Hello all,

I don't know how I got to this site it was some time ago, probably for another site. I am finding that is is interesting nearly addicting. I find it refreshing that there are so many younger people interested in these subjects. I seem to see only older people into metaphysical studies, when I go to work shops, classes or in my own work shops in Holland.

So about me:

I became interested in metaphysics at a very early age. I seem to be always into the end time. My family on my mothers side was into metaphysics, as far as we can trace to the Crusades as they were Knights Templar. My Gr. Gr. Grandmother was Streghe (sp). Although I have no formal training abilities started to manifest as early as 3. Streghe has no code of ethics as wicca does, from time to time I would do harm. This happened usually as defence but sometime it would be first strike. At around 12 I started reading, wicca mostly. I went through many systems buying up books until it has reached probably 1000 books, some dating to the 1600s. At 22 I got in with a physic group, a lot of fun but not for me. Then Mom got a meditation teacher and asked if I wanted to go. I wound up studying with this teacher for 2 yrs before she moved away. She was a member of the B.o.t.W.T. which I stayed with on and off for 16 yrs. After that Mom again found another teacher He turned out to be a 4th way teacher I was with him for 14-15 yrs. I was the healer of the group, Herbology, shiatsu, light healing, etc. Then came the crystal skulls. Some friends hosted Max (or the Texas Skull or the Talking Rock) which I did not want to go see but coincidences put me there. That was 12 yrs ago. With that I was introduced to Native American studies and stayed with that for 7 yrs. This lead me to Shamanism, which is where most of my work is no done. Max got me to Holland on his first trip out of the US. Which lead me to some people that wanted to learn Shamanism, so I have been teaching in Holland for the past several years. My work now is in healing, Soul Retrieval, teaching at this time.
The group in Holland has a web site for those that can read Dutch. http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/wap.vandenheuvel/pegasus/
At this time I am retired and doing a lot of work in the garden, I grow mostly Culinary herbs, but also some of the teaching herbs. I do not recommend the use of drugs for metaphysical work I grow them for the plant spirit, they have made the atmosphere very magickal.

It has been an amusing ride, I have no idea where it is all going. I hope to teach in a few more countries in Europe especially Germany for some reason, beyond its beauty and the people oh yes and the food.

I also like to Cook kind of goes with herbology I guess. I like to travel although with the it isn't as nice as it used to be especially in and out of the US. I silversmith and make stone bead necklaces. I take the beads 2 - 3x a year to be charged by Max, I then put necklaces together as I would an herbal formula. If they are made for a particular person they can also be charged by me for the person. I posted picas of Max and a necklace in the gallery.

What else:
My teachers drummed ethics into us so I guess I am trained on the order of Kant (sp).

Although interesting the darker side is not for me. I look at a lot of metaphycs and say Why, what for? Is it worth all that. At first when I was young it seemed mere fun but as I gained understanding I concentrated on working on myself. That turned out to be just as magickal if not more and a heck of a lot of fun. I have all the spirits I could want, the difference is that I don't command them I work with them as a team. Because we are a team, they can't do much with out our help and they can't do their job with out us at least here on the physical. But then none of them have dropped a bag of gold in my lap.

I am totally enjoying the posts, through my 2 cents in for what it is worth. I suppose I have a lot of experience to offer. I have met with Demons in my travels through life, I don't find them to be pleasant, On the physical they stink, they are usually not pleasant to look at. If I never meet another that is fine with me. I do like all the tools though and have some of them. I find that most of the time they are not handy when needed, so I have learned to work with out tools. This web site helps me see what is going on in the metaphysical world (I am a lover of solitude, in other words I don't get out much), the subjects and the people are extremely interesting. It has lead me to F. Bardon and his books, which is giving me a fresh look at Hermetrics. It might be that I needed to put it aside until I learned other methods and teachings. After all I would think that Shamanism was the first tradition.

