Oregon L.O.W.F.I

Archive for the ‘Esoteric’ Category

UFO Mystic is back! Nick Redfern, Greg Bishop, Craig Woolheater, Lesley Gunter, Scott Corrales, Richard Thomas, and myself — so go take a look already!

I moved my Mothman Flutterings blog to blogger. Old posts can still be read on the original blog, but for new content, go to Mothman Flutterings II.

About fifteen years ago, there was a local woman who sold religious folk art/outsider art items at her booth at the Saturday Market. Saturday Market is a long running street fair in Eugene (since 1970),  full of booths of hand made items, as well as food booths and lots of music.

I bought several things from her at the time and did a paper on her when I was studying folklore at the University of Oregon.

This is a beaded necklace, with a wood pendant. On the front is an image of St. Maria Magdalene. On the back is a little label: “St. Maria Magdalene Patroness of Fallen Women.” This is what Books of the Times site has to say about St. Maria Magdalene:

There is a breathtaking moment in the Gospel of Philip, one of the Gnostic gospels, which were denounced by the church as heresy. The apostles witness Jesus kissing Mary Magdalene on the mouth. The apostles are horrified, jealous. ”Why do you love her more than us?” they ask. Jesus’ response is mysterious and enigmatic. ”Why do I not love you like her?” he says.

What is the meaning of those kisses? Sexual passion? A profound friendship? Jesus anointing Mary Magdalene as his successor and as leader of the church?

Traditionally, Mary Magdalene has been seen as a reformed harlot, portrayed in paintings as red haired and bare breasted. But as Karen L. King, the Winn professor of ecclesiastical history at Harvard University, in the Divinity School, points out in her new book, ”The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle,” nowhere does the Bible say that she was a prostitute.

I know I have that paper, with photos, around here somewhere. I also have other items that I hope to take snaps of and post. I think the woman — a very colorful person! — called herself “Sister Spirit” and I want to say “bear” was in there somewhere, but it’s been many years and I don’t remember.

She sold jewelry with decorated images of the saints and the BVM as well as Jesus. She was known for her Jesus nightlights: religious plastic nightlights of Jesus and Mary, (the kind you can buy at dime stores; I’ve even seen them at Dollar Store type places) painted, often with neon colors, and decorated with beads, glitter, feathers .

I haven’t been to the Saturday Market for a couple of years; but when I have gone there, I didn’t notice her around. I think she left the area some time ago, or at least, stopped making her wonderful folk art.

Orange Orb, as seen on Lorane Highway,Oregon oil pastel by Regan Lee

I’ve begun a new project. Not sure yet how I’ll end up doing this; interactive, as Nancy Birnes suggested, e-book, Kindle, self-publish, blog, pay per installment…so many options. I think, however, that it will be in a sort of journal format, fairly traditional in terms of publishing (e-book/Kindle/self, or through a publisher) with segments posted here at The Orange Orb.

So here it is, working title: Entering the Orb: A Couple’s Journey into Missing Time, Screen Memories and UFOs.

Jim and I have decided, spontaneously and independently of each other, to go through some kind of regression and retrieval process to find out what happened during our missing time experiences. We’ve agreed that we would not share what we found out about our own experiences until all the work has been done. We don’t know yet if we would see different people, or the same person. If we saw the same person, there’s the possibility that person would be unconsciously influenced by the both of us.  Than again, maybe not.

A lot of this is absolutely trust based. How can we prove to others that we’re telling the truth when we say we won’t discuss with each other what’s been discovered, until it’s all done? We can’t.

There’s also a large issue of vulnerability here. Some possible causes for the missing time episodes are obvious — as in, oh my god they really were Reptilian Overlords. Other reasons concern memory. As you’ll see in my next post, Jim and I have very different memories of one of our missing time events. Clearly, one of us is wrong. So why the difference in memories? And if it turns out the cause for missing time isn’t UFO related, alien related or some other esoteric or metaphysical cause, then what, and why? Are we unstable? Did someone drug us? (If so, why, and that’s certainly scary on its own.) I could handle any of those, (I think) but what I don’t think I could handle is the possibly we made it all up. Unintentionally of course, but made up nonetheless. If that is so, why in the world would we do so? That in itself is intriguing.

