Celia Birtwell is a successful textiles designer and fashion designer (her latest collection sold out at Top Shop in ten minutes), but she has regularly modelled for her friend David Hockney over the years. As a result, his portraits of her hang in art collectors? homes all over the globe. I often wondered what it would be like to have to patiently sit still for hours while being painted or drawn. In the early Seventies, I found out. Peter Schlesinger, David Hockney’s ex-boyfriend used to be a talented painter, but has since switched to being a successful sculptor. I?m the eldest of three girls and initially, he wanted to paint a portrait of us all together. Peter started to draw us all in David Hockney?s studio and at first he was quite excited, especially as my middle sister wore a Herbert Johnson, feathered cloche hat she had bought especially for the occasion. Unfortunately, my sisters began to quarrel during the sitting and refused to sit together, so Peter scrapped the idea of drawing us. But, a few years later, he asked me to pose for him by myself. At the time, my aunt in Beverly Hills had just sent me a knee length green, leopard print Diana von Furstenberg wrap dress, which I consequently wore everywhere. I even once wore it to a charity ball where all the other women were embalmed in designer label ball gowns, and some of them even had tiaras plonked on their heads.

I was thrilled that Peter wanted to draw me, but I found sitting for him was the most deadly job in the world. I sat on an uncomfortable chair in Hockney’s studio for

I also religiously wore the green leopard skin when I posed for Adrian George, the illustrator and painter in his Bayswater attic flat. Unfortunately, there wasn?t enough space for me to stand on my head there. Adrian once drew me sitting in a deckchair and he captured me perfectly. I was young at the time and I looked pretty vacant in the drawing. Adrian was my Svengali at the time. He even helped me get a job as the gossip columnist on David Bailey’s Ritz Newspaper in the late Seventies. Adrian also inspired me to invent a character called Jonti in ?Frantic?, my novel about the early Seventies. Jonti got Alice, the book?s heroine a job, which was true to life.

I wasn?t Adrian George’s only protégée though. He had an inner circle of his disciples and drew all of them at one time or another. His dealer usually flogged his stuff, but luckily, he gave me the deckchair drawing of myself, which hangs on my office wall today. Adrian also drew Marinka, a professional artist’s model a lot. She was chocolate box pretty, and had a voluptuous body which the artists loved to paint. When she wasn’t sitting for Adrian, she regularly sat for other painters like Ron Kitaj. I don?t know how she had the patience to pose from nine to five, because I thought that having to sit statue still for hours, while being drawn was definitely the most boring job in the world ? even though I tried to console myself when I did it, I was posing for posterity.

Copyright: Frances Lynn, 2006

Frances Lynn

Author Bio

Frances Lynn is a professional writer and journalist. Her two novels, “Frantic” and “Crushed” are published by Eiworth Publishing at http://yourbookstore.eiworth.se Her musings about writing can be read at http://www.writerholic.blogspot.com/ Her personal website is http://franceslynn.org

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Just a few miles from downtown Austin, bordered by Westover on the south, 35th street on the north, Shoal Creek on the east and Mopac on the west, lies the old Austin neighborhood of Bryker Woods.

Though the neighborhood was named in the 1930s, the origins of the area go back as far as 1886, when the 14 lot William Thiele subdivision was platted within one block between 34th and 35th streets, which still exists today. In the early 1900s, other subdivisions popped up nearby, like Camp Mabry Heights, which named its streets with a patriotic theme, such as Pershing and Funston named after American generals, and Jefferson, Madison, and Harrison named for former U.S. presidents. Some of these street names have also stood the test of time. The first subdivision named Brkyer Woods came in 1936, using the first 3 letters of the developers’ last names, J.C. Bryant and McFall Kerbey.

The majority of Bryker Woods was developed between the 1930s and 1950s. Most of the homes built were bungalows, with some larger homes sprinkled among them. The area has an abundance of pecan, live oak, and elm trees, hence the “Woods” of Bryker Woods.

Unlike other centrally located neighborhoods in the Austin real estate market, Bryker Woods has remained relatively untouched by demolition teams ready to build newer, and larger, homes. One possible reason for this sustainability is the lot sizes of the neighborhood, which are radically smaller than the lots in the Crestview, Hyde Park and Pemberton Heights Austin neighborhoods, since Brkyer Woods was original

Brkyer Woods has a certain ambiance that really builds a sense of community. The narrow streets, heavy with trees, encourages neighbors to get outside, go for a walk, and interact with other residents. Many of the area’s inhabitants have lived there since the subdivision’s inception, and are willing to reminisce with the new families – usually to boast about the price they paid for their homes 40 or 50 years ago.

There are many destinations for a stroll around Bryker Woods. The hike and bike trails of Pease Park are within walking distance, as are Seider’s Springs Park and Bailey Park. Most families can walk their young children to the popular Bryker Woods elementary. You can find way more than a hammer and nails at mom and pop hardware store Breed and Co, who stock a variety of tropical plants, home décor, and gourmet food. They even have a bridal registry where the engaged can register for Waterford crystal they keep in stock. Locally owned Kerbey Lane Café, located on a street named after the Bryker Woods developer, has been in business for the past 28 years, serving up nutritious food from local vendors, 24 hours a day.

The standout home of the Bryker Woods neighborhood was built in 1938 for Hubert and Alice Bohn at 1301 West 29th Street. Built by architect Roy Thomas, who helped the Stacy Realty Company build more than 30 homes in Barton Hills, the Bohn house was inspired by the 1936 science fiction movie, Things To Come. Today its futuristic modern look still rings true, with its curving exterior walls, and multi-level layout painted bright white.

For those looking for that feel-good vibe of the old neighborhood they grew up in, Bryker Woods has quite a lot to offer, and does so from the heart of the city.

Ki specializes in helping home buyers interested in Austin Texas real estate. His site has a free Austin Homes along with numerous neighborhood profiles such as the Bryker Woods Austin neighborhood.

dane

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With a distinctive mane of lively red hair, pale skin and a cupid-bow mouth, Lily Cole is one of the UK’s top models. At just 18 years old, she is said to be worth around £11 million.

Her Rise and Rise

At 14 years old, a modelling scout spotted Torquay-born Cole as she devoured a burger in Central London. Cole initially ran away believing a ‘dodgy guy’ was chasing her but when asked to consider modelling, she accepted their offer. Soon after, Cole signed with Storm, a top agency representing models such as Kate Moss and Elle Macpherson.

Cole’s modeling career took off in 2003 when she worked for Italian Vogue with Stephen Meisel, the photographer responsible for Madonna’s SEX book. This catapulted Cole into the spotlight and in 2004, she appeared on the cover of Vogue and won the coveted Model of the Year prize at the British Fashion Awards. Cole would later work with many more major fashion photographers, including David Bailey, Craig McDean, Nick Knight, Juergen Teller, Irving Penn and Arthur Elgort.

Fashion’s Brightest Star

Her long limbs and porcelain doll features have made Cole a hit with the most prestigious designers. She is frequently seen on all the major catwalks and has appeared in shows by Jean Paul Gaultier, DKNY, Versace, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Louis Vuitton.

One of Britain’s most recognisable models, Cole has appeared on countless magazine covers, including ID, Numero and the American, Italian, British, Japanese and Korean editions of Vogue. Cole has also appeared in adv

At Christian Dior’s recent 60th anniversary show, Cole’s reputation as a top model was cemented. Appearing alongside legendary models such as Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Karen Mulder, Lily was one of the only young models invited to participate.

She is the face of Accessorize and two fragrances: Ghost’s Anticipation and Moschino’s I Love Love. She was recently approached to become the face of De Beers diamonds but declined due to claims that native bushmen in Botswana had been thrown off their land to make room for De Beers’s new mining sites.

Other Talents

Cole has brains as well as beauty. In Summer 2006, she achieved three A’s in her A-Level English, Politics and Philosophy and Ethics exams. This earned her a place to study Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University, although she has deferred her course for the foreseeable future due to her career.

Cole also has plans to embark on an acting career and was recently cast as Alice in Marilyn Manson’s upcoming film Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll. A number of critically acclaimed shorts from the film have already been featured on Manson’s website and a feature length film is also planned. It has also been recently announced that Cole will join the cast of St Trinians, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Stephen Fry.

What’s next?

With brains, beauty and a blossoming film career, Cole has world at her feet. Will she continue modelling for multi-million pound contracts or will we see her embarking on a career in academia or Hollywood? The fashion world waits with baited breath…

Tania Machowska

Author Bio

Biography
Tania Machowska is a former model with experience of catwalk and catalogue modelling. She loved being a model escort in Paris, with trips as an escort in Cannes for a Nice escort agency.

