Issue 50 – Para-Celebrities Go Off the Deep End!

By Kirby Robinson

Now that Halloween has gone it's time to refocus our attention on those crazy, wacky and [usually] fake para-celebs. They keep on proving that Lindsay Lohan has nothing on them when it comes to acting like a fool.

"RON TEBO & KIRBY ROBINSON DOMESTIC TERRORISTS" CLAIMS SANDRA SPARKS & CHIP COFFEY

One of our sources deep inside the CCC [CHIP COFFEY CLAN] has shared with us that a few weeks ago Sandra Lynn Sparks, with the okay of Chip Coffey, [she never does anything without his okay] contacted both the FBI and HOMELAND SECURITY about us. Why? She claimed that our posting on the Psychic Kids Facebook page warning people about predators [names will be named next week] made us domestic terrorists. Time and money would be better spent by both agencies not on real terror threats from within and outside this nation but going after both Ron and myself. After both agencies respective reps fell to the floor laughing [as we have been told all law enforcement reps did when Sandra contacted them], they told Sandra to seek help with any mental issues she might be dealing with.

Is this not sad? If you dare speak out against such fakes as Michelle Griffin, Chip Coffey and Chris Fleming they go to such lengths and their egos are so big they think the world revolves around them.

None of these actions will stop us from reporting the story, nor will it cause us to fear them. In the weeks to come we will be digging deeper into their deceptions, exposing more and more of their lies.

HAUNTED HUMAN SKULL IN ZAK BAGAN'S BASEMENT!

http://www.tmz.com/2011/10/31/ghost-hunters-zak-bagans-human-skull-haunted/?fb_ref=.Tq6HaZgtfVw.like&fb_source=profile_multiline

Guess Zak Bagans of Ghost Adventures needs some PR or was feeling a little low. We have many issues with this story.

1 Notice that Zak contacted TMZ about this story, and not the other way around. Why TMZ and not a paranormal news outlet? Is Zak is trying to stir up some PR for his show and his new book?

2 No proof is offered about his claims.

3 It just can't be a priest coming to his home -- it has to be a bishop.

The thing that really upsets me when you read such false claims is that it damages the credibility of those who are really suffering and who need real help.

GREAT QUESTIONS DESERVE A RESPONSE

Over the weekend this was posted on my Facebook page.

Patricia Deshane

Hi Kirby,
Thank you for accepting my friend request. I discovered you when I was checking out the case
on Jennifer Arnold (still reading up on it). I'm a bit leery on listening to the EVP's. I've heard that even making copies of recordings of demonic evp's could result in them following you home or making their way into your life (this was said at a lecture given by an infamous couple who made a living doing paranormal work), so even though I would like to hear the evp's, I'm erring on the side of caution. Do you have any thought's on this? Enjoyed looking at your photo's, especially the  visit's to the graves. Thank you for sharing those. Looking forward to listening to the prerecorded show coming up on Sat. night.

In Love and Light,
Patricia D

You are right in being very careful when it comes to EVP'S [as yet no one knows where they come from. Are they of ghosts, etc.]. Demons love to pass themselves off as ghosts so here is what happens when it comes to EVP'S.

You record an EVP of a ghost [demon] and it makes you happy and excited in a sense you embrace it, thus the demon has gotten a casual invitation into your life. You then take it home or download it onto your PC it now is inside the walls of your home. Again, a casual invitation into your life. To clarify, casual invitations don't carry the same weight as formal invitations, but they allow the demon to be around you so you might try to strike up a further interaction with this ghost/demon. This means you two draw closer to each other allowing its claws to get deeper into you and your life.

It's a cycle that is so easily missed. The best thing to do is not start it but the temptation is so great almost every paranormal group has them and every time people go out on an investigation they record them. It's best to say a personal prayer of protection prior to and after listening to them.

Now there will be those that will call me an alarmist in these cases, but it's better to be safe then haunted.

DO YOU HAVE THE GUTS & TALENT FOR MY WEDNESDAY BLOG?

