New Moon, Black Moon, Super Moon 2014

The new moon on the 30th of March 2014 sets the stage for an incredibly intense and volatile month ahead. This new moon at 10 degree Aries, lines up with revolutionary Uranus. 

During this new moon period, we have the most sinister looking of the seven exact squares between Uranus and Pluto. 

For the entire new moon phase, there is a tense T-square aspect pattern, which then turns into the explosive Grand Cross April 2014.

This new moon is going to strongly affect the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, but also decans 1 and 2 of the other signs. You can read more about this in the monthly horoscopes. From the moment this new moon phase kicks in, the stress and tension will continue to build until the climax of the grand cross in late April 2014.

Black Moon Rising — Omen Of Change

The day before my birthday, January 30th you and I will have an opportunity to experience a rare event.

The moon will be the 2nd new moon in the same month.

It's also going to be a Super Moon, which is why it's known at the "Black Moon".

What is so unusual is that this moon can only be seen during the day.

The black moon is seen as an omen of change.

This year we certainly have a lot of space phenomena.

Our Obligation to Survive

"Somewhere. Something incredible is waiting to be known." –Carl Sagan

With every century our eyes on the universe have been opened anew. We are witness to the very brink of time and space. We must ask ourselves,

“We who are so proud of our accomplishments, what is our place in the cosmic perspective of life?”

The exploration of the cosmos is a voyage of self discovery. As long as there have been humans we have searched for our place in the cosmos.

Are there things about the universe that will be forever beyond our grasp? Are there things about the universe that are Ungraspable?

One of the great revelations of space exploration is the image of the earth, finite and lonely bearing the entire human species through the oceans of space and time.

Jupiter Stripped of it's Stripe

Some amazing events are taking place in our solar system, that many of you are unaware of.

One of Jupiter's huge red stripes, which is really a massive storm system many times larger than planet Earth, has suddenly disappeared.

Jupiter has lost one of its iconic red stripes and scientists are baffled as to why.

The largest planet in our solar system is usually dominated by two dark bands in its atmosphere, with one in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern hemisphere.

However, the most recent images taken by amateur astronomers have revealed the lower stripe known as the Southern Equatorial Belt has disappeared leaving the southern half of the planet looking unusually bare.

"Jupiter with only one belt is almost like seeing Saturn when its rings are edge-on and invisible for a time - it just doesn't look right." -amateur astronomer AstroBob

It is not the first time this unusual phenomenon has been noticed. Jupiter loses or regains one of its belts every ten of 15 years, although exactly why this happens is a mystery.

Jupiter will be closest to Earth on September 24, offering stargazers their best chance of seeing it without its stripe. [source]

Another thing I find interesting is something that NASA's Cassini spacecraft first noticed in 2007.

There is a large rotating hexagon circling the north pole of Saturn. [article - Saturns Mystery North Pole]

It is quite clearly a massive hexagon, and it's circling the north pole of Saturn. Folks, this hexagon is larger than the planet Earth.

What’s really cool is that if you look into the center of the Hexagon, you can start to see the pyramid with the all seeing eye in the middle. It reminds me of the AOL logo.

"This is a very strange feature, lying in a precise geometric fashion with six nearly equally straight sides," "We've never seen anything like this on any other planet. Indeed, Saturn's thick atmosphere where circularly-shaped waves and convective cells dominate is perhaps the last place you'd expect to see such a six-sided geometric figure, yet there it is." -Kevin Baines, atmospheric expert NASA JPL

The hexagon, according to NASA, is 60 miles thick (deep) and an astonishing 15,000 miles wide. That means four Earths would fit inside it. Yes, it's really that big. And of course, it seems entirely unnatural. Clouds don't form hexagon shapes and then maintain those structures as the edges orbit the center. Looking at this shape, it is difficult to explain it as "natural."

Natural Phenomenon vs Intelligent Design?

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger - NaturalNews.com goes out on a limb with a few other possibilities for explaining the giant hexagon on Saturn.

It is either a natural phenomenon or it was intelligently designed.  "Intelligently designed" means some conscious, intelligent being (or group of beings) intentionally created it.

If this is the case, then the next question would have to be.   For what purpose?

Cymatics

The far more likely explanation for the giant hexagon on Saturn may be that it is lending itself to Cymatics, a natural phenomenon that draws  a connection between sound, vibrations and physical reality. 

A more important question would be does sound and vibrations have the potential to create?

Cymatics shows how sound can alter the physical structure of materials, creating interesting structural patterns.

"I've been thinking that the giant hexagon on Saturn could theoretically be caused by very low-frequency sound waves emanating from some sort of geological action on the planet's surface. Perhaps these sound waves are being focused toward the north pole of the planet in much the same way that earthquake shockwaves can "bounce" off subterranean geological features. These sound waves could theoretically create a "cymatic" effect that we're seeing as a giant hexagon swirling around the pole."  -Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

Who or what maintains the hexagon structure and keeps the clouds swirling in a six-sided geometric pattern? Or is this a "natural" event taking place on a massive scale? If it's natural, it would demonstrate that nature can create some astonishingly complex (and large-scale) designs in the worlds around us.

That's particularly interesting because the FDA believes nature is incapable of creating even a single plant-based nutrient that has any beneficial effect whatsoever on the human body.

There are folks that call this psuedoscience.  Those folks should take a closer look toward the heavens and take note of the power and "creativity" of our Universe.