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The exceptionally talented Country artist Cheryl Wheeler has released her CD entitled Defying Gravity. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Cheryl Wheeler fans, and Country fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Defying Gravity Cheryl Wheeler?s artistic excellence is on full display as Wheeler has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date.

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Cheryl Wheeler possesses the characteristic of being able to win you over with her talent alone. The kind of artist I really enjoy listening to.

I?m of the opinion that Defying Gravity is certainly Cheryl Wheeler?s best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it?s a collection that even the casual Country fan can appreciate and enjoy.

While this entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 1 – Since You’ve Been Gone, track 3 – Must Be Sinking Now, and track 5 – Summers Almost Over.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore …as in “Stuck On REpeat” is track 12 – On The Plane. Good stuff!

Defying Gravity Release Notes:

Cheryl Wheeler originally released Defying Gravity on February 8, 2005 on the Philo l

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Clyde Lee Dennis

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The Sun, the Moon and Ascendant- Basic Principles

In most social astrological conversations, the first question asked is: “what is your Sun, Moon and Ascendant? The questioner often seems to assume that these factors are almost interchangeable. In reality, they are three important, distinct, and non-interchangeable, influences. They are, however, interrelated. Let’s examine them, one at a time, and ascertain the true implications of each.

The Ascendant represents the most spiritual aspect of the individual; it deals with the individual’s self-awareness. Any student of psychology can tell you the importance of self-image in determining character. A person can only be what he or she is honestly capable of conceiving himself to be, and until the self-images in changed, the person cannot changes. Before there can be personal possessions, thoughts, a real home, creative self-expression, work, partnerships, joint resources, a philosophy a profession, friend or an awareness. This awareness of self and determination to survive is directly related to the Ascendant.

The Ascendant also determines how a person views reality. It indicates the fundamental capacity for awareness from which self-expression springs. The ascendant, in traditional Astrology, is said to influence physical appearance, and this is true. More important, however, is its influence on the basic consciousness, which is the individual.

Some older astrological texts state that the Sun i

The Sun in the horoscope is the channel for the expression of active, creative energy. Through this creative activity and the expression of the will, an individual realizes his or her creative potential.

The Sun rules the dynamic expression of energy in the process of creation, and the Sun sign determines the manner in which this energy is expressed. Aspects to the Sun indicate the channels for its expression and the degree of harmony or disharmony which accompanies it.

The house position of the Sun, the Fifth House, and the house(s) on whose cusp(s) Leo is found indicate the practical affairs of life that are directly influenced by creative activity.

If the sun is weak in the horoscope, the individual may lack the dynamic drive and will power for creative self-expression. If the Sun is heavily aspected, elevated, or angular by placement, the necessary drive and will power to bring about dynamic activity will be in evidence. If many squares and oppositions, in conjuncts or exact minor aspect afflictions are evident, conflict, discord, obstacles, and ego confrontations may accompany such efforts. Generally speaking, it is better to have afflictions to the Sun than to have a weak, unaspected Sun, because, even if mistakes are made, something is accomplished and the individual grow by experience.

People usually do not begin to fully realize their Sun’s potential until they reach astrological adulthood, or twenty-one year of age. Until that time, their typical behavior is often characterized by their Moon sign, its house position, and its aspects.

The Moon’s position in the horoscope represents those aspects of human behavior that depend upon automatic responses, whether they be the familiar motions of driving a car or national stimulus-response based on past experience which the individual can’t consciously remember. The Moon represents in-ertia or character or the tendency to go on behaving and living in the manner to which one is accustomed and familiar. A consciously directed effort of the will is required to change these automatic response patterns. Often, these patterns are inappropriate, and even dangerous, and serve only to impede the individual’s success and progress. This is especially true if the Moon is addicted. Then, such response patterns are apt to be irrational and aberrant. Usually, they are based on past experiences that have been re-stimulated without the individual’s conscious, rational awareness. Hence, the Moon in the horoscope represents something to be outgrown and over-come through a conscious awareness of all the reasons for choosing a particular path of self-expression.

The Moon has a great deal to do with everyday affairs, family and domestic matters, food and eating habits. When one stops to consider the extent to which most people’s eating habits are dictated by irrational emotional needs, rather than by what is good for health and vitality, it becomes apparent that irrational responses to past emotional conditioning can dictate dietary habits that are actually detrimental to health and well-being.

The sign position of the Moon indicates the manner in which the individual’s habitual responses are expressed. The house position of the Moon shows what department or affairs of life will be directly influenced by such responses (as will the Fourth House and the houses(s) on whose cusp(s) Cancer is found in the horoscope).

Dr. Shanker Adawal, Jyotishacharya in Astrology is a professional and Astrology is his passion and an urge. His predictive technique is based on Bhrigu Technique whose principles and doctrines have been deciphered from research of above two decades . He is a professional in the field of telecommunications. He is presently working for one of the Fortune 500 Indian companies at a senior position. Did his MBA and PhD. and worked with Multinationals in India and abroad, before joining his presnt assignment. He has travelled extensively both in India and abroad. He also has keen interest in Human Rights.He got interested in astrology when he was young, did his Jyotishacharya. His desire and aspiration to share the findings of his research and the new dimensions which can be given to the science of astrology. www.connectingmind.com

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Vedic Astrology – Historical Perspective & Uses – Lesson 1

An Introduction

Vedic Astrology, the Science of Time, the Eye of Wisdom and the foremost among the branches of knowledge has come to us from 18 seers. While Varaha Mihira is hailed as the Father of Indian Astrology, Parashara is hailed as the Father of Indian Predictive Astrology. IndianAstro-Physics is divided into 3 major portions – Siddhanta (Astronomy ), Samhita ( Astro-Philosophy ) & Hora ( Astrology ).

The English word ” hour” is derived from the Sanskrit word Hora.

The Precession of the Equinoxes

While the Western astronomers compute everything from 0 degree Aries which is the beginning of the Tropical Zodiac, the Indian astronomers compute everything from 0 degrees Aswathi ( Beta Arietis ) , which is the beginning of the Sidereal Zodiac. Sidereal is derived from the Latin word “Sidereus” meaning the constellation of fixed stars. The Vernal Equinoctial Point was found to precede one degree in 72 years and hence 360*72 = 25920 years was fixed as the Precession of the Equinoxes or the Precessional Cycle.

Flamsteed anticipated

Long before Flamsteed fixed the beginning of Zodiac at 0 degree Aries, the Indian astronomer Brahmagupta fixed it at 0 degree Aswini ( Beta Arietis ). Another great astronomer-mathematician Aryabhata wrote treatises on Spherical Astronomy and Spherical Trignometry in his magnum opus Aryabhateeyam. It is said that Arabs acquired a knowledge of maths and astronomy only after Brahmagup

The Philosophic Aspect

As the destructive power is imbedded in the atom, so are the acts of preservation, creation and destruction invested in the womb of Almighty Time. Time Eternal alone is the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. Past,Present & Future are imbedded in the womb of Time Eternal and a knower of Time can get an insight into Past, Present & Future. The Present is a product of the Past. Future is contained in the Present inasmuch as it is determined by the Present. The Lord equates Himself with the cosmic phenomenon of Time. ” I am Time Eternal ” declares He in the the Geetha ( “Kalosmi ” ). Oppenheimer, the Father of the Atom Bomb quoted this verse from the Geetha when saw the first atomic explosion. To him, the destructive power of the atom was a mere manifestation of the destructive power of Time Eternal!

Uses of Astrology

The Practical Aspect

The great French mathematician Laplace advocated Probability as a weapon to cope up with Reality. Astrology is the application of the Law of Probability in toto, based on astronomical facts. Our life is hindered by many an obstacle & we are busy battling the barriers to Success. These barriers are always there, some known, some unknown. But via the Wisdom of the Heavens (Astrology ) these barriers can be known, why it is there and what are the heavenly causes which generated it. Everything happens by Cause. Classical Philosophy postulates that natural causes have corresponding celestial causes and this is known as the Law of Correspondences. This message is contained in the aphorism ” As above, so Below “. Once the causes are known to us from a bona fide astrologer, overcoming the barriers becomes easy.

The scientist manipulates the effect: the diviner or the poet manipulates the Cause. Astrology and Yoga are sciences which deal with the Cause. The Divine is the Transcendant Causeless Cause.Astrology has been described as a Lamp in Darkness. Without it, life becomes a lightless nightmare and we roam about groping in the dark. “Forewarned is Forearmed “. It is the negative aspects of the planets which create all the barriers in our life. Once they are known, by means of the Great Art we can transcend its negativity. Life becomes more smooth sailing and success becomes ours.

