And maybe in its 12 seconds it imagined this: TRMS has gotten a Television Critics Award Nomination. Just now, more or less.

Yeah, doughnut. Could easily be one from the Doughnut Plant.

As in, no longer needs to write on hand?

Q: What did Sarah Palin's right brain say to her left brain?

A: Sarah Palin has a left brain?

Um, insult to the right-brainers... so that leaves us with--- : )

Scientists were surprised to find that despite it being little more than a few clumps of neurons with a 12 second memory it was still more knowledgeable about Paul Revere than Sarah Palin.

Magnificent, Fran! I wish every human being who does not experience the true wonder of being human could see this presentation. While honoring all of the great technological breakthroughs science has give us, they are pale in comparison to what is the human nervous system. Lucky me, I get to see this miraculous system of systems at work every day. It is jaw-dropping and so is this video!

(And, as a physical therapist, I am in awe of the skills of her rehab team and the kind of work she has had to do to recover her life and profession. Thank you for the link. I would hate to have missed this.)

That was truly amazing. I have never seen a more interesting and telling seminar ever. It makes me wonder if there is a common shut down mechanism that the body goes through that starts with the left brain when a person is dying, regardless of the cause of death.

Her book is even better: Look for My Stroke of Insight. Easy read, but rich like a good dessert.

She had an NDE/NDE-like experience. Refreshing to see these experiences are becoming more accepted and commonplace. Used to be you could be institutionalized/drugged for this. Now people, thank God, are more open. I used to attend IANDS meetings where two people each month would share their experiences. It was more inspirational than going to church, comforting, solacing. One who experiences this is said to have forever had their train leave the tracks. There is no going back. The experience is life-altering and undeniable.

I experienced similar things with my NDE-like experience when I was 22. My entire body was vibrant, full of light and alive (electric/throbbing, pulsing). I was transformed. I became significantly more right-brained. The eminent theme was love.

The following from IANDS.org (International Association of Near Death Studies):

Definition of an NDE

A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound psychological event that may occur to a person close to death or, if not near death, in a situation of physical or emotional crisis. Because it includes transcendental and mystical elements, an NDE is a powerful event of consciousness; it is not mental illness. ¹

Whether happening "truly near death" or under benign circumstances, the near-death experience contains powerful images and emotions, usually of peace and love though sometimes terror, despair, guilt. An NDE may include an out-of-body experience and vivid perceptions of movement, light, darkness; encounters with deceased loved ones, unfamiliar entities and/or spiritual presences; sometimes a life review, a landscape, a sense of overpowering knowledge and purpose. The aftereffects of an NDE or related experience are enduring, often powerful, and may be life-altering.

The NDE belongs to a larger family of experiences that go beyond the usual limits of space and time and can transform a person's life and beliefs. They may be called spiritually transformative, conversion, mystical, religious, or transpersonal experiences.

One-fourth of the 800 people who have submitted an account of their experience to the IANDS online NDE archivesreported they were not close to death or clinically dead at the time. Instead, they were in emotionally intense situations, praying or meditating, sleeping, or in ordinary states of consciousness when this phenomenon occurred. IANDS refers to these as "near-death-like experiences" or NDLEs. Seventy-five percent of those who sent their accounts had a sense of being close to death, were in a life-threatening situation, or believed they were clinically dead.²

Aftereffects of Near-death States

Pattern of Aftereffects

Around eighty percent of the people who experienced near-death states claimed that their lives were forever changed by what happened to them. On closer examination, though, a pattern of surprising dimensions emerged. Experiencers were not returning with just a renewed zest for life and a more spiritual outlook. They were evidencing specific psychological and physiological differences on a scale never before faced by them. And this was true with child experiencers, as well as with teenagers and adults.

Various researchers have attempted to profile these changes over the years. Even without the necessary funding to do clinical studies, most feel that enough research has been done to justify acknowledging the aftereffects pattern and making information about it available. Knowing what is typical for experiencers should help to alleviate any worry or confusion not only for the individual involved—but for family and friends, as well as health-care professionals and the community at-large.

The pattern of aftereffects from near-death states can best be understood if considered under the separate headings of major characteristics of psychological and physiological changes. Details and explanations follow:

Major Characteristics of Psychological Changes

Loss of the fear of death, more spiritual and less religious, easily engage in abstract thinking, more philosophical, can go through various bouts with depression, more generous and charitable than before, form expansive concepts of love while at the same time challenged to initiate and maintain satisfying relationships, "inner child" or unresolved issues from childhood tend to surface, less competitive, convinced of a life purpose, rejection of previous limitations in life and "normal" role-playing, heightened sensations of taste-touch-texture-smell, increased intuitive/psychic abilities plus the ability to know or "re-live" the future, charismatic, a child-like sense of wonder and joy, less stressed, more detached and objective, can continue to dissociate or "separate" from the body, easily absorbed ("merge into" whatever is focused on), hunger for knowledge and learning, highly curious.

