This week on Thursday night/Friday day, we celebrate Purim. Of all the festivals, this one is most beloved of little children. After all, they get to dress up, make a noise in shul, play games and get fed ice cream, chocolate and other goodies in shul! Many adults are also inrdiantely fond of Purim as ane excuse to get intoxicated...

Beyond all the frivolity, Purim has a very serious message. Of all the books in the Tanach, Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) is the only one in which the name of God is never mentioned. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story- here is a very brief synopsis:

The Jews are in exile in Persia. King Ahasveros looks for a new wife to replace the one he has just had executed (Vashti) for refusing to dance naked before his court (something she had done previously). He chooses Esther, the daughter of Mordechai and Nasi of the Sanhedrin (basically the leader of the Jewish people) as his new wife.

In the meantime, the King's adviser, Haman, a descendant of the Agag, King of the Amelikites that Saul allowed to live, takes umbrage at Mordechai's refusal to bow down to him. He goes to the king and gives Ahasveros a large sum of money for the right to kill the Jews. He casts lots (thus the name Purim) and it is on 14 Adar that he will kill the Jews. In the meantime, Mordechai foils a plot to assasinate King Ahasveros.

Mordechai hears of Haman's plans to kill the Jews, and approaches Esther to get her to get Ahasveros to change the decree. Esther fears to approach Ahasveros without being summonsed first (if Ahasveros objects, he gets to sentence her to death...) and she, and the Jews, fast for three days. (Nowadays we just fast for one day, the day before Purim, in memory of this). She approaches Ahasveros and Haman and invites them to a feast. Ahasveros comes, but she feels he is not yet receptive and makes no request, inviting him and Haman back the next night.

That night, unable to sleep, Ahasveros reads through his chronicles and finds the fact that Mordechai stopped the assasination plot- but was never rewarded for his action. Quickly he summons Haman and asks "What should be done for one whom the King wishes to honour?"

Thinking that the king wished to honour him, Haman states "Dress the person in the King's own clothes, put him on the King's own horse, and have him led through the streets by a high minister who proclaims 'So shall be done for one whom the King wishes to honour'." The king has Haman do this for Mordechai - incensing Hama even more! Haman's wife sees in this the proof that Haman's plans are doomed to failure and that just as he has been humbled before Mordechai, so he and his compatriots will be destroyed before the Jewish people.

The next night Ahasveros and Haman return to Esther- who this time tells the King she is Jewish (she hid this from him before) and that Haman's plan means that she must die. The king leaves the room to think- and Haman falls on Esther to beg her for mercy. The king enters, thinks Haman is trying to rape Esther, and orders him immediately hung on the gallows meant for Mordechai that Haman had built. The king makes Mordechai his 2ic and gives him the royal signet ring to draft any communication he wants.

The Jews are saved, and with the King's permission, they kill the people who had sought to kill them- turning all loot over to the king.

So, what is the message of Purim? Why dress up, have fun and games? In essence it teaches us the relationship between God and the Jewish people while we are in exile. God is still there, God still watches over us- but he is not seen, he is hidden. It shows that God works through hidden means- thus the dress up- just as God hides himself, we celbrate the fact that though he is hidden, he is present through dressing up on Purim. Why the fun and games? The Persian empire at the time basically encompassed the entire Jewish world- if Haman's plan had succeeded, then all the Jews would have been killed. Why drink till inebriated? There is a saying "In wine, there is a revelation of secrets." In other words- when somebody is drunk, then their true nature is shown. Once again, it is related to the fact of revealing what is hidden. On this note- I once spent Shabbos at Yeshiva Gedolah and listened to Rabbi Goldfein zts"l give a derosha (religious sermon) on Purim. I don't drink, so I was able toi fully comprehend what he was saying- and it was amazing. Here he was, inebriated- yet what came out of his mouth was pure. Even in that state, his true nature radiated Torah and love of God. There was no disparity between the inner and outer person- what he showed the world was what he was- yet for most that is not the case, when they get drunk they get maudelin, angry, joyous whatever- their personality and thoughts change. The trye tzadik (righteous person) should be like HaRav Goldfein zts"l- the same, inside and out.

So, while rejoicing on Purim, while enjoying one glass too much or shouting down haman's name in shul, don't forget to the true point of the day. That even now, while we await Mashiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, God is with us and protecting us. ]]> http://jauxier.wordpress.com/?p=20 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:28:25 +0000 jauxier http://jauxier.wordpress.com/?p=20 Esther 7 -10

Esther makes her final petition to the king and asks him for the lives of the Jews, her brethren. Haman is implicated as the instigator of edict for the destruction of the Jews. The king hangs Haman on the gallows that Haman built to hang Mordecai.

The king then makes Esther head over Haman's household and elevates Mordecai to a high position, giving him his signet ring. With the ring, Mordecai proceeds to write an edict in the king's name to allow the Jews the defend themselves from their enemies. In that time, the kings of Persia could not rescind previously written edicts.

On the day that the enemies of the Jews were to come and destroy them, the Jews rose up and killed those who would kill them. They did not take any plunder, even though they were allowed to do so. Haman's sons were killed. This was extended to a second day. On the third day the Jews celebrated their victory. Afterwards, Mordecai instituted a feast to be celebrated every year in remembrance of the Jews deliverance from their enemies. These feast days are called Purim after Pur, a lot cast against the Jews to destroy them.

Esther comes before the king and he extends his scepter to her. She petitions to king to come with her to a banquet. She also asks him to bring Haman. At the banquet, she petitions the king to come with Haman to a second banquet. Haman, at this point, is filled with pride in himself. He boasts about himself to his friends and wife. His wife then counsels him to set up a gallows to kill Mordecai.

