Institute of Inner Scienes – Page 8

St Albans Abbey: Interior & Enclosures! (29.5.2024)

29/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

Abbot, Abbesses and other Head Monastics were offered a life-long pension from the Crown amounting to 1% of the annual income of the monastery being dissolved. As St Albans made around £1000 per year – the Abbot received a guaranteed £10 per year – a very substantial amount for the time. The idea was to purchase their compliance. Those who resisted were tried for Treason and publicly executed. Henry gave away monastic property to his favourites – or sold it at a cut-price to other interested parties. All the accumulated gold, silver, copper, led and bronze, as well as gemstones – were sold into the public domain and effectively laid the foundation for a modern capitalist economy. This freeing of monastic treasure into the public domain represented a massive injection of wealth into the English economy – stimulating buying, selling and market speculation. When the movable wealth ran-out – the brick-work and foundations of many monasteries were dismantled and used to reinforce Henry’s castles along the coast – or in the case of Merton Abbey – to build Nonsuch Palace in Surrey! Whereas the monks were opposed to greed and grasping – a new secular society emphasised the exact opposite to get on. Now, greed, lying and cheating guaranteed the personal accumulation of wealth that could purchase a place to live, schooling, food, travel and leisure, etc. Of course, supporting Henry often guaranteed social climbing. Modern capitalism was invented in England by Henry VIII.

St Albans Abbey: Clock-Tower & Exterior Structure! (29.5.2024)

29/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

Ordinary peasants and aristocracy would get out of bed in the morning, work, eat, rest and go to bed at night according to the dictates of the Roman Catholic Church – the monasteries of which usually followed the Rule of St Benedict – or some similar Rule. Ordinary people did not have to learn how to tell the time – as the monastic orders told them what to do and when to d it. Following the “Dissolution” – secular society had to build their own clocks and learn to tell the time for themselves. This is how the measuring of “time” was rescued from the control of the Church. After 1539 – time no longer served God – but rather the lay-society that paid for and possessed the technical skills to construct the clocks! The policies of King Henry VIII – as mad as he may or may not have been (he had around 70,000 men and women hanged during his reign) – ushered the “modern” Britain that we now live within. I doubt, however, that Henry would have envisioned the end of absolute monarchy or the trivialising of the Church!

Wimbledon: Buddhapadipa Temple & the Family of Geese! (29.5.2024)

29/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

It possesses a modest park with a small body of water, a mansion house and a temple complex. Indeed, we have visited here many times in the past. As with all such temples – it is free to enter – and no-one interferes with acts of private meditation. On occasion, the robed-clad monks (Bhikkhu-Beggar) might be seen walking through the grounds. As all animal cruelty is strictly forbidden, the local wildlife tends to behave in a much more relaxed and content manner – as if each animals perceives the “Dhamma” (Teaching) that is being practiced. Whatever the case, such an environment allows children to develop a caring attitude of respect for all animals – just one of the reasons we take our children to such places!

St Albans Abbey: Main-Gate! (28.5.2024)

28/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

During 1381 – England came within a hair’s breadth of becoming a People’s Republic! This great effort led by Wat Tyler was eventually defeated through the duplicity of the ruling classes – but its example echoes down through history! The beginnings of this gate stem from the 11th century and the consolidation of the Norman Conquest. This was when Roman Catholicism landed in England as part of the ruling government structure. Prior to this, Celtic Christianity (probably from Egypt) held sway in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. What Catholic presence there was prior to 1066 CE was piece-meal and generally lacked any real political power or influence. The differwence between these two forms of Christianity is that although both possessed a monastic tradition – the Celtic version saw the monastery (not the Church) as the centre of society. Furthermore, the Celtic version possessed a tolerant attitude toward non-Christian beliefs – a position rejected by the Catholic variant. With the coming of the politically empowered Catholic Church – Celtic Christianity was all but wiped-out by the 12th century.

Philosophy: The Public Thought Experiment – “Man or Bear”? (15.5.2024)

15/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

A prime example of an academic who does operate freedom of thought is Grover Furr. Like myself, he has examined and seen through the lies and distortions which the West uses to interpret the history of the Soviet Union and the purpose of the ideology of Socialism. This corrective has important implications for Cuba, Vietnam, China, North Korea, and Laos, as well as all those left-leaning regimes throughout the world (many operating in Central and South America). Developing a three-dimensional state of mind only comes about by the purposeful adopting of “thought exercises” (a type of role-playing) which allows the thought processes to expand into directions they would not necessarily extend into. In a very real sense, this is arguing for argument’s sake. Examples of this might include arguing for the ideology of Adolf Hitler, or make a case for the Zionist invasion, occupation and settlement of the entirety of Palestine. What is argued for must be “shocking” to those who have no choice but to conform and constructively act.

Charlie Cong is Moving in the Tree-Line! (28.4.2024)

28/04/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

Eventually, one man died of starvation and cold, whilst the survivor seems to have left the cabin in search of help around the thirteenth week, To date, only four of the five bodies have been found. Considering the cognitive and psychiatric disabilities and ailments these men suffered, (very different to the hyper-fit Soviet teenagers involved in the Dyatlov Pass), what these men achieved is impressive even if it is virtually impossible to ascertain WHY it is that they did what they did. This is the only mystery. The US is an uncaring capitalist society – perhaps this simple fact explains exactly why five disabled men died whilst hiking through the snow.

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