The Holiday Rush

It's funny and ironic how the holidays can be even more stressful than all the other days of the year. Making up a list of presents and who to give them to, determining how much budget you have for them, actually going out and buying the presents, attending parties and family reunions left and right, going for an out of town road trip. It's no wonder that one of my friends exclaimed that she needed a vacation from the vacation! The holidays aren't that friendly to one's waistline either, although this means good business for the fitness gyms, at least for the first two or three months of the new year.

I myself am not immune to the lures of the holiday season, which is why I've only managed to post at my blog now. Yet for all the stress of the holidays, I think none of us would really give it up. The holidays are a chance to catch up with friends and/or family that you rarely get to see the rest of year. This is all the more true for friends and family who live and work abroad. The holidays are the only time they usually get to come home.

It makes me wonder though, with all the activities one is expected to engage in during the holidays, if all of this has devolved into a mere checklist of things to do before going back to our normal routine. Perhaps it's time to take another look at Christmas. There is of course the popular theme of the birth of Jesus, although closer investigation would reveal that Christmas was historically not about Jesus' birthday.

Christmas day marked the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, and it also marked the feast of Saturn. The early Church adopted Christmas day into the calendar in the hopes of convincing the pagan population to convert to the new religion. The practice of exchanging gifts is actually a holdover from the Saturnian festivities.

Such little tidbits shouldn't come as a shock to Christians. The Church adopted a lot of pagan practices with the intent of integrating the pagan population into the new religion. After all, conversion is easier when you still get to do the religious practices that you grew up with.

Regardless of the actual origins of Christmas, most people are in agreement that the holidays are a time of giving and sharing, of coming together and hopefully, forgiveness. These basic qualities have been buried under tons of advertising and partying, but they're still there for anyone to notice.

It's interesting to note that Christmas used to be a Saturnian feast. The Saturn sphere is normally associated with the Lords of Karma, and in Master Choa Kok Sui's Kabbalistic Cycle, the Saturn period is a time of creative destruction and materialization of negative karma. Alternatively, it is a time to rebuild and start anew. It's interesting that such definitions coincide with the timing of the winter solstice, which signals the end of the year in order to give birth to the new.

Knowing these things, this holiday season is a good opportunity for all of us to plant good seeds for us to harvest in the new year. After all, that's essentially what New Year's resolutions are for. There's this Christmas song, "Let's give love on Christmas Day....". However, we need not confine good behavior and firm resolution to the holidays. Imagine how much more different the world would be if we adopted good holiday attitude the whole year round?

The year 2012 has come to acquire some pretty grim connotations, especially in light of all the disasters of 2011. However, let's not forget that it's entirely up to us to generate good karma that may be used to neutralize or mitigate negative karma and also to create a better future. Adopting this new attitude may be a real challenge for some, or a breeze for others, but the goal is no less worthy of the effort.

Here's a heartfelt Merry Christmas to everyone and a blessed New Year for all!

The Vajra Guru Mantra

OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM

So goes the Vajra Guru mantra, which can be literally translated as, "I invoke you, the Vajra Guru, Padmasambhava, by your blessing may you grant us ordinary and supreme siddhis." The Tibetan Buddhists pronounce it slightly differently, Om Ah Hung Benza Guru Pema Siddhi Hung, but the essential meaning is the same.

Just as the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is considered the mantra of Buddha Kwan Yin, so is the Vajra Guru mantra considered the mantra of Buddha Padmasambhava. The Vajra Guru mantra is said to be held in high esteem by sadhakas (those who follow sadhana or spiritual practices; can also be used to refer to spiritual initiates and aspirants) because of the tremendous benefits encapsulated in the mantra.

In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, mantras are more than just canned prayers to the deity. Just as the Kabbalists believe that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and their different permutations, hold an inherent universal power, so do the very composition of the mantras hold power and provide a "direct line" to the essence of the deity being invoked.

According to legend, the Buddha Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche in Tibet, was born of the lotus flower, incarnating as an 8-year old child in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha. Like most legends, this story is an esoteric symbol. What the story is trying to say is that Padmasambhava was born fully illuminated, a truly great soul who entered the world. Padmasambhava went on to Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Detsen (742–797), the first Emperor of Tibet. Thus was Tibet introduced to Tibetan Buddhism and Tantra.

In the Nyingmapa tradition, the Vajra Guru mantra is believed to be a powerful mantra that can engender union with the Three Vajras (body, speech and mind) of Padmasambhava's mindstream and consequently those of other enlightened beings. Because of this, we can say that the Vajra Guru mantra forms part of guru yoga because guru yoga seeks to unite the mindstream of the practitioner with the mindstream of the guru. Sharanagathi leads one to achieve the goal of guru yoga.

In his book Inner Teachings of Hinduism Revealed, Master Choa Kok Sui states that sharanagathi simply means internal conductivity. Just as a copper wire can easily transmit electricity because it is conductive, so must we have internal conductivity in order to fully receive the blessings of our spiritual teacher and the Higher Beings. Sharanagathi is not just the form or act but is rather one's state of being. Master Choa goes so far to say that if one has sharanagathi (internal conductivity), even without doing a lot of sadhanas (spiritual practices) the blessings one is receiving are so intense, it would be like doing sadhana. This is similar to what Jesus said that if one had faith the size of a mustard seed, one could move mountains.

The 14th century terton Karma Lingpa wrote a detailed commentary about the benefits of the Vajra Guru mantra. A terton refers to someone who discovers terma (treasure) teachings. It is said that Padmasambhava hid many of his written teachings in certain locations within Tibet, to be discovered in the future when it was time for those teachings to come out (the Tibetan Book of the Dead is an example of such a terma teaching). Most tertons are believed to be incarnations of Padmasambhava's 25 main disciples.

Karma Lingpa's commentary is quite long, so if you want to read it in full you may visit this site. But just to get a feel of the commentary, I give you this extract:

If this mantra is recited a hundred times a day, merely a hundred times a day without interruption, one will become attractive to others and will effortlessly come by food and wealth and the necessities of life.

If one recites it a thousand or ten thousand times on a daily basis, one is able to literally overwhelm others with one's brilliance, in the sense of becoming very charismatic and influential in exerting a positive influence over others, and one will gain unhindered force of blessings and spiritual power.

If one repeats it a hundred thousand or a million times on a regular basis one will become capable of effecting an immeasurably great benefit for beings, exactly as one would wish to.

If one recites the mantra three or seven million times, one is never separate from the buddhas of the three times and one becomes inseparable from me. All the gods and demons of existence will attend to one and offer their praises.

In the most excellent cases, individuals will attain the rainbow body, and the final level of attainment in this lifetime. On a more middling level, at the moment of death, the mother and child aspects of radiant luminosity will meet. At the very least, individuals will behold my face in the bardo state and all the appearances of the bardo state will be free in their own ground such that these individuals will be reborn on the continent of Ngayab and from that vantage point, be able to accomplish an immeasurable amount of benefit to beings.

The stated benefits of the Vajra Guru mantra are numerous, but aside from that, this mantra should also be recognizable to Arhatic Yogis in particular. After all, in his book Om Mani Padme Hum: The Blue Pearl in the Golden Lotus (available in National Bookstore), Master Choa revealed that Padmasambhava is none other than Mahaguruji Mei Ling, Master Choa's spiritual teacher.