Here’s a law from 1998 out of Yamhill county. The city of McMinnville is in Yamhil county; McMinnville is home of the famous Trent UFO photos, and host to the annual McMinnville UFO Fest in May. This law outlaws anything to do with what’s generally referred to as “fortune telling”:

5.08.110 Occult Arts.
(A) “Occult arts” means the use or practice of fortune
telling, astrology, phrenology, palmistry, clairvoyance,
mesmerism, spiritualism, or any other practice or practices
generally recognized to be unsound and unscientific whereby
an attempt or pretense is made:
(5) To give advice or information concerning any matter or
event.

C) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
or prevent:
(1) A duly organized and recognized religious organization
which promulgates religious teachings or beliefs involving
spiritualism or similar media from holding its regular
meetings or services.
(2) A school, church, fraternal, charitable or other
benevolent organization from utilizing occult arts for a
bazaar or other money-raising project, provided that all
money so received is devoted exclusively to the
organization sponsoring the affair.

Any money collected must be given to the cause.

So religions are exempt, sort of, unless your religion includes the use of oracles and related practices and there is money exchanged, even if it’s a donation. In other words, the donation can’t go to the practitioner as appreciation for services, but it can go to, say, a charity. Occult Arts, then, is not to be taken seriously and is marginalized and certainly trivialized, and of course, illegal. It’s also exploited: okay to use it as a fund raiser, wink wink.
I wonder how constitutional laws like this are? Be interesting to see the arguments made in court for that. After all, a county or city can’t create laws making religion illegal: it’s okay to be a Baptist, but being Lutheran is a misdemeanor?

Laws against religious practices are nothing new in this country, and I’m not suggesting using divination, intuitive arts and oracles are necessarily religious. But having laws like this seems unconstitutional. Yamhill is a beautiful county; I’ve considered moving there at various times. But not if I have to worry about breaking the law every time I give a reading or a session which often includes the use of oracles or Tarot.

My grandfather, William H. Galvani. He died in 1947 eight years before I was born, but I always felt as if I’d known him. He left Russia (Ukraine) as a young man (in part, escaping Jewish persecution) and was definitely an eclectic and esoteric person. Eccentric in many ways, some might say; driving a car made him nervous, he instead walked about town in black cape and hat, with walking stick. He was a scholar, a Buddhist, a Theosophist, (self-publishing a book on the subject), a vegetarian and president of the Oregon chapter of the Vegetarian Federal Union, mayor of Seaside, Oregon, a banker, a railroad surveyor, and a 32nd degree Mason. After his death, much of his personal library was donated to Oregon State University’s library in Corvallis. From the Wikipedia entry:

The library received a bequest of about 5,500 volumes valued at about $15,000 in December 1947 from William H. Galvani’s estate.[17] This donation overtook that of McDonald to become the largest received by the library up to that time.[17]

He was also a voice for peace:

From: Gaston, Joseph,”Portland,Oregon Its History and Builders.” Vol. 2.
Chicago and Portland, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 717.
WILLIAM H. GALVANI
Honor and fame have come to William H. Galvani although all unsought. The
importance of the work that he has done and his intelligent discussion from the
platform and through the press of questions of vital import have naturally
placed him in the prominent position that he today occupies. He is indeed one of
the best known men of the northwest. Born in the land of the Czars he emigrated
to the United States when about eighteen years of age. It was in 1882 that he
arrived in New York city and after remaining there for about three months he
started for the great west, hoping to make Portland the center of his
activities. Upon his arrival here he entered the engineering service under Hans Thielsen, chief engineer of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company and chief
supervising engineer of the western division of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company.

