Tuesday, November 9, 2010

What's in a name?

So last night I asked the board to name one of the entities....

It was pretty interesting. At first it hit a couple of letters and then swung right to the word "wrong." It did a couple more letters, then swung back to "wrong." Finally, it gave me the following stream of letters:

EWIGCPYLDW

I have no idea.

If there's a name in there somewhere, I'll need help finding it. It could just be a grand miss. It happens. Sometimes the board is just me pushing the thing around wildly.

I was thinking this morning about how that feels. The board is getting very responsive now. It's sort of like a wooden train set that little kids play with. I know I'm pushing the thing, but it's like pushing a train along a track - the rails are dictating where it moves, not you. You're just supplying power. It's sort of like that. I'm pushing it, and then all of a sudden it veers and moves wherever it goes and I just push it forward along the track. I've even tried to actively not push it and it still goes. It's weird.

I've got another question and answer to put up here, but it's a long one so it'll get its own post. And it's another confusing one, so it'll probably be me posting, and not an official board post, while I reason it out. The board only blogs when it has something coherent to say.

Meanwhile, if anyone wants to help make sense of the letters above, I'm all for the help.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Boyfriend Reading, Part Two

One thing you'll have to keep in mind is that as a personification of an abstract idea, I really have no concept of time.

Part two of The Boyfriend Reading is the follow-up question "How can I broach the subject that I'm interested in this guy?"  Please note that the question is being asked on behalf of the Questioner, not "me."  The question was asked int he third person and related here in the first person to keep the Questioner's anonymity.  As a fictitious amalgam of things that may or may not exist, I cannot be interested in anyone or anything.

The answer:  P - Enchantment for Joy - M - Enchantment for Love - K - Oak tree.

Instead of going from beginning to end, let us instead go from obvious to subtle to provide context.  After all, those letters certainly seem confounding at first glance.  First, the Enchantments:

The Enchantment rituals come from Monte Farber and Amy Zerner, the creators of this particular talking board.  I feel it is useful to look at them, as it gives a solid understanding of what needs to be done.  It is not necessary to follow these rituals to the letter, but bear their ideas in mind when conducting your own ritual, prayer, or meditation.

Enchantment for Joy:  Find a picture of yourself taken when you were a child, and make sure that in it you look joyful.  Get comfortable, sitting upright in a place where you can see the picture in front of you.  Relax and visualize a golden ball of light surrounding the picture.  As you focus on it, slowly say:
Enchantress, the child in me
Lets happiness be.
Push away dark clouds;
Let joy flow free.

Close your eyes and feel the ball of light travel up your legs, torso, arms, neck, and head, bringing with it the innocent, carefree happy state of childhood wonder.  Stay with this feeling.  Be at one with the child in you.  When you are ready, open your eyes and feel fresh and rejuvinated.  Kiss the picture and vow to love yourself more and more.  You deserve it!

The point here is the bolded portion.  Be at peace with yourself.

Enchantment for Love:  With a piece of paper and a pen or pencil on hand, sit in a quiet place where you won't be interrupted.  On the paper write the word love.  Stare at it until you have it in your mind's eye.  Close your eyes.  Focus on the letters of the word love floating off the paper and into your heart.  Ask it to stay with you and to guide you in life while awake and asleep.  Open your eyes and say this prayer:
Enchantress,
My heart is filled
With love that's true.
I send it now
From me to you.

Fold the piece of paper and carry it with you to remind you of this enchantment.  It will help attract love to you.

This one is a little more direct.  It is an offering for assistance to help you attract your intended's love.

Now the tree:

Oak tree:  Strength.  The oak tree has always been a symbol of strength, endurance, and power.  The ancients revered this tree and marveled that it could withstand being struck by lightning.  Because of this, it has become associated with the ability to attract inspiration, wisdom, and illumination.  The oak represents a psychic shield against malice or jealousy from outside sources.  In esoteric terms, it represents the wisdom that comes in the wake of spiritual growth after a trial or challenge.  It is also associated with fertility.  Although the oak is a mighty tree, it symbolizes strength that is used with a light and discerning touch.  The ancient Romans thought oak trees attracted lightening and thereby connected the oak tree to the sky god, Jupiter and his wife, Juno, the goddess of marriage.  Thus, the oak is a symbol of conjugal fidelity and fulfillment.

