Comparing the Candidates' Numerological Cycles: Part 2
In numerology, we experience 9 year cycles of time, and these cycles have 3 numbers that influence the sort of consciousness and lessons to be learned. In addition, each year in a 9-year cycle corresponds to 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9. Let's have a look at the candidates' cycle numbers.

JOHN McCAIN: McCain's present cycle is influenced by 1-9-5. He entered this cycle when he was 53, and has experienced 2 subsequent deepenings of the phase beginning at age 62 and 71. He is now in the 2 year of his newest cycle. 1-9-5 needs to learn to experience the power of the individual self (1) with all its accompanying lack of confidence and over-confidence, its impulsiveness and lack of completion, its originality and zeal. McCain has had the 1 in every period of his life, so learning to be himself, put himself out in public, and be a leader has been a big part of his growth in this life. Until now, however, he's had the driving, ambitious 1 in combination with security-oriented and power-oriented 4's and 8's. This helped him develop the "maverick" Mac truck persona he has.

What's different now is that he is learning to understand the 9, which is the opposite of 1; it is about collective consciousness, faith, trust, dissolution of personal boundaries and the personal experience of connection to the divine, the unified field, and feminine energy. McCain's old militaristic persona IS NOT WHO HE IS NOW. He is softening, and in terms of soul growth this is fantastic. He has the potential to be a visionary, to be compassionate, humanitarian, philanthropic, and highly creative — IF he can let go of the previous foursquare definitions of himself and undergo a sort of ego death. Politics unfortunately thrives on categorizing people in boxes that capture and preserve past identities. It will be difficult for McCain to shift out of the box he lived in, and was identified as, for 52 years. The 5 indicates he needs to learn the lesson of fluidity and flexibility, of enhanced ability to communicate and network. The shadow side of this lesson often involves paralysis of some sort, or being restrained and limited by external forces. Or, it can indicate being spread too thin among many points of view, flipping from one to another and not holding steady. McCain's personal year this year is 2, which means he is focusing on relationship issues and how he connects to the world. This is not a particularly powerful cycle for cementing a big win. The cycle McCain is in now, in my opinion, is not that of a strong leader for the chaotic times we face.

SARAH PALIN: Palin's cycles are all the same—2-4-0—for her entire life, except for this one 9-year period that she's in now, from age 40-48, which is 2-8-0. Basically her entire life is one main lesson: connecting to other people in a sensitive way, and needing approval and connections, while cementing the relationships and preserving them to provide security and status. She is driven by the need for security through relating, and most people I've seen with this pattern are charming and ambitious about having important relationships from which they then receive a vicarious sense of self. They are often very good at promotion and sales. The pattern is not varied or complex enough to give her the breadth of experience she needs for the trying and difficult job of President. which she might well inherit. 2008 is a 5 year for her, which means radical change, travel, movement, and breaking free from restrictions. It brings flux and often chaos and confusion as the soup-pot is being stirred up.

JOE BIDEN: Biden shifted into his present cycle at age 53: 7-7-2. His previous years were an interesting balance of a variety of numbers, some of which focus on steadiness and security, on building and strengthening, and some that provide movement and variety. It is a much more well-balanced chart, giving a wider range of experience and a balanced personal character. The phase he's in now is different from his earlier years, similar to McCain's shift to a different kind of period in later life. 7's indicate a need to be in the truth, to find answers that reflect the core truth of the univeral laws, and to be highly ethical and "upright." There is often a renewed focus on higher learning and academic progress, and it sharpens the intellect to the point of brilliance. It also, however, causes the personality to be more internal and private, and people have a greater tendency to hold their own counsel and go within to find answers at a soul level. This gives great analytical powers and attention to detail, as well as technological expertise. This, in a VP, is a great tendency as it provides a powerful sounding board, doublecheck, and extra detail for the President. It also is more comfortable being in a support role, since the need for privacy is high. Biden, like Palin, is in a 5 year, indicating his world has also been stirred up, and he too is undergoing a radical change.

BARAK OBAMA: Obama throughout his whole life, has a strong emphasis on structure, management, organizational systems, and practical results. Like Palin, he seeks security, but unlike her, his drive is tempered by great open-mindedness, humor, positive thinking, and ability to communicate and express himself clearly. His present cycle is 4-6-4, which is the "earth father" and the provider/mentor. He is service-oriented, reliable, real, concerned for family, both his own, the country as family, and the family of mankind. He understands healing, is nurturing, and is actually the "salt of the earth." He will understand real estate, and what promotes stability. He will not back down from challenges—this pattern brings great inner strength and responsibility. His next cycle has the 8 and 7, like Biden, and this means he is driven by the need to materialize systems that embody truth—this, in a nutshell, is his life work. Obama is in a 4 year this year, which is a year of cementing results, of crystallizing the forms that he's been working to clarify for the past 3 years. This is a powerful year for achievement for him.

