An old star chart showing the constellations as the objects that they represent
A star forming region in the Large Magelllanic Cloud
This image provided by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009 shows hundreds of brilliant blue stars wreathed by warm, glowing clouds. The festive portrait is the most detailed view of the largest stellar nursery in our local galactic neighborhood. The massive, young stellar grouping, called R136, is only a few million years old and resides in the 30 Doradus Nebula, a turbulent star-birth region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. There is no known star-forming region in our galaxy as large or as prolific as 30 Doradus.
.... oops... how did this get in here. (Ha!)"By approaching the night sky with fresh eyes, you become more intimate with the world."
I found the complete article that Ivy quoted from yesterday, because I was so impressed with the part she quoted. Here is a paragraph from that article that captured me again: "If we’re not mindful, intellectual knowledge can easily cloud our direct experience. When we’re guided through life solely by our intellect, by our ideas of what we know, we’re robbed of a sense of discovery. A nonconceptual awareness allows us to approach each moment as fresh and new. A depth of wisdom can arise from such immediacy, and lead to greater wonder about the mysteriousness of life; we may realize just how little we can ever know."
About half way down the page, there's a section called Starry Night, which talks about meditation as a way to cultivate a nonconceptual awareness. Since it's done outdoors, it's probably not a good time to try it, but it is a good example of a way to learn for someone who has never mediated before (and that includes me). STARRY NIGHT
93 comments:
Hope it's ok to have slipped in this post so close to Christmas. Anyone who has a Christmas post to put up, feel free to do so at any time. I'm not trying to change the mood here, it's just that reading Ivy's link the other day got me pondering.
... OK, I'm slipping in one little thing regarding our government too. It's ironic, to say the least:
"So, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation wasn't catching Osama Bin Laden, it was piling up the paperwork on Michael Jackson." The Michael Jackson FBI Files' Greatest Hits
You should be a detective, Chloe. How you found that article from the small excerpt I posted is beyond me. And I was unable to get it linked...you accomplished that too! Don't ever underestimate yourself, you are amazing.
Thanks Ivy. But no I'm not!
All I did was take a sentence that you quoted, and searched it exactly as it was. Most things that we do on these computers are much easier than we think they are (more misconceptions?). Believe me, I have no special abilities.
Ivy, I am just most grateful that you linked that yesterday. It was just what I needed around now. More synchronicity? Yes, I think so.
In my haste, I missed this paragraph from the article (that thing is a wealth of knowledge).
"So when you look at someone, notice what concepts arise about them—man, woman, parent, child, waitress, taxi driver, lover. See how your approach to them changes based on your ideas of what it means to be old, young, sick, cute, shy, loud, extroverted, or smart. See then if you can let go of the labels and look at them without these concepts interfering with your perceptions of who they are. Notice their form, movements, and expressions, and try to get a sense of their essence beyond their surface appearance, movements, and expressions. When we look at people or anything in this way, we get to see the world anew, with fresh eyes. We come closer to experiencing the truth of how things actually are, undimmed by the concepts in our minds"
Chloe,
As far as synchronicity, it wasn't all from me. I receive a daily e-mail link from Yoga Journal, and that was the one they sent yesterday. I was grateful too, and just sharing the gratitude.
Yeah Ivy, but 'you' are the one that brought it to us.
Dang, I have to get some work done now. See you in a little while.
Chloe, I love the pictures you posted and the link to the Starry Night article about unconceptual awareness. I love that "concept." When I swim and walk by myself, I am able to take my brain out of "on" mode and be one with nature (much of the time). When I can do that, I feel refreshed and renewed. I guess that is what meditation and yoga are all about.
I love this last paragraph that you quoted about looking at people or anything else with fresh eyes. My mother could do that. I loved doing things and going places with her because she always saw things with "nonconceptual awareness" She always had such delightful interpretations of people and the world. It is great to be able to put a name to it - there I go needing to label things.
I also like the last picture. It is a perfect pic to post at this time. We all need a little laugh and I needed one this morning.
