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.

Mens Sana In Corpore Sano

The title for this article is a famous Latin quote from the Roman poet Juvenal that simply means "A sound mind in a sound body." I chose it because I noticed that in my admittedly limited exposure to people that are on the spiritual path, most do not pay as much attention as they should to their physical health. I also fell into that same trap and I paid for it with less than optimal health.

Before I got into pranic healing, I was more of a fitness nut. I exercised everyday and was also into martial arts and airsoft. After I got into pranic healing, ironically enough that's when i started tapering off with exercise, and the deeper I got into spiritual practices, the less I exercised. There were some prescribed physical exercises before and after meditation, and I thought that these would be enough and that the body would just "take care of itself." I guess subconsciously, I was thinking that the bliss of meditation was good enough that I didn't need the "high" that came from hard and strenuous exercise. I became really overweight, perhaps even obese, almost without noticing it.

Earlier this year, when I got some not so nice results from some medical tests, that's when I realized that I needed to balance my spiritual health with my physical health. After all, it's hard to do service to others if one is bed-ridden or otherwise in poor health. We're not trying to become an MMA fighter but a minimum of physical fitness is really required.

Although we are "laying our treasures in heaven" through spiritual practice, the fact is that we have to move and act within the physical world during our allotted time here. Within that time, we should make the most of our circumstances, and that will be better accomplished with a healthy body. It's like owning a car. While one need not pimp up their car with spoilers, headers and other racetrack set ups, one still needs to change oil regularly, have tune ups, make sure the tire pressure is just right, etc.

After that realization about the need to get healthy and stay that way, I started to get back into the exercise routine I used to do. Not with the same intensity as several years ago, but enough to get the heart rate up and the perspiration flowing. I didn't realize how much I missed the muscle burn of exercising vigorously. Not only that, I also changed my diet to a more healthy one. Although I'm semi-vegetarian, I used to eat a lot of fried food and sweets. By God's grace, after a few months, the combination of stricter diet and exercise led to my losing significant weight until I got to the ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) for my height and I definitely feel healthier. Of course, there is still a lot to work on, especially when it comes to food cravings, but at least I've achieved a few important health milestones along the way. The effort is never supposed to stop anyway.

During my health research, I found out about Dr. Joseph Mercola. In his Facebook page he describes himself as "an osteopathic physician who believes that proper nutrition, not medicine, is the key to good health. I seek to treat the whole person, not just the symptoms. I offer you practical health solutions without the hype."

If you're not already familiar with him, sign up for his newsletters because his health articles are really great. I learned a lot about how to optimize the body's health through his articles. Among the things you will learn are:

1. Why fructose (found in almost all processed foods) is bad.
2. Why he advocates a no-grain diet (grains include rice, all forms of bread, wheat, corn, etc.).
3. Why Vitamin D is more essential for health than we realize.
4. The best combination of food to take.

There are many more, but all his articles are definitely informative and eye-opening. Try to look for his Peak 8 exercise routine. I realized just how much effort was needed just to keep the body at optimal health, and although we may not be able to follow all of his suggestions, following enough of them can already lead one into better health.

Evolution of the soul is really about balanced development, and since the physical body is one of the vehicles of the soul, it is part and parcel of what we were meant to maintain and develop.

In this sense, the indigenous tribes of the world seem to be among the most balanced people of all. They are highly spiritual and deeply connected to Mother Earth and her guardians but at the same time these tribespeople are quite fit since they need to till the land, climb mountains and otherwise survive in a more demanding physical environment compared to us city-dwellers.

Just goes to show that the indigenous people can still teach us a lot about balanced living.

The Sphinx: Symbol of Enlightenment

Recently, I finished watching the following documentary called The Mystery of the Sphinx:



It was hosted by Charlton Heston and came out in 1993. Unlike most documentaries, this one had an interesting presentation and was well-made. The documentary follows the research of John Anthony West who contends that the Sphinx is much older than contemporary Egyptologists believed. West bases his contention on the heavy water erosion marks on the Sphinx and in 1989 even sought the help of geologist Robert Schoch of Boston University to verify his theory.

