hagar Posted July 7, 2010 Nothing to discuss really, but here goes... Nature always had tremendous impact on me, and I remember reading the below quotes from the book "The earth from above", and how seeing the earth for the first time from space profoundly impacted the astronauts that participated in the "space race" between the US and Soviet republic. These men and women, with mainly military background describes the fact that reality, perception and truth are one and the same. Reading them again, I felt like sharing. I think they speak for themselves... Quotes From Astronauts For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us. - Donald Williams, USA My first view - a panorama of brilliant deep blue ocean, shot with shades of green and gray and white - was of atolls and clouds. Close to the window I could see that this Pacific scene in motion was rimmed by the great curved limb of the Earth. It had a thin halo of blue held close, and beyond, black space. I held my breath, but something was missing - I felt strangely unfulfilled. Here was a tremendous visual spectacle, but viewed in silence. There was no grand musical accompaniment; no triumphant, inspired sonata or symphony. Each one of us must write the music of this sphere for ourselves. - Charles Walker, USA Looking outward to the blackness of space, sprinkled with the glory of a universe of lights, I saw majesty - but no welcome. Below was a welcoming planet. There, contained in the thin, moving, incredibly fragile shell of the biosphere is everything that is dear to you, all the human drama and comedy. That's where life is; that's were all the good stuff is. - Loren Acton, USA The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic. The Earth was absolutely round. I believe I never knew what the word round meant until I saw Earth from space. - Aleksei Leonov, USSR The sun truly "comes up like thunder," and it sets just as fast. Each sunrise and sunset lasts only a few seconds. But in that time you see at least eight different bands of color come and go, from a brilliant red to the brightest and deepest blue. And you see sixteen sunrises and sixteen sunsets every day you're in space. No sunrise or sunset is ever the same. - Joseph Allen, USA The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man, has to make a man appreciate the creation of God and the love of God. - James Irwin, USA Suddenly, from behind the rim of the moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realize this is Earth . . . home. - Edgar Mitchell, USA My view of our planet was a glimpse of divinity. - Edgar Mitchell, USA For the first time in my life I saw the horizon as a curved line. It was accentuated by a thin seam of dark blue light - our atmosphere. Obviously this was not the ocean of air I had been told it was so many times in my life. I was terrified by its fragile appearance. - Ulf Merbold, Federal Republic of Germany A Chinese tale tells of some men sent to harm a young girl who, upon seeing her beauty, become her protectors rather than her violators. That's how I felt seeing the Earth for the first time. "I could not help but love and cherish her. - Taylor Wang, China/USA source http://www.solarviews.com/eng/earthsp.htm h Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarthBane Posted July 7, 2010 Very beautiful hagar. It feels very good to read these. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hagar Posted July 8, 2010 Great post Mal. When contemplating nature, according to my master, you get a form of energetic nourishment, both on the jing, chi and shen level. So if watching cloud formations evokes a response, there is definately an energetic component to it. What really strikes me with the astronauts words are how seeing the earth from space has such a transformatory effect on their way of seeing their own context, where they come from. Its just seeing. No preparation, no intention, just pure experience awakens such profound insights. I think it definately has a direct correlation to spiritual experience. The space of emptiness also evokes a strong affection and feeling of belonging to that which is form. As they express it themselves; the earth is divinity in expression. h Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