Chloe,
I love stargazing though here the best time
is now when it is really cold out. The night
sky is clearer & you can see some color in the
stars. I have seen both a blue and gold star,
but never have been able to make out the red
star, Betelgeuse. Also have viewed Saturn through a telescoope.
This week we have a crescent moon and there is
a bright star to the south of it, don't know
what it is, plantet or star, but it is bright.
And the other stargazing you added, those front runners are bad either......
last line, should be are not bad either......
Chloe, I love the 2 pictures of the star forming and pic from the Hubble telescope. The colors are amazing. I could just look at the colors - don't even want to read the words.
Looking at the colors in the 2 pics makes me feel bad for my son who is color blind. We did not realize it until he was an adult. This was the story my 2 older sons told me. The brothers were playing golf one day and the older one did not pick up his red tee off the green grass. The younger brother said, "Don't you want to pick up your tee and the older one said, I don't see it"
Carol, I love your story about your experience at the drive in movie when you were a teen. I think you could write a book just about your growing up years.
Chloe, I wish a fabric designer would make some fabric and use those first 2 pictures. I would buy it. What a beautiful quilt that would make. I guess you know where my money goes.
I was buying some fabric at the quilt store yesterday to finish the boy grandbaby's quilt. Since John was with me the sales person decided to tell us a story about women and husbands who tried to curtail their fabric-buying. She said one woman told her that her husband said he did not want to see her bring one more bag from the fabric store into the house. So she started bringing in her fabric purchases in bags from the grocery store.
The sentence above should read "husbands who tried to curtail their wives - fabric-buying."
Chloe,
Be careful. U are starting to get an interest in these things, and once u develop it; there is no turning back.!!
Ever since the days of astronomer Edwin Hubble's ground-based telescope observations, we have known that the Universe is expanding, and that there must have been a "Big Bang" where the expansion all started.
But the question that has challenged astronomers, physicists, mathematicians, and philosophers for centuries is this: will the Universe expand forever or will it someday stop, turn around, and collapse in a "Big Crunch"? NASA missions are helping to gather the evidence required to answer this question conclusively.
Nasa also have a satellite that is going to help chart the universe, like we did with the Earth. Will it be for sale after-wards? Will we think of space as we do the Earth: In bits and pieces instead of one whole?
They are starting to say that if we look into dark holes, we just might change the life of the Universe..it will expand for ever, we will reverse this if we keep studying our selves??
"Be careful. U are starting to get an interest in these things, and once u develop it; there is no turning back.!!"
Good morning Solar.
I've always had an interest in these things. It's just that I've looked at them from a 'psychology' point of view (and still do). The 'mind' and it's workings is what has always been my greatest interest, as long back as I can remember, as well as trying to find ways to direct it.
It's always been about finding happiness and contentment, getting the most out of what we're given, and looking for the best in other people for me. That, and tuning into all the beauty and everyday miracles we see around us every day. As far as gratitude, I only focused in on that about 8-10 years ago, but it didn't take me long to realize that cultivating that feeling can change ones life.
I'm simply always looking for ways.
"Will it be for sale after-wards?"
Save your money Solar. You can just use your beaming powers to go to and see whatever you want. :)
Beam me up, Scotty
"My mother could do that. I loved doing things and going places with her because she always saw things with "nonconceptual awareness" She always had such delightful interpretations of people and the world. "
How wonderful to have had a mother like that Jan. It's good to know what it's called. Many times we have to label things, in order to understand them and to therefore fully appreciate them.
" So she started bringing in her fabric purchases in bags from the grocery store."
LOL Jan! Smart lady!
I look at those pictures the same way you do. The first thing I thought was I'd rather have one of those pictures hanging on my wall than most art I've seen. I've been looking for something different to hang, than the same types of things I've hung in the past. Not trying to stay up with the times, just trying to stay up with the changes in me. :)
Coreen, I didn't realize you're a star gazer. No wonder you and Solar get along so well! :)
I should have known though, because I can tell you have a real love of nature.
Chloe,
I used to be able to think, about thinking without too much getting in the way..this is done by realizing the feelings that one can get by being part of nature,in your mind..you have lots of nature around you...can you feel it sometimes? in your mind, that is, and realize where it came from.!
