OUR INVISIBLE SELF

Invisibility? What does it mean to each of us? In contemplating this, I realize that we think we live in a real world because we can see, smell, touch, feel, and hear.  However, there is an invisible self within each of us. During my contemplation, I was reminded of the old radio show (and I know this dates me) where the announcer would say, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only the Shadow knows." Of course, this referred to the show's hero Lamont Cranston. It came to me that each of us has a shadow self inside, or an invisible self.

     Instead of saying, "who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men," perhaps this can be re-phrased with who knows what guilt lurks in the hearts of men and women. Instead of using guilt and evil, we can substitute fear, anger, jealousy, rage, resentment, failure and other non-productive beliefs and attitudes.

     Beliefs lurk in the invisible or shadow self. One of the most notorious beliefs in many religions is that God is outside of an individual and judging every move a person makes. This belief has created another belief that a person needs a priest,a  pope,a  preacher, a pastor or whatever moniker serves as the only one who can interpret what 'the God' wants people to do. This belief has created judgment, bigotry, prejudices, hatred and war. A great teacher appeared about 2000 years ago and gave a different message that has been twisted and ignored. His great message is found in Matthew, chapter 5 and even this has been misinterpreted in some circles.

     Stemming from these beliefs is the belief that women are not as intelligent as men are and this belief has permeated almost all societies in the world. Only recently, three teen-age girls in Pakistan were buried alive because they ran away so they could marry the men they wanted. It was a tribal custom and these men stoutly defend their right to do this insane action. This happened because of a belief harbored in their invisible self. The suppression and prejudices against women is one of the greatest travesties of all time.

     Beliefs can be insidious such as failure. This belief can feed shame and guilt to the shadow self. I have come to recognize and know that there is no such thing as failure. A supposed failure is only an experience and it can propel one to strive to do greater. If we do not change our belief that failure is bad, then it will remain that way. If we look upon it as an opportunity to be greater and see the wisdom from it, then we have released a burden.

     Beliefs can be seductive such as the belief in money. Money is represented by coins, pieces of paper, credit cards and debt. Have you ever seen real money, or is it intangible and something represents it? There are still people in this world who barter and do quite well by it. They exchange a tangible item for another tangible item or for labor. Most of the world has become ensnared in the invisible world of money or finances.

     Beliefs are invisible and have tangible results because of the frequency they carry. Our hidden thoughts carry a frequency and, these frequencies go out into the quantum soup similar to throwing a pebble into a pool of water and the frequency returns with an experience to match. Do you ever wonder why people think they are victims? It all has to do with their hidden thoughts and beliefs. This also includes emotions, which carry frequencies. What you think, you get back in one form or another to match the frequency.

     This is why I was in agreement with Masaru Emoto's experiments with water.  By taking polluted water and freezing it, he was able to photograph the shape of ice crystals. When he placed the polluted water in a bottle and labeled it with the words of love or gratitude—or both, the form of the crystals became beautiful and the water free of pollution. Wouldn't it perhaps change the world we live in by giving love and gratitude to our self? It is something to think about.

     The words love and gratitude carry a very high frequency and when we send them out from our hidden self, miracles can happen. We touch others and perhaps it makes a difference in them. The act of blessing our food is an ancient ritual because it changes the frequency of the food to be nourishment for the body.

     We think about taking care of our physical body, but too often we allow our thoughts to run amok or we suppress our hurts and emotions. My journey of coming to this understanding has taken many years and in my book Awakening the Genie Within, which gives the reader a broader insight on letting go of old outworn beliefs. It is time to come out of the closet of hidden non-productive beliefs, emotions, experiences and bury them in the graveyard of the past. Life is a wonder and is to be cherished. Peace is born within the mind.

Comment on the Magdalene Books

It is always rewarding to have someone send a comment or a review of my books. Here is one I just received today 7/28/2011.

"At the moment, I'm re-reading your wonderful, spiritual, loving Magdalene books for the 3rd time!! I take them with me where ever I go. At home, they are placed in a position of honor in my bookshelf."
~ Jo Dean

A REASON TO CELEBRATE EASTER

A REASON TO CELEBRATE EASTER

Easter reminds me of green and beautiful colors along with jelly beans, chocolate rabbits and eggs. My memory of childhood Easters is having an Easter basket filled with green fake grass. I was told that if I went to sleep the night before that the Easter Rabbit would come and leave beautiful eggs. My siblings and me would get our baskets ready the evening before and when we woke up the next morning we could hardly wait to pick up our baskets and rush outside to see who could find the most eggs. Sadly, I was not the winner – or so it is as I remembered. It wasn't until I was in the third grade that I learned that the hard-boiled eggs colored on the outside had been decorated by my mother and my sister who was five years old than me.

In connection with those childhood Easter memories is a large egg that my mother had for years. It was a hollow egg made of some kind of sugar and decorated in white and lavender. It was her treasure and we could only look at it. Over the years this treasure disintegrated.

For Easter, we children always had new shoes, a new dress and a new hat. These were our summer church-going clothes. My younger brother had a new suit and new shoes. My memories of going to church on Easter are vague and perhaps I shut them out because I didn't want to be reminded that Jesus died on a cross and on the third day rose from the dead. It really didn't make sense to me, and how could he have died for my sins. What sins could I possibly have? I could barely wait until I could go home and begin eating all my candy as well as some of the hard-boiled eggs.

I don't think I questioned why a rabbit would would bring colored eggs only on Easter. As an adult I did question and sought the origin of Easter. Oh what a delicious surprise when I learned it was a celebration that outdated the crucifixion of Jesus. My views of Christianity were at a low ebb and I laughed with glee when I learned the early Church fathers had hijacked Easter to entice the Pagans to become Christians.

Easter began as an ancient Pagan celebration. One of the names attributed to this day of renewal is Eostre or Eastre, whose meaning is spring. The Pagans honored and revered the Earth and their celebrations evolved into including rabbits and eggs. Why rabbits? Rabbits, or hares are known to be prolific fertility creators. Eggs are also revered for fertility. Therefore, over the age the two merged with the rabbit or hare leaving eggs to be found in a nest in nature. Later, the eggs would evolve into beautiful decorated eggs.

Easter is a celebration of the beginning of spring and the re-emergence of the new leaves and flowers. It is a time for planting our gardens and to observe the life that comes from the seeds.

There is a reason for every season. Easter is a celebration of laughter and joy because there is new life. We can renew the life within us by seeing things as they are and to let go of our prejudices and judgments. It is a time for us to shed our worn-out beliefs – our worries, and to change our minds into something greater. It is a time to celebrate who we are and what we have accomplished. It is a time to create new opportunities and to live life fully aware of who we are. Join me in celebrating life and especially our own.

