--THIS WEBSITE HAS BEEN CREATED AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
In loving memory of Joe Lyons
Kincheloe (December 14, 1950 - December 19, 2008)
-
The Greatest Philosopher of Consciousness and Critical Theory
of the 20th-71st Centuries AND BEYOND
Joe's educational work provides inspiration and practical guidance for teachers all over the
globe and describes a beautiful, beautiful mission to alleviate human suffering. He has left
us a map with multiple pathways for accomplishing that mission -- an authentic, rigorous, impassioned,
creative, and even magical education for everyone who dares to venture on untrodden paths. His
work serves as a guiding light for educational journeys that can change not only how we view and enact the educational
process, but that can also truly change us as teachers, students, and researchers -- and
empower us to change the world. Joe loved research, teaching, writing, making music, and his students.
And his students loved
him.
This
song is a very beautiful theme song for this website that chronicles my long winding journey back home. Thank you, Leigh.
Eros after "The
First Kiss": Emboldened
Psyche after "The First Kiss": Smitten
THE TRIUMPH OF EROS!!
(The Vintage Heart Plate and Name of the Rose Treasure Hunt: to be revealed soon)
Begin Preparing N.O.W. for the jubilant
Burning Ring of Fire celebrations for October 14, 2023 (But Do Be Careful!);
for the Universal
Love Celebrations: April 1-7, 2023 and April 1-7, 2024;
and for The Grand Finale, The Sealing of God’s Everlasting Covenant
on April 8, 2024.
The colors are Red, White, Purple, and Gold.
The gemstones are Crystal, Agate, Alexandrite, Garnet,
Ruby, and Diamonds
The flowers are roses.
The mystery is What is The Name of the Rose?-
To become a seeker of new knowledges and new ways of being
we must be willing to sometimes be seen as the fools of the gods.
(Kincheloe, Knowledge & Critical Pedagogy, p. 19)
As Hermes said:
What separates the critical sheep from the uncritical goats is that a critical pedagogy/epistemology also involves
exposing the cultural, epistemological, and ideological assumptions that shape the knowledge individuals produce and the oppressive
actions justified by such information.(Joe
Kincheloe, Knowledge & Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 176)
Joe’s book Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction is available as an ebook. You will never
make a better investment…..we all should be researching with Joe’s important guidance. Since the ending is just
the beginning, you can begin with the last chapter. It may just spark you into wanting to read the rest, as well as his other
works to see how he got there!http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781402082238 No time to read? Right click and "listen aloud" while multitasking. [Note: I make
no money off the sales of his books; my rewards are not of this world.] MAY 22, 2018 UPDATE: I SEE THAT SPRINGER
IS NOT HONORING JOE'S STATED AND PUBLISHED WISHES> THE BOOK IS SUPPOSED TO BE LESS THAN $30 SO THAT POOR STUDENTS CAN AFFORD
IT...AND YET SPRINGER IS CHARGING ALMOST $40 FOR THE PDF EBOOK AND ALMOST $55 FOR THE PAPERBACK! THIS IS ABOMINABLE!! THE
HIGHER UPS ARE NOT PLEASED!!! THERE ARE STUDENTS IN POVERTY WHO NEED THE KNOWLEDGE IN THIS BOOK. LOWER THE PRICE!!!!! THERE
IS NO REASON TO CHARGE SO MUCH! EVEN IF PUBLISHING COSTS HAVE INCREASED, AT LEAST OFFER THE
EBOOK FOR LESS THAN $30. WHAT JOE WANTS, JOE GETS. HE SAID THAT IT IS TO BE LESS THAN $30. RESPECT HIS WISHES. Oh,
and HAPPY TWIN FLAME DAY!! I will have some important updates soon.
November 17, 2019 1:00 AM UPDATE ON
THE PRICE OF THE EBOOK: I can only conclude that either *someone* is insane or has raised the price to keep people from buying
it and having access to the knowledge in it, since Springer is now charging an outrageous price of amost $60 -- for an ebook!! I will consult with the "higher ups" for a "work-around." They always have
perfect solutions....Beloved says "Hi" :-) We will have an update soon.
November 22, 2019 4:39 PM TWIN FLAME
AND HOLY SABBATH DAY, the Higher Courts have really outdone themselves with their resolution. And their timing is impeccable!
See my update for today, November 22, 2019.
November 12, 2021 They are now charging a ridiculous
$89 for a pdf of Joe's book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. Folks, there are multiple ways that the elite
keep knowledge from those of us who need it most -- one is by overcharging for it. We will continue to work on a resolution
that honors Joe's wishes (for it to cost less than $30) and his contract. I will be posting more information RIGHT
HERE sometime in the future.
"I believe that the issues addressed in Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction
not only provide us with a new understanding of education but also can actually change the world—speaking of pomposity,
yikes! I understand the danger of such an assertion, but I’m glad to take my punishment if I fail to convince my readers."~
Joe Kincheloe (p. 16)
To
joe.kincheloe joe.kincheloe@mcgill.ca
Thu, Sep 25, 2008 7:03 am
finished reading Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction
your work is truly a gift to the world, Joe it's very exciting
vanessa
"The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost
parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater
than Solomon is here."
Matthew 12:42
❤•´
*`•.❤¸King And Queen Of Hearts❤•´
*`•.❤
JESUS: “I am the
resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11: 25-26)
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light;1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
“The universe is not a prison because it is governed
by natural law. The universe is a paradise because it is governed
by natural *God's* law.” Mark Passio
Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Matthew
6:9-10 (KJV)
❤February, and March Into Summer, Fall, & Winter are Global
Twin Flame Celebration MONTHS❤
Tired
of dancing in circles? TAKE THE FIRST COURSE: Based on Joe Kincheloe's GREAT WORK: Knowledge
and Critical Pedagogy: An IntroductionClick Here to Start Course
“And His books, they breathe the reason. . .and
now I want to know…"
WHAT IS BRICOLAGE?