With the exception of a brief period spent on his homestead in Washington
county and another brief period devoted to newspaper work, Mr. Galvani has
engaged successfully in engineering and through the intervening years has been
identified with the most important railway enterprises in Oregon Washington and
Idaho. He is today considered an authority on engineering problems and finds
ready solution for the intricate difficulties which constantly arise in this
connection. It may be truly said that few men are better known in the northwest
than he. This is largely due to his labors in connection with the location and
construction of the leading railways entering this section of the country. But
other things have also contributed to his fame. He has contributed largely to
the newspapers and magazines which have sought his services because of his
ability to speak authoritatively upon the subjects which he has treated. His
writings have included essays on various subjects and his public utterances have
included addresses before clubs and societies. Moreover he has been known as the
persistent champion of vegetarianism for more than twenty years.

His unqualified advocacy of universal peace, through international
arbitration has also contributed to his high standing, and in May, 1909, he was
appointed by Governor Benson to represent Oregon at the National Peace Congress
held in Chicago. He is also a Mason of high standing, having attained the
position of potentate of Al Kader Temple of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Galvani has recently resigned his position as engineer for the Oregon
Electric Railway Company and accepted a more important engineering post with the
Pacific Power & Light Company and the Walla Walla Valley Railway Company. His
labors have contributed toward the development and upbuilding of various parts
of the northwest. He has a thorough understanding of the prevailing conditions
in the northwest as well as of the scientific principles which underlie his
labors, including the practical work of his profession, and his ability has
enabled him to far outdistance many competitors. He has long since occupied a
position of affluence and eminence.

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2009 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.
Source: Oregon Bio Project

I have a few photographs but need to retrieve them from the pile of boxes in the front closet; when I do, I’ll post them here.

Oregon writer Dave Masko writes on Sri Yantra “crop circle” symbol: UFO sighting signature Sri Yantra discovered in Oregon, now found… I remember this “crop circle” symbol in eastern Oregon several years ago, but, despite this quote:

Hainsworth said the “Sri Yantra” is known to “just about everyone who’s interested in UFO’s” here in Oregon, but it may not be known or understood by others.

(Guess I’m not in the loop, because I didn’t know anything about this.)

The symbolism of this sign:

In brief, the Sri Yantra is similar to an ancient Hindu mediation symbol, “but, we’re told it’s much, much older than any civilization from India,” adds Hainsworth while presenting a recently found copy of this proposed UFO “signature” at a recent “watchers” meeting at Seaside.

(thanks to Lesley at The Debris Field for link.)

According to this site, Sri Yantra mandala is the mother of all mandalas; all that follow are aspects of Sri Yantra.

It is a mandala, a geometric abstract that symbolizes the cosmos which, in this case, is also the body of the goddess. The goddess is supposed to reside in her physical, visible form in the dot or bindu at the center of the Yantra while simultaneously permeating the entire universe. This ‘double presence’ concept is vital in grasping the Sri Yantra. Her seat has four ‘pillars’: Brahma – the creator, in the Northeast; Vishnu – the preserver, in the Southeast; Rudra – the dissolver, in the Southwest; and Sadasiva – the eternal Shiva, in the Northwest.

I found this while looking for more on Sri Yantra: orbs appear during a Sri Yantra meditation.

“The Owls are not what they seem.” ~ Twin Peaks

And they keep appearing.
On my blogs The Orange Orb, and Animal Forteana, I’ve been posting a lot lately about the many owl synchronicities in my life. From Animal Forteana, the post that seemed to have started it all, from September 12:

The OWL
The owl, as Forteans know, makes its appearance in various ways within UFO-alien abduction-high strangeness events and occult, para-political conspiracy themes. Sometimes the owl appears to a witness of the anomalous as what it is: a bird, but. . . is it? Behind the owl there seems to be something else; an alien, an entity. Is the alien pretending to be an owl, appearing as an owl, or using the owl as familiar? Is the image of the owl projected; beamed to the human, as a tool to lull the human into a hypnotic state?

The owl, as a symbol, appears in conspiracies. The owl is on the dollar bill, and it figures strongly within the Bohemian Grove’s rites; in these contexts, the owl represents hidden knowledge available to the few — and privileged.

In a reversal mode, the owl is also a symbol of high skepticism to the point of ridiculous debunkery. Uber skeptic Joe Nickell has used the owl to “prove” that Mothman, the Kelly Hopkinville entities, and the Flatwoods Monster were simply owls. At least three seperate articles have been written by Nickell, where he details his anyalises of these very different (as to content, time and location) events, yet offers up the same solution: owls.

