New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove • Dec 7, 2024 Bernardo Kastrup, PhD, is a computer scientist. He is author of Rationalist Spirituality, Why Materialism is Baloney, Dreamed Up Reality, Meaning in Absurdity, Brief Peeks Beyond, More Than Allegory, and The Idea of the World. He has published several papers in Scientific American arguing for metaphysical idealism. His websites are https://www.bernardokastrup.com/ and https://www.essentiafoundation.org/ In this video, rebooted from 2018, he explains his own nuanced brand of philosophical idealism. He distinguishes his perspective from that of the British empiricist, Bishop George Berkeley, and notes that he draws inspiration from the German idealist, Arthur Schopenhauer. He claims that the logical contradictions ensuing from materialism can all be resolved. He also describes a series of findings in different areas of brain science that he finds consistent with an idealistic perspective. New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. He is Co-Director of Parapsychology Education at the California Institute for Human Science. (Recorded on November 13, 2018)

New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove • Dec 6, 2024 This video is a special release from the original Thinking Allowed series that ran on public television from 1986 until 2002. It was recorded in about 1988. It will remain public for only one week. Intuition functions in a holistic, non-linear fashion. Patricia Sun, internationally renowned as a seminar leader and spiritual healer, says that intuition arises from a source within us connected to the infinite. Thus, developing intuition involves opening up to one’s vulnerability in the face of the infinite. Ultimately, this involves such trust in oneself that whatever may happen, even death, will be acceptable. Now you can watch all of the programs from the original Thinking Allowed Video Collection, hosted by Jeffrey Mishlove. Subscribe to the new Streaming Channel (https://thinkingallowed.vhx.tv/) and watch more than 350 programs now, with more, previously unreleased titles added weekly. Free month of the classic Thinking Allowed streaming channel for New Thinking Allowed subscribers only. Use code THINKFREELY.

A rigorous case for the primacy of mind in nature, from philosophy to neuroscience, psychology and physics. The Idea of the World offers a grounded alternative to the frenzy of unrestrained abstractions and unexamined assumptions in philosophy and science today. This book examines what can be learned about the nature of reality based on conceptual parsimony, straightforward logic and empirical evidence from fields as diverse as physics and neuroscience. It compiles an overarching case for idealism – the notion that reality is essentially mental – from ten original articles the author has previously published in leading academic journals.

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All kinds of “impossible” things, from extra-dimensional beings to bilocation to bumps in the night, are not impossible at all: rather,  they are a part of our natural world. But this natural world is immeasurably more weird, more wonderful, and probably more populated than we have so far imagined with our current categories and cultures, which are what really make these things seem “impossible.” The Super Natural considers that the natural world is actually a “super natural world” – and all we have to do to see this is to change the lenses through which we are looking at it and the languages through which we are presently limiting it. 

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Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor presents four distinct modules of cells as four characters that make up who we are: Character 1, Left Thinking; Character 2, Left Emotion; Character 3, Right Emotion; and Character 4, Right Thinking. Everything we think, feel, or do is dependent upon brain cells to perform that function. Since each of the Four Characters stems from specific groups of cells that feel unique inside of our body, they each display particular skills, feel specific emotions, or think distinctive thoughts. In Whole Brain Living, Dr. Taylor shows us how to get acquainted with our own Four Characters, observe how they show up in our daily life, and learn to identify and relate to them in others as well. 

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Psychologist Dr. Steve Taylor has spent several years analysing “time expansion experiences” (or TEEs), after collecting hundreds of reports. He has also found many examples of “time cessation experiences” (or TCEs), in which time appears to disappear altogether. In this book he shares the fascinating psychology and shared features behind all of these case studies, coming to an incredible conclusion: TEEs are a real altered state of consciousness, rather than a trick of recollection. 

This supernova (the result of an exploding star) was first observed by Chinese and Japanese astronomers in the year 1181. That’s why it is designated SN1181. It is located about 8,000 light years from the earth in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is also now known as the Dandelion Supernova, because of the filaments, now detectable, that resemble the fine hairlike material that enables wind-aided dispersal of the dandelion seed.

