Life and Death

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time studying Greek myths. If it were me reading these myths seven to eight years ago, I’m sure I wouldn’t understand much about them, except for the clear and blatant moral question. However, now, having passed through many thresholds and armed with a better understanding of the mind-soul phenomena or the intrinsic ways it plays into how we perceive ourselves and life, we are in a position to become a living archetype of transformation. To say I am fascinated by Greek myths is obviously an understatement. My soul puts a big ass grin on my face while I discover all the beautiful and complex stories of the Greeks. Like a child in a candy shop, a silent warmth moves through my soul. Life and death have always been the riddle that was born to be solved but never quite answered since the beginning of time. It’s a constant… like change. One thing we are sure of is change. Seasons change, stories change, people change, and the world along with it. And that’s okay, I guess.

In this post, I will try not to get too philosophical because I happen to have a bad headache again. In my last post, I was also battling a terrible headache and seasonal allergies. Perfect timing, of course. Now, having covered a little bit of what I want to do, I want to focus on the mystery we call life and the other side of the coin, death. While yes, when we think of death, we are mainly referring to the physical process of dying, I want to invite you into the world of the Greeks, poets, mystics, and philosophers, and what death implies beyond the physical manifestation of it. According to the Hindus, every breath we take is an act of dying. When we inhale and exhale, life and death participate in the cosmic drama. When a thought arises and subsides, when love rises and leaves, when the sun rises and sets, when the moon rises and sets, and when a wave forms and breaks, it is also life and death that participate in the cosmic drama.

Still, today we haven’t found an answer we can all agree on about what the purpose of life and death is, and we can’t deny that the question often arises: What’s the point in being born when we all have to die? From a more spiritual and religious sense, although they do differ, the underlying moral message is the same. We are here to get to know God. We are here to serve God and understand God, His power through His magnificent creation. Sometimes, we spiritualists forget this and still get caught in the mundane world, but in the end, we always come to the same experience, maybe from a different path, that yes, we are here to witness God’s creation, give glory to His creation, and hopefully understand what God wants, including our place and purpose in this cosmic drama.

Knowledge, the forbidden fruit

Something that really captured my attention recently, when I read about Hades and Persephone, was the similarity of the story with the biblical drama of Adam and Eve, the temptress. I understand most of the myths intuitively now, and it is kind of mind-blowing when you understand the archetypal narrative to interpret something so human and inward. As I mentioned previously, I probably wouldn’t understand much if it were me reading these myths several years ago, and probably still don’t for the most part, largely due to the genius of how they were written, where the reader is invited to constantly solve a riddle that can to a great extent be understood through lived experience, and where we are constantly contemplating and unraveling the true meaning behind it.

Persephone, the gentle young girl who liked to pick flowers beneath the Sicilian sun, became the queen of the underworld. But who is she really, and how did she become the queen of the underworld? Before I get into that, let me start by saying that the couple, Hades and Persephone, was actually a happy one, contrary to all expectations, of course. Persephone took her role as queen very seriously, as did her role as wife. Her presence brings a new image and understanding of life and death to Western civilization, since the young woman shares her time between the two worlds, the lower one and the upper one. This marriage, though eventually accepted, did not improve the reputation of the lord of the underworld.

Though many stories differ, I can’t help but notice the same underlying message recurring throughout different cultures and eras. In mysticism, the whole idea of dying is a means to know something. Without death, there’s no knowledge. When we look at the story of Adam and Eve, Eve was deceived by the serpent, ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and gave some to her husband. When we look at Persephone, though a different narrative, she too ate the pomegranate seeds of the underworld, and though she tried to deny it, Ascalaphus witnessed it and reported it to Demeter, and therefore she was not granted total freedom to return and live on the surface, but had to abide by the law and live between the two worlds. In both stories, the act of eating is not just physical; it is the moment knowledge is gained, and with it, consequence.

Knowledge is not something that is simply given. It is something that is taken, and often through a crossing of a boundary that cannot be undone. It is like an initiation. As we all know and have experienced throughout the course of living, once we see, we cannot unsee. In that sense, knowledge is not only the end of innocence as often depicted or interpreted in the Bible, but also the beginning of awareness, self-awareness. Adam and Eve are cast out of the garden, no longer able to exist in unconscious harmony, as living in unconscious harmony is one of the main paths provided by the universe. And Persephone, having eaten in the underworld, is now bound to live between two worlds. This is not punishment in the way we often simplify things, but a consequence. To know means to carry, and as I often mention in my posts, to carry is to live with the tension of opposites, between light and dark, the outer and the inner, or life and death.

Hades falls in love at first sight | Hades and Persephone

Hades is a rich god surrounded by precious stones and rare metals, gold, diamonds, rubies, and possesses nothing on the earth’s surface. No mortals dedicate temples or altars to him, and if they do praise him with sinister ceremonies and sacrifice, they do so in secret. He lives below in the darkness and has no idea of what goes on in the upper world or on Mount Olympus. The only news he receives of the world is contained in the oaths and curses that mortals utter as they strike the ground with their hands. Sometimes he feels the need to leave his infernal palace and breathe the outside air. One day, having left the depths of his kingdom, Hades drives his chariot pulled by horses across a Sicilian plain, not far from Mount Etna. He’s indifferent to the beautiful landscapes, forests, and valleys of Greece, but suddenly a silhouette draws his attention. He suddenly brought his horses to a halt, and there, just a few steps away, a young girl of exceptional beauty was picking flowers. Her name is Persephone , which signifies bringer of destruction. And this young girl is not just anybody. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and harvests.

On Mount Olympus, where she is sometimes allowed to go, she is known as Kore, which simply means the young girl, the maiden. Hades’ heart goes wild. He could kidnap her, but being her brother’s daughter, he respects the law. Hades sets off to see his brother Zeus and ask for Persephone’s hand. This is hugely embarrassing for Zeus because if he refuses, he offends his brother, and if he accepts, Demeter, will never forgive him. Zeus is conflicted, so he ducks the question and says I can neither give or refuse my consent. Hades considers himself free of all constraints and heads back to Sicily and the plain of Etna. Persephone is still there in the company of nymphs. Hades puts on his cap of invisibility and disappears. A few moments later, as Persephone bends to pick a flower, the ground abruptly opens beneath her feet, and Hades carries her off into the pit of the dead and the night.

Demeter | Goddess of Harvest

When her daughter doesn’t return, goddess Demeter goes to look for her and questions everyone she meets, but no one tells her the truth, nor the man, nor the gods, nor the birds, nor the nymphs, no one. Until an old woman approaches her, Hecate. Hecate is the goddess with double powers.She is the goddess of fertility and the goddess of the moon. When the moon is full, lighting the night sky and making men and beasts mad, it is said that Hecate points out the path to the underworld. This goddess stands at the crossroads between good and evil, between ferility and drought. Hecate is the only divinity who, of her own free will, goes down to see Hades at home. Hecate had heard Persephone call for help the other morning, but when she got there, no one was to be found. Demeter, without pausing for breath, for nine days and nine nights, continues her search through mountains, forests, lakes, and valleys, all in vain.  When all hope seems to be lost, Hecate takes her to see Helios, the god of the sun, who sees everything. Helios decides to name the guilty party. Hades.

Demeter demands the return of her daughter, but Hades refuses. “In that case,” announces Demeter to the assembly of gods, “I leave Olympus never to return, and the earth will be sterile until my daughter is returned to me.” This is no empty threat. She is the goddess of wheat and nourishment. The following day, the crops start to fail, fruits rot, and famine ravages the earth. The human race is threatened with extinction. In his palace, Zeus is at a loss to know what to do. He sends Demeter his messenger, the Goddess Iris, to beg her to see reason. Demeter doesn’t want to hear it. A delegation of gods and goddesses goes to plead with her without success. Zeus, with no choice left to him, sends his son Hermes to see his brother Hades with the following message. “If you do not give back Persephone, we are all lost! Mankind will die, and there will be no one left to honor us, no one left to believe in us!”

Hades considers and accepts. He is willing to give Persephone back to her mother, but on one condition. The laws of the gods must be respected, as he respected Zeus when asking for Persephone’s hand. And there is a law in the underworld which everyone is aware of and which no one may violate: whosever has consumed the food of the dead will remain beneath the earth for eternity. Hermes questions Persephone if she tasted any food, but she assures him that she has been so unhappy since being kidnapped that she has eaten nothing. Hades, therefore, accepts that she return to her mother’s side. Just as Hermes is helping the young girl onto his chariot, a voice rings out. It is Ascalaphus, one of the gardeners of the Lord of Darkness. “She’s lying,” he declares, specifying that he saw Persephone picking a pomegranate and ate seven grains from it, and is willing to bear witness to it. Ascalaphus is to regret these words later, when Demeter turns him into an owl.  

Saddened than ever, Demeter shuts herself away all alone and refuses to return to Olympus and continues to starve mankind. Zeus explains the problem to Rhea, his mother, for Rhea is also the mother of Hades and of Demeter. It is Rhea who will preside over the negotiations between her three children, Zeus, Demeter, and Hades. There is discussion, debate, and tears, and at last, agreement has come. Persephone, because she has tasted the food of the dead, will spend her winters in the underworld, and the rest of the year she will be in the fresh air with Demeter. And that is why when Demeter and Persephone are separated, the earth freezes, nothing grows or flowers, and refuses to feed mankind. Nature is waiting for Persephone to return.

Hades, the master of the underworld | Self-awareness

So, who is Hades really? To reduce him to just the god of death would be fatal because he isn’t exactly death. Death is another god, Thanatos. Hades, son of Rhea and Cronus, and brother to Zeus, contrary to many beliefs, is neither satanic nor evil-doing. It is not he who torments his subjects. That is the Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance who are a law unto themselves. Crowned with snakes, armed with whips, it is the Erinyes who relentlessly persecute their victims, going so far as to make them mad. Hades has nothing to do with that. He governs the underground world.