Retrograde Versus Progress

Unfortunately here in the United States we have a mindset that is endeavoring to move women's rights back into medieval times. I am appalled at the mentality of men in power. A case in point is North Carolina's current bill SB31 which will make holistic healers felons and be sent to prison. In other words, only licensed AMA physicians and those who push the pharmaceutical drugs will be allowed to practice. This is a travesty and especially for women who make up the majority of holistic medicine. It is a fact that more people die from mainstream doctors and medications than from holistic practioners and herbal use. We, as a country are in retrograde.

Another aspect of retrograde is the U.S. representatives wanting to do away with Planned Parenthood and thus we have an impasse with the U.S. budget. I won't go into the qualities of having Planned Parenthood as one can Google it and learn about how it helps women and men to make wise choices. By doing away with Planned Parenthood, abortion would be outlawed. What most people do not understand is that a fetus may not want to be born to a woman who does not want it. In other words, the spirit of the fetus also has choices. It has up to a year after birth to decide to stay or die. An aborted fetus always has eternal life and will come again to someone who wants it. Why is there is such an anti-abortion mentality? Is this so that these babies can be brought up to be in the military and then get killed? It just does not make sense. These same men in the seat of power have a history of promiscious sex and of course, few of them would support a child born out of wedlock. Oh, the hipocrisy of it all!

If ones sifts through the mindset of those who are pursuing shoving women back into the dark ages, one will find that there is a fear-based mindset that women are smarter than men. These type of men who can be bought by the pharmaceutical companies and other corporate world entities, enjoy the power they can wield and to hell with women.

It is time for women to become vocal. It almost happened in the sixties, however the challenge is that women did it to themselves because they could not as a collective agree. One has only to read Roseanne Barr's book, "Roseannearchy" to understand how the women's movement fell part. One of the most obvious culprit was Phyllis Schlafly. She was a lawyer, had about 8 children and became the Republican's darling. She was also well paid for her speaking tours. She helped to shut down the Equal Rights Amendment. Here is one of her quotes: "ERA means abortion funding, means homosexual privileges, means whatever else." The Republicans have now created a clone of Schlafly and that is Sarah Palin. What an afront to women!

Right now, I am on my soapbox. When I was growing up in Texas, there was an old saying that I abhor. "Keep the women, barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen." I am also against Christianity as it is practiced today by the majority who think they are Christians. I am a retired minister of Divine Science and know the Bible. It is interesting how men who profess to be Christians mis-interpret the teachings of Jesus. All one has to do is read Matthew, Chapter 5. This is the Sermon on the Mount and read about doing to others as you would have them to do to you as well as 'love your neighbors' as yourself.' This is said to be the greatest sermon ever said. And yet, it is tarnished by those in the pulpits.

Being a mother of three sons, I am not anti-male. I have three beautiful adult sons and I am proud of their accomplishments. Their father was a career military man who spent 2 tours in Vietnam – a war that ushered in the use of drugs into this country. It was a fight over the 'Golden Triangle' – the largest opium producing and heroin production in the world until in this century Afghanistan moved to the top of the list. Drug the population and gain control and now we are ruled by Corporate World. However, all is not lost.

We as individuals can only take care of ourselves and for those who have small children, teach them the Sermon on the Mount. It is also to let go of our fears, our prejudices, and to mentally step back and see things as they are, but not follow the crowd. In the midst of change of chaos we can individually be honorable people. There are major earth changes already in motion and we can ride the waves by creating our own individual lives for the future. We are indeed, the future.

The Art of Questing

Each of us is on a quest in life seeking or searching for something we want. It may be a change in our circumstances – or it could be something we want to add to our life. Our quest from time to time can be for something material or it can be that intangible or essence we sense is missing within. There is also the quest seeking our spiritual self. The following is what I have learned and experienced. We are each different and to compare our successes, our lives, or our accomplishments to another is an obstacle to finding out what we are and the reason for our quest.

Shakespeare, in his play As You Like It, wrote All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; and one man (woman) in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.

The stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are about one or more knights going on a quest for the Holy Grail. These are of legend, and what was the Holy Grail they were seeking?

In 1937, Hal Foster at the request of Randolph Hearst created Prince Valiant, a syndicated adventure strip. This is set in the days of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and this adventure strip is still in existence today with the good having virtues and the bad having flaws.

There is also the story of Don Quixote, a supposedly comedy/satire by Miguel Cervantes. It speaks to many people—each with her or his own interpretation and sadly, there are those who think Don Quixote was mentally ill or insane. However, most of society thinks that when one thinks or behaves in a different way than what is socially accepted or not acceptable to family members that they are weird.

We also have a method of the American Indians called the Vision Quest where the quester goes out into the wilderness and contemplates for days until a vision is received and the quester is seeking spiritual empowerment and a guardian spirit in most cases.

A quest can be for a myriad of things. For many the first stages are to seek a satisfying relationship with a member of the opposite sex and in some cases, it is with one of the same sex. This relationship may be exactly what the quester has been seeking and for those who finds that their relationship has soured, they continue with their quest to seek another who will fulfill his or her needs. On the other hand, one can remain in an unhappy relationship that becomes bitter and play the role of the victim.

Others seek material things and think that all they need is a new house, a new car, a new wardrobe, a facelift or a nose job and perhaps a new job. There may come a time when the house is old or too small and there must be a new house. The same goes for an automobile and the wardrobe. The facelift or nose job may make the individual feel better about her or his looks, but it does not satisfy that unnamed need within and dissatisfaction sets in. The new job may be just great in the beginning and again it may not be. This is not to say that these are bad things. These could all be steps in questing. Nicholas Roerich, a famous artist and writer in the early part of the last century – 1924-1925, went to India, Tibet and the Himalayas and had this to say in his book Altai Mountain, Himalaya - Every obstacle must be the birth of possibilities.

There is the side effect and that is one can become anesthetized with television, entertainment, sports and other sidelines and the handicap is that one forgets to quest unless it is for material things.

There is another form of questing and this is alchemy, which comes from the Arabian phrase al-kima and its origin from the Egyptian Coptic kehm. There are many forms of alchemy, one being turning base metals into gold. There is also the alchemy of Nature that changes a seed into a plant or a tree. The alchemy I am writing about is the alchemy of the human mind. Physically we change over the years as we physically grow. Our maturation is nourished by our thoughts, our beliefs, our words and our actions.

