Greece - History Meets Modern Life

Greece is quickly making itself known as a need-to-visit tour site. With its excellent all-season climate, beautiful landscapes, and great tourist spots, visiting Greece is truly a no-brainer. In ancient times, it was the center of modern democracy, culture, and the arts, and it retains this high status even today. Being a city of both ancient influences and modern conveniences, Greece is sure to have something in it for everyone.

If you're the kind of person that likes to relax and just experience nature, the warm Mediterranean country offers thousands of miles of beaches to explore. The soothing turquoise waters and long stretches of white sand create ideal places to just lie back and enjoy yourself. Secluded coves surrounded by gigantic cliffs and palm and pine tree forests abound in Greece, and one should definitely see the country's beautiful seashore in their lifetime, it's an experience you can't forget.

If sight-seeing is more of your thing, no worries: Greece has lots to offer. Towering monuments to ancient Greek gods like Zeus and Athena still stand tall, a testament to the great architectural prowess of the early Grecians. The sophisticated structures of famous buildings like the monumental Acropolis and Temple of Poseidon are truly beautiful sights to behold. Intricate columns and carefully crafted sculptures also flourish. Many modern cities like Washington D.C. borrow the concepts first put into use by the Greeks and their Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian columns are still major inspirations in current architecture.

Greece is also a country of wonderfully rich culture, stemming from the fact that it was the center of sophistication in the ancient world. Traditions, language, music, foods, and wine are all major parts of the Greek culture and leave a lasting impression on all tourists that visit it. Visitors can listen to traditional Greek folk music, Dimotiko Tragoudi, which originated in the early 9th century while partaking in the rich cuisine of the country. Known for its high-quality products and amazing, rich taste, Greek food is some of the best in the world. Unique herbs and spices dot traditional dishes like paidaka, tender and juicy lamb ribs, and pastitsio, a dish reminiscent of Italian lasagna. The hearty Greek diet is also accompanied by some of the best wines, many locally produced in family-owned vineries.

In short, Greece has much to offer to prospective travelers. Stunning beaches, towering monuments, advanced culture, and delicious dining are just some of the many attractions of the country. The tour industry in Greece is becoming more and more advanced and accessible to the average person, as opposed to when only high-class citizens could travel there just decades ago. This is yet another reason to observe the wonders of the country. Online all-in-one booking sites make traveling there even easier. Whatever your reasons are, visiting Greece is a remarkable experience that will go above and beyond your expectations.

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Holy and Unholy Numbers

Many of our great religions hold that numbers contain hidden meanings that in turn hold the mysteries of the universe and God within them. Ancient Hebrew mystics referred to this as Gematria. Numbers are also given corresponding associations to various deities, colours, plants, gemstones, and superstitions. Here are a brief list of associated correspondences and lore for the numbers 1 through 13.

The Number 1

In the faiths of Islamic, Jewish and Christian cultures the number 1 is associated with the unity of God. For medieval alchemists and metaphysicians the number was associated with the Philosopher's Stone, the unknown catalyst that was thought to transform base metals magically into gold.

The number 1 is also associated with Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love; Apollo, the Greek God of Beauty and Truth; Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt; Vesta, the Roman Hearth Goddess; Freya, the Norse Goddess of Fertility, and the Chinese God Pangu.

The number 1 is associated with the colors red, crimson, scarlet and cherry. Gemstones associated with the number 1 are ruby and garnet. Flowers associated with the number are red roses and red carnations.

Common superstitions about the number one are:

Break one egg and you will break a leg

It is unlucky to walk around the house in one slipper.

Only keep money in one pocket or you will lose it.

People with one hand are psychic.

A one-eyed person is a witch.

Seeing one magpie bodes a death in your future.

Seeing one white horse brings bad luck.

If you wash your hair on the first day of the month you will have a short life.

It is unlucky to get married August 1st or January 1st.

If you dream about the number 1 you have received a direct message from God.

The Number 2

In the Tarot deck, the number two represents duality, choices, decisions and partnerships. The Chinese believe that it represents the polar forces of Yin (the receptive, constrictive female energy) and Yang (the creative expansive male energy.)

Early Christians believed that the number represented the Devil or the division between soul and God. Similarly, the Zoroastrians believe the number represents the forces of good and evil locked in an eternal, yet equal, struggle.

The number 2 is also associated with the Ceres, the Greek Goddess of the Grain from whose name we have the word Cereal; Frigga the Norse Goddess of Hospitality and Wife of Odin; Freya, the Norse Goddess of Fertility and Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love.

2 is associated with the colors orange, gold, tangerine and peach. Flowers associated with 2 are freesias, orange roses and orange lilies. Gemstones associated with the number 2 are gold and coral.

Superstitions about the number two are:

If two crows fly over the house there will be a wedding in the family.

If two people sneeze at the same time both will have good luck.

If two shoots grow from the root of a single cabbage, you will have good luck.

Two people should never pour tea from the same pot.

It is lucky to have two holes in the same sock.

Breaking two eggs accidentally is a sign that you will find your soul mate.

Finding an egg with two yolks means there will be a death in the family.

If you wash your hair on the second day of the month you will have good fortune.

It is unlucky to get married January 2nd and September 2nd.

If you dream about the number 2 somebody is jealous of you.

The Number 3

Christians interpret the number 3 as representing the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The great psychologist Carl Jung interpreted as meaning the merging of the will with the heart and the soul. The ancient Babylonians and Celts interpreted this number to represent creation being born out of the union of 2 and thereby being a 3rd and distinct thing.

The number 3 is associated with Cronos, the Greek Titan who fathered the Olympians; Hecate, the Queen of the Witches and Goddess of the Crossroads; Pluto, the Roman God of Death; Saturn the Roman equivalent of Cronos and Tyr, the Norse God of Battle and Strength.

3 is associated with the colors yellow, lemon, beige and cream. Flowers associated with the number are yellow roses and orchids. The gemstone associated with 3 is topaz.

Some superstitions about the number three include:

A series of unlucky events always happen in threes.

It is bad luck to see three butterflies sitting on a leaf.

Spitting three times shoos away the devil.

It is unlucky to light three cigarettes from the same match.

If an owl hoots three times, there will be misfortune.

If a cat washes his ears three times you can expect a visitor.

A three-legged dog brings luck.

Try anything a third time and it will succeed.

If you wash your hair on the third day of the month you will
have great wealth.

It is unlucky to get married May 3rd.

If you dream about the number 3, you will lose your lover.

The Number 4

For the ancient Hebrews, the number 4 was considered to be especially significant. This connects to a mystical understanding of YHVH, the four-letter name of God, which was traditionally never written down. The number 4 and its equivalent geometrical shape, the square, were considered to be sacred by ancient cultures that believed the world was flat.

Many modern Pagan religions find within the number 4 a representation of the four directions (north, south, east and west) as well as the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water.

Deities associated with the number four are the fatherly Gods such as the Roman God Jupiter, the Norse God Odin and the Greek God Zeus.

Number 4 is associated with the colors green and emerald. The gemstones symbolized by 4 are jade and emerald. Plants associated with four are ivy, bamboo and baby's breath.

Some superstitions about the number 4 include:

A four-leaf clover brings luck.

If four cookies fuse together in the oven while you are baking there will be a wedding.

Four ravens clustered together on a tree branch means there will be a wedding.

Finding four colors in one pansy petal bodes health, wealth, happiness and prosperity.

A house with the number 4 in the address is very inauspicious.

Keeping the four aces of an ordinary playing deck on your person is thought to bring power (spades), wealth (diamonds), love (hearts) and popularity (clubs).

Finding four colors in one pansy petal bodes health, wealth, happiness and prosperity.

If you hold the four of clubs while playing a card game, you will always lose.

If you wash your hair on the 4th day of the month you will go gray early.

It is unlucky to get married June 4th or October 4th.

If you dream about the number 4, you will soon be handed a lucky opportunity.

The Number 5

Pythagoras believed that 5 represented man in perfect balance with the universe and containing the sum of the male and female elements. At times this was taken to symbolize marriage. For the Sikhs, the number symbolizes the five sacred objects that are worn by all males.

The Chinese believe the number represents the 5 elements that are used in the divination oracle The I Ching as well as on the Pa' Kua that is a device used for determining Feng Shui: earth, air, water, fire and metal.

In Wiccan circles, five can be found in the star shaped pentagram that symbolizes the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water surmounted or united by spirit.

Deities associated with the number 5 include Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine and Ecstatic Revelation; Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of Love, Sex and War; Mars the Roman God of War and Thor the Norse God of Thunder.

The colors sky blue and turquoise symbolize the number 5. The gemstones associated with 5 are turquoise and aquamarine. The flower associated with 5 is the anemone.

Some common superstitions about the number five are:

A five-leafed clover is even luckier than a four leafed one.

Wearing a five-pointed star turns away evil.

If five cookies fuse together while cooking a funeral will take place.

If you twist the stem of an apple and it breaks on the fifth twist you will be married within the year.

In the hoodoo tradition, a talisman featuring a hand displaying all five fingers is known as the Lucky Hand and is used to ward off misfortune as well as for luck in gambling.

If you wax your hair on the fifth day of the month you will go bald.

It is unlucky to get married on November 5th.

If you dream about the number five you will soon be famous.

The Number 6

For Christians, Jews and Moslems, the number 6 represents the day that man was created. Mathematicians revere the number 6 because it is the first perfect number.

Deities associated with the number 6 include Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom; Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine and Hermes, the Greek God of Communication.

The number 6 is symbolized the colors deep blue, navy and royal blue. Gemstones associated with 6 are sapphire and lapis lazuli. Flowers that symbolize the number are thistles and bluebells.

Some common superstitions about the number six are:

It is unlucky to purposely turn the number six upside down in jest as it means your projects will not be completed.