Arhatic Yoga is a synthesis of spiritual practices from many cultures around the world, one of them being Tibet. After all, spiritual truths are universal, so they can be consistently found in different cultures and traditions. The threads that link Arhatic Yoga to its Tibetan lineage are there for those who sincerely search. As a practitioner of Arhatic Yoga, whenever I discover traces of this lineage, it makes me further appreciate my spiritual practice.

Typhoon Sendong: Lessons (Not) Learned

I already had a topic in mind for today's article, but after the events that happened during Typhoon Sendong (international name Washi), I thought it would be more appropriate to devote a few words to this tragedy for the sake of the victims and for better awareness about possible future disasters and how to mitigate or cope with them. As a victim of Ondoy, I can imagine very well what the victims in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City went through and are going through right now. The profile of both disasters are in fact eerily similar. Both happening on Saturdays, higher than normal rainfall, government agencies caught flat-footed.

One would have thought that after Ondoy, the different government disaster management agencies would have learned their lessons. However, by different accounts it seems PAGASA (the state weather bureau) was again caught sleeping even if international weather bureaus and even some local weather watchers knew what was coming.

Around the middle of last year, Typhoon Basyang was predicted to pass through Northern Luzon. Instead, it changed track and slammed directly into Metro Manila. Luckily, that typhoon brought more wind than rain, so the damage was not as bad as it could have been. President Aquino sacked the PAGASA chief at that time, saying that if meteorologists during World War 2 and the Korean War were able to accurately forecast the weather despite the technology of that time, why couldn't PAGASA perform similarly? Most people must have thought that this incident would have turned things around for the weather bureau, and over the next few months there were occasional news reports about new Doppler radar stations being set up. Unfortunately, Typhoon Sendong has shown that nothing has really changed. The evidence points to a problem that goes beyond the lack of modern technology or budget.

What happened last week was the Normalcy Bias in action over a massive scale (I wrote an article about this back in October). The people at PAGASA couldn't believe that a typhoon was really heading towards Mindanao, because the projected track of the typhoon covered areas that were not in the traditional typhoon belt. In the case of the people in the affected areas, even after the storm signals went up, no one really paid much attention because again, typhoons never really passed their areas. The tragic results speak for themselves.

Geo Farms founder and manager Edgard Guevara commented that the Typhoon Sendong tragedy only shows that we cannot rely on government or other agencies to watch over our welfare. The best way to prepare for a disaster is to ready oneself and one's family first, and then eventually involve the whole community. Any outside help that comes will then become a bonus that will merely supplement one's own preparations.

Victory loves preparation, so if you want to start educating yourself, you can watch a few YouTube flood survival videos here and another one here. It's strange that just last week I was also watching the National Geographic channel's Doomsday Preppers. One doesn't need to go to the extremes that the people featured in the show went to, but some level of preparation is definitely necessary. Beyond physical and material preparations, meditation and prayer should also become part and parcel of one's life. The power of sincere prayer should never be underestimated.

But while we proceed with our own preparations (or debate their necessity), there is still the immediate concern of helping the victims and survivors in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City and other areas. If you want to help, please visit this site in order to identify which avenue of support you want to use.

Exercising In Bed

Exercise, for all its benefits, can be such a tedious chore for most people. Throw in a busy schedule and the thought of exercise is pretty much toast. I understand the feeling because I've gone through the struggles of trying to drag myself away from what I was doing (including sleep) in order to huff and puff and basically give myself a hard time. It's just so much easier to lie down and sleep.

The term "exercising in bed" sounds like such an oxymoron given our current ideas about what constitutes exercise. But such a set of exercises does exist, and it's not some recent exercise fad that's being raved about in the Internet. I'm not referring to the more carnal pleasures of sex (although sex is also a good form of exercise; in fact, some new findings point to some forms of sex that could reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women). In the early 1900s, a man named Sanford Bennett published the book Exercising In Bed. At the time Bennett published the book, he was nearly 70 years old, yet he looked like a much younger man (see photo).

Bennett attributed his youthful appearance and vigor to the set of exercises he developed and had been practicing for nearly 20 years (at the time of publication). Not much is known about Bennett's life, but according to his own account, at 50 years old he was quite an unhealthy man. He had all the signs of old age and was suffering from numerous chronic ailments. Not content to rely on the treatment of doctors and drugs for the rest of his life, he embarked on a quest to rejuvenate his way to good health. The result of his research is a set of 35 simple exercises that can be done in bed. Bennett died of an accident well into his 80s but it's safe to say that if Nature had taken its course, Bennett could have lived a healthy life into his 90s or even beyond.

According to Bennett, the key to good health is to retain the pliability and flexibility of the different muscles, organs and other parts of the body, thus ensuring good circulation of the blood all around. This is the state of the body at youth, but as we age and misuse the body, the corresponding muscles, organs, etc. slowly deteriorate and exhibit signs of ill health. Therefore, by exercising these different parts, health and vigor may be returned.

Bennett's exercises consist of alternating muscle tension and relaxation called isometric exercises. As per Wikipedia: Isometric exercise or isometrics are a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction (compared to concentric or eccentric contractions, called dynamic/isotonic movements). Isometrics are done in static positions, rather than being dynamic through a range of motion.

If you've ever experienced straining to open a bottle of jam or a stuck window, that's isometric exercise. In Bennett's exercises, you mainly use your own body to create the opposing tension, which is why they can be done while lying in bed. Interestingly, Bennett developed these exercises precisely because he didn't want to get up and strain himself with regular exercise!

Of course, Bennett's exercise routine is the product of a late 19th/early 20th century understanding about the human body. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and Bennett himself had shown that he was able to reverse the ill conditions he had when he was 50. In the book, the doctor even mentioned that Bennett had the physiology of a 30-year old athlete. Whatever you may think about Bennett's approach, it seems the exercises do work as stated.

We've approached this subject from a more physiological viewpoint, and what little we've seen seems to make sense. Let's try looking at it now from an esoteric standpoint.

According to Master Choa in his pranic healing books, aside from the major chakras, there are minor (smaller) chakras and even micro chakras for the really small and delicate organs. These chakras govern how much prana (life force) passes through the different parts of the body and these chakras are also responsible for expelling used up or dirty energy. This is why chakras are clairvoyantly seen as spinning wheels of energy, the alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations of the chakras draw in and expel energy accordingly.

When a chakra is not able to expel enough dirty or used up energy, the dirty energy tends to get stuck around the chakra, sort of like a clogged drain. This in turn also affects the chakra's ability to draw in enough fresh prana to "feed" the corresponding body part. What results is the disease that we commonly see.

What physical exercise does is that it stimulates the chakras of the parts being exercised to loosen up and spin even faster, thus it can dislodge any stuck up energy. Once the chakras are clean and able to function normally, health returns to the body. This is why we tend to feel good and energized after exercise even after using up so much energy in the effort.

Since Sanford Bennett's exercises target practically every part of the body, we can imagine that all the chakras (major, minor and micro) are being stimulated within the same short span of time. This could explain why Bennett was able to achieve such amazing results even if the exercises don't follow our regular understanding of how exercise should be done. Fresh prana coursing throughout the body will regenerate every part, even leading to a youthful glow.