Hades, the god who isn’t named, reigns over the underworld kingdom, which he never wanted but was allotted to him against his will. When Zeus overthrew his father, Cronus, to liberate all his siblings and took power, he decided to share the universe with his brothers. Zeus took the world of men and the celestial world for himself, gave Poseidon the sea world, and gave Hades the underworld. The fear that Hades awakens is so great that rather than speak his name, he is referred to by all sorts of nicknames: the Receiver of Many, the Illustrious, the Giver of Good Counsel, or even the Zeus of the underworld. With a scepter in his hand, he governs the souls of the dead.

He is surrounded by monstrous creatures with precise functions. Out of duty, he pretends to be pitiless, but in his heart, he is also wise and sometimes tender. If approached in the right way, he is capable of showing a certain indulgence. For instance, Orpheus, a warrior and the most famous poet and musician of all time, pays Hades a visit before death comes to reap him. With no weapon or violence, but only his lyre and voice, Orpheus manages to fight his way through to the infernal couple. Orpheus, after a life of adventures and exploits, met Eurydice, a nymph of incomparable grace.

Overcome by an immeasurable passion, he married her, but their happiness did not last long. Eurydice dies, and Orpheus, mad with grief, dares to do what no other mortal had dared to do before him. He descends into the underworld and asks the infernal couple for the return of his love. Both speechless, poised to punish such impudence, Orpheus stops them with an imploring gesture, striking a sensitive chord, he reminds Hades of the feelings he experienced towards Persephone, the flight of love that he succumbed to, his desperations and sadness when the one he made the queen of the underworld is kept far from his side.

Softened by the celestial notes and the poetical musician’s words, Hades and Persephone give in to his prayers, on condition, of course, that the laws of the underworld be respected. Orpheus can leave, Eurydice will follow him, and he must never turn around, not before reaching the surface. If he disobeys, then Eurydice will be lost to him forever. The destiny of Eurydice now lies in his hands alone.

This decision sheds light on the multiple facets of the personality of the master of the underworld. He is music-loving, sensitive to lovers’ laments, and capable of being moved by beauty. However, whatever he does, in the eyes of mortals, Hades will always be this feared and detested god. When in truth he is both life and death. On certain evenings, overcome by sadness, Hades says to himself that mortals are very wrong to fear him, because real death, as the Greeks well knew, is not the underworld but being forgotten.

The post Hades & Persephone | Knowledge and the Fall into Awareness appeared first on Sentient Muse.

Brace yourself. It is going to be a long one. Almost all esoteric doctrines, including yoga and Hinduism, discuss the four elements as the foundation of the physical phenomena in the Universe that we know and can observe. Circa 2013, on the first day of my yoga training here in New York City, one of the lead teachers began explaining how yogis understand the world through Hindu cosmogeny. She asked, “So what was in the beginning?” And while everyone knew about the Big Bang, she followed with, “And what came after the Big Bang? How did we end up with life here in our solar system?” The room went quiet.

It was a simple question, and maybe a scientist might have had a direct explanation, but it would obviously lead to more questions. Then she said, “The four elements came: Fire, Water, Air, Earth.”

While I thought I was more than prepared for such a discussion, having studied various doctrines at least five years prior, I was still taken aback by the simplicity and the insight, more of a bird’s-eye view, so to speak. There are countless cosmogonies written about the birth of the Universe. Just the thought of how much there is to read and study overwhelms me every day. But one thing I am getting better at is taking it one day at a time.

Twenty-first century teachers describe the four elements as the biggest beings in the Universe. While we probably think of the elements as resources we can exploit or dominate, in the spiritual or metaphysical realm, there is much more going on with them.

Water H₂O

We all know water as H₂O, a simple molecule made of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom, the substance that makes life possible on Earth. When I was in middle school, we were still debating or speculating whether there was water anywhere beyond planet Earth, and it was a big deal. But I mean, a big deal. Now that we have confirmed water on other planets and moons, the idea has become almost ordinary, but in my generation, this was something we could only dream of. Confirmation of water outside our planet came after 2005 with Cassini and even more in the 2010s. Even comets are mostly water ice, as well as many asteroids with hydrating minerals. We have also detected oxygen on Mars, Venus, and several moons in our Solar System, but not in the same quantities as Earth.

Now, beyond its scientific identity, water has often been seen as something that holds memory, emotion, depth, mystery, and the ability to cleanse and transform. Many cultures have viewed it as alive in its own way. So even though we can study it in a lab, there is another side or dimension to water that invites us to look past its chemical makeup and into the deeper form it carries.

Water for us moves downward, not upward, unless you are on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, where water from an underground ocean is forced upward through cracks in the ice, erupting into space in visible jets like giant sprays. Water has also been used as a symbol of purification and holiness, especially in Christianity, and with the new ritual of baptism that came with the Essenes or whoever the first Christians were.

While water seeks life and depth, fire seeks height and sublimation. Sublimation in science is the process by which a solid changes directly into a gas without passing through the liquid state. It is extremely important in the search for life on other planets because it helps scientists understand how, i.e., water ice or other volatile substances, can move, disappear, or reappear on a planet’s surface, which affects where life might exist.

In spirituality, sublimation is the process of transforming raw or lower energies of desire or impulsiveness into higher states of awareness, creativity, or spiritual growth. Just as a comparison of how our ancestors understood the elements. Fire was represented by the Stars in the sky, like our own Sun, our destiny, and water was a representation of our inner mystery, associated with emotion, memory, imagination, and feeling.

Here’s a Hindu text for reference, which I thought was worth noting, as stated in the epic Itihāsa, the Mahabharata.

“I am Narayana, the Source of all things, the Eternal, the Unchangeable. I am the Creator of all things, and the Destroyer also of all. I am Vishnu, I am Brahma and I am Shankara, the chief of the gods. I am king Vaisravana, and I am Yama, the lord of the deceased spirits. I am Siva, I am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the lord of the created things. And, O best of regenerate ones, I am he called Dhatri, and he also that is called Vidhatri, and I am Sacrifice embodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth my feet, and the Sun and the Moon are my eyes; the Heaven is the crown of my head, the firmament and the cardinal points are my ears; the waters are born of my sweat. Space with the cardinal points are my body, and the Air is my mind…

…And, O Brahmana, whatever is obtained by men by the practice of truth, charity, ascetic austerities, and peace and harmlessness towards all creatures, and such other handsome deeds, is obtained because of my arrangements. Governed by my ordinance, men wander within my body, their senses overwhelmed by me. They move not according to their will but as they are moved by me.”

— Mahabharata (translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, 1883-1896), Book 3, Varna Parva, Chapter CLXXXVIII (188)

Water, baptism, and holiness

Baptism and the symbol of purification mark the culmination of the Age of Pisces, the era that begins with the coming of Jesus Christ and carries the themes of water, faith, sacrifice, and spiritual rebirth. All things that are represented by the sign of Pisces that astrologers know very well, better than I can ever say. The painting is by Leonardo da Vinci. Notice how Jesus’s feet are immersed in water as well as John’s, performing the holy ritual of purification on Jesus Christ. It actually reminds me of Temperance in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, representing healing, patience, and the reconciliation of opposites within, all things essential for one’s spiritual actualization.

While the 60s are said to mark the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, throughout this period, the Age of Pisces, water became more than a physical element. It turned into a holy tool, something capable of cleansing not just the physical body but the unseen realms around us. In Christianity and in many older traditions, water is blessed, prayed over, and infused with intention so it can cast out demons, break negative attachments, and support acts of exorcism and spiritual protection. Holy water in these rituals is used not just as a weapon but as a reminder of purity, surrender, and the return to one’s original state before fear and darkness take over. So water then becomes a bridge between the physical and the spiritual, emphasizing the same idea found in baptism, the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the esoteric understanding of water as the element of memory, dissolution, renewal, and transformation.

Water has the power to transform our identity on a cellular level, especially with the right intention in mind and spirit. Even a simple bath at home can become a powerful ritual of purification and healing. As long as we hold the truth in our hearts and remain honest before the holy, water will do its job and cleanse us of our sins, marking a rebirth in its own way.

John 3:5
“Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 3:11
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Nymphs – Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, nymphs were seen as the silent presence within nature, especially inside water. They were the soft, watchful spirits of a spring, a river, or a sea, like the Nereids. They weren’t gods, just subtle beings that held the mood and intelligence of the water they lived in.

Above is one of my favorite paintings in the more realistic and classical style. I’ve looked at this painting for years, and every time I return to it, it remains one of my favorites, especially within the theme of mythical creatures and fantasy. I grew up swimming before I could walk (I mean that literally, lol), and I’ve always connected to water in a way that is hard to put into words. I mean this in the most humble way possible. I have no desire to dominate water or challenge it, like riding big waves, etc., but more to meet it in its most serene state.

Growing up in the southern tip of Albania, by the Ionian Sea in Vlorë County, where both my parents are from, Vuno, to be more precise, apart from stuffing my face with prickly pears, feta cheese, and grapes, living among the calm, turquoise waters of Jalë and the surrounding beaches helped us, as natives at least, build an understanding and relationship with this element that is hard to put into words. Everyone in my family and culture quietly understands and relates. Rich in salt, iodine, and sodium, these waters offered a level of cleansing and purification that felt almost indispensable for the temperament of my people, lol, especially on my father’s side, in Vlorë City.

Story time

Now, a little story time and a fun fact about my ancestry, since some of you have asked. The picture above is a more recent one. When I was growing up, there was nothing there except the military base at the very far right of the picture up the hill. Sometimes my family felt adventurous enough to hike down from the village, which sits high in the mountains, through the olive terraces, and then down the steep slopes toward Jale, shown in this image. The whole walk took a good 60–70 minutes if I remember it right. There are also beautiful surrounding beaches not included in the image, where my brothers and cousins would swim to. We were that brave. Haha.

