Philosophy and Gender Statistics

[Nicholas]

One of the queries that got me thinking over on another thread was why there were more males active on the forums than females.

I came across this survey that showed only 30% of females had earned a Ph.D in philosophy in relation to the total number of Ph.D's earned in this field. Of all the human disciplines, the LOO falls into the category of philosophy, and I think this survey sheds some light on why more males are active on Bring4th more than females are.

The survey is linked here

[Agua del Cielo]

I can only guess, since im not a woman.

But I guess is because of different reasons.
I would guess, it's 1) because it's a rather anonymous and impersonal interaction and 2) because the Forum is biased quite a bit towards a more intellectual approach.

And this is not related to the LOO, but only to the forum.

Quite a few of my closer Friends are highly interested in the LOO, but would not be interested in any Internet forum, no matter what the subject.
The all prefer to interact socially on a person-to-person level.

My girlfriend for example is very much into the LOO, but is not interested much in Internet forums, and, when she checked this one out was put of by the abstract and intellectual approach.
I guess quite a few women do prefer to not interact on an intellectual level so much, but rather by "being" and sharing that "being" ( a side not, having a brilliant intellect does not automatically mean one prefers to interact intellectually with people).

Apart from that, i dont understand the LOO as a "philosophy" primarily.
What attracts me and what helps me is the energy contained in the teaching, the Energy or vibration behind the words.
The words themselves are quite helpful and interesting, but thats to me NOT at all the LOO or the Central message.
I would go so far to say, there is a danger that one can be distracted by the words and the "philosophy" from the Original message.

With this as my background (although the LOO is being conveyed in the shape of words, concepts and a philosophy) the LOO is not a philosophy but a state of Being to me!

[1109]

Generalization warning: I think men communicate to share ideas whereas women communicate to share emotions. Perhaps this forum and even the Ra material itself are better suited for the former.

[Agua del Cielo]

Hmm, i'd rather say sharing ideas and sharing being.

And, as i already said, i think the "ideas" and "concepts" in the Ra material are more just the Surface level, whereas on a deeper level it conveys an energy or a State of being.
When one concentrates on the conceptual information contained, there is a danger of stickig only to that and missing the "deeper" part of it.
Meaning, the danger is turning the ideas into intellectual constructs and missing the State of being conveyed and contained.

So, i'd say the Ra material is also for girls, although it doesnt have a pink cover
(Sorry, i couldnt resist, hihi)

[1109]

Yes, I agree but the surface may be off putting to some people. I remember an interview with Carla where she said that the Ra material was quite off putting to a lot of people , but that physicists and people similar to Don could easily absorb it.

[Night Owl]

I think the question itself bring some distortions into the statistics. We would need inter-incarnation statistics. What if there are more active men here but they were many to be females in not so distant previous incarnations? I think although there is a very rational side to the discussions here, I still feel like men here have a much more balanced feminine energy than most men in society who aren't into philosophy and spirituality. Maybe females here have a more balanced masculine energy as well? I mean once you include both energies of a single being into account, it does get a lot more complicated than simply splitting them on two sides, but I think it's worth thinking about it.

[Agua del Cielo]

yes, i think thats true!
It's simply not possible to generalize this!
We are all a mixture of These energies and even that mixture is subject to change over time!

I dont perceive myself as a man usually, but rather neutral, apart from specific occasions.
When working therapeutically for example, i am more often a mother for clients than a father.

[Agua del Cielo]

Now that i thought about it for sometime, it's quite obvious!
There Ra material was never meant to be read by girls, you can clearly see this on the cover:

Ra material = blue = boys

Girls = pink = Lillyfee and Hello Kitty

Took me a while to realize though...


I just expanded on this very Great joke, since, especially in the light of the recently escalated other thread, this thread might have some explosive potential, since the (unspoken) assumption (at least i believe to perceive so) is a little bit, hmm, lacking words here...

[Agua del Cielo]

or, in other, more serious words:

To conclude from the statistical distribution of phds in philosophy that women might be less interested in philosophy or dont have that much access to it is a darinnen assumption in my opinion.

I have no phds in nothing and am interested in quite a few things nonetheless...

I think it's more about the forum than about the Ra material

[Night Owl]

I have to admit I am quite impressed by the rational side of women interested in the LOO. It's really not something I have crossed elsewhere in my life....maybe ever.

