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| Post photo, I was chased clear to the car by a very scary goose! |
This weekend I attended the UFO & ET Congress which is held semi-annually at a modest venue in Bordentown, New Jersey. The featured speaker was Travis Walton, the Arizona logger taken aboard an alien space craft November 5, 1975 and held for five harrowing days while a massive search was organized below.Walton's ordeal was dramatized in the 1993 movie "Fire in the Sky" which was based on Walton's own book, "The Walton Experience" (1978). The book was republished in 1997 in an expanded format under the title of "Fire in the Sky: The Walton Experience" and is available on Amazon, as well as through Walton's website.
The Walton case is notable among abduction reports insofar as the saucer shaped alien craft reported to have taken Walton was clearly seen by six of Walton's coworkers. According to all reports, a beam of blue-green energy emanated from the craft and struck Walton as the ship was apparently powering up for take off. Believing Walton to be dead, the loggers left the scene in the hope of getting help or weapons. When they returned, Walton and the craft were gone.
In his presentation, Walton expressed the belief that he was essentially struck by accident during the powering up process. In the years since the incident, he stated that he had come to believe that he was taken aboard the craft because he was in need of medical attention. In response to questioning about the intent of ship's crew, Walton referred to the incident as an "ambulance call."
Walton corrected discrepancies between the film and the actual events of the case. Red herrings shown in the film, such as a UFO magazine on the seat of the logging truck and Walton's coworkers agreeing to "stick to the story" prior to meeting with law enforcement were dramatic devices intended to increase suspense. During the presentation, Walton was careful to set the record state on the actions of his fellow loggers who quite understandably felt themselves in no position to engage the alien spaceship unarmed.
While Walton may have been unconscious or sedated during much of the time he spent aboard the craft, the events he did recall and share were detailed and convincing and he was able to provide artist's renderings of the alien crew. More info may be available as well in Walton's book which is high on my reading list.
Overall, I found Walton's presentation to be a credible and articulate account of a truly amazing experience. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to hear him!
You can learn more about Walton, his experience and subsequent investigations in his book Fire in the Sky: The Walton Experience or through his website at Travis-Walton.com.
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| Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards |
Yesterday I spent a wonderful afternoon with my good friend Tara catching up and reading Tarot. I received a wonderful reading (as always) and I hope I gave at least a fair one in return. Our questions, as is usual, revolved around career and spirit and how best to combine the two.
My question concerned my problems with the new manuscript, the true nature of my life purpose and my problems with writer's block. Of the latter I will say that, as a former 10 page a day writer. it really can happen to anyone!
My question concerned my problems with the new manuscript, the true nature of my life purpose and my problems with writer's block. Of the latter I will say that, as a former 10 page a day writer. it really can happen to anyone!
Tara began by showing me her new Doreen Virtue Goddess Deck. Looking through the cards, I pulled out the Kali card (at right) looked at the picture and said, I love this card. Surprisingly, it was Tara's favorite as well. This was the first synchronicity.
We set the Goddess Deck aside. I read for Tara and then she read for me. Crazy accurate as always she helped me identify my problems in regard to writing. The cards indicated potential. My blockage was represented by the nine of swords. Tara told me to look at internalized negative concepts from my past and assured me that my present darkness of thought was part of the already initiated process of releasing these impediments.
Tara's always unexpected insight and lovely spiritual energy made me feel as if she had reached into the darkness surrounding me in regard to my life path and gave me a firm tug in the direction I needed to go. I will always be grateful.
At the end of the reading, Tara pulled a single card from the Goddess Deck. And, you guessed it, it was Kali. Tara handed me the card and this time I didn't just look at the picture but read: "The old must be released so that the new can enter." Thinking how synchronistic this was, I suddenly remember the Shiva statue I had given Tara years ago. I asked myself, I wonder if that statue could also represent Kali? As if on cue, Tara said, that she found herself thinking of the Shiva statue as Kali.
For me, three such 'coincidences' are an affirmation of spirit and I am working hard at incorporating the message I was given!
Please check back next week for my review of The Goddess Guidance Deck.
Please check back next week for my review of The Goddess Guidance Deck.
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| "Miranda: The Tempest" John William Waterhouse 1916 (enlarged for detail) |
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| A Reluctant Attendee Examines a Great Selection of Spiritual Books! |
 A Variety of Spiritual Items.  |
| An Example of One of the Beautiful Vendor Tables at the Expo. |
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Free Samples of Delicious Organic Teas. Check back tomorrow and Friday for pics of artists, readers & spiritual modalities! |
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| Lovely picture taken by a friend. Posted to remind myself not to waste what we are given. |
Looking for a diversion, I switched on the TV, and surfed the channels until I stopped at a public access TV program featuring Eckhart Tolle. I had never heard him.
I was, I think, quite possibly the only person in the entire US who had not. Surprising perhaps because spirituality was always such an important part of my life. I was never particularly attracted to 'New Age' however and that made Tolle new news to me that night.
I had an religious affiliation but it wasn't really working. I had decided that maybe I should just give up on spirituality altogether - that it just might not be for me. But I was wrong and in that moment, hearing Tolle talk, I knew I was wrong.
My curiosity, the great saving grace of my life to date, was sparked. I wanted to know more. I felt a new cycle starting and the promise of new things on the horizon. I wanted to explore again and it seemed that it might be helpful to me, on a personal level, to keep track of what I found.
My curiosity, the great saving grace of my life to date, was sparked. I wanted to know more. I felt a new cycle starting and the promise of new things on the horizon. I wanted to explore again and it seemed that it might be helpful to me, on a personal level, to keep track of what I found.
My track history with journals is rarely good and I have always had problems with consistency across the board of my life experience. So it occurred to me that a commitment to share what I was learning with others through blogging might keep me on track. And so it has. I have covered a lot ground over the last year and taken some interesting turns. Best of all, I find my passion for what I am learning is growing rather than waning.
Have I progressed in spiritually since that sleepless night which seems so long ago? I'm not sure. My belief system has expanded but I have a long way to go, however, in terms of establishing a consistent spiritual practice. I have learned a thing or two, yes. But I am also acutely conscious of how much more there is to discover. And that's a good thing.
I am so looking forward to year two. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you, dear reader, for being there to share it!
