Thursday 9 October 2014

Autumn

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Sonnet 73
by William Shakespeare

 

Tuesday 2 September 2014

White Temple, Thailand



Superman flies through the paintings on a temple wall. A towering demon rises above you wielding a sword. Hands reach out from the depths below you on a bridge to a heavenly temple. Shrunken heads sprouting Spanish moss hang from tree branches. Thai angels and mystical creatures cavort through the temple grounds and on the masterpiece sanctuary at the temple’s heart. Wander through the magical world of Wat Rong Khun, often referred to in English as the White Temple.
Perhaps the most unique temple in the Kingdom of Thailand, the White Temple was born from the devotion of National Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. A deeply devout Buddhist famed primarily for his religious-themed paintings, Chalermchai began the White Temple in 1997. Wat Rong Khun however is no traditional temple. Chalermchai re-imagines Thai art for the modern world. As you move through the temple grounds, you find yourself in the artist’s surreal vision of Buddhist teachings. Superheroes, movie stars and cartoons make their entrance into temple murals depicting traditional Buddhist motifs. Fantastical sculptures and architecture cover the landscape.


The esteemed artist’s imaginative touch makes its presence known even from outside the temple itself. Red skulls top traffic cones on the street. Light gleams brightly from the central temple hall.
Every detail of Wat Rong Khun carries deep religious symbolism – though admittedly most Thais will be unaware of most of the meaning as well unless they have studied up on its mysteries. Departing from the expected gold, Chalermchai chose to construct the temple in white, symbolizing the purity of Lord Buddha. The mirrors embedded in the structure reflect light, representing the Buddha’s wisdom shining out across the Earth and the Universe.
Much of the temple’s messages refer to escaping desire, greed and passion and moving towards the sublime through Buddhist teachings. To reach the main temple hall, you cross a threshold guarded by demons and traverse a bridge over an ocean of ghostly hands reaching up from the cycle of death and rebirth. The temple building symbolizes the realm of the Buddha and rising to a state of nirvana.

Source: http://www.thailandforchildren.com/chiang-mai-family-travel/chiang-rai/white-temple-wat-rong-khun-thailand

Sunday 24 August 2014

Dreamcatcher



Dreamcatchers originated with the Ojibwe people and were later adopted by some neighboring nations through intermarriage and trade. It wasn't until the Pan-Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, that they were adopted by Native Americans of a number of different nations. Some consider the dreamcatcher a symbol of unity among the various Indian Nations, and a general symbol of identification with Native American or First Nations cultures. However, many other Native Americans have come to see dreamcatchers as over-commercialized, offensively misappropriated and misused by non-Natives.

The Ojibwe people have an ancient legend about the origin of the dreamcatcher. Storytellers speak of the Spider Woman, known as Asibikaashi; she took care of the children and the people on the land. Eventually, the Ojibwe Nation spread to the corners of North America and it became difficult for Asibikaashi to reach all the children. So the mothers and grandmothers would weave magical webs for the children, using willow hoops and sinew, or cordage made from plants. The dreamcatchers would filter out all bad dreams and only allow good thoughts to enter our mind. Once the sun rises, all bad dreams just disappear.

Even infants were provided with protective charms. Examples of these are the "spiderwebs" hung on the hoop of a cradle board. These articles consisted of wooden hoops about 3½ inches in diameter filled with an imitation of a spider's web made of fine yarn, usually dyed red. In old times this netting was made of nettle fiber. Two spider webs were usually hung on the hoop, and it was said that they "caught any harm that might be in the air as a spider's web catches and holds whatever comes in contact with it."

Traditionally, the Ojibwe construct dreamcatchers by tying sinew strands in a web around a small round or tear-shaped frame of willow. The resulting "dream-catcher", hung above the bed, is used as a charm to protect sleeping people, usually children, from nightmares.

The Ojibwe believe that a dreamcatcher changes a person's dreams. According to Konrad J. Kaweczynski, "Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through… Bad dreams would stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day." Good dreams would pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper.
Another explanation of Lakota origin, "Nightmares pass through the holes and out of the window. The good dreams are trapped in the web, and then slide down the feathers to the sleeping person."


Source: Wikipedia

Saturday 23 August 2014

Newgrange: A Neolithic Passage Tomb in Ireland

Newgrange is is one the most famous Neolithic sites in Ireland, if not all of the British Isles. It is estimated to have been built in 3,200 B.C., which makes it 1,000 years older than Stonehenge and 600 years older than the Great Pyramid at Giza.
It is located on a ridge along the Boyne River, forty miles north of Dublin near the town of Drogheda. It is part of the larger Brú na Bóinne complex, which also includes the Neolithic sites of Dowth and Knowth. Additionally, approximately forty smaller ancient grave sites are found in the area.
Together, all of the sites at the Brú na Bóinne complex are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is considered the largest and most important Neolithic complex in the world.
Although the original use of this passage tomb is not known, it is speculated to have had some kind of religious significance. The passageways were designed so that light floods the main corridor at dawn on the Winter Solstice, December 21, and also on the days just preceding and after the solstice.


Archaeologists have found human remains within the Newgrange tomb, showing that it had, indeed, been used as a burial site. However, ritual use of the site was so significant that some say Newgrange should be considered an ancient temple more than simply a tomb.
Newgrange appears to have been utilized for astrological, spiritual, religious, and ceremonial purposes. A useful comparison is with Medieval cathedrals where the larger population gathered for ceremonies and feast days, and where rulers and people of social and political importance were buried.


