Journey through Spirit

Love and 2012

2012-01-20T11:37:00.001+11:00

I was inspired to post after quite a while after reading Celtic Spirit's latest post; she hasn't posted for a while also.

This is 2012. My lady partner and I have been discussing how much we have been through since we first met in 1998. There have been a lot of tears, a lot of sorrow and suffering, but so many laughs, so many fun times, nice moods of different phases, difficulties, and trials.

Now finally - finally - we are feeling the slow, steady approach of hope. In this year of reaping of efforts, we finally feel that after much painful self-examination, we can start to truly hope again after so much struggle.

To me that's what sums up 2012 - it is the time of harvest. I hear of so many people - and myself included - who have been living lifestyles that do not support health, growth and well-being. LIfe and our very bodies have been issuing us a final ultimatum: dispense with the habits of destruction, or be destroyed. What you sow, you reap. Alcohol, drugs, self-indulgence, bad foods, too much tech, electromagentic poisoning...all these things have had "time" called on them.

Time itself, as we have known it, is ending. The old time is ending. We sense that, my lady and I...we sense that the old "flavour" of the old world, the one that involved all that struggle, pain, feeling unworthy, unloved, that the world was not an understanding place...all of that is due to cease. We sense that we will finally find our place in the world.

Love....another blog I follow called The Cosmic Path stated earlier this year that the keynote of 2012 is nothing other than LOVE. And that's what I feel coming in to my consciousness - love, love, love, love...I am a new father and love certainly is making itself felt through my beautiful son. And, I might add, another little female soul that wants to come through who is also making her presence most definitively felt in our psychic lives!!

It's all about love, people. If I could have any wish granted right now, it's that all those who are reading this, those who are still burdened by a hardness in their hearts that is lingering due to past hurts, who still feel unworthy of love (such a lie!!!), can now release the tears, the angst, the sorrow, and allow the love to flow back into their innermost being. I pray this takes place for you, right now.

Let it all go! Let the grudges, the fears, the anxieties...let them go. Remember the truth, the one truth that pervades all the universe...that love is real, and it is all there is.

Why are you here on this earth? Love. Why do you keep going, long after it has ceased to make any rational sense? Love. Why does the sun shine? Love. Why am I writing this blog and why are you reading it?

Love! We are spirits that come here for love's sake, for God's sake, that we all might grow close to Him in wisdom and in love. Some esoteric traditions state the the nature of our Solar Deity is Love-Wisdom, and that we as his children partake in this need for both Love and of Wisdom.

So let your Wisdom fuel your inner knowing, that Love is all you need! Let your Wisdom be informed by Love, and your Love informed by Wisdom. Let's walk into heaven this year, and find a new world where we are truly purged of the old, and where we all can bask in the new.

Been a long time...

2011-07-18T22:15:00.001+10:00

Well it's been some time since I last posted...and what a ride its been in the meantime! And I don't just mean events in the external world; I am also referring to what seems to be an inner roller-coaster ride, a true journey of the spirit these last few months.

I read recently in a new age e-magazine that many of us in the human race are weary; as a collective, many of us are finding it hard just dragging ourselves around. There only seems to be enough energy to do the bare minimum, get through the day then stumble into bed and get a few hours of fitful sleep. There isn't much in the way of inner peace, so it seems, although the external world seems to be just about hanging together in a delicate balance of this force set against that.

For me, I find myself mulling over things of the past perhaps a little too much. And this mulling can be anything from my own personal memories of past times in my life, both pleasurable and painful. Or it can simply be dwelling too much on our collective past; on historical matters that perhaps once had relevance but are now questionable. (I won't go into that here.) I have found myself feeling stuck; like I'm just going over the same old mental and emotional ground and I can't quite seem to engage myself into the next gear.

Perhaps it's been in order that an element of stillness rules at this time. My sister is 28 and for some time now she has been wanting to become a mother. But her life in general also seems rather stuck; she lives in a coastal area where she knows basically no-one, she lives with her partner but they both have felt unable to spark any changes. Then recently she told me that they are thinking of moving back to our home town in the country, and it seemed like changes were finally about to take place for her. But now, once again, stillness and a sense of inactivity dominates the vibes around her.

I really believe that the world is getting ready to move into a new time. Many of the old, seemingly unassailable institutions of the past are slowly being eroded away. Scandals are rife; witness the once-great, all-conquering Arnold Schwarzenegger. He had come from extremely humble beginnings in Austria, then through one iconic movie role become world famous, and then married into American "royalty". No doubt he fully lived all the temptations that came his way - and now his indiscretions are finally coming to light and he appears to have lost so much because of it.

Rupert Murdoch - media mogul, owner of Fox and 20th Century Fox, not to mention an obscene 70% of Britian's media. Also a giant in his field, seemingly undefeated, now being rocked to the core by the phone hacking scandal. Truly, it's as if the world-spirit is doing a little housecleaning before letting in the new energies of cosmic springtime.

And the same principles are applying in our daily lives. If we are sincere in trying to improve, we are being supported. Its as if a Scientology-style audit is taking place deep in our innermost being. A final summing up, a 'last judgement', if you will, before the end/new beginning.

And I guess that is the real point - this is the end, and so many of the energies around us are sluggish for that very reason. They haven't yet found the new direction in which to flow, like a stream caught in an eddy. We keep going round and round and round...but once the energies are fully digested, fully processed and full understanding is reached, then perhaps, then the river will burst its banks once more and the stream will be able to flow joyfully and strongly once again.

Phew, really waxing lyrical here. But it was the only way I could express what I had to say. Just had to let it flow, like the stream. Blessings, joy and empowerment to all.

Generation Y, Generation Zero and beyond

2011-04-03T22:10:00.001+10:00

Last time: in my last blog I waxed lyrical about what I believe defines my generation, Generation X. Now I take a look at Gen Y - and what I believe should be the names of the next generations set to rise after the Y's have had their day in the sun...

The 90's came and went, and the Naughties began. And then September 11, 2001 rolled around. Gen X-ers watched in horror as the giant towers fell. Our generation had never witnessed such an awful cataclysm , although certainly plenty of horrors had occurred during our lifetimes. But this was something new – Vietnam happened before most of us were born, and World Wars I and II and Korea belonged to the Baby Boomers. But this was real-life horror for Generation X.

I must say that I have no idea how the members of Generation Y felt when this terrible day happened. I would like to know how they must have felt at the time, all of 8 to 10 years old. Maybe that's what informed their greater need for material security (which I discuss in greater detail below)?

Generation X proceeded to take to their new pulpit - the Internet - and pronounced this terrible event to be part of a massive conspiracy. Some even claimed it was an inside job, perpetrated by the U.S. itself to justify invading oil-rich Iraq. If this is true, then once again the so-called guardians of our freedom had just betrayed us on an unimaginable scale.

And this is the crux of the matter; in Generation X's lifetime, America has gone from being the cradle of modern democracy and saviour of the modern world, to a country that now appears to have no value for human life. Vietnam was the first early evidence of this; we now have Iraq and Afghanistan to add to that list. Thanks to Wikileaks we can see first hand just how brutal, cold and callous these "guardians" have become. How much blood and tears must be shed to protect us from "evil". It makes you start to wonder who are the real bad guys.

And meanwhile behind the scenes, the materialistic machine rolls on. People work, people get money, people spend money. People accumulate stuff. The revelations of quantum physics appear largely forgotten – particularly by Generation Y. As I see it, Generation Y are like the new Baby Boomers – they have experienced unprecedented levels of material security, even more so than Gen X did. Generation Y have their computers, laptops, smart phones, Nintendos, Xboxes, iPhones, iPads. It’s become all about ”I” again with Generation Y. And although Gen X certainly embraced technology in our childhoods it was more in a spirit of fun and enjoyment, as opposed to obsession and must-have to fit in.

I'll say it again because this is my main point: Generation Y are almost like a recapitulation of the Baby Boomers – they love their material things, they are close with their families, they are rabidly conformist to accepted society and they really don't step outside the box too far. They seem to crave social acceptance much more than we of Gen X did. Again - could this be a knock on effect of September 11? They unconsciously don't want to be seen as non-conformist, in fear of reprisals?

Also, I notice that they really don’t seem to take spirituality that seriously – neither organised, conventional religion nor the new age. They seem to have regressed in this regard back to a pre-Vietnam state. It's quite odd. I don’t know quite what happened there – maybe it’s because we, Gen X, couldn’t come up with anything to replace the system that was broken. Perhaps the simple answer is that Gen X has failed to give Gen Y a proper spiritual alternative to both materialism and conventional religion.

Or maybe, just maybe, Gen X is still waiting quietly in the background, watching; assimilating all the lessons of time and waiting for the last of the boomers to move out of positions of authority so we can finally have our changed world. As Gen X-er John Mayer says, we’re waiting on the world to change. We are just too sensitive to assert ourselves in a world of dog eat dog. We would rather wait until those that hold such a mentality are simply out of the way altogether so we can create our new world in a smooth and holistic fashion.

(It’s interesting to note that as I write this, all the old leaders of the Middle East and Africa – Gaddafi, Mubarak et al – are now being toppled from power. But given these were just U.S. approved puppets; whether this is ultimately a good thing is anyone’s guess.)

Gen X felt we had to tear down all the old structures due to society’s betrayal and REDEFINE what is good, what is wholesome, not based on material terms but on what is good for both the spirit AND the body. The main reason for this is that while our parents lauded themselves for providing us all the material benefits, often times the emotional element was completely lacking. There was a void of empathy, understanding, compassion – and all from a society that claimed to be Christian!! Parents would just not want to know if we came up to them with an emotional need, a need to be heard and understood.

In fact that’s all we wanted – as Gen X-ers we had so many feelings inside, we just needed to let them be heard and to have some kindness shown to us. But that was just too much for most baby boomer parents (but to their credit, not all). I think that from their perspective they had lived through the tough times of war and other hardships so what were we new ones complaining about! What they failed to understand is that compassion is not something you discard because it doesn’t make any money – it’s essential for building a loving and trusting connection with your family.

