The Sirius Mystery

The Sirius Mystery: New Scientific Evidence of Alien Contact 5,000 Years Ago by Robert K.G. Temple
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sirius Mystery

“It’s aliens I tell you?” Yeah Yeah we have heard it all before. Zecharia Sitchin hypothesized that aliens came from a planet with an extreme elliptical orbit around our sun called Nabiru. The planet comes into contact with ours supposedly every 3,600 years and that aliens cam to our planet and spliced our genes. Now this is based on his reading of Sumerian, Egyptian and biblical scripture. Robert Temple has a more realistic theory and demonstrates his knowledge of pagan mysteries by elucidating Egyptian, Sumerian and Greek mysteries.

The ancient Egyptians used to connect the Sirius star with Isis. It would disappear for about 70 days and then reappear bringing with it a flood on the Nile. The African tribe of Dogon also worshipped the Sirius star and they knew before modern science caught on that there was a Sirius B Star and a Sirius C star. Robert Temple revealed this knowledge in his book and the scientific community did not take him seriously in fact many big time organizations gave him a real rough time. His basic thesis is that several thousand years ago Aliens came from a planet that was from the Sirius star system and visited the planet Earth. They were amphibious in nature resembling the appearance of mermaids. It is from them that we get some of our earliest achievements, like building the pyramids and mapping the Arctic Circle before science even knew what it looked like without ice. These amphibious aliens existed in the water at night and then returned to their water chamber at night.

Looking at some of mankind’s achievements it becomes clear that some form of higher intelligence was at play here. We cannot duplicate some of this stuff today.. Some would speculate that it was all Aliens, some would say that we are not giving ancient man enough credit. Others would say that there were human civilizations going further back in time than we realize. Some would say that Atlantis was such a civilization and then it was destroyed by some cataclysm. Robert Temple rejects all that. He has his own theory and it does sound pretty plausible especially when he shows you direct quotes from Ancient Historians that describe the merman like nature of Oannes , who came from the sea and enlightened mankind.

Whether or not I buy into his theory is a big question, but I do know there are lots of planets, galaxies an star systems out there so there is a good possibility that there is life on other planets an it certainly is possible they have contacted mankind. It still need to see more proof. Could it have ben that these mermen were natural inhabitant of this planet, an in between phase between amphibian and mankind.? Could be . Robert Temple does not claim that his theory is 100 percent correct as it is just a theory. I will tell you one thing though , he has found a way to show his reader that all these ancient philosophies and religions come from a common source and he draws those connections extremely well.

Whether you are into Ancient Alien theories or not this is one awesome book,

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Elder Witch's Grimoire

Liber Nox: A Traditional Witch's Gramarye by Michael Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever wanted a good primer on how to delve into the Arte of the Witch? Need some ideas for a ritual? This book covers a gambit of information starting with some history, theology, holiday explanations and sample rituals for almost all of them. Great nifty book to get you started by a man who has since gone to summer land , he was a shining light .

This book is about the rites of the craft andd how to get ready for them. Chapter one is about the different tools of the craft you will need for your rituals. THe most important tool is the Stang. Normally a pole made of as he wood or oak, it has horns on top  a cross of arrows in the center and a metal base to stand on. It represents the horned god but could also represent the axis mundi or the world tree. The Axis Mundi connect all the different worlds. There is also your black handle knife for magical operations in the circle and there is the boline. The boline is a white handled knife used for cutting herbes. There is also the scourge, or cat o nines as most people know them. The besom or the broomstick is used for riding to other worlds and for spiritually cleaning the area of your working. The cauldron or chalice is used to represent the womb of the goddess. Swords are used as are different stones to implement magic in your circle.

The next chapter talks about initiation in the craft. Not everyone has access to a coven and history is appearing to show that most witches worked solitary. SOmetimes you get imitated by a coven. Other times someone from the opposite sex will teach you and initiate you. sometimes these one on ones can get intimate. Once can also do a self dedication. The author hold that all are equally valid. 

The third chapter is about casting the circle. It is a bit more complicated than wicca as it is spherical and they have cross directions like north east, south west etc. Each direction has it's own meaning.  The next section deals with a discussion of the major holidays in the craft. Note I did not use Sabbats as they are different from Wicca. The holidays in the Wheel of the Year are as follows in order of explanation ; Candlemass , Lady Days, May Day,Midsummers Day, Lammas Tide, Michaelmas, All Hallows, Yule and the Twelfth Night. After the section that describes the holidays there is the section that has the actual ritual. THis maybe adapted to fit your needs .