[Spaced]

Topical link https://beingawomaninphilosophy.wordpress.com/

[Diana]

Labeling in this manner I don't think is helpful in any way at all, aside from exercising the 3D mind because it loves patterns.

By the way, I love Hello Kitty. I am also very intellectual. So right there I don't fit any patterns.

(I do realize Agua del Cielo was being sarcastic and joking.) 

[Agua del Cielo]

Still, there must be a reason why there are so few women on the forum.
I don't think it's about the Ra material, but only about the forum.

Just had an interesting discussion with my girlfriend about this.

We assumed, women might have more of a tendency towards a practical approach, meaning to actually live spirituality rather than discuss it in theory.

At least here in germany, if you go to spiritual events, Seminars, retreats, usually there are much more women than men, whereas discussion forums seem to attract more men.

The only exception would be tantric retreats, where you find more men than women usually...guess why...

This observation might not be true for other countries though.

@Diana
so you re in real trouble! Sorry to hear that
Do you also Love Lillyfee or is that a German thing?

[Coordinate_Apotheosis]

Hmm.  I'm guessing my first post was offensive? Assuming it did post or I didn't dream up the occurrence of posting here.  I see the OP is edited too.  Confusing.  Anyway.

I personally am glad for the women that do participate here.  Without them b4 wouldn't be the way it is.

Plus considering the Ra Material was channeled by a woman, I think its just as for men as it is for women.  If the Law of One doesn't discriminate against even the darkness, why would it against the female energy?

I hope one day the human race evolves into androgynous beings.  No patriarchy, no matriarchy, no room for sexual prejudice.

I too noticed when I was volunteering how much more women there were compared to men vounteers.

Maybe us men are spiritually lazy buttscratchers ahah.

[Spaced]

When I started posting here 5~6 years ago there were a lot more women as I remember, this forum has shifted much more towards the masculine recently.

[Diana]

Just had an interesting discussion with my girlfriend about this.

We assumed, women might have more of a tendency towards a practical approach, meaning to actually live spirituality rather than discuss it in theory.

At least here in germany, if you go to spiritual events, Seminars, retreats, usually there are much more women than men, whereas discussion forums seem to attract more men.

That is an interesting point. But I still think labeling is not helpful. It keeps separation alive. When we can stop labeling and quantifying, there will be no statistics, and as a consequence people will just be who they are with no judgments.

I am female yet I have what could be called a lot of "male" qualities. Yet I am perceived as looking feminine. None of this means a darn thing. It just represents me as an individual expression with no categories.

@Diana
so you re in real trouble! Sorry to hear that
Do you also Love Lillyfee or is that a German thing?

I have no idea who or what Lillyfree is. I don't follow media. But one can hardly miss the ubiquitous and adorable Hello Kitty.    Another attribute of mine which juxtaposes with a serious, intellectual nature is a child-like abandonment. I really strive to drop categories from my thinking. My boyfriend is so much younger than me it would be shocking to some. But I am youthful and he is like a wise old soul, so the outward appearance and labels have nothing to do with who we really are.

By the way, I have visited Germany and I loved it.

[Agua del Cielo]

I absolutely agree about the labeling!

I mean, i am aware of maybe 4 women here, sometimes i dont know if a person is male or female.
But still it's a fact, there are much more men.

And i think there is a reason, which ever that might be!

Hmm, lets wait for some more contributions maybe...

[Coordinate_Apotheosis]

...I was just thinking about all the philosophers I've ever read about.

In my many years of education, I don't recall learning of a female philosopher.

An extreme sadness...Proof of a male dominant civilization, evidence of the hardships a women must face back in the day.  How many female philosophers were as Galileo?

We as a civilization could learn so much from a few philosophical ideas from a woman's standpoint.

Their ideas with male ideas are the keys to unity, without one you have an incomplete key and thus an incomplete idea of the whole.

Does anyone know of any female philosophers off the top of their heads?

I think Helen Keler (sp?) (the blind, deaf, and mute girl who was born the same day as me years before me, June 27th) was known for her deep understandings but I don't know if she also was spoken in philosophy.

...My cousin Alyssa, my favorite cousin hah, has a degree in Philosophy and specifically enjoys metaphysics.  She's a teacher of inner city kids who deal with violence and gang activity over in New Jersey.  I have to say, I wish there were more people like her in the world.

[Spaced]

...I was just thinking about all the philosophers I've ever read about.

In my many years of education, I don't recall learning of a female philosopher.

An extreme sadness...Proof of a male dominant civilization, evidence of the hardships a women must face back in the day.  How many female philosophers were as Galileo?