EYE ON THE PARANORMAL has expanded and we are now posting great articles many times a week in our quest to become a full time news source for the paranormal community. I've decided to move my Wednesday blog to a new blog we are launching soon.

So if you have the guts to take over my spot can do it every week. If you have writing ability along with a thick skin, please contact me ASAP. We'd like to get the new blog going so you can count on us for not only news but views no one has the guts to share. Contact me at freeallspirits@live.com and we can get things set up.

NEW RADIO APPEARANCE

Sunday, November 6 at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/unknownpg 9-11 PM EST.

BISHOP LONG ON SUNDAY NIGHTS

Join Bishop Long on Sundays from 8 to 10 pm on http://www.usocc.org/USOCC/USOCC_Radio.html for his show Sacred Division. My segment is at 9 PM and is called SAY WHAT? I talk about things within the paranormal community that has caught my eye and raised my dander.

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

A CALL TO ACTION! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of "Paranormal Reality: Investigating Paranormal State" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link.

Mount Kailash: The Holy Mountain

By Lisa Maliga

Mount Kailash, Tibet

A single circumnambulation around Mount Kailish wipes away the sins of a lifetime. Revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Bons, this remote Tibetan mountain attracts scores of pilgrims.

High on the remote western Tibetan plateau, in the northernmost region of the Himalayas, sits Mount Kailash, the holy mountain. The Tibetan people have named it Kang Rinpoche, or Snow Jewel, and the Indians refer to it as Mount Meru. Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain pilgrims from the world over go to this holy mountain to circumambulate rather than scale the 22,028-foot high peak. In fact, climbing Mount Kailash is forbidden. The only person to have ever been atop the sacred mountain was Milarepa, a 11th century Tibetan Buddhist yogi.

Mount Kailash is commonly referred to as the center of the universe in Eastern religious texts from India to Japan. Rooted in the seventh hell and bursting through the highest heaven, it is also believed to be the World Pillar. Hopi Indians recognize Kailash as being at the opposite side of their Black Mesa, thus it's a cosmic backbone.

Hindus who walk around the 32-mile circumference of Mount Kailash use the term parikrama. They believe that Lord Shiva, one of their three main gods, resides atop what they call Mount Meru. Tibetans refer to the clockwise circumambulation as a kora. Both words mean the same thing: pilgrimage. Doing a walk around the mountain can wipe away a lifetime's worth of sins, or negative karma as is the term in Eastern religions. "He who performs the Parikrama, the ritual circumambulation of the holy mountain, with a perfectly devoted and concentrated mind goes through a full cycle of life and death" Lama Anagarika Govinda, 'The Way of the White Clouds.'

The Jains who refer to Kailash as Mount Ashtapada believe the founder of their faith, Rishabanatha, resides atop the mountain. And the Bons [or Bonpos], the religion which predates Buddhism in Tibet, maintain that the entire mystical region and the Nine-Story Swastika Mountain is the seat of all power. When viewed from the south face, a swastika can be seen. Unlike the Jains, Buddhists or Hindus, the Bons make counterclockwise circumambulations. "According to Bonpo accounts, 18 enlightened teachers will appear in this eon and Tonpa Shenrab, the founder of the Bon religion, is the enlightened teacher of this age. He is said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, whose location remains something of a mystery. The land is traditionally described as dominated by Mount Yung-drung Gu-tzeg (Edifice of Nine Swastikas), which many identify as Mount Kailash in western Tibet. Due to the sacredness of Olmo Lung Ring and the mountain, both the counter-clockwise swastika and the number nine are of great significance in the Bon religion." From "˜The Office of Tibet'

Devout Tibetan Buddhists will do full length prostrations, a feat which takes several weeks, around Mount Kailash, increasing the amount of purification they will receive. Many pilgrims do a complete round of the mountain in one day, an accomplishment made more difficult by the 15,000-foot high altitude. Pilgrimages are by their very nature meant to be arduous, and as the Ngari region of Mount Kailash has no airports or train stations nearby, people arrive at their spiritual destination by foot, horseback, yak or jeep. Tarchen is a small settlement near the south face of the mountain; the place where most pilgrimages begin.

