Author Archives: marcia

On Opening the Compassionate Heart

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Pursuing the Awakening Warrior

Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of compassion, holding a piece of lapis lazuli at his heart representing the quality of Bodhichitta.

30th June 2012

By Rob Preece –  Wake Up World

In a world where sickness of heart is a cultural normality, it’s a long road to the heart of the Bodhisattva

When some of my Tibetan teachers first began to visit the West and teach Westerners, they were surprised or perhaps even shocked by something they experienced in us. When they described it in their own terms, they called it sok lung, a damage or blockage of the primary life supporting “energy-wind” or lung (in Sanskrit: prana ) within the heart chakra. What they recognized in this was that something about our way of life in the West was putting a kind of pressure in the heart that led to a deep yet subtle level of pain and depression of the energy there. One of the ways this manifests is in subtle yet deep insecurity and anxiety.

If we translate this into a more Western, psychological language, what we begin to understand is that there is something about the stresses and pressures we grow up with in the West that has a dramatic impact upon this very subtle energy in the heart. One of the most significant aspects of this problem is that we experience a much more accentuated sense of insecurity and alienation in the West because of the very nature of our culture and its expectations on us from a very early age. From early in our life we are more likely to experience separation from the mother and a far greater expectation to be independent and self-reliant. We grow up into a world that then demands that we survive and become an individual in an extremely competitive environment where the pressure to succeed is endemic. If we add to this the absence of a supportive sense of community and the often dysfunctional nature of the nuclear family, insecurity, anxiety and fear become a root emotional drive.

Is it any wonder that this alienation has an impact on the heart and the energy of the heart? The consequence is that we experience deep-rooted wounding to our sense of self, and our ego-identity is built on shaky ground from the very beginning.  It was this wounded sense of self that my Tibetan teachers recognized and as a result were at first somewhat at a loss as to how to address it in us. What becomes particularly problematic is that with the degree of wounding we have in the west it has become normal to be self-preoccupied and solely oriented to personal gain and personal gratification at the expense of others. Our culture seems to see the ruthless attainment of one’s own needs in a competitive world as something of an accolade. In the cutthroat political and corporate world being able to achieve and satisfy one’s own aspirations for power and status at the expense of others’ is encouraged. Our sickness of the heart has become a cultural normality.

From a Tibetan Buddhist point of view this wounding to the heart causes a contraction and closing around the heart chakra that cuts us off from a deep essential quality that is innate within us all. This is a quality of mind known in Sanskrit as Chitta. Chitta is often translated as mind, heart or essence and is a quality of mind that dwells in the heart chakra. But this is not our ordinary worldly conceptual mind, it is a deep quality of mind that is essentially clear, peaceful and pervaded by a natural compassion and loving kindness. Indeed it is our ordinary mind with its emotional entanglements and wounds that obscures this essential heart mind.

In the Tantric tradition this essential nature of mind is also known as clear-light mind and has a number of significant characteristics, one of which is its innate clarity and emptiness and the other is a potent innate vitality that brings with it a felt quality of joy, happiness and bliss. Our problem, if we like to see it as such, is that while this natural quality has never been defiled, it is, however, obscured by our gross ordinary mind and its emotional proliferations. As a result it is largely inaccessible to us. It has been described as being like a golden statue wrapped in filthy rags. From a Buddhist point of view if we are able to gradually clear these obscurations, then what naturally manifests is what could be called bodhichitta or the awakening mind or heart.

Our innate heart potential is the deep vitality of our mind’s natural, undefiled and clear nature. So long as we are still caught up in our primary wounds of the heart it is going to be extremely difficult to begin to awaken qualities such as compassion and loving-kindness. If I have deep-rooted feelings of low self-worth, lack of self-acceptance, feeling I am not good enough and so on, then these close the heart leading to Sok lung.

It is very easy to speak of opening the heart and having spiritual ideals of love and compassion, but if we have not addressed our essential wounding these will just be a kind of veneer of spiritual correctness burying deep wounds. To open the heart we must first begin to heal our sense of self. To do this we need to develop compassion and acceptance towards ourselves with all of our failings as well as gifts and qualities. The contraction around the heart then begins to soften, and the innate energy within the heart starts to awaken.  This may not always be comfortable because as we soften the contraction in the energy around the heart we re-awaken our wounds, but as we go deeper we can begin to feel the natural chitta that lies in the heart.

The term bodhichitta, which is often translated as the “awakening mind,” emerges from an opening of the heart and brings a deep compassion for the suffering of all beings. It also awakens a powerful quality of intention that is willing to dedicate life to the welfare of others. Bodhichitta is sometimes called the “great will,” but this is not the will of the ego but a deeper intention that requires that we surrender to the process of awakening to the state of wholeness or Buddhahood for the sake of all beings. It is like the shift from “I will” to “thy will be done.” While this “awakening mind” lies at the heart of Buddhist life it is something that emerges only when we have begun to heal our own wounds so that there is the fertile ground for its growth. Once present, as a quality of the heart, it will underlie everything we do in life, like a steady flowing river moving us towards the ocean of full awakening. It will then be natural to wish to dedicate our life to the welfare of others and indeed to the planet that so unconditionally supports us. Bodhichitta is the heart of the Bodhisattva, often translated as “the awakening warrior,” one who with courage engages with the journey of life to transform adversity into the path of awakening for the welfare of others.

About the Author

Rob Preece, author most recently of The Courage to Feel (Snow Lion, 2009) is a psychotherapist, spiritual mentor, leader of Tibetan mediation retreats, and an initiated Granicero (weather work) in the Nahua tradition.

from:    http://wakeup-world.com/2012/06/30/pursuing-the-awakening-warrior/

Mayan Text Mentioning 12/20/2012 Date Found

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Ancient Text Confirms Mayan Calendar End Date

Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Date: 28 June 2012
A carved block from La Corona

Carved blocks uncovered at La Corona show scenes of Mayan life and record a political history of the city.
CREDIT: David Stuart

A newly discovered Mayan text reveals the “end date” for the Mayan calendar, becoming only the second known document to do so. But unlike some modern people, ancient Maya did not expect the world to end on that date, researchers said.

