Here is a shift I find difficult to put into words, perhaps because it's not very clear to me yet.
In my late teens and twenties, Spirit recognized itself as all without exception. Yet the center of gravity was in the clarity, the light etc.. And that was also the center of gravity when looking at whatever pain or confusion surfaced. There was a slight identification as light, clarity and love, and although the rest was recognized as Spirit too, it was slightly "other" as well.
Then, in my thirties, there was a shift. Spirit still recognized itself as all, yet the center of gravity – the point of view – was more from within the confusion, identification and darkness. There was, and is, a finding of healing from within and as the confusion and pain. Spirit couldn't anymore identify more as light, clarity and love. This shift helped point out the previous slight, almost invisible (to me!) identification and preference.
This also seems like a shift from head and heart center, to heart and belly center. A shift from a slight identification with/as the head center and it's clarity and light, to becoming more familiar with and as the belly center, with its luminous darkness and womb-like quality.
It makes sense. Spirit is all of it – light and dark, clarity and confusion, nonidentification and identification. So even a slight identification with one or the other, with – in this case – the thought or image of being more light and clarity than darkness and confusion, is out of alignment with reality, and reality will move to correct it and bring the conscious and felt view more into alignment with reality.
And all of this is images and labels. It's all Spirit and a thought saying a particular appearance of Spirit is light and clarity, or darkness and confusion, or nonidentified or identified mind, or a slight identification.
I woke up several times last night, briefly, noticing activity in the center of my belly, the tan tien area.
There was a sense of an intelligence working on a central knot in the belly.
I had asked my angels/guides to support me the evening before, around a specific topic. Perhaps there is a connection.
In any case, it's interesting., and it's all just a story – images in my own mind offering innocent suggestions about what it may be, what it may mean, etc.
The Womb holds all manifestations of life, form and light in unconditional embrace. It has been deeply revered and feared, as it is also the great transformer and transmuter of all that is not True; all that is not sourced in Love; all that is not Life supporting or Life affirming. Egoic structures dissolve in this embrace. Even the darkest of wounds can be so loved with such a purity, to be returned into Original Innocence.
This fits my experience with the belly center, with the divine as filtered through the belly center.
The initial shift was into head/heart awakening – seeing all as God, without exception (head) and a natural acting from seeing all as God (heart).
Now, it's the belly's turn. A reorganization at the level of the basic instinctual level, that primal fear of death, the primal holding on.
This sequence (the first one, up to 3:20) from The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky illustrates a process that's getting to be more familiar to me than I – the surface I – wanted.
The conquistador really wants the tree of life and what it offers, and then realizes in terror that it requires everything of him and doesn't look at all like what he expected. First, he chased the tree, then the process took over and he didn't have a choice anymore – as if he ever had a choice.
The image and feel of a cannonball surfaces. It's resistance, personal will. It's what's resisting what's happening, resisting life. I see how I fight it, and it doesn't work.
It's in the forehead, head, throat. Then it falls, it sinks down into the belly.
I stay with the image and feel of the cannonball in the belly. The cannonball sprouts, green soft sprouts emerge out of it. The cannonball softens, becomes soil, nutrients for these sprouts.
I stay with the cannonball, the soil, the sprouts. A tree emerges from the cannonball and the sprouts.
Then my whole body sprouts. My whole body becomes soil, nutrients for these sprouts. All of me becomes soil, nutrients.
A while passes. Then the whole Earth sprouts. The whole earth becomes soil and nutrients for the sprouts and trees.
The cannonball, my body, the whole Earth are soil, nutrients for the sprouts.
I am gone. All of me is gone. All of me is soil. All of me is nutrients for the sprouts. It's all one field of soil, nutrients and sprouts.
As a child, I had a recurrent nightmare.
I climb up the ladder to the attic, and as soon as my head enter the space everything disappear and I fall through the darkness. After a while, a witch appear stirring a large cauldron. She looks up at me and grins. I am about to fall into the cauldron and wake up.
I stay with the different parts of this dream. What happens if I fall into the cauldron? I dissolve. Everything I am dissolve. I emerge with a light-body – a body made up of the black and golden luminosity combined. The witch transform into a young woman with the same light body. We merge. We are one. We always were one.
In the dream I dive headlong into my greatest fears. I have no choice. The witch holds me to it. She gives me no choice. That's why she appears as a witch to me. My fear of my fears makes her appear as a witch. In reality, she and everything is love. The process is love. It helps me find my wholeness, it helps me discover who and what I am.
The attic is black. The space I fall through is black. The witch and the cauldron is black. It is all held within the deep velvety luminous blackness. It is all the luminous black. Soft, velvety, nurturing. Infinite love.
It is OK to lose control. It is OK to fall. It is OK to dive into my greatest fears.
I keep noticing how each way of allowing experience has a different quality and flavor, and how the luminous black is what I am invited to explore more now. Dropping into the luminous black, and from there see, feel and love whatever content of experience is here, as it is, as if it would never go away, and with a special emphasis on feeling.
It is difficult to describe the luminous black… although the energy drawings give a hint. It is experienced literally as luminous black, no metaphors there. (Apart from what is inherent in any word.) It is velvety soft. It seems to be an aspect of emptiness, moving slightly into the form side. It is inside of any form, and that which all forms are. (In addition to emptiness/awareness.) In the body, it is centered in the belly, and it invites emotions to reorganize from reactivity to a sense of nurturing fullness.
It is an allowing of experience that has the feeling aspect as its focal point, inviting in and deepeing a belly awakening – a felt sense of all as God.
What I mostly see in these is an emphasis on the luminous dark below the body. A velvety luminous blackness, seen through and in everything, centered in the body in the belly, inviting in a healing at the emotional level and a felt sense of all as God.
We can have trust in something, but if we do we depend on whatever we have trust in being available to us, and we are also likely to be disappointed.
Another approach is to realize that this trust awakened in us by something in the world, is right here now. It can be found independent on circumstances. And it is really just trust. Not in anything in particular. Or maybe, in life, existence, what is.
One way it may emerge is through certain explorations, such as wholeheartedly allowing any experience, and being open to investigating any belief.
When I wholeheartedly allow what I am experiencing right now, especially those experiences that seem the most scary, I find that it is OK. I can be with it, allow it, as it is, as if it would never change. It may be more than OK.
Even as the content of experience stays much the same, there may also be a shift into a sense of nurturing fullness and a quiet joy. A quiet joy in just experiencing, independent of the content of experience, revealed when I don't struggle against it.
And when I investigate beliefs, including those that seem most untouchable or create the most stress for me, I find that the belief, and what it refers to, also are OK. And again, it may be more than OK. I may find the gifts in the reversals of the initial belief, a release of identification out of the initial story and its reversals, and clarity.
In both cases, I may find a genuine appreciation for what is, as it is.
There is a receptivity of the heart and mind, and this invites in a sense of trust in nothing in particular, or in what is, as it is.
And this trust eventually is experienced in the belly center. It becomes a deeply felt trust. A sense of nurturing fullness of the belly center, and in experience in general.
I have mentioned this before, but I noticed again today.
Since I started doing Breema, my hara has been filling up more, and has a much higher baseline level. After a while, there was a sense of the energetic hole filling up, and the scoliosis is much weaker. (I have also received massage for the scoliosis). And following that, I have noticed that the neurotic pattern has lessened quite significantly and is often absent in situations where it used to arise.
My sense is that the Breema helped the hara fill up, with a nurturing fullness and trust, which in turn invited the neurotic pattern to shift, helped along with The Work inquiries on people making sounds. And the massage invited the spine to realign, probably helped along with the energetic shifts in that same area.
And finally, what I am noticing most right now because it is more recent, the belly center. How a weak/fragmented/fractured belly center leads to a fear-driven life, and how fears leads to just this depletion of the belly center. And how a fuller, nurturing belly center gives a sense of deep nourishment and trust… in life, existence, what is. My background is definitely one of a weak belly center, which continued through the initial awakening (head/heart centered.) Now, through Breema and other practices, the belly center is finally taking center stage more.
I keep noticing the effects of the belly center… the sense of nurturing fullness and trust. Just trust, not in anything in particular, so in a sense in existence itself. The trust that comes when emotions are less reactive and there is less fear.
I also see that this is what was missing for me during the initial awakening, in my teens. The heart and view centers were blown open, all was seen and loved as God, but the felt-sense of all as God as missing. View and head had reorganized within this new context of all as God, but the emotions had not yet. That took longer.
The fullness of the belly center gives a sense of nurturing fullness and trust, which helps our human self in its daily life. In an awakening, it gives a felt-sense of all as God. And it also invites an awakening, through allowing this human self to relax and let go of attachments a little more. It is held within this sense of nurturing fullness and trust, so it is easier for what we are – awakeness – to notice itself.
So before awakening, when the centers are more alive, there is a more fluid view (head), a more open heart (heart), and a felt-sense of nurturing fullness and trust (belly). All of this makes it easier for us to notice what we already are (awakeness), and it also helps our human self reorganize to express this more easily when it is noticed.
And when what we are awakens to itself, the centers allows it to see all as God (head), have a felt-sense of all as God (belly), and love it all as God (heart). Our view, emotions and heart reorganizes within this new (newly noticed) context of all as God.
How do we work with the belly center? Any body-oriented practice may help, and any energetic work in the belly/hara region. I also guess that some thorough, felt-sensed, shadow work helps the process. Maybe most importantly, whatever other work we are doing, we can invite in a felt-sense of our experience, including any insights we may have.
There are many ways to invite in a form of buffering at energetic or soul levels, being held energetically or within the alive presence in ways that helps us get less caught up in reactiveness.
We can fill up the hara through Breema and other practices. We can receive different forms of energy transmissions, such as the bands of power munai-ki rite, that serves as a buffer, filter and protection. (I am noticing the effects of that one right now, which is what prompted this post.) We can invite in the soul level, the alive presence, through prayer and other practices. And more.
The benefits are pretty obvious. Our lives at a human level typically becomes far easier. Fewer things bug us. There is a sense of not being touched by what we previously got caught up in. It makes it much easier to be who we take ourselves to be if we are identified with stories, and it makes it easier for this human self even if we are not. We get a sense of how it is to live released from being in the grips of stories and identifications. We see that something else is possible.
Our human self may also reorganize and stabilize within this new context, releasing identification more and more over time. It may even lead into what we are noticing itself, finding itself as awakeness, and this field of awakeness and form inherently and always free from an I and an Other.
But there are also some possible drawbacks. We can get complacent, happy with being protected by the buffer, not taking up the invitation to explore more in depth the hooks and rings of identification and beliefs in stories. And that is exactly why any buffer is only temporary. It is within the realm of form, it is content of awareness, and as any form and any content, it will change. When it fills, it only does so to empty. And when it empties, it does so only so it can in turn fill.
It is cyclical, as anything else, and throughout it all is the invitation for us to investigate the hooks and rings more closely. An invitation for what we are to notice itself.
Any buffer is a buffer or protection for who we are, for this human self. And the invitation for what we are to awaken to itself is there independent of buffers or not.
I am with a group of people doing healing work, most of them from Breema. I talk with a small group of men, and one of the points out how life is inevitably wounded, and the perfection in it. It is God experiencing itself as wounded. There is a very strong atmosphere, similar to what happens in Breema intensives. It is rich, full, deeply nurturing, joyful, free.
It is life exploring and temporarily experiencing itself through one flavor of woundedness. It is God, experiencing itself as wounded.
A quick revisiting of the three centers.
I am visiting an old friend in Norway (JGH), someone I haven't seen for many years. He lives in a nice apartment in Oslo, and there is a dance there in the evening. Lots of people come over and the dance is something I have never before seen or experienced.
It is a group dance, but also individual. The group moves almost as a school of fish, with one person initiating a slight variation of the moves and many or all of the others following. The new patterns ripple through the group in a very organic and playful way, and it is clear that everyone is enjoying the dance deeply – both what comes up for them individually and what moves through the group in such a seamless and playful way.
I am struck by the atmosphere which is intelligent, playful and soulful at the same time, and which allows such an individuality yet also forms such a seamless flow of patterns on a group level.
I also notice how there is a wide open field embracing and going deep into polarities such as individuality and group, receptivity and initiation, slow and fast, rhythmical and playfully breaking of rhythms, sensuality and intelligence, and much more.
It is clear that this is a mature group, and one that is intimate with themselves, each other and life, in a way I have rarely or never seen before.
I realize that what is different is that they move, in a mature, intimate, playful and effortless way from the three centers and with an emphasis on the belly center.
It is completely different yet also intimately familiar, as something I have for a long time been looking for, yet had not thought I would find. A deep gratitude comes up for me, and a longing and desire to stay and join in on their weekly gatherings.
During the dance, someone mentions that there are groups doing this form of dance in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, but not in the US because it doesn't fit into their culture.
Afterwards, my friend shows me a book called "God as WE" and asked me if I know of other authors on that topic. I see that it is an anthology with writings by Adi Da, Andrew Cohen, Saniel Bonder and others, and realize that this is an area that is close to my heart yet has been neglected over the last period of time. The only other author I can think of is A. H. Almaas.
This is a big dream as Jung called it, one that made a big impression and seemed to have more significance than most dreams. It is a dream that shows me a whole new different realm of being and life.
A being and living, in a mature, playful and effortless way, from and as the three centers, and especially the warm nurturing felt-sense fullness of the belly center.
The atmosphere in the dream and the dance was very similar to Breema, yet also more dynamic, playful, and with ripples of patterns at a group level I am not used to.
It is a bringing of the belly center qualities into the group level, in a more mature way. It is God exploring itself as WE through an inclusion of all three centers, and especially the belly center.
There was no coincidence that the dream was set in Oslo since the qualities of this dream were more alive for me when I lived there… the soulfulness, playfulness and intelligence all together at a group level, with my friends there.
In the dream, someone pointed out that there were groups doing this form of dance in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, but not in the US because it didn't fit into their culture. This reflects my ambivalence about living in the US, enjoying many things here but also longing for the intelligent and playful soulfulness I find more easily in Europe.
Each center has it's own form of "one taste", and each one can appear in different ways.
Over the last few days, I have noticed a new form of neutrality which I this morning realized was a belly center neutrality. It is difficult for me to put into words as this is a new variation, another flavor of the rounded nurturing fullness of the luminous blackness, and of the warm rounded fullness of the physical senses. This time, it seems more in and of the body, rather than just the senses. It is a steady presence, and gives an odd sense of "one taste" to any experience. Whatever is going on at the surface, there is a dwelling in and as this soft, rounded, nurturing fullness in/of the body.
The One Taste of the head center, when more fully realized, is a seeing of all form as the play of void, of the whole field of what arises as the awake void taking a fluid form, absent of center and an I with an Other.
The One Taste of the heart center, when more fully realized, is a loving of all forms as the play of the void, as the always fresh and evolving form aspect of God.
And the One Taste of the belly center, when more fully emerged, seems to be this bodily, almost substantial sense of soft, rounded nurturing fullness, independent of experiences, situations and content of awareness. It is transparent to the void, yet also substantial in a certain sense, in its fullness.
Each of these can be present in awareness to various degrees, from a sense of it, a hint, a taste, a brief glimpse, to something that is more clearly present and recognized. My guess is that the way they present themselves will continue to change over time, both in terms of being more in the foreground or background of awareness, and in its unfolding.
If the head and heart centers awaken, it gives a clear seeing and loving of all as Spirit, and if the head center is fully awakened, a realized absence of any separate I anywhere. But if the belly center is not, there is no deeply felt-sense of all as Spirit, and also no deep reorganization of the emotional level. There will still be fears and so on triggered by the usual situations, only now seen and loved as Spirit. So it is of course OK, although still limited.
This was the situation here following the initial awakening – a nearly full awakening of the head and heart centers, but definitely not of the belly center. There was a clear knowing that it was missing as well, that it could be quite different. And when the early belly awakening happened last fall, a knowing that this was one of the missing pieces of the puzzle.
Two things that seem to allow for this reorganization of the emotional level is the belly awakening itself (invited in this case through Breema and then shaktipat), and also The Work – allowing beliefs to unravel through the system including the emotional. I am sure there are many other out there, but these are the two I have found so far.
When the belly awakening runs its course and the emotional level is reorganized, the old patterns of (emotional) reactivity unravel with it. Fear, anger, sadness and so on are not triggered in the same way anymore. There is just clarity (head center), love (heart center), and a sense of nurturing fullness (belly center).
In short, the emotional reactivity which is still there when only the head and heart centers are awakened, is exchanged with a felt-sense of nurturing fullness when the belly center awakens.
It is still possible to trigger any of these old emotions, although now in a conscious way and arising as wisdom energies.
I should also add that the awakening of the three centers can happen (relatively) independent of each other. If there is only an awakening of the head center, there is a clear seeing of all as Spirit and an absence of any I with an Other, but it also feels a little cold and arid, lacking empathy. If only a heart center awakening, then a loving of all as Spirit, but less of a clear understanding. If only a belly center awakening, a felt-sense of all as Spirit, but missing the seeing and loving, at least in a more fully unfolded way.
And before a more full awakening of each center, they can certainly awaken to different degrees. In terms of the belly awakening, Breema seems to be a good way to invite in the sense of nurturing fullness, and The Work is great for unraveling beliefs throughout the system, taking emotional reactivity with it.
The heaviness is everywhere, then becoming a quickly contracting sphere centered in the belly area. As it becomes very small, the movement stops.
Attention stays with the small sphere there for a while.
Then, everything else – the whole world – contracts into the same small area, and then disappear. Leaving only nothingness.
After a while with nothingness, the smooth velvety round full blackness emerges as a field.
Followed by the world of form again appearing as an overlay to this velvety blackness.
I see how this is an invitation to notice the world of form as the smooth full blackness, in my daily life. It is there, and I can bring my attention to it more.
After following this journey, which probably took half a minute or so, the body went out of bed and started on its morning activities. The heaviness is still there, but now as a nurturing smooth fullness, with the qualities of the velvet blackness.
The belly center has to do with a felt-sense of all as God… a sense of deep full nurturing, of all as safe, a trust in life and existence, and the emotional level reorganizing in this context.
At the relative level, all is of course not OK for the body… it can be temporarily OK, but disease, accidents, and old age are just around the corner. The body is doomed. So to say that it is all OK in this context does not make sense, other than as a temporary state.
But at the absolute level, all is OK… we find ourselves as awake void and whatever arises, free from an exclusive identification with anything arising in content, including the body. And within this context, freed from being identified with and taken as a separate self, an I with an Other, the body can deeply relax, find a deeply nurturing fullness, find a felt-sense of trust in life and all as OK, God's will, and Spirit itself.
One is through inquiry, allowing identifications with identities fall away including with the body. As long as the body is taken as I, there will be a sense of unease and tension in the body, it is guarded. The emotions and behaviors are, at least in some areas, reactive. As this identification falls away, there is a deepening sense of comfort, relaxation and alertness, and of a stable nurturing fullness from the emotional level.
Another is through body inclusive practices, such as Breema, where we drop into this sense of deep nurturing fullness and support from the hara (belly area) and the emotional level. We have a taste of it, and as we continuing practice, it deepens and becomes more and more stably available. Through this process, the identifications with body etc. gradually seems to wear off.
So we can allow beliefs to fall away, revealing the inherent nurturing fullness of the body to surface. Or we can drop right into it, allowing identifications to wear off over time.
As we explore this, we see an apparent paradox: no matter what happens with the body at a physical level, there can be a deep felt-sense of all as OK, a nurturing fullness, an absence of emotional/behavioral reactiveness, a stable support from the emotional level, a felt trust in life and existence, and a felt-sense of all as God's will and Spirit itself.
Of course, we still do what we can to take care of the body, with less drama and probably more effectively than when it is identified with. But even if it is going through disease, pain, old age, dying, there is still the felt-sense of all as OK, of a trust in life as it is, of all as God.
And this is far beyond what we can make any conscious decision about, or what our conscious thinking-mind and beliefs can even touch. It has to come from genuinely seeing through the identifications, or certain body-inclusive practices, or both.
Heart… as alive presence. In general as a field of alive presence, in the heart region as the indwelling God, this alive presence specifically for this individual.
Head… as awake luminous void, and all form as this awake void, inherent absent of an I with an Other.
Belly… as smooth velvety round full luminous blackness.
Each of these are a field… what form arises within, to and as. Each one, transparent to the Ground, and no other than Ground itself. Each one, impersonal and personal (specifically for this, and any, human self) at the same time. Each one, infinitely loving, intelligent, receptive, and responsive to this (and any) individual.
When these centers are awakened, even in an early phase, it allows for a seeing (head), loving (heart) and feeling (belly) of all as Spirit (Big Mind, Brahman, Tao). It is Spirit filtered through each center, and then seeing/loving/feeling itself through them.
Heart… receptivity, seeing myself in others, recognition, empathy, sense of intimacy, no separation.
Head… receptivity, seeing stories as only stories, seeing the grain of truth in all the reversals of any story, revealing the inherent neutrality of the situation.
Belly… a felt-sense of deep trust, safety, allowing for a deep reorganization and healing of the human self, especially at the emotional level.
The three centers are really one system… the deep felt-sense of trust from the belly center invites for a receptivity of the heart and head centers. The receptivity of the heart centers invites a receptivity of the head center, and also a deepening felt-sense of trust and safety. And the same goes for the head center.
The beauty of Spirit filtered through these three centers is how it allows for the impersonal aspects of Spirit and also the personal, the ones specifically for this and any other individual. It naturally and effortlessly seems to allow both into the foreground of awareness.
I also see how they each have come through in different phases of my life, allowing for an easier differentiation of each one. During the initial awakening, the head center awakened allowing for a seeing of all form as awake luminous void, inherently absent of any separate self anywhere. Then, the heart center awakened strongly, allowing for a loving of all as God, as Spirit. Then, over the last few months (partly through Breema, and partly through the endarkenment shift) the belly center, revealing all form as luminous blackness, velvety smooth, round, full, allowing for a deep sense of safety and trust for this human self, and a reorganization especially on the emotional level.
I have been exploring how the heart center combines with head and/or belly centers for different flavors.
When the head center is included, there is the usual empty luminosity and clarity of the head center there. A very yang brilliance (compared with the smooth fullness of Spirit filtered through the belly center, it is stark, almost a desert quality).
And when the belly center is included, there is the smooth, round fullness of the belly center, which allows a felt-sense of the heart qualities.
And together, there is even more sense of fullness and richness… the love of the heart center, the empty luminosity of the head center, and the velvety smooth round fullness of the belly center. The loving, seeing and feeling of all as Spirit.
I also notice, as I did early on with the belly center awakening, that bringing in the head and belly centers together invites the heart in as well. Although it is certainly possible to start with any one, and bring either or both of the others in.
Of course, there is not really any "bringing in" of anything… all three are there, but it is possible to invite one or more into the foreground of awareness… shifting each one more into the foreground or background.
When I woke up from the detective (lila) dream, I took some time exploring the felt-sense of I and Other, and also what happens when I bring in quality of many as one – from the dream.
I went through a parade of people, from those I know personally to those I know from the media, and those there is an attraction towards and aversion towards. What happens if there is a felt-sense of the two as one, as one character playing many roles, as it was in the dream?
What I found was a physical and felt release of tension, of deep relaxation, of fullness, ease, a felt sense of one as many… appreciating the diversity, yet also knowing that there is only one I.
Putting it in words, it may sound very similar to seeing all as Spirit, as in the Big Mind process. And that is one aspect of it. But to feel it, to have a felt-sense of it, bodily, is quite different.
Through the head center, there is a seeing of all as Spirit. Our view is reorganized within a nondual realization. This is Big Mind in the Big Mind process.
Through the heart center, there is a loving of all as Spirit. Our heart is reorganized within all as Spirit, open to all forms independent of how they show up. This is Big Heart.
And through the belly center, there is a felt-sense of all as Spirit. Our physical body feels all as Spirit, and our body and emotions are reorganized within all as Spirit. This could be called Big Belly (Hotei). It opens up a whole other realm of fullness, depth, nourishing, substantiality, groundedness, lived reality of all as Spirit.
It is our individual human self, the vulnerable animal, that is reactive, contracted, fearful, blinded, hopeful, lashing out, clinging on, fearing death, feeling a sense of lack and something missing… It organizes in this way within a context of a sense of separation. It is a vulnerable (and wounded) little animal, and reacts in all of these ways as all animals do.
And the felt-sense of all as Spirit allows it to reorganize, to relax, to soften. It allows the little animal to feel safe, to gradually heal, to feel nourished, a sense of fullness, of nothing missing.
Of course, even here it will take care of itself in all the common sense and practical ways, through food, exercise, getting out of harms way and so on. But it will do it within a felt-sense of all being OK, of nourishment, fullness, a deep safety beyond conventional safety and danger.
This felt-sense of all as Spirit, of nourishment, fullness, of being held, of all being OK independent of what happens to the individual, comes from Spirit – not from the individual. It is Spirit awakening to itself, reflected deeply in the individual, in the body and emotional levels of the individual. And if deepened in that way, then they are there, no matter what physically happens to the individual.
If Spirit is filtered through the head center only (or head and heart), there is a conventional awakening. Spirit awakens to itself as the ground of seeing and seen, and there is no I anywhere (or all as I). The individual is reorganized in this context, to some extent, but may also have wounds and hangups left. These too are also recognized as Spirit… Spirit arising as wounds, so in an absolute sense, it is OK.
But when the belly is included, it allows this individual, this vulnerable little animal, to reorganize at a deep level… Deep wounds are invited to heal, all these wounds created from a sense of separation… All the fear, desire, longing, terror, dread, cruelty, hopes, wishes, clinging… All of the ways the vulnerable little animal reacts to protect itself, when it lives from a sense of separation. These are all invited to heal, in a deep way.
The wounds soften, melt, gradually heal, gradually reorganize to reflect a felt-sense of all as Spirit. And as this happens within form, there is no end to how far this can go. There is always one more bit to heal, one step further to go, new ways to reorganize within a felt sense of all as Spirit.
Another way to put it is that we not only take care of what we are, but also who we are.
When Big Mind awakens to itself, as awake emptiness and form absent of I anywhere, and becomes familiar with itself in this way, while still being functionally connected with an individual human self, we take care of what we are.
And when we allow our individual self to deeply reorganize within this new context, through the head, heart and belly centers, we take care of who we are. And this is an unending process, there is always further to go, a continuous deepening, healing, reorganizing, maturing.
It is a process of deepening into what we are, as Spirit awake to itself, and who we are, as an individual soul and human self, reflecting Spirit awakened to itself.
What we are offers the realization of selflessness, of an absence of I anywhere. And who we are offers the opportunity to live and explore this in and as form.


