India Round 2

As the days pass and as I catch my breath and as ammenities once again become a part of my daily existence, India's intensity becomes more and more real. Being surrounded by such amazing sensory inundation made it hard to immediately assimilate the feelings and happenings. I am slowly making sense of the experiences I had both behind and in front of the veil of my eyelids. I am glad that I had a brief and relatively relaxed introduction to the country and am now eager to go back for an extended amount of time to truly see all the lavish diversity now that I am a bit versed in the extremity.

Most the pictures except for the ones at the Taj Mahal are up on photobucket. Here is a taste....

Delhi






Rishikesh











On the day of my journey out of Rishikesh towards Delhi, I finally got a bit of the gastrointestinal struggles that are so infamous in India. Bad timing. The rickshaw ride to Haridwar (where the train station is) took an hour on the way in and more than double that to get back because of the sheer number of pilgrims crowding the streets. I can't even explain the amount of commotion and insanity. I was in the back of a four seat rickshaw with a friend from the ashram and literally 11 other indian people sitting on my lap an crammed into every possible space. The ride was very bumpy due to the monsoon tearing up the road, we were surrounded by crazy pilgrims, there were over a dozen people within an arms reach from me and I was struggling between throwing up and shitting myself for two hours. It was awesome. The Haridwar train station provided little solace. I had to wait there from 7pm until 11pm. Many (many many many) people call the train station home after sundown and even the 'upper class' waiting area was jam packed full of people sweating. It was a great day to practice the aversion/craving awareness that I had been cultivating the previous two weeks. It was quite the day and I was unbelievably relieved to get on my air conditioned sleeper train for the overnight journey to Delhi.

The main platform and the first class (meaning not on the side of the street) bathroom at the train station:




India rocks
Thailand is very relaxed
Nice to have met up with Phil
We are in Chiang Mai for several days before heading to the paradise that is Ko Phangan island in the south

Love to all

India

I'm not sure how to use language to encapsulate this absolutely awe inspiring country or the last three weeks I've spent here but I'll do my best.

The country's deep seeded spirituality is extremely palpable and readily accessible. Thousands of years of metaphysical insight and imaginative modes of love and devotion have created a latticework of spiritual landscaping that has formed the foundation for a truly unique and harmonious culture. The streets are covered in shit and the vast majority of people don't have clean drinking water or anything remotely close to what the west would consider to be a reasonable quality of life but smiles are plentiful and mental well being is evident. The extreme proximity of people and lack of resources is greeted with a great sense of harmony. The people are able to cooperate instead on compete. Instead of being inundated with mass media messages telling what they need to be happy, the people subconsciously tap into the millennia old landscape of love for all things and find contentment in the smallest of life's pleasures. There is definitely begging and sobering poverty among other tough to swallow sights but the worst off are often smiling. (Granted I spent most of my time in tranquil Rishikesh...I definitely heard some horror stories from other travelers.) The other day a desperately old and obviously impoverished man with one tooth came up to me and started singing incredible songs about his love for god with perfect English. I was honored to buy him a cup of chai. The extremity of experience in India is incredible. One moment you step in cow shit, are pushed aside my rambunctious teenagers and see a withering old woman with nothing and the next a snaggle-toothed five foot tall man approaches you just for the purpose of sharing his songs.

I arrived in Delhi at 4 am and was very relieved to see my name on a placard amongst a crowd of people. I stayed in Delhi for two nights in a Tibetan enclave where many displaced refugees reside. It was very refreshing to make it back to a quite neighborhood after long days of Indian craziness. I spent my days taking the metro around and being whisked about in rickshaws. I wandered the streets and the bazaars with a dropped jaw and a busy sense of smell. Delhi is huge and completely full of people and I really cannot describe the experience of being transplanted into such an extremely different world.

I took a train to Haridwar and then a rickshaw to Rishikesh where I spent the last 16 days in the Yoga Niketan ashram on the banks of the mighty Ganga. Located in the foothills of the Himilayas, Rishikesh is one of India's most holy cities. Sadus, swamis and gurus fill the streets and the area is full of colorful and artistic shrines to Hindu gods. For a week the town was very peaceful and tranquil. After that week began an annual pilgrimage in which millions of young boys from all over India flood the streets. The tranquility was immediately replaced by utter insanity. Most of the pilgrims have never seen white people and just walking around town was quite the ordeal. Many sadus sport dreadlocks and I was often mistaken as a some kind of white guru. We were bombarded by crowds of people wanting to touch us and take pictures. It was humorous for a while but definitely got old quick.

