Can you wake up inside your dreams?

Lucid dreaming - the ability to become conscious and realise you are dreaming, in the middle of a dream - is an ability that has been known about for thousands of years. Its not an easy technique to learn, but it sure is amazing. I was wondering if any of the readers of this site have experienced it before? How did it feel? Can you do it regularly? If so, any tips for how to achieve it regularly?

Please let me know your thoughts by clicking on the comments section below:

Remote Viewing: Can the mind see through time?

The following statement was written in 1997 and published in 1998:
"Within five years, 1998 to 2003, there will be a second war in
Northern Iraq. It will probably be much bigger than the one in
which Iraq was soundly defeated in 1991 by a coalition effort in
what is now known as the Persian Gulf War." The author of that
statement was a former military remote viewer, Joseph McMoneagle.
Remote viewing is a modern description of using some form of
psychic ability to sense things at a distance, or from other points
in time. So, did he really manage to see forward in time and
predict the war in Iraq?

In 1977, McMoneagle was recruited into a top-secret army research
project called 'Stargate' (not to be confused with the movie and TV
show). This was during the cold war, and the military had large
budgets to spend, even on speculative projects such as 'psychic
spying'. And they also had reason to believe that the Russians were
engaged in this form of spying activity. For ten years McMoneagle
worked on this project, and apparently became very good at sensing
at a distance. Basically the researchers would place the name or
co-ordinates of the location they wanted McMoneagle to view into a
sealed envelope without telling them to him. Then he would sit in a
darkened room and concentrate, and then draw and talk about
whatever images came to mind.

The idea that the future can be predicted is not totally
unscientific. For example, we can obviously predict things that run
in cycles, such as the seasons. We can also predict the weather,
with some accuracy a few days in advance (one British researcher
runs a business making very long range weather predictions using
sun-spots, but that's another story!). Also, physicists now say
that in some respects time does not really exist, or rather that
there is nothing particularly 'special' about the present moment.
Some scientists believe that all times exist right now, just like
all the pages in a book exist - not just the one your currently
reading. Also, we know that time flows at different rates according
to the speed you are moving at and the strength of the
gravitational field that you are in. Then there is the fact that
our conscious awareness actually lags behind reality by a fraction
of a second (so, in a sense, our bodies live a fraction of a second
ahead of time of our minds. If you burned your finger, it would
flinch away from the heat before you were even consciously aware of
the heat!). Not to mention the fact that because they are extremely
far away from us, the light from the stars takes a long time to
reach us, so that whenever we look at the night sky we are actually
seeing how the stars looked thousands or millions of years ago - we
are looking back in time. So, time is clearly more fluid than our
common sense experience might lead us to believe.

In his book 'The Ultimate Time Machine', Mr McMoneagle describes
some fascinating 'targets' that he remote viewed, including the
origins of man, mars, the building of the pyramids, and even the
life of Jesus Christ. However, the majority of the book is composed
of predictions for the 21st Century. The predictions cover a wide
range of areas, such as technology, sports, sex, the arts, natural
disasters, lifestyles and planetary issues.

Here are some of the predictions that I found most interesting:

"As early as 2050, the world population will already begin to
exceed the 10,000 million people mark - easily 50 years ahead of
schedule." (P 143)

"By 2015, the four-day workweek will be commonplace. People will
choose when they begin their week and when they end it, with some
going to work Sunday through Wednesday, and some Tuesday through
Friday." (P.170)

On the stock markets: "The two greatest rises in the market will be
just prior to two of the most significant falls: 2020 and 2050."
(P.188)

"A solid object four inches in diameter will actually be teleported
from a point A to a point B, by the year 2050." (P.193)

"By the year 2030, techniques will exist for the creation of
'designer animals.' Originally developed for the pet industry,
there will be toy goats, toy deer, toy horses, palm-sized raccoons
etc." (P.195)

"By the year 2050, civilians will be visiting a second space
station that will be privately owned and financed by a consortium
of six large corporations." (P.218)

"A coherent signal will be discovered emanating from another
planet, in another solar system within our galaxy by 2018. While
the signal will make no sense to us, it will aid in our discovery
that we are not alone." (P.218)

"We will know how to create clouds and produce rain in selected
places of the Earth's surface by the year 2015." (P. 218)