This book has thorough explanations of the craft and the history and mythology behind everything . He touches upon both modern and past. A great book for getting started.

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Walking the Path of the Goddess

Walking an Ancient Path: Rebirthing Goddess on Planet Earth by Karen Tate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever pondered the possibility of embracing Goddess spirituality? Are you searching for even to go to ? Organizations to align yourself with.?This book is a great place to start. FRom what I gather authoress Karen Tate , a follower of Iisis, has composed a great book for you to read.

Starting from the North she covers goddess spirituality from the persective of the elements and their directions. North pertains to the land and she coverers all the places she has made a pilgrimage to. As a follower or devotee to Isis she takes many trips to Egypt visiting many Temples that were dedicated to Isis. Her trips also take her to Turkey, Italy and other places of Europe. She does not only visit places connected to Isis but she also visits shrines to other Goddesses. In Ireland she visits places devoted to Brigid and several stonehange like sites. In Clonedgal Ireland she goes through an intiation to serve the goddess..

Moving widdershins she then talks about water which faces to West. Aphrodite is the goddess of love. There is some talk about Aphrodite but also about relationships in general . This section is filled with information on howw to find the right lover and how to conduct a healthy relationship. If it will not get healthy sometimes it is best to let it go.

Fire is the element of the south. This is the passion that drives people to succeed. Fire keeps us going or trudging though. FIre also burrns away things . Sekhmet is the noted goddess of fire. She is the one who eliminates the injustice and fights evil . SHE IS ALSO a protectress. We next go to the east where in that is the direction of intellect or intelligence. Dawn is the beginning of a new dawn. Finally there is spirit.

I liked this book despite my previous misgivings. There are great rituals, and prayers to the deities. I counted at least a few good meditations. The end of the book solicits opinions about building Temples to the Gods or keeping it more informal. Discussion about God spirituality is also discussed by several people. Great book.




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A Night out with Jim Morrison

Burn Down the Night by Craig Kee Strete
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be part of the Rock and Roll party scene in the 60’s and 70’s? This is when Rock and Roll was just emerging and the parties were excessively wild. Filled with revels of late night parties at Venice Beach, excessive drug use and very free sex. Author , Craig Kee Street , takes us into the heart of the bitch Goddess Los Angeles in what I think is his fictitious romp with Jim Morrison, perhaps before he became the lead singer for the doors.

Stete captures the essence of Jim Morrison perfectly in this work. Written in first person, Craig bumps into Jim while trying to hit on some chick at a party in Venice Beach California. Jim just sort of appears speaking in rhymes an stealing Strete’s girl. The two later on wander off to the beach,drive Craig’s car to the Valley. Picking up two girls, on e fat and one pretty, they romp and head off of another party . Craig passes out in the bushes only to be awakened by a poodle pissing on him.

Craig later on goes into his background, growing up as an adopted child who is soon no longer wanted as his adoptive parents sire their own child and leave him neglected. Drifting into a life of crime, Craig later on ends up killing someone in a break in. A rock and roll band takes him. Working as a roadie he ends up in California.. The work keeps him out at nights where he gets to party and fool around all without his girl even knowing. Several times they get together write poems, pick up on women and take mass amounts of drugs..Their trips take them to Rock and Roll shows, getting drunk with married women in a cemetery.

Not only capturing Jim’s essence rather well but also giving incite into the party scene of the sixties. It was a free for all love in at several parties with hippies mixing in with gang members. Violence is a plenty as jealous boyfriends threaten to pulverize their womens for fooling around behind their back.. Lots of fights , trashed houses and women getting beat up. Most of the violent scene involve someone literally getting their head smashed in against pavement. I am not sure if such violence occurred regularly at parties but then hey was not there. The end is tragically sad , a warning against infideleity.

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A Primet for New Teachets an Essential Guide to Hands on Learning

An Essential Guide to Hands-On Learning: Learning Plans and Learning Diversity by Renée Berg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Looking for the perfect gift for a new or beginning teacher? Well I think I have one for  ya! I got this book off of my Amazon prime membership and had it for month on my kindle.For someone getting into teaching or at the start of thei career this would be a little nifty book for them to have. During their first several years of teaching they are sure to refer to it often.For me most of the material that was covered in this book was stuff that I had learned while pursuing my credential and my 15 years of teaching. Nothing new for me here nor for more experienced teachers. 

When I first read the title I was expecting a book that was loaded with hands on projects that I could do in the classroom. Well the book has guidelines and is loaded with other information that a teacher would find useful but no project. THe title threw me off a bit. It is the other information that I found useful plus there were resources and references that a beginning teacher could use for later in their career.

