The pattern of human events often imitates the patterns of natural phenomena. We see this in governing. Bad governments, founded in violence, swing wildly to and fro. Finally they fly from their tether and crash to the ground, doing great harm. A wise ruler is not identified by the calmness of his or her rule, but resilience of benefit. By resilience of benefit I mean that when a sage rules is faced with critical events the response may be radical, but the government never flies from its tether. It returns gradually to a natural pattern. Such a system of rule can be maintained for centuries, ever benefitting the people.

In the larger context of history we can see many phenomena that begin as wide swings of a pendulum, eventually settling down until the motions are so subtle that only the trained eye can see them.

In bloodless sacrifice, though there is an outward symbolic token of offering, the sacrifice is much deeper and more subtle than the sacrifice of an another being’s life. The bloodless sacrifice is the sacrifice of self. This act is seen in all faiths founded on love.

In the Avatarian Way we seek through our daily activities to pursue a life of offering. We offer our time to help those who are new to Second Life (while secretly regretting that ‘wear’ now defaults to right hand instead of head). We offer our money and tier to the Order to allow it to pass these material offerings along to those needing them in our world and in the big world. We also have a visible, symbolic offering of food and wine called for by the pronouncements of the Avatarian Oracle. Lastly, we have the Oracle itself. By following the directions of the Avatarian Oracle to the best of our abilities in Second Life we carry forward a tradition that is as old as monasticism itself---obedience

The Avatarian Way is the juncture of many ancient roads. Please think of the items I have discussed in today’s article in the context of your own faith or culture.