"Fossilized human remains will be discovered in southeastern Syria
in 2008-2009, which will establish that humankind developed an
artistic capability, e.g. jewelry making, painting, statues, etc.,
100,000 years earlier than currently believed." (P.237)

"Human artwork will be found in caves in Australia by the year 2016
to 2017. This will confirm creativity in humankind approximately
175 to 325,000 years earlier than originally thought." (P. 237)

"By the year 2025, we will be flying into and out of space in a
plane very much like today's Concorde." (P. 255)

The book then ends with an astonishing vision of the year 3,000. In
which technology is advanced almost beyond our imagining, but is
invisible and unobtrusive. The Earth has largely been turned in a
beautiful national park, with many more forests and meadows than
exist now. Cities are all moved away from the coastlines (so as to
be less vulnerable from tsunamis and flooding?) and recycle all
their own waste. The Earth is free of war, and

How did Mr McMoneagle so accurately predict the war in Iraq? Did
his insider military knowledge make him subconsciously realise it
was inevitable? Or does remote viewing genuinely work? The truth is
that I don't know. But if you are interested in remote viewing,
McMoneagle also has a book that teaches you the techniques. It's a
lot cheaper than the courses that are on sale and you can pick it
up on Amazon.com. It's called 'Remote viewing secrets: A handbook'.
There is also a fairly good article containing more links on the
subject here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_viewing

Ancient Maori Wisdom

This week I have interviewed a fascinating Maori gentleman from New
Zealand called Hirini Reedy who has spent a number of years
studying ancient Maori wisdom and has now published two books on
applying these ancient insights to the modern world. Its a rare
view into an ancient culture that most people know little about.

Here is the interview:

Darren: Thank you very much for letting me interview you Hirini.
Can you tell {!name} a little bit about yourself?

Hirini: Well my name is Hirini Reedy. I am a Maori from New
Zealand. I am from the NgatiPorou tribe who hail from the eastern
shores of the North Island here in New Zealand. My family lineage
has some interesting ancestors ranging from chiefs, warriors, seers
down to just ordinary people like myself. I grew up in the bush at
the foot of our ancestral mountain Hikurangi which is the first
landpoint in the New Zealand to see the sun. It is a very sacred
mountain to my tribe. I was homeschooled until age 11 years old so
much of my nature-inspired philosophies came from my Maori ancestry
as well as my childhood education and environment. I later went to
university where I did a honours degree in engineering as well as a
masters in philosophy. I was also a New Zealand Army officer where
I was instrumental in bringing Maori warrior practices into our New
Zealand soldier training. I have a martial arts background and so I
founded my own form of Maori martial arts based on traditional
Maori and modern military practices. I later studied cognitive
sciences such as NLP, Eriksonian Hypnotherapy, Reiki and other
modalities. As a result of my studies and life experiences I could
see an opportunity where my Maori culture could make a contribution
to modern spirituality with its nature inspired insights. The world
knows a lot about Japanese Zen, Indian Yoga, Chinese Taoism,
Tibetan Buddhism and so on but very little is known about the
Maori. Yet this is rapidly changing. There is now growing
international interest in New Zealand and the Maori.

At present I have a significant list of international customers who
buy my books and products, seek my professional opinion and support
my philosophies. But I stress that I am just offering another lens
through which to view life. The Maori world-view is just like
another set of glasses for you to try. Like anything in life, it
must fit you. It must suit you otherwise it is just more theory.

Darren: How does the Maori world-view differ from the typical
world-view that we have in the West?