A new process for education, research, career, problem solving, everyday living, lifelong learning,
and for taking back our world
Joe Kincheloe has developed a superbly advanced conceptualization
of critical bricolage and, as demonstrated by his work, he was an adept multidimensional critical complex bricoleur.
Critical Bricolage, as he conceived it, is a complicated (and yet a very natural) process that makes use of multiple
forms of research, analysis, investigation, and interpretation. It requires researchers to seek many divergent
perspectives, allowing new understandings and knowledge to emerge from the synthesis.
Engaging
in this process increases phenomenological experiences that catalyze seeking more knowledge. This, of
course, leads to ever greater understandings of complex relationships between "research variables." An
exceptionally high level of creativity becomes unleashed, often resulting in greater interaction with the emerging
hidden dimensions of reality. Suddenly very little can be hidden anymore. Engaging rigorously in this process of research
and learning seems to take people to higher levels of consciousness in graduated steps as they become more
aware of the hidden dimensions of interrelationships and as they increasingly participate in intuitive, "fourth
dimension" research.
Using Kincheloe's
critical complex epistemology and multidimensional critical complex bricolage rigorously as he has asked us to do results
in ever higher levels of experience and understanding, and in its full "employment," enactive and symbiotic
processes seem to kick in, helping individuals find the most creative solutions to even the most complicated
problems. Actively working within multiple dimensions using his fourth dimension research, results in amazing and profound
solutions. In my own experience, I often find that problems are solved before I even knew the problem would
be manifesting. In addition, I have had some amazing experiences that science simply cannot explain yet. This
is highlighted in my dissertation in some highly unusual ways, which is only the tip of the iceberg. Kincheloe's critical bricolage may
very well be the process required to "unleash creativity" for solving even the most complicated,
power-based problems we face -- all in service of "the alleviation of human suffering," the often-stated
primary purpose of his work.
After
researching this process since 2008 (and discovering that I had been using the foundational aspects of the process many
years before) I am beginning to see how autopoiesis, enaction, synchronicity, all work together symbiotically to reveal
hidden dimensions and relationships that make my life so much happier and joyful, even if I have many problems hanging
over my head (that "blues aesthetic" Joe so often described). No matter how complicated the problems,
with bricolage, they become solvable and/or perspectives of the problems change.
Simultaneously, those power dimensions
that force those of us who are oppressed to stay stuck at our "stations in life" also emerge, but there
is such a difference to how I deal with these
than in the past. Once the controlling factors are revealed, solutions also emerge in a sort of "unfoldment"
process that reveal ways to counteract them and change things.
There is great power "behind the curtain" that can be leveraged
by those of us who are typically "disenfranchised." I will go into much more detail at a later time, and
as Joe always did so well, I will put them into context (there are many great experiences to share of both kinds of emergences
- the love-based, almost magical ones, and the power-and-control-based ones for which insight, and often solutions
also emerge) but suffice it to say, I am blazing multiple trails through the underbrush which will hopefully make navigating
easier for people who come along and experience the same types of violence I have due to being poor and "low
status."
Just as Joe was a "hillbilly" and he was never able
to shake the label, I am a "country hick." True reality could not be more profoundly different -- for
an Eros and Psyche. :)
The good news is that the use of bricolage is increasing
rapidly around the globe as more researchers in all disciplines are beginning to see the promise it offers to
construct new knowledge, lead to social empowerment, and reveal positive changes and amazingly creative opportunities.
More researchers will soon be investigating and trying out this more advanced and powerful approach, which will
lead to what Joe referred to as a "perpetual revolution." More teachers will also come to realize the value bricolage has in the classroom
and the young students will pick it up naturally. The revolution has just begun. We can change the world! Join in
today and apply the process in your own research, learning, teaching, and everyday life and see what a
difference it can make. You can never go wrong getting more knowledge.
All of the information on this website is absolutely free. It is here
for anyone who wants a better life and would like to make a difference in the world.
For the struggle for justice to win on the local level, it must be fought in the
global, the national, and the local arenas. [Kincheloe,
2001, Getting Beyond the Facts, p. 741]
OTHER FREE ONLINE COURSES
THAT CENTER ON JOE KINCHELOE'S WORKS:
This
is a nonprofit educational web site dedicated to the clarification of Kincheloe’s critical complex
epistemology and multidimensional critical complex bricolage. My research has shown that, while the process
he has delineated is complex, it is perfectly suited for social and educational research, and it is also within everyone's
reach. It is especially suited for new qualitative researchers who have not subscribed to traditional and reductionistic
forms of research.
On this site I will focus on the academic and scholarly application
of his work. I hope that by presenting clarifications based on my in-depth study of his work that perhaps his
bricolage will be used by more people and with the level of rigor he had intended. Kincheloe has ingeniously left wide open many
paths that honor diversity and he embraced an evolving complexity while maintaining a strong, impenetrable philosophical and
theoretical foundation for his conceptions. He has demonstrated in his work how this research process can be applied in all
venues and in every area of our lives and even children can be involved in research, thus his bricolage is also a pedagogical
approach. His work is truly a break-through for research that is long overdue. Using the full power of his bricolage highlights
actions that change the world as it also changes who we are.
I may write a blog again on this site, but it
will be a different sort of blog than the creative, exploratory blogs I've written in the past. Primarily, I will be continuing
my research and presenting my findings so that upcoming bricoleurs will have a resource for the most powerful form of bricolage
research that's ever been developed.