Coreen, Coreen, The Dancing Machine....yeah she is a STAR.!!
I should have said that Coreen is a Nebula.....
Maria,,it has to be the deodorant huh?
Solar,
If you believe in Einstein's curved space, the universe could expand outward until it all ran into each other and became a singularity.
They say all of the particles in the universe packed side by side would be about the size of a basketball. Which shows how much emptiness there is in matter. So if the universe exploded from a singularity the size of a basketball, the symbolism of God breathing the universe into existence could be a good way to describe the first moments.
Wonderful topic. I used to have a girlfriend that followed Dzogchen Buddhism. We traveled cross country together in the RV. I wanted to photograph everything for my sites, and she'd get frustrated and tell me to put down the camera and experience the moment. I try to do a little of both now.
Ok, U asked for it. Im kinda naughty when im left alone...here.
Santa
Santa was delivering gifts as usual, when at one house a beautiful young woman was awaiting his arrival. She begged him to stay and cuddle with her on the couch. Santa declined, saying "Ho -ho, gotta go. Gotta deliver these presents, you know."
Trying again, the lovely young thing removed her clothing down to her underwear. "OH Santa, won't you please stay?" she queried . Taking a long look, Santa sighed and said "Ho- ho, gotta go. Gotta deliver these presents you know."
Not to be denied, this gorgeous female stripped off every stitch of remaining clothing, smiled and said invitingly "Oh, Santa, please reconsider? Stay with me?"
With a pained look on his face, Santa groaned and said "Ho - ho, gotta go. Gotta deliver these presents you know." And with that, he turned and left. Several minutes passed, and Santa re-appeared, plopping himself down on the couch next to the beautiful woman.
"Santa---you decided to stay??" she asked.
Santa grinned, looking at his crotch and said "Hey - hey, gotta stay. Can't get up the chimney THIS way!"
__________________
Solar, are you saying Coreen is nebulous?
Ooops Don I didn't see you sneak in..got any hobo left.?
Are we all dark matter? everything...we drink it in our water.
Yep she is a star, that has some cool dust about her.!! don't tell her I said so tho....
Don,
It might be cool to think that there were a lot of big bangs, lots of Universes that gives us diff dimensions..that rubbed against each other..and Bang.!!
Looks like it's just us guys Solar
Great joke, it's being repeated all over the Interverse now.
Yeah, I posted that for Sea, over at TM. she has been complaining lately about the lack of available affection...she cracks me up with her straight forwardness...
I stopped by a few days ago. Max and XR weren't around an it looked like no one else knew what to talk about. :-p
Sorry, I had to pick up the phone again.
Yes, sometimes TM, is very quiet. I go over there sometimes, to push Maxes buttons..but I don't find it the same anymore..like everything, it gets a little stale..
I still like a few of the people there so I stop by just to say hello...
Don,
I said dark matter..I think that we might be dark energy..that should be.!
How can energy be dark? Isn't it all light and goodness?
Don,
Looks like im doing dbl posting here and at TM..but i just commented on what CB, talks about all of the time....I never talk to him..but I put this out there anyway.! U probably know a lot more than I do..but this is another thing that we don't think about-talk about too much.
Doesn't matter what we build or do; as far as trying to keep mother nature from unleashing her wrath on us.!!
We are overpopulated, and will continue to destroy the earth. We have build our homes in the parts where we should never have..our cities are not in harmony with the laws of nature.
The ashes of the people that died in Roman city- Pompei are the example of building in the wrong places, even then...and accelerating the natural process of erupting volcanoes......what haven't we done to speed up all of the forces of nature with our mountain moving bulldozers...there is a price to pay, is all....
Stopping global warming is the right thing to do...but we can't, and it will be used by the large corps....like everything else...we must try...but we must be smart about it...they will pass laws, today, that will be used for the enslavement of the people of the future imo.
Star, Nebula, or is it nebulous....careful now, in the meantime, all I have to say is.....
You don't have to be a star
I was very clear...Nebula= Star...a pretty sparky one at that..
