Quantum Astrology

DVD Movie Review: Quantum Astrology: Science, Spirit, and Our Place in the Cycles of History – Presented by Sacred Mysteries with Rick Levine and Jay Weidner (2005)

Quantum Astrology

 

This was an interesting movie but not fantastic. In the beginning the author – astrologer Rick Levine – made some interesting commentary about science and frequency and noted that on a macro level the orbit of a planet relative to the Earth constitutes the frequency of that planet. He compared these planetary frequencies to the frequencies of waves – noting the wave-particle duality conundrum of quantum physics. Another of the more interesting things noted in the movie is that astrology is basically the study of cyclic time –whether in small increments like hours or in big ones like the precession of the equinoxes. Most of the science was elementary and a review to bring on the analysis planetary cycle interpretations that followed. My 16 year old son got pretty bored with the science review – that he seemed to find condescending – da yeah so what. Anyway, most of the DVD focused on historical analyses on based alignments of the outer planets. Both conjunctions – where both planets align on one side of the Earth and oppositions – where both planets align on opposite sides of the Earth were examined. First he went through Saturn/Pluto alignments (full cycle every 33 yrs? and half cycle – from conjunction to opposition every 16.5 years?) Here he noted things related to binding (Saturn) and destruction/death (Pluto) such as events leading up to the destruction of Roman Empire. The connections were interesting but not real convincing of any great significance that we could see. He then went through Uranus/Neptune alignments and Uranus/Pluto alignments and then situations where Uranus/Neptune alignments closely followed Uranus/Pluto. Uranus has the interpretive connotation of electricity which he linked alignments to Faraday’s experiments with electricity and magnetism in the early 1800’s and communication which he linked alignments to Gutenberg’s printing press and to the development of the internet. Neptune connotes matrix or field – so he connected Neptune with the magnetism component of electricity. In any case, since the outer planets were only discovered in the last few hundred years (about 100 for Pluto) there was no existing ancient astrological analysis related to them and even their naming provides another degree of arbitrariness to them. Even so, some of the links are certainly interesting. My own view of most divinatory systems is that if one delves into the mysteries of things with enough genuine intention – that no matter the system used – even if just invented – one may be able to discern patterns that relate. So in that sense I saw nothing particularly remarkable in these analyses of history. Also, I do not see any great ability of this type of thing to really predict anything that humans can really prepare for. With all the New Age –style notions of Planetary Change and Transformation and myriad religious notions of Prophecy that we are inundated with – I have not found a great way to work with such things personally. Perhaps I think there are too many variables for such things to be known and even if known to some extent – the logistics of preparation could be daunting. There are millions of believers of various prophecies all over the world and most of them seem like brainwashed mush and often exhibit the signs of fanaticism. Science tells us that life on earth could be destroyed at any time through any number of causes – disease, super-volcanos, asteroids, nuclear disasters, alien invasions – who the hell knows?  I do agree that analyzing the past through astrology can be useful to some extent and people can think of history in a more cyclic fashion. As time progresses there will be more data of this sort to analyze and history in terms of cycles (or frequencies) may become more common. The idea of World Ages in the Vedic and Greek traditions is a way this had been done in the past. Anyway – neat movie but its relevance remains to be seen.

Agora - The Movie

Agora – The Movie

I finally had the opportunity to watch the whole movie – Agora (2010 on DVD). This is the movie about Hypatia of Alexandria (circa 400 CE). It was an excellent movie despite the tragedy that ended her life and that of her fellow Alexandrian Neo-platonists at the hands of Christian mobs. Famous actress Rachel Weisz was great as Hypatia. Her story was rather swept under the rug in history as it made the rising tide of Christianity look bad as it virtually eclipsed and waned great philosophical traditions and a diverse and cosmopolitan city. Hypatia was brilliant scientist, astronomer, and philosopher that taught with her father, Theon, at the famous library of Alexandria. Her students were Pagans, Christians, and Jews. Her story is one of exemplary courage and wisdom in the face of the tyranny of the Christian mobs. The depiction of the Christians was so fanatically aggressive that there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie – the views of the movie don’t necessarily reflect the views of such and such studio – that sort of thing. But according to historians and the Neo-platonists on-line the depictions were accurate. Hypatia was especially interested in astronomy and is thought by some to have discovered the elliptical orbits of the planets 1200 years ahead of Kepler and to have at least well-considered heliocentric views – of course that would have been a fairly radical heresy to the importance of the circles and spheres of Plato. Hypatia was also exemplary as a woman. Since very few women were in academic positions such as her, this became part of her downfall as the new Christians would not permit women in such positions. While it is also true that the Ancient Greeks de-valued women in some ways I think things were perhaps better in pre-Christian Alexandria.  She committed no crimes but her lynching and murder were particularly viscious. She refused to bow down and give up her beliefs along with her friend, the prefect Orestides on the orders of Bishop Cyril (later St. Cyril). Hypatia should be considered a heroine not only among all pagans, philosophers, and astronomers, but also to all women and indeed all people who cherish social sanity and courage to defend one’s beliefs against tyranny. One of my favorite lines from the movie is when after her father’s death she looks up at the sky and says, “Venus and Mars share a house in Aquarius. My father would have celebrated such a conjunction with a good wine.” Symbolically, her death could even represent the beginning of the European Dark Ages where intellectual freedom was curbed under the flag of one religion rather than many co-existing. Anyway – this is a great movie – tragic yes, but also inspiring.