In the alchemy of changing base lead into gold, there are stages. Books and stories are about this and there have been seekers over the hundreds of years who have strived to interpret the alchemical texts to change lead into gold – a metal. There are supposedly seven stages such as lead, iron, tin, mercury as well as sulfur, copper, silver and finally gold.

However, there is also another form of alchemy and this is what I am writing about. I can only share my experiences and my knowledge. Everything is according to interpretation and what I am writing about is personal transformation or personal evolution.

Most of us do not know what we are questing for. We only know there is a dissatisfaction or a longing for something unseen and unknown. For me it began with a prickle--a sense that there had to be more to life than what I was experiencing. It was very subtle in one sense. When I was forty a thought flitted through my mind, by the time you are fifty your life will be changed. Frankly, I did not know what that meant and let it go. Off and on for the next ten years, the thought would return and I still did not know what it meant.

My mother died in 1976 and when I reflected on her life, I came to my realization that her life appeared to be unfulfilled and I did not want my life to be that way. My children were of the age where they were leaving home and some would say I was experiencing the ‘empty nest’ syndrome. Perhaps, however there was a yearning within me to have more satisfaction with life. I was married and had a well-paying job, lived in a beautiful house and drove a late model automobile. My relationship with my husband was one of superficiality because there was no depth. There had never been any real communication on a deep personal level.

I began searching for some meaning to my life. A friend loaned me a book that talked about the intimacy of a relationship and it moved me tremendously. It was a Friday evening and I attempted to share with my husband the yearning I had for intimacy that we had never shared. He looked at me and asked, “Do you want a divorce?” I immediately said, “Yes” and that was the end of that marriage. This was my unexpected propulsion. When we parted, I never looked back.

The prickle followed by the propulsion was the beginning of my Quest for personal transformation although I did not call it at that time. I only knew that I felt propelled to seek something more in my life. I was seeking and questioning.

My childhood had been one being at the mercy of a verbally and psychological abusive father and a mother who also was the subject of his abuse. In retrospect, I learned something very important and that was to pretend. Pretend can be two sides of a coin. On the one side, we put forth a face that everything is just peaches and cream when beneath the veneer the foundation is of another sort.

The other side of pretend is what some people call a dream. This can lead to some wonderful changes in our lives. As a small little girl I played the make-believe game with others, which was actually pretending to be someone other than who I was. The idea of traveling the world began a dream. I began pouring over travel brochures while dreaming I was traveling. I call this practice. The next step utilized patience. I did not begin thinking that it would never happen and soon the dream slipped into a subconscious state and germinated. When I was age 23, a chance reading of a small article in a newspaper stating there were recruiters for the U.S. State Department interviewing for clerical help in the Foreign Service. Those selected would work in embassies and consulates around the world. This was an opportunity and I grabbed it. I went to work in the Foreign Service branch of the U.S. State Department and my first posting was the embassy in Paris followed by the embassy in Tokyo.

This was a major change for me and I accepted it wholeheartedly. Being born in Texas and growing up there during the time of segregation, I experienced that along with the bigotry and prejudice of my father. When I left Texas, I was what one might call a greenhorn and very naïve. Paris was my uncommon education and gave me the beginnings of my quest.

Shakespeare wrote that the world is a stage and we are the players on it. In our questing, we have choices. We can never change, or we can quest to seek something unknown. We may play many different roles. I have been a college student, a code clerk, a wife, mother, government worker, holistic center program director, minister and now a writer-author. From each of these roles, I gained experience and wisdom.

What I have learned about the art of questing is first there must be a propulsion—an urge or a dream to have or to experience something. The second stage is to pretend—plan--some call this 'make-believe.' The third stage is to live life with passion and not to let go of one's plan or dream. It may sit in the back of the closet of our mind and that is okay because it is incubating. The fourth stage is to persist in doing what you enjoy and the fifth stage is to participate in whatever brings you happiness. The sixth stage is to never give up. It is to have patience. The seventh stage is the manifestation of the dream and gives praise or gratitude. What happens after we have moved through the seven stages of questing? Begin another quest. It is a never-ending journey.

THE EFFECTS OF POWER AND MONEY

What does money and power have to do with revolutions happening all over the world? Everything because having money empowers most of the world population. It has been this way for eons. We are living in the end of times – but not the end of the world. The end of times is the end to tyranny and enslavement. Even in tough times, we have the power to prosper during these times.

First, a little bit of the scenario – a prelude leading up to these turbulent times. It is as though a Master Planner whose name I do not know, except from hearsay created a Master Plan a few hundred years ago. The United States has not known the wars such as Europe and the Far East have known. We have only had two wars on home turf such as the Revolutionary War and the Civil War unless we want to add the Indian Wars. All other wars have been on other turfs. In a way, we have become insulated and the insulation is coming off now.

WWII was the springboard for major changes and this country became a world power with its secret intelligence agencies that have grown like weeds. A Washington Post investigation article states, "The top-secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work." This is a far cry from our spy agencies prior to WWII such as the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) and the Central Intelligence Agency (
C.I.A.) . The article also stated that there were approximately 934 intelligence (spy) agencies in the U.S. government.

Who do they report to? The head of their agency and it goes up the chain of command. President Eisenhower warned in his farewell speech when he left the presidency to be aware of the industrial/defense complex. "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

It was after WWII that the pharmaceutical companies, arms manufacturers and the influx of drugs such as cocaine became large in this country. The use of television began the big marketing business and it programmed the minds of the viewers and consumers. People became addicted to drugs prescribed by physicians and to the illegal drugs. Others were addicted to sports, NASCAR, and thriller movies. These enhance the programming of minds.

There are spy agencies in the corporate world and in a recent article titled, "Why Monsanto Wins," regarding genetically modified foods (GMO) that the FDA approves of is because they plant a spy in the FDA as an employee or a scientist. We have become a spy world.

The Republican Party is showing its ugly head and thrust of power now that the House of Representatives has a Republican majority. If they have their way, we will be thrust back into the dark ages before WWII. An employee will possibly have no benefits and work six days a week. I know. My first job salary was $17 a week and I worked six days a week with no benefits. This was after WWII. The Governor of Wisconsin is using the power to break the unions for power. I applaud the Democrats who fled the state so they would not have to vote, hoping there would be a dialogue, and this goes for Indiana. What are the Republicans going to do when there is almost no incentive for the working person? Are they attempting to kill them off little by little?

