News And Views

On the pages that provide for commenting you may submit your own as you wish either as a registered user (when activated) or as a guest. All comments submitted by guests are moderated so that Gathering Minds can continue to be the focused website that it is. Registered users, depending upon their own good will, may or may not have their comments moderated. The interest here is not in commenting but upon understanding. It may appear that vocalization in the form of comments is required in order to gain understanding but this is only an apparency used to solidify one’s own viewpoint.

A viewpoint is nothing but a point from which one views.

Consider it as a vista point where one pulls the car off the highway in order to take in the grand spectacle of nature. Drinking in the view we then get in our car and take it with us whenever and where ever we go. Some views we embrace so strongly that it becomes of our own makeup or character - our sense of beingness becomes changed as our mental mechanism reinvents the wheel in it’s desire to quantify and qualify everything. But that is not us and that is not the direction from which comments are provided for.

Yes, it’s true.

Another version for another time and another place.

This version comes about to fulfill the goal of moving away from web site development and shuffling off to focus more intently upon the meaning and purpose of life and living (insert tongue-in-cheek here). The nice thing about using canned software to run a website is that an enormous amount of time and energy is no longer spent upon keeping the machine alive and kicking. The downside of this is that the website must follow very specific guidelines in it’s operation. Sure, the presentation may appear unique but underlying it all is the rubber stamp of ‘follow orders’. In spite of this lack of freedom the merits do, at this time, outweigh the notion of blazing new paths for the very few who actually like bush-wacking. Now it’s more a matter of “never mind the context, pay attention to the meaning”.

I like that.

I’ve made it known about my disconnection with the various power positions that are going on and the reasons for that. Sometimes even the big boys require an alternate perspective, one which lies outside the boundaries of safety and the big easy chair. What happens after that is up to the ole cause and effect. It’s not just a matter of what “comes around goes around” but more a matter of doing that which is right - not a matter of what one may think is right, but doing that which brings about balance in a world, universe or dimension gone mad. ( Madness can be defined as that which is removed from balance or harmony. In a dynamically aligned perspective this thread is what keeps beingness from falling into the pit of self-gazing called the dwindling spiral of becoming. The further one travels down this avenue of pain and suffering, the further one delves into madness and the only way out of it is to either succumb to it’s charm wholly and completely or to turn the tide and swim back home. Either way it’s a struggle but the whole purpose of being unbalanced is to bring about the experience of native state. Too bad one cannot experience that which one is but the sacrificial play of being on stage for all to see is most enticing. )

Balance continues to be brought to bear but the sublime is not always easy to see when one is caught up in the rapture of one’s own experience. How marvelous we are, are we not?

Well, that marvel can use a bit ‘o shine as the facade is clearly showing signs of distress.

There have been a few changes made to this website recently but that is nothing unusual. Things do change and about the only recourse we have is to swim with the tide - or fight against it.

Swimming with the tide doesn’t mean going along for the ride or doing as the herd does, what it means is to determine one’s own true course through this Universe, Sometimes this means that one will swim with the tide - or to be harmonious with the Universe, and at other times we require ourselves to stand firm with conviction. In this interplay of reach and withdraw we come to learn a great many things.

But that only happens when we are free of fixation.

There are a number of articles and such on this web-site which address the subject and philosophy of the religion called Scientology. There are also a number of articles which address spirituality in a different form. In all cases, through whatever device employed, the purpose of these articles and posts is to address that which lies before the one who reads them.

The religion of Scientology as expressed here is much, much different than the one currently being espoused to the general public by a church gone bad. Yuck. What is expressed here is also so very different from that being pushed and shoved this way and that by the various off-shoots of the Scientology philosophy. I care for none of that nor for those who follow some twisted self-serving path to glory. Double yuck. It doesn’t matter what religion or philosophy one chooses because they are all filled with self-serving mental cases looking for a good time. That sounds pretty harsh but in context it stating the obvious.

There are lot and lots of ways and means, of people and organizations more than willing to take one’s money for a good journey down the beaten path of entertainment. This is not to say that the various paths are completely worthless because in this universe there is something for everyone - it’s your choice and I certainly would not take that away from you. Take what path you choose and good luck to you!

The web site Free Zone America has been put into suspended animation. Well, maybe not so much ‘suspended’ but more of a tipping one’s hat and saying adieu. The web site was great fun in many ways and I had the great pleasure of communicating with an enormous amount of people both big and small. In the Scientology realm there is a consideration perpetuated of the existence of ‘big’ and ‘small’ beings. I don’t really share that view as I consider all beings of great depth and breath, so when I refer to ‘big and small’ it is more of a tongue-in-cheek kind of way.

