Sunday, December 30, 2007

ANNOUNCING THE AVATAR AWARD


Avatar Award



The Åvatar Award (ÅÅ) is an award given to spiritual resources of exceptional quality and clarity. It is given to those writers, authors, musicians, etc. who have
displayed excellence, clarity, and a non-compromising stance when assisting in humanity's spiritual evolution and awakening. The award is presented by
Avatar publications, and in association with "ALL THINGS THAT MATTER," a blog devoted to exploring issues that confront today's society. The selection committee is comprised of experts in the field of spiritual evolution including authors, publisher's, and academic professionals.

Awards are given in several major categories including music, blocks, articles (general public, academic), and books. Blog awards are given annually and represent continued excellence in posts that repeatedly offer insights, help, and inspiration to readers. Book awards are given annually to those authors who have provided readers with new insights, guidance, and inspiration with respect to personal transformation and global spiritual awakening. Articles (general public) are awarded quarterly to those works that represent breakthroughs in thought, provide superlative inspiration, offer easy to use guidance, and which are written with a high level of clarity and excellence. Articles (academic) are awarded to those articles that are groundbreaking in thought and scope, open new doors of academic pursuit, and which maintain a high degree of academic excellence.

Award recipients can display the award logo on their site, book, or article.
Articles will be posted and archived on the Avatar Award home page. Recipients will be given the opportunity to be a guest and present their thoughts on internet radio.

Criteria


The following criteria are used in the judgment and awarding of the ÅÅ.

Clarity of communication
Accuracy of information
Faithful and non-compromised representation of the high truths of creation
Overall excellence in communication and spiritual standard.
Submission Requirements

Blogs should be sent to awards@avatarpublication.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subject heading should read: AWARD CONSIDERATION: BLOG. Completed articles should be sent as an email word document attachment to awards@avatarpublication.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subjecting heading should read AWARD CONSIDERATION: ARTICLE GENERAL or AWARD CONSIDERATION: ARTICLE ACADEMIC. Articles should be between 1,600 and 20,000 words.


It is not necessary that books be published prior to consideration. One award consideration may include the actual publication of a book through avatar publication, although this is not a gauranteed prize. Book PDFs should be sent as an attachment to awards@avatarpublication.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it If the book is already published, hard copies may be requested.

Current Recipients

HMMM, IF THE POPE LIKES IT...

THE PRICE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS


The price of “political correctness” has been the loss of spirit in the American culture. In order not to offend anyone, we have become morally and spiritually sterile. The holidays have degraded into a time to shop and all inner meaning has been lost from what was once a time of joy.

While I do not advocate any particular religion, it seems a loss to our society when we prohibit celebrations that are rooted in the spirit of love and brotherhood. Working in a school system it was dis-heartening not to be able to celebrate Christmas in the way we did when I was a kid. Gone are the decorations, the songs and the parties. It could just as easily have been April vacation as it was Christmas. After all, saying “Merry Christmas” is not politically correct.

What is wrong with celebrating all major holidays? We could even have an atheist day. By negating these celebrations we have lost the ability to express our inner most spiritual thinking. By making celebrations taboo, we turn holidays into commercialized opportunities for big corporations to get richer. Holidays are now measured by retail shopping and consumer spending reports rather than by how many people were helped, housed or clothed. Times meant for inner reflection have turned into times of increased anxiety, stress and sadness.

In the book “Fahrenheit 450” society became sterile and docile because writing that offended anyone was basically rejected by publishers and society. The move towards political correctness drove society into intellectual stagnation which allowed the many to be dictated to by the very few. The end result was the burning of books that contained any type of offense to anyone. I am sure that my books, like Waking God and Jesus taught It, Too: The early Roots of the Law of Attraction and even Raping Louisiana: A Diary of Deceit would hit the fires because each book offends someone. Will the day come when such books will not see the light of day because they are politically incorrect? When we lose the ability to celebrate traditional holidays in a traditional way, is the day of censorship really that far off?