The 4 vibration (Obama), when compared to the 2 (McCain), always comes off as strong, grounded, tangible, and real. The 2 can feel wishy-washy, or needy, or just soft and receptive. It can indicate a year of conflict, combativeness, or peacemaking. My overall take on this is that Obama has the energy and proper traits we're going to need in the next few chaotic, fear-laden years. His wife, Michelle, is in a 1 year this year, beginning a phase of 8-1-6, which also fits for starting a new cycle focused on executive leadership. Her chart is incredibly powerful and sensitive—she is a hidden asset in a very big way.

Evolution Or Devolution?
by Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman

This comes from my friend Steve Bhaerman (Swami Beyondananda) and his writing partner, Bruce Lipton:
. . .this election is far more than a contest between two political parties, but a referendum on two diametrically-opposed world views. One world view essentially believes that the nature of human nature is 'evil' so consequently we humans must be controlled, if necessary via manipulation, force and the threat of death. In this world view, we are 'sinners', hopeless and helpless without divine intervention. And if we're very, very lucky, the Divine presence will return — to destroy the world. The other world view suggests that we may be 'sinners' only in the sense that to 'sin' in archery means 'to miss the mark.' In this alternative world view, we aren't hopeless sinners, but hopeful 'learners.' Life moves forward. . .with our accumulated awareness, provided we learn. Here too we may call upon divine intervention, but that intervention is to purify our own heart and intentions.

In short, this election is about evolution vs. devolution. Do we evolve to achieve our human potential (our full potential to be human)? Or, do we devolve into machine-controlled slaves who mistake reality TV for reality? This election is bigger than Democrat vs. Republican, even though the two world views are wearing these labels this time around. It's not so much whether a candidate believes in the theory of evolution, but whether they believe in the 'practice' of evolution. And that practice may be akin to the 'community organizing' the Republicans so snidely dismissed. (Someone sent me a slogan that would make a great bumper sticker, 'Jesus Was a Community Organizer.')

Why community organizing? According to cellular biologist Bruce Lipton, the nature of practical evolution is. . .community, cooperation and shared awareness. Ever since the first single cell organisms got tired of the single life and combined forces with other single cells some 700 million years ago, every evolutionary step has involved groups of cells combining to increase efficiency, awareness, and survivability. You and I, for example, are communities of 50 trillion cells that cooperate for the purpose of bringing 'us' to the world every day.

The thriving cellular society beneath our skins boast universal health care, full employment, and truly no cell left behind. Our organs — which can be seen as huge 'businesses' employing millions and sometimes trillions of cells — do not 'compete' against other organs, but work with them to create health and vitality for the whole body. We as a species are on the threshold of a new evolution. Only this evolution doesn't involve growing another limb, or even a bigger brain. Rather it involves learning what our cells learned millions of years ago — the universal successful operating principle for life is "we're all in it together."

Just as our cells have learned to thrive through the common purpose of "thrival" for the entire organism, the next phase in human evolution involves recognizing ourselves each and all as cells in the body of humanity. In the universal 'fractal' reiterating pattern of nature, we find the cell, the individual, the community, and even the planet all have the same requirements: fresh air, clean water, healthy and abundant food. While that may seem like a high-minded ideal, in fact it is the down-to-earth 'real deal' that will determine whether we humans realize our true human potential, or whether our species gets an 'F' in third dimension.

Not only will it give you a new understanding of evolutionary science, but it will explain how the 'invisible' field of ideas impacts our biology and our reality — and how we can change these beliefs from dysfunctional to functional. This understanding is particularly important if we are to see this election — or any other one — in proper perspective.

So, back to the election. What are we voting for? Or against? In essence, our choice boils down to two distinct ways of seeing the world and experiencing reality. 'We're all in this together' vs. 'Every man for himself.' One world view represents the core views of Jesus, and every other spiritual teacher in history (and now confirmed by science). The other is a distortion based on millennia of rule by 'the lowest common dominator.'

When Sarah Palin — or anyone else — 'appeals to the base,' they have the weight of history and unconscious programming on their side. So pervasive is this belief in original sin and the venal nature of human nature, that even those who call themselves progressive often subconsciously don't really believe change is possible.

