Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Conewago Phantom Screams

In early autumn 1988 I was at a local exhibition near Baltimore and bumped into Andy, an old friend who was there as part of a group from the Boy Scouts of York-Adams Area Council (Pa.). Both of us had been Boy Scouts together and I was happy to see that he continued as a troop leader. We decided to grab a bite to eat and catch up a bit... it had been 12 years since we had seen each other. After awhile, the subject of my paranormal investigations came into the conversation. He had always been fascinated with ghost sightings at Gettysburg and the surrounding area and had camped near the battlefield on several occasions.
Andy stated that a few of the local troops had recently been camping at the old Camp Conewago and some of the boys had reported hearing "crying" sounds and were spooked bad enough that a few left their campsites early. They had setup their campsites deeper than usual in the woods near the Conewago Creek fork (where the Little Conewago and main Conewago Creek meet). He stated that he and another scout leader were going to check out the area the following weekend and he wanted to know if I'd at least go up for the day and investigate with them. I accepted the invitation.
Camp Conewago is located north of New Oxford, Pa. in Adams County along the main Conewago Creek upstream from Dick's Dam. It was established in 1919 for exclusive use by the local Boy Scouts of America. The area is rich in early colonial history since it was located on a major hunting route used by the Susquehannock Indians. Several attempts to establish settlements in this area failed because of Indian raids. As well, the Susquehannocks constantly warred with neighboring tribes. The Susquehannocks were eventually forced back into northeast Maryland and Delaware and the colonists were able to expand westward into the Allegheny Mountains. The area became an important trading stop for settlers to stock up on supplies and to get updates before heading into the wilderness.
I met with Andy and John the following Friday at the campground. I was shocked at how little the place had changed. A flood of boyhood memories came over me while I walked around the cabins and the administration building. Andy wanted to know how long I planned to stay and that they were going to setup camp in the same area of the reports. I was game... so I told him I'd stay for the weekend, grabbed my gear and followed them into the woods. I suppose we hiked about 500 yards or so before we came to the bank of the creek, then we followed the creek for another 300 yards until we came to the fork. We setup 3 tents and had a nice fire going in short order. It was around 7:00 pm by this time, so we decided stay close to camp for the remainder of the evening.
The first night was fairly uneventful, though I sensed that something was watching us. I didn't say anything but kept my eyes open and head clear. These woods are somewhat thick with ground cover and are inhabited by a fair amount of wildlife, especially white-tailed deer and raccoons. I remember when I was a Boy Scout, the older kids would send out the new members of the scout troop on an initiation "snipe" hunt. They'd give the prospective "hunter" a burlap bag and a flashlight and set them out into the woods at night telling them they could return only after they caught a "snipe". They were usually running back to the campsite within an hour scared to the point of tears. It was a bit cruel, but we all had to go through the indignity... it was a tradition.
The next morning was sunny and cool... a perfect day to explore the woods. We sat down to breakfast when John asked if we heard footsteps and movement during the night. Andy said he slept straight through the night. I said I heard some movement but assumed it was one of my companions. Nothing seemed to be disturbed in the campsite, so we dismissed it... though I still had this lingering sense that we were being watched. We spent the day walking for several miles through the woods and examining points of interest. I wasn't picking up any spirit connections and started to think that this was going to be a quiet weekend. About 6:00 pm we got back to camp and sat down to talk about any little thing that came into our heads.
Later that evening, we were sitting around the fire engaged in a conversation about football when suddenly a scream rang out west and upstream from our location. I thought it sounded like an owl at first, but a few minutes later it happened again and it distinctively sounded like a child. I couldn't tell how far away it was but it lasted for several seconds and seemed to fade in and out. We got up and walked a few yards into the woods expecting to hear the sound again. It was quiet for about an hour and we were discussing what could have naturally caused that sound. I have heard bobcats, owls and rabbits scream and none sounded close to this. We agreed that it was definitely the cries of a child.
We decided to stay up for the entire night. There was a full moon and much of the woods and creek were visible. At approximately 1:00 am, I was walking the perimeter of our camp when I suddenly felt like something was watching me. I stood still and tried to gauge what was going on. I told Andy and John what I felt and we started to walk deeper into the woods towards the fork. We walked about 50 feet when, without warning, we recognized to our right a large dark figure with bright red eyes standing in the creek... and suddenly it shot straight up into the air with an audible "whoosh". A few seconds later, we heard another scream that seemed to fade as if was moving away from us.
We hurried back to the campsite and compared thoughts about this phantom. Andy was shook up and didn't talk for several minutes until I prodded him for his recollection. John was surprising calm and estimated that it was 6 foot or so, dark in color and seemed to have something extending from its back. I also noticed the structures on the back and commented that it reminded me of wings but I was unsure. We all agreed that it had bright red eyes. This creature or phantom jettisoned so fast that we didn't even have time to get a flashlight on it. Andy wanted to spend the night in the administration building and come back and collect our gear in the morning. He and John walked back, but I decided to stay in the campsite for the remainder of the night. Nothing significant occurred though that feeling of being watched remained.
After the investigation and further research, I concluded that this creature or phantom was more than a simple spirit or energy. I was aware of the numerous sightings of a "Mothman" in West Virginia and it seemed that this being was somewhat similar in description... but I have significant doubt that it is a cryptid (NOTE: I have since changed my mind). I and other researchers have investigated this area since our sighting and have come up with minimal evidence, though a report of a dark creature was made by a resident who lived near Dick's Dam a few years later. The investigation remains open... hopefully I or someone else will be able to offer a plausible answer in the future.
NOTE: In 2008, I received an email from a man who lived a mile or so downstream from this incident (near Dick's Dam). He stated that he had heard similar screams for many years and that the frightful sounds continued to this day. A scout leader also emailed me approximately the same time and wanted to tell me that a few of the boys in his troop had witnessed what they described as a 'dragon' that was 6 foot tall with wings and a tail... but looked like it had fur or feathers. He said that the boys seemed serious but thought they were 'showing off' and dismissed their claims until later when he read the account of my experience.
Since that time, I have continued to check up on the area to see if anything strange develops. The Native American folklore and stories from settlers who inhabited the area offer several possibilities as to the identity of this cryptid but to date, I have not been able to make a plausible theory as to what is being heard or seen.
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Were Gods Aliens?

Almost all Gods are believed to come from the skies. From Christianity to Islam, to Hinduism, to Judaism, gods of all religions have some connections with the skies. So, did they really come from a world other than earth? There are speculations that gods came from a different world. Some people believe that they were aliens; at least ancient astronaut theorists strongly believe that gods were aliens and came from another world. Let us come across some facts that force us to believe that our so-called gods were aliens.
Depiction of Gods
  • If gods were humans, why civilizations across the world have been depicting them so differently? For example, in ancient Mesopotamian cultures, a group of deities, Anunnaki have been depicted more like gray aliens than humans. They are believed to come from skies and people in Mesopotamia used to worship them like gods. Some Anunnaki gods have been depicted with bird or reptilian heads.

  • Two popular paintings of 13th and 17th centuries, one hangs over the alter at the Visoki Decani Monestary in Kosovo, Yugoslavia and another is located in the Svetishoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, Georgia, depict two flying objects on either side of Christ. These objects, more like flying saucers, also have flames and are appearing to blast-off into skies.

  • Indra is the god of rain and thunderstorm in Indian mythology. He was believed to live in Svaragloka (haeaven), a place somewhere in space. He had a weapon called Vajra which he used to kill sinners and ignorant persons. In Norse mythology, a similar depiction of the god of thunder, lightning storm, and the protector of mankind is Thor. He wielded hammer as his weapon and lived in heaven-like place called Asgard that was only accessible via Bifrost Bridge.

  • A deity of Mayan has been depicted to wear an astronaut-like helmet with tubes. There are many Mesoamerican or Mayan statues that totally resemble pilots in space suits.

  • A painting "The Madonna with Saint Giovannino" hangs over Palazzo Vecchio and was most likely painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio in 15th century, depicts an unidentified flying object above Mary's left shoulder. A man and his dog can also clearly be seen looking up at the floating object.
Weapons and vehicles of Gods
  • In many Sanskrit epics, Vimanas have been referred as mythical flying machines. Ramayana, one of the great epics of India and Nepal, mentions a Vimana owned by Ravana. It was made by Vishwakarma for Brahma who is the Hindu god of creation. Brahma gifted this flying machine to Kubera, the god of wealth, but was later stolen, along with Lanka, by his half-brother, the demon king Ravana.

  • Lord Yhovah is described as flying in all different clouds. In different depictions, he can be seen to fly in bright clouds, dark clouds, white clouds, thick clouds, low clouds and fiery clouds. There are platforms, great fires, storms, sky dwellings that propose some kind of flying vehicle that the god lives in, and travels in.

  • Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city in the basin of Mexico has its architectural significant for top-less pyramids. The name Teotihuacan means "the place where men become gods. These pyramids do not have any chambers on top. They have flat tops which appear to be vertical landing platforms for some kind of sky vehicles. Each platform also has a set of staircase.

  • Many gods and divine beings mentioned in the Bible traveled in flying machine like object that rapidly flew, spun and projected light beams at night. These objects could have descended to the ground and ascended into the sky. They could have also hovered over ground and generated sounds.

  • There are thousands of gods and deities worshipped all over the world, and there are hundreds of mythological objects or weapons dedicated to them. Most common weapons with which most of the gods have been depicted include swords, tridents, bows and staves. All the depictions of gods, regardless of their orientations, show them with one or more divine object or weapon. For example, a weapon creating thunderbolt has been mentioned in most of the mythologies. The Hebrew Bible mentions about an arrow-like weapon generating lightning. Vedic mythology mentions about a thunderbolt weapon called Vajra that was wielded by Lord Indra. In Greek mythology, Zeus had thunderbolt weapon. In Igbo mythology, the thunderbolt is the weapon of Amadiora. There are tens of similar examples for the use of a thunderbolt-types weapon.
Glimpses of modern technology in ancient walls, building, structures and references, etc
  • Many researchers have adopted the view that kings of Atlantis, a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC, were the later gods of Egypt, Greece, America and North Europe. Atlantis is believed to have technology of very advanced stages. The book A Dweller On Two Planets describes many references with respect to Atlantis. There is mention of devices like air conditioner, lamps, light-tubes, electric rifles, guns, mono-rail transportation system, water generators, aerial ships, etc.

  • Seti I, and his son Ramses II, considered as god kings, built the temple of Abydos. In this temple, there is a heavy stone slab for supporting the ceiling. The stone slab has hieroglyphical writings, which illustrate some futuristic crafts such as a helicopter, a space ship, hovercraft or tank, an airplane, and the last one also looks like some kind of spacecraft.

  • Carved lid of the tomb of K'inich Janaab' Pakal in the Temple of the Inscriptions shows the king Pakal sitting in the cockpit of some compact aerial vehicle and operating levers. He also has some kind of oxygen tube connected to his mouth. Researchers have also discovered a huge artifact, identical to the exhaust system of a rocket engine, in the secret chamber below the tomb Pakal.
However, these pointers do not prove that our gods were aliens, but they suggest that maybe the gods were aliens.
I am Virat Bhairaw, a professional web content writer. I have written thousands of articles, blogs, press releases, and guest posts on hundreds of topics. I have written for more than 4,000 websites from almost all the industries active on-line. For more information, please contact - penasknife@gmail.com
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Controlling Your Dreams - Things to Do While Lucid Dreaming

Meditation As A Part Of Lucid Dreaming Guide For Beginners
Up until today, many are still confused about meditation. Some say that it has a great connection with God and others anticipate that its simply concentrating in full silence. The truth is just far from those thoughts. Meditation is basically a practice wherein the person trains his mind and tries to persuade in a mode of heedfulness to discern some benefits. This is used by many individuals in lucid dreaming or the act of controlling the dream. Being an expert in meditation, you will never ask the question how to control your dreams again. Although meditation itself needs excessive practice, many are still being patient in doing it in order to get lucidity.
Meditation and Lucid Dreaming
Many dreamers twin their dreaming techniques with meditation. Some try to master both together and others focus on one aspect. Either way, many experts claimed that meditation plays a great role in their dreaming activity which gives beginners a clearer picture of lucid dreaming techniques. With just a quick search in Wikibooks they will immediately find various advices from experts and meditation is always a part of it.
One handy tip to assure that meditation will be an effective trick to achieve lucidity is to ensure that you do it perfectly. Dream control is not as easy as what many people think. In fact this needs practice and a good dose of concentration. To avoid similar lucid dreaming problem from happening repeatedly try following these handy meditation tips.
Tips To Meditate The Right Way
Practice In The Right Place - find a calm and peaceful place to practice meditation. There should be no disturbance or any form of noise and sit in the most comfortable way you can. It's not necessary to do the lotus position. You can either sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or sit on the floor with crossed legs.
Concentrate - softly close your eyes and begin to take few but deep breaths. Inhale with your nose and exhale with your mouth. This way you'll refrain from forcing yourself to breathe. In a couple of minutes you will then notice that this breathing pattern will come naturally. This will also gradually become deeper.
Be aware - in order to see the effects of meditation, be aware it alongside from fully concentrating on the right steps. You will notice that you're starting to be more relaxed and calm. Be aware of your breathing and don't think of any distraction which may come. Lend your full focus on the activity and refrain from thinking of other things. This may not come easy but as you continue this practice you will find it simpler to concentrate.
Positive Effects In Lucid Dreaming
Concentration and focus are vital when trying to dream lucidly. Improving in meditation will also result in improving lucid dreaming. Because beginners like you need to familiarize various lucid dreaming tips, you should also have enough focus to avoid similar lucid problems. How to control your dreams is one easy question, but applying these tips require an adequate amount of motivation.
For more lucid dreaming techniques and lucid dreaming tips and tricks, visit our blog at luciddreaminghq.com. Visit our training guide, videos and product information guide.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

How to Improve Your Natural Psychic Ability - 4 Easy Steps

Label it psychic ability, intuition, second sight, or any other expression you care to use, but we are all born with the ability to know things beyond our natural realm of knowledge - an innate psychic ability.
As a psychic reader for over 30 years, I've never met anyone without some level of psychic capability, but it is usually rudimentary, uncontrollable, giving incomplete random bits of information.
Therefore, how can you reign in your psychic ability so that it is a clear helpful stream of specifics? If you'd like to reap the benefits this precious gift, try these exercises.
1. Listen to the psychic voice within.
Just as a muscle becomes stronger with use, so does psychic ability. The more you pay attention to it, the more you respond to the guidance it offers; the stronger it becomes, giving more detailed and comprehensible information. To develop this psychic muscle, start with something small. For example - you're leaving the house for the day and you feel the need to bring an extra pen with you. You already have one in your bag.
So normally, you'd ignore this urge, but to strengthen your psychic ability, listen to that voice within and respond to that urge - simply take an extra pen along. Later in day when you discover that, the pen you thought you could rely on runs out of ink. You'll reach in your bag and produce the spare. Your client signs the contract, the day is saved, and you've just fortified the fact that your psychic message was correct. Because you listened and acted in faith the next time the message will be stronger and you will understand more clearly what you need to do and why.
2. Meditation
Meditation is a powerful way of connecting to the spirit realm and after all that's from where all psychic information originates. Meditate on protection and clarity.
3. Stay away from Negativity
Negative people are an energy drain (physically, mentally and spiritually) if you must be around someone who is negative. Keep your psychic gift to yourself. There's no sense in subjecting yourself to ridicule and cynicism.
4. Give credit where credit is due
Finally yet importantly, do not attribute the accuracy of your psychic information to coincidence. Give credit where credit is due. If your psychic energy has given you, a piece of information that has served you well, be grateful; don't try to explain it away. Rationalizing is denial and that will shut down your psychic ability.
If you apply these techniques, you will begin to function at a higher psychic level, and before long, you will realize the rewards of your natural psychic ability.
Lynn Ristich Mrs Lynn Has over 30 years of experience as a Psychic Reader and Spiritual Intercessor. She sees people at her Chicago office where she doe psychic readings and has help thousands more who visit through her website http://www.asklynn.net
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Lucid Dreaming to Overcome Nightmares