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A New Age Dawning

Mankind stands today on the threshold of a new World Age. The concept of an imminent new Age -- and the concurrent idea of the approaching end of the present Age -- have been popularized (and commercialized) throughout all levels of society in recent years. Nevertheless, few people consciously understand what the transition to the Age of Aquarius actually implies.

To most people, the "Age of Aquarius" remains a vague phrase.

Esoterically, the cycle of World Ages traces an aspect of the spiritual evolution of consciousness. It has as its astrological basis the circle of the zodiac (hence, the "Age of Pisces," the "Age of Aquarius," etc.). Humanity evolves as a whole-expanding and developing the collective consciousness of the race -- at the same time that each of its members is evolving in his or her own personal way. Individual evolution, therefore, proceeds simultaneously with and complements racial evolution.

The cycle of World Ages traces the development of humanity's racial consciousness. In the same way as your personal horoscope reveals your individual level of development, and the continuing planetary cycles in relation to your chart indicate the actual process of your growth, so does the long-term, cosmic cycle of World Ages reveal the collective spiritual development of mankind.

When we discuss the World Ages, then, we are dealing with evolution on a global scale. In a sense, we are studying the spiritual evolution of all life on the Earth itself -- or more specifically, the evolution of the Planetary Being (the Logos), whose physical body of manifestation is the globe we call Earth.

Since all existence on every level is constantly evolving, this Planetary Being is not yet perfected. The Logos continues to evolve on its own level. This evolution is reflected in the evolution of humanity, which considered as a coherent unit is analogous to a specific organ in the body of the Logos.

The actual evolution of the Logos is beyond the scope of our discussion here. We are concerned specifically with the evolution of our own race, that is, with the way the spiritual evolution of our Planetary Being is reflected in the evolution of humanity. Therefore, we must narrow the focus of our interpretation, in order to study the cycle of World Ages as it affects mankind.

This great cosmic cycle is based on an astronomical phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. The precession, in turn, arises from the fact that the earth's axis does not always point to the same place in the sky, relative to the fixed stars. The earth, in fact, has a slight "wobble" in its motion, much like that of a spinning top. This results in the line of the earth's polar axis (extended in imagination from the North Pole) tracing a rough circle through the fixed constellations in the northern sky.

The present pole star -- the star at the end of this imaginary extension of the North Pole -- is Polaris, in the constellation Ursa Minor. But due to the "wobble" in the Earth's motion, Polaris was not always the Pole Star, and it will not remain in this position. The North Pole points to a series of stars in succession, as the polar axis gradually changes its direction.

Thus, in the period around 4000 B.C., the pole star was one of the stars in the constellation Draco; in 4000 A.D. it will be a star in the constellation Cepheus. The entire polar cycle -- that is, the length of time it takes for the North Pole to complete one circuit -- is just over 25,000 years. This period is known as the Great Sidereal Year; and it is this cyclic motion of the polar axis that gives rise to the precession of the equinoxes.

The equinoctial precession is what we actually use to measure the passage of the World Ages. As a result of the earth's gyration (the axial "wobble"), the Sun is not found in the same location in the sky at each vernal (spring) equinox. (Again, this is in reference to the fixed, visible constellations.) Instead, the location of the equinox moves slowly backward through the zodiac, completing one passage through the circle every 25,800 years.

It is this motion that we use to measure the cycle of World Ages. The equinox takes roughly 2,150 years to pass through each constellation ("roughly" because the constellations are not evenly spaced through the zodiac).

This period is the length of a single World Age.

At the present time, the equinoctial point is passing through the visible constellation (not the sign) Pisces. It entered this constellation near the time of the birth of Christ and will reach Aquarius in the next one to four hundred years. We are therefore concluding the Age of Pisces and preparing to enter the Age of Aquarius.

The next questions which logically arise are: Precisely when will the equinox enter the constellation of Aquarius? And what will be the significance of this?

The first question has several answers. None is positively "right" because not only are the constellations unevenly spaced through the zodiac, but it is impossible to measure their exact boundaries. Obviously the time that the equinox will enter a certain constellation depends on what we define as the border of that particular group of stars.

Some astrologers put the beginning of the Aquarian Age within the next 50-100 years. Others set the date as far ahead as 2375. Still another group says that the Piscean Age began several centuries before Christ's birth, and that therefore the Aquarian Age began early in this century, about the 1920s.

Additionally, there are those who claim that the precessional movement of the equinoxes, being merely an effect of the polar cycle, is not the primary indication of the passage of the World Ages at all. Instead, these astrologers say, we should study the polar cycle itself and the specific influences of the stars to which the Pole regularly "points". The nature of the World Ages would then be described according to the specific influence of the star from which the Pole is then drawing its energy.

So when will the Aquarian Age begin? In many ways, the precise physical time is irrelevant. My personal feeling, based on the precessional movement itself, tends to support the later dates, about 400 years from now, as the beginning of the New Age. But I must quickly add that I believe this represents the time of the actual manifestation of the New Age on earth.

The spiritual "seed" of the Aquarian Age has already been planted. It is, in fact, already growing. I date the spiritual beginning of the Age of Aquarius from the time of the discovery of the planet Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, in the year 1781.

I have many reasons for this. Chief among them is that at this time truly Aquarian energies began to manifest themselves in the physical world. The walls between cultures, nations, races, and social classes began to break down. The French and American revolutions fundamentally altered the established political order. Democracy gradually emerged as the dominant form of government -- the Aquarian ideal to be sought and perfected. The Industrial Revolution had a similar effect on the social order.

