TheBanyanTree: The Banyan Tree: Messages Delivered

[Roger Pye]

Yes, I remember Youngblood's Blue Feathers. I still find them from time 
to time usually when I ask for some sort of guidance and generally an 
insight accompanies them.

I was in the military too, in the air force of Britain for 12 years and 
that of Australia for 20. Nothing exciting beyond a few war games 
happened to me and for that I'm very thankful. However something the air 
force gave to me was that there are times when people must stand up for 
what they believe in otherwise they, and this world we live in, will be 
diminished.  For example, alongside my paid work, for over 50 years I 
have worked voluntarily for the community, on committees and boards of 
all manner of groups and organisations. In that time I've come to 
realise that without communities and the strength they impart to their 
members, regardless of what those communities are built around, we as a 
species would be lost. The Spoon Cafe was a small community of people 
who wrote for their own and others' enjoyment and The Banyan Tree has 
carried the tradition onwards. If I remember rightly there was a great 
deal of discussion and to-ing and fro-ing when the Tree sprouted; it was 
then that the 'rules' were framed and they haven't changed since.

Sometimes emotions do boil over. As many on this list know I have very 
strong feelings about our presence in Iraq and what we (the 'western' 
world) are doing to that country and how we should not be there doing 
it. In fact it was writing about it on the Tree which lost me some good 
friendships and I regret those losses very deeply. What I didn't know 
then but do now is that I have a cousin in the US air force who flies 
bombers over Iraq and another in the US Army who commands an engineering 
company over there. So even in the military aspect there are communities 
which cross borders whose members must be respected.

Two pieces of advice I received when I began using the internet were - 
never write anything in an email you wouldn't object to seeing on the 
front page of your local paper over your name - and - don't hit 'Send' 
as soon as you finish writing an email, wait a time and re-read it 
before sending it. I haven't always followed the advice - and I've been 
the loser every time!

woodcat


Sheri Baity wrote:
 > Since my accident, I've been blessed with a new strength I have found 
in my belief system.  I've come to respect and take seriously the 
messages that I receive now and to do what is being asked of me.
 >      The tree has been being hit with gust of winds to where the 
branches are no longer swaying but stiking in many directions. 
Sometimes the winds can be a very cleansing thing as it clears away the 
old and makes way for the new buds.  But sometimes the winds can tumble 
branches and strip away some of the good.
 >      My messages being received for me to deliver are this:  She is 
saying Blue Feathers, Blue Feathers, remember The Blue Feathers.
 >      To some this will not be familiar, but to the deeper roots of 
our foundation, this will.
 >      From the Spoon to the Stars to the Roots of this Banyan Tree... 
Rock On!
 >      Da Na Ho... She Has Spoken
 >