(jmishlove@newthinkingallowed.com)

SUPER FAST EXPRESS 

The train will fly through vacuum tunnels and allow passengers to access the internet through equally speedy 5G

• James Evenden
• Published: 15:23 ET, Dec 5 2024 (the-sun.com)

Close

Video link: https://www.the-sun.com/news/13034367/floating-train-china-levitation-track-laid/

A FLOATING train that is faster than a plane has begun construction, marking a huge step forward for the 621mph lighting locomotive.

China Railway will use magnetic levitation (maglev) technology to zip passengers through vacuum tubes faster than they have ever gone.

The magnets on the train are able to interact with the metal on the sides of the pipe to levitate the train and propel it forwards.

China’s high-speed trains operate currently at 217mph and support 5G connectivity, even in long tunnels.

This new design will allow passengers to travel over 400mph faster than they are currently able to.

The average cruising speed for a long-haul commercial passenger aircraft ranges from approximately 547 to 575mph.

READ MORE IN TECH

ROBO LASSIE 

Robot dog scales 16ft heights in just 1 second & ‘sniffs out’ hidden plants

According to China Railway, their aim is to quicken the development of trains that are faster, smarter, more environmentally friendly, and more energy-efficient.

Magnetic levitation, otherwise known as maglev, use superconducting magnets in a low-vacuum pipe to strengthen the magnetic field.

These latest trains eliminate friction, to zoom by, effectively floating on thin air.

It will branch from the existing 11.5mile Maglev Express Line S2 from Changsha Nan station just west of the airport.

There is already one maglev train in operation in China, which connects the Airport in Shanghai to the city center – making the 19 mile journey possible in around seven minutes.

CONNECTION ISSUES

Maintaining communication between phones and base stations at near-sonic speeds has often been a challenge for experts.

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.677.1_en.html#goog_436194476Play Video

Watch incredible hyperloop train of the future smash speed record on mission to whisk passengers at more than 300mph

As the speed of the train changes, the signal frequency shifts, disrupting the signals needed to sustain the data transfer necessary.

Installing base stations in near-vacuum tubes is also tough.

If an antenna dislodges due to vibrations, it could endanger the high-speed train.

Researchers from Southeast University, led by Professor Song Tiecheng of the National Key Laboratory of Mobile Communications, have proposed a solution.

They have proposed laying two parallel cables along the inner wall of the tube.

These will emit electromagnetic signals to minimise disruptions.

The Sun has previously reported on China Railway’s tests to get the levitating train off the ground and onto the track, so it can get off the ground.

China are the leaders in the high-speed railway development, but other global powers have also been developing their own high-speed trains to provide an alternative to flying.

Illustration: Leah Palmer Preiss

A.Word.A.Daywith Anu Garg

fairy-tale

PRONUNCIATION:

(FER-ee-tayl) 

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Referring to a situation where improbable events lead to a happy ending.
2. Relating to a story with fantastical, untrue, or idealized elements.

ETYMOLOGY:

From fairy, from Latin fata (fate) + tale, from Old English talu (story). Earliest documented use: 1904.

Christian Science

Mark Twain, Shelley Fisher Fishkin (Series Editor), Hamlin Hill (Primary Contributor) …more

An amusing assault on Christian Science’s more extravagant claims to cure illness and on founder Mary Baker Eddy’s obfuscating writing style.

About the author

Mark Twain

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the “greatest humorist the United States has produced,” with William Faulkner calling him “the father of American literature.” His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the “Great American Novel.” Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889) and Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”

― Voltaire

François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume M. de Voltaire (November 21, 1694 – May 30, 1776), was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit and his criticism of Christianity and of slavery, Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. Wikipedia

(Astrobutterfly.com)

On December 7th, 2024, Mars goes retrograde at 6° Leo. Mars stays retrograde for nearly 3 months, with its retrograde motion concluding on February 24th, 2025, at 17° Cancer.

Mars only goes retrograde once every 2 years, so when it does, that’s quite a big deal.

This is a significant astrological event because it’s so rare. Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, the outer planets once a year. Mars goes retrograde only every 26 months.

Mars doesn’t go retrograde often… but when it does, you can bet it comes with important changes and developments.

This is important!

Mars Retrograde – What Does It Mean

When Mars goes retrograde, what used to feel like your default way of being suddenly shifts. 