It seems that God interferes with the king's sleep such that he had to get the chronicles to be read to him. As it was read, it was found written there the account of Mordecai saving the king from a murder conspiracy. It was also found that nothing was done to honor Mordecai for his acts. The king asks Haman what he should do for one he honors. Haman believes the king is talking about himself. Haman describes what he would like the king to do for himself. The king then publicly honors Mordecai in front of Haman. Haman goes home and tells his wife what happened. She basically prophesies his downfall.

REDAN UNDER det första Libanonkriget jämförde dåvarande statsminister Olof Palme staten Israel med Nazityskland och civila araber likställdes med judar i Warszawa-gettot. Premiärminister Menachem Begin, som förlorade större delen av sin familj i Förintelsen, likställdes systematiskt med Hitler. Demoniseringen av den judiska staten som ett anti-Krist och efterträdare till Nazityskland har dock rötter som går tillbaka till 1940-talet och början av 1950-talet. En av de mest inflytelserika rösterna bakom detta tankegods var den välkände men kontroversielle brittiske historikern ARNOLD TOYNBEE.

Toynbee, som motsatte sig våldsamt återupprättandet av den judiska nationalstaten, hävdade att det judiska folket var en död "fossil" eftersom det judiska folkets historia inte passade in i Toynbees etnografiska modeller över nationers mönster och livscykler. Den återupprättade judiska nationella civilisationen utmanade således Toynbees ståndpunkt om att det judiska folket var likt romare och babylonier ett utdött historiskt folkslag. När det återupprättade Israel blivit ett faktum 1948, ägnade Toynbee mycket tid och energi på att vid varje givet tillfälle demonisera den judiska nationen genom att likställa det judiska folkets nationella frihetsrörelse, zionismen, med nationalsocialism och fascism.

DET VAR TOYNBEE som för drygt ett halvt sekel sedan sådde fröet till den idag utbredda och mytologiska vanföreställningen om samarbete mellan tyska nationalsocialister och judiska zionister under andra världskriget. Toynbee expanderade successivt sina redan rabiata och historielösa teorier om det judiska folket genom att groteskt hävda att de arabiska flyktingarna som utgjorde en direkt konsekvens av att arabernas militära nederlag i sitt folkrättsvidriga aggressionskrig mot den internationellt erkända judiska staten 1948, utgjorde en större katastrof än Förintelsen av 6 miljoner judiska män, kvinnor och barn. Under de senaste 60 åren har Toynbees teorier raffinerats och vidareutvecklats i olika variationer, men dess centrala mål har förblivit oförändrat: avhumanisering av den judiska staten. Föga förvånande ägnade Toynbee med sin selektiva och ideologiskt drivna humanism ingen tanke åt de omkring 900.000 judar som fördrevs från den muslimska världen eller de mänskliga vrak som flydde undan nazismen i Europa.

AVHUMANISERINGEN av den judiska staten kombinerar antisemitiskt tankegods från 1900-talet med anti-judiskt tankegods vars rötter är äldre än kristendomen och kan spåras till det grekiska Alexandria för 2300 år sedan. Om man studerar judisk historia vilken kantats med deprimerande många övergrepp på judar, så märker man ett tydligt och genomgående mönster: varje massaker eller pogrom som judar utsattes för, föregicks av en omfattande anti-judisk demoniseringskampanj med syftet att avhumanisera och separera det judiska folket från resten av mänskligheten.

SYFTET med demoniseringen av det judiska folket genom historien, har alltid varit att etablera en psykologisk rationalitet och legitimitet för en fysisk likvidering av judar. Anti-judiska demagoger från Haman i antika Persien, den katolska kyrkan i Spanien och Polen, de ryska tsarernas propagandaapparat till Hitler och Goebbels i Nazityskland samt arabiska och muslimska despoter både i modern och antik tid, möjliggjorde alla och var direkt ansvariga för anti-judiska massakrer genom sitt hatfulla anti-judiska tankegods.

Historierevisionistiska rabiata röster, som idag likställer den demokratiska judiska staten Israel med Nazityskland, strävar efter att uppnå två primära mål:

1) DEMONISERA OCH AVHUMANISERA den judiska staten och dess nära 6 miljoner judiska medborgare och därmed successivt förbereda massorna i Europa och i den muslimska världen psykologiskt för den judiska statens fysiska utplåning från världskartan. I detta sammanhang är det regimen i Teheran som är mest tongivande även om dess stödtrupper i arabvärlden och i en del europeiska kretsar ej kan underskattas.

2) RENTVÅ det kristna Europas och den muslimska arabvärldens blodiga och antisemitiska historia vilken kantats av otaliga massakrer av det judiska folket och diverse andra folkmord genom att bagatellisera Förintelsen och demoniskt likställa det judiska folket med dess kristna och muslimska förövare. Detta förklarar varför det är så frestande för dessa anti-judiska mörkermän att automatiskt och lögnaktigt framställa varje israelisk förvarsaktion mot militära mål oberoende hur begränsad och folkrättsenligt legitim som en "Förintelse" och Israel som en "nazistisk stat".

PRECIS SOM DET ÄR en systematisk demonisering och avhumanisering av det judiska folket som genom historien orsakat massakrer på miljoner judar, så är det ett systematiskt motstånd baserat på moralisk etik och rationell sakkunskap mot detta drygt 2000 år gamla hatfulla och lögnaktiga anti-judiska tankegods som kommer bidraga till att förebygga potentiella framtida försök till massakrer på det judiska folket.