Vuno was a key base for resistance during WW2, also involving Greek Himariotes, where my grandmother was raised, only about a 30-minute drive from Vuno, with many villagers listed on monuments for their sacrifices. Among these heroes was my great-aunt, Amalí Andoni, my grandfather’s little sister, who was killed by Nazis and Italian fascists at the age of 16.

This is how the story was told to me for as long as I could understand words. One night, when the moon was full, Aunt Amali prepared food for the soldiers in the resistance, as she always did. She was brave but stubborn. On the way to the partisans, the German soldiers spotted her and shouted at her in German (my grandfather would shout in German when narrating the story), but she was determined to keep going and didn’t stop, and she was shot in the back several times.

The partisans later found the man who had done it and brought him to my great-grandmother and said, “It’s him. This is the Nazi who killed your daughter. What do you want us to do with him?” And my great-grandmother replied, “Let him go, for he too has a mother who waits for him at home.” These kinds of stories became part of my values and how I was shaped while growing up.

My grandfather would tell me this story almost every year, and he would always tear up halfway through. December 5th was his birthday, and so I thought, in honor of him, Piro Andoni, who raised me, I would tell the story. While my family is filled with stories I like to keep for myself, here’s one more fun fact about my grandfather. He was raised as poor as a… well, a very poor child. He told me that growing up, he would read books only with the light of the moon because he was so poor that he had no electricity. My upbringing wasn’t so different, by the way. He read so much, though, and even learned a whole new language, Spanish, that he later became the Albanian ambassador in South America for 13 years.

Growing up, I would hear him on the typewriter every day, writing stories from his diaries and about each country he had visited in South America. He spoke fluent Spanish, obviously, and he also raised me with some South American musical influence, which is kind of funny to me now, lol. He was based in Argentina and had a weird obsession with actress Greta Garbo, who had very similar features to my grandmother, with high cheekbones, small but defined lips, and clear blue eyes. He wrote an entire book about her life and translated it from Spanish. He would often talk to me about Greta Garbo and what her career as an actress meant for her, which I now, as an adult, see more clearly. He traveled through the entire South American continent with my grandmother, Athina Andoni, for all those years.

Okay! Enough of me, because I’m already cringing. See you in the next one.

The post An Esoteric Dive Into the Water Element, The Age of Pisces, & Baptism appeared first on Sentient Muse.

Saturn

Brace yourself, as I’m going to make this post one of those posts that may be hard to read (or not), in other words, more woo-woo than you might expect. And this is maybe one of my favorite ways to speculate about space, our universe, and life in general. Of course, I will be guided more by my intuition, even after looking at it scientifically, especially regarding life on Saturn. I know, don’t shoot the messenger yet. Hear me out. When I say life, I may not refer to a tangible humanoid life exactly, one we can touch, see, smell, or hear with our senses. So give this a chance. I promise it won’t be boring.

Saturn has been with us since the beginning, even before the telescope was invented, because you can see it with the naked eye. Nobody actually discovered Saturn. It was simply there, glowing in the sky with a golden yellow light, waiting for us to notice it. When telescopes were invented in the 1600s, we learned it wasn’t just another star but a massive gas giant wrapped in those mysterious rings. It’s the second-largest planet in our solar system, made mostly of hydrogen and helium, the two main ingredients in this soup we call the Universe. Remember, hydrogen is the first and most abundant element in the universe, and hydrogen fusion in stars converts it into helium, releasing the energy that makes stars shine.

At the top of Saturn, as seen in the picture above, an actual photo of Saturn, there is a strange hexagon-shaped storm around its north pole. It is huge, over 20,000 miles across. Scientists don’t know exactly why it forms a perfect hexagon, but it remains one of Saturn’s most mysterious and beautiful features, and it makes the planet feel a little strange and magical in its nature.

What is it made of?

Planets in our solar system aren’t so different, but they aren’t made the same either. The gas giants like Saturn and Jupiter, according to scientists, have no solid crust or surface like we do on Earth because they are mostly made of hydrogen and helium. How do they know this? Because of their density. Saturn and Jupiter are massive planets, much heavier than Earth. Saturn has about 95 times Earth’s mass (in kilograms, the standard scientific measure of mass), and Jupiter about 318 times. But most of that mass is made of light gases, mostly hydrogen and helium. Because these gases are spread out over such huge volumes, their average density is very low. Saturn’s density, for example, is only 0.69 grams per cubic centimeter, which is less than water. In other words, if you could somehow put Saturn in a giant bathtub, it would float. This low density and the crushing pressures inside these planets prevent a solid surface or crust from forming, which is why gas giants are completely different from rocky planets like Earth.

The rocky planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, are made mostly of silicate rocks and a mix of metals like iron and magnesium, along with nonmetals like silicon and oxygen. Some, like Earth and Mars, have water and atmospheres rich in nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon dioxide. While the same elements appear across planets, the proportions are very different, giving each world its own personality.

So far, we have discovered around 90 elements in the universe, most of which appear in stars, planets, nebulae, and galaxies. The same elements you learned about in chemistry class, if you remember any. Hydrogen and helium dominate the cosmos, but elements like oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, neon, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, and iron are very common. These elements combine in various ways to form gases, rocks, ices, and metals, creating the diversity of planets, stars, and solar systems we see. Even the heaviest elements, like gold or uranium, exist in small amounts, sprinkled throughout stars and cosmic dust. So when we look at Saturn, Jupiter, or any distant star, we are seeing these same elements playing out in different forms and proportions.

So what makes these 90 elements differ from one another? It all comes down to the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in their atoms. That’s it. That’s what differentiates the elements we know. When we study planets, stars, and galaxies, we are really studying these atoms and how they combine to form all matter. For instance, the dad of the Universe, hydrogen, as I like to call it, is the simplest atom, made of one proton and one electron orbiting it. A helium atom, on the other hand, the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, is made of 4 particles in its nucleus (2 protons + 2 neutrons) and 2 electrons orbiting it. Remember, hydrogen and helium are the lightest elements in the Universe and make up the vast majority of stars (suns) and matter in the cosmos, about 98 to 99 percent.

Everything heavier than helium, which astronomers call metals, exists in much smaller amounts. These heavier elements are what build planets, rocks, and life. Even the Sun’s average density is lighter than Earth’s, about 1.41 grams per cubic centimeter, while Earth’s is around 5.5 grams per cubic centimeter. So while Saturn could hypothetically float in a bathtub if somehow we could fit it into one, the Sun on the other hand is slightly denser than water (which is 1 gram per cubic centimeter) and it would sink. So if you ever feel like life is getting heavy, remember that you could hypothetically inhale Saturn and swallow it whole if it were sitting in your bathtub.

Saturn in Mythology

Although Saturn spins much faster than Earth, completing a full rotation in about 10 hours and 33 minutes, which is roughly 2.3 times faster than Earth’s 24-hour day, Saturn is slow, at least from our perspective on life. It takes about 29.5 Earth years to orbit the Sun, while Earth completes its orbit in just one year, or 365 days. In Greek mythology, Saturn is known as Cronus, the Titan of time and harvest. Cronus ruled during a mythical Golden Age, a time of abundance and peace. But he was haunted by a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him, just as he had overthrown his own father, Uranus. To stop this, he swallowed each child at birth: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. His wife, Rhea, horrified, hid their youngest, Zeus, and gave Cronus a rock to swallow instead. Zeus grew up, came back, made Cronus spit out his siblings, and led them to defeat the Titans, becoming king of the gods. The Titans were older gods who ruled the world first, while the Olympians were the new gods, more like humans and closer to life on Earth.

Scholars often interpret the myth of Cronus as a story about time, change, and cycles. Cronus swallowing his children represents the old generation trying to hold onto power, while Zeus overthrowing him symbolizes the rise of the new generation, showing that change is inevitable. The myth also reflects human fears of loss, mortality, and being replaced, as well as the cycles of nature and the harvest, since Cronus was associated with time and agriculture. So the story of Cronos  isn’t just about gods fighting, but a symbol for how the universe moves from chaos to order. The Titans, like Cronus, represent the old, chaotic, primal forces of nature, and the Olympians, like Zeus, represent structure, rules, and a more organized cosmos. It’s like a metaphor for natural cycles, like seasons, growth, life and death, and the passage of time.

Astrology

In astrology, Saturn is the planet of structure, earthly law, life lessons, and karmic growth. It rules discipline, responsibility, and boundaries, showing us where we need to work harder, slow down, or face the consequences of our past actions. Because Saturn moves slowly, taking almost 30 years to orbit the Sun, it is linked to long-term cycles, major life milestones, and soul lessons. Many astrologers associate Saturn with past lives and karma, suggesting that the challenges it presents are echoes of lessons we haven’t fully learned yet. Saturn asks us to confront reality, accept limitations, and grow wiser through those experiences. It can feel heavy, restrictive, or even harsh, but it also rewards patience, perseverance, and maturity. In a mystical sense, Daddy Saturn is the cosmic teacher, showing us the patterns we carry through time and encouraging us to evolve, spiritually and personally, through the natural cycles of life.

Saturn is the teacher of time, so people influenced by it often seem wise beyond their years. Many Saturn-ruled souls, like myself, go through hard lessons early in life, which can make them feel older or more serious when they are young. As we grow, we start to loosen up and feel more playful, almost like becoming children again, but thanks to the wisdom we have gained. We also notice that life feels slower and more measured, and this can make us seem younger or more energetic than others. Saturn’s energy helps us follow life’s natural cycles and grow through experience, patience, and discipline. That’s why those ruled by Saturn may seem to age backwards, not literally, but in how they carry themselves and move through life.

Collective Intelligence of Saturn

So here we are. We’ve come to the woo-woo part of this post. Keep in mind that this is about the spiritual dimension or innerstanding of Saturn. Yes, I said innerstanding, not understanding, but you get what I mean. So, where do I even begin? Let’s start with a simple question:

I warned you about the woo-woo part. But hear me out. There have been so many, I mean so many cases of abductee reports describing atrocious experiments performed by these weird-looking aliens, and almost all the stories are similar. Now, having said this, and hopefully coming to some mutual understanding, let’s speculate on this civilization of Saturnians.