If you find a rose with six petals it means you will be lucky in love.

If you find a pansy petal with six colors in it, it means you will receive an unexpected visitor.

A talisman with the number 6 worn on it means you will be protected against hurricanes and tornados.

It is unlucky to get married October 6th or November 6th.

If you dream about the number 6 you will soon have sex.

The Number 7

The number 7 is equally sacred amongst Islamic, Christian and Jewish religions. According to Jewish and Christian mythologies it took six days to create the world with the seventh day being the holiest day - a day of rest. The Bible, Zohar and other religious texts also recommend that fields were to be left fallow every seventh year as means of allowing the earth to regenerate itself. Some Christians believe the number 7 represents the seven levels of hell.

It is Hebrew tradition to mourn, or sit Shivah, for a period of 7 days.

Deities associated with the number 7 include Frigga; Minerva, the Roman Goddess of Intelligence and Wisdom and Mithras the Sun God in Zoroastrian lore.

The number 7 is associated with the colors violet, purple and plum. 7's gemstone is amethyst.

Flowers associated with 7 are irises and deep purple roses.

Some common superstitions about the number 7 are:

If your date of birth can be reduced to a single number that can be divided by seven then you will have a particularly lucky life.

Shattering a mirror brings 7 years of bad luck.

If you sing before 7 am then you will cry before 11 am.

Wrapping her husband's belt 7 times around a tree causes a woman to become fertile.

The seventh child of a seventh child is said to have psychic powers.

If you wash your hair on the 7th day of the month you will have trouble with the law.

It is unlucky to get married April 7th or December 7th.

If you dream about the number 7, you will soon meet a soul mate.

The Number 8

The ancient Greeks associated the number 8 with unhappiness and imperfection. The psychologist Carl Jung equated the number with the secret and dark movements of the subconscious that constantly folds into itself like a snake eating its tail.

According to the principles of Chinese Feng Shui the number 8 represents abundance and prosperity. It is considered lucky to have a house number that contains an 8.

Gods and goddesses associated with the number 8 include: Mercury, the Roman Messenger God; Gaia, the Greek Earth Mother; and Hera, the Greek Queen of Heaven.

The number 8 is represented by the colors pink and rose. 8's gemstones are rose quartz and pearl.
Flowers associated with the number are pink roses and pink carnations.

Some common superstitions about the number 8 are:

If you fall ill eight days after a new moon, you will die by the full moon.

If you give 8 pennies away you will receive 108 times that amount.

Repeating your own name 8 times while staring into your own eyes in a mirror is thought to bring prosperity.

It is unlucky to give a person a bouquet with 8 flowers.

A house with the address 88 will bring you double happiness.

If you wash your hair on the 8th day of the month you will live to a ripe old age.

It is unlucky to get married February 8th and June 8th.

If you dream about the number 8, you will soon lose a great deal of money.

The Number 9

In occult circles, 9 is considered to be the number of completion and is closely connected with the Dead, especially one's personal ancestors, and with the forces of the cemetery and the Underworld. The nine is also associated with Hecate, the Queen of the Witches.

In Chinese mythology, the number composes the lo-shi, a magic square that comprises the first nine single digits on the number line.

Gods and goddesses associated with the number nine include: Juno, the Roman Queen of Heaven; Luna, the Roman Goddess of the Moon and Odin, the All-Father & Ruler in Norse mythology.

The number 9 is symbolized by the colors white and pearl. 9 is associated with the silver, platinum, diamond and pearl. Flowers associated with the number are white carnations, white roses and lily of the valley

Common superstitions about the number 9 include:

You will be blessed if you find nine peas in a pod.

Tying nine knots in a strand of your lover's hair will convince him to come to you.

Tying nine knots around a photograph of an enemy will cause them to give up the battle against you.

An address with the number nine in it brings you a long life.

If a young man wants to marry he should count 99 stars in the sky for 9 days. On the tenth day he will meet his soul mate.

Misfortune befalls the person who finds the Nine of Diamonds card on the street.

The moon that falls nine days after the New Moon in May is considered to be an unlucky day.

If you wash your hair on the ninth day of the month your marriage will be happy.

It is unlucky to get married December 9th.

If you dream about the number nine, your home will soon be blessed with a child.

The Number 10

For Christians, the number 10 symbolizes the Ten Commandments that were delivered through Moses from God at Mt. Sinai.

Deities traditionally associated with the number 10 include the Greek Gods Atlas, who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders and Uranus who was responsible for imagination and technology.

A common superstitious is that if you wash your hair on the 10th day of the month, you will receive a promotion at work. Another is that if you dream about the number 10 your mate is unfaithful.

The Number 11

The number 11 and in particular the number 11:11 (as seen on a clock) is considered, by many light workers and channellers to be a portal to other astral dimensions. The number 11 is also considered to be a 'master number" in schools of numerology.

Deities associated with the number 11 are the Sea Kings such as the Roman God Neptune and the Greek God Poseidon.

A common Chinese superstition is that washing your hair on the 11th day of the month will improve your eyesight.

The Number 12

The number 12 is associated with the Twelve Apostles, the number of people on a jury as well as The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The number 12 is also identified with the Roman Two-faced God Janus.

A common superstition is that washing your hair on the 12th day of the month will bring you misfortune. Another is that if you dream of the number 12, a solution will soon be found to a nagging problem.

The Number 13

Usually considered an unlucky number, this double-digit represents Judas, who was the guest at the Last Supper who betrayed Jesus. As a result it is also thought to be unlucky to have a dinner party with 13 guests.

Many hotels are missing a thirteenth floor or have omitted the number from their room doors.

Gods associated with the number 13 are Hades, the Greek God of the Underworld and Pluto, the Roman God of Underworld.

The color associated with the number 13 is black.

Some common superstitions about the number 13 are:

It is unlucky to have an address with the number 13.

It is also unlucky to have 13 numbers in your name.

Friday the 13th of any month is said to be an unlucky day.

The moon that falls thirteen days after the New Moon in August is considered to be an unlucky day.

Washing your hair on the 13th of the month ensures that you will give birth to a son.

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Samantha Steven's articles have been published in many high-standing newspapers and she has published several books. If you wish to buy Samantha's books about metaphysics click here http://www.insomniacpress.com/author.php?id=110 You can meet Samantha Stevens at http://www.psychicrealm.com where she works as a professional psychic. You can also read more of her articles at http://www.newagenotebook.com

The Greek Deity Known as Hermes

Hermes was unique among Greek Deities for a number of reasons. Primary among them was his tendency to be a god for everything at one point or another.

The Greek Deity Known as Hermes

The twelve gods of Mount Olympus, in ancient Greece, played an important role in the everyday lives of most Greeks. Whether they read the works of their famous poets and playwrights, such as Homer, or dedicated offerings to their patron deity, gods and goddesses played a major part in Greek culture. One of the most important of these deities, because of his ability to translate between gods and humans, was Hermes.

Hermes, along with being a god that was able to converse directly with humans, was also the patron god of many other aspects of Greek life. He was the god of travelers, cow herders and shepherds, athletics, literature, mechanics and invention. Along with these good qualities, Hermes was also seen as the governing deity of thieves and liars. In fact, the writer Homer was sure to count this as important among his many attributes.

Another item that was connected with Hermes was fire. He was credited with the invention of fire (going along with his governance of invention), but this also made him a parallel of the Titan Prometheus. His other major inventions were the sport of boxing, the syrinx (pan pipes) and lyre. His association with the invention of boxing made Hermes an occasional patron of athletes. While he was definitely involved in many aspects of life, Hermes also had another job for those who entered the world of the dead.

Hermes served as a psychopomp, or escort from death into the afterlife, for the Greek pantheon. He was seen as the one who would bring souls down into the Underworld. In most Greek myths, he is the only deity besides Hades and Persephone that could cross between the world of the living and the Underworld. As time went on, the Olympic deities' world evolved and so did Hermes. Once the pantheon was fully formed, Hermes was described as being the son of Zeus and Maia (who was the daughter of the Titan Atlas). He also gained a more detailed description, including a pouch, winged sandals and a winged cap.

Hermes was important to many average Greeks throughout the Olympian era. His many different aspects (such as a messenger between gods and mortals, and as a psychopomp) as well as the diverse number of myths that were associated with him made Hermes an integral part of the Greek polytheistic society.

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

Wrought Iron - The Power And Glory Of The Black Art

We take wrought iron for granted. It's so sturdy and reliable, we assume it will last forever and continue to do its job as a coffee table or a chandelier or a bookcase. And, indeed, it will.

Yet beneath its stalwart exterior lurks a history of romance, mystery and magic worthy of the Black Knight himself. In fact, once upon a time, wrought iron was believed to be a gift from the gods. Which is not surprising, since the earliest iron ore was extracted from meteorites.

Still, the gods apparently decreed that man at least participate in the unwrapping of their gift. The first step was understanding that there could actually be something within the meteorite that was worth extracting. The possibilities were certainly not obvious.

And exactly how to turn the raw material into something useful must have been even less so. It had to be melted twice to reduce the carbon content, then hammered to further expel the carbon and impurities so that the iron would be malleable.

To be sure, gold and silver and bronze were, at the outset, more blatantly ornate. Although even that would change in time. But initially, iron was the outcast 'black metal.' Yet if it was less pretty than its glittery sisters, it was also far stronger. And more useful.

When it turned out that the warriors with the iron swords could beat the warriors with the bronze swords because wrought iron, being stronger and more flexible, was less likely to break in battle, it took on the proportions of the miraculous.

As the true power of wrought iron became apparent, men who were capable of creating it were not just held in awe, they were regarded as sorcerers with magical powers. In fact, they became part of the elite pantheon of the gods. In Greek mythology, the blacksmith was represented by Hephaestus, and in Roman mythology by Vulcan.