Hirini: The Maori world view is very much nature inspired. The
Maori was perhaps one of the last indigenous cultures to be
colonised here in the Pacific region. Yet they managed to negotiate
a treaty with the British thus showing political acumen as well a
strong independence. So there is growing interest in this part of
the world. The word Maori gives some indication of world view.
Maori means pure, natural vibration. Hence many Maori spiritual
concepts are inspired by the natural vibrations of the land,
waters, skies and people of New Zealand. No different to other
native cultures. I believe the West has been very much shaped by
reductionist logic and scientific analysis which has underpinned
many of the great discoveries of modern times. Although this way of
thinking has greatly helped to explain the logic of life, it
sometimes cannot adequately express the spirit of life. It is like
a pile of wood and leaves does not make a tree. Similarly having a
pile of scientific facts and impressive technology does not lead to
wise choices. This is where the Maori world-view seeks to use the
teachings of nature to articulate the wisdom of life. I believe we
are reaching a tipping point where the scales of consciousness are
moving towards a more balanced, holistic way of spirituality. A
pragmatic approach that is not rigidly religious but more an inner
awareness of the self within the greater collective of humanity.
Using the wisdom of the whole world to find an unique path that
fits your own nature. Not mine or anyone elses. Bit like a
smorgasbord where you can taste and sample different food from
around the world. Some spiritual teachings will appeal to you more
than others. So again try stuff. Find what suits you. Discard that
which does not.

Darren: Natural forces and rhythms seem to be central to the
traditional Maori thinking. I was wondering, is their any tradition
of astrology in Maori culture?

Hirini: The Maori have much wisdom based around the stars of the
southern skies. The appearance, positioning and the movement of the
stars were used to guide the voyaging canoes across the Pacific
ocean. They were used for planting, fishing, making war, making
peace and much much more. To the ancient Maori, the whole night sky
was like a huge black page of cryptic messages written using the
stars, the moon and other heavenly bodies. For example we are now
approaching the winter solstice and the star cluster Pleiades or
Matariki (Twinking Eyes) has now appeared in our southern skies.
The next new moon after the appearance of Pleiades signals the
beginning of the Maori New Year. It is a time of regrowth. The sap
is at the roots of the trees. The energy of life is sleeping. Soon
life will wake up and spring will appear. The long cold nights will
get shorter. The days grow warmer and longer. Yet New Zealand still
celebrates festivals that are northern hemisphere. For example we
celebrate the spring festival Easter in April which is our autumn.
We celebrate the winter festival Halloween in our summer. So here
is an example of western-northern hemisphere thinking being imposed
on the pacific-southern hemisphere. Our national celebrations or
festivals are out of sync with the southern seasons, the southern
skies. This is an example of the great colonising thinkers from the
North-West who came South-East and forgot about the seasonal
differences. The great lesson for modern times is to tune into the
environment, the seasons and the people when visiting different
countries. Listen first before opening your mouth. Cause you are
now in a new environment and your mother thinking was shaped by
your old environment. What works in the United Kingdom might not
work in New Zealand. And vice versa. This is why you must listen
into the oratory of nature. The land, the sky, the waters, the
people of each country will all have their own unique languages
that go beyond mere words. You must listen. Deep listening. We call
it rongo - to listen with the whole body.

Darren: How would you describe your book?

Hirini: It is a book that is fundamentally about using nature to
find your own answers. Inevitably it is about being invigorated by
the wilderness of your own soul. Nature does not always speak in
human terms. You must learn to feel the language of life. Listen to
the flowers, the insects, the weather, the forest. That is why you
must listen with your whole body. The hairs on your neck may rise.
You may feel your heart expand. You may shed tears. You may laugh
and just shout at the top of your voice. For the moment you are
feeling alive. You are being natural. This is what being Maori
means. To be natural. To be 100% pure natural you. This book is
about helping the reader return to a natural state of being.
Finding your own nature. Your own seasons. About sowing your seeds
of greatness. Growing these seeds. Flowering them and then
returning to the soil. This is the wisdom of life that I articulate
using Maori concepts. Yet the Maori words are just labels. Just
signposts saying path this way. Yet you must still walk the path.
Sometimes you must stop thinking and just walk. It is a bit like
breathing. You can think about breathing. But after awhile you just
forget about it and concentrate on the walk. Enjoying the fresh air
and the wilderness around you. You don't have to change your life,
go all native and stop wearing shoes. Nah it is the inner journey
that is being traversed inside you that is important.

Darren: Can you tell us how you came to write the book?