Yes, we are seeing the ugly side of power with a capital "P" and M". Power and Money. On the other side, we do have some who have become wealthy and one is Warren Buffett. There is an article about the billionaire (or trillionaire) Warren Buffett. "In an upbeat annual letter to the shareholders of his investment firm, Mr Buffett said he was itching to make more large acquisitions." It goes on to say that he sees an 'upbeat' economy coming. He is a self-made man. In reading his biography, Buffet began as a child buying and selling Coca Cola, chewing gum and magazines. He is noted for his philanthropy and has said that when he dies, he will leave most of his fortune to notable organizations. Someone else who parlayed his talents is Bill Gates. He is also well-known for his philanthropy. There is an old saying, "Give and it shall be given to you." Unfortunately, the majority of corporate world is known for its greed.

Last year a paper was published in the Psychological Science journal. "These effects speak to the power of money, even as a symbol, to change perceptions of very real feelings." This is a quote from University of Minnesota marketing professor and study co-author Kathleen Vohs as reported by msnbc.com. In the paper, there is a reference to emotions having a big effect on money and that when we see money, it can release the endorphins that make us feel better. Why do we women like to shop when we are depressed? Why, we are spending money.

With so many unemployed people in this country as well as in other countries, it is up to us to change our attitudes and develop a taste for having money. Dr. Joseph Murphy, the author of the book, "The Power of the Subconscious Mind," writes: "Poverty is a Mental Disease." He goes on to write: "Knowledge of the power of your subconscious mind is the means to the royal road to riches of all kinds—spiritual, mental or financial. The student of the laws of mind believes and knows definitely that regardless of economic situations, stock market fluctuation, depression, strikes, war, other circumstances, that she/he will always be amply supplied, regardless of what form money takes."

This means that by changing your mind that you change your world. There is a side effect to this. There are beliefs and attitudes that must be done away with such as fear and doubt. Over the years Christianity has conditioned people to think 'money is the root of all evil.' That is a misconception. If you allow these thoughts and emotions to enter your mind, you are taking a step backwards. It takes courage and tenacity to move from 'can't have it,' to 'I can have what I want.' Other emotions and attitudes that hold us back are, greed, jealousy, envy, not forgiving, hatred and disbelief. Yes, anyone can become wealthy. It is the giving that brings happiness and contentment.

Some people cut out pictures of gold and money and put them on a card. Daily they look at this money. The major key to having what you want is your imagination. Everyone has imagination, some have not used it. If you can bring up an image of your bedroom, your kitchen, your house, then you have imagination. This is why pictures are important to look at. It is also important to write down a statement of what you want and be specific. Speak it out loud as often as you can. Look at them as often as you can to instill in your subconscious mind that this is what you want and what you will have.

The story of Cynthia Stafford is one everyone should read about. She was a single mother with five children and she used the methods of Dr. Murphy and in four months she won $112 million from the California Mega-million Lottery. She saw herself winning and the amount she wrote down when she first began focusing on money was $112 million. She had a purpose – an intent. Here is what she has to say, "If you want to do good for others, start now," she says. "Don't wait for the perfect time, because it doesn't exist. Don't wait until you have a certain amount of money in the bank, because giving back is not all about money. You can always give of yourself, your time, your services, your energy, and your talents." If you want to know about her, I suggest you Google her.

Change is not to be feared. Change is growth. Change is evolution. Plant a seed of a desire and nurture it. It will sprout. This is what using the power of the mind can do. Use it wisely and be a giver.

From My Soapbox

March is the designated month to honor women and they should be and not just the month of March or Mother's day, but every day. We are indeed slowly making our way to having equal rights. At the present time, we appear to be moving backwards now that the Republicans are in office. Sometimes I wonder where their brains are or if we now have a recession in the intelligence of the people in this party. At one time I was considered a Republican and I will admit I had a one-sided view on many things. However, the Watergate scandal of Richard Nixon cracked my cosmic egg and I began to see another view of the world. I bless him and his cronies for the evolution of my mind.

I really can't blame it all on the Republicans as we also have a few pea-headed Democrats. The House just pass a bill to ban Planned Parenthood. Women are the ones who suffer from this as well as the potential of banning abortions. As I recall, medical funds for abortion are becoming very limited. I have often wondered how there can be such limited pea-headed brains and this is both men and women who think that an abortion kills a living fetus and is a crime. Have they every considered that there is no difference between aborting a fetus and raising children only to have them go into the military and be killed or maimed for life? Somehow, there is an imbalance in this crippled thinking.

Speaking of crippled thinking. The following is pretty scary. "Tea Party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., has unveiled a plan for cutting $400 billion in federal spending that includes freezing Veterans Affairs Department health care spending and cutting veterans’ disability benefits. Her proposed VA budget cuts would account for $4.5 billion of the savings included in the plan, posted on her official House of Representatives website." And this from a woman. Shame on her! Having been married to a career military man for 23 years who spent 2 tours in Vietnam, I can tell you that being affected by the Agent Orange does not produce health. He died with the side-effects.

I often think of the geat women who fought for women's rights to vote. Women such as Elizbeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott who were the first to approach this. It took Alice Paul, who with other women picketed the White House, "In 1913, Paul led a march of eight thousand participants on President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration day. (Half a million spectators watched; two hundred were injured in the violence that broke out.) During Wilson's second inaugural in 1917, Paul led a march around the White House." President Woodrow Wilson ordered her to be taken to jail where she and other women were subjected to many indignities and brutal treatment. Finally in 1920 the 19th Amendment was passed giving women the right to vote. Unfortunately the Equal Rights Amendment for women has not been passed. It only needs three states to ratify it.

Women who are in politics should be grateful to the women who have gone before them and yet, today we have such women as Sarah Palin who reflects the mindlessness of women. How have we women regressed instead of moving forward?

One woman who should be honored is Marie Curie. She was the first woman to be given a Nobel Prize. First in 1903 for physics and the second time in 1911 in the field of chemistry. From 1903 – 2009, there have only been 41 or 42 women who received Nobel Prizes and the largest number are in Literature and Peace. I don't think it is due to the lack of a woman's ability. One woman who should have been recognized for a Nobel Prize was Rosalind Franklin. James Watson and Francis Crick are credited for discovering DNA and were awarded Nobel Prizes. What most people do not know is that they used Franklin's papers on her discovery of DNA as their basis. The rest is history.

It is up to each individual woman to take a look at her life and decide what kind of a woman does she want to be. Knowledge is power. We do not have to be mental wizards, but we do need to determine our own lives and not allow the political arena to determine what we can and cannot do. It is time to take our power back and to use our voices. Bigotry and prejudices should have no room in our lives. We are here to evolve.

Am I too hard on the men? Perhaps. However, I have three sons who have determined their own lives and I am proud of them. I practically raised them alone because their father was away so much. I also cut the apron strings to allow them to determine the course of their own life.