“This text talks about ancient political history rather than prophecy,” Marcello Canuto, the director of Tulane University Middle America Research Institute, said in a statement. “This new evidence suggests that the 13 bak’tun date was an important calendrical event that would have been celebrated by the ancient Maya; however, they make no apocalyptic prophecies whatsoever regarding the date.”

The Mayan Long Count calendar is divided into bak’tuns, or 144,000-day cycles that begin at the Maya creation date. The winter solstice of 2012 (Dec. 21) is the last day of the 13th bak’tun, marking what the Maya people would have seen as a full cycle of creation.

Now, researchers exploring the Mayan ruins of La Corona in Guatemala have unearthed a second reference. On a stairway block carved with hieroglyphs, archaeologists found a commemoration of a visit by Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk’ of Calakmul, the most powerful Mayan ruler in his day. The king, also known as Jaguar Paw, suffered a terrible defeat in battle by the Kingdom of Tikal in 695.

Historians have long assumed that Jaguar Paw died or was captured in this battle. But the carvings proved them wrong. In fact, the king visited La Corona in A.D. 696, probably trying to shore up loyalty among his subjects in the wake of his defeat four years earlier. [See images of the carvings]

As part of this publicity tour, the king was calling himself the “13 k’atun lord,” the carvings reveal. K’atuns are another unit of the Maya calendar, corresponding to 7,200 days or nearly 20 years. Jaguar Paw had presided over the ending of the 13th of these k’atuns in A.D. 692.

That’s where the 2012 calendar end date comes in. In an effort to tie himself and his reign to the future, the king linked his reign with another 13th cycle — the 13th bak’tun of Dec. 21, 2012.

Hieroglyphs on Mayan carved block.
A detailed look at the carvings on Block 5, found at La Corona in Guatemala. The carvings tell a political history of the city and its allies and enemies.
CREDIT: David Stuart

“What this text shows us is that in times of crisis, the ancient Maya used their calendar to promote continuity and stability rather than predict apocalypse,” Canuto said.

La Corona was the site of much looting and has only been explored by modern archaeologists for about 15 years. Canuto and his dig co-director Tomas Barrientos Q. of the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala announced the discovery of the new calendar text Thursday (June 28) at the National Palace in Guatemala.

The researchers first uncovered the carved stone steps in 2010 near a building heavily damaged by looters. The robbers had missed this set of 12 steps, however, providing a rare example of stones still in their original places. The researchers found another 10 stones from the staircase that had been moved but then discarded by looters. In total, these 22 stones boast 264 hieroglyphs tracing the political history of La Corona, making them the longest known ancient Maya text in Guatemala.

from:    http://www.livescience.com/21255-ancient-text-confirms-mayan-calendar-end.html

Sherry Baker on Body Perception

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5 Ways to Leave Your Body

Want to teleport through space or travel the world 
at will? Out-of-body technology can alter your sense of place and set you free. (Article preview; full text for subscribers only.)

by Sherry Baker

As you read this story, perhaps you are sitting in a chair in your living room or on an airplane bound for Cancún. Now dig a little deeper, focus inward, and ask yourself this: What is the location of your internal being, your sense of self, that most essential I? Sure, you exist in your body, in your head presumably, itself ensconced someplace particular in the world. But what if all that were secondary? What if your perception could be altered so that you could be anyone and anyplace at all—leaving without traveling?

Those are real possibilities now posed by neuroscientists studying the locus of self-
perception in the brain. The research suggests that our concept of self, along with a related quality called presence (the sense of being immersed in a location or environment), need not be tied to our physical bodies. Although most of the current research is still lab-based, scientists have already imbued test participants with the sense of moving from their own bodies into another form, such as a Barbie doll, or watching themselves from a distance in a willful out-of-body experience. The new body-swapping and teleportation techniques illustrate the incredible imaginative potential of the brain and the malleability of perception.

1. Raise Your Third Hand

Humans were long assumed to have an unshakable innate body plan, meaning that our brains and hard-wired sense of self could never accept having anything other than one head, two arms, and two legs. But in 1998, University of Pittsburgh psychiatrists Matthew Botvinick and Jonathan Cohen conducted the now-classic “rubber-hand illusion,” which showed the brain could feel ownership of a body part that was not truly its own. In that experiment, a research subject’s real hand was stroked while a prosthetic hand was also stroked in exactly the same way. In less than two minutes, most participants felt that the rubber limb was part of their own body, provided their own hand was hidden while the rubber one stayed in view.

(ok, so this is just one, and you have to subscribe to read the rest, but you might want to check it out and do some research.)

from:    http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jul-aug/05-ways-to-leave-your-body

 

On Going with the Flow

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How to Flow When the Torrents are Raging

27th June 2012

By Trinity Bourne

Walking an Authentic Path in Life

Walking an authentic path in life can often be confusing.

We might at times find ourselves torn whilst swirling in the torrent of life’s choices.

How do we navigate the path and unleash our true beingness?

The following story, originally by Chuang Tzu, offers a profound metaphor for life and the true nature of what it means to ‘go with the flow’.

Essential reading for all awakened souls…

Chuang Tzu’s story of the swimmer
 Confucius and his students went on a hike out in the countryside. He was thinking of using the opportunity to engage the students in a discussion about the Tao when one of them approached and asked: “Master, have you ever been to Liu Liang? It is not far from here.”