Hirini: Well, I kept getting questions from people. I also
discovered that I could explain spiritual things in simple terms.
Getting people to just tune in and tune out. People are thinking so
much these days that their poor brains are smoking and choking.
They do not have the time to just listen to their own inner selves.
Cellphones, emails, text messages, 50 TV channels, bigger screens
and other flashing bits. All this technology is not answering the
deeper questions that people have. How can I create a life of
meaning within this modern world? How can I integrate my
spirituality into my daily life? How can I just be me? So I wrote
this book to help give people some signposts using nature as the
inspiration. Although the concepts are Maori in context, you do not
have to be Maori to practice them. Animals and little children are
good tests of spirituality. My neighbour's dog does not care if I
am a chief, a mystic or a speaker of great Maori wisdom. It just
reacts to what energy I am projecting in the moment. It might
decide to run away or wag it's tail. It's about being aware of what
is happening around you. What is happening inside you. So much
happening now that we have got to keep things simple. Be natural.
Be maori.

Darren: A study in 2005 suggested that the Maori have the fourth
highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world (see
:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maori). I found the chapter in your
book on wealth to be very interesting.

Hirini: The Maori concept of wealth is again nature-inspired. When
you combine this holistic wealth philosophy with the Maori warrior
traditions you produce a very entrepreneurial race of people. A key
concept which underpins Maori wealth is koha or the principle of
reciprocity. Of giving and receiving. Just like breathing, we must
exhale in order to inhale. Life and nature operate on reciprocity.
There is a fair exchange of energy. It is about balanced flow. It
is about the perpetuation of life. Business and wealth operate on
similar universal principles. Money is simply energy that flows
according to our beliefs. It is the currency that allows society
and civilizations to function. Money is not the problem. It is the
beliefs people have about money. People have been conditioned into
the pursuit of money. Rather than the creation of a wholesome life.
Again we must look towards nature for examples of wisdom. A forest
is a marketplace of exchange. Energy is being exchanged right now
between the many species that comprise a forest. It represents the
perfect economy. The perfect marketplace where everything benefits.
It is these principles of reciprocity and fair exchange that
underpin Maori thinking around wealth. Hence I see Maori becoming a
leading indigenous race who balances spirituality and
sustainability with business entrepreneurship.

Darren: What is the one message or piece of information that you
would most want people to get from the book?

Hirini: You must truly be yourself. You are the most incredible YOU
this world will ever know. No one is exactly like you. You are 100%
pure you. So you must celebrate this uniqueness. This is your
sacred birthright. You must live your life according to what you
know is true for you. Not what is true for me or anyone else. Your
very own nature will reveal this to you. Deep deep down we all know
what path we should be following. The life we should be leading.
Yet we must rid ourselves of the limiting beliefs that have caged
us. Kept us from experiencing our own truths. The time is now to
release our lesser selves and live free. This is what I want the
reader to get from my books. To be a free inspired soul who serves
the greater good.

Darren: Many thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.


Hirini has been kind enough to create a special offer for you,
so that if you should wish to purchase his books, you can now grab
them at a BIG discount. Here is the special link:

http://www.maori-secrets.com/index-special.htm

I've read the books myself and I found them unique, beautifully
written and revealing of a vision of life far more connected to the
harmony of nature than many of us are used to in our hectic lives.

Interview with personal coach Laurie Martin

Darren: Hi Laurie, thanks very much for letting me interview you. To begin with, could you tell us a bit about yourself and the experiences that have led you to becoming a personal coach?

Laurie: Good question, I spent fifteen years in corporate America in all size companies, from Manager to a Vice President. At age twenty-nine I was on an inward path of self love, a deep journey into my heart. I have had many eye awakening experiences around giving my power away, fear of the unknown and my challenges of following my heart.

As I was evolving, and learning, my thirst to help others grew. I became a certified yoga instructor, a Reiki Master, and a certified life and business coach. I left my comfortable corporate job. Since then, my purpose is to help others feel their own self love, build confidence in themselves, feel their connection deep within and above, and understand how valuable they are to this world.

Darren: What are the main things that a life coach can do for someone?

Laurie: There are many ways a life coach can assist people.

Here are a few examples of how I assist people:

If a person is stuck in their life and in search for direction, I can help then discern what is important to them and assist with a creative action plan and empowerment to have the courage to move forward.

At times, we are attached to outcomes, situations or people, and I can help a person see from a higher or different perspective, listening in between their words, to help them clarify meaning or direction and feel better about themselves and their lives.

