text:
(1) I want to write a word on the subject of sex in the life of the disciple. There is much confusion in the minds of aspirants on this matter, and the injunction as to celibacy, is assuming the position of a religious doctrine. We are often told by the well-meaning but illogical, that if a man is a [Page 368] disciple, he cannot marry, and that there is no real spiritual attainment, unless a man is celibate. This theory has its roots in two things:
First, there has ever been a mistaken attitude in the East towards women. Secondly, in the West, from the time of Christ, there has been a tendency towards the monastic and conventual conception of spiritual life. These two attitudes embody two mistaken ideas, and lie at the root of much misunderstanding, and at the heart of much evil. Man is no better than the woman, nor woman than man. . . .
The belief that to be a disciple necessitates a celibate life, and complete abstinence from all natural functions, is neither correct nor desirable. This can be proved by the recognition of two things:
The first is that if divinity is indeed a reality, and an expression of omnipotence and omnipresence as well as omniscience, and if a man is essentially divine, then there can be no condition possible, wherein divinity cannot be supreme. There can be no sphere of human activity, where man cannot act divinely, and wherein all functions cannot be illumined by the light of pure reason and divine intelligence. . . .
Secondly, a life that is not normally rounded out till all the functions of its nature - animal, human and divine - (and man is all of these three in one body) are exercised, is frustrated, inhibited, and abnormal. That all cannot marry in these days is true, but that fact does not negate the greater fact, that man has been created by God to marry. . . . That an enforced celibacy is an indication of a deep spirituality, and a necessary part of all esoteric and spiritual training, is equally false, abnormal, and undesirable. There is no better training school for a disciple and an initiate, than family life, with its enforced relations, its scope for adjustments and adaptability, its demanded sacrifices and service, and its opportunities for the full expression of every part of man's nature. There is no greater service to be rendered to the race, than the proffering of bodies to incoming souls, and the giving of attention and educational facilities, to those souls within the home limits. . . .
The disciple and aspirant upon the Path, and the Initiate upon his "Lighted Way", have no better training ground therefore, than the marriage relation, rightly used and rightly understood. . . . It is of course true that sometimes a man may be called to some particular life, wherein he is faced with the problem of celibacy, and is forced to abstain from all physical relations, and to live a strictly celibate life, in order to demonstrate to himself that he can control the animal and instinctual side of his nature. But this [Page 369] condition is frequently the result of excess and licence in a previous life, which necessitates stringent measures, and abnormal conditions in order to offset and rectify past errors, and give the lower nature time to readjust itself. But again it is no indication of spiritual development, rather the reverse. Forget not that here I am dealing with the special case of self-applied celibacy, and not with the present world-wide condition wherein, through economic and other reasons, men and women are forced to live without a natural and full life expression.
The sex problem must, in the last analysis, be solved in the home, and under normal conditions, and it is the advanced people of the world and the disciples of all degrees, who must thus solve it. (14 - 304/7).
(2) Many initiates have attained their objective when duly and wisely participating in the marriage relation. An initiate cultivates a peculiar attitude of mind, wherein there is a recognition that all forms of manifestation are divine, and that the physical plane is as much a form of divine expression as any other of the higher planes. He realises that the lowest manifestation of divinity must be under the conscious control of that indwelling divinity, and that all acts of every kind should be regulated by the endeavour to fulfil every duty and obligation, to control every action and deed, and to utilize the physical vehicle so that the group may be thereby benefited and aided in its spiritual progress. . . .
Initiates and Masters, in many cases marry, and normally perform their duties as husbands, wives, and householders, but all is controlled and regulated by purpose and intention, and none is carried away by passion and desire. In the perfect man upon the physical plane, all the centres are under complete control, and their energy is legitimately used. (1 - 204/5).
(3) Out of the many sexual experiments now going on, the coming generation will arrive at a point of balance and then, as a consequence, they will tip the scales in the desired and desirable direction. Of this there is no question of doubt; there is only the point in time, and this will be astrologically determined. Through the legal minds and through right legislation, sex will be seen eventually to be a proper and divine function, and will then be safeguarded by right education of the young and the ignorant, and the right action of the young and highly intelligent emerging generation - the children and babies of today.
The teaching of wrong sexual habits, the example of widespread prostitution (I use this word in connection with men as well as women), the growth of homosexuality ( not in its rare physiological forms and predispo- [Page 370] sitions, but from the angle of a perverted mentality, and an unwholesome imagination, which today lie behind so much of its expression), the narrow-minded Christian inheritance of a "guilt complex" where sex is concerned, and the heritage of diseased and over- or under-sexed physical bodies, have brought the race to its present chaotic and unintelligent handling of the important problem. The solution will not be found through religious pronouncements, based upon an outworn theory, or through physiological inhibition or legalised license; neither will it come through legislation, inspired by various schools of thought in any community or nation. It will be the result of the united activity of the spiritually minded consciousness, the judicial attitude, the intellectual perception, and the steady urge of the evolutionary process. Nothing can prevent the inevitability of the solution, and the appearance of desirable attitudes and conditions wherein sex can find right expression. (16 - 235/6).
(4) You have likewise been told that the energy of the sacral centre (the centre most implicated and active at the time of the first initiation), has to be transmuted and raised to the throat centre, thereby transforming the physical creative act into the creative process of producing the good, the beautiful and the true. This is the A B C of your fundamental knowledge: the transmutation of sex. In that transmutative process, men have greatly erred and have approached the subject from two angles:
1. They have sought to stamp out natural desire, and have endeavoured to emphasise an enforced celibacy; they have thus frequently warped the nature, and subjected the "natural man" to rules and regulations which were not of divine intent.
2. They have tried - at the other extreme - to exhaust normal sexual desire by promiscuity, license and perversions, damaging themselves, and laying up the basis for trouble for many incarnations ahead.
. . . When a proper recognition of the place the sex life should play in the daily life, is paralleled by the concentration of thought anent the throat centre, that centre becomes automatically magnetic, and attracts the forces of the sacral centre upward through the spine into "the place of creative building"; the normal sex life is then regulated and not atrophied, and is relegated to its rightful place, as one of the usual faculties or appetites with which man is endowed; it is brought under control through the lack of directed interest, and is
subordinated to the law of the land as regards its relation to the opposite pole - either negative and feminine, or masculine and positive. To the aspirant it becomes mainly the agent for the creation [Page 371] of the vehicles needed for reincarnating souls. Thus by force of example, by the avoiding of all extremes, by the dedication of the bodily energies to the higher uses, and by the acceptance of the law of the land in any given country, and at any given time, the present disorder and the current misuse of the sex principle, will give way to orderly living and to the right use of this major bodily function. (18 - 669/70).
(1) Shamballa, where They (Sanat Kumara and His Pupils) dwell, exists in physical matter as do the Kumaras, but it is matter of the higher ethers of the physical plane, and only when man has developed etheric vision will the mystery lying beyond the Himalayas be revealed. (3 - 753).
(2) Though Shamballa is spoken of as existing in physical matter and as occupying a definite location in space, the physical matter referred to is etheric, the Lord of the World and His assistants of the higher degrees occupying bodies formed of etheric matter.
It was decided about seventeen million years ago (the coming of the Hierarchy and the founding of Shamballa being about eighteen and a half million years ago) to have on the dense physical plane an organisation and a headquarters for the mysteries, and to have a band of Adepts and Chohans who would function in dense physical bodies and thus meet the need of the rapidly awakening humanity. (4 - 378).
(3) The first outpost for the Shamballa Fraternity was the original temple of Ibez, and it was located in the centre of South America, and one of its branches, at a much later period, was to be found in the ancient Maya institutions. . . . A second branch was later established in Asia, and of this branch the Himalayan and southern Indian adepts are the representatives, though the work is materially changed. At a later date than the present, discoveries will be made, revealing the reality of the old form of hierarchical work; ancient records and monuments will be revealed, some above ground and many in subterranean fastnesses. As the mysteries of Central Asia, in the land stretching from Chaldea and Babylon through Turkestan to Manchuria, including the Gobi desert, are opened up, it is planned that much of the early history of the Ibezhan workers will be revealed. (4 - 379).
(4) The most obvious and powerful force in the world today, is that of the first Ray of Will and Power. . . . This is the force which pours into the world from the major world centre, Shamballa. Little is known of Sham- [Page 372] balla . . . . Only twice before in the history of mankind has this Shamballa energy made its appearance and caused its presence to be felt, through the tremendous changes which were brought about:
1. When the first great human crisis occurred at the time of the indivi-dualisation of man in ancient Lemuria.
2. At the time of the great struggle in Atlantean days, between the "Lords of Light and the Lords of Material Expression".
This little known divine energy now streams out from the Holy Centre. It embodies in itself the energy which lies behind the world crisis of the moment. It is the Will of God to produce certain radical and momentous changes in the consciousness of the race, which will completely alter man's attitude to life and his grasp of the spiritual, esoteric, and subjective essentials of living. It is this force which will bring about (in conjunction with second ray force) that tremendous crisis, the initiation of the race into the Mystery of the Ages, into that which has been hid from the beginning. (9 - 12/3)
(5) I would also remind you that the use of first ray energy, inevitably means destruction in the early stages, but fusion and blending in the later and final results. If you study the nations of the world today from this angle, you will see this Shamballa energy of will working out potently through the agency of certain great outstanding personalities. The Lord of Shamballa in this time of urgency, from love of the life aspect, and from understanding of the Plan, as well as from love of humanity, is sending forth this dynamic energy. It is form destroying and brings death to those material forms and organised bodies, which hinder the free expression of the life of God, for they negate the new culture and render inactive the seeds of the coming civilisation.
From this display of energy, unthinking humanity draws back in fear, and likes it not. When full of personality hate and self-will, human beings seek often to turn this energy to their own selfish ends. If human beings (even the best of them), were not so undeveloped and so superficial in their judgments and their vision, they would be able to penetrate behind what is going on in the key countries in the world, and see the gradual emergence of new and better conditions, and the passing away of the loved, but slowly decaying forms. The energy of Shamballa is, however, so new and so strange, that it is hard for human beings to know it for what it is - the demonstration of the Will of God in new and potent livingness.
. . . The problem of the Hierarchy at this time is to produce a wise and [Page 373] adequate fusion of the Shamballa and hierarchical energies, and thus temper destruction, and bring to the fore the spirit of construction, setting in motion the building and rehabilitating forces of the second ray energy. The Shamballa energy prepares the way for the energy of the Hierarchy. Thus it has been from the beginning of time, but the cycles of the Hierarchy, though relatively frequent, have not coincided with those of Shamballa, which are rare and infrequent. As time progresses, the impact of the Shamballa force will be more frequent, because men will develop the power to stand and withstand it. Hitherto it has been too dangerous an energy to apply to mankind, for the results have worked out destructively, except in the first great Lemurian crisis. Its work has, therefore, been confined almost entirely to the Hierarchy, Whose Members are equipped to handle it, and to assimilate it correctly, and also to use it for the benefit of humanity. Now the experiment is being attempted of permitting man to receive it and its impact, free from the mediation of the Hierarchy. It may prove a premature and abortive effort, but the issues are not yet determined and the Lord of Shamballa, with His assistants, and with the aid of the watching Members of the Hierarchy, are not discouraged over the initial results. Humanity is responding unexpectedly well. There has been much success along this line, but the results do not appear with clarity to intelligent human beings, because they refuse to see anything except the destructive aspect, and the disappearance of the forms to which they have hitherto anchored their emotions, their desire, and their mental perceptions. They fail, as yet, to see the irrefutable evidence of constructive activity, and of true, creative work. The temple of humanity in the New Age is rising rapidly, but its outlines cannot be seen because men are occupied entirely with their individual or national selfish point of view, and with their personal or national instincts or impulses.
Most of the response to the Shamballa activity is characterised by fear and terror, by sensitivity and distressingly developed reactions to the forces of hate and separation. Only a few, here and there, really grasp the vision of the future, and realise what is going on, seeing truly the beauty of the emerging plan. It is with these few that the Members of the Hierarchy can work, because they (even when lacking understanding) bear no ill-will or hatred to others. Love is a great unifier and interpreter. 9 - 17/20).
(6) Humanity is the result of all sub-human forms of expression and experience, and of the activity of superhuman Beings. These superhuman Beings are the product of past evolutionary systems, and are in Themselves the sum total of the great Divine Sacrifice, as it focusses itself in our planetary life. Having passed through all previous phases of existence, and per- [Page 374] fected the consciousness aspect in Themselves through human experiences, They have transcended all that men can know and all states of consciousness with which he is or may be in the future familiar, and are now expressing a phase of divinity of which he can know naught. They LIVE. They are energy itself, and in Their totality They form the "bright centre lying far ahead". (Shamballa). (18 - 78/9). See also: (6 - 404, 519/20).
(1) Sight - that inner vision which is produced through the initiation process, yet which is withall but the recognition of a faculty, always present yet unknown. Just as an infant has eyes which are perfectly good and clear from birth, yet there comes a day wherein the conscious recognition of that which is seen is first to be noted, so with the human unit undergoing spiritual unfoldment. The medium of the inner sight has ever existed, and that which can be seen is always present, but the recognition of the majority as yet exists not. This "recognition" by the initiate is the first great step in the initiation ceremony, and until it has transpired all other stages must wait.
(1 - 114).
(2) Faith is lost in sight, and things unseen are seen and known. No more can he doubt, but he has become instead, through his own effort, a knower. (1 - 118).
(3) The immortality of the soul and the reality of the unseen worlds is for him proven and ascertained. Whereas, before initiation, this belief was based on brief and fleeting vision and strong inner convictions (the result of logical reasoning and of a gradually developing intuition) now it is based on sight and on a recognition past all disproving, of his own immortal nature. (1 - 119).
(4) Etheric vision is comparatively common even now. But comment concerning it is rare, owing to the fear of criticism. (3 - 453).
(5) The greatest physical gift is that of sight, and it is the same upon a higher turn of the spiral within the world of the soul. When the disciple has achieved a measure of vision and is "in sight" of his soul, he can then be admitted to an Ashram wherein the nature of revelation can be made known to him. Men are apt to confuse vision and revelation, and I seek to clarify your minds somewhat on this matter; therefore, the preceding sentence is of major importance. Aspirants are prone to think that the goal [Page 375] towards which they move, is that of soul contact, with a secondary goal of hierarchical position, and a third goal of service. This, however, is not correct.
The goal ahead of the aspirant is the consciousness of non-separateness, and the recognition of a universal inclusiveness; the secondary goal is the ability to reveal the nature of that reality, Unity; the third goal is the ability to take those measures in the three worlds, which will facilitate mankind's apprehension of these fundamentals. You will note how this last definition of the goal removes inevitably the factor of self-interest in its entirety. It might therefore be said that revelation concerns Oneness and nothing else. The practical nature of this truth is only recognised when the disciple attempts to do two things: to realise it individually, and to bring the nature of planetary unity and of non-separateness to the minds and into the lives of men everywhere.
The work of the aspirant is to see the light; only when this has become a fact in his consciousness, can he begin to grasp the hidden revelation which that contacted and utilised light can reveal. Here is another key sentence for your consideration. (18 - 297/8).
(6) When, therefore, sight has been attained and the light streams forth, revelation of the oneness of all life is a simple and immediate occurrence; it comes first of all to the disciple as a flash of wondrous informative and instinctive realisation, and then steadies down, as progress is made, into a constant apprehension and appreciation; it eventually produces the motivating impulse of all action. (18 - 299),
(7) Sight is the greatest of all the developments in this world period, in which the Logos is seeking to bring the subhuman kingdoms to the point where human vision is theirs, to bring humanity to the point where spiritual vision is developed and hierarchical insight is the normal quality of the initiate sight, and to bring the Members of the Hierarchy to the point where universal perception is Theirs. (11 - 56).
See also: "Light" and "Illumination''.
(1) One of the primary conditions that a disciple has to cultivate, in order to sense the plan and be used by the Master, is solitude. In solitude the rose of the soul flourishes; in solitude the divine self can speak; in solitude the faculties and graces of the higher self can take root and blossom in the [Page 376] personality. In solitude also the Master can approach and impress upon the quiescent soul the knowledge that He seeks to impart, the lesson that must
be learnt, the method and plan for work that the disciple must grasp. In solitude the sound is heard. The Great Ones have to work through human instruments and the plan and the vision are much handicapped by failure on the part of these instruments. (4 - 132).
(2) There comes always to the striver after the Mysteries and the manipulator of the law, a period of aloneness, and of sorrow when no man stands by and isolation is his lot . . . But this is only temporary. (4 - 263).
(3) The lonely way is also the lighted way. Loneliness is an illusion which seeks to thwart the efforts of the server; it is glamour which can seriously impair true vision. (5 - 113).
(4) Loneliness grows as the aspirant detaches himself from the world of souls. There comes ever an interlude wherein the disciple senses an intense seeming isolation, but it is only an illusion. You know that you are not alone. (5 - 419).
(5) The first ray disciple loves isolation. It is for him the line of least resistance. He is, as you know, normally the one who stands alone. This is his strength and it is also his weakness. He glories in detachment. (5 - 625).
See also: (6 - 45/6, 763/4).
(1) Matter is the vehicle for the manifestation of soul on this plane of existence, and soul is the vehicle on a higher plane for the manifestation of spirit, and these three are a trinity synthesised by life, which pervades them all. Through the use of matter the soul unfolds and finds its climax in the soul of man. (4 - 13/4)
(2) The soul is as yet an unknown quantity. It has no real place in the theories of the academic and scientific investigators. It is unproven and regarded by even the more open-minded of the academicians as a possible hypothesis, but lacking demonstration. It is not accepted as a fact in the consciousness of the race. Only two groups of people accept is as a fact; one is the gullible, undeveloped, childlike person who, brought up on a scripture of the world, and being religiously inclined, accepts the postulates of religion - such as the soul, God, and immortality - without questioning. The other is that small but steadily growing band of Knowers of God, and [Page 377] of reality, who know the soul to be a fact in their own experience but are unable to prove its existence satisfactorily to man who admits only that which the concrete mind can grasp, analyse, criticise and test. (4 - 17).
(3) The soul is the quality which every form manifests. It is that subtle something which distinguishes one element from another, one mineral from another. It is the intangible essential nature of the form which in the vegetable kingdom determines whether a rose or a cauliflower, an elm or a watercress shall come into being; it is a type of energy which distinguishes the varying species of the animal kingdom, and makes one man different from another in appearance, nature or character. (4 - 33/4).
(4) The soul . . . is neither spirit nor matter but is the relation between them. The soul is the mediator between this duality; it is the middle principle, the link between God and His form. Therefore the soul is another name for the Christ aspect, whether in nature or in man . . . The soul is the form-building aspect, and is that attractive factor in every form . . . which drives all God's creatures forward along the path of evolution, through one kingdom after another, towards an eventual goal and a glorious consummation. (4 - 35).
