Choreographer and dancer Akram Khan tells tremendous stories without a word ever passing his lips. His performances “Desh, “Toro” and “Giselle” combine movement, visual art and soundscapes and take their cues from sources as diverse as traditional Indian Kathak dance, flamenco and ballet. His latest production “Until the Lions” revisits a legendary saga, giving it a feminist twist. He tells us about reading people’s body language and the relative merits of mathematics versus dance.
Monthly Archives: December 2016
Update on Billye Talmadge, H.W., M.
Billye is doing really well. She seems to be more coherent lately. Her hands are stiff so I have bought her play doh and adult coloring books and colored pencils.
Recently I bought her some new clothes her winter clothes were getting pretty ratty. She loves the color red and I was able to find her a couple of red sweaters and a red watch. She is delighted. It is easier for her to see bright colors.
We (Robert McEwen and myself) spent part of Thanksgiving day with her. On her birthday I took her presents and cards. She loves getting mail so if you are sending out cards please don’t forget her.
Her Address is:
Billye Talmadge
Lawrence Convalescent Home
812 SE 48th Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97215
Blessings,
Suzanne Deakins, H.W., M.
Elliot Luztig on Hannah Arendt’s “Origin of Totalitarianism”
1. Hannah Arendt in her book The Origin of Totalitarianism provides a helpful guide for interpreting the language of fascists.
2. She noted how decent liberals of 1930s Germany would “fact check” the Nazis’ bizarre claims about Jews like they were meant to be factual.
3. What they failed to understand, Arendt suggests, is that the Nazi Jew hating was not a statement of fact but a declaration of intent.
4. So when someone would blame the Jews for Germany’s defeat in WW1, naive people would counter by saying there’s no evidence of that.
5. What the Nazis were doing was not describing what was true, but what would have to be true to justify what they planned to do next.
6. Did 3 million “illegals” cast votes in this election? Clearly not. But fact checking is just a way of playing along with their game.
7. What Trump is saying is not that 3m illegals voted. What he’s saying is: I’m going to steal the voting rights of millions of Americans.
8. Fascism is the opposite of conservatism because it refuses to acknowledge reality as a limitation on the scope of human will.
9. Unfortunately most conservatives in America today only have an eye for that phenomenon when they see communists doing it.
10. No harm ever came from overestimating the danger of a political situation. Whole civilizations have been lost from underestimating it.
Into The Light (from Gwyllm Llwydd and er.turfing.com)
Open Letter to Electors
Signed,
Daniel Brezenoff
Author
Democracy and Progress
Bret Chiafalo
Washington State Elector
Michael Baca
Colorado Elector
Beth Caldwell
Washington State Elector
Former Attorney, Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education
Co-Founder, Metastatic Exchange to Unleash Power
Sahar F. Aziz, M.A., J.D.
Professor of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Randall Balmer, M.Div, Ph.D
John Phillips Professor in Religion
Dartmouth College
Sotirios A. Barber, Ph.D
Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame
Deborah Barnbaum, Ph.D
Professor and Chair of Philosophy
Kent State University
Khaled A. Beydoun, M.A., J.D.
Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Affiliated Faculty, Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project
Center on Race & Gender, University of California, Berkeley
Mark B. Brown, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Government
California State University, Sacramento
Matthew J. Brown, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology
Associate Professor of Philosophy and History of Ideas
The University of Texas at Dallas
Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann
Columbia Theological Seminary
Arthur Caplan, Ph.D
Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor
Founding head, Division of Bioethics
New York University Langone Medical Center1
The Honorable David N. Dinkins, LL.B
106th Mayor of New York City
Professor in the Practice of Urban Public Policy
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Mary L. Dudziak, J.D., Ph.D
Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law
Emory University School of Law
Laura K. Field, Ph.D
Professorial Lecturer, School of International Service
Associate Faculty, School of Public Affairs Political Theory Institute
American University
Jamal Greene, J.D.