Jamaica is not, geographically, your ordinary Caribbean island in that it sits entirely in the Caribbean Sea. It shares this distinction with the Cayman Islands, the Dutch Caribbean and maybe a handful of sandbanks. Locals will tell you that the absence of a rugged Atlantic coast adds to Jamaica's notoriously laid back vibe and, while the feng shui science of this may be yet to be proven, there's no doubt that you struggle to find anything other than gentle waves lapping at soft sandy beaches as you travel around the island's coast.
Pelicans hover and plunge into the sea around us, oblivious as our long, single engine boat whips across the across the water, sitting low, just above the waves. Out here there is no escape from the piercing sun just a continuous sea-to-sky blue on one side and jungle green on the other, punctuated by a line of white sand or an occasional building. We are aiming for a dot in the blue, one of the few clues of the horizon line between water and air. The spec takes shape as we get closer and like a sprawling settlement from Waterworld I can see that in fact it is a series of platforms and roofs perched on the top of the waves. Closer still and I can see the palm frond roof and a couple of lonely figures out in the sun. We are arriving at Floyd's.
In 2001 Floyd had a boat and he wanted to smoke. Simple as that. About half a mile off Jamaica's south coast he knew of a sand bar frequented by seabirds, Pelican Bar as it's known, and rather than sit out there bobbing on the waves he took out some poles and some planks of wood and started building. In 2 months, in a few feet of water, Floyd had somewhere to smoke and meditate in peace. He shared it with his friends who brought some beers and Floyd's Pelican Bar was born. Since then he has extended it, put in a hob for some cooking and now it is Jamaica's best worst-kept secret.
A few friendly faces welcome you aboard as you step from your rocking boat onto the first platform and into the shade of the bar. From the brightness outside the blackness inside is impenetrable but as your eyes adjust and the coolness hits you, you cannot help but smile. Travellers from all over the world have had a hand in decorating Floyd's and the hodge-podge nature of its design lends itself to the ad hoc and growing collection of decorations. Caps are hung around beams, flags are draped from planks, stickers adorn the sides of the bar. Number plates, bracelets, t-shirts… it is a story of its patrons. Most remarkable of all: every table top, every bench, across the bar and every floorboard is etched with names and dates. One or two would be an ugly shame. Thousands are a beautiful movement of one love.
"Movement" isn't too grand a word for how it feels at Floyd's. Not quite a commune of course, but so far from the mainland, self sufficient for the day, unique and generally removed from the world there is a sense that each day Floyd's forms it's own community. It wasn't busy when we were there – us Brits, a french couple, 3 American women and some Canadians alongside Floyd and buddies playing dominoes. When it got too hot on the sun deck I picked up a cold Dragon Stout and sat at the picnic table on the far deck where there was a bit of a breeze. When I needed to escape the sun I got a Red Stripe and went back into the shade of the living room and regarded the pelicans out on the bar itself, enjoying their own little sea top retreat. People played and swam before drying in the sun.
It's around 20 minutes on a boat back to shore. We journeyed out from Black River where you can book a boat for around $25 US for the journey. Not a bad spot for a day trip; at Black River you can also travel upstream to see the native crocodiles of Jamaica. I'd recommend doing that first though as once you're at Floyd's it is extremely hard to leave. In fact, we left when we did as we had run low on cash. It isn't expensive – around $5 US for a beer which has been sailed out there. But it was a natural cut off for us to head back to reality. Oh and we saw a croc on the riverside on our return, so a little adrenalin shot to keep us buoyed. Funny thing though: you know you've been somewhere special when returning to Jamaica seems stressful.
I love Pelican Bar so much. So cool to hear the history of it! PS – Where did you stay when you were visiting?


