The Alpha & Omega Society

Recent thoughts & occurrences;

I've begun a discussion on Facebook for the Alpha & Omega Society

Here is a link to the
IMS Facebook Discussions

I will continue to post
the more refined conclusions here
and strive to edit this so that it may become a practical guidebook.

4/11;

RE: Membership in The Alpha& Omega Society

With the advancement of Nunc Licet in the Assembly, it is appropriate to make that play, a project of The Alpha & Omega Society. The purpose of The A&O Soc. is being clarified as time progresses and it is clear that Nunc Licet is the type of project which The A&O Soc. is intended to support.. so onward and upward.

There will be a program produced for the presentation being made in Bryn Athyn College (see other postings on Nunc Licet) and with that effort, the sponsorship program for The A&O Soc. will be solidified.  The goal is to fund the production requirements of the play, but it is also intended to bring together the membership of The A&O Soc. and to begin to move forward with the goals that are outlined herein.

As the Managing Director of the A&O Soc. I will be striving to clarify the goals, methodology, and mission statement.  I do expect that the refinement of the organizational structure and the "playbook" will take time and go through a variation of presentation and management styles.  Please bear with this process, but certainly, if you care to be involved, make that fact known.

You will note that in the context of Nunc Licet, I am inviting individuals, business and corporate sponsors to become members and by so doing provide operating funds for the implementation of Nunc Licet. The details of membership and communication with members will be communicated in due time.

I will be looking for a person to oversee Membership communications and other matters pertaining to creating and establishing a Society of active members. Until such time I have to admit that, being dependent upon me, communications will, by the very nature of my limited time, be sporadic.

If you care to be an active and/or sponsoring member, do let that be known.

The information in the archive below do not fully represent the current line of thinking, although much of that information is applicable.

I welcome partners in this endeavor.

Archive

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1/10; Unfortunately, or it may turn out to be fortunate, I managed to wash my notebook with all the extensive designs for the Alpha & Omega Society's Community. What that means is that I have to reconfigure them and redraw all the designs.

In one way that is good, because it will force me to lay the designs out in a usable way, which is what I intended to do from the notebook and... which is the reason that the notebook was in my pocket. I had done the drawings in a pocket sized notebook, so I could carry it with me. Let me recommend to you that you do not use a notebook that is small enough to wash by accident.

They were very incredible designs, outlining the community layout, buildings, and use of land. There were many notes about organizational structure, operation and the politics of such a community. I may or may not be able to reconstitute them, but I do think I will be striving to construct a model of the community, much like a train board.

It is unfortunate that that happened, but in order to construct the community we would have needed enough land to fill Montana, so it was not something that was immediately practical.

I do want to publish the designs for the community, if even as a conceptual design, so I will be working to do that and possibly posting those designs here as I do. No promises though. AG


Overall Summary;

Recent discussions about the state of mind which envelops the artist have spurred some thought on the subject. Initially, there was a great deal of passion about establishing the A&O Soc.. The primary intention in this regard has been, and remains, the establishment of a living environment that is designed to support the unique needs of the artistic mentality.

A big part of that, in the long view, is the establishment of The Creative Archive and in that regard, use of the web and in particular the digital environment that it depends on, will certainly be a part of that foundation and seems to be the best starting point. In lieu of actual facilities, the archiving of the artist's work in the digital domain is a viable alternative, to establishing a record of the artist's work. Of course, the work of recording the material is a huge task, but the process of doing that would certainly be a service of IMS and The A&O Soc.

The primary objective at this point in time is to publish the designs for The Alpha & Omega Society. These designs include the outlines for the modus operandi (as it pertains to numerous levels of participation) sketches for the facilities (which extend from a core "Inner Sanctuary" outward in layers to the outermost degree of commercialization), the management notes (which include the politics involved in the governing of the community).

All of this is extremely complicated, and will require, not only a Board of Directors, but a Social Governing Body which would oversee the assorted rules and regulations which must be implemented in an environment such as this. It is not so much a remaking of the existing society and the current Modus Operandi, but rather a realigning of the purposes and a focus on the needs of the Artist, above the needs of other members of the society as a whole.

The purpose of such a realignment lies primarily in the fact that the classic "starving artist" is a result of an increasing disassociation from a social environment, which historically has existed, but is becoming increasingly external and desensitized to the aesthetic environment (or mentality) which the artist is compelled to dwell within.

It is most certianly true that social environments have been created to support the artist, some of which operate quite successfully.

The Alpha & Omega Society is intended to be akin to those Artist Communities, however, the basis for the A&O Soc. are the teachings of The Church of the New Jerusalem and a primary aspect of the community must be the spiritual component and associations of the people involved.

The A&O Soc. is not intended to be based on a generic non-denominational, non-commital spirituality. It is clear that artists, like everyone else are on a path to discover their own spirituality and so that path must be honored and supported. But the clearly stated and specific basis for the A&O Soc. are the teachings of The New Church.