Dwight Professor of Law
Columbia Law School
Daniel J. Hicks, Ph.D
Policy Fellow
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Steve Hiltz, Ph.D
Lecturer in Philosophy
Southern Methodist University
Jean Kazez, Ph.D
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Southern Methodist University
Craig J. Konnoth, J.D., M.Phil
Sharswood Fellow & Lecturer in Law, Penn Law School
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania
Daniel J. Levine, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Political Science
The University of Alabama
Sanford V. Levinson, J.D., Ph.D
St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair in Law
Professor of Government
The University of Texas at Austin
Timothy Patrick McCarthy, Ph.D
Lecturer on History and Literature and on Public Policy
Program Director, Carr Center for Human Rights
Harvard University
Gemini Full Moon, December 13th, at 4:05 pm PST at 23 degrees
2016 has been a year of enormous evolution and change. Time is needed to process what we have all seen this year, and to prepare for all that is ahead. This Full Moon can help with some of the necessary assimilation. Within Geminienergy, there are always multiple options and more than one possible outcome, and there are probably many.
Gemini has the ability to be objective and see all sides of any issue. We are all experiencing the unsettling and intensely chaotic energies of Uranus Square Pluto which have been pushing our buttons and the limits of our ability to accept the status quo for several years now, working us all into a volcanic frenzy. We are seeing extremes and corruption at every turn and it is up to each of us to examine what resonates with love and what with fear as we formulate our opinions and take a stand. Your body knows the difference as it can perceive black or white, good and evil, and strength or weakness. So tune in and listen to your body.
The Sun in Sagittarius helps mitigate the restless and overactive Gemini mind by bringing in the playful and optimistic enthusiasm of fire energy. Sagittarius energy is not only fun, but philosophical and helpful, with a deep desire to help the underdog as justice tops the Sagittarius list of what is important. This is the perfect magical energy for this holiday season and the true nature of what Christmas represents no matter your religious beliefs.
Trines always seem to make things easier and we are in the midst of a grand trine in air made up from the Moon (in Gemini), Mars (in Aquarius) and Jupiter (in Libra). This combination of planetary energies helps bring in more positive and helpful attitudes with the enhanced ability to take in the ideas and needs of others with less judgment, and to illuminate a better path forward with greater abundance and success. A good way of putting it is to change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change. If we can each put a positive spin on what we see our intentions will help create a better outcome.
Chiron is in the sign of Pisces. This is a helpful energy in feeling greater faith, inspiration and imagination. These are the feelings necessary to help create a big difference in our world. Take a moment each day through the holidays to reflect on your blessings and how you want the world to be and then take positive steps to move in that direction. We are living in a time of intense change and we need everyone’s faith and love centered intentions. Let’s all create magic together.
Written by Wendy Cicchetti
A Full Moon symbolizes the fulfillment of the seeds planted at a previous New Moon or some earlier cycle. Each Full Moon reminds us of the seeds that may be coming to maturity, to their fullness, to fruition, to the place where the fruits or gifts are received. It may seem that fulfillment of our goals takes a long time. Some intentions may manifest within the two week phase prior to the next New or Full Moon. Some however, depending on their complexity, may take a much longer time. Just remember that our thoughts and emotions set Universal Action in motion and much work takes place behind the scenes as everything is orchestrated for fulfillment. Keep visualizing your goals as though you have already attained them and they will eventually manifest. Do not concern yourself with current conditions or worry about controlling it. The universe takes care of those details. Just keep seeing what you want, and move in that direction with your actions, and give no energy to what you don’t want. Patience is required.
Winter Solstice Non-local Meditation
How Hitler Came to Power: A Warning to America
Audio is from On Point with Tom Ashbrook. Being interviewed is historian Eric Weitz. Discussed is how Hitler rose to power and the “comeback” right-wing populism is making in Europe and in the United States in the form of Donald Trump. What economic and social conditions helped the Nazis come to power?
“Mysteries of the Kingdom of Shambhala” by April Holloway
Shambhala, which is a Sanskrit word meaning “place of peace” or “place of silence”, is a mythical paradise spoken of in ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient scriptures of the Zhang Zhung culture which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. According to legend, it is a land where only the pure of heart can live, a place where love and wisdom reigns and where people are immune to suffering, want or old age.
Shambhala is said to be the land of a thousand names. It has been called the Forbidden Land, the Land of White Waters, Land of Radiant Spirits, Land of Living Fire, Land of the Living Gods and Land of Wonders. The Hindus call it Aryavartha (‘The Land of the Worthy Ones); the Chinese know it as Hsi Tien, the Western Paradise of Hsi Wang Mu; and to the Russian Old Believers, it is known as Belovoyde. But throughout Asia, it is best known by its Sanskrit name, Shambhala, Shamballa, or Shangri-la.
