What is the Truth about Alien Abductions – UFO Abductions

UFO by threedots (Daniel Ullrich) via Flickr

By: Robert W. Benjamin

An entire book can be devoted to the phenomenon of alien abductions that have been recorded across many countries at different times. A study conducted by Dr. John Mack and published in the Harvard University Gazette concluded that the abduction from 800 cases were made by mentally stable persons across vast segments of the population with no signs of delusion or any chronic tendency to lie and fabricate stories, much less any sign of mental illness.

His conclusion is not unique as studies conducted by other respected psychologists and psychiatrists revealed no aberrant mental health conditions in the people claiming to have been abducted by aliens.

Could they be telling the truth? And what was the motivation? Coincidence over thousands of cases? It had to be more than that.

Abductors were aliens though of varying types described ay humanoid reptiles, greys, non-distinguishable human form and energy beings.

There’s no demographic concentration even as aliens prefer younger people below the age of 40 as most abduction have a reproductive focus that are considered healthier at a younger age. There have been similar reports from children.

The abduction generally describe a sequence of events starting from being captured and forcibly taken into an alien space craft, intensive and often invasive medical and physical examination conducted by aliens, a conference with the abductors, a loss of time perceptive, return to the place where they were abducted and an aftermath consisting of a profound awareness of the universe and the supernatural coupled with some post traumatic coping with the experience from a social perspective as loved ones seldom believe their stories.

What makes the phenomenon arresting is that most alien abductees revealed fascinating details under hypnosis that would not be possible if the revelation were concocted or fabricated under a conscious state of mind.

The precise number of abductees may never be ascertained as many prefer to remain silent of their experience. There have been about 1,700 abduction claims since it was documented in the 50s. The most famous was the Antonio Villas Boas case in 1957 and the Hill Abduction of 1961 which were the first “canonical” cases that established the template for later abduction cases that would rarely deviate from it. Since then, the phenomenon has gained widespread interest with a TV film Betty and Barney Hill Abduction in 1975.

For sure, as there are believers and people with an open mind about the phenomenon, there are skeptics who consider abductees as suffering from some temporary psychological disturbance like schizophrenia, parasomnia or epileptic seizure.

Others attribute the commonality of abducted cases with previous similar abductions from devils and demons common throughout history when spaceships never figured in the pop culture consciousness of their times. The central abduction elements are there with just the abductor personality changed. Abductions seem to see no end in sight prompting government agencies to start looking for intelligent life in the universe with giant antennas.

There is a website that describes Alien Abductions and numerous other topics of interest such as conspiracies, secret technology, ufos, secret weapons research, bible end times predictions and many other such subjects, this website is called: The Great Deception and it may be found at this url: http://www.great-deception.com

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

About the Author

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business since the 1970′s on the C64, AMIGA, and WINDOWS Computer Systems. He has won magazine awards for the ‘Game of the Month’, and more, in several European computer magazines.

The Great Deception: http://www.great-deception.com

Article Source: Articlesbase.com – What is the Truth about Alien Abductions – UFO Abductions

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Disability, Chronic Illness, and Spirituality

A collection of disability pictograms, three of them used by the United States National Park Service via Wikipedia

By: Carolyn Magura

When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the mid 1980′s as a “diagnosis of exclusion” (see, my illness had been mis-diagnosed for about 25 years prior to this initial “diagnosis”) I became VERY angry with God. “Why me”, I asked. Why did I have to be the one you inflicted with this terrible disease? Why couldn’t you let the Doctors conclusively diagnose the condition? Why did I have to keep pretending that the Doctors were mistaken, just so that I could live my day-to-day life?

I was asking the wrong question, you see. Instead of asking “Why me, God?”, I should have been asking, “Why NOT me, God?” See, I was trying to become the “before the diagnosis” me, and I just could not do it. So, I went into denial, and pretended that nothing was wrong. And, as anyone who is disabled, or who is living with a chronic condition can tell you, living with a disability is hard enough without trying to become a pale image of who one might have been without the disability, i.e., trying to fit into a world designed by and for able-bodied individuals, most of whom are equally dispirited. It took me quite a while (about 10 years, actually) to come to the conclusion that I needed to stop being in denial; I needed to accept the condition, learn how to manage symptoms, and get on with a quality life. Indeed, I needed to ask, “Why not me God!” For living in denial meant that the ILLNESS DEFINED ME; I was very unhappy; I was seperated from my spirituality; I was alone; and, I contributed to disruptive events in my life.

It may sound corney, but I used my illness/disability experience as an opportunity to get in touch with the needs of my “true self”. That is, I decided to use this opportunity to take back control over my life; to recommit to my spirituality; to discover and live a quality life; and, to keep replenishing my “well” of personal happiness and satisfaction by reaching out to others in similar situations. I mean, who better to discuss about living with a chronic illness than someone who does so on a daily basis, and not just some Researcher? Who better to create a Workbook (found at www.disabilitykey.com) to assist others obtain disability insurances to which they are entitled than someone who used the process herself, and not just a theoretical social services person? Who better to create a website and an online blog where we of similar condition can chat with, and learn about extending our quality of life than someone practicing each and every day?

Does my spirituality help me in these endeavors? You bet it does! Spirituality is a quality that goes beyond involvement in a religious organization. It is a more basic construct. The highest level of our development is affected by our ability to appreciate the sacred in life; to live each day with purpose, and to find a sense of meaning and purpose for our lives. Spirituality invites each of us with disabilities and/or dealing with a chronic condition to live fully and in the present – in REALITY, the here and now. Not in denial, but in control of our lives, learning about, managing, and living each day in quality!

Research suggests that people, and in particular persons with disability, depend on spirituality and religion as an important, if not primary, method of coping with physical health problems and life stress. Most research, however, has addressed one’s involvement in religion rather than spirituality.

Although research about spirituality in the context of disability is sparse, many thoughtful writers have considered religion and spirituality to be crucial factors in adjustment to disability. BUT, we must be careful not to “blame” God, as I did, or to say that my disability is “God’s Will, or punishment for something that I did”. Saying these things isn’t taking responsibility for our lives and figuring out how to live a better life by managing symptoms. Instead, become reconnected with whatever spiritual process/religion that you find speaks to you, and live in the present with all of the gifts that you still have. Being affiliated with a specific religion can sometimes help those of us with disabilities find comfort in times of isolation and despair.

While little research has been conducted on the influence of organized religion in the context of disability, studies on the general population have been positive. For example, a 28-year follow-up of thousands of people aged 18-65 years found that the individuals who attended at least weekly religious services had lower rates of depression, smoking, and alcohol use; they also tended to have greater social support. Frequent attendees were more likely to have engaged in other healthy behaviors, including physical exercise. The effect on survival was good after other factors were taken into consideration – their risk of death was reduced by 34%.