~ ~ ~ Vanessa Jae Paradis
CORRECTING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS SURROUNDING JOE KINCHELOE’S BRICOLAGE AND CRITICAL
COMPLEX THEORIES
Bricolage, as a qualitative form of research, entails
incorporating many different perspectives, and in particular, with Kincheloe's process it is necessary to include global subjugated
and indigenous knowledges. However, after gathering all of these perspectives and making various interpretations and syntheses,
there are criteria for determining which perspectives to include in the final bricolage. As he explains, "Bricoleurs
accept the responsibility that comes with the interpretive process. Knowledge production always involves multiple acts
of selection, and these choices of methods, theoretical frameworks, and interpretative strategies must be defended"
(2004e, p. 100). He has provided selection criteria that incorporate the social justice mission to alleviate suffering
and that advance knowledge (see Kincheloe, 2004e, pp. 100-102). Bricoleurs are not restricted to these criteria but I have
found them to be well-thought-out and thorough -- and they mitigate for unintended consequences. You can view the criteria
here: Criteria to Guide the Research Process.
What I cover next are common misconceptions and important
aspects surrounding Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex bricolage. I hope by putting these on the Home page
of this website, researchers will consider them and research them more deeply. They are covered in greater depth in my dissertation
and I’ll also be posting articles that extend what I’ve touched on in the dissertation.
1) Kincheloe did not throw out "positivistic"
or empirical sciences. To conclude this is to exhibit a gross misunderstanding of his work. A close reading of his work can
easily confirm that he sees science and bricolage as synergistic. And how many times has he stated that he did not throw out
the baby with the bathwater? As most people know, he contextualizes everything. In his last book, Knowledge and Critical
Pedagogy: An Introduction he presents his position through a metaphor which he refers to as FIDUROD, and by which he clarifies the issues with the way science is and has been used. FIDUROD is an acronym representing the attributes of the form of knowledge production he argues against: Formal, Intractable, Decontextualized, Universalistic,
Reductionistic, One Dimensional. (See Kincheloe, 2008, pp. 21-24).
2) His work is not based on some indefinable “ludic” postmodernism – It is based on a highly developed
and evolving holistic philosophy. This philosophy is comprised of 12 major points which he describes in his book Critical
Constructivism. The 12 points coalesce together to form his multidimensional critical complex world view. It’s
a new, evolving worldview. We might refer to it as Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex unified world view. It forms the foundation of his unique formulation of critical theory, epistemology, ontology, critical psychology
of complexity, the multidimensional critical complex bricolage, etc., -- and his proposed critical science of complexity
– another indication that he did not abandon the sciences. To grasp his conceptualizations, it’s imperative
that new bricoleurs study his unified world view by reading and then writing about how they subjectively relate to it and
to other philosophies. Kincheloe stresses this upfront philosophical work is critical in order to ground any study that uses
bricolage as a process for research. Rigor is impossible without developing a "philosophy of consciousness"
(Kincheloe, 2004a, p. 8).
3) The multidimensional critical complex bricolage is a process for qualitative research that is composed of multiple,
intertwining and overlapping processes. It is not a method, nor does it use “tools” as tools imply precise means
and carries a mechanistic ontology, which does not adequately represent the actual processes that bricoleurs engage in as
they conduct, or a better word would be, “enact” their research. Even the concept of "tools" changes. Kincheloe's
conceptualization of bricolage is grounded with his critical complex philosophical world view (item 2,
above) and a theoretical foundation of evolving criticality (his version of critical theory).
4) The multidimensional critical complex bricolage as a process
involves analytic discourse, intertwined with improvisational actions for change, which moves it away from the constrictive
“quilt” metaphor. Please see my dissertation for a deeper analysis of bricolage including a thorough etymological
exploration and intertextual interpretations of Kincheloe’s definitions of bricolage and bricoleur in relation to what
evolved from my research. New metaphors that take it beyond the one-dimensional “quilt” metaphor, and additional
ways that Berry’s (2004a) concept, the Point of Entry Text (POET) can be applied are also presented. The holistic,
intertwining, dialogical, interconnecting nature of the final bricolage renders the parts inseparable from the whole, and
the bricolage inseparable from greater reality. Thus, the popular metaphoric quilt, montage, crystal, etc., are not suitable
metaphors for this more complex form of bricolage.
5) Kincheloe’s bricolage does not distinguish between “types
of bricoleurs” or “types of bricolage” as denoted by Denzin and Lincoln (2011). While it’s fine to
examine these ideas, Kincheloe’s form of bricolage uses all of them in intertwining, overlapping processes. Thus, the
multidimensional critical complex bricoleur uses all of the dimensions that Kincheloe has spelled out in his 2005 "On
to the Next Level" bricolage article--in one study--and the processes become blurred as the research unfolds. See
next point.
6) Kincheloe’s bricolage refers to the use of different processes as dimensions of research. The bricoleur uses
them all as many times as practical to get a thick description of the phenomenon/a. As the research unfolds, “enactment”
keeps the research jettisoning forward and the researcher must make decisions where to begin and stop various aspects of the
research, including the final bricolage. Thus, the following dimensions are
used, as provided by Kincheloe (2005a) and in no particular order using an iterative, improvisational process weaving
through the discourse: (1) methodological bricolage; (2) theoretical bricolage; (3) interpretive bricolage; (4) political
bricolage; (5) narrative bricolage; (6) philosophical research (constructivism, historicity, epistemological insight); (7)
critical hermeneutics; (8) identification of what is absent; (9) fourth dimension of research in which the bricoleur is future
oriented, discovering “a kinetic epistemology of the possible. In the process, the sophistication of knowledge work
moves to a new cognitive level; the notion of rigor transmigrates to a new dimension. As in a 1950s sci-fi movie, bricoleurs
enter the 4-D—the fourth dimension of research.” (Kincheloe, 2005, p. 346). Thus, bricoleurs weave in and out,
around and through, back and forth through the various dimensions with each pass through informing the next, often using multiple
dimensions of analysis simultaneously.