So the important thing now is for us to keep our eye on the prize, the "thrival" of humanity by working together rather than fighting one another. Interestingly, this is the 'prize' the founders of America fought for, and is expressed in our motto E Pluribus Unum, out of many one. Jefferson, Madison and company did not in any way intend a top-down imposition of this common purpose, but rather a bottom-up realization of it. That is exactly what is manifesting now, and as Deepak points out, why the opposition is so strong and powerful.

In any shadow work, we must first confront our own individual issues — our fears and other shadow manifestations that keep these 'dominator' patterns in place. Remember, we cannot successfully confront in another what we are unwilling to face in ourselves. So let's lose no energy to despair or hand-wringing about how awful it is. It is exactly as it must be. We cannot muster the internal and external resolve to make this next evolutionary leap without the resistance that strengthens us. May the best paradigm win.

Photo copyright by Penney Peirce

Ten Reasons I Support Barak Obama

The following reasons come from the blog of one of my colleagues, Jeffrey Mishlove. I can't say it any better.

Honesty: Obama has consistently conducted himself with dignity, honesty and character during this campaign. In this regard, he shows a striking contrast with his opponent, Senator McCain, whose campaign has been characterized by major media outlets as one of the sleaziest and dishonest in modern electoral history.

Global Stature: Obama will work hard to restore America’s stature in the world. His opponent, Senator McCain, shows many signs of continuing the same foreign policies of George W. Bush that have alienated us from our own allies and have caused people around the world to fear and distrust us.

Economic Solutions: Obama will seek real solutions to the very serious economic problems this country faces. His opponent, a champion of excessive deregulation, carries with him the very same mindset that helped to create many of these problems. And, as Albert Einstein once said, you cannot solve a problem from the mindset that created it.

American Unity: Obama’s campaign, as is embodied in his own life story, represents a serious effort to bring all Americans together – regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or political philosophy. His opponent, while occasionally mouthing the language of national unity, has built a campaign based upon vicious sarcasm and policies that tend to focus on “wedge issues” that divide Americans rather than unite them.

Knowledge: Obama is a brilliant scholar, highly educated, a professor of constitutional law, and very knowledgeable about many subjects including law, economics, and world affairs. His opponent was a poor student whose public statements frequently demonstrate both confusion and an attempt to oversimplify complex issues.

Equal Opportunity: Obama is a Democrat and supports policies that will provide greater economic and social opportunities for all citizens. His opponent is a Republican and supports the same policies that have dominated our country for 28 of the last 40 years (since I have been a voter). The consequence of those Republican policies is that the richest 1% of the population have controlled an ever-increasing share of the economic pie – leaving less and less for the remaining 99%.

Judgment: Obama has consistently opposed the invasion of Iraq. His opponent has consistently supported this unprovoked, expensive and unnecessary war.

Diplomacy: Obama supports a foreign policy based upon diplomacy and discussion whenever possible. His opponent, Senator McCain, has consistently based his discussions of foreign policy upon threats of violence and war (i.e., “bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran”).

Privacy Rights: Obama believes that the government has no business interfering in medical decisions that women make with regard to their own bodies and reproductive systems. His opponent, McCain, wishes to criminalize a woman’s right to choose.

Maturity: Obama has consistently based his campaign on the pressing issues that Americans face regarding healthcare, jobs, and foreign policy. His opponent -- since he cannot win on the issues -- has consistently attempted to distract voters from the issues by focusing on trivial questions of style, celebrity, language and personality (i.e.,false indignation about "lipstick on a pig" or comparisons with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton).

Numerological Insights about the Candidates: Part 1 — Life Numbers
Interestingly, Barak Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and John McCain, (as well as Bill Clinton and Al Gore) all have 11/2 as their Life Number (the sum of the birthdate). Sarah Palin and George Bush have 6 as their Life Number. Hillary Clinton has 3.

ELEVEN (Obama, Biden, McCain, Bill Clinton, Gore) is considered the number of inspiration and revelation, and often gives the urge to connect to something higher, to bring down spiritually-based vision, insight, and guidance and give it out to others in the form of teaching, counsel, or service. Many ministers and inspired artists, as well as magnetic public figures, have this number. It denotes diplomatic ability and tact, and a tendency toward creating agreement and peace on the one hand, but also gives the ability to fight when necessary. Twos and elevens (the spiritualized version of the 2) are working on the spiritual issues of understanding DUALITY, opposition, complementarity, conflict, integration, and separation, and reunion. To learn these lessons, the focus is often on finding harmonious relationships, learning to receive/listen and give/express equally, learning to be comfortable with both-and thinking rather than either-or thinking, and to share with and trust others. Challenges often have to do with firming up personal boundaries, overcoming warlike tendencies or the need to dominate, and developing intuition.