In short, coinciding with Uranus's discovery, isolation, a quality of Pisces, began to give way to cooperation, a quality of Aquarius. A glance at the world history before and after the late 1700's bears this out strikingly.

In the 200 years since the discovery of Uranus, the process has accelerated tremendously. Humanity is now well on its way toward the manifestation of a global and interdependent consciousness.

This brings us to the second point -- the significance of the New Age. What does it mean to "enter a new World Age"?

In the most basic terms, the cycle of World Ages signifies the steps on the ladder of global evolution. Each sign is a phase of spiritual growth, but on a racial scale. The entrance into a new World Age indicates the emergence of the consciousness of humanity onto a new and broader level of awareness. It is an "initiation" of the race as a whole. Our collective consciousness expands as we spiritually grow and evolve, and this eventually manifests on the physical level as a new world order.

The energies of the pairs of opposites are again involved here; evolution itself is fundamentally a succession of reconciliations of various opposites. Astrologically, the pairs of opposites represent levels of awareness, and the essential change that takes place in the transition from one World Age to the next is in the spiritual awareness of humanity.

The so-called Age of Aquarius is in reality the Age of the Aquarius-Leo pair, and it is only in terms of the pairs of opposites that the transition from one age to the next -- the collective evolution of humanity -- can be understood.

As we enter the Aquarius-Leo Age we are, collectively and on the spiritual level, reconciling these two opposites. The process of reconciliation itself, worked out through the means of the physical level, gives rise to the expanded awareness which will characterize the New Age. In essence, we are spiritually merging the collective (Aquarius) with the individual (Leo) through physical means. We will eventually manifest the resultant new level of awareness in terms of the emphasized member or the pair: Aquarius, the perfected, manifested whole.

Once again, as was the case on an individual level, the spiritual energies are those of the pair; they manifest in the nature of the pair's emphasized member.

As to the precise nature of the manifested world order under the New Age, this is impossible to describe, or even to imagine. The time of its actual concretization is still too far in the future, and we are still too enmeshed in the physical forms of the Age of Pisces. Our physical, emotional, and mental bodies are still molded according to the Piscean energies, making the Aquarian influence virtually alien to the dominant aspects of our natures. A great many individuals remain unresponsive to even the spiritual influence of Aquarius, which at the present time is the only level on which its energies can be felt and even partially understood.

But in the same way that the precise date that the New Age will fully manifest is basically irrelevant, so is the physical form it will take. More important at the present moment is the course and direction of our evolution as we enter the New Age. Our actions now, in fact, will determine the eventual manifested form of the Aquarian Age.

A glance at the present world situation makes the exoteric aspects of this obvious. The spiritual pull between the two force -- the outgoing Piscean and the incoming Aquarian -- is reaching its breaking point on the physical level. At the same time, on the spiritual level, the ongoing reconciliation of the opposites (Aquarius and Leo) is adding further tension to the physical manifestation.

The most important factor here is the spiritual reconciliation of the opposites; if this is achieved successfully, the physical transition to the New Age will follow smoothly on the heels of the spiritual.

All of these influences combine to paint a very optimistic picture for the immediate future of mankind. To me, they show the actual beginning of the Age of Aquarius on earth. I feel I should mention this because it directly contradicts what appears to be the prevailing opinion concerning the transition from the Piscean to the Aquarian Age.

The basic fault I find with these prophets of doom is that they concentrate solely on exoteric factors, while ignoring the fact that the dawn of a new World Age is essentially a spiritual event. Furthermore, they seem to center (shortsightedly) on the close of the Age of Pisces. I look ahead -- to the birth of the Age of Aquarius.

The distinction between these two views is an important one as we move ever closer to the actual time of decision. We must not react out of fear that "the end of the Age (or the world) is at hand." Instead, we must act, on the basis of our firm spiritual knowledge that the procession of World Ages is inevitable, as are all evolutionary cycles. One age follows another, as the Aquarian will assuredly follow the Piscean. The only cause of our destruction, if we are to be destroyed, will be our own lack of receptivity to the impulses of the New Age, and our inability to manifest these impulses through our racial consciousness.

I do not believe that we are saddled with either of these handicaps. Since the time of Uranus's discovery, the Aquarian energies have been building. They are evoking a response in a growing number of individuals who are now consciously assuming their roles in the transition. Even those who cling most tightly to the worn-out Piscean forms are slowly releasing their grip. They, too, are increasingly taking up their cosmic roles, although they usually do so unconsciously.

A renewed and concerted effort by those who are already responsive to the Aquarian influence will bring the energies of the New Age even closer to the physical level. In turn, a greater response will become apparent as others join in the great work of inaugurating the New Age. I see no need for pessimism, fear, or despair, only for intense activity and work, so that we may perfect the body of humanity in order to fully and perfectly manifest the growing awareness of its soul. [source]

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The Aquarians - A New Era Begins

This article was excerpted with permission from Astrology: A New Age Guide written by Ed Perrone. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Quest Books http://theosophical.org.

The Aquarians - A New Era Begins

by Eric Rankin

August, 2008

2012 isn't the end of time, it is the beginning of a whole new reality. The more scholars study the writings of the ancient Mayans, the more they are convinced that 2012 was not prophesied to be the end of the world, but the moment which will herald a momentous shift in human consciousness.