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| The Susquehanna River August 13th, 2011 6:23 AM |
I got to the river just before the sun crested, compass in hand to observe the southeast sky but saw no sign of the Dog Star. According to various internet sources Sirius was due to return to Northern skies today. Ancient people were very precise in their observations of the heavens. The internet, it seems, is not. But that was alright. Seeing the sun rise over the mountains was worth getting up for.
There is a resonant energy to the world just before dawn and there was a time when I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning just to feel the hum. On the way home from the river today, I remembered that time. I remembered how I used to sit in the kitchen and drink black coffee and write straight through until sunrise. I lived in the city then but I could see the better part of eastern sky above the vacant lot outside my back door. I got early up to write and see the sun come up almost every morning. In many ways, that place was my first real home and I made the most of it.
There is a resonant energy to the world just before dawn and there was a time when I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning just to feel the hum. On the way home from the river today, I remembered that time. I remembered how I used to sit in the kitchen and drink black coffee and write straight through until sunrise. I lived in the city then but I could see the better part of eastern sky above the vacant lot outside my back door. I got early up to write and see the sun come up almost every morning. In many ways, that place was my first real home and I made the most of it.
On the way back from the river this morning, I thought that I could do that here, too, if I wanted. The old turn of the century houses are close together in my neighborhood but ours is on a small hill and I have full view of the sky over the roof tops and mountains from my east facing bedroom slash office. Rearranging the furniture was relatively easy and my desk now faces that window. I am going to get up early tomorrow and write. Maybe I will catch sunrise by the river another day. Sirius is back after all. And if I get the timing right, I should be able to catch it any morning I choose.
Update: Here in the new house, I have an office. And it came equipped with a big east facing window <3
Update: Here in the new house, I have an office. And it came equipped with a big east facing window <3
In ancient Egypt however things were very different. The return of Sirius there, and then, occurred at the time of the summer solstice. This was the time when the star broke free of the glare of sun (as it is just about to do here in North America) to once again become visible or return to the skies of ancient Egypt.
Also called The Nile Star or Star of Isis, Sirius was considered to be so astronomically significant to the ancient Egyptian's that the mighty sphinx itself was oriented to face the point at which Sirius rose from the horizon for its dramatic return at the dawn of the summer solstice. In those days, the return of this brilliant star marked not only the solstice, but the start of the ancient Egyptian New Year playing a pivotal role in Egypt agriculture by warning those living along the Nile of impending flood.
At the temple of Isis-Hathor at Denderah a jewel was placed at the forehead of the statue of Isis. When the light from the returning Star of the Nile fell upon the gem for the first time each year, the priests would announce the start of the New Year. On the walls of the Denderah temple an inscription reads: "Her majesty Isis shines into the temple on New Year’s Day, and she mingles her light with that of her father Ra on the horizon."
Sirius is a bright white star with a hint of blue. When the air is unsteady, or when the star itself is low to the horizon as it is now, it appears to radiate an entire spectrum of color. In mid-northern latitudes Sirius may be seen tomorrow morning, August 13th, just before sunrise in the southeasterly sky. And I will be there to greet it.
Reminder: Tomorrow night is the full moon. Coupled with the date (the 13th) and the return of Sirius this is wonderful time to set out crystals or other items in need of clearing. Do consider spending some time outside this weekend to take advantage of this very special energy!
According to Rabbi and scholar Ayreh Kaplan, in his intro to the English translation of The Sefer Yetzirah, Kabbalah may divided into three categories: theoretical, meditative and magical. Theoretical Kabbalah, which is based largely on the Zohar, is concerned with the dynamics of the spiritual domain (worlds, souls and angels). Meditative Kabbalah, as found in the Sefer (sefer means book) Yetzirah and several other unpublished texts, employs the use of divine names and other methods to reach higher states of consciousness. Magical Kabbalah can be found to a certain extent (per Rabbi Kaplan) in the Sefer Yetzirah as well as The Book of Raziel and other as of yet untranslated texts.
Wonderful translations of many of these primary texts are available through Amazon and elsewhere, including The Bahir and Sefer Yetzirah as translated by Aryeh Kaplan, and The Zohar in the beautiful multi-volume Pritzker edition translated by Daniel Matt. Are these good places to start however? That depends. An understanding any of these texts, is best approached, in my opinion, in conjuncture with a certain amount of left brain understanding of Judaism and the Bible and a good deal of right brain reflection and meditation. It is my personal preference to treat all Kabbalah as essentially meditative, to select a short passage to read and reflect upon and not necessarily struggle for a structured assimilation of information.
If you are looking for a more comprehensive understanding of Kabbalistic concepts than this approach provides, the best place to start may be with modern commentary. The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism by Daniel Matt as well as another of Matt's books, God and the Big Bang, are fantastic first reads on Kabbalah. The Thirteen Petalled Rose by Adin Steinsaltz (reviewed in this publication here) is a great choice as well especially for those interested in increasing their metaphysical understanding of alternate dimensions.
The Essential Kabbalah is a wonderful reflective and mystical text which addresses many of the important concepts of Kabbalah in short, understandable and extremely well-written essays. God and the Big Bang which I hope to reread and review soon, is one of my favorite books. In it, Matt does a truly amazing and sometimes poetic job of discussing the cosmos, the Zohar and many of the fundamentals of Judaism.
The following passage from The Essential Kabbalah describes the ten sefirot in Matt's mystical yet very accessible style:
"Better yet, imagine a ray of sunlight shining through a stained-glass window of ten different colors. The sunlight possesses no color at all but appears to change hue as it passes through the different colors of glass. Colored light radiates through the window. The light has not essentially changed, though so it seems to the viewer. Just so with the sefirot. The light that clothes itself in the vessels of the sefirot is the essence, like the ray of sunlight. That essence does not change color at all, neither judgment nor compassion, neither right nor left, yet by emanating through the sefirot - the variegated stained glass - judgement or compassion prevails."
Dr. Amit Goswami speaking on quantum physics as it relates to spirituality. Read my review of the documentary film "The Quantum Activist" which features Dr. Goswami and his work in my previous post "Mysticism Meets Quantum Science." If you find the film challenging, as I did, or even if you don't, there is what looks like it could be a great free workbook available for download at the website QuantumActivist.com (QuantumActivist.com/workbook). I'm really looking forward to working with it!
Mysticism Meets Quantum Science: A Review of "The Quantum Activist" A Very Important Documentary Film Featuring Dr. Amit Goswami!