Have you ever woken up screaming in terror after a nightmare that was so vivid you literally feared for your life - or perhaps the life of someone you love? We all have this experience from time to time, but if you're unfortunate enough to experience frequent nightmares, this is no laughing matter. What you need is some way to realize that what you fear is not real because you are only dreaming. This awareness is the essence of lucid dreaming - the best way to overcome nightmares.
Why Do We Have Nightmares?
We are more apt to suffer from nightmares during periods of stress, sickness, relationship problems, or traumatic events. Alcohol and certain drugs or medications can exacerbate these tendencies as they tend to suppress R.E.M. sleep - the phase of sleep where dreaming occurs. If you go to sleep under the influence, you may sleep soundly for some time, but the mind will not be able to dream. Once the effect of the substance wears off and R.E.M. sleep can resume, the mind needs to catch up on its dreaming, and this often results in more intense experiences. If those dreams are nightmares - look out!
The key to understanding nightmares, however, is to understand your fears. Shining the light of conscious awareness on these irrational fears can make them melt away. The benefits will be felt not just in the dream state, but also in your waking, everyday life. The Australian Aborigines believe that the dream state connects us to the "Dreamtime" from which all life came, and attach great importance to resolving issues while dreaming. But whatever your worldview, lucid dreaming can reduce your anxiety levels tremendously.
Using Lucid Dreaming to Overcome Nightmares
The following examples are supplied by perhaps the foremost researcher on lucid dreaming, Stephen LaBerge, in his 1990 book with H. Rheingold, Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming. Their research suggests that it is healthier to adopt a conciliatory attitude toward hostile dream figures, rather than a 'confront and conquer' attitude.
  • If being pursued, turn to face your pursuer. If it doesn't disappear altogether, start a dialog with it.
  • If attacked, show readiness to defend yourself but attempt a dialog. Or, feel love within yourself and attempt to extend this to your attacker.
  • If falling, relax and allow yourself to land. You are not going to die: it's a dream! Or, convert falling into flying and then go somewhere interesting. (This idea actually came from the Senoi people of Malaysia.)
  • If paralyzed, remember that you are only dreaming and adopt an attitude of curiosity toward the experience. Don't panic!
  • If unprepared for a test, you could simply walk out of the exam room and avoid the situation altogether. Or, have fun coming up with creative answers to questions.
  • If naked in public, remember that modesty is a social convention. In dreams, anything goes. So allow everyone else to get naked, too! (It's okay if this becomes arousing!) Who cares what happens in the privacy of your own dream?
Of course, all of these possibilities depend on your ability to realize that you are dreaming and to exert a certain amount of control over the process. So how exactly do we do that?
Fortunately, a relatively new and inexpensive audio technology known as brainwave entrainment offers a wonderfully simple way to enhance your ability to lucid dream. If you'd like to tame the fears that ruin your sleep, and convert your nightmares into exciting adventures instead, visit the following site, which offers the best overall review of brainwave products: Meditation MP3.
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Lucid Dream Induction - Remembering Your Dreams

One of the things that help you with lucid dream induction is being able to remember your own dreams. This helps build up recollection which is important for various methods that you can use to induce yourself into one of these dream like states. The problem is when some of us wake up, after a few minutes we can't even remember what was dreamt about which is going to cause problems for recollection but there are ways that you can actually improve this though.
  • Get Enough Sleep
The first thing that you're going to want to do is make sure that you get yourself enough sleep. The body goes through an REM process meaning that you want to sleep for 8 hours experience the full process instead of just the 5/6 hours that many people usually get.
The reason 8 hours is a better length is because with the numerous dreams we have during the night, they get longer as time goes on, so the longer they are the easier it is for you to remember bits from them therefore improving your recall ability.
  • Using A Dream Journal
The best tool that you can have is a dream journal. This is the basic and most essential thing that you should look into getting if you want to experience lucid dreaming. This isn't anything special, just a notepad that you can leave next to your bed so when you wake up you can note down anything that you experience in your dream.
Some people tend to prefer to wake themselves up during the night (if you are using the back to bed method this is highly useful to increase lucidity and recall) after 4/5 hours to note down what they remember and then go back to sleep for the rest of the night to do the same in the morning. What this does is just makes breaking down the dreams into chunks easier to remember than using recall on a full night's sleep.
Working from the end to the beginning is normally the best way to remember, ask yourself questions like "how did I get here" to help you move backwards in your story.
Anything you remember you should note down; dream signs, objects, animals, signs, anything you remember goes in the book. If you can't even remember anything put down "no recollection" as this will help you build the habit up.
  • Dream Supplements
There are many things you can take to help increase how vivid and lucid you can get in your dream like state.
There are many herbs out there that can actually help such as calea zacatechichi which has said to be highly effective. However the last thing you want to do is get addicted to them by using them every night so just use them in small amounts (don't worry they are safe to use).
You can also take on more natural foods such as rice, tomatoes, oats, cheese, almonds and mustard seeds. What these contain is melatonin which increases how vivid your dreams are which in return makes them easier for you to recall.
Dream recall is highly important when it comes down to lucid dream induction so you will need to make sure that you learn how you can improve your recollection so that you are able to increase your lucidity the next time you're sleeping.
There are many other methods that you can use for lucid dream induction and some you might find easier than others too. You can also check out our blog which contains tips, tricks and more methods and information that can help you with your journey to achieve your lucid dream.
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I See Ghosts, I Feel Things, I Know Things - Am I Psychic? What's Wrong With Me?

I know what it's like to see spirit, to hear sounds, to sense energy and to know or dream things that later happen in the same, or similar circumstances. Sometimes it can be really scary. Sometimes it can be really draining on you energetically and emotionally. Especially if you're a big dreamer.
So here is my 5 point plan to help you cope with what you experience on a psychic level.
Number 1 - Don't Panic!
Firstly, I don't think there is anything wrong with you. In fact, given my experiences these things are quite normal! You are more open, intuitive and sensitive than many others and while some of you may not be able to talk openly to others about it, please remember that you are not alone. These things can be controlled and either developed and integrated into your everyday life, or reduced, even stopped altogether.. When it comes to precognition always remember, you are not causing things to happen - you are simply aware of them before they do.
NB: If you're hearing voices that encourage you to do bad things to yourself or others, or to act out of character or inappropriately, or if you are causing harm to yourself, feel suicidal, or feel there is more to your condition then you must seek professional, medical help.
Number 2 - Start A Journal
Keep a diary of your daily activities including regular stuff as well as the spooky things. This will help you to realise how often it doesn't happen (the days when you're 'normal'!) and how often you're right about things. More importantly it will help you to get your thoughts out of your head and on to paper. It will help with the whirl of thoughts going round your head and will be useful for you in the future if you choose to develop your psychic, intuitive or mediumistic side.
Number 3 - Put Psychic Protection In Place
It is essential that you understand how you can learn to shut out the things that interfere with your everyday life, and maybe your sleep patterns (which is quite common). Psychic protection will help to keep you more grounded and able to function at work, at school or college and at home. For some of you, simply asking your spirit guides to stand around you and stop these things happening may be enough.
Number 4 - Meditate On A Daily Basis
Take some time to meditate each day. This will help you to remain calm and centred. Put psychic protection in place before you start. If you're comfortable doing so, you may want to let your spirit guide know (talk to them even if you don't know who they are, they will be around) that if there is anything that they wish to communicate to you, this is the time to tell you. Also let your spirit guide know that the rest of the day and night spirit shouldn't interrupt your life. You may want to include your meditation experiences in your daily journal too.
Number 5 - Make Connections
Connect with people of like mind if you can. Look for meditation groups, spiritualist churches or crystal workshops (just as examples). It's always a relief to talk to others who know what you're on about. If you are unable to do this in your local area, try connecting online. Although please be careful who you connect with, and essentially who you meet up with and put the usual precautions in place if you choose to meet.
Connect with your spirit guide too. You can do this through meditation given enough practice and time. To do this, put psychic protection in place before you meditate and simply ask you spirit guide to step forward during your quiet time and let themselves be known to you. There are also guided visualisations that can help you to meet your spirit guide, but remember they will only make themselves known to you when the time is right. I personally would suggest you find your guide for yourself rather than asking a medium or someone else to just tell you who they are as you need to be able to really connect with them so that you can work with them well in the future.
These steps may be enough for you, certainly for the time being, but the chances are you will need to decide what you want to do next. Do you want to develop these skills or shut them out? Once you've put these measures in place it should give you some breathing space to decide and then to research what to do next.
Helen Leathers is a lifelong intuitive, clairvoyant and medium, some would say psychic. Helen prefers the term 'a naturally modern mystic'. Helen teaches, inspires and encourages spiritual growth, personal and psychic development. She grew up surrounded by active spirits and has helped may people deal with their gifts and move unwanted spirits from their homes.
Helen draws on her natural and intuitive abilities along with many years of research and personal development to produce books, products and programs to help you, whether you're just a little curious, an absolute beginner or have been involved in spiritual and psychic development for some time. http://www.helenleathers.com
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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Ancient Egypt, The Land of Magic

As time ticks by and our nature changes ever so much, we are in fact caught up in our own dark ages, we could call it the dark ages of our mind. everything that we need to change ourselves is right in front of us, yet we do not see.
The land of magic have so much to offer the modern world, and yet people divide their knowledge as they have done with their own modern information, this only leads people away,... not towards..
The people of ancient Egypt are pretty much like us today, but their knowledge seems to go beyond anything the world has ever seen.
How can this be? How can we have lost so much and gained so little. Simple, we divided ourselves. Divisions in people, divisions in knowledge, divisions upon divisions.
Revelation;
Mythology, legends, poetry, fables are words that does not exist. They are merely words that was created in our modern time to communicate, about certain ancient manuscripts.
But they can never be a fact or a truthful name to anything ancient, simply because we were not there, and we lack the knowledge behind the words. We can presume, we can have theories, even ones that sounds most reasonable, but we do not have a concluding result that is pure truthful.
The people of Ancient Egypt thought nature was magical, and that magic existed all around them, and personally I would agree.
For is our earth not magical in itself? Is not the blessing of water, earth and air, a real truthful magical force by itself? All the planets in our endless universe, that just circle around in nothingness, is that not magical?
People in our modern world have always tried to harness the power of these magical forces, and rename them to something more, should we say earthly... Stripping them for their magical description...
By this I mean, just because the real functional description is lacking, does not mean that the function by itself is not magical.
Take Wind, can anyone explain its true functions or how exactly it works? yet we now sell wind power... but no one can create wind without air?.. they are one and the same.. a self creating force.
The human seems to be the most remarkable creation in the fact, that we a perfectly put together. Hands and fingers that can create, a subtle feeling to become more than just a primitive cell of life, an idea of what is to come, and the will and choice to change.
The people of ancient Egypt already knew this, and it was probably a much better foundation for having the biggest dreams, and creating such gigantic monuments, than what we are asked to believe in, today.
Mysteries of Ancient Egypt 
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What Are The Pagan And Wiccan Holidays?