When this pattern is well-developed in a mature person, it brings high levels of sensitivity to others and what's happening in the invisible realms. It truly allows the person to feel what it's like to be in someone else's shoes and thus develops great compassion. It brings a strong emphasis on communication and diplomatic understanding as a way to solve problems first, with fighting as a second resort. It also brings patience and true caring about the welfare of others.

When this pattern is underdeveloped, it brings codependency — with a mate, sexual partners, cronies, or a form of the Divine that may be overpersonalized and anthropormorphized. It can mask insecurity about being alone, or being original, or too different. There is a need for approval and agreement that can become unhealthy. There can be contentiousness and pettiness, as well as a strong drive to be attractive and approved of by others. It also leads to flip-flopping and ambiguous self expression.

A mature, well-developed ELEVEN President would promote diplomatic solutions, cooperation, collaboration, cocreation, communication, and likely, bipartisan and cross-cultural, win-win solutions.

SIX (Palin and Bush) is found with people who are learning about integration of heaven and earth, that ordinary life IS the divine. This pattern brings sensitivity to disharmony and a desire to fix things. There may be a strong focus on health, food/diet, the home and family, and the experience of belonging to a group. The life number is commonly found with people who work in the healing professions, with art, and with the formation and management of groups. Since 6 brings such a strong emphasis on family values, men and women tend to become patriarchs or matriarchs, and derive value from having others depend on them. In politics, it produces nationalism and patriotism.

When healthy and mature, this pattern produces people of great wisdom, sensitivity, patience, kindness, and service orientation.

When unhealthy and underdeveloped, the pattern produces people who want to control others by being a dictator or parental authority figure. They want followers, rather than to belong to a soul family in which all members are equal. They become protectionist, secretive, and exclusive.

THREE (Hillary) promotes internal harmony, a positive attitude, and creates an urge to express oneself authentically and originally, often through the voice, writing, and performing in public. Typically, the life lessons are about developing a sense of humor, naturalness and ease, and the ability to encourage others in their self-expression and creativity. There may be challenges concerning fear of persecution for speaking truth to power, and overcoming reclusiveness and shyness.

Fun with Numbers!
Many of you know that I enjoy numerology very much and use it to some degree in the readings I do, since it tends to give accurate information on timing especially. One of my colleagues, Suzann Owings, had this in her January newsletter, The Humm. I thought you might enjoy it. It gives a certain kind of reassurance that there is some deep harmony in the universe. . .

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
2345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

More on The October Surprise
Out of curiosity, I googled "October Surprise" and here are a few things I found:

1. Will Bunch, Phila Daily News, 5/6/08
Team Hillary warns of Obama "October Surprise"
This is what Harold Ickes, a longtime advisory to both Bill and Hillary Clinton, told Mark Halperin of Time's The Page tonight:

“We don’t know enough about Senator Obama yet. We don’t need an October Surprise. And (the chance of) an October Surprise with Hillary is remote.”

This remark is dismaying on several levels, partly because Ickes is virtually channeling Karl Rove, who implied something similar in a recent interview with GQ — not backed up by any information of course. Just planting this vague idea in Joe Average Voter's head that there's something about Barry (Barak) — pick your vice, political or personal — that all the kool kidz inside the Beltway know about, and it's going to pop one week before the election, is the only strategy here.

2. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=5702697&page=1
Brian Ross and Len Tepper, 9/2/08
Is the McCain campaign afraid of an 'October surprise' involving vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin of Alaska? The Alaska state senator running an investigation of Gov. Palin says the McCain campaign is using stall tactics to prevent him from releasing his final report by Oct. 31, four days before the November election. 'It's likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration,'
said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat, appointed the project manager. . .

3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-hart/the-october-surprise_b_30086.html
Gary Hart, in Sept of 2006 (!) wrote:
"It should come as no surprise if the Bush Administration undertakes a preemptive war against Iran sometime before the November election. Were these more normal times, this would be a stunning possibility, quickly dismissed by thoughtful people as dangerous, unprovoked, and out of keeping with our national character. But we do not live in normal times. And we do not have a government much concerned with our national character. If anything, our current Administration is out to remake our national character into something it has never been.

The steps will be these: Air Force tankers will be deployed to fuel B-2 bombers, Navy cruise missile ships will be positioned at strategic points in the northern Indian Ocean and perhaps the Persian Gulf, unmanned drones will collect target data, and commando teams will refine those data. The latter two steps are already being taken.

