He Knows You Know

Classic Marillion featuring Fish from the 'Script For A Jester's Tear' album ....

The Colour Blue

Blue relates to the Throat Chakra. Associated organs to this chakra are the throat, lungs and the endocrine gland is the thyroid gland. The upper digestive tract can be affected by imbalance in this area.

Blue relates to self expression. Speech, communication, the ability to communicate our needs and requirements. Spirit of truth and purpose.

Blue is calming. It can be strong and steadfast or light and friendly. Almost everyone likes some shade of the colour blue.

A natural colour, from the blue of the sky, blue is a universal colour. The cool, calming effect of blue makes time pass more quickly and it can help you sleep. Blue is a good colour for bedrooms. However, too much blue could dampen spirits.

In many diverse cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, brings peace, or is believed to keep the bad spirits away.

Blue conveys importance and confidence without being somber or sinister, hence the blue power suit of the corporate world and the blue uniforms of police officers. Long considered a corporate colour, blue, especially darker blue, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism.

"Vessel of the Fish"?

Source: Crop Circle Connector

Five separate events occurred over or Bank Holiday weekend, this one at Morgan's Hill near Devizes was one of the best of the bunch. Its 'Eye' shape design was extremely striking in the crop, perhaps indicating the Latin term Vesica Pices meaning "Vessel of the Fish" which is the most basic and important construction in Sacred Geometry.

Part Of The Process

Source: Daily OM

When we feel stuck in our lives it’s important to take stock of what is going on and find out if there is something we are doing or not doing that is keeping us stuck.

Sometimes the situation is out of our control, and we need to look within to find the patience required to wait with equanimity until things move forward again. Many times, though, we can find the source of our stagnation in our own hearts and minds. Sometimes we are clinging to old ideas about reality and we need to make adjustments that will bring us back in tune with life, so we can flow again. Sometimes we find that fear of change is what’s keeping us stuck, and we can resolve to find ways of facing that fear.

If introspection does not provide the answers we need, it can sometimes be helpful to ask those around you if they notice anything obvious that you might not be able to see. Remember to ask someone whom you can trust to be kind and sensitive as well as honest. Try to let go of your resistance because whenever there is something we can’t see ourselves, it’s because we don’t want to see it. Try to listen with an open mind, and remember that you are always the final judge of what you need. Anything offered to us from an outside source will need to be processed within before its wisdom can take hold.

In all this, be kind to yourself and remember that we all get stuck sometimes. Think of it as a part of your process, a necessary step on your journey, rather than as a problem that shouldn’t be happening. This can help to keep your frustration at bay and give you the space you need to take a deep breath and really figure out what’s going on.

Quote For the Day

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.


Buddha

Whilst on the subject ....

... another crop circle from the 'batch of 2008'.

Liddington Castle, nr Chiseldon, Wiltshire.
Reported 23rd August 2008.

Another Wonder ....

Source: Crop Circle Connector

This circle formation was first sighted in the very early morning of August 25^th 2008. The diameter of the overall formation is approximately 500 feet.

This field was being harvested as we were at the scene so time was limited for a very close inspection of the circle.

On the ground all the laid mature wheat crop within the formation was generally very neatly swept down to the ground. However, a significant amount of random damage to the formation was very apparent and was considered to be consistent with previous visitor activities. “Construction lines” and key points within the formation were also noted as being randomly crushed.

Eastfield (4), Alton Barnes, Wiltshire.

Antinomian Antics

Eighteen hundred years ago, the Christian religion was in a state of chaotic upheaval. The Bible hadn’t been canonised yet, most important doctrinal issues were still up for grabs, and nobody could agree on what Jesus’ message actually was.

One of the most exotic flavours in this seething cauldron of theological controversy was Gnosticism, a mystical philosophy whose adherents rejected the creator god of the Old Testament as an incompetent fraud.

Instead the Gnostic Christians dedicated their lives to the search for another god, an elusive deity secretly hidden within the human spirit.

This quest for the God within took many forms. Some Gnostics advocated a total rejection of the world and society, living in the desert as ascetic monks; others married, worked and played alongside their neighbours without ever discussing their spiritual pursuits.

The Gnostics had an intuitive, personal approach to enlightenment. There was no hierarchy, no code of conduct and no central governing authority; the goal was liberation by any means necessary, not the creation of new orthodoxies.

While most Gnostic Christians contented themselves with respectable lives of study and contemplation, others chose a more direct route.

Often mischaracterised as “libertines” or “devil-worshippers,” it is the taboo-smashing travellers of this shorter path who have inspired the most curiosity among modern researchers.

Perhaps no two human activities are as thickly ringed round with religious and social taboos as the twin mysteries of sex and death – the beginning and the end, the void from which human life emerges and the gulf into which it disappears.

French philosopher Georges Bataille argues the religious impulse is identical to erotic desire for this reason – both strive for the extinction of individual consciousness, either through the mystical death of the ego (religion) or the “little death” of the orgasm (sex).

In Bataille’s view, sexual and religious taboos provoke their own violation – or “transgression” – simply by existing, for it is only through the very human drive to define and then deflower (or desecrate) states of purity that we loosen the grip of rational utility and plunge or collapse into ecstatic communion with the sacred.

Taboo-breaking, in other words, is a profoundly spiritual activity; whether through religion (the giddy euphoria of the blood sacrifice), sex (the anarchic carnality of the orgy) or social play (the topsy-turvy lawlessness of the carnival). Madmen, criminals and holy fools throughout the ages have always sought to tempt fate and “break on through to the other side.”

The notion that the psychological shock caused by performing forbidden activities can lead to spiritual awakening is called “antinomianism”. The word “antinomian” means, literally, “against the law.”

Antinomian sects have been present throughout human history in almost every culture. Perhaps the best-known modern example is that of the Aghora (or “pure ones”), Hindu holy men who practice necrophilia, cannibalism and even coprophagy (the eating of feces) in their fierce quest for wisdom ... (Read More ...)

Outside The Comfort Zone

Source: DailyOM

Most of us have had the experience of tackling some dreaded task only to come out the other side feeling invigorated, filled with a new sense of confidence and strength. The funny thing is, most of the time when we do them, we come out on the other side changed and often wondering what we were so worried about or why it took us so long. We may even begin to look for other tasks we’ve been avoiding so that we can feel that same heady mix of excitement and completion.