So Gen X-ers, having been largely denied this deep understanding in our families, turned as a result to friends. Unlike Gen Y, we know that friends can be more like family than your "real" family. In fact, Gen X-ers often find that friends are more understanding, more willing to have a laugh and treat each other with compassion and respect, and a heck of a lot more fun and fulfilling to be around. For Gen X-ers, friends facilitated the expansion and emergence of your fuller being, your deeper persona. (Again, there's that spiritual need to grow and develop, and be heard.) BB parents on the other hand would often not even look on you as a rational, thinking being; the attitude was often well what do you know you’re just a stupid kid! What a contrast to today’s kids, who are often more intelligent than their parents!

What’s amazing to me though is that the boomer generation seems to have a split personality. On the one hand you have the salt of the earth types (such as my parents) who typify what I’ve been saying, but then members of that same generation are my favourite musicians and rock groups, that are all made up of baby boomers!! Incredibly, the music of Pink Floyd in particular, who by the way are now all in their sixties, might well be said to constitute a Gen X manifesto! “We don’t need no education”! So I think it can be said that the seeds of Gen X were planted in the baby boomers, and the ideas they seeded came into bloom with the X’ers.

I think the main issue I have with Gen Y is that they have fallen back on relying on the old means of survival, on the old clapped out system that has proved that it doesn’t work and is long overdue to be replaced. But maybe that was a natural reaction to my generation’s strong idealism – we did lack a certain practicality in the application of our ideals. But just as Gen Y are anchoring the old world, so Gen X are working hard to anchor the incoming new world. We have had to overcome a lot – we were the first generation to really confront a lot of horrifying issues, from the Cold War global nuclear stand-off to Middle Eastern terrorism to 9/11 to U.S. government brutality and mind control and the looming GM and superbug crisis. We Gen X-ers have our plates absolutely full, and in the face of such a world we know something needs to change and change soon. Gen Y probably quite naturally has retreated from all this wearying and stressful confrontation back into the comforting (and illusory) materiality of the baby boomers, but I really believe that the next two generations will move things irrevocably forward.

The Coming of Generation Zero and Generation Wow!

The children that are coming after Generation Y, born 1994 to 2008, appear to have a maturity beyond their tender years; they seem far more intelligent than Gen X was at that age, far more outward looking and really amazing in their comprehension, self expression and overall way of being. They seem to be a fantastic blend of the idealism of Gen X and the practicality of Gen Y – in fact they seem to live by an inspired practicality! So I think I’ll call them Generation Wow! You see them all the time on TV, child prodigies who are not only brilliant but practical - perhaps they will be a fusion of the best of Generation X and Generation Y.

I have also created a new term for the generation being born now - the children being born from 2008 through to 2020. I call them Generation Zero, because I believe they represent a fresh new start. They will build a more holistic world based on the achievements of the incredible new generation that are succeeding Gen Y.

As Generation Zero will come after Generation Wow, they will most likely reap the benefits of the generation before them and be fully able to express their spiritual gifts. Generation Zero will grow up in a new climate of tolerance and acceptance, and even perhaps of increased spiritual awareness. It is my hope that it will be this generation that changes the world once and for all. Maybe Generation Zero will be the third and final "wave of hippies" who will at last achieve the longed-for new age?

Spirituality and / or Religion

2011-03-29T13:50:00.002+11:00

I want to briefly address an issue that seems to be a real thorn in the side of society, and that is the idea of spirituality and religion and how people seem to confuse the two - and how many people seem to think the two must of necessity go together.

If someone of a Christian background bemoans the immorality of today's world (such as Katy Perry's mom), then people shoot her down - simply because she's Christian. What people don't seem to realise is that often, despite its bad name and devotion to dogma, the Christian faith contains many moral viewpoints that are not only shared by other faiths but remain constant from age to age.

Today's consumerist society promotes the exact opposite of spiritual satisfaction - namely, the pursuit of personal, sensual gratification at all costs. Look prettier. Eat better. Have more. All this is what the Buddha - 500 years before the Master, Jesus - called "dukkha", which simply means, the state of dissatisfaction induced by constantly trying to satisfy material desires. It's a never-ending loop from which a person never escapes - until one day they awaken and say to themselves, you know what, this is a waste of my time and of my spiritual development. It's time I renounced this constant, shallow, self-satisfying behaviour and seek something deeper.

And there's those alarms bells again - I said "spiritual", so I must mean it has something to do with religion - right? Well, maybe - but it doesn't have to mean religion at all. The Buddha showed there are certain universal human truths that exist independently of any system of thought or belief. That the pursuit of false, external happiness causes dissatisfaction (dukkha) is one of those truths, and it is this very pursuit (which the United States once called "the pursuit of happiness", pfft) which is the cause of (spiritual) suffering.

Now most people would assume, therefore, that the alternative to their decadent lifestyles is religion. Again, I say, this is not necessarily so! I am very content to live my life not being a member of any religion. I feel a deeper level of personal satisfaction than ever before - and this has indeed been my biggest challenge in life. One doesn't necessarily need conventional religion to feel in tune with oneself, happy at a deep level. You just need to ask yourself what is truly right for you - and then pay attention as the universe shows you the answers.

Why not try it. If you feel dissatsfied, pose the question to yourself - what would it take for me to be happy? Often it's a change in your thinking that can help promote happiness! But whatever it is, take a chance that the universe - aka life - will show it to you, if only you ask.

And of course the Master, Jesus, said: ask, seek, and knock. The answer will come, and the door will be opened.

What is Generation X (part 1)

2011-03-11T20:25:00.011+11:00

In some more of my musings, I’ve been wrestling lately with the notion of what exactly is "Generation X"? What do I, as a supposed member of this generational group, believe defines being a Gen X-er? What did/does Generation X stand for if anything, and where do those ideals stand today, in the face of the rise of Generation Y?

Let’s start with some (Australian pop-cultural) context. Generation X had 80's music: Duran Duran, Pseudo Echo, Howard Jones, Men At Work, the Police, Sting, The Bangles, and right at the end of the decade, we had the first rap and R&B artists emerging, such as MC Hammer and Salt N' Pepa.

We were the generation that grew up with such cartoons as Rainbow Brite, the Smurfs, Voltron, Battle of the Planets (aka G-Force), Astroboy, Kimba the White Lion – all pre-CGI
animations. All these cartoons had a strongly emotional core.

We had hand held Nintendo games – and we were the first generation in history to have access to such computerised personal entertainment. We witnessed firsthand the rise of the personal computer, of computer gaming - and thus Gen X became the first computer game addicts. On the drug front many of us were into pot, while others of us used speed and E. For this and other reasons we earned the title of the "slacker" generation.

But music was our true salvation. In our late teens and twenties (in the early 1990's) we would smoke pot, eat pizza and listen to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Skid Row - any music that reflected how we felt inside. In a way we were like the "second wave" of hippies – we were highly emotionally driven, and we would rejoice in “deep and meaningfuls”; chance conversations with a kindred spirit that would give a feeling of euphoria (no drugs required) born from mutual understanding, inspiration and upliftment.

We then looked at the world so beloved by our baby-boomer parents - one with racism, prejudice against gays, distrust of the unfamiliar, supported war against foreign countries, and we decided it was wrong. As far as we were concerned, the system that had spectacularly provided unprecedented levels of material comfort for our parents, had now become oppressive, a relentless monster bent on destroying the environment and persecuting anyone who was a free thinker or who was somehow "different".

And so we shunned materialism and lived like the 60's hippies did – in bedsits, share houses and campervans. We were the first generation to really begin to travel en masse while we were young - both overseas and at home.

We also liked a lot of the music that hippies did, as thanks to another new marvel of technology - CDs - we were getting new, remastered versions of classic 60's and 70's albums from artists like Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others.

Gen X read books about quantum physics – the idea that as is now postulated by science, it is your mind that shapes your reality. Several decades after Einsten’s initial discoveries, we were now realising that matter was energy, energy was matter, and that truly they were interchangeable. And thought, as a form of energy, had the power to affect the physical world.

To many of us this seemed exactly what the Star Wars movies were talking about when they referred to something called "the Force".

We realised that spirituality and science could coincide again, that science could finally find in spirituality the unified field theory it had searched for so long. We also saw that religion no longer served the deepest most urgent needs of the people. Neither for that matter did any of the institutions of society – government, finance, the armed forces. All had failed; all had betrayed the ideals on which society was supposedly based. And the most stark evidence that society had failed during the 80’s was the ever present threat of nuclear war.

In fact it was only when President Reagan made approaches to his Soviet counterpart, after having brought the entire world to the very brink of disaster, that we even actually saw what a Russian looked like. Until then I had never seen one on TV. This was the days before mobile phones, before digital cameras, before Twitter, before Facebook, before Google Earth, Google maps and Myspace. No one knew what the Russians were like, and the media had somehow brainwashed us into thinking they were hideous aliens. I certainly thought that Russians were evil monsters. No, really. To see they actually looked like us – human beings – was mind blowing.

Sting's 1985 song, "Russians", summed up this feeling exactly. Until then we didn't even know if the Russians had any emotions like us, any feelings of compassion, remorse, love, anxiety. Sting asked the question, do the Russians love their children, too? If so, then maybe, just maybe, nuclear war can be averted after all.

And so faced with such alterations to our perceptions of reality, Gen X were arguably the first generation truly to absorb the idea that society was shonky: that the media and government and the church were nothing but purveyors of lies. Society bashing became a pastime, a
chief topic of conversation – the very word “society” was spoken with distaste.

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of Gen X - and its ultimate failure - was the man whose life was portrayed in the film Into the Wild

In other words, Generation X hated society - but we had not figured out what to replace it with. Like the rock and rollers and the hippies of the 50's and 60's we tried using music, but the corporate machine had long taken over this arena. There was no hope to be found there, although for a brief time Jeff Buckley tried his damndest to capture that idealism. Jeff offered us all a brief glimmer of hope and glory – only to drown in a Mississippi river, along with our hopes. Another example of this is Kurt Cobain – again, a sensitive new man, too isolated in his head for his own good. In the end he decided his head was too small a place to live in.