This perspective, however, was not without its downside. During the Middle Ages, many small towns had written into their bylaws that this enchanting and satanic art could not be taught under penalty of death.

But times - and fears - do change. By the sixteenth century, wrought iron had blossomed from sword point to work of art. The elaborate intricacy of such wrought iron creations as the Tijou Screen at Hampton Court and the entrance gates at Chirk Castle are positively breathtaking. And the almost lace-like delicacy of Robert Bakewell's truly glorious Arbor at Melbourne Hall might convince even the most adamant skeptic that wrought iron is, indeed, a gift from the gods.

So the next time you set your coffee cup down on that wrought iron coffee table, you might want to show it some respect. Lest you anger Hephaestus. Or Vulcan.

Gregory Kerwin, raised in a world of antiques in his grandmother's houses in Paris and Southern France, has spent the decades since accumulating more beautiful and unusual things, still mostly French. You can find them at http://tkcollections.com/

Athena - The Greek Deity

Unlike many current religions, the ancient Greeks invoked numerous deities for different subjects and needs. Athena, the Greek deity, served in the role of war queen similar to Ares.

Among the many deity, deity-like and mythical figures of ancient Greece, males were not the only ones that were revered and seen as important. Often, deities were worshiped even more furiously, because their powers were seen to gift followers with much needed power and talents. One of the most highly regarded and famous of these was Athena, the Greek deity of wisdom, war, weaving and crafts.

Athena's father was Zeus, the king of all the deities, and it is said that she sprang fully formed and completely armed from his forehead. Her mother was said to be Metis, the deity of wisdom and cunning, whom Zeus slept with and then regretted it, fearing that a child begotten of Metis would grow to be more powerful than he was. So he transformed Metis into fly and swallowed her, but it was too late; she was pregnant and began creating a helmet and robe for her daughter while she was inside Zeus. The hammering Metis caused while making the helmet disturbed Zeus, so he had Prometheus cleave his head in two with an axe to stop it, and Athena sprang out.

Athena, the Greek deity, probably came from a deity already worshiped in the area of Greece before they arrived. Her name may mean "the Lady of Athens" or possibly "mother". Most often she is described with the epithet "bright eyed", and in earlier times Athena may have been a bird deity associated with the owl. Many other names were used in conjunction with Athena, some to connote her artistic abilities, others to show her virginity.

Athena is usually pictured in full armor, holding a spear, and she is also seen with an owl perched on her shoulder. Her face is depicted as having a long smooth neck, a strong profile, with a long nose and features. She is seen as being extremely beautiful, but aloof. Athena also plays a major role in many other myths involving major and minor deities and mythical creatures; one of the most known is the story in which she changes a weaver Arachne, into a spider.

As Greek religious figures go, Athena is definitely seen as one of the most important and powerful. Her status as the favorite daughter of Zeus, combined with the fact that she governed an important part of Greek life, war, meant that Athena was one of the most worshiped deity-figures in ancient Greece.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything.

The Parthenon

Work on the Parthenon, or temple of Athena Parthenos (Virgin Athena), commenced in 447 BC. While Pheidias directed the works with a view principally to the general adornment and incorporation of sculpture, it was the architects Ictinos and (to a lesser extent) Callicrates who were responsible for the construction and architectural refinements of the building. In layout, the Parthenon was a `double temple' with two unconnected principal interior spaces, similar to the so-called Old Parthenon that preceded it, though it was lengthened by one and widened by two columns. Most of the building rests on the Old Parthenon's massive foundations that had been built on the south side of the Acropolis, with a slight shift to the north and west. Whether or not this influenced the precise proportions of the building, care nevertheless appears to have been taken to incorporate into its north colonnade a naiskos, or small shrine, and its round altar, which originally stood just beyond the Old Parthenon.

The Parthenon is a peripteral, octastyle Doric temple (ie wrapped by colonnades with eight columns on the short sides) which, like the other Periclean buildings on the Acropolis, is built of fine Pentelic marble. It measures 69.5x30.86 metres (228 x 101 feet), and its exterior columns stand 10.43 metres tall. Its length is determined according to the Doric formula of twice the number of columns on the pedimented fronts plus one, ie seventeen. This building displays the characteristic features of Doric temples, which are derivative of earlier, timber structures. These include three tall steps at the base, known as the crepidoma; fluted, baseless columns with simple capitals, consisting of a square abacus supported by a cushion-like echinut; an entablature, comprising an architrave (representing the principal beam), a frieze with metopes and triglyphs (representing the ends of secondary timber beams) and a cornice, comprising a projecting corona and antefixes. The pediments with their rich sculptures crowned the building's principal short elevations (Greek temples were typically oriented towards the rising sun). The most remarkable aspect of the Parthenon is its sculptures, considered to be among the greatest artistic achievements of the ancient world, and its architectural refinements, including the subtle curvature of the building's base and entablature, and the swelling of the columns.

As mentioned earlier, the Parthenon is a 'double temple' with two separate principal interior spaces, which are entered through colonnaded porches behind the building's exterior peristyle. The eastern porch, the Pronaos, led to the principal cells designed to hold Pheidias' colossal chryselephantine (gold-and-ivory) statue of Athena Parthenos. It is possible to reconstruct this statue on the basis of surviving descriptions and also miniature copies from the Roman period like the 'Varvakeion' and 'Lenormant' Athenas. It was similar in conception to Pheidias' other colossal figure on the Acropolis, the Bronze Athena. In the Parthenon the triple-crested, helmeted goddess stood in repose, extending a winged victory, or Nike, with her right hand and holding her shield with her left. She wore her famous serpent-fringed aigis with its gorgoneion (Medusa's head) affixed in the centre. An enormous snake, thought to represent Erichthonios in his role as guardian of the Acropolis, coils menacingly inside her shield. The statue was illuminated by two clerestory windows flanking the main cells door and a pool of water or oil in front of it reflected shimmering light back on to the statue.

Another unusual feature of the Parthenon's cells was the wrapping interior colonnade of superimposed columns. Flanking interior colonnades were not unusual in Doric temples but the returning colonnade at the far end of the cells, creating a continuous ambulatory, was an innovation intended to provide an appropriately rich architectural backdrop for the statue while permitting visitors to view it from all angles. The upper colonnade appears to have been accessed by a narrow stair tucked into the thickness of the cella's east wall. Either because it was almost 100 feet in length, or because it occupied the same site as a precinct or temple by the same name, the cells seems to have been referred to in antiquity as the Hecatompedon (Hundred-footer). The western room of the temple is believed to have been a treasury and was probably called 'Parthenon'. In the centre of the room were four tall Ionic columns forming a kind of atrium, though it is unlikely that this was open to the sky.

The incorporation of Ionic columns on the interior of the Parthenon is consistent with other, clearly Ionic influences on the building. These include the slender proportions of the Doric peristyle columns, its octastyle the sculpted frieze wrapping the outside of the cells wall. Both the Propylaia and Parthenon - the largest and most conspicuous buildings on the plateau - have a Doric exterior treatment, giving the impression that the Acropolis is a Dorian sacred ground. However, it is important to remember that the Athenians considered themselves to be Ionians, unlike most mainland Greek city states which claimed a Dorian ancestry. It is not surprising therefore that the Athenians chose to use the Ionic style for the Temple of Nike, the first building on the way up to the Acropolis, and the Erechtheion, which was the most sacred structure on the summit. Ionic features were deliberately used both in the Propylaia and the Parthenon, probably as expressions of ethnic pride.

Today the Parthenon frieze is the most celebrated feature of the ancient temple, though in antiquity it appears to have been less noticed (for example, the ancient traveller Pausanias in his description of the temple makes no mention of it). Its modern fame is due to the fact that little remains of the building's more spectacular pedimental sculpture. The frieze was removed to London between 1802 and 1811 by Lord Elgin, where it exerted a powerful influence on European art and taste. The subject of the frieze is thought to be the annual Panathenaic procession from the lower city to the Acropolis, culminating in the presentation of a new peplos, a sacred robe, to Athena at the temple of Athena Polias, or Erechtheion. Carved in relief by a team of sculptors under the direct supervision of Pheidias, the frieze depicts progressing ranks of mounted knights (probably youths from aristocratic families) with other celebrants and sacrificial animals. It concludes over the Parthenon's eastern door with the handing-over by a child of the sacred peplos, in the presence of a large assembly of the gods.
Other greatly admired sculptures from the Parthenon are the metopes, the best preserved of which are from the south side of the temple, depicting scenes from the a battle of the Lappish and Centaurs.

Little survives of the pedimental sculptures but we are able to reconstruct them from ancient descriptions and later sketches by Jacques Carrey, a 17th century French visitor who in 1674 was able to record many of the figures still in position. Thirteen years after Carrey's visit, the Parthenon was severely damaged in a huge explosion caused by cannon bombardment by Venetian troops of a Turkish garrison that had turned part of the Parthenon into a gunpowder magazine. The east pediment, over the front of the temple, showed the birth of Athena springing fully armed from the head of Zeus, while the west pediment depicted the contest between Poseidon and Athena for patronage of Athens and Attica.

It would really be a great idea to choose one of the Athens hotels in Acropolis Area in order to have a look of the incredible monument at all times while an Athens Map is always useful for your dashes in Athens Greece. What you have to know is that Athens hotels are all in central places offering all the amenities.

Hello everybody! I am really happy to be here sharing my experiences with you and learning things that I didn't know about. I hope you enjoy reading my articles as much as I enjoy reading yours!

How to Understand the Symbolism in Flower Tattoo Designs

Flower tattoo designs and their meanings can be more than just a pretty picture of a violet on a pretty girl. Flowers represent nature and birth, procreation, rebirth, life, and death. There are specific flower tattoo designs that represent different things in many different cultures. In the East for example, the Lotus flower has spiritual significance, and in the West it is the Rose.