(5) The qualities, vibrations, colours, and characteristics in all the kingdoms of nature, are soul qualities . . . The qualities are brought into being through the interplay of the pairs of opposites, spirit and matter, and their effect upon each other. (4 - 36).
(6) The soul of mankind is not only an entity linking spirit and matter, and mediating between Monad and personality, but the soul of humanity has a unique function to perform in mediating between the higher three kingdoms in nature and the lower three. (4 - 47).
(7) I . . . seek to assure my fellow pilgrims that the passing things of the senses are but trivial, and of no value compared to the rewards, here and in this life, to the man who seeks to merge his everyday consciousness with that of his own soul. He enters then into the community of souls, and stands not alone. The only lonely periods are the result of wrong orientation and the holding on to that which hides the vision, and fills the hands so full that they cannot grasp what has been called "the jewel in the lotus". (4 - 90)
(8) The light of the soul is like an immense searchlight, the beams of which can be turned in many directions, and focussed on many levels. (10 - 144).
(9) The outer garment of the soul (physical, vital and psychic) is part of the outer garment of God.
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Man's self-conscious soul is en rapport with the soul of all things. It is an integral part of the universal Soul, and because of this can become aware of the conscious purpose of Deity; can intelligently co-operate with the will of God, and thus work with the plan of Evolution.
Man's spirit will in some distant time, put him en rapport with that aspect of God which is transcendent, and thus each son of God will eventually find his way to that centre - withdrawn and abstracted - where God dwells beyond the confines of solar system. (14 - 58).
(10) Along these various lines, proof of the soul will accumulate. In the massing of testimony and of evidence, a fruitful field of activity lies. In the training of the higher types of men in the use of soul force and soul powers, and in the trained control of the mechanism, that evidence so produced will be seen to be of so high an order, and will be so scientifically presented, that it will be regarded as of as much importance, and as justifiable, as any views presented by our leading scientists in their various fields of research today. The study of the soul will before long be as legitimate and respectable an investigation as any scientific problem, such as research into the nature of the atom. The investigation of the soul and its governing laws, will before long, engross the attention of our finest minds. The newer psychology will eventually succeed in proving the fact of its existence, and the paralleling intuitive and instinctive response of mankind to soul nurture, emanating from the invisible side of life, will steadily and successfully prove the existence of a spiritual entity in man, - an entity all-wise, immortal, divine and creative. (14 - 104/5).
(11) Humanity is an expression of two aspects of the soul - the animal soul and the divine soul - and these two, blended and fused in man, constitute the human soul. It is this fact that is the cause of man's special problems, and it is these two factors which involve him in the long struggle which eventuates in the liberation of the divine soul, through the sublimation of the animal soul. In these words lie much food for thought. (14 - 248).
(12) On the plane of soul existence, there is no separation, no "my soul and thy soul". It is only in the three worlds of illusion and of maya, that we think in terms of souls and bodies. (15 - 116).
(13) This joy and serenity is not an astral condition, but a soul reaction. These qualities are not achieved as the result of disciplining the emotional nature, but demonstrate as natural, automatic reaction of the soul. This is the reward of a definitely achieved alignment. These two qualities of the soul - serenity and joy - are the indications that the soul, the ego, the One Who stands alone, is controlling or dominating the personality, circum- [Page 379] stance, and all environing conditions of life in the three worlds. (15 - 200).
(14) The disciple knows, or is learning to know, that he is not this or that, but Life itself. He is not the physical body or its emotional nature; he is not, in the last analysis (a most occult phrase) the mind, or that by which he knows. He is learning that that too must be transcended and superseded by intelligent love (only truly possible after the mind has been developed), and he begins to realise himself as the soul. Then, later, comes the awful "moment in time" when, pendant in space, he discovers that he is not the soul. What then is he? A point of divine dynamic will, focussed in the soul, and arriving at awareness of Being through the use of form. He is Will, the ruler of time and the organiser, in time, of space. (18 - 107).
(15) The power wielded by those who are seeking to live as souls, and in touch with the soul and the world of spiritual realities, is out of all proportion to their registered sense of power and usefulness. You are, as you endeavour to wield spiritual force constructively and selflessly, far more potent than you realise.
(16) You should learn always to think of each other as souls and not as limited human beings. (5 - 12).
(17) Live, therefore, always above your physical body, ignoring how you feel, and seeking to dwell as far as is possible, with your waking consciousness blended and fused with that of the soul. Even if you feel it not, then know that it is there. (5 - 429).
(18) Just in so far as a person comes under soul impression, then soul control, and final identification with the soul, just so far does he move towards the centre of fusion. As your love for humanity increases, and your interest in yourself decreases, so will you move towards that centre of light and love where the Masters stand in spiritual being. (5 - 682).
See also: "The Ego", and (6 - 67, 289).
(1) Through the mismanagement of men, and their unbalanced development, the sounds of earth, such as those of great cities, of the manufactories, and of the implements of war, have brought about a very serious condition among the gaseous devas. This has to be offset in some way and the future efforts of civilisation will be directed towards the spreading of a revolt against the evils of congested living and to the dissemination of an impulse of a widespread nature to seek the country and wide spaces. One of the main [Page 380] interests in the future will be a tendency towards the elimination of noise, owing to the increased sensitiveness of the race. When the energy of water and of the atom is harnessed for the use of man, our present types of factories, our methods of navigation and of transportation, such as steamers and railway apparatus, will be entirely revolutionised. This will have a potent effect not only on man but on the devas. (3 - 909/10).
(2) The significance of what has happened in the world during the last century in the realm of sound, is not appreciated yet, nor understood. Terrific effects are, however, being produced by the unbelievably increased noise and sound emanating from the planet at this time. The roar of machinery, the rumble of transportation mechanisms in all parts of the world - trains, vessels and airplanes - the focussing of the sounds of men in such congested areas as the great cities, and, at this time, the universal use of the radio, bringing musical sounds into every home and into street life, are producing effects upon the bodies of men and upon all forms of life everywhere, which will become apparent only as time lapses. Some forms of life in the animal kingdom, but primarily in the vegetable kingdom, will disappear, and the response of the human mechanism to this world of sound, uproar and music in which it will increasingly find itself, will be most interesting. (4 - 335/6).
(3) First, let us repeat the truism that the worlds are the effect of sound. First life, then matter; later the attraction of the matter to the life for purposes of its manifestation and expression, and the orderly arrangement of that matter into the necessary forms. Sound formed the allying factor, the propelling impulse, and the attractive medium. Sound, in an occult and deeply metaphysical sense, stands for that which we term "the relation between", and is the creating intermediary, the linking third factor in the process of manifestation. (2 - 53/4).
(4) It is a truism to say that sound is colour, and colour is sound, yet so it is, and the topic I really seek to bring to your attention is not so much sound as sound, but the colour effects of sound. I seek to emphasise especially the colour aspect in this letter, begging you to remember always that all sounds express themselves in colour. (2 - 205).
(5) Each of the seven rays emits its own sound, and in so doing, sets in motion those forces which must work in unison with it. (14 - 8).
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Energy is now regarded as all that IS; manifestation is the manifestation of a sea of energies, some of which are built into forms, others constitute the medium in which those forms live and move and have their being, and still others are in process of animating both the forms and their environing substantial media. It must also be remembered that forms exist within forms. . . . You - as you sit in your room - are a form within a form; that room is itself a form within a house (another form), and that house is probably one of many similar houses, placed the one on top of another, or else side by side, and together composing a still larger form. Yet all these diverse forms are composed of tangible substance, which - when co-ordinated and brought together by some recognised design or idea in the mind of some thinker - creates a material form. This tangible substance, is composed of living energies, vibrating in relation to each other, yet owning their own quality, and their own qualified life . . .
It might be profitable to point out that the entire universe is etheric and vital in nature, and of an extension beyond the grasp of the greatest mind of the age, mounting into more than astronomical figures - if that statement even conveys sense to our minds. This extent cannot be computed, even in terms of light years; this cosmic etheric area, is the field of untold energies, and the basis of all astrological computation; it is the playground of all historical cycles - cosmic, systemic and planetary - and is related to the constellations, to the worlds of suns, to the most distant stars, and to the numerous recognised universes, as well as to our own solar system, to the many planets, and to that planet upon which and in which we move, and live, and have our being, as well as to the smallest form of life known to science, and perhaps covered by the meaningless term "an atom". All are found existing in Space - Space is etheric in nature and - so we are told in the occult science - Space is an Entity. The glory of man lies in the fact that he is aware of space, and can imagine this space as the field of divine living activity, full of active intelligent forms, each placed in the etheric body of this unknown Entity, each related to each other through the potency which not only holds them in being, but which preserves their position in relation to each other; yet each of these differentiated forms possesses its own differentiated life, its own unique quality or integral colouring, and its own specific and peculiar form of consciousness.
This etheric body - vast and unknown as it is, as to its extent - is never- [Page 382] theless limited in nature and static (relatively speaking) in capacity; it preserves a set form, a form of which we know absolutely nothing, but which is the etheric form of the Unknown Entity. To this form the esoteric science gives the name of SPACE; it is the fixed area in which every form, from a universe to an atom, finds its location.
We speak at times of an expanding universe; what we really mean, is an expanding consciousness . . . (11 - 177/9).
See also: (6 - 396).
(1) One of the greatest instruments for practical development lying in the hands of small and great, is the instrument of SPEECH. He who guards his words, and who only speaks with altruistic purpose, in order to carry the energy of Love through the medium of the tongue, is one who is mastering rapidly the initial steps to be taken in preparation for initiation. Speech is the most occult manifestation in existence; it is the means of creation and the vehicle of force. In the reservation of words, esoterically understood, lies the conservation of force; in the ultilisation of words, justly chosen and spoken, lies the distribution of the love force of the solar system - that force which preserves, strengthens, and stimulates. Only he who knows somewhat of these two aspects of speech, can be trusted to stand before the Initiator and to carry out from that Presence certain sounds and secrets imparted to him under the pledge of silence.
The disciple must learn to be silent in the face of that which is evil. He must learn to be silent before the sufferings of the world, wasting no time in idle plaints and sorrowful demonstration, but lifting up the burden of the world; working, and wasting no energy in talk. Yet withal he should speak where encouragement is needed, using the tongue for constructive ends; expressing the love force of the world, as it may flow through him, where it will serve best to ease a load or lift a burden, remembering that as the race progresses, the love element between the sexes and its expression will be translated to a higher plane. Then, through the spoken word, and not through the physical plane expression as now, will come the realisation of that true love which unites those who are one in service and in aspiration. Then love between the units of the human family will take the form of the utilisation of speech for the purpose of creating on all planes, and the energy which now, in the majority, finds expression through the lower or gene- [Page 383] rating centres will be translated to the throat centre. This is as yet but a distant ideal, but even now some can vision that ideal, and seek - through united service, loving co-operation, and oneness in aspiration, thought, and endeavour - to give shape and form to it, even though inadequately. (1 - 74/5)
(2) The disciple who seeks to enter within the Portals of Initiation cannot do so until he has learnt the power of speech and the power of silence . . . Until a man comprehends the significance of the spoken word, and until he utilises the silence of the high places for the bringing about of desired effects on one plane or another, he cannot be admitted into those realms wherein every sound and every word spoken produces powerful results in matter of some kind . . . (1 - 198).
(3) The occult significance of speech . . . The greater the progress that is made along the path of approach to the Mysteries, the greater the care that must be taken by the aspirant (with speech). This is necessary for three reasons:
First, owing to his stage in evolution, he is able to enforce his words in a manner which would surprise him could he but see on the mental plane. He builds more accurately than the average men, his subsequent thought-form is more strongly vitalised, and it performs the function whereon it is sent by the "Sound" or speech with greater precision.
Second, any word spoken and consequent thought-form built (unless along the higher path and not based on personality impulses) is apt to cause a barrier of mental matter between a man and his goal. This matter or separating wall has to be dissipated before further advance can be made.
Third, speech is very largely a mode of communication on the physical levels; on the subtler levels whereon the worker stands, and in his communications with his fellow workers and chosen co-operators it will play an ever lessening part. Intuitive perception and telepathic interplay will distinguish the intercourse between aspirants and disciples.
If man succeeds in understanding the significance of speech, if he learns how to speak, when to speak, what is gained by speech, and what happens when he speaks, he is well on the way to achieving his goal. (3 - 977/8).
(4) Every good speaker is doing a most occult work. A good lecturer (for instance) is one who is doing work that is analogous on smaller scale to that done by the solar Logos. What did He do? He thought, He built, He vitalised. A lecturer, therefore, segregates the material with which he is going to build his lecture and which he is going to vitalise. Out of all the thought matter of the world he gathers together the substance which he [Page 384] individually seeks to use. Next he copies the work of the second Logos in wisely building it into form. He constructs the form, and then when it is constructed, he finishes up by playing the part of the first Person of the Trinity putting his Spirit, vitality and force into it, so that it is a vibrant, living manifestation. (3 - 979).
(5) In physical plane manifestation, we are known by our speech; we are known by our reticence, by the things we say, and by the things we leave unsaid, and are judged by the quality of our conversation. We think of people in terms of what they say, because their words disclose the type of thought-matter in which they work and the quality of energy or life which they put behind their words. (3 - 980).
(6) Through speech a thought is evoked and becomes present; it is brought out of abstraction and out of a nebulous condition, and materialised upon the physical plane, producing (could we but see it) something very definite on etheric levels . .
Speech is one of the keys which opens the doors of communication between men and subtler things . . . But only he who has learnt to keep silent, and has arrived at the knowledge of the times to speak, can pass this veil and make certain esoteric contacts. Magic consists, we are told in the Secret Doctrine, in addressing the Gods in Their Own language; therefore, the speech of average man cannot reach Them.
Therefore, those who seek to learn the occult language, those who yearn to become aware of the words which will penetrate to the ears of those who stand on the other side, and those who seek to utilise the formulae and phrases which will give them the power over the Builders, have to unlearn their previous use of words and to refrain from ordinary methods of talking. Then the new language will be theirs and the new expressions, words, mantrams and formulas will be entrusted to their care. (3 - 981).
(7) The purpose of all speech is to clothe thought and thus make our thoughts available for others. When we speak we evoke a thought and make it present, and we bring that which is concealed within us into audible expression. Speech reveals, and right speech can create a form of beneficent purpose, just as wrong speech can produce a form which has a malignant objective. (4 - 143).
(8) In the final analysis, the main problem of the world government, is the wise use of ideas. It is here that the power of speech makes itself felt, just as in the department of religion or of education, the power of the written word, of the printed page, is felt. In the field of politics, the masses are swayed by their orators, and never more so than now through [Page 385] the use of the radio. Great ideas are dinned into the ear of the public without cessation - theories as to dictatorship, communism, nazism, fascism, marxism, nationalism, and democratic ideals. Methods of rule by this or that group of thinkers are presented to the public, leaving them no time for consideration, or for clear thinking. Racial antipathies are spread, and personal preferences and illusions find expression, bringing about the deception of the unthinking. The man who has a golden tongue, the man who has the gift of playing with words, and can voice with emphasis people's grievances, the juggler in statistics, the fanatic with a certain and sure cure for social ills, and the man who loves to fan race hatreds, can ever get a following. Such men can with facility upset the balance of the community, and lead a body of unthinking adherents to a transient success and power, or to obloquy and oblivion. (14 - 179/80).
(9) Let each of you gain that control of speech which has often been your goal but seldom your achievement, and remember that the most powerful factor in the control of speech is a loving heart. Wild and fearful talk, hateful gossip, cruel innuendo, suspicion, the ascribing of wrong and wicked motives to persons and peoples, and the divergences of attitude which have separated the many different nations in the world, are rampant today, and have brought the world to its present distressing situation. It is so easy to drift into the same habits of speech and thought which we find around us and to discover ourselves participating in attack and the spirit of hate. Guard yourselves strenuously against this and say nothing which could inflame hate and suspicion in connection with any race, any person, any group or any leaders of groups and nations. You will have to guard yourselves with care, so that even in defence of that which you may personally or nationally approve, you do not find yourselves full of hate and breaking the law of love - the only law which can truly save the world. Perhaps the key to your success along this line will be the silence of a loving heart. ( 13 - 82).
(10) Still another deciding factor with me, is to test out your ability to keep silent until it is no longer necessary to do so. Silence is one of the prime pre-requisites for initiation, and something which every disciple must perforce learn. (5 - 78).
(11) Learn to know when to speak and when to be silent, remembering that the elimination of possessiveness and of self-reference will reduce speech to its spiritual essentials. (6 - 551).
[Page 386]
(1) The nature of Spirit can only be intelligibly revealed to the higher grades of the initiates, that is, to those who (through the medium of the work effected in the third Initiation) have been put in conscious contact with their "Father in Heaven", the Monad. Esoteric students, disciples and the initiates of lower degree are developing contact with the soul, or the second aspect, and only when this contact is firmly established, can the higher concept be entertained. (3 - 1229).
(2) The goal of realisation for man is consciousness of the nature of the Soul, the medium through which the Spirit aspect ever works. More it is not possible for him to do. Having learnt to function as the soul, detached from the three worlds, man then becomes a conscious corporate active part of that Soul which permeates and pervades all that is in manifestation. Then, and only then, the pure light of Spirit per se becomes visible to him through a just appreciation of the Jewel hidden at the heart of his own being; then only does he become aware of that greater Jewel which lies hidden at the heart of solar manifestation. Even then, at that advanced stage, all that he can be aware of, can contact and visualise, is the light which emanates from the Jewel and the radiance which veils the inner glory.
. . . Needless it is, therefore, for us to study and consider that which the initiate of high degree can only dimly sense; useless it is for us to seek for terms to express that which lies safely hidden behind all ideas and all thought, when thought itself is not perfectly understood, and the machinery for comprehension is not perfected. Man himself - a great idea and a specific one - knows not the nature of that which he is seeking to express.
All that we can do is to apprehend the fact that there exists THAT which may not as yet be defined, to realise that a central life persists which permeates and animates the Soul and which seeks to utilise the form through which the soul expresses itself. This can be stated to be true of all forms, of all souls, human, subhuman, planetary and solar. (3 - 1231/2).