Whether we avoid something because it scares us or bores us, or because we think it will force a change we’re not ready for, putting it off only creates obstacles for us. On the other hand, facing the task at hand, no matter how onerous, creates flow in our lives and allows us to grow. The relief is palpable when we stand on the other side knowing that we did something even though it was hard or we didn't want to do it. On the other hand, when we cling to our comfort zone, never addressing the things we don’t want to face, we cut ourselves off from flow and growth.

We all have at least one thing in our life that never seems to get done. Bringing that task to the top of the list and promising ourselves that we will do it as soon as possible is an act that could liberate a tremendous amount of energy in our lives. Whatever it is, we can allow ourselves to be fueled by the promise of the feelings of exhilaration and confidence that will be the natural result of doing it.

Scream UK: Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is one of the most haunted places in Scotland. The castle is connected to the city’s most famous street, the Royal Mile, by a network of underground tunnels.

Several hundred years ago a piper sent to explore them was told to keep playing so his progress could be tracked. But halfway down the Royal Mile the music suddenly stopped. When a rescue party was sent the piper had vanished.

The piper still haunts the Royal Mile and his eerie music can sometimes be heard from within the castle. (The Sun Tuesday 26 August 2008)

Image of the Day

Is this image of what appears to be a 'supernatural being' genuine or is it a fake?
You decide ....

Can't spell supersede? The consensus is we're too clever, says Collins dictionary

If you have particular trouble with certain spellings, it seems you might not be as stupid as you thought.

Researchers claim that a number of words are misspelt simply because we're too clever. For example, the English word most commonly spelt incorrectly in published documents and on the internet is supersede. Many of us wrongly come up with ' supercede' because of our knowledge of other words including intercede or precede. The word itself comes from the Latin super-sedere, meaning to desist. The same temptation to refer to our experience of other words causes us to come a cropper with consensus, liquefy and sacrilegious.

They are among scores of examples found by researchers for Collins dictionaries, who ran thousands of documents through a software program designed to pick up spelling mistakes.

They included published books and articles, as well as internet blogs, to ensure that they covered a wide range of writing styles and media.

Supersede was by far the most commonly misspelt word, although it was wrong only one time out of ten.

Consensus is frequently spelt incorrectly as concensus because the writer wrongly believes that it relates to the word census which comes from the Latin censere, to assess. Consensus, however, derives from the Latin consentire, to agree.

When it comes to liquefy, many are tempted to spell it as liquify because they wrongly apply the spelling of liquid.

The same applies to sacrilegious which is often misspelt as sacreligious (as with religious) and inoculate because many know the word innocuous contains a double 'n'.

Ian Brookes, managing editor of dictionaries at Collins, said: 'The real spelling problems occur when people have learnt the rules or have a bit of knowledge, but make mistakes in how they apply this.'

Another common reason for misspelling is where words are spelt differently from their pronunciation or when they come from a foreign language. (Daily Mail Tuesday 26 August 2008)

Portsmouth 0-1 Man Utd

Darren Fletcher's deflected first-half strike was enough to give Manchester United victory over Portsmouth.

Pompey went close after only 12 seconds when Papa Bouba Diop's shot whistled past the post, before Wayne Rooney shot straight at David James from 12 yards. Pompey's best efforts came after the break but Jerome Thomas and Papa Bouba Diop saw their shots saved comfortably.

United began to look dangerous down the flanks and from Patrice Evra's cross, Fletcher bundled in via Sol Campbell.

Portsmouth might have lacked any real cut and thrust but boss Harry Redknapp will take some consolation that their performance was better than the one that saw them thumped 4-0 by Chelsea in their opening game of the season last week. Redknapp brought in on-loan left-back Armand Traore in a move designed to shore up the defence.

But with United restoring striker Carlos Tevez and Anderson to their line-up, Pompey were always likely to be stretched.

Yet it was the hosts who almost struck first when Bouba Diop rode a challenge before cracking a shot from 15 yards which zipped off the wet turf and was inches wide of the post. Soon, though, United began to dictate the play, pulling Portsmouth - and particularly Bouba Diop - out of position. Wayne Rooney made space in the box but hit his shot straight at David James, and shortly after the England keeper kept out a swerving Paul Scholes free-kick.

United might have led 2-0 at the break, but Rooney fired a shot just wide after he had superbly made space with an excellent first touch and turn on the edge of the box. An hour of the game had been played before Portsmouth forced Edwin van der Sar into his first save, beating away substitute Thomas's vicious drive.

The slicker passing, more incisive movement and more dangerous play continued to come from United after the break, as it had in the opening 45 minutes.

Three Quick Images

Three Quick Images - Mon 25th August 2008

High Priestess
Ten of Staves
The Emperor

Ten of Staves depicts an unknown figure held captive in a wooden enclosure. Held there by circumstances out of its control. Unable to lift the wooden enclosure and therefore escape. Convinced perhaps that the wooden posts are too well rooted in the ground to enable freedom. The figure sits in its thralldom between the High Priestess on its left and the Emperor on its right. The Emperor's attention is on the figure in the enclosure, but he is powerless to instruct or enable freedom for the captured figure ... his role in the image, though seemingly superficial .... is very much under the control of the High Priestess. For she is the ultimate decision maker. In her hands she holds the paperwork which will decide the fate of both the prisoner and the Emperor. Her eyes are firmly on the observer who sees all three images. Her gaze is cold and unnerving. Her dedication to the cause which motivates her will not permit to relent as yet.

Stepping Back From Anger

When we find ourselves in an argument, we may feel like we are losing control of emotions that have taken on lives of their own. When we can become aware that this is happening, taking a deep breath can help us step back from the situation. Once we can separate ourselves from the heat of the moment, we may find that the emotional trigger that began the argument has little to do with the present situation, but may have brought up feelings related to something else entirely. Looking honestly at what caused our reaction allows us to consciously respond more appropriately to the situation and make the best choices.