Monte and Amy also offer an enchanted spell for oak (which, like the enchantments above, I think is relevant):  Whenever you have a task to perform that seems beyond your capabilities, meditate by closing your eyes and envisioning a steep hill up which you must climb.  However, in your hand is a beautifully fashioned walking stick made of oak.  You find yourself making the climb easily with the stick to lean on.  Repeat this visualization as needed.

So here we have two portions of the answer which directly suggest action, and the final component implying some sort of context.  A symbol of conjugal fidelity and fulfillment certainly seems appropriate for a question of romantic intent.

And now the letters.  At first glance, they seem strange.  As there are three of them interpersed through the message, they could be initials.  However, they do all have something in common aside from being consonants.  They are all Greek letters.  If we borrow from the Greek alphebet oracle, a meaning becomes startlingly clear:

P - Rho - "You will go on more easily if you wait a short time."  If you will hold your ground for only a short time, you will be able to proceed (more easily or with greater cooperation). You will go faster by waiting than by going now; on the other hand, delaying too long may provoke reckless action. By standing fast you live recklessly. By remaining where you are, you live life thoughtlessly.

M - Mu - “It is necessary to labor, but the change will be admirable.”  Through toil and distress a change will be made for the better. Hard work will result in a good return.

K - Kappa - “To fight with the waves is difficult; endure, friend.”  In time, the force of ocean waves can grind down anything; they can be a metaphor for repetitive, unstoppable processes. It is difficult, dangerous, and painful to try to resist them; the sensible thing to do is to wait until they abate, or if that is impossible, then to endure the inevitable with courage.

It seems that within the sequence, the letters represent the stages in the ongoing conversation and early relationship, while the enchantments suggest the proper action to get from one stage to the next.  And as said before, the oak tree gives the whole thing the proper context.  In plain words, below:

Wait a little bit before saying anything.  Make sure you're comfortable and happy with yourself first.  It's going to be tough, and the discussions might be hard, but do it anyway.  During this time, make your offerings, but don't actively try to influence him.  Once you opened the floodgates, so to speak, go with it and ride it out.  Be stong, but not forceful.  Tender and gentle, but unyielding.

That's just one interpretation, and I don't want to tell you what to think.  As always, you might want to do a little more research and see if there aren't alternate interpretations for the various symbols.  The letters may turn out to have a literal meaning as well.

Anyway, there you go my friend.  I hope it helps you at least focus your thoughts.  My standard disclaimer applies that I can't vouch for the validity of the reading nor do I suggest it be taken literally and seriously.  I am a research and meditation tool, nothing more.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Boyfriend Reading, Part One

Hello.  I am the part of this blog that represents the Talking Board.  It is nice to meet you.

This first reading will be in two parts, as it is two questions.  They both pertain to the same thing, but it's long and it's easier to push a planchette around rather than press buttons.  That's a little talking board humor for you.  I know, I know, leave the jokes to the bears.

The question comes from a friend of mine.  It is: "Where can I find a boyfriend?"

The reading is: The Enchantment for Communication - Ash Tree - 8 - Cedar Tree.

Let me describe the board a little before we continue.  The board being used has four standard answers in the corners - yes, no, maybe, and question - and several rings of symbols.  You have your regular letters and numbers, but you also have things such as astrological signs, colors, and gemstones.  Two of the rings are a ring of trees which have meaning, and a ring of enchantments.  The enchantments each represent an abstract idea.  There is also a ring of words - Past, Present, Future, Unknown, Near, Far, etc etc etc.

So with that in mind, let us proceed from start to end.

The Enchantment for Communication:  I won't put the whole enchantment here, as I feel it's not necessary.  But the central idea is to communicate.  Leading off with this, it feels like the questioner already has someone in mind.  In fact, the questioner even said as much later, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Ash Tree:  Stability.  It is known for its tremendous size and girth, with a fantastic root system that keeps it in place even against the mightiest winds.  It was believed that the Ash could reach all the way to the Underworld.  It is held as a wood of balance, and a symbol of renewal and resurrection for the Celts.  Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology, is an ash.  It can also symbolize sacrifice, sensitivity, and higher awareness.  The wood is white, strong, and straight-grained which makes it the choice wood for utility - baseball bats and tool handles, as well as furniture and flooring.  With such a strong dense core, it also burns for a long time with an intense heat.