text:
by Freda Bush on
Apr 11, 2014
from It Takes a Family Conference
by Freda Bush on
Mar 7, 2013
from Urban Economics and Ministry
Established 1908
We Are Southwestern
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Members List
|Today's Posts
|Mark Forums Read
|Topic Review (Newest First)
|Jul 1st, 2008 12:04 AM
Hey, I've got some news for ya-- TV/movie-based games will ALWAYS SUCK. It's that simple!! I can make a HUGE list of TV/M-based VGs that I've tried and HATED WITH A PASSIONATE RAGE OF DEATH, FURY, AND LOTS AND LOTS OF DEATHMETAL-ESQUE YELLING!!!!
Although I'd have to say, I was mildly impressed with the lack of suckitude in Finding Nemo for the GBA. One of those rare exceptions.
|Mar 11th, 2008 10:55 PM
|Mar 11th, 2008 10:50 PM
|Mar 11th, 2008 10:00 PM
|Captain Awesome
|Hunting rifles blow.
|Mar 10th, 2008 09:52 PM
choose a response:
1. i'll say he is
2. here's a joke:
who's there?
angry video game nerd
*locks deadbolt, goes upstairs to grab a hunting rifle*
|Mar 10th, 2008 09:19 PM
|Captain Awesome
|Executioneer, you obviously do not understand satire. AVGN is a JOKE.
|Feb 17th, 2008 02:51 PM
|Kilgore Cod
This game used to infuriate me, but I kept at it and eventually got pretty good. Back then I could easily beat the Dam level without hitting any of the seaweed. I never finished the game sadly, I only got to Shredder once.
Looking back, it really was one of the best NES games.
|Feb 10th, 2008 05:05 PM
|i think being a lame penis taster probably ruined it harder
|Feb 10th, 2008 11:14 AM
|that discussion was put down earlier in the thread young man
|Feb 10th, 2008 10:48 AM
|If I remember correctly, the Angry Videogame Nerd used this as one of his first episodes, because it ruined his childhood.
|Feb 10th, 2008 05:08 AM
|Captain PirateFace
|Just thinking about this Hellspawn of a game brings on "28 Days Later" style Rage.
|Feb 10th, 2008 03:26 AM
|This one isn't like the SNES one, or even the other two NES ones. This one's more like a platformer.
|Feb 10th, 2008 01:16 AM
Never had this one. I played the Super NES one with my brother a lot.
... and Donatello was always my favorite turtle, because he was SMART! Haha.
|Feb 9th, 2008 03:03 PM
Scrolls. Scrolls were, effectively, a horrible anal violation upon Shredder and his boys. They were THAT tough.
And I actually beat this thing when I was a kid. Nowadays? Forget it. Too much turn-based strategy and roleplaying killed my reflexes years ago.
|Feb 8th, 2008 08:14 PM
|This is by far one of the most difficult games ever created. Though, it doesn't hold a candle to the difficulty of Section Z.
|Feb 8th, 2008 06:53 PM
|Dr. Boogie
|Don't argue with me, you.
|Feb 8th, 2008 06:01 PM
|It did if you lost all your lives from using up your time limit.
|Feb 8th, 2008 05:53 PM
|Dr. Boogie
Basically, yeah. It seems really hard as a kid for most people, but then you find out it's not so bad when you come back and look at it again.
Except that in Sonic, getting past the barrel didn't leave you on the brink of total failure.
|Feb 8th, 2008 05:48 PM
|So is the bomb diffusion part like the Sonic 3 Barrel for NES owners?
|Feb 8th, 2008 05:32 PM
|hate this goddamn game.. played till i got to the dam and every time the bomb defuse shit screwed me over.. I think i made it past that part like once or twice without cheating as a kid...
|Feb 8th, 2008 04:04 PM
|Tetsu Deinonychus
(Sorry, about my contribution to the spam earlier, wasn't thinking).
Does anybody else here love the intro movie? Not to mention, the way they used the comic's art-style for it (Hell, the picture on the label is the cover of issue #4).
Also, gotta love the music during that intro. I came to associate that song with TMNT as much as the classic toon theme song.
Damn, I love this game!
|Feb 8th, 2008 02:29 PM
|While I agree that the game was almost impossible to beat, it was one of my favorite NES games when I was a kid. I still prefer TMNT 2, though.
|Feb 8th, 2008 01:35 PM
|The bomb stage was cake, the problem was I could never figure out where the hell to go after beating it. Which damn manhole? I don't friggen know!!
|Feb 8th, 2008 09:58 AM
Raph shined against flying enemies, if he hit a flying enemy he did as much damage as Don. He was far from useless, it was just more of a specialized useful. I remember the whole Mike doing more damage when hurt thing, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together then, I just thought it was some sort of glitch.
I hated the bombs in the dam stage too, but I learned that economic swapping of turtles along with going in and out of the building near the beginning of stage three to recover health made this stage one of the easiest ones actually.
Overall, I thought it was one of the better NES games. I still have my copy.
|Feb 8th, 2008 08:41 AM
I remember using Mikey for the Bomb defusal segment because he generally was the worst; at least Raph had speed on his side. The game's biggest emphasis is knowing where to go and who to use when; patience is a huge virtue in this game. That one electric seaweed segment can suck the whitest part of my ass, though.
Well, that, and being a dick and stockpiling Scrolls. Lots of them. It's the strongest sub-weapon and horribly rapes most bosses.
|This thread has more than 25 replies. Click here to review the whole thread.