August 1, 2011
Goswami is at this point in his career quite well known, a sought after
speaker world-wide, as well as the author of numerous books including the
quantum mechanics textbook of choice for many universities:
Quantum Mechanics, The Self-Aware Universe, God is not Not Dead, How Quantum Activism Can Save Civilisation,
The Visionary Window: A Quantum Physicist's Guide to Enlightenment
and
Physics of the Soul
(which is winging its way to me as I write:). His message may be
as important as any other scientific advancement realized to date.
How can I make such an outrageous claim?
Dr. Goswami expresses ideas about non-local consciousness that have
widespread, perhaps even worldwide, transformative potential and what he says
makes sense. Or as much sense as anything said about quantum physics can
make at this point in our development.
He speaks against scientific materialism. The idea, as he defines it,
that cause rises, that matter is the force behind all subtle experience.
He maintains that it is impossible to explain all internal phenomena in terms
of the movement of molecules. He calls the attempt to do so upward
causation, the method of building upon our understanding from the bottom up,
from particle, to atom, to molecule, to the ultimate creation and existence of
all that is.
Religions, Goswami maintains,while apparently diverse share a common view of
what can be conceived of as God. That is, a force outside of the
material, a downward causation, a subtle body or world aside from the
observable. Goswami considers this principal the essence of
spirituality.
So what does any of this have to do with quantum physics?
Quantum physics describes the nature of tiny particles. Its application is responsible for many of the great advances of our modern age: satellites, computers, nuclear power, advanced medicine. Additionally and most notably however, it appears to follow a very different set of rules than those observable in the macro world - as defined by scientists such as Newton. Quantum physics poses certain problems such as quantum non-locality, in which two particles share information across vast distances, and suggests (as in the well-known double slit experience) that observation at the quantum realm effects matter, literally changing the manifestation of light from a wave to a particle.
It should be noted that like most groundbreaking scientific data, these
results have been interpreted in a number of ways and that it is likely that
the most comprehensive explanation is still evolving. Regardless of the
interpretation however, no one can say that this phenomena is not remarkable
and most will agree that it has the potential to revolutionize our
understanding of the very nature of reality.
Amit Goswami interprets this phenomena, as do many, in terms of
consciousness. He explains that when consciousness looks - waves
collapse and become objects of conscious experience. In that respect, he
considers physics a science of possibilities meaning, as I understand it, that
all waves have the possibility of being transformed into objects of conscious
experience. He goes on to address the Quantum Measurement Paradox in
terms of philosophical logic and this is where he begins to depart from the
majority of physicists.
He asks: If consciousness, as quantum physics suggests, chooses actuality from
material possibilities how can we conceptualize this without paradox? If
we have a possible elementary particle, creating a possible atom, creating a
possible neuron, creating a possible brain, creating a possible consciousness,
how can we couple possibility to actuality - or consciousness to matter?
Pointing out the circularity and paradox of that line of reasoning, Goswami
then introduces what he terms a radical thought. This is quite simply
put, an idea consistent with the experience of the mystic, the idea that
consciousness is the ground of all being.
As breathtaking as this is, however, there is more. Goswami goes on to
speak quite clearly on the topic of manifestation, maintaining that the level
of consciousness which possesses the ability to choose actuality is an altered
(as opposed to egoic) state which can only operate in the realm of the
subtle. This state and this realm may be thought of as cosmic or
interconnected consciousness. Separateness in this context is ultimately
illusionary and this is what is truly radical about Goswami's science.
Goswami goes on to speak of non-local communication, the Tibetan Book of the
Dead, the discontinuous leap of creativity and the morphogenetic field with
such beauty and precision that it would be a mistake I think for me to attempt
to paraphrase here. Suffice it to say that he believes that non-local or
cosmic consciousness is at once God, and ourselves, the object, and
subject. For Goswami, as for me, consciousness does indeed precede all.
On a global scale, the ramifications of such a realization are
staggering. Operating from the subtle body, and the heart chakra
specifically, Goswami suggests that we have the ability to recognize this
interconnectness and proposes an approach to the resolution of conflict which
acknowledges that we are all part of the whole. He speaks of taking a
step beyond even the Bodhisattva. In the old days Goswami explains, we
were concerned only for ourselves. 'If I achieve heaven,' we may have
said, 'I don't care about you.' As we evolve however in we recognize
that this is incorrect. And ideally we realize it to the degree that we
now say, 'If you don't go, I don't go either.'
Toward the end of the film, we realize that Dr. Goswami is not
naive. He is an experienced and educated man, well aware of the dangers
posed by our treatment of the environment (a product of separatism and
material thinking) and each other. He sees progress however in an
evolutionary sense that is both individual and collective. He considers
this progress demonstrated by the success of leaders such
Mahatma Gandhi,
Nelson Mandela and
Martin Luther King. He
points out that these movements toppled the great institutions of British
colonization, apartheid and racism by completely nonviolent means and that
this could not have happened 100 or 200 years ago. And in spite of my
continued concern and anxiety about the state of the world, I have to
agree. It is possible. We may indeed be progressing and while
nothing is guaranteed, I see great hope.
The absolute perfection of this documentary, of course, is that it is soundly
based in in scientific theory, lending validity to the subjective and
credibility to the unseen. In this regard it is therefore accessible to
very wide audience.
A friend sent me this video this evening which was interesting as I was reading Plato's account of Atlantis earlier in the day. This is not Atlantis of course but it follows a very similar time-line which I find compelling. I am absolutely fascinated by the mystery of the past. Somehow it all comes together in ways mainstream archaeology is just beginning to consider. I must do a review on Fingerprints of the Gods (the author of the book, Graham Hancock, is interviewed midway through this clip).
The History Channel does seem to get a bit off track in this presentation but some good points are made as well. I've included some background from the Smithsonian Magazine below, including additional photos:
"Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple."
The History Channel does seem to get a bit off track in this presentation but some good points are made as well. I've included some background from the Smithsonian Magazine below, including additional photos:
"Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple."
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| Sammy napping. |
While I don't necessarily believe that there are no coincidences, I do believe that there are a lot less of them than most of us suppose. I think that many of the events we write off as coincidences are in actuality synchronicities between the spiritual and the physical, connecting points if you will between conventional reality and what's beyond. Because of this belief, I feel that the messages synchronicities give are always significant.
