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We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climat..

Abraham - A Recent Workshop 27

Peter Russell and the study of consciousness

Peter Russell's website is an informed, fascinating and fun reservoir of articles, meditations, videos and more. I encourage you to visit it by clicking here.

Here are his recent comments and observations about the coming of the year 2012. The video features many beautiful nature images and I encourage you to listen to the entire 7 minutes. The key part ~ his advice and guidance ~ begins at about minute 4. Here are Russell's words regarding this video on his website, which is well worth visiting.

2012 marks the end of the Mayan calendar's 5125-year cycle, leading many to prophecy this as a time of great change—for some the end of Western civilization, for others a time of transformation and renewal. Whatever may or may not happen in 2012, it is clear that we are living through a critical period of human history, and the need for a widespread shift in human thinking and values is becoming increasingly apparent. From this perspective, 2012 is a symbol of the times we are passing through. It represents the temporal epicenter of a cultural earthquake, whose reverberations are getting stronger day by day.

He also has this wonderful video with some great advice on how to approach 2012. 

This was all found at this wonderful blog which deserves all the credit for these wonderful thoughts
http://greglefever.blogspot.com/

Buddhism and the Brain

In his book The Universe in a Single Atom, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama writes: “My confidence in venturing into science lies in my basic belief that as in science, so in Buddhism, understanding the nature of reality is pursued by means of critical investigation.” For 2,500 years, Buddhism has taken an empirical approach—meditation—to the exploration of mind. (”Our life is the creation of our mind,” reads the Dhammapada, the Buddha’s moral teachings). A dialogue has developed in recent years between the ancient Eastern tradition and neuroscience, the modern Western investigation of the brain. In 2005, in a ceremonial display of consilience, the Dalai Lama delivered the keynote speech entitled, “The Neuroscience of Meditation” at the 35th annual Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington D.C.

Indeed, some have taken up the oars of religion in order to steer along a new course of integrated study. Dr. B. Alan Wallace, founder of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, has proposed a discipline called “Contemplative Science,” which seeks to discover the nature of reality by pursuing genuine happiness, truth, and virtue in an empirical way. (The first chapter of his book Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge is available here). In 2007, Dr. Wallace led one of the most extensive studies of the long-term benefits of meditation practice ever, called The Shamatha Project. Researchers examined the effects of intensive meditation on attention, cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and health. Scientists are still analyzing the data, but the work is likely to make waves.

Two earlier studies have already yielded suggestive results. One, led by Richard J. Davidson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, showed that long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma wave synchrony. Participants—monks and novices—were asked to practice “compassion” meditation, a complete focus on loving-kindness. In the monks, activity in the left prefrontal cortex (the seat of positive emotions such as happiness) overwhelmed activity in the right prefrontal cortex (the site of negative emotions and anxiety) to an extent never before seen from purely mental activity. The conclusion, according to Dr. Davidson, is that “happiness, compassion, loving-kindness, and clarity of attention can all be regarded as the product of skills that can be enhanced through mental training and this training induces plastic changes in the brain and in the body.” (This according to an Upaya Dharma Podcast, a great resource). In another study, Harvard University’s Sara Lazar showed that meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness (in the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula). More studies need to—and surely will be—performed, but the path of inquiry may have positive public health ramifications. It seems as though meditation is capable of helping an individual truly achieve well-being.

Most interesting of all, in my opinion, is the relationship of ideas across these disciplines. For example, in his book The Synaptic Self, Dr. Joseph LeDoux of New York University argues that the self is created and maintained by arrangements of synaptic connections—pathways of communication between neurons. In an episode of the podcast “Buddhist Geeks” (which I recommend), neuropsychologist and Buddhist teacher Dr. Rick Hanson essentially concurs, describing self as a “network phenomenon” that is constantly changing. The transitory nature of neurobiological identity happens to affirm the Buddhist concept of anatta, or “not-self.” According to Buddhism, there is no inherent, independent existence. This is just one interesting philosophical consequence of our growing understanding of the brain. The interaction between Buddhism and science has yielded exciting data and revolutionary ideas. I look forward to more of this dialogue in the years to come.

Ben Ehrlich is a freelance writer and a contributor to The Beautiful Brain. He graduated from Middlebury College in 2009 with a degree in comparative literature. His blog, which tracks his ongoing research into the life and work of the great Spanish neuroscientist Santiago Ramon y Cajal, can be found here.

Related Articles:

• TIME Magazine, 2003
• The Wall Street Journal, 2004
• Wired Magazine, 2006

Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung is one of the most powerful mantras known and is extraordinarily effective in dealing with health challenges. It is powerful. It is universal. It works on many levels; the mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical.


Ra Ma Da Sa is like a rare diamond, which connects you with the pure healing energy of the universe. You can instill the health trend in your consciousness by injecting this strong healing vibration into your mind.