We as a civilization could learn so much from a few philosophical ideas from a woman's standpoint.

Their ideas with male ideas are the keys to unity, without one you have an incomplete key and thus an incomplete idea of the whole.

Does anyone know of any female philosophers off the top of their heads?

I think Helen Keler (sp?) (the blind, deaf, and mute girl who was born the same day as me years before me, June 27th) was known for her deep understandings but I don't know if she also was spoken in philosophy.

...My cousin Alyssa, my favorite cousin hah, has a degree in Philosophy and specifically enjoys metaphysics.  She's a teacher of inner city kids who deal with violence and gang activity over in New Jersey.  I have to say, I wish there were more people like her in the world.

Socrates, considered one of the greatest philosophers and orators in western civilization, was taught Rhetoric by a woman named Aspasia. Aspasia was forbidden to study philosophy because she was a woman, so she opened her own school. She taught many Athenians and was considered an intellectual giant in her time. She was also a lover of the great Athenian statesman Pericles and it's believed she wrote all his great speeches.

Pythagoras, one of our greatest metaphysicians and mathematicians, claimed he learned everything he know from a woman named Themistoclea.

The last of the line of great Greek philosophers was a woman named Hypatia of Alexandria. She was considered by her contemporaries to be the greatest thinker of her time. She was raped, brutalized and had he flesh torn to pieces by Christians in the Serapeum (The temple of Serapis which ajoined the Library of Alexandria).

There were other woman philosophers in the ancient world despite the sexism they faced back then but a lot of the time their writings do not survive because later populations valued the works of men more, especially in the middle ages and renaissance.

Something else to keep in mind is that often women were not credited for their work. As the author Virginia Woolf noted "Anonymous is a woman."

There are modern female philosophers, but the entire field has been a men's club for centuries . . . or millenia. Some names I can think of off the top of my head: Angela Davies, Simone de Beauvoir, Rosa Luxembourg, 

[Coordinate_Apotheosis]

Could you imagine how different the world would be if women could openly pursue their dreams and desires across history?

This world can be so sad...

Hey thanks Spaced, your knowledge is like a library

[sjel]

Yeah great stuff Spaced. "Anonymous is a woman," I love that

[Bring4th_Austin]

I am a bit befuddled as to why, in this discussion about why there are not more female posters on the forum, there seems to be basically no discussion about the culture of this forum itself potentially being more attractive and conducive to masculine energies?

I have a unique bit of insight into the statistics behind those who read the Law of One (online, anyways). It is true that there is a slight skew towards younger men in the deomgraphic, but not nearly as drastic as statistics of PhDs described in the OP. And I can't really buy much of the argument being made in this thread.

30% of females had earned a Ph.D in philosophy in relation to the total number of Ph.D's earned in this field - I think Spaced and C_A have pretty well spelled out why this might be. The assumption, in my mind, should not be that women are innately less likely to be interested in philosophy just because they're women. I will not deny that there are some things innate to men and women, but determining exactly what those things are - when we've had a culture that has put men on the forefront of fields such as philosophy and even actively suppressed feminine participation - is basically useless, in my eyes.

It's a much likelier explanation to me that the field seems to appeal to men because the culture of the field does not appeal to women. Not the field itself. When all you learn about is men, when 70% of the potential peers are men, and (in all likelihood) you have to try much harder than a man to be heard within the field - that's a serious uphill battle for a woman who might be interested in studying philosophy.

I would take a similar perspective to the forum. What is it about the forum culture - not the subject - that keeps women from participating.


1) because it's a rather anonymous and impersonal interaction and 2) because the Forum is biased quite a bit towards a more intellectual approach. And this is not related to the LOO, but only to the forum. - I would not be surprised if statistics agreed with you, for one reason or another. Whether it's innate in genders to be drawn to a particular style of communication or another is not something I think can be accurately determined, as with the previous topic.

But there are many, many online forums that have a more balanced gender ratio. There are many forums that skew more towards female participation. The medium itself, in my eyes, does not repel women. Perhaps the culture is reinforced by an impersonal medium - it is still a cultural thing.