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Is Penn State A Party School?
Is Penn State a party school? Penn State is a party school based on its party atmosphere across the campus. It has been for a long time into the Princeton Review's List of the top party schools in the country. Most recently went off the Princeton List but still considered a party school.
A party school is a university or a college in the United States known for the party atmosphere on campus. Usually, it involves a lot of alcohol and drug and a certain slackness and relaxation.
A known publication, the Princeton Review, every year publishes a list of the top party schools. The Princeton Review's List is based on student's ratings about the use of drugs and alcohol at their schools.
In addition, they take into account the number of hours students study every day after classroom time. The list also takes into account how popular confraternities are on the school campus.
Pen State was on the list for many years. However, since 2016 it has not been the case any longer. On the other side, prominent websites like Niche.com still place Penn State amongst the ten party schools.
Which One Are The Top Party Schools?
The top party schools in the U.S. are the following:
Tulane University: It is located in New Orleans, and it has over 6.800 undergraduates. It is located in one of the most party-like cities in the country. It has access to bars, good food and a lot of entertainment.
University of Georgia: it is a bit school with over 27.000 undergraduates. The university has a great nightlife and Greek lifestyle. Nearby cities are full of bars and place with a lot of entertainment.
West Virginia University: It is a large school with over 20.000 undergraduates. Based on student's reports, there are wild parties every night. The Fall Fest is fun, and students find a way to party as often as they can.
University of Wisconsin: It is another bit university with a vast campus and nearly 29.000 undergraduates. The university is filled with active nightlife and a lot of entertainment.
Is Penn State a Party School? Princeton ranked Penn State University as the top 10 partying schools in America, ranking them among the 385 schools. Let's not waste any more time, and let's get the party started.
What is the Party School in the US?
Location of Rank School
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign (IL)
University of Wisconsin Madison Madison WI
Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, IN
Michigan State University East Lansing MI
Are there parties at Penn State?
Penn State students are having a great time, but one student says that some are ruining it all for the rest. "The main reason I did it is just that basically, there are so many students at Penn State that want their classes to go back to in-person," Auerbach said Monday evening.
Is Penn State a top-party school?
For years, Penn State was a fixture on the list, even ranked once as the top party school in the nation — a distinction now held by Syracuse University, which was named the top school this year.
Is Penn State a party school – Similar Questions
What is Penn State renowned for?
Penn State is ranked number. 8 (tied) for the best online bachelor's programs in the country in U.S. News & World Report's 2020 "Best Online Programs." The University also ranks highly in online graduate programs, ranking #6 for the best online graduate engineering programs.
Which college has the happiest students?
Auburn University is home to the happiest student.
Auburn University in Alabama is ranked No. 1 for the happiest undergraduates.
Vanderbilt University of Nashville, Tennessee was awarded the No. 2 spots for providing great financial aid and making students happy.
Washington University, St.
Harvard is a party school?
Harvard is lacking luster, and Harvard parties aren't as enjoyable as those at their friends' state schools. Harvard has many real obstacles in creating the best social scene. There aren't many bars on campus or other similar venues that cater to college students' night-outs.
Are our Penn State students rich?
Penn State's students represent 1.8% of those who came from a poor background but went on to become successful adults.
What can Penn State students do for entertainment?
There are many interests that Penn State students can pursue. Many students enjoy football and are passionate about athletics. These games are a great way for Penn State sports fans to come together. Many students are involved in the arts such as music and theater.
What SAT score are you required to get into Penn State
Between 1070-1310
Penn State admissions are somewhat selective, with an acceptance rate of 76%. Students admitted to Penn State have an SAT score of 1070-1310 or an ACT score between 23-30. The regular application deadline for Penn State is now open.
Is Penn State Republican? Or Democrat?
Pennsylvania has evolved from being a Republican-leaning country for much of the 20th Century to become a prominent battleground state in presidential election campaigns. Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in every election from 1992 to 2016. It was also a strong supporter of Donald Trump's campaign.
What are the Top 10 Party Colleges?
The 2021 Top Party Schools ranking is calculated based on student reviews, nightlife statistics, and student reviews.
Tulane University.
Florida State University.
Howard University.
Which Ivy League is considered the largest party school?
Playboy claims that smarties can party too. Playboy has released its ninth annual "Top Ten Party School List" this week. This year, the University of Pennsylvania was named the number-one party school.
Can I get into Penn State if I have a 2.5 GPA?
University Park: 2.5 GPA Other Penn State campuses than University Park: 2.0 GPA Applicants with less than one year (2 or fewer academic semesters) of college coursework may apply to the College of Engineering pre-major status (ENGR), at a campus other than University Park.
Why is Penn State so Popular?
The alumni network and the programs offered by the university have helped the Class of 2017 achieve a 94% success rate in their careers. 6 Sept 2018.
How much is Penn State tuition out of state?
Local tuition 18,450 USD, Domestic tuition 35,514 USD (2019 – 20)
Penn State University/Undergraduate tuition and fees
What is the most distressing major?
According to new data, the three most stressed-out majors in America are Nursing, Architecture, and Medicine. STEM majors feature heavily as the most stressful degrees in the nation – compare that to arts-related courses, which students say to make them feel less stressed on average.
How do I get into Harvard?
Harvard has a 4.18 average GPA. Harvard requires that you have a GPA of 4.18 to be considered for admission. To be competitive with other applicants, your classes must have at least straight A's. You should also be taking hard classes – AP, IB, or GC – to prove that college-level academics is easy.
Harvard students can have a social and active life?
Harvard offers many social opportunities. Many of these depend on your friendships. Harvard has a wide range of social experiences that you can have, and a lot of these depend on who your friends are.
Does Harvard have a lot of parties?
David Martin, a Harvard sophomore said there are always parties in the houses, but it is difficult to find one that is good and stay there. After parties are over, Harvard partygoers go to the afterparties at finals clubs. These clubs are Harvard's most well-known social groups.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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World of Warships Launches Team Battles
Wargaming today announced the new battle type "Team Battles" for World of Warships will set sail in Update 0.5.3. This new battle type, which unlocks at account level 12, lets captains create an elite squadron of players, work with them to sharpen their skills, and then set out to decimate their opponents and rule the waves.
Taking the prestige of World of Warship's naval combat to a new level, Team Battles are the domain of certain tier vessels, consisting of 7-vs-7 skirmishes. Players can have up to 10 people in their team (with three in reserve). They can also be recruited for up to three teams simultaneously, so there is always a new Team Battles waiting on the horizon. Team Battles will only be available during "prime time," a necessary restriction to ensure a competitive number of players are all in the queue.
"The fans have been asking for more forms of team interaction since we started developing World of Warships," said Danny Volkov, World of Warships Development Director, Wargaming. "With Team Battles, we've listened to their feedback and created an arena where they can meet teammates, forge their perfect squad and take on intense battles with top players in their region."
On a team's journey to become the dominating force of the seas, they will advance through a number of leagues, battling towards a common objective, to improve their ranking. Through Team Battles, captains get their fill of high-level skirmishes and truly take their skills to the next level.
To learn more about Team Battles, please watch the video.
New Call of Duty Coming From Modern Warfare Studio in 2016
Order of Battle: US Marines Beta Announced