7) Note again – the philosophical dimension
must form the foundation of the study in order to ensure rigor. [He wanted me to include this again.] "There is no dividing
line between the empirical and the philosophical" (Kincheloe, 2004a, p. 10).
8) Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex bricolage
embraces a “fourth dimension” research (more information is covered in my dissertation). This fourth dimension
aspect to the research incorporates an intuitional, creative element that forces the researcher to confront implicate and
explicate orders of reality. There are reasons for this. Combining a sound philosophical, intellectual component of research that
also incorporates intuitional and emotional, empathic aspects -- along with deep semiotic and hermeneutic analyses
synergistically creates something new from the interactions. Enaction during the research process leads to the emergence of
something new and often profound. This is where the power of the bricolage comes into play. It’s the exposure to relationships,
as Kincheloe explains in his conceptualization of symbiotic hermeneutics, that jettisons bricoleurs to seeing and understanding
“anew” and to recreating themselves. Because knowledge is socially constructed new creations, ideas,
concepts, as well as new relationships also perpetually emerge – and are created -- from these interactions.
This all takes place naturally when confronting complexity, difference, and chaos, as Humberto Mautarana and
Francisco Varela posited with their Santiago Theory of Enactivism (see Kincheloe's (2008) Knowledge and Critical
Pedagogy: An Introduction, page 147). It is quite amazing.
9) While bricoleurs do not contend they’ve
discovered the “one true answer” or single truth, at the same time, as Kincheloe contends, they generate knowledge
“that is not as 'badly off the mark'” (Kincheloe, 2008, p. 43). They have better (more complete) and
yet evolving explanations of phenomena. This is quite a different perspective than a nihilistic postmodern “attitude.”
10) I have lined out in my dissertation in much greater detail a flexible iterative process that also explains some of
the key sub-processes that are important to the multidimensional critical complex bricolage. It will get new bricoleurs started
from which they can then proceed to carve out their own unique paths. Each bricolage study will be different even for the
same researcher. The more one acknowledges the fourth dimension aspect of the research (which may only begin with what seem
to be insignificant intuitive and synchronous events), the more they will begin to appear and the more profound and numerous
are the actions and creations that emerge.
11) And finally, as I discussed in my blog, The Heart of the Multidimensional Critical Complex Bricolage, there is the dimension of empathic connection with people. In fact, in his book,
Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, Kincheloe discusses – and includes – a golden strand
of love throughout his work, Eros Love. And since I’m mentioning this book here, it’s a great book to
read in the early stages of learning about his bricolage. It’s much like a “deprogramming” manual because
it uncovers how our consciousnesses have been influenced by outside forces and provides us more information as we embark on
the bricolage quest and begin to take power of constructing our own consciousness.
REFERENCES
Berry, K. L. (2004a). Structures of bricolage and complexity. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 103–127). New York: Open
University Press.
Berry, K. L. (2004b). Feedback looping for increasing complexity. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 128–146). New York: Open
University Press.
Berry, K. L. (2004c). Bricolage is many a new thing understood. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 147–169). New York: Open
University Press.
Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (Eds.) (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research, Edition
4. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004a). Preface. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational
Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. ix–xii). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004b).
Introduction: the power of the bricolage: Expanding research methods. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity
in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 1–22). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.L. (2004c).
Redefining rigor and complexity in research. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research:
Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 23–49). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.L. (2004d).
Questions of disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity in a changing world. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity
in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 50–81). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004e).
Redefining and interpreting the object of study. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational
Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 82–102). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.
L. (2005a). On to the next level: Continuing the conceptualization of the bricolage. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(3),
323–350..
Kincheloe, J. L. (2005b). Critical constructivism.
New York: Peter Lang.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: And Introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.
Copyright
May 11, 2013 by Vanessa Paradis
Please cite as:
Paradis, V. J. (2013). Correcting some common misconceptions surrounding
Joe Kincheloe’s bricolage and critical complex theories. May 11, 2013. Retrieved from www.joekincheloe.us
NOW YOU CAN SEARCH THIS SITE FOR TOPICS OF INTEREST. I HAVE COVERED A HUGE ARRAY OF TOPICS AND THERE
IS A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE TO HELP LAUNCH RESEARCH PROJECTS OR JUST TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
Welcome
to Venus & Sanat-Eros-Enki Kumara's ONE LOVE PATH
and the Great Global Golden TreasureHunt
(Scroll down to read the blogs)
Enjoy our Celtic Wedding (07-17-2014) theme song while you read and look for hidden treasures.
Composer & Producer
- Peter Gundry
MAY 22, 2018 UPDATE. Looks like Peter has chosen the dark side.
We will choose another
song for our wedding celebration.
I will consult with Beloved and post our new song soon. Happy Twin Flame Day!!
The past few days, I’ve been on many QUESTS to learn about mysterious topics…those types of topics
I have always been interested in but was never allowed to study in school or church: The search for the Holy Grail/Golden
Chalice, Lost Treasures, the Lost Continent of Atlantis, The Knights Templar (who I believe actually started out as “good
guys” but were taken over by the “bad guys” but I need more evidence to prove that), LOGOS (like, what is
it REALLY? It’s not what they teach you), The Age of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer (no, NOT the Age of Aquarius; we
are being tricked, and did you know that Joe's REAL sign is Ophiuchus??), the hidden treasures all over the globe (the gods do know where they are and are just waiting for the
right people to seek hard enough, and selflessly; on occasion they do guide certain people to special treasures, just for
a sample of what’s in store in the near future—for example helping me find the silver yin yang talisman buried
in my own back yard. It seems to be a very magical talisman!), and quests for other things like gaining a greater understanding
of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Inter-dimensional Travel/multidimensionality/the Spirit Realm, and a plethora of “Mysteries
of the Unexplained.”