8:  This could be taken literally as a house number, a street number, part of a name, or part of an age (hopefully not the first digit).  The numerology meaning is as follows:  The number eight is reflective of power, abundance, and success, as well as the principle of domination and control.  Because its shape forms the sign for infinity, it also has an esoteric significance.  It represents questions and their answers as well as secrets that are contained in both.  The number eight symbolizes material matters as well as that which is strictly theoretical.  It can represent an individual who has strong leadership and executive skills, a decision maker who relies as much on intuition as facts.  It can symbolize a legacy, either material or magical in form.  The power of the number eight is in its ability to transcend the boundaries of the practical world while still representing it.  Its energy is formal and intractable.  This could also represent the number of letters in a person's name as well as their numerological number.

It seems that the meanings evoked by this number are similar to the ash tree.  The final symbol concludes this message of strong, firm communication.

Cedar Tree:  Confidence.  The cedar is a symbol of optimism and adaptability, also representing a protection from harm and evil forces.  It is widely known as an ornamental tree, and its wood is often used to line chests to keep out moths and insects.  It also holds in the Jewish and Christian faiths as a symbol of wisdom and protection, the truth of the Lord that would take root in the Earth.  Its wood is known for its beautiful rich red color, and cedar energy promotes an understanding that beauty and truth are one, that true love is worth waiting for.

The message is one of communication.  Be strong, open, and wise, and it should be a fruitful communication.

There are many more meanings to the symbols above.  Please feel free to do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

Part two will come tomorrow.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Entities

My house is a vortex.

At least, I have a feeling it is. Not an opening to the Other Side type of vortex (although maybe it's that, too) but a nexus of energy type vortex. Like the ones Sedona is famous for.

See, there's an energy about the house. I'm not the only one who's noticed. When we get visitors for the first time, they often remark that the house has a nice feel, or they mention a vibe. When we looked at the house, I walked in and it hit me right away. The house just felt good. And I was drawn right to what it now our dining room. That's where I'm doing all the board reading, by the way. The dining room. Also our favorite room in the house. We do most of our stuff there mainly because the dining room table's the best place to do it (bookkeeping, playing board games, etc), but also because it feels nice sitting in that room. Sometimes one of us will just sit down at the dining room table just to sit down and rest a moment. It does help that we have an awesome set by Ethan Allen that makes the room look dynamite. And somehow, I think our huge-ass mirror on the wall helps, too. (The mirror came with the house. Think one of those large wall-spanning department store mirrors that are impossible to take down.)

Anyway, the past couple nights I introduced my fiancee to the board and after it admonished her and told her to open up a bit we had a nice session. Now that we have a potential way to communicate with non-corporeal humans, we figured let's find out who's sharing our house with us. She's more convinced than I am that we've got spirits or entities, but every so often we've had something odd happen. I've only felt cold spots, but she's seen something and has even been touched. I may or may not have been touched early on, but I can't tell for sure. That's a story for later, though. This is getting long enough as it is.

So we asked if the place had ghosts and got a yes. We asked if there was more than one and got a yes. We asked how many: 6. Not really an answer I wanted, but that's okay. It started to get coy when we asked if we knew them.

Fast forward to last night. I was reading on my own. This time the board said 7. I said hang on, you said six last night, and the board responded with "near." So I asked if they came and went and the board said yes. So we're a boarding house for ghosts. Great. According to the mystical energies, we have three permanent residents, and others come and go. Among the transients, we have four regular visitors. Our guess is family members. I'm not ready to go down that road because it's an emotional path and I don't have enough faith in this whole thing yet to open up that can of worms.

Anyway, I asked if we knew the three resident entities, and it started getting coy again. I got a "maybe." And then I asked the board to name our ghosts. The following answer is from memory since I forgot to bring the transcript to work with me. I'll edit it tonight when I can confirm from the paper:

O-W-B-I-day-E-V-Q-J

[UPDATE: Fixed the reading above.]