Exposing this ideal is what led me to write "The Aquarians," an adventure tale that takes four unlikely characters on a journey of scientific and spiritual discovery. Through them, a story unfolds that weaves together information about the Mayan calendar, dolphin echolocation, the Age of Aquarius, the 11:11 Phenomenon, and the idea that we must co-create the hopeful future we desire for ourselves and this planet.

Synchronicity and circumstance are not only the guiding forces at work in my novel, they are what shaped the story even before I wrote the first word. From the moment I declared that I was going to write a spiritual adventure, a never-ending string of unlikely miracles have occurred to make this book a reality. It is with awe and gratitude that I look back at the circumstances of the last few years, realizing now that all I had to do was keep my eyes, ears and heart open and my hands typing the information as it materialized!

And since the publication of "The Aquarians," the synchronicities just keep happening. The new wave of people - shamans, guides and earth-angels - coming into my life could only be described as pure magic. One of these is J. Walker, a talented rap artist who focuses his gift on sharing a positive message of hope to troubled inner-city teens. A person aligned with the ideals of the Aquarian Age, J. volunteered to write and perform the song in this video. I'm amazed that in less than four minutes, he was able to expose and describe the "shift" in our spiritual evolution that is taking place right now all over the world. [source]

"If you've enjoyed such spiritually uplifting adventures as The Celestine Prophecy, The Alchemist, and The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, you are sure to love The Aquarians. I can't imagine a more timely or enlightening novel."--Dr. Jim Turrell, Founder of the Center for Spiritual Discovery

This book is one of those rare finds that has the magic to really pull you into the story. I didn't want to put it down. --I couldn't stop thinking about it. I liked the characters and the entertaining storyline, but I think the real pull for me was the message. The Mayan calendar end-date coinciding with the Age of Aquarius, the 11:11 phenomenon being a wake-up call (I am one of those who has been seeing 11:11 for years), and the new perspective it offered me about dolphins left me with such optimism. I realize it is just a work of fiction, but the facts woven through the story were so inspiring and a great read especially with all this crap going on in the world today.

Eric Rankin's close communication with dolphins resulting from his swimming with these ancient and intelligent beings around the oceans of the world helps to explain one reason why this brief book is so addicting to read.  The Mayan intelligence, and computer technology as applied to animal studies will capture the attention of anyone who is fortunate enough to pick up a copy - it's definitely an adventure filled with intrigue, investigation, criminal underpinnings, and a fine love story: it's warm approach to the mysteries of the Mayan Calendar, and Dolphin communications, were very informative and philosophical line of thought about the state of the world and the future of the human species.

In 1946 an important incident occurring just after the atomic bomb devastation of Japan that sets the tone of the novel. The reader encounters crusty old scientists who are determined to understand the ultrasonic holograms dolphins transmit, archeologists who gaze in wonder at the findings of a hidden Mayan temple on whose ceiling is painted the famous Mayan Calendar referenced in the 800 year old Dresden Codex, and to keep the story contemporary, young people are added to not only provide the requisite love interest but also provide the tie with the past that gives the book such an uplifting ending. Rankin blends these elements so well that he is able to make statements about humanity and the fragility of life without sounding saccharine. 'It's knowing that life constantly offers you the opportunity to commit an act of love, and that no matter what, love is always the right act to commit. Love is always the right answer'. And in sharing his knowledge of dolphin behavior he offers his scientist the chance to make poignant statements: 'We're warm-blooded, air-breathing animals similar to them [dolphins] in many ways, but different in that we live on land, walk, build things, and are preoccupied with conflict and violence'.

Faced with the shared evidence from many of the characters that the numbers 11:11, the date the Mayan Calendar ends time as we know it (December 21, 2012), and recurring dreams/visions provide, Rankin's characters provide a window of hope into the future - a true 'dawning of The Age of Aquarius' - if the study of dolphins is heeded.

You are sure to find this a fascinating read. 

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The Equal Night

The Vernal Equinox officially marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and fall in the southern hemisphere. The official time for Vernal Equinox 2010 is 1:32 p.m. EST on March 20.

There are two equinoxes during the year, the spring equinox, sometimes called "vernal equinox," which falls around March 20th and the autumn equinox which falls around September 23rd. 

This is a special day all around the world in ancient traditions like Mexico, where thousands alike come from all over to celebrate the Vernal Equinox at the site of Ancient Mayan ruins in Chichen Itza.  There are festivales de primavera, that take place to celebrate the beginning of spring as you see children on parade dressed up as flowers and animals. All of the festivities are centered around the Sun.

On the equinox the sun is positioned directly over the equator. The word "equinox" means "equal night" because on the equinox the night is equal in length to the day.

This is a time of celebration by traditions around the world, and is a time of fertility, regeneration and rebirth. 

The Mayan archaeological site of Chichen Itza is the most popular spot in Mexico to celebrate the spring equinox. The site's most famous building, The Kulkulkan temple, is the site of a dramatic display of Mayan astronomical knowledge. Every year on the autumn and spring equinoxes the light of the sun makes a play of light and shadow which makes it look like a serpent is slithering along the steps of the pyramid. The effect begins in the late afternoon, around 4 pm, and lasts for an hour or so. The serpent appears for a few days - from around March 19th to the 23rd, but on the actual date of the equinox the effect is most obvious. [read more]

The archaeological site of Teotihuacan, near Mexico City, is also a favorite spot to celebrate the Spring Equinox. On this date hundreds of thousands of visitors visit the site, many dressed all in white. They climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun where they perform rituals and stretch out their arms to receive the special energy they believe is present on that day.