When disability is integrated as another dimension of living, spiritual growth can take place. Please reread this red phrase again. It talks about integrating a disability or a chronic condition “as anothe dimension of living”! It means, taking back control of your life; actually “living” again, and managing symptoms as part of every day life! AND, believe me, this is not easy! If you have the opportunity to acquire the Disabilitykey Workbook, you will see that I use my actual condition as an example for others to follow. Whenever I have to focus on my “Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Impairment Matrix”, I get depressed all over again. My brother felt bad about asking me about his “condition” because he felt that it was NOTHING compared to what I cope with (more about his question in further blogs). BUT, I only concentrate on the symptom process when I need to. Otherwise, I concentrate on symptom management, and on daily living as quality a life as I can.

Integrating experiences of disability allows a person with a disability to recognize that suffering and hurtful experiences are universal conditions. It can be a time for you to discover untapped resources; it can be a time where you decide that you DO HAVE TIME TO play with your grandchildren, or read that book you have been putting off, or research your grandparents as they came to America long ago.

Spirituality is a way for people with disabilities to fulfill their potential and discover the possibilities while learning to live with and integrate their disability-related limitations and yet expand their boundaries to experience the fullness of life.

As part of my Internet research for this blog, I found the following website entitled “Faithability Religion, Spirituality and Disability Resources”. You can subscribe to the site, for free, and receive (I think – I haven’t gotten anything yet) periodic information. The site looked interesting, so here it is:

http://www.faithability.org/

Once again, your comments, thoughts, and ideas on this and other blogs are welcomed!

About The Author

Carolyn Magura

Disabilitykey.com (www.disabilitykey.com) is a website designed to assist each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading information about coping with disabilities.

Carolyn Magura, noted disability / ADA expert, has written an e-Book documenting the process that allowed her to:

a) continue to work and receive her “full salary” while on Long Term Disability; and

b) become the first person in her State to qualify for Social Security Disability the FIRST TIME, in UNDER 30 DAYS.

Click here (“www.disabilitykey.com/products.htm) to receive Carolyn ‘s easy-to-read, easy-to-follow direct guide through this difficult, trying process. If you are disabled, don’t let this disabiling process disable you. Read Carolyns Disability Key Blog (www.disabilitykey.com/disabilitykeyblog.shtml).

This article was posted on January 17, 2006 at http://www.articlecity.com/articles/religion/article_253.shtml

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Thinking about Sex and Sin

Eugene de Blaas (1843-1932) The Flirtation via Wikipedia

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

A study of over 3,500 home dream reports collected from men and women by Antonio Zadra, PhD, of the Universite de Montreal, found approximately eight percent of everyday dream reports from both  men and woman contain some form of sexual-related activity. Sexual intercourse was the most common type of sexual dream content, followed by kissing, and all kinds of fantasies. Current or past partners were identified in 20 percent of women’s sexual dreams, compared to 14 percent for men.  Public figures were twice as likely to be the object of women’s sexual dream content; but multiple sex partners were reported twice as frequently in men’s sexual dreams.

Many priests and ministers would strongly condem these kind of dreams and fantasies, as strongly as most people would condem people who actually do these things, based on the teaching of Jesus in the sermon on the mount. They understand Jesus to be speaking about sexual fantasies in the following text (Matthew 5,27-29): “You have heard how it was said: ‘You shall not commit adultery’. But I say to you: whosoever looks at a woman in order to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye has caused you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part (of your body) than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut if off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part (of your body) than to have your whole body go to hell.”

Many preachers traditionally understood this passage to mean: a person who looks at a naked body  or who fantasizes about making love to another person (he or she is not married to) has committed a sin equivalent to adultery. In reading the sermon on the mount it is obvious that Jesus expects his followers to go far beyond the requirements of Torah Judaism, which holds people responsible only for for their actions, and does not teach that fantasies or thoughts are by themselves sinful. Jesus was an idealistic perfectionist, and while many of his ideas were inspiring; some of them have been counterproductive and harmful. Judaism rejects the idea that bad thoughts, that are not acted upon, can doom one to hell.

But people are given credit for their good thoughts even if they do not get the opportunity to act on them. And good thoughts and feelings that are also holy can be effective it done as a religious ritual.  Holy marital sex is an example.

Marriage-holy matrimony for Jews, is a reenactment by two individuals of the holy covenant first entered into by God and Israel at Sinai; when God and Israel first chose each other. God chose Israel saying, “You shall be a special treasure for me,,, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:4-5 & Qur’an 5:20). The Jewish people chose God by answering, “All that the Lord has spoken we will  do” (Exodus 19:8). Torah is a Jewish marriage contract between two covenanted partners. Mitsvot (Jewish responsibilities) are our daily loving interactions. Torah Study and worship are the pillow talk between God and Israel. Tikunim- Kabbalistic mystical exercises, meditations and sexuality are  the intimacies of married life.

Most Jews know that sexual activities between a husband and wife are a Mitsvah. Many Jews know that lovemaking on Shabbat is a double Mitsvah. Some Jews know that the Kabbalah (the Jewish mystical tradition) teaches that the Shekinah (the feminine presence of God) rests on a Jewish man when he makes love to his Jewish wife on Shabbat. Very few Jews know that the holy Kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria, developed several Tikunim to enable spiritually aware Jewish couples to repair fractured hopes and intentions in those around them, to elevate broken spirits both near and far, and to re-energize efforts to make life holy through a couple’s own lovemaking at night. These Tikunim are among those referred to as Tikunay Hatzot-mid night spiritual exercises.

Every Jewish wife partakes of some aspects of Leah and some aspects of Rachel. Like Leah, every woman is potentially very fruitful, both emotionally and physically. Like Rachel, every woman is potentially spellbinding and enthralling.  When her husband regards his wife as a gift from God and loves her totally, faithfully and submissively, his lovemaking and partnership being more to give her pleasure than for his own pleasure, he realizes and actualizes her blessings and God’s blessings. This is especially important when duress makes her weep openly or inside, All forms of Tikun Hatzot stress this.

Sexual activity prior to midnight increases the aspect of Leah. Sexual activity after midnight and in the pre-dawn or early morning hours increases the aspect of Rachel. Sexual intercourse with Leah, better known in Lurianic Kabbalah as the face of Imma, the great mother Goddess, helps to reduce negative actions and situations in family and personal affairs. Sexual intercourse during the second part of the night is with Rachel, who ascends in the morning as Matronita, the ruling presence of Shekinah. Elevating Matronita helps avoid the worst case public scenarios we fear and helps increases the number of small but important contributions to the improvement of Jewish and world society. One who regards his wife as a gift from God will pray in her intimate presence.