It is said that one of the chief causes of the decline of the Roman Empire was due to moral and spiritual decay. By moral, I do not mean religious morality, but rather that ideas and values that make a society what it is. Values are societal glue. Why associate with people if there is nothing in common? How can our society remain cohesive if we cannot share and experience the values and traditions of all of our members? Rather than embrace each others differences and celebrate our varied heritages, we ban such interactions all in the name of correctness.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy in this entire “correctness” trend is its impact on the children. They seem to be growing up devoid of values and traditions. To them, the whole purpose of a holiday is to “get.” While “getting” is by no means a negative thing, they have lost the balance to the equation which is “giving.” I do not mean material gifts when I say giving. Here is what I see: fewer calls and visits to grandparents, little concern for the less fortunate, little desire to even explore spiritual issues or share spiritual ideas, a take and no give attitude, loss of respect for just about everything, no concern for taking responsibility and the loss of the ability to just be kids and play.

To be “correct” you cannot really question or ask question for fear of being offensive. You cannot celebrate for fear of being offensive. You cannot discuss meanings of things for fear of being offensive. You cannot express values or stand up for what you believe to be right because it may be offensive. Where will this all lead?

Friday, December 28, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

'IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO LEAD, THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY!"


“If you are not willing to lead, then get out of the way.” This sentiment was shouted at the U.S. by a repetitive at the recent Bali Conference on climate change. This will be the refrain of the world unless we, as a nation, make a determined effort to get our proverbial international act together with respect to climate change specifically and foreign policy in general. The deal signed at the Bali Conference does not require specific climate reduction targets by anyone, thanks to the U.S. Oh, but it does create an agenda for future discussions and negotiations. Some say that at least this keeps the dialogue going and, yes, that is a positive step.

Despite the E.U.’s desire to develop mandatory reductions of greenhouse gases, the U.S., backed by Japan and several other nations prevented stringent actions from being taken. The U.S. argued that numbers should not be assigned until after further negotiations which will not be complete until 2009. So now we will have two more years of discussion and then, maybe, we will sign off on numbers which will still have to go through the treaty process in the U.S. Does everyone think that the GOP will just say, “Sure, let’s put restrictions on big business?” After all, the major reason that the U.S. and China have balked at signing off on limits is because they say it will hurt economic growth. Will it hurt economic growth any less in two years? When India and the E.U. tried to include language that would require monitoring of technology transfer to underdeveloped countries, the U.S. decided it wanted further talks on the issue. While this position was reversed due to massive pressure, the damage to the image of the U.S. had been done.

Thanks to President Bush, the U.S. has bought itself more time to try to figure out how to avoid more regulations that would hamstring multi-billion dollar corporations. A key question is what kind of time do we really have? Will Nature wait for the U.S. and China to get on board with most of the rest of the world? The recent auto emissions standards signed by President Bush are a joke. By 2020 autos are required to get 35mpg. We are not that far from that now and most imports have already reached that goal. The bill also requires more use of ethanol which is basically produced and under the control of oil companies. Who wins? Not the environment and not the consumer. With the tax increase knocked out of the bill to force large corporations to pay for changes, who do you think will be footing the costs to clean up the emissions? Keep in mind that the 35mpg is not required until 2020, what happens to the emissions in the meantime?

With all of these delays it is important to note the condition of the environment is not improving. According to scientists, Artic ice melt reached a new high in 2007 with an area the size of Alaska gone. Sea ice loss up to 2006 was something like an average of 68,000 square miles. The loss of sea ice from 2006 to 2007 was ten times that amount or around 663,000 square miles. It is speculated that the Artic Sea could be ice free in the summer of 2013. The sea temperature has risen an unprecedented 5 degrees Celsius. If this happened in a year’s time, what makes the U.S. think that we have years to decide on a course of action to cope with the issues of climate change?

Thursday, December 13, 2007

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN V. ANDREWS, MEDICINE WOMAN

LISTEN TO MY INTERVIEW WITH LYNN V. ANDREWS ON JAN7TH!!!!!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pharris


Author of the New York Times and internationally best-selling MEDICINE WOMAN series. A 25th anniversary edition of Medicine Woman which has been translated into over 12 languages and is in its 46th printing, was released by Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin Books in 2006..

Leader in the field of spirituality and personal development, ranked as one of the top self-improvement experts in the world, and considered pre-eminent in the field of global shamanic cosmologies,

Lynn is the author of 19 books and workbooks, including Woman at the Edge of Two Worlds, A Spiritual Journey Through Menopause and The Power Deck, Cards of Wisdom.