Daniel Krygier

Much of history throughout the centuries has a singular noteworthy characteristic, unnoticed by many along the way. The most significant historical events have most often coincided with feasts of the Lord and when looked at more closely, we see amazing and thought provoking relationships between the events and the feasts themselves. Such is the case of Purim

This current conflict in Iraq began on March 18, 2003, five years ago today as we write this journal; the date of March 18, 2003 was significant in that it was the night the Jewish Feast of Purim began in 2003. Purim is the annual celebration of the great deliverance of the Jewish people in the days of Queen Esther, as recorded in the Book of Esther in the Bible.  Was it just a coincidence that Esther was queen in the very region close to where Saddam Hussein once ruled and now a madman in Persia threatens Israel’s destruction and jihad against every single Jewish man, woman, boy or girl? 

Is it just a coincidence that the wicked Haman who sought to destroy the Jews in that day exhibits in the scriptures similar qualities to the former Iraqi dictator today or the current Iranian one? I was in northern Wisconsin selling portraits the night the war began in 2003. I remember the days leading up to the war there was much delay, yet it became an eerie coincidence the first bombs dropped on Baghdad the night of the 2003 Feast of Purim?

Five years later the United States continues to be involved in a conflict in the land of tremendous prophetic significance and an ever increasing conflict with Iran looms soon this writer believes. The upcoming elections of 2008 frame this conflict between two parties who have significantly different viewpoints on how to handle our enemies. For me, the answer is simple. Which candidate will best protect Israel at all costs against Islamic Jihadism and Palestinian terrorism? It’s a terrible indictment to witness the growing anti-Semitism in the world today. History is replete with witnesses to the indictment of the times the Jewish people have been delivered to the mercy of the merciless as they were in the days of Esther and Mordecai. Not much has changed today in 2008 as Israel sits in a neighborhood of Arab nations seeking her destruction, especially Syria to her north and Iran to her east.

On top of Iran and Syria, the terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah continue to send suicide bombers and Hassam rockets into Israeli cities, killing civilians and caring less if the entire region is plunged into terrible bloodshed. Yet one enemy who is now gone is the late Sadaam Hussein who fired over 100 scud missiles in 1991 during the first Gulf War. For this writer, the war in Iraq if nothing else removed one of Israel’s most bitter enemies and in that vein it will always be worth the cost and lives. Our hearts do not take the loss of any soldier killed in combat lightly.

We honor our brave troops and thank those who stood in the gap during this time in both American and Jewish history. Most Christians don’t pause to think twice what would have taken place during the summer of 2006 had Israel been faced with fighting Hezbollah AND Iraq. Israel for the first time in her history was pushed to the edge with a terrorist group backed by Iran. Had Sadaam still been alive let this writer assure you he would have interfered with the war and brought even greater bloodshed to Jewish lives.

On the more immediate issue, the Palestinian “issue” is NOT about land, it’s about the Arab desire, driven by the ideology of Islam, for total annihilation of every single Jewish person on the face of the earth.

In reality, this issue over the West Bank hides an even greater war in the world today between the forces of Islam and those who know Jesus Christ as Lord. Islam means “submission,” however, it is not the type submission where the follower falls into the graces of the one he is submitting to. If the “convert” fails to submit, Islam calls for the convert’s death. As long as there are Christians in this world, there will be an eternal war between the lineage of Esau (the Arab, Muslim world) and the lineage of Jacob (Israel).

In this setting found in the book of Esther, Haman, an ancestor of the Islamic/Ishamael/Edomite line, had set a trap for the entire Jewish race.  The gauntlet laid down by the king of Shushan was one that would mean the total annihilation of the Jewish race if Haman had been allowed to carry out his demonic plan.

On February 12^th a top terrorist named Imad Mugniyah was eliminated in Syria, stirring up an uproar in Jihadist circles worldwide. The Hezbollah leadership is accusing Israel of this and has promised serious retaliation. Some Israeli analysts predict that as soon as the 40 days of mourning for Mugniyah are over, It would not surprise this writer a bit if Hezbollah sought to turn Galilee and the Israeli landscape into a battle zone again as it did in the summer of 2006. This Islamic 40 day mourning period will end on the 20th of March, strategically coinciding with the Feast of Purim, which will conclude on March 23^rd

With Iran’s unchecked nuclear ambitions and threats that Israel would be “wiped off the map,” and with deteriorating security on all sides including an increasing threat of a war with Hamas and/or Hezbollah, or perhaps both, this Purim seems all too real with the increasing dangers and open threats against the world’s only Jewish state.

When talking about Purim, one must understand in detail the Book of Esther, which documents the deliverance of the people of Israel from great danger and near annihilation during the Jewish month of Adar. Purim is one of Israel’s most important feasts in this writer’s opinion simply because it speaks of the need for fervent prayer and sustained travail for the nation of Israel against her enemies unlike any other feast on her religious and civil calendar.

Still reeling from the recent terror attack in the heart of Jerusalem a little over a week ago now which left 8 bible students ages 15 to 18 dead and 11 wounded, Israel’s plight continues to be more desperate each day as her enemies become more brazen and their threats more specific and pronounced. We as the church of the Living God must grasp the prophetic season we live and continue to intercede, travail and pray like never before for Israel’s protection and God’s higher purpose in the Middle East region. 

For the entirety of the message click here: A Season of Danger, a Season of Peril and a Season of Prayer

Tell us about the use of Tobacco.