• Near-death experiencers come to love and accept others without the usual attachments and conditions society expects. They perceive themselves as equally and fully loving of each and all, openly generous, excited about the potential and wonder of each person they see. Their desire is to be a conduit of universal love. Confused family members tend to regard this sudden switch in behavior as oddly threatening, as if their loved one had become aloof, unresponsive, even uncaring and unloving. Some mistake this "unconditional" way of expressing joy and affection (heart-centered rather than person-centered) as flirtatious disloyalty. Divorce can result.
• One of the reasons life seems so different afterward is because the experiencer now has a basis of comparison unknown before. Familiar codes of conduct can lose relevance or disappear altogether as new interests take priority. Such a shift in reference points can lead to a childlike naivete. With the fading of previous norms and standards, basic caution and discernment can also fade. It is not unusual to hear of near-death experiencers being cheated, lied to, or involved in unpleasant mishaps and accidents. Once they are able to begin integrating what happened to them, discernment usually returns.
• Most experiencers develop a sense of timelessness. They tend to "flow" with the natural shift of light and dark, and display a more heightened awareness of the present moment and the importance of being "in the now." Making future preparations can seem irrelevant to them. This behavior is often labeled "spaciness" by others, who do their best to ignore the change in perception, although seldom do they ignore the shift in speech. That's because many experiencers refer to their episode as if it were a type of "divider" separating their "former" life from the present one.
• There's no denying that experiencers become quite intuitive afterward. Psychic displays can be commonplace, such as: out-of-body episodes, manifestation of "beings" met in near-death state, "remembering" the future, finishing another's sentence, "hearing" plants and animals "speak." This behavior is not only worrisome to relatives and friends, it can become frightening to them. A person's religious beliefs do not alter or prevent this amplification of faculties and stimuli. Yet, experiencers willing to learn how to control and refine these abilities, consider them beneficial.
• Life paradoxes begin to take on a sense of purpose and meaning, as forgiveness tends to replace former needs to criticize and condemn. Hard driving achievers and materialists can transform into easy-going philosophers; but, by the same token, those more relaxed or uncommitted before can become energetic "movers and shakers," determined to make a difference in the world. Personality reversals seem to depend more on what's "needed" to round out the individual's inner growth than on any uniform outcome. Although initially bewildered, families can be so impressed by what they witness that they, too, change-making the experience a "shared event."
• The average near-death experiencer comes to regard him or herself as "an immortal soul currently resident within a material form so lessons can be learned while sojourning in the earthplane." They now know they are not their body; many go on to embrace the theory of reincarnation. Eventually, the present life, the present body, becomes important and special again.
• What was once foreign becomes familiar, what was once familiar becomes foreign. Although the world is the same, the experiencer isn't. Hence, they tend to experiment with novel ways to communicate, even using abstract and grandiose terms to express themselves. With patience and effort on everyone's part, communication can improve and life can resume some degree of routine. But, the experiencer seems ever to respond to a "tune" no one else can hear (this can continue lifelong).

Major Characteristics of Physiological Changes

Altered thought-processing (switch from sequential/ selective thinking to clustered thinking: thoughts bunch together/ideas pop up), comfortable with ambiguity, heightened intelligence, more creative and inventive, unusual sensitivity to light and sound, substantially more or less energy (even energy surges in body, ofttimes more sexual), reversal of body clock, lower blood pressure, accelerated metabolic and substance absorption rates (decreased tolerance of pharmaceuticals and chemically treated products), often turn to alternative healthcare treatments, electrical sensitivity, synesthesia (multiple sensing), increased allergies or sensitivities, can possess ability to heal, a preference for more vegetables and grains (less of meat), physically younger looking (before and after photos can differ).

• Sensitivity to light and sound can be a serious issue and may necessitate some lifestyle changes. While most experiencers learn to limit sunshine exposure, others can't get enough. Almost everyone, though, has similar difficulties with loud or discordant sounds. Many can no longer tolerate "hard" rock music. The vast majority prefer classical, melodic, and/or natural sounds, and become passionate about using music to heal.
• Energy surges up and down the body happen to many, and can be accompanied by "lights" in the air. Researchers usually regard this as the release of "kundalini" (a Sanskrit term meaning "coiled energy at the base of the spine"). Supposedly, kundalini energy and spiritual energy are one in the same, yet the theory behind this idea remains unproven. To keep in formed about ongoing research, contact Kundalini Research Network, c/o Dale Pond, R#5, Flesherton, Ontario, NOC IEO Canada.
• Electrical sensitivity refers to a condition whereby the forcefield or energy around an individual affects nearby electrical equipment and technological devices. Usually sporadic in effect and impact, some experiencers have noticed: watches can stop, microphones "squeal," tape recorders quit, television channels change with no one at controls, light bulbs pop, telephone "drops off," computers suddenly lose memory, and so forth. Experiencers more at ease with their new traits report fewer of these incidents than those still in the process of making adjustments.
• Physical differences, along with attitudinal changes, eventually lead experiencers to alter their approach to health and healing, employment, finances, lifestyle and relationship issues. Many say that it's almost as if they have to relearn how to use their own body and brain. Once adjustments are made, the majority come to live healthy, productive lives that are happier, more spiritually-oriented and energetic than before. To deny or repress the aftereffects seems to leave individuals feeling somehow "incomplete," and can foster unwanted "breakthroughs" years later.

