keris and spirit

[David]

Originally Posted by Mans

He quoted: “Many people claim to be "experts", or get promoted as "experts" by their own little group. Very, very few people are truly expert in the area we are discussing, and those who truly are, are not easy to find.”

I agree with Rick that we should move on. If any member feels the need to continue this conversation i would be more than happy to discuss the matter further with them in PM. Hana's inquisitiveness and kindness will be missed, but in should be made clear that she is certainly welcome back after her suspension has past.
I would like to comment on the above passage from Hana's letter though. Truer words have rarely been stated in regards to the keris world. The arena is rife with pretenders. I will say, however, that i can think of no one here who has promoted themselves as an "expert" in this field and always feel a bit uncomfortable when someone addresses an inquirery "dear keris experts". The only person on this forum who i believe even remotely meets the profile of a "keris expert" would certainly never call himself one and is well aware of the limitations of his expertise to very specific areas of keris study. So i do ask you all that we procede with this attitude in mind; that we are all merely students of the keris, that there is so much more for any of us to know, that we will probably spend the rest of our lives in the persuit of this elusive knowledge, and that previously unknown answers can sometimes be provided by even the most neophyte amongst us, as inspiration is a gift from the creatrix that often lands in the laps of the most inexperienced of pupils.