The ashram was proved to be austere and eye-opening. It was very grounding and relaxing to be able to post up in the same place for a couple weeks after so much moving around in Europe. There where about 30 people from all over the world staying there. Australians, Chileans, Europeans and a lot of Japanese. I made some good connections, had some great conversations and parted the seas of pilgrims with the other ashramites. The yoga was very difficult but centering. When not reading or exploring, I spent almost all my down time meditating. I deepened my practice to a great degree and was able to learn a fair amount about the Hindu religion and the yogic path to Samadhi. I had long conversations with the 86 year old guru about the supreme consciousness that Hindus call God. Instead of harboring fear of a judgmental god sitting up on a cloud somewhere waiting to strike them down, people know that within themselves they contain all that is divine beauty and they recognize the oneness in each other just be saying hello (namaste). God is considered to be a part of every piece of animate and inanimate matter and there is an unspeakable respect and reverence for all people, animals and objects. After years of purifying thoughts, deep concentration and transcendent meditation, the great masters are able to come into union with the devine on a deep and life changing level. They learn to live simple lives of foresight, manifestation and great compassion. Reading about, discussing and attempting to experience this state of infinte awareness has instilled a great motivation in me to deepen my meditation.

I visited the abandoned Maharishi ashram where the Beatles wrote the White Album and it was breathtakingly beautiful. Just across the river from the Niketan, the grounds have been completely taken over by the jungle in the seven years since its been inhabited. The tranquil beauty of the grounds was amazing.

Too many great experiences and crazy sights to delve into now....
The computers here don't have the capacity to upload photos, of which I took many, so I will do my best to upload them in the near future.

I am off to Delhi where Phil and I will check out the Taj Mahal and then catch a flight to Bangkok. Hope all is well.

Love

Moving On.....

I really can't believe that my five weeks in Europe are over. I have walked countless miles, eaten countless falafels, shed countless beads of sweat, met countless amazing people, shared countless inspiring conversations, spent countless amounts of time in smelly, snore-ridden hostels, and learned countless things about myself and the world. I have spent no time on cell phones, no money on gas, no time in front of TVs and hardly any time in clean clothes. I have become an expert at figuring out public transportation and quite good at navigating tiny winding streets after a handful of hours spent lost and wandering with a huge pack and no idea as to where I'm going. I think the most exciting part about travelling is the complete and utter uncertainty about what will happen at any moment. The times immediately after getting off trains in completely new and foreign environments with nothing but a backpack and a brain have proved to be full of enliving suspense. It feels like being a baby, I just try to be fully receptive to all that the environments have to offer. The experience of spending time with other young people in the same boat of newness and eagerness has been absolutely amazing. So many of the people I have shared time with are so ready to shed their comforts and throw themselves into new interactions and new experiences. It is so easy to forge new friendships out of nothing and share stories and ideas about the world with people that are open to anything. I look forward to enjoying equally as inspiring and beautiful times in a new continent...

Tomorrow morning I am off to India. It is bittersweet to leave Europe but I am ready to once again experience something extremely new and different. After two days in Delhi I am heading to Rishikesh to stay in the Niketan Ashram for 16 days. The ashram focuses on the teaching of the 8-fold yogic path as detailed in the Patanjali Sutras. My daily schedule will be as follows:

MORNING BELL 5:00 AM

MORNING MEDITATION 5:30 TO 6:30AM

MORNING YOGA 7:00 TO 8:00 AM

BREKFAST 8:15 AM

LIBRARY 9:00 TO 11:00 AM

LUNCH 12 NOON

LECTURE 3:15 TO 4:00 PM

EVENING TEA 4:00PM

EVENING YOGA 4:30 TO 5:30 PM

EVENING MEDITATION 6:00 TO 7:00 PM

DINNER 7.45 PM

I will be out of communication until the end of the month when I meet up with Phil in the Delhi airport and we head to Bangkok. I hope everyone's summers have been and continue to be full of joy and abundance. Much love to all.

Namaste

Fractal Levels of Awareness: Authoring Our Own Story

The universe is made up of a feedback between information-containing energy and consciousness. The energy coalesces into visible matter due to our awareness of it and does so on an infinite fractal scale dependent on a fundamental pattern of the division of space. The ever-present and permeating universal information that pulsates through us in every moment is filtered and made tangible and available by our senses. Our senses are the direct antecedent of the mysterious entity known as consciousness, which also acts in a fractal nature. Along my travels I have been focusing on noticing different levels of my awareness and coming into touch with my thought stream and its impact on my direct experience of the world.