The New Age Movement

New Age – A Paradigm Shift to Divine Consciousness & a Universal Philosophy

The New Age Movement (NAM) is a revival of spiritual and divine values and can be called as a Divine Regeneration Movement. New Age Philosophy has conquered the West intellectually and Western culture is currently experiencing a phenomenal shift – sociological, spiritual & ideological. It’s a secular, multi-cultural, multi-religious synthesis, of the Oriental mystical philosophies, mainly Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism & Western Occultism, emphasising Holism, the doctrine that Reality is organically One ( now taught in American Universities after Einstein’s Theory of Relativity ).

Behind the evolution of the species, there is an evolution of Consciousness. The aim of Life is Self-Actualisation, to evolve to the level of Unity Consciousness, defined as the 7th state of Consciousness in Transcendental Philosophy.

The social disturbance caused by the Vietnam War, the threat posed by AIDS, the disillusionment with materialistic ideas and the erosion of faith in Morality & Ethics brought a sense of futility & meaninglessness in the Western psyche.The limitations of the Western system of Chemotherapy & adverse side-effects of antibiotics, sedatives and certain other drugs and the disillusionment with the promises of science & technology made millions turn to Oriental philosophies, occult practices & systems of therapy.( Interest in Alternative Medicine developed to such an extent that there are now more than 180 systems of Alternative Medicine.

Exponents of New Age Philosophy in Europe and America include Transcendentalists like Thoreau, Emerson & Walt Whitman, Wordsworth, Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), , & Theosophy introduced by Madame Helena Blavatsky (1831- 1891) & Col Olcott & the philosopher, Annie Besant. As the world witnessed a Consciousness Revolution, Transcendental Meditation, Yoga ,Zen, Carlos Castañada, the Beatles, Holistic Medicine ( both Western and Ayurveda ), Tantra, Astrology ( both Western & Vedic ) all became popular .

There are 6 million New Age sites on the Web and the NAM consists of a massive & well organised network consisting of thousands of groups, trusts, foundations, clubs, lodges, and spiritual groups whose goal and purpose is to prepare the world to enter the coming Aquarian Age. ( The Age of Aquarius ). In astrological symbolism, Aquarius represents Spirituality and Pisces Rationality. The Piscean Age, an age of Computer and Cybernetics revolution, will be followed by an Age of Consciousness Revolution or a Spiritual Revolution, the Aquarian Age.

Some New Age Organisations are : California New Age Caucus, New World Alliance, World Goodwill, The Church Universal and Triumphant, The Theosophical Society, Amnesty International, Zero Population Growth, the Forum, Planetary Initiative for the World We Choose, the Club of Rome, Church Universal & Triumphant, Christian Science, and the Unity School of Christianity.

New Age believes in the essential goodness of Man and the Divine Spark in Man and the New Age movement is not a unified cult system of beliefs and practices, even though its roots derive from Vedic Philosophy. There is no central authority, no official leader, no headquarters, nor membership list, but instead is a network of groups working toward World Peace and Universal Love. There are millions of worldwide followers of various New Age practices and the world is moving from Chaos ( Disorder ) to Cosmos ( Order ) ! This is a Phase Transition from Entropy ( Disorder ) to Order !

Significant influence has been gained by NAM affecting almost every area of Occidental culture—Sociology, Psychology, Medicine, the Government, Ecology, Science, Arts, Education, the Business Community, the media, entertainment, sports, and even the Church. Organised spiritual forms such as Christian Science, Unity and even forms of Witchcraft ( from the German ‘ Wicca’ meaning the Wise; Witchcraft means the Craft of the Wise ) are all its expressions. Various Human Potential Seminars, Transcendental Meditation, Zen Meditation and some Alternative Holistic Medicine practices are also its manifold manifestations.

Some popular New Age publications and journals are New Age Journal, the Z Files, Clarity, Body Mind Spirit, Yoga Journal, Gnosis, East West, Noetic Sciences, the Millenium Being and Omega. The new tendency of people now is to view everything from a New Age perspective

The major goal of the New Age Movement is to prepare Man for entering the Aquarian Age and to bring world peace in an already bruised world. “All is wrong with the world” said Shaw & some of the other goals of the NAM are to establish an entirely New World Order in the fields of Economy & Government. The idea of a World Government was proposed by Bernard Shaw earlier and was implemented by Mahesh Yogi and occurs in the writings of the foundational apostle of the New Age Movement, Alice Bailey.

The word ‘Initiation” is derived from the Latin “In ire” to go within and Initiates were termed by the Great Master as the salt of the Earth. The mystic Ward defined Reality as “Within and within and within and within” . Another mystic described it as “It is hidden, it is hidden and it is hidden”. To the mystic, self evolution is the means and only by changing and correcting ourselves can we change others . The primary goals of the movement then, are to prepare the world to receive the Divine Consciousness and to enter the Age of Aquarius, thus establishing the New World Order.

New Age Philosophy believes that human evolution can be accelerated, if not in the entire mass of humanity, at least in suitable individuals. Human nature is perfectible, through an intensive process of purification and Initiation.

The New Age Movement is secular & universally diffused over the earth’s surface & its basic underlying philosophy emphasises Gnosticism and Occultism. (Gnosticism is an ancient philosophy stating that Divine essence is the highest reality, and that the Self of man is actually this Essence. Behind the phenomenal world is the Transcendent Reality which Intuition alone can see ). It bears a remarkable resemblance to the Universal Religion that H.G. Wells predicted would one day take over the world.

The six main characteristics of New Age thinking are: (1) All is Unity; (2) All is Divine (3) Humanity is divine (4) A change in Consciousness; (5) All religions are One; and (6) Cosmic Evolutionary optimism.

Basically Dialectical Integralism, New Age Philosophy unites both Matter and Spirit.

Spirit shall see through Matter’s gaze

Matter shall reveal the Spirit’s face !

The 13 main principles of New Age Philosophy are:

(1) One Global Order – One World Governement, One Currency, One Universal Being.

(2) Universal Energy, Universal Matter, Universal Life, Universal Soul As God

(3) An Eternal Universe – Uniform in Space and Unending in Time

(4) Divine practices ( Astrology Yoga & other esoteric arts)

(5) Syncretism ( Unity of all Religions ).

(6) The need for Meditation ( for generating altered states of Consciousness );

(7) Life is Cyclical- Everything is cyclical, subject to the cyclical upheavals of Time.

(8) Holistic Medicine & Vegetarianism (The patient is more important than the Doctor & Alkaline diet)

(9) Pacifism ( Anti-war activities);

(10) Reincarnation; ( The Law of Conservation of Soul )

(11) The Evolution of Man into Divinity; ( The latent Life Force evolving naturally to the Divine )

(12) The Union of Man with the Divine; ( Merger of man into the Infinite )

(13) Matter’s Illusoriness; – Esse est percipii – Perception is Essence; Mind is Substance.

The practices of the New Age are psychic practices like : Astrology, Reiki, Bioenergy, Chi energy, Chakras, Nirvana, Christ- Consciousness,Spiritualism, Native American Spirituality, Prajna, Out-of-body/near- death experiences, Reincarnation, Yoga, Meditation and the occult disciplines, as well as psychotherapeutic techniques and scientific applications of the healing powers of crystals and pyramids.

Some commonly used New Age terms are: Quantum Healing, Transmutation, Transfiguration, Guided Imagery, Reincarnation; Positive Thinking; Human Potential; Holistic; Holographic; Synergistic; Unity; Oneness; Transformation; Awakening; Networking; Communal Sharing; One-world/globalism/new world order (i.e., One language, One Government, One currency, One religion); Cosmic Consciousness; Zodiac, etc.

Some New Age practices are: Transcendental Meditation, Parapsychology, Inner healing; Biofeedback; Yoga; I Ching; Reflexology; Therapeutic Touch; Transpersonal Psychology; Witchcraft; ; Magick; Tai Chi; Shamanism; Hypnotherapy; Acupuncture/Acupressure; Martial arts; Zen; Relaxation; Silva Method (formerly Silva Mind Control); Visualization; etc.

Some prominent New Agers are: Jeremy Rifkin, Norman Cousins, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, John Denver, George Lucas, Norman Lear, Alice Bailey, Alvin Toffler, Dr. Barbara Ray, Benjamin Creme, Levi Dowling, George Trevelyan, Fritjof Capra, Abraham Maslow, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Ruth Montgomery, Shirley MacLaine, J.Z. Knight, Marilyn Ferguson and David Spangler.

