Grateful Dead

if not then it should be........

I once heard that Bob wrote Estimated Prophet as a comment on heads who were deifying the band. I remember being on tour at times and feeling that some folks were really going down that path in a big way. The scene was always so anarchy-prone that there really didn't seem to be a dogma involved. But maybe there was an outline, like the holy trinity was Jerry, Phil & Bob. Does anybody remember the Reckoning LP sleeve photos, with Jerry dragging a psychedelic cross up a hill in Daily City (might be SF but sure looks like Daily City)? Then there was the whole thing about the Reckoning logo G (graphic) D -- GOD. The whole thing was always little freaky to me. Then there was the whole concept of "The Reckoning".... What was that whole thing about?? I love the Grateful Dead and it's music all the 60's SF jam-band music, but was always firmly grounded in my own spiritual tradition. I was just in a store the other day and saw a book and 4 CD set about the San Francisco 60s music scene that has as it's central focus one of those optical illusion things that you have to tilt to the light just so to read it? And what it said was "If you want to know what the baby Jesus said then just shut up and open your mind." I was totally struck by that. Is that a line from some song??

You're a good man, Johnman!!!!!!!!********************************** It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

that god REQUIRES us to help one another.....and far too often I fall short and end up worrying about my OWN concerns, instead of others.........someday i'll learn, i just hope it's soon cuz we're ALL taking a beating

Johnman Thanks for sharing that story I too have had friends in the day that struggled with addictions Some of them won their battles and others lost It takes a lot to confront a person who struggles with some sort of addiction Its even harder when their your friend All in all I believe God gives us the ability to comfort others sufferings or help in their struggles. In turn God eases our own suffering since we understand what others are going through Nothing makes me feel better than going to one of Bostons shelters to serve a meal to the homeless or collect food for my towns pantry I was once told when I first started doing my work that you never know when you may be in the presense of God He takes many shapes and forms when in a human image. Thats why we should be treating each other as a brother or a sister since you never know The Cat

Correction -- this place "Valley Of The Totems" is just outside Knoxville in Strawbery FLATS, not Strawberry FIELDS. Dang those flashbacks, they always happen when I'm on this site!

joined the native american church a few years ago, not long after registering with the local tribal council as a native american thru his mother, a tlingit. he had been struggling with various addictions, not the least of which were a bad taste for heroin and an even worse taste for alcohol, since not long after we left high school. with jerry's death he hit a downward spiral. i had been telling him for years to please find a direction cuz nursing him thru od's and withdrawl was taking a toll on my family. after crashing his bus one day and finding a half gal of whiskey spilled all over his feet he finally realized that he could have killed someone .with the tribe's help he found treatment and as he told me later "the church gave me a direction". his wife, of blackfoot descent was raised catholic and i occasionally find them sitting next to me at mass. he now uses a sweat lodge on a regular basis. he is still a longhaired freak. being this forum is about spirituality in general, i thought i would share my friends story.

There is a white guy who learned from Indians in the way of the Native American Church. If you search NAC you'll evetually end up with a site that refers to "The Valley of the Totems" in Strawberry Fields (just outside Knoxville). They are a totally legit NAC entity and do all the rituals. I can't vouch personally for them, but the guy who leads it seems to walk-the-walk as well as talk-the-talk. That is, he does a lot of good things in the community for the poor. I believe that it you're spirit is broken or you're depressed or mourning or addicted to bad things these people can help you help yourself. And maybe if you just need to get outside the space you're in and get a more 360 degree view, it would be good for that purpose. It's not my thing. I just put it out there because I think there maybe some deadheads who could really use this help (along with a lot of others), but it strikes me they probably aren't the ones reading this topic.... Maybe you know? "Won't you take me down, cuz I'm goin' to Strawberry Fields Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about... Strawberry Fields forever, strawberry fields forever...."

Go Go PogoAs Maine go o so Pogo go Key Largo, Otsego to Frisco go to Fargo, Okeefenokee playin', possum on a Pogo, Stick around and see the show Go over Land alive a band o' jive will blow go Pogo, I go you go who go to go pollyvoo go, From Caravan Diego, Waco and Oswego, Tweedle de he go she go we go me go Pogo. Atascadero, Wheeler, Barrow, Someplace in Mexico, Delaware, Ohio and you don't need the text to go. Wheeling, West Virginia, With everything that's in ya, Down the line you'll see the shine from Oregon to Caroline, Oh, eenie Meenie Minie Kokomo go Pogo Tishimingo, sing those lingo, whistling go. Shamokin to Hoboken, Chenango to Chicongo, it's golly, I go goo goo going go go Pogo. -Walt Kelly

wonderful concept and outlook,bro........anyone remember "i go pogo" the comic strip?.........we have met the enemy, and he is us.