Happy Thanksgiving and arigato!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Many of you may already know that "thank you" in Japanese is "Arigato", and it is written as "有難う". It comes from "有難い /arigatai  ," and it roughly means that something which hardly (or hard to) exist - existing rarely /有る事が難しい .  

It might sound paradoxical, but when you reflect on it, it is easily understandable. 

It is to do with the attitude of gratitude and not taking anything for granted. It implies the attitude that everything is a miracle - hard to exist/to be.

There is a legend of Buddha relating to this. (...although the content of this legend varies.)  

One day Buddha had asked one of his disciples what he felt about being a human.  Then Buddha spoke about the story about a blind (or one eyed) sea turtle and a log with a small hole floating / drifting freely and randomly on the ocean. This turtle swims all the time and comes to the surface only once in 100 years. Buddha asked his disciple whether this blind turtle could, by chance, "happen" to stick his head into this hole in the log when he comes to the surface or not. The disciple basically answered that it is nearly impossible, and even if it can happen, it would take billions and trillions of years.
Then Buddha said, "To be born as human is even harder (rarer) than that." So, he taught his disciple(s) to be grateful to be born as human (or being reborn as human after being in the low, hellish levels/states of existence.)

It is true that for us to be born, even without reflecting on how many sperms must die, many thing must happen intricately.

First of all, the entire universe had to be created!!!

Thus, it is miraculous.

Feeling of unquestionable gratitude for being born as human into the vast universe is the first step towards true happiness.  

...and it is our DUTY to be filled with happiness from within and emit such happiness to the surroundings and back to the universe...

artma 2012

Reimi at artma

My partner, Reimi, and I went to "artma", the fundraising event to benefit "The Morgan Adams Foundation" and pediatric oncology research, in Denver last evening.

Reimi has donated her late husband, William Corey's work. William was a wonderful photographer who had fallen in love with the beautiful gardens in Japan... especially in Kyoto, and during the 90s, his work was selected as the official gift from the State of Colorado to the Emperor and the Empress of Japan during their visits here.

Consequently, William was granted, as the first foreigner, an official permission to photograph the Imperial Gardens of Kyoto.

William had courageously faught cancer, but regretfully, he had succumbed to the illness back in 2008.

Reimi herself had battled cancer before but has overcome the illness without taking the allopathic medical intervention.

Reimi and Jen (of  Photocraft)in front of William's work

Each year, many artists and the volunteers have been donating their works and time for artma, and Reimi (and William when he was alive) has been contributing to this wonderful event as well. 

I, too, have gladly helped by donating my painting in the past.

The Morgan Adams Foundation was founded honoring the memory of Morgan (July 30, 1992 – November 7, 1998), the daughter of Joan Slaughter and Steve Adams, who as a child, courageously fought the battle (3 surgeries/many rounds of high-dose chemotherapy/ many blood transfusions...) with cancer. Although, she is no longer with us, because of her and her parents, this foundation was created and had enabled to fund the important researches at The Children's Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and other partnering research institutions.

When you enter the event center, the first thing one notice is the display of the faces of many children with cancer. Some have joined their angels, but others are still battling.

These children are the messengers from above enabling us to do good for the immediate society around us and to care for the children (...all the children!) who will be taking care of their generations and carrying the future.

Jen, Reimi, Brooks, Valerie, and William's patrons

I was also touched by the people who had spent their money generously to buy the artworks during the auction... especially in this economy. I felt the wonderful enthusiasm from the people and the atmosphere, and just by being there, my heart was uplifted!

I sincerely hope and pray that these events would keep helping and saving as many children's lives as possible.

I wish to conclude by sharing the words by Morgan.

"I love you to aleph infinity, bigger and wider than the whole universe!"