Ragani - The Best of Both Worlds

CD Review: Ragani: The Best of Both Worlds (2003)

This is a very nice CD of kirtan chanting accompanied by various instruments. The recording quality is nice, Ragani’s lead voice is very nice, and the accompanying instrumentation is rich and nicely varied. There are six selections of about 14 min each on avg so quite a bit more than an hour of music. Accompaniment includes tablas, finger cymbals, tambour or sitar, guitar, bass, and some nice flute as well. There is a nice chant to Ganesh and one to Shiva, another to Rama and one to Sita and Rama and another nice one to the Great Mother Goddess – Om Mata, Om Mata, Om Sri Mata Jagate Mata. Kirtan, is typically call and response chanting and the response chanters on this CD sound quite good as well. The CD is from the Himalayan Institute Folk – students of the late Swami Rama. This is the type of music one often hears in a yoga class. I like some of the melodies mixed with some minor chording that gives a lovely affect and accents her nice voice. There is enough variation in the melodies and additional chants and speed changes to keep things interesting. I was lucky to find this CD used at a booth at the Universal Light Expo in Columbus for a mere five bucks. Her website is below:

http://www.raganiworld.com/

Horslips - Book of Invasions - A Celtic Symphony

CD Review – Horslips – Book of Invasions (2007 reissue)


I got a newly issued CD of Horslips – Book of Invasions. Horslips was an  Irish rock band whose heyday was the mid to late 70’s. The new CD is digitally remastered and sounds great. It is called Book of Invasions- A Celtic Symphony. I used to have this on a recorded cassette as a young teen in the 70’s. There are some catchy riffs and melodies and some good hard rockin too and bits and pieces of tradition tunes like Brian Boru’s theme and Toss the Feathers. The CD is loosely based on the Book of Invasions – a 12th century compilation of legends regarding the settling of Ireland where the Fomorians then the Tuatha de Dannan and finally the Sons of Mil or Milesians or Gaels won the island. Here is a quote from the sleeve:


“In the old Ireland there were three principal categories of song, called geantrai, goltrai, and suantrai – the joyous strain, the lamenting strain, and the sleep strain. When Lug was proving himself expert in every art before the Tuatha hierarchy his musical contribution was an immaculate performance of the three strains. Later, after the Second Battle of Moytura, Lug and the Dagda (The Good God) pursue the Formorians who have stolen The Mighty One’s harp. When the instrument is located the Dagda bids it come to him. As it flies to his hands it kills those enemies standing in its path. Then he plays the three strains and when the opposing host are sleeping, from the magic of the suantrai, he departs safely, taking his harp with him.”


There is also about a half hour of added live versions and even an extra tune beyond the original. Several traditional instrumentals are intermingled with the tunes. This is great stuff and I have been cranking it up in the car. Sure occasionally the lyrics get a little cheesy but hey its 70’s progressive rock. Check this out: “Into the flash of the lightning, star riders are hurled. See them bumping and grinding, bareback on the wheels of the world. I can see the dawn a coming, or is that the flash of a spear? .....” Also very good is their CD called the Tain – another Celtic themed fantasy rock epic about the hero Cuchulain.

Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, and Greeks

CD Review: Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, and Greeks (new expanded edition) by Ensemble De Organographia (Pandourion Records 2006 – orig. 1999)




This is a truly wonderful CD where authentic musical fragments (some with recently deciphered notation) are played with instruments built by the performers to be exact replicas of those found in museums. Some of the music is a little slow and boring perhaps but most of it is quite good and very listenable. Some is even inspiring and nicely intricate. The Hurrian Hymns come from recent archaeological discoveries of musical documents from Iraq and Syria in the last several decades. Most of those are from around 1225 BCE with one as old as 1950 BCE. One has chanted vocals and is very nice. The Greek Music is very good and one song has a flute trill that reminds me of spiraling particles – amazing! A song of excerpts relating to Eros and Aphrodite is very good, Another is as inspiring as any rock anthem. There is a Greek piece with bagpipes that really rocks and the soud of the double reed pipes is awesome. The use of the sistrum – a metal shaking instrument of Egyptian origin is played on both Greek and Egyptian pieces and sounds fantastic. One of my favorite pieces on the CD is the Theban Banquet Scene from 14th century BC Egypt – a very inspiring tune.


Ensemble De Organographia is Gayle Stuwe Neuman on strings, voice, percussion and Philip Neuman on winds, strings, percussion, and voice. No other musicians are mentioned. Instruments used are lyres, aulos (double reed pipes), a bagpipe known from at least the first century BC, barrel drum, terra cotta and bronze bells, wooden clappers, conch shell, droning double reed pipes, echeia (earthenware bowls), frame drum, clay goblet drum, harp, hourglass drum, kithara lyre, wooden clappers, Greek cymbals, Egyptian long-necked lute, Egyptian beads, sistrum, panpipe tubes called a syrinx monokalamos, three-holed vertical flute, other lutes, drums, two-holed whistle, and a metal trumpet patterned after a silver one found in the tomb of King Tut.


Apparently some of the Sumero-Babylonian musical notation had to be interpreted to some extent. Only 4 of the pieces on the whole CD are thought to be complete. Others are fragments. One piece from 1950 BCE Ugarit is thought to be the oldest surviving musical notation. It is a Hymn to the King Lipit-Istar, King of Justice, Wisdom, and Learning.


Really this is awesome music – as good as any ethnic, folk, or new age music out nowadays. I look forward to hearing more of this ensemble and discovering more ancient music – whether real found songs or composed music played with traditional period instruments. The best word to describe this music is - exquisite. Other words that come to mind are - relaxing - and -pleasant -.