Soothing audio environments are created by New Age musicians and they believe rightly that Music has psycho-therapeutic properties. ( This concept is derived from the Vedic Philosophy that All music is Samaveda, the 4th Veda of the Indians ). Born of an interest in spirituality and healing in the late 1970s, it is often used as an aid in meditation.

Essentially meditative, New Age Music is soothing to the Soul. Isnt Music defined as the food for the Soul ? Harmonic consonance, uplifting themes, contemplative melodies & nonlinear song forms are the characteristics of New Age music. Even natural sounds or sounds from Nature and traditional electronic instruments are used by New Age musicians. With roots in classical music or Eastern Music, New Age music is often meditative. Prominent New Age musicians include vocalist Liz Story; harpist Andreas Vollenweider, electric violinist Jean-Luc Ponty , electronic-music pioneer Brian Eno, multi-instrumentalist Kitaro & solo-piano artist George Winston.

New Age practices have almost conquered the world. Athletes are using guided imagery. Graduate schools of business are invoking T M, Yoga, and Tarot cards in teaching courses on creativity in business (e.g., Stanford Graduate School of Business). Based upon Astrology, the Science of Time, stock market gurus employ Fibonacci numbers and “Wave Theory” in their forecasting.

We can summarise that the term New Age is an innovative term derived from the mother of all sciences, Astrology, indicating that this earth is undergoing an evolutionary transitional phase from the Piscean Age of Scientism to the Aquarian Age of Divine Wisdome, Cosmic Consciousness , Knowledge and Love.

Since the New Age is a conglomeration of spiritual practices, let us analyse the basic principles of N A M

1. The Divine Source of Authority. New Agers do not claim any source of authority—Only Inspiration by the Divine. By the Divine we mean a principle within, the Divine Spark or the Self and many are there who receive the revealations of the Self within or the intuitive insights of the Self.

2. The Lord. – Since Matter and Energy can neither be created or destroyed and the sum total energy in the Universe is an absolute constant ( Universal Being ), the Lord did not create the world, He became the world. Monism—( “All is Unity” ) averrs that there is only One Essence in the universe, everyone and everything being a part of that essence. The Self is an utter Being and all these are its Becomings. New Agers view God as an Impersonal Life force, Consciousness, or Energy (e.g., the “Star Wars Force”) mainly but they also believe in His personal aspect, as the Ocean ( which is Formless ) can take the form of an iceberg! They averr that every human has a divine spark within him because all created beings are reflections of the Divine Idea. The eternal state is called by various terms among different New Age groups, i.e., God-consciousness, Universal Love, Self-Realization, the I AM, Higher Self, Brahman, Nirvana, etc.

2. The Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Christ Consciousness or the Divine Consciousness is what the New Age advocates mean by Christ. . In other words, Christ is a Divine Principle rather than an individual, such as Jesus. This idea of Christ Consciousness asserts that Jesus was only one of the Christs, but that He equipped Himself to receive the Christ Consciousness (i.e., He was a great Master who attained Christ Consciousness), as did other prophets like Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed. New Agers believe Dr Paul Brunton who stated the Jesus spent 18 years in India absorbing Indian Mysticism and that he was initiated into the highest esoteric doctrine.

3. Human Destiny. Man is the measure of all things and is more divine than the animals & hence the salvation of the world depends upon Man. Cleansing the negative elements from the collective subconscient should be the aim of humanity. Once Negativity is cleaned from the collective subconscient, the human positive energy will shine forth and the noble ideals of the New Age will be actualised in an era of Enlightenment. Since man is intrinsically divine and perfect, his only real problem is ignorance of that fact. Gnosis means experiential knowledge and Salvation in the New Age is for man to become enlightened through this Divine Gnosis. New Age groups offer various spiritual techniques to enable individuals, and ultimately the world, to evolve into this Unitive Consciousness . These techniques may include psychotechnologies for attaining altered states of consciousness – Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, Zen, Attunement , Channeling (Spirit guides), Psychics, Acupuncture, etc.

4. The Ethical Opposites, Good & Evil – Believing in the Oriental philosophies, New Agers make the distinction between good and evil. All wickedness is weakness and Evil is imperfection. By the method of Trial and Error, we come to know what is good and what is bad for the world and we have to transcend the dualities.

5. Reincarnation. New Agers believe in the ancient Vedic philosophic concept of Reincarnation—that through a long process of rebirths, man can eventually attain Divine perfection. They also teach the Universal Law of Karma -(( The Law of Cause and Effect ( Every effect has a cause ), the Law of Action and Reaction, the Law of Retribution )) that what a person sows , he shall reap. This is also the doctrine of God’s non-responsibility, that the Self is not responsible and it is the Ego which experiences bitter & sweet mental experiences due to its own Karma.

6.Salvation is Self-Actualisation and Sin is Ignorance – SSome theoreticians taught the concept of Man’s Original Sin. New Age exponents teach the concept of man’s essential goodness. Instead of systems which emphasised the human negative aspect and sin, New Age highlights that every man is essentially divine and it is a sin to call man a sinner ! However, New Agers speak of troublesome desires which are natural impulses which retard human evolution and make the Ego move away from the Self. Sin is merely ignorance of man’s essential divinity. The atrophied spiritual consciousness of the normal man who lives in ignorance of his Divine Self is Sin. Like the Law of Conservation of Energy which states that Energy cannot be created or destroyed, the Law of Conservation of Soul states that the Soul can neither be created nor destroyed. Matter exists in 3 states, liquid, gaseous and solid and matter cannot be created or destroyed. Nothing ever begins to be. Similarly Life does not at physical birth begin to be. It merely enters physical conditions and assumes physical guise. It merely undergoes a parallel transformation into conditions which preexisted in other conditions. The Soul is reincarnated in different bodies in a continous succession of lives. The good or bad Karma earned in the present lifetime determines one’s subsequent incarnation. Attaining higher states of Consciousness should be our aim.There are many different paths to the goal of Divine perfection and we should be tolerant of other paths.

The divine Aurobindo predicted that spiritual influences from India will trigger off a global spiritual movement.There will be Mass Incarnations ( many people divinely inspired ) who will work for World Peace and Universal Love !

I saw them cross the twilight of the Age

The massive barrier breakers of this world

The sun-eyed children of a marvellous dawn

The architects of immortality

Carrying the magic Word, the mystic Fire

Carrying the Dionysian Cup of Joy !

The four systems of Philosophy which triggered the N A M are Hinduism, a product of 5,000 years of development, Buddhism, circa 560 B.C., Taoism, circa 500 B.C & Druidism, circa 300 B.C, the religion of the Celts, which extended upto the Middle Ages.

Article by G Kumar, Astrologer, writer & programmer of www.eastrovedica.com. Recently he was awarded a Certificate by the Planetary Gemologists Association Global ( www.p-g-a.org ) as a Planetary Gem Advisor. He has 25 years psychic research experience in the esoteric arts. To subscribe to his free informative Ezine, the Z Files mailto:info@eastrovedica.com?subject=SubscribeZF. His blog is up at http://www.zodiacastrology.blogspot.com Mobile 091 9388556053

Article by G Kumar, Astrologer, writer & programmer of www.eastrovedica.com. Recently he was awarded a Certificate by the Planetary Gemologists Association Global ( www.p-g-a.org ) as a Planetary Gem Advisor. He has 25 years psychic research experience in the esoteric arts. To subscribe to his free informative Ezine, the Z Files mailto:info@eastrovedica.com?subject=SubscribeZF. His Astro blog is up at http://www.zodiacastrology.blogspot.com & his Philosophy blog is http://transcendentalphilosophy.blogspot.com Mobile 091 9388556053

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BBC’s Religion and Ethics page writes “Wesak is the most important of the Buddhist festivals and is celebrated on the full moon in May. It celebrates the Buddha’s birthday, and, for some Buddhists, also marks his birth and death.”

In the Esoteric Teachings, Alice A. Bailey writes, “The day of the Festival is to be known as the “day of safeguarding” whilst the two succeeding days are called the “days of distribution.”

Torkom Saraydarian has written and lectured extensively on Wesak. In the book Cosmos in Man, he writes:

“At this time, as the Full Moon is approaching, the Great Ones, the Initiates and disciples are forming a great field of energy in the Himalayas, through their meditation, contemplation, mystical and sacred rituals, and through Their great striving, invocations and contacts. This is the field which will be charged more and more by the presence of Christ, and through the blessings of the Great Lord Buddha; it will provide a chalice for cosmic energy, and a channel through which these energies can pass to the kingdoms of nature. This energy field is formed of the four cosmic ethers and, as a huge cloud formation, spreads itself all over the world.