There are 4 major and 4 minor holidays celebrated through out the year by many pagan traditions. These include the four major agricultural and pastoral festivals and the four minor solar festivals of the solstices and equinoxes. Major Sabbats occur at the peak or midpoint of the four seasons. These Sabbats originated from the Celtic harvest festivals which were religious, agricultural holidays. The Minor Sabbats occur at the beginning of each season. These are marked by astrological events. The Sabbats are generally felt to be a time for the entire community or families to gather together, give thanks, celebrate and be merry.
Many times individual magick is not performed on the Sabbats. More often, a symbolic ceremony is held to mark how the changing seasons reflect our changing lives. The wheel of the year also corresponds symbolically to the life cycle of the Goddess, from the Maiden in the spring, to the Mother in summer, and the Crone in late autumn and winter. It also marks the life, death, and re-birth of the God (Sun), who is born from the Goddess on Yule (Winter Solstice), grows to maturity by spring, is joined in union with the Goddess on Beltaine, and dies on Samhain, to be re-born once again at Winter Solstice. And so the wheel
turns.
Yule - (Winter Solstice)
December 20th - 23rd
This sabbath represents the rebirth of light. Here, on the longest night of the year, the Goddess gives birth to the Sun God and hope for new light is reborn.
Imbolc - (Candelas)
February 2nd
The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows.
The holiday is also called 'Brigit's Day', in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. She was considered a goddess of fire, poetry and healing.
Ostara - (Spring Equinox)
March 21st
The Spring Equinox celebrates the arrival of Spring, when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. The forces of male and female are also in balance.
Beltane -
May 1st
Beltane is the time of the sacred marriage which honors the fertility of the Earth; it represents the divine union of the Lord and Lady.
Midsummer- (Summer Solstice)
June 21st
The Summer Solstice, the longest day, is a time of triumph for the light. This holiday represents the Sun King in all his glory.
Feast Day of Mary Magdalene - July 22nd
(Not a traditional Pagan Sabbat)
Lughnasadh - (Lammas)
August 1st
This is the celebration of the first fruits of the harvest. The Sun King, now Dark Lord, gives his energy to the crops to ensure life while the Mother prepares to give way to her aspect as the Crone.
Mabon - (Autumn Equinox)
September 21st
During Autumn, we begin to see the waning of the Sun more obviously now as the days continue to grow shorter until the Wheel of the Year spins around again to Yule. At the Autumn Equinox, the days and nights are equal. It is a time of balance, but light gives way to increased darkness.
Samhain -( End of Summer)
October 31
It is said to be the time when the veil between the worlds is very thin, when souls that are leaving this physical plane can pass out and souls that are reincarnating can pass in.
Darkness increases and the Goddess reigns as the Crone, part of the three-in-one that also includes the Maiden and Mother. Divination is heightened this night. This is the time of year for getting rid of weaknesses. A common Ritual practice calls for each Wiccan to write down his/her weaknesses on a piece of paper or parchment and toss it into the Cauldron fire. Jack-o-lanterns, gourds, cider, fall foliage can be used as altar decorations.
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Discover the Illuminati Secrets of the New World Order

The notorious 'Illuminati' are a secret society, formed on the 1 May 1776. It was said to have been formed by the mastermind Adam Weishaupt, and was intended for the worlds 'enlightened' population to take over due to power in wealth and knowledge. In today's world, we know the absolutely minimum about this low profile dominant group lying dormant in our world, and have no idea of its planned capabilities.
The powerful Illuminati have been argued by many famous writers to have been causers of the worlds main events, such as the on going credit crunch crisis or the UK priministeral elections. They simply have so much power they can do whatever they want. One of the most interesting facts about these people is that they are on the rise again, and are coming to power without fear this time, and with bias events in the world happening in their favour such as the USA presidential election, the Illuminati can control the united states from within, and even the world.
You may view this organisation of masterminds sly or secretive, but they are not at all evil. For instance the Illuminati claim to have caused the credit crunch was said by a secret speaker to be an attempt at training the worlds population up for knowledge and understanding when it encounters disasters such as itself when new world order is started. The new world order the Illuminati wish to install is a clever and well thought up system, where the worlds governments and leaders will be diminished and one grand master if the Illuminati shall rule the world with the supreme knowledge given to them through enlightenment. It will benefit the world in many ways, by stopping national debt and other humanitarian disasters, by enforcing the enlightened ones knowledge and power from the intelligent organisation.
But there is more... You yourself can learn more and become an enlightened member of the new world order, and help the world through intensive knowledge presented to you by hundreds of years of omniscient members such as Issac Newton or Albert Einstein (yes these were members of the Illuminati, notice the trend of intelligence). However the Illuminati are in a time of need, and offer a free information document on the following link to give a full, detailed description of what they are, openly.
So go on, it will benefit you in the time soon to come!
Learn the secrets most people will never know about the worlds new order!
Become enlightened while you still can.
Michael Phillips
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Mystical, Magical Friend With Autism Telepathically Describes Her Perceptual Reality

Can you describe your type of communication abilities in regard to supported typing and telepathy?
It is significant to say that I am somewhat unique in my ability to interpret data. (7-8 percent of nonverbal people with autism currently share my ability but more could with the proper training) Many others who share my vibrational realm are hindered by a lack of cohesive thought. This happens because knowledge is not necessarily word dependent. I have mastered the ability to decode vibrations, and find the word that is most useful to describe it.
Nature is a complex organism of thought forms, reaching for vehicles of expression. I am capable of expression, only when all systems are balanced and synchronized. Achieving balance is like walking a tight rope with both arms extended hoping to keep my balance and to stay on the wire. As my partner, you assist me with the tenuous hold I have on my expressive vehicle. You serve as a balancing pole so to speak. Safety is part of the service you provide me. For I know, in most cases, you will help me rebalance myself before I fall. Even when the fall has not been averted, you provide me with a safety net. I know you won't let me flounder for long before you bring me to safer ground. Know that to master this linear world is challenging for me.
The tight rope can be viewed as linear thought. My understanding and reasoning are broad, but I am restricted by the confines of the wire so to speak. I can only stay connected to you when I am balanced on it. Precarious as it seems, I am shifting. Becoming more open to what physical reality has to offer. Beauty is present in all dimensions. It is difficult to limit oneself to a singular reality when being bombarded by invitations to other galaxies and planes of existence. Channeling higher thought forms through you is good for my brain and my nervous system.
What specifically can I do to keep you balanced and on the wire so you can communicate to those dependent on linear though?
Achieve a certain level of grounding. Just by being in your presence, I feel a sense of calm, just knowing I am not on the wire alone without a safety net. I target and translate thought forms that you might find interesting, by tapping into sources outside of myself, or I should say my body. I am encapsulated in an energy bubble that carries me safely from one domain to the other. Perhaps, you can picture it like a hot air balloon. You serve as a tethering cord so to speak. I allow you to be my guardian because you are skilled at thought transference. You are also good at listening without questioning too deeply. Frustration occurs when you are not open and flowing. I have trouble joining the current of your energy stream and feel confined to mundane practices of earthly survival. You are at your best when you enjoy being with me and are happy. Transfer of information between us is grounded and transferred by energy chords or streams. Think of our process as a flowing river. If you build a damn as you often do, my flow of information stops. Love, intention, joy and light-hearted acceptance, all assist in an uninterrupted flow of ideas. Know that you are going to have to remove the damn time and time again before you fully realize what you are unintentionally doing.
I am a friend, student, teacher, and advocate to amazing souls diagnosed with severe autism. Open your heart and mind and you will feel their presence. Telepathy, telekinesis, intra-dimensional communication and support is part of their perceptual reality. Love and connectedness is the universal theme.
http://sireland.thespiritguides.co.uk/Article_Autistic_Child_Love_Acceptance_and_Gratitude_5765.aspx
http://www.thespiritguides.co.uk/Article_Evolving_Telepathy_and_Autism_3836.aspx
Mary Ann Harrington MS
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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Ptolemy and the Battle for Ancient Alexandria