Those unwilling or unable to make the kora around the mountain can hire someone who will, thereby splitting the accumulated merit 50/50. This doesn't allow either the person who sponsors the kora or the one who actually makes the journey to attain instant enlightenment. For those who make the kora, aside from enduring highly changeable weather conditions, there are four prostration points in which to pay physical homage. Many pilgrims make sure they visit the three monasteries located along the path. Near the top of the kora is the Shiwa Tsal, named after the famed cremation grounds in India. Pieces of clothing, a lock of hair or a drop of blood are left there as an offering, signifying the pilgrim's understanding of death and rebirth. At the highest point of the circuit, just over 18,000 feet, is Dolma La Pass, meaning 'She Who Helps Cross.' [The Sanskrit name for the female Buddha is Tara]. This refers to the crossing over to liberation as well as being able to complete the pilgrimage circuit around Kailash. The great boulder of Tara is swathed with long, colorful strings of prayer flags which send out messages of peace with each flap they make in this windy region.

Mount Kailash is also the source of four major rivers: the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Karnali and the Sutleg. The comparison to the Indian legend of Mount Meru from whose summit flows four great rivers that irrigate all of Asia is hard to miss.

Eighteen miles southeast of Kailash is the circular, turquoise Lake Manasarovar, or Tso Rinpoche, [Precious Lake], a 64-mile circuit, which is rarely completed except by the most devout. Bathing in the lake, or even dousing one's head with the holy water, is said to be of enormous spiritual benefit to those who can brave the icy water which many claim contain miraculous powers. Hindus are told that complete immersion into the lake ensures they be reborn as a god. Tibetans, on the other hand, avoid bathing in the lake so as not to make it dirty. This is a freshwater lake, three miles above sea level. There is a saltwater lake, separated by a narrow peninsula, named Raksas Tal, or devil's lake. Pilgrims don't bathe or circumambulate this crescent moon-shaped body of water, but do pay their respect by glancing in its direction.

Five monasteries have been rebuilt on the shores of Lake Manasarovar since 1981before the Chinese invasion in 1959 there were eight. Fatigued pilgrims are allowed to stay in the monasteries. Fewer than 500 Indian nationals are allowed to make the pilgrimage per year due to the Chinese and Indian governments. Most of the Indians allowed in are selected via a lottery and the ability to pay their own way is evident in the fact that the majority of them are middle-aged businessmen from large cities.

Before the Cultural Revolution, pilgrims were selected by their bountiful faith. They traveled on foot or horseback. Some of them made the journey by doing the full-length prostrations along the way, an endeavor which could last for years, depending upon the distance and the weather conditions. Few pilgrims were armed, making them prey to thieves. But even under such extreme conditions, they were unafraid of death; dying during a pilgrimage pretty much guaranteed them a lot of good karma points. Pilgrimages require a degree of flexibility that most people aren't required to possess in a world with guaranteed insurance benefits and retirement plans. To make a spiritual journey is to rid oneself of habits and to open the heart, making the pilgrim ego less and pure; then allowing this transformation to reach out and positively affect others.

"There is no place more powerful for practice, more blessed, or more marvelous than this; May all pilgrims and practitioners be welcome!" Milarepa, Tibetan Buddhist yogi [circa 1052 - 1136]

Halloween Ghosts

By Kirby Robinson

Due to the fact that Ryan Harshbarger is unable to post a blog today, I'm making this a fun celebration of Halloween. I went looking for some ghostly photos to share with you.

If anyone wants some evidence that ghosts really exist, I now have irrefutable proof. I ran into this fun loving ghost over the summer at a mausoleum. Please notice that ghosts do the same things we do—they talk on phone, drink water, and like to read books. 