I have to admit I am quite impressed by the rational side of women interested in the LOO. It's really not something I have crossed elsewhere in my life....maybe ever. - Speaking of culture. I know that this statement may be made as a compliment, but if I put myself in the shoes of a woman, I would take it as quite demeaning to women in general. I am not commenting on the intent of the statement, only on how it can be perceived. To me, it paints a thread like this in a negative light, influences how the rest of the discussion comes off. It seems as though you are saying that women in general are irrational, but the women attracted to the Law of One are special and they like the material despite the fact that they're women. I suspect women do not want to be a part of a culture where they are simply assumed to be irrational because of their gender.


Labeling in this manner I don't think is helpful in any way at all, aside from exercising the 3D mind because it loves patterns. - I understand the sentiment and on a certain level, I agree. But identifying patterns is a 3rd density trait for a reason (beyond the traditional, scientific, evolutionary reaosns). We exist in a realm where our consciousness is mostly unconscious. We are quite unaware of our own biases, emotional roots, prejudices, and general place within a vastly connected system. Identifying our own patterns helps us to bring the unconscious to the conscious and identify our biases that are painting our reality, both as individuals and as cultures.

For instance, on an individual level - let's say I go through my days being emotionally tormented by a vast array of things. I'm constantly feeling the drain of negative emotions, never fully feeling at peace with myself and my emotions. In my eyes, it is incredibly helpful to start labeling things - emotions, circumstances, events - and looking for the patterns that draw out particular emotions. The patterns reveal my own inner biases and distortions, allowing me to acknowledge them and address them. In doing so, I can reach a more balanced state where my emotions do not keep me down as much and, eventually, I find myself in a more constant, peaceful, steady state no matter the circumstances.

On a group level, identifying patterns can be just as helpful. I understand how identifying labels can seems as though it is reinforcing them, and thus reinforcing the separation, but if we simply ignore the ways in which society treats certain types of individuals differently, we will never identify our cultural biases and distortions. Before the labels and distinctions can be erased, they have to first be acknowledged, addressed, and balanced. To ignore the labels will allow the biases to remain unconscious, unaddressed, and they will perpetuate themselves.

If there is a pattern of less female participation in a field (or on the forums), I think it's very much worth it to identify that disparity and see if it reveals anything about our cultural biases and distortions. And I would ask the men who feel as though the culture of this forum is not the reason for lesser female participation to please, earnestly and with compassion, try to put yourself in the shoes of a woman who reads some of the words that have been shared lately. When I do so, it doesn't exactly surprise me that there are fewer women here.

[Diana]

And I would ask the men who feel as though the culture of this forum is not the reason for lesser female participation to please, earnestly and with compassion, try to put yourself in the shoes of a woman who reads some of the words that have been shared lately. When I do so, it doesn't exactly surprise me that there are fewer women here.

This would depend entirely upon why someone is here at all. Personally, I don't seek validation or even community, usually, though it can be nice to discover that in a thread here. I like the subjects canvassed, the level of depth in the Ra Material, and the opportunity to explore my self and potential by stretching beyond my own boundaries. I don't need, nor is it efficacious to always have, agreement.

There are different ways to take "words that have been shared lately" regarding feminism and the plight of women. One can resist reacting and act with purpose; leave in a huff; decide this forum is not the place to discuss this sensitive subject (and yet, where—with women only who all agree?); try and engage open-mindedly and learn about self by allowing the surfacing of triggered wounds; have compassion for self, other women, and men; and so on ad infinitum. None of it is "wrong," and all is a choice.

I feel a major problem with much of humanity is expectations. 

[Night Owl]

I have to admit I am quite impressed by the rational side of women interested in the LOO. It's really not something I have crossed elsewhere in my life....maybe ever. - Speaking of culture. I know that this statement may be made as a compliment, but if I put myself in the shoes of a woman, I would take it as quite demeaning to women in general. I am not commenting on the intent of the statement, only on how it can be perceived. To me, it paints a thread like this in a negative light, influences how the rest of the discussion comes off. It seems as though you are saying that women in general are irrational, but the women attracted to the Law of One are special and they like the material despite the fact that they're women. I suspect women do not want to be a part of a culture where they are simply assumed to be irrational because of their gender.

Well some people can even turn a sentence such as ''I love you'' into a negative intent so I can just hope that you have read that as a compliment. I mean I just basically said earlier that the question itself brings distortions into the discussion because labelling people by their gender only goes so far. This was basically only a remark that I feel like the women on bring4th have deepen their rationality to a level I have not seen elsewhere. It was a focus on their specialty indeed, not their gender. Of course I am as well impressed by the rationality of men on this forum as well, and bring4th in general, it's just that the topic was fitting for this choice of words. It's just a content that requires a very rational approach in order to integrate fully. I know as well there are lots of rational women outside of bring4th I just think if I compare most active female of bring4th I would say they achieve a degree of rationality that I don't see in many of what we could call a stereotype of rational women like political women or something like that (again that's a generalization). It's actually really hard to talk about a subject that is filled with generalization without generalizing in return. I hope most of you can read that without any offense as there are no offense intended. Words have strong barriers sometimes.