There are plenty of situations when we are living in the past- holding onto the memories that may hold us back, and we are still giving our power to those people or situations. I help people to create new stories, new perspectives that are more empowering to them. Releasing emotions that don't serve them so they can live in the present and feel free.

I had clients that have had difficulty sleeping and I was able to do meditation techniques with them which helped them release control and learn to manage anxiety-- which has been successful.

I love to help clients create the appropriate vibration that draws to them what they desire and help them understand the laws of the universe.

Darren: What are the main problems that people come to you with?

Laurie: Difficulty in business relationships and with co-workers, personal life changes- divorce, separation, people interested in increasing self love and confidence to believe in oneself, encouragement to follow their hearts in any area of their life, assistance with setting boundaries with customers/clients and personal life, help with releasing negative emotions and seeing situations through more empowering eyes, inspiration for people on a path of self awareness and personal growth and help with increasing peace, spiritual growth and faith in their lives.

Darren: What do you think are the main sources of personal problems that people have today?

Laurie: Many people are going through a purging out of things that don't serve their higher purpose. During these times, it can be challenging. Things may feel out of control to many people right now. Many people are living in what I call "the unknown"-- searching and seeking who they are and for more meaning in their lives. I believe many people are being forced to go inward due to a loss of job, career, death, relationship-- losing their foundation and searching for the things that really matter.

Darren: If someone has hit rock bottom, and feels hopeless, what would you advise them to do?

Laurie: There was a time that I was at rock bottom and I can tell you -- the light is always there, even when you don't think it is. Actually hitting rock bottom is a blessing, because there's no where but up from this point. Once you reach upward, you will not be the same person again. You will be wiser, stronger, more confident and many other things. I suggest to surrender. Get the appropriate help! Invite a higher power into your life. Hitting rock bottom is a time to allow others to support and help you through. It's a time to be quiet and go inward and allow the process to take place. It's a time of necessary self-care.

Darren: Are there any particular therapeutic techniques that you've
found very powerful?

Laurie: I have found meditation, yoga, breath work and prayer to be very helpful in my life. I love to teach these things to my clients. One homework assignment I give to many, at the end of each day, write these things down in your journal.

1.) Anything you are proud of about yourself for that day.

2.) All of the things that went really well for you.

3.) All of the beauty in nature that you admired.

4.) Anything and any person that you appreciated.
This helps people to focus on all of the good things- they begin training their minds to look for them.

Darren: Many thanks Laurie.

Laurie: Thank you Darren!

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, her personal coaching services or speaking appearances, her website is: http://smileacrossyourheart.com/

Ancient Mystery Solved

In the 'Unexplained artefacts' section of my book 'The Lost Arts of the Mind' I describe a mysterious artefact:

"the partial remains of a curious mechanical device were recovered from a shipwreck off the coast of Crete. The device was a series of gears housed in a wooden casing which fell appart when it was brought to the surface.

The device was dated to 80BC.

X-ray analysis revealed that the device had a complex internal structure which actually formed a machine that could 'compute' the movements of the moon and planets, and calculate their positions on any given date!

Even given the fact that the ancient Greeks were well versed in astronomy, the existance of such a basic but elegant 2000 year old computer is pretty astonishing. It is not known exactly who built it."

Well, scientists have now confirmed that the device is an ancient astronomical computer. Here is a report from www.Discovery.com:

June 8, 2006— A shoebox-sized bronze device scooped out of a Roman-era shipwreck at the dawn of the 20th century has baffled scientists for years. Now a British researcher has stunningly established it as the world's oldest surviving astronomy computer.

A team of Greek and British scientists probing the secrets of the artifact, known as the Antikythera Mechanism, has managed to decipher ancient Greek inscriptions unseen for over 2,000 years, members of the project say.

"Part of the text on the machine, over 1,000 characters, had already been deciphered, but we have succeeded in doubling this total," said physician Yiannis Bitsakis.

Bitsakis is part of a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from universities in Athens, Salonika and Cardiff, the Athens National Archaeological Museum and the Hewlett-Packard company.

"We have now deciphered 95 percent of the text," he told AFP.

Scooped out of a Roman shipwreck in 1900 by sponge divers near the southern Greek island of Antikythera, and kept at the Athens National Archaeological Museum, the Mechanism contains over 30 bronze wheels and dials, and is covered in astronomical inscriptions.