Glad you are around,
You do mean a galaxy of stars.....but you can still be in my show...
Yes, I have been by my comp all day. I have been getting and answering e mails.
I like that song also, almost all of the Oldies....could never get into Wully, Bully, Wully Bully,..dang I shouldn't have sang that. going to be in my cabeza all day now......
I was just stirring up trouble Coreen. You know I meant it with only good humour.
Yeah, I like reading CBob. He's got some common sense and a good twist on words. As you do as well.
I think both sides are wrong. The conservatives want to deny anything could be going on, the liberals want to change all of our systems overnight. I think if they just admitted something was going on and put together some coalitions of scientists and engineers, we could come up with something a little more in harmony with the goals of both sides.
I'd like to see us go back to more of a village structure in harmony with our environment. It would be good for us environmentally as well as culturally.
Don,
I knew, and so did Coreen, I think? that you were trying to brew a little trouble. Sometimes it's hard to get in trouble here with the pinks..and at other times....the least little bit.....well they are pinks......is all.......
I think that you are right about getting the scientist together to resolve our problems...they are the only hope for the future...evolution is in tier hands...I think...that is unless we go through some catastrophe that forces us to adapt...
I have a programed taped..I think that I still have it...about future space travel, so we can colonize some other planet..or after we do...going to be a lot of test tubes dna-ing going on...we will build the right kind of human to go.
Imagine how long passengers will be unconscious while traveling light years away...frozen until they can unload them. :-))
Not too long ago, we, the human race were down to single or low double digit numbers, all it takes is for mother nature to get pissed....
I never have understood pinks, probably why I stayed single. Life is much quieter. Sometimes that's good, sometimes that's bad, but it's always quieter.
2 big known threats. Apophis and the south atlantic magnetic anomaly. I hear a lot of nasa people saying we should be building a clint eastwood device to stop apophis. But mother nature has all kinds of tricks up her sleeves.
We keep saying we're going to impose our will on mother nature, and she just gets this more knowing look.
And that was my purpose of What they say, that Jesus said about we are all it, we are all the earth..we come out from the earth, like leaves come out from the tree...see you a little later, Oh I still use that catch you later also....
ps, I have 4 sisters, and have never tried to understand them...can't...I just see them like another person.....can't live with em...or without em....
"I just see them like another person"
... well said Solar.
Women don't necessarily understand other women either. I have to admit, it's often easier to see where a man is coming from. In many ways, they're less complicated.
Back again, Don, I knew you were just tring
to get Solar in a little trouble, but as usual,
he managed to come out well smelling like a rose.....
and what would a 'clint eastwood device' be,
a really, really, really big 44 magnum to blow that asteroid away....
Actually I wouldn't do that to Solar, but I do like the play on words. Gets me in trouble a lot.
Probably more like a plot device. Like Space Cowboys. It's coming close enough and wobbling enough people are really worried.
I say the magnetic anomaly gets us first though. If the north and south poles reverse it will be extremely disruptive. If the magnetic fields go away, we're literally cooked.
Of course, there's almost no chance any of it will happen, but Hollywood will have to do something with it.
Don, say it impacts the earth in the near future, is it strong or big enough to terminate
all life, or what could it do.
Probably not even a long winter. But the impact could be the equivalent of an 880 megaton bomb and could kill off over ten million people.
At one time predictions were 1 in 223, it varies.
Here's a wonderful photographer that specializes in photos of the California Central Coast. Link
"I was very clear...Nebula= Star...a pretty sparky one at that.."
Yeah I know how to wiggle out of trouble..been getting enough practice, with Chloe. Just before she is going to fire that shotgun at me, i whisper something to her....like Im innocent over here.!
Don, don't worry about getting me in trouble with the pinks....they know that I would never-ever say anything wrong.....never ever...
Some form of life will always survive no matter what....there are places that life is as old as 10 billions years old...chemical life that is..there is also fossil records of cities of organisms....
"In many ways, they're less complicate"
Yes, and that is because they don't have the same concerns that women do, in general, and are a little less concerned about the present, they always live in the future..If it wasn't for women, men would still be nomadic....or golfers...don't know why I said that.....
