the vest.

They could not explain what brought them to remove the plywood from the door frame and enter the dust covered house. Even though it was so close to the hero commune, it had been a squatter’s paradise, overrun with mice and insects. Their expensive loafers crunched on the scurrying insects that to the untrained eye appeared as carpet. Moving his pen light to shine upwards the ceiling appeared to be moving due to the high level of infestation. Their eyes scanned the stair way up, though the low drum beat in their ear stopped them from ascending. At the landing they looked down the staircase, on the right and left there was doorways at the bottom. This weird thrumming beat in their ears reminded them of the ear infections they had as a child. Something was guiding them.

The light shone downwards, was that squirrels? The kind introduced to the city that run amuck as too many folks thought they were cute and fed them. Ruffling of feathers, obviously between the influx of woodpeckers in the area, and pigeons, that roosting had begun inside.

The descent, the stairs creaked. The abandonment, and more likely leaks and possible floods over time with some broken windows exposing to elements had done structural damage. They shifted uncomfortably in the expensive designer suit, an ox blood colour with subtle pinstripes, double breasted. They pulled on their tie to loosen the not. The thrumming was louder in their ear, they pushed back the short brim fedora a little. From an inside pocket, pulled on a pair of black leather gloves. The thrumming dulled a little when the looked to the right doorway, so they went through the left, a rotting family room with broken furniture, stepping on mice remnants, a right turn brought them into a laundry room. The mildew and mold from a burst hot water tank, a cannibalized furnace out of the peripheral, about eight feet in a left turn.

The pen light beam cut through the thick dust and cobwebs onto the rotting wooden shelves. Was that a skunk huddling in the corner? No movement, if it was, it had long since expired. The penlight scanned ripped open debris, and remnants of a family’s life heirlooms. A father, wife, and children. The light fell on a picture that had a young married couple; a heart drawn with Rick loves Susie. Their footsteps on what they think is a sheet, they squat and look closer, it’s a ripped tapestry, an image of a dragon and a knight pulling forth a sword from a stone.

A crack of thunder outside. Rain was coming. Too often the city felt like it was England or a bad Sherlock Holmes novel. The light beam glances on the shelf, the plastic bag. They walked up to it. An old journal falls off the shelf when they grab at the bag. They glance the flashlight off an entry.

May not have passed that psyc test to the best of my ability. Taking the ancient languages is tripping me out, but the push for funds having me re-look at where to go in university. Thankful to pick up writing gigs. The pain though, is that they are back. Why does society always pick up moment from the darkest elements and sidelines hope? Final’s week is not the time for a new killer mystery, maybe an old standard bearer like Killer Face or Ripper, really do not need a new BK rogue.

They smirk. Really? Their light goes back to the picture. “All these years, and your name was Rick?” They chuckle, the thrumming is louder, so much that they are not able to focus. They lift the bag, it bursts, coins and old paper money fall over.

It lands on top of their loafer. An oxidizing Canadian penny, glowing slightly.

                “A green flame?”

Lightning crackles outside the window.

                The cracked picture frame of the wedding picture bursts outward.

A piece of glass slices through their suit, a bit of blood drops on the floor.

As the thrumming becomes a word.

PenDragon.

To Be Continued…

First Contact Day

Ah Star Trek. My Dad was a Trekkie, through repeats on the CBC he introduced us to the series and the complex discussions that were brought up in some of the episodes. As a little kid it was great because it was one night a week that I could stay up past my bedtime. I remember when the pay channels would do their free weekend preview, and we would record Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan off of it, and yes, those literal ear worms still cause my skin to crawl just thinking of it. And the sorrowful death, choosing to save others (being selfless, Mr. Spock, not selfish, what a message for our existence in c-tine). As well, the copy of the movie adaptation comic book of Star Trek III that I read and re-read until it was no more…

When Star Trek IV came to cinema, it was a fun and memorable Christmas Eve as Dad would take the four of us to the fancy cinema in Downtown Calgary to watch it on the big screen, and I still remember the sight of the whales.

“Captain there be whales here”- Scotty

I also remember being a part of Friday nights viewing of Next Generation, and in Junior High, the discussions on Monday Mornings around what had happened on Friday’s episodes, and the fun with the Unification storyline, and Hugh (the Borg that gets identity, when first teased we thought was going to be an adaptation of the amazing giant novel, Vendetta). This was also in the era of the panned Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, though I loved the movie, the journey of discovery of the intangible (God), as with many Star Trek episodes and movies, it is a go to when teaching youth, because it asks many deep questions about how do we know what is truly Holy? What is our own creation? and what about the pain?