To put the spiritual 'evidence' synchronicities represent into perspective, however, I want to first mention other sorts of evidence. These are occurrences that many of us, even most of us, accept without ever really analyzing. Relatively common events such as paranormal experience for example occur at least occasionally to a great many people but somehow become part of the world view of only a relative few. Faced with solidity of our visible world it is all too easy to dismiss an event that 'couldn't' be real. People may even say, 'I couldn't believe my eyes' and mean it!
Case in point: I heard my first ghost when I was sixteen years old. It was not my first experience with spirit but my earlier experiences were either heart centered (felt) or 'heard' in the form of interior dialogue. This experience was different.
I was sitting in the kitchen of an old farmhouse when I clearly (really) heard people talking outside, though the words were muffled. It was objectively obvious to me that they walking around on the old wooden porch preparing to come in. I wasn't alarmed because people were expected. "Here they are," I thought. The old screen door squeaked. Then nothing. Perplexed, I got up to see what the problem was, opened the door and - you guessed it - found nobody there.
This experience should have convinced me of something I already half knew. The reality of spirit should have become a cornerstone of my belief system. Instead I set this experience, as well as a series of disturbing dreams and a second event that occurred in the same location, aside and did not revisit the memory for several years.
I was sitting in the kitchen of an old farmhouse when I clearly (really) heard people talking outside, though the words were muffled. It was objectively obvious to me that they walking around on the old wooden porch preparing to come in. I wasn't alarmed because people were expected. "Here they are," I thought. The old screen door squeaked. Then nothing. Perplexed, I got up to see what the problem was, opened the door and - you guessed it - found nobody there.
This experience should have convinced me of something I already half knew. The reality of spirit should have become a cornerstone of my belief system. Instead I set this experience, as well as a series of disturbing dreams and a second event that occurred in the same location, aside and did not revisit the memory for several years.
Experiences such as these should lead each of us to question the apparent nature of reality (one very positive reason for the phenomena of ghost energy in my opinion) but the truth is they frequently don't or, as in my case, a couple of replays and few really blockbuster events (which occurred elsewhere) are required to really get the ball rolling. Examined or not, however, displays of paranormal activity are not only evidence of spirit, they are evidence of an invisible reality and as such should pose important questions about spirit, space and the universality of physical laws. Questions that far too few people ask.
So where do synchronicities fit in? If visions and auditory phenomena are true 'eye witness' accounts, synchronicities are admittedly merely circumstantial evidence. This does not mean that we should discount them. Quite the contrary, in my opinion; we should actively look for them. They may be easy to miss but they are very important. In a court of law, circumstantial evidence lends credibility to evidence which may seem extraordinary, making the layering of circumstance an important part of building a case. The more circumstance there is, the more believable a given scenario becomes. Small things take on significance.
And this is true of synchronicity as well. Once a person learns to pay attention, it is my experience that they will notice that synchronicities happen a lot. Far too often, in my opinion, and too exactly to be written off as random.
And this is true of synchronicity as well. Once a person learns to pay attention, it is my experience that they will notice that synchronicities happen a lot. Far too often, in my opinion, and too exactly to be written off as random.
My most recent synchronicity concerned my dog, Samson who has been sick these last four years with what has become a very severe case of kidney disease. Three years ago I was told he had a had few weeks to live. We have been on borrowed time so to speak for a while now and that time is running out. What he means to me is beyond the scope of this article and perhaps beyond words altogether. I will say that he is best friend in the world and leave it at that.
My goal at this point in his treatment, which is both extensive and costly, is that he will have a good summer and I have prayed about this a lot. Last week he took a sudden turn for the worse. It seemed hopeless but after a visit to our wonderful vet and a lot interaction with spirit, I decided to admit him to the animal hospital for a transfusion. The proposed treatment may see us til the end of the summer in the emergency vet's opinion, then again it might not.
The cost of the transfusion was $1086 which was far more than I expected. I had 570 dollars in hand and a three hundred dollar check from my oldest son. My middle boy who had accompanied me had exactly 216 dollars in his wallet. Between the three of us we paid for Sammy's care without a dollar left over. As my son took his worldly wealth out of his wallet, he said "I guess it's meant to be." An offhand comment from a very committed spiritual skeptic but perhaps it is a start.
Events like this are easy to dismiss and we do dismiss them more frequently than we are even aware of. It is far better in my opinion to look for their occurrence, far better to be open and to reflect on the messages they share: Life is not easy. Suffering is everywhere. But compassion is just as available and it is accessible to all of us. And of course, most importantly, beyond the visible a mysterious and wonderful reality awaits.
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| Ani, led by the god Horus. |
I needed my copy ofThe Egyptian Book of the Dead
for research purposes recently and couldn’t find it - which is what happens
sometimes when you have too many books for your bookshelves! I went
through a few books in the attic and a few more in other spots, got frustrated
and decided it would be easier to order another copy.
I picked a Faulkner translation out on Amazon and then, on impulse, decided to pay a few more dollars for an illustrated edition.
When the book arrived a few days later I was disappointed to see that it was very over-sized. “Great,” I thought. “It won’t even fit on the shelf.” My disappointment evaporated however the minute I opened the book. This edition, created by James Wasserman, is breathtaking. My review of this amazing edition with some general background on The Book of the Dead follows.
I picked a Faulkner translation out on Amazon and then, on impulse, decided to pay a few more dollars for an illustrated edition.
When the book arrived a few days later I was disappointed to see that it was very over-sized. “Great,” I thought. “It won’t even fit on the shelf.” My disappointment evaporated however the minute I opened the book. This edition, created by James Wasserman, is breathtaking. My review of this amazing edition with some general background on The Book of the Dead follows.
The title The Book of the Dead refers to
several distinct but similar ancient texts which were traditionally included
in the tombs of wealthy Egyptians. These texts are not so much about death
however as they are the afterlife and were originally, and more poetically,
called "The Book of Going Forth by Day."
One of the best examples of these amazing texts, the Papyrus of Ani, chronicles the journey of the deceased Ani, a royal scribe of Thebes, through the underworld and into the world beyond in a series of painted vignettes accompanied by hieroglyphic text. It may be viewed in a wonderful fully illustrated edition produced by James Wasserman with translation by the noted scholar Dr. Raymond Faulkner and additional translation by Dr. Ogden Goelet, Jr. The book is in itself a story, having been the realization of a life long dream on the part of Wasserman who first became acquainted with The Papyrus of Ani when working at Samuel Weiser’s bookstore in New York City in the early 1970s.
