OUT OF THE BOX!

A SPIRITUAL PATH TO HIGHER CREATIVITY

Gary Broughman

An eight-week course on "The Artist's Way," designed by noted screenwriter Julia Cameron, will be offered at Bamboo Arts in DeLeon Springs beginning at 7 PM on Thursday, February 17 through April 7. The course at Bamboo Arts will be led by creative writer and spiritual teacher Gary Broughman. According to Broughman, "The Artist's Way" is not only for artists and writers, but is helpful to anyone seeking greater spiritual presence and that magical sense that we are creating life, not being created by it."

Millions have benefited from the program since its inception more than a decade ago. For Ms. Cameron, creativity is a spiritual transaction, and those who discover their higher self live in a dimension of spiritual electricity. "While this is a way of being that most would wish for, many of us are left asking how we can get there," says Broughman.

The Artist's Way presents a tiered approach on which class participants can climb to higher creativity in their lives and work. 


Registration for the eight-week course is $55 which includes the book. For more information and to reserve your space call (386) 956-1329. Several people associated with Bamboo Arts attend our Sunday Services  and are familiar to us as great motivators and speakers.

INTERESTING FACTS THAT ASTOUND

Ferret at DeLand Dog Parade

• A rat can last longer without water than a camel.
• Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.
• That dot over the letter “i” is called a tittle.
• A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
• A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate.
• A duck’s quack doesn’t echo. No one knows why. (except in Salford, Manchester. The University of Salford conducted an experiment proving this much quoted internet fact to be a fallacy. So there you go, never believe anything you read on the internet http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/acoustics_info/duck
  

NAZCA LINES PLUS ANOTHER MYSTERY

http://www.matrifocus.com/BEL08/pilgrimage.htm Link to website dedicated to the goddess woman. Mummies on the Nazca plane

The link above takes you to a website called Matri Focus which is dedicated to the Goddess Woman. The feature page story is a pilgrimage to Nazca, which also has museums and sites for tourists to view that contain mummies in various stages of dress. Minute details are visible on these mummies as they rest in single and group burial settings. This is an interesting story by a novice who was impressed by the sites. 

REFLECTIONS ON THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the Messenger magazine written by Ernest O. Martin.

"...to what extent are we responsible for making choices that will lead to eternity in heaven rather than hell?"

In much of Swedenborgian writing, it is assumed that this freedom is absolute. Near the end of Freedom & Evil George Dole writes,

The limits to our freedom, however, are obvious. I cannot do just anything I feel like doing. There are limits to my physical strength, limits to my knowledge, limits to my intelligence, limits to my determination. From one point of view, I am really a very small person in a very big universe. I cannot understand most of the languages of our planet, do not know most of its inhabitants, have not read most of its books, have not seen most of its cities, and have not tasted most of its food; and there is no possible way that I can. In fact, I am obliged to select, to choose ....

I am convinced that our freedom is extremely limited, and our rationality is even more so. Given the limitations imposed by heredity, environment, intelligence, addictions, poor education, social and economic factors, poor judgement, etc., to what extent are we responsible for making choices that will lead to eternity in heaven rather that hell? And how capable are we of making wise decisions, for Swedenborg said, "wisdom is the eye of love."

Referring to the work of scholar John Hick, Andrew Dole says in his essay "Freedom, Evil and the Problem of Hell"

...The existence of evil within the world is not the result of a misuse of an originally pristine agency, but a natural consequence of the fact that human beings are, in general, not yet competent to choose the good with any consistency 

....Successful soul-making thus requires more than simply making good decisions: it also requires overcoming temptations, learning from mistakes, developing empathy for suffering, and in general grappling with the dark side of creaturehood.


...If God's deepest desire for human beings is that they freely develop themselves into virtuous and God-oriented creatures through a protracted process of overcoming spiritual obstacles, it is not clear why God permits the existence of evil so severe that they exceed the ability of persons to recover from them

ETERNITY of the HELLS

"Where is our freedom if God is in control and decides what is best for us" Do we suffer the consequences of our choices, or as George Dole declares, "an omnibenevolent providence makes sure that we are not overwhelmed." Were the six million Jews overwhelmed at the holocaust? Or the over one million suicides in the world each year, with ten to twenty million attempts--were they overwhelmed? Or the 140,000 children who dies each day? Or the millions addicted to tranquilizers, anti-depressants, and other drugs?

From the time I entered the ministry in 1952, I have challenged Swedenborg's statements that the possibility of regeneration ends with physical death, and an evil person will spend eternity in hell. Dr. John Swanton, eminent Swedenborgian scholar of the early twentieth century, undertook a mission to challenge the teaching of the eternity of the hell, but he didn't get much support. For most Swedenborgians, a clear quote from Swedenborg ends any discussion: "thus saith the Lord." It is encouraging, however, that present-day seminarians and younger ministers are questioning the traditional views.

I can't conceive of a loving God who would settle for any one of his creatures suffering eternally in hell. I like to think I love my six children unconditionally. If, whithe their limited freedom and rationality, they make poor choices and suffer therdy, I am not going to say: "Tough, you make your bed in hell. Now lie in it." I will do my utmost to lead them to the life of heaven. I thought that the parables of "the lost" were to this effect. If the Lord would leave the nenety-nine sheep, and seek after the one which was lost, would eh not use his ominpotence to save one of his human creatures? I don't recall that the father ever gave up on the Prodigal Son.

Comment from blogger:

The style and conceptuality of the foregoing excerpt offers a glimpse into the mindset of the established hierarchy of every religion. By naming the virtues and creatures they build a box around them. This makes them easier to separate and examine as issues and temporal beings. My own thought is that the "God" they refer to is unknowable and unnameable. There are no virtues or vices that are separate from the creator. All of creation is one thought at one time. The destination for all is the same, but the paths are many. As professor Vedder stated last week "Somewhere from the great void of eternity I arrived in this life and in this time. When my body falls away I will still be in eternity as I was before." This statement suggests to me that the one constant in existence is change and that it continues whether in the material or the ethereal.

"By study and meditation is the door opened to heaven. I must find my own path, but I need not walk alone." --Blogger

The numerology texts below are excerpts from multiple internet sites. My comments are in blue. I am continuing the brief conversation we started about numbers.
 
BASIC STUDY OF NUMEROLOGY

Numerology is any of many systems, traditions or beliefs in a mystical or esoteric relationship between numbers and physical objects or living things.

Numerology and numerological divination were popular among early mathematicians, such as Pythagoras, but are no longer considered part of mathematics and are regarded as pseudomathematics by most modern scientists. This is similar to the historical development of astronomy out of astrology, and chemistry from alchemy.