Then the president will speak on national television. He will say this: Iran is determined to develop nuclear weapons; if this happens, the entire region will go nuclear; our diplomatic efforts to prevent this have failed; Iran is offering a haven to known al Qaeda leaders; the fate of our ally Israel is at stake; Iran persists in supporting terrorism, including in Iraq; and sanctions will have no affect (and besides they are for sissies). He will not say: ...and besides, we need the oil. Therefore, he will announce, our own national security and the security of the region requires us to act. . . Only an Administration inspired by pre-Enlightenment fantasy could believe a notion such as this. . . It does not involve much imagination to understand the timing. The U.S. is poised to adopt a Congressional regime change of its own in November. A political strategy totally based on fear can offer few other options to prevent this." (there is more that is worth reading).

4. http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/513084.html
by John Havelock, former Alaska Attorney General, 9/1/2008
"October Surprise" is a term used to describe a potential, external event that can control the outcome of a pending American election. We have had (so far) a mini October Surprise with the Georgia affair. Another may be coming up. The surprise scenario presumes the deliberate creation of a national security crisis by a small group of persons or even one person. Control over the American election may be purely incidental to the event or the surprise may be an effort deliberately focused on American politics. Either way, it is an "October Surprise" by consequence.

To take an obvious example, a terrorist group might schedule or postpone an attack depending on the group's assessment of its effect on a U.S. election. America is particularly vulnerable to the surprise scenario this year because, according to well-publicized polls, the uncommitted electorate currently perceives Sen. McCain as substantially more capable of dealing with a military emergency than Sen. Obama, while believing Sen. Obama to be far more capable of dealing with the country's domestic problems. Thus anyone, in or out of the country, in a position to precipitate an emergency with military overtones, has the capability of influencing the outcome of the U.S. election. . ." (more to the article, worth reading)

The "October Surprise" and Pandora's Box
My colleagues and I in The Intuition Network have been discussing the possibility of a big event happening soon (see Arlington Institute, and my post from 10/9). This may or may not be related to a potential political event that many are calling "The October Surprise."

One colleague wrote: "The majority of people I have heard from, been in discussion with, or have read, all talk about an "October Surprise," something that will impact the Election in November and may derail it. There is inconsistency as to what, but these people see it as a tragedy that will be a serious setback for our country. The astrologers I read are scratching their heads to try to understand the aspects they see before and during the Election — it's not quite like anything they have observed before. The majority of these people feel this setback will involve one of our candidates or their running mate. This idea of an October Surprise that could hurt our country is a consistent theme."

Here is my response: I too have had a sense that there would be a last-minute attempt to disrupt the election and prevent a loss of control by the current administration. So, I haven't been feeling that the big event or October Surprise would be a natural disaster, but something that is human-engineered. One astrologer, Philip Brown, M.A., says that:

"We can already see the 2008 Saturn-Uranus opposition forming politically, or at least the foundation being laid for its later manifestation. The Saturn-Uranus opposition will be exact on election day, 2008. This is an opposition we experienced in 1920 and again in the mid-1960’s. Alexander Ruperti, in his book Cycles of Becoming, says of the Saturn-Uranus cycle: 'Habit patterns will always resist change and when the pressure of some creative challenge is felt, the ego will experience a sense of impending doom, generating fear and resisting change.'

"This cycle has a disruptive effect. There is a dependence on the past (Saturn) versus radical transformation (Uranus). The Uranus part of the opposition would destroy that part of the past (Saturn) which is also essential to the future—throwing out the baby with the bathwater. In other words, parts of the past are useful and can be carried into the future, but the Saturn-Uranus opposition wants to overthrow everything and start new. The early 1920’s and mid-1960’s were such times of radical transition and transformation throughout the world." (There is more to the article, and it is interesting. . .)

My sense for many years has been that Bush was the catalyst for a phase of Opening Pandora's Box, or the clearing of the collective subconscious mind, where many old unexamined, yet outlived beliefs and habits had to surface and be dissolved. I knew this would take awhile, but then we would need a phase of making it all conscious and choosing who we truly want to be — a return to heart, higher motivation, and the core values of our country. This is like an individual saying: "What just happened to me?! And what did I learn from this experience? And what kind of person do I want to be?"

The fears have now arisen, the scandals and flaws in human nature have been highlighted by reality TV and scurrilous political campaign tactics, and the old patterns are beginning to look old — at least for many of us. This has been an absolutely necessary part of the overall transformation process. If we are to eliminate fear in ourselves, we must see how ugly and hurtful its tactics are. This is happening in each of us individually, as well as collectively and socially.