This is not intended to, and does not, exclude persons who are unclear about their path in terms of spirituality, but there is one very clear and definitve critera for participation in the activities of the A&O Soc.. That is a very distinct and undeniable "leading by the Lord" to be associated and involved in the activities of the A&O Soc..

There is not intended to be the exclusion of any religious or spiritually uplifting teachings from The A&O Soc. . Rather all such teachings that have been presented in the world should be included for the purpose of discovering the truth that lies within them. But as so stated, the Teachings of the New Church are to be the foundation for any growth that occurs within the community. This being the case, it should be understood that the point of the community is to foster unity in the understanding and pursuit of Truth, Goodness and to discover the method by which this understanding can be put into application.

A larger purpose of the environment that is conceptualized, is to rediscover the aspects of societies from times past and from locations around the world, that bring forth the best that man has been, is and can become. In this rediscovery, discovery, and conceptualization the foundations of the A&O Soc. are formed. It is the application of these elements into a social environment, that serves the aesthetic enhancement of the artistic experience, but still allows for the artist to live in the lifestyle that best suits his or her mentality... this is for this reason that the Alpha & Omega Society being formed.

A very large part of the community, as needs be in this material world, are the economics of such an environment. In the larger concept of the A&O Soc. the economic behavior of the community is rather socialistic in nature. I know that in America this is a bad word because America is allegedly based on capitalism. But it is the corporate raiders and the greed mongers who have literally destroyed our social environment because of the freedom and propagation of rampant capitalism. In the current environment people are taught and encouraged to grab all they can, while they can at the expense of the "weaker" people in the society or those who are not so aggressive. In my opinion this has been quite destructive to our society and it has in a very large sense shifted our values in a very non-productive direction. I say this with a very different understanding of what is and is not productive.

Productivity is the pursuit of aesthetics & beauty in form and interaction thru art, to seek peace, harmony, truth, goodness, wisdom and love. It is not the creation and acquisition of goods with which one can increase the numbers in ones bank account and therefore permit one to create rampant greed, selfishness, social depravity, isolation and conflict. This is my opinion and it is the basis by which I move forward to conceptualize The Alpha & Omega Society.

I am certain that I will not live to see this manifested, therefore it is my mission to publish the material I have gathered and to proffer my thoughts on the subject as best I can before I depart for the great (un)known.

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There have been numerous projects whose seeds are beginning to sprout, which will be nurtured in the environment of Image of the Mind Studios. The organizational structure of the A&O Soc. is being defined and Mission Statement is becoming clearer as discussions are taking place with potential board members.

Numerous requests have come in regarding management of large sums of money for charitable causes and an endowment program is being designed to accommodate this as a service offered by The A&O Soc.. Such a program will also provide operating funds to the foundation and it's programs. Unfortunately I fear that many of these offers are not legiamate.

The management structure of The A&O Soc. is essentially layered to segment essential functions from project functions, which will operate independently from each other. There will be tiers within each segment which will likewise be independently responsible for fulfillment and micro-management of their own resources. The net effect of this is to simplify management and establish more stability in the organization. Of course with this approach, the personnel structure will be defined by smaller teams with more autonomy and of course, the Project Directors & Department Heads will be answerable to the Board of Directors, not so much for their fulfillment, but more so for their adherence to a set of standards, which will maintain the level of integrity that is necessary for the health of the organization as a whole.

Priorities (philosophy)

This was written some time ago and never published. I thought it was interesting.

You will most certianly observe- that:

 the IMS web pages cover a wide array of projects that are in various stages of development. 

    Some have been critical of this and have chosen to respond in a negative fasion. Those persons obviously don't understand the nature of what is being done at IMS. 

    It's good to see the weeds in the garden so you can pull them out. The fact of the matter is that, as the Artistic Director, it is my job to develop ideas and to determine which ones may fit into a long term plan. I've chosen to use the internet as an arena for developing this work, not for any personal engrandizement, but for the simplicity by which other persons may participate in the process, both to assist in the goals of IMS and to share in the enthusiasm as they may find a forum for the expression of their creativity.

      The reality is that I'm lucky if I have another twenty years of useful service left in me. Twenty years is not a long time. So with that reality facing me, I've determined that the best thing I can do is to convert as much viable information about these larger projects onto the the web pages, if for no other reason than to archive them in the event of my demise.

      At this point, there are tangible and somewhat mundane tasks which need to be performed to completion which directly effect the ability to move into active production. These tasks build upon one another to the point where one can turn around and see absolute results, yet in the process, they seem like nothing more than a necessary distraction. I've developed the ability to see the chain of events and anticipate the process & the energy required to achieve a goal. Along with this ability, I've come to expect a certian level of complexity and the inevitable unknown. 