Today, numerology is often not associated with numbers, but with the occult, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.

Modern numerology often contains aspects of a variety of ancient cultures and teachers, including Babylonia, Pythagoras and his followers (Greece, 6th century B.C.), astrological philosophy from Hellenistic Alexandria, early Christian mysticism, the occultism of the early Gnostics, the Hebrew system of the Kabbalah, The Indian Vedas, the Chinese “Circle of the Dead”, and the Egyptian “Book of the Master of the Secret House” (Ritual of the Dead).

Pythagoras and other philosophers of the time believed that because mathematical concepts were more “practical” (easier to regulate and classify) than physical ones, they had greater actuality.

St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354–430) wrote “Numbers are the Universal language offered by the deity to humans as confirmation of the truth.” Similar to Pythagoras, he too believed that everything had numerical relationships and it was up to the mind to seek and investigate the secrets of these relationships or have them revealed by divine grace.

In 325 A.D., following the First Council of Nicaea, departures from the beliefs of the state Church were classified as civil violations within the Roman Empire. Numerology had not found favor with the Christian authority of the day and was assigned to the field of unapproved beliefs along with astrology and other forms of divination and “magic”. Despite this religious purging, the spiritual significance assigned to the heretofore “sacred” numbers had not disappeared; several numbers, such as the “Jesus number” have been commented and analyzed by Dorotheus of Gaza and numerology still is used at least in conservative Greek Orthodox circles.

An example of the influence of numerology in English literature is Sir Thomas Browne’s 1658 Discourse The Garden of Cyrus. In it the author illustrates that the number five and related Quincunx pattern throughout art, nature and mysticism.

Your Destiny Number - Do it Yourself Calculations

Just as with your date of birth, your name also holds keys to who you are and who you were meant to be. One of the most powerful keys derived from your name is your Destiny number.

As we mentioned before, different numerologists may use different names to refer to the same number...in this case the Destiny number is also sometimes known as the Expression number. 

The Destiny number is calculated from the sum of all the letters in your name exactly as it was given at birth. While the Life Path number tells who you are when you were born, your Destiny number reveals what you are meant to become and accomplish with your life. 

Many people who are struggling in life or unhappy find that they are working in opposition to their destiny and that by making simple changes, setting new goals and adjusting their outlook to be more in line with their Destiny number they are able to find the happiness that previously eluded them. 

When you calculate your Destiny number it is important that you use your full name exactly as it appears on your birth certificate. For our example we will use a fictional character named Samantha Rae Jones.

We will be using the Pythagorean system of numerology for this calculation so we have included the Pythagorean table below for your reference. (IMPORTANT: if you have not already reviewed the sections on how to add in numerology and the Pythagorean number values, please do so now and return to this section when you are done.) 

 Ironically, while I was composing this sequence of information on Destiny Numbers a commercial came on TV advertising the Sleep Number bed. Maybe I need a new mattress? Numerology graph by eraserhead

Destiny Number Meanings in Numerology

Destiny Number 1

A destiny number of 1 in numerology indicates that you are destined to a position of leadership. You can live up to this destiny by using your ability to think and act for yourself. By relying on your determination, independence and strength you will be able to make your own path in the world. You shouldn't be afraid to stray from the safe path and try new things or new methods of approaching problems. If you rely on your creativity and strength of character you can have success in new endeavors while leading others to follow you there. 
 

Destiny Number 2

People with a numerology Destiny number of 2 are meant for positions of diplomacy and peacemaking. To move toward your destiny you can use your tact, power of persuasion and diplomatic skills to help others resolve differences. You may find great satisfaction and fulfillment in helping to resolve problems, even though it may not always be something that you are eager to do.

Destiny Number 3

A Destiny number of 3 shows that you are meant to utilize creativity and optimism in life. Part of your job in life is to help other people realize the power of joy, laughter, and imagination. By helping others who may have lost the joy of living learn to appreciate life and live it to its fullest (and most joyful) you will find your own joy and fulfillment. Expressing yourself creatively is key to making this happen.

Destiny Number 4

With a Destiny number of 4 in numerology the key to finding happiness will be found in organization, good management, and practicality. Finding order in your life and personal affairs and building things to last will help you to find fulfillment in life. By taking responsibility and allowing others to depend on you to be practical and get things done you will be working toward your destiny.

Destiny Number 5

With a Destiny Number of 5 you must represent freedom to find fulfillment. To live up to your destiny you must work to embrace change and not fear it or cling to the familiar in your life. It doesn't mean rushing blindly into something new, however keeping yourself open to change and taking on new opportunities, challenges and adventures when they present themselves will lead to your ultimate happiness.

Destiny Number 6

The key to a Destiny number of 6 is to live your life as a humanitarian. Helping those who are weak, down on their luck or unhappy will help you to find happiness in your own life. You also should strive to beautify the world around you with artistic endeavors. While you should not completely sacrifice yourself to the service of others, helping those in need will open the door to beauty, love and harmony in your own life.

Destiny Number 7

A Destiny number of 7 means you will find fulfillment through teaching others. By pursuing an ongoing quest for knowledge and then sharing your findings with your fellow man...be it through teaching, writing or some other means...you will bring joy inot your own life. By following your destiny your life should be an interesting one full of the exploration of science, mysteries, the occult or other fascinating fields.

Destiny Number 8

A Destiny number of 8 opens the door for you to strive for accomplishment and success in your work and life. Setting goals and working diligently toward them will reward you with many gains including authority, personal recognition and financial success. It is important that you do not set financial gain as your only goal in your endeavors in life, although you will likely find that with hard work that will be one of your rewards. Work instead for the sense of accomplishment of a job well done and for the simple love of doing what you do and happiness and success will likely follow.

Destiny Number 9

With a Destiny number of 9 you are meant to bring charity, beauty, art, romance and perfection into the world. By living a life filled with generosity, a kindness of spirit, compassion, forgiveness and understanding you will be rewarded with ultimate happiness and a wealth of gifts from life. You should live your life with the goal of making even the most ordinary things in life lovely and full of beauty.

Common Number Sequences

111 - This sign is used to indicate that your thoughts are related to the start of a new cycle in your life.  What you are thinking about doing or changing is correct for the new phase of your life.

222 - This is a sign of confirmation that you are on the right path, doing the right thing and going in the right direction.  Continue with this train of thought.

333 - This sign indicates that your Spirit Guides agree with your thoughts and feelings and could be interpreted as a Cosmic 'Yes!' to questions you have asked or ideas you may have.