These Tikunim should be done every Shabbat and if desired once or twice during weekdays. They are not magic but if done faithfully they always have a positive impact over time. A Hassidic mystic, Rabbi Nathan Hanover, adds, “After you perform Tikun Hatzot, prepare yourself and unify the Holy One with Shekinah by making your body, each and every limb, a chariot for Shekinah.” Thus sexual activity should end with the wife above, feeling she is Shekinah; the ruling Matronita blessing her husband and raising to heaven, with her husband below feeling that he serves as a mystical Merkavah-chariot (as did the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) elevating her to the heavens. This helps actualize their thoughts and desires and promotes remedies, rectifications, and blessings for those around them and throughout the world.

For more information about Jewish views of mystical sexual relations see my book: God, Sex and Kabbalah or my web site: rabbimaller.com

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Spiritual Evolution in the Technological World

ASIMO uses sensors and intelligent algorithms to avoid obstacles and navigate stairs via Wikipedia

By Dan Thomas

‘The horrifying deterioration of the ethical conduct of people today stems from the mechanization and dehumanization of our lives; a disastrous by-product of the development of the scientific and technical mentality.’

— Albert Einstein

The creative nature of the Human species is an astounding thing. I find it mind-boggling to try and think of everything that we have created. From cooking to concepts, from chemistry to communication, our daily lives are saturated with the vast variety of our creative expressions. Many of our creations are surly meritorious, but should some of these pieces to the grand puzzle of reality be examined with more scrutiny? How has this 24/7 existence of prolific material dominance affected us in terms not of technological evolution, but rather spiritual evolution, and what can we personally do about it? I think the best way to begin answering these questions is to seek some understanding of the subject. There needs to be a deeper examination of the issue of technology in relation to our spiritual progression, and movement forward on what conclusions we may then reach. So, in the philosophical sense, what actually is all of this technology?

Asimo show - Photo by Takuya Oikawa via Flickr

Mechanization and the technical mentality is a dominant force in our modern experience. It sometimes quite subtly acts to control every aspect that it can by having us place in it our trust, our labors, our enjoyment, and even our well-beings. It seems to have become integral, even essential to the very function of our lifetimes.

Our very gauges of what is ‘primitive’ or what is ‘advanced’ is often based not on any spiritual or moral quality, but rather on external complexities and an item’s ability to act in our stead. Televisions tell us what is ‘truth’ so why use our own minds . . . chemicals tell our bodies what is ‘good’ so why should we doubt our sense of taste . . . and the ‘professionals’ tell us not to bother because they’ve already done your thinking for you. The interferences to our emotional, mental, and physical well-beings is staggering. Synthesized sustenance is fed to our minds and bodies and souls, and invisible walls made of everything from electromagnetics to economics attempt to block us at every turn. Over-reliance on technology has, in many negative ways, tamed us. Just as trammed animals lose some of their inherent abilities of self-sufficiency due to their providing and controlled environment, we too risk losing those traits inherent to us. Chief among these traits, I believe, are not only the ethics that Einstein mentioned but also our psyches, our responsibilities, and our self-sovereignty over the choices we make . . . our free and individual wills.

There is no consensus on how closely the brain should be simulated via Wikipedia

Another way to examine what we create as technology is to see it as a reflection of who we are. Perhaps a classic example of this reflection is in computers to our minds . . . artificial intelligence and our own genuine intelligence. Starting with the introduction of computers our collective intelligence has rapidly come to rely more and more on the artificial, pushing the genuine farther and farther from use. Our image of who we are is often one that was provided, not just from what other people have told us, but what artificial intelligence has told us. This intelligence is artificial, in the reflected sense, because it is external and void of any personal intuition, spirit, or compassion . . . it is the ‘scientific and technical mentality’. That’s not to say that nobody but yourself has any answers, simply that sometimes the answers we are given should be questioned.

There is more to the function of life than just simply logic. We can not allow ourselves to become like the computers we make (like far too many people already have) so stop allowing yourself to be ‘programed’ like one. We are beings with emotion, soul, and logic. Think about it. Instead of mastering computers, what might be if instead our efforts were for, say, mastering our compassion, or wills, or fears, or our responsibility in what we create?

The good news here is that it is not too late to develop our ‘inner technologies’, just more difficult the further we become engulfed in the matrix of false and preconceived reality. The start of this development has to do with cleansing ourselves of the fears, and other emotions that stem from them, that keep us from facing the knowns and more so the unknowns of our true potential as spiritual beings. The locks we metaphorically make with the intentions of our security, convenience, and comforts can easily become the locks against our true progression if the key of understanding is as lost as the key to our cars. The vehicles of our experience can no sooner run without the keys than the vehicles in our driveways. The key . . . the understanding . . . is seeing beyond the blocks which prevent us from truly looking inward. Free yourself from distractions, as much as practical, and start exercising your mind. Meditate. Use visualizations and affirmations, or whatever other method feels right for you to connect to that higher source that is free of ego and automated reactions.

Many 18th c. treatments for psychological distress were based on pseudo-scientific ideas via Wikipedia

Practice compassion, monitor your thoughts . . . there are many things you can do to cleanse your fears if you simply choose to have the determination to do so. Life is far more than a machine, be it metal and gears or flesh and blood or the mechanisms of mind. Life and our spirits are an ever-shifting, flowing, and malleable experience that by very nature ‘breaks the rules’ of any method or system that attempts to confine it. Our evolution calls us to turn off the television, turn on the ignition . . . start the motors running on who we really are and what we can make within ourselves. Have the will and honesty and bravery to drive the roads of possibility, the internal unknowns, and the qualities of our ‘inner techs’. Our potential as human beings is not so much what is outside but rather what is inside, same as a person’s reflection in a mirror is not the person himself. Reach for your true potential and,rest assured, we really will go places far more interesting and valuable than any technological world could take us!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/new-age-articles/spiritual-evolution-in-the-technological-world-5008040.html

About the Author

Dan Thomas is the author of the book Inner-Tech.

His articles have been featured on Astral-Psychic.com

Follow Dan Thomas on Twitter @Aeta2Earth

‘Writing is one of the greatest mediums of humankind for expression, communication, and distribution of knowledge.’ – Dan Thomas

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Contemplation as a Methodology for Spiritual Connection

Meister Eckhart: h.koppdelaney / Hartwig HKD

By: Dr. Tami Brady

In this article, I am going to explore the methodology of contemplation as a means to explore personalize truth and spiritual bonding. As with any technique, it is important to remember that contemplation is a tool. Thus, undertaking contemplation will not automatically translate into a free ticket into Heaven or automatically transport you to Nirvana. Nor will reading this article cause you to suddenly realize your true potential with ultimate understanding of the universe. Contemplation is merely one method used by some individuals to gain insight into themselves, their beliefs, and into the workings of the universe. If this methodology suits your particular purposes, then use it. If not, modify the methodology or find another more suitable alternative.