Ptolemy sharpened his knife with a small stone as he carefully studied the dark waters for any sign of movement. The dense cloud-cover created an almost pitch-black night. By his feet laid a sword and bronze helmet, heavily dented and scratched from years of hand-to-hand combat in the wars of Alexander the Great. He thought to himself, if he were to bring twenty thousand men across that river for a surprise attack, tonight would be the night. Only Ptolemy's tall silhouette was visible when men finally approached and knelt down.
"General. We have a sighting."
That moment occurred two thousand, three hundred years ago in the Pelusium region of Egypt, when one man named Ptolemy was all that stood between Perdiccas, a power-hungry heir to Alexander the Great's empire, and civilization's most significant and influential achievement in science and technology, the Great Library of Alexandria. Ptolemy's astounding leadership and commitment to his vision was a gift to all man-kind, for all ages to come.
Not many people know that much of our advanced technology stands on pillars of math and science developed thousands of years ago during this magical time known as the Ptolemaic dynasty in ancient Egypt. And even less known, was the shocking violence that almost ended Ptolemy's dream of the cosmopolitan city named Alexandria before it ever had a chance. Dedicated to the peaceful pursuit of math, science and the arts, Alexandria left a legacy of unimaginable technology.
How ironic that the fate of such an advanced institute of peace, so far ahead of its time, would be determined by such barbarism and brutality, but that's how it was so long ago, and that was the burden this one man carried. Ptolemy, born in Macedonia, was the boy-hood friend of Alexander the Great, and eventually one of the top Generals in Alexander's legion. But when Alexander died and negotiations over who would inherit his vast empire failed, Ptolemy immediately took those soldiers most loyal to him and claimed Egypt as his own.
Perdiccas, another x-General from Alexander's legion, loathed Ptolemy after on-going disputes over territory and ruling power. But when Ptolemy literally stole Alexander's body from the control of Perdiccas, that was the final insult. After building an immense legion with massive war elephants, an insanely angry Perdiccas marched his deadly war machine towards Egypt to put an end to Ptolemy and his plans for the new city.
Facing such a horrific Armageddon of death, most anyone else would simply flee, but despite the minimal size of his defensive force, Ptolemy decided to fight for the future of Alexandria. Along the banks of the Nile River, the brilliant leadership of Ptolemy was put to the ultimate test in the shocking events that followed.
History may not remember with clarity all details of the battle for Alexandria, but we should never forget that long ago, thousands of men sacrificed their lives in the name of peace and science. And even today, our world is better because of it.
The magnificent and inspirational story of Ptolemy and the battle for ancient Alexandria is now told in my new novel, "Alexandria, the Stones of Macedonia", available at http://www.mpsoldo.com. When purchased through that site, I will personally sign all copies sold, making them an extra special gift or addition to your personal collection.
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Heroes & Villains in the Quest for Spirituality: 100 Significant Characters of the Hebrew Bible