      The contingency fund is gaining increasing volume to meet the inevitable, of course both remain unknown, but non-the-less the unknown factor must be recognized as significant. With an understanding and respect for this unknown, the known factors become clearer and more easily managed.

      Priorities can only be based on known factors but they must be flexible enough to remain intact in the face of the unknown. Their position on the scale of importance is only what changes. The change in position of importance occurs because of multiple factors and the way in which they are compounded upon one another.

      As a project progresses, the level of complexity increases. Certian goals require fulfillment of previous objectives. The goals withing a project are defined with a wide brush and the individual aspects of those goals are gradually expanded as resources & knowledge allow for that to occur. 

      Within a project, indeed within an organization as well, the priorities find their own level. The director of a project will set objective goals and move to achieve those goals, but it must be understood that the unknown factor is so significant that in many ways it controls the outcome of the effort. 

     The secret to endurance on any project is to be flexible enough to be able to respond to that unknown and to have developed enough options where one can shift ones energy to another aspect of the project and continue to move forward, while contending with the unknown that has become a factor needing attention.

      And so, the priorities can be set down as objectives, with the hope and expectation that those goals will be met, but in the larger scheme of things, the fulfillment of those objectives is heavily contingent upon, not only the resources available, but also the sequence of events which can only be anticipated to a certian degree of accuracy. 

The largest factor in the fulfillment of goals is commitment.

AG

Conveyance, an essay

We live in a world that can easily draw us into illusive priorities. Our perspectives are often determined, if not dictated , by the environment we find ourselves in. But is that environment true or false? Do we ever even consider the possibility that the world around us may be an illusion or do we just accept what we see, hear and feel as being the basis for the reality of the world around us? We are told in the Word that the senses are false and cannot be trusted, but what does that really mean?

Well, I've determined that there is a prevailing set of illusions that are being perpetrated upon society as a whole. Not that this insidious act is being orchestrated by any one person, group, or organization, but rather a collection of illusions that insinuates themselves like rust on bare metal with roots that extend outward. We live in a world bound by the laws of entropy and the effects of entropy carry themselves throughout and within the entire created natural world. I see it as a fail-safe or a self destruct mechanisim designed to prevent the decay of the remainder of creation, the Spiritual & Celestial Worlds. The extent of entropy is unknown to me, but I believe it's effects are most significantly manifested in the material world.

None-the-less, this insinuated illusion is amplified in our increasingly complex society, because as more people fall victim of the illusion, it becomes something that is perpetrated upon the bulk of the society. As much as I'd like to define the perpetrators of this illusion, and in fact the illusion and it's assorted attributes, now is not the time to do that, for it would create unnecessary and counter-productive agitation. I rather choose to point out the illusion and state that it's perpetrators cannot hide from the light of Truth. The largest part of the illusion, as it is manifest in human action, is that: adherents to it's principles believe they have the power to control the outcome of events or to dictate the process of reaching an objective outcome.

That being said, I leave this essay on the expectation that: meditating on this concept will bring about an understanding of future concepts, designs, and goals which I have determined to post here for the purpose of contributing to the societies of mankind without joining the ranks of the perpetrators of the illusion.

Being as falable as everyone else on this planet, I can only hope that the desire to break thru the illusion and the effort to do that is sufficient to keep from being perverted by it's stranglehold on the societies of man. I guess this is a large part of the effort and purpose of The Alpha & Omega Society, to form a social structure that disallows the destructive forces which are implanted buy succumbing to and worshiping this illusion. An illusion that belongs to the proprium.

9/19 - I realize how off-the-wall this essay may sound to one who is unable or unwilling to consider what I may be talking about and that is part of the illusion I speak of. In large part, this illusion perpetrates a doctrine of limitation and utilizes a regimented insistence on conformity and a system of reward & punishment to implement that. It is understandable in the context of social management, but it extends beyond that and insinuates itself into the deeper levels of interpersonal relationships whereby it perverts the understanding and distorts the will. It is the erroneous understanding that ascribes the power to act to the faulty human mechanism and the necessity to determine a course of action based on the sensual input that creates this illusion. It is a compounded scenario, whereby human action is dictated by space & time, at least to the degree where an environment is established which nurtures the illusion and propagates it's false principles. Needless to say, the illusion is a multi-facited crystalline form growing within the core of society. Is it somehow an element which must be eradicated? Or is it rather an aspect of external ism which must be revealed, contemplated and viewed from a distance? Thus allowing for a revelation of the true nature of space & time. If space & time are truely understood, how will this effect the presence of the illusion of power & doctrine of limitation. Clearly, the physical, which exists in space & time, experiences entropy and is thereby in the external reality is directly connected to the tangible effects of power. Limitations are felt as a result of the association of the physical and the variations which occurr in abilities as a result. But this is part of the illusion, it attributes external experiences to what should correctly be understood as the internal source of all power and a source of the unlimited. Effectively, the illusion inverts the true order of things to impose carnality into the understanding, thereby distorting the balance in social relationships. Don't let this bizarre train of thought prevent you from exploring other aspects of this blog. AG

