Interfaith Spirit Quest

Marriage - ancient Chinese secret

According to a book that sits on my shelf, The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols by Miranda Bruce-Mitford, the bonds of love are pre-destined by the Man in the Moon. 

"Chinese legend recounts how the Man in the Moon ties invisible threads around the legs of newborn boys and girls to link their destinies.  When they grow up, they are irresistibly drawn to each other, and marriage is inevitable."

The custom of wedding bands may also have arisen from this ancient Chinese secret (which is now no longer a secret since I just revealed it to you - haha).  The wedding ring stands for eternity and the cycle of life.  Some historians like to embellish this symbol by adding that it also stands more specifically for fertility, love and devotion - certainly these are also qualities we associate with marriage.  The idea that wedding bands stand for eternity makes sense when marriage is viewed through the story of the Man in the Moon, it's almost like saying we were together before we were born into this human life, we will be together while in the flesh as co-creators in the cycle of life; but we will also be together as we were, in the next life. 

Ah, but what happens when we don't feel the love within the eternal bonds of our particular relationship or marriage?  Well, perhaps we don't value our marriages and relationships as much as we should; most people are really quite lovable when they feel loved.  Maybe this area needs a little love work on our part.  Or, maybe we just haven't found our soul mate yet. 

Think about this the next time you find yourself gazing at the moon with your latest love interest.  Can you feel the strands of enveloping eternal love wrapping themselves around the two of you?  Is this the person you want to spend eternity with?  Is this the one you want to partner with as a co-creator in the cycle of life?

The Illustrated Book of Signs and Symbols

by Miranda Bruce-Mitford

Beautiful & Free Mandala Patterns

This site offers several free Mandala Patterns to use freely:  Subtle-Body Images

Thank you Subtle-Images - for being so generous with your gifts.

Counteract Negative Thoughts by Developing Positive Characteristics

The way we think impacts the way we perceive the world, thereby affecting our actions, our daily living and even our health.  How does your brain work? 

Consider the following personality characteristics expounded upon in this Live Science article: 7 Thoughts That Are Bad For You - and then ask yourself if your perception of the world, viewed through your _________ (fill in the blank) personality is impacting your actions, your daily living, or your health: 

7 Thoughts That Are Bad For You:

1. Stress out easily, prolonged state of stress
2. Gloomy, distressed or inhibited
3. Jittery, highly frazzled 
4. Disorganized or lack of self control
5. Fretting, constantly worried or anxious
6. Lack of meaning or sense of purpose
7. Cynicism, suspicious or mistrustful of others

What if we counteract these negative thoughts by developing more positive characteristics?  You might be surprised at what positive thinking or positive psychology can do for your life:  

1. Relax, meditate, take a walk on the beach and feel the sand between your toes.  Don't take everything so seriously, give up control and take care of yourself instead.
2. Let go once in a while, develop a hobby you enjoy, find something to do so you're not always into everyone's business.
3. Why so nervous?  Be mellow.  Relax, listen to calming, soothing music.  Re-wire yourself to be this way
4. Learn to discipline yourself through repetition, in other words, repeatedly perform the positive characteristic you want to develop in yourself, until you have re-wired your circuits.
5. Use worry constructively - if by worrying you think of something you can do to change the situation - then change it, but stop thinking about it then.  You might not be able to change the whole world, but you can learn to cope with it better.
6.   The purpose of life is to develop a well-balanced and majestic personality.  This means we should be actively pursuing and developing the higher, better, and supreme qualities of ourselves. 
7. Let loose a little, determine in advance whether something is physically or mentally harmful and if it is, stay away, if it's just someone's opinion of a thing, have an open mind and listen - they'll love you for it and who knows, you might even learn something.  The world isn't as scary as we make it out to be. 
   

Life is meant to be lived and experienced - enjoy the journey. 

2012: Science or Superstition - The Movie

Video Trailer for the movie:  2012:  Science or Superstition

 From 2012dvd - About the documentary movie: 
2012: Science or Superstition

December 21, 2012: the end date of the sophisticated Long Count Calendar created by the ancient Maya in Central America. Countless books and websites, magazine articles and newspaper headlines debate its meaning, with enthusiasts in two camps: those forecasting apocalypse–the end of time–and those who see a coming renewal, a rebirth of consciousness.

