The True Identity of Thoth is Revealed

This is going to create a big bang and a great controversy for what I am about to claim. And, for the first time ever acclaimed since the emerald tablets was found years ago.

There is a conclusive evidence based upon historical and theological references that Thoth the Atlantean is actually a well known figure throughout human history who managed to live through tales and mythology in almost every culture.

It is a common knowledge to Muslims and Christians alike in the Mid East that St. George is none else but al Khodor (the green man).

Historical references of Thoth portrait him as the Serpent slayer. St. George is portrait as the dragon slayer. Serpent and Dragon are symbols for Satan or the Devil, EVIL...

Emerald Tablets speaks of Thoth while wearing a purple and gold robe with a silver crown on his head, saved from Arulu a lady fairer than the daughters of men. 'Tablet Ten, Used I the drum of the serpent, wore I the robe of the purple and gold, placed on my head, I, the crown of silver".

St. George portrait was to have managed to save a beautiful princess and married her. The name George derives from Gregarious which actually means Green. The sign of circle and cross of Thoth also found its way to medieval Christianity and managed to become a church icon. Crossed circles scratched on stones have been recovered from Paleolithic cave sites in the Pyrenees.

At the Callanish Stones in the Outer Hebrides, the most famous megalithic site in Scotland, crossing avenues of standing stones extend from a circle. Scratched into stone or painted on pottery, as on that of the Samara culture, the crossed-circle symbol appears in such diverse areas as the Pyrenees, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, the Iranian plateau, and the cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in the Indus River valley (Wikipedia).

It's said that Thoth was Hermes, and was one of the sons of Adam.

According to Islamic historical and theological references it is also said; Al Khodor "who by the way also means Green in Arabic language", was actually one of the children of Kane son of Adam, and before he died he told his children of the flood and Noah's Arch and requested his corpse to be taken with them and be buried where the Arch docks. Adam prayed to God that whoever buries his body to be granted an eternal life. Al Khodor was chosen from amongst Noah's children to carry on this mission.

Emerald Tablets, Emerald is Green.
Thoth relayed a similar story of a space ship they used to flee out of Atlantis after being hit by gigantic tsunamis....

Islamic references speak of Al Khodor playing a major role in opposing the antichrist at the end of days. And that he will challenge the antichrist to kill him and the antichrist kills him for the first time and then revives him to prove his might, Al Khodor re challenges the antichrist to kill him yet again, when the antichrist attempt to do so for the second time, he fails, that would be the sign of his ends approaching. After that, the antichrist will be vanquished by the real Jesus at lions well, (Beir Sabei) at LLidd in Palestine.

Thoth speaks of coming back and yet he speaks of confronting the evil that will come from beneath at end of days, when man learns to fly on wings like that of birds and learns to harness the lightening " Emerald Tablets ". Al Khodor is a prophet, that is for certain. And Thoth Emerald Tablets have many of its quotes with matching similarities in meaning to Holy Books.

According to Muslim belief, Al Khodor visits Mecca in Hajj season every year and he stands in Arafat on the appointed day of Wukouf, (read Kassass Al Anbya, stories of the prophets ).

Long live Thoth, or Al Khodor, or St. George.

CHEKITAT, ARLICH, VOLMALITES as he requested to be named in the Emerald Tablets.

Adam El Masri

Paradetect.com

December 21, 2012 - The Rise of Man!

The Folktale

In the early winter of December in the year 2012, the Mayans and many other ancient cultures of antiquity have predicted the 'return of the gods' in their literature and other records. This return is actually the return of a consciousness that humans have not seen in tens of thousands of years, going back to when we were humans in spirit form. It is this divine consciousness that we lost long ago that is now termed 'the fall of man'. In a nutshell 'the fall of man' was a series of events that caused human beings in the spirit to become desirous for themselves and thus become human beings 'in the flesh' which was the 'fall' part. Our selfishness (desire to seek for the self alone) separated us from God and so we then manifested physical bodies in the physical world and still reside in these physical bodies today.

This means, in simple terms that the frequency that our consciousness operated on was lowered because of our lack of sharing, and it was lowered to a point that we could not maintain our spiritual bodies (today known as the light-body) and as a result we became physical creatures with physical creature issues, like needing to eat and getting rid of bodily waste as well as the need to breathe air to survive. We no longer had Gods divine essence surging through us in sufficient enough quantities and so needed to live like the physical creatures that we had become. The problem with this is obvious in that if you have all of these physical needs and symptoms that make you selfish, how can you get back to the spiritual body where none of these physical issues exist.

The Cycle

When the 'fall of man' occurred, it happened to us as a collective. This meant that everyone experienced this fall together as a race of beings. In December of 2012, we collectively will experience a raise of our consciousness through a raise in our frequency of our nervous system and this raise in our frequency is the return of the gods that the Mayans spoke of.aise in. This will happen to us as a result of a shift of our solar system and galaxy that occurs every thirteen thousand years.

Our planet takes a year to go around our sun one time, and our sun takes twenty-six thousand of our years to go around the center of our galaxy one time. High energy particles escape from the series of black holes in the center of our galaxy shooting out cosmic material in only one direction (instead of all directions) in a way that divides our galaxy in half with one half (equaling the first thirteen-thousand years) getting a constant fresh supply of new matter, and the other half of our galaxy getting no constant fresh supply of direct new matter material (equaling the second thirteen-thousand years). We need twenty-six thousand years to make one full revolution of one half fresh new cosmic energy and the other half no fresh new cosmic energy.

When we are in the thirteen-thousand years with no fresh new cosmic energy we experience a lack of sufficient 'light' and as a result we become selfish and desirous to ourselves instead of sharing. When we are in the thirteen-thousand years where we get constant fresh new cosmic energy, we have an increase of light from our galactic center which increases the frequency that our nervous system operates on and as a result we experience an increase in our consciousness and the desire to share everything and help each other ceaselessly. This happens to us every twenty-six thousand years. Half of our solar systems revolution around our galactic center is happy and positive (the girl cycle) and the other half of our solar systems revolution around our galactic center is sad and negative (the boy cycle). We are at the point that we can become divine again when we are going through the girl cycle. This is what Jesus explained to his apostles and others during his time among us. As we go around our galactic center we experience either one or the other of these two states throughout history.

It is unfortunate that most people have been brainwashed to believe that humanity has only been around for a mere sixty-five hundred years or so. They have been prevented from knowing about miracles!

The Result

What does this have to do with December of 2012?

In December of 2012 we will officially enter 'the girl cycle' of our revolution around our galactic center and that is what the Mayans and others meant when they said that their gods would return. This will be the start of thirteen thousand years of happiness, peace and positive energy. Many early cultures spoke of this cycle like the ancient Mayans, the Hopi, the Essene community and The Cathars of early France, as well as many great souls that have counseled us over the centuries like Buddha and Jesus. We have not been openly taught of this cycle, how and why it happens and have been deprived of its secrets, the greatest of which is that the girl cycle (divine feminine) it is coming again in December of 2012 and we can regain our divinity again when this happens.

We have been led to believe that we are not worthy of Heaven or of God but this is false and misleading. We are simply going through 'the boy cycle' and it is not our fault that we are like this. In December of 2012, there will come great difficulties with this coming change. Those in power will not give up all that they have without a fight and that fight will be an attack on you and I. An attack on our consciousness!

They have committed horrible acts and atrocities against their fellow humans and will continue leading up to December of 2012 which includes many so-called natural disasters, the intentional spread of disease and the spreading of negative energies through the use of the television, radio and newspaper. These people will make us fight each other and call it 'competition' and claim that it is good for us when they are fully aware of the devastating effects that it has on us as a collective.

Oddly enough, their efforts will fail miserably and the new era will start as scheduled. In the few years that we have left in this era, we had better brace ourselves for some very difficult times ahead. It would be prudent and smart to find out what is being said about 2012 and how to prepare for it whether it be good or bad. It is always wise to be prepared instead of sorry, especially if you have kids to care for.

Bob Finklea

Get your FREE information report about 2012 sent to you and get prepared. Find out the truth about 2012 NOW and the return of the Mayan Gods!

http://2012apocalypseormiracle.com

Athens - Ancient Athens

Let us try and bring to mind a picture of Athens as the ancients might have known it, drenched in diaphanous light, its arid mountains protecting it from the north winds and harsh weather, with the beauty of the Acropolis thrown into relief by the sun and the delightfully modest houses at the foot of the great rock. An Athens free of noise other than the voices of children and pedlars in the narrow streets. An Athens to be dreamed of.

That's what it must have been like in the Age of Pericles, when the city was already very ancient. Research shows us that the area around Athens has been inhabited since the neolithic age, as testified to by artifacts found in wells near the Areopagos (Mars' Hill) on the south side of the Acropolis, and in the Agios Kosmas peninsula near Alimos. The original inhabitants were then joined by waves of new settlers, Carians, Leleges and finally Pelasgians, mainly tribes of IndoEuropean origin. The intermingling of all these peoples contributed to shaping the Hellenes, with their contradictory temperament and frequent conflicts.