There are hundreds of named men and women in the Old Testament. Merely to list all of their names would fill many pages and be of little profit. If you want to investigate every one of them, I recommend Herbert Lockyer's books, All the Women of the Bible and All the Men of the Bible, or any good Bible dictionary, such as Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
Here are the 100 most significant Old Testament people, based not on what I think or who I like, but on how many chapters are devoted to their lives. You will meet peasants and princes, queens and harlots, shepherds and soldiers.
I have identified each with a short description and a Bible reference. This doesn't mean the reference cited is the only place this person is mentioned. Keep in mind that these are in alphabetical order, not in either chronological order or in the order in which they appear in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Aaron - Brother of Moses and Israel's first high priest.
Abner - The general of King Saul's army, treacherously killed by David's general, Joab.
Adebnego - One of Daniel's three friends who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar. "Abednego" is the Babylonian name assigned to him by his captors. His Hebrew name is Azariah.
Abimelech - One of the "Judges" of Israel who for a short time ruled as a king.
Abraham - The man whose life of faith and covenant with God established the nation of Israel, his descendants, as the people of God.
Absalom - The son of King David whose bitterness at how his father treated him led him to usurp his father's throne. David's general Joab killed Absalom to end the rebellion.
Adam - The first human being, created out of the dust of the ground. His wife's name was Eve.
Adonijah - A son of David and half-brother of Solomon who tried to steal the throne during David's declining years.
Ahab - Powerful king of Israel (though in fact he only ruled over the northern 10 tribes). As a result of marrying Jezebel, Ahab introduced his kingdom to Baal worship.
Ahasuerus - King of the Persian empire and husband to the Jewess Esther.
Amos - Farmer-shepherd whom God call to denounce the northern nation of Israel.
Athaliah - Wicked daughter of Ahab and Jezebel who ruled over Israel until she was executed to make way for the boy-king Joash.
Baalam - Non-Israelite prophet who prophesied blessing for Israel rather than the curses he was being paid to declare. Balaam is also known for beating his donkey, who then spoke to him by God's power.
Bathsheba - Wife of Uriah with whom David committed adultery before murdering her husband. Bathsheba's second child, and the only to survive more than a few days, was Solomon.
Belshazzar - The last ruler of the Babylon before it was conquered by the Medes and Persians. Daniel prophesied his destruction--a prediction fulfilled that very night.
Bildad - One of the three friends who visited Job and ended up discouraging him rather than comforting him.
Boaz - A godly man in an ungodly age, Boaz married Ruth of Moab and was great grandfather of King David.
Caleb - A tribal leader who, along with Joshua, counseled Israel to courageously conquer the land they and the 10 unbelieving leaders had spied out.
Cyrus - As the first great leader of the Medo-Persian empire, Cyrus abruptly changed the policy of the Babylonians, allowing exiled peoples to return to their ancestral homelands. In doing this, Cyrus was unwittingly fulfilling Isaiah's much earlier prophecy that he was actually carrying out God's will.
Daniel - One of the Israelites taken into Babylonian exile who, because of his faithfulness to God and to the king, rose to great power and influence in both the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires.
David - Second king of Israel and famous as "the man after God's own heart," as a singer of psalms, and the slayer of the giant, Goliath. David's reign and that of his son Solomon, was the time of greatest power and prosperity for the nation in ancient times.
Darius - The first ruler of Babylon in the Medo-Persian empire, Darius the Mede appointed Daniel to be his advisor. Darius was manipulated into throwing Daniel to the lions, but was greatly relieved when God's prophet emerged unharmed.
Deborah - As the only woman who served as a "Judge" of Israel, Deborah led the Israelites to a military victory over Sisera of Damascus.
Delilah - This Philistine woman deceived Samson into revealing the secret of his great strength so that she could deliver him to his enemies.
Eli - The high priest who took in Samuel when his mother Hannah dedicated him to the Lord. God punished Eli for not restraining the wickedness of his sons.
Elihu - A young man who became angry as he listened to the discourse between Job and his three friends. In contrast to the friends, Elihu believed that God imposed suffering on Job, not to punish him for sins but to prevent him from sinning.
Elijah - One of the greatest of the prophets, Elijah stood for God virtually alone during the time King Ahab and his wife Jezebel were persecuting true believers and promoting the worship of Baal.
Eliphaz - One of the three friends of Job, all of whom were convinced that God was punishing Job for his wickedness.
Elisha - The successor of Elijah as God's prophet. Elisha sought and apparently received a double dose of Elijah's miraculous power.
Esau - The elder brother of Jacob, who sold the birthright of firstborn to his brother and later also lost his father's blessing to his brother. Although at the time of this second incident Esau vowed to kill Jacob, he later on was reconciled to him declaring how much God had blessed him.
Esther - A beautiful Jewess whom the Persian king Ahasuerus married and made his queen. Esther later on saved the Jews from certain destruction by exposing the plots of Haman against her uncle, Mordecai.
Ezekiel - Prophet among the Hebrew exiles in Babylonia who saw visions of why God would destroy Jerusalem and how He would restore it.
Ezra - A righteous priest and one of the exiles who returned under the sponsorship of the Persian government. Ezra helped Nehemiah to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord.
Eve - The first woman, created from the side of the first man, Adam.
Gideon - One of the "Judges" of Israel, convinced to lead the army against the Midianites by two miracles involving a fleece and dew. At God's prompting, Gideon reduced his large army down to 300 men, and still won the victory.
Gomer - Wife of the prophet Hosea, whom he married despite her prostitution. Gomer's unfaithfulness to Hosea was symbolic of Israel's unfaithfulness to God.
Habakkuk - A prophet who struggled to understand how God could punish the wicked of his nation by the Babylonians, who were even more wicked. God's reply, to which Habakkuk complied, was simply to trust him.
Hagar - The slave of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. When Sarah remained childless after many years of trying to conceive, she gave Hagar to her husband--a practice common to the culture of that time. Hagar conceived and bore Abraham his first son, Ishmael.
Haggai - Worked closely with his fellow-prophet Zechariah to inspire the people returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile to finish rebuilding the temple of the Lord.
Haman - An advisor to King Ahasuerus whose arrogance and pride led him to plot against Mordecai, the righteous uncle of Esther. When Esther uncovered Haman's plot, the king ordered that he be hung on the gallows he had built to hang Modecai.
Hannah - Mother of Samuel who dedicated him to the Lord as soon as he was weaned.
Hezekiah - Righteous king of Judah who sought and received God's deliverance from the Assyrian army, reformed the worship of God, and brought about a second golden age similar to that of David and Solomon. Hezekiah benefitted greatly from having the prophet Isaiah for an advisor.
Hiram - King of Tyre who entered into a treaty and a close personal friendship with King Solomon. Hiram supplied the cedars for the building of the temple and Solomon's palace.
Hosea - Prophet of God who obeyed God's command to marry the prostitute Gomer, as a living parable of God's relationship to wayward Israel.
Isaac - Second son of Abraham but regarded as the firstborn, since he alone was son of Abraham's wife Sarah. Isaac also entered into covenant with the Lord and prospered under His blessing.
Isaiah - Prophet of God who advised King Hezekiah and, along with Micah, inspired the nation of Judah to return to the Lord.
Ishmael - First son of Abraham, by Hagar, the slave-woman of Abraham's wife Sarah.
Jacob - Also known as "Israel" (Prince of God), Jacob was son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, husband of Leah and Rachel, and father of twelve sons, who became tribal leaders of what would be known as "The Sons of Israel." Jacob also had a daughter named Dinah.
Jehu - The successor of Ahab as king of the northern nation of Israel. Appointed by the prophet Elijah, Jehu had Ahab's wife, Jezebel killed, as well as all of Ahab's sons.
Jephtha - A judge of Israel who delivered the nation from the oppression of the Ammonites (Judges 10 - 11). Jephthah foolishly vowed that if the Lord gave him the victory, he would sacrifice whatever came out to greet him upon his return home. Little did he know that it would be his only daughter (Judges 11:30-40).
Jeremiah - Called by God when very young and serving as a prophet for many years, denouncing Judah for its sin and predicting its fall to the Babylonians and a 70-year exile. Jeremiah lived to see his prediction fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
Jeshua - High priest for the Israelites allowed by Cyrus to return to Jerusalem. Along with Zerubbabel, Jeshua led the people to complete the reconstruction of the Lord's temple, in response to the prophetic ministry of Zechariah.
Jezebel - Princess of Sidon who married Ahab and led the northern nation of Israel into the practice of Baal worship. Jezebel tried to kill off all of the faithful prophets of the Lord, including Elijah. Among her other sins, Jezebel ordered the murder of Naboth in order to sieze his vineyard. She was killed at the order of Jehu.
Joab - The nephew of David who served as the general of David's army once David became king. Joab was a treacherous and violent man who nevertheless was fiercely loyal to David.
Joash - A righteous king of Judah contemporary with Jehu, king of Israel. Joash became king when he was only six years old, having survived the wrath of Queen Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Among his other righteous deeds, Joash repaired the temple of the Lord. He was assassinated at age 22.
Job - (pronounced "jobe"). A righteous man whose severe trials and enduring faith are the subject of the book that bears his name. The book is a series of dialogues between Job and his friends regarding the cause of his suffering.
Joel - A prophet the Lord sent to the northern nation of Israel, calling them to repentance on the occasion of a locust plague that happened during a drought. Joel describes the spiritual renewal that awaits those who heed his call.
Jonah - A prophet the Lord sent to warn Nineveh that the city was about to suffer destruction. Jonah tried to run from God but eventually delivered the message, prompting the city to respond in fear and repentance. Jonah was angry that the Lord spared the penitent Ninevites and received a rebuke from the Lord in the form of an object lesson.
Jonathan - As son of Saul, Jonathan was prince of Israel and should have been next in line for the throne. But the Lord had chosen David as Saul's successor, and Jonathan, who was David's best friend, was willing for David to assume the throne in his place. Jonathan lost his life in a battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa.
Joseph - As the favorite son of his father Jacob, Joseph provoked the jealousy of his 10 older brothers, who sold him into slavery. God blessed Joseph, however, so that he eventually rose to become the ruler of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. From this position of authority, Joseph was able to save his entire family from a famine after he had demonstrated to his brothers that he had forgiven them.
Joshua - The assistant of Moses who after the Lawgiver's death, became his successor and led the Israelites in their conquest of the land of Canaan. The book of Joshua relates the history of his life.
Josiah - A righteous king of Judah who led important religious reforms. Unfortunately, Josiah lost his life in a battle near Megiddo against Pharaoh Neco.
Judah - One of the sons of Jacob whose descendants became one of the most populous tribes of Israel. Judah's was the tribe of both David and Jesus.
Laban - Brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel, Laban
Leah - Wife of Jacob, sister of Rachel, and daughter of Laban, Rachel was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, during whose childbirth she died. Rachel was her husband's favorite wife.
Lot - Nephew of Abraham whom Abraham had to rescue from being a prisoner of war. After barely escaping from the destruction of Sodom, Lot fathered a son by each of his two daughters after they got him drunk on two successive nights. The descendants of the two boys became the nations known as the Moabites and the Ammonites.
Malachi - Prophesied during the period after the return from Babylonian exile. Malachi predicted the coming of both John the Baptizer and Jesus.
Manasseh - Succeeded his father, righteous Hezekiah, to the throne of Judah, Manasseh was one of the most wicked, responsible, according to tradition, for stuffing the prophet Isaiah into a hollow log and then sawing the log in half. After being punished by the Lord by going into exile, Manasseh turned back to the Lord at the end of his life.
Meshach - One of the three friends of Daniel who refused to bow to the image of Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into a fiery furnace. The Lord rescued the three from martyrdom as a testimony to Nebuchadnezzar of His greatness. "Meshach" is the name the Babylonians assigned to him; his Hebrew name was Mishael.
Micah - A prophet of the Lord who prophesied to the nation of Judah. Micah was an older contemporary of the prophet Isaiah.
Michal - Daughter of Saul given in marriage to David. When David fled from the wrath of Saul, Michal's father gave her in marriage to another, who was forced to return her to David when David became king. Later on in their marriage, Michal came to despise her husband. She died childless.
Miriam - Sister of Moses and Aaron and a prophetess. Miriam led the women in their song of rejoicing after the Lord drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Exod. 15:20-21). Miriam was temporarily struck with leprosy as punishment for joining with Aaron in questioning Moses' unique authority (Num. 12:1-15).
Mordecai - Uncle of Esther who raised her as his own daughter. Mordecai enjoyed a position of favor in the court of Ahasuerus after exposing a plot against the Persian ruler. Esther rescued him from a plot against his life by wicked Haman
Moses - Used by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Among the men of the Old Testament Moses was unequaled as a prophet and the lawgiver for the Israelites. His life is recorded in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. He is believed to be the author of Genesis, and Psalm 90 is also ascribed to him. Moses was brother to Aaron and Miriam.
Naaman - Syrian military leader who sought a healing of his leprosy from the prophet Elisha. The Lord healed his leprosy after he dipped seven times in the Jordan River, as Elisha directed him.
Naomi - The mother-in-law of Ruth, who brought the young widow with her when she returned to Bethlehem from Moab after the death of her husband and both of her sons. It was Naomi who advised Ruth to seek protection from Boaz, resulting in Ruth's eventual marriage to the rich kinsman.
Nahum - A prophet of the Lord who predicted the fall of Nineveh. His predictions were fulfilled in 612 B.C. when the Babylonians conquered the Assyrian capital.
Nathan - Faithful prophet of the Lord who served as David's trusted spiritual advisor. Nathan had the honor of announcing to David that his dynasty would last forever (2 Sam. 7), a prophecy ultimately fulfilled in the eternal reign of Jesus Christ. To Nathan also fell the unpleasant task of confronting David with his sin of adultery and murder and announcing that his infant child would die (2 Sam. 12).
Nebuchadnezzar - King of the Neo-Babylonian empire, who deported nobles from Judah, including Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. A few years later, in 586 B.C., the Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem, captured it, and destroyed it. Nebuchadnezzar recognized the potential of the young Hebrews and promoted them to leadership positions in his kingdom.
Nehemiah - Cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes and appointed by him to be governor of the exiles returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city. Against strong opposition, Nehemiah led his people to rebuild the walls of the city and helped Ezra in turning the people's hearts toward the Lord.
Noah - A man who found grace from the Lord in a desperately wicked generation and built the ark that rescued from the Great Flood his entire family and representatives of all of the land animals then living upon the earth. Upon leaving the ark, Noah entered into a covenant with the Lord and received from Him gracious promises, including the promise never again to destroy all life by a flood.
Obadiah - A prophet the Lord used to denounced the Edomites for celebrating the fall of the Israelites and even cutting down their refugees. Obadiah's predictions that Edom would be utterly destroyed were fulfilled.
Rachel - The wife whom the patriarch Jacob loved more than his other wife, her older sister Leah, and who gave birth to Jacob's two favorite sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Benjamin became the head of one of the tribes of Israel, almost wiped out in a war against the other tribes.
Rahab - A prostitute of the pagan city of Jericho at the time the Israelites were about to invade. Rahab hid the Israelite spies in exchange for their protection in the coming battle. After the spies kept their word and spared her at the fall of the city, she married an Israelite, becoming one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ.
Rebekah - Wife of Isaac chosen by Abraham's servant because of her willingness to serve him by drawing water for him from a well and watering his camels. Rebekah was the daughter of Nahor and the sister of Laban. When Isaac became blind in his old age, Rebekah conspired with her son Jacob to deceive him into giving Jacob the Father's Blessing in place of his older twin, Esau, to whom it rightly belonged. When Rebekah heard Esau threaten his revenge, she sent Jacob off to her father's people and died without ever seeing him again.
Reuben - The firstborn son of Jacob who lost his position over his brothers because of his sin with his father's concubine. When his brothers wanted to kill their younger brother Joseph, Reuben intervened and persuaded them not to kill him. Reuben's descendants became one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ruth - A woman from Moab who, after the death of her Israelite husband, firmly committed herself to attend her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, the Israelite. After the two women returned to Bethlehem, Naomi's home, Ruth married Boaz, Naomi's kinsman. Their son Obed turned out to be the grandfather of king David.
Samson - An Israelite dedicated to the Lord from before he was born, who nevertheless was vain, selfish, sensual, and violent. God used him despite his sinfulness to bring deliverance to Israel from their Philistine oppressors. Samson was deceived by a Philistine woman Delilah to reveal the secret of his great strength, his long hair, uncut as a sign of his dedication to God. When Delilah cut off Samson's hair while he slept, Samson lost his great strength and fell victim to his enemies, who put out his eyes and bound him with chains. Samson got his revenge, however, for when his hair grew back, he pulled down a Philistine temple to which he was chained, killing not only Samson, but all of the Philistines who had assembled there to mock him.
Samuel - Another Israelite dedicated to the Lord before he was born and raised as the servant of the high priest Eli. Samuel grew up serving God and after Eli's death, became the last judge of Israel and also one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. Under the Lord's guidance, Samuel anointed both Saul and his successor, David as the first two kings of Israel.
Sarah - Wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Sarah was very beautiful even as an older woman. The Lord blessed her to conceive her child after she was beyond the age of bearing children, in fact, when she was 90 years old.
Saul - The first king of Israel and a powerful warrior who led Israel's armies against the Philistines. Because Saul sinned against the Lord and apparently did not repent, the Lord took his kingdom away from him and gave it to David. Saul compounded his sin by trying to kill David again and again. Saul committed suicide on the battlefield after he realized the Philistines had won the battle and were about to capture him. Saul's son, Jonathan was killed in the same battle.
Sennacherib - King of Assyria who led an invasion that swept through Syria, Israel, and Judah at the end of the eighth century B.C. Sennacherib destroyed all of the fortified cities of Judah except Jerusalem. He surrounded Jerusalem and would have destroyed it as well, had not Hezekiah prayed and received from the Lord a mighty deliverance--in one night an angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 soldiers of Sennacherib's army. Sennacherib returned to Assyria in humiliation, where two of his own sons assassinated him. Sennacherib's palace in Nineveh has been excavated, on the walls of which he depicts the taking of Lachish, an Israelite city near Jerusalem. He boasts, "I walled up Hezekiah in his city like a bird in a cage," but makes not mention of taking Jerusalem or of the decimation of his army.
Shadrach - One of the three friends of Daniel taken into exile by the Babylonians before they destroyed the city of Jerusalem. His Hebrew name was Hananiah. With his two friends, Mishael and Azariah, better known as Meshach and Abednego, Shadrach refused to worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar. Although the three of them were thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, God sent someone Nebuchadnezzar described as "someone like a son of man" to rescue them, and they escaped unharmed.
Solomon - King of Israel, succeeding his father David to the throne. At the beginning his reign, the Lord offered to give him whatever he wanted. Although quite young, Solomon asked for wisdom rather than riches or long life. In response, the Lord gave him all three, blessing his reign until he became renowned as the wisest and richest king in history. Tragically, however, his many marriages to foreign women turned his heart away from the Lord. Despite being remembered for building a glorious temple to the Lord in his capital city of Jerusalem, Solomon actually became an idolater.
Uriah - A Hittite warrior among the elite soldiers in the army of King David, whom David treacherously ordered to be exposed to the enemy in battle and killed to hide the king's adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. The Bible has nothing but praise for this victim of a king's lust and the subsequent, self-serving cover-up.
Uzziah - King of Judah and father of King Hezekiah. Uzziah was also known as Azariah (not the much later Azariah also called Abednego). He was a righteous king, but at the end of his reign became conceited and wrongly offered incense in the temple of the Lord. The Lord punished him with a leprosy that remained with him until his death.
Zechariah - A prophet of the Lord who, along with Haggai, persuaded the returned exiles to complete the temple they had begun four years earlier and neglected to finish while they built their own houses. Zechariah greatly encouraged the governor, Zerubbabel, that the Lord could care for the nation's se while he devoted himself to finishing the sanctuary of God. Zechariah also encouraged the high priest, Jeshua, that the Lord Himself purified him for his duties as the spiritual leader of God's people.
Zephaniah - A prophet of the Lord chosen from among the royal household to urge the people to return to following after the Lord.
Zerubbabel - The Persian-appointed governor of the exiles who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Supported by the prophetic ministries of Zechariah and Haggai, along with the ministry of the high priest, Jeshua, Zerubbabel was able to motivate the people to complete the rebuilding of the temple of Solomon in 516 B.C.
Zophar - One of the friends of Job, who, in the guise of trying to comfort him in the loss of all of his children, his possessions, and his health, instead sought to accuse him of deserving God's punishment because of some hidden sin. Eventually the Lord vindicated Job and prompted him to pray for his three friends.
* * *
Copyright ©2006 Steve Singleton
Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean.
Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free "DeeperStudy Newsletter" or "DeeperStudy Blog."
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Egyptian Culture - Love Potions

