Deadly Sin Inconvenience 1 - Covetousness

I've been avoiding introducing this topic for a while because it can be a difficult subject to discuss.As indicated, The Conveniences are positive statements about how to help people.The Renegade Conveniences are statements that are not particularly helpful, but are still primarily benign. They may encourage some greed or may try to profit from the dreamscape, but they are not intentionally harmful.The next category within the dream realm is that of The Inconveniences.The people who have written The Inconveniences intend harm. They are deliberately trying to lead others into pain, confusion, and misery.I'll introduce an Inconvenience now and then, perhaps weekly, but perhaps not. As I said, The Inconveniences, their temptations, and their instructions can be quite difficult and painful to contemplate.But, as an academic researcher, it is, of course, exceedingly important for me to address them directly and not to pretend that they don't exist.This particular Inconvenience was created sometime between 1850 and 1910.  Convenience scholars have attempted to narrow the timeline, but have so far been unable to do so.We do know that this particular Inconvenience writer based her recommendations on the Seven Deadly Sins.Please note that each page of the various versions of The Inconveniences typically contains the image of an upside-down heart.This page has this image at the top, on the left and right. To repeat, The Inconveniences are meant to injure the human heart, and this repeated image of the upside-down heart further emphasizes that point.The Inconveniences are the greatest immediate antagonist to the goodness and helpfulness of The Conveniences.

Covetousness Inconvenience

The crop of covetousness in my garden is a stockier, thicker, ranker growth than kindness.

It is decidedly "bitey," and it is a WONDER

Make human beings desire others' lives, companions, etc.

This is the plant.

If it is cut frequently, the roots being left in the water of Misery,

a continuous crop will result.

Academic Convenience 22 Movable Gate

Convenience 22

This convenience writer speaks to the differences among practitioners and clients, highlighting the idea that just one way will not be appropriate for all.She also emphasizes the important of a curiosity that might lead an individual to investigate options.The writer suggests that a gate, perhaps as a representative for all openings, is movable.She encourages the reader to not assume that the openings are fixed, but rather to discover other potential gateways to a destination.

Academic Convenience 19 - Take but Little Luggage

This convenience advises the client to leave behind emotional and mental baggage, and asks the client to remember that the baggage must be identified.As much as many of us might wish to magically lose our [mental and emotional] baggage, that magic rarely appears, and a practitioner can find it difficult to effect change if the client is too invested in the past.The practitioner can often help the client drop the baggage, but the client must become willing to abandon the unneeded luggage.

Convenience 19

Take care to hold but little baggage

Remember that baggage must be identified

Some people save themselves trouble by dropping baggage in the "left-luggage" station

Homestead Convenience 1G - The Eternal Mystery

Convenience One is different for every convenience writer, because it is the text in which each practitioner describes her (or the occasional his) initial experience with the convenience mysteries.This writer clearly stated that she believed that the ability to understand mystery was within the realm of possibility for all. 

Convenience 1G**

Many years ago a woman spoke of the Eternal Mystery as within reach for all.

Visit the possible.

 **Please note that the 1G name is merely a scholarly designation intended to make it simpler for future students to differentiate among the various first conveniences. 

Homestead Convenience 100 - Sinking into Grace

Convenience 100 implies an interesting question, and then it suggests an answer.How do we sustain the beneficial changes and growth that have occurred in our lives? Which of us has not experienced a backslide into old behavior, even if that behavior is harmful in some way?This Convenience suggests that maintaining change is a matter of grace.Some Convenience activists have fiercely disputed the suggestion that grace is required to maintain progress. They have argued that activism is definitely required.Are they wrong?Here again, the either/or question: contemplation or action.Later Convenience writers consider the either/or question to be a fallacious one.They would say it is both.

[Renegade] Convenience Advertisement - Pleasure and Profit in Dream Work

This advertisement is clearly renegade.Some convenience practitioners did, and do, enter the practice for pleasure (primarily the pleasure of helping others), and some have made at least part of their living from the work.It's the commercial aspect of the advertisement that is problematic for its time, likely early twentieth-century.This advertisement appears to be part of the nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century industry impulses to codify everything and to make almost all parts of human life into commodities.

Homestead Convenience 6 - Visionary Art, Observations, and Rich Memories

This convenience writer emphasized the visionary arts and the importance of observation and memory.As you are undoubtedly coming to realize, each convenience writer tends to emphasize the qualities that she herself possesses.I don't personally read The Conveniences as indicating that each convenience writer believed that only her qualities are/were suitable for service.But it is true that several convenience scholars have read the pieces with an exclusionary eye, and some contentious academic disagreements have broken out over the years.Some scholars have made a career out of rebutting others' arguments in various academic journals.Most of the disagreements seem to rest on right brain/left brain conflict.Do The Conveniences describe process? Logic? Art?All of it?