Don,
Just figured out what's cool about talking to you, and the others here:
I hear myself talking to me, and not sure of what Im saying. I put my thoughts out there, and get the feed back to make up my minds....without all the fighting of talking to people that just want to be right about something, and argue their point, until it becomes tedious..make sense?
Good thing that there isn't a bar where we could bend that elbow...Hey U two...lat call, save that weird stuff for tomorrow...yer outa here...
In advertising classes it's a given that men's minds are simpler. You only use a couple of symbols in advertising to men, and one occurs in three places. Lips, breasts, buttocks. Same double barrelled shot. The other is power, which can be cars, money, tools, etc..
I was really only trying to make you look cuter Solar by being that homely friend sitting next to you. :^)
Hey.! Don't need the help, what the pinks see is what they get...
My point was that we get very good feed back on all of this stuff...Ivy is pretty good on the science links, and info also, but has been busy.....and no offense to the ladies..but this is sometimes a nice change of pace...Chloe, another out of the park Thread.....another shinning Star ...:-))
Ok, Now I'm starting to get worried. Where's Carol?
Mary, I just now saw your comment at the end of the last post. Sorry I didn't see it sooner.
Have you talked to Carol today Mary? She wasn't here this morning either.
Carol and Mary, where are you. You are beginning to worry us.
Mary, I think you are working. Check in when you get a chance.
Carol, are you having a late night with your inmates or off to a great party - hope its the latter. Even if you can't stay long. Check in so we will know you are ok.
Chloe, just back in and I see that you noticed
that Carol and Mary also have not been around
all day.
I too hope that everything is alright and
that either or both will soon let us know just that.
Back for a peek, and I see that you all are worried about Carol, and Mary. I will hang around.
Well, I certainly hope it's not the swamp thing.
I hope it's something simple, but we may need a dinger widget so we can make sure.
While we're waiting. Elephants in Tembe. Africam
Don,
It's 6:30 the 24th there, and the lines are down...which reminds me. I have to take the time, to re-send, my Audio drivers, or install new ones. Coreen was just singing to me, and I couldn't hear a thing she was saying...something about her show..or something.
6:30 am
will check in, in the morning....have an early appointment.......
I love the stars you put up. Sometimes we just try to drive away from the city lights if it is clear enough just to see the stars.
My Christmas wreath is on the TARDIS on one blog and the other has carols.
Good morning everyone and Merry Christmas Eve. Great post and I'm still reading comments. Lots to ponder here.
That line of bad weather is just about over our heads here so I have my computer on battery power. Don't have any surge protector in here and don't want a lightening strike to knock me out.
Yesterday was very busy and I watched a movie on my computer last night for escape. It was Julie and Julia. Cute movie.
I don't agree that guys are simple minded. LOL.
I haven't had the opportunity to work with that many guys. Working with mostly women has certainly been a challenge. Each gender seems to be intimidated by different characteristics. Just off the top of my head, it seems that women are intimidated by women who are attractive and men by women who are intelligent.
Hi Carol,
Sorry about the bad weather overhead, but glad
to know that all is ok.
Solar, you said you would be in your cabeza all day. I googled that and it said "it is used to describe the meat from a roasted head of a cow, served as a taco or burrito ..."
I bet that wasn't a comfortable place to work.
Carol,
Do you have to go in to work today or do you
have an extra day off.
You have your dinner to do today Coreen? Looks like you will have a sunny day.
Yes, Carol we will be having Christmas eve dinner about 6:30 tonite.
I ran around yestderday getting the last of the food, cleaned the shrimp and will try to setup the food & table a little later this a.m., just in case I missed something.
Supposed to be warmer today & rain tomorrow.
I'm off for 4 days now except for being on call. I usually don't have to go in but a couple of years ago I did.
They found some wanted perv hanging out in a small town near here. He has a stroke, was in one of our local hospitals and a nurse recognized him as someone they had seen on "most wanted". Shortly after that they had him arrested and in our jail.