We can make an agreement with our partners and those closest to us that asking questions can help all of us discover the source of the argument. The shared awareness can result in finding simple solutions to something physical, like low blood sugar or even a hormonal surge. Maybe we are taking ourselves too seriously, and we can just laugh and watch the tension dissolve. We could also discover that perhaps we are addicted to the excitement that drama brings and the chemicals that our body creates when we are angry. But there may be a deeper issue that requires discussion, understanding, and patience. The more we allow ourselves to step back and examine our reasons for arguing, the easier it becomes to allow real feelings to surface and guide us toward solutions that improve our lives.

When we can be clear about our feelings and intentions and communicate them clearly, we have a far better chance of getting what we want than if we lose control or allow our subconscious minds to manipulate the situation. We might take our frustrations out on the people closest to us because we feel safe and comfortable with them, but misplaced anger can cause more harm than good. Arguing for what we truly believe can empower us and help us to direct our passions toward greater life experiences. Truly knowing our reasons for arguing enables us to grow emotionally in ways that will affect our whole being.

'A Notable OBE?'

Magick Journal Entry 25/8/08
'A Notable OBE?'

It will have been during the early hours of this morning. It wasn't a 'waking dream'. I'd retained 'awareness of self' during the experience. By definition it will have been an 'out of body experience' ... nothing spectacular by any means compared with past 'adventures', but since it has remained with me for the entire day ... it could well prove to be significant:

I'd been invited to stay at a property owned by friends or acquaintances. The property had two upstairs rooms. One to the right had a double bed with a single bed to the right hand side. Entry to this room was via a narrow corridor, access to the room made difficult by a small shelving unit placed partly over the doorway into the bedroom. The second bedroom was located to the left hand side of the other room. It was a much larger room and had two double beds at the far end of the room.

I chose to lie down on the single bed in the first bedroom as I felt uneasy about something located in the other bedroom. I also had a memory of someone else having chosen the other room. However, I couldn't settle ... and found myself walking into the other room and standing before the double bedroom on the left hand side of the room. I became aware of some presence in that part of the room. As I watched, a form began to materialise above the bed ... I felt threatened and began to direct 'psychic' energies at the form ... giving it more and more substance. Energy began to flow through me ... white light, dazzling my eyes began to bombard the form ... which began to fade from its 'human' appearance ... adopting instead an almost 'gnome' like appearance. It became very menacing ... more and more energy was directed at it. It then adopted yet another form which had two 'torch like' appendages, one on either side of its form. I could sense it was about to defend itself in some way. Incandescent energy seemed then to emanate from me. Energy which I had consciously raised and then released. The entity was surrounded by a white blanket of energy ... just prior to the scene fading.

I came too in this reality. Aware then of something unseen grabbing hold of my right foot !!!

Out of Body Experiences: Journeys To Other Worlds

Source: New Dawn Magazine

Most researchers of this phenomenon postulate that everyone has OOBEs. They claim that these are forgotten because they usually occur within dreams: it is quite rare (in Western cultures at least) for waking consciousness to observe these states as they unfold. “Lucid dreaming,” (the insertion of waking consciousness into dream awareness) in fact, is commonly regarded as a useful precondition for anyone’s ability to leave the body “at will.” It is not surprising then that only a small minority of individuals claim to have such experiences very often, and fewer still say they can initiate them on demand. Robert Monroe was one of these latter, and we are fortunate that his scientific curiosity led him to record the phenomenon for posterity.

Those who do remember an out-of-body experience usually regard it as either the most terrifying or most ecstatic adventure of their life. Few label it as an illusion: an OOBE is as numinous as anything life has to offer – if nothing else, it is proof positive (for the subject, anyway) that consciousness can exist outside of the physical body.

In order to attain to the Dream of Knowledge we must arouse the critical faculty which seems to be to a great extent inoperative in dreams... Before going to sleep I must impress upon my mind the desirability of not allowing the critical faculty to slumber; it must be kept awake, ready to pounce on any inconsistency in the dream and recognise it as such.

Because so many OOBE descriptions sound just like vivid dreams, it is not easy to impart their uncanny reality, their “otherness,” to someone who has not shared the experience. No, it was NOT “just” a dream: it was very different!

OK, so what? What’s the difference between this and any vivid dream? The difference is that some portion of the mind knows it is dreaming and has the ability to influence the dream by taking conscious action: the way we do in normal waking life.

The question posed most often is: How do you know you aren’t dreaming, that what you experience is nothing more than a vivid dream or a hallucination of some sort?... The most certain statement that can be made is that when the condition exists, you are as aware of “not dreaming” as you are when you are awake... The ultimate proof of such affirmation is to experience one’s self in this state of being.

What independent evidence do we have that might confirm such anomalous experiences? The first data we have, and it is considerable, is found in the literature on shamanism. Anthropologists studying tribal cultures describe the shaman as a ubiquitous (albeit unique) human figure, found worldwide, who is distinguished by his ability to function in the out-of-body state. Indeed, it is precisely this ability which defines him as a shaman:

Shamans can voluntarily enter altered states of consciousness... in these states shamans experience themselves leaving their bodies and journeying to other realms in a manner analogous to contemporary reports of some out-of-body experiences.

For most shamanic cultures, the universe is believed to be composed of at least three levels: the Middle Realm is the world as we know it, the world of normal human events; the World Below, the Underworld, can be associated with the dead and dangerous spirits; and the Over World, the Celestial Realm, is frequently characterised as the abode of the Sun, in some places the realm of transcendent consciousness ...

Two weeks that changed British sport forever

Ignore the glorified village fete of 1908. This was the most successful campaign in British Olympic history.

The team's Beijing adventure ended with Dan Robinson staggering home in brutal heat to finish 24th in the men's marathon, but by then the 2012 hosts had rattled up 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze medals for a grand total of 47, which left them fourth in the table, behind the Olympic superpowers China, USA and Russia.

To beat Germany and Australia into fifth and sixth was the ultimate British fantasy.

Only 12 years ago in Atlanta, Britain finished 19th in the medals table and limped home with a single gold. In response, John Major's government unleashed a tsunami of lottery funding and sports such as cycling, rowing, sailing and swimming transformed themselves into elite fighting units to assuage the fear that London 2012 would be remembered as another infrastructure debacle.