Sometime around the late 9th or early 8th century BC, Hesiod and Homer gave us the first myths, exaggerated, heroic tales which provided a glimpse of the kind of society where everything was dependent on an unknown divinity. During subsequent generations, these gods and heroes underwent many sea-changes in the service of local, often political needs. Myth may be a wonderful depiction of the world but it was also the easiest way for simple people to learn about their history. Thus the early inhabitants believed that their leaders-who sometimes took peculiar forms-were descended from the gods. Even their names can be explained in the light of societal needs.

Then gradually, over a period of time, the leaders ceased to be supernatural, and began taking on more human dimensions. And the people themselves, as they acquired knowledge of the outside world from the sea routes, stopped being afraid of the otherworldly and began to wonder about the world. It is a fascinating experience to watch myth evolving hand in hand with the development of a people and to discern historical truth through an imaginative construct.

Thus Kekrops and Erichthonios, the first kings of Athens, were strange creatures, half-man and half-snake, whose form portrayed how they had sprung from the Attic soil. Kekrops had brought in master craftsmen, the Pelasgians who, having built a strong Acropolis, stayed on to settle round it. Names ending in -ttos or -ssos appear to have been Pelasgian, such as the Ilissos, Kefissos, Hymettos, Lycabettos, Ardettos; they are all geographic landmarks (mountains, rivers) which remain prominent in the topography of Athens up to the present day. Likewise, it was Kekrops who selected the goddess Athena as protector of his city, after whom he named it. It should be noted that some scholars believe the name of the goddess to have been derived from the Egyptian word aten.

With respect to Erichthonios, mythology provides us with a number of illuminating details. It is said that Hephaestos, the lame blacksmith of the gods, wanted to join in union with Athena, the great goddess of knowledge, but she drew back from his loving embrace and the divine seed fell on her legs. She then rubbed her leg with a swatch of the wool she was spinning and threw it to the ground. But whereas Athena refused the seed of the god, the Earth received it and thus did Erichthonios spring forth.

The Athenians always had a particular affection for their founding father in his snakish form: they built him an exquisite temple, the Erechthion, which priests made sure was constantly supplied with offerings of honey cakes. In some myths, Erichthonios is called Erechtheas; in others Erechtheas is the grandson of Erichthonios and in a third version, Erechtheas has come from Egypt. Perhaps all these versions represented attempts to explain the successive waves of colonists inundating the Aegean during those turbulent years.

If we seek to unravel the threads of the myths, then the truth emerges in all its radiance. The name of Erichthonios shows us his origin: eriochthon means wool-earth, i.e. born of the earth and from it. His descendants intermarried with peoples from Thessaly whose genealogical tree shows their founding father to have been Prometheus. He was the wise Titan who gave mortals the gift of fire, i.e. the light of knowledge-previously the exclusive realm of the gods or perhaps of some priestly brother hood- and for this reason was cruelly punished on a rock in the Caucasus.

It was Prometheus' son Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha who brought the human race back to life in the mountains of Thessaly after the great flood. His grandson was Hellene. Today we know that the Indo-European Aryan tribes, after discovering the use of metals somewhere in the Caucasus, learned to craft strong weapons. Some tribes spread out into central Europe and the Balkans, some remained to take advantage of the good grazing lands while others pressed on southward.

The initial root began to put forth many branches as Hellene, grandson of Prometheus, had sons who were quite different one from the other. There were Aeolos, Xouthos and Doros, who gave their names to Hellenic tribes in later years. Xouthos, which means "the fair", was quite distinct from the early Athenians who had the darker skin of the Aegean peoples. He was to marry Kreousa, the granddaughter of Erechtheas: their children were named Achaeos and Ion, the forefathers of the later Hellenes. Another variation of the myth had Ion as the offspring of Apollo's secret liaison with the same princess. This detail helped advance the mythic cycle from the primeval, with its demonic forms of nature, evolving into humanized deities like Apollo who led man to thought, poetry and philosophy.

Many modern historians believe that the later Hellenes came from Pindus, on the border between Thessaly and Epirus. This fits in admirably with the Attic myths about the genealogy of their kings and the various intermarriages, documenting the arrogance of the ancient Athenians toward the other inhabitants of the region, since from the very outset, gods would frequently come down and intermingle with the mortals, lending a divine dimension to many conjugal dramas.

We know that the first inhabitants of the Attic earth were cultivators, but its poor, arid soil made them turn toward the sea. The story of Theseus who volunteered to go to Crete and kill the Minotaur, delivering Athens from the terrible annual tribute of youths sent to feed the insatiable monster, may perhaps be telling us about the Athenians' first great campaign at sea and their independence from a ruling naval power.

From then on, Theseus never stopped traveling, like all those who, having once experienced the vastness of new horizons, could never thereafter remain closed within narrow confines. He went with the Argonauts to the Pontus (Black Sea), fought against and defeated the imperious Amazons, winning their queen, and taught the spoiled Centaurs a hard lesson in good behavior. But he also took care of his own region, joining together little individual townships into a large and powerful confederacy, with temples in which gods and ancestors were worshiped and with a citadel for security against jealous neighbors.

Theseus was possibly a historic figure who, over the passage of centuries, has become wrapped in the glory of myth to serve domestic expediencies and presented as the scion of the divine race of Ion. A hero who was also a demi-god was always more impressive than just a worthy leader; the inhabitants of the city favored with such a leader would feel special and try to emulate him. Thus the descendants of the first Athenians began their fearless exploration of the sea. As they succeeded in guaranteeing their livelihood, their numbers grew; they learned, became wealthy and expanded their activities around the Mediterranean coasts, creating bridgeheads of commerce and free thought. The colonizers of the east side of the Aegean were called Ionians; and it was there that the ideas of philosophy, the principles of human rights, ethics, metaphysics and the harmony of the universe were born.

Economic ease created a new order of things. Until then, the head of the largest family had been king; but when other men gained power through trade, they too claimed the right to a voice in government, thrusting aside the custom of the hereditary monarchy. A special place was needed for the exchange of commodities and this was how the Agora (market) grew up. The meetings of the local people with strangers made it necessary for them to learn how to develop convincing arguments; from this need sprang the art of rhetoric.

The interests of the people had to be protected. As there were already a great many people, the proper role models had to be found on whose example they could shape their behavior, which at its most sublime moment, led to the formulation of laws by Solon the Sage in the 6th century. Developments in the administrative system were accompanied by cultural progress. The local clay was used to make ceramics which, while initially serving the needs of daily life, soon became objects of trade and then developed into works of art, since men, having assured themselves of the necessities, now sought the beautiful. Athenian potters began producing enormous grave amphoras with austere ornamentation, dominated by Greek key designs and shadowy figures. Black-figured vases were the next phase, with their stylized silhouettes; these evolved into the marvelous red-figured vases which sometimes bear the craftsman's name under vivid compositions depicting moments from the lives of gods and men.

The gods were worshiped in stately stone temples decorated with marble statues that replaced the earlier idols. The myths became overlaid by a multitude of heroic details, as gods and mortals alike came alive in a new form of ceremony which took place in the theater. Meanwhile, more and more Athenian ships were sailing to and fro in the Mediterranean, carrying new developments and provoking envy in other lands which rapidly turned into the desire of foreign leaders for conquest and expansion. The result was the Persian wars at the beginning of the 5th century BC.

The decisive military confrontation at sea and Athens' defeat of the Persians in the battle of Salamis, promoted Athens to a position of foremost power and intellectual leader over the other Hellenes, much to Sparta's great annoyance. The Athenians, having acquired the social comfort that accompanies economic prosperity, had by then developed the versatility of thinking people with freedom of opinion and political views. On the contrary, the strapping sons of Sparta remained products of a rigid military education and attitude. Thus, when the gold-bedecked invaders, decimated and in tatters, retreated back into the hinterlands of Persia, Athens justifiably assumed a position of preeminence, achieved greatness which culminated in the classical age, and produced works of eternal beauty which have remained vital until the present day. It caused the historian Thucydides to prophesy that if ever the two great adversaries Athens and Sparta were someday lost, everybody would know where Athens had been by its wonderful monuments whereas Sparta would have left not a trace to remind people of its once great power.

These wonderful monuments were what roused military Sparta's ire and ultimately led to the armed confrontation. Like all civil wars, the Peloponnesian War was devastating and, unbeknownst to anyone at that time, it signalled the beginning of the end for the proud city of Athens. This was a slow decline which lasted for centuries; it saw insults and passions, tyrannies and uprisings, flaming rhetoric and objections; it saw Athens yielding to the Hellenes of the North, the Macedonians, and finally its subjugation by the Roman legions. All this occurred in the shadow of the Parthenon, at a time when the theatres continually presented works by playwrights whose names would become renowned throughout history, and when Athenians would gather under the colonnades of the Agora to listen to the wandering philosophers and discuss the current political situation.

The Christian religion which was slowly spreading hope of deliverance among oppressed peoples, began to gain followers while the philosophical schools were still full of young people seeking enlightenment on questions of rhetoric, the written word and even theology. One of the most famous students of these schools (4th century A.D.) was Julian, later the Byzantine emperor who came to be known as the Apostate because of his attachment to pagan religion; others were Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus, future Fathers of the Church. The philosophical schools of Athens functioned until the 6th century, at which point Justinian closed them by decree, perhaps because freedom of philosophic thought conflicted with the dogmatism of what had become the state religion. At this point, Athens entered the Dark Ages.