If you would like to know more about Sanford Bennett and his books, you may visit this site. The exercises are so simple and easy to do, it's really up to you to try them. It can start you on the road back to good health and rejuvenation.

In this holiday season when there is an abundance of good food and our schedules may be filled to the brim with Christmas parties and family reunions, now may actually be the perfect time to try out Sanford Bennett's exercises. There's nothing to lose and certianly everything to gain.

Change in Magnetic North More Obvious

Earlier this morning, a friend texted asking me to check my compass because his compass was pointing to a different direction of North than before. So my wife and I took out three compasses (why we have so many compasses lying around is another story), put them side by side on the table and confirmed that what used to be North is now NorthWest in the compass. So the new compass North is what used to be NorthEast. I don't know if that type of change is significant as far as science is concerned, but for a layman like me it seems like a significant movement.

The movement of the magnetic north is a fact. In a National Geographic article, it mentions that magnetic north is racing towards Russia at a rate of 55 to 60 kilometers a year (as of 2009). This is much faster than the steady 15 kilometers a year recorded in 1904. The movement of magnetic north sped up in 1989, and yet again in 2007. What all this means is anyone's guess, although there are some theories that it could lead to a pole reversal.

Incidentally, I've also noticed that the movement of the sun has tilted further to the south than before. I know that the sun rises in different spots as the year goes by due to the Earth's wobble, but it seems to have moved more than last year this time around. The back of the house faces straight East and when I meditate I'm facing straight towards the sun, so I notice when the direction of the sun changes. Now the sun is much farther to my right than before, such that the south windows have sunlight streaming through them now. I don't know if this is related to the bigger change in magnetic north.

Changes in the magnetic north have become so significant that early this year, airports in Florida had to renumber the runways to adapt to the new magnetic north. This could also explain why there have been a lot of beachings among whales and dolphins this past year. Migratory animals navigate using the Earth's magnetic field and if this changes, they could be heading towards land when previously that direction led through open water.

In any case, whatever the changes in the magnetic north, it seems one can now detect it through the compass. This will definitely have an effect on outdoor navigation, though I don't know how this will affect the feng shui of some places. Feng shui practitioners often use a compass when determining favorable directions and other energy factors.

Let's see how the next few weeks unfold.

Experiences with the Lunar Eclipse

Last week I wrote about the astrological significance of the December 10 total lunar eclipse. While that day passed without incident, the day after the eclipse (December 11) was certainly interesting for me and a few close friends.

First of all, my friends from our airsoft team were supposed to play airsoft that day, but when we showed up at the site, there were no players present although the site was open. It didn't rain that morning, so it didn't explain why no one was there at a time when there should already have been a few people around. My friends and I just decided to hang out in a nearby mall and eat lunch there before heading home. It was still fun and enjoyable and the food was great, although I was really looking forward to the exercise.

Over lunch, I later learned that a few of our other friends were supposed to join us for airsoft but for one reason or the other couldn't make it. One had something come up with the schedule, another suddenly had to attend to his papers, and another was downed by food poisoning the previous night. If there were more of us we still could have played even within our own team. As it was, we had to think of something else to do.

That morning before I left for the playing site, I also learned that my meditation group wasn't going to push through with our afternoon session because our group facilitator had to drive out of town at the last minute for a special project. In the evening, she related that her own sudden out of town adventure took so many twists and turns and what happened was nothing like what she expected.

Taken all together, there was too much similarity in the circumstances to attribute them to pure coincidence. It was probably the Mercury retrograde that was magnified by the energy of the lunar eclipse. What an interesting way for all of that to manifest.

In any case, even though things didn't go as planned for that day, it didn't really turn out too bad. At least I got to spend some time relaxing with friends I rarely get to see anyway, and I suddenly had time in the afternoon to catch up on rest and a couple of other household projects that were pending.

The lesson for me here is that even if things don't go your way, as long as you go with the flow instead of throwing a fit, things will still fall into place and you can still find yourself having an enjoyable and productive day, albeit one that you didn't plan for. But sometimes, that's just exactly what we need.

The Hidden Power of Symbols

We often take symbols for granted, yet they surround us everyday, full of meaning yet often recondite. For all our conscious ignorance of symbols, they can still grab our attention and imagination once we are aware of them, as the success of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol has shown.

The arcane glyphs and symbols of the ancients have been replaced by the corporate logos and advertising hype of today. Who wouldn't think of a Big Mac every time one sees a McDonald's logo, or almost taste the chicken and gravy upon encountering the KFC sign?

According to Prentiss Tucker, author of the book The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols, one of the functions of a symbol is to instantly communicate a huge amount of information at one glance, but the message only makes sense if the one looking already holds the information in the first place.

As an example, Mr. Tucker cites the symbolism of the American flag. Every child in the United States is schooled about the different meanings of the symbols found in the American flag, the number of stars (50 stars representing the 50 states), the red and white stripes (the 13 red stripes representing the original 13 colonies), and so on. They represent different aspects of the history and identity of the United States, all encapsulated into one set of symbols. This is why an insult to the flag is an insult to the identity and being of the nation that the flag represents.

To every American, one look at the flag immediately recalls the whole history of their country and the accompanying feeling of pride and patriotism that the flag is meant to evoke. But to a foreigner who may not be acquainted with the history of the US or the significance of the symbols in the flag, the US flag would just be another set of colorful images and shapes.

The second function of a symbol lies in its ability to continuously bring up the appropriate message or information in the mind of the one looking at it. This constant repetition imprints the information in the subconscious and therefore reinforces whatever lesson or instruction is inherent in the message of the symbol. The subconscious is a powerful force to harness when schooling oneself in the esoteric arts, therefore every serious esoteric school and student includes mastery of the subconscious as part of their training. It is no wonder that every esoteric tradition the world over is full of symbols.

There is one other aspect about symbols that The Lost Key does not discuss, and it is the fact that symbols often try to communicate what cannot be explained but can only be experienced. Symbols try to form the bridge between the intuitive and the rational mind. This is why in deep meditation, one may sometimes see different shapes and scenes that are symbols for something that their rational minds cannot yet apprehend. Dreams are also a rich playground for symbolism as our subconscious tries to communicate with us.

Given these different functions and abilities of symbols, they constitute powerful tools of learning and development in the esoteric arts. Whoever creates and controls the use of symbols holds great power over people. Therefore, symbols can also be misused to great effect, as the power of advertising has repeatedly shown throughout the decades. Again, refer to my statements about the McDonald's symbol and the KFC logo. But there is one symbol that is so ubiquitous that we hardly notice it at all, yet if different accounts by prominent lightworkers like David Icke are to be believed, it has been one of the most insidious tools being used by the forces that seek to keep humanity in bondage. I am referring to the bar code.

The bar code is everywhere. You see it in price tags, books, pens, food packaging. Literally everywhere. The bar code is the mark of convenience that has allowed the modern world to ship, process, sell and buy large quantities of goods in the most efficient manner possible. No one in the modern world has not encountered the bar code. This is why it's one of the most insidious tools out there. You could position yourself off the grid, but if you have any modern manufactured item, chances are you'll have a bar code nearby.

How can a simple stamped design be so insidious? To understand this, one has to have an idea of how subtle energy works. By subtle energy, I refer to energy that for the most part science cannot detect or measure, such as pranic energy. The way subtle energy works, distance does not matter as long as the intent is there. It's the same principle that works for voodoo dolls. It doesn't matter where in the world the target is, as long as the voodoo doll is "tuned in" to the target, what one does to the voodoo doll will affect the target.