Our sporting culture has changed for good and for the better. (Daily Mail Mon 25th August 2008)

Throat Chakra

"The fifth centre, which is the laryngeal, at the throat, has sixteen spokes, and therefore sixteen apparent divisions. There is a good deal of blue in it, but its general effect is silvery and gleaming, with a kind of suggestion as of moonlight upon rippling water. Blue and green predominate alternately in its sections."

The Throat chakra would seem to rule the faculty of speech, being midway between the heart and the tongue. It is also associated with clairaudience (hearing spiritual voices), and with hearing sounds, words, and music, and with taste, smell. Another function associated with this chakra is taking in and assimilating of physical and emotional nourishment. On the gross level this manifests as sensuous desire and enjoyment for food. This chakra could be associated with the astrological sign of Taurus, which in current astrology is said to ruled by the planet Venus.

In Tibetan Buddhism, this chakra is associated with the dream state of consciousness. Both Tibetans and Taoists use this chakra to access the dream state and develop the faculty of lucid dreaming.

In the Heschyastic system though, the buccolaryngeal centre: "the commonest thought, that of the intelligence, expressed in conversation, correspondence, and the first stages of prayer." [Eliade, Yoga, Immortality, and Freedom, p.410]

When this chakra is open and functioning well, with a strong flow of Chi, one finds it easy to express oneself, and one's speech is clear and smooth. When it is blocked, not only does one find speaking or getting the right words out difficult, but one also feels an unwillingness to change.

When there is an insufficient flow of love or emotional nourishment to the Heart-chakra, the person may try to compensate by desire for physical nourishment through the Throat Chakra. Problems with gluttony or compulsive eating would then result. When there is also a negative functioning in the base-of-the-neck chakra (negative self-image) the result could be bulimia and anorexia.

Tarot Card of the Day

What has traditionally been known as the Moon card refers to a deep state of sensitivity and imaginative impressionability, developed within a womb of deep relaxation. Here we dream and go into trance, have visions and receive insights, wash in and out with the psychic tides, and experience deep mystical and/or terrifying realities beyond our ordinary senses. The full moon and/or eclipse cycle charted by the Magi (as in some of the earliest Moon card images) exemplify this as a mechanism that Nature uses to expand consciousness.

The variants of the courtly lovers (representing skillful use of the sex force) or the man sleeping it off under the tree (use of drugs to alter consciousness) are also traditional avenues for tapping this primal force. Human interest in higher states propels us to the frontiers of consciousness, where we cannot always control what happens. The Moon card represents the ultimate test of a soul's integrity, where the membrane between self and the Unknown is removed, and the drop of individuality reenters the Ocean of Being. What transpires next is between a soul and its Maker.

Being Left Handed - a personal viewpoint

Yes, I was born left handed. At Primary School I had the misfortune of being segregated and scorned upon by a god-fearing and prejudiced teacher in Form 3. She set out from the off to rid herself of the left-handed heretic in her class (seriously). Therefore whenever I used my left hand I would be ridiculed and scorned upon by the teacher. Because she did this publically in front of the whole class ... it meant I was seen as 'oddball' and 'different'. Because of her own religious bigotry I was subjected to unnecessary peer pressure. As a result, I became a very determined and headstrong little sod who taught himself to be ambidextrous (both left handed and right handed) ...

Throughout my life I've been able to play badminton, table tennis and tennis holding the racket in either hands. I am predominately left handed when it comes to writing, but I do hold my pen/pencil in a way right handed people do. My handwriting when written with the right hand is completely different (like another person has written it - which has had its distinct advantages over the years!).

I guess as a result of being left handed, my creativity and sensitivity has been heightened though I don't personally believe the two are linked.

Fortunately, after leaving Primary School, there has been no repeat of the cruel bigotry that Mrs Hastings (not her real name) subjected me to all those years before. I've been in environments where left-handedness has been in the majority ... which was quite pleasing at the time. But as far as I am concerned, there is no advantage in being either left handed or right handed. For the record, my late Father was also left handed (also very artistic and sensitive) ... my Mother is right handed.

The Origins of Left-handedness

Source: anythingleft-handed.co.uk:

Stone age implements which have been discovered seem to be equally divided between left handed and right handed. Studies of cave drawings indicates a preference for the left hand.

When tools became more sophisticated, a clear hand preference emerged (practicality of making two versions of a tool). The right hand preference may have originated in sun worship. In the Northern hemisphere you have to face south to follow the sun and move from left to right until the suns sets in the west. This gave moving to the right and the right hand side a great significance.

Another theory says that as the heart is on the left hand side, a shield would be in his hand to defend it. Any weapon therefore had to be held in the right, which became the dominant hand.

Recent theories have included one that right is the normality and left-handedness, is a deficiency which result from a traumatic birth.

The brain is cross-wired the left hemisphere controls the right handed side of the body and vice-versa:

The left hemisphere (RIGHT HAND CONTROL) controls the following Speech, Language, Writing, Logic, Mathematics, Science, this is the LINEAR THINKING MODE.

The right hemisphere (LEFT HAND CONTROL) controls the following Music, Art, Creativity, Perception, Emotions, Genius, this is the HOLISTIC THINKING MODE.

Whether there is a genetic reason for handedness is a contentious subject. It certainly seems to be true that left-handedness runs in families, although not in any predictable way. Various researchers have looked at groups of families and tried to work out the probabilities of left and right-handed parent combinations having left-handed children, but they all come up with different figures.

The Colour Yellow

Yellow is the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as Manipura. This chakra is located in the stomach area. It is linked to the stomach, the liver, the pancreas, the large intestine, the muscular system, and the solar plexus area.

The Solar Plexus Chakra is representative of vitality and will. When this chakra is open, it acts to empower a person which in turn will help them find their personal strength. It will help turn dreams and goals into reality.

Gemstones that will aid the Solar Plexus Chakra include amber and citrine.

On the psycho-spiritual level, yellow relates to self worth. How we feel about ourselves and how we feel others perceive us. This is the area of the personality, the ego and the intellect and of self confidence.

Yellow is sunshine.

It is a warm colour that, like red, has conflicting symbolism. On the one hand it denotes happiness and joy but on the other hand yellow is the colour of cowardice and deceit. Yellow is one of the warm colours. Because of the high visibility of bright yellow, it is often used for hazard signs and some emergency vehicles. Yellow is cheerful. For years yellow ribbons were worn as a sign of hope as women waited from their men to come marching home from war. Today, they are still used to welcome home loved ones. Its use for hazard signs creates an association between yellow and danger, although not quite as dangerous as red.