Confucius said: “I have heard about it but never actually seen it with my own eyes. It is said to be a place of much natural beauty.”

“It is indeed,” the student said. “Liu Liang is known for its majestic waterfalls. It is only about two hours’ trek from here, and the day is still young. Master, if you would like to go there, I would be honored to serve as your guide.”

Confucius thought this was a splendid idea, so the group set off toward Liu Liang. As they were walking and chatting, another student said: “I grew up near a waterfall myself. In summertime, I would always go swimming with the other children from the village.”

The first student explained: “These waterfalls we will see aren’t quite like that. The water comes down from such a great height that it carries tremendous force when it hits the bottom. You definitely would not want to go swimming there.”

Confucius said: “When the water is sufficiently powerful, not even fish and turtles can get near it. This is interesting to ponder, because we are used to thinking of water as their native element.”

After a while, they could see the waterfall coming into view in the hazy distance. Although it was still far away, they could see that it was indeed as majestic as the first student described.

Another hour of walking brought them even closer, and now they could clearly hear the deep, vibrating sound it made.

They topped a rise and were able to see the entire waterfall. Then they gasped collectively, because at the bottom of it, they saw a man in the ferociously churning water, being spun around and whipped this way and that by the terrifying currents.

“Quickly, to the waterfall!” Confucius commanded. “He must have fallen in by accident, or perhaps he is a suicide. Either way, we must save him if we can.”

They ran as fast as they could. “It’s useless, Master,” one the students said. “By the time we get down there, he’ll be too far gone for us to do him any good.”

“You may well be right,” Confucius replied. “Nevertheless, when a man’s life is at stake, we owe it to him to make every effort possible.”

They lost sight of the man as they descended the hillside. Moments later, they broke through the forest to arrive at the river, a short distance downstream from the waterfall. They expected to see the man’s lifeless body in the river. Instead, they saw him swimming casually away from the waterfall, spreading his long hair out and singing loudly, evidently having a great time. They were dumbfounded.

When he got out of the river, Confucius went to speak with him: “Sir, I thought you must be some sort of supernatural being, but on closer inspection I see you are an ordinary person, no different from us. We sought to save you, but now I see it is not necessary.”

The man bowed to Confucius: “I am sorry if I have caused you any grave concerns on my behalf. This is merely a trivial recreational activity I enjoy once in a while.”

Confucius bowed back: “You say it is trivial, but to me it is incredible. How can it be that you were not harmed by the waterfall? Are there some special skills that you possess?”

“No, I have no special skills whatsoever,” the man replied. “I simply follow the nature of the water. That’s how I started with it, developed a habit out of it, and derived lifelong enjoyment from it.”

“This ‘follow the nature of the water’ – can you describe it in greater detail? How exactly does one follow the nature of water?”

“Well… I don’t really think about it very much. If I had to describe it, I would say that when the powerful torrents twist around me, I turn with them. If a strong current drives me down, I dive alongside it. As I do so, I am fully aware that when we get to the riverbed, the current will reverse course and provide a strong lift upward. When this occurs, I am already anticipating it, so I rise together with it.”

“So you are working with the water and not just letting it have its way with you?”

“That’s right. Although the water is extremely forceful, it is also a friend that I have gotten to know over the years, so I can sense what it wants to do, and I leverage its flow without trying to manipulate it or impose my will on it.”

“How long did it take for you to make all this an integrated part of your life?”

“I really can’t say. I was born in this area, so the waterfalls have always been a familiar sight to me. I grew up playing with these powerful currents, so I have always felt comfortable with them. Whatever success I have with water is simply a natural result of my lifelong habit. To be quite frank, I have no idea why this approach works so well. To me, it’s just the way life is.”

Confucius thanked him and turned back to his students. He smiled, because he suddenly knew exactly what they could talk about on their trip home.

The metaphors of life

In this story, the mighty waterfall and the river symbolise the divine flow of the universe echoed in our daily lives. We are powerless to stop the flow. It may often seem unforgiving and harsh, yet these times are our greatest teachers in offering the opportunity to evolve beyond our self imposed limitations.

We are inseparable from the flow. Confusion happens when we mistakenly believe that we are somehow separate from it. Chaos follows when we try to control or manipulate either the flow or our response to it. Attempting to fight the river of life or when we shout out our perceived injustices, we simply become exhausted from the struggle, getting nowhere.

The swimmer in the story offers us a profound message. Contrary to many spiritual misconceptions today, he is NOT blindly allowing the flow to take him. ‘Trusting the universe’ is not about letting the flow ‘take’ you without regard for what is going on. This would simply rip us to sheds.

The swimmer is purely present. He is aware of every instant, the nature of the water and the nature of the universe. Because of this awareness, he realises that once he approaches the bottom of the riverbed, the energy will propel him back to the surface. He is able to use the energy of the universe to simply flow through the river of life. Without such presence, he would either be in a state of fear or blind acceptance – either way would ensure that he would miss the opportunity to flow. Rather than blindly accepting ‘whatever goes’ (which in this case would tear him apart) he accepts that he is powerless to change the flow and uses it like a divine dance to carry him onwards and upwards unscathed.

It takes time to master the flow of the universe. The man in this story represents someone who has achieved an advanced state of evolution. However he reflects the opportunity within each of us to become who we truly are. The story offers an important tenet to unleashing our true beingness, achieved through absolute commitment. At times we are going to make ‘mistakes’, but we all know that there are no such things as mistakes as long as we learn by them; becoming increasingly aware and eternal students of the divine flow.

Here’s our invitation to become at one with the divine flow, just like the swimmer in Chang Tzu’s story.