text:
Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
out of 100
Metascore®Universal acclaimbased on a weighted average of allcritic review scores.
Spielberg has deftly veiled proceedings in a sense of mystical wonder that makes it all the more easy for viewers to suspend disbelief and settle back for the fun.
Read Full Review
Has all the right ingredients: a smart script, a likable hero, a dash of romance, more than a touch of comedy, and a lot of fast-paced action.
Plays like an anthology of the best parts from all the Saturday matinee serials ever made.
One of the most deliriously funny, ingenious and stylish American adventure movies ever made.
Raiders of the Lost Ark has it all—or, anyway, more than enough to transport moviegoers back to the dazzling, thrill-sated matinee idyls of old. It is surely the best two hours of pure entertainment anyone is going to find in the summer of '81.
An adventure film that plays like an old-time 12-part serial that you see all at once, instead of Saturday-to-Saturday. It's a modern "Thief of Baghdad." It's the kind of movie that first got you excited about movies when you were a kid. (Translation for today's children: It's better than anything on TV.) [12 June 1981]
Raiders of the Lost Ark" is, in fact, about as entertaining as a commercial movie can be. What is it? An adventure film that plays like an old-time 12-part serial that you see all at once, instead of Saturday-to-Saturday. It's a modern "Thief of Baghdad." It's the kind of movie that first got you excited about movies when you were a kid.
See all Raiders of the Lost Ark reviews at Metacritic.com
OK for kids 11+
Indy's first adventure is a rip-roaring action masterpiece.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Raiders of the Lost Ark is a rip-roaring adventure with lots of hand-to-hand battles (fists, swords, whips) and plenty of guns. There's not too much blood and gore (though many young children are likely to be scared by a climactic face-melting scene, as well as one in which a thug's head meets the business end of a plane propeller), but it's still way up there in the body count department. Much of the thrill of this beloved movie is in the fright factor, so cadavers, snakes, spiders, and nasty villains (mostly Nazis and Nazi sympathizers) also abound. A couple of scenes feature drinking, including one in which the heroine knocks back a dangerous amount of alcohol to win a contest. And there's a bit of language, including one "s--t."
Messages: Perseverance, teamwork, and trying to do the right thing are ultimately rewarded, although some of Indy's methods are iffy. Standing up to bullies (in the form of the Nazi party) is a strong theme.
Role models: Indy is brave, resourceful, loyal, and smart, and he's dedicated to preserving historical artifacts and protecting them from those who would misuse them. That said, you probably don't want your kids imitating him, especially given the violence he's forced to use. Marion is a strong, independent female character who often takes matters into her own hands. On the downside, many of the movie's ethnic characters (Arab, German, and French) are shady or downright barbarous.
Violence: Lots of hand-to-hand battles (fists, swords, whips) and plenty of guns, including one iconic point-blank shooting. Frightening/gross close-ups of melting faces and vengeful ghosts. A memorable scene of a man's head hitting a propeller -- blood splattering is shown. Indy is pursued by spear-wielding natives who want to kill him. Indy and Marion are lowered into a pit of poisonous snakes; there's also a close enounter with some very large spiders. A bar fire leads to a man's hand being badly burned/scarred. Near-constant peril.
Sex: Some kissing and flirting (Indy's female students, in particular are quite blatant about it). When Marion is held captive, she's forced to dress up for her captor so he can admire her (she changes behind a screen as he waits/watches). Later the dress is cropped quite short. Implied sex between Indy and Marion; he's shown shirtless and getting out of bed.
Language: Language includes one "s--t," plus "goddamn," "hell," "bastard," "damn," and "oh my God."
Consumerism: Nothing in the movie, but there's plenty of Indy merchandise available.
Drinking, drugs and smoking: In a scene played for laughs, Marion wins a drinking contest by pounding down enough alcohol to kill the average person. Other scenes also show wine/spirits drinking, including one in which Marion pretends to get drunk.
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text:
But the expansion is contingent on Hauer's obtaining a liquor license, which could take several months.
Hauer, owner of the upscale, three-story George's at the Cove in La Jolla Village, is one of three new restaurants eyeing expansion into La Jolla Shores' commercial strip along Avenida de la Playa.
The expanding number of restaurants in the oceanside La Jolla neighborhood — which already includes a French and an Italian restaurant, as well as numerous delis, a pizza place and a sandwich shop — has led to speculation that the area is morphing into an international restaurant row.
Shores merchant Terry Kraszewski, owner of Ocean Girl boutique and a member of La Jolla Shores Merchants Association, said Brick & Bell Café, with an existing restaurant at 928 Silverado St., has signed a lease for a new restaurant site on Avenida de la Playa. She said one of the owners of the Islands chain is also building a new restaurant — not a part of the Islands chain — in the Shores commercial strip.
"That's three new restaurants that are going into the easternmost block of Avenida de La Playa," said Kraszewski, who sat in on the Hauer meeting with locals who were told the prospective new Mexican restaurant there has been tentatively named Galaxy. One guest suggested "Jorge's" might be a better moniker for the new eatery.
Tim Lucas, chair of the La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA), the community advisory group making recommendations to the city on neighborhood issues, also attended the meeting with Hauer. Lucas said a Mexican-themed restaurant with more causal beach attire is "an interesting concept," noting most of the 30 people who attended "seemed to be in favor of it."
Notable exceptions were some neighbors who live near the old Shores market site.
Barbara Miller, who lives one block from the site owned by the Kellogg family, said she has concerns about a restaurant there.
"While we welcome businesses coming into the Shores that improve the quality of life, we have serious concerns regarding the noise levels coming from the refrigeration system on top of the roof, along with the fan noise at the back of the building," Miller said. "Adding to this are our concerns regarding the early- morning loading and unloading of restaurant supplies and food to the back of the restaurant, as well as the outdoor dining and music that is planned to include evening hours by the new tenants."
Miller said her major concern, however, was with the "outdated refrigeration system and poor maintenance of the Kellogg building. We are counting on the new tenants, who fortunately were solicitous of feedback from local residents, to work closely with the Beach and Tennis Club to address these noise issues so that we can all peacefully coexist with one another."
Bill Kellogg of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club who owns the old Market Building, which has been vacant a couple years, was effusive about the prospect of Hauer moving in.
"George is a great operator and we're very pleased about this development," Kellogg said, adding it was difficult to find another independent market to move into that retail space as "big operators, large chains are just dominating, they have been able to keep (profit) margins very low, which has made it nearly impossible for small operators to compete. We'd love to have another market in that space, but I just don't think it can happen."
Kellogg said Hauer expects to take about two-thirds of the space available on the ground level. He added the building's upstairs level, which is inhabited by about eight different offices, won't be affected. Kellogg said there's about 9,000 square feet of leasable space available on both building levels.
Lucas agreed the market will ultimately determine what type of new businesses will go in on Avenida de la Playa.
"In this economy, retail shops are doing well, but there's not enough foot-traffic in the Shores to support typical little beach touristy shops that do well in other communities," he said. "So restaurants are moving in."
George's at the Cove chef Trey Foshee said it was too early in the process to comment further on plans for Galaxy.
Hauer could not be reached for comment.