text:
Charles A. Hogan, MD
Patient Conditions
Thoracic
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
Stenosis
Spinal Fractures
Cubital Tunnel
Spine Anatomy
Diagnostic Exams
Non-Operative Treatment
Pre-Op & Post-Op Instructions
Minimally Invasive Surgery of the Neck & Back
Am I A Candidate for Spine Surgery
Self Referral Patient
Complimentary MRI Review
Out of Town Patient
A Passion for
Exceptional Personalized Care
Minimally Invasive Spine Solutions
Dr Charles Hogan, Spine Surgeon, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Tulsa, OK | Patient Conditions | Lumbar
Low back pain can be disabling; however, most cases heal with time (2-12 weeks) and with conservative therapy. Surgery is suggested when symptoms persist and begin to affect daily activities. Low back surgery may be indicated for treating various underlying causes of back pain such as spinal fractures, degenerative disc disease, nerve compression, stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), tumors, infection, instability or bowel and bladder difficulties.
Lumbar Herniated Disc
Herniated disc is a condition in which the outer fibers (annulus) of the intervertebral disc are damaged causing the soft inner material of the nucleus pulposus to rupture out of its space. A herniated disc, common in the lower back (lumbar spine) occurs when there is a tear in the outer lining of the disc (annulus fibrosus). This causes the inner jelly-like material (nucleus pulposus) to leak out and place pressure on the adjacent spinal nerve root.
Lumbar Stenosis
Lumbar stenosis is the compression of spinal nerves caused by narrowing of the spinal canal and it is one of the common causes of low back pain. Spinal stenosis can also affect the spine in the neck region. The symptoms include back pain, burning or aching type of pain in the buttocks that radiates to the legs (sciatica), weakness in the legs or "foot drop".
Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
Lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a common cause of low back pain. The vertebrae are cushioned by intervertebral discs which act as shock absorbers, for the spine. Over time, these natural shock absorbers wear out and degenerate due to aging, trauma or injury leading to DDD.
Piriformis Syndrome is an uncommon rare neuromuscular condition caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. The sciatic nerve is a thick and long nerve that passes below or through the piriformis muscle and goes down the back of the leg and finally ends in the feet in the form of smaller nerves.
Sciatica is a painful condition caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in our bodies. It begins in the lower back and extends through the buttocks down the back of each leg to the thighs and feet.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic disease affecting other tissues and organs throughout the body. It can cause inflammation of faraway joints and organs such as the eyes, heart, lungs and kidneys. Ankylosing spondylitis is 3 times more common in men than in women and affects people of all age groups including children, which is referred to as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis.
Specializes In
Spinal Injections
Neck & Arm Pain
Back & Leg Pain
Peripheral Nerve Compression
Charles A. Hogan, MD Spine Surgeon
Charles Hogan MDSpine Surgeon
BrookeMedical Assistant
JessMedical Scheduler
MarciaPractice Manager
DannyRadiologic Technologist
OSSO Spine Center (North)
1616 S Kelly Ave
OSSO Spine Center (South)
10021 S Western Ave
© Charles A. Hogan, MD. Spine Surgeon Oklahoma City, Edmond, OK
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I just upgraded all components of our Joomla Webpage. But unfortunately I do get a failure message by updating EasyBlog to 5.2.4. It says i should install the Installer 5.2.1 - but there is no Installer at the Dashboard to download at all.
Could you pleas help me out and do the Update process for me?
We also get the Facebook connection not working.