Now, some of you are obviously going to laugh at this or say this is beyond woo-woo and crosses into pure sci‑fi. And there’s absolutely no way that there could be intelligent life on Saturn, especially based on our scientific findings. But what I’m here to tell you is that this isn’t entirely true. How do I know this? I’m not sure how or why. Maybe I’m 100% wrong for claiming this, but I was given an image to interpret, and like many other spiritualists or whatever they want to call us, I interpreted it. Perhaps it is a timely thing, or maybe a subconscious way of interpreting particular life cycles or strange phenomena at play. Either way, it is what it is. You can do whatever you want with this information. Who knows, maybe it’ll open the door to a new understanding of things, or maybe not.

Don’t miss this documentary on Saturn. Click here

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Reincarnation

The topic of reincarnation is pretty difficult to navigate because, first and foremost, I have to speak primarily from a spiritual point of view and delve deeply into topics that are still considered unconventional or taboo for most people. This won’t stop me, though, because where is the fun in writing if we don’t embrace a little bit of a challenge?

So what is reincarnation, and what does it mean for us if it were really true? Reincarnation is the belief that life doesn’t end with death, and that our soul or consciousness returns into a new vessel to live, i.e., another human life, for the purpose of evolution or karma, such as unfinished lessons. Some people living and breathing today remember past lives, and I had the privilege to be friends with one of such people during college. Not only did she have past-life memories, but her mother did as well. I’m not going to mention who, obviously, as I want to respect their privacy, and the only reason I want to bring it up is to offer another experience and opportunity to maybe try and keep more of an open mind when it comes to such topics.

Even from a scientific perspective, consciousness is still a great mystery. Meaning we can map the brain and study behavior, but no one truly knows where awareness comes from or where it goes. While we don’t have definitive scientific proof of reincarnation, research into memory, near-death experiences, and so many cases of children remembering past lives shows there’s more to consciousness and human life than we know.

For instance, DNA holds water around its carbon atoms and between base pairs, helping the helix-like structure stay in place. Some researchers have found that water can hold structure or information, and since our bodies are mostly made up of water, I am not shocked that people who do remember past lives often describe it as if their memories live not just inside their minds, but in the water inside their cells.

Priorities and karma | Reincarnation

While most people have a general understanding of karma as action and consequence, like “what goes around comes around,” karma, at its core, as I have described in detail in my book How to Get on the Good Side of Life, stems from a misconception of the self and, if we go even deeper, a distortion in how we view or perceive personal power. Now, yes, every action has consequences, but if we truly want to escape the matrix or third dimension, as most people in the spiritual community are acquainted with when it comes to living life, we have to understand the true value of life and what distracts us from it.

Those who are innately more in tune or in alignment with the spiritual dimension of life began with these questions. Such as: what is important in life? What has worth in life? What is the purpose of life? What is the mission of life? Etc. So now the question is, what makes us prisoners of life? What keeps us bound to reincarnation and forces us to face harsh lessons from life to life? And the short answer to this is whenever you step beyond the spirit and place anything above the spirit, that is when you accumulate debt. Meaning, when you constantly place priorities beyond the spirit, you incur karma or create debt, and that results in reincarnation.

This can also equate to putting God first. You’ll see many people who say or claim they place God before everything else, but their actions may prove otherwise. This is hypocrisy. Now, we’re not here to call people out because it’s not our business to do that, and who’s got the time for it anyway, right? This is just a heads-up that spiritualists, like materialists, come in all shapes and sizes. The most dangerous types of spiritualists to be aware of are those who form or partake in cults or those who cover up their trauma with spirituality. You’ll see these patterns everywhere, especially if you’ve been around the block for a while.

You don’t have to be spiritual or call yourself spiritual to be in tune with the spiritual dimension of life. If you want my opinion on where to start with being more aligned with the spiritual dimension of life, start by first learning to become more aware, understanding consciousness, and recognizing what distorts consciousness.

Christian perspective on the divine

Before I proceed, I want to cite John 14, as this is probably one of the most profound passages in the Christian Testament for understanding God and what it truly means to place priorities beyond Him. I find this passage so tender that it touches my heart and often brings a tear or two.

John 14

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now; let us leave.

God, the jealous lover

Please keep in mind that when I speak of God here, I don’t mean this in a religious or dogmatic sense, but from a deeply personal and spiritual experience.

No one can love us better than God, and I don’t think we will ever fully understand that kind of love while living this brief human experience. The only way to come even close to feeling it is by humbling ourselves and accepting our limits. And no, I don’t mean humbling ourselves by playing small. That is a distortion of what it means to be devoted to God or to live and breathe God. I mean, knowing that we can only experience and understand so much while being in this human vessel.

I know this because I have witnessed the miracle of God’s presence, even in the darkest places. God doesn’t like to be rejected, and if He is, you will surely know and feel his wrath. God wants our undivided attention and devotion. He’s a jealous lover. God wants you to do and create everything with and for the love of God. He wants you to put Him first, above everything else. He wants us to talk to Him and to acknowledge our mistakes and limitations. God wants us to be honest with Him. He’s a possessive lover.

Circa 2014, I was practicing “My Sweet Lord” on the guitar by George Harrison. I kept playing and singing the song over and over again because I wanted to post it on Instagram, lol. That same night, I had a profound experience. I became conscious while dreaming and found myself face-to-face with a man I had never seen before. As this man appeared in the room, a profound and encompassing love radiated through every pore of his face, and with the most tender smile, I instantly knew this was God. I was so shocked and overwhelmed by the experience that I woke up and couldn’t believe what had just happened. I kept asking myself, Did I just meet God?

I thought it might have been the power of that song, and I never thought too much about it after that. Only sometimes, when I would find myself asking questions about God and who or what God is. To this day, I haven’t forgotten a single detail of that encounter.

Maybe God did appear in my dream after I sang that song for nearly three hours straight and took the form of a man I had never met. But, regardless, the whole point is that if you truly want to meet God, then sing for him, write to him, and talk to him. Like I said, He’s a jealous lover, and if you take one step toward him, he will take ten toward you, because no one, I mean no one, can love us better than God.

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This post is dedicated to my fellow devoted yogis or anyone aspiring to deepen their practice in yoga. With each passing year, I find it interesting to see how differently I show up on the mat, and thankfully, it’s with a greater sense of gratitude each time. When the world gets loud, both inner and outer worlds, there is nowhere else I find myself more grounded, calm, and with a clear sense of direction than on the mat. How many times have you said to yourself: even if the world burns to ashes, all is well, as long as I show up on the mat,  I’m moving in the right direction? Comment below if you happen to be a fellow yogi and somehow found this post, probably buried somewhere deep past page 7 of Google search, practically the dark web with better lighting.

Now, why is that? Have you ever wondered why? Is it just a feeling, or is it simply what yoga does to the body? There is an actual science to this, and we all kind of understood it vaguely from our Level 1 training. One of the first things we are taught about yoga is what yoga means, and that is to yoke or unite. As an advanced yogi, you probably have a better understanding now and what this actually entails. Yoga doesn’t lie. We show up as we are, and on the mat, we carry with us our fears, our doubts, our inner critic, our emotions, and everything else that comes along with being human. Eventually, we understand how to find the right balance of pushing too hard or not pushing at all. Pushing beyond our comfort zone is an essential part of being a yogi, and we understand that better with time, hopefully, as growth is not possible otherwise.

From a more esoteric and spiritual perspective, we can associate the act of uniting with two different forces, like Shiva and Shakti. As I’m sure you are already familiar, in Hinduism, all that is manifested or unmanifested is God. According to Hindu philosophy, God is Brahman, the unchanging, infinite, and eternal reality behind the universe. Brahman is beyond all names, forms, and limitations, yet it permeates everything. It is pure consciousness, the source from which all creation arises. The Hindus gave Brahman two distinct roles, though of course they are one and the same: Nirguna and Saguna. Nirguna Brahman is God without form, attributes, or qualities. It is pure and formless consciousness. Saguna Brahman, on the other hand, is God with form and attributes, which humans can relate to through devotion, such as Vishnu, Shiva, or Devi.

The Awakening of Shiva by Shakti | Yoga

Between the 12th and 15th centuries CE, the Tripuratapini Upanishad was composed by an author unknown. For some reason, the simple idea of books written by unknown authors excites me more than anything, giving me butterflies in my stomach. Anyhow, in this text of the minor Upanishads, we find the story of Shiva and Shakti. When we look at science, energy is everything. Science explains it better than we could have, as we have discovered that the entire manifested Universe in form is made up of atoms, with the exception of light, of course. Atoms are the building blocks of matter, and Einstein’s famous quotation E=mc² has already proved that mass is nothing but condensed energy. Einstein’s equation E=mc² means that mass (m) can be converted into energy (E), and the amount of energy equals the mass multiplied by the speed of light squared (c²).

Light, on the other hand, doesn’t contain rest mass, and it is not made of atoms; it is a form of electromagnetic radiation. It consists of photons, which are massless particles that carry energy but have no body or mass. Unlike matter, light can travel through the vacuum of space without needing a medium, which is why we can see sunlight across millions of kilometers. So while atoms make up matter, light is made of photons and is pure energy moving through space, capable of interacting with atoms but not composed of them. Photons travel at the speed of light. According to relativity, as an object approaches light speed, time slows down for it relative to an outside observer. Because photons already travel at light speed, time essentially “stands still” for them. From a photon’s perspective, its emission and absorption are instantaneous, no matter how far it travels. They don’t experience time.

For example, from our perspective (Earth), since the distance from the Sun to Earth is roughly 150 million kilometers (93 million miles), if we are traveling at the Speed of light (about 300,000 kilometers per second, 186,000 miles per second), Time = Distance ÷ Speed, it takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight to reach us. We see the journey unfold over time. Remember that photons have no rest mass, and according to relativity, time does not pass at light speed, so from the photon’s perspective, the Sun and Earth are effectively at the same point. Its journey is instantaneous.