Aftereffects cannot be faked. Nor can you hide your response to the way they affect you (whether you realize what you are doing or not).

You may be able to delay their onset or lessen the impact they have, but you cannot pretend away the complex and life-altering potential they bring.

Irrespective of any drama brought on by near-death states, what happens afterward is where true value and real meaning are established.

Helpful Notes

It is possible to have near-death-like experiences without the threat of impending physical death. Children, for instance, can have death dreams that are unusually powerful. Adults can emerge unscathed from mishap, or find themselves slipping into a different meditative state, only to discover later on "they have changed." If a genuine case, the individual will exhibit the same pattern of aftereffects as a near-death experiencer.

Adjusting to the aftereffects takes time. The first three years tend to be the most confusing, almost as if the individual isn't "fully back." Experiencers and their families are urged to attend or start a local IANDS group, and to read the following books for indepth research studies about aftereffects.

From Illuminating the Afterlife: Your Soul's Journey Through the Worlds Beyond by Cyndi Dale:

We do not experience the newness of every moment––and the opportunity fof new life in every moment––unless we face death. Dying before death tears the fabric of our reality. It opens us to the dreams we have locked away. By standing in the riptide between life and death, we can, if we want, begin to direct our lives by our dreams––by the stars within, not the rules laid upon us from without.

... to be continued.

...continued:

Life and death are continuations of the same spectrum of ideas. Together, they form the river of dreams. The only control we have is to dream of what we want and recognize ourselves in the dream around us. Through this recognition, we achieve a higher state of consciousness, which is our soul's main goal. By breaking free of the confines of life (and death), we can live the lives we desire. By embracing death right now, we can actually change our lives––and the world.

THE SOUL AND THE PLANES OF LIGHT

To have passed into the afterlife is to be freed from the physical constraints of this world....

Death is merely an entry point into other places of existence, some of which are quite similar to earth.

The difference between the realms of life on earth and those available after death is a difference of energetic frequency. The earth operates on a restricted spectrum of frequency or vibration; death provides access to other levels of existence.

And from Tom Kenyon:

Transition States of Consciousness
A Hathor Planetary Message Through Tom Kenyon

Definitions
Chaotic Nodes are clusters of chaotic events. According to the Hathors, Earth has entered a Chaotic Node and, as a result, we can expect ever-increasing levels of chaos—including but not limited to earthquakes, volcanic activity, aberrant weather patterns, ecological distress, as well as economic, social and political turmoil.

Transition States of Consciousness are what the Hathors call the in-between places when a major loss has occurred and we find ourselves temporarily poised between an old reality that has passed away and a new reality that has not yet fully formed.

Perceptual markers are a term the Hathors use to describe how we make sense of our world and navigate through our lives using our five senses.

The Message
By their very nature Chaotic Nodes tend to generate transition states of consciousness. Transition states of consciousness emerge when perceptual markers disappear. And when this occurs you enter a null zone in which your old reality no longer exists, or has changed radically, while your new reality has not yet come into existence.

Due to the fact that you have entered an even more intense phase of the Chaotic Node, we wish to share with you our views regarding transition states, in the hopes that you will be able to utilize this knowledge for your own benefit.

For our purposes we can divide transition states into three primary categories: 1) personal transition states, 2) collective transition states and 3) physical death.

Personal Transition States
Let us turn our attention to personal transition states first, for your personal perception is the pivotal point around which your perceived reality operates.

Your perception of reality is fundamentally a personal creation. It is influenced by the collective perception of your culture, time, place and circumstance, but fundamentally your perception of what is real and not real is a creation—your creation.

Your perception of reality depends upon habits of perception, if you are like most persons. You are used to experiencing certain realities in your life and these tell you where you are, so to speak. You wake up in the morning and you look to the clock and the collective perception of time is immediately before you. Your choice to engage this illusion, or not, is a personal one. Indeed, one of the signs of spiritual mastery is the ability to navigate cultural illusions successfully while clearly understanding their nature.

When a situation in your personal life shifts dramatically there is a tendency for the perceptual markers to disappear or re-organize themselves.

Let us present one possible scenario. If you have worked at the same job for many years you have built your life around the demands of this position. You eat lunch at a certain time. You return home at a certain time. You interact with others in specific ways, tailored to fit the demands of your job.

If that job were suddenly removed, unexpectedly, those perceptual markers would disappear. There would be no need to get up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, return home at a certain time, and the people you interacted with for the bulk of your waking hours would no longer be available to you.