If someone is yellow it means they are a coward so yellow can have a negative meaning in some cultures.

Yellow is for mourning in Egypt and actors of the Middle Ages wore yellow to signify the dead. Yet yellow has also represented courage (Japan), merchants (India), and peace.

Although it can work as the primary colour, yellow often works best as a companion to other colours. Use bright yellow to create excitement when red or orange may be too strong or too dark.

Yellow is one of the three colours in the lower half of the visible spectrum It is known as a "warm" colour and has a stimulating effect. It a colour wich can be very helpful with study and where concentration is required.

Quote for the Day

Do not expect the finite to be anything other than what it is. This is the key to discovering
your own innate freedom, and your intimacy with the Infinite.

The finite world is steeped in tender, poignant beauty -- precisely because it is finite. The Infinite is radiant with beauty -- precisely because it transcends the finite.

Third Eye

The Third Eye is a region of the head which psychic information and dreams use as a mechanism to alert the conscious mind to higher consciousness energy to be perceived. Physically, the third eye comprises of the pineal gland.
 

There are two physical eyes, we all can see. There is not a third eye physiologically in your body, it is a metaphor. When you look into existence with absolute undivided consciousness, then you are one. When Jesus said to his disciples, "If your become of one eye, then you will know my Kingdom of God. If you attain one eye, then all bliss be yours and all benediction". He is talking about the third eye.

Two points must be understood; First, being energy of the third eye is really same as two physical eyes. The third eye is non-functioning, it cannot see unless the physical eyes become unseeing. The same energy must move into third eye. It needs energy to function, and the same energy has to be redirected.

Secondly, when you are seeing through physical eyes, you are seeing through physical body. The third eye is not part of physical body; but part of the subtle body (suksham sharir). That's why physiology we cannot believe that there is an existence of the third eye.

With the third eye functioning, you can enter a different dimension. With the third eye you can see things which are invisible to the physical eye but visible to the subtle eye. With the third eye functioning, you look at a person, and you look at the person's soul, at the spirit, not at physical body through physical eyes.

The movement through third eye transforms into a new world, a subtle world. You start seeing things you have never seen.

The third eye is the conscience, the two physical eyes see the past and present, while the third eye reveals the insight of the future.

Why Meditation

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness; but if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions. If we train in meditation, our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we will experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Usually we find it difficult to control our mind. It seems as if our mind is like a balloon in the wind – blown here and there by external circumstances. If things go well, our mind is happy, but if they go badly, it immediately becomes unhappy. For example, if we get what we want, such as a new possession or a new partner, we become excited and cling to them tightly. However, since we cannot have everything we want, and since we will inevitably be separated from the friends and possessions we currently enjoy, this mental stickiness, or attachment, serves only to cause us pain. On the other hand, if we do not get what we want, or if we lose something that we like, we become despondent or irritated. For example, if we are forced to work with a colleague whom we dislike, we will probably become irritated and feel aggrieved, with the result that we will be unable to work with him or her efficiently and our time at work will become stressful and unrewarding.

Such fluctuations of mood arise because we are too closely involved in the external situation. We are like a child making a sandcastle who is excited when it is first made, but who becomes upset when it is destroyed by the incoming tide. By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. Gradually we develop mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that oscillates between the extremes of excitement and despondency.

If we train in meditation systematically, eventually we will be able to eradicate from our mind the delusions that are the causes of all our problems and suffering. In this way, we will come to experience a permanent inner peace, known as “liberation” or “nirvana”. Then, day and night in life after life, we will experience only peace and happiness.

Automatic Writing

Automatic writing is an old form of divination in which messages seem to come out of nowhere through your hand and onto paper. Whether these messages come from the "spirit world" or the subconscious in unknown. Some who have attempted this form of mediumship have written lengthy messages, songs -- even complete novels.

To attempt automatic writing:

1. Find a quiet spot without distractions.

2 . Sit at a table or desk where you'll be comfortable, with paper and pen (or pencil).

3 . Take a few moments to clear your mind.

4 . Touch the pen or pencil to the paper.

5 . Try not to consciously write anything.

6 . While keeping your mind as clear as possible, let your hand write whatever comes across.

7 . Avoid looking at the paper; you might even keep your eyes closed.

8 . Give it time to happen (nothing might happen for quite a while).

9 . When it seems to be done, if and when automatic writing does occur, look over what your hand has produced carefully. The writing may appear to be nonsense or just scribbling, but try to decipher it as best as possible.

10. In addition to letters and numbers, look for pictures or symbols in the writing as well.

11 . Keep trying. Nothing might happen your first few attempts.

12. If you start to achieve success, you can try asking questions to see if you can receive responses.

Holy Diver

Classic 80's rock by Dio. The title track of Dio's first album.

Pure Thoughts

If we make no effort at all, our thoughts usually scatter in a vast array of directions. They start and stop and move in surprising ways from one second to the next. If we try to follow our thoughts without controlling them, we will be amazed at how truly inconsistent they are.

Yet, if we apply our minds to a specific task, especially one that interests us, they gather together and allow us to focus our attention, creating great power and energy. This is what is known as pure thought, because it is undistracted.

The law of attraction—like attracts like—influences all energy, including our thoughts, and this is what makes pure thought so potent. Our undistracted thoughts create a powerful magnet that draws similar energy into our vibrational field. As a result, the longer we are able to hold positive thoughts in our minds, the more powerful the positive energy around us becomes. We don’t need to focus on action and controlling so much when we are surrounded by energy that draws what we want toward us. We can simply respond to the opportunities that naturally come our way. When this is the essence of our experience, we can go with the flow, knowing that we will be okay.

If pure thought is a body, it is our emotions that supply the heart that can really bring it to life. Our thoughts and feelings exist in relation to one another, and they form a feedback loop through which they communicate and empower each other. When we hold a thought in our mind without being distracted, we have achieved pure thought. When we have a positive emotional response to that thought, we enable it to dance and move and breathe itself into existence.