Here is a detailed explanation by Shakta Kaur:

Posture: Sit in easy pose or in a chair with a straight spine.

Focus: Eyes are closed and focused at the third-eye point.

Breath: The breath will come automatically as you chant. Inhale deeply before you begin chanting.

Mantra: “Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung.” The mantra should be sung in one complete exhalation. As you chant the first “Sa,” your navel point is pulled in so that this syllable is abbreviated. You should rest for 4 beats between the first “Sa” and the second “Sa.” You should also pull your navel point in as you chant “Hung.” “Hung” should be vibrated at the root of the nose. The rest of the syllables are drawn out in a strong, powerful chant. Strive to keep your chant at full volume (loud but not raucous) throughout the meditation.

Meaning of Mantra:

• Ra=sun energy
  
• Ma=moon energy
  
• Da=earth energy
  
• Sa=infinity, universal energy
  
• Sa=repeat in second half of mantra
  
• Say=the personal embodiment of Sa
  
• So=the personal sense of merger with Sa
  
• Hung=the Infinite, vibrating and real.

The mantra literally means, “I am Thou.” It is also used to mean, “The service of God is within me.”

Mudra: Bend the arms and bring the elbows against the side of the rib cage. The palms of the hands are parallel and face the sky. The elbows are snug at your sides with the forearms in close to your upper arms. The hands are at a 60 degree angle, halfway between pointing forward and pointing to the sides (pictured).

Time: 11 minutes, increasing gradually to 31 minutes.

End: Inhale deeply, hold your breath and visualize the person you want to send healing to (it can be yourself). Make that image in your mind very clear and see a glowing green light around the person. Keeping that person in your mind, exhale. Inhale deeply, hold your breath and continue to send the person healing green light. Still keeping that vision in your mind, exhale. For the last time, inhale deeply, hold your breath and see the person very clearly, see the green healing light bathing the person, bathing every cell in the body. Exhale and relax.

Note: This highly effective meditation deals with vayu siddhi, the power of air. It brings health and many other desirable positive changes. If you wish to heal yourself, imagine a glowing green light around yourself as you meditate.

Chanting or listening to this mantra set to this classical tune will drive out depression and revibrate your life. It is timeless and can not be outdated. It has worked in the past, it works now, and it will work in the future. There is no time, no place, no space and no condition attached to this mantra. It burns the seed of disease. Use it everyday. Offer it to anyone.

If you work with it, it will work for you. In moments of anxiety, despair, fear or worry, let it be your safeguard. It will give you a strong sense of your own centeredness.

In the words of Yogi Bhajan, Master of White Tantric and Kundalini Yoga, who openly taught this healing mantra to the Western world, "It has worked for three thousand, four hundred years, why should it not work now?"

The Blind Side

I enjoyed a special "girl's night out" weekend with a treat of an early dinner at Connie's Pizza ( Since my name is Connie, I should have realized there was a message coming for me right away) and then a trip to see this movie.  This movie grabbed my heart from the very first scene and never let it go. Thank goodness that I had somehow had the foresight to pack my coat pockets with kleenex cause I just could not stop the tears from flowing.

I had been wrestling with the fact that earlier in the week I had lost my temper with my daughter's school and had called them ranting and raving like a banshee crazy woman. My daughter is going to nursing school and also working full time. We pinch together pennies by cutting back on groceries or going without and by struggling we have made it to her second semester of nursing school on our own. Each semester we fill out endless forms for financial aid and are told each year that we just don't qualify. So finally this year she was told that she did qualify and happiness prevailed. She registered for the second semester and was told that since she had financial aid in place we didn't need to sign up for the payment plan. Then on Christmas Eve we received a letter pulling rug out from under our feet. She no longer qualified for financial aid because she had taken too many classes previously? How this makes any sense is still not clear to me. But the possibility of her losing her spot in nursing school and now the school being closed for Christmas holidays so we can talk to no one. I sat and stewed for days on end. Finally making it to the school as soon as the offices opened. The lady at the counter (who is the spitting image of the lady at the child welfare office) spoke to me in a dead monotone rehearsed speech to go get this form, complete it, come back and wait in line to make an appeal. The form she sent us to get takes five days and of course you had to pay for it. An endless treadmill of nothing and this is so typical of how government works. And the people working for government have lost all semblance to human beings who care about others, when this truly is their job. To help others. I lost my temper becasue this was not happening to me, it was happening to my child, my daughter, a child who has struggled climbing over obstacle after obstacle to get to this point only to find more obstacles and no one that even cared. Then I saw this movie -

and went on to discover it was a true story


The movie is the The Blind Side, written and directed by John Lee Hancock, based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by the non-fiction author Michael Lewis.

Michael Oher

Michael Oher was born May 28, 1986 in Memphis, Tennessee.