“All those who are sensitive enough to this energy field will slowly notice that seeds of great beauty, truth, and goodness start to bloom within their hearts. All those who love their fellow man, all those who really work for the unity of mankind, who really strive beyond their physical satisfactions to reach and touch this field

I decided years ago that our TSG Annual Conference would take place to coincide with Wesak. I wanted to celebrate this time with friends and family in a very special setting and special programs. I went to work to create an event that would stay in the memory of every participant and that memory would be a continuous source of joy and upliftment and we have succeeded in doing so since 2000!

Several kinds of memories and experiences helped me make this decision. One was the special energy I felt every time I attended a Wesak lecture and meditation. Whether the speaker was Torkom or another person, the energy was always electric. I have forgotten the contents of the lectures, but I have never forgotten that special feeling, that impressed inner joy.

The second was the feeling I had at every annual conference that Torkom presented. These were intense five days of lectures, meditations, and visualizations held in the summers in Sedona. I felt like every part of my nature was getting cleaned out and re-aligned. The joy of meeting old friends, sitting together hour after hour, and doing mental and spiritual work together unified me in heart and soul. The events and participants were disciplined and on a very high spiritual level. It was like a mini monastery experience with devoted disciples. The impressions and friendships have been long lasting. They were magical days and I wanted to recapture this feeling after Torkom passed away.

Another reason for my decision was to have an outer celebration of what the mysteries tell us happens on the inner planes: the symbolic joining together of two spiritual traditions. I wanted to experience what this feels like with others of like mind and heart. I did not want this time to be spent in religious or academic discussion but rather a time where an inner experience is impressed and acknowledged in our life. Wesak is not the time for intellectual curiosity, but rather a time of worship, remembrance, healing, understanding, connecting, uniting, and accepting the vastness of the universes and the vastness and beauty of the Divine Guidance received through so many Great Ones. I wanted to organize something that would resonate in the unifying heart of every participant. I wanted to focus on how to unite rather than divide in our actions, feelings, and speech and thinking. I wanted an outer reflection of the work that takes place on the inner planes.

So what happens at our annual Wesak Conferences? I usually present a series of lectures focusing on a specific topic. I try to stretch and expand our minds by the lectures and meditations and the overall experience. This year (2008), the topic is our Spiritual Legacy: what is it that lasts life after life and gives meaning and sustenance to our life? How do we build the inner mechanism that will heal us and bring us into life situations that are truly blessed and deeply meaningful? I will speak about emotional healing, about our life narrative and what it is based on, and about the spiritual education and practice that builds our true legacy. We have plenty of time to do group meditation and intense visualizations for clearing, healing, and connecting our consciousness. We discuss high-level Teachings with each other in small groups and learn how to understand the Teaching without mental posturing or personal opinions. We dig deep into the Teaching and try to understand it as a group. The group mind brings out so many hidden treasures of meaning. It is tremendously satisfying for all of us to see how we all experience the “aha” moments as light bulbs go off one by one!

We also do something that is my favorite part of the program: we sing together, using the sacred songs that Torkom wrote and composed. I love these songs and have a passionate interest in hearing them sung with understanding. I rely on my feeling of the song, its rhythm, and the message and meaning it is trying to impart. These are not the usual sacred songs or the usual church songs. They are really different. The key to singing is to use the musical sounds and simple words to understand our relation to the greater whole in a way that is totally different from the intellectual approach. Music surpasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart and intuition. It moves us and influences us in ways that are not easily expressed. Music and sacred songs realign our bodies and clear our aura of disturbing patterns and inharmonious recordings.

I have also formulated sacred dances and movements that we do as a group. We learn how to walk in rhythm and move in rhythm and together learn a dance ritual that combines movement, songs, and candlelight to give a beautifully balanced feast for all our senses. On Wesak eve, we have a special program of songs, dance ritual, and group meditation and Holy Communion.

A participant once told me “I don’t dance Gita.” So, I said, “fine, but just humor me and walk and move with the group and you will see what happens.” He did. At first, he felt tired. The next day, he had more energy. By the third day, he was the first in line and ready to move! Both sound and movement act to move energy and, when they are specially organized and composed and sung, there is a tremendous effect in our life. You have to do it to experience it!

We have been very fortunate to have the Lutheran Retreat Center in Carefree, Arizona to hold our events. It is so beautiful and serene with special desert landscaping. The desert is a beautiful and suitable place for such expansion. It is so big, broad, and open that it begs for our minds to knock down walls and expand and broaden our consciousness. Often, as we sing and dance and listen to lectures, various desert birds entertain us with their flights and songs on the surrounding trees. You cannot be insular or limited in the desert. It forces you to open and expand. It moves the walls of separation and makes you see a much bigger picture, as far as you dare to look.

Esotericists have long believed that this special day, and more specifically, the exact time of the Taurus full moon, something very special happens to our planetary consciousness: that the Buddha arrives from higher, celestial realms and pours out blessings to a gathering of Masters. The legend says that the Lord Christ is at the head of the gathering and receives the bolt of energy and then distributes it to all the Masters present, which in turn release the energy blessings to the world.

For some people, this is about as far fetched as it gets! For me, it does not really matter how it happens. I know that on the inner planes, there is no division of religions, of Buddha or Christ or any other Great One. It is an event that is steeped in mystery but in that mystery is the truth of unity and oneness of God.

More importantly, it is a point of inner contact. This is Wesak at its foremost symbolism, the point of contact between East and West, between heart and mind, between all Great Ones and humanity, between groups and individuals, between group members, and between our daily personality life and our soul. It is a symbolic marriage in its best form, presented to us in a mysterious tale of contact between the Lord Buddha and by the Lord Christ.

This is the spiritual New Year for esotericists. It is the beginning of the Zodiacal cycles and for this reason, it is a perfect time for a spiritual retreat before we position our life in the coming New Year.

At Wesak, I encourage everyone to find time to sit quietly and contemplate on what your life means. Think about your spiritual path and what you are doing to enhance your life in its inner dimensions. Meditate on the meaning of contact and try to come into contact with your inner, core beliefs. If everything is stripped from your life, what are the core principles that operate in your life?

Think as a unified humanity. On this day, we want to take our walls down and expand out to the horizon. On this day, we want to experience the feeling of sacredness and heal our hearts and minds. We want to use the energies of goodwill and higher contact to foster greater meaning to our life. As these higher contacts filter down to our daily life, we become better men and women, better wives and husbands, better loved ones, better parents and better friends; we become better human beings and see each human being in the light of the heart and mind.

What happens on the inner planes also happens on the outer planes when dedicated human beings take the time to link and love and unite.

www.tsg-uk.org (UK)

www.tsgfoundation.org (USA)

Gita Saraydarian is the Founder and President of TSG Foundation, and TSG University. She is the daughter of Torkom Saraydarian. Gita is a teacher and lecturer on the Ageless Wisdom Teachings and has established a worldwide audience as a creative educator for progressive ideas, transformation, and goodwill. TSG has offices in
London, Peru, Germany and USA

Read more about Gita

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The subject of Rays is abstruse and complex. With our limited minds and consciousness we can only perceive and comprehend a general picture. Consciousness play a role in unfolding the knowledge we have of ourselves, or rather SELF. It is for this reason that spirituality is equated with the expansion of consciousness, for the more conscious we are, the more divine our expression; the more we apprehend Cosmic purpose, the more responsive we are to sentient contiguity. The inner differences between one kingdom and another is the quality of the consciousness. Those interested in delving more on the subject of Rays ought to study the works of Alice Bailey.

Now we will discuss the interesting subject of consciousness. Consciousness can be considered as a stream of energy limited in its awareness in the lower planes because of the sheaths that it occupies. This limitation causes an illusory, dualistic sense of fragmentation–of separation from the other elements of the Omniverse. This thread of Ariadne, or the stream of consciousness, is never disconnected or severed as the waking consciousness would have us believe. It is in reality a continuum. There is only one divine consciousness functioning at various levels. These levels are:

1) Waking Consciousness–both the objective and subjective aspect

2) Subconsciousness

3) Superconsciousness or Christ Consciousness

4) Cosmic Consciousness

In Hindu philosophy they correspond to:

1) Jagrat

2) Swapna

3) Sushupti

4) Turiya

The first two

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you . . . ” (Ga 4:19)

To possess Egoic Consciousness is to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. This secret place is Munsalvaesche, or Mt. Salvation in the Grail Mysteries. Initiates of the Huna teachings of Hawaii, the “Kahunas,” refer to superconsciousness as, “Aumakua.” Expansion of the consciousness causes a parallel development in the brain, its structure changes to conform to the quality of the operating consciousness.