She is the creator of “Menopause and the Feminine Rites of Passage” -- meditations, ceremonies and exercises for transformation and joy for all stages of a woman's life, from puberty through menopause.

Architect of the Personal Act of Power - tools for spiritual growth and personal empowerment.

Lynn is also a writing teacher, successful female business owner and founder of the Lynn Andrews Center for Sacred Arts and Training, now in its 14th year, and the Joshua Tree Gathering, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2008.

INTERVIEW WITH JAMES REDFIELD, CELESTINE PROPHECY

IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK! JAMES REDFIELD WILL BE MY GUEST ON MY BLOGTALKRADIO SHOW, ALL THINGS THAT MATTER ON FEBRUARY 4TH!!
THE SHOW AIRS AT 8PM,EST.

Phil



When author and therapist James Redfield self-published his first novel in 1993, the immediate ground swell of enthusiasm from booksellers and readers made The Celestine Prophecy one of the most successful self-published books of all time.
Since 1994, when Warner Books published The Celestine Prophecy in hard cover, this adventure parable about a spiritual journey to Peru became one of modern publishing's greatest success stories. According to Publishing Trends, The Celestine Prophecy was the #1 international bestseller of 1996 (#2 in 1995).
In 1995 and 1996, it was the #1 American book in the world. This phenomenal novel spent over 3 years on the New York Times bestsellers list and appeared on lists around the world. In 1996, an eagerly awaited sequel, The Tenth Insight: Holding The Vision, which also became an instant bestseller, joined The Celestine Prophecy. The two books spent a combined 74 weeks on the New York Times list, making James Redfield the best-selling hard cover author in the world in 1996, as cited in BP Report (January 1997).

Sunday, December 9, 2007

THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE


President Bush will probably become known in history as the American leader who began the decline of the American Empire. Pax Americana is at an end! The single most important cause for this decline is his total lack of leadership in addressing the issue of global climate change.

While clear arguments could be made regarding his lack of leadership in such areas as international diplomacy and his failure to address domestic social and economic issues, those failures pale in comparison to his undaunting refusal to take the leadership role in tackling the tough issues of climate change. Despite the debacle in Iraq; despite escalating personal bankruptcies; despite the growing have and have not gap; despite his failure to meet the needs of millions that have suffered through domestic environmental catastrophes, it is climate change that will be his lasting legacy. No issue affects more people on a worldwide scale than the looming alteration of our home world.

At the Bali conference on climate change the United States said that they are not ready to adopt mandatory limits on greenhouse gases and that we will come with our own plan sometime in 2008. That plan, according to most observers, will be voluntary. The European Union has already committed to mandatory reductions by 2020. Despite the dire warnings of ocean expansion, droughts, floods, increased spread of diseases and general environmental mayhem, Bush is still looking for nonbinding ways to reduce emissions. If that would work, why haven’t all of the major polluting industries already adopted nonbinding reductions? As the Bush Administration waffles, the U.S. is losing what remaining credibility is might have had as a world leader.

Of all of the nations in the world, the United States is the one nation that can afford to make reductions. Our lack of leadership will be the nail in the Pax Americana global empire. With international disdain for our foreign policies, even OPEC nations are talking about eliminating the dollar as the basis for oil pricing. As highlighted in my book, RAPING LOUISIANA: A DIARY OF DECEIT, we are seen as the international buffoon with respect to our ability to even care for our own disasters. The negative ripple effect of our sub-prime housing crisis on international banking adds even more skepticism regarding our ability to lead the world in anything.

And now our true colors begin to show and it is not the green of the environment, rather it is the green of money. At the Bali conference the U.S. and the E.U. are pushing to remove economic trade barriers so we can sell our environmental technology to third world and emerging nations. According to the OECD, this market is worth several hundred BILLION dollars each year. While one might argue that this technology should indeed be more readily available, we once again come off as looking for the bottom line in terms of money rather than the bottom line of the environment. If the U.S. had in place mandatory use of alternative technologies in all federally financed or insured projects, such a move would be credible. Since this is not the case, we come across as just seeking more ways to fatten the pockets of large corporations. While in my mind the jury is still out in terms of ethanol, it is interesting that this push to reduce tariffs does not include this technology, much to the consternation of Brazil. Is it possible that we see Brazil as too competitive for American ethanol production efforts?
Depending on the extent of the lessons that Mother Nature chooses to palace before us, Americans will see the decline in the power and status of our nation. Like barbarian hordes that knocked at the doors of the unsuspecting Romans, we, too have a blind eye regarding our status among the world community. While we will probably blame George W. Bush, we all share in that blame as we let our nation sink like the lost continent of Atlantis.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