The spectrum of colors used in the flower tattoos has symbolic significance; red is passion, white is purity. The flower's shape, the receptive form and the role it has in fertilization, has for a very long time symbolized femininity. For as long as flowers have been around, and as long as we were able to touch and smell them, they have inspired us.

Other flowers such as the Iris is said to be the highest symbolized flower. It is believed that the goddess of the Rainbow, Iris, transported the souls of women to an underworld, which associates the Iris flower with death. Iris is believed to have a passport to a mystical dark side, and Iris became the gods' messenger. The three petals on the Iris symbolize wisdom, valor and faith.

According to Christianity, the flower designs of the Iris and its three petals symbolize the Christians' Holy Trinity. The white and blue colors of the Iris are associated with Christianity's Virgin Mary. Archangel Gabriel is portrayed holding the Iris when he had appeared to the Virgin Mary.

The Narcissus and the Violet flower tattoo designs are flowers resulting from the Greek mythology. The Violet is a favorite over the ages with its heart-shaped leaves and sweet perfume. During the medieval era the Violet symbolized humility, faithful love and chastity. In Rome, the Violet flower was the main funeral flower and symbolized peace. Today, the color purple symbolizes mourning.

The Poppy and Anemone flowers are another two flowers that are associated with sleep and death, and these are also two of the most popular tattoo designs people look around for. The Poppy flower tattoo designs have come to symbolize our World Wars and fallen soldiers. The Anemone is the flower that is present in the story of the mourning Aphrodite and Adonis' death. It is believed that the Anemone sprung when her tears hit the ground.

Fairies are known to sleep in the closed Anemone and awake each morning when the petals open. The Poppy flower is a symbol of oblivion and sleep. The Anemone bears a different meaning that comes from centuries ago. The folklore back then believed that the Anemone was the protection against evil. There are many today that consider these flowers when they come across them among the many flower tattoo designs.

Flowers play a very significant part in our lives. The colors and the petal symbolize something, and each of the flower tattoo designs are as perfect as the flowers themselves and the meaning they have behind them. It is important that your flower tattoo designs have an important meaning to you and maybe Aphrodite can spring a flower in you.

Looking to get some great new ink? Do all of the tattoo designs you've looked at so far really stink? Take action now. You'll find the best tattoo designs right here.

Old Russian Symbolics on a White and Blue Porcelain

Russian porcelain is widely known and is often used as a traditional gift.
The art of decorative painting on porcelain is handed down by craftsmen from generation to generation. Few of us, however, have asked ourselves what exactly is depicted on a Gzhel teapot or a Lomonosov porcelain cup.
The blue color, glazed cobalt, has a long history.

Majolica made in Gzhel, 60 kilometers from Moscow, has traditionally been decorated with glazed cobalt.

Archeological excavations prove that the craft of pottery has existed in Gzhel since the beginning of the 14th century.

It is possible White and Blue undergalzed cobalt painting tehnology appeared at Gzhel due to invasion of Mongols. Blue and White China was well known product of Chinisean Yuan and Ming dynasties and Mongols could deliver examples of that china to Russia at 13-14th centuries.

In the second half of the 17th century, Afanasy Grebenshchikov, a merchant, built a manufacture where he made various kinds of majolica earthenware. For his ware, he used the famous white clay (Gzhel), as well as the experience of potters from Gzhel. Upon returning to their homes, the craftsmen began establishing their own majolica manufactures.

Traditionally, Gzhel porcelain has been decorated using flower motifs, the Gzhel Rose, for example, and fabulous creatures such as the Firebird.
Gzhel porcelain often features octagonal shapes, shapes with eight radial points, shapes with twelve or six radial points, as well as a three-leaf clover.

What do these symbols represent?

The Firebird is a pagan, pre-Christian god of the ancient Slavs, the embodiment of the god of storms. In Slavic tales, this is a fairy bird that flies from another kingdom (a faraway land).

The Firebird is a very ancient pagan god that has survived only in traditional Russian folk tales.

The symbol of the Sumerian goddess Inanna (Ishtar) denotes 'clear sky', which was ruled by Zeus. The late Scythians traced their origins back to Zeus. His third wife, Hera, was a co-ruler of the sky. Her symbol was a duck ('sunny' in Sumerian), a golden bird or Zhar bird (Russian name of the Firebird, deriving from the Scythian zar, gold).

It is assumed that the Firebird of the ancient Slavs came from the Zhar bird (Golden Bird) of the Scythians.

Flowers were the symbol of the sun among the ancient Slavs. Flowers were braided into the hair of girls during celebrations of the ancient festival dedicated to the god the Sun.

The bud of a flower symbolizes a possibility.

A flower in full bloom represents development and fruition.

The ancient Slavs often used ceramic jars for religious purposes, as well as calendars. This gave rise to the tradition of decorating tableware with octagons (ancient Slavs recognized eight parts of the world) and calendar symbols (the twelve months).

The three-leaf clover symbolized a part of the tree of life, procreation, and the connection between the ancestors and future generations. The symbol of the tree of life is very ancient and exists in the folklore of many peoples. D. Melchizedek wrote that this symbol includes all the formulas of the creation of the world - every single one of them.

Let us, however, return to the later historical period.

During the Middle Ages, cobalt glazed decoration enjoyed especial popularity.

Gzhel craftsmen like to say that there is no blue like the blue of their sky in Russia.

So, the idea came to them to transfer this blue onto white porcelain.
The design is transferred to unfired majolica or porcelain. After it is fired at a very high temperature, the paint acquires its famous deep blue color and becomes glazed over by the process. The design is very durable. The colors and the glaze shimmer. It looks delicate and esthetically pleasing on white porcelain and porcelain with gold, and gives a delicate and elite character to the tableware.

In the beginning of the 18th century, porcelain was especially popular in the Russian Empire. It was valued more highly than gold. The French Imperial Plant was one of the main manufacturers of porcelain tableware. Porcelain items were manufactured for the court of the Bourbons, and blue was the traditional color for decoration, since it was the color of the coat of arms of the Bourbons.

Soon, Russia acquired this tradition - porcelain of that time was often decorated with blue and gold. Initially, this tradition was not as widespread, and the 'ancestor' of the modern, world-famous cobalt mesh of the Lomonosov Plant, the set that belonged to the Empress Elizabeth, known for her passion for porcelain, was pink. (Cups of this design are still being manufactured and are called pink mesh).
Glazed cobalt, however, has become characteristic of Russian porcelain, due to the technology of its manufacture - the higher firing technology than that of the French porcelain.

Later, under the the influence of Empire, the style that Catherine the Great was especially fond of, many buildings in St. Petersburg and Moscow were decorated in blue and gold. Glazed cobalt decoration of porcelain items augmented by gold over glaze was especially popular at that time.
These traditions may also be noted in the world - famous cobalt mesh, blue, flower motifs of glazed cobalt - an Empire - style tree of life, and gold over glaze that symbolizes the ancient Firebird.

Article provided by Lomonosov porcelain internet shop
http://www.rus-sell.com

Tantalus and the Curse of the House of Atreus

Tantalus (Tantalos) was the son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto. He may have been the king of Lydia, or Phrygia. He was father to Pelops, Broteas and Niobe. All three children feature in mythology, however Pelops and his descents are the focus of this article.

Tantalus was one of the few mortals who had the honour of joining the gods at their feasts on mount Olympus. He abused their hospitality, firstly by stealing ambrosia (food of the gods) and nectar (drink of the gods) and offering it to mortals. His greatest crime was to kill Pelops and offer him in a pie to the gods. All the gods except Demeter realised that the pie contained human flesh. Demeter had spent months searching for Persephone, her daughter who had been abducted by Hades, therefore she was so consumed by grief she ate part of Pelop's shoulder without realising. Zeus told Clotho, one of the three fates who controlled the span of mortal lives to bring Pelops back to life. Hephaestus (Hephaistos) made a new ivory shoulder to replace the missing shoulder.

Tantalus did not escape punishment for this crime against the gods. He was thrown into Tartarus, the darkest and furthest region of the underworld. Here he was constantly tortured in a fitting punishment for his crime. He stood in a pool of water that reached up to his waist and above him dangled fruits that grew on a tree. He was constantly hungry and thirsty, however every time he bent down to drink the water it vanished into the ground and every time he tried to take the fruit the branch that they grew from moved higher making them just out of reach. This would be Tantalus' eternal punishment.

Pelops grew up to become a hero. He decided to court Hippodamia, the daughter of king Oenomaus. Oenomaus would not allow any suitor to marry his daughter until he had participated in a chariot race against the king. If they lost, they were executed. If they won they would be able to marry Hippodamia. Oenomaus had the advantage of special winged horses (a gift from Poseidon) that were almost unbeatable. In stories suggest that Oenomaus was so protective of his daughter because he had committed incest with her. Pelops bribed Myrtilus, the charioteer of Oenomaus and changed the chariot lynch pins for wax replicas. As Oenomaus raced his chariot, the wax pins melted and he was thrown to his death. Pelops won Hippodamia. He later killed Myrtilus after he tried to rape Hippodamia. As Myrtilus was dying he cursed Pelops and his descendants.

Pelops and Hippodamia had two sons; Atreus and Thyestes. He also had a bastard son called Chrysippus. Chrysippus was believed to be the favourite son and possible inheritor of Pelops' throne. Hippodamia urged her sons to get rid of Chrysippus. Atreus and Thyestes threw Chrysippus down a well, killing him. Pelops exiled Hippodamia, Atreus and Thyestes. Hippdomia hung herself, Atreus and Thyestes then settled in Mycenae in the Peloponnese region of Greece.