So the bar code in this sense serves as a "homing beacon" for whatever energy or program that the overall controller wants. What program, exactly? There are many theories out there, but none of them include anything good for anyone around the bar code. Examples include affecting the nutrient value of food in packaging marked with bar codes, making the contents of books harder to understand, fuzzing the mind and emotions of people holding items with bar codes in them, making people more susceptible to suggestion, and so on.

If one believes in subtle energy, the above theories can be easily verified. One can try to "scan" the energies emanating from bar codes. If one were clairvoyant, one could simply try to see the types of energies coming out of the bar codes. Or if one had a pendulum, one could put it over the bar code and test what type of energy is coming out of it.

Fortunately, there is a very simple fix for this, and that would be to cross out the bar codes (when possible) off the items marked with them. This includes the packaging on food or the ones in books. A simple black marker pen should do the job. Sometimes simply removing the price sticker is enough, although there are products that are absolutely bristling with bar codes (usually the case with some books). Use the subtle energy tests in the previous paragraph to compare the energy after removing or crossing out the bar codes.

Symbols are not to be underestimated, and there are unscrupulous forces that have been taking advantage of the power of symbols for many years now. Try to educate yourself, and like what a referee tells boxers and fighters before a match starts, "Protect yourself at all times."

Everything is Breath

You can last a few weeks without eating food, a few days without drinking water, but you would only last a few minutes without breathing. So important is breathing that the Indian yogis have a science of breath, which they call pranayama. Other esoteric disciplines would also have their own sets of exercises and practices (e.g. chi kung) to control and master the breath. Esoteric practice would be incomplete without any attention devoted to breathing.

The secret of breathing is not in the air. This is something more than a biochemical process. The way one breathes helps regulate how much prana, or life force, the body absorbs and generates. Prana is the life force energy that permeates all things. Prana is a sanskrit term, but in Chinese they would call it chi, and in Japanese it's called ki. Some western esoteric disciplines call it vital force or vital energy. The more fresh prana that one can absorb and utilize, the healthier one is. This is actually one of the principles of pranic healing, where stale prana is removed so that the healer can project fresh prana into the patient.

Prana is associated with the air element. It's interesting to note that the mind or intelligence is also associated with the air element, given that there is the popular esoteric phrase, "Energy follows your thoughts." Given the relationship between mind and prana (breath), it's easy to see how regulating the breath can help calm the mind. In fact, in pranic healing, patients with anger issues are advised to practice deep abdominal breathing for about 10 cycles when angry so that they can regain control of themselves. Deep abdominal breathing (also called pranic breathing) is often done with a 7-1-7-1 rhythm, meaning one cycle insists of inhaling for 7 counts, holding for 1, exhaling for 7 counts, holding for 1; then repeat the cycle.

More than just the health implications of breathing, I believe that the deeper significance of breathing is related to its cyclical nature. Breathing consists of continuous cycles of inhalation and exhalation, one alternating after the other. I suspect that the ancient sages put so much emphasis on breathing because it was something intrinsic to us, and therefore can easily clue us in on the cyclical nature of everything (incidentally, cycles are the bread and butter of astrology). Why do you think we need to give, in order to receive? It's the secret to prosperity, and it also follows the same rhythm as breathing. You can apply this model to almost anything.

It's easy to think that breathing is solely about inhalation and exhalation, but there is a third factor: the space in-between the breaths. So we encounter the mystical trinity: inhalation, exhalation, and retention (the space between the breaths). This is why in breathing exercises, one should pay attention to the space in-between the breaths, because that is the secret to generating enormous amounts of prana. It is the stillness between the OMs.

It's interesting how cycles are so intertwined with the breath. A baby that just entered life will take its first breath, a dying person will exhale its last breath before transitioning to the other side. Life itself and the state before being born (which is also the state after death) constitutes one big space "between breaths." So life and death itself is one big cycle, alternating one after the other (if you believe in reincarnation, that is).

But the breath is not confined to a person's life. The Hindus say that the existence of the universe constitutes one exhalation of Brahma, and there will come a point in time that Brahma will inhale and everything will return to the state before creation. This simply follows the maxim "As Above, So Below."

So don't take breathing for granted. It's not only the key to better health, it could also be the philosophical key that unlocks the secrets of the universe.

Lunar Eclipse: December 10, 2011

Astrology isn't my forte but according to one of my friends who has an interest in astrology, the coming lunar eclipse on December 10, 2011 should be interesting. The following is an extract of what he told me:

Lunar eclipses are always a full moon and usually mark endings or culmination points. They bring up memories, dreams and emotions so they pack a big punch. Eclipse of the moon will center more on the prominent women in your life (e.g. mother, wife or female boss) although this is not always the case. Events that follow an eclipse have more weight than events brought by a normal new or full moon. An eclipse is like a new or full moon on steroids! Additionally, there is a Mercury retrograde from November 24 to December 14, 2011 so expect delays, confusion and misunderstandings. There is also an ongoing Jupiter retrograde that started in July and will run until December 27, 2011. Almost anything related to prosperity will be affected.

The above should be enough to get your mental gears turning as it pertains to your personal life. However, I'm more interested on what impact such cosmic forces may have on world events. After all, what applies to one person should apply to the bigger grouping of persons called humanity.

What we are seeing, in the days immediately before and following the lunar eclipse, is a confluence of three major astrological events: the lunar eclipse itself, the Mercury retrograde and the Jupiter retrograde. There are probably more cycles and influences that a more expert astrologer would be able to point out, but I think we've covered the basics.

As my friend pointed out, lunar eclipses herald endings, and the confusion brought about by the Mercury retrograde and the Jupiter retrograde will probably magnify such an influence. With the ongoing Euro crisis, such astrological events could possibly scuttle any efforts at reaching a solution. There are even some sources that warn that if the Euro falls, the US dollar will soon follow. If there is any "ending" that a lunar eclipse could influence, it could very well be that of the current financial system. At the very least, professional astrologers say that lunar eclipses generally don't bode well for financial markets.

The current tensions with Iran is a another situation that is vulnerable to the influence of the lunar eclipse and double retrogrades. Aside from the recent attack on the British embassy in Tehran and the subsequent expulsion of Iranian diplomats in Britain, it seems a secret war is already being waged in Iran, right under our very noses. Such maneuverings, no less deadly despite the clandestine nature of such actions, can easily spiral out of control into open warfare. If it does, that can only contribute further to global financial woes because the price of oil will definitely be affected.

According to one astrological article I've read, the effects of a lunar eclipse will last for a duration of one month for every hour of the eclipse, up to 6 months. I think the coming December 10 lunar eclipse will last for 6 hours, and if so, the next half-year could witness a host of interesting events.

But again, astrology isn't my forte so I'm not taking any bets about what may happen next. It still wouldn't hurt to be on the alert, though.

Mercury Amalgams and Consciousness

Mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive metal known to man. It is more toxic than lead, cadmium or arsenic. One then wonders how such a toxic substance has found its way into something as ubiquitous as dental fillings. If you want a detailed list about the known toxic effects of mercury amalgams, you can visit this site.