The cards were stacked against him from birth. Michael's dad wasn't involved in Oher's upbringing at all and was shot and thrown off a bridge when Michael was junior-high aged. His mother was was also distant, far more involved in her crack cocaine addiction than her sons life.

Michael attended first and second great each twice, and then another school bumped him up to fourth grade without having gone through third grade at all. Most years Oher missed upwards of 50 days during the school year, but the Memphis schools chose to pass-him anyways, because of the hassle and classroom distraction that would be caused by keeping a student back a grade. Michael was enrolled in 11 different schools during his first nine academic years. This includes the 18 month gap, primarily around the age of 10, that Michael didn't go to school at all.

Mike was essentially an orphan. He would crash were he could and was particularly connected with a 400-pound man in the Memphis ghetto named Tony Henderson, or Big Tony. Big Tony had a son, Steven Payne. Tony's dying mom's final wish was for Tony to enroll his son, Steven, in a Christian school.

Big Tony decided if he was taking Steven, he would try to enroll Mike (also known as Big Mike) into the school, Briarcrest Christian School.

Oher was certainly not "Briarcrest material," with a poor academic record (9th percentile on testing and .6 GPA), nor did he have the Christian upbringing and passion that the school was based upon.

Hugh Freeze, the schools football coach tried to help the school view Oher as an exception to be considered. Even with the blessing of the Briarcrest's president, Oher was not admitted by the Principal Steve Simpson, and instead Oher was given the opportunity to try to succeed one semester in a home study program, and if he performed well for a semester, he would be accepted into the school.

Over the course of a couple months Big Tony called Principal Simpson and relayed the struggles Oher was having. Overcome by guilt/compassion, Simpson felt the right decision was to enroll Oher in the school, particularly since his home study program offer had actually hurt Oher by pulling him out of the public school system.

The early weeks were horrible, many described it as though Oher had been in a closet for 16 years. He had no social skills, he couldn't talk, and had no academic interaction at all, and many teachers were concerned with what purpose or impact they were having with Big Mike in the center of their classroom.

Sean Touhy, was a point guard at the University of Mississippi in the early-80s and is the all time assist leader for the Southeastern Conference. He was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 1982 but never played a game with them. In 2002 when he met Big Mike, he was a wealthy (but deeply in debt) business man who owned 60 Taco Bells, a private jet, was a radio broadcaster for the Memphis Grizzlys, was involved in his large church (Grace Evangelical Church), and was married to his high school sweetheart, Leigh Ann Touhy.

Sean and Leigh Ann also have a daughter, Collins, who was a sophomore at Briarcrest the year Big Mike started.

Sean Touhy enjoyed hanging out at the Briarcrest gym and one day had an encounter with Mike, who always wore the same clothes and didn't even money for lunch. Sean Touhy had compassion for Big Mike and set up an account for Mike to be able to buy lunch at the school cafeteria.

It was months later, over Thanksgiving break, that Sean and Leigh Anne were driving and saw Mike coming off a bus in the same cut of jeans and t-shirt. Leigh Anne, a interior decorator from Memphis, had great compassion on Mike and began crying when he said he was going to the gym to get warm.

The next day Leigh Anne left her interior decorating firm and picked up Mike from school to go buy him clothes.

On the football field they were also finding out that this 344 pound sophomore could run, and although he attended practice, he could never play because of academic probation. Not only that, but he had only limited experience playing football, had no foundation of the game, and was very timid and passive. But Coach Freeze was excited about Mike's potential, and continued to work with him. Mike also played basketball and participated in track and field (discus and shot put).

Michael stayed the night with as many as five Briarcrest families, but usually stayed in the trailer of a friend Quinterio Franklin. One night when Leigh Anne Touhy drove Mike to Quinterio's trailer, she saw it, and his air mattress and insisted in that moment that Michael move in with her and her family.

Mike became the third child of Leigh Anne and Sean (with children Collins and Sean Jr., 8 at the time). It was a few weeks on the couch and then Leigh Anne bought a dresser and bed, and Mike was a part of the family, and Sean Jr.'s best friend.

Leigh Anne and Sean would then go on to legally adopt Oher into their family.

With some tutoring and attention from the Touhy's, Michael Oher became an exceptional left tackle on the football field and soon found his name on scouting reports for college. His academic record was also greatly improved, allowing him to play football, and suddenly recruiters became interested in this left tackle.

This was new territory for the Briarcrest Athletic department and Sean Touhy's experience proved instrumental in making sure the scouting was handled in a way to optimize Michael's opportunity.

ESPN's Tom Lemming ranked him as the #1 offensive line prospect in 2004.

With offers from University of Tennessee, North Carolina State, Louisiana State, University of Alabama, Oher chose to go to University of Mississippi (Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy's Alma Mater). This was met with speculation because of the Touhy's relationship with Oher, and it was made worse as his coach Hugh Freeze became Ole Miss' assistant athletic director less than a month after Oher signed his letter of intent.