What is Contemplation?

Contemplation is a process in which a person focuses his or her full attention on a single reading, scripture, or hymn. This can be accomplished by reading a piece of text and then thinking about the deeper meaning of that text, by saying the piece aloud and concentrating on the purpose of the words, or by reciting a reading from memory over and over again to understand the religious significance of the words. In each case, an individual thinks about the deeper meaning of the piece, the purpose of the work, or how that reading gives glory to the universe. To facilitate concentration, contemplation is often undertaken while in a comfortable immovable position such as sitting. It is of note, that though traditionally contemplation was undertaken with bible scripture in mind, that any piece of scared text, prose, or poetry can be used to uncover personal spiritual connections.

How Does Contemplation Differ from Meditation? How Does It Differ from Praying?

Unlike contemplation, meditation is undertaken to focus the mind away from thinking in order to still the conscious mind. This is done in a number of ways and using a variety of methods such as repelling thoughts, counting breaths, flame watching, walking therapy, and repeating mantras. Other articles in the future will likely be dedicated to further explanation of such methodologies.

Praying, like contemplation, is a conscious effort. However, unlike the logical analysis process of contemplation, praying is more of an internal conversation with a purpose, usually asking for guidance or favours from a particular deity.

What is the Ultimate Purpose of Contemplation?

Contemplation can be used in a number of different ways. This methodology can be used to uncover hidden or symbolic meaning or create interpretations of sacred texts. Contemplation can also be used to examine concepts, feelings, and underlying beliefs held by the writer of a particular work. These concepts can then be compared to those of the individual for personal validity or used to stretch the individual’s mind to include the potential of alternative viewpoints. Moreover, these aspects can be examined in an analytical way and used to heal negative recollections or emotions brought up by a certain text. In this way, the potential usages of contemplation are as varied as the individuals who undertake this methodology.

Steps for Contemplation:

1. Select your favourite scripture, poem, inspirational story, or affirmation.

2. Sitting in a quiet comfortable position, read over your text. If you wish you may say the text aloud or repeat the text over and over in your mind.

3. Close your eyes and think about the meaning of the text. Is there some deep or hidden meaning in this piece? Do you feel any sort of connection to this work? What does this text tell you about the way the universe works, about appropriate conduct, and about acceptable life purposes?

4. Ask yourself how the meaning and purpose of this text fits into your view of the world. How do these deeper meanings make you feel? Do they reinforce or conflict with your religious beliefs? Do they tell you anything about yourself?

5. Incorporate this new knowledge into a better understanding of yourself, your life purpose, and your place in the universe.

About the Author

Dr. Tami Brady is the author of numerous self help, spiritual, and poetry titles. She is also founder of Allies of Hope, a collaboration of Reiki practitioners, spiritual healers, and other caring individuals who send loving Reiki energies, spiritual healing and/or prayers to those who find themselves in troubled times feeling alone, defeated, and in dire need of unconditional love and acceptance. More information about Tami, her publications, and the Allies of Hope project can be found on her website at http://www.tami-brady.com.

Article Source: Articlesbase.com – Contemplation as a Methodology for Spiritual Connection

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Keeping Secrets and Their Negative Effects

secret 1: BSG Geek by amysphere via Flickr

Author: Sonya Visor

Everybody has a secret; something about them that they never want anyone to find out. In general, secrets are inevitable and everyone will have something to hide at one point or another. Secrets help a person maintain a certain sense of individuality and uniqueness, helping make them feel distinct from everyone else.

However, keeping secrets can take a turn for the worse when they start to take control of your life. This means that the keeping of the secret has led to a ‘secret life,’ or the maintenance of a façade that revolves around this hidden fact. When secrets are of the nature that they cannot be revealed to anyone, that is the time that it results in negative effects for the bearer.

How Secrets Can Negatively Affect You

Even if it hasn’t taken on the form of a secret life for the keeper, inner conflict is one negative, inescapable effect of harboring these secrets. Do you reveal or continue concealing? Who is the best and most trustworthy person you can reveal this secret to? Are you prepared to face whatever reaction they may have to your revelation? This one question of ‘to tell or not to tell’ creates anxiety, stress, and worry, which can even be manifested physically. Such stress and worrying can affect you physically through headaches, back pains, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and even depression in some cases.

Another adverse effect of keeping secrets is that they can ultimately destroy relationships–with family, friends, spouses, and other people you may deem important in your life. Some secrets have been kept for so long and have been carried on through a façade that when it gets out, it takes everyone by surprise and eventually hurts certain relationships. Secret affairs, illnesses, addictions, or past actions can all have this effect. In some of the most extreme cases, the loss and depression that the keeper may feel over these ruined relationships may even lead them suicide just to be able to escape this very heavy consequence.

Why It’s Time to Tell

Revealing your personal secrets to someone is a step in the right direction if you want to rid yourself of the burden of hiding something from everyone for the rest of your life. Revealing your secret relieves you of all the anxiety and stress of concealing and deception. The truth is, most secret keepers are really looking for an outlet– wanting to release themselves from the burden of keeping the secret and hearing what other people have to say about it. They are looking for someone to empathize with them.

The key to successfully freeing yourself lies in the confidant you choose. You want someone you can trust and who can bring you new insight into your secret. You want a person who will listen and avoid judgment, be discreet, think constructively, and help you get through the process righting any wrongs this secret may have caused.

Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM, is Sonya Visor’s first non-fiction book. Her passion is to minister to the people who hide behind masks. Sonya’s calling is to break and destroy the yokes of bondage, releasing the power of God into the lives of others by the preached Word and prayers of deliverance. When you can find the strength, to step into who you truly are; you can find the strength to BE THE (TRU U). TRU U is the women’s ministry that God has charged her with to help other’s become free. For more information visit http://www.sonyavisor.com/blog/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/keeping-secrets-and-their-negative-effects-4157036.html

About the Author

Sonya Visor is the author of this article on Depression. Find more information about Christian Women here.

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WERE NEANDERTHALS KILLED OFF OR ASSIMILATED?