One look at the list of toxic effects should make one thing clear: there are no "safe" levels of mercury exposure. That alone should be enough motivation in order to have any remaining mercury amalgams removed. I myself just had all my mercury fillings removed a few weeks ago, although my journey towards that point wasn't easy.

I must admit that the state of my teeth is a product of bad diet choices that started when I was a kid. An overindulgence of sweets not only added to my weight but also earned me regular trips to the dentist over the years. Having my cavities filled in with amalgams, what we colloquially call "pasta," formed a large part of my "dental regimen" that time.

A few years ago, one of my pranic healing friends already mentioned that I should have my mercury fillings removed. But because of cost considerations, plus the associated trauma of all those visits to the dentist, delayed that decision for me. However, after reading more and more articles about the damaging effects of mercury fillings, I figured that I might as well get it over with. Plus, one of my other pranic healing friends was able to recommend a dentist who removed mercury amalgams for a very reasonable fee.

I've been observing the effects of having those mercury fillings removed and one thing that stands out is that I'm now more sensitive to my energy. It's easier to achieve a state of stillness in meditation, and the overall experience is different. I decided to observe myself for a few weeks just to make sure my experiences were not just from the full moon energy (I had the fillings removed a day after the full moon).

When one of my friends had her mercury fillings removed, she said that it was like a switch was thrown and she suddenly became more conscious. That's when she started her research about the Illuminati, David Icke and other topics that I've also picked up on. I now understand what she meant. It felt like this was how meditation is supposed to be experienced.

Based on this, it seems mercury really does affect consciousness on a certain level. Let's take stock of the other bad stuff that we're surrounded with right now such as fluoride in toothpaste and water, cellphone radiation and high fructose corn syrup. All of these have effects on the different glands, and these glands are the physical counterparts of the major chakras. The chakras are also the centers of consciousness. If these different glands malfunction, then it follows that this would have a similar detrimental effect on consciousness, and for those substances that affect the pituitary and pineal glands, it would affect higher (spiritual) consciousness.

We have all sorts of processed food (even mental food) that makes us sick and a medical system that more often than not keeps us sick, with an advertising machinery that's meant to keep us within this established cycle. This really bolsters the notion that there is an organized effort to keep humanity on a lower consciousness level.

But even if you don't buy into the conspiracy theories, there is already enough medical and scientific evidence about the negative effects of the substances I mentioned above. If not for your spiritual consciousness, at least do something for your physical health. As I found out, one leads to the other anyway.

The Necronomicon Spellbook

For those who are not familiar with H.P. Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937), he was an American horror fiction writer most well known for his Cthulu Mythos. Part of that fictional universe includes the Necronomicon, supposedly a grimoire of untold power and forbidden lore. Those who played the PC game Alone in the Dark and the Call of Cthulu roleplaying game would be familiar with that infamous book. "Roll for insanity" is a phrase many roleplayers would recognize if they encounter the Necronomicon in the game.

Although relatively unknown during his time, modern authors such as Stephen King and Neil Gaiman cited Lovecraft and his works as primary influences on their writing. Among the legacies that grew out of Lovecraft's universe is the publication of the Necronomicon as an actual grimoire. This trend started in the 1970s, and while there are many versions that came out, the so-called Simon Necronomicon is the most famous and has never gone out of print. It's called the Simon Necronomicon because it was supposedly translated by an author writing under the pseudonym Simon.

According to A History of The Necronomicon (written after Lovecraft's death), the Necronomicon was supposedly written by Abdul Alhazred, the "half-crazed Arab" from Yemen. While visiting the ruins of Babylon, Memphis and the Empty Quarter of Arabia, he discovered unmentionable secrets that formed the basis of the Necronomicon. Alhazred is supposed to have spent his last years in Damascus writing the Al Azif (the Arabic name of the book) before his sudden and mysterious death in 738.

While the history of the Necronomicon lends a very sinister and mysterious air to the book that only adds flavor to any roleplaying game, there is still much debate about its authenticity. Lovecraft himself repeatedly mentioned that the Necronomicon was a work of fiction, and that normally should have put an end to the matter. However, there have been claims that the Necronomicon does work and lives up to its reputation as a repository of forbidden, and dangerous, magical lore. The Simon Necronomicon implies some sort of association between Lovecraft and Aleister Crowley, a notorious occultist and Satanist. Although the connection between Lovecraft and Crowley is unsubstantiated, the story still adds to the Necronomicon's claims to notoriety.

The Simon Necronomicon is said to draw heavily from Sumerian mythology and magic, and later publications came out with the Necronomicon Spellbook, an abbreviated booklet that contains a series of pathworkings for the 50 Names of Marduk. While I've never read the Necronomicon (and a friend advised against it, since he got bad vibes just holding a copy of the book many years ago), out of curiosity a few months ago I bought a copy of the Necronomicon Spellbook when I saw it in a local bookstore. I was attracted to the book because I sensed strong energy from it, and later verification from some friends revealed strong spiritual energy, although it was mixed with some erroneous energy. This was a curious result coming from something that's associated with the fictional Cthulu Mythos.

I soon found out why when after some research I discovered that the 50 Names of Marduk do exist. They are enumerated in an ancient Sumerian book called the Enuma Elish, the Sumerian Epic of Creation. The meanings and abilities associated with the Names listed in the Necronomicon Spellbook more or less match the Names as listed and described in the Enuma Elish, except for one Name. The name GISHNUMUNAB in the Enuma Elish is not found in the Necronomicon, while the name NINNUAM (which is found in the Necronomicon) is not in the Enuma Elish.

The 50 Names of Marduk remind me of the 72 Names of God in Kabbalah, and it's certainly within the realm of probability that the 50 Names of Marduk form part of a Sumerian Kabbalah. After all, the Sumerians also had a version of the Tree of Life (see image with this article).

I also have another interpretation of the 50 Names of Marduk, which may or may not be accurate but feels right for me. Sumerian depictions of Marduk often portray him as the god who destroys Tiamat, the dragon of primeval chaos. This is interesting, because whenever there are portrayals of warriors or gods conquering or slaying dragons or serpents, it symbolizes the subduing or mastery of the kundalini. We see this in portrayals of Buddha Kwan Yin standing on top of a dragon's head, or the Virgin Mary stepping on the serpent, St. Michael holding up his sword to slay the serpent, or the young Lord Krishna dancing on top of the serpent Kaliya's head.

This reference to mastery of the kundalini is further reinforced by the number of Names mentioned, 50. Marduk is supposed to be the first Name, but one must not invoke it unless one has gone through all the other Names. Therefore, one has to go through 49 Names before reaching the "top." Sacred texts mention that there are 49 levels of kundalini activation or that the kundalini has to go through 49 gates of perception (energy vortices or chakras). Marduk then symbolically refers to our Higher Soul and when the kundalini is mastered through the use of divine energy (from the Higher Soul) and rises to the top of the head, we become enlightened.

I think the 50 Names of Marduk form part of Sumerian esoteric practices pertaining to the awakening of kundalini, although the exact method of its use may have been lost in the sands of time. The Names do have power, because the chakras have Divine Names associated with them, and the descriptions could refer to latent powers that reside within ourselves but can be awakened as our mastery of kundalini increases. Premature activation and use of these Divine Names is therefore dangerous and not recommended. Since these Names are in the Necronomicon, this could explain why there have been claims of success in using the Names along with stories of magical operations gone awry.