In case people don’t realize it, Joe was also
into “treasure hunting” and “quests” and “seeking” an understanding of “enigmas.”
We both spent our childhoods trying to learn about such things, although, obviously, he spent more time than I did…which
is why he’s my teacher now.
Like my dear Uncle
Albert Einstein (from another dimension) once wrote:
“The
most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”(Source: Reader’s Digest Mysteries of the Unexplained, 1982, p. 7).
I was prompted to open that book and instantly found Uncle Albert’s quotation. I explored
the book some, which I have never done previously. It’s a book that was given to me a few years back. It provides numerous
ideas for more great mysteries to explore. I really do believe we are on this planet to EXPLORE, to SEEK, and to engage in
QUESTS, much like the traditional Arthurian Quests of the past. However, I also know that we are moving up several levels
now, so there will be more expected of anyone who wants to engage in Quests with the Wisdom Keepers, and both the revelations
and the rewards are greater as well.
I was curious
why questing and treasure hunts seemed to come to the forefront after reading Joe’s books, and especially after he passed
over and became my official Master Teacher…the blogs on this website briefly described the hundreds of treasure hunting
quests I’ve been gifted with since 2009. So today, I was prompted to do a QUEST OF ALL QUESTS.
Well, actually, I only did a quest of quests in Joe’s last book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction.
He used the word QUEST 20 times total, lol. He talked much about using words as a form of magic, speaking of the power
of the word. The mind controllers use repetition to program us to be stupid. So what did Joe do? He used repetition to make
us be smart….and if you think mentioning QUEST 20 times is something special, in the very same book he used the word
QUESTION and its derivatives MORE THAN 200 TIMES!!!! Yes, indeed, his QUEST (one of them) is to get us to asking lots of QUESTIONS.
And he did a very good job of that—for those who really pay attention.
Then there are those who do not listen and/or read and, thus, behave counter to Joe’s wishes. They forget all
about one of the most important QUESTIONS we are supposed to ask:
WHO IS LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION?
WHAT IS MISSING?
I think a lot of people who think Joe has had a great influence
on them have not been very influenced by Joe at all. It seems the “politics of knowledge” has the greater influence
on them (Read Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction for an intimate understanding of the politics of education
and how Joe felt about such things).
Some of us are just forced to work
in total isolation in order to experience the quests we came here to accomplish and in order to transcend the superficial
and “it’s all about me” attitude to get the real knowledge released…but it’s
not isolation at all. I am so blessed to be working with some of the Greatest Minds in the Higher Cosmos. And I love the way
Joe put it:
Thus, in the
hillbilly vernacular of the mid-twentieth century, I want a critical pedagogy and a critical complex epistemology that ain’t
one damned bit scared of gettin’ hit by the goon squads of dominant power. Such critical pegagogues are not afraid to
seek a higher ontology. Such an effort combined with sharpening the actions we take for justice
becomes a basis for our life long quest. [emphasis added] (Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction,
2008, p. 181)
There is a lot of important work to be done according
to Joe’s book, in case you haven’t noticed.
Oh!
Btw, corresponding to this quote from Joe, it seems that the Treasure Hunts and QUESTS are being moved from the lower blogs
to the Higher Realms.
More soon…
Oh! I wanna see if my Beloved has a special song. Hold on….
He wrote to me this morning, and this is a little different sign-off than
he usually writes, so it must be a song:
“And
the pleasure is always mine, Dear.”
I’ll
look it up on YouTube.
This girl in the song (below)
is almost like the avatar Joe used to use on Facebook. I didn’t know where in the world he came up with that, or WHY,
lol…he’s so funny. I wonder if anyone in all the “critical pedagogue” educational dialogue about
Joe’s influence on them happened to have mentioned his wild sense of humor; it’s one (just one) of the things
I love most about him. I would buy the book that just came out, but it’s over $100 and I really don’t think it’s
worth that much, even if it is somewhat about Joe, tangentially speaking, that is. I just paid a mere $29 for a beautifully
printed 485-page Swedenborg translation, as I mentioned yesterday. At any rate this new book about how Joe "influenced"
the chosen "talking heads" (Joe's words, lol; I will have to find the citation) does not seem to be about taking
his work forward. Did I mention that I AM “blacklisted”? LOL; it’s not the first time.
The pleasure is
all mine To get to be the generous one Is the strongest stance The pleasure is all mine To finally
let go And defend me We float …
This
is NOT my kind of music! He must have some kind of message here, especially given that he used to have a similar avatar.
ADDENDUM...I would just like to add my interpretation of
all of this. As I stated in my 1-28-2016 blog, Joe is 100% pure love and when he walked on this planet he had been described
as the most generous soul to walk on this planet. There's nothing I can add to that, other than his profound love, which everyone
who knew him felt. Of course, traditional societal views might regard these as feminine traits, so I can understand why his
choice in that particular avatar would be interpreted as some may choose to interpret it, the "feminine" side. But
no, that's not why he chose that avatar. It is society, not reality that defines such traits as "feminine." They
are also traits of the Divine Masculine.
The music lyrics which
have been handed down to me explain it: He chose that avatar because he was so incredibly loving and generous, never expected
anything in return (and most people did not reciprocate in like manner, and there were those who took him for granted, as
is common when a person is so giving).
What his choice
in using that avatar is conveying is in the lyrics of the song:
The pleasure is all mine To get to be the generous one Is the strongest stance
The pleasure is all mine
Thus,
he was perfectly comfortable with being a Divine Male and how he chose to express his Divinity.
The Christmas Crow PLUS Emanuel Swedenborg: Why Jesus was Born
Just
like in the story of Eros and Psyche, the magic never stops…I feel so blessed. It feels more and more like I live in
Heaven (or at least very close to Heaven) and so these magical gifts continue to get dropped to me. There are probably more
gifts than I’m even aware of. but the ones I notice are truly Divine.