[Agua del Cielo]

This would depend entirely upon why someone is here at all. Personally, I don't seek validation or even community, usually, though it can be nice to discover that in a thread here.
I feel a major problem with much of humanity is expectations. 

Funnily my motivation is quite contrary

Bring4th is, in a way, like a (long lost) family to me.

This is probably for two reasons, First reason being i felt like having a real family before, on a spiritual level.

Second reason and much more important, i believe many if not Most here are a part of the Ra Social Memory Complex.
This would mean, and on a Level it exactly feels like this, that in truth, we ARE a family, a family connected in a manner that is completely ungraspable for our "earthly" consciousness, but i still "feel" it, and i guess many here do!

So, on one hand, im actively seeking community with the members here.
A side note, apart from all the subjects discussed here, apart from the way it's being discussed, apart from all "content", above all it feels to me as if our "energy of seeking" would be combined or multiplied.
To me it feels like this greatly powers my own seeking!

The other side is, all groups represent family to one, this means that this Community confronts me with every Little fucking issue i had with my family...and those arme quite a few!
This is a big challenge, but also a Great opportunity to heal!
I guess this is the case for many here, if not all...

As for validation:
While this might not be very advanced spiritually, im also seeking (while not consciously) validation.
I usually realize this, when i feel ignored or not being responded to or such.
This is just as it is, and i simply cant help it.
My "own" Family Never did acknowledge what i truly am, this has lead to incredible violation and pain, and this is obviously something thats being stirred up here,butitgives me the chance to heal!

My truth in that case is that i seek validation and the only other Choice would be to cut myself off from it and from myself.
So i just take it as it is, Face it when it arises (it's usually only one ortwice a day, hehe), then there is some suffering, but Little by little i heal!

And as to expectations:
yes, it's better to let go of expectations, much better!
But i am so FULL of expectations,of desires, i could write Books about it.
And i just cant deny it.
So, i am here with my expectations, which often result in Frustration.
Then i just take that stupid frustration and try to realize what it shows about my deeper self.
And i feel this also brings a lots of healing.

[Diana]

Funnily my motivation is quite contrary

Bring4th is, in a way, like a (long lost) family to me.

This is probably for two reasons, First reason being i felt like having a real family before, on a spiritual level.

I think that's lovely, and for everyone who feels that way about B4.

For many reasons, I am quite used to operating independently. One being that, and aligning with this conversation, I have always been a philosopher. At a very early age I started asking questions about the universe none of the adults could answer, so I gave up and mused in my head only. I still experience this as an adult from time to time when a conversation opens up and I try and jump in with my thoughts. There have been some very funny circumstances that still make me laugh regarding my own naivete.

Second reason and much more important, i believe many if not Most here are a part of the Ra Social Memory Complex.
This would mean, and on a Level it exactly feels like this, that in truth, we ARE a family, a family connected in a manner that is completely ungraspable for our "earthly" consciousness, but i still "feel" it, and i guess many here do!

Well, if a psychic was right about me in 1990, then I am part of that too. She told me I was from from Venus.  

Though I always feel like I'm an observer, a little removed from everything.

The other side is, all groups represent family to one, this means that this Community confronts me with every Little fucking issue i had with my family...and those arme quite a few!
This is a big challenge, but also a Great opportunity to heal!
I guess this is the case for many here, if not all...

I agree it is a great opportunity, and definitely something I do in life as well, and certainly here—to allow these things to surface so they can be dealt with. We can become fractured in childhood in order to survive, and wounds are buried and split off from consciousness. And many of these wounds would make no sense to the adult mind, so the adult wouldn't think of them as being anything, but the inner child is still wounded.

As for validation:
While this might not be very advanced spiritually, im also seeking (while not consciously) validation.
I usually realize this, when i feel ignored or not being responded to or such.
This is just as it is, and i simply cant help it.
My "own" Family Never did acknowledge what i truly am, this has lead to incredible violation and pain, and this is obviously something thats being stirred up here,butitgives me the chance to heal!