As we move into the month of March, join me in being a voice for women's rights – each in our own way. Honor those women who have gone before us and choose a future that you want. It is time we move out of oppression and suppression, however it is an individual choice.

The Origins of "Amen" ~ As in Prayer

There are three religions that use the word Amen at the end of a prayer. I have wondered where the origin of this word came from and began researching. In the Christian and Hebrew world, it is accepted that the word comes from the Hebrew Old Testament or the Jewish Torah. This has also been adopted within the Christian faiths as well as the Muslim faith. Why is this word so important?

As with many subjects I research, it seems that I began to pull a thread that leads me to another aspect. There are research scholars of the ancient texts who go beyond what we have been taught to believe. I have found that the scholars who study the Egyptian ancient texts, drawings and hieroglyphics give a more enlightening picture. The scholars who use the Bible as their primary source have limited much of their research. One such enlightened scholar is Jahi Issa, an Elizabeth City State University professor. He became interested in his roots and traveled to Africa 26 times. He co-authored the book "The Origin of the Word Amen: Ancient Knowledge the Bible Has Never Told" with Salim Faraji, another scholar. I found one source for the book, which now sells for $293.00.

In reference to the word Amen, he alleges the word can be traced to pre-dynastic Egypt. He alleges the word means "the unseen principles of God" while others state the meaning can be "so be it," or it is so."

In ancient Egypt, some of the pharaoh's names began with "Amen," i.e. Amenhotep of which there were four pharaohs in the 18th dynasty. Historical records indicate the ancient Egyptians had a god named Amen whose meaning was the personification of air or breath. The god Amen is also known as Amun and its sign was the ram or Aries. There is an avenue of stone rams at Karnak, Egypt and is called the Avenue of the Ram.

My personal understanding is that when we utter a prayer to our God as we understand it to be and end it with Amen, it means that the prayer is accomplished. The numerous times the word has been said in its meanings of So be it or It is done seals the prayer

GOD IS ALSO WOMAN

GOD IS WOMAN

We are living in the age of revelations regarding the women and their connection to God that religions have kept most people in ignorance. In 2005, I published Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, which is based on my research of Mary Magdalene, the wife of Jesus. I chose to write this as fiction because I felt that as a non-fiction book it would be ridiculed. After the publication of my book, I have continued to research and to bring forth information showing how women have long been omitted from history.

The latest are revelations regarding the anatomy Michelangelo painted in his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Dr. Douglas Fields has posted an article on Internet titled, Michelangelo's Secret Message in the Sistine Chapel. I take issue with Dr. Fields' article and the following is a broader interpretation of Michelangelo's secret messages encoded in his frescoes.

Michelangelo is known for his studies in anatomy and for cutting up cadavers in order to study them. The results are encrypted throughout his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. One of his most famous frescoes is labeled Creation of Adam. Dr. Frank Lynn Meshberger 's publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association 1990, interpreted this fresco using neuroanatomy with results that for hundreds of years has been the unobvious obvious.

Meshberger realized that behind God is an image of the brain that is anatomically accurate. In looking closely at this image of God reaching out to Adam, I have observed that the small figures behind God and below are both female and male representing different parts of the brain. I also noticed that God has female breasts. Some will call this heresy; however, when one has a belief program that God is male - then the female aspect is not noticed because the human mind has been programmed to accept God as a male in most religions.

Michelangelo left a code in his paintings, which are seen by thousands and few have recognized the message. Dr. Fields in his article uses the conclusions that I. Suk and R.J. Tamargo reached when they published their findings in Neurosurgery 66, 851-861 about the fresco panel The Separation of Light from Darkness. I differ from their conclusions even though I do not have a scientific background. However, I have studied the brain and I do know something about the anatomy of the body. I saw the unobvious obvious.

Whereas Suk and Tamargo allege according to Fields that "God has a 'hideous goiter-disfigured neck' and that a 'roll of fabric' extends up the center of God's robe in a peculiar manner. The clothing is bunched up here as is seen nowhere else, and the fold clashes with what would be the natural drape of fabric over God's torso. In fact, they observe, it is the human spinal cord, ascending to the brain stem in God's neck. At God's waist, the robe twists again in a peculiar crumpled manner, revealing the optic nerves from two eyes…"

What is revealed to me from looking at a picture of The Separation of Light from Darkness is that God definitely has female breasts instead of optic nerves from two eyes. If one looks at the enhanced photo of God, it is quite apparent that there is a prominent nipple on God's left side of the breast. In addition, the drape of fabric over God's body is not 'bunched." It is draped in folds that could represent the shape of a uterus – a feminine uterus or a uterine mantle as an unknown art historian supposedly said. It is my understanding that the uterus is part of the female anatomy.

From my observations and research of these beautiful paintings, Michelangelo's hidden messages are that God is both female and male. Dr. Fields goes to write in his article, "The mystery is whether these neuroanatomical features are hidden messages or is the Sistine Chapel a Rorschach test upon which anyone can extract an image that is meaningful to themselves. The authors of the paper are, after all, neuroanatomists." It is unfortunate that Dr. Fields is so short-sighted; however, perhaps the writers Sak and Tamargo as well as Fields are seeing it as a Rorschach.
Michelangelo and Da Vinci were contemporaries and both were well versed in the anatomies of both female and male. There is a drawing of DaVinci done in 1489 titled Study of a Woman's Womb and the drawing of the Vitruvius Male dated also as 1489, has been mis-interpreted. The drawing shows four arms and four legs. One set of arms and legs has a male aspect and the second set of arms and legs has a female aspect. Another aspect is that the Vitruvius drawing has female breasts and male genitals. Da Vinci knew the same as Michelangelo that God is both female and male and these drawings and paintings are their hidden codes for the people to finally decipher. It is unfortunate that Fields was not far-sighted enough to recognize the clues himself.

God as a woman? For hundreds of years, the Christian, Muslim and Hindu religions have portrayed God/Allah as male and a male who has dominion over women. Women have been degraded and subjected to horrendous treatments. I find it ironic that women carry the baby in her womb, and yet rarely is she given equal treatment in the Christian and Islamic sects. I have often wondered how males can degrade their mothers who perhaps nursed them and cared for them when they were sick.
I find it most fascinating to read that some scholars are suggesting that da Vinci painted himself as a woman. They really have not quite verbalized that da Vinci could have been a woman. When I first published the first edition of Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls in 2004, I wrote of this and give Lillian Schwartz and Dr. Digby Quested as my authority in a footnote on page 176. The following is what I learned from my research.