Adding fuel to the debate, some scientists see the increasing number of natural disasters in recent years as evidence of a catastrophic climax of events in 2012. How much of what we're hearing is science and how much is superstition? In this film the leading researchers, writers and scientists in the field tell us exactly what this date means to them, why it's important, and what we should expect.

Featured in the film are Graham Hancock, John Major Jenkins, Daniel Pinchbeck, Alberto Villoldo, Anthony Aveni, Robert Bauval, Jim Marrs, Walter Cruttenden, Lawrence E. Joseph, Alonso Mendez, Douglas Rushkoff, John Anthony West and Benito Vegas Duran.

Purchase the movie or the book:

Map of Humanity - A Treasure Map for Creating Positive Qualities

The Map of Humanity is a giant atlas of human emotions, qualities, states of mind, judgments, characters, people, cities, and a treasure map for creating positive qualities in our lives. Map creator James Turner explains the Map of Humanity:

"From the mythical cradle of human thought in the Garden of Eden, to the farthest reaches of human imagination, the map plots out mankind's achievements, trials, and tribulations throughout history. We have constructed a world made up of our own actions and beliefs, as much as the one formed by the land we live on. The map of humanity is formed by our thought, our feelings, our dreams, and our nightmares."

The following tips are based on a few of the geographical spots located on the Map of Humanity:

• Take some time to visit the Fortress of Solitude (w80 x n100/c-1 on the Map of Humanity*): Long term physical solitude may not solve any problems and may even be harmful to our mental health and well-being unless perhaps you're a Monk. Short moments of physical and/or mental solitude can be beneficial however, so reflect, ponder, remember, pray, meditate, worship, and enjoy a little solitude as needed.
• Have Faith (w30 x n80/c-3), trust in your personal experiences, be assured of things hoped for but not seen; but be reasonable, practical and realistic.
• Consider John Locke (1632-1704) (Plains of John Locke w50 x n50/e-2), who set out the principles of empiricism (experience as the source of knowledge). He argued that more religious groups actually prevent civil unrest and the government should not interfere with an individual's right to practice their religion. Locke even influenced the Declaration of Independence.
• Seek to learn the Truth (w80 x n60/d-1) to experience true freedom. Experience is the best method for discovering truth. Be honest and wise in all your ways.
• Consider the Beauty (w50 x n100/b-2) of your universe home, of humanity. Consider what is beautiful: Harmony, Joy, Peace and Love.
• Raise up Good Children (w40 x n40/f-3), instill in them truth, beauty, goodness and hope. Let them dream so they can create a life worth dreaming about.
• Have Courage (w40 x n120/b-2), live courageously. Be confident and resolute, you can get through this struggle too. Tomorrow is another day.
• Consider the stars while visiting The Pleiades (Islands w20 x n120/a-3). The Pleiades were the Seven Daughters of Atlas in Greek Mythology who were metamorphosed into stars. Is there life out there? Is there more to this earthly existence than what we can only see?
• While life may seem like a Sea of Storms (w80 x n140/a-1 corner) and it feels like you're at World's End Island (w80 x n120/a-1), Valhalla (w40 x n120/b-2 by courage) is reached by sailing courageously, using sails stitched together with hope and faith.

We hope you enjoyed his brief and somewhat light-hearted look at the Map of Humanity, joyfully brought to you by Rev. Osri Hansen of Interfaith Spirit Quest of Appleton, WI (w60 x n60/e-2)!

*These references correspond to the keyword location/latitude/longitude on the Map of Humanity.

Buy the Map of Humanity here or click on the image below to purchase on Amazon:

• 24 x 36 inch Giclee Print (an elevated printing technology)
• Heavyweight Coated Paper
• Suitable for Framing
• Beautifully Illustrated and Quite Legible
• Printed with Archival inks on 12 color Large Format Printer
• Illustrated by the creator of the Rex Libris comic book series James Turner

 

 

Map of Humanity - Historically Oriented Map of the Soul

WOW!  View this interesting creation - a "Map of the Soul" or "Map of Humanity" - This Humanity Map, created by James Tuner, is a giant atlas listing human emotions, states of mind, judgments, characters and more; placing real and fictional locations in seemingly purposeful specific territories or continents.