444 - This sign from your Spirit Guides signifies their disagreement with your thoughts and feelings and can be interpreted as a Cosmic 'No!' to questions you have asked or ideas you may have.

555 - When you see this sign a life changing thought or event has just occurred. You may not like it, or you may. Whatever the case your Spirit Guides are notifying you that a change in your life path direction has just occurred and it is time for you to change too.  Move with it, follow these thoughts.

666 - Your thoughts are out of balance right now, focused too much on the material world or due to mental or emotional imbalance.  This sign indicates your thoughts are not clear and you should not continue with this train of thought.  Let it pass.

777 - This sign indicates that a lesson has been learned.  It is a sign of acknowledgment and achievement - you have learned a lesson that your Spirit Guides want you to learn about your life.

888 - A phase of your life is about to end and this is a sign to give you forewarning to prepare. This number sequence may mean you are winding up an emotional, career, or relationship phase.

999 - Completion. This is the end of a big phase in your personal or global life. Your thoughts at the time of seeing this sign indicate that these thoughts will bring about the completion or end of a phase in your life.

000 - Unity with the Universe.  Your thoughts are in Unity with the Universe.  This sign indicates that your thoughts are in Unity with the Divine Wish for your life.

Signs in Unity with Astrological Influences

 

Occasionally, you will see the following sets of number sequences. These are signs that relate to your thoughts and feelings, and the Astrological Influences acting on your life at present, i.e. your personal planetary influences. These signs differ from the Spirit Guide signs above, as the unity signs refer to a short period (hours and days) of Astrological Influence:

 

1010, 0101, 1001, 0011, 1100 - These signs indicate that your thoughts are in unity with your Spiritual Path and your Astrological Influences.

 

2020, 0202, 2002, 0022, 2200 - These signs indicate that your train of thought is in unity with your Astrological Influences.

3030, 0303, 3003, 0033, 3300 - These signs indicate a cosmic 'Yes'; that your thoughts are in unity with your Astrological Influences.

 

4040, 0404, 4004, 0044, 4400 - These signs indicate a cosmic 'No'; that your thoughts are not in unity with your Astrological Influences.

 

5050, 0505, 5005, 0055, 5500 - These signs indicate that a change in your thinking has occurred that is in unity with your Astrological Influences.

6060, 0606, 6006, 0066, 6600 - These signs indicate that your current thinking is out of balance with your Astrological Influences.

 

7070, 0707, 7007, 0077, 7700 - These signs indicate that you have learned a life lesson that is in unity with your Astrological Influences.

 

8080, 0808, 8008, 0088, 8800 - These signs indicate that a phase of your life is about to come to an end that is in unity with your Astrological Influences.

9090, 0909, 9009, 0099, 9900 - These signs indicate that a phase of your life has come to an end that is in unity with your Astrological Influences.

 

000, 0000 - These signs indicate that your thoughts are in unity with your Astrological Influences.

Signs on the Spiritual Path

 

The following signs are used by our Spirit Guides to guide us on our Spiritual Path.  These signs let us know how we are doing and what we need to do next. These Spirit Guide signs refer to your life/spiritual path in terms of weeks, months and years:

 

1010, 0101, 1001, 0011, 1100 - These signs indicate that your thoughts are in unity with your Spiritual Path and your Astrological Influences.

111, 1111 - These signs indicate that your thoughts are correct for the new cycle of your life and they are on your Spiritual Path.  Continue with and follow these, as these thoughts relate to a new cycle in your life that is on your Spiritual Path. 

121, 1221, 2121, 2211, 1122 - These signs indicate that your current train of thought is correct for your Spiritual Path. These thoughts are your focus and following these will lead you along your Spiritual Path. This can be expressed simply as, 'You're following your path!'.

 

131, 1331, 1313, 3311, 1133 - These signs indicate a Cosmic 'Yes!' - these thoughts are on your path.

 

141, 1441, 1414, 4411, 1144 - These signs indicate a Cosmic 'No!' - these thoughts are not on your path.

 

151, 1551, 1515, 5511, 1155 - These signs indicate that a change on your path has just occurred.  Whether you like it or not, it is correct for you and is on your Spiritual Path.  Proceed in the new direction.

 

161, 1661, 1616, 6611, 1166 - These signs indicate that your thoughts are out of balance with your Spiritual Path.  These signs are like road markings Spirit Guides use to keep us on the right path and prevent us straying down the wrong one.  This sign is the opposite of 121, 1221, etc. and advises that your focus has strayed off your Spiritual Path. This can be expressed simply as, 'You're not following your path!'.

 

171, 1771, 1717, 7711, 1177 - These signs indicate that a lesson had been learned on your Spiritual Path.  You have learned a lesson that your Spirit Guides want you to learn, one that is important and is necessary for you to progress on your path.

 

181, 1881, 1818, 8811, 1188 - These signs indicate that a phase of your life is about to come to an end.  These signs indicate that your thoughts regarding some part of your life are in line with your Spiritual Path and, by following these thoughts, the phase you are thinking about will eventually come to end. 

 

191, 1991, 1919, 9911, 1199 - These signs indicate the completion or ending of a phase on your Spiritual Path.  The phase may or may not have come to an actual end at the time of seeing these signs, but, if you follow the thoughts you have at the time of seeing this sign, this phase will come to a complete end.

Other Number Sequences

2323, 2332, 2233 - These signs indicate your Spirit Guides agreement and support with your train of thought, plans or intended actions.  This sign is most often seen after you have established a relationship with your Spirit Guides and are open to their guidance via number sequences.

 

1234, 234, 456 - If you are repeatedly seeing ascending number sequences such as 1234, this is a sign from your Spirit Guides that these are progressive thoughts.  You will see this sign when thinking about an area of your life that you are concerned about and want to change, or thinking about a particular subject.  Seeing this number sequence immediately after these thoughts is a sign that your thoughts are progressive; your life will progress by following these thoughts and you will have your Spirit Guides support in its pursuit.

 

321, 432, 543 - If you are repeatedly seeing descending number sequences such as 321, this is a sign from your Spirit Guides that your thoughts are regressive.  You will see this sign when you are thinking about an area of you life, course of action or subject.  Seeing this number sequence immediately after such thoughts is an indication that your life will take a step backwards if you follow the course of action you are considering or continuing with such a train of thought.

Blogger: I personally usually see sequences of numbers in repetition: 8888.8.88 is one. Most recently I have been seeing 23's and 5's. I never notice numbers in regression. Some number sequences not mentioned here, but common are 711, 64, 40, and 2's. 