Oher played at Ole Miss, with much success and accolades, and in January 2008 decided to enter the draft, but changed his mind, deciding to finish his senior year.

In 2009 Oher was drafted in the first round, pick number 23 to the Baltimore Ravens, retaining his jersey number of 74 from Ole Miss. On April 26, 2009 he signed a 5 year $13 million dollar contract with the Ravens playing offensive tackle.

The Blind Side

The Blind Side stars Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher, alongside Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw playing Leigh Anne and Sean Touhy. Kathy Bates plays Oher's tutor. Jae Head plays Sean Jr., and Lily Collins plays Collins Touhy.

ESPN reports that many coachs, including Phillip Fulmer, Ed Orgeron, Tommy Tuberville, Nick Saban, Houston Nutt, and Lou Holtz are all to make appearances in the film as well.

The film isn't necessarily groomed as an Award-season film, and while Quinton Aaron probably won't walk away from the film with gold statues for his role, I would expect his performance as this Real (Reel) Person will impact lives and lead people to tears as this touching and powerful story of human compassion (and the importance of the left tackle) unfolds.
http://www.strangecultureblog.com/2009/08/reel-people-quinton-aaron-is-michael.html


I left this movie knowing that no matter how hard the circumstances in my families lives and struggles have been they are nothing compared to the stories of so many young black men and women. I am grateful that even though it's hard and feels like we are suffering by cutting back on groceries, movies, and special treats we make do, and we are truly blessed to have the life we do. So many do not even have anyone who cares or gives them a chance.

I hope we all can open up our Blind Sides and see what we can accomplish by just being loving to one another.

How to Make an Angel Box

By Susan Gregg

Susan Gregg is the author of eight books including "The Encyclopedia of Angels, Spirit Guides and Ascended Masters" and the blogger of "Angels on Your Shoulder."

When I first began my spiritual journey, a friend suggested I create an angel box. At first, I used a manila envelope. I wrote "Angel Business" on the front and put it in my closet. Whenever I was afraid or worried about something, I would write a short description of the problem and put it in the envelope, trusting the angels to take care of it.

The envelope worked and magic started occurring, but eventually I took the time to make an angel box.  The intent for the box is to let go of your cares and place them in the care of angels. Follow these simple steps to create an amazing angel box.

 Choose a Box You Like















Find a box with a cover.  The box can be any size or shape you like.  I went to a discount store and found a neat gift box, but a shoe box will do. On the cover of the box, write "Angel Box."

Then, write a simple prayer inside the cover.  You can use one of your own prayers or the prayer I wrote below,changing the words to feel like yours,

 I place this issue in your capable hands. I know you have a far more expansive and loving vision for my life than I do. I humbly ask for your help and the willingness to totally release all of my cares and concerns about this issue. I ask for the willingness, courage, and strength to take all the necessary actions. May my heart and my mind be open to your loving guidance.I give thanks in advance for the miracles I know will occur.

Next Decorate with Beautiful Pictures

Gather pictures and stickers of angels or any images that fill you with hope and peace of mind. I like pictures of clouds with rays emanating from them.

Decorate each side of the box (including the cover and the inside of the box if you like) with the pictures and stickers.  Leave enough writing space on the sides and the bottom for the next step.

Write Inspirational Words

Get some colored gel pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons, or whatever artistic medium you want to use.  Choosing a pen, pencil, or marker, write angel quotes, affirmations, or words of love and gratitude where you want on the box. 

On the bottom of the box, write: I give thanks for all your love, help, and guidance. May I always be open so the highest and the best can occur for all involved. 

Finally, line the inside of your box with fabric.  I used an old silk scarf, but you can use tissue paper or another favorite piece of fabric.

Write Down Your Concerns
 

Now, write your concerns on one piece of paper or write them on separate slips of paper.  Lovingly place the paper(s) with your concerns in the box. Once you put concerns in the box, leave them there mentally and emotionally.

Read the prayer on the inside of the box cover.  If you begin to worry, remind yourself that the concerns are in the loving hands of the divine.

Find a Special Storage Place

This box is symbolic of releasing your cares and worries to the divine guidance of God and the angels.
Put the angel box someplace special, where you will see it often. I also put several angel figurines around mine.

Say Another Prayer

Sit quietly, take a few deep breaths, and say another prayer, asking for guidance and assistance.
Spend a few minutes giving thanks for all that you do have, for the loving presence of the angels in your life, and ask for the willingness to hear the guidance of your spirit.

Clear Out and Refresh Your Box

Periodically, clean out your angel box. Make it a ceremony of celebration, joy, and release.
You can burn the pieces of paper and watch them turn into light.