Larger Version of

Map of Humanity

The Map of Humanity organizes information much like an atlas organizes information geographically, except this map organizes locations based on moral, emotional, and cultural significance.  This is a very interesting map to just sit and study. 

Map features continents and other geographically situated markers called: 

• Wisdom
• Truth
• Reason
• Answers
• Hedonism
• Abandonment
• Tranquility
• Courage
• Faith
• Dreams
• Eros
• Imagination
• Ingenuity
• Realism
• Ignorance
• Pride
• Destruction
• Poverty
• Abomination
• Hate
• Envy
• Workaholic Island
• Greed
• Aspiration
• Freedom
• Hope
• Slumberland
• Compassion
• Fool's Paradise
• Utopia

Bodies of Water named:

• Oceanus Cognitum
  
• Sea of Knowledge
• Sea of the Shortsighted
• Sea of Foolishness
• Gulf of Arrogance
• Bay of Logic
• Gulf of Election Promises
• Strait of the Lost
• Strait of Hopelessness
• Oceanus Crisium

Cities named:

• Alexandria
• Stockholm
• Beijing
• Baghdad
• Orleans
• Cologne
• London
• Medina
• Boston
• Tel Aviv
• Naples
• Basra
• Verdun
  
• Chicago
• Chernobyl
• Forbidden Zone
• Vienna
  
• Moscow
• Monaco
• Los Angries
• The Hague
• City of Gold and Lead
  
• Metropolis
  
• Milan
• Olympic City
• Aircastle (in Utopia)

Websites that explain the Map of Humanity in more detail: 

• JT Illustration - The Map of Humanity

"It is an attempt to map the last six thousand years of human history and thought upon a theoretical geography to discover a sense of what kind of civilization humanity has attained. And like the geography of human nations, it is in constant flux, changing and growing as long as mankind walks the face of the earth."

• Joey DeVilla - The Map of Humanity

"Just as Inferno was the most interesting book of The Divine Comedy, the equatorial area and parts south are more interesting. Here’s a map of “Elysium” and its neighbor “Fool’s Paradise”."

• James Turner - explains the Map of Humanity

"From the mythical cradle of human thought in the Garden of Eden, to the farthest reaches of human imagination, the map plots out mankind’s achievements, trials, and tribulations throughout history. We have constructed a world made up of our own actions and beliefs, as much as the one formed by the land we live on. The map of humanity is formed by our thought, our feelings, our dreams, and our nightmares."

Buy the Map of Humanity here or click on the image below to purchase on Amazon:

• 24 x 36 inch Giclee Print (an elevated printing technology)
• Heavyweight Coated Paper
• Suitable for Framing
• Beautifully Illustrated and Quite Legible
• Printed with Archival inks on 12 color Large Format Printer
• Illustrated by the creator of the Rex Libris comic book series James Turner

Silent Monks Perform the Hallelujah Chorus

God has a sense of humor and so do these Monks - watch this YouTube video of a rare mute monk order from Molalla, Oregon performing the Hallelujah Chorus.

Easter Bunny Impersonators & Pretenders - Do you know who your Easter Bunny is?

Beware of impersonators and pretenders - do you know your Easter Bunny is? 

Happy Easter everyone! 

See more Easter Bunny Impostors here!

Health Tips from Kids: Carrots & Spanish

Carrots & Spanish keeps you healthy and strong - at least according to these two adorable kids!

Evangelism in Outer Space

In this era of high technology, where space travel is almost as common as airplane travel, it's time we started to think about evangelism in outer space, don't you think? 

Here's an excerpt from a fascinating blog post titled 'Space Age Religions': 

Would missionaries build churches on the moon and Mars? How would a space age affect our religion? Can we conceive of the Catholic Church revamping its doctrine, and evangelical radicals postponing the rapture? Would new religions arise, where older archetypes evolve into new ones; Cosmic Christ, Buddha Universe? It seems for sure that new things would happen. How couldn’t they? With every end of an age, new attitudes emerge that are reflective of them.

Read this interesting article here:  Space Age Religions