Deprived of its intellectual nourishment, the city was gradually forgotten, destined to continue its progress through time as an insignificant village, the roads of which were studded with pieces of marble from statues that had been smashed by fanatics remembering the heathen past of this once-great city. It was this past that made the official Byzantine state neglect the birthplace of art and beauty, which they regarded as a dangerous incitement to those who tended to disagree with the medieval terms of immortality. The religious exaltation of the period could in no way be reconciled with the frivolity of the ancient gods and thus Christianity's fight for dominance was a tough one without concessions or exceptions.

In the 13th century, when the Crusaders transferred their need for expansion to the East, thinly disguised under a veil of religion, knights who had been excluded from the division of the conquered lands fanned out over the Aegean and around the coasts snatching land by brute force. During the years that followed, the Franks and Catalans established their principalities in Attica and fought to keep them safe from the rising power of Islam. All during this time, the few remaining residents of Athens were simply struggling to survive, as they sank ever deeper into the lethargy of illiteracy, poverty and obscurity. The rest of Europe welcomed the educated Byzantines who had fled after the fall of Constantinople (1453), and this infusion of new culture helped push forward the Renaissance, contributing substantially to what we now know as Western civilization. But at that time, this forgotten corner of the earth was not even called Hellas, even though from time to time, travellers would fill tour journals with notes about the monuments, carved stones and inscriptions they had seen on the ground along the pathways of Attica.

It was these descriptions which awakened the memories of Hellas and soon the travellers would start coming in earnest to look, dig and depart in order to send others in ever greater numbers. The Ottoman conquerors, gazing down indifferently from the heights of the Acropolis, where they had established themselves for security reasons, looked condescendingly upon those who came to do research, while the suspicious local population tried to make some money by helping those people whom they, in their ignorance, termed "silly strangers". In the mid- 18th century, lists had already begun to circulate around Europe of the most significant Greek monuments; some of these lists were even accompanied by drawings. By the early 19th century a few collections of the plunder had already been established.

The French Revolution brought a different atmosphere to the intellectuals of Europe. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity became accepted values. Romantic verses by Lord Byron brought back to the Western mind the memory of Hellenic culture associated with this part of the Balkans, rather than the Greece that had become known through the wealthy Greek merchants in various cities of Europe. Thus the news that the Greek War of Independence had been proclaimed fell on fertile ground and the voice of the enslaved Greek nation was heard once again after centuries of silence, inspiring artists to paint episodes from the desperate struggle waged by the few descendants of the heroes of Marathon and Thermopylae. The scene depicting a mounted, turbaned warrior fighting against an impassioned footsoldier. In his fustanela inspired a sense of heroism and the confrontation between life and death, as well as awakening feelings of anger against the oppressors and support for the oppressed.

In June 1822, the Greeks captured the Acropolis and made it their command post, while the struggle continued with an uncertain outcome on all fronts. Five years later, Kiutahis Pasha had recaptured the citadel in a last ditch effort to suppress the revolution. But the Great Powers of the times formed an alliance -either because they wanted to bow to public opinion or because they were counting on gaining influence in the new independent state in the strategic Mediterranean region, or because they regarded the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire as inevitable-and in the decisive battle of Navarino, it was they who administered the final blow to the Sultan, which gave Greece her freedom.

As soon as it gained its independence, the newly constituted state became an apple of discord for European politicians, while the dusty village of Athens was, as a matter of courtesy, designated capital. Still reeling from their bloody fight and from the heady feeling of freedom, the Greeks were struggling to rediscover their identity, and at the same time to wipe out the taint of slavery. They wore European clothes, avoided the brigand-riddled mountains and began building mansions that resembled their monuments. The simple people were awed by the fact that their huts had been built on the settlements and graves of their forefathers and began to be aware of themselves as constituting part of a long, unbroken chain. They all started tearing down, clearing away, digging up and restoring. At last, the Attic earth was ready to surrender its treasures and ideals to humanity.

It was in this way that Greek archeology, the new science of antiquities, was born.

Herodion Hotel, Attalos Hotel and Acropolis View Hotel are great hotels in Athens.

Unforgettable Landmarks Found in Athens

If you are thinking about cities that have histories measured in thousands of years rather than just a few centuries or less, Athens must be near the top of your list.

Situated in southern Greece, not far from the huge port of Piraeus, Athens has a history that stretches back into Greek myth. Indeed, many of the major sights worth seeing in Athens are named according to a Greek god of some kind. From Ares to Zeus, and Apollo to Aphrodite, you will be surrounded by characters from a bygone age.

The Temple of Hephaestus is perhaps the one temple you should definitely make a beeline for during your stay. Some ancient Greek monuments are only partially standing, but this one is almost intact compared to the others. Only one part of the roof has succumbed to various problems over the centuries.

The most famous temple in Athens is the Parthenon, but this isn't in as good condition as the Temple of Hephaestus. This temple belongs to the Greek goddess Athena, who stood in support of heroes and as you may guess from her name, she is also Athens' patron. The Parthenon stands majestically on top of the Acropolis, in itself a sight worth seeing. The two together command the attention and produce wonderful photos; they act as a reminder of ancient Greece in the middle of modern day Athens.

Staying on the subject of temples, the Temple of Olympian Zeus is another must see. Very little of this temple survives, but that in itself is something of a miracle since it was destroyed centuries before the present day. But what does remain still gives you a sense of grandness and scale, and can take your breath away.

If libraries tend to draw your attention, you should certainly make time to see one of the oldest ones in the world. Hadrian's Library is a ruined building which stands close to the Acropolis itself. It is very likely that this building was used for reasons other than storing scrolls and such like, but it is commonly known as the Library today.

But if you fancy a change from all these temples, it would pay you to visit the Theatre of Dionysus. As with many other ancient structures in Athens, it is located near the Acropolis and is an excellent example of an open air theatre. One can imagine plays and performances taking place here thousands of years ago.

The good news is that if you choose to visit the city, flights to Athens are fairly short in nature; therefore, you'll be among the ancient monuments sooner than you think. As a result, this should free up more time to explore the many Greek myths.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Andrew Regan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

12 All Natural Aphrodisiacs For Women With Low Libido

'Aphrodisiacs' is a term used five thousand years back. This term has been derived from the myth of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. She was known to have emerged from the sea on an oyster shell.

The foods consisting of aphrodisiacs are not new. These elements have been in existence from ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman cultures. Some of the safer aphrodisiacs are the following:

a) Asparagus

b) Carrots

c) Bananas

Experts feel that any food shaped like sexual organ when eaten would enhance sexual desire. Here is a list of some of the most widely known and used aphrodisiac spices for women:

a) Celery:

These are widely popular across the globe as one of the most potent aphrodisiacs in their natural form. Cloves are good for the muscles and great blood liquefiers. It decreases the level of cholesterol and also combat aging of arteries. It is high in vitamins A, C, B and P. The Romans have defined his spice as the food for God Pluto who is the god of sex and hell.

b) Jasmine:

Jasmine flowers are cultivated all across the globe due to their mesmerizing scent. The Spanish widely use it to make perfume liqueurs. However, you need to be care when having jasmine as the seeds are highly poisonous.

c) Cayenne pepper:

This is high in vitamin C. This vitamin is vital for blood circulation.

d) Coriander:

The dried seeds of coriander are known to have a euphoric effect in women. This spice is usually soaked in wine.

e) Saffron:

Saffron is famous for its' stimulating properties especially on the erogenous areas. Certain studies have proved that it behaves just like hormones. However, make sure you don't over consume this spice.

f) Musk:

This is a brown colored substance derived from the gland of a small dose under its abdominal skin. This deer is a native of South-Eastern Asia. This spice is also known to be cure for several health problems such as pneumonia, whooping cough, epilepsy and typhoid fever. The gland is also known to have great aphrodisiac properties. Hence, it is used in making powder, perfumes and scents.

g) Thyme:

Thyme is a type of Nerve tonic with good aphrodisiac effects and also acts as a potent cleanser for the body.

h) Mustard:

This spice is known to stimulate the functions of sexual organs.

i) Ginger:

This spice is widely used in drinks. It tends to excite the senses and if taken in required doses can result in healthy hot flushes.

j) Horseradish:

The pulp of horseradish has great aphrodisiac properties.

k) Vanilla:

It has a huge aphorizing effect on the body and fight sexual asthenia. The spice also acts on the nervous system of the body, thereby triggering sexual stimulation.

l) Oregano:

It is an Italian spice and known to have stupendous aphrodisiac effect on the body when infused.

All the spices mentioned above are known to have good aphrodisiac effect. However, it is equally important to take these in limited quantities to avoid opposite or dangerous effects.

Discover the natural women's aphrodisiac recommended by Womens Health magazine.

