Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Apocalypse & the MesoAmerican Calendars

“We have the intervening time to enjoy what the Great Mother gives us and to use responsibly the double-edged sword of technology that our Human cousins have created. We must use both the energy of nature and the power of technology to try to fix the damage done by our short-lived relatives.”
- Ehran the Scribe



Mayan Calendar


December 21, 2012 C.E.. Will this date lead to the end of human life? Will the Earth move and cause terrible earthquakes, storms, tsunamis, and put certain land masses underwater? Were the people in ancient Mesoamerica correct in their predictions? These are all questions that have been discussed for centuries and will continue to be discussed until the date in question.
The Earth is predicted to shift next at the beginning of the Winter Solstice. Every 5,123 – 5,125 years or so, a perfect alignment of all of the planets within our galaxy occurs. These periods are ended by some catastrophic natural occurrence.



Why 2012? Mayan Calendar Doomsday Prophecy - Funny video clips are a click away
Why 2012? Mayan Calendar Doomsday Prophecy


The Aztec calendar, better known as the Eagle Bowl (shown above), has been used in a variety of forms for more than 2,000 years. It symbolizes the Aztec solar deity Tonatiuh. Based on the Eagle Bowl, a Zapotec prophecy states:

“After Thirteen Heavens of Decreasing Choice, and Nine Hells of Increasing Doom, the Tree of Life shall blossom with a fruit never before known in the creation, and that fruit shall be the New Spirit of Men.”

Each of the Thirteen Heavens and Nine Hells were fifty-two years long (1,144 years total). Each of the Nine Hells were supposed to be even more terrible than the last. August 17, 1987 C.E. was known to the Aztecs as the final day of the last of the Nine Hells. It was predicted that on that day Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec God of Death, would remove his jade mask and reveal himself as Quetzelcoatl, the Aztec God of Peace.

To the Aztecs, animals devoured humans at the end of the first age of mankind. The second age was ended by the winds. The third age was ended by fire. The fourth age was ended by water. Now, our turn. Currently we are living in the fifth age of mankind, named Nahui-Olin (translated to mean “Sun of Earthquake”). This fifth age of mankind began in 3113 B.C.E. and, to the Aztecs, is to end on December 23, 2012 C.E. This date marks the final destruction of human existence on Earth. This date also strangely coincides with the ancient Chinese oracle-calendar, the I Ching. [This will be discussed further in a later blog.]

The Mayan calendar (or the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar) is similar to that of the Aztecs and was used among other pre-Columbian Mesoamericans. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Mayan calendar began on approximately August 11, 3114 B.C.E., at the end of the last cycle of mankind. The Mayans believed each of these cycles or b’ak’tun as different “worlds” and that only certain life forms were able to make the transition from one world to the next. According to the Gregorian calendar, the exact date of the Threshold Level, or the end of the thirteenth b’ak’tun cycle, would be passed on December 21, 2012. There is an incomplete inscription on the Tortuguero Monument 6 that records this date. The Temple of Inscriptions, in Palenque, has this date carved into its walls. The Temple functions as a base date from which other dates are computed.

There are Seven Ages of Man in the Mayan calendar. According to Ehran the Scribe, the canonical dates at the ends of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth worlds are:

August 12, 3113 B.C.E. – The fall of Atlantis (Fourth “World”)
December 21, 2012 C.E. – The appearance of Ryumyo (Fifth “World”)
April 4, 7137 C.E. (Sixth “World”)

The Maya spent a significant amount of time studying the stars to complete their calendar and, even though the real reason why their calendar lasted until December 21 or 23, 2012 is unclear, it appears that they were heeding us a warning that the end of the Fifth “World” will cause periodic, massive cataclysms. That time will begin a cycle of Earthquakes. It has been predicted by the Mesoamerican peoples that only a few people will survive the catastrophe that is to come. The Mayans predicted that humanity will realize its spiritual destiny in the Fifth “World.” Human beings will realize God within ourselves in the Sixth “World.” And human beings will develop so spiritually that they will become telepathic in the Seventh “World.” These forms of earth religions give off that humans need to reconnect with the Earth, in order to save themselves.