 

Ghost drinking water

Ghost on the phone

Ghost reading Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light

Happy Halloween! :)

 ParanormalTeachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light

Fraud or Fake

By Martha Hazzard Decker

Author’s note – this author lost her voice and was unable to speak directly to anyone this week. This piece is done from previous research and memory of conversations. Some of the opinions may be those of the author after talking to numerous people.

There has been much discussion amongst the paranormal community about fakers and fraud. Teams have been sued by other teams or team members. Then there are those teams touting the why can’t we all be friends and share with each other while lambasting other teams and individuals in the same breath. This article is not about getting along, although that might be nice. It’s about the fact that it might be a good thing to be somewhat skeptical when talking to an individual about possible activity in their home, public place or business.

Anyone interested in what the paranormal community is saying about this just has to Google paranormal frauds and they will come up with nearly 6,000,000 results in seconds. There are individuals calling themselves doctors. In many states all you have to do is use the word doctor and have others believe you are just that to commit a felony. Others may hold themselves to be inventors of equipment that can be applied to the paranormal field. That is until the true scientists and researchers within the paranormal realm begin asking too many questions. That’s when some of these individuals tend to fade away. There are a few sites to check every now and then such as SciFake to keep up with possible allegations of “things may not be as they seem.” There is an interesting article Burden of Proof that discusses where the burden lies, with the skeptic or the believers. While this may not cover fakers and fraud, it does apply to this as well. In fact, there are a lot of good article on About.com regarding almost everything paranormal.

But then there are some even worse. They are real criminals and should be charged with a criminal offense. A recent conversation with another investigator centered on a paranormal group that was new and turned out to be not so interested in the paranormal. When they were contacted by individuals with questions or asking for help they would set up an investigation time the same as most groups. They would arrive at the home without plans to do an investigation. When they made contact with the homeowner they had the stipulation that they could not conduct an investigation with the homeowner present. Once the homeowner left, they would steal items from the home. One would think this couldn’t last too long as it would be fairly easy to track them down. That is if they use their real names and so on and if the homeowner is not too embarrassed to make a report. It’s a good idea for the individual contacting a group to be sure and take some time to do their due diligence search on the group and maybe even the founder. Most groups are legitimate and won’t be offended if the caller asks questions or even for references. After all, it is their home and they are asking strangers to come for the evening.

One woman who decided she had demons in her home set out to find the quickest way she could find to get rid of them. She contacted a group near her home and they responded quickly because she has a child in the home. When this group arrived for the interview they were told activity picked up the night she followed some instructions she received. The instructions were to use anointing oil in various places, say certain prayers, write something on a piece of paper and sleep with it under her pillow. Then the first thing she was to do the following morning was to put the paper, along with money, into an envelope so the person receiving it could pray for them and make everything go away. The group advised this was a scam and arranged to conduct an investigation several days later. Before the investigation, the woman called the group and told them she had two men come to the house, but wasn’t able to explain where she found them, and they had come to cleanse her house, telling her not to have the group come over. While the two unknown men were at the residence so was the woman’s daughter. The men started their cleansing and put oils on a variety of places within the home. Then they had the woman in her bedroom and told her to disrobe so they could “cleanse” her. They said this would have applied to her daughter if she was 12, she was 11. The scary part is what might have happened, especially if her daughter had not been present. The woman refused and then the men demanded money for their so called “free” home cleansing. She said she did not have any money and promised to send them some in a few days and they left. The group counseled her about scan artists and the dangers of allowing just anyone into her home. It was such a concern the group tried to get information from her regarding the men. They wanted to report this to police. She didn’t want to give out the information and said she was still sending them the money even though it was a cam because she had promised to do so.

It’s a shame there are individuals out there who are willing to do anything to have their 15 minutes of fame or to just have fun at another person’s expense. This can cause all kinds of problems from a real situation getting worse along with even more distrust of the paranormal community in general. While the paranormal community may not ever get rid of the fakers by working together cohesively they may make a dent and help the scientific community one day accept more of the data.