Mars retrograde brings a wake-up call or a strong need to reexamine your goals and motivations.

These retrograde cycle periods tend to be highly eventful.

While some astrologers recommend avoiding bold actions or major decisions during this time – on the premise that ‘retrograde’ equals ‘bad timing’ – people often feel compelled to act anyway because the transit creates such a strong sense of urgency.

Why is that?

Unlike Mercury and Venus retrograde, which fade into the Sun’s glare, Mars remains fully visible and shines at its brightest in the night sky. Instead of retreating, Mars intensifies.

Mars retrograde works differently – it’s not about ‘DON’T,’ as Mercury retrograde often is, but rather ‘DO – with intention.’ Its commanding presence is impossible to ignore.

Mars retrograde is Mars on steroids – it amplifies and brings to culmination whatever Mars symbolizes.

When Mars is retrograde, you will embody Mars, you will act like Mars – you will be Mars. And finally, through this intense period, your true motivations and desires will be revealed.

While certain things may slow down, these obstacles won’t deter you. Instead, they will drive you to take action more forcefully than usual, and from a more authentic place.

Mars Retrograde is NOT a time to ignore your instincts. Instead, it’s an opportunity to tune into them deeply and act with heightened awareness and purpose.

Mars retrograde’s ultimate goal is to help you uncover what really drives you – what makes you say, “I want this so badly, I’ll do anything to get it.”

Taking action in such a highly charged period may feel unwise, but avoiding it entirely will often be just as challenging. Mars retrograde has a way of confronting you with your deepest desires and pushing you to act, even if you’d rather hold back.

Rather than resist it, use this period to deeply connect with your inner drives and motivations. What truly drives you? 

There’s something profoundly important about your true wants and desires, and the Mars retrograde cycle will help you discover what fuels your passion and compels you to act.

Mars Retrograde In Leo-Cancer 2024-2025 Timeline

Before we dive into the details, let’s take a look at the transit’s timeline – when Mars goes retrograde, when it goes direct, when it leaves its shadow, and the key aspects it makes with other planets.

This particular Mars retrograde cycle is marked by the intense opposition to Pluto, which begins on November 3rd, 2024, and will only conclude by late April 2025.

• October 5th, 2024: Mars enters shadow at 17° Cancer
• November 3rd, 2024: Mars opposite Pluto at 29° Cancer/Capricorn
• December 7th, 2024: Mars goes retrograde at 6° Leo
• January 3rd, 2025: Mars opposite Pluto at 1° Leo/Aquarius
• January 6th, 2025: Mars re-enters Cancer
• January 15th, 2025: Mars opposite Sun
• February 24th, 2025: Mars goes direct at 17° Cancer 
• April 27th, 2025: Mars opposite Pluto at 3° Leo/Aquarius
• May 2d, 2025: Mars leaves shadow at 6° Leo

Pay attention to these dates and note any shifts, urges, breakthroughs, or events.

Usually, these phases are interconnected. There’s an overarching theme that typically begins when Mars enters shadow, becomes clearer when Mars goes retrograde, intensifies with key planetary aspects, starts finding resolution when Mars goes direct, and wraps up once Mars exits its shadow phase.

All these transits and phases tell a story – one that reveals itself gradually, one step at a time, like following a breadcrumb trail through the forest.

Mars Opposite Pluto – The Impossible Situation

One key feature of this Mars retrograde cycle is the unusually long, 6-month Mars-opposite-Pluto transit.

Mars and Pluto will be locked in opposition for a record 6 months. The first exact aspect happens on November 3rd, 2024, the second on January 3rd, 2025, and the final one on April 27th, 2025.

It’s Mars vs. Pluto.

Mars is our instinct to act, assert, and pursue what we desire. Mars wants to get its own way – directly, decisively, and often without compromise.

What about Pluto? Pluto is the higher octave of Mars, so if Mars is our personal will, Pluto is the collective will. Think of Pluto as nature, or the universe – it’s how everything is orchestrated on a grand scale.

At a psychological level, Pluto represents what’s hidden and unacknowledged, and because it’s hidden and unacknowledged, it holds power over us.