The character of Neo in The Matrix (1999) is possibly the apotheosis of the Gen X-er. Here is a sensitive character, hooked on computers, who doesn’t feel he fits in to society, that society and even reality itself is illusory, who doesn’t conform at this conventional job, who is restlessly searching for something but doesn’t know exactly what it is. And not only does he
find what he is searching for but he learns the true nature of reality – AND he transcends it.

And that, in a nutshell, is probably the defining quest of Generation X.

It's interesting to note that again, this is what the hippies tried to do - and they also failed. Or maybe they just planted the seeds which we, Generation X, further nurtured in ourselves. It’s also instructive to note that Neo sacrifices himself to save society – with most Gen X-ers probably feeling they have had to sacrifice their identities in some way to get by in society.

Next in Part 2: September 11, the rise of Gen Y - and Generation Wow! (No, not World of Warcraft...)

Christianity

2011-03-03T01:18:00.001+11:00

This evening I find myself musing over what it means to be a Christian.

As a bit of personal background, I was raised Roman Catholic, but I am no longer a church goer. This is a familiar story in this time period! I have my own personal reasons why I no longer attend a faith gathering, but suffice to say that although the road was initially rough, for the time being I am satisfied to be a lone seeker.

I think that being a Christian, or at least being someone who lives with Christianity within his or her being, is a wonderful thing. I believe that if one is truly in tune with what it means to be Christian, then that person is filled with an enthusiasm for living. This enthusiasm comes from knowing that there is a powerful force acting in our lives, and in creation itself, to move things in a certain direction. Knowing this helps alleviate the basic existential fear of being that all humans suffer at some point and at some level.

We are lucky as Christians to have our faith built not only on the words of the Master, but also on what came before, namely, the morality of Judaism. I respect Judaism very much for the depth of its discourse on its own beliefs. In fact unlike Church-based Christianity, which has often been loath even to examine itself, Judaism never rests, but is always reexamining itself which I believe is an admirable quality.

Islam has the virtue of not needing to rest on any kind of supernatural "wonder". (I will get to what I mean by this in relation to Christianity in a moment). Mohammed when asked to prove his words by a miracle simply said that this world is evidence enough of the Creator's power, and that these "things" were enough. I like the elegance and simplicity of such a statement, and Christianity could actually learn from this core tenet instead of needing to prop itself up with false beliefs.

Getting to what I mean by "wonder", I think Christianity suffers by its insistence on certain "wonders" such as the virgin birth, the turning of water into wine, and the feeding of the five thousand. None of these things are necessary to accept the core Christian message, which is: God is real, God is loving, and God is watching over and caring for humankind. Let me explain more what I mean.

At the Council of Nicea in 325, the early Church of Rome sought to strengthen the new religion of Christianity by codifying its beliefs. Namely, it sought to fix the date of Easter and more importantly, to decide on the exact nature of Jesus. Was he truly the Son of God, or was he simply a man, as the Arian heretics of the time believed. This decision was of course pivotal in setting the course that Christianity would take over the next 1,700 years.

The Church sough to emphasise that Jesus was a being of Light, of Spirit, that he had truly come from the Divine Father. Therefore, as the custodians of the truth of that Light, the Church was the organisation to whom all Christians should look for salvation. The problem today of course is that the Church is being seen publicly to fail on many counts. Protection of children, popular dismissal of its wonders in the face of secular materialism, and failing to provide comfort for its congregation are the most common charges.

The core problem I believe is this: that the Christian faith has accustomed itself to propping up its valid and vital message with unnecessary structures of belief. The Church Fathers of old naturally did this to protect the precious truths that they felt were in danger of being lost. They no doubt felt that to survive in a civilisation such as Rome, with its incredible diversity of beliefs, but also to compete with the existing state religion of sun worship, that wonders were needed. To give the Christian message any validity, it had to be seen to work, to have tangible effects on creation, and to demonstrate the power of the divine. Therfore, at the First Council and then later, beliefs such as the virgin birth and the divinity of Christ as Son of God were promulgated.

But herein lies the main issue - a great lie was perpetuated in order to protect a great truth. This is the decision the early church took and that it has had to defend ever since. That is why, in this modern era, that some feel that God is simply the "God of the gaps"; that is, the gaps left in reality after science has supposedly filled in all the blanks with so-called "facts" (and it has, of course, done no such thing).

So what is the great truth of Christianity? I believe every religion has a great truth; in Judaism, it is that God is moral. In Islam, that God is pure. In Christianity, it is that God is love - powerful love!

Cna you see how each religion offers one form of tribute to God? Each religion describes a particular aspect or quality of God; put 'em all side by side and you begin to build up a picture of what God is. There's no need to believe in silly magic tricks; we can see, as Mohammed did, just by looking around us, by listening to the air at sunrise, by watching the mighty ocean, by observing how animals operate with awareness and intelligence, that something must be behind all this. And indeed there is! We know him as God.

But too much simplicity can be a bad thing. There must be depth in our understanding of God, not just surface beliefs and mindless platitudes. We need depth both in time and in space; historical depth, to know where we have come from and how we got here; and present depth, depth in our understanding, our thinking, and in our feeling. We must engage intelligently, as in Judaism, with our faith, not just - God forbid! - accept without question what we have been told. Think for yourself! Read! Search. Look. The Master says that they who ask, seek and knock will be rewarded.

In the end I believe something which would shock many Christians but it again goes to the core problem we face today and it is this: was Jesus the Son of God? Yes. But are we also sons and daughters of God? Yes I say we are. That's why the early Church was right - but the Arians were also correct. Jesus truly is a great Master, but he is no more a son or child of God than me or than you. The being that is Jesus may be a greater adept than you or me, more advanced in spiritual development. But there are others. And truly God has created each one of us, has he not? Therefore, we do not need a Church to intervene for us. Does a child need to seek a third party to ask its parents for what she needs? Of course not.

In the real world naturally it helps that we have an institution that can minister to us, baptise our babies, marry us, bury our dead. All that is fine but I guess I've always been an inward looking seeker. If the Church that does all these things cannot even give a decent account of itself in terms of its beliefs then it becomes very hard for me to be a part of such a thing.

For this is the age where humanity is awakening. We are learning to use our own abilities, finally, after centuries of being mollycoddled by the Church. Like an overprotectivve, smothering parent, the Church's hold over our lives is finally broken. But again there is this dichotomy that some of what the Church says and does is plainly wrong, but the basic morality it espouses is sound. Today as we see people like Charlie Sheen seeing nothing amiss in having porn stars around his small children, morality is needed now just as much as ever. As a new parent myself I consider it a disgrace that this man even considers himself a proper father. So there remain elements of Christianity that we sorely need, but there are other things frankly that we could do without.

The "wonders" of the early Church were introduced to ensure the survival of the message. Perhaps now, to ensure its survival, these are the very things we need to jettison to preserve the truth?

Role of the Angels

2011-02-25T13:40:00.001+11:00

Well now the people of our sister nation, New Zealand, have been hit with their worst earthquake disaster in living memory. This is truly a shocking thing to behold, with probably more than 100 people losing their lives, including infants. The centre of the city of Christchurch is reduced to rubble.

The sheer savagery of the quake is mind numbing, but its a sobering reminder that we humans live on the surface of this planet subject to the earth's good graces. I work in the centre of Sydney and as I admired the beautiful buildings during my lunch break today, it suddenly hit me what it would be like if the same thing happened to my town.

Yet as reports come through, there are stories of people just getting out of the way of danger in time, of being protected even though they were on the fifth floor of a building that collapsed to the ground. As is becoming usual in these terrible tragedies, I can discern the presence of wonderful helping angels doing as much protecting work as they can.

Some might say well why don't they save everyone then, and of course I can't answer that. All I can say is that I believe the angels do what they can within the boundaries of what they are allowed, and it's my opinion that they do an amazing job.

Add that to the incredible human helpers on the scene - many of which I am proud to say are my countrymen - and it's plain to see that the human spirit continues to endure.

Spare a thought for those suffering through the destruction of their home at this time. We can help heal the world with prayer, and by looking upon the world with a gentle optimism.

Power of prayer, power of intention

2011-02-08T10:30:00.000+11:00

As some of you may be aware, Australia was recently staring down the barrel of a category 5 cyclone - one which was going to destroy major cities in the state of Queensland and be bigger than Hurricane Katrina.

But then it veered away from the path of major destruction and its rage was vented on a few smaller townships along the coast. Not that this didn't cause much terror and heartbreak for the residents of these towns, it certainly did. But it could have been a lot worse.

I pray a lot, and as the cyclone was bearing down on Queensland, looking the whole time like this was going to be our biggest ever natural disaster, I said a prayer. As you may also know, Queensland had also just suffered its worst ever floods, with a dozen people dead and thousands without a home. This had already caused such great suffering and sorrow that it seemed that Cyclone Yasi would just be too much for a state and a nation trying to rebuild.

So I said a prayer, and in the prayer I affirmed that the forces of nature have mercy on us, that the cyclone not create harm and instead dissipate harmlessly over the sea.

Now while Yasi did travel inland, it missed the bigger towns and within a couple of days was downgraded from category 5 to 3, from 3 to 2 and finally, 2 to 1.

I am definitely not saying that my prayer alone caused this! But I have a feeling that a LOT of people were praying, not least the people of Queensland who had already suffered so much. I think Australians are a people with a gruff exterior but also very heartfelt, and I have no doubt that faced with the terrifying prospect of this massive cyclone, many of us were praying to be spared.

In the end there was just one casualty of the storm, and sad though that is it is nothing to what could have been. At times like this I feel its so important to have empathy - I imagined what it would be like for me and my family to have to shelter in a shopping centre (mall) along with thousands of others unable to return home. I can barely imagine it but I can imagine the despair and the pain.