There are pages on FaceBook like Stop Paranormal Bullying and one Paranormal Fraud Awareness. Both have missions to expose fraud. You can find the same on Twitter. These can be good places to obtain current information about information you may not know regarding current scamming trends. Just like it is important to remember when watching TV paranormal shows that they are for entertainment purposes only. They are not always the best place to learn how to conduct a proper paranormal investigation just like the TV show COPS is not the place to learn how to be a good officer. Individuals who are interested in the paranormal field should try to connect with some good and experienced paranormal researchers, groups or investigators willing to take the time to mentor. By taking the time to do this the experienced will help educate and alleviate some of the misconceptions in the field.  The experienced might consider themselves the village and take it from there, which is better than creating the Paranormal Police.

There are several important things to remember when talking with or locating someone to help you with possible unexplained activity in your home:

• There is no such thing as a guaranteed removal of activity. It’s not like buying that guaranteed used car. The science is not exact.
• The group you call should not charge a penny to help. If they do, beware and call another group.
• Ask how long they have been around and what kind of experience members in the group have with the paranormal. Legitimate groups won’t be offended.
• If an individual used doctor in their name ask where they went to school.
• If a group requires you to leave your home and you don’t want to, don’t. An honest group will probably want you nearby in case they have questions during their investigation. Be suspicious if they say they will only come if you leave.
• Most groups will ask you to sign a release. That’s standard practice. Just remember it is your house and you do not have to have the information released to the public. Most legitimate groups give you the homeowner the choice to decide how much if anything is made public.

Dark Radio aired a show this past Thursday night and discussed Frauds, Fame and Fortune of the Paranormal. You can listen to the show through the archives. Another discussion that could cover pages here would be to discuss what makes a place really haunted when it comes to it being a public location for events. A recent conversation with an investigator was about how a location asked them to come and investigate their location. Prior to the investigation the location was researched to determine if there was any sort of a past that could cause unexplained activity and there was none. The house while brand new was made to appear to be very old. The group went in and was able to determine that they owners had set up the house so it appeared to be active when it was not. This was a good thing and investigators should be prepared to look for scams on the other end. Skeptoid has an article about Paranormal Tourism is it Fun or Fraud. There are many pages covering the same discussion. What do you think?

Paranormal, Psychics, and Phrauds

By Reap Paden

Whenever someone asks me "What qualifies you to write about the paranormal?" My answer is "What qualifies anyone?"

There are many things that bother me about the paranormal community.

One is the incredible claims and the jumps across logic and reason some people will make and expect others to do the same.

Chip "I made contact with a water poltergeist in a home last night"
Dan "Really?"
Chip "Yes I must have made it mad because it followed me home"
Dan "It followed you home?"
Chip "Yes, it did"
Dan "Ok, how do you know it followed you home? Wait, how do you know it was a water poltergeist? How do you know it was a poltergeist at all?"
Chip "I have a special ability to sense such things. And I know it was a water poltergeist because when I came home....." (starts weeping)
Dan "What are you crying about? Go ahead, I'm listening, when you came home it…what?"
Chip "It put a hole in my water heater. My water heater was leaking! It was horrible!"
Dan "How was it horrible? I mean, water heaters tend to leak sometimes they are metal and hold water. I don't think...."
Chip (screaming)" WHY ARE YOU SO NEGATIVE?!  You know what you are? CLOSED MINDED! You deny the possibility of a water poltergeist following me home even though I tell you it happened! Why do you deny something that is so obviously true? Why would I lie? And if I am imagining it then why do I have a bill from the plumber for $500 to 'replace bad water-heater'? (screams again in higher pitch) WHAT MORE PROOF DO YOU NEED?!"
Dan "You do realize that it's not closed-minded to.."
Chip "Oh you are closed-minded all right. You are constantly questioning EVERYTHING. Why can't you just BELIEVE?"
Dan "Because if I 'just believe' everything…"
Chip "I didn't say everything"
Dan "Yes you did, you said…"
Chip "There you go again! It's like everything I say is a lie!"
Dan "You are an idiot"

Believe it or not, I have had this conversation on numerous occasions. There are many things that this example shows. It shows that many people make the jump to paranormal as the cause for events by default. This alone dooms any claim when examined by a reasonable, unbiased, logical party.