Deep Space Nine is a series that resonated from the metaphysical “Emissary” to the closing episode when I worked in electronics assembly. The journey motif, the depth of character development and change. The commentary on war, terrorism, refugees, religion in building hope and as a tool of oppression, mental health, grieving, what is family, belonging, and sexual identity to name but a few. There was many topics, and it didn’t connect well with Trekkies I knew, but Sisko and company, held my attention on Sundays.

Voyager in its first run, was not on the radar, could be due to work and social life it was just hard to catch. Though as I moved through my time of healing, rediscovering the journey home on Netflix, was an apt metaphor as I walked through the healing process. The Animated Series (I am sure you can still find some of those reflections on this site) being watched were fun, and connecting back to the core principles of IDIC (more to come on that). Though there was a Star Trek, that rooted deeper. At first, I thought it would be Deep Space Nine, as the long walk to the bookstore when my brain was stabilizing a little for a read, it was a Deep Space Nine novel I would pick up, and draw me into a new journey of renewal, and hope.

Though, as I began to reflect that this journey would truly be a reboot, a new start, it was Enterprise that we found oursleves watching. Archer and company from beginning to end, disocvering the novels as they became a lynch pin for retraining my mind to read and process.

Simple blessings. Stories that showed the beauty of diversity and what can be accomplished by emrbacing Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations (IDIC). Also stories, that cause one to think and reflect, skills I was scared of losing through the neurological challenges. Skills that through discussion and reflection, would gain round and stabilize, the re-engagement with Trek Lore was one piece of the process (there was other connecting points as well, but this is about First Contact Day).

Each time, is like a First Contact, that day in the future, on April 5, when the Vulcans in Trek make contact with humanity. As we entered c-tine, aside from RuPaul, in the early days one of our joys was pacing ourselves through Picard Season One, reconnecting with familiar stories. In the summer, the joy and humour of Lower Decks, recently watching Discovery Season 3 (my youngest a non-Trekkie, who cheers when Adira-Gray are on the screen), other episodes of various Trek, last night the Deep Space Nine documentary What We Left Behind and a few months back, the Nichelle Nichols documentary on her work with NASA- Woman in Motion.

Looking back on the journey of life, stories are what shape us and our understanding of the world. First Contact with Star Trek, began a journey of fun, discovery, and building a better world. Where we are made better by living into the best of us, living into our diversity and creating courageous safe space where all belong and can thrive.

Infinite Diveristy, Infinite Combination

How do you choose to live into IDIC?

P.S. I do hope on this day, you were able to take a moment to re-watch favourite episodes, or movies, or like me at least engaged with some of the fun trailers of what is to come…

Picard Season 2 Trailer (and yes Q)

Star Trek Discovery Season 4 Trailer

Star Trek Lower Decks Season 2 Trailer

Faith Emergent/Divergent-Reborn?

Ah the set list for today’s reflections as we enter the time of Faith. yes, I know for some Advent weeks, Faith is overlooked and in our push to collapse everything to Sundays, it is replaced by Love, which is the gift that should be celebrated at the Christ-Mass (typically at the chime of Midnight at Christmas Eve/Christmas Day). So today, Faith and an exciting time in the Chateau that once was known as the Rainbow Chapel.

A John Lennon Refletion in Song:

Happy Christmas (War is Over) Listen here.

Imagine listen here.

For music has been used since the beginning of spirit-religious gatherings, much like art to share the story, the old old story of Love made incarnate. This is the foundation of faith, time in contemplation, time in creativity, and time in action. In our current world, it can be said that memes speak the same language to some teaching lessons, as was spotted this season:

What is faith?

How does the Holy Mystery speak to you?

For it is in those deep quiet moments of hearing the call, and answering that we challenge and change our world.

This is what brings us into this Advent season during as we await the world changing, structure shattering moment of new birth. Each of us can have a moment such as this… For me, it is in the midst of an epilogue of a formation preparation. The outcome of a time of healing, and reconciling. Now preparing, with my loved ones what to expect or to do next. What is on the horizon? For one so firmly formed in the social gospel-liberation theology roots of transfiguration?