The pityful thing was laying on a mat in intake at our jail. He was unable to move or take care of himself. I had to deal with that on either Christmas or New Years Eve. The hospital just dumped him when they found out his history and then Oprah ended up giving a couple of the nurses at that hospital $50,000 for IDing him.
Yesterday, the most complicated patient I had, I saw at the end of the day. It seems that always happens. He was from out of town, was supposed to be taking all these expensive, hard to find, meds for a very rare condition. The outpatient pharmacy was just about to close for 4 days. I wanted to pull my hair out.
Jan, are you heading out today? Chloe, do you have your tree up yet?
I still have stuff to do. The rain seems to be moving fast. It was supposed to rain all day yesterday but it didn't. It waited until this morning.
I got Maggie this rolling hedge hog for Christmas. Since she really doesn't know when Christmas is, I gave it to her last night. It was funny watching her try to play with it.
You are still getting a camera for Christmas Chloe? Are you going to take some pics of little Em opening her presents? It would be nice to have some kids pics tomorrow.
Carol, I haven't even read your comments yet, but see that you are here. I worried about you all night! You have no idea how relieved I am to see you here this morning.
You broke your own rule Carol. You said we should report in 'every' day. I thought the worst.
"I don't agree that guys are simple minded"
Ha! That's sure 'not' what I meant when I said 'less complicated'. That's why I was surprised by the way the guys responded.
I meant less game playing.
Julie and Julia was a great movie was very cute. I agree.
... it's amazing how fast these new movies get online or on TV now.
I got a pic of Maggie with her rolling hedge hog. Ivy, do your pups get presents? You need to take some, pups with presents, pics too if they do. How about the kitties Coreen? I'm sure Mary's Petey will get plenty of presents.
Chloe, did you decide on a movie for tomorrow? I'm thinking about seeing "It's Complicated".
I rented the movie from a Red Box and played it on my computer while laying in bed.
Our line of nasty looking showers has already moved thru. That was easy. Might even clear up early today?
Chloe, my holiday funk mood peaked out yesterday. I feel better today.
"You are still getting a camera for Christmas Chloe?"
Carol, I was even worried about Maggie. What an imagination I have, always afraid of bad things happening.
Yes, Santa delivered my camera early. I took some pics of Emma already, and will probably get them posted on my photo bucket later today. Or post them at some point. I've got to see how busy the day gets. We'll be taking off for a while shortly, and I have a lot more to do.
... and yes, the tree is up. 'Very' basic, but Emma loves it. She wants to climb it.
Carol, either "It's complicated" or 'Sherlock Holmes.'
I am so glad that you feel better. Again, you can't imagine how worried I was. I think you've met your match, in me, in the worrying department.
If you weren't here this morning, I was going to have a miserable Christmas. I 'have' to get some of this stuff done right now, or we won't be having any Christmas here.
So, see you later today. Thanks for be ok.
You need to put your pics up as a post. We can have a kids with presents post. I'll send you a Maggie with her toy pic.
Carol,
I don't know the words to many songs, and hardly any that I know all the way thru, I think that I was always day dreaming, about other things, while listening to the music... It was the beat that drove me crazy.....
see u later; on the way out for a meeting.
If you check in before you leave Jan, happy sailing and Merry Christmas!
Chloe, even my brain surgeon says male brains are simpler. We just need to kill big animals and breed. The women do the rest.
I'm ok with that. It means chocolate is just another snack food and two guys can ride together for an hour without saying anything and neither worrying what's wrong.
I had an antique dealer send my sister-in-law an antique amber bowl for Christmas. My brother was unpacking the box to wrap it last night and the box had nothing but bubble wrap in it. Fed-Ex wrapped and shipped it, so it was obviously their fault.
Poor guy at the antique dealer felt so bad, and he'd really gone out of his way to help me select a gift and get it sent out on time over phone and email. We went back and forth for two days.
Told him that it wasn't his fault, Fed-Ex admitted they'd received it and I'd be getting my money back, and I really didn't like my sister-in-law anyway. I always have a chia pet in reserve to send her. :^)
Just added a new post to wish you all a
Merry Christmas.
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