Now, holistically speaking, you can travel to the Sun, not with your physical body, of course, but with your light body. How do I know? Because I’ve experienced it myself. And no, it was not intentional. I didn’t go to sleep and say, “Oh, I’m going to travel to the Sun tonight because life on this planet is just boring as hell lately, and I’ve got nothing better to do, so why not?” It just happened, and I still don’t know why, but I have a partial understanding of why it might have happened and what the whole experience meant, metaphysically as well as spiritually. And yes, I did see some things as I was approaching the surface of that thing we call the Sun. But that’s a whole other topic for another day, and I’m not even sure I want to discuss it. Rest assured, I’m slowly mastering the art of not giving a f*ck. It’s just that things take a little longer for me, and I’m learning to accept that.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way (whew!), let’s come back to Shiva and Shakti. Another way we can view these archetypes is that Shiva is regarded as pure energy or consciousness, while Shakti is condensed energy, such as matter, but flowing and dynamic. Together they form the cosmic dance. Energy becomes matter as matter is energized by consciousness. In yoga, the mat becomes a microcosm of this cosmic union. Through yoga postures, challenges, and movement, we embody Shakti and Shiva, the flowing energy of our breath and muscles, meeting the still awareness of our mind. Each posture is a tiny universe, a balance of motion and stillness, effort and surrender. In striving for alignment, steadiness, and wholeness in the body, we reflect the eternal union of energy and consciousness, seeking perfection, completeness, and above all, balance within ourselves.

A headstand is not just balance, it is completeness within, and a quiet self-assurance that grounds us beyond our fear. A warrior pose is not just strength but the flow of energy meeting still awareness, rooted yet expansive. Each posture, from the simplest stretch to the most challenging inversion, demands that we embody both Shakti and Shiva, moving and holding, striving for balance, alignment, and wholeness that mirrors the eternal union of energy and consciousness. So together, Shiva and Shakti symbolize the union of consciousness and energy, the balance of stillness and movement, potential and manifestation, the inner and outer worlds.

Building your own practice | Mindful movement

If you want to improve your practice, the first thing that I recommend is that you develop your own practice at home. Yes, going to a yoga class or another studio and practicing under the guidance of another is great, as we learn from their lineage of yogis and teachers and whatever unique practice they offer. But if you are on your way to finishing your teacher training or are already a teacher, you already know that holding your own practice at your own pace and in your own space is crucial. Showing up on the mat and showing up every day is, of course, necessary. Life sometimes gets too overwhelming, and yes, we may skip a day or two or sometimes a whole week, even though it’s very rare, as you know. And if it isn’t, we should try our best to make it so. Anyhow, why is this important? First and foremost, because your body will be your own best teacher. We are working with the challenges that are presented through the body to overcome the limitations that our mind imposes on it. Let’s say today you are able to do Elevated Lotus pose, but three years ago you couldn’t even do a proper forward fold and never imagined you could possibly accomplish something like it. Well, that’s the beauty of yoga: through persistent practice, we realize how we can overcome the limitations that our mind imposes on our practice and how much we can achieve.

The second, if not equally important, thing is to get a mirror so you can actually see yourself practicing. Yes, a mirror will do wonders, because if you think you’ve been doing three-legged dog right for the past seven years, you might reconsider once you get a mirror in your home. A mirror is a must if we want to improve, overcome bad habits in the practice, and heal old injuries that lead to those habits, whether in the way we come in and out of a posture or the way we hold it. Injuries play a big part in our practice, and traumas in the body play an even bigger role in many of the chronic injuries we struggle with. When I was five, I broke my right wrist, and still to this day I am starting to truly understand how that physical trauma to my wrist has affected my joints and muscles and the way my body has coped to compensate for it. When we develop a deeper personal practice, the body speaks for itself, and we have to learn to listen. A simple adjustment in the rotation of the shoulder can enlighten us as to why that chronic injury keeps bugging us for months or even years.

Another important key in yoga is to practice what is often called muscular engagement or even bandhas, which means energy locks in the body. It is not just about holding the outer shape of a pose but about scanning the body with the inner eye to activate the right muscles within it. For example, when I am practicing an open twist in a lunge, I notice that engaging my inner thighs, almost as if I were hugging into the midline, completely transforms my posture. My core aligns naturally, and the pose becomes more stable. Practicing this kind of mindful engagement helps us protect the joints, heal old patterns in the body, and unlock new depth in familiar poses. This is done through graceful movement, with a sense of strength yet also lightness in the body, supported by mindful breathing. Relaxing within the postures is just as important, because if we hold unnecessary tension, we can create more bad habits or even injuries.

Relaxing in the postures does not make us weak, but rather allows the posture to settle into the body so it becomes more natural over time. This balance of effort and ease is especially important in the lineage of Vinyasa, which in the West is called Flow yoga. The last tip I can give for now is to be mindful of your joints. Your joints are your guiding stars in yoga. They are especially important in how we guide the body through circular movement on the mat. Your elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and wrists are the roots of your body. Without these roots, you cannot create or hold any shape on the mat. Joints are where movement originates, connecting bones, muscles, and ligaments into one functional system. They act as bridges that allow energy to flow through the body. If a joint is unstable or misaligned, the entire posture can be thrown off, leading not only to poor form but also to injury over time.

In yoga, paying attention to our joints means learning to stabilize them through muscular engagement while keeping them mobile enough to allow fluidity in the practice. Circular movement is especially helpful, because it lubricates the joints, warms up the body, and prepares us for deeper poses. When we practice this balance of stability and mobility, our movements become more meaningful, our postures feel natural, and we protect the health and resilience of our practice.

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First and foremost, let me begin by saying that everyone is capable of time travel. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that we are all traveling through time to some extent, whether we are aware of it or not. While our understanding of time is perceived through sensorial feeling and imagery, time is more than that. We feel the passage of time as a ticking clock and observe change through mental imagery of the past, but we forget that time is actually distance and not just quantitative, but qualitative distance. In fact, time changes us. It changes us emotionally, psychologically, biologically, cellularly, and chemically. Also, quantitive and qualitative are not two separate functions. They are two aspects of a single function.

Logic & Intuition

While logic and intuition are often seen as separate, I’m going to say that they are, in actuality, part of the same human faculty. Just as logic is sensible and based on reasoning, so is intuition, although it moves faster through time. Intuition does not lack reasoning or groundedness. In fact, it highlights them even more. It simply behaves differently or is experienced differently in the human body. While logic is a slower, step-by-step mental process, intuition often arrives as an overload of information all at once. This is why many people still feel confused about how to navigate intuition versus logic. Intuition remains a mystery to this day, but I plan to unpack some of it here.

Let’s look at a simple logical conclusion that can be drawn. Any animal producing milk to nourish their offspring belongs to the class Mammalia, as milk production is the distinguishing characteristic of mammals. In etymology, the word intuition comes from the Latin “intuitio,” meaning “a looking at,” “contemplation,” or “a consideration.” It derives from the verb “intueri,” which means “to look at,” “to contemplate,” or “to gaze upon.” So now the question is: What are we really looking at?

We are looking at first and foremost, the quality of the information. While, yes, intuition travels fast, there is still a mental process involved. You have answers that you may not fully understand yet, as the information is loaded in your psyche, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have broken it all down and integrated it all at once. Also, intuition is a faculty that you cannot force. It develops as both you and I shed conditioned behavior. Conditioned psychic factors limit our minds and, therefore, our behavior, and keep us stuck in patterns that hinder expansion, understanding, or enlightenment.

While many schools out there will teach you how to develop the faculty of intuition and so forth, I wouldn’t waste my time or money on them. There is one key factor in developing your intuition, and it lies in your heart. You cannot develop intuition if your heart remains closed and you’re still using force, pride, and power to go after what you want. We have to overcome force and power in all their forms, especially when we are tempted to accomplish our goals at any cost, even if it means overwhelming someone else to get what we want.

Gentleness needs to prevail, as nothing good is truly obtained by force. Life without force, energy without pressure, and action without aggression are some of the most important things that need to be mastered if we want to develop and evolve spiritually. The moment we choose force, force becomes evil. Also, we will certainly have a hard time developing intuition if we still hold resentment, hatred, or envy in our hearts.

Time Travel | A Holistic Look

There is always an element of mystery when it comes to time travel. Most people, mainly because of Hollywood’s influence, look at time travel as something that is done at will either because of some superpower or a sophisticated and advanced technological device. Now I’m not completely eradicating the idea that in the future people will find the technology that will help them time travel because I don’t really know anything. In this post I want to talk about what I know and what I know is that anyone is capable of time-traveling.

First, when we think of time travel, the imagery that most likely comes to mind is a line that either goes backward into the past or forward into the future. Well, it doesn’t really work like that. Time travel is a holistic psychic phenomenon that may or may not occur at will, but that is not even important right now. When you think of time travel, I want you to imagine a circle or a sphere rather than a line that goes backward or forward. Time travel is, first and foremost, a psychic phenomenon that involves both past and future, not exclusively one or the other.

There are many elements that are key in time travel. The first element that plays an essential role in time travel is our connection and parallel importance to a person, place, or event. This involves more than one psychic factor aligning. And just because I’m saying “psychic,” it obviously doesn’t exclude a place, thing, or event that may have involved more than one person. The psychic factor is the sum of it all, the nectar of the experience, so to speak.

Having said that, now we can move on to the most important role of time travel. Time travel has a purpose. It is not done simply to prove that we can defy the laws of nature. And it is certainly not done to change something that has already occurred. Time travel serves the purpose of future course correction, especially to prevent us from falling victim to a catastrophic event or a very dangerous personal situation.