 

Robert Anton Wilson On The Acceleration To 2012

Happy Three Kings Day

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Today is January 6^th or Three Kings Day or Day of the Ephiphany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany

Epiphany (Greek: επιφάνεια, "the appearance; miraculous phenomenon") is a Christian feast intended to celebrate the 'shining forth' or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus. The observance had its origins in the eastern Christian churches, and included the birth of Jesus; the visit of the three Magi, or Wise Men (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) who arrived in Bethlehem; and all of Jesus' childhood events, up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. The feast was initially based on, and viewed as a fulfillment of, the Jewish Feast of Lights. This was fixed on January 6.

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The first reference to Epiphany in the Eastern Church is a slighting remark by Clement of Alexandria in Stromateis, I, xxi, 45:

"There are those, too, who over-curiously assign to the Birth of Our Saviour not only its year but its day…"

Origen's list of festivals (in Contra Celsum, VIII, xxii) omits any reference to Epiphany. The first reference to an ecclesiastical feast of the Epiphany, in Ammianus Marcellinus (XXI:ii), is in 361.

Thus in the Western church, the feast of Christmas was established before that of Epiphany. Over time the West decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25. The East continued to treat January 6 as the day marking Jesus's birth. This has given rise in the west to the notion of a twelve-day festival, starting on December 25, and ending on January 6, called the twelve days of Christmas, although some Christian cultures — especially those of Latin America — extend it to forty days, ending on Candlemas, or February 2 (known as Candelaria in Spanish).

Prior to 1970, the Roman Catholic Church (and prior to 1976, the Anglican churches) reckoned Epiphany as an eight-day feast, beginning on January 6 and continuing through the Octave of Epiphany, or January 13.

Many traditionalist Catholics continue to use this calendar, celebrating the feast of the Holy Family on the Sunday within the octave. On the Feast of the Epiphany itself, the priest, wearing white vestments, will bless the Epiphany Water, frankincense, gold, and chalk. The chalk is used to write the initials of the three magi over the doors of churches and homes.

More recently, most Roman Catholics in the United States mark Epiphany on the Sunday after the first Saturday in January (before this the Sunday between January 1 and January 6, in years when there was one, was designated the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus), and most Catholics and Anglicans (along with many other Protestants) now formally end the Christmas season on the Sunday immediately following January 6, or, for American Catholics, the ensuing Monday in years when the Epiphany falls on January 7 or January 8. In either case, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is observed on the latter day, after which the first installment of Ordinary Time begins. (But note that some Churches, such as the Anglican Catholic Church, and some groups of Roman Catholics, still use the pre-1970 calendar; for these bodies, Christmas still has twelve days and ends on January 5, and Epiphany is still celebrated on January 6 with an 8-day octave.) The Baptism of Christ is one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.

Today in Eastern Orthodox churches, the emphasis at this feast is on the shining forth and revelation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and second person of the Holy Trinity at the time of his baptism. It is also celebrated because, according to tradition, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist marked the only occasion when all three persons of the Holy Trinity manifested their physical presence simultaneously to humanity: God the Father by speaking through the clouds, God the Son being baptized in the river, and God the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove overflying the scene. Usually called the Feast of the Theophany (Greek: Θεοφάνεια), it is one of the great feasts of the liturgical year; "theophany" is Greek for "God shining forth".

Orthodox Churches also perform a "Blessing of the Waters" on Epiphany Day: following Divine Liturgy, clerics proceed to the nearest body of water, be it a beach, a harbor, a quay, a river, a lake, a swimming pool, a water depot etc, and after a short ceremony they cast a cross in the water. If swimming is feasible on the spot, any number of volunteers may brave the cold winter waters and try to recover the cross. The person who gets the cross first swims back and returns it to the cleric, who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their family and household. Certain such ceremonies have achieved particular prominence, such as the one held annually at Tarpon Springs, Florida.

The Irish call this day Little Christmas or Women's Christmas (Irish: Nollaig na mBan). In Rome, "Epiphania" was transformed into Befana, the great fair held at that season, when sigillaria of terracotta or baked pastry were sold (Macrobius I, x, xxiv; II, xlix).

In Spain, Mexico, Cuba and some Latin American countries Epiphany day is called El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Three Kings). The day when the Three Kings or Three Magi of the Holy Bible arrived to worship and bring gifts to the baby Jesus after following a star in the heavens. This day is sometimes known as the Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (The day of the Three Magi) or La Pascua de los Negros (Holy Day of the Blackmen) in Chile, although the latter is hardly said. In Spanish tradition, on the day of January 6th, the Kings: Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.

In Mexico, it is traditional for children to leave their shoes out on the evening of January 6, sometimes filling them with hay for the camels, so that the Kings will be generous with their gifts. In Puerto Rico, it is also a tradition for children to fill a box with grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the same reasons. This is analogous to children leaving mince pies or cookies and milk out for Santa Claus. In some parts of northern Mexico the shoes are left under the Christmas tree with a letter to the Three Kings. In the afternoon or evening of the same day the ritual of the Rosca de Reyes is shared with family and friends. The Rosca is a type of sweet-bread made with orange blossom, water, and butter; decorated with candied fruit. Baked inside is a small doll representing the baby Jesus. The person who finds the doll in his piece of rosca must throw a party on February 2nd, Calendaria Day, offering tamales and atole (a hot sweet drink thickened with corn flour) to the guests.