Convenience Six - Visionary Art, Observation, and Rich Memories

Find new inspiration by becoming familiar with visionary artists.

Work may be improved by some observation,

deepened with a store of rich memories.

Homestead Convenience Commentary about Age

This is not really a convenience, more of a commentary shared by a convenience writer who appears to have been getting older and appears to have been feeling unheard or less valued.This convenience writer acknowledges that the period between birth and middle age seems to be the most active and vigorous time of life, but asks that experience in older age be valued as well. 

Convenience Comments About Age

Different seasons make very satisfactory conditions

Germination to October is the most vigorous interval

But experience should be more honored

Homestead Convenience 4 - Put Things in Their Places (mind, heart, soul)

This convenience seems to be about focus.The convenience writer suggests that we have everything we need (mind, heart, and soul), and that we can focus on that fact to go about building a future more in line with our dreams.The writer tells us to use what we have.

Convenience Four

Put Things in Their Places

We have a mind and a heart and soul ready for use in the right place,

and that are good by themselves and the rest should go.

Throw the rest out of reach

[Renegade] Convenience 75 - Three Strong Points

I wouldn't feel honest if I did not reveal that renegade conveniences do exist. It would be lovely to say that all those who generate and use the conveniences have been honest and sincere people.Alas, this has not been the case.Who knows why some people are less than sincere and forthright. Money? Fame?I'll be showing some of these renegade conveniences now and then, starting today.Today's convenience may appear to be somewhat borderline renegade. After all, it is claiming very nice attributes for those who use conveniences: Useful, Novel, and Ideal.It is definitely arguable that those who use the conveniences are artists, so there's no obvious problem with that term.The problem exists with the attributes. There is nothing wrong with being useful, of course.But novel? Is there really such an attribute, or does that claim border on arrogance? Is Ecclesiastes 1:9 correct when it tells us that "there is nothing new under the sun?"And ideal? Can anything or anyone really claim to be ideal?You should know that this convenience was actually accepted by some scholars for many years. But then scholarship fashions changed, as they do, and most convenience intellectuals came to believe that the words novel and ideal were too far-reaching.

[Renegade] Convenience 75

List the three strong points:

USEFUL,

NOVEL,

IDEAL.

Consult our artists.

Academic Convenience 14 - Herb of Grace

The writer of this version of Convenience 14 was clearly familiar with Harry Houdini's publication, The Conjurers' Monthly Magazine.As many of you may already recognize, this writer has used phrases from the book review page of the September, 1906, Volume I.The fact that the writer has used a 1906 source for part of the writing suggests that this version was composed near the start of the 20th century.This writer also clearly favors the herb of grace over any hints of magic. Herb of grace refers to rue, a common garden herb that is said to protect against witches.A little bit of research reveals more of Houdini's commentary and his claims about the origins of the phrase hocus pocus (commentary found in the same volume referenced above):So, here again, we have a clever Conveniences writer who intertwines and juxtaposes meaning: hocus pocus, grace, protection against witches, rue, and (by inference) consecration.This writer also uses the more formal format of a brief essay which is written on a heavier linen paper and is decorated with a border.

Commercial Convenience 2 - Quality

This convenience speaks to the inclusive and nondual nature of the path.Despite disagreements about how to interpret The Conveniences and which types of people should be allowed to work on them, everyone and everything is still part of the one. 

Convenience 2

Quality Trade Mark

Whatever the requirements,

whatever part of the country,

you find the same quality, comfort, and adaptability everywhere.

Always one: Perfect, excellent, beautiful.

only the one

Homestead Convenience 10 - Garden of Dreams

This convenience tells us that dreams grow the self.

History shows us that growth has occurred under many different circumstances, from the sublime to the tragically criminal.

Some convenience theorists believe that this convenience speaks less about dreams of nonviolence and harmony than to our reactions to the dreams.These theorists, known as Harmnone Theorists, suggest that dreams be met with discernment. 

Convenience 10

Garden of Dreams

A theory of dreams constructed without violence and in harmony.

The experiences of dreams grow the self.

Conveniences Commentary 2

Introduction

Every once in a while, throughout the history of The Conveniences, someone tries to write the definitive definition of them. These attempted definitions are often called Truths.Some of these efforts are partially successful, but most scholars agree that the changeable nature of the mystery, and the fluidity of the text itself, will forever prevent a final and definitive statement about them.Here's the text of this Truth:

The Truth About the Conveniences

Some exclamations are really only maiden fancy. Amen.

Trying to steer a middle course between the intelligent administration of such an endowment and everything beautiful,

We think more of putting our treasure in love.