The mind works in mysterious ways indeed, and we are still only beginning to understand the intrinsic psychic and psychological mechanics behind it, especially in regard to the fourth dimension. Understanding the fourth dimension has been a popular subject since the 19th century with many psychics and mystics sharing more enlightened ideas or even channeled information. Charles H. Hinton, a British mathematician and writer was the first to popularize the idea of the fourth dimension and linked it to mystical and philosophical ideas. This is another topic that I’d like to indulge in another post, but essentially the 4th dimension helps us have a deeper understanding of the past, present, and future and what links them all.

Now, the question remains: can I time travel, and how can I time travel now? Perhaps you can. I cannot tell you yes or no. That is not up to me or anyone else to decide. What I can tell you is that time travel has a purpose. If the purpose behind it is to protect you from an unforeseen dangerous situation, your mind will work wonders and help you get all the answers you need to first course-correct and then understand the relationship between past and present so that you become enlightened. This means the past is revealed through a parallel event, place, or person in the present, allowing the future to be course-corrected for your highest good and therefore for everyone else involved.

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Living the Good Life | Idealism & Self-Improvement

At our core, what truly drives us forward is the hope and dream of living a better life, a life that aligns with what we consider to be good and worthy of living. This isn’t so different from survival itself, as survival is also rooted in our instinct to elevate our existence from point A to point B. Idealism, progressive ideals, and self-improvement stem from this same desire.

Some dream big, some dream small, and some don’t dream at all. Those who once dreamed big may now flow with the presence of life, while those who never dreamed at all may now dare to dream bigger than anyone ever has. Mind, life itself, and our state of being constantly shift as we search for purpose, meaning, and the lessons that come with each experience or even within the experiences we long to have.

Here in the United States, we have a continent that is roughly two and a half times the size of Europe but about half the population of Europe. About 75% of the U.S. population lives in large cities. Because of the ongoing political tension that everyone is witnessing, I couldn’t restrain from doing my own due diligence and research and hopefully provide a more balanced perspective on such matters.

From my observation, a predominant fear in the political and socio-economic landscape, especially from liberals on the left in the United States is the implementation of Fascism through the rise of mainly public-private partnerships, in other words, corporations, non-governmental organizations, and governments that take the power away from common people like you and me, the voter, to penetrate in any level.

The term “fascism” is being thrown around loosely, with slogans protesting figures like Elon Musk (a thick-headed mule, in my opinion, especially considering that he’s skeptical of intelligent life beyond this planet, but that’s besides the point right now), and the current president, including his administration, as everyone has seen.

To say this is absurd, completely ignorant, and embarrassing, at least in my opinion, would be an understatement. Some have never opened a single book and are not fully aware of the complexities of political matters, but have no issue using the current political climate, at least in the US, as an excuse to act like criminals, vandalizing Tesla shops and attacking ideological opponents without even understanding the historical context of fascism. It’s 2025 and this is beyond embarrassing and should not to be taken lightly.

Democracy, Fascism, & the Bureaucratic State System

Historically, fascism often involved state control over the economy, violent suppression of opposition, and the close relationship between the government and large corporations or industries. The state, meaning not only the government (a group of people in power at a given time) but also the institutions, laws, and bureaucracies set up to manage the country. So the state, the system, and the infrastructure that holds everything together would impose policies that limit individual freedoms, centralize power, and restrict opposition.

Now there are liberals on both sides of the political spectrum, left and right. Progressive left-wing liberals who push for increased government intervention in the economy unintentionally walk a fine line, and we all know that. The more the state takes control over the economy, the more it becomes similar to aspects of authoritarian systems, fascist or communist, concentrating power and brutally limiting individuals’ freedoms, even if their goals differ, are more progressive, or welfare-oriented.

Given that the U.S. is considered the pinnacle of capitalist society, it is I guess somewhat natural to fear that fascism is on the rise, particularly from common folk or the left. But this fear is exaggerated. Not only is the current President a populist, uniting people against a powerful establishment, and even exposing lobbyists or the deep state, (a term relatively new referring to intellectuals with deep insight that act as advisors and have power and influence over political matters, including foreign policy) as he has stated before, but also against big corporations and rich politicians.

We also have liberals on the right who would not allow this to happen as they will always advocate for the freedom of markets and individual rights. The pendulum swings on both sides and balance is required from both sides. This fear that the government is becoming too involved with large corporations, leading to a merging of public and private powers does not equate to true fascism, as it involves a totalitarian government, violent repression of opposition, and extreme nationalism, none of which are present in the U.S. today, never have, and never will be.

Historical Contradictions & Progress

Historically speaking, when we look at the 18th and 19th centuries, Prussia played an important role, particularly for Germany, providing the foundation for German unification, which later gave rise to the Nazi regime. It was turning heads not just in Europe but also influencing U.S. reformers who adopted its blueprint in various forms, including the U.S. education system. It was known for its strong, centralized state with a powerful bureaucracy (a government that implemented and regulated policies through a complex system of officials and agencies) and military culture.

However, these systems created a rigid structure for obedience to authority over individual freedom that over time, these same reforms helped shape a more bureaucratic, state-influenced culture, prioritizing uniformity, compliance, and standardized knowledge over creativity and critical thinking, in other words training people to follow rather than think for themselves.

Though it helped foster literacy and basic education on a national scale, it also contributed to a more centralized approach to governance and social control, mirroring the same dangers that made authoritarian systems possible in other historical contexts. That kind of thinking still lingers in our institutions today, where many graduates in the U.S. come out influenced by one dominant ideology or the other, whether it’s left-leaning progressive ideals or right-leaning conservative values, and often without ever being taught how to critically examine both sides.

Rise of Authoritarian Regimes vs. Natural Law & Organic Evolution

The notion that everyone should have equal access to resources, that wealth should be shared, or that exploitation by the rich should be eliminated resonates with many, especially those who are highly disadvantaged and living in poverty. This is why some people continue to support communism in theory and its core ideas of equality and fairness to this day. Now this post is already too long and I don’t want to dive too deep into philosophical discussions of fairness and equality, as these are quite relative actually.

Authoritarian regimes of the past, particularly communism promised to end class divisions, poverty, and inequality. For many, it represented an ideal society where power is distributed evenly and workers, rather than a small elite, control production. Many still support this theoretical vision because they believe in its potential and revolutionary promises, overlooking and not fully understanding the negative consequences of how it was applied in the past. While many countries have attempted to build communist societies, all of them have faced major contradictions between theory and practice.

Marxist theory, which I regard as the theory of the mule, has proven sterile in practice and incapable of birthing the classless utopia it promises. This is due to one simple fact: you cannot force a classless society into being. Just as the mule is a hybrid born of two different species, a horse and a donkey, communism is also a hybrid born of two conflicting ideas: collective ownership and central planning. Not only does this theory appear the most absurd to ever exist, at least in my view, but it’s also the most backward and counterproductive and I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking this way.

In this ideal world, there would be no private property, no government, and no need for centralized control. However, not only does this theory contradict natural law and spiritual and personal evolution in all its meaning, but in all the countries that have tried to implement it, the outcome has been the establishment of a brutal authoritarian regime rather than a truly democratic and equal society. It failed to uphold the progressive values that it claimed. It never worked, it doesn’t work and we should learn from the past because it is clearly missing a key puzzle for it to come to life, if ever.

In theory, people would have to govern themselves without a state, but in practice, power struggles, complacent masses, economic challenges, and external threats have led to the centralization of power, often in the hands of a single party or leader. This has led to authoritarian rule instead of the classless, stateless society envisioned by Marx.

While I don’t want to completely rule out this theory, because who am I to say it’s absolutely unachievable, I believe it would at least require a massive social awakening and a profound personal enlightenment, rather than imposing one where people have to forcefully adhere to such an ambitious yet absurd vision. It would naturally occur through a real process of individuation, which at its core involves a deep self-understanding and personal spiritual awakening. It is the evolution of the soul as it is pushed to consciousness, where self-esteem is properly recognized, and where personal power is used consciously and constructively. And that is just the beginning. From there, it has to be a society where the common goal isn’t to simply live comfortably or luxuriously, but with a purpose above the monotony of materialism.

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Non-Intervention as Cosmic Law

What is non-intervention? Non-intervention is first and foremost about respecting boundaries. Whether between galaxies or governments, it’s the idea that external forces, whether extraterrestrial or political, should refrain from interfering with the natural course of things. Just as evolved ETs or higher beings as others like to call them, refrain from stepping in to resolve things for us, so should governments allow individuals and societies the space to evolve on their own terms, because they understand the importance of free will and growth. This is a whole debate though as we dive deeper into the concepts of sacred non-intervention.

Intervention might feel like a quick fix, especially in politics, but it often comes with unintended consequences, especially when constant, as we have all witnessed. It can hinder real progress, self-determination, and transformation within various cultures. Ultimately, it’s about finding balance while offering guidance when asked, but also letting things unfold naturally. Before diving deeper into this beautiful yet complex topic, I’d like to share a few insights I’ve come to realize more recently.

The Modern Human | Political Discernment & Awareness

I don’t know about you, but the more I observe everyday people the more astounded I get. Yes, we are all prone to anxiety, and maybe some more than others. But, for God’s sake, there are people having a full-blown psychotic episode while walking down the streets of New York City, and somehow this has become completely normal. Most are so out of touch with reality and will even go out of their way to engage with these individuals, downplay their illness, and even assist or defend their capricious episodes and needs while they’re having a total mental breakdown. This is how easily people can be persuaded nowadays, especially when they’re holding up signs with dangerous, absurd, and completely false claims.

We are definitely at a breaking point as we enter this new millennium, especially regarding how humans evolve from this point forward. All planets go through their own natural cycles, and that will include humans and the various systems we have built our societies upon. It is natural that on a social level, a lot of restructuring will happen. Yes, it’s true that we have built a complicated world for ourselves, and not everyone can afford the luxury of simply going out to regenerate, contemplate, and feel. But we have become so neurotic that it cannot or should not be ignored any longer. We have to address these issues as they seep into our awareness, communities, and relationships with family and friends.