text:
Rudbeckia, or black-eyed Susans, are native American wildflowers that have recently gone through a breeding revolution. There are many new selections of this tough, easy-to-grow perennial that feature different flower colors and sizes. The latest in the rudbeckia revival is a variety that features red flowers.
Cherry Brandy rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy') grows 2 feet tall and wide and has 3- to 4-inch diameter, cherry-red blooms that form in early summer and flower until frost. The plant is heat- and drought-tolerant and adapts to most soil conditions. It makes a great addition to a perennial border and also grows well in containers.
For more information on Cherry Brandy rudbeckia, go to: Thompson & Morgan Seeds .


text:
Every quarterback needs a best buddy, right? The guy he can count on even when his offensive line flops worse than LeBron James. Well, three QBs on some of the best teams in the NFL—Peyton Manning, Colin Kaepernick and Tom Brady—look like they each have a new best friend this season, and that can lead to huge fantasy points.
Peyton Manning and Wes Welker
If Week 1 is any indication, fantasy opponents of either of these two should beware. Welker was his usual self, just in a different uniform than we are used to seeing: nine catches, 67 yards, two touchdowns. And the next three games look very favorable for this combo. The Broncos play at the N.Y. Giants, then host Oakland and Philadelphia, who have weak defenses.
Colin Kaepernick and Anquan Boldin
Ah, the wily veteran receiver and the talented young quarterback. On paper it may not look like the perfect match, but these two really look in sync. Boldin and Kaepernick were on fire in their opener against Green Bay. Boldin had an-eye popping 13 catches, 208 yards and a touchdown. This combination should continue to shine even in the NFC West. Boldin is Cap's go-to guy, and this should not change for some time as fellow receivers Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are hurt.
Tom Brady and Danny Amendola
The new Wes Welker in New England is Danny Amendola. He had 10 catches (14 targets) and 104 yards. Ability wise and fit these two should be a great. The concern with Amendola is potential injuries; he's doubtful for Thursday's game against the N.Y. Jets. Yet if he stays healthy, he will put up Welker-like numbers.
They're not new, but …
The chemistry between Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall is comparable to any of the all-time great quarterback-receiver duos.
That said, for fantasy purposes, Marshall is much better than Cutler. The reasons are simple: Marshall knows how to fend off defenders, get open, hang on to the ball, get into the end zone, and consistently be the only player who Cutler can confidently get the ball to.
RedEye special contributor Dan Richman hosted a fantasy football show on 670-AM for years under the moniker "Super Fan Dan." @danrichmanffl
Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye Sports' Facebook page.