I recently sent a dream sequence to my sister who emailed back with the analysis that it was filled with 2's. I hadn't even noticed! There was a bicycle, 2 girls, walking, 2 coins, two skate boards, 2 of diamonds playing cards, and many other pairs of players. She interpreted it for me in a way that helped me understand the underlying meaning. My sister is a minister of Religious Science in California. 

A couple of friends have mentioned journaling to me recently. Perhaps this would be a good way to illuminate the infiltration of numbers that may hold meaning and messages for us?
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WHAT IS TANTRIC NUMEROLOGY?

Tantric Numerology*  is an ancient technology with roots in yogic and tantric wisdom. This science was brought to the west recently, in 1969 by the Master of Kundalini Yoga and Mahan Tantric*: Yogi Bhajan, and is a branch of Kundalini Yoga technology.

Numerology is NOT a sort of “divination”, nor is the answer to all questions, and is not philosophy. It is a simple tool, yet very useful for  understanding ones strengths and weaknesses. It gives you the awareness of the higher and lower points of your psyche, allows you to work on your weaknesses, developing and utilizing your strengths to the fullest.

This system teaches about the Ten Bodies of the human psyche, which are as follows:


Soul Body
Negative Mind
Positive Mind
Neutral Mind
Physical Body
Arc Line
Aura
Pranic Body
Subtle Body
Radiant Body

In Western society is not often understood we have ten bodies, but we actually do have them. We know our Physical body that we can see and touch, which is the fifth body out of ten. Tantric Numerology helps us to understand the relationship between the ten bodies and how we can balance them. In order to experience wholeness as a human being we must learn and master each part of ourselves to fully integrate its functions.

With the science of Tantric Numerology it becomes easy to realize any unbalance and restore it. It gives you the tools, the technology to achieve harmony by understanding and working on your own psyche. It is simple, quick and effective. But to really make a profound change in your life it requires that you commit to do what it takes to master each body.

No magic solutions through Tantric Numerology, although the insights you gain from, plus the certainty of having the right technology to practice, it saves a lot of years of searching after the more effective practice in order to get the best results in the shortest time.

This is the beauty of the art and science of Tantric Numerology, you know what to do and only you can do it for yourself.

The Five Positons in your Numerology Chart 

Everyone was born with  five numbers that represents the aspects or positions of: Soul- Karma- Gift- Destiny and Path. Understanding your numbers and its interpretation will give you a place to begin working with your ten bodies.

1-SOUL-needs to be accessed by becoming cozy with your own inner guidance.

2-KARMA-needs to be neutralized by Dharma*, by engaging in a pratice the harmonizes both your internal and external world. "When there's Dharma, there's no karma". Yogi Bhajan

3-GIFT-needs to be accepted and strengthened trough engaging in a conscious practice.

4-DESTINY-is what you have developed trough many life times and how other people see you. In order to manifest your destiny in full, you need to develop a strong conscious relationship whit that body.

5-PATH- is how you use all your fulfilled potential in order to serve others on the path to consciousness.

The Ten Bodies

The ten bodies of the human psyche are the yogic descriptions of what the perfected human being looks like and acts like. In order to be whole you must get to know all these parts of yourself and learn how to integrate and coordinate them. You can’t control the events around you, but you can control how you relate to those events.

Instead of being reactive, you can use your ten bodies so that your inner peace remains unspoiled.

You know where you have negative, limiting programs about life and about yourself, you’re too fat, too thin, nobody appreciates you, I cannot do this or that , etc.

Its time to change what you pay attention to and focus on your greatness, your subtlety, your grace, your majesty.

The psychic heat you generate by focusing on your greatness will just burn up all that old pain!

1. Soul Body. The part in us connected to the Infinite; unchanging, non-reactive, never dies. To experience and identify with this Body is ideal.

The Three Mental Bodies:

 
2. Negative Mind. (or protective mind)
Identifies possible dangers or shortcomings in a situation; necessary for protection.

3. Positive Mind.(or projective mind)
 Inspires us by showing the best possible results in any situation.

4. Neutral Mind. (or meditative mind)
Takes the information from both negative and positive mind and decides on the best course of action using unbiased, intuitive knowledge, the ultimate state of mind for success. 

5. Physical Body. The vehicle through which we participate fully on earth. It is perfected by balance in all the physical aspectsdiet, work, play, and essentially avoiding extremes like laziness or fanaticism.

6. Arcline.
Historically depicted as the halo. The arcline arches from ear to ear and is the seat of the akash, the ether, in the body. Its color varies with a person’s health and mental or psychic condition. Women have a second arcline reaching across the chest from nipple to nipple which Yogi Bhajan says gets imprinted with the sexual experiences she has had in her life. 

7. Auric Body. The eighth chakra of the body, the aura, is the electromagnetic field of energy which surrounds every living creature. Kundalini Yoga kriyas and pranayama increase the auric field, thus increasing awareness. In yogic teachings, a woman is receptive to the penetrating quality of men. Even flirting can open holes in the aura, making a woman extremely vulnerable. A strong, radiant aura can protect from many misfortunes and strengthen our mental, physical and spiritual bodies.

8. Pranic Body.
Controls the breath and takes in life force energy of the universe. Energy, control over the mind, gives courage and healing power. Pranayam feeds the Pranic Body.

9. Subtle Body. This carries the Soul to the Infinite at the time of death. It is the other Body with the Soul Body which exists after all the others have disappeared. The Mother makes all the other bodies. Often, we can project our subtle bodies beyond time and space to be at two places at once. The visions of saints and angels are their subtle bodies. It is that which although we are merged with the Infinite still exists uniquely through eternity.

10. Radiant Body. Gives spiritual royalty and radiance. A strong radiant body manifests as charisma. Their very presence works before a word is spoken. (To those who are in their negative minds it can be perceived as arrogance.)  

 

ELEVENTH EMBODIMENT
Command Center

Your eleventh embodiment is the command center from where you orchestrate the play of the ten bodies. The eleventh is a function of numerology. It means the sum of the ten bodies. Whenever we talk about 11's in any of the positions, you have to consider all the 10 bodies.