The two brothers then tried to outwit each other for the throne of Mycenae. Atreus promised Artemis he would sacrifice his best lamb to the goddess. He discovered a golden lamb, therefore he hid it from the goddess and gave it as a present to his wife, Aerope. She gave it to Thyestes, her secret lover. He produced the lamb, declaring that the owner of it should be king. Atreus accepted this until he discovered his wife's adultery with his brother. They continued to quarrel over ownership of the throne. Finally Atreus invited Thyestes to a feast as a token of friendship. Thyestes accepted the offer and started to eat the food before him. What he did not know was that the meat he ate was the butchered bodies of his children. As soon as he realised what Atreus had done, he cursed his brother and his descendents. The only child to survive was Aegisthus.

Atreus had two sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus. Menelaus would later marry Helen of Sparta after she had been courted by most of the high ranking men of Greece. They all swore an oath to protect her before she married, so when she was abducted by Paris and taken back to Troy, Agamemnon and Menelaus gathered the Greeks together and made war on the Trojans. Agamemnon had married Clytaemestra, the sister of Helen. She was appalled when Agamemnon sacrificed Iphigenaia, their daughter. Iphigenaia had been sacrificed to Artemis so that she would send a favourable wind and allow the Greeks to set sail for Troy. Clytaemestra swore revenge for her daughter's death.

While Agamemnon was at war, she took herself Aegisthus as her lover. Aegisthus wished to avenge the death of his siblings, Clytaemestra the death of her daughter therefore they both plotted the downfall of Agamemnon. When Agamemnon returned home victorious from Troy, he was almost immediately killed by either Clytaemestra or Aegisthus (various stories suggest either of them actively murdering Agamemnon).
Clytaemestra and Aegisthus both ruled Mycenae and expelled Orestes, the son of Agamemnon. Orestes returned to avenge his father's murder a number of years later, encouraged by his sister Electra who had remained in Mycenae. Orestes murdered both Aegisthus and his mother. Their furies then pursued him for his blood guilt.

Finally, the god intervened. Apollo defended Orestes and the furies acted as prosecutor in a court style discussion of Orestes' actions. The outcome overseen by Athene was that the curse that had blighted the descendants of Tantalus should finally be lifted. The furies were ordered to become the Eumenides, or the kindly ones, meaning they should leave Orestes and his descendants alone.

Orestes regained the throne of Mycenae, killing Alete, the son of Aegisthus. This final murder would ensure that there was no one left to continue the family blood feud.

For more Greek mythology please visit http://www.mythologyhellenic.com

Jane Sproston was a teacher of Classical Civilisation and Classical Greek in a number of secondary schools. She is also an examiner of Classical Civilisation for a major examination board. Her website is http://www.mythologyhellenic.com

The Metaphysical View of Death and Life After Death Part 4

At times the soul undergoing transition is led across rivers with the aid of an escort. In Greek myths, Charon, the boatman, was assigned the task of guiding souls to the Otherside. Hermes, acting as psychopompos, led deserving souls to Olympus. The ushabtis, or statuettes buried with the dead among ancient Egyptians, could conceivably represent escorts or soul-bearers, aside from the usual interpretation of scholars of them being servants in the afterlife. In other religions, the escort of the soul is the Angel of Death, the grim reaper wielding a scythe as depicted in one of the cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot--although the average Christian sees that being not as an escorter but as an avenger. Muslims call this Angel of Death, "Izrail." There is a possibility that escorts of the soul do not always fetch departing souls from the Otherside. They may, in fact, also come from our physical dimension aiding souls in their transition. What we are intimating is that the mastery of astral projection or lucid dreaming actually gives the mystic or psychic the power to act as psychopompos, or guide of the soul. Our own personal experience may suggest this, as we will relate below, however, we are not implying here that we have personally mastered the art of occult mobilization, or attained a spirituality of a high degree:

We (I, me, myself) once had a dear friend who was a Theosophist. Although there were decades of physical years between us, we were rather close. One day, we received a call informing us of her demise. Her passing was sudden and unexpected. Wondering what her condition was like in the bardo, that night we decided to be by her side to offer assistance. And so with affirmations, intense mind-programming, and a strong desire, we spontaneously attained a projection without strenuously going through the usual steps as taught in occult books and schools. Moments later, we were by her side, leading her to a certain place, to a certain spiritual guide or master with whom in the astral state we were well acquainted with. When we reached our destination, we said to her: "from hereon you are on your own. We shall meet again." After bidding her farewell, we were once again back in our physical body.

All along the projection, we were lucid and aware--aware that a part of us was asleep in bed; while another aspect, was active in another world. This is one of the signs indicating that the experience was not a dream. Soul-travel as we have mentioned before, is a mystery to the average religious devotee. Eventhough mystics, prophets and saints have alluded to this particular occult ability possessed by man, the average person still remains unconvinced and skeptical as to its reality; or from another perspective they fear it as a satanic gift. However, at least the Bahái'i faith firmly states the possibility for one to experience the afterlife while yet still alive and embodied on earth. Many modern saints such as Padre Pio were adepts of soul-travel.

Soul-travel, or astral travel is a natural mode of rest for the incarnating soul from the vicissitudes of everyday life. This usually occurs through sleep, but may be induced through various means. It is through this occult faculty that knowledge of the various dimensions may be gained. Ancient Greeks were familiar with the art of astral projection. In their myths there are many references to heroes visiting the underworld, such as Hercules, Aeneas, and Odysseus, or sorceresses such as Medea accompanying Jason, the captain of the Argonauts in his adventures--although she in her astral body. These myths probably refer to the astral aspects of the secret initiations of the ancient Mystery Schools.

The Occult Tradition

Before explaining the death process from the occult and metaphysical point of view, we ought to possess some knowledge of man's occult anatomy, for man's hidden structure and physiology play an important role in the release of the soul from its confinement to the form and the disintegration of the physical body and they are, therefore, a pertinent factor to our understanding of transition. It is also of some relevance to know the structure of the various planes or dimensions. We shall, therefore, consider these two essential topics briefly before discussing the process of transition from the occult perspective.

The Microcosm

Man, the microcosm, possesses several bodies, principles, or vehicles. According to Theosophy, these principles/bodies are seven in number: Monad, Atma, Buddhi, Higher Mental/Causal, Lower Mental, Astral Body, and Etheric/Physical. Christianity divides man's components into body, soul and spirit. The concept of man possessing several bodies is also to be found in Hinduism, the Qaballah, and Islam; and is in fact based on the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom; it is to be found underlying all spiritual traditions in one form or another. The Initiates of ancient Egypt, for instance, had a clear understanding of man's subtle anatomy as we can see from the following suggested correspondence with the Theosophical system:

Physical Body - Khat

Etheric Body - Khaibit (shadow)

Astral Body - Ka (double)

Lower Mental - Ba (heart-soul)

Causal Body - Sahu (spiritual body)

Higher Mental - Ren (name)

Buddhi - Khu/Ab (spiritual soul)

Atma - Sekhem (power)

Monad - Khabs

In average cases, the bodies directly involved in the death process and in the afterdeath state are of the first five-the physical body, etheric, astral, lower mental, and causal. In certain conditions it may involve the first two or three.

Each body or principle has energy-centers fully developed and functioning, or in the process of unfoldment. These energy-centers are called chakras in Hindu occultism and there are seven of major importance. In the physical body the endocrine glands and the plexi correspond to these chakras. The following are the Hindu terms for these chakras as well as their correspondence to the glands and their location:

Muladhara - gonads - base of spine

Svadishtana - spleen/pancreas - naval

Manipura - adrenals - solar plexus

Anahata - thymus - heart

Vishuddha - thyroid - throat

Ajna - pituitary - center of eyebrows

Sahasrara - pineal - crown

Every vehicle of consciousness possesses chakras, some of which are not functioning to its full potential or fully-developed as yet in the average human being. Chakras are channels and transformers of energy. They receive the influx of energies originating from higher spheres and distribute those energies to a lower principle. The frequencies or qualities of these chakras are associated with one's evolutionary development; this account for the many colours attributed to them by various authorities who often seemingly contradict one another. These chakras vibrate at a rate determined by the quality of the indwelling soul. During transition the soul escapes through one of these portals. One's evolutionary development determines where the soul would make its exit. According to occult teachings, it is favorable for the soul to be released through the crown chakra or other higher centers; escape through the lower centers results in a transition to one of the lower worlds. Generally speaking, the average person evacuates the body, in the process of transition, through the solar plexus chakra. This is because the manipura chakra is associated with the qualities of self-centeredness, and is the normal expression and polarization of the average person. Aspirants and servers of humanity often emerge out of the heart chakra, as this chakra is related to an expanding love for all sentient beings. Enlightened, spiritual souls pass out of the physical form through the crown chakra. This major center is associated with pure, lofty thoughts and feelings, with a sense of oneness and identification with all beings. It is this crown chakra that Hopi Indians believed to be the exit of the soul at death. Occultism declares that the point of exit indicates the realm that the indwelling soul would sojourn, whether it be in the lower regions of "hell," or in the upper localities of "heaven."

Connecting the various bodies together, like beads on a string, is the sutratma. This sutratma is sometimes referred to as the "silver cord." This term comes from one of the books of the Old Testament.

"Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." (Ecclesiastes 12:6)

While the indwelling soul is incarnated in the physical form, the sutratma remains intact, connecting the lower form to the higher principles. It functions primarily as a channel for divine life forces--the energies emanating from the Monad. In sleep and in the astral state, when the awareness-principle roams about in the higher dimensions, this cord serves as a connecting link between the material body and the astral form. So long as this cord exists intact, the soul is bound to the physical body. Once the cord is severed, as occurs in the death process, the soul loses its connection with the physical body. A person may be in a coma, or in a cataleptic state with a resemblance of death, but so long as the cord endures, it is always possible for life to return--it is possible to "raise the dead," so to speak.