In Love and Light,

Trinity

Openhand Foundation

from:       http://wakeup-world.com/2012/06/27/how-to-flow-when-the-torrents-are-raging/

Feng Shui & Your Street Address

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Hey, just for fun:

Feng Shui Tips Using the Numerology of Your Street Address

Written by avenefica on April 6th, 2012

 

Did you know you can align the energy of your home using Feng Shui and the numerology of your street address?  No joke.  These Feng Shui tips really help (I’ve gotten great feedback!).  I know this is a long post, but you don’t have to read all of it.  Simply crunch the numbers to get your street address down to one digit, and look up the Feng Shui according to your home number.

Feng Shui is an ancient Asian practice in which strategic placement of certain auspicious objects in your environment can release positive energy (also known as “chi“).

Numerology is the practice of interpreting the deeper energy of a number and utilizing that vibe for optimal understanding and alignment.

By combining the energy of your home address with Feng Shui, you can encourage the flow of beneficial energy in your home.  So let’s get started!

How to get your single digit home-number:

First, you’ll need to determine the prime root number of your home address.  We do this in numerology by a process called reduction.  Here’s how to do it:  Take your street address, and add all the numbers together.  For example, if you live at 2542, add them up like so: 2+5+4+2=13.  If you come up with a double digit such as in this example, add the two numbers together like so: 1+3=4.  In this case, your prime number is four.  Of course, if your address is a single digit, you can skip this step altogether. If you come up with a 10 in your calculations, your prime number will be one.

Now that you have your prime address number, it’s time to open your home up to luck, love and good mojo!

Simply refer to the guide below according to your prime address number to stimulate your chi!

One:
Like the song says, one can be the loneliest number.  One-energy can express isolation.  It’s the first in the procession of numbers, and it can represent a “lone wolf” feeling.  This is great if you’re a loner, but if you want to attract lots of friends, family and good juju in your home, you’ll need to jazz up the south quadrant of your home.  In Feng Shui, south represents fire, and lightning.  Activating the southern area of your home will connect the initiatory (new beginnings) flavor of number one.

  • Activate the south wall of your home by painting it with a warm, fiery color like amber, gold or blood-red. Number one is an initiator, and this color in this quadrant will enhance a quality of igniting energy, making your environment energized and welcoming.
  • Since one is a solitary number, incorporate pairs in your home.  For example pairs of fish, swans, fu dogs, geese or double lanterns are all lucky symbols in Feng Shui.  Consider hanging these items (in pairs) in the southern area of your home.  Doing so will enhance a sense of balance, partnership and equanimity.
  • The number one is a yang energy (male, aggressive, assertive), so it’s a good idea to temper that, especially if you sense a bit of assertive tension in your home.  Incorporate yin energy (female, passive, reserved) in the southern area of your home.  Some ideas for yin items include moon motifs, silver accents, flowers, or a water feature.

Two:
The number two encourages balance and partnership, which is great if you share your home with a committed partner.  Two is also a wonderful number for families.  The drawback with number two energy can be a sense of indecision, duality and doubt (inability to make your mind up about choices/decisions).  We’ll activate the northwest area of your home to neutralize a bit of that doubt. The northwest represents ‘big metal’ and activates creativity as well as paternal energy in the Feng Shui practice.

  • Consider hanging a wind chime made of metal in the northwest area of your home.  The number two is a yin (feminine) energy, and the metal or silver marries well with this chi.  The chime accentuates harmony and balance, while still activating your senses with its musical tones.  These tones will encourage clarity and mental stimulation.
  • Place a vase in the northwest section of your home.  This structure will “capture” feelings of doubt or frustration.
  • Think about painting your northwest wall a light color, like pastel blue, ecru, or ‘barely there’ pink.  These soothing colors will stimulate a sense of security and comfort, making it easier for you to know what you want, and how to get it.

Three:
Three is a number that rules creation and creativity.  It’s an outstanding number for artists with studios in their home.  However, the number three can produce too much creativity, which may lead to a sense of chaos under your roof.  Too much activity, too many ideas…these can lead to a sense of being overwhelmed, and not knowing which project/direction to pick.  We’ll look to the southeast sector of your home to neutralize that potential crazy vibe.  Southwest represents the ‘big earth’ in Feng Shui, and breeds a sense of grounding as well as receptivity.

  • Soften up some jagged nerves by placing a vase of pink flowers (peonies are especially auspicious in Feng Shui symbolism) on a delicate end table in the southwest corner of your home.
  • Another way to neutralize an over-active three vibration is to place a water plant in the southwest.  Get a lucky bamboo plant, place it in an elegant, glass vase or bowl.  Water is a purifying agent, and will cleanse your home’s aura.  The green of the plant is also a great way to attract luck and wealth! Be sure to change the water when needed, so it’s always clear and clean.
  • Take that calming water element a step further and consider getting a goldfish!  A goldfish will enhance creativity in the home, while the water will encourage emotional well-being.  The most ideal set-up would be a small aquarium with a bubble feature (an oxygenating device).  The bubbles will make your goldfish happy (you can have more than one if you like), and will activate the receptive flavors inherent in the southwest section of Feng Shui practice.  Be sure not too overfeed your goldfish. Also, change the water as needed, keeping it clean and clear of algae.

Four:
The number four is an energetic expression of community, stability and is THE number for homesteads.  It’s a rooted energy, and very structured.  Consider the four points of a traditional home foundation (most homes are square).  It’s a optimal number for building a solid home, and a solid relationship/family/environment.  The drawback is, this sense of stability can become too overbearing, and you may get a sense of rigidity under your roof.  You may also get a feeling of being ‘closed in’ if number four is too overbearing.  We’ll look to the east to balance that potential cloistering.  The east governs thunder and the ‘big wood’ in Feng Shui.  Wood will encourage stability, while thunder will insure things are not overly structured by shaking things up a little.