The television Twin Peaks (created by David Lynch) acknowledged the esoteric imagery of the owl in what is now a cult classic line: “The owls are not what they seem.”

Currently, AMC is airing its new series Rubicon, which is about a spy type think tank. Not exactly CIA, NSA, etc. but a department housed in a funky, run down old building that analyzes and reports on global political doings and individuals. Recent accidental deaths and suicides of Rubicon department heads and power mongers are how the main character, brilliant but naive in many ways, ends up as the new boss of his team. He’s suspicious of the death of his boss, and begins looking into things. Soon, he’s also being messed with. A small figure of an owl, found among the deceased belongings, appeals to and he puts it on his desk. There it sits, as a symbol of the conspiracy (”Who do we work for?” he asks his boss, who is either a mentor, or an enemy — time will tell) swirling around him. Beyond the metaphoric meaning of the owl, this owl also serves a utilitarian purpose: within its base, someone has placed a bug in order to listen in to our hero in his office. The bug is discovered but is left within, later, he checks on it to find it’s gone during a FBI lock down, only to discover the bug has been put back when they leave.

“I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.” ~ the Bible

September 14: Owls Today
In the movie Encounters of the Fourth Kind, the owl figures prominently, which isn’t surprising, since the movie is about alien abductions. I saw the movie for the first time Saturday night, which inspired me to write the post below on owls, posted Sunday.

Today, I see in the morning paper that the owl appears in the cartoon jumble. At work, someone wearing an over sized T-shirt with a giant owl on it walks by me. I go to my desk to find owl stickers. Later, class divides into teams and decide on team names: one group chooses “the owls.”

Love that owl synchronicity!

Over at the Orange Orb, I continue with my meetings of owl synchronicities:

Thursday, September 16, 2010
Another Owl Synchronicity
Sure enough, in walks a body wearing an oversized tee shirt with a cartoon figure of a human but that’s morphing into an owl — a sort of human/hybrid owl figure. Just a reminder, I guess, :) [Note: a day or two before there were owl stickers on the work table in the room]

Monday, September 20, 2010
More Owls. . .
I ‘ve been posting lately about owl synchronities and imagery in media. The other day I posted about another owl synchronicity: at work, someone came in wearing a large tee-shirt with a large cartoonish human figure that was part owl. Mike Clelland commented that the post was “curiously cryptic,” — I didn’t mean to be esoteric, just noting the weird owl synchronicities in my life lately. Of course, Mike has his own long term synchrocratic relationship with owls!

manipulated owl photograph: photo and image by Regan Lee

And so today found me in a room with a woman wearing large— really large– silver hoops, with some kind of figure inside the hoop. At first I thought they were some kind of flower, or leaf motif, but after awhile, I realized: yes, they were owls! Large silver colored owls, perched upon even larger hoops.

Thursday, September 23, 2010
And . . . more owls
Yes, more owls. Today in a room at work; the large bulletin board had . . . owls. Owl figures all over the place.

All this owl synchronicity — in part, as I wrote earlier (see my owl posts below) it’s messages, signals, signs, along the lines of “they’re noticing you’re noticing them” kind of thing. I put the intent out, as to conscious recall of orange-orb and related encounters, including missing time, and this is what happens. Throw in my affinity and relationship with animals, and we’re off. But on a more mundane level, it’s possible that owls are a new fashionable/trend/fad image in the culture stream; nothing esoteric, although, it is esoteric. The young person wearing a tee shirt with a giant owl on it is just wearing something they think is cool or looks good, but I doubt they’re into esoteric-alien abduction-Illuminati symbolism.

But “they” know. Heh.