In 2012, the sun will shift, the sun and planets will all align with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years, the earth will shift, and the most expensive, luxurious hotels in the world were already being booked out ten years in advance for that fateful day. Take advantage and enjoy the last days on Earth, in case you are one of those who are not so lucky to move on to the Sixth “World.”


More to come… The planets’ alignment and what is to occur to the Earth because of the gravitational pull between all our galaxy’s planets. The poles are to move again!



Links & References:

1. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-03-27-maya-2012_n.htm
Does Maya calendar predict 2012 apocalypse?, 27-Mar-2007, USA Today

2. http://www.2012endofdays.org/Mayan/Mayan-Calendar.php
The Mayan Calendar

3. http://www.youtube.com/v/fipnhz5myB4&hl=en&fs=1
The Mayan Calendar 2012 & Beyond – FULL

4. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1742909/why_2012_mayan_calendar_doomsday_prophecy/
Why 2012? Mayan Calendar Doomsday Prophecy

5. http://www.experiencefestival.com/mayan_calendar
Mayan Calendar – 2012 and the Mayan Calendar

6. http://www.mayancalendar2012.org/
Mayan Calendar 2012

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar
Maya Calendar - Wikipedia

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

American Museum of Natural History New Climate Change Exhibit



The American Museum of Natural History (New York City, NY) is opening it's doors to the new exhibit entitled "Climate Change: The Threat to Life and a New Energy Future." The exhibition opens on October 18, 2008 and will remain open until August 16, 2009. After which, the exhibition will begin an international tour.

The exhibition is, as the curator, Edmond Mathez, stated, an effort to separate fact from fear and "demystify" climate change. With this examination of the most pressing scientific issues of our time, the exhibition's goal is to show how climate change is spurred by human activities which lead to the warming of the Earth. These issues could lead to drought, heavy storms, rising sea levels, and other events that may affect the natural world and the health of society.


29 billion tons of carbon dioxide is emitted by human activity per year from burning fossil fuels. - Photograph taken by Kenn W. Kiser

Hundreds of scientists and policymakers, who comprise a United Nations climate panel, have found with ninety percent certainty that human activities cause climate change, but even with proof some remain skeptical.


(Photo: A diorama of a large polar bear reduced to foraging through a garbage dump is a graphic illustration of how polar bears will be forced to invade human-populated areas in response to the dwindling of their habitat. Courtesy American Museum of Natural History.)

Mathez had stated that a few years ago he was frustrated with the fact that public awareness did not match the alarm within the scientific community, so he proposed the exhibition. "The news media was presenting climate change as a controversial issue, which is complete nonsense, it's not (controversial)," Mathez told Reuters at a preview of the exhibition.

"I'm sure there are some people that will condemn it out of hand," he said of the exhibition. "What's important to me as a scientist is my colleagues will walk through here and say we did it correctly, that we present the issue objectively."

Although the exhibition is overall showing depressing facts, it ends with a hopeful note toward the future world. Visitors may explore the various alternative energy sources, including geothermal, solar, nuclear, wind, and hydropower as well as carbon storage.

This exhibit will open visitors eyes to the fact that Earth needs to change environmentally for the better, not for the worst, and WE are the only animals on this planet that have the ability to slow it down. Unfortunately, we have already gone far enough to not being able to avoid what is coming to us.


Read more about this fascinating exhibition:

Climate Change: The Threat To Life & A New Energy Future
American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/climatechange/?src=h_h

Yahoo News:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081014/sc_nm/us_usa_museum

Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/05/climatechange.activists

References:

1. http://blogs.usatoday.com/weather/2008/10/climate-change.html?loc=interstitialskip
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/05/climatechange.activists
3. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/climatechange/images/climatechange_300.jpg
4. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081014/sc_nm/us_usa_museum
5. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/climatechange/?src=h_h
6. http://blogs.usatoday.com/./photos/uncategorized/2008/10/15/amnhexhibitxlarge.jpg

Thursday, August 21, 2008

The United States... The New Shopping Mall of the World

I love people watching. People watching is what leads me to various thoughts and ideas on the cultures and societies of today. Sometimes it even leads me to try to guess what that person's life story may have been, how it is now, or even, on occasion, how they would survive or behave in the past.