  • There’s no better symbol than the dragon to introduce spontaneity and vibrant chi in your home.  Display an image of a dragon, or place an ornate dragon figurine in the east of your home. Dragon energy is sure to get you out of a rut!
  • Consider shopping for a jade ornament or figurine (jade dragons, fu dogs, or turtles are perfect!) and placing it in an east corner of your home.  Jade is incredibly lucky, and wards off negative energy.
  • The jade plant (a succulent which loves bright light – perfect for an east window) is synonymous with jade stone.  This plant will oxygenate the air, which will stimulate your sense of well being, and thwart any kind of stuffiness looming in your home.  If jade plants aren’t your thing, consider orchids, or a chrysanthemum plant.  These are all very auspicious in Feng Shui.  If you don’t have a green thumb, an artificial plant will do.  Either way, pick a plant with bright green leaves, a perky demeanor. If you opt for a live jade plant, follow nursery instructions to keep it happy in your home.

Five:
The number five can be a tricky energy.  Five is always seeking to balance itself.  This number is also a very spiritual number because it represents the completion of the elements, which are: Fire, earth, air and water.  The fifth element is ether (spirit)- an ephemeral, all-pervasive essence which imbues all things.  In the home, an over-active five energy has a potential to trigger a sense of instability or imbalance.  It may also render a flighty or ‘spacey’ feel to your home – a sense of not feeling ‘all together’, but rather drifting out into space.  The west sector of your home represents focus, closure and security. West governs the ‘small metal’ in Feng Shui, and prompts joy, stability and completion.

  • If you’re in a mental fog, or feeling discombobulated, consider placing a metal gong in the western section of your home.  The roundness of the gong encourages a sense of cohesion (circles are symbolic of unity).  Give that gong a whack when the urge comes to you.  The tone of the gong will chase away any fuzziness in your home’s energy.
  • Five-homes are prime headquarters for spiritually minded people.  Remember, five is the number of ether (or spirit).  You can enhance a sense of spiritual connection by placing unique crystal elements in the west.  A crystal ball, crystal vase, candle holders…these are all perfect features.  Ideally, place these crystal accents in a window, and watch the setting sun make prismatic patterns on your walls.  This will activate the rainbow within you!
  • Find a sun-and-moon motif and hang it on your westwall.  The union between these two energies will offer balance and stability, while still encouraging a celestial connection for you in your home.  The sun is a yang (male) energy and moon is yin (female) – these are ancient archetypes for perfect harmony.

Six:
The number six is the perfect number for sensual evenings by your hearth fire, and romantic interludes.  It’s because the six is the number of love, sensuality and romance.  It’s also a number for nurturing (great for raising families in the home) and physicality.  There’s a flip-side to six if it’s over-active in your home’s energy.  Too much six vibration can lead to obsessive-compulsive tendencies.  If not in balance, the number six can lead to jealousy or potentially abusive behavior.  It’s the passion backing number six that causes a backfire if the vibration in your home is out of whack.  Incorporating Feng Shui practices in the southeast area of your home will assist in keeping that six energy loving and bright.  The southeast region in Feng Shui represents the ‘small wood’, and governs the element of wind.  This Feng Shui sector is also the region of gentleness and clear communication.  Activating these elements will keep your six-house in perfect order.

  • Red is an energizing and passionate color.  Temper that powerful essence by incorporating soft, comforting fabrics in the southeast area of your home.  Lush, velvety pillows or rich window treatments will activate that sexy-six vibration while the soft tactile fabrics gives a mellowing effect.
  • Crystals, like quartz and amethyst are perfect accents for your six-aligned home.  Make a Zen rock garden with a bunch of your favorite crystals and place it in the east corner of your home.  Crystals (especially amethyst) will boost positive chi in your home, while at the same time, eradicate any negative energy looming.
  • Hang a light from the ceiling to unify heavenly and earthly energies for harmony.  Pick out a pretty crystal chandelier.  Or, get a candle holder that hangs from your ceiling for the same energetic effect.

Seven:
Seven is the number of scholarly pursuit, higher education and serious study.  If you have a seven house, it’s a great place to learn new things, and explore new topics.  Seven also has an introspective quality; its vibration prompts us to go within, reflect, ponder and meditate.  Clearly, these attributes of number seven are valuable, but if the energies in your home are not in balance, seven can bring about a hermit mentality within the home.  If there’s a tendency for you to want to withdraw to an unhealthy extent, or you’re spending too much time holed up in your house – it’s time for a little Feng Shui to put the balance right.  The northeast should be activated in your home to counteract any unhealthy, or overly cerebral tendencies.  In Feng Shui, the northeast rules the element of the ‘small earth‘ which will put a grounder on overactive intellectual pursuits.  The northeast is also a representative of mountains, which will enhance studious behavior too.  Mountains are grounding, while promoting mental/spiritual ascension at the same time. It’s all about balance, so incorporate these Feng Shui elements to get the energy in your seven-home just right.

  • If you’re feeling too much “in your head” consider placing a stone/marble statue in your northeast corner.  The stone will effectively ground you.  Some suggestions for statues to bring you back to earth include: The horse, fu dog, bear, elephant, or a tiger.
  • Warm metals like bronze and copper are nice energetic conductors for mental energy.  They enhance alacrity, while disbursing it too, so your mind doesn’t have a tendency to get all clogged up.  Think about stringing Chinese amulet-coins (they have a square hole in the middle and are marked with Chinese writing characters) on a red ribbon and hanging it on your northeast wall.
  • If you have moments when you feel withdrawn and overly introverted, grab some bright vermilion candles and light them in the northeastern section of your home.  This will energetically illuminate you, and bring you out of yourself.