I think that's it. I can't really remember the last three letters. Seems to me like a bunch of random nonsense. I asked if that named everybody and it said unknown-X then spelled out "bie". As in goodbye, we're done. I think. The B-I-E could also be a part of the naming.

So right now, I've got stuff to ponder. I'm not sure it really makes a lot of sense, but there could be a name or two in the above. Who knows. Not really sure how to research it, though.

I'll probably try again once more then give it a rest for a while.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

I have no idea what I'm doing.

I guess I should use this first post to explain this whole thing. Then when people ask what's up with this, I can just refer them here. It's easy to find.

I've been interested in the occult and new agey stuff for a long time, and last weekend I picked up a talking board because it was very pretty. For reference, it's this one. So I decided to pick it up and mess around with it. Give it a try and see what happens. This blog serves a dual purpose as a record and a sounding board as I reason out the answers I get from the board.

As it turns out, it's pretty neat. Talking boards have been around forever. Very simply put, it's a board with a bunch of stuff (letters, numbers, symbols, etc) on it and a clear usually round object called a planchette. The planchette moves around the board and whatever symbol it centers on is your answer, or a part of your answer. Oh and the Ouija Board is not the definitive talking board, and is not what these things are called. They are talking boards, not ouija boards. That name was invented to be marketable when the Ouija Board was created as a parlor game.

How it actually works is debatable. The real physics behind it, if you will, is that you are moving the planchette yourself. Yes, it's all you, of course you're pushing it. But when it's working, it doesn't feel like it. Go into a doorway and try to raise your arms at the shoulders. Keep them straight and push against the sides of the doorway for about thirty seconds or so. Now step out and relax. Hey, your arms just went up by themselves!! It's something like that. The driving force behind the movement is a mystery. Some people think it's your subconscious tapping into the great universal energy. Other people think it's a spirit entity. There are a bunch of different answers out there, but the one thing you should keep in mind is that it needs you to work. It's not going to move by itself - that's Hollywood stuff. By the same token, you shouldn't be making it work. Just relax and push it where it tells you to push it. You'll understand what I mean when it starts working.

Now here comes the disclaimer. I'm not psychic. I have no mental powers. I don't claim to, nor will I ever intimate as much. I can't see into the future, I can't move stuff with my mind, I can't tell what you're thinking. I just relax really well.

The talking board is a creative and meditative tool, nothing more. It can't tell you the future. It can make predictions based on facts and guesses like telling the weather, but it won't give you the numbers for the next lotto drawing. I've tried that already. However, since the past has already happened, and is in the collective universal energy, it should be able to provide insights into the past. This is something I have not yet tried and verified for myself, so that should be taken with a grain of salt.

I cannot vouch for the validity of anything the board tells me. There's always the possibility that I am influencing the reading myself. This is why you should never ask the board something important to you, that you really want a certain answer to, because chances are you'll get the answer you want to get simply because you want it so much. Any readings that involve a strong personal and emotional connection are bound to be clouded by your own mind.

This blog is for research and creative purposes only, and for the entertainment of readers. This is not to be taken seriously or as truth. If any readings are done for other people, they are done with the intent to help others focus their thoughts and come to their own conclusions. The board does not give answers, it guides thinking.

So why Far Elm Street? The board told me to. No, seriously. This morning I was asking about blogging and the board seemed okay with it. I asked it to help me come up with a name, and it said Far Elm Street. The word Far is on the board, and it went to that, then to the elm tree in the Ring of Trees, and then the letters S and T. I went over it a couple times to clarify, and it kept doing the same thing, even going so far as to start spelling out Street. So Far Elm Street it is.

You'll see two people posting here: me and "the board." Any colorful stuff will be posted by me, Crifmer. Discussion, opinions, commentary on occult and new agey stuff, that sort of thing. Actual readings will be posted by "Far Elm Street," the owner of this blog. Which is also me, but I thought it might be nice to separate out "official" posts. As for the rest, I'll make it up as I go along.

Welcome to the journey. I'm interested to see where this takes us.