This situation is inherently disorienting for most people. Again, the perceptual markers have disappeared.

The same phenomenon occurs when any radical shift in your personal life takes place. If a relationship that is important to you suddenly ends the perceptual markers of that relationship disappear, and you enter the transition state of consciousness.

If you have a health crisis and your physical life is affected in radical ways the perceptual markers disappear, and this can be disorienting. You have entered a transition state of consciousness.

As the Chaotic Node increases in its intensity more and more persons will experience the shock waves of their old reality crumbling before them. What was certain in their lives is now uncertain. What was solid ground is seen to be no longer solid. We mean this both figuratively and literally.
There is another wave of transition states that is emerging from this Chaotic Node. It is already affecting many persons, but its affects will spread out in consciousness much like a tsunami.

This particular transition state has to do with the collapse of the collective lies of your culture. Increasingly more and more of you will see behind the shadow play; you will sense the puppet masters, and although their identities may elude you, you will see with increasing reality that aspects of your culture are a manipulation, a limitation, and in many cases, downright lies.

The lie that we are speaking to here is not the lie of economics, the lie of wars, or the lie of confining religions, but the lie of your identity—a lie that ensures your imprisonment. This lie is the belief and cultural assertion that you are nothing more than a physical human being and that there are, in fact, no other realms of being beyond your earthy experience.

The recognition of this lie is a harbinger of personal freedom, but in its beginning stages it can be quite disorienting. This is because multidimensional experiences are so different from your earthly day-to-day experiences. If you find yourself marooned between your earthly and multidimensional life, you have entered a transition state of consciousness.

Our purpose in sharing this information is to suggest a practical course of action during transition states of consciousness.

When you personally enter a powerful transition state you might, like many human beings, remain stuck in overwhelm. Many individuals find the shock of realizing that their perceptual markers have disappeared, along with the reality that they assumed to be real, deeply disturbing.
Due to the fact that time is accelerating—and by this we mean more events taking place in less time—remaining in a state of shock or overwhelm is a psychological indulgence which you cannot afford. The essential point we wish to convey here is that regardless of the nature of the transition state, whether it is personal in nature having to do with changes in your personal life, or due to recognizing your cultural manipulation—you are the creator of your reality.

You may have stories to explain why suddenly your life is bereft, but these are just stories. You may blame other persons, situations, or institutions for your problem, but this is misplaced responsibility. Your stories may be true and there may be other persons, situations or institutions to blame, but when you have entered a transition state of consciousness, you are at the central vortex of a powerful creative process. There is no reason or need to cry over "spilt milk" as one of your folk sayings goes. What is lost is lost. What is gone is gone.

Now the central question becomes, "What will you do?"
Will you remain stunned, in shock, in overwhelm, anger and sadness? Or will you step into your identity as a creator of your life?

To those of you who choose to remain in lower states of consciousness, we have no comment.

Our comments are for those of you courageous enough and bold enough to step into your identity as creators. If you are one of these, here is what we suggest.

When everything disappears, meaning the perceptual markers of your former reality, understand that you have entered into a void point.
A void point is a critical transition between an old reality and a new one. That which was, has ended. Instead of regretting the loss, you accept the void. This is, for many persons, a challenging undertaking, because in the void point there is nothing that can be done. You must simply be a witness to it, and to yourself, for in this no-man's land there are no perceptual markers.

Be careful what new markers you put into place, for these ideas and beliefs will be the stars in the new sky of your mind, and you shall navigate your way into these new times by the stars (thoughts and beliefs) that you have placed in the heavens of your own consciousness. So be wise when you go about creating new stars, our fellow navigators of the Mystery.

Collective Transition States of Consciousness

The human collective, from our perspective, is currently like an immense cosmic serpent shedding its old skin, writhing and twisting, scraping off old encumbrances. Some of these take the form of economic turmoil. Some of them are political in nature. Some of them are the collapse and transformation of cultural institutions. And some of these writhings and twistings are related to earthquake and volcanic activity, as well as aberrant weather patterns.

As natural and manmade disasters increase, more and more of you will find yourselves entering transition states of consciousness. Obviously those who experience an earthquake, volcano or destructive weather directly are the most prone to enter transition states, but those of you who are empathic in nature can experience the brunt of a natural or manmade disaster as if you were physically present.

Indeed as the veil that separates human consciousnesses from one another dissolves, more and more of you will experience the changes taking place in the world at a visceral level.

We now wish to address the question of a new creation for those of you who may find yourself in the aftermath of a natural or manmade disaster, such as an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or destructive weather patterns.

If the destructive force is strong enough, the perceptual markers of your former reality may no longer exist. Your home or place of business may no longer be there. You may find yourself dealing with shortages of food and water, and there are any number of variables that can come together to create a state of shock and overwhelm.