Eight:
Eight is a very cyclical energy.  It represents change, seasons, time, and the realm of the infinite. Eight is a great number for a home because it maintains the emotional flow of its resident’s.  Eight speaks to us of balance, and consistency.  As with the rest of our Feng Shui numbers, these awesome qualities can backfire if the energy of your home is not harmonious.  Some negative results of unbalanced eight energy include stagnation, anxiety and lack of motivation.  Off kilter eight energy may also incite sudden, unpleasant changes in your home, causing arguments and unrest.  Feng Shui can help!  Avoid these unwanted scenarios by sprucing up your west wall with some Feng Shui power symbols.  The west rules the ‘small metal’ which serves as a conduit, keeping chi flowing on a steady current.

  • Adorn your west wall with an elegant arrangement of Chinese fans.  Fans are very in auspicious in Feng Shui, and are believed to deflect negative energy.  Fans will also keep the chi flowing smoothly in your home.
  • Get creative an consider painting the image of a lotus on your west wall.  Or, find a pretty print or painting of a lotus and mount that instead.  The lotus is a symbol of enlightenment, progress, purity and perfection.  This peaceful blossom will insure to keep anxiety at bay!
  • The moon is a universal symbol of cycles and phases in the universe.  Because the number eight is also a cyclical vibration, consider placing a moon motif in the west segment of your home.  The moon is also associated with metal in Feng Shui (silver).  Here we have similar energy between the moon and number eight which deals with cycles, while we have a metal conductor to keep the energy electric and flowing smoothly.

Nine:
Nine is a number of happy returns and completion.  It’s symbolic of attainment, wealth, abundance and full potential.  For a home, nine is a supremely optimal number because it proposes that you have achieved an ideal residence with positive energy for you and your residents.  Gone awry, nine energy can produce negative qualities like unhealthy egotism (cockiness), greed, lust, mistrust and envy.  Not good.  To keep things in perfect prime, activate the north region of your home.  North governs the element of water in Feng Shui.  North also rules the winter, so it has a cool energy, just the thing counteract a potential powder keg in the home.

  • Consider adopting a live turtle and setting upan aquarium along your north wall.  Turtles are symbolically synonymous with nine energy.  They stand for accomplishment as well as long life.  Incorporate an aeration element (bubbles) in the aquarium to get that vital chi moving.  The water in the aquarium will serve as a purifying agent and marries nicely with the northern energy.  Be sure to care for your turtle, and keep the aquarium clean and clear.  If turtles aren’t your thing, you can get a statuette/figurine or a picture of a turtle will do nicely too.
  • Water is an essential element for nine-homes in the north.  Consider a water feature, like a fountain.  These accentuate the beauty of the home, while assuring continual energetic . If this isn’t an option for you, perhaps you could play a CD with water sounds (waterfalls, the ocean, babbling brooks, etc) in the north region of your home.  You could even paint a water scene (or buy a painting) on your north wall.
  • Adorn the north area of your home with a large, ornate vase.  Vases ‘contain’ good luck, and are symbolic of harmony, wealth and peace.   Choose a vase with lucky symbols on it.  Some suggestions are: Peacock, phoenix, fish, seashells, or floral prints.  Take the power of the vase a step further and place long stemmed flowers in it.  Choose white or red flowers for optimal energy.

As you can see, it doesn’t take a home renovation to adjust the energy of your domain.  Just a few simple additions will do the trick to make the right shift.

from:    http://www.symbolic-meanings.com/2012/04/06/feng-shui-tips-using-the-numerology-of-your-street-address/

Syrian Desert Ancient Rock Structures

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Desert mystery

June 25, 2012

Desert mystery

Enlarge

Archaeologist Robert Mason spoke at the Semitic Museum about the discovery of mysterious rock formations near the Syrian monastery Deir Mar Musa (above), and the need for further exploration. Photos by Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer

There’s a mystery in the Syrian desert shielded by the conflict tearing apart the Middle Eastern nation.

 

In 2009, archaeologist Robert Mason of the Royal Ontario Museum was at work at an ancient monastery when, walking nearby, he came across a series of rock formations: lines of stone, stone circles, and what appeared to be tombs.

Mason, who talked about the finds and about archaeology at the monastery on Wednesday at Harvard’s Semitic Museum, said that much more detailed examinations are needed to understand the structures, but that he isn’t sure when he will be able to return to Syria, if ever.

Analysis of fragments of stone tools found in the area suggests the rock formations are much older than the monastery, perhaps dating to the Neolithic Period or early Bronze Age, 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Mason also saw corral-like stone formations called “desert kites,” which would have been used to trap gazelles and other animals. The region is dry today (“very scenic, if you like rocks,” Mason said), but was probably greener millennia ago.

It was clear, Mason said, that the purpose of the stone formations was entirely different from that of the stone-walled desert kites. The kites were arranged to take advantage of the landscape and direct the animals to a single place, while the more linear stone formations were made to stand out from the landscape. In addition, he said, there was no sign of habitats.

“What it looked like was a landscape for the dead and not for the living,” Mason said. “It’s something that needs more work and I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen.”

In a talk in 2010, Mason said he felt like he’d stumbled onto England’s Salisbury Plain, where Stonehenge is located, leading to the formations being dubbed “Syria’s Stonehenge.”

Mason also talked about the monastery, Deir Mar Musa. Early work on the building likely began in the late 4th or early 5th century. It was occupied until the 1800s, though damaged repeatedly by earthquakes. Following refurbishment in the 1980s and 1990s, it became active again.

Mason thinks the monastery was originally a Roman watchtower that was partially destroyed by an earthquake and then rebuilt. The compound was enlarged, with new structures added until it reached the size of the modern complex, clinging to a dry cliff face in the desert about 50 miles north of Damascus.

Mason was searching Roman watchtowers when he came across the stone lines, circles, and possible tombs.