Scientology as far as I am concerned contains a great wealth of information and ways of looking at things. Granted there are even a greater number of people who quite enjoy being wrapped in the the administrative aspects of the philosophical religion. By that I mean the enormous amount of people who take great pleasure in placingthe blame for their own considerations and experiences upon the religion itself completely ignoring the fact of their own drive to bring that about. It’s not the religion, stupid.

All religions share a common concept and that concept involves rearranging one’s own perspectives, of getting people out of their heads and into an alternative way of living life. Yes, a way of life. If one’s outlook is simply contained in thoughts spiraling around in one’s noggin then nothing of note will ever occur other than a whole lot of unpleasant experiences. But don’t take my word for it.

A change has been made in the way that comments are handled. Because of this change there is no longer a need for the Guest Book, so that has been stuffed into Davey Jonse’s locker to await another time, another place. The same fate has befallen the rest of the entries that were to be found in the Comm Center. “Alas Yurick, I am no more.”

Except for Mikey’s Corner which has been moved into the Reading Room section. It’s in that section just because I don’t have a clue as to where it should really go. So if your name is Mikey and you are looking for your entries, go there and gaze upon achievement.

A comment can now be left for all pages that contain something other than the index and such. Comment moderation is on so that those comments that belong to the aforementioned locker can fulfill their purpose in life. Back in the days when there was a forum on fza.org there was no shortage of a cast of characters who would take great pride and glee in having their moment in history, of striving for a walk in the limelight, but now that history has moved on to other grazing pastures all is well. Yes, all is quite well indeed.

Feel free to comment upon what it is that needs commenting upon but please do realize that a response from me will most likely appear no-where since there is no great proclivity in having my person comment about comments which have to do with something I had already said. Whew!

My resignation has been tendered effective immediately, all associations have been dissolved and all agreements henceforth concluded. There can no longer be claimed any sort of relationship with any type of association, etc. The Galactic Patrol, Free Zone, Grand Council and all other such devices are now left up to their own. As of this moment there are no ties that bind with but one notable exception.

Perhaps this can be considered as the moving on from one very obvious and over-played game to a much more interesting one.

Best wishes to all.

Recently someone made mention something about this website becoming a memorable to Mike and Virginia McClaughry. What a great idea! Therefore, I am going to suspend all further communication until this has been accomplished. Before beginning I have something to finish up and then I will move on to this endeavor. Please be aware that this memorial is not for the dead, dying or fading away, it is for two grand thetans who are something quite special to me. Anyway, please stay tuned.

The reference was made by my wife who at the time was acting quite anti-Scientology and anti-McClaughry like. This is not a new experience for her but for me that is not the issue. The memorial idea was a good way to handle this episode, but there was something else needed. That something else became hasi.ws.

The hasi.ws domain was left to expire by Mike McClaughry and so I picked it up with the intent to get that work publicly continued. If you go to the website now you can see the beginning of that intent. It makes for a nice purpose and plan but in reality this will in all probability be let go. I will not solely carry forward this work because with this, my job is one of assistance not of carrying the banner into a battle of not my own choosing. I have enough other work already underway, thank you very much.

This website is the summation of several previously separate websites which have been brought together and categorized by data collections. These data collections are all accessed via the navigational menu bar located towards the top of every page. By selecting one particular collection other sub collections may then be accessed. These are dutifully noted in the navigational menu bar as a sub heading. Further sub collections are likewise handled.

Some data collections will be displayed in their original format as found on the originating website.

All originating websites have been modified to redirect to the new locations here.

I’ve tried to keep the data collection navigation as simple as possible without requiring the visitor to click like mad in order to get back to some particular location. This does increase the navigational menu bar length at times but not significantly so - at least in my opinion.

This website has been formulated in such a way that document presentation is of prime importance. Entertainment, whether by eye candy or flaming discussions is being left to the mental trash bin of ill repute. There are always the needful and the need-full, each with their own self-fulling prophecy. Here, there are no needs so the attention can be squarely placed on much more importance matters.

Q: I’m confused. Your site makes mention of Scientology quite a bit and yet you also have various things about other philosophies. So what is the web site really all about? Are you or are you not a Scientologist?

Great questions. There is no one specific ideology or philosophy that is embraced here as our very nature is way above any of these ‘talking points’. In this regard all philosophies, religious or not, share the common idealistic goal of becoming one thing or another. This is not meant to denigrate any particular philosophy which someone might hold in high regard as various means appeal to various personalities. When one exceeds the boundaries, as all philosophies and routes inherently embrace, then there is absolutely no need for any support structure in any format or function. To that end there is no claimed title, anytitle, that would applicably denote who or what exists here.

What you will find on this website is that which was written in full knowledge, of whatever topic is being discussed. But in reality this is all meaningless as the sole point here is to reverse one’s attention to whence it came and for that attention source to understand it’s own nature, fully and consciously. It’s really such a simple small thing to ask. And so it is.