- Morgan Courtney Adams

Please visit:

artma :   http://artmaonline.org/artma/index.htm

The Morgan Adams Foundation:  http://www.morganadamsfoundation.org/

William Corey Gallery LLC: http://www.williamcorey.com/

"Ota Shrine" (2c-16)  in Kyoto, Japan  © by William Corey Gallery LLC

Rahu - Ketu and the year 2012

Today I would like to share a story concerning the invisible planets in the Vedic mythology and its possible relevance to the year 2012.
These invisible planets are called Rahu and Ketu. If you know about Jyotish and/or Vedic astrology, basically they are the North (Caput)and the South (Cauda) Nodes. Since my purpose here has not to do with the introduction of Vedic astrology nor Indian Mythology, I shall only make the brief introduction. If you are interested in learning about the subject, there are many websites and books you can access.
Some of you may already know that there are big differences between the Tropical, Western astrology and the Sidereal, Vedic astrology. While the Tropical one has a lot to do with basing its calculation on the vernal equinox, the Vedic one bases on the constant star called, Spica. Since the Vernal equinox falls short each year by approximately 50 seconds, the currently there is about 23.5 degree differences between the Tropical zodiac and Vedic, Sidereal one. It is called the Ayanamsha.
In other words, while I am a Sagittarian in Tropical astrology, in Vedic one, I am a Scorpio.
In Vedic astrology, Moon sign and the Lagna (ascendant) are more important than Sun sign. They also use 27 sub-houses called, Nakshatras. There are also dasha systems. The dasha systems are like examining the planetary eras of one's life... and beyond.  They also consider the strength of each planet from exaltation to debilitation depending on where the planets are located and so forth. There are at least 16 different charts to consider. 
I can keep pointing many other differences, but I shall not go into that now.


Let us go back to the story of Rahu and Ketu.
Long ago (in India) there was a great war between the demons and the gods, and there was a need for the gods to obtain Amrita, the nectar of immortality. According to Brahma, they had to churn the ocean (Samudra Manthan) to obtain it, yet the job was too great for the gods alone, so they asked the demons for help and promised demons that they will also receive the Amrita.
Vasuki, the great serpent, was used as a rope and the Mandrachal, the great hill, as the pivot, and Lord Vishnu turned himself into a great turtle called, Kurma, and became the base. The gods and demons eventually produced Amrita.
Now there was a problem. Vishnu prevented demons to have Amrita by tricking them, but one demon called, Swarbanu, was able to see through this trick and did sneak himself into the areas where the gods were and drank the portion of Amrita. Vishnu was told by the Sun and the Moon about this, and he threw the divine disk/wheel, Sudarshan Chakra, at Swarbanu, and he was decapitated. Even after this, Swarbanu did not die because he had already drunk the nectar of immortality.
To make the story short, the head became Rahu, and the body became Ketu.


In Vedic astrology, Rahu and Ketu play the big part. 
The attribution to these "planets" can be vast, but Rahu is intensely concerned with the worldly matters and the manifestation of them. Rahu can be taboo-breaker and so forth.
Ketu, on the other hand, is concerned with dissolution of the worldly matters and the final Moksha, the liberation. Having fanatical, obsessive nature, both are usually considered malefic, and yet both can be extremely benefic at the same time.
If one is obsessed with obtaining high position and luxury in this world without caring for others, he/she can be influenced by Rahu. If one is concerned too much with spiritual liberation and fanatically devoted to such practices and detached from the world, he/she maybe under the influence of Ketu. However, a bit of both qualities are needed. They can represent the extremes.


Now, what do Rahu and Ketu have to do with 2012?
I have mentioned about exaltation and debilitation of planets above, and Rahu and Ketu also have those Zodiacs that make them debilitated. For Rahu, it is Scorpius, and for Ketu, it is Taurus. Now both Rahu and Ketu being the nodes, they are always 180 degrees apart, and they are in retrograde motion.
Since last June, both Rahu and Ketu have been traveling in the Zodiacs of debilitation. When the planets are debilitated during the transit can cause problems even if they are healthy in the natal chart. Rahu and Ketu will only come out of this debilitation after December 23rd (or 24th) this year. It is interesting to note that one of the interpretation of the ending date of the Mayan calender falls on the 21st of December.


I have often wondered what do Rahu and Ketu really want. Perhaps they want to be reunited as one and be complete. Perhaps they want to become one of the immortals and remembered forever. Since they are cut in half, they are chasing each other, so to speak.
They want to be healed.