Comparison of Neanderthal and Modern human skulls from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History by hairymuseummatt via Wikipedia and Flickr

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

Many anthropologists believe that modern humans ancestors directly or indirectly killed off   Neanderthal and Denisovan populations as they moved into Neanderthal and Denisovan territory. A new study of the issue argues that it’s more likely that Neanderthals and Denisovans were assimilated into the human gene pool thirty to forty thousand years ago during the Upper Pleistocene era as cultural and climatic forces brought the two groups together, according to Arizona State University Professor C. Michael Barton.

Recent sequencing of ancient Neanderthal DNA indicates that Neanderthal genes make up from 1 to 4 percent of the genome of modern populations—especially those of European descent.  Denisovans genes (Denisovans are a sister species to Neanderthals, who were recently found in central and eastern Asia).were found to make up 2 to 6 percent of human genes in southeast Asia. South of the Sahara Africans show no signs of Neanderthal genes.

The researchers used archaeological data to track cultural and socio-ecological changes in behavior in Western Eurasia during the past 120,000 years. As Neanderthals and early humans land-use patterns shifted during the last ice age, computer modeling showed that the two populations began to interact and mate, leading to the “extinction” of one of the groups due to hybridization, a well-recognized phenomenon in conservation biology. Neanderthals were limited to western Asia and Europe, while Denisovans, a sister species to Neanderthals, were recently found in central and eastern Asia. Usually it is the smaller population that becomes “extinct”  but succeeding hybrid populations still carry some genes from the regional group that disappeared, according to the researchers.

According to Barton, “There is a perception that biological evolution determines culture during the Pleistocene era and that cultural influences only predominate afterwards. The reality is that the two forces have been working together and they were as important 50,000 years ago as they are today. Other than the fact that they disappeared, there is no evidence that Neanderthals were any less fit as hunter-gatherers of the late Pleistocene than any other human ancestor living at that time. It looks like they were as capable as anyone else,”

So why did they assimilate into us rather than us into them? Humans might have had the advantage of a higher birth rate. Neanderthals had slightly bigger heads and brains than humans so they might have had greater difficulty in giving birth. Humans also benefited from their belief that a birth goddess would help them.  Without successful reproduction no species can flourish, or even survive. Homo sapiens were as subject to the biological imperative (commandment) to be fruitful and multiply as all other species. But the intelligent minds of Homo sapiens knew the dangers of childbirth. Infant mortality rates in most tribes were more than one in four. The maternal death rate for every four births was more than one in ten. Pregnancy was highly desired and birth anxiously awaited. Pregnant women naturally sought the physical help of their mothers and grandmothers who in turn sought the spiritual help of their now departed mothers and grandmothers. Among the earliest Gods were birth Goddesses. Small stone figures of very pregnant birth Goddesses often referred to as “Venus” figures go back 30-35,000 years. They are the first examples of iconic religion. The worship of spirits within natural phenomena does not need iconic representation. But birth rarely took place in the open or in public.  A birth Goddess needed to be present in some tangible way in order to ease the anxiety of women in labor. Even today in some African countries the maternal mortality rate is 3% per birth. A woman who gave birth to 8 children had a one in four chance of dying from giving birth. Any band would benefit even if the presence of Goddesses reduced that mortality rate by only 5%. Carvings in wood of birth Goddesses probably preceded stone statues by many millennia and may have originated 50-100,000 years ago.

A small birth Goddess that fits in the palm of  a woman’s hand, carved of Mammoth ivory with exaggerated sexual features was described in the May 14, 2009 issue of Nature. The figurine is dated to more than 35,000 years ago, when all three species were alive. Dozens of these figurines have been found at human sites, none at Neanderthal sites. Indeed, archeological evidence of religious rituals in general is much more extensive at human sites than at Neanderthal sites. Thus, religion may have been the single most significant factor in Neanderthal and Denisovan assimilation into humans rather than human assimilation into them.

For further information see my article in Popular Archeology  June, 2011 or my web site: rabbimaller.com

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The Healing Power of Love and Good Relationships

The end of the road by TimOve via Flickr

Author: Roseanna Leaton

You know what it feels like when love is first blossoming; you find that it is almost impossible to not smile, you feel as if you are walking on air and you wake up early each day feeling fantastic. To be in love feels good. Having close relationships and intimate ties to other human beings is not only good for our mental and emotional health; it is also good for our physical health as well.

This is a fact which nobody can deny; there is too much evidence which proves the point. There have been many different types of studies conducted, in communities all over the world which indicate the healing powers of love and friendship.

One study which is often cited relates to the town of Roseto in Pennsylvania, which was up until relatively recently inhabited by immigrants from a small town in Southern Italy. This community of Italian-Americans in Roseto remained very close in terms of family ties and traditions, maintaining their cultural values and religious beliefs through several generations. The inhabitants of this small town experienced significantly less heart disease than in either of the two similar sized neighboring tons. They also lived significantly longer.

When scientists began researching the Roseto phenomenon they could not find anything significantly different in terms of diet, exercise or work which could account for this community’s good health. The only thing which was different was their social cohesion and supportiveness. Researchers began to suspect that it was Roseto’s stable structure which could have protected the inhabitants from heart disease and also led to longevity.

These suspicions turned out to be well-founded, as was evidenced by the dramatic increase in heart disease in the 1960′s and 1970′s as the previously close and cohesive community began to fragment and become more isolated. Many different studies have ensued and each supports the basic belief that when we feel isolated or unsupported, our health is endangered. By contrast, when we are involved either in an intimate and loving relationship, or in a supportive community our health tends to be a whole lot better.

The thing to bear in mind is that it does not matter what type of supportive relationship you are involved in, so long as it provides you with a feeling of being cared for. For some people their religion is what provides them with this feeling, this perception of being part of something bigger and being cared for as an integral part of that community. For some this may take the form of going to church and being an active part of a church group; for others it may be a perception of our spiritual nature which provides a feeling of cohesion and connectedness.

Everyone is different in how they perceive their world and a major key to good health is to feel cohesion and connectedness. Many people may on the face of things live a life with lots of support, family and friends around them, but they might still feel a sense of isolation, and this feeling is one of the strongest predictors of heart disease. It is a matter instinctive importance to the human soul to feel supported as opposed to isolated. Yet it is not what is happening around you that matters so much as how you feel about it. One person may be alone, bur feel spiritually connected, whilst another could be surrounded by many and still feel alone.

I am reminded of a quote by Viktor Frankl which loosely runs along the lines of “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; his ability to choose his thoughts in any set of circumstances”. This quote is very empowering. This gentleman very elegantly describes how we do in fact choose our thoughts and it follows that we can change our thoughts should we wish to do so. If for any reason you are feeling isolated or alone, you can change this feeling. It may take a little effort on your part, but never the less, you can change how you feel, and you will find that hypnosis mp3 downloads are very helpful in your desire to feel a greater sense of well-being.