Shambhala is described as a land of paradise.Photo credit: Naughty Dog-Uncharted
The legend of Shambhala is said to date back thousands of years, and reference to the mythical land can be found in various ancient texts. The Bön scriptures speak of a closely related land called Olmolungring. Hindu texts such as Vishnu Purana mention Shambhala as the birth place of Kalki, the final incarnation of Vishnu who will usher in a new Golden Age. The Buddhist myth of Shambhala is an adaptation of the earlier Hindu myth. However, the text in which Shambhala is first discussed extensively is the Kalachakra.
The Kalachakra refers to a complex and advanced esoteric teaching and practice in Tibetan Buddhism. Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have taught the Kalachakra on request of King Suchandra of Shambhala.
As with many concepts in the Kalachakra, the idea of Shambhala is said to have outer, inner, and alternative meanings. The outer meaning understands Shambhala to exist as a physical place, although only individuals with the appropriate karma can reach it and experience it as such. The inner and alternative meanings refer to more subtle understandings of what Shambhala represents in terms of one’s own body and mind (inner), and during meditative practice (alternative). These two types of symbolic explanations are generally passed on orally from teacher to student.
As the 14th Dalai Lama noted during the 1985 Kalachakra initiation in Bodhgaya, Shambhala is not an ordinary country:
Although those with special affiliation may actually be able to go there through their karmic connection, nevertheless it is not a physical place that we can actually find. We can only say that it is a pure land, a pure land in the human realm. And unless one has the merit and the actual karmic association, one cannot actually arrive there.
A Buddhist depiction of Shambhala from Sera Monastery (private collection). Image source.
The Prophecy of Shambhala
The concept of Shambhala plays an important role in Tibetan religious teachings, and has particular relevance in Tibetan mythology about the future. The Kalachakra prophesies the gradual deterioration of mankind as the ideology of materialism spreads over the earth. When the “barbarians” who follow this ideology are united under an evil king and think there is nothing left to conquer, the mists will lift to reveal the snowy mountains of Shambhala. The barbarians will attack Shambhala with a huge army equipped with terrible weapons. Then the king of Shambhala will emerge from Shambhala with a huge army to vanquish “dark forces” and usher in a worldwide Golden Age.
Though the Kālachakra prophesies a future war, this appears in conflict with the vows of Buddhist teachings that prohibit violence. This has led some theologians to interpret the war symbolically – the Kālachakra is not advocating violence against people but rather refers to the inner battle of the religious practitioner against inner demonic tendencies.
Shambhala’s hidden location
Over many centuries, numerous explorers and seekers of spiritual wisdom have embarked on expeditions and quests in search of the mythical paradise of Shambhala, and while many have claimed to have been there, no one has yet provided any evidence of its existence or been able to pinpoint its physical location on a map, however most references place Shambhala in the mountainous regions of Eurasia.
Ancient Zhang Zhung texts identify Shambhala with the Sutlej Valley in Punjab or Himachal Pradesh, India. Mongolians identify Shambhala with certain valleys of southern Siberia. In Altai folklore, Mount Belukha is believed to be the gateway to Shambhala. Modern Buddhist scholars seem to conclude that Shambhala is located in the higher reaches of the Himalayas in what is now called the Dhauladhar Mountains around Mcleodganj. Some legends say that the entrance to Shambhala is hidden inside a remote, abandoned monastery in Tibet, and guarded by beings known as the Shambhala Guardians.
According to Buddhist traditions, Shambhala is located in the Himalayan Mountains. Photo source: Wikipedia.
For some, the fact that Shambhala has never been found has a very simple explanation – many believe that Shambhala lies on the very edge of physical reality, as a bridge connecting this world to one beyond it.
While many disregard Shambhala as the fanciful subject of myth and legend, for others, a belief in Shambhala stirs an inner yearning to one day find this utopian kingdom.
Featured image: An artist’s depiction of Shambhala. Photo credit: Naughty Dog-Uncharted
References
Mystery of Shambhala – by Jason Jeffrey
Shambhala – New World Encyclopaedia
Shambhala – The Magic Kingdom – International Kalachakra Movement
The Prophecies of Shambhala – Stranger Dimensions