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Bringing you your daily dose of Jon and Kate (Are you as tired of hearing about these two as we are?) Well, the couple continues to spend time apart. Jon has been seen with different woman over the last few months but recently with two female companions during the Memorial Day weekend and a recent shopping spree at a New Jersey mall. The reality star says that both female companions are friends of both he and his wife.
"The two women with whom I've been photographed are family friends – Lauren Glassman and Lauren's daughter, Hailey," he tells PEOPLE. "Lauren's husband, Dr. Larry Glassman, performed Kate's tummy tuck surgery, and since the surgery we've become friendly with the Glassmans."
Jon and the Glassmans were photographed shopping at the Riverside Square Mall in New Jersey over the weekend, stopping in at Louis Vuitton, Cole Haan and Godiva stores, according to TMZ.com.
While Jon was photographed with his female companions, Kate was on a working vacation in North Carolina with her eight kids, body guards, a nanny and camera crews. Kate showed off her bikini body while on vacation, thanks to a free tummy tuck which is among the many perks of being the star of "Jon & Kate Plus 8"
The 2nd episode of the 5th season of Jon & Kate Plus Eight returns to TLC Monday at 8 p.m. ET.


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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says he won't run for US Senate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) - Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says he will not make a run for the Senate seat to be vacated by Bob Corker.
In a statement released Thursday, Haslam says he wants to focus on his current job and running for office would be a distraction.
"While Crissy and I will always be grateful for all of the encouragement and support to run for the United States Senate, I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for Senate in 2018. The primary reason is that I want to remain completely focused on my job as governor. I know that being a candidate for the Senate during my last 15 months as governor would be a distraction from the task at hand. And, while I have loved being a mayor and a governor, I don't feel the same call to run for Senate at this point. At the end of my term, I will have been in public office for 15 years. I feel like I can be most helpful in my next service as a private citizen."