This is a huge topic and I am only scratching the surface here. The risk factors predicted by a sense of isolation do not just relate to heart disease and an earlier death. The whole spectrum of disease comes into play.

In a community where social cohesion has been left behind, it is important to seek new ways in which to provide yourself with a feeling of togetherness and support, to encourage the belief and understanding that you are not alone. A journey into spirituality may be just what you need.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis mp3 downloads for health and well-being.

About the Author:

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading practitioners of self-improvement. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and peruse her extensive library of hypnosis downloads for hypnosis empowerment.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Healing Power of Love and Good Relationships

Deciphering dreams – different perspectives

Dreaming Girls Head by Elfleda via Flickr

No one really knows exactly what dreams are or where they come from. People who see our world through a materialistic lens usually say that dreams are a random product of memory, based on the brain’s acquisition and interpretation of sensory input. Others say that dreams help to release physio-logical, sensory and psychological data that we pick up through waking and sleeping hours.

Followers of Sigmund Freud, who was an atheist for much of his life, try to decipher the meaning of dreams according to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. For Freudians, understanding is all about deciphering the dreamer’s real and imagined world through the often baffling language of dreams.

Carl Jung, who was once Freud’s brightest student, arguably takes a more comprehensive approach. Jungians try to decode dreams by looking at the biological, psychological, cultural, transpersonal, and spiritual aspects of the self, also taking into account the dreamer’s total life situation.

A Quick Look at Dream Theory

Human beings have interpreted dreams for centuries. The ancient Greeks practiced so-called dream incubation to try to cure illnesses often associated with a deity’s displeasure. The afflicted would enter a sacred chamber, allowing visionary or incubated dreams to guide them towards health. This ancient practice was based on the belief that angry deities made people unwell but divine mercy could heal them.

Joseph of the Bible’s Old Testament became a powerful figure in Egypt because he was a gifted dream interpreter. But dream interpretation was by no means unique to the ancient Israelites. Most ancient cultures studied dreams to prophesize, predict, assist and inspire.

The early Christian Tertullian (155-230 CE) believed that dreams came from God, Satan, or were produced by the individual soul in connection with nature. And the early Roman writer Macrobius (395-423 CE) was one of the first dream theorists to look seriously at nightmares.

In medieval times the cruel and paranoid side of humanity was, perhaps, most prevalent with the Christian Inquisitions, irrational witch hunts and the burning of heretics. And dream theory within the Church reflected that disturbing paranoia.

By the 16th and 17th centuries Father Gracian, St. Theresa’s confessor, wrote that “it is a sin to believe in dreams.”¹ Gracian and other notables of the day placed much emphasis on Satan, linking the devil to the sexual content of dreams.

A few centuries later, Freud said that dream analysis is the “royal road” to the unconscious, making a distinction between the manifest and latent content of dreams. The manifest content is the dream remembered by the conscious mind, usually a condensed, displaced or symbolic version of the latent content. The latent content consists of the dreamer’s unconscious feelings, perceptions and desires, to be deciphered through psychoanalysis.

Freud believed that upsetting and sleep-disturbing latent content is psychologically censored, just as a newspaper editor censors articles that would be too disruptive if published. Freud also felt that environmental stimuli, such as traffic sounds outside the dreamer’s window, could influence the manifest content.

Alfred Adler once belonged to Freud’s inner circle but eventually broke with Freud over professional differences. Adler argued that Freud placed too much emphasis on sex. Adler also regarded conscious intent as equally, if not more, important than unconscious impulses.

Adler believed that dreams help to identify and overcome daytime problems. Life wasn’t about accepting “normal human unhappiness,” as Freud once put it. Alder saw life as an opportunity to overcome unrealistic feelings of inferiority and superiority. Through a process of self-improvement individuals gain an increased sense of mastery and, so it follows, happiness.

Like Adler, Freud’s prodigy Jung once followed but ultimately spoke out against Freudian theory. When Jung couldn’t toe the line any longer, he openly questioned Freud’s ideas, suggesting they were reductive and unscientific. This caused a permanent rift in their once very close relationship.

Jung went on to outline two main types of dreams, unpretentiously called big dreams and little dreams. Big dreams contain archetypal material originating from the collective unconscious. They may be visionary, involve grand themes (such as the mythic journey of the hero) and usually compel the dreamer to make significant life changes. Little dreams are more of the Freudian sort. They involve the personal unconscious and upper layers of the collective unconscious (such as the archetype of the shadow), and point to the need for smaller psychological adjustments instead of dramatic life changes.

The Gestalt theorist Fritz Perls believed that every aspect of the dream points toward some unconscious aspect of the dreamer’s total personality.

Contemporary parapsychologists take things a step further by saying that dreams may be predictive and involve the spirit world.

Jung also believed in the paranormal aspects of dreams but was careful to integrate the physiological, psychological and spiritual dimensions as he understood them.

How Can Dreams Help?

Upstairs at BMV Books, Toronto by MC

Dogmatic materialists and skeptics aside, most people agree that the primary purpose of dreams is to integrate unconscious and conscious attitudes, this hopefully leading to a better, more realistic approach to life.

The following builds on several leading perspectives and includes some original ideas of my own.² These categories aren’t watertight nor exhaustive. But hopefully they’ll illustrate some of the value and complexity of dream interpretation.

Compensation

Compensation is when the (unconscious) dreaming self attempts to restore or achieve balance within the (conscious) daytime attitude. A daytime racist, for instance, might dream of an enchanted encounter with someone of another color. Or a daytime bully who victimizes gays and lesbians might dream about an enjoyable same sex liaison.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the dreamer should act out their dream content in daily life. Rather, the dream merely opens doors to new possibilities, encouraging a more comprehensive, less judgmental worldview.

Wish-fulfillment

An example of wish-fulfillment would be when someone wants a romantic getaway vacation to the Barbados but can’t afford the time or perhaps money to get there. If the desire and need for this kind of diversion are strong enough, chances are they’ll dream about it.

The same applies to lonely people in search of a soul mate. They may never find them during the day. But their dreams can be rich and satisfying to the point where it’s upsetting to awake. On this, the Japanese poet Ohtomo Yakamochi wrote:

[These] meetings in dreams,
How sad they are!
When, waking up startled
One gropes about,–
And there is no contact to the hand.

—From the Manyo Shu, compiled 760 CE

Purging

In a purging dream, one gets rid of their negative feelings for another person or situation. Typically, someone will dream of screaming and shouting (maybe even cursing) at someone else whom they consciously or unconsciously resent during the daytime. On waking they feel better.

Residual

Residual dreams illustrate leftover conscious or unconscious feelings from daytime. They can involve the purging of negative emotions (as above) but also celebrating positive feelings.