The Forms of Amen-Ra

The definiteness of the assertions of this composition suggest that it formed the creed of the worshipers of Amen-Ra, from every one of them appears to have been made with the express purpose of contradicting the pretensions urged by the priests of other gods - Aten and Osiris - and an examination of the sentences will show that Amen made the universe.

It is, however, important to note that he is not in any way identified with Osiris in this text, a fact which seems to indicate that the national god of the Resurrection in Egypt was ignored by the priests of Amen who composed the contents of Nesi-Khensu's papyrus.

From what has been said as to the importance of Amen-Ra it will be evident that a large number of shrines of this god must have lived chiefly upon the endowments which the pious Egyptians had provided for gods other than he. We may now consider the various forms in which Amen-Ra is depicted on monuments and papyri.

His commonest form is that of a strong-bearded man who appears upon his head lofty double plumes, the various sections of which are colored alternately red and green, or red and blue ; round his neck he wears a deep collar necklace, and his close-fitting tunic is supported by elaborately worked shoulder-straps. His arm and wrists are provided with armlets and bracelets, in his right hand is the symbol of life, and his left the scepter.

Hanging from his tunic is the tail of some animal, the custom of wearing which by gods and kings was common in Egypt in the earliest times. In this form his title is "Amen-Ra, lord of the thrones of the two lands,".

Instead of the sign of life, he sometimes holds the khepesh war knife, in his right hand. At times he is given the head of a hawk which is surmounted by the solar disk encircled by a serpent as "Amen-Ra-Temu in Thebes" he has the head of a man surmounted by the solar disk encircled by a serpent ; before him is the ankh, which is provided with human legs and arms, offering lotus flowers to the god. Thus he becomes the god both of Heliopolis and Thebes"

In many scenes we find Amen-Ra with the head of a ram, when he usually wears the solar disk, plumes, and uraeus at times, however, he wears the disk and urauus or the disk only. In this form he is called "Amen-Ra, lord of the thrones of the two lands, the "dweller in Thebes, the great god appeareth in the horizon," or "Amen-Ra, lord of the thrones of the two lands, governor of "Ta-Kenset {Nubia}." Another form of Amen-Ra is that in which he is represented with the body of the ithyphallic god Amsu, or Min, or Khem, i.e., as the personification of the power of generation. In this form he wears either the customary disk and plumes, or the united crowns of the South and North, and has one hand and arm raised to support, which holds above his shoulder ; he is called "Amen-Ra, the bull of his mother," and possesses all the attributes of Fa-a, i.e., the god of the lifted hand.

In one of the examples reproduced by Lanzone Amen-Ra in his ithyphallic form stands by the side of a pylon-shaped building, on the top of which are two trees, an the side of a large lotus flower ; the lotus flower represents the rising sun, which was supposed to issue daily from between two trees. In another form Amen-Ra has the head of a crocodile, and he wears the crown which is composed of the solar disk, plumes and horns, and is called the "disposer of the life of Ra and the years of Temu." Finally,the god was somtimes represented in the form of a goose ; the animal sacred to him in many parts of Egypt, and all over Nubia, was the ram.

In very late dynastic times, especially in the Ptolamaic period, it became customary to make figures of Amen-Ra in bronze in which every important attribute of the god was represented. In these he has the bearded head of a man, the body of a beetle with the wings of a hawk, the legs of a man with the toes and claws of a lion, and is provided with four hands and arms, and four wings, the last named being extended. One hand, which is stretched along the wing, grasps the symbols, the knives, another is raised to support, after the manner of the "god of the lifted hand" a third holds the symbol of generation and fertility ; and the fourth is lifted to his head.

The face of the god is, in reality, that of the solar disk, from which proceed the heads and necks of eight rams. Resting on the disk is a pair of ram's horns, with a disk on each , and stretching upwards are the two characteristics plumes of the god Amen. From the tip of each of these projects a lion-headed uraeus which ejects moisture from its mouth. This form of the god was a production probably of the period immediately following the XXVIth Dynasty, but some modifications of it are not so old.

The idea which underlines the figure is that of representing the pact or company of the gods, of which Amen was the chief, and of showing pictorially how every one of the oldest gods of Egypt was contained in him. (Read More ...)

Fund in chaos as private eyes are axed after draining £500,000

Daily Mail (Sunday 24 August 2008) says: A team of private investigators working behind the scenes to find Madeleine McCann has been axed after being paid £500,000 from publicly donated funds.

The Find Madeleine Fund quietly engaged the services of a US-based company which was awarded the lucrative six-month contract earlier this year.

The company, Oakley International, which boasts former British security service and FBI contacts, was hired to monitor the Madeleine Hotline, carry out detective work and review CCTV footage of possible sightings of the missing girl around the world.

A source revealed that the company had also spent resources in an attempt to infiltrate a paedophile ring in Belgium.

However, the company’s contract will now not be renewed. The Mail on Sunday has learned that double-glazing tycoon Brian Kennedy, who has been underwriting the fund’s search for Madeleine, has conducted a review of the agency’s work and has become unhappy with the progress it was making.

The deal was abruptly ended following a meeting last week after the fund brought in independent monitors to assess how the money was spent.

The Theory of Orbs

Natural 'Orbs' Vs Spirit 'Orbs'

Dust is the most common anomaly that will be photographed by the beginning ghost hunter. We have established a data base of over 1,000 photos of just environmental airborne anomalies, from grass, tree, grass pollens, to dust motes, to moisture droplets, to ice crystals, to rain and snowflakes. Just because an anomaly is spherical does not translate to paranormal. In my experience 99% of all orbs captured are non-paranormal.

It is amazing how some groups consider the orbs as intelligent simply because it floats on gentle air currents and are captured with night vision mode camcorders. Perhaps if these groups would apply Occam’s Razor and look for the simplest explanation instead of the most complex, they might not jump to such hasty conclusions.

Ghost research is more than just snapping a few digital photos that capture an orb or multiple orbs and thinking that these orbs might be spirits.

One of the best things that a new ghost hunter could do is take about 100 photos of dust, pollen, spores, rain droplets or other anomalies found in their location to establish a base line to compare later photos. A base line is important because a location might have unique anomalies, for example in Yuma, Arizona the anomalies are a fine sand that when the wind blows, is suspended in the air and will appear different than dust or pollen anomalies. Unfortunately, orbs captured with a lower resolution camera, such as 640x480, may not provide sufficient resolution between natural anomalies and spirit anomalies for analysis. Suspect photos should be compared to previous orbs captured with the same camera. It is so important to pay attention to the small details about the orb or orbs.