I am just thankful that our collective prayers were answered! My intution had said at the time that they would be, and that's what eventuated. I think we need to rediscover the power of prayer, at this time in history we need the help of the angels and the divine powers more than ever! Let's get their loving energies into our lives where they are needed. This kind of prayer need not even be denominational - just pray! And let the divine emissaries of heaven do the rest. That's all it takes!

Galactic Consciousness

2011-01-24T13:07:00.001+11:00

As someone who was raised Roman Catholic, I have in the last decade seen the proliferation of material relating to the Templars, the Gnostics, the theory that Jesus was married and had children, bloodline conspiracies, Illuminati conspiracy theories and so forth.

I have to say that to me all of these things smack of the great illusion – the program to which the whole world has been blindly running these past two millennia. Greed, violence, deception, political intrigue, war, religious arguments. A person could spend (and waste) their whole life in pursuit of answers to these illusions.

I believe the program that governs all these things is due to end and end soon. I’m tired of them – the world is tired of them. The only thing I know in my heart of hearts and soul of souls that truly matters, is what I (and others) call galactic consciousness.

In my memories of what life is like on the other side, God is a presence that underlies and permeates all of reality. It’s not like on Earth where there is this terrible feeling of separation. We chose that experience in order to learn to exercise our free will, and to grow in strength of personality, “away” from our cosmic parent. No, in the heaven worlds there is a constant awareness of the beneficent presence of God. As a result everyone is happy – everyone sees the importance of love for one another, it’s automatic, and the only real concern is for those incarnated souls undergoing learning on the different planets of the galactic system.

Most especially, however, the concern is for souls living on Planet Earth. Earth is known as the most dense, the most physical, of all the planets upon which a soul may live an incarnated life. As a result the earth is the most difficult of all the planets to be on. As I said the feeling of separation from God is the keenest here. And what is religion, if not the cry of so many lonely infants separated from the cosmic Love of God the parent? The word galaxy means Way of Milk in Greek – hence The Milky Way, the ever-flowing sustenance of God’s love that sustains all souls in heaven.

We come here, every one of us, on assignment. God has a plan for Earth and each one of us chooses to participate in this great design. Every so often, a soul will receive the “call”; as if deep within, the cosmic mother calls out to one of her own, summoning that soul to go forth and minister to her children on earth. The soul can choose a different assignment; but speaking for myself, when I received the call the thing that impelled me the most was knowing that in order to feel truly worthy of God’s love, I owed it to the suffering souls on earth, who are working so hard in their lives, to at least come to earth and contribute in whatever way God needed.

I remember that I felt greatly intimidated at coming to Earth again, and frankly if left to my own devices I probably would never have come - mostly for the reasons I have outlined above! Earth is difficult, but of course the rewards of personal satisfaction in staying the course and maybe even making a small difference are immeasurable to a developing soul.

This leads me to another point, which is the reason souls come here. I believe that Earth represents the most dense, the most stubborn, and the most hard-to-transform energy in the consciousness of the All, of God. We can see this by how many messengers of God are persecuted through history, and even those people who try to battle corruption in more limited spheres of life seem automatically to attract negative attention. This earth does not appreciate being made to change. And as humans we all share in that lot – we are all stubborn and slow to embrace change. In a sense the earth represents that part of each of us that is most in need of working on, to transform it into light (and enlightenment).

Our main job is firstly to awaken – to wake up to our true, cosmic origins. Not in some strange alien sense – this is a materialistic interpretation of a spiritual truth, the truth that we are all soul and we come originally from God and from heaven. The more we can awaken in this life, the more chance we have of remembering our true purpose on this Earth and maybe start to live it more consciously.

Esoteric traditions maintain that we all need to work on the Four Elements in ourselves – the Fire of Will, vision and enterprise, the Air of Right Thinking and Logic, the Water of Right Feeling and Compassion, and the Earth of common sense, practicality and Right Judgement. By working on these elements within our beings, it is predicted that we can transform every material atom of our bodies and of the universe gradually into Light. (This is the meaning of the Tarot card The Universe (or the World), where the four living creatures – the four primal elements – gain wings after the many trials experienced by the Fool.)

This year of 2011 is the time to activate our memories – to awaken to galactic consciousness, the moral of which is simply, Love one another as I have loved you. This is the only antidote to greed, to conflict, to war, to disharmony. The harmony of galactic brotherhood must – and will – prevail.

Consciousness

2011-01-19T10:11:00.001+11:00

I should clarify what I mean by "spirit", as mentioned in my last post.

When I say spirit I mean Consciousness - the faculty of awareness, the inner Being who Knows. As an idealist I believe that Consciousness comes first, and it is one's state of Consciousness - feelings, thoughts, beliefs, attitudes - that determines what kind of life one lives.

Modern scientists are trying to tell us that our consciousness is merely secondary - that it is an epiphenomenon of matter, just an illusion of biochemistry. I feel very sorry for people who put forward this as a philosophy of life; they must be very sad and lonely people. One who believes that matter is primary over consciousness lives a very lonely life indeed - and in fact this is what we see in today's western society, where materialism as a mindset appears to rule and as a result we have social isolation, depression, alienation.

But one who believes that Consciousness comes first is never lonely! Why? Because that person knows they are never alone. Everything is made of consciousness ~ the whole universe is consciousness. This is why people of past generations believed in the beings who tend to the trees and flowers, who live in the streams and rivers. That is why the ancients believed in mighty Jupiter and tricky Mercury. That is why Christians today believe in Christ as Redeemer, because everything is consciousness. Because consciousness rules matter, and matter can be saved through consciousness.

We find ourselves confronted with a marvellous challenge-opportunity at this time. Our consciousness has the chance to grow and expand to a new level as the galactic Consciousness makes contact with the Earth. I believe that 2012 will see an influx of uplifting spiritual energy which will boost those who are ready for it into a new existence. 2011 is the year of final choice, where those on the side of dark firm into their positions, and those on the side of Light do likewise. Those who choose Light are going to experience the certainty and comfort that comes from being re-attuned to Galatic Consciousness, which is God and which is Us.

We are the answer - what was the question?

The Twelfth Insight

2011-01-16T00:51:00.001+11:00

A new book is coming out by James Redfield, the author of The Celestine Prophecy. It's called either The Hour of Reckoning or The Hour of Decision, depending on which website you go to, but either way it will talk about the long awaited twelfth Insight.

As I see it the world is at the most important of crossroads at this time in history. There are forces at work that want to see human kind lose its sense of the spiritual forever and to sink into an orgy of materialism, where matter rules and spirit is squeezed out. I also believe that another, counter-movement is underway, led by sensitive souls who feel that the world is on a precipice and that we need to re-acknowledge that we are spirit first and foremost. Matter is and should only ever be a vehicle for our spiritual and creative expression.

To me this is truly the only "war" going on in our world today. The only one that really matters.

Technology has reached a stagnation point as far as I'm concerned. Nothing that is truly innovative or helpful in easing the suffering of the human race is coming forward. Nothing inspirational or edifying - just more self indulgence, with i-phones, i-pads, more ways to keep us distracted.

The Twelfth Insight, therefore, is a hopeful vision of a new world. A world created by humans who desire a spiritual world, an organic, free-flowing world, where awareness is everything, compassion is vital, and the integrity and purity of the human spirit is foremost in every heart.

In other words, it is a time of choice - do we want to keep rocketing into a world of self-indulgence, a materialism that could destroy what we are meant to be, or do we want a new holistic world, where spirit matters more than matter.

It's up to each one of us, you and me and everyone we come into contact with. Let's promise ourselves something today - that in our deepest selves we will hold the intention that the world can be healed. That technology will serve mankind and not the other way around. That we will once again recognise that we are spirit and that this earth is only a testing ground for that spirit. In this way we can restore our priorities to sanity and to health.

Let us pray!

Long time away

2011-01-15T20:59:00.002+11:00

It has been quite a while since I last posted, but boy so much has been going on that I haven't felt it was the right time to post anything. Until now.

I became a Dad last year, a wonderful little baby boy was born at 8.07am Friday 30 April 2010. After a scare due to him not breathing at first (he was born caesarean), we welcomed little Jack into our world and could not be happier.

Being a father has been a deeply satisfying experience for me. I can see much more clearly that the life I used to live, having to satisfy only myself, was a shallow and rather meaningless one. Having Jack has brought me happiness because its my job to look after him, and I feel proud that I have this responsibility.

And to see his happy smiling face when I come home is the best thing in the world.

So thanks for understanding while I've been away. Throw in a house move, job changes, and that makes 2010 a very hectic year for me! It was a journey through the spirit on the earth plane, learning those crucial lessons that only life on this earth can provide.

In my next post I will mention some of the intellectual highlights that 2010 held for me.

A new blog, at last

2010-02-16T18:49:00.001+11:00

Well at last I'm writing again. It feels like the last 6 months have been something of a roller coaster ride!

I found out I am expecting my first child just after I made my last post, and since then I've been doing a lot both externally and internally. I've shifted jobs a couple of times, and tried to shift houses as well. But if you've ever lived in Sydney, you'll know how difficult that can be sometimes!

For a while now I've wanted to speak about the idea of the after life. Something that has often given me hope is my "memories" of the life between lives - what many of us refer to as heaven. Now my life certainly hasn't always been heaven! As I mention above, life is often a big roller coaster ride, up one day, down the next. Sudden turns, loop-the-loops, and your head gets turned inside out.

For me, the big test at the moment is faith - faith that everything that is happening is trying to guide me, to teach me something. And the hope that that something is meaningful. That's where the memories of the afterlife come in. For there, on the "other side", we see with a clearer perspective exactly what is really important in this rough and tumble life we lead here on earth.

From that perspective, the only thing that matters is that we showed kindness, love and understanding to another human being. That's it. Not all this chasing after success; not always striving to be "better", or "more". When we stand before the council of Elders, and watch our life back, all we will care about is whether we were kind enough; wise in our choices; caring towards others; refraining from doing harm; and whether we showed just that little bit of understanding to someone who needed us in the moment.