Swapna, the “dream-state,” is our subconsciousness. It is the storehouse of unprocessed impulses that we create and record in the waking state, such as our phobias. Our instincts have their source here too. The subconsciousness is also the channel for psychic contact with other intelligences–disembodied and embodied. Impulses of this “Id,” as Freud calls it, often emerge in the form of dreams when the waking consciousness is quiescent. Sometimes it erupts in the waking consciousness, and thus we have the interesting phenomenon of hallucinations, which may occur through the auditory or visual faculty. The subconsciousness runs our involuntary functions such as the pulsations of the heart, the peristaltic movement of the bowels, and the pumping of the lungs. The Swapna-state is very receptive to suggestion. It carries-out commands given to it by the waking mind without question–that is, to a certain degree. Hypnotism is a practice that reaches the subconsciousness by bypassing the awareness of the waking consciousness.

Our waking consciousness is dual in nature: it is objective, and it is subjective. Objective consciousness is the result of external stimuli, the perception of vibrations emanating from the world around us. Our subjective consciousness is related to psychic processes occurring inside the psyche and are within voluntary control, such as reasoning, visualization, and imagination. Here inside the subjective consciousness lies most of the tools of Transcendental Magic. Quantum physics is beginning to realize the principle that consciousness affects that which it observes. This is evident in the atomic level. Occultists have long known of this law and have applied it in the art of transmutation.

Mantras are useful tools in producing an altered state of consciousness. Every initiatic tradition employs its use to further Man’s spiritual unfoldment. It is interesting to note that strong emotions such as fear causes an abrupt change and orientation of one’s consciousness state. For instance, when a person is in a state of fear or shock, he often faints. the consciousness shifts from Jagrat to Swapna. This occurs similarly, although in reverse, when one experiences fright in the dream state. One is often jolted back into waking consciousness. Between the various levels of consciousness are what we call the borderline state. We are most familiar with the borderline between Jagrat and Swapna. In this state, psychic manifestations occur more readily. Psychology calls the interesting images seen in this consciousness-level “hypnogogic.” What really occurs in this state is the thinning of certain etheric webs which facilitates the entrance of impulses and vibrations emanating from the etheric and astral planes.

The brain of man produces waves of electromagnetic energies, and these are recorded in EEG machines. Four primary types of brain waves are recognized and they represent his state of consciousness. These waves are called Alpha, Beta, Theta, and Delta.

In an esoteric sense, the classification of humanity into the caste system by the lawgiver Manu symbolizes the levels of consciousness of Man as he evolves and expands his awareness. Jagrat corresponds to the Sudras–the laborers, the lowest class among mankind. Vaishas are the skilled workers and the merchants–they correspond to Swapna. Ksatriyas, or the ruling class are of the Sushupti-state; while the Brahmans are of Turiya. By evolving his consciousness, Man progresses from one state to the next.

Man’s Purpose on Earth

Ever since the fires of the mind began to grow, several profound questions have vexed Mankind, such as , where and how did we originate? who are we? why are we here? Such questions caused Man to formulate hundreds of philosophies and dogmas designed to provide him with a meaning to his existence. Sometimes Man experiences pain, suffering, and struggle in his life–and then asks “why.” If one’s philosophy does not adequately answer the query or offer solace, then the philosophy itself has to be looked into as to what intrinsic value it contains, and whether it is wise to hold on to it, to modify or to replace it altogether.

The subject of Man’s origin and true nature has been discussed previously in a succinct manner; and although our presentation was just the tip of the iceberg, they do provide food for thought. In this section we will concentrate on Man’s purpose here on earth, for this gives us some insight on Man’s collective destiny.

There is a clue to man’s purpose here on earth if we consider what Man takes along with him at the time of so-called death; for if we acknowledge the existence of the higher worlds and the continuity of consciousness through the change called death, then Man’s descent into this physical plane of coarse matter has a definite purpose which is normally forgotten as soon as incarnation takes place. A newly-developed brain does not contain the soul-knowledge acquired in previous lives and in heavenly planes. It is only by the attunement and alignment of brain-consciousness with the Soul that will bring this state of knowingness to the fore-consciousness.

It is evident when we look at the great change called “death” that Man is unable to carry his earthly goods or material things along with him when he passes away from this earthly scene; what he does reap and is able to take along with him from his earthly sojourn are immaterial treasures–things which are often considered valueless by the materialist and in most cases only realized as of great worth in the higher worlds when a greater perspective of life is perceived. The apostle Paul said:

“For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Cor 4:18)

As we analyze the situation, we can only conclude that the immaterial essence, the “things which are not seen” that Man benefits from being in this world and takes along with him when the mortal body is shed, are the practical experiences that he gains from manipulating matter and the conditions of space and time; also his relating to sentient beings while encumbered in a form made out of clay. The resistence of matter tries the mettle of the soul. It is this resistance of matter that evolves soul-consciousness. The interaction between consciousness and dense matter creates the illusion of time and space. these factors, although unreal, play a part in the evolution of Man’s consciousness. As we can see from this, spiritual evolution is expressively the main purpose of Man’s presence here on Earth.

Evolution can be said to be the law of the expansion of consciousness of a life-unit. It is the principle of becoming aware–aware of the All, of the total expression and essence of the Cosmos. From another point of view, it is simply to be–to be our True SELF. This is a state that transcends space and time. Abiding in the SELF is the perception of God “face to face.” In case someone of a Christian persuasion thinks this as impossible just refer to the incident where Jacob wrestled with some force and ended up by saying:

” . . . for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Gen 32:30)

An individual who lives in such a spiritual condition constantly, no longer lives as a Personality, or Soul, but lives as Spirit. St. Paul knew of this higher state of Be-ness. He wrote concerning it in one of his epistles:

“The first Man Adam, was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (I Cor 15:45)

Evolution is the process of manifesting the qualities of God inherent within the consciousness. Heretofore, evolution was worked upon Man by external agencies; now, at our present evolutionary stage of self-consciousness, we are to participate in our own soul-progress. It is said in Genesis, in the Pentateuch, that God rested on the seventh day. The “seventh day” is a symbolical term expressing the inception of Man’s personal involvement with his own soul culture, for where God’s works ends, Man’s labour begins. The twelve tasks of Hercules are the tasks of the soul as it acquires the immortal qualities of the signs of the zodiac. Mortal concepts and behaviour caused the fall of Man. So long as our belief-structure contains ideations and feelings of unworthiness and mortality, we will continue to live in the abyss and not feel the light of the Sun. As Man climbs the steep slopes of the abyss, he learns more and more of the laws of the Cosmos governing his being. Obedience to those laws aligns Man with the Tao.

At each step of the way, evolving Man earns certain symbolical appellations which indicate his spiritual status. In ancient writings these stages of Man’s unfolding consciousness are described as “the darkened spark,” the “flickering light,” and “the radiant son of God.” Relating these stages to the rays, we may say that each stage is influenced by one of the Rays of the triune aspect of Man’s being; for instance, the individual with a “darkened spark,” may be said to be ruled by the Personality Ray; one who is spiritually awakened, who is described as a “flickering light”–such a person is ruled by the Ray of the Ego; and so it goes with the monadic Ray and the person of the third classification. Oriental mystics have their own unique manner of describing these stages based on the condition of discipleship. Buddhism classifies them in the following:

1) Srotopati–”he who has entered the stream.”

2) Sakridagamin–”he who will receive birth only once more.”

3) Anagamin–”he who will be reincarnated no more.”

4) Arhat–”he who sees Nirvana during his life.”

There are higher classifications based on the bhumis of the Bodhisattva.

The steps in the growth of Man’s consciousness are also delineated in that esoteric “book” called the tarot. Each card of the major arcana denotes a certain stage of Man’s spiritual unfoldment. Evolution is God’s Plan. The formulation of this divine idea had its inception in archetypal worlds–in Kether, the first emanation of Ain Soph in the Qaballistic “Tree of Life.” According to this magickal system, to evolve, Man has to balance and embrace the polarities, the various opposites that we experience in life such as, love/hate, wealth/poverty, thinking/feeling, etc. These dualities are symbolised by Boaz and Jachin, the two pillars in King Solomon’s Temple. Man is pulled into entirely different directions by these two conditions; it is Man’s task to harmonize them and walk the central path. The middle way is the Royal Road home.