Another point to consider concerning man's occult anatomy which is relevant to our discussion of the process of transition are the seed-atoms. These atoms are vortexes of energies which collectively speaking, may be considered as the records of the unfolding soul, or as the soul's "book of life." They correspond to "Kiramun-i-Kaitibun," the recording angels in sufi teachings. Occultism teaches the existence of three seed-atoms--the mental, astral and the physical seed-atom. These atoms register all of the thoughts, feelings and actions of the incarnated soul. They are records of the quality and nature of the soul, and may be thought of as the memory book of all the experiences of the soul's past incarnated lives. They, therefore, also contain the records of one's karmic history. It should be noted that although Buddhism teaches reincarnation, they do not believe in a "self" that reincarnates. To Buddhists, that which reincarnates are the karmic traits of the awareness-principle. Although we will not consider the question of what survives and reincarnates, it is interesting to know that these "karmic traits" correlate with the contents of the seed-atoms.

The mental seed-atom is associated with the soul's consciousness and mental world of thoughts and ideas. In the physical body it resides in the pineal gland. One's feelings, negative and positive, are registered in the astral seed-atom. The liver is the temporary home of this seed-atom. The physical seed-atom abides in the heart. It is associated with the life-principle within the body. In the death process, the seed-atoms emerge out of the physical body in sequence, as we shall see presently.

According to occultism in general, in the beginning of a manvantara, or cycle of manifestation and creation, the First Cause emanated from Itself streams of energies of varying densities; or Spirit vibrating in a whole spectrum of frequencies. These energies, structured electronically in high and low densities, are the various dimensions, planes, realms, or mansions of the manifested Cosmos. In the Qaballah, these dimensions and planes are referred to as the 4 worlds and the sephiroths. According to theosophical teachings, there are seven planes that concerns man's present evolution. These seven planes are collectively called the cosmic physical plane. Though there are higher planes, we will not consider them, as they have very little to do with man's evolution, and are far beyond our status as human souls.

The seven planes, in theosophical teachings are called: Logoic, Monadic, Atmic, Buddhic, Mental, Astral, and Physical. Certain Sufi teachings refer to these various planes as: "Alam-i-tabi-at," "Alam-i-surat," "Alam-i-ma'na," "Alam-i-malakut," "Alam-i-jabarut," "Alam-i-lahut," and "Alam-i-hahut." Each of the seven planes mentioned are subdivided into seven lesser realms making 49 in all. The various heavens and hells (realms of joy and suffering) which the human soul sojourns and dwells are to be found in the Mental and Astral regions. In the upper regions of the Mental subplanes is to be found what is called the Causal plane. This is paradise proper where most souls go to rest before reincarnating in the physical dimension. Tibetan Buddhism refers to the Physical, Astral and Mental planes as the six worlds: the world of gods (Devaloka), of Titans (Asuraloka), of hungry ghosts (Pretaloka), of hell, of animals, and of humans. These descriptive realms symbolically refer to human behaviour and evolutionary development with a predominating characteristic vice: for instance, pride, envy, greed, hatred, ignorance, and desire. These six worlds are the abodes or heavens--or hell, as the case may be--of souls of varied spiritual development. Below we give the evolutionary level of souls in correlation with the six worlds that they vibrate in harmony with:

Causal-Higher Mental Planes - World of gods - Saints, masters . . .

Lower Mental Planes - World of Asuras - Philosophers, heroes . . .

Higher and Mid-Astral Planes - World of Pretas - Average man

Lower Astral Planes - World of Animals - Purgatory, temporary abode of average man.

Sub-Lower Astral Planes - World of Demons - Hell, temporary abode of evil and wicked men.

Physical Plane - World of Humans - Physical world, all types of souls.

Transition and the after death state

We have already discussed the various relevant parts of man's occult anatomy that are directly involved in the death process. We shall now see how they fit together in the soul's birthing process into another realm. It should be noted, however, that there are variations in the death process. We shall be considering the normal process of death for the average person, but before we do, let us consider how occultism advocates the method of assistance to the dying.

Occultism teaches the necessity for absolute quietness surrounding the dying. The moanings and wailings of relatives and friends should be kept at a minimum and away from the presence of the one undergoing transition. The dying's sense of perception is heightened during transition and is focused strongly on the bardo, and, therefore, it is imperative at this stage that nothing disturbs the dying person. To do so would distract the soul from liberating itself in the early stages of the bardo and prevent it from being reborn in a higher realm. It is said that orange light in the room of the dying helps the awareness-principle to maintain consciousness so that it would not miss the Clear Light of the first stage of the bardo. Oneness and identification with the Clear Light is what causes liberation for the soul--liberation from the necessity to reincarnate. Sandalwood incense and chanting of mantras also aid the dying to remain focussed and mentally alert. In the Tibetan tradition, certain guidance is given verbally to the dying pilgrim, that it may recognize the various stages of the bardo and what it should do once they are encountered and experienced. Occultism advocates similar assistance to the dying, since the basic purpose underlying both systems are one and the same, that is, the liberation of the soul from an unfortunate rebirth in one of the lower regions of the cosmos which causes evolutionary stagnation. The techniques for aiding the dying as well as dying fruitfully is well worth knowing--especially to practicing metaphysicians.

What is important to learn is the maintaining of one's mind and consciousness at a lofty level through constant meditation and mental reflection in everyday life. This polarizes the consciousness in the head chakra and facilitates the recognition of the dawning light in the first stage of the bardo. Dying consciously is more advantageous than dying in an unconscious manner for the above reason.

Strangely enough, depending upon our perspective, highly evolved souls are aware of the time and onset of their death. This inner knowing is derived from intuitive impressions from the Oversoul, or Higher Self. Such initiates are knowledgeable of the process of death and they transit in full awareness without a break or a hiatus in their consciousness. Some even attain what is called "the Rainbow Body." This is the transformation or the absorption of physical particles of the body into one's spiritual light during transition, leaving no empty corpse behind. This is alluded to in the biblical passage concerning the prophet Enoch, where it is said that he walked with God "and was not."

Those having seen the Clear Light and have united with it, or acquired the divine gnosis called "marifatullah" in Esoteric Islam encounters various esoteric/exoteric signs months and days prior to the death process:

[Note: The table of the esoteric/ exoteric signs may be seen as originally published at our website]

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
http://www.indotalisman.com/
http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/

Athens Greece - The Mitropolis

This square is dominated by the Mitropolis (Cathedral), a modern basilica begun in 1840 and completed in 1855. The interior is over-decorated with indifferent paintings and marbles. Left of the entrance is the sarcophagus of the heroic Patriarch of Constantinople, Grigorios V, hanged by the Turks at the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1821. In marked contrast to the mediocrity of this huge, pretentious building is the small church beside it, the Little Mitropolis. This miniature masterpiece of simple grace was erected in the twelfth century on the site of a church which was built by the Byzantine Empress Irene, a native of Athens, in the eighth century. Although this enchanting little church is dedicated to Panaghia Gorgoepikoos (All Holy Virgin who quickly grants prayers), and to St. Eleutherios protector of women in childbirth, it is commonly known as the Little Mitropolis.

This church differs from all others in Athens in the material used in its construction. Instead of the characteristic masonry of square-cut stones with thin brick courses employed by Byzantine architects, it is built entirely of marble. Its beauty is enhanced by the usual treatment of the outer walls, into which parts of reliefs and other fragments of architectural detail, Classical, Byzantine and Frankish, have been built. The most interesting of these relics are to be seen on the west facade (the main entrance). Here, in the center of the lintel, two lions, one on either side of a cross, face each other. Above the lintel, on both sides of the entrance, are Byzantine reliefs of allegorical animals, at the far left is a relief- probably Frankish - of a young woman standing by the side of a Cross of Lorraine. Above the entrance is a long plaque in relief, flanked by two Corinthian capitals, all three from a monument of the fourth century BC. This plaque is the most remarkable decoration of the church and depicts a liturgical, or festal calendar, showing the twelve months and the five seasons of the Attic year. The Athenians observed a lunar year, which began with the first new moon of the summer solstice. The months are represented either by the conventional signs of the Zodiac or by human or animal personifications of them; the seasons by symbolical figures. The scenes illustrate the principal activities of each month and season and the religious festivals associated with them.

The calendar reads from left to right and begins with scenes from the festival of the Great Urban Dionysia in the month of Elaphebolion (March-April): a priest offers a libation to the god, while attendants lead animals destined for sacrifice; a ram represents the sign of Aries; Munychion (April-May): Artemis, as goddess of the chase, is shown holding a deer by the horns (festival of Elaphebolia); the fore and hind legs of a bull (the body is obscured by a Byzantine cross) stand for the Zodiacal sign of Taurus. The month of Thargelion (May-June, the first month of Summer) is represented by a torchbearer and the figure of Apollo, (festival of the Thargelia held in honor of this god), while the representations of the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, stand for the sign of Gemini. Skirophorion (June July) is represented by a naked athlete, (symbolizing summer); the sacrifice of a plough-ox (festival of Diipoleia, in honor of Zeus), and the sign of Cancer. Hekatombaion (July-August), shows representative figures of men and women participants in the procession of the Great Panathenaea; the prow of a ship, moving on wheels, on the mast of which Athena's peplos was hoisted as a sail. This is also obscured by the addition of a second Byzantine cross; the Lion and Sirius stand for the sign of Leo. Metageitnion, is represented by a winged woman bearing a basket of fruit; Hercules picking the Golden Apples of the Hesperides, his consort Hebe, goddess of eternal youth, while Persephone holding an ear of corn in her left hand represents the sign of Virgo. Boedromion (September-October), is represented by the figure of Apollo Boedromios (festival of the Boedromia), a horseman, and the claws i.e. of the Scorpion. The early Greek astronomers so designated the Zodiacal sign of the Balance, (Latin, Libra).