Winter solstice seems to have been the major event of the year at Newgrange. On the days just before, during, and after the solstice (December, 21), light enters the chamber through an opening at dawn, and floods the main corridor with light. This is one of many examples of ancient time-keeping which marked the calendar year.
Anthropologists speculate that this event holds symbolic meaning. Not only would it mark the beginning of the new year, but also it celebrates the victory of light over dark, the return of the sun, and possibly renewal of life.
Due to the association of Newgrange with the sun, some have speculated that the Dagda, an ancient Irish god of the sun, may have been worshiped there. And, indeed, like other ancient sites, Newgrange's meaning likely changed over the years to the people who lived within the general vicinity.
Image for "Winter Solstice Experience" at Newgrange.
Image for "Winter Solstice Experience" at Newgrange.
Today, the tradition of recognizing the solstices has been revived, and ancient Neolithic sites such as Newgrange and Stonehenge are central gathering points of celebration. People from all walks of life come together to witness first hand what was considered sacred to our ancestors.
Among the groups who pay special attention to the revival of celebrating the turning of the astronomical seasons are modern pagans, who include both Neo-pagan as well as ancient religion reconstructionists.


Source: http://carolynemerick.hubpages.com/hub/Three-Neolithic-Sacred-Tombs-in-Ireland#

Friday 22 August 2014

The Lost City of Atlantis

The Lost City of Atlantis


Why is it that after thousands of years, so many of us still search for the answer to this mystery? Did it exist or didn't it. We can't seem to let go of it, as if deep down we know it existed, as though we possess some collective memory of it within our subconcious, which doesn't let us accept it as myth. Like the ghost of someone long gone that lingers on until the mystery of their death has been resolved and they can finally be at peace, their story having been told.

Ever since the first recorded history of Atlantis, written by the Greek philosopher Plato over 2,360 years ago
, debate has raged as to whether or not Atlantis ever really existed. Plato described it as an extraordinary Utopian society, thriving around 9,600 BC, which valued peace, art and wisdom, possessed advanced technological knowledge for the time, and enjoyed riches beyond that of any subsequent civilization. The land was said to have been very fertile, with abundant food, water, animals, wood, and flowers. But, as the story goes, after several generations of ruling the leaders became increasingly greedy and corrupt, and started to wage war on their neighbouring countries. They conquered parts of North Africa and Europe and were about to attack Egypt and Athens, when the Athenian army valiantly drove them back and defeated them. It is shortly after this victory by the Athenians that violent and devastating earthquakes, and the resulting tidal waves and floods, destroyed the Athenian army, as well as the entire Island continent of Atlantis, submerging it beneath the sea "in a single day and night".

The question is : Did Plato write this as a moralistic story, or as a true historical account?

Plato's 2 writings pertaining to Atlantis are the "Timaeus", and the "Critias", written in 360BC, at which time Plato would have been aged about 67 or 68. These are the earliest known written records about the Lost Continent of Atlantis, all other written references to Atlantis have been written since, and have been based on these writings by Plato.

The Timaeus and the Critias are actually written in the form of dialogues between 4 main characters: Socrates (.Greek philosopher, and Plato's teacher.), Critias (.poet & historian.), Timaeus (.an Italian astronomer.), and Hermocrates (.a general from Syracuse.). All were real people.
The Timaeus includes only a passing reference to Atlantis, but the second writing, the Critias, has a much more in depth description of Atlantis leading upto it's downfall.

The story is told by the character Critias, who was possibly Plato's maternal great-grandfather. Critias had heard the story as a child from his own Grandfather, Critias the Elder, who had heard it from his father Dropides, who had heard it from his friend Solon, a great Athenian Law-giver reputed to have been an honest and true man.
Solon had been told the story of Atlantis during his stay in Sais, Egypt, by an elderly Egytian priest who claimed to have acquired the knowledge directly from ancient records in his keeping. After hearing of the account, Solon had intended to record it himself, for posterity's sake, but for one reason or another he never did.
Just for the record, Solon really did visit Sais, Egypt, although the date Plato gives for this is about 20 years off. This at least is indisputable fact.

The Egyptian records that the priest was referencing have to this day never been found. But there are theories that hidden in a hall underneath the sphinx, or in the top of the great pyramid, is a secret chamber containing ancient records of invaluable historical, and perhaps future, importance. Several excavations have been attempted to find this secret room, but all have lead to dead ends. It is unknown exactly where this rumor originated, it may have been Edgar Cayce, an American psychic / clairvoyant of the early 1900's, who predicted (sometime before his death in 1945) that in 1998 a "Hall of Records" would be found.
According to Cayce, the contents of the hall and the location are as follows:
"A record of Atlantis from the beginning of those periods when the Spirit took form, or began the encasements in that land; and the developments of the peoples throughout their sojourn; together with the record of the first destruction, and the changes that took place in the land; with the record of the sojournings of the peoples and their varied activities in other lands, and a record of the meetings of all the nations or lands, for the activities in the destruction of Atlantis; and the building of the pyramid of initiation, together with whom, what, and where the opening of the records would come, that are as copies from the sunken Atlantis. For with the change, it [Atlantis] must rise again. In position, this lies -- as the sun rises from the waters -- as the line of the shadows (or light) falls between the paws of the Sphinx; that was set later as the sentinel or guard and which may not be entered from the connecting chambers from the Sphinx's right paw until the time has been fulfilled when the changes must be active in this sphere of man's experience."


Source: http://unxplained-factor.com/atlantis.htm














Thursday 21 August 2014

Gaia the Earth spirit


Животът е пътешествие....

                                 Животът е пътешествие....


     Ние сме духовна общност. Тук ще споделяме нашите мисли и опит в духовен план. Животът е пътуване. 
   Духовният живот е магическо приключение. Понякога пътуваме сами. Но винаги срещаме други пътешественици по безкрайния път.... Нека това място бъде кръстопът за всички, които търсят просветление.