A Comprehensive Study on Interpreting Scripture - Part I

Classical Explanations

In order to properly interpret the Bible, we must do so according to exegesis and biblical hermeneutics. That is, we must constantly appropriate its language and concepts. The word of God is such that we must be able to understand the difference between what we read in the Scripture and what the meaning of the text was intended to be at the time it was penned.

Before we can begin to open the mysteries and bring them to a point in which we can comprehend what God is saying to us, we must first understand the classical definitions, Biblical images, contemporary models and learn to visualize the exegesis of a text not only from a pretext, but also from a complete perspective of the text. These are accomplished through six strategies pertaining to exegetical text that complement each of the other components and it's meaning as they relate to the author, the text and the reader.

In order to understand and appreciate the issues in the context in an accurate and significant way we must also examine the syntax, structure, semantics, and the summation and how they relate and respond more to the textual focus.

In order to understand the difference between exegesis and hermeneutics, must realize that although these words appear in other areas of academic study, they are most often associated with the classical disciplines of theology. This is where both words are used to refer to the interpretation of the Bible. In the area of our interest, that is literary usage, both words refer to an explanation, meaning or interpretation of a text and the corresponding verbs describe the act by which the meaning is found. These are used to expound upon, explain or interpret the text. Our English counterparts denote an understanding or meaning that is derived from study or an object of reflection, such as a speech an event or a law. As we listen, read or reflect on these things we must not only look at the written word, but also at the spirit and the intent of the writer when they were written

This relationship existed during the Jewish writings of the second temple period. Play on words in the account of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14: 8-18 provides a prime example. In this instance the people referred to Paul as "Hermes" meaning chief speaker, literally the one who leads in speaking. The Greek word used was Ä"geomai ("to lead"), from which the word exegesis originates.

Biblical Images

In Hebrew and Greek Scriptures there are more than two-dozen terms that make up the vocabulary domain related to interpretation. The noun exegesis, which is sparingly used in the Old Testament, does not appear in the New Testament and its relative verb is used only six times. Those instances occur in (John 1:18; Luke 24:35; Acts 10:8; 15:12, 14; 21:19). It is the hermeneutics word group that dominates the biblical usage from Genesis through Hebrews. Notable instances are of Joseph's and Daniel's gift of the interpretation of dreams and Paul's instruction concerning the interpretation of tongues in 1 Corinthians 12:14.

There are four situations that we must consider in the interpretation of the New Testament. First there is the opening of the scriptures, which is to bring the scriptures into a light where they can be understood and this can only be done by the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus in traveling with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus spoke with them along the way and expounded on the scriptures as they concerned him (Luke 24:27). However, they didn't understand; it was not until later that evening after they recognized Jesus did they say that their hearts had been opened. This opening of their hearts took place when Jesus opened to them the closed text thus inspiring their minds and hearts to a new understanding.

Second there must be a guiding through the scriptures. While in the carnal state of our mind we cannot comprehend the textual script. We often read the Bible for many years yet we fail to understand what we read because in our own mind we cannot perceive what God is saying to us. This was the case with Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Act 8:31). Phillip heard him reading from the book of Isaiah and when Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading, the eunuch answered, "How can I unless someone explains it to me?" The eunuch needed someone to lead him along the path he was attempting to travel. We today are in need of that same guidance and just as Phillip used the interpretation of the scripture, like that eunuch we also need that interpretation to get us to where God would have us to be.

Thirdly, there is no room for compromise when we give the word of God, we must give it just as he has given it to us. Paul instructed Timothy to be a workman that needed not to be ashamed in rightly dividing the Word of God (2 Tim 2:15). God's word must be carried in a straight line just as he has given it. We must not bend it to our whims or spare the feelings or expectations of those to whom the word is sent. We should not and must not be deterred or caught up in impious or impetuous debates. We are to speak and cut straight to the truth as God reveals it regardless of the issues.

Finally we must unlock the scriptures as the Spirit directs us so that all can benefit from the life that is contained in their truth. Peter warns us against an arbitrary rendering of prophecy. He tells us that no prophecy is of any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). The interpretation of the scripture is not what we think it means; it is what God says it means. Therefore, we see that the scriptures are unlocked only by the Holy Spirit's actions.

Strategies for Unlocking the Text

There are six strategies that lead us to the concise steps of exegesis. These methods are familiar methods I will discuss them to make these methods available in a usable way.

First, every text has a place of origin. Some are better known then others, that tells us some important things about it. The authorship, date, and the original setting in which the writing took place frame the historical context. When names, places and events are referred to in a passage they bring a background into play which gives the reader essential information. The interpreter uses this information to understand the situations that were occurring and the circumstances under which they occurred. Observing these circumstances in setting a biblical passage includes applying not only the chronology, archaeology, geography, literature and society, but also the political institutions and their operations. In addition we also need to consult the biblical atlases, dictionaries and history.

Secondly, we must look at the structure of the literary form that the author chose to use in order to convey the message that the Lord would have us to learn in written form. These narratives use major genres such as law, poetry, wisdom, prophesy, parables, narratives and literary stasis such as parallelism, chiasm and repetition. We must also consider acrostic format and epistolary structure because form analysis makes both literary and historical comparisons.

Not only must we consider with the structure, we must also examine with the syntax that deals with the smallest units of meaning and how they function in a language as they are placed in sentences and discourses. Both the Old and New Testaments are replete with rhetorical genre and figures of speech.

Exegesis is the foundation of that part of grammatical analysis known as the syntax; that is the arrangement of words, phrases and clauses used to form sentences. Syntax interprets the usage of verbs, subjects and subordinate clauses in functions of case, mood, phrase, tense and clauses in the Greek and Hebrew text. Integrally related larger groups of meaning may be reserved for further analysis of discourse in these texts.

There are three other sections we must consider. They are semantics, summation and significance. In semantics we must understand what a word means by forming a baseline for comparison with words in a standard lexicon as a word is found in a range of senses. This range may be one that is counted on to demonstrate the established usage in the public domain. This increases the importance of a concordance as a criterion for the meaning of as ambiguous text. Therefore, the concordance should be the first place to look among word study tools. This does not mean that we should not also use lexicons and theological dictionaries, as companion references for these are invaluable tools. But, beware of those that load words and overly subtle distinctions that may cause the sense of the word to depart from the lexicon's range of senses.

Then there is the summation. The summation brings the argument of the text into a review of the particulars that gather various details into a meaningful whole. Having dealt with the various details in the biblical text, a good exegete asks how these things fit together to display the overall meaning and persuasive logic in the passages.

Summation is most difficult to deal with because it borrows from various linguistic disciplines, rhetorical criticisms, and structural and discourse analysis and looks at its logical propositions. It restates terms in an integrated and logical meaning. Tracing the arguments is necessary whether from a verse to an entire book. It does not matter if it is in poetry, a letter or a narrative because no individual word, sentence or paragraph can stand-alone. The true meaning is bound by what precedes it and what follows it in its discourse. This leads us to the significance of the message from the writer to the reader.

People have many reasons for interest in reading the Bible. Our goal should be that the Scriptures are-the Word of God. They are theological documents and therefore exegesis is necessary to address the issues of faith and convictions. It shows us how each section of the Bible fits together as a complete unified revelation.

Every element in the interpretation and understanding of the Bible is important in order to get a valid understanding of God's word. Each person must have a moral imperative to accurately use each element in an intellectually honest and spiritually moral way. Each building block of languages consists of words and sentences. Words can be studied by analyzing their etymology, history, cognate value as related to words in similar languages and comparatively as used in literary and historical context. Each word has an individual meaning, however this meaning can be changed by the words surrounding them.

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek syntax are crucial in order to get the correct idea of what is meant in the text. Knowledge of the original languages gives the interpreter an advantage; but caution and a thorough study and understanding or articles and prepositions should be made before building a theological doctrine on anything other than a firm foundation.

One must consider infinitives, conjunctions, adverbs, participles and clauses that are either coordinate or subordinate based on whether they are casual, relative, temporal or conditional. In studying the Scriptures we must learn the implications of these types of clauses to determine if they are literal or figurative since both are found in the Bible.

The average reader must know if the author intends his words to be understood literally or figuratively. The grammatical method is vital to the answer. We know that most figurative language finds its origin in the life and culture of the writer who uses it. In order to distinguish between that which is literal and that which is allegorical the biblical speaker or writer found it necessary and advantageous to start with the familiar and move to the unfamiliar by using comparisons or from the particular to the abstract. Many times using metaphors or euphemisms did this. This makes a great deal of difference between legitimately interpreting biblical figures of speech and allegorizing Scripture. That brings us to inductive Bible study.

Synthetic, Analytical and other Inductive Bible Study Methods

The synthetic study of the Bible is an overview of the general message, content of an entire book of the Bible. It is kin to having a panoramic view of people, places and events contained in the book without making an in depth study of the book itself. Reading continuously, yet without giving reference to chapter or verse does this. Reading the book in various parts at different times fails to give us an accurate view and therefore, creates great difficulty in visualizing the complete relationship between the parts. The information obtained by reading the book continuously helps the reader to grasp the entire or main outline of the book. This method of study can be helpful in developing the message or sermon.