One of the best examples of these amazing texts, the Papyrus of Ani, chronicles the journey of the deceased Ani, a royal scribe of Thebes, through the underworld and into the world beyond in a series of painted vignettes accompanied by hieroglyphic text. It may be viewed in a wonderful fully illustrated edition produced by James Wasserman with translation by the noted scholar Dr. Raymond Faulkner and additional translation by Dr. Ogden Goelet, Jr. The book is in itself a story, having been the realization of a life long dream on the part of Wasserman who first became acquainted with The Papyrus of Ani when working at Samuel Weiser’s bookstore in New York City in the early 1970s.
At that time The Papyrus of Ani could be read in translation in one book while viewing the reproduction of the actual scroll in a second book (the British>Museum’s 1890 facsimile edition). Fascinated by the images of the scroll, Wasserman purchased the facsimile from Donald Weiser in 1979. “Soon after,” he tells us in the forward to his edition of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, “I found myself literally “watching” a vision of the book you are now holding in your hands taking shape – that is the exquisite papyrus in full color running along the top of the page, with a readable uncluttered English translation below.”
Wasserman’s book is indeed a work of art, reproducing the 3300 year old, 78
foot long scroll in full with complete translation directly beneath the images
it describes. This beautiful edition allows us to not only read the
incredible story but to view and understand the artwork in the context in
which it was created. A display volume worth displaying, this
edition is perfect for anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt, ancient
religion, mythology or any sort of art.
by Christiana Gaudet is not just another how to read tarot book but a guided journey into defining and structuring your own tarot reading business.The book begins with four very different business case studies: Joe, a retired Social Worker, Lucy, a single mom, Dana, a successful business woman suddenly down-sized and Eugenia a 70 years young experienced reader just making the jump to professional tarot. Fortune Stellar
traces their progress as they conceptualize and initiate their unique tarot businesses through a series of wonderful tarot based exercises design to encourage intuitive thinking and creativity. The book covers a wide range of topics including vision and mission statements, structuring your business, branding, the media, ethical issues specific to tarot, creating (and closing) sacred space, and establishing a connection with clients.
Christiana offers great nuts and bolts advice on dealing with dis-empowered clients, giving bad news, working with dependent or dishonest clients, rephrasing questions, strategies for deciphering confusing arrays and your reading comfort zone bottom line. Hands on intuitive tarot exercises to help the established or would be reader define and manifest their own tarot reading business and succinct essays on related disciplines such as numerology or Kabbalah make this an extremely well-rounded book.
Not only for tarot professionals, Fortune Stellar can be applied to almost any spiritually based business by anyone who relies on the cards for advice and direction. In addition to providing wonderful practical and intuitive business advice, the book encourages the spiritually inclined businessperson to empower themselves by looking within as well as to spirit for direction in their chosen field.
can be applied to almost any spiritually based business by anyone who relies on the cards for advice and direction. In addition to providing wonderful practical and intuitive business advice, the book encourages the spiritually inclined businessperson to empower themselves by looking within as well as to spirit for direction in their chosen field.
Please Note: I am thrilled to announce that Christiana will be appearing on The Mystic Review Radio Show Thursday @ 11PM EST on BlogTalkRadio. We will be taking calls on professional tarot, ethics and spirituality in business. This is a great opportunity to get some targeted intuitive business advice from one of the best! And even if you don't catch the show it will be available at the above URL in the archives on an ongoing basis.
About Christiana: Certified Tarot Grandmaster Christian Gaudet has been a successful, full-time tarot professional since 1994. From her office in West Palm Beach, Florida, she offers reading and instruction to a world-wide clientele. Christiana is the founder of Tarot Circle study groups In CT, PA and FL (how we met), and is currently the organizer of the Tarot Circle Meetup of the Palm Beaches. Christiana has performed readings on nightclub stages, broadcast radio and network television. She is a sought-after speaker and teacher at conferences and festivals nationwide.
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| My Lovely Newly Gifted Hanson-Roberts Tarot |
I consider myself so lucky to have such a dear and thoughtful friend. Everything about this gift was perfect from the lovely gypsy graphic with the tiny purple third eye sequin to the gift of a deck I have long admired. It's rare to find such a giving and supportive person, let alone one who is so alike in spirit and has such wonderful energy! Actually the only person besides myself, I allow to handle my cards. I will always treasure this deck!
Tarot cards have the ability to speak to us in so many different voices. They can be emotive, spiritual, or symbolic. They can be read in terms of numbers or colors, elements or history, or through the images themselves. Their interpretation is frequently dynamic, shifting according to the relative proximity of the cards to one another or per their placement in a predetermined spread. For those who read reversals, even the orientation of individual cards tells a story.
Many readers have multiple interpretations for every card. This is part of what makes reading Tarot an intuitive process and can add considerable depth to the messages we receive. There are times however, in my own experience, that knowing too much about a card has added a layer of fuzziness to a reading. That is why I find it helpful to look at the cards as individuals not only in terms of the nature of their associations but in regard to number.
I consider most Tarot cards expansive. I feel that I can explain some of them at relative length. Apply them to different situations. Make intuitive or deliberate choices about the way I will interpret them. Their meaning morphs according many of the factors I discussed at the beginning of this article. While this is, in itself, an evolutionary process I think that I have a sense of the complexity of certain cards even when my knowledge base is incomplete.
There are other cards however that I consider constant. They speak to me very directly and there is no expanding upon them, no over thinking them. There meanings are fixed and they say the same thing over and over whatever the reading. And while it would be limiting , in my opinion, to read the entire deck this way I find that having a few very focused cards allows me to be, if not predictive, at least a better conduit for spirit.
Here are some examples:
Two of Swords = stop, nothing else on this for now.
Three of Cups = yes or go for it.
The Ace of Swords = write on this.
The Wheel of Fortune = on your path.
Eight of Pentacles = apply yourself.
Very curious to hear what others' focus cards might be!
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| My Grandparent's farmhouse in NE PA. Very pleasantly haunted! |
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| The Mystic Faerie Magician |
I read an interesting article today on Llewellyn's blog page called Jumper Cards. Not only do I love the topic but was pleased to see that it was written by Tarot author Barbara Moore who has written fantastic guides on a number of decks including one of my own personal favorites The Mystic Faerie Tarot
.