 

"Of course there is a natural aversion against being defined by for example your birth day, your name, the stars, your gender, your function in society or any other thing. Actually we know deep inside that nothing can define us. That is because we are pure consciousness, in which all phenomena rise and disappear again. That's why we are absolutely not defined, by anything. We have neither form nor any quality. Neither word nor number can define us. One can not make an image of us. We can use numerology for the phenomenon body-mind complex, because we can roughly describe that. Because everything is connected to everything, the whole manifestation has an impact on the body-mind complex. We can do something about the body-mind complex, to relax it, to purify it. In this field the Kundalini Yoga Numerology is very practical, because you can determine yourself on what area (one or more of the ten bodies) exercise and meditation can be useful." --Wouter

 

·         Also known as Akahara Numerology

·         Mahan Tantric is the Master of White Tantric Yoga, and can only be one at the time on the planet. "Tantric" means the intersection of the warp and the woof. It is the cross point of the diagonal energy between the negative and positive polarities. The earliest form of tantric practice is what we know today as "white tantric". White tantric refers to the pure meditative experience of these intersecting energies. It is performed in a group under the guidance of the Mahan Tantric and it allows us to raise our frequency much more quickly than by meditating alone. Three minutes in the blue aura produced by a white tantric meditation is equal to 90 years of meditating alone. Most people today associate "tantric" with the lower form called "red tantric".

This is the sexual tantric to which you refer. It's much less powerful and much more difficult to do. There's also a debased form of tantric called "black tantric" which is essentially using the tantric energy to manipulate other people. Not recommended. 

http://www.akalsukhsingh.com/Tantric_Numerology.php  

Not for the faint of heart! My suggestion for those who are interested in numerology would be to go on a quest of your own and accept or reject the different methods and schools. What works for me, may not work for you. I am often distressed with a feeling that I am not in control of my mystic episodes. They either have no application to my reality or skip from dynamic to absurd. Looking for, or becoming aware of number sequences around me gives me comfort and confidence that a higher power is working through the mind and laws of the universe.

Send your articles and notices to us for publication in this newsletter. We are happy to include all your information. Until next month ...think out of the box!

BARRY COLLEY IN ONE MAN SHOW

Barry Colley, the bead and jewelry artist, is being featured in a one man show coming soon. Look for details here and on Facebook.

SOME GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

 I don't think about death much, unless I'm specifically invited to, which is the case today. I have an actor friend who thinks about death a lot, because that is how he makes himself project mournfulness to an audience when mournfulness is called for onstage. He remembers a death. I don't console myself with the idea that my descendants and my books and all that will live on. Anybody with any sense knows that the whole Solar System will go up like a celluloid collar by-and-by. I honestly believe, though, that we are wrong to think that moments go away, never to be see again. This moment, and every moment, lasts forever.

May 1972

Kurt Vonnegut novelist and playwright

 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Reading tips from the Internet, I got this useful list where I personally follow some of it to help me sort of improve my day to day life. Read through it and just follow the things you want to believe. Remember, each person has his/her own needs/wants/beliefs.

1.  Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2.  Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3.  Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4.  When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to __________ today.’
5.  Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6.  Play more games and read more books than you did last year.
7.  Make time to practice meditation, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8.  Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9.  Dream more while you are awake.
10.  Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured industrially.
11.  Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds and walnuts.
12.  Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13.  Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14.  Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15.  Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16.  Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17.  Smile and laugh more. It will keep the negative blues away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Remember God heals everything.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
32.  Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33.  The best is yet to come.
34.  No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35.  Do the right thing!
36.  Call your family often.
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for _______. Today I accomplished ____.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed. Enjoy the ride. 
39. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride. 
40. Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can’t change.
    

A NEW POOH

“Say, Pooh, why aren’t you busy?” I said.
“Because it’s a nice day,” said Pooh.
“But you could be doing something Important,” I said.
“I am,” said Pooh.
“Oh? Doing what?”
“Listening,”he said.
“Listening to what?”
“To the birds. And that squirrel over there.”
“What are they saying?” I asked.
“That it’s a nice day,” said Pooh.
“But you know that already,” I said.
“Yes, but it’s always good to hear that somebody else thinks so, too,” he said.

From The Tao of Pooh

The 10 Most Puzzling Ancient Artifacts

The Bible tells us that God created Adam and Eve just a few thousand years ago, by some fundamentalist interpretations. Science informs us that this is mere fiction and that man is a few million years old, and that civilization just tens of thousands of years old. Could it be, however, that conventional science is just as mistaken as the Bible stories? There is a great deal of archaeological evidence that the history of life on earth might be far different than what current geological and anthropological texts tell us. Consider these astonishing finds:

The Grooved Spheres


The Dropa Stones
In 1938, an archaeological expedition led by Dr. Chi Pu Tei into the Baian-Kara-Ula mountains of China made an astonishing discovery in some caves that had apparently been occupied by some ancient culture. Buried in the dust of ages on the cave floor were hundreds of stone disks. Measuring about nine inches in diameter, each had a circle cut into the center and was etched with a spiral groove, making it look for all the world like some ancient phonograph record some 10,000 to 12,000 years old. The spiral groove, it turns out, is actually composed of tiny hieroglyphics that tell the incredible story of spaceships from some distant world that crash-landed in the mountains. The ships were piloted by people who called themselves the Dropa, and the remains of whose descendants, possibly, were found in the cave.

The Ica Stones
Beginning in the 1930s, the father of Dr. Javier Cabrera, Cultural Anthropologist for Ica, Peru, discovered many hundreds of ceremonial burial stones in the tombs of the ancient Incas. Dr. Cabrera, carrying on his father’s work, has collected more than 1,100 of these andesite stones, which are estimated to be between 500 and 1,500 years old and have become known collectively as the Ica Stones. The stones bear etchings, many of which are sexually graphic (which was common to the culture), some picture idols and others depict such practices as open-heart surgery and brain transplants. The most astonishing etchings, however, clearly represent dinosaurs - brontosaurs, triceratops (see photo), stegosaurus and pterosaurs. While skeptics consider the Ica Stones a hoax, their authenticity has neither been proved or disproved.

The Antikythera Mechanism
A perplexing artifact was recovered by sponge-divers from a shipwreck in 1900 off the coast of Antikythera, a small island that lies northwest of Crete. The divers brought up from the wreck a great many marble and and bronze statues that had apparently been the ship’s cargo. Among the findings was a hunk of corroded bronze that contained some kind of mechanism composed of many gears and wheels. Writing on the case indicated that it was made in 80 B.C., and many experts at first thought it was an astrolabe, an astronomer’s tool. An x-ray of the mechanism, however, revealed it to be far more complex, containing a sophisticated system of differential gears. Gearing of this complexity was not known to exist until 1575! It is still unknown who constructed this amazing instrument 2,000 years ago or how the technology was lost.