Probably once operated by crank, it survives in three main pieces and some smaller fragments.

"(The device) could calculate the position of certain stars, at least the Sun and Moon, and perhaps predict astronomical phenomena," said astrophysicist Xenophon Moussas of Athens University.

"It was probably rare, if not unique," he added.

The rarity of the Antikythera Mechanism precluded its removal from the museum, so an eight-ton "body scanner" had to be assembled onsite for the privately-funded project, which used three-dimensional tomography to expose the unseen inscriptions.

The first appraisal of the artifact's purpose was put forward in the 1960s by British science historian Derek Price, but the latest discovery raises more questions.

"It is a puzzle concerning astronomical and mathematical knowledge in antiquity," said Moussas. "The Mechanism could actually rewrite certain chapters in this area."

"The challenge is to place this device into a scientific context, as it comes almost out of nowhere... and flies in the face of established theory that considers the ancient Greeks were lacking in applied technical knowledge," added Bitsakis, also of Athens University.

The researchers are also looking at the broader remains of the Roman ship for clues to the Mechanism's origin.

One theory is that the device was created in an academy founded by the ancient Stoic philosopher Poseidonios on the Greek island of Rhodes.

The writings of first century AD Roman orator and philosopher Cicero, himself a former student of Poseidonios, cite a device with similarities to the Mechanism.

"Like Alexandria, Rhodes was a great centre of astronomy at the time," said Moussas. "The boat where the device was discovered could have been part of a convoy to Rome, bearing treasure looted from the island for the purpose of a triumph parade staged by Julius Caesar."

The new findings are to be discussed at an international congress (www.antikythera-mechanism.gr) scheduled to be held in Athens in November.

(Also, click here for the Scotsman.com's report on this story)

Lost Languages

There are currently between six and seven thousand languages in the world, but some linguists have estimated by the end of this century up to half of them will be lost. Why? Well, for one thing, the spread of the Internet, global trade and mass media enable communication across cultures like never before, but they also tend to make certain highly popular languages like English more dominant than ever. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does become a problem when the youth of a culture with a minority language don’t learn the language. After a while it is only the elderly who can speak it, and then, pretty soon, the language may die out with them.

Some people point out that there are advantages to loosing some of the more obscure languages. For instance, it makes it easier for larger numbers of people to understand eachother if they all speak the same language. It is also cheaper for people to speak a common language as signs and instructions don’t have to be translated so much.

However, I would argue that there are two main reasons why it is a great shame for a language to be lost.

Firstly, languages are a great repository of information about a culture and its history. Mainly because for most of history we didn’t have the written word and information was passed down through time by mouth. Such oral histories are the basis of myths, and scholars are now discovering that many of the world’s myths, rather than just simple fanciful tales, are actually coded forms of information about the distant past. When we loose a language, we loose the opportunity for studying this information. Also, by studying languages and their similarities to other languages, linguists can learn about Human history in general. They can track back the connections of cultures and how people migrated across continents.

Secondly, different languages can create different ways of perceiving the world. For example, the native American language of Choctaw, spoken in Oklahoma and Mississippi, is now spoken by just 11,000 people. This is still more than many endangered languages, however, only half of the young people are now learning the language, compared to 95% just 20 years ago. It’s currently believed that Choctaw could die out in the next two generations. The interesting thing about the language is that when you are discussing something, you have to make it clear where your evidence is coming from. For example, if you are talking about something that you know for a fact to be true, you have to use a different tense than if you are merely passing on information that you have heard from someone else. Choctaw is the only known language to have this feature, and almost certainly results in its speakers having a slightly different perception of the world. Incidentally, most of the spoken native American languages are now classified as endangered.

If a language is lost, is it possible to retrieve it? Yes, sometimes. For years, scholars where unable to understand the language of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Then, in 1799 a stone – the so-called Rosetta stone – was discovered on which the same message was written in both Greek and hieroglyphics. This unlocked the meaning of this ancient Egyptian language and enabled researches to decode large amounts of ancient history.

Also, with modern recording methods it is possible to archive the way words in an ancient language are spoken. So, in theory, even if people stop speaking certain languages in everyday life, they need not always be lost forever.