I had thought that Hillary would be the candidate who could bridge our country into the new awareness because she has a combination of both styles, and was surprised that Obama, who is so much more in the new consciousness, could have been chosen. For those of us who are ever-hopeful, he appears to be the perfect leader and bridge, but I don't think enough of the country has enough awareness yet to be able to see clearly what's been happening in the past 8 years. Fear still has them in its grip. Denial-thinking is still rampant. I heard the other day that this kind of awareness (in the campaigns) is attracted to stories rather than facts.

When people have had total control for a period of time, they become arrogant and secretly gleeful, and don't relinquish power easily. That is why I feel the current administration, which has shown virtually no moral character and has maintained its power through lies and manipulation, will not give up. They cannot see the new reality; they are literally blind to it right now. So I fully expect them to fight dirty — dirtier than ever before. They feel their survival is at stake and are unwilling to evolve.

Summary of the Nine Insights from The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield

1
We're discovering we live in a deeply mysterious world full of sudden coincidences and synchronistic encounters that seem destined.

2
As more of us awaken to this mystery, we will create a completely new worldview, redefining the universe as energetic and sacred.

3
We will discover that everything around us, all matter, consists of and stems from a divine energy that we are beginning to see and understand.

4
From this perspective, we can see that humans have always felt insecure and disconnected from this sacred source and have tried to take energy by dominating each other. This struggle is responsible for all human conflict.

5
The only solution is to cultivate a personal reconnection with the divine, a mystical transformation that fills us with unlimited energy and love, expands our perception of beauty, and lifts us into a higher self awareness.

6
In this awareness we can release our own pattern of controlling and discover a specific truth, a mission we are here to share, that helps evolve humanity toward a new level of reality.

7
In pursuit of this mission we can discover an inner intuition that shows us where to go and what to do, and if we make only positive interpretations, brings a flow of coincidences that opens the doors for our mission to unfold.

8
When enough of us enter this evolutionary flow, always giving energy to the higher self of everyone we meet, we will build a new culture in which our bodies evolve to ever higher levels of energy and perception.

9
In this way, we can participate in the coming journey of evolution, from the big bang to life's ultimate goal: to energize our bodies, generation by generation, until we walk into a heaven we can finally see.

New Research on Reincarnation
One of my colleagues, Paul Von Ward, has been working with an innovative scientific approach to testing traditional ideas about reincarnation and how it works. His project is called The Reincarnation Experiment <http://www.reincarnationexperiment.org>. The first findings were reported in his recent book, The Soul Genome: Science and Reincarnation.

Paul says, "Each month a report is prepared on the project's developments or topics of possible interest to the public. Next month's report will discuss possible DNA markers relevant to the reincarnation hypothesis.

Science understands so little of the process of how unique personalities appear as if from within the individual, independent of parents and culture, that results from the Reincarnation Experiment may be useful for many academic disciplines, as well as parents, teachers, politicians, and employers."

If you're interested in receiving Paul's reports, you may contact him at: Paul.Von-Ward@post.harvard.edu or www.vonward.com

Deepak Chopra's Article: "Obama and the Palin Effect"
In case you haven't seen Deepak's insightful article, here it is:

"Sometimes politics has the uncanny effect of mirroring the national psyche even when nobody intended to do that. This is perfectly illustrated by the rousing effect that Gov. Sarah Palin had on the Republican convention in Minneapolis this week. On the surface, she outdoes former Vice President Dan Quayle as an unlikely choice, given her negligent parochial expertise in the complex affairs of governing. Her state of Alaska has less than 700,000 residents, which reduces the job of governor to the scale of running one-tenth of New York City. By comparison, Rudy Giuliani is a towering international figure. Palin's pluck has been admired, and her forthrightness, but her real appeal goes deeper.

She is the reverse of Barack Obama, in essence his shadow, deriding his idealism and exhorting people to obey their worst impulses. In psychological terms the shadow is that part of the psyche that hides out of sight, countering our aspirations, virtue, and vision with qualities we are ashamed to face: anger, fear, revenge, violence, selfishness, and suspicion of "the other." For millions of Americans, Obama triggers those feelings, but they don't want to express them. He is calling for us to reach for our higher selves, and frankly, that stirs up hidden reactions of an unsavory kind. (Just to be perfectly clear, I am not making a verbal play out of the fact that Sen. Obama is black. The shadow is a metaphor widely in use before his arrival on the scene.) I recognize that psychological analysis of politics is usually not welcome by the public, but I believe such a perspective can be helpful here to understand Palin's message. In her acceptance speech Gov. Palin sent a rousing call to those who want to celebrate their resistance to change and a higher vision.