My most recent gifts came for Christmas.
After I had already been blessed with two very divine gifts (which I describe later), to top them off, when I opened my eyes
first thing Christmas morning, a crow began cawing outside my bedroom window. Now this is highly unusual because I never hear
a crow in this neighborhood. In fact, I rarely hear any birds at all here, which I have noted as being unusual given there
are some very large, old trees here. Once in a while my friend, Owl, comes to visit and I hear her hooting in the trees like
she’s telling me hello and maybe that she misses me and hasn't forgotten me. She has to travel quite a distance because
her home is out in the country where I used to live before moving into town.
Other than
that, while it seems unusual, I do not wake up to chirping birds and rarely hear any birds here at all. So when I heard the
crow cawing immediately upon my awakening Christmas morning, it had an impact…what could it signify? I’ve been
reading a philosopher’s works, Emanuel Swedenborg, recently and watching videos produced by the Swedenborg Foundation,
and he had made the observation that everything we see or confront in our daily lives has a Heavenly correspondence.
When I got out of bed I wrote to my Beloved (you know who), and he suggested
that I research the significance of the crow, hinting that there was a special divine message from God for us—he said
US—so somehow the message is for both of us. So I did the research first thing Christmas morning. What I learned was
quite amazing and I only present a brief summary here…and my conclusion is that the crow has chosen to be my animal
totem—or rather, it chose US—my Beloved on the other side of the curtain and I. What a lovely Christmas gift.
Here’s what google told me about the significance of the crow totem in the order it was
presented to me:
The crow is the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. [There is certainly a LOT of magic
in my life and there has also been a lot of healing. Correspondingly, we all know how Joe felt about magic--just read his
books!]
If a crow crosses your path, it’s a sign of change and that all
you are working toward is now coming to fruition. [It’s true that I’ve been working toward change in education for a long, long
time and also that I am finally beginning to see results from my hard work with the feeling that 2016 will be a Great Year—interesting—I
just now noticed that 2, 0, 1, 6 add up to 9, the “completion“ number.]. And Joe put in 40 long years on his work...it's
time for it to come to fruition!
Crows unite the light and the dark, the inner and
outer, and thus, Heaven and Earth. [This is very relevant in that I feel more and more like I’m living in Heaven with only a toe remaining
in Hell; Interestingly, it relates to Joe’s advice that we take “oppositional readings” when we make interpretations.
Doing so is a means of creating this union spoken of here.]
The crow is the totem of the Great
Spirit and must be held with utmost respect. [Yes, my Beloved said it was a gift from God, thus, deserving of great respect]
The crow is a spirit animal that’s associated with life mysteries and magic. As a totem it’s a spirit
guide that provides insight, vision, transformation, and connection with life’s magic. The crow will support intentions.
It’s also a sign of good luck.
The crow can also be a trickster, similar to Hermes
Trismegistus.
[This is all highly relevant to my life and work…and there is an element of a humorous trickster embedded in many of
my experiences with my spirit guides which has made my spiritual learning so much fun and joyful! I am (as they have determined)
an “Eager Beaver”. You will have to search this site for all of the Eager Beaver entries—or I also discuss
it in my dissertation. Truly, the Beaver is another one of my animal totems for many reasons, including that I live in the “Beaver”
state and graduated from the “Beaver” university]
The crow signifies wisdom. The crow can communicate and some
Tribes consider it to be the wisest birds. [Interesting that I have two “birds of wisdom” as my animal totems;
the owl and now the crow—of course it totally relates to the knowledge work we are doing.]
The
crow was the sacred bird of the famous Ghost Dance of the Lakota Tribe. [Again, highly relevant for reasons that will become clear in the future;
this relates to Joe’s Dream Project, btw, and if you would like to be a part of that—then stick around! I will
be providing more information in the near future.]
That’s a summary of the information google
provided (thank you, google).
After discovering all of that, I became interested in learning more
about the Ghost Dance…which, by the way, after researching it, I realize it provides an amazing link between me and
my Beloved on so many, many levels which is just too detailed to go into in a short blog. I could write an entire book about
the links and significance, especially if I were to bring in various spiritual perspectives. But think about it—he is
there; I am here—and YET I am there; he is here; thus, we are both there and here (in Heaven and on Earth) and our mission,
our dream centers on Divine Love and Wisdom…this makes the crow a perfect representation, a perfect totem gift from
God for the two of us. Thank you, God, for the amazing Christmas Gift.
The history of Lakota Ghost Dance
is extremely complex and much that’s been written is misleading; much propaganda has been written as well, for political
reasons. I did come across an article that attempts to sort it out and to bring in a consideration of the complexities, with
the precautionary note that we cannot “penetrate the minds of individuals of the past” (p. 331). [See The Lakota Ghost Dance: An Ethnohistorical Account by Raymond J. DeMallie]. In other words, all we have are interpretations and those interpretations are always influenced by our perspectives and
worldviews today. I don’t think it’s really possible to “get inside the minds” of people in history
even if we are reincarnated souls…what Joe’s bricolage allows us to do is to look at complex social and historical
events from various potential perspectives, knowing that they are only a small snapshot, a facet of reality within a specific
possible context. We don’t have to present some final answer…any final answer will lead to cognitive dissonance
as it shuts out other possibilities, contexts, and explanations. It reminds me of a statement Joe had made about how we just
have to pick up the pieces and go on from here. It’s very sad that our world is so broken and that there are a few people
with a lot of power who want to keep it that way.