The month of Pyanepsion (October-November, the first month of Autumn), during which the harvest festival of Pyanepsia, in honor of the departing god of Summer, Apollo, was held, is illustrated by the figures of a patrician; a boy (symbolizing Autumn) carrying a branch of olive and small vessels full of honey, wine and oil; a man holding a cluster of grapes (symbolical of the vintage); a canephore (one of the nobly-born maidens who carried baskets containing sacrificial offerings on their heads during the great festivals) and the Zodiacal sign of Scorpio. Maimakterion (November-December, the first month of the Winter), during which the Lesser, or rustic, Dionysia was celebrated with the tasting of the new wine, shows actors performing at this feast, and the figures of a man sowing and another ploughing; a centaur symbolizes the sign of Sagittarius. The month of Poseidon (December-January), shows an old man wrapped in a heavy mantle (symbolizing Winter), a figure symbolic of gymnastics, judges presiding over a cockfight, a he-goat standing for the sign of Capricorn; and finally the month of Gamelion, during which the Lenea, the festival of the Vats was celebrated, and the favorite month for weddings, shows a bridegroom crowned with a wedding garland, a boy on a ram (symbolizing marriage), and a nymph.

From the plaque, which is in an excellent state of preservation, are only missing the six figures of Anthesterion (February-March, the first month of Spring), including its corresponding Zodiacal sign of Pisces; the first figure personifying Elaphebolion and Aquarius, the Zodiacal sign for Gamelion. North side (facing the cathedral): a short frieze of acanthus leaves above the doorway; Classical stelai with female figures; other stelai decorated with vases superimposed on shields; and an uncommon stele of a bearded man standing between two Latin crosses. The South side presents fragments of triglyphs and metopes from Classical friezes; above the doorway crossed torches; a deco rated wheel; a larger torch; a lamp, a bucranium (a sculptured ox skull, a common motif found in the metopes of Doric frieze); a heraldic eagle, and geometrical designs. To the east, classical stelai with female figures, under the gable; reliefs of the Cross of Lorraine, an eagle, a lion killing a stag, an armorial shield; geometrical designs, and various inscriptions. Apart from the finely sculptured door-frame separating the narthex from the sanctuary, the interior is in a deplorable state: the frescoes are either peeling, or age and neglect have rendered them almost invisible.

Arion Hotel, Electra Hotel and Pan Hotel are among the best in Athens.

Was Nazi Occultism Based on Hermeticism?

Hermeticism

Priests have had always a strong influence on all emperors, starting with Pharaohs. Hermeticism is a predecessor of alchemy; alchemy is a predecessor of freemasonry. Science of the occult comes from the Sun - it is the explosion of Light.

Hermeticism is an ancient collection of occult teachings and its tradition is based upon a strange concept of two suns, which also transferred into alchemy. By the term "occult" we mean "hidden to our eyes" - the term is nowadays frequently replaced by the more modern one - esotericism. Alchemy, albeit partially a deceptive tool of certain (occult) groups to gain a control of medieval emperors, was apart from its physical experimentation with matter also a spiritual path with arcane philosophy; some adepts believed that they could find the Philosophers' Stone (a materialized essence of God achieved by chemical experimenting with substances). The progress of success in one's work was termed as Black Sun - or Sol Niger - an old alchemic term. Hermes Trismegistos (ancient Egypt), who is supposed to be the author of various ancient scripts about hermeticism, had been an Egyptian.

Black Sun

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold: there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth..."
Revelation 6: 12

The symbol of Black Sun had been used in ancient China more than 3000 years before Christ - the nephrite disc is found in archaeological excavations in graves of higher Chinese caste. It is a disc with a circle aperture in the middle. The aperture most probably signifies blackness of the sun during sun eclipse; the term "black" comes from this wonder of nature.

This symbol also personifies the Egyptian god Ra - a small dot in the middle of a circle is Ra's symbol in hieroglyph writing. The blackness in the middle can also be the "eye of God" (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_symbol)

Black Sun is simultaneously a symbol of Indians and it can be found in several ancient cultures too. Does this name mean that eclipse has always been considered a gateway to secrets and expectations of significant changes? Nazis used this symbol too. Why?

Prima Matra and Vril

Prima Matra is an ancient term. The Matter, in accordance with this concept, had had its purest inward essence at the very beginning of Creation. It is Prima Matra.

Vril is a secret energy known in mystic waters under various names such as Holy Spirit, Mana, Prana, Philosophers' Stone, Chi, Kundalini, Ilu or Orgone... The term Vril comes from a very interesting person. Edward Bulwer-Lytton was a playwright, poet and politician (1803-1873). He wrote a book (a kind of a utopia similar to Francis Bacon's New Atlantis) entitled The Coming Race where he describes a very advanced master race living in the underground, which the author had visited while exploring mines with his friend. The book is written so persuasively that many readers started to believe it had really happened. In addition, it also became a basis for establishment of few secret societies.

The name of the Nazi military organization SS could simultaneously hide from view another message - a secret SS part - an organization in the organization, as can be assumed by German abbreviation for Black Sun, which is Schwartze Sonne. An interesting argument that may support this notion is the factual existence of Black Sun in the Nazi heraldry (SS symbol was also: two flashes of lightning in the shape of S inside a dark circle).

A Vril society was formed, as claimed by authors Bergier and Pauwels in the 1960's, who also wrote another famous book entitled Le Matin des Magiciens. A very strong medium of the secret Vril society was Maria Orsitsch or Orsic (written differently, as it is a Croatian name) and she was first mentioned in a book written by the above authors (Bergier and Pauwels): Aufbruch ins dritte Jahrtausend: von der Zukunft der phantastischen Vernunft. The Vril society was purely a female group and Maria had allegedly contacts with extraterrestrials. But this was not the only secret group mentioned in reference to history of Germanic and Nazi secret movements. DHvSS (in German: Die Herren vom Schwarzen Stein) is a group of "men of black stone" the origin of which goes back to medieval Europe when Templars first visited the Orient. Of few other similar groups we may also mention Thule Society, which started in 1911.

Vril as a group slithered to life again from its black habitats and it is presently known as Causa Nostra. Their website has also some reference to German admiral Canaris, who participated in anti-Nazi opposition. Wilhelm Canaris was the head of Abwehr - German intelligence; he also stood behind attempts to assassinate Hitler. Canaris also saved lives of a number of Jews. Nazis executed him at the end of World War II. Canaris could be involved in many other secret activities of the Nazi Germany.

Isais/Isaie

This is an enigmatic German goddess, but only a modicum of information is available about her; however, some references link her origin with Assyria. Isais is very similar to the Egyptian goddess Isis. Templars had allegedly imported her to Europe from the Orient in the year 1220 and thus the group DHvSS had been formed with Ilu as Holy Grail. I have this information from Thule temple, which is active in present Europe and has its website but only in German.

Holy Grail

It is not any beautiful cup as most people might think, but rather a black dish or stone Jesus had allegedly drunk wine from; those who believe in the existence of this stone think that it has strong miraculous powers. The first reference about the Holy Grail made Chrétien de Troyes in a poem in about 1180-1191.

Traces of hermeticism are perhaps still visible including freemasonry. The bigger the secret comes into our hands, the more we are drawn by the magnetic possession and blackness of it into the overt oddities of the universe. The answer to this article's title is...hmm... probably yes.

Author's karma

Atlantis And Lemuria - Lost Continents, Or A Dreamland Of Eden?

Atlantis and Lemuria - lost continents, or a dreamland of Eden?

Atlantis

You ask - Atlantis? What is hidden behind this mysterious word? Did this lost, mythical world really exist? Why has it been covered with so much words, veils of fantasy, half-truths, assumptions, hypotheses, or perhaps truths? Or is it just a pure fabrication that inspires poets, occultists, and a little less conventional scientists? It's hard to tell...

Atlantis received a lot of attention and many words were written about it; delusions and disinformation too. However, not only laymen but also few and quite earnest scientists claim that this fabulous world did really exist here some long time ago.

Atlantis and its unearthly destruction gave birth to several theories; however, before we start speaking about them, let us look at the historically first recorded note about the existence of this unknown world.

The first record about Atlantis was written by Plato - a famous and trustworthy Greek philosopher - who in his works, Critian (and Timeus, too) described in words of Critias a story about Solon, a famous thinker and poet from 6th century BC, who had heard in Egypt from a certain priest that some long time ago there had existed a land called Atlantis, which had been destroyed. A fragment of Plato's words: On this island of Atlantis had arisen a powerful and remarkable dynasty of kings, who ruled the whole island, and many other islands as well and parts of the continent; in addition it controlled, within the strait, Libya up to the borders of Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia (Italy)...

Translation by Sir Desmond Lee, first published 1965, Penguin Classics.

According to other narrations, Gods divided the world for themselves. Poseidon was one of them and he got the Atlantis. Some people had already lived on the island and one of them was Evenor who had Leucippe as his spouse; they had one daughter - Cleito. Cleito grew up, she was more and more beautiful, and Poseidon fell in love with her. When Cleito's parents died, the almighty God of the Sea took care of her and she was about to give birth to five pairs of twins - men, twin brothers, who received the Atlantis to domineer over it. The oldest one was Atlas. And these ruled and governed in a big empire...

Egyptians said to Solon that Atlantis had been destroyed some 9000 years ago. Thus, if we add 600 years (before Christ) when Solon lived, and 2000 years that passed from the Christ's birth until today, we will get 11,600 years.