There are also the devotional, biographical, topical and theological methods of study. Each of these inductive methods encourage the individual to personally study the Scriptures in order to achieve personal growth and to help make clear the spiritual application of the texts.

Modern Old Testament Interpretation

In using these methods of study we find that often times the New Testament uses language and concepts of the Old Testament. This prompts us to view the modern interpretation of the Old Testament. However, we must also understand that because The New Testament frequently quotes or alludes to the Old Testament language and concepts, this demonstrates the necessity for us to properly read it and give it our full attention. Properly reading it has been a difficult task that has been recognized since the first century. The first consideration in determining the proper way to read the Old Testament is to understand why you are reading it, to know what you expect to hear from God and then read with and in faith in order to hear what God has to say to you through his word.

As I stated before, the New Testament frequently references the Old Testament; in the typology process it provides a wealth of examples of how those texts remain significant. As an example in the Old Testament, people, places and events were types of a divinely viewed prefiguring or foreshadowing of a future and final atonement, which Jesus paid at the cross.

In the allegorical interpretation these events are placed in comparison. The Apostle Paul wrote an allegory concerning Sarah and Hagar in Galatians 4:21-31. In it he compared these women to the two covenants. He identified Hagar with the Mosaic covenant and Sarah with the covenant of promise that God gave to Abraham. He used it to demonstrate that salvation was to be accomplished by the grace (promise) he gave Abraham and not by the works of the law that he gave to Moses. By doing this the apostle taught that the law was given to show man his sinful nature and God used it as a schoolmaster to teach man that he could not live up to his (God's) standards and that it is only through God's action alone that we can be saved.

Now let us review the modern interpretation of the New Testament

Modern Interpretation of the New Testament

The modern era has brought forth a renewed interest in the New Testament. There have been numerous translations into various languages including modernization of the text in order to make it more understandable to the untrained Bible reader. These changes have made the proper interpretation of the text more crucial. The written description moves from point to point in somewhat of a linear progression. This method unavoidably instills the dynamics of reading the text in a spiral format rather than as an arrow because the literary aspects have a tendency to lead us to interpretive conclusions.

The accurate reading of the text and the proper interpretation has moved, in many cases, from the actual meaning to a perceived meaning Thus, proper interpretation of the text has become more challenging with the growing numbers of translations in various languages. There has arisen a division between what it meant at the time it was written and what it means as it is applied today. This situation has caused a great deal of criticism concerning the Scriptures and how they are relevant to the modern world. Let's look at some of the forms of criticism which has led to statements ranging from, "Man wrote the Bible", "The Bible contradicts itself"; and "Some of the things that the Bible said happened did not happen" and "That's what it says, but that is not what it means." This can be accomplished by considering the following criticisms.

Canon, Textual and Historical and Literary Criticism

The presuppositions that many people have of the Biblical text have lead to many misunderstandings of the scriptures. These misunderstandings have caused much criticism throughout history. The textual variations in quotations become an important clue to discover not only the writer's interpretation but also his prospective on both Old and New Testament passages. A variety of forms combine two or more passages in a commentary pattern similar to that found in the Qumran scrolls. Such combinations are usually formed in conjunction with catchwords that are important for the theme. Some of these may have circulated during the apostolic period. The "testimonies" most likely presuppose an understanding in Christology that particular passages were worked out and are not just randomly selected proof texts. During the passage of time the various translations of the scriptures have in some ways diluted the meanings of the original text. This has created the assumption that the Scriptures contradict themselves, when if fact they support each other in a way that reaffirms the Biblical text based on the tense in which the text is used.

As attested to by the Gospels, debates with the scribes about the meaning of Scripture were an important part of Jesus' public ministry. In any case, the rabbis used a literary form often used by the Gospel translators. Jerome spoke Hebrew and when he translated the Latin Vulgate Bible, he did it from the original Hebrew texts in order to get the proper understanding of the text. This resulted in an accurate interpretation and selection of the books contained in the canon of Scripture. This also explained the differences between literal and allegory language in Scripture and answers the textual integrity question of whether the Scriptures mean what they say.

The historical views are critical for interpretation. However the modern historical-critical method is deficient because even though it can show some interpretations to be wrong. This method fails to support any biblical passage that is substantive agreed upon. It is instrumentally limited in its perspective and presuppositions with which the interpreter reads the text. The advantage of the historical view of hermeneutical study is that events, ideas, and people are shown in a way that illuminates both contributions and flaws. This keeps the engendered passions that occurred in these situations more difficult to dismiss.

Textual criticism was used to determine the dating, authorship, and the quality of the texts. They usually emphasized literal interpretation as the primary means of finding the essential meaning and translated the Bible directly and developed a tradition of private judgment.

Sometimes the New Testament writers interpreted the Old based in part on the contemporary Jewish views and in part from the teaching of Jesus and the reality of his resurrection. It appears that four factors are the primary focus: a particular understanding of the history, of man, of Israel and the Scriptures. The early Christian teachers and prophets explain the Old Testament by what is known as charismatic exegesis. However, this method does not preclude the use of logic or hermeneutical rules and methods. The lives of the men and women who so greatly impacted our culture with the exegesis of the Scriptures sat in classrooms, wrote often times by candlelight or oil lamps, asked difficult questions and often lay awake thinking through the possible answers to those questions. (continued in part II)

The Therapeutic Benefit of Poetry

Poetry Therapy and the Impact of Poetic Dialogue

From the beginning of time, poetry has been a means for people to express their deepest emotions and create healing in ritual and ceremony. In Greek mythology, we know that Asclepius, the God of Healing, was the son of Apollo, god of poetry. Hermes served as messenger between the two worlds to communicate between the gods and humanity. He carried the caduceus, "the winged rod with two serpents intertwined, which has become a symbol of the medical profession" (Poplawski, 75). Poems have also been viewed as carriers of messages from the unconscious to the conscious mind. Wherever people gather to mark a moment, they speak from heart to heart, with poetry.

In the counseling office, perhaps you have read a poem to a client that seemed to capture an issue she/he was struggling with, offering not only understanding, but hope. After the tragedy of 9/11, the airwaves and internet rang with poems of solace. When war in Iraq was imminent, a website developed where people could send poems expressing their feelings: Poets Against the War. Within days, thousands of poems were posted.

Mary Oliver, in her poem, "Wild Geese," says, "Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine." (Oliver, 110) Joy Harjo, in "Fire" says. "look at me/I am not a separate woman/I am the continuance/ of blue sky/I am the throat of the mountains." (Harjo, 25) The fourteenth century Persian poet Lala speaks about poetry:

I didn't trust it for a moment
but I drank it anyway,
the wine of my own poetry.

It gave me the daring to take hold
of the darkness and tear it down
and cut it into little pieces. (Barks, 11)

These are lines to carry in our hearts, because they open us to beauty, a sense of self, healing, truth, and human connection, and all this in just a few words!

At conception, we are born to the rhythm of the heart, growing in the fluid darkness until one day we stretch our way into light. With our first cry, we make our first poem, a sound that reverberates in our mother's heart, and when she cries in response, we hear our first poem. And so it continues, the voices of those who care for us convey all of the emotions we will come to know as our own, words, that if written down, would be poetry. It's that simple. Poetry is giving sound and rhythm to silence, to darkness, giving it a shape, turning it to light. When we read a poem that speaks to our experience, there is a shift, a click within. Someone has understood our darkness by naming their own. We feel less alone. Therapeutically, the "I" of us gathers energy and insight. Our world expands.

The following poem illustrates the concept of writing a poem to give darkness and suffering a voice. It was written by a participant in Phyllis' poetry therapy group, part of an intensive day treatment program for women addicted to alcohol and drugs. This poem states the truth of the author's experience in a haunting and beautiful way, giving the reader the opportunity to relate to what it feels like to be "broken."

Today I didn't care
whether or not they stared
didn't have time to put on airs.

Yesterday was a different story
wanted to look like a morning glory
fresh and bright couldn't tell
I was up all night.

Sometimes I can hide behind
my colored lines other times
I feel like a stained glass
window that's just been shattered
pretty pieces everywhere. (Klein, 16)

Rather than diminish the excellence of the poet's art, the poetry therapist enhances it. Poet Gregory Orr, in his book Poetry and Survival says "...the elaborative and intense patterns of poetry can...make people feel safe...the enormous disordering power of trauma needs or demands an equally powerful ordering to contain it, and poetry offers such order" (Orr, 92). Poetry structures chaos.

Dr. James W. Pennebaker, one of the most widely published researchers on the benefits of writing, says in his book, Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions, that writing about emotional topics improves the immune system by reducing "stress, anxiety and depression, improves grades in college (and) aids people in securing new jobs." (Pennebaker, 40). "Disclosing secrets beneficially reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance." (Pennebaker, 52). Gregory Orr says that when we share secrets "we take a small step from survival to healing; a step analogous to the one a poet makes when he or she shares poems with another reader or an audience." (Orr, 88)

In a therapeutic environment, the trained facilitator addresses the healing elements of poetry: form and shape, metaphor, metamessage, the words chosen, and the sounds of the words together (alliteration and assonance). These elements, in association with each other, carry the weight of many feelings and messages at once, creating a link from the secret internal world to external reality, from the unconscious to the conscious.