Jump to the Commentary (below the original text).

Commentary

This Truth is interesting. It tells us that it's from 1897 (see the copyright at the bottom of the page), and the middle section of text has been removed. Many researchers have attempted to locate the middle section of text, but without luck.The word exclamations can be read to mean any statement about The Conveniences.This Truth uses the word maiden. The word maiden is understood to come from the Old English, and it typically means a young, inexperienced, unmarried woman. The word is a diminutive; a diminutive indicates a small size or it makes something smaller.A maiden is a woman made younger and made smaller.The word fancy comes from the 15th century and means a "product of the imagination."The Truth also uses the word Amen. It's also from the Old English in this usage and it means confirmation.So, an alternative reading of the first sentence might be "Some statements [about The Conveniences] are really only the imaginings of a young, inexperienced girl. This can be confirmed."The Truth continues on to say that the middle course is important, and that intelligent administration and beauty are essential.The Truth concludes that the real treasure is love.Here's a personal analysis:

The Truth was published in 1897. Historically, at that time, many women were not encouraged to speak publicly or to write authoritatively.

Some women did speak publicly and write authoritatively, but it might have been difficult for this particular writer to expect any respect or acceptance. Perhaps the woman was less educated or had less money or station than other, more accepted writers.

We can never know.

What we can know is that this writer was very, very clever.

I believe her first statement is a diversion. It is a statement designed to lull antagonistic readers into a sense of security. She's written the statement tongue-in-cheek.

She convinces her readers that she, too, believes that The Conveniences are only for the diminutive.

After her reader is lulled, she delivers the genuine and important message about endowment, beauty, treasure, and love.

We are forever indebted.

Homestead Convenience 20 - Inside and Out

I'd planned to share the conveniences without comment, but, knowing myself, I did question how long I would be able to resist adding some academic, textual, or theoretical analysis.The answer: until today. So here I go.This convenience uses the word wife, but I've always been taught that the word is not used in the human-conjugality sense. No one is necessarily married here.In this context, the word wife comes from the Old English wif or wyf, and it means woman or lady.Some convenience scholars do disagree with this interpretation, but it has proven to be the most historically accepted reading of the word.It's an interpretation I much prefer as it seems very inclusive; no woman is excluded, regardless of marital status or any other status. All are welcome.

Convenience 20

Good wife, in your house abide.

Whoever uses her work is found, inside and out, and the trouble generally ceases for the time.

Longevity is increased by keeping kind, inside and out.

Homestead Convenience 51 - Advantage the Good

Convenience 51

Evenly overlap the centre as shown.

Equally suppose care and waste, too much and too little.

The consequence is growth.

There is work about this, but it is, as a rule, common to advantage the good of every sort.

It is possible.

Conveniences Commentary 1

It may seem strange for The Conveniences to suddenly appear on the Internet, but most information does seem to eventually make its way into the digital universe.The Conveniences have never before been shared in this format.They've typically been passed down from great-grandmother to grandmother to auntie to mother to daughter in various configurations of those relationships.The primary threshold for receiving The Conveniences has been grannyhood, biological or metaphorical. This means that men have been included occasionally, depending upon their interests and the willingness of the women, and younger women are sometimes initiated.But The Conveniences have primarily been located within the historical realm of age-appropriate biological or metaphorical grannies.I'll be sharing some of The Conveniences here, over time.It's difficult to describe their purpose exactly, and I mean these posts to provoke interest and curiosity. In reality, that is what The Conveniences have always done.My own copy of The Conveniences is from the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.Actually, The Conveniences are less a copy of anything than a collection of many things, as you'll come to see.Today I share this 1911 journal entry written by my great-great-grandmother, Kate. She'd known about The Conveniences almost her entire life, as most of the grannies around her had been a part of the path.And yet she was confused.So please don't feel bad if your own confusion lingers.  

[Kate notes that she's home before the first big snow, which must have been early in autumn 1911, typical for Wyoming.]

September 18, 1911Just back from the Netherlands - my first travel for the WTA. It was marvelous. Will write more later.Anna has decided I must read and understand The Conveniences. As if anyone ever understood them. At best, they're hints. At worst, they're deliberately misleading.My college comparative religion class would call them koans: paradoxes or riddles designed to provoke enlightenment.I doubt it, but I'll try.

Conveniences Preface

Conveniences Preface

The Reason

For this little book is the belief that a great many will welcome a guide book

For The Study of Dreams.

The endeavor has been to keep the contents well within the subject of title.

A few exceptions have made to meet popular interest in the 'strange' dream.

Historical interest and great care have been used in selecting accounts of mystery, beauty, and peculiarity.