You would first have to show it cannot be explained by some natural cause BEFORE it could be considered a possible paranormal event. Keep in mind even though you cannot explain something is the result of natural causes that still does not automatically make it paranormal. Just like the argument used so often that science cannot prove ghosts do not exist, calling something paranormal cannot prove there isn't a natural explanation. Too often people and groups will make it a point they use science when doing investigations followed by a link to the orb pics proving they found a haunted factory. While these claims result from ignorance about photography and science the most harm done from them is to the credibility of the people making the claim. This is not always the case...

Let's look at psychics. It would be silly for me to lump all psychics into one group. While I've never seen or met a psychic that could prove they are any more than intuitive I still don't hold them all in the same regard. If a psychic insists they have unique abilities and then tries to use those abilities to have an effect on the choices and actions of others, then there is a problem. A good example of totally irresponsible and harmful behavior would be Chip Coffey. Chip appears in a TV show called Psychic Kids. Chip is seen 'helping' children to deal with their psychic abilities. First, for anyone to be so egotistical, so arrogant, so disgustingly stuck-up to think they can do things most people cannot is bad enough. Sure you may hear psychics say "Anyone can learn to do what I do, we all have the ability" that is nothing more than an attempt to deflect anyone critical of their claims. Using your 'psychic abilities' on children to treat episodes of mental distress is a form of molestation. Child molestation is not restricted to physical touching. Children who think they are being haunted by spirits at night are often the victims of mistreatment. Instead of recognizing that abuse for what it is the event will manifest itself as a dream or what could be described as a paranormal event. I won't claim to be a doctor but I  have enough knowledge on the subject to say Chip Coffee is not helping any children, quite the opposite. Children lack the ability to handle some situations emotionally. We limit children's exposure to violence and adult situations for this reason. When children are exposed things they cannot process because they lack the life experience to do so it has to be dealt with some way.  Sometimes it is violent behavior or isolation; sometimes it is making up stories to explain the situation. I am not saying every child on Psychic Kids is being abused but the possibility is certainly there.

Despite the fact numerous people have made the same points I make here directly to Chip, he continues his abusive behavior. How a person gets to the point where their own egotistical need over-rides any compassion they have for others is not known but it is demonstrated by Chip Coffey. He has no education in psychology that I have ever heard of. If he did have an education as a psychologist and he tried to practice in the same manner he does on Psychic Kids the speed that he was condemned by others in his field would create a sound similar to when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier. Despite that Chip keeps on going and people keep supporting him. Some people even claim Chip is a 'wonderful person'. For someone to come to that conclusion indicates They are either ignorant of the facts about Chip's behavior or they are cold hearted and stupid. The fact is no one with an education in the field is shown to be assisting these kids in any way. What is done to these children are a good example of what happens when the jump is made from unknown to paranormal cause. In this case the explanation could be something that is actively harming the children while Chip tries to convince them it's OK, all they need to do is accept and embrace what is happening to them. Yea, some psychics are put in their own category, Chip Coffey's file would read - Chip Coffey/repulsive/irresponsible/narcissist.

Up next - We will be talking about demons. If you would like to offer any information that you feel supports or disproves the existence of demons contact me on Facebook I consider all sides- Reap Paden

Top 10 Favorite Horror Movies

By Kirby Robinson

I’d like to share my top 10 favorite horror movies with you just in time for Halloween.

10] Return of the Living Dead Part II, 1988 – A campy yet at times very frightening take on zombie movies. This movie is as good as anything we’ve ever done in this century when it comes to portraying the living dead!

9] The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 2005 – Probably the best film to present what it feels like to be possessed by a demon. Even more frightening because it’s based on a true story.