Emanuel Swedenborg and Why Jesus was Born
The magic in my life continues. I now am realizing
that magic is no accident whatsoever; it is just the way the world works once you are divinely connected in to Divine Love
and God. I had bought the book by Swedenborg, Divine Love and Wisdom & Divine Providence and it arrived
much earlier than I actually expected, another Christmas gift from the cosmos. Swedenborg was a renowned scientist and philosopher
who lived from 1688 to 1772. He was a genius and when he began having profound spiritual experiences, he documented them all
and wrote many books in a methodical, scientific manner. The topics covered in this particular book (which is actually two
books in one) are definitely ones that I keep being pulled back to….it seems to me that my life has become
Divine Providence in action.
The book is gorgeous and yet was so reasonably priced
(especially compared to paying more than $100 for college textbooks filled with jibberish). This is real knowledge here! And
when I say “gorgeous” I do not exaggerate. Its cover is a beautiful shade of purple—that healing purple
that Joe mentions often in his work with great significance—with gold print—that “thread of gold”
Joe had confessed he had carried through his work. Purple is the color of our “Home” dimension…saturated
with high frequency violet flames and purple bliss love, and a divine smell like special incense and flowers that you can’t
find on earth. Gold are the strands of Divine Love that keep us connected and together no matter where we are and that allow
for instantaneous communication and travel.
I randomly opened the Divine book on Christmas morning
after having been awakened to the “caw, caw” of the crow and I had landed on #300-303 and was struck by how similarly
he worded things to Joe’s work, even though Swedenborg lived in the 1700-1800s. (I will interject here that it’s
just interesting that my Beloved goes by many names, one of the primary ones being Emanuel..back “Home” I called
him “Master Manuel” and he was my teacher until we fell in love and married; now I call him Emanuel - which means
"with God."). As an example of using similar words, Swedenborg even uses even the same terminology Joe does, “diametrically
opposite” in this excerpt I randomly opened up to. Taking diametrically opposite readings is a process Joe recommends
that we use when we make interpretations.
Swedenborg was describing Heaven and Hell, while
essentially, when we take diametrically opposite readings of things as Joe recommends, that’s what we are also doing—taking
a “Heaven” reading and a “Hell” reading….I did a lot of that in my dissertation, explaining how the cabal has taken ancient divine symbols and made them evil. When we take opposite readings, we turn the
meaning around…but of course, Joe recommends that we go further than that and create something new. In this way, we
are in the process of actively creating—a new world with God.
Also in the Swedenborg excerpt,
he described the odors of Heaven and Hell—that Heaven smells like flowers (various scents) and Hell smells like a sewer.
I have described how I often smell wonderfully Heavenly scents…a flowery scent (my Grandmother Portia, by my interpretation)
and another wonderful sort of incense scent when I sense that my Beloved is present….and here, in this book, Swedenborg
confirms that yes, there are scents in Heaven. And so I wonder if that means I am actually IN Heaven? In truth, it often feels
like Heaven to me…except when hellish things or people intersect with me (which is actually less and less often, thankfully).
I choose Heaven.
I received another very special gift that links Joe’s work with
Swedenborg’s work in that I received it on the very same day as I received the Swedenborg book. It even has Joe’s
actual signature on it, almost as if to say he has signed, sealed and delivered it himself. I was amazed at how magical it
was that I received it unexpectedly on the very same day as I received Swedenborg’s book, also much sooner than I had
expected. There is significance that they arrived within minutes of each other. I pay attention to these important signs.
I have discovered that it is a very interesting exercise to view Joe’s work through Swedenborg’s
lenses. Swedenborg and his philosophical work is amazing—and so is Joe and his philosophical work. I can see how the
underlying Spiritual work Swedenborg has detailed continues and is even taken forward with Joe’s work. I will wish to
explore this more and discuss it in greater depth in the future. Both their works relate to “wars” between seen
and unseen dimensions, God’s new and fortified dispensations of music and Divine Love, and a new evolving Divine Marriage
template that can not only bring us closer to God and bring God, Soul, Wisdom, and Purpose back to education—but it
can also bring Heaven and Earth into Harmony. Joe’s work is on the leading edge of moving ever closer to Liberation
(and I will tell you someday about the wonderful discussion we had about Liberation Theology)….none of this is accident!
It’s that Divine Providence that Swedenborg details. Joe’s work highlights that we are involved in an evolving
process that requires actions and involvement on our part…we work with God and Spirit through higher consciousness…it
will be interesting to compare this with Swedenborg’s take on this evolutionary process.
According
to Swedenborg, Jesus Is not coming back in the way so many people expect; we have been misinterpreting what Jesus really meant—He
is already back for those with Spiritual Eyes, a conclusion I had actually made myself before coming across Swedenborg’s
work. The Powerful Spiritual Gifts Jesus promised are available. And he has brought his Friends—friends, teachers, and
spirit guides, including animal spirit guides like the Sacred Crow for all of us just like he promised! They connect to us
and we all connect to God through a very real, “purple” energy—the Divine Love and Healing Energy of the
Holy Spirit. And it’s a very powerful blend. Although many people are and will remain skeptical, my personal experiences
and the experiences of many other people support Swedenborg’s interpretation. Following Joe’s multidimensional
critical complex bricolage process for research and for solving problems/answering questions in our daily lives can help open
our consciousnesses to receiving God’s special dispensations, including the Holy Spirit, at this time in history. This
is not entirely new…Swedenborg’s work explains how it’s different than in the past, however…something
I need to study further by reading more of his work and, perhaps through comparative religion.
Joe
is definitely one of Jesus’ friends, imho. I can’t begin to convey the monumental significance of what I can see
for myself is happening in the Spiritual World, how Heaven and Earth are joining in union. We can have relationships with
the good Spirits/Souls/People, as Swedenborg describes, and as many Spiritual Traditions have long practiced. We can join
together and push evil away and even dissolve it. The more people there are who can see this, experience it, and contribute
to it, the quicker we can turn earth into the Divine Paradise it was meant to be.