I enjoy Barbara Moore's blog and thought that Jumper Cards was a great article. It got me thinking too, which is always a good thing. A short time later, it inspired this post.
So what are jumper cards? Jumper cards are what many Tarot readers call cards which fall or spring out of the Tarot deck when a reader or client is handling the cards. Sometimes these cards seem obviously dropped through carelessness. Other time they seem to almost have a life of their own.
.I enjoy Barbara Moore's blog and thought that Jumper Cards was a great article. It got me thinking too, which is always a good thing. A short time later, it inspired this post.
So what are jumper cards? Jumper cards are what many Tarot readers call cards which fall or spring out of the Tarot deck when a reader or client is handling the cards. Sometimes these cards seem obviously dropped through carelessness. Other time they seem to almost have a life of their own.
Some readers disregard jumper cards. Most, however, assign them varying levels of importance and this is my approach as well. How seriously do I take jumper cards? Pretty seriously, actually, though the degree of significance I accord them is dependent on several factors.
I will say first of all that while I disagree with the saying, "there are no accidents," I do believe that life is a lot less random than many people suppose. I also believe that spirit has the ability to act upon conventional 3D reality. For me, this makes any card that falls out of the deck significant. All jumpers are not created equal, however, and I take several factors into consideration when applying these very special cards to a reading.
The mechanics of the jump. Cards that spring out of the deck are more notable to me than those I loosely drop. Cards that fall out when I feel I have a good grip on the deck are more notable too. Ask yourself, how hard did this card have to work to make itself noticed? Or more properly, how hard did spirit have to work to bring this particular card to my attention?
While I do not understand how spirit manifests in the physical world, I am fairly certain it requires significant effort. It is my experience that spirit will always take the path of least resistance in this regard. When manifestation appears to require a great deal of energy, it is particularly meaningful.
The juxtaposition of thought. I always pay particular attention to what thought is in my awareness at the time of the jump. This thought may be the reading topic. Then again, it might not. When it is not, I accord it additional importance.
Suppose you are about to ask the cards a career question. You think to yourself, I will never get out of this dead-end job and out pops the Tower. This can, and should, be interpreted in regard to the reading as a whole but it is safe to say that spirit is trying to tell you that change is possible and likely to be far-reaching if and when it is realized.
Surprise and spontaneity are usually very good indicators of credibility in regard to any kind of spiritual phenomena. The combination of an unexpected jump with a stray or spontaneous thought is particularly noteworthy.
Trumping the question. In life and in Tarot we frequently ask the wrong questions. Contradictory or confusing readings can mean that your question is not the question that spirit wants to address. Clients hate this, and sometimes readers do too, but if you read Tarot you have to believe that spirit will lead you to the info that most needs to be communicated. And this is often what jumpers do best.
When I get a jumper that seems to have nothing to do with the question at hand, I will usually reflect, rephrase or even change the question completely. This is largely an intuitive process but if you are unsure, you can let the cards help. Imagine that you drop the Eight of Pentacles in the middle of a relationship reading. Should the client work harder at the relationship, or is spirit not particularly interested in the relationship at all and trying to tell the client to concentrate on their career?
One way to deal with this is to set the jumper aside and ask, usually silently, a new or reworded question, drawing a few more cards as you go. I do this quite often in readings when the cards just don't seem to fit but I find especially illuminating with jumpers. In the relationship reading above, more Pentacles, Wands or a couple Majors may indicate that the reading needs to go in a somewhat different direction.
Beyond Tarot. I have had a lifetime of experience with what many people call supernatural phenomena. The majority of these experiences have been auditory, visual or emotive and there was a time when I believed that spirit could not directly manipulate the world of solid space. Ten years ago however I had a series of experiences that contradicted that assumption.
The first happened at Walden Books. I was there to buy a book on whatever historical topic was of interest to me at that time. Walking down the aisle, a book by medium John Edward flopped off the shelf and fell directly in front of me. It struck me as odd. The shelves were closed. The floor was not moving. The friend who was with me said, You better buy that book. So I did.
I read the book and watched the show. A few weeks later I bought a ticket to see John Edward in NYC. At that venue, and after, a number of unusual things happened. During one reading, a rose petal drifted toward the girl who was being read. There were bouquets lining the stage and Edward pointed that out, seemingly unimpressed. The girl, however, caught the petal and started to cry. Her dead uncle it seemed had had a connection to roses.
I caught up with the girl at intermission. Satisfied that she was not a plant, I wished that someone from beyond the veil could have taken the trouble to send a rose petal my way. It was a great show but I did not get a reading and I left feeling a little let down. Outside on the endless concrete of the downtown New York I looked down and saw a single small broken piece of hemlock with a tiny pine-cone attached. A few steps later, I found an acorn and oak leaf.
I caught up with the girl at intermission. Satisfied that she was not a plant, I wished that someone from beyond the veil could have taken the trouble to send a rose petal my way. It was a great show but I did not get a reading and I left feeling a little let down. Outside on the endless concrete of the downtown New York I looked down and saw a single small broken piece of hemlock with a tiny pine-cone attached. A few steps later, I found an acorn and oak leaf.
Synchronicity. The hemlock is my tree, as well as the state tree of Pennsylvania, and it has always meant home to me. The oak was a tree I had read about pretty extensively, one I had used in a recent art project and whose symbolism was of interest to me at that time. And trees in general are especially meaningful to me.
Reviewing the events of that day it occurred to me, not for the first time, that significant things tend to happens in threes. At that time, three was my number. I was a believer in messages even then and this message seemed clear. However unlikely, I found myself believing that spirit had the ability to physically act upon the plane of our ordinary reality.
That belief has stayed with me and I find myself paying better attention to what goes on in the physical realm. When something unusual happens, I stop and ask myself what it might mean. There is no better time to do that, in my opinion, than when we read Tarot.
Reviewing the events of that day it occurred to me, not for the first time, that significant things tend to happens in threes. At that time, three was my number. I was a believer in messages even then and this message seemed clear. However unlikely, I found myself believing that spirit had the ability to physically act upon the plane of our ordinary reality.
That belief has stayed with me and I find myself paying better attention to what goes on in the physical realm. When something unusual happens, I stop and ask myself what it might mean. There is no better time to do that, in my opinion, than when we read Tarot.
I am currently reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui and addressing the concepts presented in the book in series of blog posts. This post is the second in that series.