Because a poem has a border, a frame, or structure, as opposed to prose, the form itself is a safety net. Strong emotions will not run off the page. A poetry therapist might ask his/her clients to draw a box in the center of the paper and write the words inside. Metamessage implies the ability to carry several messages in one line that "strike at deeper levels of awareness than overt messages" (Murphy, 69). Through the capacity to convey multi-messages, clients are able to experience merging as well as individuation/separation. The poem allows for a trial separation and then a return to the therapist for merging and "refueling" through the therapist's understanding of the poem. If the therapist says he/she appreciates a particular metaphor and how the words flow, the client feels loved and heard. In reading a poem aloud, the client may become caught up in his/her own rhythms and feel caressed.

An important question students of poetry therapy ask is how to find the right poem to bring to a group or individual. The best poems to start with are those that are understandable, with clear language, and a strong theme, as well as emotions that reflect some hope. Another essential element is that the poem must resonate with the mood and/or situation of the group or individual. This is called the isoprinciple, a term also used in music therapy for the same purpose. Dr. Jack Leedy says that "the poem becomes symbolically an understanding- someone/something with whom he/she can share his/her despair" (Leedy, 82)

A woman in Perie's cancer/poetry support group recently published a book of her poems and writings titled, I Can Do This: Living with Cancer-Tracing a Year of Hope. This title contains the critical word hope, for that is what we need in our lives to sustain us and heal. In her poem. "The Uninvited Guest," Beverley Hyman-Fead writes:

I feel fortunate my tumors came to me
in the fall of my life...
I'm grateful for this uninvited wake-up call, ...
Would I have appreciated the beautiful
images the moon makes in the still of the night?
No, I have my tumors to thank for that. (54)

She was able to write this poem in response to a Rumi poem called "The Guest House." This poem, written so long ago, reframes the meaning of suffering saying:

This being human is a guest house,
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, A depression, a meanness....

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows...

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond. (Barks, 1995, 109)

Perie chose this poem to bring to the cancer support group because it might engage the attention of the group members, perhaps to think about how their illness was a "guide," and what they had learned about themselves in the struggle. Another important response might be: "This makes me so angry! How could I ever want to invite in the darkness?" Whatever the emotional reaction, the poem is a catalyst for helping the reader to access and express feelings in a supportive, safe environment. Reading a poem a second time helps the client feel even more deeply the content and emotion. Also, lines spoken spontaneously will often form the first lines of poems.

After a poem is read, the therapist might then ask participants for lines in the poem that speak to them, or to which lines they are most drawn. This might be followed by questions for discussion of an emotional nature. Considering the Rumi poem, the therapist might suggest they discuss: What am I to experience in this life? What am I not inviting in? How can my place of work or home be a Guest House? How is the Guest House like your heart? Comments center around what the poem emotionally means to the reader, not what the poem means intellectually. Through group discussion, time to write and read what was written in the group, both members and facilitator can learn to think differently, perhaps applying newly formed concepts to existing behaviors and attitudes.

For instance, if one has felt like he/she was victimized by illness, through discussion and writing of this or another pertinent poem, she/he might be enabled to begin thinking about how to move toward acceptance. Even writing about rage toward illness is an important step. There is a beginning of some resolution within the poem. Rumi says to be grateful, and in her poem, Beverley, who is far along in her emotional healing process, is able to thank her illness, which gives her hope.

Another kind of healing that poems can provide is illustrated by poems written in response to the other. Here are excerpts from poems that Perie and Phyllis wrote:

Maybe angels are

mistakes
corrected,
old times resurrected, misguided love
back on course to lift the inner flute...
The moon is ripe with hope

but don't look there, angels hover
at elbow bend, between your toes
rows of them, wings of leaves or breeze...
Notice when they arrive
how their wings vary,
some traditional-fully feathered...
others blossomed like heather...

There are those with only goosebumps
not always on the back,
and some no wings at all,
just scratched knees trying to get off the ground.
- Perie Longo

Phyllis responded:

Maybe angels
were with me the day
my sister and husband were run down
on the road in New York, guided my
thoughts to what it would feel like to get hit
as I crossed the street in San Francisco.

Surely angels, familiar with misfortune
and emergency rooms,
watched as my sister and her husband,
almost as big as a small
bear, stepped off the curb, his size what saved them.

Accident angels hovered, caressed, willed them
to survive. Saw the ambulance come.

Did friendship angels, familiar with compassion and coincidence,
know I wouldn't be told for a week?
Did they bring me to the sangha* and the teacher who spoke
about bearing unbearable pain?

Perhaps they remember what it was like to walk,
have shoulders without wings.
Do they know when humans will enter the next life,
and when the unopened tulips
on my table will bloom, die, resurrect?

*sangha-a Buddhist congregation

Gregory Orr talks about "The Two Survivals"-survival of the poet, in that the poet struggles to engage with the disorder to write a poem, and in the act of writing, "bring order to disorder." The other survival is that of the reader, who connects with poems that "enter deeply into" him or her, leading to "sympathetic identification of reader with writer." (Orr, 83-84) This kind of connection can be heightened with direct dialogue because the reader and writer cross back and forth from one role to the other, deepening the possibility for empathy and sympathetic identification.

To illustrate this concept, we return to the two poems we wrote about angels. Perie wrote her poem when her daughter was going through a very difficult period. For Perie, the whole poem is for her daughter whose nickname was "angel-pie." The last three lines of the poem, and some no wings at all /just scratched knees/trying to get off the ground, is a message to encourage and empower her daughter, and more broadly for anyone who is feeling discouraged, traumatized, or troubled. When Phyllis received Perie's poem, she took the theme of angels and wrote her own family story about terrible pain and hope. The poems transcend the theme of angels because there is an even deeper content here-the theme of ordinary people becoming heroes, and the rebirth and reconciliation that can come from tragedy. Also, as is often the case with poetry, there is an unconscious connection as both authors write about family.

In speaking about poetry, it is also important to recognize that it can be an intimidating form of expression, carrying with it a need for perfection or a feeling like "I could never write a poem-my writing isn't good enough." In poetry therapy with groups or individuals, poems are never edited. Editing belongs in a poetry-for-craft setting. The objective of poetry therapy is to use the poem as an entry point for the writer, and it is a helpful way to work with transcendence of the inner editor, that resides in us all. To address a way to think about writing poetry, we turn to the words of our colleague, Robert Carroll, MD, who writes,

Read it aloud
pass it through your ears
enjoy the
ride and
know
the difference between poetry and prose
is that poetry is broken
into lines-
that is all.
(Carroll, 1)

Anyone can write poetry! It is our natural right and human instinct. All we have to do is allow the words to move and inspire us. The National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT): Promoting growth and healing through language, symbol, and story (http://www.poetrytherapy.org), has much useful information on its website including more examples of how to use poetry therapy with clients. We, in the Association, are like-minded psychiatrists, psychologists, college professors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and educators-all of us are also poets, journal writers, and storytellers who have experienced healing through the written and spoken word, and want to share it with other clinicians as a skill they might like to develop. Poetry for self-expression and healing is used with mothers, children, and adolescents; battered women, the elderly, the depressed, the suicidal; those living with terminal illness, the bereaved, those with HIV, the mentally ill, and now hurricane victims and soldiers returning from Iraq who suffer post traumatic stress. We also exchange poems with each other, across the country, that have been effective in helping others heal. This exchange continues the healing rhythm and heart of poetry therapy.

As Jelaluddin Rumi says:

Out Beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there is a field. I'll meet you there. (Barks, 1995, 36 )

Let's find each other along the way.

REFERENCES

Barks, C. (tr.) (1992). Naked Song. Maypop Books.
Barks, C. (tr.) with John Moyne. (1995). The Essential Rumi. NY: Castle Books.
Barks, C. (tr.) and Green, M. (1997). The Illuminated Rumi. NY: Broadway Books.
Carroll, Robert, MD, (2005) "Finding Words to say it: The Healing Power of Poetry" eCam 2005:2(2)161-172.
Harjo, Joy, (2002), How we Became Human, NY: W.W. Norton and Company.
Hyman- Fead, B. (2004) I can do this/ Living with cancer: tracing a year of hope. Santa Barbara Cancer Center: Wellness Program Publishing.
Klein, Phyllis, ed. (2001). Our Words-The Women of Lee Woodward Center Speak Out, SF: Phyllis Klein and Women and Children's Family.
Leedy, J.J. (Ed.). (1985) Poetry as healer: Mending the troubled mind. NY: Vanguard. Orr, G. (2002) Poetry as survival. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press.
Murphy, J. M. (1979). The therapeutic use of poetry in Current Psychiatric Therapies, vol. 18. Jules Masserman, ed. NY: Grune & Stratton, Inc., pp. 65-72.
Oliver, M. (1993). Wild geese. New and selected poems. Boston: Beacon Press.
Pennebaker, J. (1990) Opening Up: The healing power of expressing emotions. NY: Guilford Press.
Poplawski, T. (1994) Schizophrenia and the Soul in The Quest, August, 74-79.