Many ancient observers have commented on the devout nature of ancient Egyptians. Hardly a day went by apparently, without a religious event of some sort. They were a thankful people always ready to express their gratitude to their gods. Ritual in the temples was a fine art with a great many people helping to make the experience deep and profound.
Today our finest minds have split the atom, travelled to the outer planets and constructed an internet system that is inspired. We were no less clever in our ancient past when great minds were working on the refinements of worship. Geniuses of ancient times worked hard to provide the props for a passionate experience of divine drama. Had there been award ceremonies in those days, the Egyptians would have won all the Oscars!
In the four months of the year when the farmland flooded, temporarily redundant labourers were employed on fabulous building projects producing pyramids, magnificent city temples and palaces. Divine architecture was a national pre-occupation and even today, crumbling and unpainted, these buildings still hold a charge. In their heyday when they were properly maintained and freshly painted they would have been electrifying.
The interiors were no less impressive. The way to an inner sanctum was through a series of sealed doorways designed to stimulate a rising climax and a feeling of exclusion and secrecy. Beautifully painted murals directed the supplicants towards a magical otherworld until they eventually arrived at an inner chamber or womb. Within this holy of holies was the sealed shrine containing the statue of the deity about to be reborn for communion. This was always accompanied by perfume.
In a country with high temperatures, perspiration and body odour was a constant factor in temple gatherings so the use of incense was essential to maintain an experience of divinity. Frankincense and myrrh were widely used and this exquisite scent would produce a feeling of holiness by association. Egypt was famous throughout the known world for producing the finest perfumes and many gorgeous varieties were available. The distillation of alcohol was not known until the fourth century BC, so scent was extracted by steeping in oil to obtain essential oil. This essence was then blended with other additives using great skill.
There is a theory about 'anointing' that suggests an altered state of mind where "The Anointed One" would receive enlightenment and divine experience. What were they anointed with I wonder? The skills of apothecaries were highly refined and hallucinogens and other mind altering ingredients wouldn't have been overlooked. Opium and hashish were widely used. Is it possible that perfumes were also enhanced with these emotional intensifiers and called enchantments? Or love potions?
Read about this and many other fascinating aspects of Egyptian culture in Nile God, a paperback novel and ebook. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A4COHJO The author, Garth Meaney is an antiques dealer, restorer and collector of ancient artefacts. His interest in all things Egyptian provides an informed background for this thrilling tale of romance, secrets and magic.
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The Greeks Admired Ancient Egypt