Tobacco is very necessary for a shaman's work. Smoke protects against enemies and badness crossing your path. Before you light a mapacho you icaro it, then you blow the smoke onto your body before the session begins. You can also cure a child of susto (fright) by blowing smoke over it but babies are very sensitive and if very small, they can be made worse - cutipado - in which case you use agua florida. You can also chant to it and the mother's milk.

What is your state of mind and vision when you go around to each person before the session, blowing tobacco (mapacho) smoke?

I am asking the ayahuasca to give every one a good mareacion, or vision. The tobacco makes a kind of bridge with the ayahuasca. We normally prefer the cashimbo (Shipibo pipe) in a ceremony not mapacho cigarettes. It has a strong effect, and also calms people when the effects are too strong.

Some shamans drink pure juice of tobacco macerated with alcohol instead of ayahusca. First he drinks and goes off into another world and has a green vision. That means patterns only.

Sometimes the animals and things you see, have patterns on their skin. It happens when you sing in Shipibo, how do explain this?

What I do when I chant is to call the animals for protection. Otorongos may come near to us but sometimes they get too near and are ferocious and out of control. This can be caused by an enemy who has found a way to harm me. The thick bark and seeds of the Ayauma tree is good to protect against this. You take a vapor bath in it before the session.

Camalonga (a seed) is good too, it returns the harm from where it came and the wrong doer becomes ill. Lupuna and Catauhua are also good against brujeria (bad magic). Huayruro is not so much used.

Ajo sacha can be used in protective baths, for illnesses like arthritis, and as a powerful teacher. It makes you hard working, turns around a run of bad luck - saladera, helps you in fishing and hunting. You can also pour the ajosacha up the nose of the dog to make a good hunting dog. Also loose women (pishcotas) can be cured with ajosacha.

I left Roaboya in 1998 and went to live in Trujillo to sell healing plants and ointments made from boa, otorongo, bufeo colorado etc. I found many charlatans there selling any old thing. I worked mainly with banos florales and didn't use ayahuasca. I also felt a lot of envy from people there, and once it made me very ill. I couldn't walk, and was urinating blood so I went to Lima by bus and from there to Tingo Maria where it got much worse, and I only just got to Pucullpa to return to my community. I was 24 then. Everyone said it was dano (envy and bad magic). I cured myself with Catahua, Lupuna and Ayahuma. At the bottom of the saucepan we placed crushed green bottles before adding the plants and barks. When I was well I returned to Lima for a few years, and then my wife got a job as a cook at a tourist lodge, so that's how I came to live in Iquitos. My uncle Benjamin (who is from Pauyan) still works there occasionally. Authors note: Benjamin Ochavano a powerful Shipibo shaman, and an interview with him is also published on this blog.

How does a Shaman help people who have experienced harmful and negative sorcery?

Enemies can come from anywhere. If I heal someone, I undo someone's dano - illness from black magic - and that makes me the enemy of the brujo who tried harm or kill the person.

What is it important for an Ayahuasca shaman to know?

A shaman must know how to do three things;
They should know how to bring about the vision.
Second, how to bring the effects down again when a patient is suffering.
Thirdly, they must know how to close the session.
These are the most important things, but there are shamans who take ayahuasca without knowing them.

Howard G. Charing, is an international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest. He is the author of the best selling book, Plant Spirit Shamanism (Destiny Books USA).

Visit the website for info about our Andean and Amazon Ayahuasca Retreats

plant spirit shamanism articles, photos, videos

I was born in a Shipibo community called Roaboya which is on the River Ucayali about 10 hours downstream from Pucallpa. Roaboya means the place where the Koto monkey lives. In Shipibo this kind of monkey is call Ro, but Mestizos tend to lengthen words, so they called the place Roaboya. The first Mestizos to arrive in the area were loggers – Boya (Buoys in English) refer to the logs which they floated down to their saw mills.

Actually there are two places; Roaboya Nativa and Roaboya Mestiza a bit further down river. When I was young, Angel Sanchez Vargas was the local Curaca – who is both a chief as well as shaman – he was my grandfather and he knew all about plants for healing, for giving visions and increasing human intelligence.

They later named the school after him there. Roaboya was the first indigenous community to be officially recognized 114 years ago. Later the river changed its course and the banks crumbled and many Shipibo people moved to form communities elsewhere on the Upper and Lower Ucayali.

When the earliest missionaries came in the 1940s, at first the people didn’t want to know about their pharmaceutical medicines or clothes which they tried to give away. The Shipibo didn’t wear Western clothes at that time and even refused to meet with them. But the missionaries were clever and brought sweets and presents, and impressed them with their water-planes and eventually succeeded in introducing their evangelical religion. The effect was to threaten Shipibo customs and create divisions in the community.

Later in the 60s when I was in my infancy, my grandfather put up resistance to Western things and warned that his people should not forget their customs and ancestral knowledge. He forbade the use of Western clothes, and encouraged people to eat together from one central plate as a community. His four wives were also shamans and helped to revitalize their traditions.

Don Angel even learned Spanish through his plants, such was his faith! Nevertheless, today most of the Shipibo in Roaboya are nominally evangelicos.

After he died, his cousin took over as shaman and he wanted me, at the age of 10, to help at ayahuasca sessions by smoking mapacho for protection while he chanted. I told him I wanted to be a womanizer when I was grown up! And he made it happen by chanting a Huarmi Icaro. I also want to be a good fisherman and again he said yes, I could be, and so it was. By the time I was 14 it had come true, and I had women coming after me! However, I didn’t want to marry at that time.