Some people will dismiss or laugh at the President of the United States when he mentions that some immigrants have entered with serious criminal records or escaped from mental institutions. They won’t take these concerns seriously unless they have first-hand encounters with these individuals. And no, I’m not here to defend or agree with all of his policies on immigration, the economy, or anything else. I know there are some who can’t wait to jump on the bandwagon and label me a Neo-Fascist, a term I’ve been called before, which, frankly, I find absurd.

Actually, I always leaned more toward the left, but that changed before Covid as I myself changed and went through my own stage of individuation. I don’t know too much about politics, but what I’m interested in most is how people approach politics, how they reason, and why. And no, I did not vote for the left or the right this time. But I was relieved that the left didn’t win, particularly for one reason, and that is its foreign policy. If I ever vote for the left, I want to see a more balanced perspective on foreign policy and non-intervention, and I want to see younger candidates.

Moving Beyond Division | Understanding American Values

Some people don’t have all of the facts, they won’t listen, they won’t do the heavy lifting, the proper research, develop real political discernment, and look at any evidence, and quickly jump to conclusions and solutions. Yes, empathy is crucial, and whether the left or the right is in power, America won’t fail to do what it was intended to do all along and what it was created for, and that is also: helping the needy, especially families who struggle in their own countries due to political or religious persecution, etc., and who want to create a better life for themselves and their children.

My parents were immigrants due to political reasons, but they were legal immigrants. Becoming a naturalized American was a long process but not a difficult one. We had to have an actual interview as a family, to begin with, in English, and where even our facial profiles were carefully observed, which I found very interesting. Other than that, we were met with absolutely no obstacles as long as we were law-abiding citizens and met all the legal requirements. It was our biggest blessing and something we will always be forever grateful for, including my father, God rest his soul.

We have lost the beautiful. Most people I observe today seem completely dead and drained from the inside, empty of any sublimity of life and it’s almost unbearable to watch, at least for me. Yes, it’s true that everyone, probably including myself, has become a prisoner of routines of mediocrity and daily patterns that neither satisfy our imagination nor nourish the idealisms of our constitutions. But I think this is all coming up to the surface, for us to remember where we came from, and where we are going.

Some people aren’t aware of any of this and are easily persuaded. Either way, I believe what’s happening here in the States is not just an American political crisis, but a global one. Sometimes, a review is necessary before taking the test and moving on to the next grade. But Dear Lord, please show me a likable face. Jokes aside, let’s move on to foreign policy.

Basic Principles of American Foreign Policy

The first duty and most basic purpose of American foreign policy is protection. It is meant to protect the nation, the state, the polity, the country, borders, physical territory, and its people. It was created to protect our natural rights as the founding fathers addressed them, and that is to protect our freedom, not only from foreign domination but our internal freedom to live as we please. Along with these needs, came the Declaration of Independence.

The purpose of the Government was to secure the safety and happiness of the people. This was referred to as the alpha and omega of political life. On an international level, this meant that no nation had the right to tyrannize, imperialize, or rule another nation without that nation’s consent. It is an obligation to respect the rights of other nations and also the sovereignty of smaller nations. At an international level, each nation has the right to be left alone in its own sovereignty, to seek and chart its own destiny. So all countries have an obligation not to interfere.

The Founders & The Constitution | Non-Intervention

The Founders understood political responsibility more than we often realize. They recognized the dangers of overreach, and they were far better politicians than most of us today could ever hope to be. Borders and nations weren’t defined then as they are now, and we can only grasp from a limited perspective what it truly meant to be a politician in their time. They began from a premise of non-interference in the affairs of other nations. That is to say that they were ready to defend themselves if they had to, go to war if necessary, and even seek alliances as they did with the French during the American Revolution. But on balance, their default position, their starting position was not to interfere with the internal affairs of other countries unless that country posed a direct threat to them.

One purpose of the American constitution was to provide for the common defense, that is the common defense of American territory, including American shore, farms, ports, cities, people, industries, economy, etc. Therefore the founders wanted a united government that was competent, capable of conducting foreign policy, negotiate treaties, raise, administer, and deploy, and command an army. These things had to be reserved for one government, the federal government.

Over many decades, we are now in an era that emphasizes and even prioritizes so-called international law or international bodies that say they have some say over what allegedly sovereign countries get to do or not do. This is a very popular idea among intellectuals and educated individuals, but this was completely alien to the Founder’s thought. They did not express any concern over what American foreign policy or American conduct on the international scene should be.

That was solely reserved for one body making decision, one government, one nation, the American people, and its elected representatives to decide. They would not recognize as legitimate outside governments telling them what to do on the international scene or internally. They would also agree that this is a violation of the non-interference or non-intervention principle. The core principle that the Founders urged upon the American citizens and posterity, was to have as little connection as possible with foreign countries. They agreed to great commercial relations, expansive commercial relations, but as little political connection as possible.

George Washington, Farewell Address 1796

“The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign Nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connections as possible.”

This is not to be mistaken for isolationism. The United States as a commercial republic and a trading nation is obviously going to have relations with other countries. It’s going to talk to other countries and do business and interact with other countries. What he recommended for future Americans is to avoid making long-lasting or permanent alliances that get us drawn into foreign quarrels that are really none of our business and are not in our interests.

The foreseen trouble was that we would end up fighting wars on behalf of other countries, resulting in more chaos long-term, that help those countries, but spend American blood and treasure in ways that don’t benefit the American people. He was recommending good, friendly, commercial relations with as many nations of the world that would benefit the American economy without getting entangled in their fights.

Divine Presence & Withdrawal | Cosmic Rhythm of Non-Intervention

Think of it like this: if you had a friend who constantly relied on someone, maybe you, to bail them out of financial trouble, would that intervention truly be helpful in the long run? How much would they actually grow if someone was always stepping in to fix their problems? Many people in the spiritual community will say that at times they feel lost. That they can’t hear their guides any longer, and that they feel abandoned and confused. This is a recurring theme I have found with previous clients, including myself. Sometimes, divine guidance is tangible, apparent, and in your face, and other times it seems as if the path is unclear. This is a divine dance of balance and rhythm.

For instance, let’s look at a very interesting Aztec myth I’ve come across recently. The myth of the two Gods, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl. They are often described as rival deities or opposing forces, yet they are also collaborators, with Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, as the bringer of knowledge, gifting humanity with writing, the calendar, and agriculture, and Tezcatlipoca as the smoky mirror, shadow or trickster. Tezcatlipoca tricks Quetzalcoatl into leaving, into retreating, or being exiled. His intervention isn’t permanent but represents a forced confrontation with what has been ignored. It has its time, and its place, so that space must be given for human transformation and growth.

At times, one creates, and at others one withdraws, allowing for the natural cycle of decay and rebirth. This also has a purpose. A purpose of knowing. If we always rely on others to save us, on the divine, or on ETs to step in and fix our problems, then we’ll never get to grow and know the power and knowledge we hold to get out of those sticky situations. Sometimes we need to step back and allow the cycles to unfold, even destructive ones, because in the long run, it will help empower that friend to no longer depend on you for financial troubles. Sometimes, the most powerful help is no help at all, allowing space for deeper truth and maturity to unfold. That’s the rhythm of divine presence, followed by sacred withdrawal.

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Pseudo spirituality

The goal of spirituality has always been the same since the beginning of time, and alchemists described it best. The simple goal of spirituality and/or religion is to bridge the gap between earthly and heavenly realms or between man and God. Laws, morals, and values all go beyond the physical. They are metaphysical and imply a spiritual nature, as they refer to ideals that transcend nature or even call for us to act contrary to it. They also shape our behavior in significant ways. In fact, we all have a spiritual identity, including the many different cultures around the world, as it is not necessarily endowed to us through nature or genetics.

In ancient times, we looked up to the stars for the key to our own mystery, which is more than natural and reasonable if you ask me. Gold, often symbolizing the divine, was seen as a way to connect the physical with the celestial. Man, as in humankind evolved or descended as for some on this little blue planet without a proper handbook and had to make sense of its purpose and destiny while also meeting its primary need for survival.

We can’t deny that there is a spiritual crisis happening, especially in the West. While many paths can lead to this union of heaven and earth or self-actualization, a more fitting term for our times, there are also many paths that can waste our time and lead to spiritual bypassing and cyclical neuroticism, a term I came up with as I was writing these words. While funny to some, it’s quite sad actually, as these outdated, superficial, and fabricated ideologies are passed on to the next generations, hindering true growth in our society as a whole.

Probably the clearest red flag you may want to watch out for is those new-age self-proclaimed Gurus or yogis, etc. Anyone who claims to be some sort of superior and divine being or God descended from another realm or planet, or anything absurd like that, my advice is to run. Run, and run fast.

Before heaven, know Earth

There have been very intelligent and spiritually evolved humans, way showers, 33rd-degree masons, philosophers, etc., who, through discipline and absolute dedication, mastered the art of meeting with God, or these heavenly realms, so to speak. And if there’s one thing worth noting in these people, whether in their teachings or in the way they speak, it’s their humility and core understanding of how to be more human, first and foremost. If I want to meet God, I must learn how to be more human. If I don’t understand who I am or what I am, then I am neither here nor there.

There have also been spiritual leaders who have left a lot of texts and material for us to study, but discernment is crucial as some of these teachings, do not serve me nor you in anyway whatsoever but are completely fabricated by their imagination. Our imagination is indeed the key to our evolution as humankind, including scientific discoveries, but it is also true that many teachings left behind are pure entertainment and completely fabricated without sound logic, reason, or the necessary scientific validation behind them.

There is no fast track to spiritual enlightenment or to meeting with God. God is always there and is in no hurry. The Lord Himself told me that. A little humor there, but jokes aside, it’s not about how fast you get there, but rather how you show up. Spiritual growth is not a competitive endeavor. If you were able to meet with God today, how would you show up, and for what anyway? Would you show up full of unresolved emotional issues, anger, confusion, resentment, etc.? Take a good minute to think about it or feel it through.