Many, many people seek validation. From my experience, it must come from within. You could be the greatest pianist alive, but if you don't think so yourself, no one could ever convince you.

My truth in that case is that i seek validation and the only other Choice would be to cut myself off from it and from myself.
So i just take it as it is, Face it when it arises (it's usually only one ortwice a day, hehe), then there is some suffering, but Little by little i heal!

It takes courage to do that.

And as to expectations:
yes, it's better to let go of expectations, much better!
But i am so FULL of expectations,of desires, i could write Books about it.
And i just cant deny it.
So, i am here with my expectations, which often result in Frustration.
Then i just take that stupid frustration and try to realize what it shows about my deeper self.
And i feel this also brings a lots of healing.

Well, it may be a matter of semantics here. I don't have expectations, yet I do hope for things. I hope the human race evolves past killing and wars. I hope suffering ends, at least needless suffering such as factory farms and starving people. And my hopes do cause frustration for me as well. It takes constant vigilance for me, to stay in balance when observing suffering.

And regarding desires, I say go for it. Create; pursue; dream. It's a subtle thing that expectation is not tied to desires. As an entrepreneur, I have great desires and goals, but I don't stay attached to anything; rather, I think this meme (which I made for a business of mine) explains it:

[Agua del Cielo]

The expectations and the attachment are in a way not bad but helpful for me.
The resulting (unpleasant) emotions after a while take me down to the root of the issue, giving the opportunity to heal this.
Then it's not a matter of attaching or detaching anymore, it just stops being an issue, thats my favourite method of detachment

As for desires, im very un-buddhistic. I Love my desires
They take me exactly where i Need to be.

I had a nice experience a couple days ago:
I was feeling the Energy or Drive of my seeking very intensively.I realized, my desire for light is almost overwhelming when i fully allow it.
There is a fear however, i dont "make it" into the light in this lifetime.
This fear seems to Be connected with the Original seperation from oneness, at the beginning of the incarnation.
So there is a fear to feel this desire fully, in order not to experience the Lack of light!

After allowing the desire more and more, i realized, the desire for light is ultimately identical with light.
When I would totally completely and absolutely allow my desire for light, i would BE in the light!

This made me realize why Q'uo always speak of the purity of seeking being way more important than the "results".
I don't have to make it into the light, all i have to do is to allow and feel my desire for the light!

Sorry, that was off topic, but i felt the urge to share it

[Minyatur]

Well, if a psychic was right about me in 1990, then I am part of that too. She told me I was from from Venus.  

Many, many people seek validation. From my experience, it must come from within.

Putting these two together, are you of Ra as per your own inner validation?

---

About the more general topic of the thread, it baffles me somewhat how no one linked these suppositions to the attributes of male and female energy. Like I mean.. if a member makes a supposition and/or observation they can easily be considered unthoughtful, yet if it's done by Ra in the Ra material, however similar the idea is, then it's surely nothing of the sort! The Ra material describes the male energy as drawn to the conscious archetypes and female energy as drawn to the unconscious archetypes, how is this not relevant and somewhat in alignment with suppositions made in this thread?

To prevent any form of confusion about my statements. To me male and female are basicly two expressions of one same thing and whatever one's gender is, one can have a leaning toward a male/female or female/male balance although the bodily complex does create a certain bias. I guess it's also of some importance to note that there is no male and female as separate energies but truly always male/female and female/male energy as a dualistic polarity of a unified concept.

[Diana]

Well, if a psychic was right about me in 1990, then I am part of that too. She told me I was from from Venus.  

Many, many people seek validation. From my experience, it must come from within.

Putting these two together, are you of Ra as per your own inner validation?

I do not have inner validation of that. I am drawn to Ra, but I really don't know anything beyond that.

I will say that when the psychic told me that I thought she was nuts. Especially since my friend, who had a session before me I sat in on, was told all the "normal" stuff about past lives and lessons, etc. I was told I wasn't from here and that I was here on a volunteer mission, which threw me for a complete loop. It was only afterwards, over a period of many days that certain memories, especially from childhood, supported that I was from elsewhere, or had spent time elsewhere.

I try not to too closely define who or what I am—analogous to being in the wave function rather than the particle.

[Night Owl]

As for desires, im very un-buddhistic. I Love my desires
They take me exactly where i Need to be.

That's because bouddhism's initial intent was to end suffering. The LOO instead gives it meaning and purpose. That may be one of the reasons I and many others are attracted towards it too.