Conclusion

Man is endowed with several different faculties that assist him in determining and in creating his destiny and reality. Reason, imagination, free-will, are all tools that should be used to realize the true nature of things, the essence of life. Man’s belief-framework determines to a large extent his reality–the environment is a reflection of the contents of the mind and emotions. Replacement of beliefs with a direct knowing of the Spirit liberates man from all conditions that binds and limits divine expression. The Orphics of ancient Greece called the body “the prison house of the soul”–and Man can only free himself from such a dungeon by widening the cracks that emit light. In order for Man to know eternal verities and manifestations of Cosmic life in celestial spheres he would have to develop the necessary apparatuses, the spiritual mechanisms that would aid in the reception of impressions and cognizance of higher vibratory activity. “As above so below” is a truism that Man has to prove for himself; for if the macrocosm creates, and is limitless in its nature and creativity, so likewise is the microcosmic being of Man. At present humanity is patterning and expressing very little of what lies above in the Kingdom of Souls. The potentiality to manifest God’s Kingdom is present, however. Mastery of the elements of our being leads us to management of the cosmos.

Life is a Mystery School. Each day Man faces trials and tribulations–the overcoming of which gives him a greater strength and understanding. Man’s manifold experiences disciplines his mind, body, and soul. Man’s philosophy and attitudes towards life are tested as to their wholesomeness and truthfulness. Revisions to his philosophy are made when they fail to provide him with the peace and energy to grow through life. The search for one’s SELF is the search for enlightenment that is already part of the Spirit. Vajrayana Buddhism teaches the practice of knowing, feeling and imagining that the enlightened state were a part of the consciousness level in the “now,” in the eternal present. This they call the divine pride of being a Buddha. The whole subject of Man can be complex in its simplicity, or simple in its complexity. It all depends upon our understanding and the perspective that we hold, whether we desire to “become” or just “to be,” or perhaps both?

[Note: This paper contains images which may be seen as originally published at our website]

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Leonard Lee aka Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
Magickal Items from Indonesia: talismans, mustika pearls, kerises, etc.
Magickal Bezoar Mustika Pearls from Indonesia.

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Advice calling is networking. It’s a program of seeking advice, and ultimately help, from influential people, knowledgable executives in the field that interests you. It’s your way to generate the high-level contacts that lead to the best careers for women. Career-seekers who use it aggressively say they’re amazed how readily the doors to opportunities open for them.

Influential people know where the prime opportunities can be found. They can tell you where to look. And a few words from them in the right quarters can open doors you couldn’t open yourself.

Look behind a big success and it’s likely you’ll find a believer, someone who wants it to happen, and is willing to help.

The right influentials have spent years getting where they are, and learning who’s doing what in the field. They already know what you’ll have to find out to get started. That’s why you want to ask for their help.

So you see, it really is who you know that matters. The good news is: You can know a lot of important people in a very short time.

Why they’ll help you

Many influentials will take the time and effort to help you. Here’s why:

They like to see newcomers get a good start.

They remember the problems they faced earlier in their own careers.

They want to tell you what the real world is like.

They’re alumni of your school.

They feel they have a corporate duty to help others.

They’re flattered to be asked.

They want to di

They like you.?

Remember, you’re asking for advice, not a job. There’s a big difference.

The influential who would turn you down if you were asking for a job interview, because she had no openings, is likely to give you the advice you seek, because you’re asking for something she can give, and wants to give.

Finding your influentials

Start by identifying the influentials with whom you want to have meetings. You want the right people in appropriate organizations, so you’re searching for companies as well as people. Here are some places to begin:

People you know and people they know. Talk to your family, friends, teachers. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers, clergy and insurance agents come into contact with many people.

Alumni of your school. Talk to your school’s alumni office or placement office.

Trade periodicals. Watch the news and see what companies and people are doing things that interest you.

Trade directories. The Directory of Directories or Klein’s Guide To American Directories will help you find the right ones.

The Chamber of Commerce and other local trade organizations. Call on the president of the Chamber. He or she knows everybody.

National associations. Check the Encyclopedia of Associations at the library. Tip: many associations sponsor trade shows. If you can wangle your way into a trade show, you’ll find exhibit booths manned by people who can steer you to the right decision-makers in their companies. A lot of job-hunting goes on at trade shows.

Choosing the right person

Job titles will give you clues. In general, the smaller the organization, the higher you can reasonably go to make your contact. You might get a meeting with the president of a $15 million company, but not with the boss of a $5 billion organization.

But if in doubt how high to shoot, go higher, not lower. You want to enlist help in your career search, and the more highly placed influential has more of the clout you want on your side. A phonecall on your behalf from a vice president is more likely to expose you to a wider range of opportunities than a call from a lower level manager.

Besides, if the big guy won’t see you, he or she may buck your request down to somebody else.

Authority flows down, not up.

Your advice call letter

It’s your first contact with an influential you hope will help you in your career. Give careful thought to this letter. It should be:

Short. Confine it to the essentials. Your goal is to get the appointment, nothing else. You”re not asking for a job. Three to five short paragraphs is plenty. This is a brief, one page letter.

Appealing. You want to be perceived as someone serious about your career, someone interesting and worth seeing. Devote part of the letter to yourself, part to the person who’s going to read it. See below.

Actionable. You want the reader to know she’s going to have to take some action, to meet with you, or to refuse. She can’t just ignore you.

Let’s see what an effective advice call letter might look like:

Dear Ms. Comstock,

Your advice could be very valuable to me.

As a Syracuse University graduate, a principal of a major advertising agency, and a recognized leader in the industry, you’re the ideal professional to advise me how to choose a productive career path in advertising.

I have a BA in marketing from Syracuse. I believe a career in account management is right for me, and I’m eager to know how you evaluate today’s opportunities in this field, particularly in the Chicago market. Your insights will help me make important decisions in planning my career program.

May I have just 20 minutes of your time? I’ll call your office on Tuesday, April 21, to ask you for an appointment.

Very truly yours,

Check it out. You’re telling your influential you want help only she can provide. You’re aware of her status and accomplishments. She’ll earn good-guy points by seeing you. She knows you’re going to call, and must be prepared to respond to you.

Follow up by phone

You’ve sent out a batch of these letters, each carefully personalized, and now it’s time to nail down the appointments.

Make each phonecall on the day you said you would. If you have trouble getting past the secretary, say, “Ms. Comstock is expecting my call,” which is true, since you said you were going to call today. “I’m calling to follow up on my letter of the thirteenth’” is another logical approach.

You may have trouble getting through to your influential. Leave your name and a call back number. If there’s no call back, try a second time, then a third. Then give up, and go on to the next name.

You won’t win them all. Forget the nos and move on to the yeses.

When you get through, push to set a face-to- face meeting. Resist conducting the meeting on the phone. Don’t get into more facts about yourself. The more you reveal about yourself now, the more likely you are to give your influential reasons not to see you.

Remember, a phone call that ends in agreement to meet is a successful call.

Your objectives

Your meeting has three distinct objectives:

Information. About the industry: latest trends, new developments, areas of greatest opportunity.

Counsel. Real-world advice about how to conduct your job search.

Contacts. You want to be referred to others who are likely to have appropriate openings for you, or who know where openings exist. Save this for last.

Come prepared to ask such questions as these:

What are the most important challenges being faced in your area today?

What changes do you believe will come about in the next few years?

What are the most meaningful talents and skills of successful people in your area?

Which part of your industry offers the best opportunities?

What is the typical career path in that area?

If you were starting out today, how would you approach the job market?

Come with the questions written down. Refer to them throughout the meeting, and take notes as your influential answers. You want to be seen as a serious, effective career-seeker, someone who has clear goals and aspirations. And you’ll want a written record of what you’ve learned.

Keep your eye on the time

You promised the meeting would only last 20 minutes, and you must keep that promise—unless the influential clearly wants to spend more time with you.

About 15 minutes into the meeting, start prospecting for leads. Ask these two questions:

Do you know anyone who may have a need for someone with my qualifications?

May I use your name when I make the contact?

When your influential identifies specific individuals, you want to be able to use the influential’s name when you make your contact. Then you’re not some unknown quantity. You’re someone who’s known by an influential.

The influential may offer to make phonecalls on your behalf, and that’s great. But even if she doesn’t, now you’re in a position to start building your network.

Thank your influential for the meeting, give her a big smile and leave on an upbeat note. Write her a thank-you that night and mail it the very next day.

Following the trail

Armed with the name of an influential, you’re now in a position to phone each referral contact. You can use the influential’s name to help you get past the secretary.

