Apech

Should number three be 'once a day'? not once a week?

Indiscriminate sexual pleasure seeking ? I think there may be a confusion on this thread between tackling lust as a potentially destructive and selfish act and energy conservation for a 'higher' purpose. I don't think cultivation is about suppressing or stopping sexual feelings, rather it is about using this energy in a different way and not squandering it in a way that harms or disrespects self or others or is just wasteful. Obviously there is a struggle when we start to use this energy differently but I think we have to learn about it first. This means that if we don't understand this energy but simply try to repress it we are storing up problems for the future.

The astronomical north varies with time and in the time of Ancient Egypt there was no star in that position. I believe this led to the importance of non-being or voidity in Egyptian thought because the universe rotated around no-thing! Ok - even though Western Hermetic thought owes its origin to Egypt (and Mesopotamia) one to one crrespondence is difficult - the Egyptians sort of hinted at the elements as such but they were not expressed in the way that we understand today. So while some read across is valuable it can be misleading. For instance using the Kabbalistic Tree of Life with Egyptian deities is something people do - ok fine for them - but doesn't work for me. Its probably best if I give you more on the Sons of Horus and you can draw your own conclusions. Yes - I will give more info on this thread in a while. The Egyptians 'invented' hours using amongst other things the Decanal Stars - so they had a 24 hour day based on sets of twelve stars which 'work' for ten days each. Basically through the night they watched when certain stars rose above the horizon, or reached the mid heaven and this marked the beginning of each hour. because the sky precesses (?), the stars are only in alignment for 10 days after which the next star takes its place. During the day they used water clocks and sun dials. Certain hours were significant eg. midnight when the sun's soul was most at risk. Each hour has characteristics given for instance in the Am Dwat or Book of Gates and the New Kingdom Sky books. Of course in later times, particularly Ptolemaic times astrology as we now know it was used. However it doesn't interest me so I don't know much about it. As the Egyptian religion was still properly understood then I am sure they worked out all the correspondences and I am sure there are excellent books on this - or just start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendera_Zodiac More on Sons of Horus etc. in a bit.

The law may be subjective but an act of sexual harm is not. To the victim it is very real. I am of a liberal mind on most things but the limit must come when the will of the perpetrator is inflicted on the victim - that is sexual misconduct and inherently bad. The age of consent may vary with time and history but consent is what it is about. Lust murder in ritual! as normal - maybe to the Aztecs - but come on was it ever really ok?

Hi Yoda, You need more correspondences to understand the Sons of Horus. I will supply tomorrow cos its late here and I'm going to bed. They do have hours and the goddesses go in the nw/ne/se/sw compass points on the canopic jar chest. Thanks for reading my stuff by the way. Cheers.

Stig, Do you have any good etym. dictionaries. I use Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins - John Ayto (basic but interesting) and 'Origins' by Eric Partidge I used to use a dictionary by Wylde but I think its out of print.

I agree with the view that the basis of any practice has to be deep formless meditation but I am with Stig on the purpose of magic. I once discussed the formless/form mediation i.e. just sitting versus mantra, visualization and so on with a Rinpoche and he told me to read "The woman's role in the dharma" from The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa"..."clouds are but manifestations of the sky." I cannot do and have never even tried to perform any siddhi type tricks or demonstrations - so you won't get any vids from me. I am also completely unconvinced by any of the vids I have seen especially as any stage magician could probably reproduce them. I think these things are possible but only come to fruition through forcing that kind of path and/or as an adjunct to real spiritual progress.

That's interesting - thanks I googled him. Have studied under him or his system?

Yes, I meant to say that IMO it works more powerfully with the initiation and not that it is impossible otherwise. Different systems have different approaches of course. But is he authentic????

Ugh. Need some coffee. A mocha to wake me up stirred with great pleasure.

all in all become as each and everything we are what we are.

Hello everyone, My friends wife has had a stroke - a serious one and is paralysed on the right side of her body. It happened Wednesday night. They have said she is 50/50 but I am trying to put our positive energy that she will get through this initial stage. This has happened after open heart surgery- they are using aspirin to disperse the clot. I know that what happens after she comes out of intensive care is critical and I wondered if anyone has experience or knowledge of the best alternative therapy for this - to help her try to get back mobility and so on. Thnx.

Thanks for all helpful replies. I am doing tonglen at a distance cos she is too far for me to travel. I am thinking physio etc. should kick at least in after 72 hours ... too soon now. Cheers.

Bump the map - its great. But no one in China or India? Are we all members of NATO? Hmmm ... starts conspiracy theory...

Thanks all - I will try my olive oil first since I already have it. PS. I vaguely remember from my physics days that oil drops take up electric charge, which I presume they will do when emulsified in this way. There is a famous experiment called Millikan's oil drop for calculating the charge/mass ratio of the electron.

Does the type of oil matter for oil pulling? I have a good supply of olive oil - which would be easier and cheaper for me.

but soon i must go, that second cup of green tea is making me pee.

I would suggest, if you are interested to try Tonglen or 'sending and receiving' a Tibetan Buddhist meditation which is part of Lojong Mind Training. It is very simple and you can use people that you have a problem with (as well as those you love) as specific objects for your practice. Apart from anything else it is great for stabilizing the mind/heart and can be if properly applied transformational in your relationship with others. Its better to get instructions from a qualified teacher but an explanation is given here (which I found easily by Googling) - there are more compex versions. Its not a teaching for which you need an empowerment as far as I am aware. http://tinyurl.com/6l2au8 If you read this link you will see that the Rinpoche concentrates on removing concern for yourself and I do not mean to imply that you have this. However for all of us, our fears arise from hanging on to ego perspective (as I know myself only too well .) The point as I understand it is to overcome negative associations which disturb your mind - some of which would be fear, but could be jealousy and so on as well.

Thanks - that's a wonderful account and a great set of photos. You've really captured the spirit of the 'Tour'.

What kind of fear? Fear of a situation? or anxiety? or phobia. Cos the solutions are slightly different.