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It was in this formation process, discovering myself through living the Franciscan Charism, I would find myself as a Lay Minister of Praise in the Roman Catholic Church, praying a rosary after a night shift in an emergency shelter, barely awake, waiting for the mid-week Mass to begin. I was never sure if it was lack of sleep, too much coffee, or Spirit, but I would hear a voice that sounded like my Granddad-who had passed away many years earlier- (not an odd occurrence for advice in my head at that point and time in my life), simply saying, “build my church”. At the rise of the church plant movements this is what I thought as I dove in building ministries and quite miraculously productive throughout my life with parallel careers/callings on going under the giant umbrella of “making my own corner of the world a better place one act of kindness at a time”.

Until now, when we look at what is next?

For anyone who has been a friend, acquaintance, congregant, reader or student knows pieces of the story. A story that the application into the next phase asked for:

ty-ragan-testimonyDownload

Yes, as you read the title correctly– a return to—

Seminary.

Firstly, yes I do have a life long learning compulsion, but this is also to renew skills and learnings. Pick up important aspects for ministry of the languages for not only my own writing (that book around community building I keep alluding too), but also the re-birth of this season. The re-focus, and back on track for next spring 2021.

Back to the church based ministry.

Like the voice of the Holy in that late night/early morning pre-mass prayer, or as my wife phrases it:

“Hubs is at the point of the journey if we can’t find healthy churches, then lets build it”

What has c-tine shown? That change is possible, that the old will fall away, be renewed or re-born. That it is a time to wonder and dream once more. Things such as peace, joy and hope can re-emerge within each of us and our community, simple steps (or in my case, a huge leap) of faith out of this time apart, this imposed time to reflect and contemplate what our true passion and calling is in life.

Not only what they are, but how to make them a true reality.

A loving reality.

Stepping out in faith to live the Love of the Holy.

Simply put, prepare, connect, be and do. That is the calling on my family, take time to prepare, learn and grow, with prayerful hope there is a part-time role to be in to apply the learnings in the work (the best model for me to learn), and then see where we are meant to be at the end of this…

Prologue of Book 2 of our life trilogy.

P.S. (From CP Kids & Families Facebook Page) Let’s step into a new reality of love, and shatter the old norms eh?

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Soul Ripples 2 (FREE E-Book)

It is a story told over two volumes:

A stone skipping across a pond leaves ripples with each impact.

The joys and life of traumas are the like the skipping stone through the generations.

Soul Ripples

What happens when the helper needs help?

For over 20 years Ty Ragan served his neighbour from the rough camps to the shelters to home and every where’s in-between. The simple life lesson of Jesus of Nazareth to love your neighbour as yourself was the centre question to be answered in his life. In May 2016 his life would begin to change drastically through unknown seizures and strokes.

Enter into the ripples that brought him to 2016, the transformational power of love of family and friends as he seeks new ripples in hope for his soul.

Buy Soul Ripples here.

Then enter the healing with Soul Ripples Two by clicking link in the caption of the picture:

Soul Ripples 2

Enjoy the journey, and please share with those you think need to see that healing is possible…and Hope abounds.

Countdown

6 months

180 days

Seizure free

is what they state means remission

Day 36 ticks on by

Countdown is on…

144 days to go…

long days of harder worker

Now no longer numb,

Deep dive begins

to root out the cause

of the PTSD…

the numbness that caused

the PNES

One day at a time

one hour

one minute

one second

one thought

one emotion

one memory

144 to go…

_____________________________________________

A stone skipping across a pond leaves ripples with each impact.

The joys and life of traumas are the like the skipping stone through the generations.

Soul Ripples

What happens when the helper needs help?

For over 20 years Ty Ragan served his neighbour from the rough camps to the shelters to home and every where’s in-between. The simple life lesson of Jesus of Nazareth to love your neighbour as yourself was the centre question to be answered in his life. In May 2016 his life would begin to change drastically through unknown seizures and strokes.

Enter into the ripples that brought him to 2016, the transformational power of love of family and friends as he seeks new ripples in hope for his soul.

Buy your copy at Amazon.ca today.

Star Trek Spirituality

For many the title may sound quite oxymoronic. Star Trek & Spirituality? Star Trek & religion? Is it not the great humanist journey? Yes and no. It is about a wonderful mosaic, learning to co-exist together (yes there’s still dark times and conflict). It is also about exploration, and chasing the soul centered vocational passion you have as you do not have to worry about life giving necessities. It literally shows how a multi-cultural mosaic honours everyone’s beliefs and heritage, but also how beliefs and customs change through sharing space. Creating courageous and safe space to explore.