In France, on Epiphany people eat the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France and Belgium. This is a kind of king cake, with a trinket or a bean hidden inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes king for a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Holy_Days

The Twelve Holy Days is the holy period, from December 26th to January 6th, in the esoteric and astrological interpretation of the Christmas season.

The night between the 24th and 25th of December is considered to be the most "holy night", when the sun (the "Light of the World") commences its journey from the south to the north. On the night when he commences his northward journey the zodiacal sign virgo, the celestial virgin (the "Queen of Heaven"), stands upon the eastern horizon at midnight (thus he is "born of a virgin" without other intermediary, hence, "immaculately conceived.") [1].

On December 25th the Christ enters the heart of earth and the planet is swept by powerful solstitial radiations, becoming enveloped by the light of the archangelic Christ and therefore Christmas is considered the most "holy day" of the year. From December 26th to January 6th the twelve zodiacal hierarquies work upon the earth and its life forms, along with the Christ light which continues throughout the twelve holy days. The night of January 6th is regarded as the Twelfth Night, the time when the "Rite of Baptism" was performed in early Christianity. This period of twelve-day interval, between Christmas and Twelfth Night, is regarded as the spiritual heart of the year to follow and is termed the year's "Holy of Holies" [2].

Read more Gnostic Homily for Epiphany

In Matthew 2: 9-11,  the ageless story describes a Star in the East guiding three wisemen, or magi, to the place of the divine birth of Christ. Legends of the Celtic peoples tell that their druids and seers, through study of astrology and signs seen in the sacred fires, also foretold this divine birth.


According to medieval legends, the three wisemen were named Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar. Each of them came from a different culture: Melchior was Asian, Balthazar was Persian and Gaspar was Ethopian, thus representing the three races known to the old world. These three priest-kings and wisemen brought royal gifts to the divine infant: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Melchior brought a golden cup, which, according to legend, was preserved by the Blessed Virgin Mary and was the same cup used in the institution of the Holy Eucharist. Balthazar brought a gold box of frankincense. Gaspar brought a curiously chased flask of myrrh, a royal embalming oil.

The gift of gold symbolizes the kingship of Christ, which represents our own true royal Selfhood and our giving of love and service as directed and commanded by that Self. The gift of frankincense symbolizes the Godhead of Christ and our own gifts of honor and reverence to our indwelling Divinity. The gift of myrrh is a prophecy of the death and burial of the earthly body of Christ, which represents our understanding and empathy for the suffering of humanity.

Magic

Alan Moore is becoming a household name with the release of his movie, Watchmen, based on his novel. I find him quite fascinating but a man filled with anger at the cruelty and stupid acts of hurtfulness practiced by human beings. Alan Moore shows that all forms of art are literally magic. An excellent clip from 'The Mindscape of Alan Moore'. Copyright, Shadowsnake Films.Another excellent clip is this one where he discusses the Watchmen story and a clip that shows the darkness that he feels powers this universe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPnvAxBHRUY




Magic was introduced to everyone with  the Harry Potter novels and films. On deeper study of the metaphors and symbolism within the story one can find evidence that the series of novels are in reality "The Philospher's Stone" the search for one's own self.

I discovered the Shamen within by reading about "The Room of Love" in the Harry Potter novels.

The Department of Mysteries lies deep in the lowest level of the Ministry of Magic, on the ninth level. It is accessible via the lifts from the Ministry Atrium. From the lift, a plain corridor leads to a black door, behind which is the Entrance Chamber, which is designed to disorient any unauthorized personnel who enter it. It is a circular room with a highly polished floor that looks almost like standing water and twelve handleless doors. Whenever a door closes, the walls rotate, making it impossible to determine which door is which. This chamber will respond to a verbal request for an exit by the opening of the correct door

    "There is a room in the Department of Mysteries that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all."
    —Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter

The Love chamber is a room behind a door that remains locked at all times and which cannot be unlocked by either Alohomora or magical unlocking penknives. According to Dumbledore, behind the door is the most mysterious subject of study of the department, and the most powerful force in existence — love. The chamber contains a fountain full of Amortentia that Unspeakables use to study the effects of love. It may also be used in attempts to understand and duplicate the magical protection self-sacrificing love creates, the only magic capable of repelling the Killing Curse.
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Love_Room#The_Love_Chamber_a.k.a._The_Ever-Locked_Room

THE PATH OF THE HEART ALWAYS LEADS TO YOURSELF

The mind is always looking for answers that the soul already knows thus synchronistic events are the vague awareness that our lives are divinely guided from the heart . As such, our common journeys are to eventually find, embrace and fully share a state of love, joy and soul consciousness we all once profoundly experienced as a young child: Allen L Roland, Ph.D

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that my life is divinely guided by my heart and by fully surrendering to love I have entered a Unified Field  of soul consciousness where there are no accidents and I am living in a state of celebration and service. But, as a therapist, I am able to prove this everyday with my clients who within two sessions see their lives as also divinely guided ( Life chart ) and how every love relationship, regardless of the consequences, has led them closer to embracing themselves and eventually to that same state of celebration and service.