At the age of 16 I started taking ayahuasca, but my Mother didn’t want it - a womanizer can’t be a good shaman she said. Only when you learn to follow a proper diet can a person serve. This is the test that the plants give us. It has happened to me twice, a woman comes just when you are working and wants to make love. You can’t, if you give in just once you will fall ill, go mad, fall into the water, or die - these are the tremendous problems of being a shaman. At the age of 16, I started my first diet for 3 months, without ayahuasca, only plants, no drink, women, salt etc. After that the shaman called me and said I could go further and he chanted for me.

Then I did another 3 months’ diet, again no ayahuasca, but the plants made me dream of what I should eat, how I should live, to not to go out etc. It is important to avoid women who are menstruating, or who have made love the previous night, that is bad with the plants. It clashes, like a mirror smashing; it makes you ill or goes against you.

Howard G. Charing, is an international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest. He is the author of the best selling book, Plant Spirit Shamanism.

Visit the website for info about our Andean & Amazon Ayahuasca Retreats

I was born in a Shipibo community called Roaboya which is on the River Ucayali about 10 hours downstream from Pucallpa. Roaboya means the place where the Koto monkey lives. In Shipibo this kind of monkey is call Ro, but Mestizos tend to lengthen words, so they called the place Roaboya. The first Mestizos to arrive in the area were loggers – Boya (Buoys in English) refer to the logs which they floated down to their saw mills.

Actually there are two places; Roaboya Nativa and Roaboya Mestiza a bit further down river. When I was young, Angel Sanchez Vargas was the local Curaca – who is both a chief as well as shaman – he was my grandfather and he knew all about plants for healing, for giving visions and increasing human intelligence.

They later named the school after him there. Roaboya was the first indigenous community to be officially recognized 114 years ago. Later the river changed its course and the banks crumbled and many Shipibo people moved to form communities elsewhere on the Upper and Lower Ucayali.

When the earliest missionaries came in the 1940s, at first the people didn’t want to know about their pharmaceutical medicines or clothes which they tried to give away. The Shipibo didn’t wear Western clothes at that time and even refused to meet with them. But the missionaries were clever and brought sweets and presents, and impressed them with their water-planes and eventually succeeded in introducing their evangelical religion. The effect was to threaten Shipibo customs and create divisions in the community.

Later in the 60s when I was in my infancy, my grandfather put up resistance to Western things and warned that his people should not forget their customs and ancestral knowledge. He forbade the use of Western clothes, and encouraged people to eat together from one central plate as a community. His four wives were also shamans and helped to revitalize their traditions.

Don Angel even learned Spanish through his plants, such was his faith! Nevertheless, today most of the Shipibo in Roaboya are nominally evangelicos.

After he died, his cousin took over as shaman and he wanted me, at the age of 10, to help at ayahuasca sessions by smoking mapacho for protection while he chanted. I told him I wanted to be a womanizer when I was grown up! And he made it happen by chanting a Huarmi Icaro. I also want to be a good fisherman and again he said yes, I could be, and so it was. By the time I was 14 it had come true, and I had women coming after me! However, I didn’t want to marry at that time.

At the age of 16 I started taking ayahuasca, but my Mother didn’t want it - a womanizer can’t be a good shaman she said. Only when you learn to follow a proper diet can a person serve. This is the test that the plants give us. It has happened to me twice, a woman comes just when you are working and wants to make love. You can’t, if you give in just once you will fall ill, go mad, fall into the water, or die - these are the tremendous problems of being a shaman. At the age of 16, I started my first diet for 3 months, without ayahuasca, only plants, no drink, women, salt etc. After that the shaman called me and said I could go further and he chanted for me.

Then I did another 3 months’ diet, again no ayahuasca, but the plants made me dream of what I should eat, how I should live, to not to go out etc. It is important to avoid women who are menstruating, or who have made love the previous night, that is bad with the plants. It clashes, like a mirror smashing; it makes you ill or goes against you.

Howard G. Charing, is an international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest. He is the author of the best selling book, Plant Spirit Shamanism.

Visit the website for info about our Andean & Amazon Ayahuasca Retreats

I was born in a Shipibo community called Roaboya which is on the River Ucayali about 10 hours downstream from Pucallpa. Roaboya means the place where the Koto monkey lives. In Shipibo this kind of monkey is call Ro, but Mestizos tend to lengthen words, so they called the place Roaboya. The first Mestizos to arrive in the area were loggers – Boya (Buoys in English) refer to the logs which they floated down to their saw mills.

Actually there are two places; Roaboya Nativa and Roaboya Mestiza a bit further down river. When I was young, Angel Sanchez Vargas was the local Curaca – who is both a chief as well as shaman – he was my grandfather and he knew all about plants for healing, for giving visions and increasing human intelligence.

They later named the school after him there. Roaboya was the first indigenous community to be officially recognized 114 years ago. Later the river changed its course and the banks crumbled and many Shipibo people moved to form communities elsewhere on the Upper and Lower Ucayali.

When the earliest missionaries came in the 1940s, at first the people didn’t want to know about their pharmaceutical medicines or clothes which they tried to give away. The Shipibo didn’t wear Western clothes at that time and even refused to meet with them. But the missionaries were clever and brought sweets and presents, and impressed them with their water-planes and eventually succeeded in introducing their evangelical religion. The effect was to threaten Shipibo customs and create divisions in the community.

Later in the 60s when I was in my infancy, my grandfather put up resistance to Western things and warned that his people should not forget their customs and ancestral knowledge. He forbade the use of Western clothes, and encouraged people to eat together from one central plate as a community. His four wives were also shamans and helped to revitalize their traditions.