Spiritual bypassing | The hidden danger

Spiritual bypassing was discovered by a clinical psychologist, and it is used as a defensive maneuver to avoid facing ourselves and the real issues that lie within us. I can speak from experience, as for many years, I was heavily dedicated to so many different religious, metaphysical, and spiritual studies that never truly helped me engage in real vulnerability, or help connect with myself, but they sure helped me do one thing and do it very well. And that is to escape myself furthermore while subconsciously trying to solve those same psychological issues by depending on other people. And that my friend is a recipe for disaster.

Fool’s gold vs. True gold | Escaping the illusion

The best thing we can do when feeling overwhelmed by life and the things that happen to us is to simply accept that we don’t always have the answers we seek, and that is okay. When we take a journey somewhere, we know where we’re heading, but we can’t make sense of everything happening around us, at least not until we’ve arrived.

In fact, this reminds me of dream interpretation, which I’ve always found very fascinating. I have a few dream journals from years ago, and when I read them now, I can make total sense of everything that happened in those strange dreams, despite the confusion and overwhelming feelings I had while first experiencing them. Just like dreams, life and spirituality, often don’t make sense when you’re in the middle of them. But clarity comes with time, distance, and real integration.

So what is truth? Essentially, truth is the thing in its absolute nature, both matter and energy. Truth is that which is, regardless of seeming or appearing. It’s its nature, essence, substance, origin, and purpose. A recurring theme we find in all spiritual teachings is to be able to rise above illusion and beyond appearances and overcome any prejudice or self-deceit that clouds our judgment and impairs our reason. And ultimately free ourselves from any addiction or obsession with what is not true and that which we have not yet learned to recognize as false.

This journey of uncovering truth and seeing beyond appearances is exactly what the ancient alchemists, yogis, and mystics dedicated their whole lives to. In fact, the symbol of gold has always represented the pursuit of purity, enlightenment, or divine essence. Purity, not in a moral context per se, but purity from our own self-perceptions and distortions.

Gold, the metal of the Sun

Gold is considered the metal of the Sun, both in alchemy and in ancient cultures like Egypt. Why the Sun? Because the Sun, with all its brilliance, is the source of light, clarity, and life. It sees all, nourishes everything, and hides nothing. To align with the Sun spiritually means to seek that which is real, and burn away illusions. It means to stand in the light of truth. Gold reflects that light because it’s incorruptible, it doesn’t tarnish and carries a glow that speaks of something rarefied and divine.

In ancient Egypt, Gold was not just a precious metal, it was sacred. It was used in temples, tombs, and sacred texts because it represented the eternal and the incorruptible. It was believed to connect the earthly with the divine, just like the goal of spiritual practice.

In alchemy, the making of gold was more about turning the dense and heavy parts of ourselves, like fear, ego, and shadow aspects into something balanced, radiant, noble, and whole. Gold was the final stage, a state of being.

So when we talk about truth, we’re not talking about fool’s gold, which can be found on the outside or only looks shiny on the outside but is hollow underneath. We’re talking about the gold of the being, that part of ourselves that has gone through major stages of transmutation and refinement, and the unshakable knowing that comes from facing ourselves, burning through illusion and denial, and living from the light within.

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Other than the impulse to create some order and keep count, our ancestors used Astrology not only as a way to measure time but also as a metaphysical science, myth, and poetic reflection of life. Life comes in cycles and they also reflect our solar system’s journey around the zodiacal belt.

Our solar system, including planet Earth, (I have to specify for some) completes its journey through the zodiacal belt in approximately 26,000 years, from Aries to Pisces. As the Earth moves in its 365-day orbit around the Sun, the Sun appears to move through the zodiac, passing through one constellation each month.

We have prehistoric records of 40,000 years or more depicting the cyclical nature of stars. Scientists believe that over time, in thousands of years, the stars move but really slowly, so the constellation will shift over time, but we’re talking hundreds if not millions of years to be visible. Also, keep in mind that some stars in the constellations we observe are 6.6 Billion years old or older. Earth alone is known to be 4.5 Billion years old.

Astrology & Astronomy

Modern science is more grounded in evidence-based observation, mathematical modeling, and physics, while myth and metaphysical science are symbolic, intuitive, and archetypal and differ from the empirical and structured science we know today. Our ancestors looked at astrology as having another purpose.

Astrology was more than observing the constellations and their cyclical movements because more importantly, it held the keys to our own mystery. Astronomy evolved from astrology, adopting a scientific approach with the Greeks and Indians.

Astronomy is the foundation of modern science because it was the first field to use mathematics, physics, and precise instruments like telescopes, principles that shaped all sciences, including microbiology. Both are essentially two sides of the same coin. Alchemists believed that the planets and stars influenced earthly substances and human destiny.

Sacred geography was important in Ancient Egypt, especially considering the alignment between the Pyramids of Giza and the Orion Belt. Ancient civilizations did not separate astronomy from geography, alchemy, or astrology. Stonehenge was designed to track the solstices and lunar cycles. In medieval times, different regions of the Earth were believed to be ruled by different zodiac signs, like Aries associated with England, Leo with Italy, etc.

Observing the sky

When it comes to the nuances of the observer, there are many adjacent and creative ways we can attempt some structure in all that we are in a position to observe and reflect upon. All of these different nuances pertain to a certain realm, proclivity of the mind, or dimension, so to speak.

Anytime we strive to illuminate ourselves and others, we are trying to measure something from two points of view. Our curious ancestors interpreted the cosmos through a structured order, cosmogony, and used it to understand and measure all that was observable and in motion, including time.

In fact, historically speaking, astrology originated in Mesopotamia, in the 3rd millennium B.C. Mayans were also great at observing the sky and created their own calendar. They were also known to have obtained complex scientific methods, such as time travel.

Time travel was an important topic for the Mayans and the Palenque site is one of the most important because of its Archeological records of time travel. I visited the Palenque archeological site in Mexico in 2021. On the same day, my grandfather, who was an ambassador in South America for over 12 years, passed away and appeared in my dream speaking his last words.

Mayan astrology, besides being the most important due to its historical, and architectural influence, is also considered one of the most forward-thinking kinds of its time. A little fun fact about Mayan astrology is that recently I happened to discover I’m the Vulture. My friend is earth and my foe is death. Pretty reasonable I’d say, no? My strengths are knowledge and wisdom, and my weaknesses are being jaded and cynical, which have finally helped me make some sense of myself lately and have been a great relief, honestly.

Chinese Zodiac

Let’s look at Chinese Astrology, for instance, which in my opinion, is maybe one of the best to use in the context of our topic and the different nuances or views of the observer. The Chinese zodiac, originating from the 5th century BCE, does not have any important ties to the stars and it does not count years in a linear fashion as most of us are used to. When they think of years, they think of repetitive cycles; Oh, this is the year of the Rat, next year will be the year of the Ox, etc. Years have names and repeat every 60 years and correspond to the five repeats of each of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.

For instance, if you are Tiger (Fire), your last 60-year cycle was from Feb 9, 1986, to Jan 28, 1987. The previous before that was from Feb 13, 1926, to Feb 1, 1927. Each zodiac animal repeats five times corresponding to each of the five elements. The five elements in the Chinese zodiac are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Only two Chinese zodiac animals are associated with each element, one of which is yin (feminine) and the other is yang, its complimentary (masculine).

For my Astrology geeks, my birth year in the Chinese zodiac is Rabbit and the element fire. The original element associated with Rabbit is Wood and its corresponding yin/yang force is Yin (feminine). Tiger is also wood, and it is its counterpart, yin/yang force, yang (masculine). So if you are a Tiger, specifically a Water, Fire, or Earth Tiger, come find me. I’m your little Fire Rabbit. Rawr. Just kidding. (Wink)

The illuminated and ideals

In more occult studies, each of us has a certain molding of human thought, or disposition of the soul, because of its various conditioning of factors, like genetics, and more, that makes us open to becoming illuminated by a certain order and variety of ideals, whether scientific, philosophical, or mental in any way.

These mental constellations or unique lenses from which we observe will naturally include opposing world outlooks or views. All of the different nuances can be linked with each of the planets, and their movements around the 12 constellations or as seen in the Chinese zodiac, with each of the 12 zodiacal animals and their distinctive attributes.

Every philosopher, new age thinker, great poet, writer, artist, or anyone with any influence in human history and thought will observe and interpret the order of the illuminated soul with its corresponding ideals. Some for instance will like Schopenhauer and his metaphysics of human will but others won’t. Others will operate through the realm of spiritism, psychism, etc. Each of us is so attuned to our own disposition that we cannot become aware of what arises from within and appears as the real inner solution of the riddle of the Universe.

Nuances of the illuminated

A mystic, including female mystics, is someone who when the soul quiets down will seek inwardly for the divine light. They are so attuned and have such a natural disposition and fine perception of how one feels through this or that experience, that something behind it or around it flows into their soul.

Others are illuminated by the world views of Realism. Their whole mode of perceiving and experiencing the world easily enables them to talk to others about the world. They are neither Mystics, Occultists, Spiritists, Sensationalists, nor Idealists, etc., but equipped with very fine perceptions of the external reality around them and of the intrinsic qualities of things, including the sublimity of nature because, with their whole personality, they are in touch with the reality of things they see.

Also, there are those who are illuminated by the realm of materialism. They are people who have feelings and perceptions only for the material. There are also occultists of materialism, who are our modern-day scientists but wouldn’t like being called occultists. They don’t understand that there are other ways and methods you can use to arrive to the atom. The atom remains in the occult until through illumination, meditation, concentration, etc., the powers rise up and illuminate them.

So, as the observer, our ancestors inherited the lens of astrology not merely to predict, but to perceive the rhythms of existence. Whether astrology is the first lost science or one of many, its presence reminds us that knowledge was never only about measurement but also about connection. Perhaps, as we discover celestial imprints, we are not just looking outward but also inward, toward something we once knew.

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