That's all. I believe that what makes God happy is when his children - that's each of us - show a little love to another who is in pain. Just the smallest of actions can make the world of difference. Life can be hard - but we can ease the journey for ourselves and each other.

Catching up...

2009-09-03T11:08:00.001+10:00

Well hello again. I've not been blogging lately, as I feel I've been deep in my personal alchemical laboratory, tinkering away at improving myself. Its been fairly intensive and demanding work so all my attention has been focussed inward recently. I wanted to wait until I came out the other side of this process before blogging again.

So here I am, and with a new month which also brings a new season - Spring for us down under - it feels like I have indeed finally emerged out of the wintery tomb. From the moment the winter solstice hit back in June, I feel like I've been under the hammer, being reshaped, reforged, remade into a better version of me, with many of the old habits and vices eliminated, and the hope of a brighter life at the end of the tunnel.

I feel really grateful that I've had what feels like a lot of spiritual guidance around me at this time. I pray a lot, not in a religious-specific way, but to ascended Masters and Archangels, Michael being the angel I seem to gravitate toward the most. I believe all the ascended and angelic beings are looking out for our Earth at this time, doing the good work of regulating the emotional atmosphere of our planet and keeping it all in balance. For myself I definitely feel my prayers for self-improvement have been answered, and in the most subtle yet powerful of ways that its hard to express in words.

I am in my mid-thirties now, and like a lot of young people I certainly went through a time of partying, drinking, and burning the candle at both ends, as my dad would say. Now more than anything I want to live a more pure, happier life. And its hard to live a happy life when one is polluting oneself with too much that is harmful.

I guess what I'm saying is I've learned very much to value myself more ~ my clarity of mind, my purity of spirit, balance in my emotions, and lightness in my body. I still enjoy good eating, but I find that I just don't require alcohol anymore. I just don't miss it! The last couple of times I did drink, I only had to have one glass of wine and I already felt like crap. Its just something I feel I've grown out of now, and I'm thankful for that.

The theme most in focus lately though has been my mind and emotions and the link between them. Specifically, learning to spot the negative thoughts engaged in by the ego-self, which I've now learned are always lies, illusions. Not only that but when we feed into the cycle of negativity, we keep ourselves locked in a prison of negative emotion, which then generates further negative thought. What I've realised is that the truth is so much better than the lies of the ego; that in truth I have access to all the inner bliss and happiness I could ever need. Naturally its an ongoing learning process, to spot the illusory and promote the true, but as I say I feel I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel and I feel much encouraged in my process.

There's no doubt that just as harsh chemicals pollute the body, harsh and unforgiving thoughts pollute the mind and soul. There is such a drive in me now to get purified, because the truth is, its my body, and my mind and soul. If I don't look after them, I fail myself at the first test of integrity. So now I am more determined than ever to safeguard these things, which really are the first point of wealth that I possess. With a pure mind and spirit I can enjoy all the natural bliss that life has to offer.

I just want to say again how grateful I am to the heavenly beings who look out for us all. Thank you! May heavenly blessings be with everyone.

2009-07-24T20:48:00.000+10:00

Well how is everybody feeling after Wednesday's eclipse?

For me certainly this was an intense week, with the focus on home & family issues. The solar eclipse fell on degree 29 of tropical sign Cancer, and the 29th degree of a sign is understood to be a "critical" degree. The 29th is the final degree of a sign, so its as if the energy of this eclipse was tying up the loose end of family affairs, trying to bring a resolution to some nagging or ongoing concern.

From my own perspective this involved various improvements and works being carried out in our apartment building, which threatened to be quite disruptive, but my partner and I managed to keep a positive perspective and refrained from reacting with any knee-jerk negativity. This happily made things smoother than they might have been, had I given in to my overly intense urge to act out!

Meanwhile my partner's family was the focus of some interesting issues. She has 3 sisters and 1 brother, and for a while there the sisters almost coerced my partner and her younger brother into buying a joint present for their father's 70th (he's a Leo). We instinctively knew this was a bad idea, and subsequent events proved us right. Things really came to a head on the very day of the eclipse, and our intuition was vindicated and the joint present is no longer going ahead.

This eclipse was a real education in the energies that can be at work. It was a solar eclipse, meaning the moon passed in front of the Sun from our perspective here on Earth. So the Sun and Moon were conjunct, as I mentioned in the sign Cancer. Cancer is said to govern many areas of life but perhaps most notably women, children, home, family, clannishness, and strong emotion. I feel grateful that my studies of astrology and other esoteric fields gave me a good dose of objectivity so I could navigate these rather tricky waters with a balanced attitude.

It's so handy to know when these big astrological events are coming up ~ it's like having a heads-up from the cosmos as to what to expect on a particular day. It's been a fairly full-on year for astrological events so I feel especially grateful to have the inside scoop so to speak!

The Sun rings "like a bell"

2009-07-06T15:01:00.003+10:00

Recently I read the following article that talks about the strange lack of sunspots coming from the Sun lately:

Mystery of missing sunspots solved

19 June 2009

by Tony Phillips

The Sun is in the pits of a century-class solar minimum, and sunspots have been puzzlingly scarce for several years. Now, solar physicists think they understand why.

A JET STREAM DEEP inside the Sun may be migrating slower than usual through the star's interior, giving rise to the current lack of sunspots.
A team at the U.S. National Solar Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, used a technique called helioseismology to detect and track the jet stream down to depths of 7,000 km below the surface of the star.
The physicists, Rachel Howe and Frank Hill, announced the results this week at an American Astronomical Society press conference in Boulder, Colorado.
The Sun generates new jet streams near its poles every 11 years. The streams migrate slowly from the poles to the equator and when a jet stream reaches the critical latitude of 22º, new-cycle sunspots begin to appear.
Howe and Hill found that the stream associated with the next solar cycle has moved sluggishly, taking three years to cover a 10º range in latitude compared to only two years for the previous solar cycle.
The jet stream is now, finally, reaching the critical latitude, heralding a return of solar activity in the months and years ahead.
"It is exciting to see", says Hill, "that just as this sluggish stream reaches the usual active latitude of 22º, a year late, we finally begin to see new groups of sunspots emerging."
THE CURRENT SOLAR MINIMUM has been so long and deep, it prompted some scientists to speculate that the Sun might enter a long period with no sunspot activity at all, akin to the Maunder Minimum of the 17th century.
This new result dispels those concerns. The sun's internal magnetic dynamo is still operating, and the sunspot cycle is not broken.
Because it flows beneath the surface of the Sun, the jet stream is not directly visible. Hill and Howe tracked its hidden motions via helioseismology - the study of pressure waves within the Sun. Shifting masses inside the sun send these waves rippling through the stellar interior.
So-called 'p modes' (p for pressure) bounce around the interior and cause the Sun to ring like an enormous bell. By studying the vibrations of the Sun's surface, it is possible to figure out what is happening inside. Similar techniques are used by geologists to map the interior of our planet.
Excerpt from www.cosmosmagazine.com.

I find this so fascinating! I had no idea that sunspots were caused by huge currents of sun material, travelling in a "jet stream" beneath the surface of the sun. Also note the intruiging number symbolism ~ the Sun produces new jet streams every 11 years, and to create sunspots, the jet stream must reach the critical latitude of 22 degrees. The numbers 11 and 22 are very important in numerology ~ they are non-reducible and represent constants: they are numbers of great tests and mastery (for example there are 22 cards in the Major Arcana of the tarot.)
But it's the notion of the Sun's echoing vibrations causing it to "ring like a giant bell" that I found the most fascinating. In esoteric philosophy, the Sun God was said to have "sung creation into being" with his glorious and triumphant song. Perhaps the Sun is still keeping this process going today ~ every so often it makes "music" that causes sunspots, which affect our Earth and the entire solar system.

Update on work

2009-06-24T12:27:00.004+10:00

This post is a sequel to May Musings, and I'm glad to say is about a much more pleasant topic.

Almost 2 years ago now I was looking for an alternative to office work, and I decided to register as an extra. An extra is someone who might appear in the background of a TV or print ad, a movie, or a TV show. I called the agency a few times after that, but they had nothing at the time and I did not hear from them again ~ until a couple of weeks ago.

They were trying to track me down because my old mobile number is defunct and they had an assignment for me. I was so excited to hear I was required for a photo shoot for an ad campaign. I was to go to a local cinema and take part in a 3-hour photo shoot for a series of print ads for Cityrail.

This had been a dream of mine for ages. I'd worked in commercial radio, met musicians and spoken to TV personalities, and had been a musician back in my 20's. Now I was finally getting the chance to work in entertainment and be an extra.

It was the easiest three hours work I'd ever done. I sat in the back half of a cinema with 7 other extras / actors, with my arm around a strange woman pretending to comfort her while watching a scary movie. It was so much fun! There was a really good atmosphere on the "set", with lots of laughs as the photographer and director tried to get the right poses out of the talent.

It was an experience I would definitely like to repeat. I plan to register with a couple more agencies soon. This time I hope I don't have to wait another 18 months to get an assignment!

New blog

2009-06-21T12:54:00.000+10:00

For some time now, I've been running a separate blog on Wordpress, where I talk about the various celebrities sightings that I seem to have in my local area of eastern Sydney.

I've finally started transferring the contents of this blog here to Blogger, with the rest of my writings. It's a fun read ~ take a look and see which of your favourite celebrities you can spot!

http://sydneycelebwatch.blogspot.com/

And view the original at:

http://sydneycelebwatch.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

Anthony

Obama is not the answer - you are

2009-06-12T11:58:00.001+10:00

Hello again gentle readers

Lately it's become trendy to revile Barack Obama in the blogosphere. When he was elected there was general public euphoria ~ now it seems the honeymoon is over, and because instant Utopia has seemingly not emerged, the public are gradually turning on the man.