The Baghdad Battery
Today batteries can be found in any grocery, drug, convenience and department store you come across. Well, here’s a battery that’s 2,000 years old! Known as the Baghdad Battery, this curiosity was found in the ruins of a Parthian village believed to date back to between 248 B.C. and 226 A.D. The device consists of a 5-1/2-inch high clay vessel inside of which was a copper cylinder held in place by asphalt, and inside of that was an oxidized iron rod. Experts who examined it concluded that the device needed only to be filled with an acid or alkaline liquid to produce an electric charge. It is believed that this ancient battery might have been used for electroplating objects with gold. If so, how was this technology lost... and the battery not rediscovered for another 1,800 years?

The Coso Artifact
While mineral hunting in the mountains of California near Olancha during the winter of 1961, Wallace Lane, Virginia Maxey and Mike Mikesell found a rock, among many others, that they thought was a geode - a good addition for their gem shop. Upon cutting it open, however, Mikesell found an object inside that seemed to be made of white porcelain. In the center was a shaft of shiny metal. Experts estimated that it should have taken about 500,000 years for this fossil-encrusted nodule to form, yet the object inside was obviously of sophisticated human manufacture. Further investigation revealed that the porcelain was surround by a hexagonal casing, and an x-ray revealed a tiny spring at one end. Some who have examined the evidence say it looks very much like a modern-day spark plug. How did it get inside a 500,000-year-old rock?

Ancient Model Aircraft
There are artifacts belonging to ancient Egyptian and Central American cultures that look amazingly like modern-day aircraft. The Egyptian artifact, found in a tomb at Saqquara, Egypt in 1898, is a six-inch wooden object that strongly resembles a model airplane, with fuselage, wings and tail. Experts believe the object is so aerodynamic that it is actually able to glide. The small object discovered in Central America (shown at right), and estimated to be 1,000 years old, is made of gold and could easily be mistaken for a model of a delta-wing aircraft - or even the Space Shuttle. It even features what looks like a pilot’s seat.

Giant Stone Balls of Costa Rica
Workmen hacking and burning their way through the dense jungle of Costa Rica to clear an area for banana plantations in the 1930s stumbled upon some incredible objects: dozens of stone balls, many of which were perfectly spherical. They varied in size from as small as a tennis ball to an astonishing 8 feet in diameter and weighing 16 tons! Although the great stone balls are clearly man-made, it is unknown who made them, for what purpose and, most puzzling, how they achieved such spherical precision.

Impossible Fossils
Fossils, as we learned in grade school, appear in rocks that were formed many thousands of years ago. Yet there are a number of fossils that just don’t make geological or historical sense. A fossil of a human hand print, for example, was found in limestone estimated to be 110 million years old. What appears to be a fossilized human finger found in the Canadian Arctic also dates back 100 to 110 million years ago. And what appears to be the fossil of a human footprint, possibly wearing a sandal, was found near Delta, Utah in a shale deposit estimated to be 300 million to 600 million years old.

Out-of-Place Metal Objects
Humans were not even around 65 million years ago, never mind people who could work metal. So then how does science explain semi-ovoid metallic tubes dug out of 65-million-year-old Cretaceous chalk in France? In 1885, a block of coal was broken open to find a metal cube obviously worked by intelligent hands. In 1912, employees at an electric plant broke apart a large chunk of coal out of which fell an iron pot! A nail was found embedded in a sandstone block from the Mesozoic Era. And there are many, many more such anomalies.

• What are we to make of these finds? There are several possibilities:
• Intelligent humans date back much, much further than we realize. 
• Other intelligent beings and civilizations existed on earth far beyond our recorded history. 
• Our dating methods are completely inaccurate, and that stone, coal and fossils form much more rapidly than we now estimate.

In any case, these examples - and there are many more - should prompt any curious and open-minded scientist to reexamine and rethink the true history of life on earth.
 

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO WALTER LAST

Walter Last is a well-known writer and researcher of health issues. The "Heal Yourself" books are based on sound procedure aimed towards achieving better general health and overcoming disease. They are the culmination of many years of research into natural methods of healing. 

Walter Last combines the training and work experience of Research Chemist Biochemist and Toxicologist with that of Practicing Nutritionist and Natural Therapist.

He was born and grew up in Germany and has held positions in medical institutions at the Universities of Greifswald, Cologne and Munich, working in research and toxicological investigations. He was Chief Forensic Chemist at Cologne and worked at Bio-Science Laboratories in Los Angeles.

In 1970 he settled in New Zealand and dissatisfied with drug-based medicine practiced as a Natural Therapist. He has lived in Queensland since 1981 and has investigated and experimented with a wide range of natural therapies to improve the effectiveness of natural medicine in treating serious and medically incurable diseases.

Walter Last is the author of “Heal Yourself”, “Healing Foods” and “The Natural Way To Heal - 65 Ways to Create Superior Health”, and is the main contributor to the “Self Help Cancer Cure” book. He is a regular contributor to “Nexus” magazine and his latest books are the “Heal Yourself” Series. His website is at http://www.health-science-spirit.com/

Walter Last has spent almost 40 years researching health issues.

His knowledge is based on sound scientific principals and up-to-date information on the causes and ‘cures’ of diseases, especially the number of metabolic illnesses which beset society today. Walter Last is constantly updating his articles and books as new research is carried out and new discoveries are made. His articles are regularly featured in NEXUS magazine worldwide as well as in various other publications.

The main objective of these books is to increase each individual’s knowledge of the functioning of their own bodies and the gradual transition to a more healthy state with the use of natural therapies.  This is of benefit in helping to avoid various drugs, many of which merely ‘mask’ the illness. These methods have been proven to be extremely effective for a great many people. Perseverance is the key. Of course, this is not the path for everyone, as it takes dedication and patience. This is different to normal drugs which work almost instantly to relieve symptoms, but which do not necessarily cure. The aim is to bring the body and the immune system back to a state where a ‘cure’ follows as a natural consequence.

Naturally, for any serious disease, or if you are unsure of a particular course of action, seek the help of a competent health professional. Good luck with your efforts!

If you are interested in supplements and natural cures you might want to visit the website that offers the products listed here.http://www.strideintohealth.com/

Our products can be part of your search for a healthier life. 

