1995

When it all began

Way back in 1995, while mowing hay, I was bombarded by thoughts coming to me, seemingly out of nowhere. It was overwhelming to say the least. I stopped my Massey-Ferguson tractor and pulled out the small notebook I always carry (to this very day) and started writing down what I was hearing. What I was having is called a numinous experience.

A numinous experience refers to profound moments of connection with the divine or a greater reality, often evoking feelings of awe, transcendence, and inter- connectedness with the universe. This term, derived from the Latin word “numen,” meaning divine power, was popularized by theologian Rudolf Otto, who described it as an experience that transcends ordinary reality. Numinous experiences can manifest in various forms, such as spiritual awakenings, and are characterized by two poles of feeling: mysterium tremendum (fearful awe) and mysterium fascinans (fascinating mystery). These experiences touch on the core of human existence and can profoundly affect one’s sense of self.

Basically I was being told how I should be living the rest of my life. Key points were, among other things, that I needed to gather knowledge and skills from folks that had been using them to live in harmony with the natural world. An example would be the ability to graft plants so that new plants could be started. Most of my initial subjects were for farmers since I was one at the time.

These skills would need to be passed on by writing, hands-on workshops or by videos. So, while I already had good writing skills and had worked in TV and radio, my abilities in those areas were already developed, but I needed to learn how to get the word out to those that needed the information. I learned how to publish books, make DVD’s, lead workshops and put the information on the internet so it would easily be accessible.

I had always been curious and pretty much observed everything I could. I tucked that knowledge away and then discovered time after time that such knowledge would help me, and others, in unexpected ways.

Over the years such learning helped me to move on to other adventures that awaited me: Like starting this Substack where I can share ideas that have worked for me and guiding folks living in this rapidly changing world in ways that will help them lead a satisfying, authentic life in harmony with all creation.

I’ll be talking about how we can nourish each other by doing such things as talking on the phone instead of texting and using a real human to check us out at the store instead of self-check and why it will make a huge difference in our own lives and those we interact with.

O.K., I am off the soap box for now. Let me know through the comments what you think and what you would like me to write and talk about (yes, there will be videos and demonstrations right here at The Old Buzzard’s Roost.

Thanks for reading: I am honored you stuck with me! If you like what you are reading I would appreciate it if you would share this with your friends. By the way, my posts will be produced without assistance from A.I., but more on dealing with that later.

Herman Beck-Chenoweth

The real Old Buzzard