We wish to be very clear in what we are about to say. Shock and overwhelm in the face of disasters are a natural mammalian response, and if you are to transcend and transform the moment you must reach upward to higher dimensions of your own existence, your own being, to those realms of consciousness that are beyond time and space.
To the extent that you are able to incorporate the transcendent aspects of your being as part of the equation for your survival, you will be able to mitigate the shock and overwhelm.

The central feature that needs to be identified in the midst of chaos, any form of chaos, is the portal of opportunity.

This opportunity for survival or for a new life may present itself in ways you do not expect. This is because the perceptual markers are no longer in place and your consciousness may not recognize an opportunity when it presents itself.

There is a deep-seated human habit, or tendency, that wishes to conform new realities to those of the past. This would be an unfortunate habit to engage in these situations.

There is much we could say about the hyper-dimensional realities involved in choice making during chaotic events, but we wish to "cut to the chase" and give that which will be most practical. Perhaps some other time we can share with you our philosophical musings about your infinite nature and the infinite possibilities that reside within you. However, for now, let us be a little simplistic and give you a formula to recognize and create opportunities for new life and a new destiny when they present themselves to you.

Assuming that you have entered a transition state of consciousness and that you have befriended the void point and are more or less comfortable with the great uncertainty of your situation, this is what we suggest.
Be curious and expect miracles.

By entering a state of curiosity you engage an aspect of your mind that is free to move unfettered by expectation. It becomes very much like the mind of a child, and it is this innocence—which is not the same as childishness—that allows you to enter a vibratory state of consciousness, which greatly benefits you.

By holding the expectation of miracles you release the power of creation within you, and to the extent that you accomplish this you will find increasing incidences of serendipity, coincidences of benefit and unexpected treasures, whether they be physical in nature or mental and emotional.

This combination of curiosity about what will happen next joined with an expectation of miracles will move you rapidly from the void point to a new life, a new creation, regardless of what might be happening for those around you.

During collective transition states of consciousness it is helpful to remember that each person is the creator of his or her own reality, and in the midst of chaos people will make different choices and enter different personal realities.

Do not be swayed by those who enter lower vibratory realms. You cannot save them from themselves. Look upward and live upward with curiosity and an expectation of miracles, and even in the gravest of situations miracles can, and will, occur for you.

Physical Death

One of the greatest difficulties for embodied beings is the transition state of consciousness you call death. This is due to the fact that all perceptual markers, including the five senses, disappear. If a person identifies solely with his/her material existence, he or she will find this transition state to be most difficult. This is because what she or he identified with no longer exists.

Although the physical world continues on, there is no input into consciousness from the five senses. It is as if the world has vanished and the body along with it. The great I Am, the central feature of transcendent consciousness, no longer receives information from the body, the five senses, or the external world. This can be deeply disturbing and disorienting for someone who has not directly experienced the other realms of his or her being.

Metaphorically speaking, you are like a vast tree, a Tree of Life, with many branches and many, many leaves and blossoms, and your current physical existence is just one of these leaves and one of these blossoms.

When a person passes through the transition state of consciousness you call death there are several options. If you are in a spiritual tradition the central figure of which is a guru, avatar or savior, you can follow the path of this being into the vibratory realm of his/her consciousness. In some religions this is known as heaven.

If you follow the path of a guru, avatar or savior understand that you are entering into his/her heaven, her/his vibratory attainment, and by necessity you enter also into his/her limitations in consciousness.
From our perspective the universe is infinite in nature, and by this we refer not to external space but to the interdimensional realities of your universe, and there is no single being in existence, from our experience, who understands and embraces all that is.

If, however, you wish to join your guru/avatar/savior in the death realms we have a few suggestions. One is to mentally call upon his/her name. This is an ancient understanding encapsulated in the Egyptian term Ren, meaning name. When you call upon the name of a spiritual being an aspect of him/her is compelled to move toward you.

If, in that moment of encountering your guru/avatar/savior, he or she deems you worthy, you will be taken by him/her into his/her heavenly realm.

For those of you in eastern spiritual traditions there are mantras connected with specified deities. Chanting these mantras mentally during death, or in the death realms, has the same effect.

For those of you who are not part of a spiritual tradition that follows a guru, avatar or savior, then the transition state of consciousness called death offers other possibilities.

As with the other two transition states of consciousness, the death realm has a void point, and its dominant features are stillness (silence) and darkness. All possibilities exist within the Void, but no actuality is in existence. It is like the acorn of an oak tree. The oak, the giant tree itself, is potentially within the acorn, but it does not yet exist.

So when you find yourself in the Void, which you will recognize by the fact that you are utterly alone in darkness and utter stillness, know that you are in the central nexus of your creative powers.

What you choose to create next will determine the course of your destiny and what worlds you will inhabit or realms of existence you will reside in. This is a critical juncture.