Sometimes a business proprietor gets caught up time, in working -today company operations and overlooks simple advertising prospects to market periodic and vacation gatherings and special discounts. Build an effective sales page that can be used in emailmarketing strategies and both direct-mail. Business Goals in Sales Letters A advertising letter's objective would be to induce a demand for your products or services. In composing the revenue letter from scratch, a much better knowledge of the company purpose assists. Start with asking yourself what do I need the viewer to do? Usually there is visit this site right here a revenue page designed to get the audience to go to website or your store to purchase service or a particular product. Why should the reader try this? The following may be included by normal business factors: Lowest qualitybest servicemost that is pricesbest reliablemoney again guaranteefree option in promotionThe quickest approach that is restricted that is towntime to lose there is a fresh consumer not to deliver on statements found in a sales communications.
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NPA Satellite Mapping is the longest-established satellite mapping specialist in Europe, with expertise in geoscience applications of earth observation and remote sensing. In addition to processing and distributing data from a variety of optical and radar satellites, NPA specialises in added-value and derived products, providing validation and interpretation of satellite-based imagery.

Company
The company was founded in 1972 as Nigel Press Associates. In April 2008 the company was acquired by Fugro, a Dutch group who provide geotechnical, survey and geoscience services to the oil, gas, mining and construction industries.  In 2013 Fugro divested it's Geoscience Division, which included NPA, to CGG. The company remains based in Edenbridge, UK.

Imagery and Elevation Data

NPA distributes optical and radar imagery at a range of resolutions, maintaining one of the largest private satellite image archives, and provide advice and acquisition services for more specific customer applications. As a member of the SARCOM consortium, NPA also distribute radar data from the ESA satellites. The company also supply satellite and airborne derived terrain and elevation products, including Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), building height maps, 3D views and fly-throughs.

Oil and Mineral Exploration
NPA specialises in a range of techniques for both onshore and offshore exploration. Onshore, their expertise in structural geological interpretation and mineral mapping is increasingly complemented by newer applications such as seismic planning, subsidence mapping and reservoir modelling. Offshore, NPA's Global Offshore Seep Project uses SAR data to detect oil seepage from potential reservoirs.

Ground Stability
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) can generate maps of surface deformation or elevation, using satellite radar data. Depending on the situation, InSAR can detect and monitor centimetre to millimetre scale deformation over wide areas, right down to monitoring of local areas and structures.  Applications include monitoring of urban structures, infrastructure, tunnelling, subsidence, landslides, resource extraction and geological phenomena.

In addition to a wide variety of commercial projects, they have a significant involvement with national and European bodies such as British National Space Centre, British Geological Survey and the European Space Agency (ESA). Major projects include Terrafirma, which provides a ground motion hazard information service distributed throughout Europe via national geological surveys and institutions, and the Pipemon project which studied remote sensing technology for routing and monitoring of pipelines. Their PSI study of London in collaboration with the Environment Agency received national press coverage, showing ongoing subsidence in east London.

See also
Remote Sensing
Geographic information system (GIS)
Geomatics
Geophysical survey
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar
Imagery Analysis
Imaging Science
Land cover
List of Earth observation satellites
Synthetic Aperture Radar

References

Map companies of the United Kingdom
Companies based in Kent
British companies established in 1972

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Анна Хелена Мария (Анна Лена) Эльгстрём (; 29 декабря 1884, Хельсингборг — 23 декабря 1968, Стокгольм) — шведская писательница, журналистка и борец за мир.