It was the year of 300 Before Christ (B.C) and Alexandria the great had given the land of Egypt to his close friend Ptolemy I Soter. They must have known a lot about the Egyptians way of thinking and how the hieroglyphic system worked, because they would keep these traditions alive though themselves.
Normally when one conquers another land, the losing part tend to be destroyed, and what can be used is taken into the winning conquers own registries as their own.
But Alexander did not do this to the land of Egypt, nor did they destroy their gods and goddess. Actually they took in everything that Egypt was, even thou they must have known that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt - The Land of magic) were the last to hold a true key of pure knowledge. Alexandria added his own section to the Luxor temple, in its most holy of holiness. There he placed his name among the very ancient Egyptian pharaohs and so did he unite himself with them. They understood the Egyptians so well that they were able to change words and expressions, without the people revolving. Actually they probably just changed everything from the inside (another Trojan horse).
The real ancient Egyptians had ended long before the Greeks ever came, and their knowledge, seems baffling compared to the Greeks and other older cultures. They were truly the ancient modern society, but they had been at war for so many years, then at peace for lesser years, and then at war again. This was the time between Tut-ankh-amun's (around 1300 B.C) death up until the time of Jesus (around 7 B.C) birth.
The ancient way of thinking has always been kept alive, through the knowledge that more modern societies would come too displayed.
Many ancient Greeks used Astrology like their ancestors did. From birth until death, the stars would never fail them. Some used their means for doing real mean in reality, other became humble servants of the old way of thinking. But never again would there be an Egypt so great and with the truth from the even older.
The Greeks never figured out everything about the Egyptians, because even until this day such matters are unknown. Still they say; how did they build such magnificent things?
The truth shall never be destroyed, therefore it was written in stone for all to see. Yet before this time where the people that was even more humble in mind, they declared that they knew nothing and therefore left nothing for the naked eye.
References
The Secret of Anubis; The Winter Triangle ISBN 87-991527-9-7
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Legend of the Holy Grail

The legend of the Holy Grail represents the symbol of life.
The Holy Grail is identified as a sacred vessel out of which Jesus drank the Last Super; used in the final meal with his disciples, the legendary sacred object has captured our imagination down through the centuries. And the intrigue continues to be more than an illusion of archaeological romance. The Grail is hidden in guise of many stirring accounts; some stories are just mythical engrossing wiles, on a journey of vengeance from Jerusalem to England, depicting battles with the old adversary Satan. The stories are truly fascinating, galvanize with symbols of life to engage our imagination in the metaphor of spiritual journey.
The Holy Grail is describe in Christian traditions and early literature as a legendary object and some commentators have made mention that the object itself is a plate, but most have said it is a cup of some description. While the search for the mysterious existence of the Holy Grail continues, the quest has not always been for the finding of a physical object, because for some pursuers, the Holy Grail represents something more than the treasures of gold, silver or brass; it becomes an important union of fellowship with God. The state of grace with God is to be free from the burden of sin and to have peace abiding within, when the guilt and penalty of death has gone then the heart becomes justified by faith.
What is the significance of the Holy Grail?
It brings together a number of obsessions in mind, first the ingredient is connected with Christ, at his Last Supper meal, and therefore, the nobility of such defining moments lend credence to the belief that the Holy Grail possesses superior spiritual powers, perhaps similar to those associated with the Ark of the Covenant, lost from sight in the Old Testament. As we look at the Holy Grail, let us delve back into history for a time where curiosity has driven our imagination to uncloak something out of this mystery, where numerous attempts have been made to popularize the hazy shroud of historical artifacts. Film directors go to great length to present a compelling picture of the puzzle, DA Vinci Code, looks at the mystery of the Holy Grail. The portrayal emphasized the hidden object of a cup, which then can be looked at in the story taken up in the account of Joseph of Arimathea, who is alleged to have caught the blood of Jesus as he hung dying on the cruel Roman cross. Joseph of Arimathea is no stranger to bible scholars, because it was he who had donated his own tomb for Jesus burial.
While this may not be the view of everyone, it certainly is the most consistent line of thinking, even for those who are of none Christian concept. The fascinating subject of the Grail emerges with consummate romance, and takes us through the labyrinth of time, with different cultures, promising the fulfillment of a lifetime quest. The power of the Grail may be indiscernible to us, greater than all the concepts we imagine, yet so infinite; that no other powers on earth can compare.
This spiritual powers must be awakened by our own purity and good intent, then we will not be drawn to the negative conclusions that surrounds this precarious object of interest, by invoking rites of magic or other spiritual activity that are conceived in secret.
So much for the importance of the Holy Grail in our lives, the obsession may be the greatest need for association, by learning the truth about God, we can study the bible with great intensity; but history demands that time and tales rightly discern the times, for stories that plays a nursery part in people's lives. We then notice the importance of the Grail and the stir it caused when first the eye of the world was called upon to voice their opinion, the subject stream rises to the top of the fountain and remains supreme.
The legend is associated with profound ecstasy, fusing elements of mythology and Celtic lore, of horn made drinking goblet, which could restore life, and produce magic for hope, such were the stories, and other accounts relating to tales of medieval England in the Middle Ages, a period from about A.D. 500 to 1500. This period is sometimes called the dark ages.
During this period of time, King Arthur's knights of the round table was connected with the account of Holy Grail, this story alleged, that the grail was hidden in one of the most horrible part of England, whereupon only the purest knight would be worthy enough to perceive and understand the path that lays between life and death. so the knight would roam the country in search of it, this became their noblest quest, and it is believed that only Sir Galahad was the virtuous hero, with the privilege of having envision the rhapsody of the over powering revelation.
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Celestial Event of the New Moon

In both astronomy and astrology, the celestial phenomenon known as the New Moon occurs at the exact moment the Sun and the Moon occupy precisely the same point in the sky-map of the Zodiac -- the same degree and minute of arc in a particular sign. In Astrology, this aspect of alignment is known as a conjunction.
We often speak colloquially of the New Moon as that tiny sliver of light in the night sky that will progress over the next month to create the bright circle of the Full Moon and then diminish gradually to a tiny sliver of light curving in the opposite direction before the process begins again.
In fact, at the moment of the New Moon, there is no light from the Moon visible in the sky at all. Reflected sunlight from the moon is completely blocked, and everything at that source is at its darkest point. The New Moon, then, forms at the literal moment of transition from light becoming less and less apparent to the instant of change when it starts increasing in availability again.
The Sun takes approximately one month to travel through one sign of the Zodiac. In roughly this same amount of time, the Moon travels through all twelve signs of the Zodiac ... changing signs around every two and a half days, and forming a New Moon in each of the Zodiac signs in turn, again, about once every thirty days throughout the year.
Obviously, the New Moon will always form in the sign where the Sun is at the time. Very rarely there will be two new Moons in a single sign ... one very near the beginning, and the other very near the end.
Interpreting Astrology is basically a process of deciphering the metaphors -- the "meaning" of the planetary energies with regard to their placement within the circle of the Zodiac and to their placement in relationship to one another. The New Moon represents the unification of Sun energy with Moon energy -- of outer, personal, extroverted, "masculine" energy with inner, subjective, introverted, "feminine" energy.
Another way of saying this is ... it is the uniting of one's basic spiritual expression with one's basic inner emotional center. It is the alignment of one's sense of self with one's capacity for emotional commitment. This is why astrologers recommend beginning new projects and enterprises "under the New Moon." There is a focus and solidity to such undertakings that can be extremely valuable in one's progression toward eventual success -- with the coupling of both conscious and subconscious assets as resources in the effort.
In Astrology, the metaphors of the various planet placements at the time of the occurrence describe the experiences, interests and themes of the coming 4+ weeks in everyone's life -- influenced as always by these same placements in a person's Natal Chart, the map of the sky at the time of birth.
This is very like placing a transparency on a picture, and gaining thereby an altered, or perhaps more dimensional, picture of the effect "current life" is having on the "raw materials" of your basic personality. Thus the placement of the New Moon both in the sky and certainly in one's Natal Chart (and the impact it represents there) will forecast the general issues and directions of life in the month ahead.
The metaphor of the New Moon, this monthly "alliance" of the two most individually significant celestial bodies, denotes a renewed alignment of one's sense of personal direction and one's sense of emotional commitment in successive departments or concerns of life as the year progresses through the creative process from new beginnings and initiations in Aries until the dissolution and release of Pisces ... in order to begin again on another level.
(c) 2007 Rebecca Brents, All rights reserved.
Rebecca Brents writes on a wide variety of spiritual and new age subjects, including astrology, tarot, feng shui, alternative health, metaphysics, and self-improvement. She publishes the extensive online new age Ezine, The Enchanted Sprite on her website, Enchanted Spirit: http://www.enchantedspirit.org/, and offers numerous online new age lectures and new age classes in these various fields. She also provides astrology readings, tarot readings, and personal consultations through The Enchanted Spirit Metaphysical Source Shop http://www.enchantedspirit.com/.
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