Can I urge a little balance here people. Frankly I too was glad to see him elected ~ not because he was any kind of saviour, but he was at least a well-spoken, articulate man of apparently, at least, some sensitivity. Surely it's better we have someone in office who is interested in the future as opposed to simply maintaining a worn-out status quo.

My view is simply this ~ you wanted him to solve all your problems, now you are blaming him for what is still not fixed. Can I suggest that as the man himself said in his inaugural speech, it really is up to each one of us ~ yep, that's right - you! ~ to address our personal and collective problems. I am not advocating the radical individualism of the past. I am reminding us all that we have the power in our own hands to improve our personal reality.

The way to do this, in my humble opinion, is to realise that much of what we do is dysfunctional. This is not to condemn anyone, but rather to help. We need to stop trying to solve our problems at the level of the mind ~ because it's our overactive, self-deceptive, monkey-chattering minds that ARE the problem.

More and more, I find I am craving a better way of living ~ not, in the first instance, a "better life", which is the well-worn egoic mind's perpetual external-seeking of something "better". I crave for myself more objectivity, more inner stability both of my mind and persona. I really feel I need to get out of the way; to be the observer rather than the reactor. As I cultivate this inner observer more, I can see that others sense the change in me. I cease to have any particular agenda, therefore I get back from the universe a positive reaction, smiles from strangers, and a greater sense of inner peace.

All this can be done while being active in the world. We just need to come back to square one ~ which is our very self. Let's tear down the idea of "my-self"; this entity that needs constant fulfillment and distraction. Let's try to return to the sacred inner source where all our needs are already met.

I am constantly reminded of the words of Eckhart Tolle ~ such simple, nourishing words that being me back to first principles every time. That's what I believe we need right now ~ in a world that wants to take us away from our inner self, let's remember that without our inner self we can never have the truly better quality of life we all crave. Blessings and peace to all

Anthony

May Musings

2009-06-02T10:50:00.002+10:00

This post is more of a journal-stroke-musing entry, as I reflect on where I'm at currently.

For a long time I've really struggled to find either suitable or even just ongoing work, not just with the economic climate but really throughout my life since university. I have a lot of interests and fields of study that I engage in, but my biggest theme has been trying to integrate my passions and interests into some kind of meaning and also into work.

I'm glad to say I have an interview today for a job and I feel my prospects are good. To try to cover my bills I've been doing a lot of temp work but boy am I tired of that. When you temp you never know from week to week if you'll have an assignment, and therefore an income. The job I'm going for today is a 9 month contract to fill a role vacated by secondment. It would be great, if the role seems suitable, to have that kind of rare stability at this time!

I find that parallel with my economic situation, my inner world is just as active and in a process of flux. Right through my life and especially now I find I am really continuing to question what is real and what is true, in terms of the world of spirit and how it applies to actually living your life. The Buddhists say, before enlightenment, chop wood carry water - after enlightenment, chop wood carry water. This is so true! Its the human condition to carry on living one's life even while undertaking an internal spiritual quest. It doesn't make the inner world any less meaningful - in fact I consider it a blessing to have the external world in which to anchor my senses and my perception of reality even while I search my inner self for meaning.

One thing that frustrates me about the "modern" world of ours is the materialist interpretation of reality. So many so-called "experts" peddle the line that all things - including our consciousness - have emerged from matter. As well as this being philosophically absurd, to me its a deliberate insult to the human spirit. I feel grateful that I carry a knowing within that the spirit world is very real - the realm of clear knowing that we all originate from exists, and it has no need to justify itself to the world. I can't help but feel angry when the militant, scientific materialists deliberately downplay the importance of the clear light of the spirit world because right now I believe as humans in a materialistic age we need to be connected to our spirit more than ever. I know it's silly of me to take it personally but occasionally I can't help feel that way.

There are so many thoughts, theories, and unnecessary diversions today clouding the knowing of spirit. Just as our cities are being clogged with physical pollution, the mindstream of human consciousness is logjammed with extraneous thought. Fortunately I am of the conviction that most people have a deep-down sense of what is true and right ~ it may be only a whisper within their souls, but I am convinced that it is there. To me it's vital to maintain this kind of tentative optimism even in the face of a seemingly heedless march into a technologically-based false ecstasy. Personally I look forward to a time when this orgy of technology is replaced by a more sensitive, receptive and thoughtful outlook, based on a knowing that something higher and more "true" is there, just outside our noisy, rushing lifestyles, waiting for us to simply tune in and acknowledge it is there.

So while we chop wood and carry water, we can at least carry an inner joy, an inner peace, content that the true reason we are here is to grow in wisdom, to refine our inner knowing, and to bring more of that quiet joy and peace into our world. That way, no matter where we are or what we do for a career, we can infuse this world with more of the spirit of consciousness that flows from the finer realms. And to me that is the reason we are here ~ to help gently uplift and refine this material world, and our very being.

Peace be

Anthony

Symbolism in the new Star Trek movie

2009-05-08T09:55:00.002+10:00

Well I had a day off work yesterday, so I went and caught the new Star Trek movie. It was certainly entertaining, a little violent at some points but otherwise enjoyable.

Watch out ~ spoiler alert!

I noticed some interesting symbolism right from the get-go. The movie takes place in a slightly altered timeline from the original series, due to the arrival of a huge spacecraft from the future. George Kirk, father of James T. Kirk, is forced to assume command of a starship. His pregnant wife is on board, and she goes into labour as George, alone on the ship with everyone else evacuated, attacks the enemy vessel. He dies heroically, and his wife escapes - giving birth to the future James T. in the escape pod.

This reminded me of the many Sun King legends from pagan and Egyptian traditions. George can be seen as Osiris - the father who dies, and is reborn again in his son Horus, who goes on to be the new King (James Kirk of course going on to become the legendary captain of the Enterprise). George's wife is like the Mother Goddess, or Isis, who gives birth to the new Sun God ~ just as in pagan tradition, the summer Sun dies in winter and is reborn again from the earth in spring.

As the movie went on I realised another connection to occult symbolism, one which I explored in my last full-length post: that of the number 7. Kirk and his core crew, the main cast of the original series, are seven in number: Kirk the Sun King, Spock, Uhura (Venus), McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, and Chekhov. Its amazing how often groups of 7 turn up - as above so below, I guess. Also, its said that soul groups travel in groups of 7 throughout various incarnations.

Til next time

Comments issue now fixed

2009-05-05T16:40:00.002+10:00

Hi everyone

Recently two of my readers told me they could not post their comments on my blog ~ I'm just writing to advise you this problem is thankfully now fixed.

Please by all means go right ahead and post!

Thank you

Anthony

Justice League - Gods of the Solar System?

2009-05-01T14:02:00.003+10:00

One of the more fascinating connections I have found in popular culture of late concerns comic book superheroes. Virtually everyone in the Western world is familiar with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. But does anyone realise that these superheroes represent modern mythmaking - and that the core 7 heroes are but the latest embodiment of the 7 planetary gods?

In one of my favourite books, The Secret History of the World, the author points out that all through history there has been a perennial philosophy - a vision of the spirit worlds and the creator gods based not on dogma but ancient tradition, connecting the creation of the world with the spirits of the Sun, Moon, and five classical planets (Mercury through Saturn). Recently I realised that you can quite easily see how these gods - the same gods of the Olympian era - have been reincarnated in comic book form in the twentieth century.

Let's start with Superman. He draws his power from the Sun, and has a big golden "S" on his chest - which stands for the Sun, Sol, or Sol Invictus. He flies across the blue sky - blue being the main colour of his costume. His birth name, Kal El, comes from the character's creators Jewish heritage and means "voice of God"; in esoteric philosophy the Sun God is equivalent to the Logos or the Word - the spoken Word that in the beginning manifested all of creation. Superman is therfore clearly a solar hero; strong, noble, doing all his work in the bright light of day and working to bring all criminals to justice.

Batman meanwhile is his cosmic counterpart. He is an Earthling, cannot fly under his own power, and does all his best work at night. His animal totem - the bat - is a night creature. Batman uses fear and illusion to snare his foes. All this is highly suggestive of the Moon. Batman is therefore an incarnation of the Moon powers.

The Flash? That's simple- the golden wings on his helmet give the game away immediately. He is an avatar of Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods, fleet of foot, fast as quicksilver.

Wonder Woman is clearly Venus; not only is she female, and is a warrior princess (as were some early versions of Venus, or Astarte), but she bears the pentagram of Venus on her tiara.

Mars, again a no brainer: the Martian Manhunter!

Jupiter is a little trickier to spot in this bunch, but for me Aquaman takes the title. In Jupiter or Zeus' earliest forms he was a fish god - and otherwise known as Poseidon, god of the seas.

Now - Saturn had me bamboozled for quite some time. The hero Green Lantern suggested himself, but I thought how is he connected? I couldn't see it for the life of me. Then I read that at one point in the DC comics' history, they killed him off and replaced him with a demonic entity called the Parallax. This entity travelled from world to world feeding on people's fear, destroying whole civilisations. This is surely a primordial representation of the ancient god of death, Saturn.

And there you have it! The Greek gods are alive and well, folks, and we are re-telling their myths every day, in comics and in movies.

Lost ... and Found!

2009-04-30T15:26:00.005+10:00

My partner and I are working in the same part of the city at the moment, and as it was raining I suggested we get a taxi to work. As we only live 10 minutes away this is not too expensive.

As we arrived I got my out wallet to pay with a card, but Susan managed to put together the exact fare in change, so we used that. I thanked the driver and we got out. I went to work thinking no more of it.

It wasn't until 11am that I realised there was nothing in my back pocket. My wallet was gone! I realised I must have dropped it in the cab and somehow just not realised. D'oh!

Naturally I called the cab company to report it, and also the banks where I have my cards and stopped them...usually I would be in more of a panic state, but with all my occult studies I knew to just chill and be cool. I knew there was no point getting in a big state, because after all the situation was what it was. The good thing was there was no cash in the wallet. The downside is the taxi company said it could be two or three days before I heard back from them.