As I understand my experiences there exists what I will call a primary level of being. It consists of the direct experience of the universal vibration surrounding us and entails complete receptivity outside of thought. This state is most organically accessed through meditation, through the stripping of all thoughts and the surrendering to the eternal moment and the infinite energy contained within one's organism. This primary and organic level of being forms the foundation for a cascading waterfall of possible states of awareness.

Beyond the world of energy and information, there exists a secondary level which is made up of the thoughts that course through the mind. These thoughts are very much the result of years of conditioning and life experience. They are the highly present and easily overlooked mental chatter that determine to an enormous degree the nature of our reality, the way we frame the information containing energy around us. They are the librettos which we constantly write attempting to make sense of our experiences.

On the next level, there are interpretations of the thoughts that arise out of our experiences. Being present in our body and mind enables us to take a birds eye view of our thought stream, of the very entity that is determining our reality. These interpretations are no less real than the secondary level of thought as they lead to new ideas, new insights and a renewed and intimate relationship with our own mind. We can be mindful of our own thoughts, which is to say understand where they arose from, what stemmed their arising and what significance their origins hold.

Moving to another level of awareness, we can write these thoughts down or subject them to further pondering. This further filtering of cognition and experience hones and focuses the thought stream to a new level and provides a fresh way to gain insight on ourselves and our surroundings. Writing things down is an amazing tool to come into an intimate understanding of our disposition and thought stream. From this level, the fractal begins to become evident. The new insights can again be put through the same cascade of awareness to the point where we are writing about writing about thinking about thinking....etc. Every moment, every event and every thought can be mulled over and made sense of within the framework of existence. This meta-cognition is highly expandable and extremely useful for getting in touch with our subconscious.

The focus of meditation is to gain insight on the nature of existence, to come into union with the primary information energy passing through us and to learn how to use it to our advantage. It teaches us how to be completely present in each moment of our lives. The act of sitting in silence and paying attention only to breath gives rise to an intimate experience of the primary level of being. The breath is the only bodily function that is both conscious and subconscious, therefore mindfully existing with it provides a gateway to the 'I' within us, the eternal 'I' which we all share. For most of us though, silencing the mind which has been influenced by years of bombarding advertisements, busy lives and constant stimulus is very hard. But through practice we can learn to take the stairwell to the higher self which allows us to watch the chatter and dismiss it along with each passing breath.

The practice of letting go and being one with the permeating energy effectively allows us to take a seat in the base of our soul. When we are truly in touch with ourselves and recognize the universal presence within each atom of our body there is no indecisiveness and no confusion. We are able to understand the cosmic significance behind each event we experience. The difficult and the easy, the good and the bad become visible as two sides of the same coin of existence. When we can glide through each and every situation with the grace of flowing water we can find complete and utter contentment. We find ourselves in union with all that is and all that will be. In order for us to accomplish this, we must rise above the mindless chatter and focus on the primary meditation on the present moment, the present breath. We must also exercise the meta level of expansive questioning and insight to develop our ability to come into the infinite nature of our cognition and its promise in creating a new possibility of consciousness evolution.

Currently, as affluent homo sapiens existing in 21st century life, we have overcome our need to exist on a fight or flight basis. The practice of yoga is another instrumental tool in the quest to understand our condition and exist in the present moment. It also provides an amazing and refreshing way to begin to conquer this fight or flight response system that is so engrained within our species. The literal translation of the word yoga is union. Its goals and practices are much the same as sitting meditation, the only difference being the movement of the body and its energy. Overcoming the physical and mental yearning to escape the strenuousness of the asanas is the most effective practice for watching our fight or flight response disappear.

This article discusses the ability our intention holds in overcoming some of the physical limitations of life. We have evolved to a point where we are aware of our awareness and can use it as a tool much like our ancestors used modified pieces of nature to descend from the trees and become the sentient beings we are today. The highly subjective nature of reality as proved by modern physics enables us to use our intention and awareness to shape reality. Our own mental facilities become the next tool to be harnessed in the evolution of our species. Instead of developing new physical ways to adapt to our environment, we can mindfully adapt our culture and our cognition to better our relation to each other and to the universe. We do away with the multi-generational prescriptions of growth and are able to take quantum leaps in evolutionary change. We can literally adapt our genes through mindful action. We solidify the paradigm of mind over matter and realize the true nature of the interaction between nature and nurture. This direct puppeteering of our evolutionary growth is beyond exciting and paves the way for an new existence when, as Saul Williams foresees. 'sayings like out of the blue will reveal their hidden origin.' When there is no need for a continuing physical adaptation to environment we are able to focus our energy on the evolution of our consciousness. Unexplainable situations, events that transpire outside of our capacity to explain, and beauty that exists independent of our current reason become the framework of life.