Avid "Seinfeld" fans might remember the episode when Jerry's friend, George, was desperately trying to find a way to postpone his impending Christmastime wedding with his fiancée, Susan. He finally comes up with a solution:

"Have the wedding on March 21 - the first day of spring!"

Unfortunately, if George had gone through with the nuptials (and Seinfeld aficionados know why he never did), he would have been a full day late. You see, in America, spring no longer falls on March 21.

Now this doesn't seem right. I mean, when we were all growing up, the first day of spring was always on March 21, not March 20, right? Now all of a sudden spring comes on March 20.

While it's true that we've traditionally celebrated the beginning of spring on March 21, astronomers and calendar manufacturers alike now say that the spring season starts one day earlier, March 20, in all time zones in North America. Unheard of? Not if you look at the statistics. In fact, did you know that during the 20th Century, March 21 was actually the exception rather than the rule?

The vernal equinox landed on March 21, only 36 out of 100 years. And from 1981 to 2102, Americans will celebrate the first day of spring no later than March 20.

In 2012, those living in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific, Mountain and Central time zones will see spring begin even earlier: on March 19.

And in 2016, it will start on March 19 for the entire United States.

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Super Earth Discovered

A "super-Earth" has been discovered orbiting a red dwarf star on our cosmic doorstep, only 42 light years away. But here's the best bit: it's composed primarily of water, possibly in liquid form.

A "super-Earth" is an exoplanet (or "extra-solar planet") with a mass of 5-10 Earths. Only one other super-Earth has been confirmed (and a few more candidates have just been announced), the other 400 exoplanets we know of are many times bigger and are often referred to as "hot Jupiters" (many orbit very close to their host stars, getting roasted).

The race to find Earth-like planets around stars similar to our sun edged closer to a finish with the announcement on Monday that up to six "super-Earths" have been found orbiting sun-like neighbor stars.

The smallest of the bunch weighs in at about five times the mass of Earth and orbits a star known as 61 Virginis, which is visible with the naked eye in the constellation Virgo. The star is 28 light-years from Earth and closely resembles the sun in size, age and other attributes.

Two other newly detected planets -- each about the size of Neptune -- are part of 61 Virginis' family.

Another planet that is 7.8 times larger than Earth orbits HD 1461, a sun-like star located 76 light-years away in the constellation Cetus. Two sibling planets may orbit this same star, though confirmation is still pending, astronomer Gregory Laughlin, with the University of California's Lick Observatory, told Discovery News.

The race to find Earth-like planets around stars similar to our sun edged closer to a finish with the announcement on Monday that up to six "super-Earths" have been found orbiting sun-like neighbor stars.

The smallest of the bunch weighs in at about five times the mass of Earth and orbits a star known as 61 Virginis, which is visible with the naked eye in the constellation Virgo. The star is 28 light-years from Earth and closely resembles the sun in size, age and other attributes.

Two other newly detected planets -- each about the size of Neptune -- are part of 61 Virginis' family.

"I think this is really the tip of the iceberg," Laughlin said. "There's so many planets that have been detected now; it's completely clear that planets aren't rare. With our program, we've been focusing very intently on finding low-mass planets that orbit very nearby solar-type stars."[read more]

These are very exciting times for extrasolar planet hunters. Dozens of new exoplanets have been discovered (some a little larger than Earth, others several times the size of Jupiter) and astronomers are refining their already sophisticated techniques to analyze the composition of the atmospheres of these distant worlds.

Take exoplanet HD 209458b for example. It might not have the most romantic of names (the designation "HD 209458" is the catalogue number of the Sun-like star it's orbiting), but this exoplanet is famous in its own right. In 1999, it was the first ever transiting exoplanet to be discovered. A transiting exoplanet is a world that passes in front of its parent star when viewed from Earth, blocking a little of the starlight for astronomers to detect and measure.

By using the parent star's light to their advantage, NASA scientists have been able to decipher what chemicals HD 209458b's atmosphere contains even though it is 150 light years from Earth. This exoplanet is a very large gas giant which has a very tight orbit around the star (it is therefore dubbed a "Hot Jupiter"), so life isn't expected to be a possibility, but HD 209458b contains the basic organic chemicals as used, and produced, by life as we know it.[continue reading]

Naturally, the question of the potential for extraterrestrial life is bubbling, but the thick atmosphere of this super-Earth may be blocking out much of the star's light from reaching the surface.

Although this particular waterworld might not be suitable for habitation, the researchers who made this discovery think we're on the right track.

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Galactic Alignment

Over the past century philosophers, archaeoastronomers, and historians of ancient knowledge and wisdom have been deciphering ancient languages, the origins of ancient temples, and the mythology of ancient civilizations to find the source of inspiration and knowledge for the ingenious contributions of these ancient civilizations and what was left behind. Past civilizations such as the Maya, are now being newly interpreted for those of us who want to know of our past, our evolution as a species, and the destiny of humanity.

Unfortunately, much of the modern world has completely ignored the knowledge obtained by ancient civilizations, or have not given them any intellectual merit, thus creating a global culture, for the most part, steeped in secular and materialistic pursuits. The time has arrived when our local Milky Way galaxy is interacting with our local star system and the most dramatic changes ever to impact on human destiny are now taking place. Humanity is currently being transformed beyond anything ever imagined. Galactic Alignment, a book by John Major Jenkins, prepares us for this transformation.