On one particular occasion, I noticed something and began to ponder differently.

I was sitting down at one of my favorite outdoor locales one afternoon last week in Boston's Back Bay, having myself a glass of wine and enjoying the sunshine and scenery, when I began to notice something. I looked around and noticed that there was a surprisingly large amount of people carrying several shopping bags in each hand. I mean, a good four to ten bags, or so, total per person that passed with names such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel, Burberry, Ferragamo, Juicy Couture, and the list goes on. You definitely did not see your typical Filene's Basement bargain bags or the large, flimsy Marshall's white and blue plastic bags floating around.

I noticed more and more of these people as the hour went on. Then one thing dawned on me after paying closer attention. They were all not speaking American-English! They ranged from Japanese, Russians, South Americans, Australians, various Europeans, English, and Irish.

I then began to notice the people sitting outside at the place where I was sitting and noticed that there too there were only two tables with American-English speaking people present. [We won't count the staff/servers, as most of them in the Back Bay are foreign anyway ... and are not in the United States for vacation. :)]

I was, honestly, a bit shocked initially (before I put any real thought into it) to see this drastic change in my environment, but I didn't mind.

Barely any Americans were out shopping due most likely to the decline which is currently present within the United States of America. This being seen, while various foreigners were purchasing items by the boat-full. What happened to the United States? It has gone through quite a change. From being one of the most powerful and richness nations in the world to becoming merely the new spending ground. It has become the largest shopping mall to the world.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Historical Mystery: Lincoln & Kennedy

There are several bizarre, creepy, and odd series of occurrences and facts that are related between two of the United States' influential Presidents, Abraham Lincoln and John Fitzgerald Kennedy (J.F.K.). You would never think that these two people were so closely related in history, especially a hundred years between them. Check with a history teacher or any books related to these two individuals and you will see that it checks out to be true!

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln


First, Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Portrait of John F. Kennedy


Second, Lincoln was elected President of the United States of America in 1860. J.F.K. was elected President of the United States of America in 1960.

Kennedy Elected, 10th November 1960

Kennedy Elected, 10th November 1960

Third, both Presidents were particularly concerned with Civil Rights.

Fourth, both of these Presidents' wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Fifth, both Presidents were shot on a Friday, and in the head.


...Now it gets really weird...


Sixth, Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.

Seventh, both were assassinated by Southerners and were succeeded by Southerners named 'Johnson.'

Andrew Johnson


Eighth, the man who succeeded Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, was born in 1808. The man who succeeded Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, was born in 1908.

Lyndon Johnson


Ninth, the man who assassinated Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, was born in 1839. The man who succeeded J.F.K., Lee Harvey Oswald, was born in 1939.

John Wilkes Booth


Tenth, both of their assassins were known by their three names AND both of their names are composed of fifteen letters.

Lee Harvey Oswald


...Now hang on to your seat...


Eleventh, Lincoln was shot at 'Ford' Theatre. Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln,' made by 'Ford.'

Twelfth, Lincoln was shot in a theatre and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse. J.F.K. was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theatre.

Thirteenth, both Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.


...And here's the kicker...


Last, but not least, a week before Lincoln was assassinated, he was in Monroe, Maryland. A week before J.F.K. was assassinated, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn Monroe


...Spooky... :)





Sources:

1. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lincoln-resolutions/images/lincoln-portrait.gif - Lincoln Portrait Above

2. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lincoln-resolutions/images/lincoln-portrait.gif - John F. Kennedy Portrait Above

3. http://www.videojug.com/film/kennedy-elected-10th-november-1960-4 - http://www.videojug.com/film/kennedy-elected-10th-november-1960-4

4. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/ - The National Archives "Teaching with Documents: Lesson Plans"

5. http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/ - The National Archives "Presidential Libraries"