• Lugol’s Solution: an Iodine solution in a perfect combination of iodine and potassium iodide helps with fungal infections like Candida and other microorganisms and the health of the thyroid gland
• MMS (Miracle Mineral Solution): is great for killing off parasites, viruses  bacteria and other microorganisms, especially in the blood stream.
• Magnesium oil: is fast becoming the greatest magnesium supplement on the market. It doesn’t need the digestive tract to be absorbed into the body, making it 100% bio-available to tissue.
• Olive leaf: is one of the best parasite and other microorganism killers and best used after Lugol’s and either by itself or together with MMS. Also excellent for colds and other immune conditions, and strengthening of the heart.
• Colostrum (20% IgG): has long been known to be the greatest supporter and enhancer of the immune system. This is the stuff babies strive on right after birth.
• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): a sulphur compound found in abundance in nature, however, processing, storing and cooking food destroys the essential MSM sulphur. Without MSM varying illnesses may develop.
• N-Acetyl Glucosamine (NAG): is vital for the strength and health of connective tissue. In the N-Acetyl form it is easier absorbed and stays in the blood stream longer.
• N-Acetyl Carnitine: is more bioavailable and brain active than L Caritine. This makes it superior for neurological tissue, memory, concentration and enhances fat utilization and energy production.
• Fungal Lipase: a fat splitting enzyme is often missing in our diet. Heating food destroys lipase and inhibits fat metabolism. Our Lipase is one of the strongest on the market.
• Gorgeous Greens:  A combination of Wheat and Barley grass, Spirulina, Alfalfa and Chlorella
• Copper Salicylate: is the strongest copper combination for inflammation. In combination with either MSM or Magnesium oil it is easily absorbed through the skin.
• Magnet Pack: Effective in relieving pain and inflammation.
• Organic Plant Minerals: are the natural way to improve your mineral balance. Extracted from ancient earth they have all the needed mineral and trace minerals for health and wellbeing. Minerals are the spark of life.
• Potassium Citrate: Nature’s alkalizer. Helping to restore the acid/alkaline balance.
• Liver Detox Mix: For Liver detox and support

God I Am: A book by Peter O. Erbe

How to get into the Wellness Zone: By Barbara Bourke

HEALING ENVIRONMENTS  -- THE LABYRINTH

The Evolution of the Labyrinth into A Spiritual Healing Tool

Victoria Stone, StoneCircle Principle Victoria Stone, M.P.H., Allied A.S.I.D.

The labyrinth is an ancient circular mandala pattern found in cultures throughout the world. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has only one path that leads to a center and out again. The oldest labyrinth pattern was discovered on stone tablets in Greece and traced back to 1200 BC. The labyrinth is associated with the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur, a beast that was half man and half bull, imprisoned at the center of a labyrinth by King Minos of Crete.

The labyrinth is a pattern whose meaning is expressed on both conscious and unconscious levels. Its shape, the circle, is a universal symbol of wholeness and unity. Its meandering path is a metaphor for the path of life. According to the psychologist Carl Jung, the labyrinth pattern is an archetypal image of the psyche. Walking the labyrinth path leads each of us to our own center.

The labyrinth’s use as a spiritual tool dates back to the 13th century when it was placed in the floors of Gothic cathedrals in Europe. There it was walked by Christian pilgrims as a symbolic pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This is where the roots of the labyrinth as a walking meditation are found. The most famous labyrinth in Europe is in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France.

In 1991 Reverend Lauren Artress, Ph.D., Canon Pastor of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, introduced the labyrinth to her congregation for the purpose of creating a bridge of understanding between the traditional church and nontraditional forms of spirituality. The labyrinth walk became a popular event with members and non-members alike. Over the years Dr. Artress has taken her portable labyrinth to churches and conferences throughout the country. She has presented it as a spiritual tool that can help heal the split between reason and imagination, thought and feeling, psyche and spirit.

Grace Cathedral now has two permanent labyrinth walks available to the public. The cathedral has found that many of the people who come to walk the labyrinth do so as a result of a health crisis, either their own or a loved one’s. The labyrinth has begun to be used as a tool to support the inner healing journey.

Medical science is beginning to acknowledge, and conduct research on, the role spiritual faith and practice plays in the health and healing process. While the spiritual component of healing is becoming recognized, there are few tools currently available that provide this type of support for patients, families, medical staff and the community. The experience at Grace Cathedral has demonstrated the labyrinth’s potential to meet this need. By taking the labyrinth out of a religious setting, and placing it in a non-denominational healing environment, people of all faiths and religious traditions will have an opportunity to experience the spiritual support it provides when facing a serious health problem.

In June 1997 StoneCircle installed a labyrinth walk at the entrance to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. This is the first labyrinth to be placed in a health care institution. Since that time there has been a very positive response on the part of patients, medical center staff and the surrounding community. In the medical center setting the labyrinth walk becomes as a holistic healing tool, a mind, body, prayer path. It is an experience that honors the whole person. With its holistic nature and simplicity of use, the labyrinth is an excellent tool for integrating spiritual self-care into a health care setting.

StoneCircle is currently consulting with medical centers, health care providers and community organizations across the country in response to their interest in the labyrinth as a spiritual healing tool. Our goal is to create a bridge between the spiritual and health care communities and to use the labyrinth to help reunite body and spirit in the health and healing process.

DESIGNING A SACRED SPACE FOR HEALING                                                                 

What comes to mind when we consider the idea of designing sacred space? For many it is associated with the religious realm. A soaring cathedral ceiling, an exquisitely lit altar and beautifully designed stained glass windows. An interesting and perhaps limited specialty for an interior designer you might say. But what if we expand our definition of sacred space? As our lives become increasingly busy and over scheduled with various activities and obligations, having environments that nurture and support our emotional and spiritual well being is becoming something more of us, and our clients, are wanting and needing. Rather than being a limited niche, designing sacred space is something that is a possibility for all interior designers. It is also an opportunity for us to make a significant contribution to the health and healing of our community.

ADAM AND EVE -- MARC CHAGALL

Thinking about the home or workplace as an appropriate environment for contemplation of the sacred is not necessarily a new idea. The belief that we can experience the sacred in the most ordinary places is something many of us hold to be true. And yet Most Of us don’t experience a sense of sacredness as we go about our daily lives. We need to re-think how we design our interior environments if we are to experience the sacred there. As interior designers we have the ability to transform people’s lives through the changes we make in their environments. By designing spaces which recognize, support, enhance and perhaps even liberate the sacred from our modern day existence we can create a sense of harmony and balance in homes, workplaces and health care environments that inspires a connection with the sacred and contributes to our health and healing.

So how can we all create sacred space and contribute to the health and healing of our clients and the community? The philosopher Mircea Eliade said, “A manifestation of the sacred is always a revelation of being.” Designing sacred space involves creating opportunities in Our environment to pause and reflect on our lives in the context of something greater than ourselves be it family, community, nature or even our connection to the universe.