In a world filled with a materialistic mindset, fueled by a system of profit and loss on accounting ledgers which penalize the poor it is self evident that the information provided in Galactic Alignment is as significant as was Galileo's discovery of a heliocentric solar system. Likewise, Oliver Reiser points out how the galaxy and our consciousness are directly interrelated. The information revealed in Galactic Alignment is embedded all over the planet in monuments and temples.

For all students and seekers of ancient knowledge, the material offered in Galactic Alignment will fill in many gaps and misunderstandings of the archaeoastronomical evidence left behind by cultures all over the world. It is time that a resurgence of interest be taken up by a new generation. Jenkins refers to this new generation as the "alignment generation". This is humanity's chance to utilize these great galactic forces for spiritual renewal. Galactic Alignment clearly demonstrates how to become aware of the destiny we are about to inherit on this planet. The unveiling of this information is profound and very real and effects every human being on Earth.

John Major Jenkins has provided a galactic portal we can all pass through by just paying attention to his own discovery of the galactic parameters of Maya cosmology, and in his revealing of supportive documentation from researchers around the world. We all owe it to ourselves and to the future of humanity to listen to what Jenkins has to say. This very well may be the blueprint for a new heaven on earth, a new global humanity which will assume a respect and devotion to the knowledge that is embedded in the universe, but not directly observed or measured. Jenkins' suggestion that the people of a new alignment generation recognize this galactic cosmology may be our only hope to survive as a human species in this solar system.

Our own transformation with the coming galactic alignment has already been destined to take place, and it is our own realization for personal and planetary growth that will see our successful passage through this galactic portal. The material covered in Galactic Alignment spans the world and the cultures that developed their beliefs around the knowledge of the solstice-galaxy alignment. Galactic Alignment needs to be read several times to break out of the materialistic paradigm, and enter into a new spiritual realm. How we elevate ourselves to see the dawning of this new world age depends on how successfully we pass through the North Gate. The time to act is now, and we only have a few years left to take full advantage of the forces that have been known by ancient civilizations for thousands and thousands of years. Humanity must pass through the Symplegades if it wants to continue the evolution of human consciousness in this part of the galaxy. This is not a fairy-tale.

There is ZERO evidence that the ancient Maya predicted the end of the world in 2012. The Maya calendar does not END in 2012. This Doomsday 2012 bs is a fallacious construct, a projection of exploitative and underinformed writers and Western nihilistic fantasy. A huge publicity campaign has begun for Hollywood's 2012 catastrophe movie, to open November 13, 2009. Is this Hollywood appropriation of 2012 mere harmless entertainment? At the very least, this entertainment comes at a price, and that is: the complete and utter misrepresentation of what 2012 meant to the creators of the 2012 calendar.

I believe that Johan Calleman's theory is the most accurate, and which makes more sense to me. He believes it's the consciousness that the Maya speak about. This consciousness is evolving, and we may all wake up to reality, and no longer judge time the same, so therefore the calendar ends. I do not believe it's a doomsday date, nor do I believe on that date everything will change, I think it's just the beginning of a new paradigm.

John Major Jenkins has done a huge amount of research, reading and thinking about the meaning of the Mayan Long Count end date of 2012. Whether His conclusions make sense to you depends on your belief system and your frame of reference.

It is difficult to evaluate a lot of his conjecture about ancient civilizations and what their icons, symbols, and writing might have meant in regard to the 2012 date. Jenkins reduces it to simplicity by clearly stating that it means the alignment of the Winter Solstice meridian with the plane of the Galactic Center, which is happening now, in our own era. Although the Mayans chose to end their count on December 21, 2012 (by our calendar), the actual alignment happens over a period of time. Many experts think a better date would have been 1998 or 1999. If the alignment is the reason for the end date, and if the alignment happens over some years of time, that seems to indicate the date does not signify an apocalyptic event, as many think. Jenkins speculates that the "end time" is really a period of rising awareness, a time when our very consciousness can shift to a new level.

Jenkins raises the intriguing idea that these alignments on earth -- which mirror the occult dictum of "as above, so below" -- may not have been deliberate, but may be an unconscious response to some type of energy from space, or some dimension beyond our senses.

Is the Galactic Center the source of wisdom, of spirituality? Has our evolution seen sudden jumps because of this energy, and are we getting more of it now that our solar system is lined up with the Galactic center? These seem strange questions to those of us living in modern urban areas where we cannot even see the Milky Way at night. It is always a rare and beautiful night for me whenever I can see stars because, living in the Detroit area, we have way too much light pollution and poor quality of air to see the kind of panorama of lights the ancients must have seen. Jenkins makes the point that the Milky Way, our galaxy, is very visible from the high areas of South America.

I thought large parts of the book were tedious, as the text went over numerous examples, quoted the author's favorite writers, and expounded on astronomical lore that was too obscure to evaluate. If you have no acquaintance with the Precession of the Equinoxes, then a lot of the material here will be hard to follow. I highly recommend Graham Hancock's book, Fingerprint of the Gods, which is a very good introduction to the concepts of Precession and how the numbers are encoded in ancient legends, writings, and monuments.

I have to wonder: If this is a period when we have the opportunity to open ourselves to higher levels of enlightenment, are we doing that? There certainly has been a lot of interest in spiritual topics and re-examination of ancient beliefs. People are studying the Kabbala, embracing New Age ideas, meditating, learning about charkas and natural healing...I dunno, we just elected President Obama, and the world is the worst it's ever been. With our strong and religious differences we continue to create war around the world. I can certainly build a case that none of this shows a human race ever becoming more spiritual or more enlightened.