6. http://www.highland-ohio.com/ne8v/kennedys_on_the_kennedy_a.jpg - John and Jackie Photograph, Above

7. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Younger_Andrew_Johnson.jpg/300px-Younger_Andrew_Johnson.jpg - Andrew Johnson War Photograph, above

8. http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3200856.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=C037F202D99E3099E305DB98661CA4A2A55A1E4F32AD3138 - Lyndon Johnson Photograph, above

9. http://www.old-picture.com/american-history-1900-1930s/pictures/Wilkes-Booth.jpg - John Wilkes Booth photograph, above

10. http://themissingchapter.com/oswald1.jpg - Lee Harvey Oswald army photograph, above

11. http://www.ruggedelegantliving.com/sf/a/images/marilyn.monroe.jpg - Marilyn Monroe photograph, above

12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln - Wikipedia: Abraham Lincoln

13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy - Wikipedia: John F. Kennedy

14. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html - The White House: Abraham Lincoln Biography

15. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jk35.html - The White House: John F. Kennedy Biography

Sunday, March 23, 2008

The Meaning of Sheep



Being one of the first animals to be domesticated by man, sheep are known to have several meanings and characteristics. Ovis aries are known so far to have began in existence since approximately 6.000 B.C.E, but the earliest woven garments have only been dated to 2-3.000 years later. The sheep is seen as having a lack of individuality.


Nama Rhyton Anavyssos
A sheep's-head rhyton. Rhyton (plural rhyta) is the ancient Greek word (ῥυτόν rutón) for a container from which fluids were intended to be drunk, or else poured in some ceremony such as libation.
English Description: Man pursuing a woman. Red-figure ram rhyton by the Villa Giulia Painter, ca. 460-450 BC. From Anavyssos in Attica.
Current Location: National Archaeological Museum in Athens, 15880.

Sheep were considered to be forms of the Apostles in old Roman churches, as they gathered around the Agnus Dei. Very often, Christ is depicted with a lamb in His arms, surrounded by sheep, especially on early paintings and in catacombs, on engraved gems. In this view, sheep signify the flock of Christ. Shepherd, in the Old Testament, is often applied to rulers. For instance, King David was given the title of a Shepherd.

The signification of sheep in the Biblical sense is the good of the will. Lambs signify innocence. The ram, in the Bible, was a substitute for ‘human’ sacrifice.


A 1st century CE relief of a bull, a sheep and a pig being led to sacrifice in Rome.
Artist: Unknown, Location: Musée du Louvre, Paris, France - Department of Greek,Estrucan, and Roman antiquities, Ma 1096 (MR 852)
Description:
English: Suovetaurilia (sacrifice of a pig, a sheep and a bull) to the god Mars, relief from the panel of a sarcophagus. Marble, Roman artwork, first half of the 1st century CE.
Français : Suovétaurile (sacrifice d'un porc, d'une brebis et d'un taureau) en l'honneur du dieu Mars, relief du panneau d'un sarcophage. Marbre, œuvre romaine, première moitié du Ier siècle de notre ère.
Dimensions: H. 87 cm (34 ¼ in.), W. 2 m (6 ft. 6 ½ in.)
Credit: Grimani Collection in Venice; seized by Napoléon Bonaparte, 1797

The ram, or male sheep, stands for Aries (March 21 – April 20), a Fire sign. This animal symbolizes the wild, creative forces of nature, but is linked more along with issues of the intellect. It also is seen as strength, vitality, virility, creativity, the Sun, solar power, and unwavering determination.



In Chinese astrology, those people belonging to the sheep category are socially, domestically, and politically the least likely to make waves. These sheep-born are proud, domineering, strive to help and guard their fellow, and sometimes excellent doctors. They are ones to pay attention to rules and regulations that are created by laws and by society and respect order. Sheep people are nice and pleasant people. They are also born under a lucky star, which leads to fortune favoring them. Most likely they are not capable of making their own fortune in life by their own control, since they are so mild, whimsical, and unassuming. Several sheep people are attracted to success and money, but they also spend more than they earn. Sheep don’t believe in saving money and would rather overspend on luxuries. They are also very creative and artistic people. Those born in the Year of the Sheep are also gifted craftsman and mostly women.