8] Dracula, 1931 – This black and white movie starring Bela Lugosi might be dated. It might not have the special effects, and the script might be a little bit lame at times. But on a dark and stormy night with the lights out, a bowl of popcorn, and a cold root beer, it can still give you the creeps.

7] Alien, 1979 and Aliens, 1986 – The tagline for the first one is “In space no one can hear you scream.” And if you watch this alone no one in your house will hear you scream. Get the director’s cut if you can and both Alien movies keep the shocks coming!

6] Halloween, 1978 and Halloween II, 1981 – The original Halloween, in my opinion, is nonetheless the best slasher movie. And the unique thing about the second one is the beginning is actually the end of the original. Michael is still a guy you wouldn’t want to run into on Halloween night.

5] The Haunting, 1963 – It may not have the shock value that the others have but it’s one of the best portrayals of what a sensitive really goes through.

4] 13 Ghosts, 1960 – The special effects may be outdated but its unique take on the afterlife still gives me chills.

3] The Exorcist [The Version You’ve Never Seen], 1973 – Yes, that’s how it’s now titled and if you’ve not seen this version with four new scenes and a longer running time, this movie is even scarier than the original version.

2] The Shining, 1980 – As good if not better than the Stephen King book it’s based on. Shows a very accurate look into being a sensitive as well as how demons seduce individuals into becoming possessed.

1] Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, 2005 – This is a film that many have never seen or even heard about. It’s what leads to the foundation of the Exorcist that would come later. Not a special effects extravaganza, but highly accurate when it comes to the confrontation between the exorcist and the demon.

Any of these movies I would highly recommend to anyone no matter what time of year!

Bodhisattva & the Six Perfections

By Lisa Maliga

In Tibetan Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is anyone who is motivated by compassion and seeks enlightenment not only for him/herself but also for everyone...

Becoming a Bodhisattva is a huge step in helping not only yourself, but also every other sentient being, both seen and unseen. Most people are self-motivated and work primarily to solve their own problems, keeping others a distant second. Should someone do an act of kindness, repayment is generally expected whether in the form of a thank you and/or further praise.

A Bodhisattva is motivated by pure compassion and love. Their goal is to achieve the highest level of being: that of a Buddha. Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit term which translates as: Bodhi [enlightenment] and sattva [being]. And their reason for becoming a Buddha is to help others. The Bodhisattva will undergo any type of suffering to help another sentient being, whether a tiny insect or a huge mammal. In Shakyamuni Buddha’s 'Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines' it states: “I will become a savior to all those beings, I will release them from all their sufferings.” If this sounds familiar to anyone not acquainted with Buddhism, then you only need to think of the example of Jesus Christ, a true Bodhisattva.

When someone first enters the way of the Bodhisattva, they develop Bodhicitta, or, mind of enlightenment. Even as a person strives towards such an exalted goal, they feel as though they are limited by the fact that they, too, are suffering. So that they can be of aid to others, they decide to become Buddhas for a Buddha is capable of unlimited compassion and wisdom. Also, Buddhas are able to relate to all others at whatever level is needed. To those of lesser intelligence, a Buddha will use simpler words; and to those of great intelligence, a Buddha can explain answers in a more exalted language.

By entering the Bodhisattva way, the mind must become enlightened. And so the training begins by generating the 6 Perfections.

The 6 Perfections are: 1] generosity, 2] ethics, 3] patience, 4] effort, 5] concentration, and 6] wisdom.

Generosity – How does one become more generous? Is it possible to rid oneself of materialistic tendencies, selfishness and a desire to want to be kind to others and give to those who lack? Being able to provide for people by starting a business and then hiring those who need jobs would be profitable not only for yourself but for those who were previously unemployed. Volunteering your time and talents to those who need them is also a way of cultivating generosity. To share Buddhist teachings so people are able to help themselves and in turn, others, is the finest gift you can offer. You have created a positive ripple effect. The ripples of the teachings will travel far and wide to allow many to be assisted.

The attitude behind your generosity is of the utmost importance; giving with anger or the desire for payment isn’t a good motivation. But if you have a humble motivation to help, then you’re on your way to become a Bodhisattva.