Don Angel even learned Spanish through his plants, such was his faith! Nevertheless, today most of the Shipibo in Roaboya are nominally evangelicos.

After he died, his cousin took over as shaman and he wanted me, at the age of 10, to help at ayahuasca sessions by smoking mapacho for protection while he chanted. I told him I wanted to be a womanizer when I was grown up! And he made it happen by chanting a Huarmi Icaro. I also want to be a good fisherman and again he said yes, I could be, and so it was. By the time I was 14 it had come true, and I had women coming after me! However, I didn’t want to marry at that time.

At the age of 16 I started taking ayahuasca, but my Mother didn’t want it - a womanizer can’t be a good shaman she said. Only when you learn to follow a proper diet can a person serve. This is the test that the plants give us. It has happened to me twice, a woman comes just when you are working and wants to make love. You can’t, if you give in just once you will fall ill, go mad, fall into the water, or die - these are the tremendous problems of being a shaman. At the age of 16, I started my first diet for 3 months, without ayahuasca, only plants, no drink, women, salt etc. After that the shaman called me and said I could go further and he chanted for me.

Then I did another 3 months’ diet, again no ayahuasca, but the plants made me dream of what I should eat, how I should live, to not to go out etc. It is important to avoid women who are menstruating, or who have made love the previous night, that is bad with the plants. It clashes, like a mirror smashing; it makes you ill or goes against you.

Howard G. Charing, is an international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest. He is the author of the best selling book, Plant Spirit Shamanism.

Visit the website for info about our Andean & Amazon Ayahuasca Retreats

American accents.  A mystical ring that illuminates a hidden symbol.  Please.  It was ridiculous.

Even James Callis (Baltar!) managed to butcher (not literally) Haman, even with his normally gorgeous british accent.  What the heck was up with the raspy voice? Somebody get him a Riccola.

These are the similarity between Pharaoh as the Powerful Ancient World Order and America as the New World Order. Both are the bad order standing on the evil law.

Ancient Pharaoh	New World Order
Big white stone palace	The Presidential building is Whitehouse
Creates Suez canal	Creates Panama canal
Brand their law as the most right and blaming the other law	Brand their law as the most right and blaming the other law
Using straight law to support order	Have the biggest military power
Exploit Israel people	Exploit Moslem country
Pyramid as a symbol of the luxurious of the kings life	Pyramid as the symbol of the impressive economy
The obelisk as the symbol of the law	The obelisk at the focal of government
The hawk as the symbol of power	The hawk as the symbol of authority
Built statue for their most great leader	Built statue for their most famous president
There are Ramses I and Ramses II	Generation of Bush I and Bush II
Go to east fight against Moses	Spread to east fight against Osama
Pharaoh helped by Haman	America helped by British
Always scapegoat on Moses	Always scapegoat on Osama
Support by magician expert (real mean)	Support by magician expert (technology)
The magicians use stick & carrot (real mean)	The magicians use stick & carrot (tools of the technology)
Qarun helps Pharaoh (Qarun is Moses follower who’s move into Pharaoh side)	**** help America (Many Moslem leaders)
Moses grows up inside Pharaoh palace	Osama taught by America
The army drowned in red sea	Not yet happen! (the possibility same with the prophecy in some hadist shahih Muslim which predicted the drowned of Arabian army at the jazeera when the end of the world is close enough/doom)

All of these similarities are not only co-incidents, and there are big evil affairs inside it.

These are just human interpretation, maybe right and maybe wrong, please think clearly and objectively. May God always keep our faith pure at the right side. Amiens.

]]> http://supermannino.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/128-about-as-depressing-as-a-country-western-song/ Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:14:40 +0000 supermannino http://supermannino.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/128-about-as-depressing-as-a-country-western-song/

Read Job 1:1-22.

[Stuff we're skipping:

* The book of Esther wraps up with Mordecai taking over Haman's house after Esther explains to Xerxes that he is her cousin. Esther is allowed to reverse the edict to kill the Jews. She actually writes it and the king signs off on it! After the edict had been reversed, people were converting to Judaism.

* The killing actually happened in reverse. On the day that the Jews were supposed to be killed, all those who wanted to have the Jews killed were killed (with support from the government). Even all of Haman's sons were killed, along with 750,000 people who were against the Jews in the neighboring provinces. The holiday of Purim was inaugurated that day--a day to celebrate when disaster turned to rejoicing. In the end, both Mordecai and Esther were in powerful positions of influence to maintain the welfare of the Jews in Persia.]

And now...Job. This story is written by an unknown author and takes place somewhere around 2000 BC to 500 BC. Yeah, that's a wide frame of time, but understand that this is a really old story, and it could occur anywhere from the time of Abraham to the time of the judges to the time of the kings to the time of the exile. Anyway, the story is definitely applicable to all who read...