Do not assume that every bright orb is a spirit orb. Bright orbs may be resulting because the anomaly was too close to the lens when the flash discharged.

When we coined the term "orb" back in 1994, it was to explain the shape of any anomalies including dust and pollen orbs, as well as the supernatural anomalies that we were capturing with film and digital format. We never thought that our coined term "orb" would translate to mean all orbs are ghostly.

We created the Orb Theory based on the findings of our field investigations and through our research. We discovered that a spiritual orb represented the soul of a departed person. The soul being the essence of who they were in life, complete with their intelligence, their emotions and their personality. The orb or sphere is common in our every day lives. The earth and moon are spheres. Our blood cells are sphere shaped. T

We teach that a spirit is represented in an orb configuration pattern. When the spirit is moving about, its shape is an orb with a contrail, but when it comes to rest, meaning that it is no longer in motion, the spirit energy that is compressed within the orb is released and this spirit energy expands into what we call Ecto-Vapor or Ectoplasm. Often an orb will contain more than one soul and when its spirit energy is released, multiple orbs flow forth from the single orb. The orb may be observed as a small white ball of light shooting through a room and through a wall. When recorded on film, the orb size is often confused because the photo is only 2D and its size is dependent on how far from the lens the orb is when captured by the camera.

Spirit orbs are most often confused with similar shaped anomalies that occur in nature, such as dust particles, grass, tree, or weed pollen, moisture, ice crystals, snow flakes, rain drops and other weather related anomalies. Since each area of our world produces different anomalies, it is prudent and necessary that a base line be established prior to any investigations Learn how your own camera treats dust or pollen. Ghosts are everywhere, but not captured as clusters of orbs found in most photographs submitted to us. Common sense is very important in ghost research. Conduct investigations sampling natural non-spirit anomalies and see how your camera displays these anomalies.

Source: ghostweb.com

The Shining Star amid the 'Living Trees'

Quick Insight 23/8/08
What are the impressions which are sensed regarding 'the Shining Star' at this time?

The Prime of Weapons (Ace of Swords) ... the 'Flaming Sword' within the Servants of the Light tarot. An enduring 'living' flame. Nervous energy and a mischievous spirit upon the earth plane. Certainly jaded by the events of the last 15 months. No doubt her life will not be the same. Having been chosen to be central to it all ... she appears to have endured the situation relatively well. Somehow she has found an inner reservoir of strength and endurance. Able to place a protective cocoon around herself mentally. Permitting endurance. A very determined character and one not easily forced into doing things against her will. A sense of a quick temper ... a battle of wills with this spirit is not something easy to overcome. Even at her young age, she knows what she wants and seemingly how to get it.

She is sensed has having responded well to female company around her. Surprisingly older than her years she has associated with other children quite a bit older than herself. There seems four adults who have tried to 'pierce' the protective cocoon she has placed around herself. There seems to have been the need to 'extract' information from her. But what can a four/five year old have that can be of value to these four individuals?

A sense of the canals around Amsterdam. She may well have ventured there at one time. It would have been cold because one of her custodians at that time was putting a warm overcoat on in the vision.

Nine of Weapons ... swords in the back for those who still pray for the safe return of the Shining Star. An unimaginable pressure exerted on her family. The sense of her being paraded like a 'prize' to further punish those who carry that hope. The relevance/specifics of there being 'eight swords' to be determined in a later insight. But it seems events from the past have caused the swords of Damocles to be hung above their heads.

Maker of Spheres ... a robed figure juggles four spheres in its hands. Four sightings or four instances that were indeed the missing Shining Star I wonder? In the background of the image stands a lone child. Between the robed figure and the child is an undeterminable landscape. Ancient trees bear faces ... ancient forces known to this world only by their 'public face' it seems. Branches of organisations which shape the very landscape we call this world. The lone figure stands on the horizon. In the foreground worker bees busy themselves around the robed figure. The figure a servant of these 'living trees' ... perhaps preparing to divulge what has been instructed ... to the worker bees?

In conclusion ... the Shining Star is very much alive and there is still the sense she is to be returned to her family. This event is written into the plans of the 'Living Trees' ... to be controlled as much as all the other twists and turns in this mystery.

Uranus in Pisces

By the end of 2003, after a little dance of to and fro, eccentric Uranus established himself in the sign of Pisces, set for a journey of seven years, a journey that will move us through a cycle of endings and beginnings, both personally and globally. Uranus is known as the revolutionary planet, all air and upheavals. Pisces is the sign of the seeker, a water sign symbolized by two fish at-swim in the vast ocean of unconsciousness. This change of sign by Uranus presages a major shift in our awareness and the events of our lives.

Pisces rules spirituality, Divine Connection, and our perspective as determined by the "inner world"....and in the negative form; mental illness, delusion, deception, etc. comes from this distorted "inner world". In the positive form; faith, trust, strength of conviction, etc. comes from the inner world as well. Much of either remains hidden until the winds of change blow in circumstances that show what we are made of. Uranus can represent the squeezing of change, which brings situations that show who we are when we are squeezed through change.

Uranus changing signs always brings in new laws, new rules. Also a new awareness by way of the changes which Uranus precipitates and the 'dirt' which has been allowed to exist will be blow out into the open. With Uranus changing focus, thus new laws, new rules and a new awareness will all combine to become the new law-of-the-land, such as "a new sheriff" with a new focus on cleaning up the "dirt" in town. Of those elements that are like dirt in the corner or dirt hidden under the corners and hidden crevices. Uranus brings in winds of change to blow the dirt out into the open and out from underneath it's hiding place.

When Uranus moved into Pisces it began the process of kicking up the dust which has been permitted to be unseen, and has released a force to uncover more of the "dirt" from distorted "inner worlds" of those that are in "power" or controlling situations, so that the new sheriff can clean up this town.