By fully surrendering to love many years ago and falling through a rabbit hole to another state of consciousness ~ I found and embraced a child within myself who always wanted to love that deeply and who had an intentioned destiny to fulfill as well as a need to share this truth with the world .

Every love relationship that has ensued since I opened my heart has led me to where I am now and the blissful awareness that I am part of something far greater than myself and, as such, my heart has become a fragment of life's heart.

Thus, by listening and responding to my inner heart call ~ I have not only found direction in my life but have become in sync with my inner destiny.

R. Adam Crane BCIA Senior Fellow, BCIAEEG, NRNP Diplomate writes in Science of The Heart: The Role of the Heart in Human Performance of the same phenomenon;

 "  There is now a scientific basis to explain how and why the heart affects mental clarity, creativity, emotional balance and personal effectiveness. Research indicates that the heart is far more than a simple pump. The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional that communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly affect brain function and most of the body's major organs, and ultimately determine the quality of life. " 

It is now known that the signals the heart sends the brain can influence perception, emotional processing, and higher cognitive functions.

So now let's tie this together with the Hero's Journey ~ which I feel is really the path of the heart because this is the path which demands the greatest courage and confronts us with our deepest fears.

1.Ordinary World - The hero's normal world before the story begins. We are all emissaries of love born on a planet in a state of ego consciousness. Our innate hero's journey is to fully open our hearts, emerge from our cocoon of ego consciousness and eventually play our part in a universal loivng plan. I was definitely in a state of soul consciousness as a young child but the psychic pain of being seemingly separated from love at six years old caused me to close my heart and enter the world of ego consciousness ~ inorder to avoid psychic pain and stay in control. As such, I emotionally stopped growing.

2.Call to Adventure - The hero is presented with a problem, challenge or adventure. My call to adventure was becoming a Navy carrier fighter pilot. This had always been my dream and it confronted me with many physical challenges but eventually I lived that dream and knew I had the courage to live all of my dreams. But that was just a prelude to living my deepest dream ~ which was fully opening my heart and finding that emotionally lost child within myself.

3.Refusal of the Call - The hero refuses the challenge or journey, usually because he's scared. To me this was the fear of completely surrendering to love and, instead, accepting less than love inorder to stay in control and avoid psychic pain. In other words, staying in the grey world of  ego consciousness, possessions and safe love relationships.

4. Meeting with the Mentor - The hero meets a mentor to gain advice or training for the adventure. In my case, it was my Masters degree mentor Stanley Krippner whose advice and suggestions accelerated the journey of the heart. For it was then that I found my voice and began to share my deep calling regardless of the risks or the need to be understood.


 5. Crossing the First Threshold - The hero crosses, leaves the ordinary world and goes into the special world . The first threshold is always falling in love for only then did I become aware of a state of consciousness that lay beneath my state of ego consciousness. In other words, the journey does not start until we fully open our hearts  ~ regardless of the consequences. It was then that I heard an internal voice which said ~ Let go of all of your possessions ~ which I did.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies - The hero faces tests, meets allies, confronts enemies & learn the rules of the Special World. My work as a therapist brought me face to face with my own issues but the ultimate enemy was my own ego and the need to control versus completely surrender to my deepest feelings and inner guidance.

7. Approach - The hero has hit setbacks during tests & may need to try a new idea . In my case it was twofold ~ the painful realization that my life as a stockbroker was false and that my life was filled with possessions and largely devoid of love. It was also my surrender to the inner journey of the heart versus the outer journey of the ego.

8. Ordeal - The biggest life or death crisis . By finally completely surrendering to love, in relationship, and fully opening my heart ~ I entered the promised land but I had externalized those deep inner feelings. By letting go, not as a victim and accepting and connecting the pain, I found an emotionally lost child within myself who not only always wanted to feel this deeply but had a song to sing and share with the world .

9. Reward - The hero has survived death, overcomes his fear and now earns the reward . The reward for myself was now knowing that my life was being divinely guided and trusting the unknown. I was at Lake Tahoe at this time and wrote Journey to The Mountain ~ which contained the first seeds of my Unified Field . There is no use journeying  to the mountain when the mountain is within you ~ which refers to looking outside for something that can only be experienced within.