Nevertheless, it's interesting how the ancient esoteric practices of Sumeria found their way into a "fictional" grimoire. But at the end of the day, while all of this is an interesting discovery it only underlines the importance of embarking on deep spiritual work under the guidance of a guru.

When Being Different Is Not The Same As Being Bad

Several weeks ago I saw this funny Facebook photo of a billboard with a message on it. The message reads something like this:

"Religion is like a penis. It's okay to have one. It's perfectly fine to appreciate it. But don't go waving it around in public. And don't go shoving it down our childrens' throats."

It's a little bit of toilet humor but it definitely hits the nail right on the head. However, I'd substitute the word "religion" with "belief system" instead. Most of human conflict happens when one person or group of persons try shoving their beliefs into peoples' faces.

Belief systems do not only refer to religions or spiritual systems. An example of a belief system is the one where most archaeologists refuse to believe that any advanced civilization existed before the Egyptians or Sumerians despite numerous evidence to the contrary. Another example is the belief of most doctors that chemotherapy is the only way to treat cancer.

Incidentally, refusing to undergo chemotherapy when one has cancer is apparently illegal in some US states. An acquaintance of one of my friends is in jail now because he had convinced his girlfriend to pursue alternative treatments for her cancer instead of undergoing chemotherapy. How's that for shoving something down someone's throat?

We tend to mentally degrade and berate people who hold opposing views and opinions from ours. It's a defense mechanism to make us think we hold the morally higher ground and thus justify treating that other person badly, since the person "isn't worth it" anyway. I suppose this may have stemmed from our prehistoric beginnings when anything that was different was unknown, and anything that was unknown was dangerous.

Most of the time, stubborn insistence on a belief system hinges on a lot of emotional capital. Other times, there's an ulterior motive, like control or money. When reputations, income or social standings are at stake, it's hard to have an intellectual discussion with anyone. We would all get along better if we simply recognized our differences instead of trying to "save" people from their "mistaken beliefs."

Our beliefs are the lens by which we view the world. The mistake happens when we think that our lens is the only way to see the world. It is the height of arrogance to think that there is no other way to experience life. The liver does not have to do the work of the heart and vice versa, yet both organs can exist at the same time and harmoniously contribute to a healthy body. The same goes for human relationships and belief systems.

There is a thin red line that separates educating people about alternatives versus shoving it down their throats, and I believe that line is there when you respect others for who they are, or in short when one sees the divinity in others and recognizes the kinship of spirits having a shared physical existence. If the respect is not there, then it all devolves into another power play.

When I write this, I'm also referring to myself because I sometimes fall into that same trap of thinking. It's a constant effort to catch oneself to see the unity of existence despite the difference in belief. This is why spiritual systems the world over constantly teach about introspection and self reflection, and I understand now why it should be a lifelong effort.

Sacred Sounds and the Manifested Universe

I think most people would recognize that biblical phrase: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh." We've also heard how the OM or AUM is the sound of creation. I've sort of intellectually accepted these esoteric statements although I couldn't imagine how to make the connection between sound and manifested reality.

And then I read about cymatics and now I've seen a possible link between sound and manifestation. Cymatics, according to Wikipedia, is the study of visible sound and vibration. Swiss scientist Dr. Hans Jenny (1904-1972) made an important discovery when he used a balloon submerged in blue dye and vibrated it with frequencies from the musical scale. Dr. Jenny found out that the different tones produced different geometric forms in the liquid, which included all the Platonic solids (see the image attached with this article).

For those of you who are familiar with Drunvalo Melchizedek's books on sacred geometry, The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life Volumes 1 & 2, the seed form is the Flower of Life. If you extend the form of the Flower of Life, you get the Fruit of Life and from this Fruit you can extract Metatron's Cube by drawing and connecting the lines in the center of each of the circles. Additionally, all the Platonic solids can be found within Metatron's Cube. Again according to Drunvalo's information, all created matter in this universe takes the form of any one of the Platonic solids. I just summarized a vast topic into one paragraph but if you would like to follow the logical progression of how one leads to the other, I suggest you read Drunvalo Melchizedek's books because he tackles the subject in much more detail.

Therefore, if certain vibrations result in the geometric forms of the Platonic solids, and the Platonic solids can be found in all created matter in the universe, it follows that being able to generate these vibrations can allow one to affect the very fabric of reality. Then again, producing nice geometric figures in dye versus influencing reality are two totally different ballgames. However, even physical and electronically produced tones and vibrations do influence human behavior and health. This is why the Solfeggio tones can be used for healing or why certain radionic frequencies can be used to influence events or behavior.

Although we may view cymatics as a modern phenomenon, I believe the ancients had already mastered the science of vibrations, or at least the methods of translating these vibrations into manifested forms. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the OM or AUM is the sound of creation. Perhaps if vibrated correctly in dye, it would produce the Fruit of Life or Metatron's Cube, the template upon which the Platonic solids are extracted from. Since different pitches and tones produce different geometric forms, then the way one chants the OM will produce a correspondingly different effect. I feel the same holds true for all the other mantras.

Of course, any discussion about sacred sounds wouldn't be complete without making reference to the Kabbalah, the science of the Divine Word. The Hebrew alphabet is often referred to as the "22 building blocks of the universe." Now that certainly sounds familiar. If one were able to get the correct pitch and tone for each letter, along with the letter combinations found in the various Names of God, one should be able to re-create the legendary feats attributed to the kabbalistic sages of old.

Finding the correct pitch and tone is of course just part of the challenge. Actually using them correctly forms the other half of the practice. This occult science has understandably been a well-guarded secret for centuries, if not millenia, so don't go off grabbing the nearest Kabbalah book just yet.

There are still other aspects of this science that can be explored. For instance, radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like light waves. So there is that aspect of light, color and vibration that affects our perception of reality. Nevertheless, even just a basic understanding of the relationship between vibrations and our reality goes a long way in lifting the veil that divides us from the higher realms.

Who Is Stirring the Pot?

If you've been following international news over the past week, it seems there has been a sudden spike in tensions and crises within or between sovereign states. We needn't get caught up in all the details of human conflict and fighting, but it helps to be aware of certain global events. In the Middle East, aside from the rioting that has resulted in the deaths of several demonstrators. Syria, in defiance of Arab League efforts, is still going full blast with their own crackdown that has resulted in even more civilian deaths. In a disturbing sign that Syria might turn into another Libya, army defectors have launched at least one attack in the capital city of Damascus.

The UN Security Council is divided on how to proceed vis-a-vis Syria. However, there is a twist in the Syria situation that could either defuse tensions or make it spread out of control. There are reports that Russia has sent warships to the Syrian coast in order to prevent Syria from being attacked by warplanes. Let's see where this one leads.

As if the Syrian situation wasn't bad enough, Israel seems to be ratcheting things up in regard to their confrontation with Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak recently made statements calling for action against Iran's supposed nuclear weapons program. The Israelis have always been quick on the trigger and only US pressure has prevented an attack so far. But with the US possibly distracted by other international and domestic issues, Israel might just get impatient enough to act on its own.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, tensions between the US and China are also rising, with one article raising the question of whether the US is goading China in the South China Sea dispute. Aside from making statements of "solidarity" with Southeast Asian nations who have disputes with China, President Obama also announced plans to expand the basing of US troops in Australia, putting them within striking distance of any conflict that may flare up in the South China Sea.