The monastery is the home to many frescoes — some badly damaged — depicting Christian scenes, female saints, and Judgment Day. Mason also explored a series of small caves that he believes were excavated and lived in by the monks, who returned to the monastery for church services.

Mason said that if he’s able to return, he’d like to excavate the area under the church’s main altar, where he thinks there might be an entrance to underground tombs. He’s already received the permission of the monastery’s superior, who was recently ejected from the country.

from:    http://phys.org/news/2012-06-mystery.html

Report from SETICon 2

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Alien life searchers conference SETICon 2 held in Santa Clara

June 25, 2012 by Bob Yirka report

Aliens don’t want to eat us, says former SETI director

SETI’s Alien Telescope Array (ATA) listens day and night for a signal from space. Credit: SETI

SETICon 2, a conference unlike any other, ran this past weekend in Santa Clara, California. In attendance were people from all walks of life whose area of interest intersects on the topic of the search for intelligent life somewhere other than here on planet Earth.

Thus, they were made up of scientists; from and other groups, artists, and even entertainers. The goal of the conference, which is set up and run by the Institute () is to share ideas on what has been discovered of late regarding the possibility of and what might lie ahead.

Fueling much of the discussion this time around (the first SETICon was held in 2010) are findings by NASA’s Kepler mission which is dedicated to looking for extraterrestrial life, regardless of form or degree of intelligence. Since 2009, the mission has uncovered the existence of over 2,300 exoplanets that researchers believe hold the possibility of harboring some forms of life. Most notably, due to the existence of that precious resources without which we here on this planet could not survive: water. Some scientists who actually work on the mission (Geoff Marcy, Jon Jenkins, Debra Fischer, etc.) spoke to those in attendance, as did astronauts Tom Jones and Mae Jemison.

This year’s conference, those in attendance noted, was much more upbeat than the last, as more information from Kepler becomes available, the numbers of planets that might have life on them keeps going up, making the possibility of detecting its presence more plausible than ever before. As noted by several speakers, the Kepler mission is helping to find planets farther away from their stars, rather than just those that are close enough to cause their star to appear to wobble to us due to planetary gravity effects. The new more sensitive telescopes are better able to discern planets that are not only farther (meaning cooler) from their star, but smaller, some of which may have water and are rocky, making them more Earthlike and thus potentially more likely to posses the conditions necessary for the kind of life we know and understand.

In addition to offerings talks, the conference also held panel discussions, interviews, and even screenings of movies, all aimed at opening the door to the possibility that extraterrestrial life might truly exist, and if it does, highlighting the fact that we are now in a better position than ever before to find evidence of its existence.

from:    http://phys.org/news/2012-06-alien-life-searchers-conference-seticon.html

New Theory About Stonehenge

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Stonehenge a Monument to Unity, New Theory Suggests

Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Date: 22 June 2012
Stonehenge in Great Britain.
The reason for Stonehenge’s construction is unknown.
CREDIT: Albo, Shutterstock

The mysterious structure of Stonehenge may have been built as a symbol of peace and unity, according to a new theory by British researchers.

During the monument’s construction around 3000 B.C. to 2500 B.C., Britain’s Neolithic people were becoming increasingly unified, said study leader Mike Parker Pearson of the University of Sheffield.

“There was a growing islandwide culture — the same styles of houses, pottery and other material forms were used from Orkney to the south coast,” Parker Pearson said in a statement, referring to the Orkney Islands of northern Scotland. “This was very different to the regionalism of previous centuries.”

By definition, Stonehenge would have required cooperation, Parker Pearson added.

“Stonehenge itself was a massive undertaking, requiring the labor of thousands to move stones from as far away as west Wales, shaping them and erecting them. Just the work itself, requiring everything literally to pull together, would have been an act of unification,” he said.

The new theory, detailed in a new book by Parker Pearson, “Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery” (Simon & Schuster, 2012), is one of many hypotheses about the mysterious monument. Theories range from completely far-fetched (space aliens or the wizard Merlin built it!) to far more evidence-based (the monument may have been an astronomical calendar, a burial site, or both).

The Culture of Stonehenge

Along with fellow researchers on the Stonehenge riverside Project, Parker Pearson worked to put Stonehenge in context, studying not just the monument but also the culture that created it.

What they found was evidence of a civilization transitioning from regionalism to a more integrated culture. Nevertheless, Britain’s Stone Age people were isolated from the rest of Europe and didn’t interact with anyone across the English Channel, Parker Pearson said.

“Stonehenge appears to have been the last gasp of this Stone Age culture, which was isolated from Europe and from the new technologies of metal tools and the wheel,” Parker Pearson said.

Stonehenge’s site may have been chosen because it was already significant to Stone-Age Britons, the researchers suggest. The natural land undulations at the site seem to form a line between the place where the sun rises on the summer solstice and where it sets in midwinter, they found. Neolithic people may have seen this as more than a coincidence, Parker Pearson said.

“This might explain why there are eight monuments in the Stonehenge area with solstitial alignments, a number unmatched anywhere else,” he said. “Perhaps they saw this place as the center of the world.”

Theories and mystery

These days, Stonehenge is nothing if not the center of speculation and mystery. The monument has inspired its fair share of myths, including that the wizard Merlin transported the stones from Ireland and that UFOs use the circle as a landing site.

Archaeologists have built some theories on firmer ground. Stonehenge’s astronomical alignments suggest that it may have been a place for sun worship, or an ancient calendar. A nearby ancient settlement, Durrington Walls, shows evidence of more pork consumption during the midwinter, suggesting that perhaps ancient people made pilgrimages to Stonehenge for the winter solstice, Parker Pearson and his colleagues have found.