The endless and disorganized thoughts of the unexamined secondary level of being beg to keep us slaves to our conditioning, to the past and to the shortfalls we see in ourselves. Some believe that the choices and decisions that we make along the journey of life are completely tied to and determined by previous experience and conditioning. These deterministic rubrics of existence leave no room for free will in our choices. However, if we can use meditation, yoga practices and insight to center ourselves, understand our past experience and come into touch with the infinite than we can make decisions based upon what we want to make of the world instead what the world wants to make of us. When we shed the chatter we understand the effect of the conditioning and we do away with the predestined story of our lives that is seemingly outside of our control.

As everyone has experienced, story has an incredible ability to transport its audience into a knowing and understanding role in the discernment of the significance of its events. Clear cognizance is engendered by a captivating book or movie, cognizance about why each event in the story took place and what significance each had on the whole. It sheds divine light on situations and interactions so that the audience gains a heightened state of observation and a greater ability to distinguish the gravity and importance of events. Essentially the viewer/reader is taken directly into the role of the observant godhead.

In our own day to day lives we are constantly writing the narratives of our existence. Reality and language are undeniably entangled and often times people walk around unaware of the nature of their inner language while allowing their apparent shortcomings, disappointments and fears to take the authoring role in their realities. When we can come into union with ourselves and our environment through the yoga of being present and mindful in the here and now, we are empowered and our intuition becomes extremely focused. Every uncomfortable thought or situation that we experience and are mindfully able to confront, accept and discern meaning from allows us to further sort through the garbles of our minds which only serve to keep us confused and ignorant. Our secondary level of cognition starts to become more and more based upon a deep and holistic comprehension of ourselves and our world. Experiences manifest synchronictically and stem directly from intention. Signals and signs make themselves evident. We gain a prescient view from the higher self and are essentially able to become the authors of our own lives. We cease to exist in the past and the present and begin to shape the eternal moment into an artwork of our choosing. We are able to execute actions based upon our own free will and in resonance with a great understanding of the nature or our self and the relationship to each other and the entire biosphere. In every moment and in every decision and every passing thought we know that, without fail, all we do has cosmic significance in the drama of the universe and the collective consciousness that is constantly shaping it. Instead of eternally trying to grasp the fleeting mystery of life we become one with it and flow through it like water flows down a river. We dance, we sing and we smile like the Buddha, all the while enjoying each trickle of time down the cascade of life.

Prague Smells Like Communism

What a crazy place.

The dichotomy of Praha is quite interesting. The stunning (and creepy) gothic architecture paired with the lore of the city of history filled with intellectuals, artists and affluent aristocrats collides quite chaotically with the hardships that are still so palpable stemming from the recovery of communism. Crumbling infrastructure and dirty streets mix with fantastic buildings and interesting culture. The city is unlike anything I have really experienced before and certainly not what I was expecting. I walked around a lot and soaked in the vibration of such an interesting coexistence of energies.

I spent a lot of time with a group of hilarious and insightful Scottish lads and an amazing girl from Australia. It was sad to say goodbye to them this morning...the only real downside to trekking around the globe. I didn't take very many pictures but here is a small taste....

Resonance Project Update

Unfortunately a week after being accepted to partake in the Resonance Project in Hawaii, the foundation's sole benefactor abruptly withdrew all financing resulting in a sudden need for them to change their plans, research and activities. Here are copies of two emails I received, one from the leader of the intern program and the other from Nassim Haramein, the leader of the foundation. I am sharing to update the people that read this blog that I will no longer be in Hawaii in the fall, but more importantly I wanted to encourage any who are capable and see the promise that I do in the research to make a donation to the group of people that I am confident will serve to bring us together and catalyze an enormous change in the way we view the wholistic wheelworks of nature and existence. I am trusting in the fact that everything will work out for the better for all parties involved.

*Greetings,

It is clearly articulated in the theories this Resonance Project is formed upon that change is the nature of the universe...

We as a foundation are currently faced with a great level of change that is upon us, resulting in a temporary period of simplification and re-organization. Unfortunately, the circumstances are requiring us to suspend our Intern Program until such period allows for us to continue once again.