It was then that I heard another internal voice which said ~ In the very near future events will happen which will propel you to a position where you will have to take full responsibility for what you know and feel ~ which is precisely what I am doing now in my private practice but also on my website allenroland.com  and daily weblog .

10. The Road Back - The hero must return to the Ordinary World. When I left Lake Tahoe and returned to the Bay Area ~ I was firmly connected to the inner path of the heart and ready to face the unknown.

11. Resurrection Hero - another test where the hero faces death – he has to use everything he's learned. Every love relationship has brought me face to face with my deepest fears but by going through them and eventually letting go of the relationship but not the love ~ not only have I embraced more of myself but more of my part in a loving plan.

It was then that I wrote my PhD dissertation The Unified Field which eventually became a book RADICAL THERAPY / SURRENDER TO LOVE AND HEAL YOURSELF IN SEVEN SESSIONS ( NOT SEVEN YEARS .

The basic underlying and uniting force of the Universe is a psychic energy field of love and soul consciousness ( the Unified Field  ) which exists lies not only beyond time and space but also beneath our deepest fears ~ and whose principle property is the universal urge to unite.

12. Return with Elixir - The hero returns from the journey with the “elixir”, and uses it to help everyone in the Ordinary World . The Elixir, the Holy Grail or the supreme gift is MYSELF and the deep delight of knowing that the full expression of my deepest heartfelt feelings and thoughts, regardless of the risks, is always the greatest gift I can share with the world ~ and the realization that this was once a gift, and state of soul consciousness, I innately experienced as a young child.

As such, The mind is always looking for answers that the soul already knows thus synchronistic events are the vague awareness that our lives are divinely guided from the heart  ~ As such my life has been a quest to eventually find, embrace and fully share a state of love, joy and soul consciousness I once profoundly experienced as a young child.

T.S Eliot said it beautifully,

We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ~ and know the place for the first time.

ONLY LOVE  UNITES AND HEALS  Path to the Heart

We humans have been on this quest to find "The Room of Love" for endless time untold, through endless magicians with powerful magic. And it's hidden where no one ever thought to look, right inside of each of us.

For a history of magic visit these wonderful links

Magic Gallery of Poster Art

Welcome to the on-line gallery dedicated to
images of the magic's "Golden" age, 1890 - 1930: MagicGallery.

See also one-of-a-kind magic posters from America's collection. Sit back and enjoy dozens of unique images.

Simply enter the word "magic" in the search engine.

The Library of Congress poster collection

And for a fascinating collection of links on magic and sorcery please visit
Urso's Esoteric Garden - All Things Magical

The Golden Key

so happy to be so sad

something from nothing V6

the perilous journey of becoming a someone

So you're looking for answers but you're not entirely sure about the questions.

But you know you have to become someone. A SOMEONE.

This film is a dash through 'the journey of life' and contains a huge paradox which might not make sense ... at first.

You will need to pay careful attention. Blinking not advised.

Cameo appearance from film-makers Dog.

The film carries a monday9am health warning.

Stargates and Cosmic Doorways

United States Capitol

There are things known, and there are things unknown, and in between are the Doors. - Jim Morrison

Hidden within sight are mysteries and doorways, and yet you probably have never seen them. But once you have there is no turning back. Hidden within the architecture, art and myth of places all around the world are Cosmic Doorways. Cosmic Doorways are sacred spaces used since ancient time to "quicken" the human spirit. These Cosmic Doorways are portals to another dimension within your own mind, they are tools for transformation, for you. Many clues have been left for you to follow by others.

"Here I am! I stand at the DOOR and knock. If anyone hears my voice, I will come in and eat with him, he with me." Jesus

Hidden within the US Capitol is the image at the top of the post. Named "Freedom's Gate" it show George Washington "breaking thru to the other side". A ring of 72 stars surround our first president. George Washington is in a Stargate in our nation's capitol, he is riding a rainbow in a purple robe just like Jesus.

One door away from heaven, we live each day and hour. One door away from heaven, but it lies beyond our power to open the door to heaven and enter when we choose. One door away from heaven, and the key is ours to lose. One door away from heaven, but oh, the entry dues.
-The Book of Countered Sorrows

The Lord had opened a door for me - 2 Corinthians 2:12

Doors are meant to be opened. All you need are the KEYS (which are hidden in plain sight waiting for you).

Having eyes, do you not see?
Having ears, do you not hear?
And do you not remember? Mark 8:18

Hear What? See What? The answer is ..................inside of you.

 

To learn more about Stargates and Cosmic Doorways and Secrets of you -
read more here
http://www.cosmicdoorways.net/CosmicDoorways/COSMIC_DOORWAYS.html

http://www.williamhenry.net/


http://www.danbrown.com/#/home

http://www.templestudy.com/2009/09/03/freedoms-gate-capitol-temple/

http://www.williamhenry.net/freedomsgate.html