Then comes the interesting point. Rahu has been going through Scorpius, and since Rahu (and Ketu) travel in retro motion, he was in Sagittarius before. What lies between the two Zodiacs may hold the key, and it has to do with healing.


We are accustomed to seeing the 12 Zodiacs, but there is a glitch. The sun seems to travel a foot of a constellation near Scorpius (and near the Galactic Center). Because of this, some (including Nostradamus) have claimed that there are 13 Zodiacs although most of this constellation exists "above" the pathway of the sun.
In fact, depends on the view point, it shares the areas with Scorpius. By the way, according to some, Libra used to be part of Scorpius in the beginning but the gigantic chelas/claws were separated into the scale - Libra.


This constellation in question is Ophiuchus (Serpentarius), and he holds the gigantic serpents with his hands. Some have compared this being to Asclepius or even to Archangel Michael. When we see the various illustrations of Ophiuchus, we notice that although this serpent is coiling around Ophiuchus, he is not being attacked nor bitten. It almost appears as if this serpent is being "held" by Ophiuchus. As Asclepius, this serpent may be going through the healing process by being held/accepted/rescued and not feared nor attacked/subdued. It is interesting to note that this serpent is facing (or heading towards) the opposite direction compared to the direction of the path of sun. It is like Rahu (Ketu) in the retrograde motion. When the 2 extreme tendencies (Rahu-Ketu) are harmonized (scale-balance-Libra), the healing is attained. Before such healing to occur, one may need to experience the condition of debilitation (neecha). Neecha is like being drowned. Here the serpent could have drowned deep in the watery aspect of Scorpius, yet there is a way to overcome neecha through neecha bhanga, and perhaps, Ophiuchus symbolizes such helping hands lifting up the fallen one. (It is interesting to note that there is another bull constellation, Taurus Poniatowski/Poniatovii, next to Ophiuchus and above the "tail" of the serpent. Although this was "discovered" in 1777 and has nothing to do with the Zodiac, this reminds me of Taurus, the sign of Ketu's debilitation. Also, this constellation is no longer in use.)


Mayan civilization mysteriously disappeared like the bees of some colonies. They, in the end, may have realized that pursuing all of materiality (Rahu) are vanity and will be dissolved (Ketu). To fanatically wish for the everlasting (Amrit - like)civilization (as in Aztecs sacrificing thousands of lives attempting to attain immortality of its civilization) is against the natural law.


While I do not believe that the world would end this December, we all may need to reflect on our Rahu and Ketu story within. Perhaps this year the powerful water dragon may be the additional help to us, so that we can be pulled out of being drowned and welcome the year of Snake next year (2013). 
We all have the home-works to do in this life time, and one of them is to heal our wounds, and realize that we, as the spiritual being learning to live in this material sphere, are immortals already.


Of course, this is only one of the many interpretations upon pondering about the stars, but I would like to see the positive side of the scope (beyond the projection and the wishful optimism) and to have hopes in our future.


- Om Tat Sat ( हरी ओम् तत् सत्)

Pandora's paradox

>>>>>

You might have heard about the story of Pandora and/or the Pandora's box.

To sum up the story, Pandora, a beautiful woman bestowed with the multi-gifts (Pandora means "all the gifts" ) from the gods, was created by the Greek god, Hephaestus, through order made by Zeus. Pandora was given the box/jar containing difficult toil, pain, and sickness, etc., and she was to give these "gifts" to mankind.
It was due to Zeus's anger against Prometheus, who had stolen the fire from heaven and gave it to the humans.
Although Prometheus warned his brother, Epimetheus, not to accept any gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus received Pandora, and she opened this jar/box, and we the humans has been infested with the toil, pain, and disease.
Somehow within this jar/box was "hope'', and Pandora closed the lid just in time to keep the hope from escaping.

Now comes the problem...

This story is usually understood that since Pandora closed the lid, we have "hope" and not just the pain and sickness in the world, but...

If opening of the jar/box let the sickness, etc. out in the world but kept the hope within the jar/box, what is that mean? It can mean that hope is not released into the world... meaning, we have no hope!?!

If you are interested, please go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora
... and scroll down to the section, "Difficulties of interpretation."

What would you make of this story???????