Биография и творчество
Анна Лена Эльгстрём родилась в 1884 году в Хельсингборге. В раннем возрасте она хотела стать художницей и поступила в Техническую школу (Tekniska skolan) в Стокгольме. В 1908 году она вместе с братом поехала в Париж, где продолжала учиться, а также создавала мозаики и росписи по стеклу. В те же годы она начала писать: вначале это были своего рода путевые заметки, которые из Парижа она рассылала по разным шведским газетам. В 1912 году Анна Лена Эльгстрём вышла замуж за Густафа Колийна, театрального деятеля, и через два года у неё родилась дочь.

Литературный дебют Анны Лены Эльгстрём состоялся в 1911 году, когда была опубликована её книга «Gäster och främlingar», получившая положительные отзывы критики. Одним из самых известных её произведений стала трилогия об Эльсе Хольм, «Den kloka Elsa», повествующая о постепенном превращении девочки в юную женщину.

В годы Первой мировой войны Анна Лена занималась в основном журналистикой, заняв позицию радикальной пацифистки. В 1915 году она участвовала в Международном женском конгрессе за мир и свободу в Гааге, в 1916 году — в конференции по вопросам мира в Стокгольме. Образцом для неё стала Розика Швиммер, известный борец за мир. В 1917 году Анна Лена, совместно с Элин Вегнер и Фридой Стенхофф, написала посвящённую ей книгу «Den kinesiska muren: Rosika Schwimmers kamp för rätten och hennes krig mot kriget». В том же году она стала соучредительницей Ассоциации за гуманистическую политику (Förbundet för humanistisk politik). Пацифизм Эльгстрём был тесно связан с феминизмом в духе Эллен Кей: она много писала о беззащитности матерей и детей в военное время, вынужденных страдать по вине мужчин. Этой теме посвящён её сборник рассказов «Mödrar», впервые изданный в 1917 году и затем многократно переиздававшийся. В 1919 году писательница стала одним из основателей организации Rädda Barnen («Спасём детей»).

В середине 1930-х годов, находясь в Испании и ведя репортажи о гражданской войне, Эльгстрём несколько изменила свои взгляды, допуская отныне неизбежность насилия и военных действий в определённых обстоятельствах. В 1936 году она организовала Шведский женский комитет для испанских детей (Svenska Kvinnokommittén för Spaniens barn), председателем которого была с 1936 по 1940 год. В начале Второй мировой войны Эльгстрём участвовала в оказании помощи Финляндии, а в 1940 году была членом комитета по оказанию помощи беженцам.

Анна Лена Эльгстрём много путешествовала, побывав, в частности, в различных странах Европы, в США, в Африке и в Советском Союзе. В качестве журналистки она сотрудничала с такими изданиями, как Social-Demokraten, Morgon-Tidningen и Sydsvenska Dagbladet Snällposten. Ещё одной интересовавшей её темой была религия: она выросла в христианской семье, придерживавшейся идей ривайвелизма (её родственницей по материнской линии была Лина Санделль-Берг), а в 1948 году перешла в католицизм и сотрудничала с католическим журналом Credo.

В общей сложности Анна Лена Эльгстрём написала около тридцати романов, сборников рассказов, эссе и путевых заметок. Писательница умерла в 1968 году. В её честь была названа одна из улиц в Эребру.

Примечания

Ссылки

Писательницы Швеции
Писательницы XIX века
Писательницы XX века
Журналисты Швеции
Деятели феминизма Швеции
Пацифисты


The Pro-Ject George Harrison Essential III was designed by California-based design agency Studio Number One, and is based on a 2014 art-print litograph designed for the Harrisons by artist Shepard Fairey. It's limited to 2,500 units worldwide.
The limited edition Pro-Ject George Harrison record player boasts an entirely unique appearance created by design specialists, Studio Number One. Studio Number One was founded by Shepard Fairey, and the Pro-Ject George Harrison record player makes use of an image taken from the world-famous artist's work.
The turntable itself is based on Pro-Ject Audio Systems' coveted Essential III (A) design with an Acryl-IT E platter. The Essential III benefits from a sturdy MDF plinth mounted on anti-vibration feet. Supplied with an acrylic platter, high-quality tonearm and Ortofon OM 10 cartridge, the sound performance puts the turntable in a class of its own when compared to rival products.
The Pro-Ject George Harrison turntable is the perfect product for any George Harrison fan who takes their sound quality seriously. It's also the ideal companion to the new vinyl box set, which features all twelve of Harrison's studio albums as well as the classic live album Live In Japan (2LP) and two 12" single picture discs of When We Was Fab and Got My Mind Set On You. Released to commemorate George Harrison's birthday (February 25th), the whole vinyl box set has been pressed onto high-quality 180g heavyweight vinyl with re-masters taken from the original analogue master tapes and newly cut at the legendary Capitol studios.
With such a high-quality vinyl collection, it's essential that you play these iconic tracks on a good record player, and the Pro-Ject George Harrison is just the player you need.