THE LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS-PART II


One thing must be clear from the outset; Nostradamus is not a purveyor of doom and gloom. He does not predict the end of the world nor does he foretell of the “second coming” of anyone. Regardless of the words, he does not believe in an anti-Christ. Nostradamus does not tell “all” in the quatrains, rather he reveals his mysteries in his symbols.

The quatrains are like the parables that are understood by the few. There inner truths reserved for the initiates. While many quibble over the meaning of the words, they fail to see the heart that lies beneath. The Universe speaks in images and symbols and Nostradamus was a tool of the Universe – he was an initiate of the highest order and it is to his symbols one must turn to grasp the rudiments of the words. They go hand-in-hand; they are the duality that shapes the entire manifest world.

Perhaps the biggest failure of most is their attempt to try to interpret his symbols from the perspective of religious dogma. While he had to use the words of the day and placate the powers that be, Nostradamus was not under the thumb of religious ideology. He knew how to play the game in order to keep his head. So much has been slipped under the nose of theocracy it is a wonder they have not seen the writing on the wall. There is a famous quote about pearls before swine and so few have really understood its meaning.

As I have said in my writings in the novel, WAKING GOD, certain symbols have been our guide for countless millennia. These symbols became what are commonly called the Tarot. While many will argue that the Tarot was a 16th century creation, that argument also falls under the category of those beautiful pearls. That Nostradamus used that symbology is indisputable. His real story is in the picture and not the text. However, if one uses Christian myth as the basis for interpreting those symbols, you are condemned to mire in the muck of ignorance.

It is little wonder that the Church created devils and demons to gain and maintain their power over the masses. All reasoning people would surely understand that stories of a vengeful god, filled with wrath and contempt for its creation would garner few converts unless they were threatened with eternal damnation for disobedience. The serpents and dragons of Nostradamus do not represent evil. That is merely a lie told by those trying to protect a lie. Certainly, anything that would expose that lie would be considered evil. To them, the “truth” is evil since it underpins their very foundation.

To begin to understand the inner message of Nostradamus, all religious connotations must be cast aside. Do not think of the images of the pope as necessarily being the literal pope. Do not see the serpent as evil, see it as wisdom. When Patrick drove the serpents from Ireland, what he really did was drive the Druids from their homeland. The serpent represents wisdom in the same way it did in the story of Moses. Is DNA involved in his images? In WAKING GOD we talk of the ‘good seed’ imbedded within our DNA and this reference is made in numerous Tarot pictographs. The wisdom of the awakening DNA was no stranger to Nostradamus. Beware of seeing the crescent moon as a symbol of Islam. It is important to note that it is often portrayed as a double image. This deals not only with the inner and hidden meaning of Islam; it also deals with the Goddess whose Tarot card is number two. It is she who is the fount of wisdom. His many female images do not allude to foreshadowing a female pope, but rather to the return of the Goddess and all of her wisdom.

Contrary to very popular belief and error, the burning tower does not represent the end of the world. The tower is man’s dogma undergoing purification of the spiritual fire. This fire is often portrayed as destructive in religious circles, e.g the fires of hell and the lake of fire in Revelations. Contrary to this erroneous thinking, the alchemic fire gave birth to the universe and its purifying nature frees the mind from mental bondage. Even Jesus said he came to” baptize by fire.” I doubt he meant he wanted to burn everyone in the flames of Inquisition. Keeping in mind the importance of numbers and their meaning, note that the tower has three openings. The number three appears everywhere in the Tarot and in the plates of Nostradamus. Card three of the Tarot is the Empress, the Goddess, who gives birth to wisdom. She has one foot on a crescent moon and her crown is adorned by 12 stars. Card 12 is the hanged man who, by reversing his thinking is awakened to the inner truths of the Universe. His coat displays two crescent moons.
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This is the second piece of a multi-part article on THE LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS.