My body is a gift, enabling me to ground my spiritual journey within the illusion of time and space. It is neither my ultimate reality nor my true identity. I use the body as it was meant to be used – as a vessel through which to express my love.
I protect my body from the assaults of modernity – from thoughts of chaos to the contaminants of the physical environment. I do so by infusing my body with the light of the divine, seeing with my inner eye the spirit of God as it pours into my every cell.
Dear God, I dedicate to You my body. Pour into it Your spirit. Protect it from the forces of fear And use it for Your purposes. Turn my body into a holy thing. And so it is. Amen
My body’s cells are suffused with light
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What if doing your chores were as easy as flipping a switch? In this talk and live demo, roboticist and founder of 1X Bernt Børnich introduces NEO, a humanoid robot designed to help you out around the house. Watch as NEO shows off its ability to vacuum, water plants and keep you company, while Børnich tells the story of its development — and shares a vision for robot helpers that could free up your time to focus on what truly matters.
Ian Berwick • Oct 25, 2015 Hymn of the United Nations Organization (الأمم المتحدة, 联合国 , Organisation des Nations unies, Организация Объединённых Наций, Naciones Unidas) Music – Pablo Casals Written by – Wystan Hugh Auden
Eagerly, musician, Sweep your string, So we may sing, Elated, optative, Our several voices Interblending, Playfully contending, Not interfering But co-inhering, For all within The cincture of the sound, Is holy ground Where all are brothers, None faceless others.
Let mortals beware Of words, for With words we lie, Can say peace When we mean war, Foul thought, speak fair And promise falsely, But song is true: Let music for peace Be the paradigm, For peace means to change At the right time, As the world clock Goes “tick” and “tock”.
So may the story Of our human city Presently move Like music, when Begotten notes New notes beget Making the flowing Of time a growing Till what it could be, At last it is, Where even sadness Is a form of gladness, Where fate is freedom, Grace and surprise.
New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove • Apr 12, 2025 Joseph Burkes, MD, is a board certified specialist in internal medicine. He is coauthor of the chapter titled “Medical Healings Reported by UAP Contact Experiencers: An Analysis of the FREE Date” in the anthology Beyond UFOs: The Science of Consciousness and Contact with Non Human Intelligence. In this interview, rebooted from 2019, he describes the details of his work with several organizations of using mental techniques including visualization and meditation to initiate visual contact with unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). These contacts included ostensible two-way communication with glowing orbs and lights in the sky and instances of missing time. Eventually, he concluded that the intelligences behind the phenomena were capable of manipulating human consciousness and human belief systems. 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 March 30, 2019)
On April 12th, 2025, we have a Full Moon at 23° Libra. This is a healing and potentially breakthrough Full Moon where something long-buried may finally come to light.
The most important aspect the Full Moon makes is a tight opposition to Chiron in Aries. There’s an urgency about this Full Moon, and Chiron adds intensity and emotional charge: it’s healing – now or never.
Healing, of course, means different things to different people; it can be physical healing – like in the case of a health concern – but also emotional, psychological, or spiritual.
Perhaps there’s a health symptom you’ve ignored for a while – but it has been nagging you in the background, and now you decide to do something about it.
Perhaps there has been some emotional backlog – things left unspoken, a trauma or a difficult episode that hasn’t been fully processed.
Even more benign things, like not dealing with an unresolved conversation, or not opening an email because you fear it requires a difficult decision, can stir feelings of unease and emotional heaviness.
Or maybe there’s a psychological wound; mental health challenges – anxiety, obsession, spiraling thoughts – can often be traced back to an old experience or key piece of information that wasn’t fully understood or integrated at the time.
Since then, it’s been whirling in the background, keeping us stuck. When we finally put 2 and 2 together – when we understand the root cause of our discomfort – healing can spontaneously happen. Some of the most insidious wounds, however, are spiritual. These are wounds we’re not consciously aware of, because in our modern, ‘science’-driven reality, spirituality is no longer a priority – and it’s harder to define. Symptoms of spiritual wounds include a lack of faith, a sense of meaninglessness, emotional numbness, lethargy, and loss of motivation.
We could argue – especially now, with Chiron transiting Aries – that most wounds, if we really trace them back to their source, are spiritual.
In fact, the words heal, whole, and even holy are all etymologically related – they all come from the same root (Proto-Germanic “hailjan”), and reflect the idea that health, wholeness, and sacredness are interconnected.
It’s this primal disconnection from the sacred that leaves us without a compass – and allows all kinds of other forms of dis-ease, confusion, or fragmentation to settle in.
We, astrology lovers, still remember – somewhere deep down – that there is a higher meaning to our experience, a cosmic order that binds everything together.
The Full Moon in Libra – tightly opposite Chiron, the Wounded Healer – comes with a unique opportunity to take an outside perspective and look at the wound for what it is.
Full Moon In Libra – The Opposition Aspect
Libra is known for being a discerning, objective sign; it’s the first sign (the 7th out of 12) to make the aspect of opposition.
In fact, we could say that the opposition aspect – with all that it entails psychologically, i.e. the ability to remove oneself from the subjective experience and view things from the outside (initially through the mechanism of projection) – is, fundamentally, a Libra aspect.
So when the spiritual wound (Sun conjunct Chiron in Aries) reaches a boiling point, the Moon in Libra, in an exact opposition, comes to give us that sense of perspective. To help us name it, see it clearly, and hold it for what it is.
For some of us, the insight will be spontaneous. Something will trigger – usually feelings of inadequacy, being left out, feeling like a misfit – which are classic Chiron modus operandi – and we will suddenly know what it is. And if it’s not immediately obvious, look back at your life – especially to your childhood, when you had a sparkle in your eye, an untouchable fire.
When did you lose that spark? What made that flame go out, disconnect from the divine – from your inner sacredness?
Chiron’s role, as the bridge between Saturn (what’s visible and structured) and Uranus (what’s invisible and infinite), is exactly this: to reconnect us to the sacred and restore our sense of wholeness.
Full Moon in Libra – The Aspects
The aspects the Full Moon makes with other planets will give us the full picture of this lunation.
The Full Moon is not only tightly opposite Chiron (at 23° Aries), – but also square Mars (at 27° Cancer), and trine Jupiter (at 17° Gemini).
The Full Moon in Libra brings to light early wounds of abandonment (Chiron) and the walls and defense mechanisms we might have built as a form of self-protection (Mars in Cancer).
Perhaps in the process we’ve become the man or lady in the tower, guarding our hearts, sabotaging our relationships, rejecting others before they can reject us first.
Maybe we didn’t receive the help we needed when we were young, and as a result, we learned to no longer ask for it. Perhaps our innocent enthusiasm was met with a blank stare – so we learned to no longer share it… and in time, we stopped feeling it altogether.
Perhaps we felt too much, or were told we were too intense, too sensitive, too inadequate. Some of our interests or passions may have been deemed “weird” – hello again astrology lovers, we know how that feels, right?
But we are who we are – our true self is the sum of all these fragments, stories, and longings – whether they are socially acceptable or not.
And learning to love all the bits and pieces of ourselves is not about throwing our wants and needs in people’s faces without consideration (an extreme Aries approach) – but it’s also not about shutting down parts of ourselves to please others (the opposite approach, Libra).
It’s about finding that wholeness where these two parts of ourselves can coexist and collaborate.
Just like Chiron was half-man, half-horse, we too carry dualities that are meant to work together, not cancel each other out.
The Full Moon is trine Jupiter in Gemini, sending a message of hope. If we open up a little, if we take initiative in social settings, we can create real connections.
Jupiter in Gemini reminds us to have faith in others. People often feel closed off not because they’re cold – but because they, too, were once met with indifference, judgment, or rejection.
But what if we are the ones to smile first? To say the first hello? Perhaps we can do that without attachment to outcome, even if we get rejected.
Because when it comes from a genuine place of wholeness, rejection – if it happens – doesn’t have to hurt the same way. It doesn’t mean we’re wrong. It just means the connection – or the timing – wasn’t aligned.
Full Moon in Libra – Healing, Now Or Never
Healing – now or never. Why now or never? Because without a sense of pressure, without a sense of urgency, we will never act.
It’s said that Libra is indecisive, which is not entirely true. Libra is the scale, and by design, the scales need to move back and forth to find that equilibrium. But this doesn’t mean Libra cannot act; quite the contrary, Libra is a cardinal sign. It’s just that it acts when the ‘planets align,’ i.e. when the conditions for right action are met.
With the tight Chiron aspect, with the square to Mars – that time has come.
So let’s do it now. Let’s confront what needs to be confronted. On the other side of fear and resistance are relief, joy, a renewed sense of wholeness, and a sense of purpose and direction.
The cover portrait for Bells Larsen’s sophomore album, “Blurring Time.” The Canadian singer-songwriter, who is trans, announced he was forced to cancel all U.S. tour dates due to a new federal immigration policy that requires government-issued identification to reflect an individual’s sex assigned at birth.
Just weeks before the release of his deeply personal sophomore album “Blurring Time,” Canadian singer-songwriter Bells Larsen, who is trans, announced he was forced to cancel all U.S. tour dates due to a new federal immigration policy that requires government-issued identification to reflect an individual’s sex assigned at birth.
“I received an email on Tuesday from the American Federation of Musicians stating that I am no longer able to apply for a Visa because US Immigration now only recognizes identification that corresponds with one’s assigned sex at birth,” Larsen wrote in an Instagram post Friday, April 11. “To put it super plainly, because I’m trans (and have an M on my passport), I can’t tour in the States.”
The abrupt change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on the first day of his second term, declaring that all U.S. documents must “accurately reflect the holder’s sex.” The administration claims the policy is immutable.
Larsen’s canceled tour included stops in Boston, New York and Los Angeles, as well as several Northern California dates, where he had hoped to perform for queer and trans audiences. He was scheduled to perform at the 4 Star Theater in San Francisco, June 25; Little Saint in Healdsburg, June 26; the Miniplex in Arcata, June 27; and the Partisan in Merced, June 28.
“Blurring Time” is an intimate project exploring Larsen’s gender transition, described by the artist as “my life’s work.”
“This new policy has crushed my dreams,” he wrote. “I’m cradling a very broken heart and the realization that I don’t know if or when I will be able to tour in the States again.”
Halifax artist T. Thomason, also trans, canceled a scheduled appearance at Maine’s All Roads Festival, citing similar concerns. “I just don’t feel like it’s worth the risk,” he said in a video post.
The policy shift has prompted broader fears among Canadian musicians.
“There’s a lot of weight put on being able to break into that market,” Thomason added. “If you’re an artist that is legally not able to get into the U.S., that’s a huge hit to your career.”
Earlier this month, Canadian rocker Neil Young expressed concern that Trump may prevent him from reentering the U.S. after his upcoming European tour due to his outspoken political stance.
“That’s right folks, if you say anything bad about Trump or his administration, you may be barred from re-entering USA. If you are Canadian,” he continued. “If you are a dual citizen like me, who knows? We’ll all find that out together.”
WASHINGTON—Warning that even the slightest dent, knick, or scratch would henceforth be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday that Raymond Pratt, a 54-year-old resident of Chula Vista, CA who bumped a Tesla while parallel parking, had been sentenced to death. “Let me be clear: This man, who attempted to park on the street and damaged the rear bumper of a Model 3, is a domestic terrorist who deserves to die,” said Bondi, adding that the United States now had a zero tolerance policy against people like Pratt, who gently bumped a Tesla, exited his 2018 Hyundai Elantra to inspect the electric vehicle for any damage, and—though he found none—left a note apologizing to the owner just in case. “There is no world in which this man can walk free after plotting to parallel park so poorly that he tapped the sleek, sophisticated Tesla with his bumper while nudging forward at around 2 mph. The only way to deal with criminals like this is to end their lives. He gets what he deserves: the electric chair.” Bondi also announced that she would also seek the death penalty for Tesla owners who exchanged their cars, blacked out the Tesla logo, or purchased a bumper sticker that said “I bought this before Elon went crazy.”
Newly elected Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martinannounced Friday that the DNC will launch the “People’s Cabinet.” In spirt at least, it’s a kind of American version of Britain’s “Shadow Cabinet,” which gives a minority party a platform for its ideas. With Republicans holding Congress and the White House, Democrats find themselves completely blocked from Washington’s levers of power, but if executed correctly, the DNC’s “People’s Cabinet” could be a worthy response to frustrated Democrats demanding that their leaders do more to oppose President Donald Trump’s agenda.
In announcing the People’s Cabinet, the DNC contrasted Trump’s largely unqualified panel of advisers that’s chock-full of billionaires and the “experts on the economy, health care, working families and communities, public safety, national security, and foreign policy” it will put forth. Martin said he’s tapping people who “will equip communities with the reliable, accurate information they need to fight back against the worst of the Trump and Republican agenda.” They’ll be putting out social media content, holding media briefings and headlining town halls in GOP-held House districts that critique — and, ideally, offer alternatives to — Trump’s agenda.
Democrats’ plan to present their own leaders and experts to focus on specific policy areas closely tracks with the United Kingdom’s Shadow Cabinet.
Democrats’ plan to present their own leaders and experts to focus on specific policy areas closely tracks with the United Kingdom’s Shadow Cabinet. The leader of the party with the second-most seats in the House of Commons serves as shadow prime minister and appoints members who “shadow” their assigned Cabinet members and tell the public how their party would run things if returned to power. It’s a relatively recent development in the British system that gives the minority party the ability to plan for a return to governing.
On this side of the Atlantic, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both New York Democrats, have been more focused on serving as legislative leaders than offering a political alternative to Trump. While a Monday event by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., spotlighting alleged abuses at the Justice Department is an example of “shadow hearings” Democrats have held, because they’re not official, party leaders have to rely instead on the willing participation of those called to testify.
There’s likewise nobody, then, with the authority to set the party’s agenda as an opposition force and name, for example, a shadow defense secretary to challenge and contradict Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Our political parties generally use the presidential primary system to determine their directions and follow the lead of whichever candidate manages to win the nominations. That means there’s little hope of a united message from the opposition party until the primary field has been cleared.
There’s likewise nobody, then, with the authority to set the party’s agenda as an opposition force
Trump’s grasp on the Republican Party was uncertain after he was voted out of office in 2020, but he quickly refilled the power vacuum by making Mar-a-Lago an unofficial hub for party strategy. Various think tanks and members of Congress, as well as the Republican National Committee, in turn became an extension of Trump’s political operation. In contrast, the Democratic Party has been relatively aimless following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss. It lacks a similar guiding star.
The People’s Cabinet could fill some of that yawning void. There are still plenty of details left to fill in, though, and the structure is much looser than the U.K.’s formal Shadow Cabinet’s assignments. Rather than tapping specific shadow secretaries to serve throughout Trump’s term and potentially fill those roles in the next Democratic administration, a more ad-hoc system appears to be planned.
For example, in the face of the latest jobs report and Trump’s disastrous tariffs, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and former acting Labor Secretary Julie Su joined a media call Friday to hammer out Trump’s economic agenda. But there’s no telling who might be speaking on that front next month. The question of who is setting the Democratic Party’s economic policy moving forward is still left unanswered. Likewise, the only unifying vision that the party has collectively agreed to remains the platform Harris and President Joe Biden helped craft ahead of last year’s loss to Trump.
Without a bright outline for the course the party is taking, there’s a chance the People’s Cabinet comes across as more smoke than fire and fails to reignite the base. But the potential is there for Martin and the DNC to craft a winning platform years before the next presidential election — and before next year’s midterms. It’s an opportunity that the Democrats would be wise not to squander.
Hayes Brown is a writer and editor for MSNBC Daily, where he helps frame the news of the day for readers. He was previously at BuzzFeed News and holds a degree in international relations from Michigan State University.
How to Use the Full Moon in Libra to Your Advantage
1. Reflect on Relationships Libra is centered around partnerships—romantic, platonic, and professional. This Full Moon is ideal for evaluating your connections. Ask yourself where things feel balanced and where they may not. Are you giving too much or too little? Is it time to heal, forgive, or possibly release a relationship that no longer supports your growth? Journaling or writing letters (even if you don’t send them) can help process these emotions.
2. Seek Harmony and Closure Libra energy supports resolution and diplomacy. If you’ve experienced tension in your relationships, this is a great time to open a heart-centered conversation. Focus on listening, understanding, and restoring peace. Libra thrives when both sides feel heard and valued.
3. Beautify Your Space or Yourself Ruled by Venus, Libra is drawn to aesthetics and comfort. Use this Full Moon to bring more beauty into your environment or self-care routine. Refresh your living space, indulge in skincare, or wear something that makes you feel good. Libra energy reminds us that beauty isn’t frivolous—it’s healing.
4. Full Moon Ritual Ideas Build a ritual around themes of love, balance, and release. Light a pink or white candle to symbolize harmony. Write down what is creating imbalance in your life—whether it’s thought patterns, relationships, or habits—and burn or bury the list as a form of release. Charge calming crystals like rose quartz, moonstone, or selenite. You can also recite affirmations such as: “I welcome balance and peace in all areas of my life.”
5. Align Your Inner Scales Take time to slow down and reconnect with yourself. Libra is an air sign, and its energy can stir up overthinking. Practices like meditation, deep breathing, or listening to soothing music can help quiet the mind and restore your inner balance.
How the Full Moon in Libra Impacts Each Zodiac Sign
Aries: This Full Moon highlights your relationship zone. It’s time to evaluate your one-on-one connections—romantic, professional, or personal. Are things balanced? You may feel called to deepen or release a partnership.
Taurus: Focus shifts to your daily routines, health, and work-life balance. Consider letting go of habits or commitments that throw you off. It’s a great time to create more peace and structure in your day-to-day.
Gemini: Creativity, romance, and joy take center stage. Reconnect with what brings you pleasure. If something—or someone—has been dulling your shine, this Full Moon invites you to let it go and prioritize your happiness.
Cancer: Your home, family, and emotional security are in focus. It’s a powerful time to set boundaries, heal family dynamics, or beautify your personal space. Emotional harmony begins with nurturing your inner world.
Leo: Communication, mindset, and your immediate environment are activated. Speak your truth with grace. Release toxic thoughts, gossip, or miscommunications. Clarity and calm conversations can bring balance.
Virgo: This moon spotlights your money, values, and self-worth. Time to review spending, earning, and what you truly value. Let go of scarcity thinking and realign with what supports your financial and emotional security.
Libra: This is your Full Moon, landing in your first house of self and identity. You’re stepping into a new version of yourself. It’s a powerful time to shed outdated labels and honor who you are becoming—especially in relation to others.
Scorpio: The focus is on your subconscious, solitude, and spiritual healing. Old emotions may surface, inviting deep reflection. Rest and release are your allies. Pay attention to dreams and intuitive nudges.
Sagittarius: Community, friendships, and social networks are highlighted. Consider who uplifts you and who drains you. You may be ready to walk away from certain group dynamics or strengthen ties with your soul tribe.
Capricorn: Your career, goals, and public image come into focus. It’s time to assess what success really means to you. If something feels out of alignment professionally, this moon helps you make adjustments with grace.
Aquarius: Beliefs, education, and expansion are the themes. Release outdated thinking or dogma that limits your growth. You might feel inspired to study, travel, or connect with broader perspectives.
Pisces: Intimacy, shared resources, and transformation are highlighted. Let go of emotional or financial entanglements that create imbalance. Deep healing is possible now—especially when you open up to trust and vulnerability.
“An impressive combination of diligence and verve, deploying Ackerman’s deep stores of knowledge as a national security journalist to full effect. The result is a narrative of the last 20 years that is upsetting, discerning and brilliantly argued.” — The New York Times
“One of the most illuminating books to come out of the Trump era.” — New York Magazine
An examination of the profound impact that the War on Terror had in pushing American politics and society in an authoritarian direction
For an entire generation, at home and abroad, the United States has waged an endless conflict known as the War on Terror. In addition to multiple ground wars, the era pioneered drone strikes and industrial-scale digital surveillance; weakened the rule of law through indefinite detentions; sanctioned torture; and manipulated the truth about it all. These conflicts have yielded neither peace nor victory, but they have transformed America. What began as the persecution of Muslims and immigrants has become a normalized feature of American politics and national security, expanding the possibilities for applying similar or worse measures against other targets at home, as the summer of 2020 showed. A politically divided and economically destabilized country turned the War on Terror into a cultural—and then a tribal—struggle. It began on the ideological frontiers of the Republican Party before expanding to conquer the GOP, often with the acquiescence of the Democratic Party. Today’s nativist resurgence walked through a door opened by the 9/11 era. And that door remains open.
Reign of Terror shows how these developments created an opportunity for American authoritarianism and gave rise to Donald Trump. It shows that Barack Obama squandered an opportunity to dismantle the War on Terror after killing Osama bin Laden. By the end of his tenure, the war had metastasized into a bitter, broader cultural struggle in search of a demagogue like Trump to lead it.
Reign of Terror is a pathbreaking and definitive union of journalism and intellectual history with the power to transform how America understands its national security policies and their catastrophic impact on civic life.
(Goodreads.com)
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