The morphing of Leonardo to Mona Lisa began in 1987 by a computer expert who at that time was a consultant for AT&T's Bell Laboratories. Using a computer, Lillian Schwartz split the faces of the Mona Lisa and Leonardo's self-portrait down the middle. Schwartz adjusted the sizes and juxtaposed them so that one side of Mona Lisa's face matched Leonardo's. Schwartz has recorded the evolution of the split-face from a study in composition to a convincing argument that the Mona Lisa is Leonardo's self-portrait.

From the Hindu Newspaper, January 1, 2000, an article by Jayasree Sarnathan wrote: "computer imaging and x-ray analysis declare that Mona Lisa was not a woman at all! The American computer artist Lillian Schwartz and London Maudsley Hospital registrar, Dr. Digby Quested, believe that Mona Lisa was a mirror image of Leonardo da Vinci." It is possible that Leonardo chose to live as a man because during those ages, she would have been put to death or not able to use her genius to create. The same can also be said for Michelangelo. Perhaps he also was a woman dressed as a man.

There is also historical evidence that there was a female pope – Pope Joan. In my book, I wrote of Pope Joan, the first female pope. There is now a movie based on her life as a woman who disguised herself as a man. Thus, we have the porphyry chair and a copy of it is in the Louvre Museum. Throughout my research, I have found that the common interpretations are often not what they have been purported to be. Many will call Pope Joan a myth, however up until 1276 AD, she was acknowledged by the Catholic Church. She was born in 814 Ad in Ingelheim, Germany and supposedly travelled to Greece and wanted to be part of the Church hierarchy and disguised herself as a man. I have also described this in my book Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls. It is time for the truth to be revealed that has been omitted from history.

THE FORGOTTEN FEMININE

March has the reputation of being capricious, such as it 'comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' March has also been designated as Women's History Month to honor women who have achieved. This month, I celebrate all women because we are achievers each in our own way. This morning two small booklets popped up into my awareness much to my surprise that I have had for a number of years. One is "As a Woman Thinketh" transcribed for women by Dorothy J. Hulst based on James Allen's classic, "As A Man Thinketh." Allen based his famous book and talk on a phrase from the Bible, "As a man thinketh, so he is." In Hulst's booklet, she has on the opening page the following:

"Mind is the Master-power that moulds and makes,
And Woman is Mind and evermore she takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what she wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills---
She thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but her looking-glass."

March 1 has been designated as the beginning of honoring women of history; however, there is one important feminine that we should honor above all others. Her accomplishments far outweigh those of others. She is a living, breathing entity and is ageless. She nurtures all creatures – all beings. She is the forgotten one. The times she has been raped are countless and the removal of her blood is beyond measure. Yet in spite of the misuse and abuse of her resources, she continues to give. Who is this feminine power? None other than Mother Earth also known as the Mother Goddess, Gaia, Terra, Mother Nature and a host of names in other languages. Yes, she does create havoc and devastation periodically and this should be expected. The mysteries of why there are tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions in addition to storms and floods are yet to be fully understood by the scientific community, as we know it to be. Floods and mudslides are understandable to a degree due to the foolishness of decisions made by human factors.

One has only to Google the word HAARP, which is actually the initials for "The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program." It is reported that the U.S. and Russia both have the capabilities to manipulate the climate of the Earth. In 1995, Dr. Nick Begich and Jeanne Manning wrote a book titled, "Angels Don't Play No Haarps." If what is put forth in the book is based on truth, then it appears that governments do have the capabilities of creating earthquakes, tornados, freak snowstorms and all kinds of weather. Is the current display of weather patterns the natural result of Mother Earth – or the result of manipulations of weather patterns? It is something to consider. The earthquake in Haiti and now the one is Chili is questionable as to whether it was natural or one created.

Our Mother Earth – our Mother Goddess deserves our love. How many people commune with nature? Very few. There are those who think they need to go to the mountains or to the seashore to appreciate the Mother. For those who do not live in beehive communities, i.e. apartments, condominiums, etc, you can appreciate nature by working with your own yard and soil. For others, most cities provide parks. One only has to watch the budding of the trees and the plants when spring is about to burst forth to acknowledge the miracle of the Mother. There will be some who will scoff at this and continue to spread poisonous killers of dandelions so they can have a beautiful green grass yard. How many know the fascinating features of the dandelions? Every part of the plant can be utilized either as a culinary edible or for medicinal purposes. The Mother provides for all who live on this planet in some form or another. The dandelion can withstand all the abuses and has the ability to find a spot where it can plant its seed and grow again.

Our Mother Earth provides many medicinal plants and trees for our use and too many on this planet have forgotten this. Before women's roles of being healers and herbalists were usurped by males, the knowledge was known and passed down. Today in the United States, the majority of people have given their power away to pharmaceutical companies who keep people sick in order to fill their coffers with money in one form or another. One has only to go on-line and search for curcumin or turmeric to learn that this herbal plant used extensively in the Far East has healing properties for cancer, arthritis and other diseases. It is time for each of us to become aware of the bounty Mother Earth has provided and utilize it.
Each morning and every night, there should be a blessing to our Mother Earth and honor her with gratitude and love.

HOW TO SURVIVE TOUGH TIMES

During these tough economic times, natural disasters, wars, famine and plagues, we women can meet the challenges. We have been doing this for centuries. It is in our genes to rise to the occasion. How do we survive? Make a plan and follow through.
1. Mental stability.
2. Emotional stability
3. Prepare
4: Suggestions
1. Mental Stability: First of all, do not panic or fall into fear. Fear attracts what one does not want. There is an old biblical verse that says, The thing I feared the most came upon me. Mentally step back and access the possibilities that are open. Make a list of what you want. Read aloud each item on your list three times a day or more. Visualize yourself receiving and experiencing what you want.
2. Emotional Stability: Stop feeling like you are a victim. The most difficult thing to do is to take responsibility for our actions, our thoughts and our words. The frequencies of our thoughts and words go out and attract to us our experiences. The best advice comes from this quote:
Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny. ~ Tryon Edwards
3. Prepare: Do you have extra food in your pantry? Can you survive for a month? Do you have extra water? What would happen if due to natural disasters that the trucks bringing in food to the grocery stores could not get through? What is there is no available water? Do you have a good first aid kit? Do you have adequate warm clothes if the weather is cold and there is no heat in your home? Search Internet for items needed.
4. Suggestions: Do not use plastics. Plastics are made from oil derivatives and can be harmful and weaken the immune system. This is why bottled water in plastic is not good. Look for glass. If you live in cities, fluoride has been scientifically proven that it is harmful and can weaken the immune system. Find a source of good, clean water. Saving wine bottles and glass pop bottles is great. You can sterilize them by pouring scalding water inside them and then pour it out. Or, you can leave it in and once cooled, cork it with new corks.
I have also cleaned these bottles and store sugar in some and salt in others. I always use new corks. I use quart size glass canning jars with clean lids to store flour and rice. We can each become innovative.
Stop looking at television and read a good book. A recent article indicates that many people are beginning to read more books instead of going to movies and dining out.
Even if you live in a city, you can have a garden. Many people grow vegetables in containers. If you live in the suburbs, you can make your yard a garden. There are many avenues open to anyone who have the inclination to research and take action.
Do not take the vaccines. Have a healthy mind and emotional body and you won't need a vaccine. Many of them weaken the immune system instead of protecting them. Read up on this by going on-line and researching this.
We are creative beings and we have the ingenuity to create methods and means for taking care of ourselves and our families. It does mean that we have to sacrifice our anger, our resentment, our jealousy, our victimization and a host of other beliefs and emotions to become strong.
To the Future!