Many persons frightened by the darkness move to the light prematurely. And what they do not realize is that in their yearning they create the light. A portal opens before them, like a tunnel, and they can move into this tunnel of light, encountering those they have known before, thereby entering back into embodiment or other vibratory realms of existence without having fully understood the consequences. This is certainly one option open to you, and one that is often taken.

Another option, however, is to remain at the void point, residing in the Void itself, becoming aware of your Self as pure consciousness—transcendent to all phenomena.

If you reside in this state of awareness long enough without the need to create something, you will discover your identity as the great I Am. And from this point of awareness you can choose the circumstances of your embodiment. You can choose the worlds you will inhabit or the realms of consciousness where you will reside.

This latter method gives you the greatest opportunities, though it is the most difficult for most people. And the reason for this difficulty has to do with the fact that most humans find it uncomfortable to not have a body. The yearning for a body and the experience of the material world often draws a person from the Void prematurely.

In summation, due to the intensifying phases of the Chaotic Node many of you will find yourselves in transitional states of consciousness. Regardless of what level you find yourself engaged in, whether it be your personal life, the collective experience, or the transition state you call death, know that you are the creator of your reality.

The Hathors
April 20, 2011

Tom's Thoughts and Observations

I personally find this message to be stunningly eloquent and a vast storehouse of information. I have read and re-read this message several times, and each time I discover something new. There is, indeed, much to be read between the lines in this communication.

I especially liked the Hathors' statement…
"Be careful what new (perceptual) markers you put into place, for these ideas and beliefs will be the stars in the new sky of your mind, and you shall navigate your way into these new times by the stars (thoughts and beliefs) that you have placed in the heavens of your own consciousness. So be wise when you go about creating new stars, our fellow navigators of the mystery."

At the level of our collective mind, I think our mythic realities are changing. The old stars, those thoughts, beliefs and presuppositions about reality that have guided us as a culture for millennia seem now to be dimming, not to mention that they have led us in directions many of us no longer wish to go.

The collective ship of our culture seems to be plying through the waters of the Great Mystery with little regard for the sacredness of this planet or life upon it. But even as our collective vessel sails through the Great Mystery, seemingly without awareness, it (the ship) and we owe our very existence to the Mystery itself. This very odd duality seems, to me, either amusing or tragic, depending upon what mood I am in, and how connected I am or disconnected I have become from the Mystery itself.
One of the ironies of our situation is that the crew of this vessel, those who make it sail, through an investment of their life-force, creativity and, in some cases, blood sweat and tears, are no less than you and me, and all the other nearly seven billion humans alive on this exquisite planet. We are—all of us—crewing this vessel, regardless of our personal situation, our life station or our beliefs.

There are those in the New Age community who say, and have been saying for years now, that we are near Unity, and that the Golden Age is just around the corner. I do not share this perception.

We are all in the same boat together, whether we like it or not, and it seems to me that our crew is polarized. There are many who insist that the paradigms of greed, arrogance and usurpation are the true reference points for our sextants.

Others of us, however, are sensing that we are headed in the wrong direction—that we can no longer ravage this planet and its life (both human and other-than-human). For us, there are new stars in the sky of our minds. And we are setting our sextants clearly upon these cosmic beacons.

How it will all turn out is anybody's guess. But I am encouraged by a silent mutiny I see happening all around me.

Many of us crew members, and I suspect that if you have read this far you may be one of them, are silently taking action to turn our collective vessel (i.e. our cultural madness) around or at least slow it down.

Some of us are pulling out our sextants and are pointing out new stars to those around us. We do this by living the change we wish to see. We do this by having the courage to live by a new Earth-reality that we sense is possible. We do this by extending kindness to each other.

And when necessary, we do this by standing our ground. I am reminded in this of a grass roots movement in some of the world's poorest countries to preserve the use of non-hybrid seeds—seeds that produce new seeds when crops are harvested—rather than succumb to international economic interests that would enslave the poorest of the Earth to buy new seeds whenever they wish to feed themselves and their families.

As I write this, I am nearly weeping at their courage to stand up against the Titans that have set the course for our collective vessel through greed, arrogance and an utter disregard for the sanctity of life.

As difficult and as challenging as these times are both for individuals and the collective, I think there is hope in the uncertainty that we are facing. I say this because the human spirit has sometimes risen to heights when faced with dire uncertain times.

If the Hathors are correct, all of us will face numerous transition states of consciousness before our time on Earth has ended. The perceptual markers of our old reality are being displaced. How we deal with the loss of our perceived reality and the old world will determine the next cycle of Earthly existence for humanity.

And for us individually, what we choose to create in the transition states of our lives will determine the realms of consciousness that are opened to us.

I wish you, my fellow crew members and those whom you love, safe passage through these turbulent times. But regardless of what happens, regardless of where and in what situations we find ourselves upon this perilous journey, let us remember that we are—above all else—creators of our own reality.

There are new stars in the sky and new worlds to discover. Be bold. And have a good journey.