Look at what she stands for:
* Small town values -- a denial of America's global role, a return to petty, small-minded parochialism.
* Ignorance of world affairs -- a repudiation of the need to repair America's image abroad.
* Family values -- a code for walling out anybody who makes a claim for social justice. Such strangers, being outside the family, don't need to be heeded.
* Rigid stands on guns and abortion -- a scornful repudiation that these issues can be negotiated with those who disagree.
* Patriotism -- the usual fallback in a failed war.
* "Reform" -- an italicized term, since in addition to cleaning out corruption and excessive spending, one also throws out anyone who doesn't fit your ideology.

Palin reinforces the overall message of the reactionary right, which has been in play since 1980, that social justice is liberal-radical, that minorities and immigrants, being different from "us" pure American types, can be ignored, that progressivism takes too much effort and globalism is a foreign threat. The radical right marches under the banners of "I'm all right, Jack," and "Why change? Everything's OK as it is." The irony, of course, is that Gov. Palin is a woman and a reactionary at the same time. She can add mom to apple pie on her resume, while blithely reversing forty years of feminist progress. The irony is superficial; there are millions of women who stand on the side of conservatism, however obviously they are voting against their own good. The Republicans have won multiple national elections by raising shadow issues based on fear, rejection, hostility to change, and narrow-mindedness.

Obama's call for higher ideals in politics can't be seen in a vacuum. The shadow is real; it was bound to respond. Not just conservatives possess a shadow -- we all do. So what comes next is a contest between the two forces of progress and inertia. Will the shadow win again, or has its furtive appeal become exhausted? No one can predict. The best thing about Gov. Palin is that she brought this conflict to light, which makes the upcoming debate honest. It would be a shame to elect another Reagan, whose smiling persona was a stalking horse for the reactionary forces that have brought us to the demoralized state we are in. We deserve to see what we are getting, without disguise."

Attention Dreamers and Intuitives! Impending Event Alert
I received this from The Arlington Institute, which has been working with precognizant dreamers who have had experience with intelligence services.

>>We have subsequently learned about the hundreds of case studies of individuals who had explicit dreams about the 9/11 affair (people jumping out of burning high rise buildings, etc.), beginning some six months before the event. We have been intrigued with the notion that the human collective unconscious somehow anticipates large impending perturbations. Our WHETHEReport project, for which we are looking for funding, is in fact based upon this dynamic.

In the last two days we have received four independent, explicit indications from far removed friends suggesting that something very substantial and disruptive is going to happen to the U.S. within the next 60 days or so. If these warnings manifest themselves in an event of the significance of something like 9/11 then people all over the world should begin to experience dreams and other intuitions suggesting that something extraordinary is about to happen.

So we're asking you to participate in an experiment with us. If you, or someone you know, experiences any kind of significant suggestion (dream, intuition, etc.) that something big and disruptive is about to happen in the coming weeks, send us a note and tell us about it. We’ll compile them all and see if we can find any patterns or pointers toward an actual future event. Just cut and paste the form below into an email and fill it out and send it in. We'll let you know what happens. If you have multiple experiences, please send them along too.

You don’t need to include any identification and we’ll certainly keep all of this information confidential. Thanks. Send to dreams2008@arlingtoninstitute.org<<
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Date of dream or intuition:
Geographic Location of dreamer:
Narrative of actual dream/intuition:
Degree of urgency of dream/intuition: (scale of 1-10. 10 is most urgent)
Element of the dream/intuition that stands out as being most important:
Geographic location of the dream event (if any):
Illuminating comments about the experience:

How Do We Deal with the World?
I think alot these days about attitude and action, as I see so many people working themselves into a panic over the upcoming presidential election, as well as the dire condition of just about everything. If I go into much depth contemplating the lack of consciousness, heart, vision, and holistic intelligence so relentlessly in my face these days, and the panic that seems to arise in me whenever I let my attention drift, I can quickly spiral into an abyss filled with frustration and helplessness. And yet, in the same moment, I can sink into the peace beneath the surface disturbances and reconnect with soul, presence, the divine. Living well in these times doesn't mean having so much money that the craziness doesn't touch you.

I think we each have to find the right balance between on-purpose action and win-win-win problem-solving AND just being. Without consciousness, that balance becomes a polarity of saving-rescuing vs cocooning and apathy. I remember Don Juan's philosophy of "controlled folly" — basically that everything is already fine so nothing needs to be done, and yet we must convince ourselves that creativity and spiritual growth are worthwhile.