I also collect exercises I have 100's for all manor of things. This site is a great place to look for new ones to add. I like the way everyone seem to share ideas and teachings, and that there seems to be some serious people trying to serious work. It is refreshing, even if I may not agree it adds another side or way of looking at a subject. Looked at with an open mind it can only help to expand ones knowledge, whether one agrees with it or not. I think this is very valuable.

At this point I am acting out the Fool card and taking that step off the cliff. I follow the Coinsidences. I follow the lead of the universe. So far it has worked out however it is not the best for the nerves. I have to say it is amazing how the universe will supply if you let it, which is difficult as you must suspend logic..... but then we should be used to that, messing with this stuff.
Ok well that is done, I hate these things.

Krell

Greetings Krell!
I'm very glad to see you taking a look at our Forum! It's nice to see someone closer in age
to me other than being 30 yrs my junior! (Not that it makes much of a difference...you guys are always surprising me!)
I'd love to sit and talk with you in a relaxed setting, perhaps over tea/coffee. Shamanism is my forte though I've mucked about in Ceremonial Magic and psychism for the last 40+ years...*sigh* Be that as it may, Welcome aboard! and I look forward to
speaking with you again! Be Well! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Well the Forum has become sort of an addiction. I wish I'd looked at it sooner. Yea age matters not. They are amazing. My address for e-mail, ICQ and AOL are in the information on Krell. I don't get up in your neck of the woods much closet is Northern NJ and NYC. Maybe someday Coffee at the Raggio (sp) near Washington Sq. My hang out when I'm not off somewhere else in the City.

Well I have obviously looked into a lot os traditions. All have something to offer. Never went in for the Darker stuff, never saw why anyone would, if they were about developing the self..... I suppose it is needed at some point in our moving on. I do love exercises though which has made me take an interest in F. Bardon. Even my family tradition which is powerful beyond belief wasn't for me. I just do believe you can harm, control, or do what you like to anyone or any thing with out consequences down the road. I have been trained in seeing patterns and have be come too aware of cause and effect. At any rate the light side has served me well, way beyond any thing I could imagine.

Anyway thanks

In Light,
Bill

Welcome! Personally I appritiate the thorough introduction. And I am glad someone new with plenty of experience and expertise has decided to join. I hope your learn from this site as much as you bring your wisdom to it.

Thank you very much, I have learned much already. I went through the Ceremonial Magick Phase when I was very young.... face it you have all those cool tools to play with, the universe had other plans I guess. So now I am catching up here. Mostly the exercises LBRP, MP etc. THe Pore breathing is amazing, I think in the top 10 at lease out of the 100s I have collected over the years. Been into this stuff a long time, even out in the "Real World" I went by the ethics and laws of the Light side of Metaphysics. Which in my position both made me too fitted for the job to replace and scared the hell out of them. I rather enjoyed it probably enough to have some karmic pay back :-). Putting all that stuff there helps others see where you are coming from, which could be important for what ever reason.

I must admit when I first well still do check out each poster I read at first Hmmm Kids this ought to be good, then very quickly I was very much impressed. You guys and gals are phenomenal. I certainly can't agree with every thing, making the forums so much the better. I am on some discussion groups, I do work then as they are classmates, we have becone quite close and are pretty much of the same mind (the traditions are similar all shamanic). While it is a very good group, it doesn't have the varity of ways to do the same thing. The other thing is how open every one is about what they are doing, how do they put that ... Back in the day, you kind of kept to your self, phenomenom of the Inernet i guess. Come to think of it in the late 80's I had access to the INTERNET, we actually use the WWW now, there is a difference. In those days it was Military, Spooks, Military suppliers, and Universities. It was in VAC(s) no vid just type. So you could lurk and watch some interesting stuff, Metaphysics was very prevalent also. But nothing even close to this. By the way VAC is the mainframe langauge, or UNIVAC, Vac is for Vacuum Tube. Ahhh rambling again.

Anyway if for no other reason the different view points are invaluable. Also I had NO IDEA some of these traditions had such a big following... and people committed and serious about them. It is refreshing.

Krell