There are other authors who wrote about Atlantis, but the first and most famous source is that one of Plato. The other source is a Greek philosopher Diodorusa Siculus, who lived some 90-20 years before Christ, and who wrote (Bibliotheca Historica) that some thousands years in the past Phoenicians had visited a very big island. Atlanteans allegedly "civilized most of the people". So you can see, there are more historical descriptions of Atlantis among which we can also find the one from Aristotle, who wrote, too, about a big island in the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the destruction of Atlantis was mentioned by historians such as Marcellinus, Timagenus, Theopompos...

We also deal with written records of the Aztecs, Mayas, and not only with these. There are written records such as Chilam Balam, Dresden Codex, Popol Vuh, Codex Cortesianus - they all indicate that the existence of such an advanced civilization was possible. If we look into the line drawing of the less distant history, Atlantis had always attracted poets, writers, but also occultists or travelers/adventurers. One such author was Francis Bacon, who already in 1626 wrote a very interesting work - New Atlantis, which - at its time - exceeded even Verne. Bacon describes here how a shipwreck crew found some extremely advanced people on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. The inhabitants of this island could "record sounds", they were able to "demonstrate" and "copy" it; they used "engines" for all types of movements; they also had messengers whom they sent to visit the worldly nations and collect information.

Occultism and New Age also drew information from the famous Russian clairvoyant - Blavatska, who maintained that people from Atlantis were just a different race on Earth and they had amazing psychical abilities. However, being corrupted, they changed themselves to bad magicians and started war that resulted in a complete destruction.

Theories about Atlantis

Theories about Atlantis basically stand on two pillars:

I.

It is a fable.

It is a "bubble" fabricated from the fall of the Minon civilization and the destruction of the Thera Island, today known as Santorini, 1640 years before Christ by volcanic explosion in the area of smaller volcanic islands in the Egey Sea some 75 kilometers southeast from the main Greek land.

If we forget the first two points and suppose that Atlantis did really exist, then we can look at other theories:

II.

Atlantis existed in the Atlantic Ocean.

In the web of sciences, pseudoscience and charlatanism, other teachings appear such as a theory about the existence of an archipelago between Cyprus and Syria, but the above theories are the mainstream ones. Let us therefore look at some information about the possible existence of Atlantis in divergencies of opinions and in a theoretical level without requirement to prove or disprove something.

If we count on the theory about the Mediterranean Sea and the Minon civilization, we will get a simple conclusion. However, if we are not ready to stop at this point, we can also mention theories about an island or even a land in the Atlantic Ocean.

Theories about Atlantis in the Atlantic Ocean

One of the first modern-time Atlantis researchers, who delved into the study of old documents and sources about Atlantis on a long-term basis, was Ignatius Donnelly - an American congressman from Minnesota, who in the year 1882 wrote a book Atlantis the Antediluvian World, and in 1883 Ragnarok the Age of Fire and Gravel. Donnelly brought the legend about Atlantis to awareness of Americans with great success. He cites Plato in his books; he speaks about myths and theories of the Biblical flood; he does not bypass native American Indians either and tries to document language similarities of Indian languages with some European languages.

The number of authors enlarged including the ones from professional areas. For example, James Churchward wrote several books where he documents old scripts; William Niven, a geologist, tries to prove that he found similar stone tablets in Mexico. These and other writers support the theory that Atlantis existed in the Atlantic Ocean as an advanced civilization that colonized the continent of North and South America, but also Europe, Africa and Asia.

The anthropologist George Hunt Williamson made his own research of Atlantis and Lemuria. The author writes how the ancestors of the Incas led him to an old manuscript in the Andes; it records the destruction of Atlantis and Mu. They had allegedly an advanced technology.

Proofs or arguments

In case of "proofs", we should be careful, as the Atlantis topic is a good way for making money. But in addition to fake proofs, there are some trustworthy arguments too. Let's think.

The Piri Reis map come from about the year 1513.

Columbus, the man who discovered America as the first person mentioned in historical documents, studied older maps including the map of Admiral Piri Reis, which dates back to 1513. Albeit the continent of America was discovered in 1492, these maps picture the world in a shape that is against the knowledge of the present historical science. The Piri Reis map pictures also Antarctis some 300 years before it was discovered - the contours are quite accurate.

Not only this does make us "dumb". Professor Hapgood contacted the US Air Force to confirm the theory about the fact that the land areas of the Piri Reis map picturing Antarctis are not below ice. He received a positive answer.

I would like to believe... But most opinions pertaining to this subject are a product of manipulation that helps their authors maintain a "good job" or institute themselves in some hierarchy of the world. The Italian scientist Diego Cuoghi documents some details - already at the time of the Turkish Admiral, South America was being discovered by more adventurers; one of them was Amerigo Vespucci (in 1499); however, there are also maps dated before 1513 and even more accurate than the Piri Reis map if we focus on Cuba, Jamaica and Porto Rico - these areas are pictured quite inaccurately on the above-mentioned map. Writers like Dänikin or Professor Hapgood simply ignore this.

We can also mention a map by Juan de la Cosa (1500) or Cantino (1502). If we put Antarctis or "undiscovered" islands into the profile, this cannot be seen as proof, because, for example, Waldseemüller's map from 1507 pictures China prolonged from the back of India - China actually going to Sri Lanka... Thus, we could say that the missing part of Brazil on the Piri map simply did not exist!

And what about accurate contours of Antarctis? I think that Hapgood, von Dänikan and other writers arrogantly underestimate thinking and intelligence of ancient people and they forgot that Egyptians were very good sailors too.

This implies that if the Alexandrian library was destroyed as the richest source of information we had ever had - any good Egyptian pharaoh - a visionary could easily support a big expedition and it is possible that some ancient sailors knew that Antarctis existed. Having no records about this does not necessarily mean that ancient people did not explore America or Antarctis in the ancient past; neither does it mean that they had to become "extraterrestrials", as imagination of present writers often indicates, as they appear to think that ancient people were not even able to think.

Archeological findings

There are many interesting findings, but to expose details of every one of them is not necessary for the moment. To be brief, let's include only some of them to give a picture how adherents of the idea of a lost world think.

North America

In May 1969, somewhere around the Bimini islands, archeologists Mansen Valentain and Dimitri Rebikov found some remnants of a building some 30 meters deep in the sea. These were big pieces of stones - they perfectly fit into one another; the weight of one was about 25 tones. Scientists from the Miami University concluded that the remnants date back to some 7,000 or 10,000 years before Christ, which means that they are older than the pyramids of the Mayas.

The expedition of Dr. Manson Valentine found near the Bimini Islands other ruins at the sea bottom, and in the year 1982 these ruins were photographed. They are quite similar to one of the oldest places that have ever been found - Tiahuanaco Lake in Bolivia.

South America

Many explorers and adventurers tried to find the El Dorado - an imaginary place of immense richness. Some archeologists also claim that South America is the oldest cradle of humankind. Long time ago the Tiahuanaco Empire existed here and it is believed that it existed some 12,000 years before Christ. The remnants of a big city Tiahuanaco can be found even today on the banks of Titicaca Lake. Many expeditions explored this area. Scientists wonder how could the then inhabitants move heavy stones (about 130 tones) and put them side by side. The Tiahuanaco civilization gave birth to predecessors of Indians in South America.

Other sources say that Phoenicians visited South America; one such a source was Austrian Professor Ludwig Schwennhagen, who claims that he found their inscriptions in the Amazon jungle. The French researcher Apollinaire Frot traveled all over the Brazilian areas such as Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso and Bahia and said that he had found so many such inscriptions that he could write books about them. A British explorer, Percy Fawcett, confirmed this independently.

Amazonia

Amazonia is poorly explored in terms of present knowledge; its size is only a little smaller that the present USA. A very famous is the story of Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett, a member of the Royal Geographical Society in London.

At the beginning of the 20th century, this in archeology interested adventurer decided to explore "lost worlds" in the South-American forests. On the basis of agreements with the Bolivian and Brazilian governments, he became a member of several expeditions, and already in the year 1911 he lectured in London about "lost cities" the existence of which he predicted somewhere on the border between Bolivia and Brazil. Percy Fawcett was a real enthusiast of the mythological Atlantis and he believed that South America, i.e. Brazil, was colonized by this civilization in our ancient history.

His disappearance gave birth to several hypotheses, one of them was that Indians might capture him and that he still lives. BBC made several TV documents and they also contacted the Fawcett's family to find out more, but the family refused to disclose some sensitive materials about Fawcett with justification that people are not yet prepared to hear this...

Document 512

Fawcett, as we already know, was possessed by the idea to search ancient civilizations and he also visited many archives. He found a document in Instituto Historico e Geographico Brasileriro in Rio de Janeiro about the 1753 Portuguese expedition, where it is written: "...big, hidden and very ancient city was found without inhabitants...".

However, stories about his disappearance are exaggerated - it is not a problem to disappear in such a jungle even today without leaving any trace. Some believe that he lives in these lost cities and has eternal life...

Lemuria

The idea of Lemuria or Mu first appeared in works of Augustus Le Plongeon, the traveler and writer who conducted his own investigations.

Concepts about Lemuria are further built on the fact that identical geological structures of Permian are found in South India, South Africa, and Australia. Some geologists therefore suggested a theory of possible existence of ancient continent and proposed the name Lemuria, which somehow survived.

This lost continent was later popularized by James Churchward (1852-1936) in a series of books, beginning with The Children of Mu (1931), The Lost Continent Mu (1933), and The Sacred Symbols of Mu (1935). The books still have devotees...

Conclusion

Certainly, every reasonable man will refuse Dänikin's ideas - we may not necessarily see an "astronaut" in every ancient drawing. But neither do we have to go in a direction to hatefully reject any idea that slithered off our monocultural line. First of all, it is open thinking that is important to correctly grasp or refuse anything that appears as truth or lie.

Source: http://www.freebsd.nfo.sk/esoteric/