When she asks you what the call is about, you say, “Alice Comstock, vice president of the Johnson Agency, advised me to call Mr. Bailey. She said Mr. Bailey could give me some advice on an important matter.”

That should be enough to get you through to Mr. Bailey. If it isn’t, you may have to explain that you’re looking for advice to help you in your job search. Just make it clear you’re not calling to ask for a job, or to sell anything.

Tip: Some executives get to the office earlier than their secretaries, and stay later. Often, if you call just before or just after regular hours, you’ll find that the phone will be answered by the person you want, not the secretary or some other gatekeeper.

Two possibilities

When you don’t know if there’s an opening for you in the referral’s organization, you say, “I had a meeting with Alice Comstock at the Johnson Agency. She said some very nice things about you, and told me you’d be an ideal person to give me advice about a career in marketing. I’ll be very grateful if you could give me your views on the opportunities in your field. I realize you’re busy, but I’d take just 20 minutes of your time. May I come to your office and talk with you?”

If your influential has told you there’s reason to believe an appropriate opening for you exists in the referral’s organization, handle the phone contact this way: “I had a meeting with Alice Comstock at the Johnson Agency, and she told me there might be a job opening in your company for which I’d be a strong candidate…” Outline your background very briefly, and ask for the interview.

Will you get preferred treatment? Probably you will. After all, you’re Alice Comstock’s friend, aren’t you?

Keep prospecting

It’s impossible to predict all the twists and turns your advice call networking will take. Keep growing your network, and you’ll discover opportunities you’d never find any other way.

128 influential people

That’s how many you could know if you start by making advice calls on just two people, and each refers to you two more, and each of those to two more, and so on—through just six levels of contacts. But you’ll have the job you want long before you get that far.

Just stay sharp, focused and aggressive, and you’ll get offers.

Bruce J. Bloom is a respected writer on job-hunting and career opportunities. He is a contributor to the hard-hitting career strategy website “Fast Track For Women,” http://www.winyourcareer.com. His career manual “Fast Track To The Best Job” was published by Blazer Books

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For tropical vacations, the Bahamas are legendary. And with good reason. Even as one of the smallest countries in the world, the Bahamas archipelago, with its approximately 700 tiny islands and 2,000 tinier islets, offers a broad spectrum of topography, facilities and recreational opportunities, and gorgeous, pristine beaches besides. There are nearly 30 inhabited islands here, and of those more than a dozen hold tourist interest.

So, for those visiting the Bahamas for the first time, or even those revisiting, here are the ‘Top 10′ islands in the archipelago, which are also the ones most easily accessible to visitors.

1. New Providence

New Providence is the principal island in the Bahamas. It is by far the most populous, most popular, and literally a magnet for vacationers, particularly Americans. On it is located Nassau, the largest and best known Bahamian city, which claims more than 175,000 people and over 400 banks (oh, did we mention that the Bahamas is a tax haven? No? Well, it is!)! Accommodations, dining choices and other visitor facilities are plentiful here, as are other realtime tourist attractions. Besides its history-laden narrow streets and British-era forts, the chief draws here are the Atlantis International Resort and Casino and the Queen’s Staircase, the latter a 65-step stone stairway, representing one step for each year of Queen Victoria’s rule, which climbs 102 feet to Fort Fincastle. Popular activities include swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, parasailing, diving, sport

2. Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama is the fourth largest island in the Bahamas. A travel brochure for the island describes it as “cosmopolitan glitz and glamour, coupled with miles of pristine beaches and endless turquoise seas.” And that really sums it up. The island has a dozen or so good hotels, several excellent waterfront restaurants, outstanding shopping venues, two casinos, and miles and miles of sandy beaches. The main city here is Freeport, which is the second largest and most modern in the Bahamas, with a population of 50,000. The big draw on the island is the Lucayan National Park, an environmental happening of sorts.

3. The Abacos

The Abacos, or just Abaco, is a cluster of tiny islands, islets and outcroppings that forms a 100-mile-long archipelago of its own. This is the second largest such island group in the Bahamas, and the most visited among the Bahamian ’Out Islands’. Its capital city, Marsh Harbour, which is really a one-stop-light town, is the third largest in the Bahamas. There are other quaint towns and villages on the other Abacos islands as well, with pastel-colored clapboard houses, sun-drenched beaches, abundant tropical flora, quiet country lanes, and more than 50 species of wild tropical birds. Recreation in the Abacos includes all the warm-weather outdoor sports you can think of, while the amenities here can be described as modern.

4. Andros

Andros is by far the largest island in the Bahamas, 104 miles long and 40 miles wide, located  just north of the Abacos, with an island-wide population of 8,000. There are three main towns on Andros, Nicholl’s Town, Fresh Creek and Kemp’s Bay, all of them accessible by boat or direct flights from either Miami or Nassau. There are good visitor facilities here, including a wide selection of accommodations, ranging from full-fledged resorts to neat little guest houses. The island is particularly popular with divers.

5. Bimini

Bimini, just a stone’s throw from Florida (okay, 50 miles) and made famous by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey, is all about fishing, fishing, and fishing. It comprises two distinct islands, with a combined land mass of less than 10 square miles, and a population of around 1,600, most of whom live in Bailey Town in North Bimini. However, Alice Town, the other Bimini population center, is the primary tourist hub, with all the hotels, restaurants and fishing charter companies located there. Most visitors go to Bimini to fish, and the island, besides, is the locale of more than 20 well-known fishing tournaments.

6. Eleuthera

Eleuthera, which is perhaps the longest of the Bahamian islands, more than 110 miles long, and which lies 60 miles west of Nassau, is the playground of the rich and famous. It is consequently also one of the most accessible of the Bahamas islands, with daily flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Nassau. The island has a population of 10,800, and its principal towns are Spanish Wells, the wealthiest colony in the Bahamas; Harbour Island, a resort island with clear water and a pink-tinged beach; Gregory Town, the locale of the island’s Pineapple Festival; Governor’s Harbour, a typical tropical town with history and charm; and Tarpum Bay, an artists’ community where, among others, artists Mal Flanders, an American, and MacMillan Hughes, a Scotsman, went to paint the scenery.

7. The Exumas

Situated 35 miles east of New Providence, the Exumas comprise a chain of roughly 350 islands and cays, strung out along some 95 miles of open ocean, all the way down to Long Island. There are about 3,500 inhabitants in the Exumas, the majority of whom live on Greater Exuma and Little Exuma, located in the southern part of the island chain, in the principal population centers of George Town and Williams Town, respectively. The Exumas are also well connected via daily flights to both Miami and Nassau. Boating, fishing, beachcombing and swimming are the main pursuits here, with good, modern amenities for vacationers.

8. Cat Island

For sheer natural beauty and solitude, Cat Island is the pick of the bunch. A 50-square-mile island, it offers a tranquil retreat with rolling hills, lush green forests and vast expanses of windswept beaches. There are few creature comforts here, and visitor activities typically center around swimming, hiking and poking through the ruins of the old, Colonial plantations. Sights on the island include the Hermitage, a miniature, hand-built abbey on Mount Alverina, the highest point on the island at 206 feet; and the ruins of the Deveaux Plantation at Port Howe, a veritable slice of local history in a spectacular setting.

9. The Inaguas

The third largest, remotest and most southerly in the Bahamas chain, the Inaguas are also the most sparsely populated. There are fewer than 1,200 inhabitants here, all of them on Great Inagua, with Little Inagua, just to the north, uninhabited. And while the Inaguas are hardly a top choice for tourists, the few who do venture this far south are well rewarded with miles and miles of unspoiled rocky shorelines and more wildlife than on any of the other islands. Walking, bicycling, fishing and bird-watching are the order of the day. Besides which, two places of particular interest here are the Inagua National Park, with its 280 miles of rocky shoreline, inland waters, saltwater flats, shrubland and jungle, populated with its famous flamingos and over 200 other species of birds; and the picturesque Matthew Town Lighthouse, standing at the southern tip of the Inaguas like a lone sentinel.

10. San Salvador

San Salvador, situated just to the northeast of the Bahamas’ Long Island, is 12 miles long and 6 miles wide, with fewer than 600 people. The main population center here is Cockburn Town, the capital of both San Salvador and its smaller sister island to the west, Rum Cay. Virtually all of the island’s residents live here, yet this is one of the smallest communities in the Bahamas Out Islands. Oh, and Club Med is here as well, just a couple of miles from Cockburn Town.

Baljeet Sangwan is a globetrotter, travel editor and travel writer who has published 12 travel guidebooks. He is a co-publisher at iChiefTravel and contributor to The Bahamas, the Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands and Aruba travel guides.

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