Feng Shui it seems is all about energy or Qi and balancing energy is paramount to its practice. Practitioners of Feng Shui believe that an environmental imbalance in Yin and Yang in can lead to both physical and emotional disturbances. Of the history of Feng Shui the Idiot's Guide says:
"Initially yin and yang meant the shady (yin) and sunny (yang) sides of a hill, an idea ascribed to Zhou ancestor Gong Liu when he set about selecting an auspicious site for his people. Some five centuries later during the mid to late Zhou dynasty (c. 770-481 BCE), yin and yang were described as the two primal forces of qi."
While Yin and Yang are commonly thought of as opposites, the relationship between the two is not so much oppositional as dynamic as represented by fluid S curve of the taiji, the familiar symbol of light and dark.
In the Taiji the dark area represents Yin or the feminine principle. The light, Yang or masculine. Yin is dark and cool. It is associated with the moon, night, winter, earth and water. It is imaginative, intuition, creative and is linked with both religion and philosophy. It may be inactive with the potential negatives of sadness, selfishness and greed. Colors associated with Yin include black, brown, blue and green. Its direction is north.
Yang is light, hot and dry. It is associated with the sun, daytime, summer, heat, and light. It is active, firm, logical and fast and is linked to mathematics, science and finance. It may be aggressive or exuberant. Its colors are white, yellow and red. Its direction is south.
A second important principle in Feng Shui is what is called the Five Phases. These phases are identified as fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Each is a manifestation of Qi and has its own Qi character (Fire Qi radiates for example while Earth compacts). Each interacts with other phases in different ways. A domination of one phase creates imbalance which negatively affects Qi.
Each of the Five Phases is associated with a season, direction, weather condition, color, number and trigram which makes it possible to balance Qi in a variety of ways. A room dominated by fire-metal for example may be remedied by earth. Strategies for balancing with earth might include the placement of rocks or crystals, ceramic or clay sculptures or the colors brown and yellow. Water remedies a metal-wood domination which might be accomplished by the inclusion of table fountains, aquariums or the colors blue and black. Wood remedies water-fire. This phase could be introduced by the inclusion of a living plant or tree or the color green.
This is not the sum total of the practice of Feng Shui of course. It is in many ways, an applied science complete with its own symbolism, rules and calculations. I have a great deal more to learn about Feng Shui before putting it into practice in my own home. When this is accomplished, however, I will do a third Feng Shui post, including before and after pics and an evaluation of its affect on my environment.
Before starting this series it occurred to me that the topic of Feng Shui might not be considered mystical in the way of Kabbalah or Tarot. Because its application however was suggested to me by my guides and because I find the underlying spiritual principal of Qi fascinating. I am and have always been extremely sensitive to energy and I find the idea of a systematic approach to balancing the energetic influences in my own environment exciting. I highly recommend the The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui
to anyone interested in learning more about this very promising practice.
to anyone interested in learning more about this very promising practice.
Today I listened to a fascinating lecture by Dr. Richard Gerber, MD called Exploring Vibrational Medicine 
and intend to order at least one of his books when funds allow. It was truly amazing to hear a physician talk about things like chakras and the etheric body and Dr. Gerber is very much a physician in this lecture. He moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. In the first half hour alone I took several pages of notes finding, surprisingly, that I actually remembered my old college shorthand.
Dr. Gerber defines vibrational medicine is a form of medicine based on the concept of diagnosis and treatment of illness based on energy. He discusses various models of medicine and reality, and what he refers to as multidimensional human anatomy such as the chakras. He also discusses vibrational medicine healing techniques, including psychic healing, flower essences and crystals.
and intend to order at least one of his books when funds allow. It was truly amazing to hear a physician talk about things like chakras and the etheric body and Dr. Gerber is very much a physician in this lecture. He moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. In the first half hour alone I took several pages of notes finding, surprisingly, that I actually remembered my old college shorthand.Dr. Gerber defines vibrational medicine is a form of medicine based on the concept of diagnosis and treatment of illness based on energy. He discusses various models of medicine and reality, and what he refers to as multidimensional human anatomy such as the chakras. He also discusses vibrational medicine healing techniques, including psychic healing, flower essences and crystals.
As it is impossible to do a presentation like this justice in a single relatively short blog entry I want to devote this entry to the scientific theory behind vibrational medicine as presented by Dr. Gerber. A key point in understanding this theory is the contrast Dr. Gerber made between two very different scientific models as reflected in the practice of modern medicine. The first is referred to as the the Newtonian model, the second Einsteinian.
The Newtonian model, based on the work of Sir Isaac Newton, describes a largely mechanical reality. According to this model, which is reflected in Dr. Gerber's view in the training of most physicians, the heart may be conceptualized primarily as a pump, the lungs as a bellows, the kidneys as filters, the muscles as pulleys, etc. This view lends itself to problem solving that is largely mechanical in nature - the replacing parts with surgery, for example, or the utilization of targeted medication that creates specific chemical outcomes.
Do these measures save lives? Absolutely and Dr. Gerber is quick to point out the benefits of such Newtonian type advances in medicine such vaccines, chemotherapy, declotting agents, antihypertensive medication, organ transplant and cardiac surgery. He is also quite aware of the downside in terms of antibiotic resistance, side effects and surgical complications. In his estimation an energetic approach can provide effective modalities often overlooked or underestimated by mainstream medicine.
The energetic approach to medicine is, according to Dr. Gerber, also the Einsteinian or vibrational model which describes the universe as a series of interpenetrating energy fields. This is the realm of modern or quantum physics where matter as we perceive it does not strictly exist. Dr. Gerber explains this quite understandably, saying that Einstein's famous equation e=mc² (where e is energy, m is matter and c is the speed of light) shows that energy and matter are interconvertible and thereby two expressions of the same thing. High energy particle physics experiments bear this out, showing that at a micro microscopic or quantum level all matter exists as a form of frozen energy.
This is where, Dr. Gerber says, the Einsteinian model begins to predict a faster than light view of etheric energy. By plugging in a velocity greater than the speed of light to the e=mc² equation, physicists such as William Tiller of Stanford University, have postulated the concept of negative entropy, a state counter to traditional or positive entropy. Positive entropy may be loosely defined as a system's gradual decline into disorder which make negative entropy especially interesting.