1. So...first thing we learn about Job is that he had good character. Second thing...he had a lot of stuff.
2. It is obvious that Job loves God and loves his family. He blesses all his kids and offers sacrifices to God on their behalf. Good dad.
3. All of a sudden, the story gets zoomed way out to the cosmic level. We get to see an interaction between God and Satan! Whoah. This is rare.
4. From the interchange between God and Satan, we can glean some understanding of the role of Satan in the world. It appears that God has granted Satan permission to go "to and fro" on the earth. Also, it seems obvious that Satan is ultimately subject to God's authority. What's interesting, though, is that God "brags on" Job here. He seems like a proud Father, wanting to show off how cool his son is to Satan.
5. Satan doesn't mess around. And it's obvious that he doesn't appreciate God's way of doing things. He's angry because Job is blessed. And he thinks that if that is taken away, Job will stop being so cool. First question: what do you think this "hedge" of protection God gives Job is? Do you think it's some cosmic thing, or do you think it's just the fact that Job doesn't really want for anything?
6. So Satan thinks that Job is going to curse God if things stop going his way. He wouldn't be the first or the last, would he?
7. God gives him permission to take everything away--just don't touch him. I'm thinking this was an errand that Satan was looking forward to running.
8. Country song:

"The Sabeans sold mah oxens and donkeys;
Mah servants was hacked to death.
Far fell from heav'n and burned up mah sheep and shepherds;
Chaldeans stole mah camels and killed mah camel-riders;
But worst of all...
All mah chillins were havin' a party
When a tornader swooped down and killed all of 'em."

9. I think Hank Williams sang that song. Anyway...look at Job's response! What would you do? Really, what would you do? Because, Job physically shows signs of mourning and WORSHIPS God!?!? What about you...really?
10. Then Job gets philosophical: born naked...die naked. Everything that is gained in this world is added by God, so when He takes it away, is it really like He's stealing?
11. "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord." A great song written by Matt Redman and his wife after the events of 9/11. And here it is...the source. Job's heart chose to worship God anyway...when it didn't make sense! Wow.
12. And look at the comment. Job didn't sin. Man.

Read Esther 6:1 - 7:10.

1. Did you know that Esther is the only book in the Bible where God's name is never mentioned? He works behind the scenes throughout this story to save His people. Although God is subtle throughout this story, I think that this part begins with God's not-so-subtle workings. It just so happens that Xerxes can't sleep. It just so happens that he wants to read the chronicles of Persia. It just so happens that he reads the story of Mordecai saving him? Hmm...
2. It just so happens that Haman arrives at exactly the time that Xerxes has decided that something needs to be done for Mordecai? Hmm...
3. Interesting that Haman comes during the middle of the night to try to have Mordecai's death sentence issued. Boy, he's really chomping at the bit.
4. I love dramatic irony. We all know that Xerxes is asking about how to honor Mordecai, but cocky Haman thinks that he's talking about HIM!?! I love it. So, Haman asks for the hookup. He's goes for the gusto.
5. And then Xerxes says, "Yes, excellent...do all that for...(me, me, me)...MORDECAI?" You can imagine Haman's response, "Yes...wait...what? Not me...who? No...argh!" I love it.
6. Imagine the crow that was being eaten by Haman that he actually had to lead the horse around and shout about how awesome Mordecai was. Beautiful. (Then again, the death issue has still been declared, so...I'm thinking that Haman is still licking his chops a little bit.)
7. Wives are great. Haman goes home to tell his wife all that has happened and she says, "You're dead meat." Love that loving encouragement.
8. Well, at least Haman gets to go to that exclusive dinner. He he he...
9. That feast was two days long! Can you imagine all the thoughts that were going through Esther and Haman's minds?
10. Esther tells him that someone is plotting to destroy her and her people. Of course, the king is incredulous, and asks who... And she points the finger at Haman. In the words of Scooby Doo..."Ruh roh."
11. Xerxes was angry, but he went away to think about what he should do. In the meantime, Haman starts tugging on Esther, trying to spare his life. And, of course, while Haman was "all over" the queen, Xerxes returns. Talk about confirmation! He thinks that he's trying to kill her then and there!
12. They cover Haman's head and seize him. I love that one of the eunuchs happens to bring up, "Oh, by the way, um, Haman's got a new, never-been-used gallows beside his house. Oh, and he was going to use it to kill your new favorite guy, Mordecai!" He he he...no question who's side this guy was on. You know, that's two eunuchs who seemed to stand up for Esther. That's got to say something about her as a person, that so many people stood up for her. Anyway...
13. They hang Haman on his own gallows. That's what you call situational irony, kids.

Read Esther 5:1-14.

1. After three days of praying and fasting, she probably feels strong spiritually but weak physically...I bet she almost feinted walking in to the court with Xerxes on his throne.
2. Whew...the scepter. Yet another reason to almost faint?
3. The whole, I'll give you half my kingdom thing was probably a figure of speech. Maybe this is where divorce attornies got the idea from? Either way, Xerxes is in a giving mood. Oh...isn't he a nice "god-king"?
4. I love the subtlety of Esther's approach. She doesn't come straight out with the news and her plans. She's stealth about it. First step, throw a party for Xerxes and Haman. What does Xerxes like to do? Come on... Party!
5. See...to me, this is kind of a risky thing. Allowing Xerxes to get a little tipsy off wine is rarely a good idea. Oh...and I bet Haman thought he was the junk to be invited to this "private" and "exclusive" party.
6. Xerxes is still in a giving mood. What does she want? Again, Esther says she would like to throw both of them another feast. Man... She's really buttering them up.
7. I bet Haman did feel like the man. And nothing wrecks that euphoric feeling of feeling like you're on top of the world more than realizing that you're NOT on the top of the world. Seeing Mordecai refuse to bow or tremble probably infuriated him.
8. Looks like Haman's trying to remind himself that he IS on top of the world. Throwing a party to remind everyone how awesome he is? Hmm... Oh, and he's all over being the only one invited to eat with the king and queen.
9. He's so mad that he can't recognize all that he has. One little thing is about to cause a world of hurt for him. Isn't it interesting that everyone else comes up with the plan to construct the HUGE gallows to hang Mordecai from?

How are we feeling about Esther's approach here?
How about Haman's issues?

Read Esther 4:1-17.