Celebrating 100 Years of Women's Right to Vote in Washington State

HONORING WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.

If I had my druthers, I would be most happy to say that all women in the United States had the right to vote for 100 years. On Monday, February 1, the women of Washington State will be celebrating their 100 years of the right to vote. The move for equal voting laws began in 1854 when a member of the Washington Territorial Legislature introduced an amendment for this and it failed to pass by one vote even though another bill passed in the same year, which gave all male white citizens above the age of 21 the right to vote. Even though this was voted down, it rallied the women and they filled the large cities and the small towns. They were angry and argued that the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment used the word 'citizen' meaning 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States did not mean only white males over 21 years of age.

When the Territorial Legislature passed the law giving the right to vote to 'all white citizens above the age of 21" some of the suffragists tested their voting rights based on the U.S. 14th Amendment in 1869 at White River. Their votes were rejected although fifteen women in Thurston County successfully voted in 1870.

The women of Washington State began organizing parties, marches, and demonstrations. Actually Washington was a territory because it was not admitted into the Union until November 11, 1889. One forceful woman was Emma Smith DeVoe who after moving to Tacoma organized speeches, rallies and demonstration forcing the issues into the open. In 1883, both houses of the legislature signed into law a bill giving women voting rights and the governor signed it. However, in 1887 the Washington Territorial Supreme Count revoked suffrage because of a suit brought by a gambler who had been indicted by a grand jury that included women. This did not stop the women.

In February 1910, the legislators allowed a vote to amend the State Constitution giving women the right to vote. It passed and the suffragists had distributed one million pieces of literature. Washington State joined the states Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Colorado who had already enacted the women's right to vote. The right to vote did not become nationwide until the 21st Amendment initiated by suffragist Alice Paul was ratified by the necessary number of states.

Even though women have the right to vote today, there are still many hurdles to overcome and one is the Equal Rights Amendment, which needs only three more states to ratify it. This amendment gives all women equal rights. It is pitiful that women have to gain equality law by law and also an amendment. When is this going to stop? If it is to be, it is up to each woman individually to bombard their national representatives to garner the votes from the states who have not ratified the E.R.A.

Frances Perkins
One notable woman who is rarely recognized or honored for her achievements is Frances Perkins. Some will say Frances who? Frances was born in 1880 in Boston. She attended college in New York State and developed a passion to help the underprivileged. In 1911 she was working for the Factory Investigation Commission in New York City when the Shirtwaist Factory Fire occurred. From her biography by Naomi Pasachoff, the writer tells of Perkins being horrified that 146 immigrant women had jumped to their deaths. Perkins lobbied until she had a law passed in the city for all buildings to have fire escapes.

Perkins became active in politics and what I have gleaned from her biography is that she was persistent without seemingly being abrasive in her approaches. As she worked her way up the political ladder, she always made friends with the wife of the politicians. She worked for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and became a friend of his wife Eleanor. This seems to be a trait Perkins had or a ploy to become friends with the wives and then there would be no jealousy of her while working with their husbands - smart woman. With the election of F.D.R. as President, Perkins became his Secretary of Labor and the first woman cabinet member. She was also at that time as the first selected cabinet member to be in line for the presidency if he should pass.

As the Secretary of Labor from 1933-1945, Perkins initiated and with F.D.R. backing her, the Social Security Act, Civilian Conservation Corps, Unemployment Insurance, Public Works Agency and its successor the Federal Works Agency and the Fair Standards Act. Therefore, I salute Frances Perkins for love and caring for the poor and wanting to make life better for them.

Her biography is The Woman Behind the New Deal: Frances Perkins by Naomi Pasachoff.

Book Review - Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls

The US Review of Books - Received January 5, 2010
Reviewed by Sue Johnson (no relation)

"Praise be to the Creator of All.
Praise be unto this Life
For she is the one foretold
To be the Messenger of Hope.
She is the Anointed One
To bring the Message of Remembrance
Of who we are.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice!" (quote from Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls)

Dan Brown opened the door to religious artifacts with his book The Da Vinci Code. Bettye Johnson blows that door off its hinges in Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls. After visiting France, the author became fascinated with Black Madonnas, which forms the basis for her wonderful new novel centering around two women hiking the French Pyrenees Mountains and discovering ancient scrolls in a hidden cave. Bringing an American Businessman and a disillusioned priest into their secret, the women hear an interpretation of the scrolls. It appears to be the life self-scribed story of Mary Magdalene.

As the two women and their companions continue to interpret the scrolls, they become fearful that the scrolls will fall into the wrong hands. The ladies begin a cross-country trek to insure that the scrolls are placed with the proper authorities, so that they may be received and enjoyed by all. What follows is a story of passion, betrayal, and mystery told in a page-turning style.

Although this is a work of fiction, truth is found in the research on display here--truth and the seekers of truth. The novel is packed full of historical references, but the fictional elements ease the delivery of the overly intellectual passages. There is also a bit of the outspoken to please the curious mind. In the end, this is an adventurous and thought-provoking story.

www.theusreview.com/USRrecent.html.
The US Review of Books
PO Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560
www.theUSreview.com

THE FIRST 100 THINGS TO DISAPPEAR

Why prepare? One only has to listen to the news or read the news to realize that we are
in for some volatile times. It may not be a war or terrorism. Instead, it could come from Earth Changes. Humankind has taken much from the earth and there is the possibly that She is going to let us know how it feels. All over the world, there is an increase in the number of earthquakes, hurricaine force, tornados, typhoons, floods along with changes in the weather.
There could also be acts of terrorism on this soil in the U.S.