One of the ways we have been removed from a sense of sacredness in our everyday lives is through our isolation from nature and its natural cycles. We have lost touch with the basis from which our sense of the sacred is derived. We have air conditioning to cool our homes on hot summer days and heaters to warm us on cold winter nights. While few would dispute the necessity of this technology and the many benefits derived from it, it does take a toll in terms of distancing us from our relationship to nature and its cycles which support and nurture our spirit. The same holds true for man-made materials. While we would all agree that synthetic fibers and materials have enabled us to manufacture durable and functional furnishings, it is natural materials such as wood, stone and wool that bring us back in touch with nature and the contribution it makes in our lives.

We can enhance our relationship with nature and bring the sacred into our environments by creating a special place to recognize and honor the seasons and life cycles. In the Japanese home it is common to find an alcove called a tokanoma where a scroll and seasonal flower arrangement is displayed. This is not a stagnant display, but is changed with the seasons or family celebration. It serves as a reminder that change is a natural and positive process of life.

Surrounding ourselves with images and objects that have personal meaning can also reinforce the sacredness of everyday life. Symbolic images and objects transform the ordinary into the sacred by reminding us of our past and reaffirming our place in the world. By incorporating into a kitchen or bath design the tile a client purchased on a memorable trip to Spain, we can create an opportunity for them to pause during the day and reflect on their life experiences and relationships.

The shapes of the rooms and other objects that have personal meaning for us brings a sense of the sacred. The circle is a universal symbol of unity and wholeness and has been representative of heaven and the universe. The circle is therefore an important image of the sacred which resonates with us on a very deep level. Most of us spend all our time living and working in square spaces. The square is symbolic of the physical/ material world. Designs that allow some time outside of our traditional square spaces could be good for the soul.

A quiet retreat and place for renewal is another kind of sacred space. We are so busy meeting other’s needs (boss, spouse, children, family) that most of us forget to create a time in our day to spend with ourselves and regenerate. We need some time to not do anything and just let ourselves be. This retreat is a true healing environment, a place that physically supports being quiet and reconnecting with ourselves. This space should nurture all the senses for it is through the stimulation of our sense of vision, touch, sound and smell that our inner most feeling emerge and can be healed.

Designing sacred space does not require a designer to have any special skills, only a special intention. That intention is to design spaces that support and nurture our connection to something greater than ourselves be it our family, community or the universe. In designing sacred spaces we contribute to recovering a memory of our most basic connection to the environment and help cultivate a sense of harmony and balance with all of our surroundings which is the foundation for healing not only ourselves but the planet.

ARE YOU BUYING THIS?

Repetition is used everywhere—advertising, politics and the media—but does it really persuade us?

This little article opens up the idea that we may be programmed  mentally by incorrect beliefs, ideas, thoughts and data. A good 'mindwipe' through the magic of corrected consciousness may be your next move. Consider the benefits of prayer, meditation, reprogramming with true conclusions and refusing to react to negative programming. You can do it!

Psychology studies reveal all...

We see ads for the same products over and over again. Politicians repeat the same messages endlessly (even when it has nothing to do with the question they’ve been asked). Journalists repeat the same opinions day after day.

Can all this repetition really be persuasive?

It seems too simplistic that just repeating a persuasive message should increase its effect, but that’s exactly what psychological research finds (again and again). Repetition is one of the easiest and most widespread methods of persuasion. In fact it’s so obvious that we sometimes forget how powerful it is.

People rate statements that have been repeated just once as more valid or true than things they’ve heard for the first time. They even rate statements as truer when the person saying them has been repeatedly lying. (Begg et al., 1992).

And when we think something is more true, we also tend to be more persuaded by it. Several studies have shown that people are more swayed when they hear statements of opinion and persuasive messages more than once.

Easy to understand = true

This is what psychologists call the illusion of truth effect and it arises at least partly because familiarity breeds liking. As we are exposed to a message again and again, it becomes more familiar. Because of the way our minds work, what is familiar is also true. Familiar things require less effort to process and that feeling of ease unconsciously signals truth (this is called cognitive fluency).

As every politician knows, there’s not much difference between actual truth and the illusion of truth. Since illusions are often easier to produce, why bother with the truth?

The exact opposite is also true. If something is hard to think about then people tend to believe it less. Naturally this is very bad news for people trying to persuade others of complicated ideas in what is a very complicated world.

Some studies have even tested how many times a message should be repeated for maximum effect. These suggest that people have the maximum confidence in an idea after it has been repeated between 3 and 5 times (Brinol et al., 2008). After that, repetition ceases to have the same effect and may even reverse.

Because TV adverts are repeated many more times than this, advertisers now use subtle variations in the ads to recapture our attention. This is an attempt to avoid the fact that while familiarity can breed liking, over-familiarity tends to breed contempt.

When repetition fails

Repetition is effective almost across the board when people are paying little attention, but when they are concentrating and the argument is weak, the effect disappears (Moons et al., 2008).

In other words, it’s no good repeating a weak argument to people who are listening carefully. But if people aren’t motivated to scrutinise your arguments carefully then repeat away with abandon—the audience will find the argument more familiar and, therefore, more persuasive.

This suggests we should remain critical while watching TV adverts or the message will creep in under our defenses. You might think it’s better to let the ads wash over you, without thinking too much, but just the reverse is true. Really we should be highly critical otherwise, before we know it, we’re singing the jingle, quoting the tag-line and buying the product.

When the argument is strong, though, it doesn’t matter whether or not the audience is concentrating hard, repetition will increase persuasion. Unfortunately I find it’s often people with the best arguments who don’t repeat them enough.

Persuading groups

When people are debating an issue together in a meeting, you can see a parallel effect. When one person in a group repeats their opinion a few times, the other people think that person’s opinion is more representative of the whole group (see my previous article: loudest voice = majority opinion).

The same psychology is at work again: to the human mind there is little difference between appearances and truth. What appears to be true might as well actually be true, because we tend to process the illusion as though it were the truth.

It’s a depressing enough finding about the human ability to process rational arguments but recent research has shown an even more worrying effect. We can effectively persuade ourselves through repetition. A study has shown that when an idea is retrieved from memory, this has just as powerful a persuasive effect on us as if it had been repeated twice (Ozubki et al., 2010).

The aspiring sceptic, therefore, should be especially alert to thoughts that come quickly and easily to mind—we can easily persuade ourselves with a single recall of a half-remembered thought

Kalama Sutta

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply. The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

–	Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
–	Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
–	Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
–	Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
–	Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
–	Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
–	Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
–	But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

–	Do not accept any doctrine from reverence, but first try it as gold is tried by fire.