Stonehenge may have also been a burial ground, or a place of healing. Tombs and burials surround the site, and some skeletons found nearby hail from distant lands. For example, archaeologists reported in 2010 that they’d found the skeleton of a teenage boy wearing an amber necklace near Stonehenge. The boy died around 1550 B.C. An analysis of his teeth suggest he came from the Mediterranean. It’s possible that ill or wounded people traveled to Stonehenge in search of healing, some archaeologists believe.

Other researchers have focused on the sounds of Stonehenge. The place seems to have “lecture-hall” acoustics, according to research released in May. One archaeologist even suggests that the setup of the stones was inspired by an acoustical effect in which two sounds from different sources seem to cancel each other out.

from:    http://www.livescience.com/21125-stonehenge-theory-unity.html

Jeff Masters on TS Debby & Continuing Record Heat

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Debby stalls, drenches Florida; 114° in Colorado ties state heat record
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 1:09 PM GMT on June 25, 2012 +32

Tropical storm warnings continue to fly from Alabama eastward to Suwannee, Florida, as Tropical Storm Debby sits motionless over the Gulf of Mexico. On Sunday, Debby spawned a multitude of severe thunderstorms over much of Florida, which brought torrential rains, damaging winds, and numerous tornadoes. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center logged 20 preliminary tornado reports on Sunday, and a tornado in Venus, Florida killed one person. Venus is in Central Florida, between Port St. Lucie and Sarasota. Another person is missing in Alabama, swept away by rough surf. The heaviest rains of Debby affected the Tampa Bay region, where over ten inches were reported at several locations. The Tampa Bay airport picked up 7.11 inches on Sunday. It’s a good thing this isn’t the week of the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled for late August in Tampa! Minor to moderate flooding is occurring at three rivers near Tampa, and flooding has been limited by the fact the region is under moderate to severe drought.


Figure 1. Radar-estimated rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby has totaled over 6 inches (orange colors) along a swath from Tampa to Ocala.

Winds from Debby have fallen considerably since Sunday, thanks to a slug of dry air that wrapped into Debby’s core, disrupting the storm. Our Wundermap for the surrounding ocean areas shows that winds at almost all buoys and coastal stations along the Gulf Coast were below 30 mph at 8am EDT. The exception was a Personal Weather Station at Bald Point, near Apalachiacola, Florida, which reported sustained winds of 32 mph. An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft flying through Debby has measured top surface winds of 43 mph as of 9 am EDT. Visible satellite loops show Debby has virtually no heavy thunderstorms near its center of circulation, which will severely limit its potential for intensification today. The heavy thunderstorms of Debby are mostly on the east and north sides. Upper-level winds out of the west creating a moderate 10 – 20 knots of wind shear that continues to drive dry air into Debby’s core. This dry air can be seen on Water vapor satellite loops. Ocean temperatures are about 27.5°C (81°F) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, which is about 1°F above average, but these waters do not extend to great depth, which will limit how strong Debby can get.


Figure 2. True-color visible Aqua satellite image of Debby taken at 3 pm EDT Sunday June 24, 2012. At the time, Debby had top winds of 60 mph. Image credit: NASA.

Forecast for Debby
Debby’s slow motion will make rainfall the primary threat from the storm, though tornadoes will continue to be a threat over the next few days. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed most of Florida in its “Slight Risk” area for severe weather today. The slow motion of Debby will inhibit intensification of the storm by stirring up cooler waters from the depths to the surface. Debby’s close proximity to land places a portion of its circulation over land, which will also tend to slow down intensification. Wind shear is expected to remain in the moderate range through Wednesday. I expect Debby will begin to build heavy thunderstorms near its core today and Tuesday, with the winds increasing again to 60 mph by Wednesday morning. The latest SHIPS model forecast gives Debby just a 4% chance of undergoing rapid intensification–a 30 mph increase of winds in 24 hours. The 8 am EDT NHC wind probability forecast is giving Debby a 19% chance of becoming a hurricane by early Wednesday morning. Steering currents for Debby are very weak, a the storm should hang out in its current location for several more days. The models continue to have a large spread in where they thing Debby might eventual make landfall, and the official NHC forecast may have large errors for its positions at the 3 – 5 day range.

Colorado’s 114°: hottest temperature in state history
The remarkable heat wave that affected Colorado on Saturday and Sunday has tied the all-time heat record for the state. According to wunderground’s weather historian Christopher C. Burt, Saturday’s 114° reading in Las Animas tied for the hottest temperature ever measured in the state of Colorado. Two other 114° readings have occurred in Colorado history: in Las Animas on July 1, 1933, and in Sedgwick on July 11, 1954.

Colorado Springs tied its all-time record for warmest temperature ever measured on both Saturday and Sunday, with readings of 100°. The city has hit 100° four other times, most recently on July 24, 2003. The record heat in Colorado Springs exacerbated a wildfire that grew to more than 3 square miles on Sunday, driving 11,000 residents (2% of the city’s population) out of their homes.

In Fort Collins, the mercury hit 102° on Sunday, just 1° below the city’s all-time hottest temperature of 103° set on Jul 21, 2005. The heat did no favors for firefighters struggling to the contain the massive 81,000 acre High Park fire fifteen miles northwest of Fort Collins. The fire is the second largest and most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history, and is 45% contained.

La Junta, CO hit 110° on Sunday, tying its all-time hottest temperature record, set on June 28, 1990.

The heat wave extended into neighboring Kansas, where Hill City hit 114°, tying its all-time warmest June temperature. Tribune, Kansas hit 109°, tying its all-time hottest temperature. Goodland, Kansas hit 109°, its hottest June temperature on record.

Two more days of exceptional heat are predicted for Colorado and Kansas, with the forecast for Denver calling for a high of 101 – 104° on Monday. The city hit 102° on Sunday, just 3° below the hottest temperature ever recorded in Denver, the 105° readings on July 20, 2005 and August 8, 1878.

Jeff Masters

from:    http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2133