Look in the mirror...are you more enlightened?....more spiritual?

In this book Jenkins demonstrates that the ancients knew that there are certain times during the cycle of precession, when the earth-sun-galaxy relationship allows the influx of some kind of energy that triggers a transformational leap in mankind. There are 2 crossing points of the Galactic meridian, (centre-line of the Milky Way), and the ecliptic (path of sun and planets across the sky), or equally, the zodiac which lies behind the ecliptic. These crossing-points were known as "Gates" by the ancients. These celestial gates were described by Macrobius as the gates of Capricorn and Cancer, and were seen as doorways through which the soul descends to be reborn on earth and ascends following physical death.

The gate of reincarnation is called the Silver Gate, while the gate of ascension is called the Golden Gate, but he says that the Silver Gate is the way of reincarnation, while the Golden Gate is the Way of the Gods and leads "beyond the circle of Necessity, ie to release from the round of birth and death" (to break the cycle).

These are the two routes from which the soul can exit from the world at death, and the Capricorn gate is the one through which the gods descend to earth.

Precession changes our angular orientation to the larger magnetic field of the galaxy in which we are embedded. during regularly occurring eras in the precessional cycle, as indicated by the solstice-galaxy alignments (probably the equinox-galaxy alignments, too), the earth's protective magnetic shield becomes unstable and oscillates. Without a complete field reversal being required, this oscillation allows greater amounts of mutational rays to strike the surface of the earth. While this may result in mutations and a greater chance for "evolution", of greater significance is the possible transformative effect on human consciousness during alignment eras, when human beings are exposed to higher doses of high-frequency radiation.

Jenkins refers to Swami Sri Yukteswar's study of the Vedic Yuga system, (that may have originated as long ago as 7000 BC), and shows how that system is also flagging the galactic alignment. He concludes that there is a Galactic Chakra system, with the base chakra at Galactic Center, and the crown chakra in the direction of the Galactic Anti-center. Earth is at the level of the fifth (throat) chakra, evolving towards the sixth (ajna or third eye):

"The as yet unspoken message in this survey is that the galactic alignment opens a channel for the kundalini shakti to flow through the earth, cleanse (it) us, and excite it (us) into a higher level of being."

This book has started connecting up many of the threads and has brought into sharp focus, the "underground stream" of knowledge encoded into virtually every religion you can think possibly think of.

They were all preparing us for the opening of the Golden Gate!

I have stopped finding fault with creation and have learned to accept it. We have some power in us that knows its own ends. It is that that drives us on to what we must finally become. We have only to conceive of the possibility and somehow the spirit works in us to make it actual. This is the true meaning of transformation This is the real metamorphosis. Our further selves are contained within us, as the leaves and blossoms are in the tree. We have only to find the spring and release it. Such changes are slow beyond imagination. They take generations. But it works, this process. We are already the product of generation after generation of wishing to be thus. And what you are reader, is what we have wished.

Are you god already? Have you found wings?

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Aquarius and Aquarians in the New Age

Aquarius The Reformer

(Greek) "Waterbearer", 11th sign of the zodiac (approx. January 20 to February 20); ruler Uranus; the airy element; keywords: consecration, originality, eccentric innovative energy.

Recognized strengths: generous, inventive, detached, progessive, tolerant, ingenuous, open-minded, social, creative; problem-solver, humanitarian.

Potential weaknesses: unconventional, eccentric, changeable, independent to a fault, unsteady, aloof.

Key Phrase: I know

Aquarius is the experience of individuality, and can be highly autonomous. As the Fixed Air sign of the zodiac, Aquarius expresses focused mental energy, and can show a strong level of ingenuity. Although most people think of Aquarius as progressive, it also has the capacity for fanatical attachment to an idea or ideal. Aquarius is the rebel and anarchist, but can be unselfish and altruistic, much like Uranus, which rules this sign. Symbolized by the Water-Bearer, Aquarius pours forth ideas streaming from the mind; in its highest form this is stimulated by intuitive awareness. Aquarius seeks to develop the true, unconditional love of friendship. Its cool detachment can be directed in positive ways to bring about change, but can also seem hurtful on a personal level. Where you see Aquarius in your chart, you see your need for the unconventional, and for the development of your individuality.

The best quality of Aquarius is your humanitarian attitude. The worst quality is argumentativeness. A key phrase is “I know.” Aquarians are seen as progressive. When we speak of the Age of Aquarius, we are speaking of a period beginning now and extending into the future, with all the possibilities the future has to offer. Aquarians may be well informed or even visionary in your thinking. You may not be grounded in the practical application of your ideas. Focused on a universal goal, you may not attend to the needs of individuals in ordinary circumstances.

Aquarians have advanced ideas. You are original and scientific in your methods, and you are strongly interested in education, for yourself and for others. You often prefer to learn through conversation with others, rather than through straight book studies. There is an unconventional quality in your thinking – you can take apples and oranges and make something greater of you.

Aquarians are generally pleasant, but you are also assertive. Your determination can turn to argument when you don’t get your way, and you can be unsympathetic to the views of others. Your temperament is affected by the world outside yourself, and can become cranky at times, or even rebellious. Your usual cheerful manner and understanding of human nature make you skillful social beings, but you may be somewhat reclusive, needing a lot of private time to think things through. You are not terribly practical and have to learn to manage time and money.