As I was leaving work (I got to leave early today) I felt a prompting to say a prayer to the Goddess, whom I recognise as Isis. I've been studying the Egyptian myths lately, and as a former tarot reader I've long felt a connection with Isis. I offered the prayer, giving thanks to the Most High God (as I always am sure to do first up) and then to Isis, as the patient & faithful protectress of us here on earth. I asked if what was lost could be returned to me, but of course to let God's will be done. (Little did I know that at the same time, my partner was saying a prayer to St Anthony, patron saint of returning lost items - and my namesake!).

Imagine my "shock and awe" when I got home, checked the mail and found - my wallet! Sitting comfortably right there in my letter box. Wow!! I could hardly believe it. I walked inside holding the recovered wallet in a semi-daze. It was going to be a pain in the behind to replace the cards, the ID, etc etc - but now here it was.

Obviously then taxi driver must have got my address from my ID. I presumed two earth-plane possibilities: that the kind cab driver waited till he got a fare back to my suburb and dropped it off on his way through; or that he very kindly drove all the way back here and dropped it off. Either way, my prayer was answered in pretty short order!

So folks - got any problems that need dealing with? Well send off those prayers to the divine beings you feel most comfortable with and get them into action for you! That's all the heavenly ones are waiting for - for a human being to ask for their help. No questions asked!

With thanks to the nice cab driver - and the heavenly hierarchies.

Chiron - the Alchemist of the New Age

2009-04-27T22:51:00.004+10:00

I've not posted for a couple of weeks as I was waiting for something good to say. Then today I feel like I had a fascinating realisation about Chiron, that little understood member of our solar system.

In Greek mythology Chiron is a centaur, in fact the most educated and civilised member of that race. He is a healer, a herbalist and a wise mentor to men. He is famous for having been accidentally shot by Heracles' (Hercules) poison arrows, and for suffering constantly because as an immortal god he could not die. With Zeus' intercession Chiron gave up his immortality to Prometheus, who was chained to a rock. So Chiron was allowed to die rather than suffer for eternity, and Zeus placed him in the sky as the constellation Sagittarius (some sources say Centaurus).

Chiron the asteroid was discovered in 1977. It was soon realised that Chiron is in fact part icy comet, part rocky asteriod that travels between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus.

Chiron's physical makeup is a big clue to his function in astrology. Many astrologers feel that Chiron partakes of the energies of both Uranus and Saturn; the icy part ~ and his erratic orbit! ~ represent his connection to the cosmic energies of Uranus, and the rocky, materialistic part to the energies of Saturn.

I believe Chiron has a major role to play in helping humankind to enter the Age of Aquarius. Many people in the "new age" community believe the Age of Aquarius heralds a new era of relations between humans, and with humans to the heavens. The trick is that Uranus and Aquarius represent having access to cosmic wisdom which could help facilitate this change; but Saturn represents the existing forms we all struggle with, the status quo that's been in place for so long, the things we see around us that depress us and make us pessimistic about the future.

The good news is that a change IS due, and we can all play our part in this. Chiron in the birth chart can help you see where you can channel the cosmic wisdom into an acceptable form in your life. Chiron, as the mediator between Mind and Matter, can help us to transform our ideas into reality.

For example, this blog is one attempt at activating my own Chiron. I have Chiron in the 5th house, which is creative expression, and in Aries, which is indepedence and assertion. By having this forum for my desire for creative expression, I am doing something to satisfy my need to transform my life.

Chiron is associated with healing, and by activating our Chiron we can begin the work of self healing.

Power of the Moon

2009-04-18T19:02:00.001+10:00

I want to put on my astrologer's hat for a moment and talk about the Progressed Moon, and the effect it has as it moves through your birth chart.

In astrology, we each have a Sun sign, and also a Moon sign. The Progressed Moon is a measurement of the moon's movement after our date of birth - and of how often our Moon changes signs (and houses) in our chart (which is roughly every 2.5 years).

My Moon has just progressed into Virgo. Let me tell you I am feeling these effects already! I have totally revamped and reorganised this blog, and, after a long stint of doing temporary work assignments, it looks like I will once more have a full-time job (Virgo governs one's daily work and routine).

But more than that, it's the mannerisms and speech patterns that I have observed changing in myself lately. I notice I am more intolerant of other people's foibles, whereas previously I was more easy-going. I am cranky and irritable, where beforehand I was more light hearted. My partner has noticed these changes too, and it's a little unsettling for her ~ she feels almost like I am a different person!

All this goes to emphasise the power of the progressed Moon, and it makes me think of relationships that go through a rough patch after the first one to two years. We have all heard people say, "Oh, so-and-so has changed. I feel like I don't know him / her anymore. He's not the person I met / married"!

Maybe in some cases this is due to the effects Progressed Moon. Astrologically the Moon governs our emotions, our reaction to circumstance. When the Progressed Moon changes signs, it's possible that a whole new disposition comes into effect. Reactions change; emotional expression changes. Someone who was once a bit of a wall-flower may suddenly get an infusion of self-confidence. A person who was once finicky and overly-precious may chill out more, be more easy-going. A person who was quite social and outward-bound may suddenly become more inward, brooding, even obsessive.

All this can be the effect of the Progressed Moon, and it all depends on the sign the Moon is leaving and the one she is passing into.

Studying astrology can yield many such useful insights into the mysterious thing that is human nature. For the interested, I recommend checking out Astrodienst, where you can create a free, personal online profile and get a free birth chart interpretation. All you need to know is your date, exact time and place of birth. Happy star-trails!

Lorna Byrne

2009-04-14T09:53:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone! I hope all had a nice Easter weekend.

I've just been reading the webpage of Irish mystic and angelic communicator, Lorna Byrne. She is truly a messenger of hope from the angels, and the stories she relates on her site are uplifting and inspiring.

She is like the Irish equivalent of Doreen Virtue in the U.S.! I enjoy reading about Doreen, and now Lorna, because its so refreshing to get in contact with the Angels and feel their uplifting love-energies.

After all, that is the true meaning of "spirituality" ~ being in tune with a "spiritual reality"!

Lorna also has a book out called Angels in My Hair. She talks about how she has seen angels since she was little, and how in her early life she suffered because she was different from other children. Who can't relate to that!

Have a look at her site! I highly recommend the "What the Angels have taught me" section.

Peace to all!

The Power of Thought

2009-04-11T15:32:00.001+10:00

I discovered today a website with very interesting articles on a variety of spiritual topics. It's called A Rosicrucian Speaks.

A man by the name Joseph Weed gave a series of lectures to students across North America. The one I've just read is entitled The Power of Thought and it's a wonderful and timely reminder about how we can all use our inborn and inbuilt ability of thought ~ for ill or for good.

I highly recommend everyone go check out this site. Recently I went through a period where I temporarily forgot the power of my own thought and the strong effects that can be generated when, due to unconsciousness, I forget to reign in my mind and my actions. Read it! I guarantee you'll be pleased you did.

Note: I just wanted to add that I am in no way affilliated with Rosicrucianism. As a student of matters spiritual I am however fascinated by what this group in it's many forms has to say.

Transformation with consciousness

2009-04-04T19:01:00.000+11:00

I want to mention two more books I've read lately, which are Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and A New Earth.

These books are so useful because they define the main dilemma we have today, namely, the mind-ego and its machinations. Tolle elegantly but insightfully points out that the main cause of our suffering is our mind, which, being largely cut off from the main source of life-energy, thinks itself weak and insecure. Thus is born the existential terror most of us face ~ the fear of death.

I had a mini-revelation yesterday when I realised some of the truth that I am not the mind-ego that fears its death. I am the "I" who is beyond the death of the ego. In that moment I saw clearly that the fear of death is really just from the ego, which is an insecure structure of mental energy, made of of thoughts and fears, that must one day dissolve. I suddenly felt liberated, in some way, from the fear of personal death.

I have always believed in a spiritual reality beyond this world that we perceive with our five senses. Yet this was a new thing for me, to have a moment where I could clearly see the illusory nature of ego. I guess my reading paid off. Thank you, Mr Tolle!

Now for anyone who is also on a spiritual-seeking path, do not be put off by all this high-falutin' jargon. Tolle is very much in tune with the teachings of Jesus, and much of what Tolle says is in perfect alignment with the Master. For me, Jesus has always been number 1 in wisdom and in spiritual truth ~ what Tolle does is give this wisdom a refresh for our times. It's the same wisdom, it's just being given a new and contemporary airing.

I highly recommend these two titles, The Power of Now and A New Earth, for anyone who wants to get to grips directly with the cause of their own suffering, and who wants to take practical steps towards gaining their own enlightenment-moment.

Site refresh ~ Journey through Spirit

2009-04-02T16:31:00.001+11:00

From being a simple journal I have now devoted this blog to writing about my main passion in life - which is expanding our knowledge of that which is spiritual.

As you can see I have added a widget that links to www.insideoutthinking.co.uk, the online journal of Jonathan Black. Black is the author of my favourite book of the moment, The Secret History of the World.

For a relative novice seeker like me, Black's book was what I had yearned for; a straight-forward, yet complex look into the teachings of secret societies throughout history. What I love is that it's not a dry, dusty, and detached look at history; no, Black's history is alive with passion, intrigue, strange beings and stranger historical figures. Some obviously deride his approach but I for one celebrate it; today's attitudes of materialism can't hold a candle to this wonderful book.

This is a book for people who have passion; passion for history, for spirituality, and for seeking truth. Not that Black's book is the last word; in true opposite-thinking it is more like a primer for those seeking, as Black says, "the real thing". It's the most excellent starting point for those on the quest for knowledge.

And so I have finally nailed my colours to the mast and re-dedicated this blog to my own seeking; hopefully others can share the journey and enjoy what I have to offer, while contributing their own views as well. Can I be very clear though ~ I prefer to connect with genuine seekers, people who examine their own beliefs as well as everything they encounter. I don't appreciate people whom I term "nutjobs" ~ conspiracy theorists, people with some agenda or political axe to grind. In short, those with a doomsday or other negative attitude, keep away, please. Lively and positive contributors only!