© 2011 Tom Kenyon. All rights reserved.
You may make copies of this message and distribute in any media as long as you change nothing, credit the author, and include this copyright notice and web address.

Ack. Nice of you to post an entire web page in response to my mention of something tangentially related to your topic.

Could you maybe post a link next time?

You're very welcome. I agree, the content is amazing. I just love this stuff. And, no, I'm not special enough to post links yet. But if you Google "Tom Kenyon" --or, tomkenyon*dot*com-- and then click the "Hathors" link, you'll find the article on "Transition States of Consciousness."

Oh, and here's another you'll find fabulous that dovetails with the Kenyon piece:

What The Mayan Elders Are Saying About 2012

Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq'ij (is a ceremonial priest and spiritual guide) of the Eagle Clan. Carlos initiated an investigation into the different Mayan calendars circulating. Carlos along with his brother Gerardo studied with many teachers and interviewed nearly 600 traditional Mayan elders to widen their scope of knowledge.

Carlos found out quickly there were several conflicting interpretations of Mayan hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, Sacred Books of 'Chilam Balam' and various ancient text. Carlos found some strong words for those who may have contributed to the confusion:

Carlos Barrios: "Anthropologists visit the temple sites and read the inscriptions and make up stories about the Maya, but they do not read the signs correctly. It's just their imagination. Other people write about prophecy in the name of the Maya. They say that the world will end in December 2012. The Mayan elders are angry with this. The world will not end. It will be transformed."

"We are no longer in the World of the Fourth Sun, but we are not yet in the World of the Fifth Sun. This is the time in-between, the time of transition. As we pass through transition there is a colossal, global convergence of environmental destruction, social chaos, war, and ongoing Earth Changes."

He continues: "Humanity will continue, but in a different way. Material structures will change. From this we will have the opportunity to be more human. We are living in the most important era of the Mayan calendars and prophecies. All the prophecies of the world, all the traditions are converging now. There is no time for games. The spiritual ideal of this era is action."

Carlos tells us: "The indigenous have the calendars and know how to accurately interpret it -- not others. The Mayan Calendars comprehension of time, seasons, and cycles has proven itself to be vast and sophisticated. The Maya understand 17 different calendars such as the Tzolk'in or Cholq'ij, some of them charting time accurately over a span of more than ten million years.

"All was predicted by the mathematical cycles of the Mayan calendars. -- It will change --everything will change. Mayan Day-keepers view the Dec. 21, 2012 date as a rebirth, the start of the World of the Fifth Sun. It will be the start of a new era resulting from and signified by the solar meridian crossing the galactic equator and the Earth aligning itself with the center of the galaxy."

At sunrise on December 21, 2012 for the first time in 26,000 years the Sun rises to conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic. This cosmic cross is considered to be an embodiment of the Sacred Tree, The Tree of Life, a tree remembered in all the world's spiritual traditions.

Some observers say this alignment with the heart of the galaxy in 2012 will open a channel for cosmic energy to flow through the Earth, cleansing it and all that dwells upon it, raising all to a higher level of vibration. Carlos reminds us: "This process has already begun. Change is accelerating now and it will continue to accelerate.

If the people of the Earth can get to this 2012 date in good shape without having destroyed too much of the Earth, we will rise to a new, higher level. But to get there we must transform enormously powerful forces that seek to block the way."

The date specified in the calendar Winter Solstice in the year 2012 does not mark the end of the world. Many outside people writing about the Mayan calendar sensationalize this date, but they do not know. The ones who know are the indigenous elders who are entrusted with keeping the tradition.

Carlos tells us: "The economy now is a fiction. The first five-year stretch of transition from August 1987 to August 1992 was the beginning of the destruction of the material world. We have progressed ten years deeper into the transition phase by now, and many of the so-called sources of financial stability are in fact hollow. The banks are weak. This is a delicate moment for them. They could crash globally, if we don't pay attention. Now, people are paying attention."

The North and South Poles are both breaking up. The level of the water in the oceans is going to rise. But at the same time land in the ocean, especially near Cuba, is also going to rise. Carlos tells a story about the most recent Mayan New Year ceremonies in Guatemala. He said that one respected Mam elder, who lives all year in a solitary mountain cave, journeyed to Chichicastenango to speak with the people at the ceremony. The elder delivered a simple, direct message. He called for human beings to come together in support of life and light.

"Right now each person and group is going his or her own way. The elder of the mountains said there is hope if the people of the light can come together and unite in some way. We live in a world of polarity -- day and night, man and woman, positive and negative. Light and darkness need each other. They are a balance."
"Just now the dark side is very strong, and very clear about what they want. They have their vision and their priorities clearly held, and also their hierarchy. They are working in many ways so that we will be unable to connect with the spiral Fifth World in 2012."

"On the light side everyone thinks they are the most important, that their own understandings, or their group's understandings, are the key. There's a diversity of cultures and opinions, so there is competition, diffusion, and no single focus."