"This article appeared in the July/August 2006 issue of The Therapist, the publication of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), headquartered in San Diego, California. This article is copyrighted and been reprinted with the permission of CAMFT. For more information regarding CAMFT, please log on to http://www.camft.org."

Perie Longo, PhD, MFT, is a Registered Poetry Therapist (RPT), poet, poet in the schools, and poetry therapist in Santa Barbara. Perie is the past president of National Association of Poetry Therapy. She can be reached at http://www.perielongo.com
Phyllis Klein, LCSW, CPT, is a psychotherapist, poet, poetry therapist in San Francisco and Palo Alto and was on the Board of National Association of Poetry Therapy. She can be reached at http://www.womenstherapyservices.com

The Greek Brigands - The Culture of Financial Crisis

"But what about the Greeks? Their national character is based on the idea of the impoverished and downtrodden little man getting the better of the world around him by sheer cunning." - Lawrence Durrell, Prospero's Cell (1945)

The Greek crisis has exposed existential weaknesses in the Greek economy and revealed shortcomings in the larger European system of financial checks and balances. But the often emotional responses have also proven a cultural polarity between north and south. The German magazine, Focus, captured this antagonism by an image of the Venus of Milo suggestively sticking up the middle finger at Germany. Angered Greeks in return reminded Germans of the Nazi looting of Greek gold reserves and unpaid war retributions.

Beyond this populism in the media, there exists a fundamental rift in policy views between Mediterranean countries on the one side and Atlantic countries on the other side. In his influential book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), the German sociologist Max Weber studied already the relationship between culture and economic performance. Weber considered the Protestant working ethic a pivotal element in the development of capitalist modernity. Behind the state of affairs of the Greek crisis lie causes rooted deeper in Greek culture than the immediate problems of government and economic structure. The traces of these historic roots carve an individual psychology and shape social norms that are difficult to change with measures of policy by politicians responding to the market's wits.

In traditional Greek dances a group of dancers, interlocked arm over shoulder, form a circle and move with a set of prescribed steps. The Greeks do not easily break with their tradition and they do not possess an innate curiosity for the new like Western culture. Greeks depend on the bonds with family and their community. Arms locked, only the leader of the dance improvises, while the rest do not break the line of the circle.

The eyes of the international financial markets are on the fiscal measures announced by George Papandreou, the first citizen of Athens, and the reforms to be implemented by the central government. The response of Greek society and the economic support by the European Union members will be decisive in their success. The question is if the government can enforce the new policies in a country so geographically scattered and with a history of tax evasion as Greece. Historically Greeks dislike central government and have relied primarily on local self-governance, strengthened by the geographic distance of the islands from Athens and the isolation of mountainous villages. Not even the chief-god Zeus could rule the lesser Greek gods from the peaks of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in the country. Greek history justifies mistrust in a Greek success. Measures to centralize government and constitute an efficient modern state have always been resisted, from classic times with the Delian League that ended in the Peloponnesian War, the occupation by the Ottoman Empire that gave birth to the palikare, the Greek folk hero, or the rise of the current government for which corruption and tax evasion are emblematic.

When the Persian empire threatened the independence of the Greek city states, Athens and the allied Greek city states formed the Delian League in 487 BCE. Members of the League were obliged to contribute soldiers for the defense of Greek democracies or could alternatively pay taxes to the League. When Athens started to control the League, Athens forced other city states to continue paying taxes to the League solely for its own benefit. When cities refused, they faced the wrath of the Athenian army and were simply annexed by Athens. But when the famous statesman Pericles moved the treasury holding the paid tax contributions, from the island of Delos to Athens, the rest of the Greeks defied. The resistance against dominance by Athens resulted in the Peloponnesian Wars and finally in the defeat and surrender of Athens in 404 BCE. Can Athens ensure a different outcome now?

Already under the Ottoman empire the Greeks resisted taxation, which was a symbol of oppression. From the fifteenth century they suffered heavy taxation by the Ottomans. As Christians under Islamic rule they were obliged to pay a land tax and the jizya, a tax for non-Muslims which was symbolic for subjection to the Ottoman rule. Heavy taxation reduced most Greeks to subsistence farming, while large estates fell into the hands of Ottoman nobles. Resentment against such taxation accumulated over almost five hundred years of occupation. The problems of modern Greece cannot be understood without understanding this Ottoman occupation of Greece and the long struggle for independence that lasted over a century, only ending bitterly for the Greeks in the disastrous defeat of 1922 against the forces of Atatürk's modern Turkish state. The 1922 defeat meant an end to the Greek megali idea or great idea of a larger Greece that included Asia Minor and Constantinople, current day Istanbul. This defeat of the Greek state in Asia Minor was a failure by the central state with traumatic consequences.

The Museum for the Macedonian Struggle in Thessaloniki is a very small museum but with a deeply significant meaning for Greeks. In a corner mansion behind Aristotle Square, it showcases the history of the Macedonian Struggle, the guerrilla war against the Ottomans from 1900 to 1908, which annexed the Greek populace in Macedonia to the independent Greek territory. In 1821 the Greeks had won independence but it did not extend far beyond the Peloponnesos and Attica. The annexation of Macedonia gave the Greek state a renewed confidence that defined the Greek national identity and placed a claim on all territory in the greater region with Greek populations.

One room in the museum is devoted to Pavlos Melas who fought in the Macedonian Struggle. Behind a vitrine lay on view relics of Melas and part of his former personal belongings, a Smith and Wesson 38 revolver, an invitation card to his wedding, ribbons from his memorial wreaths, and a tin cup. He is a national symbol for the enosi or union of Greece that was hard fought and thereby of the Greek national identity. He is the embodiment of the traditional Greek folk hero, the palikare. As a lieutenant he left the regular service in the new army of the Greek state in order to fight as a brigand or irregular fighter against Ottoman occupation in Northern Greece. Greece was confined largely to the Peloponnese and consisted of a patchwork of people with different dialects. The irregular fighters became folk heroes to the Greeks, where the regular Greek army seemed incapable to protect the occupied Greeks in the north.

The irregular fighters fought in the same tradition as the Greek Klepths. These men had fled to the mountains in the eighteenth century to avoid the rule of the Ottomans and had formed bands of outlaws that later fought in the Greek War of Independence from 1821 to 1829. But also the Ottomans had used irregular forces to control impenetrable mountain areas. They allowed powerful local captains in these lawless areas to rule at will under oversight of distant Ottoman overlords. Even in our time, the use of irregular fighters was widespread during the recent Balkan Wars.

The palikare was in essence not more than a small brigand, who in groups roamed the mountains under the banner of irredentism and liberation of the Greeks. They evaded the rule of law and depended often on captains that exercised local power. The Greek national writer, Nikos Kazantzakis, describes this archetype colorful in his novels. In Freedom and Death the palikare Captain Michales refuses to swallow the occupation of Crete by the Turks, and the unruly Zorba is described in the novel Zorba the Greek, brilliantly enacted by Anthony Quinn in the 1964 film. The mountain freedom fighter, evading authority and growing a beard in defiance, this is the Greek traditional spirit.

The palikare is a symbol of the current Greek financial crisis, reflected in a popular sentiment that rejects the centralized modern state and commends the outlaw. The Greeks do not identify with the politics of central government, despite the fact that one out of every four Greeks is a public servant and is directly dependent on the government for their income. The central government is considered wasteful and corrupt, from which it is justified to extort money. While the citizen rejects subjection to the rule of the central state, the central state is a corrupt body that accommodates a game of lies in order to accumulate monetary gain.

The Greeks cunningly receive an income from government, while evading taxes and participating in the informal economy, defrauding the central state. This lack of loyalty extends to the even more remote European Union. Greeks gladly accept the EU subsidies paying lip services to its demands, but resent any interference in their lives. This practice goes back to the times of the Ottoman state, where Greek subjects evaded being taxed but sent representatives to Constantinople to request fiscal favors. While Ottoman rule had instituted local self-governance as the means for tax-assessment and tax-collection, the system developed local councils that were dominated by powerful local captains and wealthy families with a patron-client dependence.

Since its independence in 1821 the modern Greek state that emerged out of the Ottoman system has not been able to eradicate this local patron-client system which depends on counter dealings and favoritism. On the contrary, it could only emerge and survive by favoring such interests of the powerful local patrons or captains in return for their support, in a similar process as the centralized power of the European Union only is advanced by returning political favors.

Prime-minister George Papandreou understands the Atlantic European perspective and sensitivities. Like many Greeks who worked in Germany or America for the best part of their lives, he lived and studied in America and in Sweden during the formative years in his life. But although George Papandreou calms European suspicions by vocalizing a firm though nothing but verbal promise of reform, he himself is a vested representative of those powerful families that are symbolic of the centuries-old formalized corruption. Papandreou's grandfather was three times prime-minister of Greece, his father founded the social-democratic party PASOK and also served as prime-minister, while the Nea Democratia party has been dominated by the patrons of the Karamanlis family.