The Celtic Otherworld

The Otherworld is a mirror of the living world where ones after life experiences are influenced by their actions in this life. The Otherworld exists on a physical level familiar to our own, often on islands or remote and distant lands. One such Otherworld island is the Isle of Black and White, where those things that are white turn to black and black turns to white. To some this perspective is an example of karma or the Law Of Accountability. "What you put out, you will get back" or "As above, so below", if not in life, then in the afterlife.

These islands most often lay to the west, toward the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. One such place was the Isle of Arran, an Irish paradise. Situated in the Firth of Forth, also called the Firth of Clyde. Arran is an island paradise which was later associated with Arthurian legends as Avalon, or the Isle of Apples. Arran is regarded as the most desirable place to be for your Otherworld afterlife.

The drowned land of Atlantis is an other Otherworld isle. Known as the Isle of the Blessed, where voyagers sailed but never returned. A land of beauty and divinity where the truly blessed are sent to live out their afterlife.

One of the most common views of the Celtic Otherworld is held in the land of Annwfn. A paradise island also associated with King Arthur through the Welsh poem Preiddeu Annwfn which gives the best description of the island. The poem is a tale told by Taliesin who was a member of an expedition into the land of the Otherworld, presumably to search for the Holy Grail.

Through Taliesin's poem, we're told Annwfn is divided into three regions that could be associated with Hades, the Greek Otherworld equivalent. The first region lies within a glass fort known as Caer Wydyr and also referred to as Nennius. Caer Wydyr is not a waste land, but it is a gloomy and dark land. The expedition party tried to engage the fortress guard into conversation, but he remained silent and almost oblivious of their presents. Many believe the hidden meaning suggests this is the land of the silent dead, or the lost ones. The most undesirable places to reside after death.

The next realm is that of Caer Feddwidd, the Fort of Carousal. Also known as Caer Rigor or Caer Siddi, this realm is ruled by Arianrhod, the Goddess of time, space and energy. In this land, a mystical fountain of wine flows through the region. Drinking from the fountain, one finds eternal health and youth to live out their after life days.

The third realm is associated through Arthurian legend as Avalon. The most divine of the three regions. Presumably only the most spiritual of people or those who have sacrificed a great deal for the benefit of others can enter this land. But one needs to remember this poem comes from a time where pagan and Christian beliefs were greatly intermingled.

An alternative view of the Arthurian Avalon, is the land of Arran which has more of a pagan tale to it's existence. The most significant icon in this land is the Cauldron of Plenty, which most scholars now agree was the inspiration for the Holy Grail.

The Cauldron of Plenty was also called the Undry. It provided an endless supply of food which was often given to the needy and it had the power to restore the dead to life. Either to the same existence or to a new one. The cauldron could also heal the wounds or illnesses of the dying, preventing them from dying at all.

The Otherworld is definitely the Celtic land of the dead, but there are many legends and stories that suggest the dead are not limited to this land. This suggests that the realm is a transitory land, where souls can become trapped in the land of the silent dead through their own karmic deeds, they can reside if they chose in the land of Caer Feddwidd, or they can transition back to the land of the living through the magikal powers of the Undry.

Image of the Day

Napes Needle, Great Gable, Wasdale, Cumbria
... a favourite rock climb of mine (no, it's not me on the top!) ...

Ash Tree Lore

Ash leaves and the tender tops can be used in the spring to make a fasting tea that is a diuretic and can be used as a help for weight loss. Ash bark is known as a liver and spleen cleanser and can make the immune system stronger. The flowering Ash has sap that contains a sugary exudate called 'manna', which can be used as a laxative.

The bird associated with this month is the snipe, the color is half clear & half deep blue, and the gemstone is sea-green beryl. The Ash, a masculine herb, is associated with the element of water, the sun and Jupiter; and is sacred to Thor, Woden, Mars, Uranus and Gwydion. Ash is also sacred to Odin since the Ash is often known as the Yggdrassil (or the 'Ash Yggdrasil') amongst the Scandinavian nations. In Norse mythology, the Yggdrassil supports the Universe, has three main branches and is believed to have sprung from the beginning of time out of primordial slime and ashes.

The Ash is also the tree of the sea God Poseidon, because of its watery power. Frennett (frenetic chaos), a substance used by berserkers, may have been made from Ash bark. The Ash was supposed to be serpent repellent - Pliny held that there is such an antipathy between an adder and an Ash-tree, "that if an adder be encompassed round with Ash-tree leaves, she will sooner run through the fire than through the leaves". The ceremonial Yule log is often made of Ash - this log is kindled each Yule with a piece from last years fire and allowed to smolder for 12 days before it is ceremonially put out. The Ash tree is famous, although anonymous, since it's the tree from which the Hanged Man is suspended in tarot decks

The Ash was one of the sacred Druidic three: 'Oak, Ash & Thorn', and the month of Ash is a good time to do magick designed to learn your inner self.

The Ash has applications in magick done for sea power, ocean rituals, karmic laws, magical potency, healing, protection from drowning, love, rain making, women's mysteries, prophetic dreams, general protection, Prosperity, and health. Ash is often used for making both mundane and magical tools - it's said that tools with handles of Ash are more productive than tools with handles of other wood. Witches brooms often have the staff made from Ash, and Ash wood was used for spears and shields since it was known as a protective wood. Placing Ash berries in a cradle prevents the child from being traded for a changeling by an evil faery - and Ash talismans can be worn as protective amulets. Ash is known to keep away serpents and to protect against their bite. If there are no snakes to be found, Ash can be used instead to keep away nasty people who are bitchy, quick to criticize, impatient, or psychic vampires.

Special guardian spirits reside in the Ash; This makes it excellent for absorbing sickness. The spirally carved Druidic wand was made of Ash for this healing purpose. In years gone by, weak-limbed children were passed through split ash trees which were then bound up. If the tree grew straight, the child would as well. Ash can be used in medicine pouches or can be used in magick for wart remover: the wart is stuck with a pin that has first been thrust into an Ash, while these words are said:

"Ashen tree, Ashen tree, pray these warts off of me."

The pins are then stuck back in the tree and left. The druids attributed special powers over water to the ash tree. They used its wood to make it rain or to ward off water's destructive power. The Ash is the tree of sea power, or of the power resident in water. Ash leaves placed under the pillow will induce prophetic dreams, and carrying an Ash leaf will attract the love of the opposite sex.