This list came to me over 10 years ago on a legal size sheet of paper. I re-typed it and sent it out to friends and family via email. Now this list has been returned to me by a correspondent from a United Kingdom blog! When disaster hits, it is well to be prepared and not to depend on being able to go to the grocery store every day. Think of what happened to New Orleans and the people who have had floods, tornados and hurricaines, and tsunmis.


In addition to the 100 things, one might consider having copies of drivers licenses, marriage licenses, social security cards, insurance papers, photos of loved ones and anything else treasured placed in a safe place.

1.Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy-target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6-12 months to become dried, for
home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce,
stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food bums/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR
PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Short wave radio - portable.
15. Sleeping bags/blankets
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term
lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula, ointments/aspirin, ect.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cook stoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous
without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Hair care/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets. Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Salmon
36. Fire Extinguishers (or.-large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go
first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in
Wintertime.)
45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with
wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail
clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes or a tent
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffle Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, ect.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Ram gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, boullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels. Trail mix/Jerky83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Juices
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, ect,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, ect.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens
******
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper
attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps, but you never no how long trouble will last, so
locate near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in
war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the
easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for
heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a
lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible.
Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially
if you buy it in bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me,
you'll have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you
how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a
little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in
fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are
morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches.

The Forgotten Symbol Omitted from The Lost Symbol

The Forgotten Symbol Dan Brown Omitted From The Lost Symbol

In reading Dan brown's latest book, The Lost Symbol, I was delighted and I applaud him for his magnificent research along with his knowledge of symbols and ciphers. His book is one to read if one wants to understand the symbolism of the Freemasons and their effect on our nations' capitol. Several years ago I traveled to Washington D.C. and visited the Capitol. I have been a student of symbols for many years, and it was each to the Masonic symbolism there. I often wonder how many people really understand these great symbols which hold messages for all to see and to realize what their meaning are.

There is an unobvious obvious that Dan Brown did not touch on in his latest book, but then he was developing his plot based on Freemason symbols and these are really universal symbols. Our senators, representatives and the many tourists who visit the Capitol have almost overlooked the Feminine Principle so blatantly obvious for those who recognize the unobvious obvious.

I had not visited the Capitol in over forty years. When I first arrived, my eyes were drawn to the 19-1/2 foot bronze statue crowning the dome. This statue is a female and her original and formal name is Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace. Beginning at her head, she wears a helmet with a circle of stars topped with a crest of an eagle's head, talons and feathers. She is clothed in a long full robe with creases. Her right hand rests on a sheathed sword while the left holds a laurel wreath representing victory and a shield of thirteen stripes representing the original thirteen states. This statue is standing on a globe with e Pluribus Unum atop a pedestal with fasces, which are rods with an axe blade as a symbol of ancient Roman magistrate's authority. She was erected on top of the Capitol dome on December 2, 1863.

There she stands in all her glory – a female figure. Who said this was a male country? Ah, there is even more. When entering the east central entrance to the Capitol, one can look up and see the pediment over the entryway titled, "Genius of America" with three female figures representing Justice, America and Hope. President John Quincy Adams wanted these figures to "represent the American Union founded on the Declaration of Independence and consummated by the organization of the general government under the Federal Constitution, supported by Justice in the past, and relying upon Hope in Providence for the future." I find it amazing that there are three feminine figures representing 'Genius in America.'

The pediment above the House entrance wing is the "Apotheosis of Democracy." The central figure is a female representing Peace. Peace has her right arm stretched out over a youthful winged figure named Genius who holds a torch signifying immortality. The wings signify knowledge and wisdom. Flanking the sides of her are figures representing Industry and the other Agriculture representing two sources of wealth. The pediment has ocean waves on each end standing for the Atlantic and the Pacific. Apotheosis is an interesting word meaning "exaltation to divine rank, stature or deification. Again, we have the feminine principle as the center figure.

The entrance to the Senate side of the Capitol also has a pediment, "Progress of America" with the central figure a woman named America. She has an eagle at her side, a laurel wreath in her right hand and the sun at her back. The feminine principle once more.

In walking into the Rotunda, my eyes were drawn to the domed ceiling. These paintings by Brunei with the central one titled Apotheosis of Washington. We see George Washington rising to the Heavens surrounded by female figures representing Liberty, Victory and Fame. Once more, we have the word 'apotheosis' meaning deification. On the perimeter of George rising to heaven are six other frescoes. One is dedicated to Science and portrays the goddess Minerva/Athena teaching Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton and F.B. More while she is pointing to an electric generator creating energy in stored batteries.

The fresco of "War" is "Armored Freedom" with her sword raised and cape flying, with a helmet and shield reminiscent of those on the Statue of Freedom. She tramples Tyranny and Kingly Power and a fierce eagle carrying arrows and a thunderbolt assists her. Armored Freedom is a woman. All of these frescos were painting by Constantino Brumidi in 1865.
Moving on to the other frescoes, we have "Marine" showing Neptune, god of the seas in a boat with the Goddess of Love, Venus laying a transatlantic cable. The frescoes of "Commerce" and "Mechanics" portray men while the one named "Agriculture" has the goddess Ceres sitting on a McCormick reaper. Only when we unify the female-male principles in balance will we have peace and true justice.

If our history books are correct, the men who have governed this great nation have been blind to the feminine principle, and they have denied women the right to vote until 1920. The Equal Rights Amendment only needs three more states to ratify it and I find it pitiful that women have to get their rights law-by-law. Our feminine principle dominates the early art of the Capitol. She graces the top of the Capitol through heat, rain, sleet, snow and watches over those who govern us. It is time for revelation and acceptance of the feminine principle.

Dan Brown's book, The Lost Symbol is excellent because it has brought the Freemasons into a true perspective of what the organization is truly about. There have been women Freemasons in history; however, this is an obscure attribute. Perhaps with the revelations of Brown's book, it may be open to women once more.

For more representations of the feminine principle, one only has to see the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Capitol Rotunda. The sculptor was a female, Vinnie Ream, the first woman artist commissioned by the U.S. Congress in 1866 to create a memorial to President Abraham Lincoln. She was eighteen years old.

How can the United States fulfill its destiny when women do not have full equal rights? How can this be the 'land of the free and the home of the brave' when women do not have full freedom and the ugly heads of bigotry and prejudice suppress freedom for all? It is time for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and equal opportunity for everyone. The forgotten symbol in our U.S. Capitol is the Feminine Principle.