I just preached on this passage a couple of weeks ago. It was basically about how you can't lead without being willing to lay down your life for those who you lead...

1. Mordecai didn't care who knew. He was mourning in public. Isn't it sad how often we hide what's going on inside us? I love how raw Mordecai is here. And he did go up to the gate of the king. That's still pretty bold.
2. I can't even imagine how the Jewish people would have felt to have a death edict on them. I mean, think about it, all that we just read about the Temple being rebuilt, the wall being rebuilt, and the people turning their hearts to God--none of that would have happened if the Jews were destroyed at this time. Remember, this all took place between 2 Kings and Ezra.
3. Interesting that Esther wanted to give Mordecai clothes to cover his sackcloth. Hmm... At this point, is Esther's priority seeing things from God's perspective or not getting "caught" by Xerxes or Haman?
4. So...Esther sends Hathach to figure out why Mordecai is doing what he is doing.
5. Mordecai wanted Esther to use her influence to talk to Xerxes. Only problem was that this was not a safe thing to do. Xerxes considered himself a god...you can't just apprach him whenever you feel like it. Besides, they hadn't "been" with each other in a month. The bottom line is that their marriage wasn't exactly strong...
6. Now, we always look at Esther as this super-awesome servant of God; but let's not ignore her fear...and let's not ignore the fact that Mordecai had to actually "threaten" her with the truth. The truth was that she could either help or not help...but if she didn't help, she'd die somehow and God would bring a deliverer from some other place. Mordecai had faith in God to not let his people die, but he didn't want Esther to rest on that vague hope and do nothing because that would have been sin.
7. "For such a time as this." Great words of the Bible. You know, God orchestrates all sorts of events to occur and collide at different moments. That's part of Him being sovereign. I am where I am "for such a time as this." You are where you are "for such a time as this." Do you believe that?
8. Esther then got serious. It was time for everyone to hit their knees. And, if she died, she died. Notice that she's not certain that she's going to get out of this...and she goes anyway...that's faith.

So...what do you think about Mordecai's role in this?
What do you think about Esther's hesitency?
What do you think about her final decision?

Read Esther 3:1-15.

1. Some Jewish traditions say that the fact that Haman is an Agagite is significant. Remember, Agag was the king of the Amalekites, a culture that HATED the Jews and made life miserable when they were trying to settle in the Promised Land. So, if Haman was a Agagite, there would be reason for him to hate the Jewish people.
2. I have a hard time grasping having to bow down to nobles. Shoot, we're the culture that says hateful things about our OWN president. God have mercy on us.
3. Of course, we know why Mordecai wouldn't bow down--Haman wasn't God!
4. Notice that the servants tattle-tail to Haman about this; and, of course, you know that this is going to be a problem because they are making it about following Xerxes (a king who considered himself to be a god).
5. Talk about racism, Haman wants to kill not only Mordecai but all his people as well. It makes it seem like he was just looking for a reason. Do you think he was bred to hate the Jews?
6. I'm not sure what the casting lots was about...
7. If you want to get at the Jews, the "they won't worship, you, oh king" approach is usually a good one. Oh, and while Haman's at it, he gives him tons and tons of money. Like more money that the king would get from exacting taxes on all the 127 provinces in a year.
8. Sneaky Haman also makes it look like this is all about helping Xerxes, when we know good and well what his real motives are. Then again, aren't motives the easiest thing to fake?
9. Interestingly, Xerxes doesn't take the money; but he still allows Haman do carry out the extermination of the Jews. Geez...this sounds like Nazi Germany.
10. The order was to completely annihilate everyone. Remember, this is all about one man's ego. Oh, and they'll take all their goods. I can't help but flash back to my time at the Holocaust Museum in DC, seeing all the piles and piles of shoes taken from the Jews. The Nazi's didn't just take gold...they took hair to use. Sick.
11. How do you get ready for a day like that?
12. It says that the city was bewildered. I wonder if that means that this just seemed random--out of nowhere. Obviously it didn't make sense to the common people for the Jews to be destroyed. Yeah...the plot definitely thickens...

A couple of weekends ago, I reached chapter 9 (the next to last one) of the Book of Esther in my preaching. We had a mini-celebration of the Feast of Purim in all our services. In case you don't know, that feast commemorates the Jew's survival, and victory over a legalized holocaust in ancient Persia.

A really bad guy named Haman passed a law to exterminate all the Jews. Through a woman named Esther and a man named Moredecai--and their gutsy faith--God saved the Jews.

To this day, in synagogues, the book of Esther is read aloud. Whenever the name of Haman is read, the people stomp, and boo and his, and use noisemakers to "blot out the name of Haman from off the earth."

We did that at church. We brought in noisemakers, cookies, and drinks for everybody. I dressed as a very handsome Rabbi. And I read Esther 9 out loud.

Every time I said Haman, the church spun their noisemakers, and clapped and stomped their feet and booed and hissed to blot out Haman's name.  Our church went crazy!  We had a blast.  Our noise was deafening--somewhere between a jackhammer and a jet airplane.

These pictures are from our Classic service, which features more traditional music, and meets in a more intimate venue next door to our church building.

Since it was Fourth of July weekend, we had a patriotic theme going. Full band, young and old, and great choir!

We kept score with a decibel meter (7 venues) to see who was loudest. First place: THE WELL (114 dB). Second place: CLASSIC (108 dB).  Great job at every service, but The Well has bragging rights.

One day, Jesus will come back, and drown out Haman, and all evil, forever and ever. Can't wait.

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Revelation 19:15, NKJV.