Having said that, please enjoy this Journey through Spirit.

President Obama's Inauguration speech

2009-01-23T15:31:00.006+11:00

Hello there. Seeing as how Barack Obama’s Presidental Inauguration speech is by far the single most inspiring and wonderful thing I have ever heard said by a politician, I wanted to offer my quick analysis of what it all meant. President Obama is clearly an intelligent man - a refreshing change! - and it was really for my own benefit that I wanted to break his speech down, look at each section in turn, and offer my thoughts on what he was saying.

Now I’m not pretending this is a detailed, scientific, comprehensive analysis of all the facts, figures and whatnot raised by his speech. Rather its an attempt to offer commentary on the themes he mentions; the veiled (justified) barbs at certain individuals and groups, and his visions of a better future for the world.

OK here we go. Below is a transcript of the complete speech President Obama delivered at his inauguration. My comments are in blue and enclosed in dotted lines beneath each section of his speech. Enjoy.

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My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

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Here he acknowledges he does indeed have a big task ahead of him; and he gives a polite but fairly cursory acknowledgement of the outgoing President Bush. Hee hee.

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Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

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A fairly damning indictment of Bush’s eight years in office. In fact he really puts the boot into him here in my opinion, pretty much implying that as a result of Bush’s presidency America’s economy is in a sorry state of disrepair. Also this is a fairly wide-ranging and frank summary of all the major issues that ail the US presently - the health care system, the education system, dependence on fossil fuels, etc, all of which frankly is well-known to those of us outside the US.

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Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

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Here he states his determination to get on with the task of repairing America and that these things though they may be challenging they can indeed be done. He is also trying to gain bipartisan support for these changes, that in the face of undeniable evidence all must acknowledge need to be made.

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We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

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He references the addiction to consumerism and the more indulgent aspects of Western culture. He also states the need for all people to re-awaken to the real mission of America; not to provide a comfortable living for a few, but opportunity and freedom for all.

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In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling-for-less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

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He reminds us that those who toiled for America worked for a greater cause than individual gain, and that these were the people who birthed the powerful and prosperous nation we see today. He returns to this theme again and again; that America is not for the faint-hearted, nor for the self-indulgent; but that it has been forged through hardship and sacrifice so that all may benefit.

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This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

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Again, a strong restatement that America remains powerful and is unified in this sense of new mission, and not just there to provide riches for the few.

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For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

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Stating that with today’s knowledge and technological abilities, surely health care & education can now be improved?! Also a bold statement about harnessing “new” energies - solar, wind and improving the soil (possibly referring to organic or biodynamic farming? Whatever it is I’m completely for it!).

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Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

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Brilliant - here he is addressing the cynicism that in the face of social improvement was once inevitable, and he reminds us that in its history America has already achieved the impossible - creating a new nation out of the most intense oppression.

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What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

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Wow. Here Obama applies the scalpel of necessity to government itself - he points out that those who hold outdated views are no longer even in the game. Excellent!! He sets his intention to cut programs that do not support the positive changes he wants to make - possibly a shot at the military-industrial complex and the fat cats? Also his resolve to make government more transparent and wiser in its spending. You go, sir.

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Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

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Here he affirms his belief in the market, but one that is regulated so as to not allow irresponsibility. A fair call, I’d say.

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As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

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Pointing out that it was ideals combined with necessity & a desire for self-protection that drove the founding fathers to create a new nation.

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We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

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Again setting some visionary goals; to pull a Superman and reduce the nuclear threat around the world, to withdraw from Iraq and to settle the score in Afghanistan. A firm declaration that terrorists and killers will be finally defeated. Hmm…..perhaps one thing at a time, eh, Big O? Possibly this was said to placate the slavering right-wingers, so they don’t assume he’s gonna be soft on so-called threats to America. This for me is the only part of his speech that sounded like the same old tired war rhetoric. Oh well - I guess he had to say it didn’t he.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

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Again reminding us of what the US has already accomplished in its history of struggle.

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To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

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More visionary agenda-setting; that America will be a friend to those seeking peaceful means of progress, but an iron fist to those who seek other means. Clever line about the people judging their leaders by what they build - nice. And so true.

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To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

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This surely is a reference to the country of his father’s birth - Africa. A stark reminder too to Americans who have lived life large for so long, that America must now be there for others in need. Phew! God bless him for wanting to accomplish all this! And why not - its about time someone came forward with these intentions. I too believe we can no longer afford to be ignorant of human suffering and of environmental danger. Obama rocks!

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As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

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An acknowledgement of those who have fallen in service to the nation, and those currently in the armed forces who serve and protect in dangerous lands. A nice gesture, surely appreciated by those people serving.

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For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

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This is probably my favourite part of his speech. It resontaes with my belief that it is everthing we do, as individuals, in our small moments every day, that spreads like a ripple through the collective and truly makes our world. We the people have it in our power to shape the future and determine which way things will go. Here Obama reminds us that it is not just government, but each one of us that holds the new age in our hands if we are but willing to extend kindness.

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Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

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This passage sums up everything he has said previously; he reminds us that while the tasks ahead may involve new challenges, the spirit in which we meet those challenges is indeed timeless. For it is to the enduring idealism of America that Obama harks back throughout his speech, while simultaneously calling all of us - around the world - forth to the exciting and brave new age. Not the new world order of previous Presidents, mind you; the new age!

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So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].’

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Just in case anyone missed the point of everything he has just said.

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America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

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The final rallying call to all of us. Here he again calls us all to action; to live out his vision of the new age. And he reminds us that God has been and is always with us.

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Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

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The sign-off.

New Year's thought

2009-01-01T10:31:00.000+11:00

I got another great quote from Inner Self today; this one is to kick off the new year on the right note.

Enjoy

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InnerSelf.com - Focus of the Day:

I change my mind and change my life.

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InnerSelf.com - Daily Inspiration:

As we enter this New Year, we all want to change our lives for the better. The question is, how?

There are two ways you can change your life: (1) Change your conditions; and (2) Change your mind. Sometimes you can change your conditions. Always you can change your mind. Ultimately, mastering your mind yields far more success and reward than rearranging conditions.

Find a way to look at every experience so it empowers you. I wish you a new year of news that is good because you choose to find it.

From Innerself.ca

Inspirational thought for NYE

2008-12-30T20:28:00.001+11:00

Hey there. I get emails daily from a site called Inner Self, which contain brief inspirational messages that I've found to be really uplifting as I read each one every day. The website http://www.innerself.ca has some great articles about personal growth and spirituality.

I've copied the latest email below, I just thought it would make a great way to end up the year and ponder the new beginning ahead.

Hope you enjoy

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InnerSelf.com - Focus of the Day:

I choose to be the best person I can be.

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InnerSelf.com - Daily Inspiration:

A successful person isn’t one who has the best job or nicest home. Success comes from the inside. It comes from living. To be successful means to live in a world where both good and bad exist, and still strive to become the best we can, despite what is happening all around us.

Winners don’t give up ever. They may try different strategies, but they always try. It involves a lot of faith. It involves a lot of compassion. It involves thinking with our own minds, and not simply going along with the majority way of thinking out of fear of ridicule. Fear holds us back; truth sets us free. It takes maturity.

And, finally, as we enter a new year, what are you going to do to make this world a better place? The world has been changed by "small" people with big hearts, big dreams. Never underestimate the power you have to make a difference.

EXCERPTED FROM the InnerSelf.com article:
Fighting the Madness... with a dose of kindness
by Beth V.

From www.innerself.ca

Images from Bronte Beach, Sydney

2008-12-29T21:09:00.000+11:00

I'd like to share some photos I took during a recent visit to beautiful Bronte Beach, an eastern suburb of Sydney.

Bronte is a place I visit now and then, I'm not really a surfer or even a swimmer to be honest. However it's a place I find uplifiting to visit, its got great natural beauty and fresh sea breezes, and it's nice to have a picnic lunch on the overlooks with my girlfriend.

I hope you enjoy these!

View from the high street at Bronte

Surfers at Bronte Beach

Bronte Beach (view from south end)

Wave splashes on rocks - Bronte Beach cliffs

View south from overlooking cliff

View north from same lookout

Whales at Bondi

2008-10-26T16:42:00.002+11:00

Today was a red-letter day for me as far as wildlife spotting goes.

Not long after this photo was taken (about 3pm today), my girl and I trudged wearily over to the grassy hill overlooking Bondi Beach and sat down in the shade. We'd just done the Bronte-Bondi walk and there were major crowds so we were both feeling a little exhausted and irritable.

After a rest and a cool down, we were heading off when suddenly, way out to sea and near a yacht, I spotted a plume of white water spraying upwards in the air. I thought what was that? As Susan and I stayed to watch we could see the dark shapes of whales frolicking in the water. I was excited because our day hadn't been as nice as I'd hoped and this was a rare chance to see whales for the first time.

As we continued to watch, what looked a killer whale suddenly and gracefully propelled itself out of the water! We could see its whole body clearly despite it being way out to sea (about half way to the horizon). We could see another one slightly further out also occasionally leaping out of the water.

Several boats came as if from nowhere to gather round the whales and take a look. People sitting on the grass near us registered my excitement, and one guy with his girlfriend turned to me and said, "Good spot!" It was actually, all I initially saw was white water jetting out of it's blowhole.

We both felt considerably cheered up after seeing the whales. It's amazing how these beautiful creatures can have such as soothing and uplifting effect on the human spirit.

Take care and happy whale spotting!

Anthony

Welcome

2008-10-02T09:22:00.000+10:00

Hi, welcome to my blog.

This page is for me to express my views, thoughts, and whatever, on anything at all. Sort of like a diary, for on-line. Its a one stop shop for people to get to know what I'm about.

As you can see from my profile page, I have two other blogs - one for my beliefs on spirituality and the new age, and one for carrying on about the television show Doctor Who. This one is for me - for all the things I want to say not covered by those other two, more subject-specific blogs.

So enjoy!

Anthony