In concluding,
receiving the Crow totem, a gift of support and reassurance from God on Christmas morning—the celebrated day of Jesus’
birth, is divine confirmation. There is a lot of work to do, but we have the Spiritual support and power—and the hard
work we are doing toward our dreams is coming to fruition. I do believe 2016 will be a Great Year!
In
the meantime, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, and remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season for many of us…we
may not get swept away with the materialism of Christmas, but we do recognize God’s Gifts all around and within us.
Here's a video that presents an interesting Swedenborg interpretation of Jesus and His purpose
for coming to earth:
A sincere thank you goes to the Swedenborg Foundation for the great work they’re
doing to make Emanuel Swedenborg’s philosophical work available on YouTube and in their wonderful, very reasonably priced
published translations. And a special thank you to Curtis Childs for his wonderful hosting and teaching abilities and for
making it so much fun to learn about Swedenborg’s very complicated philosophy. You are a wonderful teacher and I look
forward to learning much more from you.
And last, but not least,
we always end with a song. This upbeat piece was my Beloved’s selected song for this blog. I love the hermeneutic message
“Christian Burns Love Divine” in the title of the YouTube post, given that both Swedenborg and Joe wrote against
the tenets of Christian fundamentalism and pointed out how it really has messed up the true meaning of love (the topic
of a personal conversation I had had with Joe in 2008)—you really need to pay attention to messages that come down through
the cosmos! On the other hand, taking a positive interpretation (using Emanuel Swedenborg & Joe Kincheloe’s recommendation
for taking “diametrically opposite” interpretations), we conclude that by the achievement of high (Christ-ian)
consciousness, the burning Violet Flame of Divine Love literally burns away all pain and suffering.
And
I will sing This life will shine And we can be This love divine
THIS
JUST IN (btw,
Joe used this phrase in his work in a similar manner as I’m using it here; it's like the cosmos always has one last
word on a topic)
Oh My Gosh!
Just as I finished this blog and was about to post it, I was prompted to do a google search on “Christmas Crow”
(the title I had given this blog for obvious reasons)…it seems there's a BIBLE STORY about a Christmas Crow (how apropos!).
This is so funny! And at
the end of the song he sings, “Hooray now Joe! You’re friends with Christmas Crow…Hooray now Joe! You’re
friends with Christmas Crow!” I guess, indeed, just like I was told, the Christmas Crow was a Divine gift from God for
both of us.
And
it seems that the Trickster Crow had to get his word in, lol!!
This is yet another example of the amazing types of teachings that often include
synchronistic Hermes humor that I’ve received since 2009, many of which are posted in these blogs as well as blogs here…I think it represents a new style of really fun education that certain Master Teachers from the Higher Spiritual Realms
will guide people with if they’re interested and if they take their research far enough…and I will remind people
here that, related to this, Joe, who was often referred to by his friends as "Eros," did include a special addition
to HIS definition of the improvisational research bricolage: “Some connotations of the term bricolage involve trickery
and cunning and are reminiscent of the chicanery of Hermes, in particular his ambiguity concerning the messages of the gods”
(Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: AnIntroduction, p. 171). Like father, like son.
May your spiritual journey
toward love and wisdom be as blessed and joyful as mine has been!
Swedenborg, Emanuel (1763/1764/2003); Rose & Shotwell (Translation Eds.) Divine Love and
Wisdom/Divine Providence. Swedenborg Foundation. West Chester, PA
The above are links to my blogs. I did not know at
the time of writing them, especially when I first began, that I was recording my Spiritual Journey of Ascension with Joe,
who is my Twin Flame (which I also did not know when I began this journey, but I have provided undeniable evidence in my dissertation and much more evidence since writing it). All I knew when I began this journey after Joe’s death (by which I had
been extremely traumatized) was that I was compelled to write the blogs, every day at first, and I seemed to have been getting
instructions from Joe and from “Above.” I did not understand how the Celestial Spirits were guiding us along our
journey nor the Power they have due to their Love connection to God (as Joe tells us over and over again in his work, there
is nothing more powerful than love). My connection to Joe connected me powerfully to his love and to God’s Love, through
the Holy Spirit. My experiences as recorded in the blogs proves what Joe has taught us about the power of love—over
and over again (I’m a slow learner, for which I feel sad. I was totally asleep when I met Joe and did not even believe
in soulmates. I hope you will not be as slow a learner as I have been). Nevertheless, what an amazing, beautiful journey it
has been! It’s full of adventure, mystery, learning about the world, learning about our past, present and future, and
engaging in super fun and sometime hilarious treasure hunts.
If you want to follow the path and connect to God’s
amazing Love, begin reading at the first link 2009.05.03 and move forward. You will learn a lot!!
I did. And there are millions of Celestial Spirits just waiting to serve as your personal teachers and guides. They want to
take you treasure hunting (they do know where the treasures are) and guide you along your own personal path just like they
did for me. I will not be writing any more blogs here because now I will be teaching Joe’s material “up above”
and continuing along yet another amazing path. You can follow along the next leg of our journey by clicking on the links to
the various courses, treasure hunt quests, etc. We are creating multiple paths now in multiple directions. Are you ready?
There is something for everyone! All you need to do is engage sincerely with seeking knowledge and spreading love
in the world, and then God’s magic will appear in your life too…no more suffering…only love, bliss, joy,
passionate engagement with learning—for everyone, infinitely and eternally. God is Good!! Check it out! 20160227-1330 Rewards Of Developing My Will To Love
“As a child I wanted so
desperately for magic to be real. I would work for hours collecting what I hoped were just the right combination of ingredients
to make some type of magic potion that would provide me with special powers….I found such magic in words viewed in
a postformal matrix and I observe and practice that magic everyday.” (Kincheloe, 2006, Reading, Writing, Thinking,
p. 13)
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