Getting in touch | Seeing where it hurts

Here we dream about people or situations that have or still do upset us in daytime reality. We don’t wake up feeling better. In fact, we usually wake up feeling hurt. But this helps us to learn about and feel our hidden pain in order to better deal with it.

This type of dream differs from purging and residual dreams because on waking we may still be upset, even shaken. But this can be therapeutic. For to not know ourselves is usually a recipe for disaster. In psychoanalytic terms, this is a kind of abreaction.

Abreaction is a release and re-experiencing of painful or traumatic events or emotions. In many dreams it is obvious that the process underlying dreams is attempting to trigger an abreaction.³

Feeling Tone

The content of feeling tone dreams are generally forgotten but on waking the dream instills an emotional climate appropriate for the day.† The waking self is emotionally prepared to “get up and go.” An example would be a traveler who wakes up in a foreign country, eager to explore various architectural landmarks.

Feeling tone dreams can also be more subtle. A typically grouchy person, for example, might wake up feeling more favorably disposed toward his or her family and friends.

Problem Solving

Problem solving dreams provide solutions to vexing issues and practical problems encountered by the waking self. The answer may be cloaked in symbolism but usually some kind of direct statement is given in the dream.

A lost ring, for instance, might be located through a dream in which a voice simply says, “look under the mat.” This might seem trite but it points to the idea that, in many instances, the dreaming self is more knowledgeable than the waking.

Transformational

These are similar to wish-fulfillment (see above), but transformational dreams signify general motifs or trends as opposed to specific objects of desire. For instance, we dream of flying around the neighborhood or to distant countries. The weightlessness is sheer joy. This could symbolize “taking off” in life, socially or professionally.

Creative and Inspirational

Creative and Inspirational dreams contain specific content that a person may apply to their daytime work. Music composers, for instance, sometimes dream about melodies and arrangements. And history records not a few inventors who dreamed of devices and innovations before manufacturing them.

Nightmares

Nightmares are generally viewed as warning dreams. The nightmare is trying to jolt us into recognizing and readjusting an inappropriate conscious attitude or situation. A recurring nightmare points toward something in ourselves (or in life) that urgently needs change.

Visionary

Here we have wonderful or perhaps horrific dreams of things to come—that is, the future of humanity. It seems that visionary dreams and their interpretation are almost always colored by personal and cultural filters. Some visionaries recognize this, while others tend to habitually mistake their vague predictions for precise ones. If left unchecked, the misguided visionary might go insane in some rare instances. But usually they just go on fooling themselves and anyone gullible enough to follow their half-baked predictions.

Precognitive

Precognitive dreams are similar to visionary dreams but not as momentous. Here one simply dreams of something which, in fact, occurs later in waking reality. These could come about by (a) God letting the person know what will happen (b) the person sensing things through time (which as we now know, is a relative construct) or (c) a combination of (a) and (b), that is, God allowing a person to sort of psychologically “time travel,” as it were.† This latter view upsets some traditional theologians who just can’t get their head around the idea that space-time is not linear.

Controlled

Also called conscious or lucid dreaming, controlled dreaming is a controversial technique based on shamanic traditions where one actively creates or has a conscious effect on the dream content. Some control their dreams for pleasure. Others strive to improve conditions in the everyday world, this based on the belief (and perhaps observation) that dreaming and waking realities are intimately (if mysteriously) connected.

Empathetic

Here the dreamer experiences another person’s problems, concerns or situation. During the empathetic dream the dreamer fully believes that he or she is confronted with issues that, in actuality, pertain to somebody else.† An extreme example would be a law abiding person dreaming they are a desperate criminal, always worried that he or she will get caught by the authorities.

The value of this type of dream is that the dreamer, upon waking, gains insight and can be sympathetic to the plight of others without actually doing the bad thing.† Of course, a similar effect can come through the arts (Elton John’s “Have Mercy on the Criminal” song comes to mind). But the impact of an empathetic dream is more powerful and immediate, making the innocent dreamer feel he or she really understands what it’s like to be a desperate crook.

Although empathetic dreams differ from intercession dreams (below), the empathetic dream can be an explanatory companion to intercession dreams—i.e. the dreamer better understands why they must spend time in contemplative or vocal prayer for another person.†

No surprise then, that the empathetic dream is especially valuable for contemplative saints (or saints in the making) who apparently take the sins (or karma) for others less able to understand and, therefore, appreciate the subtler points of religious experience.†

Intercession

Intercession is a theological term. It points to the idea that souls mediate God’s graces to one another. In the context of dreaming, intercession may or may not take place in real time. That is, one may dream of and intercede for a bad situation that could take place in the future. In the dream state the dreamer mediates graces to another soul so as to engender healing or to encourage that person to avoid making a bad choice.†

This kind of dreaming exhibits aspects of precognitive and controlled dreaming. But it differs in the sense that, within the context of the dream, one prays in a contemplative way for another person.† As with daytime intercessory prayers, the ultimate source of healing and positive redirection is God, not the dreamer.

It’s conceivable that intercession dreams are effective in real time and, given the relativity of space-time, also with past events. Here, dreamers would intercede in a positive way, for example, for victims of past wars and other atrocities.†

Intercession dreams may also be related to Empathetic Dreams (see above).†

Paranormal

The terms paranormal and normal seem somewhat arbitrary. They’re perhaps more reflections of the status quo than absolute categories, so they’re used here mostly for convenience.

With paranormal dreams, believers claim the psyche accesses information normally restricted by conscious and unconscious attitudes and also by the selective attention that is required for daytime activities. These dreams range from contacting the dead, traveling through time, and taking astral journeys to faraway countries, distant galaxies, exotic realms and other alleged dimensions. They can also involve communing with aliens and perceiving other people’s thoughts, emotions and inclinations.

While some report seeing or, perhaps, contacting themselves in past lives (i.e. reincarnation) during a dream, it’s important to realize that this is not necessarily fact. As a rule of thumb, paranormal dreams must be carefully interpreted and assessed. To take paranormal dreams at face value without informed analysis seems unwise because there’s no guarantee that the dream information is trustworthy or interpreted correctly.†

Hellish

Hellish dreams are different from usual nightmares. On waking the dreamer feels as if they have had an actual glimpse or personally experienced an actual hell. The experience is far more profound than a mere frightening series of events, characteristic of most nightmares. Hellish dreams arguably aren’t just imaginal representations but, rather, ontological encounters occurring during the sleep state. This is about the very real feeling of being damned and tormented for all time.

Due to the immediacy and intensity of the hellish experience, on waking the dreamer usually feels they’ve received a dire warning to change some attitude or behavior for the better.