It has also been on of those shows for me at each different point of my own spiritual questing if you will. During my PTSD-PNES recovery (still ongoing) it was a Star Trek Deep Space Nine novel I picked up in shaky hands to retrain my brain on reading.

The original Star Trek I fell in love with on CBC watching re-runs, I was allowed after all to be up 1 hour past bed time on the nights it was on so it became must see t.v. I wanted to be a space cowboy ala Kirk in my early elementary school years. I was gobsmacked in Wrath of Khan when Spock gave his life (yes I loved Spock as a character)…my wife says in my middle-age years I can come across more as a Dr. McCoy however lol…it showed you can have fun adventuring, and that there is truly a no-win situation. Though for some in my work a day life, it was more Mr. Scott, the Miracle Worker I have become known as.

The Next Generation took a bit to get in too, but it was a group of folks I clicked with in Junior High School. Data, Geordi and Worf were my favs, what can I say, the philosophical questions raised by Data, Worf seeking ways to connect with his religion with his new enlightenment from being raised in the Federation I felt echoed in my own search for Jesus and God. Geordi, well I loved how his mind worked. No, I have never asked anyone who they would see me as in characters, though my daughter has said Picard because we are both bald and drink tea.

Deep Space Nine was the spiritual quest through the Catechism. It was exploring a society rebuilding, religion and spirituality, literally an outsider (Sisko) merging his own beliefs into Bajoran religion. There was sexual identity diversity (Garak); Odo and Quark with their cops/robbers routine, neuro-diversity shown with Rom, PTSD and mental health was tackled, Worf was back. Sisko punched Q (and yes the online quizzes put me as a Sisko in which Star Trek Captain are you). Ethical questions around medically assisted death, capacity and is spiritual wisdom true knowledge. Also dragged you into discussions around torture, occupation, just war theory, what does it mean to fall away or re-enter your faith in a new way. Eugenics. Addictions. Racism was squarely hit. Truth and Reconciliation. These were all but some of the story lines explored over their seven seasons.

I had a passing dalliance during this time with Enterprise and Voyager. Fast forward though to my healing over the past year.

What was Enterprise? It was the first warp 5 ship leaving our solar system to go out and explore. First steps into a new reality. Not understanding what laid ahead, apprehensive, but willing to take a leap of faith. Captain Archer and his crew became the galaxy’s conscience. Working through xenophobias and paranoia’s between Vulcans and Andorians, discovering what it means to fall victim to pirates. T’Pal and Trip’s love. Dr. Phlox showing that in plurality there is different ways to be family. Each character had their own challenges, fears and goals to move through. Sato being the one developing the universal translator as a linguist, Merryweather having been raised on supply ships breaking with his family tradition to join Starfleet. Reed learning what it means to be with family, as he broke his family’s tradition of Naval service. Captain Archer, with his trusted beagle, Porthos, figuring it out as they go day by day.

A book series and t.v. series that helped me wrestle in my core about what it means to start fresh. Whole new life laid out before with new challenges to overcome.

Also the time I revisited Voyager. Two separate factions pulled 75 years away from our quadrant by the Caretaker. The Maquis (freedom fighters or terrorists depending on your point of view) and Starfleet, now on one ship, one crew, Voyager. What does it mean to be lost with no chance of getting back to familiar?

Just let that question rest. One is going into the unfamiliar, knowing home is close, in Enterprise. Voyager is being lost, heading back, but not knowing if you ever will make it. The journey in the Delta Quadrant of Janeway, Chakotay, Torres, Paris, Kim, Seven, Neelix, Doctor and Tuvok to grieve, to release the old, and journey into the new reality before them.

It is a winding life path.

Each series, and individual show, breaks down a fun adventure, but also some deeper questions if you so wish. In my ministry life I have used the shows and movies multiple times to get groups of all ages to think differently about issues before us.

In my healing journey, the story therapy to has touched upon thinking differently about the journey before me. One day at a time. The good grieving to a new reality.

Want to read more of the Spirituality of Star Trek?

Check out my new book, Soul Ripples, Coming 2019.