 
Q: Is the Free Zone really dead?

There is an amazing amount of grasping, of desiring that some thing will last forever in this universe. The truth of the matter is that this universe is built upon the principals of change, of there being a constant alteration of ‘what is’ or more correctly, the illusion of life and living. When one wishes to hold onto some thought, idea or concept then one is doomed to become the effect of that obsession. Like all things, the Free Zone moves along in time and although some would have that idea become forever cemented in perpetuity, it just isn’t so. Nothing dies because nothing is born. When it comes right down to it, rising above the crutches that one is firmly grasping is about the only thing that enables one’s spiritual freedom is take off.

That’s the idea here.

 
Q: From whom do you have authority to speak about the Free Zone, Loyal Officers, the Galactic Patrol and other such things?

There is no claim to authority what-so-ever and therefore the whom becomes meaningless.

When I created the Gathering Minds website I had in mind a particular purpose, a particular plan. Well, as is usually the case what I have in mind and what comes about are two very different things. Continuing on down the track, this website is not quite suited as a vehicle for my use but since it is here, so am I.

I have always had an interest in the spiritual nature of man. The who or what behind the mask. This was quite a deep interest for a period of time than ran for years. Not a passing fancy that is to be sure.

Part of that deep interest led me to embrace the religion of Scientology. Currently, one can find no shortage of disparaging remarks about that religion but this has and had no interest for me. What interested me greatly about Scientology was it’s inspection of the mind of man, it’s way of looking at things.

Suffice it to say that while I left that organization quite some time ago it’s way of looking has remained. But this is not something which was acquired nor accepted by me, on the contrary, it was simply a validation of what was already extant or in existence within my awareness. Although this similarity attracted me to it’s philosophy the organization called the Church of Scientology is an altogether different story which is more a monument to man’s failings than it is to it’s greatness.

I find it strange how some people tend to lose themselves in their own endeavors. In fact, it is much, much more than just some, or a few, people. My foundation in Scientology principals remains the same as it has always remained, While it is true that I can look upon other philosophies and/or religions and find affinity there remains that basic root upon which all are based. It is this, the most very basic root of one’s nature that is quite appealing to me.

Scientology does not rule over my actions. Neither does it provide the means for how I live. Looking for external rules of the road does little but to provide a crutch for the weak, for the destitute. I am neither.

In the years of looking after the website Free Zone America there can be seen very little, if any, effect upon others who take to heart the message behind the medium. It’s funny how those who already know the message have no use in going to that website and those who could most greatly benefit from that message avoid it like the plague. Most people on this planet have no interest what-so-ever in anything other than their own self-enrichment. What is in it for me.

Well, forgive me for being the bearer of bad news. There is nothing in it for you here.

Going and coming, both are used as the tools they are. Remember, there is no such thing as coincidence and there are no accidents. A slip of the tongue is expression overriding the mind’s tendencies. Striking the root bares all.

Lately there hasn’t been much of a reason to post to this website. We have been relocated to south Georgia for a while now and the environment is quite palatable. The nice thing about the gypsy life is that one goes where one must. Personal needs and wants is not something contemplated and in the scheme of things, all things are related - just ask the stewards of the land.

There are two websites which material is contributed to, fza.org and gathering-minds.net. Both are used accordingly and both come and go as well. There is currently no interest in the taken-over Church of Scientology nor the incestual orgy called “The FreeZone”. We are much higher up the food chain these days and it appears that as the various chapters come to a close the story line successfully continues. Progress in terms of measurable attainment is undeniable and more importantly at this juncture, inescapable.

It’s been made known that this website is neither a delivery center nor a propaganda tool for self-serving interests. There is nothing to buy here and commerce is looked upon with disinterest. In this capitalistic day and age it seems that nothing occurs without profit and the motive such entails. This wrong view creates scarcity of the highly prized and duly worshipped government issued currency. The focus these days is fervently and solidly upon the willingness to “live”, to “have” and to “hold” those things which have but a momentary existence. You can’t buy your way into heaven but you sure can buy your way into hell. In the pain and torment of purchasing spiritual pleasures nothing is gained and what becomes even further lost is one’s well being.

Here, there is no commerce, no delivery of technical expertise and certainly no interest in what has occurred in the days gone by.

The state of clear isa beautiful sight to behold because there is nothing to hold. Space becomes free and clear. The ‘official’ Scientology organization has no pull here, therefore the space which most others devote to this subject is free and clear. Don’t kid yourself, an enormous amount of people dedicate an enormous amount of time, space and energy to the ‘official’ organization and despite this huge gathering of interest, nothing gets resolved. The organization has continued and will continue along it’s merry way.

Resolution is not about conflict. It is about clear and clean space.