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Rewriting the Holocaust
Tony Greenstein
Netanyahu's attempt to shift the burden of Nazi atrocities to Palestinians is nothing new.
Drawing by a Theresienstadt concentration camp inmate, outside Prague, Czech Republic. El_Molino12 / Flickr
At the World Zionist Organization Congress on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made what, even by his standards, was an outrageous claim. He said that Hitler was initially only in favor of expelling Jews from Europe (what was known as the Madagascar Plan) and that it was a Palestinian, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, who persuaded him to embark on a campaign of extermination.
When I first heard Netanyahu's statement, I immediately thought of a similar claim by Pastor John Hagee, the president of Christians United for Israel. Hagee, a virulent antisemite, had stated in a sermon that Hitler was a "hunter" sent by God to drive the Jews to Israel.
In these new accounts, however, it appears that Hitler was in fact an agent of the mufti, not God!
It is a statement that will be grist to the mill for Holocaust deniers. But what Netanyahu is doing is what Zionist historians have been doing for over sixty years — portraying Palestinians and their leaders as major partners in the Holocaust and by extension claiming that Arab hostility to Zionism has nothing to do with settler colonialism, land theft, and mass expulsions. It's all because the Palestinians and Arabs hate Jews. In other words, anti-Zionism is nothing more than antisemitism.
The Zionist holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, has played a full part in this. They have a whole wall devoted to the mufti of Jerusalem. In the Holocaust Encyclopedia, the section devoted to the mufti is only slightly shorter than that accorded to Hitler and larger than the combined entries on Goebbels, Goering, Heydrich, and Himmler.
As Israeli historian Tom Segev notes, the only image of a Palestinian in Yad Vashem is "a photo featured prominently on a wall depicting the Mufti sieg heiling a group of Nazi storm troopers." Its purpose is to ensure that "the visitor is left to conclude that there is much in common between the Nazis' plan to destroy the Jews and the Arabs' enmity to Israel."
The mufti was a minor war criminal, but the idea that he instigated the Final Solution is absurd. If anyone was a major war criminal it was Walter Rauff, the father of the gas chambers who invented the mobile gas trucks, first used in the Nazi "Action T4" euthanasia program and then the Final Solution.
Rauff had the blood of some one hundred thousand Jews on his hands and tried, when the Nazis occupied Tunisia in 1943, to build an extermination camp in the city of Kairouan to murder its Jews. Yet far from facing justice, after the war he became an Israeli agent and Israel later helped him escape to South America.
It's worth noting too that Netanyahu ignores the role that Zionists played anointing Haj al Amin Husseini grand mufti after he came fourth in the election to the post in 1921. British High Commissioner Sir Herbert Samuel, who had been instrumental in lobbying for the Balfour Declaration, selected him in no small part because key Zionists saw a potential partner in Husseini.
Many Palestinians went as far as to consider the mufti a collaborator with the British after the Revolt of 1936–39. At no stage had the Palestinians elected Haj al-Amin Husseini. He had been imposed on them by the British and the Zionists.
The mufti was responsible for recruiting three Muslim divisions in Bosnia, which were primarily concerned with fighting the Serb Chetniks. They had no involvement in the Jewish deportations beyond handing over some 210 Jews from present-day Kosovo to the SS.
As Gilbert Achar notes in The Arabs and the Holocaust, the soldiers were so disinterested in the Axis cause that when they were sent for retraining in France, many promptly deserted and joined the Resistance.
What Netanyahu also doesn't mention is the three declarations issued by senior Muslim clerics in Bosnia against Croat-Nazi measures against the Jews and Serbs — in Mostar in 1941, Banja Luka in December 1941, and Sarajevo in October 1941. Muslim Albania was the only Nazi-occupied country in Europe where the number of Jews at the end of the war (two thousand) was greater than the number at the beginning (two hundred). Not one Jew was deported from Albania under Nazi occupation.
A transcript of the meeting between Hitler and the mufti on November 28, 1941 is contained in Walter Lacquer's Israel-Arab Reader. There is no mention of the mufti urging Hitler to exterminate the Jews. He was only informed of the Final Solution in the summer of 1943 by Himmler.
In his talk with Hitler, the mufti pressed Germany make a declaration that it supported the independence of the Arab countries — Syria, Iraq, and Palestine. Hitler refused to do so because he said it would cause problems in France and strengthen the supporters of Charles de Gaulle, who would see it as a threat to the French Empire.
In reality, Hitler had no intention of supporting Arab independence. If Germany had conquered the Arab countries, it would simply have supplanted Britain and France as the imperialist power. For many Nazis, Arabs were considered lower on the racial ladder than the Jews.
When the mufti met with Hitler, the Final Solution had already begun, with the invasion of Russia in June 1941. By this time, the mass shooting of some one million Jews by the Einsatzgruppen and Einsatzkommando killing squads, which operated in the rear of the Wehrmacht in White Russia and Ukraine, had taken place. Over 33,000 Jews at Babi Yar outside Kiev had already been murdered at the end of September 1941.
Experimentation with murder by gas had taken place in September 1941 in Auschwitz when 850 Poles and Russian prisoners of war were murdered. At the beginning of December 1941, the first extermination camp, Chelmno, had begun operations using carbon monoxide gas in mobile trucks, and the Belzec camp was running in March 1942.
On December 12, 1941, according to Goebbels's diaries, Hitler made a speech in Berlin to Nazi leaders. Goebbels recorded in his diary:
With regard to the Jewish Question the Fuehrer is determined to make a clean sweep. He prophesized that if they brought about another world war, they would experience their annihilation. This was no empty talk. The world war is here. The annihilation of the Jews must be the necessary consequence. This question is to be viewed without sentimentality. We're not to have sympathy with the Jews, but only sympathy with our German people.
If we are to believe Netanyahu, this speech only came about as a result of Hitler's meeting with the mufti.
In Mein Kampf, written in 1923–4, Hitler stated that the "sacrifice of millions at the front" in the Great War would have been prevented if "twelve or fifteen thousand of these Hebrew corrupters of the people had been held under poison gas."
In his "prophecy" speech on January 30, 1939, which Hitler repeated at least three times, he spoke explicitly about annihilating the Jewish race.
Today I will once more be a prophet. If the international Jewish financiers inside and outside Europe should again succeed in plunging the nations into a world war, the result will not be the Bolshevization of the earth and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation (vernichtung) of the Jewish race throughout Europe.
The immediate precursor to the Final Solution — the "Action T4" — followed. As a result, by some estimates over five hundred thousand disabled Germans were murdered in six killing centers in Germany itself, before the Catholic Bishop Galen of Munster spoke out against it and Hitler was forced to end the program (though it continued in the concentration camps).
All this is to say that the entire Zionist outlook is based on the rewriting of history. The "return" of Jews to Palestine, the denial of the Nakba, and who was responsible for the Holocaust is no exception to this. Netanyahu's attempt to shift the burden of those terrible crimes from the Nazis to Palestinians is nothing new.
Tony Greenstein is a founding member of Britain's Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods. He is an independent researcher and former editor of Return magazine.
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Home News Old Parliament House's democracy museum celebrates three million visitors
Old Parliament House's democracy museum celebrates three million visitors
The Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) celebrated its three millionth visitor on Thursday, two months after it turned 10.
Housed in the iconic Old Parliament House, MoAD has engaged its visitors with "Australia's rich democratic history and the intrinsic value of democracy" since 2009, and has operated as a corporate entity within the federal Communications portfolio since 2016.
Reaching the three-millionth-visitor milestone during MoAD's tenth year cements the museum's status as a premier destination for Australia's democratic history, according to deputy director Andrew Harper.
"We are incredibly excited to reach three million visitors. It wouldn't have been possible without our engaging exhibitions, events and programs developed by our hardworking staff and volunteers," he said.
The milestone-making visitor was Olivia Cheong, a student from Emmanuel Catholic College in Perth.
She was visiting MoAD to take part in an interactive program with her school. The program allowed students to explore the heritage spaces of Old Parliament House, including locations where "decisions that shaped our nation were made".
Last year, almost 90,000 students and teachers came from all ends of the nation to participate in MoAD's learning programs.
While these programs are an excellent way to learn about Australia's democracy, students don't have to come to the capital to explore the iconic building, according to MoAD's manager of learning, Deborah Sulway.
"While we often have students visiting from all over Australia, including Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, a student should have the same learning opportunities, regardless of whether they visit Canberra," she said.
MoAD has recently developed a virtual program, the Digital Excursion, which allows students to participate in facilitated learning programs from their classrooms, free of charge every Tuesday and Thursday.
It allows students to take a virtual tour of Old Parliament House, learn about the importance of critical thinking in today's media landscape, and explore the key values that underpin Australia's democracy.
"Through the Digital Excursion, we aim to take democracy all over Australia, and prepare students for the future, by providing them with the necessary tools and resources to become active citizens," Sulway said.
By Shannon Jenkins
Shannon Jenkins is a journalist at The Mandarin based in Melbourne.
People: Andrew Harper Deborah Sulway
Tags: democracy Education history museum Old Parliament House schools
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Canada's major railways have instituted an anti-pollution policy which mandates that they shut off train diesel locomotives at stations and / or freight yards while stationary. Staticon railway chargers are on-site to boost and recharge diesel locomotive starter batteries. These chargers are available in 32 V and 64 V (16 and 32 cells) for lead acid batteries in 100, 150 and 200 A capacities. They feature the standard 8 hour charge program (an automated constant current boost charge followed by a constant voltage finish charge). Rail-side chargers are natural convection cooled and CSA certified.


Born on February 22, 1976 in Dushanbe, Tadjik SSR.
In 1999 graduated the Department of Philosophy of Humanity at the A.I. Hertsen Russian State Pedagogical University.
On December 01, 1999 was admitted to the doctoral course at the St.-Petersburg Branch of Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Science.
In June 30, 2004 defended the PhD dissertation entitled The Concept of Royal Power in Buddhist Canonical and Postcanonical sources.
From December, 2002 up to present - researcher at the St.-Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies (now the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts) of the Russian Academy of Science.
His major academic interests are socio-political ideology in the countries of the Asian-Pacific Region, biographies of Buddhist teachers and kings.
Shomakhmadov S.H. [Review:] Indische Handschriften. Teil 19. Die Śāradā-Handschriften der Sammlung Janert der Staatsbibliothek — Preußischer Kulturbesitz. Beschrieben von Gеrhard Ehlers. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 2016, 145 p. // Written Monuments of the Orient. 1(7), 2018. P. 124–126.
Шомахмадов С. X. Учение о царской власти (Теории имперского правления в буддизме) / Ответственный редактор В.И.Рудой. СПб.: Петербургское Востоковедение, 2007. 272 с. (Серия «Orientalia»).


The third edition of the Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland has been fully revised, updated and restructured, bringing it in line with the latest thinking in taxonomy. Moths are illustrated in their natural resting postures, and there are also paintings of different forms, underwings and other details to help with identification. New descriptions and illustrations have been included for species that have been newly recorded in Britain and Ireland since the last edition of Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland was published. The text descriptions of all other species – covering field characters and similar species, flight season, life cycle, larval foodplants, and habitat – have been revised and updated where necessary, and particular attention has been paid to updating the distribution information, which is now supported by maps. The revised general introduction explains how the methods of identifying and recording moths have evolved over recent years with the advent of new technologies and as a result of data analysis.
Paul Waring was born in the New Forest. A schoolboy interest in caterpillars led to Honours Zoology at the University of Oxford and a PhD on the impact of woodland management in Bernwood Forest. Since 1987, he has worked full time on moth conservation in Britain, both within government conservation agencies and as a freelancer, as well as mothing throughout the world.
Martin Townsend started specialising in Lepidoptera at the age of ten. He graduated with a BSc in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen in 1985, and since then has worked in ecological research and conservation. He is now an independent consultant, carrying out site surveys for conservation bodies and other landowners.
Richard Lewington studied graphic design at the Berkshire College of Art, and since leaving in 1971 has specialised in natural-history illustration. His meticulous paintings are the mainstay of many of the modern classics of field-guide art.
"[...] There can be few moth enthusiasts without a well-thumbed copy of this book on their shelves. Whether you have an earlier version or not this edition has much new information, maintains the previous high standard, and is well worth adding to your library – it won't remain unread for long."
"The most important book on moths published since Skinner [...] "
"If you only want one moth guide, it has to be this."