Alienbrews 2

“You want to know the problem with going somewhere no one’s ever been? It takes so damned long to get there.”

-Dayton Ward’s (2015) Star Trek: The Next Generation Armageddon’s Arrow p.29

The mysterious quill behind Hebrews continues drawing the hearers to their old stories. Having moved through angels and some patriarchs, they now touch upon Moses in the Jesus comparisons. How does this fit with the Ancient Alien Theology lens we are bringing to this? Surely there is nothing within the Moses story? Hmmm… Let’s think. Ancient pantheon of gods that were easily seen as aliens (just watch any Stargate show or movie), the concept of the Elohim being the alien race that had attached to the Hebrew people, the material creators of the human race (Haze, 2018, p. 98). An extra-terrestrial conflict brought to Earth, to save those who had been loyal to the Elohim, and now currently imprisoned by another alien species that used them as slave labour. Moses being in contact with the Elohim, the idea that being upon Mount Sinai and the crashing thunder and lights were a spaceship (Haze p.112-113). That it is this glory that was revealed to Moses illuminating (burning) his face, much akin to the transfiguration we see mirrored in the Canonical Gospels of Jesus in the Christian Testament.

Haze will go on to point out the communication devices that Moses used during the Exodus and how he always spoke separated from the people- perhaps a safety measure?

 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. ² He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. ³ Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ⁵ “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,”^[a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

-Epistle of Hebrews 3:1-6 (New International Version)

Reminding the people that Moses had led them out of slavery in Egypt, but had faltered in faith and as such could not lead them into the Promised Land. Moses needed to take safety measures to interact with the Elohim that is a tent of communication, being in the crevice of rocks, not facing the Glory of God directly. While it has been reported, Jesus of Nazareth has been within the Glory unprotected, and speaks directly. Pointing out and lending credence that Jesus was both – wholly human-wholly Elohim (alien).

So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
⁸     do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness,
⁹ where your ancestors tested and tried me,
though for forty years they saw what I did.
¹⁰ That is why I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
¹¹ So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”^[b]

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.¹⁵ As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”^[c]

¹⁶ Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷ And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?¹⁸ And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? ¹⁹ So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

-Epistle of Hebrews 3:12-19 (New International Version)

Jerusalem at this time, as noted in my posts Epistle of Strawolution; is a city in flux. For a time, Rome was held at bay as the Judaic rulers-religious had seized control. The time was coming for a fiery end of the rebellion, for no Empire could let the David beat Goliath. In the midst of this change, those that were not fully within the “orthodox” religion knew they would be the first of those used as cannon fodder. It is words of reminder for those thinking of surrendering their new path of metaphysical-transcendent love of God, Self, and Neighbour and turning back that the mystery writer is tapping in to.

Reminding them of the ancient stories, when the alien messengers-creators walked with them and still the people whined (rebelled is such a strong word for those that whined to go back to slavery). It was the shift of change, it would be a change for the good, but the grief was inconsolable as these refugees from the Egyptian dynasty wandered the wilderness for 40 years- a Hebrew Generation. Why so long? Like the old adage of Peace in the Middle East or Ireland, a generation raised away from the hatred, war and anger and able to return with a fresh start for a new country is what was being proposed in the journey of the Wilderness.

It left open that who entered the Promised Land would only know about the transition phase lived, they would only know the stories of bondage in Egypt. It was a step away from the conflict and the anger of the journey for a new beginning.

And what was entry into the Promised Land, but true Sabbath…

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. ² For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.^[a] 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” ⁵ And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

⁶ Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God^[b] would not have spoken of another day later on. ⁹ So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, ¹⁰ for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

-Epistle of Hebrews 4:1-13 (English Standard Version)

Exposure. It is a scary concept. It is what happens when we rest. Our true selves begin to emerge, as we allow the sludge of life to slip away. Our dreams can bubble through the sub-conscious to the conscious. It is intriguing to view this concept of resting with the Creator through an Ancient Alien Theology for it shifts understanding. Yes it references to fighters- David and Joshua- both who likely used Alien technology to accomplish their feats, but speaks of a day of rest.

Is it the rest that happens with peace? Not just peace within ourselves, but as there is allusion to the life and teachings of Jesus as encouragement- peace between species and interplanetary?

What would galactic, local, and inner peace be to you?

What facets of self-need to become whole?

T’Pol and Stigmatizing the Victim

Sub-Commander T’Pol: I have Pa’nar Syndrome. It doesn’t make a difference how I contracted it.