We have been deeply moved by the overwhelming response we have received for this program and by the astounding caliber of individuals called to participate in some of the most important work occurring on the planet at this time. I personally have been looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with each of you, grateful for the sincere enthusiasm and quality of service so clearly transmitted by your applications and correspondences. I do anticipate seeing this possibility coming to fruition in the near future; you who were already accepted will be offered the first opportunity to participate when we commence once again. All other applicants will be kept on file and reviewed in the order they were received.

These current changes are due largely in part to financial challenges that have arisen; the most effective way that anyone can support The Resonance Project at this time is by financial donations. If you or anyone in your network is able to contribute towards the forwarding of this crucial and timely work, any amount- large or small- is of great value in order for us to continue, and has far reaching implications. Thank you for lending your intention of support in all forms, and we will most certainly remain in touch. I invite you to contact me with any questions or responses you may have concerning these changes.

With gratitude,

Amber Hartnell
Community Systems Coordinator
The Resonance Project Foundation *

.....................................

Hello to all of our wonderful supporters!

As I sit here in my office at this beautiful research park in Hawaii, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and a great sense of accomplishment for what we have done so far, as well as hope for the future and dedication to the continuity of our work.

As is clearly articulated in the theories foundational to The Resonance Project, change is the nature of this universe. We as a foundation are currently faced with a great level of change.

In the past three years we have spent much energy building a beautiful sustainable research park, and I have personally made many sacrifices and worked extreme hours to make this all happen in a timely manner. The result is that we’ve made enormous progress towards collaborative advancement of the science of unified field theory with colleagues from around the world, as well as developing crucial sustainable technologies based on this research. We believe it is within our grasp to provide the awareness and understanding as well as the technologies necessary to transform our world.

However as happens with the many aspects of all of our lives, we must adjust to the transformations that occur. Due to the redirection of the resources from a major contributor, I am sad to announce that we find ourselves in a period of re-organization and financial difficulties. In order to streamline our operations and because all the work that was done here was done on land that is owned by the same donor, we are having to abandon the research park and move to another location.

Once again in history, the financial world is depriving humanity of a chance to transcend our limitations and scarcity, and to truly emerge with advancements in our understanding and technologies in a world of sustainable and abundant energy. As I sit here, my heart sinks, contemplating all of the great work that may be suspended as a result. It is imperative that we diversify our funding sources to provide a broad base of support and ongoing financial stability for the organization. This level of work must emerge as a result of a collective force generated by the public at large, supporting the emergence of it into the world without being held hostage to one supporting source.

THIS WORK IS FOR HUMANITY AND SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY HUMANITY.

Today, you have an opportunity to take action to help support us during this critical moment. We are asking YOU to participate so that we can bring this vital work to fruition. We are as committed as ever to keep moving forward in our mission, and it is time to invite all of you who are excited by and appreciate the work we are doing to support us. Remember that out of chaos comes the coherency of singularity – it is all part of the nature of the universe.

We call on you to make a tax deductible contribution to The Resonance Project at a level within with your financial capacity NOW. If you cannot make a large donation, consider giving up one morning latte or one night out and donate to us instead. A dollar, a thousand dollars, a hundred thousand dollars; all are greatly appreciated.

Another way you can contribute is by promoting the DVD:

http://theresonanceproject.org/products.html

Every DVD we sell helps us towards our financial goals and educates the public about the emergence of these new physics and technologies. Do you know of a bookstore or a video club that should carry our DVD? Then please contact us and let us know about it. The full success of our fundraising efforts comes from having many donors at all levels of capacity. So please participate now at whatever level you can. Remember that small drops of water make up a tidal wave - be a drop that contributes to a tidal wave of beneficial change in the world. YOU will make a difference!

You can make a donation in a variety of ways:

Directly on our website through Paypal:

http://theresonanceproject.org/contribute.html

By mailing a check to The Resonance Project at:

PO Box 764
Holualoa, HI 96725

By Phone or Wire Transfer:

Please contact us directly at (808) 327-9630

In addition we have several fundraising programs in full swing which can support us at no cost to you! For more information, please go to:

http://theresonanceproject.org/contribute.html

We are also seeking large donors who share the vision of bringing this essential work into the world. Are you connected with any celebrities, high-capacity donors, philanthropists or visionaries who might have the interest to help the project in a big way? If so, please spread the word and inform us of any leads, especially any personal connections that you'd be willing to introduce to the project.

Thank you for the many ways you support us and we look forward to a long and beneficial relationship with you!

Nassim Haramein
Director of Research
The Resonance Project