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This section contains information about some of the Standards Commission's policies and procedures. Please note, however, the Rules that govern how the Standards Commission conducts Hearings about alleged breaches of the Codes of Conduct are contained in the Hearing Process Guide & Rules, which can be found here.
The Equality Act 2010, which came into force in 1 October 2010, obliges public bodies to assess and review policies, procedures and practices to ensure there is no unlawful discrimination or disadvantage as a result of their impact against any individual. It is a way of ensuring and showing due regard has been paid to the general duties under the 2010 Act. Equalities impact assessments can also be used to promote or improve equality of opportunity. The Standards Commission undertake equalities impact assessments when any policies, procedures and practices are introduced or amended.
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If the rumors are to be believed, it has been suggested that the next iPhone could see Apple remove the headphone port. This will no doubt help slim the phone down a bit, and it will also tie in nicely with the rumors that Apple is working on high-res audio formats that will be supported by headphones that connect via the Lightning port.
Whether or not those rumors are true remains to be seen, but thanks to artists Eric Huismann, he has created an iPhone 7 concept that basically imagines the device minus the headphone jack, and the results are pretty drastic. As you can see in the rendering above, the end result is a phone that is noticeably thinner than the current iPhones.
What Huismann has done is not only remove the headphone port, but he has seemingly changed the home button to a flat button that uses 3D Touch to simulate the original button's functionality. The rendering also seems to suggest a new pair of headphones called AirPods, which based on the lack of a connector will probably pair with the phone via Bluetooth.
Apple has always been on a quest to make their devices as thin as possible and in the past, we've seen them explore ideas like slimming down the current headphone jack, so this doesn't really come as that big of a surprise, but what do you guys think of the concept? Is this an iPhone you would be interested in?


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Philip Guston – Poor Richard
D.A.P / Distributed Art Publishers, Inc
Philip Guston's legendary, prescient political satire of Richard Nixon
In the summer of 1971—two years before the Watergate hearings—Richard Nixon was an incumbent whose grip on power was being tested by the Pentagon Papers. Inspired in part by the work of his friend Philip Roth, who had just finished the novel Our Gang, Philip Guston began drawing the object of his political anger and despair—Richard Nixon, transformed into the character "Poor Richard," rendered with a distinctively phallic nose and scrotal jowls, and accompanied by henchmen Spiro Agnew, John Mitchell, and Henry Kissinger.
Guston carefully sequenced the drawings in 1971 and planned to publish them as a book, even designing an original title page. But he held back, and the images were never released during his lifetime; only in 2001 were they first exhibited, accompanied by a publication of the series from the University of Chicago Press by Debra Bricker Balken. Today, as we face yet another moment of presidential crisis and global turmoil, Poor Richard is more relevant than ever.
Poor Richard by Philip Guston brings Guston's series back into print. Following Guston's own sequencing, layout and original title page from 1971, Poor Richard by Philip Guston presents this shockingly fresh, delightfully profane series, with beautiful new reproductions. The publication marks the promised gift of these 73 drawings by The Guston Foundation to the National Gallery of Art, where they will be preserved and studied as a monument of contemporary satirical art and virtuoso drawing.
96 pp, paperback
Published by D.A.P./National Gallery of Art, 2020
The Third Life of Agnès Varda
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Black Phoenix: Third World Perspective on Contemporary Art and Culture


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Rachel Bloom
Rachel Bloom's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Lives On
By: Iris Wiener
May 14, 2019: There is no stopping Rachel Bloom, the co-creator, writer and star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; the energizer bunny of the entertainment business, Bloom is currently touring with the cast of her CW musical comedy, in which they perform the hysterically poignant numbers that made the show a cult-hit for four seasons.
(Crazy Ex-Girlfriend saw its series finale earlier this year.) Despite having the dramedy Changeland set to hit movie theatres in June and a voice in August's The Angry Bird Movie 2, Bloom is getting ready to take on Radio City Music Hall on May 14th and 15th. She spoke with Theaterlife about what fans can expect from the unique concert, and offered musings as to where Rebecca Bloom, her lovingly flawed alter ego, would potentially be after Girlfriend's exceptional ending.
Theaterlife: What can fans expect from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Live?
Rachel Bloom: If you saw our final episode, the concert special, it will be similar to that except it will be longer and dirtier!
TL: In the live concert you are performing with the regular cast, as well as recurring and guest actors. However, you're not playing your characters?
RB: In the live show we are playing ourselves as we interpret the songs, and sometimes that overlaps with characters. But what we try to do for every song is find what makes it unique for the stage performance. There is no attempt to re-create what we did on the TV show because we already did the most elaborate, filmic version! The perfect example of that is in the concert special, when Vella [Lovell] (Heather) does the song "The Moment is Me." To make it specific to the live show we had [recurring actor] David Hull act as her back-up dancer, and they talk to each other throughout. With every song we like to elevate it and make it unique.
There's a purposeful gang of people putting on a show/rough-around-the edges quality to [the concert] because there is a mix of people who come from comedy and people who come from musical theatre in it. I straddle both worlds. The thing that bothers me about musical theatre is the emphasis on perfection to the point that it's not human anymore. I find that very alienating. With comedy it is sometimes the opposite; it is rough, and it can be lazy and shaggy sometimes too. We try to find a really nice mix for the shows where we pull back the curtain and improvise a lot. We have a very loose, be yourself approach. If you mess up, you can say you messed up. If your voice cracks it's okay. That's our mentality.
TL: Rebecca Bunch was fantastic in that she made impulsive, yet realistic decisions, and felt remorseful over having made them. She was allowed to make mistakes. How would your life have been different if you had had someone like yourself and/or Rebecca to watch on television?
RB: As a creator I'd be jealous that someone else created the show that I wanted to create! (Laughs) Had I seen it as a kid, I think it would have changed a lot [for me], especially because of the frank discussions demystifying love and acknowledging mental health. As a kid I really fell into fantasy with things that placed romantic love on a pedestal. It would have been really important. I have never thought about that!
TL: What is your earliest memory of yourself as a performer? As a child, were you running around the Thanksgiving table singing your heart out?
RB: That is me, on the nose! I'm an only child and a musical theatre kid. My mother is a pianist and my grandfather was an amateur actor, theater director and stand-up comedian- with an emphasis on amateur. I think half of his jokes were just stolen from books. He worked all his life selling technical manuals, but I think he just wanted to be performing all the time and that made him frustrated. The second that it became clear that I was musical, my grandfather really started teaching me songs and we fell into the rhythm of my mother playing piano for me while I sang. She used to play piano for him at parties.
TL: One of your most admirable traits is that you are outspoken about aspects of yourself that set you apart, traits that people sometimes label as "other." You handle adversity with grace and humor at the same time. How do you rise above it?
RB: It stems from loving musical theatre and being made fun of growing up. What's always interested me an artist and a writer is what society expects of you and tells you to be, versus what you actually are; that is what inspired me to start doing pop music. It's literally what inspired the first music video that I wrote ["F—k Me, Ray Bradbury"]. Most sexy pop songs were about hot guys with ripped abs in a club. That's not what I've ever gone for. I'm not saying that I go for 91 year-old authors, but it's a heightened version of the realities. In fact, when I see a guy with ripped abs in a club, I'm like, "Ugh. Put on a shirt! What are you doing?" I actually don't trust those people. They made fun of me when I was growing up. The same thing happens with musical theatre, where it says, "This is what a woman is. This is what a man is. This is how love works." There was always a weird, cognitive dissonance comparing that, and I would try to emulate and fail very badly, realizing, "Wait, what if they're the ones who are wrong and not me?"
TL: You were a backstage correspondent at the Tony Awards in 2018- the next best thing to being the host! What advice do you have for James Corden as he hosts this year?
RB: James is fine! I talked to him about it. There's no advice I can give him. The Tonys are an interesting beast because they're an award show broadcast nationwide, but it's only about art you can see if you go to a specific city. With every other award show you can watch movies and TV everywhere. I think the job that would be hard and almost fun for me is finding the balance of how to cater to the audience that's watching the Tony Awards, and still try to make it funny enough so that if someone is casually watching it and didn't know these shows, they would still get it…and of course, just making the jokes actual laugh-out-loud jokes.
TL: What would you like to think Rebecca Bunch is up to now?
RB: At the end of the series Rebecca has finally become a songwriter, and the last line of the series is, "This is a song I wrote." It was in the plan from the beginning, and it was the whole point of the series: You write your own song and you write your own story; don't try to be something you can't be. I imagine that Rebecca is now writing songs, but I don't really know. It really feels like there was a person that existed, we were kind of like gods who invaded her life, we f—ked up her life, and then we left her life. Now she's still out there living, but [the difference is that] now she has freewill. She could be anywhere. She's also exploring herself artistically in whatever form that takes.
Photography: Photo: Greg Gayne
Author Barry GordinPosted on May 14, 2019 May 14, 2019 Categories Interviews
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The students of The DRS International are encouraged to develop the habits of mind through joyful learning experiences. To that end, school offers a broad, rich and challenging curriculum. Academic offerings build on the strength of traditional disciplines.
"The school's international culture is fundamentally built into my children's minds and it gives my children courage to talk to and gel with anyone in this world."
"DRS is like a second home for us and we have a special relationship with the school. My son has been with the school since Grade 1. I credit Kaushal's education…for what he is today. I believe Kaushal has been doing very well on academics thanks to the school…!"
Campus, Survey No. 523 Opp.Apparel Park, Gundla Pochampally, Medchal Mandal, R.R. District : 500100, Telangana, India.