If you start putting all these things together, it hasn't been a good week as far as world peace is concerned. However, ever since the US lied about their reasons for invading Iraq (just in case you forgot, the US said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and used this to start the invasion in 2003; no WMD have ever been found), I've started looking at all these issues under a different light. The question now is, what is the overall agenda? Who is trying to profit by raising the stakes this way?

The current tensions are not really about "democracy vs. tyranny" or some other popular slogan like "freedom" and "liberation." Reading Gods of Eden has only reinforced that contention, aside from reading all those books and articles about the Illuminati. So hopefully less people will be taken in by popular media and instead start reading between the lines.

In the meantime, let's continue to do our meditations in order to bless Mother Earth with peace, understanding and cooperation. If you do Meditation on Twin Hearts, make sure to meditate it daily, particularly focusing on the Middle East and Asia.

The Expanding Earth Theory

I managed to watch the following YouTube video and it presents an interesting theory about how the Earth is continuously expanding. Here's the video:



This is not the first time I encountered the expanding Earth theory. In the Half Past Human website, they give a plausible explanation, using the Expando Planet model, of why the Earth is expanding. The article is lengthy so I will summarize it here, but I encourage you to read it for yourself so that you can get all the details.

The article postulates that the Earth's core is not molten iron because it doesn't explain the weakening magnetic field of the Earth and the faster spinning of the core, among other reasons. Instead, the Earth's core is likely made up of plasma energy because plasma, in laboratories at least, display properties of energy attraction and produces a magnetic field much bigger in proportion to its size. Interestingly, this ties in with different esoteric teachings that say the Earth has an inner sun.

What does this have to do with expanding Earth? The key to this theory is that physics maxim that says everything is energy. This is reflected in Einstein's equation E=mc2, so that if you tweak some atoms in a certain way, they release tremendous amounts of energy. This is why from uranium mankind has managed to create the atom bomb and nuclear power. Theoretically, the reverse can also happen, meaning energy can be condensed into matter, if one knew how. Although materialization of objects has not been scientifically established, individuals like Uri Geller have managed to show that materialization is a reality.

The Expando Planet model then theorizes that apart from hitting the surface of the Earth, a certain part of the energy of the sun reaches the center of the Earth and this plasma core then transforms this energy into matter that makes its way back up to the surface of the Earth. This would explain the continuous volcanic eruptions and earthquakes that constitute part of the process of making way for the new matter to settle on the Earth's surface. The article details further signs and evidence to support this assumption but I hope you get the idea from the short description I gave.

If we accept the Expando Planet model, then what happens if the Earth receives a sudden burst or series of bursts of solar energy, such as during a solar storm, particularly solar flares? It is a fact that sunspot activity will reach its peak by 2012, so we can expect more solar storms until next year. This points to an interesting conjunction between the different predictions of cataclysms and solar activity.

The article also points out that the Expando Planet model explains the tales of giants in Biblical and other pre-historic accounts. Biologists supposedly say that giants cannot survive in current Earth conditions because with the current gravity, not enough blood can be pumped into the brain of something that is so big. And yet dinosaurs existed millions of years ago, so it's a puzzle. So it seems that when the Earth was younger and smaller, gravity was also lesser than it is right now. This presents some interesting implications about how humanity would fare as the gravity gets stronger and stronger, assuming the model is correct.

The Expando Planet model sounds logical enough, although like most topics of this nature, only time and chance will really say if there is anything behind it. In the meantime, let's just keep an eye out for any solar flares headed our way. Even without the Expando Planet model, solar flares are already bad enough.

Oh, and just so you know, since November 8, 2011 and for the next 2 weeks after, the Earth has been in the crosshairs of this massive solar storm and any Coronal Mass Ejection will directly hit the Earth within this two week period. The good news is that tomorrow is November 22, meaning tomorrow will be the last day that Earth will be within the crosshairs of this particular solar storm. I don't know about you, but I don't want to test the Expando Planet model just yet.

Urban Farming

Rapid ubanization has been a fact of life as far back as we can remember. As the population increases, more and more people flock to urban economic centers in the hopes of forging a better life for themselves. The sleepy farmland of 20 years ago could be the sprawling suburb or commercial center of today.

In fact, militaries across the world have recognized the impact that rapid urbanization would have on military operations. It is estimated that 75% of the world's population currently live in urban areas. This is why Military Operations in Urban Terrain (or MOUT for short) is in the forefront of military training and planning. It describes the military doctrine and tactics to be used when attacking or defending an urbanized area.

Within this environment of increased competition for resources plus the current global economic uncertainty, different households are increasingly turning towards backyard farms or what I'd like to call urban farms in order to supplement their daily food supply and decrease their food expenses. It's also a good idea given the prevalence of pesticide use and GMO produce in some countries.

Aside from making households less dependent on public markets, urban farming also makes them more resilient in situations that would affect food supply such as typhoon-devasted farmlands, transport strikes or rising fuel costs. Those living in condominiums or high-rise apartments face a greater challenge in terms of growing their own food, but enterprising families have made do with growing tomatoes or other small plants in pots scattered in the terrace.

Given the economic times and the increasing spate of natural disasters that are affecting food growing regions, it makes sense for more and more households to take advantage of any idle patches of land within their property. In fact, a lot of households also make use of any empty lots that may be beside their property. After all, the empty lots are not doing much good to anyone, so might as well use it for growing food. It also doesn't take a lot of money to throw seeds in the area so it's not as much of an economic loss if the lot owner finally decides to construct something on the lot. Of course, it's best to get official approval from the empty lot's owner although this is not always possible.

Some of the more common, nutritious yet hardy crops to grace urban farms are the malunggay (moringa) tree and the kamote (sweet potato) plant. Just these two vegetables already pack a lot of nutrients and are relatively easy to grow and maintain. Papaya and banana trees are also a common sight in urban farms although more enterprising "farmers" add a variety of other vegetables such as okra, tomatoes, lettuce and others. It's entirely up to the creativity and industriousness of the urban farmer.

In case you may decide to put up your own urban farm, also consider growing simple medicinal plants. Pancit-pancitan is good for gout attacks; makahiya, a common weed, is supposed to be good for arthritis and UTI; tanlad (lemongrass) is good in regulating blood pressure; citronella is a good anti-mosquito grass; speaking of mosquitos, the tawa-tawa plant (snake weed) is said to be effective against dengue. Mr. Ramon Tan, President of Carica Philippines, is said to be an advocate of the tawa-tawa plant and I heard that Carica Philippines is giving away tawa-tawa plants for FREE every Saturday (this needs to be confirmed).

However which way you look at it, urban farming seems to be the trend of the future. Even if one household growing their own food may not seem like much, if almost all the households within a certain community start growing their own food, it will definitely have an effect on their private food supply. Neighbors can cooperate with growing and maintaining the vegetables and even trade produce with other neighbors. Aside from the immediate benefit of bartering, it also fosters a sense of community spirit and cooperation that can only be beneficial during times of hardship.

An Orchestra of Quotes

Like most Filipinos and boxing fans the world over, we practically dropped everything we were doing last November 13 here in Manila (November 12 in Las Vegas) in order to watch Pacquiao fight Marquez for the third time. Although Pacquiao won that one, it was a far from convincing win. Up to now the debates are still raging and the closeness of the fight likely means that the debates won't end anytime soon (refer to the image in this article, courtesy of web designer Gie Jose).