Carlos believes the dark side works to block unity through denial and materialism. It also works to destroy those who are working with the light to get the Earth to a higher level. They like the energy of the old, declining Fourth World, the materialism. They do not want it to change. They do not want unity. They want to stay at this level, and are afraid of the next level.

The dark power of the declining Fourth World cannot be destroyed or overpowered. It's too strong and clear for that, and that is the wrong strategy. The dark can only be transformed when confronted with simplicity and open-heartedness. This is what leads to unity, a key concept for the World of the Fifth Sun.

Carlos said the emerging era of the Fifth Sun will call attention to a much-overlooked element. Whereas the four traditional elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water have dominated various epochs in the past, there will be a fifth element to reckon with in the time of the Fifth Sun --- that element is 'ETHER'.

The dictionary defines Ether as a "hypothetical substance supposed to occupy all space, postulated to account for the propagation of electromagnetic radiation through space." Perhaps it could be defined as the "space between space". I would suggest it could be manifest as the alignment of charged particles from our solar system (Sun), and our galaxy (Milky Way) surge. The Ether element represents spiritual energy.

"The element of the Fifth Sun is celestial. Within the context of Ether there can be a joining of the polarities. No more darkness or light in the people, but an uplifted unity. But right now the realm of darkness is not interested in this. They are organized to block it. They seek to unbalance the Earth and its environment so we will be unready for the alignment in 2012."

"We need to work together for peace, and balance with the other side. We need to take care of the Earth that feeds and shelters us. We need to put our entire mind and heart into pursuing unity and unity now, to confront the other side and preserve life."
"We are disturbed -- we can't play anymore. Our planet can be renewed or ravaged. Now is the time to awaken and take action. Everyone is needed. You are not here for no reason. Everyone who is here now has an important purpose. This is a hard but a special time. We have the opportunity for growth, but we must be ready for this moment in history."

Carlos says: "The prophesied changes are going to happen, but our attitude and actions determine how harsh or mild they are. We need to act, to make changes, and to elect people to represent us who understand and who will take political action to respect the Earth."

"Meditation and spiritual practice are good, but also action. It's very important to be clear about who you are, and also about your relation to the Earth. Develop yourself according to your own tradition and the call of your heart. But remember to respect differences, and strive for unity. Eat wisely --- a lot of food is corrupt in either subtle or gross ways. Pay attention to what you are taking into your body. Learn to preserve food, and to conserve energy. Learn some good breathing techniques, so you have mastery of your breath. Be clear. Follow a tradition with great roots. It is not important what tradition, your heart will tell you, but it must have great roots."

"We live in a world of energy. An important task at this time is to learn to sense or see the energy of everyone and everything -- people, plants, animals. This becomes increasingly important as we draw close to the World of the Fifth Sun, for it is associated with the element 'ether' -- the realm where energy lives and weaves. Go to the sacred places of the Earth to pray for peace, and have respect for the Earth which gives us our food, clothing, and shelter. We need to reactivate the energy of these sacred places. That is our work."

"One simple but effective prayer technique is to light white or baby-blue colored candles. Think of a moment in peace. Speak your intention to the flame and send the light of it on to the leaders who have the power to make war or peace."
Carlos reminds us this is a crucially important moment for humanity and for Earth. Each person is important.

He said the elders have opened the doors so that other races can come to the Mayan world to receive the tradition. "The Maya have long appreciated and respected that there are other colors, other races, and other spiritual systems. They know that the destiny of the Mayan world is related to the destiny of the whole world."

"The greatest wisdom is in simplicity. Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It's not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free. It's encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you. Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way."

Open up the page you want to make a link TO, right click on the address bar at the top of your browser on that page, select COPY. Close page. Open page you want to post link ON. Put cursor where you want the link to go, Right Click, select PASTE. Link is posted.

I can't tell you how many years it took me to learn that.

oh, I thought posting a link was a blog privilege. I will try it now:

Guess it's still a blog privilege!

Open mic designated threads accept links. I think you need to otherwise need to get permission from Newsvine. Does anyone know? Could linking privileges be extended to Evolutional?

Your best bet would be you get something linked on open-mic, and then try elsewhere after you've gotten it. Its a guess. Can anyone advise better?

Evolution, I wasn't thanking you. At all. It is selfish and self-aggrandizing of you to attempt to make THIS blog into YOUR blog.

If you're gonna comment on something, could you just speak, and not try to promote your book or blog or whatever-it-is you've got to sell?

Wow, Fran, I could nail you to the wall on your feckless, insecure, little comments, but I choose not to. G'day. : )

**Oh, and thanks for your endorsement of My Stroke of Insight; while I file that away, perhaps you need a rereading.

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

-- Albert Einstein

I'll try again for the link

The other TED link about Jill Bolt Taylor is very cool also and aproaches the problem from a 'unique' perspective.

I apparently have pissed off the link gods so here is a google search for the video;

Sebastian Seung: I am my connectome