Tiller's work showed that energy which travels faster than the speed of light demonstrates the unusual property of negative entropy or the tendency to become progressively more ordered or organized. According to Dr. Gerber this runs counter to the known laws of thermodynamics. It also has fascinating ramifications for those of us seeking a common ground between science and spirituality. May we consider negative entropy a force in an ordered universe?
Dr. Gerber goes on to discuss multiple scientific sources including Nobel prize winning physician Björn E W Nordenström, Albert Szant-Györgyi (discoverer of vitamin C), and Russian medical researcher Alexander Gurvich whose 1920s experiments with onion roots proposed the existence of the biophoton or endogenous light - a form of light emitted by an organism and able to pass through quartz (though not glass) to communicate with another like organism.
Dr Gerber discussed subsequent experiments by German biophysicist Fritz Popp which systematically proves the existence of biophotons. This experiment involved cultures placed in adjacent Petri dishes and was conducted with both glass and quartz (crystal dishes). Popp was able to prove a communication between cultures placed in the quartz dishes which did not occur between those placed in glass.
As it is known that ultraviolet light passes through quartz this indicates that cells were emitting photons of light in the ultraviolet spectrum. According to Dr. Gerber this research and others demonstrates that the body does not consist only of mechanical chemical and electrical systems but of light energy systems as well. And this is fundamental for an understanding not only of Dr. Gerber's work but for many alternative treatment modalities such as light and color therapy, as well more traditional applications such as acupuncture.
One thing I love about Tarot is the way my understanding of it evolves in parallel to my own spiritual development. I started reading Tarot 40 years ago this summer at the age of 13. Transported from an urban area to a small rural town, I was the only person I knew with a Tarot deck - leaving me pretty much on my own with the little white book that came with the cards.
My initial understanding of Tarot came from that little booklet, courtesy of Arthur Waite and US Games and I dutifully committed all of the definitions to memory. Of Judgement the little white book says: "20. The Last Judgment.- Change of position renewal, outcome. Reversed: Weakness pusillanimity [timid or cowardly], simplicity; also deliberation, decision, sentence." So when I read for people, that was what I would say.
For me, however, that interpretation never felt quite right. It seemed too general and very inconsistent with the picture displayed on the card which seemed, in spite of my completely secular upbringing, to be obviously religious. Going by the picture was a problem for me as well as I had very little understanding of what the booklet called (but did not explain) "The Last Judgement."
So I began to read the card somewhat vaguely as commentary on taking responsibility for ones actions and an awareness of karma which was as close I could come to the tenets of mainstream religion.
So I began to read the card somewhat vaguely as commentary on taking responsibility for ones actions and an awareness of karma which was as close I could come to the tenets of mainstream religion.
As time passed however I found myself revising again, interpreting the card generally as an awakening or new awareness of whatever circumstances were predominate in the reading at hand and I continued to read it that way for several years. In the late 90s however my spiritual frame of reference began to change and as I became increasingly fascinated with angels I began to read every winged card in the deck as an indication of their presence. In some respects I still do that.
My understanding of the Judgement card has continued to expand however. I still see the presence of the archangel Gabriel and all the wonderful qualities of this compassionate being when I look at the Judgement card but I see the promise of spiritual awakening and ultimate transformation, as well. When this card falls in a reading it may still speak of a new awareness of circumstance but in such a way as to afford us the opportunity to advance, a soul level lesson, an opportunity for a revision of our understanding of the divine.
My understanding of the Judgement card has continued to expand however. I still see the presence of the archangel Gabriel and all the wonderful qualities of this compassionate being when I look at the Judgement card but I see the promise of spiritual awakening and ultimate transformation, as well. When this card falls in a reading it may still speak of a new awareness of circumstance but in such a way as to afford us the opportunity to advance, a soul level lesson, an opportunity for a revision of our understanding of the divine.
While not a believer in the traditional Christian concept of the Rapture, I do read this card as a call to a higher reality, seeing in it both the mystery of the upper worlds of Kabbalah and the spark that can be activated in any one of us at any time.
I'm currently reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui because, even though I am not crazy about labeling myself an idiot, I have found that the small sample of Idiot books I've read offered a comprehensive, user friendly and reasonably well written introduction to their respective subjects.
The people hired to write the Idiot books seem to know their stuff too. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah was written by Rav Michael Laitman, for example, and the three The Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui authors, Elizabeth Moran Master Joseph Yu and Master Val Biktashev, are well educated and well known Feng Shui practitioners. They are also quick to point out that you will be getting traditional Asian Feng Shui instruction in their book, not the dumbed down Western self-help version of the topic. This appeals to me.
The book covers a lot of ground and at 68 pages into it, I have to say (in a completely noncritical way) that aside from the introductory material I have not learned an enormous amount about Feng Shui. I have learned about Chinese history, religion and philosophy, however, including great explanations of Yin and Yang, Taoism and Qi. The authors talk about the human brain, the difference between the Asian and Western psyche, energy and physics as well, and quote some very interesting Western scientists (Bohm,Sheldrake, and Newberg), whom I hope to be blogging on at some future point, in the process.
The book also quotes Fritjof Capra (author of The Tao of Physics which I absolutely must read). In it, he says: "Like the quantum field, qi is conceived as a tenuous and imperceptible form of matter which is present throughout space and can condense into solid material objects. The field, or qi, is not only the underlying essence of all material objects, but also carries their mutual interactions in the form of waves."
In their own words, the authors say: "Qi is the stuff of and behind it all. It's the stuff that breathes life into plants, animals, the mountains, oceans and us. It's the stuff of dreams, intuition, fate and luck. It's the stuff at the core of non-living matter such as airplanes, building and the chair on which you sit. It's the stuff acupuncturists stimulate with their needles. It's the stuff martial artists conjure up to split solid objects. And it's the stuff Feng Shui practitioners harness to improve the health, wealth and relationships of their clients."
The book goes on to liken Qi to Ki (Japan), Prana (India), Pneuma (Greece), Ankh (Egypt), Ruach (Hebrews), Tane (Hawaii), Arunquiiltha (Aborigines) and Orenda (Iroquois).
Interesting stuff and as I am not an especially linear thinker, I'm enjoying the ride. A linear person could certainly skip ahead and would probably find that the format lends itself to skipping ahead. Feng Shui was suggested to me in a channeling session, so I'm curious to see what effect it will have on my living space also where the pursuit of some of the other concepts introduced by the book will lead me. I will write more as the journey progresses!
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