Personally though, as long as both fighters fought fairly, they BOTH won, just not in the way most people expect. Like what Oscar dela Hoya once said, it takes guts to get into the ring. The exact quote is as follows:

"One of the things that bothers me most, ... is that very few people really understand what it means to be a fighter. I hate it when I hear someone say, 'That fighter doesn't have guts.' I hate that; it really ticks me off. I don't care if you're a world champion six times over or a four-round fighter who just got knocked out in thirty seconds of your first professional fight. To step inside that ring, you have to have guts."

One American Pacquiao fan, Michael Sellers, wrote an inspiring article about Pacquiao and it's entitled Dear Manny Pacquiao, the “Man in the Arena." He used a quote by Theodore Roosevelt which I think also applies in other areas of life. The quote is as follows:

The Man in the Arena

Exceprt from the speech “Citizenship in a Republic”, 23 April, 1910

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Very nice, right? Applied to spiritual practice, it means that we are responsible for our own lives. We are the ones living this life and as long as we are at peace with our Higher Selves, no one else can say if we are successful or not. But we need to do the hard work of spiritual practice. There will be failure, ridicule and oft times the feeling of being unappreciated. As Master Choa Kok Sui once said, "You have to be courageous on the Spiritual Path, trust the Higher Beings."

The Man in the Arena quote complements the inspirational poem Don't You Quit nicely:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

When doing the spiritual exercises, it's often difficult to track just how much progress we've made. We are after all dealing with intangible matters; it's not like there's an electronic meter that we can attach to monitor our progress. Sometimes it seems that we spend days and weeks without any progress, but many esoteric manuals exhort the student to have patience and persevere. One day, one will be surprised how far one has reached.

In the end, the success of this incarnation will be a matter between you and God. Choosing the right path is important, but staying the course despite all difficulties wins us the prize.

The Case of the Walk In Soul

Among the vast range of esoteric subjects, the topic of the walk in soul is among the most interesting and intriguing. A walk in refers to a case wherein a currently incarnated soul elects to leave his/her body behind (for whatever reason) so that a new soul may take over the body. Depending on what one's mental mindset (and religion) is, that alone should be enough to boggle the mind.

Supposedly, advanced beings use this walk in method in order to "hit the ground running" so to speak so that they may immediately start on their mission here on Earth. Such missions should benefit a large number of people, if not all humanity, because of the apparently complicated nature of doing a walk in.

The mission of the walk in could include introducing a new teaching that would help raise humanity's consciousness, or to organize a group or series of groups to do ceremonies that directly benefit Mother Earth, and so on. If the mission is really urgent and needs to be completed within a certain time frame, it would most likely necessitate a walk in so that the soul does not need to wait 10, 20 or 30 years of maturing before being able to start on the mission.

The concept of a walk in can be quite discomfiting because of the implications on the nature of close relationships such as with friends and most especially with spouses and children. Interestingly, I came across the Past Forward website that specifically discusses walk ins. I discovered this website through the Lightworkers in the Philippines Facebook community page.

Aside from a short explanation of what a walk in is, the website also lists 10 indicators that suggest a soul exchange has taken place. According to the website, if one has at least 7 of these 10 indicators, one is a walk in soul. These indicators are:

1> Extended Period of Unconsciousness While Ill
2> Some "Memory Loss" or Episodes of "Lost Time"
3> Dramatic Change in "Belief Systems" and/or Religion
4> Dramatic Shift in Interests and Spending Time
5> Inexplicable Acquisition of Talents and Abilities
6> New Approaches to Solving Unsolvable Problems
7> Overwhelming Evidence You Are "Not Yourself"
8> "Significant Others" Saying You Are "Different"
9> Sudden Leaving of Long Term Marriages or Jobs
10> Rapid Series of Challenging "Life" Problems

The owner of the website apparently does healing for complications that may arise from being a walk in. Also according to the website, there are more and more advanced souls doing walk ins in order to further assist in the ascension of Mother Earth. This makes sense, although the statement is hard to verify. One other thing the website mentions is that walk in souls will forget, either temporarily or permanently, that the soul exchange took place. If the soul's memory gets jazzed during the soul exchange, this sounds like it works against the concept of "hitting the ground running," and there have been accounts of those that didn't forget, but again there are many levels of truth so I'm willing to keep an open mind on this one. Most likely, whether or not the soul forgets is dependent on how advanced and "technically proficient" the soul is in occult matters.

Nevertheless, I'd like to compare three notable accounts of walk ins using the criteria listed in the website:

T. Lobsang Rampa (also see my T. Lobsang Rampa article)

Noted author who wrote 19 books on occult matters. The first 3 books described his life story as a Tibetan lama and described the circumstances that led to his transferring into the body of a British man, Cyril Henry Hoskin.

Lobsang Rampa apparently exhibited all the indicators except for #2 and #9. Based on the books he wrote, he didn't suffer any memory loss although it did take him at least a day to adjust to the new body. He also didn't leave his wife, although I understand they did not live like a normal husband and wife couple after the soul exchange.

Franz Bardon (also see my Franz Bardon article)

According to anecdotal accounts, as a boy of 14 (some say 16), Franz Bardon became very sick and was on the verge of death for a week. But he suddenly recovered and was different after that. His handwriting was different and his performance in school improved dramatically.

Based on this, it seems that Bardon had all the indicators except for #2 and #9. Of course, we are not really sure if there was memory loss since he never mentioned much about his personal life and early years, but the fact that he started to gain repute as a magician even at an early age indicates that either there was no memory loss or that the loss was of a very short duration. Bardon also met his wife after the soul exchange so #9 does not apply in this case.

Bardon's experiences at the hands of the Nazis and, later on, the communist government of Czechoslovakia is consistent with #10 and confirms the passage in Frabato the Magician that says the walk in soul must bear the karma of the "walk out" soul.

Drunvalo Melchizedek

Noted for his books on sacred geometry and the Flower of Life as well as for the Merkaba meditation, Drunvalo mentioned in his book Serpent of Light - Beyond 2012 that he is a walk in soul. He specifically mentioned that he experienced memory loss after the exchange but that his angels, who are also his Higher Self, tutored him until he started to remember.

As per his own account, it seems Drunvalo had all the indicators except for #1 and #10. He didn't mention coming from a serious illness or accident prior to the soul exchange, and there has been no mention of any intense life trials, at least not the same way Lobsang Rampa and Franz Bardon experienced theirs.

Based on the three examples above, it does seem to validate that one needs to have at least 7 of the 10 indicators of a soul exchange in order to start seriously considering the possibility that one is a walk in soul. It's good that the indicator threshold is quite high (7 out of 10 indicators) so that people do not mistake genuine character development and acquisition of skills and intuition as signs that a soul exchange has taken place.

If this topic is jarring your mind, like I said it's a very interesting topic and can take some getting used to. But whether we believe in soul exchange or not, it is still a serious esoteric operation and one that is not undertaken lightly. The fact that soul exchanges still seem to be taking place despite the difficulties for the incoming soul should give us encouragement that we are not alone in trying to make the Earth a better place and that such an undertaking is worth the very best effort we can to put into it.