Greek promises and measures of reform have pacified international markets and appeased European political leaders for the time being. Since Greece's accession to the EU, however, Greek promises and assurances have been provided continuously under very similar scandals, and there has been little assurance from recent developments in Greece that this time will be different. The cotton-growers of Thessaly are perhaps exemplary for the problems of the Greek economy which is simply not compatible on the international market and for Greek fraud. Cotton growers depend heavily on subsidies for profitability, not shunning fraud and corruption, like wetting the cotton crop with water to increase the weight of the cotton. In 1992, for instance Greek farmers invented one fifth of its cotton crop in order to claim extra EU subsidies, and in Greece cotton farmers recently blocked most of the highways in Northern Greece, demanding payments from the government to offset loss of income from falling cotton prices on the international markets, while having resisted agricultural reforms for decades.

And even while prime-minister George Papandreou was on a credibility-building tour around European capitals, among other speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos to calm unrest on the financial markets and restore political credibility, his own Minister of Agriculture Katerina Batzeli reached an agreement with protesting farmers to provide financial compensation. Among the key measures was the injection of five and a half billion Euro by the Greek state to boost incomes and liquidity, promising little change in policies at home. And ask a Greek for an analysis of the current crisis, they will without exception point at the corruption of remote politicians, only admitting to some blame themselves in a delayed sub-clause.

But Europe has always been blinded by its love for Greece and one must fear that this will not change overnight. It has always admired Greece as the ideological and cultural foundation of European values. We learn from Greece the principles of Athenian democracy and copy Greek architecture, our secular thinkers study Heraclitus and Parmenides, our Christian moralists study Aristotle, Plato and Socrates, we learn the mathematics of Pythagoras, Euclid and Archimedes, our intellectuals learn by heart the Iliad and the Odyssey, even European cynics and stoics cling to the Greek. But this impression of Greece is overly romantic and Byronic, and one must hope that it is soon replaced by a more northern sense for Real-Politics.

The Philhellenic idea of a pastoral Greece in perfect harmony with nature disputes the complex reality of a twenty first century Greece. The sentiment of betrayal felt in Europe is as much a self-betrayal by a European Byronic complex. As Greece struggles to reconcile Western austerity with its Orthodox Byzantine generosity.

So, the Greek suitors have feasted and the time for reckoning has come. The return of order must be considered without sentimental attachments or unreasonable demands, while Europe must not be blinded by Greek cunning and abuse. The Greeks must decide to either be part of Europe and respect its fiscal rules or return to the Drachma as a political currency and loose its place at the European table.

"I detest that man, who hides one thing in the depths of his heart, and speaks forth another." - Homer, Iliad IX, 312-13

Remko Caprio
Living on Ikaria, Greece
Writing currently on several publications, among other, a Poetic Travel Guide 'The Lydian Verses' and a non-fiction publication 'The Ikarians' about the 'Red Island' better known as Ikaria, Greece.
Homepage: http://carackus.blogspot.com
Email: rc@remkocaprio.com

Remko Caprio is a European writer residing in New York City. He is currently at work on a travel guide of poetry called 'The Lydian Verses' describing ancient Lydia in Western Turkey. Influences: Fernando Pessoa, Henry Miller, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, Classicism, Surrealism, Nihislim, et al. You can find notes and writing in progress at his website http://carackus.blogspot.com.

Swastikas in the Roman Catacombs

Although the cross is one of the most universally recognized symbols of Christianity, other symbols were widely used in the early years. In times of fierce persecution, as under the Roman Emperors Decius and Diocletian, symbols needed to be more allusive. What might seem to be a Swastika on first inspection here in fact turns out to be a Gammadion [Latin, Crux Gammata]. It later came to be known as the Crux Dissimulata, 'the allusive Cross'. Some years before Bishop Clement of Alexandria had left instructions to the faithful to use such devices as the Dove, the Anchor and the Fish - a symbol that survives to this very day!

For convenience the term Gammadion will be used in this article to evaluate the occurrences of this device in both Greek and Roman contexts. Where did it come from? Most likely it was first formed from the juxtaposition of four capital Greek gammas. We find both sacred and secular usage of the Gammadion in the Roman Catacombs. It is likely however that the Gammadion was in regular use before its adoption there as a variant of the Christian cross.

The Gammadion motif was closely associated with a number of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. It was linked to Artemis and Diana as the goddesses of hunting, as exemplified in the mosaic of the Great Hunt in Piazza Armerina in central Sicily. It appears on images of Aphrodite and was probably regarded as a symbol of fecundity. As a solar symbol it is linked to Apollo and it was also certainly regarded as a symbol of devotion to Gaia, the Earth Goddess.

Our principal concern here is to review its use in sepulchral contexts. In the mausoleum of S. Sebastiano there is a sequence of five Gammadions, four of which are verso [crampons turning to the left] and only one of which is recto [crampons turning to the right]. These decorative elements almost certainly pertain to the pagan burial of Marcus Clodius Hermes dating from the time of Emperor Hadrian [76-138AD]. Altars of dedication and gravestones have also been found near Hadrian's Wall in England, sometimes with the verso form of the Gammadion and sometimes with the recto form.

Variant forms of the Gammadion may be found; sometimes occurring as part of a composite motif, and often incorporating the Xhi Rho and the Alpha and Omega. In the Via Latina there is a catacomb painting depicting Moses and the Escape from Egypt with a Gammadion on his tunic. But the use of the Gammadion is not restricted to the Christian catacombs alone; it also appears in the Jewish catacomb at the Villa Torlonia, a district of Rome.

This and other devices were placed in the catacombs to create an atmosphere of conviction that Christ was alive, and that believers would also enter their heavenly rest. A number of inscriptions from the catacombs of San Callisto and Domitilla, in conjunction with the Gammadion, offer an assurance of Episcopal blessing now and eternal life hereafter.

We find a similar usage on a fresco that decorates an 'arcosolium' in the cemetery of Generosa. An arcosolium had two parts, the lower of which was the actual sarcophagus on which a marble slab was placed. On this fresco is depicted the 'Good Shepherd' with the Gammadion in the verso form on both the right and left of his tunic.

There is also an example of the Gammadion appearing on the clothing of a 'fossor' or grave-digger. The picture of Diogenes decorates the principal arcosolium in the cemetery of Domitilla, towards the end of the Fourth century when Damasus was Pope. The forms are both recto and verso. In the following century Pope Leo I gave the Church of S. Susanna an altar frontal with four Gammadions embroidered upon it.

Other examples on gravestones from the Roman Empire have been found in Anatolia and elsewhere in those early centuries. We find both pagan and Christian influences at work in Anatolia. Artist-sculptors of different backgrounds shared a common store of iconographic motifs. Christian art differed mostly from its pagan counterpart in the choice and interpretation of these motifs.

On gravestones the imagery was clearly eschatological [dealing with 'the last things'] as the very function of sepulchral art demanded that its contents should reflect eternal values. In the Phrygian period it was not unusual for these stelae [Latin for 'upright stone slabs'] to be cut in the form of a door, clearly representing the passage from this life to the next.

Swastikas in the Roman Catacombs

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Hades - The Greek Deity

In practically every religion practiced throughout time there is the concept of good and evil. In the case of Hades, the underworld was his domain but was he the embodiment of evil?

Hades - The Greek Deity

Hades is an important term in many cultures. Aside from being the name of Hades, the Greek diety of the underworld, it is also a name given to the underworld itself. Christians have adapted the term "Hades" to mean a place, such as hell, where souls that have fallen from grace reside. While in Greece, Hades originally just meant the name of the diety, eventually, the term "Haidou" (the House of Hades) was shortened to Hades as well, so the name took on the meaning of the Greek Underworld.

Hades' name in Greek literally means "unseen", and it is said that Hades was born of two of the Titans, Chronos and Rhea. Hades had three older sisters, Hestia, Demeter and Hera; he also had two brothers, Poseidon and Zeus. Zeus was the only of his siblings to be born outright, and he caused his father, Chronos, to disgorge the rest of his siblings (he had swallowed them at birth). Together with allies, the six children started the Titanomachy, a war between them and the Titans, in which the Titans lost.

When each of the new deities took their place among the Mount Olympus pantheon, Hades became the ruler of the underworld. He chose a consort, Persephone, and managed to get her to stay with him through trickery. Although Hades was often tricky and wise, he was not really the evil figure some made him out to be in later works. Instead, Hades was often simply passive, and even in some instances helpful to others.

Hades was not only the ruler of the underworld, but of the dead themselves. He held domain over all the deceased souls, and employed demons to help him to keep order. Hades became very angry whenever a soul under his rule tried to leave the underworld, and kept a tight reign on his subjects. Very few mortals were able to pass in and out of Hades' realm, and those who did were all considered heroes. Heracles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Orpheus, Theseus and Psyche were the only ones who managed to survive a trip through the underworld.

While generally seen as evil or horrifying, Hades was really more of a way for ancient Greeks to come to terms with their ideas of death and afterlife. Hades ruled over the Elysian Fields (analogous to Heaven) as well as Tartarus (Hell), so he was not really as similar to the Christian devil as some would make his figure out to be. Instead, he represented a continuation of the soul after the body died.

Richard Monk is with Facts Monk - a site with facts about Greece.