The world situations look very different when seen through the filter of mind-fear-ego vs. unity-love-soul. From the soul's view, there is a sanity working through the process, and even the contractions are purposeful. It doesn't mean we don't act on behalf of those less fortunate, or fail to balance our checking accounts, but that we take each action based on a moment by moment "just-rightness." We give up old rules and act from intuitive knowing.

I find that I am struggling — though perhaps that's too strong a word — not to fight the forces that knock me out of my "nice" alignments with inner peace. I know I am learning to find the peace in the chaos, or the larger order in the global, universal flow. And, without losing my specificity as an individual. There are many fine lines to pay attention to right now to achieve spiritual expansion. Right action, right timing, right thinking, right caring. . .

McCain and Palin, An Astrologer's View
Sarah Palin, by Neil Grossman
Whether you speak "astrologese" or not, this article has some interesting insights about the hidden dynamics behind the election. I'll put the "meat" in italics. . .

John McCain's surprise selection of Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican Party's Vice Presidential candidate does not seem likely to work out well for him. He named Palin as his running mate at 12:28 pm on August 29, 2008 in Dayton, Ohio (I know, because I was listening to the event on the radio), a moment in which the ill-omened South Node was in exact conjunction with the Midheaven. By all accounts, Palin had been selected at least in part because she is a woman, and at the moment of McCain's announcement, the Moon was appropriately elevated at 22 degrees of Leo; however, the Moon was also in exact opposition to Neptune, suggesting that something about this woman is not as it appears to be.

Moreover, Palin is about to experience what will likely be the most powerful Neptune transit of her life. She was born on February 11, 1964 (I have not as of this writing been able to ascertain her birthtime), with the Sun, Mars and Saturn forming a triple conjunction running from 22 degrees to 25 degrees of Aquarius, an area through which Neptune is about to pass.

Transiting Neptune in the chart of a public figure is likely to manifest as a scandal or at least an unpleasant revelation. In fact, according to news reports, Ms. Palin is already under investigation in connection with her demotion of an Alaska state official named Monegan, allegedly because he refused to fire Palin's former brother-in-law, who is involved in a child custody dispute with Palin's sister. Mr. Monegan was moved from his position as Commissioner of Public Safety (Saturn/ Mars/Sun) to a new job at — where else? — the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (Neptune).

It is not difficult to see why Ms. Palin appeals to McCain. Her Saturn-Mars-Sun conjunction connotes a drive to fulfill one's duty, a configuration naturally appealing both to political conservatives and to a military man. But this conjunction lies in independent and rebellious Aquarius, and is thus entirely consonant with McCain's reputation (whether it is deserved or not) as the conservative maverick of the Senate. Indeed, the press reports that Ms. Palin is known in Alaska as a reformer (Aquarius) who made her name (Sun) by fighting corruption (Mars) and by working to make local politicians play by the rules (Saturn). In this regard, McCain and Palin really do seem like kindred spirits, each of whom also embodies the qualities of the Saturn-Uranus opposition that will become exact on Election Day.

On a more personal level, Palin's Jupiter at 16 of Aries is in conjunction with McCain's descendant, making her seem to him like an encouraging partner. This Jupiter also trines his natal Jupiter at 15 of Sagittarius and his natal Mars at 12 of Leo. Undoubtedly, the two are able to work well together and to feed off each other's enthusiasm and ideals. Moreover, depending on the time of day at which she was born, her Moon is either in late Capricorn — in which case it would be in conjunction with McCain's own late Capricorn Moon, indicating that these two have a fundamental ability to feel at home with one another — or else in early Aquarius, further strengthening Palin's reformist credentials.

But transiting Neptune, currently retrograde, sits on Palin's natal Sun and turns direct two days before the Election. By March of 2009, it will have moved over Palin's entire Sun-Mars-Saturn conjunction. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that by that time, if not earlier, perhaps as a result of the inevitably increased scrutiny of her record her nomination will bring, we will have learned something unpleasant about her that we don't yet know, and that will make her appear somehow crooked or fake. Win or lose the election, McCain is likely to regret his vice presidential pick.

Key Points for Our Next President
John L. Peterson, a futurist and Director of The Arlington Institute, has written a simple and concise summary of the 6 points our next President will need to address to bring the United States into alignment with the transformation the world is experiencing. You can get a free pdf of the article on my website. And, you might want to sign up for the Institute Alerts and Reports.