Ethics – Knowing the basic difference between right and wrong is imperative to generating the 6 Perfections. To practice the perfection of ethics means to refrain from doing harm to yourself and all those around you. Killing, sexual misconduct, consuming harmful substances such as alcohol or drugs, being deceitful, and using abusive language must be avoided. All harmful actions are caused by a mind that harbors them; therefore it’s highly important to be mindful of all your thoughts.

Patience – A lack of patience is prevalent in today’s society and this will change if we want to evolve into a Bodhisattva. Patience is the antidote to anger. In Chandrakirti’s 'Supplement to the Middle Way' he writes: “It makes us ugly, leads to the unholy, and robs us of discernment to know right from wrong.” When we become angry, our body stiffens, our blood pressure rises, our breathing is impaired, as is our reason. Far too many people languish in prisons due to a few seconds when they went out of control and their anger harmed someone. Anger directed at oneself can result in suicide. Anger causes wars of all sizes.

Patience creates a joyousness within us. Our features become relaxed and we can look many years younger. We are then tolerant and happy and much further along the path of becoming a Bodhisattva.

Effort – Enthusiastic effort is necessary if you want to achieve anything, but for something as noble and challenging as joining the ranks of the Bodhisattvas, effort is definitely a requirement. Who doesn’t want their efforts repaid instantly? However, the way of the Bodhisattva is arduous and requires virtues that many of us currently lack. Laziness is a huge fault that curtails effort. Tomorrow never comes so your effort is needed NOW!

Concentration – Developing a calm mind through meditation will sharpen our concentration. Being able to focus single-pointedly on one object with a non-wavering mind will be a great advantage. The calm-abiding mind develops clairvoyance and abilities to heal ourselves and others. When radiating inward and outward calm, you’ll become like a lighthouse in a stormy night. You’ll inspire others with your strong mental capabilities and they in turn will want the inner peace that you have found for yourself. Concentration is a form of mindfulness. This means that when you pay unwavering attention to what you’re doing, you avoid many frustrations. Lack of mindfulness in the kitchen might result in burning a casserole, which not only wasting the ingredients, but twice as much time will be spent cleaning up the mess. Not practicing mindfulness when driving causes accidents. As Lama Tsong Khapa writes in his 'Summary of the Stages of the Path': “Concentration is a king with dominion over the mind, once placed, immovable like the king of mountains.”

Wisdom – Wisdom is the root of all great qualities we can cultivate in this life. As the Sixth Perfection, it is the total of the other five. Meditation on wisdom is essential for entering into the stages of being a Bodhisattva. Buddhist texts emphasize two vital subjects when it comes to knowledge—selflessness and impermanence. Everything changes constantly. One day you leave work at 5:30, the next day it’s 5:45. Nothing is fixed; it’s variable. As for selflessness, we must first discover the location of the self. Is it in the body? If so, where—the mind? The physical world and all living beings are created by the mind. As we are the results of our past actions, so is the world we live in. Since there are places on earth that are like heaven, those areas where so much virtue has settled that people travel great distances to see such wonderful locations. Conversely, the hellish regions are dense accumulations of non-virtue and evil thrives there, keeping people captive to the negative states of consciousness.

To become a Bodhisattva is to be fearless. There is no aversion for those who are hostile and there is no obsessive clinging to those who are closest to us. There is no possessiveness, only love, compassion and discernment into the nature of reality.

Santideva, the 8th century Bodhisattva wrote a book entitled 'Bodhisattvacharyavatara,' which is one of the most important texts that students of Tibetan Buddhism study. The title has been translated into 'A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life' and is written in verse form. While there are only 10 chapters, dealing with the 6 perfections as well as developing the spirit of awakening, in chapter 10, verse 55 the entire essence of the meaning of Bodhisattva is beautifully expressed:

“For as long as space endures

And for as long as living beings remain,

Until then may I too abide

To dispel the misery of the world.”

A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life