Our ‘unowned’ Pluto may manifest as a fear of being weak, disguised by a defensive or controlling attitude. Or it could be a fear of our own power, causing us to overcompensate by shrinking back or playing small.

Mars opposite Pluto means we have Mars (raw energy, the drive to assert oneself) vs. Pluto (power, control, and transformation). This dynamic often leads to a battle of wills, testing our boundaries, determination, and ability to navigate power struggles.

During a Mars-Pluto opposition, we attract – consciously or unconsciously – the “impossible situation.” The “impossible situation” is a scenario so dramatic and intense that it tests our relationship with power, control, and the world at large.

The “impossible situation” usually reflects a deeply unconscious dynamic from our childhood.

If we were to analyze most of our life choices – like the people we surround ourselves with, our relationship patterns, career paths, or belief systems – they often trace back to early childhood or parental influences.

These formative experiences become embedded in our psychological wiring, shaping how we think, feel, and act, and influencing the beliefs we carry and the outcomes we experience.

Perhaps the ‘impossible situation’ is an adult version of a deeply rooted childhood frustration – perhaps something as simple as being a baby and not being fed at the exact time you wanted to be. 

Or it could stem from a parental dynamic, where one caregiver held all the ‘control’ while the other felt dominated, leaving you with a sense of powerlessness and limited options.

Until we fully understand what this impossible situation is rooted in, we tend to repeat it in different shapes and forms throughout our lives- again and again.

Given that this is Mars retrograde, and coupled with the intense Mars-Pluto opposition, this breakthrough will likely NOT come from simply doing some love-and-kindness meditation.

We will likely feel compelled to put up a fight, because Mars and Pluto represent forces of will and power, and the opposition aspect symbolizes conflict and tension. 

The opposition aspect is our psyche’s way of surfacing unconscious conflicts by projecting them onto others or external situations.

Whatever triggers us – whatever makes us angry, whatever stirs up deep emotions—is a clue to what lies beneath the surface.

Perhaps it’s about not being seen for who you truly are. Not being validated or appreciated for your unique identity (Leo). Or maybe it’s about not being cared for emotionally, being overlooked, or constantly putting your own needs last (Cancer).

Ultimately, these emotions – whether pain, anger, or resentment – need to find a way to surface and release.

But this Mars retrograde is about much more than simply lashing out or making “listen to me” cries for attention.

With Mars opposite Pluto, this is not about ‘getting our way’ under the guise of self-expression or healing work.

The world isn’t a place where everyone’s needs are met all the time. It’s a place of conflicting and competing priorities, where we must learn to assert ourselves when needed, while also recognizing and adapting to larger forces beyond our control.

Mars retrograde opposite Pluto teaches us to find the fine line between standing our ground and learning to navigate the greater dynamics at play.

The goal? To learn how to swim with the tide rather than against it. To stay true to ourselves while understanding the power of surrender and adaptability in the face of larger forces.

https://content.leadquizzes.com/lp/iWzl1rS5gg?embed=1

Mars Retrograde – Leo Vs. Cancer

Mars starts its retrograde journey in Leo (at 6°) and ends it in Cancer (at 17°).

Archetypally, Cancer represents the infant in need of nurturing and support, while Leo symbolizes the empowered child who has become an individual, no longer requiring constant supervision.

The 12 signs have a natural evolutionary succession. We move from Aries to Taurus, to Gemini, and so on.

A safe, well-cared-for child (Cancer) eventually grows into a confident and expressive Leo. When we come to terms with our vulnerability (Cancer), we naturally find the courage to reveal our true selves to the world (Leo).

This is the way archetypal evolution works; this is how individuation unfolds. However, when a planet is retrograde, it appears to move backwards (as seen from Earth). Archetypally, this represents a regression into the previous archetype. In this case, Mars ‘regresses’ from Leo to Cancer.

This suggests there are lessons to be learned around the transition from Cancer to Leo. 

Behaviors like selfishness, arrogance, or standoffishness – traits associated with an overemphasized Leo – may actually stem from unresolved Cancer wounds, such as deep-seated insecurity, unmet emotional needs, or a lack of foundational nurturing

To truly shine your light (Leo), what foundations do you need in place? When we hesitate to go for what we want or feel uncomfortable stepping into our full potential (Leo), it’s often because we don’t feel safe or supported (Cancer).