References and Other resources:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/animals2.htm - Anima; Symbolism - Many Cultures

http://www.holymtn.com/astrology/ram.htm - Chinese Astrology

http://www.greatdreams.com/animals.htm - Animals, Birds, and Insects and their Meanings

http://books.google.com/books?id=fr2rANLrPmoC&pg=PA369&lpg=PA369&dq=animal+symbolism+sheep&source=web&ots=ekDeWuFyIM&sig=1eNBq_6kPUmCQfN9L1MT8GKQ8-c&hl=en#PPA368,M1 – The Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Sybmolism in Art, by Hope B.

http://www.oldandsold.com/books/symbolism/symbolism-6.shtml - The Sheep, Tiger, Whale and Fish, Wolf

http://www.milkandhoneyfarm.com/sheep/images/three_happy_sheep.jpe - 1st Sheep picture shown above

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/NAMA_Rhyton_Anavyssos.jpg - Rhyton picture above

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Suovetaurile_Louvre.jpg - Suovetaurilia picture above

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/content/images/2006/01/23/chinese_zodiac_sheep_400x30.gif - Chinese Horoscope Sheep picture above

Thursday, February 14, 2008

St. Valentine's Day - The Celebration of Martyrs & Love



February 14th. Valentine's Day. A celebration of love, joy, romance, and all forms of togetherness. What most people do not know is that February 14th is actually the day that three beloved St. Valentines were martyred.





One of the said Saint Valentines (in above picture) was a holy priest during a time in Rome, under the rule of Emperor Claudius II "The Cruel," when the city was involved in several unpopular and bloody campaigns. These campaigns, of course, required a strong army, to which the emperor was having difficulty maintaining. Seeing that several men were unwilling to join the Roman army during this period due to their strong devotion to their wives and families, Claudius made the decision to ban all marriages and engagements in Rome.

With the injustice this decree created to the Roman people, Valentine crossed Claudius in secret and went forward in performing marriages for young lovers.

Of course, Valentine was eventually discovered performing these criminal actions.

Claudius immediately ordered Valentine to be executed. After being arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, he was doomed to be beaten to death with clubs and then be beheaded. The Prefect's sentence towards Valentine was carried out on February 14th on or around the year 278 C.E.

According to history/legend, Valentine had become friends his jailer's daughter and had left a farewell letter, or note of sorts, to which he signed at the end, "From your Valentine." (Recognize the similarity in our own wording on Valentine's Day cards sent to ones we care for... Will you be my Valentine?)

For his great service in maintaining the bond of marriage, after Valentine was martyred he was named a saint.


Although, there was not just one Saint Valentine. The true exact origins and identity of the St. Valentine, mentioned above, are actually not well known. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of 14 February. They say that one Valentine was a martyr in the Roman province of Africa, the second was a priest in Rome (as mentioned above), and third was a bishop of Interamna (now named Terni, Italy).

There are various legends on how the martyr's name became referenced when speaking of romance. For one, his death, due to its occurring on Feruary 14th, may have been connected to the pagan festival of love, the Feast of Lupercalia. During this feast, the names of young women were dropped in a box and fate was supposed to draw the men to select the name of the women they were meant to love.

We do know that Pope Gelasius, in 496 C.E., ceased the celebration towards the Feast of Lupercalia and declared February 14th to be known from that year on as St. Valentine's Day. Eventually, this day of celebration became one on which the exchanging of love notes, poems, and simple gifts to your loved one or friends were given, such as flowers, chocolates, etc.



THIS HISTORY LESSON IS TO BE CONTINUED...



References:


1. History Channel Online
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=VideoArticle&id=57973

2. The Holiday Spot, "History of Valentine's Day":
http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm


Images:

1. Hearts:
http://adultcardiac.stanford.edu/images/heart.jpg

2. St. Valentine, from Rome:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-2/653261/StValentinemosaic.jpg