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Christmas Carols for All, Volume 1
By Various
Woodwind Duet, Woodwind Trio, Woodwind Quartet, Woodwind Quintet, Woodwind Choir or Ensemble, Brass Duet, Brass Trio, Brass Quartet, Brass Quintet, Brass Choir or Ensemble, String Duet, String Trio, String Quartet, Concert Band, Full Orchestra, String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra - Intermediate
Composed by Various. Arranged by Randy Calistri-Yeh. Classical Period, Christian, General Worship, Christmas. Score. 88 pages. Published by Custom Chamber Music (S0.272807).
Item Number: S0.272807
Volume 1 of our Christmas collection (the "Green Book") contains ten classic Christmas carols that both you and your audience are sure to love.
Be sure to also check out Volumes 2 and 3, each with 10 different carols!
These holiday favorites can be played with anywhere from 1 to 7 parts, suitable for a single solo, a chamber group, a pickup group for church choir accompaniment, or a full band or orchestra (school, community, or professional). This is one of the most versatile collections you'll ever use!
Other arrangements of these carols, as well as two other volumes of Christmas carols, are available at the publisher link above or at www.customchambermusic.com.
The carols included in Volume 1 are:
- Angels from the Realms of Glory
- Away in a Manger (Mueller)
- God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
- Joy to the World
- O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
- Silent Night
- We Three Kings
- While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
Each carol is in its original key, so it is easy to combine these with your own choir or piano/organ parts. Each carol also includes a new original descant counter-melody to feature your soloists and add a unique sound to your performance.
This collection contains full-score books for C, Bb, Eb, and F instruments, allowing players to trade parts on different verses and songs. All four transpositions work together, so you can have different instruments playing from different books.
You can mix and match the parts to use it with anywhere from 1 to 7 players, and doubling the parts with other instruments you can support a full orchestra or band.
- Part 1: descant. This is a new original counter-melody, traditionally only played on the final verse, but you can play it whenever you want.
- Part 2: main melody. Remember, main melody is part 2, not part 1.
- Parts 3-6: harmonies.
- Part 7: melody down 1 octave. This doubles the melody, or gives the melody to a lower instrument while all others play harmony.
For each size ensemble, you can mix and match any parts as long as you include at least one melody. A few possibilities:
- Solo: Part 2.
- Duet: Part 2 and any other part.
- Trio: Part 2 and any two harmonies. Part 1, 2, any one harmony.
- Quartet: Part 2, 3, 4, 5 (standard SATB voicing). Part 2 and any three harmonies. Part 1, 2, any two harmonies.
- Quintet: Part 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (full harmony). Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. Part 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.
- Sextet: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (full harmony with descant). Part 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.
- Septet: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
About SMP Press
This product was created by a member of SMP Press, our global community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. Our independent musicians have created unique compositions and arrangements for the Sheet Music Plus community, many of which are not available anywhere else.
Click here to see more titles from these independent creators and to learn more about SMP Press.
Please note this product may not be eligible for all sales, promotions or coupons offered through Sheet Music Plus - please check promotional details for specifics.
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music, you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
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text: I know they are part of the same parent company, but each brand has a Web site and the model(s) I'm looking at have different model numbers. I'm going to call the company and ask but thought I could get a quicker answer here. I am changing out a 3 ton package unit. The Trane Model is TCH036 and the Amer Std is something different (until you click on the specs and its listed as TCH036). The reason I ask is because I am getting quotes all over the map. I understand the big difference b/twn a solo practitioner and the companies with the fleets of sales/service people. But two of these fleet companies quote a $900 difference in price for the job. One identifies the unit going in as Am Std and the other Trane. I realize they probably used to have different distributors/dealers before they merged, but I wonder whether I am getting the exact same parts on each model. Since I understand that Trane actually manufactures compressors, I'd go with them. But does that mean I can pick the Amer Std brand (with the $900 cheaper price)and get the same goods? Regards. SE FL Customer


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DENVER (AP) — Forecasts for snow and high winds have parts of Colorado bracing for 3-foot snowdrifts by Tuesday night.
High winds were already delaying flights Monday evening in Denver. A few Denver-bound flights were diverted to Colorado Springs.
The National Weather Service says the Denver area could get 6 to 11 inches of snow through Tuesday.
Before the snow arrived, it was 70 degrees at the Denver airport at midday Monday, and a grass fire burned about 2 square miles in eastern Colorado. No structures burned.
In Wyoming, snow is falling, and a winter storm warning covers cities including Cheyenne, Laramie and Riverton.
The storm could boost mountain snowpack, which helps provide water through the summer. Colorado's snowpack was at 69 percent of average Monday. Wyoming's snowpack was 77 percent of normal.


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Standard 1
A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community.
To achieve Standard 1, an educational leader must promote a vision of learning:
- 1.1 Facilitate the development of a shared vision for the achievement of all students based upon data from multiple measures of student learning and relevant qualitative indicators.
- 1.2 Communicate and implement the shared vision so the entire school community understands and acts on the mission of the school as a standards-based education system.
- 1.3 Leverage and marshal sufficient resources to implement and attain the vision for all students and all sub groups of students.
- 1.4 Identify and address any barriers to accomplishing the vision.
- 1.5 Shape school programs, plans, and activities to ensure integration, articulation and consistency with the vision.
- 1.6 Use the influence of diversity to improve teaching and learning.


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Charles & Colvard
Forever Brilliant Round Cut 9.5mm Moissanite White Gold Necklace, 3.10ct Dew
73% Off
Free Shipping
This style is currently unavailable.
- Charles & Colvard
- This beautiful pendant necklace showcases a 9.5mm Forever Brilliant round brilliant cut moissanite gemstone.
- Beautifully crafted in rhodium plated 14K white gold, suspended from an 18-inch chain, and secured in a four prong setting.
- The pendant has a Diamond Equivalent Weight (DEW) of 3.10ct (Actual Weight 2.75ct).
- Charles & Colvard Forever Brilliant is a near-colorless gemstone in the G-H-I color range that is masterfully hand-faceted by skilled gemstone cutters and carefully hand-polished to reveal its maximum brilliance and enhance its intrinsic fire.
- Moissanite created by Charles & Colvard is among the hardest minerals on the planet, more durable than sapphire, ruby, or emerald and has more brilliance than a diamond. It scores 9.25 on the Mohs scale for hardness.
- Moissanite
- Charles & Colvard is the creator of moissanite - the worlds most brilliant gem! For over 20 years, we have focused on delivering luxurious jewelry at a revolutionary value. Our moissanite is not only breathtaking in its beauty, but it is also an environmentally and socially responsible jewelry choice. Moissanite is not measured in carats because it weighs approximately 10-12 percent less than diamond. Our moissanite gemstones may include the diamond equivalent weight (DEW) in carats for comparison purposes.
Ships from and sold by a Bluefly Marketplace Partner.
Availability: Usually Ships in 2 Business days
Return Policy: 14 days
Style # 444208101


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(WMC-TV) - Black Friday is two weeks away and some retailers are hoping you are ready to make your plans now.
Walmart revealed some of their deals early and it has some shoppers excited.
Electronics and toys are the first to fly off the shelves and this year, companies like Walmart are starting even earlier to help you find unbeatable deals.
The company released its Black Friday deals on their mobile app and online. Walmart will kick off "Black Friday" on Thanksgiving Day.
It is the earliest the world's largest retailer has ever jump-started its holiday sales bonanza.
The deals kick into high gear at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and new offers will be introduced at 10 p.m. followed by more discounts offered on Black Friday at 5 a.m.
Walmart plans to run a separate sale online.
The store says the new hours are in response to customers who want to shop early so they can hit the sack after eating all that turkey.
For information about how you can boost your holiday shopping, click here.
Copyright 2012 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.


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Anthony Hargrove And Agent Visit CBS To Discuss Saints "Bounty" Program [Video]
Former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove and his agent Phil Williams joined James Brown yesterday on CBS to discuss Saints' alleged bounty program. While "bountygate" is old news for most of America, it still matters very much to Hargrove. It's an excellent interview, and definitely worth watching.


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Our students tell us year after year that our instructors outperform their expectations. Our core and adjunct faculty members carry the academic credentials necessary to teach in an accredited seminary. These men and women care deeply for their students' personal and spiritual development, and they absolutely love Jesus. But we suspect that they make such an impact because they are ministry practitioners whose teaching carries a weight and relevance born from years of experience.
core faculty
adjunct faculty
faculty/student ratio
ministry practitioners
OnlinePortlandSan JoseSacramento


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The town where Benedict is spending his last hours as pope and his first hours as the first pontiff in 600 years to retire is one of several picturesque "castle towns" known as the "Castelli," less than an hour's drive from Rome. Nestled in the Alban Hills, southeast of Rome, it is an area that is volcanic in origin. One of the volcano's old craters became Lake Albano, whose shores include Castel Gandolfo.
The volcano's no longer active, but the Castelli area gets its share of earthquakes, generally fairly mild and doing no damage. The rich volcanic soil helps produce inexpensive white wines that are a favorite in local trattorie as well as in restaurants in Rome.
The town is older than Christianity. The papal residence grounds include ruins from an imperial Roman villa, which itself had been on the site of ancient temples built several centuries before the ancient Romans came to check out the cool breezes and views.
The sprawling papal grounds, which as Vatican property enjoy extraterritoriality, include a working farm. Coffee bars in town have been known to serve milk from the farm's cows. (Yes, it's already been said: "Holy Cow.")
— Frances D'Emilio — Twitter http://twittter.com/fdemilio
"Pope Live" follows the events of the final day of Pope Benedict XVI's papacy as seen by journalists from The Associated Press around the world. It will be updated throughout the day with breaking news and other items of interest. Follow AP reporters on Twitter where available.