Sometimes, this dynamic doesn’t just apply to how we treat ourselves – it shows up in how we interact with others. For example, when we put others down, it may come from unconscious envy or unresolved feelings of inadequacy.

Not having strong Cancerian foundations can create hidden vulnerabilities that sabotage us in ways we may not even recognize.

When Mars retrograde moves back into Cancer, it gives us an opportunity to revisit and address unresolved nurturing and caregiving dynamics. 

This is an invitation to explore where we feel weak, overly dependent on others, or emotionally vulnerable – to go to the root of these patterns, and understand how they influence our lives. 

Mars And The Hero’s Journey: The Hero vs. The Villain

Mars’ journey around the Sun is a metaphor for the Hero’s journey – the initiatic journey of self-discovery and character formation. 

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative template developed by the mythologist Joseph Campbell to describe the universal path every hero takes in stories across cultures.

In fact, nearly all Hollywood blockbusters follow Campbell’s Hero’s Journey: the story begins when the hero is presented with a great challenge – “fight the dragon,” “save the princess,” etc. 

Ultimately, the goal of this journey is transformation: to evolve from a prince into a king, or from a hero into a true guide.

Mars’ journey – or the Hero’s Journey – takes approximately two years and starts when Mars is conjunct the Sun (the last conjunction was November 18th, 2023).

Mars always goes retrograde at the midpoint of its cycle – and that’s where we are now. We’re essentially halfway through Mars’ two-year cycle. In the Hero’s Journey, this midpoint corresponds to the phase where the hero confronts the villain.

Fighting the villain is a necessary part of the hero’s process of individuation – the journey to becoming a whole, integrated self.

That’s why people tend to feel more “angry” or aggressive when Mars is retrograde. Facing the villain is no easy task!

But who is this villain? Your neighbor? Your boss? The state? Someone with a different opinion?

The villain is a metaphor for our shadow side – the unintegrated parts of our psyche that we disown and project onto others..

To successfully complete the journey, the inner villain must be embraced. When we learn to establish healthy relationships with others and see them for who they are – without projecting our shadow onto them – when we learn to accept differing points of view without anger or defensiveness, we achieve a sense of inner wholeness.

This is what the Hero’s Journey is ultimately about: integrating our shadow, finding peace within, and becoming a true guide for others.

Mars Retrograde Reflection

To align yourself with the energy of Mars retrograde, do this exercise:

1. Write down your intentions for this Mars retrograde. Don’t overthink the astrology – just write down whatever feels relevant to you at the moment, your key priorities:

……..

……..

……..

2. Now choose the most important one. Circle it.

……..

3. Now – pay attention to this – answer the following question: What fear hides behind this goal? This question might sound strange, but take your time. You don’t have to stick with your first answer. Dig deeper: Why did you choose this goal? What are you really afraid of?

You’ll know you’ve found the answer if it surprises you. If you still don’t have a satisfying answer, keep asking yourself: “What fear hides behind me choosing this goal?” 

Here are some additional questions to reflect on during Mars retrograde:

• Where am I meeting resistance, and why? What is it about my approach that isn’t working?
• Which areas of my life need honest, decisive action?
• How can I channel Mars’ energy to find solutions to long-standing problems?
• What foundations or safety nets (Cancer) do I need to have in place to shine my light (Leo)? 
• What battle am I fighting? What am I really trying to achieve?

Ultimately, Mars retrograde invites you to face the hidden fears that drive your goals, recognize patterns of resistance in your life, and recalibrate your actions. 

By the end of this transit, you’ll have a clearer understanding of where you’ve been holding back, where you’ve been pushing too hard, and what authentic, purposeful action looks like. 

Illustration: Leah Palmer Preiss

A.Word.A.Daywith Anu Garg

kindler

PRONUNCIATION:

(KIN-duh-luhr) 

MEANING:

noun:
1. A person or thing that starts a fire.
2. A person or thing that inspires, incites, or arouses.

ETYMOLOGY:

Probably from Old Norse kynda (to ignite). Earliest documented use: 1439.