“The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea/ In a beautiful pea-green boat,/ They took some honey, and plenty of money,/ Wrapped up in a five-pound note.” ~ Edward Lear

In today’s local paper: the Register-Guard, this announcement appeared:</

Owls are focus of Nearby Nature Quest

A Nearby Nature Quest, “Hooting in the Hollows,” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Alton Baker Park Host Residence, located between the dog run and community gardens. Learn about owls on a family-paced walk through the woods, meet a costumed Olivia the Owl. Free for Nearby Nature members, $2 per person or $5 per family for non-members. Pre-registration suggested. ***-****

As well as this notice about the Cascades Raptor Center, a wild bird rescue organization ( a beautiful place, with beautiful people who volunteer their time to help injured birds of prey; they do a lot of education in the schools work, etc.) and the new movie Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.

“An Owl at the Movies”
Cascades Raptor Center will present Dmitri, a Eurasian eagle owl, in conjunction with the film “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”

“I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.” ~ the Bible
At work today, I walk by a display board with an owl on it: something about a contest; I didn’t catch what the contest was about, but I noticed a black and white owl on the display by the text.

Jim and I will be guests on Future Theater, Nancy and Bill Birnes podcast, airs 6:00 pm EST.

I’ve been keeping an animal journal, which I posted about on Women Of Esoterica awhile back. My intent was to write about animals, but I soon realized that “animal” means a lot of things other than the expected. Last night I was writing in my journal about cryptids, shape shifters, mixed energies, inter-dimensional beings…I’m pretty sure this will turn into something. I had the following dream after writing in my journal last night:

I go see about some land for sale here in Oregon. “39.4″ acres for incredibly cheap. I go alone; arriving, there is a man who’s clearly some kind of guard to this little town, which is very odd. He lets me by. He’s not armed or even threatening, but it is … odd. I continue on, meeting up with a pleasant man in his early forties, maybe. Friendly person, telling me all about the property. We’re standing in the middle of a highway. No people around or cars, out in the country. What’s extremely weird is that, as soon as I passed the “guard” earlier, the landscape changed radically. Suddenly, I am surrounded by high, sharp, jutting mountains covered in snow, it’s cold, the water (ocean? lake?) on one side of the highway, surrounded by these very high and close mountains, is grey and choppy. I’m a little nervous, the water is almost up to the road. And on the other side of the highway, across from the water and mountains, the land just goes straight up, very steep. I’m told this is “Wyoming-Idaho” in Oregon. I say, in the dream, (a lucid moment?) that there’s no such thing, and what is Wyoming doing in Oregon?! The man thinks that’s funny.

He continues telling me bout the land, that’s it’s a great deal (it is), it’s all just land, but one thing to be aware: there are poachers that “encroach on the edges,” as he puts it. I’ll have to deal with them as I see fit, he says.

As we’re talking, suddenly a man in what is obviously a very bad, very cheap Bigfoot costume, (light grey in color) steps out onto the road. The man says, in a mock frightened tone, “Oh, look, look! It’s Bigfoot! Bigfoot is here!” and they both crack up. The guy in the BF suit goofs around, stomping and clowning, and then takes off.

All this time I am not amused, and am just looking at them. The man says to me,”You don’t think that’s funny?” and I’m thinking to myself, what a maroon, another joker, and a Bigfoot debunker. Great. But I’m not going to tell him about my opinions on Bigfoot, or anything else.

Then the man says to me, very seriously, “You know, around here, we all know Bigfoot exists. Anyone who’s ever spent any time in the country around here knows damn well Bigfoot exists. You can’t judge people on things like having fun.”

Well okay then, I think. Interesting. So back to the land issue, but I tell him that I don’t like the snow, or mountains, and I still don’t like this idea of “Wyoming” being in Idaho-Oregon, and on the west coast to boot. It’s all very suspicious. And why are all the townspeople, who I know are all around us, watching us, hidden? It’s not that they’re sinister or of ill intent but it is weird and I’m uncomfortable.

The man says to me, “You didn’t think the property was this place, did you? Oh no, it’s not like this at all, it’s back behind here,” and he waves his hands around, indicating that the land is even further, and not snowy or mountainous.

I tell him I’ll think about it, and tell him I have to leave. He stays there, I’m a little put out he’s letting me go off on my own, after all, I don’t know my way around. He stays put on the highway, as if he’s under some type of interdiction to stay in that place. I find my way though and back to the guard, who also seems amused that I’m here. He doesn’t help me with directions either, but I figure it out.