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about us
Freedom of the press and humanity are the foundation of The Epoch Times; our beginnings hailed from a great need to provide uncensored news to a people immersed in propaganda and censorship in China.
Having witnessed events like Tiananmen Square and the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong, and at a great risk to themselves and their loved ones, a group of Chinese-Americans started publishing The Epoch Times in the Chinese language in the U.S. Some reporters in China were jailed, and some suffered severe torture.
Integrity and truthfulness in reporting, together with the stories that really matter, are cornerstones to The Epoch Times.
The first English edition launched online in 2003 followed by the first print edition in 2004. Our beginnings have instilled in The Epoch Times staff an unwavering commitment to objective reporting and socially responsible business practices, as well as respect for human rights and freedom.
Read more about our story here.
Our Mission
The Epoch Times is an independent voice in print and on the web. We report news responsibly and truthfully so that readers can improve their own lives and increase their understanding and respect for their neighbors next door and around the globe. In our approach and in our content, we uphold universal human values, rights, and freedoms. We are a business that puts our readers' interests first, in all that we do.
Who We Are
Epoch Times is a privately held news media company. Our network of local reporters throughout the world uncovers stories that are authentically local, yet also globally relevant. Our independence enables us to report widely and present a diversity of opinions.
Our Purpose
During a time when the world is changing ever more quickly, people need reliable information to understand events and trends. We strive to make a positive impact on people's lives by helping all people understand the world and themselves, and to respect and appreciate each other. We report stories and air opinions unavailable elsewhere.
A special strength of The Epoch Times is our coverage of China. Today the world is increasingly looking to China, as this troubled giant goes through tremendous changes. Business and political leaders, and also world citizens, want to understand better what is happening there. We are able to provide well-sourced stories that no one else has through the original reporting done by the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.
Our Values
A human being's fundamental right is the right to be heard. We uphold and defend freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. We are also strong advocates for freedom of belief, and for all human rights, for all people.
We seek to speak out for those who are oppressed, and cannot speak for themselves. We speak to those in conflict, trying to show the common humanity they share, and the compassion that will help them truly respect the rights of others.
We work to tell the stories of daily life in our age, not on the basis of what is sensational at the moment, but instead in terms of what will be of lasting significance. We take the long view of humanity's history and future.
Our History
The English edition of The Epoch Times launched in September 2003 on the web, and in August 2004 as a newspaper in New York. It meets a growing need for news reported and published independently, uncovering stories that have depth and meaning to people. In English, as well as in other languages, it serves a broad, international readership.
The Chinese-language Epoch Times started publishing in response to the growing need for uncensored coverage of events in China. The first newspaper was published in New York in May 2000, with the web launch in August 2000. Local editions published by regional bureaus soon followed, making it the largest of any Chinese-language newspaper outside of Mainland China and Taiwan.
Our Reach
We publish in 21 languages in 35 countries across five continents. We are proud to offer print and web editions in Chinese, English, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian, as well as web versions in Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Vietnamese, Swedish, Turkish, Portuguese, Italian, and Persian.
The Epoch Times will continue to expand news coverage and newspaper distribution in more regions, and with editions in more languages. We are optimistic about the future. Watch us grow!


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by Troutski
Extreme sports are…extreme. (Easy enough statement, right?) You are talking about doing something that; A), you most likely shouldn't do in order to see tomorrow; or, B), proving to your friends that you actually ARE crazy.
From scaling walls to slacklining above the Vegas Strip (and don't even get me started on the bungee jumping over crocodiles just waiting for the dinner bell to sound); extreme sports have become hugely popular. They also come along with danger, very high blood pressure, an adrenaline rush that could cause a heart attack, and more. In addition, each of these extreme sports come with massive equipment you need to buy, techniques you must learn, research, practice (hopefully), and a web of other issues you need to deal with.
So what if you want that adrenaline rush but don't want to spend money on technology or equipment or lessons (or a healthcare plan that will allow you to actually survive)? Well…there is one that is completely uncomplicated. It is a sport that is still extreme and will give you all the adrenaline you need, but no equipment has to be purchased…although the healthcare plan is still something you should think about.
This sport is called cliff diving; and it is exactly what it says it is. Although seen as suicidal, cliff divers will tell you that the sport is not like jumping onto Wall Street from your apartment up on the tenth floor. After all, there is water beneath. And as long as you don't slam your face, head, or body into a rocky outcrop, you should be just fine.
Some people love the feeling of simply free-falling through space. With no heavy equipment, wires, or special clothing to wear, you can simply run and jump off a cliff in order to soar like Superman (although, unlike him, you need to worry about gravity).
Just as it is with other extreme sports, championships where cliff divers compete in order to see just how high and how far they can go, do exist. An even though cliff diving is not an Olympic sport, it did actually derive from high-diving which is part of the Olympic Games.
Believe it or not, the first person to ever actually dive off a cliff was royalty. It was back in the late 1700's that the King of Maui (the last one they ever had), soared off Kaunolu, a 63-foot cliff. Much like the well-trained Olympic divers, this royal one apparently entered the sea without a splash. This is where he got the name "Birdman," and he was so into cliff diving that the man actually made his warriors jump too. Apparently, back then, this was the only way the King could know that his 'men' had the courage they needed for any showdown that might be coming.
Not many stories came about after this time period with the Birdman King. The most modern episode of cliff diving actually came in a commercial. It was in the 1950s, when the company, Timex, used a cliff diver in order to test a watch they were trying to sell. They wanted it known that even if YOU were dumb enough to throw yourself off a cliff and perhaps not make it, your Timex would keep on ticking.
Then, the International Cliff Diving Championship appeared in 1968; after that, competitions, events, championships, groups, organizations – you name it – the cliff diving 'enterprise' was founded.
So as those of you out there travel around the globe looking for the ultimate height to freefall from, you can have peace in the fact that even though your cell phone won't make it, the coroner can always count on your Timex to prove time of death.


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So, will Hillary Rodham Clinton run for president?
In an interview with New York Magazine published this week, the former secretary of State acknowledged that she's wrestling with the idea but still needs time "to weigh what the factors are" before "making a decision one way or the other."
While Clinton is weighing factors, her supporters are building a campaign operation. A group called "Ready for Hillary" has collected more than 1 million Facebook "likes" and compiled preemptive endorsements from a long list of national figures, including Bill Clinton campaign veteran James Carville, civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and actress Eva Longoria. "Ready for Hillary" hasn't been authorized by the not-yet-candidate, but it hasn't been discouraged either; those lists would be awfully useful if there is a campaign.
And here's one more straw in the wind: Clinton has a new haircut. The scrunchies and ponytails are no more; the new coif is shorter, layered and more photogenic.
How soon does Clinton need to decide? "She doesn't have to declare now or in three months or six months," her husband, Bill Clinton, told PBS Monday. Notice he said "declare," not "decide."
The former president acknowledged that the old days of a one-year-long presidential campaign are over. "It's amazing how much longer they are now," he said. If his wife sticks to the timetable she used the last time she ran, she would announce her candidacy in early 2015, a little more than a year from now.
It may be too early for sensible voters to be thinking about the next presidential campaign, but it's never too early for the potential candidates and their wannabe staffers. "Everything that's going on now matters for the next campaign," noted John Sides, a political scientist at George Washington University and coauthor of "The Gamble," an important book on the 2012 campaign.
Does all this preparation guarantee a smooth path for Clinton to the Democratic nomination and the White House?
Not at all.
She holds a commanding lead in the far-too-early polls for the nomination; a CNN poll this month showed her the first choice of 65% of Democrats, with Vice President Joe Biden a distant second at 10%.
But front-runners have stumbled before, as Clinton knows firsthand. She was the overwhelming front-runner for the first 12 months of the 2008 nomination, until Barack Obama overtook her, in part because of Clinton's own missteps.
The 2008 Clinton presidential campaign was a masterpiece of poor strategy and worse management, but advisors promise it won't happen again. "She doesn't repeat her mistakes," longtime aide Melanne Verveer told New York Magazine.
Still, the 2008 effort suffered from a problem a 2016 campaign would also face: Clinton ran as a candidate of change, but she sounded like a candidate of tradition — and she lost to a candidate who embodied bigger change.
That might not derail a well-run Clinton campaign in the Democratic primaries, even if she faces strong challengers such as Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (With one hypothetical exception: If Obama launches military action against Syria or Iran, Clinton would probably support the decision, and that might not go over well with Democratic voters.)
But the "change" factor is likely to be her biggest hurdle in a general election — because after eight years of a Democrat in the White House, the Republican candidate, whoever he or she turns out to be, is sure to rely on an ancient slogan in American politics: "It's time for a change."
It's a slogan that works. Since World War II, there have been six presidential elections with no incumbent in the race; in five of those six, the party that had held the White House (in each case, for eight years or more) lost.
If Obama is less popular in 2016 than he is today — if the economy hits another bump, for example — the Democratic candidate's job will be even harder. But even if the economy is growing smartly and the incumbent president is popular, the presumptive successor's job still isn't easy; just ask Al Gore.
And none of those factors — the popularity of the president, the future state of the economy — are under Clinton's control.
She's been getting plenty of free advice lately from pundits and advisors, including her husband. Most of it focuses on resting up and staying out of the public eye for a while, if only to avoid inducing a premature case of Clinton fatigue. "My advice to her has always been: Get healthy, write your book, do your charitable work," Bill Clinton said. "She will make a better decision about this political issue if everything is going well in her life."
But that's the easy part. To win, she'll need to find a way to distance herself from Obama without sounding disloyal. She's already made a gingerly start, telling New York Magazine that she "obviously" had moments of conflict with the president. "I had a very positive set of interactions [with him], even when I disagreed — which obviously occurred, because obviously I have my own opinions," she said.
But that was only a start. Can Hillary Clinton emerge from the shadow of the men in her life — both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama? That will be part of the drama of the 2016 campaign — and it's already begun, whether or not she ultimately runs.
Twitter: @DoyleMcmanus