Spiritual Retreat

10/17/07- Numerous discussions have taken place with individuals interested in this project. Conversations are of a general nature at this point because The Alpha & Omega Society will be the ultimate authority in this regard, and the Board of Directors has not yet been officially established. As I may have discussed in the section under The A&O Soc., my work is to produce the establishing principles and modus operandi, something which is moving forward rather slowly right now (due in large part to the demands of Image of the Mind Studios). It is my desire for IMS to provide the land for the Spiritual Retreat and once that has been achieved (or is emminent) then to turn it over to The A&O Soc. (or at least a portion thereof). AG


General Summary

A Spiritual Retreat Environment is something that I am striving to create as a means to encourage and support the creative process. My propensity is to work in the theatrical arena and I view this forum as requiring all of the known arts& crafts as part of that process. With that in mind, I fully understand the strain that can come into the artist's life by struggling with his or her environment. As we grow older, we come to terms with this struggle, but by the time we learn how to cope with it, our creativity has suffered to a significant degree. I am in the process of formulating The Alpha & Omega Society. The purpose of the A&O Soc. is to endow and manage the affairs of the Spiritual Retreat and the Theatrical Development Centre. These are but two of the concepts which encompass the design for a larger community. It is my expectation, that like all of us, I will be passing on to the Spiritual World within the next few decades. As of this writing I am pushing 53, I'm in good health, and have no idea as to what my duration will be. But it could be tomorrow for all I know. So it is appropriate to make hay while the sun is shining. With this in mind, I am moving forward to publish the designs for this larger community. I have my doubts about my own ability to manifest this community in my life time, because I am not the kind of aggressive character that seems to be a trait of the developers I know. Rather, I choose to believe that the concept which I am putting forth is something that will manifest as a result of people of like mind, gradually coming together to implement an environment which offers regeneration to those persons who have a high degree of creative impulse and are dissatisfied with the way in which American society has developed as a whole. I do not want to imply that American Society is an adversary in this regard, rather I want to state specifically that the social environment in the greater part of the American Landscape has developed in a somewhat helter skelter fashion. The cities and the suburbs are a composite of individualism bolstered at it's foundation by the capitalistic compulsion to exploit any opportunity or resource for the sake of profit. In large part this has created an overall disjunction in society and a great deal of energy is expended trying to conjoin the social relationships in the face of that gulf which should never have occurred in the first place.

The larger principle in the Spiritual Retreat/Artists Colony concept is the establishment of a community design which functions on the basis of Harmony of the Whole in preference to the rights of the Individual. This is not to say that the rights of the individual are not significant and of extreme importance, but it is to say that they are not paramount. It is clear that the rights of the individual being proffered as having the highest degree of importance have caused a significant degree of contention within society. It is not that those rights are largely put forth as having that degree of importance, rather it is that individuals have taken on the opinion that their right to proceed without consideration for others is acceptable. This attitude is being protected under the misunderstood idea of freedom and the condition within our society is such that we have progressed too far beyond the edge of properly training our young people to counteract that attitude. The media has taken extreme liberties in the name of freedom of speech and Pandora's box has been opened. It is because of this that I feel it is necessary to create an environment that has been laid out Based on the Principles of Harmony.

In addition to the physical design of the facilities of the community, it is necessary to outline the management of the community as a whole. A great many of the principles on which our country was founded are quite applicable for the management of this microcosm, however there are a number of areas where we have gone astray. The objective of this Spiritual Retreat Environment,. The Alpha & Omega Society is to make adjustments based on the obvious errors in the functioning of the society in which we dwell. It is unfortunate that we cannot make those adjustment in a larger way, but the society has become unmanageable due in large part to it extreme size and diversity.

From my position, the objective methodology is for a society to be modeled after the creation. We are now aware of the molecular structure of matter and it is quite clear that the very foundation of the material world is consistent with that form. It seems quite clear to me that the social relationships, or rather the sphere of society needs to be principled on the same basis. It is on this basis that the experiment of The Alpha & Omega Society needs to be founded.

Theoretically, if this were the case, the expansion that would be required, would be modeled after the core structure. Eventually, the foundational structure would reach a harmonious balance of diversity that would not require expenditure of energy on conflict and would then encourage the creative impulse even in the face of entropy. The naturally occurring changes would be within the scope of predetermined boundaries that allow for a certain degree of latitude and thus support not only the feeling of freedom, but the actuality of it, because the modus operendi is that of the Harmony of the Whole and not the proliferation of the proprium, the source of disharmony. More Later AG