Heavenly and Blissful

Many spiritually minded folk don’t like to differentiate the heavenly from astral realms (along with their respective numinous qualities). But one could reply that these people, for whatever reasons, just haven’t matured enough in their spiritual formation to understand and appreciate the difference.† By way of analogy, try telling a 3 year-old the difference between pi, infinity, and the speed of light—or, for that matter, between whiskey, vodka and wine. In both cases, the child just isn’t there yet to get it. And so it may be with many adults, who for all intents and purposes, seem more like kids (or maybe teens) when it comes to understanding matters spiritual.†

By way of contrast, many say on the basis of personal experience that heaven is of an entirely different order and beauty than the astral realms or the energy of the cosmos.

At any rate, in this kind of dream one experiences heavenly realms and all the contentment, love, grace and profound peace that accompany them. And heavenly bliss is often distinguished from the following “lesser” paths of natural and aesthetic beauty, vital pleasures (e.g. sex and eating), endorphin and adrenaline rushes, alcoholic merriment, drug-induced altered states, and forms of intuitive or extroverted pseudo-spirituality characterized by immaturity, egoism and an absence of genuine love.

To what degree heavenly bliss might coexist with other, lesser pleasures remains a matter open to debate. But even if heavenly graces did coexist with lesser pleasures, we can still discern the different components of a given experience.† By way of analogy, water may be combined with coffee, sugar and cream but these various elements remain different.

This notion of a hierarchy of pleasures, from vulgar to heavenly, isn’t terribly new. The idea appears in ancient Indian and Greek philosophies. As noted above, Tertullian wrote that some dreams are an ecstatic, purely spiritual experience, in contrast to those generated by the soul and nature.

More recently, the Indian mystic Sri Aurobindo had much to say about different levels of spiritual experience. Aurobindo also warned against the deceptive influences of astral realms. However, Aurobindo didn’t have too much to say about dreams per se because for him, sleep was something to be overcome. Aurobindo claims he eventually overcame “The Sleep,” as he put it, replacing sleep and dreaming with the preferable state of meditation.

Final Word

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of dreams is their tendency to synthesize a great deal of information. Assuming that one has a feel for dream interpretation, it seems that past, present and future possibilities as well as feelings, attitudes and suggestions for improvement are combined in a brief production often reminiscent of an Oscar winning movie. Because most “dream movies” exhibit such a high degree of intellectual and artistic excellence, it seems improbable that the dreamer is the sole creator and director. Indeed, most of us could never hope to write a novel or screenplay containing the wisdom and brilliance of dreams.

This synthetic aspect of dreams suggests that some unknown agency beyond the body, brain and soul is at least partly responsible for dream production. And all we have to do is sleep!

—

¹Father Gracian cited in Robert L. Van de Castle, Our Dreaming Mind. New York: Ballantine Books, 1994, p. 83.

² My own ideas are indicated with the † symbol.

³ Tony Crisp http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/abreaction/

Further Reading

Castaneda, Carlos. The Art of Dreaming. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. Nobody knows whether Castaneda was writing fiction, fact or some combination of the two. But he does a good job illustrating a shamanistic perspective through his account of Don Juan.

Freud, Sigmund. The Interpretation of Dreams. Penguin Freud Library Volume 4. Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1976.

Hall, James A. Jungian Dream Interpretation: A Handbook of Theory and Practice. Toronto: Inner City Books, 1983.

Jung, C. G. Dreams, trans. R. F. C. Hull. Princeton, New Jersey: Bollingen Series XX Princeton University Press, 1954. This is a good collection of Jung’s work on dreams from different sources.

Lewis, James, R. The Dream Encyclopedia. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1995. This isn’t just another “10,000 Dreams Interpreted” type book. It contains referenced and insightful comments throughout.

Pliskin, Marcia. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Interpreting Your Dreams. New York: Alpha Books, 1999. Don’t be biased against the fact that this is an Idiots Guide. It’s a good introduction.

Telesco, Patricia. The Language of Dreams. Freedom, California: The Crossing Press, 1997. I found Part One of this book, ‘A Time to Dream,’ most useful.

Van de Castle, Robert L. Our Dreaming Mind. New York: Ballantine Books, 1994. An excellent survey and resource book for further study by Dr. Van de Castle.

Some Interesting Dream Quotes » http://www.quotegarden.com/dreams.html

Disclaimer: This article does not possess any kind of medical, legal or religious authority. Those with physical, mental or spiritual health issues are advised to consult an appropriate and licensed professional.

“Deciphering dreams – different perspectives” © Michael W. Clark, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

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VW’s, Jews, and Making History

German engineer Josef Ganz in his Maikäfer prototype, built at Adler, 1931 via Wikipedia

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

The Volkswagen ‘bug’ was the most produced single design of a car ever made. More than 21 million of the original Beetles were built before production ended in Mexico in 2003.

Lillian Swanson, managing editor of the Forward newspaper, in a review of Paul Schilperoord’s new book, “The Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz, The Jewish Engineer Behind Hitler’s Volkswagen” (RVP Publishers, 2011) tells an amazing story.

Schilperoord, a Dutch journalist and technology writer, researched private archives and public records for five years. He makes a convincing argument that Ganz, a German Jew, and not Ferdinand Porsche, should be considered “the spiritual father” of the VW, because Ganz first developed and promoted the key design concepts that led to the “People’s Car.”

Schilperoord says there were three very accomplished, independent engineers available at the time: Ferdinand Porsche, Edmund Rumpler and Josef Ganz. The last two were Jews, so in a speech in 1935, Hitler named Porsche as the designer of a small car that would become the Volkswagen ‘bug’, which used many of Ganz’s pioneering designs.

Standard Superior, built by the Standard Fahrzeugfabrik according to the patents of German engineer Josef Ganz, 1933 - Josef Ganz Archives via Wikipedia

Ganz would not give up on his idea, even after an arrest by the Gestapo in 1933, a narrow escape from an assassination attempt and having his bank account confiscated. Ganz fought in the courts against those who stole his patents and designs, and then fled to Switzerland. In 1951 Ganz moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he worked in engineering for Holden, the Australian branch of General Motors Corp. When he died there, in 1967, his extensive archive, filled with evidence of his work, was lost.

For many years after the German genocide against European Jews, most American and Canadian Jews did not buy German cars. Then German support for Israel in the 1960′s and 70′s plus German support for the ‘free Soviet Jews campaign’ in the 1970′s and 80′s changed the Jewish aversion for German cars.

For more about this excellent book go to: http://www.forward.com/articles/150963/#ixzz1lzBsuiEM

Rabbi Maller’s web site is: rabbimaller.com

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