Aquarians are generally kind and are influenced by the kindness of others. This may be because you have moments when you are unsympathetic, and you recognize the need for this quality. Aquarians value your freedom, and thus respect the freedom of others. You are interested in metaphysical subjects. Your lack of demonstrative behavior may be your way of keeping your feelings to yourself.

In an attempt to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Age of Aquarius, one has only to look back over the previous five years of labor we have endured to understand that personal "self-realization" is the key that opens the door to "self-actualization." The difficult internal and external struggles we have walked through over the past half decade now shift into a higher gear, giving us the potential to create our dreams, expand our horizons, and open ourselves up to one another in deeper and more spiritual ways.

Many astrologers herald April of 1995 as the actual beginning of the "Age of Aquarius," for that is when Uranus entered Aquarius, and of course Uranus rules the sign of the water bearer. It's tricky to define and describe the general nature of Aquarius and the energies of its counterpart Uranus, for by their natures, they move beyond definition and transcend restrictions and expectations.

Aquarius demands much from us, particularly in the areas of faith and trust. Periods of time ruled by Aquarius, such as this great age we're moving into, promote the radical, the unexpected, and the freedom to follow our impulses on all levels. Like toddlers, we have all spent the last five years opening up to trusting the unexplained, the intangible, and the intuitive. We have made our ways by crawling, walking, and falling down, continuing to force our shaky spiritual legs to become stronger and more sure-footed. Though most of this process has been done internally, many outward challenges have created obstacles that made us stop and face our truest selves as spiritual entities connected not only to a Higher Source, but to each other as well.

We have been laying the groundwork, for before we could become one with all humanity as Aquarius encourages, we had to become one with ourselves. The dawning of the new millennium heralds this inner accomplishment, and simultaneously opens new doors to a greater and more expansive Universal oneness. We are now beginning to move in the world with greater physical health and enhanced awareness as more spiritually evolved individuals. By so raising our personal energies, we enhance the wholeness of others, and thus raise the vibrations of all humanity.

Perhaps the most astounding evidence of the dawning of this age is embodied in our recent focus on "Truth." Both within and outside of ourselves, a search for the truth has exposed many negative energies that have been eroding the quality of our society and blocking growth, progress or resolution to cyclic problems that affect us all. Exposures of deception have surfaced in the realms of religion, health care, politics, finances/banking, the environment, science, and even the personal sexual lives of our leaders.

True to Aquarian nature, the illusions surrounding these structures have been stripped away; concurrently, we've had other illusions dispelled in our personal lives that never made the national news. The control and power that these establishments and icons of order have had over us are about to be overthrown and revised by humanity as a whole. No longer will the majority be ruled by a few select individuals. As we begin to share and expand our ideals with others, we can now expect to move our personal spiritual visions in the physical world, creating higher laws and establishing a more Universal foundation based in metaphysics, truth, peace and wholeness.

Now that we have mastered the art of being responsible for ourselves as individuals, we can begin a new millennium embracing the Aquarian ideal that each one of us carries the responsibility for the collective well-being of all humanity.

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Maps of Consciousness

Are you sleepwalking your life away?

For me, having some sort of map has proven itself very helpful in identifying where I currently stand in my pursuit of growth, as I become more and more conscious of my reactions toward life events and what they represent.  

I accept my limitations.

Having a map empowers us to try and live consciously every day.  This map lists all the different levels of consciousness attainable, thus serving as a critical framework for conscious living. Without knowing the highest end state of consciousness we can attain, we can only be making baby steps of progress and not be optimizing our full potential. But having clarity of the different levels of consciousness provides us with the full context of growth. By knowing the other levels ahead, we are more able to comprehend how limiting our current level of consciousness is, what we should be striving toward and the highest end point we can reach. While we can debate on whether Hawkin’s is fully valid or exhaustive, the map definitely provides us a very good reference point to start with.

Being conscious is more than just being physically awake.

It is also more than just being aware. 

Awareness typically refers to knowingness at the mental level, while consciousness is a state of knowingness that encompasses all mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of ourselves. 

To be conscious is to have awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, own existence, sensations, and surroundings.

All during the Ages, man has devised ways to free his consciousness from exterior limitations. These ancient ways are now used by those who have awakened to spirituality.

In this book there are two full chapters dedicated to the explanation of the methodology, testing and interpretation.

The map of consciousness was developed via Kinesiology , or muscle testing.  From this test, a scale of consciousness / energy level was calibrated, from 0 all the way to the highest end of 1000 points. Within this scale, there are a total of 17 different levels of consciousness demarcated by different points on the scale. Moving from 0 to 1000 mark a progression in the change of one’s world view from a fear-based consciousness, to a love-based consciousness.

The highest attainable level is enlightenment at 1000.

The book also shows how to use these ways, and why they operate as 'maps of consciousness'.

I Ching - Revered by the Chinese as the oldest and wisest book in the world, it offers us a momentary glimpse into the world of constancy-in-change.

Tantra - The medieval Indian celebration of the union of male and female energies through the exaltation of sensation perception.

Tarot - The cards that act as ageless, culture-transcending mirrors, resonating to show us unthinkable things within ourselves as they bring us through the nether and upper worlds in a complex journey.

Alchemy - Transforming the 'elements' and binding forces of planetary-cosmic phenomena into finer, higher substances.

Astrology - Revealing the rhythmic cycles of the planets, and how their phases may be experienced by human beings in terms of motion and emotion.

Actualism - Propelling us through the levels of being and consciousness toward the ultimate externalization of God.