The details of the investigation by West and Schoch are the basis of the documentary, so I will not focus on that here. Aside from their research though, something worth noting is the reaction of Egyptologists and archaeologists to the findings. In short, none of them accepted West's and Schoch's findings despite the evidence. It just shows that being a scientist does not necessarily mean that one is objective. They can also fall prey to cherished theories and more often than not they are unwilling to let go of them, even going so far as to attack and discredit anyone or anything that threatens to change the status quo.

John Anthony West is not the only researcher to attribute something more to the Sphinx. Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval have postulated about the Orion connection of the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx. Drunvalo Melchizedek, in his books The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life Volumes 1 & 2, mentions that there are vast underground tunnels and complexes that can be reached through an entrance at the right forepaw of the Sphinx. Edgar Cayce also mentions this, and limited imaging surveys around the area of the Sphinx have indeed shown hints of an underground man-made room under the right paw of the Sphinx. In her book Initiation in the Great Pyramid, Dr. Earlyne Chaney recounts the life story of one of her previous incarnations as an Egyptian initiate in the Order of Melchizedek. At the end of her last initiation, she steps out into the dawn through a doorway located in one of the paws of the Sphinx.

Aside from these and other tantalizing hints about the Sphinx's history and purpose, there have also been a lot of theories about what the Sphinx symbolizes. Usually, the Sphinx is said to be the symbol of strength, leadership and guardianship, qualities that theoretically should be present in a ruling pharaoh.

Personally, I also have a theory. I believe the Sphinx is a symbol of enlightenment, a fully realized person. In Master Choa Kok Sui's book Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul, he explains that the headdress of the pharaoh had a cobra in the front to symbolize the raised kundalini, meaning that the pharaoh was an enlightened ruler (at least theoretically) because when the kundalini is awakened and reaches the head, one becomes enlightened. What does this have to do with the Sphinx?

The frontispiece of the book Call Adonoi by Albert Schutz has a drawning entitled "Exaltation of the Sun." It features a lion on land at the edge of the sea raised up on its hind legs, front paws touching the sun with stars along the spine of the lion. At the horizon of the sea, half of the moon is visible while the other half is covered by water. The interpretation is as follows:

"The sun, symbol of the heart and wisdom, is raised by the lion above the moon; only half of the moon (understanding) can rise above materialistic matters (i.e., the sea). The procreative energies of the body are symbolized by the lion, and the gates of expanded perceptions are the stars."

The kundalini is often referred to as the procreative energy of the body, therefore the lion is another symbol for the kundalini. Why the heart, when the kundalini is supposed to rise to the head? In the Meditation on Twin Hearts, it's explained that the heart is the gateway to the crown. The crown chakra cannot activate if the heart chakra is not activated. This is also why several esoteric texts make mention of the "sacred space of the heart."

The human head on the Sphinx is much smaller in proportion to the size of the body of the lion, leading some to speculate that the original head may have been that of a lion but heavy weathering (since it's more exposed than the rest of the statue) may have led later people to re-carve it into a human head.

I'm sure there is much more to the Sphinx than what I postulated because Master Choa was writing a book about it although unfortunately he passed away before it could be published. Nevertheless, considering the other aspects of the Sphinx, such as the fact that it faces the rising sun and is located near the Great Pyramid (long supposed to be a site of initiation), it seems all these different pieces fit together.

When will the Sphinx finally give up her secrets? No one knows for sure, or if there is anyone that does know, that person isn't talking. Nevertheless, we move on with our lives, with our spiritual practice, while the Sphinx continues to stand, a mute guardian waiting to greet the rising sun.

Just The Way It Is

Back when I was reading The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel, one passage in particular made quite an impression on me. I already wrote an article about the Master Key System, but to summarize, the book essentially talks about the Law of Attraction and how to make use of it (as well as a couple of other esoteric laws) to attract prosperity and wellness into one's life. The Master Key System inspired Rhonda Byrne, who eventually wrote The Secret.

The particular passage I'm referring to reads as follows:

"We see no imperfect results. We see nothing but perfection. Perfection means that the Law operates with immutable precision. Spiritual law always works perfectly. If the individual thinks constructively, results are constructive and harmonious. If he thinks destructively, he reaps exactly what he sows. The Law works perfectly. We see no imperfect results whatever. We may freely choose what we think, but the result of our thought is governed by an immutable law."

That passage subtly changed the way I view life. It's empowering because it means we have the power to change our circumstances. But it can also be disturbing because the implication is that we are responsible for the current state of our life. If we look at the state the world is in right now, if we accept the notion of taking responsibility for our situation, it's quite apparent that collectively we haven't been thinking very good thoughts.

It may be hard to accept how we could have been responsible for having a shitty boss, shitty finances and everything else that is seemingly out of control, but according to the Law of Attraction and the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma), it all makes sense. We can't blame God, our parents or anyone else.

A big part of the difficulty in accepting responsibility is that we can't always trace the cause and effect relationships of our circumstances. We only notice the immediate cause and effect. So if a kid drops a stone on our head as a prank as we're passing by, we know how to react. But if a coconut falls on our head as we're passing below a coconut tree, we wonder how we deserved such bad luck.

Most of us are not aware of the sacred contract we made before we incarnated in this life, the contract that lays out all the different opportunities and challenges that will work themselves out in this life. But whether or not we remember is not of prime importance. How we respond is the key that will define our future. Of course, the effectivity of one's response depends on how well one understands the different esoteric principles and laws that apply, in the same way that a thorough knowledge of the laws of physics can allow one to build a better airplane or computer chip.

Fortunately, there are many spiritual systems that teach students how to recognize and work through the laws that govern this school called life. It is now entirely up to the person to decide on whether to proceed on such a path or not. Although there are still many who still don't believe in anything that their eyes can't see or that their hands can't touch, this is slowly changing as more and more people come to the realization that there should be more to life than a punishing work schedule, economic uncertainty and devastating natural disasters.

Life is already perfect, just the way it is. We just have to recognize it and claim it for ourselves.

Another Celestial Treat: Asteroid 2005 YU55

Sometime last week, I read in one newspaper that Earth was going to have a close encounter with Asteroid 2005 YU55, or YU55 for short, on November 9, 2011. YU55 is an aircraft carrier-sized asteroid that is supposed to pass between the Earth and the Moon. The asteroid will be a bit closer to the Earth than the Moon, although it would not be visible to the naked eye, so those with telescopes should get them ready.

But as if the Comet Elenin brouhaha wasn't enough, I started learning more news about YU55 from alternative news websites (or you can call them conspiracy theory websites if you want). Apparently, according to one Intel Hub article the asteroid is actually supposed to hit the Earth with the impact zone just off the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. This is expected to cause a massive series of tsunamis that would mostly affect the western coasts of the Americas and the eastern coast of Japan.

They say this impact event is the reason FEMA, along with other US government agencies, have been conducting disaster and tsunami drills recently. Incidentally, the PacWave 11 tsunami warning and communication exercises are going to be conducted on November 9 and 10, 2011. Talk about coincidence.

However, there is another twist to the story because according to Robert Hoagland, YU55 will impact the Moon instead. Supposedly, friendly ETs diverted the trajectory of YU55 so that Earth would be spared, but the asteroid will hit the Moon in order to send a message to the shadow government that the friendly ETs are here and are starting to take a more active role.

NASA and all official media of course insist that there will be no impact event on the Earth nor the Moon, although expectedly, the official media line is being questioned.

It all sounds "out there" I know. In any case, November 9 is very close to the full moon so if the asteroid does strike the Moon, we should be seeing one heck of a show (assuming the skies are clear). Then again, there are also rumors that there will be a worldwide disruption of communications on November 9 in order to prevent people from collating all this information about any impact event.

However which way it actually turns out, we don't have long to wait, so let's see what there is to see.

The Role of Prophecy

As we inch ever closer to 2012 it seems the amount of predictions about different events (not just about December 21, 2012) has been on the rise. Some of the predictions are even bordering on the hysterical. Understandably, all these (usually) negative predictions can create a feeling of fear and uncertainty about the future unless we look at all of this in the proper perspective. You may ask: what other perspectives could there be about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, pole shifts and similar disasters?

As far back as history can tell us, predicting the future has been part and parcel of human activity. Kings, ministers and other high officials usually consulted court astrologers for guidance about whether or not to wage war, if there was going to be bounty or famine or other facets that would affect the workings of the kingdom or empire. Seers and oracles, such as the famous Oracle of Delphi, relied on visions and other mystic means as the source of advice to be given. Even the Bible contains many stories of seers and prophets giving counsel or warning to kings and their kingdoms.

Whatever the means of seeing into the future, there is one common thread that binds them all: the predictions are supposed to offer guidance for future actions. Therefore, if we look at prophecies and predictions as a guide instead of as some inevitable event, then we can finally get a handle of how to manage the information provided.

The problem is that most people tend to view predictions and prophecies as unavoidable events set in stone and there is nothing to do but to weep oneself to sleep. That is really an unfortunate attitude, because if we look at it closely, the true role of prophecy is to give one the chance to make sure the prophecy does not come to pass. Yes, that's right, a prophecy is a chance for us to use our free will to change a negative event. There is a mystic saying: "The stars impel, but they do not compel." Isn't that great?

The other side of the coin is that there are also those who view all predictions as hokey. We wouldn't think twice about the validity of a doctor telling us that if we eat too many sweets everyday we'll get sick pretty quick. But essentially the doctor is making a prediction about a possible event (i.e. getting sick) in the future. Whether or not one continues to maintain a bad diet is entirely the individual's decision.

The difference between the doctor and seer of course is that we are able to comprehend the basic mechanics and biochemistry of the physical body that the doctor uses in making his diagnosis (and prediction). We can also consult other doctors for a second or third opinion or do further research on our own, so there is a way to validate a doctor's statements.

Whereas the seer or even the astrologer relies on more intangible forces that not everyone can sense or comprehend, so we're often left with taking their word for it. It also doesn't help if the prediction doesn't come to pass, or the prediction still happens despite precautionary measures being taken.

If a prediction comes true even if one changes one's habits or life patterns, it simply means the changes were not enough to completely negate the prediction. It's the same thing with the doctor again. Perhaps instead of 1 box of Krispy Kreme donuts per day, you cut it down to half a box a day. You may not get sick in a month, but you'll still get sick eventually, and you can't really blame the doctor for that.

Sometimes though, the seer is in a no-win situation, because if the prediction doesn't come true, people are more quick to call the seer a quack rather than breathe a sigh of relief that they were able to make enough changes to negate or minimize the magnitude of a particular dire prediction.

This is why it's sometimes tempting to hope that predictions of disasters come true, just to show people that one was accurate, but that temptation has to be resisted. Don't feel too bad if that thought crosses your mind, though. In the Bible, even Jonah got pissed after Nineveh changed its ways and was thus spared God's wrath. After all, Jonah went to a lot of trouble just to prophesy against Nineveh.

What's the solution then? Always work towards improving oneself so that eventually this extends to improving one's surroundings and situation in life. Service and tithing are the most basic tools one has in order to manage karma, because it's all about karmic entitlement. The more that we understand about karmic entitlement, the easier it becomes to take responsibility for our future actions and also the negative consequences we may encounter along the way, instead of instantly pinning the blame (and the responsibility) on others.

By seizing this sense of responsibility, the more we will feel in control of our lives and we can more easily recognize events for what they are, that something needs to be improved on or changed, instead of getting off balance every time something bad happens. Prophecy is therefore one of the most invaluable aids in this journey of self discovery. The Chinese character for "danger" is also the same character for "opportunity." Therefore, let's use dire predictions as opportunities to turn things around in our lives and in the lives of others. And if something bad still happens, just remember that the effects may already be less than originally intended.

Just remember, this doesn't mean we turn off our brains and ignore all predictions. If the weatherman predicts rain, bring an umbrella.

The Spiral Universe

A few years ago, when I was still new to pranic healing, I was able to read Master Choa Kok Sui's book The Existence of God is Self-Evident. In the book, Master Choa mentioned that evolution occurs in spirals, regularly passing the same relative point but always on a higher scale. Ever since, I've encountered similar statements in other esoteric works I've read.

I didn't really think much about the above statement although it makes a certain sense on the intellectual level, but recently I was able to watch a nice video that brings to life the spiral nature of things. You can watch the short video below:



The title of the video, Earth Is Not Orbiting The Sun, is a bit misleading. In the video, it actually says that if we go beyond our 2D conception of the Earth circling the sun year in and year out, we would realize that because the sun is hurtling towards space, in order for the Earth to keep its relative position to the sun it has to follow the same general path as the sun. If this is drawn on a piece of paper (and the animation in the video does show it), we would see that the Earth's movement is actually a spiral track around the sun.

I guess it only makes sense that the movements of celestial bodies would follow a spiral. The spiral describes the flow of energy and we actually see a lot of it. The structure of the DNA, the structure of spirulina, the shape of galaxies and even the structure of a torus, which is basically an energy vortex bent into itself. Again we find ourselves in the realm of sacred geometry with more evidence that the microcosm indeed follows the macrocosm and vice versa.

Life truly is amazing!

11-11-11: The Next Big Date on the Calendar

Well, October 28 has come and gone and so far we're still here, so that fact tends to throw out some of the more apocalyptic theories about what was supposed to happen. There was a monster ice storm in the East Coast of the US, and one of my friends who works in a tech firm said they experienced several server outages simultaneously around the world, plus locally there were also outages of SkyCable in several locations. Aside from that interesting news, October 28 was an otherwise ordinary day.

The fact that nothing seems to have happened after October 28 can be interpreted in two ways. One interpretation is that Carl Johan Calleman's calculations were wrong, or that even if the calculations were right there's no special meaning to the Mayan calendar end date after all. Understandably, this would be the position that skeptics would take. Another interpretation is that the shift did indeed take place, but it was a shift in consciousness, which means it took effect on the mental plane. If so, it would take some time before the effects of such a shift would manifest on the physical plane since everything first happens on the mental and astral before it shows up on the physical. How long the delay in manifestation would be depends on the amount of energy behind such a shift. Most likely the evidence of such a shift will only become clear in hindsight.

Historical examples of shifts that only became clear through the eyes of history are the rise of Christianity, the Industrial Revolution and the sudden explosion of Internet technologies (the 8th wave started on January 5, 1999). At the time these shifts occurred, majority didn't have an idea of the huge impact these particular shifts would have on humanity.

My best friend was wondering if this is another case of the frog being slowly boiled alive. In case you don't get the analogy, they say that if you want to boil a live frog don't throw it into a pot of boiling water because the frog will simply jump away. Instead, put it into a pot of lukewarm water then slowly heat the water until it boils. The frog won't notice the rising temperature until it was too late to jump away.

On to another topic of special dates, it's interesting to note that barely two weeks after October 28 we have another big date coming in: November 11, 2011 or 11-11-11. Just the simple configuration of numbers has even ordinary people taking a second look at this date. According to some groups, by 11-11-11 certain doorways of consciousness will open and the downpour of higher vibration energies will be very intense. Interestingly enough, 11-11-11 is also the full moon. Given that most magical and esoteric beliefs consider the full moon as especially potent for magical operations and meditations, then the combination of two special energies will make that day very interesting indeed.

There are many theories about what 11-11-11 means as far as the bigger picture of Earth's ascension is concerned. But like I've been reiterating, even without all these Earth changes we should have been spiritually evolving anyway, so as far as one's daily life is concerned, we just need to take note of these special events and watch the "show." But even if you don't buy into the Earth ascension theory, it would still be good to commemorate such a unique date as 11-11-11 with a special prayer or ceremony, either with yourself or your loved ones.