Captain Jonathan Archer: It makes a lot of difference. You’re not a member of this minority. He forced himself on you, you said it yourself.

Dr. Phlox: He’s right, T’Pol, you should tell them.

Sub-Commander T’Pol: He is not right. If I used that as a defense as a way to keep from being taken off Enterprise, I’d be condoning their prejudice, and in the process indicting every member of the minority. I won’t do that.

-Star Trek Enterprise episode “Stigma”

Star Trek lore has always been written as part western, part space adventure, with a strong under current of prophetic social commentary. It is a dualistic story, one of an open, loving consensual open-polyamorous marriage with Phlox and one of his wives who wishes to get to know Charles Tucker better, and another that shows what happens when consent from adults is removed over time. That is addressing the imposed stigma a survivor has on their lives through the character of Sub-Commander T’Pol.

In Season 1’s episode “Fusion” the crew encountered a radicalized Vulcan faction using mind-melds to better bring their logic and emotional selves to fruition. But it was not a meld of choice, as T’Pol was attacked and melded with… the repercussions were not a quaint one-off story, but rather stayed with the character throughout the show as it became the allegory of trauma-survivor-healing for someone who has been raped. For her mind, her logic, the essence that made her Vulcan was violated. In fact, her government wanted her to come back to Vulcan for treatment because the after effects had compromised her neurology with an affliction. Imagine, shunning and hiding away the victim?

Dr. Yuris: [referring to T’Pol] The mind meld was performed against her will.

Dr. Oratt: Can you verify this?

Sub-Commander T’Pol: Why? So you can perpetuate your double standard? Condemn the infected when they meld by choice and sympathize with them when they don’t?

-Star Trek: Enterprise “Stigma”

The challenging of one’s culture’s norms is bravery. Too challenge the norm not only for those in your situation, but also because the norm itself is wrong is the height of heroism. We exist in a province where an official opposition refused to shop up to work rather than go officially on the record for their beliefs, that have allowed policies to be openly debated and discussed in regards to vaccinations being child abuse; and outing children. We have persons with disabilities living barely above poverty, unless x to the y to the z is addressed.

Yet we state we are inclusive.

We state we have progressed.

We state we are enlightened.

Captain Jonathan Archer: “You Humans are too… volatile, too irrational, too narrow-minded.” That’s what I heard for years – from every Vulcan I met. But we don’t hold a candle to you when it comes to narrow-minded. We got rid of bigotry nearly a century ago. We’re not afraid of diversity. We don’t persecute it, we embrace it. If you call yourselves enlightened, you have to accept people who are different than you are.

Star Trek: Enterprise “Enigma”

The #metoo #churchtoo #timesup #Pride #Disabilitypride #MMIW #TRC and many other movements of healing and accountability to decent humanity towards one another.

Then cue  rabid response of alt-right; Religious Right, Neo-Nazis; and Incels (and other extremist groups out to exert their power and authority over other people–and yes in religious circles this does include Quiverful and Complementarian ethos).

T’Pol was a character on a television show over a decade ago, and yes there were many characters before, but where the stand was made and the line was drawn in the sand was simple.

You cannot hide away evil. You cannot let darkness win. You cannot let a double standard exist where this behaviour is okay because of “G”. Rather, you must make a stand that says, this is wrong, call it out as such. Call out whatever innuendo or other b.s. is propping it up.

Her story rippled throughout the series.

Why?

When someone takes away your ability to feel safe within your own sacredness it is not an easy fix. The journey takes time. It involves grieving, anger, medical and psychological interventions and aides. Sometimes they work, sometimes they work only sometimes, and other times you have to find another way.

For in the after effects one needs to discover their new truth. Their new centre. It was a journey up to that moment before the abuse, before the trauma, before the harassment, before the rape…before you questioned if you could have stopped it (and what a double standard that the victim would even entertain the question)…

to the now, and the journey that will take time to the new you.

Sub-Commander T’Pol: Maybe this incident will encourage others to speak out.

Captain Jonathan Archer: Let’s hope so.

-Star Trek: Enterprise “Stigma”

Through the support of professional circles of support, eventually overgrown by new and (healthy) enduring circles of support the voice you discovered to speak the truth of what was robbed from you… will emerge to speak who:

The YOU—YOU ARE–Truly are.