One of several things i liked about the book was the positive philosophy put forward by the author. Her opinions on teaching to the test resonate real strong with me. It depersonalizes learning and it is not fun. Each individual is a unique individual with his or her own learning style which is just as unique as their DNA. The term she uses are more positive as well., Remember that words for our reality. You are not teaching someone a lesson, that has a negative connotation. Instead you are creating a learning experience for them something that is low anxiety and very enjoyable. Remember chgildren learn best in a positive environment.

One of the greats is the numerous links to awesome websites. Among the websites are enchantedlearning.com and the turnthepage.com. These websites have downloadable activities and children's books. This is most likely put up by teachers and new teachers remember no one is as smart as us put together. Collaboration yields great results. There are also resources where teachers can get supplies or borrow supplies. As teachers you will have to pull from a variety of sources including recycling or reusing stuff like show boxes and plastic bottles. Here are some great websites childaware.org and discountschool supply.com

One thing that is really important for youngsters is fostering independence. Don't do things for them rather let them figure it out, at first. If the youngster gets real frustrated then help them out. Of course when introducing new material a teacher should alway give the needed instruction.  When children get into disagreements get them to work out the solution. When children are expressing themselves get them to use their own words. THis is very valuable when dealing with acting out behavior. Get them to express it in words. 

When generating your learning plan (aka Lesson Plan) preparation and  planning is everything. Have several activities lined up in case the main one you planned did not work out. The author gives several models of lesson plans and systems of evaluating work. When you submit your lesson plains they will have an objective, alignment to state standard and will target one or more learning domains. These domains are emotional development, social development, cognitive development, physical development and creative expression. Emotion pertains to feeling and how to express them, social is how to get along and interact with other,cognitive is developing academic skills,physical is developing physical skills and coordination while creative is stimulated by art and creative writing. THere are also several different types of learner. The word normal is really obsolete. You have gifted learner, wswho being smart may have social deficits and will require more challenging projects that use investigation., you have ell English Language learner, AUtistic Spectrum, Add/adhd,  learning disabilities etc. All these are explained in full and in the book it is loaded with accommodations. Neww teachers take note.

Remember keep learning positive. Process over product, mistakes are part of the learning  process.

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Paranormal Pennsylvania

Supernatural Lore of Pennsylvania: Ghosts, Monsters and Miracles by Thomas White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pennsylvania is land or state deeply entrenched with the supernatural. Founded by William Penn, the state was open to followers of all faiths and many people came from Europe to settle there. Coming from places like Ireland, Scottland, Deutschland etc. these people brought with them not only material goods but also many folkloric beliefs. This produced in some cases a folkloric religion and in other a set of legends.

Penn state is home to many supernatural oddities, some like ghosts can be found elsewhere while others like the squonk are found only in Pennsylvania. THE state is home to ladies in white, ghosts, werewolves, sea serpents and and perhaps a few others. Pennsylvania is also the home of some spiritual practices as well. Most noted are thee practices of pow wow, more properly called brucheria, and it is the home to a practice called letters from heaven.
Letters from heaven were sup[posedly letters from saints, angels or even Jesus Christ himself, usually filled with biblical phrases and quote it is meant to ward off negative things like illness and lawsuits. Pow wow is a faith healing where in the healer will put hands on and quote from the bible in order to effect a cure or remedy. Sometimes they even write out a charm. For more information one should read "LOng Lost Friend" by George Hohman. A drive through the Pennsylvania Dutch country one will see Hex signs painted all over their barns.

In Pennsylvania the supernatural reaches out in a variety of ways. It could be someone having a dream about where two lost children maybe found after wandering away from home. It could be miners chancing upon illustration etch in mine wall which depict scenes . Mess with those illustration and you are courting disaster. Some miner trapped inside a mine reported seeing every strange sight. Were wolves wil wander about sometimes attacking livestock and sometimes attacking people. When werewolves are shot often times later in the day one will hear about a person who was injured in the same area the werewolf was shot. Ghosts will haunt mines after they were killed with burning slag. Ape people live in the forest. Squonks ugly dog like creature though harmless will turn into a puddle of tears in order to avoid capture  . Ghosts will haunt libraries searching for lost lovers and seeking vengeance from wrongs committed while alive on this planet.

Editor Thomas White has done a good job collecting work from a variety of contributors. He offers good explanations about the historical aspect of each phenomena talked about and the essays have sources for further reading and research on the back of each essay. quick easy read and very informative. Very enjoyable .

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